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Auction: 13003 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 87

(x) A Fine Army Large Gold Medal to Major-General J. Skinner, 16th Foot, Who Fought with the Regiment's Light Company During the American Revolutionary Wars; He Commanded the 16th Foot During the Expedition To, and Capture of, Surinam, May 1804; And Commanded the Fourth Brigade During the Guadeloupe Expedition of February 1810
General Officer's Large Gold Medal for Guadeloupe (Brigr. Genl. John Skinner.), nearly extremely fine, with all proper gold suspension fittings and full neck cravat

Major-General John Skinner commissioned Ensign, 16th Foot, 1772; joined the regiment in West Florida the following year before being posted as a Lieutenant on detachment with the Light Company in St. Augustine, East Florida, December 1775; served with the regiment during the American Revolutionary Wars and was present at the Siege of Savannah in Georgia, October 1779; the Franco-American attempt at recapturing the British held position ultimately failed, with their forces suffering 244 killed, nearly 600 wounded and over 100 captured; the British losses amounted to 40 killed, 63 wounded, and 53 missing; he was also present at the Siege of Charlestown, May 1870, which lead to the capture of 5,000 American troops; Skinner served with the light company during the disastrous reverse at the Battle of Cowpens, 17.1.1781, before serving with what was left of the light infantry, under Cornwallis' overall command, at the battle Guilford Court House, 15.3.1781; the following year he was given command of a company before returning for home service; Skinner embarked for Nova Scotia in 1791, before being posted to Jamaica the following year; he received brevet of Major in 1794, before gaining his Majority in the 16th Foot the following year; he was employed with the local rank of Lieutenant-Colonel during the Second Maroon War, 1795-1796; with the successful conclusion of the latter he returned with the regiment to England; appointed Lieutenant-Colonel by brevet, 1798, he embarked with the regiment for Barbados in 1804; arrived in Barbados with 573 men, March 1804; he commanded his regiment in the expedition to Surinam, during which the Dutch held colony was captured, with the garrison being carried, 5.5.1804; advanced Lieutenant-Colonel, 16th Foot, April 1805; remained in Surinam until October 1807, with the regiment suffering heavily from Yellow Fever; Colonel, April 1808, and Brigadier-General in the West Indies, December 1808; Skinner commanded the Fourth Brigade in the expedition to Guadeloupe, February 1810; the brigade was composed of a battalion of 600 men formed from the 13th and 63rd Regiments, a detachment of 200 men of the York Light Infantry Volunteers, and the 4th West India Regiment; Skinner's brigade combined with Brigadier-General Maclean's Third Brigade to form the 1st Division under the overall command of Major-General Hislop; Skinner received the approbation of Lieutenant-General Sir George Beckwith, Officer Commanding the expedition (London Gazette 16.3.1810), and advanced to Major-General in June 1811; he continued to serve on the Staff of the West Indies for several years after, including being present for the capture of the Dutch colony St. Martin.

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Sold for
£48,000