Battle of Second Kernstown 1864

With an upcoming campaign using Altar of Freedom rules, I decided to play a small affair. I have not actually played the rule set before, so it will be a learning curve for me.

The battlefield is just three feet by three feet. The Union deploy in the north, A-C 1, and the Confederates in the south, A-C 3.

My interpretation of the battlefield looking north, Kernstown lower right. The main pike runs north/south with minor roads/tracks shown in grey. Creeks are in blue, difficult to tell apart from tracks in this photo, but clear enough in real life.

Hoge Run is bridged at Kernstown, Opequon Church is lower left, centre, with Kern Farm upper right corner.

The pike passing through Kernstown and over Hoge Run.

Crop fields shown in yellow. Looking from the south west corner.

Looking from the west, Glass Farm is bottom, Toll Gate is left centre with Kernstown upper right.

From north west corner, Kern Farm is lower left, with Toll Gate lower centre.

Whole table from the west, with all the troops awaiting to be deployed.

Troops on the table, Union away to the north.

Rodes' Infantry and Vaughn's Cavalry Divisions, hidden behind a rolling hill.Wharton's Division under General Breckinridge at Kernstown and finally Ramseur's Division with army commander General Early in the centre.

Union General Crook with his HQ (tents upper centre left) with Mulligans Division. Nearest camera is Averell's Cavalry Division and Thoreburns Infantry Division. Top left are Duffie's Cavalry Division with Duval's Infantry Division.

View of the Union deployment.

What the troops can see ahead of them to the south.

General Crook's view.

View of Duffie's Cavalry Division.

View from General Breckinridge's command at Kernstown.

General Early at Opequon Church.

Ramseur's Division, just west of the church.

Cavalry and infantry divisions behind the hill.

'Colonel Mulligan is mistaken. 
I have full and accurate information.
There is nothing in his front but a few bushwhackers.'

Major General George Crook.


General Jubal Early and his corps of 16,000 men, were falling back up the Shenandoah Valley. Union commanders mistakenly assumed he would abandon the valley and rejoin Lee at Petersburg, Operating under this assumption Major General George Crook and his corps of 10,000 men were to screen the rebels and trail along behind them.

Early quickly realised that the force pursuing him was considerably smaller than his own, he changed direction and marched 15 miles to the north. Initial contact with Union pickets was made just south of Kernstown. Crook refused to believe Early's entire corps was just ahead of him. Instead of beating a careful retreat, Crook ordered a full attack at 1 pm.