Welcome back for turns four through six. Once again thank you very much for the positive comments, especially about the fictitious letter extracts. I wasn't sure how they would be received, but I can now happily continue with them. So back to the battle...
Brigadier General Longstreet surveys the Union troops on the Warranton Turnpike, beyond the Stone Bridge.
Message delivered by hand.
From Brig Gen Longstreet
To Brig Gen Beauregard
Info Brig Gen Johnston.
Sir, The Union now have two divisions opposite me in the field, with more seemingly approaching down both the Warranton Turnpike and the Old Warranton Road. They have made it plain by their movements that they attempt to cross the creek by Ball's Ford or the Stone Bridge.
I am in a good defensive position and consider I have enough troops to hold the crossings.
Yours
Longstreet
Brigadier General Beauregard watches an artillery battery engage enemy infantry advancing through the woods.
Message delivered by hand.
From Brig Gen Beauregard
To Brig Gen Johnston
Info Brig Gen Longstreet
Sir, I am concerned with how McDowell is currently deploying. Everything that has arrived on the field has proceeded East towards the Stone Bridge and Ball's Ford in Longstreet's area of operations. Could this be the Union main thrust to cross the creek? Longstreet assures me that at this time he has the strength to hold his ground.
Yours
Beauregard
Brigadier General Johnston at Mitchell's Ford, looking down the Manassas Road. The Union troops are all moving East towards Longstreet's position.
Message delivered by hand.
From Brig Gen Johnston
To Brig Gen Beauregard
Info Brig Gen Longstreet
My dear Pierre, we both know Irvin well enough, he is keeping his cards close to his chest. He is still deploying and I suggest we wait until his intentions are known. I wish he would, but doubt very much, that all his efforts will be focused against the Stone Bridge and other fords in the area. He is trying to discover your deployment. He has no idea that I am here with the Army of the Shenandoah, so thinks he outnumbers you significantly. If he does concentrate all his divisions against Longstreet, I will happily cross the ford with my army and hit him in the flank and rear!
Stay calm my friend, let us await developments.
Yours
Johnston
The Confederates open turn four with another salvo from Pendleton's battery against the luckless Porter's Brigade, hunkered down in the woods.
Extract from a letter.
...I was still flat on my belly, trying to dig straight down with my bare hands into the soil, in an attempt to get even lower. When the boom and whistling of more balls came crashing through the trees. I have never felt so afraid in all my life and was sure I was about to die! Once again splinters of tree and branch, cruelly carved into missiles by the blast filled the air. More men received hideous injuries and others died where they lay...
Private Strombo, Porter's Brigade, Hunter's Division, Union Army of Northeastern Virginia.
Porter's brigade suffer another loss of one elan point.
Union turn, and Tidball's Battery deploy across the Old Warranton Road.
Davies' Brigade moves up behind Tidball's Battery.
Heintzelman's Division move onto the Manassas Road, whilst his artillery, Rickett's Battery heads across country toward a commanding hill.
Heintzelman looks at where to deploy his men.
Rickett's Battery have orders to advance to high ground overlooking the creek.
The rest of Heintzelman's Division traverse through the town of Centreville.
Porter's Brigade are pulled back out of range of the enemy artillery.
Burnside's Brigade continue to move forward.
Palmer's Cavalry also continue to pick their way through the woods towards Sudley Ford.
They are moving into dangerous ground with Rebel infantry in the woods by the ford.
Griffin's Battery fire a salvo at the Jones' Brigade who are defending the Stone Bridge. (The 1 on the dice is to show it is the first time the battery has fired, and does not represent elan)
The dice will increment up by on on each firing by the battery.
Extract from a letter.
...We all stood mesmerised as the Union artillery on the turnpike before us, unlimbered and prepared their guns for action. Every one of those barrels seemed to be pointing right at me. We had prepared some makeshift earthworks before us, but that had been to counter musket balls, not cannon! Suddenly I heard the sound of cannon fire to my right, one of our batteries had opened up. Hooray, I thought, they are going to destroy the Union guns before they can fire. But no balls landed among them, they must have had a better target elsewhere. One by one those menacing barrels before us belched out a cloud of smoke, I buried my face down into the dirt and prayed....
Private Clay, Jones' Brigade, Beauregard's Division, Confederate Army of the Potomac.
One hit and a loss of elan on Jones' Brigade.
Turn Five and the Union initiative.
Heintzelman's Division continue to advance along the Manassas Road.
His artillery head off for the high ground.
It will be a tough climb, but will give them an excellent shooting position.
The rest of his division are still negotiating their way through the town.
Brigadier General McDowell decides to make his HQ just outside the town of Centreville.
Blenker's Brigade begin to deploy in the woods close to the creek, they cannot cross but can engage enemy infantry on the far bank.
Davies moves his brigade up behind the artillery.
Burnside is also still on the move, the Union divisions are getting ready to launch an assault on the bridge and ford.
Palmer's cavalry continue to advance slowly, they are now aware of rebel infantry ahead at Sudley Ford.
Not a very inviting scene for the troopers.
Griffins' Battery once again scores a hit on Jones' Brigade, which is pulled back out of range.
It leaves the Stone Bridge vulnerable, but the Union artillery would have decimated the whole brigade had it stayed in situ.
However, Pendleton's battery opens counter-battery fire on Griffin's battery.
And scores a hit!
Heintzelman's lead brigade commanded by Howard begins to deploy on the Manassas Road.
Whilst his battery begin the climb to higher ground.
Things are finally starting to become clearer on this side of the field.
More of Heintzelman's brigades move toward their positions.
Finally, the last Union division, commanded by Tyler arrives on the field.
Sherman decides to avoid the bottleneck in the town and sets off across country.
Tidball's Battery engage in counter-battery fire with Pendleton's battery.
Causing a hit!
With the rebels pulling back from the Stone Bridge and out of range, Griffin's battery swing their barrels and let fly on Holmes' Brigade covering Ball's Ford.
The result is a devastating loss of two elan.
Some high level photographs of the battlefield at the end of Turn Six.
From the Western end.
From the Eastern end.
Thank you once again for reading this rather long post, I hope you enjoyed it. Please feel free to make comments or suggestions.
With the Union now rapidly taking up their attack positions and their artillery forcing the defenders of the Stone Bridge and Ball's Ford back. I expect an infantry assault to soon take place. At the other end the last of the Union divisions is arriving and deploying for an assault on Blackburn's and Mitchell's Fords. One artillery battery is also heading for a commanding position.
