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Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR

 
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Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 4/29/2009 4:41:46 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		A couple of weeks ago I playing my current game of FoF. The next week when I played I loaded a game that I thought was my current one. It turned out to be one of my very first I ever played and I was doing real bad in it. For fun I decided to keep on playing and I actually had a miraculous turn around. I thus decided to make a new AAR about it, not like my previous three that I never finished due to two PBEM parteners backing out and my hot Seat partner backing out. This is one against the AI So I think I will go pretty far with it in length. Can I do better than when I first played this save game over two years ago? Probably. But can I reverse the blue tide that’s been beating my armies? That is what we will see. With that said, let’s begin.

It’s June 1862. I have recently been promoted by the President Davis to take command of the losing Confederacy. Asked my staff officers to brief me on the sitiuation. The Confederacy is losing the war. In the East, Three union Armies, the Army of the Potomac under George McClellan, the Army of Virginia under John Porter and the Army of the James under Ben Butler. Collectively, they number close to 280,000 men. To oppose them are a mere 59,000 men in the Army of northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee. Another 23,000 men are in the Valley under General Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson and another 16,000 are in Richmond under J.E.B. Stuart. All in all 98,000 men, collectively still not enough. In the West Henry Halleck is forming 85,000 men in his Army of the Tennessee and John Pope counts 91,000 in the Army of the Ohio with more men coming each day. In Missouri David Hunter can count 23,000 muskets in his Dept. of Missouri. And on top of it the union are forming three more armies. In the west we have close to 85,000 under Johnston in the Army of Tennessee encamped in Atlanta, as well as 37,000 men under General Beauregard in the Army of Mississippi encamped in Jackson. West of the Mississippi are 19,000 men in the Army of Arkansas under Joseph Johnston in Little Rock. Kentucky has sided with the Confederacy but most of their provinces are controlled by the union. Ft. Albert Sidney Johnston in Kentucky surrendered and Ft. Henry is under siege. Out west collectively the Union have 200,000 men in the field with close to 150,000 in reserves and forming up. We have merely 141,000 with no reserves.

In short we are losing the war (I was such a bad player back then…). Our armies have been defeated time and time again. Of the 17 battles fought so far, 14 have been union victories. The Confederates won in Breaking the siege of little Rock in Feb. and a union Division near Cape Giurardua was routed at the battle of Oxford (This was taken from an AAR I never published but wrote). The Division, according to reports by General Magruder who commanded the battle, was probing the confederate picket line but were quickly routed after being attacked by Magruder and Loring’s Divisions. Five union Brigades were across Fisher Creek when the divisions cut the union troops off and had them stuck in Oxford. One union brigade was charged and an officer who commanded the division by the name of U.S. Grant was killed with a minie ball while scouting the confederate line. With his death his division broke and three union brigades surrendered and the rest fled. Union losses were 8,954 and Confederate losses were 1,298.

The other battle was when Lee’s Army surprised the Army of the Potomac and routed them from the field (I have no reports on this conflict, the Staff of the ANV is so ineffective…) with 12,000 losses for the union and 8,000 for the Confederates.

Next turn I will post my response along with photos but this was merely showing the situation.
Post #: 1
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/1/2009 5:22:42 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		After looking at the circumstances I come to a conclusion. The Confederacy needs to fight back-and fast. So I send out orders NO. 009

June 3, 1862
Richmond, Virginia
To Generals Robert E. Lee, Albert Sidney Johnston, Pierre Beauregard, Thomas Jackson and Joesph Johnston.
 
Gentlemen, I have asked State Governers to forward all troops they can. currently I will like to order all troops to muster to our four principal armies. We need to concentrate to strike the enemy. So to General Jackson, send your army of the valley to join General Lee at Frdericksburg. There I will order more troops to jojn you to await a union thrust.
 
I have sent a dispatch to General J.E.B. Stuart to send troops to forward every man he can to join the ANV. He will then organize reserve troops in the Depts. of the James, of southside VA., of Richmond and of the Valley.
 
To General A.S. Johnston, I have ordered troops from KY. to join you and am creating three Divisions in SC to join you as well under Generals Cleburne, Stewart and Withers. Your orders are to after organizing your army to march to the defense of Nashville and break to siege.
 
To General Beauregard I am forwarding more troops to you from the Gulf States. Your orders are to defend from attacks of General Halleck's Army.
 
To General J.E. Johnston, your army of Arkansas will be recieving more divisions and will be an army formation, not a Corps.
 
To all commanders, I am creating Three New Corps and four more divisions plus the divisions within those Corps. These will be Departemental Arttillery and Cavalry Corps. This is a progress I will be woorking on for months and is not near the near future, but this will provide us with Corps of Cavalry and Arttilery that will assist troops in the entire Dept. In the meantime I will just have them attatched to Divisions. I might create Divisional levels of these in the meantime but don't get your hopes up.
 
God be with you,
You commanding General,
Gotta think of a name for me.
 
 

(in reply to Jonah)
Post #: 2
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/4/2009 4:45:51 PM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		My orders took effect and the armies began to gather. In the Army of Northern Virginia, Jackson and Stuart forwarded reinforcements, and Jackson accompanied them. Govs. Letcher and Vance forwarded 6 more brigades to reinforce the armies.
Lee’s Army has three Corps, the First under Longstreet with Hood, Pickett and Mclaws. The II under Jackson, with Walker, Rodes and A. Hill as the commanders.  Finally D. Hill commands the III Corps with Heth, Anderson and Early.

In Tennessee, Johnston, who’s HQ is now in Chattanooga, is formed into two Corps, the First under E. Kirby Smith and the second under W. J. Hardee. They had Seven Divisions, under J. Breckinridge, S. Buckner, J. Martin, A. P. Stewart, P. R. Cleburne, J. Withers and R. Taylor. Their army is ready, and preparing to fight to defend Tennessee.

In Mississippi, Beauregard receives reinforcements from the Gulf States in the form of Samuel Jones and Mansfield Lovell’s Division. These add close to 17,000 more muskets to the Army of Mississippi, enough to let them have a chance in a fight.

While this formation took place, an important event occurred: John Porter and George McClellan invaded VA. A battle took place on September 7th, near Culpeper Court House. The union army decided to outflank Lee’s Lines near Mine Run and Gordonsville, and battle was joined at the Battle of Culpeper.

Battle of Culpeper
Part 1
The Battle Erupts as Porter’s lead units under Generals Birney and Terry have a skirmish with the leading units of Hill’s Corps. Early and Heth hold a line on the Culpeper road against Birney and Terry’s attacks. The Confederate line, despite the losses, begin to push the blue tide back. The Jeff Davis Battery wrecks havoc upon the blue ranks, a lone union Brigade Charges the Battery and loses over a thousand men to the Canister that spray volleys of death unto their enemies. As the smoke Cleared, the union were gone, waiting for more men to reinforce the attack.

Note: In this battle my photo editing programs didn’t allow for large pics so I had to decrease the size of the photo. After this Battle I bought Printshop which works fine. So this the reason for the small pics.

An aditionally, I will be posting this AAR on Gamesquad Forums once I find where I can post thm on there.



Heth's Lines hold against the skirmishers of Terry and briney as Early arrives.

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< Message edited by Jonah -- 5/4/2009 4:47:51 PM >

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Post #: 3
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/5/2009 12:35:13 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		Battle of Culpeper Part two
 
Realizing where the battle will be decided, Lee put his troops into motion: Jackson would hold the left, Hill the center and Longstreet the right and reserve. In the center, Heth and Early were fully engaged and Rodes was being drawn in. At the same time Thomas Williams and George Sykes Regulars began to send their first brigades into the action. On Heth’s flank Stevens, Sigel and Doubleday’s divisions were preparing a flank assault. To that end Hood’s Division was force marching their way to save Hill’s Corps.

On the extreme Confederate left disaster was in the air. General George B. McClellan’s army of the Potomac was preparing for a massive envelopment. To the North of Bloody Pond, Hancock and his 9,000 men led the way in a flank assault, Sumner and 8,000 men were in support to his left. To the South of bloody pond, George Franklin, J. Runyon and John F. Reynolds organized an attack towards the Confederate rear. They had to seize the heights of Camden Hill, which would dominate the Confederate rear and force them into submission.  If artillery and Infantry can get on the hill and control the road between the front and Culpeper, the Army of Northern Virginia would be destroyed. They would, if it weren’t for Lewis Armistead.

Lewis Armistead Commanded the Fourth Virginia Brigade, Pickett’s division, first corps, ANV, was a seasoned Veteran. He fought at the battle of Falmouth and was a soldier from the old Army. He commanded close to 3,428 men in his heavy brigade, and they were all seasoned, experienced men. At close to 1:30 he heard the sounds of battle to the north, as well as the cicadas in the hot summer wind. He was riding towards Culpeper, to go into the town for a luncheon. While he was riding he saw the woods to the south of Camden Hill. They were beautiful woods, oak trees and others. He was turning to continue his ride down the road until he caught a glance of the woods. There was a little sparkle, like that of a twinkle on a shiny bell, or the glimmer in an eye. It was that of metal. He stopped his horse and looked over at the woods for a second time. He pulled his binoculars and peered into them, observing the woods. He didn’t see anything at first, but then he saw it: Blue Ranks rushing through the overgrown woods and shrubbery, the cries of officers heard faintly as well as the patting of feet onto the leaves and twigs on the ground. They were coming. And they were coming right at the flank.

Lo turned to one of his regimental commanders and ordered him to
“Go back to our camp. Get the Brigade and join men here.”
“Sir shouldn’t we go to Lee first and-”
“No! There is no time. Now obey my orders”






McClelan's flank march.

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< Message edited by Jonah -- 5/5/2009 12:38:08 AM >

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Post #: 4
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/9/2009 1:05:21 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		Battle of Culpeper Part Three

The battle in the center was nearing it’s height. To the left, Early’s Division had began to push Terry Back. Terry’s Division was suddenly hit hard by Lee’s Foreign Legion carrying the Tri-Coluer. Terry had one last look at the charging Confederates as a volley riddled him with bullets and he came to the ground. Early then began to gather around one lone Union brigade who made a stand.

To the right, Heth’s Division was slowly driving Birney back as both of his flanks closed in. To the right of Heth Hood was turning to his right to stop Sigel, Stevens and Williams Division’s attack on his flank. All was going fine until George Sykes decided to intervene.

Sykes was a Major General and commanded the Regular Division, the best in the army. His men were well trained professionals, to who’s lot usually falls upon to save bad situations. One was presented to Sykes. Hood was holding off to the right against Williams as Heth was holding against Birney. But there was a large gap in-between them that Sykes wished to exploit. He ordered his Four Brigades to smash through that gap an charge the flanks of the Confederate lines. 8,953 Union Soldiers obeyed his command and they charged into the gap. The Confederates on the right and left looked at their rear in shock. The First GA Brigade routed as Sykes let a Charge, as did the 7th SC Brigade. Heth began to pull back to the left but Hood, faced by four divisions, was left to a bloody. Fate. Outmanned and outflanked, Hood ordered his famed ’Texas Brigade’ to Charge the rear of one of Sykes Brigades. Sykes’ 1st Regular Brigade broke and fled through the gap as Hood, leaving one brigade to hold his rear, continued to charge Sykes. After many losses, Sykes began to pull his bloodied Brigades back through the gap, leaving a corpse strewn field behind them.

To the north, Jackson launched his envelopment of the Union line. In echelon, Rodes hit the union first. His 9,749 men crashed into Oliver Otis Howard’s Division of 8,041 men. His Germans broke at the first volley, fleeing in confusion. Howard tried to rally his men who ran past him but was dropped in a volley by some Alabamians. Howard’s division fled in confusion, the mass of blue swarming past wagons or officers trying to stem the tide. Rodes, one of the south’s ‘rising stars’ had just cut a path between Hooker’s III and Burnside’s IV Corps.

To the north of Rodes, A. P. Hill’s ‘Light division’ of 14,000 men advanced against Darius N. Couch’s and W. F. Smith’s Division. His brigades were being closely followed by William Walker’s ‘Stonewall Division’ that was about to outflank the union line.










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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/9/2009 1:32:36 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		Battle of Culpeper part four

The battle of the flank is reaching it’s height. Hill’s brigades for up and Hill himself leads the charge in his red battle shirt. The gray tide hit’s the blue clad infantry of Couch’s Division with a resounding crunch as the clatter of bayonets. Couch holds for a while but his losses begin to mount. Dorsey Pender leads his North Carolinians on the flank of one of Couch’s brigades. Couch pulls the line back to refuse the flank, halting Hill’s momentum. The Florida Brigade hit’s Couch’s center hard with a bayonet charge, one of the few frontal ones on the war and sends his center reeling back in confusion. While Couch, unlike Howard, puts up a stand, his 7,753 men can’t face Hill’s 14,000 and slowly give way.

To the north of Hill, Walker is still struggling to deploy his division. His three brigades in the lead are in column, some being shot by snipers and riflemen. His fourth brigade is over a mile behind, and can’t offer much assistance. To compensate for this loss, Lee sends his nephew with the Lee’s Foreign Legion to help drive the far union flnak.

Which will be a hard task, due to the fact of W.F. Smith and Doubleday’s divisions digging in on the union right. The position is a though one, defended by some of the army of the Potomac’s best troops. And while the Stonewall Division is good, it won’t be enough to crack the line.






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< Message edited by Jonah -- 5/9/2009 1:33:12 AM >

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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/9/2009 6:26:29 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		Battle of Culpeper part five

To the south, McClellan’s flank attack was in full swing. To the immediate south, Hancock and Sumner’s Divisions were forming into battle lines, anchoring their left flank to a pond (This is a flank attack to the Confederate right). Armistead, after ordering his brigade to Camden Hill, which is to the far south, contacts Pickett to request his division to come up. Pickett complies and requests to General Longstreet that McLaws comes as well. McLaws’ 7,000 and Pickett’s 14,000 men will be enough to combat McLlelan on Camden ridge, but who will seize those heights first?

Against Hancock’s flank attack to the north, D. H. Hill rushes Anderson’s division to stop the blue tide. He deploys just as Hancock and Sumner slam into his gray clad troops. Anderson, while shaken by the onslaught, holds his own against the endless waves of blue. Anderson and the Washington artillery hit the Union brigades as they advane, with canister knocking men down by the dozen. The Casualties mount and no side has a clear advantage.

To the south, John Fulton Reynolds and William B. Franklin are observing the heights of Camden Hill. They realize in an instant that the heights dominate the rear of the Confederate line. Their two divisions were the greatest in the army. Reynolds commanded George Meade’s old Pennsylvania Reserve Division and Franklin’s divison was one of the army’s best as well. One of his brigades, Berdan’s Sharpshooters were some of the greatest soldiers in the etire union army. As both commanders looked at the heights, they knew they could take the heaights. They knew they could win the battle. All they needed were the okay from McLellan. They waited for an okay, that never came. He instead ordered them to wait for Runyon’s Division to arrive. A descion that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Armistead rushed his brigade by force marching to the crest of Camden Ridge at 2:30. His 3,428 men deployed on the ridge and dug in. Pickett and the rest of the division would not be there until 5:00, and Mclaws might be close to an hour after that. He deployed his brigade in the center of the ridge (Later circled red, and also note I gave a SC flag by mistake, should be a VA flag). Close to an hour and a half later his men were just putting their shovels down as they heard rocks being crunched under the feet of 22,000 soldiers. Armistead ordered his men to go to their positions and wait. He waited in a ear piercing silence, waiting for the moment to happen. And then it did: Thousands of blue clad soldiers were racing up Camden hill from the woods and rock below and were coming straight at Armistead’s lines. The union line surged forward, 22,000 men against Armistead’s 3,000. As a volley was unleashed onto the union, the attackers lost scores of men. Franklin assaulted Armistead’s right, Reynolds his left and Runyon the center. Armistead repulsed the attacks in dozens of waves. Despite the combined firepower of 22,000 men, the union could not take the heights. Armistead’s men repulsed and routed two brigades, but Armistead, now at 4:40, was low on ammunition. Berdan’s Sharpshooters took their toll on the Confederate right, and Armistead, while inflicted over 2,000 casualties, had lost over 600 men. As the battle reached it’s climax, Franklin sent two brigades behind the hill on Armistead’s right. He was about to be attacked on all sides. It will take a miracle to save him.

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Post #: 7
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/12/2009 2:12:55 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		Battle of Culpeper part six
Armistead decided there was only one option. Surrounded and cut off, he had to break out or else surrender. As a line of union began to advance up Camden Hill on his front and flanks, he knew there was but one thing to do. He (Years before the movie ‘Gettysburg’ was made) yelled
‘Fix bayonets!’
With that order he charged down the ridge, sword raised high, with his men following. The union, perplexed and confused, fired a volley that brought some Confederates down but they continued to charge. The Charge swept the Union First Penn. Reserve Brigade off the ridge and into a rout. Just as Armistead reached the base of the hill he looked up towards the rocks surrounding and fell to the ground. That was all he remembered.

George Pickett led his Virginians and South Carolinians towards Camden Hill. His men spent the last few hours force marching and were fatigued. As his men came to a halt he spurred his horse forward to observe the line. Union troops were coming around both of Armistead’s flanks, and a Union brigade was coming with their flank to a pond. He brought his field glasses down and turned to one of his brigade commanders, General Kennedy, and told him to bring his South Carolinians to Armistead’s aid.

Armistead’s brigade, now under Colonel George Patton was being mauled, and more men were lost by the minute. Dozens of men went down as volleys were being fired from every side. Patton soon went down with a mortal wound and the brigade was near the breaking point. Soldiers looked over their shoulders in dismay to seen blue clad soldiers racing towards their rear, but behind them was the blue flag of Virginia.

Pickett’s four fresh brigades smashed into Franklin, Runyon and Reynolds’ divisions. Their tired brigades were swiftly sent scurrying down the hill with scores of men being lost each inch. Pickett’s brigades fixed bayonets and charged down after them, with Generals Kennedy, Marshall and Pickett himself leading the men on. Union troops stopped to fire only to withdraw. One Brigade, directed under Franklin himself, directed Berdan’s Sharpshooters brigade to cover the withdrawal, inflicting heavy casualties. Soon after Lafayette McLaws brought his division up as well, and the defense of Camden hill consolidated despite repeated assaults from Franklin, Reynolds and Runyon.





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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/12/2009 4:00:32 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		Part of Culpeper part seven

To the north, Jackson’s flank attack had been raging for hours. Rodes’ Division had been pushed back by King’s Division who led a counter attack and Hill and Walker’s Divisions were pushed back by Doubleday’s Division. Jackson soon conferred with Hill, Rodes and Walker and decided to renew their efforts. Walker had orders to attack the right side of the union ‘V’ of Smith’s Division as Hill assaulted the left side. The Confederates advanced under musketry and cannon fire as scores of Confederates went down. For the next hour, Jackson’s corps flung themselves at the union entrenchments with higher casualties each time. W. F. Smith and Joseph Hooker rallied the union lines as they continued to repulse the Confederate attacks. To the south, Rodes continued to attack in the center, with a bit more success. Rufus King went down with a volley by some North Carolinians who assaulted his Division. Further south, Hill’s Corps with Heth and Early’s Divisions assaulted Terry and Sykes, with charge and counter charge on those fields. To the west, Hood continued to defend against Stevens and Williams attacks.

It was said afterwards, that the union line didn’t break, but it dissolved. At close to 6:30, the Confederates assaulted the entire Union line. Hood and his Texas Brigade shattered Williams who sent hi fleeing to the south east. His Alabamians and Georgians sent Sigel’s fleeing Germans to the east. Stevens and his division dissolved into flight. In the center, Heth and his division advanced under his Artillery’s support. His Six Brigades smashed through the union lines as fleeing soldiers were struck down by artillery rounds. Rodes broke though King’s Division and Birney’s Division as well as they became a mob. And finally to the north, Smith’s Division, attacked on all sides, fled in confusion as Walker came to his rear after putting Doubleday’s Division to rout. Thousands of union soldiers threw down their arms an surrendered en-masse. Early unleashed his Division and shattered the remaining union. Union soldiers panicked, fleeing everywhere for cover as artillery rounds screamed in and parties of hunting Confederates continued to shoot down the fleeing Union. It was up to Sykes and his regulars to stem the rout and cover the withdrawel. His Regulars began to slow the pursuing confederates, and even put one Brigade to rout.

To the south, Sumner and Hancock’s men withdrew with order compared to their counterparts to the north. Hancock slowly pulled his men back towards the east. Sumner on the other hand fled to the south towards the infamous ‘Bloody pond’. Anderson ordered his batteries to fire onto the fleeing brigades, similar to the pond near Telinitz at Austerlitz. Union troops surrendered en masse as they fled into the red stained waters. Union troops made last stands in various locations. The pockets of resistance soon faded as they surrendered or disingrated. Near Camden Hill, Franklin and Reynolds brought their men out of the fight with few casualties, and the Pennsylvania reserves and Berdan’s Sharpshooters inflicted high losses.

As the sun began to set and darkness came over the field preventing pursuit, there lied thousands of corpses on the field. The Army of the Potomac was shattered: They lost close to 6,000 men killed, 18,000 men wounded and over 10,000 captured. But it was not at a low cost: Over 20,000 of our own were lost. The Battle of Culpeper,as called by the Confederates or of Mine Run by the union, had come to a close. Of our officers or units that preformed well, were Robert Rodes and his Division, Jubal Early and specifically his Lee’s Foreign Legion, Heth did well and McLaws was solid. The outstanding officers were Richard Anderson, who’s stubbord defense save Hill’s Corps, John B. Hood, who faced over three times his size, G. Pickett, who’s force march saved the army, James Longstreet, who organized the defense on the right brilliantly, and lastly Lewis Armistead. Who’s contributions saved the army from disaster. He survived his wound and was back in action two weeks later. This was a solid victory for the army, and gave us the edge we needed in the east.







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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/13/2009 5:28:30 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		After our victory, planning was needed. Out west was my major concern. Union troops were encamped in Memphis and Nashville under Halleck and Pope respectively. My plan was simple. We needed to bring the war out of Tennessee and onto northern soil. Kentucky, despite siding with us was in union hands. Louisville, Lexington and Frankfort were under control of our enemies. I decided to tell General Albert Sidney Johnston to take his army, with his Corps under Smith and Hardee to drive north into Eastern Tennessee through Knoxville and into Appalachia and into Lexington. This would cut off Pope’s supplies from Nashville, forcing him from Central Tennessee into Kentucky.

In conjunction with that, Beauregard and his Army of the Mississippi will strike into Hatchie and then into Paducah, hopefully brining Halleck away from Memphis. His 59,000 men were mostly cheap quality troops however, and against Halleck’s 91,000 Veterans his chances were slim. But risks must be made in war, and with Halleck’s supply lines cut, his numbers may drop and it might give us a better chance in a fight.

In Virginia, Lee is to lie low and rebuild his army. Despite a great victory, we lost 20,000 men, close to a 25% of the Army of Northern Virginia. Once we gather enough men, we will be able to be combat ready. We decided to retreat to Lynchburg where the hospitals are to reduce attrition. He will be supported by a Campaign I’m planning on launching to reclaim West Virginia. West Virginia has been occupied by General Philip Sheridan. A force, entitled the Dept. of East Tennessee and South West Virginia under Joseph Wheeler will invade it. His men, forming in Knoxville, have orders to engage Sheridan. Though most of his Tennesseans and Virginians are newly mustered and green, Sheridan’s Troops are 2nd rate as well. His orders are to go through Abingdon, then into Kanawha, followed by Franklin and Grafton, where Sheridan is encamped. After doing battle with him, the plan is if victorious to press onto Wheeling. With that city secured, it will help not only the link between East and West through Kentucky and additionally it will raise the attitude of John Letcher who kind of hates me.

Finally west of the Mississippi, Joseph Johnston has orders to form his Army of Arkansas and invade Kansas. He has but 19,000 men against close to 9,000 union in Kansas under General Pleasanton and 23,000 under Hunter in Springfield. Johnston realizes that invading Kansas first will be more beneficial. Due to the fact of picking up Indian Brigades and will also after taking Kansas it will let us increase our troops in Topeka. Additionally we have Three Divisions and the staff the form an army will come to help us in Missouri.

With a singniture, orders 0087 are now in effect. With it, the lives of thousands and the hope of the Confederate States of America hangs in the balance.

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Post #: 10
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/13/2009 8:09:57 AM   
GShock


Posts: 1245
Joined: 12/9/2007
From: San Francisco, CA - USA
Status: offline 		Keep it up, im reading!

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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/14/2009 5:09:48 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		Johnston’s Army of Arkansas was on the march. When they arrived in Kansas, Pleasanton retreated into the defenses of Topeka without a fight. The siege began, on September 29th, 1862. Johnston and his three divisions under Generals Price, Magruder and McCulloh were deployed around the town. Johnston offered safe passage to any civilians before he began to shell the town. 24 hours later, the bombardment began. Topeka, who had poor defenses to begin with, began to crumble. Shells screamed in blowing up buildings left and right. The Arsenal exploded as it was hit by Henry Hopkins Sibley’s Little Rock Artillery Battalion, the entire block went up in flames. For Two weeks, Topeka was under siege, waiting for a hope of relif. It’s 9,000 men in the dept. of Kansas, supplemented by 5,000 men in two Garrison brigades. Eventually, on October 11th, Pleasanton tried a Surprise attack (Sorry, no pics for this one. I only took them for the big battles).

Battle of Topeka

As the sun rose along the high plains of Kansas, Confederate soldiers began that dawn to get out of their tents and prepare breakfast. Salted pork was distributed, bacon was sizzling and a pot of Coffee was brewing in hundreds of pots over just as many campfires. Joseph Johnston was still asleep, his aides letting him recover after a long night of directing siege operations. Sterling Price and Ben McCulloh were dining on some smoked ham, coffee and corn muffins. John Bankerhead Magruder rose to watch his prized horses, specifically his black bay, Mars. Men began talking across the camp, echoing in dozens of conversations. ‘How did you sleep’ or ‘Oh I wish I had my old bed back in Little Rock’ ‘Is that Coffee?’ or possibly ‘Dude, is that a Taco Bell over there?’. As this was happening, Close to 12,000 Union Soldiers began to file down the Wichita pike towards the southern portion of the Confederate army with four brigades. To the East on the Kansas City Road, Five Union Brigades began to advance towards the Confederate right.

It can be seen in the map the numbered maneuvers in order. 1) Sturgis’ men burst out of the misty down and onto Magruder’s Camp. His Texans flee just as they are eating breakfast. Men surrender by the dozen and scores of prisoners are rounded up and sent to the rear. Magruder himself flees, dressed in but his night shirt and his pants, fleeing on his fastest horse. John Marmaduke, one of his brigade commanders, holds Sturgis off for 20 minutes as Countless union assaults charge him and his brigade. Marmaduke is shortly after wounded and his brigade breaks. 2) Steele and his Division attack Price and his Missourians. Price holds on for an hour, though still caught by surprise. After much fighting, especially on Wichita road where Sibley’s Batteries are deployed, his Division breaks in confusion and a mob of Missourians flee down the road and into complete chaos. Steele urges his men on to secure the road and to finally break this siege, and leads his Kansas Infantry in a bayonet Charge that seizes Sibley’s Guns, sending him and the guns that made it out fleeing in confusion down the road to the south. Steele however is wounded and his division begins to slow in there attack. Johnston meanwhile begins to rally his fleeing men to reform on the Wichita road.3) Sturgis then turns his division south to hit McCulloh and his men in their camps, expecting an easy kill and quick victory. Instead he finds that Ben McCulloh’s Division are dug in, and are going to stand and fight. Sturgis loses countless men as he throws his brigades at his camp. McCulloh’s line, while bends and even breaks here and there, still holds. 4) Magruder as his division flee to the south, they see McCulloh’s stand and his Division reforms to McCulloh’s right. 5) His men then form and anchor the Confederate line. It is now Nine o’clock. 6)
After Three waves of attack against Magruder and McCulloh, he pulls back towards the Kansas City Road to reform. He is soon followed by Magruder and McCulloh’s divisions who smash Sturgis up until the Kansas City Road. Sturgis and his men flee in confusion back towards Topeka. The battle will now be decided on the left.

7) McCulloh and his division turn to the left and smash Steele’s flank. Union soldiers, already shaken by the loss of their commander, break in confusion and flee into Topeka.
9) The battle is over.

Casualties mount to 6,781 for the Union and 4,946 for the Confederates. On our side, the generals who stand out are McCulloh, who saved the Confederate army in the battle. Sibley and his Artillery served well, and to Johnston’s credit he helped turn the battle. Price, for his circumstance fought hard but Magruder left much to be desired. Later that week, Pleasanton, Sturgis and the wounded Steele fled to Missouri with a small escort, and that morning, the garrison surrendered and Topeka was ours. Johnston is praised as the Hero of the Confederacy. His Campaign was brilliant. He beat the enemy in battle, received Indian reinforcements and now captured Topeka. But the Campaign West of the Mississippi was not over yet. We still had to beat the Union in Missouri. And David Hunter had 23,000 men, enough to beat Johnston. But for now the Confederate s could celebrate. For on October 19th, Kansas became the confederacy’s 12th State.







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Post #: 12
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/14/2009 8:58:30 AM   
GShock


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From: San Francisco, CA - USA
Status: offline 		You are really enjoying it eh? I just loved this last SS. 

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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/14/2009 4:29:22 PM   
Jonah


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Status: offline 		Yeah I do enjoy AARs. It lets me account the fun I have playing this game and I can also add some flavor to it. Glad you enjoy this AAR, I know at times I get too descriptive, maybe it's just the author in me. 

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Post #: 14
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/15/2009 5:32:20 PM   
Jonah


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Status: offline 		Joseph Johnston decides to take his Army of Arkansas East Towards Jefferson City. At West Port his orders are to wait as John Hunt Morgan and his Division along with an army container arrive.

In the Mississippi valley, Beauregard takes his army though Hatchie where at the Battle of Jackson he routs three union Brigades under Charles Smith (A battle too small to account in an AAR-It lasted only two turns). He lost around 476 men and the union lost 1384 men. A. S. Johnston advanced his army up though Knoxville and Appalachia. Pope soon realized that Johnston was at his rear. He then moved his army to Bowling Green to follow Johnston, and hopefully intercept them.

In West Virginia, Joe Wheeler advanced his army though Abingdon where his Four Brigades fought Three Union brigades under General Charles Stone who commanded the Dept. of Southwest VA. At this battle(Again, no detailed account) Wheeler pushed the Union Brigades who were exposed across the river. Stone and his fled West to Kanawha after a Confederate Charge. The Confederates lost 211 men and Stone lost 1,867 men.

In the ANV Lee receives reinforcements, and his Army slowly rebuilds. In the meantime Stuart builds a reserve Corps in Petersburg, made up of only Cavalry and artillery units. Also good news from our diplomats in France, they say Foreign intervention is getting close now. I ponder the possibilities of this in my Richmond office. What more can I do? I have my orders and they are being executed. It’s now time for the enemy to make a move…

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Post #: 15
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/18/2009 10:01:56 PM   
Jonah


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Status: offline 		As Johnston moved his army North, he arrived near Frankfort which was Kentucky’s capital. He ran the Governor and State Legislature out of town, and installed a new Governor. Johnston encamped his army near the edge of the town for the night. He had his men on guard, for he knew that the Army of the Tennessee under Henry Halleck. The next morning that October 13th, Johnston led his army close to Halleck’s camp. He organized his Two Corps, Hardee’s II and Smith’s I. The union formed on the River, with their left anchored near a pond and their right near some woods. Johnston knew that John Pope was on his way with 71,000 men. Johnston was pressed for time. He knew he needed to wipe out the enemy army quickly. Johnston and his men crossed the Kentucky River and advanced towards Alum Creek. Johnston formed Hardee on the left with Buckner, Withers and Breckinridge’s Divisions. His Fourth Division under Pat Cleburne, was posted on the far right to the right of Smith’s I Corps. Smith aligned his three divisions with Stewart on the right and Taylor on the left. His third division under Martin was held in reserve.

Battle of Frankfort or Alum Creek part one

The attack began on the left as Withers Division slammed into troops under Union General Johnson. The union line held on the flank but casualties mount for both sides. Withers sends his Alabamians and Tennesseans to advance onto the union breastworks. Confederate regiments suffer heavily as musketry and canister take their toll but they are able to inflict ample losses onto the union as well.

As Johnson holds against Withers, Buckner sees an opportunity: Johnston’s right is only held by three brigades. He can take his Division and possibly a brigade from Martin and smash the union right, outflanking the entire union army. He, without verification from his superiors, sends his six Brigades into motion to hit the union right. Martin actually offers to send his entire division as well as himself at their head to join Buckner. After conferring with Hardee and Withers, he plans to launch an attack with Withers pinning Johnson, Buckner hitting Johnson’s flank and Martin overlapping the union right. Named after the architect, operation Buckner is now in effect.


Withers sends his five brigades in and exchanges volleys back and forth between him and Johnson’s men. Confederates fling themselves at the union entrenchments with charges over them and union counterattacks with losses climbing in the thousands. Buckner then readies his brigades, he rides up and down the line. He arrives at his old First Kentucky Brigade, his former command.
“Soldiers of Kentucky-you have fought on battlefields across the Mountains of East Tennessee, the swamps of Mississippi, the lakes and rivers near Nashville in defense of our nation. You fought on the plains of Georgia and the passes of Tennessee, all in defeat. Now you have a chance to fight on your own soil, in defense of your native state-to liberate it from the Yankee invader-and to victory.”
A cheer erupts along the line as drums strike up and the 18,000 men in Buckner’s Division advance. They head towards Johnson’s flank and come under cannon fire. Scores fall at the hands of musketry and shrapnel but they press on to the union line. As they come close to the union line, his men let out a volley. The volley ripples along the lines, killing men in the entrenchments. The union respond and scores of Confederates go down. Buckner realizes he is getting the worse of the situation. He realizes if he stays, his division will be a hollow wreck, if he pulls back, withers will be destroyed. He then sends the order to Charge and his men fix bayonets and advance towards the union lines. Johnson and his men are caught off guard and they panic and flee. Confederates mount the entrenchments and Buckner urges them on from horseback. Confederates cheer nd wave their colors. They wave their hats and then press on to continue to push the Union back. Union soldiers throw their arms down and surrender, though Johnson reforms his brigades 60 yards back to hold the union right. Withers and Buckner suffered heavily as their disorganized but victorious southerners get broken apart by the disciplined union volleys. The situation seems lost until the Confederates look to the north: The 16,000 men under William Martin are marching south from their position overlooking the union right. His five brigades slam into Johnson’s flank and his division disintegrates in a matter of minutes. Men surrender and brigades collapse as thousands of blue-clad soldiers flee the field in chaos. Martin, Withers and Buckner meet in the middle and shake hands-the three divisions are united. This scene of the three men is immortalized in Don Troiani’s painting ‘The meeting’ and in the Battlefield statue that can still be scene in the Frankfort battlefield to this day.






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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/19/2009 10:43:16 AM   
Kingmaker

 

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Yer Ditto GS comments, a good read, keep up the good work.

All the Best
Peter

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Post #: 17
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/19/2009 5:29:19 PM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
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Status: offline 		Battle of Frankfort or Alum Creek part twoOn the right, Cleburne readied his division. He organized his six Brigades and dispatched a brigades worth of skirmishers to probe the union line across the river. Union Pickets would be driven back or would drive the skirmishers back Soon Cleburne’s reconnaissance turned into an engagement as his Arkansas Brigade began to have a fire-fight with a Brigade of Ohioans under William Sherman. Sherman and Cleburne slowly began to draw their Divisions in until the engagement was on. Parties of Soldier fought along Alum Creek, soldiers being shot down in the river left and right. Cleburne and Sherman began to lose control of their brigades as they drifted out of Command. As the hours went on, it was now 5:30 (the battle began at 10:00) A. P. Stewart and his division soon joined the fight as well as William Benton and A. J. Smith’s union divisions.

As night came over the battlefield, the fighting began to come to a close. On the Confederate right, despite constant skirmishing, Cleburne and Stewart pulled their tired brigades across Alum Creek to settle down for the night. In the center, where no fighting took place anyways, both sides began to halt. And on the left, Buckner, Withers and Martin halted their three divisions after their final attack at dusk where their division was badly repulsed by Johnson and units brought from the center. Jonhston called a council of war that evening, his seven division commanders and his two Corps Commanders were present. Rumors circulated among the men that Pope arrived with his lead units.
“The enemy’s strength is uncertain” Jonhston opened that evening. “We know that Halleck had 87,000 this morning, detracting losses which I estimate at let’s say-5,000-7,000, I think his forces with losses and fatigue are down to roughly 80,000 men.”
“What of General Pope?” Hardee inquired, ever cautious. “What about him?”
“I know he’s arriving and I think he is on this field. But let us not concern ourselves with that. If he arrives, his army is reported at 91,000 men and…”
Across the table echos erupted between the officers “91,000 men?”
“Yes 91,000 men. Combined with Halleck that’s 171,000, I know that. But I personally doubt he can even bring his whole force to bear. After all, with only a few brigades coming by train at a time, I’m convinced we can attack them and break them.”
“Besides,” interjected Cleburne. “We already have the tactical edge.”
“Precisely.” replied Sidney Johnston. “Anyhow Gentlemen, let’s get to our courses of action. We know Halleck is being reinforced, and we know he’s being reinforced fast. We need to crush him before Pope can bring enough men on the field to win this fight. Here are our options:

1. Assault the Union left.
Cleburne, in support of this option said “The union right is the key to victory. To drive the federals from their positions their we could drive down the entire union line-if we take the position. Have my Division and Stewart’s divisions attack the front and dispatch Taylor or Breckinridge to go around them. We could possibly bag most the union army by outflanking them. If we take that position.”
Buckner thought otherwise. “The Union left? That would gain us nothing. They can just send more troops from their right to their left. Additionally that ground is hard to take. That area is one of the best parts of the union line. Fortifications overlooking a creek, our men would be struck down as they ford the river and we will gain nothing. They can just form a new position behind it if we even take it.”
“Do you have any other ideas?” Cleburne asked.
“Yes.” Buckner replied.

2. Assault the union right.
“We”, Buckner began. “Have gained much there already. A final push is all we need. If we break their right, we can not only out flank them but we will cut their line of retreat, and the Yankees will have no choice when they retreat but to either have a last stand or surrender en masse.”
“No.” Withers said, shaking his head. “We have tried and failed. We won on that flank when they had few men, but now half the Yankee army is there and that’s where all of Pope’s men are going. We lost heavy casualties last night when we assaulted the flank when they had a great deal of men there. We-the attacker, will be outnumbered. Also our divisions there are tired of from heavy fighting from yesterday. The battle on the Union right is over.”
“Well,” Said Johnston trying to move along. “What else can we do?”

3. Assault the Center
“Assaulting the center is key.” Said Breckinridge. “We have three divisions over there, My own and Taylor’s plus brigades from Stewart and Withers. The Yankees have pulled back from the center the save their right and left. It is weak. If we can mass our troops in the center, we can break their line and attack the rear of the union right and left. The center is the key to victory.”
“At what cost?” Exclaimed Hardee. “That is going across Alum Creek and the woods there under fire. A head on attack in the center is foolhardy. Men on the right and left will have enfilade fire upon us. Such an attack, even if successful, we will lose half our number for only a tactical victory. That can be quickly reversed with counter attacks from the flanks. I say…”

4. Defend.

“We are going to be outnumbered come sun up. Our men are tired and we have pushed them to the limit. We should pull back to the heights behind u and wait for the Yankees to attack us. Their numbers will be negated by a attack and we can easily hold out. Not only will it lead to victory, but we will lose only a few men.”
“And sacrifice today’s success!” cried Cleburne. “We have fought all day, with much success, to pull back would mean we did all hat for nothing. We have the tactical edege, let’s use it. The men’s morale will sink and also may I add-what f the Yankees don’t attack us? What then? We are the attacker ao victory will go to them. We don’t have enough supplies to hold out. That would be disastrous for the army.”
“Any other ideas?” Johnston asked.
“I have one,” spoke General Taylor. “If we can’t agree, then let’s assault the entire line. The federals must have a weak point somewhere and we can exploit it. And any victory or breakthrough will be made decisive by a hammering blow somewhere else. It’s the onlu sure way to work.”
“But they are the defender,” Spoke Kirby Smith. “They have interior lines and more men. WE will be stretched thin and our attacks will suffer. They will also rush men to the point of biggest threat. Such an attack will fail.”

Note: I am leaving for a few days to go with see my father in New York when he’s starring on Fox News and won’t be posting for a few days. I leave the descion of which couse of action up to the readers. Comment on this post and say which you would take, the once I get back I will tabulate your votes and the votes from other sites this is posted on and come to my decision and implement it in my next game session. Thank you for your support. I have the circumstance but I am now leaving you, the readers, in command.

What’s your move, Generals?

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Post #: 18
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/19/2009 6:33:44 PM   
Kingmaker

 

Posts: 1678
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Status: offline 		HiHi

Without being able to see the ground, a difficult call, but I'm inclind to go for the 'Defend' option, but, with the addition of sending at least a Division under cover Wide, wide Left, then 'Screen North' to get behind Hallecks troops, keep it out of sight and Wait.

The bulk of the Reb army move back to the heights, set up good killing zones with whatever Arty is left and let the boys Rest.

In the morning our boys will still be recovering from fatigue while Halleck advances, both Halleck & Popes fresh troops will be disorganised & slowed by crossing the Creek/river (?) while hopefully still under Reb arty fire.

Let the battle unfold with feds assaulting the heights. When feds are committed then sweep the Div/s from the Screen Northwest, Eastwards across fed supply lines/waggon parks or directly Southeast into fed Right-rear ie Hallecks already weary troops from the previous days fighting.

Of course when I actually see the Terrain/troop dispositions, little voices in my headbone will probably be sreaming "No!No! why did you suggest that!?"

All the Best
Peter


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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/20/2009 4:53:22 PM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		Should of put in a map. I actually have my laptop with me so I can do regular posts but not game ones due to FoF being installed on my home computer. Here's a map I made on paint (I know, sorta sloppy). It has the positions as numbers the possible choices with arrows showing where they would go.Option one-




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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/20/2009 4:53:59 PM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
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Status: offline 		Option 2.

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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/20/2009 4:54:39 PM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
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Status: offline 		Option 3.




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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/20/2009 4:55:11 PM   
Jonah


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Status: offline 		Option 4




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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/20/2009 4:55:46 PM   
Jonah


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Status: offline 		Option 5




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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 5/23/2009 8:10:52 PM   
GShock


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From: San Francisco, CA - USA
Status: offline 		LoL great map if drawn with laptop... much better than what i'd do with a pencil and paper ! 

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Post #: 25
RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 6/2/2009 4:14:23 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		Hello everyone, I’m back. After tabulating the votes on this forum and on other sites I posted on, the answer is option 3. Let’s see how this goes…

Johnston looked over at Breckinridge.
“John, I’ve decided to support your idea. We’ll attack the yankee center tomorrow. I want you and Richard Taylor to get your divisions, along with General withers and Stewarts men, to advance along the Louisville pike and cross Alum creek. There your four divisions will advance upon McPherson and Hulbert’s divisions along with Benton’s division. If we break the center,” Johnston continued, “Buckner and Martin will advance upon their right along with Cleburne upon their left.

As the sun rose along Alum Creek, John Breckinridge rode to the front of his division. He saw his six brigades, in two waves, Withers was to the left, Taylor to the right and Stewart to his right. Breckinridge looked over to his right and saw one of his Brigade commanders, Daniel Donelson.
“You may advance.”
“Yes sir.”
As he rode off the beating of drums and the sound of the bugles as over 65,000 men advanced towards Alum Creek. Across Alum Creek, close to 50,000 men in that position alone. The Confederates advanced in perfect order, as if on parade ground. Soon, artillery shells began to burst over the confederate ranks. As countless Confederates went down, officers urged their men to race to the creek. Confederate ranks began to break as shells shattered his ranks. Soldiers began to duck behind trees near the creek. Canister shredded the confederate ranks, dozens going down. As the confederates were pinned, they needed a push to get across the creek. It needed to be soon, due to the losses adding up by the minute. The confederates, panicked, were on the verge of breaking as volleys were poured in upon them from McPherson’s division. The confederates needed support, or else this would become a disaster.

Albert Sidney Johnston looked through his binoculars at the attack. Through the smoke he saw Confederates straggling back in retreat. He turned to Breckinridge,
“Do you have any more reserves?”
“None but a brigade from Withers which lost half it’s strength yesterday sir. We’ve sent all the men in.”
“I’m heading up to the front.”
“Sir,”
“And you’re coming with me!”
Johnston, along with Breckinridge and the brigade if depleted Missourians, advanced to Alum creek. Johnston rode up and down the line rallying the men.
“Rally men, we must drive them today!”
A cheer rose up and Breckinridge’s division advanced across the creek with bayonets fixed. Soldiers jumped over the earthworks and engaged in hand to hand combat with McPherson’s division. As the union struggled, Taylor, Withers and Stewart also advanced over the union breastworks. Charge after countercharge led the barricades to be captured and re captured and lost again. The battle raged for nearly an hour, without any victory. To the north, however, is where the battle will be decided.

As the union drew troops from their right and left to reinforce the center, Buckner and Martin saw an opportunity. They realized the union right was in the air. Without verification, Buckner for the 2nd time in the battle acted on his own initiative and advanced on the union right. In a matter of minutes, Johnson’s division broke and Buckner and Martin’s division were driving to the Louisville pike to cut off the union line of retreat. Combining this and the confederate advance in the center, the union line dissolved. Brigades in the center fled the field down the Louisville pike. It was left to William Sherman to guard the union retreat. Thousands of prisoners were taken, and as the smoke lifted at noon, over 17,000 soldiers lied dead and wounded on the field. The union lost close to 11,000 men, and over 6,000 confederates as well. The victory, while solid, was not complete. The union army was still large and still effective. It would have to be decided on another field. In retrospect, of the Corps Commanders, none really distinguished themselves. Of the division commanders however, Martin, Stewart, Taylor, Breckinridge and Withers proved solid. Cleburne and Buckner however proved brilliant, and were worthy of high command. This was a solid victory, but the war in the west was not yet decided.






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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 6/8/2009 4:45:17 PM   
Jonah


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Status: offline 		October 28, 1862

Following the battle, I heard news that General Beauregard and his army were marching towards Louisville, to liberate that city. His men soon routed the garrison in a brief battle and then occupied the town. To the north, Albert Sidney Johnston crossed the Ohio river into Indiana. His lead column was under Hardee, who was striking Indianapolis, as Kirby Smith guarded their line of supply. Hardee, near Wabash, met two union reserve divisions under generals McCook and Stoneman, with Sheridan commanding them. At the time Hardee only had Breckinridge and Cleburne up immediately, Buckner and Martin wandered off to the east, and away from the fighting.

The attack opened up as Breckinridge assaulted McCook’s division, adjacent to the Indianapolis road. Breckinridge skirmished and probed but found no weak spot in the union line. To his right, Cleburne led his division to Stoneman’s division. His men charged Stoneman but couldn’t dislodge him. Finally it appeared that there would be no dislodging Sheridan, until Buckner appeared on the far right with his ‘lost’ division. His men charged Stoneman’s extreme flank, sending his men into panic. As his division broke, McCook’s did as well and the entire union army fled into chaos. As the smoke cleared at 5’oclock, it revealed 1,213 confederate dead, wounded and captured. The union lost around 1,891 men. The battle cleared the road to Indianapolis as the two reserve divisions fled from the city, leaving only 8,000 men to hold on. The siege began two days later, and Indiana hung in the balance.






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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 8/1/2009 6:13:36 AM   
Jonah


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Status: offline 		Following the battle of Wabash, the Trans Mississippi theatre proved to have great interest. Joseph Johnston and his army crossed the Kansas-Missouri border into Missouri. His army was 24,000 strong now, exclusive of Indian recruits and ‘loyal’ Kansas militia. His target was the capitol, Jefferson City. To bring Missouri into the Confederacy would leave Illinois and Iowa as the front lines, something that would prove disastrous for the union war effort. His army, composed of Magruder, Price and McCulloh’s divisions marched east. They had to get through the key town of Westport, it was the ‘gateway’ to Missouri.

Battle of Westport part one

Unbeknownst to Johnston, Daniel Hunter’s Army of the Missouri was in the town and dug in. He had 44,000 men, in five divisions including one of Cavalry. Johnston’s army attacked filed put Price on the left, and Magruder on the right, anchored to the river and McCulloh is in reserve. The attack begins at 11:30, Magruder begins to push the union line, which according to their OOB is under Schofield. On the left as Price advances, he comes under fire from Cavalry under Pleasanton, who eluded us in Kansas. His cavalry began taking a toll on Price, who then detailed two brigades to deal with that. One Missouri and another newly recruited Indian Brigade. Led by Brigadier General Marmaduke, this Brigade was one of Price’s shock troops. The two brigades dug in as the cavalry came charging. The union line shattered as rider less horses fled after a minute of fighting. The Indian, ‘Comanche Brigade’, counterattacked and drove the cavalry out of the fight, wounding Pleasanton. On the right, two union divisions crossed the creek and came near the Confederate rear. If the two union divisions came to the turnpike, Johnston’s line would not only be out-flanked, it would be cut off from the wagons and supplies.

Just in time, McCulloh rushed his division towards the bridge. The union brigades, advancing downs the road in columns, were instantly shattered when McCulloh attacked their side of the line of march. The union line shattered as the men fled en masse from the road. Of the seven Union brigades near the bridge, two easily made it across the river. Another was making a stand on the bridge to cover the withdrawal, two more were disparity trying to ford the river to safety, and two fled to the south.

McCulloh soon ordered a brigade to contain the Union on the bridge, two to chase the union in the south, one to assault the union who are trying to ford the river, and another to cross the river to the north and cut of their retreat. The Confederate brigade that attacked the union on the bridhe were lead by Lucuis Polk, he soon led his brigade, after an hour of fighting and three assaults, over the union line. The union brigade fled but was soon hit on the flank by the two confederate brigades under McCulloh which crossed the river to the north. The union lines fell apart, with a union brigade surrendering. Soon, thousands of fugitves streamed to the East, with Confederates charging behind them.

On the Western side of the river, The union who tried to ford were routed after barely twenty minutes of action. One brigade surrendered and the other was mauled as relentless Confederate assaults battered the union line. To the south, the two Confederate brigades (And assisted by the Army’s single cavalry brigade under direct command of Johnston) chased the union for two hours, eventually they were pinned up in a small village next to the river and they surrendered en masse. After two hours of fighting, the union flank attack was destroyed. Smith’s division was completely destroyed, all were killed, wounded and captured. McPherson was wounded while conducting a rear guard and one of his brigades was annihilated, the rest were mauled. After this victory, McCulloh turned his division north to finish the fight.




Though it appeared that the union army was defeated, hunter began to form a new line near Westport itself.

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< Message edited by Jonah -- 8/1/2009 6:18:30 AM >

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RE: Trying to change my mistakes of the past: An AAR - 8/1/2009 6:18:20 AM   
Jonah


Posts: 190
Joined: 12/15/2007
Status: offline 		Magruder and Price’s attacks, despite initial success, were slowing due to massed union fire. Schofield and Sturgis conducted a strong defense, and though the lead union elements were pushed back, outside of Westport, the attack staggered. The Missourians under Price, the famed ‘Missouri State guard division’ of four Missouri Brigades plus an Indian Brigade, were now fatigued. To their right, Magruder’s division of six brigades, one Missouri, two Arkansas, one Kansas, one Texas and One LA, were pinned in combat. The union line needed to be broken to justify the victory in the south.

McCulloh lined his division up between Price and Magruder. His Army of the West’s five brigades were placed with his two Texan Brigades and Missouri Brigade in the front line, in the second line, an Arkansas and Louisiana Brigade formed up. As Johnston gave the signal for the attack with a barrage from the Army’s Reserve Artillery, McCulloh’s first line advanced. The union responded with Solid shot fire as the confederate line began to shake as it advanced. As the Confederates got closer to the union line, musketry opened up and dozens of Confederates fell. The center confederate brigade broke and fled and the flanking brigades soon became disordered. McCulloh’s attack was falling apart. The second line soon rushed up towards the front to assault the union position. If their attack failed, the Confederates will lose the battle.

The French Prince de'Polignac was one of the Confederate Army’s famed Brigade commanders. Not because of his ability but because of who he was. A French Officer in the Confederate army spoke volumes about France’s support of the CSA in the minds of a southern citizen. Though the Union too had foreign officers in their army and it didn’t mean foreign aid, but the confederates, who longed for a hope of aid, enlarged small acts. Now Polingnac commanded a LA Brigade. As he saw hundreds of Confederates fleeing from the front, McCulloh rode up. Turning to Polingnac, he asked
“That position needs to be taken before sun down. Take it with your countryman’s fashion. Can you repeat Wagram?*”
“I will be your Marshal McDonald. Louisiana, follow me!”
At those words 2800 men dashed for the union position. With bayonets glimering, they stormed over the union defenses. A shockwave ran through the union line. Men fled in confusion as Polingnac raised his sword, urging his men on. Just as he lept over the union breastowrks, a bullet hit him in the chest. As his men rushed by, leaving him behind, Polingnac, the un honored hero, lay bleeding in a mass of dead and dying. Like Icarus, the son of the Greek Sun God, at his greatest moment of glory, he is struck down. Never the cherish the honor he fought so hard for. Hours later, as body are being lifted from the battlefield to be buried, Polingnac’s body is found, now dead. The union line bended and soon broke. Reserves were rushed in to try to stop the breakthrough but were swept away by the unstoppable gray tide. On the right, Magruder’s men seived the moment and stormed the union works. On the left Price did the same. As the red battle flag was waved on top of the union works, thousands of gray clad soldiers race by with victory down the road. Hunter’s entire army broke and fled through Westport. Union Batteries were taken, thousands of soldiers were captured. Only the cover of darkness allowed the union army to retreat.


A bloody battle. It was the costliest west of the Mississippi and percentage wise one of the costliest as well. Of Johnston’s 24,000 men, he lost 2,300 killed, 4,100 wounded and almost none missing. 6,400 all in all. Over a quarter of their army, lost. Of the union losses 1,100 were killed, 8,700 wounded and 13,400 captured and missing. A total of 23,200 casualties. Over half their army, in the long eleven hour battle, was destroyed.

Judging the victory, it was one of Joe Johnston’s finest. He reacted superbly in his bad circumstance. McCulloh as usual was excellent, and remained Johnston’s best division commander. Price did well, as did Magruder. The new rising star however Polingnac. His charge won the battle, and he showed amazing leadership qualities. His glorious charge and his sudden death shocked the Confederacy. As the Richmond Examiner would say ‘None would spend such a short time in the army, but would be so loved.’ As far as the battle goes, Johnston’s victory left a clear road all the way to Jefferson City. The heart of Missouri was now open. Soon he would unite with a column coming to reinforce him, and the thirteenth state will emerge on the flag.







Prince De'Polingnac

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