Redoubt 9

Redoubt 9. 1781 Siege of Yorktown. , “ … once we were inside the redoubt. People of four nations were thrown together: Frenchmen, English, Scots, and Germans ….” , Private Georg Flohr, Royal Deux-Ponts Regiment, “ … a trait which characterized the French grenadiers …. They … charged like lions, and lost one-third of their men.” , Comte de Rochambeau, On October 14, 1781, Baron Antoine de Vioménil had overall command of the French attack on Redoubt 9, which was defended by approximately 120 British and German forces. Vioménil selected Colonel en Second Guillaume de Forbach des Deux-Ponts (also known as Wilhelm von Forbach) to lead the 400 man assault that was comprised of troops from the Gâtinais and Royal Deux-Ponts Regiments. The later regiment was also known as “Das Deutsche Königlich Französische Infantrie Regiment von Zweibrücken” (The German Royal French Infantry Regiment from Zweibrücken)., The French approach was delayed as engineering troops took heavy casualties while clearing obstructions protecting the British perimeter. The difficulties of the assault were compounded by darkness, close quarters combat, German forces on both sides wearing similiar uniforms, and the confusion of German commanders coming from both attackers and defenders. Within 30 minutes, however, Vioménil congratulated Deux-Ponts on capturing the redoubt., The last obstruction to the Allies completing their Second Siege Line had fallen.