Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Meeanee Hyderabad 1843 (Lieutt. C. P. Leeson, 25th Regt.) edge bruising and light contact marks, otherwise very fine £700-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late Alan Wolfe.

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Charles Ponsonby Leeson was born in Dublin on 17 January 1810, third and youngest son of the Hon. John Leeson. He was educated by Dr. Tomkins at Boulogne, ATA time when his father was living in Jersey, and nominated a Cadet in the Bombay Infantry in the season of 1828. Posted as Ensign to the 7th Bombay N.I. in July 1829, he transferred to the 25th N.I. in 1834, and was promoted to Lieutenant in November 1837. He served as Baggage Master during the Scinde campaign and is returned on the medal roll under ‘Staff’.

Leeson was posted at Hyderabad after the conclusion of the campaign and, despite promotion to Captain in July 1844, his military career ended somewhat unhappily, the result of scandal attaching to his conduct in the taking of an Indian concubine, an ex-prostitute whose role in searching the women of the Talpur zenana to prevent jewels from escaping the clutches of the Prize Agents endeared her to none, whereby “the business of concubine coming belatedly to the General’s notice, a hint was given to Leeson to resign.” (cf. Sir Charles Napier and Sind, H. T. Lambrick, Oxford, 1952)

Leeson died, unmarried, at poona on 2 July 1852. His two elder brothers also served in India, though with more success. Joseph Leeson, the eldest, saw action in the first Afghan War at Cabul and Istalif, and afterwards headed Shah Shuja’s 1st Cavalry Regiment, known locally as Leeson’s Horse. He subsequently served in the first Sikh War as a Captain in the 2nd Irregular Cavalry. The second brother, John Sackville Leeson served with distinction during the second Sikh War as Brigadier-General, commanding Bombay Artillery.