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 and Jon's beautifully painted and mounted 10MM ACW troops. 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.....
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| 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. |
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| Bartlett's 96th PA takes a beating in the first engagement with Wofford's Georgians |
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| More views of the field after the first flurry of Union activations |
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| The Orange Plank Road is getting congested with troops trying to get into the fray |
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| 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. |
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| With near 50% losses the 65th NY destroys the 9th AL and takes the church |
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| Brown engages Kershaw's brigade and Wilcox's 10th AL. both sides take heavy losses. |
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| 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 Zouaves are hanging on by a thread after being pummeled by Wilcox's Alabamians. A successive attack destroys them. Brown is broken. |
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| On the Union left, Bartlett's regiments have had a hard fight and have paid the price |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| The 11th AL attacks the heavily damaged 65th NY, destroying them to retake the church. |
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| The 2nd RI attacks Semmes' 53rd GA with support from the 36th NY |
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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! |
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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.
Excellent BatRep, Vol! Not sure that I can add much to your version. Another exciting contest on the Salem Church battlefield. What is next on my table is always a good question. Biblicals or Sumerians sounds interesting especially since I have a couple of new Akkadian spear units coming out from the painting desk.
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't know about that. You took more photos, and much better with your camera than my little phone. I missed crucial shots when brigades were broken. The game was great and it was razorwire close.
DeleteGood looking game. Nice report too. Loses show how close the game was. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yes it was very close.
DeleteSuper battle report, great looking game and another really hard fought battle. Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteThanks, and it was a very close thing just like the last one.
DeleteAnother close encounter. Great AAR Vol. The church certainly seemed to be in the thick of the action, changing hands several times.
ReplyDeleteIt was very close and the church changed hand three time.
DeleteCracking battle report.
ReplyDeleteAll the best, Andy
Thanks Andy, it was a nailbiter towards the end
DeleteSplendid looking game, a close game is generally a fun game!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
It was Iain, very close, just like the last game
DeleteGreat report of a close and hard-fought game/re-fight. The battle for the church was especially intense. Lovely to see those New Yorker regts in their zouave uniforms feature so strongly.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes, James
Thanks James. The outcome balnced on a knife's edge at the end, just like the first fight. Jon's beautifully painted 10MM troops are truly a sight to behold, especially his zouaves!
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