Targe 2023
Siege of Ragusa 1814
A Napoleonic participation game

Scenario

You are General Joseph Hélie Désiré Perruquet de Montrichard, commander of the French garrison holding the city of Ragusa (modern Dubrovnik) in Dalmatia. It is January 1814, and the city is besieged by Ragusan rebel militia (Count Caboga), a small British force from the 35th Foot (Lieutenant John Hildebrand) and Royal Navy, and an Austrian force commanded by General Miliutinovich. While the city is well defended with 170 cannons and 600 infantry, you are running out of food due to the blockade by the Royal Navy, commanded by Sir William Hoste.

A small supply convoy is attempting to break through the cordon around the city. Your objective is to get the convoy into the city. In addition to the convoy escort, you have detached a small force to support them and distract the besiegers from the garrison. 

The rules are a simplified version of Dan Mersey’s Rebels and Patriots. It's ideal for small battles like this. The figures are 28mm from several ranges, including Front Rank and Perrys. Most buildings come from the Tablescape range, and the fort is built from resin castings produced by Stronghold.

Historical Battle

The game is inspired by a historical sortie from the garrison on 8/9 January 1814. A strong force left the city and attacked the British and rebel unit at Port Gravosa, about a mile from Ragusa. The aim was to break the blockade and take supplies. The French looked as if they would succeed when grape shot from British gunboats forced them back. Lieutenant Hildebrand describes the action in his memoirs edited by Gareth Glover (Fighting Napoleon, Pen&Sword, 2016).

The Austrians arrived a few days after this sortie, but strangely without siege artillery. Sir William Hoste also arrived and had his sailors drag guns up the mountains above the city to an aqueduct. From there, he bombarded the city square, which encouraged a French surrender. The Austrians marched in with the British to forestall the return of the independent Republic of Ragusa.

You can read more in the book The Frontier Sea: The Napoleonic Wars in the Adriatic by Dave Watson.

General Joseph Hélie Désiré Perruquet de Montrichard

Ragusan Militia