"We was all trotting at a pace", wrote Sam O'Man of the U.S. Twenty-First Infantry Regiment in his biography, "the Rifles ahead of us had fallin back and those grey fellers with fur caps continued to pepper us with shots. I was a couple a paces to the right of the Colonel who roared, "At 'em Boys!!" "I looked to over to the right and the Twenty-Third was keepin pace. The hill, which was the object of our'n charge now was suddenly topped by men in grey coats. The Colonel, he yells, "Not'n but damn militia Boys!" But them militia cool as ice, without a sound, lowered their muskets for a grand volley. We was shook and kinda stopped in our tracks. Another volley hit us hard. Exclaims the Colonel, "They are regulars, by Golly!!" |
| The U.S. Twenty-Third Infantry Regiment (the markers showing its disorder) |
Outnumbering the British 49th Foot (for which I modelled grey greatcoats which they historically wore at the real battle of Crysler's Farm - see my 28th September post) the two American units could not shake off the initial disorder from the directed skirmish fire of the Voltigeurs (in their grey uniform and bearskin caps) and the 49th which had taken a reversed slope position ala Wellington.
The same scenario played out on what will become 'Red Hill' to the locals from its blood stained grass as its eastern slope was again scene to heavy casualties. Again the US Rifles were beaten back by the Voltigeurs and exposed the two columns of the First and Forty-Fourth Infantry Regiments to the volleys of the British de Meuron Foot. However, these two units stayed on the slope pointing shots up hill until the Rifles abandoned the fight knowing they could not counter the British de Watteville Regiment marching to their flank.
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| the US 21st and 23rd amass in the upper left of the picture while the British 49th has the reversed slope position (upper right) with the General on the crest and Voltigeurs covering the left and the shift of the deWatteville Regiment (lower center) in road column marching past Lyon's Mill building (center) |
"We were beat. Simple as that.", was the conclusion of the American General's ADC, Lt. J.R. Ewing.