USA Coming Fury

[meisterchow]

Late July, 1862

Production:

Concord, NH - Camp
Montpelier, VT - Camp

Butler takes command of the new 7th Corps.  His Department of Virginia is incorporated as the 9th Division.  McCook's 13th Division is ordered north to Annapolis to join 7th Corps.

Keyes moves into the Shenandoah as a blocker, while Banks again attempts to get to the Cumberland.  Ft. Hill has already fallen, so there's no guarantee Twiggs will sit there nicely and wait for him.

McClellan pursues Jackson to Chattanooga.  Halleck is ordered back to Kentucky to help Sigel deal with Semmes' incursion.

Months of hard marching has sorely depleted Garibaldi's 17th Division.  He is ordered to stand down for a bit in Fayetteville and let his brigades replenish.

Fremont advances on Memphis.

The Naval Infrastructure I upgrade is received.

Battle in Cumberland

By order of the President, General Runyon is promoted to overall command of all Union armies, and is given 5 star rank to denote that.  He takes over command of the Army of the Potomac and catches Twiggs in Cumberland.  78,163 Yankees attack Twiggs' 64,600 Rebels.  However, Twiggs is not going down without a fight, and pulls off a flanking maneuver.

The battle quickly gets intense, and General Runyon is wounded early on.  He is overheard to say, 'There are times when even an Army Commander's life is not worth anything.  I will not leave the field until this engagement is decided.'  The boys in blue did him proud, standing their ground where they would have given way not that long ago.  Several generals are wounded on both sides, and eventually, cut off from home, Twiggs' men break.

Union losses amount to 11,933 while Confederate losses total up to 17,129.

Battle Honors: Rocket Battalion, 13th New York, 5th Delaware, 3rd Maine, 2nd Delaware Cavalry, US 9th Infantry, Ellsworth's Fire Zouaves

General Runyon's conditioned worsens after the battle to Critical, while General Tyler is recovering nicely.

VP/NW at the end of the turn:
USA 7/-3
CSA -6/0

[meisterchow]

Early August, 1862

Production:

St. Louis, MO - Camp, Infantry
Frankfort, KY - Foundry (at governor's request)
Concord, NH - Mansion

Banks, Keyes and Butler rendevous in Fredericksburg, to keep the pressure on Twiggs.

Out in Kentucky, the situation is very...dynamic.  McClellan rushes to Bowling Green.  A sizeable Confederate force has retaken Paducah, and he should be strong enough to drive them out.  Fremont settles in to besiege Island #10 to clear the way to Memphis.  Sigel is given his third star and the new 6th Corps.  Originally intended to bulk out the Army of the Missouri, for now it will be an independent command to assist in the re-liberation of Kentucky.  Sigel intends to link up with Halleck (and absorb his Indiana Volunteers into his Corps) in the Central Mississippi River.

Out West, Garibaldi returns to the Black River in southern Missouri to shorten his supply lines before sweeping across the rest of northern Arkansas.

The Moisture Proof Cartridges upgrade is received.
The Invalid Corps upgrade is received.
The Signal System upgrade is received.

Battle in Central Miss. River

Sigel finds his 12,857 men outnumbered by Bragg's 14,497 Confederates.  Regardless, he gets his men into line and prepares for battle.  He put his headquarters in Springtown, behind Cloud Ridge, where he ordered the 23rd Division to take up positions.  A hastily scribbled message got Halleck on his feet, and the Indiana Volunteers soon came tromping up the dusty road.

Halleck's men put a Rebel flanking maneuver to rest, while the 23rd Division engages in a long firefight across the waterway from their entrenchments on top of Cloud Ridge.  Sensing momentum in the balance, the next morning, Sigel orders Halleck to bring his troops further up the Union left and try and flank the Rebel positions.  Halleck gets stuck in a vicious firefight with the Confederate reserves.  Ultimately, most of Halleck's troops break.  This leads to some of the 23rd's brigades also breaking.  At this point, both sides are exhausted, but enough of the 23rd Division stands to outlast the Rebs.

A bloody battle with Union losses totaling 5,518 and Confederate losses totaling 8,245.  The 14th Ohio earns its battle flag.

Battle in Sparta

29,856 Union troops under McClellan are rather bemused when 6,724 Rebels under Pearce and Huger attack.  It's only a skirmish, with losses under a thousand on both sides as the Confederates decide not to push the matter.

Battle in Fredericksburg

Keyes is alone when his scouts detect both Twiggs and Johnston coming up the road.  His 7,784 cavalry troops are simply not equipped to deal with over 78,000 Confederates, and he quickly and ably departs the field in good order.

Battle in Fredericksburg

With Keyes withdrawn and Twiggs gone from the vicinity, Banks and Butler rendevous prior to crashing into Johnston.  Together they have 91,795 men against just 9,802 Confederates.  Johnston, hoping to keep the Union troops disordered until Twiggs can return, launches a surprise attack!  The boys in blue roll right over Johnston, capturing him, and meets Twiggs' army headlong.  Caught on the march, Twiggs' troops never truly get organized, and after a brief, hot fight, they are put to flight.

Union losses are 7,908 and Confederate losses are 16,943.  In addition, 7 CSA brigades are forced to surrender, along with General Grimes and General Walker.

Honors: Rocket Battalion, 13th New York, 3rd Rhode Island, 4th Connecticut, 4th Michigan, 4th Massachusetts, 5th Massachusetts, 14th New York, 4th Maryland, Olden Legion, US 9th Infantry, Ellsworth's Fire Zouaves, Minnesota First Volunteers.

It is with much relief that the news of General Runyon's recovery is received.  While it may still be some time before he is able to resume his duties, we look forward to his continued service.

Governor Robinson of Kansas asks us to place some cronies on the staff of one of the field commands.  They are given positions in the Army of the Ohio, mostly to annoy McClellan, who has been agitating for higher command.

[jkBluesman]

ORIGINAL: Charlie Lewis

Early July, 1862



Battle in Lower Tenn. River

Sigel finds 4,042 Confederates lurking around. The 10,711 men of his division are eager to be blooded and prove their worth. Unfortunately, with only the 5th Missouri Brigade having seen combat already, Sigel's men don't have the stomach for a prolonged fight. They give better than they get, losing 1,482 casualties while causing 2,922, but can't stand long enough for the Reb's morale to break. Even in defeat, though, the 3rd Michigan, 4th Iowa, 13th Illinois, and 5th Missouri earn their battleflags. Sigel's first battle as an independent division commander wasn't a total disaster. Hopefully, he'll be able to reorganize and get his men back in the fight soon.

That really sounds like Sigel. He always tried to get as many men out of a defeat as possible to regroup and try again later. That is what happened in the Shenanndoah Valley when he lost at New Market. His force was still intact but he was removed from command and replaced by Hunter.

[meisterchow]

I'm using maximum variation on generals' stats, and I think Sigel came out better than he did historically.  He's now a Corps Commander with the independent 6th Corps under his command.  His first Corps-level battle ended in victory only because McClellan came along with a fresh 30K+ command.  In truth, in this game Sigel is doing very well when you consider the brigades under his command are sorely depleted.  Prior to the battle, 6th Corps was considered to be Inspired.

[meisterchow]

Late August, 1862

McCook and Sigel both get their third stars, slightly mollifying the Governor of Ohio and cementing Claiburne Jackson as a loyal zealot of Lincoln's (that's called irony, btw).  Kiernan and Morris both get their second stars.  As they were both from New York, Governor Morgan is quite happy.

General Buford's injuries, acquired in the battle in Cumberland, have driven him to a Critical condition.  He was serving ably as Keyes' brigadier with the 1st US Cavalry, and his absence is noticeable.

Production:

Lansing, MI - Mansion
Indianapolis, IN - Barracks (Governor's request)
Harrisburg, PA - Mansion

With the majority of the forces in the Eastern Theater united in Fredericksburg after the great victory, Runyon orders a complete reorganization (from his hospital bed, of course).  By virtue of his rank, Butler takes over the Army of the Potomac.  It is now comprised of 3rd, 4th and 7th Corps.  3rd Corps is to be commanded by Banks, 4th Corps remains with Hunter, and 7th Corps goes to McCook.  Banks' 3rd Corps (22K) is composed of Rousseau's 9th Division and J.F. Reynold's 24th Division.  Hunter's 4th Corps (24K) is composed of O.O. Howard's 3rd Division, Schenk's 4th Division, and Scammon's 5th Division.  McCook's 7th Corps (23K) is composed of D.S. Miles' 13th Division and Manson's 24th Division.  The 1st, 2nd and 8th Divisions are ordered back to Annapolis.  A new Corps will be created to contain them in the future.

Sigel absorbs Halleck's Indiana Volunteers, now designated the 10th Division.  He marches east into Paducah while McClellan's Army of the Ohio marches east to the Lower Tennessee River.  They hope to pinch Semmes between them.

Fremont successfully destroys the fortifications at Island No. 10 near Memphis.

Battle in Paducah

Sigel's 6th Corps (16,633 men) meet Stuart's 10,148 Confederates in the vicinity of Paducah, KY.  The resulting battle is horrible, confusing mess.  McClellan arrives and throws his weight into the fight in the nick of time.  Halleck's 10th Division is all but wiped out due to the depleted state of his brigades.  The Missouri State Guard, solely comprised on one cavalry brigade proves to be a very tough opponent, and gives Sigel serious problems until McClellan puts a cordon around the brigade and ultimately forces it to surrender, bringing the days of the Missouri State Guard to an end.

In the end, Union losses total 5,401 while Confederate losses total 6,884 plus the loss of the Missouri cavalry and General Slack.

Battle Honors: First Irish Regiment

With great sadness we learn that General John Buford has succumbed to his wounds.

The promotions of Scammon, Schenk and Howard improve the attitudes of the governors of Ohio and Maine.

VP/NW at the end of the turn:
USA 7/-3
CSA -6/0

[sadja]

My wife is going to be sad to know that Sam Elliot has died.[:D][:D][:D]

[meisterchow]

She won't be the only one. [;)]

[hgilmer]

    When you have variable general stats on, does that mean even the big names like Lee, Grant, Sherman, and Jackson are vairable as well, or do some of the big name generals keep their historical abilities and skills?

[meisterchow]

My  understanding is that it affects all generals.  So Grant may be useless and Banks the savior of the Union.  In my game, Twiggs has been in command of the Army of Northern Viriginia and has proved a capable opponent.  Lee has been seen commanding a corps.  Since I'm playing as the North, I can say that in my game Grant is very average, Sherman better than average.  Butler has proved to worthwhile, and Sigel is an up-and-coming star.  Runyon got the fifth star when it became available, and is overseeing the Virginia campaign (from his hospital bed - 5 Star Generals really shouldn't lead from the front).

[meisterchow]

Early September, 1862

Production:
Des Moines, IA - Camp (Governor's request)
Augusta, ME - RR Station (Governor's request)
Madison, WI - Infantry
Milwaukee, WI - Cavalry
St. Louis, MO - School
Cairo, IL - Hospital

Fremont, having removed the fortifications on Island No. 10, now sets up a siege of Memphis.

Sigel rests in Paducah, while McClellan pursues Stuart to the Lower Tennessee River.

Jackson has been seen in Kenawha, so Keyes moves his cavalry to Grafton.  The weather is not very cooperative, so that's as far as he hopes to get right now.  Kiernan takes the 8th Division to Franklin, VA in support of Keyes, while Heintzelman takes the 2nd Division to the Shenandoah.

Battle in Fredericksburg

Whatever else you might think about Twiggs, you have to admire his fighting spirit.  While Heintzelman's troops are marching through on their way to the Shenandoah, Twiggs' army is found to be approaching.  Luckily for Heintzelman, Butler and the Army of the Potomac is bivouacked nearby.  Twiggs' 53,867 men are outnumbered by Butler's 79,223.  The Union troops stood their ground and met their foe with determination.  Only three brigades couldn't stand the heat, and it was only a matter of time before the Southern troops started slipping away.  In the end, Twiggs lost another 14,523 men while Butler lost only 7,209.  The Jeff Davis Battery is captured!  Generals Colquitt and Ector are also captured along with an infantry brigade.

Battle honors: 6th Delaware,  5th Delaware, 13th Pennsylvania, 10th Ohio, 1st West Virginia

Battle in Lower Tenn. River

28,594 Union vs 15,273 Confederate

McClellan's seasoned Army of the Ohio is forced to fight an unusual battle as the Rebels attack piecemeal from many different directions.  Instead of a coherent battleline, the individual divisions fight localized bouts with various Confederate brigades.  This strategy, while causing some formations, like the 18th Division to spend half the battle marching to and fro, ultimately backfires for the Confederates, and McClellan's troops deal with the unusual tactics with aplomb.  By lunchtime of the second day, Rebel units begin slipping away, leaving the field to the Union.  General Pendleton and a brigade are captured.

Union losses: 4,200
Confederate losses: 6,766

VP/NW at the end of the turn:
USA 7/-2
CSA 6/0

[meisterchow]

Late September, 1862

The newly formed 6th Fleet ships out to add Savannah, GA to the list of ports under blockade.

Garibaldi moves to the Ozarks as he resumes his campaign of liberation in Arkansas.

McClellan takes his command to Bowling Green to drive out the latest Confederate incursion.

Out East, there's a problem in that Jackson has pushed his command to the East Ohio River.  Very reliable reports indicate that he only has 4,500 men under his command, but that's enough to cause trouble.  Keyes is ordered to take his 1st Cavalry Division and run Jackson down.  Kiernan is ordered to cut off Jackson's path of retreat by retaking Kenewha, while Heintzelman is ordered to cross the mountains of West Virginia to
 Grafton.  McDowell rails to Zanesville, OH.

Production:

Harrisburg, PA - Division, Corps
Philadelphia, PA - 3 Ships, Fleet
Cairo, IL - Hospital, School

Memphis falls to Fremont!

Fortification Techniques I is developed in the wake of the knowledge gained by Fremont in the sieges of Island No. 10 and Memphis.

Battle in Bowling Green

McClellan finds himself up against Stuart and Bragg, as the disparate elements of the CSA scatter around Kentucky.  Combined, they only have a little over 12,000 men and McClellan's 31,000 hope to capture some brigades to bring this nonsense to an end.  The battle quickly turns to rout, as the McClellan loses 2,574 men while the Confederates lose 4,177 and two brigades.  Generals Jones, Evans, and J.K. Jackson are captured.

Battle in East Ohio River

Keyes catches up to Jackson as Jackson lays siege to Wheeling.  Union troops number 7,782 while Jackson only has 4,336 men.  Keyes' catches Jackson by surprise!  In spite of that, Jackson quickly rallies his troops, and some ill-timed charges by Keyes leaves the Union cavalry in disarray.  Only the timely arrival of McDowell and Kiernan save the day.  (whoever thought that would be said?)  Union losses are 1,168 and Confederate losses are 1,758.  The Stonewall Brigade is forced to surrender.

VP/NW at the end of the turn
USA 9/-1
CSA -7/-2

[meisterchow]

Early October, 1862

With Jackson's command dispered around Wheeling, Keyes moves his division south to Kenewha.  Heintzelman moves back north to the Cumberland for Winter quarters.  Kiernan remains at Wheeling and McDowell rails back to Annapolis.

With Twiggs appearing to be preparing a siege of Ft. Monroe in the Rappahanock, Butler decides to try and pin him against the fortress for one last blow before winter.

Garibaldi intends to finish his sweep of northern Arkansas with a move to Crowley's Ridge.

Fremont begins the construction of a fortress outside Memphis to prevent a Rebel incursion from freeing up the city after his forces leave.

Sigel looks to drive Department No. 2 out of the Lower Tennesee River while McClellan is going to try and push Department No. 1 out of the Cumberland River.

Production:

St. Paul, MN - Barracks (Governor's request)
Columbus, OH - Cavalry
Brooklyn, NY - 3 Ships, Fleet
Pittsburgh, PA - Infantry

The Skirmisher Training I upgrade is received.

Battle in Lower Tenn. River

Sigel's 14, 987 men clash with a mixed command led by Jackson (who evidently managed to slip away from Wheeling), Pearce and Bragg together commanded about 8,000 men.  The ground was poor for a battlefield, and Sigel was able to direct the four brigades of the 23rd Division (the 10th was still too depleted to fight) skillfully and was able to send CSA brigade after CSA brigade running with sharp exchanges of aimed musketry that often left enemy generals wounded.  With a loss of only 737 men, Sigel won a certain victory, causing 2,717 casualties in exchange.

Battle in Rappahanock

Twiggs had already retired to Richmond, leaving Hill to conduct the siege of Ft. Monroe with only 4,202 men when Butler crashed into him with the 66,992 men of the Army of the Potomac.  Intending to crush Hill utterly, and deprive the south of his brigades, Butler orders a Flanking Maneuver that is successful!  That doesn't stop Twiggs from rushing back to Hill's rescue turning a one-sided scrape into a major battle.  It's too little, too late, though, as Butler finds Hill and then deploys to break up Twiggs' counterattack.  The only dark spot for the North was the wounding of General Porter near the end of the battle as the result of an ill-considered charge on his part.

Union losses amount to 3,746 men and Confederate losses pile up to 12,086, with one brigade captured.

Battle Honors: 14th New York, 1st US Infantry, 2nd West Virginia.

The promotion of General Casey to his second star improves the attitude of the governor of Rhode Island.

VP/NW at the end of the turn:

USA 9/-1
CSA -7/-2

[meisterchow]

Late October, 1862

Garibaldi enters the Swamps as he moves towards Little Rock.

Butler is to repair Ft. Monroe in anticipation of returning to Washington for the winter come November.

Kiernan is to move to Grafton to watch against Huger, sitting in Franklin.

All other commands remain in place.

Production:

Harrisburg, PA - Barracks
Lansing, MI - Hospital (governor's request)
Trenton, NJ - Mansion

Battle in Kenawha

Keyes' cavalry troopers find themselves under attack by Huger's desperate Texans.  Keyes has over 7,000 troopers to Huger's 4,726 Rebels.  However, Huger successfully feints, breaking the 1st US Cavalry up before he attacks.  Keyes sends a message to Kiernan in Parkersburg, who marches south to join him.  The battle is sharp and short, with Keyes and Kiernan losing 823 men between them and Huger losing 1,335 men, with one brigade surrendered.

Scammon's promotion to his third star improves the attitude of the governor of Ohio, while Hardin's second star makes Governor Curtin of Pennsylvania happier.

VP/NW at the end of the turn:
USA 9/-1
CSA -7/-2

[meisterchow]

Early November, 1862

Garibaldi, who has liberted more territory than any other Union general, moves to White River to complete the liberation of northern Arkansas.

Hill has taken up position in Fredericksburg.  Butler intends to march right over him on the way to Annapolis for the winter, while Scammon moves the newly formed 8th Corps to the outskirts of Washington, D.C.

Production:

Frankfort, KY - Artillery
Springfield, IL - Cavalry
St. Louis, MO - 2 Cavalry, Division

Smokeless Powder is developed.

Battle in Fredericksburg

When Butler's 64,944 men of the Army of the Potomac march into Fredericksburg.  They find Twiggs and 44,886 Rebels instead of Hills' understrength division.  Butler eagerly gives the order to attack, ready to give Twiggs another whuppin'.  Using his superior numbers, Butler is successful in setting up a Flanking Maneuver.

Yet again, The Wilderness echoes to the sound of gunfire and desperate struggle.  Butler finds himself anchoring the Union line with the Rocket Battery, the stacks of Rebel dead as tall as a man in front of the artillery.  Afterwards, over 3,800 casualties are attributed to the Rocket Battery.

General Hunter had deployed his 4th Corps around Butler and he stood with the 1st US Artillery.  It was the focus of several sharp attacks, and Hunter was wounded several times before collapsing.

The 21st and 13th Divisions, McCook's 7th Corps, anchor the left flank, but ultimately crumble under the weight of the Confederate attack.  However, the Union right smashes through the thin screen, and a new line is established, marching steadfastly towards D.S. Miles and the 10th Ohio, resolutely standing alone as Rebel brigades swirl around them.  Afterwards, the 10th Ohio became known as The Defiants.

Eventually the discipline and weight of numbers tells the tale, and Twiggs once again leaves the field of battle in Butler's hands.

Union losses: 10,179  Confederate losses: 18,387, with four brigades forced to surrender along with Generals E.K. Smith, Cobb, Hardee, and Ewell.

Battle Honors: New Hampshire Mountaineers

There are now eight Union generals out of commission, from 5 Star General Runyon on down.  The holes are starting to appear in the command structure, particularly in the Army of the Potomac, which has lost seven of the eight disabled leaders.  Most are recovering, but have been for months.  Hopefully, while the Army rests and recuperates in Annapolis over the winter, some of the leaders will be able to return to duty - they are desperately needed.

VP/NW at the end of the turn:
USA 9/0
CSA -7/-2

[meisterchow]

Late November, 1862

In honor of his accomplishments, Garibaldi's 17th Division is renamed the Army of the West.

Heintzelman and Kiernan are ordered to begin the construction of forts in Cumberland and Grafton, respectively, to secure border areas against future Rebel incursions.

Production:

Washington, D.C. - Signal Tower
Jefferson City, MO - Mansion
Boston, MA - Mansion
Lexington, KY - Mansion

Artillery Discipline will increase the lethality of Union artillery brigades.

Battle in Lower Tenn. River

Sigel's 18,898 men of the 6th Corps are attacked in their winter quarters by 3,776 desperate men under Stuart.  It becomes a long, drawn-out affair.  Sigel orders his men to dig in between two bodies of water to anchor the flanks.  The Rebels appear late in the afternoon and promptly attack.  However, they are unable to make any headway against the entrenched defenders, and Stuart's men nearly break as darkness falls.

Dawn brings renewed fighting.  The Union troops stand steadfastly in their field works and fire volley after volley into their Gray opponents.    It appeared the battle was all but won, when troops from the Department of Norfolk arrived on the field.  Sigel's men were sorely pressed, but they held their line and the Confederates ultimately had to withdraw late in the second day.

Sigel lost 734 men while the attackers lost 4,030.

The newly-formed Marching Twelfth earned its battle flag.

Battle in Cumberland

Obviously pursuing a strategy of small cuts, Huger and another depleted command under Lee attack Heintzelman in the Cumberland.  It's a nearly even fight as his 3,500 men face off against 3,800 Rebels.  However, Heintzelman has no intention of fighting fair, and he sends a dispatch rider off to Butler nearby in Annapolis.  Butler's men are still unloading from their train cars when the Rebels retire.  Union losses are 553 and Confederate losses are 604.

Governor Robinson of Kansas asks for more special treatment for his cronies.  While Kansas is now longer a key state, his request is granted.  Any bumbling done by his cronies in the 21st Divison will be offset by the superior leadership of the Army of the Potomac overall.

It is with great relief that the news of the full recovery of Generals Runyon, Tyler and Buckingham is received.  After Butler returns to Annapolis, the command issues of the Army of the Potomac can be addressed.  However, it is with great concern that the news of General Porter becomding critical is received.

VP/NW at the end of the turn:
USA 9/0
CSA -7/-2

[meisterchow]

Early December, 1862

Garibaldi begins the siege of Little Rock by ordering his men to plunder the surrounding area.

Focus is made on re-equipping as many brigades as possible still armed with Enfields with the Improved Springfield.  Heintzelman, Kiernan, Sigel and McClellan all receive large shipments of armaments.

General McPherson fully recovers from his wounds, as does General Willcox.

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of General A. Porter.  He is buried with full honors next to General Buford.

VP/NW at the end of the turn:
USA 9/0
CSA -7/-2

[meisterchow]

Late December, 1862

Production:

Harrisburg, PA - Army
Indianapolis, IN - Mansion

A new army command staff is being organized.  It is intended to send this staff to Kentucky and raise General McClellan to army command.  His Army of the Ohio will ultimately drive down through central Tennessee and keep as many troops occupied in resisting him as possible while General Fremont's Army of the Missouri advances down the Mississippi River towards New Orleans and a complete severance of the South.

An Ambulance Department is organized to improve the overall care of the troops in the field.

Battle in Lower Tenn. River

Again, Sigel's men find themselves under attack.  This time, Sigel has over 20,000 against the 3,200 attacking him.  He ponders the desperation on Jackson's part that would encourage him to pursue such a matter.  Again pulling reinforcements, the South suffers more devastating losses.  They lose over 4,000 men while Sigel loses around 2,000.

General Barnard has now recovered from his wounds.

Now its the governor of Indiana asking for favors.  Against my better judgement, his request is granted.  Union forces have been enjoying a steady stream of victories, large and small, and I'm sure any political appointees on command staffs will learn their trade soon enough.

General Schurz' second star is well received in Wisconsin.

VP/NW at the end of the turn:
USA 9/0
CSA -7/-2

[meisterchow]

Overview of 1862 and Plans for 1863

With the first full year of war completed, the Union has made excellent progress at stemming Southern offensives, improving troop quality and securing Kentucky.  While much of the year was spent repelling spoiling attacks in western Kentucky, the state is considered secure.  General McClellan will be upgrading his command to a full army, allowing him to incorporate Sigel's 6th Corps under his command.  His job will then be to secure Tennessee.

As mentioned before, Fremont's great task for 1863 is to secure the Mississippi River, which will probably keep him busy until the end of the war in all honesty.  Garibaldi will assist on the western side after he completes the siege of Little Rock, which will secure Arkansas.

Out East, Runyon has resumed active duty.  His task will be to tighten the cordon around Richmond and to conquer as much of Virginia as possible.  If Twiggs can be bottled up in Richmond or driven south to North Carolina, so much the better.

[meisterchow]

Early January, 1863

Production:

Lansing, MI - Camp

It's Scammon's turn for his 8th Corps to be upgraded to Springfields.

VP/NW at the end of the turn:
USA 9/0
CSA -7/-2

[meisterchow]

Late January, 1863

Ft. Fairfield is completed in the Cumberland.  The 5th New York, which had been garrisoning Rochester is railed down to man the defenses.

Production:

Madison, WI - Infantry
Milwaukee, WI - Cavalry
Boston, MA - RR Station (governor's request)
Jefferson City, MO - Factory (governor's request)
Lexington, KY - Hospital

Battle in Lower Tenn. River

Sigel's 6th Corps is attacked by Bate.  Bate brings over 13,000 men to the fight against Sigel's 20,000.  This time, Sigel opts for a more fluid defense.  He orders the weaker 10th Division to dig in around Dickville, while the 23rd Division lines up next to the entrenchments.  Rebels sweep through a local fort and the town of Beford to the southeast before advancing on the Union position.  The 23rd skillfully fends off the first attack while the bulk of the Confederate forces try to swing around to the north and attack the 10th.

Sigel and Hancock maneuver two brigades to fend off the attack, leaving Meade to direct the defenses of the town.  After the 23rd finishes off the first engagement, it quickly moves up next to Sigel and Hancock and they repulse the second attack.  Night falls, and Sigel orders the line re-established around the town.  CSA forces used the night to establish a line north of the town, paralleling the Union line.  After a brief exchange of fire at a distance, the 14th Ohio impetuously breaks the line and attacks.  Sigel is left with no choice but to order the line forward in support.  Thankfully, the advantage swings to the Union, and the 14th's attack ends in victory instead of defeat, with the Confederate forces driven from the field.  Sigel loses 4,513 men while Bate loses 7,675.

The Marching Twelfth and 2nd Minnesota both earn their battle flags.

VP/NW at the end of the turn:
USA 9/0
CSA -7/-2