# One person victorious VS Many fights, historical examples? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 28, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-person-victorious-vs-many-fights-historical-examples/783239 "2017-03-28T18:56:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-person-victorious-vs-many-fights-historical-examples/783239/1 "2017-03-28T18:56:14Z")
Its a common scene in Hollywood movies where the hero takes on and defeats multiple opponents at once in a fight scene, are there any confirmed historical examples and what was the largest mismatch in numbers with the single person still victorious? Audey Murphy VS The Entire Wehrmacht is a good example (from wikipedia): _‘The Germans scored a direct hit on an M10 tank destroyer, setting it alight, forcing the crew to abandon it.[68] Murphy ordered his men to retreat to positions in the woods, remaining alone at his post, shooting his M1 carbine and directing artillery fire via his field radio while the Germans aimed fire directly at his position.[69] Murphy mounted the abandoned, burning tank destroyer and began firing its .50 caliber machine gun at the advancing Germans, killing a squad crawling through a ditch towards him.[70] For an hour, Murphy stood on the flaming tank destroyer returning German fire from foot soldiers and advancing tanks, killing or wounding 50 Germans. He sustained a leg wound during his stand, and stopped only after he ran out of ammunition.’_ > **[Audie Murphy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy)** > > Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor, and songwriter. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from the United States Army, as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism. Murphy received the Medal of Honor for valor that he demonstrated at the age of 19 for single-handedly holding off a company of German soldiers for an hour at the Colmar Pocket in France... Also Bishnu Shrestha is another when he single-handidly defeated between 15 to 40 train robbers: > **[Bishnu Shrestha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishnu_Shrestha)** > > Bishnu Shrestha (born 1975) is a Nepalese–Gurkha soldier in the Indian Army (7th battalion the 8th Gorkha Rifles) and recipient of the Sena Medal for bravery, and the Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak medal, both awarded for his gallant conduct during an armed train robbery. > Shrestha was born in Bachchha Deurali Khola, ward no. 9 of Parbat district in the western part of Nepal. He and his family moved to Pokhara after being recruited to an Indian Gurkha regiment. > In September 2010, Bishnu Shrestha, ... Are there any examples of this but in unarmed combat? Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-person-victorious-vs-many-fights-historical-examples/783239/2 "2017-03-28T19:05:28Z")
Battle of Stamford Bridge : wiki\*"The English advance was then delayed by the need to pass through the choke-point presented by the bridge itself. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle has it that a giant Norse axeman (possibly armed with a Dane Axe) blocked the narrow crossing and single-handedly held up the entire English army. The story is that this axeman cut down up to 40 Englishmen and was defeated only when an English soldier floated under the bridge in a half-barrel and thrust his spear through the planks in the bridge, mortally wounding the axeman.[13]\* And of course:Horatius at the bridge > **[Horatius Cocles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatius_Cocles)** > > Publius Horatius Cocles was an officer in the army of the early Roman Republic who famously defended the Pons Sublicius from the invading army of Etruscan King Lars Porsena of Clusium in the late 6th century BC, during the war between Rome and Clusium. By defending the narrow end of the bridge, he and his companions were able to hold off the attacking army long enough to allow other Romans to destroy the bridge behind him, blocking the Etruscans' advance and saving the city. > Horatius was a memb... > **[Horatius at the Bridge - Collection at Bartleby.com](https://www.bartleby.com/lit-hub/the-worlds-best-poetry/horatius-at-the-bridge/)** > > Horatius at the Bridge LARS PORSENA of Clusium,By the Nine Gods he sworeThat the great house of TarquinShould suffer wrong no more.By the Nine Gods he swore it,And named a ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-person-victorious-vs-many-fights-historical-examples/783239/3 "2017-03-28T19:58:41Z")
> [@Atomic\_Alex](#): > > Its a common scene in Hollywood movies where the hero takes on and defeats multiple opponents at once in a fight scene, are there any confirmed historical examples and what was the largest mismatch in numbers with the single person still victorious? > > Audey Murphy VS The Entire Wehrmacht is a good example (from wikipedia): > > _‘The Germans scored a direct hit on an M10 tank destroyer, setting it alight, forcing the crew to abandon it.[68] Murphy ordered his men to retreat to positions in the woods, remaining alone at his post, shooting his M1 carbine and directing artillery fire via his field radio while the Germans aimed fire directly at his position.[69] Murphy mounted the abandoned, burning tank destroyer and began firing its .50 caliber machine gun at the advancing Germans, killing a squad crawling through a ditch towards him.[70] For an hour, Murphy stood on the flaming tank destroyer returning German fire from foot soldiers and advancing tanks, killing or wounding 50 Germans. He sustained a leg wound during his stand, and stopped only after he ran out of ammunition.’_ > > [Audie Murphy - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy) > > Also Bishnu Shrestha is another when he single-handidly defeated between 15 to 40 train robbers: > > [Bishnu Shrestha - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishnu_Shrestha) > > Are there any examples of this but in unarmed combat? > > Thanks in advance! You might want to reconsider the Bishnu Shrestha one. While his actions were heroic it sounds like from reading your link that he got about 3 of the robbers before he was overpowered and defeated. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-person-victorious-vs-many-fights-historical-examples/783239/4 "2017-03-28T22:02:04Z")
> [@SmellMyWort](#): > > You might want to reconsider the Bishnu Shrestha one. While his actions were heroic it sounds like from reading your link that he got about 3 of the robbers before he was overpowered and defeated. Whoops, I was going from memory on that one! Thanks for the answer DrDeth 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-person-victorious-vs-many-fights-historical-examples/783239/5 "2017-03-28T23:06:41Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Battle of Stamford Bridge : wiki\*"The English advance was then delayed by the need to pass through the choke-point presented by the bridge itself. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle has it that a giant Norse axeman (possibly armed with a Dane Axe) blocked the narrow crossing and single-handedly held up the entire English army. The story is that this axeman cut down up to 40 Englishmen and was defeated only when an English soldier floated under the bridge in a half-barrel and thrust his spear through the planks in the bridge, mortally wounding the axeman.[13]\* Though of course neither he, nor his army, were victorious. Colonial era Africa had plenty of examples of very small groups with machine guns (but not single individuals) defeating huge armies. E.g. [50 employees of the Rhodesian Charter Company, with Maxim guns, killing 3000 Zulus](http://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/26/science/100-years-of-maxim-s-killing-machine.html?pagewanted=all) ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-person-victorious-vs-many-fights-historical-examples/783239/6 "2017-03-28T23:44:17Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Battle of Stamford Bridge : wiki\*"The English advance was then delayed by the need to pass through the choke-point presented by the bridge itself. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle has it that a giant Norse axeman (possibly armed with a Dane Axe) blocked the narrow crossing and single-handedly held up the entire English army. The story is that this axeman cut down up to 40 Englishmen and was defeated only when an English soldier floated under the bridge in a half-barrel and thrust his spear through the planks in the bridge, mortally wounding the axeman.[13]\* The [chevalier Bayard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Terrail,_seigneur_de_Bayard) is famous for a similar feat (and for others) : [QUOTE=wikipedia] At the Battle of Garigliano he single-handedly defended the bridge of the Garigliano against 200 Spaniards, an exploit that brought him such renown that Pope Julius II tried unsuccessfully to entice him into his service. [/QUOTE] ETA : that would be in 1503. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-person-victorious-vs-many-fights-historical-examples/783239/7 "2017-03-28T23:51:11Z")
Biblically, the man in 13th-12th century BC named Shamgar, in Israel, struck down 600 enemies, although it is not mentioned in how many fights this death tally was arrived at. ---
**Author:** ![Avery\_Weisman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d78d45/32.png) [@Avery\_Weisman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avery_Weisman)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-person-victorious-vs-many-fights-historical-examples/783239/8 "2017-03-29T00:17:35Z")
Not very adventurous with youtube, are you? Search “one-man armies.” You’ll find a lot of one-against-many encounters, though not in the hundreds.