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| The food stuffs and pork on the hoof and escorted to the fort as the Fencibles march to reinforce the defences of Brewsterburg. |
The Abernaki before going back their village, had warned the Canadians of the impending attack. Not that the Americans made that activity unknown as they formed a long narrow column snaking to the ford.
Hardly was the column moving quickly as the ford limited the lead element, the Combined Lights crossed the creek to come under immediate fire from Brewsterburg by the SEM and the half troop of Sedentary militia. To this they bolted and ran back into the now blocked ford as the US 30th Regiment tried to cross. In the “Rebel and Patriots” rules, those retreating units unable to retreat further must reduce their numbers by the number of inches not traveled! This and the failure to rally had the American Combined Lights evaporate.
Due to the slow movement of the American column, the Kentucky unit, destined to be at the rear of the column, impulsively decided to move through the town towards the bridge. Along the way they picked up a small unit of locals who had recently formed up (another of my “dramatically improbable” die rolls) but this force was later met with accurate cannon fire from the fort losing half their number and quickly losing heart about the venture.
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At the ford, the next unit in the column, the US 30th, moved slowly over the ford and into close order formation. They were blasted by the Canadian 3rd SEM and militia causing 4 casualties at one time but the sergeants held them firm. (my usual wide swings in dice rolls, this time with two sixes, allowed them to stay for more punishment.) The advantage of large formations is demonstrated as another blast from the Canadian troops in the town has them now with 8 casualties but not yet at the dreaded half way point insuring them a permanent disorder marker.
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| The US 30th holding firm despite huge casualties. |
But unable to retreat as the following artillery is now slowly trying to cross, yet might not stand any further fire, the Americans in close order charged at the Sedentary militia, some of whom were literally protecting their homes. An exclaim of “Remember Your Homes! Remember Your Homes!” (and a really high dice roll of course!) had the militia hold thus forcing the Americans back. While their rolls were good, the SEM unit had an ignominious retreat with a poor action. However, the Fencibles travelling from the fort arrived to stabilize the defences.
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| The skittish 3rd SEM [on the left], the surprisingly edept Sedentary militia positioned in the sty, [top centre], and the arriving Fencibles, [right] |
The American CO seeing the Canadian retreat from the village but not the arrival of reinforcements believes the time has come for a final push and rushes back to the artillery struggling across the stream to move and set up to fire. “They are retreating! They are retreating!” but to no avail as more musket fire from the small militia unit proved again devastating and with 50% casualties the American artillerists run away. The second American gun while set up on the far side of the creek could not manage any effective fire and they too, retreated.
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| Soon the struggling American artillery in the creek ford will be receiving deadly musket fire |
The American attack faltered at this point with no units willing to move (yup. no successful activations by ANY unit!)
The American commander reports that the Combined Lights have been eliminated as a combat unit, the US 30th also at 75% casualties. One battery was destroyed having lost all their equipment and half their numbers. The Kentucky Mounted Rifles had sustained almost 50% loss while the Canadian losses were very light and Brewsterburg saved from the ravages of the American raid.