Forgotten Battle 31

Welcome back viewers

This month's Forgotten Battle is...

The SLA Shootout

Intro

The SLA Shootout took place on May 17, 1974. It was a two hour gunfight between six members of the Symbionese Liberation Army and officers of the LAPD. This shootout was fought on East 54th Street within Los Angeles, California, and would leave a lasting impression on the city's law enforcement forever.

Part I

The Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) is believed to have been formed in the year 1973. The man responsible for it was an ex-convict named, Donald DeFreeze. While he was incarcerated, DeFreeze met a student from UC Berkeley named, Willie Wolfe. Together, they decided to form a far-left marxist group that could fight against the corrupt and racist American society. On March 5, 1973, DeFreeze escaped from Soledad Prison and fled to Oakland, California. There, he met another far-left radical named Patricia Soltysik who had attended UC Berkeley. It was here, that the DeFreeze formed the Symbionese Liberation Army.

Before long, the SLA gained almost dozen members. Their mission was to spread left-wing ideology which included: marxism, anti-capitalism, feminism, and vanguardism. Each member adopted a new name, purchased a small arsenal of weapons, and prepared for their first act of rebellion. DeFreeze decided that the SLA's first major act would be to assassinate a public figure. The target would be the Superintendent of Oakland Public Schools, Marcus Foster. 

Marcus Foster was a highly respected public figure and the city's first black superintendent of an urban school system. However, his alleged support for a student identification program convinced DeFreeze and the SLA that Foster was a race-traitor and supporter of fascism (Foster was actually against the program). On November 6, 1973, Foster and his Deputy Superintendent (Robert Blackburn) were leaving a school board meeting when several gunmen opened fire on them. Foster was shot eight times and died at the scene. Blackburn was severely wounded but survived.

Members of the SLA immediately sent letters to the media claiming responsibility for the assassination. In spite of their justification for killing Foster, the public (especially college students) reacted with scorn and outrage. Two months after the murder, two SLA members were stopped and arrested by the police. While the two men were being taken into custody, the police discovered weapons and SLA fliers within their car and began a state-wide manhunt for the group. But the SLA got wind of the arrests and quickly set fire to their safe-house before the police could arrive. 

Part II

The negative reception to the assassination of Marcus Foster convinced DeFreeze to change his tactics. He decided that kidnapping an important figure would bring much needed news coverage to the SLA. This time, their target was a UC Berkeley undergraduate named, Patricia "Patty" Campbell Hearst. Patty Hearst was the daughter of newspaper publisher Randolph Apperson Hearst and the granddaughter of the famous congressman, William Randolph Hearst. Due to her status as the heiress to the Hearst family fortune, DeFreeze was convinced that her kidnapping would invite nationwide news coverage that would spread the mission of the SLA.

On February 4, 1974, three members of the SLA broke into Patty Hearst's apartment and abducted her at gunpoint. As DeFreeze had predicted, her kidnapping made headlines across America. Two days after the abduction, a letter appeared to media from the SLA. In it, they claimed responsibility for Hearst's kidnapping and ordered that all their following demands be printed in all newspapers. Six days later, a recording was delivered to the KPFA radio station in Berkeley. It was revealed to have been made by Patty Hearst herself. In it, she claimed that she was being treated well and asked the police not try and look for her. Over the next two months, four more recordings were released. In them Patty seemed to be growing more hostile and gravitating towards sympathizing with her captors. Fifty-nine days after her abduction, a fifth tape was recovered. Here, Patty Hearst denounced her family, pledged her allegiance to the SLA, and called herself, "Tania".

On April 15, two weeks later, five members of the SLA broke into the Hibernia Bank in San Francisco and stole over $10,000. Upon reviewing the banks surveillance tapes, investigators discovered that one of the robbers holding up the bank employees was none other than Patty. A few days later, a sixth tape was recovered where Patty admitted to willingly participating in the robbery and reiterated that she was not brainwashed. With Patty Hearst now confirmed to have become a full fledged member of the SLA, local police and the FBI decided to ramp up their efforts to track down and arrest the organization.

Part III

Three months after the Hibernia Bank robbery, the SLA was operating in the city of Los Angeles. On May 16, two of its members (Bill and Emily Harris) entered a sporting goods store and were caught shop-lifting. While they were fighting with a security guard, Patty Hearst (who was acting as a lookout) pulled a rifle and fired warning shots at the shop's overhead sign. This enabled Bill and Emily to run to their car and drive away with Patty in the backseat. Police were alerted to the scene and later found the vehicle abandoned. Upon searching the vehicle they discovered a parking ticket with an address. Suspecting the SLA, the LAPD converged on the house. Although, it was abandoned when they arrived, the police found evidence that confirmed the SLA was in the area.

The next day, the LAPD received a 9-1-1 call claiming that several armed people had taken up residence at 1466 East 54th Street in downtown Los Angeles. It was the break they were waiting for. Within minutes more than 400 cops and a handful of FBI agents surrounded the neighborhood. Captain Mervin King ordered his officers to evacuate the houses on 54th Street and slowly converge on the target house. The cops then split into two groups. One group was led by Sergeant Albert Preciado approached and deployed by the front of the house. The second group (led by Sergeant Ron McCarthy) moved to the house's back entrance. 

With the house now surrounded, an officer grabbed a bullhorn and shouted, "Occupants of East 54th Street, this is the Los Angeles Police Department speaking. Come out with your hands up!". He repeated this order a total of 18 times but got no answer. After observing the SLA members barricading the doors and arming themselves with rifles, the SWAT teams decided to start firing tear gas. As soon as they did, the SLA members opened fire, and the gunfight began. The SWAT officers were armed with semi-automatic AR-15 and AR-180 rifles. By contrast, the SLA members were armed in M-1 carbines and a BAR that had been converted to fully automatic fire. Several officers would later report seeing hand grenades being tossed at them from the house.

For the next two hours, the SWAT officers traded fire with the SLA. The balance finally tipped at 6:45 PM, when the house caught fire. This was likely due to all the burning teargas canisters fired into the house. The fire forced the SLA members to retreat to a crawlspace under the house. From, its entrance they resumed firing at the police who fired back. At this moment, one of the SLA members (Nancy Ling Perry) exited the house. As she crawled on her hands and knees, she pointed a pistol at the officers and fired. Her shot missed. The police immediately returned fire and killed her on the spot. Then a second SLA member (Camilla Hall) exited the crawlspace and raised a revolver at the SWAT officers. She was killed with a single shot to the head. Her body was then pulled back inside the crawlspace by another SLA member. Soon after this, the shooting stopped and the LAFD moved in to put out the fire.

Epilogue

After the fire was out, the police moved in and found the bodies of six members of the SLA (five in the crawlspace, and one on the ground outside). They were identified as, Donald DeFreeze, Willie Wolfe, Nancy Ling Perry, Angela Atwood, Camilla Hall, and Patricia Soltysik. All had died from a combination of gunshot wounds, burns, and smoke inhalation. By contrast, the LAPD had suffered no casualties.

The entire incident was covered live by multiple news organizations. With the use of brand new portable mini-cams, this was the first ever police-involved shootout to be broadcast on live television. Among those to watch the shootout on live TV was Patty Hearst. After the shop-lifting incident, she along with the Bill and Emily Harris had switched vehicles and driven out of Los Angeles to a hotel in Anaheim. Together, they watched the showdown on the television in their hotel-room.

For the SLA, the shootout was the beginning of the end. On September 18, 1975, Patty Hearst along with Bill and Emily Harris were captured in San Francisco. Patty was sentenced to seven years in prison for her role in the Hibernia Bank robbery. Twenty-one months later, she was released after President Jimmy Carter commuted her sentence. She was later granted a full pardon in 2001 by President Bill Clinton. Bill and Emily Harris were sentenced for their roles in her kidnapping.

Today, the two hour shootout between the LAPD and the Symbionese Liberation Army is remembered as a great triumph of American law enforcement against organized crime. It showed what the police were capable of and served as a deterrent for any future anti-government organizations who believed themselves capable of operating outside the law. Never again would any home-grown guerrilla networks wreck such havoc within the United States of America.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/may-17/lapd-raid-leaves-six-sla-members-dead

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/guerrilla-rise-and-fall-symbionese-liberation-army/

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-18-me-59109-story.html

https://www.dailynews.com/2014/05/15/photos-and-video-symbionese-liberation-army-shootout-with-the-lapd-40-years-later/

Forgotten Battle 30

Welcome back viewers

This month's Forgotten Battle is...

The Battle of Ligny 

Intro

The battle of Ligny occurred on June 16, 1815, outside the town of Ligny in what is now Belgium. It was fought between the French Army led by Napoleon Bonaparte against the Prussian Army led by Field Marshal Gebhard von Blücher. This climactic battle took place during the War of the Seventh Coalition and would be Napoleon's final battlefield triumph.

Part I

In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from the island of St Elba and returned to France. Upon learning of this, King Louis XVIII sent the French Army to apprehend Napoleon. Its commander (Marshal Ney) vowed to bring Napoleon back to Paris in an iron cage. But when Ney and his army encountered Napoleon (and the latter's Imperial Guard) on March 7, the most unexpected thing happened. Napoleon walked into the open and approached the French Army. He then opened his coat and said, "Soldiers, if any of you wants to kill his general, his emperor, here I am". After a few tense seconds, the soldiers of the French Army shouted, "Vive I'Empereur" and joined him.

With the French Army now rallying around Napoleon, King Louis XVIII and his family were forced to flee Paris. Napoleon arrived in the city on March 20 and was greeted with a hero's welcome. He then declared that he had no intention of igniting another war and only wished rule France peacefully. However, the nations of the prior coalitions (mainly Great Britain, Prussia, Austria, and Russia) did not believe him and began to mobilize their armies.

Six days before Napoleon arrived in Paris, the Congress of Vienna declared him an outlaw. Realizing that his hand had been forced, Napoleon quickly mobilized the French Army to meet the oncoming threat. He knew that his only chance of victory was to attack and destroy the allied coalition before it could be formed. After learning that the armies of Great Britain and Prussia were massing in the country of Belgium, Napoleon invaded the country and began marching to meet them.

Part II

Napoleon's plan was to launch a pincer movement against the Allies. He divided his army into two groups. One force of 21,000 (primarily cavalry) was placed under the command of Marshal Ney. Their objective was to attack the Anglo-Dutch army located at the Belgian hamlet of Quatre Bras. Napoleon took command of his group and marched to meet the Prussian Army (which he considered to be the greater threat) with more than 60,000 soldiers and 210 cannons. If all went according to plan, they would attack and defeat both armies on the same day.

There were two men commanding the two allied armies in Belgium. The 1st Duke of Wellington (Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley) commanded the British while Prince William of Orange was in command of the Dutch. Their army combined, numbered more than 30,000 soldiers. Both men knew that even this number would not be enough to defeat Napoleon. Their best chance of victory was to link up with the Prussian Army (who numbered 80,000 strong) and combine their forces. On June 15, they deployed their forces around the Quatre Bras hamlet.

The man who commanded the Prussian Army was Field Marshal Gebhard von Blücher. Marshal von Blücher was a highly experienced military commander who had fought against Napoleon many times before. Therefore, he knew that it was of critical importance to combine his army with Wellington's. He and his massive army camped at the village of Ligny. However, upon learning of Napoleon's movements, Blücher ordered his men to dig in and fortify the village. The stage was set for a massive battle.

Part III

The first clash was at 10 AM in the morning of June 16 at the Belgian municipality of Fleurus. Two French cavalry units attacked the Prussian dragoons stationed there and drove them back. After less than an hour of skirmishing, the Prussians retreated from the town. Just after 11, Napoleon himself entered Fleurus and constructed an observation post.

From there, he observed that even though the Prussians had superior numbers, Blücher had arrayed them in a very wide perimeter that stretched his army dangerously thin. At 2:30 in the afternoon, Napoleon ordered a column of infantry to assault the Prussian line at St. Amand. After opening fire with a massive artillery barrage, Commander Dominique Vandamme's III Corps launched its attack. Initially, they were successful. But then were forced to retreat by a Prussian counter-attack. Almost immediately, Marshal Étienne Gérard's division directly attacked St. Amand from the west. The town changed hands multiple times and both sides suffered heavy casualties.

At 3 PM, Marshal Gérard launched a direct attack on Ligny. The French infantry crossed over an open field and engaged the Prussian defenders in firing at point blank range. The battle quickly devolved into a house to house fight that lasted for the next two hours. As the casualties continued to mount, the Prussian defenders received reinforcements and briefly pushed the French out of Ligny. But by now, part of the town had caught fire and many of the defenders were overcome by the smoke and flames. At this moment Napoleon ordered his elite Imperial Guard to move forward.

With a thunderstorm approaching, Napoleon knew he needed to strike a decisive blow before it began to rain. At 7:45 PM, the Imperial Guard and the French heavy cavalry stormed into Ligny and engaged the defenders in hand to hand combat. Now, the exhausted Prussian line finally buckled and began to retreat. The Imperial Guard pursued them into the town killing and capturing thousands. Blücher tried to personally rally his men, but his horse was shot from under him and he fell wounded. Soon, the Prussians were in full retreat. The fighting finally ended just as darkness fell.

Epilogue

The casualties for the Battle of Ligny were costly for both sides. The French Army had suffered over 12,000 killed, wounded, or captured (among the dead was Marshal Gérard). The Prussians had lost more than 16,000 casualties total. By the next morning, the French were in complete control of the battlefield and Napoleon claimed victory. 

At the same time as Napoleon's attack on Ligny, Marshal Ney had attacked Wellington and Prince William at Quatre Bras. Although he was able to stop the Anglo-Dutch army from linking up with the Prussians, Ney was unable to dislodge them from their positions. But upon learning of the Prussian defeat at Ligny, Wellington and Prince William decided to retreat from Quatre Bras along the Brussels road. They stopped the next day at another municipality called, Waterloo. There, they occupied the high ground and awaited Napoleon's Army.

Although he had no way of knowing it, Napoleon's victory Ligny would be the last of his military career. After the battle, he decided not pursue the retreating Prussians. Believing that Blücher was now out of the fight, he took his army and marched after Wellington. This proved to be a critical mistake since the bulk of the Prussian Army had successfully escaped the battle and was now in the process of regrouping. 

At 3:30 AM on June 17, Blücher sent a letter to Wellington saying that he would reinforce the latter if he could hold his position for at least a day. Wellington was inspired to remain where he was when Napoleon's Army arrived and engaged them at Waterloo on June 18. Just when it seemed that the French were about to win, the Prussian Army arrived the battlefield and smashed right into their right flank. When this happened, the tide of the battle turned and Napoleon was defeated for the final time. After this, the War of the Seventh Coalition was over.

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/napoleons-last-victory/

http://napoleonistyka.atspace.com/Ligny_1815.htm

https://battlefieldanomalies.com/napoleonic-wars/the-battle-of-ligny/

https://www.thoughtco.com/napoleonic-wars-battle-of-ligny-2361104

Forgotten Battle 29

Welcome back viewers

This month's Forgotten Battle is...

The Battle of Kinman Island (Guningtou)

Intro

The battle of Kinman Island occurred from October 25 to October 27 of 1949. It was fought between the Republic of China Armed Forces (Taiwan) against the People's Liberation Army (China). This two day battle had massive repercussions for the two nations involved and would later be branded, "the battle that saved Taiwan". 

Part I

By the year 1949, the Chinese Civil War had finally been won. The communists led by Mao Zedong had defeated the nationalists led by Chiang Kai-Shek and taken complete control of China. The People's Republic of China was established on October 1, 1949. Chaiang Kai-Shek and those loyal to him began withdrawing from China to the island of Taiwan (formerly known as, Formosa). 

During the withdrawal, several thousand nationalist soldiers stayed behind on a few offshore islands in China's Fujian province. One of them was the island of Kinmen (mandarin for "golden gate"). At more than 116 miles from Taiwan, it was the furthest outpost that was still being held by the nationalists. And because it was also only six miles from mainland China, it was also one of the most contested pieces of real estate between the two sides.

Unwilling to recognize Taiwan as an independent nation, Mao Zedong of China's Communist Party immediately began making plans to invade it. In order to do so, they would have to capture the two islands being held by the nationalists off China's coast. They were islands of Xiamen and Kinmen. If both of these island were taken, the communists would have a direct unobstructed path to capture Taiwan. 

Part II

The two men that Mao chose to coordinate the invasion of Xiamen and Kinmen were Marshal Chen Yi and General Ye Fei. Both men had seen heavy combat in World War II and the Chinese Civil War. However, they were highly inexperienced when it came to conducting amphibious operations. Since his army lacked the transports needed to cross the strait, General Ye ordered his men to seize local fishing boats. On October 15, communist 29th and 31st Armies landed on multiple beaches on Xiamen. After just two days of fighting, they were in complete control of the island. 

Contrary to what the communists believed, the soldiers of the Republic of China (the Taiwanese) 12th Army Corps stationed on Kinmen numbered close to 40,000 strong. The man chosen by Chiang Kai-Shek to command this garrison, was General Hu Lien A surprising addition to the Taiwanese command structure was a Japanese general named, Hiroshi Nemoto. General Nemoto had seen combat against the Soviet Red Army in Manchuria during World War II. After the Japanese surrender and the forced demobilization of his army, Nemoto had stayed behind to oversee the evacuation of 40,000 Japanese citizens from the area. In June of 1949, he was transferred to Taiwan to aid Chiang Kai-Shek in securing control over the island.

Upon learning of the communist capture of the Fujian Province, General Nemoto was shipped to Kinmen to help General Hu bolster the defenses. Anticipating that the communists would attack the beaches with tanks, Nemoto advised Hu to put anti-tank obstacles on the island's beaches and concentrate the garrison in positions just beyond the beaches. Although he had no way of knowing when the communists would attack, General Hu did as Nemoto advised. He also had dozens of anti-tank mines placed all along the beaches of Kinmen. For the next few weeks he and his garrison awaited the oncoming invasion. It finally happened on the morning of October 25.

Part III

General Ye's plan was to land three infantry regiments on the beaches of the Kinmen town of Longkou on October 24 under the cover of darkness (to avoid being detected by enemy aircraft). After they established a beachhead, they were to hold it until the following morning when the boats returned with a second wave of reinforcements. This wave would include tanks that would enable the communists to breakout of the beachhead and press further inland.

After being delayed for a couple hours (due to a breakdown in communications among the commanders), the first wave of communists got underway. But as they approached Kinmen around midnight, multiple things went wrong. Because they had been ordered to sail without lights, many of the boats became separated and got lost across the channel. Then just after midnight, a nationalist sentry patrol accidentally caused one of their own landmines to detonate on the beach. The resulting explosion alerted the defenders, made them turn on their searchlights, and train all their guns on the beaches. As a direct result, they spotted the communist ships approaching at 12:30 AM and a firefight began.

As the communists struggled to land their troops ashore, many of the boats got snagged on underwater obstacles. This made them easy targets for the nationalist machine-guns, costal artillery, and tank units stationed on the beaches. Those that survived the sinking of their boats were gunned down as they tried to wade ashore. The ones who did manage to get ashore found themselves unable to move off the beaches. 

In spite of these setbacks, two of the communist infantry regiments were able to land to the north of Longkou. At 2:10 AM, the communist 253rd and 251st regiments landed over 5,000 soldiers near the town of Guningtou (where the nationalist line was weaker) and successfully pushed the defenders off the beach. They then advanced further inland, captured Guningtou (and two other towns), before setting up a strong defensive perimeter on Kinmen. From there, they awaited the arrival of the second wave to reinforce them.

However, by now it was low tide. This caused many of their boats to become stuck in the mud and easy prey for the nationalist air-force who took to the skies at first light. As a direct result, they could not return to China to pick up the second wave of troops. At 4:30 AM, the nationalists launched a massive counter-attack with tanks and planes. After two days of heavy fighting, the nationalists had retaken all the towns and surrounded the communists at Gunningtou. At 10 AM on October 27, the latter realized the situation was hopeless and surrendered.

Epilogue

The casualties for the battle of Kinmen Island were heavy for both sides. The nationalist soldiers suffered a total of 1,267 killed and 1,982 wounded. By contrast, the communist losses are reported as 3,873 killed and 5,175 captured (the entire landing force). Over the next few weeks, some of the captured communists were executed and some of them agreed to defect to Taiwan. The rest were all released in a prisoner exchange in 1950.

For Mao Zedong and the communists, the invasion of Kinmen Island was a disaster. Although he remained in complete control of mainland China for the rest of his days, he and his government would never again attempt to invade Taiwan. To this day, Kinmen Island remains under Taiwanese control and serves as a bastion to deter any invasions from China in the future.

For General Hu and his nationalist army, the battle was a hard-fought victory. He later named the units who won the battle, "the Bears of Kinmen". By defeating the invasion of Kinmen, they had saved their nation from being taken over by the communists. In May of 2025, October 25 became a national holiday for the people of Taiwan.

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/battle-of-guningtou-the-republic-of-china-fights-for-survival/

https://www.chinafile.com/photo-gallery/cold-war-island-thaws

https://www.eurasiantimes.com/looking-back-at-history-when-taiwan-beat-china/

https://japan-forward.com/hiroshi-nemoto-the-japanese-general-and-chiang-kai-shek/

Forgotten Battle 28

Welcome back viewers

This month's Forgotten Battle is...

The battle of Tuyutí 

Intro

The Battle of Tuyutí occurred on May 24, 1866. It was fought within the Tuyutí Marsh in the southwest corner of the country of Paraguay between the armies of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay against the army of Paraguay. This battle (which many historians would call the, "Latin Waterloo") was bloodiest event of the worst war fought in the history of South America and would change the fate of one nation forever.

Part I

In the year 1865, the political situation on the continent of South America had reached a breaking point. A series of civil wars and coups had plunged the entire southern part of the continent into one of the most destructive wars of the 19th century. The country that was at the center of this conflict was the nation of Paraguay. The leader of Paraguay was Francisco Solano Lopez. Lopez had succeeded his father as President of Paraguay in 1862. After touring Europe, he returned to his country with the very latest in military technology. He brought with him, thousands of guns, ammunition, and several dozen steamships which he used to bolster the Paraguayan Army and Navy into a lethal fighting force that could rival its much larger neighbors (Brazil and Argentina).

In the year 1864, civil war broke out in the nation Uruguay. On one side, was the reigning Blanco Party headed by President Atanasio Aguirre. The other side was the rebelling Colorado Party led by Venancio Flores. To Lopez's anger, he noticed that the nations of Brazil and Argentina were backing Flores and the Colorado Party. Believing that this would threaten Paraguay, Lopez pledged his support for President Aguirre and demanded that the Brazilian Emperor Pedro II cease his intervention in Uruguay. When his demand fell on deaf ears, the Paraguayan Army launched an incursion into the Brazilian province of Mato Grosso in December of that year. They defeated the Brazilians stationed there and by January of 1865, the southern border of Mato Grosso was under Paraguayan occupation.

After this, President Lopez sent a demand to Argentina's President Bartolomé Metre for permission to cross the Argentine province of Corrientes with his army to aid the Blancos in Uruguay. President Mitre declined this demand so Lopez declared war on Argentina and sent 20,000 soldiers into the Corrientes province in March of 1865. Unfortunately, the civil war in Uruguay was now over. Aided by Brazilian troops, Venancio Flores and his Colorado Party entered the capital city of Montevideo, defeated the Blancos, and forced them into exile. With Flores now the president, Uruguay along with Brazil and Argentina signed the Treaty of the Triple Alliance and declared war on Paraguay.

Part II

Almost immediately, the tide of the war turned against the Paraguayans. The Allies destroyed most their navy at the battle of Riachuelo on June 11, 1865. Two months later, the Paraguayan Army was decisively defeated at the battle of Yatay Creek on the banks of the Uruguayan River. These defeats coupled with the massive numbers of Allied troops massing to the north and south of Paraguay, forced President Lopez to pull his armies back to the mainland and prepare for an invasion.

In April of 1866, the Allies launched an incursion into Southern Paraguay. After a month of marching and fighting, the Allied Army camped a few miles north of the Paraná River in a marshy swamp called, Tuyutí (Guarani for: white mud). Upon learning this, Lopez ordered the Paraguayan Army to launch an attack on the Allied camp. Led by General Alexandre Argolo, the Paraguayans advanced in four columns and numbered more than 27,000 infantry and cavalry. By contrast, the Allied Army was made up of 22,000 Brazilians (led by General Manuel Osório), 11,800 Argentines (led by President Mitre), and 1,200 Uruguayans (led by President Flores). Their entire force consisted of 35,000 infantry, cavalry, and 48 artillery guns.

General Argolo divided his force into four columns. His plan was to launch a pincer movement against the Allied position and catch them by surprise. However, during the night of May 23, many Paraguayan soldiers got lost in the thick marsh and struggled to get through them. By noon the next day, only one of General Argolo's columns had made it through to the Allied camp. To make matters worse, the Allies had spotted the Paraguayans struggling to get through Tuyutí and were ready to meet the attack. In spite of these setbacks, the sole Paraguayan column (led by Colonel Jose Diaz) decided to launch their assault.

Part III

The first to attack were Colonel Diaz's cavalry units. At 11:55 AM, they charged at full gallop toward the first Allied line of defense (manned by the Uruguayans). When the attackers were at grapeshot range, the Allied artillery opened fire and ripped through the cavalry lines with deadly accuracy. When they got within 180 meters, the Uruguayan infantry opened fire and mowed them down. The few horsemen who survived abandoned the assault and pulled back. At this point, Colonel Hilario Marcó arrived on the battlefield with four infantry regiments. With Colonel Diaz's infantry on their right, they launched another assault on the Allied camp (once again, against the Uruguayans).

By now however, the Brazilians had moved up on the Uruguayan left flank and fired down upon the Paraguayan infantry. At the same time, the Paraguayan cavalry launched another charge. Both attacks were repulsed with heavy casualties. Even so, the Paraguayans refused to give up and sent more infantry to assault the Allied center. Even though the Brazilian general (António Sampaio) was shot off his horse and killed, each attack was repelled with no attacker getting closer than fifty meters to the Brazilian/Uruguayan lines.

Then without warning, Paraguayan cavalry and infantry under the command of General Vincente Barrios emerged and struck the Brazilians in the left flank. Although the Brazilian Light Brigade was initially pushed back, they were reinforced by two infantry regiments and stopped the Paraguayan advance. The latter was then annihilated by a burst of cannon fire from the allied artillery units. The final action occurred on the Allied right flank, when the last Paraguayan column under General Francisco Resquín arrived on the battlefield.

General Resquín's cavalry charged against the Argentine lines. The Argentine infantry responded by fixing bayonets and forming squares which fended off the Paraguayan attacks. At the same time, the Argentine artillery fired canister rounds into the Paraguayan ranks. After losing an entire regiment of cavalry, General Resquín could see the situation was hopeless and pulled his forces back. By 4:30 PM, all fighting in the swamp of Tuyutí had ceased.

Epilogue

The casualties for the four hour battle of Tuyutí were horrific. The Allied casualties are listed as 996 killed and 3,232 wounded. Although the exact numbers are not known, the Paraguayan casualties are believed to have numbered more than 6,000 killed and over 7,000 wounded (out of 26,000 engaged). It was a disaster that they would never recover from. From this point onward, the Paraguayans would never mount another major offensive against the Allies.

The War of the Triple Alliance went on for another four years. During this, the Paraguayan Army continued to suffer multiple defeats. Even after the Paraguayan capital (Asunción) fell in 1869, President Lopez refused to give up and turned to guerrilla warfare. After another year of brutal fighting, on March 1, 1870, Lopez and what remained of his army were cornered by the Brazilian Army at a hill called, Cerro Corá. President Francisco Solano Lopez was shot and killed during this final battle after allegedly shouting, "I do not surrender nor deliver my sword. I die with it and for my country!". With that, the War of the Triple Alliance was finally over.

For the nation of Paraguay, the war had been utterly devastating. The nation ultimately lost more than a quarter of its territory to Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. In addition to this, more than sixty percent of its population (including ninety percent of its men and boys) had died. To this day, the nation of Paraguay has still not fully recovered. The battle of Tuyutí remains the most iconic battle of this devastating conflict. It is now remembered as the pretext to the near-annihilation of a whole country in the worst war fought in South America.

https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/war-of-the-triple-alliance-bloodbath-in-paraguay/

https://www.grunge.com/1167842/tragic-details-about-the-war-of-the-triple-alliance/

https://www.erroluys.com/paraguayanwar3.html

https://thebattlecast.com/2018/12/30/show-24-the-paraguayan-war-and-the-battle-of-tuyuti/

Forgotten Battle 27

Welcome back viewers

This month's Forgotten Battle is...

The Battle of Wilson's Wharf (Fort Pocahontas)

Intro

The battle of Wilson's Wharf took place on May 24, 1864. It was fought between infantry soldiers of the Union Army of the Potomac against cavalry of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in what is now Charles County, Virginia. This small battle was the first confrontation between black soldiers and the Army of Northern Virginia and would become a major turning point in the war to end slavery.

Part I

On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation (aka: Proclamation 95). This declared that all slaves within the Confederate States of America were now free in the eyes of the Union and all slaves who successfully escaped bondage would be permanently free. In addition to this, former slaves would be permitted to serve within the Union Army and Navy. Although this did not include the slaves within the border states (Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware), Lincoln had officially changed the narrative of the Civil War. The war against secession was now a war against slavery.

The impact of Lincoln's proclamation was felt almost immediately. Thousands of slaves across the south soon found the courage to escape from their plantations and enlist in the Union Army. This in turn, caused the Confederacy to lose a large percentage of their workforce and also deprived them of international recognition from the countries of France and Great Britain.

In May of 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant launched his Overland Campaign against Confederate General Robert E. Lee. During this campaign, a series of bloody battles were fought across the state of Virginia that cost both armies very dearly. However, the more ground the Union armies gained, the more slaves in the south were inspired to escape to freedom. In addition to this, a series of outposts and fortifications were constructed along the rivers to guard supply lines. One of them was located outside Charles City on the James River. It was called, Fort Pocahontas.

Part II

The man who was in command of Fort Pocahontas was, Brigadier General Edward Wild. General Wild was a former physician who had joined the army in 1861. He had previously seen combat at First Bull Run and South Mountain (where he had lost his left arm). An ardent supporter of the Abolitionist Movement, he had raised a regiment that was almost entirely comprised of former slaves and free blacks (they were nicknamed, the African Brigade). 

During the month of May 1864, he had landed with his regiment in support of General Benjamin Butler's Bermuda Hundred Campaign. At a place called Wilson's Wharf (a rendezvous point for a steamboat line on the James River), General Wild's men constructed a stronghold. Due to its close proximity to Jamestown, they named the fortification, Fort Pocahontas. The fort's garrison was manned by a total of 1,100 soldiers. They included the whole regiment of the 1st United States Colored Troops (USCT), four companies from the 10th USCT, and a section of Battery M of the 3rd New York light artillery (armed with two 10-pounder Parrot rifles). Other than the artillery men and the officers, the entire garrison was composed of black soldiers. On May 23, they were joined by the gunboat, USS Dawn (which was armed with 2 x 32-pounder guns).

When Confederate President Jefferson Davis learned of a "black fortification" being built at Wilson's Wharf, he became enraged and sent orders for Major General Fitzhugh Lee to capture it. General Lee (Robert E. Lee's nephew) took his cavalry brigade and road to the wharf. He arrived outside the fort on the morning of May 24 with 2,500 men. 

Part III

At 11 in the morning, several confederate scouts approached the fort and exchanged fire with the black soldiers on guard duty. After noting the poor condition of the fort and the "inferior garrison", they withdrew and reported back to General Lee. Expecting a quick and easy victory, Lee sent a surrender demand to General Wild at 1:30 PM that day. He promised that the black soldiers would receive the same treatment as white soldiers as prisoners of war. But if the demand was rejected, then he (General Lee) would, "not be answerable for the consequences". 

Although, he was outnumbered more than two to one and Fort Pocahontas was only partially complete, General Wild did not believe Lee's promise of "humane treatment". Only a month earlier, a garrison of black soldiers had been attacked by confederate cavalry at Fort Pillow in Tennessee. Even after surrendering, nearly all the black soldiers had been massacred. Wild sent a written reply to Lee that read, "Present my compliments to General Lee and tell him to go to hell. Take the fort if you can". Angered by this, Lee's men prepared to launch their attack. The fighting began at 2:30 PM.

General Lee ordered a two-pronged attack to be launched on Fort Pocahontas. Lee sent one brigade to attack the left flank of Fort Pocahontas. This attack was meant to be a diversion while Lee sent two other brigades to attack the fort's unfinished right wall. Unfortunately for the rebels, General Wild had anticipated this and had both his cannons moved there. The advancing cavalry (who were dismounted) ran into an abatis and were cut down by enfilading fire from both the defending infantry and artillery. Simultaneously, the rebel attack on the left was also beaten back with heavy casualties.

Unwilling to accept defeat, General Lee ordered another charge on the fort's unfinished right wall. Using the cover of the dense woods, the confederate cavalry once again advanced dismounted. And once again they were stopped by heavy fire from the fort's defenders. This time, the USS Dawn also began lobbing shells into the confederates as they tried to get through the abatis. The few who managed to reach the fort's wall were killed with bayonets. Due to the massacre at Fort Pillow, the defenders decided to take no prisoners that day. The fighting continued for the next four hours until finally, Lee called off further assaults and retreated from the area. By 6 PM, the battle of Wilson's Wharf was over.

Epilogue

Compared to other battles in the Civil War, the casualties at Wilson's Wharf were relatively light, yet far lopsided. Reports of the casualties for each side vary by sources. The accepted number of union casualties is 6 killed and 40 wounded. General Lee did not report his casualties. But it is believed that the confederates suffered between 150 to 200 killed and wounded. 

For the confederates, the battle was a highly embarrassing defeat. General Fitzhugh Lee would never be in full command for the rest of the war. In his report, he claimed that his army had been defeated by a "well-entrenched" enemy backed by six gunboats. He also neglected to mention that the garrison was made up of black soldiers.

For the union, the battle at Wilson's Wharf was a small yet important morale victory. For the first time, black soldiers had stood their ground against the Army of Northern Virginia and emerged victorious. It proved that they could hold their own against overwhelming odds and inspired many more men (black and white) to enlist in the union armies and continue the bloody fight to end slavery in the United States. Today, the battlefield at Fort Pocahontas has been preserved for visitors. It remains a testament to General Wild and his African Brigade's brave stand in the name of freedom.

https://www.wearethemighty.com/history/wilsons-wharf-confederate-beatdown/

https://ironbrigader.com/2025/02/23/the-battle-of-wilsons-wharf-was-a-victory-for-the-black-troops-of-the-usct/

https://www.beyondthecrater.com/wargaming/acw-miniatures/charge/charge-issue-27-page-7-the-battle-of-fort-pocahontas-wilsons-wharf-by-jerry-stefek/

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/thenceforward-and-forever-free

Forgotten Battle 26

Welcome back viewers

This month's Forgotten Battle is...

The Battle of White Horse Hill (Hill 395)

Intro

The Battle of White Horse Hill occurred from October 6 to October 15 of 1952. It was fought between soldiers of the South Korean 9th Infantry Division and airman from the American 5th Air Force against four Chinese regiments from the 38th Corps during the Korean War. This battle would prove the worth of South Korean soldiers in the fight against communism.

Part I

By the year 1952, the Korean War was in its second year. By now, talks for a ceasefire had been going on since October of 1951. This began a new phase of the conflict called, "the War of the Hills". It was a brutal struggle for pieces of real estate along what both sides believed would be the new border between North and South Korea. Both sides knew that hostilities might break out in the future after the ceasefire was enacted and were determined to seize the highest ground possible to give their side the advantage. 

From 1951 onward, multiple battles were fought for control of hills, mountains, ridges, and river-crossings. The most notable of these battles were fought in what would later become the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Certain hills like Heartbreak Ridge, Pork Chop Hill, Old Baldy, The Hook, and Hill Eerie changed hands multiple times between the UN soldiers and the Communists. 

One outpost of particular interest was the one on Hill 395. This hill was located just north of Choerwon Town (present-day Cheorwon County) just along the DMZ. It was part of a twenty to thirty mile area that was the location of the heaviest fighting during the War of the Hills. This area was called, "the Iron Triangle". Hill 395 was important due to its perfect view of the nearby Yokkok-chon Valley which in turn dominated any western approach to Cheorwon Town. If this hill was captured by the communists, the American IX Corps would be denied access to the Cheorwon road and the entire region would be open to enemy penetration.

Part II

The unit that was selected to defend Hill 395, was the Republic of Korea (ROK) 9th Infantry Division. In command, was Major General Kim Jong-oh. The division was originally formed two years earlier and had already seen combat at the beginning of the war. When the North Koreans invaded in October of 1950, the Republic of Korean Army was soundly defeated and nearly annihilated. Only the intervention of the United Nations (mainly Americans) saved South Korea from falling under communist rule.

By 1952 however, many of the ROK units (including the 9th Infantry Division) had been reformed and rearmed. These soldiers were better trained and more determined to protect their country. The soldiers of the 9th Infantry assigned to defend Hill 395 included three full regiments with 4,000 men in each. They were armed with 22 tanks, artillery pieces, and mortars and called their division the, "baekma" or "White Horse". Because of this, Hill 395 would later be referred to as, "White Horse Hill". In the case that their positions were overrun, planes from the American 5th Air Force were on standby to give air support.

Their opponents were four infantry regiments from the Chinese 38th Corps (45,000 men). Under the command of General Jiang Yonghui, they had orders to capture Hill 395 and advance towards the Cheorwon road. Fortunately for the South Koreans, a Chinese defector was captured on October 3, and revealed that the assaults on the hill were imminent. When the fighting began three days later, the men of the White Horse Division were ready.  

Part III

The Chinese began their attack with a massive artillery barrage at mid-day. They then launched a diversionary attack on Arrowhead Hill (Hill 281) which was occupied by a battalion of French soldiers. The French easily repelled the Chinese and inflicted heavy casualties on them. But the attack had succeeded in drawing attention away from their main target. Just after 7 PM, more than 40,000 Chinese soldiers launched their first attack on White Horse Hill.

The fighting began when four Chinese companies attacked at 7:15 that night. The South Korean 10th Company spotted them coming and opened fire with rifles and machine-guns. In spite of suffering heavy casualties, the Chinese continued their attacks all throughout the night until they finally reached the South Korean positions. Although the South Koreans were initially forced to abandon the crest of White Horse Hill, they successfully retook it hours later after calling in air strikes from the 5th US Air Force.

For the next nine days, both sides launched attacks and counter-attacks on White Horse Hill. Throughout the week, the hill changed hands a total of twenty-four times with through 12 attacks and counter-attacks. In some cases, the fighting devolved into hand-to-hand with bayonets, knives, shovels, and even rocks. Finally, on October 14, the South Koreans of the 9th Infantry launched a decisive flanking maneuver that forced the Chinese off the hill for good. With the 5th Air Force continuing to pound them from the sky, the Chinese finally pulled back what remained of their forces. By October 16, the fight for White Horse Hill was finally over.

Epilogue

During the nine-day battle, the 5th Air Force had flown a total of 745 sorties and dropped more than 2,700 bombs (including 358 napalm bombs) on White Horse Hill. In addition to this, the Chinese had fired more than 55,000 artillery shells while the South Koreans fired more than 185,000. The casualties were severe for both sides. The South Korean casualties are reported to have been 3,422 killed, wounded, or missing. The Chinese casualties are unknown. But modern estimates have put their losses as more than 14,000 killed, wounded, or missing. 

Although the War of the Hills was far from over, the men of the ROK 9th Infantry had won an important and hard fought victory at White Horse Hill. Not only had they successfully stood their ground against overwhelming odds, they had done so without any American ground units to support them. For the American generals, it was proof that the South Koreans could hold their own in battle and were convinced to deploy more of them to the front.

For his valor during the battle, General Kim Jong-oh (along with two others) received the US Distinguished Service Cross. Today, a memorial tower now stands near the original battlefield for those who fell in defense of White Horse Hill. Locals refer to the area itself is referred to as "Baengmagoji", for a white horse lying down.

battle-of-korea-the-roks-of-white-horse-hill

https://www.koreanwaronline.com/arms/WhiteHorseHill.htm

https://history-maps.com/warmap/korean-war/event/battle-of-white-horse-hill

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/20141022/battles-of-white-horse-hill

https://www.military.com/daily-news/investigations-and-features/2026/01/21/white-horse-hill-1952-battle-proved-south-korean-army-could-beat-communists.html

Forgotten Battle 25

Welcome back viewers

This month's Forgotten Battle is...

The Battle of Sarikamish

Intro

The Battle of Sarikamish occurred December of 1914 to January of 1915 during World War I. It was fought between the Russian Caucuses Army against the Ottoman 3rd Army outside the town of Sarikamish in what is now Turkey. Also involved in this battle were thousands of volunteers from the country of Armenia. This month long battle would take the lives of thousands and have dire consequences for millions in the area.

Part I

By the end of 1914, the First World War was raging across the Continents of Europe and Asia. For Imperial Russia, the war had taken a very bad turn. In the summer of that year, two whole armies had been surrounded and annihilated by the Germans at the battles of Tannenburg and the Masurian Lakes. Their invasion of Prussia had ended in a costly failure that they would never fully recover from.

However, in spite of their failure on the Eastern Front, the Russians found some success on their border with the Ottoman Empire. When the latter entered the war in October of 1914, it opened up a second campaign called, the Caucasus Front. In the year 1877, the Russians had conquered the Turkish provinces of Kars, Andahan, and Batum and feared that the Ottomans aimed to retake them upon their entrance into the war. In early November of 1914, more than 100,000 Russian soldiers crossed into Ottoman territory. The Ottomans responded by sending the Ottoman Third Army to stop them. 

The Russian invasion force consisted of the I Caucuses and II Turkestan Corps. Among them were thousands of Armenian and Georgian volunteers. By contrast, the Ottoman Third Army is believed to have numbered over 118,000 able-bodied infantry and two artillery batteries. The converging point of the two massive armies was the Kars oblast territory.

Part II

The man who was in overall command the Russian Invasion was General Alexander Myshlayevsky. As in the case of their invasion of East Prussia that year, the Russians launched an offensive into Turkey in early November (the Bergmann Offensive). And also like that invasion, it was defeated. The Russians then pulled back to the town of Sarikamish in Kars oblast. Morale within the Russian Army was now very low and many were losing faith in their leaders. Initially, General Myshlayevsky considered ordering a retreat back to Russia. However, his Chief of Staff (General Nikolai Yudenich) convinced him to hold their position at Sarikamish

Unlike the Russians, the Ottomans were not commanded by a single commander. Instead, they had several high-ranking officials of the Ottoman Empire commanding their own units. The three most notable leaders were Hasan Izzet, ismâil Enver Pasha (the Minister of War), and Major General Hafiz Hakki Pasha. Also involved were a few Germans who were there to act as advisors.

Although the Ottomans had superior numbers, many of their soldiers were ill-equipped to deal with the harsh conditions of Kars oblast during the winter. As they pursued the defeated Russians towards Sarikamish, a harsh blizzard rolled into the territory. With no tents and temperatures dropping to -20°, thousands of Turkish soldiers and their allies began dying from hypothermia and disease. They also lacked any major artillery units (they only had twenty guns).

Enver Pasha's plan of attack involved using three army corps in single envelopment. Simultaneously, a fourth unit would launch an attack on the Russian-held town of Ardahan which was 86 kilometers to the north of Sarikamish. If they succeeded, then the Russian Army at Sarikamish would be surrounded and completely cut-off from retreating. However, in order for this plan to work, all four units would need to attack at the same time. And due to a breakdown in communications and getting across rugged terrain, caused many Ottoman soldiers to become separated from their brigades. 

By the time they arrived at Sarikamish, the Ottoman Third Army had been dangerously weakened in both manpower and equipment. The Russians by contrast, were dug in and armed with plenty of artillery and machine-guns around the town and in the surrounding forest. The fighting began on December 22.

Part III

That morning, the Russian right flank came under heavy attack. For the first few days, it looked as if the Enver's plan was working. The Ottomans managed to push the Russians back. On December 25, at the extreme left wing, the Turkish XI Corps successfully captured Ardahan and the Russian retreat was cut off.

Just when victory seemed near however, Enver Pasha made a critical mistake. He ordered the Ottomans to cease their attacks and take a short rest. This allowed the Russians to regroup and occupy the high ground around Sarikamish. When the Ottoman Third Army launched its second attack on the Russian lines, it was repulsed with heavy casualties. To make matters worse, the Turkish IX and X Corps were caught in an another blizzard on the night of December 25. The heavy snowfall prevented them from reaching their objectives and depleted much of their ranks.

On the morning of December 26, the Turks resumed their attacks on Sarikamish. By then however, the Russians had received reinforcements and successfully repelled each assault. With casualties now rising into the tens of thousands and the weather getting worse, Enver Pasha ordered a night attack to be launched on Sarikamish on December 29. It was repulsed. Then on December 30, General Yudenich orchestrated a counter-attack which drove the Turks out of their positions and forced them into a disorganized retreat (including Enver Pasha himself).

Three days later, the Siberian Cossacks successfully recaptured the town of Ardahan. On January 8, 1915, the Russians launched a counter-offensive on the faltering Turks. They annihilated the IX, X, XI Corps and pushed them completely out of the Kars territory. By January 17, the battle of Sarikamish was finally over.

Epilogue

The casualties for the three week long clash at Sarikamish had been horrific for both sides. Although the exact numbers are incomplete, the Russians are believed to have suffered over 22,000 killed or wounded with a further 6,000 suffering frostbite. By contrast, the Turkish casualties are believed to be over 48,000 killed, wounded, or captured. If the amount of those killed from disease and hypothermia are counted, the number may be over 90,000. 

For the Ottomans, the battle of Sarikamish had been an unequivocal disaster. For Enver Pasha, it was an utter humiliation and he would never command in the field again. Desperate to look for a scapegoat, he laid the blame on the Armenians who had fought with the Russian Army. He claimed that thousands of Armenian soldiers had deserted the Ottoman Army, joined the Russians, and "betrayed" all his plans to the enemy. With the Ottoman Empire's already pre-existing contempt for its Armenian citizens, the disaster at Sarikamish would become the catalyst for the Armenian Genocide.

For their part, in spite of their own high casualties, the Russians had won a major victory at Sarikamish. The credit was attributed to General Yudenich who was promoted to General of Infantry (a position he would hold until the end of the war). The Russians would remain in control of the entire Caucuses Theatre of World War I until the Russian Revolution forced them to withdraw their armies. 

https://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/sarkams-battle-of-1-1/

https://www.foreignexchanges.news/p/today-in-caucasian-history-the-battle-4ab

https://milwaukeearmenians.com/2015/01/04/battle-of-sarikamish/

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/60960/wwi-centennial-turkish-debacle-sarikamish