Who did capture that Eagle

Waterloo Medal-1815 (Lieut. George Gunning, 1stor Royal Dragoons.), original steel clip and ring suspension, light

edge bruise and some contact marks, otherwise good very fine Value Estimate £6,000-8,000

Lieutenant George Gunning; Ensign 17 th Foot 1804;Commanded Grenadier Company, 9th Foot at Vimiera; transferred

Lieutenant 1 st Dragoons, 1809; served in Captain Methuen’s 7th Troop, during the Waterloo Campaign (wounded) and led his troop

in the charge of the Union Brigade; he was also a claimant for killing the Officer in charge of the colour party bearing the Eagle

Of the 105th Regiment of Line, which was subsequently captured.

The Taking of the Eagle of French 105 th Ligne There is a certain amount of controversy surrounding the capture

of the 105th’ Eagle, with two claimants from the same regiment  contesting the honour, the first being Captain A. K.  Clark 1 st

Dragoons (later Lieutenant General), and the other being Corporal  F. Stiles (later Ensign 6 th West India Regiment).

At Waterloo, shortly before 2 p.m., the 105th as part of d’Erlon’s corps, advanced to attack Picton’s division. The 1 st Dragoons

Charged, and pushed back the French column thus exposing the Eagle. It is at this point that Clark laid his claim that it was he who

Spotted the Eagle being rushed back towards safety, and that it was he who charged forward to kill the officer guarding the Eagle.

He stipulated that as the standard fell to the ground he ordered  Corporal Stiles to secure it and carry it back to the rear.

Corporal  Stiles, however, contended that he captured the Eagle,after being given an order to attack it by his troop commander

Lieutenant Gunning.

Colonel Clifton (the commanding officer of the 1st Dragoons at the start of the battle), ordered an investigation into the affair. This

Enquiry continued into 1816 when Clifton sent for Stiles, informing him that he needed witnesses to substantiate his claim. As a result

of this Stiles wrote to his former troop commander Lieutenant  Gunning,

“Sir,

This day Colonel Clifton sent for me about the taking the Eagle and  Colours. He asked me if I had any person that see me take the

Eagle, I told him that you see me, I believe, as the officer of the  French was making away with it. I belonged to your troop at that

Time, and you gave me orders to charge him, which I did, and took it from him. When I stated it to him this day, he wants to know the

Particulars about it, and me to rite to you for you to state to him   how it was. I would thank you to rite to the Colonel as you was the

Nearest officer to me that day. Sir, by so doing, you will much  oblige. Stiles was twice promoted as a result of his claim, whereas Clark

did not receive anything directly for his claimed actions, this would   suggest that the powers that be recognised Stiles’ claim, which

was further supported by Gunning himself when he wrote to Major  General Sir H. Torens (22.2.1816),

“Sir,

It being believed that some military honour may be conferred in   consequence of the Eagles taken at the ever-memorable Battle of

Waterloo, induces me to state, for the consideration of his Royal  Highness the Commander-in-Chief, that it was by my orders that

Sergeant Stiles secured the Eagle of the 105th Regiment of French Infantry. I am enabled to prove this fact by Sergeant Stiles’ letter to

Me of the 31st ult. a copy of which I have the honour to enclose. I should have made this statement before, but my extreme ill state

of health, in consequence of my wounds received at the Battle of  Waterloo, has caused me to be absent from my regiment, and I did

Not consider it consistent to write to a Sergeant for the particulars   which he has now unsolicited sent to me. I have heard that other

claims are about to be made relative to the Eagle taken by   Sergeant Stiles; his letter proves most clearly it was by my orders he

Did secure the Eagle, and as no other officer was near me at   the time, I gave the order. I hope his Royal Highness, the

Commander-in-Chief, will consider that it was owing to my orders the Eagle was captured from the enemy; as had I acted differently

to what I did at that critical moment, I think the Eagle would not  have been taken from the enemy, which, by a personal interview, I

Think I could explain fully to the satisfaction of his Royal Highness.”

This remained unacceptable to Clark, who was twice wounded at  Waterloo, and during the next 23 years he made a further 10

Official complaints. Gunning added another note of controversy by later claiming in “Documents of the Gunning Family” (privately

Published in 1834), that it was he who killed the French officer in charge of the Colours. Whatever conclusions can be drawn from

This action, it is likely that in the heat of the battle several    individuals may have contributed to the capturing of the Eagle.

By my reading of this evidence Stiles took the Standard  , Gunning then killed the Standard bearer , and Clark who came upon the seen 

Ordered Stiles to the rear with the  Eagle  Claiming OFFICER Privilege