Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An Interesting Collection of ‘Waterloo’ Relics

France, First Empire, Legion of Honour, 2nd type, Chevalier’s breast badge, 56 x 37mm., silver, gold and enamel, unmarked, with old ribbon complete with rosette, buckled centres, one section of wreath missing, enamel damage, labelled, ‘Cross & Riband of the Legion of Honour’; together with a good length of old and faded Grand Cross sash ribbon, labelled, ‘The Cordon of the Legeon (sic) of Honor worn by a French General Officer in the Battle’

Other Ranks’ Shako Plate, brass; Officer’s silver badge; 2 embroidered badges on a cloth backing - one a crowned eagle, the other a crowned letter ‘N’, with labels, ‘Worn on the breast of an Officer’; top and bottom silver sword chapes; Buttons (6), all different, labelled, ‘Buttons of French Soldiers killed in the Battle’; small badge in the form of an ascending dove; French Coins (4) - all pierced, labelled, ‘Money found with some of the dead’; manuscript soldiers instructions booklet, in French’; a handwritten list, in French, additionally inscribed, ‘taken off the field at Waterloo 26 June 1815’, most of the above fixed onto a board of a drawer with label, ‘Trophy’s found in the Field after the Battle of Waterloo’, drawer sometime glazed and hung from a wall, many items damaged or worn but a very rare survival (lot) £2000-3000

Sold with a photocopied letter dated 10.9.[18]64 entitled, 'Letter relating to the Waterloo Relics at Ogston Hall.' The letter states, '...Mr ... visited the plains of Waterloo 15 yrs ago & purchased the trophies from an old veteran who lived at an adjacent village & had a little collection ... he was one of the survivors...'

It is almost certain that these items were purchased from Sergeant-Major Edward Cotton, 7th Hussars (see The Waterloo Roll Call, part IV), who, 'after being discharged from the regt. he took up his abode at Waterloo, and became a guide to the battlefield. Being a clever and well educated man, he was able to compile a very interesting little book called A Voice from Waterloo, which held its own among the many accounts of the great battle. Besides this he formed a Waterloo Museum, which has always been a great attraction to visitors.'