Heroic Deeds from Our History
General Nicolás Levalle
At the Battle of Don Gonzalo, then Major Nicolás Levalle, commanding the ‘Iron 5th’, had orders to charge the enemy. Just as he was about to advance, a countermand arrived from General Martín de Gainza: he was to withdraw.
Levalle ignored the order and continued his preparations.
Seeing that Levalle had not changed his course, the general sent an orderly to repeat the instruction. Once again, his subordinate disregarded it.
Losing patience, Gainza sent another aide with an unequivocal order: ‘Major Levalle: call off the attack immediately, or I shall have you shot four times.’
Levalle again turned a deaf ear and charged at the head of his men. They were infantry, but in those days their commanding officer was expected to lead on horseback. A bullet struck him in the knee. Undaunted and streaming with blood, he pressed on with the assault, which lasted several hours and finally crushed the enemy’s resistance.
Afterwards, barely able to catch his breath, he presented himself before General Gainza:
‘Sir, I have come for the remaining three shots. I received the fourth in battle.’
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