Battle of Antietam 17th September 1862.

Having managed to take Harper's Ferry, General Lee was informed that his order 191 had been obtained by the Union high command. Lee quickly realised he needed to gather his scattered forces.

Daniel Harvey Hill,s Division had already held up the Union advance at Turners Gap. Now Lee, realising that his supply route could be compromised, put the army on the move  back to the Maryland border and into Virginia.

The Commander in Chief of the Union Army was George Brinton McClellan, " Little Mac" to the troops, with whom he was highly popular. As the Confederate army trudged West along the Boonsboro Tunpike, Generals Lee and Longstreet realised that they would have to turn and face the Union army or run the risk of being attacked while on the march.

Moving across a meandering waterway known  locally as Antietam Creek, Lee saw that the  local farmland with undulating ground and woodland would be an ideal location for a defensive battle. As the Confederate army took up positions East of Sharpsburg, there was an additional element of danger for Lee's Army.

 Further West beyond Sharpsburg was the Potomac River. There was only one crossing place. Should the Union Army win the day the Confederate Army would disintegrate 

trying to cross while retreating.

There was one person in the Union Army who could give the Confederates an edge in the coming battle. That was George McClellan himself. General McClellan was very cautious. He had seven Corps with which to overpower the Confederate Army but on the day, only four were used. Each Corps commander was left to conduct the battle in his own way, and none of the Union attacks were coordinated.

McClellan was great at logistics and did an excellent job of organising the Army of the Potomac but as events were to prove he could not command an army in battle.

It is of note that the men of Edwin Sumner’s Corps were new recruits and on two occasions in the heat of the battle fired into the backs of their own men. 

Regardless of the colour of the uniform, the Generals and soldiers of both sides did not realise they would be unwitting participants in one of the bloodiest battles of the war so far.....

The Union Army;

C-in-C George McClennan. ( not present).

1st Corps; 8,500 = 8.5 points x 2 = 17 points.

1 General ( Joseph Hooker ) = 1 point.

6 stands of 2nd class Line Infantry @ 2 points = 12 points.

1 stand of skirmishes @ 2 points.

2 stands of Light Horse Artillery @ 1 point = 2 points.

12th Corps; 7,500 = 7.5 points x 2 = 15 points.

1 General ( Joseph Mansfield ) = 1 point.

5 stands of 2nd class infantry @ 2 points = 10 points.

1 stand of skirmishes @ 2 points.

2 stands of Light Horse Artillery @ 1 point = 2 points.

2nd Corps; 10,500 = 10.5 points x 2 = 21 points.

1 General ( Edwin "Bull" Sumner ) = 1 point.

8 stands of 2nd class Line Infantry @ 2 points = 16 points.

2 stands of Heavy Artillery @ 2 points = 4 points.

9th Corps; 12,000 = 12 points x 2 = 24 points.

1 General ( Ambrose Burnside) = 1 point.

9 stands of 2nd class Line Infantry @ 2 points = 18 points.

1 stand of skirmishes @ 1 point.

2 stands of Heavy Artillery @ 2 points = 4 points.

The Confederate Army; 34,000 x 2= 68 points.

C-in-C Robert E. Lee (present) @ 3 points.

Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson,s Corps; 9,500 = 9.5 points x 2= 19 points.

1 General (Jackson) @ 2 points.

2 stands of Heavy Artillery @ 2 points = 4 points.

3 stands of skirmish infantry @ 1 point = 3 points.

3 stands of 2nd class Line Infantry @ 2 points = 6 points.

1 stand of 1st class Line Infantry ( Hoods Texans) @ 3 points.

James Longstreets Corps;

General Longstreet @ 2 points.

Daniel Harvey Hill,s Division.4,500= 4.5 points x 2=9 points.

1 general (Hill) @ 1 point.

3 stands of 2nd class Line Infantry @ 2 points = 6 points.

2 stands of Light Horse Artillery @ 1 point = 2 points.

David R. Jones Division. 5,000 =5 points x 2=10 points.

1 General (Jones) @ 1point.

4 stands of 2nd class Line Infantry @ 2 points = 8 points.

1 stand of Light Horse Artillery @ 1 point.

1st reinforcement;

Lafayette McLaw,s Division. 3,000=3 points x 2=6 points.

1 General (McLaws) @ 1point.

2 stands of 2nd class Line Infantry @ 2 points = 4 points.

1 stand of skirmish infantry @ 1 point.

Richard H. Anderson,s Division. 5,000 =5 points x 2 =10 points.

1 General (Anderson) @ 1point.

4 stands of 2nd class Line Infantry @ 2 points = 8 points.

1 stand of Light Horse Artillery @ 1 point.

2nd reinforcement; 

Ambrose Powell Hill,s Light Division. 4,500=4.5 points x 2=9 points.

1 General (Hill) @ 1 point.

3 stands of 2nd class Line Infantry @ 2 points = 6 points.

1 stand of skirmish infantry @ 1 point.

1 stand of Light Horse Artillery @ 1 point.

Here is a view of the battlefield.

Here is a map of the battle;

 Notes on the battle;

Solo Play;

To keep the battle within eight turns, the following sequence is recommended;

1st  Game-Turn) Only the Union 1st Corp moves this Game Turn. The Confederate Daniel Harvey Hill only moves this Game Turn.  The Union army has the initiative and fires first. All stands of both sides can fire if in range. Use the fire rules for the 2 player game.

Game-Turn 2) The Union 1st and 12 Corps moves first only in this Game Turn. Jackson and Harvey Hill's Divisions only move this Game Turn moving second. The Union army has the initiative and can fire first. All stands of both sides can fire if in range.

Game-Turn 3) As in the previous Turn, the Union 1st and 12th Corp moves first only.

Jackson and Harvey Hills Divisions only move second. The Union army has the initiative and can fire first. All stands of both sides can fire if within range.

Game-Turn 4) The Union 1st, 12th and 2nd Corps can move on this game Turn. The Confederates Jackson, Harvey Hill, Jones, Mclaw and Anderson's Divisions move second The Union army has the initiative and fires first. All stands of both sides can fire if within range.

Game-Turn 5) The same order as Game Turn 4.

Game-Turn 6) Both sides have a die rolled for them to see which side gets the initiative and moves first. All the Union army can be moved as can the Confederate army. Both sides have a die rolled for them to see which side fires first. Use the fire and combat rules for the 2 player game.

Game-Turn 7) As game-Turn 6.

Game-Turn 8) As Game-Turn 7.

This finishes the Game. The side with the lower losses in Stands is the winner.

The system used here is a bit different from the normal solo rules. This is a big battle and using the above movement sequence ensures all the Stands come into play historically.

The Two Player game.

Game-Turn 1) Only the Union 1st Corp is moved this Game Turn and has the initiative. On the Confederate side only Daniel Harvey Hills Division can be moved. The normal Fire sequence takes place.

The Game is played as normal  from Game-Turn 2 onward.

The Confederate  Ambrose Powell Hills Division can only enter the game on Game-Turn 5.

However that does not stop you playing the battle out in your own style.

The Sunken Lane;

This is a Trench, and is covered by the rules for Trenches.

Nicodemus Hill.

Stands cannot be moved on or off Nicodemus Hill on the front face. The stands can only be moved via the squares adjacent to the West Wood.

Antietam Creek can only be crossed via the bridge.

Rail Fences ; These do not count as cover

Ranges of weapons;

All muskets are rifled ; 3 squares.

Artillery; most of the artillery at this battle were either Napoleons or 3inch rifled. Both  had the same range so all artillery is 4 squares.

Well, this is my interpretation of the battle. The figures are 15mm Peter Pig and Miniature Figurines. Most of the Generals are Peter Pig.

The flags are from Peter Pig. as are nearly all the buildings. The Dunker church is a Peter Pig building with a cocktail stick cross although I think the Company also has a church amongst its building range.

The split rail fence was made by MBM Scenery in 10mm.

Some of the hills were made by Brian at Essex Miniature, and some were home made especially Nicodemus Hill.

The roads, river and cornfield are of thin card.

The trees were from various manufactures.

Finally the bases are 40mm square cardboard mounting card. The round Command bases are 40mm mdf from Minibits.

 

The 5th Century in Britannia (401 to 500 AD) part 1.The Rise of Vortigern.

Many historians past and present, have done an immense amount of work in an attempt to make sense of the limited and sometimes jumbled history of the 5th century in Britain. All the information that they have collected is valid up to the present and has been made available to the public over the years.

Thanks to the hard work of these authors, wargamers like myself can make choices as to which thread of history to follow. The following article is my own interpretation of events presented by the historians.

This is the point in the history of Late Roman Britain where the situation really started to change for the people. As if the raiding and constant warfare was,nt enough to cope with, the taxes levied on the population were getting worse!
( some things in history never change!).

Basically, each city or town within the Roman Empire had a council called the Curiales. Being wealthy they were personally responsible for all bills incurred by the City. From the 4th Century onward membership of a City Council became more financially ruinous.
As a result, many counsellors try to escape this situation by joining the Army, the Government, the Church or by gaining the position of Senator.

In the 5th Century the governing of towns and provinces gradually fell to individuals who had managed to engineer the situation to their advantage. These were Senators, Magnates, Military Officers, Bishops and Imperial Office holders. A character by the name of Vortigern became a member of this group.

In 401AD, Hadrians Wall lost its garrison troops as General Stilicho ordered all troops back to Gaul. Having already suffered large scale incursions, the Rhine frontier finally collapsed in the winter of 406AD.

When the river Rhine froze completely, this allowed thousands of tribespeople to cross into Gaul. The tribes that crossed the Rhine were Vandals, Alans, Seubi, Quadi,Bergundians, Alemanni and Saxons, adding to the Franks who had already been settled by the Romans in Gaul. The sea trade to Britannia dwindled almost to nothing.

By 407AD, the supply of money from Rome to Britannia had stopped. For the last time, the regular troops in the Province rose in revolt. The troops declared Constantine ( a Roman Prefect ) as Emperor. He became Constantine the 3rd.

Constantine gathered virtually all the remaining troops including the federated Cohorts and, using the remaining ships of the Navy, heads to Gesoriacum ( Boulogne).

Apart from the personal troops of the Magnates, there are no regular forces to go up against the raiding parties of Picts, Scotti, Franks and Frisians who are now raiding freely into the countryside. The Picts and Scotti are now starting to settle in areas of Northern Brittania just South of the Wall and in areas of North-Western Wales. One of the largest forts on the Wall ( Banna ) becomes the main fortress of a Scottish King.

By 409AD, all the Roman magistrates loyal to Constantine had been expelled by the local councillors of the town's and cities. Those that remained still regarded themselves as Roman and still follow the Christian religion. However the Province was slowly fragmenting into small Kingdoms. Local leaders and their people were abandoning the towns, villages and villas and moving to the hill forts their ancestors were driven from by Roman invasion.

Londinium still just about functions as an administrative hub. Those with power try to come to an agreement as to how to function but power politics are in play and self interest is to the fore. An embassy is sent to the Emperor Honorius for aid but he tells the Britons that they must look to their own defence.

On the continent in 410AD, Rome is sacked by Alaric and his Visigoths. Then in 411AD Constantine is captured and killed by the Emperor Honorius.

If you draw a line from the head of the the Severn Estuary diagonally North- East across Britannia to the head of the river Humber, the area South of that line was becoming know as Lloegyr ( pronounced Low-ee-jer).

This area plus that on the South coast of Wales around Glevum was still controlled by the Britons. The area North of this line was now controlled by the Picts and Scots.

By 418AD the British treasury was empty so any money in circulation was controlled by the new Nobility. Food barter becomes the main currency of the population. Some who had lost lands and their property have taken ships from Dumnonia (Devon and Cornwall combined) and headed for Amorica (Brittany).

By 425AD Vortigern re-enters the story. He was a Prefect of Gloui ( Gloucester) or Glevum. As part of his rise to power, he married Savira the daughter of a previous usurper, Magnus Maximus by his second marriage. Vortigern inherited extensive lands. They had one daughter, Scothnoe, and three sons; Vortimer, Catigern and Pascent.

Vortigern himself is of  Hibernian descent ( Goidelic). In 436AD, he seals a pact with the High King of Hibernia by marrying his daughter Scothnoe to the High King,s son Federmid. By now Vortigern is the most powerful Noble ( Equites= Knight ) of the round table council of Britain.His personal hearth guard is composed of Scotts-Irish and Pictish warriors.

 Although resented by the Romano-Christian members of the council Vortigerns position is unassailable, as the Imperial Court is no longer sending any Officials to Britannia.

The raiding by Scots and Pictish warbands has lessened into Romano-British territory but the raids by Frankish and Frisian Pirates continued.
By 432AD, on the Continent the Magister Militum Aetius ( pro: A-E-shush) is in contention with Boniface as to who becomes leader of the Western Roman Empire.

In Amorica ( Brittany) The local Roman magistrates were gradually being ejected by the dispossessed Nobility arriving from Britannia who felt let down by the Roman Senate. Amorica has also become home to Bandits, deserters and peasants made homeless by the barbarian invasions.

 Many soldiers from the failed coup attempts are also there. Amongst them are two surviving sons of Constantine 3rd; Ambrosius and Uthyr. The eldest son Constans was killed when his father was taken. The Amorican inhabitants have many tribal links to South Western Britain going back to Pre-Roman times.

By 437AD, Aetius is in control of the Western Empire. He is not very happy about Amorica becoming an independent state, so he, with his General Litorius decides to invade the territory to bring it under his control. Amorica is ideal defensive territory, being heavily wooded hill country.

Soon the campaign gets bogged down and Aetius already having problems elsewhere gives King Goer and his Alannic troops the task

It is now 440AD. Back in Britannia the Round Table is desperate to solve the problem of the seaborne raids and convince Vortigern to send an embassy to the Jutes of Northern Denmark.
( Jutes=Gutes; Latin=Geuisse=Gewissi). These troops had been to Britain before and were well known for their seafaring abilities.

By now Vortigern has complete power but in order to be seen " as a council member" he acceded to the request. The next year ( 441AD), The Jutish leader Hengist arrives with his brother Horsa along with three ships of men (240 warriors?). They land at the isle of Thanet and make camp there.
At the start, the presence of the Jutes with their ships reduces the raids but not enough to stop them completely.

Hengist convinces Vortigern and the Council that he needs more more men. In the Spring of 442 another 16 ships of Jutes arrive at Thanet (1,280 men). For the next ten years from 443AD until 453AD the Jutes effectively end the Pirate raids.

With the Gewissi now employed as a private army by the Noble round table, life takes on a relative calmness but as the year 454 dawned this was all about to change------.