SINGLE CAMPAIGN MEDALS
Thomas Power was appointed Ensign in the 47th Foot on 19 June 1806, aged 25, and became Lieutenant, by purchase, on 25 March 1808. He proceeded to the Peninsula in October 1810, being present at the siege of Cadiz, battles of Barossa and Tarifa, siege of St Sebastian, crossing of the Bidassoa and battle of Nivelle. Promoted Captain for gallantry at St Sebastian, 8th Battalion 60th Foot, 6 November 1813; half-pay, on reduction of the battalion, 2 December 1819. He married at Douglas, Isle of Man, on 26 November 1828, and is believed to have died there in 1845.
Lieutenant Power was severely wounded in the head at St Sebastian on 31 August 1813 and succeeded to the command of the battalion after Captain Livesay was wounded, he having taken command upon the death of Major Kelly. General Graham in his despatch on the conclusion of the siege wrote that “Lieutenant-General Sir J. Leith commends highly Captain Livesay, who succeeded to the command of the 47th Foot on Major Kelly being killed, and kept it till wounded, when the command devolved on Lieutenant Power, who ably performed the duty.”
‘He was lying wounded before the Fortress of St Sebastian where a Non-commissioned Officer stumbled against him, he said “Oh! Lieutenant Power all the Officers are cut down and there is no one to save the Colours.” Power said “take off my sash and tie up my head” and he led them on to Victory. Eleven Officers and four hundred and fifty five men were killed that day. For this deed he was presented with the Gold Medal, £100 for wounds, and most coveted of all a “Company” in the King’s Royal Rifles “the gallant 60th” (Extracts from typescript note of Major Power’s services sold with Lot).
The Gold Medal is accompanied by an old photographic print of a painting of the action and the following note: ‘Episode in the career of Major Thomas Power, who when Lieutenant won the gold medal and his promotion from the 47th Regt. to his “Company” in the 60th, “The King’s Royal Rifles”, also £100 for a wound in his head. This picture represents his leading the “Forlorn Hope” at San Sebastian, where although wounded, he led on his men to victory at the famous siege of San Sebastian in the Peninsula War. His brother (twin) won the Waterloo silver Medal.’
See following Lot for the Waterloo medal awarded to his twin brother, David, a Captain in the 44th Foot.
62
WATERLOO 1815 (Capt. David Power, 2nd Batt. 44th Reg. Foot) fitted with original steel clip and contemporary silver straight suspension bar and matching ribbon buckle, minor marks but generally very fine
£6000-8000
David Power was appointed Ensign in the 44th Foot on 5 April 1801, becoming Lieutenant, 18 September 1802, and Captain, 3 December 1807. He proceeded to Holland in November 1813 when, together with the 37th and 69th regiments, the 44th formed part of the first brigade under Major-General Skerrett. Captain Power was severely wounded in the assault on the strong fortress of Bergen- op-Zoom on 8 March 1814, and was one of twelve officers of the 44th to be taken prisoner on that occasion. Released a few weeks later, he served with the regiment whilst stationed at Ostend until June 1815 when the 44th joined Picton’s division in the renewed campaign against Napoleon.
Captain Power was again severely wounded at Quatre Bras on 16 June, when the 44th were caught in line and attacked by French lancers. This attack was decisively repulsed. “Never, perhaps,” wrote Captain Siborne, “did British infantry display its characteristic coolness and steadiness more eminently than on this trying occasion. To have stood in a thin two-deep line, awaiting, and prepared to receive, the onset of hostile cavalry, would have been looked upon at least as a most hazardous experiment; but, with its rear so suddenly menaced, and its flanks unsupported, to have instantly faced only one rank about - to have stood as if rooted to the ground - to have repulsed its assailants with so steady and well-directed a fire that numbers of them were destroyed - this was a feat of arms which the oldest or best-disciplined corps in the world might have in vain hoped to accomplish; yet most successfully and completely was this achieved by the gallant second battalion of the 44th British Regiment, under its brave commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Hamerton.”
Power exchanged to the half-pay of the 9th Foot on 16 October 1817, and died in 1821. See previous Lot for the Gold Medal awarded to his twin brother, Thomas, a Captain in the 47th Foot.
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