The Hand of Jean Danjou

By Crusader1307

Perhaps one of The French Foreign Legion's most ''celebrated'' Heroes, Captain Jean Danjou was a commander of French Forces in Mexico during The 1863 Rebellion there. It was at The Battle of Camaron, Danjou and just 62 Legionnaires, engaged close to 3,000 Mexican Rebel Infantry and Cavalry, from a basic ''Square Formation''. The entirety of The French Command was killed. And while heroic, it was Captain Danjou's hand which is the real story. You see, Danjou's Left hand, well past the wrist, was missing. He had lost it in an engagement in Afghanistan in the 1850s, when His musket exploded, destroying it. He sent to France for a ''revolutionary'' wooden prosthetic one (with posing, jointed figures). He even had The Hand ''painted'' a flesh color to make it ''real''. A carved Blue Ring was also installed (a replica of the one that was lost on the original hand). After The Battle, a Mexican stole the hand. It was later recovered by an Austrian army Officer (whose command was sent to replace The French in The Conflict). Given back to The French Foreign Legion, The Hand is still celebrated as a ''celebrity'' (as it were). Kept in The Legion Museum of Memory (Aubagne, France), it sits on a carved pedestal and kept reverently under glass. Each anniversary of The Battle, a Legionnaire is selected to carry The Hand in a Ceremony. This is considered one of the highest honors a basic Legionnaire can be given.