Fetterman: Hundred in the Hand Batrep Conclusion

Start of Turn 5

Having detected the warriors to the south west, Fetterman hatched a cunning plan. Grummond's cavalry was to confront the new threat, while the infantry retired along the Bozeman, hopefully keeping the pursuing warriors at bay with controlled volleys.

Cavalry skirmish line forms

Grummond duly formed line and dismounted, releasing the horses to fend for themselves. If any of his men were to leave the valley they would do so on foot.  The repeater armed cavalry quickly put a stop to the threat of encirclement from the southwest but not without loss.

Meanwhile, the infantry succeeded in keeping the main body of warriors at arm's length. Things were looking up for the US.

Naturally the next batch of warrior reinforcements appeared in sector 5, right behind the infantry line. Worse yet they resolved into two mounted warbands which promptly charged. One infantry figure went down doing a fair impersonation of a pin cushion. The remainder broke and ran. 

 

Feets don't fail me now!

Any veteran of the frontier knows that running from warriors is seldom the correct move. Soon the shrieking and whooping foe were riding among the fleeing troops counting coup and wreaking havoc.

The end is nigh

Emboldened perhaps by the success of their fellows, the warbands to the southwest, redoubled their efforts and overran the cavalry skirmish line.

It was all over in a matter of minutes.

In the end the entire US force was eliminated for the loss of eight warrior figures out of the fight, about half that number fled, and a few ponies slain.

Had I accepted the loss of Fetterman's infantry as a fait accompli, Grummond's horse could have been saved.

The infantry having taken possession of the rocky summit of Massacre Hill would probably been able to hold off the warriors long enough for the mounted troops to have made their escape.

Still from what I have read of Lt. Grummond, he would have chosen to stay and fight rather than have a cloud cast upon his bravery by abandoning the infantry to their fate.

Nothing to see here. Please move on.

As was the case historically, Captain Ten Eyck's relief column was treated the sight of warriors riding too and fro, shooting at something on the ground and taunting him to come down off Lodgepole Ridge and have a go at them. The Captain wisely declined the invite.