ACW Battle: A.P.Hill vs Williams, 1862

This battle features the OBs from the 1862 campaign as Jackson moved towards Culpeper, Virginia to blunt Banks' northern aggression.  In this regimental battle, only the divisions of A.P. Hill and Williams are present with Williams holding the high ground in favorable, defensive terrain. 

An earlier replay of this scenario resulted in a crushing Federal victory as Hill used the tactic of sending two brigades up the middle into the 'valley of death' while his third brigade attempted a flanking maneuver against the Federal left.  The flanking brigade advanced too hastily and was destroyed before a coordinated attack from Hill's remaining two brigades could deploy.  As Hill continued advancing into the valley, Federal guns pounded Hill before a proper deployment was prepared.  Savage counterattacks by Federals swarming off the heights put an end to any notion of Confederate offensive activities.  Hill withdrew to lick his wounds.

With Regimental Fire and Fury in mind, the OB for this battle consists of the following:

Unit                   Commander    Rating     Grade

Williams 1 DIV         CinC         Gallant
F,4th US/1             Williams      HS          CRK
F, 4th US/2            Williams      HS          CRK
F, 4th US/3            Williams      HS          CRK
1 Rhode Island Cav     Williams     C 6/4/2      CRK

Crawford - 1 BDE       Williams     Gallant
5 Connecticut          Crawford     RM 16/12/8   CRK
10 Maine               Crawford     RM 10/8/5    VET
28 New York            Crawford     RM 8/6/4     CRK
46 Pennsylvannia       Crawford     RM 12/9/6    CRK
L,2nd NY Batt/1        Crawford      LR          CRK
L,2nd NY Batt/2        Crawford      LR          CRK
L,2nd NY Batt/3        Crawford      LR          CRK

Gordon - 3 BDE         Williams     Able
27 Indiana             Gordon       RM 16/12/8   VET
2 Maine                Gordon       RM 12/8/5    CRK
3 Wisconsin            Gordon (BC)  SM 16/12/8   TRN
Pa Zouaves d'Afriq     Gordon       SM 6/5/3     VET
M, 1st NY Batt/1       Gordon        LR          CRK
M, 1st NY Batt/2       Gordon        LR          CRK
M, 1st NY Batt/3       Gordon        LR          CRK

A.P Hill - LT DIV CinC              Able
Purcell Art/1          AP Hill       LR          CRK
Purcell Art/2          AP Hill       LR          CRK
Middlesex Art/1        AP Hill       LR          CRK
Middlesex Art/2        AP Hill       LR          CRK

Archer - 5 BDE         AP Hill      Able
5 Alabama Bn           Archer       RM 6/4/2     VET
19 Georgia             Archer       SM 12/9/6    VET
1 Tennessee            Archer       RM 12/9/6    VET
7 Tennessee            Archer       SM 10/7/4    VET
14 Tennessee           Archer       SM 10/7/4    VET

Thomas - 3 BDE         AP Hill     Able
14 Georgia             Thomas      RM 12/9/6     CRK
35 Georgia             Thomas      RM 12/9/6     CRK
45 Georgia             Thomas      SM 12/9/6     CRK
49 Georgia             Thomas      SM 12/9/6     CRK

Branch - 4 BDE         AP Hill     Able
7 North Carolina       Branch      SM 10/8/5     VET
18 North Carolina      Branch      SM 10/8/5     VET
28 North Carolina      Branch      SM 10/8/5     VET
33 North Carolina      Branch (BC) SM 10/7/4     VET
37 North Carolina      Branch      SM 10/8/5     VET

At the start of the game, the troop deployments are illustrated in the photos below.

Battlefield looking from east

Battlefield looking from west

A.P. Hill's Approach through the woods

Stream Crossing in Center

Gordon defending upper bridges

Archer and Thomas

Upper bridges

Lower Bridge

 My plan is to refight this scenario over the next couple of weeks with updates posted to the blog.  I will be using the Brigade Combat Effectiveness in this scenario as described in an earlier post.  For the Rebels, I'll have to develop a suitable plan of attack that will hopefully avoid the confederate disaster in the first game.