#Corps of Volunteer Troops

[carbone14]

Soldats italiens du Corps des Troupes Volontaires (CTV) – Bataille de Guadalajara – Guerre civile espagnole – Mars 1937

Photographe : Hans Georg von Studnitz

©Bundesarchiv - Bild 183-2006-1204-510

Le Corps des Troupes Volontaires (Corpo Truppe Volontarie) était le nom du corps expéditionnaire italien envoyé par Benito Mussolini en Espagne entre 1936 et 1939 pour soutenir le général Franco et les forces nationalistes durant la guerre d'Espagne.

[aimeedaisies]

Princess Anne to represent King at events to mark 80th anniversary of Arnhem

12th September 2024 at 4:42pm /// Forces News

Princess Anne will travel to Oosterbeek in the Netherlands to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden – one of the Second World War's most famous battles.

The Princess Royal will be representing the King at events during the two-day visit accompanied by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

In 1944, the Allies came up with an ambitious plan – codenamed Market Garden – to cross the River Rhine, advance deep into northern Germany and shorten the war.

It involved the seizure of key bridges in the Netherlands by the 101st and 82nd US Airborne Divisions and the 1st British Airborne Division, supported by Polish airborne forces, which would land by parachute and glider.

If successful, the plan would free the Netherlands, look to outflank Germany's frontier defences, the Siegfried Line, and make possible an armoured drive into Germany's industrial heartland.

It unfortunately failed to achieve its objectives, with 30 Corps unable to reach the furthest bridge at Arnhem before German forces overwhelmed the British defenders, but the bravery shown by the airborne troops is honoured annually.

The failure of Market Garden ended Allied expectations of finishing the war by Christmas 1944 – it would not end until 2 September 1945.

Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation that took place in the Netherlands in September 1944 (Picture: Alamy)

Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Laurence will attend commemorations at the Airborne Museum Hartenstein accompanied by Colonel Commandant of The Parachute Regiment, Major General Oliver Kingsbury.

In September 1944, it was where Major-General Roy Urquhart, the commander of 1st Airborne Division, set up his headquarters.

At the Airborne Museum, Princess Anne is set to tour the building, viewing displays on remembrance, occupation and commemoration.

She will later present four honorary MBEs then, following the presentation, the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Laurence will watch the Red Devils carry out a parachute display before meeting veterans, local dignitaries, military representatives, and volunteers.

After the display, Princess Anne will make a speech to mark the anniversary of Operation Market Garden, acknowledging the bravery and sacrifice of British, Dutch and Allied Troops.

The King (then Prince of Wales) laid the first wreath at a Polish Memorial and paid tribute to the bravery of Polish paratroopers during Operation Market Garden in 2019 (Picture: MOD)

On Sunday 22 September, Princess Royal, as President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), will attend the annual service to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden.

At the start of the service, the party will process into the cemetery towards the Cross of Sacrifice where there will be approximately 1,000 guests gathered ahead of the service.

Princess Anne will then read a lesson and, at the conclusion, lay a wreath at the foot of the Cross of Sacrifice.

There will be a flypast by the Historical Flight of the Royal Netherlands Airforce and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

After the service, Princess Royal will pay a private visit to the home of the daughter of The Angel of Arnhem, Kate ter Horst, who bravely tended to hundreds of injured British soldiers during the battle.

[supremechancellorrex]

As the name suggests, the World Wars involved the world. People from all over served, and this includes people from African and Carribbean countries, yet I feel they are not so well-remembered in media and the history books for their heroics and sacrifices. Here are a few icons among many below.

Eugene Bullard

Eugene Jacques Bullard (1895-1961) was one of the first black American pilots and served in the French air force’s Lafayette Flying Corps, an all-American volunteer outfit, in World War 1. Meanwhile, in World War 2, Eugene Bullard served as a spy for France, where he also proved highly successful against the Nazi regime. Bullard was fluent in English, German and French, as well as a boxer and self-taught Jazz musician.

Eugene Bullard was awarded fifteen French war medals: Knight of the Légion d’honneur, Médaille Militaire, Croix de Guerre, Volunteer’s Cross (Croix du combattant volontaire), Wounded Insignia, World War I Commemorative Medal, World War I Victory Medal, Freedom Medal, and the World War II Commemorative Medal.

Walter Tull

Lieutenant Walter Tull (1888 - 1918) was the first British-born black army officer and the first black officer to lead white British troops into battle. He fought on the Somme in 1916 and became the first black combat officer in the British army in spite of a military rule officially excluding "any negro or person of colour” from that position. Before the War, he was a pioneering black football player and the first black outfield player to feature in the English top flight, with two seasons at Tottenham Hotspur.

Sadly, Walter Tull was killed in 1918, during the early German spring offensive, and was never awarded the military cross that he was recommended for.

Johnny Smythe

Born in Sierra Leone, Johnny Smythe (1915 - 1996) successfully made it into RAF aircrew during the Second World War. Smythe trained as a navigator, having a great talent for mathematics. He successfully navigated 26 bombing missions over Germany, although was unfortunately shot down on his 27th mission and captured. Smythe would spent the last two years of the war in Stalag Luft I, an infamous Lufftwaffe-run POW camp, until he was liberated by the Russians in 1945.

In 1948, Johnny Smythe served as the senior officer aboard the Windrush. After pursuing a career in law and working as the Queen's Counsel for Sierra Leone for a number of years, in 1961 he was appointed Solicitor General of the newly independent Republic of Sierra Leone. In 1978, he awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his outstanding service.

Ulric Cross

Ulric Cross (1917 - 2013) was Trinidadian and one of the most decorated Caribbean airmen in WWII. Joining the RAF at 24, he trained as a navigator and joined 139 Squadron, gaining the nickname ‘The Black Hornet’. Cross was an expert in precision bombing and later joined the ranks of the elite Pathfinder Force, flying high-risk missions into enemy territory as low as 50 feet as opposed to 25,000 like most pilots. While Cross was offered the option to rest after completing 50 missions, he instead volunteered for another 30 missions over enemy territory. At the end of the War, Cross had flown a total of 80 missions.

For his undeniable commitment, hard work and skill, Cross was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Distinguished Service Order.

[uss-edsall]

Confederate General Joseph Wheeler volunteered to fight in the Spanish-American War, and received appointment to Major General by President William McKinley. The former rebel, in his sixties and thirty years since last commanding troops, was now second-in-command of Fifth Army Corps. Under his command was fought the first major engagement of the war, the Battle of Las Guasimas…

… during which Wheeler, in a moment of excitement, yelled out “Let’s go, boys! We’ve got the damn Yankees on the run again!”

wrong… wrong war, joe

[roosterarts]

Battle of Gettysburg - Day 1

July 1

10:00 AM

I Corps Arrives at Gettysburg

"Forward, charge!" The Lieutenant Colonel ordered, and in response the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment lurched forward. "Align on the colors! Close up on that color! Close up on that color!" Their commander shouted, as the stragglers from the broken 95th New York and 14th Brooklyn Regiments joined them. In one strong mass, they moved across the field and charged towards the unfinished railroad cut, where Davis' Brigade took cover.

At 10:00 in the moring, just as Buford's cavalry were buckling under the pressure of Confederate attacks, the 1st Division of the Union I Corps arrived at Gettysburg. Moving quickly from the south of town, the division's 2nd Brigade was the first to arrive in the scene, quickly deploying at McPherson's ridge, north of the Chambersburg Pike. However, just as they were relieving the cavalry troopers deployed there, Davis' Confederate brigade moved up and struck them hard. Caught in the middle of deploying their forces, they were unprepared to receive the attack and were soon fighting a desperate battle, as some regiments began to retreat.

Meanwhile, south of the Chambersburg Pike, the 1st Brigade, of the 1st Division, of the I Corps began to deploy. They were the famous Iron Brigade. Wearing their unique black Hardee campaign hats, they were easily recognizable. Deploying in front of Herbst woods, they soon saw Archer's Confederate Brigade marching out of it.

Upon seeing the Iron Brigade waiting for them outside the woods, one soldier from Archer's brigade remarked: "“Here are those damned black-hat fellers again… ’Tain’t no militia – that’s the Army of the Potomac!"

The Iron Brigade let loose a volley of musket fire against Archer's brigade and soon the two were engaged in heavy fighting, as the 2nd Brigade continued to struggle agaisnt Davis' brigade.

Moving up to the front to assist in the fighting, I Corps commander, Major General John Reynolds, moved behind the Iron Brigade, urging them forward. However, as he was doing this, a stray shot struck him. He soon fell, dead, leaving I Corps leaderless.

Despite the loss of their commander, the Iron Brigade were pressing hard against Archer's Confederate brigade. Soon the brigade was charging the Confederates, forcing them to retreat. During their retreat, the Iron Birgade managed to capture a great number of prisoners, including Brigader General Archer himself.

However, the fight was far from over, because of the right the 2nd Brigade collapsed under the pressure of Davis' Confederate brigade, leaving their right flank exposed. Quickly, the Iron Brigade began to swing right to face the new threat, as the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment, which was held back by the Iron Birgade to act as a reserve, charged forward.

Struck by heavy musket fire, the regiments of Davis' brigade took cover in an unfinished railroad cut that ran parallel on the northern end of the Chambersburg Pike. However, while pinned in the cut, the troops of the 6th Wisconsin managed to outflank them and capture a good portion of the brigade.

By 12:00 noon most of the morning's fighting had subsided. There was now a lull, as fresh units from both sides began to arrive. For the Union, the rest of I Corps and XI Corps arrived to strengthen their defenses. For the Confederates, Pender's Division, of the Third Corps, arrived to join Heth's mauled division.

For the defense of Gettysburg, I Corps deployed on the west of town, while XI Corps moved north of town, ready to cover the roads there.

For two hours there was no fighting, aside from the occational artillery exchange from both sides. However, that would soon change, as another intense Confederate attack would strike, this time targeted at where I Corps and XI Corps met. Meanwhile, far to the north, a new force arrived, the Confederate Second Corps.

----------------------------------------

Featuring @whirlwindflux @flashmod and @a-spoonful-o-generosity as members of the famous Iron Brigade. All three wear the iconic black Hardee campaign hats, which was different from the blue forage cap worn by most Union troops.

[wellntruly]

Alright as promised, it's: Time, for my

KOREAN WAR F*CKING TIMELINE

This is something I've been working on off & on while watching M*A*S*H these past months. It began as just notes taken from the Wikipedia page "Korean War," then briefly served as a log for all the incongruous mentions of dates or time passage on the show, before I cheerfully abandoned that for something that interested me far more: the M*A*S*H AU where it's set in the Korean War [laugh track].

This is my vision:

June 25, 1950: The conflict known in the U.S. as The Korean War breaks out. First major U.S. troop engagement is in early July. By August, North Korea has taken Seoul, and South Korea and their allied United Nations forces have been pushed south and east nearly into the sea, holding just a small area being called the Pusan Perimeter.

Ten months before the first episode of M*A*S*H, in September, 1950, Army fanboy Frank Burns and draftee surgeon Benjamin Franklin Pierce, both stated to have been there “since almost the beginning” and dealing with each other “forever,” are dispatched to a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital to provide medical aid during the push back out of the Pusan Perimeter, under greatly increased tank and air support. They are under the command of a military doctor we don’t know, but definitely regular Army. It is basically a perpetual bug out: U.S. forces keep advancing north, north, north, take Seoul back and keep going on into North Korea, making it almost to the Yalu River bordering China. Then, on October 19th: China joins the war, and promptly starts bludgeoning them right back south again.

In mid-November, 1950, facing this transformed situation with the Chinese Army’s involvement, the previous CO is taken off to another unit, and I Corps sets up civilian doctor Henry Blake in charge of the floating MASH 4077 unit still being tossed around on the shores of the war, inheriting two very differently rattled surgeons, and packed by the Army in his carry-on luggage, a young clerk fresh out of high school named Walter O’Reilly. That December sees very heavy fighting. It’s a hard winter. On January 4th, 1951, Chinese & North Korean forces re-capture Seoul.

In the first few months of the new year, the 4077 is still mostly just trying to stay above water as the line swings back and forth, but are starting to settle somewhat, geographically, near the 38th parallel. I Corps starts further filling out the unit; in early February, 1951, Margaret Houlihan and Francis Mulcahy arrive together, as she mentions, a career Army head nurse and a volunteer chaplain. On March 14th, the South Korean allies re-take Seoul again, for the final time. In their joy, Margaret and Frank, instantly smitten, officially make it unofficial.

April, 1951: President Truman relieves General MacArthur, and John McIntyre and Maxwell Klinger arrive, with the wildflowers. After the long winter, Henry looks at Hawkeye's shadowed eyes brightening as he and Trapper grin worryingly at each other, and actually breathes a sigh of relief. The fighting is very active that spring, but the casualties are mostly on the North Korean side.

July, 1951, start of the two-year ‘stalemate’ period, in which both armies just kept shooting at each other on a line that hardly moved, and the beginning of the television show M*A*S*H.

Nine months later, another April, 1952: both Henry and Trapper are taken. Henry had been in Korea just under a year and a half; Trapper, as Hawkeye says, lived with him for a year. New (very new) doctor BJ Hunnicutt and two-war veteran CO Sherman T. Potter arrive on their heels. When baby BJ meets a bedraggled Hawkeye Pierce at the Kimpo airfield, he has been a surgeon in the 4077 for 19 months.

Three months later it’s July, 1952, and for Frank Burns, it’s finally the end of the line. He was there two months shy of two years. In the heat of the summer, Charles Emerson Winchester arrives to replace him, for the second half of the two-year period the show covers, and the final year of the war. Mapped onto this timeline, Margaret’s entire relationship with Lieutenant Colonel Donald Penobscott lasts about two and a half months. I’m proud of many things in this timeline, but this might be funniest and most true.

The Korean War will end by the time we reach the next July. Halfway through, in January, 1953, Radar goes home. Corporal O’Reilly ran this MASH for 2 years and 2 months, and when he goes, it’s immediately clear he took half its heart with him. Klinger dons fatigues and takes on the role of company clerk for the 6 months that remain.

Armistice is signed on July 27, 1953. Charles would have been there one year, BJ and Potter 16 months, Klinger 2 years and 4 months, Margaret 2 years and 6, and Hawkeye: 2 years and 10.

[theworldofwars]

Prince Maurice of Battenberg Prince of Battenberg was born at Balmoral Castle, the fourth and youngest child of Prince Henry of Battenberg and his wife, Princess Beatrice, the youngest child of Queen Victoria. Despite suffering from the family affliction of hemophilia, he volunteered for the King's Royal Rifle Corps and served in France during the First World War. At the First Battle of Ypres in 1914, Prince Maurice was a lieutenant commanding the second division of the battalion. As soon all the troops had crossed, the enemy opened fire from their position on the Keiberg. The Prince was mortally wounded by shrapnel and died on the field before his men could take him to safety. At his mother’s request her was buried with his men in the CWGC cemetery, in the same style as all other soldiers. He was 23 years old. 

[lboogie1906]

Steward’s Mate First Class Charles Walter David (June 20, 1917 - March 29, 1943) was a Coast Guardsman, responsible for saving ninety-three people from a torpedoed naval cutter. He was born in New York City. Many details about his early life are unknown. By the time of his enlistment into the US Coast Guard, on March 6, 1941, he was married to Kathleen and had a son.

He was assigned to the Coast Guard cutter the Comanche that was part of convoy SG-19, escorting two merchant marine ships, SS Lutz, and SS Biscaya, and one troop transport, the USAT Dorchester. The Comanche, the Escabana, and the Tampa were three cutters ordered to assure the safety of the ships carrying men and supplies to the base.

The path to Greenland required passing through an area known as “Torpedo Alley,” due to the number of ships sunk there by German submarines. On February 3, at 12:55 am, Dorchester was hit by a torpedo by German U-boat U-233. The damage to the ship was severe and prevented the crew from sending a radio distress signal or rockets or flares to alert the escorts. The available lifeboats were overcrowded, as there were 904 men aboard the ship. The waters were rough and many men were pitched over the sides into frigid waters.

Sailing behind the Dorchester, twelve men from the Comanche volunteered to rescue men from the frigid waters, including him. They dove into the waters, putting ropes around men’s waists because most were suffering from hypothermia, and could not grab a rescue line.

He was posthumously awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for Heroism. His wife and son received the award from RADM S.V. Parker. This award was followed by the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal. He was honored with a certificate for his heroism by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The Immortal Chaplains Foundation awarded him with the Prize for Humanity, and the USCGC Charles David Jr. was named the seventh new Sentinel Class Cutter in his honor. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[akhmat95]

It is reported, that many Wagner PMC have completed their transfer to the troops. Some signed contracts with the National Guard, some joined the Volunteer Corps, and some put on shoulder straps of the Armed Forces.

The most worthy of them have been granted permission to join the Akhmat Special Forces. A separate unit has been formed, named "Kamerton" - those who have a "musical" ear will understand.

It also need to be mentioned that the unit is already deployed in the SMO zone, and that each fighter has undergone a rigorous training, to ensure that the shameful June events never repeat itself. Now it's time for each one of them, to redeem himself on the battlefield.

AKHMAT-SILA! ALLAHU AKBAR!!☝️

[branch-wdk53]

Pre-L Corp: Mahason

Most of his memories begin during the Smoke War.

I mean… he does recall that beforehand, he was attending school. Even during that seemingly peaceful time, he was told about the ongoing war. It’s not often Wings fight each other. And given that the school was directly in K Corp, it’s natural that news is constantly circulating.

He knew that many of his classmates were volunteering. They didn’t seem to be happy about it, he observed. Mahason, too, was drafted. Mostly because of his family’s persistence to be honest, and so he didn’t have much of a choice. Something about moving to the Nest.

The boy didn’t know what to think. Was this the best he could do with his life…? Perhaps so, as a Backstreets kid doesn't have much going for him.

There’s an unsettling feeling there, the thoughts about the outcome- if he manages to survive, he did good, right? If not, then he’ll just die, and that’s that. Frankly, at this point, it may seem best to use his life in this way.

He doesn’t see any other option, given the limitations at this age. It was more ideal to think of it as more of a sacrifice than something less. Just as he was told and taught.

“I will do my best in order to die as soon as possible, like falling cherry petals.”

The boy doesn’t remember much after that. Training here. Lessons there. What he remembers more was when he was helping with the daily affairs, such as the barracks and dining halls for the young soldiers. He watched as other groups dranked, yelled, sang, wrote wills… Even though these “volunteers'' were said to be ready to sacrifice themselves… I suppose this is what they really felt in their final nights before death.

Deep down, Mahason already knew that. The painful, unresolved ambiguities of their tragically brief lives.

The rubbery flesh of the pink and white petals really does look and feel like human skin. And like snow, they rapidly cover the ground in a layer of red.

He looked up at the sky. Like many others, the only things he saw were the high rise buildings and smoke.

Unlike his expectations, he survived for a few days. Granted, he didn’t see much troops from his , so it’s most likely that they assumed he died in some horrific fashion.

During that blur of blood and bodies, Mahason went to the edge of conflict to catch his breath. He hears quick footsteps, heading out of the District. Realizing the oddity, he turns a corner and sees someone with a rifle exiting from the battle. Their hand only loosely holds the firearm, which may mean they're out of ammunition.

Stepping out and approaching them, they must’ve heard him, in which even though their pace threatened to quicken, they suddenly paused and swerved around to face Mahason, rifle drawn. The boy paused upon seeing the rifle now being pointed at him. Though, he makes no effort to draw his sword in front of him, leaving it at his side.

There was a moment of standstill, neither side breathing or moving. Watching what the other may do. Mahason examined them closely, recognizing that the clothes they were wearing was that of an opposing force fighting in the war. Though, no one else with that uniform was around this area. They also had a full-face gas mask, so he couldn’t tell their expression.

But if he looked closed enough, he could see the rifle shaking ever so slightly.

“…Are you… deserting?” The boy muttered.

He sees the slightest of movement.

“What of it?” They quietly said.

Mahason’s hold on his sword somewhat loosened. ‘If this is how I die… then I have no regrets.’ The boy looked off to the side, seeing the person harden their grip on their rifle from his peripheral vision. After a moment, he fully turns around.

“There might be others nearby.” He simply said.

He starts walking back towards the action, watching the smoke billowing from the distance. He hears a footstep, then another. Those footsteps quickening in pace, fading away.

When Mahason looked back, no one was there.

It was not long after that he thought, "I shall plunge into the enemy and fall like petals.”

There was a particularly troublesome outpost. A captain was in it, and would be helpful if it was destroyed. The memories of what exactly happened here are blurry. What he does remember was when his sword was knocked away, with a soldier in a headlock, he pulled out a grenade and pulled the pin.

Suddenly, his vision swayed, a high-pitch ringing filling his ears. Immense pain flooded his head- no, his entire body. But in another instance, he finds himself in an inner world filled with airplanes, flowers, friends, and dreams.

In another moment, Mahason finds himself on a hospital bed. Sitting up was slightly painful, but he was able to see that he’s in some room. Not long after, a doctor comes in, shocked to see him.

When Mahason tried to speak, he felt his throat strained, having difficulty in finding his voice. Coughing a bit, when his voice does come to him, it’s low and hoarse. Quietly asking what happened, the doctor said someone dropped him off, even paying for everything. Mahason found it strange, even though he had never heard of their name, and had expected to die.

The main after effect was scars and his damaged vocal cords. Once he no longer feels pain from moving, he’s free to leave. Despite the strange situation he has found himself in, he accepted it, since he literally can’t do anything else. And thus, much time passes. After sufficiently recovering, the staff returned his gear, as apparently the person had also managed to restore what he thought was definitely destroyed.

Leaving the building, Mahason wasn’t really sure if he should even return back to District 11. Considering it’s most likely that his family thinks he’s dead. Mulling over what to do, that’s when I decided to make myself known at last.

[argumate]

Elements of the all-Russian pro-Ukrainian Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and Freedom of Russia Legion (LSR) conducted a raid into Belgorod Oblast on May 22. Russian sources began reporting on the morning of May 22 that a detachment of the RDK and LSR consisting of two tanks, an armored personnel carrier, and nine other armored vehicles crossed the international border and captured Kozinka, a settlement in the Grayvoron region of Belgorod Oblast within 600 meters of the border with Sumy Oblast. Several Russian sources claimed that the grouping then captured the settlements of Glotovo and Gora Podol (3km and 5km from the border, respectively), although some milbloggers disputed claims that the attack completely captured Glotovo or Gora Podol, instead reporting that RDK forces only got to the Glotovo House of Culture. ISW has not yet observed geolocated confirmation that the RDK or LSR reached Glotovo or Gora Podol. Geolocated footage posted on May 22 does confirm that the RDK struck a border post near Kozinka before crossing the border with at least one tank. The RDK also posted footage reportedly showing the body of a Russian border guard in a border station, likely from the border crossing near Kozinka. Russian milbloggers later claimed that Russian troops retook control of all three settlements.[5]  Some Russian sources additionally reported that Russian forces repelled pro-Ukrainian sabotage groups near Dronovka, about 22km northwest of Kozinka. The RDK additionally posted footage reportedly outside two settlements near the border area in Bryansk Oblast, but the nature of this incursion is unclear and ISW has not observed additional evidence or discourse surrounding actions in Bryansk Oblast on May 22.

huh a cross-border tank raid

[heroineimages]

Guns of the Underdark

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34545828/

Hey! So here are my Napoleonic-era Drow designs that I mentioned in this earlier post! I went with the crimson-velvet color for most of the uniforms, but given that different units of the era might have different uniform colors, I kept the glossy-black and midnight-blue uniforms for some of the units. Thanks to @jarl-deathwolf​, @thenihtgenga​, and @timeforanedventure for the feedback!

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34399822/

Ready to take the fight to the human invaders, a Drow lieutenant hands a dispatch to her plate-clad general.

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34425178/

Drow and Drider scouts keep an eye on Commonwealth troop movements.

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34497846/

Drow and Goblin sappers in the XXIII Matron’s Engineering Corps survey the orcish entrenchments for possible weak points.

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34401328/

A Drow and Duergar in the XIV Matron’s Regular Infantry rush to flank the rampaging Umber Hulks.

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34400528/

Astride her hell-hound, a rider from the III Matron’s Dragoons guards a POW-transfer with the Goblinoid Alliance.

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34549889/

Half-Drow auxiliaries move to reinforce a battalion of the Matron’s Rifles.

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34451694/

Skirmishers from the IX Matron’s Rifle Corps harass fusiliers from the Elf/Human Commonwealth.

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34543467/

Under heavy musket-fire, a volunteer physician from the XI Matron’s Medical Corps helps pull a half-Drow skirmisher from the battlefield.

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34401833/

Grenades and muskets ready, Drow and Deep-Gnome squaddies from the XXXIV Matron’s Grenadiers charge in to storm Hobgoblin entrenchments.

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34400928/

Muskets from the V Matron’s Guard take aim at the approaching high-elf infantry.

https://www.heroforge.com/load_config%3D34546594/

After surveying the necromancer’s shambling, putrid horde, a half-Drow lieutenant ceremonially hands an eight-pounder to her sergeant and tells her to “Blow the bony bastards to hell.”

[nordleuchten]

24 Days of La Fayette – Day 16: François-Louis Teissèdre de Fleury

Today’s aide-de-camp is François-Louis Teissèdre de Fleury, Marquis de Fleury and son of François Teisseydre de Fleury. He was born in 1749 and first served in the French army as a volunteer from 1768 onwards. In 1772 he was made sous-aide-major in the Rouergue Regiment.

While La Fayette and his group of fellow travelers are certainly among the most famous foreign personal in the continental army, their idea was by no means novel. There were several groups of Frenchman that tried one way or another to join the War in America (and for one reason or another). Fleury was part of such a group - and he was one of the, comparatively speaking, few successful ones.

He was made a Captain of Enginers by the Continental Congress on May 22, 1777 and was awarded 50 Dollar for his travelling expenses. William Heath wrote to George Washington on April 26, 1777:

The Three appear to be Officers of Abilities—They inform me that Mr Dean promised them that their Expences should be born to Philadelphia &c.—I must confess I scarcely know what to do with them, & wish Direction, I have advanced to Col. Conway, as advance pay 150 Dollars to enable him to proceed to Philadelphia—And to Capt. Lewis Fleury 50 Dollars—The latter is engaged as a Capt. Engineer.

“To George Washington from Major General William Heath, 26 April 1777,” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 9, 28 March 1777 – 10 June 1777, ed. Philander D. Chase. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1999, pp. 277–280.] (12/16/2022)

He was initially assigned to a corps of rifleman but soon got promoted and re-assigned after he fought with distinction at the Battle of Brandywine, where his horse was shot from under him. A Boston newspaper wrote on December 4, 1777:

The Chevalier du Plessis, who is one of General Knox’s Family, had three Balls thro’ his Hat. Young Fleuri’s Horse was killed under him. He shew’d so much Bravery, and was so useful in rallying the Troops, that the Congress have made him a Present of another.

“Extract from a Boston Newspaper, [after 4 December 1777],” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 25, October 1, 1777, through February 28, 1778, ed. William B. Willcox. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1986, pp. 244–245.] (12/16/2022)

Fleury also participated in the Battle of Germantown, where, in classical La Fayette-fashion, he was wounded in the leg. The General Orders from October 3, 1777 read as follows:

Lewis Fleury Esqr. is appointed Brigade Major to The Count Pulaski, Brigadier General of the Light Dragoons, and is to be respected as such.

“General Orders, 3 October 1777,” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 11, 19 August 1777 – 25 October 1777, ed. Philander D. Chase and Edward G. Lengel. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 2001, pp. 372–375.] (12/16/2022)

Fleury was ordered to defend Fort Mifflin on November 4, 1777, where he would be engaged in the attack on Fort Mifflin on November 15 of the same year. Fleury was again wounded but even more important, he kept a very detailed journal and his entries from October 15-19 were often cited to illustrate the events surrounding the attack.

Concerning his wounds (and his personal value) Colonel Samuel Smith wrote to George Washington on November 16, 1777:

Major Fleury is hurt but not very much. he is a Treasure that ought not to be lost.

To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Smith, 16 November 1777,” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 12, 26 October 1777 – 25 December 1777, ed. Frank E. Grizzard, Jr. and David R. Hoth. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 2002, pp. 281–282.] (12/16/2022)

La Fayette became aware of Fleury’s brave conduct and wrote to Henry Laurens on November 18, 1777:

You heard as soon almost as myself of all the interesting niews on the Delaware. The gallant defense of our forts deserves praisespraise and her daughter emulation arethe necessary attendants of an army. I am told that Major Fleury and Captain du Plessis have done theyr duty. It is a pleasant enjoyement for my mind, when some frenchmen behave a la francoise, and I can assure you that everyone who in the defense of our noble cause will show himself worthy of his country shall be mentionned in the most high terms to the king, ministry, and my friends of France when I’l be back in my natal air.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 1, December 7, 1776–March 30, 1778, Cornell University Press, 1977, pp. 151-153.

George Washington had recommended Fleury and as a result of this recommendation, Fleury was commissioned a Lieutenant Colonel on November 26. La Fayette was very much in Fleury’s favour, and he wrote again to Henry Laurens on November 29, 1777:

The bearer of my letter is Mr. de Fleury who was in Fort Miflin, and as he is reccommanded by his excellency I have nothing more to say but that I am very sensible of his good conduct. (…) Mr. de Fleury receives just now the commission of lieutenant colonel, I think he wo’nt go to day to Congress, and I send this letter by one other occasion (…)

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 1, December 7, 1776–March 30, 1778, Cornell University Press, 1977, pp. 160-161.

Fleury was also recommended by Colonel Henry Leonard Philip, Baron d’Arendt, the commander of Fort Mifflin. Arendt wrote to Alexander Hamilton on October 26, 1777:

Col. Smith who is well acquainted with this place, its defence, and my Intentions respecting them, will make every necessary arrangement in my absence to maintain harmony between himself and Colo. [John] Green—I must do him the justice to say that he is a good Officer and I wish America a great many of the same cast. I must render the same justice likewise to Maj. Fleury who is very brave and active.

Notes of “To George Washington from Brigadier General David Forman, 26 October 1777,” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 12, 26 October 1777 – 25 December 1777, ed. Frank E. Grizzard, Jr. and David R. Hoth. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 2002, pp. 13–16.] (12/16/2022)

George Washington also had something to say about this quarrel between his soldiers. He wrote to James Mitchell Varnum on November 4, 1777:

I thank you for your endeavours to restore confidence between the Comodore & Smith—I find something of the same kind existing between Smith and Monsr Fleury, who I consider as a very valuable Officer. How strange it is that Men, engaged in the same Important Service, should be eternally bickering, instead of giving mutual aid. Officers cannot act upon proper principles who suffer trifles to interpose to create distrust, & jealousy (…)

“From George Washington to Brigadier General James Mitchell Varnum, 4 November 1777,” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 12, 26 October 1777 – 25 December 1777, ed. Frank E. Grizzard, Jr. and David R. Hoth. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 2002, pp. 128–129.] (12/16/2022)

I do not praise you often, but in this case I will – well said, Sir!

There was no division in the army at the present that Fleury could assume command of and he was therefor appointed sub-inspector under the Baron von Steuben. The General Orders from April 27, 1778 read:

Lieutt Coll Fleury is to act as Sub-Inspector and will attend the Baron Stuben ’till Circumstances shall admit of assigning him a Division of the Army—Each Sub-Inspector is to be attended daily by an Orderly-Serjeant drawn by turns from the Brigades of his own Inspection that the necessary orders may be communicated without delay.

“General Orders, 27 April 1778,” Founders Online, National Archives, [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 14, 1 March 1778 – 30 April 1778, ed. David R. Hoth. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2004, pp. 657–658.] (12/126/2022)

La Fayette, in the meantime, was lobbying for Fleury and other French officers – apparently to a degree or in a way that he later was unwilling to admit. The following passage was removed by the Marquis from a letter to George Washington from January 20, 1778:

I am told that Mullens is to be lieutenant colonel, if it is so, as that the same commission was done for Mssrs. de Fleury and du Plessis who are on every respect so much out of the line of Mullens who being by his birth of the lowest rank, and not so long ago a private soldier, I hope that those gentlemen are to be at least brigadier generals.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 1, December 7, 1776–March 30, 1778, Cornell University Press, 1977, pp. 238-239.

It was around this time that preparations for the Canadian expedition were made – an expedition under La Fayette’s command that never came into fruition and probably was never really intended to do so. It was here that Fleury was appointed aide-de-camp to La Fayette. Horatio Gates wrote to our Marquis on January 24, 1778:

Congress having thought proper and in compliance with the wishes of this Board, from a Conviction of your Ardent Desire to signalize yourself in the Service of these States, to appoint you to the Command of an Expedition meditated against Montreal it is the Wish of the Board that you would immediately repair to Albany, taking with you Lt. Colo. de Fleury, and such other gallant French officers as you think will be serviceable in an Enterprise in that Quarter. (…)

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 1, December 7, 1776–March 30, 1778, Cornell University Press, 1977, pp. 249-250.

La Fayette in his turn wrote to Henry Laurens on February 4 and on February 7, 1778 respectively to inform him of the proceedings. He also used the opportunity to get a word for Fleury in and to gossip a bit about the same.

There is Lieutenant Colonel Fleury who not only out of my esteem and affection for him but even by a particular reccommandation of the board of war is destinated to follow me to Canada. I schould have desired of Congress every thing or employement which I could have believed more convenient to his wishes, had I not expected to see him before-you know he was upon my list. He desires to be at the head of an independent troop with the rank of Colonel. I do’nt know which will be the intentions of Congress but every thing which can please Mr. de Fleury not only as a frenchman but as a good officer, and as being Mr. de Fleury will be very agreable to me. (…) I have showed to Colonel Fleury the first lines of my letter, in order to let him know my giving willingly the reccommandation he asks for you. You know that gentleman's merit and that Duplessis and himself were made lieutenant colonels as reward of fine actions.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 1, December 7, 1776–March 30, 1778, Cornell University Press, 1977, pp. 279-280.

You have seen Mr. de Fleury. I fancy entre nous that he will not be satisfied in so high pretensions. He is very unhappy that Mr. Duer is no more in Congress because he is his intimate friend and confident-that will perhaps surprise you.’ Mr. de Fleury is entre nous a fine officer but rather too ambitious. When I say such things I beg you to burn the letters.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 1, December 7, 1776–March 30, 1778, Cornell University Press, 1977, pp. 282-283.

Henry Laurens replied on February 7, 1778 and his wording at the end especially is quite interesting given La Fayette’s previous letter.

I had the honour this Morning of receiving your Commands by the hands of Lt. Colo. Fleury. This Gentleman notwithstanding the aid of some able advocates in Congress has failed in his pursuit of a Colonel's Commission. You will wonder less, when you learn that the preceeding day I had strove very arduously as second to a warm recommendation from a favorite General, Gates, on behalf of Monsr. Failly, for the same Rank, without effect. The arguments adduced by Gentlemen who have opposed these measures, are strong & obvious. “We are reforming & reducing the Number of Officers in our Army, let us wait the event, & see how our own Native Officers are to be disposed of”-& besides, there is a plan in embrio for abolishing the Class of Colonel in our Army, while the Enemy have none of that Rank in the Field. Some difficulty attended obtaining leave for Monsr. Fleury to follow Your Excellency, Congress were at first of opinion he might be more usefully employed against the shipping in Delaware & formed a Resolve very flattering & tempting to induce him-but his perseverence in petitioning to be sent to Canada, prevailed. Monsr. Fleury strongly hopes Your Excellency will encourage him to raise & give him the Command of a distinct Corps of Canadians. I am persuaded you will adopt all such measures as shall promise advantage to the Service & there is no ground to doubt of your doing every reasonable & proper thing for the gratification & honour of [a] Gentleman of whom Your Excellency speaks & writes so favorably.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 1, December 7, 1776–March 30, 1778, Cornell University Press, 1977, pp. 284-285.

With the failure of the expedition, Fleury once again longed for an independent command and La Fayette wrote to Charles Lee in June of 1778:

One of the best young french officers in America Mr. de Fleury wishes much to be annexed to the Rifle Corps and is desired by Clel. Morgan.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 2, April 10, 1778–March 20, 1780, Cornell University Press, 1978, pp. 62-64.

In the end, Fleury was given command of a light infantry battalion on June 15, 1779. The General Orders for that day read as follows:

The sixteen companies of Light-Infantry drafted from the three divisions on this ground are to be divided into four battalions and commanded by the following officers;

4. companies from the Virginia line by Major Posey.

4—ditto from the Pennsylvania line by Lt Colo. Hay.

4—ditto two from each of the aforesaid lines by Lieutenant Colonel Fleury.

“General Orders, 15 June 1779,” Founders Online, National Archives,[Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 21, 1 June–31 July 1779, ed. William M. Ferraro. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2012, p. 176.] (12/16/2022)

He led his battalion into the attack of Stony Point on July 16, 1779. His conduct was, by all accounts, heroic and George Washington wrote on September 30, 1779:

Colo. Fleury who I expect will have the honour of presenting this lettr. to you, and who acted an important & honourable part in the event, will give you the particulars of the assault & reduction at Stony Point (…) He led one of the columns – struck the colours of the garrison with his own hands – and in all respects behaved with intrepidity & intelligence which marks his conduct upon all occasions.

Idzerda Stanley J. et al., editors, Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776–1790, Volume 2, April 10, 1778–March 20, 1780, Cornell University Press, 1978, pp. 313-319.

His actions were indeed so gallant that Congress awarded him a silver medal on July 26, 1779. This is indeed quite remarkable since he was the only foreign officer thus honoured. No other foreign officer, not even La Fayette, received such a silver medal during the Revolutionary War.

Fleury obtained a leave of absence from Congress in September of 1779 and left America on November 16. La Fayette was at this time in France as well and was eager to receive a first-hand account from Fleury with respect to political as well as to military matters. Although still in possession of his American commission, Fleury re-entered the French army and was made a Major of the Saintonge Regiment in March of 1780 (this might interest you @acrossthewavesoftime.) A few months later, in July of 1780, he joined General Rochambeau’s expeditionary force. Fleury was one of the French soldiers at the Battle of Yorktown. He left America for good in January of 1783 and sailed from Boston to France. It was only at this point, that he resigned his American commission. In France, he joined the Pondichéry Regiment and was named its Colonel. He was elevated to a maréshal de camp in 1791 and fought in the battle of Mons on April 28-30, 1792. During the retreat, he was wounded for the third time. While his previous injuries were all relative mild, this one appears to have been rather serious. He resigned from the army not long after.

Not much is known about Fleury’s later life, and I have seen drastically different accounts of the time of his death. While some editors of (La Fayette’s) letters/papers have put the date of his death around 1814, it is far more likely that he died in 1799. Fleury never married and there are no known children of his.

François Louis Teisseydre, Marquis de Fleury’s legacy is the De Fleury Medal that is granted to outstanding members of the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

[whatevergreen]

Dr Norman Bethune in Eighth Route Army uniform. Poster, China, 1960s - University of Notre Dame

"Norman Bethune (1890-1939), a “surgeon, communist, humanitarian” from Canada, who volunteered to participate in three foreign wars outside of his home country. His role was not to fight and kill, but to treat the wounded and save lives."

"In World War I he was a stretcher bearer of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. In the Spanish Civil War he organized and operated the Canadian Blood Transfusion Service, providing blood to the frontline wounded—an innovative concept that had not been tried before.

In late 1937, at the start of the Second Sino-Japan War, he joined the Communists’ side of the United Front, and was stationed in the Jin-Cha-Ji Border Area. According to his letters and reports, in the area of 130 million residents and 150,000 armed troops, he was the only qualified doctor. He again organized and operated mobile medical units, providing a medical care for the villagers in need, and training local medical staff.

He started a medical school, and wrote books with hand-drawn illustrations on how to treat battle wounds. Lacking trained personnel and resources, he reportedly performed 110 operations in 12 days. When surgical gloves became unavailable, he operated bare-handed.

In spite of the challenging circumstances he was in, in his August 1938 report, he wrote:

“It is true I am tired but I don’t think I have been so happy for a long time. I am content. I am doing what I want to do. Why shouldn’t I be happy—see what my riches consist of. First I have important work that fully occupies every minute of my time from 5:30 in the morning to 9 at night. I am needed. More than that—to satisfy my bourgeois vanity—the need for me is expressed…”

He died in November 1939 in a small village near Baoding in Hebei Province. The cause of death was septicaemia, caused by an infection from a bare-handed surgery he had performed a few days earlier."

"Let us redefine medical ethics, not as a code of professional etiquette between doctors but as a code of fundamental morality and justice between medicine and the people." Norman Bethune

[valkyries-things]

SUSIE KING TAYLOR // NURSE

“She is known for being the first African-American nurse during the American Civil War. Beyond just her aptitude in nursing the wounded of the 1st South Carolina Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Taylor was the first Black woman to self-publish her memoirs. She was the author of Reminiscences of My Life in Camp with the 33rd United States Colored Troops, Late 1st S.C. Volunteers. She was also an educator to formerly bonded Black people in the reconstruction era South by opening various schools in Georgia. Taylor would also be a part of organizing the 67 Corps of the Women's Relief Corps in 1886.”

[roosterarts]

Battle of Gettysburg - Day 3

July 3

3:30 PM

The High-Water Mark of the Confederacy

The brigade commander stood in front of the regiment, urging the troops to follow. Sword extended, black hat atop it, he pushed his way through the mass of stalled Confederate troops and rushed towards the wall. With that, the 14th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, colors leading, followed him.

At around 3:30 in the afternoon, as Union troops desperately through reinforcements to their line at Cemetery Ridge, the troops of Garnett's Confederate Brigade began rushing forward to a piece of wall known as the Angle. Here, Union troops were thin and most vulnerable.

Covering that portion of the wall was the 71st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment and they were outnumbered. A whole enemy brigade was advancing directly at them. Trying to support them, Cushing's Battery fired canister agaisnt the advancing Confederates. But they did not stop. With a wall of wild shouting troops quickly approaching them, the 71st Pennsylvania broke and ran.

With that, the troops of Garnett's Confederate Brigade took a portion of the wall. For a moment, the Confederates felt triumphant. However, it was short lived. Looking to their flanks, they saw other Union regiments still held the wall. Then, looking ahead them, they saw new Union regiments approaching them. Forming up, the reinforcing Union regiments fired a solid volley. The Confederates tried to fired back, but it wasn't as effective. The various regiments of Garnett's Confederate Brigade was more of a mob at that point, with few senior officers left to command them, as Garnett himself had already fallen. Because of this, the brigade fell back.

However, following this momentary capture of the wall, a second attempt was made.

Armistead's Confederate Brigade soon rushed forward, with Armistead himseld leading from the fron, black hat atop his sword - a rally point for his troops to follow. Aiming for the Angle, they charged and continued to advance, despite the murderous fire from different fronts.

"Come on, boys, give them the cold steel! Who will follow me?" Armistead shouted, as he reached the wall and stepped over it. His brigade followed him, as regiments from Archer's Confederate Brigade joined them at the Angle.

Facing Armistead's Confederate Brigade was the 69th Pennsylvania - Irish troops. However, they were soon joined by the 72nd Pennsylvania, who formed a line to block the further advance of Armistead's Confederate Brigade.

This was the high-water mark of the Confederate forces. They could not advance further than that.

At close range, the 69th and 72nd Pennsylvania fired volleys against Armistead's Brigade. There were only a few Confederate troops at the angle and many of them were disorganized, as various regiments mixed among one another. If they had reinfocements, they could possibly push further and break through the two Union regiments blocking them. However, the only reinforcements they were getting were a trickle of troops, coming one by one, trying to join the group of Confederates that managed to reach the wall.

As the Confederate assault stalled once more, Union forces began to slowly encompas and outflank them. But the situation was chaos for both sides. At one point Armistead was shot, mortally wounded. Meanwhile, his close friend, General Hancock, commander of the Union II Corps that was defending Cemetery Ridge, was also shot.

However, despite the chaos on both sides, it was the Confederate forces that slowly started to buckle under pressure. During that crucial moment, the troops of the 72nd Pennsylvania charged Armisted's Confederate and engaged them in a melee. This was the final straw, as Confederate troops at the Angle either retreated or surrenderd.

Other Union regiments began to charge Confederate forcesc at this front, forcing their enemy to either retreat or surrender. The time was 4:00 in the afternoon. Eventually, Confederate troops that attacked Cemetery Ridge either fell back to their lines or surrendered to Union troops. It was over, the attack had failed.

The Union center held and Lee's last attempt to break the Union forces at Gettysburg resulted in defeat.

The Union had won the battle.

The next day, July 4, both sides licked their wounds and remained in their positions. No major fighting occured that day. In the evening the Army of Northern Virginia began their retreat back to Virginia, leaving the Army of the Potomac masters of the field.

However, despite this victory, the American Civil War would continue to rage for almost two more years.

----------------------------------------

Featuring Techbro and Jassy from @techbro-arts and @ask-healthy-light as members of the 14th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, which was part of Armistead's Confederate Brigade. They were among the troops that went over the wall at the Angle with him.