Remember the '19! Battle of Glen Shiel June 10th 1719

I received a call from Paul who asked me if I knew anything about the Rebellion of the '19,  probably one if the least known of the Jacobite Rebellions. Do I know anything about it I said?....I had relatives there! And I had gamed it once long ago! 
Well given my collection and the campaign of 1715 that we did last year he asked if it was possible to have a rerun and change history. I told him yes and no. Yes to the rerun, no to changing history...I was certain that the Jacobites didn't stand a chance.....how could I be wrong???
Paul would have me eating my words!

General Wightman commander of the Hanoverians



The Hanoverian deployment on the left. On the right at the top the Spanish behind their entrenchments and two clan regiments on the hill beyond the River Shiel.

Paul and Ross arrived in anticipation of another Jacobite defeat....well Ross did-- after all he was on my side as a Hanoverian.

Paul of course said nothing except that the rules were crap, I was biased, my interpretation of events was skewed, History was written by the victors (in this case the Hanoverians),  if I don't know the rules I shouldn't get involved, the table was nice and a quick game was a good game.
Thanks Paul- enough said!

The Spanish

The Hanoverian left wing was led by General Sir John Clayton and Ross was commanding these troops- Clayton's Regiment and a unit of loyalist Highlanders (Clan Monroe). They stormed the hill held by the Rebels and sent them on their way in short order as historically happened. For us Redcoats (Ross and I) so far so good. On the far flank I had mixed fortunes with my Grenadiers seeing off one clan unit but failing to inflict sufficient casualties on the second unit and found my lads in retreat. English Grenadiers retreating for smelly Highland hordes??? Something IS seriously wrong with the rules (or my dice)!!!!


The Jacobites on the right in a loooong line move forward!

But it was in the center that Paul proved that the Highlanders do stand a fighting chance....or I just can't roll dice with a meaningful result for the troops under my command. Holding back the Spanish in the entrenchments, Paul launched his Highlanders with their most (only) effective tactic- Charge! And Charge they did. Straight into the musket range of Regiments Montague and Harrison. 

Ball was loaded, percussion caps placed, muskets primed and through a haze of acrid musket smoke deadly volleys were sent against the charging horde.........and I failed to create sufficient casualties to  force them back.....so on came waves of plaid wearing barbarians carrying sharp swords and kitchen sinks. 

And I knew I was in trouble.

At that point I decided that it was late and decided to call it a night...it was nearly 9.30pm and way past my bedtime....but the dastardly Highland commander would none of it....so I wearily resigned myself to the fact that I was about to get my arse handed to me on a plate- especially when the Spanish then came out of their entrenchments and drove off Ross' dismounted Dragoons.  The Dutch troops also succumbed to the Highlanders, and with one Dutch Regiment left standing in the middle.....there was a gap in my line the length of the table. 

It was over and I put on a brave face and blamed the dice, the weather, the poor powder, my neighbours, the Regimental officers, my cat, my kids, my mechanic and my wife.

Ross blamed my generalship.

I cried myself to sleep later that night.

Clash on the Jacobite right. Here the Loyalist Clans sent their opponents packing. At this early stage things weren't looking good for the rebels.

The Jacobites (clans Macgregor and Campbell) launch charges at Harrison's and Montague's Regiments of foot.

Both Regiments fail to inflict sufficient casualties and break!!! Oh Sh*t!!!!

This picture, tragically,  says it all. At the bottom are my Grenadiers...and as you move up the picture...Montague's and Harrison's Regts in retreat....a Dutch Regiment standing firm in the middle...and further up another Dutch Regt about to be hit by a Highland charge...and at the top are the advancing Spanish about drive off the Dragoons.

My loyalist Highlanders and my Grenadiers move up the slopes of the mountain path.....but it was too late to help the center!

Harrison's Regt flees from the Clan Macgregors!

The big gap in the middle of the Hanoverian line........there's nothing there...except corpses and Ross' curses at my die rolling.

The Spanish move out from their entrenchments and engage the Dragoons

OOB

Battle of Glenshiel  10^th June 1719.

The Forces of the Rebels.

Commanded by William Murray, Marquis of Tullibardine ( LR 2)

1^st Column Commanded by George Keith, Earl of Marischal  ( LR 1)
2 Units Seaforth Highlanders (Warrior)
1 Units of Clan Mackintosh highlanders(Warrior)

2^nd Column commanded by Rob Roy Macgregor ( LR 2)
2 units of Macgregor and MacRae Highlanders (Warrior)

3^rd Column commanded by Donald Cameron of Lochiel ( LR 1)
2 Clan Chisholm and Cameron Highlanders (Warrior)
1 Unit  of Campbell Highlanders(Warrior)

4^th Brigade commanded by Don Nicolas Bolan (LR 1)
2 units Spanish foot (1 Veteran, 1 Drilled)

5^th Column commanded by George Murray ( LR 1)
2 units of Murray Highlanders (Warrior)

Government Forces 

C in C General William Wightman ( LR 1)

Brigade under Major Willburn
Clan Mackay- 1 unit of Highlanders under general Wightman (Warrior)
Combined Grenadier Regt   commanded by Major John Willburn) (Veteran)

Brigade commanded by Brig. General William Monatgue ( LR 1)
Montague’s (11^th) Regiment of Foot. (Drilled)
Harrison’s (15^th) Regiment of Foot (Drilled)
1 Battery Coehorn Mortars (Raw)

Brigade under Colonel Huffel ( LR 2)
2 Dutch Regiments (Drilled)
2 Squadrons, 6^th Dragoons (Drilled)

Brigade Commanded by Sir John Clayton (LR 0)
Clayton’s ( 14^th) Regiment of foot (Drilled)
Clan Monroe –  1 unit Highlanders. (Warrior)