Monday, 22 July 2019

Battle of Sheriffmuir, 13 November 1715


Historicon 2019 PEL entry for Friday 12th July 2019


Rules: Field of Battle 2


The final battle of "the '15". John Erskine, Earl of Mar, commanding the Jacobites, now controlled much of the Highlands and had just taken Perth. He then moved his 12,000 men towards Stirling, where Government troops under John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, were based. Argyll chose to fight on a moor east of Dunblane, where the Jacobite forces were somewhat surprised to find them. Will Campbell prove to be soup-erior? 


The Battle


The impassable terrain in the foreground - a bog, in 1715 impacted the initial, somewhat chaotic, Jacobite deployment, producing a disordered second line, with their supposedly left wing cavalry ending up deployed in the centre! This impassable terrain also presented an initial challenge for the cavalry on the Hanoverian right 





Early movement saw the Jacobite first line - Highlanders - moving in the centre to attack the thin red line, and the Hanoverian cavalry ganging up on Sleat .. 

The redcoats in the centre give an effective riposte, and advance their right in support 

The Hanoverian right wing infantry attack advancing Lowlanders 

.. some Lowlanders on the left, however, appeared reluctant to move ..

.. because they saw the cavalry coming...


... and deal them a timely blow

Perhaps a vain plea for reinforcements?

The battle rages on in the centre, while some of the Hanoverian cavalry have had enough..


leaving a lone Hanoverian cavalry unit rather exposed to more highland flings, while Jacobite cavalry break through..

and add to the mounting pressure in the centre

and the end is nigh .. 

the Hanoverians flee, and the Jacobites continue to Stirling!

Postscript


An exciting game, played, as ever, with great gamers on both sides - 7 of the 10 of them never having played Field of Battle before .. and enjoyed by all!


All participants received a cool roundel, kindly donated by Warbases .































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