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Auction: 15001 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 278

A Fine Army Large Gold Medal to Lieutenant-General F. Maitland, Aide-de-Camp to Sir Charles Grey in the West Indies, 1793-94, Secretary to Sir Ralph Abercromby, 1795-99; Maitland Commanded A Brigade in the Attacks on the Danish Virgin Islands, 1801, And Served As Second in Command of the Expedition to Surinam, 1804. He Was Governor of Grenada, 1805-1812; And Second in Command to Lieutenant-General Sir George Beckwith For the Martinique Expedition, January-February 1809, During Which He Commanded a Division. He Orchestrated the Capture of 'The Saints' Islands From the French, April 1809, "A Brilliant Little Enterprise Admirably Combined And Conducted"; And In Recognition of His Service Was Appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Dominica, 1813
General Officer's Army Large Gold Medal for Martinique (Major Genl. Fredk. Maitland.), extremely fine, with all the proper gold suspension fittings and full neck cravat, housed in a contemporary wooden display frame

Lieutenant-General Frederick Maitland (1763-1848) was the youngest son of General Sir Alexander Maitland and grandson of Charles Maitland, 6th Earl of Lauderdale. He came from a distinguished military family, and was also first cousin of Rear Admiral Sir Frederick Lewis Maitland, R.N. and a cousin of General Sir Peregrine Maitland.

Frederick Maitland was commissioned Ensign, 14th Foot, 1779. He served in a marine capacity with H.M.S. Union for 18 months as part of the Channel fleet. He was present at the relief of Gibraltar by the fleet under Admiral Darby in 1781, and subsequently served 15 months at Jamaica. He was promoted Lieutenant in 1782, and was removed to the 30th Foot. Maitland was employed as Assistant Quarter-Master-General in the West Indies, from 1787. He took part in the attack on French held Tobago in April 1793, and was one of a force of 500 men under Major-General C. Cuyler at the capture of Fort Castries. British losses amounted to 3 killed and 24 wounded, whilst the French suffered 6 killed, 7 wounded, and approximately 200 captured. Maitland was also engaged in a naval action during this brief campaign, when he commanded the Marines of H.M.S. Fairy (Captain John Laforey). The 18 gun sloop was involved in an inconclusive engagement against a French 32 gun frigate, which eventually broke off and escaped.

Maitland returned to England and received the brevet of Major. He was appointed Aide-de-Camp to Sir Charles Grey (later 1st Earl Grey), and was present at the relief of Nieuport in October 1793. Maitland accompanied Grey when he was appointed the commander of the West Indian expedition.

In early 1794, Grey and Admiral Sir John Jervis led a British force to capture Martinique. The campaign lasted about six weeks culminating in the capture of Fort Royal and Fort Saint Louis on 22nd March, and Fort Bourbon two days later. The British then occupied Martinique until the Treaty of Amiens returned the island to the French in 1802. Maitland also took part in the attack on Guadaloupe. After the latter action he was appointed Deputy Adjutant-General, and received the brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel.

Maitland obtained a Majority in the 9th Foot in October 1794, before returning to England the following year. After three months at home he was appointed Secretary to General Sir Ralph Abercromby, and returned with him to the West Indies. Having advanced to Lieutenant-Colonel, 9th Foot, Maitland removed to the 27th Foot in November 1796. In the same year he was present at the attacks on St. Lucie, St. Vincent, and Grenada; and on Trinidad and Porto Rico the following year. Once again Maitland was involved in a naval action when he commanded the cabin guns of H.M.S. Arethusa during the capture of the French corvette La Gaieté.

Maitland accompanied Abercromby to Scotland, and then to Ireland, before taking part in the expedition to the Helder in 1799. At the end of the year he was appointed Quarter-Master-General in the West Indies. Maitland served in this capacity for six years, during which time he commanded a brigade in the attacks on the Danish Virgin Islands, and the Swedish held St. Barts in 1801. He also took part in the capture of the island of St. Martin from the French in the same year.

In 1804 Maitland transferred to the 29th Foot, and commanded a brigade during the expedition to Surinam. The British forces (of which he was second in command) comprised of a naval squadron under the command of Commodore S. Hood, and troops from the 16th, 64th Foot, and the 6th West India Regiment, all under the overall command of Major-General Sir Charles Green. The Dutch-held colony was captured, with the garrison being carried 5.5.1804.

In March 1805 Maitland was appointed Governor of Grenada. In October of the same year he advanced to the rank of Major-General. Two years later he saw further action during the recapture of the Danish Virgin Islands of St Thomas and Santa Cruz, which had been returned after the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. Coincidentally Maitland received the surrender of St Thomas from the same Governor he had received it from in 1801.

Martinique Expedition - Second In Command
On the 30th January 1809 a British force under the overall command of Lieutenant-General Sir George Beckwith was landed on the French held island of Martinique. The land force of approximately 10,000 men was comprised of troops from the 7th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 23rd, 25th, 60th, 63rd and 90th Regiments of Foot, additionally aided by the 1st West Indian Regiment and men of the Royal York Rangers. Beckwith remained offshore on H.M.S. Neptune, whilst the troops were split into two divisions under the command of Maitland and Major-General Sir George Prevost.

Maitland landed his division first, at Sainte-Luce, supervised by Captain W.C. Fahie, R.N. The other division was subsequently landed at Le Robert. A third force, under a Major Henderson and consisting entirely of 600 soldiers from the Royal York Rangers, landed at Cape Salomon near Les Anses-d'Arlet on the south-western peninsula to secure the entrance to Fort-de-France Bay.

During the first day of the invasion, the two main forces made rapid progress inland, forcing the French back. On the 1st February Prevost's division under the direct command of Brigadier-General D. Hoghton attacked the defenders on the heights of Desfourneaux and Surirey. Fighting was fierce throughout the next two days, as the outnumbered French used the fortified high ground to hold back a series of frontal assaults. By the 3rd February the French had been forced to withdraw to Fort Desaix near the capital. Progress was also made at Cape Salomon, where the appearance of British troops panicked the French defenders into burning a naval brig and retreating to the small island, Ilot aux Ramiers, offshore. Henderson's men, assisted by a naval brigade under Captain G. Cockburn, R.N. set up batteries on the coast and by 4th February had bombarded the island into surrender, opening the principal harbour of Martinique to naval attack.

On 8th February, Maitland's force arrived on the western side of Fort Desaix and laid siege to it. Two days later Prevost's force linked up with Maitland's, to continue the siege on Fort Desaix, which had become the only remaining point of resistance.

For nine days, 'the British soldiers and sailors of the expeditionary force constructed gun batteries and trenches around the fort, bringing ashore large quantities of supplies and equipment in readiness for a lengthy siege. At 16:30 on 19th February the preparations were complete and the bombardment began, 14 heavy cannon and 28 mortars beginning a continuous attack on the fort which lasted for the next four days. French casualties in the overcrowded fort were severe, with 200 men killed or wounded. British casualties were minimal, with five killed and 11 wounded, principally in an explosion in an ammunition tent manned by sailors from HMS Amaranthe. At 12:00 on 23rd February, Villaret de Joyeuse's trumpeter was sent to the British camp with a message proposing surrender terms. These were unacceptable to Beckwith and the bombardment resumed at 22:00, continuing until 09:00 the following morning when three white flags were raised over the fort and the French admiral surrendered unconditionally. The bombardment had cracked the roof of the fort's magazine, and there were fears that further shelling might have ignited the gunpowder and destroyed the building completely.' (The Naval History of Great Britain, W. James refers)

British losses for the expedition were 3 officers and 81 men killed, 9 officers and 325 men wounded. Upon entering the fort, 'amongst the booty were two of the cherished French eagle standards of the 62nd and 80th Regiments which were the first to be taken to England and were lain at the King's feet with much pomp and celebration.’

Capture of 'The Saints'
After the success of Martinique, Maitland was employed when, 'during the month of April [1809] a French squadron, consisting of three sail of the line and two frigates from L'Orient, took refuge at the islands bearing the name of 'The Saints', where they were blockaded by Admiral Cochrane. Sir George Beckwith at once sent General Maitland with a force of 2,800 men, including the 3rd Battalion of the 60th and the flank companies of the 4th Battalion, to reduce the French ports in the islands.

On the morning of the 14th in pursuance of his instructions Maitland landed his force with slight opposition at a little bay termed Joli Bois. Advancing inland, the enemy was found posted on Mount Russell, a hill 800 feet high, immediately on Maitland's right. The rifle companies of our 3rd and 4th Battalions were directed to dislodge him. The ascent was precipitous, at an angle of fifty degrees. Happily the cliff was covered with scrub and prickly pear by which the riflemen pulled themselves up, and not only dislodged the enemy, but inflicted considerable loss upon him.

On capturing the heights the whole of the British force occupied Mount Russell, whence a commanding view was obtained of the enemy's camp and the harbour containing the French squadron; but further advance was checked by the fort on the Ile de Cabret which flanked the British left. A battery having, however, been constructed by an officer of Engineers, two eight-inch howitzers were landed, and before 6pm opened fire on the enemy's ships, which evacuated the harbour shortly after dark.

The rifle companies were now detached, with some others under Lieut.-Colonel Prevost, to clear the enemy from a position which commanded the landing point at Ance Vanovre where Maitland, who had re-embarked the bulk of his force, intended to land it again. Prevost achieved his mission, the troops landed, and mortar batteries were erected.

The enemy was posted on Middle Ridge between Forts Napoleon and Moselle. From this he was driven on the night of the 16th by three companies of West Indian Regiments. Next morning the French attempted to retake the position, but were gallantly repulsed by our black troops, supported by the York Rangers and the rifle companies of the 60th. The British loss amounted to about 30 killed and wounded. As a result of this defeat, at midday the French garrison of between 700 and 800 men surrendered. Thirty-four guns were captured. The British loss during the three days fighting amounted to 6 officers and men killed and 67 wounded... Thus ended a brilliant little enterprise admirably combined and conducted.' (Annals of the King's Royal Rifle Corps: Vol. I "The Royal Americans", Lieutenant-Colonel L. Butler, refers)

In February 1810 Maitland was appointed Colonel of the 1st Ceylon Regiment. His travels then took him to Sicily, where he served as Lord Bentinck's deputy during the intrigues in Sicily, 1811-12. He received the brevet of Lieutenant-General in January 1812, and relinquished the governorship of Grenada in the same year. In recognition of his services he was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Dominica in 1813.

Lieutenant-General Frederick Maitland died in Tunbridge Wells in 1848.

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£38,000