Battle of the Farm

The **Battle of the Farm** was a short but decisive battle of the Civil War in April 1978, one in which the Federation shattered the rule of the Protectorate and saw the deaths of Brigadier Meg Pritchard and soon after, Captain Robert Malcolm.

### Previous

Battle of Market TuddinghamRaid on Settle

## Commanders

* Jenny Richards

* Brigadier Meg Pritchard

## Casualties

* N/A

* Brigadier Meg Pritchard
* Captain Robert Malcolm

## Prelude

Following the death of Craig Watkins, one of the leaders of the Federation's rebellion against the Protectorate, and the apparent defection of Abby Grant at the Battle of Market Tuddingham, a brutal guerrilla campaign accelerated under the leadership of Jenny Richards. Over the following six weeks, Ruth Anderson led hit-and-run attacks on the Protectorate's telephone stations across Lancashire, as well as sabotaging railway lines, disrupting supply routes and attacking patrols. With the Protectorate weakened, many settlements overthrew the local armed forces and morale among the Factions continued to fall.

Anticipating the advance of the Federation's forces through the Lake District, Meg Pritchard ordered a large contingent of the Faction led by Robert Malcolm to ambush the rebels at Penrith and take Jenny alive. As the Faction departed for the south, however, Jenny was on reconnaissance outside the compound of the Farm, and took refuge with local crofter Roddy Lawson, who betrayed Jenny's location to the Faction by means of smoke signals which were picked up by Peter Grant. Upon investigating Roddy's croft, Peter was confronted by Jenny, and Roddy turned his allegiance against the Protectorate, which allowed Peter to escape in the confusion. He was pursued by Jenny but Abby interceded to save her son's life, using their long friendship to bargain for Peter.

When he returned to the Farm, Peter informed Pritchard that Jenny had been sighted on the perimeter of the Farm, and Pritchard ordered a lockdown of the Protectorate and a withdrawal of Robert Malcolm's Faction, already arriving at Carlisle. Once telephone communication with Robert Malcolm was established, Pritchard demanded his immediate return to shore up defences at the Farm. *(Conflict)*

## The battle

Expecting a siege, Meg Pritchard awaited the Federation's coming attack, but was surprised by the appearances of crofter Roddy Lawson, purporting to have switched allegiances, and Jenny Richards, his prisoner. As part of the charade, Jenny spat into Abby Grant's face before being taken away for interrogation by Pritchard. During the chaos of Roddy's incarceration and the arrival of supplies from the outlying settlements, the Federation forces infiltrated the food wagons and breached the defences of the Farm. The meagre forces stationed at the Farm were quickly overwhelmed and the Protectorate fell with little resistance.

Despite their losses, Meg Pritchard and Peter Grant attempted to make an escape, taking Jenny as a hostage. However, they were confronted by Abby, who attacked Pritchard with a poker. Still armed with her service revolver, Pritchard aimed to shoot Abby, but was instead shot dead herself by Peter as he defended his mother. Regardless of his actions, Jenny ordered Peter to be arrested by the Federation, facing trial for his crimes during the Civil War, much to the anger of Abby, who decided to accompany her son. *(Conflict)*

## Aftermath

Upon their arrival at the railway depot in the Lake District, Robert Malcolm's Faction learned of the fall of the Protectorate, and the death of Brigadier Pritchard. Losing hope, the entire armed deserted, leaving Robert Malcolm as the last of the remaining Protectorate leadership. However, he retired to a comfortable room with a strong drink and awaited the Federation's forces. He complimented Ruth Anderson's strategy in diverting the main bulk of the Protectorate's forces to the south, and criticised the leadership of Meg Pritchard for her failings in anticipating the Federation's campaign. Assuring Ruth that he bore her no ill will, Robert Malcolm drew his revolver and took his own life, rather than be captured as a prisoner of war.

Realising that the Federation would find Peter Grant guilty for Craig Watkins' murder during the Battle of Market Tuddingham, Abby Grant decided to break her son out of imprisonment and evade justice. However, there were confronted by Jenny Richards, who noted Abby's plans and pleaded with her friend not to challenge their law and order. Abby promised to take Peter into exile and begged to spare his life, to which Jenny banished the pair of them from the Federation, allowing Peter to live as a kindness for the years Abby spent searching for her son. *(Conflict)*