Battle Report: 13th April 2002

Spanish Colonial ~vs~ Mexican Juarista

(Robert Avery ~vs~ Rupert Avery) .

Spanish Colonial
Brigade	Unit	Fig.'s	Org.	Class	Weapons	Pts/Fig	Points
.	CinC	1	.	..	.	100	100
1st	2inC	1				50	50
Brigade	Talavera Regt.	20	4x5	LightsC	mlr	10	240
	1st Battalion	24	4x6	MilC	mlr	7	208
	2nd Battalion	24	4x6	MilC	mlr	7	208
	3rd Battalion	24	4x6	MilD	mlr	6	184
	4th Battalion	24	4x6	MilD	mlr	6	184
Cavalry	2inC	1				50	50
Brigade	1st Dragoons	20	4x5	RegC	s, mlc	13	300
	2nd Dragoons	16	4x4	RegD	s, mlc	12	232
Artillery	2inC	1				50	50
Brigade	Light Battery	2	2x1	RegC	light lmsb fa	69	158
	Medium Battery	1	1x1	RegC	medium mlsb fa	85	95
	Ammo Wagon	1				50	50
Confederate	2inC	1				50	50
Brigade	Zouaves	25	5x5	MilB	mlr	9	275
	1st Homelanders	25	5x5	MilC	mlr	8	250
	2nd Homelanders	25	5x5	MilC	mlr	8	250
	3rd Homelanders	25	5x5	MilC	mlr	8	250
	4th Homelanders	25	5x5	MilC	mlr	8	250
							3434

.

Mexican Juarista
Brigade	Unit	Fig.'s	Org.	Class	Weapons	Pts/Fig	Points
	CinC	1				100	100
1st	2inC	1				50	50
Brigade	Zapadores	30	6x5	LightsC	mlr	10	360
	Los Supremos Podres	30	6x5	RegC	mlr	8	300
2nd	2inC	1				50	50
Brigade	1st Line	30	6x5	MilC	mlr	8	300
	2nd Line	30	6x5	MilC	mlr	8	300
	3rd Line	30	6x5	MilD	sbm	4	180
	4th Line	30	6x5	MilD	sbm	4	180
Cavalry	2inC	1				50	50
Brigade	Line	12	2x6	RegC	s, l	13	176
	Lancers	12	2x6	RegC	s, mlc	13	176
	Rancheros	12	2x6	MilD	l, mlc	11	152
Artillery	2inC	1				50	50
Brigade	Battery A	3	3x1	RegC	light mlsb fa	69	237
	Battery B	1	1x1	RegC	medium mlsb fa	85	115
	Ammo Wagon	1				50	50
Guerillos	2inC	1				50	50
	Red Flag Foot	30	1x30	IrregC	mlr	7	225
	Blue Flag Foot	30	1x30	IrregC	mlr	7	225
	Yellow Flag Horse	10	1x10	IrregC	mlc	10	115
							3441

.

.	Spanish	Mexican
Foot	4820	4800
Horse	720	720
Guns	6	8

Report  

Seeking to take advantage of the confusion reigning in Mexico at the end of the French Intervention, a force of Spanish troops invades to reclaim the territory for His Most Catholic Majesty.  With them are the "Homelanders":  a brigade of Confederate troops looking to carve out a "new South" for themselves down Mexico way.

Both sides set up with their line infantry in the centre, all in line formation.  The Spanish had massed the Confederates on their left flank, and the Talavera Regiment supported by the 1st Dragoons on their right flank.  The Mexicans had their medium artillery and 3rd Line Regiment protecting their left flank; and had massed the Guerillos on their right, supported by the other artillery battery placed on a commanding hill.

As the battle opened, both lines marched smartly towards each other in the centre, with the Mexican Zapadores deploying into skirmish formation.  On the Spanish right, the Talaveras also went into skirmish, advancing forward quickly.  On the Spanish left, the Confederates quick marched forward in column to threaten the Guerillos and Mexican light artillery battery.

The first action was for the Confederate Zouaves and 1st Battalion to deploy into line and fire into the massed Guerillos.  Their fire routed the Guerillos Horse, and did several casualties to both Guerillos Foot regiments.  

Then disaster struck for the Confederates.  The Mexican artillery fired a perfectly aimed barrage at the 1st Battalion:  doing unexpected devastation and wiping out an entire company of 100 men.  The Homelanders were unprepared for this, and routed from the field.  The Guerillos foot then charged the Confederate Zouaves, and incredibly, the Zouaves were bounced back by the mangy Guerillos foot:  who now threatened the flanks of the 2nd Homelanders battalion who were deploying to replace their erstwhile compatriots.

Then 4th battalion of Mexican line infantry (coming across from the centre line) charged the 2nd Battalion of Homelanders.  In an embarrassing display of Confederate incompetence, the 2nd Homelanders were smashed from the field by the D-class conscript levy recruits!  This, now, was too much for the Zouaves, who also fled the field.  With three routing battalions passing them, and the Mexican 4th Line still charging forward, the two remaining Confederate battalions, now disordered by the their panicked comrades, also decided that they had had enough and turned tail and fled!

Meanwhile, on the Spanish right, a squadron of Mexican Line and Lancer cavalry charged forward in an attempt to clear away the skirmishing Talavera regiment.  The first line of Mexican horse was easily destroyed by the Talaveras and this encouraged the 1st Spanish Dragoons to charge through the skirmish line at the second line of Mexican cavalry.  

This line broke and fled before contact had been made, but another two lines of Mexican cavalry (the Rancheros) charged forward.  Although they were outnumbered, the Mexicans managed to rout the 1st Dragoons.  The Talaveras, next in line, dismayed by the loss of their cavalry support and what they had heard about the rout of the Confederate brigade, also gave up the ghost and routed from the field!

With his right flank in ruins and his Confederate allies fleeing, the Spanish commander had no choice but to order a return to their ships.

The Spanish invasion of Mexico was over!

Casualties

The Spanish lost 60 infantry and 20 cavalry; with their Confederate allies losing 100 men, all to the same artillery barrage.   A total of 180 casualties.  However, the Talavera Regiment, 1st Dragoons and the entire Confederate brigade were routed from the field.

The Mexicans lost 80 Guerillos cavalry; 380 Guerillos foot; 120 line infantry; 60 Zapadores and 90 Lancers.  A total of 730 men.  However, only the Guerillos cavalry and half the Lancers were routed from the field.

Result

A clear victory for the Mexicans.

Analysis

The turning point of this battle was the devastating Mexican artillery fire on the 1st Confederate Homelanders.

Up until then, the Spanish had definitely held the initiative.  The Confederates were in a position to sweep the Guerillos and Mexican artillery from the field, and then to roll up the Mexican main line.  If this failed, then the Talaveras had achieved a useful overlap on the right, and had begun to annoy the Mexicans facing them with some good skirmish fire.

Then the artillery fire routed the 1st Homelanders leaving a massive hole in the Spanish plans.  The Mexican commander seized the initiative and smashed into the Confederates before they could replace what was a serious but not necessarily fatal loss.  Again fate sided with the Mexicans:  the Zouaves should easily have beaten the Guerillos foot...but they didn't, and then the 'domino' effect of routing units destroyed the Confederate brigade as a fighting force.

Luck wasn't all with the Mexicans:  the Spanish rolled their share of 'double 6's':  just not at any vital moments:   and it's luck at those vital moments that really counts, and having the initiative to exploit that luck that wins battles.

A great battle.  I just hope the Confederates get over being beaten by a load of mangy Guerillos and D-class infantry in time for their next encounter!