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Angry Staff Officer Profile picture
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18 Feb, 4 tweets, 1 min read
TIL that in 1847, Congress authorized the War Department to raise a regiment of Voltigeurs and Foot Riflemen, with a "rocket and mountain howitzer battery"

French influence on the US Army was strong as hell
Damn. Joseph E Johnston was the regimental XO. James J Archer - captured on day 1 of Gettysburg - and Charles J Biddle - commander of the PA Bucktails in the Civil War - were company commanders. Jesse Reno - KIA in 1862 - was the rocket detachment commander
Holy tactical development, batman! this is a fascinating use of light infantry/Riflemen during the 1847 war with Mexico that I hadn't ever heard of. The regt used actual rifle tactics, fighting in companies & in open skirmish order. Often supported by their howitzers and rockets
For more info, read here. Great citations at the end with further references to explore:

sites.google.com/site/efrance23…

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Angry Staff Officer Profile picture
22 Feb
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My experience on Twitter as a man is so dramatically different than that of military women - so much harassment directed at them
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21 Feb
One reason I love being an engineer is because of the great examples we have of foreign officers - especially French - shaping our corps in the American Revolution

There's a reason that we've got a French motto and that no one can pronounce the name of our medal
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Angry Staff Officer Profile picture
19 Feb
Historians of the American Revolution, has anyone done a comprehensive study of Continental Army demographics since Selesky's 1987 review of the Main Army at Valley Forge?

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15 Feb
It's time!!

#HATM
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Angry Staff Officer Profile picture
14 Feb
Welp, it's Valentine's Day

Guess it's time to watch Gettysburg again

I don't make the rules
Randy Edelman's score for this film SLAPS

and I will not brook dissent on this
The opening will always remind me of dad. He'd comment on how he loved Adams County, PA.

I can hear most of his commentary in my head as I watch this. And how he would whistle the score

We used to watch it about once a month or so

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Angry Staff Officer Profile picture
14 Feb
Ya know, the French might've gotten their idea for their bayonet charge if they had been observing some shit that went down with the 27th RCT exactly one week prior to this engagement

Oh yes, thread incoming on this #ValetinetoBayonets day
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