As the gunfire grew in intensity, General Braddock (center photo) was in the dark as to what was actually happening to his Vanguard. Most believed it was not a serious threat. But as the noise grew more and more intense, and with some news finally reaching him (the Mounted Virginian), the General now decided to reinforce his men with another 400+ "Hat Men". Just as they begin to move up, the Vanguard begins to retreat. BTW, thats Colonel George Washington in the Blue Coat and Grey Horse behind Braddock. He was a volunteer Aide to Braddock who was just recovering from serious illness.
The 400+ "HatMen" of the 44th and 48th Regiments just reaching the Rear Guard of the Vanguard. Braddock, Staff, and Mounted Virginians at right...
The Grenadiers, taking more losses, are forced to Recoil while some Canadians rush the abandoned 6 lb gun...
The Virginians on the English right flank drive off a band of Natives (bottom)...
The reinforcements run smack into the NY Co under Captain Gates and the Road Cutters, slowing everyone down to half movement!
The "Hat Men" supporting the Grenadiers finally rally as the Grenadiers let off yet another ineffective volley. But the Native band (left of center) pour a devastating volley into the Virginians to their front, dropping all six! The remaining Virginians Retreat down the Trail! (center, above the "Hat Men") Note the gap developing between the Vanguard and the reinforcements at top. Braddock's Column is in danger of being cut in two!
Along the English left flank, numerous Native bands are preparing to slaughter more Englishmen, inc the last Virginian Flankers (top right)...
Again, the developing log jam at the head of the reinforcing column is causing a critical delay. Then it gets worse as the Road Cutters break, scattering along the column!
Canadiens standing along the abandoned 6lb fire into the rear of the Grenadiers. And then General St. Clair is struck down! (top center)
Surrounded by dead and wounded Virginians is General St. Clair in the close up...
On the English left flank, following a very accurate volley from Natives, four Virginians go down, and the remaining two (top center) are fleeing for their lives
The first casualty (center right) is suffered by the reinforcements...
One of Braddock's Aides restores order to Captain Gate's NY CO (center)...
Canadians and Natives are closing up on the retreating Grenadiers...
As the reinforcements finally clear the log jam, and even after taking a second casualty, begin to deploy both forward and to the right (center and right of center)...
On the British left, new Flankers appear to be moving unknowingly towards more Natives...
General Braddock and his staff closing up with the reinforcements (left). Royal Engineers and the Royal Navy contingent (in white near center) follow with a 12lb gun and Coehorn mortars...
While the French Regulars are moving up, several Native bands are pouring galling fire on the "Hat Men" and Grenadiers...
The Natives ambush yet another group of British Flankers, dropping two. There in the upper left, you can get a sense of the confusion the British experienced that day, as they tried to form their traditional lines of battle...
On the British right flank, the Natives have their first complete miss! Those Flankers coming into view (top left) were fortunate. Some "Hat Men" blazed away into empty forest (center right) ..
Two Native bands score heavily, one on left gets 4 casualties on the "Hat Men", while on the right, two more Grenadiers join their fallen comrades...
Over on the British left flank, The English were lucky a second time as another Native band missed! The Flankers return fire however was just as ineffective!
Luck ran out on the right flank. One band of Natives (hidden behind tree) scored hits and force some "Hat Men" to recoil. A second band dropped two British Flankers. Welcome to the Monongahela boys! The fight has now been raging for 90 minutes. The historical battle lasted somewhere around 3-3 1/2 hours.
The British take further losses as the Canadians and Natives close in. Again, the return fire does nothing...
On the British left, the Natives miss only one of the Flankers to run away, leaving his four mates behind...
On the right, the Flankers miss all but branches and leaves as more Natives close in...
General Braddock orders the Royal Artillery to deploy it's 12 lb gun (about center) to support the right...
In the center, the British "Hat Men" score a success and drop a Canadian (center). Unfortunately they lose seven all told to return fire!
On the left, some "Hat Men" (left center) blaze away onto empty forest (the Natives don't stay put; fire and move, fire and move)...
On the right, a band of Natives scores six out of eight Flankers! They are stout boys however, as they don't break, simply recoil (center top)...
The British "Hat Men" blaze away and drop one Canadian (left center), but take numerous losses in return...
Close up shows the mounting casualties as well as another Braddock Aide (center) taking a bullet...
On the left flank, the Natives bag the three Flanker survivors from last turn as the remaining Virginians (left) fail to score any hits...
Here on the right Natives wipe out Flanker survivors as other Flankers see their volley smoke and open fire...ineffectively.
An absolute disaster for Braddock and his army. First, one column of "Hat Men" are forced to recoil before they can fire (right center with five green caps). Then, even worse, the second column directly above first column with numerous caps) is forced to retire, again before they can fire back! To top it all off, a Native volley scatters the Royal Artillery crew (top right) of the 12 lb which just got off its first shot. The only good news for the British is that Braddock narrowly escaped becoming a casualty himself (Mounted man pointing at right center)...
On the right, British Flankers again fire away with no results...
End of the road for the brave Grenadiers. Having been ordered to retire by Braddock himself, they were then wiped out )center) by a Native band...
Natives on the left, take down one Flanker (center) and cause the others to recoil (top center)...
The Mounted Virginians take their only mounted shot allowed w/o dismounting to reload, but the casualty they inflict on a Native band causing them to retire! (left edge). The end has arrived for Captain Gate's NY CO (bottom right) however, with four casualties, the last routs. The Royal artillerists also recover and man their 12 lb (center)...
To be continued...
No comments:
Post a Comment