Welcome to the December edition. Here we introduce the new announcements. We visit the Battle of Cowpens and then head to the start of the American Civil War and the Battle of Manassas.. We hope you enjoy!

The images shown are Prototype images of the sculpted work, prior to master painting.

We hope you enjoy!

THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 1775 - 1783
THE BATTLE OF COWPENS, JANUARY 17th, 1781.

The Battle of Cowpens was an engagement during the American Revolutionary War fought on January 17th 1781, near the town of Cowpens, South Carolina, between American forces under Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, and British forces under Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton, as part of the campaign in the Carolinas. The battle was a turning point in the American reconquest of South Carolina from the British. Tarleton's force of 1,000 British troops were set against 2,000 troops under Morgan. Morgan's forces suffered casualties of only 25 killed and 124 wounded. Tarleton's force was almost completely eliminated with almost 30% casualties and 55% of his force captured or missing, with Tarleton himself and only about 200 British troops escaping. Morgan's forces conducted a double envelopment of the British forces, the only double envelopment of the war.

THE 17th LIGHT DRAGOONS

Formed in 1759, the regiment was sent to Boston in 1775 to help quell the growing rebellion. Only a small part of the regiment was sent south and was attached to Tarleton's command. They are said to have clung to the by now bedraggled scarlet coats that set them apart from the green uniformed Provincials of the British Legion.

Only about a hundred dragoons were present at the Cowpens battle, and it was the only unit to retire from the battlefield in good order.

AMERICAN CONTINENTAL AND MILITIA DRAGOONS

One of Brigadier General Daniel Morgan's greatest concerns was his lack of adequate numbers of dragoons. Dragoons served both sides as scouts, mounted pickets, mobile reserves, and shock troops. One of their primary functions was to exploit a victory by riding down the remnants of broken enemy infantry. Weapons included a carbine and a brace of heavy pistols, Although according to Colonel William Washington the "only necessary weapon a dragoon carries" was the sabre.

Several small volunteer militia contingents were hastily equipped as dragoons to reinforce the cavalry, as it was well known the strength of Tarleton's mounted legion.

COLONEL WILLIAM WASHINGTON

The 38 year old son of wealthy parents and (perhaps) second cousin of George Washington, William Washington had been privately tutored for the ministry. He joined the militia in February 1776, and later the 3rd Virginia Regiment of the Continental Line. He was described by contemporaries as "six feet in height, broad, strong and corpulent" and was noted for his tactical boldness and calm demeanor in battle.

After serving extensively in the northern colonies, he was sent south in command of the 3rd Light Dragoons in late 1779. After numerous costly defeats the depleted 1st and 3rd Light Dragoons were merged, and after their colonel was captured, Washington assumed command Assigned to Morgan's Army, Washington's dragoons inflicted several defeats upon the British (often against superior forces), and his activities threatening the British base at Ninety Six were a key factor in Cornwallis' decision to assign Tarleton to hunt down Morgan. Most veterans considered Washington second in command to Morgan at Cowpens, and the Dragoons certainly played a key role by driving off Tarleton's cavalry at critical moments during the battle.

Washington was later captured at Eutaw Springs in September 1781, and remained a prisoner until the end of the war. He went on to become a wealthy planter and horse breeder, state legislator, and served again in the army in 1798 at George Washington's request.

Towards the end of the battle, after the cavalry of the British Legion had left the field, some twenty remained, and along with a small party of the 17th Light Dragoons, Tarleton led a desperate charge. Tarleton's personal bravery was never in question. Although generally criticized, one of his subordinates wrote "Even at this late stage of defeat, Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton, with no more than fifty horse, hesitated not to charge the whole of Washington's cavalry." The charge was repulsed and the British dragoons fled. A handful of British officers as well as Tarleton brought up the rear and were confronted by Washinton. Washington slashed at one of the officers and his sword blade snapped off in his hand. The officer was about to slash at Washington when Washington's servant, referred to as Gillie, shot the man, saving his master. Washington's sergeant major wounded another officer, and Tarleton fired at Washington but instead struck the horse. This minor clash of cavalry was romanticized in numerous works of art, but was in fact irrelevant as the battle was long since decided.

A depiction of the final dragoon clash appeared in Henry Cabot Lodge's "The Story Of The Revolution", which has been the inspiration for two of the upcoming pieces.

THE FIRST BATTLE OF MANASSAS, 1861, ARMY OF THE SHENANDOAH,
THE 1st BRIGADE, VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS, ROCKBRIDGE ARTILLERY

The Rockbridge Artillery was initially formed from 70 recruits from Lexington who accepted an ex-West Pointer and church minister, William Nelson Pendleton, as their captain. They were destined to become one of the most illustrious batteries in the army of Northern Virginia. The Rockbridge Artillery was a popular unit throughout its existence and rarely experienced difficulty in recruiting. The battery started out with two brass cannon from Virginia Military Institute, then another two gained from the State Armoury in Richmond. Four gun batteries were common especially in the Confederate service. These four guns of the Rockbridge Artillery were christened Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the "Four Apostles".

The Rockbridge Artillery first saw action on 2nd July 1861, at Falling Waters, with one of its pieces firing the first Confederate artillery shot in the Shenandoah Valley.

The company's real baptism of fire occurred at First Manassas on 21st July, at the fight for Henry Hill. Jackson organized his brigade into line, 150 yards or so behind the forward crest of the hill. It was an excellent position, of the type often used by the Duke of Wellington. The woods immediately behind offered good cover. The men would be invisible to the enemy guns and infantry until the moment when they emerged on the plateau within close range. In the centre of his line Jackson placed his battery of artillery.

The battery commander was usually a captain. Two guns formed a section, under a lieutenant.

On the Command "Load", Crewman Number 1 sponges the bore as 2 recieves the round from 5 and places it in the muzzle.
Number 3 closes the vent as 1 rams' the round home.
The gunner or the corporal who aims the gun, steps to the breech to sight the piece, while 3 drops back to the trail handspike and shifts the gun according to the gunners direction.

On 17 June, Crook's column set out at 0600, marching northward along the south fork of Rosebud Creek. The Crow and Shoshone scouts were particularly apprehensive. Although the column had not yet encountered any sign of Indians, the scouts seemed to sense their presence. The soldiers, particularly the mule-riding infantry, seemed fatigued from the early start and the previous day's 35-mile (56 km) march. Accordingly, Crook stopped to rest his men and animals at 0800. Although he was deep in hostile territory, Crook made no special dispositions for defense. His troops halted in their marching order. The Cavalry battalions led the column, followed by the battalion of mule-borne foot soldiers, and a provisional company of civilian miners and packers brought up the rear.

Number 5, meanwhile, returns to the limber and gets a new round from 6 and 7, who have cut the fuse according to the gunners shouted orders. When the gun is aimed, the gunner steps back to observe the effects of the shot and commands "Ready".

At this point, 1 and 2 stand clear.
Number 3 shoves the pick through the vent and into the powder bag.
Then number 4 hooks a friction primer to the lanyard and inserts the primer in the vent. Number 3 holds the primer, while 4 steps back, holding the lanyard slack.

Now the gunner commands "Fire"
Number 3 steps back from the wheel, and pulls the lanyard, firing the piece.
At the same time, Number 5 delivers the next round to Number 2.
When the gun has recoiled, the crew pushes it back into position, and the sequence begins again with the command "Load".

On the march each gun was hooked up behind a limber, which carried an ammunition chest, and was drawn by six, but usually 4 horses.
Each gun had its caisson, carrying extra ammunition chests.
These two units made a platoon, commanded by a sergeant (Chief of Piece) and two corporals.

Each battery was accompanied by a travelling forge, a battery wagon carrying tents and supplies, and usually six more caissons carrying reserve ammunition. There were also extra wagons for fodder etc.

Each team of four had 2 drivers who rode the horses on the left side.
The usual gun crew consisted of nine men.
If the battery was designated as light artillery, the cannoneers either rode on the ammunition chests or walked besides their piece.
If it was horse artillery they would each ride a horse. Two additional men acted as horse holders in action.

Cannoneers were seated on the ammunition chests. As a general rule they rode on the ammunition chests only for rapid movement. When in range of enemy guns, the drill books recommended that they dismount lest an exploding caisson cause severe casualties. However as most movements under fire were rapid, the crews rode on their powder kegs and took their chances. Usually a folded tarpaulin would be strapped to the lid of each ammunition chest, which would help as riding over rough ground could be a spine jolting experience. An artilleryman sent flying from his seat was lucky to escape with nothing worse than a broken bone or two. The pounding hoofs and wheels of a battery at the gallop were universally dreaded. The pace of field or horse artillery was the same as that of the cavalry, which was around 5 miles an hour over smooth roads and with horses in good condition, but this could not be done for any length of time. When hills were steep the columns were halted, the teams doubled, and the canoneers and anyone else nearby gave a hand at the wheels. Batteries usually manouvered at a trot, with the gallop reserved for great emergency. From the command "Action Front", a battery could come into action and fire one round in twenty five seconds.

The valises strapped on the valise saddles of the off-horses held the personal effects of the drivers. The guidon bearer rode boot to boot with the lead driver. The guidon was once a sergeant's scarlet sash, tied on a rammer staff to mark the line for the battery when it formed front.

The Rockbridge Artillery remained with the Stonewall Brigade until about the middle of October 1862, when upon the reorganization of the artillery, it was assigned to Colonel John Thompson Brown's Battalion, Reserve Artillery, Second Corps.

The first of The Rockbridge Artillery will be available in the Spring 2023.