Short Round

Roger de Hauteville Breaks the Muslim Siege of Troina

Roger de Hauteville was the youngest of a dozen Norman brothers who made their way to Southern Italy during the Eleventh Century, where they found employment and opportunity as mercenaries in the complex politics among Lombards, Byzantines, Italians, and Arabs, soon acquiring estates and titles..

In May of 1061 Roger, backed by his brother, the remarkably wily Robert, aptly nicknamed “Guiscard– the Weasel”, took an army of 700 knights and some infantry and landed at Messina, in Sicily, to begin the liberation the great island from the Arabs, who had been in control for some two centuries. A long and complex war ensued, lasting 30 years, before Sicily was finally free of the Arabs. The war was characterized by many an heroic deed, and not a few wonderfully treacherous ones. But an incident at the very onset of the struggle was perhaps one of the most amusing.

Soon after securing Messina, Roger had captured the citadel of Troina, to the south. There he was besieged by a Moslem host for four months.

It was a hard siege, and food supplies soon ran short. But the besieged were not the only ones who suffered, for the investing Arab forces also found their food running out. In the end, Robert and his troops were able to break the investment by a sudden sally which caught the besiegers, well, not “by surprise” perhaps, but rather “off guard.”

It seems that while foraging for food, some of the Arab troops had discovered a large wine cellar. Perhaps it was hunger that made them defy their religious strictures against the consumption of alcohol, or perhaps they weren’t very religious in the first place. In any case, in short order virtually the entire besieging Arab army was soon roaring drunk, enabling Count Robert and his men to break out.

Of course, given the reputation of the de Hauteville clan for wily dealings, it’s not at all impossible that Robert arranged for his enemies to find the wine that did them in.

The actual conquest of Sicily was completed in 1091.

“Colonel Cobb . . . .”

In the late summer of 1781, a complex series of maneuvers by Patriot forces brought the main British army in America to bay at Yorktown, on the York River in Virginia, setting the stage for the final act of the American Revolution..

Marching from New York with a strong contingent of American and French troops, George Washington, arrived to support Patriot forces, and on September 28th imposed a close siege on the British.

On October 14th, Washington planned to storm a portion of the British lines with American and French troops commanded by Alexander Hamilton. Wishing to observe the attack, the general rode to a convenient site and dismounted. With him were several generals and various staff officers.

As the attack began, the British opened up with everything they had. And some of the British fire fell near the group of officers surrounding Washington.

At this, one of Washington’s aides, a certain Colonel, turned to the general and said, “Sir, you are too much exposed here. Had you better not step a little back?”

Not budging, Washington replied, “Colonel Cobb, if you are afraid, you have the liberty to step back.”

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