French or St. Helena Medal.—It was not until August 12th, 1857, that the survivors of that magnificent army of Frenchmen who followed le petit Caporal in his campaigns from 1792 to 1815 received a medal commemorative of their devotion and gallantry. It was due to the Emperor Napoleon III that the old military and naval warriors received, what their great General and Emperor would wish for them, "marks of merit." The St. Helena medal is oval and of bronze, 1⅕ in. across. On the obverse is a beaded circle within laurel leaves, which frame the whole medal (see facing page [64]), the laureated head of Napoleon facing to the right with the legend NAPOLEON I EMPEREUR. On the reverse, within a beaded circle, is the inscription A SES COMPAGNONS DE GLOIRE SA DERNIERE PENSEE STE. HELENE 5 MAI 1821 (To his companions in glory his last thought St. Helena 5 May 1821), and around CAMPAGNES DE 1792 A 1815, with a small five-pointed star beneath. As part of the medal, but standing above the oval, is the French Imperial Crown, through the terminal of which a ring runs for suspension from a green ribbon, 1½ in. wide, with narrow stripes of red.
NEPAUL
While the attention of Britain was necessarily riveted upon the Peninsula, both East and West, as we have seen, compelled her to keep the torch of battle burning, and I must therefore mention the campaign in Nepaul, for which the Honourable East India Company awarded a special medal. The order dated Fort William, March 20th, 1816, stated that the Government had decided to present silver medals to every native officer who had served within the hills, and to as many non-commissioned officers and privates as might be recommended for distinguished zeal or gallantry. The campaign was brought about owing to the Goorka tribes having adopted an aggressive policy, and refusing to vacate the districts of Bootwal and Sheoraj belonging to the H.E.I. Co., that had to be retaken by an armed force, and by an attack upon the British outposts at Rourah, which had been left in possession when the rainy season commenced. The operations, which followed the declaration of war made on November 1st, 1814, covered a frontier stretching 600 miles. In the early part of the campaign General Gillespie was killed while leading a body of 100 dismounted men of the 8th Dragoons against the small but well-defended fort of Kalunga. The back of the war was broken when, in March 1815, General Sir David Ochterlony resisted a furious assault of the Gōrkālis for two hours and then, boldly charging, forced them to fly in confusion. For his brilliant services General Ochterlony was made G.C.B., the first officer in the Indian Army to receive the honour. Ummur Singh, Rajah of Nepaul, after the surrender of his officers and men was compelled to submit, but a year elapsed before the treaty was ratified at Fort William. The regiments occupied in the campaign were: H.M.'s 14th (the 14th did not, however, receive the medal, as they had not served in the field), 17th, 24th, 66th, a wing of the 67th, and 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers; a detachment of the 8th Light Dragoons, and the 20th and 25th Native Infantry.
The H.E.I. Co.'s Nepaul Medal.—The medal awarded by the Honourable East India Company was silver, 119∕20 in. in diameter, and given to all ranks. On the obverse troops with fixed bayonets and colours flying are represented marching through a hilly country, the heights crowned with forts and stockades; in the foreground to the left is a field gun. On the reverse is a Persian inscription, "This medal is conferred by the Nawab Governor-General Bahadar in testimony of the energy, good service, skill, and intrepidity displayed during the campaign in the hills, in the years of the Hegira 1229 and 1230." It was worn suspended from a yellow silk cord, and, as it was only given to native soldiers for particularly distinguished conduct, is very uncommon.
When the "Army of India" medal was issued in 1851, those native soldiers who had not received the H.E.I. Co.'s medal were granted the new medal, with bar for NEPAUL (see facing page [56]). The British regiments entitled to the medal with this bar were the 8th Light Dragoons; 17th, 24th, 26th, 66th, one wing of the 67th, 87th Regiments, and 20th and 25th Native Infantry. On November 5th, 1817, the Peishwa, Bajee Rao, who had again given evidence of his treachery, was defeated at the village of Kirkee by Lieutenant-Colonel Burr of the 7th Bombay Native Infantry, with the 65th Foot and a native force consisting of the 2nd, 6th, 7th, 12th, 13th, and 23rd Bombay Native Infantry; Bombay Artillery, Field and Horse, and Pioneers; the Bombay Fusiliers (now 2nd Batt. Dublin Fusiliers); and Poona Horse. On November 17th Colonel Burr, together with Brigadier-General Lionel Smith commanding H.M.'s 65th British Regiment and the 2nd Grenadier Regiment of Native Infantry, captured the town of Poona. On the 26th of the same month a force under Lieutenant-Colonel Hopetoun Stratford Scott and Brigadier-General Doveton captured the camp of the Rajah of Berar, Apa Sahib, at Seetabuldee (£79 has been paid for a medal with the single bar for this engagement), outside the city of Nagpore, which, after a desperate defence by its garrison of 5,000 men, surrendered on New Year's day, 1818. Although eight companies of the Royal Scots were present at the battle of Seetabuldee, they were not awarded the bar for same when the Army of India medal was distributed. They were also present at the capture of Nagpore (400 medals were issued to officers and men, and 43 to Europeans in the H.E.I. Co.'s service) with the following native regiments: 1st, 2nd, 17th, 21st, 23rd, 26th, 28th, 29th Madras Infantry and 6th Bengal Light Cavalry and 6th Madras Cavalry.
Maheidpore.—At Maheidpore, on December 21st, 1817, Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Hislop defeated the Pindarees under the Mahratta Rajah, Mulhar Rao Holkar. The British troops present were two flank companies of the 1st or Royal Scots (12 medals only with this bar were presented to officers and men of this regiment), who were specially mentioned in the Commander-in-Chief's orders, and one squadron of the 22nd Light Dragoons. Only 26 clasps for this battle were issued to survivors of the 22nd. The native troops comprised 3rd, 14th, 27th, 28th, and 31st Madras Infantry; 1st Madras Fusiliers; 3rd and 4th Madras Light Cavalry.
MEDAL FOR GHUZNEE, 1839.
Awarded to the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Auckland, G.C.B., P.C., Late Governor-General of India.