Legionary Catteau shielding sous-lieutenant Maudet from Mexican bullets in the Battle of Camerone
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The Battle of Camarón (Camerone) which occurred over ten hours: on 30 April 1863 between the French Foreign Legion and the Mexican army, is regarded as a defining moment in the Foreign Legion's history. A small infantry patrol, led by Captain Jean Danjou and Lieutenants Clément Maudet and Jean Vilain, numbering just 65 men was attacked and besieged by a force that may have eventually reached 3,000 Mexican infantry and cavalry, and was forced to make a defensive stand at the nearby Hacienda Camarón, in Camarón de Tejeda, Veracruz, Mexico. The conduct of the Legion, who refused to surrender, led to a certain mystique — and the battle of Camarón became synonymous with bravery and a fight-to-the-death attitude.
file size: 1393 x 2266 px, 11,8 x 19,2 cm (300dpi), 1,2 MB