17/07/09 - "A Damn Near Run Thing", Crampton Turnpike 1862

[Piers]

The Confederate commander takes the salute of his men after the desperate fighting on the Crampton Turnpike

In 1862 the Army of Northern Virginia invaded Maryland. The Union army moved to try and cut-off the Southern thrust but the fast moving divisions of Lee's army caught several Union forces unprepared. This game recreates one such encounter. Lee wished to seize the Crampton Turnpike, a well maintained roadway through the countryside. By chance its location would also allow him to drive a wedge between two Union Corps and stop them from joining together. The Union forces were fortunate to have a division in route of march along the turnpike when one of the divisions from Lee's army made the attempt to seize the throughfare. The Union force, a mix of various quality units formed along the road using the stone wall that line dthe turnpike as shelter. Unknown to them the forces they were facing them, not only outnumbered them, but were also the Texas brigade and the Stonewall Brigade - The 'shock troops' of the Confederate army.

The stage was set for a violent encounter.

Union Objective - Hold the Turnpike. Union player must have one formed unit on the Turnpike at the end of turn 12.

Confederate Objective - Clear all Union forces from the Turnpike by the end of Turn 12.


Table Set-up

From the Confederate lines...




From the Union Lines...




The troops form up for action...

[Piers]

Turns 1 - 6

The initial advance by the Rebels focussed on either far flank of the Union line. As the Confederates rolled their guns into the centre the Union artillery opened the battle but soon found themselves short of ammunition... Their cassions had somehow been lost during their march up the Turnpike. This would prove a serious consequence for the Union army.

As the two flank attacks of the Confederate army developed, The Union army reinforced their left but had too few men to resist the large numbers attacking on their right without fatally weakening their centre. As a mass of Virginians attacked the Union unit deployed on the far right, it would have to fight alone heavily outnumbered. At the same time a unit of Texans attacked in the centre and a large firefight developed over Farmer Maddox's walled farm...

Confederates advance as the Union army re-dress their line and send out skirmishers...


















The three pronged attack develops...

[Piers]

Turns 7 - 11

The Confederate assaults stormed towards the Union line.

On the Union left a huge firefight developed with the Confederates eventually forcing the Union troops out of Maddox Field and then pushing them back off the Turnpike and rolling up the flank.

In the centre, the rash Texan charge faltered and ran away in the face of heavy canister fire, and fell back to reform and try again, while a unit of Virginians also fell foul to Union canister... they didnt rally!

On the Union right, the forlorn Union unit somehow saw off the huge attack by the 33rd Virginians and forced them to retreat. They then however suffered a close range firefight with two other rebel units and broke and fled into the woods, only to reform and then break again, along with two other units in the face of heavy Rebel firepower.

As the battle drew to a close several Union units remained on the turnpike for the last turn...


Canister makes Texans run...






The battle rages along the line...




























"Hold boys... Hold!"




Maddox Field is captured...








The Union line makes its last stand...

[Piers]

The Final Turn

As dusk began to fall the Union Army made a last desperate stand. Assaulted from two sides, one of the two remaining units on the turnpike broke and fled as the rebels charged them down.

The final unit stood toe-to-toe with two rebel units and traded fire with them and also took fire from both Confederate batteries. As the rest of the Union army fled the unit swayed and faltered. the Union Commander desperately tried to rally the unit and make them hold but it was all too much... The final unit broke and fled and the Confederates took the Crampton Turnpike.


The final fight...












As the Union army fled, the exhausted Confederates camped along the turnpike, too tired to pursue their enemy. The Confederate commander remarked to his brigade commanders that it had been "A damn near run thing"...




Union Army by Ruardhi

Confederates by Piers

[Piers]

From TheChickster...

Battle Report By Brigadier-General Wilcox

We needed to hold the turn pike and I had the upmost faith in both Corln Christ, who was charged with holding the Left Flank and the Junction and Colonel Welsh holding the right. I decided to put the 8th Massachusets Battery in the centre where it could support either flank. Come Dawn I was still supprvising the line when my worst fears were realised. Gen. Hood had brought up his Texas Brigade and Virgianians (Stonewall).

This was going to be a tough assignment, but we had to hold them, we had to hold the line.

I was very happy with my inital deployment and the last of my troops were moving into position when johnny Reb came into our view.

My Thin blue line






My Vetern New Yorkers on my left


My Vetern Pennsylvanians on my Right


The last of my troops moving the position


The army ready to take on the finest fighting troops johhny reb had to through at us



The Confederate horde deploys for the attack.








The stage is now set and both armys face off from accross the open field of battle.


Piers Illegally carrying a reece out on the Union battle line......typical!


The confederates come in the view and the Union battery decides to give them a taste of things to come.... first shot to the Federals.....(roll a double 1) the battery commanders reports that not all the ammo has been brought forward and is considerably low........half casulaties for the remainder of the game (12 Turns). A bad start for the Union side and this blunder would prove costly as the rebels run across the battle field to suprisingly low cannon fire.



The battery Commander who somehow survived the battle was transfered to New Jersey.....forever!

[Janick]

Looks like the yanks were really outnumbered!!! Good to finally see all your ACW forces in action!

[Piers]

Looks like the yanks were really outnumbered!!!

Not by much considering they were defending a good position...

Union - 164 Infantry and 3 Guns

Confederates - 236 Infantry and 4 Guns

The Confederates rolled alot better dice though...

[thomastmcc]

cool game ..

[Donogh]

Great stuff guys.
What are you saying Piers: that Ruardhi would've had more men if he'd painted quicker?!

[Piers]

Great stuff guys.
What are you saying Piers: that Ruardhi would've had more men if he'd painted quicker?!

Of course. Thats whats called an 'Arms race'.

[Gage]

Great game! What rules did you guys use?

[Ambush Alley Games]

Gorgeous looking game! Dang, that almost makes me want to do ACW!

[Piers]

Great game! What rules did you guys use?

We used 'Guns at Gettysburg' and they are rather good...

[the chickster]

Great game basic rules really easy to get to grips with. Want to have another game and quick!

[Piers]

Great game basic rules really easy to get to grips with. Want to have another game and quick!

Yes.. me too!

Tuesday or Wednesday night???

I also found enough figures to make up another unit of 24...