This Day in History

[bayonetbrant]

1912. Cadet Dwight D. Eisenhower, of the West Point football squad, flubbed a tackle of Jim Thorpe, who then scored a touchdown, helping the Carlisle Indian School thump USMA, 26-6.

in Ike's defense, a lot of people had trouble tackling Jim Thorpe!

[besilarius]

1759         James Wolfe defeated Louis-Joseph de Montcalm-Grozonon in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, securing Canada for Britain.
September of 1944, while they were in Quebec for the Octagon Conference, the Allied Combined Chiefs of Staff one day decided to tour the historic Plains of Abraham, where, 185 years earlier, the British under Sir John Wolfe had wrested control of Canada from the French, in the culminating victory of "the year of miracles" that decided the Seven Years War.
Unfortunately, the guide provided was more accustomed to civilian tourists than the professional curiosity of generals and admirals with whom he had to cope on this occasion. He soon proved unable to respond to their many technical questions. Nor were any of the officers present sufficiently knowledgeable about the battle to lend a hand. So the brass wandered the field keeping their questions to themselves.
Then, by chance, the party encountered a traditionally cassocked Quebecois priest. Falling into conversation with him, they quickly discovered that the elderly clergyman was an expert on the battle and on the conduct of war in the mid-eighteenth century. And soon he was steering the combined military brains of Britain and America on a detailed tour of the historic battlefield, responding cogently to their many questions about tactics and personalities.

 

[besilarius]

1852   the death of The Duke of Wellington, at 83
Given that, the Duke of Wellington was a one of the few real professionals of his times.  Although famous for his conduct of the Peninsula War and for the great victory at Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington arguably was pretty good at logistical management, despite the fact that given the fortunes of war his troops often were short of supplies.  Of course, the man-in-the-street knew much about Wellington’s battlefield prowess, and perhaps may have had some inkling of his strategic skills, but few understood the importance of logistics.
In 1838, a British publisher issued The Dispatches of Field Marshall the Duke of Wellington: During his Various Campaigns in India, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, the Low Countries, and France, from 1799 to 1818.  Despite the fact that it makes for some seriously dry reading, and weighs in at a dozen volumes of documents plus a separate index, The Dispatches was something of a best seller.
One day, shortly after its publication, one of the Duke’s friends remarked that he had been reading the volumes of The Dispatches that dealt with Wellington's campaigns in India from 1796 to 1805.   The man indicated that he was surprised to find that there was little about fighting in the volume, and said, “It seems to me, Duke, that your chief business in India was to procure rice and bullocks."

"And so it was," replied Wellington "for if I had rice and bullocks, I had men, and if I had men, I knew I could beat the enemy."

[besilarius]

1776         the British made an amphibious assault at Kip's Bay, Manhattan (East River & 34th st)
the City of New York, second or third largest in British America at about 20,000 inhabitants, was a prosperous port on the lower end of Manhattan.   With the American Revolution in full swing, should the British capture the city, it would make an excellent strategic base for operations throughout the rebellious colonies, and at the same time permit the British to project their forces over 150 miles upriver past Albany, splitting New England off from the rest of the United Colonies.
The city had a considerable loyalist population, but the Patriot movement was firmly in control. By the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in the city, on July 9th, New York had been extensively fortified in the months since the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, and was now held by strong forces under George Washington.
The army consisted of "veteran" troops whom Washington had redeployed from Boston after the British abandoned that city in March, as well as many new recruits and the local militia. Two of the units in the army were what would today be considered special troops, a body of Rangers organized by Lt. Col. Thomas Knowlton, a veteran of the original "Roger’s Rangers" of the French and Indian War, and a company of Virginia sharpshooters armed with the Pennsylvania long rifle. In the ranks of the army were such men as Nathan Hale, a captain of the Rangers, James Monroe, a lieutenant in the Virginia Rifles, and Alexander Hamilton, who had personally financed a battery of artillery.
In addition to fortifications along the East River, on both the Manhattan and Jersey sides of the North River (as the lower Hudson was called), and on Governor's Island, Washington had also directed that Brooklyn Heights be fortified, since artillery there could dominated the southern end of Manhattan. In this way the Patriots hoped to neutralize the British naval advantage, by positioning batteries at points along the rivers where the current could cause ships to come into range and also to protect the Army's line-of-retreat from Brooklyn Heights, where the British were expected to make their first attack.
The British, led by Lord Howe and his brother Admiral Richard Howe, arrived in the Lower Bay in mid-June and quickly occupied Staten Island, establishing a base of operations. They crossed the Narrows into Brooklyn on August 22, landing at what is now Fort Hamilton, with 15,000 British troops and 5,000 Hessians. Washington positioned his force in the defenses on the Heights, with detachments thrown forward to guard approaches from the east and southeast. Howe advanced on Washington's main line with the bulk of his Army, while sending elite units on a nocturnal march east to flank the American positions. Howe's plan worked well, and after a furious fight (the largest battle of the war, in fact) Washington was forced to withdraw across the East River on the night of August 29th, having lost 900 men captured and more than 250 killed.
Despite this success, the Howe brothers dithered. Hoping to secure a negotiated settlement, they meet with a congressional delegation on September 11th. But the Howe brothers demanded complete surrender in return for pardons, and Patriot delegates John Adams and Benjamin Franklin flatly refused to surrender. So on September 15th, the British attacked Manhattan, with the Royal Navy bombarding the fortified batteries and then landing in strength at Kips Bay (near the FDR Drive at 34th Street). British light infantry and Grenadiers quickly routed Lt. Col. William Douglas' green and heavily outnumbered 5th Connecticut Militia Battalion in a series of bayonet charges. Although senior officers, including Washington, who reportedly demonstrated command of some impressive profanity, attempted to halt the panic, the militiamen fled the field, abandoning their equipment. The landing at Kips Bay exposed to capture the American forces in New York City, to the south. The American troops rushed north through what is now Central Park to escape the trap. Had the British moved promptly, more than half the American Army would have been taken. But Lord Howe delayed, choosing to consolidated his beachhead and secure the city before pursuing the Americans (reportedly an accommodating widow with Patriot sympathies may have helped matters as well, as she "entertained" the general, delaying him for a time).
By the end of September 15th, the Americans had reached the security of fortified positions along Harlem Heights (just north of 125th Street on the West Side), while the British established their advanced positions along modern-day 96th Street. 
The American position on the high ground overlooked the fields of the Harlem plain to their south. Numbering about 9,000 men, the American lines extended along the Manhattanville depression called the “Hollow Way”, a valley extending diagonally from 121st Street and Eighth Avenue to the Hudson River at 130th Street, roughly following the peculiar trace of 125th Street. In addition, some 5,000 American troops were in the Kingsbridge area of the Bronx. The troops occupying Harlem Heights were divided into three brigades under the command of Nathanael Greene, Israel Putnam, and Joseph Spencer. Lt. Col. Knowlton, then some 37 years old, and six feet tall, was there with his 120 Rangers. Washington ordered Knowlton’s Rangers to undertake a reconnaissance to explore the British position at West 104th Street and skirmish with the enemy picket line to determine their position and strength.
Initially the British were encamped along the Bloomingdale Road (today Broadway) approximately at west 96th Street, with their left wing on the Hudson River and their line extending eastward into what is now Central Park, with outposts along what is now 104th Street and a picket line manned by light infantry along 106th Street. Behind the light infantry near 96th Street, on the left flank were the Hessians, while the 42nd Highlanders (The Black Watch), the 33rd Foot, and the Grenadiers were in reserve under the command of Lord Cornwallis. In overall field commander was Howe’s second-in-command Sir Henry Clinton.
Phase 1: Ranger Probe. The Rangers left their camp near Riverside Drive and 131st Street and moved south until they encountered the British picket line. As the Rangers began trading fire with the enemy pickets, three companies of British light infantry rushed up to reinforce their line. The Rangers stood their ground, trading shot for shot for more than half an hour. The British were then reinforced by two battalions of light infantry, which raised the numbers against the 120 Rangers to over 400 men.
Lt. Col. Knowlton decided to break off the action and retire after his men had fired an average of eight rounds apiece (nearly 1,000 rounds) into the enemy. The British light infantry pursued the retreating Americans sharply. The Rangers retreated back to their lines on what is now Claremont Avenue, with the British giving chase until they climbed the hill on Riverside Drive that is now the site of Grant’s Tomb. At that time a British bugler blew out the haughty and contempt-filled notes of "Gone Away," a fox hunting call that indicates the prey was in full flight.
Phase 2: American Counterstroke. As the Rangers reached the safety of the Patriot lines, Washington's Adjutant General, Col. Joseph Reed, who had observed the fire fight, recommended that the Rangers be reinforced for a counterattack. Irked by the mocking "Gone Away" call, Washington, an avid fox hunter himself, agreed and quickly planned a counterattack that would trap the British in the Hollow Way. The plan was to deploy one force as a feint, drawing the British into the Hollow Way while a second force encircled them on their left, by slipping down the shore of the Hudson River.
To execute the plan, 150 men from the 9th (Rhode Island) Continental Infantry commanded by Lt. Col. Archibald Crary, advanced into the Hollow Way. The British light infantry took the bait and came down from the high ground. A sharp fire-fight developed, with the Americans making good use of cover to maintain a heavy fire on the British, while drawing them further up the Hollow Way, until they were in a position about where 129th Street and Broadway meet today. Then Washington’s flanking force attacked.
The flanking column, commanded by Lt. Col. Knowlton, consisted of his Rangers and three companies of riflemen from the 3rd Virginia Continentals, commanded by Maj. Andrew Leitch, Capt. William Washington, and Lt. James Monroe. Knowlton appears to have intended to advance to a rocky ledge at what is now 124th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, but the troops moved too quickly, hitting the British on the left flank rather than in their rear. During their fire fight with the Rhode Islanders, the British had adjusted their line and so prevented encirclement. Thus, when the Rangers and Virginians opened fire, the British stood their ground. Despite the death of Lt. Col. Knowlton and wounding of Maj. Leitch (who would later die), the Rangers and Virginians pressed their assault, as the Rhode Islanders attacked along the British front. Heavily pressed, the British light infantry gave ground.
Phase 3: Pursuit. As the British began retreating, the American foxes began nipping at their heels. As they fell back, to the vicinity of what is now Barnard College, the British light infantry called for reinforcements. Sir Henry Clinton quickly dispatched Lord Cornwallis and all of his reserves (the 33rd Foot, 42nd Highlanders, the Hessian and English Grenadiers, and a German Jäger company), as well as two pieces of field artillery, nearly 2,000 men. Washington also committed reinforcements including several companies of troops from Maryland, six additional companies from Nathanael Greene’s brigade, and even Lt. Col. Douglas’ 5th Connecticut Militia, who had fled at Kips Bay.
Soon nearly 4,000 men, both sides together, were heavily engaged under a hot sun on a hill in a cornfield between 116th Street and 120th Street along Broadway, now the site of Columbia University. Both sides delivered a furious storm of musket, rifle, and cannon fire. Although the British held their lines, the American fire was so fierce that the British regiments were unable to sustain their favorite tactic, the bayonet charge. The American militia who had fled the British and their bayonets days before now stood their ground and returned fire firmly. The fighting continued for two hours as both sides sustained the fire fight on the hilltop, a site today commemorated by a plaque on the Columbia University wall, just above 116th Street. The Americans pressed the British until they began to give way and fall back. Covered by the Highlanders and Jägers, the English retired to their original positions between 96th street and 104th street. Washington, fearing that Howe would order more reserves into action and undertake a counterattack of his own, recalled his men to their original positions to prepare for a possible renewal of the battle.
The long day of combat was over. Casualties were high. The British and their German allies had lost perhaps 15 percent of the troops committed, about 90 killed or mortally wounded plus perhaps 300 less seriously injured, while the Americans had lost about 10 percent, 30 killed or mortally wounded and about 100 others
Afterwards. Little remembered today, the Battle of Harlem Heights, one of the hottest fights in the Revolutionary War, provided an important boost to American morale, seriously harmed by the loss of New York City. Washington's first battlefield victory, it had demonstrated his ability to seize opportunities when they presented themselves, and to formulate and execute sound plans quickly. For the British, the battle dispelled the notion that the Americans would fold quickly.

--Richard Van Nort

 

[bayonetbrant]

1776         the British made an amphibious assault at Kip's Bay, Manhattan (East River & 34th st)
the City of New York, second or third largest in British America at about 20,000 inhabitants, was a prosperous port on the lower end of Manhattan.   With the American Revolution in full swing, should the British capture the city, it would make an excellent strategic base for operations throughout the rebellious colonies, and at the same time permit the British to project their forces over 150 miles upriver past Albany, splitting New England off from the rest of the United Colonies.

This one's covered by Worthington's New York 1776 game, and I bounced off of that one hard...  I just could not get into it despite multiple good-faith tries.  Finally offloaded it a few years ago...

[bob48]

I can't say that I've read much about the period, but that was very interesting. 

[besilarius]

1940. Hitler cancels Operation Sea Lion.

July 16, 1940, following the collapse of France, the Dunkerque evacuation, and the rejection of his peace overtures, Adolf Hitler issued Führer Directive No. 16, which initiated preparations for an invasion of Britain.  At the time, it seemed to many that if Hitler had tried an offensive across the English Channel a defenseless Britain would inevitably fall.  But was it so?  What were Hitler’s chances? 

In 1973 historian Paddy Griffith, just beginning his career as an instructor at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, decided to evaluate the chances of a successful German invasion of Britain by using a wargame.

Organization. Griffith’s wargame was much more than a board with a set of counters, a rule booklet, and some dice.  It was a massive multiplayer game, which Griffith later wrote about in Sprawling Wargames.  Based on traditional kriegsspiel methodology, the game involved several dozen players and umpires, all isolated from each other except by means of simulated signaling.  Many of the players and umpires were veterans of the war from both sides.  Among them were former wartime senior German officers such as Luftwaffe fighter Generalleutnant Adolf Galland and Kriegsmarine Vice Admiral Friedrich Ruge, as well as several men from both sides who had been lower ranking offices and later risen higher, including Christopher Foxley-Norris, who had commanded a fighter squadron during the Battle of Britain and rose to air chief marshal, Sir Edward Gueritz, a junior naval officer at the time who became a rear admiral, Heinz Trettner, who had served on the staff of the German airborne forces in 1940, rose to command a parachute division by war’s end, and later served as Inspector General of the post-war German air force, and Glyn Gilbert, a junior officer in one of the defending infantry battalions in 1941, who later rose to major general.

Each side was given the same forces, operational plans, and intelligence as it had in 1940.  The game was based on the assumption that the Luftwaffe had still not won the battle for air supremacy over the Channel and southern England by the time the landings were scheduled to take place, in early September, which was in fact the case.  The intelligence picture greatly favored the British, who had proven much better at securing information about the enemy’s plans and force than the Germans had on their own.

 

German Background.  The German armed forces had earlier investigated the possibility of an invasion of Britain, an operation in which the Kriegsmarine had little faith, and the Army not much more.  Nevertheless, upon receiving their orders, the two services worked to cobble together an amphibious doctrine, improvise specialized equipment, and train troops.  Initially the landings were set for early August, but this was postponed, eventually to mid-September.  The Army seems to have envisioned the operation as something akin to a river crossing.  German-dominated Europe was scoured for 1,910 river barges, canal boats, and similar vessels that could quickly be adapted as "landing craft,” though many were underpowered or wholly unpowered, and would have had to be towed across the Channel.  Meanwhile, some tanks were modified to be able to “swim” a bit, in order to get them off landing barges and on to the beaches.

The German plan was to develop a minefield screen blocking the English Channel from intervention by the Royal Navy, after which assault forces would begin crossing from bases on the European coast, bound for several landing sites, while airborne forces would secure positions behind the beaches in order to cover the landings.  There were two plans, one for landings on the east coast of England, and one for landings on the southeastern and southern coast.  The assumption was that once ashore the ground forces would quickly break the back of British resistance.

Although the Germans had available about 27 divisions plus some independent formations, the first wave only comprised elements of about nine infantry or mountain divisions, one panzer division, and two airborne divisions, plus some minor formations. And these forces would not be very mobile.  The Germans relied rather heavily on horses, and planned to land about 4,500 in the first wave and about 19,000 more over the next two days of the invasion.  In addition, at best they were only going to land about 250 tanks during the first few days of the invasion, mostly modified Panzer II and Panzer III models, with only about 40 Panzer IVs.  Follow-on forces totaled 15 more divisions, including more panzer formations.  The total manpower committed to the operation was about 330,000 ground troops.

The Germans would, of course, be greatly superior in the air, but operating at considerable range from their bases.  At sea, the situation of the German Navy was very poor, with virtually no major warships, even destroyers being in very short supply.

 

British Background.  The British established a series of "Stop Lines,” each manned by the Home Guard (of whom there were nearly a million men enrolled, albeit poorly equipped and ill-trained) and some regular troops holding improvised positions on defensive terrain.  Their mission was to delay the invaders until stronger forces could arrive from reserve positions to undertake counterattacks.  Although badly hurt by the massive loss of equipment during the campaign in northwestern Europe and the Dunkerque operation, by the end of August the British Army had been mostly re-equipped with arms procured abroad or through ramped-up domestic production.  There were some 25 divisions plus several independent brigades.   About 17 divisions were more or less fully equipped, including two armored divisions.  The defending forces included the 1st Canadian Division (the most well-prepared division available, full strength and fully equipped, though without combat experience), plus the less-well prepared 2nd Canadian division and partial divisions from Australia and New Zealand.  Less mobile divisions were largely assigned to backstop the stop lines.  The principal strike forces, in GHQ Reserve, were in Surrey to the south of London, and consisted of a corps comprised of the 1st Armoured Division and two or three infantry divisions (including the 1st Canadian), plus an independent tank brigade, and separately, the nearly complete 2nd Armoured Division.

The British Army was more or less fully motorized, albeit than some units were short of transport, and there were only about 400 tanks available, roughly half of them Matilda heavy infantry vehicles.

The backbone of the defense of Britain was, however, not the army, nor even the Royal Air Force, but the Royal Navy.  There were about 90 destroyers in home waters by early September, of which 70 were within a few hour’s steaming of the invasion beaches, plus about three dozen cruisers, several battleships and battle cruisers, a couple of aircraft carriers, and many smaller warships.  Supported by motor torpedo craft, and during daylight hours by Fighter Command, destroyer flotillas led by light cruisers were expect to wreck havoc among the invasion convoys.  The battleships, aircraft carriers, and their supporting warships were to remain out of the range of enemy aircraft until opportunity presented itself to intervene against German convoys.

The Game.  Play began on game date Sept. 8, 1940, which allowed the players to take some actions based on incoming intelligence.  The German decided to implement the landings along the southeastern and southern coast of England on the night of the 21st-22nd,  The plan called for six separate landing sites, from Ramsgate, at the north end of the English Channel, to Lyme Regis, in the southwest, a front exceeding 200 miles without considering the convolutions of the coast.

What happened next can be briefly summarized, albeit at the expense of some interesting detail.

During the predawn darkness on Sept. 22nd, German mine fields and light naval forces prevented the Royal Navy from intervening forcefully against the first wave invasion convoys, though the Germans did take some losses.  Elements of nine German divisions managed to get ashore at several points along the coast, and an airborne division captured an airfield in Kent.  During the day, major air battles erupted all over southern England.  Meanwhile, British ground troops began to move into action, as the Germans overran beach defenses and began moving inland, capturing the port of Newhaven in Sussex.

There was considerable naval action overnight on the 22nd-23rd.  A German diversionary attack from Norway was dispersed with heavy loses by the Royal Navy.  Meanwhile, the Royal Navy committed seventeen cruisers, nearly 60 destroyers, and strong light forces to sweeping the English Channel, suffering some casualties, but inflicting heavy losses on the German Navy and shipping.  By dawn on the 23rd the Germans had lost about a quarter of their invasion fleet, between hostile fire and the hazards of the sea, with heavy casualties among the troops.

On the 23rd, the German ground troops began a drive on Folkestone, hoping to capture the port.  Meanwhile, the RAF heavily punished ships and landing barges on the beaches, and struck at embarkation ports in France and Belgium.  In the course of the day, the German 22nd Airlanding Division captured the airfield at Lympne, in Kent, though British artillery and commando attacks prevented them from making use of it.  The British began counterattacks, blocking a drive on Hastings in Sussex, while Newhaven was recaptured with the help of the Australians.  An attempt by the New Zealanders to block the German drive on Folkestone was defeated when they were attacked in the rear by the 22nd Airlanding Division, and the port fell into German hands.

During the 23rd both sides committed their air forces to support the ground forces, while the RAF also continued attacks on German bases across the Channel, with heavy loses all around.

Although the Germans had elements of 10 divisions ashore, perhaps 90,000 men, most units were still awaiting their second echelons.  These could not be dispatched across the Channel due to the presence of the Royal Navy and deteriorating weather.  Late in the day the senior German players held an acrimonious staff meeting, during which the Army demanded reinforcements, while the Navy pointed to the poor situation in the Channel, and the Air Force protested a shortage of resources, since it was still bombing London and other cities while also trying to cover the invasion.  A decision by the senior German player (“Hitler”) resulted in orders for second wave forces at Calais to cross to Folkestone, leaving troops further west along the coast in Sussex to fight it out with diminishing supplies.

Overnight on the 23rd-24th, the Germans advanced on Canterbury and Dover in Kent, but they were less successful in Sussex.  Meanwhile, the Calais-Folkestone convoy managed to get to sea before dawn, as the weather cleared.  But about daylight a British destroyer flotilla found the convoy about ten miles out to sea, and cut it to pieces, despite escorting U-boats and motor torpedo boats.  The Luftwaffe intervened, but the RAF threw in 19 fighter squadrons.  While the British suffered serious damage to several cruisers and destroyers, nearly two-thirds of the German transport barges were sunk. Though some small ships managed to make it to Folkestone, the port was so seriously damaged they could only unload slowly.

This air-sea fight in the Channel was the decisive action of the campaign.  German forces ashore in England were rapidly running out of men, equipment, and ammunition, and were unable to effect further advances; at best they might be able to hold out for a week or so on what was at hand.  With perhaps three-quarters of the German transport barges lost, further reinforcement was unlikely.  As British ground forces began pressing the invaders back into their bridgeheads, the Germans ordered an evacuation.  By enormous effort, the Germans were able to pull out about 15,400 of the 90,000 troops who had landed in England.  Final casualties, British and German, were not calculated, though losses during sea actions and air operations had been heavy.

Critique.  Following the game the participants took part in a general analysis.  Some interesting observations and conclusions were made.  The British GHQ mobile reserve had not been engaged at all.  In addition, casualties to the Royal Navy had been serious, but hardly devastating; of about 90 destroyers on hand, only five had been sunk and six seriously damaged, and only three of the three dozen cruisers had been lost, and three more heavily damaged.

All participants, German as well as British, agreed that the outcome was an accurate assessment of the probable result of an actual invasion.

Oddly, the Sandhurst wargame was designed on the basis of inaccurate information.  Some time after the game, additional hitherto secret documents came to light, which revealed that the Germans probably had even less chance of success than they did in game.  At the time the game was designed, the true extent of British “stay behind” forces, intended to conduct guerrilla operations in the rear of the invasion forces, and the sheer scale of defensive installations that had been erected across southern England in anticipation of an invasion were still classified; there were some 28,000 pill boxes, coastal batteries, strong points, blockhouses, anti-aircraft sites, and some other installations.

So assuming Hitler had for a time been serious about invading England, his decision to call it off was probably wise.

[bob48]

Good find 

[besilarius]

1757.  a French-Austro-Allied army was concentrated near Eisenach, in the mountainous Thuringia region, rather southwest of Berlin, while King Frederick’s army was near Erfurth, about 30 English miles to the east, but with Seydlitz and some 20 troops of cavalry (c. 1300 men) posted at Gotha, roughly half way between the two cities, to make demonstrations suggesting that the bulk of the Prussian forces were present.
Prince Joseph Maria Frederick Wilhelm of Saxe-Hildburghausen, who commanded the German Imperial troops allied with the French, realized that Seydlitz was bluffing, and convinced the overall allied commander, the French Prince Charles de Rohan, that a surprise raid might seriously discommode the Prussians at Gotha.  So very early Sept. 19th, three allied columns totaling some 6,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry, and some artillery, set out for Gotha, hoping to trap Seydlitz and his brigade.
The attackers achieved a measure of surprise, falling on Gotha from three directions at about 8:00 am on the 19th.  But the wily Seydlitz responded quickly, falling back out of Gotha, to concentrate his troops on some favorable ground along a ridge behind the city.
Naturally, the Allies occupied Gotha, where Rohan, Hildburghausen, and the rest of the allied generals arrived at about 11:00 am, as their troops made themselves at home.
Meanwhile, Seydlitz, noticing a fog settling, dismounted a hundred dragoons to serve as infantry, and then placed the rest of his forces in 22 small bodies deployed on either side of these dragoons, with everyone spread out so that each group seemed like an entire squadron.  At 1:00 pm, Seydlitz attacked through the fog with the hussars he had posted on his left, who made a noisy show.
This attack suggested to the allied commanders that the whole Prussian Amy was about to fall on them in greatly superior numbers.  Fearing encirclement, Rohan and Hildburghausen ordered a quick retreat, and by 3:00 pm Gotha was once more in Prussian hands.
Seydlitz’ victory at Gotha was virtually bloodless.  His own casualties were apparently fewer than 20, while the Allies suffered about 40 killed and the same number captured, including two generals, not to mention a good deal of baggage and stores.
As victories go, Gotha, though not the most important action of the war, was an outstanding display of Seydlitz’ military prowess, which he would continue to deploy in Frederick the Great’s service until the end of the war.

[Martok]

Heh, most excellent.   

[besilarius]

52         Marcus Ulpius Traianus - Roman Emperor Trajan (98-117)

Unusual Military Career of Titus Pontius Sabinus

Titus Pontius Sabinus was a Roman soldier who was probably born around A.D. 80-85, and died some time in the middle of the Second Century.  Although he hailed from Ferentinum [Ferentino], in Latium about 65 miles southeast of Rome, the gens Pontius was originally of Oscan origin.  It first appears in history borne by a number of notable Samnite generals during in the interminable series of Roman-Samnite Wars; one Gaius Pontius commanded the Samnites when they inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Romans at the Caudine Forks, in 321 BC.  It seems likely that these generals were probably related, and that persons in later ages bearing the name Pontius had some family ties to them.  Thus, it’s probable that Titus Pontius Sabinus and the best known member of the family, Pontius Pilate, who flourished in the early First Century, were kinsmen. 

The evidence we have for T. Pontius Sabinus’ military career derives from his funerary monument.  Although it actually doesn’t say a word about anything prior to about the year A.D. 110, from it we can infer a great deal about his earlier life.  Pontius was probably born early in the reign of Domitian (81-96), because by 110, he was commanding an auxiliary cohort, an appropriate command for an up-and-coming junior officer in his mid-to-late 20s.  As member of the equestrian order, the Roman upper middle class, he had probably served a tour as a contubernius when he was 16 or 18, during Nerva’s reign (96-98) or perhaps early in that of Trajan (98-117).  A contubernius was a volunteer aide-de-camp and orderly, serving for a year or two on the staff of a kinsman or family friend who held some field command or possibly even a governorship; something like the one year volunteer n the old Imperial German Army.  During such service, the young man would learn the ropes, perhaps find himself at the head of an occasional detail, often a cavalry troop, to give him a taste of command, and perhaps even see some combat.  After that short tour of military duty, Pontius would have completed his education, and perhaps even served in some junior administrative or electoral post in his home town.   

By 110 Pontius was prefectus of the Cohors I Pannoniorum et Delmatarum equitata cR, an impressive command, since it was a partially mounted auxiliary regiment which, unusually, was composed of Roman citizens recruited from Dalmatia and Pannonia (Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary today), as indicated by the “cR.”  During Trajan’s Parthian War (114-116), Pontius was tribune in the legio VI Ferrata, and appears to have seen considerable action; he was awarded the corona muralis, usually given for being the first to scale an enemy fortification or for distinguished service in defending a fortress, plus the hasta pura, an untipped silver spear, believed by some historians to indicate an outstanding non-combat contribution to victory (much like the Distinguished Service Medal), and a small silver replica of the legionary standard.

Now not long after the Parthian War, Pontius did a curious thing; he transferred to the centurionate, that is, in imprecise modern terms, he went from being a field grade officer to being a senior NCO.  Although not unheard of, this was an unusual career move, but Pontius’ experience, not to mention his superior education and considerable wealth, landed him the rank of hastatus in the 1st Cohort of the legio XXII Primigenia, stationed in Germania, in effect, the third ranking “enlisted man” in the division.  And over the next few years (117-122), Pontius rose quite rapidly, and did a good deal of traveling through the empire.  He served in the XIII Gemina in Dacia, and was then promoted to primus pilus – command sergeant major – of the III Augusta in Numidia.

Now Pontius’ rapid rise, and the transfers that accompanied them, suggest that he benefited from some friendly outside influence.  He may have been related to the Pontii Laeliani, a prominent senatorial family with holdings in Italy and what is now southern France, two of whom would hold the consulate.  In addition, Pontius was married to a woman of equestrian rank named Valeria Procula, the sister of Lucius Valerius Proculus.  Valerius Proculus was already building a very distinguished career as a civil servant, and would eventually rise to be Governor of Egypt, the plumiest post in the Empire, and one reserved for equestrians – never senatorials – with the strongest ties to the Emperor.   Both Pontius Laelianus and Valerius Proculus had strong ties to Hadrian, who assumed the Imperium in 117, and they may have looked out for their younger kinsman.

Now while Pontius had been rising rapidly, a persistent rebellion had been plaguing Britain, which required the Emperor’s attention in 122.  Pontius was appointed  commander of three vexillationes – task forces – of 1000 men each, drawn from the VII Gemina and  XXII Primigenia in Germany and the VIII Augusta in Spain, a force which probably also had some attached auxiliaries.  Presumably, who was apparently serving in Germany or Spain, perhaps as primpilus of the VII Gemina or VIII Augusta, for he held this post twice in his career, or holding some staff assignment.  In any case, command of such a substantial force on such a crucial mission certainly testifies to Pontius’ skill and reliability as an officer.  Pontius seems to have seen considerable service in Britain.  During his tour there, he apparently organized a new cavalry squadron, for we hear of an ala Sabiniana in the British garrison for the next 200 years.   He also seems to have come to the attention of his emperor, from the evidence of his subsequent assignments.

From Britain, Pontius was transferred to Rome, and served as tribune commanding the III Cohort of the Vigiles.  A paramilitary force of some 7,000 men in seven battalions, the Vigiles combined the duties of a fire department and police force for the imperial city.  Following that assignment, Pontius was given command of the Cohors XIII Urbana, in Lugdunum (Lyons in France).  The cohors urbanae consisted of 14 battalions assigned to internal security – and counter coup – duties, mostly in Rome, but with one each at Carthage and Lugdunum.  After completing that assignment, Pontius returned to Rome as tribune of the Cohors II Praetoriana, that is, of a battalion of the Imperial Guard.

Some time in the mid-130s, when he was in his 50s, Pontius was given a final assignment, governor of Narbonnensis, essentially Mediterranean France, a comfortable and profitable assignment in a region in which the Pontii Laeliani had strong ties, once again suggesting some family connection.

Titus Pontius Sabinus seems to have retired around the time Hadrian died (138).  He returned to his home town, Ferentinum, where he served a five year term as a “Quadrumvir”, one of the four city managers, was elected flamen – senior priest – of the local religious establishment, and was named patron of the city,.  He died some time in the reign of Antoninus Pius.

[besilarius]

1356         England's Black Prince captured King Jean II of France at Poitiers

King Jean II of France (1350-1364), nicknamed "The good" for no apparent reason, was taken prisoner at the Battle of Poitiers by the English under Edward, the famed "Black Prince." It being the custom of the times, the royal prisoner was held for ransom to the tune of three million crowns, perhaps two hundred or three hundred million dollars today. Such an enormous sum could not readily be paid by the French treasury, which was never noted for its health. So the King Jean was sent to England for incarceration.
Now being a prisoner of war has never been easy. But after all, Jean was a king, and it was the "Age of Chivalry." So from the very first night that he was in English hands, Jean was treated precisely as he was accustomed to be being treated, like a king. Indeed, his "host," Prince Edward, personally waited upon him at table.
In England, the Jean was lionized by London society before being sent off to Lincolnshire to pass the time while his ransom was collected and paid. He was assigned a pleasant castle and guarded but lightly, having given his word that he would not escape. A man of honor, though little intelligence and no sense, Jean kept his word scrupulously. Not that his incarceration was particularly onerous.
Jean spent his time playing music, hunting, playing chess or backgammon, entertaining, and in similar diversions. He was well supplied with all of the necessities of life. His captors provided chests, cushions, tapestries, curtains, dogs, horses, falcons, wines, spices, sweets, and robes. Of course all of these items were of the finest quality. It is said that one robe had been made from 2500 selected skins (presumably squirrel). In addition he was provided with a small staff, as befit his status as a prisoner. His personal attendants included two chaplains, one secretary, a clerk, a physician, a maitre d'hotel, three pages, four valets, three wardrobe men, three furriers, six grooms, two cooks, a fruitier, a spicer, a barber, a laundryman, a minstrel, a jester, and one of his sons. And so in such fashion did Jean do four years of "hard time." Finally, in 1360 the Peace of Bretigny was concluded, bringing to an end the current phase of the Hundred Years War (1337-1453).
The treaty permitted Jean to return to France, in order to assist in the collection of his ransom, though it stipulated that his young son had to remain behind to stand surety for him. So off Jean went to France, where he discovered that the royal finances were in abysmal shape. He immediately set about raising money. But never seemed able to accumulate much, probably because he was accustomed to spending more than he had.
Meanwhile, the royal son, son over in England, was growing tired of being in a cage, albeit a gilded one. So one fine night off he slipped, escaping to France. The prince's escape shocked the sensibilities of the chivalrous (One wonders what the merely intelligent thought). Jean, stunned that his son would break his word, did what any man of honor would do; He immediately returned to England and imprisonment.

[bayonetbrant]

1356         England's Black Prince captured King Jean II of France at Poitiers

was that before or after he got knocked over by Sir Ulrich from Lichtenstein??

[besilarius]

1914. The Austro-Hungarian Army – including the “Common” Army, the Austrian Landwehr, and the Hungarian Honved – officially spoke no fewer than ten languages due to the ethnic composition of the Empire’s recruits: German (25%), Hungarian (23%), Czech (13%), Serbo-Croatian (9%), Polish (8%), Ukrainian (8%), Romanian (7%), Slovak (4%), Slovene (2%), and Italian (1%), and had to issue mobilization orders in 14 languages, using four different scripts, Roman, Cyrillic, Turkish, and Hebrew.

All of the officers holding corps, army, or higher commands in the German Army in 1914 were nobles, 77 percent of them with lineages reaching back to the Holy Roman Empire, and rest with titles created since the foundation of the “Second Reich” in 1871.

Among the many restrictions on their private lives which they had to endure, by direct order of their Emperor, German Army officers were prohibited from dancing the Tango, which was widely considered lascivious and immoral.

[Undercovergeek]

Which is exactly why we don’t let bob do the tango