Following the June terrorist attack in Mexico City the original UNION base camp was extended to accommodate a full UNION Infantry brigade. This force was deployed to Mexico in August 1866 and the original expeditionary force units withdrawn. The Infantry brigade comprised 13 battalions, 5 Infantry, 2 Field Artillery and one each of Heavy Artillery, Heavy Weapons, Pioneers, Medical, Quartermaster and Command. It was agreed the brigade would have three objectives, first; to secure Mexico City, second; to assist with training of the Mexican army and police and third; to undertake an offensive against the terrorists in their southern strongholds.
Standard UNION army operating practice both then and now requires the Infantry, Field Artillery and Heavy Weapons battalions be formed into short brigades of usually two Infantry battalions and an Artillery battalion and one Infantry battalion and a Heavy Weapons battalion thereby creating three separate maneuver formations. The remaining battalions of the Brigade generally remain together as a supporting force. It was decided that the supporting battalions would remain in Mexico City to deliver the first and second objectives with the three short brigades heading south to undertake operations against the terrorists with the Medical and Quartermaster battalions providing support as needed. The railway from Mexico City to Acapulco provided both transportation south and a supply line.
Operations commenced in September and consisted of search and destroy sweeps across the length and breadth of southern Mexico. These sweeps proved fairly successful as the terrorists tended to camp in villages and draw supplies from the villagers. Each village would in turn be surrounded by UNION troops who then moved in. Some fighting took place but given the over whelming strength of the UNION forces these fights did not last long. Over the course of the fall and winter the local terrorist groups, which almost always included Iranian or other Arab volunteers, were wiped out across much of the countryside. Those who escaped fled across the border with Iran where they found refuge in Iranian camps just inside that country where they had been originally trained and armed.
The Iranians were less than happy with UNION activities and concluded that they had no choice but to commit Iranian troops to maintain their position. The Iranians had s small regular army and a much larger, less professional but fanatical Revolutionary Guard. It was this body that was chosen to lead the Iranian counter attack. A large force of 3000 crossed the border and took up positions along both sides of the nearby main road in fairly dense woodland and awaited the approach of UNION forces. UNION anti terrorist operations had started to the far south and had been moving north ever closer to the border. Naively the UNION commanders did not foresee any particular danger despite their increasing proximity to the Iranian border.
On the morning of 5 January 1868 a UNION short brigade of two Infantry and one Artillery battalions marched into a mile long ambush zone. However the fanatical but poorly trained Revolutionary Guards did not wait until the UNION forces were fully into the ambush but opened fire when only the leading Infantry battalion was in the zone. Inevitably the UNION casualties were very heavy during those first minutes as were Iranian as they fired across the road towards each other, another consequence of poor training. The UNION soldiers took cover in roadside ditches and returned fire as best they could but horses and vehicles were riddled with bullets. The second Infantry battalion formed up and moved along both sides of the road to attack the ambushers from the flanks who immediately began to fall back to the border. UNION artillery started to bombard the retreating Iranians. As the Iranians moved away the scene on the road was fully revealed, Over 50% of the leading UNION Infantry battalion had been killed or wounded and all the battalions horses were dead. With so many casualties the UNION forces were unable to move so dug in to await assistance.
The other UNION short brigades moved up next day and the combined body began a slow retreat to railhead. Once there the wounded were dispatched and the UNION forces prepared to strike a counter blow. Returning to the border UNION reconnaissance troops approached the border and finding no sign of Iranian troops made a move across the border. Only three miles in they found a small town with an Iranian fort on the outskirts full of soldiers. Moving forward carefully the UNION forces surrounded the town on three sides and then opened up a heavy artillery bombardment on the town and fort. Iranian civilians fled north on the road out of town, while the soldiers took shelter in the fort. UNION forces moved into the now deserted town and took up positions around the fort. Every UNION weapon was now directed onto the fort which was quickly reduced to rubble with many fires breaking out. A white flag was hoisted but quickly shot away. Desperate Iranians tried to flee the fort only to be caught by UNION heavy weapons fire. After a few hours UNION gunfire stopped and troops moved in only to find the Iranian garrison just about wiped out. The town was now set on fire and the UNION force retired back to the border.
A tough lesson had been learned by both sides. The UNION had suffered it's heaviest casualties yet in a engagement with an enemy and recognised that Iran presented a substantial threat. Iran now understood the power and ruthlessness of the UNION. Both sides began to assess their next steps.
Standard UNION army operating practice both then and now requires the Infantry, Field Artillery and Heavy Weapons battalions be formed into short brigades of usually two Infantry battalions and an Artillery battalion and one Infantry battalion and a Heavy Weapons battalion thereby creating three separate maneuver formations. The remaining battalions of the Brigade generally remain together as a supporting force. It was decided that the supporting battalions would remain in Mexico City to deliver the first and second objectives with the three short brigades heading south to undertake operations against the terrorists with the Medical and Quartermaster battalions providing support as needed. The railway from Mexico City to Acapulco provided both transportation south and a supply line.
Operations commenced in September and consisted of search and destroy sweeps across the length and breadth of southern Mexico. These sweeps proved fairly successful as the terrorists tended to camp in villages and draw supplies from the villagers. Each village would in turn be surrounded by UNION troops who then moved in. Some fighting took place but given the over whelming strength of the UNION forces these fights did not last long. Over the course of the fall and winter the local terrorist groups, which almost always included Iranian or other Arab volunteers, were wiped out across much of the countryside. Those who escaped fled across the border with Iran where they found refuge in Iranian camps just inside that country where they had been originally trained and armed.
The Iranians were less than happy with UNION activities and concluded that they had no choice but to commit Iranian troops to maintain their position. The Iranians had s small regular army and a much larger, less professional but fanatical Revolutionary Guard. It was this body that was chosen to lead the Iranian counter attack. A large force of 3000 crossed the border and took up positions along both sides of the nearby main road in fairly dense woodland and awaited the approach of UNION forces. UNION anti terrorist operations had started to the far south and had been moving north ever closer to the border. Naively the UNION commanders did not foresee any particular danger despite their increasing proximity to the Iranian border.
On the morning of 5 January 1868 a UNION short brigade of two Infantry and one Artillery battalions marched into a mile long ambush zone. However the fanatical but poorly trained Revolutionary Guards did not wait until the UNION forces were fully into the ambush but opened fire when only the leading Infantry battalion was in the zone. Inevitably the UNION casualties were very heavy during those first minutes as were Iranian as they fired across the road towards each other, another consequence of poor training. The UNION soldiers took cover in roadside ditches and returned fire as best they could but horses and vehicles were riddled with bullets. The second Infantry battalion formed up and moved along both sides of the road to attack the ambushers from the flanks who immediately began to fall back to the border. UNION artillery started to bombard the retreating Iranians. As the Iranians moved away the scene on the road was fully revealed, Over 50% of the leading UNION Infantry battalion had been killed or wounded and all the battalions horses were dead. With so many casualties the UNION forces were unable to move so dug in to await assistance.
The other UNION short brigades moved up next day and the combined body began a slow retreat to railhead. Once there the wounded were dispatched and the UNION forces prepared to strike a counter blow. Returning to the border UNION reconnaissance troops approached the border and finding no sign of Iranian troops made a move across the border. Only three miles in they found a small town with an Iranian fort on the outskirts full of soldiers. Moving forward carefully the UNION forces surrounded the town on three sides and then opened up a heavy artillery bombardment on the town and fort. Iranian civilians fled north on the road out of town, while the soldiers took shelter in the fort. UNION forces moved into the now deserted town and took up positions around the fort. Every UNION weapon was now directed onto the fort which was quickly reduced to rubble with many fires breaking out. A white flag was hoisted but quickly shot away. Desperate Iranians tried to flee the fort only to be caught by UNION heavy weapons fire. After a few hours UNION gunfire stopped and troops moved in only to find the Iranian garrison just about wiped out. The town was now set on fire and the UNION force retired back to the border.
A tough lesson had been learned by both sides. The UNION had suffered it's heaviest casualties yet in a engagement with an enemy and recognised that Iran presented a substantial threat. Iran now understood the power and ruthlessness of the UNION. Both sides began to assess their next steps.
No comments:
Post a Comment