British forces advancing upon Vittoria

Cassagne’s Division moves around the French baggage train through Tolosa. 

French control the Pancorbo table. 

General Howard reorganizes his command, having full control of Bilbao and environs.

Joseph is back to being alone with the garrison at Bayonne. 

Cassagne’s Divison moving through the Tolosa table with all due speed. 

Byng advances on Pamplona… cautiously. 

Standoff at Tudela between Daricau and Packenham continues… but what about the Ford?

Darmagnac advances along the main road on the San Sebatstian table.

Then opposing forces are still well apart at Pamplona. 

Daricau prepares another disappearing act at Tudela. 

Cassagne has arrived at San Sebastian as well. Together with Darmagnac, they begin setting up a defensive position to block the main road towards Bayonne. What do they know that we don’t?!. 

Gazan discusses strategy with Leval at Calahora.

Leaving garrisons behind, the large British forces marches East from Bilbao. 

Some British Light Dragoons peak in at the Vittoria table from the French rear!

The Battle of Vittoria rages on!

View from the South looking towards Vittoria.

French Baggage train rumbles on through Tolosa.

Just the Fleet and British garrison at Santander.

Graham leads part o the British force from Bilbao on the Transit tables. 

Vilatte and Byng face off at Pamplona, still cautiously. 

Packenham and Daricau continue to stare one another down across the Ebro at Tudela. 

French prepare to defend San Sebastian, as French stragglers appear!

Gazan leads his small force against Cole’s left flank, while Leval puts pressure on him from the front. 

Byng starts to advance more deliberately on Pamplona and Vilatte. 

and here comes Graham (Brandan) and the British on the road to San Sebnastian!

Daricau ponders his position at Tudela. 

Getting hit in the flank by Heavy Dragoons is not an experience to be treasured, as Cole’s men find out!

The British have moved on from the Bilbao table, whilst leaving it garrisoned. 

British troops close in on Vittoria from 3 directions!

Portuguese troops garrison the Longrono table. 

King joseph has only his Engineers to keep him company at Bayonne, now!

The Wagon Train plods along at Tolosa. 

Status quo at Santander. 

and at Pancorbo.

British receive reinforcements outside Pamplona; Byng starts to push his advance more aggressively as a result.

Tudela, don’t wanna fail ya; is Packenham finally preparing to make a move across the Ebro?

British massing in greater force before San Sebastian!

Like little lost sheep, the British Light Dragoons return from their scouting of Vittoria, and follow after Howard and Ponsomby.

Form Square! Gazan’s Dragoon charge last turn succeeded at Calhora!

Back to just British garrisons at Bilbao. 

Closing in on Vittoria; General Leith tries to force a crossing of the river. 

Closer view of the British assailants. 

Tolosa; looks like some routed Frenchies making their escape from ? San Sebastian.

Back and Forth at Pamplona – Vilatte is on the far side of the river. 

Ford?  What Ford?! Packenham forces the line of the Ebro at Tudela. 

Half a league, half a league, half a league onward; into the teeth of the French marched the Grahams  and Howards.

Byng’s British cavalry trying to sneak behind Vilatte’s lines?

Packenham has crossed the proverbial Rubicon!

“How’d you like my fine cavalry to charge your flank from behind that hill?”, jests Cassagne to Howard…maybe. 

Coles troops are being ground down at Calhora, having to fight on two fronts!

British trying to close the noose on the French at Vittoria!

“Oh where are you goin’, with tails all a wagon..”

Overview of the situation at Pamplopna, Byng vs Vilatte. 

With his position turned, Daricau considers withdrawing from Tudela. 

British press their advance upon San Sebastian.

Cole’s Division is crumbling at Calhora. 

Things are getting tense at Vittoria, with the city held by infantry, supported on the flanks by some artillery and a mass of cavalry. 

Dalhousie’s Division, seeing that its numbers will add little to the outcome of tjhe battle, turns to march off for other parts. 

Byng closes upon Vilatte and Pamplona. 

Outnumbered and with his position turned, Daricau has done the shuffle off to Buffalo. Oh wait, those are beef cattle. Packenham is unopposed at Tudelo. Where will he go?

Battle is about to be joined at San Sebastian.

Coles Divison has been roughed up badly; the survivors move off to the Northwest, and Gazan sounds the recall, preparing to exit stage right, whilst Leval is left to mop up. 

The remnants of Cole’s men retreat by way of Longrono

The last of the British have been eliminated at Calahora, and Gazan has marched off with his men. General Leval pens a brief update to the French High Command, informing them of this favorable turn of events. 

Byng’s cavalry have managed to get between Vilatte and Pamplona. 

Packenham begins his advance from Tudela.

Boyers Dragoons cross the river, attempting to distract Leith and his men from Vittoria proper. 

The Battle of San Sebastian gets underway in earnest.

Only a small British garrison is now left at Tudela.

The only thing that suggests that they are Massachusetts troops is the flag, one carried at Bunker (Breeds) Hill in June of 1775. It is by Adolfo Ramos in Spain. 

The overall theme of the unit is shades of grey with green facings. 

 

As before, even with the cacophony of subdued colors used, they probably appear far more uniform than would have been the case. 

Flag aside, they could just as easily be loyalist militia. 

They certainly would not be out of place at Bunker Hill or any number of clashes. In the assault upon the entrenchments at Breed’s Hill, the British suffered over 1,000 casualties, including 450 killed, with  high proportion of officers. .

Although they were pushed out of their positions after the third assault, the losses of the Americans were less than half that of the British. 

Howard’s job is done at Santander

French on the road Tolosa – elements of both Daricau and Cassagne, I believe. 

Leval, Villate, and Byng at Calahora

Vittoria off in the distance

Vittoria from the other end of the battlefield.

Packenham threatens to cross the Ebro at Tudela

A British foot regiment attacked from the front and flank, and a British battery charged at Calahora. 

Howard arrives on the scene at Blboa!

Darmagnac at Tolosa

British Light Dragoons accompanied by Wing Commander Lt General Graham on the Santander table.

Daricau rushes reserves to discourage a crossing of the Ebro by Packenham at Tudela.

Tudela

Things remain quite for the French garrisons at San Sebastian

The French baggage train and Cassagne’s Division preparing top depart from the far end of the Vittoria table. 

Pressure from the British mounts at Vittoria.

Cassagne encounters Howard at Bilboa, and is feeling stretched a bit thin!

General Cole arrives at Calahora with his Division.

General Byng at the Transit tables

Packenham and Daricau play cat and mouse at the crossings of the Ebro near Tudela.

Another view of the situation at Tudela

Bulls may safely rest at Pamplona, still. 

His Majesty’s Royal Navy arrives at Santander!

The RN has brought much needed reinforcements to Santander – a couple of heavy artillery batteries and two small Portuguese Divisions. Those pesky French Lancers pop in for a brief scouting visit, too; Doubtless why Graham remained behind at Santander. 

What wargamer doesn’t love more troops?!

Is that a Ford over the Ebro off to the side of the table? 

Leval tries to reorganize before Cole’s arrival can succor Byng’s rearguard. Vilatte looks on from cross a tributary of the Ebro. 

Howard and part of Cassagne’s Division face off near Bilboa. 

British and Portuguese advance down three different roads at Vittoria. 

Cole advances through Lerma towards the bridge over the Ebro, and Calahorra, whre the last of Byng’s rearguard faces destruction. 

British on the Transit table ? part of Byng’s command?

Packenham has pulled back across the Ebro. 

View from behind Leval’s men at Calahora. 

Cassagne’s forces are outnumbered and overmatched by Howard’s Division near Bilboa.

Continued development off the Battle of Vittoria. 

Daricau prepares to remove the bulk of his troops from the Tudela table, leaving behind enough forces to discourage Packenham from any river crossing attempts. 

Stillness at San Sebastian.

French control but no troops at Espinosa de Monteroi

British control but no troops at Aquilar de Campo.

Cole at Lerma, opposite Calahora. Vilatte is seen moving off to the Northeast, while the bulk of Leval’s troops look to be headed off to the Northwest.

Looks like a few stragglers from Byng’s command headed ff to the North as well. 

Wellington and the garrison of Burgos. 

Portuguese troops garrisoning Longorno

Howard splits his Division into 2 wings; one confronts part of Cassagne’s Division (guarding roads over the mountains that lead to the rear of the French positions at Vittoria). 

Wagon trains and some more troops from Cassagne’s Division preparing to leave from the Vittoria table.

Vittoria; Alten’s Light Division is advancing up the road towards the city. 

All quiet at Bayonne. 

LOTS of French troops on the main road at Tolosa!

Just the Fleet and some Portuguese garrison are left at Santander. 

British control but no troops at Pancorbo – in the background, General Vilatte’s Division is seen arriving outside Pamplona. 

Just after that, British troops appear on a different road to Pamplona.

Daricau’s Division keeps sending troops to and from Tudelo, trying to dazzle Packinham. 

They seek him here, they seek him there; those Limeys seek him everywhere!

British troops on several different transit tables. 

Darmagnac at Tolosa. 

Darmagnac moving off to the North along the main road from Burgos to Bayonne.

Cole at Lerma, Leval at Calahora, with Byng looking on. 

Near Bilboa, Howard sends one wing of his Division off to the West; reinforced by more of his own troops, Cassagne responds by threatening the remaining half at Bilbao. 

The head of the French booty train arrives on the Tolosa table, clogging the road in the process!  “Moooooo-ve out of our way!”

Ponsomby arrives, marching to Bilbao!

Remainder of the French train departing from the Vittoria table. 

French take up position to defend the city of Vittoria. 

Conroux’s Division is being very roughly handled by the advancing British, but he is buying a lot of time for the French!

Darmagnac’s Division returns to Bayonnne???!

Packenham is left unopposed at Tudelo, but suspects Daricau will return as soon as he tries to cross the Ebro. 

Byng’s Division is cautiously observing Vilatte, who disposes his troops to defend Pamplona. 

Byng withdraws and writes to Wellington for directives. 

British Light Dragoons riding through the countryside at Espinosa de Monteroi.

French markers on the Transit Tables

Leval faces off against Cole across the Ebro at Calahora; General Gazan appears at the head of a regiment of Dragoons, arriving from the Northeast.

With both Howard and Ponsomby now at Bilbao, General Cassagne backs off!

The British continue their attacks towards Vittoria.

Darmagnac raises a glass of Cognac to King Joesph, and departs Bayonne for… ?

French at Tolosa.

Conroux’s crumbling position before Vittoria.

Is Darmagnac coming back to Bayonne again?  He confers with GM Mike.  

That tricky Daricau is back at Tudelo again!

Cole and Leval at Calahora.

Cassagne appear to have evacuated the Bilbao table, as British troops attack the French garrison at Gdenes.

Here’s the first American unit for my Revolutionary War project. 

Aside from the Continental troops raised by and (theoretically, at least) paid by the Continental Congress, there were also various state regiments, raised and (theoretically, at least) paid by the various  state governments. Finally there local militias, what we might think of, probably inaccurately, as “minutemen”. 

Troops such as these were raised for short periods of service, from a day or two, up to perhaps 3 months.

Most probably wore civilian clothes, but you will perhaps indulge me if that’s a bit too much for me; my troops require a semblance of uniforms. So my Militia units will have an overall theme, here “brown coats with red facings”. The coats are of varying patterns and shades of brown, and there i little uniformity in the rest of the equipment. The flag is a “Son’s of Liberty” flag, 7 red and 6 white stripes for the 13 colonies, which was especially seen in the earlier days of the Revolution. 

These are Brigade Games figures from the “American Militia” sets, with the flag by Adolfo Ramos.