Randolph's Ferry - Turn 14

Rosecran's Battle Plan Update - My original battle plan needs to be amended slightly due to the fact that the enemy has constructed entrenchments stretching from the Ranes Farm to Black Elk Mountain. It is still my intention to make our main attack on Franklin via Black Elk Mountain but if an opportunity arises to breach the enemy line elsewhere we will seize upon it!

McCook - Deploy in brigade column on a two-division front and ASSAULT the enemy line at Mt. Zion Church. Move your third division up behind the main attack columns and ASSAULT.

Crittenden - Form a line between the Conrad House and Laurel Heights and HOLD. One division is to assist the cavalry in driving off Wheeler's troopers - ENGAGE.

Barnett (Artillery Reserve) - Follow Crittenden's first division and deploy on Laurel Heights. Support McCook in his assault on Mt. Zion Church.

HQ & Wagon Park - Will now be established south of Hendrick's Farm.

Randolph’s Ferry – Union Battle Orders

Rosecran's General Orders – It is my intention to move the army to a holding position on a line from Black Elk Mountain (McCook) to West Ridge (Crittenden) by the evening of November 10th. The following day an attack will be launched directly south towards Franklin by McCook supported by Thomas. Crittenden will pin the enemy to his front and will join in the attack if required. The town of Franklin will be in our hands by the evening of November 11th!

Kennet’s Cavalry Division – Move as quickly as possible along the Nashville Turnpike towards Mt. Zion Church and thence along the Old Pine Trail to Franklin. If any enemy cavalry are encountered you are to ENGAGE and push them back. If infantry forces are encountered you are to dismount and HOLD the enemy for as long as possible to allow our infantry time to come up.

McCook’s Corps – You are to move across country following a route south of Judah’s Hill to join the Nashville Turnpike and then move on to Mt. Zion Church. If no enemy infantry forces are encountered you will push on along the Old Pine Trail and occupy Franklin. If the enemy is present in strength you will attempt to occupy a defensive line centred on Black Elk Mountain and HOLD.

Crittenden’s Corps – Follow the Danville Road to the Conrad House. If no enemy infantry forces are observed you should advance and occupy West Ridge and HOLD. If the enemy is in a position to contest any advance you will form a line from Laurel Heights to link with McCook’s Corps at Mt. Zion Church and HOLD.

Thomas’ Corps – You will move across country towards Henrick’s Farm allowing McCook’s men to clear the Danville Road before proceeding. You will then deploy in RESERVE formation in the fields to the east of Mt. Zion Church. Army HQ and the Wagon Park will be established at Mt. Zion Church.

To view the map of the battlefield click here.

Victory!

It is my honour to inform the President that my army has this day won a great victory on the battle-field near a place called Cutler’s Farm. We were engaged with General Lee’s forces from first light and though they made a fearsome assault on my left with General Jackson’s Corps, we bravely stood our ground and fought the enemy to a standstill.

On my right General Longstreet tried in vain to get around our flank but was held and then thrown back by Porter’s Corps. The arrival of the Corps of Sigel and Heintzelman at Sharpeville by mid-morning then enabled me to change my stance from one of defence to offence. My Regiments rallied and pushed forward and the enemy troops became greatly demoralised and started to withdraw in some disorder.

As our glorious army has now amassed 10 VP’s the campaign has been concluded with victory for the Union. The Rebel army is in full rout and being pursued by Buford’s cavalry, many of the enemy prisoners are disheartened saying they wish they had never fought for the Confederacy and that they would be glad to see the Union restored. I expect my forces to be before the gates of Richmond very shortly where I plan to accept Lee’s sword in surrender!

General John Pope
Army H.Q. Sharpeville, Virginia
2nd August 1862

Sharpeville Turns 18 - 21

It's 8.00am on 2nd August and we have our next battle. Dave has pushed forward Hood and Kemper into the area between the Jones Farm and the Barnes Farm, forcing a contact with two of Porter's Divisions supported by the Artillery Reserve.

Rather than withdraw and concede a Victory Point I've decided to make a stand and bring on a battle. This next encounter is likely to include every brigade in both armies and may be our biggest battle to date!

Initially Dave is likely to have the advantage of a tight concentration of forces and I anticipate that he will launch a full-scale assault rather than pussy-footing around as he did in the last game. However, if my forces can survive the first few turns of the onslaught I am confident I can pull off a win that will also end the whole campaign in victory for the North!

Update - I've uploaded a new map showing the locations of forces following the Union "March to guns" turn. The previous map was wrong due to some poor staff work at General Pope's HQ!

Sharpeville Turns 16 - 17

Perhaps General Pope missed his West Point class on "expect the unexpected" because Lee has played a blinder and done the one thing I definitely did not expect!

Instead of moving south into the open terrain below Sharpeville Dave has moved his army north to try and squeeze around between the north of the town and the edge of the map (maps, like gaming tables are never quite big enough!). Luckily for me though I thought to spend some CP's scouting the road that runs north from the Barnes Farm and discovered Jackson and Stuart at the crossroads there.

I know that Longstreet is not far behind Jackson and the stage now seems set for another battle although this probably won't happen until after the night turn next turn.

Sharpeville Turns 14 – 15

This has been a frustrating couple of turns! The euphoria at HQ following the victory at Sharpeville quickly disappeared when it became obvious that we had lost contact with Lee’s army. I have spent virtually all my Command Points since then moving and scouting with my cavalry to try and relocate Dave’s infantry.

The situation at the end of Turn 14.

Tompkins rode all the way down to the bend in the river below Stevensburg without making a single contact with the Rebels so I concluded that the enemy had definitely not moved south. The only enemy met (by Bayard) were Fitzhugh Lee’s cavalry north of the town and presumably forming the Confederate rear-guard.

Tompkin's scouts Anderson and Kemper - Anderson's Divison has not yet recovered full combat effectiveness hence the white colour of the unit marker.

I then rushed Tompkins back north towards Sharpeville in something of a panic and was eventually rewarded with the discovery of Anderson and Kemper of Longstreet’s Corps just west of Mason’s Ford. It would appear that Lee has afterall simply pulled back to the east.

My intention now is to follow up and maintain close proximity to the Confederates.

Sharpeville Turns 12 - 13

I am starting to think that the Rebs may be attempting to totally disengage by moving east rather than south and then west towards Fremont as I had thought. If this is the case then I am in danger of losing contact with them completely.

Last turn my cavalry scouted Fitzhugh Lee's troopers and Kemper's Division on the road to Stevensburg but this turn I can no longer locate Kemper so he may have already passed east through the town.

Heintzelman's Corps has reached the town of Fremont and has also recovered to full combat effectiveness. Next turn I intend to use my whole CP allowance on scouting if necessary to locate Lee's main body.