Tag: Cavalry

Marching On Richmond: Fall 1862

Having set forth into Maryland in pursuit of General Robert E. Lee we headed North-West as part of the great Union Army, a mighty force of 80,000 or more men that surely would finally end this break in the Union, and restore the country. After two weeks rapid marching through the hills and mountains we came upon the main rebel army, and as our forces converged I was tasked with holding a vital section of river, to ensure the enemy could not use it as a route to slip out of our trap!

During our march rebel cavaliers had been harrying some of our supply columns, cutting or intercepting our telegraph lines, and generally making a nuisance of themselves. As a result as my small Division deployed to its allotted flank guard position I was conscious of the possible presence of enemy raiders in my rear – having no cavalry in my command I had no means either to effectively monitor for their presence.

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Marching On Richmond: Late Summer 1862

Following on from our victory at Seven Pines, and the army’s less successful actions in the Seven Days campaign, as mentioned we were then surprisingly withdrawn from the Virginia Peninsula and brought back to Maryland. During this period we received very few reinforcements and had also suffered somewhat from the summer scourge of mosquitoes and other nasties. However before departing the peninsula we had managed to reform the remnants of the 12th New York, although we left behind several of our force.

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Marching On Richmond: Summer 1862

As Winter thawed we did much manoeuvring around Maryland but not much became of this, and once Spring arrived we were moved to ports and embarked upon USN transports, destination initially unknown, but later revealed to be the Virginia Peninsula. By late spring we were in Virginia and marching on Richmond confident of victory under our new army commander George B. McClellan. There was minor skirmishing with the Rebels and some brisk actions, but we always stood firm and soon were continuing our irresistible movement North, my brigade was not significantly involved in these actions. we did learn from intelligence gathered that our opponents from last year, Longman’s Brigade, were part of the forces defending Richmond and we may well get a second chance to try conclusions with them… And it was at a place we dubbed Seven Pines that the Confederate’s did launch a surprise counter attack on our forces and this is where I shall take up my story…

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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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