7th Hussars

Sir James John Fraser

Fraser, the son of Sir William and Lady Fraser, served with the 7th Hussars in the later Peninsula campaign of 1813-14 and on Wellington's staff at Waterloo. His Waterloo medal can just be seen half hidden by his pelisse, in this portrait by Raeburn. The portrait was not exhibited after it was completed; it remained unknown until 1938 when it was sold at Sothebys for 1700 pounds. The date of the painting is not known but it must have been painted before he reached the rank of major in 1823 because field officers had two rows of gold lace rings around the top of the shako, and his shako has only one.
Sir Richard Hussey Vivian wrote about him in Feb 1814, in a letter from the Peninsula: 'I must tell you how gallantly our friend Fraser behaved; and I beg of you to write the account to lady Fraser, from me. It will so delight her - Sir William at least. Sir S Cotton called for a subaltern and six men of the 7th to lead the way across the river in order to show the ford to the infantry. And no subaltern being immediately in front of the regiment, there was a trifling delay of sending to the rear of the squadron for one, upon which Sir S Cotton reflected on the slowness of the Hussars and said he wished he had one of the old brigades there. Fraser was by and heard this, and he most gallantly said, "Subaltern or captain, it is no matter which, I will take the six men over, and lead the way across." And this he did through a most difficult and deep ford (so bad that several infantry were drowned), and under a very severe fire of the enemy's infantry from a house on the other side, and he was the first man landed. As God's mercy would have it, neither he nor any of his men were touched. How they escaped is wonderful!'
1810 Cornet, 29th Mar
1811 Lieutenant, 6th June
1813 Captain, 17th June
1823 Major, 27th Feb
1826 Lieutenant-Colonel commanding, 28th Sep
1830 retired on half-pay, 15th June
1834 died.

Regimental details | Commanding Officers