Defending a Ford

Yesterday, we did another American Civil war skirmish using my State of War rules. The scenario had 2 very under strength companies (Louisiana tigers and a company of Virginians) defending a ford against a company of Ohio Federals, who's company strength matched the Confederates!

Randomly we chose which player commanded what. Lawrence and Phil once again drew the Federals, Ian got the Louisianas and I got the Virginians.

The ford and a small landing were the games objective. 

The river was fordable to troops around the ford, ensuring the Federals would have to make a frontal assault on the Confederate positions. 

 Phil, with the Federal left moved to launch an attack on the Rebs right wing. 

 Lawrence, with the rest of the Feds, moved down the road to the ford.

 Seeing the main blow was to fall on the right, the Tigers extended their line to the right of the ford.

 Leaving a corporal with 10 men to cover the ford, the rest of my Virginia boys advanced on the river. As yet, we saw no enemy of consequence.

 (Overview at this point)

 My men managed to reach the riverbank unmolested by the enemy..Phew!

 The rest of the Confederates were still moving through the trees slowly.

 Finally, the Tigers were in position to watch the federals deploy.

 Lawrence detached some of his men from the road to support Phil on the left.

He then advanced to the apparently undefended ford. 

My Virginians waited for their moment. 

 My squad was just moving into position to cover the ford --and the Tigers left.

 The Tigers, too, held their fire.

 Phil deployed in cover on the far bank of the river, and each squad sent a scout forward.

 Finally, my men, in danger of being spotted, opened fire with a full volley. 

 My Captain waving his sword furiously!

Several of Lawrences Advancing men fell or were wounded.

 Phil responded with a crashing volley, the poor scouts hit the dirt!

Despite the range, 5 of my men were hit. 

Then the Louisiana Tigers opened fire..though not at Phil's  men over the river,but at the Union boys attacking the ford!

A group of attacking Feds skedaddled!

The rest of the blue-bellies held their nerve and shot back.

  Another couple of my brave boys fell. 

 Along the line, Phil's men had reloaded and shot into the Tigers position. 

Several of them were hit, but the trees they were hiding in fared worse!

 My men covering the ford were still shooting at Lawrence's men. 

Taking the brunt of the fire, his men were unable to return fire effectively. 

 Another volley from Phil hit yet more of my men at the riverbank...

..and in the wood. 

A few of my men had had enough. they had fought bravely! 

However, Lawrence's men were getting jittery, and his drummers beat the retreat. This left Phil's men unsupported even though they had (amazingly) taken no casualties. He too, left with no option against a larger Rebel force, began to fall back. The battle was over. 

Whistle 'Dixie!'

Sigh....!

It was a tough game, at any point a good volley could have turned the game one way or another. Fortunately, the Confederate shooting was better...Yay!