The Battle of Jalapa
15mm Mexican War Game

Ed Sansing ran this game using our old reliable Brom Standard rules. Ed painted the 15mm armies. We fought this action at Jay Stribling's home in Jackson MS on March 7, 2009. Ed's notes are below.

"At the end of 1846, all of northeastern Mexico had been conquered by the United States Army. The American leaders agreed that it would not be feasible to advance across the barren desert of Northern Mexico, so General Winfield Scott's plan for an amphibious invasion at Vera Cruz was adopted. General Zachary Taylor was ordered to remain on the defensive at Monterrey, and most of his Regular troops were ordered to march to the coast for embarkation. Mexican irregular cavalry intercepted a copy of these orders and General Santa Anna learned of the American plans and the weakness of Taylor's army.

Meanwhile, Santa Anna had slipped into Mexico, overthrown the government, set up his own man as President and began reorganizing the Mexican Army at San Luis Potosi. The charismatic Santa Anna was an inefficient administrator, but an able organizer. With little money and few resources he created an army of over 20,000 men. Most were raw conscripts, but some effort had been made to drill them. However, the training was limited to maneuvering units no larger than cavalry regiments or infantry brigades. Not enough powder was available for firing practice.

Santa Anna saw Taylor's vulnerability as an opportunity for a prestigious, morale-raising victory. His plan was based more on opportunism than on any sound strategic idea. Taylor's army was never a threat to central Mexico, and to attack him was a waste of resources. A movement to counter the Vera Cruz landing would have been a better plan. (This would make an interesting "What if" campaign.)" - From The Courier Magazine.

This battle is an attempt to create that "what if ?" scenario. I have taken Santa Anna's Buena Vista Order of Battle (OOB) and lined it up against Scott's Cerro Gordo OOB. I have also placed the battle in an area more favorable for cavalry, near Santa Anna's home town of Jalapa.

So instead of taking 20,000 soldiers north against Gen. Taylor on Feb. 22 (losing 5,000 on the march up to Buena Vista and many more on the retreat afterwards) and then having only 10,000 tired soldiers to face Gen. Scott on Apr. 18, Santa Anna now has 20,000 rested and partially trained soldiers waiting for Scott on terrain of his choosing.

Photo by Jay Stribling

A unit of Mexican Militia under Stribling's command has routed. Another unit in red trousers has fallen back. Note the colored morale rings.

The colored rings that we place on the unit's flags show the morale status. Green rings show 2 morale points. This is a not-terribly-good morale state. A red ring is the worst, only 1 morale point. A blue ring is better, showing 3 morale points. A gold ring is the best, showing 4 morale points. A gold-ring unit rarely breaks.

Photo by Jay Stribling

American dragoons are attacking into a trap. The Mexicans are firing at them from several directions.

Photo by Jay Stribling

A broader view of the same point in the action. The Mexican unit being charged by the U.S. Dragoons has tested morale, passed, and formed square. Other Mexican units have turned to fire at the Gringo mounted unit.

Photo by Jay Stribling

In the center of the line, the Americans occupying a ridge look stern. However the red-shirted Mississippi rifles in the forground will shortly break and flee to the rear, only to be ridden down by Mexican caballeros before they can rally.

Photo by Jay Stribling

In the eastern part of the field, the Mexicans are advancing. The 6th line is on the hill line while the 4th line is on the flat ground.

Photo by Jim Pitts

The left wing of the small American army commanded by Jim Pitts. Mexican infantry occupies the small hacienda and Mexican cavalry looms behind the woods.

Photo by Jim Pitts

Two of Jim's regiments, supported by a battery of artillery, advance on the hacienda.

Photo by Jim Pitts

Mexican cavalry thunders down on the supporting artillery, whose top rate morale status (signified by the gold ring) presages doom for the Mexicans. To the right, several infantry regiments assault the hacienda.

Photo by Jim Pitts

Which they successfully seize, throwing out the Mexican defenders, seen running away in the background.

Note the typical gamers' litter in the background. While the Jackson Gamers sometimes attempt to limit this litter it seems to breed by itself.

Photo by Jim Pitts

With General Scott looking on from a prominent vantage point, Mexican cavalry again rides into the "valley of death" and attacks both the American artillery battery and an infantry regiment. Another regiment moves up throw the woods to threaten the Mexican flank.

Photo by Jim Pitts

On the far end of the woods, Mexican cavalry tries to turn the American flank but are stymied by the musket fire of the 8th US Infantry Regiment. Unfortunately, the Mexicans made several more attempts and finally rode down the 8th.

Photo by Jim Pitts

Mexican cavalry advances into a "fire sack" between the Americans in the hacienda and two regiments lied up outside of it. Can you say, "Oops!"

Photo by Jim Pitts

Meanwhile more Mexican cavalry attacks the American battery, but this time they overrun it, sending the gunners fleeing for their lives.

Photo by Jim Pitts

After a turn of firing, the Mexican cavalry has been whittled down drastically. Although the guns were overrun, one of the Mexican cavalry units was forced to retire.

Photo by Jim Pitts

But that Mexican cavalry returns to the fray. Meanwhile another American regiment has joined the firing line.

Photo by Jim Pitts

The "fire sack" is successful, killing one Mexican regiment and causing severe casualties in the second. The third regiment evidently thought better about closing with the mad Gringos.

Photo by Jim Pitts

This was an interesting little play. The American dismounted rifles (here portrayed by Davis' 1st Mississippi Rifles) clashed with a Mexican regiment on top of the hill in the center of the battlefield. They exchanged fire and both caused casualties on the other. Then came the time to roll for morale. And both failed their morale so bad that they both routed away from each other!

So, Who won this battle?

Surprisingly, the Mexicans did. Fred Diamond got the First Mexican cavalry behind the American lines and ran down several routed Gringo units pushing them back with casualties till he eventually destroyed them.

Because of the hot fighting the Americans have begun to call it the battle of Jalapeņo.

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