A SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL 1879 WITH 1879 CLASP TO SERGEANT S. CAR...

A SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL 1879 WITH 1879 CLASP TO SERGEANT S. CARSON OF THE 99TH FOOT A CASUALTY AT ESHOWE. A South Africa medal with 1879 clasp named to 445 Sergt S. Carson 99th Foot. Whilst a Corporal, Carson is recorded as receiving a severe wound at the siege of Eshowe in March 1879. Samuel Carson, a groom from Co. Down served with the 99th Foot. At the time of his injury he left the fort as part of a vedette when he was attacked by Zulus hiding in the bush. According to a record from Lt Hamilton of HMS Active who was present in the fort: Pte. Carson, had a lucky escape when '…some Zulus made a rush at him from a piece of bush, in which they were concealed, as he was riding past, fired, and hit him in 4 places, one shot disabling his right hand; one of the Zulus seized the horse by the mane, the animal reared, but the rider held on, and badly wounded as he was, stuck his spurs in and got away, the horse received an assegai wound as he galloped off. The man rode into camp and is doing very well, but has lost the best part of his right hand, and has a gunshot wound in both legs, and a wound in his back.' His discharge report records 'Gunshot wound right hand, Amputation of index and middle finger; also wound of left thigh ... of forearm ... of back inflicted by Zulu lying in ambush for the vedette. Capacity considerably impaired'. The Regimental magazine 'The Nines' reported the incident: 'One of the Vedettes, Pte Carson attached to the Mounted Infantry, went out to patrol. Some eleven Zulus sprang out of the long grass and seized the horse by the mane; he at once stuck his spurs in and got clear of them. They then fired at him, one bullet taking off two fingers of one of his hands, a second struck him on the left thigh, passed through it, then through the pommel of the saddle and into the other leg, a third went through his right arm, a fourth struck his rifle which was slung over his back. His horse was also assegaied on the flank'. He accounted for the Zulus bad shooting by them holding out their rifles at full arms length'. Provenance: The Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Benskin Green Collection, purchased in January 1947 'Oldfield Blackpool'. Loaned to 'The Wardrobe' Military museum Salisbury by Dr J. Green 1982 - 2026.

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