TOO FAR TO THE BRIDGE
A sharp practice engagement
Spain 1812 - Major Laclos, having secured a bridge by throwing out a Company of Riflemen in the morning, is now dutifully assigned to securing it until the next day when Marshal Marmont will be arriving with a division to personally supervise an attack. He has with him two companies of French infantry, a Company of Hussars and a single light gun. Everything seems straightforward enough ...
...until Captain Henri Darlon, as aide de Camp to the Marshal, shows up and begins exhorting Laclos to take the village now.
"Glory is ours for the taking!" champions the Hussar.
"You bring orders from the Marshal to attack then?" queried the Major.
"Orders? No. Not orders so much... but I know the heart of my Marshal. He wishes the village taken but has not the decisiveness to take it. We are here, we see the opportunities. We know the quality of our men."
"But my orders..."
Henri, with a twinkle in his eye, leans in to the Major with a final question, "Would not the Emperor be pleased with your initiative?"
Meanwhile, Major McGonagall of the Black Watch Highlanders has arrived at Villa Nostra with two companies of infantry and a section of Royal Horse artillery. The failures of the 'elite' riflemen must be rectified and it is his job to do it. Captain Algernon Hawkesworthe of the 95th is commanded to "Defend the town and don't get in my way." Somewhat petulantly, Hawkesworthe deploys his riflemen and the Horse artillery.
Major McGonagall orders the pipers and drummers to strike up and the Black Watch marches forward. With him is Captain McConnell and lieutenants Campbell and McLeod.
Everything begins well enough for the British. Though the flank of their line is pestered by cannon fire they advance to begin giving serious trouble to the Voltigeurs before them.
An attempted assault against the light infantry fails to close but the Scotsmen are persistent. On the French left, the other half of the Voltigeur company fires off a single volley at some encroaching riflemen only to find that their entire supply of powder is wet. In the French center, the Hussars have been revealed and, though they mask their artillery, give some pause to the Highlanders.
It turned out though that the real threat was the Voltigeurs for when the Scots finally got into melee with the French, the light troops used the forest to full advantage and, with a bit of luck, Captain Montfort's Voltigeurs sent the Highlanders reeling back to the other woods. Major McGonagall (along with the band) remains on the road roaring at his men until he is red faced.
It is at this point that Henri Darlon rides over to the Hussars and determines himself to seize this opportunity.
Meanwhile, Captain Hawkesworthe remains quietly in the village.
With trumpets terrific, Henri leads the Hussars in a brilliant charge. As the formation prepares to ride down Major McGonagall and his piper, the plucky Scot waves his blade defiantly and issues a challenge. Captain Banville, only slightly miffed that Henri Darlon has taken his troop on to great glory and left him with little to do, accepts the impudent challenge of the Highland Major. The Horsemen rush past the small knot of duellists, seconds, trumpeters, pipers, and drummers, and go on to impact with the Highland Division. The force is terrific and, with serious casualties, the British are routed from the woods. Taking no losses themselves, Henri reins his men in.
In the duel between McGonagall and Banville, the Frenchman is bested and obliged to surrender but when Banville takes his sweet time about moving, the Major (and his band) abandon their captive and hurry back to scream at the remnants of the Regiment. Captain Banville bullies his trumpeter into giving him a sword and carries on.
This represents the high water mark for the French advance.
The cavalry has no room to manoeuvre and cannot get themselves sorted out quickly enough to exploit their success. Very shortly, combined fire from rooftop snipers and stalwart Scottish foot, Henri is obliged to withdraw his demoralized horses back where they interpenetrate Major Laclos' advancing infantry. That infantry doesn't mind because they too are taking fierce fire from the Royal Horse Artillery. The fusiliers too are soon falling back.
Major McGonagall continues to reorder his troops and fires off a volley at the back of the retreating Hussars. A cheer is raised.
Meanwhile, Captain Hawkesworthe continues to hold the village...
Still, no new ammunition can be found for the leftmost voltigeurs. Lieutenant Marat, seeing the British across the way eating their lunch, orders his men to prepare their own. There is a small mishap as Privet Neville experiments with drying his gunpowder over the campfire. In the center, more gunfire continues to drive the French back.
The Highlanders press on courageously and the whole of the French center is reeling back.
One half company would call it quits for the day but the others, along with the Hussars, would manage to stand fast and the persuasions of Captain Darlon are sufficient to reform the cavalry eventually. The Scotsmen are taking withering fire on their flank from the accursed Voltigeurs. At this critical moment though, Henri turns his attention to the artillery and directs its fire against the Highlanders. Disaster, a single cannon ball leaves both Major McGonagall and Captain McConnell hors de combat. Not an instant later, Lieutenant Campbell is brought down by a Voltigeur bullet.
Only the unfortunate Lieutenant McLeod seems unable to be killed as though he is some form of immortal. There can be only one Highland officer leaving the field alive today.
Another strange blessing for the French: A small band of villagers has taken up ineffective arms to join in the fight and in the eager yet almost random movements, they have screened the British guns from firing.
At this point, with the remnants of the Scottish infantry fleeing for cover and Henri preparing to lead another Hussar charge, Captain Hawkesworthe takes command and orders a halt to all offensive actions. The French maintain their hold on the Bridgehead and Major Laclos has won the day.
