The Battle of Jurisprudence

[Last Hussar]

Jusrisprudence lays just north, or possibly south, of the Pennsylvania/West Virginia border. The battle between the US Army of the Tygart Valley, and the rebel Army of Western Virginia has been obscured because it started at 10am on 2nd July 1863, and historians are obsessed with Gettysburg.

Part of the reason is that both Richmond and Washington were experimenting with a new regimental naming system, naming/numbering units after towns rather than states. This was said to help morale, but the fact that it disguised how many regiments had already been raised in two and a half years must surely have been a consideration. However this meant that when this experiment was abandoned, the regimental histories were lost.

This is designed as a battle-campaign. I have drawn a master map. it is on 9 sheets – giving a 3 x 3 map, map A1 top left, C3 bottom right. Each map is 20 squares wide, and 26 high, with A-01 top left, and Z-20 bottom right. The middle of the Map therefore lays at approximately B2/M-11. Each square on the map is 1 foot on the table, with 6 feet/squares to the mile. I've not yet got a digitised map/maps, so bear with me!

We generate a battle, then give map orders. The battle is then fought. The idea is that we (Sunjester and I) can fight a proto-Gettysburg by breaking it into lots of individual fights.

The confederates are marching from the south. At approximately 10am their lead unit is Sherrat's Division of First Corps.

Battle of Jurisprudence. July 2, 1863

10am

Sherratt's Division attacks US III Corps 1st Division. Map C2/N-07 to Q-13. US Divisional Commander Knapp sends word of the Rebel approach back to Corps HQ in the town of Jurisprudence five miles to his north.

Harris' Brigade on CS Right cross river in attempt to outflank, but progress slowly. Richardson's 2nd Brigade redeploys supports to block their left.
Emlyn's Brigade on the left move forward and charge US 1st Brigade. They are engaged in heavy fighting
While Emlyn's Brigade is engaged, and under fire from US artillery in the centre, Collen's brigade charges the 2nd brigade.



Harris' brigade meets resistance from the west bank of the river, the Union flank, and a firefight ensues across the water.
Despite hard fighting in the centre, Collen is held as the Union is able to defend a stone wall, the cover proving a decisive factor.

On the left 1st and 2nd Savannah, as well as the 1st Mobile are routed. With a nearly broken brigade Emlyn orders his men to retire. Having been repulsed, and now with an exposed left flank, Collen does the same.

Approaching mid-day, the Union General Knapp can see the dust of Confederate re-enforcements marching on the pike. The 9th Augusta has routed, and the 10th is shaken, both of Crieff's 1st Brigade on his right. With the prospect of facing a fresh division, as well as the mostly intact Collen and Harris, he orders a retreat towards Jurisprudence, converging on Cratchett's Farm (C2/D-10).

Meanwhile Corps has ordered 2 Division, on the road southwest of the town, to converge on C1/J-14, to the north side of the road, and 3 Division, posted at various points around the town, to converge on the road out the south, about half a mile from the town (B2/P-10 to S-11).

As Bush marches past on the road, Sherratt cross the river again, heading east. He then swings north and parallels Bush about a mile east. Upon reaching Cratchett Hill, 400 yards south of the Farm (C2/H-11) Bush deploys his men to renew the attack on the US 1st Division.


I have generated the second game. The date is booked and the beer is bought!

[FierceKitty]

What (or whom) does it "lay"?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Looking good!
I shall file for jurisprudence immediately

[Leman]

What (or whom) does it "lay"?

Ancient Rome?

[FierceKitty]