Battle of Trois Riverie 1776

 From Brendan Morrissey Quebec 1775 Osprey Campaign 128 comes the Battle of Trois Rivieres. This action took place on June 6, 1776. An American force under General Thompson attempted to attack Allan McLean of the 1st Battalion Royal Highland Emigrants. What he found at Trois Revieres was something different. 

The British force consisted of 29th Regiment, 9th Regiment, 20th Regiment, and 62nd Regiment,  Royal Highland Emigrants, Montreal Militia, some Canadien volunteers and Amerindian warriors.

The Americans consisted of a mixed bag of troops from different units in the colonial army. The morale of this group was poor as they had not been paid, the British had sent troops from Halifax, and the war was not going so well for them. 

On turn one, the Americans were led into a swamp by a Canadien farmer, who rightly believed the Americans to be the invaders, not the liberators from British rule. They advanced to engage the British left which consisted of the Amerindian warriors.

The British Light Infantry companies began to snipe at the advancing Americans, but were forced back by formed units of Americans. 

The Amerindians began to take casualties for the American riflemen and fell back to leave the battlefield. The Highlanders and Loyalists then formed the Left of the British line. The centre was then made up of Loyalist militia supported by an RA gun.

The British right consisted of the centre companies of the British regulars as well as a composite Grenadier battalion from all the British regiments.

The Highlanders advance on the left. The Americans form a line to keep up a brisk fire on the advancing British.

Eventually, when the British were able to form line, they poured devasting volleys into the American ranks. The Highlanders and Grenadiers then went in with the bayonet, and drove the Americans from the field. Canada, was saved!