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[SIZE="5"][CENTER]So Far To Go For War[/size]
A Chronology of the Events of the American Rebellion,
As They Occurred from Time to Time.
-by-
Captain Leslie Serlea
ADC



British March on Concord April 19, 1775
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[SIZE="4"]O[/size]n the 22nd of April, 1775, I arrived in Boston a fresh faced lieutenant of seventeen, to serve as aide to General Sir Thomas Gage, then in command of His Majesty’s Armed Forces in the American Colonies. The Harbor was in uproar and I soon learned that the city was considered under siege by rebellious Colonists, who on the 19th had fired on the King’s troops north of the City near the towns of Concord and Lexington. Upon arrival at the Generals Headquarters the staff was in uproar and after I presented my credentials, I was put to work receiving and prioritizing Dispatches, and to keep a large Campaign Map updated as to the whereabouts of both His Majesty’s Forces and known Rebel dispositions. In this capacity I would serve the Commanders of the King’s Armies in America throughout the Rebellion.

[SIZE="4"]M[/size]y impression of General Gage was not a good one upon meeting. He seemed of a vacillating mind. The events of 19 April had, I believed, unnerved him. Reports that masses of Rebel militia were flooding towards Boston and entrenchments were ordered thrown up. Colonel James Grant advocated that a strong attack be made instead against them, that these Militia were no match for the King's Regulars, but the General would have none of it without reinforcements from England. Morale was low amongst the men not from a sense of defeat, but from a lack of confidence in command. Colonel Grant was a forceful man with a commanding presence and much admired among the men, and if he had been in command I’m sure the army would have marched out and routed the Rebels forthwith before the month was out.

[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he balance of April was taken up by defensive preparations in Boston. General Gage sent orders for the coming summer to Canadian Governor General Sir Guy Carleton, charging him with full command of the defense of Canada and if possible to secure Ft. Ticonderoga with a large garrison and threaten Albany, New York. Orders went out to the Western Garrisons to detach as many men as possible and assemble in Ft. Niagara. In the South, Colonel Brown was to keep and hold Georgia for the King.

[CENTER]
Main forces in the field April 22nd, 1775[/CENTER]


[SIZE="4"]D[/size]isposition of His Majesties Forces April 22nd, 1775
Boston, Massachusetts
Sir Thomas Gage, General Commanding
Colonel James Grant
Colonel Sir Robert Pigot
Colonel Francis Smith
Regiments
43rd R. Foot, 38th R. Foot, 1st & 2nd Grenadiers B., 4th Kings Own R. Foot, 52nd R. Foot, 63rd R. Foot, 5th R. Foot, 10th R. Foot, 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers R., 44th R. Foot, 64th R. Foot, Two B. from the 18th and 65th R. Foot, 1 B. Royal Marines, 1 Battalion of Royal Artillery.

St. John, Canada
Colonel Richard Prescott
26th Cameroon’s R.

Quebec, Canada
Governor General Sir Guy Carleton
7th Royal Fusiliers R.
Quebec Garrison

Montreal, Canada
Militia Regiment

Oswego, Western New York
New York Loyalist Regiment

Ft. Niagara, Western New York
Colonel Henry Hamilton
8th Kings Own R.

Ft. Ninety-Six, Georgia
Colonel Thomas Brown
Georgia Tories R.

Plus minor detachments
Norfolk, Virginia
Augusta, Georgia
St. Augustine and Pensacola, Florida
Ft. Ticonderoga, Lake Champlain
Ft. Detroit, Wilderness
Ft. Vincennes, Wilderness
Various other commands spread throughout the Great Lakes region.

Where'd you get the drawing from Concord? It looks like some of the contemporary drawings I have seen from the period.

runyan99 wrote:Where'd you get the drawing from Concord? It looks like some of the contemporary drawings I have seen from the period.

Found it on the net. Google image search.

about your AAR that start great and will end even greater What would be cool would be to duplicate it on the Matrix forum, where there is only one. If you don't want to do that, just give us the permission to copy it

[CENTER][SIZE="5"]The 'Siege' of Boston[/size]


Click to open[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]April, 1775 Boston[/size]

[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he month ended with our army hiding behind entrenchments overseen by a rabble of 6,000 to 8,000. Morale was low and the citizenry of this city never shied away from opportunities to malign and denigrate His Majesty’s soldiers, myself included. The family of the house I was quartered at with two other junior officers struggled mightily not to show their scorn and contempt for us daily. I even happened upon the ‘lady’ of the house one morning as she was attempting to urinate in our kettle! I was persuaded against her arrest by the other officers, but not before receiving the satisfaction of hearing a Loyalty Oath to our good King George part from her stiff lips. I would be remiss however if I did not mention that we did manage to raise a battalion of Loyalist militia from said citizenry, but the vast majority hated the site of us.

[CENTER]
General Sir Thomas Gage[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]G[/size]eneral Gage spent his time inspecting the defenses erected across the Boston Neck and procuring provisions for the men. At that time I did not find his approach to this rebellion appealing, yet in my position I was privy to many pertinent facts that most contemporaries lack about our situation. Slowly I came to appreciate the Generals predicament. Not only were we watched without, but also had to guard against Rebel sympathizers from within the city. Nightly our pickets captured youth trying to steal away to the Rebel lines and the gaols quickly filled, with a corresponding increase in petitions for their release by angry relations. On the 23rd we captured ten trying to row across the harbor to Charles Town. On the 29th troops raided the Old South church at Marlborough and Milk Streets and discovered there a store of powder, balls, and muskets. This church had been a particular thorn to His Majesty’s Government of the Colony. I was told that the rabid mob which took part in the despicable ‘Tea Party’ started from here. We officers took over ownership of the place and installed a salon on the mezzanine. After having the pews and flooring removed for firewood for our men, we turned the large enclosure into His Majesty’s newest indoor riding academy.

[CENTER] [/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]N[/size]ews of the fall of Ft. Ticonderoga reached us on the 25th. One report, which at the time was hardly to be believed, stated that both the Fort and the town of Crown Point were surrendered without a shot? We know now that this was indeed the case as only eighty-three men led by a Rebel named Ethan Allen stormed them and captured their small garrisons. Admittedly the Fort had lost its significance and had fallen into disrepair since the French and Indian War, but now it was as a dagger pointing north to Canada. When news of the capture filtered out to the population one can imagine the consternation caused. Pamphlets and scribblings of all kinds venerating Allen’s name appeared on walls and back alleys. Schoolchildren would throw rocks screaming out, “Ticonderoga” before fleeing for safety. I came up behind one lad of eight or nine who was so engaged to a sentry post and administered a severe beating to his buttocks after he ran into me while turning to flee from the onrushing guardsman. His mother stopped by to complain to my superior and was admonished herself for raising a “seditious brat who should know better than to assault the King’s soldiers.” All in all it was not a good month.

[CENTER]
Reinforcements have arrived. [/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]A[/size]ll changed on the 27th. On that day Generals Henry Clinton, William Howe, and John Burgoyne arrived and began the disembarkation of some 4,500 reinforcements. That night pickets reported hearing noise from the Rebel encampments and the garrison was ordered to arms in anticipation of an assault. At dawn we looked out over the dominating Dorchester Heights to see that the Rebels had fled their positions. A hush fell over the city as the news spread, and a great depression of spirits from the citizenry naturally ensued. As our new arrivals would take a few days to disembark and sort their baggage, General Clinton recommended and General Gage concurred that the Dorchester Heights be seized as a prelude to the pursuit of the Rebel Arms. Scouts reported that about 2,800 Rebels had retreated to Worchester, Massachusetts, but no words on any other concentrations of Rebels were known, as information from the citizenry was sparse.

[CENTER]
Known Rebel Dispositions[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]N[/size]ews from the rest of the colonies arrived slowly. We received no word from Canada or parts west. Colonel Brown reported he had raised a battalion of Loyalist militia from Georgia and another from South Carolina.

[CENTER]
Georgia and South Carolina Levies[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]T[/size]roops Arriving in the Colonies April, 1775
Boston, Massachusetts
22nd R. Foot, 49th R. Foot, 35th R. Foot, 45th R. Foot, 40th R. Foot, 63rd R. Foot, 17th Dragoons, and 1 Battery of Artillery
Loyal New Englanders Battalion

Ft. Ninety-Six, Georgia
Georgia Volunteers B.

Augusta, Georgia
Inne’s South Carolina Royalists B.

[CENTER][SIZE="5"]A Cautious Beginning[/size]

[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]May, 1775 Boston[/size]

[SIZE="4"]W[/size]ith the disappearance of the Rebels, preparations for a summer campaign to secure New England for the Crown began. The main rebel army had fled Worcester for Hartford, Connecticut. General Gage, cautious as ever, issued his orders for the month. General Clinton had orders to proceed with his division, consisting of the 40th R. Foot, 45th R. Foot, 49th R. Foot, 63rd R. Foot, 64th R. Foot, and the 4th Kings Own, and secure Rhode Island. General Howe’s division of the 22nd R. Foot, the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 43rd R. Foot, and a battalion each from the 18th and the 65th R. of Foot, would march out and seize Cambridge to guard against a surprise assault from the North. Colonel Grant was given to his impulse for action, and the command of the 17th Dragoons, with orders to scout the region for Rebel formations. General Gage would remain with the remainder of the army in Boston for training and outfitting. He also ordered the building of fortifications upon the Dorchester Heights and the Charles Town Peninsula to protect the city as a base of operations.

[CENTER]

Known Rebel Dispositions


General Clinton's Division


General Howe's Division


Colonel Grant and the 17th Dragoons


Trooper of the 17th Dragoons


General Gage in Boston preparing for the coming Campaign
[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]W[/size]ord arrived from Governor Sir Guy Carleton in Canada informing us that he had arrived in Montreal to reinforce Colonel Richard Prescott before moving back to Fort St. John. In addition he asked allied Indian forces to scout towards Albany. He also forwarded dispatches from Oswego that the Rebels were securing the Mohawk Valley at Ft Stanwix and Dayton, New York. Scouts report about 700 to 1,000 Rebels securing Ft. Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain.

[CENTER]

Canadian Army


Mohawk Valley


Lake Champlain Area
[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he situation in Boston had improved for us considerably in the month. Fewer overt acts of sedition against the King and our troops were occurring. The port was reopened to limited trade at the request of loyal businessmen as a show of good faith. My lodging had improved much to my relief, to staying with a Loyalist family with a very eligible young lady in the house. My days while long were exceedingly exciting and I suffered the minutiae that come with preparations for a campaign with something akin to joy. The tittle-tattle of camp talk among the officers was that the rebels would disperse before we got into any real fighting. Somehow I found this unsettling at the time.

[CENTER][SIZE="5"]A Slow Summer[/size][/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]June, 1775 Boston[/size]

[CENTER]

[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he joy of anticipation quickly subsided into an anguishing boredom of bureaucracy. General Gage just would not move! True Generals Clinton and Howe had seized their objectives of Newport, Rhode Island, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, respectively, and Colonel Grant had scoured the countryside from New Bedford through Worcester and north to Newbury Port. General Clinton had seized the city of Providence on his way to Newport. Yet the blow fell upon nothing. The Rebels had simply disappeared into the interior, using what I came to learn was to be their biggest advantage over us, the land is huge.

[CENTER]
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[SIZE="4"]S[/size]till I took advantage of the time available to me and enjoyed the company and the hospitality of the Fitzugh Family with whom I was quartered. They were a prosperous but not ostentatious family of five who lived off Beacon Street near Beacon Hill. Joseph Fitzugh, the patron, was the owner of several warehouses along the docks as well as an import/exporting agent for the firm of Carlise and Teems, LTD, London. His wonderful wife Ruth ran the house and tutored their three children - sons Joseph, Jr age 8 and Thomas age eleven, and the beautiful Elizabeth, 'Eliza', a flower at barely fifteen. In their gracious company I found a second family, 3,000 miles from home.

[CENTER]
Howe moves south[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]N[/size]ews came that a group of these so called 'Minutemen' had formed in New Bedford after Colonel Grant and the 17th Dragoons had passed through. General Howe and his division were thereby ordered to New Bedford to suppress them and reestablish the King's Dominion. Clinton's Division was ordered leave a garrison in Newport and move on New London, Connecticut. Colonel Grant's 17th Dragoons were to move west to the east bank of the Connecticut River near Brattleboro and then proceed south to screen and scout for Rebel activity. General Gage thinks that they will make their first stand somewhere along the line of the river as it is a natural defensive position. Lord Richard Howe and his fleet left Boston harbor on the first for interdiction stations off the Port of New York.

[CENTER]
Newport Garrison


Clinton advances to New London


Admiral Howe's Fleet moves to interdiction stations
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Great AAR!!! Keep it going!
Cheers
Arsan

[CENTER][SIZE="5"]First Blood in Rhode Island[/size]



British Light Infantryman
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[SIZE="4"]July, 1775, On the road to New London[/size]

[SIZE="4"]A[/size]t the beginning of July news arrived from Lord Dunmore, Governor of Virginia Colony. He reported that the loyal population of Norfolk was under threat from seditious Virginia Militia and begged us for the release of one or two regiments for their defense. General Gage returned to him the message that he appreciated the Governor's position, but that we did not have any regiments to spare for Virginia at the time. He further suggested that Lord Dunmore call out the loyal population as militia, as was his right and obligation as His Majesty's Governor of the Colony. He reassured the Governor that as soon as matters in New England are settled all that can be done to aid him would be to the fullest extent possible.

[CENTER]

Norfolk, Virginia
[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]R[/size]eports from General Howe indicated he had met no opposition during his march to New Bedford. It seems the 'Minutemen' lasted just that and had no stomach for a fight. His intent now was to link up with Clinton's Division, which was moving north from Newport, in Providence before continuing to New London, Connecticut. Colonel Grant and the 17th Dragoons scoured the Connecticut River from opposite Brattleboro, New Hampshire in the north to Middleton, Connecticut in the south. They captured several Rebels and learned that they have a new commander, one George Washington, formerly of Virginia, with about 11,000 men, mostly militia, in the Berkshire Hills west of Hartford, Connecticut. Hartford was believed to be garrisoned by roughly 1,000 to 2,000 Militia. The Rebels had taken to calling themselves "The Continentals," I believe to try to hide their true 'treasonous' status.

[CENTER]

The 'Continental' Army
[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]O[/size]n the 31st I bid farewell to my sweet 'Eliza' Dane Fitzugh. The time spent with her was exquisitely rapturous and we both fell deeply in love. The Loyal community of Boston threw the officers a farewell ball the night before our departure, filled with music, dance, and spirits. I remember the beauty of her face, the whiff of perfume, the coyness in her eyes, and the softness of her lips when I at last they met. Prior to our leaving she bade me write to her, giving me a lock of her hair and an embroidered handkerchief she had made. I will ever remember the tears in her eyes as we passed her and her family marching to war and glory. General Gage had at last decided to take the field and concentrate the army at New London with Generals Howe and Clinton. Orders were sent to Colonel Grant to screen the Connecticut River of any Rebel forces.

[CENTER]

The English Converge on New London
[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]T[/size]o General Clinton the honor would fall of being the first to strike back at the rebels. Moving north out of Newport he encountered what appeared to be a regiment of rebel militia in the process of crossing Bristol Ferry on the morning of the 13th. The majority had already crossed and the boats were returning for the last company when the light infantry company of the 4th Kings Own R. Foot appeared at the crest of Butts Hill. The Regiment immediately began to form while the light infantry dispersed into skirmish line and began to fire on the milling rebels. They sowed much confusion among them but the rebels were tenacious. When the grenadiers unleashed a volley and charged not one man amongst the rebels surrendered. Upon seeing the fighting the ferrymen pulled to Bristol and grounded their boats. Clinton was held up two days in crossing but did catch up to and capture the rebel militia on the 18th in East Providence as they were trying to cross the bridge into Providence town proper.

[CENTER]

Butts Hill & Bristol Ferry - North is to the Right


Skirmish at Bristol Ferry


Map of East Providence - North is to the Right


Battle of East Providence
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[CENTER][SIZE="5"]The Battle of Manitock Spring[/size][/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]August, 1775 New London, Connecticut[/size]

[CENTER]

New London County, Connecticut
[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]I[/size] have seen the results of Mars, and it is most horrible.

[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he army took a fortnight to move from Boston, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island. General Howe had passed through two days prior. The long hours abused me, un-used as I was to the march. The country we passed through was indescribable. I fell in love with the verdant greens of the meadows, the vastness of the forests and woods. We encountered no resistance, nary a shot rang out. Our presence was neither cheered or openly jeered. Most people just silently stared as we passed. General Gage would brook no plunder or pillage and all forage must be paid for in script or pounds sterling. Another fortnight and we arrived in camp west of New London on the eve of the 27th. General Gage and his aides arrived at General Howe's, he being senior to General Clinton, headquarters where dispatches from Admiral Howe and from Boston had been forwarded to us.

[SIZE="4"]A[/size]ugust had proved to be a bustling month. Rebel cavalry had raided Newbury Port and Cambridge. Governor General Carleton reported the raising of a Provincial regiment of Scot's Emigrants, the Royal Highland Emigrants, in Quebec. In Georgia, Colonel Brown besieged Savannah with his Provincials. Norfolk was occupied by Rebel militia while Lord Dunmore was out raising a regiment of Provincials. Most shockingly he has issued a controversial proclamation calling on all able bodied men to assist him in the defense of the Colony, including the enslaved Africans of rebels. These recruits have been promised their freedom in exchange for service in the Army. Apparently 800 flocked to Norfolk to join up and they have been organized into an 'Ethiopian' Regiment. Currently he is besieging the rebel militia in Norfolk. And in South Carolina another Provincial regiment has been raised. Of the 'Continental Army' we had no word. General Gage left orders for General Burgoyne's Division to move east along the Kings Rd to the town of Lyme on the morn, before retiring about midnight. I retired soon after to a spot on the floor in one of the rooms upstairs.

[CENTER]

Rebel Cavalry Raids Peabody


Royal Highland Emigrants R.


Brown Seiges Savannah


Lord Dunmore at Norfolk


South Carolina Loyalists Rally[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]I[/size] was awoken by the distant boom of cannon about eight o'clock. Downstairs I found the command in confusion, milling about outside the headquarters. General Howe had ordered assembly to be sounded and had already sent an aide and a patrol off to enquire about the noise of battle. At quarter past eight the patrol returned with a few wounded Royal Marines and Grenadiers, who indicated that their column had been ambushed by the what they claimed was a rebel force of a size three times their own! General Howe swore, 'The Damnnedable Traitors are here!' His Division ready, he ordered them towards the sound of the guns with the 2nd Grenadiers in the van, and urging General Gage and Clinton to quickly follow. By half past eight o'clock, the rest of the Army was moving to battle. The account below is my interpretation of the events that then transpired from reports after the battle.

[SIZE="4"]N[/size]ear Manitock Spring west of town, a bloody battle was waged. About half past seven o'clock in the morn, the Royal Marine Battalion in the van of Burgoyne's column suffered heavy losses and broke in the first few volley's by rebels hiding in the woods along the north side of Kings Rd. General Burgoyne had not followed protocol and sent out pickets to either side or ahead and had been completely surprised. Seeing the rebels coming out of the woods into the fields to the south and having more rebels coming up the road towards them, he ordered the 1st Grenadier Battalion who was following the marines to form and hold off the rebel attack while he brought up the rest of the division. This they bravely did.

[CENTER]

1st Grenadiers at Manitock Springs
[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]C[/size]ompletly outnumbered and suffering enveloping fire, they bravely held their ground for fifteen crucial minutes. In that time Burgoyne had formed his two remaining regiments, the 38th R. Foot and 52nd R. Foot into line behind a stone wall that bisected a field and ran along the road, and returned fire. The remnants of the Marines and the 1st Grenadiers retired to Burgoyne's line, leaving scores dead and wounded behind. Burgoyne's fire had stopped the initial rebel assault and his heavy volley's were beginning to effect the untrained militia, but more units kept streaming in as others retired. At five to eight o'clock two regiments of what appeared to be trained rebels, the Continental regulars we came to call them, appeared on the field with two cannon who opened up on our lines. Five minutes later the Continentals were formed and began to exchange fire with Burgoyne. For twenty-five long, murderous minutes they stood opposite one another emptying volley after volley into each other. Rebel militia began to envelop the 52nd on the left. An assault by some overzealous militia on the tip of the line was met with the rallied remnants of the 1st Grenadiers and Marines and the militia gave way. At half past eight o'clock while we were moving towards the guns, the Continentals began to withdraw in good order. They had been blooded and had performed better than we had expected from this rabble. Another two militia regiments came forward and continued the attack but soon retired under the disciplined fire of the regulars. During the lull, said to be about ten minutes during which they were shelled by the rebel cannon, Burgoyne's men gathered cartridges from the dead and maimed in their lines and the order was given to fix bayonets. At ten to nine o'clock the rebels had formed again and advanced. I received accounts from many long serving officers and serjeants that they did not expect untrained militia to be able to absorb the punishment of our fires, rally, and come on again. The rebels advanced and exchanged two volley's. After the second they charged. With unexpected skill, rebel General Washington had placed his rallied Continentals in column of assault and was personally leading them to assault the juncture of the 38th and 52nd Regiments, where the road wall meets the field wall, at about a 120 degree angle. It was at this critical time that the 2nd Grenadiers arrived, flowing out of the woods along the road and slamming into the militia regiments on the rebel left. Their arrival broke the rebel assault, the militia fleeing in a jumbled mess down the road to the east. Howe ordered his men to reform as the 22nd R. of Foot came upon the scene and was sent in pursuit. Would that we had Grant's Dragoons with us. Burgoyne's division was shattered. I came upon the carnage with General Gage and the headquarters soon after Howe had called back the 22nd. We spent the rest of the day collecting and burying our dead and administering to our wounded. That night General Gage ordered us back to New London proper.

[CENTER]

The Battle of New London
[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]C[/size]asualties were high, 279 dead, 303 wounded not effective, and 287 wounded recoverable. We counted 499 rebels dead or severely wounded on the field and captured 120 militia. The remains of the 1st Grenadiers were folded into the 2nd Grenadiers and the twenty marines remaining were to be used as a headquarters guard until they could be returned to Admiral Howes fleet for service. Later that night General Gage held a council of war with his staff and Generals. General Howe said we needed to follow up this victory aggressively with the troops which had not been engaged, Burgoyne and Clinton advocated against it. General Clinton put it more succinctly when he said to Howe, "Victory? My Lord a few more such victories will surely put an end to British dominion here." General Gage feeling his army had been mauled enough elected to stay in New London recover saying, " Yes General Clinton it is a victory. A dear bought victory, and another such will ruin us." In his report to England which I drafted later that night, General Gage said, "To win ultimate victory here in the Americas, a large army must at length be employed to reduce these people, and will require the hiring of foreign troops."

[SIZE="4"]G[/size]eneral Howe wanted to persue the rebel army with the remaining regiments which had not been engaged at Manitock Spring. Our scouts put them at Norwich to the north where they were apparantly recovering from their losses. General Gage relented and on the morning General Howe led twelve regiments north along the Norwich Rd.

[CENTER]

Continental Army at Norwich


Howe marches out to destroy the rebels.


Gage remains behind.
[/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="5"]The Battle of Manitock Spring[/size][/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]August, 1775 New London, Connecticut[/size]

[CENTER]

New London County, Connecticut
[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]I[/size] have seen the results of Mars, and it is most horrible.

[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he army took a fortnight to move from Boston, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island. General Howe had passed through two days prior. The long hours abused me, un-used as I was to the march. The country we passed through was indescribable. I fell in love with the verdant greens of the meadows, the vastness of the forests and woods. We encountered no resistance, nary a shot rang out. Our presence was neither cheered or openly jeered. Most people just silently stared as we passed. General Gage would brook no plunder or pillage and all forage must be paid for in script or pounds sterling. Another fortnight and we arrived in camp west of New London on the eve of the 27th. General Gage and his aides arrived at General Howe's, he being senior to General Clinton, headquarters where dispatches from Admiral Howe and from Boston had been forwarded to us.

[SIZE="4"]A[/size]ugust had proved to be a bustling month. Rebel cavalry had raided Newbury Port and Cambridge. Governor General Carleton reported the raising of a Provincial regiment of Scot's Emigrants, the Royal Highland Emigrants, in Quebec. In Georgia, Colonel Brown besieged Savannah with his Provincials. Norfolk was occupied by Rebel militia while Lord Dunmore was out raising a regiment of Provincials. Most shockingly he has issued a controversial proclamation calling on all able bodied men to assist him in the defense of the Colony, including the enslaved Africans of rebels. These recruits have been promised their freedom in exchange for service in the Army. Apparently 800 flocked to Norfolk to join up and they have been organized into an 'Ethiopian' Regiment. Currently he is besieging the rebel militia in Norfolk. And in South Carolina another Provincial regiment has been raised. Of the 'Continental Army' we had no word. General Gage left orders for General Burgoyne's Division to move east along the Kings Rd to the town of Lyme on the morn and sent orders to Colonel Grant to find and destroy the rebel cavalry, before retiring about midnight. I retired soon after to a spot on the floor in one of the rooms upstairs.

[CENTER]

Rebel Cavalry Raids Peabody


Grant goes in pursuit.


Royal Highland Emigrants R.


Brown sieges Savannah


Lord Dunmore at Norfolk


South Carolina Loyalists Rally[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]I[/size] was awoken by the distant boom of cannon about eight o'clock. Downstairs I found the command in confusion, milling about outside the headquarters. General Howe had ordered assembly to be sounded and had already sent an aide and a patrol off to inquire about the noise of battle. At quarter past eight the patrol returned with a few wounded Royal Marines and Grenadiers, who indicated that their column had been ambushed by the what they claimed was a rebel force of a size three times their own! General Howe swore, 'The Damnnedable Traitors are here!' His Division ready, he ordered them towards the sound of the guns with the 2nd Grenadiers in the van, and urging General Gage and Clinton to quickly follow. By half past eight o'clock, the rest of the Army was moving to battle. The account below is my interpretation of the events that then transpired from reports after the battle.

[SIZE="4"]N[/size]ear Manitock Spring west of town, a bloody battle was waged. About half past seven o'clock in the morn, the Royal Marine Battalion in the van of Burgoyne's column suffered heavy losses and broke in the first few volley's by rebels hiding in the woods along the north side of Kings Rd. General Burgoyne had not followed protocol and sent out pickets to either side or ahead and had been completely surprised. Seeing the rebels coming out of the woods into the fields to the south and having more rebels coming up the road towards them, he ordered the 1st Grenadier Battalion who was following the marines to form and hold off the rebel attack while he brought up the rest of the division. This they bravely did.

[CENTER]

1st Grenadiers at Manitock Springs
[/CENTER]

[SIZE="4"]C[/size]ompletly outnumbered and suffering enveloping fire, they bravely held their ground for fifteen crucial minutes. In that time Burgoyne had formed his two remaining regiments, the 38th R. Foot and 52nd R. Foot into line behind a stone wall that bisected a field and ran along the road, and returned fire. The remnants of the Marines and the 1st Grenadiers retired to Burgoyne's line, leaving scores dead and wounded behind. Burgoyne's fire had stopped the initial rebel assault and his heavy volley's were beginning to effect the untrained militia, but more units kept streaming in as others retired. At five to eight o'clock two regiments of what appeared to be trained rebels, the Continental regulars we came to call them, appeared on the field with two cannon who opened up on our lines. Five minutes later the Continentals were formed and began to exchange fire with Burgoyne. For twenty-five long, murderous minutes they stood opposite one another emptying volley after volley into each other. Rebel militia began to envelop the 52nd on the left. An assault by some overzealous militia on the tip of the line was met with the rallied remnants of the 1st Grenadiers and Marines and the militia gave way. At half past eight o'clock while we were moving towards the guns, the Continentals began to withdraw in good order. They had been blooded and had performed better than we had expected from this rabble. Another two militia regiments came forward and continued the attack but soon retired under the disciplined fire of the regulars. During the lull, said to be about ten minutes during which they were shelled by the rebel cannon, Burgoyne's men gathered cartridges from the dead and maimed in their lines and the order was given to fix bayonets. At ten to nine o'clock the rebels had formed again and advanced. I received accounts from many long serving officers and sergeants that they did not expect untrained militia to be able to absorb the punishment of our fires, rally, and come on again. The rebels advanced and exchanged two volley's. After the second they charged. With unexpected skill, rebel General Washington had placed his rallied Continentals in column of assault and was personally leading them to assault the juncture of the 38th and 52nd Regiments, where the road wall meets the field wall, at about a 120 degree angle. It was at this critical time that the 2nd Grenadiers arrived, flowing out of the woods along the road and slamming into the militia regiments on the rebel left. Their arrival broke the rebel assault, the militia fleeing in a jumbled mess down the road to the east. Howe ordered his men to reform as the 22nd R. of Foot came upon the scene and was sent in pursuit. Would that we had Grant's Dragoons with us. Burgoyne's division was shattered. I came upon the carnage with General Gage and the headquarters soon after Howe had called back the 22nd. We spent the rest of the day collecting and burying our dead and administering to our wounded. That night General Gage ordered us back to New London proper.

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The Battle of Manitock Spring
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[SIZE="4"]C[/size]asualties were high, 279 dead, 303 wounded not effective, and 287 wounded recoverable. We counted 499 rebels dead or severely wounded on the field and captured 120 militia. The remains of the 1st Grenadiers were folded into the 2nd Grenadiers and the twenty marines remaining were to be used as a headquarters guard until they could be returned to Admiral Howe's fleet for service. Later that night General Gage held a council of war with his staff and Generals. General Howe said we needed to follow up this victory aggressively with the troops which had not been engaged, Burgoyne and Clinton advocated against it. General Clinton put it more succinctly when he said to Howe, "Victory? My Lord a few more such victories will surely put an end to British dominion here." General Gage feeling his army had been mauled enough elected to stay in New London and recover saying, " Yes General Clinton it is a victory. A dear bought victory, and another such will ruin us." In his report to England which I drafted later that night, General Gage said, "To win ultimate victory here in the Americas, a large army must at length be employed to reduce these people, and will require the hiring of foreign troops."

[SIZE="4"]G[/size]eneral Howe continued to pressure General Gage to pursue the rebel army with the remaining regiments which had not been engaged at Manitock Spring. Our scouts put them south of Norwich to the north, where they were apparently recovering from their losses. General Gage finally, on the night of the 30th, relented and on the morning General Howe would lead twelve regiments north along the Norwich Rd. General Gage remained in New London with the battered remnants of Burgoyne's Division.

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Continental Army at Norwich


Howe marches out to destroy the rebels.


Gage remains behind.
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[CENTER][SIZE="5"]The Battle of Browne's Plantation[/size]


Sir William Home
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[SIZE="4"]Evening of September 1, 1775 New Salem Parish, Connecticut[/size]

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New Salem Parish, Browne Plantation
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[SIZE="4"]G[/size]eneral Howe’s column quickly marched north out of New London on the 31st of August in pursuit of the Continentals, and I with them as General Gage’s Liaison. Scouts were scouring the country for their location. Reports now placed them in Norwich resting. Howe was everywhere, exhorting the men to keep up the march, telling them that the chance to end this war was at hand. With the light infantry picketed ahead and to the sides of the column, there would be no repeat of Manitock Spring. When the army arrived at Norwich at a little past two o’clock in the afternoon, the Continentals were nowhere to be found. We soon learned that they had taken the road west towards Hadham, Connecticut, encumbered by many wagons bearing wounded. After sending scouts west to find them, General Howe ordered the army to make a hasty camp but to be prepared for movement upon notice.

[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he returning scouts brought with them good news. The Continentals were camped a mere ten miles west at a plantation in the parish of New Salem. They also brought with them one John Mumford, Jr, the plantation’s overseer and two slaves. Mr. Mumford declared himself a loyal subject of His Majesty and gave detailed information of the Continentals camp. The scouts reported that the rebels were watching the roads east to Norwich and SE to New London, but not the ones from Colchester to the north. General Howe asked Mr. Mumford if he knew of any roads that could get his army north of the plantation by first light without being detected and he answered in the affirmative, and he and his slaves would lead us. General Howe met in council with General Clinton and the regimental colonels, advising them of his intent to march at dusk. Clinton stated, “My Lord I would not presume to instruct you, but you are asking this army which just covered 14 miles in 6 hours to make another forced march, at night, ended with a battle, with a scant three hours rest. Let us camp here this night, get an early start and catch them when rested.” Howe replied, “Gentlemen, we have an opportunity to end this war, tomorrow. I would say that General Clinton’s remarks form a sound stratagem. Yet think back upon the savage battle just three days past and the determination with which our enemy fought. Remember our many dead and wounded. We must mercilessly crush this rebellion now, before it takes root too deeply. Only a complete and utter victory can accomplish that. We must show those still loyal, and those sitting upon the rail that King George, Britain, and British law still hold Dominion here!”

[SIZE="4"]W[/size]hen he finished the feeling in the room was positively electric. General Clinton simply stated, “Hear, Hear,” and took General Howe’s hand as the colonels and the rest of us applauded. Orders were given. The Generals statement which I had recorded for posterity was to be read to each regiment after their formation to inspire the men upon this march to victory.

[SIZE="4"]D[/size]awn of the 1st of September found our army quietly assembling after our long night march three miles or so from the rebel camp. General’s Howe and Clinton held council on a hill two miles north of what was known as Browne’s Plantation with Mr. Mumford, going over the features of the ground. On the right was Eight-Mile River, more a stream than river. In the center a feature called Rattlesnake Ledge ran east to west. Beyond that was Round Hill, with the camp a little more than a mile on. On the left were two large ponds. General Howe designated that Round Hill be seized for the artillery. It was decided that General Clinton would lead his division west of Rattlesnake Ledge and take up positions to the right of Round Hill. Burgoyne’s would take the left from Round Hill to Mason’s Pond. Howe with the light infantry in the van would sweep just east of the ledge and take up positions in front of Round Hill. Noise was to be kept to a minimum and the march would be done silently until the enemy was alerted. The council ended with Howe’s statement, “It is now in the hands of God.”

[SIZE="4"]W[/size]hen everything was ready, General Howe gave the order to advance. The light infantry secured Round Hill and held awaiting the artillery and Howe’s division to form in the center and link up with Clinton on the right. The rebel encampment could be seen through the purple early mist, and our surprise had been complete. Howe observing from Round Hill gave the order for the artillery to commence and the drums to beat the advance.

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[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he crescendo of the guns firing in rapid order on the rebel encampment tore the quiet of the morning asunder and signaled the opening of hell upon the scene. The panorama offered by our position left the entirety of the field visible. Fountains of earth erupted wherever solid shot landed and bounced, tearing limbs from bodies. Delicate puffs of smoke in the air belied the devilishness that fell among the enemy from shells. The sight of the long lines of scarlet advancing to the drumming staccato, were mixed with the calls of the officers to keep the lines trim. Between the smoke of the cannon slowly drifting off we could see the rebel encampment erupting in confusion and panic. Some tried to form, others just ran. At 30 yards our lines halted and delivered a devastating volley that tore through the milling host, and was quickly followed up with the bayonet as any rebels still willing to fight joined their fleeing brethren.

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The Battle of Browne's Plantation
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[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he rout was total. In fifteen minutes we had swept the field and sent the remaining rebels to flight. Unfortunately we could not pursue due to the toll our march had taken from the men. General Howe was content to hold the bloody field and let our exhausted army rest. Of the eleven rebel regiments said to be engaged, eight were killed or captured. Our losses were ten killed, 13 wounds not recoverable, 17 wounds recoverable. So ended the battle of Browne's Plantation.

impressive talent at telling a story

Are you playing against the AI or a fellow opponent?

Quite incredible sir!

Pocus wrote:impressive talent at telling a story

Are you playing against the AI or a fellow opponent?

jhdeerslayer wrote:Quite incredible sir!

Alas for your wonderful AI, Monsieur Pocus, but I am playing Mr. Jimkehn in this one. PBEM goes a little slower and gives you more time...and I must say unpredictability, for this style of AAR.

And...Thank you both!

We are up to July, 1776, in the game, averaging about one "Campaign Season" turn a day, more for "winter quarters" turns.

The hardest thing is doing the research on the areas the battles were fought in. I guess I could say "First Battle of New London, Second Battle of New London," instead of "Manitock Spring" or "Browne's Plantation," but that looses some of the flavor I'm going for. Battles the narrator would have witnessed or wrote battle reports of are going to get more detail than say "Brown's Siege of Savannah" will.

Ultimately this first person style is harder to do because each turn takes some thought of how to tell the story in the context of the earlier posts, with a historical time delay of communications over these vast distances. Things that happen out west on the same turn as events happening upon the seaboard cannot be justifiably reported on, so I've decided to only comment on them if it has an impact (A Fall of Detroit), and even then with a self imposed time delay. I've already taken a few liberties in regard to Canada, but that can be explained by fast cutters between Boston and Halifax and Halifax and Quebec, until winter freezes the St. Lawrence.

Time is paramount. Luckily I work at a wonderful job from 9PM to 7AM, CST, where I have a good amount of free time to kill. This week I have been home taking care of my sick little girl, and myself, so I decided to go ahead and post 'Browne's Plantation' as a separate work instead of folding it up in the September report. All I had to do was polish the rough draft I had done at work when I found the time.

The location of 'Browne's Plantation' came about Serendipitously. Washington had just thumped me even though I won. The turn opens with Washington 'sieging' me in New London, so he cannot be too far away. I figure this turn he is going to try and run, his forces are depleted and I have comparable numbers to engage, I go after him, & we get the battle report showing the Continentals being [color="Red"][font="Century Gothic"][SIZE="2"]ROYALLY[/size][/font][/color] spanked.

I go to Topozone.com and get a topographic map of the area and look around for some interesting place names that would work for the site of the battle][/CENTER]

A wonderful AAR for the lunch hour!

[CENTER][SIZE="5"]Pride Goeth before the Fall[/size]


General Howe with officers of the 4th R. Foote
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[SIZE="4"]September, 1775, New London, Connecticut[/size]

[SIZE="4"]A[/size] month begun with one man's triumph would end with the ruination of another's legacy. On the first of September General Sir William Howe led our arms to victory over the army of rebellion at Browne's Plantation, New Salem Parish, Connecticut. He planned to rest his men for the day and begin the pursuit of the rebels on the morning of the second. We had captured much of the rebel army's stores and camp equipage, and it's cataloging required much time and effort. I engaged the day by collating and drafting various reports for the General to send to General Gage's headquarters in New London. A dispatch arrived that evening with orders for General Howe to return with the army to New London. General Howe was livid, but there was nothing to be done but obey and the morning found the Army marching with the sun on their faces instead of at their backs.

[SIZE="4"]I[/size] accompanied General's Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne to General Gage's headquarters and resumed my duties there as the Generals met in conference. There was much commotion and raised voices from within before the doors opened and Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne stonily exited. General Gage believed his decision not to pursue the rebel army was most prudent. He wrote, "To pursue the rebels across the wilds of America would be foolish and invite disaster. Logistics demands that we secure areas currently held to avoid disruption of provisioning. Currently I feel that despite victory of our arms upon the field, to push on, without sufficient reinforcement from England, would dangerously overextend and needlessly expose the army." The Army would stay for three weeks at New London; the men restless and idle. They deigned General Gage a new nickname, 'Sir Thomas of Sackville;' in reference to the disgraced and court-martialed Lord George Sackville of Mindon fame. He was accused of collusion, cowardice, incompetence. They looked upon General Howe as a strong leader; a new 'American Lord Granby' who would lead them to victory. Gage the loathed and Howe the savior did not speak for those three long weeks, corresponding only through intermediaries. The situation was repugnant.

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Grant's Battle's with Rebel Cavalry


Situation in the South


Dunmore's March in Virginia
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[SIZE="4"]Y[/size]et at headquarters, idle we were not. Colonel Grant had been dispatched with his 17th Dragoons to hunt down the rebel cavalry that had raided Cambridge. On the third he began a five day chase that ended with the rebel cavalry's destruction at Fitchburg, on the Nashua River in Massachusetts. Down south, Colonel Brown indicated he would abandon his attempt to take Savannah and combine with other Loyalist forces in the region before moving on Charleston, South Carolina, in an attempt to draw away rebel militia sieging Ft. Ninety-Six. In Virginia, Lord Dunmore sent word that he had not the strength to retake Norfolk and would instead move inland to Williamsburg and Richmond. Nothing notable from Canada other than vague reports from the west of unusual activity in the Indian Territories. I used this time to catch up on my correspondence with my 'Eliza Dane' back in Boston and home to my family in Kent.

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[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he arrival of one William Tyron, then Royal Governor of New York, who was in London when the rebellion started, changed all. He bore dispatches from the Earl of Dartmouth, William Leggae, Secretary of State for the Colonies for General Gage; relieving him of command and ordering him to return to London. Command of the Armies in America was to fall to General Howe. I thought immediately of the fate of Admiral Byng, and no matter my feelings for General Gage, I did not wish that to happen to him. He was a decent commander and would have made a fine minister or secretary, but a field commander he was not. Gage did not wait for General Howe to arrive before quietly taking his leave of us at headquarters and retiring to a residence in town to await his departure for England. Upon his arrival General Howe convened a council of his commanders and issued orders for the army to prepare for a move on New Haven, Connecticut, where General Washington was last reported to be. Morale improved as the army made ready once more. General Burgoyne would remain in New London with the refitting regiments as a garrison to secure our line of supply. Colonel Grant was to reconnoiter the area of the Connecticut River east and north of Springfield before returning to Providence in Rhode Island. All was to be readied by the end of the month.

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Remnants of the Continental Army after the Battle of Browne's Plantation


Burgoyne's Division


General Howe's Advance on New Haven
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[CENTER][SIZE="5"]Marching On & On[/size]


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[SIZE="4"]October, 1775, New Haven Connecticut[/size]

[SIZE="4"]N[/size]ew England in autumn is magnificent! All around are explosions of color as the leaves of the trees begin to turn. Red, brown, yellow, orange, purple, and green engulf and surround you. Vistas of such indescribable beauty it pains me to think that we made war amongst it.

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Remnants of Washington's Army
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[SIZE="4"]Y[/size]et battle evaded us; foot-worn soles, tired legs, aching backs, and broken backsides our only enemy. General Washington had skillfully avoided us and retreated into eastern New York with approximately 2,000 men. New Haven was occupied on the 18th and General Clinton's division entered winter quarters. General Howe would continue on and occupy Hartford, Connecticut and do the same. In New Haven word reached us that Secretary Leggae was planning to dispatch a force to Canada and needed a commander of General Howe's choice with field experience to take command. Lord Howe recommended General Burgoyne for the post and he left New London bound for Halifax to await his command. Colonel Tyron was given command in New London. General Howe ordered the 52nd R. Foot and the 2nd Grenadiers to join him at Hartford for the winter.

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Clinton's Division moving into Winter Quarters


Lord Howe's Command to Hartford


General Burgoyne leaves to assume a new command.
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[SIZE="4"]C[/size]olonel Brown reported that he reached Charleston on the 21st and was attempting to siege Ft. Sullivan. He reports that he has not received any messages from Ft. Ninety-Six for sometime and fears it might soon or may have been taken by the rebels. No word on Governor Dunmore in Virginia. One tidbit of news from the West. Our command at Ft. Detroit reports that the Miami Indians spotted a large group of white men armed for war passing through their lands heading it seems to Ft. Detroit.

Splendid AAR! Great reading and wonderful story-telling.

Ayeshteni

[SIZE="5"][CENTER]First Winter[/CENTER][/size]

[SIZE="4"]Winter of 1775-1776 Hartford, Connecticut[/size]

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New England December, 1775


General Howe's Command winters at Hartford
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[SIZE="4"]W[/size]e spent the winter quartered in frozen Hartford Connecticut. The town had mostly emptied upon our arrival and our men found good shelter in the many abandoned dwellings. Life fell back into the routine of camp. I received a few letters from Eliza, and penned many declarations of my affections. My days were spent fighting a mountain of paper and my nights were filled with the dances, lounges, and faro. General Howe entertained the Lady Elizabeth Lloyd Loring, visiting from Boston. She was the wife of Joshua Loring, Jr, our Commissary of Prisoners. They enjoyed each others company immensely and were together whenever General Howe could spare time away from his duties.

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Fall of Ft. Ninety-six


Governor Carlton blocks Rebel advance


Canadian Loyalists rally to the King
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[SIZE="4"]M[/size]ilitary affairs slowed due to the terrible weather. At the end of November word arrived of the fall of Fort Ninety-six to rebel Militia commanded by William Moultrie. Governor Carleton blocked a drive on Montreal by one Benedict Arnold and raised two more regiments in Quebec. In December Colonel Brown captured Ft. Watson on the Santee River. Nothing of note occurred in January, unless you count the 10 pounds sterling I won from General Howe at faro on the 19th. In February Colonel Brown skirmished with rebel militia outside of Camden before recapturing Ft. Ninety-six. Lord Dunmore was unfortunately badly mauled outside of Williamsburg on the 8th, but did extract some revenge on the pursuing rebels the next day before retiring back to Richmond. March loomed near and with it the opening of a new campaign season.

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Capture of Ft. Watson


Battle near Camden



Battles around Williamsburg
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[CENTER][SIZE="5"]The Struggle Renews[/size]


Officers of the 43rd R. of Foote
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[SIZE="4"]March, 1776 Springfield, Massachusetts[/size]

[SIZE="4"]T[/size]he winds of March bought some relief from the icy cold of February and allowed us to operate once again. The snow still lay on the ground when General Howe began to move north to seize the town of Springfield, Massachusetts. Washington’s Continentals were reported to be moving toward Westminster, Massachusetts. On our march we learned of a rebel raid on Cambridge, outside of Boston, by none other than the infamous Ethan Allen, ‘Conqueror of Ticonderoga.’ On the 13th Grant’s 17th Dragoons clashed with rebel militia near Fitchburg east of Westminster, and three days later joined by Colonel Tryon and the 40th R. of Foote, eliminated said militia near the town of Shrewsbury. Tryon had been garrisoning the town of Providence in Rhode Island, and following his departure for Worcester in Massachusetts, rebel Minutemen rose and seized the town. This would be a reoccurring problem for our forces during the war as we never had enough troops to garrison the towns in the strengths necessary to prevent their being overrun.

[CENTER]
Washington's Continentals


Raid on Cambridge


Clash at Fitchburg


Battle of Shrewsbury


Troublesome Minutemen in Providence
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[SIZE="4"]A[/size]fter entering Springfield, the army was encamped while General Howe examined the situation and made plans for the coming campaign. Word reached us late in the month of the arrival of Major General Charles Lord Cornwallis and his command of 3,000 men, marines, and artillery, off the coast of North Carolina. He was charged with securing the south, mainly the port of Charleston in South Carolina and tying down rebel forces to prevent their use in the north. His force consisted of the 57th R. of Foote, 46th R. of Foote, 15th R. of Foote, 37th R. of Foote, 33rd R. of Foote, 3rd B. of Royal Artillery, and one B. of Royal Marines. His command, while nominally under General Howe, was for all purposes independent.

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Major General Charles Lord Cornwallis


Lord Cornwallis' Command[/CENTER]

[CENTER][SIZE="5"]A Leisurely Spring[/size]

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[SIZE="4"]April, 1776 Springfield, Massachusetts[/size]
[SIZE="4"]T[/size]his campaign could conceivably be the most enjoyable time I have ever experienced in my short years. Since the rout at Browne's Plantation our march has been unimpeded across the width of New England. Our men are in high-spirits fortified with the ample bounty of the countryside, even if the citizens greet us poorly.
[SIZE="4"]A[/size]s I look about I wonder what it is they are fighting for? If you ask someone they may tell you, "Taxation, without representation!" A simple slogan, but in the light of what we Britons pay in taxes, on average 25 shillings per annum, the Colonials pay only six-pence! Surely these religious and industrious persons cannot all be so greedy as to fight over what I assure you is so paltry a sum! The debts incurred in the late war by the government protected many of the same people who now stand against their King and Country. You will hear, "To stop King George's Tyranny!" What is so tyrannical about trying to enforce the laws of the land? The British Empire is the most democratic on the planet, and without laws to enforce societal norms the Empire, nay the world, would soon collapse into true despotism, chaos and anarchy. There are Irish and Scot's settled here, and while I am certain that their long acrimony against us is part and parcel to their cause, too many of these good folk are from solid English stock to warrant such brash actions as have been taken by them. It is a curious topic among-st the junior officers of the headquarters, much bandied about to kill the time on horse and at camp.

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New England end of April 1776
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[SIZE="4"]Y[/size]et it would seem that our leisurely pace in securing New England allowed that sly fox Washington to slip around behind us and lay siege to Boston! Riders brought the news to us on the 27th, perplexing General Howe as to the Rebels motives. He cannot believe that a backwoods colonial would dare such an audacious feat. He believes that he is being setup by Washington and that a greater Rebel command is lurking nearby commanded by General Charles Lee, whom we fear is much more capable than the Virginian. Still the dictates of war compel us to meet Washington's bold, or foolish, stroke and secure our base at Boston. Orders go out for the Army to move east. General Clinton is to move his division to Rhode Island to counter any southward movements by Washington. General Howe hopes to catch and crush Washington before encountering any other Rebel force.

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Defeat at Richmond


First Attack on Moultrie outside Ninety-Six


Second Attack on Moultrie near Ninety-Six


Remnants of Colonel Brown's Command after the 'Victories' at Ninety-Six


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[SIZE="4"]N[/size]ews from the south reached us and it was not good. Lord Dunmore's command was surrounded outside of Richmond in Virginia and was compelled to surrender. Further south the Provincials under Colonel Brown undertook ill-advised assaults of Rebel militia entrenched near Fort Ninety-Six and savaged his command in the process of driving them off. A force of Dragoons under the command of Colonel Banastre Tarleton has been successfully raised for operations in the Carolinas against rebel militia and raiders. We have received no news of General Cornwallis' or his fleets whereabouts.

Child Week War is a price…… this is the price we often overlook. In Aizelasi conflicts on the continent happened repeatedly, and the years of war has also led to many orphans here who lost both parents. The homeless orphans have no other place to go, only to accept custody of the growth of the orphanage, until they grew up to adult they may leave. These poor children are innocent, in order not to lose their bright future expectations, and tribal Union will work together to a certain spring in the week as "Child Week", this is a dedication to the children's festival. The purpose of this festival is to allow both camps heroes of the war victims - those who are orphans, some compensation! Orphans are all looking forward to someone to take them to see this world which is full of miracles. Year after year, they live in their own cities (Storm City or Aogeruima) to explore"Adventure"around, they are dreaming of becoming strong enough when they grew up to explore this world alone, to visit those scenic resort, wow gold together with their Parents originally. During the period of children week, those brave adventurer who will be able to help these children realize dreams in Unions and tribes! The player who want to bring the children to see in this world, you need only go to the camp of their orphanages, with the Storm City guardianship of orphans Rapporteur Naidingjiaer (Union) or the orphan care Aogeruima Rapporteur Bateweier (tribal) Dialogue. You can then explore Aizelasi with your younger partner! Following is the children want to visit the places and personalities: Darnassus bank (Union) West of the lighthouse wilderness (Union) Sela Mo's Ji'an'na Puluo De Moer (Union) Moer Sha Farm (tribal) Lordaeron Throne of the (tribal) Thunder Cliff Kane of blood Hoof (tribal Complete your trip in Aizelasi, the players sent the children back to the orphanage. To express the emotion and gratitude for you, the children will send you a cherished pet to stay memorial.