The quick and the dead. AWI Campaign battle 3rd July 1777

The British and Americans blundered into each other on the morning of the 3rd July while both forces were travelling in opposite directions along the O’Higgins trail - roughly in the centre of the map.

The American force under Major General Pinckney consisted of three battalions of the Owls Head militia and they were heading east to establish where the British forces were. Their orders were to simply scout and fall back if the enemy was discovered. 

Because movement is simultaneous in the campaign and both factions covered the same amount of ground there was no end of turn scouting and discovery, no organised fallback…they literally ran straight into each other. 

The British had divided their forces into several columns and the American militia by chance bumped into Brigadier General Parrott his elite Grenadier battalion and a battery of light artillery.

I used a modified version of C&C Tricorne with die roll activations replacing the cards - just to see how it would work out in a smallish engagement.

As you may note from the story below the Americans had already suffered from a number of militia desertions, (occurring as a result of a random event « discipline and desertion » die roll for poor old Graham). 

Note : If I rolled the same event in a future turn the number of men buggering off would be higher, but Graham nipped this in the bud straight away by hanging 1 in 3 of those that were recaptured. (Not knowing the pre scripted outcomes of his actions he was asked how he intended to deal with the issue). Grim…but problem solved.  

Henceforth he shall be known as « hang ‘em high Cummings ». Lol. 

Because his avatar was actually present at the battle my PBEM British Brigadier General, Chris, received the following report to update him on the outcome, which I’ve copied and pasted into the blog because I’m too damned lazy to rewrite it in a different narrative form.

“Your lads are in column and following a winding track through thick woodland. What you are not aware of at this point is a long column of American militia coming in the opposite direction. It’s early morning and thick patches of mist have settled in the hollows of the low ground.

You are just about to instruct your fifer in the front rank to strike up a jaunty tune when the sound of approaching men (in some numbers) reaches you. Swiftly you order the grenadiers to deploy in line across the track. (I assumed that two forces would be able to hear each other within a couple of hexes even if they couldn’t see each other).

The Americans hear the shouted orders of your officers and men as the grenadiers deploy and in somewhat of a panic their lead unit also deploys in line across the road. Both sides stare into the mist and silence descends. The Americans will start this battle at less than full strength since there have already been a number of desertions from the militia.

The militia unit at the rear of the enemy column (who are still at full strength) struggle up the hill side on the left flank and deploy in line.

The waiting begins to fray everyone’s nerves. Aware that sitting on your hands will accomplish nothing you order the grenadiers to advance into the fog bank as your artillery heads into the cover of the woods slightly to the rear.

As the grenadiers emerge from the mist they run straight into the nervous militia deployed across the road. At such close range there is no time for a volley and instead the militia rush forward to engage in hand to hand combat. The grenadiers are startled but are rallied by your heroic good self riding to the fore. (The militia combat produced a single flag result which should force a retreat on you but can be ignored if there is an officer present - or the defenders are elite). Unfortunately for the Americans hand to hand combat is not a one sided affair and recovering from the shock of the encounter your grenadiers strike back.

A terrible slaughter ensues. Already reduced in strength by earlier desertions the leading militia are overwhelmed and their leader (Pinckney) forced to flee back down the track to the unit behind which is still in column. (The grenadiers get 3 dice in melee, with an extra one for being full strength and another for having an officer present).  

After redressing their ranks your men advance with levelled bayonets along the track against the unit in column unaware that the full strength militia unit on the higher ground is groping its way through the mist onto your flank. Your attack goes in and causes two casualty markers and a flag. With only 1 strength point left the enemy takes to their heels (militia retreat three hexes) There is an officer present who could have allowed them to ignore the flag but under the circumstances I judged it best for them to run.

The hapless militia on your flank rush into the attack but your men’s blood is up and they too suffer severe losses and run for their lives.

Well done. A stunning victory…albeit against very weak opposition.”

Brigadier General Parrott was now flushed with success and General Cummings slightly down cast at the loss of so many men.

Fortunately for the story this situation would not last long - for the random events die roll and General Parrotts ambition are about to throw a spanner in the works for both commanders.

Toodleooh.