GTC #2 Replay
May 8th
Lee determines that counter-attacking the Federal position is out of the question even though the previous two days left the Federals in worse shape than his army. Ewell’s position on the left of the Confederate line is in danger of being over-run. Lee orders Ewell to retire to Parker’s Store and Heth to pull back behind Wilderness Run. By Ewell holding the cross-roads at Parker’s Store, Lee ensures that his left flank is secure and compels Grant to assault across the creek.
Sheridan attempts to create a diversion by swinging south towards the Confederate depot in Bumpass Lookout (guarded by Johnson’s brigade in a fort). Warren with Crawford’s division, reinforces Burnside in front of Parker’s Store. After two days of fighting, the rest of the AoP is content to rest. As a result of Butler’s debacle along the James, Grant decides to reinforce the Valley to keep pressure on Lee. Ferraro’s division begins to march to Charlottesville. For the Confederates, three 3-manpower brigades move from Drewry’s Bluff box to Richmond. One brigade entrains in Richmond and moves up to the Hanover Junction depot.
May 9th and 10th
A random event of “Rain +1” results in two days of little activity. May 9th also ends early on a double-1 initiative roll. During the rain, the Federal V corps moves south to Parker’s Store. The II corps moves south towards Rowe’s Mill while the VI corps faces off against Longstreet across the Wilderness run. Lee does not want the Federals to get between the ANV and Richmond and thus orders a movement to the southeast towards Spotsylvania Court House.
AP Hill’s III corps begins the maneuver by marching towards Todd’s Tavern. Wilcox’s division is ordered to hold the Brock road intersection (2814) until Ewell’s and Longstreet’s corps have withdrawn on the 11th. Sheridan’s troopers withdraw to Spotsylvania County to be in supply for the upcoming strategic cycle. With Johnson's brigade in a fort and the rain falling, plans to attack the Bumpass Turnout depot are called off.
May 11th
The inactivity of the previous two days is made up for today. The Rebels win the first few initiatives and begin to pull out of the Wilderness Run line. Longstreet’s corps marches down the Germanna Plank Road towards Fredericksburg while Ewell’s corps pulls out of Parker’s Store towards Shady Grove Church. The Rebs are one initiative short of making a clean get away though. The rear guard, Sub-2 from the III corps is flanked as it enters the Wilderness by Sedgwick’s VI corps which pursues down the Germanna Plank Road. The +5 attack though is repulsed with a -4 die difference. Sub-2 voluntarily retreats so as to avoid being routed by a follow-up attack.
Lee suddenly sees an opportunity to inflict a blow on Wright’s division which moves one hex south of Wilderness Church (Sedgwick’s hex in picture 1). Heth counter-marches to Hazel Grove and Wilcox moves to Trigg to set-up the flank attack which is launched by Anderson’s division from the south. The +4 attack was reduced to a +0 result by the dice; Wright’s division voluntarily retreats so as to avoid another flank attack in a later impulse. Failure to achieve complete success leaves Wilcox’s division somewhat exposed and at F3. Grant reacts by moving the V Corps up from Parker’s Store. Wilcox digs in with his last fatigue and Heth’s division swings around to protect Wilcox’s southern flank.
Longstreet’s Corps counter-marches towards Chancellorsville. As Grant prepares to assault Wilcox, Heth (led by Hill and Lee) launches a spoiling 1:3 (+1) assault against three divisions of the V Corps. The +1 result disorganizes both sides. Near the end of the day Griffin’s division assaults Wilcox with a D/D result. Wilcox voluntarily retreats from his tenuous position.
To the south, the IX corps pursues Ewell and digs in near the edge of the Wilderness. Hancock’s II Corps continues its flanking maneuver to the south, too far away from the action for today. Ewell’s corps does its best to screen Hancock from moving around the ANV’s southern flank.
Sedgwick's initial attack was intended to throw the Confederates off balance. When it blew-up, Lee had to take a chance at inflicting some disproportionate losses. However, his gamble backfires when Anderson's attack fails miserably. Such are the best laid plans when the dice do not cooperate. I'd say the Union got the better of this fight since they can afford to trade losses (to a point). It is very difficult for the Confederates to withdraw cleanly to the next defensive line without getting part of their army isolated and routed.
While the fight rages in the Wilderness, Sheridan and Stuart spare in central Spotsylvania County. Sheridan gets the best of the grey coats, routing two brigades and inflicting two losses to one for the Union.
May 11th Strategic Cycle
Hill falls ill and is replaced by Early. To react to Ferrero’s move towards Charlottesville, some of the Petersburg reinforcements are diverted to Burkeville where they can move to either Lynchburg or Port Walthall Station. The Union replacement die roll is a whopping 1 and it will be sent to the Valley during the next cycle. Butler is passive and the Confederates in PWS entrench. Sigel moves unmolested into New Market. All units end the cycle in supply and fully provisioned of ammo.
