Last Saturday we refought Day three of Gettysburg in 15mm using Fire and Fury rules, a few pics and AAR to follow.
With masses of troops from a number of club members, this time we played out day three ( on the anniversary of day two !). Not wanting to see Picket's Virginians thrown forward wastefully, Longstreet moved this division in support of his planned attack to take both Round Tops, when all were in position. Sadly time meant this attack never materialised and only on Longstreet's right rear was there any action. This was quite minor and with the probing Union cavalry of Kilpatrick. A.P. Hill's Corps was ordered toward the angle that was Cemetery Hill with all haste. Hill's massed cannon hammered Cemetery ridge with considerable effect as Hill's Bgde's set about their task, Heth's division leading, with the usual elan of the South. By days end, amid fierce combat (Pettigrew being killed as his bgde broke through), some of Hill's boys were among the Union line and the Union Corps' facing them were looking 'fair tuckered out', but Meade was fast feeding in fresh reserves to stem the equally tiring men of Hill. This attack went better than expected for it's purpose was to help draw the Union attention away from taking Culp's Hill. Those Bgde's of Ewell's below the hill took some effort to get forward initially, only one in fact storming the hill at first. This Bgde did, to our astonishment, gain the summit. The lack of support from the other Confederate Bgde's at this crucial moment meant that the hill could not be held and this fleeting moment was pivotal, as had all the Bgdes here gone forward together then the whole Union line may have been compromised from the off and before the Union could ably respond. Such are the vagaries and fortunes of battle and although Ewell's men contested the hill thereafter and broke in behind later, the dogged defence of Meade and his ad-hoc Corps' here meant another slogging match ensued and was continuing at games end. Off to Ewell's left Jeb Stuart's cavalry made every effort to gain a bridge over Rock creek toward the rear of the Union line. They gained the upper hand against the Union cavalry against them but Union reinforcements, including well deployed cannon, blocked their further advance.
The game was called as a battle very much still in the balance, but with the best of the Confederacy near exhaustion and key Union positions still held, the South would, once again, withdraw across the Potomac.
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Tony.
May 21, 2013, 09:27:02 PM