Battle of San Lorenzo - 8th May 1863

 

After having deluged you in May and June last year with loads of posts on my Mexican Adventure figure collection, I entirely failed to add a post on their first appearance in an actual game!  So apologies for the delay but here it is.

For this first outing I decided to use the Zouave II rules by Bob Jones (the original author of Piquet) which incorporate a rondel mechanism (which is something I have seen in boardgames before but not in miniatures wargame rules).

Having carted almost everything up to the club I realised I had managed to leave my hills at home - and given they are are crucial element of the game some improvisation was needed (hence the slightly unusual shapes!).

Here are the briefs:

French Briefing

Your main forces are currently besieging Puebla but the Juaristas seem determined to relieve the garrison. General l’Hériller saw off the first attempt at San Pablo del Monte on the 6th and the Juaristas have fallen back. General Forey has decided to take the initiative and strike the enemy before they can mount a second attempt at lifting the siege. At one o’clock this morning General Bazaine led a column northwest up the road to Cuatlincingo before striking out across country towards San Lorenzo. He bluffed his way past a Republican outpost but encountering a second decided to neutralise it and then push rapidly across the remaining 2 kilometres to San Lorenzo and the enemy. 

French Objective

Force the Republican forces to withdraw.

French Order of Battle

General de Division Achilles Bazaine (CinC)

1-2/1st Guard Horse Artillery

General de Brigade Louis de Bertier 

3rd Zouaves

51st Regiment de Ligne 

81st Regiment de Ligne 

Tirailleurs Algeriens 

Colonel François Charles du Barail 

1st & 2nd Chasseurs d’Afrique 

12th Chasseurs à Cheval

Mexican Dragoons

Republican Briefing

Your main forces are currently attempting to lift the siege of Puebla. French General l’Hériller saw off the first attempt at San Pablo del Monte on the 6th and your forces have fallen back. General Comonfort has decided to split his force into three Divisions before regrouping in order to mount a second attempt at lifting the siege. Your’s is the first Division under General Echeagaray encamped in and around San Lorenzo. At five o’clock this morning your men report the approach of a French column.

Republican Objective

Force the French forces to withdraw.

Republican Order of Battle

General of Division Don Ignacio Echeagaray (San Lorenzo)

1-3/1 div. Line 

1st & 2nd Artillery 

General of Brigade Frias (Panzacola)

1-2/2 div. Infantry

General of Brigade Basilio Garza (Ocotlàn)

1-3/3 div. Militia 

Colonel Quiroga

3 x Squadron Lancers

2nd Squadron Lancers

3rd Squadron Lancers

And some photos from the game:

Whilst the Mexicans defended valiantly the French assaulted up the hill and took San Lorenzo itself.

The rules were both interesting and fun and will be coming back to the table again.