I find it fascinating at times, the curious ways in which one can discover a new idea for a wargame. A case in point is my current obsession with the life and times of William Walker, President of Nicaragua. One day, while taking a lunchtime walk through the local shopping mall, I decided to browse in a discount book shop to see if I could find anything of interest. I drifted, naturally, to the history section, and was drawn to a book with a vividly colored cover and with an inexpensive price. The book was Walker- The True Story of the First American Invasion of Nicaragua. The price was low enough and the topic intriguing enough, so I decided to take a chance. I didn't know what I was getting myself into.
This particular book was of "the making of" variety, as it detailed the problems and adventures of a movie production company making a film about the life of William Walker which told his story in enough detail to hook me. A search of other book shops turned up two other titles; one was Walker's own rnemoirs of his expedition and the other was a fine historical novel of the campaign. I also managed to get reprints of a couple of articles from popular history magazines.
The story that unfolded was fascinating and tragic at the same time. Here was a man driven by lofty goals and ideals who was never able to accept his defeat, even when faced with death. He was a man driven by the dream of Manifest Destiny.
William Walker tried his hand at a variety of careers, from lawyer to newspaperman, but he always had an intense interest in politics and in the future of Central America. Even in the nineteenth century, the rise and fall of Latin American governments happened at a disturbing pace, so much so that American business interests were constantly in jeopardy. Walker had already tried his hand at "filibustering" in the southern California state of Sonoma, and failed miserably. When he was approached about organizing an expedition to "colonize" Nicaragua, he leapt at the chance.
Problems plagued the expedition from the start. The army he hoped to raise finally consisted of only fifty-four men; adventurers, army veterans, etc., who would eventually be called his "Immortals." This small group would form the core of his forces. Intervening in the struggle between the Legitimist Forces and the Democratic Forces, Walker and what became known as the "American Phalanx," supported the forces of the Democrats.
Eventually, Walker's success and phenomenal luck placed him in a position where he could "call the shots" in the government. He was eventually named President of the country, keeping a cadre of his Immortals always nearby. Walker was able to take the Democratic army and turn it into a competent fighting force. Interestingly enough, though, when he was given additional forces who had not served with his American troops, they fared very badly and could not be depended on to perform well in combat.
Once he obtained the goal of control of the country, things seemed to fall apart. Enemies seemed to appear out of the woodwork, both internal and external. He made several decisions and policy changes in Nicaragua that with hindsight, were his undoing. He abolished slavery in the country, a fact that might have had farreaching consequences for the United States, had Walker remained in power long enough to see the 1860's. It has been speculated, in fact, that his presence may have delayed or even prevented the American Civil War.
Forces from Honduras and Costa Rice eyed the shaky state with visions of conquest, and the British government was making noises to the American Consul about threats to security. With the forces of his neighbors closing in, and with the British Navy off the coast, Walker was faced with disaster and had to accept defeat. After his retreat, he actually made two other attempts to regain his former power. Eventually his luck ran out, and he was placed under arrest. On September 12, 1860, William Walker, President of Nicaragua, was executed by firing squad in Honduras. So ended a truly remarkable life and career.
Walker's campaign in Nicaragua, and in fact the entire filibustering experience of the 1850s and 1860s is quite suited for reproduction on the table top. The forces involved in all of these adventures were small. Walker's "American Phalanx" numbered at its largest, 2500 men, and the rest of the Nicaraguan army that supported him may have added a further 6000 or so. The armies of Honduras and Costa Rica would probably have numbered no more than 8000 to 10,000 men.
Artillery was used sparsely, partly because of the lack of experienced gunners and partly because of the inhospitable terrain. Mention is made in a couple of cases of six pounder guns being brought up, and in at least one instance, a brass howitzer made an appearance on the field. This lack of artillery seemed to exist on both sides. Even the more "regular" armies of Honduras and Costa Rica did not seem to have substantial artillery parks. Cavalry also seemed rare, beyond the use of mounted scouts and mounted infantry.
The primary factor in deciding battles was the quality and steadiness of the troops. Walker's Americans were apparently the elite; steadier and better trained than any of the others. This was particularly true with small arms fire. Descriptions of the battles tell of the devastating accuracy of the American volleys and the destruction they caused.
Walker had read the military classics and apparently recognized the value of close-order drill when dealing with poorly trained troops. His Americans, however, were a different story. They fought in a fairly loose order for the day, using a primitive form of fire and movement. They knew how to use cover and made the most of their marksmanship. It would seem, to use a continental comparison, that Walker used his American troops as a sort of voltigeur unit, to provide a safe screen behind which his "native" forces could maneuver.
Representing these forces on the table top is not as difficult as one might think. I would suggest that most of the figures involved can be found in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War ranges of most manufacturers. The ones that spring most readily to mind in 15mm are Miniature Figurines and Frei Korps. Frei Korps used to offer an Alamo range, which would have been very useful, but I believe it is no longer available. They do, however, have a range of figures for the Great Paraguayan War in which one could probably find a number of useful figures.
In 25mm, Frontier is probably the best choice, having a large range of figures fro the Alamo, as well as the Mexican-American War and American Civil War. Some usable figures can be pulled out of the range offered by Wargames Foundry for Maximilian's Adventure and Old Glory's American Civil War range. Any of the 20mm-22mm ranges could be used, with the added plus that you could mix in plastics. Look through the ads in this and other journals for the addresses of suppliers. Descriptions of the actual appearance of the troops are somewhat sketchy, but some logical conclusions can be drawn.
Walker's men are described as wearing denim trousers (one assumes blue), red shirts (at least in the beginning) and broad brimmed felt hats. On the move, they would have tended to carry blanket rolls, probably haversacks for shot, etc., and possibly bayonets. Walker's men seem to have favored long barreled revolvers. So many of them may have had these in addition to their muskets. They are described as being rather scruffy in appearance, with beards, long hair, etc. Their muskets would probably have been of Mexican-American War vintage.
Walker's personal appearance is described quite vividly in several sources. He dressed somberly with dark blue or black trousers, dark blue or black frock coat (more like an undertaker's coat, not like an officer's type of frock coat), and a broad brimmed black hat. He carried a pair of long revolvers. The Nicaraguan forces seem to have dressed primarily in white, with badges or sashes to distinguish the tWO sides. Some troops may have worn bits of French, Spanish, or even British uniforms, so some troops in white trousers with red or blue jackets could be done for variety. For the most part, they would be barefoot or wear open sandals.
The officers are very specifically described as wearing black frock coats trimmed in gold, with white trousers. All would have worn black shakos or straw hats. The forces of Costa Rica and Honduras seem to have dress in a bit more military fashion, with short blue jackets and black shakos, white trousers and belts, and dark shoes or sandals. I think, though, that uniformity can be looked at as being the exception rather than the rule, so a gamer can exercise a fair amount of creativity in painting these troops. Artillery would probably be best pulled from the Napoleonic ranges. I think that British pieces would be the most common, although one or two French heavy pieces would work as well. Makeshift seems to be the guiding rule here!
To reproduce this era on the table top, I would suggest that most Civil War rules should provide a good game. The key would be in using rules that allow for a variety of morale and training levels, from the most wretched of conscripts to the independent and skillful men who made up Walker's Immortals. The venerable Horse and Musket rules The Compleat Brigadier would work very well. Since they span the period from 1680 to 1880, the rules provide for a variety of weapon types, as well as all of the morale and training levels that would be needed. Walker's Americans could be classed as light infantry or even rifleswith ACW rules, they might be comparable to Berdan's Sharpshooters. The native armies would all be classed as conscripts or green troops, with a smattering of regulars. In Johnny Reb terms, they could be classified as being militia and green, with a few average troops.
I doubt that anyone will be running out to buy new troops specifically to play this episode, but, if you have the interest, just factor up your Yanks and Rebs to play the parts and you can have a go at the adventures of a truly remarkable individual. I hope that I have at least whetted your appetites to learn more about William Walker. So to close, I will list several books that will give more information.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Walker, William. The War in Nicaragua. University of Arizona Press, reprinted 1985
Carr, A.Z. The World and William Walker. Harper and Row, 1963.
Houston, Robert. The Nation Thief: A Historical Novel. Pantheon Press, 1984.
Copyright 1995 by the American Civil War Society