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| The Battlefield |
The fight began with the Union trying to hold the road at the top of the picture. The Key feature were the hill in the center, the town of Spring Hill and the hill on the left of the town. The union were to hold until the army had passed down the pike to Franklin. Maj Gen Thomas' XIV Corps was tasked to hold the line. The 3rd Division was first on the spot. Three brigades spread across the front reinforced by Wilder's Mounted infantry from 4th Division arrived to help. We used Johnny Reb III to refight this battle. I had newly painted and mounted this Union Corps so wanted to test the division's mettle.
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| 1st Brigade of 3rd Division holding the center |
Genral Thomas strung out the 3rd Division at key points covering the road. The far right was held initally held by part of Wilder's mounted infantry. They dismounted in the woods and along the fences. Their tested and trusted spencer rifles at the ready. To the left of them was 1st brigade of 3rd division holding the central hill. There the division commander stood with his troops. Corps commander Thomas of XIV Corps began in Spring Hill.
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| The 2nd brigade of 3rd Diviion of XIV Corps |
Van Deer/'s brigade covered the town. The 2nd Minnesota was soon to be part of a full scale scrum. Knowing if the their brigade failed the army may be rolled up and bagged by the Rebs.
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| Two Union cover the town of Spring Hill |
Second and third brigad held the town and far left of the Union. The ground around the river was covered in underbrush and soggy footing. It divided the field from easy access to the right accept down the road. The rebs decided to mass the attack on the Union right and cover their flank with a token force using the river as a defensible point.
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| Reb race up the road to capture the bridges |
The Reb Corps chose to attach the Union right and center. Hoping to take the woods and hill by storm. Cheatam first division came up and deployed. Not waiting for the whole corps to show Cheatam began throwing in his troops piecemeal, hoping to exploit the gaps between the strung out Union forces.
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| Wilder's dismounted infantry attacked by Rebs |
The rebs charged the Union position without waiting to bring up the whole division. Wilder's well lead brigade waited until the rebs were at close range to unload a devastating opening volley. Having nealy maxed out there rolls without going out of ammo. The volley sent the first Reb wave retreating in routed, shaken and disorder. The Rebs waited to bring up the division to make the second attack. In the meantime the army artilley reserve and the rest of Wilder's brigade arrived. General Thomas started starting sending regiments from the left around Spring Hill to reinforced the right.
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| Second attack on Wilder's Brigade |
This time the Rebs massed their attack and drove the union from the fences. Now the Union had the Artillery reserve beginning to pound the massed reb units. The first attack on the woods met with the same results as the mounted infantry drove off the rebs again and again.
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| Th Rebs attack theUnion center |
Meanwhile to help the stalled attack on the Union right. The attack on center began. Charging the hill met with disasterous results as the Union soldier's resisted all attempts to be dislodged. The Union fire was consistent and devastating. The impact rolls favored the Union all night.
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| The Union advance to support the attack on the center |
The Union advanced to support center and counter attack the Rebs. The game ended as news came of more Rebs finally arriving on the far right to attack Spring Hill directly. They had been lost trying to find the right road leading to town.
The Yankees are mounted differently from the Rebs, but there are Johnny Reb references in the text. So a JR game or perhaps Fire and Fury, Brother Against Brother, etc.?
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