Encounter at Smallerton

There seemed to be a certain air of satisfaction in the troops as they marched onto the battlefield.  They were back in their old units, fighting under the old rules and with real table edges instead of masking tape bounds laid out by the engineers.

The situation seemed easy enough, march on, occupy the town that controls the road, and keep the other buggers out of it.

 The Rebels were first on table but the Lancers doubled their efforts and got there first. A spirited clash of cavalry on main street resulted  in the Lancers making what they later referred to as "a feigned retreat". 

The White Hats had a go at it but twice their numbers of Bluecoats drove them back and it took the combined work of the Black Watch and the Lancers to settle the issue.

 

Now it began in earnest. Both sides deployed, the guns opened up, and the fight was on.

With the Rebel artillery silenced and driven off the field and every Blue attack on the town repulsed, it seemed like time to finish it. In went the Lancers and the affair seemed settled. Brigadier Marten's staff began to congratulate him and asked if he wanted to launch a pursuit or let the enemy go.

The question of how it all went so wrong so quickly as never been satisfactorily  answered. The Lancers, having suffered heavy casualties, were ordered back to escort the guns while the Fort Henry Garrison moved up to support the Grenadiers and the troops in the town. Suddenly the remains of the Rebel cavalry, which had been written off, doubled around the town. The artillery, startled no doubt, did not adjust their aim quickly enough and sent their shells over their heads. In moments the Rebel riders were upon the Grenadiers and the remnants of the Lancers. Whether it was the surprise or just fickle lady luck, both the Grenadiers and Lancers crumbled and fled without harming the enemy! Now with the light fading, and each side tottering on the edge of exhaustion, Victory or Disaster hung by a thread! 

The wisdom of placing the regulars in reserve now became clear. The steady, accurate fire of the Rebels had been taking its toll on the White Hats who held the Northern block and eventually Brigadier Marten could no longer hold them in place. He approved a disorderly retreat to save a rout and went with them. The Rebel infantry swarmed into the streets while their cavalry charged into the Fort Henry Guards lining a hedge along the road just behind the town.  One close range volley was enough to clear off the rebel cavalry while the fire of the Black Watch encouraged the Blue infantry to go with them. The remaining Rebel infantry pulled back and formed a rear guard while the red coats loaded up their rifles and began to tend to the wounded toy soldiers that littered the ground.