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Posted on 04/29/2004 12:00:03 AM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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Summary General Isaac Huger, who had been surprised by Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton at the Battle of Monck's Corner on April 14, ordered Buford to retreat to Hillsborough, North Carolina.  On May 27, Tarleton set out from Nelson's Ferry with 270 men in pursuit of South Carolina Governor John Rutledge, who was said to be travelling with Buford. On May 29, Tarleton caught up with Buford and his men. Buford refused to surrender and was quickly defeated by Tarleton's cavalry. The aftermath of the battle became controversial and settled Tarleton's reputation in the South for no mercy. On May 7, 1780 at Lenud's Ferry, Colonel Abraham Buford and 350 Virginia Continentals had watched helplessly from the far bank of the Santee River when Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton had dispersed a force of Continentals including Lt. Colonel William Washington. They had been on their way to Charleston as reinforcements. On May 12, however, the Siege of Charleston ended when Maj. General Benjamin Lincoln surrendered to Lt. General Henry Clinton. When word of the surrender reached Colonel Buford, he held his position and awaited new orders. General Isaac Huger, who had been surprised by Lt. Colonel Tarleton at the Battle of Monck's Corner on April 14, ordered Buford to retreat to Hillsborough, North Carolina. On May 18, 1780, Lt. General Charles Cornwallis commanding 2,500 men marched out of Charleston with orders from General Clinton to subdue the backcountry and establish outposts. He made his way to Lenud's Ferry and crossed the Santee River and made for Camden. Along the way, Cornwallis learned that South Carolina Governor John Rutledge had used the same route under the escort of Colonel Buford. Rutledge had managed to flee Charleston during the early stages of the siege.  South Carolina Governor John Rutledge However, Colonel Buford was ten days ahead, so General Cornwallis' only chance was to send Lt. Colonel Tarleton after Buford. On May 27, Tarleton set out from Nelson's Ferry with 270 men. His command force included forty British regulars of the 17th Dragoons, 130 of his British Legion cavalry , 100 of his British Legion infantry, mounted on this occasion, and one three-pound artillery piece. Since Colonel Buford had such a large lead on them, General Cornwallis had given Lt. Colonel Tarleton discretion to continue the pursuit, turn back or attack Buford if he caught up with him. Tarleton was at Camden the next day. At 2:00 A.M. on May 29, he set out again and reached Rugeley's Mill by mid-morning. There, he learned that Governor Rutledge had been there the night before and Colonel Buford was now only 20 miles ahead. Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton sent a messenger ahead requesting that Colonel Abraham Buford surrender. In the message, Tarleton exaggerated his forces in hopes of scaring Buford into surrender, or at least delaying him. After delaying the messenger, while his infantry reached a favorable position, Buford declined in a one sentence reply: "Sir, I reject your proposals, and shall defend myself to the last extremity."  Around three o'clock in the afternoon on May 29, 1780, Lt. Colonel Tarleton caught up with Colonel Buford near the Waxhaws district on the border of North and South Carolina. Tarleton's advance guard slashed through Buford's rear guard. Buford now formed his men up in a single line, while it is unknown what he did with Lt. Colonel William Washington's dragoons. Meanwhile, Tarleton did not wait for his stragglers to catch up, but continued to press the attack. Lt. Colonel Tarleton assigned fifty cavalry and fifty infantry to harass Colonel Buford's left flank. Another forty cavalry were to charge at the center of Buford's line, while Tarleton would take another thirty cavalry to Buford's right flank and reserves. He formed up his troops on a low hill opposite the American line. At 300 yards, his cavalry began their charge. When Lt. Colonel Tarleton's cavalry was fifty yards from Colonel Buford's line, the Americans presented their muskets, but they were ordered to hold their fire until the British were closer. Finally, at ten yards, Buford's men opened up, but that was too close for cavalry. Tarleton's horse was killed under him, but the American line was broken and in some cases, ridden down. The rout began and controversy soon followed. The details of what happened following the battle are still under controversy. Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton claimed that his horse was shot out from under him and he was pinned. His men, thinking that their commander had been shot and killed under a flag of truce, angrily attacked again. They slashed at anyone and everyone, including men who were kneeling with their hands up in surrender. Patriots claimed that Lt. Colonel Tarleton himself ordered the renewed attack because he didn't want to bother with taking prisoners. Based on his aggressive style and zeal for brutal charges in other engagements, the Patriot claims are usually given more credence. Although the first complete statement claiming a massacre did not appear until 1821 in a letter from Dr. Robert Brownfield to William Dobein James.  Either way, the slaughter lasted fifteen minutes. The result was 113 Continentals killed and 203 captured with 150 of those wounded. Colonel Buford himself managed to escape. There were only five killed and twelve wounded on the British side. The controversy continues to this day, but it took only days for Lt. Colonel Tarleton to be branded with the reputation for which he is remembered even now. Lt. Colonel Tarleton became known as 'Bloody Ban' or 'Ban the Butcher.' For the remainder of the war in the South, 'Tarleton's Quarter' meant no quarter and Buford's Massacre became a rallying cry for Patriots. It was on the lips of the Over Mountain Men at the Battle of King's Mountain in October 1780 during their defeat of Major Patrick Ferguson. There was no indication that Tarleton minded the nickname. Meanwhile, Lt. General Charles Cornwallis occasionally reminded Tarleton to look after the behavior of his men.
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Charge of the Heavy Brigade at the battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War by Orlando Norie.
Military art print showing the Royal Scots Greys and the Inniskilling Dragoons charging the Russian lines.
Our birches yellowing and from each
abcdThe light leaf falling fast,
While squirrels from our fiery beech
abcdWere bearing off the mast,
You came, and look’d and loved the view
abcdLong-known and loved by me,
Green Sussex fading into blue
abcdWith one gray glimpse of sea;
And, gazing from this height alone,
abcdWe spoke of what had been
Most marvellous in the wars your own
abcdCrimean eyes had seen;
And now–like old-world inns that take
abcdSome warrior for a sign
That therewithin a guest may make
abcdTrue cheer with honest wine–
Because you heard the lines I read
abcdNor utter’d word of blame,
I dare without your leave to head
abcdThese rhymings with your name,
Who know you but as one of those
abcdI fain would meet again,
Yet know you, as your England knows
abcdThat you and all your men
Were soldiers to her heart’s desire,
abcdWhen, in the vanish’d year,
You saw the league-long rampart-fire
abcdFlare from Tel-el-Kebir
Thro’ darkness, and the foe was driven,
abcdAnd Wolseley overthrew
Arâbi, and the stars in heaven
abcdPaled, and the glory grew.
The charge of the gallant three hundred, the Heavy Brigade!
Down the hill, down the hill, thousands of Russians,
Thousands of horsemen, drew to the valley–and stay’d;
For Scarlett and Scarlett’s three hundred were riding by
When the points of the Russian lances arose in the sky;
And he call’d, ‘Left wheel into line!’ and they wheel’d and obey’d.
Then he look’d at the host that had halted he knew not why,
And he turn’d half round, and he bade his trumpeter sound
To the charge, and he rode on ahead, as he waved his blade
To the gallant three hundred whose glory will never die–
‘Follow,’ and up the hill, up the hill, up the hill,
Follow’d the Heavy Brigade.
The trumpet, the gallop, the charge, and the might of the fight!
Thousands of horsemen had gather’d there on the height,
With a wing push’d out to the left and a wing to the right,
And who shall escape if they close? but he dash’d up alone
Thro’ the great gray slope of men,
Sway’d his sabre, and held his own
Like an Englishman there and then.
All in a moment follow’d with force
Three that were next in their fiery course,
Wedged themselves in between horse and horse,
Fought for their lives in the narrow gap they had made–
Four amid thousands! and up the hill, up the hill,
Gallopt the gallant three hundred, the Heavy Brigade.
Fell like a cannon-shot,
Burst like a thunderbolt,
Crash’d like a hurricane,
Broke thro’ the mass from below,
Drove thro’ the midst of the foe,
Plunged up and down, to and fro,
Rode flashing blow upon blow,
Brave Inniskillens and Greys
Whirling their sabres in circles of light!
And some of us, all in amaze,
Who were held for a while from the fight,
And were only standing at gaze,
When the dark-muffled Russian crowd
Folded its wings from the left and the right,
And roll’d them around like a cloud,–
O, mad for the charge and the battle were we,
When our own good redcoats sank from sight,
Like drops of blood in a dark-gray sea,
And we turn’d to each other, whispering, all dismay’d,
‘Lost are the gallant three hundred of Scarlett’s Brigade!’
‘Lost one and all’ were the words
Mutter’d in our dismay;
But they rode like victors and lords
Thro’ the forest of lances and swords
In the heart of the Russian hordes,
They rode, or they stood at bay–
Struck with the sword-hand and slew,
Down with the bridle-hand drew
The foe from the saddle and threw
Underfoot there in the fray–
Ranged like a storm or stood like a rock
In the wave of a stormy day;
Till suddenly shock upon shock
Stagger’d the mass from without,
Drove it in wild disarray,
For our men gallopt up with a cheer and a shout,
And the foeman surged, and waver’d, and reel’d
Up the hill, up the hill, up the hill, out of the field,
And over the brow and away.
Note.–The ‘three hundred’ of the ‘Heavy Brigade’ who made this famous charge were the Scots Greys and the 2d squadron of Inniskillens; the remainder of the ‘Heavy Brigade’ subsequently dashing up to their support.
The ‘three’ were Scarlett’s aide-de-camp, Elliot, and the trumpeter, and Shegog the orderly, who had been close behind him.
Not this way will you set your name
A star among the stars.
What way?
You praise when you should blame
The barbarism of wars.
A juster epoch has begun.
Yet tho’ this cheek be gray,
And that bright hair the modern sun,
Those eyes the blue to-day,
You wrong me, passionate little friend.
I would that wars should cease,
I would the globe from end to end
Might sow and reap in peace,
And some new Spirit o’erbear the old,
Or Trade re-frain the Powers
From war with kindly links of gold,
Or Love with wreaths of flowers.
Slav, Teuton, Kelt, I count them all
My friends and brother souls,
With all the peoples, great and small,
That wheel between the poles.
But since our mortal shadow, Ill,
To waste this earth began–
Perchance from some abuse of Will
In worlds before the man
Involving ours–he needs must fight
To make true peace his own,
He needs must combat might with might,
Or Might would rule alone;
And who loves war for war’s own sake
Is fool, or crazed, or worse;
But let the patriot-soldier take
His meed of fame in verse;
Nay–tho’ that realm were in the wrong
For which her warriors bleed,
It still were right to crown with song
The warrior’s noble deed–
A crown the Singer hopes may last,
For so the deed endures;
But Song will vanish in the Vast;
And that large phrase of yours
‘A star among the stars,’ my dear,
Is girlish talk at best;
For dare we dally with the sphere
As he did half in jest,
Old Horace? ‘I will strike,’ said he,
‘The stars with head sublime,’
But scarce could see, as now we see,
The man in space and time,
So drew perchance a happier lot
Than ours, who rhyme to-day.
The fires that arch this dusky dot–
Yon myriad-worlded way–
The vast sun-clusters’ gather’d blaze,
World-isles in lonely skies,
Whole heavens within themselves, amaze
Our brief humanities.
And so does Earth; for Homer’s fame,
Tho’ carved in harder stone–
The falling drop will make his name
As mortal as my own.
No!
Let it live then–ay, till when?
Earth passes, all is lost
In what they prophesy, our wise men,
Sun-flame or sunless frost,
And deed and song alike are swept
Away, and all in vain
As far as man can see, except
The man himself remain;
And tho’, in this lean age forlorn,
Too many a voice may cry
That man can have no after-morn,
Not yet of those am I.
The man remains, and whatsoe’er
He wrought of good or brave
Will mould him thro’ the cycle-year
That dawns behind the grave.
________________
And here the Singer for his art
Not all in vain may plead
‘The song that nerves a nation’s heart
Is in itself a deed.’
Alfred Lord Tennyson 1882
In his own words: "One made a thrust at my groin, I parried him off and cut him down through the head. A lancer came at me - I threw the lance off by my right side and cut him through the chin and upwards through the teeth. Next, a foot soldier fired at me and then charged me with his bayonet, which I also had the good luck to parry, and then I cut him down through the head".
Thus he made his way to the Eagle which he grasped firmly and carried off, and earned himself a name forever as "the greatest and most illustrious Grey in history".
This action would have undoubtedly merited the Victoria Cross (Britain's highest decoration) had it been in existence in 1815. The Victoria Cross medal was instituted after the Crimean War and the actual medals are made of Bronze melted down from captured Russian Cannons from the Crimea.
Scotland for Ever! - the famous depiction of the Scots Greys at full charge in line during the charge of the Union Brigade at Waterloo 1815 by Elizabeth, Lady Butler (1846-1933)
These were big men on big grey horses. The minimum height for a heavy cavalryman was 70". They carried heavy straight sabres and pistols.
I cannot speak French yet I can read it fluently. I've never studied French, only Spanish, Russian, and Japanese.
In Medical School, I needed an article translated from French to English, I gave it to a French-Canadian nurse that I worked with to translate and her translation was nearly identical to mine.
I also have recurring dreams 0f freezing to death.
Umm... neither is big enough! LOL
When I get rich and famous, I'll buy the Vehicle Assembly Building. Then, Look Out!
I can visit, right?
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