A Story of Caesar Rescuing Shipwrecked Soldiers, Any source?

by booptehsnoot

Came across in a history subreddit and wondered if anyone with knowledge of roman history could point me towards a source for this story?

Thanks in advance!

https://imgur.com/a/JQEMxZe

Alkibiades415

The commentor has gotten the details all muddled up, but the the passage referenced is Caesar's Gallic Wars, book 4, sections 36-38:

[36] Caesar himself, having gotten favorable weather, launched the ships a bit after midday [from his first foray to Britain], all of which arrived safely to the continent [at Calais]; but out of these, two cargo ships were not able to reach the same ports from which they had departed, and were carried a bit further [down the coast from Calais]. [37] When the soldiers, about 300, had been disembarked from these two ships and were making their way back towards the [main] camp [of Caesar's forces], the Morini [tribe of Gauls], whom Caesar, when setting out for Britain, had left behind in a pacified state, surrounded our men with a force not much greater, having been spurred on by the hope of plunder; and they ordered our men to lay down their arms, if they did not wish to be killed. When our soldiers defended themselves with a circular formation, quickly about 6000 more Gauls were drawn to the commotion. When this affair was reported to Caesar, he sent all the cavalry of the camp to help. Meanwhile, our men withstood the attack of the enemy and fought most bravely for more than four hours, and with only a few wounds received they killed very many Gauls. Afterwards, when our allied cavalry came into view, the enemy, with their weapons tossed aside, turned their backs in flight and a great number of them were slain. [38] On the following day Caesar sent his lieutenant Titus Labienus, at the head of the legions which he had led back from Britain, against the Morini who had rebelled. Nearly all the rebels, when they were not able to flee into their familiar marshes because of the drought, which refuge they had made use of the previous year, fell victim to Labienus.

[36] Ipse idoneam tempestatem nactus paulo post mediam noctem naves solvit, 4 quae omnes incolumes ad continentem pervenerunt; sed ex iis onerariae duae eosdem portus quos reliquae capere non potuerunt et paulo infra delatae sunt. [37] Quibus ex navibus cum essent expositi milites circiter CCC atque in castra contenderent, Morini, quos Caesar in Britanniam proficiscens pacatos reliquerat, spe praedae adducti primo non ita magno suorum numero circumsteterunt ac, si sese interfici nollent, arma ponere iusserunt. 2 Cum illi orbe facto sese defenderent, celeriter ad clamorem hominum circiter milia VI convenerunt; qua re nuntiata, Caesar omnem ex castris equitatum suis auxilio misit. 3 Interim nostri milites impetum hostium sustinuerunt atque amplius horis IIII fortissime pugnaverunt et paucis vulneribus acceptis complures ex iis occiderunt. 4 Postea vero quam equitatus noster in conspectum venit, hostes abiectis armis terga verterunt magnusque eorum numerus est occisus. [38] Caesar postero die T. Labienum legatum cum iis legionibus quas ex Britannia reduxerat in Morinos qui rebellionem fecerant misit. 2 Qui cum propter siccitates paludum quo se reciperent non haberent, quo perfugio superiore anno erant usi, omnes fere in potestatem Labieni venerunt.

So they did not get blown to Germany; they in fact did not get blown very far from the rest of the forces, which landed back near Calais in Gaul--just far enough away that some Morini thought they might be able to take them on while isolated. And it was not Caesar who came to their rescue. He stayed in the camp, no doubt having a soak after the harrowing adventure in Britain, while his swift cavalry and his right-hand man Labienus were trusted with the punishment of the rebellious tribe.