AWI Forage War 1777 : The Battle of Spanktown

After a short hiatus we have a welcome return to our continuing AWI campaign and the third in a short series of smaller battles which were collectively known as the Forage War. These took place in the early part of 1777 in New Jersey. This was a slightly larger engagement than previous smaller skirmishes so is ideal as a battle for Rebels and Patriots. There is fairly limited detail and history available on the battle/skirmish, but the basics facts are here taken from wiki

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood was sent with a reinforced brigade to destroy any rebel forces he could catch. He set out with a battalion each of light infantry and grenadiers, plus the 3rd Brigade. The latter formation consisted of the 10th Foot, 37th Foot, 38th Foot and 52nd Foot. Near Spanktown (now Rahway), Mawhood found a group of militia herding some livestock covered by a larger body of Americans waiting on a nearby hill. The British officer sent the grenadier company of the 42nd Foot on a wide flanking

maneuver. Just as the grenadiers prepared to launch their assault, they were fired on from ambush and routed. At this moment, Maxwell sent his superior force forward to envelop Mawhood's force. The American force included the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th New Jersey Regiments, the 1st and 8th Pennsylvania Regiments, and the German

Battalion. Mawhood's surprised men were hounded all the way back to Amboy.

A sign from the area which saw other small scale combats during this period

So to convert the details into a reasonably light hearted scenario. The battlefield is set up as above. The Rebels will have a unit controlling the flock of sheep and two units deployed on the identified hills. The British will advance en mass form the right. Other American troops will arrive randomly from the designated positions an element of uncertainty then exists to the quality of the ambush. Victory will go to the side holding the flock when the enemy are broken.

Rebel Militia (a small skirmish unit) holding the objective

Col Mawhood advances with the 3rd Brigade

To their far right the Grenadiers advance across the road

The view from Spanktown

Two American units holding the high ground under the watchful eye of Gen Maxwell….the trap is set !

With random deployment for the ambush the Americans arrive mainly on the British right ! And immediately open up on the advancing Grenadiers….is history going to repeat itself again

The British regulars advance to clear a path down the centre

Th8gs are looking good for the British they are holding a strong position on the road and start to from up into line

American troops begin the firefight

HISTORY does repeat itself and the Grenadiers caught in the open are forced to retreat !

But the British have numbers and are in a strong position , a withering fire is exchanged across the field

First one …….

….then another British unit is forced to pull back.

But the British line rallies and holds

Pushing some of the rebels back through the ploughed field

The Rebels are attempting to advance around the right flank, initially they are held…….

But then they are able to charge home along the road some hard fighting hand to hand but eventually the remaining British are forced back 

The final situation the British are really broken at this stage and now outflanked on their right another victory to the Rebels

Once again without trying we seem to recreate the historical outcome, the battle ass often was close and initially we both felt the Americans were up against it. The British grenadiers took a pounding and yet again the British light infantry failed to activate a number of times. As usual an enjoyable battle with several twists and turns, now back to the timeline to see what is next ?

Thanks for looking 👍