AAR Battle of Utica Mills first response

 WOW!

 A whole day of 15mm ACW game, fully worth the tired feet at the end of the day.

For the mini-campaign, this is not actually over ... as there is at least one more battle action to decide Lee's fate.

For the moment I am fully satisfied that the new TURBO rules for BF&F will work (need to correct one item on the QRS sheet side 2) for many future battles.

This was a Union victory, though mostly due to holding ground at the end of the day since both sides took many losses (exact details will take some time).

Army wing commander MG Slocum
and Brigadier Tyler survey the battle from
a promontory hill north of Fishing Creek
Later this hill would be covered in Union artillery
delivering the fatal final blows to the
Confederate advance ...

Fire & Fury TURBO QRS

 Game day today!

We'll be using this hybrid system of F&F 15mm for the battle game today.

Basically we are taking some of the best & fast elements from the 1st version of F&F and blending it with Brigade F&F, to create what I have dubbed F&F TURBO.

Comments are welcome and I hope to have an After Action Report coming in the last week of July.

The Gettysburg Campaign army labels

 One of the things I have been doing since I started my magnetic miniatures system is having a 'tag' that identifies a unit and may include game details on the tag or other identity markings.

For this campaign I have designed up some tags for a Fire & Fury TURBO system that we are going to showcase on Saturday.

Here then are the tags for your enjoyment.

All of these are first printed on a full sheet sticky label, then the flags get cut out and the tags set is peeled and stuck to a full sheet magnet 'paper' then all are cut out for use on the sheet steel 'tag holders' on my base stands.

One more sleep till the game and I'll post a QRS for the F&F TURBO we are going to use.

ACW Mini-Campaign July 2, 1863 (fictional) Battle area.

 The mini-campaign was a success in that it generated the battle area and troop compositions for a fictional encounter that was still possible in June/July 1863.

battle zone from Cyberboard
map with general areas for the
opposing sides

Just as historically, the Union will be in the south and the Confederacy will be approaching from the north.

Exact compositions of forces will not be revealed until game day, this Saturday July 22.

For a more overhead view of this location, via a modern mapping tool, simply enter Lewistown,Maryland in Google maps and you'll be in business.  Though the rivers may have moved a little and there was no crossing of the Monocacy River into Woodsborough from the (now Old) Frederick Road.

Big Hunting Creek is the waterway in the north and Fishing Creek dominates the south of the proposed battlefield. 

The wider view:

the modern view of the battle area from Baltimore to Hancock
Gettysburg to Charles Town

Tabletop to be organized and expecting commands and troops to arrive Friday and early Saturday.

ACW Campaign continues: 1 July Battle

 A large engagement is brewing just outside the blue ridge mountains.

Confederate forces come in from the North and East, held up late in the day by Buford's cavalry and some much needed horse artillery. 

Battle area of July First
Lee's HQ is in Leitzrsburg, to the east

 

Along the Potomac, there's been a fall-back from Harper's Ferry and the garrison there has been taking in reinforcements all day ...

There's now plenty of fodder for some very different battles for tabletop action, and we still have another day or two to see what comes.

Command & Artillery support

 The coming 1863 'great game' based around the Gettysburg campaign has called for a number of artillery and command extras be brought to the table, so that we might be able to field the whole of the Gettysburg force.

I have been busy painting and completed 10 new US Division commanders and 12 new artillery batteries, that were intended for the Confederate forces of Shiloh.  I shall need to make up seven more now.

top fresh base coat (still wet and shiny)
bottom fresh 'dark' undercoat

A layer of 'damp' light blue for the union
and light tan for the confederate troops
then gets top - under colors
bottom - ink

top - mid tones
bottom - highlights

fully flocked and on bases

Now the final push ... can I get the tags and rules modifications done and printed while at the same time doing up some draft teams for artillery & waggons?

Nothing like a real challenge.

First action of Mini-Campaign

 Already there's going to be a different battlefield for this campaign.

An early action south of Emmitsburg at the north end of the Catochtin mountain range.

a fast action spread across 10 miles near
Mechanicstown

Coming late in the day on the 29th June 1863 (fictional) the next move and morning action will start to set the tone for the coming 'big battle'.

Other skirmishes have also erupted in the wooded hills of the Catochtin mountains near Fredrick City.

Given the armies distribution and positions, one wonders at where that 'big battle' might come out to be...

ACW Mini-Campaign Orders of Battle

 The Army commanders have been assigned and the warning orders have gone out.

Included in these warning orders was an order of battle for each army, I am sharing these lists here so that others might take advantage of them.

We are building up a combined force, which may only be a couple of brigades and a few artillery batteries short of the full Order of Battle lists:

Confederate Army of Northern Virginia

Battle of Gettysburg

July 1 - 3, 1863

 

Commanding General: General Robert E. Lee

 

I Army Corps: Lieutenant General J. Longstreet

            McLaws' Division: Major General L. Mclaws

                        Kershaw's Brigade: Brigadier General J.B.Kershaw

                                    1,880 :: 12  :: 9

                        Semmes' Brigade: Brigadier General P.J.Semmes

                                    1,413  :: 9  :: 7

                        Barksdale's Brigade: Brigadier General W. Barksdale

                                    1,716  :: 11 :: 9

                        Wofford's Brigade: Brigadier General W.T.Wofford

                                    1,481  :: 10 :: 7

                        Artillery: Colonel H.C.Cabell

                                    1st North Carolina Artillery

 

            Pickett's Division: Major General G.E.Pickett

                        Garnett's Brigade: Brigadier General R.B.Garnett

                                    1,681 :: 11 :: 8

                        Kemper's Brigade: Brigadier General J.L.Kemper

                                    1,729 :: 12 :: 9

                        Armistead's Brigade: Brigadier General L.A.Armistead

                                    2,178 :: 15 :: 11

                        Artillery: Major J.Dearing

                                    Fauquier, Fayette

                                   

            Hood's Division: Major General J.B.Hood

                        Law's Brigade: Brigadier General E.M.Law

                                    1,678 :: 11 :: 8

                        Robertson's Brigade: Brigadier General J.B.Robertson

                                    1,834 :: 12 :: 9

                        Anderson's Brigade: Brigadier General G.T.Anderson

                                    1,976 :: 13 :: 10

                        Benning's Brigade: Brigadier General Benning

                                    1,503 :: 10 :: 8

                        Artillery: Major M.W.Henry

                                    Branch, German, Palmetto

 

            I Corps Artillery Reserve: Colonel J.B.Walton

                                    Ashland, Bedford, Madison, Washington 1st & 2nd Co.

 

II Army Corps: Lieutenant General R.S.Ewell

                        Escort: Randolph's Company Virginia Cavalry (?)

            Early's Division: Major General J.A.Early

                        Hays's Brigade: Brigadier General H.T.Hays

                                    1,369 :: 9  :: 7

                        Hoke's Brigade: Brigadier General I.E.Avery

                                    1,023 :: 7  :: 5

                        Smith's Brigade: Brigadier General W.Smith

                                      831 :: 6  :: 4

                        Gordon's Brigade: Brigadier General J.B.Gordon

                                    1,906 :: 13 :: 10

                        Artillery: Lt. Colonel H.P.Jones

                                    Charlottesville, Courtney

 

            Johnson's Division: Major General E.Johnson

                        Steuart's Brigade: Brigadier General G.H.Steuart

                                    2,247 :: 15 :: 11

                        Nicholls' Brigade: Colonel J.M.Williams

                                    1,170 :: 8  :: 6

                        Stonewall's Brigade: Brigadier General J.A.Walker

                                    1,400 :: 9  :: 7

                        Jones's Brigade: Brigadier General J.M.Jones

                                    1,605 :: 11 :: 8

                        Artillery: Major J.W.Latimer

                                    Chesapeake, Allegheny

 

            Rode's Division: Major General R.E.Rodes

                        Daniel's Brigade: Brigadier General J.Daniel

                                    2,290 :: 15 :: 11

                        Doles's Brigade: Brigadier General G.Doles

                                    1,399 :: 9  :: 7

                        Iverson's Brigade: Brigadier General A.Iverson

                                    1,466 :: 10 :: 7

                        Ramseur's Brigade: Brigadier General S.D.Ramseur

                                    1,086 :: 7  :: 5

                        O'Neal's Brigade: Colonel E.A.O'Neal

                                    1,791 :: 12 :: 9

                        Artillery: Lt. Colonel T.H.Carter

                                    King William, Morris

 

            II Corps Artillery Reserve: Colonel J.T.Brown

                                    1st Virginia Artillery: Powhatan, Rockbridge,

                                    Nelson's Battalion: Amherst, Fluvanna

III Army Corps: Lieutenant General A.P.Hill

            Anderson's Division: Major General R.H.Anderson

                        Wilcox's Brigade: Brigadier General C.M.Wilcox

                                    1,826 :: 12 ::  9

                        Mahone's Brigade: Brigadier General W.Mahone

                                    1,630 :: 11 ::  8

                        Wright's Brigade: Brigadier General A.R.Wright

                                    1,496 :: 10 ::  7

                        Perry's Brigade: Colonel D.Lang

                                      748 ::  5 :: 4

                        Posey's Brigade: Brigadier General C.Posey

                                    1,399 ::  9 ::  7

                        Artillery: Maj. Lane

                                    Sumter Co. A, Sumter Co. B

 

            Heth's Division: Major General H.Heth

                        1st Brigade: Brigadier General J.J.Pettigrew

                                    2,740 :: 18 :: 14

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel J.M.Brockenbrough

                                    1,027 ::  7 ::  5

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General J.J.Archer

                                    1,320 ::  9 :: 7

                        4th Brigade: Brigadier General J.R.Davis

                                    2,440 :: 16 :: 12

                        Artillery:

                                    Donaldsonville

 

            Pender's Division: Major General W.D.Pender

                        1st Brigade: Colonel A. Perrin

                                    1,993 :: 13 :: 10

                        2nd Brigade: Brigadier General J.H.Lane

                                    1,835 :: 12 ::  9

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General E.L.Thomas

                                    1,086 ::  7 ::  5

                        4th Brigade: Brigadier General A.M.Scales

                                    1,487 :: 10 ::  7

                        Artillery: Major W.T.Poague

                                    Albemarle

 

            III Corps Artillery Reserve: Colonel R.L.Walker

                                    McIntosh's Battalion: Danville, Hardaway

                                    Pegram's Battalion: Crenshaw, Letcher

 

Cavalry: Major General J.E.B.Stuart

            Hampton's Brigade: Brigadier General W.Hampton

                                    1,973 :: 13 :: 10

            Robertson's Brigade: Brigadier General B.H.Robertson

                                      962 ::  6 :: 5

            Jones's Brigade: Brigadier General W.E.Jones

                                    1,739 :: 12 :  9

            Fitz Lee's Brigade: Brigadier General Fitz Lee

                                    2,160 :: 14 :: 11

            Jenkins' Brigade: Brigadier General A.G.Jenkins

                                    1,213 ::  8 ::  6

            W.H.F._Lee's_Brigade: Colonel J.R.Chambliss Jr.

                                    1,324 ::  9 :: 7

Stuart Horse Artillery: Major R.F.Beckham

                                    Chew's, McGregor's, Griffin's

 

Imboden's Command: Brigadier General J.D.Imboden

                        Virginia Cavalry/Mounted Infantry/Rangers

                                    2,099 :: 14 :: 10

                        Staunton Horse Battery

 

 

Summary:

 

Army Command: 1

Corps Command: 4 (including Stewart as a 'corps' command)

Division Command: 9

Infantry Brigade Cadre: 37

Infantry Troop Stands (including cadre @ 200): 296

Artillery battery stands (6 guns min): 46 (includes all 4 horse guns)

                                      (8 guns) : 32 (includes all 4 horse guns)

 

Cavalry Brigade Cadre: 8 (including Randolph's II Corps escort)

Cavalry Stands (?): 59 (unk numbers in the II Corps escort)

 

 

Union Army of Potomac

Battle of Gettysburg

July 1 - 3, 1863

 

Commanding General: Major General George C. Meade

 

I Army Corps: Major General J.F.Reynolds

            1st Division: Major General J.S.Wadsworth

                        1st Brigade: Brigadier General S.Meredith

                                    1,883 :: 13 ::  9

                        2nd Brigade: Brigadier General L.Cutler

                                    2,139 :: 14 :: 11

            2nd Division: Major General J.C.Robinson

                        1st Brigade: Brigadier General G.R.Paul

                                    1,652 :: 11 ::  8

                        2nd Brigade: Brigadier General H.Baxter

                                    1,581 :: 10 :  8

            3rd Division: Major General T.A.Rowley

                        1st Brigade: Colonel C.Biddel

                                    1,510 :: 10 ::  8

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel R.Stone

                                    1,334 ::  9 ::  7

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General G.J.Stannard

                                    2,103 :: 14 :: 11

            I Corps Artillery Brigade:

                        Vermont trains guards: 1,278 ::  9 ::  6

                                    2nd Maine Lt., 5th Maine Lt., 1st New York Lt.

                                   

II Army Corps: Major General Winfield S. Hancock

 

            1st Division: Brigadier General J.C.Caldwell

                        1st Brigade: Colonel E.E.Cross

                                      881 ::  6 ::  4

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel P.Kelly

                                      698 ::  5 ::  3

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General S.K.Zook

                                    1,094 ::  7 ::  5

                        4th Brigade: Colonel J.R.Brooke

                                    1,060 ::  7 ::  5

            2nd Division: Major General J.Gibbon

                        1st Brigade: Brigadier General W.Harrow

                                    1,659 :: 11 ::  8

                        2nd Brigade: Brigadier General A.S.Webb

                                    1,453 :: 10 ::  7

                        3rd Brigade: Colonel N.J.Hall

                                    Attached:  1st Massachusetts Sharpshooters Company

                                    1,139 ::  8 ::  6

            3rd Division: Brigadier General A.Hays

                        1st Brigade: Colonel S.S.Carrol

                                    1,074 ::  7 ::  5

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel T.A.Smyth

                                    2,072 :: 14 :: 10

                        3rd Brigade: Colonel G.L.Willard

                                    1,777 :: 12 ::  9

            II Corps Artillery Brigade: Captain J.G.Hazard

                                    Battery A 1st Rhode Island Lt., Battery B 1st Rhode Island Lt.,

                                    Battery A 4th U.S.Artillery

 

III Army Corps: Major General D.E.Sickles

 

            1st Division: Major General D.B.Birney

                        1st Brigade: Brigadier General C.K.Graham

                                    1,795 :: 12 ::  9

                        2nd Brigade: Brigadier General J.H.H.Ward

                                    includes 1st & 2nd U.S. sharpshooters

                                    2,628 :: 18 :: 13

                        3rd Brigade: Colonel P.Regis de Trobraind

                                    1,799 :: 12 ::  9

            2nd Division: Brigadier General A.A.Humphreys

                        1st Brigade: Brigadier General J.B.Carr

                                    2,239 :: 15 :: 11

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel W.R.Brewster

                                    2,266 :: 15 :: 11

                        3rd Brigade: Colonel G.C.Burling

                                    1,178 ::  8 ::  6

            III Corps Artillery Brigade: Captain G.E.Randolph

                                    2nd NJ, Battery D 1st NY, "E" 1st R.I. Lt.,

                                    Battery K 4th U.S. Artillery

 

 

V Army Corps: Major General George Sykes

 

            1st Division: Brigadier General J. Barnes

                        1st Brigade: Colonel W.S.Tilton

                                      934 ::  6 ::  5

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel J.B.Sweitzer

                                    1,743 :: 12 ::  9

                        3rd Brigade: Colonel S.Vincent

                                    1,605 :: 11 ::  8

            2nd Division: Brigadier General R.B.Ayres

                        1st Brigade: Colonel H.Day

                                    1,791 :: 12 ::  9

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel S.Burbank

                                      877 ::  6 ::  4

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General S.H.Weed

                                    1,742 :: 12 ::  9

            3rd Division: Brigadier General S.W.Crawford

                        1st Brigade: Colonel W. McCandless

                                    1,446 :: 10 ::  7

                        3rd Brigade: Colonel J.W.Fisher

                                    1,843 :: 12 ::  9

            V Corps Artillery Brigade: Captain A.P.Martin

                                    3rd Massachusetts Lt., Battery C 1st New York Light,

                                    Battery D 5th U.S.Artillery

VI Army Corps: Major General J.Sedgwick

 

            1st Division: Brigadier General H.G.Wright

                        1st Brigade: Brigadier General A.T.Torbert

                                    1,463 :: 10 ::  7

                        2nd Brigade: Brigadier General J.J.Bartlett

                                    1,522 :: 10 ::  8

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General D.A.Russell

                                    1,303 ::  9 ::  7

            2nd Division: Brigadier General A.P.Howe

                        1st Brigade: Colonel L.A.Grant

                                    1,692 :: 11 ::  8

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General T.H.Neill

                                    1,958 :: 13 :: 10

            3rd Division: Major General J. Newton

                        1st Brigade: Brigadier General A.Shaler

                                    1,989 :: 13 :: 10

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel H.L.Eustis

                                    1,837 :: 12 ::  9

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General F.Wheaton

                                    1,497 :: 10 ::  7

            VI Corps Artillery Brigade: Colonel C.H.Tompkins

                        det of 3 Div; 3 Brig as guards:  343 ::  2 ::  1

                                    1st Mass Lt., 1st NY Lt., 3rd NY Lt.,

                                    "G" R.I. Lt., "D" 2nd U.S., "G" 2nd U.S

XI Army Corps: Major General O.O.Howard

 

            1st Division: Brigadier General F.C.Barlow

                        1st Brigade: Colonel L. von Gilsa

                                    1,489 :: 10 ::  7

                        2nd Brigade: Brigadier General A.Ames

                                    1,461 :: 10 ::  7

            2nd Division: Brigadier General A. von Steinwehr

                        1st Brigade: Colonel C.R.Coster

                                    1,418 ::  9 ::  7

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel O. Smith

                                    1,939 :: 13 :: 10

            3rd Division: Major General C. Schurz

                        1st Brigade: Brigadier General A. Schimmelfennig

                                    1,930 :: 13 :: 10

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel W. Krzyzanowski

                                    1,672 :: 11 ::  8

            XI Corps Artillery Brigade: Major T.W.Osborn

                                    13th NY Lt., "I" 1st Ohio Lt., "K" 1st Ohio Lt.,

                                   

 

XII Army Corps: Major General H.W.Slocum

 

            1st Division: Brigadier General A.S.Williams

                        1st Brigade: Colonel A.L.McDougall

                                    1,972 :: 13 :: 10

                        2nd Brigade: Brigadier General H.H.Lockwood

                                    1,968 :: 13 :: 10

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General T.H.Ruger

                                    1,775 :: 12 ::  9

            2nd Division: Brigadier General J.W.Geary

                        1st Brigade: Colonel C.Candy

                                    1,326 ::  9 ::  7

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel G.A.Cobham

                                      894 ::  6 ::  4

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General G.S.Greene

                                    1,538 ::10 ::  8

            XII Corps Artillery Brigade:

                        "E" Pennsylvania Lt., "F" 4th U.S. Artillery

 

Cavalry Army Corps: Major General A. Pleasonton

            1st Division: Brigadier General J. Buford

                        1st Brigade: Colonel W. Gamble

                                    1,716 :: 11 ::  9

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel T.C.Devin

                                    1,229 ::  8 ::  6

                        3rd Brigade: Brigadier General W.Merritt

                                    1,918 :: 13 :: 10

            2nd Division: Brigadier General D.M.C.M.Gregg

                        1st Brigade: Colonel J.B.McIntosh

                                    1,459 :: 10 ::  7

                        2nd Brigade: Colonel P. Huey (at Westminster)

                                    1,435 :: 10 ::  7

                        3rd Brigade: Colonel J.I.Gregg

                                    1,400 (est) :: 10 ::  7

            3rd Division: Brigadier General J.Kilpatrick

                        1st Brigade: Brigadier General E.J.Fransworth

                                    2,188 :: 15 :: 11

                        2nd Brigade: Brigadier General G.A.Custer

                                    2,344 :: 16 :: 12

            Horse Artillery:

                                    6th New York, "B" 2nd U.S., "M" 2nd U.S., "E" 4th U.S. Artillery

                                    "E" 1st U.S.

 

Army Artillery Reserve: Brigadier General R.O.Tyler

 

            1st Brigade:  "H" 1st U.S., "F" 3rd U.S., "C" 4th U.S

 

            1st Volunteer Brigade:  5th Mass Lt., 9th Mass Lt.

 

            2nd Volunteer Brigade: "B" 1st Conn Hvy, "M" 1st Conn Hvy.

 

            3rd Volunteer Brigade: 1st NH Lt., "H" 1st Ohio Lt.

 

            4th Volunteer Brigade:  6th Maine Lt., "A" Maryland Lt., 1st NJ Lt.,

                                                            "G" 1st NY Lt.

 

            Train Guard:  4th New Jersey Infantry Regiment (7 cos)

 

 

Summary:

 

Army Command: 1

Corps Command: 8 (incl Cavalry)

Division Command: 22 (incl 3 Cavalry)

Infantry Brigade Cadre: 59 (incl 8 Cavalry)

Infantry Troop Stands (including cadre @ 200): 412

Artillery battery stands (6 guns min): 56  (includes all 7 horse guns)

                                      (8 guns): 42 (includes all 5 horse guns)

 

Cavalry Brigade Cadre: 8

Cavalry Stands (?): 69