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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 3

(x) Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Trafalgar (Alexr. Bolton.), good very fine and better

Provenance:
Glendinning's, July 1931 & May 1980.

Alexander Bolton, a unique name on the published Medal Roll, served as an Able Seaman aboard the large 74-gun H.M.S. Colossus at the Battle of Trafalgar. On 21 October 1805, Colossus (commanded by Captain James Nicoll Morris) was sixth in Vice-Admiral Collingwood's lee column; unusually, Morris ordered the starboard battery to be fired in advance on their engaging the Franco-Spanish fleet in order to create a form of smokescreen to help shield their advance.

Initially engaging the French Swiftsure (her first broadside alone doing terrible damage), Colossus then had to contend with the Spanish Argonaute, which smashed into her starboard quarter and became entangled in her rigging. With the French to her left and Spanish to her right, Colossus was surrounded, outnumbered and outgunned - but she fought on for over half an hour against both assailants, including repelling a boarding party which almost overwhelmed the British: she was, however, saved by a concerted counter-attack from the lower decks which completely cleared the enemy off her.

After thirty minutes Argonaute sheered away (having taken over 200 casualties) and Colussus was free to concentrate on Swiftsure, toppling two of her masts and reducing her to a mere hulk in short order. Despite a severe wound (in which he applied a tourniquet to one of his legs) Captain Morris then moved on to attack the Spanish 74-gun Bahama, finishing her off swiftly when her mizzenmast collapsed.

Not yet content with having done their bit, Morris and Colossus then re-engaged their old adversary Swiftsure, being assisted by Orion to finally force the French vessel to surrender. At this moment, the battered Colossus succumbed to the damage inflicted upon her, with her own mizzenmast giving way and falling over the starboard side. Morris, too, collapsed from loss of blood and was finally carried below to the surgeon. Colossus's part in the most famous naval battle in history had come to an honourable conclusion.

Unsurprisingly, the resulting 'Butcher's Bill' aboard the ship was significant - indeed she suffered the most casualties of any British vessel involved in the battle, including Admiral Nelson's own H.M.S. Victory; as well as her captain seriously wounded, she had around 200 casualties. Surviving the subsequent storm, and taken in tow by H.M.S. Agamemnon, Captain Morris and Colossus made it safely back to Gibraltar on 27 October to a richly-deserved hero's welcome.




Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£9,500

Starting price
£4500