Elias Pitcairn

Elias Pitcairn
Character Profile
Born 19 June 2541[1]
Died 27 January 2616[1]
Affiliation Federated Suns
Rank Colonel


Elias Pitcairn was an Armed Forces of the Federated Suns officer best known as the commander of the Pitcairn Legion during the Reunification War.

History[edit]

Hailing from a modest background, from his youth onward Pitcairn proved adept at building a network of connections that aided him in his professional life. These contacts first enabled him to attend the Albion Military Academy and later, after proving himself a dedicated soldier willing to tackle tough assignments, a posting with the Davion Brigade of Guards.[1]

The Pitcairn Legion and Outworlds Front[edit]

As war between the Star League and Outworlds Alliance loomed, First Prince Alexander Davion called for volunteers to assist the Outworlds. Being the first officer to do so, Pitcairn was placed in command of these soldiers, and such was the respect in which he was held that hundreds of active duty and retired AFFS personnel followed Pitcairn's lead.[1]

Pitcairn whittled this embryo force down to those without current dependents, then he and his troops honorably retired from the AFFS before serving alongside the Outworlds Alliance Militia against the Star League Defense Force's II Corps and its brutal allies from the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery. Legally, their status was deliberately muddled; whether Pitcairn and his unit were independent mercenaries or an active AFFS unit depended upon which interpretation best served Federated Suns' interests, and was a question nobody on New Avalon or Terra wanted resolved.[1] [2]

The Pitcairn Legion made its combat debut on Sevon in October 2581. Claiming that Sevon was now a Federated Suns world, Pitcairn led a skillful defense against General Amos Forlough, mauling several SLDF units and stalling the invasion until both sides' political leaders ordered a cease-fire. When the fighting resumed, Pitcairn continued holding off the reinforced Star League and DCMS invaders until finally evacuating Sevon at the end of the month.[3]

Pitcairn repeated his successful defense against Forlough over the next several years, prompting the enraged SLDF general to place a large bounty on his head. Pitcairn survived the few attempts on his life and after the Outworlds campaign concluded returned home as a war hero.[1]

The Taurian Front[edit]

As a further assertion of his realm's independence within the Star League, Prince Davion then placed Pitcairn (now restored to active duty in the AFFS) in command of AFFS reinforcements for the beleaguered campaign against the Taurian Concordat. The SLDF commander in the theater, none other than Amos Forlough, went ballistic upon Pitcairn's arrival and blase reporting for duty, and unrealistically ordered the arrest and detention of the entire AFFS force. The standoff ended with Forlough's recall to Terra and replacement by Damien Onaga, while Pitcairn led his forces against the Taurians.[1] [4]

Later life[edit]

Following the Reunification War's end Pitcairn was feted as a national hero and spent his final two decades touring the Federated Suns, promoting patriotism and military service among its citizens. Following the absorption of his alma mater into the SLDF, Pitcairn created the New Avalon Military Academy and served as its first superintendent.[1]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Historical: Reunification War, p. 52, Elias Pitcairn Profile
  2. Historical: Reunification War, p. 114, "The Pitcairn Question"
  3. Historical: Reunification War, p. 115-116, "Sevon"
  4. Historical: Reunification War, p. 90-91

Bibliography[edit]