Hello listers I received this from a friend who was searching through London newspapers and sent it to me in case it was of interest to the India List or FIBIS members. Cheers Joan > Just looking through old newspapers and came across this item, don't know > if > it is useful to you for your India site. It seems Colonel Aston was a > friend of the Prince of Wales, because there are a few other reports of > them > dining together, and Aston was appointed "one of the Grooms of the > Bedchamber to His Royal Highness" in 1795. > > St James's Chronicle (London), Thursday, May 1, 1800 (Issue 6603) - > Letters from India mention, that Major Allen, who unfortunately killed > Colonel Hervey Aston in a duel, was tried for the supposed murder before a > Court of Civil Jurisdiction at Madras, and was acquitted; as also he was > afterwards brought to a General Court Martial, by order of General Harris, > Commander in Chief, &c, for challenging his immediate Commanding Officer, > and was acquitted; but his feelings were so sensibly affected in > consequence of what had happened, that it caused a depression of spirit, > attended with a fever, of which he died. > > I had to look further to see if I could find anything more - > > Oracle and Daily Advertiser (London), Tuesday, June 11, 1799 (Issue > 22007) - > The late Harvey Aston, who fell in the East Indies by Major Allan, > possessed > many amiable and endearing qualities. In the absence of Colonal Aston > from > his regiment, Major Picton and Major Allan had a misunderstanding with a > Lieutenant, which being communicated to Colonel Aston, he wrote his > opinion > in a private letter, that the two Majors had acted rather illiberally to > the > young man. Major Picton called out Colonel Aston and Picton had the first > fire; his pistol snapped, and the seconds decided that this was equal to a > fire. Colonel Aston then fired his pistol in the air, declaring he had no > quarrel with Major Picton. Mutual explanations took place, and they shook > hands. > The next day Major Allan also demanded satisfaction for the private > opinion > that Colonel Aston had given of his conduct. They met, and Major Allen > had > the first shot. The Colonel received his fire, and shewed no sign of being > hurt. The Seconds did not perceive that the ball had taken place; he > stood > erect, and with the utmost composure levelled his pistol with a steady > arm, > and shewed that he had it in his power to fire on his antagonist; he then > leisurely drew back his pistol, and laying it across his breast, said:- > "That he was shot through the body - he believed the wound was mortal, and > he therefore declined to fire, for it should not be said of him, that the > last act of his life should be an act of revenge." > He then sat down on the ground; was carried home; and after languishing > for a week in excessive pain, but without a murmur, expired. > > -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter. We are a community of 7 million users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 1002 of my spam emails to date. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len The Professional version does not have this message