Jackson Gamers' American Civil War Game

Looking north up the valley pike from the initial Confederate Position.

Notes: This game was a recreation of the battle of New Market in 1864. Larry Reeves was Union General Siegel and Tim Latham was the Rebel General Breckinridge. Jay Ainsworth was the game master. This game used our ACW variant of Larry Brom's "Standard" rules.

The right flank of the initial Confederate Position. Note union troops advancing and very young Federal commanders in background!

The left flank of Confederate Position. Yankee troops are coming "a boomin", occupying a small copse of woods from which they were later driven by Confederate bayonets.

The Confederate left flank, about turn two. Troops mass behind the rail fence, preparing to attack the yankees in the woods. One gun of a small southern artillery unit can be seen at the extreme left. A Federal battery can dimly be seen in the intermediate left, and the hill in the extreme rear was crowned with northern batteries that do not show well on this picture. They fired well however!

The Confederates assaulting the woods, viewed from the south-east.

The cadets from Virginia Military Institute march onto the field. These were the "final reserve" of the Southern forces. They were roughtly treated by the Northern artillery, but their musketry broke up a Federal cavalry charge.

The Confederate cavalry (two regiments) made an enveloping move aroung the Union left flank, thinking to attack the rear of the federal units. They encountered two units of Northern horsemen and immediately charged. Suddenly - "Its a trap boys!". Two more Federal cavalry units emerged from the woods and the southern horse soldiers were routed.

The Confederate center on about turn four. The Federals are hard pressing this area. They have forced the infantry back, and the artillery battery that was just to the right of the valley pike had been reduced to a section of two guns.

On the right, our brave southern boys have been reduced to a single regiment and are about to be overlapped by the Yankees. The dice on the right of the image represent "the fortunes of war".

Notes:In the real battle, U.S. Grant had ordered General Franz Siegel to attack up the Sendandoah Valley (in the Shenandoah "up" means southward). the Confederate cavalry of General John Imboden fell back fighting to New market Virginia. Here he was reinforced by two brigades under General John Breckinridge, plus 247 cadets from Virginia Military Institute. As Sigel approached new Market early on May 15 with 5,150 men, Breckinridge moved out to the attack. The Federals were forced back until about 4 pm when Sigel ordered a general retreat northward to Strasburg. He had suffered 831 caualties. Confederate losses were 577 (including 10 killed and 47 wounded among the cadets whose professor-leader, Scott Shipp, was killed). Grant later replaced Sigel with General David Hunter.

Chaos in the center! One section of the Confederate battery has turned 90 degrees and is firing east at Federal cavalry which are in danger of rolling up the southern right flank. The section of guns (two guns are represented by one model and two gunners) along with fire from the VMI cadets stopped the cavalry attack.

However, things were still going very badly for the southern forces. The infantry to the left of the photo are routed. Only the single regiment in the background near the house and the cadets (out of the picture on the right) remain to hold the right flank.

Notes:After 5 turns, the Confederate left was the only part of the line still holding. Their center and right were in shambles, and the Yankees were advancing freely. General Breckinridge (Tim Latham) announced a withdrawal and the game was picked up and both sides headed for their second objective of the day - LUNCH!

Matthew Brady's camera was a bit out of focus on some of these shots, but we hope that you can tell what went on in this furious and fairly short (3-1/2 hours) game.

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