The Battle of Antietam 1862 - Part Four

Turn Eleven - Union.

Hooker is only able to activate a single division, so the shattered 3rd Division is ordered to pull back out of the wheat field.

Union artillery exact some revenge on the rebels.

A confederate battery is destroyed whilst Taliaferro's Brigade suffer again.

Turn Twelve - Confederate.

Ewell's Division is ordered to advance across the field and continue to put pressure on the withdrawing Yankees.

The now depleted rebel grand battery unleashes again.

First Division once again bearing the brunt, this division is close to breaking point.

2nd Brigade of 2nd Division fall victim to one of Ewell's batteries.

The casualties mount.

Fortunately for Hooker, his request for support is answered by 12th Corps coming down the pike. (troops have just been placed on table, not in any battle formation yet)

Also arriving on the field from the North East is 2nd Corps.

The Union now have three corps on the field, to just one for the rebels.

Turn Thirteen - Union.

'The colonel of the regiment rode up waving his hat, shouting to fall back and form up behind the fence line. My men, or what was left of them, didn't need a second telling, and rapidly began to fall back. I looked over my shoulder and could see the rebels had climbed the fence and were coming after us at the trot. I doubted that I had enough men left to form any sort of firing line, our only hope was the artillery batteries, still deployed in the field. 
As I reached the closest of them, a captain of artillery shouted,  they would give one dose of canister to the rebs and then would skedaddle, leaving the guns behind. 
I had almost reached the fence when I heard that single volley of cannon fire, I prayed it would give me enough time to organise some kind of defensive line.'

Lieutenant K. Brown, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, Hooker's Corps.



3rd Division are activated to continue their withdrawal.

The cards also allowed for 2nd Corps also to begin deploying.

As the retreating 3rd Division streamed past, the artillery batteries gave that one dose of canister to the fast approaching rebs.

'The order came to advance, the field ahead was full of dead and dying Yankee's. We jumped the fence and quickly formed up. We were going to chase them blue bellies out of the field. 
Them boys were running like jack rabbits, and we would be hard pressed to catch them before they made the fence at the bottom of the slope.
It was at that moment I saw two things that made me slow down some. Cannon deployed in the field right in our faces and beyond that I could see what looked like the whole damned Yankee army marching out the the forest.
I didn't see 'em for long as the cannons ahead disappeared behind clouds of black smoke...'

Private F. Frey, Early's Brigade, Ewell's Division, Jackson's Corps.

Every brigade of Ewell's Division took casualties. Their bodies falling and lying beside those of their enemy.

On the Union right, artillery too opened up with mixed results.

Taliaferro's Brigade were now down to half their elan.

Turn Fourteen - Confederate.

Jackson too had seen the Union reinforcements arriving on the field to the North East and along the pike in the North West. His job was done and he ordered a general withdrawal.

Ewell's Division fall back to the fence line.

Jackson's Division also begin to withdraw along the pike, and toward the Dunker Church.

A view from the North East.

The wheat field from the North.

12th Corps arriving along the pike.

Private Frey's view of 'the whole damn Yankee army!'

Looking North West from Confederate lines.

The rebel batteries gave a parting shot.

Destroying another battery.

As well as wiping out the remains of 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division.

The grand battery on the left flank also dispatched a leaving present.

1st Brigade of 1st Division being the recipients.

At this point, Phase One of the battle ends. Jackson's Corps has successfully held up Hooker's Corps for the whole morning, and very nearly destroyed it in the process. His line of withdrawal is open and so he can extract his whole force South of the Dunker Church.

Losses will continue over to Phase Two, though I will allow batteries to resupply ammo. Also Union 2nd and 12th Corps will not start on the field but will have to arrive as reinforcements, having being committed, though not seeing action in Phase One.

I can now rearrange the table and do the necessary admin to allow Phase Two to take place.