Thursday, November 7, 2024
Park Signs you wish you saw
Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Battle of Inkerman 5 November 1854
Anniversary of the Battle of Inkerman in 1854. Here are a couple paintings by Lady Butler which capture the feel.of the battle.
The Return from Inkerman: top of page
"The painting depicts a column of exhausted soldiers trudging back to camp, many of who are wounded and are only just able to stand up. Their commanding officer on horseback rides at the head of the column. The men try to keep their heads held high as they pass fallen comrades who lie at the side of the road. Their tattered uniforms remind us of the ferocity of the battle which has just concluded. The battle took place on the heights of Inkerman where the Russians had mounted a counter-attack on the British forces. The weather had been terrible during the battle with driving rain interspersed with thick fog making the commanding of the troops difficult for both sides. It was a ferocious battle and cost the lives of 2,500 British and 12,000 Russian troops. In her painting the troops depicted are mainly from the Coldstream Guards and the 20th." Devonshire regiment.
The Roll Call
The remnants of a battalion of Grenadier Guards, many exhausted and wounded, are answering a roll call in the aftermath of a battle generally assumed that the scene represented the aftermath of the Battle of Inkerman, which took place on the 5th November 1854.
BTW, here in the states its election day. Please, vote!
Friday, November 1, 2024
General Leopold Philip de Heister
My latest command stand, General de Heister. During the New York 1776 campaign Heister commanded the German contingent of Howe's army. In addition while Howe divided his army into two wings these were commanded by Clinton and Heister.
At the Battle of Long Island the Hessians under De Heister forming the centre of the British attack at Flatbush Pass (today Battle Pass). De Heister personally commanded the attack that over ran Sullivan 's division and captured that general. Later Heister commanded the Hessians at White Plains on 28 October 1776 and the capture of Fort Washington.
He was removed from command in 1777, after the Battle of Trenton and continued disagreements with General Howe. He was replaced by his second-in-command Wilhelm von Knyphausen. Heister, suffering ill health return to Hesse Kassel and died soon after.