The million-peopled city
Garwood, John
1853
The Clasps worn by Pensioners to denote the Number of Battles in which they have engaged.
A further evidence of the service of these veterans is always to be obtained in the number of clasps which they wear, each clasp denotirg a battle in which the wearer served. Several of the Chelsea pensioners have from 3 to 7 clasps, a few have 8 and 9, and one or two have 11. Scarcely one man of the whole body considers, moreover, that he has his right number of clasps, but reckons that he is short one, two, or three. The majority are those with 3 clasps and under, and some have none at all, their service having been in the early Indian war, for which no medals were given to the survivors. At the Duke's funeral, as far as it was practicable, none of the 83 chosen to follow his remains had less than 3 clasps, although great regard was obliged to be had to the likelihood of their being able to bear the fatigue of the day. | |