So this is the first battle of a new campaign we are setting out on, focused around the Ionian islands (Corfu, Lefkada, Paxi, Kefallonia, Zakynthos and Ithaki are the main islands, our campaign was set around Kefallonia and Ithaki) in around 1809-10. In 1797 Napoleon had taken Venice, and the Adriatic Venetian empire, including the Ionian islands, was effectively his. But in1799 the Ionian islands fell to the Russians, however they were returned in 1807. In 1809 the British launched their attack, and captured all the islands by 1810 (except Corfu which lasted till Napoleon's abdication in 1814). They remained a British protectorate till 1862
Our campaign was based around the British landing and capture of Kefallonia and Ithaki (an operation which was in reality fairly quick, with relatively little action, as the local troops in French service surrendered with barely a shot), but would last a bit longer so as to be worthy of a proper campaign.
The islands were garrisoned by my French force (General Dubaton's brigade - made up of the 45e line and 2e Polish line, with cavalry, artillery and staff), with a small frigate at their service, while M's British force (mostly the 28th foot, with some 42nd highlanders and 60th rifles), transported in a 5th rate ship of the line and a sloop, had set out from Sicily to capture the islands.
It would be a skirmish campaign using our own home made skirmish rules and 28mm models (Victrix, Perrys and Warlords mainly with some Foundry).
There is a limited supply of men to both sides (420 British, 430 French), so we will be making notes of casualties in each battle throughout the campaign. Casualties will then be transferred to a hospital pool after the battle and each campaign turn we will roll for each of them; on a 1 they won't have made it, on a 6 they will be back on their feet and on anything else they will remain in the hospital. We hope this will illustrate the limited nature of manpower in a campaign such as this, and also the level to which casualties from battle were mostly wounded, rather than killed (though many died in 'hospital' later)
The first game would be the British landing. M's British force would be required to land from their ship and assault the village, occupied by Dubaton's French, up the road from the coast. The British would need to advance over rough terrain and assault the entrenched French position in order to gain a foothold on the island
A British landing party of Marines, led by a naval lieutenant, had rowed a shore and formed u on the beach, as one of Dubaton's ADCs came racing up the road to the village with the news. The British sloop, containing part of the 28th battalion trained its guns on the shore.
The British marines, led by their Captain and one of the sloop's lieutenants, makes shore and forms line ready for the advance.
With guns loaded, the sloop's captain tests their range on the road. Dubaton's ADC narrowly escapes the bombardment as he reaches the village's safety. Thank fully the village appears to be out of range of the sloop's guns.
With the marines in sight on the beach, and the news in from the ADC of the sloop's arrival, the 45e's fusiliers advance down the road in attack column. However no sooner have they left the vicinity of the village than they come under bombardment from the sloop's guns, a shot landing in the centre of the column and devastating the formation.
With their advance bloodily turned back, the 45e content themselves with forming a line across the front of the village, the 2e Polish in support. Meanwhile on their left the dismounted Polish cavalry advance through the crop fields.
With the beach secured by the marines, reinforcements arrive. The 28th grenadier company joins up with the marines to form a long line, sheltered behind the dyke at the beach, while to their right the 5/60th rifles advance in skirmish, supported by the 28th light company, also skirmishing. The sloop again opens fire, its guns narrowly missing the Poles in the fields.
With most of the British force now deployed the line makes its advance, covered by the skirmishers on its right.
With the British line advancing, the French at the village extend their own line to match it. Over in the fields, the dismounted cavalry begin to engage their opposite skirmishers, but the rifles have the best of it. At the beach the British General lands with his staff.
As they reach the wall, the right of the British line opens fire, volleying across the crop fields, and taking down several of the Poles.
The swift advance and volley breaks the spirit of the Polish skirmishers and they flee from the field, firing a couple of parting shots.
General Dubaton views the British advance with his ADC from within the village, as the combined sapper of the 45e and 2e Poles move to throw up barricades across the streets.
The British advance moves into the fields, with the rifles skirmishing across the crops and delivering skirmishing fire into the retreating Poles, taking down two, and leaving only the sergeant still standing. Beyond the fields, near the French camp on the left, dismounted dragoons move to take up positions along a low wall.
The British near volleying range, it will not be long before the main body of the French force can engage the British line.
With the British looming ever closer, Dubaton swiftly executes a last minute manoeuvre with his line. He withdraws a section of the 45e to take up positions behind the barricade on the beach road into the village, while swinging the Poles round to the left, sheltering behind some ancient Greek ruins, to threaten the British right and skirmishes. The rest of the line, 1 section of the 45e, remains to engage the British.
In side the village a group of local 'Albanians' has been assembled and despatched to support the dismounted dragoons, while the sappers work on a barricade across the village's 'main' road. Dubaton, with ADC and eagle beside him awaits the coming assault.
The British swiftly advance and volley while the French are still executing manoeuvres. The 45e, remaining beyond the village, are devastated by the British volley, losing nearly half of their firing line, while the Poles are caught in the flank, though they are admittedly better off as the ruins protect them from most of the firing. On the British right the rifles' fire cuts down most of the dragoons defending the wall.
With precision and calmness the Poles continue their manoeuvre, forming march column under fire and returning towards the village, to where the sappers are finishing constructing the second barricade. Their steadiness under fire, is admirable, but the Poles' manoeuvre was ill timed.
The British lines volleys along its length, throwing the remaining men of the 45e back into the village, and catching the Poles in the rear. The rifles shoot down the rest of the dragoons and overrun their position. As the British general and staff ride up towards the action, the French seem to be in a bad hole.
As the Poles take up their position behind the newly constructed barricade the village starts to feel cramped, with the remaining French forces huddled down for protection as the British advance comes on far more rapidly than anticipated.
With the rifles overrunning the first wall, the 'Albanian' volunteers, led by the lieutenant of dragoons race to counter them. The Poles are at last all in position, while the chief of engineers double-checks their barricade.
As the British advance, the 45e volley and rip the centre out of the Grenadiers' line.
With their line broken, the grenadiers now charged down the road, towards the barricade, but were caught in their track by another volley, suffering quite a few casualties, and stopping them short.
The rifles made light work of the 'Albanian' advance, and the marines quickly swung round to face the Poles defending the main road.
And so the battle ended. The marines and rifles had opened fire on the Poles, while a section of grenadiers had outflanked Dubaton's position, and entered the village by an undefended route. The British were still not in possession of the village, by Dubaton's position was now unsustainable, and he chose to withdraw before he lost too many more men. So the British were left in control of the village, their first foot hold on Kefallonia, they had fought a swift battle, advancing rapidly across rough terrain, unopposed thanks to their sloop's guns, forcing the French back into the village and then hauling them up with such vigour that retreat became inevitable.
The British suffered 15 wounded and 6 dead, while the French lost 43 wounded and 10 dead.
It was a decisive British victory - now the French had to go and recoup while the British planned their next move of the campaign.
By B
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