The Collection of British Orders, Decorations and Medals formed by the late Fred Rockwood

Army of India 1799-1826, 3 clasps, Allighur, Battle of Delhi, Laswarree (Lieut. Alexr. Duncan, Brigade Major.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, the reverse of each clasp carriage privately engraved with date of the action, good very fine and rare £5000-6000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of British Orders, Decorations and Medals formed by the late Fred Rockwood.

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Ex Spink, November 1991, and D.N.W. December 2000.

Alexander Duncan was born in Edinburgh in March 1780, the son of Dr. Andrew Duncan, a distinguished Physician, and entered the Honourable East India Company’s Forces as a Cadet in 1795. Arriving in India in September 1797, he was promoted to Lieutenant in August 1798 and became Adjutant of the 1/2nd Native Infantry in 1800, in which year he saw service in the Oudh. Next appointed Adjutant of the 2/2nd Native Infantry, he took part in the operations in the Jumna Doab, including the actions at Sasni, Bijaigarh and Kachaura. Promoted to Captain in November 1805 and appointed Brigade Major to the 4th Brigade of the Grand Army, Duncan was extensively engaged in the Second Mahratta War, being present at Allighur, the battle of Delhi, Agra, and the battle of Laswarree. He was also present at the unsuccessful first siege of Bhurtpoor, at which place he was wounded and had his horse killed under him. His next appointment was as Brigade Major at Fatehgarh in 1806, although he saw no further active service until the reduction of Kalinjar in 1812, and the capture of Entauri, in Baghelkhand, in 1813. He subsequently commanded the 1/2nd Native Infantry on service in Oudh during 1815.

On the outbreak of the Third Mahratta War in 1817, he was again appointed to the command of the 1/2nd Native Infantry and served with the Narbada Field Force, being present at the action near Sohagpur on 13 January 1819, when his conduct was brought to the notice of the Governor-General by Sir Richard Jenkins, the Resident at Nagpore. In a letter to the Hon. Mountstuart Elphinstone, dated 19 January 1819, Jenkins states: ‘I have much satisfaction in acquainting you, that Major Duncan, with the Right Wing of the 1st Battalion 2nd Bengal Native Infantry, by a well concerted enterprise, succeeded in completely surprising and defeating, on 13th instant, a body of 500 Ginds and Pindaries, under the Chiefs Futteh Sing, Ram Sing and Pertaub Sing. This party was very strongly posted within the hills near Sohagphur, having stockades in their fronts, which were all turned in the night, and the enemy, driven out of the village by the bayonet, fled in all directions, many being killed or drowned in a deep nullah, at the bottom of the mountains. Two villages and the stockades were burnt or destroyed, with large quantities of grain and ammunition’ (London Gazette 10 August 1819).

Duncan was given command of the 5th Native Infantry in May 1824, and of the 53rd Native Infantry in January 1828, becoming Colonel in June 1829, having assumed command of the Malwa Field Force a few months earlier. He took command of the Sirhind Division, as Brigadier General on the General Staff, in May 1834 and held this position until May 1839. Having transferred to the 5th Native Infantry in August 1837, Duncan briefly held command of the 2nd Division of the Army of the Indus from September to December 1838. Returning to the U.K. in 1840, he received further promotion to Lieutenant-General in November 1846 and to full General in June 1854. General Duncan died at Gattonside House, Melrose, in May 1859. Sold with full research.