ACW Action: Battle of Middletown - Part Three.

Picking up where we left off last time...

In the centre of the field, the 2nd Georgia charges down The Mound into 11th Indiana; the latter lost the fight and had to retreat, so honours to the Georgians.

Over on the Confederate left, Colbert gets a rush of blood to the head and redirects 11th Texas from its orders to take South Bridge. He dismounts them and sends them through the trees, emerging on the flank of 'A' Battery, 2nd Michigan, on Bleak Ridge. A masterly move, but rather against orders!

The Union gunners are cut down by the Texans and the battery is abandoned.

On the Confederate right, Coverdale's leading regiment opens fire on Mutton's troops, supported by 'B' Battery, 5th Pennsylvania on the road.

Mount, seeing the Texans flanking Bleak Ridge from his position, hastily dismounts his two regiments and sends them forward to protect the flank and block the road to South Bridge. Colbert's inspired move has given the Union cavalry time to react to the threat on their right flank.

Mutton's Brigade rushes forward to attack North Hill.

End of Turn 7, with Merlin's men in the centre about to assault Bleak Ridge. 

2nd Georgia now charged 12th Indiana, but the Hoosiers got in a good volley and then beat off their attackers, holding their ground.

In the distance can be seem Major General Hill and his staff, along with Brigadier General Blake, well up with the troops. And beyond them, the 11th Texans, blazing away at the Union mounted officers, but with a singular lack of success after their triumph over the enemy's artillery!

Over at North Hill, 14th Michigan it shooting at the approaching 15th North Carolina regiment, but the Confederates are unstoppable.

Colbert, seeing the Union cavalrymen blocking his way, dismounts 14th Texas and prepares to engage.

Hill and Blake, seeing the threat to their right - and hearing the bullets whizzing around their ears! - hastily redirects 13th Michigan from his reserves to deal with 11th Texas, as 4th Michigan redeploys to face the Confederate cavalry. Lashed by a good volley, the Texans head back to the cover of the trees.

20th Pennsylvania are ordered forward by Mount, who is showing a pleasing degree of aggressiveness on the Union right, and they open fire with their breechloaders on the less well-armed Confederates.

In the centre, Hill has ordered the 8th New York to throw up some earthworks along the fence line as an extra protection should the Confederates break through at Bleak Ridge.

End of Turn 8. The Union line is holding steady along North Hill and Bleak Ridge, with their cavalry blocking the Confederates on the road to South Bridge. Hill is feeling pretty satisfied; Best realises Merlin's men have a tough task ahead in the centre, but hopes Mutton can get North Hill.

More to follow...

Town Guards 1661.

Officers and sergeants of the Saint George Civic Guard 1639 by Frans Hal.

(courtesy franshalsmuseum.nl)

Another little report from the travelling theologian:

On the Citizen Guard.

“At Brussels, Antwerp, and other towns, the citizens form the guard at the gates. Although there is a great number of soldiers in garrison at Cambrai, the citizens do not stop standing guard in the square, which is in the middle of the town, because they assume that an enemy might have traitors amongst them. In some places, like Aire, they close the gate, so that those on duty can have dinner.

When some cavalry arrive in a town, one knows of it by means of the belfries, which are on high places, built like towers, and covered over. The sentry who is on top strikes the bell many times, when there are cavalry approaching the town, flies a red standard for them, and a white one for infantry. Having arrived at the first gate, the cavalry are given two soldiers who lead them to the cavalry guardhouse. After they have spoken to the officer in command, he leads them to the custody of the governor, from where they are led to a hostelry. The hosteller is obliged to take their names to the town major, then one knows if the soldiers sent there are still there, otherwise a wide search is made. The same thing is done for infantrymen. Before closing the gates, a large bell called the Gate Bell is sounded for some time in order to encourage those who want to come into towns to hurry up, there being no suburbs in most places. “The retreat” is sounded at nine o’clock with drums and if anyone is found without a candle, the soldiers arrest them and they are fined.

Those posted on the belfries sound the trumpet every half hour during the night in order to indicate they are on watch. At Cambrai, and in some other towns, they make three blasts with a large horn. At Maastricht, fifty cavalrymen armed from head to foot, stand guard in this way: everyone stands near their horse, which is saddled and bridled; there is a man on guard mounted on his horse near the door to the stables, where the rest are, and one in front of the governor’s lodgings, to which the horse traders who arrive in great numbers in this town are required to show the horses they bring, and to find out whether anyone wants to buy them or not, before leading them to their hostelry. Some infantry officers visit the boats which arrive at towns where there are rivers, which are very common in these parts, and see who has come in them.

At Bruges, they are exempt from garrisons, in recognition of the fact that some towns in the Low Countries having revolted against the King of Spain, they did not take their side. When one reforms a regiment or a company, the captains, officers reformés [basically a junior officer in reserve] the King gives them the pay of three soldiers, the lieutenant and the cornet each have two, and they are all obliged to register themselves with one of their friends and serve if needed. The general can have his soldiers fight a battle whenever he feels it is appropriate, without waiting for orders from the Court.”

M. de Saint-Martin, Relation d’un voyage fait en Flandres, Brabant, Hainaut, Artois, Cambresis, etc. En l’an 1661, Caen, 1667, pp. 437-442.