A Gentleman's (or Woman's) Guide to Recreating the Engagements that Took Place in North America During the French and Indian War with Special Attention Given to those Small Skirmishes Well Suited for 28mm Tabletops

Many years ago I wrote some articles for the site but with a new edition they need an update, I sent them in but haven’t heard back for a few months so I’ll just put them here.

The French and Indian War is the name given to the part of the Seven years War fought in North America but is often regarded as an entirely separate and independent war.

Both Britain and France have found themselves in possession of sizable colonies in North America by the mid 18th Century. The French owning much of what is now Canada while the British owning a sizable chunk of the East Coast from New England down to Georgia and as far inland as the Allegheny Mountains.

Both also has a secondary colony, the British owning most of the land around Hudson Bay called “Rupert’s Land” after the cousin of the King and was mostly operated by the Hudson Bay Company.

The French had a Territory they called Louisiana named after the French King Louis the XIV. The Territory claimed was much larger than that which was actually occupied at any one time by the French. It ran from roughly Modern day Mobile Alabama to the Canadian Border but in all respects ended near the Forks of the Ohio River.

Both sides needed this vital avenue to any further expansion into the continent. If the French are able to properly link and populate their two colonies then they have almost unlimited Westward expansion potential while the British would be stuck bottled up on the East Coast. It all hinged on the Forks of the Ohio River

If the British can force a way through the Ohio they can access the rich interior of North America. Both sides are playing for the future, neither has enough population to properly settle the lands they currently occupy but both know that if they want to become the dominant power on the Continent they need at least access to the interior.

Ironically neither of the two parties would get what they desired.

France and Britain had been at each others throats for centuries but now it was even more organised. Modern Armies using Firearms and Modern Tactics had finally emerged after the Mercenaries and Ad-Hock nature of the Earlier Centuries.

By 1755 the British had fought a whole load of Civil Wars with the Catholic Jacobite’s, the War of Spanish Succession, the War of the Quadruple Alliance and the War of Austrian Succession added in for good measure.

The French had fought in the same wars and more and both sides were slowly amassing global Empire’s but neither was ready to be a true Superpower, everywhere Britain went France would follow, constantly striving to fight one another for territory everywhere from the West Indies to Canada.

The two nations had come to blows in the past few decades but no major territories had been gained or lost. The French supported the Jacobite Exiled Stuart Kings and had attempted to invade Britain during the 45 Jacobite Rebellion but the plans were foiled, the Rebellion was put down and the German invader was allowed to stay on the Throne .

One Character from the Jacobite 45 who would have a great impact on the French and Indian War was Prince William the Duke of Cumberland who had defeated the Jacobite army at the Battle of Culloden. He had a promising officer who served with him and remained relatively unknown until he was given command of an expedition that we will be looking at very soon, General Edward Braddock.

Along with General Braddock Prince William sent the Earl of Loudoun to North America and encouraged him to adopt Light infantry tactics along with smaller sized scouting expeditions.

The French also had Generals from prior wars such as the now famous Marquis de Montcalm who earned a name for himself as a fighting man having been wounded multiple times by both saber and musket ball as well as taking join command of an army in Italy.

Long story short (drink Jim) The Virginian’s have a very valuable land claim in Ohio which the French object to, the French have a garrisoned Fort in the area and the entire situation was a powder keg.

Enter stage one Major George Washington of the Virginia Militia (and who had quite a nice stake in the future land gained by westward expansion). Washington linked up with an Indian named ‘The Half King’ and went out on a mission to evaluate the situation. Then everything went horribly wrong.

Washington came across a French party led by Jumonville and accidently although not really that accidently started what some people have called World War Zero although i think that’s hyperbolic, inaccurate and silly.