Battle - Romney D2 - 13:45 p.m. Out of sight, but not out of mind

Federal and Confederate infantry lost sight of each other at around 12:55 p.m., as the Federals limbered their guns and moved off the hill south of Romney towards the west and the Confederates repositioned their line east of town near Malone. 

Around the same time, two Federal cavalry companies emerged from the woods north of Big Run and discovered the Confederate ordnance trains at Taylor. The trains were guarded by infantry, who opened fire. The Federal horsemen fell back out of range, but as a section of Confederate artillery was taking position to open fire on them, the retreated back into the woods and out of sight.

Visual contact between the two sides was lost at around 1:00 p.m. The turn ended at 1:45 p.m.

Players have received their Turn 2 reports and may issue orders at any time. The simulation will continue once orders have been received for both sides.

Battle! Romney - Day 2 - 12:50 p.m. - Disengaging

After a brief fight between noon and 12:30, the opposing sides at Romney appear to be disengaging. The Federals are abandoning the hill south of town and appear to be heading westward. The Confederates have repositioned their lines to the east of town, abandoning their foothold on the eastern edge of Romney.

Orders in at Romney - Next Turn Soon

Orders are now all in for the next turn at Romney on Day 2 of the campaign. The start time will be 12:45 p.m., where we left off.  The run will run in the next day or two and I will post a few updates on progress as they develop here.

Players will not be able to issue new orders until they get their end of turn reports. They will have to just sit back through the relief or pain that goes with any interim progress screen shots before the end of the turn.

In Between Maps

While waiting for orders to come in for the next turn at Romney, I put together another map for use in case units run into each other on the road between localities. This one is on the Little Cacapon River.

The River and the Railroad - Cresaptown completed

The Cresaptown map was a working draft. It is now completed and has been posted. It is unlikely that there will be any engagement so far west on the campaign map, but it is an area where Confederate cavalry could come through Short Gap and cut the rail line if it is unguarded.

Battle! Romney D2 - 12:45 Turn 1 Reports Out

Federals (identified as regiments of Tyler's Brigade - 3rd Brig., Lander's Division) surprised the advance of Burks' Brigade as it was assaulting Colonel Anisansel's Cavalry between Malone and Romney Town. At the Federals struck Burks' left, the reserve  brigade (identified as Taliaferro's Brigade) came up in support of Burks and engaged at the Malone Barn.

Taliaferro's left was able to turn the Federal right on the crest of the hill south of the Malone barn and the Federals were forced to retreat back to their guns. Burks took the edge of town and halted at a fence along the first street and Taliaferro closed to Burks' left, forming a salient facing the Federal guns on a hill to the southwest of the Malone and eastward incto town. 

Anisansel's cavalry has disappeared into town, but as Burks advanced cavalry detachments were sighted at Riker and Nelson on his far right. Artillery is firing. Infantry is taking cover. The players have received their turn 1 reports.  The simulation will resume when new orders are received.

Battle! Romney D2 - 12:35 - Confederates take Malone Farm

As the Confederate reserve put pressure on the Federal right flank on the hill south of Malone and began to press forward, the Union men retreated over the hill and went to form behind a second line of infantry protecting their batteries on the hill south of Romney town.

The lead (now right) Confederate brigade advanced through a field against Federal cavalry and dislodged them from the east edge of town. The Confederates have advanced to the north-south street on the east of town, with a regiment entering an orchard. The Union cavalry has retreated to the west and is believed to be somewhere in town.

Artillery is firing and the Confederate left has passed through the Malone Farm towards the enemy. Rather than crest the hill to their front and take canister fire, they have halted and taken cover. There is a lull in the battle and the players will now receive their first turn reports for the Battle of Romney.

Battle! Romney D2 - 12:27 p.m. - Infantry Fight

The left of the Confederate lead brigade turned to face the approaching infantry on the hill to their left, as the other three regiments continued to fire on the cavalry at the fence line to their front.  The advancing Federal infantry engaged, with their right taking fire from the Confederate battery that had been brought up east of the Malone house. With the battery at risk, the reserve brigade moved up the hill across the eastern part of the Malone Farm to support the lead brigade's left and protect the guns.

On the right of the Confederate line, the enemy cavalry broke and reformed on the eastern edge of town, along another fence line. The Confederate infantry on the right continues to advance and press them. On the Confederate left, the reserve brigade has gone into action with its right regiment against the Malone barn and its left regiment able to get into position to flank the Union right. 

The flanking fire was more than the regiment on the Federal right could take and it fell back to refuse the flank of the main line at the top of the hill. The Confederates prepare to press forward.

Battle! Romney D2 - 12:23 p.m. - Federal Infantry Appears

As the Confederate artillery unlimbered and opened fire on Anisansel's cavalry behind the fence line east of Romney, the lead Confederate brigade advanced. The cavalrymen opened fire and the rebel line stopped and returned.  As they did, Federal infantry emerged over the crest of a hill on their left flank, apparently coming out from a concealed position in a gully or a depression.  The Federals are advancing on the left flank and rear of the engaged lead Confederate Brigade at the Malone Farm.

Battle! Romney Day 2 - 12:20 p.m.

The lead Confederate brigade is under increasing artillery fire from batteries on the hill south of Romney. It has so far remained ineffective. Anisansel's men have lost several men to Confederate shelling and have falled back through the Malone Farm and dismounted at a fence line east of town.

The Confederates are forming into battle line just out of range of the cavalry and preparing to advance and ever more aware of the enemy batteries in the distance to their left front. Their own battery is moving into a better firing position just south west of Malone, with the reserve brigade also coming up.

Battle! The Roar of the Guns - Romney: Day 2 - 12:00 - 12:15

With the Northwest Turnpike blocked by Col. Anisansel's cavalry, Confederates brought forward a battery and opened fire. The Federal cavalry lost a few men, broke to the rear, and reformed again. Slowly, Confederate infantry is advancing down the Northwest Turnpike, one brigade in battle line and another in reserve.

The Confederate infantry took the junction at Kern and continued advancing, with the enemy cavalry falling back slowly, just out of range. The Confederate battery took position on a hill south of the turnpike and southeast of Taylor, allowing it to maintain its fire as the infantry advanced.  A detachment of cavalry broke off from their main force and is heading back towards town, as the rest continue to ensure a slow Confederate advance.

Just before 12:15, the Confederate lead brigade moved through the Taylor Farm and, to the Confederate's surprise, came under artillery fire from a Federal battery on the hill immediately south of Romney town. Although shells have been bursting among them, there have not yet been any Confederate casualties.

Infantry has not yet found other infantry, so the turn is continuing. There will be another report tomorrow and players will receive reports after Infantry has started fighting, or the clock reaches 1:00 p.m.  So far, Federal infantry has not been sighted by the advancing Confederates.