GTC #3: Session 3
May 15th
Another storm hits on the 15th (rain +1). Sheridan begins another flanking maneuver by marching south of the North Anna River into Louisa County with the 2nd and 3rd Cavalry divisions. They re-cross back into Spotsylvania County at New Bridge so as to be in supply during the strategic cycle. Longstreet begins to lead what later turns out to be a general withdrawal of the ANV ordered by Lee. Old Pete heads south to Talley's Mill and is pursued by the V Corps. Kershaw unsuccessfully assaults Crawford (+2/+0 D/1D) allowing the Union to keep the pressure on the Confederate I Corps. AP Hill abandons the fortifications on the extreme Confederate right and marches towards Fredericksburg with his entire corps. The Confederate II and Union II, VI and IX corps rest during the rain after the fighting on the 14th. Imboden is withdrawn from the Valley to reinforce Stuart's depleted corps.
May 15th Strategic Cycle
- LEADER RECOVERY:No leaders are ill, so no effect.
- STRATEGIC EVENT:Artillery Recalled. Two of the artillery units are in Culpeper (one in Culpeper, one in Brandy Station) and one is in Stafford county. By the next cycle, the Union garrison in Culpeper county will get smaller.
- REINFORCEMENTS:With Petersburg under Confederate control, the Petersburg reinforcements are diverted to Burkeville. The Union replacement roll is 6 again! Unreplaced losses are at 47, to the Union will get 24 replacements (one of which is cavalry) during the next strategic cycle. All replacements are allocated to the AoP. This cycle Sheridan receives one manpower and the AoP receives 5.
- VALLEY:Sigel attacks Staunton at 13:7 and suffers a major defeat at the hands of Breckinridge (-2/-3 -/2D). Hunter will replace Sigel in 8 turns.
- BERMUDA HUNDRED:Butler entrenches in Port Walthall Junction and sends Baldy Smith with Wietzel's division back to the Bermuda Hundred. The Confederates pull some units out of Petersburg to Burkeville, leaving just enough to prevent a 2:1 Union attack on Petersburg.
- DEPOTS:The Confederate depot at Bumpass Turnout is dismantled. Confederate units in Spotsylvania during the next Strategic Cycle will be out of supply. The Union navy marker is flipped to its transport troops side.
- SUPPLY AND AMMO:All units are in supply and fully provisioned.
- UNION COMMAND:Bulter and Sigel both go passive.
- VP'S:+3 for Port Walthall Junction. The overall VP level of -37.
- END GAME DR:Not until May 31st.
- LEADER RECOVERY:No leaders are ill, so no effect.
- STRATEGIC EVENT:Leader Falls Ill. The leader is Ewell but since he is out of the game already, the result is no effect. The Union artillery units in Culpeper and Stafford Counties are withdrawn.
- REINFORCEMENTS:The Confederates receive 3 replacements (one cavalry). The Union receives 23 infantry and one cavalry and rolls a 3 x 3 (32 unreplaced losses) = 9 replacements for the 5/23 cycle. Three go to the Valley and 6 to the AoP.
- VALLEY:Neither side moves.
- BERMUDA HUNDRED:The Confederates shuffle a few units around but not much activity with Butler passive.
- DEPOTS:The Confederate depot at Bumpass Turnout is removed. The Union decides to not risk placing a depot in Port Royal since the III corps would have a decent shot at taking it.
- SUPPLY AND AMMO:All units are in supply except for Smith's command in Caroline county. All units are fully provisioned.
- UNION COMMAND:Bulter goes active, Sigel remains passive.
- VP'S:+3 for Port Walthall Junction. The overall VP level of -34.
- END GAME DR:Not until May 31st.
May 16th & 17th
Smith and Wietzel amphibious move to Fort Monroe and remain embarked. Stuart is able to pull back in southern Spotsylvania county and cover the crossroads between Sheridan and Caroline county. Hancock starts another flanking maneuver to the south around the Confederate left, while the Union VI and XI corps move up to Todd's Tavern. Hill and Early's corps pull back from the Wilderness and end the day near Spotsylvania Court House. Warren reinforces his position south of Talley's Mill and Longstreet attempts to do the same but Field gets a case of the "slows" (rolls poorly). The Petersburg reinforcements transferred to Burkeville head to the main map (two infantry and one cavalry brigades).
The 17th is a clear day and Grant looks forward to a strong push south. Hancock continues to move south, brushing back some of Stuart's cavalry. After three Union initiatives however, the dreaded double-1s strike, Grant fails to extend the day and the turn ends early. Breastworks spring up all over Spotsylvania County.
May 18th
The weather remains clear on the 18th (Union night march) but on the second or third initiative, double-1s come up and Grant fails to extend the day. As much as he would like another short day and lots of forts, Lee decides that the ANV is too far from the Caroline county line and successfully extends the day himself. Confederate units need to be in Caroline county to avoid being out of supply by the end of the 19th. The Rebs thus continue their withdrawal to the county border and are pursued by the VI and V corps. Rickett's and then Getty make +0 attacks against elements of the II Corps (Ramseur and Johnson) and achieve moderate success (+1 and +2 results) near Harrison. The Rebel units retreat towards the border. The V Corps presses Longstreet south of the Po. Rodes is sent to assist and sets up a high-odds assault against Crawford. The Union win the key initiative and Griffin's division makes a valiant -1 attack on the march that fatigues Rodes to F4 and thus saves Crawford. Snakes are rolled for the combat and another Union commander dodges a bullet as Warren survives. Later in the day, Crawford slides around Rodes' flank to the south and Warren launches a grand assault against Rodes that fails (+1/-1 F/1D). Rodes voluntarily retreats to a safer defensive position and takes a retreat loss.
To the south, Hancock continues to use his infantry to push back Stuart's cavalry. Gibbon pushes back WH Lee (+3/+2 Dr/1Da). With his infantry support spent, Sheridan attacks F Lee head-on and is given a bloody nose (see the 1-6 die roll above resulting in -/1D!). A second +0 attack pushes back and disorganizes F Lee (+3 Dr/Fa) who retreats into Caroline county. The Union II Corps ends the day near Mount Pleasant, the V corps near Snell's bridge, the VI corps near Spotsylvania Court House and the IX on the road to Fredericksburg. Smith and Wietzel move from Fort Monroe to Port Royal. On the Confederate side, the I corps is near the Caroline county border at Wilson's Store, the II corps is just south of Quisenberry bridge and the III corps camps at Massaponax Church.
May 19th
The Yankees get a third day of clear weather but suffer command paralysis. Sheridan is able to use a string of initiatives to surround and crush Steuart's infantry brigade (+3/+7 2DR/a +1 retreat loss). Stuart continues to use his cavalry to make a stand against Hancock's infantry which again push the Rebel cavalry back (+3/+3 Dr/1Fa) but not without loss. At the end of the day, all of Stuart's cavalry except for Imboden and Dearing (reinforcements from the off-map boxes that are arriving at the front) are disorganized and exhausted. Sheridan's cavalry rests for the most part on the 19th and ends the day in good order. The Union II corps is spread out in southern Spotsylvania county. The V corps rests and camps just south of the Po while the VI corps takes control of Spotsylvania Court House and rests as well. Hinks reinforces Smith's position at Port Royal and Smith advances one hex to help defend the landing hex. A 5-manpower sub is left behind and is able to build a major river bridge across the Rappahannock. All of the Confederate units are able to withdraw to Caroline County. AP Hill's corps goes east of Guinea’s Station, the II Corps to Bethany Church and the I Corps to Templeton Mill.
May 19th Strategic
The May 19th turn represents about the mid-point of the campaign. Historically, the fighting around Spotsylvania Court House was finishing up and Grant was preparing to swing south. The geographic position is similar in this game although Grant was in a better position to defend the Port Royal depot area. Also, Union losses in this game are staggering compared to Confederate losses, making a Union victory unlikely unless Richmond is taken. Below are the current strengths of the forces at the front in Caroline and Spotsylvania Counties.
| Union Manpower Summary | ||
| Command | May 4 | May 19 |
| II Corps | 53 | 58 |
| V Corps | 49 | 38 |
| VI Corps | 44 | 34 |
| IX Corps | 43 | 27 |
| XVIII Corps | NA | 18 |
| Cav Corps | 22 | 21 |
| Totals | 211 | 192 |
| Confederate Manpower Summary | ||
| Command | May 4 | May 19 |
| I Corps | 22 | 24 |
| II Corps | 29 | 31 |
| III Corps | 47 | 30 |
| Detachments | 10 | 13 |
| Cav Corps | 13 | 16 |
| Totals | 121 | 114 |
