In a last "hurrah" to the year 2010, I once again travelled down to good old Brazil, and faced off against my Yankee nemesis Bill Rosser.
In a confused, half-heartless fight between green troops in the Winter of '61, it was more of an exercise in "trying to get men to do what they are supposed to" rather than "winning the battle".
The scenario was a meeting engagment. Both sides were all green. As this was late 1861, there were no "average trained troops". The Union objective was to engage and defeat the Confederate troops encamped around the small town of Mitchellville, near Whittles Crossing on Whites Creek.
Confederate objectives were simple: Keep this from happening.
And now we travel back to those days of gunpowder and glory and join the story from the words of our beloved Southern General, Belvedere B. Belvedere...
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Winter 1861
We had all expected the war with the Yankees to be over with by the summer of this year; fall at the latest. And yet, here it was moving towards the new year and it still seemed to drag on. The ninety day troops were long gone, and those that were there, were learning to form the backbone of a real army.
Yet, in this time of peace and quiet in the winter, I had travelled on a well deserved furlough North of the Valley, and towards the small town of Mitchellville, at the invite of a gentleman and good friend of my family, Judge Augustus Peters.
My troops under the temporary command of my able aide Lt. Jasper had encamped for winter quarters within the defenses of Richmond, and were enjoying a peaceful respite from the hardships of war. Long overdue letters and some packages even had finally found their way to eager hands and eyes of those men who could read, or read for the ones that they were deemed for.
On my journey to Mitchellville, (a small crossroads town), I had the pleasure of inspecting the local garrison forces. They were almost all green troops. They were eager to prove themselves, yet their dependibility in battle was unproven, and questionable. Their commander was in bed in quarters with a severe case of the croup, and I later learned that he died within a week of the battle from the croup.
Two small regiments and two batteries of guns were encamped around Mitchellville. I forced myself not to compare these men to the fine soldiers in my regiment and instead turned my attentions for the while upon the social interactions with Judge Peters, and his family, and in particular his charming daughter Ellie...
Miss Ellie Peters, (b. Dec. 14th 1844, d: Feb. 19th 1870)
Miss Ellie, was most taken in and excited by stories of the battle of Manassas, and how we performed. She is a lovely creature indeed and her eyes often brighten with excitement. I think she yearns for adventure (as all younger folk do), and of travelling far away from her small "quiet town", and seeing the world. If only she knew that sometimes the world is not so accomodating.
I was gently nibbling on a slice of butter cake and sipping on real coffee in the family parlor; answering the legion of questions that Miss Ellie was plying upon me. (In my honest opinion, I do think that the good judge invited me here also to judge me as potential "marital quality" for his daughter, but we should discuss that at another time....);
But I do digress....
Our social intercourse was interrupted by the sounds of a distand popping. My alert ears picked this up as musket fire, while Miss Ellie cooed "Oh the boys must be drilling again!"
I forced a smile, but at the same time listend to the broken staccato sound of the muskets in the distance. This wasn't drilling. These muskets were shooting at targets!
My thoughts were interrupted by the loud pounding upon the door, and of The Good Judge, allowing a uniformed man in, (a captain).
"General Sir!" He saluted while exclaiming my rank. "Captain Hugh wishes to report to you that you are needed to take command of the local troops as we have seen Yankee infantry moving towards the town!" He was young, and his eyes full of the excited fear that untried officers wanting to prove themselves often show. I would have to watch this man and see how he handles troops in the field.
"How many?" I asked.
"Don't know sir." He said. "General Ledbetter is down in his quarters with a bad case of the croup. The doctor thinks he might die. He's given permission for you to take command of the troops in the field. We have more reinforcements coming up the road but we don't know when they will be here!"
I nodded and quickly gulped the last of the tasteful coffee.
"Very well." I nodded. "Have the commanders form their regiments and prepare the batteries for action. Quickly man!"
"Yes sir!" He saluted and ran out of the parlor and outside. Already I could hear the drums and bugles sounding "Call To Arms". The shouts of men and the sounds of an army preparing for battle began to be noticeable.
Ellie stood up. "Must you go now?" She said, bright eyes tearing, and bottom lip quivering.
"Yes, my dear. I must. Duty calls." I turned and looked at The Judge.
"Sir. I would advise you to please take your family down into the cellar and wait until this is over. If you do not, I cannot guarantee the safety of your family."
He nodded. "God go with you Belvedere."
I smiled at him, and headed out the door. Behind me I could hear Miss Ellies sobs and fits of protest over having to go "into the cellar", as I headed off into the battle...
General Belvedere B. Belvedere, Captain Hugh, and a Staff Officer at the Crossoads in Mitchellville.
Confederate Troops encamped around Mitchellville...
The campfires are cooking, bacon, and johnny cakes...black coffee, and the smell of woodsmoke in the chilly morning air...
Suddenly the pickets start shooting...Yankee Infantry coming down the road!
A column of Yankee's moving towards the town, trying to catch us off guard...sneaky devils they are...
Bugles ring out....the troops spring forth....the batteries swing around, gun crews prepare... These new green troops will "See The Elephant" today...
Suddenly a shout goes out....
More Yankee Infantry...a full brigades worth, coming straight at us! They mean business. This is no skirmish...it's a full scale attack!
Yankee infantry and artillery coming into view...we are outnumbered...can these raw troops hold them off, or will they break and run?
Suddenly from the far end of town, a cloud of dust and the sound of hooves....Our cavalry has arrived!!!
Gallant cavaliers in grey, riding hard towards the enemy...
They suddenly whirl off the road and between the woods to cover the right flank. Their commander knows that he is doing...the clattering sound of the horse artillery gun attached to them joins in as the limber bounces along down and off the rutted road and onto the field...
"Get the regiments formed! Line of battle!" I say to Captain Hugh. I can see him lick his lips and know he is unable to find words as a fountain of emotions run through him; anticipation, excitement, fear...He nods and rides off...
Captain Hugh forms the center regiments. These green troops would break and run during the first opening shots of the fight. The "fun" of war was suddenly replaced by cold fear...
A 12lb gun prepares to greet the oncoming Yankees...
The Yankee infantry had deployed in a full frontal attack upon our outumbered troops. We had no men on the flank to hold them. The cavalry commander dismounted half of his troopers and unlimbered the gun, while the other half rode hard to the flank, and in a moment of dash, drew sabers, and pistols and charged!
Hell for leather they charge across the open field towards the first regiment, (Rhode Islanders I do believe by their state colors)...
In a swirling mad dash of elan and flashing sabers, the Confederate cavalry slams into the Rhode Islanders. The infantry is able to get a decent volley from their musket dropping men and horse alike but not enough to break up the charge..for a moment the field is caught up in the maddening melee frenzy....behind the Rhode Islanders, the other two Union Regiments hold back, unsure of wanting to get involved in the bloody confused mess ahead of them...
Meanwhile the center line prepares...."Steady boys!" Captain Hugh says, but he can see the fear in the faces of them...as they watch the Union infantry move closer towards them....
Suddenly the Yankee artillery fires and a 12lb shell plows into the front of the regiment...a few men fall dead, more fall wounded...the explosion shakes and dissolved what little nerve and fighting mettle this unit was able to muster. They suddenly break and rout for the rear...
I have one regiment of infantry, a shattered cavalry unit, and 2 batteries of artillery to hold off over a brigade of yankee troops...
"Captain! Rally those men!" I cry to him...and I see him ride off in helpless pursuit...he attempts to rally but they will have nothing of it...off the field of battle they go....
And yet...at the same time...onto the field of battle comes two more regiments....Reinforcements!!!!
Help arrives in the form of 2 infantry regiments. Captain Hugh takes command of them and forms them up for battle. He is turning out to be an able commander...
The shattered remains of the cavalry head to the rear as the dismounted troopers prepare to make a stand against the Yankee infantry...
A nice large color photo of Bill's Union infantry...they look really good!
Meanwhile the 12lb batteries are exchanging artillery fire with the Union guns...shells are exploding all around, and both men and horses go down screaming. Guns take hits, and the battery suffers but they hold their ground and give just as good as they get...
A symphony of death and killing...12lb battery in action against Union guns, while the infantry desperately tries to form a line...
The infantry take over from the recently routed Cavalry dismounts...The issue with green troops is that they are unpredictable...they move slowly...fire horribly and break at the earliest moment...and for both of us, this was the problem....My infantry moved horribly slow, and it was through the grace of my artillery that I was able to stop the enemy advance.
A side shot of the battlefield...The final grand charge of the Union infantry. A brigade in lines, Regulars, State troops, Zouaves, pushing towards us...determined as they can be...
"Pour it into them boys! Give 'em all you got!"
The final battle lines as both sides look for the killing blow to end this....
Heavy volleys are fired from both sides...the bullets buzz like angry hornets...Men drop by the scores...the roar of our batteries continues, but the Yankee guns are quiet...have we run them off?? We cannot see through the thickness of the smoke....
With the end of the combat, we roll morale....my boys hold....
Bill needs to roll a 7 or less....
The first roll...10...unit breaks....
The second roll...11...unit breaks...
The third and final roll.....He's hoping for a seven to keep the Zouaves on the field at least....the can then still push with the rest of his forces....
A Seven....
He needs a seven...
He shakes the dice....
.
.
.
Rolls and lets them fly....
.
.
.
.
And it reads....
Boxcars!!!!...Oh dear...
I look over at Bill..."Well look at it this way..." I tell him..."In Squad Leader, that is either a jammed gun or a thrown track..."
Bill sighs...smacks his lips, and says "Wellllllll....I think that this is about it for this fight...."
The entire Yankee line routs!
The Yankee General tries desperately to rally his men, but they are fleeing the field....With one regiment in reserve, he has no choice but to retire...The Affair at Mitchellville is over with....
With the sounding of the final heavy volley and the Union troops heading away, we can see the battle is over with...some of the men start cheering, but I yell to them, "Stop cheering boys. Those were brave men that died over there..."
With the fighting ending, and the excitment of it, fading. Now the men turned to the grim task of "after the battle"...shooting dying horses, and looking for fallen friends...
"Captain Hugh..." I said to the officer...
"Sir..." He croaked out.
"You performed very well out on the field. I am going to report to your Commander that you should be promoted and be given Brevet Command of these troops."
The young captain saluted in silence, yet his tired eyes showed him thinking if this "promotion" was to be a blessing or a curse?
Surveying the battlefield after the fight...
I turned my trusty steed Cornbread around, and rode towards the Judge Peters house...Whereupon I was greeted with the scene of smashed windows from bullets...a hole in the roof from an artillery shell, and the house being utilzed as a makeshift hospital for the wounded.
I walked through the house, gently stepping by the moaning, bleeding boys and found Ellie, tearing up one of her finer dresses to be used as bandages.
She looked up at me with sad eyes...
"I expected it to be glory and adventure...." She said to me with a soft sadness in her voice. "But this..." She motioned with her hand toward the wounded on the floor of her house, each one in their own personal hellish pain...
"This is madness..." She said...as the tears began to form in her eyes....
And mine...
Players Note: For those of you interested, Belvedere B. Belvedere briefly courted Ellie Peters during the war, but the courtship ended in the months after Gettysburg. They remained friends however and wrote often to each other during the war. Ellies family suffered, (like most in the Valley), from the constant hardships of the war, and in 1863 her family moved to Richmond. Judge Peters died of a stroke in 1866...
Ellie never married, and Belvedere attended her funeral as a pallbearer in 1870....
Game Notes: The RRTF rules are old, (and it's evident by the manner in which they are written.); but they are still enjoyable to play. Bill is a great opponent and I feel I will be facing off against him in many more games to come....
Green troops are a headache. We had planned on this to be a meeting engagement, but due to my lack of being able to move troops at a decent speed , it turned into more of a Union attack vs a hasty Confederate defense.
The cavalry charge while tactically unsound, we strategically important as it bought me the needed time to organize a defense on my right.
The killer to all of this is the poor morale of green troops...they WILL break at the most inopportune time...This makes them a challenge to lead, and to rally...
It does test your ability to command...
All in all....a great game, with a great friend and a good way to end the New Year!
Thanks to all that have read this blog for 2010 and I look forward to entertaining y'all with more in 2011...
Sincerely;
Michael T. Murphy
Indianapolis
Jan. 1st 2011
Tower and control building...
Here's showing it to scale along with a 15mm JR ruin, and some 15mm PP vehicles...
The rack with paints on it...very nice...I'd like some more of these in the future!
Oh dear...with cryptic words like this...what ever could it be????
"For with Christ, all things are possible...."