War For The Union Via Vassal December 1861

The Union call up another 90,000 militia while the Confederacy receive 30,000 volunteers.  It is all in the numbers.

Winter has come, impeding movement and shortening supply range (from 4 to 3 movement points, crudely from 4 hexes to 3 provided no rivers, swamps etc).

Sigel starts trying to organise his forces which are unsupplied and suffering in the poor weather.  At least he knows they are safe from attack.  Buell, after thinking about attacking Nashville, decides to go to Clarksville instead, but then changes his mind when he is sent fresh reinforcements.  Halleck follows along behind him to cover Bowling Green.  Curtis leaves Columbus and attacks the Confederates at Ft Donelson. A River Depot is established at Columbus to provide forward supply during the winter.

Buell's attack on Nashville is 1:1 with a -1. With a die roll of 3 his is sharply rebuffed, falling back, double fatigued with 5,000 losses.  However Nashville's defenders also suffer 5,000 casualties and are fatigued.

Curtis' attack is at the same odds. However his roll is a 9. In a cruel twist of the CRT the result is much the same as at Nashville.  The Union suffer 5,000 casualties.  Both sides gain one fatigue.  The problem in both battles was trying to fight across the navigable rivers.  Certainly not fun in winter time.

Over east, 15,000 men are railed to Winchester.  Everyone digs in. Reinforcements are sent to Ft Monroe and Beaufort.

The Confederates need time to regroup and winter will provide that.  S D Lee completes his withdraw to Little Rock and starts to marshal new forces.

A S Johnston moves to Brownsville with 40,000 men, threatening Columbus and Curtis.  Polk moves to protect Nashville.

In the east things are quiet except for a few trains bringing reinforcements to the front.

All quiet on the Eastern Front

Futile fighting in the West.

December Interphase

Both sides realise the war is serious.  The Union raise 95,000 men, create three armies, commission five squadrons of ships, and appoint two generals and two admirals.

The Confederates get a trickle of volunteers, 20,000 men, create two armies, commission two squadrons of ships and appoint five generals, although three of them are only Divisional commanders.

Confederate supply is down 4; 1 for Fayetteville, 2 for Winchester and 1 for the blockade of Norfolk.  They have 118 in total.

They receive 4 additional resource points and now have 6.  They have been spending big upgrading their coastal batteries.