Surgeon Major Frederick Beaufort Scott - Army Medical Department

He served on the personal staff of Lord Chelmsford, and in medical charge of the Headquarters staff during the War. Was present at the Battle of Ulundi. (Mentioned in Despatches.)
Surgeon-Major F B Scott, MD (1838-1903), Army Medical Department. Medical Officer in charge of Headquarters and served on Chelmsford’s Personal Staff. Subsequently Senior Medical Officer at Port Durnford. Present at Ulundi.

Date of Birth - 9th December 1838.
Assistant Surgeon - 1st October 1862
Surgeon                 - 1st March 1872
Surgeon Major       - 28th April 1876
On 24th November 1882 his nomination for Companion of St Michael and St George was approved.
South African War 1879: - Zulu Campaign - Battle of Ulundi. Despatches, London Gazette, 21st August 1879. Medal with Clasp. Egyptian Expedition 1882: - Battle of Tel-el-Kebir (13th September) Medal with Clasp; Bronze Star; C. M. G.
Source ‘1884 Army List (p 977, 1185 & 1169)

(6th March 1879 to 17th November 1879). Campaigns - Zulu War 1879. Mentioned in Despatches. Senior Medical Officer of Lord Chelmsford’s Headquarter Staff. Present at Ulundi. Died 27th April 1903, Tivoli, Italy. Medals - CMG, South Africa Medal with clasp 1879, Egyptian War Medal with clasp Tel-el-Kebir, Khedive Star.

He was one of the officers that carried the body of the Prince Imperial to the ambulance. The others were, W C F Molyneux, Major-General Marshall, Captain Stewart, Colonel Drury-Lowe and three officers of the 17th Lancers, and Sir Bartle Frere’s son. Another officer who claims to be one of the bearers was John Edward Leveson Jervis of the 7th Hussars (Attached 17th Lancers).
Source John Young

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Homeward Mail from India, China and the East 11 May 1903

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Half-length photograph of Colonel Frederick Beaufort Scott. He is standing facing partly left and is holding a sword in his left hand. He is wearing military uniform with a row of medals. There is a bicorne hat with a feather plume on the table to the left and a painted backdrop of a garden with a pillar behind. Colonel Frederick Beaufort Scott served in the Anglo-Egyptian War.
Provenance
From the collection of Queen Victoria

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Surgeon Frederick B. Scott as a much younger man

I have recently acquired an engraving Wolseley’s staff in the Egyptian Campaign of 1882, and I was surprised that Surgeon-Major F. B. Scott was included in the engraving.

I was obviously aware of Scott’s connection to the Prince Imperial, and the Empress Eugenie’s visit to South Africa.

Scott had obviously been noticed by many, including the highest in the land.  When Sir Frederick Roberts was ordered to South Africa in response to the Transvaal War of 1880-1, Scott was appointed to Roberts’ staff.  Fortunately on that occasion Scott’s medical services were not required as the peace had been concluded.

In 1882 following the revolt in Egypt Scott was appointed - at the request of Queen Victoria - to the personal staff of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught.

When I looked in Hart’s Army List for 1885, I found some interesting comments in his ‘war services’:

Doctor F. B. Scott received the special approbation of the Madras Government, followed by that of His Royal Highness the Commander in Chief, for his services rendered while in medical charge of the 18th Hussars during a most virulent outbreak of cholera in the regiment, at Secunderabad in May 1871. Served in the Zulu war of 1879. Organised the Bearer Company; made the hospital arrangements at the Fort Pearson base for the Ekowe Relieving Column; served afterwards with the 2nd Division on the personal staff of Lord Chelmstord, and in medical charge ol the Head Quarters Staff; was present in the engagement at Ulundi, where his services were described by Lord Chelmsford as having been "of the greatest value;" he accompanied the 17th Lancers in their charge and pursuit of the enemy, and by rendering timely aid to a lancer who was dangeronsly wounded prevented his falling into the enemy's hands, and served subsequently to the end of the war as Senior Medical Officer of Port Durnford and that line of communication between Ulundi and the Tugela (mentioned in despatches, Medal with Clasp).

Served in the Egyptian war of 1882 on the personal staff of Major General the Duke of Connaught, Commanding the 1st Brigade, and was present at the battle of Tel-el-Kebir (C.M.G., Medal with Clasp).

The remark on Scott’s actions at Ulundi was previously unknown to me, frankly I found it startling and made me think if he had been recommended for an award in doing so.

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Surgeon-Major F. B. Scott, A.M.D., from The Pictorial World 1882.

JY

Hi JY
I've not read that about Scott at Ulundi either , I find it quite strange that a Surgeon would take part in the Charge of the 17th Lancers ! , why ? . Surely he should've been attending all the wounded inside the square ? , is it possible it's a written error ? .
90th

Gary,

I don’t think so, Scott had previously served in a hussar regiment - Frank used get his sick-notes from him - so who better to accompany a cavalry charge than a medical officer with that skill set.

There were at least twelve other doctors and their attending staff inside the square at Ulundi, including one who had more than proved his worth at Rorke’s Drift. So why shouldn’t Scott ride in support of the charge? I think is needs more research when I am able to!

JY