Dioramas of the Battle of Bunker's Hill

 

               Being the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill I thought I would post a      series of articles on the battle this week. When I was with the National Park Service (1975 to 2005) I was site supervisor for the Charlestown district of Boston National Historical Par which included the monument.  So the actual battle and its area is still special to me.

 

  Back in the 1980's and 1990's there were three dioramas at the Bunker Hill monument in Charlestown Massachusetts.  These were very important to the Park Rangers who used them for interpretation of the battle.  While there are still some landmarks of the grounds the entire battlefield has disappeared under concrete and tenement houses.  These dioramas have recently been moved across the street to a new and improved museum.

  Two of the dioramas were built by the Pittman studios in Cambridge Massachusetts during the 1930's.  The first was a diorama of the Charlestown peninsula as it looked at the time of the battle.  It includes Boston and the surrounding countryside.  Most importantly it showed the harbour and various small rivers and creeks.  What it does not show are the mud flats and marshy ground which effected where the British could or could not land troops.

  Next was a large shadow box of the redoubt atop Breed's Hill.  The view is along the breast work looking towards the redoubt atop Breeds Hill. As with all Pittman dioramas there are plenty if fascinating details.   The figures are made from wax and clay.  

  Lastly, a massive diorama of the battle.  This was constructed by a members of the  Massachusetts Military Miniatures painters for the Museum of Fine Art in  Boston as part of a bicentennial project in 1975.  The figures were made by Jack Scruby (and are still available today as his 9mm American Revolution line). The topography is excellent but the troop movement show a variety of times during the battle rather then one attack.  Still it gives the viewer an excellent idea of the scope and size of the battle.

Bunker Hill Map by Ensign DeBerniere

 

  In honour of the 250th anniversary of the battle....

 

  Ensign Henry DeBerniere was an officer in the 10th Regiment of Foot in 1775.  An enterprising indivual, with a talent for map making DeBerniere had undertaken "spy missions" in 1774 mapping routes out of Boston.  He took part on the 19 April mission to Concord to destroy the supplies gathered there. He also made a series of maps of Boston and the surrounding areas.  These included distances marked between tiwns, good tactical positions and possible places for encampments.  One of his best maps is of the Charlestown Peninsula and British troop movements during the Battle of Bunker Hill.  This adds greatly to our understanding of the battle.

  There are a couple editions of this map on the internet.  Most are of later printed editions of his map.  These were professional engraved editions. Unfortunately these often changed the ground scale and often many details.  Here is an 1818 edition done in Philadelphia.

In the Geography and Map Division Library of Congress ( G3764.B6S3 1775 .B3 Vault) and is an excellent copy of his actual drawing.  The details of the map are outstanding and super useful to students of the battle or miniature wargamers wishing to refight the battle historically.  The topography is detailed, to include marshy ground and elevations.  

  This enlarged section showed the area where the Howe landed his main force at Moulton's point; sent his light Infantry companies along the beach to turn the American flank and the Grenadier attack against the rail fence.  The numerous fences slowed the British advance, and exposed them to small arms and cannon fire while trying to cross them.  The Royal Artillery could not cross the fields due to these fences so went a round them and got stuck in the wet marshy ground at the base of Breeds hill. The routes of the 5th and 52nd regiments during the third attack are clearly marked.

A close up of the Light Infantry companies on the beach trying toout flank the American position along the rail fence.  This area today is near the present Charlestown High school  and still has a sharp drop which obscure it from the ground.  The order of march for the light Infantry are (from left to right) 23rd, 4th, 19th, 52nd, 43rd, 65th, 59th, 47th, 35th, 38th and 5th.

The final assault on the redoubt and breast work on Breeds hill. This is one of the very few maps which show how close Charlestown was to the hill and how snipers there effected earlier attacks.   It also points out the barn which had to be taken before the final attack on the redoubt.  Again fascinating details here like the extra flank companies position with the Marines and 47th regiments.

Breed's Hill 1775

In honour of the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill June 17, 1775.

"Bunker Hill After the Battle"  by Thomas Davies in 1775.  Original in the New York Public libray.  A fascinating watercolor done by Thomas Davies of the Bunker Hill battlefield done shortly after the battle.   The view is from the base of Breeds hill looking up towards the redoubt and breastwork built and defended by Colonel William Prescott and his Massachusetts soldiers.  This was the area through which the 5th and 52nd Regiments marched to attack in the final assault.  

Note the remains of the fences throughout the field which numerous British officers spoke about.  Also the three soldiers in the fore ground wearing cut down coats and cut down cocked hats.

My R/C Sail boat Sol One Meter

 There are many sail boats, but this is mine. Took the plunge and bought a used boat to get started with.    As you can see its kinda big!  Working on a rig to carry it on my golf cart.   Right now it takes up a lot of space in the trunk of the car.

 Here I am on my first day sailing her.  Great fun and very relaxing.  Sitting on shore, in the shade watching her gliding by.  

Goodby NPS

The Trump administration’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request, which was published on May 2, 2025, contains countless cuts to numerous government departments, agencies, services, and programs. This includes the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the National Park Service (NPS).

Specifically, the document calls for a massive $900 million cut to the budget for the “Operation of the National Park System,” along with a number of other cuts affecting the National Park Service.

If approved by Congress, it would be the largest budget cut in the 109-year history of the Park Service.

  The following post is from the facebook site Haze Gray.  For those of us who love history and love the NPS it’s a wake up call.  The heading picture is the USS Cassin Young, a WW2 Fletcher class destroyer which is at the Charlestown Bavy Yard part of Boston National Historical Park   One of my early assignments was helping restore and setting up programs for this ship.  In addition to researching and setting up tours I helped with chipping paint and more on my off days.  

“The Trump Administration's FY2026 Discretionary Budget Request includes a $1.2B cut - that's Billion, with a B - to the National Park Service's budget. Of that $1.2B, a whopping $900M will come from park operations - mainly by getting rid of parks. according to the National Parks Conservation Association, cuts of that magnitude will require NPS to get rid of between 350-370 parks out of a total of 433.  Per the Trump budget, only the 63 parks with "National Park" explicitly in their names would be left untouched….

. …a vocal 1/3 of the country has outright betrayed history by propping up this abominable, detestable, corrut administration - period. Shame on all of y'all that supported this. Let's dive in.

What kinds of National Parks will get the axe? Let's see what's not considered part of the 63 "crown jewels" - Pearl Harbor. Cassin Young. Gettysburg. Yorktown. Antietam. Fort Sumter. Name any battlefield - none of them are on the crown jewel list. Appomattox. SF Maritime Park (Hercules, one of the tugs that lost USS Oklahoma, most notably). Fort Point. Fort Monroe. Wright Brothers National Monument. Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Jamestown. Rosie the Riveter. Ford's Theatre. FDR Memorial. MLK Memorial. Castillo de San Marcos. Andersonville. Chickamauga & Chattanooga. Fort Pulaski. Kennesaw Mountain. The Appalachian Trail. C&O Canal. Fort McHenry. Monocacy. Boston. Vicksburg. Fredericksburg/Chancellorsville/Spotsylvania. Richmond Battlefields (Cold Harbor, Gaines Mill, Fort Harrison/Chaffin's Bluff, Totopotomoy Creek, Drewry's Bluff), Little Bighorn, Manhattan Project, Grant Memorial, Fort Raleigh, Moore's Creek, Guilford Courthouse, Lewis & Clark, Flight 93. Philadelphia's Independence NHP. Valley Forge. Cowpens. Mount Rushmore. Fort Donelson. Shiloh. Arlington House in Arlington Cemetery. Cedar Creek. George Washington Birthplace Monument. Petersburg. Manassas. Harpers Ferry.”

Here is the Budget page referenced to the National Park Service.  

RMS Olympic Sinks a U Boat

 

  RMS Olympic holds the unofficial award of being the only passenger liner to ram - and sink - a German U-Boat during the First World War.  On 12 May 1918, while enroute for France in the English Channel transporting U.S. troops  Olympic sighted a surfaced U-boat 1,600 ft ahead.  Olympic's gunners opened fire, and the ship turned to ram the submarine.  U-103 immediately crash dived to 98 ft and turned to a parallel course readying its stern torpedoes. Olympic struck the submarine just aft of her conning tower with her port propeller slicing through the pressure hull. The crew of U-103 blew her ballast tanks, and abandoned the submarine. Olympic did not stop to pick up survivors, but continued on to Cherbourg. An escort, USS Davis had sighted a distress flare and picked up 31 survivors from U-103. Olympic returned to Southampton with at least two hull plates dented and her prow twisted to one side, but not breached.

For his service, Ollympic's Captain Hayes was awarded the DSO. Some American soldiers on board paid for a plaque to be placed in one of Olympic's lounges to commemorate the event, it read:

"This tablet presented by the 59th Regiment United States Infantry commemorates the sinking of the German submarine U103 by Olympic on May 12th 1918 in latitude 49 degrees 16 minutes north longitude 4 degrees 51 minutes west on the voyage from New York to Southampton with American troops."

During the war, Olympic  carried  201,000 troops and other personnel, burning 347,000 tons of coal and travelling about 184,000 miles.  Olympic's war service earned her the nickname Old Reliable.  Her captain was knighted in 1919 for "valuable services in connection with the transport of troops".

Dazzle is a type of ship camouflage that was used extensively in World War I.  The unusual paint job on Ollympic is refereed to as Dazzle.  Unlike other forms of camouflage, the intention of dazzle was not to conceal but to make it difficult to estimate a target's range, speed, and heading. Norman Wilkinson, the marine artist who invented it, explained in 1919 that he had intended dazzle primarily to mislead the enemy about a ship's course and so cause them to take up a poor firing position.  If you think painting kilts is difficult try this!

Scan of wreak of U-103

The remains of U-103 lie at a depth of  300 ft in the English Channel,  about midway between England and France. Its deep location makes it inaccessible to divers but the wreck was surveyed and identified by a remotely operated underwater vehicle in 2012.

A Little Humor

USS Truman loses its  third F18 on this deployment.

 New imagery shows the cause of the most recent loss.

Private Yankee Doodle

 

 

Joseph Plumb Martin, who served in the Continental Army and later wrote about his experiences, died on this day in 1850.

  In June 1776, 15-year-old Martin left his home in Connecticut and joined the Continental Army. He served in the army until the end of the war. In 1830, he published a memoir of his military service. Rather than battle stories, Martin shared the experiences of enlisted soldiers, portraying them, not officers, as heroes of the Revolution. 

  Martin suggested that in honor of their service, pensions be given to surviving veterans, many of whom were poor and unable to work by 1830. In 1835, the Federal government began offering pensions to enlisted soldiers or their surviving families.

How was the march conducted?

 One of the most  influential military books of the 18th Century was “A Treatise of Military Discipline” by Colonel Humphrey Bland.   Officers learned how to be a commander by reading text books.  This book shows up in the libraries of numerous officers in the British and also American  Army officers libraries at the start of the American Revolution;   including George Washington;  who's personal library included Humphrey Bland "A Treatise of Military Discipline (9th ed., London, 1762)"; Lancelot Théodore, comte de Turpin de Crissé, "An Essay on the Art of War, translated by Capt. Joseph Otway" (London, 1761); Roger Stevenson, "Military Instructions for Officers Detached in the Field" (Philadelphia, 1775); Captaine de Jeney, "The Partisan: or, The Art of Making War in Detachment," translated by J. Berkenhout (London, 1760); and William Young, Manœuvres, or Practical Observations on the Art of War "(London, 1771).

  What did these books tell us in how to conduct a march?  Let us quotes from Bland who had a chapter entitled “…Marching of a Regiment of Foot, or a Detachment of Men, where there is a Possibility of their being Attacked by the Enemy.”  He suggested forming a strong "van guard" and a "rear guard." The purpose of the van-guard was “to reconnoiter, or view, every place where any number of men can lie concealed, such as woods, copses, ditches, hollow ways, straggling houses, or villages, through which you are to march or pass near…” The rear-guard was “to take up all the soldiers who shall fall behind the regiment” and to provide security for the rear of the column and prevent it from “being fallen upon (attacked) in the rear, before they have notice to prepare for their defense.”  In addition “small parties, commanded by sergeants, marching on the flanks (sides) of the battalion with orders to examine all the hedges, ditches and copses which lie near the road…" 

  Lt. Col. Smith organized his march to Concord with the combined  ten Light Infantry companies* first followed by the eleven Grenadier ** companies.  As they got closer to Lexington he detected six Light Infantry companies to march ahead of the column and capture the bridges in Concord.  

  It is known from the statement of private James Marr 4th light company that there was a "advanced guard of a sergeant and six or eight men."   In addition a number of volunteers who went out with the march joined the advanced guard as we know from the account of  Lt. William Sutherland.   

  Within the column how did the individual companies form?  According to  Captain William Souter who commanded the Marine light company;  "our companies were not able to march more then half of its  front on the open road, or more properly speaking, in two platoons, the second in the rear of the first."

   Brigadier General Hugh Earl Percy who led the reinforcements  that afternoon had been commanding his Brigade for over a year now.  On a number if occasions he marched the entire Brigade out if Boston into the countryside for exercise.   Lt. Frederick MacKenzie of the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers, who marched with Percy, wrote that the brigade “… marched in the following order, Advanced guard of a captain and 50 men; 2 six-pounders, 4th Reg’t, 47th Reg’t, 1st Bttn of Marines; 23rd Reg’t, Rear guard of a Captain and 50 men.” This tactic was straight out of Bland’s Treatise.  In the Lord Percy papers there is a drawing of a march by the 1st Brigade.  The drawing is a brilliant illusion of how to conduct a march with advanced guards and flankers. 

 

* light infantry companies- 4th, 5th, 10th, 23rd, 38th, 43rd, 47th, 52nd,  59th and  Marines.

** Grenadier companies - 4th, 5th, 10th, 18th, 23rd, 38th, 43rd, 47th,52nd,  59th and Marines.

North Bridge Fight Game for 250th Event

 

Doolittle print done in May 1775 of the Bridge fight.

  Want to play out a part of the 19 April battle for the 250th anniversary?  Here is my suggestion for a fun game based loosely on the events at the North Bridge in Concord.  Thus works well for two to four players.

   I worked for thirty years for the National Park Service.  The majority of that time was at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord and Lexington.  Although I had not thought about a miniature wargame  involving the fight at the North Bridge two things recently changed my mind.  This was inspired  by the article in  Wargames Illustrated "Battle at the North Bridge"  (#291 January 2012) and the post on how he fought this out on the blog "Steve's Painting Shed."  Steve's blog is always a fun visit and full of great ideas if you are interested in the America Rev War.  Highly recommend and one of my first stops in the blogging world.

What really happened:

  The game concerns the action around the North Bridge in  Concord on 19 April 1775.  Historically,  after arriving Concord that morning  Lt.Col. Francis Smith sent seven companies of light infantry (about 32-36 men per company) to the North bridge.  Four light companies under Captain Lawrence Parsons      ( from the 5th, 38th, 23rd and 52nd) crossed the bridge and marched two miles further to Colonel James Barrett's farm to search for cannon. Three light infantry companies (4th, 10th 43rd) under Captain Walter Laurie stayed to guard the bridge.  The remainder of the British force stayed in Concord and searched for supplies. 

View from hillside over looking bridge held by Militia and Minute companies

  During this time various Minute and Militia companies from the surrounding towns gathered on the hillside by Major John Buttrick's house overlooking the bridge.  The town of Concord was just visible in the distance.  They numbered about 400 men and were divided into a Militia battalion under Colonel Barrett and a Minute Man battalion under Major John Buttrick.   

The bridge from the British side.

  When the Militia and Minute Men saw smoke rising over the town they assumed the British were burning their homes.  They marched down to cross the bridge and exchanged fire with the Light Infantry at the bridge and drove them away. The British broke and retreated back towards town leaving two dead at the bridge. Part of the militia returned up the hill they had just come down from carrying there two dead and wounded.   The minute men crossed the bridge.  Buttrick placed them behind a stone wall by the Jones house and they and the Grenadiers with Smith cautiously eye balled each other for a few minutes until Smith counter marched back to town. The Minute companies soon discovered the town was not being burned!  A fire set to burn some cannon carriges were the source of the smoke.  When some worried towns folks complained the fire could spread to the town buildings the British put out the fire.  

 

Diorama of the North Bridge fight.

  Undecided what to do now the various Minute companies moved to the ridge overlooking the town to keep an eye on the British.  Some companies marched to take position further up the road for when the British started their return march to Boston. There they were joined by other companies from further away towns.

   When Captain Parson's light companies return later they found the bridge deserted and two dead British soldiers nearby!  

The game:

Excellent map from obscure battle site blog

  The table is set up to represent the area by the bridge very loosely.  I am looking for an interesting game not a historical recreation. Unlike the actual events both sides are eager to a fight!   The British must hold the bridge long enough to allow the detachment to return to town.  The Americans want to capture the bridge and prevent this. There will be blood!  The British have better trained and disciplines troops but the Americans have more men.

  Captain Laurie's detachment (4th, 10th and 43rd)  is by the bridge while  Captain Parson's  detachment (5th, 23rd, 38th and 52nd)is off-table and is expected to return soon. Reinforcements from Concord are in the form of a battalion of  Grenadiers and Lt.Col.Smith.

 The British at the bridge can call for reinforcements.  Roll a d6 and the battalion of Grenadiers arrive on the road from town on that turn.  

  Parson's force  attempt to enter the table beginning on turn 10. On this turn roll a d10 and they require 1-6 to enter. If they fail then they roll again on turn 11 needing 1-9. If they fail then they automatically enter on turn 12.

  Colonel Barrett and Major Buttrick are on the hillside overlooking g the bridge.  Their object is to capture the bridge and prevent the British forces returning to town.  To represent the hesitation on the part of company commanders to march down and confront the British each militia/minute group must pass a morale check.  If more then half the group fails they will stay in the hill to talk it over some more.  If more then half pass then enough talking its time for action.

Order of Battle:

Lt.Col. Francis Smith commanding: 

in town with Grenadiers.

Captain Laurie's  light infantry detachment at the bridge:

(30 figures/ regular)

Captain Parson's  light infantry at Colonel Barrett's farm:

(30 figures/ regular)

British Grenadier battalion: in Concord

(30 figures/ Elite)

  I have rated the Light infantry as regulars and not elite.  This is because of their erratic performance throughout the day.  At Lexington green they fired against orders and lost all control and at the North Bridge they again fell apart (although I personally think it was more Laurie fault). Light companies were still relatively new (added to the establishment in 1770), and this was the very first time in Boston they had been brigaded worked together.  I think poor command and control plus no standard light infantry drill manual were the problems that day and later at Bunker Hill.  These would be corrected later under General William Howe.  On the other hand the Grenadiers lived up to their reputation that day so they stay elite.

Colonel James Barrett commanding: on hillside overlooking bridge.

Concord-Acton Militia battalion

(30 figures/militia)

Bedford- Lincoln Militia battalion

(30 figures/militia)

Acton-Concord  Minute battalion

(30 figures/militia)

Bedford-Lincoln Minute battalion

(30 figures/militia)

  I have rated all the Americans as militia.  Minute Man companies trained more often so in theory they we're better discipline.  But in looking over the performance of both groups I see historically little difference that day.  I am giving them more units as they did seriously outnumber the British throughout the day.

 

British Intelligence Letter on Supplies at Concord

 

 The first in a series of post to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the fight at Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775

How prepared were the British for the raid on Concord on April 19, 1775?  I though that this item has a really good insight into British intelligence.  While the actual orders General Thomas Gage gave to Lieutenant Francis Smith have been repeated and republished numerous times the actual draft of the orders have not.  They are much more detailed about the items they were sent to destroy, where they were hidden and how to dispose of them.  I thought some of the readers here may be interested in reading this document so I transcribed it From the original in the Gage Papers at the University of Michigan.

   From the draft of Gate's orders to Smith:

"Sir, a quantity of ammunition and provision together as number of cannon and small arms having been collected at Concord for the avowed purpose of raising a rebellion against his Majesty 's Government, you will match with the corps of Grenadiers and Light Infantry put under your command with the utmost expedition and secrecy to Concord, and where you will seize and destroy all the artillery and ammunition, provisions, tents and all other military stores you can find you will knock off one trunnion at least of each of the iron guns and destroy the carriages and beat in the muzzles of the brass ones so as to render them useless. The powder and flour may be shaken out of the barrels into the water, the tents burnt and the men may put the balls and lead into their ( knapsacks crossed out)  pockets throwing  them away by degrees as they go into fields and ditches ponds and etc. (When you shall crossed out) you have a plan (a return crossed out)  Which is marked off the places where the artillery and ammunition is reported to be lodged, and after destroying the same you will return, and if your men appear much fatigued you may lodge them at Lexington or Cambridge and let them rest in barns or other outbuildings and may (get crossed out) hire waggons at Lexington for weak and fatigued men.  If any body of men dares to  (attack is crossed out) oppose you with arms you will warn them to disperse (and crossed out) or attack them.

 Four brass cannon and two mortors or cohorn with a number of small arms in the cellar or out houses of Mr Barrett a little on the other side of the bridge where is also lodged a quantity of powder and lead.

Ten iron cannon before the town house and two within it which town house is in the center of the town.  The ammunition for said guns within the house.

Three guns of 24 pounders lodged in the prison yard with a quantity of cartridges and provision.

A quantity of provisions and ammunition in other places, the principal deposits are the houses of Mr Hubbard, near the meeting Butler, Jones the tailor near the Hubbard's, two men of the rear of (ineligible) Bonds, and particularly at the entrance of the town, at a house plaisteted white a small fence in front and divergence a large quantity of powder and ball is reported to be deposited in his store adjoining the house.

Cannon hid in the wood a mile and half from the center of the village between the river and Malden pond.  The wood thick, a good deal of Underwood. The ground no little wet but not a marsh. Three guns still mounted, the rest dismounted and carefully hid and even buried.   In the same place some boxes of arms hid like the cannon.

The medicine chests and powder barrels, tents and etc distributed in the chief  houses, particularly Mr Barrett's, Captain Wheeler's , Mr Hubbard's stores and the two Bonds.  The three guns in the prison court remain their beside many different articles. "

  To give a better idea of what Gage was worried about the country was not only organising an army but equipping it as well.  According to the records of the Provincial Congress it showed that returns of warlike stores were received from almost all towns in Massachusetts and Maine dated 14 April 1775. (From Journals of each Provincial Congress of Massachusetts. Compiled by William Lincoln (Biston, 1838), p. 756)

Firearms - 21,549

Pounds of powder. - 17,444

Pounds of lead balls. - 22,191

Number of flints - 144,699

Number of bayonets. - 10,108

Number of pouches - 11,979

With all of this you could supply a good sized army!

Historical Presentations

 

  Last year I started giving historical talks to local museums and senior centers.  What started out as a one off presentation blossomed as more groups wrote or called me to do a presentation for them.  This year my calender has filled with a good number of talks.

Massachusetts Connections to the Titanic

April 15, 2025 (113th anniversary)

Harvard MA senior center

Although not well known these were a great number of residents of Massachusetts who sailed on the Titanic.  They included businessman returning from sales trips, families on tour of Europe, immigrants looking forward to joining families already in America and a best selling author.  

The Sudbury Fight

April 22, 2025 (349th anniversary)

University of Massachusetts at Lowell

On April 21, 1676 over five hundred Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Narragansett warriors attacked the frontier settlements of Sudbury (today Sudbury and Wayland) in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Various companies of English militiamen from nearby settlements marched to that town's defense and were drawn into ambushes and suffered heavy losses. The battle was the largest fight and the last major Native American victory in King Philip's War before their final defeat in southern New England in August 1676. All but forgotten today, the sites and stories of this battle are still there to be found by the curious who look for them.

April 19, 1775: The British View Point

April 19, 2025 (250th anniversary)

Fort Devens Museum 1:00 PM

Although the events and story of Lexington and Concord are well known, the British side is too often dismissed or ignored. What did the British know about the supplies at Concord and the countryside? How was the march to Boston conducted? This presentation will explore the British side through the use of first person documents and accounts to provide a new and complimentary account of the days events.

Battle of Bunker Hill: A Tactical View

May17, 2025 1:00

Fort Devens Musem

The Battle of Bunker’s Hill is a milestone in American history; but also a terribly misunderstood battle. Far too often folklore and myth have replaced fact so that today most narratives are confused and misleading. Why didn’t the British outflank the Americans on Charlestown neck? Were there really three frontal assaults? Did the British outnumber the Americans? And did the Americans really only lose the battle because they ran out of ammunition?

This presentation will look at why the leaders made the decisions they did based on facts at the time. Rather than British arrogance and American inexperience, most decisions were based on sound reasoning at the moment.

Some Silly Humor

 Here is some very silly humor for today.  Have fun taking the test!

Suggestions for fighting Guilford Courthouse

 

  Guilford Courthouse is one of the most refought battles of the American Revolution.  Back in 1997 I decided to fight the battle as my contribution to the club's convention Tricon.  This was a all 18th century miniature gaming day put on by our club the northern conspiracy.  

  As part of the game I wanted the British player to experience the surprise and frustration of there counter parts at the actual battle.  Surprise in that each time they pushed away a line if Americans a new line appeared.  The woods had blocked there view so they could not see what was ahead of them.  Frustration in that the Americans just kept appearing and fighting.

  In my game the set up was the first line and only the first line.  Once the British players broke the American militia I stoped the game and gave everyone a mandatory break if ten minutes.  When they returned the table had been cleared off and now the second American line was set up.  Only those British units that had advanced a certain distance were set up.  The others were struggling and arrived in a turn or two.  The reaction was surprise.  Apprehension was the feeling when I called a break after the second line broke.  More frustration when they arrived back to see the third American line set up.  

  Victory conditions were different for each side.  Naturally the British had to break each line and force the Americans to retreat off the boards.  The Americans had to preserve the Continental line at all cost.  They lost points for heavy Continental casualties.  This replicated nicely Greene's withdrawal just as it looked like they might win.  Militia casualties did not count towards victory points!

  The final result was a fun game which both players won.  It modeled the battle rather well and both sides had a fun time.  Which after all is the mist important thing.

Battle of Guilford Courthouse 15 March 1781

 

.

"Come on my brave Fusiliers!"

  " As at Camden, the British went forward as soon as they were in line. Captain Peter led the 23rd on as acting commanding officer, with the regiment effectively in two wings under captains Saumarez and Champagne. As they went forward, one of them noticed the ‘field lately ploughed, which was wet and muddy from the rains which had recently fallen’.

On they trudged towards the fence that marked the end of Hoskins’ cornfield and the beginning of the woods to the fore, observing as they grew closer that the rails were lined with men. MacLeod’s cannon opened fire, sending their ball whooshing into the American lines. Colonel Webster, on horseback, trotted to the front of his brigade and called out so that all could hear, ‘Charge!’ The men began jogging forward, bayonets fixed and muskets levelled towards the enemy. A crackling fire from their left, Kirkwood’s riflemen, began knocking down a redcoat here or there, but did nothing to check their impetus.

North Carolina militia

When the British line was little more than 50 yards from the North Carolina militia everything seemed to stop for Serjeant Lamb: … it was perceived the whole of their force had their arms presented, and resting on a rail fence … they were taking aim with the nicest precision. At this awful period a general pause took place; both parties surveyed each other for the moment with the most anxious suspense … Colonel Webster spurred his horse to the head of the 23rd and bellowed out, ‘Come on my brave Fusiliers!’ Some of the Americans started to run, but most held on for a moment; there was a rippling crash of American musketry when the redcoats were at optimum range, 40 to 50 yards away. Dozens of Webster’s men went down as the musket balls cut legs from under them or smashed into their chests. Lieutenant Calvert worried for an instant how his men might react to such a heavy fire: ‘They instantly returned it and did not give the enemy time to repeat their fire but rushed on them with bayonets.’ Captain Saumarez noted with pride, ‘No troops could behave better than the regiment … they never returned the enemy’s fire but by word of command and marched on with the most undaunted courage.’..."

Quote from;

Fusiliers:  The saga of a British Redcoat Regiment in the American Revolution  by Mark Urban

WuFun miniatures

 

  Question for those out in the blogging world.  Have any of you bought or gamed with the WuFun figures?  They look interesting and could make a cheap, easy way into the hobby. Also a nice way to try out a new period.  I am just curious how they workout on the table top.  They remind me of early gamers who played with flats.

In addition to the figures they have now released many of  the rules sets as a free PDF.  You just go to the site and under rules put them in a cart and"buy"them for free.  Its much easier then it sounds.  Here is a link;

https://wofungames.com/

When on the home page s roll down to the free rules.  I picked up a couple and am very impressed by them. A quality looking publication with nice pictures and some diagrams.  The rules are written by Andy Callan.  I have always looked his rules.  They are easy to learn but a you have to read they carefully.  I will be doing a in-depth revuew if his American Revolution set next post.