The Battle of Portland (a.k.a. The Three Days' Battle), 18th - 20th February 1653 - General at Sea.

Blake and Tromp - William Lionel Wyllie.

This post follows on from Capt. Steve's narrative of the events leading up to the Battle of Portland in 1653 and his plans to recreate this 'clash of titans' as three of the greatest admirals of the Anglo-Dutch Wars and indeed naval history, Tromp, de Ruyter and Blake at the head of 75 to 80 ships on each side, met off Portland in the English Channel on the 18th of February 1653, to contest mastery of this most vital of waterways to both nations mercantile and commercial interests, see the link below for the post covering the preparation for this game.

JJ's Wargames: The Battle of Portland (a.k.a. The Three Days' Battle), 18th - 20th February 1653, Game Plan and Preparation - General at Sea

For the refight of this very large battle Steve was using General at Sea ruleset by Ian Stanford, which enables the large fleets that characterised the Anglo-Dutch Wars to be modelled on the table by having models represent three to four actual warships to keep the fleets manageable on the table.

The fleet summaries above and below illustrate the arrangements of the models into their various divisions and squadrons with twenty models in the English fleet and nineteen in the Dutch with their combat statistics shown as CV (combat value), SF (shooting factor), BF (boarding factor), and DF (defence factor), with the Fleet total at the top showing two evenly matched opponents, slightly favouring the English with a CV of 304 versus 250 for the Dutch, that reflects the larger more powerful English ships of this period.

For a more detailed order of battle showing which actual ships are represented by the models, you can see them illustrated in the planning post linked above.

The scenario setup plan below captures the situation with the Dutch having the wind as they close on a dispersed English fleet trying to close up having just found their quarry but having had to recall their squadrons from the wide search arrangements they had set up to make sure the Dutch would not slip past them in this the wider part of the Channel. 

Game Setup and Start Positions

So with the game plan arranged Steve made a slight alteration to the setup to better align things to the table that sees the compass adjusted to allow the Dutch to enter the table from the long edge now repositioned as the north west.

The table is arranged for battle and as all wargamers know, the plan changes on first contact with the enemy, so to allow the large fleets to make best use of Steve's table the Dutch can be seen entering from the right table edge now identified as north west rather than the corner as illustrated in the plan.

Blake is hove to in the centre, separated from the rest of the English fleet, with four Dutch squadrons now bearing down on him. Monck is off table and will not appear on table until Turn 7.

Turn 2

As the Dutch bear down on Blake, the English commander opens fire at long range, to no effect, as Penn and Lawson manoeuvre their respective forces to try and join the battle from upwind.

The Dutch bear down on Blake, as the English commander opens fire at long range.

Turn 3

Tromp closes with Blake and receives a bow rake from the powerful English ships that cause a Level 2 disruption, requiring the Dutch commander to take a risk with the Command Stand check.

Tromp closes with Blake and receives a bow rake.

Disaster for the Dutch fleet as Tromp rolls a 12 on his Command Stand check that sees Tromp killed and leaving his stand impaired for three turns until another officer can take charge.

The likely scene board Tromp's quarterdeck as he takes a battering from Blake, leaving the Dutch commander dead.

His squadron fails its reaction test and all its stands are disrupted, however Evertsen and Floriszoon manage to pass their respective tests.

Disaster for the Dutch in Turn 3 as Blake's squadron delivers a punishing bow rake on Tromp's command stand that leaves the Dutch commander dead and his squadron disrupted.

In the process of all this drama Admiral William Penn has managed to tack his way into a position that will allow him to attack de Ruyter.

Turn 4

The misery continues for Tromp's stand as it receives further damage and is dispersed, but manages to pass its Squadron test and stays on the table.

Tromp's stand as it receives further damage and is dispersed.

Meanwhile Penn beats upwind towards de Ruyter who turns to meet the threat.

Penn beats upwind towards de Ruyter.

Turn 5

Tromp's scattered stand attempts to disengage, whilst Evertsen passes the rear of Blake and begins to engage Howett and is disrupted for his trouble.

In the background Evertsen's squadron has passed the rear of Blake and Tromp in the centre, whilst on the extreme right Howett's squadron have engaged Evertesen

Three of de Ruyter's squadron concentrate their fire at long range on the foremost stand of Penn's squadron, causing it to be disrupted.

de Ruyter's squadron concentrate their fire at long range on the foremost stand of Penn's squadron.

Turn 6

The battle intensifies as the following stand in Tromp's squadron receives a battering from Blake and is scattered, whilst Floriszoon bow rakes Lawson but causes no damage, and Evertesen is disrupted by Howett's squadron.

Blake continues to batter Tromp's squadron, centre-rear. Evertsen is disrupted by Howett, top-right, and  Floriszoon bow rakes Lawson to no effect, bottom-right.

Penn exchanges fire with de Ruyter at long range, to no effect, whilst the rest of his squadron charges into the attack.

English gunners pouring on the hurt!

The stage is now set for the arrival of General at Sea Monck, next turn.

Penn exchanges fire with de Ruyter at long range, to no effect.

Turn 7

Tromp's scattered squadron turns away and starts to limp back in the direction of the Dutch convoy, whilst Blake sustains a level 1 damage due to the accumulation of disruptions it has received in the fight with Tromp's squadron.

Tromp's stand can be seen limping away from the fight with Blake, top, centre-left, whilst the lead stands of Penn and Lawson have passed through their Dutch opponents extreme left and right, whilst in the background, top right Evertsen has turned to starboard in pursuit of Howett, whilst the first two stands of Monck's squadron can be seen approaching, top-right.

Some of Penn and Lawson's stands break through their Dutch opponents, stern raking as they pass and causing level 1 damage and disruptions. 

Battle is well and truly joined as Tromp's lead stand limps away with a dead admiral aboard, whilst battle rages around Blake's squadron in the background.

Evertesen swings around in pursuit of Howett, only to spot the leading stands of Monck arriving from the south.

Turn 8

Tromp's squadron continues to break off, whilst some of Penn's squadron are moving in to take prizes. 

The Dutch are beat and both Floriszoon and Evertsen take the opportunity to escape off table. 

The Dutch are starting to break off leaving damaged and scattered stands in their wake as the English pursue in an attempt to take prizes.

However de Ruyter gamely takes the battle to Penn's English Blue Squadron as he circles around them and damages their rearmost stand in a parting salute.

The Dutch are beat but de Ruyter gamely takes the battle to Penn's English Blue Squadron as he circles around them and damages their rearmost stand in a parting salute.

So Blake comes out on top again and I attach Steve's comments on the fight, which might take some interpreting from the pictures so I have included Steve's sketch of the game action;

'. . . these battles do turn into pell-mell actions, which is why contemporary accounts are so hard to follow what happened. This one is slightly clearer as the squadrons were quite far apart, but I have attached a sketch of what happened during this game to help . . .'

Steve's sketch of the game action

The real battle (and the next two) showed that the traditional Dutch tactics of “board and burn” – which had worked so well against the Spanish and Portuguese – simply could not cope with English firepower, especially when employed in line.

This game had the same historic outcome, except that the Dutch had the misfortune to lose Tromp at the beginning of the action, causing confusion and dismay amongst his fleet. Tromp’s intention had been to come to close range of Blake and then launch a fireship. Even though Blake was undamaged, his stand was heaved to and vulnerable. This plan was thwarted when Blake fired first, inflicting level 2 damage, disruption and in the process killing Tromp. 

Tromp might have lessened the effect of Blake’s broadside by turning to starboard at the end of the move, thus avoiding a bow rake, however with Blake’s SF of 33 against Tromp’s DF of 14, Tromp was always going to come off much worse in close action; and Tromp’s stand is the most powerful in the Dutch fleet.

Blake's line arranged, hove to awaiting Tromp, with weaker stands placed behind the heavier warships to prevent the Dutch breaking through.

If Tromp had altered course to pass ahead of Blake and rake him, all Blake had to do was set sail and move off to block him. Even with lucky dice throws, Tromp could not break through Blake because of the weak stand positioned behind him and his second.

Due to the inferiority of the Dutch ships compared to their heavier English opponents in the First Anglo Dutch War, it is very difficult for the Dutch to win. At their victory at Livorno, they had a more than 2-1 advantage in numbers, and half the defeated English squadron were hired merchants. 

Capt. Steve's refight of the Battle of Livorno, his first battle report using General at Sea, back in June last year.
JJ's Wargames: The Battle of Livorno (Leghorn), 4th March 1653, using General at Sea and the Fireships in action.

For the Dutch to have a fighting chance, we will have to move to the Second Anglo Dutch War, when their emergency shipbuilding programme resulted in larger, more powerful warships more capable of fighting toe-to toe with the English.

I have attached my plan of Day 2 of the battle. The Dutch formed a crescent, shielding their convoy – over 150 vessels – from the pursuing English. Rather like the Armada in 1588, except that the Dutch horns pointed inwards, whereas the Spanish pointed outwards. Ships in this period had much heavier and more numerous stern chasers than in the Napoleonic wars, and when aimed by expert gunners could hold off attackers. 

The high transom of the Vasa, which I photographed last October during a visit to Stockholm, illustrates Steve's point about the numerous ports for stern chasers on ships of this period, compared to the design of later 18th and 19th century warships, a factor that underpins the Dutch tactics for Day 2 of The Battle of Portland.

The English tried to send frigates around the flanks to pick off merchantmen. Dutch discipline held throughout most of the day until they began to run out of powder and shot and this caused some the escorts to run for home. At this point some of the convoy decided to break away and take their chances. It was a major triumph for Tromp to get the convoy safely back to Holland by a feat of seamanship, sailing past Cape Cris Nez at night.

I hope, like me, you enjoyed this further exploration of the First Anglo-Dutch Wars and the Battle of Portland, and thank you to Captain Steve for yet another engaging after action report and battle plan.

More to come on JJ's with another theme to explore as I have some 28mm Seven Years War French Infantry to showcase that I have painted for my pal, Steve M, in readiness for a Quebec Campaign game themed around the Battle of Sainte-Foy fought in April 1760 and the subject of a planned game later this year; in addition I intend to showcase the 15th Virginia Continental Regiment, and I have an overall update and review of my 'The World Turned Upside Down' AWI project showing all the units produced too date and my next steps.

As always, more anon.

JJ

The Battle of Portland (a.k.a. The Three Days' Battle), 18th - 20th February 1653, Game Plan and Preparation - General at Sea

 

In the previous post in this series by Captain Steve, he recounted the situation that led up to the Battle of Dungeness in November 1652, and a refight of the battle using the rules General at Sea by Ian Stanford, link below.

JJ's Wargames: The Battle of Dungeness, 30th November 1652 - General at Sea.

In this post Steve picks up the narrative as the Tromp/Blake duel carried on into 1653 with another major clash around a Dutch convoy attempting to navigate the English Channel, and his plan to refight The Three Days' Battle of Portland.

The Dutch victory at the battle of Dungeness in November 1652 left the the Dutch navy in control of the Channel through the winter of 1652-3 and allowed a revival of trade and commerce, but by early February 1653, the English fleet had been refitted and reorganised; and around eighty ships put to sea on 11th February under the joint command of the generals-at-sea Robert Blake, George Monck and Richard Deane to intercept Lieutenant-Admiral Maarten Tromp, who was expected to escort a large merchant fleet homeward-bound from the Mediterranean.

Steve's order of battle for the Dutch Fleet at Portland.
This is the biggest of the battles staged so far and we can expect to see a lot of lovely models, thirty-nine precisely, out on the table for this one.

Following Dungeness, the English had reorganised their Navy. The fleet was now divided into three squadrons – Red (Centre), White (Van) and Blue (Rear). Generals at Sea Deane and Monck were sent to support Blake. 

General at Sea George Monck

Monck (in his very first action at sea) was given command of the White (Van) and amused his seamen with such land-lubber orders as “Wheel to the Right”. However, he was a very quick learner as events will prove. 

General at Sea Richard Deane

Deane was a gunnery expert, having commanded the New Model Army’s artillery and unusually held joint command with Blake, rather than command the Blue (Rear), which was given to Penn. 

Tromp's fleet of seventy-five warships rendezvoused with the 150 ships of the Mediterranean convoy at La Rochelle early in January 1653. Tromp hoped to sail home through the Channel before the English fleet was ready to put to sea, but stragglers and adverse weather conditions delayed him. The Dutch convoy finally reached the mouth of the Channel on 16th February. 

Steve's order of battle for the Dutch Fleet at Portland

The English generals planned to attack Tromp in the deeper waters of the western Channel, where the Dutch fleet was far from home and could not salvage damaged ships easily. However, the width of the Channel at its western end meant that the English fleet had to cover a wider area in order to ensure that the Dutch did not slip past.

Blake was determined not to let Tromp evade him, as de Ruyter did the previous year, and spread his fleet across the Channel in the hope of making contact. When they did, off Portland Bill, the English were widely dispersed: Blake and Dean had about 20 ships with them, the rest of the Red Squadron were some way astern and down wind. 

The battle setup for Portland on Day 1.
See the orders of battle above for details of the respective divisions.

The Blue squadron was some way ahead, whilst the White was several miles to the south and would have to tack in order to reach the rest of the fleet.

Seeing the English dispersed and Blake isolated, Tromp seized the opportunity to destroy him before the other English squadrons could come to his rescue and accordingly ordered all four of his squadrons to turn down wind and charge Blake. Blake turned into the wind, hove to in line, and awaited the onslaught in what one historian termed “the Balaclava of the sea.”

Steve's 'Collection Plate' with a wonderful depiction by Mark Myers of Blake meeting the charge of the Dutch fleet in line ahead. 

Penn reacted by turning into the wind and tacking in order to attack the nearest Dutch squadron, which was de Ruyter’s. Lawson decided not to attack up wind in Blake’s aid and be overwhelmed. Instead, he made the risky move of passing Blake to the south and then tacking, following Penn into action. Monck began to tack northwards, but it would take many hours before he could join in.

One of the maps from Three Decks illustrating the previously thought arrangement of the Dutch Fleet at the Battle of Portland
Battle of Portland, 18th February 1652/53 - 20th February 1652/53

There is some dispute over the Dutch squadrons. Traditionally, only three were shown with de Ruyter to port of Tromp and Evertsen to starboard (the two maps in the Three Decks page). Modern research now has de Ruyter and Floriszoon to starboard of Tromp and Evertsen to port, as shown below:

This is a most interesting fight. Like Dungeness, it involved three of the most celebrated admirals in history – Tromp, de Ruyter and Blake. Also, the defence of Blake’s small group of ships against the Dutch is considered by some historians as being the crucial event that convinced the English Generals at Sea to introduce the line of battle, which they used for the first time in the next battle, the Gabbard.

In the next post Steve refights The Three Days' Battle of Portland.

As always, more anon.

JJ

The World Turned Upside Down - His Majesty's 15th Foot.

 

Clifton's Regiment was raised in June 1685 in Nottingham by Sir William Clifton, one of several units formed to bolster King James II against the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion. Colonel Clifton did not remain long in command as he died the following year aged 23, and was succeeded by Colonel Arthur Herbert, afterwards Earl Torrington, by commission dated 12th of May, 1686.

Following the ‘Glorious Revolution’ of 1688, the regiment, now commanded by Colonel Sir James Lesley went over to James’s successor, William III and he sent it to Scotland for the Jacobite rising of 1689 to 1692. 

They were based at Inverness when the Battle of Killiecrankie was fought in July 1689 and in April 1690 fought at the Battle of Cromdale.

Illustrative of the look of English infantry at the time Clifton's Regiment was raised, 
the Musketeer of Hasting's Regiment displays the infamous plug bayonet that was to have
disastrous consequences at the Battle of Killiecrankie where inexperience in their use and the speed of the Highland charge left the government troops defenceless and causing many to flee.

The regiment embarked for Flanders in spring 1694 for service in the Nine Years' War and took part in the capture of Huy in autumn 1694, the attack of Fort Knokke in June 1695 and the Siege of Namur in summer 1695 before returning home in 1697.

The regiment was next sent to Holland in 1701 for service in the War of the Spanish Succession and fought at the siege of Kaiserswerth in 1702, the siege of Venlo later that year and the Battle of Blenheim in August 1704.

It went on to fight at the Battle of Ramillies in May 1706, the Battle of Oudenarde in July 1708 and the Battle of Malplaquet in September 1709, returning to England in 1714. It was sent back to Scotland and took part in the Battle of Glen Shiel in June 1719 during the third Jacobite rising.

The regiment was deployed to South America, where it took part in the Battle of Cartagena de Indias in March 1741 during the War of Jenkins' Ear, returning to England in 1742, and during the years 1743 and 1744, the regiment was stationed in Great Britain.

Soldier of the 15th regiment (1742).

In the summer of 1745 the British army was supporting Austrian troops against the French and the regiment was deployed to Ostend to join a garrison of British and Austrian troops under Austrian Lieut.-General Count Chanclos. It endured a thirteen day siege by the French until Chanclos capitulated, the garrison being permitted to march out with the honours of war, and proceed to Austrian territories.

[34]

At this period, Charles Edward, eldest son of the Pretender, had raised the Highland clans to arms, and asserted his father's pretensions to the British throne, with the subsequent rebellion causing the regiment to be recalled from Flanders and on the 25th of October it landed at Gravesend, but it was not ordered to march against the insurgent clans, destined to remain in the south of England to oppose the threatened invasion of the French and raiding the French coast in 1746.

In 1751, it was given the number 15 in the infantry order of precedence.

The Death of General Wolfe, 1759.

In 1757, the 15th Foot was used in the Rochefort Expedition during the Seven Years War (1756-63). It then fought under General James Wolfe at Louisburg (1758) and Quebec (1759), later adopting a black line in its lace in mourning for Wolfe’s death in battle. It remained in Canada until 1768, except for two years in the West Indies, and then in Great Britain from 1768 to 1776.

John Theophilus Rawdon-Hastings, son of the 1st Earl of Moira,
and a young officer in the 15th Foot in 1776 - John Trotter.

The 15th Foot in America and the Caribbean, 1776-1783.

In September 1775 Major-General Sir Charles Thompson was succeeded in the colonelcy of the regiment, by Major-General Richard Earl of Cavan, from the 55th regiment of foot, and the 15th regiment was one of the corps selected to proceed across the Atlantic, as reinforcements for the troops in North America facing colonists in open revolt.

The regiment embarked from Ireland early in 1776, and proceeded to Cape Fear, in North Carolina, with four other corps, under Major-General the Earl Cornwallis, arriving on the coast of North Carolina early in April, when Lieut.-General Clinton assumed the command. 

The Charleston Expedition 1776.
Map by Roger Smith.
The Southern Expedition of 1776: The Best Kept Secret of the American Revolution - Journal of the American Revolution

The men landed at Cape Fear to refresh themselves after the voyage, and returning on board the transports, sailed, on the 1st of June, with the expedition against Charleston. After passing Charleston bar, the troops landed on one of the islands, but the armament proved of insufficient strength for the capture of the capital of South Carolina, and the five regiments re-embarked and proceeded to Staten Island, where the main body of the British forces was assembled under General Sir William Howe. The 15th, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel John Bird, were formed in brigade with the 4th, 27th and 45th regiments, under Major-General Pigot.

The 15th Regiment was brigaded alongside the 4th, 27th and 45th foot under Major General Robinson, and formed part of the force under Lieut.-General Clinton

A landing was effected on Long Island on the 22nd of August, and the 15th Regiment, brigaded alongside the 4th, 27th and 45th foot under Major General Robinson, formed part of the force under Lieut.-General Clinton, which advanced after dusk on the evening of the 26th to seize Jamaica Pass on the Gowanus Heights, and turn the enemy's left flank above Flat-bush. This pass was taken possession of on the following morning; the army advanced, and the Americans were driven from their position with considerable loss and forced to retreat to their fortified lines at Brooklyn. The loss of the regiment on this occasion was limited to a few men wounded.

The Americans quit their fortified lines during the night of the 28th of August, and retired across the East River, in boats, to New York; and the reduction of Long Island was thus accomplished in a few days, with little loss.

HMS Phoenix, Roebuck and Tartar, accompanied by three smaller vessels, forcing their way through a cheval-de-frise on the Hudson River with the Forts Washington and Lee and several batteries on both sides, 9th October 1776 - Thomas Mitchell after Dominic Serres the Elder.

From Long Island the regiment proceeded with the army across the East River, when General Washington was forced to abandon New York, which city was taken possession of by the British; and proceeding up the river, the regiment took part in the operations that forced the Americans to evacuate their lines on White Plains; this time without loss.

Troops movement during Battle of Fort Washington, Nov 16th, 1776.
File:Battle of Fort Washington, 1776.svg - Wikimedia Commons

The regiment took part in the attack and capture of the enemy's lines and redoubts near Fort Washington, on the 16th of November, when it had a few private soldiers killed and wounded, and then proceeded into winter quarters at the city of New York.

The Battle of Fort Washington - Don Troiani.
Hessians storm Colonel Rawling’s Redoubt of Pennsylvania Riflemen and three cannon. Margaret Corbin, who manned a cannon after her husband was killed, is featured.

In the winter of 1776-1777, General Howe commanding British forces in New York became aware of the important riverside depot of Peekskill for American forces in the Hudson Highlands and ordered an expedition about fifty miles upriver on the 22nd March to disrupt the fortification efforts there and the assembly of newly raised Continental regiments.

Lieutenant Colonel John Bird of the Fifteenth, with five hundred men and four light guns, of which a division of the regiment formed part, provided the land contingent; the frigate Brune, three galleys, four transports, and eight flatboats made up the naval component. After feinting to draw the American defenders off, Bird's men landed at Lunt's Cove about 1 p.m. on the 23rd; Brigadier General Alexander McDougall's small garrison burned some of the stores and withdrew. One American was killed; Bird had no casualties. Having completed the destruction of the magazines, barracks, and stores, the troops returned to New York.

This action encouraged the British to undertake the Danbury raid on 23rd-28th April following the discovery that the Americans had established extensive depots at Danbury, and other places on the borders of Connecticut, and the 15th regiment formed part of a body of troops, consisting of 1,500 regulars drawn from the 4th, 15th, 23rd, 27th, 44th, and 64th regiments, 300 Loyalists from the Prince of Wales American Regiment and a small contingent of the 17th Light Dragoons, which embarked from New York, under Major-General Tyron, for the destruction of these magazines.

This 1780 map shows the movements of the various forces prior to the Battle of Ridgefield:
A: British movements to Danbury, B: American movements toward Danbury,
C: British movements toward Ridgefield, and D: American movements toward Ridgefield
(upper arrow: Wooster, lower arrow: Arnold)

The British boarded twelve transports and landed without opposition at Compo, Connecticut between Fairfield and Norwalk, on the evening of the 25th of April, and marched from there to Danbury.

There, they destroyed Continental Army supplies after chasing off a small garrison of troops. In response, Connecticut militia leaders Major General David Wooster, Brigadier General Gold S. Silliman, and Brigadier General Benedict Arnold raised a combined force of roughly 700 Continental Army regular and irregular local militia forces to oppose the British force, but could not reach Danbury in time to prevent the destruction of the supplies, so instead, set out to harass the British on their return to the coast.

On April 27th, the company led by Wooster twice attacked Tryon's rear guard during their march south, and in the second encounter, Wooster was mortally wounded and died five days later.

Farmers Against the Crown - Dale Gallon
https://www.gallon.com/shop/other-wars/revolutionary-war/farmers-against-the-crown/
Local Ridgefield farmers under General Arnold resist the British forces as they advance to their ships on the coast.

The main encounter then took place at Ridgefield, where several hundred militia under Arnold's command confronted the British and were driven away in a running battle down the town's main street, but not before inflicting casualties on the British.

The 15th regiment had eight rank and file killed on this expedition; Captain Harry Ditmas, one serjeant, and fifteen rank and file wounded; two men missing. Lieutenant Charles Hastings, of the twelfth foot, serving as a volunteer with the regiment, was also wounded.

The expedition was a tactical success for the British forces, but their actions in pursuing the raid galvanized Patriot support in Connecticut.

In August 1777 the Regiment would be part of General Howe's expedition against Philadelphia and the Fifteenth, commanded by Lieut.-Colonel John Bird, was brigaded with the 17th, 42nd and 44th regiments, under Major-General Charles Grey's 3rd Brigade.

Embarking from Sandy Hook, the army sailed to the Chesapeake, and proceeding up Elk River, landed on the northern shore on the 25th of August, that would see the American army taking up a position at Brandywine to oppose the advance, and on the 11th of September the King's forces moved forward to engage their opponents.

Battle of Brandywine, with the 15th Foot forming part of General Grey's third brigade.

The 15th Foot formed part of the column under Major-General the Earl Cornwallis, which made a flank march to turn the right and gain the rear of the American army., an action that proved decisive; in driving the Americans from their position, and forced to making a precipitate retreat. 

During the battle the 15th are reported to have run low on musket rounds, leading to the remaining supply of ball being distributed to the 'picked men' whilst the remaining men were reduced to 'snapping' away with powder giving rise to the regimental nickname 'The Snappers'.

The battalion companies of the regiment did not sustain any loss on this occasion; but the flank companies, being formed in the grenadier and light infantry battalions, had Lieutenant Faulkener killed; Captain Cathcart, Captain Douglas, and Lieutenant Leigh wounded; also several men killed and wounded.

After Brandywine, the army continued its advance, with Philadelphia occupied and the British troops taking up a position at Germantown, the 15th Foot being posted on the left of the village.

Making a forced march during the night of the 3rd of October, the American army appeared suddenly in front of Germantown before daylight on the following morning, and attacked the British outposts, attempting to surprise the troops in an unprepared state. The first assault was opposed by the second battalion of light infantry, and the 40th regiment, under Lieut.-Colonel Musgrave, posted at the head of the village; these corps were forced to fall back, and Lieut.-Colonel Musgrave threw himself, with six companies of the 40th, into (Cliveden) Chew House, where he was attacked by an American brigade, aided by four pieces of cannon. 

The Battle of Germantown, illustrating the position of the 15th Foot on the right of the
brigade line formed by General Grey, it being the senior regiment and having the place of honour.

In the British counterattack, that would cause the Americans to retreat, Major-General Grey brought forward the 15th, 17th and 44th regiments which would see the 15th suffer the loss of Lieut.-Colonel John Bird, Ensign Anthony Frederick, and five rank and file of the regiment killed; Captains George Goldfrap and Harry Ditmas, Lieutenant George Thomas, Ensign Henry Ball, two serjeants, and forty-two rank and file wounded. 

In referring to the death of Lieut.-Colonel Bird, General Sir William Howe spoke of it as an event 'much to be lamented, he being an officer of experience and approved merit.' 

After passing the winter in Pennsylvania, and involvement in the skirmishes in the spring of 1778, to open communications for bringing in supplies, the regiment participated in the march of the army from Philadelphia to New York, where they arrived in July 1778 under Lieut.-General Sir Henry Clinton, following Sir William Howe's resignation and return home.

The routes taken by the Continental Army from Valley Forge (dark blue) and the British Army from Philadelphia (red) to the Battle of Monmouth, June 1778. Where the roads allowed, the British first division took the western route while the second division followed a parallel route farther east. The dashed blue line shows Lafayette's attempt to catch the British when he was commander of the vanguard.
File:Monmouth1 plainsvg.svg - Wikimedia Commons

The grenadier company of the Fifteenth distinguished itself at the Battle of Monmouth and Captain Cathcart, of the regiment, was wounded; and also Captain Ditmas, who was attached to the second grenadier battalion.

An image of a British officer of the light company, thought to be the 15th Foot, wearing the 
round hat characteristic of British infantry during much of the war in North America and likely
continued in the West Indies Campaign.

With a growing threat of French involvement in the war menacing the British possessions in the West Indies, the 15th, and several other corps, sailed from North America, early in November, for Barbados, under Major-General Grant.

The 15th Foot in the Caribbean 1778-1783, showing the islands of St Lucia, St Kitts (St Christopher), and the former Dutch island of St. Eustatius that featured principally in its activities during this period.

The regiment was involved in the attack on the French island of St. Lucia, brigaded with the 28th, 46th, and 55th, under Major-General Robert Prescott, the expedition sailing from Carlisle-bay on the 12th of December.

On the evening of 13th December and morning of 14th December, Major General James Grant, supported by additional troops under Brigadier Generals William Medows and Prescott, landed at Grand Cul de Sac, St. Lucia. Grant and Prescott took control of the high ground around the bay, while Medows continued on and took Vigie the following morning (14th December). On 14th December the French fleet under d’Estaing arrived, forced Admiral Barrington to move his ships into line of battle and forgo his plan of moving the transports into Carénage Bay

Barrington's Action at St Lucia, 15th December 1778 - Dominic Serres.
The naval battle between the 12 French ships of d'Estaing (left) and seven English ships of Admiral Barrington (right).

After a "warm conflict" raged between the two fleets from 11.00, with the British supported by two shore batteries, and with the troop transports safely tucked behind Barrington's line of warships, d’Estaing  broke off but then renewed his assault at 1600 by attacking Barrington's centre with twelve ships of the line. Again, heavy fire was exchanged, and the French were eventually repulsed for a second time.

Plan of St. Lucia, in the West Indies: Showing the positions of the English and French forces with the attacks made at its reduction in December 1778.

On the 16th December Admiral d’Estaing appeared to be preparing for a third assault against Admiral Barrington's line, but then sailed away towards the windward, and on the evening of 16th December anchored in Gros Islet Bay, where he landed 7,000 troops for an assault on the British lines at La Vigie. Three assaults were made but British control of the high ground enabled them to repulse the French who were re-embarked, and when d'Estaing's fleet left on 29th December, the island surrendered to the British.

The 15th Foot remained at St. Lucia for several months, during which, the French amassed a great superiority of numbers in both of naval and land forces in the West Indies; and in June, 1779, they attacked the island of St. Vincent, and in July Grenada; the regiment embarked from St. Lucia, for the relief of these islands; but the French captured them before any force could arrive to their assistance, and the regiment was afterwards landed at the island of St. Christopher's, where it was stationed during the year 1780.

With the entry of the Dutch into the war, the Dutch island of St. Eustatius was captured in February, 1781, and the 15th regiment was afterwards removed from St. Christopher's to St. Eustatius, leaving the flank companies as garrison.

The British commandant at St. Eustatius neglected to adopt the necessary precautions for the security of St. Eustatius, and during the night of the 26th of November, a French force, under the Marquis of Bouillé, effected a landing, captured the commandant as he was taking a morning ride, overpowered the posts, and forced the garrison, consisting of the battalion companies of the 13th and 15th regiments, to surrender as prisoners of war. The commandant, Lieut.-Colonel Cockburn, was afterwards tried by a general court-martial, and cashiered.

In the meantime the flank companies of the regiment were stationed at Brimstone Hill, St Kitts, (St. Christopher's), a heavily fortified garrison, with the first battalion of the royals and a detachment of artillery, which constituted the military force of the island, under Brigadier-General Fraser.

On the 11th January 1782, the French under Admiral Comte François Joseph Paul de Grasse and François Claude Amour, marquis de Bouillé, laid siege to the fort, during which the adjacent island of Nevis surrendered, and guns from Fort Charles and other small forts there were brought to St. Kitts for use against Brimstone Hill. British Admiral Hood could not dislodge de Grasse, and after a month of siege, the heavily outnumbered and cut-off British garrison surrendered, and was permitted to march through the breach with the honours of war, to return to England, on condition of being considered as prisoners of war until exchanged.

After the surrender at St Kitts, the regiment eventually returned to Britain, however many of the officers and men, who had been made prisoners, were lost on the voyage home in the Ville de Paris, the French flagship, which had been captured by Admiral Rodney at the Battle of the Saintes in April 1782.

Later it received its county designation as the 15th (the Yorkshire East Riding) Regiment of Foot in 1782 where it was stationed whilst being rebuilt.

My 15th Foot are modelled using the Perrys Miniatures plastic range of British infantry and carrying Colours from GMB, finished off with a set of low profile sabot bases from Supreme Littleness Designs. I have built them as a 20 figure unit to better represent them as at the Battle of Brandywine with a strength of around 367 men all ranks and with their flank companies detached, able to reduce them to a 16 figure unit to suit later actions such as Germantown and Monmouth.

In the next TWTUD showcase I will present the 15th Virginia Continental Regiment, this once I get my new computer up and running following its predecessor dying on me a few weeks ago. 

In addition I also have another Anglo-Dutch Wars battle AAR from Captain Steve, so lots to come here on JJ's and as always, more anon

JJ