The Battle of Stones River

[Terry37]

Sunday Afternoon, my friend Pete Duckworth, from Coventry England, local friend David Crenshaw and I gathered at the Stones River Battlefield to refight the American Civil War Battle of Stones River. This approach to gaming on the actual battlefield all started back in 2012 when I visited Pete and Maggie and they took us to several battlefields in England where we refought the battles on the same ground. It was really very cool to do!

David Crenshaw truly deserves full credit for this game, having worked up the scenario based on the center of the battle near the Murfreesboro Pike and Stones River area, and as Pete and I arrived had a really great looking battlefield waiting for us.

Although there was only the three of us, we split up the commands so that we all got to play, with Pete commanding the majority of the Union troops, while I commanded a large number of the Confederate troops, with David commanding some on each side. (maybe that extra $20 I slipped David might have been a good thing!!!!) The game was fought with 10 MM Pendraken, Plank Road and Cracker Line figures on 40 mm frontage bases using the DBACW rules.


Here is Pete in his Confederate or Union State Militia uniform with one of the Napoleon's on the Stones River National Battlefield Park.


Pete left and David Right prior to the start of the battle. You can get a glimpse of the great table David set up!

At this point I can mostly only share the photos of the battle because the action was fast and furious, and I doubt I can remember all of the individual actions. I will say my Louisiana Rifles in their green hunting shirts with black fringe did very honorable duty and helped create a gap in the Union center leading to a Confederate victory.












A very pensive Pete considering his position!


Pete and David about to decide a combat.




David checks the rules while Pete directs one of his artillery batteries.


The Glorious Confederate Cavalry ride to their demise, as we all quickly learn of their prowess, or lack there of, on the battlefield in a frontal attack against formed foot!


Some of my infantry advancing across the Stones River to assault the Union flank.


More fighting at the main front of the battle.


A good view showing my gallant Louisiana Riflemen in skirmish order playing havoc with the Union lines.


Back to the flank a view of my advance beginning to impress themselves upon the union defensive line.


My final assault on the main Union lines, which proved too much for the Yankees and brought victory to the  Confederates. Yes, once again in my on site battles with Pete we have again changed history as we did in England!!!  And I still can't imagine my amazing lucky die rolls!!!!


A view from the Snoopy blimp of the battlefield at the close of the day. It might have been a Confederate victory, but it was also a costly one, being a very close run thing right up to the last Rebel Yell.

This was a really fun game and we even had one of the Park Rangers, John McKay, come by to see the action. The pipe cleaners represent hits - with the white ones representing single hits in an action, while a red one is a double hit in an action (having an affect on being able to remove a hit).

We were all very pleased with the rules and now David and I are looking at possibly using them for a Franco-Prussian action, but with a few mods to reflect the war.
In conclusion I tip my hat to David for the great game and excellent set up (most of the figures were also his, with a few being mine), and to Pete for making Murfreesboro part of his American tour.


Terry

[d_Guy]

Great report, Terry, and an interesting venue for the game. The board is very nicely done. I particularly liked the view from the "Snoopy blimp".

[Norm]

What a great idea and a nice looking table - a good day in good company, excellent.

[Steve J]

Well, I've never seen a game played on the actual battlefield, but what a great idea. I loved the Louisiana Riflemen in the hunting shirts, which I never knew about. Thanks for sharing and great that you all had a good time.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Great report

[Techno]

Super stuff !

Cheers - Phil.

[sunjester]

A nice looking game and a fantastic idea.

[Westmarcher]

Mad! .... but good! 

Surprised there were no more "passers-by" - what did the Park Ranger say about it all?

[toxicpixie]

Cracking! Looks a bit nippy for shirt sleeve order, though. Was the Confederate spurt to victory really a means of keeping warm

[O Dinas Powys]

Fantastic stuff 

Great looking setup 

Cheers!

Meirion

[Leman]

Cracking! Looks a bit nippy for shirt sleeve order, though. Was the Confederate spurt to victory really a means of keeping warm

When you consider that New York is the same latitude as Madrid and Stones river is much further south than New York, then mid-October shouldn't be particularly nippy. Very interesting idea. I think somebody once did Towton in a barn on the battlefield.

[Westmarcher]

Reminds me of Conrad Kinch (of Joy and Forgetfulness blog) and a pal raising money for a charity by walking to and playing a game of Command & Colours at the site of the Battle of the Boyne. Link:-

http://joyandforgetfulness.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/boyne

[paulr]

A great idea, well executed 

Well done, those men

[toxicpixie]

When you consider that New York is the same latitude as Madrid and Stones river is much further south than New York, then mid-October shouldn't be particularly nippy. Very interesting idea. I think somebody once did Towton in a barn on the battlefield.

I was thinking the pics looked a bit nippy! Yes, I guess latitude wise it should be quite pleasant

[Terry37]

Thank you for all of the kind comments gentlemen. The idea of gaming on the actual battlefield was not my creation, but my friend Pete Duckworths. When I visited him in Coventry in 2012, we re-fought Bosworth, Naesby and Edgehill on site. I always told him that if he ever visited me, we'd fight Stones River on site, and so we did. The interesting thing is that in all four of the battles listed the results were the exact opposite of the historical results.

It was overcast with a rain front coming in later that night which would bring cool weather, but that afternoon was not cold at all. In fact short sleeves would have been fine, but we wanted to try and resemble the troops who fought there. I had arranged for the loan of the shell jacket from a reenactor friend for Pete to wear as a little surprise.

The park ranger was very interested in the game, but not being a gamer could only say how grand it all looked. Lots of people walked by to walk some of the trails through the battlefield, but none ever came over.

The Louisiana Rifles are depicted in the Osprey book MAA 430, Confederate Troops of Louisiana and Texas. Hopefully this link will work and you can see them here. An AWI American long rifleman with a broad brim hat and hunting shirt works just fine for them.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/363243526174272146/

Terry