Tuesday, October 3, 2017

WBTS via Vassal - Weeks 65 to 68

The Union carry forward 82 supply, and receive 200 and then 90 for captured town supply, which gives them a total of 372 for 40 personnel points, yes, they have called for more volunteers, even though this meant giving the Confederates 2 Political Points.

The Confederates carry forward 38 supply, have 60 for Major Cities, 4 from seaports and 159 from town supply; a total of 261 for 50 personnel points.

The Confederates augment three 3-3s to 10-3s, raise a small cavalry division, 2-4, a supply train and 22 garrison factors.  They have 147 supply left.

With their new volunteers the Union fill out five 3-3 divisions to 10-3s, and build a River Flotilla and a Naval Flotilla.

The Confederates deploy an 8,000 strong infantry division to Memphis, put a 5,000 garrison in Richmond, an ironclad to New Orleans for fit out and have 14,000 militia ready to deploy during the month.  Tyler joins the Confederacy in Richmond, while Forrest appears in Memphis to take command of the 2nd Cavalry Corps with orders to "give them damn Yankees hell".  A Johnson takes command of the Army of the Mississippi.  No partisans appear, although potential is created in Missouri.  Beauregard officially takes command of the Army of the Atlantic, thanking Breckinridge for his period of acting army chief.

The Union deploy a 10,000 strong division in Bowling Green along with 2,000 cavalry troopers.  A River Flotilla is launched at St Louis, but the new ironclad hasn't yet completed fit out.  The hoped for Army HQ for Grant was not forthcoming.

Union supply costs 55 and 11 rail.  They have 92 supply left and 29 rail.  Supply distribution sees 20 supply sent to depots and wagons using 9 rail.

Confederate supply costs 28 and 5 rail  They have 119 supply left and 20 rail.  They distribute 35 supply using 9 rail.

Kentucky militia are raised in Bowling Green and Missouri militia are mustered in St Louis.

Week 65

The Union get the 4 chit.  Jackson had a 50% chance of taking out Pope and the railroad repair unit, but now he will escape.

Pope is ordered to Nashville (by train).  Pleasanton is ordered to take his cavalry corps and make a further cut to the railway between Tupelo and Corinth.  Crittenden is ordered to recapture Huntsville.

Over in the East Keyes is encouraged to get on with clearing the valley of rebels.

McClernand, not wanting to be left out, moves into the valley as well, but starts to exit via Front Royal.

Lyon cuts the railway at Norfolk and then gets back on board and sails to recapture New Berne.

McClellan thinks really hard about attacking, but the forecast indicates a chance of inclement weather and so he thinks he better wait.  However Keyes attacks and both sides lose 1,000 men.

Back in the west, Halleck stirs, cutting the railway line north of Atlanta and then moving towards the west of that city.  Hooker is tempted to march north to join Halleck, but is concerned about what Bruckner could get up to if he does, so he stays put.

Both Grant and McCook stay put in Bowling Green.  Buell doesn't move either.  The weather must be bad.

In the far west Sumner has forgotten there is a war on.

The Confederates order Jackson out and send Forrest in.  These are two good leaders, the challenge will be how to use them given the limited troops.  As it is, Jackson's retreat cost 1,000 men.

D Hill arrives at the Army of the Atlantic.  A division is sent to plug the hole south of Front Royal.

The four generals around Richmond are confused by Lyon's departure.  "What are supposed to do now?"  they are heard to plaintively ask.  New kid on the block, Taylor, is given command of a brigade and told to recapture Norfolk.

At Atlanta, A Hill splits off a brigade to block Halleck's advance to the west.

Buckner figures that militia need to be placed to stop further Yankee coastal incursions.

Hardee sees that Forrest is a little a exposed and lends him 6,000 men to ward off any march attacks Buell might plan.  Everyone else stays put.

Militia are raised in Jackson,TN; Columbus,MS; and Ft Gaines and Brunswick in Georgia.  This still leaves 8,000 militia in reserve.

Week 66

The Union get the 4 chit again.  I'm struck with indecision about which theatre to concentrate on. Based on the poor quality of the Western generals, it better be the West.

Buell is ordered to attack Hardee.  The march attack goes in on the 91-110 column of CRT 1 and just results in contact.  Pleasanton is ordered to pull back to the outskirts of Jackson.  Halleck is ordered south to threaten both Newman, GA and Talladega, AL.

Crittenden doesn't move, but Banks comes down to the Tennessee. Grant comes down to the Cumberland.  McCook arrives in Nashville and has a chat with Pope.  Sumner pulls back to Rolla.

Lyon is suffering from seasickness and decides to stay in New Berne.  Hooker therefore waits in Tallahassee as he had hopes of linking up should Lyon come south.

Buell now attacks Hardee, it's on the 161-200 column of CRT 1.  It is a bloodless battle, but Hardee is forced to retreat.  Buell, as an Army commander, is saved the embarrassment of becoming a casualty, yet again.

In the East Banks is told to push on clearing the valley.  His march attack causes 1,000 casualties a side, but does not dislodge the Confederates.  The other generals display no initiative to move, but will they attack?  No.

After some thought of sending troops west, the Confederates in the east decide to send Longstreet with 6,000 men to the valley.

Forrest is order to support Hardee and to drive them tha Yankees away from Memphis.  Jackson is also pulled back towards Memphis, arriving at Corinth, which yet again changes hands.

A Johnston in Memphis frets about what to do, but Huger takes the initiative and sends reinforcements to Hardee.

In the Trans-Mississippi, Polk does nothing.

Floyd follows Polk's lead and does nothing in New Orleans.

Buckner decides to pull out of Florida.  There will be militia deployed there he hopes.

A Hill quickly sends a brigade to Newman to block Halleck.

The generals around Richmond display no inclination to do anything.  The generals north of the Rappahannock hold their ground, confident that the Union seem incapable of attacking.

As Buckner hoped militia are raised in Jacksonville, FA.  They also appear in Talladega, AL and Memphis, TN.

Forrest attacks Buell on the 91-110 column of CRT 4.  Both sides use supply.  The Confederates suffer 25% casualties (10,000) to the Union's loss of 8,000 men (20%).  Forrest's horse slips in a pool of blood, but he manages to jump off and avoid being crushed by the poor beast as it falls.  The piles of bodies soften the horse's fall and it is able to get up again, no harm done.  Buell does not retreat.

 Possible stalemate in the East

 Looks promising, but troops moved by water cannot move out of supply. 
So no big inland moves (except if a navigable river is secured).

 The West and possible war of attrition for Memphis.

The Deep South.
The Chattahoochee is a navigable river,
or possibly a dagger into the heart of the Confederacy.

Week 67

The Union get 1 chit giving the Confederates a back to back move and the ability to complete their previous week's maneuvers before the Union can react.

Longstreet arrives in the valley and should make sure that the Union are blocked from getting any further this way.

Jackson force marches (without loss) to get ready to attack Buell.  A Johnston and the Army of the Mississippi stays in Memphis, trusting the fighting to his very capable subordinates to whom he sends reinforcements.  The other generals out west are happy to see Forrest and Jackson do the fighting, as long as they can share in the glory afterwards.

A Hill, busy defending Atlanta from an elusive Halleck, sends a brigade down to Columbus, GA.  Bruckner is happy to rest by the Satilla River.

Taylor and Hindman are paralysed round Richmond with tales of the eminent Lyon's imminent return.

Beauregard, Bragg and Breckinridge rest easy knowing that with the Army of the Potomac in McClellan's hands they will come to no harm, unlike Buell...

Forrest and Jackson declare attacks.  It will be Forrest first and then Jackson giving Buell the ole one-two.  Forrest's attack is on the 91-110 column of CRT 4.  Both sides keep their cavalry out of the engagement.  No supply is consumed.  The Confederates lose 2,000 men (5%) and the Union 3,000 (10%).  Buell retreats but this still leaves him in reach of Jackson's attack which goes in with the same odds.  Both sides us supply this time.  Jackson inflicts 4,000 casualties on Buell (15%), but suffers 6,000 men lost (20%).  Buell voluntarily retreats.  The Confederates congratulate themselves that no senior officers officers became casualties, pity they can't say that about the rank and file.

The Confederates deploy their final 2,000 militia to Richmond.  They wear badges saying "Don't Feed The Lyon".  Someone points out this is defeatist and that they should be called the "Lyon Tamers".  Time will tell, maybe...

The Union order Pleasanton to Paris on the banks of the Tennessee.  Gunboats are moved to protect him.  Farragut moves his fleet to protect Buell's decimated army.

Grant reaches Waverly on the Tennessee.  McCook sends Grant 10,000 men from Nashville.  Crittenden advances cautiously on Decatur, AL while Banks looks on.  Further east Halleck plans his march down the Chattahoochee.  Hooker ain't gonna wait, he's marching up the Chattahoochee.

Lyon is enjoying the sea air and those rumours in Richmond seem to be wrong, he's not moving.

Keyes conducts a march attack on Longstreet, both sides lose 1,000 men and Keyes, in pressing the attack, is shot out of his saddle and is dead before he hits the ground.  The other eastern generals seem oblivious to his fate.  No attacks are made.

Week 68

The Union again get the 1 chit.

Jackson is sent back to defend Alabama.  Hardee is pulled back to Memphis, leaving Forrest in Fort Pillow.

A Hill, Polk and Floyd are not moving without orders (Hill is the only one who really has something to do).  Johnston stays in Memphis and hopes for reinforcements, but he knows it will be a few months yet.

Taylor is told to hurry up and retake Norfolk, not that it is of much use with its rail connection wrecked.  Hindman has a futile conversation with Holmes about how best to defend Richmond.

Beauregard kicks back and relaxes.

The Union order Pleasanton to join Grant.  Their situation is not good as they are reliant on riverboats dropping off supplies.

Banks takes Decatur, AL.  Crittendon watches and in Nashville Pope engages McCook in lengthy conversations of a highly detailed and elaborate nature that McCook is thankfully at a loss later to recall.

Buell's army is in a sorry state and it's not surprising that he decides to stay by the banks of the Mississippi and admire the big gun boats.  Nothing else is happening out west.

Lyon returns to Hampton.

The generals around Washington are busy attending the funeral for Keyes.

Possibly the next big chance for the Union.

But if that fails, there's always Grant out West.


Casualties

The Union lost 18,000 men, the Confederates 22,000.




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