Battle of Guilford Courthouse North Carolina, 15 March, 1781 Last updated: 15 th August 2018 This Volley & Bayonet scenario has been developed by Paul Reynolds. Background: In late 1778, after nearly three years of fighting in the north, the British turned to the southern colonies where Loyalist support was claimed to be strong. The southern strategy also allowed the Royal Navy to more easily defend British Caribbean possessions from France and Spain. The southern campaign was marked by a series of, often costly, British victories with occasional minor American successes. The Loyalist Militia did turn out, particularly when the British Regulars were in the area, but not in the numbers expected. The British victories did not lead to control in the south. As summed up by Nathanael Greene, the American commander in the south from late 1780, We fight, get beat, rise, and fight again. The British defeat at the battle of Cowpens did not deter Lord Cornwallis from pushing deep into North Carolina and on to Virginia to isolate the southern states from their main sources of military supplies. During the race to the Dan River, close to the Virginia border, Greene s army withdrew on to its supply lines and into fresh areas. Cornwallis advanced, without baggage, to force Greene to battle through areas stripped of available food and forage. Greene fought a dozen delaying actions inflicting casualties on the British. Greene reached the flooded Dan and by 15 February had crossed safely into Virginian. Cornwallis withdrew to Hillsborough, North Carolina to rest his tired army. The poor state of his army and the massacre of Dr. John Pyle s 3-400 Loyalists by Henry Lee discouraged recruitment of Loyalist Militia. Meanwhile Greene had been reinforced with North Carolina and Virginia Militia as well as State and Continental troops. On 14 March Cornwallis received news that Greene s army had returned and was encamped at Guilford Courthouse. Before breakfast the next day Cornwallis set his army in motion and after a brief skirmish at the New Garden Meeting House arrived at Hoskins Farm near Guilford Courthouse about noon. After two and a half hours of intense fighting the battle was over, a hard fought British victory. Greene had however again managed to withdraw his army, particularly the Continentals, largely intact. Summing up the battle the British Whig Party leader and war critic Charles James Fox echoed Plutarch's famous words, "Another such victory would ruin the British Army!"
Wargame: This wargame recreates this key battle of the Southern campaign of the American War of Independence (or Revolution). We are using the Volley and Bayonet rules at Wing scale. Each stand of troops represents between 50 and 150 men Each turn represents 15 minutes 1 inch (25mm) on the table represents 25 yards (23m) The table reflects the actual terrain and the forces available to the players are those that fought in the battle deployed as they initially were. The players have the freedom to change history by using different tactics. Restrictions Historically the three American lines fought separate battles with the two Legions falling back on the flanks of each line in turn. To reflect this American units may not move until at least one unit of its Brigade has seen; an enemy unit, a friendly unit in combat (firing or melee), or a friendly unit retiring or routing from combat (not withdrawing voluntarily). Historically the British attacked with great determination if little tactical finesse. To reflect this British units may only advance straight ahead or remain stationary until at least one unit of its Brigade has seen; an enemy unit, a friendly unit in combat (firing or melee), or a friendly unit retiring or routing from combat (not withdrawing voluntarily). Victory Conditions: The British gain one victory point for each American first line Militia Brigade that is exhausted or two if the brigade collapses at least once. The British gain two victory points for each American second line Militia Brigade that is exhausted or three if the brigade collapses at least once. The British gain five victory points for each American Continental or Legion Brigade that is exhausted or seven if the brigade or legion collapses at least once. The Americans gain three victory points for each British Brigade that is exhausted or five if the brigade collapses at least once. The side that holds Guilford Courthouse gains five victory points. If the difference in victory points is: 10 or more the side with the higher score has won a decisive victory 5 to 9 the side with the higher score has won a victory 1 to 4 the side with the higher score has a winning draw 0 the game is a draw. Game Length: The British began their cannonade and advance from Hoskins Farm just after noon. The battle was over by 2:30pm, so in game terms 10 turns. There was plenty of daylight left and so no limit is imposed on the number of turns. Deployment: Both forces are deployed historically as indicated on the map. The upper left corner is north. Terrain: The whole Guildford Courthouse area is Wooded. There are two denser Forest areas; one between the first and second American lines, the other south of the stream, west of the road. The streams are crossed by Fords and are not marshy banked. The fields near Hoskins Farm and the Courthouse are newly ploughed and are Broken ground. The bottom land south of the stream is also Broken ground. There are two single contour hills; one between the first and second American lines, the other from the Courthouse to the north east corner.
Map: Each square on the map equals 12", 300 yards using the Wing Scale ground scale. Overall the map is 8' x 6', approximately 1.3 miles x 1 mile.
American Southern Army Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene AC Army Troops Singleton's Continental Artillery 2 6lb field guns 2-6 Fd Finley's Continental Artillery 2 6lb field guns 2-6 Fd Lee's Partizan Legion Exhaustion: 5 Lt. Col. Henry Lee BC Lee s Partizan Legion Horse - Cpt. Michael Rudolph 99 men 2x 1-6 LC Lee s Partizan Legion Infantry Maj. Joseph Eggleston 92 men 2-6 FI Sh SS S Campbell's Virginia Riflemen - 200 men 4x 1-5 FI NE R SS Butler s North Carolina Militia Brigade - 381 men Exhaustion: 3 Brig. Gen. John Butler BC 1 st Battalion, Butler's North Carolina Militia 2 nd Battalion, Butler's North Carolina Militia 3 rd Battalion, Butler's North Carolina Militia 2-4 SI MIL Eaton s North Carolina Militia Brigade - 840 men Exhaustion: 7 Brig. Gen. Pinkertham Eaton BC 1 st Battalion, Eaton's North Carolina Militia 2 nd Battalion, Eaton's North Carolina Militia 3 rd Battalion, Eaton's North Carolina Militia 4 th Battalion, Eaton's North Carolina Militia 5 th Battalion, Eaton's North Carolina Militia 6 th Battalion, Eaton's North Carolina Militia 2-4 SI MIL
American Southern Army Washington's "Legion" Exhaustion: 5 Lt. Col. William Washington BC Continental Light Dragoons 55 men 3rd Dragoons, 25 men 1st Dragoons 2x 1-6 LC Virginia, North & South Carolina State Dragoons 45 men 1-4 LC Kirkwood's Light Infantry - 150 men 3-6 FI Sh NE S Kirkwood s Delaware Company (50), Huffman s Virginia Light Infantry Company (50), and Wallace s Virginia Light Infantry Company (50). Lynch's Virginia Riflemen - 200 men 4x 1-5 FI NE R SS Stevens Virginia Militia Brigade - 612 men Exhaustion: 5 Brig. Gen. Edward Stevens BC 1 st Battalion, Stevens' Virginia Militia 2 nd Battalion, Stevens' Virginia Militia 3 rd Battalion, Stevens' Virginia Militia 4 th Battalion, Stevens' Virginia Militia Lawson s Virginia Militia Brigade - 727 men Exhaustion: 6 Brig. Gen. Robert Lawson BC 1 st Battalion, Lawson's Virginia Militia 2 nd Battalion, Lawson's Virginia Militia 3 rd Battalion, Lawson's Virginia Militia 4 th Battalion, Lawson's Virginia Militia 5 th Battalion, Lawson's Virginia Militia
American Southern Army Maryland Continental Brigade Exhaustion: 8 Col. Otho Holland Williams BC 1 st Maryland Regiment - Col. John Gunby - 350 men UC, 3-6 FI, 2x 2-6 FI 2 nd Maryland Regiment - Lt. Col. Benjamin Ford 350 men UC, 3-6 FI, 2x 2-6 FI Virginia Continental Brigade Exhaustion: 8 Brig. Gen. Isaac Huger BC 4 th Virginia Regiment - Col. John Green 400 men UC, 2x 3-5 FI NE, 2-5 FI NE 5 th Virginia Regiment - Lt. Col. Samuel Hawes 400 men UC, 2x 3-4 FI NE, 2-4 FI NE
British Southern Army Lt. Gen. Charles, Earl Cornwallis AC Army Troops Royal Artillery 3 3lb light guns 3-6 Lt Royal North Carolina Regiment - Lt. Col. John Hamilton (Loyalists with Baggage train) 2x 3-5 SI NE The Brigade of Guards Exhaustion: 5 Brig. Gen. Charles O Hara (Coldstream Guards) BC 1 st Battalion Lt. Col. Chapple Norton 160 men 3-6 FI Sh 2 nd Battalion Lt. Col. James Stuart 160 men 3-6 FI Sh Guards Grenadier Companies Cpt. John Goodricke 80 men 2-7 FI Sh Webster s Brigade Exhaustion: 9 Lt. Col. James Webster (33 rd ROF) BC Guards Light Infantry Companies Cpt. William Home - 80 men 2x 1-6 FI SS Hesse-Cassel Jaeger Companies - Cpt. Wilhelm von Roeder 80-100 men 2x 1-5 FI SS 23 rd Foot Cpt. Thomas Peter 238 men UC, 3-6 FI, 2-6 FI 33 rd Foot Cpt. Frederick Cornwallis 334 men UC, 2x 3-6 FI Leslie s Brigade Exhaustion: 6 Brig. Gen. Alexander Leslie (64 th ROF) BC 2 nd Battalion, 71 st Foot - Cpt. Robert Hutcheson - 244 men UC, 3-5 FI Sh, 2-5 FI Sh Hesse-Cassel von Bose Regiment Maj. Johann Du Buy 321 men UC, 2x 3-5 FI NE British Legion 207 men Exhaustion: 2 Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton BC British Legion Dragoons Cpt. Ogilivy 200men 4x 1-5 LC