The year is 1813 and while much of the American war effort was directed against the British, much was directed against the native population; notably against the Red Stick Creeks of modern-day Alabama and the tribes of the Northwest. It is here that the battle occurs.
The charismatic and reckless Lemon gathered his command and divided it roughly into thirds with the other two commands under Major Marcus Vegas and Captain Frederick Lenteen.
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| Gen. Geo. A. Lemon ordering the advance (Old Glory American Command) |
With the idea of compelling the "hostiles" to fight to avoid being trapped between two converging columns, Lemon led the attack with the right column. The left under Vegas was to scout to the left trail and to bring up the wagons.
Vegas entered the small valley and immediately charged the native village but then immediately ordered a halt to dismount once some of the warriors started to fire from the edge of the village. He did not press his advantage and it was thought that he was drunk.
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| Major Vegas' command (Old Glory Kentucky Mounted Riflemen) "Vegas" is part of the American High Command pack what could be holding a bottle but is a telescope. Sometimes OG detail is a bit vague.... |
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| Indians poring out of the village with more warriors coming to support |
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| my Native warriors (Old Glory woodland pack of the FWI) |
Now warriors pored out of the village to confront him and Vegas ordered a retreat to a nearby woods. He led the 'withdrawl' during which the mounted rifles became hopelessly unhinged by contradictory mount/dismount orders and their commander's breakdown. However the natives have mostly left him to go after Lemon who was apparently attacking the middle of the village and Vegas, now joined by Lenteen were content to sit on a hill to defend again the few Indians which confronted them. They did indeed hear the gunfire in the distance but, for many hours, did not make a move to join Lemon. Both did not like Lemon but also could not image Lemon being defeated and felt they could not compromise their position to help. Many a battle was affected by such attitudes.
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| the rout back into the woods |
Shortly after hearing the quieting of the firing to their north that the Natives came in force to 'lay siege' to the remaining 7th Kentucky on their hill. For two days the Natives sniped at the dismounted riflemen until the Natives departed having known the US regulars would arrive shortly.......
Epilogue
Obviously this was a reenactment of the Battle of the Little Big Horn (I was going to call it "Small Tuba River" but that may have given it away! <g>)
Cloth=Terry, Lemon=Custer, Vegas=Reno, Lenteen=Benteen. 1813=1878. Other than that pretty well as it went.
The scenario was prompted from the listening to while painting, the excellent book on the topic "The Last Stand" by Nathaniel Philbrick . Very even but critical account of the actions of all the participants both American and Native; and gives you the reasons for the demise of the native way of life in that very short amount of time. The scenario is still very plausible is 1813 as it was in 1878. It was America vs the Indians for two hundred years.
