Battle for Sheppard’s Bridge - fictional War of 1812
American General Jim needed to capture the important bridge near the Sheppard Farm to continue his advance into Upper Canada during the War of 1812 in this fictional affair. The British commander Kevin was to hold this advance with his British and mostly Canadian contingent. Both sides were populated with units of dubious quality militia.
Kevin, hearing that the rules were based upon the excellent “Loose Files, American Scramble” rules by Andy Callan, and knowing the strengths and weaknesses of the various qualities of the troops, went for a ‘defence in depth’ strategy remencent of Greene’s deployments in the American Revolutionary War and so created lines of units with his best in reserve.
 |
| Canadian militia line the fence, the Glengarry Fencibles behind and the greatcoated 49th Foot in the rear. The successive lines of the British defence. |
Jim meanwhile, in the attack, concentrated the Kentucky frontier militia on his left, while he lead his regulars, many of which were the usual poorly trained stuff of the American early war efforts, on the right of the large field which dominated the centre of the battle area.
 |
| The American advance of their Right. The militia lead. My newly painted 'sky' backdrop employed. |
The Kentucky militia perhaps evoking their constitutional rights to only defend the territory of the United States and not invade Canada, or were having internal debates or in-fighting, nevertheless refused to advance and indeed removed themselves from the action altogether before even engaging the enemy. (hard to get the militia to do much and Jim’s abundance of 1 rolls certainly did assist in their rapid dispersal!)
 |
| The milling Kentucky militia. Their disorder displayed by the 'cannonballs' |
With that flank stalled, Jim continued his advance by units on his right until the final effort to take the hill before the bridge. The US 16th Infantry Regiment lead the attack against the defending British 13th Foot. While engaged in an equal battle for the hill, they were joined by additional forces from both sides. The British barely came out the victors. With that, the American effort was thwarted.
 |
| The critical fight on the hill with the 13th Foot still wearing their white tropical shakos. (In reality, these were quickly exchanged for the usual black shakos, but they are just too cool not to not represent!) |
 |
| both sides add to the combat |
