American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Turn 16 of 156; it's Noon on day 1. I Corps is mostly in position - Cutler still has a regiment off map and Stannard of Doubleday's Division is off map. The CSA looks like a couple of brigades stopped for a drink at the Black Horse Tavern on the unnamed road between Hagerstown Road and the Peach Orchard at Emmitsburg Road; looking at Google, it might be Black Horse Tavern Road. Gamble is mostly at the Peach Orchard and Stannard will join him.

I'm busy building a 'fortress' at Cemetery Hill, as much as two outnumbered Corps can build. The 11th Corps has mostly arrived and is getting into position (L-R, Schurz, Barlow, von Steinwehr). Both Corps need to hold for four or five hours. They've got about an hour to dig in.

I'll post an image as soon as the 'fortress' looks more complete.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

It's turn 17 of 156, or July 1 1863 at 1220. Here's an end of turn image of the fortress:



All units have been released and Cutler's last regiment arrives.

Hmm, I'm getting concerned that CSA artillery was seen at Black Horse Tavern. Calef's battery will head toward the Peach Orchard when the 11th Corps artillery is emplaced.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

Turn 19 of 156. The 11th Corps is getting settled in and about a half dozen breastworks were completed.

CSA troops are spotted advancing down Black Horse Tavern Road toward the Peach Orchard. As an aside, I wonder what variety of peaches the farmers were able to grow so far north. Peaches aren't known for cold tolerance. This area concerns me because I've spotted at least two brigades plus artillery coming that way and all I've got is Gamble's troopers to face them. Emmitsburg Road is closed to supply; wagons are re-routing to Taneytown Road. I've been escorting the wagons, but a small cavalry detachment is not enough. It's a terrible delay but a necessary precaution.

Also, I spotted some CSA wagons with infantry in the stack as escorts. I don't know if that's standard for Mark or a precaution against Union cavalry.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

Turn 20 of 156. The 11th Corps is still settling in and the guns are coming up. Stannard arrived at Emmitsburg Road, so Doubleday's division is complete. Doubleday and his division will join up at the Peach Orchard - I'm committing my reserve to meet the new threat. Gamble and Doubleday will have to manage as best as they can until the 3rd Corps (not on map) reinforces them. Hancock himself arrived but his Corps is far behind and is not expected until tonight. The 12th Corps is expected soon at the Baltimore Pike and will reinforce the right.

There are mobs of Rebels advancing from the north. Devin's videttes fall back, and the town of Gettysburg is abandoned.

Now, back to peaches. I didn't realize that Gettysburg is in the Pennsylvania 'Peach Belt' which covers southeast PA. I found that, currently, a popular locally-grown peach is the 'Saturn' peach, also called the 'donut' peach. This is not the peach grown in the 'Peach Orchard', as it was introduced from China (the home of all peaches) in 1871. Turns out that SEPA is not too cold, and some varieties of peaches can even grow in zone 5, under special conditions.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

Hello Jay

Great AAR--they take a lot of time to do properly and you surely are.

A question about your opening post and the jump map displayed in that. It shows a large concentration of Feds south of Gettysburg. I opened up Historical 1 and do not find this force on the starting turn map. Perhaps I do not have the same Historical 1 that you guys started with??

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Walter A. Dortch
Commanding -/4/V AotP
UA Cabinet Secretary
UA Operations Officer
UA Wolverine Team Leader

Walt - that concentration is I Corps (-), which is fixed at game start. I opened up a new historical1 game to check, and they are there...

It's turn 21 of 156 or 1340. The suspense is building - the Rebs have emerged from the woods north of the Peach Orchard, with at least two brigades (I expect a full division). The Rebs are also taking positions northeast of Culp's Hill. I expect an assault in the next two or three turns. By that time, the 'fortress' will be as ready as it can be, but there are still artillery units that are moving into position.

Rowley deploys south of the fortress on Emmitsburg Road, to welcome Wadsworth's supply wagon. Stone is coming up from the Round Tops to the peach orchard, and Stannard is at least two hours away. It looks like I'll have to fight with the army I've got.

Slocum and Sickles won't arrive and get into position until 1600 or 1700; that's a long time for Reynolds and Howard to hold on.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

It's turn 22 of 156, or 2PM of day 1. Here's an end of turn map of the 'fortress':



Williams division of Slocum's 12th Corps arrived at the Baltimore Pike, and will take about two hours to reach the battlefield. It's getting hot at the Peach Orchard. Calef's guns are unmasked, but Colonel Gamble was wounded (the first leader casualty for either side - four points). Another Rebel brigade appears south of the Peach Orchard. Paul takes over the escort of Wadsworth's supply, which will be safely (?) within the fortress perimeter next turn. Infantry soon to be in action stop building breastworks, in order to fire at their best effect.

One regiment thought about routing, but Ames must've convinced them that just being disrupted was good enough.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

Turn 23 of 156 finds Buford killed (9 points) and replaced by Devin. The artillery evacuated the Peach Orchard, followed by the cavalry. Fortunately, the artillery found safety with Stone's brigade and will deploy at Little Round Top. Cutler's regiment on Emmitsburg Road is not going to be enough to push through, so they'll wait for Stannard and then try.

Von Steinwehr launched a feeble spoiling attack against O'Neal's brigade (low ammunition after defensive fire), which is a diversion to cover for a realignment of the right flank - which has pulled back to straighten the lines. Von Steinwehr's survivors will fall back to Culp's Hill to reform the line.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

Turn 24 of 156 finds Orland Smith killed leading his men in demonstration against the CSA left. The maneuver was successful, in that the rest of the 11th Corps repositioned without interference and the artillery relocated. Slocum is close enough that I think he'll be able to occupy Culp's Hill just in time to relieve the pressure.

Sickles' 3rd Corps arrived at Emmitsburg Road and will march about two hours to the Peach Orchard. Doubleday's division is split between the fortress, Little Round Top(LRT) (with Gamble and Calef), and Emmitsburg Road nearing the Peach Orchard. They'll eventually regroup at the fortress' west 'gate' (Emmitsburg Road entrance). Cutler's regiment was spotted on the Emmitsburg Road, which may have given the CSA concerns about a further advance toward LRT, although lots of CSA artillery was spotted near Black Horse Tavern.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

Turn 25 of 156 finds all the remaining officers alive, so at least there's that.

It looks like a race to prevent a double envelopment - Slocum is racing to Culp's Hill and Sickles to the Peach Orchard.

Here's an end of turn image of the fortress:



When Slocum occupies (takes?) Culp's Hill the fortress will seem more secure. Devin's videttes were pushed back on the right, to the point that the Baltimore Road is a concern.

Here's Little Round Top:



Slocum's reinforcements are displayed, as well as Stannard.

PS: thanks for reading, Walt.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

Turn 26 of 156 (320PM) finds 12th Corps artillery reinforcements arriving at the Emmitsburg Road. Both Sickles and Slocum will be at the 'line' in about an hour (more -and- less). Humphreys division from 3rd Corps and Geary's division from 12th Corps are scheduled to arrive next turn. I think that both divisions will protect their respective flanks.

Pinkerton says we're outnumbered and I fear he may be right. I'm facing Pender at the Peach Orchard and Rodes at Culp's Hill, with another division behind Rodes possibly headed for the Hanover Road. I think there's another division behind Pender on a flanking maneuver. I'm tempted to make a push in the center, but then, Pinkerton may be right. I've spotted plenty of Rebs coming down Chambersburg Pike.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

It's turn 28 of 156, or 4PM, and Humphreys and Geary arrive with their divisions. Previously I mistakenly said they were arriving earlier, I misremembered the timeline - even though it was right in front of me. Slocum is deploying near Culp's Hill. Reynolds' guard company was posted to the right of Culp's Hill (previously at an observation post) and disintegrated after a volley from Rebels flanking the hill. I don't know why they haven't run, but Smith's brigade is still holding the summit.

Stannard has set up a roadblock on Emmitsburg Road to screen Sickles' leading elements, which are still about an hour away. The CSA knows Stannard is there, but hasn't advanced past the Peach Orchard.

However, the CSA is beginning to occupy Seminary Ridge, possibly in preparation for an assault in concert with a double envelopment. We'll see...

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

It's turn 29 of 156 and I remembered to get a start of turn image of Smith's brigade routing from Culp's Hill. However, I forgot to turn hexsides off. You can see Williams Division has arrived and will deploy to try to take Culp's Hill.



Huzzah! My artillery shot up 2 guns this turn. Three supply wagons made it to the 'safety' of the fortress (Schurz, Steinwehr, and Williams). Ruger attacked and actually defeated one of Daniel's regiments in melee.

The next units to arrive are the 12th Corps artillery at 5PM (it's 420).

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps

Hello Jay
What optional rules are you using?

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Walter A. Dortch
Commanding -/4/V AotP
UA Cabinet Secretary
UA Operations Officer
UA Wolverine Team Leader

Walt - we are playing Historical 1 with fog of war, manual defensive fire off, and rout limiting off.

Turn 30 of 156 finds a general collapse of the right wing, with six guns of the 1st Ohio Light artillery captured. Here is a beginning of turn image, with the hexsides off:



One of Meredith's regiments tried, and failed, to take back the guns. Another battery is in danger next turn. Believe it or not, the score is still tied [edit - the score is not tied - it is a "draw"], and I fully expect to recover my guns (maybe tomorrow, unless Mark moves a battery next to them and destroys them).

I kind of expect a general assault before night, because that will be as advantageous to the CSA as it gets. However, the night is long and filled with terrors. The troops I get next turn will be the only troops able to reach the front before night.

Which leads me to a question for the gallery: do you move troops at night and accept the fatigue or how do you usually handle night operations. Against the AI, I would let my troops rest, but Mark isn't the AI and I've never played a night turn against a human.

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Field Lieutenant
4th Infantry Brigade
2nd Division (Corcoran's Legion)
VIII Corps