An 1801 Battle of Alexandria 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot silver regimental gallantry award, "Presented to Andrew Dowie by Major JAs Stirling, a reward for his gallant conduct in assisting to capture a stand of colours from the enemy”
Regimental silver prize medal, the obverse engraved with St Andrew and the saltire above Battle of Alexandria 1801, and Forty Second Royal Highland Regiment in surround; the reverse engraved "Presented to Andrew Dowie by Major JAs Stirling, a reward for his gallant conduct in assisting to capture a stand of colours from the enemy”.
Condition: Date 1801 scratched, otherwise Good Very Fine.
"The Naval and Military Sketchbook" (full title potentially The Naval Sketch-Book; or the service afloat and ashore) published in the mid-19th century reveals:
A SCOTTISH VETERAN.-Andrew Dowie, in early life, served his apprenticeship in the Edinburgh Advertiser office, and shortly after, in the year 1792, enlisted in the 42nd Royal Highlanders, which corps the following year joined the allies in Flanders, under the Duke of York, at the taking of Minorca. In 1801, he was present at the battle of Alexandria, and during the action directed the attention of Major Stirling to a stand of colours, in possession of a small body of Invincibles, who had pent themselves up in a corner of Cleopatra's Palace, near Alexandria; the Major, sans cérémonie, effected a speedy capture of the colours, about which so much subsequent dispute took place; he was, also, in the advance to Grand Cairo. In 1802 he returned home discharged, after having seen, in the course of ten years, his corps three times renewed. In 1803 he enlisted anew in the 21st Fusiliers, and after much knocking about, was, in 1813, in active service against the French, along the base of the Apennines, and at the surrender of Genoa. In the following year he was at the taking of Washington, and in the affair at Baltimore, where the ser- vice lost the brave General Ross, and afterwards at the unfortunate attack on New Orleans, where the 21st suffered so fearfully, and where General Pakenham was slain. After much service in the West Indies, he again returned home, and was discharged, with a pension of 1s. a day. His faithful companion "in arms," who fol- lowed him in the field of danger, still survives, and during their peregrinations has presented him with fourteen children. Besides his pension, he earns a trifling addition by acting as an officer to some societies. He is now in his 73rd year, and being of very temperate habits, enjoys tolerable health, and is ready to fight a battle o'er again."
