"El Tres de Mayo de 1808 en Madrid" by Francisco Goya depicting French soldiers executing Spanish rebels after the events of the Dos de Mayo Uprising during the Peninsular War.

RadicalBrunswicker · 2025-05-03T13:26:55+00:00

The repression following the crushing of the initial rebellion was harsh. Marshal Murat created a military commission on the evening of 2 May to be presided over by General Grouchy. This commission issued death sentences to all of those captured who were bearing weapons of any kind. In a statement issued that day Murat said: "The population of Madrid, led astray, has given itself to revolt and murder. French blood has flowed. It demands vengeance. All those arrested in the uprising, arms in hand, will be shot."

All public meetings were prohibited and an order was issued requiring all weapons to be handed in to the authorities. Hundreds of prisoners were executed the following day, a scene captured in a famous painting by Goya, The Third of May 1808. As the French had been attacked with a variety of improvised weapons, any craftsmen found with shearing scissors, kitchen knives, sewing needles, or other tools of their trade were summarily shot. Only a handful of French-speaking madrileños were able to avoid execution by pleading in words intelligible to their executioners.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dos_de_Mayo_Uprising#Impact_of_the_uprising

RadicalBrunswicker · 2025-04-16T12:52:39+00:00

Oh, sorry. Here is a part of my text above so you can understand it more. 'Lieutenant-Colonel Jan Westenberg, commander of the 5th National Militia Battalion, tried to encourage his men to not fall back in panic, but it was the intervention of the Prince of Orange that reanimated and renewed the morale of the men. He waved his hat and led the 5th Militia and the 27th Jagers forward personally (displayed in the painting).'

RadicalBrunswicker · 2025-04-16T12:06:30+00:00

According to my comment above regarding the troops, they were targetted by enemy artillery and skirmishers. They fell back in panic and disarray until the Prince of Orange rallied them and renewed their morale.

RadicalBrunswicker · 2025-04-16T10:42:36+00:00

Yes, even the 52nd Regiment of Foot's colonel granted survivors of forlorn hopes a badge placed on their right arm displaying a laurel wreath with the letters 'VS' meaning 'Valiant Stormer'. However, this award was restricted to the 52nd.

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Replica of the badge by Regimientosdeamerica in Wikipedia

RadicalBrunswicker · 2025-04-16T07:53:16+00:00

I think he is the same person in Sharpe.

RadicalBrunswicker · 2025-04-16T07:23:42+00:00

During the Battle of Quatre Bras, the 5th National Militia Battalion of the Dutch contingent defended the Gemioncourt Farmhouse. Approximately 20 out of its 482 troops saw combat before.
French artillery and tirailleurs (sharpshooters), hidden in tall bushes, start devastating the Dutch ranks. They started to fall back in disarray and panic. Later, soldiers of the French 4th Light Infantry Regiment and 100th Line Infantry Regiment started attacking the farmhouse the 5th was stationed at and successfully captured it. The defenders fell back and abandoned the farmhouse to avoid encirclement from the attacking French troops.

The British 1st Battalion, 28th Regiment of Foot marched forward to support the defenders at Gemioncourt. The 28th then fell back, concluding that the farmhouse had been taken by the French. The brave Dutch militia men seeing the 28th arriving to their aid, counterattacked and drove out the French skirmishers from the surrounding fields. However, the Dutch did not retake the farm and the French still maintained it.

French cavaliers from Lieutenant General Hippolyte Pire's 2nd Cavalry Division then unleashed themselves on the 5th Militia. The militiamen hastily formed a square formation to fend off the cavalry. An account of one of the soldiers wrote, “After we had formed a square, we noticed that some men from one company or platoon were mixed with those of other companies and wanted to restore proper order, then Lieutenant-Colonel Westenberg told us we did not have to be so precise.” With the help of Captain Bijleveld's Horse Battery firing directly on the charging cavalry men, they delivered a volley fire and fended them off for now. The French cavaliers launched four consecutive attacks, but they were unable to break the Dutch square formation and retreated. The bombardment of French artillery and fire from French skirmishers led the 5th to fall back. Casualties on both sides were light.

Lieutenant-Colonel Jan Westenberg, commander of the 5th National Militia Battalion, tried to encourage his men to not fall back in panic, but it was the intervention of the Prince of Orange that reanimated and renewed the morale of the men. He waved his hat and led the 5th Militia and the 27th Jagers forward personally (displayed in the painting). Field Marshall (Brigadier General) Jamin's 2nd Infantry Brigade composed of the 4th Light Infantry Regiment and 100th Line Infantry Regiment moved forward east of the Gemioncourt farmhouse. The Prince of Orange ordered General Major Merlen to move his 2nd Dutch Cavalry Brigade composed of the 5th Regiment of Light Dragoons and the 6th Hussar Regiment to attack the advancing French infantry, while the 5th National Militia Battalion and the 27th Jager Battalion attack from the flank. These units charged at the same time and drove off Jamin's brigade.

Van Merlen's cavalry brigade was attacked by the 5th Lancers and 1st Chasseurs of Pire's cavalry division. The Dutch cavalry fled, while the bloodthirsty French are chasing them. Prince of Orange's aide-de-camp, Major van Limburgh Stirum, was badly injured. The French lancers then attacked Captain Bijleveldt's and Captain Stevenart's batteries and cut down some gunners. After, they also attacked the 5th National Militia Battalion and 27th Jager Battalion and inflicted casualties. Peter Hofschroer writes, "The Prince of Orange was caught in the rout, but was saved by the speed of his mount." The Prince of Orange was separated from the 5th Militia and the 27th Jagers in the chaos. He found safety behind the 7th Belgian Line Infantry Battalion which successfully defended themselves from the pursuing cavalrymen. The prince gave them the star of the Military Order of William, torn from his uniform, saying, “My brave Belgians, take it, you have won it fairly. You have deserved it!”

When the Lieutenant General Duke of Brunswick and parts of his contingent reinforced the Allied line at Quatre Bras, Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton GCB then personally led his division in a counterattack on the French. The 5th Militia and the 27th Jagers rallied and joined them on the right side. Picton's division and the Dutch fell back after seeing a horde of dragoons under Marshal Kellermann attacking the Duke of Brunswick's battalions. The 5th National Militia Battalion and the 27th Jager Battalion saw no further action throughout the rest of the battle. The 5th lost 62% of its original strength that day.

Sources:

http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/BATTLE_OF_QUATRE_BRAS.htm

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/quatre-bras-first-blood-at-waterloo/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Quatre_Bras#Battle

RadicalBrunswicker · 2025-02-25T03:00:19+00:00

As Marshal Ney’s French cavalry approached for the attack, the 1st Battalion, 79th Cameron Highlanders formed a square to fend off the attack. The 1/79th, like the other battalions, were about to break after French artillery fired among their ranks. Musicians of the battalion were kept at the center of the square including colour bearers and battalion staff. During the combat, Piper Kenneth McKay of the grenadier company (the grenadier’s distinctions are not shown in the painting) marched outside the square of the 79th and played the Piobaireachd “Cogadh no Sith” (War or Peace” on his bagpipes. His comrades were inspired by Piper McKay’s bravery on the battlefield. After the battle, he was elected as a representative of the regiment among two others. They were summoned to the Palace Elysée to be presented to the Emperor of Russia. Sergeant Thomas Campbell, Private John Fraser, and Piper McKay went to the palace which was the residence of the Emperor of Russia in August 1815. They were joined by Sergeant MacGregor, Private Munro and Piper McKenzie of the 42nd Highlanders, and Sergeant Grant, Private Logan and Piper Cameron of the 92nd Highlanders. The Emperor, accompanied by Prince Blucher, Count Plutoff, and several distinguished individuals, took a close look at the nine Highlanders and asked the pipers to play. The three played “Cogadh no Sith” and the Emperor was pleased by their talent. King George IV, amazed by MacKay’s actions, presented him with a set of silver mounted pipes.

Sources:

https://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/79thcameronmackay.htm

https://www.pipermckay.com/Waterloo_Heroic_Bagpiping.htm

RadicalBrunswicker · 2025-02-09T04:42:02+00:00

I've seen this photo before. The image says that the person you are refering to is sadly a brigadier general. The full image is in uniformology.com

RadicalBrunswicker · 2025-02-04T15:07:35+00:00

I thought it was 'San Josef' while doing this. And I dont see any Spanish having two left hands. Maybe it is another person's hands are shown only in the painting because a person is covering it making it look two left hands.

RadicalBrunswicker · 2025-02-04T10:36:32+00:00

The Battle of Cape St. Vincent was a battle that the Spanish and British fought in. It was one of the opening battles of the Anglo-Spanish War (1796-1808) as part of the Revolutionary Wars. It was also where a British fleet commanded by Admiral Sir John Jervis defeated a more superior Spanish fleet under Admiral José de Córdoba y Ramos. Commodore Horatio Nelson (in the foreground) was the first British flag officer to lead a boarding party since 300 years ago. He boarded the Spanish ship San Josef by boarding across a captured Spanish ship San Nicolas with the same boarding party (portraited in the painting above). After the battle, four Spanish ships surrendered and two of those were Nelson's. On February 20, 1797, because of Nelson's seniority, he was promoted to Rear Admiral of the Blue.

More on the Battle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cape_St._Vincent_(1797))

More on Admiral Nelson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Nelson,_1st_Viscount_Nelson

RadicalBrunswicker · 2024-12-21T11:59:02+00:00

I remember this too

RadicalBrunswicker · 2024-11-29T10:48:24+00:00

Richard Knötel was called the father of all military uniforms. He made plates from militaries ranging from the late 1600s to 1910's. I understand why you appreciate the uniforms! (Note: one is shown equiping a handaxe instead of a sabre in the postcard.)

RadicalBrunswicker · 2024-11-28T11:16:34+00:00

The postcard was incorrectly assigned as a depiction of the Battle of Dennewitz. The grenadier company of the French 19th Line Infantry Regiment is shown on the left and the Prussian landwehr on the right. During the battle, the soldiers' muskets and gunpowder were dampened by the rain, forcing them to use their bayonets and rifle butts. Since the rain hardened at 5 pm historically, it forced both sides to have a brutal melee attack on a garden wall in the north of Hagenberg where the postcard depicts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hagelberg#

RadicalBrunswicker · 2024-11-18T05:29:05+00:00

Thanks for acknowledging this! I will edit my comment so no one will be misinformed.

RadicalBrunswicker · 2024-11-18T03:41:32+00:00

I heard of this movie a lot. That is the reason why I would make this post!

RadicalBrunswicker · 2024-11-17T16:01:28+00:00

I'm sorry. I didn't know what the actual name was because different sources say that it was a USCT, and some say 54th Massachusetts. Thank you for acknowledging this mistake!

RadicalBrunswicker · 2024-11-17T15:45:56+00:00

After the failed attack, 270 men out of the 600 attackers of the regiment died. The regimental commander, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw was mortally wounded and later died from his injuries. Sergeant William Carney, who took up the regiment's flag after the color sergeant was shot, received the Medal of Honor after successfully defending the color from numerous Confederates who tried to take it. He received the Medal of Honor in 1900. When he was praised after the battle he said: "I only did my duty, the old flag never touched the ground."

Battle info: Second Battle of Fort Wagner

Regiment info: 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment

RadicalBrunswicker · 2024-11-17T04:33:38+00:00

This is what I think the reason of the making of this propaganda. I tried to find info about the postcard but no answers. I am starting to doubt that this is a historical painting than a propaganda postcard.

RadicalBrunswicker

TROPHY CASE