Battle for Brawner's Farm - Scenario 1 in the Taliaferro Linked Scenario Campaign

[Stonewall]

Battle 1: Brawner's Farm

April 28, 1862. 5:30pm.

I recieved orders to advance on and secure the area around Brawner's farm in response to reports of federal columns coming down the turnpike. I was informed that Fitz Lee had cavalry protecting the right flank and that Dick Ewell would be pressing his division forward on the left. With both flanks secure I moved my forces forward.

I only had 3/4 of my division available for battle. The Stonewall Brigade was on the right. Starke's Brigade was in the center and Taliaferro's Brigade was on my left and would be used in reserve. 3 Batteries of artillery were available to the division as well.


At 1731 hours, I recieved a courier from General Ewell warning that he would need to time to deploy his division before he could commence his attack on the left. He advised that if I moved my boys forward now, he would not be able to support me.

I dispacthed some conservative orders to my brigade commanders. The Stonewall Brigade was ordered to advance to a position just north of Brawner's farm. Starke's Brigade was ordered to take up positions in the woods to the east of Brawner's farm to support the 2 artillery batteries that were to line up along the fence overlooking the corn field. Taliaferro's Brigade was ordered to a position on the unfinished railroad bed and support the advance where needed. The 3rd artillery battery was ordered to take up positions west of the Stonewall brigade and occupy the gap between Colonel Baylor and General Starke. The artillery there could be used to support the advance to brawner's farm or to repel a Federal attack from teh woods east of the farm.

As my men were marching to their positions, I recieved new orders from General Jackson, who indicated trhat the federals were massing on my right and were going to be attacking en masse through the plowed field on my extreme right. I dispacthed the Stonewall brigade to hold the plowed field, and Taliaferro's Brigade to hold the fencelline just to the north of Brawner's farm house. Starke's brigade moved into reserve along the unfinished railroad. Artillery was redeployed to take advantage of a large gap in the center of ym new line.

The Iron Brigade under General John Gibbon was detected moving into position around Brawner's farm. Artillery was repositioned to hit the oncoming federal troops while Taliaferro's Brigade fell back to the unfinished railroad under immense barrages of rifle fire. The artillery got into position and proceeded to unload cannister into the 6th Wisconsin and 19th Indiana. The regiments routed and Gibbon withdrew his men to the woodline southwest of the farmhouse and within cannister range of the federal battery covering the open space south of the farm to the Warrenton Turnpike.

 

[Stonewall]

Meanwhile, the Stonewall Brigade and artillery battery in the plowed field met the federal advance and stopped it in its tracks. 6 federal regiments routed in a span of 4 minutes under the withering fire of Colonel Baylor's men and the cannister shots of the artillerymen.

 

[Stonewall]

The woods east of the farm near the wheatfield were surprisingly silent. Dick Ewell's boys had moved south and routed a couple federal batteries east of the woods on the Warrenton Turnpike. Not expecting any federal presence, I ordered the artillery pieces on the fenceline to join with the 2 other artillery batteries near the farm and plowed field.

The remainder of the battle saw probes and little major combat on my sector. Ewell had so completely routed the federal troops that my pickets saw him coming down the Warrenton Turnpike behind the federal lines. He struck hard and I used that opportunity to send the Louisianans forward and take the artillery park around Brawner's farm from the rear. The Iron Brigade had reformed and came up through the woods a 2nd time catching my exhausted Louisianans somewhat by surprise. Luckily tha captured artillery pieces had some cannister left and the Iron Brigade folded a 2nd time and turned tail and ran.

Federal forces then mustered for one last charge to my well defended positions. 7 regiments came to the south of the plowed field towards the peach orchard west of Brawner's farm. 10 more regiments came through the plowed field. After 12 minutes of fierce fighting, the federal forces had been routed and the artillery park in the south portion of the polowed field fell to withering fire from the 4th and 33rd Virginia regiuments of the Stonewall Brigade.

Just as the fighting had finally died off, a cursory examination of my left flank revealed Hatch's federal division charging through the wheat field towards teh 2 artillery pieces remaining. Starke's Brigade was immediately dispatched at the double quick to meet the new threat. They took up positions along the fenceline and routed the New York Zoaves after a flank attack from 2 regiments of Taliaferro's exhausted brigade. The federals fell abck and eventually were routed from tehe field.

The battle ended with the bluebellies on the run, minimal casualties on our part, and Confederate forces in possession of Brawner's farm as well as the Warrenton Turnpike.

 

[Garuda]

Congrats on the win

I have found so far that my orders always place my own brigade in the firing line while the AI brigades don't do too much. Any victory is usually at the expense of most of my brigade's troops!

 

[Deaghaidh]

Just discoverd this, any chance of a scenario 2?

 

[unmerged(52180)]

You'll find a lot more AARs over at the MMG forums:

http://www.madminutegames.com/MadMinuteBB/index.php

 

[unmerged(60914)]

Nice

That was a nice AAR I liked it. I wish i am able to remember half the stuff i id in the game i play.

Thank for the AAR keep up the good work