Battles of the Civil War - The Battle of Wilson's Creek

[CountArach]

Sorry guys, I have a lot of exams over the next two weeks, so have been busy studying. I will have time to do this tomorrow.

[Kommodus]

Ammunition can be changed fairly quickly, just a bit longer than it takes to load a gun.

Thanks. Even so, please change my choice for Decision 2 from C to B. I think we should just load the guns with cannister and hold fire until the rebel infantry is in range.

[CountArach]

Chapter 8 – The Battle Arrives
August 10th, 1861 – 0615 – Clear day, just after Dawn.

Fifteen minutes have passed since the Rebel Cannons began to flee. Your men fired one last salvo, achieving nothing, and then stopped firing, allowing the cannons to cool down. The men moved back to their supply wagons and started to load the canister, awaiting the inevitable charge. You have about 15 canister rounds for the battle per cannon.

The one remaining Rebel gun in the Battery continues to fire round shot, this time targeting your artillery. They have not achieved anything so far, the range being too far to accurately determine ranges.

You sent an order to your scouts to keep an eye on the approaching Rebel forces and so far they have reported that it seems the entire remnant of the Rebel army, amounting to around 8000 men are on the march and approaching your position.

Yet the most interesting thing to come of the last 15 minutes has been the approach of 900 men, coming down from Bloody Hill. They are hitting the right of your trench and are sitting opposed to Andrew’s Brigade, who has just over 1000 men with him. Your men sit about 200 yards apart, where the Rebels have halted and are taunting your men. A few scattered men have run forward and have been picked off by your men in the trenches.

However, something interesting has come from this. The men are packed quite tightly in the trenches and as such reloading has become an issue. It is taking your men at least ten seconds longer to reload than it would if they were standing in open ground. On the plus side, they can put forth a far greater amount of firepower in a volley because they are so tight.

Decision 1 – Artillery
You have loaded the canister into your cannons and currently the enemy is just over the effective range of the nearest cannons (The effective range being 200 yards).
Option A – Fire now.
Option B – Fire at 200 yards
Option C – Fire at 150 yards
Option D – Fire at 100 yards
Option E – Fire at another distance
Option F – Do not fire at all, conserve our canister

Decision 2 – Re-loading difficulties
Your men in the trenches are having difficulties reloading due to being packed too tightly in the trench.
Option A – It does not matter
Option B – Take some of our men out of the trenches (Specify which ones)
Option C – Pull all of the men out of the trenches
Option D – Other

Decision 3 – Orders for Andrews
There are 900 Rebels building up in front of Andrews’ Brigade. Do you have any orders for him?

Decision 4 – Other Orders
Are there any other orders you want to give to any of your Brigade commanders?

Current Situation
Alright, I decided to give you a map, because otherwise you will lose track of where everything is. It is intentionally vague.

[Marshal Murat]

I suggest that the lines be thinned out by having
1 man load
1 man percussion cap
1 man shoot

It thins out the lines but allows a constant volley of fire.

1. D
Wait for the Rebs to get within a good firing range. Give them the shot and bloody them.

2. B
Take 300 men out of the line, shift them to be perpendicular to the end of the line. Have them enfilade the Rebel charge.

3. Have Andrews wait for the Rebs to get within canister distance, then let the men fire at once. Enough lead in the air should bloody the Confederate advance.

4. Hold, maybe distribute rations and coffee.

The Rebels might try to outflank our position, especially on our right where our line isn't bunkered against a natural obstacle or element.

[Ignoramus]

1.) C. Firing at 200 yards is risky, as it is only just inside the effective firing range. If we let them come another 50 yards, then we stand a better chance of inflicting more damage.

2.) B. Take 300 men out of the trenches.

3.) Send the 300 men round to flank the Confederates, while leaving the other 600 men to try and provoke them into charging.

4.) Hold firm and wait for the Confederate line to attack.

[King Kurt]

Decision 1 – Artillery
You have loaded the canister into your cannons and currently the enemy is just over the effective range of the nearest cannons (The effective range being 200 yards).

Option D – Fire at 100 yards
That should be a shattering blow, especially coupled with the musket fire. That should halt the charge and allow another whiff of grapeshot.

Decision 2 – Re-loading difficulties
Your men in the trenches are having difficulties reloading due to being packed too tightly in the trench.
Option A – It does not matter
We should keep our men in the trenches. This gives them shelter from any fire, improves their morale and provides a more devastating volley when it comes. Remember the Rebels will be moving - very difficult to reload, so will only fire when they charge home - so return fire is not a problem. We want them to halt about 100 yards away, in the open. Then we will be shooting at massed infantry in the open from our defensive positions. The loss of rate of fire is not a problem as our losses will increase if we move them into the open. Remember this is all about morale, so protecting our troops is good, especially as we can deliver a single devastating blow. That should halt them or make them run.
Decision 3 – Orders for Andrews
There are 900 Rebels building up in front of Andrews’ Brigade. Do you have any orders for him?
These are isolated and locally outnumbered. Leave them be, except engage them in a firefight. They then have to halt in the open and get shot to bits, retreat or charge. If they charge, our fire will shread them before they gey close.
Decision 4 – Other Orders
Are there any other orders you want to give to any of your Brigade commanders?

Just more of the same - let em get closeish then shoot them to bits. Make sure plenty of ammo and water is available

[Franconicus]

Agree with Kurt!

[Julian the apostate]

1. Order artillery to fire at 150 yards


2. The German major who did the speech, have him pull half of sigels troops out of the trenches and move them to andrews flank and have the men in the trench spread out with this new space. When they reach there have them form a skirmish line, wheel so that they face the rebels and are perpendicular to andrews men and then hold

3. Order Andrews to follow the instructions given by murat and to continue picking off anyone who closes

[Tran]

Decision 1 – Artillery
Option D – Fire at 100 yards
It is a good range

Decision 2 – Re-loading difficulties
Option A – It does not matter

Decision 3 – Orders for Andrews
Wait for them, engage when they fire or close enough, and maybe order the men to taunt back?

Decision 4 – Other Orders
Hold the line and keep the eyes on them and keep the men morale high

[CountArach]

Sorry it's been a while guys. I'm in the middle of some really hectic exams. I should get this up in a week. Don't think I've forgotten you!

[Rodion Romanovich]

1D

2B take as many troops as needed to make reloading easier, whether it's half a regiment or an entire one. Pull back the removed troops in hiding behind any natural cover that can be found behind Andrews, and let them hide there for now. Choose the troops expected to have the highest morale. Once completed, report how many were removed and where they have been positioned. Their later use will obviously be to act as reserves, or if needed cover the right flank from outflanking attempts.

3. nothing except the obvious: if the enemy gets close enough to take casualties, start firing the muskets.

4. hold still and wait for an enemy attack. I expect the enemy to attack our right flank. Therefore, if there are any signs of massed enemy formations there, the artillery will fire concentrated artillery volleys on the right flank, otherwise the artillery should concentrate their fire towards the enemy left flank (since it is further away from our reserves if things get difficult there).

[Gurkhal]

Decision 1 – Artillery
Option C – Fire at 150 yards

Better to make sure they're within range before we start shooting both to save our ammunition and to not let the stress of being under fire start untill we can shoot with maximum effect.

Decision 2 – Re-loading difficulties
Option B – Take some of our men out of the trenches (Specify which ones

Take a third to half of the men out, and let them form a reserv behind the main battle line. Maybe they could try to put up some manner of defences, or just try to sitt tight and avoid getting hit. With this we have both more room to reload in the trench, as well as a reserv in case things would turn nasty. Exactly which men to pull out I think is of minor importence, just as long as there are no gaps in the line.

Decision 3 – Orders for Andrews
There are 900 Rebels building up in front of Andrews’ Brigade. Do you have any orders for him?

Don't let them draw him out from his defences, and keep us informed if they would try something cleaver.

Decision 4 – Other Orders
Are there any other orders you want to give to any of your Brigade commanders?

For the Union!

[Franconicus]

Hey, is the battle over? Did we win??

[King Kurt]

CA - have the rebels realised the futility of their position? or is this dead???

[Rodion Romanovich]

I think the rebels decided to make love, not war

Or maybe there was another tea party in Boston?

[CountArach]

CA - have the rebels realised the futility of their position? or is this dead???

Sorry to say it, but dead. I finish school in just under 2 months (Which is why I have been so busy lately) - then I will start something again.

Sorry to waste your time guys :(