presentation to such superior officers as had distinguished themselves in action; the same medals were afterwards conferred for military services in other portions of the world. No corps were returned in the list for medals, which had not been engaged. This, by the Duke of Wellington's despatches, appears to have been the rule.

A notification appeared in the "London Gazette," dated Horse Guards, 9th. September, 1810, stating that His Majesty had been graciously pleased to command that, in commemoration of the brilliant victories obtained by divisions of his Army over the enemy in the Battles of Roleia and Vimiera, also in the several instances where the cavalry had an opportunity of distinguishing themselves against the enemy in Spain, and in the battles of Corunna and Talavera de la Reyna, the Officers of the Army present on those occasions should enjoy the privilege of wearing a Medal, and His Majesty having approved of the Medal which had been struck, was pleased to command that it should be worn by the General Officers, suspended by a Ribbon of the colour of the Sash, with a blue edge, round the neck; and by the Commanding Officers of Corps, (not being of rank inferior to Lieutenant-Colonel,) and the Chiefs of Military Departments, attached by a ribbon of the same colour to the button-hole of their uniform. His Majesty was also pleased to command that the Medals which would have been conferred upon the Officers who had fallen at or died since the above-named actions, should, as a token of respect for their memories, be deposited with their respective families.

These medals were alike, except in size. On the obverse, Britannia, wearing a helmet, is seated on the globe; in her right hand extended a wreath of laurel, and in her left a palm branch; to her right the British lion, and on the left

This

been kindly lent to the author by his daughter, Mrs. Houndle. distinguished officer was engaged in several actions in the Peninsula, and commanded the 14th. Light Dragoons at Talavera, where he was wounded. He had previously been appointed aide-de-camp to the king. His dates of promotion were Major-General 4th. June, 1811, Lieutenant-General 19th. July, 1821, and General on the 28th. of June, 1838. He died, after a service of nearly sixty years, on the 27th. cf December following. General Sir Samuel Hawker, G.C.H, was Colonel of the 3rd. Dragoon Guards, and Captain of Yarmouth Castle, in the Isle of Wight; and while holding the rank of Major-General, served for some years on the staff of Great Britain.

a round shield charged with the crosses of the union banner. The reverse has a wreath of laurel, within which the name of the event and the year were engraved, thus-Roleia and Vimiera, 1808; or Corunna, 1809; or Talavera, 1809; or Nivelle, Nive, etc. The name and rank of the officer were engraved on the edge. The large medal, of the size of that granted for Maida, was for general officers; in full dress it was worn from the neck, to a crimson ribbon with blue edges. The small medal, (of which an illustration is given,) attached to the ribbon by a gold swivel, with a gold buckle above, was conferred on field and other officers.

At this period the rules and regulations regarding the issue of medals were, 1st.-Medals are only to be bestowed upon occasions of great importance or of peculiar brilliancy. 2nd. -Medals of a larger size are conferred upon General Officers, including Brigadiers, who wear them suspended by a ribbon round the neck.* Medals of a smaller size are bestowed upon Colonels, and Officers of the senior ranks. 3rd.-No General or other Officer is considered to be entitled to receive a Medal, except he has been personally and particularly engaged upon the occasion, in commemoration of which this distinction is bestowed, and has been selected by the Commander of the Forces upon the spot, and has been reported by him to have merited the distinction, by very conspicuous services. 4th.-The Commander of the Forces (after he shall

Some of the general officers applied to Viscount Wellington to ascertain, whether, upon ordinary occasions, they might not wear the ribbon of the medal at the button-hole, instead of round the neck;-"This," his lordship remarked, "would be a more convenient way of wearing it, and they would wear it consequently more frequently, which would be desirable." In the reply to the general officers, dated Cartaxo, 3rd. February, 1811, his lordship acquainted them that an answer had been received from Lieutenant-Colonel Torrens, Military Secretary, "stating that the General Officers should wear the ribbon of the medal at their buttonhole, the same as the Field Officers, in undress; but when the medal is worn itself, it should be round the neck."

The medal for Maida was worn at the button-hole, and that mode is alluded to in a letter from the Marquis of Wellington to Earl Bathurst, dated Frenada, 20th. April, 1813. "To Earl Bathurst.-We must have the orders of the Secretary of State for any alteration in the mode of wearing the medal by the General Officers. It may do very well for an admiral to wear his medal round his neck on his quarter-deck, but we on horseback ought to wear it always at our button-hole. Indeed this is the common practice in all distributions of this description, and was the rule at first on the grant of the medal for the battle of Maida; and I don't know why it was altered."

have been informed of the intention of Government to bestow medals) shall transmit to the Secretary of State for the War Department, and to the Commander-in-Chief, returns signed by himself, specifying the names and ranks of those Officers whom he shall have selected as particularly deserving. 5th. -The Commander of the Forces, in making this selection of the most deserving Officers, will consider his choice restricted to the under-mentioned ranks, as it is found to be absolutely necessary that some limitation should be put upon the grant of this honour.

The rank and situations held by Officers, to render them eligible for the distinction of Medals, were, General Officers; Commanding Officers of Brigades; Commanding Officers of Artillery or Engineers; Adjutant-General and QuartermasterGeneral; their Deputies having the rank of Field Officers, and their Assistants having the same rank, and being at the head of the Staff, with a detached corps or distinct division of the Army; Military Secretary, having the rank of Field Officers; Commanding Officers of Battalions, Corps equivalent thereto, and Officers who have succeeded to the actual command during the engagement, in consequence of the death or removal of the original Commanding Officer.

CAPTURE OF MARTINIQUE AND GUADALOUPE. FEBRUARY, 1809, AND JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, 1810.

IN January, 1809, the armament which had been assembled at Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes, under the command of LieutenantGeneral (afterwards Sir George) Beckwith, commanding in the Leeward Islands, proceeded against Martinique, off which island, then in the possession of France, it arrived on the 30th. of January. The troops landed in two divisions. The first division, under Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, consisting of between six and seven thousand men, and the second, numbering over three thousand men, under MajorGeneral Frederick Maitland, landed near St. Luce and Point Solomon, in the afternoon of the 30th., without opposition,

and notwithstanding the difficulties of the country, occupied a position on the banks of the Grande Lezarde River before daybreak on the 31st., after a night march of seven miles.

On the 1st. of February, the 7th. Royal Fusiliers, and the light companies of the brigade which were in advance, drove a body of the enemy from Morne Bruno to the heights of Surirey, where the enemy on the 2nd. of February made a determined stand. A sharp action ensued, in which British valour was conspicuously displayed, and the French were driven from their position with considerable loss. Batteries were subsequently erected, and the siege of Fort Bourbon was commenced with such vigour that the garrison surrendered on the 24th. of February. Amongst the trophies captured on this occasion were three eagles and several brass drums.

In the action of the 1st. of February, the division under Lieutenant-General Sir George Prevost had one captain, one sergeant, and thirty-five rank and file killed; one captain, two subalterns, five sergeants, six drummers and buglers, and one hundred and eighty-three rank and file wounded. In the attack on the heights of Surirey, the first battalion of the 7th. Royal Fusiliers, 8th. Foot, 23rd. Royal Welsh Fusiliers, detachment 1st. West India regiment, and the light battalion, had one field officer, one captain, three sergeants, and fortytwo rank and file killed; two field officers, two captains, two subalterns, one staff, three sergeants, one drummer, and one hundred and twenty-six rank and file wounded.

Having thus captured this valuable island, Lieutenant-General Beckwith congratulated the troops, and stated in his official despatch, that "the command of such an army will constitute the pride of my future life. To these brave troops, conducted by Generals of experience, and not to me, their King and Country owe the sovereignty of this important colony; and I trust that by a comparison of the force which has defended it, and the time in which it has fallen, the present reduction. of Martinique will not be deemed eclipsed by any former expedition."

The 7th., 8th., 13th., 15th., 23rd., 25th., (flank companies,) 60th., 63rd., 90th. Foot, and 1st. West India regiment have the word MARTINIQUE on their colours, and the gold medal

was conferred on the general and regimental commanding officers, according to the practice of the service at this period.

An expedition, under Lieutenant-General Sir George Beckwith, against Guadaloupe, the only island remaining to the French in the West Indies, was embarked in January, 1810. The expedition rendezvoused at Prince Rupert's, Dominica; and on the morning of the 28th. of January, a landing was effected by the first division, at the Bay of St. Marie. The second division sailed on the 26th. of that month, and anchored at the Saints until the 29th., when it proceeded towards Guadaloupe, and menaced the enemy's defences at the Three Rivers. A landing was effected near the village of Les Vieux Habitans during the night without opposition. The French appeared in force on some high open ground, when the 15th. Foot turned their right flank, the Royal West Indian Rangers the left, and the 13th. Light Infantry advanced against the front, and the enemy was speedily forced from his ground.

Shortly afterwards the conquest of the island was completed, and the achievement reflected great credit on the troops employed. In general orders, dated 6th. February, it was announced that "The Commander of the Forces returns his thanks to the officers of all ranks, for their meritorious exertions, and to the non-commissioned officers and soldiers, for the cheerfulness with which they have undergone the fatigues of a march, difficult in its nature, through the strongest country in the world, and the spirit they have manifested on all occasions to close with the enemy."

The loss of the army under Lieutenant-General Sir George Beckwith, consisted of four lieutenants, three sergeants, and forty-five rank and file killed; Brigadier-General Wale, one major, nine captains, four lieutenants, one staff, eighteen sergeants, three drummers, and two hundred and thirteen rank and file wounded. These casualties were sustained by the Royal Artillery, 1st. Royals, 13th., 15th., 46th., 60th., (second and fourth battalions,) 63rd., 96th., Royal York Rangers, West India Rangers, York Light Infantry Volunteers, 1st., 3rd., and 4th. West India regiments.

GUADALOUPE is now borne on the colours of the 15th., 63rd., 90th., and 1st. West India regiment; and medals were