There were about 14 players at Mike Sanderson’s house in Lees Summit Mo. for the May battle topic "French/Indian War" - The "Battle of the British Retreat". The French had started their spring offensive into the farms of upper New York. The speed of the French & Indian attacks had caught the British off-guard and the initial skirmishes had been French victories because of their speed and concentration! The British garrisons had evacuated the colonist’s women & children in a wagon train protected by one company of the King’s Militia. The British plan was to make the burnt-out tavern buildings at Lewiston where another militia company would try to protect the wagon train by acting as rear-guard taking on the brunt of the following French & Indian column chasing the fleeing British wagons. Victory would be assured for the French if they could capture the fleeing colonist’s wagons or block the wagon’s escape off the south end of the table by capturing the bridge across the Niner River! The French had sent raiding columns of Indians followed by French Rangers (Woodsmen/CDB) up both flanks of the escape route moving thru the woods and hills to capture the bridge ahead of the wagons. Because these type troops moved thru rough country faster than regular troops could up the road - this was a good plan! The only other delaying forces were two tribes of British Indians that had turned out for battle on each side of the valley (table) and these were to act as blocking forces for the British to cover the retreat! These two Indian tribes were somewhat disgruntled with the Great White Father (British Generalship) as the "rum-rations" and blankets promised by the British had not arrived for some time so the British Indians at council had decided to "only fight other Indians (counting coo!) and not to battle any whites with their muskets" ( most of the Indians had bows)!! The battle opened with the British wagon train moving down the road toward Lewiston tavern while being "sniped at" by raiding French Indians moving in the woods along side the escape road. A few "hits" were made by both sides but neither side slowed down and the British wagon train of colonists made it to Lewiston tavern where the second King’s Militia company was defending the two burnt-out buildings on the hill beside the road! Wishing them success at the tavern, the British wagon train moved on down the road toward the bridge. Lt. Roby declared he would not fail to hold and delay the column of French Regulars coming down the road behind the wagon train (brave words)! The next phase of the battle saw the arrival of the French Regulars, Militia, and Artillery coming down the road where they set up "in-line" for their attack on the Lewiston tavern "redoubt" position! As this was happening the leading French Indians on both sides of the valley (table) ran into the defending British Indian tribes on both sides of the valley road in the woods!! Two "Indian" battles fighting close quarters "hand-to-hand" in the woods saw the French Indians take heavy casualties on both sides of the valley and they both fell back waiting for the French Rangers following them to catch up to overwhelm the British Indian defenders on both flanks! As soon as the French Rangers caught up the British Indians fell back (don’t fight "whites" - only Indians)! Meanwhile at the Lewiston tavern "redoubt" position the French attack with Regulars, Militia, and Artillery was causing some "hits" amongst Lt. Roby’s company behind the timbers of the burnt-out buildings! Lt. Roby was inflicting "hits" on the French too but just as the French were ready to close-in - Roby’s command retired to the left-rear into some close woods and out of firing range! This move placed Roby’s men behind the French raiding column on the left side of the valley and the French commander on this side of the table was caught between two enemy forces! The British wagon train continued moving down the road toward the bridge where a fresh British Militia company was marching up the road to join the battle at Lewiston tavern! This fresh company was setting up "in-line" to face the French Regular column coming over the Lewiston tavern position when the French raiding column on the left (caught between two British forces) moved out of cover into the open behind the new fresh British Militia company trying to establish a defensive line behind the Lewiston tavern position so as to give the British wagon train "more time" to get down the road to the bridge! This move put the fresh company between two enemy forces and the British Militia here suffered heavy casualties. The British Militia (Roby’s) and the British Indians on the left both moved to the woods edge to pour fire into the rear of the exposed French wiping them out here and allowing the British Militia line to hold the French Regulars for another set-piece battle turn! The last chance for the French was a "rush" of their "right-flank" raiding column toward the British wagon train just as it was reaching the safety of the British reinforcing Regular column coming across the bridge with British artillery! The British cannon shot canister into the attacking French Indians as they rushed the gun-crew and wagons! It was here that the French committed their final act of barbarism in shooting a British woman in a wagon carrying a baby!! And they call themselves "gentlemen"? The British gun-crew fought off the last French Indians "inspired by a new determination" from witnessing the murder of the British woman! The British Regulars deployed "in-line" to the rear of the fleeing wagon train and setup a new defensive line just north of the bridge where the retreating British forces could gather to stop the French assault! Once this line was established, the French drive was blunted and the judge determined the game a "British Victory"!!! We enjoyed playing this tense game of "French/Indian War" and look forward to next month’s game, "WW1 Airplanes" (Blue Max/ Canvas Eagles) in June, and "American Civil War" in July!! We also look forward to "Summer Camp Con" at Ft. Leavenworth at the Hunt Lodge July 16,17th! "Two days of gaming (tabletop, board, miniatures, etc.) for a $7 entry fee that helps the Historical Re-enactor’s Group there! See you there, until next time, good gaming all, Harold ( Harold’s Old Games) Morgan of Gladstone Mo. (N.K.C.Mo.) Back to Table of Contents Penny Whistle # 59 Back to Penny Whistle List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by Lion's Den Publications. 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