INTRODUCTION
This battle took place on turn 2 of a Play-By-Email (PBEM) American Revolution campaign of which I was 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. Battles are played by local gamers 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
The campaign started with the British concentrated in Charleston and in the center of the map around Camden, and the Americans in two groups: The main army under Greene near Charlotte, and a secondary army under Colonel William Washington to the east in Springfield.
You can view the strategic situation on the main campaign page: http://www.angelfire.com/wa/rogerswhome/awisouthern.html
On turn 1, Greene split his army into two columns. His main army marched directly south toward Camden, while a secondary force under Morgan shielded his right flank, headed south through Williams to Winnsboro. At the same time, the British general O'Hara, at Cross Roads, moved a column of two regiments of regulars and the 17th light dragoons north through Winnsboro to Williams.
O'Hara's force ran into Morgan's scouts (the 1st and 2nd light dragoons) on turn 1 and the 17th suffered some losses in sharp skirmishing. However, the American cavalry alone could not slow up the British column, which successfully entered Williams, with Morgan's main force of six regiments just 10 miles to the northeast.
On turn 2, Morgan attacked the town, while the British dug in to defend themselves as best they could. The map shows the strategic situation:
SUMMARY
Morgan and Lee with 1,700 men and no guns attempted a flank attack against O'Hara with 900 men and 5 guns. Morgan's attack was repulsed, resulting in a British minor victory. American losses were about 600 men, British losses were about 70 men.
THE COURSE OF THE BATTLE
The British had to set up first, due to being outscouted. The Americans would then set on. Then the British would be allowed to move one infantry unit to a new location. Our battles are generally small enough that both sides are allowed to use hidden movement.
The British placed their five guns on the hill just to the west of Williams, with one regiment in front of the guns, and the second regiment behind the stone wall to the east of Williams. The 17th dragoons waited in reserve out of sight behind the town.
The players had just finished playing the battle of the Great Pedee Crossings, so both sides were aware of the power of massed artillery (if totals of 4-5 guns can be said to be massed). However, power is relative, and with these tiny armies (by European standards) they had found that even a few guns could be decisive. The Americans therefore decided to try an "end run". They placed their regiments in a cluster of columns as far to the east as they could. Their plan was to scoot around the far flank of the British army and attack Williams from its less-well-protected rear.
The map shows the setup positions and plans of the two armies.
The British shifted the grenadiers from their initial position in front of the artillery over to the stone wall next to the Highlanders. As the Americans hurried along south toward the gap between the stone wall and the woods, the British gunners desperately repositioned their field guns to play upon the hapless Continentals. This had some effect, forcing two regiments to break and seek shelter in the woods. Meanwhile, the British grasshoppers limbered up and trotted around behind Williams to get ready for expected assault across the field east of the town.
The American cavalry was the first to "pop the crest" southeast of Williams, where it was disconcerted to find the l7th dragoons waiting! The three regiments charged (somewhat gingerly across the broken ground) into each other, and confused melee ensued. As the sabers flashed in the hot sun, the grenadiers did a quick about face and positioned themselves to back up the cavalry.
The American infantry had now reached the "slot" along the east side of the stone wall, where the Highlanders waited with muskets readied. The 1st Pennsylvania and the 8th Virginia regiments formed line facing the wall, while Morgan's Rifles and the 1st Rhode Island trotted along in column behind them.
A grim firefight began as the rebels tried to force the elite redcoats away from that wall. But it was a hopeless task. The Highlanders crashed out one deadly volley after another, using the time-honored defense tactic for a stone wall: The 3-rank regiment had formed a few paces behind the wall. While the first two ranks slammed out their fire, the third rank reloaded for them, crouching in front of them in safety to do so. In terms of the rules, the British needed a base 8-10 to hit, with a +1 for steady British fire and a +1 for grade A-B troops. The Grade D Pennsylvanians needed a base 9-10 to hit, while the green Grade E Virginians needed a 10. After three turns, the Americans had joined their fellows cowering in the woods, and the Highlanders were free to turn their attention to events on their flank and rear.
After two turns, the British cavalry had had enough and the survivors galloped away off the table. Most of them returned after the fight, but the regiment was done for this day. Morgan's Rifles and the Rhode Islanders had by this time come up even with the cavalry.
Morgan's men charged one of the light guns; the gunners evaded, taking refuge in Williams itself, but to no avail. The 300 shouting backwoodsmen charged into the town block. The gunners fired off their cut-down muskets then ran off. Morgan's men had captured part of Williams, but it remained to see whether they could hold it.
The map shows the battle at its crisis point.
The rebel cavalry also charged around the end of the stone wall, but met with less luck. A blast of canister from the remaining British light gun, plus volley fire from the grenadiers, finally broke their weakened morale, and they retired from the field. While this was happening, the Rhode islanders overran the light gun and popped into Williams, too, while Morgan's men jumped one block north.
Now the end of battle approached. The Highlanders and the grenadiers turned to face the town blocks and began to volley them, needing an 8-10 to hit (base 10 for hard cover, +1 for steady British fire, +1 for grade A-B troops). The trio of field guns also began to play upon the block holding Morgan's. This was too much. On turn 12 American losses reached the 50% mark, and the rebels streamed off the field toward the north, followed by the scornful cheers of the British.
The map shows the final positions of the forces involved.
AFTERMATH
The American army morale finally broke on turn 12. Luckily Morgan's Rifles and the Rhode Island regiment had a large gap between the Highlanders and the British artillery and were able to make good their escape. Morgan's force retreated northeast along the road about 10 miles, losing more men along the way. There was no British pursuit due to lack of cavalry.
American Force Summary (in terms of actual men):
Brigadier General Daniel Morgan
Colonel Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee
Supply Unit - Charlotte
1st PA 220, grade D (lost 100 at Williams)
4th Maryland 151, grade E (exhausted) (lost 89 at Williams)
8th VA 100, grade E (exhausted) (lost 140 at Williams)
3rd Maryland 232, grade D (lost 68 at Williams)
1st Rhode Island 220, grade E (exhausted) (lost 80 at Williams)
1st Light Dragoons 45, grade D (exhausted) (lost 13 at Williams)
2nd Light Dragoons 25, grade D (exhausted) (lost 35 at Williams)
Total losses: 619 men
British Force Summary (in terms of actual men):
Major-General Charles O'Hara
Grenadiers 310, grade A (3-Rank) (lost 10 at Williams)
84th Highlanders 455, grade A (3-Rank) (lost 25 at Williams)
17th Dragoons 55, grade C (exhausted) (lost 23 at Williams)
2 Light Guns
3 Field Guns
Gunners 53, grade C (lost 12 at Williams)
1 supply unit - Crossroads
Total losses: 70 men
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© Copyright 2004 Hal Thinglum
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