Setting up Cowpens

 

  Cowpens is one of the more interesting actions fought during  the  American Revolution.  General Daniel Morgan with a mismatched command won one of the most decisive battles of the war.  He understood how his opponent Banastre Tarleton fought and designed his battle plan for him.  He understood the various strengths and weakness of each of his troop types (rifles, Continental line regulars and militia) and set them to maximize their strengths not their weaknesses.

It is also one of the best preserved battlefields I have visited.  

In fighting this out on the table top I will be using  the historical order of battle at a 1:10 scale.  The rules used are "Whites of Their Eyes" by Steve Haller.  I am limiting the game to 12 turns.  This is to force the British to rush into the fight as historically they did.  The battlefield was very slight rolling ground.  There were scattered trees, mostly pines but they did not effect the fighting.  Here are a couple pictures from the actual battlefield to show how it looks.

The Americans are set up with the cavalry hidden in a swale along one edge of the field.  The American main line of Continental line troops is 15 inches from them.  A line of two militia regiments are 10 inches in front of them with another line of rifles 10 inches in front if them.  The plan was for each line to cause casualties before falling back.  The British will enter the board in two lines.  The first is made up of the 7th Regiment, Royal Artillery (3 pounder), British Legion Infantry and Light Infantry battalion.  A troop of the Legion Cavalry and 17th Light Dragoons protect each flank.  On turn 3 the remainder of the British Legion Cavalry and 1/71st Highlanders enter.  The British must attack and destroy the enemy as quickly as possible.

A hidden advantage of the game is the American command structure.  Morgan is the commander, assisted by Howard who commands the Continentals and Pickens who commands the Militia.  The British have only Tarleton.  This will effect starting troops and assisting with close combat and rallying routed troops.  So it will be a difficult battle for the British to win.

Cowpens Order of Battle

Morgan's Light Division

Cavalry Brigade: Lt. Col.Wm Washington

Continental Light Dragons (8) (regulars)

McCall's Militia Horse (6) (militia)

Continental Brigade: Col. Howard

Maryland-Delaware Light bn. (24) (elite)

VA. State Troops (12) (regulars)

Tripplett's VA. Rifles (12). (regulars)

Militia Brigade: Pickens

1st Spartan SC militia. (24 (militia)

2nd Spartan SC militia (24)  (militia)

(Hays Little River Militia Divided between the two militia regiments)

McDowell's Rifles. (12)  (militia)

Cunningham's Rifles (12) (militia)

(134 figures)

Tarleton's Flying Column

Lt. Col. Tarleton commanding

17th LD troop (4)

British Legion Troop (4) (regulars)

Royal Artillery 3pounder (regulars)

British Legion Infantry (20) (regulars)

British Light Infantry (16) (regulars)

7th Fusiliers (18) (regulars)

1/71st Highlanders (24) (regulars)

British Legion  Dragoons (20)  (militia)

(106 figures)

(Light bn made up of light companies 71st regiment, and companies from the 16th Regiment and Prince of Wales American Regiment. A most unusual unit indeed!)