Topics created by Witt

Go Grant! Southerners should have got an Anglican minister to command I guess :D

On the 5th November 1854 a  smaller British and (yes) French army beat off an assault by the Russians at Inkerman in the Crimea. It was known as “The  Soldier’s Battle” as men fought small engagements due to poor visibility in dense fog.
The Russians had massed 32000 men on the Allied flank and headed for the 2700 man 2nd Division, commanded today by the aggressive Pennefather. Instead of falling back in the face of superior numbers, he advanced. The British had their rifles to thank this day as they took a terrible toll on the musket armed Russian Infantry, who were hemmed in by the valley’s bottle neck shape. The British 2nd Division pushed the Russians back onto their reinforcements and should have been routed by the Russians’ numbers, but the fog and the British Light Division saved them. Three successive Russian commanders were killed in this engagement.
The Russians other 15000 men approached and assailed the Sandbag Battery, but they were routed by 300 British defenders vaulting the wall, blunting the lead Battalions, who were then attacked in the flank. More Russian attacks ensured the Battery exchanged hands several times.
The British 4th Division was not as lucky. Arriving on the field, its flanking move was itself flanked and its commander, Cathcart, killed. This enabled the Russians to advance, but not for long. They were soon driven off by French units arriving from their camps and made no more headway.
The battle was lost and they had to withdraw.
This was the last time the Russians tried to defeat the Allied troops in the field. Despite this reverse, however, the Russian attack had seriously stalled the Allies from capturing Sevastopol. They had to instead, spend one harsh winter on the heights overlooking the city, before it fell in September of 1855.
The British suffered 2573 casualties, the French 1800 and the Russians 11959.

Of course.
I will be happy to start and play two or three turns and if you think you are losing (or I tell you you are!), we can restart.
Enjoy your evening.

On the 27th October 312 AD the battle of Milvian Bridge was fought near Rome. The two men contending for control of Rome and the Empire were Constantine, who controlled Gaul, England and parts of Germany and Maxentius, who controlled Italy, Spain and Africa.
It happens the two were brothers in law.
The day before the monumental and pivotal battle, Constantine saw a flaming cross in the sky, taking I as an omen, he had his men put a cross on their shields and banners.
Full of strength at what their commander had seen, Constantine’s men won the battle. Maxentius drowned crossing a bridge over the Tiber.
Rome would soon be unified under one ruler (only Licentius remained in Constantine’s way.)
Constantine would spend the ret of his reign Christianising his subjects.
He converted on his deathbed, becoming the first Christian Emperor, in 337 AD.

So, you’re saying The Inquisition isn’t still going strong?

Along with the Burners of Forbidden Books?

@MrMalachiCrunch:

I was told the family history of the Churchill’s originated about that time.  I really should verify this but a cousin went to somerset house 20 some odd years ago to do some research on the family tree.  I was told the genesis was a French knight who was granted land in England after a victory in about this era.  Shortly after that the family tree diverged to my fathers side and Winston’s side!  Normally I would wish for English victories all the time but this once has a personal connection. Had the Saxons won there might never have been a Winston Churchill….or me!

Long live William!
I know more good things came of the invasion, than bad ones.
I was being naughty.

My pleasure.
I found it on Wiki early yesterday morning,  but is only a small entry.
When I got back from work I had a look through my own books, but could find little more detail. Was fun searching though.

Nice!
Think of me when you are standing by where AS Johnston died through blood loss. He is undoubtedly one of the war’s great enigmas and what ifs.
Forrest came to the fore at this battle and one of my favourite generals was present too: Patrick R Cleburne, commanding a Brigade.
Hope the weather is not to bad.

I have no idea if there were any of the new Protestant nations represented at the battle.
I suppose they were mainly Northern ones, as  the Med was  surrounded by older Catholic ones.
It is weird to think the ships involved were the same type used two millennia before and that they were still rowed by slaves or prisoners of war. How many went down with the ships too?

His eldest did not of course. He won at Agincourt, only to die of dysentery in France 7 years later.
His early death led to the Wars of the Roses.
Henry IV certainly had three more sons who accompanied their brother to France. I cannot remember their names or titles. One may have been the young Henry VI’s Regent.
Perhaps Flashman can remember.

I have said before,  I am fond of the Richards and no lover of the Henrys.

Thank you : -)).  The submarine finally scarified in last Britain war.  The ship alone is worth a memorial! :-D

I didn’t know that Cromwell.
The South were his family’s lands, so I suppose he would have felt the urge to protect them and its people.
All we can say, is that he should not have rushed. But then we weren’t there.
He almost won the battle( on the 14th October).
Think I posted about Hastings last year, so will not repeat!

It is remarkable how many sea battles have proved more important and lasting than land ones.
Unlike you Cromwell,  I have  always favoured the Infantry slogging it out.

On the 18th September AD 96 another of those dreadful Roman Emperors was done in. This time it was Domitian. His father had been the great military commander Vespasian, who started work on the Colosseum. Domitian succeeded his equally good brother, Titus, but when he fell ill, he left orders to his attendants to let him starve.
Domitian was a sadist and as he grew older he lost his good looks and athletic frame. He took his brother’s daughter as a mistress and executed a man after he had taken his wife from him, because he had joked about it with Titus. His wife hatched a plot with another who also feared for his life, using other members of the Emperor’s exasperated staff.
The assassination came days after Domitian had celebrated his 15th anniversary as Emperor.
The man who would do the deed was Stephanus, the steward to  the Emperor’s niece, Domitilla. Days before he began wearing a sling, feigning an injury. On the 18th September he placed a dagger in it and at a good moment pulled it out, stabbing Domitian in the groin. The two wrestled for their lives, until four more plotters came in and stabbed the Emperor a further seven times.
He was succeeded by a 65 year old Nerva, who was elected by the Senate and who died of natural causes. He was the first of the Five Good Emperors.

Thank you. Did spend 5-10 mins going over the details beforehand to ensure I did not make a mistake. Has been a while since I read about it.
Enjoyed writing it.

I was fascinated to hear of a terrorist attack and totally surprised to discover the perpetrator was probably  an Italian.

I think England only had one concern: Napoleon.
As you said Worsham, I am not sure it had its heart in a war with you too.
Did it have the resources and will to fight what would become a major trading partner and possible ally? I don’t think so.

The snow destroyed Le Grande Armee, not fighting Russians.

However, Kutuzov did somewhat lure Napoleon into Russia knowing about the reality of Russian winters.

The rivalry between cities that goes back to medieval times still exists in Italy. It can be seen in sport nowadays, certainly in  football.
I like it. I like how your place of birth can give you a sense of pride.
I never feel better than when I return to Florence and walk the historic streets, see the Palazzo Vecchio, cathedral, the  city walls and the river.
I will be there in give weeks. October is a good month too.

Evening Herr KaLeun. I too have always been surprised that this charge was the last large scale one, but it is how I remember it.
Just to be sure, I did google last  British cavalry charge and found and read of the one you mention about an hour ago!