This is a copy of my great-great-great grandfather's Discharge Paper from the 74th Infantry of Foot, Assaye, formerly known as the 74th Royal Highlanders. John McQueen's Discharge Paper was discovered as a supporting document with his petition for a land grant in Upper Canada. As it was on microfilm there were considerable extraneous marks on it. I took it into Photoshop, improved the contrast, cleaned it up and darkened the handwritten parts so that they could be read more easily.

John MacQueen was awarded the Campaign Medal with 8 clasps (battle honors) for his service in the Peninsular Wars. He was fortunate to have survived as his regiment had been cut down to less than half strength in the various battles. He was sent to Waterloo with other selected combat veterans from various regiments and held in reserve. Wellington felt that he might lose the battle. He wanted a force of battle-tested veterans to fill in the gaps and try to salvage the day, if possible, should that time come. As luck would have it, John wasn't needed and was left cooling his heels with the baggage detail. Having chased Napoleon's troops across Spain and back into France John was denied a taste of the greatest victory of them all, the Battle of Waterloo, and he cursed his "bad" luck until the day he died. The fly in the ointment for this wee bit of oral family history is that he was discharged before the Battle of Waterloo; however, I found mention that some retired soldiers were hired as support staff. This could explain his assignment to the baggage train. He must have been quite the man. I would love to be able to spend a day talking with him...