15mm Napoleonics

As I've mentioned before Napoleonic gaming was where I started wargamming 'proper' at the Rainham Wargames Club, my badly and wrongly painted 25mm Minifigs British took to the field in various numbers to battle mostly French enemies, marching forwards and being gunned down my the massed ranks of Derek's cannon.

Since then I've had various attempts of restarting a Napoleonic, the latest is a 15mm Napoleonic force based on the Peninsular Wars and in particular around 1810. The first formation I've finished is the Light Divison from the Battle of the Coa.

1st Battalion 43rd Foot

The battle was really only a skirmish, Wellington had been campaigning against the French commanded by Marshall Andrea Messena. The French were trying to force a crossing of the river Coa to attack Almeida.

Wellington knowing the British were outnumbered ordered his army to fall back over the Coa, The General of the Light Division, Robert Craufurd, was a very competent commander and had trained and handed his division Brilliantly but on this day 24th July 1810 his judgement or timing wasn't the best. The Light Division as the armies rearguard and was surprised by an attack my a French force of 24,000 men commanded by Ney, Craufurd's 2,900 British and Portuguese men were caught on the Spanish side of the river and he decided to stay and fight.

The Light Division fought hard but took heavy casualties, risking being outflanked they continued fighting, the French having greater numbers and a superiority in Cavalry charged the line with bayonets and in the end the french attacks threatened to cut off the British from the only escape route of the bridge so Craufurd order the retreat across the river,

The 95th Rifles were the last of the rearguard as the rest of the Division crossed, a wagon over turned on the bridge and the Rifles came under fire from the fortress of Almeida as they were mistaken for the enemy but finally the Division crossed the bridge. The French attempted to force their way across the river but had several attempts repulsed by heavy musket and cannon fire and finally a heavy thunderstorm brought the fighting to an end.

Light Division Order of battle 24th July 1810

General Robert Craufurd

1st Brigade
Lt-Colonel Sydney Beckwith

1/43rd Foot
5 Coys. 1/95th Rifles
3rd Cacadores

2nd Brigade
Lt-Colonel Robert Barclay

1/52nd Foot
5 Coys. 1/95th Rifles
1st Cacadores

Cavalry Brigade
Brigadier General George Anson

16th Light Dragoons
Light Dragoons
Ross' Troop Royal Horse Artillery

1st Battalion 52nd foot

Ross' Troop Royal Horse Artillery

British Artillery

British Light Infantry

Light Division

Portuguese and British Troops