WOJE and AWI

While working on the final elements of my WOJE campaign, I picked up a book to read in my spare time. A Devil of a Whipping by Babits. It covers the Battle of Cowpens. I had been looking at the skirmish at Hammond's Store as it happened just a couple miles south of my alma mater, Presbyterian College. It is an interesting little skirmish that like many of the small actions in the South Carolina at the time would now likely be considered a war crime as quarter was not given.

Hammond's Store was a clash of Continental Dragoons and Rebel Militia against a force of Loyalist Militia. This got me to thinking about how this fit in with the broader context of the war in the South. That had me reading Babit's book on Cowpens. The picture I am getting actually makes for an interesting and descreet campaign in the Ninety-Six district of South Carolina from December 1780 to January 1781.

The starting point is with Thomas Sumter's defeat at the hands of Tarleton on November 20, 1780 at Blackstocks. With Sumter's force largely broken, the organized resistance in the back country for the Rebels were in trouble. The Continental forces were still reorganizing from the disaster at Camden earlier in the year. General Morgan had arrived and was sorting out what was left in North Carolina. General Greene was on his way South to assume over all command of the theater.

A couple of important events started taking place. First is that in the Ninety Six District, the Loyalist Militias began to take vengence on their Rebel/Whig neighbors or those they believed had such sympathies. Since the fall of Charleston, Andrew Pickens had taken his parole and was sitting out the war. But in December 1780, Loyalist Militias burned his home and attacked his family. Simlar events were happening across the Long Canes community. Andrew Pickens, in turn, returned to the fight and called up his militia. Pickens would lead the Rebel Militia at Cowpens by January 17, 1781.

The campaign has two parts to it from my perspective. 1) The vendettas by both sides against one another. Specifically the attacks on civilians at the Long Canes community and the partisan attacks against and around Fort Ninety Six. 2) The movement of Morgan's forces toward Ninety Six and their retreat back to Cowpens.

I have been trying to find a good map of the South Carolina back country. One source noted that the Ninety Six district was next to Charleston, the most important district in South Carolina at the time as it was the most populous. Yet maps of the time show the rivers and a few of the hills in the area but very few of the settlements that dotted the country side. I have three principle maps I am drawing from. The 1773 Mouzon Map, The 1795 Lewis Map and the 1804 Carey Map. Each of these are for South Carolina as a whole and not just for the Ninety Six District. The plan is to print one of these out (likely the Mouzon) and update it with what I have found.

Anyway, once the War on Jenkin's Ear is wrapped up, I think I have my new project. I have seven scenarios to work on based on the historical battles. Plus an idea for a few more that are more small raids. Should inspire me to finish off my Continentals and British Legion Dragoons.

For WOJE, I have started working on a forest section. The theory is sound. Just trying to make the final product work out. More on that later.

Fort Bastion and Miniatures

Finished the principle painting on the corner bastion. It is from Blue Moon Manufacturing. It was assembled 2 years ago and languished in my cabinet till today. I will still flock it but it is just about table ready.

In addition, I have finished up seven more Indians. They need to be based still. Lastly, I painted up three spanish officers. One for the Regulars and two for the grenadiers.

The last item was a swamp base that I started. I will need to add water and

New Prints for To Covet Glory - WOJE

I just got back some new prints from a resin printer. They came out very nicely. I have some 1/300th Fusta models and some 1/100th Scout Boat and Piragua models. These are so much cleaner than my filament printer. The revised sculpts of the Fusta model came out great. The benches are fixed and the line where I had cut and rejoined the original Galley model are barely noticable. The Fusta without the stern canopy is without a cannon in front. Not sure how I missed that. No idea why it is that way. Surely a mental collapse on my part.

If you notice the prints of the Scout Boat and the Piraguas are bent. In pulling these from the printer, they bent. This is because the models are very thin. They lack the heavier bottom of the Fusta model. I think I can heat them up with a hair dryer or with hot water and get them straightened out. These pictured are the larger 1/100th scale models. The smaller 1/300th had the same isssue. However, the first batch did not. It could be due to the care with which they were removed. Since I don't have that printer, I don't know the answer to that.

All in all, I am very happy with these. I am close to having all that I need for the scenarios. Next step is painting them.

WOJE Continued

Basing compound has been applied to five movement trays for groups of 8 and two movement trays for groups of ten. Also did the bases on the last group of Darien Scots.

I still have a bunch of AWI militia that are in the middle of rebasing but I have enough finished to serve as Georgia Rangers.

Here is the finished miniatures. I have roped in my son to work on some pine trees for me. I also have plans for a large river section that will be a 1 12/' x 4' for one of the scenarios. I found a good tutorial for it last night and look forward to trying it out.

Anyway, great progress has been made.I should be able to get some games on the table shortly.