Lead the Way! (#6) Answer!

[4th-MSM]

I've been wanting to do another "Lead the Way" thread for quite a while, but until now wasn't able to find a scenario I felt could be used. Hopefully this one will be fun for anyone who wants to participate.

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You are the leader of a group of Southern Guerrilla fighters, numbering 28 in total, and generally armed with revolvers and shotguns. You arrive at the house of a known Southern sympathizer who is willing to provide your men with much needed food and shelter. Taking advantage of the opportunity you decide to stay the night.

Later that night, you hear a voice calling out, demanding entrance to the house and the immediate surrender of your group. Looking out the window you realize that the house is partially surrounded by Federal troops, over 100 in number by your estimate. Knowing that surrender includes the possibility of being hung or shot as criminals, you refuse and open fire, shooting out from the windows of the cabin. The Federal troops quickly respond and fire a volley into the house. The fighting continues in similar fashion, and soon 5 of your men are lying wounded. You then realize the Federals are preparing an attempt to set fire to the house. The cabin is still providing you good cover, however you are unsure whether their attempt to burn the house will be successful, or how long you can manage to hold them off. You consider the possibility of escaping. The immediate vicinity of the house is clear of brush and lacking items that can be used as cover, however a short distance from the rear of the house is the treeline to thick woods. The entrances of the house are watched by Union troops, however there are other potential exit points that may allow escape into the woods. If you decide to attempt the escape, you will be unable to bring your wounded with you, which may doom them to being burned alive inside the cabin.

What do you do?

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Surrender. The chance of a death later on is preferable to the certainty of an immediate death, and it's immoral to let your own wounded burn to death.

 

[RebYell64]

If I were in command of that unit, I'd have shut up and not fired out the window in the first place and rather stayed low and gotten out of there quick as we could to find cover, even if it is a ways away.

If someone just blatantly fired out the window, and we had to refuse an attack, I would take 5/28 men to tend to the wounded (assuming we don't have someone with medical experience) leaving 23 men to return fire. I would probably urge them to take as much of a 360 degree view of the outside of the house as possible, spreading themselves out and conserving ammunition for those who get close to the house to try and burn it, assuming that the cabin a a simple square design with a few windows on each side. Me and three others who I trust the best (leaving 20 to repulse the Yankee attack) would do our best to stay low and scout the best way out, first removing the wounded and finding a way to cover them and our falling back, then taking the rest of the regiment out through that route until we can get to a safer place.

This is assuming the Federal troops are a ways away from the house and advancing in the direction of the homestead, we have sufficient ammunition, and that the design of the house is a simple square, and hoping we have horses.

I like this thread already, I suggest we do more of them.

 

[Borderruffian]

Is this a Tate House Fight,scenerio? If so I break out thru an area that has no door to be watched and head for the tree line, leaving the wounded is unforanant , however Hallack's GO#2 pretty much assures death if captured as all guerillas are marked for death as bandits. Better to take your chances in a fighting retreat than give yourself meekly to the firing squad or hangman.

 

[Powelltc1]

I'm with Borderruffian...I am going to count my losses and try to escape to fight another day. At that point surrender equals death and remaining in the house is no longer an option.

 

[Booner]

I, too, am with B.R. and Powelltc1. and I'm assuming this fight is taking place in Missouri. To surrender, it's the same as being killed. Your only chance of getting away is a mass escape where it's "every man for himself"

 

[4th-MSM]

Great replies so far! I'll let this one stay open for another day or so and then, schedule permitting, I'll post the outcome and the original report tomorrow.

 

[4th-MSM]

Is this a Tate House Fight,scenerio? If so I break out thru an area that has no door to be watched and head for the tree line, leaving the wounded is unforanant , however Hallack's GO#2 pretty much assures death if captured as all guerillas are marked for death as bandits. Better to take your chances in a fighting retreat than give yourself meekly to the firing squad or hangman.

I figured you would recognize it! Yes, this scenario was based off of the Tate House Fight with some changes for the sake of brevity. I didn't want to answer before so as not to give anything away to those who weren't familiar with it. Some may also recognize it as the inspiration for one of the scenes in the movie "Ride With the Devil".


The leader of the Guerrillas from whose perspective this was based on was William Quantrill. The commanding officer of the Federal troops was Major James Pomeroy, who was sent with a detachment to arrest David Tate, the owner of the house, for suspected connections with Quantrill. The first attempt at burning the house was unsuccessful, so the opportunity was again given for surrender and refused (as the others have said, surrender basically equaled death). Afterwards a second attempt was made to torch the house, this time the flames quickly caught. The uninjured Guerrillas then burst out from the weatherboarding from the back of the house and made a break for the woods. Two were shot and killed before they could reach the cover of the woods, however the rest escaped and vanished into the timber. The Federal troops were unable to find any sign of them. The Guerillas who remained inside the house died in the flames.

Here is the original report:


MARCH 22, 1862.- Skirmish at Little Santa Fe, Mo.

Report of Colonel Robert B. Mitchell, Second Kansas Cavalry.

HDQRS. SECOND REGIMENT KANSAS VOLUNTEERS,

Camp Blair, March 24, 1862.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report that on the night of the 22nd, in accordance with a request from Major Banzhaf, commanding First Battalion Missouri Cavalry, and also in pursuance of a plan that I had been maturing for some time, I left camp with a detachment detailed from all the companies in this command, the detachment about 300 in number, with Majors Fisk and Pomeroy.

Quantrill, with a part of his gang, had burned the bridge between Kansas City and Independence, and it was contemplated by Major Banzhaf to march from Kansas City, and in conjunction with Colonel Weer, Fourth Kansas, to surround and entrap Quantrill.

I left camp about 6.30 p. m. of the 22nd instant, reached Little Santa Fe about 10 o'clock that night, and sent Major Pomeroy about 3 miles from the town, with instructions to arrest one David Tate, whom I had reason to believe was connected with Quantrill. Major Pomeroy had with him a detachment of Companies D and E, under command of Captain Moore and Lieutenant Stover. When Major pomeroy reached the house he demanded entrance, and a gun was immediately fired through the door. He then called upon them to surrender, and to send out their women and children if they had any in the house. After waiting some time, while shots were fired from the house, he ordered a volley to be fired into the house. The cries of women were then heard, when he ordered the men to cease firing. The women and children then came out and firing was resumed on both sides. Two of the men then came out of one of the windows and surrendered. They stated to major Pomeroy that Quantrill was in the house with 26 men. Major Pomeroy then threatened to fire the house, and upon their continued refusal to surrender he ordered the house to be fired, and an attempt was made to fire it, but without success. Major Pomeroy and Private Wills, of Company D, were at this time shot. Major Pomeroy becoming disabled, Captain Moore took command, and sent back to me requesting re-enforcements, so as not to let any of the men escape. Captain Moore having threatened, in the case of the enemy not surrendering, to set fire to the house and they still refusing so to do, he ordered the house to be against set on fire, and this time the flames rapidly enveloped the house. The men in the house who were not wounded then burst out the weatherboarding at the back of the house and ran for the timber immediately in the rear. Two were shot down as they ran - 1 killed instantly and 1 mortally wounded, who died about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The others escaped, and though the woods were carefully scoured, no traces of them were found. While the firing was taking several men were seen to fall in the house, and the prisoners stated when they were first taken that there were 4 or 5 wounded. Five bodies could be distinctly seen in the flames at the time I reached the spot with that part of the command which was left behind. I caused all the horses and horses equipments of the enemy to be gathered together and guarded and remained at the house until 6.30 o'clock in the morning, when I started for the house of one Wyatt. As we neared the house 6 or 7 men were seen to break from it into the brush immediately adjoining the premises. I immediately dismounted some of my men and sent them into the brush, but succeeded in capturing only 2.

The command being without provisions, and being satisfied that Quantrill and those of his gang who had been in the locality had undoubtedly fled, I returned to the Tate House and started back to camp, leaving Captain Moore's command, with 1 wounded. We reached camp about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon. I had previously sent Lieutenant Aduddell with 15 men to procure conveyance for the wounded and to take the stock and other property found at Tate's. He passed me on the way back to Tate's, and arrived with Captain Moore's command and the wounded last night at 8 o'clock.

Our loss was as follows: Major Pomeroy, severely wounded with a Minie ball in the right thigh near the femoral artery; Private William Wills, of Company D, since died, with a Minie ball in the right arm near the shoulder, and also with buck-shot in the groin and abdomen. We also lost 2 horses in the fight. The jayhawkers' loss was 5 killed or wounded and burned up in the house, 2 killed outside, and 6 prisoners. we took 25 horses, some of which have already been identified as belonging to parties in this State, from whom they were stolen, and about 20 sets of horse equipments. The 2 men killed outside of the house were named Rollen (brothers). The names of those killed and burned up in the house I am unable to ascertain.

I send to the fort the following-named prisoners.

I desire to express my gratitude to major Pomeroy, who after he was wounded still cheered on his men; to Captain Moore, Lieutenant Stover, and the men of their immediate command, for their gallantry and good behavior.

I have the honor to be, your very obedient servant,

ROBT. B. MITCHELL,

Colonel Second Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.

Major W. E. BLAIR, Commanding Leavenworth, Kans.

Source: Official Records of the Civil War: Series 1, Vol. 8, Chapter 18, Pages 346-347

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/reports-on-the-tate-house-fight.49326/