Beschreibung:

The Gold Seringapatam Medal awarded to Brigadier-General Alexander Walker, late First Resident of Baroda and Quarter-Master-General to the Bombay Army in the field at the capture of Seringapatam 1799, an early explorer of the west coast of North America, and later Governor of St Helena Honourable East India Company Medal for Seringapatam 1799, gold, 48mm., Soho Mint, glazed within an exquisitely chased gold wreath of laurel leaves, with integral ring and gold loop of similar laurel leaves for suspension from gold bar inscribed ‘SERINGAPATAM’, with finely chased gold ribbon buckle, contained in its original red leather fitted case, the inside silk lining with trade label of Rundell Bridge & Rundell, together with old manuscript label inscribed in ink ‘Gold Medal for Seringapatam awarded by H.E.I.C. to Captn. Alexr. Walker, first Resident at Baroda’, extremely fine and probably the finest example ever offered for sale £15000-20000 Footnote Exhibited: Royal Goldsmiths: The Art of Rundell & Bridge 1797-1843, Koopman Rare Art, June-July 2005. Alexander Walker was born at Collessie, Scotland, on 12 May 1764, eldest son of William Walker (1737-71), minister of Collessie in Fife, by his wife Margaret (d. 1810), daughter of Patrick Manderston, an Edinburgh merchant. He was appointed a Cadet in the service of the East India Company in 1780, he went to India in 1781 in the same ship as the physician Helenus Scott, with whom he formed a lifelong friendship. On 21 November 1782, he became an Ensign, and in the same year took part in the campaign under Brigadier-General Richard Mathews directed against Hyder Ali's forts on the coast of Malabar. In the course of this service Ensign Walker was present at the attack and assault of the forts of Rajahmundry, Onore, Cundapore, the Hussorn Ghurry, or Bednore Ghaut, of Mangalore, and at various engagements or skirmishes which occurred during that campaign. In the course of it he was also removed to the 8th Battalion of Sepoys, a distinguished corps, which was afterwards, for its valour and fidelity, appointed ‘The Grenadier Battalion’. With this battalion he was present at the attack of some batteries which enfiladed the encampment near Mangalore, and which were carried by the bayonet. He also led the attack at the head of the grenadier company of this battalion, and carried a fort or redoubt, of which it was necessary to dispossess the enemy previously to the formation of the siege of Mangalore. At the attack of the Ram Tower, a strong and commanding out-work, Ensign Walker was severely wounded; and although not quite recovered of this wound when Tippoo appeared before Mangalore, he joined his corps, which was posted with some other troops on an eminence, a short distance from the fort, to prevent its close investiture by the enemy. This force, however, overpowered by numbers, was compelled to retreat. In the course of the remarkable siege which followed in January 1784, Ensign Walker was again wounded, and received repeated marks of approbation from Colonel Campbell, a distinguished and eminent officer, who commanded the garrison. When a cessation of hostilities was concluded with the enemy, Ensign Walker was one of the two hostages who were delivered on the part of the British troops, as a security for the conditions of the truce. For his ‘spirited and zealous’ conduct on this occasion, the government of Bombay bestowed on him the pay and allowances of Captain for the period that he was in the hands of the enemy, nearly four months, and a donation of 2000 rupees from the treasury. In December 1785 he was appointed to the military command in an expedition undertaken by the Bombay government with a view to establishing a military and commercial port on the north-west coast of America, whence the Chinese were accustomed to obtain furs, and in the hope of opening trade with Japan. After exploring the coast as far north as 62°, however, and remaining a while at Nootka Sound, on the west coast of Vanc