The Battle of Blackwater Creek - Opening Moves.

Carrying on my ACW battle from the last entry, I have taken some photographs of the opening moves.

Scouting Confederate cavalry are the first to arrive at the bridge.

They survey the situation and send word back to command.

They can see the Union are in an impregnable position with supporting artillery.

The Confederate commanders arrive, ride up onto the hill and can see the Union forces before them.

The first regiments of the the two infantry brigades begin to arrive.

Being in their own back yard and knowing the area well, the Rebel commander dispatches his two regiments of cavalry to scout the ford and see what the Union have in place at that location.

Using the wood and then the ridge line for cover the cavalry make their way to the ford.

With the rest of the Division arriving, the Confederate commander makes a decision.

He orders the second brigade to follow the cavalry to the ford, units of artillery will follow when they arrive.

The Confederate column headed by the cavalry continue to move along behind the cover of the ridge.

Their movements masked by the ridge leave the Union Commander blind as to what is happening.

As the second brigade follow the cavalry, the Rebel commander deploys his infantry into line before the trees to fool his opposite number into thinking he is going to make an assault on the bridge.

The Confederate cavalry are amazed to find the ford undefended and no sign of any Union troops.

The flanking brigade of infantry hurry forward when word comes back from the cavalry.

The cavalry dismount and take up defensive positions to protect the ford, they are behind the Morgan Farmstead with its stone walls.

They cannot believe their good fortune.

The flanking brigade are now in sight of the ford and their dismounted cavalry colleagues defending it.

With the arrival of the artillery batteries, the Confederate commander keeps up the ruse and deploys a battery on the ridge overlooking the bridge, both the Union and Confederate cannon are currently just out of range.

The other two batteries are sent to join the flanking force.

Beginning to cross the ford.

Artillery batteries rushing to catch up.

So what seemed like an easy defensive position for the Union, has been turned without their knowledge, the battle should be interesting!

Hope you enjoyed this opening move post, not much action but hopefully you weren't bored too much. We shall see what happens over the coming days.