Battle of Forest Gap. A Tabletop Battle

The objective was for each army to force the enemy from the field in 10 turns or less.

this is a basic division level battle involving brigades with four regiments


Union Division Commander. General Sam
 level      2

Union  1st 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

Union  2nd Brigade.

Commander; Brigadier General Steve.
 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



Confederate Division Commander. General Elliott
Level     2

Confederate  1st Brigade.

Commander; Brigadier General Lewis.
 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 Brian.
 level      1

1st Georgia Infantry Regt                             cohesion 14       4 stands
2nd Lousiana 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 in column formations

General Brian's Brigade Top Right. General Lewis' Brigade Bottom Right.
General Bill's Brigade top left near river. General Steve's Brigade top right close to woods.

TURN 1. Confederate Commander has Initiative.

General Lewis' Brigade moves forward into Line of battle.

General Steve's Penn Brigade had a mix up with his orders and each Regiment had to move on their own.

General Brian's 3rd NC and 4th Va move up. The 3rd NC goes into line of battle. 1st GA and 2nd La move into the woods.

General Bill's New York Brigade moves forward as well.

View of the Union Forces.

1st Ga Infantry and 2nd La Infantry Move into the woods.

TURN 2. Confederate Commander has Initiative.

General Lewis' Brigade. The 1st Miss Regt. oblique left march so the 2nd NC Regt can move up.
 The 3rd FL moves up and holds the brigades right flank. The 4th AL move into a reserve position.

General Steve's Penn Brigade. The 23rd Penn Regt moves into line of battle supported by the 1st Penn Infantry.  The 2nd and 3rd Penn Infantry march right into the woods.

General Brian's Brigade. The 3rd NC move up. the 4th VA goes into line of battle in support. 1st Ga and 2nd La infantry continue to move forward through the woods.

General Bill's Brigade. General Bill moves his whole brigade forward. Each regiment goes into line of battle and stacks behind each other.

General Lewis' Brigade in line of battle

The Zouaves of the 23rd Penn Infantry Regt.

General Lewis' Brigade. 1st Miss left flank. 2nd NC center. 3rd FL on right flank.
The 4th Al Infantry in reserve.

23rd Penn Zouaves in line of battle supported by 1st Penn Infantry.
The New York Brigade stacked in Line of Battle.

TURN 3. Confederate Commander has Initiative.

The Division Commander, General Elliott gives the nod and orders General Lewis's Brigade to open fire. The Zouaves of the 23rd Penn take some casualties back hold strong. General Steve has his hat shot off his head. Very calmly he requests his aide to "fetch it" for him.
The 23rd opens fire and cause casualties to the 3rd NC Infantry.
The firing intensifies as the volleys go back and forth across the field. The 23rd takes a beating from elements of two brigades firing on it.

General Steve's Brigade continues to push the 2nd and 3rd Penn Infantry through the woods. The plan seems to emerge from the woods and form up on the left of the 23rd Penn extending the battle line.

General Bill orders his New Yorkers forward into the woods to meet the Confederates. The 1st New York Infantry leads the way.

General Brians' Brigade 3rd NC infantry and 4th Va Infantry in line of battle.
1st Ga and  2nd La Infantry in the woods.

1st Ga and 2nd La Infantry continue forward in the woods.

"First New York, FORWARD!!!"

TURN 4. Union Commander has Initiative.

General Sam takes the situation in hand and issues his orders.  The 23rd Penn Infantry Rallies from being shaken.

General Brian seeing the New York Regiments move forward orders The 1st Ga and 2nd La Infantry into Battle line.

General Bill's New York Brigade. The 1st NY oblique left while the 2nd NY oblique right extending the battle line. the 3rd and 4th NY regiments stack behind them in support.

The 23rd Penn Infantry move forward and the 1st Penn comes up beside them. Both the 2nd and the 3rd Penn Infantry Regts move into line of battle in the woods. They prepare to to come out of the woods fighting.

With the 23rd and 1st Penn in the line, the 2nd and 3rd move forward to extend the line.

23rd Penn Infantry with 1st Penn Inf coming up on their left in an attempt to extend the front.

General Lewis' Brigade engaging the 23rd Penn in the distance.
The 3rd NC from Brian's Brigade is forward and to the right.

TURN 5. Union Commander has Initiative.

The situation heats up.

General Steve's Brigade.  The 23rd Penn opens a volley on the 4th Va Regt of Brian's Brigade. The 4th Losses a stand of infantry. The firing was aggressive and complete to the point that the 23rd exhausted their ammo.

General Brian's Brigade. The 4th Va Infantry return the favor with a solid volley that depleted their ammo as well.

General Steve's 1st Penn Infantry open fire on the 1st Miss Regt. They take .5 stands loss. The firing continues back and forth. It would not be a good idea to take a casual stroll onto the field.

General Bill's New Yorkers continue forward. The 1st Ga oblique march left to extend the lines with the Louisiana Zouaves.

The turn closes with both the 23rd Penn and the 4th Va being resupplied.

"Read between the lines." Union and Confederate Lines

The Georgia Regiment attempts to extend the line by moving up to the left of the Louisiana Zouaves.
This will hopefully link up with the 4th Va Infantry to the left.

Overhead shot of table at turn 5

TURN 6. Union Commander has Initiative.

General Steve's Brigade. The 2nd Penn fires a volley into the 1st Miss Infantry and they are shaken. The 1st Penn also fires on the Mississippians as they lose a stand of Infantry. The 23rd Penn Fires on the 4th Va with the loss of a stand. The unit manages to rally and stay the fight.

General Brian's Brigade. The 3rd NC fires on the 23rd Penn and causes them to lose a stand.  The 4th Va returns fire and has no effect.

General Bill's New York Brigade. The 1st NY Infantry opens fire on the 2nd La Infantry. The Volley is devastating. The Louisiana regiment loses 3.5 stands. The 2nd Louisiana Returns fire and has no effect.

New Yorkers in the woods advancing on the 1st Ga Infantry.

2nd Louisiana Infantry Regt makes ready as the 1st New York Regiment comes closer.

2nd NC Regiment of General Lewis' Brigade.

TURN 7. Union Commander has Initiative.

General Bill's New York Brigade.  The 1st NY Infantry open fire with another volley on the 2nd La Infantry. The assault is too much and they route.
The 2nd NY Infantry opens a volley on the 1st Ga Infantry. They lose 2.5 Stands.
The 4th NY fires on the 4th Va Infantry and they route as well.

General Brian Retreats his forces from the field.

General Lewis' Brigade holds fast and opens fire. 1st Miss Infantry fires on the 1st Penn and forces them to route.
2nd NC Infantry fires on 23rd Penn for the loss of 1 stand and they route as well.
3rd Florida Infantry fires on the 4th NY Infantry and causes loss of .5 stand.

The Confederates have been forced from the woods to the north of the map. This leaves them in the open position. They are still combat effective yet in a undesirable position. General Bill's New York Brigade will surely reform in the woods and move south to engage General Lewis' men.
The game concludes on this note.

Union Victory

Casualties:      Union                6 stands lost
                      Confederate    11 stands lost

1st Georgia engaging the 2nd New York.

The forces after turn 7.