This campaign has good possibilities for a wargame, since it has a time frame, limited forces and definite objectives: The American must capture Vera Cruz and advance inland to the Highlands before the Yellow Fever season. The Mexicans need to relieve Vera Cruz or failing that, contain the Americans in the coastal zone.
U.S. Cavalry dismount to fight off attacking Mexican guerrillas. Figures Painted by Bob Marshall. Photo by Rick Carras.
It is difficult to simulate the steep rugged terrain of this battlefield. For such battlefields I cut up an old two inch thick foam rubber mattress. I made various ridges and hills with forty-five degree slopes. Using lichen to cover spots where various pieces join and scattering grey kitty litter or gravel around, a nice looking representation can be achieved. The gorge of the river was represented by one of the table edges.
Rather than attempt to recreate the actual strength of each unit, I fudged a bit on the order of battle to correspond to my wargame units. The figure ratio below is 40 to 1, with 4 figure infantry stands, 3 figure cavalry stands and 1 gun representing 4 cannon. The codes for the Unit Efficiency Values are the same as in my previous articles: E = Elite (6 U.E.), K = Crack (5), V = Veteran (4), C = Conscript (3), and M = Militia (2).
SANTA ANNA'S ARMY AT CERRO GORDO
() = # STANDS; [] = UNIT EFFICIENCY
Ampudia's Bde. 11st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Lt. Infy. (7) [V]+(1) Rifle [V]
Vasquez's Bde. 3rd, 4th, 5th Infy. (4) [C], 11th Infy. (2) M, (1) Rifle [C], (1) Gren. [V]
Rangel's Bde. Gren. Gd. (6) [K] 6th (2) [C] Libertad N. Gd. (2) [M], Matamoros N. Gd. (2) [M] (1) Rifle [C], (1) Gren. [V]
Pinzon's Bde. Tepecca N. Cd. (2) [M] Zacapoastla N. Gd. (2) [M] Atlixco N. Cd. (2) [M], (1) Rifle [M], (1) Gren. [C], Misc. N. Gd. cos. (1) [M]
H.Q. Gd. Hussars (2) [E]
Canalizo's Cav. Div.
Canalizols Bde. Mexico Lt. Cav. (2) [C] Oaxaca Act. Cav. (2) [M], Misc. Act. Sdns. (2) [M] juvera's Bde. 5th Cav. (2) ICL 9th Cav. (2) [C] Marelia Act. Cav. (2) [M] Cuirassiers (2) [V]
Artillery: (1) 4# "Flying Bty." [K], (1) 16# San Patricio Bty. [E], (1) 12# Bty. [V], (1) 8# Bty. M, (2) 6# Btys. M, Galeana N. Gd. Arty. (2) 8# Btys. [C], (2) 6# Btys. [C]
Reinforcements:
Arteaga's Bde.: Puebla Act. (2) [C] Puebla N. Gd. (4) [M] (1) Rifle [C] (1) Gren. [C].
GENERAL SCOTT'S ARMY
1st Div. (Worth)
1st Bde. Garland: 4th Infy., 2nd Any., 4th Arty. (6) [all K]
Lt. Btn. (1) Lt. [K], (1) Vol. Rifle [V]
2nd Bde. Clarke: 5th, 6th, 8th I nfy. (6) [K]
Artillery: A Bty. 2nd Arty. - Duncan (1) 6# [E]
2nd Div. (Twiggs)
1st Bde Harney: Mtd. Rifles, 7th Infy., 1 st Arty. (6) [K]
2nd Bde. Riley: 2nd Infy., 3rd Infy., 4th Arty. (6) [K]
Lt. Btn. (1) Inty. [K]
Artillery: K Bty. 1st Arty. - Taylor (1 ) 6# [E], Taloott's Bty. (1) Mtd. How. [E], (1) Rocket Bty. [E]
Sappers (1/2 std.) [K]
3rd Div. (Patterson):
Pillow's Bde.: 1st & 2nd Tenn. Inty. (5) [V], (1) Rifle [V]
1st & 2nd Penn. Inty. (5) [V], (1) Rifle [V]
Shields' Bde.: 3rd & 4th III, Infy., 1st N.Y. Infy. (8) [V], (2) Rifle [V]
Artillery: Steptoe's Bty.: 3rd Any. (1) 12# [E]
Cavalry:
2nd Dragoons (2) [E], Tenn. Mtd. (4) [V]
Siege Train (Huger):
(1) 24# How. [E], (1) 24# gun [E]
Note: The American Light or Rifle companies are not in the exact proportions because some of the Regular companies were detached and the Volunteer Regts. were larger, making it difficult to come up with 20% of the stands as Rifles. If you use armies of individual figures, it is easier to work out.
TABLE TOP ACTION
Our recreation of this battle was fought by Curt Easton playing General Scott and David Lippincott as Santa Anna. The troops were set up in the historical positions on the morning of the 18th, except for allowing Santa Anna to keep his brigades together. American troops in the brush were kept off the table and moved on a map, until 6" from a Mexican unit.
Each brigade or division had to have written orders to attack, defend, maneuver, etc., and those orders had to be obeyed until a courier with new orders reached the brigade command stand. Only one order change per turn was allowed.
The game began with the artillery exchange between Atalaya and El Telegrafo. On the 1st turn the Mexican 4 pounder Bty. was knocked out. The siege guns were turned against the road battery, while the howitzers and Taylor's guns (the latter firing from the foot of the hill) continued to bombard El Telegrafo. Also, Harney's Bde. deployed as skirmishers and sniped at the defenders for the remainder of the game.
I allowed American guns to be emplaced on the edge facing Jarero, and an artillery duel took place here too. Eventually, one of the Mexican guns in the center battery and another on the eight were knocked out. Meanwhile, Pillow's men advanced in open order through the brush and attacked the redoubt near the river. The American player chose to use our "Fire and charge" rule: If the attacker wins the point blank fire combat, he can roll the unit's U.E. value to charge into melee, Supporting fire from the center fort defeated the Americans in the fire combat. The 1st Penn. broke and ran, but the Tenn. Mtd. Rifles (dismounted) held firm. The next turn, the remainder of the Volunteers attacked both the right and center redoubts, but were again repulsed.
Pillow's defeat necessitated the commitment of the reserve. Worth's Division marched down the road with the intention of flanking the defenses, but heavy casualties from La Vega's battery and the left fort, forced the Division to deploy and seek concealment in the brush. Eventually the Regulars, supported by Pillow's remnants, assaulted all three redoubts. The center redoubt repulsed its attackers, but the other two were captured. The Foot Artillery manned the captured guns and turned them on the center redoubt. Finally these stubborn defenders were eliminated.
In the center, Harney's Brigade was keeping both Ampudia's and Rangel's brigades pinned down. The American artillery was incredibly good. With only a 15% chance of knocking out a battery, both of the Mexican batteries on the road were silenced! Then the Mexican flying battery was brought up and the puny 4 pounders, with a 5% chance, dismounted the American Siege battery! (Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?)
With the siege guns gone, it seemed safe to sally against the attackers. Arteal Bde. arrived at 10:00, and was deployed against Atalaya, while the Guard Hussars and Canalizo's brigade trotted down the road to harrass the flank of Worth's troops. Talcott's rockets disrupted Canalizo's brigade, but the Hussars charged the Regulars trying to flank the Mexican left redoubt. The U.S. Dragoons who had been waiting on the edge of the Brush, counter-charged and defeated the Hussars.
While the battle progressed elsewhere, Vasquez's Light Infantry and Juvera's Brigade were guarding the Mexican left. Finally, the "defend" order was changed to "maneuver", and the Light Infantry made a reconnaissance in force to find out if there really were any Americans out there in the brush. They ran into Riley's and Shield's men, who had been wait- ing for orders to advance. The Mexicans concentrated against the Regulars and defeated them in the point-blank fire fight. Shield's Brigade threatened the Mexican flank and they attempted to withdraw, but they failed their U.E. roll (1-4 on a D6) and the withdrawal turned into a rout. Their rally attempt (3 or less) also failed, even Santa Anna (anything but a 6) failed to stop the rout! It was time for the Mexican Army to "vamos"!
This is a challenging game. The Americans have to attack superior numbers in defensive positions, but the spread-out nature of the defenses enables the adept player to concentrate against one portion. Conversely, the Mexican player faces the problem of trying to guess where the attack is coming, and allocate his forces accordingly, or he can try to concentrate for an offensive. You might want to try the game in another time period, say a Napoleonic French Corps against a pass defended by Austrian landwehr and a few regular troops.
TABLE A: FORCES AT VERACRUZ, MARCH 9-28, 1847
(Alcaraz, pp. 182-183; Bancroft, p. 439; Bauer, pp. 249-57; Dillon, p. 150)
BDE. GEN. MORALES (4,390)
Vera Cruz Garrison
- Artillerymen 150
Nat. Gd. Arty. 80
2nd Regt. 400
8th Regt. 140
11th Regt. 41
3rd Lt. Regt. 150
Sappers 100
Marines 80
Oaxaca Act. Btn. 400
Tehuantepec Act. Btn. 60
Puebla Nat. Gd. 350
Orizava Nat. Gd. 500
Vera Cruz Nat. Gd. 800
Coatepec & others 100
| Cannon | Mortars |
|---|---|
| 14 24# | 3 42# |
| 20 16# | 6 13" |
| 11 12# | 5 12" |
| 13 8# | 2 9" |
| 4 4# | 7 8" how. |
| 4 4# Mtn. | - |
| Total: 89 pieces | |
| (plus 24 others imported 1846) | |
San Juan de Uloa Garrison
- Artillerymen 450
Puebla Act. Btn. 180
Co.'s Act. Btns. of Tampico, Alvarado, & Tuxpan 250
MAJ. G E N. SCOTT (13,000)
1st Div. - Worth (3,065)
- 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th Infy.
2nd & 3rd Foot Arty.
La. Vol. Co. & Ky. Vol. Co.
Sapper Co. (100)
Marines (180)
A Bty., 2nd Arty. - Duncan (4-6#)
Talcott's Sty. (4-12# Mtn. How. & Rockets)
2nd Div. - Twiggs (2,917)
- Mtd. Rifles (dismtd.)
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th lnfy.
1st & 4th Foot Arty.
K Bty, 1st Arty. - Taylor (4-6#)
3rd Div. - Patterson
- Steptoe's Sty. (4-12#)
Pillow's Bde. (2,500)
- 1st & 2nd Tenn.
1st & 2nd Penn.
1st S. Car. (to Quitman)
Quitman's Bde. (1,000?)
- 1st Ga. (arrived late)
1st Ala. (arrived late)
Shields' Bde. (1,500)
- 3rd & 4th Ill. (late)
1st N.Y. (arrived late)
Harney's Cav. Bde. (900?)
- 1st Drag. (1 co.)
2nd Drag. (7 co.)
Tenn. Mtd. Regt.
Siege Train
- 10 10" Mortars
4 24# cannon
2 24# how.
3 8" Naval shell guns
3 32# Naval guns
| Cannon | Mortars |
|---|---|
| 87 24# | 10 84# |
| 6 16# | 10 68# |
| 4 8# | 16 42# |
| - | 2 14" |
| Total: 135 pieces | |
Thanks
by Bob Marshall
I would like to thank THE COURIER staff for allowing me the honor of being the Theme Editor for the past year. To be associated with such a fine group of concernedand dedicated wargamers has proven to be a highlight in my hobby experience.
I hope that in some small way I have helped to share knowledge and understandingof our nations'history with others. This task could not have been completed, however, without the help of those talented and know- ledgeable individuals who have authored articles throughout the year. Through all of the chaos I may have failed to express my sincere thanks to you, but your talent and assistance were greatly appreciated
As it truly is difficult to present a slice of military history within the confines of six magazine issues, I hope that I may continue to bring to the readers further knowledge and understanding in future issues of the leading war- gaming magazine in the United States, THE COURIER.
SOURCES
Alcaraz, Ramon anclothers, eds.,trans. Albert C. Ramsey. The Other Side: Notes for the History of
the War between Mexico and the United States. 1850; reprinted New York: Burt Franklin, 1970.
Arenas, Ricardo Robelo. Historia General De La Fortaleza De San Juan Oe Ulua. Veracruz: Secretaria de Educacion Publica, No date.
Bauer, Jack. The Mexican War 1846-1848. New York: Macmillan, 1974.
Bigham, John Mills. "Relics of the Palmetto Regiment". Military Images, Vol. X, No. 6,1989.
Dillon, Lesterjr. "American Artilleryin the Mexican War 1846-1847". Military History of Texas and
the Southwest Vol. XI, No. 3,1973.
Downey, Fairfax. Texas and the War with Mexico. New York: American Heritage, 1961.
Hefter, Joseph, Angelina Nieto and John N. Brown. El Soldato Mexicano, 1837-1848. Mexico:
Nieto, Brown and Hefter, 1958.
Katcher, Phillip. "Some Volunteer Uniforms of the Mexican War". Campaigns, Vol. Vil, No. 42,
1982.
Miller, Robert. Shamrock and Sword: The Saint Patrick's Battalion in the U.S.-Mexican War. Nor-
man: University of Oklahoma Press, 1978.
Urwin, Gregory. The United States Infantry. New York: Blandford Perss, 1988.
Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo Campaign 1847
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