Marching On Richmond: Winter 1861

After our previous battle (known as ‘Warrenton Turnpike‘ to us but as the ‘March on Manassas Junction‘ to the Confederate Forces) we spent considerable time manoeuvring and counter-marching, but no further significant action was to arise in the summer of 1861. By Autumn both ourselves and the enemy were busying themselves with establishing winter quarters and stockpiling stores, and receiving reinforcements and additional ordnance. There has been much talk of the last battle, and it’s outcome – news continues to come through from Richmond and elsewhere in the south of the celebrity of my erstwhile opponent dear reader. Colonel A.P.S. Longman is currently the toast of the CSA and if we are to believe everything he may well single-handedly decide this venture, regardless of what any of us may do…!

There has been much change as we get through our fall and winter, shortly after the previously reported major engagement our “Army of Northeastern Virginia” was incorporated, as a Corps, into the new “Army of the Potomac” under one Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan – who seems a fine sort of soldier! Our new Corps remains directly under our old commander from the summer battle, Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell. In the South we hear that the Confederate “Army of the Potomac” has undergone some changes also – and at the end of winter it is confirmed it has been renamed the “Army of Northern Virginia“.

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Marching On Richmond Fast-Play Campaign

Today Cam & I kicked off a fast play ‘style’ ACW Campaign, where we start off in 1861 with an identical sized brigade each, and these will grow and change over the course of our battles, with units being reduced by attrition but gaining in experience (while also losing their élan to a degree with that experience), or being reduced to the level they are disbanded or destroyed on the battlefield, while other units will arrive to reinforce these forces, gradually increasing our commands’ from Brigades to Divisions…

It’s 1861, the United States is at war, with itself! Both North and South have called forth men to defend the sovereign claims. I have been given command of a Brigade of Volunteers in the USA Army of Northeast Virginia, currently the primary force of the Northern Army on the border of Virginia – I am Colonel Ulysses P. Rickards and I am a veteran of the ante-bellum U.S. Army, having served in the Artillery. In the vicinity of my Brigade’s encampment is a Confederate Brigade (that I am charged with observing) of the CSA Army of the Potomac, under one Colonel A.P.S. Longman, like my brigade, Colonel Longman’s is made up of fresh volunteers, and is currently covering one of the main routes into Virginia from Maryland. Colonel Longman is an extremely wealthy Virginia Land Owner, who is very well connected and pre-war was regularly featured in the fourth estate and other media – a celebrity of sorts.

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