Captain Thomas Charlton Smith's sword

Detail of Captain Thomas Charlton Smith's sword

A decorated sword presented to Captain Thomas Charlton Smith by the British subjects of Cape Colony, South Africa, for his indomitable courage in defending Port Natal (Durban), known as the Kongela (Congella) Incident, with a small detachment of 27th Inniskillings against superior numbers of Dutch Boer settlers 24 May – 20 June 1842. Presented when he had been promoted to Major, the inscription reads:

Presented to Major T. C. Smith, H.M.'s 27th Regiment Inniskillings, by British subjects at the Cape of Good Hope, to express their sense of his indomitable bravery in maintaining his post at Port Natal, against an overwhelming force, from the 24th May, to the 25th June, 1842.

The sword is on loan to The Inniskillings collection from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

To view Charlton Smith's powder horn, please click on Yes Please.