Re: For King and Country (Great Britain AAR) [Updated: December 22, 2014]
Chapter XXXIII: The Persian Expedition
The war with the Mughals was over, but the conflict was not yet completely settled. Persia, poor and desolate but loyal, had joined its Indian ally at the outbreak of hostilities. Shielded by the vastness of the Mughal Empire, it had been spared the bloodshed suffered by the other belligerents. When the peace treaty was signed in the late spring of 1731, the Persians began to breath easy. Their sense of relief would prove to be premature.
Following the conclusion of the war, the British armies that had fought in India were dissolved, and the regiments spread out along the borders to dissuade ambitious Mughal lords from taking action. Persia was deemed too weak to put up any considerably resistance, and thus, only a small expeditionary force was assembled. It consisted mainly of elements of the old 1st Army, with Carter's Raiders and two batteries of 24-pounders drawn from the 3rd. Placed under the reliable command of Sir William Pepperrell, the force landed on the shore of Balluchistan at the end of summer.
Balluchistan was the only territory still under direct Persian control. The rest had fallen to the Ottoman Empire as it expanded east all the way into Afghanistan. Confident that he would not encounter any serious threats, Sir William marched his expeditionary army towards Zahedan, the captial of Persia. The first few days were uneventful, but as the British troops broke camp and left the village of Sarabaz where they had billeted for the night, scouts returned with reports of a large Persian army approaching from the north. Sir William ordered his men to dig in.
Battle of Sarabaz, 1731
Commander: Major General Sir William Pepperrell
Artillery: 4 batteries of 24-pdr cannon
Cavalry: 1st Horse Guards, 3rd Light Dragoons (Carter's Raiders), 5th Light Dragoons
Infantry: 1st Foot (Old One), 2nd Foot, 11th Foot, 42nd Highlanders, 1st Rifles
Numerically, the Persians had the advantage, but they were poorly armed. Muskets were few and reserved for those of higher status. The rest, 6000 men in total, had to do with swords and axes. Facing them was the very elite of the British army. These were men who had fought against France and Spain. Men who had braved the frontier and defeated the native tribes of America. Men who had brought the mighty Mughal Empire to its knees. They were veterans, armed with experience and the latest weapons that technology could provide.
The advantage it gave them became painfully clear to the enemy. When a mounted Persian scouting party came striding across the dunes and into view of the British, the 1st Rifles opened fire at long range. The high accuracy of their Baker rifles brought down the riders before they had a chance to get close enough to defend themselves. Devastated by the heavy losses suffered, the Persian scouts turned around and fled in panic.
There was no time to celebrate as Sir William's own scouts, the 3rd & 5th Light Dragoons signaled the approach of the Persian infantry. Although not visible from the British position, the redcoats could hear them; a deep rumble of feet against the ground and thousands of voices carried by the wind. Tension escalated as the noise drew closer and closer. Soon, figures on horses appeared in the distance. It was the dragoons. They fired their carbines and fell back. The echoing crackle of the discharged weapons died out and everything seemed to fall quiet. A few seconds later, the horizion came alive as thousands upon thousands of Persian soldiers flooded forward.
Presented with a clear target, the British heavy guns began bombarding the advancing enemy with round shot and shrapnel. Casualties were terrible, but the Persians pushed on. As they got closer to the British line, rifle fire added to their misery. Hundreds fell to the vicious barrage, staining the soil of the land with blood. Still the attack went on. The riflemen, their green uniforms dirty from sand and burnt powder, kept reloading and shooting for as long as they dared, before falling back behind the regular infantry. Single well aimed shots were replaced by the inaccurate but deadly hail of lead produced by massed volleys.
The British troops remained disciplined despite the horde of enemies coming at them. Officers paced calmly back and forth, shouting orders which the veteran soldiers carried out with the outmost efficiency. Morale was high, for the men could see that the resolve of their foe was wearing thin. Signs of desperation among the Persian ranks got ever more apparent, as losses continued to mount. Yet, sheer weight of numbers allowed them to reach the British position and engage the redcoats.
On the right, highlanders and dragoons fought hard to keep the flank from folding. Several times, they were pushed back, but each time, they regained the lost ground in brave counterattacks. The center held firm, and the enemy never got close enough to pose a threat. On the left, however, pressure increased rapidly. Here, the defending 11th Foot resisted bitterly against overwhelming numbers. It was a costly resistance. The soldiers of the regiment, known as the Pepperrells because of the close bond they had developed with their General, were all highly courageous, but the losses they suffered were pushing them rapidly towards the breaking point.
Sir William, seeing "his boys" being cut to pieces, gathered the cavalry. Like at Arcot, Pepperrell personally led a charge to relieve the beleaguered 11th. The 1st Rifles, moving to support the left flank, joined in the effort. Together, they forced the enemy to retreat in disorder. The effect spread across the entire front and the Persian attack broke down completely.
The British struck up an unrelenting pursuit, chasing the enemy all the way to Zahedan. Sultan Hoseyn I panicked. Fearing that the redcoats would sack the city, he agreed to all terms put forth. Had he known the actual condition of the British force, he might have been less eager to concede to the demands, but Sir William had kept up a facade of resolute strength. In truth, his men were nearing exhaustion from the sweltering heat. The ruse worked and the Persians surrendered. The conditions to which they surrendered were harsh. Although Hoseyn I would remain the leader of his nation, he was forced to grant the British unlimited access to all Persian land. With the treaty in place, Sir William moved his troops away from Zahedan and established a garrison on the border to Sindh, a northern region of the Mughal Empire.
With the situation in Persia under control, Britain resumed work on the rearrangement of its forces. India needed to be adequately garrisoned, but events in Europe called for more troops as well. Reports from spies operating in Sweden told of a Russian army striking the Swedish west coast. In the east, Poland continued on its path of conquest, capturing Anatolia, while Russia had moved into Azerbajan. George Wade, now a Lieutenant General, was called back to Britain to help organise the home troops.
The recruitment of soldiers and the construction of new warships continued throughout the following years. Training was not enough, however. The men needed real life experience. With this in mind, Wade drew up a plan and presented it to the Secretary at War, Ulysses Conant. After a few meetings and some revisions, Wade's plan was accepted and preparations began for a new expedition.
To be continued...
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Originally Posted by IneptCmdr
. Once again fantastic stuff! Glad to see you're sticking with your AAR unlike some other really brilliant ones I've seen. Lovely pictures and sterling commentary--this story is shaping up to become something akin to the epics LOL
