First Day at Gettysburg

72

The course of the war hangs in the balance. By Neil Smith

FROM BRANDY STATION TO GETTYSBURGThe day after the fighting at Brandy Station, Lt. General Richard S. Ewell’s II ArmyCorps of the Army of Northern Virginia left the Culpeper area to cross the BlueRidge Mountains into the Shenandoah Valley. His mission was to neutralize theUnion presence at Winchester, opening the way for Robert E. Lee’s proposedadvance into Pennsylvania. Major General “Fighting Joe” Hooker, commandingthe Army of the Potomac, still did not know where his antagonist was, but hadsurmised that Lee planned a northern offensive. He wrote to President AbrahamLincoln, asking permission to attack a presumably unguarded Confederatecapital of Richmond, Virginia. The President replied that Hooker needed tokeep his mind on the job of beating Lee. Nevertheless, it took Hooker anothercouple of days to realize Lee’s army was in motion, allowing the Confederatesto get a head start and capture thestrategic initiative. In the meantime,Ewell’s arrival at Winchester shocked theUnion commander, Major General RobertH. Millroy, who abandoned the town on14 June, retreating to the moredefendable Harper’s Ferry.

Hooker was still none the wiser on 16June as to Lee’s position, even thoughthat day Ewell crossed the Potomac atWilliamsport into Maryland with Lt.General James Longstreet’s I Corps and Lt. General Ambrose P. Hill’s IIICorps not far behind. Lee himself wouldfollow a few days later. The Unioncommander ordered his cavalry out tofind Lee, but despite their best efforts atAldie and Middleburg, the Federalcavalry could not penetrate a by nowthoroughly alert JEB Stuart’s cavalryscreen. Of course, the reverse was alsotrue; if Stuart was protecting Lee’s armyfrom prying eyes, he could not be spyingon the Army of the Potomac. Leesurmised correctly, however, that Hookerwas tied to the defence of WashingtonDC and that his Confederate army wouldbe relatively free to operate inPennsylvania, at least until Hooker tookthe bait and could be lured into thedecisive battle Lee sought.

Hooker continued to dither, even thoughhe had intelligence from Confederatedeserters confirming Lee’s movements;Hooker chose not to believe them.Instead, he rode to Washington DC fororders convinced that the capital was Lee’s target, but he confessed he had no idea where Lee was or what hisobjective might be. The following day,Lee released Stuart to raid north and getbetween the Union army and WashingtonDC, creating confusion wherever he

went. Stuart was then to meet up with themain army again at Harrisburg,Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, that left Lee‘blind’ to the Army of the Potomac’smovements, and Stuart’s abscence would

lay the groundwork for much of whatwas to follow.

June 27 proved a propitious day in theGettysburg campaign. Finally

THE FIRST DAY ATGETTYSBURGTHE FIRST DAY ATGETTYSBURG

Strategic Situation by Nightfall on June 20

Left: Foundry 28mmRebel Standard bearer

Gettysburg Day One:Layout 1 4/6/09 15:38 Page 1

73

recognizing that Lee had got the jump onhim, Hooker crossed into Maryland butonly with some of his army. He alsodemanded of the President and General-in-Chief Henry Halleck that Harper’sFerry be evacuated to add to his strength,and he put his command on the line toshow his seriousness. Lincoln calledHooker’s bluff, much to the delight ofHalleck who despised Hooker andundermined him at every opportunity,and it was a surprised Major GeneralGeorge G. Meade that was awokenbefore dawn on the 28th to be told he wasnow in command of the Army of thePotomac. Meade reacted with hiscustomary modesty, arguing that otherswere better qualified than he, but to noavail; he now had the arduous task offinding out where all his army was thenlead them against the ConfederateGeneral who had destroyed every othereffort to bring him to heel.

That same day, June 27, Lee began to seethat the most likely site of any showdownwith the Union army was in the vicinityof the sleepy little Pennsylvania town ofGettysburg. He, therefore, ordered hisscattered units to abandon their foragingand converge west of the town. Lee’splan was simple; hit the demoralizedUnion army as it marched, driving corpsafter corps onto each other, and smashingit. That would leave the road to theFederal capital open, and surely Lincolnmust then sue for peace. Meade knewwhat was at stake too and his orders wereexplicit in ensuring he was to cover bothWashington DC and nearby Baltimore.After some reorganization of command,Meade ordered the Army of the Potomacto take up positions on the SusquehannaRiver along a broad front, but to bewithin mutually supporting distance oncehe found the enemy.

At this junction, neither commander knewwhere the other was, but they were veryclose, almost operating in each other’sshadows. Meade too had surmised thatGettysburg might be important anddispatched Major General John Reynoldswith I and XI Corps to the town. Meade’splan was for Reynolds to find Lee’s armythen pull back to a previously scoutedposition along the so-called Pipe CreekLine in Maryland where Meade wouldmake his stand. Only, Meade seems tohave omitted any instruction to Reynoldsnot to engage the enemy. In the meantime,Meade’s cavalry had found Stuart, butGeneral Judson Kilpatrick (nicknamed‘Kill-cavalry’ for his propensity forrecklessness) and General GeorgeArmstrong Custer (whose fame wasgrowing, although not yet his notoriety)both came up short against theConfederate horsemen. After seeing off theFederals, however, Stuart continued north

to his original rendezvous, not yetknowing the plan had changed: Lee wasstill blind.

Reynolds began his march, pushingBrigadier General John Buford’s FirstDivision of Union cavalry ahead toprovide protection and to secure theground around Gettysburg. On the otherside, the Confederate convergence hadbegun. On the evening of 30 June,Ewell’s Corps camped to the north andnortheast of Gettysburg; Hill’s divisionslay eight miles to the west of the town atCashtown; the rest of Lee’s armyremained further west, screened by themountains. If the fight kicked off atGettysburg, however, seven of Lee’s ninedivisions would have to traverse alongone road, ensuring delays in getting tothe field. That day, Brigadier General J.Johnston Pettigrew’s brigade of MajorGeneral Henry Heth’s 2nd Division ofHill’s III Corps advanced to the outskirtsof Gettysburg where he saw Unioncavalry approaching from the south upthe Taneytown Road. He reported back toHill that this was the vanguard of theArmy of the Potomac, but Heth and Hilldid not believe Pettigrew, and Heth

offered to make a reconnaissance with hisdivision the following day. Hill agreedand reported the situation to Lee. Theingredients for the battle to follow werequickly coming together.

On his arrival at Gettysburg, Bufordestablished skirmish lines across theChambersburg Pike about three miles tothe west of town, but he did not yet knowthat Heth’s division was barrelingtowards his dismounted troopers. Thefirst grey columns emerged from thewoods at 7:30am to be confronted withan unknown force of Union troopers.Buford knew that if his troops could hangon until supporting infantry and artilleryarrived, the Army of the Potomac couldoccupy the high ground to the south andwest of the town. When Reynolds rodeup to him on the field, Buford turned andsaid, “the devil’s to pay.” The Battle ofGettysburg was on.

Am

eric

an

Civ

il W

ar

1861

-186

5

THE FIRST DAY ATGETTYSBURG

The Battlefield - Key Roads, Woods and Farms

NotesThis map shows the entire battlefield as it was in 1863.Included are some contour lines, woods, orchards, streamsAnd fences/walls with places of importance named.

A the AngleCT the Copse of TreesPW the Point of Woods

PO the Peach OrchardWF the WheatfieldDD Devilʼs Den

GH Cemetery GatehouseURC unfinished railroad cutSS Spanglerʼs Spring

Above Map: Highlighted area shows where theaction on day one took place.

Maps shown on pages 72 & 73 are from TheGettysburg Companion by Mark Adkin. Usedby kind permission of Aurum Press Ltd.www.aurumpress.co.uk


74

INTRODUCTION - THE ACTION ON DAY ONE

The Battle of Gettysburg, fought 1-3 July1863, is replete with potential wargamescenarios and classic vignettes that givegreat insight into how the American CivilWar was fought. It is the first day,however, that I find most intriguing; thatwas the set-up day, pregnant withpossibilities and opportunities for bothsides. If the Confederates can smashthrough Buford’s cavalry screen, or ifEwell can drive his men through the townonto the heights, then everything thatfollowed would change. For the Union,Buford must hold for as long as possible,and the infantry deployment north of thetown might prove crucial, not only forthe battle, but for the future course of theAmerican Civil War.

The scenario for Day 1 is framed for 6-15mm because of the nature of thebattlefield that saw fighting in two mainareas north and west of the town (seehighlighted area on map pxx), although atsome distance from each other. For biggerscale enthusiasts, the two fights can beconducted on separate tables, but“simultaneously”. No rules are specifiedin the game, but some conditions areapplied, which should be playable for anyof the major rules sets. The terrain in themap, and some distances, have beenabstracted to a small extent to allow forthe flow of the game while keeping to thehistoricity of decision making and combatmechanics. For battlefield conditions, theweather was hot and there was nodiscernible wind; visibility was excellentapart from the opening stage, from5:15am to around 7am when the humidityfrom a recent rain-shower created aground fog that hampered recognition offriend from foe. The objectives for eachside are to occupy Gettysburg at the endof the first day’s battle.

OPENING MOVES

The sun rose over Gettysburg at 5:15amon the morning of 1 July, but Heth’sDivision was already on the move.Twelve-hundred men of Brigadier-General James Archer’s Brigade marchedin the vanguard down the ChambersburgTurnpike. Brigadier-General JosephDavis’ 2,200, mostly Mississippiansfollowed; Brigadier-General J. JohnstonPettigrew’s 2,600 North Carolinianscame next, and Colonel JohnBrockenbrough’s 970 Virginians broughtup the rear. Heth also took the III Corpsreserve artillery with him, four batteriesunder the command of Major D.G.McIntosh and five batteries under MajorWilliam Pegram. Many of thesoutherners were bare-footed and mayhave anticipated receiving new shoesrumored to be in a warehouse in town.What few of them would have expectedwas stiff resistance from any Federaltroops between them and Gettysburg;after all, even if the whole Army of thePotomac stood in the way, Lee’s veteranshad crushed them the last three times

they had met and there was no reasontoday would be any different.

Waiting for the Confederates were 1,600Union cavalry troopers of ColonelWilliam Gamble’s Brigade of BrigadierGeneral John Buford’s First Division ofthe still relatively new Union CavalryCorps. They had ridden into town theprevious day, along with the rest ofBuford’s Division, to be told that therebels were around, too many of them notto be a serious threat. Buford dismissedtalk amongst his commanders of how theywould send the Confederates packing ifthey came: he admonished them that therebels would come on strong and it wouldtake everything the troopers had to stopthem until help arrived from MajorGeneral John Reynolds’ I Corps.Reynolds had ordered Brigadier GeneralJames Wadsworth’s First Division,including the famed Iron Brigade, tohurry to Gettysburg. That would put afurther 3,800 Union men on the field,with another 7,700 to follow once MajorGeneral Abner Doubleday got moving.Neither Buford nor Reynolds could knowthat Doubleday had an attack of the‘slows’ and would not get the rest of theCorps moving until 8am on 1 July. Bufordset his screens north and west of the town;Gamble out to the west, and ColonelThomas Devlin’s 1,000 Pennsylvanianand New York troopers to the north,accompanied by two companies of WestVirginia cavalry, amounting to 59 menperhaps still bemused by the elevation oftheir region to statehood that hadhappened only two weeks before. TheUnion cavalrymen took up their positionsbehind whatever cover they could find,every fourth man holding the horses ofthe others. The troopers fiddled with their

Below: The area of action during the firstmorning at Gettysburg

Above: The view from behind Heth’sdivision on McPherson’s ridge


equipment and checked their carbines,many peering into the grey mist createdby the soft rain, looking for the advancingConfederates. Buford stood in the cupolaof the Lutheran Seminary where he couldoversee the field and make adjustments ifnecessary, depending on when and wherethe enemy arrived. He glanced south too,searching for the Union reinforcements.Where were they? Out in the field,troopers of the 8th Illinois cavalry couldsee shadows in the mist, coming on fast;the troopers fired then withdrew quickly,setting the tone for the morning – fire andmove, fire and move.

Heth’s Confederates of Archer’s Brigadehad reached Marsh Creek south of theturnpike around 5:30am where the 5thand 13th Alabama fanned out intoskirmishing order and pushed on to probethe opposition. It was they who firstreceived fire from the Illinois troopers,and they fired back, the boom of theirmuskets contrasting with the crack of thecavalrymen’s breechloading carbines.Heth now had reason to pause: theFederal force might be bigger than hefirst thought.

Heth’s pause became caution and hedeployed his infantry and artillery for afull-scale organized assault. Davis’sBrigade moved into line north of theturnpike, while Archer’s Brigade wentinto line south of the road. The artilleryunlimbered and began to pepper theenemy. All this took time, and eventhough the Confederates advancedsteadily, they advanced slowly, fulfillingthe wishes of the Union troopers whomaintained their fire and move tactics,falling back when they needed to. By8am, Heth’s Division had reached Herr’sRidge, still a long way from theirobjective, although they could now see it

in the shimmering distance as the Julysun burned off the dew. Their moreimmediate target was the Federalcavalrymen ranged along McPhersonRidge that rose behind a small creek,Willoughby Run. In the meantime,Davis’s Brigade also advanced, takingadvantage of an unfinished railway cut toconceal their movements. Heth’sDivision had taken too long, however,and in the distance, they could see Unioninfantry moving into line of battle alongSeminary Ridge that lay behind theMcPherson Ridge.

THE SCENARIOPHASE I: SET-UP

The table is set up so that Herr’s Ridge ison the left (west) edge of the Unionplayer’s side. The Hagerstown Road runsalong the Union player’s table edge. Thetown’s layout is about a square foot forthis scenario and sits on the Unionplayer’s edge (south) and about 12 inchesin from the eastern edge of the table. TheChambersburg Pike exits the town at anangle leading to about 10 o’clock if weconsider 12 as due north. TheMummasburg Road runs out towards 11o’clock, using the same scale. Oak Hillsits almost astride that road and abouteight inches from the northern table edge.The Carlisle Road heads due north fromthe town, and the Harrisburg Road pointsout towards 1 o’clock.

The McPherson Ridge lies about 18inches in from the western edge and runsaround the ‘clock-face’ where it fades justpast the Carlisle Road. Two other ridgesstraddle the ground between McPhersonRidge and the western edges of the town;they should not be considered as steps,however, but folds in the ground. Thecreek, Willoughby Run, flows just in front

of McPherson Ridge, running south tonorth. The unfinished railroad cut runsparallel to the Chambersburg Pike almostas far as the town.

The battlefield is mostly farmland withappropriate hedges, fences, and low wallslying around to provide soft cover. Thereare woods, McPherson’s Woods, aboutone-third of the way between theChambersburg Turnpike and theHagerstown Road. The only significantbuildings for day 1 are McPherson’s farmnext to the Chambersburg Turnpike on theridge of the same name, and the LutheranSeminary on the western edge of the townthat gives the Union side an advantage indetermining enemy positions anddirecting deployment and fire.

Heth’s Division is deployed along thewestern table edge with Archer south ofthe road and Davis to the north. Heth’sartillery sits on Herr’s Ridge near theroad in support. Buford’s cavalrymen aredeployed in a screen to the west andnorth of the town. At no point in thegame can Union cavalry cross theMummasburg Road from north to west orvisa-versa. If the Union player wants tomove his cavalry between the two areas,he must move his units through the townto do so.

All other forces remain off table at thebeginning of the game.

The game begins with a salvo ofConfederate artillery and Heth’s Divisionstarting its advance off of Herr’s ridge. Atthis point the CSA player rolls a D6. Ifthe score is anything other than one, hegets a 6'' initial move free of harassmentto simulate the effects of the morningmist. If a one is thrown, he is open toattack from his original position.

75


THE BATTLE ESCALATES

Heth’s men began moving off Herr’sridge at about 8am and advanced towardsWilloughby Run. They met increasingcarbine fire mixed with artillery fromLieutenant John Calef’s horse-artillerybattery of four 3'' inch rifles, firing overthe troopers’ heads. Calef’s fire was metby Pegram’s artillery and a fierce dueltook place between the cannoneers.

Seeing the crisis unfold before him,Reynolds galloped back to hasten hisinfantry along. He found Wadsworth’sFirst Division marching up and Reynoldsordered them to hurry. The Unionsoldiers of Meredith’s Iron Brigade tookoff at the double along with the 2ndMaine Battery of 3-inch rifles. The 2nd

Maine artillery arrived first and took uppositions on the north side of the road,but south of the railroad cut, where itattempted to engage Pegram’s battery.The Union artillerymen were shocked,however, when the 42nd Mississippi ofDavis’ Division appeared like spiritsfrom the railroad cut and fired into them.But the Maine battery responded in kind,with canister, and sent the Mississippiansscurrying back into cover. Reynolds alsoacted with alacrity, pushing two NewYork regiments, the 84th Zouaves and the95th, into the McPherson Farm area tobolster the artillery and relieve the hard-pressed troopers.

Arriving on the field, Wadsworth sent the76th NY and 56th Pennsylvania acrossthe turnpike where they crashed into the55th North Carolina and 2nd Mississippiwho charged them in partial enfilade.Lieutenant Colonel Francis Millerordered his men of the 147th NY, who tothis point had no orders and stood ready

behind McPherson’s farm, to the aid oftheir fellow New Yorkers and an intensemelee and firefight erupted. The NYregiments suffered terribly, soWadsworth ordered them to fall back, butthe 147th NY and the 2nd Maine artillerynever got their orders and were nearly cutoff, taking terrible casualties beforestreaming to the rear, the Maine batterypulling back by section, limbering andunlimbering, firing and moving.

At the same time that Davis’s Brigadewas crashing in from the north, Archer’sBrigade charged into McPherson’sWoods. Reynolds saw the Iron Brigademoving into line in the depression behindMcPherson’s Ridge and urged them toattack, following behind as they did so.The two sides clashed with furious volleyfire, and a bullet struck and killedReynolds; Abner Doubleday was now incharge of the Union I Corps. The IronBrigade hammered the Confederates withmusket fire and Archer’s Brigade brokefor the rear, leaving behind theircommander as a prisoner in their haste toget away from an enemy they now knewwas the Army of the Potomac.

It was a different story north of theturnpike. Major General Oliver O.Howard, commanding XI Corps, hadarrived to take charge of the battle. Hecould see the Union line north of theChambersburg Turnpike disintegrating andordered the 6th Wisconsin, currently heldin reserve to the rear of the Iron Brigade,into line to stop the bleeding. TheWisconsin men, all 340 of them, lined upalong a fence on the south side of the pikeand unloaded a volley into the advancingConfederates and followed up at thecharge. The recovered New York regimentspitched in on the Confederate flank,prompting Davis to order his men out ofthe railroad cut that was rapidly becominga trap. Most of the rebels got out, but therejuvenated Federal infantry captured 250of them and killed many more.

With Heth’s Division falling back toregroup and the Union infantry unable togo forward, an eerie lull fell over thebattlefield.

PHASE II: THE BATTLE ESCALATES

When Heth’s Division ends its firstmove, the Union player throws a D6 todetermine when the Iron Brigade willreach the field. A score of 6 means thatthe Iron Brigade appears at the southernedge of the table at a point no more than18'' from the Lutheran Seminary. For alesser score, nothing happens. The Unionplayer throws a D6 at the end of everysubsequent turn with a modifier of +1 foreach throw.

Above: Generals Heth’s view across thebattlefield towards the town.

Below: The action in the railroad cut

76


Reynolds and Howard arrive on thesouth edge nearest Gettysburg at thesame time the Confederate advance, butyou must have a rule that will allow forthe death of commanders and the effectsthat might have on organization,command and control, and morale,depending on what rules you are using tofight the scenario. If Reynolds is notkilled, he is in charge throughout theentire scenario. The rules must alsoallow for the effects of capturing acommander on morale and commandand control.

Movement along the railroad cut ishidden movement up to 12'' from theMcPherson Farm, but if the Confederateforces reveal themselves at that point, itis assumed that the Union player knowsthey are being attacked in force andDavis’s Brigade must be revealed in itsentirety. Therefore, you will need ahidden movement mechanism agreedupon by both players to achieve thissurprise. The Confederate player mayremain in the railroad cut for as long ashe chooses, but will be seen by anyUnion force with line of sight along thecut to a distance of 18'', or if Unionforces come within 6'' of theConfederate force. Forces firing into thecut can do so from within 2'' of the edgeand will count their fire as if firing fromthe flank.

The reactions of the Confederatebrigades to meeting Union regularinfantry must be reflected in their morale,perhaps with a temporary surprise factorthat diminishes CSA morale for at leastone or two moves when fired upon byUnion infantry or canister.

The Union player cannot crossWilloughby Run or the railroad cut at anytime in the game.

If no Confederate forces are inside theWilloughby Run/railroad cut perimeterafter the Iron Brigade is fully deployed, alull in the fighting occurs. Roll a D6 forthe number of turns in the lull. Both sidescan use this time to bring on extra forcesor reorganize, but they cannot move towithin close range to do so and no firingmay take place during the lull. Heth’sDivision must fall back to just in front ofHerr’s Ridge and reorganize. The Unioncavalry must begin to withdraw throughthe town and off the table to the south.They take no further part in the fightingunless fired upon by the Confederates atthe end of the lull.

If no lull occurs, then the battle continuesto Phase III and all reinforcementsbecome available to both sides. They willmarch on the table in column to thepositions described in Phase III.

THE BATTLE RAGES

Both sides used the lull inthe battle to reorganize andcome to grips with theconsequences of themorning’s fighting. Howard hadtwo Corps available to him, but hedid not yet know the direction of theheaviest concentration of the enemy. Hetherefore, tasked Doubleday’s I Corps tohold the western flank, and ordered hisown XI Corps, under Major General CarlSchurz, to the northern outskirts ofGettysburg to protect against attack fromthat direction.

Doubleday complied with hisinstructions by placing BrigadierGeneral John Robinson’s SecondDivision in reserve on Seminary Ridge,southwest of the town. He commandedhis Third Division, under the commandof Brigadier General Thomas Rowley, totake up positions on McPherson’s Ridge,bolstering the Iron Brigade andextending the Union line tightly acrossthe gap between the Hagerstown Roadand the Chambersburg Turnpike.

Howard set up his northern defence bysending Schurz’s 3rd Division, underBrigadier General AlexanderSchimmelfennig, to the Oak Hill/OakRidge area to join onto the right flank ofI Corps. Brigadier General FrancisBarlow’s 1st Division was to align withSchurz’s Division to their right, andBrigadier General Adolph vonSteinwehr’s 2nd Division would remainto the immediate south of Gettysburg onCemetery Hill.

The Confederates too were busy. Hethhad pulled his division into line justbelow Herr’s Ridge. Behind him cameMajor General William Pender with hisdivision from Hill’s Third Corps and theytook up positions on Herr’s Ridge in fullbattle array. Meanwhile, in the north, twodivisions of Ewell’s Corps marchedrapidly towards the town. Major GeneralRobert Rodes’ Division with a battery ofartillery under Lieutenant ColonelThomas Carter reached Oak Hill beforeSchurz. Schurz could not now connectwith I Corps and deployed to the right ofthe Mummasburg Road on the plain, soDoubleday ordered Robinson’s Divisionout of reserve to fill the gap between therailroad cut and the Mummasburg Road.Rodes and Ewell considered the Unionmovements provocative and a prelude toattack, therefore Rodes deployed hisdivision into two lines and ordered thecannonade to begin.

Rodes’ Division stepped off into amaelstrom of volley fire, and the frontline was quickly sent packing, but Rodes

calmly ordered his second line into thefight, and the battle raged. Seeing Rodes’attack go in, Robert E. Lee, who had nowarrived on the field to take command,ordered Heth’s Division to resume itsadvance against the Iron Brigade anddown the Chambersburg Turnpike,combining with Rodes’ assault. The IronBrigade was staggered by the attack andfell back through the woods, reforming,then falling back and reforming again infront of the Lutheran Seminary. That leftColonel Roy Stone’s Brigade of threePennsylvanian regiments, occupying theenvirons of the McPherson Farm,hopelessly exposed to attack from thewest and north, while Colonel GeorgeBiddle’s 95th NY Regiment, holding theleft end of the line on McPherson’sRidge, found itself swamped by theConfederates. The exposed Unioninfantry at either end of McPherson’sRidge fought ferociously, but thecasualties became too much to bear andtheir position increasingly untenable, sothe line fell back to reorganize with theIron Brigade. They received no respite,

MAKING THE RAILROAD CUTBy Trevor Crook

One of the key features in this part of thebattle was The Cutting, an uncompletedrailway bed cut through McPherson’sRidge. To make this only took a abouthour, excluding drying time.

Stage 1: Start with a suitable baseboard -we used pre-cut plastic sheet, but couldalso be hardboard, mdf etc. The contourswere cut out of polystyrene foam,contoured to match the rest of the hexterrain, and glued down with PVA.

Stage 2; Cover the whole with filler.Pre-coloured and textured filler likeBasetex minimises painting, and alsodoesn’t show up later knocks and chips.You can make your own from householdemulsion and sand/grit/sawdust.

Stage 3: When completely dry, dry-brush with Vomit Brown and thenBleached Bone to raise the detail.Stage 4: Add flock onto watered downPVA glue. Do this in patches or the gluewill dry before you have completed thewhole surface. Knock off ontonewspaper to re-cycle the excess.

Stage 5: Optional. To avoid the constantshedding of grass, the terrain was thensprayed with varnish. Just avoidspraying onto exposed polystyrene or itmay melt.

77


however, as Pender’s Brigade took upHeth’s assault, and a storm of fightingbroke in front of the Lutheran Seminary.The withdrawal of I Corps and the poorpositioning of XI Corps north of thetown, left XI Corps badly isolated withboth flanks hanging. Rodes continued toapply pressure on Robinson and Schurz,bringing greater numbers to bear, but thetimely arrival of Major General JubalEarly’s Division of Ewell’s Corps downthe Harrisburg and Carlisle roadssmashed the right flank of the XI Corps.Only desperate fighting held off acomplete collapse of the Corps.

With the I Corps in terrible trouble, andXI Corps threatening to come apart at theseams, and XII Corps nowhere in sight,Howard had little choice but to order hismen to fall back through the town ontothe heights beyond. The scene inGettysburg was chaotic as the Federalsoldiers rushed through with only a fewregiments organized enough to provide arearguard defence against the jubilantrebels flowing into the town. It wasperhaps fortunate for the Union that mostof the Confederates were spent; Hillcould not ask his divisions to do anymore than they had already achieved, andEwell only had two reasonably freshbrigades available to conduct an assaultthrough the town and onto the heightsbeyond. He chose wisely not to do so.The Confederates had won the day, but at

an awful cost, and their victory was notcomplete with 9,000 enemy troops and40 cannon dug in on the high ground ofCemetery Hill. Lee would have thechoice of renewing the battle on 2 July,but he would do so against a reinforcedand seemingly reinvigorated Union armynow occupying an excellent defensiveposition on high ground. The openingday of Gettysburg was, therefore, aPyrrhic victory for Lee that had greatpotential for the decisive victory hesought, but also created the conditionsfor the disaster that would follow.

PHASE III: THE BATTLE RAGES

In the third phase of the scenario, eitherafter the lull or in continuity with PhaseII, all the forces available can becomeengaged at the players’ discretion.

The phase begins with Heth deployeddirectly in front of Herr’s Ridge andPender’s Division deployed along Herr’sRidge. The Union I Corps is deployedalong McPherson Ridge between theChambersburg Turnpike and theHagerstown Road. Robinson’s Divisionis in reserve at or around the LutheranSeminary. The XI Corps begins behindthe town. Rodes’ Division is deployed intwo lines of brigades along the north-western corner of the table. Early’sDivision begins the phase off-table to thenorth, but can be brought on at theConfederate player’s discretion.The morale of various units at the start of

the fighting is a factor: Rodes’ Divisioncame onto the field tired after a forcedmarch down the Mummasburg Road, andthe Union XI Corps morale could bedescribed as brittle, or at least lacking inconfidence - they came into the battlemuch maligned for their performance atChancellorsville earlier in 1863.

The Union I Corps, except forRobinson’s Division, cannot move northof the Chambersburg Turnpike, and theXI Corps cannot deploy within six inchesof the Harrisburg Road unless Early’sDivision has appeared on the table.

The phase opens with Heth’s advancefrom in front of Herr’s Ridge.

If the situation arises, and the Unionforces attempt to retreat throughGettysburg, the Union player throws aD6 for each regiment attempting to do so,with a score of six allowing that regimentto stand and fight. Any other throwresults in the regiment becomingdisorganized until it reaches the heightsbehind the town.

Victory goes to the Union if they holdany of field to the west and north ofGettysburg. The Confederates win if theydestroy either of the Union Corps andprevent them from retreating through thetown or onto the heights behind the town.The battle is drawn if the Confederateshold all the ground north and west of thetown but the Union Corps have retreatedin good order to fight another day.

Above: The Union forces are pushed backtowards the town

78


COMMANDERS ON GETTYSBURG DAY 1

It is less important to consider the two army commanders for thefirst day of Gettysburg than it is to understand their subordinateswho took part in the action - Lee and Meade would reveal theircharacters over the following two days of fighting. Indeed, muchof what happened on the first day and why would be as a resultof the nature of the commanders on the scene as much as theterrain they fought over and the troops at their disposal. The listthat follows is a very brief summary of how those commanderswere disposed on the day and their potential wargame rating:

UNIONBuford, John (1st Cavalry Division):Outstanding cavalry commander, redoubtable and pugnacious.[wargame rating: outstanding]Doubleday, Abner (I Corps):Indecisive, but fought ferociously at Gettysburg. [wargame rating: above average]

Howard, Oliver Otis (XI Corps):Headstrong commander, prone to ignoring orders. [wargame rating: below average]Reynolds, John F. (I Corps [kia]):Inspiring leader, born in Lancaster PA, therefore very motivatedat Gettysburg. [wargame rating: outstanding]

CONFEDERATEEwell, Richard S. (II Corps): Brave but eccentric, beloved by his men as “Old Bald Head”.[wargame rating: average]Early, Jubal (1st Division, II Corps):[wargame rating: average]Heth, Henry (2nd Division, III Corps): By the book commander. [wargame rating: average]Hill, Ambrose P. (III Corps):Impetuous Corps commander. [wargame rating: average]Rodes, R.E. (3rd Division, II Corps)[wargame rating: average]

ORDER OF BATTLEConfederate

2nd Army Corps: Lieutenant-General Richard S. Ewell

Early’s Division: Major-General Jubal EarlyHay’s Brigade: Brigadier-General Harry Hays: 5th La (196); 6th La (218); 7th La(235); 8th La (296); 9th La (347)Smith’s Brigade: Brigadier-General William Smith: 31st Va (267); 49th Va (281);52nd Va (254)Hoke’s Brigade: Colonel Isaac Avery: 6th NC (509); 21st NC (436); 57th NC (297)Gordon’s Brigade: Brigadier-General J.B. Gordon: 13th Ga (312); 26th Ga (315);31st Ga (252); 38th Ga (341); 60th Ga (299);61st Ga (288)

Artillery Brigade: Lieutenant-Colonel H.P. JonesCharlottesville Btty (4x12pdr Naps); Richmond Btty (4x3'' Rifles); LouisianaGuard Btty (2x3''Rifles, 2x10pdr Parrotts); Staunton Artillery (4x12pdr Naps)

Johnson’s Division: Major-General Edward JohnsonSteuart’s Brigade: Brigadier-General George Steuart: 1st Md Bttn Inf (400); 1st Nc (377); 3rd NC (548); 10th Va (276); 23rd Va (251);37th Va (264)Stonewall Brigade: Brigadier-General James Walker: 2nd Va (333); 4th Va (257);5th Va (345); 27th Va (148); 33rd Va (236)Nicholl’s Brigade ‘’Louisiana Tigers”: Colonel J. Williams: 1st La (172); 2nd La (236); 10th La (226); 14th La (281); 15th La (186)Jones’s Brigade: Brigadier-General John Jones: 21st Va (236); 25th Va (280); 42nd Va (265); 44th Va (227); 48th Va (265); 50th Va (240)

Artillery Brigade: Major J. Latimer1st Md Btty (4x12pdr Naps); Alleghany Artillery (2x12pdr Naps, 2x3'' Rifles);Chesapeake Btty (4x10pdr Parrotts); Lynchburg Btty (1x3'' Rifle, 1x10pdr Parrott,2x20pdr Parrotts)

Rodes’s Division: Major - General R.E. RodesDaniel’s Brigade: Brigadier-General Junius Daniels: 32nd NC (454); 43rd NC (572); 45th NC (570); 53rd NC (322); 2nd NC Bttn (240)Doles’s Brigade: Brigadier-General George Doles: 4th Ga (341); 12th Ga (327);21st Ga (287); 44th Ga (364)Iverson’s Brigade: Brigadier-General Alfred Iverson: 5th Nc (473); 12th NC (219);20th NC (372); 23rd NC (316)Ramseur’s Brigade: Brigadier-General S. Ramseur: 2nd NC (243); 4th NC (196);14th NC (306); 30th NC (278)O’Neal’s Brigade: Colonel E. O’Neal: 3rd Al (350); 5th Al (317); 6th Al (382);12th Al (317); 26th Al (319)

Artillery Brigade: Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas CarterJeff Davis Artillery (4x3'' Rifles); King William Artillery (2x12pdr Naps, 2x10pdrParrotts); Morris Artillery (4x12pdr Naps); Richmond Orange Artillery (2x10pdr Parrotts)

Artillery Reserve: Colonel J. Brown1st Va Artillery; Capt Willis Dance: 2nd Richmond Howitzer Btty (4x10pdr Parrotts) ; 3rd Richmond Howitzer Btty (4x3'' Rifles ); Powhatan Btty(4x3” Rifles); 1st Rockbridge Btty (4x20pdr Parrotts); Salem “flying” Btty(2x12pdr Naps, 2x3'' Rifles)

Nelson’s Battalion: Lieutenant-Colonel William NelsonAmherst Btty (3x12pdr Naps); Fluvanna “consolidated” Artillery (3x12pdr Naps,1x3'' Rifle); Milledge Btty (2x3'' Rifles, 1x10pdr Parrott)

3rd Army Corps: Lieutenant-General A.P. Hill

Anderson’s Division: Major-General R.H. AndersonWilcox’s Brigade: Brigadier-General Cadmus Wilcox: 9th Al (366); 8th Al (477);10th Al (311); 11th Al (311); 14th Al (316)Wright’s Brigade: Brigadier-General A.R. Wright: 3rd Ga (441); 22nd Ga (400);48th Ga (395); 2nd Ga Bttn (173)Mahone’s Brigade: Brigadier-General William Mahone: 6th Va (288); 12th Va (348); 16th Va (270); 41st Va (276); 61st Va (356)Perry’s Florida Brigade: Colonel David Lang: 2nd Fla (242); 5th Fla (321); 8th Fla (176)Posey’s Brigade: Brigadier-General Carnot Posey: 12th Miss (305); 16th Miss(385); 19th Miss (372); 48th Miss (256)

Artillery Brigade - 11th Ga Artillery Battalion: Major John LaneCo A (1x12pdr Howitzer, 1x12pdr Nap, 1x3'' Rifle, 1x10pdr Parrott); Co B(4x12pdr Howitzer, 2x12pdr Nap); Co C (3x3'' Navy Rifles, 2x10pdr Parrotts)

Heth’s Division: Major-General Henry Heth1st Brigade: Brigadier-General J.J. Pettigrew: 11th NC (617); 26th NC (843); 47th NC (567); 52nd NC (553)2nd Brigade: Colonel J. Brockenbrough: 40th Va (253); 47th Va (209); 55th Va (268); 22nd Va Bttn (237)3rd Brigade: Brigadier-General James Archer: 13th Al (308); 5th Al Bttn (135); 1st Tn (281); 7th Tn (249); 14th Tn (220)4th Brigade: Brigadier-General Joseph Davis: 2nd Miss (492); 11th Miss (592);42nd Miss (575); 55th Nc (640)

Artillery Brigade: Lieutenant-Colonel John GarnettDonaldsonville Btty (2x3'' Rifles, 1x10pdr Parrott); Huger’s Btty (2x12pdr Naps,1x3'' Rifle, 1x10pdr Parrott); Pittsylvania Btty (2x12pdr Naps, 2x3'' Rifles); Norfolk “Light Artillery Blues” Btty (2x3'' Rifles, 2x12pdr Howitzers)

Pender’s Division: Major-General William Pender1st Brigade: Colonel Abner Perrin: 1st SC (328); 1st SC Rifles (366); 12th SC (366); 13th SC (390); 14th SC (428)2nd Brigade: Brigadier-General James Lane: 7th NC (291); 18th NC (346); 28th NC (346); 33rd NC (368); 37th NC (379)3rd Brigade: Brigadier-General Edward Thomas: 14th Ga (331); 35th Ga (331);45th Ga (331); 49th Ga (329)4th Brigade: Brigadier-General A. Scales: 13th NC (232); 16th NC (321); 22nd NC (321); 34th NC (311); 38th NC (216)

Artillery Brigade: Major William PoagueApdremarle Artillery (2x3'' Rifles, 1x10pdr Parrott, 1x12pdr Howitzer); Charlotte Artillery (2x12pdr Naps, 2x12pdr Howitzers); Madison Lt Artillery(3x12pdr Naps, 1x12pdr Naps); Warrenton Btty (2x12pdr Naps, 2x12pdr Howitzers)

Artillery Reserve: Colonel R. Lindsay WalkerMcIntosh’s Bttn: Major D.G. McIntosh: Danville Artillery (4x12pdr Naps); Hardaway Artillery (2x3'' Rifles, 2x12pdr Whitworth’s); 2nd Rockbridge Artillery(2x12pdr Naps, 2x3'' Rifles); Johnson’s Richmond Btty (4x3'' Rifles)Pegram’s Battn: Major W. J. Pegram: Crenshaw Btty (2x12pdr Naps, 2x12pdrHowitzers); Fredericksburg Btty (2x12pdr Naps, 2x3'' Rifles); Letcher Btty (2x12pdr Naps, 2x10pdr Parrotts); PeeDee Btty (4x3” Rifles); Purcell Btty (4x12pdr Naps)

79


REFERENCES

Carl Smith, Gettysburg 1863 (Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1998)Mark Adkin, The Gettysburg Companion (Aurum Publishing, 2008)Chester G. Hearn, Rick Sapp, Steven Smith, Civil War Commanders (Metro Books, 2008)Harry W. Pfanz, The Battle of Gettysburg (National Park Civil War Series, 1994)Stephen W. Sears, Gettysburg (Mariner Books, 2004)Emory M. Thomas, Robert E. Lee: A Biography (W.W. Norton & Co., 1995)Jeffrey Wert, The Sword of Lincoln (Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2005)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Special thanks to Trevor Crook and the Maidenhead and District Gamers (MAD Gamers)for providing their figures, terrain and time for the photoshoot. www.madgamers.org

All figures are Baccus 6mm.

The author wishes to thank Paul Leach for playtesting this scenario and for helping to ironout many of the difficulties in presenting this complicated battle.

I Army Corps: Major-General John F. Reynolds

1st Division: Brigadier-General James Wadsworth1st Brigade “Iron Brigade”: Brigadier-General Solomon Meredith: 19th Indiana (308); 24th Michigan (496); 2nd Wisconsin (302); 6th Wisconsin (344); 7th Wisconsin (364)2nd Brigade: Brigadier-General Lysander Cutler: 7th Indiana (434); 76th NY (375);84th NY (318); 95th NY (241); 147th NY (380); 56th Pennsylvania (252)

2nd Division: Brigadier-General John C. Robinson1st Brigade: Brigadier-General Gabriel Paul: 16th Maine (298); 13th Massachusetts (284); 94th Massachusetts (411); 104th NY (286); 107th NY (255)2nd Brigade: Brigadier-General Henry Baxter: 12th Massachusetts (261); 83rd NY (199); 97th NY (236); 11th Pennsylvania (270); 88th Pennsylvania (274);90th Pennsylvania (208)

3rd Division: Brigadier-General Thomas Rowley1st Brigade: Colonel Chapman Biddle: 80th NY (287); 121st Pennsylvania (363);142nd Pennsylvania (336); 151st Pennsylvania (467)2nd Brigade “Bucktails”: Colonel Roy Stone: 143rd Pennsylvania (465); 149th Pennsylvania (450); 150th Pennsylvania (400)3rd Brigade: Brigadier-General George Stannard: 13th Vermont (636); 14th Vermont (647); 16th Vermont (661)

Artillery Brigade: Colonel Charles Wainwright:Maine Lt 2nd Btty (6x3'' Rifles); Maine Lt 5th Btty (6x12pdr Naps); 1st NY Lt,Btty L (6x3'' Rifles); 1st Pennsylvania Lt, Btty B (4x3'' Rifles); 4th US, Btty B (6x12pdr Naps)

XI Army Corps; Major General Oliver O. Howard

1st Division: Brigadier Francis Barlow1st Brigade: Colonel Leopold von Gilsa: 41st NY (218); 54th NY (183); 68th NY (226); 153rd Pennsylvania (487)2nd Brigade: Brigadier General Adepdrert Ames: 17th Connecticut (386); 25th Ohio (220); 75th Ohio (269); 107th Ohio (458)

2nd Division: Brigadier-General Adolph von Steinwehr1st Brigade: Colonel Charles Coster: 134th NY (400); 154th NY (190); 27th Pennsylvania (277); 73rd Pennsylvania (284)2nd Brigade: Colonel Orland Smith: 33rd Massachusetts (481); 136th NY (473);55th Ohio (321); 73rd Ohio (338)

3rd Division: Major-General Carl Schurz1st Brigade: Brigadier-General Alex Schimmelfennig: 83rd Illinois (310); 45th NY (375); 157th NY (409); 61st Pennsylvania (326)2nd Brigade: Colonel W. Krzyzanowski: 58th NY (193); 119th NY (257); 82nd Ohio (312); 75th Pennsylvania (208); 26th Wisconsin (435)

Artillery Brigade: Major Thomas Osborn:1st NY Lt, Btty I (6x3'' Rifles); NY Lt, 13th Btty (4x3'' Rifles); 1st Ohio Lt, Btty I (6x12pdr Naps); 1st Ohio Lt, Btty K (2x12pdr Naps); 4th US, Btty G (6x12pdr Naps)

Cavalry Corps: Major-General Alfred Pleasonton1st Division: Brigadier-General John Buford1st Brigade: Colonel William Gamble: 8th Illinois (470); 12th Illinois (233); 3rd Indiana (313); 8th NY (580)2nd Brigade: Colonel Thomas Devin: 6th NY (218); 9th NY (367); 17th Pennsylvania (464); 3rd West Virginia (59)Reserve Brigade: Brigadier-General Wesley Merritt: 6th Pennsylvania (242); 1st US (362); 2nd US (407); 5th US (306) 2nd US Btty A (4x3'' Rifles);**Attached to Buford’s 1st Cavalry Division.

ORDER OF BATTLEUnion

Illustration taken from O

sprey Publishing Vicksburg 1863 - C

ampaign 26 w

ww

.ospreypublishing.com

80


Documents

First Day at Gettysburg