My new wargaming pen-pal offered to create scenarios for me to play out for which I am using one of my War of 1812 collections. This is the solo-play of the first of the engagements. The set up can be seen at:link to my previous post of this campaign
While Canada was, at the time of 1812, very much British territory and all those (well most anyway) would say they were British citizens, this particular miniatures collection has only military units made up of people who were of North America and has no British Regulars. It is based on an all-Canadian, both French and English speaking inhabitants, who fought the Americans along the Chateauguay River in 1813. Thus, I will call them "Canadian" throughout the narrative.
The Canadian raid on the Town of Nateville had party of Abenaki Natives, the Canadian Fencibles (Regulars) and supporting Sedentary Militia downriver of the main force of Select Embodied Militia (SEM) (well-trained militia), and Voltigeurs (well-trained, experienced light infantry) to cross the main bridge to take out the American ammunition caisson to hamper the forming American invasion of Canada.
The engagement thus formed two distinct areas of operations which we shall call "the left flank" and "the centre" at the bridge or town.
The day started on the left with the Abenaki crossing the river together with the Fencibles. The American Combined Light Infantry (a unit of those companies of the various regiments who were considered to be light infantry trained. Some debate as to their training or even if they had distinct uniform differences) quickly formed up into close order to meet the oncoming Fencibles who would forego any shooting and use the bayonet charge. A bloody melee ensued causing casualties and disorder on both sides.
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| The Fencible charging the defending American Lights (in blue uniforms), the British officer on this flank directing the attack. During the entire battle the American commander did not emerge from his headquarters in the town. (I would have him on a separate activation as the raid was to catch the Americans by surprise) |
Meanwhile at the bridge the Voltigeurs were in mid-stream fording the river when they heard much screaming and stopped frozen in place - well, they failed to advance for whatever reason! - as the American Volunteers ran passed in front of them in rout away from the charge of the 3rd SEM. The American Pioneers simply put down their tools and surrendered.
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| The rout of the American Volunteers from the 3rd SEM (left) and watched by the grey-clad Voltigeurs (bottom) in the river. The artillery can be seen on the hill. |
The rout of the Volunteers did clear the field of fire for the American gun on the hill, but in the haste to load the cannon they inadvertently reversed the cartridge...or because I rolled a poor 4 on their activation dice?...
In Nateville, the bulk of the US infantry seemed obvious to all this fighting as they did nothing. At this time I had now rolled under 4 pips - on two d6 - for four successive activation rolls! Do note that for Rebels and Patriots rules activation for a unharmed unit is only 6+ on two dice. Perhaps the dice did have a bias this day as the Canadians favoured well than the American rolls.
The brave 3rd SEM kept up to task and quickly proceeded up the road to Nateville and a double-sixes activation roll brings into action the reserve of the 1st SEM unit.
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| The 30th US Infantry moving up (slowly....) to support the Combined Lights |
Back on the left, both the US Lights and the Canadian Fencibles reform after their combat but the Natives continued musket fire causes further disorder to the Americans. The fight would continue until the action in the town was resolved to signal the Fencibles to give up their fight with the American Light company who gave a surprisingly good account of themselves. Both units sustained 30%+ casualties.
But it was on the road to Nateville that the battle hinged. The 3rd SEM, not seeing anything of the Voltigeurs (yes, yet another failed activation from this unit. It was to have two more in turn and thus play no part in the engagement) saw the gun on the hill as a distinct threat and poured a devastating fire upon it causing half the crew to go down and breaking the morale of the artillerists.
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| The marker to the left indicates 50% casualties on the artillery unit. A grave morale situation indeed in the Rebel and Patriots rules. |
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| The officer with the 3rd SEM at the ammo wagon. |
The sounds of gunfire finally drifted to the town and eventually all three Infantry Regiments started to move in its defence.
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| The final moments of action as the wagon is alight and the Canadians (in red) about to depart. The American units could only fire off a single weak volley of fire. |
With the new reinforcing 1st SEM moving up to the bridge to secure the route of retreat and ignoring the plight of the artillery, the heroic 3rd SEM continued up the road to find the prized ammunition wagon just ahead of them with the teamsters desperately trying to move out of harms way. The SEM officer also could see the masses of the 10th and 31st US regiments emerging from the camps towards him. He decided to risk a further run up the road might get his unit up to the wagon to disable it or alight it and hope the following 1st SEM would help his inevitable hasty departure. And indeed fortune favoured the brave as a fortunate Attack Activation roll of 10(") and a quick thinking musketeer jamming his weapon into the spokes of the rear wheel had the wagon come to a stop. A lit cloth was deposited under the lid of the wagon and the unit made a hasty departure under rather poorly aimed gunfire by the oncoming American regulars to the sound of a mighty explosion. The American ammuntion supply was destroyed and the Canadians made their escape.
Casualty count:
Americans: Combined Lights 4 figures out of 12, Artillery 3 of 6, Volunteers 1 killed, 4 missing (rolled for), Regulars - all three units 0 of 18 each.
Canadians: 3rd SEM 2 of 12, Fencibles 5 of 12, Abenaki 0 of 6, Montreal Sedentary Militia, Voltigeurs, 1st SEM all 0 of 12.