Lot 1511

Description

The Royal African Corps, Gift for Valor, 1818, engraved on an 1814 George III Indian Peace Medal (Jamieson 24) in silver (74mm) engraved on the rim, sides and continuing in the obverse field, "The Gift of Colnl McCarty Governor of the West Coast of Africa. To Sergt. John Harris of the Royal African Corps. For his valiant behaviour in capturing the Spanish brig of 18 guns. With only one gun and eleven men in a gun-boat. This victory was achieved on the 7th April 1818", as Balmer notes the medal was a private gift and the action it remembered was probably against a slaver. Cleaned, extremely fine.

Ex John J. Ford Collection, part VII (lot 291), previously Spink & Son 1.12.68, Sir Alvery Gascoigne and John Barnet.
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A unit named the Royal African Corps was in service in British West Africa as early as 1804. In that year its strength was increased to 10 companies. In the following year African men were recruited for the Corps, first from the disbanded York Rangers, later from freemen in Sierra Leone. In 1808, the Corps were divided, six companies being detached and sent to the West Indies as the Royal York Rangers. By 1809 the Royal African Corps had three companies at Goree, three in Senegal, and one in Sierra Leone. By 1817, three of the companies were composed almost entirely of Africans. By 1819 the Corps were disbanded. The last colonel of the Royal African Corps was Charles Lyragh McCarthy (1784-1824), later Brigadier General Sir Charles McArthy. He was governor of Sierra Leone 1812-14. He fell in battle against the Ashanti, who took his head and made a cup of his skull.