Battle of Newlanding: War comes to the Colonies

What follows is an extract from MacDuff's "Illustrated History of the First Furland War" .

Once the picquet on the bridge opened fire on the approaching Chasseurs, any hope vanished for a peaceful resolution to the confrontation between the Duchy's mercenary garrison and the King's Advance Guard.

"It was on the 6th of June that Colonel Konrad led his Pandours out of the North Pass and appeared just south of the little port of Newlanding. The settlement at Newlanding is small and only the presence of a small Duchy fort gave any hint of the outport's importance. It is the only seaport East of the Hye Mountains and west of the Great Marsh. The port is connected by road both to the North Pass which leads to Rosmark during the eight months of the year when the pass is clear of snow and to the villages scattered throughout the interior of Furland. The Colonel's orders were to seize and hold or destroy the bridge over the Blough Taip* to prevent all trade not licensed by the King."

*Note: Many large streams and small rivers in Furland are called Taips by the settlers. It is derived from the native term Tae Ap or fast running water.

Unable to stand the combined fire of the Pandours and Konrad's artillery, the bridge picquet fell back as the relief companies arrived.

"As reinforcements rushed forward, a bloody firefight developed with heavy losses on both sides. The King's Pandours seemed to be made of sterner stuff than their Irish mercenary opponents and time after time their companies reformed after heavy losses and returned to the fight. "

In the face of a fierce fire from the Irish Grenadiers, supported by local volunteers, the Pandours begin to waver.

"Finally Colonel Konrad stirred himself. He sent his lancers over the Taip to flank the stubborn Irish Grenadiers and led his last reserve forward for an all out assault. "

Victory hangs in the balance.

"The Lancers dashed across the Taip at a gallop but were met with a hail of roundshot from the fort's artillery and a volley from the rallied piquets and were driven back. Under a hail of fire from the Grenadiers and Volunteers, the Second Company of Pandours began to waver and Colonel Konrad had to rush to their head and hold them to their work with oaths and coarse words amidst a cloud of smoke."

"The steadest volley of the battle then erupted from the two remaining Pandour companies and the Grenadiers broke and ran. A round or two from the gun was sufficient to send the remaining Picquets flying back to the fort while the volunteers ran back to get their families and valuables on board ship."

With the bridge destroyed the Pandours fall back.

"Judging his remaining force insufficient to take the fort or silence the guns and uncertain of what enemy reinforcements might arrive by sea, the Colonel ordered his men to break down the bridge which they did under a desultory canon fire. With that done he retired to the crossroad and made camp."