Storming of the Spring Hill Redoubt 1779: Part 1

There is very little information available out there on the Southern Campaigns during the American Revolution in 1779. The campaign saw a interesting variety of unusual regiments and small number of men which makes gaming it very attractive.  In addition it is one of the few times you can field a French army!  The following article was published in the magazine "Gorget and Sash" volume 3 number 2.  It about the siege of Savannah and specifically the storming of the Spring Hill Redoubt.  Great article and all the basic information you need to fight out this interesting battle.

Summary of Campaign at this Point

  For those of you who have been following my refight of the Cowpens -Guilford Courthouse Campaign, many thanks.  It has been fun and entertaining for me and has surprisingly copied the historical campaign.   The American army in the first battle won a decisive victory.  This mimicked the results of the Battle of Cowpens.  Cornwallis, infuriated with the result gathered his field force to chase down Morgan and Greene.  In the second battle the British easily brushed aside the poorer quality American forces guarding the river crossing.  Again a very historical result.

During that battle the Guard's Light Infantry company, 1/Guard and the 23rd all suffered casualties which will be carried over to the next battle. The North Carolina militia have thrown in the towel and are going home; but additional regiments of militia from Virginia and North Carolina will be joining Greene in March. So although a victory for the British it has no long term positive results. I think this reflects the American war from the British point of view rather well. Hence the true value of a series of games within a campaign.

For the next game the dice roll has said Greene will be attacking Cornwallis' army. I found this most interesting as Greene himself (in the Greene papers) was considering this option prior to Guilford Courthouse. Let's see how it will work! The American commander has asked if they can keep the Light battalion rather then merging it back to its parent battalions. I rather like the idea and will go with it.

Because of my schedule in March (work, Cold Wars and our trip to Hawaii) we will be fighting the Battle in April. Hopefully as a club game night event.  Just running out of time for March. So please stay tuned following this commercial break. As always feedback is appreciated.

And thank you all for reading and following.

Cowpens-Guilford Courthouse Campaign Refought: Cowen's Ford Action

Setting the stage:
Marching hard after Greene's army Cornwallis found his army frustrated by numerous river crossings. These were usually defended by local militia. One such crossing was at Beattie's and Cowen's Ford. North Carolina Militia General Davidson was defending both fords  with his brigade.

 Under cover of darkness Cornwallis divided his army. Webster would hold the attention of most of Davidson's men and Morgan's light division while Cornwallis crossed at the lower Cowen's Ford. The heavy morning fog prevented the men guarding the Ford from seeing the British untill  the advanced guard was crossing the river.  They quickly called for reinforcements and set up firing positions.

Game rules;
To cross the Ford takes three turns. First move up to Ford and stop.  Next turn move into river then stop. Third move move into bank and stop. No firing while crossing.
American reinforcements wants can be called by a roll of a D6.  A 1-4 and Davidson arrives with the remainder of his brigade.  A second die roll and a 1-3 Morgan's division arrives.  At this battle Davison arrived but Morgan did not.

Battle:
While the British Guard's Grenadier and Light Infantry companies crossed the ford the North Carolina riflemen continued to snipe at them.  Although the Guard's suffered some casualties their morale held and they established themselves on the shore.

 Charging forward the Grenadiers caught the  riflemen and routed them off the board. But by this time they had held up the British long enough for the North Carolina brigade to deploy into line. Three battalions faced the Guard's battalions. Cornwallis had brought the 23rd and Bose regiment into the field and they faced for a lower Ford. As the 23rd started to cross additional riflemen commenced sniping at them.

At this point things happened fast and furious.  The 1/Guard's charged the two militia battalions to their front. The North Carolina militia horse charged the 2/Guard's and caught them in column.  The 23rd crossed the Ford and moved to engage the rifles.
Although the militia horse had caught the Guard's in column, they were too few in numbers to defeat them.  The 2/Guard's saw them off with little fuss.  So too did the 1/Guard's who routed the two battalions to their front.

 With his front collapsing Davidson called for a general retreat to save what was left of his forces.  The only one disappointed by this result was Tarleton who was just crossing the Ford with his dragoons.  Mabey next time.

The game had been a lopsided British victory. The superiors morale of the Guard's battalions had enabled them to clear the militia with little difficulty.

St. David's Day

1st March 1775;  This being St. David's Day the officers of the 23rd Regiment, or Royal Welch Fusiliers, dinned together according to the custom.  All the General & Staff Officers, the Admiral, and several other person's were invited to dine with the Regiment...."
From the diary of Lieutenant Frederick MacKenzie.

The "custom" was on each Saint Daivid's Day following dinner the regimental goat with the drummers and fifers are led around the mess table.  The drum major has a silver plate with raw leeks and the mess sergeant carries a loving cup filled with champagne. They halt by the newest joined officer who then stands on his chair with his left foot and places his right foot on the table and eats a leek while the drummers play a continuous roll.  Once he has consumed the leek he is handed the loving cup and before drinking toasts "And Saint David!"  All present who have not eaten a leek, including guests are expected to do so. Similar ceremonies occurs in the sergeants and the other ranks mess.  This custom, described as "ancient" in 1775  is still observed in peace and during war time up to the present time.

Cowpens-Guilford Courthouse Campaign Refought: Battle of Camden

  January 1781

General Morgan invades South Carolina with his Light Troops.  He successfully linklinked up with Pickens' South Carolina brigade and  Sumter's brigade.

 Morgan decided to attack the British base at Camden.  Outnumbered but trusting in his better quality troops Lord Rawson matches out to attack him.

Morgan deployed his troops along the ridge line overlooking Camden .He placed his brigade of Light troops in the center.  Picken's brigade covered his right while Sumter's brigade covered his left.  All three commanders held their cavalry in reserve  the rifle armed troops covered each flank.

Advancing through a gap.in the woods Lord Rawdon advanced straight for Sumter's brigade.  He held his tiny cavalry force in reserve and led with the Volunteers of Ireland and New York Volunteers.  The Royal North Carolina Regiment and South Carolina Royalists followed behind  his loyalist militia covered his left flank.

The American Riflemen free first blood .They caused a couple hits to the Royal North Carolina Regiment who passed morale and continued their advance .But Picken's men fired a devastating round which caused six casualties among the militia.  They failed their morale test and routed off the board.

 Rawdon brought his cavalry into the field to cover his exposed get flank  , which caused Picken's riflemen to retire behind his infantry.  The Royal  North Carolina Regiment advanced into the woods to drive back the riflemen.  Matching forward the Volunteers of Ireland and New York Volunteers traded vollies with Sumter's militia.  The militia got The worse of it and both battalions failed their morale test and routed off the board taking Sumter's cavalry with them.  



at this point the game turned against the British.  Coffin's cavalry charged one of Picken's militia battalions who calmly shot it to pieces . As the cavalry routed off the table Picken's cavalry and rifles emerged from the woods and threatened the British left flank.  While one of his militia battalions engaged the South Carolina Royalists to their front the other battalion flanked them.  Morgan had  the Maryland Delaware Light battalion charge the New York volunteers.   The melee saw the Volunteers defeated  and fall back.  Tripplett's Virginians held the Volunteers of Ireland.

With his line crumbling Rawdon ordered the Royal North Carolina Regiment and the Volunteers to save themselves and dashed back to Camden to organize its defense.  Morgan, having destroyed a fine British  army and avenged last year's defeat at Camden retired to join up with Greene's army.  Although Tarleton and his legion  tried to intercept him he failed (poor die rolling)  and Morgan escaped  to fight another day.  

The American army won a decisive victory and were awarded 5 points. Cornwallis, infuriated with the result gathered his field force to chase down Morgan and Greene.

Cowpens - Guilford Courthouse Campaign Refought: British Order of Battle

British Southern Army:  December 1780 to March 1781

January 1781

Camden Brigade:
 Lt. Colonel Lord Rawdon
Royal North Carolina Regiment (30)
Volunteers of Ireland Regiment (30)
New York Volunteers Regiment (24)
South Carolina Royalist (24)
Coffin's Dragoons (6)
Camden District Loyalist Militia (30)
Royal Artillery (6 pdr)

Ninety-Six, South Carolina
Cruger's Loyalist Brigade:
Lieutenant Colonel John Harris Cruger
1st Bn/Delancey's (18)
3rd Bn/New Jersey Volunteers (24)
South Carolina Royalists (30)
Loyalist Artillery (6 pdr)
96th District South Carolina Loyalist Militia Brigade:
Brigadier Robert Cunningham
King's Long Cane Loyalist Militia (24)
Cunningham's Little River Loyalist Militia (24)
Stevens Creek Loyalist Militia (24)
Dunlap's Loyalist Dragoons (6)

British Legion: Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarelton
British Legion Dragoons
1st Squadron/British Legion Dragoons: (8)
2nd Squadron/British Legion Dragoons: (8)
3rd Squadron/British Legion Dragoons: (8)
British Legion Infantry (24)
British Legion Artillery (3-pdr)
 17th Light Dragoon (6)


February - March 1781
Cornwallis Field Force: Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis

Webster’s Brigade: Colonel James Webster
23rd Regiment of Foot. (30)
33rd Regiment of Foot. (30)

 Brigade of Guards: General Charles O'Hara
Guards Light Infantry Company (12)
Guards Grenadier Company (12)
1st Guards Battalion (30)
2nd Guards Battalion (30)

 Leslie's Brigade: Major General Leslie
1st Bn/71st Highland Regiment (24)
2nd Bn/71st Highland Regiment (24)
von Bose Regiment (Trumbach)  (30)

Unbrigaded:
British Light Infantry battalion (12)
 Jaeger company (9)
Royal North Carolina Regiment (24)
Royal Artillery ( 6-pdr & 3-per)

British Legion: Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarelton
British Legion Dragoons
1st Squadron/British Legion Dragoons: (8)
2nd Squadron/British Legion Dragoons: (8)
3rd Squadron/British Legion Dragoons: (8)
British Legion Infantry (24)
British Legion Artillery (3-pdr)
 17th Light Dragoon (6)

Cowpens - Guilford Courthouse Campaign Refought: American Order of Battle

   The following are the troops available, each month for the American commander.  Please note that the order of battle changes each month.  This is due to reinforcements arriving, and militia enlistment ending so they are going home.

 January 1781

Brigadier General Daniel Morgan 

Continental Light Brigade:
Lieutenant Colonel John Eager Howard
Maryland/Delaware Light Battalion (30)
Triplett’s Virginia Battalion (24)
Washington's Dragoons (10)

Pickens' South Carolina Militia Brigade:
Colonel Andrew Pickens
1st Spartan SC Militia Regt. (30)
2nd Spartan SC Militia Regt. (30)
McCall's State Dragoons (6)
Cunningham's Rifle Battalion (12)

Sumter's South Carolina Brigade:
BG Thomas Sumter
1st Militia battalion  (24)
2nd Militia battalion (24)
Hampton's South Carolina State Dragoons (6)

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February 1781

American Southern Army: 
Major General Nathaniel Greene 

Singleton's Continental Artillery (2 guns and crew)

Continental Light Brigade:
Lieutenant Colonel John Eager Howard
Maryland/Delaware Light Battalion (30)
Militia battalion (24)
Rifle Battalion (12)

Virginia Continental Brigade (Brigadier-General Isaac Huger)
1st Virginia Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel John Green) (30)

Maryland Continental Brigade (Colonel Otho Williams).
1st Maryland  battalion (Colonel John Gunby) (30)
2nd Maryland battalion (Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin Ford) (30)

Washington's Dragoons (10)

Lee's Legion (brigade)
Lee's Legion Dragoons (12)
Lee's Legion Infantry (12) 

Stevens' Virginia Militia Brigade:
Stevens' Virginia Militia (24)

North Carolina Militia Brigade:
Brigadier General William Davidson
William's Surrey County, North Carolina Militia Battalion (24)
Polk's Mecklenburg Militia Battalion (24)
Locke's Rowan County, N.C. Militia Battalion (24)
Graham's Mecklenburg County, N.C. Dragoons (6)
McDowell's North Carolina Riflemen (12)
Winston's North Carolina Riflemen  (12)

Pickens' South Carolina Militia Brigade:
Colonel Andrew Pickens
1st Spartan SC Militia Regt. (30)
2nd Spartan SC Militia Regt. (30)
McCall's State Dragoons (6)
Cunningham's Rifle Battalion (12)

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March 1781

American Southern Army: 
Major General Nathaniel Greene 

Singleton's Continental Artillery (2 guns and crew)

Virginia Continental Brigade:
Brigadier-General Isaac Huger
1st Virginia Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel John Green) (30)
2nd Virginia Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Hawes) (30)

Maryland Continental Brigade:
Colonel Otho Williams
1st Maryland Regiment (Colonel John Gunby) (30)
2nd Maryland Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel Benjamin Ford) (30)

Virginia Militia Brigade:
Brigadier-General Edward Stevens
Moffitt 's and McDowell 's militia battalion (30)
Perkins and Cocke's Militia battalions (30)

Virginia Militia Brigade:
 Brigadier-General Robert Lawson
 Munford's militia battalion (30)
Holcombe's and Randolph's militia battalion (30)

North Carolina Militia Brigade:
Brigadier-General John Butler
Butler's Militia battalion (30)

North Carolina Militia Brigade:
Brigadier-General Thomas  Eaton
Linton's militia battalion (30)
William's militia battalion (30)

Rifle Regiments
 Colonel William Campbell (12)
 Colonel Charles Lynch (12)

Light Dragoons and Partisan Corps:
Col. William Washington
Delaware Light company (12)
William Washington’s Light Dragoons: (10)

Lee's Legion (brigade)
Lee's Legion Dragoons (12)
Lee's Legion Infantry (12) 

Continental Artillery (two 2-gun sections)