The Anaconda Plan

[d714]

AUGUST 1862 continued, Union VP 4, Conf VP 1

The Battle for Memphis, part 2

In this manner the Union and Confederate start what appears to be a round pivot, with both flanks turning in a counterclockwise motion. The advantage however seemed to be to the union, with more of an access to the confederate rear. Thus it was that Grant was encouraged with the course of the battle, at least until the rains came. After 4 PM the sky opened up in the afternoon thundershowers so frequent to this part of the country, and Grant’s advantage was washed away. Union soldiers, soon soaked to the skin, also find their paper cartridges become rain soaked, percussion caps fail to ignite, and they curse as misfires occurs. The Union finds the effectiveness of their fires decreasing dramatically. The same can not be said of the Confederates, apparently equipped with metal cartridges. Union casualties climb as Billy Yank finds himself continually searching for a dry cartridge while under fire. Yet if Grant can only get fully into Jackson’s rear he can still win the day. Hancock’s 3rd division are now struggling to roll up the confederate line on the right, painfully dealing with wet cartridges and confederate troops that, although outflanked, just refuse to fall back.

[d714]

AUGUST 1862 continued, Union VP 4, Conf VP 1

The Battle for Memphis, part 3

Throught the next few wet hours the battle turns to disorganized individual fist fight as the union, dealing with the effects of moisture on their ammunition, start taking horrendous one sided casualties. Brigades, isolated and out of command on both flanks, fight without direction. Grant’s artillery, the “Rocket Battalion”, move up to reinforce in the confusion and stumble into a confederate brigade, who fire at them from enfilade – it’s commander, Van Cleve, is carried from the field near death. Hancock’s 3rd division slogs through the rain and one last attempt to turn the battle and envelope Jackson’s flanks. But the confederates have sufficient reinforcements, and they easily turn to meet this threat. With most of forces out of command, Grant can only watch as a spectator as the battle reaches its ultimate conclusion. At sunset he does not need to give the command to retreat, the Union Army of the West is routed. Grant falls back to Cairo, his starting point at the beginning of the year. His losses number 31,775. Confederate losses are 21,549.

[Drex]

What a nailbiter! These battles can really get exciting. I've always got the moisture-proof cartridges upgrade and have never experienced the effect of rain. Sounds like I need to continue that. Made the difference in the battle outcome.

[d714]

SEPTEMBER 1862, Union VP 0 (national will -2), Conf VP 3

Bad news continues. Jackson (spies cannot determine if he has recovered from his battle wounds and is back in command or not) seizes Memphis, wiping out the 5,000 man Union garrison left in Island 10 that was intended to hold out for 2 months at least. Banks, ill-prepared to siege the rebel works at Fort Henry, suffers some 15,000 casualties during a month of frontal attacks to the well fortified rebel positions. In early September a confederate division of 26,000 commanded by Beauregard moves into within range of Banks. Grant, although sitting in reinforcement range of Banks, is insistent that he can expect no help from his direction until he reforms. Banks, again, prepares to withdraw back to the Ohio River.

The nation reels back at the news of these losses. In two months the United States has suffered 70,000 casualties and the front line in the west is at the same point as it was during the start of the war. The nation begins to lose its will to fight.

Grant, fully expecting to be replaced, is tempted in seeking solace in the bottle. Banks – barely holding on to command due to his political connection. Lincoln is shaken by the events of the last month, but his resolve to preserve the union remains. The anaconda plan will remain, but it cannot occur until that large rebel force in the west is destroyed. And that cannot occur with the Union outnumbered and out armed. For the first time in the war, Lincoln institutes the draft. Men are to now be conscripted from the nation and shuttled to the west. Impressments of money and labor is also ordered, Governor complaints be damned.

One single point of good news is noted. Reynolds lands his corps on the South Carolina coast. A scouting company sails out to Fort Sumter and finds it unoccupied. Reynolds now finds himself in possession of a southern fort in the heart of the Dixie, right were the civil war began.

*edit note: note that the below screen indicates a game bug – the fall of Fort Sumter is noted as a result of the “siege in Annapolis”, this is no cut and paste error. *

[jkBluesman]

It seems to me that your settings with Kentucky going to join the South might just have been too much as the Confederate manpower is thus greater.
But we will see how it turns out.

[d714]

ORIGINAL: jkBluesman

It seems to me that your settings with Kentucky going to join the South might just have been too much as the Confederate manpower is thus greater.
But we will see how it turns out.

Yes that hurt, and my "house rules" of not allowing myself to go on the offensive against Richmond, and not allowing the two armies in the west to reinforce each other, are hurting. I am convinced that I could have taken Richmond, or at least threatened it enough, in the early part of the war so that this massive rebel army would not have collected in the west.
I am also playing with some confederate power multipliers and a higher difficulty level.
I'm thinking about throwing out the "no western army cooperation" rule out - tired of being whooped.

[Drex]

Remember you are the President. You can order them to co-operate.

[jkBluesman]

ORIGINAL: DI7

Yes that hurt, and my "house rules" of not allowing myself to go on the offensive against Richmond, and not allowing the two armies in the west to reinforce each other, are hurting. I am convinced that I could have taken Richmond, or at least threatened it enough, in the early part of the war so that this massive rebel army would not have collected in the west.
I am also playing with some confederate power multipliers and a higher difficulty level.
I'm thinking about throwing out the "no western army cooperation" rule out - tired of being whooped.

And the rebels do not act historically as they cooperate very well in the West. They do not have departments like the Trans-Mississippi Department and Braxton Bragg is neither in command of any army nor is Holmes.

[d714]

LATE SEPTEMBER 1862, Union VP 0 (national will -2), Conf VP 3

Behind closed doors in Washington, Lincoln and Secretary of War Stanton plan a grand reorganization of the western Union forces. Grant will be commander of all forces to the west of the Appalachian’s, with the badly depleted Army of Kentucky and the Army of Ohio falling within his command and available to reinforce him as he sees fit. Bank’s will be demoted and moved to command a fort in Maryland (hopefully, harmlessly giving orders to garrison troops safely behind the front lines), Lincoln risking the political fallout of this demotion. Buford, recently a Major General in McClellan’s command, will be promoted and moved west to take over Bank’s Army of Kentucky. Likewise, Sheridan, a new General of some promise, will be promoted and command the small 8,000 force Army of Ohio. *author edit note: at this point I am throwing out one of my house rules that the armies of the west will not cooperate*

Sadly, General Van Cleve, wounded in The Battle of Memphis, has died of his wounds. Another of McClellan’s generals, Thomas, also moves west to take over his division. With Grant’s army at maximum brigade size, a separate wing is added to his force, to be operated somewhat independently but in support of Grant. This “7th corps” will be commanded by Williams T. Sherman.

Grant, fully expecting to be returning home in disgrace, back to being a nameless store clerk in his father’s business, is delighted at the news. Already, replacements and conscripted troops are filling his ranks, and with the Cairo garrison troops he has almost 130,000 soldiers under arms in his area. The Armies of Kentucky and Ohio have almost 40,000 more, although they are separated currently by Beauregard and his army.

With Memphis taken, Grant’s worry is that Jackson will advance on his positions before he can adequately refit. His scouts are out in force, but the advancing rebels are coming from the east, not the south. To his surprise it is Beauregard and 24,000 greybacks that instigate the formal invasion into Union territory. Grant does not prepare defenses but, rather, see’s an opportunity to repeat what he did with Price two months ago. His first order of duty is to pull his lines into position such that Jackson, if such was planned, does not have an opportunity to reinforce Beauregard, at least for the first day. *author edit note: “interior lines” selected as scouting check option*

With river and marshy swamps in his front, Grant falls back somewhat to allow Beauregard to advance over open ground and to become enveloped. But Beauregard, the Creole perfectly at home in the swamps, does not fall for such a trap. For hours Grant and Beauregard play a cat and mouse game - Beauregard already finding himself somewhat surrounded and outnumbered, firing from cover; Grant – hesitant to move into the chaos of the swamps, firing from open and falling back, hoping Beauregard’s scattered brigades will follow. But Grant knows he must wipe Beauregard out before the day ends, lest Jackson move up in support, so he finally gives the order to advance and engage the rebels in force. Union troops in all directions move into waist deep water while under confederate fire, and a number of soldiers, some who have been drafted only in the previous month, fall. One of those to fall is General Sherman, shot from his horse as he led an advancing brigade. He is carried from the field to the rear hospital tents. However, as the day wears on, the confederates give in to overwhelming forces. Grant’s casualties are a little higher than he wanted, at 5,486, including his best general and personal friend Sherman. But he accomplished his goals, in spite of the rough terrain, in enveloping the rebel forces. 6 confederate brigades surrender; and General Price will have some company – among the count of rebel prisoners are General Beauregard and General Bragg.

[d714]

OCTOBER 1862, Union VP 5 (national will -2), Conf VP -1

The union victory in late September was badly needed for both morale and strategic needs. For morale of the nation, however, it does not seem to have helped much. Draft riots occur in Delaware and spread up to Philadelphia. Strategically, fortunately, it does look brighter. As far as Lincoln’s war analysts can tell, the confederates now have no organized armies between Jackson’s massive army in the west and the Army commanded by Jeb Stuart in Richmond. Of course, any invading forces can find every southern city of any size well garrisoned or fortified. Nevertheless, as enemy forces stare each other down across the Potomac, and across the Ohio, Lincoln orders advances into the rebel heartland.

General Doubleday is now the hero of the union, having captured Lynchburg in early October. To everyone’s surprise, Stuart has decided to stay put in nearby Richmond with a force estimated at 100,000 rather than lift the siege. Doubleday has new orders, with his force of 22,000 (after 3,000 left to garrison Lynchburg) he is to move south, through the unpopulated segments of South Carolina, and link up with Reynolds outside of Charleston. It’s a risky move, carrying Doubleday away from his rail supply, and possibly carrying on through winter. But if successful it will cut the confederacy in two and eventually open up the deep south of Georgia and the rest of the Carolinas to occupation.

Jackson has, for now, moved his forces to the south and west for a quick sweep up of Little Rock. Far behind Union lines, accessible only by a difficult land route, there isn’t much that Grant can do. Garrisoned by a gun boat and only 500 blue coats, he doesn’t expect it to last long. Nor does Grant attempt to take advantage to any great degree to Jackson’s temporary absence. Jackson has left Memphis well garrisoned, Island Ten once again surely bristling with well emplaced artillery, and Jackson is in range to quickly return with his “foot cavalry”. Thus Grant decides to stay in place, at least for now. However, he does order Hancock (having taken over the Sherman corps temporarily until he recovers from his battle wounds of the previous month) to move the 7th corps to Hatchie to seize the rail lines, which may be important for any spring offensives in the upcoming year.

[d714]

NOVEMBER 1862, Union VP 2 (national will -4), Conf VP 0

Little Rock falls as predicted, but instead of Jackson moving back towards Memphis, he moves into the interior of Arkansas, surely intent on removing any Union trace from those provinces occupied by Lyon earlier in the year. Grant immediately regrets staying in Cairo and setting up winter camp so early. As occurred last year, disease hits. Illness start to take more casualties to the Union forces languishing in the filthy camps in southern Illinois then the guns of Island 10 would have inflicted. With Jackson still in Arkansas and, possibly wintering there, he could have successfully taken Memphis before the spring thaw. It occurs to Grant – he has made a strategic mistake borne from fear of Jackson, he will not make that mistake again.

While Grant’s immediate army is dormant, his other commands are quite busy. Sheridan has moved to Knoxville with the intention of plundering this eastern Tennessee stronghold, and Buford begins a siege of the hardy confederate Fort Henry, already twice besieged by the Union in failure. This time Buford does not intend to repeat the mistakes of Banks – with him will be no less than two siege cannons and gun boats. Allowing nothing to chance, Grant orders Hancock to move up to assist in the siege after securing Hatchie in the south.

Meanwhile, Doubleday moves through the heart of North Carolina using the confederates own rail line. These subtle successes do not influence the morale of the people of the north. Papers fill with reports of “Little Rock Falls!”, and draft calls now result in uprisings in such places as Springfield, Missouri as well as the east coast. The nations will to fight continues to decline.

[d714]

DECEMBER 1862, Union VP 2 (national will -4), Conf VP 0

Fort Henry proves to be a tough nut to crack. In spite of artillery and manpower advantages Union forces take 11,000 casualties in the first two weeks of the siege, and lose a gunboat. This news is reported to Grant and Lincoln with some dismay – more than a dozen “Fort Henry’s” lay before the union in it’s occupation of the south, threatening to bleed the north dry, never mind Jackson and Stuart’s armies.

In late December however events occurs that many in the north see as a turning point in the war, as well as a change of strategy. Doubleday reaches the sea and links up with Reynolds' besieging force in Charleston. The Confederacy is now cut in half. Meanwhile, confederate forces have lowered the flag on the besieged Fort Moultrie, the last fort protecting the port city. Reynolds now lays siege to Charleston itself.

[d714]

JANUARY 1863, Union VP 2 (national will -4), Conf VP 0

During the winter lull Grant, McClellan, and Lincoln and his war staff have a meeting of the minds in Washington. With the bloody battles of the last half of the year, gone is the illusion that the rebellion will collapse upon the simple occupation of a riverway, or a blockade of ports. It will be a bloody war of attrition, a war of occupation, and a war to destroy the heartland of Dixie. Doubleday and Reynolds revealed the weakness of the confederacy, that is in their eagerness to defend the head – Richmond, and to defend the feet – The Mississippi waterway, they have left their belly open. Thus the new strategy: Grant will no longer aggressively advance down the Mississippi to face Jackson head on. He is to flank him. Move into Tennessee, move into Alabama, move into Mississippi, and force Jackson to meet him on his ground. Likewise Doubleday and Reynolds will besiege the capitals of Georgia and South Carolina, and McClellan will watch if Stuart chooses to leave his works around Richmond..

Lincoln’s generals are confident of this plan, albeit with an admission that it will be another bloody year which will try the nations will to fight. And this is Lincoln’s greatest concern. He has already lost support of a number of state governors. Hicks in Maryland is downright rebellious, Fairbanks in Vermont is a staunch adversary, the governor of Minnesota, etc. A peace movement has started, with uprisings occurring again in Philadelphia, in Dover, and in Hartford. Others are calling for a presidential declaration of emancipation. With a glimmer of hope that the confederacies will to fight will also collapse as they see there plantations and cities occupied by bluecoats, and there young men gone to fight in trenches outside of Richmond and Memphis, he is not prepared yet to free the slaves and give the confederacy a reason to fight on.

Another reason for hope – the industrial might of the United States is starting to take hold. Siege weapons and artillery are starting rolling out of the industrial factories of Harrisburg and Pittsburgh. Rifles are being produced, almost gone are the obsolete muskets in the hands of Yankee troops. An improved model of the Springfield is now being mass produced. More effective, more precise, and, with uniform interchangeable parts, actually easier to buy and cheaper to keep in supply.

[d714]

FEBRUARY 1863, Union VP 2 (national will -4), Conf VP -1

Finally, Fort Henry has fallen and that portion of the Tennessee river is in Union hands. Grant orders Buford and his Army of Kentucky on to Fort Donnellson and Nashville, the capital of Tennessee. Before that, however, he provides Buford newly forged siege cannon to pound the confederate works into rubble. “The Dictator” – a giant 13 inch mortar weighing 8 tons that will throw a 218 pound ball 2 ½ miles.

Sherman, now healed from his previous battle wounds, inquires with Grant on the decision to follow Buford into the interior of Tennessee, or to fall back to Grant’s position. Just on a hunch, Grant tells him to fall back. With winter over, he may find Jackson on the offensive. If not, Grant will move in force to Jackson’s right.

In Knoxville Sheridan is creating what mischief he can, pillaging a confederate hospital in early February (much to the chagrin of the local populace, who label him a war criminal). On the eastern coast Doubleday moves into Columbia and prepares a siege of this South Carolina capital. With Charleston likewise about to fall as a result of Reynolds encirclement, the “birthplace of the confederacy” will once again be a part of the Union.

[d714]

LATE FEBRUARY 1863, Union VP 2 (national will -4), Conf VP -1

As the last of Sherman’s corps arrive in late February, Jackson hits. Grant could not be more pleased; with Sherman in the province he actually outnumbers Jackson for once at 166,000 yanks opposed to 157,000 rebels. His force is now equipped with Springfields and, in many cases, improved Springfields. His forces are rested, his brigades are well supplied and at full strength, as opposed to Jackson who has surely lost some effectiveness during his winter march across Arkansas. More importantly, he has no less than 5 artillery batteries on the field, some equipped with 12 pound rifled napoleons, and, to be unlimbered directly behind the lines, massive 24 pound mortars. He also succeeds in a cavalry raid to destroy some of Jackson’s supply train before the battle starts.

Not that he has grown complacent, he knows very well the resolve and cunning of Jackson and his soldiers, and the stakes are even higher than Memphis. Cairo is the keystone of not only the confederate held Mississippi, but the entire Union Midwest as well.

Grant does not entrench this time, but places his forces in an in inverted L shape with two brigades held in reserve ready to exploit any breakthroughs. Three artillery batteries are spread out on the southern right half of his line where he expects the Rebels to hit first and hardest, spaced out into interlocking fire. The extreme right of his line is anchored on a river.

In the late afternoon the lines of butternut soldiers do hit Grant’s right first, and receive devastating casualties as shell and solid shot reach there advancing columns. At least two confederate generals go down, one of those being George Pickett at the head of a confederate brigade marching into a storm of shrapnel. Front line Union skirmishers note that the Confederates appear to be probing the lines under fire, finding out where Grant is weakest and shifting forces to these points. Finally the confederates are seen crossing the river to Grant’s right. Grant anticipated this, and moves his reserves into the northern banks of the river to prevent any recrossing into his rear. But it exposes a union salient protruding into the confederate lines, held by Sherman’s 7th corps and artillery. Confederates batter this position, but Sherman is intent in having this flanking attack bleed out before he is forced back.

With little activity in his left half, Grant moves Hancock’s corps forward towards two lakes. But the rebels who fell back from the artillery fire to the south have reformed and shifted to this front, feeling there way by fire in an attempt to reach Grant’s flank. Thus it stood as night fell and both opposing forces, exhausted from the day’s fight and blinded by musket smoke, take a respite from the killing.

[d714]

LATE FEBRUARY 1863 continued, Union VP 2 (national will -4), Conf VP -1

Not all of Grant’s forces were still during the evening however. In the extreme south General Porter’s division crosses the river to in turn flank the rebel forces that had originally tried to flank Grant. In the center Grant advances through the ground south of the lakes under cover of darkness, ground swept clean by Union artillery fire during the afternoon, only to find it abandoned by confederates except for the dead and dying. Union cavalry moving behind the rebel lines before nightfall had confirmed that a few brigades and a rebel artillery position are the only forces protecting Jackson’s entire left flank, and Grant positions his toughest and most lethal brigade, “Berdan’s Sharpshooters”, to knock out and capture this battery at dawn.
In the morning they do just that, and Grant moves in force into Jackson’s left rear. The separated rebel positions to the south, isolated as they are, continue to hold out; both sides in intense close quarters combat and unwilling to give ground. Union reinforcements, however are on the way.

[d714]

LATE FEBRUARY 1863 continued, Union VP 2 (national will -4), Conf VP -1

Grant rolls up the confederate left, into their supply wagons. But it appears Jackson had another idea - Hancock’s corps and the previously unreliable Southwest Expedition, along with some garrison troops on the extreme left, now find the bulk of the rebel army in there front and moving around their flank. An admirable idea, and it may have worked, but it came down to timing. And by this time the course of the battle is sealed. With Grant already in Jackson’s rear, Jackson cannot sustain the attack. At 10AM his forces fall back, some running from the field. Grant is victorious. 7 rebel brigades have surrendered, including several of his commanders. Jackson retreats back south towards Memphis with 28,720 casualties not including his captured troops. In contrast, Grant’s butcher’s bill is 22,437 (1 of his brigades also surrendered).

[d714]

MARCH 1863, Union VP 5 (national will -3), Conf VP -3

Charleston falls in early March, and thus Lincoln now has important victories in both the eastern and western theater. For the first time in 5 months he notes that the will of the nation is starting to improve – uprisings for the most part have subsided and his political enemies have been silenced with Grant’s victory in Cairo.

Reynolds garrisons For Sumter and moves his troops up to combine with Doubleday to complete the capitulation of Columbia while Sheridan’s fast moving division moves throughout the Appalachians, liberating various secessionist provinces, foraging as he travels. His target is over the mountains to Charlotte, which will complete a railway link at least part way up toward Maryland into South Carolina.

Grant knows that he cannot let Jackson dictate the next move, or let him replenish his ranks. His strategy is to move all his forces except his garrison troops to the east and tempt Jackson to move once again against Cairo, into what he thinks is an easily conquered destination. But he will find Fort Mitchell up near the junction of the Mississippi and the Ohio. Built the previous year, it is now well fortified with 18,000 well trained garrison troops, and armed with 24 inch coehorn mortars, and sufficient breastwork to make the confederacy pay a heavy price for any siege. It won’t last a prolonged siege, but he can let Jackson batter his troops against the works for several weeks until Grant moves against his rear.

Grants, Sherman, and Hancock move to Paducah. But Jackson does not move north, he moves into Hatchie directly to the south. Now Grant can only guess at Jackson’s motive. Surely he will not attack Grant’s superior force. He can only guess that he is attempting to lift any siege of Nashville. Grant and his commanders again moves east, to the Tennessee River, at this point he is in reinforcement range of Buford’s seiging force around Nashville and Jackson will be forced to move over a land route to get to Nashville.

[d714]

APRIL 1863, Union VP 5 (national will -3), Conf VP -3

“Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy…and a small army will thus defeat a larger one in detail…”. Grant has heard that Jackson has spoken these words in his instructions to his commanders. Never before has he put that into context until early one April morning. Grant’s forces, the largest strength he’s had in one province at 177,516 strong, are encamped in the lower Tennessee River, waiting news on Jackson’s move east towards Nashville. Believing his army safe from attack, Grant has not put out scouts during the evening. But the next morning the Union awakens to 137,000 butternut clad soldiers within yards of their encampment. Jackson’s surprise attack is complete, Grant struggles to shake out into line, moving his supply trains to the rear, and setting up his artillery. But his brigades are bunched up, unable to move toward the front, many visibly shaken and near panic as the rebel yells grow louder, and failing to fall into line.

Jackson has chosen the ground for the surprise attack well. Grant attempts to use his manpower advantage to extend his lines, but on his right are hills and to his left is the river. It will take hours to get a flanking attack moved into position. Meanwhile Grant has managed to get his forces into somewhat of a line, where they hold the confederates for the moment. But these are Jackson’s soldiers, this hardy bunch has spent the last 12 months traveling from Virginia, down to New Orleans, across Arkansas, up to Memphis, to here. Union troops tire soon, the reloading time slowing, soldiers falling to the rear, while Johnny Reb fights on without fatigue. The union begins to take a greater share of casualties.

[d714]

APRIL 1863 continued, Union VP 5 (national will -3), Conf VP -3

By noon time Grant’s middle gives way and rebels stream through the gap. Almost half of Grant’s brigades have been fought out and fallen back. Grant’s own command is routed. His artillery also either already in flight to the rear, or perilously close to capture. It begins to appear that he will lose this day, and it is close, very close. But his flanking forces are finally in position. The one on the left, in particular, firing into the confederate rear from across the river. His brigades on the now separated right front take position on the hills and also deal enfilade fire into confederate troops. By early afternoon both forces are very close to routing, but it is finally Jackson who gives way. Jackson’s retreat, separated by the river in his rear, turns into a rout. Grant pulls what soldiers he still has remaining, including the teamsters from his supply wagon’s, to encircle what retreating brigades he can as if in a cattle roundup.

Grant realizes how close to disaster he was. His casualty count was 29,476 while the confederate killed and wounded number 29,600, many of them during Jackson’s rout. But before Jackson left the field Grant managed to capture an estimated 28,000 prisoners, 10 brigades surrendered! Jackson return to Hatchie, his forces significantly depleted. But Grant realizes, even outnumbered he makes a formidable enemy.