The Battle of Chateauguay

Wargaming the Battle of the Chateauguay

by Rich Barbuto

After reading the official reports and the historical account of the Battle of the Chateauguay, it may strike some as not being a particularly satisfying battle to wargame. After all, it was a collection of separated firefights and confusion and perhaps a loss of will on the part of the American commander. Clearly, Hampton did not press the fight and the council of war he called validated his cautious approach. What I will suggest however, is that the wargamer can salvage some fun from the scenario. What appears below are some thoughts on how to game Chateauguay as a solo contest with the gamer playing the Americans and the Canadian/Indians as automated players. This works because after the defenders positioned their forces, they pretty much stood and fought with little subsequent maneuvering.

Here are the issues. How do we lay down the defenders so that the Americans don’t know where everyone is until the game gets going? How do we handle fighting in woods, across abatis, and through ditches and breastworks? How do we simulate confusion?

Force Positioning

One of the basic problems of solo gaming is keeping the player from having a helicopter view of the battlefield and knowledge of the whereabouts of his enemy. While Hampton did not know the true size and composition of the Canadian force, he could justifiably assume that most of them were behind the abatis and various breastwork positions blocking the lone road alongside the Chateauguay River. So, a way of handling this problem is to place 2/3 of the defenders in the prepared positions blocking the road and withholding the remainder until after Hampton issues his orders.

Hampton has three axes of advance: down the road, to the left through the forest, or across the river on the right. Refer to the map for a graphic portrayal.

So, the solo player begins by placing 2/3 of the defending companies (14 of 21 units) on the board somewhere in the central axis. He keeps the Indians and four companies of the defenders off the board for the moment. I’ve broken the defenders into the following company-sized units with strengths shown:

    Light Company Canadian Fencibles (70)
    Four companies Voltigeurs (55 each)
    Nine companies SEM (70 each)
    Four companies Sedentary Militia (70 each)
    Three warbands of Indians (60 each)

Then the solo player decides how he will attack. Historically, Hampton sent one brigade of infantry down the eastern axis and the remainder of his force down the center axis. He avoided the western axis through the forest. Hampton understood how easy it is to lose control of a force moving and fighting through woods and this is indeed what happened to Purdy’s brigade across the river. Anyway, let’s say that only infantry can move along the eastern and western axes and therefore the guns and dragoons remain on the center axis. The solo player has seven infantry units to work with:

    Light Infantry Corps (350)
    4th Infantry (600)
    10th Infantry (250)
    11th/29th Infantry (750)
    30th/31st Infantry (700)
    33rd Infantry (300)
    Maine and New Hampshire Volunteers (400)

He allocates each battalion along any of the three axes. Exercise discretion here. If you don’t want to put anyone along one of the axes, don’t do so. For the forces on the center and western axes, they must begin anywhere behind (south of) the start line. However, for the force allocated on the eastern axis, since these soldiers departed the previous evening, they could be anywhere. I have designated 11 areas on the eastern axis. Roll 2D6 and place one unit (the advance guard) in that block. Place the remainder of the eastern force in any block behind (south) of the advance guard. Here’s the tricky part. Historically, these Americans were in a long file so they wouldn’t get lost. And it is proper to place the main body of Americans in files, one battalion behind the other. However, roll a die and give the advance guard a 50/50 chance of being in line. Okay, now all the American forces are on the board and have orders to attack north along a designated axis. These orders must be obeyed because the American commander (presumably on the central axis) has no quick means of changing orders. However, you can tell the attackers to start their attack when they hear gunfire or cannon shot or other sound signal.

Time to place the remaining Canadian/Indian defending companies. These troops will be placed in either the western or eastern axes. Roll 1D6. A roll of 1, 2, or 3 puts them on the western axis while a roll of 4, 5, or 6 puts them on the eastern axis. For the defenders on the west, place them in the edge of the forest facing any Americans lined up there. However, on the eastern axis, roll for placement of each company. The Canadians/Indians can be in the same block as the American advance guard or in any block north of them. For example, if the advance guard is in block 7, then the defenders can roll to be positioned in blocks 7 through 12. The southernmost company is placed in line formation (better to defend). Other companies are placed in file (better to move southward).

Let’s review the set up

  • Place 14 Canadian companies anywhere in the defenses in the central axis.
  • Allocate American battalions to one or more of the axes.
  • Roll for placing the Americans allocated to the eastern axis.
  • Roll for allocation of the Indians and four of the Canadian companies.
  • Roll for placement of those forces allocated to the eastern axis.

Now we are ready to review the special rules.

Moving and Fighting in the Woods

American and Canadian troops moving through woods must go slowly while I let Indians move at a normal pace. If in file formation, move at 2/3 speed while lines can only move at 1/3 speed. There is no charge speed. Now, once contact is made, units in file will want to move quickly into line to receive the enemy. I figure that it should take two turns to bring an entire battalion on line while a company can come on line in a single turn. You can’t move forward and change formations at the same time. The head of the file moves left or right while the remainder just follow them.

Fighting in the forest is a matter of greatly reduced effect on firepower and enhanced morale effects. I reduce range of firearms to 1/3 and I reduce hits by 50%. I don’t change my hand-to-hand rules. However, I roll for morale more frequently. This simulates the increased fear when fighting in woods. Troops are unsure of the whereabouts of the enemy and expect to be attacked in flank or rear at any time. In my rules, a unit rolls for morale whenever it takes a casualty in a turn. This creates a lot of back and forth and unpredictability in forest fighting. Canadian companies and Indian war parties roll for morale, as do American battalions.

Fighting Across the Abatis

The abatis is relatively low, no more than waist high and more typically knee high. Because of this, I don’t give abatis any added effect as cover or concealment. It is not impossible to move through the abatis, just time consuming. Remember, the defender has left lanes through the mass of sharpened boughs so that the skirmishers can move to safety. Here’s the technique I use. On turn one, the troops move to the friendly edge of the abatis. On turn two, they move halfway into the abatis and I do not allow them to fire. On turn three they move immediately out of the abatis.

The abatis serves to break up the enemy attack and allows the defenders to get a few extra shots. As an attacking technique, move two units up to the abatis. Have one unit remain in place and fire while the other moves through. When that unit gets through, it opens fire while the second unit moves through. It takes awhile but by keeping the enemy under constant fire, it is possible to force them to get a bad morale throw. If you are forced to withdraw or rout through an abatis, you are really hurting because the enemy will have you in range for several shots. You may not allow a unit withdrawing or routing through an abatis to rally until it traverses the obstacle.

Fighting across a Ditch and Breastwork

The Canadians built hasty breastworks immediately behind the shallow creek beds. The breastworks give some level of cover from musket and rifle fire but none from artillery. Reduce hits by 50% from incoming musket and rifle fire. The ditch also slows down an assault and gives the defender a better chance at hand-to-hand combat. I move the attacker into the ditch on turn one where it remains until its next turn when it can melee with the defender. This ensures that the defender gets one extra shot at close range. The attacker at the bottom of the ditch can fire as well but his targets are behind cover while he is not. I double the odds for hand-to-hand in the defenders favor. Also, I don’t let succeeding lines of attackers fire over the heads of the first line when it is in the ditch.

Some Thoughts on Tactics

Certainly the Americans can press forward on the central axis and bludgeon their way through succeeding lines of breastworks. They can expect to take heavy losses but since they outnumber the defenders, they might eventually succeed as long as they do not fail too many morale rolls. Perhaps a better approach is to mount small supporting attacks along one or both of the flanking axes. If the Americans can manage to get a single battalion behind a set of breastworks, they should be able to overcome it quite readily.

As for the Canadians, they probably want to fight for each breastwork and fall back just before the Americans succeed in crossing it. This should help them preserve their force and make the Americans assault each defensive position in turn. The Canadians should probably refrain from reinforcing each breastwork by sending troops forward as this will deplete the forces in the remaining defensive lines. When fighting in the woods, both sides are equally vulnerable to failed morale. Therefore, the Canadians should consider attacking the larger American battalions to prompt a morale failure.

Conclusion

This wargame promises to be a slug-fest. This is consistent with most fights in which an outnumbered defender has the advantage of strong defensive positions in depth. For the Americans, it could easily result in a Pyrhic victory. Imagine the Americans forcing their way through this defensive line at great cost. What do they do next? Are they in a condition to continue on to the Saint Lawrence River and attempt link up with Wilkinson’s larger force moving down river? Remember, they are taking their supply line with them, a convoy of wagons trying to navigate a poor road network. Anyway, these are thoughts to ponder after the battle.

More Battle of Chateauguay

Back to Table of Contents -- War of 1812 #2
Back to War of 1812 List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Magazine List
© Copyright 2001 by Rich Barbuto.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com