Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The unique C.B. and 5-clasp Army of India medal awarded to General E. F. Waters, Bengal Army, one of five European recipients of the clasp ‘Defence of Delhi’
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s breast badge, 22 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1815, complete with wide swivel-ring suspension and gold ribbon buckle; Army of India 1799-1826, 5 clasps, Allighur, Battle of Delhi, Defence of Delhi, Nepaul, Ava (Major E. F. Waters, Commg. Dinagepore Battn.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, some old glue repairs to the centres and Lions and chips to both wreaths on the C.B., very fine, the second good very fine (2) £15,000-£20,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals - The Property of a Gentleman.

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Glendining’s, May 1965.

C.B. London Gazette 20 July 1838.

Army of India medal is unique with these clasps, one of ten medals issued with five clasps; only five clasps for ‘Defence of Delhi’ were issued to European recipients, each with a unique combination of clasps:

Sergeant J. Brown, Bengal Artillery - 5 clasps, Allighur, Laswarree, Defence of Delhi, Battle of Deig, Capture of Deig.
Riding Master C. J. Davis, 4th Light Cavalry - 4 clasps, Allighur, Defence of Delhi, Battle of Deig, Capture of Deig.
Lieutenant (later Major-General Sir, K.C.B.) Archibald Galloway, 14th N.I. - 2 clasps, Defence of Delhi, Capture of Deig.
Lieutenant (later Lieutenant-General Sir, K.C.B.) John Rose, 14th N.I. - 3 clasps, Allighur, Battle of Delhi, Defence of Delhi.
Major (later General, C.B.) Edmund F. Waters, 17th N.I., later commanding Dingapore Battalion - 5 clasps, Allighur, Battle of Delhi, Defence of Delhi, Nepaul, Ava.

Edmund Frederick Waters was born in 1784 and entered the Bengal Army in 1799. His services are thus described in The East Indies Military Calendar, Vol. III, London 1826:

‘In 1799, this officer was appointed a Cadet: he arrived in India in 1800, and joined the army as an Ensign. In 1803, war was declared against the confederated. Mahratta princes, and the corps to which Ensign Waters belonged [2/17th N.I.] formed part of the grand army, under the personal command of Lord Lake. He served during the two campaigns, and was with the storming party that assaulted the strong fortress of Allyghur, which place was taken after two hours' severe exposure and fighting: he was also with the small force of 5000 men that defended Delhi, under the late Major-General Burne, in 1804-5.

In 1804, he had obtained the rank of Lieutenant; and in 1805, he was appointed to a regimental Staff situation, which he held till 1814, when he vacated it on his promotion to the rank of Captain. In the interim, he served with his regiment, and was on service against the Goorkahs in the Nepaul war.

In 1821, he was appointed to the command of a frontier battalion, and in 1825, obtained his majority.

In 1824, war was declared against the Burmese empire, and Major Waters was destined to act with his battalion in the division of the army, commanded by Brigadier Alfred Richards, that has conquered the petty kingdom of Assam.

In the 2d campaign of the Burmese war, Major Waters was detached, with the disposable part of his battalion, from the main force, and for his exertions and services on this occasion, he received the thanks of the highest military authorities.

Major Waters, with the head-quarters of the Dinagepoor battalion, amounting, in effective strength, to about 250 men, and a brigade of gun-boats, mounting pounder cannonades, quitted the post of Gowahutty on the 19th Oct., for the purpose of surprising and dislodging the enemy on the line of the river Kullung, and of occupying the position of Raha Chokey, a centrical point, keeping in check the main body of the enemy stockaded at Noagong, and also commanding the mountain passes leading from Cachar. On the second day the division arrived at the mouth of the Kullung, at its confluence with the Sonage and the Brahmaputra, distant from Gowahutty about 15 miles; and the following day, with the advantage of a favourable wind, passed the deserted post of Kejleechokey, and overtook the advanced party, under Lieut. Jones, of the 46th regiment, temporarily attached to the command (60 men).

For many succeeding days the progress of the division was extremely slow and tedious, owing to the rapidity of the current, in a channel peculiarly winding and tortuous, and the nature of the banks, which were overgrown with high and impervious reed jungle, and did not admit of the usual mode of tacking. On the 26th, the division reached the village of Jaghee, now nearly depopulated; and about that time Major Waters received intelligence of a party of the enemy being stationed at a village inland, called Hautgong, or Sautgong, where they were committing plunder and ravage upon the surrounding district. On the following morning, the division passed the deserted village, and the same evening reached a point of the river opposite the village of More Kullung, from whence the road to Hautgong branched off, and reported to be a distance of eight or nine miles. In consequence of confirmed intelligence of the strength and position of the enemy's party, Major Waters determined on giving them an alert; and disembarked at midnight with one hundred men for that purpose: after marching (officers, as well as men, on foot) for about four miles, they reached the village of More Kullung on the edge of a broad and deep jeel, which the detachment crossed by rafts. At this time there commenced heavy rain, which continued, with little intermission, during the whole of the march.

The road, for the first ten miles, was practicable, and though occasionally passing through tracts partly inundated, did not generally offer much difficulty. The distance, however, proved to be nearly double that previously estimated; and, in addition, the fatigue was much increased by the nature of the country, the last eight miles being through rice-fields, almost entirely knee, and sometimes waist, deep in water. The heavy rain and mist, however, aided the surprises and the detachment arrived, at about 8 o'clock, unperceived, on the enemy's position, into which it immediately dashed: The slaughter, however, was comparatively small, owing to the numerous outlets from the village favouring the escape of the enemy, and the depth of the surrounding jungle: many Burmese fell, and some women and plunder were captured in returning from the pursuit. The former were released, on being claimed by their families. By following mistaken information, the detachment, on its return to the fleet, experienced added fatigue and difficulty in a bad and circuitous route, and did not reach the boats till the following morning, having been compelled to bivouac in a small village for the night. The distance traversed cannot be estimated at less than from thirty-five to forty miles. On the 30th, the division resumed its progress up the Kullung, meeting with rather more favourable ground for tacking, and less strength of current, though in a channel equally devious and winding. Major Waters, of course, deemed that the knowledge of his advance upon Raha Chokey could no longer be concealed from the enemy, after the alarm excited by the attack on Hautgong; but on approaching that post, he had reason to believe that their attention had rather been diverted to the line of the great river, in which Major Cooper was then proceeding; and that they attributed the alert to a detachment from that quarter. He, in consequence, made arrangements for surprising them; and having pushed in, with a party of 200 men in the gun and light boats, landed a little below their post at Raha Chokey, and sueceeded in reaching it, unperceived, by early day-break. Major Waters, having taken a rapid view of the place, divided his party into two, and immediately attacked the position by separate entrances. This arrangement was attended with complete success; the party on the right entering by the open road falling on the principal body, who, with loss, were driven on the left division, by whom they were received with great slaughter; and the pursuit becoming general, the enemy were followed for a considerable distance, leaving many killed and wounded in the jungles in their flight: their loss was estimated at about one-third, but subsequent accounts gave reason to suppose it far greater. There were captured several stand of arms, (English muskets) numerous swords, many of which belonged to chiefs, and all their baggage and plunder. Major Waters had previously received information that the preceding day a party of Burmese had been detached from the body at Raha Chokey to ascertain the real circumstances attending the attack of Hautgong, on the 28th; and as the great guns had not been brought into play, he formed hopes that they might remain unconscious of the defeat of their main body, and that he might be able to surprise and cut them off in their return: the event proved the justness of his expectations, and about mid-day, information was given of their approach. Major Waters accordingly ordered out a party, and took post with it in a concealed position, in jungle, on the skirts of a village, distant from Raha Chokey about two miles, and through which the road of the enemy passed. The measure was most successful, as the enemy advanced on the party unawares, and were suddenly attacked with very heavy loss: they made one feeble attempt at returning the fire, with jingals, &c., and took to a precipitate flight through the streets and lanes of the village, closely followed by the troops, and falling in considerable numbers, not one half could be considered to escape, of whom many were wounded. The fugitives in both cases took the direction of Noagong, in which town were established the headquarters and main body of the Burmese army, under their governor the Baoraor Mogaum Rajah, the Deakah Rajah, 2d in command, and various other phookuns, or chiefs. They were known to be in a stockade, or fortified position, of considerable strength, and amounting to about 1,000 or 1,500 men. Early on the following morning (the 4th), Major Waters received intelligence that the Rajah with his force had quitted his stockade, and had taken post on the road towards Roha, either with intention of anticipating an attack, or of seeking safety in flight. He accordingly ordered out a strong party, and leaving a sufficient protection for the guns and fleet, proceeded immediately in the direction of Noagong, said to be about twenty or twenty-four miles distant. It proved, however, much further, and he did not reach the stockade until the next morning, when he found it entirely evacuated by the enemy. By the accounts gathered from the inhabitants, he learnt that immediately on the arrival of the fugitives and wounded from Raha Chokey, &c., the panic of the enemy became general, and the Boora Rajah and chiefs determined on instant and precipitate flight, as Major Waters was said to be in close pursuit. They effected their escape to the hills in the utmost consternation and confusion, abandoning their artillery, baggage, plunder, military stores, and war-boat; taking with them only their women and children, and the gold which they were able to carry about their persons. Unfortunately, they had already gained so much ground, that Major Waters was obliged to give up all hopes of pursuing them with infantry, and on the morning of the 5th Nov. took possession of their stockade.

On the 29th Jan. 1825, Brigadier Richards's force marched to the attack of the stockades and fortified posts around the capital of Upper Assam (Rungpore.) During the assault, the gallant Brigadier was wounded whilst leading on the men, and Major Waters succeeded to the temporary command of the force. The day terminated by the expulsion of the enemy from all their strong holds, and they were compelled to seek shelter in the town or fort.

The result was highly beneficial, as the loss the enemy sustained so alarmed them, that 3 days afterwards they capitulated and gave up the fort of Rungpore, which contained 400 guns of various calibres. The thanks of government were individually expressed to Major Waters, and to all commanders of corps, for their services.

The 2nd campaign being at an end, Major Waters is now, 1826, serving with his corps in Assam.’

Waters transferred to the 59th Native Infantry in December 1826; to the 66th Native Infantry in September 1828; to the 47th Native Infantry in December 1830, including operations in Cuttack in 1833; Lieutenant-Colonel, transferred to the 63rd Native Infantryin, in December 1833; to the 29th Native Infantry in August 1834; posted as Colonel to the 27th Native Infantry in May 1836; to the 46th Native Infantry in November 1939; to the 68th Native Infantry in 1840, and as Brigadier 2nd Class commanding troops in Rohilkand and Kumaon from August 1840 until February 1845; Colonel, 35th Native Infantry, 1845-46; and of the 68th Native Infantry again from 1846 to death. Waters was promoted to General on 17 September 1861, and died at Wyvenhoe rectory, Essex, on 2 May 1866.