Week 2 July 1861 - McDowell Crosses the Potomac

 

"Colonel there is no use dodging. When you hear them they have passed"  

Joseph E. Johnson to a flinching Colonel on the Peninsula before he was hit himself. (see site footer)

Northern newspapers are trumpeting the victory in Missouri and there are outpourings of celebration but also national grief in respect of the fallen hero Lyons. Lyons is the first General Officer to die in the war (again and thanks to my stupidity in attaching him to a confederate brigade in the thick off it - history repeats itself and the Union loses its highest initiative commander).  News also reaches Richmond of the set back at Rolla. Jefferson Davis is under pressure from the public and there are calls to eject the Yankee invader from Virginia. The Confederates can wait for the Union to make a move. The historical reality at this point is that both hoped thought that one decisive battle in the East would settle the matter. I could be cautious for the Union however tying down large amounts of troops to protect Richmond is an end in itself. 

Joseph E Johnston is technically the senior officer in the field on the confederate side. I am not sure of the extent to which he and P.T.E Beauregard would have cooperated daily but we know historically how they managed to mass their troops at Mannasses junction to defeat the first union thrust at Bull Run. 

In essence the strategic position on the map overall is largely unchanged apart from the set-back for the confederacy in Missouri. I discussed the overall strategic position in my post for the first turn here . It's almost 3 months since I wrote this piece so I have had to remind myself of my initial conclusions. 

The CSA elects to take a guaranteed "2" as their initiative chit drawer. The options then for the Union are 0,1 or 3. I let my wife draw the chit to avoid any bias karma infiltrating the cardboard and a "1" arrives. The union will finally be able to perform some guaranteed movement but after the Confederate turn. 

Confederate Moves 

(1) Price uses a Confederate initiative and orders the M2 and C1 counters (The surviving elements of Weightman and Cawthorn's brigades of the  Missouri State Guard) with him to move. The Cawthorn's cavalry counter moves as far as Ironton A2517. Weightmans Missouri State Guard brigade (M2) marches as far as A2117. Ironton is in supply (being 3 infantry move points from the Mississippi). It also continues to threaten St. Louis as the Missouri railroads can be used by either side while Missouri remains neutral. Although Price's force is possibly no longer a real threat but could be reinforced by Polk in the South. 

(2) As a backfill to logistics (I forgot to consider combat supply in the first turn I am going to allow the confederates to broadcast 6 points to a new depot at Manassas Junction. An I2 counter will be lost to make the depot. 

(3) For the second initiative move the supply train at Manassas Junction is going to ship 4 supply points to Winchester.  I think the stack at Winchester C2108  requires access to combat points in case it is attacked or wants to attack 

Jo Johnston is able to roll a move initiative - 3 or less on a D6. 

(4) One of the I5 divisions sloughs off an I2 brigade which will remain at Winchester and Jo Johnston and an I5 and I3 march to reinforce Beauregard at Manassas junction. If McDowel decides to attack he will be facing a much more even fight now that 8,000 troops have joined Beauregard at Mannassas junction 

Those are all the confederate moves.

Union Moves

McDowell in command of the first corps HQ can move 3 divisions within the corps and an additional unit or division as a *** leader. He crosses the Potomac with the I9, I6 I6, I6 counters. I think it could be wise to concentrate additional forces before an attack. There is an I5 division next door in Alexandria and a further I3 veteran division in Washington. It may be worthwhile switching in Mclennon  prior to attack but then again McLennan has an initiative of 1 so he may not be able to attack in any event ? The command and control in War Between the States is somewhat frustrating but I quite accurately. In early 1862 for example Lincoln was unable to get McLennan to attack for many months and then again on the Peninsula he was continually plagued by over-caution and over-estimation of the force opposing him. Lincoln was continually frustrated that having built an army McLennan was not particularly disposed to use it. 

McDowell has an initiative of "2" so on a D6 he should be able to give combat on average at least once every 3 months.  Any battle at the moment would be a broadly equal one. 

From a personal point of view it will commit me to a good 1-2 month's painting as I think I will need about 50-60 more small 20 mm square bases each of Union and Confederate infantry (4 x 10 mm figures to a base and 4-6 making up a 3 inch square volley and bayonet brigade bases. As the war progresses the figure requirement is only going to increase. By 1862 both sides could have as many as 80,000-100,000 men in the biggest field armies in the East and West. An 80,000 strong force will need around 40 x 3 " stands on each side which is 240 bases or close to 1,000 figures a side. There is no getting around it. I think the table sizes will also increase to about 9-12 feet x 4-6 feet for some of the battles with a corresponding requirement for scenery. This is the whole point. If I can get to that point then essentially with whatever rules I ever use I will be able to field two decent size armies. I will be set up for good. 

The Bull Run size battle will be a good half way point to reach for with my modelling. 

Despite my immediate concern over the painting logistics I think the pressure from Lincoln would be too much and for historical accuracy I roll for an attack. McDowell fails for this turn but already the conveyor belt for infantry stands is back in motion. 

Heintzleman who is currently at Evansville in Illinois manages to activate (roll of 1 on an initiative 2). A leader can travel normally by rail without having to use a rail point. He moves to Rolla to take command of  the Trans-Mississippi theatre. 

That ends the Union movements and the weekly turn. I will update the living tracker. If the Union can make a combat initiative roll next turn they can attack !