Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Peninsula War medal awarded to Major-General Henry von Brandensteen, commander-in-chief of the Brunswick Army, late Brunswick Oels Light Infantry, who fought in Germany, the Peninsula and at Waterloo, and was four times wounded during his career
Military General Service 1793-1814, 6 clasps, Fuentes D’Onor, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, St. Sebastian, Nive (Henry Von Brandensteen, Capt. Brunsk. Lt. Infy.) extremely fine £3000-3500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Napoleonic War Medals formed by the late R.W. Gould, M.B.E..

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Henry von Brandensteen was born at Prenslau on 26 July 1787, and was appointed Corporal in the Infantry Regiment von Kleist No. 12 on 1 March 1800. He was promoted to Ensign in February 1804, and to 2nd Lieutenant in March 1806. On 6 November 1806 he was wounded at Lubeck and taken prisoner on the following day, on the capitulation of Ratkau. In April 1809 he was appointed 1st Lieutenant in the Brunswick Corps and Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion, and the following September joined the English Brunswick Regiment. He became Captain and Commander of the 9th Company in February 1811. On 13 October 1812 he was wounded at Monasterio, in the Peninsula. In the following year he took command of the 2nd Company, was present at the siege of San Sebastian in August, and was wounded at Bidassoa on 7th October. He was promoted to Major in the Brunswick service in December 1814 and in January 1815 was given command of the 2nd Light Battalion. This regiment he commanded at the battle of Waterloo, where he was once again wounded, on the 18th June.

Brandensteen was placed on Half Pay in February 1816. He was given command of the 1st Line Battalion in October 1819, of the Light Battalion in November 1820, and of the Garde-Grenadier Battalion in February 1824. He became Brunswick Town Major in May 1827, Lieutenant-Colonel in December 1828, and in October 1830 was placed in command of the Brunswick Infantry Regiments. He became Colonel in October 1836; Major-General, retired, in September 1841; and was appointed City Commander of Brunswick on 14 August 1846. Henry von Brandnsteen died at Dresden on 25 September 1851.