ACW Action: Battle of Middletown - Part Two.

With both sides now on the table, action got underway. Unit titles are randomly created just to add some individuality to the game.

The Union guns - 'A' Battery, 2nd Michigan - on Bleak Ridge opened fire on the approaching Confederate columns.

I have not found my normal explosion markers since moving house, so I resorted to brown sheep's wool, which look more realistic, I think.

Brigadier General Merlin starts deploying his men into line for an attack on The Mound.

The leading Union regiment - 4th Michigan - has moved up onto The Mound ready to resist the Confederate advance.

More of Merlin's Brigade shaking out into line - 18th Mississippi under artillery fire; in the background, Henry's Battery is bombarding the Union guns on Bleak Ridge.

Brigadier Genera Blake, for all his cautious quality, decides to show some grit and pushes up supports for 4th Michigan on The Mound.

On the Union left, Brigadier General Coverdale gets some of his men moving forward to occupy North Hill, directing some of his artillery - 'B' Battery, 5th Pennsylvania - up the road, all prompted by his division commander, Major General Hill, who leads up another regiment from the ford.

Major General Hill and his staff hurrying forward to see what is happening.

Major General Best arrives on the field with his staff.

Brigadier General Mutton and his brigade moves forward, while the cavalry brigade under Brigadier General Colbert trots onto the field in the distance.

20th South Carolina charge the 4th Michigan on The Mound, close quarter fighting under way.

On the left, Colbert sends his men to the road, 14th Texas in the lead, coming under fire from the Union guns on Bleak Ridge as they manoeuvre in column.

The Union infantry brigades are moving forward to secure better positions to defend against the attack.

20th South Carolina are beaten off by 4th Michigan, so Merlin urges forward his regiments for a full scale assault.

Mutton's columns surge forward, trying to reach North Hill, which is still unoccupied. William's Battery deploys on the road in support.

Colbert's cavalrymen - 14th and 11th Texas - are moving towards the Union right, but Best decides to keep one regiment - 3rd Florida in reserve, just in case. Moon's horse artillery battery is to follow the Texans.

The field from behind the Confederates, with Best having all his troops moving forward into the attack.

2nd Georgia takes The Mound, with 4th Michigan retreating, leaving 12th Indiana in the dip behind, Blake in close proximity to bolster their stand, while Merlin is right behind his foremost regiment.

'B' Battery, 5th Pennsylvania, comes into action.

In the centre of the field, Merlin's brigade is pushing forward over The Mound, while Mutton's men reach the next fence line en route to North Hill. William's Battery has limbered up and is advancing, having decided it can give better support if it accompanies Mutton's columns closely.

14th Texas moves along the road to the wood, passing Bleak Ridge to its right.

12th Indiana charge 2nd Georgia in an attempt to regain The Mound.

No luck for the Hoosiers as they are repulsed by the Georgians.

End of Turn Six, with the Confederates on The Mound, the bold Merlin intending to attack Bleak Ridge next; Colbert's cavalry has flanked the Union line on Bleak Ridge, but his orders are to take South Bridge; in the distance, Coverdale has got a regiment onto North Hill, so Mutton will have to fight for it.

More to follow...

Cavalry Drill 1661

Spanish Cavalry Regiments 1672-78

In doing some research for military matters in the 1670s, I came across this interesting piece on cavalry drill from 1661. The author was a theologian and academic who was travelling in the Low Countries and in the later part of his work, which is mostly about religious sites and customs, he includes a few interesting anecdotes. Given that he travelled through areas under Spanish rule, I assume he was describing an exercise carried out by Spanish troops.

I think my translation is correct! But if not, it still gives a good idea of what was happening and telling us something about cavalry units and their drill/tactics at that time.

On the Exercise of Cavalrymen.

“When one or more captains want to carry out an exercise, the companies’ trumpeters sound ‘boots and saddles’ and the soldiers return an hour later in front of the house of their captains or, in their absence, their lieutenants. One draws them up first in three ranks of fifty troopers, then the trumpeter sounds the ‘march’ and the cavalrymen set off four by four, as far as a field, or a place suitable to carry out the exercise. There one draws up at once a squadron in three ranks, who march forward, as if it was against the enemy, trot and gallop the horses, in order to see if they keep their ranks well, then they ride to the right and left. That makes the squadron split into two, the captain putting himself as the head of one, and his lieutenant at the head of the other. They leave a space of two or three hundred paces between the squadrons who face directly towards each other. Some cavalrymen are sent out to reconnoitre, who each fire a pistol shot, in order to alert their companions that the enemy is there and that they must fight. At the same time the two squadrons march close to each other, pistols in hand, and they fire them, then one turns to the right, and the other to the left, shooting the pistols. Afterwards, they draw their swords and they sometimes strike each other. At the end they make a short march, then they reassemble and they return to the lodgings of their captain who thanks them.”

M. de Saint-Martin, Relation d’un voyage fait en Flandres, Brabant, Hainaut, Artois, Cambresis, etc. En l’an 1661, Caen, 1667, pp. 443-445.