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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 372

(x) The historically important 'Heavy Brigade Charger's' group of four to Major Adolphus William Desart Burton, C.B., 7th Dragoon Guards, late 5th Dragoon Guards, who commanded the latter regiment in the famous charge at Balaklava on 25 October 1854.

Despite his inexperience, Burton became senior officer of the 5th Dragoon Guards when its Lieutenant-Colonel was invalided to England. Lord Lucan considered him too young for the command, yet at Balaklava he led his men against Ryzhov's right wing just as it was about to encircle the Scots Greys.

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion's breast Badge, gold (22 carat) and enamel, hallmarks for Henry Day, London 1815, fitted with narrow swivel-ring suspension and replacement silver-gilt riband buckle; Crimea 1854-56, 3 clasps, Balaklava, Inkermann, Sebastopol (Bt. Major A. W. D. Burton, C.B., 5th Dragoon Guards), naming officially engraved by Hunt & Roskell in large serif capitals; Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidie, 5th Class breast Badge, silver, gold and enamel; Turkish Crimea, Sardinian issue, replacement scroll suspension, generally good very fine (4)

Provenance:
Christie's, November 1987, 'An important collection of officer's awards relating to the Crimean War.'

C.B. London Gazette 10 July 1855.

Order of the Medjidie London Gazette 2 March 1858.

Adolphus William Desart Burton was born in 1827, grandson of Sir Charles Burton, 2nd Baronet of Pollacton, County Carlow. He purchased an Ensigncy in the 82nd Foot on 1 August 1845 for the sum of £450, or £54,000 today. He transferred to the 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Dragoon Guards as a Cornet on 30 May 1847, advancing to Lieutenant on 10 April 1849 and Captain on 24 December 1852, all steps by purchase. The Regiment embarked for the Crimea at Ballincollig, Ireland on 27 May 1854, aboard the steamer Himalaya.

The Regimental History records that by 28 August, while still encamped at Varna, the 5th Dragoon Guards had lost 3 officers and 36 men to cholera and dysentery. At this point the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Le Marchant, chose to relinquish his command and retire to England 'sick'. This left Burton, with just seven years' experience, as senior officer. Lord Lucan, in overall command of the Cavalry, underestimated Burton and thought him too young for the command (Pomeroy 1924, Vol. I, 172), but Burton did not disappoint.

At the Battle of Balaklava on 25 October 1854, Burton gallantly led the 5th Dragoon Guards in the Charge of the Heavy Brigade. The Regiment performed a vital service, attacking the side of the Russian right wing just as it was encircling the rear of the Scots Greys. Many of the Russians actually had their backs to Burton's men, and were so closely packed as to be unable to lift their sword-arms. If Burton had left his attack any later, the Scots Greys would have been unable to escape. Henry Clifford, watching from the Sapoune Ridge, recalled the scene:

'Like a shot from a cannon ball our brave fellows went at the astounded enemy like one man, and horses and men were seen struggling on the ground in every direction. The Russians fled in the greatest disorder, our splendid cavalry not leaving them till they had got under the protection of their artillery.'

The Russian cavalry crumbled under the sheer vigour of the British charge, leaving about 270 men on the field. The 5th Dragoon Guards had one officer and two men killed, three officers and eight men wounded. The Heavy Brigade actually suffered more casualties later in the day, when deployed to cover the Light Brigade's retreat from the North Valley, than during the Charge of the Heavy Brigade (Pomeroy 1924, 174).

Promoted to Brevet-Major on 12 December, Burton commanded the 5th Dragoon Guards through the battles of Inkermann and Tchernaya, and the Siege of Sebastopol. He appears in The Allied Generals with the officers of their respective staffs before Sebastopol, a vast oil painting by Thomas Jones Barker (1815-1882) which features in the current exhibition 'Roger Fenton's Photographs of the Crimea' at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace. Burton is named in the published key to this painting, and is clearly visible at the right of the picture. He was photographed repeatedly by Roger Fenton, proudly mounted on his immaculate charger. Fenton also caught him in a jovial camp scene amongst fellow officers of the 5th Dragoon Guards.

The Times of 28 May 1856 reported that Burton returned to England via Malta aboard the steamer Simla, in the company of Lord George Paget and Lady Paget, reaching Spithead on 27 May. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath, also receiving the 5th Class of the Order of the Medjidie. On 17 September 1857 he transferred to the 7th Dragoon Guards with the rank of Major, serving with this Regiment in India until 1864. He died on 11 February 1882.

Sold with a colourful archive, including:

(i)
A 1st Edition copy of R. L. Pomeroy's History of the 5th Dragoon Guards, 2 Vols. (London, 1924), in fine condition.

(ii)
An extensive folder of research, containing high-quality copies of Fenton's photographs.

Reference works:

Pomeroy, R. L., History of the 5th Dragoon Guards, 2 vols. (London, 1924).









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Sold for
£4,500