Battle of Green Valley Part 2

The epic conclusion of this battle. Events unfolded that were unexpected and exciting. I have not seen displays of heroism like this in a long time.

Brig General Bob orders the advance

Brig General Sheamus Awaits with his Virginians

Another South Carolina Regiment breaks and withdraws from the line. Another moves into its place.

Turn 9. Federal Initiative. The Pennsylvania regiments advance. two of the attacking Carolina regiments are broken. This does not look promising for the assault.

General Bob's men in the advance. 

The musketry dies down as there are no regiments at the edge of the woods. the momentary halt gives the defending Ohio Brigade time to resupply and shift there lines. General Pierre lets loose with a barrage of curses as he hurries his men into action. He cannot afford to give the enemy a break.

Turn 10. Federal Initiative.  The Penn Brigade climbs the hill to meet with the awaiting Virginians. On the Union Right Flank, One of the Ohio regiments on the end is ordered to wheel their facing. With the lone Penn regiment protecting the flank, this in essence forms a "U" shape bulge in the battle line. also one of the Ohio regiments in support goes into column and makes it way to extend the right flank.

General Pierre finally gets his men to the edge of the wood line and makes them ready to open fire.

General Mordecai yells."Steady men, here they come."

Turn 11. Federal Initiative. Lightening did not strike twice in the same spot for the Confederates. The awaiting Ohio men under general Obadiah let loose with a terrifying barrage. With General Pierre already wounded and the brigade already suffering, two of the SC regiments break and retire back into the woods.

The action on the Federal left opens with the Penn regiments opening fire. 

The South Carolina Brigade ceases to exist. The lone regiment returns fire but finds itself out matched. On the Confederate Right, the Virginians beat back one Penn Regiment as it breaks and runs. General Bob rallying his men forward is shot from his horse. he slumps to the side and is caught by an aide he lowers him to the ground. He says not a word but stares toward the Confederate line, gasps twice and expires. The regiments of Bob's Brigade feel the impact of their leaders death.

Against all odds. The lone South Carolina Regiment holds its position. continuing to fire at the massed Federals.

General Pierre, with his arm resting across his saddle continues to motivate his last regiment with his gallant presence.

The horror. Men cut down in lines. The ferocity of the action was too much for this regiment However, the Colonel manages to halt his men and begin to reform their lines.

On the federal Left another of the Penn Regiments breaks and retreats. with their brilliant young general killed, The regimental commander haphazardly try to continue.

There are those times in combat when the odds are defied and heroism is displayed. This is one of those moments that defies all logical reason. In all probability, this should not have even happened. This lone regiment with a Cohesion of 2 and only one half stand of men left. (units marked with half  are represented by a yellow bead placed behind the colors.) This regiment, PASSED its cohesion to survive into the next round.

The South Carolina Colonel looks at the remnants of his battered regiment. calmly he reloads his pistol and with a unspoken look toward his diehards, they continue the fight.

Turn 12. Federal Initiative.  with an epic display of defiance worthy of Leonidas and his Spartans, General Obadiah reluctantly gives the order to fire. He lowers his face as the muskets rattle and the Lone South Carolina regiment disappears into oblivion.

Both Armies have beaten each other down. The Confederate attack on the Union Right has been stopped cold. One Confederate Brigade ceases to exist. The Virginia Brigade still holds the high ground on the hill.
The Union force is not much better off. Brig General Bob was killed and two of his regiments shattered and routed. unable to coordinate the attack on the right, the remaining regiments pull back to their original positions.

General Mordecai sits uncomfortably in his saddle. He is well aware that you cannot win battles with these amounts of casualties. With the Confederate force at 60% The Union Force is declared the winner. General Mordecai is transferred "out west." Brig general Sheamus is promoted to his command. General Pierre will never command again. he will say some years after the war, that "I wished I had died, with my men, as a hero on the field that day." Union General Obadiah will be promoted to his own command soon. Brig General Bob was awarded the silver star posthumously. The Colonel of the Lone South Carolina regiment was mentioned on the honor roll and in dispatches to Richmond. He and his men were honored for their sacrifice.

Battle of Green Valley Part 1

The set up of this battle has two brigades on each side.
Union Force

MG Ebenezer commanding
BG Obadiah Ohio Brigade  24 stands
BG Bob Pennsylvania Brigade 23 stands

Confederate Force
MG Mordecai
BG Pierre  South Carolina Brigade 21 stands
BG Sheamus Virginia Brigade     18 stands

Turn 1. Federal Initiative. The Federal commander, Major General Ebenezer, elected to hold their positions and made ready to fire. The Ohio brigade on the left and the Pennsylvania Brigade on the left.

The Confederates decide to Hold the hill with there small Virginia Brigade lead by Brig General Sheamus. The advance is lead by Brig General Pierre and his stronger South Carolina regiment.

The South Carolinians advance.

Major General Mordecai gives the order

Union Major General Ebenezer surveys the situation before the battle.

Turn 2. Federal Initiative. General Ebenezer decides to pass on the initiative. He double checks on his men being ready.

Sensing something must be up, the dice gods gave me fits with advancing the South Carolina men. slowly but surely, the Colonels began to move their regiments.

Turn 3. Federal Initiative. General Ebenezer quietly sits on in the saddle of his horse. He takes out a pen knife from his coat pocket and begins to whittle on a stick he found.

General Ebenezer's leading regiments hit the edge of the woods and progress slows.

Turn 4. Confederate Initiative. Pierre's Brigade moves forward as the men contend with the underbrush of the trees. Some of the regiments shift during their advance.

Turn 5. Confederate Initiative.   The Ohio Regiments become uneasy. a flock of birds flies out of the trees. a lone deer comes bounding out of the woods before them.

Turn 6. Slow progress for the Confederates.

Turn 7. Confederate Initiative. The South Carolina Brigade breaks the treeline in front of the Ohio Regiments. There eagerness to meet with the enemy has opened a gap in the Confederate battle line. The next turn will be a bloodbath

Turn 8. Confederate Initiative. Taking the Ohio brigade by apparent surprise, The South Carolina men open fire at point blank range. The musketry is brutal. 

The Ohio Brigade returns the musketry in kind. One regiment is so shocked by the violence that the order to return fire is either not given or completely ignored by the men. One of the South Carolina Regiments takes so many casualties on the return volley it routs and leaves the line. Brig General Pierre is slightly wounded with a musket ball to the shoulder. His Brigade will suffer a -1 to their cohesion rolls.

Two SC regiments failed to move forward into line due to the difficulty of the woods.  Sensing an opportunity General Ebenezer orders general Bob's Pennsylvania Brigade forward. One of the Penn regiments wheels right to protect the brigade advance.

BG Bob orders his men to advance. His right flank will be protected. However, he doesn't like the thought of advancing in the open with no support and up a hill. This contest will be concluded in the next chapter.