Jackson Gamers' 25mm War of 1812 Battle Assault on Taneytown
On February 23rd, Mark Stevens came up from sleepy Columbia Mississippi to run a game set during the War of 1812. All of his lovely 28mm figures were organized into units, mostly 20 strong, and individually based. We called each unit a battalion, but the game could just as easily be set at company level by increasing the fire ranges a bit.
A view of the peaceful village before the American attack
The building in front and the blockhouse on the right of the photo are scratch build by Andrew Doyle of 3D CONTOURS custom terrain in Hattiesburg MS. The red building in the center rear is a solid resin building but painted and beautifully based by Andrew for Mark Stevens. All of these terrain pieces are Mark's.
The troops in view are the visible part of the garrison at start
There were two "brigades" on the field for the British at the start of the game. Jim Pitts had the 95th rifles (32 men - deployed in two "half-battalions"), the 43rd Light infantry, and the 7th Fusiliers (the latter two of 20 men each) and a 6-lb field piece. All of Jim's troops were hidden, either in the blockhouse, or in the woods.
Jay Stribling had the 1st Canadian Fencibles (militia), the 13th line, and a detachment of loyal indians and a tiny "grasshopper" - a 3-lb gun. All 20 men each.
A close up of one of the scratch built houses
Early in the game, Mark Stevens (on left) keeps an eye on the players
As game-master mark aided the new player in the orange shirt. Mark used an informal rules set that was a combination of Larry Brom's The Sword and the Flame and his earlier "Standard Rules".
The 13th British foot deploys skirmishers
While the main body will hold the farmyard, behind the dubious shelter of the rail fence, the light company moves out in skirmish order.
Jim Pitts' command on the British Right flank.
Jim had a unit (21st fusiliers) in the Block house, a unit deployed (White regimental flag showing as a blur) out of the town on the right, and the 95th rigles deployed as two half-battalions, one part on each of his flanks.
American troops move up to the farmyard and prepare to volley.
There is another unit behind this one, which is showing us it's blue back packs. The American brigadier watches closely for any sign of wavering, but this unit was staunch.
Another view of the skirmishers advancing
The Americans who have just formed into line are blurrily at the top of the image. The 13th foot is blurrily at the bottom.
General Scott deploys his men
Robert Whitfield, the American commander (Playing General Scott) moves his men up so that they align on the right of Phil Young's American brigade. Mark Gilbert (British reinforcement commander) observes carefully at the left of the photo. The onlooker in the red shirt is just that.
Scott's men move up in the center.
The yellow flag of the American rifle regiment shows on the left, while the blue regimental flag as well as the stars and stripes fly over Scott's line regiment in the center. This is the unit that bulled its way into Taneytown.
Jim Pitts' 43rd light infantry on the right
They are skirmishing with their regimental flags. Not the normal thing old boy, but we DID carry them across that beastly ocean, here to the wilds of Canada. Why not unfurl them? Don't worry - the yankees could not hit an elephant at this ra....I SAY Smedly - I've been shot!
The 43rd light has been forced back
They have fallen back to the stone wall around the town. The left half-battalion of rifles is gone now, tu the right hand half-battalion is still out there, off to the right of this shot. Note the casualties. the 43rd gave better than it got, shredding the American left flank units.
Mark Gilbert's relief column.
Two fresh infantry units and a Rocket launcher, which actually managed to kill some Americans, although not in the same unit at which it was fired!
The heroic defenders of Taneytown.
Mark Gilbert's men, deployed into line, yellow regimental flag on the left, and white regimental on the right, await Scott's men. The command figures in the background (blue regimental flag) belong to the Fusiliers in the Blockhouse. These two regiments, with some help from the Fusiliers in the Blockhouse (who fired terribly) smashed Scott's attackers with steady volleys.
High tide for the Americans!
Brigadier Scott's men drove into the center of the small town, but his advance guard has melted away. Only a few brave men and the color party stand with the general. Bodies are strewn everywhere. The blockhouse, garrisoned heavily by the Royal fusiliers stands like Gibraltar to their left rear. Their cannon were over-run by infantry and the 95th rifles, hustling up from the rear. Only moments after this picture was taken, Scott sounded the retreat. The Canadian frontier was safe as the Americans fell back across the border.
The British had another "brigade" of reinforcements off the table. It was commanded by Mark Gilbert, consisting of two 20-man units plus another 6-lb gun. The game master allowed it to march onto the field on turn five. It was desperately needed.
The agressive American forces commanded by Brigadier Winfield Scott (Robert Whitfield) had three brigades each of three 20-man units and each with a 6-lb gun. His right flank was commanded by a new gamer (whose name I forget). Whit himself took the center, and Ed Sansing took the American Left.
Jim Pitts kept Ed in Play pushing him back with agressive light infantry tactics. In the Center, Whit bulled right in, going forward with the bayonet. "Those are regulars by God!". On the British left, everything melted down, with first the indians routing, then the Canadian Fencibles, then finally the 13th foot. Although the end of the game saw the 13th rally, Jay Stribling spent most of the game riding through the woods on horseback hitting his soldiers with the flat of his sword, and shrieking "Rally - you cowards!"
At last, he was pulled off his horse by the routing militia and stunned, was out of the game
More to come.
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