Prospect House: a Patriots and Loyalists scenario

For our most recent game, a larger AWI encounter, Steve reverted to our usual Patriots and Loyalists rules.  The background story was that General Greene's Revolutionary forces had been forced to withdraw following a bruising encounter with General Brooke's Crown forces.  After marching all night and most of the following day, Greene felt that he had put sufficient distance between himself and Brooke to allow his forces to rest.  He had made his headquarters in Prospect House and his three brigades had set up camp behind Mann's Ridge, (Archer's Brigade), Prospect Hill, (Brown's Brigade) and Mackay's Ridge, (Church's Brigade).  The vital supply train was also drawn up in the grounds of Prospect House.  Picquets had been placed on the hills to watch for any sign that the Crown forces were approaching.  The Revolutionary forces' task was to hold off any enemy attack and enable the safe passage of the supply wagons down the road leading through Brown's camp and then along the river valley.

Looking from Church's camp towards Prospect House

Archer's camp around Prospect House

No sign of Crown forces had been seen by dusk, so Greene felt confident enough to give his men a full night's rest before resuming the march on the morrow.  His confidence was also reflected in his hosting of a dinner for his brigadiers and senior staff at Prospect House, where full use was made of some excellent wine and spirits.

Dawn broke on a misty countryside and Greene's picquets had eyes peeled and ears pricked for any sign of an approaching enemy.  From the road beyond Mann's Ridge came indistinct muffled sounds and dark patches in the mist coalesced into a skirmish line of jaeger heading up the slope.  Archer's riflemen fired into the advancing enemy and fell back a little towards their supports.   Hearing the shots the men of Archer's Brigade began to rouse themselves and form up for action.  As more firing took place on Mann's Ridge, the men of Brown's Brigade also began to form up.  Conspicuous by their absence at this point were the senior officers who were rather tardy in arising.  When Greene was ready for action his first thought was for the supply wagons.  "Get them on the road back to base now" he ordered, "they must be saved".  

The fighting on Mann's Ridge was hotting up.  The whole of Von Stalheim's Hessian brigade was heading towards Prospect House.  Behind the jaeger were a unit of fusiliers and a unit of grenadiers.  A unit of musketeers was attempting to outflank the ridge by continuing to march along the road, directly towards Prospect House.  Archer's riflemen were driven off the ridge by the Hessian jaeger.  They suffered heavy casualties from the jaeger's bayonets, but they had bought enough time for two battalions to be ready to contest the ridge with the Hessians.  Archer himself had now appeared and was frantically trying to get the defence of Prospect House organised while the wagons were equally determined to move through the grounds towards the road. 

The vital bridge at Lawson's Farm

From Prospect Hill, Brown could see the fighting on Mann's Ridge, but no enemy were visible to his front.  He therefore directed his riflemen to harass the flank of the Hessians attacking Archer's brigade and, as his two continental battalions arrived, moved one of them to support the rifles and kept the second in reserve.  Further to the left, Church's brigade was also unchallenged.  The riflemen on Mackay's Ridge saw no enemy approaching and were buoyed by the arrival of the artillery and continental infantry battalions.   Church's confidence took a severe knock when he saw not one, but two brigades of British infantry heading towards him.  Brooke, the Loyalist commander had planned for a strong 'right hook',  moving over Mackay's Ridge and then along the turnpike to the bridge at Lawson's Farm.  If the brigades of Cary and Boyd could get over the bridge before the wagons from Prospect House passed there, the victory would be complete.

Cary's Brigade

Boyd's Brigade

As yet, General Greene was unaware of the threat to his left, his attention was fully occupied by the slow progress of the wagons as they crawled out of Prospect House and began their journey along the road.  Archer had launched his battalions against the jaeger.  The continental battalion drove back the jaeger, but were then charged by a supporting Hessian fusilier battalion.  This quickly overcame the continentals and the supporting militia, though it did take considerable casualties in the process.  

The leading elements of Brown's brigade on Prospect Hill were now engaging the enemy.  When Von Stalheim ordered a Hessian musketeer battalion to outflank Mann's Ridge on the right and cover the flank of the attack on Prospect House, they paid a heavy price.  One of Brown's continental battalions shredded the Hessian battalion with a succession of telling volleys and the Germans beat a disorderly retreat.  In addition, Brown's riflemen were now sniping away at the Hessian artillery, driving back the gunners.  On the other flank of Prospect Hill, the Delaware Regiment was firing at the leading elements of Boyd's Brigade as they advanced on Mackay's Ridge.  Brown's artillery also joined in, though made little impact.

The Hessian Musketeers sent packing

On Mackay's Ridge, Church was happy for any assistance; his riflemen had been driven back by the skirmishers from Cary's and Boyd's brigades and the Crown skirmishers were now sniping away at his Continental battalions.  On the left of Church's line the  artillery crew were driven back by a volley from the 50th foot.  They recovered. but by the time they returned to their gun they found the position being attacked by the 50th, who had crossed the fences along the turnpike and moved quickly up the ridge.  With his position on the ridge now compromised, Church had to order his line to wheel backwards to prevent them being outflanked.  The remainder of Cary's brigade was now pouring around Church's left.  A militia regiment which was trying to hold the line of the turnpike was driven back by a bayonet charge and the way to the vital bridge was open.

Church's artillerymen are driven back

 

The Militia are forced to retreat

Back at Prospect House, Archer was trying to cobble together another line of defence while his retreating units rallied.  He was not helped by the fleeing units blocking the advance of his artillery.  At least the wagons were now on their way which enabled him to deploy his remaining continental battalion to cover the house.  A large militia battalion was firing at the Hessian fusiliers, but the Germans stood their ground, fired a volley and then charged.  The militia broke under the impact and fled to the rear.  The seemingly invincible fusiliers were now joined by the Hessian grenadiers and they pushed forward towards Prospect House.  A volley drove back Archer's final unit of continentals and only an artillery gun and a reformed militia regiment stood in their way.  Finally, the militia fired a decisive volley and the grenadiers were driven back, leaving the fusiliers on their own.  With the wagons now beyond their reach, they let the battered remains of Archer's brigade fall back and contented themselves with occupying Prospect House. 

The Hessians reach Prospect House

The militia drive off the grenadiers

Seeing the situation to his right, Brown thought it may well be time to pull back from Prospect Hill.  He was probably influenced also by the increasing pressure he was coming under from Boyd's brigade.  Boyd had deployed his artillery to fire at the Delaware regiment and they had been joined by his light companies.  The increasing volume of fire had taken its toll on the Delaware regiment and they broke, having to be rallied in the lee of the hill.  Brown's artillery was also driven back by the fire of the light companies and when he saw Crown troops flowing over Mackay's Ridge he began to fear his command may not get away.

Church's position was desperate; One continental regiment was still on the ridge, but the other was facing the flank and was opposed by two Crown battalions, one of them grenadiers. One Crown battalion was on the turnpike ready to march to the bridge and cut him off from the rest of the army, only the remnants of his riflemen stood between that battalion and the bridge.  Fortunately, the militia regiment which had been driven back from the turnpike had managed to rally and as the Crown battalion began to march along the turnpike, the militia fired into its flank.  The casualties from this volley proved too much and the redcoats fled back towards their own lines.

The militia stop the march on the bridge

However, nothing could save the remains of Church's brigade near Mackay's Ridge.  The red-coated line continued its inexorable advance, firing volleys and driving the continental units back into bend in the river, even the riflemen were caught up in this net.

The net closes

An enjoyable scenario which we played over approximately six hours.  The Crown didn't achieve the goal of capturing the wagons, but they severely damaged the Revolutionary force.  Church's brigade had been shattered and Archer's wasn't much better.  All the continental battalions had suffered heavy casualties, but the wagons and most of the artillery had managed to get away.  The Hessians had paid a heavy price for their attack on Prospect House, but they had drawn away units from Brown's brigade, which may have made life more difficult for Boyd.  Thanks to Steve for the scenario and to Bob who although playing his first game using these rules, proved a formidable opponent.