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hurrah for the south!

i hadn't expected the brothers to fight each other directly, i was more expecting them to sort of regret fighting for opposite sides.
 
A very heated situation. But setting things up nicely for a good revenge.
 
Poor Tom :( Let's not hope that the fight of the brothers comes to represent the entire civil war.
 
@ BritishImperial: It called for a more dramatic turn of events and was I think better reading and writing than some words of regret.

@ phargle: 100% and it appears you are a Northern supporter, great!

@ Hardraade: This will effectively split the family for the rest of the war.

@ stnylan: Revenge shall come, won't it?

@ Enewald: Indeed, he'll live.

@ Milites: But this will represent the horrors of the Civil War in itself.
 
Chapter Two: First Blood

Chapter Two

It was a bright yellow July morning in Tennesse. July 29, 1861. The Union Army under the command of Major General Winfield Scott had yet to move out of the comforting confines of Washington D.C. despite the wishes of the President and the many other green and eager American commanders. Meanwhile in the west, the Union Army of Kentucky was marching out of the state and moving south into Tennessee. Under the command of Brigadier General Nathaniel P. Banks who was sharing command with the more experienced Brigadier General Don Carlos Buell. Marching south along the road to the small town of Oneida, Confederate forces from Western Virginia Mississippi and Tennesse moved under the leadeship of Confederate Major General Albert Sidney Johnston. Together 22,800 Union soldiers and 17,500 Confederate soldiers were marching to battle at the town of Oneida; of which Bill Smith was one of the soldiers marching towards the first major battle of the American Civil War.

~ "Left, right, left, right..."

The sun was out bright, the many camp fires were building and smoking as breakfast odors began to fill the air. The Southern commanders had taken position along the railway junction in the little town of no more than 500 people. Bill exited his tent to the smell of bacon and a bright yellow sun with few clouds covering a light blue sky. His eyes looked to his comrades cooking breakfast.

"Bill, come here. Breakfast," said one of his comrades. Bill walked over to his friend and sat down on the green grass and began to fill his plate with the food prepared as the only signs in the camp was joy and merryment. Bill's attention was caught when he saw his brigade commander Colonel Henry Rhodes ride through the encampment of tents and soldiers on his tall brown horse wielding his sword in his hand. "A soldier's general," said Thomas Carter, Bill's comrade.

"Indeed," replied the young Bill, still dressed in his white under shirt and grey trousers, musket not in hand. A hawk circled over the Confederate camp and flew off capturing little attention from the soldiers, yet otherwise capturing the eyes of the many supersticious officers and soldiers.

Thunder could be heard from the distance and the soldiers looked to the sky, "Hmmm, a storm must be brewing some where off in the distance," said Carter to Bill. Bill just nodded. His eyes were fixed on a courier on a horse riding out to Colonel Rhodes.

"Colonel, the Yanks are coming. They are beating us back!"

"Where do we need to be?"

"Out there," said the courier pointing towards the woods where the engagement and thunder was coming from. "Quickly Colonel, we must have all support as possible, the whole damned Yankee Army is coming down upon us."

"Where is General Johnston?"

"The rest of his army is coming up the road, you're the lead element of his men are you not?" asked the courier.

"Yes indeed," said Colonel Rhodes, "I'll get General Bragg immediately. Major Chapman!"

"What is it Colonel?"

"Lead the men to battle, I must get General Bragg and allow him to bring up the rest of his division."

"What's the situation Colonel?" asked the major.

The courier answerd, "General Barlow, Polk and Colonel Scott's Brigades are being attacked by the whole damn Union Army."

"Then to battle!" yelled both Colonel Rhodes and Major Chapman. Colonel Rhodes called out to his men, "Men, today we go into battle against the Union scum. Do your duty and preserve the Confederacy!" shouted the colonel as he rode off to find General Bragg. Major Chapman and several other majors and captains took charge of the brigade and formed them withing minutes.

"Get your muskets, shoulder arms. About face! March."

Bill took his line in the column beside Thomas Carter and together the 1200 man brigade started to march along the old dirt road. Passing the road at the town Major Chapman rode out in front to the neighboring hill. Through the smoke and fog he looked down at the ridges and low plains below could see many blue-claded soldiers marching towards the broken Confederate lines.

"Major Hendricks!" called out Chapman.

"That's General's Polk's men." said Captain Nathan O'Reilly to Chapman.

Major Hendricks rode up, "Yes?"

"Ask General Polk how long he can hold."

"Yes sir, I shall ask him how long he can hold."

"God dammit! Where's General Bragg when you need him!" shouted Major Chapman. "Form up on the lower end of this hill. When Bragg comes up the rest of the soldiers will form along our right."

Bill and his companions moved into position and held their ground for another twenty or so minutes while their Southern brothers some distance in front of them were being beaten to a crisp pulp by the Union forces. From here, General Bragg appeared with his men in the edge of the forest. Major Chapman rode up to him, "General," said the Major saluting the Brigadier.

"Major," said General Bragg in acknowledgement.

"My men are formed at the crest of the hill."

"And we shall position ourselves along the flank. How long has Polk held his lines?"

"Since I've been here, at the least a half-hour."

"They are retreating now," said Bragg as his sight became clouded with smoke and many broken Confederate soldiers and officers fleeing up the hill towards Bragg's staff.

Brigadier General Leonidas Polk rode up to Bragg with his sword drawn out and held it out in recognition of his fellow general. "General sir, they are beating us back. I didn't know what else to do other than wait for you, now it may be a little too late."

"It is never too late General, reform your men and place them behind or off to the side of Major Chapman's regiment. We can still have this day."

"Where's General Johnston?"

"He's battling the rest of the Federal Army to the south, this is the pincer move. The main Union lines are here coming at us, if we fall; the rest of the army falls. Now let's win us a battle!"

"Yes sir, ya!" yelled Polk as he strod off to his men in the face of the Union advance. He positioned himself in the thick of his soldiers as a Union artillery piece landed a direct blow on several of his men, "Rally men rally. Look!" said Polk pointing at Bragg, "Bragg has come to our rescue! Let us determine to fight here today and we shall conquer. Rally along side Tennesse!" Polk's Mississippians cried out in joy as they began to rally themselves beside the newly formed troops from Tennesse.

Unionadvance.jpg


From Union positions along a ridge the Yankee artillery began to pound the retreating and newly forming Confederate troops. "Counter Battery fire! Five hundred yards. Fire!" Union rifled pieces began to open up a steady volley of eight cannons on Bragg's men. Bill looked to his left as an artillery piece landed a close shot to him.

Bill looked at the advancing Union forces in front of him and began to loud his musket. Bragg and his staff stood in front of the main lines as the Union advance was aimed towards Chapman's Regiment; the 7th Tennesssee. Major Chapman, now dismounted in his dark navy blue uniform and cap with a large feather sticking out from it walked in front of his men, "Front rank lay down. Hug the ground. Second rank, kneel!" Bill took a flat belly seat on the grass as the Union lines got closer. The commanding Union officer on horseback was quickly picked off by a Confederate bullet. "Hold your fire men! Hold fire!" commanded Chapman as several other men opened on the Union soldiers. The Union line halted about 50 yards from Bill's position and poured a heavy volley into the Confederate lines. Colonel Rhodes from his horse was struck in the chest and fell to the ground. As the Union lines began to reload Major Chapman ordered his men up.

"Rise up! Rise up! Rise up!" Major Chapman said, Bill rose to his feet and pointed his musket on que, "Aim! Fire!" Bill struck the trigger and the kickback shocked the young soldier who had finally fired a solid bullet at an opponent. "Quickly men, reload!"

Bill placed his musket on the ground and drew his ramming rod out as he had a catridge placed in the mouth of his weapon, a young officer standing beside him and Carter looked to both his left and right, "C'mon boys!" he said. "Quick and we can whip 'em!" the young officer rushed forward along with around 20-30 other soldiers.

Major Chapman tried to gain order of his regiment, "Easy boys, we have no order to advance."

"Get back in the ranks!" called out another voice as more men rushed forward. Other front rank men wanted to charge but were unsure looking at each other and then they broke out.

"Damn it. Charge!" shouted Chapman bring his sword in the air. Bill positioned his rifle in charging form and he and his regiment rushed the Union lines in front of them.

ConfederateCharge.jpg


The Union broke and fled, the Union officers attempted to organize the withdraw with soon became and mad dash for their own lives. General Bragg looked at the galant move from his position on top of his horse and hill. "Brave fool," General Bragg said to himself.

Captain O'Reilly replied, "What the hell is Chapman doing?"

The Union soldiers were fleeing for their lives as they passed their artillery pieces, still held by their gunners. "Come on, give them double cannister. Double cannister! Get out of the way! Clear the way!" A Union cannon unloaded a deadly shotgun blast sending five or six Rebel soldiers straight back into the air. Bill was running forward as he passed a Union cannon and a lone gunner, he butted him straight in the fore head sending him down to the ground. The Union lines were broken and the boys in blue were in a tough spot, some stood brave and fought while others were still fleeing.

Brigadier General Nathaniel P. Banks commanding the pincer move rushed forward with his sabor pointing forward, "About face! About face men! Aim! Fire!" The general's anticts caused many of the fleeing soldiers to turn about and send a volley in the Confederate soldiers.

Bill who was reloading saw his friend Tom Carter stroke in the heart, he fell straight to the ground. Bill dropped his musket and picked his comrade up by the head, "Carter?"

"Get me a Yank," said Carter as he faded to death. Bill let his friend down and looked about. The Union lines had reformed and they moved forward again in the smoke and thundering of guns.

"For God's sake forward!"
 
Terrific ending line!
 
Good update. I particularly like the use of screen shots here, with the period artwork and the picture of a reenactment.
 
cool battle description, there. is this based on gameplay?
 
cool battle description, there. is this based on gameplay?


Thanks, the battle is infact based on my time in the Civil War. It is the *first* major battle of my Victoria Civil War. So yes, the battle is based on gameplay.
 
Chapter Two

~Battle of Oneida, Part II

The reformed Union lines after pouring their volley of rifle and musket fire into Major Chapman's 7th Tennessee charged forward with bayonets and sabors drawn. Bill was growing nervous as Union soldiers dressed in red tops and blue trousers began to rush his company of soldiers. Bill quickly and rapidly loaded his musket with much haste and as a Union soldier moved to bat him in the head, Bill not a second too soon pulled his trigger sending the bullet ripping through the chest of the Yankee soldier, causing him to fly back.

The sky was full of screaming soldiers, gunfire and the noise of riflebutts smaking the head and body's of soldiers causing deafining and sickening noises. Union soldiers quickly overwhelmed the overstretched Confederate lines and Major Chapman looked to his left and right and his eyes grew wide as he became nervous. He lifted his sword in the air and ordered his men back.

"Fall back men! Fall back!" shouted Major Chapman waving his sabor in the air attempting to get his soldiers attention; must of which had now at this point broke and fled back heading for Bragg's lines. Bill looked at the remaining soldiers around him and began to head back, dropping his musket and running back to the ridge where Bragg stood proudly on his horse in the face of audacity and horror.

A bullet whizzed past Bill's head, which caught his attention. With the Union lines under General Banks reforming for another attack on Bragg's men, this one being the deciesive mark, Bill was caught in a crossfire as Union artillery and sharpshooters began to open up on the fleeing soldiers of the 7th Tennessee and Bragg's men atop the ridge. Bill, young and green in battle covered his head as a cannon ball exploded in front of him, he screamed out in terror and hit the ground. He moved his arms from his face to realize he was fine, but only 50 yards from Bragg's line, Bill remained on the ground as his remaining comrades including Major Chapman rushed back towards Bragg.

Brigadier General Braxton Bragg on his horse and still in front of his men began to ride and back and forth from his men still hugging the ground. His officers began to comment 'They're coming again boys!'

Bragg on his horse and in a fury looked at the advancing blue mob heading towards him. He looked to the bright yellow sun and blue sky and returned to face his man still striding along with his horse. Another Union cannon exploded killing the rear most member of Bragg's staff and several of his soldiers.

From Bill's position along the ridge, still coverin himself he could hear the galant and excited General Bragg begin to speak to his men from horseback, "Rise up! Rise up! Rise up proud men of Tennessee! Rise up you men! Rise up you free men! Stand up! We're gonna charge 'em! We're gonna drive 'em to Lexington! Rise up Tennessee!"

The massive line of around 4,000 Tennessian Confederate soldiers all rose up in que. They placed their muskets on their shoulders and awaited their next orders from Bragg, "Fix bayonets!"

From the Union lines, a Union colonel shouted out to his soldiers in blue, "Quickly men! The day is ours. Keep moving forward."

Bragg looked at his men still in front of many of them, "Wait until they halt, and when they halt you fire. And after you fire you will give them the cold hard steel! And when you charge, yell like indians!"

Bill was beginning to grow nervous, Union soldiers were only feet away when he could hear their commanding officers order a halt. "Halt! Aim fire!"

- "Aim, fire!"

Unionvolley.jpg


The Confederate volley tore holes into the Union lines. Union soldiers fell back after being struck by the Rebel volley. The Yanks were panicking as they reloaded, Bill stuck his head up to see the men in blue only yards away and looked back at his lines, General Bragg rode out in front of his soldiers, his eyes lit like a devil, "Charge! Bayonets!"

"Ya!" shouted all the soldiers in his outfit. Bragg rushed his horse forward and his men followed. Bayonets drawn forth the Confederate soldiers began a screaching and thunderous roar as the ran down against their Union opponents.

A Union officer on horseback as seen by Bill broke and fled back, this caused a rippling effect among the Union battle lines. The charging Confederates began to brake the Federal lines. Panic gripped all men under the Stars and Stripes as they rushed for their lives heading back towards their artillery pieces. Union officers desperately tried to gain control of their soldiers but to no avail.

"Turn around! Turn around!"

"Form a line on me!"

"Aim fire!"

Bill in the heat of the charge had the courage to life himself up from the ground and join his comrades in their charge.

SecondCharge.jpg


"Come on boys! They're braking!" shouted Bragg on his horse.

The Union lines were in shambles and were in massive 'insect' swarms heading back towards their positions where Brigadier General Nathaniel Prenice Banks feared for his own life in shock and horror of his soldiers rushing towards him, "My God give 'em the bayonet!" he yelled to his officers. "For God's sake forward!"

The cries were unheard, as Union gunners rushed their powder forward in haste as Union soldiers were crossing in the paths of their own guns. Beside Bill he saw another rebel soldier fall to the ground dead, another drilled a Union soldier in the head. Screams and shouts filled the air. Union gunners waved their arms urging their comrades to clear a path for them to shoot.

"Cannister! Double cannister! Come on clear the way!"

About twenty feet from Bill, shouting as he charged bare-handed saw several of his comrades become grape fruit to a Union cannon. Federal soldiers and zouves attempted to put up a fight along the sides of their cannons. A cannon exploded overpacked killing the Union gunners and nearby soldiers both Federalist and Confederate. Bill tackled a Union soldier to the ground and began to beat him repeatidly in the head untill his knuckles were full of red blood.

Bragg was in the thick of the smoke and battle, "The day is ours! The day is ours! Turn the cannons! Turn the cannons! Who will turn them with me!"

Bill got up and picked up a loose musket that he used to bayonet a Union soldier in the back. He looked back up to see the carnage of war and hand to hand combat. A Union soldier tackled a Confederate soldier on horseback and a Confederate was strangling a Yankee zouve as he gasped for air. Noise and more noise filled the air, blood dripped off the face and hands of Bill as he looked to his left and right to see soldiers in nothing more than a street fight for their lives with more and more Confederate soldiers rushed forward.

Union soldiers feared for their lives, "Dear God no! I surrender! I..." the plead was overturned as the Confederate soldier up-ended the pleading Union soldier. The Federal lines were broke and the Stars and Stripes could be seen fleeing down the hill towards and unseen future. Bill looked down to the ground too see hundreds of soldiers dead, dying or screaming out in pain. Bill used his musket to pick himself to his legs, the cheers of thousands of Rebel soldiers filled the air.

"Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!" they shouted with their weapons in the air.

Major Chapman could be seen by Bill eagerly wanting his soldiers to cheer on. Bill joined in on the shouting and cheering. General Bragg rode through the minutes old battle ground with his sabor drawn pointing towards the sky.

Back with the shattered and demorilized Union lines, General Banks was able to gain some stability with his broken troops bringing an organized withdraw with two less demorilized brigades to guard his retreat. The next hours saw Bragg attempt very little and Union forces engaging Albert Sydney Johnston's troops to the south eventually withdrew from the field. The Battle of Oneida was over and was a deciesive Confederate Victory.
 
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@ Enewald: It is a rather small town near the Kentucky-Tennessee border and appeared to be a nice spot for the first major battle of the Civil War in my game as Union and Confederate forces first battled in Tennessee.

Overview of the Battle of Oneida

Commanders: US
Brigadier General Nathaniel Prentice Banks (Army of New England)
Brigadier General Don Carlos Buell (Army of Ohio)

Commanders: CSA
Major General Albert Sydney Johnston (Overall commander -- Army of Tennessee)
Brigadier General Braxton Bragg
Brigadier General Leonidas Polk

Casualties:

US: of 22,800 men: 713 killed, 1467 wounded and 1138 missing
CSA: of 16,900 men: 812 killed, 1947 wounded and 39 missing

BattleofOneida.jpg
 
cool. don't see many battle maps these days. the media especially in this aar is damn good.
 
Nice nice. :p
Have you thought of taking a pic from google maps and then painting the lines upon it?
So that the terrain could be more obvious. :p
 
I've been meaning to give this one a look see for some time, having tread some of this ground in one of my own previous AARs. I think you've done a nice job to depict the personal nature of this war and the toll it has on families, so far. Also, the up close and personal nature of battle was handled well above. It really is a bloody business.

Keep it up. Curious to see when Bill and Tom find themselves in a battle against one another - what will they do if they happen to spy each other?