The Raid On The Isle D'Arcy Beuselle; a Sharp Practice mini campaign set in the Med

This mini campaign we, my mucker Danny and myself, have been fighting, on and off, for the better part of a year and we've only completed the first two scenarios of the trilogy!! That is due, in no small measure, to the British Admiralty and their tardy approach to fitting out Danny's British with a ship.

Till Danny's boat comes in and we can complete this campaign here's the first part...

The Med, 1805, Britain and France have once again adopted their natural attitudes to one another and are at war. 

British Naval Intelligence has lost ground in the Med and is attempting to reestablish themselves as the dominant force. However, it's not all going to plan and on the Isl D'Arcey Beuselle, just off the French Mediterrranean coast, their main agent has been captured. Acting on this information they have sent Rear Admiral "Deadly" Dudley Pugwash aboard HMS Cockerel ("The Fighting Cock") to carry out a rescue. 

On the Isl D'Arcey Beuselle, the French garrison is somewhat scattered. Inland there is a large farm, the Casa Jerpes, where the garrison HQ is situated. A guard detachment from the 30th Legere, who constitute the main defence on the island, are billeted there along with a troop of Dragoons. Here is where the British spy is being held for "questioning". Also stationed there is the 9th light artillery battery HQ.

On the northern shore of the island is the main town of  Chein de Mer. Here is stationed the major part of the 30th Legere force under Capitain Etienne Coq Sportif. Here is also located the 9th light battery acting as coastal defence battery and the island's signal tower.

Deadly Dudley has been provided with a scratch though not weak force for his task. Onboard he has his ship's complement of Marines who have been reinforced from other ships of the blockading fleet, a detachment of 95th Rifles and, keen for a fight, his ships crew.

Deadly's plan is to storm the town of Chein de Mer, destroy the battery and the tower in an attempt to draw away the dragoons at the Casa Jerpes to the town. While the French are looking towards the town, a smaller force will raid the farm and rescue the British spy...simple, eh?

Deadly Dudley's actual map of Chein de Mer

Chein de Mer from the west, as the British Navy arrive

Chein de Mer. The 30th Leger were billeted on the poor locals in the scattered houses of the town 

the town is split by the river running into the Med

The early morning tranquility is shattered by the arrival of the British Navy

As the light battery roars out its defiance they are unaware that the 95th Rifles are sneaking up on them

Landing on the wrong side of the river, the British Matelots, who have been tasked with destroying the signal tower, make for the bridge

Meanwhile, the 30th Legere deploy quickly to repel the raiders. In the distance, a Dragoon patrol has arrived on the scene and has dismounted to engage the Rifles

By now the 30th Legere had woken to the danger. Capitain Coq Sportif led a force towards the guns in an attempt to save them. He was to slow and watched in anger as the gun crews were cut down and their cannon spiked.

Realising that the signal tower was also in danger, Coq Sportif sent the Dragoons to assist Lt Camembert, his second in command, to save the signal tower.

In the centre of the British force, Deadly Dudely watched as the superbly trained though somewhat depleted Marines covered his matelots who were rapidly approaching the signal tower....

The matelots, a big band of burly fellows armed to the teeth with cutlasses and axes stormed across the main bridge towards their goal...

 

Sweeping around the corner, they saw before them the tower, ineffectually guarded by a lone and rather terrified sentry

Smashing down the tower door, the soon had the tower ablaze, whilst the slightly singed senty made good his escape by dropping from the roof

Seeing the smoke rising from the tower, the French troops rushed across the foot bridge, hell bent on revenge

But the matelots were in a fighting mood and destroyed the forces sent to stop them

Their joy was short lived though. Cries from their officers on the bridge and the thunder of hooves told them something was amiss. In the middle of the battle, the Dragoons had ridden down the last of the Marines amongst whom was Deadly Dudley. Knocking him senseless, a Dragoon sergeant threw the unconscious admiral across his saddle and led his troop back to the Casa Jerpes.


Thus ended the first scenario; The British had achieved their minor objectives by destroying the battery and the signal tower but it was a pyrrhic victory as the admiral had been grabbed by the dragoons, which is not a pretty sight, let me tell you.

As the British gathered their depleted forces they started to rearrange their plans. They had lost the admiral and the element of surprise as the capture of Deadly Dudley would give the game away. They had only one option...no, not sail away and leave the rear admiral behind; they had to rescue him and the British spy!!

As the British commanders were debating the best way to accomplish this, Capitain Coq Sportif and the remains of his force kept their men busy with sniping and patrolling but otherwise held their ground to see what the British would do next......

So, you may be suprised to hear, our next chapter concerns the raid on Casa Jerpes; Will the British matelots rescue their beloved rear admiral? Will they rescue the spy? Will it all be too late? Will the French whisk them away to the mainland? Join me next time for more tales of derring do in the Med next time....