The Battle of Pea Ridge; March 6th-7th 1862.

 This article is my personal interpretation of the battle. Any mistakes are my own.

The situation in The Western Theatre for the Confederacy had not been going well. A Union Army under General Curtis had moved south from central  Missouri, pushing the Confederate forces further back in front of him. Sent by the Confederate President Jeff Davis, Major General Earl Van Dorn had high hopes of taking Saint Louis and restoring Missouri along with control of the Mississippi to the Confederacy.

However the situation had not gone according to plan. Van Dorn,s Army of the Trans-Mississippi numbered 16,000 troops. He was more than confident that he could overcome the Union Army of 11,500 opposed to him. However, partly through disorganisation and a fragmented command structure, events proved otherwise.

The Union troops under Curtis had pushed the Confederate force south west out of Missouri and over the border into Arkansas. Eventually, realising that his supply line was becoming tenuous, Curtis called a halt at Sugar Creek. A defence line was established, along the northern bank of  the Creek, facing south in expectation of a Confederate counter attack.

 Van Dorn did indeed want to attack, but not frontally, against the well positioned Union troops. From their position at Camp Stephen, south west of the Union position, Van Dorn wanted to outflank the Union army from the left.

Using a track known as The Bentonville Detour, Van Dorn hoped to circle his Confederate troops around the Union Army attacking it from the rear and cutting off the supply route. The Confederate forces still suffered from some lack of organisation , and disharmony amongst the Senior ranks. The men were already exhausted from their previous manoeuvres. Orders were issued that only light rations and limited ammunition were to be carried.

With Sterling Price’s Missouri State Guard leading the column, the army started its march. It took time for the army to cross Sugar Creek and a gap opened up at the rear of the column, between Pikes Brigade and the rest of the Army. Also, small Union detachments had felled trees along the Detour. 

Such was the delay that Van Dorn ordered McCulloch to take his three Brigades back along the Ford Road, east toward Elkhorn Tavern. Meanwhile Prices Division continued northeast around Big Mountain to meet up at the same place.

General Curtiss became aware of the Confederate movement when McCullochs troops were spotted moving east along the Ford Road toward the Union army. General Curtis was not prepared to sit still while the Confederate army maneuvered on his flank——————-.

UNION ARMY OF THE SOUTH-WEST.

11,500 = 11.5 points x 3 = 35pts r/u.

Brigadier General Samual R. Curtis.  Commanding   @ 2 points.

1st DIVISION,

General Peter Osterhouse  @  1 point.

2 stands of Line Infantry @ 2pts = 4 points.

1 stand of Skirmish Infantry   @  1 point.

1 stand of of Light Artillery  @ 1 point.

2nd DIVISION

General Alexander Asboth  @  1 point.

3 stands of Line Infantry  @ 1point  =  3 points.

2 stands of Regular Cavalry  @ 1 point = 2 points.

2 stands of Light Artillery  @ 1 point = 2 points.

1 stand of Heavy Artillery  @ 2 points.

3rd DIVISION

General Franz Sigel  @ 1pt,

General Jeff Davis  @  1pt.

2 stands of Infantry  @ 2pts = 4 points.

1 stand of Infantry Skirmishers.  @ 1pt.

1 stand of Regular Cavalry  @ 1pt.

1 stand of Light Artillery  @ 1pt.

4th DIVISION,

1 General  Eugene Carr   @ 1pt,

4 stands of Line Infantry  @ 1pt, = 4 points.

1 stand of  Regular Cavalry   @ 1pt.

1 stand of Light Artillery  @ 1pt.

THE CONFEDERATE ARMY of the TRANS-MISSISSIPPI;

16,000  = 16 points x 3 = 48 points.

RIGHT WING;

Divisional General Benjamin McCulloch  @ 1 point.

General Albert Pike  @ 1 point.

3 stands of Line Infantry  @ 2pts = 6 points.

2 stands of Regular Cavalry @  1pt = 2 points.

2 stands of American Native Cherokee Light Cavalry @ 1pt = 2pts.

Major-General Earl Van Dorn ( commanding ) @ 1point.

 General Louis Hébert @ 1pt.

4 stands of Line Infantry @ 2 points = 8pts

1 stand of dismounted Cavalrymen ( no horses) @ 1pt.

1 stand of Skirmish Infantry @ 1pt.

General James McIntosh @ 1pt.

4 stands of Regular Cavalry @ 2pts = 8pts.

3 stands of Light Artillery @ 1pt = 3pts.

LEFT WING;

Missouri State Guard;

Major-General Stirling-Price @ 1pt.

2 stands of Light Artillery @ 1pt = 2pts.

3 stands of Line Infantry @ 2pts = 6pts.

3 stands of Regular Cavalry @ 1pt = 3pts.

Playing Notes for the historical battle.

First Day:

* This Part will be played for 8 Game-Turns.

* No stands of either side may enter Freetown Wood, ( a fictional name I’ve used as a geographical location).

* Big Mountain and Little Mountain cannot be crossed by any stands.

* Sugar Creek can only be crossed by the bridges. Any stand entering the Creek will be lost.

* The fence around the field is only a boundary marker and does not impede movement for any stands.

* Only Hébert’s Brigade will move toward the Ford Road first on the first Game-Turn. The stands of Osterhouse’s Brigade cannot move until they have line of sight to any Confederate stands on Ford Road.

* From Game-Turn 2. On the Confederate side, Hebert’s and McIntosh’s Brigades move into the Ford Road. On the Union side, Osterhouse and Asboth’s Brigades can move.

* From Game-Turn 3, Hebert’s, McIntosh’s and Pikes Brigades can move up the Ford Road. On the Union side, Osterhouse, Asboth and Davis’s Brigades can move.

* From Game-Turn 4, All stands of both sides can move.

* If any Stands from McCullochs division have to “ move-back”, they must do so on the Ford Road. Any stands that cannot move back are removed from play.

* The Union side retains the Initiative Point for the entire battle of  eight Game-Turns.

* The Union side also wins any tied results.

* At the end of  eight Game-Turns, the side with the lowest number of stands lost, is the winner. If the result is tied, the battle goes on for another eight Game-Turns.

Note: The stands start the battle from their finishing position from the previous battle.

* Any stands on Pea Ridge being fired on by Union Artillery will suffer a 2 point reduction to their die roll if they return fire within the same Game Turn. 

* Union Artillery add 1 point to their die roll when firing on any target on Pea Ridge.

This is because Pea Ridge had a layer of rocky shale on the surface. Every time a cannon round hit the Ridge, shale was thrown up like shrapnel, causing Confederate units to retreat.

Playing the Game;

This is a tough battle for the Confederates. They have the numbers but not the space to deploy. I have tried to reflect the lack of mobility and cohesion within the army by reducing the space for movement. 

This battle was a bit tricky to re-enact as it was not a set-piece but a running battle consisting of a series of  moving  skirmishes.

 

Battle of Blenheim ( Blindheim ) Bavaria 13th August 1704.

 This article is my personal interpretation of the battle. Any mistakes are my own.

John Churchill, ( the Duke of Marlborough ) Commander of the English contingent and General of the Allied Army within the Empire had not quite reached the height of fame in his military career. The Imperial part of the army were all the troops from Germanic Kingdoms owning allegiance to the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. That being Hapsburg Austria.

It wasn’t quite so long ago that England ( with a pro Catholic King ) had been an Ally of France in its War against Imperial Austria. 

However, a Dutch ( Protestant) Queen now sat on the throne of England. ( Anne was the Wife of  the late William 3rd of England and Stadtholder of Holland ).The Netherlands ( Belgium ) and the United Provinces ( Holland ) were now a target of Louis the 14th ( The Sun King ) of France. Therefore, former enemies were now allies.

.The Bavarian Wittelsbach family, were still in contention with the Austrian Hapsburgs over who had the hereditary rights to the Imperial Throne. This is why the Bavarian Kingdom always stayed an ally of France.

Three years into the current conflict, The French army led by General Tallard along with Maximilian and his Bavarian troops were heading toward Austrian territory to attack Vienna, the seat of Hapsburg power. Churchill’s intention was to divert the enemy. To that end his army marched into Bavaria and stormed a position known as the Shellenburg, a fortified hill linked to the town of Donauworth and a major crossing point of the Danube.

Taking this town gave Churchill a base from which to harry the South Bavarian territory. This had the desired effect. General Tallard  thought that he could cut off Churchills army from his supply lines, even forcing the Allied army to retreat north through Franconia.

However, instead of manoeuvring away from the approaching French forces, Churchill wanted to bring on a battle. August found the French and Bavarian army encamped on slightly rising ground to the West of the river Nebel, a tributary of the Danube. With the rising hills on his left flank, the Danube on the right and with the Nebel to his front, Tallard felt pretty secure.

Therefore it was something of a shock, as the sun rose over the fields of Blenheim on that fateful Wednesday13th to see the enemy Allied army approaching, intent on battle————————.

ALLIED IMPERIAL ARMY;

26,400 Infantry = 26.4pts x 2 = 53points r/u.

10,680 Cavalry = 10.680pts x 2 = 21points r/d.

3 stands of Danish Line Infantry @ 2pts = 6 points.

3 stands of Prussian Line Infantry @ 2pts = 6 points.

* 1 stand of Prussian Light Artillery @ 1pt.

Prince of Anholt Dessau @ 1pt.

5 stands of Imperial Cavalry @ 2pts = 10 points.

Prince Eugene @ 1 point.

1 stand of Imperial Grenadier Infantry @ 4 points.

3 stands of Imperial Line Infantry @ 2pts = 6 points.

* 1 stand of Imperial Light Artillery @ 1 point.

Prince of Holstein @ 1 point.

1 stand of Hanoverian Grenadier Infantry @ 4 points.

2 stands of Hanoverian Line Infantry @ 2pts = 4 points.

1 stand of English Grenadier Infantry @ 4 points.

7 stands of  English Line Infantry @ 2 points = 14 points.

* 2 stands of English Light Artillery @ 1 point = 2 points.

2 stands of English Cavalry @ 2pts = 4 points.

1 stand of Cavalry ( a few troops brigaded ) @ 1 point.

John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough @ 2 points.

George Churchill @ 1 point.

General Cutts @ 1 point.

** 66 Guns each with 30 gunners = 1,980 gunners = 1.980pts x 2 = 3.960 or 4pts r/u.

* 4 stands of Light Artillery @ 1 point each.

THE FRENCH-BAVARIAN ARMY;

14 stands of French Line Infantry @ 2pts = 28 points.

2 stands of French Grenadier Line Infantry @ 4pts = 8points.

( Within Oberglau) 2 stands of Irish Line Infantry @ 3pts = 6pts.

1 stand of Dismounted French Dragoons @ 1 point.

* 3 stands of French Light Artillery @ 1pt = 3 points.

8 stands of French Cavalry @ 1pt = 8 points.

General Tallard @ 1 point.

General Clarembault @ 1 point.

General Zurlauben @ 1 point.

6 stands of Bavarian Line Infantry @ 2 points = 12 points.

* 2 stands of Bavarian Light Artillery @ 1pt = 2 points.

5 stands of Bavarian Cavalry @ 1 point = 5 points.

Elector Maximilian @ 1 point.

General Marsin  @ 1 point.

** 90 guns each with 30 gunners = 2,700 gunners = 2.700 x 2 = 5pts r/d.

* 5 stands of Light Artillery @ 1 point

.

WARGAME NOTES;

* Any stands being moved into the River Nebel  cannot be moved further forward that Game-Turn.

* Any stands being moved into the Danube will be lost.

* Artillery stands cannot be moved into the river Nebel.

* On the first Game-Turn, The Allied Army is moved first and fires first. From Game-Turn two until Game-Turn eight both sides will have dice thrown to decide who moves/fires first on each Game-Turn.

* The Allied Imperial Army keeps the Initiative Point for the entire battle.

* The Allied army wins any tied results.

* The Infantry and Cavalry must move through the face of a square, not a diagonal. The dismounted Dragoons can move in any direction, as can the artillery.

HISTORICAL NOTES.

This battle was a bit of a puzzle because the numbers of combatants cannot be verified. I have chosen the following;

The Allied Army:  66 Battalions, 178 Squadrons.

The French-Bavarian Army: 70 Battalions 143 Squadrons.

The French Army had a problem with “ Glanders” ( French “ Glandres”) a disease which causes problems with the lungs in horses. 12 Squadrons of French Dragoons fought dismounted because their horses had to be destroyed. This disease can also spread to humans, so there is a possibility that the bacteria could have spread to the troops?

When I scaled down the respective armies, I allowed for 60 men in a Cavalry Squadron and 400 men in an Infantry Battalion. Churchill’s March to Bavaria has been labelled as a model of discipline and organisation, because of the excellent logistical support. However I felt that, given the limited medical knowledge and mortality issues, formations would not be at their full compliment.

Neither side had any heavy guns, but both sides had battalion guns which did get moved in this battle to support the combat. Therefore the artillery stands of both sides can move in any direction and fire after moving.

Marlborough had complete trust in his Generals and this was reciprocated especially with Prince Eugene.

The French and Bavarian Generals operated independently. Tallard formed his men further back from the Nebel in order to trap the Allied left against the river. Maximilian formed his men up further forward to use the Nebel as a defence point. The battle was hard fought with bravery and heavy casualties on both sides.

Marlborough’s execution and victory of the battle bought him the ultimate accolade in that Queen Anne had Blenheim Palace built for him. This was the battle that sealed Marlborough’s reputation. I also recommend the book “ Marlborough As Military Commander” by the late Doctor David Chandler, which details all Marlborough’s battles.

STAGING THE BATTLE:

All the figures are a mixture of Miniature Figurines, Peter Pig and Essex Miniatures 15mm Seven Years War figures. All the buildings are scratch built as is one of the bridges.

I used the Seven Years war figures for this blog. At this point in history The British army was still referred to as “ The English Army”. The Act of Union with Scotland,  and the Royal link with Hanover had yet to come. The “ Imperial Cavalry” is mostly Austrian but Prussian, Danish, Hanoverian and Hessians can also be used.

The flatter green areas were made by S and A Scenics. The hills were scratch-built. The trees were made by various manufacturers, Guagemaster being one. The rivers and roads were made from thin card.

The square bases are made from picture-framing cardboard. The round mdf 40mm bases are from Minibits.

The table is 3 feet ( 90cm ) x 2feet ( 60cm) using 2 inch ( 50mm ) squares. As with all my reconstructions you can play them using the information provided or in your own style.