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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 8

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Vittoria (John Freeman, Royal Horse Guards.), good very fine

John Freeman was born in 1778 in Spratton, Northampton and enlisted with the Royal Horse Guards at the age of 20. The unit was posted to the Peninsular War in 1812, disembarking at Lisbon in November and marching to join Wellington the following year. They were engaged in the action at the Battle of Vittoria on 21 June 1813, to which they arrived late in the day to support the infantry.

After Napoleon's abdication, they embarked for England from Boulogne but were recalled to the continent in 1815. Freeman served in Captain Drake's troop at Waterloo and is further entitled to a Waterloo Medal. Part of Major-General Somerset's Household Cavalry Brigade, the Royal Horse Guards were positioned west of the Brussels-Genappe road and just behind the 1st Dragoon Guards at the centre of the Brigade. The Brigade charged in support of the embattled infantry and routed the 4th Cuirassiers, later helping to cover the retreat of other Household Regiments caught up in the fierce French counter attack. Following the battle, they marched to Paris before returning home in January 1816.

Freeman was discharged at Windsor on 22 May 1821 in consequence of his length of service, which was 22 years and 156 days. His conduct was cited as 'Very good and he is a proper subject for the consideration of the Pensioners of Chelsea Hospital', to which he was admitted. Census records indicate that he spent the rest of his life in Spratton, where he died on 28 May 1853; sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£900

Starting price
£600