THE OLD THIRD OF CARTAGENA

Over three centuries ago the Spanish lost a battle in Northern France. The anniversary is a few days hence. And that is the only reason for this post. I'm jumping the gun, because I remembered it this morning.

On the nineteenth of May in 1643 two armies met outside the walls of Rocroi in the French Ardennes.


From Wikipedia:
"The German and Walloon tercios fled from the battlefield, while the Spanish remained on the field with their commander, repulsing four cavalry charges by the French and never breaking formation, despite repeated heavy artillery bombardment. Enghien then offered surrender conditions just like those obtained by a besieged garrison into a fortress. Having agreed to those terms, the remains of the two tercios left the field with deployed flags and weapons."

The Spanish lost nearly four times as many men as the French.


Here's a marvelous movie clip.

ALATRISTE: ESCENA FINAL

[SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcMCVHJkSPA.]

War has changed quite a bit since then. How lucky we are to live in this modern age, when our knowledge of infections (particularly gangrene and tetanus) has made everything so much better.


Mankind is truly blessed.



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