I am researching my ancestor, Captain James Donald of the 94th Scotch Brigade, 1775-1831, whilst at the same time reading Sharpe’s Tiger, Sharpe’s Triumph and am now just onto Sharpe’s Fortress. Captain James was given both the gold and silver medal at Seringapatam, so presuming he was part of the Forlorn Hope as he was only a Lieutenant at the time, so should only have received the silver. His son wrote a letter mentioning Floyd who said he must have been part of it to win the gold. Both medals are mentioned in his will and also his son’s will – although in one it is described as the gilt! He had a silver box and a broach from Tipu Sultan, which his son left to the Baird family in 1902 – sold as lot 6 in the 2003 in the Baird Jewells and archive auction. Captain James’s silver medal for Seringapatam, which had his name on the edge, came up for auction recently – sadly an avid collector of early Indian medals with much much deeper pockets than mine bought it. The reason I am writing, apart from to say how much I your books and which are so brilliant at taking me back to the times of Captain James Donald (he was injured at the Battle of Argaum so looking forward to getting to that bit, one of three officers of the 94th injured – with Robertson and Campbell. Wellesley wrote to him about his injuries and apparently also wrote a letter after he died on account of his wounds – although that was in 1831, so I think that may have been stretching it, maybe for his pension) was to ask about the Scotch Brigade. I have a portrait of Captain James wearing his gold medal for Seringapatam – but not in a kilt. You write that Hector McCandless was wearing a kilt as part of his uniform for the Scotch Brigade, from before he joined the East India Company in Sharpe’s Tiger. Did they wear kilts in the Scotch Brigade? Having had to wear a kilt at school, I can’t quite imagine what it would be like to fight in in India etch. Also – been trying to track down a list of gold medal winners from Seringapatam to see if any further details on why Captain James won it. British library had some records – but it was mostly about James being paymaster for the 94th after he was injured trying to sort out why someone hadn’t received their medal. Do you have any further leads as to where I could go to research? Would love to know more, although as I say, I have learnt so much from your books. Thank you again for writing the books and for reading this letter, very much appreciated,
James