Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Battle of Port Republic June 9, 1862: Part 2.




Turn 5. Confederate Initiative. Pouge's Battery opens fire on Btty E. The Federal Battery takes some heavy casualties. The Federal Batteries open fire  Winder's Brigade takes casualties along with Pogue's Battery. Jackson's continues to press his brigades forward. 

Federal Brigades open fire.

Pogue's Battery firing as Jackson pushes his brigades forward

"Forward men!"


Winder's brigade pushing forward.

Tyler and his brigade on the hill by the Coaling.

Turn 6. Federal Initiative. The Federal guns devastate Pogue's Battery as they are forced to quit the field.  The 4th VA Infantry of the Winder's Brigade  is forced to withdraw as well.


Despite the losses. Jackson's Army continues. The Brigades of Walker and Taylor continue to make slow progress in the thick wood on the right. Advancing in cover will keep their numbers up before they engage the Federals.



Turn 7. Federal Initiative. The Federal Batteries continue to fire on the advancing Confederates. The infantry continue to hold their fire until the distance is closer. The Confederates continue to push forward.

Richard Taylor's Brigade in the tree line.

Federal Batteries continue to fire.


Turn 8. Federal Initiative. The Federal Batteries continue to fire. Carpenters Battery routs before they bring their guns to action. The Confederate forces come within range. Jackson orders them to open fire. Battery H takes heavy casualties and quits the field. Winder shifts his brigade Scott, Walker, and Taylor continue forward.

The advancing line.

Fire on the hill.


Turn 9. Confederate Initiative. Jackson's men open fire. The 5th VA Infantry of Winder's Brigade fires on Btty L. the battery suffers casualties. a stray bullet slams into Brigadier General Carroll's chest killing him before he falls from his horse. His brigade takes the death of their leader hard and they are "shaken" but hold the field. The Federals in response continue to fire on the Confederates. The 2nd VA Infantry are routed. Confederate Brigadier General Taylor's brings his Louisiana Brigade into battle line. Col. Walker continues to bring his brigade up.

The Louisiana Brigade deploys into line and threatens the Federal left flank. 


Louisiana Brigade in line.




Turn 10.Confederate Initiative. The Confederate Line erupts with musketry. The Federals are hit hard.  Confederate BG Richard Taylor brings is Louisiana Brigade up to the treeline. Using the woods as cover the 6th Louisiana Infantry open fire on the 66th Ohio Infantry. The back and forth of musket fire is deadly.  During the movement phase, Taylor brings two more regiments up in line with the 6th Louisiana. Col. Walker continues to bring his brigade up. BG Winder holds his position with the "Stonewall Brigade."

Federal BG Erastus Tyler's Brigade positioned at the Coaling. The Confederate Brigade just inside the treeline.


Keeping the action hot. The Confederates concentrate their fire on the center units of the Federal defensive line

The 66th Ohio Infantry Regiment in the center has taken a severe beating from prolonged fighting. a white  "shaken" bead sits behind the command stand. They have lost cohesion points with each exchange. They can't hold out much longer.

Turn 11. Federal Initiative. The Federal Artillery batteries thunder on with canister shot. The Infantry regiments engaged continue to fire on the advancing Confederates. The "Rebel Yell" can be heard as they come closer to Federal Regiments. On the Federal Left flank, the 1WV Infantry let loose with a barrage on the 1st Louisiana Infantry Battalion. (Wheat's Tigers) They are routed in the first exchange. A testament to the ferocity of the battle.  During the Confederate firing phase we see the 84th  and the 55th Ohio Infantry Rout and leave the field. When the Louisiana Brigade opens fire along their line, we also see Btty E and the 7th Ohio also break and leave the field.

With four units broken, Federal BG Tyler scrambles to move regiments up to stabilize his line before it completely collapses.

The losses are too much for the Federals.

BG Richard Taylor and the Louisiana Brigade.



The sun begins to set on the battlefield. With the last parting shots the battle ends. We count up the casualties and find that this battle was just as close as the battle from the day before.
Confederate Losses are  5 Cannon stands
                                       3 Regiments  10 stands
Federal Losses are        6 Cannon stands
                                      3 Regiments  16 stands
Confederate Victory.

~Historical Note~
The Tabletop battle was similar to the actual battle. The Confederate forces advancing in the woods played a major part in breaking the Federal defensive line. Louisiana regiments broke through the woods and captured the Federal guns at the Coaling and turned them on the Federals. The Federals had a good defensive deployment. They anchored their right flank on the river bank and held a commanding position on the hill. Their mistake was in not securing the left flank facing the woods.  As the Federal forces routed and left the field, General Fremont's forces deployed cannons on the opposite side of the Shenandoah River and start shelling the Confederates. The bridge in Port Republic was burned as the last Confederate Units crossed trapping Fremont on the west bank of the river and out of reach of Jackson. Once again, "Ol' Blue Light" got the best of the situation. By the end of the day, Jackson withdrew his forces down the Mt Vernon Furnace Road and out of reach of the federal guns.

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