Lot 1352 , A rare George III Scottish Loyal Edinburgh Spearmen silver Reward of Merit presentation medal, by William & Patrick Cunningham, c.1804, presented by the Loyal Edinburgh Spearmen 1st Battalion to Fletcher Yetts, titled ‘R

A rare George III Scottish Loyal Edinburgh Spearmen silver Reward of Merit presentation medal, by William & Patrick Cunningham, c.1804,
presented by the Loyal Edinburgh Spearmen 1st Battalion to Fletcher Yetts, titled ‘Reward of Merit’ and dated 6th August 1804, engraved with an image of a Georgian spearman, 6.5cm high,
Provenance - by direct family descent

The corps of Loyal Edinburgh Spearmen was one of the many volunteer companies raised in Scotland after the French Revolution, in fear and anticipation of an invasion of Britain. It was incorporated in 1805 with a surgeon, Mr. John Bennet
appointed its original Lieutenant Colonel the year before. However, Bennet hardly had a chance to exercise command when he was killed in a hunting accident in October, 1805, and was replaced by Mr. William Inglis. Far from fighting the French, the volunteer Spearmen instead seemed to have been employed to quell public riots, although like other Volunteer units, they supplied officers for the militia and army. The Earl of Moira, Commander in Chief, gave the troop its colors when he addressed them in Heriot's Hospital Green. The Spearmen later became the Royal Edinburgh Volunteers.
£60-80

Condition:
In good condition with even patination.

Sold for £320