Back to Two Wars, p.3 / 3 - Stony Point

The final installment, was our visit to Stony Point Battlefield Historic Site, which is right on the Hudson, about 30 minutes South of West Point. Not only was it on our route, but it was one of the clear-cut complete Colonial / Patriot / Revolutionary / Rebel victories of the war, going almost perfectly to the careful plan laid out by Gen. Wayne and approved by Gen. Washington. Can't resist that!

Of course, I intend to wargame it at some point...

The park is nicely done, with a good museum in a small building, and the day we visited [a summer Saturday] had plenty of guides and re-enactors, much to our pleasure. As we were rushed, and there was no guide book to purchase, I took as many pics of military interest as possible from the museum's displays.

Strategic situation before the attack.

Stony Point had a ferry, making it tactically valuable - it was not just a point around which the river bends. The ferry is pictured below - it doesn't inspire confidence, and looks like it can only accommodate one wagon if that!  But this ferry would make a nice piece on a game table...

The British attack on May 28th...

...successfully, and then fortify Stony Point in June.

British artillery at Stony Point.

Grand tactical map. West Point is at the top right, Stoney Point is towards the bottom right, where the red markings end - it juts a bit Northeast, and the Ferry is marked with a dashed line and "Kings Ferry" written besides it in the water. You get the operational picture here of Gen. Washington's forces on the Hudson.

The cunning American plan...

...and it's execution!

A very nice diorama. The little stick things mark the abatis, the black semi-circles are the various dugouts, fortifications, etc.  Certainly "Hard Cover" in any wargame rules. The Lights are attacking from the top right out onto the peninsula.

Also, there were two gunboats - a small one at top left where it says "Haverstraw Bay" and a larger frigate at bottom right, in yellow. To better orient you, the below pick is _almost_ North, and of course the Lights are attacking from the West Bank of the Hudson on the left.

The below shows the American Lt. Infantry hat, on the back is the paper used to ID friends to friends in the night attack. It is just white paper slipped into the two cloth bands - I'd guess they were used to hold a feather for parades.

Nice map of Stoney Point.

Closeup

The re-enactors. A Smith...

...Soldier from a New York regiment...

...Camp follower...

There is a self-guided walking tour with 17 of these boards. The information is helpful, there is plenty to help you figure out the battle.

At the first marker. You can see there's a scan, pics, map, etc. Nicely done!

Walking up from the parking lot, which is at river level on the Southwest edge of the peninsula. Gives a feeling for the steep slope to the left.

And looking back down to the water from halfway up - it is steeper than it looks!

The markers - they speak for themselves. 

British mortar point at Marker 6, one of the lower earthworks. Looks like the British already removed the guns!

View down slope from the lower earthworks; 30-45 degree grade, you'd have to climb not march up this slope.

View downslope South from Point 6 - a steep drop the Americans attacked up!

View south from Point 8. Slope drops steeply but not as steep as Point 6.

Mr. Winkie contemplates the assault...or is just gazing around?

View North from Point 8. A good view of oncoming ships, and a great place for a cannon to be sited.

A bit to the West of Point 8 - an oncoming sailboat conveniently demonstrating why a fort is a good idea here!

View West from the Upper Works. Rough rocky ground.

View North - easily covering the approach.

View East across the river - the lighthouse is a later construction.

This platform marks a former Upper work. It faces West and you can see the steep slope from it down towards the Lower earthworks.

Nice view of the museum and the encampment. This is the level of the Lower works, the Upper works are behind the photographer.

This battle would be perfect for a set of rules at the 1:10 scale, requiring about 100 American and 45 British figs.  Most AmRev sets of rules are able to handle this, perhaps with a slight adjustment of the Ranges [making them longer] for the larger scale.

I hope this is helpful to you as you fight for freedom or to keep the British possessions intact!  I am pondering how to game this, and will certainly post more on this later as I convert it onto the table.