Part 2 of the Jackson Gamers 1864 game
Tecumsah Creek
Photo by Jim Pitts
Jerry Lee Ainsworth's large brigade of Confederates (Gordon's Brigade and a battery) begins to march on from the Confederate rear. This was a big chunk of Early's corps.
All of the 15mm miniatures in this battle belong to Larry Reeves. They are a mix, mainly of Stone Mountain and Musket Miniatures figures.
Photo by Ed Sansing
Another view of Jerry Lee Ainsworth's brigade coming in on the Confederate left.
Photo by Jim Pitts
A small Confederate cavalry brigade (to be controlled by Jim Pitts) enters from the Confederate rear.
Photo by Jim Pitts
The cavalry begin to outflank the steadily withdrawing Union troops of Jay Ainsworth and Sean Pitts.
Photo by Jim Pitts
Jerry Lee Ainsworth's brigade begins to approach the rail fence prior to crossing the stream. In the front left, Jim Pitts has rallied a wayward regiment of his brigade and is leading it back into the fray.
Photo by Jim Pitts
"The Yankees are runnin'!" Sean Pitts brigade quickly withdraws from the threat of Jerry Lee Ainsworth's strong brigade. Part of Jay Stribling's Union brigade holds behind the stone wall.
Photo by Jim Pitts
The Confederate cavalry is unleashed into the fleeing Yankees! On the left, one regiment hits the rear of a Union regiment in line, sending it fleeing in panic, while on the right, the second regiment tries to overrun a Union gun section.
Photo by Jim Pitts
A closer shot of the cavalry charging the Union gun section.
Photo by Jim Pitts
And the remnants of the cavalry after the guns stand their ground and shoot canister at point-blank range - the brigadier and half the regiment were killed!
Photo by Jim Pitts
After traversing the fence, Jerry lee Ainsworth's brigade crosses the stream...
Photo by Jim Pitts
...before turning half right to attack the point of the Union lines behind the stone walls.
Photo by Jim Pitts
And at the end of the day, Jim Pitts' small brigade, along with the remnants of the cavalry demolish a Union regiment and, in a payback, overrun the Union gun section that caused so many casualties to the cavalry earlier.
Photo by Ed Sansing
The Rebel assault in the center. Ed's brigade in the foreground and Jerry Lee's troops on the left, both headed toward Jay's and Sean's troops in the "bloody angle". Note the 2 batteries of artillery deployed in the angle. They dealt death and destruction to the Rebels.
Photo by Ed Sansing
Yet another view of "The High Tide" as Jerry Lee Ainsworth's troops get so close to the angle, but it was too hot and they could not stand the fire. Note that the Confederate regiments have shrunk in size and many of them are now only 1 or 2 stands, instead of the 4 that they began the assault with.
Photo by Ed Sansing
At the Confederate right John was able to take some of the wall but was held by Bill Hamilton.
Various comments by the players
John Murdaugh, who commanded the Confederate right, says: "I had not been driven from the wall when the game was called. The La. Brigade still had some fight left in them."
Ed Sansing, The Southern commander writes: "Initially the Federals were to drive the Confederates from their defensive position near the middle of the table. A few turns into the game Confederate reinforcements arrived. The Yankees then went on the defensive and were told to hold a stone wall and prevent the Rebels from advancing. While John Murdaugh was able to take some of the wall for the Confederate side, the Yankees were able to fight off all the other attacks."
Jay Stribling, the Federal commmader says: "BAH, those Louisianans were as thin as snow in a Mississippi winter. They were understrength and we had reinforced our left. Bill Hamilton would have thrown them back in another turn. We HAD the wall!"
Photo by Ed Sansing
One last shot of the Federal commanders, in a jovial mood. Left to right: Jay Ainsworth, Sean Pitts, Jay Stribling, Bill Hamilton.
SO - Who won this battle?
The Union held the stone wall, by the slimmest of margins. John Murdaugh led his Confederate troops over the wall on the extreme Federal left flank, but Bill Hamilton's federal troops, reinforced by three regiments 'loaned' from Jay Stribling in the center threw them back. The southern boys under Jerry Lee Ainsworth's powerful attack at the angle of the stone wall came so SO close but double cannister from a fresh Federal battery and the remnants of two more shot-up battereis flayed them and they could not close.
The Federals won. A single regiment added to either side would have tipped the scales decisively. This was an exquisitly balanced game that went right down to the end. Larry Reeves, our game-master, did an excellent job of setting up and running the game.
We began setting the game up about 10:15am. We began play shortly before 11am. We broke for lunch then stopped play shortly after 3pm. to clean up the field. A great game! The boys in blue won!
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