2nd ARR WbtS Whitehead(USA)

[kennonlightfoot]

[center]AAR
War Between the States
Lt.Gen. Whitehead (USA) vs B.Gen. Collins (CSA)[/center]

We have started a new game after switching sides. This time I am going to do the AAR a little different. Rather than monthly reports I will aim for something nearer quarterly but I plan to make my reports around campaigns that cover a number of moves. This time I have a better feel for the game particularly the South’s weaknesses so I will be showing how I am attempting to take advantage of these. Gen. Collins has played the Union side a lot but not the South so be aware that there may be counters to these great plans that players will learn with experience.

The full thread for this AAR is posted in the ACWGC Forum: http://www.wargame.ch/board/acw/topic.a ... C_ID=12664

I plan to separate the Campaign commentaries out as posts in the War Room so I can get better feedback on what happened and how the South can counter them.

[kennonlightfoot]

1861:  Jul Aug Sep
 
While very few big battles are fought in these first few months of the war a lot of critical objectives must be achieved by the Union to prepare the way for the major offensives of 1862.  The Union must immediately call a draft to get their forces up large enough to form the armies and garrison all the regions they need to.  To do all this they need a steady source of Political Points and these come from occupying regions along the borders of the Confederacy.  They must be ready to occupy or dispute the Rebel occupation of Kentucky, take Missouri and West Virginia, and close down New Orleans and other ports.
 
I moved quickly into Missouri and West Virginia making these border states firmly in the Union.  I sent most of the Navy and an amphibious force down to New Orleans to take the forts and block the river to trade.
 
The Rebels went on the offensive in the mountains of West Virginia to try to draw off my attention.  They took Grafton with a small force under Johnston.  This misleads me to believe that Manassas would be weakened enough for even McClellan to win.  It wasn’t and he got his butt kicked.  But I know the enemy can’t keep enough troops in Grafton for long so I will wait.

[kennonlightfoot]

1861:  Oct Nov Dec
 
The winter of 1861 is one of the risky periods for the Union.  They must settle the question of Kentucky which relies heavily on luck and Rebel plans.  During the summer months invading Kentucky carries a heavy political penalty and high risk it will go over to this South.  I strike during October.  Unfortunately I have limited initiative to carry out the attacks with but this usually isn’t a problem since all you need is enough to make an overrun then move troops in to hold the region by normal movement.  I strike with a major force into Paducah and smaller forces into Henderson, Bowling Green, Louisville, and Lexington.  These attacks are followed up by easy land grabs into Arkansas, other parts of Kentucky and West Virginia.  Along the coast the blockade is strengthened with more unopposed landings at Ft. Jackson and Roanoke Island.
 
All this is preparation for the 1862 campaign when my second Draft call is made and my navy becomes strong enough to control the rivers and shut down trade.  Seizing Kentucky is preparation for the main offensive into Tennessee.  Virginia will be a side show but I must maintain pressure there or Collins will shift troops west.

[kennonlightfoot]

1862:  Jan Feb Mar
 
The winter continues with much more activity than I intended, mostly due to unusually high number of initiatives that lead me to do dumb things.  Some were good.  I was able to use them to overrun Ft. Smith in Arkansas pushing my forces much deeper into the west.  This was followed by even deeper overruns into Texarkana cutting the critical east west road there.  Farragut takes the Union navy down the Mississippi clearing out Rebel transports on the way and into the Arkansas River to complete the cutting off of the upper west.
 
In Kentucky Grant has taken command of the army in Paducah and marches on Humbolt taking the first region in Tennessee.  This gives me a major victory and emancipation.  The first Union goal is reached.  The companion army under Lyon doesn’t do as well.  They attempt to do too much advancing into both Clarksville and Gallin.  Clarksville is undefended and taken but Bragg disputes Gallin and wins.
 
In Virginia though things don’t go as well with McClellan in command, Banks tries to take Franklin and is defeated.  Then McClellan tries for Manassas and is whipped bad.  The Confederates enjoying their successes go on the offensive into the mountain regions driving back the Union garrisons.
 
The blockade is extended with a landing to take Jacksonville followed by more Islands being taken to tighten the blockade.  By the end of winter the south is down to about 40 supplies getting through.

[kennonlightfoot]

1862:  Apr May Jun
 
Spring brings a new draft and the final pushes into the remainder of Kentucky bring the state into the Union.  And, with the fresh troops filling out the armies the Union begins its drive into Tennessee.  I am finding the best Union tactic is the overrun.  Sometimes spearheaded by cavalry if it’s an undefended region and sometimes just by brute force of numbers to meet the 6:1 requirement.  While I am losing most of my major battles I am gobbling up regions at such a rate that my overall Political Point standing is steadily increasing.
 
The River Navy quickly clears the Tennessee and upper Mississippi Rivers making my two armies in the west mutually supporting.  Farragut then silences Memphis and heads up the Arkansas River to clear it.  The blue water Navy is active as well with many new ships coming on line.  Mostly the navy tightens the blockade pushing the CSA’s port supplies down into the thirties and prepares for some minor amphibious landings to expand my hold on Florida.  The Confederate navy has been somewhat active but unable to break the blockade at any port for more than a turn.  With the new Union cruisers, gunboats and ironclads getting deployed the blockade is stronger than ever.
 
With Sheridan leading the way Grant quickly overruns Shiloh and crosses the Tennessee to take Dickenson.  Lyon in support moves against Nashville while overrunning the small northern Tennessee regions.  The Rebels oppose the Nashville grab handing Lyon a major defeat but the occupation of Rebel regions more than offset this.  Taking advantage of my mobility I use amphibious assault to reach deep into south taking Florence, Alabama.  This is supported by forces overrunning Lawrence, Tullahoma and Cumberland leaving the confederate army almost surrounded in central Tennessee.  Bragg finally decides to cut his loses and get out using the army to retake Tullahoma, which I don’t oppose, which will leave him covering the main approach to Chattanooga.
 
In Virginia McClellan tries once again to get his “On to Richmond” campaign going or at least across the Potomac.  Another attack against Manassas delivers him another severe defeat.  Victory goes to the Rebel’s heads so they try to follow up with their own offensive attacking Harpers Ferry.  At last McClellan see a way to get his army across the Potomac and into the war.  He sends the whole army to reinforce Harpers Ferry delivering the Rebels a minor defeat while positioning his army for a drive down the valley.  In support Banks drives into the valley from the west taking Staunton.  Lee takes the main Confederate army also into the valley striking at Banks in Staunton driving him back into West Virginia.  But this pulls the Confederate’s main army in the east to far from the rest of Virginia.  McClellan overruns Winchester, Manassas and Fredericksburg.  Lee tries to undo the damage by attacking the force in Fredericksburg but Union control of the rails and water comes into play.  McClellan shifts his whole army back to Fredericksburg and simply overpowers Lee’s army giving him a major defeat.
 
The end of spring sees the Union firmly in control of Central Tennessee preparing to complete the conquest during summer in the West.  In Virginia the Union has captured the entire Valley and crossed the Rappahannock threatening Richmond itself.  The Mississippi will soon be cleared of enemy ships and firmly in Union control.

[kennonlightfoot]

1862:  Jul Aug Sep
 
The summer campaign starts off well but soon feels the affects of the steadily expanding Confederate armies.  McClellan still can’t seem to storm an outhouse must less an enemy held region.  July starts with the Union armies rolling over undefended regions with ease.  In Virginia Staunton is overrun and even Lexington probed but Lee strikes back first kicking McClellan back across the river clear to Washington (very odd retreat) then turning on the valley taking back Staunton.  The Union unable to maintain its hold on the upper valley decides to put the torch to it destroying its resources and rail lines.
 
In the West things also start off well with overruns taking Nashville and Murfreesboro driving the Rebel army back into the eastern mountains.  Grant likewise starts off like gangbusters easily defeating an attempt to retake Shiloh but when he tries to follow up the victory with the capture of the rest of Tennessee he meets defeat, first against Memphis then against Corinth.  Offsetting his set backs Lyon is able to defeat an attempt to regain Murfreesboro before winter set in.  Summer ends with most of Central Tennessee in Union hands but the key city of Memphis not taken.
 
Meanwhile Farragut takes the Union navy deep into the South clearing all of the Mississippi of Rebel shipping as well as the Red River.  A small naval expedition also cleans out the Chattahoochee River which should make east west movement a bit more difficult for the South.

[kennonlightfoot]

1862:  Oct Nov Dec
 
McClellan thinks a winter “On to Richmond” campaign can do what a summer one didn’t.  This time we will try some strategy since Lee moved into the valley he can be blocked by sending a small force into Gordonsville while the main armies take Fredericksburg and New Kent.  As planned Lee crushes the Gordonsville force but can’t reach to stop the other two armies.  However Lee doesn’t sit idle.  He strikes back taking New Kent but it looks like I will have time to secure Fredericksburg so retaking it will cost them.
 
In the West Grant tries a similar technique.  A small force under Gen. Reynolds pins the main Confederate army in Corinth while Grant moves the rest of his army to take Memphis.  The rest of central Tennessee is overrun as well ending the year with Eastern and Central Tennessee firmly in Union hands.
 
The winter also sees quite a bit of naval activity as the CSA’s newly built navy of ironclads tries to break the blockade and clear the Mississippi.  They made their sortie s and promptly sank.  Ironclads against even wooden ships don’t do that well.  Most were only damaged so they will be back.  The Union taking advantage of the victories cleans the Mississippi River of all Rebel shipping.
 
Command wise there are many changes.  First McDowell is sacked and Sherman made an Army Commander.  Which is apparently to much for Scott who promptly drops dead.  McClellan claims the spot no doubt due his recent victory at Fredericksburg against a couple of brigades.  Lacking anyone better Pope takes command of the AoP.
 
1862 ends with the Union threatening Richmond and most of Tennessee under their control.  I expected Tennessee to have fallen sooner so I don’t know how I am doing toward winning the war.  Political Point wise we both in good shape so we will see how 1863 goes on this. 

[kennonlightfoot]

1863:  Jan Feb Mar
 
The first few winter months of 1863 mostly see each side getting positioned for the main event in spring.  The Union expands it’s hold on the Tennessee area by overrunning backwater regions like Huntsville(AL) and Clarksdale(MI).  In the far West I take advantage of controlling Memphis and the Mississippi to overrun undefended portions of Arkansas including Madison and Arkansas Post in preparation for taking Little Rock.  The Navy gives Grant tremendous reach.  The Rebels decide to try to slow this down by counterattacking into Clarksdale but Grant reinforces it giving them a sound defeat.
 
In the East the grip on Virginia is strengthened and expanded as Richmond is slowly encircled.  New Kent is taken linking the two armies there.  On the coast I start testing the defenses.  First a small amphibious assault against Tyrrell(NC) which is mostly just a swamp but threatens the railroads to Richmond.  The next one is more ambitious and surprisingly works.  I send a larger force against Port Royal which is a difficult to defend port because of its isolation from adjacent regions.
 
The winter is ended by reinforcements to the captured regions and the call for a new Draft to get my armies up to strength for the summer.  As soon as it ends I will issue a call for Black troops to carry me through 1863 and victory.

[kennonlightfoot]

1863:  Apr May Jun
 
Spring starts off with some cleaning up of loose ends and extension of my western Virginia advance.  The Rebels are maintaining a very large army, probably 70,000 plus, at Corinth blocking any direct advance into the interior and in Virginia two large mutually supporting forces around Richmond area.  I have decided on a different approach to leveraging these armies out of position.  I plan to avoid a direct confrontation unless they attack and use my superior movement to take undefended regions and burn them to the ground.  1863 is going to be economic warfare.
The first strike in the west is to take Little Rock by striking across the recently captured road connecting to Memphis.  Sherman is sent as well to Arkansas and expands the subjugation of Arkansas to include Pine Bluff and Camden.
 
Meanwhile most of Sherman’s army joins Grant’s for an assault on Corinth driving Bragg back.  With Corinth’s fall Mississippi is exposed.  Sheridan tries to expand the advance by taking Grenada but the Rebels counterattack retaking it.
 
Meanwhile in Virginia things heat up.  Lyon’s army has been steadily eating up more of western Virginia by overrunning Appomattox, Staunton, Lexington and New Kent.  The Rebels trying roll these back by counterattack against Appomattox, New Kent and even Fort Monroe.  But as fast as they retake one area I advance into vacated areas.

[kennonlightfoot]

1863:  Jul Aug Sep
 
July sees more regions overrun as Union forces mover into Monroe (LA) and Ferriday (LA) in far west and Appomattox, Lynchburg and Roanoke in Virginia.  The Confederates mostly stay put but Bragg takes the largest Rebel mobile army to Decatur.  He may be planning a diversion into Union territory.
 
August sees a burst of activity as the Union armies get initiative everywhere.  Union forces overrun Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and even move into Alabama.  Regions taken include Grenada, Van Buren, Tupelo, Tuscaloosa, Jackson, Meridian, and Natchez.  Almost all of Mississippi is put to the torch.  In the East the Union extends its surrounding of Richmond by moving through the western regions by penetrating deeper taking Greensboro (NC) and Wytheville (VA).  The Rebels counter attack taking back Fredericksburg in the East and Huntsville (AL) and Tullahoma (TN) but this isn’t enough to stop the march into the south.  It looks like Bragg is definitely making a bid to take back central Tennessee but that leave me free to burn the south.
 
September is more of the same with Decatur (AL), Demopolis (AL) and Steele Bayou (LA) falling.  The Rebels try to stop the onslaught with counterattacks into Monroe, Roanoke, New Kent, and Livingston.  Most are successful but I am destroying the infrastructure of each region as I take them leaving them a shell.  Bragg continues his move north with an army of at least 70,000 taking Murfreesboro.  I start shifting my armies to trap him there.  Winter should turn his invasion into a mud march.
 
So far the Union strategy of picking off undefended regions and laying waste to their factories, resources and railroads is working.  The Rebels lack the force to retake them while garrisoning others so each round ends up with more under Union control and a steady advance in Union Political Points standing.

[kennonlightfoot]

1863:  Oct Nov Dec
 
Winter doesn’t stop the onslaught of Union troops.  In the West New Orleans is taken.  Sheridan cuts a path through the middle of the South taking Birmingham, Gadsden, and Rome(GA).  Confederate General Bragg continues his northward march through Tennessee into Kentucky taking Glasgow then turning more eastward and safety by moving on Lebanon (KY) and London (KY).  With most of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama in ruins, both Grant and Sherman turn to give chase conquering the regions taken by Bragg as they close in on him.
 
Meanwhile in the East the Union’s grip on Virginia and North Carolina is tightened.  Attempts by Lee to break the ring forming are either fought off or the region retaken as soon as Lee’s army moves on to another area.  With another amphibious landing by Sickles to take New Bern along with attacks into Raleigh and Goldsboro the ring is extended solidly from Fort Monroe through western Virginia into North Carolina and the coast.
The end of the year sees the trapped armies starving.  Over 15 brigades are damaged just in December.  Lee makes a desparate try to escape back into North Carolina but Lyon moves an army of 80,000 to block him practically destroying his army of 35,000 with loses over 19,000 and 90 guns.  In the West Grant closes with Bragg reinforcing the troops defending Lebanon and retaking Glasgow.  Bragg is now backed into the mountains where his army will probably starve to death.