Bunker Hill Epilogue
Prologue:
The following AAR describes a fictional, but “historically probable” engagement between Britain and militia forces of the newly declared United States. This battle represents a standard small scale engagement between Britain and the fledgling United States forces in the early years of the American Revolution. The scale and size of this battle is accurately representative of many of the American Revolution battles fought. All names and units are made up but are representative of real individuals and armies of the time. The battle is narrated from an omniscient third person perspective focused on the American forces.
Setting:
Morning. June, 1775
Massachusetts countryside approximately 15 miles west of Boston
Opposing Forces:
American: (Totaling approximately 715)
Two Regiments of Massachusetts Minutemen comprised of three companies each.
One Regiment of Massachusetts irregular militia.
Two provincial militia cavalry squads .
General's bodyguard (General Thomas Scott).
British: (Totaling approximately 810)
Two Regiments of the King’s Regular Line Infantry composed of two companies each.
One Regiment of Scottish Highlanders.
Two cavalry squads.
Generals bodyguard (General William Tory)
The American General Thomas Scott and his men had been on the run for two days following their fresh defeat at Bunker Hill. While the colonials were tactically defeated at Bunker Hill, their morale was high and the losses they inflicted on the superior British forces were encouraging to many. They had stood up to the world’s greatest military power and dealt a serious blow to the Crown’s forces in Boston. Scott had lead his men during Bunker Hill under the overall command of General George Washington. Now Washington’s forces were scattered into the Massachusetts countryside and being pursued by the British. The American’s were looking for a chance to rest, re-supply and rendezvous their forces to make another stand against the British.
Scott lead his small army of Minutemen and Massachusetts Militia through farmland, attempting to put distance between his defeated army and a pursuing British force. On the third day after the defeat at Bunker Hill, Scott’s rear-guard messenger rode to the front of the colonial militia column to deliver General Scott a message.
A British force, under the command of General William Tory, was gaining on the tired American force. They would be upon them in a matter of hours. He realized they must make a stand or risk being captured.
Scott’s column had just started crossing a field lined with fences and a few stone walls. To his north and right was a thick forested area bordering the open field. To his left, more field. Much to his dismay he was at the bottom of a slight dip in the terrain. He could turn around and try to take the high ground to his rear that he had just come from but risk getting hit by the British before his men were set or he could choose to move his force forward towards another high point. He chose the latter. This terrain had the added advantage of a stone wall behind which his men could take cover. After all, they were only militia and minutemen didn’t stand much of a chance against the disciplined British redcoats in an open field. General Scott ordered his two companies of Massachusetts militia on his right flank to take up positions in the wooded area immediately to the column’s right.
Their orders were to hide in the forest and ambush the British columns as they advanced towards the main colonial defensive position. His two squads of cavalry were to position themselves just to the west of the forest, out of site of approaching British forces but close enough to the militia to provide support. The remainder of his army, six companies of Minutemen moved about 200 yards away and took up positions behind the stone walls on the elevated ground.
Once his main force was in position, General Scott and his headquarters cavalry unit sat atop this small rise in the terrain, behind his troops. Slightly to his left and about two to three hundred yards ahead of his line was the wooded area. While he couldn’t see his hiding militia, he knew they were there. Now if they could only control their nerves enough to allow the British to get close enough to execute an effective ambush. General Scott asked his militia captain to have his men give him two good volleys of fire before falling back towards the main American line.
The American’s were in place just in time for General Scott to see the redcoats crest the hills to his east and directly in front of his position. They were heading towards his position and setting up artillery batteries.
Within a few minutes General Scott saw the first flashes of light and puffs of smoke from the British artillery batteries. This was followed quickly by the muffled sound of distance cannon fire and even faster followed by air burst explosions in close proximity to his lines. The sounds of exploding shells and flying shrapnel gave way to the screams of agony from his men. The air burst shrapnel shots cut entire squad sized wholes in his lines.
Meanwhile, ahead of the main line, the Massachusetts Militiamen lay in hiding as shells passed over their heads. They could see the British cavalry and infantry approaching. The American militia captain had arranged these men into a line, three deep among the high grass. The men sweated from the heat and from the nerve wracking waiting. The officers lay in the grass about ten yards ahead of their men waiting to give the order to fire. The British columns were advancing on the main line of Minutemen 300 yards away and their attention was focused on them, not on the forest to their right flank.
On the British right flank were several companies of Scottish Highlanders, dressed in red. The American officers gave the hushed order for their men to raise their rifles. “Take aim”… The British forces drew closer. All that was to be heard were the chirping of grasshoppers, buzzing of mosquitoes and the metallic rattle of the British troops. The young American militia officer hoped none of their men would get the jitters and fire before the order was given. “Just two volleys, just two….a lot can happen in that time,” thought the young American captain. At this point the British were now as close to the ambushing force as they would get. The officers let the line of red begin to pass by in order to have as much of General Tory’s flank showing as possible.
“FIRE!” the American officer yelled. This was followed by a staccato, yet concentrated burst of musket fire from the American line. Several British uniforms immediately slumped to the ground. The rest of the British infantry hesitated in their reaction. Some lined up to return fire and some fled towards the center of their own line. ”RELOAD…FIRE AT WILL!,” the American officer barked. By this time British cavalry at the rear, supporting the right flank saw the smoke from the tree line and charged. Half of the American line got off their second shot before the British cavalry trampled through the forest and crashed into the American line.
This is where General Scott sprung the second part of his trap. A signal was given from Scott’s aid to his hidden cavalry. His two squads of cavalry supporting the militia units were no more than 50 yards away in the forest. Seeing their que they counter charged the British attack.
This took the British cavalry by surprise but did not completely break their morale. The clanging of metal and drone of battle cries filled the air. The American cavalry officer in charge yelled to the militiamen, “GO! FALL BACK!” They required no more convincing, broke their formation and ran across the open ground to the cover of the main American line. The American cavalry put up a good fight, losing only a small percentage of their force. This also allowed for the militiamen to escape their ambush site. After another British cavalry unit joined the fight, the American cavalry also retreated. This was not where they would make their stand, only where they would inflict the first blow.
General Tory’s main battle line seemed disjointed following this surprise attack. Half of his force marched forward while the other half stopped to set up a counter attack on the Massachusetts men that had just fled the forest. Eventually, the British officers got them all moving again but General Tory lacked the original momentum he had. Several of his cavalry units that were heading around to the American flanks reversed direction and headed back towards the British lines to help out. His battle plan was out of synch…just as General Scott wanted.
The British force, regaining some organization and momentum, marched on towards the American lines. Traversing over open field and slightly uphill, they closed the distance to the waiting Minutemen. While the American’s had the advantage of cover behind the stone wall, the British still had strength in numbers and the advantage of years of training and discipline. General Tory gave the order for his line to halt just outside musket range of the Americans.
General Scott looked on from his elevated position. His Massachusetts’s Militiamen now made their way back to the main lines and took up a position on the wall on the left flank. The American cavalry were also arriving from their melee in the woods and took up flanking positions on each side of the American lines.
Whether it was arrogance or a miscalculation, General Tory ordered a single company of his line infantry to advance ahead of the main force alone. After seeing the American militia lines break and flee at Bunker Hill he figured they would once again be no match for his men. The American Brigadier Generals gave the order….”MAKE READY!” Hundreds of muskets were raised and aimed over the stone wall. Scott wanted the redcoats well within the accuracy range of his men, which wasn’t very far. “Hold……HOLD……..FIRE!”
The air was filled with the cracking of muskets all up and down the main American line. About a dozen British fell to the ground into the tall grass. The British field captain ordered double time. Just as they got into the desired range, the American’s let go of another volley. Several redcoats went down again. By this time the “fire at will” order was given on the American side and a steady, even rate of musket fire was put on the British line. The British returned fire in almost complete synchronization. Only a few American’s were hit. The majority of their fire went over their heads or ricocheted off the stone wall.
The British soldiers of this forward company would stand for no more of this wanton slaughter. Their lines broke and they fled towards the rear. A few more were picked off by American sharpshooters. Seeing this, General Tory ordered the full force of his army to advance. Once again, the redcoats advanced toward the American lines. They passed by dead and injured fellow soldiers. Some were still crawling towards the rear. Within a minute they were in range of the Americans who let loose another impressive volley of musket fire.
This time the British had much more firepower to bear on the American position. The thin red line was suddenly engulfed in smoke as the British returned fire. For the next ten minutes the two armies exchanged musket volleys. Both sides experienced mounting casualties. While the American’s were half protected by their wall, the British were far more accurate and deadly in their fire and were starting to drop a large number of the loosely organized minutemen.
The battle appeared to be in a deadlock, neither side wanting to risk a charge. To break the stalemate shootout British General William Tory ordered one of his cavalry units to charge the American line and attempt to break a hole in their defenses. Once again, General Tory underestimated the strength and reloading ability of the American Minutemen and Militia. The British cavalry squad was cut to pieces in the middle of the open field. Only a handful of mounts and riders escaped alive.
Seeing this, the Americans began cheering and yelling, their morale and confidence increasing. Several well-timed musket volleys from the American lines caused one of the British companies to flee. Two overly ambitious and confident American Brigadier Captains saw this as their opportunity to push their advantage. Without an order from their General they ordered a charge and leaped over the stone wall.
Approximately two hundred Minutemen followed their leaders hooting and yelping. Several were immediately cut down by British rifles. This did not deter their spirits and they closed on the British lines with muskets at the ready. With the full force of their momentum they crashed into the British lines which were a mix of regular line infantry and Scottish Highlanders.
Seeing this, both General Tory and Scott ordered their cavalry to support the melee. Red and blue colored riders joined the fight. From General Scott’s vantage point, he could not tell who was winning. Soldiers parried, swung, jabbed and even punched when they found themselves disarmed. The fighting grew more and more desperate and bloody.
At about this time his left flank came under attack from the rest of the British infantry. He ordered one company of Massachusetts Militia to wheel left to meet the oncoming attack. The British infantry fired a volley into Scott’s left flank and then charged, supported by another squad of British cavalry. Scott’s orders were too late and before his Militia could get into position the British were on top of them.
All over the battlefield the sound of muskets cracking gave away to clanging steel, screams of pain and battle cries. General Scott had lost all direct control of his men and the fate of the battle lay with the fighting skill of the Minutemen and Militia. Seeing that his left flank was losing the fight, General Scott ordered his own bodyguard unit to charge. Scott lead the charge. They crashed into the fray, immediately felling several British infantry and riders. Scott personally cut down several men. A British cavalry rider came at Scott from the side and took a swipe at his head with his saber. Just barely catching the glint of his sword out of the corner of his eye, General Scott ducked away from the saber. While it didn’t strike his neck as intended it did glance off his forearm, cutting him deeply. Scott wheeled his horse around, parried with the British rider for a few seconds and eventually stabbed him in the side causing the soldier to fall to the ground where he was finished by an American militia man.
Both melee battles, in the middle and on the left flank, began to simmer. Several American companies routed as did several British. Suddenly, the British soldiers and cavalry involved in the melee with General Scott and the two Massachusetts militia companies on the left flank fled simultaneously, leaving the American left flank secure. Just then, General Scott looked across the field to his right to see the majority of the British forces running from whence they had come. Very few Minutemen remained. Many were dead or injured on the field and some fled even as the British ran in the opposite direction, not realizing that their enemy had been routed. But overall, the field belonged the Americans.
The battle was over. General Scott reorganized his left flank to prepare for the unlikely possibility that the British would rally and come at them again. They never did. General Tory ordered a full retreat and organized what was left of his forces and headed for Boston. Scott spent the day gathering dead and tending to wounded soldiers with his medics. The American soldiers were tired and bloodied and in no condition fight anymore. Scott set up camp so his men could rest and recuperate. A long and bloody struggle lay ahead of the fledgling nation.
THE END
[ETW BR] The Bunker Hill Epilogue, American Revolution.
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Originally Posted by PallasArmata
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