Battle of the Boyne questions

A section devoted to questions and answers for this period.
Post Reply
JT_Brit
Private
Private
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 7:05 am

Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by JT_Brit » Sat Jan 23, 2021 3:10 pm

Hi all,
I'm really hoping some of you Boyne experts out there can help me answer a couple of questions about the Battle that I've struggled to find answers to. I've been madly painting up 10mm Pendraken armies for the last year and I'm up to 15 regiments of foot and 6 regiments of horse now so I'm getting close to being able to do a refight of at least the initial engagements around Oldbridge and the island crossings. I'm trying to get the Battlefield as accurate as i can and i'm modelling the whole stretch from Drybridge, West to the Bend past Oldbridge on an 8' table. I couldn't find any rivers that fitted the bill to buy so i designed my own for this stretch of the boyne designed to work with 10mm. Happy to share those 3d print designs with anyone who'd like to use them btw. So to the questions:
1. The ridge that is described as around 200yds south of the Boyne from which the Jacobite's 'appeared like ghosts'. Sadly I haven't yet been able to visit the battlefield. Is this ridge a 'hump' of land parallel to the Boyne or is is a small ridge that simply has higher land to the South of it (I hope that makes sense)? Also, how far does this ridge run? Does it stretch away to the east parallel to the islands and all the way to drybridge or is it shorter?
2. The Duke of Schomberg I understand was killed crossing with the Huguenot regiments, but a fair sized regiment of Huguenot horse is listed in the orders of Battle that I have seen, as well as the 3 infantry regiments which crossed near Oldbridge. I can't see any mention of this regiment of horse in the accounts of battle that i've seen. The Duke was described as being with a 'small party'. Was the duke in fact with the Huguenot regiment of horse or was he just accompanying the infantry regiments? Also, if this was the case, does anyone know whether the Huguenot horse were involved in the Battle or the crossing?
Many thanks to any of you knowledgeable lot who can help me out with these questions! Once i have the full battlefield modelled i'll post some pics to whet the appetite.
Old John
Sergeant Major of the Army
Sergeant Major of the Army
Posts: 112
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:02 am

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by Old John » Mon Jan 25, 2021 10:08 am

some years back i walked the Boyne battlefield, well worth seeing, stood where Schomberg was killed on right of Jacobite forces in open ground, below suggested books which might help

Osprey Campaign 160 battle of the Boyne by Michael McNally
Marshal Schomberg by Matthew Glazier
Battle of the Boyne by Padraig Lenihan
Williamite Wars in Ireland by John Childs
Williamite war in Ireland by Richard Doherty
Boyne Water by Peter Berresford Ellis
Boyne & Augrim by John Kinross
Boyne 1690, guide to the battlefield by Harman Murtagh, great booklet excellent photos and some unusual uniform plates

hope this helps
stay safe
cheers Old John
Schomberg
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:55 am

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by Schomberg » Thu Jan 28, 2021 3:09 pm

There were two Schomberg regiments of Horse at the Boyne. Count Meinhard Schomberg was given the Colonelcy of a regiment of English Horse. These were with him at Roughgrange/Rosnaree. The Duke of Schomberg's regt of Horse were Huguenots and were part of Ginkel's Brigade who crossed the Boyne at Drybridge.

The Huguenot regiment of horse was commanded in the field by it's Lt Colonel. They certainly did fight at the Boyne though not at Oldbridge itself but in the skirmishing around Donore, Platin Hall and the pursuit to Duleek. The Lt Colonel was also killed in the fighting iirc. I think his name was Belcastel (not the same one who would take over the colonelcy of Le Caillemotte's foot.)

:(
JT_Brit
Private
Private
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 7:05 am

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by JT_Brit » Thu Jan 28, 2021 5:14 pm

thanks for that, it really helps! so does that mean that the Huguenot foot and horse in different Brigades at the Boyne?
Schomberg
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:55 am

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by Schomberg » Fri Jan 29, 2021 4:23 pm

Yes,the Horse and Foot were deployed as separate entities. I believe that Le Caillemotte was the Brigadier commanding the Huguenot foot at Oldbridge. All three battalions were involved in the crossing though Le Caillemotte's bore the brunt of the fighting. Le Caillemotte himself was injured and carried from the field by his men where he later succumbed to his wounds. The old Duke crossed the river in order to steady the nerves of the Huguenots who looked like they were about to be broken. This led to his own death.

His regiment of Horse crossed the Boyne a little later and further towards Drogheda at Drybridge. Ginkel crossed the Boyne with 6 regiments of Horse(and 3 of Dragoons according to some sources). The arrival of the Williamite Horse on their flank made the Jacobite position untenable and set off the fighting retreat to Duleek.
JT_Brit
Private
Private
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 7:05 am

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by JT_Brit » Sat Jan 30, 2021 10:06 am

Thank you Schomberg! I guess that confirms that no Williamite cavalry was involved with the engagements during the crossings at Oldbridge. I can now get going with some wargaming of the early engagements whilst i paint up the Danish Brigades in slow time 8) . I just need to work out the terrain now - especially the size and shape of the ridge close to the south side of the Boyne.
Schomberg
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:55 am

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by Schomberg » Sat Jan 30, 2021 10:17 am

Nps. Can I ask what number of figures per battalion you are using and their frontage?
JT_Brit
Private
Private
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 7:05 am

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by JT_Brit » Sat Jan 30, 2021 5:43 pm

Sure - I'm going be using btlb rules and I'm basing a single regiment on 3 stands frontage with a pike stand behind centre if needed to represent the pike density. I'm using 25mm square bases for each stand of 10mm figures with 6 figures per base (so 24 to 30 minis per foot regiment). cavalry on 30mm square bases with 3 horses per base representing a single squadron. If I could work out how to reduce the file size sufficiently I'd add photos to give a rough idea of how they look on the 8 foot table...
User avatar
barr7430
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 5905
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 4:22 pm
Location: EK,Scotland
Contact:

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by barr7430 » Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:29 pm

Regarding the terrain. The 'ridge' is like a sort of terrace. It runs not parallel to the river but away from it at a distance of about 200 or 300 yards. It is quite a significant feature.

I can sent you a photo if you email me on wordtwister@hotmail.co.uk
"If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you are probably right"

Henry Ford
JT_Brit
Private
Private
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 7:05 am

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by JT_Brit » Sun Jan 31, 2021 12:25 pm

Thanks Barry - I've sent you an email.
Schomberg
Sergeant
Sergeant
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 8:55 am

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by Schomberg » Thu Feb 04, 2021 1:14 pm

@JT_Brit.

I'd love to see your Boyne set up. Our Boyne River would need to be a bit larger though as we are playing 60 figure battalions with roughly twice the frontage you mention. I think we are looking at as much at 12-14 feet for table size as we too want to include the Drybridge crossing. We (EGC) have a Facebook page dedicate to Beaneath the Lily Banners if you cannot workout how to attach images here.
JT_Brit
Private
Private
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat May 30, 2020 7:05 am

Re: Battle of the Boyne questions

Post by JT_Brit » Mon Feb 08, 2021 12:47 pm

Yes - I imagine you'd need a massive table to cover the same length of the Boyne with that unit frontage. You could double up on the size of my river 3d print files easily enough if you did want to use them at all. I worked out that 8 feet was more or less right for my regiment frontages. I'm not sure what image sizes this site allows but it won't seem to let me upload them even when i cut them right down on size. I'll have another go....
Post Reply