Fort Munroe, the Peninsula 1862

Gen. George B. McClellan’s amphibious invasion of the Virginia Peninsula in March and April 1862 involved one of the great logistical achievements of the Civil War. By April 2 he had amassed 58,000 men, 15,000 horses and mules, 1,100 wagons and 44 batteries, along with extensive supplies and telegraph wire — and more troops were on the way.

But McClellan did not appreciate the land of the Peninsula, particularly the sandy roads that quickly turned to mud when heavy rains fell in early April. These conditions were worsened by his reliance on a map drawn for the invasion that was horribly flawed. The map had been drawn under the direction of Maj. Gen. John Wool, commander of the Department of Virginia and in charge of the Union-held Fort Monroe at the tip of the Peninsula.

There seems to be a great deal of scope for a series of small Sharp Practice games linked into a campaign set on the peninsula.  I set to on an A3 sheet and drew an approximation of the terrain I wanted.  Please don`t take my map as being overly accurate or you will have problems similar to those of General McClellan!   

The Union will start at Fort Munroe, initially as part of the garrison, trying to get information prior to General McClellan's invasion. 

The Confederates are holding the line above the Warwick river, however in the campaign they too will be sending out individual companies to probe south towards the fort.  This will keep the Yankees from learning about their defences along the Warwick River. 

Between these will be civilians, and because this is Virginia their loyalties will be biased towards the South.  Fort Munroe was also the location many escaping slaves made for.  I`ve used names from "Gone with the Wind" for these and the Union will gain additional victory points for liberating slaves.  Any slaves encountered will be fiercely pro Union.

Overall the Confederates will be trying to prevent the Union getting more information on the Peninsula.  They will be randomly generated as part of the game and I intend to play the Union side against the programmed Rebs...

Historically the invading troops set out from Fort Monroe on April 4th, marching about 10 miles before camping at Big Bethel. The plan was to reach Warwick Court House the next day, and then on to Halfway House in order to attack Yorktown from the northwest. 

But the map misled them. When the forces awoke the next day, they faced not just a driving rain, but also a river where it should not have been. Moreover, the Confederate Gen. John Magruder had entrenched his forces on the northern side of the Warwick, and had engineered dams that created ponds and marshes on the south side. All of this made a mess of McClellan’s offensive, and turned plans for an attack on Yorktown into a month-long siege. 

My Union troops will have to opportunity to turn this around, and properly reconnoiter the position... if they can get past the Confederates.  They will begin on March 15th as the Union Forces begin to mass around the Fort.

The top bit of the map.  Won`t be seeing this area for some time!

Campaign Action Table 
(take a 2D6 twice per day) 

2   The rebels play a nasty trick
3   A Spy is revealed
4   Interaction with a character
5   Scenario 1  An Encounter  Battle
6   Interaction with a character
7   Scenario 2  Sweep the Table  Mission
8   The Weather Turns
9   Scenario 3  Defence in Depth  Battle
10 Scenario 4  Escort Duty  Mission
11  Scenario 5  Attack an Objective  Battle
12  Scenario 6  Rescue Mission  Mission

Characters and Locations

Hampton and the Fort
1. Miss Daisy
2. Mrs Kornblow
3. Uncle Peter, an escaping slave
4. Dimwit Van Troomp 
5. Eustace the chicken wrangler
6. Mayor J. D Hawg

North of Hampton and the Back River area
1.  Miss Belle
2. Mrs Van Troomp, running away from her husband
3. Slim, the overweight mailman
4. Preacher Welby
5. Prissy, an escaping slave
6. Roscoe, dirt farmer

The James River Road
1.  Miss Scarlett, with a revolver
2. Mrs Firefly, looking for her drunken husband
3. Rufus T. Firefly, with a bottle of bourbon
4. The Duke boys, cropping an old cottonwood
5.  Mr Rhett Gable, Southern gambler
6.  Otis P. Driftwood, whiskey drummer

The Poquoson River area
1.  Grandma Wilkes, on her old mule
2. Old Dr Meade
3. Aunt Hamilton
4. Big Sam, a slave who wants to escape
5. Mammy, an escaping slave
6. Billy Bob, banjo playing poor.

The 7th Virginia 

11th Massachusetts

CONFEDERATES, 1862
Leader, Status III 
Three Groups of 8 Infantry, Rifled Muskets 
Leader, Status II 
Two Group of 8 Infantry, Rifled Muskets 
Leader, Status I 
One Group of 6 Skirmishers, Rifled Muskets 
Leader, Status I 
One Group of 6 Skirmishers, Rifled Muskets 
Point Value 1862:  83 

EARLY UNION, 1861‐62  
Leader, Status II 
Three Groups of 8 Infantry, Rifled Muskets 
Leader, Status I 
Two Group of  8 Infantry, Rifled Muskets 
Leader, Status I 
One Group of 6 Skirmishers, Rifled Muskets 
Point Value:  53 

Game One.

March 15th - Major Quilp takes the 1st company of the 11th Massachusetts regiment along the coast road towards Hook point.  By 0900 hrs he cuts across country towards Baxter's farmstead.  At 1100 the company are on the North road and encounter "Uncle Peter" an escaped slave with a game leg, origins unclear, who is pro Union and provides information.  The Confederates are at the Crossroads further north. (Please note that the map is rotated, so any compass references are fudged at best.  Then again the historical map was rubbish too!)

Quilp's Yankees cut across country, avoiding the road and reach the Webster Farm.  Their Deployment point is almost centre table.  The Confederates are advancing from the North west.  The Rebel deployment point is on the road entering on their far right flank table edge.

There will be two Civilians on table.  One is Farmer Webster, who according to my "Character of a man" table has has "a thick country accent," consarn it!

The second civilian will be "Uncle Peter," who despite his game leg has guided the Union Company here.  

Union Force Morale is 9
Confederate Force Morale is 11

Both sides will use three leaders:

11th Massachusetts
Major Quilp
Captain Titball
Sergeant Butt
5 Regular Groups, 1 Skirmish Group

7th Virginia
Captain Pickle
Lt. Bacon
Sergeant Lester
5 Regular Groups, 2 Skirmish Groups

The Game

Using the maps in Terrible Swift Sword as a guide I devised the terrain I wanted.  The campaign map provides a base line here, and it wasn`t until much later that I realised I`d missed a farm building out.  I`ll  have to get one of the Perry barns and maybe a church sorted out for future games.

The battlefield 

Johnny comes marching home... The Yankees arrive, skirmishers leading.

I wish I was in Dixie... actually the game is set in Dixie...  The Rebs arrive, their skirmishers quickly taking up a good position in the woods 

Captain Dill Pickle, with his ever present "White Folks Bible"

First blood to the Rebel skirmishers, who drive the Union boys back. 

Lieutenant Chris P. Bacon with yet more Confederates moves out onto the flank.

Sergeant Butt is killed, shot in the butt perhaps?  It's the end of the Union Skirmishers

Captain Titball prepares to meet the Rebs, whilst Big Tom wonders if this was a wise idea.

Captain Pickle leads his column around onto the Yankee flank. Farmer Webster favours the South, and reveals the Union Deployment point.

Major Quilp leads his boys out onto the flank, confronting Pickle.  In a tremendous exchange of fire the Union shoot high, missing most of those Southern boys.

Captain Pickle aims low, and the Confederate volley at this range is devastating.

Quilp falls with a musket ball through the chest.

The Rebel yell!  Captain Pickle leads the Confederates in a charge.

Confederate Sergeant Moe Lester and his skirmishers snipe at the Union from the centre position

With less than half the original Yankee Company left on table Captain Titball leads his men in a swift retreat, lead by Big Tom!  

Titball is the only Union Officer to survive.  

A convincing win for the Confederates, for the loss of only five men.  Captain Titball has his work cut out if the Union are to make any headway in this campaign...