Forlorn hope

For the community formerly with this name, see Hopeton, California.

Colin Campbell leading the 'forlorn hope' at the Siege of San Sebastián, 1813. Painting by William Barnes Wollen

A forlorn hope is a band of soldiers or other combatants chosen to take the leading part in a military operation, such as an assault on a defended position, where the risk of casualties is high.

Etymology

The term comes from the Dutch verloren hoop, literally "lost troop". The Dutch word "hoop" can mean "hope" but is in this context etymologically equivalent to the English word "heap". The term was used in military contexts to denote a troop formation. The Dutch word hoop (in its sense of heap in English) is not cognate with English hope: this is an example of false folk etymology. The mistranslation of "verloren hoop" as "forlorn hope" is "a quaint misunderstanding" using the nearest-sounding English words. This false etymology is further entrenched by the fact that in Dutch the word hoop is a homograph meaning "hope" as well as "heap", though the two senses have different etymologies.

History

In the days of muzzle-loading muskets, the term was most frequently used to refer to the first wave of soldiers attacking a breach in defences during a siege. It was likely that most members of the forlorn hope would be killed or wounded. The intention was that some would survive long enough to seize a foothold that could be reinforced, or at least that a second wave with better prospects could be sent in while the defenders were reloading or engaged in mopping up the remnants of the first wave. British troops of the forlorn hope at the 1812 Siege of Badajoz carried a large (5–6 feet (1.5–1.8 m) by 2 feet (0.61 m) in diameter) bag stuffed with hay or straw, which was thrown down into the enemy trenches to create a cushion and prevent injury as they jumped down.

A forlorn hope may be composed of volunteers and led by a junior officer with hopes of personal advancement. If the volunteers survived, and performed courageously, they would be expected to benefit in the form of promotions, cash gifts and adding glory to their name. The commanding officer himself was almost guaranteed both a promotion and a long-term boost to his career prospects. As a result, despite the risks, there was often competition for the opportunity to lead the assault.

In the German mercenary armies of the Landsknechts, these troops were called the "Verlorene Haufen", which has the same meaning as the Dutch term. The men of the "Verlorene Haufen" carried long double-handed swords, with which they had to hew their way through the massive pike formations opposite them. They also had to withstand the first wave of attacks when defending a breastwork. Members of the "Verlorene Haufen" earned a double pay, thus giving them the name of "Doppelsöldner" ('Double-wagers'), but since there were not enough volunteers to serve in the "Verlorene Haufen", criminals that had been sentenced to death were taken into the ranks as well. As a field sign, the "Verlorene Haufen" carried a red "Blutfahne" {'Blood Banner').

The French equivalent of the forlorn hope, called Les Enfants Perdus or The Lost Children, were all guaranteed promotion to officer rank should they survive, with the effect that both enlisted men and officers joined the dangerous mission as an opportunity to raise themselves in the army.

By extension, the term forlorn hope became used for any body of troops placed in a hazardous position, e.g., an exposed outpost, or the defenders of an outwork in advance of the main defensive position. This usage was especially common in accounts of the English Civil War, as well as in the British Army in the Peninsular War of 1808–1814.

See also

• Banzai charge
• Battle of Sari Bair
• Cannon fodder
• Frontal assault
• Kamikaze
• Penal military unit
• Shock troops
• Suicide attack
• Suicide mission
• Siege of Badajoz