Shootout At Crackett's Hut - Van Diemen's Land 1844.

 

Henry Davey and his band of bushrangers have taken over old man Crackett's hut in Reilby forest near Liffey, the police at Launceston have been notified and several constables under Inspector Smith were despatched with local man John Blake as guide.

Meeting up at a nearby hut, the police reckoned this would just be a case of surrounding the hut and they would all come quietly, the bushrangers had other plans.

In an extended line the constables and Mr Blake moved off through the scrub, the Davey gang, although having a couple of men on the lookout, were none the wiser.

The blaise attitude of the constables soon alerted the bushranger on lookout, he fired of a "coowee" and the rest of the gang were warned. When the constables showed themselves in the open and almost at point blank range, a volley exploded into them felling two instantly.

As the forces of law and order retreated another constable was shot, Mr Blake made it to safety and reported in a very loud voice what had happened to Inspector Smith at the other hut.

At this moment Mr Greene turned up with his militia, who are just local farmers that had suffered attacks from the Davey gang and wanted revenge. They were soon briefed by the Inspector and moved forward to join Mr Blake in the scrub, unfortunately George Grebell showed too much of himself and got shot, so he left.

Creeping forward inch by inch the posse crept closer to the bushrangers, musketry whistled all around, Mr Blake managed to get a lucky shot in and a bushranger went down, taking advantage the right flank ran in, Crackett's hut was almost within reach.

With both the bushrangers outside the hut now out of action, the rest of the gang were sitting ducks, but they still wouldn't surrender. Gaining access to the rear of the hut one of the farmers fired into the gloom through a window, the shot killed Henry Davey instantly.

The last remaining bushranger standing then surrendered, with his wounded comrade they were led away, the rope at Launceston will be busy soon.

Skirmish At Rooikopje Township.

 

A small detachment of the 1st Battalion Essex Regiment supported by a few sturdy chaps from the Black Watch, found themselves occupying an encampment on the outskirts of the Rooikopje Township in the Orange Free State. So bored were they that they even decided to mark their regiment in stone on the ground outside the camp, which seems to have become quite the thing these days.

The bugle sounded very early in the morning, the usual thing, a quick patrol around the town and back for breakfast, the Black Watch contingent provided the camp guard. Sometimes the locals provided eggs and milk, sometimes they didn't. On this morning the locals couldn't be found at all.

Today a surprise was planned for the morning patrol, a Boer Commando had evacuated the township and was in the process of taking positions when the British patrol wandered in. Taken a little by surprise themselves they quickly took positions and watched.

By the time the British had realised there was something wrong it was a bit too late, a familiar sound that put the fear of God in them erupted from the other side of the kopje, Mauser fire and a pom-pom. The first pom-pom shells overshot and set light to a building, the Essex lads had little choice but to advance.

Another salvo of pom-pom shells struck home killing one of the Essex boys, but they crept forward house by house. Meanwhile back at the camp, the Black Watch guards advanced towards the township in order to give support.

The pom-pom was obviously getting a little flustered at this point as the next salvo fell a little short on the top of the kopje, with the next shots being fired at the town the mounted Boers decided to use this as the signal to charge. The pom-pom shells managed to set fire to another house and killed a British soldier, the fighting in the township had been going in the British favour with several Boers killed, now it was the mounted men's turn to try and sway the battle in their favour.

The mounted commando had no idea that there was a line of irate Scotsmen formed up across the road, and it came as a bit of a shock! Bullets whizzed everywhere, two Boers were killed and one Black Watch and one Essex lad were killed. The Boers rode off across the veldt taking their pom-pom with them, ready to fight another day.

One of the Boers left it a bit too late to disengage, he was taken prisoner. All there was left to do now was to tend to the wounded and bring in the dead, as it turned out there were 6 Boers and 6 British killed. All this before breakfast, I doubt there will be any eggs or milk from Rooikopje Township anytime soon.

Serbia 1456 - A Cavalry Raid.

Serbia 1456.

The siege of Belgrade is in full swing, striking out into the countryside around Belgrade Ottoman cavalry are harassing the Serbian peasants as the Sultan fears a local uprising. His fears are justified, his men see an undefended village to burn, they form up for battle.

This was unfortunate timing as the locals were starting to mass for the march to join Janos Hunyadi, the sight of the Ottoman cavalry struck fear into the peasants, but they girded their loins and stood their ground.

Battle is quickly joined, a clash of unequal sides, a highly trained cavalry versus a poor militia, although well armed and on home ground. The cavalry chop their way through but don't have it all their own way.

Peasant casualties are high, but Ottoman casualties are unacceptable, the cavalry charge scythes through the village, but they don't dally to burn it, they were surprised by the resistance they encountered.

Coming out of the other side of the village the Ottomans had no intention of returning, in fact they had a message for the Sultan, win the siege of Belgrade soon or retire to a more peaceful place, the peasants were indeed revolting.