2nd Battle of Salem Church 03 May 1863

Jonathan Freitag was kind enough to have me over again on Saturday for a refight of the Battle of Salem Church, fought on the 3rd of May 1863, using Fields of Honor rules. Our last match was extremely close, and this one was no different. I took General John Sedgwick's VI Corps again, and Jon took Major General Lafayette McLaw's Division. Sedgwick takes the first initiative, and draws the first several activations.....

Newton activates and moves his three batteries up to get in the first shots at Wilcox's batteries and their infantry support. Brooks moves his three batteries forward as well. Brown, Russel, and Shaler all move there regiments up to get within striking range. Bartlett moves his four regiments against the Confederate right.

Bartlett's 96th PA takes a beating in the first engagement with Wofford's Georgians

More views of the field after the first flurry of Union activations

The Orange Plank Road is getting congested with troops trying to get into the fray

Shaler's 65th New York moves up to attack Wilcox's 9th Alabama at the Salem Church, with the support of the 67th NY and Shaler in command.

With near 50% losses the 65th NY destroys the 9th AL and takes the church

Brown engages Kershaw's brigade and Wilcox's 10th AL. both sides take heavy losses. 

The 2nd NJ beats the 10th AL back twice until they are gone, but now they are stuck well behind the enemy lines without any command. The 2nd NC suffers 25% casualties after tangling with Brown's 15th NJ.  Meanwhile the 65th NY Suaves are hanging on by a thread after being pummeled by Wilcox's Alabamians. A successive attack destroys them. Brown is broken.

 

On the Union left, Bartlett's regiments have had a hard fight and have paid the price

The 121st NY is annihilated. The 96th PA is hanging in there, but at 50% strength. Cobb's legion, Phillip's legion, and the 10th GA are gone. Wofford is broken, but so is Bartlett

Situation photo. Browne's brigade has moved up to the right. Wheaton's brigade is moving up the Orange Plank Road. Brooks' two rifled batteries have returned to the heights. Shaler's 122 NY has overrun the Confederate batteries and destroyed the 14th AL support regiment pushed, breaking Wilcox's brigade. End of turn 2

The 11th AL attacks the heavily damaged 65th NY, destroying them to retake the church.

The 2nd RI attacks Semmes' 53rd GA with support from the 36th NY

Semmes is broken. McLaws withdraws what's left of his division and retreats back toward Lee's army near Chancellorsville. Sedgwick is now free to join Major General John Hooker who is currently nursing a case of shell shock and contemplating a full retreat back across the Rappahannock River!

Casualties:
Confederates = 8 Regiments and 3 Batteries
Federals = 9 Regiments

Jonathan will be posting a much more thorough, and I'm sure more accurate, AAR on his blog at https://palousewargamingjournal.blogspot.com/

This was just as much fun, if not more so, than the last game. Jon is talking about perhaps a Biblical period battle next. I'm anxious to see what he decides upon.