Rematch with Matt at Salem Church

After our fight on 30 September in which Sedgwick's (Matt) VI Corps crushed Rebel aspirations of keeping Sedgwick at bay and delivering a flanking blow to Lee at Chancellorsville (see Salem Church Game #2), Matt agreed to a rematch.  In the 07 October rematch, we would swap sides.  Matt would command the Confederate Army deployed in the woods around Salem Church astride the Orange Plan Road (OPR) and I would take command of Sedgwick's VI Corps.  Could I repeat Matt's earlier successful assault against Rebel positions?  Let's see.  

Armies arrayed for battle astride the Orange Plank Road.

Although Matt led Bartlett's Brigade on the Federal Left in an all-consuming, all-out attack in the first game, I did not believe I could repeat such an impressive performance.  Instead, the Federal attack begins on the Federal Right as Browne's Brigade of Newton's Division moves up across Golin Run to near the Perry Farm.

Already, Rebel guns begin harassing Federal troops!

How does Matt respond?  He orders Wofford to bring his brigade up through the woods to challenge Bartlett!  Surprise!  Wofford presents an overwhelming force with which Bartlett must deal.

Williams' Farm threatened!

Yankees are driven out of the woods as Wofford advances.

Could the Federal Left be turned so easily?

Browne reaches Perry Farm.  Semmes' Brigade is encountered.

McLaws orders his divisional artillery forward
deploying on both sides of Orange Plank Road.

Mahone crosses Golin Run as
Semmes moves up to contest Perry Farm.

Rebel guns begin to take their toll.

Thinking a breakthrough against the Rebel Left is possible,
Sedgwick orders Wheaton forward to support Browne.

Seizing the initiative Wofford presses forward against Bartlett.
Barlett is driven back as Kershaw moves forward in support.
The Federal Left is wavering under the pressure.

With the Federal Left in trouble,
Sedgwick orders an all-out assault! 

Wheaton urges his men to give everything in the attack.
Wheaton falls leading the assault.
His attack stalls when faced with Rebels lining the creek bank.
Browne's Brigade is wrecked in the fighting in the dense woods.

Against the Federal Left,
Kershaw brings his brigade into action at Williams' Farm.

An imposing sight as the Rebels come out of the woods!

As the Gray Wave breaks over Williams' Farm,
the tide sweeps Bartlett away.
Kershaw presses on but the 8SC is destroyed in the attack!

Kershaw falls back to gather more troops.

Kershaw's South Carolinians attack again.
Wofford presses on covering Kershaw's Right.

The Williams' Farm is cleared of the enemy.
Kershaw pushes forward!

Even the blacksmith's place along the OPR is under pressure!

The blacksmith is in Rebel hands!
Two Union batteries are lost!
Wofford's Brigade is wrecked in the fighting at the Mill's Farm.

Sedgwick's Left is crumbling fast!

With little threat from their front,
McLaws' artillery concentrates on Russell
 as he attacks Semmes in the center.

In the Federal assaults from both Russell and Browne,
Semmes' Brigade is wrecked!

With each army suffering two wrecked brigades, the next to see a brigade break will withdraw from battle.  If Wilcox' Brigade of the Rebel Army loses one more regiment, it breaks.  If Russell's Brigade of the Federal Army loses one more regiment, it breaks.  Who will that be?

Rebel artillery quickly decides the issue.
Russell loses one more regiment and his brigade is wrecked!

With the third brigade wrecked, Sedgwick has seen enough!  Since the road to the crossing of the Rappahannock has not been cut, Sedgwick withdraws north across the river to safety.  While Matt was able to reverse history in the first contest, I could do no better than see the historical result this time.

Well done, Matt, on a Confederate victory!  Again, I fall to Matt's mighty sword.  The rematch was a much closer tussle than seen in the first match-up as the Butcher's Bill below illustrates.  What does it take to beat Matt on my home field?  I may never know...

Butcher's Bill

Matt, thank you again, for another excellent and challenging game.  Game duration was six turns and about three-and-a-half hours.

Great fun!