AN OLD FAVORITE REVISITED A few years back some of you may remember that I ran a series of Beecher's Island games, each with a different set of rules. The following report covers the same scenario with a variant of Six Gun Sound being written for Two Hour Wargames. The table layout differs somewhat from the original games, what with two years having elapsed between games, so its not quite fair to consider this a test against the other rules used. Rather its a return to a favorite scenario, one that provides an opportunity to field quite a few Plains Indian figures. The Battle of Beecher's Island, in 1868, is a classic Indian fight and one that I have gamed with many different rules over the years. Having recently reviewed my reports of these earlier fights it was time to have a go with Six Gun Sound. HISTORICAL RECAP THE CAVALRY In September 1868 a company of US troops under command of Major "Sandy" Forsyth was hot on the trail of a band of Cheyenne that had been committing depredations in Kansas. This company was unique in that the 50 or so enlisted men were not regular Army but volunteer scouts. For the most part these were seasoned plainsmen and Civil War veterans although a few less experienced men were also in the unit. The company had three officers: Major Forsyth, Lt. Fred Beecher (for whom the battle was posthumously named), and Acting Surgeon J. H. Mooers. The men had supplied their own mount sand clothing but were supplied rations, Spencer repeating carbines, Colt revolvers, and ammunition by the government. To make a long story short the trail the 50 scouts were following eventually led to 600 or so warriors who didn't take kindly to being followed. The hunters became the hunted and the scouts dug in on a sand bar in the Arickeree River while the warriors massed for a mounted charge up the river valley. The river was only six of so inches deep and the river bed a wide sandy expanse so a charge up the river itself is not as strange an action as it may seem at first. The game: The US: Major Forsyth, Lt. Beecher, Dr. Mooers, and 7 enlisted scout figures. All CV 5 armed with repeating carbines and revolvers. The scouts were very well supplied with ammunition so in this game there is no limit to how often a scout figure may re-supply once out of ammunition. It still takes an activation to do so though and this can be very inconvenient at times to say the least. THE CHEYENNE 120 mounted warriors, roughly 20 CV 5, 80 CV 4. and 20 CV 3. To accommodate this large number of warriors and the nature of the charge up the valley some minor changes were made regarding warband composition. In short the 120 figures were treated as a single warband, but only the 12 figures nearest the scouts at any given time were counted for combat and reaction purposes. Historically the Cheyenne (and some allied warriors and even a few renegade whites) made several charges at the island. The great Cheyenne war leader Roman Nose was absent from the first charge as his bullet proof medicine had accidentally been voided the night before and he needed to undergo purification rituals. Rituals incomplete, Roman Nose, was goaded into participating in the second charge by other native leaders. During this second charge Roman Nose was shot dead. The warriors' enthusiasm for the fight dampened considerably after Roman Nose's demise. GAME PLAN The game will consist of two Indian charges up the riverbank. The first charge to be played out as usual except for the noted change to the warband rules. The second charge will feature Roman Nose. If Roman Nose makes it through the scouts' lines the Cheyenne will there after count +1 CV for all reaction checks. If Roman Nose is slain or seriously wounded the Cheyenne will there after count -1 CV for all reaction checks. FIRST CHARGE The mass of Indians came thundering up the riverbed. The scouts opened fire at about 150 yards. Many warriors and ponies went down but on the warriors came. Dr. Mooers (in top hat above) was kept busy moving amongst the wounded. The good doctor managed to return a few men to the firing line before meeting his own demise near the end of the game  COMMENTS When it was all over the Cheyenne had suffered 6 KIA, 13 WIA, and 21 ponies lost out of 120 involved in the charge. The scouts lost Dr, Mooers KIA, and 2 WIA. Also I'm sad to say that Prariedawg lost his nerve and was found cowering on the far side of the sand bar muttering dire predictions of doom and destruction to all and sundry. With only six riflemen left on the line the scouts are preparing for Roman Nose's attack. ROMAN NOSE RIDES THE SECOND CHARGE While Prariedawg seeks refuge amongst the wounded. A rollicking charge it was too. As the warriors charged the island, the scouts fired off a volley. Roman Nose crumpled and fell from his horse. The big warrior was badly wounded but alive as one of his followers grabbed him off the ground and carried him to safety. The warriors suffered two other casualties in that first volley. Pretty good shooting considering only 6 scouts were firing. The loss of the bullet proof Roman Nose left the warriors rather less confident of victory. Nevertheless a warrior managed to put a bullet into Major Forsyth. The gallant Major was mortally wounded. Two of Roman Nose's companions made glory rides over the island, one of them striking down another scout.  Only a few other warriors attempted to ride through the scout position that day and none succeeded. Most of the warriors were content to ride by slinging lead and arrows as they passed. The last warrior hove out of sight round the bend and the surviving scouts muttered a prayer of thanks and looked after the wounded. The warriors trotted back to their camps to swap tales of daring, care for the wounded, and mourn the slain. COMMENTS This time around the scouts lost 1 KIA (Major Forsyth) and 1 WIA out of 6 combatants involved. The warriors lost 7 KIA, 6 WIA (including Roman Nose) and 15 ponies out of 102 combatants involved. The scouts have survived the ordeal but with half their number dead or wounded, and no animals for transport, their pursuit of the hostiles has come to an end. SOME NOTES ON FIGURES AND TERRAIN Scout figures are a mixture of Foundry, Old Glory, Dixon, and West Wind. The vast majority of the Plains Indians are Old Glory, with a very few Foundry figures mixed in. All Old Glory Plains Indians were painted by Dakota Miniatures. All other figures painted by the author. Riderless horses are from various ERTL sets. The riverbed was made of tan felt. The stream pieces are by Miniature World Maker. The bit of water surrounding the island is a piece blue felt. The island itself was made up from Warzone GTS hills. The surrounding high ground was by Geohex. Trees were a mixture of ancient model railroading scenery and Lemax village accessories. Back to MWAN # 130 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