LIEUTENANT (LATER MAJOR-GENERAL) J.F. MUSGROVE, 36TH NATIVE INFANTRY. Army of India Medal

LIEUTENANT (LATER MAJOR-GENERAL) J.F. MUSGROVE, 36TH NATIVE INFANTRY. Army of India Medal 1799-1826, British issue,variety with short hyphen and “W.W.” in exergue on reverse, 1 clasp, Ava (officially impressed: LIEUT. J.F.MUSGROVE, 36TH. N.I.). Small edge bruise to obverse rim at 4 o’clock, otherwise Almost Extremely Fine.

John Forbes Musgrove (1801-1874) was born in the parish of St James, London, on 15/5/1801. Musgrove was appointed a Cadet, Madras Establishment, 1819 and was first commissioned Ensign 6/4/1820, promoted Lieutenant, 18th Madras Native Infantry, 13/2/1821, Captain 23/5/1832, Major 26/9/1845, Lieutenant-Colonel 30/8/1853, Colonel 15/9/1856 and retired with the rank of Major-General in 1857. He is recorded in the 1861 census as a 58 year old retired Major-General living in Kensington, London with his 49 year old wife Mary, son and daughter and two servants, and in the 1871 census as a 67 year old retired Major-General, Indian Army, still resident in Kensington with his wife Mary, son and two servants. Major-General Musgrove died at 4 Courtland Terrace, London, on 28/4/1874.

Major-General Musgrove commanded various regiments of the Madras Native Infantry during the 1850s, including the 31st, the 36th and the 45th Regiments and was Colonel of the 43rd Native Infantry from 15/9/1856.

Musgrove married Mary Caroline Stockdale on 3/9/1827 in Madras.

Provenance: Glendinings, 20/7/1953 Seaby’s, December 1854 Glendinings, 31/1/1958 and Seaby’s May and September 1958.