This one was fought at Graham's war-games shed last week with Steve C and I playing the part of the Americans and Graham the British.
The shed !
Steve C posing behind the battlefield
We used British Grenadier rules and the scenario was taken from the BG Scenarios booklet No.4
The Americans are on the left and British t'other side of the Rahway River
This is Dickinson's Americans on high ground extreme right of the American line
These are Col. Israel Angell's troops
The British are trying to force there way across two crossings - this is the bridge on the road to Springfield. Wurmb & Lossberg's Germans supported by 17th Light Dragoons plus artillery.
Here's a troop of 17th ...
Hessian columns press forwards
These are Nathaniel Heard's men, behind Lee's men guarding the approach to the second bridge on the American left flank.
Speaking of Lee, here's his infantry
This is what is facing him - Howard's Guard battalions, Skinner's New Jersey Volunteers & Simcoe's Queen's Rangers.
With RA support
Graham urges his Hessians to get a move on and attack the bridge
Lt. Gen. Knyhausen can be seen on the high ground waving them on !
Civilians by the church begin to feel a bit nervous !
Angell's men wait for the British to try and cross the river
Jaegers lead the way to the river bank
The head of the column gets to the bridge
Skirmishers out front
The same is happening at the other end of the battlefield where Lee's Legion snipe at the enemy
Jaegers exchange fire
Rashly, the 17th Light Dragoons had lined the river bank and promptly lost casualties due to enemy artillery fire - they have to retire.
The Jaegers are across
as others provide supporting fire
Infantry in column on the bridge
Meanwhile, the first of Maxwell's New Jersey troops arrive on the Springfield Road
Steve C has Lee's men engage in a fire fight with the enemy troops crossing the bridge
Lossberg does not have this problem because Angell has kept his men back
The British skirmishers fan out ahead of Howard & Simcoe's columns with Lee contesting every inch of ground
Its pretty hot at the bridge !
The Royal Artillery add their supporting fire
Over on the American right, Lossberg has his first regiment across screened by the Jaegers
Still Angell stands and waits, just his artillery firing towards the enemy
The British are now crossing the other bridge, despite Lee's efforts.
The Hessians deploy into line as more of Maxwell's men arrive on the road facing them
The British attempt to charge Lee's New Jerseymen
and the light infantry have fanned out between their flank and the woods
But they get chased by Lee's cavalry into the woods !
Weight of numbers show over on Lee's bridge.
The Jaegers facing Angell move steadily forwards
This is the view from the head of Maxwell's column - determined Hessians.
The civilians by the church have still not moved !
Another charge over on our left by the British
At last Heard is committing his men to the fight, just behind Lee's cavalry
Who have missed Queen's Rangers cavalry crossing the river to assist their infantry in the fight
Another view of the steady Hessian lines
now turning to face Angell full on.
The second unit of Jaegers has waded the river, watched by British regulars
Maxwell hurries his men forward to protect Angell's flank
as Dickinson's men arrive on the other side of Angell's force.
Maxwell's men fire a volley
Lee's cavalry retire as the infantry slog it out
The Queen's Rangers horse have retired after throwing back one of Heard's regiments
The British foot hold on the American side of the river is growing
These troops of Heard are out of the fight and skulking behind the lines !
Now the British light infantry emerge from the woods
faced by just a hand full of American skirmishers
Jaegers and American skirmishers exchange fire on the river line right of the Amewrican line.
Can't see Lee holding these forces for much longer.
British and Loyalist troops are now streaming across the bridges
unhindered
Lee is charged again
and defeats the foremost British unit !
But on the other side, Maxwell's troops have charged Lossberg's and lost
They are thrown back in confusion and the road to Springfield is open !
At this point, the Americans concede as Lee does not wish to be stranded alone and as for Dickinson, well he managed to hardly get involved at all, so could retreat with his force intact, leaving poor Angell in deep trouble.
A clear British/Hessian/Loyalist victory.
Good report of a game that looked good and proved great fun. Superb figures and terrain.
ReplyDelete