A Last Stand. Summons up images of a small group mounting a frantic defence against a much larger force. It has happened a number of times in history, hopefully we'll explore a few of these on this thread.


Custer's Last Stand: The Battle of the Little Big Horn, 25 June 1876


Probably the most famous of Last Stands, certainly the most filmed, Lt Colonel ( his actual Regular Army rank, the moniker General was an honorific applied to his Civil War rank) George Armstrong Custer and his battalion of five companies of the 7th Cavalry, around 210 strong was wiped out by Hostile Native Americans on the bluffs on the east bank of the Little Big Horn river. The remaining seven companies of the 7th lost about 58 of their officers and men.

Last Stand Hill overlooking the river, the bodies of Custer, 41 members of the regiment and 
39 horses were found here;

National Park Service 

Battle Story:


Map of the battle:

Short (17 mins) documentary of the battle:

St Jakob en Birs 26 August 1444


A land dispute between the city of Zurich and the other seven cantons of the the Old Swiss Confederacy resulted in Zurich being placed under siege. At the same time, there was a hiatus in the Hundred Years War, resulting in a large number of unemployed mercenaries ( ecorcheurs, "flayers" ) causing trouble throughout France.

Consequently the Dauphin was sent with an army of around 30,000 of these mercenaries to aid Zurich, passing through Alsace to seize the city of Basle as a bridgehead The canton of Berne dispatched 1200 soldiers to Basle, joining with 300 local troops

On the morning of the 26th August 1444, there was a brief skirmish with French horse at Pratteln followed by a second at Muttenz. The Swiss were now on the banks of the river Birs which they had been instructed not to cross. Their blood up after the two successful actions the rank and file demanded that they cross the river despite the orders of their officers. Forcing the decision, the 1500 Swiss forded the river to find themselves confronted by the entire French Army.

Forming into 3 squares of 500 parallel to the French front, the Swiss launched a furious assault which resulted in a deadlock lasting five hours. As the squares began to weaken the Swiss withdrew behind the walls of the leper hospital at St Jakob.



The position came under fire from French artillery, archers and crossbowmen. As the walls of the hospital crumbled the French launched a final attack. In bitter hand to hand fighting that lasted half an hour, all the remaining Swiss were killed.

Although the entire force was wiped out, the Swiss had killed between 2 - 4,000 French. Losses sufficient to convince the Dauphin not to proceed with the campaign, formally making a peace treaty with the Confederacy and the city of Basle on the 28th October.


The St Jakob Memorial in the City of Basle. By the 19th century the battle had entered the Swiss national consciousness as a symbol of patriotism and defiance against any odds.

Jadotville: 13 - 17 September 1961

"We will hold out until our last bullet is spent. Could do with some whiskey”.


Deployed to the Congolese province of Katanga as part of the UN mission, the 155 men of "A" Company, 35th Battalion ( UN Service) of the Irish Defence Force, came under attack by between 3-5,000 Katangese soldiers, backed up by foreign mercenaries. 

In the run up to the attack, Commandant Pat Quinlan had notified the UN  of the build up of hostile forces between Jadotville and the Katangan capital of Elisabethville. Quinlan was ordered to remain at Jadotville, though it was clear no-one in the area wanted the UN forces there. 
Fortunately, Quinlan had his men prepare defensive trenches.

The attack commenced on the morning of the 13th September 1961 and the battle lasted five days. Attempts by UN forces from Elisabethville to break through were unsuccessful and finally out of ammunition and water, and low on food Quinlan surrendered. 

The Irish troops had just 5 men wounded during the battle. In response, they had killed 300 of their opponents, including around 30 mercenaries, and wounded about twice that number. 

After a month as POWs, A Company were released, rotating home to Ireland in December 1961.


Siege of Jadotville

2016 film based on this event:

The Mirbat gun (25pdr gun/howitzer)
http://www.armytigers.com/events/dhofar-and-battle-mirbat

The battle of Mirbat. As Corporal Labalaba was killed, and it wasn't officially a British Army action, despite his actions (he manned the 25pdr solo for some considerable time) he couldn't be awarded any higher distinction than a "mentioned in despatches".

South Georgia: 3 April 1982


Another fairly recent one. Someone should have coached MF to pronounce "Leith" correctly:

Triceratops wrote:

South Georgia: 3 April 1982


Another fairly recent one. Someone should have coached MF to pronounce "Leith" correctly:

At least Nic Jones got it right
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj0phYz38NU

South Georgia was also the destination of one of the epic open boat voyages - Shackleton's in the "James Caird", followed by a first crossing of the island on foot.

The Alamo, San Antonio de Bexar, 23 February - 6 March 1836








In 1834 Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, President of Mexico, overturned the Constitution of 1824 and established a Centralist Government. In May of 1835, Santa Anna crushed a Federalist revolt in the State of Zacatecas, while in October fighting breaks out in the State of Texas. December 1835 and Texan forces defeat General Cos at Bexar and force the Mexican Army to evacuate Texas. Many Texans think the war is over and return home. 

Almost forgotten nowadays, James  Clinton Neill, commander at Bexar,  had set about transforming the crumbling mission station known as the Alamo into a fort. With 21 artillery pieces, Neill was confident the post could be held. Colonel James Bowie, with 40 and 50 volunteers, arrived on the 19 January with instructions from Texan commander Sam Houston, subject to approval by the Texan Government, to remove the guns and abandon the Alamo. Bowie however, and subsequently Governor Smith, agreed with Neill that the Alamo could and should be held. Further troops arrived, Wiiliam B Travis with 30 regular cavalrymen on the 3 February and on the 8th a further group of volunteers led by David Crockett of Tennessee. On the 20th, J C Neill received word of illness in his family and left for home vowing to return within 20 days. As the Mexican Army was not expected to arrive until mid March at the earliest, this would have been plenty of time. In fact Santa Anna was well on his way.

Santa Anna's army left Saltillo in late January of 1836 and crossed the Rio Grande into Texas on the 16th February arriving at Bexar on week later. Santa Anna had hoped to catch the Texans unawares, but they had sufficient warning to reach the Alamo. Determined to teach these "filibusters and pirates" a lesson, Santa Anna orders a red flag, signifying no quarter, to be flown. Any attempts by the Texans to agree terms were rebuffed. The garrison in the Alamo knew what to expect in the event of defeat.

In the initial stage of the siege, both sides were confident. The Texans that they could repulse any frontal assault, the Mexicans that they could starve the defenders out. The Gonzales Ranging Company, 32 strong led by Lieutenant George C  Kimbell succeeded in reaching the Alamo on the 1st of March bringing the number of defenders to about 189.
Pushing their siege lines forward, the Mexican artillery was having a serious effect on the Alamo's walls and with no relief column in sight the fall of the fort was only a matter of time. Santa Anna was not prepared to wait and at a war council on the 4th March announced that the post would be taken by assault on Sunday the 6th. Jose Enrique de la Pena recorded "the generalissimo would have regretted taking the Alamo without clamour and without bloodshed, for some believe that without these there is no glory" and when General Castrillon objected to the frontal assault and the expected heavy losses he was informed " what are the lives of soldiers than so many chickens?"

Some 1700 Mexican soldiers assembled in darkness on the morning of the 6th and moved forward in their attack columns. The initially silent advance was broken as the troops began huzzaing , cheers which served only to alert the defenders and the battle was on.

Four attack columns struck at the Alamo. General Cos at the northeast corner, Colonel Duque at the north wall, Colonel Romero the east wall and Colonel Morales attacked the church.
The Texan artillery was loaded with langrage, any bit of scrap iron from broken horseshoes to old nails, effectively giant shotguns and the results were devastating as the Mexican columns were swept with fire.
Despite this, the Mexicans reached the base of the wall, to fire at them the Texans had to lean over the parapet exposing themselves to counter fire and began taking losses, among them the garrison commander, William Travis, who was shot through the forehead and killed instantly.
The columns of Cos, Duque and Romero became jumbled as the attack became chaotic. To the south, Morales' column came under heavy fire from artillery and Crockett's men along the palisade. The Mexicans veered to the south west corner and took cover behind some ruined small houses. 
The numbers pressing against the north wall increased. Santa Anna ordered in his reserve, the veteran Zapadores, and led by General Amador the assault troops stormed the north wall. Once on the wall, the Mexicans succeeded in opening a postern gate and the rest of the army flooded in. At the southwest corner, Morales' cazadores picked off the defenders and this area was also stormed.
The remaining Texans left the wall and took position in the long barracks and the church. Here they made their final stand in desperate and brutal hand to hand fighting. Some of the men on the west wall tried to escape into the darkness. The Mexicans had anticipated this move and they were ridden down by lancers. The last fighting took place at the church, when the Mexicans wheeled the 18 pounder cannon on the south west corner round to blast open the doors. Six or seven defenders in the church were taken prisoner on the orders of General Castrillon. All were executed shortly afterwards on the orders of Santa Anna. Whether Davy Crockett was one of these men is a matter of dispute.

There were survivors. Women and children of the garrison's soldiers, Travis' slave Joe, Bowie's freed man Sam and Brigido Guerrero, a Mexican Army deserter who managed to convince Santa Anna that he had been taken prisoner.

The bodies of the defenders were collected and cremated. 189 are currently listed though the Mexicans state they burned about 250 bodies. Mexican losses are estimated at 400- 600 dead and wounded.

In addition to flying a red flag, Santa Anna had his band play the Degeullo, the throat cutting tune.

Camerone, 30 April 1863.


The early months of 1863 saw the French take a new offensive during their intervention in Mexico.

To support this, the two battalions of the French Foreign Legion left Algeria in late February arriving at Vera Cruz in March. The Regiment was assigned to protect the Royal Road running from Vera Cruz to the city of Puebla then under siege by French forces.

In late April, two important convoys of siege guns and ammunition from Soledad, and 3 million francs in gold from Vera Cruz were en route. To provide additional support for these convoys, the 3rd Company of the 1st Battalion FFL, was dispatched from its base at Chiquihuite to Palo Verde 15 miles away. The 65 strong company left Chiquihuite about 1am on the 30th April and arrived at Palo Verde at 7.15am. The Legionnaires began preparing breakfast.
At 8am sentries shouted the alarm that Mexican cavalry had been sighted on the road to the west in the direction of an abandoned Indian settlement called Camerone. The Company formed ranks and began moving back the way they had come, though going cross country to avoid the Mexican forces.


By 9am the Legionnaires had reached and passed Camerone when they came under attack by 300 Mexican irregular cavalry. The first charge was beaten back but the French were in a difficult position, outnumbered and in the open. Captain Danjou ordered his men back to the Trinidad Hacienda opposite the Indian huts.

The Mexicans offered the French a chance surrender which was promptly refused and at 9.45am the battle began.
The Hacienda was attacked from all sides, more Mexican cavalry arrived and at 11am Captain Danjou ws shot and killed. The house was abandoned, though Legionnaire sharpshooters kept the Mexicans at bay.
BY mid-day 3 battalions (1,200) of Mexican infantry, had arrived. Again the Mexicans offered terms, again they were refused.
Mexican attacks continued, with the attackers seizing part of the wall and piercing it to fire through.

Throughout the afternoon the Legionnaires were gradually reduced in number and were driven back until they only occupied a corner of the courtyard until by 6pm only 5 Legionnaires were still on their feet. These men fired the last of their ammunition then launched a bayonet charge!!! at the 2,000 or so attackers.

This finally ended the battle. The Mexican commander, Colonel Milan, exclaiming "These aren't men, they are devils"


Camerone Day is celebrated annually by the FFL. 

Short video about the battle:

Kabul Residency; 3 September 1879.


After replacing Sher Ali Khan with his son Mohammad Yaqub Khan, The British agreed terms with Khan Jnr in the Treaty of Gandamak, one of these terms being the installation of a British resident to oversee Afghan foreign policy.

The Resident, Sir Louis Cavagnari, and his escort of 75 soldiers from the Corps of Guides led by Lieutenant Walter Hamilton, duly arrived in Kabul on the 24th July, occupying a compound inside the Bala Hissar Fort.

Bala Hissar in 1879:



At first, all was quiet. This began to change in late August when Afghan Army regiments from Herat arrived at Bala Hissar demanding their unpaid wages.

On 3 September, the Afghan soldiers again demanded their wages, in gold that was supposedly in the Residency. Cavagnari refused point blank, a scuffle ensued, shots were fired and the Afghans returned to their own compound to collect their weapons.
Arriving back at the Residency the Afghans, some 2,000 strong, invaded the compound and the surrounding buildings. Cavagnari was mortally wounded early on, while leading a bayonet charge.
Lieutenant Hamilton held on, dispatching messengers to Yaqub Khan requesting assistance. All efforts to stop the attack failed.
By mid-day, the Residency was on fire, and the defenders reduced by half. The Afghans brought up two artillery pieces and fired into the burning building and though Hamilton led an attack which captured one of the guns, he himself was killed.
With all British officers dead, the Afghans offered the surviving Guides the chance to surrender. The last dozen Guides led by Jemadar Jewand Singh instead launched a final bayonet charge in which they all died, Jemadar Singh killing 8 Afghans before he was killed. The entire fight had lasted 8 hours. Only 4 soldiers who were on detached duty and 3 who had been sent as messengers to Yaqub Khan survived of the original 75.

One the elite units of the Indian Army during the Empire, the Queens Own Corps of Guides;
soldiers of the Guides photographed in 1880:

Saragarhi: 12 September 1897.





Quite possibly the greatest last stand in history.

Saragarhi in 1897 was an outpost between Forts Lockhart and Gulistan on the North West Frontier of India, and functioned as a heliograph relay station between the two forts.

Fighting in this region was endemic, and in September of 1897, the Afridis, who had for the previous 16 years guarded the Pass in return for subsidies, suddenly rose and took the posts manned by the local Afridi Regiment.  They then moved on to attack posts manned by other British Indian Army units, one of which was Saragarhi.

The garrison at Saragarhi comprised of 21 soldiers of the 36th (Sikh) Bengal Infantry commanded by Havildar Ishar Singh.


Sepoy Gurmukh Singh heliographed the events to Fort Lockhart as they occurred:

• Around 09:00, approximately 6,000–10,000 Afghans reach the signalling post at Saragarhi.
  
  
• Sepoy Gurmukh Singh signals to Colonel Haughton, situated in Fort Lockhart, that they are under attack.
  
  
• Haughton states he cannot send immediate help to Saragarhi.
  
  
• The soldiers in Saragarhi decide to fight to the last to prevent the enemy from reaching the forts.
  
  
• Sepoy Bhagwan Singh is the first soldier to be killed and Naik Lal Singh is seriously wounded.
  
  
• Naik Lal Singh and Sepoy Jiwa Singh reportedly carry the body of Bhagwan Singh back to the inner layer of the post.
  
  
• The Afghans break a portion of the wall of the picket.
  
  
• Haughton signals that he has estimated that there are between 10,000 and 14,000 Pashtuns attacking Saragarhi.
  
  
• The leaders of the Pashtun forces reportedly make promises to the soldiers to entice them to surrender.
  
  
• Reportedly two determined attempts are made to rush open the gate, but are unsuccessful.
  
  
• Later, the wall is breached.
  
  
• Thereafter, some of the fiercest hand-to-hand fighting occurs.
  
  
• In an act of outstanding bravery, Havildar Ishar Singh orders his men to fall back into the inner layer, whilst he remains to cover their retreat. However, this is breached and all but one of the defending soldiers are killed, along with many of the Pashtuns.
  
  
• Sepoy Gurmukh Singh, who communicated the battle to Haughton, is the last surviving defender. His last message is for permission to pick up his rifle. Upon receiving permission he packs up the heliograph and holds the door of his signalling shed. He is stated to have killed 40 Afghans, the Pashtuns having to set fire to the post to kill him. As he is dying, he is said to have yelled repeatedly the Sikh battle cry "Bole  So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal!" ("One will be blessed eternally, who says that God is the ultimate truth!").
  
  
• The Afghans admitted to losing 180 killed with more wounded.
  

Shiroyama: 24 September 1877


The final battle of the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. The last, and most serious attempt, by disaffected samurai to halt Japan's move from a feudal to industrial society.

Beginning with around 20,000 supporters in January 1877, the rebellion had been reduced to no more than 500 by September of that year.
These 500 were trapped and surrounded by 30,000 Imperial Japanese troops. To make certain the rebellion would be crushed, the Imperial forces built entrenchments around the rebel position.


On the 24th September, with support from naval gunfire, the Imperial Army launched its assault at 4am. The samurai retaliated by charging to close quarters with the regulars, inflicting casualties with their swords. With a 60 to 1 advantage, numbers told. The rebel leader Saigo Takamon, was mortally wounded and withdrew to commit seppuku. The remaining samurai made a final charge and were all killed.

Further to the Saragarhi story - see
https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/wolverhampton/wednesfield/2021/09/13/sikh-battle-memorial-finally-unveiled-after-years-of-work/