Grand Campaign II - Union Player Signs On

There is a Union player for the Grand Campaign II, starting in early 2020. More information to come soon.

Grand Campaign II Rules Available

The revised rules for use in the Grand Campaign II simulation are now available, along with a cost sheet for September 1861 upgrades.

Grand Campaign II Rules (v. December 2019)

September 1861 Cost Sheet

We expect this simulation will run in early 2020, but we do not yet have a Union player for the simulation. We will start actively recruiting for someone in January 2020, but if there is someone out there reading this who may be interested, read the rules, ask any questions, and see if you'd like to give it a try. Anyone interested in taking over the Union army will be given information on the army's current strength by regiment, unit armaments and quality, units and regiments on the field, available resource points, etc.

Grand Campaign II - Early 2020

A new simulation, the Grand Campaign II, is proposed for early 2020. A Union commander will take the field against Lieutenant General Earl J. Starbuck's Army of Tennessee. The Union Commander will have the option of starting with an existing Army, the core of which is the Department of the Ohio from Grand Campaign I simulation, or forming a completely new force to take to the field. The campaign theater will be the same, but there will be some minor changes in rules. 

We will be recruiting a Union Commander for the simulation. Engagements are played out in the Take Command Second Manassas (TC2M) game, but it is not necessary to own or use the TC2M to play the simulation.

Stay tuned for more information...

Campaign Losses

During the Campaign, the following infantry regiments had the highest loss by percentage of men enlisted:

Confederate:

1. 3rd Kentucky - 44.5%
2. 1st Arkansas - 38.8%
3. 7th Louisiana - 38.7%
4. 6th Louisiana - 38.1%
5. 2nd Kentucky - 35.9%

Union:

1. 1st Indiana - 91.3% (regiment captured near the end of the campaign)
2. 2nd Indiana - 51.9%
3. 3rd Ohio - 39.1%
4. 2nd Ohio - 37.7%
5. 4th Ohio - 29.7%

The four Union regiments with the highest losses were all part of the battles fought by Brigadier General Solomon Lewis' ad hoc brigade in on the August 17 - 22nd August. Three of the Confederates regiments with the high losses were also in the same battles, having only come onto the field in August.  During those engagements, Brigadier General Lewis moved south from Clinton against Indiana Rock Manor, to help extricate the 2nd and 3rd Ohio (from Brigadier General Benjamin F. Smith's Brigade) from Twin Fords, where they were cut off by the enemy. Lewis' force then became cut off from his lines and tried to fight his way back to safety.  Lewis' men fought hard, until they ran out of ammunition and where pinched at Lebanon on August 22nd. Overall, they extracted a toll on their opponents during several days of fighting as follows:

Engagement	Lewis' Losses	Confederate Losses
August 17 - Indian Rock Manor	66	103
August 19 - Clinton	218	450
August 20 - Shingleton	204	530
August 21 - Carothers	51	116
August 22 - Lebanon	202	349
Total	741	1548

The overall losses for two months of hard campaigning looked like this:

CS Department of Tennessee		Killed	Wounded	Missing	Total
	July 1861	269	1134	213	1616
	August 1861	612	2353	487	3452
	Campaign Total	881	3487	700	5068
US District of the Ohio		Killed	Wounded	Missing	Total
	July 1861	297	1189	238	1724
	August 1861	376	1530	905	2811
	Campaign Total	673	2719	1143	4535

The losses by regiment for each month are in the following returns of casualties: 

Union Losses by Unit - July 1861

Confederate Losses by Unit - July 1861

Union Losses by Unit - August 1861

Confederate Losses by Unit - August 1861

It was a hard-fought campaign by both sides.

Federals Concede Defeat - Major General E. J. Starbuck recommended for promotion to Lieutenant General

After a hard fought campaign, Major General William T. Sherman has conceded defeat following the rout of Brigadier General Solomon Lewis' force at Lebanon. It was a well-fought campaign on both sides and neither side was able to push too deeply into enemy territory in a meaningful way, other than raids. Great work by both players, who waged a long, hard campaign.

I will run the casualty stats later. Players are welcome to put add any comments on this page. Great job Jake and Greg. You kept each other on your toes for months.

Turn 8 - Lines Frozen: Movement Only - August 24 - 31st 1861

Lines will be frozen in the current positions for one turn as per the map below. During Turn 8, units may move according to their movement rates, but may not make contact with enemy lines. Troop presence in a town that is adjacent to an enemy occupied town will be reported to the enemy prior to Turn 9.

All eligible exchanges will be made on August 31st and returning convalescents will return to their units. They will appear in the August 1861 Returns.

I am working on reports now, but it could take a while. Turn 8 movement orders will not be due until January 2020.

The Usual Probes End Turn 7

Cavalry from Atkins and Tomlin's Fords probed the Confederate positions at Rowland Mills and Arlington and then returned to the fords on August 23rd, ending Turn 7.  The simulation will now be on break until after the holidays.  I will do a separate post on Turn 8, which will be a special turn in view of the heavy actions during the month of August 1861.

Lewis Routed at Lebanon - August 22, 1861

I may put up a video later this weekend, but the news from Lebanon is not good for the Federals. Brigadier General Solomon Lewis' force was not able to break Confederate lines in Lebanon under Brigadier General John Wharton in time. Parts of Wharton's line gave way, but Lewis was hit from the rear by Taylor's Louisiana Brigade as all of the Federal infantry regiments ran completely out of ammunition and broke in different directions. It will be considered a general rout and all units will be off the field until they reform at a Union held objective for Turn 8.

The 1st Indiana, however, was routed and then fell into Brigadier General Walker's net to the north of Lebanon and was captured in its entirety with its colors. It will be subject to rules concerning prisoners of war, parole and exchanges.

Amazingly, most of the Union units got off the field with positive grades and inflicted many more casualties on the enemy than they received in return, but the combination of being pinned between forces and running out of ammunition was too much.

Showdown at the Crossroads Looming - Lebanon: August 22, 1861

The orders for Lebanon look like they will result in a showdown at the crossroads in the Village of Lebanon.

• Brigadier General John Wharton's Confederate command (1st and 2nd Tennessee Cavalry and 2nd Mississippi Infantry) has orders to hold the crossroads at all costs. 
• Brigadier General Solomon Lewis' Federal command (1st and 2nd Indiana Infantry, 2nd and 3rd Ohio Infantry, 1st Battalion 1st Kentucky Cavalry, and left section Battery "A," 1st Michigan Light Artillery) have orders to attack into Lebanon from Pace and take the crossroads. Knowing that the enemy is in close pursuit, he wants to take the crossroads to his west before he is attacked by the infantry coming from the east. 
• Major General E. J. Starbuck has split his command, with Walker's Brigade (1st, 2nd and 3rd Arkansas Infantry) moving at the double quick along Swamp Road to block the West Pines Road north of Lebanon. Taylor's Louisiana Brigade (6th, 7th and 8th Louisiana Infantry), supported by Cole's Tennessee Battery and the 2nd Battalion Engineers, is to advance against the enemy at Pace and demonstrate until Walker is in position. Taylor will find that Lewis' men have already left Pace and will pursue to Lebanon.

Starbuck is trying to use a "hammer and anvil" approach to catch Lewis between Wharton and Taylor and block his withdrawal routes. Lewis is attempting to clear the enemy out of Lebanon and create a clear route of withdrawal before having to fight Starbuck's infantry. Lewis' men are at the Pace Farm and close to Lebanon. Taylor has a much longer march to being able to hit Lewis' rear. 

The big questions: 1) Will Wharton hold long enough for Taylor to arrive and attack Lewis' rear while Lewis is still engaging Wharton's men to his front?  I have no idea, but we will find out tonight when I run the scenario. 

Federals Withdraw to Lebanon - August 21, 1861

There was a brief action near Carothers on August 21st. Federal infantry (Brigadier General Solomon Lewis' ad hoc command) deployed across the Clinton Pike at the Jenkins Farm, west of Carothers and the Carothers Furnace.

Confederate infantry (with artillery to the rear) deployed just west of the Carothers Farm, with Walker's (Arkansas) brigade on the right and Taylor's (Louisiana Brigade) on the left.

As the Confederates advanced, guiding center on the Clinton Pike, the left of Taylor's Brigade and right of Walker's Brigade were slowed by brush and trees on the side of the road. This resulted in the 3rd and 1st Arkansas getting ahead of the other regiments and leading the engagement.

The Union front line opened fire, with the 2nd Indiana near the Jenkins barn, 2nd Ohio to their right, and the 1st Battalion, 1st Kentucky Cavalry dismounted in the woods to the left. The 1st Indiana and 3rd Ohio were in the rear in reserve.

After a very short period of fighting, the Union artillery to the rear (left section, Battery "A," 1st Michigan Light) limbered up and moved west down the Clinton Pike. The infantry then retreated, formed to the rear, and withdrew westward toward Lebanon before the bulk of the Confederate force could engage. They will find Lebanon town and cross roads occupied by Brigadier General John Wharton's Cavalry Brigade. But that will be another engagement on another day...

Raid on Jackson Turned Back - August 21st 1861

As all eyes are on an expected action at Carothers, there is news of an unexpected skirmish outside the rail depot of Jackson. A Union cavalry battalion advancing from Ivyland was met by a large regiment of Mississippi infantry guarding the town.  After a brief actions, the Federals were turned back and headed northeast, back up the Ivyland Road.

Screenshots of Carothers

DYOD_Carothers is not yet available. I am making some revisions on the sprite.csv file for the DYOD mod and some additional graphics. The map is ready for action though. Here are some screenshots:

Carothers Farm, looking west down Clinton Pike toward Jenkins

Carothers Furnace, looking east toward Norton

Charcoal kilns, looking toward Ironville

"Ironville"

Carother Map

The Carothers full TC2M modded map is not done yet, but the mini map is:

"So Be It...." Starbuck Continues Pursuit of Lewis' Command

Upon the rejection of his surrender terms offered to Brigadier General Solomon Lewis, Major General Starbuck's force at Shingleton will be advancing on Carothers on August 21st to re-engage Lewis' men there. But... the map does not yet exit. As soon as it does, we can continue.  I am working on it.

Lewis Responds to Starbuck's Terms - Night of August 20th

Brigadier General Lewis has sent a messenger through the lines on the Clinton Pike toMajor General Starbuck's headquarters at Shingleton. He thanked the Confederate commander for his generous surrender terms, but informed him that he has orders to fight as long as he has ammunition, and he still has ammunition.