AFD 002 Old Tercio of Zamora Standard bearer

Winter is very hard that year of 1585.

The Dutch admiral, to further corner the Spaniards, decides to break the dykes that hold the water of the river Mosa, so that its flow floods and ruins the Spanish fortifications.

Without blankets, without gunpowder and without spare clothes, the soldiers of the tercios have only two options: the field master proposes that on the night of December 7, the alféreces burn their flags and the artillerymen destroy their pieces so that they do not fall into the hands of the enemy and that at dawn on the 8th, all the soldiers are launched to attack in that way, die with honor.

The second option was proposed by some soldiers and officers and fortunately was discarded. The aim was for the Spaniards to fight to the death among themselves so as not to give the enemy the option of claiming a victory.