Battle of Camerone
In 1863, during French forwarding in Mexico, the French Army besieged Puebla. A French convoy left the port of Veracruz on April 29th 1863. It was charged with vivres, material of seat and 3 million in cash. The Colonel Jeanningros, ordering the Foreign Regiment, having had information relating to the probable attack of the convoy, decided to send the 3rd company to explore the accesses of Palo Verde before the arrival of the convoy. Sixty two infantrymen and three officers of the 3rd company of the Foreign Regiment of famous the Foreign legion were thus sent to the meeting of the convoy, at the dawn of April 30th.
Countryside preceding the battle
The company not having an officer available, those being reached Yellow fever, like many members of the task force, the captain Jean Danjou, executive officer of the regiment went voluntary to order it. The Second lieutenant Unpleasant Jean, payer of the Regiment and the Second lieutenant Clement Maudet, carry-flag, required to accompany it. The Colonel Milan, which ordered 1.200 Fantassin S and 800 Mexican riders, informed of their passage, set his troops in motion.
Unfolding
Started from Chiquihuite around one hour of the morning, the company passed in front of the station of Paso-LED-Macho (the Step of the mule), ordered by the Capitaine Saussier and carried on its road. After having exceeded the group of houses called Camarón de Tejeda, it arrived at Palo Verde around seven hours of the morning, after having traversed in Forced march the twenty-four kilometers which separated them from their starting garrison. The legionaries stopped to make the coffee.
At this point in time they locate the Mexicans. The Capitaine Danjou decides to be folded up on the village. Hardly they arrived on the spot that a shot opera hat, wounding a legionary. The column exceeds the group of houses then. It is at this time that the riders of the Colonel Milan charge the troop which is forced to form the square. The first salvo breaks the load and puts in escape the Mexicans.
After having broken one second load of Cavalry, the Captain Danjou and its men take refuge in the hacienda, hoping to delay to the maximum the attempt of catch of the convoy of the Colonel Milan. Unfortunately, during the fold, the two mules which transported the vivres and the ammunition, frightened by the noise, escape their control and flee.
Once in the hacienda, the legionaries hasten to barricade the enclosure of best than they can it. The Mexicans put feet in the parts of the ground floor and prohibit, consequently, the access on the floor. The Sergent Morzycki is on the roof of the principal building to observe the movements of the enemy.
It is already ten hours of the morning and the men of the Capitaine Danjou, who did not eat anything since the day before start to suffer from thirst and heat. A Mexican officer, the Captain Ramon Laisné nap French to go, it with what the Capitaine Danjou makes answer: " We have cartridges and we will not return! ". It then makes swear with its men to fight until the end.
The Mexicans put fire at the hacienda but do not dare to give the attack in a frontal way. Some, since the rooms of the stage try to penetrate in the part held by the legionaries. The Capitaine Danjou is struck of a ball in full heart at the semi-day and it is with the Sous-lieutenant Jean Vilain that returns the command. The Mexicans are then the only Masters of the body of farm.
Around fourteen hours, it is with the turn of the Sous-lieutenant Jean Vilain to fall, struck in full face. The Sous-lieutenant Maudet takes the command then.
At 5 p.m., around the Maudet second lieutenant, there remain nothing any more but twelve statesmen to fight. It is at this time that the Mexican colonel gathers his men and says to them from which shame they will be covered if they do not manage to cut down this handle of brave men.
Last nine hours during, the legionaries will face the Mexican troops without drinking, overpowered by the heat of the High-Plains, choked by the smoke of the fires. In end of the afternoon, it remains in a position to fight only the Sous-lieutenant Maudet, the Caporal Maine, the Catteau legionaries, Wensel and Constantin. With the signal of the Officer, they discharge their rifles and charge with the bayonet. Catteau dies, sifted balls by protecting the Sous-lieutenant from his body; this one is itself wounded twice. A Mexican officer nap survivors to go. Maine answers:
“ We will go if you make us the most formal promise raise and look after our second lieutenant and all our comrades reached, like him, of wounds; if you promise to us to leave ourselves our fourniment and our weapons. Lastly, we will go, if you commit yourselves saying to who will want to hear it that, until the end, we made our duty. ”
“ One does not refuse anything with men as you ” answered the Mexican Colonel Cambas.
Assessment
The wounded were transported to the hospital of Jalapa where they were neat. The Prisonnier S were then exchanged against Prisonnier S Mexicans. The first exchange took place later three months and made it possible eight legionaries to be exchanged against two hundred Mexicans.
The French convoy could however avoid the Mexican attack and to arrive without encumbers with Puebla.
By decision of October 4th 1863, the Minister for the war, Randon, ordered that the name of “Camerone” is registered on the flags foreign regiment. Moreover, the Empereur Napoleon III decided that the names of Danjou, Vilain and Maudet would be engraved on the walls of the Invalides.
A monument was set up on the site of the combat in 1892. But its abandonment encouraged colonel Penette, in 1948 to draw up new, inaugurated officially in 1963. It is on the latter that figure the inscription:
They were here less than sixty Opposed to a whole army. Its mass crushed them. life rather than courage Gave up these French soldiers has Camerone on April 30th, 1863
Today still the Mexican soldiers pay homage to the Mexican and French soldiers fallen this day.
" The Spirit of Camerone "
The expression: “TO MAKE CAMERONE” in the Légion is always used. Each April 30th, the heroes of this combat are honoured in all the Régiment S and in all the friendly ones with the Légion; on this occasion is read, since 1904, the account " officiel" combat of Camerone. The idea of the “oath of Camerone” is there to recall the courage and the determination of the legionaries and the respect to the word given accomplished until the supreme sacrifice. Each year since 1906, on the face of the troops which present the weapons, is read the inscription of the monument.
References
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