Saratoga Campaign: The Siege of Fort Stanwix

The next action for the campaign, the attack on Fort Stanwix

The Americans hold their fort with Militia, Rangers and a few regulars

A battalion of the King's Royal Regiment of New York begin to deploy

RA batteries begin to lay their guns to bombard the fort.

Amerindians allied to the British prepare to take vengence against the Yankees who are stealing their hunting grounds

Their yells and cries add to the Americans panic.

The Loyalists began to fire on the fort, driving in the Americans to shelter from their fire. Eventually, an all out assault occured which drove the Americans in half the fort to surrender.
With the rest of the fort holding what was left of the American command, it would take some time to pry them out, perhaps hot shot from the Royal Artillery?

With a furious amount of musketry and a final bombardment, the American garrison surrenders. The British continue their steamroll advance to crush the rebellion of their deluded colonists.

Saratoga Campaign: Battle of Oriskany August 6, 1777

Kings Royal Regiment of New York and Brant's Mohawks prepare to spring an ambush

Herkermers force is about to be hammered by musketry

The Iroquois begin to fire

Queen's Rangers begin to fire

The Royal Yorkers begin to fire and move

The first volley destroyed two militia brigades. American Riflemen seeing the militia fall have begun to panic and are halting the advance. 

The battle continued with the Mohawks charging the American militia who surprisingly stood their ground and fought back! With the Mohawk casualties adding up, the Loyalists began to use fire and advance on the Americans, who eventually fell back under withering fire.

Johnson's men held the field.

Saratoga Campaign 1777: The American forces

Trying to peg down who was actually in the campaign can be a bit of a puzzle. However, with the help of Osprey Publishing Saratoga 1777, this should help me out.

I have some previously taken shots, but feel I need to update with some newer ones, so over the course of a few weeks, I shall be updating this post.

Many of the units which were in the American army were from New England. With what information I have, I shall document some of these on this blog.

The Continental Line

The Americans at first distrusted a large standing army, as in their thinking, this was part of the reason they rebelled, against a large British Army. However, after 1776, when the Americans began to understand they needed well trained and disciplined troops in order to achieve victory.
(A note on uniform colors, historical information only points to 1778.
Brigadier General Enoch Poor
1st New Hampshire: green coats faced red, red waistcoat, green breeches
2nd New Hampshire: sky blue coats faced red, red waistcoats, blue breeches
3rd New Hampshire: blue coats
2nd New York:
4th New York:
1st and 2nd Connecticut (militia)

Brigadier General John Paterson
10th Massachusetts
11th Massachusetts
12th Massachusetts
14th Massachusetts
1st South Berkshire Regiment (Massachusetts militia)
3rd York Regiment (Massachusetts militia)

Brigadier General Matthias de Rochefermoy
8th Massachusetts
New Hampshire Militia
Massachusetts Militia
Massachusetts Militia

Brigadier General Ebenezer Learned
2nd Massachusetts
9th Massachusetts
1st Canadian Regiment
Two Regiments of New Hampshire militia

Brigadier General John Glover
1st Massachusetts
4th Massachusetts
13th Massachusetts
15th Massachusetts
2nd Albany County Militia (New York)
17th Albany County Militia (New York)
Dutchess and Ulster County Regiment (New York militia)

Brigadier General John Nixon
3rd Massachusetts
5th Massachusetts
6th Massachusetts
7th Massachusetts
One regiment of Massachusetts militia

Colonel Seth Warner
Warner's Continental Regiment (Green Mountain Boys)
5 regiments of Massachusetts militia


American Colonial Militia 

Many American's think that the average militiaman was the backbone of the American army during the revolution. They may have had numeric superiority, but they lacked any sort of discipline or training. Being in the militia was akin to being in a shooting club. It was a social organization, one which had not had to face the prospect of war since 1763. Consequently, training had been minimal at best.
Historical information found in
New England Soldiers in the American Revolution
George Washington's Army 1775-1778 Osprey Publishing
Saratoga 1777 Turning point in a Revolution Osprey Publishing

Battle of Princeton, January 3, 1777

Crown Forces: 17th Regiment, 40th Regiment, 55th Regiment, 17th Light Dragoons, Royal Artillery

American Forces: Virginians Continental, New England Continental, Pennsylvania Rifles, Artillery

I plan on fighting this action over the coming weekend. I haven't been able to get the game on as ordinary life has overtaken my hobby time. All is well, just busy.
At least it's not snowing here.

 A shot from last winter!

Crown Forces defensive position. Light Dragoons on each flank. Artillery in redoubts.

 American right made up of a militia regiment, semi-regulars, a gun and a Continental Regiment.

 American left wing and centre. A militia regiment and Continental  

 Close up look at the Crown lines. Four guns of the RA, 40th Regiment on the right, centre is 55th Regiment, far left is 17th Regiment, with 17th Light Dragoons on both flanks.

 The Americans advance. Their artillery blasts apart the British advances

American right attempts to flank the British, while a Continental brigade advances straight at the Crowns position. 

More American militia in reserve.

More American units advance to their front.

The American right forms line to advance and fire.

The 17th Light Dragoons advances and fires scattering and slicing into the Virginians and New Englanders.

The American line then deploys into line and blasts apart the dragoons, who are then decimated by Royal Artillery fire.

After rolling for American morale, they fail, and withdraw from the battle. 

An interesting played game. 

Port Royal, Acadia, 1710

 British Marines are the centre while the New England militia make up the most of the attacking force.

 This New England regiment deploys Swedish style.

While this one deploys to try and assault the gate directly.

The main gun battery begins by firing on the French.

The ravelin is held by Acadian milice

While Le Compaigne Franches de La Marine hold the walls

with more milice

and Wabenaki Amerindians in support

who promptly take out the Anglo-American artillery

and the milice charge at the New Englanders on mass. The French regulars poured a tremendous fire on the English, who despite taking out the French guns, were still unable to break into the fort. The battle ended with the French enveloping the English line which withdrew back to their ships. Acadia was saved for another day.

I shall endeavour to have some more black powder games during the winter vacation period.

Battle of Valcour Island October 11, 1776

This was the final battle of the Quebec 1775 campaign whereby the Royal Navy and Crown forces defeated Benedict Arnold's fleet

from Osprey Publishing Quebec 1775

The Continental Navy of Lake Champlain. I could only find two vessels.

A Royal Navy sloop packed to the gunwhales with guns and troops. 

A screen of Light Infantry cover one bank

While Amerindians allied with the Crown 

The Americans take casualties from RN gunfire.

The Americans fire back taking out 3 of the ships guns.

The Royal Navy fired broadsides cutting down gun crews and boarding parties.

One whaleboat decided to clear out the Amerindians but took horrible casualties.

The Americans can't make much headway, but put one group to flight.

Broadsides lead to more casualties on each side.

The Amerindians begin to counter attack.

The Royal Navy close in to board.

The Americans flee to their whaleboat.

The Americans loose their main mast.

The whaleboat flees while the Americans are about to be boarded.

Here the Navy comes

boards and cuts down any who stand in their way. Canada is saved again!