Remember the wooden hand the Legion honors?
Posted on 04/30/2024 7:35:21 AM PDT by ansel12
The Battle of Camerone (also Battle of Camarón) was an important action during the Second French intervention in Mexico. It occurred in late April 1863. In the eight-hour battle, a company of 65 men of the French Foreign Legion faced almost 2,000 Mexican infantrymen and cavalrymen. This action is portrayed as a pure example of bravery and determination of fighting to the finish.
(Excerpt) Read more at foreignlegion.info ...
Remember the wooden hand the Legion honors?
Almost a year after the Mexican victory on May 5, 1862, the pretext for Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
Blood Sausage
The Legion had a few brave soldiers who survived the Battle of Camarone.
The Alamo had none.
Jean Danjou was an officer who had his left hand blown off by an exploding musket in Algeria in 1853. But he remained in the Legion and was commanding a company that was surrounded in an adobe hacienda and besieged at Battle of Camarone.
Danjou and his men all had taken an oath never to surrender, and when the Mexican commander offered him terms, Danjou replied that they had plenty of cartridges and would continue to fight.
There also is a tradition that he replied, "Do you intend to attack, or are you going to keep me waiting in the sun all day?" But that might be an old soldier's tale.
Danjou's prosthetic hand was recovered and returned with honors to the legion. It now is kept in a place of honor the Legion's museum at their headquarters in Marseille.
And to this day, whenever the legion goes on parade, they are led by a man carrying the Hand of Captain Danjou in its display case.
Nous sommes des dégourdis,
Nous sommes des lascars
Des types pas ordinaires.
Nous avons souvent notre cafard,
Nous sommes des légionnaires.
The day has meaning to me and I try to remember it because of the first time I celebrated it in France with a French Army unit that has a relationship with the Legion.
Anybody who’s ever soldiered has to consider Danjou a bona fide BAD ASS.
The men at the Alamo died for a cause.
The Legionnaires at Camarone died for the honor of their brotherhood.
"You mean French military defeats?"
4/30/1967 Hill 881 South 40+ KIA
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
