Camden: Order of Battle

 

View from behind British right flank.

View behind British left flank.

  Wargames wise this is not one of my favorite battles to fight on the table top.   Possibly because it was so lopsided. Possibly because you need so many militia figures! But really because tactically it's rather boring. Both sides line up and just march forward a very plain table with a few trees and swamps in both flanks.

  Just not that interesting.  But Cornwalli's army is a very nice army to paint up and field.  And Gate's army is rather similar to what Greene fielded at Guilford Courthouse.  But its time to try it out and here is my order of battle. I have rounded up/down numbers to better fit my painted miniatures.  I have also combined some militia battalions. So close but not actual.   Battle report will follow soon.

British Southern Army: (2100)

Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis

Rawdon's Brigade: Lieutenant Colonel Francis Rawdon

Royal Artillery (light)

Royal North Carolina Regiment (30 figures)

Bryan's North Carolina Loyalist Militia (30 figures)

Volunteers of Ireland (30 figures)

British Legion Infantry (16 figures)

British Legion Artillery (light)

Webster's Brigade: Lieutenant Colonel James Webster

Light Infantry bn.  (16 figures)

23rd Regiment of Foot (30 figures)

33rds Regiment of Foot (30 figures)

Royal Artillery (light)

Reserve Brigade: Lieutenant Colonel Alexander McDonald

71st Highland Regiment (30 figures)

1st Bn/71st Highland Regiment (18 figures)*

2nd Bn/71st Highland Regiment (12 figures)*

Royal Artillery (light)

* can field as two units or as just one.

British Legion:Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton

British Legion Dragoons (18):

1st Squadron (10 figures)

2nd Squadron (8 figures)

total: 230 figures and 4 guns

American Southern Army: (4000)

Major General Horatio Gates

Continental Artillery:

Captain Anthony Singleton

Meredeth's (Virginia) Co/Continental Arty (light)

Dorseys (Maryland) Co/Continental Arty (light)

Bookers (Maryland) Sec./Continental Arty (light)

Waters (Maryland) Sec./Continental Arty (light)

Advance Brigade: Colonel Charles Armand

Continental & Virginia Cavalry:

Armands Legion Cavalry (6 figures)

Nelson's Virginia State Cavalry Regiment (6 figures)

Pinckneys S.C. Volunteer Mounted Infantry (6 figures)

Continental Light Infantry:

Armands Legion Foot (6 figures)

Porterfields Virginia Light Infantry (8 figures)

Armstrongs Militia Light Infantry (12 figures)

Militia Division : Major General Richard Caswell

1st North Carolina Militia Brigade: Brigadier General John Butler

Left Wing Battalion/1st NC (24 figures)

Right Wing Battalion/1st NC (24 figures)

2nd North Carolina Militia Brigade: Brigadier General Griffith Rutherford

Left Wing Battalion/2nd N (24 figures)

Right Wing Battalion/2nd NC (24 figures)

3rd North Carolina Militia Brigade: Brigadier General Isaac Gregory

Left Wing Battalion/3rd NC (24 figures)

Right Wing Battalion/3rd NC (24 figures)

Virginia Militia Brigade: Brigadier General Edward Stevens

Left Wing Battalion/Virginia (24 figures)

Right Wing/Battalion/Virginia (24 figures)

Continental Division (@1200):

Major General Baron de Kalb

1st Maryland Brigade:Major General William Smallwood

1st & 3rd Maryland Regiments (30 figures)

5th & 7th Maryland Regiments (30 figures)

2nd Maryland Brigade: Brigadier General Mordecai Gist

Delaware & 2nd Maryland Regiments (30 figures)

4th & 6th Maryland Regiments (30 figures)

Total 330 figures and 4 guns

  The set up: 

  The battlefield was open with scattered trees. These did not effect movement or musket/artillery fire historically so they will not in this re fight. Due to the poor visibility that morning (A heavy mist) both sides had set up close to each other. I placed the lines about 20" apart. Due to the swamps on both flanks this is a frontal fight with no manovering. Both sides have set up historically. Both sides have placed their best regiments on their right flank. Unfortunately this means the British elite regiments are against poor quality militia. The Continental line regiments of Maryland and Delaware are opposed by veteran loyalist regiments. Although the Americans outnumber the British heavily the numbers are off set by the superior quality of the British regiments. Now onto the game.

Victory Conditions:

The first side to break and retreat off the table is the loser. The side that remains on the table is the winner

Rules:

The Whites of Their Eyes.

Game Length:

The battle began at dawn, roughly 7 am. The historical battle lasted only one hour but the game should go on until one side breaks and retreats from the field. Sunset was roughly 8 pm, but one side should break far before sunset.

 Editors notes:  as I have said I have combined a number of militia battalions and rounded numbers up or down to better fit my armies of painted figures.  In addition based on my research of troop returns I feel the Maryland and Delaware division of continental was larger then is usually portrayed.  After this battle which all historians agree decimated the two brigades Gates was able to reform them into a two battalion Regiment of 300 men each plus detached light infantry to form the light battalion of about 300 men (although there were Virginia troops included in the light bn.).