A night out ...

The young Marquess of Kronstadt had arranged with Brother James to go into the city of Wittenberg for the evening ....

Have you seen Brother James ?

Ah yes, he's in the garden ..

Marquess: There you are Brother James, shall we set off  ?

Br. James: Oh certainly ..

 

They take a coach into the city

On arrival, a brisk walk down Konigstrasse

Into the Kurfursten arms for a drink to start the evening off

(Br. James has coffee, he's not supposed to drink)

After a little walk,  they pause

Marquess: Where next ?

Br James: I know, the Blue Nun. We can watch a card game or somesuch ..

At the Blue Nun, they watch the card games

(and a have another drink or two - this time Br James has a small sherry) 

Next up the Guild House - a good place to spend the evening ...

It was along evening and they spent a lot of money and perhaps drank more than they should have (especially Brother James).

---oXo---

The next morning, one of the ladies of the court reported the sound of raucous singing to one of the palace guards - who dutifully reported it to the officer on duty.

After some investigation, the source of the singing was located; the palace guard found Brother James and the poor worse for wear Marquess.

The officer tactfully quietened down Brother James and the two of them were taken to the guard house to sleep it off.

 

The Irregulars on a mission ...

Captain Schongron had been in Saxe-Jarlsberg gathering information, he had been captured on his way back to Wittenberg and was being held in the small town of Hofstadt just over the border in Saxe-Jarlsberg.   A rescue mission has been assembled, Madame Givenchy and her Irregulars have got the job ....

---oXo---

 

Madame Givenchy receives final instructions form the Grey Rider ....

they have a little assistance - a detachment form the King's jagers led by Captain Scharfe..

 Their objective, the small town of Hofstadt, they have to locate and release Captain Schongron..

Of they go....

across the fields, the mounted contingent gathers by the barn ...

the jagers exchange fire with the defenders as some of the Irregulars move up to the inn by the crossroads ..

the Irregulars get stuck in downing some of the opposition and get in close to the inn...

Meanwhile the jagers clear an outlying cottage ..

fighting intensifies round the inn ...

Madame Givenchy, by the church has just signalled the riders to move up ...

they canter down the road to support the rest of the Irregulars who are still tying to capture the inn

the riders reach the crossroads, while jagers pin down the defenders of the manor house

the Irregulars are nearly into the inn,

with the attention of the defenders focussed on their defence of the manor house, the captive Captain Schongron (in white coat) makes a break for it and runs out into the road - the officer commanding the defenders exits the house agrees to terms ...

another successful mission for the Irregulars, three of the ladies are wounded and one of the King's jagers killed.

Obelisk in the parkland ...

The King of Wittenberg had gone for a ride in the palace parkland with the Field Marshal and stops to admire the new obelisk recently installed at the end of an avenue of poplar trees.

Pelardon: the return of the Duke ...

The Monrovians have exploded a mine .... (continued from the previous posts)..

 

The dust settles from the explosion of the mine ...

The Monrovians look in disbelief - there is no breach - the mine was placed short ..... they continue with their daily siege routine .. and prepare to start work on another mine ...

 

---oXo---

 

With the Monrovians in full retreat after their defeat at Contignac, General Stricknein manages to form a rearguard from the more stable regiments from his command, the rest of the army has degraded into a rabble. The General passes orders for the troops at Fausignac to withdraw to a hussar courier who sets off at the gallop ....

At dusk when the messenger arrives at Fausignac, the commander of the troops sieging the city, orders a withdrawal during the night - they will retire south then head back to Monrovia.

 

---oXo---

Early the next morning at Fausignac, the defenders after what they thought an unsually quiet night take their posts at the defences only to see no enemy in the trenches or anywhere nearby, an officer checks in the distance with his spyglass ....

In the distance he sees the head of the relief column ....

The Duke enters the city to the sound of ringing bells and cheers from the inhabitants...

---oxo---

The Monrovians continued their retreat, harried all the way to the border by Von Messing leading the Pelardon and allied troops. The attempt to annex Pelardon had been another big mis-adventure for the Monrovians.

Pelardon: meanwhile at Fausignac

The Monrovians have been busy and have been working on the mine under the defences of Fausignac.

While the battle at Contignac is in progress, an engineer reports that the mine is ready; set the charges and blow it commands the officer

 at the mine entrance the chief of engineer relays the order to one of the sappers

the fuse is lit and everyone takes cover, a large explosion erupts , the blast knocking over some of the defenders and their cannon....

what will be seen when the dust settles ? ....

Pelardon: The Battle of Contignac

continued from the previous post

 

The Pelardon Garde du Corps and Cuirassiers charge home into the lead Monrovian cavalry regiments who just have time to form up .....

The Monrovians find out the position of the allied Pelardon infantry - on their flank - coming across the rise of the ridge marching as fast as they can ....

One of the Movrian cavalry units break, but its place is taken by another .....some allied Pelardon hussars join the fray ...

The allied Pelardon infantry move forward under the able command of the Fenwick general Von Messing, Pelardon grenadiers charge the Monrovian grenadiers who have just managed to form up into a ragged line ...

The Monrovian cavalry can no longer hold their ground and break and rout ....

The Monrovian grenadiers break and rout ....

The routing Monrovian grenadiers burst through the regiment behind but they don't hold either and break; the Pelardon cuirassiers wade in ...

The Monrovian infantry hold the charge of the allied Fenwick troops ....

Count Malpurgo Belladona (the Monrovian commander) desparately tries to organise a defense of his now open flank...

The Monrovian infantry give way under heavy pressure ...

The Monrovian army is in full collapse with units streaming from the field, being followed up by the Pelardon allied armies' infantry and cavalry ...

With no hope of rallying his troops the Monrovian commander leaves the field of battle ...

The Pelardon allied cavalry pursues the remnants of the Monrovian army while infantry follows up - a great victory .

Pelardon: armies in contact ....

General Zeinite has ridden forward to slow down the cavalry vanguard who are getting ahead of the main Monrovian column...

The main column moving into the valley north of Contignac ....

 As the vanguard slows their pace, they see coming into view over the hill to their front a body of Pelardon cavalry ....

Pelardon: Monrovians on the march ....

Just to the north of Contignac, a mile or so to the south of Montignac, the lead elements of the Monrovian army move forward ....

At the head of the main body are the Monrovian command - General Stricknein is urging caution, however Field Marshal Belladona ignores him and gives the order to press on, 'Let's get to grips with this Pelardon rabble !'.

 

is Belladona's lack of caution foolish ? we shall see ....