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Once again it’s Camerone Day. French Foreign Legion posts will all pause to honor the memory (as they did under heavy fire at Dien Bien Phu in 1954). Though not Civil War per se, it would have been a well known incident in the U.S. by mid 1863. France was emboldened to go into Mexico while the war kept the U.S. from enforcing the Monroe Doctrine and, conversely, hastened to leave with the end of the war and a huge U.S. standing army, flushed with victory, massing at the border.
At 1 AM, April 30th 1863, Captain Jean Danjou led the half strength 3rd Company, 1st Battalion of the French Foreign Legion on a patrol to clear 20 miles of road for a convoy bringing supplies and 3 million in gold bullion from Vera Cruz. Having lost his left hand in an accident some years earlier, Captain Danjou habitually wore white gloves to hide it’s articulated wooden replacement. Six AM found the company halted by a pond a mile east of the village of Camerone where, following Legion custom, the men emptied all canteens into communal pots, one squad starting coffee while another went to refill. Surprised by Mexican cavalry, they had to pour out their half done coffee and fall in with canteens empty. The 3rd of the 1st - 65 officers and men - faced over 200 Mexicans with more arriving every minute from Colonel Francisco de Paula Milan’s Central Brigade waiting nearby to ambush the bullion convoy. Forming square, Captain Danjou retreated towards the shelter of a two story hacienda, beating off several cavalry charges. Unfortunately the Mexicans reached the building first, and worse, moving through a cactus hedge broke the square’s cohesion briefly. The pack mules carrying food, water and extra ammunition bolted and sixteen men were cut off and overwhelmed. The remaining 49, several wounded, took shelter in the adobe walled corral behind the hacienda. The ten foot high walls had no loopholes and the legionnaires could only fire as men showed themselves at the hacienda’s windows, came over the walls or tried to force the two small gates. Sergeant Morzycki climbed to the 2nd story roof to scout the situation. He reported a Mexican strength now exceeding 600 cavalry and the approach of a messenger from Colonel Milan demanding immediate surrender to avoid slaughter. Morzycki climbed down to ask the Captain how to reply: “Réponds simplement que nous avons des cartouches et que nous ne nous rendons pas” – (“Simply say we have cartridges and we don’t surrender”). By 9 AM the heat was already stifling and there was nothing to drink except for the Captain’s flask of wine which he shared out equally – a few drops per man -- asking each to take an oath to fight to the death with him. Two hours later the Captain kept his part of the oath, shot through the chest. Sous-Lieutenant Vilain took command. A distant bugle at midday gave brief hope of rescue but turned out to herald instead the arrival of 1,500 Mexican infantry. Surrender was offered a second time. Morzycki replied on his own: “Merde!” Hour after agonizing hour they fought beneath a blistering sun, forced to drink their own urine. Wounded men lying helpless in the corral opened their wounds and lapped at the blood. Vilain was hit in the forehead, dying instantly, and the remaining officer, Sous-Lieutenant Maudet took command, fighting on with no false hopes. When told Morzycki was dead, he replied coldly: “Bah! One more! Soon it’s our turn!” With house and outbuildings burning the few remaining legionnaires gathered in a ruined stable and shot down anyone trying to cross the corral through the smoke. Just before dark they ran out of ammunition. Maudet and the four men able to move then fixed bayonets and charged into hundreds of Mexican infantry. All but Corporal Maine were hit immediately. Fusiler Catteau was shot nineteen times trying to shield the Sous-lieutenant, but to no avail, Maudet was fatally wounded. Mexican bayonets at their chests, the three men still standing shouted defiantly they would surrender only if they were allowed to keep their weapons and their wounded were cared for. The battle was over. Said Colonel Milan: “Pero non son hombres! Son demonios!” – (“These are not men! They are demons!”)
65 legionnaires had fought more than 2,000 infantry and cavalry for twelve hours, inflicted over 300 casualties and saved the convoy from ambush. Danjou’s wooden hand was taken by the Mexicans as a souvenir but later returned to France. Today it is the Legion’s most precious possession.
Captain Jean Danjou lies with the 3rd of the 1st in their mass grave near the site of the struggle.
Rickards, Colin
“Camerone And The French Foreign Legion In Mexico, 30 April 1863”
Marlborough, GB, The Cromwell Press, 2005
Ryan, James W.
“Camerone, The French Foreign Legion’s Greatest Battle”
Westport, CT., Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996
Sergeant, Pierre
“Camerone, La Campagne Héroique de la Légion Étrangère Au Mexique”
Paris, Fayard, 1980
‘Le combat de Camerone: vu par le Caporal Maine’
“Vert et Rouge: Revue de la Legion Etrangere”
May 1945
Reprinted from:
‘Cameron, 30 avril 1863:Episode de la guerre du Mexique’
“Revue des Deux Mondes, 28”
July 1878
At 1 AM, April 30th 1863, Captain Jean Danjou led the half strength 3rd Company, 1st Battalion of the French Foreign Legion on a patrol to clear 20 miles of road for a convoy bringing supplies and 3 million in gold bullion from Vera Cruz. Having lost his left hand in an accident some years earlier, Captain Danjou habitually wore white gloves to hide it’s articulated wooden replacement. Six AM found the company halted by a pond a mile east of the village of Camerone where, following Legion custom, the men emptied all canteens into communal pots, one squad starting coffee while another went to refill. Surprised by Mexican cavalry, they had to pour out their half done coffee and fall in with canteens empty. The 3rd of the 1st - 65 officers and men - faced over 200 Mexicans with more arriving every minute from Colonel Francisco de Paula Milan’s Central Brigade waiting nearby to ambush the bullion convoy. Forming square, Captain Danjou retreated towards the shelter of a two story hacienda, beating off several cavalry charges. Unfortunately the Mexicans reached the building first, and worse, moving through a cactus hedge broke the square’s cohesion briefly. The pack mules carrying food, water and extra ammunition bolted and sixteen men were cut off and overwhelmed. The remaining 49, several wounded, took shelter in the adobe walled corral behind the hacienda. The ten foot high walls had no loopholes and the legionnaires could only fire as men showed themselves at the hacienda’s windows, came over the walls or tried to force the two small gates. Sergeant Morzycki climbed to the 2nd story roof to scout the situation. He reported a Mexican strength now exceeding 600 cavalry and the approach of a messenger from Colonel Milan demanding immediate surrender to avoid slaughter. Morzycki climbed down to ask the Captain how to reply: “Réponds simplement que nous avons des cartouches et que nous ne nous rendons pas” – (“Simply say we have cartridges and we don’t surrender”). By 9 AM the heat was already stifling and there was nothing to drink except for the Captain’s flask of wine which he shared out equally – a few drops per man -- asking each to take an oath to fight to the death with him. Two hours later the Captain kept his part of the oath, shot through the chest. Sous-Lieutenant Vilain took command. A distant bugle at midday gave brief hope of rescue but turned out to herald instead the arrival of 1,500 Mexican infantry. Surrender was offered a second time. Morzycki replied on his own: “Merde!” Hour after agonizing hour they fought beneath a blistering sun, forced to drink their own urine. Wounded men lying helpless in the corral opened their wounds and lapped at the blood. Vilain was hit in the forehead, dying instantly, and the remaining officer, Sous-Lieutenant Maudet took command, fighting on with no false hopes. When told Morzycki was dead, he replied coldly: “Bah! One more! Soon it’s our turn!” With house and outbuildings burning the few remaining legionnaires gathered in a ruined stable and shot down anyone trying to cross the corral through the smoke. Just before dark they ran out of ammunition. Maudet and the four men able to move then fixed bayonets and charged into hundreds of Mexican infantry. All but Corporal Maine were hit immediately. Fusiler Catteau was shot nineteen times trying to shield the Sous-lieutenant, but to no avail, Maudet was fatally wounded. Mexican bayonets at their chests, the three men still standing shouted defiantly they would surrender only if they were allowed to keep their weapons and their wounded were cared for. The battle was over. Said Colonel Milan: “Pero non son hombres! Son demonios!” – (“These are not men! They are demons!”)
65 legionnaires had fought more than 2,000 infantry and cavalry for twelve hours, inflicted over 300 casualties and saved the convoy from ambush. Danjou’s wooden hand was taken by the Mexicans as a souvenir but later returned to France. Today it is the Legion’s most precious possession.
Captain Jean Danjou lies with the 3rd of the 1st in their mass grave near the site of the struggle.
THERE WERE LESS THAN SIXTY OF THEM
OPPOSED TO A WHOLE ARMY
IT’S MASS CRUSHED THEM
LIFE RATHER THAN COURAGE
ABANDONED THESE FRENCH SOLDIERS
April 30, 1863
OPPOSED TO A WHOLE ARMY
IT’S MASS CRUSHED THEM
LIFE RATHER THAN COURAGE
ABANDONED THESE FRENCH SOLDIERS
April 30, 1863
Rickards, Colin
“Camerone And The French Foreign Legion In Mexico, 30 April 1863”
Marlborough, GB, The Cromwell Press, 2005
Ryan, James W.
“Camerone, The French Foreign Legion’s Greatest Battle”
Westport, CT., Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996
Sergeant, Pierre
“Camerone, La Campagne Héroique de la Légion Étrangère Au Mexique”
Paris, Fayard, 1980
‘Le combat de Camerone: vu par le Caporal Maine’
“Vert et Rouge: Revue de la Legion Etrangere”
May 1945
Reprinted from:
‘Cameron, 30 avril 1863:Episode de la guerre du Mexique’
“Revue des Deux Mondes, 28”
July 1878
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