Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Nice try, but no.

The point of location is excellent. I meant something of this sort.

Time distance between the events requires a VERY impressive approximation to be considered equal to 19 years.

And most importantly what is impossible about both of them? The side having numerical superiority exploited it. Due to better leadership on the other side such a result was not obvious at first. But nothing more. Maybe you had in mind some particular episode?

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Could it be in 1795 and 1814?

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Général David Guegan

3ème Régiment de Grenadiers - Bataillon d'élite du 3ème Légère
2ème Brigade
Grenadiers de la Réserve
Réserve
La Grande Armée
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"From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step."
Napoléon Bonaparte

Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.
Groucho Marx

Yes, plus-minus a couple of months.

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I'm thinking that the French had the better of the British in the Low Countries during 1795 and 1814:

1795 - French effectively overran the British forces representing in that sector
1814 - French effectively crushed the British attempt to take Bergen-op-Zoom, inflicting a few thousand casualties including many prisoners.

Still trying to think about the specific action (elan) and the strategic consequences...

Very hot!

The place is correct, the Low Countries. The timing is correct 1795&1814 plus-minus a couple of months.

Remember that you need something special, something really outstanding and absurd at first thought. So that people would consider it impossible. And as such at least one of the events left its marks in art.

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French major victory where French hussars crossed some iced sea channel and captured the Dutch fleet, which was frozen in Den Helder (the "Gibraltar of the North"), during the winter of 1794-1795. I think General Pichegru was the leader of the French forces in that area.

I believe something very similar happened there again in winter of 1813-1814... maybe it was the abortive British attempt at capturing the French fleet docked in Holland...

Bingo!

The French actions in 1795 are rather well known. Even Wikipedia knows about them: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of ... Den_Helder
The story in detail is described at http://www.napoleon-series.org/military ... jonge.html

Putting it short at the beginning of 1795 the lower decs of the Dutch navy were on the verge of mutiny. In such a situation Admiral de Winter used arrival of a French cavalry detachment to Den Helder as a pretext to signing a convention about neitrality and then surrendering his 14 ships of the line to the French. A mere couple of hussars squadrons in fact. They say there were some infantry from 15e Legere present, but:
a) I don't believe in that;
b) what does it change?

19 years passed. And the Dutch realised that the Napoleon's rule was even worse than presence of a prince of Orange. The lower decs were once again on the verge of mutiny. And Admiral is once again busily looking for a pretext to surrender. This time it once again comes in form of a hussar. Major Marklay or Markle (sources differ) of Russian Pavlovgrad Hussars regiment arrives to the same spot with about 200 cossacks and hussars. Admiral Freoueles (unfortunately I know only a Russian transliteration) signed a convention of neutrality and after some time surrendered his squadron. If memory helps 10 ships of the line.

To put it short twice at the same spot a tiny detachment of cavalry was able to capture a whole naval squadron. Both times it was considered as something impossible. Of course it was only possible with the elan of cavalry being at unbielivably high level. Of course the fleets both times were on the verge of mutiny. Both times the naval commanders presented as an excuse winter conditions. Implying that the ships were frozen into the ice. Although in case of 1813 it does not appear to be true. But frag is frag, after all. And a couple of squadrons of light cavalry proved capable of capturing a whole naval squadron. In both cases historians claim them to be unique. And frankly speaking I never saw anything like that described in any other epoch.

Thanks for your interest! And do you want another one?

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Yes, another one, if you please!

It's apparently related here:

"I dispatched Major Marclay with his detachment to Helder to gather intelligence on movements of enemy admiral Verhul. This distinguished officer forced the admiral to surrender; the latter, concerned about his crew of Dutch sailors, abandoned the fortress of Helder with its ten guns. He also signed capitulation with Major Marclay, according to which he pledged not to partake in any hostilities if you was allowed to continue buying supplies [si on lui permettait seulement de continuer à acheter à terre ses provisions]. Certainly, it was first time in history that a Cossack detachment negotiated [capitulation] with an admiral."

source: http://www.napoleon-series.org/research ... lands.html

I tracked the name of the admiral I think it is : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carel_Hendrik_Ver_Huell

Thanks for the game, it's always interesting.

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Général David Guegan

3ème Régiment de Grenadiers - Bataillon d'élite du 3ème Légère
2ème Brigade
Grenadiers de la Réserve
Réserve
La Grande Armée
--------------------------
"From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step."
Napoléon Bonaparte

Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.
Groucho Marx

"My compliments to Colonel Cavallin", says the Coalition Army's Chief of Staff as he raises his crystal shot glass in tribute. "Helga, please be sure to place the cost of this fine, French warriors libations on the Coalition's tab tonight."

"And do be a dear and fetch another round for our noble, Russian Guardsman at my expense as well, so that he may quench his thirst before issuing his next challenge. I am proud of both of these men tonight."

David,

Thanks for for your comment! I didn't know Alexandr's translated the text. This is almost everything that we know about the event.

It's definately a place of anomaly. Because in 2011 the guys from Napoleon Series forum made a couple of fascinating findings directly connected with the story. The forum discussion can be found here http://www.napoleon-series.org/cgi-bin/ ... ;id=124295

To my shame it appears that lost in a computer crash the portrait in question.

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Anton this is interesting - do more if you can

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Marechal Knox

Prince d'Austerlitz et Comte d'Argentan
Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur

"What is history but a fable agreed upon"

A depiction of the first event I didn't know of
http://x7c.xanga.com/bbef7b36d843525937 ... 538704.jpg
And of course, the well known ones
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... -Fatio.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... exel_1.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... ndaise.jpg

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