Salem Church Game #2

After seeing Sedgwick call off his efforts to break through the Confederate line at Salem Church and skedaddle back across the Rappahannock River (see Sedgwick REJECTed at Salem Church), Matt (wargamesinthedungeon) took up the challenge in Game #2 to lead Sedgwick forward into battle.  Game was fought on 20 September.  As a reminder, the battlefield map and opening battle deployments are shown in the battlefield photos below.

Battlefield map 

Initial dispositions

Sedgwick's objective is to break through Rebel positions and move west to flank Lee and relieve Hooker at Chancellorsville.  Does Sedgwick fare better in this clash?  Let's find out.

Sedgwick opens battle with his artillery.
Newton and Brooks bring up guns on the Orange Plank Road.
Wilcox's men at Salem Church take a pounding.
McLaws counters by putting Wofford into motion against the Federal Left.

Bartlett takes fire from Wofford
as Rebels advance through the dense woods.

While one of McLaws' guns rains down on Brown's 1NJ,
Bartlett orders his men forward into an all-out attack.
Rather than see his flank turned as in Game #1,
Bartlett takes the fight to the enemy!

Wofford is driven back into the woods with Bartlett in hot pursuit. 
While Bartlett's pursuit is checked...

Cobb's Legion is destroyed and Wofford is killed!

In the Federal Center and Right,
 Sedgwick orders a general advance as Browne and Shaler
plunge into the woods near Golin run. 
Wheaton is ordered to cover the center.

Pressure mounts on Wofford as
Bartlett's Federal attacks in the woods continue.

Outnumbered by about two-to-one,
the 16GA and Phillip's Legion dissolve in the heavy fighting.
Wofford's Brigade is wrecked!

Bartlett swings his 96PA to the right.
The Rebel Right is turned!

In Kershaw's attacks, the defenders of the farm throw the enemy back
but the remnants of 1NJ are overrun.
Brown brings up reserves to plug the gap.

The gap is plugged and Kershaw is driven off!

With the Rebels back in the woods,
Brown decides not to follow up to pursue into the unknown.

Wheaton brings his brigade up in the center.

Kershaw sends two more regiments forward to Williams' Farm,
while, to the right, Bartlett attacks into the woods against
an already wavering 15SC.

The 15SC is destroyed and the 3SC Battalion is thrown back.

Federal attacks are relentless.
The Rebels are driven back again.

While Brown maintains pressure to the front...

Bartlett continues his rampage against the enemy right.

Another of Kershaw's regiments is destroyed in the fighting.

Now Wheaton brings his brigade into action...

and the enemy is scattered.
Kershaw's Brigade is wavering...

and then breaks!

The entire Rebel Right has collapsed
with Wilcox only clinging on by a thread.
Federal artillery sees to it that Wilcox has had enough!
Wilcox is wrecked!

With three Rebel brigades now wrecked, the Rebels must retire from the field and try to slow Sedgwick's advance down the Orange Plank Road to Lee's flank.

Wow!  A decisive Federal victory for Sedgwick and Matt.  My poor Rebel army was completely manhandled by Sedgwick's XI Corps.  Looking at the detritus of battle, there was hardly any action north of the OPR.  Rather than seeing Bartlett dismantled in total as in Game #1, Matt put Bartlett on the offensive and he never let up!  Wofford was completely mauled by Bartlett and when Brown (and at the end) Wheaton joined in, the battle was decided quickly.

The Butcher's Bill tells the sorry tale for the Confederacy.  Unit losses were more than three-to-one against.  What a bloody game.  Very impressive victory, Matt!  I wonder if I can repay this pounding when we swap sides and take to the field again?  

Butcher's Bill

Great job, Matt, and a really entertaining game!  Game duration was a little over three hours and we played four turns.