INTRODUCTION This battle took place on turn 3 of a Play-By-Email (PBEM) American Revolution campaign of which I am the referee. The game was played in my basement on August 31, 2002. The game took about 3 hours to play. The campaign is set in the South, starting in May of 1781, and represents General Greene's attempt to wrest North and South Carolina from the grip of the British, under the command of Earl Cornwallis. The game covers about six months of time. Each campaign turn represents about two weeks. The Americans and British are moved strategically by two players in different parts of the country, one in Michigan and one in Oregon. Battles are played by local garners familiar with the battle rules we use. As far as possible, the same local player always plays the same local commander in the field. The strategic players do not know the identities of the local players. Hopefully they will assess the capabilities of these generals by noting their actions during battles. Victory is based on holding towns and winning battles. The side with the most victory points (VP) after twelve turns is the winner. A "major" battle has at least 100 figures (2,000 men) on each side. Smaller battles are "minor". Winning a major battle is worth 25 VP. Winning a minor battle is worth 10 VP. When hostile forces encounter one another, each side must declare "attack' or "defend". If both sides declare defend, no battle takes place; the two sides are just watching each other. If a force declares attack, then that side must break the enemy's army morale within 24 turns or it loses the battle. A side declaring defend merely needs to survive for 24 turns to win. An attacking force gets a +1 on its initiative die rolls each turn. The battle rules used in this campaign are Sons of Liberty. In the rules, one figure represents 20 infantry or 10 cavalry, and one gun model represents 1 gun. Turns are move-countermove and 10-sided dice are used. EVENTS LEADING TO THE BATTLE This battle took place because Tarleton, reinforced, decided to try and cross the Great PeeDee River at a new location, but was successfully intercepted and repulsed by William Washington. A day of battle is 24 turns. A battle lasts either until nightfall or until one side has half its figures dead or routed off the table. At that point its "army morale" breaks and the game ends. THE COURSE OF THE BATTLE SUMMARY Washington with 2,000 men and 4 guns set up in depth facing the river crossings. Tarleton attempted to punch across the river, but his cavalry was heavily defeated by a combination of artillery grape shot and well-aimed musketry. AFTERMATH Tarleton still enjoyed a complete cavalry advantage, so Washington was unable to pursue. Tarleton retired in good order. Colonel Washington's rating was upgraded to +2, and two of his militia units were upgraded to grade E to reflect their improved morale at defeating the British twice in two turns. American Force Summary (in terms of actual men): Col. William Washington 4 light guns 33 gunners, grade D 2nd Connecticut LI 240, grade B Mass. LI 240, grade B 1st North Carolina militia 230, grade F 2nd North Carolina militia 240, grade F 3rd North Carolina militia 225, grade F 4th North Carolina militia 240, grade F 7th VA 240, grade E Crockett's Western Bn 300, grade E 2nd Mass. 240, grade E 4th VA 230, grade E Supply unit - Springfield Supply unit - Springfield Total losses: 106 men British Force Summary (in terms of actual men): Lieutenant-Colonel Banastre Tarleton His Lordship Francis Rawdon, Marquis of Hastings British Legion Foot 135, grade E South Carolina Dragoons 40, grade E Coldstream Guards 210, grade A King's American Dragoons 60, grade E 33rd Foot 305, grade B 105th Foot (Volunteers of Ireland) 210, grade D 2 Light Guns & 3 Field Guns Gunners 57, grade C 1 supply unit - Santee Regiment Von Bose 240, grade D (Hessians) Regiment Von Lossberg 240, grade D (Hessians) Jaegers 240, grade C (Hessians) British Legion Cavalry 200, grade D 1 Charleston supply unit Total losses: 220 men  Back to MWAN # 128 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2004 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com