Four Dayton-area wargamers recently fought an American Revolution battle reflecting historical conditions in South Carolina in late 1781. A 1:10 figure (25mm) to man ratio applied on the 6' x 10' table. We used WHITES OF THEIR EYES for rules. (ED NOTE: Whites of Their Eyes will be printed in full in a future issue.)

BACKGROUND

By November, 1781, the British forces in the South had been reduced to those defending Charleston and Savannah. General Greene, in an effort to keep the British on the defensive after Yorktown, requested French assistance to attack British outposts near Charleston. Although he had only 990 continentals (Lee's Legion, 5th Virginia, North Carolina Cont'ls., and a Virginia Artillery Bn. of two six pounders), he was supported locally by General Pickens' 890 militia (S.C. Dragoons, S.C. State Lt. Inf., Over-the-Mountain Riflemen, and two S.C. Militia Bns.). French Colonel d'Audechamp's Regiment Agenois (1,000 men in two line battalions, a chasseur company, a grenadier company, and two four pounders) arrived in midNovember to bolster Greene.

Lord Balfour had established several strongposts near a small creek centered on a large redoubt astride the main road leading south to Charleston. Brigadier Gould commanded 820 British at the redoubt area (Royal Navy and Marine companies with two large naval guns, the 30th Foot, and the 84th Highlanders). Colonel Cruger's 530 Loyalists (S.C. Dragoons, S.C. Light Infantry, and a S.C. Infantry Battalion) defended the bridge and mill in the woods to Gould's right. Hessian General von Huyne commanded the 760-man reserve (Mtd. Jaegers, one four pounder, Musketeer Regiment Prinz Carl, and Fusilier Regiment von Dittfurth). This force would arrive on a turn determined by rolling one die (unknown to Allies).

THE BATTLE

On the foggy early morning of November 20, 1781, the men of the 30th British Foot and the Sailors and Marines at the farm-redoubt area were awakened by the drums of a French march. The noise came from the direction of the Inn. Simultaneously, the Britishers were startled by the cracking of rifle fire to their distant right. As the fog began to break, Pickens' light troops had clashed with Coffin's S.C. Light Infantry at the East Bridge. As the British began forming in the center, they nervously watched the advance of 1,000 Frenchmen in orderly white-coated ranks. General Gould immediately ordered his naval guns on the high ground into action. They quickly found their range on the French.

Meanwhile, the fighting to the east grew more intense as both sides threw in their cavalry (all from South Carolina). One of Pickens' S.C. Militia units broke and routed under this pressure. They caused Hampton's S.C. Light Horse to flee temporarily with them.

Rule Note: All militia units must check morale every turn after initially suffering casualties. Any units within 6" of routed troops must also check. Militia, once routed are difficult to rally; they also lose three figures per unsuccessful turn.)

Only Henderson's S.C. Light Infantry held on while Pickens tried to rally his forces. He succeeded with the Riflemen, who returned to the battle with accurate vengeance. (Rule Note: Light troops are permitted a split move-fire-move to reflect their mobility.)

As the French infantry fanned out to begin their assault on the British center, Colonel d'Audechamp sent his flank companies to the Church to cover the West Bridge. This flanking move caused Gould to delay moving the 84th Highlanders up to directly support the 30th Foot. He did, however, send an urgent plea to von Huyne to advance to support the left flank as soon as possible. Unfortunately for the British, the Hessians had rolled a six, and therefore would not arrive until the sixth turn.

The French, peppered by the accurate artillery fire, advanced boldly on the British center. (Rule Note: Guns add 3" to all ranges when they have superior elevation.) The lighter French guns went into action on a small hill near the Inn, but they proved no match for the heavier British guns. The 1st French Battalion finally broke under the bombardment and an aggressive volley from the 30th Foot that killed the French Battalion CO (Rule Note: Serious morale problems resu/t from the loss of the unit CO).

The retreating French collided with Greene's continentals, who were marching down both roads from the direction of the Inn. However, the 2nd French Battalion survived its morale test and continued the attack on the 30th Foot. The 84th Highlanders tried to support the 30th, but they were prevented from doing so by the effective fire from the French flank companies.

Pickens finally rallied his diminished militia, with the exception of his light horse. They chose to flee the battlefield. The remainder of the South Carolinians assaulted the East Bridge and the redoubt with the added support of Lee's Legion. The Loyalists soon broke under this pressure and began retreating into the center. This move permitted Lee to lead his dragoons in an effective encirclement of the entire British right flank without opposition.

The Hessians arrived at the West Bridge with the Mounted Jaegers in the van. The horsemen charged the French flank companies with temporary success but not without suffering substantial losses from volleys. Suddenly, the French Grenadiers boldly charged the Hessian Regt. von Dittfurth's lead companies on the bridge before they could get across and form a line (Rule Note: There is a melee bonus for units charging). The outnumbered Frenchmen delayed the entire Hessian force for two crucial moves.

As Greene's continentals formed and advanced in the center to support the French, the British line collapsed in disorder. Lee's Legion Dragoons thundered down on Gould's remnant's to make the Allied victory complete.

CONCLUSION

The British and Hessian casualties amounted to 42%, the bulk of whom were among the British and Loyalist units. The Allies lost 20% of their forces, thus resulting in a "complete American victory" under the rules.

Although the British held a good defensive position, they had to cover a large area. The delayed Hessian arrival and their subsequent failure to quickly deploy proved critical to the British loss.

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