Thomas Stothard RA (1755-1834) - study for ‘Horrors of War’? c.1799

Artist: Thomas Stothard RA (1755-1834)
Title: ‘Horrors of War’ study? c.1799
[Titled ‘Soldiers in an Encampment’ in the auction]
Medium: Ink and wash
Size: 153 x 203mm
Signed: ‘T. Stothard’ at bottom right
Notes: After some research I came to the conclusion that this work may be a preliminary study for the ‘Horrors of War’ wall painting in the ‘Hell staircase’ at Burghley House, Stamford.
Starting this mammoth task in 1799, this was one of three paintings that Thomas Stothard painted on the walls; it took him 5 years to complete, painting in the summers.
This drawing is not identical to the finished item, but two significant elements are; the bare-topped man on the floor on one arm looking up, and the ‘dead’ man sliding down with his helmet off.
The other two paintings done by Stothard along with the ‘Horrors of War’ were ‘Intemperance’ and ‘Descent of Orpheus in Hell’.

‘Horrors of War’ artworks, excluding our study:
‘Horrors of War’
a) The staircase decoration at Burghley House, Northamptonshire,
b) Painting oil on canvas sketch, 1800. Location: National Gallery of Ireland, purchased 1902. [Object Number: NGI.536]
c) ‘Battle’ Painting oil on canvas (61x68.6cm), 1799-1803. Location: Tate [Presented by Robert Vernon 1847]

I have located some ink and wash studies of one of the other wall paintings (Intemperance), so no doubt he would have done ink studies for the ‘Horrors of War’ too. These are:
a) Intemperance Sketch: pen and brown ink on paper (11.9 x 17.5cm), 1799-1804. Location: British Museum
b) Intemperance Sketch: pen and ink with blue wash on paper (21.2 x 23.2cm), 1799. Location: British Museum
c) Intemperance: watercolour on paper (26.9 x 43.1cm), 1799. Location: British Museum

Sources:
Coxhead, A. C. - Thomas Stothard, R.A.: An Illustrated Monograph. London: A.H. Bullen, 1906
Rhine, Rachel – MA Dissertation ‘The Painter, the Patron, and the Staircase to Hell’
Also like to thank Jon Culverhouse the curator at Burghley House for his help.
On the back of the frame is an old label with indistinct writing on it.