Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Waterloo 1815 (Lieut. Alex. Campbell, 1st Batt. 91st Reg. Foot.) fitted with original steel clip and split ring suspension, light contact marks, otherwise good very fine £2,600-£3,000

Provenance: Murray Collection, Sotheby, May 1926.

Alexander Campbell was commissioned Ensign in the 1st Battalion, 91st Foot, in August 1805. He advanced to Lieutenant in May 1808, and to Captain in September 1818. A letter that he wrote to Lord Fitzroy Somerset, 2 July 1834, gives the following:

‘I most respectfully take the liberty of addressing your Lordship to represent that as there appears little or no chance of my being again reinstated on full pay your Lordship would pleased to recommend to the proper quarter that a reasonable chance would be allowed me in lieu of my half pay, to enable me if possible to enter upon some business by which I may support myself and family with greater comfort. I entered the service in the year 1805 in the 1st Battn 91st Regt, with which I regularly served in all its campaigns, until I was put on Half Pay in 1821, being a period of about sixteen years and three months - I served with that Battalion in Holland, Portugal, Spain and France, and had a musket ball through my left cheek bone which came out under my ear, in the Battle of Orthes. I had always been anxious of being reinstated on full pay and had stated that anxiety in the circular sent to Officers on half pay, some years since...’ (copy included in lot refers)

Campbell served with the Regiment at Roleia, Vimeira, Corunna, as part of Walcheren Expedition, and was severely wounded at Orthes. He served in Captain D. Campbell’s Light Company at Waterloo, and was placed on Half Pay in December 1821. Campbell died in May 1835, just over a year after he had written his letter.