ACW Action: Battle of Middletown - Part Five.

So, at the end of Turn 13:

The Union cavalry have won the fight on their right flank, but Blake's brigade is hard pressed in the centre and has lost Bleak Ridge to Merlin's troops.

On the Union left, Coverdale's men are on the back foot, with Mutton's brigade

pushing them back from North Hill.

With Blake wounded, Major General Hill is reorganising his brigade to hold the next line of defence.

On Bleak Ridge, Major General Best watches on as Moon's and Henry's Batteries

pound the Union line.

Hill's remaining artillery, 'B' Battery, 5th Pennsylvania, open fire in defence of the ford.

End of Turn 15 and dusk is falling. On the Confederate right, Mutton's men have reached the fence as Coverdale hastens to rally his regiments. In the centre, Merlin's brigade goes forward against the Union hasty fieldworks.

The 5th North Carolina make a gallant charge, but the 8th New York meet them with heavy fire and they are repulsed before reaching the defence line.

Colonel Stevens of the 4th Michigan takes command of Blake's brigade.

On the right, Mutton's men are brought to a halt as the 17th New York repulse the 1st North Carolina, leaving the Confederate brigadier to urge forward the 16th Louisiana to take the fence line.

On the Union right wing, Mount has erred on the side of caution and halted his dismounted troopers, reluctant to enter the wood for the moment in case they are ambushed by Confederate cavalry.

In go the 16th Louisiana and the 17th New York gives way, abandoning the fence line.

In the centre, 8th New York and 5th North Carolina exchange fire as Merlin's advance stalls before the Union fieldworks.

However, a quick counter-attack by the 2nd Ohio catches the 16th Louisiana off-guard and the Union troops regain the fence line.

Mutton urges forward the 15th Alabama, the 6th Virginia close up in support, and the Buckeyes abandon the fence and retreat for Dry River. 

End of Turn Eighteen and night is falling, with Confederate batteries on Bleak Ridge and North Hill shelling the Union lines heavily. In the centre, Hill is trying to threaten Mutton's breakthrough from the flank by moving across a regiment to the road to the ford. Coverdale's regiments are falling back as Mutton's troops press forward.

End of the game, with nightfall. Hill has managed to hold on in the centre, the fieldworks proving too much for Merlin's men, and while Mount is still hesitating before the wood, he has kept open a line of retreat over South Bridge. On their left, the Union troops are recoiling before Mutton's advance, but rallying enough to prevent the Confederates reaching Dry River. But Best's batteries on Bleak Ridge and North Hill will make holding Middletown almost impossible the next morning, given the Union commander only has one battery with which to reply. So Hill resolves to pull out under cover of darkness and fall back.

So victory to the Confederates under Major General Best.

Hill's infantry brigadiers put up a creditable fight even though they were rated cautious, while his cavalry brigadier excelled himself even though rated average. Hill himself proved better than his average rating suggested as well. On the Confederate side, Best left the fight to his infantry brigadiers, both of whom lived up to their bold ratings, being well-forward with their men and pressing their attacks, while the cavalry brigadier, in spite of one bold move against Bleak Ridge, failed to fulfil his orders. Though he could argue Best should not have kept back his third regiment on the rather feeble excuse of 'just in case'!

A drummer's calls.

 

    Two drummers of the mid to late 17th Century.

(courtesy British Museum)

I have been translating Gaya's Art of War from 1677 and in the course of checking details and facts I managed to gather some information on French drummer's calls, which I thought might be of interest. It is by no means a definitive list, I would be interested if anyone knows of others for France or, indeed, those of other nations.

The principal calls were:

“La diane” – “reveille” – beaten at dawn to wake the men.
“Aux champs” – “to arms” – ordered the men to dress and gather their equipment and was usually the first order of the day, sometimes known as “le première”, “the first”.
"L’assemblée” – “the assembly” – called the men together to an allotted place in order to form up.
“Le dernier” – “all present” – beaten when all the men had arrived to form up.
“La garde” – “the guard” – was the call to guard duty.
“La retraite” – “the retreat” – was to close up the town gates and stand down the guard or to cease fire and rally on the flag.
"L’ordre” – “the order” – confirmed an action.
"La générale” – “the general” – was a general alarm call for a large force.
“La marche” – “the march” – directed the men to form up ready to march off.
“La charge” or “la guerre” – “the charge” or “the war” – to prepare to fire.

In addition, there were:

"La prière” – “the prayer” – called the men to religious service.

"Le ban” – “the fanfare” – for issuing official, municipal or royal decrees.

"La chamade” – “the parley” – used when a fortress or defended position sought to halt the fighting and seek terms of surrender, to which the opposition would beat “La réponse aux chamades” – “the response to the parley”.

“La fricassee” – “the fricassee”, which was a rapid beating of the drum to signal the raising or lowering of the flag, or to advance in battle or retire.

"Appeller” – “to call” – to summon soldiers for a parade before a passing senior officer. 

There were also particular national marches – English, French, Swiss, for example – which were beaten for identification purposes on the battlefield or on the march. The French, for example, sounded “La caisse” – “the drum”, when there were French troops in garrison in a fortress. 

ACW Action: Battle of Middletown - Part Four

 The struggle continues...

At North Hill 15th North Carolina captures the height, driving back 14th Michigan, but 17th New York are ready in reserve.

The Tar Heels are hit with a devastating volley and give way.

17th New York rushes up to retake North Hill.

But they do not stay long, as 1st North Carolina surges forward and takes it back; 2nd Ohio brings them under fire as 17th New York retreat.

1st North Carolina surge forward, urged on by Mutton, "Drive them boys, drive them!"

And they do: 17th New York receive the charge and give way. Coverdale's brigade is on the back foot!

Meanwhile, in the centre, the 18th Mississippi and 12th Indiana are exchanging fire on Bleak Ridge; the latter get the worst of the shooting and fall back.

Moon's Battery comes into action against 4th Michigan as 11th Texas emerge from the woods once more. The Wolverines abandon the hilltop.

In go the 18th Mississippi to take Bleak Ridge and meet 9th Wisconsin coming up the other side.

The Mississippians win the fight and secure Bleak Ridge. Blake, steadying his men, is hit and wounded by a stray shot and has to leave the field. Hill takes command of the brigade for the moment.

Over on the Union right, Mount and his dismounted troopers are piling the pressure on 14th Texas.

The Yankee breechloaders take a heavy toll of the Texans.

The 14th Texas pulls back into the woods as the Union cavalrymen press forward.

The outmatched Texans are destroyed and Mount and his troopers secure the Union right

and the road to South Bridge.

'C' Battery, 6th Pennsylvania, stand to their guns as they come under heavy artillery fire on the road.

Flanked to right and left, the gallant battery pulls out but is overwhelmed as it withdraws

by enemy artillery fire.

Can Hill and his men hold on?

Has Mutton's capture of North Hill gained a win for Best?

More to follow...

Gunners 1661.

 

From J. Callot, Les Exercices Militaires, 1635.

(courtesy Bibliothèque nationale de France).

Another final extract from the theological tourist:

Gunners.

“There is a number of gunners in each town. They wear, in order to distinguish them from other officers, a justaucorps [a French-style overcoat] of red, blue or another colour, which they take pride in, although they are sometimes the principal merchants of the town. They enjoy, in consideration of this role, some privileges, for example not having to go on guard day or night. To make them good at shooting, the town hall presents them with a salt cellar, a silver bowl, or such like, giving it to them in full confidence. There is a cannon royal [probably a very large gun: 34 pounder or 24 pounder], and it is led through the town, where drummers and trumpeters blast out on all sides. Each gunner wears a small silver canon at his throat, attached by a silk cord, and a baton in his hand, with a floral decoration [probably finial work] at the end. They recognise the glorious Saint Andrew as their patron [so not the traditional Saint Barbara].”

M. de Saint-Martin, Relation d’un voyage fait en Flandres, Brabant, Hainaut, Artois, Cambresis, etc. En l’an 1661, Caen, 1667, pp. 468-469.

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.