Battle of Crossroad Fork

The objective was for each army to cross the turnpike and hold the intersection for one turn in 10 turns or less.

this is a basic division level battle involving brigades with four regiments. One Brigade will recon the area, locate the enemy, and send for reinforcements.


Union Division Commander. General Ambrose
 level      2

Union  1st Brigade.

Commander; Brigadier General Sam.
 level     1

23rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regt (Zouaves)     cohesion 14       6 stands
1st Pennsylvania Infantry Regt     cohesion 14       4 stands
2nd Pennsylvania Infantry Regt    cohesion 14       4 stands
3rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regt     cohesion 14       3 stands

Union  2nd Brigade.

Commander; Brigadier General Bill.
 level     1

1st New York Infantry Regt            cohesion 14       4 stands
2nd New York  Infantry Regt     cohesion 14       3 stands
3rd New York Infantry Regt.           cohesion 14       3 stands
4th new York Infantry Regt.             cohesion 14     4 stands

Confederate Division Commander. General Thomas
Level     2

Confederate  1st Brigade.

Commander; Brigadier General Brian.
 level      1

1st Mississippi Infantry Regt.          cohesion 14       4 stands
2nd North Carolina Infantry Regt.        cohesion 14       3 stands
3rd Florida Infantry Regt.                   cohesion 14       3 stands
4th Alabama Infantry Regt.                 cohesion 14       3 stands


Confederate 2nd Brigade.

Commander; Brigadier General Lewis.
 level      1

1st Georgia Infantry Regt                             cohesion 14       4 stands
2nd Louisiana Infantry Regt (Zouaves)          cohesion 14       4 stands
3rd North Carolina Infantry Regt.                   cohesion 14       3 stands
4th Virginia Regt.                                        cohesion 14       3 stands

Initial set up; Both brigades are set up with one brigade in column formation and the other as a reserve.

Federal Force to the left and Confederate Force on the right.

General Thomas watches as General Brian's Brigade moves up the turnpike.

General Bill's Brigade on the turnpike.

TURN 1.  Confederate Initiative.

General Thomas wastes no time in sending General Brian's Brigade forward to the crossroad. In the same instance General Ambrose realizes the importance of the crossroads and likewise sends General Bill Forward with all due haste.

Troop positions at end of Turn 1. and beginning of Turn 2.

Brian's Brigade at the intersection.

General Thomas looks on.

TURN 2.  Confederate Initiative.

General Brian moves up his brigade placing the lead elements into line of battle along the road. Two of the regiments are still in march column on the road.

General Bill places 1st NY in line of battle i the field. The 2nd NY Goes into line beside them straddling the road. the 3rd and 4th are still on the road in column march. Both forces make immediate preparations for action.

The table beginning of Turn 3.

Brian's brigade makes ready

2nd NY in line straddling the road. 1st NY on their right flank
in the field.

TURN 3.  Confederate Initiative.

General Brian's Brigade opens fire with some effective volleys. General Bill responds with Likewise effectiveness. The rattle of muskets goes back and forth across the turnpike. Losses are sustained on both sides. The 1st NY Inf are a bit shaken by the combat.

The forces consolidate their lines.

TURN 4.  Federal Initiative.

Both Generals roll for reinforcements and get them.
General Bill's Brigade continues to hold the line and send lead over the road to the rebels.

General Brian's Brigade returns the courtesy and entice one of the New York Regiments to retire from the field. Up to this point it has been a bloody fight with each side whittling away at each other.

General Lewis's Brigade rushes up the road to support General Brian. General Sam's Penn Brigade
moves  forward as well.

TURN 5.  Confederate Initiative.

General Brian's brigade continues to hammer away at the New York Brigade.

General Bill's Brigade begins to show the signs of heavy fighting.  Two regiments are shaken with one out of ammunition. Bill can only hold position until he is relieved by Sam's Brigade. The situation is getting desperate.

General Ambrose sensing the seriousness of the situation orders General Sam to move his brigade in line to support the right flank.

The reinforcements arrive.

The Pennsylvania Brigade leaves the road for the open field.

TURN 6.  Federal Initiative.

General Bill rallies his men and they continue to fire. One of the Confederate Regiments breaks and leaves the field.

General Brian realizes that the situation is critical. He wants to make sure General Lewis is formed up immediately behind his brigade before he breaks contact and retires what is left of his brigade behind General Lewis.

General Sam continues to extend the right flank. He exceeds his orders and decides to press for the road.

General Lewis brings his brigade in line of battle with the brigades right flank anchored with the road. The situation is now presented itself for General Brian to save his brigade.

The Federal right flank extends.

Lewis' Brigade is ready for the coming storm.

TURN 7.  Federal Initiative.

Each brigade continues to "exchange pleasantries" with each other. General Brian almost becomes a victim of the back and forth fighting. A bullet smashes into the saber on his hip. I am sure the General will be sore in the morning.

The Pennsylvanians cross the road.

TURN 8.  Federal Initiative.

General Brian has one regiment break contact in an orderly fashion and pull back into the woods. Another of his regiments was not able to break off and they continued to draw fire from the New Yorkers. The finally had enough and break.

General Lewis catches General Sam's brigade trying to force a crossing of the turnpike. He gives the order and his regiments open up on the lead Pennsylvanian Regiment and cuts it to pieces.

General Sam seeing this fatal error brings his brigade into line and forms up to meet General Lewis.

TURN 9.  Confederate Initiative.

General Lewis has his brigade open up on General Sam again. There are some casualties.
General Sam tries to rally his troops to fire but it is to no avail.


The game ends here with Federal troops on the Confederate side of the turnpike. However, the Federals paid a heavy price for the real estate. The outcome is a draw. A close one none the less.

General Thomas is not happy.

General Ambrose puffs on a cigar and is quit pleased with himself.

Plan?! What Plan?!

I have been working on he modeling aspect of this venture for some time. Trying to juggle the responsibilities of modern life that include a family and a job with a hobby. I can say with some degree of certainty that it has been an emotional journey.

General Magruder checks his troops somewhere near Yorktown Va.

With that said, here are my goals for the last half of 2014.

1. Have enough miniatures completed for a historical game. (Williamsburg, Seven Pines, Mechanicsville.)

2. Attend the  150th Anniversary Battle of Atlanta Reenactment in Sept.

3. Not get kicked out of the house by an angry wife. (not a joke.)



The first goal may seem a bit overwhelming to some if they have not done this before. I am taking it in pieces and parts. I have been building by brigade. First, a Union brigade then a Confederate brigade.

My interest is in the Peninsula Campaign of 1862. I have been modeling Armies and Generals for this time period. I wish to do the battles in order and post them here on this blog.

Personal Note: When attempting to convert a historical battle into a playable scenario, it is good to take a large battle into pieces. A perfect example would be The Battle of Seven Pines. There was action on both sides of the Richmond and York River Rail Road track. General Whiting and General Sedgwick on the north side of the track and General D.H. Hill and General Casey at the redoubt south of the track.
A person can, with a little research, turn the battle into a mini campaign. First fight the action south of the track and finish with the action north of the track.
A larger battle such as Mechanicsville can be played in the same way.

Now on to the Pictures. Here is what I've been up to.....

General Joe Johnston. Modified from General McClellan Model.

General John B. Magruder. Modified from General Burnside model.

Close up of General Magruder. I tried to emphasis his
mustache and sideburns.

Gen. Daniel Harvey Hill. Modified from General Barksdale model.

Another angle of Gen. D.H. Hill

General Ambrose Powell Hill. modeled wearing his famous red "battle shirt."
Also riding his dapple gray horse "Champ."

Another angle of Gen. A.P. Hill.

General Robert E. Lee with Army of Northern Virginia HQ Flag.

Another pic of General Robert E. Lee riding "Traveller"

General James Longstreet riding his horse "Hero."

General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson on "Little Sorrel."

General Stonewall Jackson. Looks like he may be ready for
the "Shenandoah Valley Campaign."

General J.E.B. Stuart.

General Philip Kearny. Model modified from a mounted officer wearing a kepi.
I added the coat/cloak draped over his left shoulder. Kearny lost his arm in the Mexican War.

Another angle of Gen. Phil Kearny. I updated this General by rebasing him with a guidon bearer.

Another view of Gen. Kearny.

General Ambrose Burnside.

General George B. McClellan. Army of the Potomac.
This model is striking a very "Napoleonic" pose.

Another pic of "Little Mac."

General Ulysses S. Grant. I know he was in the Western Theatre at this time period.
I liked the model and wanted to show it off.

Another view of Gen "Unconditional Surrender" Grant riding "Cincinnati."
He aquired this horse in 1864.

Historically, there was a joke why McClellan couldn't capture Richmond.
He had to cross two "Hills" and then go down a "Longstreet."
From left to right. Gen. Longstreet, D.H. Hill, and A.P. Hill.

Federal and Confederate Cavalry in progress. "Ride around McClellan" Scenario?