A Battle Report

I am currently fighting a fictitious battle on my table. It is using my 6mm American Civil War troops. I have used the Order Of Battle (OOB) or Salem Church obtained and cross referenced from a number of internet sources. I am using the ACW version of the Blucher rules, though I am taking it down to regimental level as opposed to brigade level. Hence the need for the OOB, as all the units on the table actually represent units that actually fought at Salem Church for my fictitious battle.

I have played the first eight of 30 turns, and what follows is part one of a battle report of the proceedings. I am also posting a turn by turn report on You Tube and links are available on the Tabletop Commanders Facebook page.

The Battle of Paytes County, Virginia.

April 12^th 1863.

The battle of Paytes County was among a number of actions fought in early April of 1863. We shall be looking at a small part of the battle which involved two divisions from each side. They fought over two farms, a hill and a ridge line.

Order of Battle – Confederate Army.

Overall Commander: Major General Lafayette McLaws

McLaws Division

Brigadier General William Wofford's Brigade

16^th Georgia

18^th Georgia

24^th Georgia

Cobb's Georgia Legion

Phillips' Georgia Legion

Brigadier General Paul Semmel's Brigade

10^th Georgia

50^th Georgia

51^st Georgia

53^rd Georgia

Brigadier General Joseph Kershaw's Brigade

2^nd South Carolina

3^rd South Carolina

7^th South Carolina

8^th South Carolina

15^th South Carolina

Anderson's Division – Major General Richard Anderson

Brigadier General Cadmus Wilcox's Brigade

8^th Alabama

9^th Alabama

10^th Alabama

11^th Alabama

14^th Alabama

Brigadier General William Mahone's Brigade

6^th Virginia

12^th Virginia

16^th Virginia

41^st Virginia

61^st Virginia

Artillery

Manly's North Carolina Battery

Read's Georgia Battery

Georgia Artillery Battery 'Coulton's'

Norfolk (Virginia) Light Artillery

Lewis' (Virginia) Light Artillery

Huger's (Virginia) Light Artillery

Cavalry

Fitzhugh Lee's Brigade

1^st Virginia

2^nd Virginia

3^rd Virginia

4^th Virginia

Order of battle – Union Army

VI Corps Army of the Potomac.

Overall Commander – Major General John Sedgewick

1^st Division – Brigadier General William Brooks

1^st Brigade – Colonel Henry Brown

1^st New Jersey

2^nd New Jersey

3^rd New Jersey

15^th New Jersey

23^rd New Jersey

2^nd Brigade – Brigadier General Joseph Bartlett

5^th Maine

16^th New York

27^th New York

121^st New York

96^th Pennsylvania

3^rd Brigade – Brigadier General David Russell

18^th New York

32^nd New York

49^th Pennsylvania

95^th Pennsylvania

119^th Pennsylvania

3^rd Division – Major General John Newton

1^st Brigade – Colonel Alexander Shaler

65^th New York

67^th New York

122^nd New York

23^rd Pennsylvania

82^nd Pennsylvania

2^nd Brigade – Colonel William Browne

7^th Massachusetts

10^th Massachusetts

37^th Massachusetts

36^th New York

2^nd Rhode Island

3^rd Brigade – Brigadier General Frank Wheaton

62^nd New York

93^rd Pennsylvania

98^th Pennsylvania

102^nd Pennsylvania

139^th Pennsylvania

Artillery

Massachusetts Light Artillery

New Jersey Light Artillery

Maryland Light Artillery

2^nd U.S. Artillery Battery 'F'

2^nd U.S. Artillery Battery 'G'

1^st Pennsylvania Light Artillery

Cavalry

3^rd Indiana

8^th Illinois

The first indication of the close proximity of forces occurred the evening before the battle. Just as daylight was about to give way to dusk a Confederate cavalry regiment, the 2^nd Virginia and a single Union cavalry regiment, the 8^th Illinois, met and exchanged fire on the road close to Von Ketteringham's Farm. The firing drew the attention of a second Union cavalry regiment from the same brigade, the 3^rd Indiana, who were on a parallel road at the other side of Palmer's Ridge. They quickly crossed the ridge to investigate the sound of shooting.

The rest of the Confederate cavalry brigade under the command of Fitzhugh Lee and consisting of the 1^st, 3^rd and 4^th Virginia, had also been travelling along the same parallel road and they too crossed the ridge to investigate.

It soon became apparent to the two union regiments that they were outnumbered and both made off the way they had come, hotly pursued by the rebels. The light was by now fast failing, but not before Fitzhugh Lee was able to see the tents and wagons of what was at least two divisions of Union troops. He had actually stumbled upon the camp of the Union VI Corps of the Army of the Potomac. He quickly made good his escape and relayed this information to Major General Lafayett McLaws, commander of two Confederate divisions, camped just seven or eight miles from the Union Corps.

McLaws ordered Lee to take his brigade and occupy Von Ketteringham's Farm, Clay's Farm and Payne's Hill and to hold them until he could bring up his two divisions at first light. This was done, and the troopers not on sentry duty tried to get some sleep in their tents.

The following morning, the troopers were up before dawn and prepared to take up positions to engage the enemy should he appear. However, before the troopers at the two farms could actually occupy the hedge lines, they were beaten to it by the same two Union cavalry regiments from the evening before. At Von Ketteringham's Farm the situation was not too bad as the 3^rd Indiana had dismounted behind bushes to the South of the farm. However, at Clay's Farm the 8^th Illinois had dismounted and quickly moved up to the hedge line surrounding the field only yards from the 3^rd Virginia. These latter two regiments would be engaged in a firefight among the hedges for most of the morning.

As daylight arrived, so did the first of the Confederate forces. Wilcox's Brigade moved up to Von Ketteringham's Farm and took up positions behind the northerly hedge line, whilst at the same time Wofford's Brigade advanced to the summit of Payne's Hill with their two batteries of artillery. Semmes' Brigade, was delayed starting their march and so the Clay Farm was not occupied and it was left to the two battling cavalry regiments to contest the ground.

If Semmes' Brigade had caused the Confederate command some concern, it was nothing to what the Union command was facing. Only the 3^rd Brigade of the 1^st Division under Brigadier General Russell had actually made it to their allotted starting point on time. The rest of the brigades from the two divisions were still slogging along to the rear, late leaving their camps. Brigadier Russell could only look on in dismay as first Semmes' Brigade moved up to the Clay Farm and Mahone's Brigade occupied Palmer's Ridge. Every good defensive position was now occupied by the rebels, only a sole cavalry regiment still fought its duel with a Rebel cavalry regiment at the southern end of the Clay Farm.

Finally, 1^st Brigade of 1^st Division appeared on the field, but that was all, too late to contest any of the good ground before it. In the rebel lines, Mahone had plenty of time to leisurely adjust the disposition of his regiments to give excellent fire arcs against the Union Army, should it eventually appear in numbers.

It would be almost 11am before the whole of the Union Corps had arrived on the field and began to push forward. 1^st Brigade, 1^st Division advanced toward Payne's Hill. 3^rd Brigade, 1^st Division headed for Palmer's Ridge whilst 1^st Brigade, 3^rd Division headed for Von Ketteringham's Farm. The regimental fire fight between the dismounted cavalry continued in the hedges surrounding the field of Clay's Farm.

Eventually, the Confederate cavalry brigade was ordered to mount up at all three locations. As this was occurring, the Rebel artillery opened up with devastating results. Carlton's Georgia Artillery caused casualties to the 23^rd New Jersey, as did Read's Georgia Artillery, also perched on Payne's Hill, hitting the 15^th New Jersey. Huger's Virginia Artillery on Palmer's Ridge caused casualties to the 36^th New York, whilst at Von Ketteringham's Farm, Manly's North Carolina Artillery engaged the 122^nd New York, reducing that regiments elan by one.

                                                 To be continued.