Born in the parish of St. Andrew's, Lanark, c.1824.
Enlisted at Dublin on the 24th of November 1848.
Age: 24 years 2 months.
Height: 5' 10". Trade: Farrier.
Features: Swarthy complexion. Hazel eyes. Brown hair.
Embarked for India from Cork aboard the S.S. "Great Britain" on the 8th of October 1857.
The musters for July-September of 1858 show him as being "On Field Service" during the whole of this period.
Served in the field at Rajghur and Mungrowlee with Captain William Gordon.
Appointed to Farrier-Sergeant on the 1st of April 1862.
Discharged from Woolwich on the 24th of June 1868.
Served 24 years 324 days.
Former service of 5 years 104 days in the 3rd Dragoon Guards allowed to reckon towards pension, vide War Office Authority, dated the 15th of December 1865. No trace of a transfer can be found, so he may possibly have purchased his discharge and then re-enlisted.
[EJB: A check of the muster rolls of the 3rd D.G. previous to his enlistment into the 17th Lancers shows no trace of a man of this name, although there was a 876 Lewis Morgan in the regiment from 1845 but being still shown after 1848/49, could not have been Charles Morgan. The possibility thus exists that he may previously have served under another name.]
In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years. In India: 7 years 1 month,
Conduct: "very good." And in possession of four Good Conduct badges.
Twice entered in the Regimental Defaulter's book. Never tried by Court-martial.
Awarded a pension of 1/6d per day.
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Sebastopol, and the Turkish medal.
Mutiny medal without clasp.
Member of the Balaclava Commemoration Society in 1879.
To live at No. 20 Ogilvy Street, Woolwich, after discharge, but he was living in the Bristol District in 1875.
[RM: The 1881 Census returns show a man of this name aged 55, but born in Bristol as a "Fitter at Wagon works" living at 46 Stanley Street, in the parish of St George, Bristol. His wife shown as Eliza, aged 51 born in Ireland. No children are shown.]
In a "Scrapbook" formerly belonging to James W. Wightman, was found a letter from General Robert White written from Aghavoe Grange, Abbeyliex, and dated the 31st of January 1896, in which was said:
"Dear Wightman, Can you tell me whether the late Farrier Morgan was in Captain Morgan's Troop in the Crimea and at Balaclava. My own impression is that he was in that Troop. I am anxious to know,
Yours truly,
(Signed) R. White, Genl."
From an Account and Address Book kept by James Wightman during the period he was Secretary of the Balaclava Commemoration Society, he was living at No. 73 Belmont Terrace, Upton Road, Gloucester. His name is crossed through as though "Deceased", on the list of men of the 17th belonging to the Society, but no indication as to his date of death, etc.