Description
The Black Legion and the Battle of Fishguard :
Created in 1796 by General Hoche, the unit was endowed with the means to match its ambition: that of invading England. The Legion of Franks (or Black Legion) was thus composed of nearly 1400 men and 46 officers according to estimates made by the enemy at the time. Nevertheless, its composition was not provided in elite soldiers, but rather in prisoners and convicts, enlisted in spite of themselves. One hypothesis even reports the presence of British prisoners!
The Black Legion was part of a three-stage plan of attack. Two diversionary attacks, a landing at Bantry Bay in Ireland and then a breakthrough to Liverpool (later modified for Bristol). Its mission was precisely that of landing at Bantry Bay on February 22, 1797.
But all did not happen as planned. A storm hit the naval fleet during its journey and many invasion barges were lost. Thereafter, the soldiers showed unspeakable indiscipline, pillaging and raping the villages they encountered. They thus provoked the revolt of the Irish people, who were nevertheless outraged by the government in place and thus potentially rallied to the French cause.
The next day, the Black Legion fought against 500 British soldiers and surrendered unconditionally on the 24th, only two days after the landings.
