We have been missing ACW so we managed to get in a couple of ACW games in last saturday.
Union Officer Joshua Appletree is still a Captain. Wounded 3 times and battle scarred, he is tired of being given these small but bloody rearguard or reconnaissance missions away from the main action. But, his men seem to do what he requires of them so he reluctantly straps on his sword once again.
This time it is attacking some retreating rebs by the side of the meandering waters of the lazy Kanawa river. Join me here as he deploys almost his whole force for a quick direct attack up the road:
The Rebs , mostly Virginians and Georgians who are not reluctant for a fight, seem to be preparing to cross the river in a flanking move:
All Appletree has there is some dismounted cavalry acting as skirmishers :
Rushed up to the river they manage to prevent the crossing but succumb to the devastating first volleys of two full units , and are soon heard from no more:
Meanwhile the New York Zouaves stall in their advance and the luckless 7th Illinois take the full brunt of the Reb artillery fire:
Their morale holds and they wipe out the artillery with musket fire. The Zouaves eventually advance and both units form a battle line:
In the meantime to the far west of the main battle, the Louisiana Tiger Zouaves are following the river bend when they realise a Union unit is behind them. They immediately turn about.
The 8th Michigan form close order and give the Tigers a withering first volley that drops a third of their number. But it doesn't stop the Rebs closing to melee and driving the Union troops from the table.
Captain Appletree is having his own personal problems. His own advance, with the 6th Illinois, had been prevented from joining his main force by skirmishers in the woods determined to end his life! Appletree survived no less than 5 attempts in this battle.
The battle in the centre swung this way and that but eventually went badly for the Union. Here is one of my dismal rolls for firing! 12 dice and no 5s or 6s.
Both the Zouaves and the brave 7th Illinois were eventually driven off and the battle was over.
Appletree had received a humiliating defeat with the loss or routing of 4 units.
GAME 2
We had an hour left so we decided to have a second game carrying on from the same point.
Appletree regrouped his units at his original jumping off point for the first game.
The Rebs , under their new commander 2nd Lt. Du Bose, also re-organised very quickly for a counterattack but once again seemed to be considering a river crossing
So at the last minute Appletree placed his artillery in some woods in the centre with the 8th Michigan hiding in the woods, and the cavalry skirmishers once again out in front:
"Come on then if you think you are hard enough!"
This placement of the artillery turned out to be a bad mistake and they managed to fire only one shot in the battle. The 8th Michigan also refused to leave the safety of the woods and had a rather quiet time. I believe they decided to darn their socks and settle down for a picnic.
With everything else going tits up Appletree decided that the best way to counter a Reb counterattack down the road was to advance to meet it head on. But the Reb artillery forced the Ist New York Zouaves into the cover of the woods, where they desperately fought the hated Kentucky skirmishers from tree to tree:
Meanwhile the poor 7th Illinois once again faced the Reb gunners in a suicidal push
Eventually even the bravest men have had enough
The Reb counterattack had been blunted however and the second game was declared a draw.
:
Welcome, Guest. Please 
April 19, 2024, 01:03:31 AM
