Lewis Pontegnone

Lewis Pontegnone
Painting of Pontegnone, circa 1731
1 [[President of Avergnon]]
Personal details
Born	April 25th 1711
Died	January 4th 1794
Cause of death	Old Age
Resting place	National Cemetery of Avergnon, Vessalia, Avergnon
Citizenship	Avergnon
Height	5'10
Spouse	Adellia Pontegnone
Children	Martell Pontegnone
Education	Montellogne School of Industry, Montellognian Officer's Academy
Alma mater	MSI
Occupation	(Major of the Avergnonian Royal Army), Avergnonian Elected Archon
Profession	Businessman, Political Figure, Warfare
Known for	Founder of the Allied States of Avergnon
Military service
Branch/service	Montellognian Royal Dragoons, Avergnonian Royal Military Command
Commands	17th Royal Dragoons Squadron, 4th Royal Dragoons Division

Lewis Pontegnone was an Avergnonian statesman, military man, and politician who became prominent through his command of Selleauxvian forces in the 1737 Selleauxvian Trade Embargo Conflict and his conquests of central Euronia in the 1740s and 50s. His military career preceded his political one, when he was elected the first President of Avergnon in 1752. He is perhaps the most famous Avergnonian in history and is a staple figure for military leadership roles and iconography across the world.

Early Life

Lewis Pontegnone grew up in the Avergnonian coastal city of Montellogne. He was born to Velaeur and Mercia Pontegnone, two Central-Class citizens of the Montellognian city-state. They were a rather prominent and respected (although not entirely wealthy) family under the service of Trade-Prince Barthias Montellogne. Lewis’ father, Velaeur, was a respected Staff-Sergeant serving in the 13th Montellognian Highlanders Division and particularly distinguished himself during the Battle of Aveirs (July 22nd, 1712) . Unfortunately, Velaeur was killed in action at the age of 37 during the Siege of Fort Jeveilles (May 3rd, 1726) in the Western Trade Union Uprising. He is said to have been observing enemy fortifications along with a cavalry detachment, when a marksman’s musket shot managed to strike home in Velaeur’s neck. Lewis was 15 at the time of his father’s death, and his mother, Mercia, 31, never remarried. Lewis, following his father's death, enrolled in the Montellogne School of Industry (MSI) at the age of 16. He would go on to achieve honors in his economics courses and be named Valedictorian of his class. Following his graduation from MSI, Lewis, then 19, was sponsored by a now elderly Trade-Prince Barthias to enroll in the Montellognian Officer’s Academy (MOA). Lewis, at 21 years of age, went on to be awarded an Officer’s Commission as a Cornet in the 17th Royal Dragoons Squadron.

Early Military Career

After being awarded the Commission of Cornet over the 17th Royal Dragoons Squadron ( attached to the 2nd Montellognian Regiment of Horse ), Lewis and his squad were immediately sent to a period of field training known as Field-Tactics and Essentials hosted in the Martellus Military Encampment along the Eastern Bend of the Felleaux River. There, Lewis and his squad of Dragoons went through six months of rigorous small arms, horsemanship, and large-unit tactics movement training.

Following the completion of the FTE training, Lewis’ regiment was moved to reinforce the Selleauxvian Border ( against then Trade-Prince Markaus Selleaux ). Upon arrival, the regiment was assigned to regular patrols along the trade-lines. As tensions rose from the Selleauxvian Trade Embargo of 1732, these patrols began running into conflict with the Selleaux Royal Military, and various hired Mercenary Companies. During one of these conflicts, Lewis (17th Royal Dragoons Squadron “17th RD”) and his squadron of five men gained some level of fame during the Skirmish of Mentelle Hill. Lewis and his men were sent to reinforce the 22nd Division of Line to hold Mentelle Hill against several squadrons of Selleaux Line-Infantry. Upon arrival, it was discovered that the much battered 22nd Division of Line had run dangerously short of ammunition supplies and was short a commanding officer. Lewis, knowing that his position was in danger of being overrun by Selleauxvian Infantry, took command of the 22nd of Line. He formulated a brilliant plan to break the lines of the enemy, organizing the 32 men now under his direct command, he positioned them in a crescent formation around the entrenched enemy positions at the bottom of the hill. Then, under the cover of darkness, Lewis led a daring surprise attack into the enemy trenches. The morale of the Selleauxvian Line-Infantry was broken by the the sudden surge of bravery from the outnumbered and outmatched Montellognians, and Lewis’ men successfully drove the enemy forces away from Mentelle Hill. The action astonishingly saw only seven men of the 22nd of Line lose their lives, and only nine sustained injuries. None of Lewis’ Dragoons were injured or killed.

Painting of the valiant nighttime charge against Selleauxvian entrenchments during the Skirmish of Mentelle Hill

For his significant bravery, quickness of mind in action, and valor in combat, Lewis was awarded the Gryphon of Montellogne (A highly esteemed commendation of bravery in military action), as well as receiving a promotion, with Montellogne Square paying his commission to the rank of Lieutenant. Still just 22 years old, this seemed to be the mark of a promising military career ahead for the young officer.

Following his promotion to Lieutenant, Lewis was put in command of the 4th Royal Dragoons Division (4th RDD) (Typically a Division of Avergnonian Dragoons was about 70 men). The 4th RDD were assigned to defend the Merideth Crossing bordering Selleaux along with the 12th and 13th Divisions of Line. Less than a month into their assignment, Merideth Crossing was attacked by five Divisions of Selleauxvian Line-Infantry (A typical division of foot consisting of roughly 120 men). Lewis, (being the brevet Captain over the two Lieutenants of Line) took over command of the entire defense of Merideth Crossing. For six days the beleaguered Montellognian Soldiers defended the trenches dug along the embankment of the shallow crossing. When they had spent their final reserves of shot and powder, the Montellognian defenders had resorted to defending the embankment with fixed bayonets for over an entire day. The fighting is said to have been so fierce that it was not uncommon to see soldiers laying immobilized in the mud not from their wounds, but from the seizing of their muscles and intense physical exhaustion. On the dawn of the seventh day of the Defense of Merideth Crossing, the 11th Company of Line (Companies typical consisting of 600 men) arrived to relieve the ragged defenders. Upon the relief of the Divisions under Lewis’ command it was discovered that the casualties for the 12th and 13th Divisions of Line numbered at about 113 killed in action, and 37 wounded. Lewis’ own (4th RDD) had sustained 21 fatal casualties, and 14 wounded.

The Defense of Merideth Crossing was considered to be one of the greatest heroic actions of the Selleauxvian Trade Embargo Conflict. The situation that the defenders of the embankment were trapped in was considered unsalvageable, and the surrender of the divisions was fully expected by Montellogne Square. The heroics of Lewis and his men were regarded so highly in fact, that Montellogne Square saw fit to reward all three divisions with the Estelle Heroics Commendation (The highest Commendation that is able to be bestowed upon a Division). Lewis was also allowed to keep his Brevet commission of Captain, effectively promoting him once again without costing the young officer a single Groschen. He was 23 at the time of this promotion.

However, shortly after his promotion to Captain, the Selleauxvian Trade Embargo Conflict ended in a White Peace between the two City-States. The conflict ended up costing Montellogne roughly 13,000 lives and Selleaux around 19,750 lives and is widely regarded as one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Avergnonian Classical Era.

Painting of the heroic Defense of Meredith Crossing