I thought I would post up my next entry for the
"Favourite Character" bonus in the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge, as Curt already has the images up on his blog. The Challenge is now entering the final leg, as entrants furiously try to reach their targets before 20th March Deadline.
The small vignette I put together represents General
Humbert during his expedition to Ireland in 1798, surrounded by his
"Grognards" on the way to the "Races of Castlebar" (so-called due to the very fast retreat of the local British Garrison). He landed in
County Mayo with about 1500 men, including many Irish troops and officers serving in the French Army, and then proceeded to tie down almost the
whole British garrison in Ireland for 17 days, as he outmanoeuvred and out
fought superior local militias and fencibles with a small group of hardened
veterans from the Army of Italy.
After several engagements he
was eventually intercepted by Cornwallis (of Yorktown fame) and
his army of 15,000 infantry. This developed into the Battle of Ballinamuck, where
Humbert's force was defeated, and his force surrendered. Many of the French prisoners were paroled back to France, while Humbert was held prisoner for several years before being sent back to France during a prisoner exchange. The fate of the Irish emigre troops who were captured was far grimmer, with most being hanged out of hand.
Later in life, after emigrating to America, Humbert fought again in
the Battle of New Orleans in 1812 against the British. He ended his days as a
school teacher in America. Anyway, an excellent character who fought a hard
campaign against overwhelming odds.
The General Humbert figure is from Trent Miniatures, the
marching infantry are from Front Rank. I hope you like them.
