Military History Encyclopedia Forum

Battle of Alma - orginal soldier docs !

livcyxingfoe — Sat Mar 23, 2013 8:56 am

Author: livcyxingfoe

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 8:56 am

Corps of Transport

French dead @ Waterloo

ailybu — Tue May 29, 2012 3:06 am

Author: ailybu

Posted: Tue May 29, 2012 3:06 am

These could have been sold to merchants and eventually shipped to England for grinding into bonemeal.

Waterloo

Robin Hood — Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:42 pm

Author: Robin Hood

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:42 pm

Hi

I have an obituary for a relative named Thomas Pinkett who served as a driver in the Royal Artillery until discharged in Sept 1818. It is written by his son in law and describes participation and a subsequent medal in the battle of Tapperhet 1813 when Thomas was one of the few British soldiers attached to the Prussian Army. Apparently Thomas often described the terrific slaughter during this battle. Mention is also made of a second medal awarded for Waterloo when serving with the same Battery.

I cannot find a battle of Tapperhet which infact seems to be a Nordic word for "courage". I have found a reference to a Congreve Rocket Battery serving with a Swedish/Prussian formation around the time of Leipzig. Can anyone tie British soldiers with the Prussians at Waterloo.?

Many Thanks

Carnot's strategy for 1796.

adrian4026 — Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:30 am

Author: adrian4026

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:30 am

It's odd how commanders can make glaringly contradictory decisions ( hindsight helps ).

Carnot 1796. His strategy is to force the Austrian's to divide their forces by advancing into Germany and Italy. However his orders to his 2 armies in Germany ( under Moreau and Jourdan ) put them in exactly the situation he is trying to lure the Austrians into.

The 2 armies are sent on divergent routes, Austrian commander Archduke Charles is able to concentrate his weaker army between the 2 French armies and defeat each in turn.

What would Moreau and Joudan have done if they had freedom of manouvre instead of being tightly controlled by Carnot and the French Directory.

I wonder what how events would have transpired if Jourdan had advanced south-east from Frankfurt, leaving the line of the Main to join up with Moreau, who by late July was north of Stuttgart.

Would this possibly lead to a situation where the French could besiege Vienna in 1796, or possiby the Austrians submit.

Even after the defeat of Jourdan at Amberg he could have marched to Mainz, linked up with the French forces besieging the city and accordingly held a position that would have allowed Moreau to stay East of the Rhine. However once again orders form the Directory far away and having no idea of the situation prevented him doing this.

Regards
Adrian.

The 'not often mentioned' Battle of Arroyo dos Molinos.

Reluctant Hero — Sun Oct 23, 2011 10:25 pm

Author: Reluctant Hero

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 10:25 pm

28th October 2011 is the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Arroyo dos Mollinos, fought during the Penninsular War, when 2nd Battalion, 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot, as part of Wilson�s Brigade in the 2nd Division of General Sir Roland Hill�s Force, fought the French forces of General Jean-Baptiste Girard at the village of Arroyo dos Molinos in Spain.

Attacking in the early hours of the morning and covered by a howling storm, Hill's 10,000 men were upon the French before they really knew what was happening. Blocking every road out of the town, he launched an assault straight into the middle of Girard's men. The French attempted to escape along the British-held roads but they were turned back every time by the 28th (North Gloucester) Regiment of Foot and 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot whose task it was to cut off the French retreat.

The 34th (Cumberland) Regiment had long harboured an ambition to come face to face and defeat in battle their opposite French army opponents the 34e R�giment d'Infanterie de Ligne. On this day they were not to be disappointed.

During the rout the men of the 34th took 1300 men and 30 officers of the French 34th regiment prisoner including their Colonel, Pierre d'Alcantara Charles Marie, Prince d'Arenberg, duc d'Arenberg, and General Jean-Antoine De Brun. In addition the French lost all their baggage, guns, 6 caissons of ammunition, and the 5,000 dollars tax levied on the town of Caceres.

The greatest prize for the British 34th was the capture of six side-drums and the French Drum-Major�s staff which, after a tustle, was taken from the French Drum-Major by Sergeant Moses Simpson of the 34th�s Grenadier Company. Included in the haul was the French grenadier company drum, the shell of which is emblazoned with three grenadier �ball and flame�. These magnificent trophies of war had been presented to the 34e R�giment d'Infanterie de Ligne by none other Napoleon himself when the French regiment was founded in 1796.

Of the six infantry battalions and three cavalry regiments engaged, about 1,000 men were killed or wounded. Most of the casualties were among the French infantry, who lost about 80% of their effective fighting force. British losses were less than 80 men killed and wounded.

On 5th November a jubilant Hill (who would be made a Knight of the Bath for Arroyo dos Molinos) wrote to his sister;

�I have time merely to inform you that on the morning of the 28th at daybreak I succeeded in surprising, attacking, and annihilating the French corps under General Girard at Arroyo dos Molinos. The enemy's force, when attacked, consisted of about 3,000 infantry, 1,600 cavalry and artillery. The result is the capture of one general (de Brun), one colonel (the Prince d'Aremberg commander of the 27th Chasseurs), 35 lieutenant-colonels and inferior officers, 1,400 prisoners, and probably 500 killed. The others dispersed, having thrown away their arms; we have also got all the enemy's artillery, baggage, and magazines - in short, everything that belonged to the corps�.

In 1845 Queen Victoria, at the request of the Duke of Wellington, granted the 34th the unique Battle Honour �Arroyo dos Mollinos� and the Regiment was later allowed to commemorate the exploit by wearing in their shakos a red and white tuft, which matched that worn by one of the French 34th�s companies. This tradition would later be reflected in the Border Regiment badge wherein the red and white centre represented the two-thirds red and one-third white Chaco pom-pom of the 34e R�giment d'Infanterie de Ligne.

The Aliens Office and espionage in thew Napoleonic Wars

Amador1982 — Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:56 am

Author: Amador1982

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:56 am

Download free mash

Bolivar's British Volunteers

john williams — Fri Nov 05, 2010 2:45 pm

Author: john williams

Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2010 2:45 pm

Has anyone read this new book from Osprey? If so, what did you think of it?

In the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo, over six thousand British volunteers sailed across the Atlantic to aid Sim�n Bol�var liberate Gran Colombia from her oppressors in Madrid. The expeditions were plagued by disaster from the start. Shortly after leaving Portsmouth, one ship, The Indian was driven onto the rocks off the Isle of Ushant, killing all one hundred and ninety-three men, women and children onboard. Others deserted or died after arriving in the New World. Lieutenant Watson was captured and executed whilst making his way up the Orinoco. Lieutenant Plunkett succumbed to yellow fever, vomiting blood yet lucid until the end, and Sergeant Cookson was devoured by jaguars after wandering off alone into the jungle.

Conditions on campaign were appalling. Forced marches left a trail of dead across flooded savannah, through tropical rainforest and over snowbound Andean passes. Massacres were commonplace, rations crude, pay infrequent and supplies insufficient. Nevertheless, those that endured made key contributions to Bol�var's success. Colonel Rooke's bayonet charge at Vargas saved the army from destruction, the Black Rifles were instrumental in victories across the continent and at the Battle of Carabobo the British Legion's defiant stand proved decisive.

After the fighting had finished, several volunteers attained influential positions in military and political circles. Others returned to Britain and a few continued their adventures around the globe. Although the contemporary media followed their story closely, their memory soon faded once the war was won. In the intervening years, their role has been deliberately downplayed in the countries they helped to liberate and all-but-forgotten at home. Conquer or Die! aims to redress this imbalance. Conquer or Die! is their story.

The fad news broadcast is my sideline

SaladedeSot — Wed Nov 03, 2010 12:55 am

Author: SaladedeSot

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2010 12:55 am

Beyond the shadow of a doubt written. I love to read regarding make and fashion.

Brown Bess Long Pattern

emmjayen — Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:52 pm

Author: emmjayen

Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:52 pm

I have an original Brown Bess Long Pattern flintlock, marked on the pan side of the lock Tower 1813, on the top back end of the barrel below two Birmingham proof marks separated by the number 11 it is stamped ROH 301. Has anyone any idea what this means or where I might be able to find out?

Field of Strategy 2 Game

noone23 — Mon Dec 31, 2007 4:29 am

Author: noone23

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 4:29 am

This game is freeware. It operates at four levels - tactical and divisional battles and operational and strategic campaigns. At present(more is in the works)the following historical periods are represented: Napoleonic(all four levels), World War II(all four levels), medieval(tactical battles), 18th century(tactical battles)and modern(divisional battles and a strategic campaign). The download package also includes map and army/scenario editors. One caveat: The FOS2 graphics won't win any awards although I think they do the job well enough. Anyway, to find this little gem go to Yahoo! Search and in the dialog box type in "field of strategy game"(no uppercase needed). On page one of the search results you should see a link to the game and to the TPGames start page. Once you get to the latter you will see the download link for this game. Another link you will see on the same page is the one taking you to the FOS2 forums in English and French(the FOS2 creator and forums moderator is French). After you have tried out the game you can sign up for the English forums and maybe keep me some company. It appears that a lot of people have signed up for the FOS2 forums in the past few weeks but they all seem to be going to the French forums, which is not surprising when you consider that the game has previously gotten precious little publicity outside France. Well, then, good luck and enjoy!!

Channel Islands 1813

JohnRickardJR — Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:56 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:56 am

I've found a list for Guernsey at http://militia.stores.yahoo.net/britarreggue.html - they can probably fill you in about Jersey as well

Wurttemburg`s Army.

Digby Smith — Fri Jun 22, 2007 10:05 am

Author: Digby Smith

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 10:05 am

This is a huge topic. You will have to do some heavy reading to get up to speed. My book `Armies of the Napoleonic Era` by Schaeffer Books, will give you a brief insight. John H Gill wrote `With Eagles to Glory`, Greenhill, about the 1809 campaign; my `Armies of 1812`by Spellmount will give you pretty much all you need on that campaign; my `1813 Leipzig`, Greenhill, deals with the defection of certain W cavalry units.