1st Lacolle: From Small 1812 Action To Generic Scenario.

My Boxing Day scenario wasn't plucked out of thin air but was based on the small but important action along the LaColle River that took place on November 20, 1812. It's not even mentioned in many books or websites on that war but the small post at LaColle, 10 km from the US border, (and about 40 km from St Jean sur Richelieu where I spent spent 5 years at Military College) was all that stood between General Dearborn's  6,000 man invasion force, heading for a nearly undefended Montreal a mere 65 km away. (40 miles) in the direct road cutting cross country rather than following the Richelieu River.

The outpost was defended by about 200 Canadian regulars, embodied militia, and Mohawks, reinforced later by 300 more men under Lt Col. de Salaberry. The American Advanced Guard under Col Pike consisted of 600 men, a mix of Regulars and Militia.

This article  on the  1st Battle of Lacolle Mill   at the  War of 1812 Website  provided the numbers I mentioned above but George Stanley's book "The War of 1812 Land Operations" provifed more detail on the units involved, and a slightly different variation on what happened. 

Various books and websites provided various other tidbits like the US dragoons crossing the damn. Unfortunately I didn't think to keep track of what bits came from where since I was aiming for a generic scenario.

Somewhere in the West Indies, a Republican force approaches a British outpost guarding a river crossing....

I'll post the scenario once I get it written up and test it in the West Indies. 

Oh yes, and I've been asked why I called it the Sticky River. Essentially  "la colle" transates to "glue" "paste" or "teaser", the first two may have referred to the swampy banks of the river, while the last seemed appropriate for a Tabletop Teaser but I didn't want to have the teaser confused with an attempt at a refight of the historical engagement.

In the more immediate future I wish all my readers and those dear to them a....

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

  

 Here's to 2023 being a good one!

Newport Noodle: Action Along The Sticky River

 

THE ORIGAWN ARMY TESTED THE ALLIANCE 

An illustrated eye witness report! 

It was on Boxing Day of all days that the Origawn hordes attacked the improvised blockhouse on the Sticky River. The weather was cold but not freezing and the marshy banks of the river, saturated after days of rain, gave ample evidence of where the river's name came from.

The battle began with a column of the Greys trying to force their way straight up the road and across the bridge. The bridge had been barricaded and was held by a comany of Voltigeurs who put up a tremendous fight.

While all eyes were fixed on the defence of the bridge, a second, larger column attacked up the far bank, slogging through patches of knee deep water, old dead trees and tangled vegetation. It was impossible to maintain formation so each company struggled forward on their own. Colonel Ross, in command of the post, had not expected the main attack to come that route but he had guarded against the possibility anyway and the Kree volunteers who had just joined with the regulars, put up a stiff fight, flitting from cover to cover and putting up a deadly fire. Numbers told though and slowly they were forced back.

Downstream from the bridge, there was an old sawmill with a damn across the river. Since it seemed unlikely that enemy infantry in any force would march the circuitous route to crawl across the damn, let alone cavalry leading their horses across it, the bridge had been left unguarded. The old Second Cavalry were used to rough country though and made that long detour.

By the time the rebels finally made it through the woods and swamps and began to form up to attack the blockhouse and clear the bridge from the rear, Dominion reinforcements finally began to arrive. There was a tense moment when the Black Hat cavalry charged into the Dominion infantry but these held their ground and sent the cavalry reeling back with heavy losses. They had done their job though and stopped the advancing redcoats from reinforcing the bridge defenders and these had been forced back, leaving the way for the Bluecoats to attack the blockhouse directly. 

One assault after another went in on the blockhouse but with the help of the supporting redcoats they were all  driven off with losses. 

Two assaults had already been repulsed but as the sun touched the horizon, the Origawners prepared for one last, desperate attack. 

The fighting was fierce but at last the Bluecoats were repulsed and their army began to fade back through the woods and swamps, heading back to their base.

___________________________

Ed note. This news clipping  will be followed by a post discussing the events and so on. 

1st Battle of Sticky Mill Crossing

 Coming Soon: An Account of the Recent Battle at Sticky River Mill. 

Watch this space!