Rebel AAR 1776-1783 scenario

[Roads]

April 1778

Situation:

Canada: No change

New England:
Washington caught up with Leslie in Hartford. He had 30 regular companies, 6 dragoon companies, 4 artillery companies, five light infantry companies, and twelve militia companies. Leslie had 9 regular companies, two ranger companies, two light companies, and four artillery companies. Washington took 8 hearts, but lost no companies while wiping out Leslie’s force. He captured a supply and an artillery battalion. This really is the beginning of the end for the British – the first large force that the rebels have truly wiped out. Washington added a third dragoon battalion to his army. A British general with no troops is outside the walls of Hartford.

Lafayette took Norwich, but Clinton escaped into the mountains of Cohafser
Two regular battalions of Germans, presumably detached from Leslie, are in Westminster Massachusetts.

Middle States:
The two enemy miltia are now besieging Ticonderoga. Just south, in Fort Edward is Von Donop and his half strength regiment.
Greene beat the battalion of provincials defending Albany, killing one company of provincials.
Stark took Fort Dayton, but then retreated before battle from Matthews and the fourth grenadiers. Stark is now in the mountains of Sacadanga where there is snow. Matthews remains in Dayton, and Mirbach with a single battalion of regulars holds Fort Stanwix.
Butler with two provincials and an artillery took Wilkes-Barre and Sunbury and is now besieging Gates in Wyoming.

Philadelphia is held by Von Knyphausen with two regulars, an irregular, and another unidentified unit. Immediately to the west in Chester is Von Riesedel with one regular, one provincial, three militia and two artillery.

South Central:
For some reason Lee did not advance out of Alexandria. Tarleton with a light infantry battalion took Winchester and Baltimore from me.
Arnold crossed the Potomac to Shananda, but Pattison remains in Potomac and has been joined by Vaughn, so he has a regular and an artillery under command. Arnold is still in pursuit.
GR Clark took Fort Chiswell

Deep South:
Two British regulars are in Nash, North Carolina, apparently to invade Virginia again. They may be supported by the militia in Williamston. Dunmore holds Hillsboro with a single militia.
Sumter is in Clarendon. A single militia unit holds Wilmington for the British.
Morgan met up with the unled British regulars and the dragoons in Kingstown and won a Pyrrhic victory. He inflicted four hearts, but took five losing an entire battalion of militia. The enemy withdrew to Cheraw. Morgan was joined by Howe and his two militia.
The Ninety Six garrison absorbed another company of replacement militia



In the Deep South the British remain scattered. Morgan leads my strike force.

[Roads]

April 1778

Orders

With the only real Royal army north of Philadelphia now wiped out I have to decide on my broad goals for the summer. I feel that Greene with a little bit of help should be able to clear out New York State and keep New England secure. If Howe’s army comes in from Canada Greene should be able to prevent him from causing too much trouble. So most of Washington’s army is available. If I keep it in upstate New York I’ll be able to clear the area very quickly and prepare an expedition to take Detroit. This is attractive, but requires that Lee be able handle the British in Pennsylvania. Alternatively Washington could invade Canada – I have to start such an invasion reasonably soon, so that I can be in firm control of Montreal by the time the snows come. Finally Washington could squeeze the British in Pennsylvania. This is the safer approach and the one I’ve decided to adopt. I’ll use the July levies to start a Western expedition from New York, and let the French worry about Canada.

Canada: 1st Maine to hold out in Montreal

New England:
-Lafayette ordered from Norwich, New Hampshire to intercept the enemy regulars in Westminster Massachusetts. If Clinton retakes Norwich so much the better - I’ll go back there and clobber him.
-Warner’s battalion to recuperate in Portsmouth. I’ll probably send them to Norwich in May
-The new supply train in Springfield is ordered to join the army defending Albany.
-Du Portail with two regulars joins the 1st Connecticut militia in garrison in Hartford. Ultimately he will join Lafayette and help to hold New England.
-Washington with the remainder of the Continental Army ordered to Ridgefield, New York. With the bad weather they cannot make it to New York City.

Middle States:
-Schuyler with Putnam, two regulars, a militia and a dragoon is detached from Greene and ordered to stay in place to defend Albany.
-Greene with the remainder of his force (one regular, one light infantry and two militia) is ordered to assault the German battalion in Fort Edward and then to proceed to lift the siege of Ticonderoga. Ticonderoga garrison to sortie upon his arrival. Hopefully Howe will remain defending St John.
-Stark and his mountaineers are ordered out of the mountains and into Albany to recuperate from the winter damage they are about to take.
-Gates with his two militia and fixed garrison to hold out in Wyoming.

South Central:
-Arnold to intercept and destroy Pattison
-Lee to advance to Bush at the mouth of the Susquhanna. There is a decent chance he’ll end up fighting Von Riesedel, but I don’t think Von Knyphausen will come this far south. If he does Washington will be able to waltz in to Philadelphia. In May I expect to send Lee towards Gates in Wyoming.
-1st Delaware regulars ordered from Cambridge to Wilmington, Delaware. Hopefully they will be able to join Lee in May.
-The new supply in Charlottesville is ordered to join Sullivan in Petersburg
-Lincoln to take the 3rd Virginia militia and the siege guns to Norfolk, which seems to draw the British like moths.
-Sullivan with two regulars to wait further developments in Petersburg. Petersburg garrison of one regular and one militia to recuperate.

Deep South:
-E Clarke and his partisans ordered from Pakolet, which is not near any enemy forces, to Trading Ford which is a great place to set an ambush near Hillsboro.
-Sumter with two partisans ordered to Green Swamp from where they can prevent newly arrived British supplies from heading inland (or towards Charleston).
-Morgan with four militia to intercept and pursue the British regular and Jameson’s who are outside Cheraw.
-Howe detached from Morgan and sent to lead the garrison of Charleston.
-Kosciusko with three militia to move from Augusta to Camden. One regular to garrison Augusta (where I have less than 50% loyalty)
-Supply train that arrived in Ninety Six ordered to Charleston. Ninety Six garrison to hold.
-JP Jones to take his squadron to Saint Domingue

West:
GR Clark and his rangers ordered from Fort Chiswell to Point Pleasant in Kentucky

What you can see is that I'm starting to take the offensive and am building up reserve forces to hold the ground that I've taken. I'm not out of the woods yet, but the tide has turned decisively.




Arnold and C. Lee drive north towards Pennsylvania the last enemy held region.

[Roads]

May 1778:

Situation

Canada: The siege of Montreal continues. Howe is still idle in St John.

New England:
The two German regulars that were in Westminster Massachusetts crossed the mountains to Hoseck, New York, and captured my supply train there. Lafayette, chasing them, is in Brattleboro. There are no enemy forces in New England and they control no towns.

Middle States:
Greene fought Von Donop with his own single battalion of German regulars and two militia battalions. Greene won a slight victory, taking four hearts and inflicting five. However, the siege of Ticonderoga has been lifted. Von Donop retreated to Fort Edward and Clinton arrived in Skenesboro.

Stark is in Albany and the British seem to have Mirbach with two regulars in garrison in Fort Stanwix.

Washington is in Ridgefield, and Leslie has what looks like a big force holding Philadelphia. However, intelligence says it consists of only three regulars, one provincial, three militia, one irregular and two artillery.

Striling now leads the army that was besieging Wyoming. It is now in garrison in Sunbury, and presumably consists of two provincials and an artillery. The 1st Delaware made it to Wilmington, where it is close to Lee in Bush.

South Central:
Arnold caught up with Pattison but Pattison managed to retreat from the battle very quickly, and each side lost only one heart.

Tarleton with a light infantry unit went into garrison in Baltimore, and Lee bypassed him to reach Bush. Von Knyphausen, with Butler and two regulars is also in Bush. Another continental artillery unit arrived in Annapolis.

Howe’s fleet bombarded Norfolk and inflicted 29 hits. Cornwallis with three regulars and two artillery was disembarked in Norfolk, where Lincoln ran into him. Lincoln was mauled by Cornwallis’ 8 regular companies and eight artillery companies, losing his militia battalion. I have no idea where Cornwallis came from, I suspect he was embarked in Philadelphia. Once more the AI has caught me off guard, although I’m not sure it’s so wise of the British to disperse their efforts like this.

Deep South:
The British supply train from Wilmington went through Clarendon instead of Green Swamp and therefore eluded Sumter. It’s now in Torhunta, southeast of Hillsboro and Lord Dunmore, who continues to hold Hillsboro with a single militia.

The two enemy miltia that were in Wilmington and Williamston, North Carolina have joined together and are now in Ramsey’s Mill, west of Hillsboro.
Clarke reached Trading Ford which is also occupied by a British regular and a militia.

Morgan caught up with the British regular battalion in Cheraw and wiped it out. Jameson’s dragoons had already left Cheraw and are now in Sapona between Winesboro and Ramseur’s Mill.


That is a big army in Philadelphia, but I have three big armies of my own headed Leslie's way.

[Roads]

May 1778

Orders:

Canada: 1st Maine to hold out in Montreal

New England:
-Du Portail with two regulars ordered from Hartford to Brattleboro. From there he will be able to reinforce Lafayette, Schuyler, or Greene, or to fight Clinton in Norwich as circumstances require.
-Lafayette with two regulars and one militia ordered from Brattleboro to Hoseck and to pursue the two German battalions in that area.
-Warner’s mountain boys ordered from Portsmouth to Concord, now that there are no enemy forces nearby
-Garrisons (Newport, Hartford, Springfield, Boston, Portsmouth) to stay in place.

Middle States:
-Greene ordered to Fort Edward to pursue Von Donop’s army.
-1st New York left in garrison in Ticonderoga
-Stark and his rangers ordered to Oswego to gather intelligence on Stanwix and Oswego.
-Schuyler to hold outside Albany with an offensive posture.
-Washington ordered to hold in Ridgefield. No need to be aggressive, I’ll go for Philadelphia once I’ve gathered some levies, unless an attack is needed sooner due to failures elsewhere.
-Gates to remain in garrison in Wyoming. I could risk him trying more as Wyoming isn’t as important to me now that I have Albany, but all the enemy forces he could reach are too strong for him, and Lee is still too far away.

South Central:
-1st Delaware regulars to attempt to join Lee.
-Lee with four regulars, five militia and two artillery ordered to attack Von Knyphausen immediately, and then to return to Baltimore and assault it. Hopefully this will wipe out Tarleton’s battalion and avoid any force issuing from Philadelphia.
-7th artillery ordered from Annapolis to Fredericksburg. I’m planning to send it to join Lincoln in Southern Virginia.
-Arnold to continue to pursue Pattison up the Potomac valley.
-GR Clark to bring his rangers to Fort Cumberland. Hopefully he’ll get there before Pattison.
-Lincoln to join Sullivan with three regulars and a militia outside Petersburg. I considered having Sullivan attack Cornwallis in Norfolk immediately – their two armies are pretty evenly matched. But time is on my side – Arnold can assist Sullivan if needed, my levies are about to come in, and Cornwallis can’t cause too much trouble. I’d rather fight when I have the advantage, and now I can afford to wait.

Deep South:
-E Clarke, in Trading Ford with his partisans to set an ambush and attack the regular and militia in that area.
-Morgan with four militia to intercept the regular and militia in Trading Ford.
-Kosciusko with three militia ordered from Camden to Salisbury. I’m leaving Camden uncovered in the expectation that the only enemy force anywhere nearby is the dragoons. I’m hoping to do some damage around Hillsboro in the mean time
-Sumter with his partisans ordered to Broad, between Ramseur’s Mill, Fort Ninety Six and Winesboro. From here he can counter or at least follow the enemy dragoons around.
-Harper’s partisans ordered from Green Swamp to Williamston and back to New Bern which they are to occupy (it’s empty)
-Garrisons (Charleston, Augusta, Ninety Six) to remain in place.

JP Jones to remain in Saint Domingue until the French arrive.


Cornwallis has a decent sized army in Norfolk, but Sullivan should be able to stalemate him.

[Roads]

June 1778:

Situation:

Canada: Siege of Montreal continues with St Leger now in command of the enemy. Continental Congressional medal of honor ordered for everyone in the 1st Maine militia.

New England:
Clinton and his regular are in Lamoille on the Northeast corner of Lake Champlain. I assume they are heading to Canada. No other enemy activity in New England.

Middle States:
Greene with four battalions fought Von Donop with one company of German regulars and seven miltia companies. Von Donop got away, losing his integral company (which automatically returns, and taking two hearts. The militia retreated to Saratoga, while Von Donop and the resurrected company reappeared in Fort Dayton.

Lafayette with eight companies of regulars and four companies of militia caught up with the Germans in Hoseck. They had four companies of light infantry and four companies of regulars. Lafayette inflicted three hearts killing one company of regulars and took three hearts of his own. The Germans retreated to join Percy in Skenesboro.

Stark reached Oswego and confirmed that it is empty while Fort Stanwix is held by Prevost and the 4th Grenediers. Mirbach with a regular is in the Iroquois village of Painted Post.

Washington’s patience has paid off and the enemy has made a bold move. Hopefully it will prove foolish too. Tryon with the British dragoons is in Stony Point, right across the Hudson from Washington. Leslie with the biggest remaining British force is in Newark with two regulars, one provincial, three militia, two artillery and one irregular. Philadelphia is defended by only the naval guns. This presents a decisive opportunity for me.

Gates with two militia and the fixed garrison is besieged in Wyoming by Stirling with two provincials and an artillery. I want him to hold out through next month’s levies, but with Albany and Ticonderoga secure I’m not too worried about Wyoming.

South Central:
In Bush, Maryland, Von Knyphausen managed to escape from a battle with Lee, taking five hearts and inflicting one. Von Knyphausen retreated to Chester, while Lee returned to Baltimore and assaulted Tarleton in that city. He lost the battle, but wiped out Tarleton’s battalion of regulars, losing no companies himself. The 1st Delaware joined his command. Von Knyphausen’s weakened command is all that stands between Lee and Philadelphia, and Stirling’s weak force is the only other enemy army in Pennsylvania. It’s time for Lee to move boldly into Pennsylvania to strike a decisive blow to end the war.

Arnold caught up to Pattison and inflicted two hearts, killing two companies of regulars and taking one heart himself. The remaining two companies of regulars look to have taken Fort Henry in Western Virginia on the Ohio river. Pattison with the artillery and supplies retreated into the Blue Ridge in Cacapekon and might to be heading towards Alexandria.

Cornwallis inflicted 5 hits in the siege of Norfolk. He then assaulted with 8 companies of regulars and 8 companies of artillery and wiped out the regular battalion in garrison, taking no hearts of his own.
He then detached Hamilton with a regular and an artillery. Hamilton took Portsmouth Virginia, and is currently in Roanoke Viriginia, just north of Warrenton. No way to know whether he is heading towards Hillsboro or (say) Charlottesville. Cornwallis with two regulars and an artillery remains in Norfolk.

Deep South:
E Clarke and his partisans engaged the British regular and provincial in the forests of Trading Ford. Each side took one heart and Clarke withdrew. The British army moved on to Salisbury and then Charlotte. In Charlotte Morgan caught up with the British army and defeated it, taking two hearts and inflicting three. The British retreated to Salisbury where they met Kosciusko with three militia battalions. He defeated them, each side taking one heart, and with one enemy militia company destroyed. The battered Brits then retreated all the way back to Trading Ford, where they had started the month.

Marsh, a militia and Jameson’s dragoons hold Hillsboro. Jameson’s eluded Sumter and took Guilford on their way to Hillsboro. Another enemy dragoon unit, the Green dragoons, is now outside Orangeburg, in the swamps near Charleston. It’s possible that they might waltz into Camden or even Augusta, but that’s all the harm they can cause.

Harper’s partisans took Wilmington, New Bern, and Williamston North Carolina.


And the biggest news of the month is that France and Spain have declared war, and d’Estaing and Rochambeau have arrived in Block Island Sound. Now I am in the endgame – the only question in my mind is whether I can win in ’78. I also received more replacements. I now have 33 companies of replacement regulars, 42 companies of militia, one company of dragoons, two companies of artillery, two Spanish militia, one French cavalry and one French artillery.



Although Hamilton has managed to move around Lincoln, Cornwallis has divided his army, and either half can be beaten by Lincoln.

[Roads]

June 1778:

Orders:

Canada: Montreal to continue to hold out.

New England:
-Warner’s battalion ordered to Norwich with an offensive posture in case a weak British battalion tries to slip in there before the levies.
-Du Portail ordered to join Lafayette outside Albany
-D’Estaing to detach the Pluton with the second transport and send them towards the Caribbean. D’Estaing to take the rest of his fleet and Rochambeau’s army to New Haven. From here they can protect New York or New England from Leslie’s little army. I thought about sending them to Norfolk, but I want to have Rochambeau take Quebec before the winter of 1778, so I’d like to keep him in the north.
-Garrisons to remain in place.

Middle States:
-Greene with ordered from Fort Edward to Skenesboro to assault and pursue Percy’s army.
-Schuyler with two regulars and two militia ordered from Albany to Saratoga to engage and pursue the militia there.
-Lafayette ordered from Hoseck to Albany. His army to recuperate and await du Portail there. He will either head to Stanwix or defend Albany if the British head his way from New Jersey.
-Stark ordered from Oswego through the mountains to West Point. From there he can set an ambush for anyone heading up (or down ) the Hudson.
-Washington ordered to New York City and then to intercept and attack Leslie. He has seven regulars, two militia, three dragoons and two artillery against two regulars, one provincial, three militia, two artillery and one irregular, so he should be able to beat them handily. Sending him in pursuit across the Hudson risks losing New York for the levies, but with Albany and Ticonderoga in firm control and Wyoming likely to hold on I can take this small risk.
-Gates to detach the fixed Wyoming garrison so he can plan a sortie when Lee arrives.

South Central:
-J Clinton and Paterson detached from Lee with two beat up Virginia militia units and two artillery, and ordered to take them to garrison Alexandria, ensuring that I own that town for the levies.
-Lee with five regulars and three militia ordered from Baltimore through York, Lancaster, and Sunbury to lift the siege of Wyoming. I’m hoping to beat Stirling badly. I’m afraid to go for Philadelphia in case Leslie returns there. I had to detach the artillery to allow the army to move fast enough – I would prefer to keep it. Still Clinton and Patterson will be able to bring it to Philadelphia with the levies.
-7th Artillery ordered from Fredericksburg to Alexandria.
-Arnold to continue his pursuit of Pattison.
-GR Clark and his rangers ordered to attack and besiege the British in Fort Henry.
-Lincoln to detach Sullivan and militia and a supply as a garrison for Petersburg (have to keep it for the levies) and to take three regulars and the siege guns and assault Cornwallis in Norfolk.
I’m ignoring Hamilton, but the worst he can do is to take Richmond and Charlottesville to disrupt my levies. I’d rather wipe out Cornwallis before he can recuperate.

Deep South:
-Harper’s partisan’s ordered along the forest from New Bern to Cheraw. E Clarke to join them there. It’s a central position and they will gather intelligence in this move.
-Clarke’s partisans (one company left) ordered to Ninety Six to recuperate.
-Morgan to detach the somewhat damaged 2nd South Carolina militia to garrison Charlotte, and to intercept the British now in Trading Ford.
-Kosciusko to intercept the British in Trading Ford. I’m looking to get the one-two punch.
-Sumter and his partisan to pursue and attack the Green dragoons currently in Orangeburg
-Howe ordered outside the Fort in Charleston and in a attack posture in case the dragoons come his way.
-Garrisons (Ninety Six, Augusta) to remain in place.

There is some risk the enemy will take Savannah or Camden. I can live with this. I’m putting the squeeze on Dunmore, and unless I get unlucky and Hamilton comes to help out I’ll have no problem in the Deep South.



Washington wins a great victory when catches the British trying to cross the Hudson into Manhattan. I vow to build a bridge there in his honor.

[Roads]

July 1778

Situation: Several more nails in the coffin of the Royal effort to suppress the revolution.

Canada: Clinton arrived in Montreal and finally assaulted. The glorious 1st Maine was wiped out inflicting two hearts on the two attacking battalions. I now have no idea whether Howe is still in St John.

New England:
Portsmouth guns received a replacement company.
Levies are very disappointing, a militia in Norwich (which will at least now have a garrison), and a regular and a militia in Boston. I don’t have a patriot leader, but I own all strategic towns, so this is still pretty bad.

Middle States:

Schuyler’s dragoons received a replacement company. Percy fled from Skenesboro to Saratoga, but was caught by Schuyler there, and Schuyler wiped out his four companies at a cost of two hearts. Schuyler then met another German battalion and wiped that one out too, at no cost to himself. He then marched on Dayton which he is besieging. Other then the three units in Dayton, the only enemy forces in the area are in Stanwix which holds two provincials, two militia, Von Donop’s cadre, and two other units.

Leslie split his forces, and Butler with eight companies of regulars, three companies of provincials, five companies of militia and eight companies of artillery took New York. Tryon and the dragoons crossed the Hudson into Ridgefield but withdrew before Washington could engage them. Washington then engaged Butler in Manhattan, wiping out his entire command at the cost of eight hearts and one company of dragoons. He also captured two artillery battalions and a supply train.

Leslie took the rest of his army, which consists of two militia, to take Pittsfield and he is now besieging Springfield.

The siege of Wyoming made no progress. Stirling went ahead and assaulted anyway. He had 5 companies of provincials, 3 of militia, and four of artillery against Gates’ ten companies of militia. The first assault failed with the Stirling losing three companies of provincials, and Gates losing the entire fixed garrison. A second assault wiped out Stirling’s army, and Gates captured his guns.

Mirbach with one battalion of German regulars then arrived in Wyoming after Lee, and Lee trounced him taking one heart and killing two companies of regulars. Mirbach with the Von Rhetz regiment is still outside Wyoming where Lee will presumably fight him next month.

Philadelphia is held by two provincials, two militia, and two armies with 5 units, suspected to be mostly artillery and leaders.

Levies are good. Militia in Albany, Wyoming, and Cambridge, Maryland, regulars in New York City and Ticonderoga. In Greene I have a patriot leader in the region.

British levies appear to be excellent – I see two provincials, a militia and an irregular in Fort Stanwix (I think these are all levies), and two provincials in Philadelphia.

South Central:
Arnold caught Pattison and captured his entire army, the artillery and the supply.

In Portsmouth Lincoln ran into Von Trumbach with his own company of regulars, an artillery an a supply, and made short work of them, taking two hits. Another army withdrew from his force in Portsmouth, and Lincoln captured another supply unit outside Norfolk. He then assaulted Cornwallis who had eight companies of regulars and four of artillery against Lincoln’s nine companies of regulars, three of light infantry and eight of artillery. At a cost of eight hearts Cornwallis’ army was wiped out.

I suspect that the units destroyed by Clinton were in Hamilton’s army. An enemy irregular is in Mattapony south of Richmond and Charlottesville, and there is an enemy supply train in Roanoke.

Levies are OK, but only OK. Militia in Richmond and Baltimore, and two regulars in Norfolk.
The British look to have had no levies at all in the South Central or Deep South.

Deep South:
O’Hara, with two regulars and an artillery took Wilmington, presumably in a naval assault. I guess these are enemy reinforcements.

Morgan and Kosciusko both caught up with the British force in the forests of Hywaree, but the enemy withdrew before battle to parts unknown.

Cleaveland with two enemy militia holds Hillsboro, with another militia to his east in Tar.

Sumter reached Colleton but the dragoons retreated before battle to Saltcatchers.

Savannah guns received a replacement company

Levies are alright, militia in Charlotte, Charleston and Savannah.

West:
GR Clark took Fort Henry, but the British regulars are now outside Pittsburgh with the Miami Indians.



I'm pretty much in control now. Need to capture some victory towns, but nothing much stands in my way.

[Roads]

It’s all over. Other than the army that spent most of the war in St John, the remaining British forces are almost all provincials and militia. There is no way these can stand up to me. I have a dominant position for levies. It’s now just a question of how quickly I can secure the remaining objectives, particularly Quebec, Montreal and Detroit. I’m sending the French to Quebec, but won’t feel comfortable having them advance on Montreal until I can assemble a supporting American army in Ticonderoga. I plan to get to Detroit on the Stanwix-Oswego-Niagara axis, but may try to send units from Wyoming by way of Pittsburgh as a fallback plan.

I'm not sure it's worth my while posting the rest of this game. I have played it and did win in the end. The AI still threw me some curves, but with no real field armies, and the continentals swarming all over the place it really has no chance.

Anyone care to hear how this all played out?



Pennsylvania, previously the heart of British control, is now pretty much empty.