Getting Ready for Day 7

Confederate orders are now in for Day 7 of THE WINTER WAR campaign.  Once Federal orders are in, the routes and times of march will be entered and the day will start. Contact reports for the morning phase are likely by this weekend.

End of Day 6

A second day of fighting at Romney ended in stalemate again, with the Federals stubbornly holding onto the area around Evans Farm at the west side of the Covered Bridge over the South Branch. Their position is now tenuous, after a battery and two brigades of infantry forded the river just to their north. For a second evening, no points were awarded for Romney in the simulation.

Confederates drove Federal cavalry away from Points Cross Roads and Higginsville, but in the late afternoon Federals managed to cut the Martinsburg Turnpike at Forks of Cacapon. With the successful occupation of Three Churches, the day looks like a Federal Victory.

The Federals now have 21 points, putting them within striking distance of victory. The Confederates have fallen behind with 17 points. But if the Confederates end Day 7 with control of Romney and Three Churches again, they could possibly end Day 7 with at least a score of 22 points against 24 points for the Federals. If both sides reached 25 points on Day 8, the simulation would be declared a draw.  Day 7 could prove to be very interesting... At this point, it is highly unlikely that the sim will go beyond Day 8.

Skirimish Report: Lander takes Three Churches - Day 6 - Afternoon

Brigadier General Frederick Lander moved two brigades of infantry, a detachment of sharpshooters, a company of cavalry and 12 artillery pieces to Three Churches on the afternoon of Day 6. Arriving at the Greenwalt Farm from the Middle Fords, Lander's force was halted by Brigadier General Gilbert S. Meem and three "brigades" of Virginia Militia, accompanied by a six-gun battery at J. Saville. Lander advanced his batteries slightly and opened fire with artillery and sharpshooters and the Virginia Militia consolidated their position and returned fire with they own guns.

After a short period of shelling, Lander's infantry stepped off and advanced. The lead brigade, composed of two green Ohio regiments and a Maryland regiment, advanced at the left oblique towards some woods on a hill to the east of the Saville house. His rear brigade moved off slightly to the right towards the Saville Orchard.

With enemy infantry advancing, the Virginia Militia moved forward to protect their guns. Before long, the too sides were engaged. Federal infantry pressed their attack, even in the face of Confederate canister.

The left of the Confederate line was in the Saville Orchard. The militia brigade posted in the orchard held on under heavy fire, but was eventually flanked by an Indiana Regiment and forced to retreat, exposing the Confederate artillery to the advancing Federal right.

With the left broken and the artillery at risk, Meem knew he could hold on no longer. The artillery was ordered to retreat and the two militia brigades on the right held as the artillery limbered and withdrew. As soon as the artillery was limbered and retreating, Brigadier General Meem ordered his men to retreat. The broke to the rear and then started a withdrawal to Dutch Lick School, allowing Lander to occupy Three Churches on the evening of Day 6 of the campaign.

Artillery Duel at Romney - Day 6 - Afternoon Phase

Colonel William Taliaferro's Brigade moved out of Romney in the afternoon of Day 6, accompanied by two batteries. They discovered Colonel Nathan Kimball's Brigade and Captain Joseph Clark's Battery "E," 4th US Artillery guarding the covered bridge over the South Branch of the Potomac from the opposite bank. The Confederates took position and an extended artillery barrage ensued.

Captain Clark's battery of six 10lb Parrott Rifles is arguably the best battery in the campaign theatre. The Union gunners unleashed shells and shrapnel to deadly effect on Taliaferro's men and the Confederate gun crews. One of the Confederate batteries on the opposite side of the South Branch was Captain Carpenter's Allegheny Artillery, which had already taken heavy losses from Clark's Battery the previous day. Several of Carpenter's gun crews were manned primarily by infantry, who could not stand up to the heavy shelling and retreated.

Taliaferro's infantry advanced to the edge of the river and engaged some of Kimball's infantry on the opposite bank, before falling back. The action appeared to be intended to keep Kimball in place. Captain John Keys, Ringgold Cavalry, reported that two Confederate infantry brigades and a battery were fording the river to the north of Evans' Farm. Taliaferro and his accompanying batteries fell back to a new line at the Mileson Farm, further away from the enemy guns.

When darkness fell, all units were holding their positions, leaving Romney contested for a second day. The presence of Confederate infantry on the west bank of the South Branch, however, as an ominous prospect for Colonel Kimball to consider when Day 7 of the campaign dawns.

Union Cavalry Withdraws from Higginsville - Day 6 - Afternoon

Confederate infantry began to advance against a small Union cavalry detachment that was observing their supply depot at Higginsville. As the infantry advance, a battery opened fire on the Federal cavalry, wounding several me. The horsemen retreated before the infantry was able to engage them. Confederates hold Higginsville on the evening of Day 6.

Federals flee Points Cross Roads - Day 6 - Afternoon Phase

Ashby's Cavalry had two Federal cavalry companies cut off at the Gates Farm, just north of Points Cross Roads.  The Federals have broken ranks and fled in disorder. Ashby's Cavalry holds Points Cross Roads.

Contact - Afternoon of Day 6

On the afternoon of Day 6, there is contact at Higginsville, Points Cross Roads, Romney and Three Churches.

Colonel Henry Anisansel faces Ashby's cavalry at the Gates farm north of Points Cross Roads with two small companies of cavalry. At Three Churches, Federals have advanced from the Middle Fords in force and approach an unknown number of the enemy near the Saville Farm.  At Higginsville, a company of Federal cavalry has stumbled upon a Confederate commissary train resupplying from a depot at the Fox farm. Back in Romney, the only visible units are in the plain along the river at the covered bridge. Each side has their guns trained on the bridge, ready to throw canister at anyone who attempts to cross.

Colonel Henry Anisansel (Commander of Lander's cavalry) is at the Gates farm with a cavalry to his north and south.

Federal Cavalry observes Confederate depot near Higginsville.

The lines at the Covered Bridge at Romney:

Confederate Artillery Scatters Federal Cavalry - Romney - Day 6 - morning phase

In the morning hours of January 19, 1862 (Day 6 of the campaign), Federal infantry and batteries that had bivouacked between the Riker and Nelson farms (Romney) formed into columns, marched north up the Green Spring Road (Moorefield and North Branch Turnpike) and disappeared from sight. As Confederate infantry and batteries redeployed in their positions from the previous afternoon, only two Federal units were visible, a cavalry detachment at Hook and another at Nelson.

Confederate Artillery in the orchards at the southwest and northeast corners of Romney opened fire. After a few shots to get the range, the gunners found their targets and the Union cavalrymen at Hook were seen taking wounded men to the rear. The horsemen and Hook soon retired down the Northwest Turnpike into the valley near Mileson and out of sight of the Confederate guns.

It took the gunners on the north side of town a little longer to find their mark, but the Federals at Nelson eventually also were moving wounded to the rear and then retreated, reformed, and withdrew northwards up the Green Spring Road towards Hanging Rocks.

Standoff Near Points Cross Roads - Day 6 - morning phase

During the morning of Day 6 of the campaign, two companies of Confederate cavalry moving south from Lowell's Cross Roads on the Jersey Mountain Road encountered a Federal cavalry detachment at the Gates Farm, near Points Cross Roads. Neither side has moved to engage, and they continue to observe each other.

Day 6 about to dawn....

It is now the pre-dawn hours of January 19, 1862 - Day 6 of the campaign. Men are trying to get just a little more sleep in the cold morning before they are given their respective orders. At headquarters, orders have been issued for the various commands. Lander and Jackson will be waiting to see what the day holds, and how much of it will go according to plan...

Orders are In,,,,

All orders are in. Day 6 will start this weekend.

Logo vs. Day 5 Action

The logo for this simulation has a photo that is believed to be a wartime photo of Romney. In THE WINTER WAR simulation, Day 5,  The 1st Georgia was posted along the fence in front of the white building directly under the words "War" in the logo. The 3rd Arkansas fought from behind a the white plank fence below and to the right of the end of the word "Simulation" in the logo. Marye's Battery was just to the right of the soldier standing on the left of the logo. The 7th Virginia (US) advanced to a point just to the right of the building in the foreground and the 14th Indiana straddled the road just before it (and outside of the photo).

More Work on Hancock Map

If I run this simulation again, I may expand the campaign theatre to include Bath and Hancock. I am still doing some work on the Hancock map. Here are a few screenshots of the latest version: