146.Gloucester_CL - WDS American Revolutionary War
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| Rating: | 0 (0) |
| Games Played: | 0 |
| SM: | 4 |
| Turns: | 40 |
| Type: | Stock |
| First Side: | Continental Army |
| Second Side: | British |
Date: 3 October, 1781
Size: Company Level, Very Small
Location: Near Seawell's Ordinary, on Gloucester Point, ~ 5 miles north of Yorktown, on the opposite side of the York River
Best played Head-to-Head, either side against the AI is still enjoyable
Scenario Briefing: As they marched past Abingdon Church, approaching Seawell's Ordinary, Brigadier General George Weedon, Marquis de Choisy, and the duc de Lauzun were aware that they might encounter British forces at any moment. When Virginia militia cavalry scouts reported that a British foraging party was active in the area. de Lauzun and the French cavalry were sent forward while the infantry hurried along behind. Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton had led a mixed force out from the British lines at Gloucester to forage and was loaded up to return. Lieutenant Colonel JG Simcoe had remained behind, ill in camp. After an exchange of gunfire between Lieutenant Colonel J. Webb's mounted infantry and the foragers, the militia fell back, and the Hussars under the command of the de Lauzun appeared on the field south of Seawell's Ordinary. Tarleton, hearing the approach of the cavalry and observing the dust kicked up, sent his infantry off in ambuscade and formed a line with his cavalry, While personally leading a troop to reconnoiter (aka skirmish with) the enemy. Tarleton and de Lauzun faced off in an open field. If Tarleton's goal was to taunt and goad de Lauzun into attacking, he succeeded. De Lauzun charged. Tarleton and de Lauzun briefly met face to face, but Tarleton was unhorsed in the confused melee. The Franco-American force would advance throughout the day, but the British covering force and their forage would make it back to the safety of their lines. It would, however, be the last time that they would venture out, marking the beginning of the end for the British outpost on Gloucester Point.
Background: The Largest Cavalry Engagement of the American Revolution is still pretty small by European standards. A joint Franco-American force would square off against a Provincial force supplemented by British regulars and (un-mounted) Hessian Jaeger Komapnie, all led by the ever-present Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. While the cavalry action is fun and a bit dramatic, I found the small unit tactics employed by the British Legion and Jaeger to be particularly interesting.
When the British moved to Yorktown to establish a base and await the arrival of their fleet, they also crossed the York River to Gloucester point an fortify it to protect the anchorage. This allowed them to control the northern shore of the river. To check their foraging, General George Weedon was sent to take command of the militia in the area, but seemed reluctant to engage the British. Colonel JF Mercer was tasked with creating a handpicked Grenadier Corps" to act as light infantry and engage the enemy more closely." Furthermore, General George Washington would dispatch the Legion of the Duke de Lauzun to assist with mobile operations. The month of September passed, with Weedon only cautiously engaging the British and the Duc pushing for more opportunity for glory. With the arrival of the French fleet on September 30, Admiral M. de Grasse disembarked 800 men from the garrison regiments aboard the ships and placed them under the command of the Marquis de Choisy. The British enjoyed interior lines and were able to move forces back and forth across the river. Seeing little use for cavalry on the Yorktown side of the river, Lord Cornwallis sent the British Legion over to Gloucester Point, also on September 30, setting the stage for the battle. Gloucester would remain in British hands throughout the siege and would only surrender after the fall of Yorktown itself.
Further Reading: No Regular Corps Could Have Maintained Its Ground More Firmly by Catts, Selig, Burruss, & Bradley (pdf available online) is a very detailed study on the battle prepared as part of a grant application to preserve the battlefield. Otherwise, the Osprey title: Yorktown 1781 by Brendan Morrissey provides a good overview.
Size: Company Level, Very Small
Location: Near Seawell's Ordinary, on Gloucester Point, ~ 5 miles north of Yorktown, on the opposite side of the York River
Best played Head-to-Head, either side against the AI is still enjoyable
Scenario Briefing: As they marched past Abingdon Church, approaching Seawell's Ordinary, Brigadier General George Weedon, Marquis de Choisy, and the duc de Lauzun were aware that they might encounter British forces at any moment. When Virginia militia cavalry scouts reported that a British foraging party was active in the area. de Lauzun and the French cavalry were sent forward while the infantry hurried along behind. Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton had led a mixed force out from the British lines at Gloucester to forage and was loaded up to return. Lieutenant Colonel JG Simcoe had remained behind, ill in camp. After an exchange of gunfire between Lieutenant Colonel J. Webb's mounted infantry and the foragers, the militia fell back, and the Hussars under the command of the de Lauzun appeared on the field south of Seawell's Ordinary. Tarleton, hearing the approach of the cavalry and observing the dust kicked up, sent his infantry off in ambuscade and formed a line with his cavalry, While personally leading a troop to reconnoiter (aka skirmish with) the enemy. Tarleton and de Lauzun faced off in an open field. If Tarleton's goal was to taunt and goad de Lauzun into attacking, he succeeded. De Lauzun charged. Tarleton and de Lauzun briefly met face to face, but Tarleton was unhorsed in the confused melee. The Franco-American force would advance throughout the day, but the British covering force and their forage would make it back to the safety of their lines. It would, however, be the last time that they would venture out, marking the beginning of the end for the British outpost on Gloucester Point.
Background: The Largest Cavalry Engagement of the American Revolution is still pretty small by European standards. A joint Franco-American force would square off against a Provincial force supplemented by British regulars and (un-mounted) Hessian Jaeger Komapnie, all led by the ever-present Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton. While the cavalry action is fun and a bit dramatic, I found the small unit tactics employed by the British Legion and Jaeger to be particularly interesting.
When the British moved to Yorktown to establish a base and await the arrival of their fleet, they also crossed the York River to Gloucester point an fortify it to protect the anchorage. This allowed them to control the northern shore of the river. To check their foraging, General George Weedon was sent to take command of the militia in the area, but seemed reluctant to engage the British. Colonel JF Mercer was tasked with creating a handpicked Grenadier Corps" to act as light infantry and engage the enemy more closely." Furthermore, General George Washington would dispatch the Legion of the Duke de Lauzun to assist with mobile operations. The month of September passed, with Weedon only cautiously engaging the British and the Duc pushing for more opportunity for glory. With the arrival of the French fleet on September 30, Admiral M. de Grasse disembarked 800 men from the garrison regiments aboard the ships and placed them under the command of the Marquis de Choisy. The British enjoyed interior lines and were able to move forces back and forth across the river. Seeing little use for cavalry on the Yorktown side of the river, Lord Cornwallis sent the British Legion over to Gloucester Point, also on September 30, setting the stage for the battle. Gloucester would remain in British hands throughout the siege and would only surrender after the fall of Yorktown itself.
Further Reading: No Regular Corps Could Have Maintained Its Ground More Firmly by Catts, Selig, Burruss, & Bradley (pdf available online) is a very detailed study on the battle prepared as part of a grant application to preserve the battlefield. Otherwise, the Osprey title: Yorktown 1781 by Brendan Morrissey provides a good overview.
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