"Sickle's Salent" part 2

 

  When we last left off, the Confederate division of the late general Hood had taken the wheat field.  A Brigade had failed to take Little Round Top.  A second division was poised to assault the Third Corps center by the Peach Orchard.

  Confederate General  Rhodes ( taking over for Hood) continued to push into the wheat field.  Brushing aside the brigades to his front he ran into the newly arriving division of General Ayers' division.  Although he hit the lead brigade before it could deploy into line with his Georgians his brigades luck ran out and he was defeated and forced to fall back.  The Texan brigade was caught in a withering fire from four batteries and also retired.  The division commander called for help but there was none to give.

Hood's old division was spent.

In the center Law's division moved forward.  They pushed the Union brigades aside and took the Peach Orchard.  For a while it looked like they would link up with Hood's division.

In the north west corner of the board Wilcox's brigade moved forward.  But they made no progress and the Union line held firm and sent then packing.

On the south east corner of the field the Union reinforced Little Round Too.  With two brigades and two batteries it was a solid position. The Alabama Brigade decided not to try to take it and retired into the woods.

we are feeling very brave today!

In the center Law's division kept moving forward.  But with no support to its right or left flanks it dud not look goid.  Caldwell's union division moved up to hold them while other union forces moved to cut off their retreat.

At thus point, with the Union army looking to overwhelm the southerners we called the game.  It looked at this point to be a decisive Union victory.  They had recovered the positions they had lost earlier and destroyed two Confederates divisions.  It now looked like, with additional reinforcements that they would sweep the field.  Rather then being A disaster, Sickel's Silent proved to be a decisive Union victory.

This was a great game, and played out over two Mondays.  Its nice to be able to leave the table up and continue the game.  Personally I think thus us A hard nut to crack for the South.  The continued reinforced Union line will eventually wear down and defeat the smaller number if southern brigades.  If the Union can hold Little Round Top they also have a good anchor to hold the line.

By the way, wewill be taking next Monday off due to the labor day holiday but he back with a naval game on Monday 13 September.  See you then!