Description
A Good China 1842 Long service pair – 26th Regiment (Cameronians)
China 1842, Alexander Patterson. 26th Regiment Foot.; Army L.S. & G.C., (Victorian),1742. Alexr. Patterson, 26th Regt.
1742 Alexander Paterson was born in Paisley, Refrew, in 1816 / 17
Enlisted 27th May 1841.
Alexander Patterson is noted as serving in Jersey in 1851 and in Dublin by 1861. His L.S. & G.C. Medal was awarded with a gratuity of £5 in 1862
He served in China for 1 year 3 months, India for 6 months and Bermuda for 2 years 6 months
His service papers describe his character and conduct as good.
Discharged at his own request11th August 1862, his intended place of residence being George Street, Paisley.
Died 31st December 1892 in Paisley.
Condition – V
The 26th (Cameronian) Regiment of Foot played a key role throughout the First China War (popularly known as the First Opium War), serving as one of the primary British infantry regiments deployed to the Far East. Having already spent over a decade on garrison duty in India, the regiment was dispatched to China in 1840 as part of the expeditionary force led by Sir Hugh Gough.
Arriving in July 1840, the Cameronians immediately spearheaded the capture of Chusan (Zhoushan Island), securing a crucial maritime foothold for British forces. However, their initial period in China was marked by immense hardship; during their long garrison duty on the island, the regiment suffered severely from tropical diseases, dysentery, and malaria, losing hundreds of officers and men before being withdrawn to recuperate.
By late 1841 and early 1842, the 26th Regiment returned to active operations along the Yangtze and Canton River theaters. In early February 1842, the Cameronians arrived to reinforce the strategic garrison at Ningpo (Ningbo). Shortly after their arrival, Qing forces launched a coordinated surprise assault on the city during the night of March 9–10, 1842. While other units bore the initial brunt of the urban defense, the 26th Foot served as a vital tactical reserve, securing key positions within the city walls and supporting counter-offensives that successfully repulsed the Imperial troops.
Following the defense of Ningpo, the Cameronians took part in the broader amphibious campaign pushing up the Yangtze River toward Nanjing. The regiment participated in riverine landings, skirmishes, and assault operations designed to sever the Grand Canal and force the Qing Empire to terms. On August 11, 1842, the 26th Foot took up strategic positions outside Nanjing as British forces prepared to besiege the city. This decisive show of force compelled the Imperial Chinese court to sign the Treaty of Nanking on August 29, 1842, formally ending the war.
In recognition of their extensive, grueling campaign service, the 26th Cameronians were officially granted the battle honor “China” alongside the emblem of the Dragon on their regimental colors.
