Jacobite pistol 'taken as Culloden spoil of war' to be auctioned

Dated to the 1700s, the flintlock belt pistol is formed entirely of steel was made by weaponsmith Thomas Caddell 3rd, who is recorded living in Doune, Perthshire, between 1700-25.

It bears two engraved panels – one stating 'Taken at the Battle of Colloden [sic]', and the other Rich-Vyse-C--nt / R.D.T'.

The name on the gun refers to Richard Vyse (1746-1825), who was born in Lichfield, Staffordshire in 1746.

It is thought the flintlock was passed to him by an ancestor or admirer, because of his links to Scotland.

Re-enactors re-fight the Battle of Culloden (Image: NQ)

Vyse had a long and successful career in the British army, beginning as a cornet in the 5th Dragoons on 13 February 1762.

He then became a colonel in the army 18 November 1791, a major-general on 3 October 1794 after service overseas rose to Commander of Forces in Scotland in 1805.

In 1804, he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and became member of parliament for Beverly, the following year.

READ MORE: The 'biggest myth about the Jacobites' and the propaganda war

The pistol has been in the same family since the early 1960s. It was purchased as a gift for their great aunt, who came from Inverness and was a passionate Jacobite.

She was known to display the pistol to guests, regaling them with imaginative tales of the highland chief who carried the weapon through the Bonnie Prince Charlie’s campaigns, which she insisted was “the campaign to put the rightful King on his throne, and not a rebellion."

Her partner was an American diplomat and they both lived in London, but little else is known. It is being sold by her four descendants.

The pistol is expected to fetch between £10-12,000 (Image: Olympia Auctions)

One of the relatives commented: “We don’t know where the pistol was purchased but research has shown that Vyse’s descendant, Sir Richard Howard-Vyse, also a famous general, died in 1962. It may be a coincidence, but the pistol was acquired by our family in the same year. We can’t be sure, but maybe the pistol was kept in the Vyse family until then.”

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Antique Expert and Auctioneer Thomas Del Mar said: “In addition to be a long serving officer in the British army, who fought in Ireland and France, Richard Vyse (1746-1825) was a member of the Highland Society and elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1804.

“Such interests would have made this pistol of particular interest to him.  The Culloden inscription, added in the 19th century, was perhaps commissioned by Vyse or his descendants, unfortunately no further context survives, and we can only speculate that family tradition placed the pistol at that battle.”

The pistol will go under the hammer at the Mr Del Mar’s Fine Antique Arms, Armour & Militaria sale on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at Olympia Auctions, 25 Blythe Road, London W14. 

Artefacts uncovered from the field continue to shed new light on the last major battle to be fought on British soil.

In April 2024 National Trust for Scotland archaeologists revealed how the discovery of heavy lead grapeshot, flattened one one side by impact, showed the intensity of the fighting and exactly how around 1600 men were killed in under an hour.

A freshly excavated 60 square metre dig site also uncovered a shoe buckle believed to have to belonged to Donald Cameron of Lochiel. Known as ‘The Gentle Lochiel’, the clan chief led a 400-strong regiment of Camerons into battle before being brought down by grapeshot to his ankles. The newly discovered buckle has been broken in two.

Derek Alexander, NTS Head of Archaeology, explained: ‘The juxtaposition of both these artefacts, recovered from the same hole and within 20–30m of the British Army front line, is intriguing and the obvious conclusion would be that the grapeshot hit the shoe buckle and broke off one end.

"This is of particular significance as one of the most recounted stories of the Jacobite charge at Culloden is the wounding of Donald Cameron of Lochiel, known as ‘The Gentle Lochiel’. The late Christopher Duffy, a leading authority on the Battle of Culloden, tells how Lochiel ‘advancing at the head of his regiment (the Camerons), was so near Barrell’s (Government Regiment) that he fired his pistol, and was drawing his sword when he fell, wounded with grapeshot in both ankles’.

‘This description shows us that Lochiel was hit in the ankles charging forward and if he had been wearing shoes with buckles, it is possible that these would have been hit and partly absorbed the impact. We can’t prove that this is what happened but both objects combine to tell the story of the terrible events that took place on that day.’"