The 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) ORs button 1855-1870

The Carabiniers, 1855 to 1870

• Crimea, 1855 to 1856: The regiment was sent to the Crimean War in 1855, though the only battle honour it gained there was Sevastopol. It arrived late in the war, so saw little fighting.
• India and the Mutiny, 1857 to 1861: The Indian Mutiny broke out at Meerut on 10 May 1857, where the 6th Dragoon Guards were stationed, and the regiment served throughout the Mutiny, including the recapture of Delhi. They had arrived at Meerut that March, the only British cavalry regiment there. After the outbreak, the right wing went to Delhi while the left wing stayed at Meerut. Men also fought at the Hindun, Kickrowlie, Bareilly and Rohilcund, and the operations before Delhi. 223 Delhi clasps were issued to the regiment.
• Home service, 1861 to 1870: The regiment returned to the British Isles in 1861 and spent the rest of the decade on garrison duty.
• A nice detail: The Carabiniers were the only one of the seven dragoon guard regiments to wear blue tunics instead of red.

The maker, Smith & Wright, Birmingham

The firm began as George Smith and John Kemp. John Skirrow Wright joined in 1838 and became a partner in 1850, when the firm was named Smith, Kemp & Wright. Kemp left in 1864, and they traded as Smith & Wright until 1888, then as Smith & Wright Ltd. They were based on Brearley Street and made other ranks brass buttons of the pre-1871 patterns, later becoming part of Firmin & Sons.

 "Smith & Wright Birmingham" mark (no "Kemp", no "Ltd") points to after 1864. Combined with the pre-1871 regimental pattern, it most likely dates to about 1864 to 1871, so it would have been worn during the regiment's home service years rather than in India.