A fine Officer’s Maharajpoor Star awarded to Second Lieutenant, later Lieutenant H.D. MacSween, 2nd Company, 4th Battalion, Bengal Artillery who would be commissioned a Second Lieutenant on 10th June 1942 being allocated to the Bengal Artillery. Arriving in Calcutta on 5th November 1842 he would later be present at Maharajpoor on 29th December 1843. Promoted at Lieutenant on 3rd July 1843, he would subsequently serve in the first Sikh War being present at the Battle of Aliwal on the 28th January 1846. Later suffering from sickness, he would spend two years in Australia on leave before returning to India where he died at Benares on 17th April 1849.
Maharajpoor Star 1843, with original back clasp and steel ring suspension; reverse correctly engraved; (2d Lieutt H.D. MacSween, 2d Compy, 4th Battn Artillery)
Condition: Good Very Fine
Henry Davidson MacSween was born 13th October 1823 and baptised 3rd January 1824 at Agra, the son of Charles MacSween, Bengal Civil Service (Judge and Magistrate of Agra) and his wife Margaret. He would receive a classical and mathematical education under the Reverend Dr. Firminger of Edmonton, Middlesex.
Nominated as a Cadet for the East India Company’s Military Seminary at Addiscombe, Croydon, season 1839/40, by EIC Director William Butterworth Bayley at the recommendation of his father. Passed the Military Co. mmittee at East India House, London on 2nd June 1840, before being admitted to Addiscombe on 1st August 1840.
He would pass the examinations at Addiscombe on 10th June 1842 being allocated to the Bengal Artillery and being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on the same day. Embarking for India on the ‘Maidstone’ on 10th July 1842, he would arrive at Calcutta on 5th November 1842.
Posted to Foot Artillery by a General Order on 29th June 1843, he would accompany a detachment of Foot Artillery proceeding to the Upper Provinces on 27th July 1843 before proceeding to Agra on 28th October 1843. He would then be present at Maharajpoor on 29th December 1843
After two short periods of sick leave, he would be promoted Lieutenant on 3rd July 1845, and was reported to have acquired a colloquial proficiency in Hindustani on 30th July 1845, before seeing service with the 3rd Brigade, Bengal Horse Artillery in the 1st Sikh War, being awarded a Sutlej Medal, clasp Aliwal.
In September 1846 he would proceed to Calcutta on a sick certificate, where he would subsequently be permitted to proceed to Penang, the Cape and New South Wales on sick certificate for two years from 3rd November 1846. Reported his return to Calcutta on 16th November 1848. He would be removed from the Horse to the Foot Artillery on 9th December 1848. Leave extended to 27 January 1849 to remain at Dum Dum on private affairs and to enable him to join 5th Company, 5th Battalion, Foot Artillery.
He would die on 17th April 1849 at Benares
