Wednesday 30 October 2024

Gettysburg: Turns 13 - 18

 The Round Tops

Hood's and McLaws Divisions begin to cross Plum Run capitalising on the collapsing Union morale. 

On Big Round Top (bottom right), a charge by Benning's Brigade is enough to unsettle Graham's Brigade already battered from the fighting in and around the Peach Orchard. It retreats before contact and in so doing brings it into contact with the large Ward's Brigade who had been defending Little Round Top. Ward failed his morale test and they too retreated. Fortunately for them, Birney managed to rally the Brigade but Graham will continue retreating.

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Tuesday 15 October 2024

Gettysburg: Turns 7 - 12

 The Round Tops

The final collapse of the Union defence of the Peach Orchard arrives when the pursuing Wofford's Brigade utterly mauls the retreating Burling's Union Brigade causing them to rout with heavy loss.


Humphrey's Brigade continues to survive, but only just, to the north of the Trostle farmhouse. The routing Burling's Brigade unsettles Carr's Brigade (nearest the camera) who fail their rally test and rout. Humphrey himself rallies Brewster's Brigade to the rear and again passes a Divisional morale test.

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Wednesday 2 October 2024

Gettysburg: Turns 1 - 6

Examining the initial deployments gives an appreciation how difficult this is going to be for Lee. His initial intention of delivering a right hook turning the Union's left flank appears to be the most obvious route at this stage. Sickles Corps is exposed in advance of the main Union army running in a line from Devil's Den, across The Wheatfield and Peach Orchard, and anchoring its right flank near the Codori farm.

Longstreet's Corps (minus Pickett's Division who has yet to arrive) reinforced by Anderson's Division are tasked with delivering this outcome.

Ewell's Corps will demonstrate against Cemetery Hill and Culps Hill with Johnson's Division making the main assault on Culps Hill from the east.

A.P. Hill's Corps are to be held in reserve.

Peach Orchard and The Wheatfield

The opening move sees Longstreet's Corps move off Seminary Ridge with Hood's Division in the bottom left. An artillery barrage opens fire from the ridge.

In turn 2 at The Wheatfield, Trobriand's Brigade (middle of photo) suffers from an effective volley from the advancing Kershaw's Brigade (upper left), but even more importantly a double '6' rolled by an artillery battery. The result causes Birney to suffer a light wound and will be out of action for a turn, and Trobriand's Brigade loses a total of 11 figures. His brigade "goes to ground".
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