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Bordentown, NJ
6/8/2007 - 6/10/2007
Written by Serjeant Woolf
The ground was great; it was actually the estate of Joseph Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon and former King of Spain, who fled to the USA after Waterloo. It comprised flat open fields, interspersed with woods containing some pretty cool ravines. There was also a pretty cool redoubt, with a full size breastwork, a good ditch and an abattis out front.
The 4th was represented by myself, Guy Curtis, John Kahler and George Efinger. Remarkably we had as many distaff as men, with Kim, Heather Smidt, Carrie Efinger and Hilary Cote. I was excited for Guy and Heather as it was their first weekend encampment. They drove down with Kim and I in Guy's jeep, which was fun and made life easier.
We messed and brigaded with our brothers from the 64th LI. Together we formed one "company" in the Light Battalion, also comprising the 29th, 40th, 84th. Don Beale (16th QLD) commanded, seconded by Jim Bezio (29th). Yours truly was appointed Serjeant-Major. We together formed 3 'platoons', AKA
'companies'. Altogether, there were about 400 Brits & Hessians encamped against 600 rebels and French.
We took full advantage of our new mandate to provide pickets and patrols all weekend. First blood was drawn as the dawn mist still lay in the air, when your serjeant was alerted to the presence of continental dragoons in the British camp. I challenged them saying "State your business?" They replied they were just out for a stroll. I told them I did not approve and they defied me to stop them, saying their carbines were loaded, and that if did not approve, I should draw. So I loaded and fired and called the camp to
arms. But the green coated rats scarpered out of camp before anything else could happen.
Our first patrol went out after coffee first thing on Saturday morning, comprising the 4 of us from the King's Own. We brazenly strode through the American camp, posing as the 4th Rhode Island Regiment, or
"Greene’s Lions", dressed in red lottery coats. We were not challenged. We then went into
the woods to circle around and strike the American advanced guard camp near the redoubt. We approached the redoubt with caution and observed for a while. Fortune smiled on us as the rebels drifted off to breakfast and eventually there was no-one there. We dashed up to the ditch, and George entered to leave a calling card. As he was working to fix a mount, a gilt-laden officer approached, pausing here and there to chat with
soldiers breaking fast. Finally he came over to the redoubt, on his own. We made
ready and gave fire. Papers on his corpse identified him as Paul Hutchins, Major commanding the Infantry of the Continental Line. We bugged out and were not pursued.
Upon our return to camp, we joined the rest of the Light Infantry for drill in the shade while the rest of the army conducted a prolonged Colour ceremony. The drill was well worth while as we were able to iron out
several bugs. It greatly increased trust between the officers and men of all the units, which led to a spirit of cooperation and mutual support all weekend.
Before Nooning, Serjeant Woolf led out another patrol comprising the 40th LI. We strolled through the American camp without even pretending to fit in. Their camp had sentries but they did not react. On Guy's mouth opened as though to say something, but then he must have thought better of it. It's amazing what you can get away with, if you’re brazen enough.
We took a different route through the woods and approached the redoubt again, but from a different angle. We rushed it and took prisoner its single male occupant. Again, rebel security failed to respond. Rebel
Light commanders, Henry Cooke and Mike Cecere, wandered over in turn and were captured in succession.
A pleasant lunch and some shopping in sutlers' row followed. Great sutlers.
Around 2pm the army formed for the first big battle, a 2-pronged attack by the Crown Forces. We marched out of camp and down the road (south on Park St). Our wing of the army then turned into the woods, screened by us
Light Bobs, and waited for the 1st Brigade to open the Ball. We screened the deployment of our artillery and some line troops in a clearing, then the Light Battn drew off to the left into the woods and ravines to protect the flank.
Here we had some of the best fighting of the weekend. Heavily outnumbered, we managed to hold off every push by the rebels and French through a combination of luck, stubbornness, good judgment and
excellent cooperation. This is where the morning training really paid off, in terms of trust and confidence in one another. Every time one of our platoons was in trouble, another platoon appeared at just the right time and in just the right place. For example, as my squad (4th/64th) pushed up on the right, we were suddenly threatened on the left. The 29th/40th appeared just in time to check the rebs. Just a few minutes later, it was the 40th in trouble, just as Capt Bezio sounded recall. I sent back the 64th to the good
captain, but stood my ground with the 4th and prepared for the worst as the enemy massed
just a few yards away. We were the only thing that could stop them rolling around into the otherwise open right flank of the 40th. But they never came on: they must have assumed that as we were staying put, we must have had back-up (ha-ha!).
About this time, I dropped out from heat and fatigue and had a fine view of a massive British bayonet attack. One of the best I've ever seen. The allies held their fire until the last moment, then delivered a devastating volley. The redcoats died in heaps. It was magnificent.
After a fine meal with the 64th, the men and women of the 4th popped into town, as we were very impressed with it as we drove in. Very pretty, very old historic town center. In the Hob pub we encountered many
interesting locals, including Nancy the lush who loved men in uniform and a nice lady who bought us all a drink. Back in camp we had good sing-song at tavern run by the 24th.
Sunday dawned bright and cool. The Light Battn formed again for drill, when intelligence arrived of possible mischief. I sent George, John and Guy off as a picket on the most likely avenue of approach, and had the
remainder of the Battn take their ease out of sight. The intelligence said the enemy objective was the camp of out general and his staff and senior officers.
The picket performed magnificently, as the American raiders were paralyzed when they saw the feared red feathers of the King's Own. My orders to the picket were not to fire unless fired upon and they were observed
scrupulously. The discombobulated rebels pushed off the path that ran toward the picket and into a ravine to try to get round them. It was here they were challenged by Pvt Curtis, and the damned rebels were so impolite as to try to shoot him, so he fired back and opened the ball for the whole battle. Unfortunately Pvt Efinger was killed, at least for a while.
I brought up the Light Battn at the double-quick, and we deployed on the trail that ran along the woodline and faced down into the ravine. The rebels kept their distance, presumably feeling for an unguarded flank, while bringing a gun up to the path that ran into the camp. This was the second golden opportunity they threw away, as we were too few to hold them. We pushed some scouts into the wood to observe their movements. Captain Najecki went in by himself, so I sent Pvt Curtis in to keep an eye on him. Moments later came back and said "he’s dead." Things weren’t looking good when by some miracle, 2 guns and a howitzer of our own artillery appeared with full crews, and this checked the rebels. At one point they did make a push
on the guns covering the trail-head, but the 4th and 29th counter attacked and their advance stalled. Then they rallied and came on again slowly; our Lights wavered but I managed to exhort them to stand their ground until summoned back by the Captain. We skirmished back and forth, as each side pushed more men into the action. By now both armies were beating to arms.
It was magnificent. Kim says the faces of the men running to arms in camp were beaming with excitement. The Lights performed splendidly and completely succeeded in protecting the officers' camp.
The afternoon action was also fun, this time in open fields. Again, our pickets engaged the enemy advance as the rest of the Battn deployed in fine style. We fired and retired slowly to allow our five pieces of
artillery to come up and get into position. The skirmishing continued when suddenly a detachment of French, with a gun appeared 300 yards in our rear. The gun of HMS Somerset was all that stood between us, so I sent two files off to protect them and they had a fine action. Once the heavy infantry came up the
Lights re-grouped and were deployed on the army’s left.
We ran up as a feint to draw the enemy away from the planned attack by the main army, but our movement was premature and we were exposed to repeated volleys of
several companies. About half the Light battalion fell. In the event the Americans attacked first. It was a magnificent sight, and yet more so when our brigades let rip and brought them down in heaps, then counter attacked and drove them from the field. Perhaps our sacrifice was worth it?
All in all, an excellent event, with all the ingredients of success: good ground, good battles, lots of surprises, good company, good inter-unit cooperation, good weather, good camp, good sutlers, good party on
Saturday night, good parking and an easy exit, with no traffic jams.
For those of you who couldn’t make it, a few lines from the Bard:
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."
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