Battle of Bloody Run

Our Muskets and Tomahawk game at HISTORICON was loads of fun. Thanks to Nick and Jeff who helped me set it up and run it. But most importantly we had 6 great players who really made the evening fun. It was great to see the characters of Captain Dalyell, Maj Rogers and Chief Pontiac come to life on the battlefield. All in all it was a draw with Pontiac achieving his SubPlot and preventing the British from achieving their Plot and CPT Dalyell and the Commander of the British Lights both achieving their subplots and avoiding the 50% casualty mark necessary for the Indian victory plot. I apologize for my poor picture quality. My tripod was broken and I need to be schooled on the importance of f ratings.

Captain Dalyell as seen from an Indian sharpshooter.

The Battlefield after set up and before deployment. Indian Village in upper right is the British objective of their raid. The Bloody Run can be seen down the middle of the board with the infamous bridge seen as the river road crosses the run along the Detroit River.

A view of the battlefield from the Detroit River.

Finally the view from the Indian side of the board as we began to set up for deployment.

The British deploy with the regulars marching down the river road. Rogers Rangers in scouting to the front of the main column and a bateaux with swivel gun in the bow scouting ahead along the banks of the river. The lights were thrown out to the regulars left in the fields to protect their flank. A perfectly planned British deployment and does not reflect any of arrogance shown by the original Captain Dalyell.

Captain Dalyell beside the boys from the 55th.

The lights in good position to protect the flank. Sio far no Indians in sight......

Suddenly fire rattles out from across the run. Fire appears split between the marching regulars and the bateaux. The regulars form into firing lines.

Suddenly the indians emerge from the forest and the ambush is sprung. Will the line hold....

The melee continue into a third round of hand to hand but the British Regulars hold their position and beat off the initial indian attack.

Pontiac watches from under the famous Pontiac tree as his forces continue to spring the ambush now on the flanks of the column.

The lights advance into the woods to try and clear out the ambushers.

The highwater mark of the British advance. The Bateux was able to fire several swivel gun shots into the Indian attackers along the North side of the road, but suffered heavy casualties from Indian marksmen. They ended up drifting down the river at the end of the battle.

Final shot of the battlefield at the end of it all.

Nick (in the hat) and I pose in front of our signs.