A Collection of Medals to the 13th, 18th and 13th/18th Hussars, Part 1


Lord Wellington repeatedly passed us, when we Huzzared him; the French Cavalry advanced again to the muzzle of our guns, the Gunners were ordered to retire and we charged them again in the grandest style between our masses of Infantry; they retreated and we charged them close to their Infantry, who were formed in Squares the same as ours; in this charge I am sorry to say the black mare I purchased from Paddock. got two musket balls in her close to my knee just behind the shoulder joint, it was with difficulty I got her to the rear of the Artillery when I dismounted and sent her to the rear by a Dragoon, whose horse I mounted as he was.


We still continued retiring on guns when the havoc amongst us was dreadful, one cannon-ball killed General Grant’s horse, Col. Dalrymple’s horse and took off his leg, it then passed between Wallace and me, we remained here still exposed, every minute some man or horse falling, Captain Goulburg (Goulburn) at whose side I was, had just mounted a trooper after having had his horse wounded, when he was knocked off by a spent ball but fortunately without injury, about half-past six we charged again down the hill and then retreated to our guns; again about 8 P.M. the great attack was made when the French were repulsed, we were immediately ordered to charge as our Infantry were . . . General Hill came in our front and called out “now 13th come on” he took of his hat with several other Generals we immediately Huzzared with the whole of the Infantry and charged, the French retired in the greatest confusion, our Infantry advancing kept us at a trot for three miles when we with the whole of the Cavalry pursued them about three miles further when darkness, at 9 P.M. put an end to the slaughter, the last charge was literally riding over men and horses, who lay in heaps.


Such is the account of the battle I myself saw and can vouch for the general particulars you have in the despatches and newspapers I assure you our Regiment had been without rations since Thursday, and it was not till Monday evening June 19th that we got our meat, I luckily had one fowl and some mouldy bread in four days. We bivouacked for the night and next day advanced and have continued to do so (except one day) ever since we crossed the frontier (near B) on the 21st June, the Cavalry have advanced here chiefly by cross country roads through the fields as it is not enclosed as in England.


I have heard since of the Black mare and find she is in Brussels and hope she will recover but have no great hopes, she is an excellent charger. Our loss in Officers is Captain Gubbins killed, do. Pym (Pymm), do. Gale (Geale), the two former by cannon-balls, two Lieutenants severely wounded and five slightly, seven or eight Officers had their horses shot and wounded under them, and General Grant had five horses shot under him.


When the Regiment mustered after the action at 10 P.M., that night we had only 65 men left out of 260 who went into the field in the morning, the rest were either killed, wounded, or missing, the 15th have also suffered most dreadfully as well as the whole of the Cavalry, and yet notwithstanding such losses we are as ripe and anxious to try our fortune once more at Paris and settle the peace of Europe. You may expect and depend upon everything from the English and Prussians who will go hand and heart together as brothers. I must finish for the Bugle sounds for . . . but I hope not to march this day.’


49


Military General Service 1793-1814, 3 clasps, Vittoria, Orthes, Toulouse (Henry McCawley, 13th Light Dragoons.) a few light marks, otherwise good very fine


£1,400-£1,800


Henry McCawley was born in the Parish of Glenterbert, County Monaghan, and enlisted into the 13th Light Dragoons at the age of 18 years on 7 June 1811. He served with the regiment in Spain and France from May 1812, and afterwards at the battle of Waterloo where he was wounded. He was discharged on 9 December 1816, in consequence of ‘Wound in his Arm received in action at Waterloo on the 18th June 1815.’ He had served for 7 years 185 days, including 2 years additional service for Waterloo, during which time he was a ‘well conducted and attentive soldier’. Aged 23 at the time of his discharge he was admitted to a Chelsea Hospital out-pension of 6d per day on 4 September 1817, due to ‘wounded right arm at Waterloo’. This pension was subsequently increased to 9d per day.


Sold with copied discharge papers and medal roll extracts.


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