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See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, p.6 : 'Plotting To Wage Aggressive War: The Sviet Union Invades Poland. 17 SEP 1939'

He was represented by the character Col. Tavington in Mel Gibson's "The Patriot". He captured American General Charles Lee early in the war, and came within a whisker of capturing Thomas Jefferson near its climax. He was one of the most successful and feared British officers in America during the Revolution, yet he was remembered as 'Bloody Ban', and 'Butcher Tarleton'. He gave rise to the sobriquet for war without mercy - 'Tarleton's Quarter'. His name was Banastre Tarleton, and he was born on this day to a former Mayor of Liverpool, who was also a money lender and a slave dealer in 1754.

Tarleton spent virtually the entire Revolutionary War in America. He started in the north, capturing Charles Lee in New Jersey, and leading British cavalry with great skill. But it was in the south that Tarleton came into his own, leading a mixed force of cavalry and infantry, British regulars and Colonial Loyalists in his own Legion, and waging an extremely brutal form of warfare against the americans.

Tarleton's calling card was Waxhaws, where after conducting one of his storied, rapid pursuits, he caught up with the 350 remnant of American militia; and continued shooting them down after they tried to surrender. The effort was counterproductive, the 'victory' and body count being counterbalanced by the Americans' propaganda victory, and the American battle cry of "Tarleton's Quarter". Tarleton's action at Waxhaws stiffened the resolve of the colonial militias to fight, and drove more of the 'neutral' Southerners to embrace the Patriot cause.

But Tarleton stood high in the opinion, and favor of the British Commander in the South, Lord Cornwallis. And when Nathaniel Green's division of his Army in the face of Cornwallis' approach caused Cornwallis to split his army in response, Cornwallis chose Tarleton to command the force he sent after Daniel Morgan - Tarleton's Legion.

Tarleton caught up with Morgan at a place called "Hannah's Cowpens", or simply 'the Cowpens'. And in less than 30 minutes, Morgan annihilated Tarleton's Legion [see the thread on the battle of Cowpens]. It took some time for the Patriot officers to rein in their men, who were shooting every one of Tarleton's troops trying to surrender to the Americans' cries of "Tarleton's Quarter", and establish order.

Tarleton himself escaped, having lost some 75% or better of his force. He continued to campaign with Cornwallis, first in the Carolinas, and then, when he was forced northward, in Virginia.

Tarleton was part of Arnold's raid on the Richmond area, and almost caught the then Governor of the State, Thomas Jefferson, who delayed fleeing until it was almost too late. When Cornwallis dug in at Yorktown, Tarleton held a position across the Chesapeake from that location.. He was there when Cornwallis surrendered.

Tarleton did not have a good surrender. Although he was neither harmed, nor mistreated, no american would speak to him , except in line of duty, and he was never invited to any of the luncheons or dinners American officers hosted for their British counterparts.

Tarleton returned to England, where he was elected to Parliament from the Liverpool area, and where he argued for Britain to uphold slavery. Tarleton was eventually promoted to general, but was given any command in the Napoleonic Wars. And it all began today, in 1854

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, p.6

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, p. 17

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, p. 16

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, p. 17

He was the Deputy Fuehrer, the man who took down MEIN KAMPF as Hitler dictated it in prison. And he died on August 18th, 1987 at the age of 93; the only prisoner in Spandau Prison, and the last living member of Hitler's inner circle.

Hess, born in Alexandria, Egypt, was a pilot in the First World War. An early member of the Thule Society, and something of a muddleheaded mystic, Hess was an early follower of Hitler, and early member of the Nazi Party. A participant of the Beer Hall Putsch, Hess followed Hitler to prison, where he became one of Hitler's secretaries transcribing and editing [to a degree] Hitler's dictation of MEIN KAMPF.

A member of the inner circle, Hess' power was strengthened when he married the chief 'judge' of the Nazi Party Court, Major Walter Buch. He was named Deputy Fuehrer, and put in charge of the Party machinery, but in the elbowing for power, and in the wielding of it, Hess was a parveneu. and despite being Deputy Fuehrer, Hess was eclipsed by Hermann Goering, who Hitler named as his successor, and in the party apparatus by Martin Bormann.

By 1941, Hess was in almost total eclipse [so was his father-in-law]. Sickened by the impending invasion of the U.S.S.R while Germany was still at war with Great Britain, Hess took it upon himself to fly an Me 110 to Britain, to seek an armistice or treaty with Britain. Farce turned to tragedy. The British held Hess in the tower of London, and Hitler ordered him executed if he fell into German hands.

Yet Hess' foolishness probably saved his life. when the smoke cleared in 1945, Hess was still alive, and Hitler was dead.

Hess was tried as one of the principal war criminals at Nuremburg, with Hitler, and Himmler dead, and Bormann tried in absentia, and found guilty of plotting to wage aggressive warfare, and crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to life in prison.

On August 17th, 1987, Hess, the sole prisoner in Nuremburg was found hanged in a shed in the exercise yard. He was 93

 

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, "Tannenburg", p.18

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, p. 17

See "PzLdr History Facts" Archive, p.17