Peter Brown
Over a hundred years ago a man by the name of Peter Brown died in Cape Town, South Africa. This in itself is nothing anyone outside his family would notice. But the fact that he is supposedly Swedish and was awarded the Victoria Cross makes it much more interesting and has after his death transformed him into a genealogical riddle.
During the 1800s the colonial might of Great Britain had South Africa in a firm grip. The country was also home to the Boer, a people hailing from European settlers who arrived during the 1600s. The native population was made up from different tribes such as the Baphuti tribe ruled by the chief Morosi. This particular tribe had asked the British for protection against the Boer. This was promised as long as the tribe paid taxes to the British colonial government. During 1867 the deal was sealed with Morosi´s father Moshesh who passed away shortly thereafter. Morosi himself had a very low opinion of both the British and the Boer so he decided to not pay the taxes owed to the British Crown. What he did do was fortify a mountain on the South side of the Orange River. The mountain was over a 1,000 feet high and had multiple terraces where Morosi built massive walls with portholes. Here the tribal leader amassed vast amounts of weaponry, ammunition and food. Several fresh water springs supplied the fort with water and a finally a whole village was formed on the high point of the mountain, defended by 1,500 warriors. This fort and the mountain earned the name Morosi Mountain and took 8 years to finish.
When the time came to pay the British taxes Chief Morosi refused. The British Government then demanded that he give them his son. The clever Morosi asked for a week to think it over and during the week given he rallied all his people and cattle to the mountain. He then sent a message to the British telling them that if they wanted their taxes they were welcome to come get them.
Of course they intended to do just that. Led by the British Governments representative in Basutoland Colonel Griffith a force of 800 men headed out to claim what the British Crown felt it was owed. The force was primarily made up of 2 squadrons from Cape Mounted Riflemen, CMR and a regiment from Cape Mounted Yeomanry, CMY. On the 25th of March 1879 the force reached the foot of Morosi Mountain.
Private Brown
The Cape Mounted Riflemen were led by Captain Grant and at 6 o´clock in the morning on the 8th of April they opened fire with their two Sixpounder canons. To their surprise the walls on the mountainside were built so well that the projectiles hardly left a mark. Two hours later an attack involving 39 soldiers from the CMR and 100 from the CMY was launched. Chief Morosi answered with a hail of stones backed up by heavy small arms fire. The assault was halted and the soldiers were forced into what little cover they could find. The reserves were brought out but they did no better against the strong battlements. Among the soldiers of the first wave that had sought cover at the foot of the mountain was Private Peter Brown. Captain Grant himself accounted for the events that followed and it is thanks to this that we today know some of what transpired. Behind a large bolder in the middle of open ground about 200 yards from the first of the mountains walls two wounded soldiers had taken cover. After some time these men began calling out for help and ask for water. The area was at this time under constant fire from the mountain. At this point Brown supposedly said - I can´t take this anymore, does anyone have some water?
Someone handed him a half full canteen and with it in hand he simply stood up and walked over to the two wounded men. When he reached them he kneeled down and without taking cover he gave one of the soldiers some water. The inevitable happened and he was struck by a bullet wounding him in his lower right arm. Without a word he picked up the canteen he had dropped and continued to poor water in the wounded mans mouth with his left hand. Another bullet hit Brown, this time in his leg. This made him fall to the ground, in cover behind the rock where he remained.
Gazetted
This was Private Brown´s last war effort. He was at this time presumably well into his 40s and the injuries were so severe that he could not return to active duty. In any case it was this incident that ensured that Private Peter Brown was awarded the Victoria Cross from Sir General Garnet J Wolseley in King Williams Town in the year of 1880. On the 12th of April the same year it was announced in The London Gazette.
Brown himself supposedly commented that he thought little of his actions; he claimed that he at several times earlier in his life had taken much greater risks and that no one had cared then. He was sure that no one would have cared this time either except that he was badly wounded.
After nearly 15 years of service this Swede was retired from the Cape Mounted Riflemen, who if he truly was of Swedish heritage is the only Swede to ever receive the Victoria Cross.
Peter Brown never returned to his supposed homeland but died in Cape Town on the 11th of September 1894 from kidney decease. Since his retirement he most likely lived a poor life seeing that the army pension was only 10 Pounds a year. According to his death certificate he was 61 years and 10 months at the time of death, and he was buried with military honors at Woltemate cemetery in Cape Town.
For some unknown reason his medals, the Victoria Cross and the South African Medal were put up for auction a year after his death. There is no record of who the seller was. But they were bought by Captain Robinson from the Cape Town Highlanders. There were attempts made to find relatives to Brown, but they gave nothing. Failing to find a rightful owner the medals were passed on to Browns commanding officer Colonel Grant. The medals had been bought back for 25 Shillings, in today´s value mere pennies.
Today the medals rest at The Amathole Museum in King Williams Town, South Africa. There is nothing that points to that word of the Swede receiving the medal ever reached his homeland.