Battle of Camarón

The battle of Camerone (Spanish Place name: Camarón de Tejeda ), which took place during the French intervention in Mexico on April 30, 1863, stylized in the history of the French Foreign Legion, a symbol of sacrifice and heroism. In the battle fought 62 legionnaires and three officers of the Foreign Legion, under Captain Jean Danjou and the officers Sous- Lieutenant ( lieutenant ) Clément Maudet and Sous- Lieutenant Napoleon Vilain against some 2,000 soldiers under the Mexican colonel Francisco de Paula Milán, including 1,200 infantrymen and 800 cavalrymen.

History

The French expeditionary force laid siege to the city of Puebla and was expecting a supply convoy, which was loaded with 3 million francs, among other things, weapons and ammunition. The Foreign Legion 's task was to secure the road. The commanding staff officer Colonel Pierre Joseph Jeanningros (1816-1902) wanted to send ahead to the security convoy a vanguard. So a squad of 62 legionnaires and three officers was assembled at the April 30, 1863 midnight ride under the command of Captain Jean Danjou about 1 clock in the morning. As the squad about at 7 clock in Palo Verde took a break, attacked the Mexicans. The French withdrew to the hacienda Camerone, which was surrounded by a three meter high wall.

According to the official French report called for a Mexican officer, the legionaries to surrender, and referred to the number of Mexican soldiers. The commander of the French did not want to give, especially with regard to the following transport. At 10 clock in the morning the Mexicans began to storm the area. But the Legionnaires were defending themselves - without food and in extreme heat - to about at 6 clock in the evening. Sous- Lieutenant Maudet Caporal Maine and the Legion of Catteau, Wensel, Constantin and Leonard were at the end - without ammunition and armed only with bayonets - still ready to fight. After Sous- Lieutenant Maudet and two of the Legionaries were killed or wounded, there were the last three only on the condition that they were allowed to keep their weapons and their wounded comrades were treated. The request was granted. In this battle fell or died of their wounds, all three officers and 30 non-commissioned officers and legionaries. The rest, 31 legionaries, mostly wounded, were captured. Twelve of them were released in the following month of August, while 19 died of their wounds in captivity. A corporal was found after the battle and after deduction of the Mexicans from a Entsatzkompanie still alive at Fort Kamp.

Exact figures on the Mexican losses are not known, however, allegedly killed the Legionaries of about 300 Mexican soldiers.

As a result of battle, the supply convoy could pass without problems and complete the French siege of Puebla two and a half weeks later successful.

Today's meaning

After the battle was Napoleon III. Write the name Camerone on the flag of the Foreign Legion, and the names of the three officers were carved in gold in the Invalides in Paris.

At the site of the battle, a memorial was erected in 1892 with the inscription ( translation ): Here were less than 60 men against a whole army. Their mass has crushed. However, before they lost their courage, these French soldiers who gave their lives on April 30, 1863. In memory of her father, the country has built this monument.

Today, the battle is still celebrated and presented the official report on this occasion. The 30th April is the most important holiday in the French Foreign Legion.