This article is my personal interpretation of this battle. Any mistakes are my own. The numbers I’ve assigned to formations within each army are my own conclusions.
In the early part of 1862, the Union General James Shields was tasked with restricting the movements of the Confederate Army in the Shenandoah Valley. The Valley was a major supply area for the Confederate army.
The Union General George B. McClellan had been busy pestering President Lincoln that he didn’t have enough troops in his Army of the Potomac to take on the Confederate army covering Richmond ( He already had twice as many men as the Confederates on that area).
To placate McClellan, Lincoln requested General Shields to send two of his three Divisions. When these troops assembled and moved out of Winchester, the local Southern inhabitants sent messages to the Confederate Army that the Union Corps were vacating the area.
The man tasked with defending The Valley, Major-General Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson, got his army marching North on receipt of the news. In advance of Jackson’s force was Colonel Turner Ashby with the 7th Virginia Cavalry accompanied by Chew,s Light Horse Artillery battery.
During this brief battle, the Union Commander Shields was badly wounded and command of the Division passed to Colonel Nathan Kimball of the 1st Brigade. As Ashby and his Cavalry were fighting a running battle with Sullivans Brigade leading back to Kernstown, Jackson’s main army reached the same place.
Kimball, realising he was facing Jackson’s army, decided to place his own Brigade on Pritchard’s Hill to the west of the main Valley Road. Sullivan was to the east, once again skirmishing with Ashby’s Cavalry. Ashby had been reinforced with six companies of infantry.
Tyler’s Division was the reserve. Kimball also had the services of a Brigade of Cavalry under Colonel Thornton F. Brodhead, but apart from patrolling the area this cavalry were not used.
Jackson decided to attack immediately, but very quickly realised the Union troops were present in greater strength. Jackson decided to try and flank the Union position on Pritchards Hill by moving further west on to Sandy Ridge.
Kimball realised Jackson’s intentions and sent Tyler and his 3rd Brigade in the same direction. When one of Jackson’s Aides pointed out the Union strength, Jackson replied “we are in for it!”.
With his small army strung out in a wide arc at the mercy of a strong Union presence he knew he’d have to move fast……
THE UNION ARMY:
1st Division 5th Corps; Army of the Potomac;
7,300 = 7.300pts x 6 = 43.8 or 44 points r/u.
Brigadier-General James Shields ( wounded ).
1st BRIGADE: Col Nathan Kimball @ 1pt.
14th Indiana Infantry (400) 1 stand @ 2pts.
4th Ohio Infantry (400) 1 stand @ 2pts.
8th Ohio Infantry (400) 2 stands @ 1pt = 2pts.
67th Ohio Infantry (400) 1 stand @ 2 points.
84th Pennsylvania Infantry (400) @ 2points.
2nd BRIGADE: Col Jeremiah Sullivan @ 1pt.
5th Ohio Infantry (300) 2 stands @ 1pt =2pts
39th Illinois Infantry (300) 1 stand @ 1pt.
13th Indiana Infantry (300) 1 stand @ 2pts.
62nd Ohio Infantry (400) 1 stand @ 2pts.
3rd BRIGADE: Col Erasmus Tyler @ 1pt.
7th Indiana Infantry (400) 1 stand @ 2pts.
7th Ohio Infantry (400) 1 stand @ 2pts.
29th Ohio Infantry (400) 1 stand @ 2pts.
110th Pennsylvania Infantry (400) 1 stand @ 2pts.
1st West Virginia Infantry (400) 1 stand @ 2pts.
THE UNION CAVALRY BRIGADE:
( Not used in this battle but included for completion.)
Colonel Thorton F. Brodhead @ 1 point.
1st Michigan Cavalry (200) 1 stand @ 1pt.
1st Ohio Cavalry (200) 1 stand @ 1pt.
Ringolds Pennsylvania Cavalry (200) 1 stand @ 1pt.
1st West Virginia Cavalry (200) 1 stand @ 1pt.
1st Maryland Potomac Home Cavalry ( 200) 1 stand @ 1pt.
ARTILLERY:
Battery H: 1st Ohio: 1 stand of Horse Artillery @ 1pt.
Battery L: 1st Ohio: 1 stand of Horse Artillery @ 1pt.
Battery E: 4th U.S. Heavy Foot Artillery: 1 stand @ 2points.
Battery A: West Virginia Light Foot Artillery: 1 stand @ 1pt.
Battery B: West Virginia Light Foot Artillery: 1 stand @ 1pt.
( 4 guns per battery x 5 = 20 guns x 50 gunners = 1000 gunners = 1pt x 6 = 6pts of guns.
CONFEDERATE FORCES.
VALLEY DISTRICT DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA: 4,150 = 4.150 pts x 6 = 24.9 or 25pts r/u.
Major-General Thomas J. Jackson @ 1point.
THE STONEWALL BRIGADE:
Brigadier-General Richard B. Garnet @ 1 point.
2nd Virginia Infantry (250): 1 stand @ 1pt.
4th Virginia Infantry (250): 1 stand @ 1pt.
5th Virginia Infantry (250): 1 stand @ 1pt.
27th Virginia Infantry ( 250): 1 stand @ 1pt.
33rd Virginia Infantry (250): 1 stand @ 1pt.
2nd BRIGADE: Colonel Jesse S. Burks @ 1pt.
21st Virginia Infantry (250): 1 stand @ 1pt.
42nd Virginia Infantry (250): 1 stand @ 1pt.
48th Virginia Infantry (250): 1 stand @ 1pt.
1st Virginia Infantry (250): 1 stand @ 1pt.
Hampden Virginia Light Foot Artillery (3 guns) 1 stand @ 1pt.
3rd BRIGADE: Colonel Samual V. Fulkerston @ 1pt.
23rd Virginia Infantry (250): 1 stand @ 1 point.
37th Virginian Infantry (250): 1 stand @ 1 point.
ARTILLERY:
Rockbridge Light Foot Artillery (4 guns) = 1 stand @ 1pt.
Carpenter’s Virginia Light Foot Artillery (4 guns)= 1 stand @ 1pt.
West Augusta Light Foot Artillery (3 guns) = 1 stand @ 1pt.
Danville Light Foot Artillery ( 3 guns ) = 1 stand @ 1pt.
CAVALRY:
Commander Turner Ashby @ 1pt.
7th Virginia Cavalry (250) = 2 stands @ 1point.
Chews Light Horse Artillery (3 guns) = 1 stand @ 1 point.
Infantry Skirmishers = 1 stand @ 1 point.
Note: 20 guns x 50 gunners = 1,000 gunners = 1.000pts x 6 = 6 points of artillery.
BATTLENOTES:
* The Confederates move first on the first Game-Turn. From Game-Turn 2 onwards both sides throw a dice to see who moves first.
* The Confederates on the left flank will not advance beyond the wall.
* The Confederates retain the Initiative Point for the entire Game, which will end after Eight Game-Turns. However, the Union army wins any tied results.
* At the end of eight Game-Turns:
The Union army wins if it looses less stands than the Confederates, and/or pushes the Confederates at least one square away from the wall or gains the right flank by causing Ashby to retreat.
The Confederate army gets a draw if they have lost less stands than the Union army and/or still holds the wall at the end of the 8th Game-Turn.
* THE TREES.
These block line-of-sight. Stands cannot move onto any square containing a tree. Stands cannot be moved over or through any square containing a tree. Stands cannot fire through the trees.
* THE BRUSHLINE.
The Confederates behind “ The Brushline” were vaguely visible to Turnballs troops on Pritchards Hill, therefore:
Any Union stand firing through the brushline at Confederate stands must deduct 1 point from each Firing Die.
* THE RIVERS:
Opequon Creek can only be crossed by the bridges. Hoge’s Run ( also known as Hogg’s Run and Hoke,s Run.) can be crossed by troops as normal. Troops can fire while standing in the Run. ( In the historical battle it doesn’t seem to have impaired movement etc.)
THE SNAKEFENCE: can only be crossed by Infantry.
HISTORICAL NOTES:
Jackson was caught out by the strength of the Union forces, at one stage uttering the words “ we are in for it!”.
However realising the position he was in he moved quickly. Initially starting the attack against Kimball he moved his brigades left in order to outflank the Union troops on Pritchards Hill.
Kimball ordered Tyler to move onto Sandy Ridge to forestall any flanking moves by the Confederates and to attack any of their positions in that area.
In fact the Confederates held their own, especially at the wall. The Confederates under Garnet and Folkerston reached this defensive point before the Union soldiers.
By the end of the day, the Confederates were starting to retreat through lack of ammunition . Garnet seeing what was happening with his brigade started pulling his men back. The battle became a confused affair for both sides as units and formations became entangled with each other.
Jackson was beside himself, angry with Garnets action. Moving to the west he asked a retreating infantryman why he was going. He said it’s because he had run out of ammunition. In asking why he didn’t use the bayonet the man kept going.
The Union troops fought hard, however it seems that Kimball was hesitant and followed Jackson’s movements. When the Confederates started retreating, Kimball did not order a pursuit. The awarding of the Initiative Point staying with the Confederates is to reflect this.
The Confederates retreated through lack of ammunition so they might have won this battle. However I’ve allowed for a draw for the Confederates. As always with all the blogs, history is yours to do with as you wish.
CREDITS:
The majority of the figures used were Miniature Figurines and Peter Pig along with a few Essex Miniatures. The flags are Peter Pig.
The buildings are from Peter Pig. Most of the trees are from Guagemaster. Some are of unknown provenance. The roads and rivers are of thin card. The 10mm snake fence I cannot remember. The hills are a mixture of Brian from Essex Miniatures and homemade from cork tiles.
All the bridges are scratchbuilt. The “ brushline” is made from pan scrubbers and cardboard.
The tents are scratchbuilt. The hedge sections are from Pendraken Miniatures and the wall from Alternative Armies(?).
The round 40mm MDF bases are from Minibits and the square 40mm bases are cut from picture-framing cardboard.
The 3foot (90cm) x 2foot (60cm) cloth with the 2” (50mm) squares printed on was a custom mat from Deep Cut Studios.
Sometimes when playing these games, I get a moment when I have to check line of sight so I use this Army Painter Target Lock Laser Line to check it. A very handy tool to have….
