La Legion Noire

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La Legion Noire (The black Legion) was a military unit of the French Revolutionary Army. The only action of any note that it took part in was the unsuccessful Last invasion of Britain February 1797.^[1]

The Legion was created on the orders of General Hoche to take part in a three pronged attack against Ireland and mainland Britain. It was commanded by chef de brigade William Tate

[edit] Troop composition

According to the prisoner returns submitted by Lieutenant General Rooke after the invasion, the legion numbered 46 Officers and 1178 Men. Tate stated that he had lost eight men in the landing and that four men had been lost to enemy action. Whilst many of the legion we prisoners and convicts drafted against their will (it seems some were british prisoners) the commander of the British forces Lord Cawdor said that 600 of them were french troops of the line "Grenadiers all over six foot and as fine a body of men as I have set eyes on" (J.E Thomas) The legion was equipped with British army material, arms and uniforms capturedat the unsuccessful Franco-British Landings at Quiberon. The Red British uniforms were dyed, with various degrees of success, a brown/black colour from which the unit got its nickname, The units correct designation was: La Second legion des Francs. (Kinross p16) Tate did not speak French and had to rely on his French and Irish officers to communicate with his forces.(ibid)

[edit] References

• Fishguard Fiasco An account of the last invasion of Britain J.S.Kinross isbn 978 1904396 68 0

• Britains last Invasion, Fishguard 1797 J.E Thomas isbn 0 7524 4010 1