The Battle of Novice Mountain Part I

 Inspired by the Battle of South Mountain, this game of ACW using the Johnny Reb rule set represents the Union forces of General Hooker’s First Corp attempting to push through the gaps of the lesser known (some would say unknown) Novice Mountain in order to catch the Confederates marching strung out along the far side.  James Longstreet’s Corp must hold back the Union troops until nightfall thus allowing the rest of the army to clear the gaps.

   The scenario begins at 2pm with two brigades of Union troops attacking two Confederate Brigades across three passes of Novice Mountain.  Three objectives are located on the far crest of the mountains, one on each road that crosses one of the passes.   Six additional Union Brigades are scheduled to arrive starting at 3:20pm while seven Confederate Brigades are scheduled to arrive starting at 4:40pm.  Each turn  represents 20 minutes.

2pm-3:20pm

On the Union right the Division of Daniel Tyler is aggressive and marches forward against the Confederate Division of John Bell Hood.  Evans’ Brigade of Rebels gains a stone wall as Phelps’ Brigade of Yankees gains the objective  

D.R. Jones’ Confederate Division moves up the Confederate center and takes the second objective but no Confederates are to be found on the Confederate right as James Ricketts’ Division pushes through the gap to the objective on the Union right.

Layfatte McClaws arrives early due to some some good fortune and starts to move up the Confederate right to meet Ricketts. Abner Doubleday marches up the Union center but does so timidly and stops at a stone wall out of range of all but the longest cannon fire and well short of the objective.

Looking out from the Confederate center.

On the Union right Phelps’ Brigade of Tylers’ Division pitches in setting off a tripwire of cannon and musket fire from the Confederates behind the stone wall. The second Michigan routs under the withering fire but the first Louisiana who don’t have the benefit of the wall and who hold the farthest left flank of the Confederate line take a heavy punishment   They stand their ground.   More Union and Confederate Brigades arrive on that end of the field.

The Confederate left explodes. 

In one hour and forty minutes approximately 14000 Union troops battle 13000 Confederate troops with estimated casualties of 630 Union and 660 Confederates.

Next: The battle heats up