Military General Service Medal 1793-1814, with clasp 'Chateauguay', awarded to Sose Sononsese

Silver medal with the portrait of Queen Victoria on the obverse, with the inscription, 'Victoria Regina' with the date '1848'. On the reverse the figure of Queen Victoria crowns a kneeling figure of the Duke of Wellington with a wreath, with the inscription, 'To The British Army' and the date range, '1793-1814', with a red and blue ribbon, with the clasp, 'Chateauguay'.

The Military General Service Medal commemorated the battles of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815). However, it was not issued until 1847. This was 33 years after the last battle the medal marked. Therefore the numbers issued were fairly small and just over 25,000 were awarded. The next of kin of the dead, unless the veteran had lodged a claim prior to his death, were not eligible to claim the medal.

The War of 1812, fought between Britain and the United States primarily on the frontiers of Canada, is today little known in the United Kingdom. Its heroes too are largely forgotten. But the successful defence of Canada helped initiate a new sense of Canadian identity, including even the North American Indians who lived there.

When, in 1813, a United States army first advanced on Montreal, it was defeated by 400 Canadian militia and Canadian Indians at Chateauguay. A second attempt, by 1600 US troops, was also defeated by a mixed force of 800 British soldiers, Canadian militia and Canadian Indians at Chrystler's Farm.

The North American Indians and British soldiers who fought on the British side during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815), had to wait until 1848 before they finally received campaign medals. Sose Sononsese and John Pegeon Omeme were two of only 103 surviving Canadian Indian 'Warriors' to receive their medal. Nevertheless, with this award it might be said that the North American Indians who fought for Canada and the British Empire had at last been remembered.