Miniatures Antietam - The Miller Cornfield wargame

Col. S. D. Lee’s Artillery Battalion

Commander: Col. Stephen D. Lee
Bedford (Virginia) Artillery
Jordan’s BatteryVeteranCasualties:
1 x 3” Rifle, 1 x 10pdr Parrot,
1 x 12pdr Howitzer
M
Richmond (Virginia) Artillery
Parker’s BatteryEliteCasualties:
2 x 3” RiflesR
Brooks (S.C.) Artillery
Rhett’s Battery(aka Elliott’s)VeteranCasualties:
2 x 10pdr Parrotts,
2 x 12pdr Howitzer
M
Ashland (Virginia) Artillery
Woolfolk’s BatteryVeteranCasualties:
2 x 10pdr Parrotts,
1 x 12pdr Howitzer
M
12 pieces

Confederate Artillery on Hauser Ridge

Raine’s battery was positioned on Hauser Ridge facing East. Hauser Ridge was outside the field of fire for Federal batteries situated on the far side of Antietam Creek.
The batteries of Poague and Brockenbrough withdrew at around 6.30am and made their way to Hauser Ridge.

1st Rockbridge (Virginia) Artillery
Poague’s BatteryEliteCasualties:
2 x 10pdr Parrotts,
1 x 12pdr Napoleon
M
Lee (Virginia) Artillery
Raine’s BatteryVeteranCasualties:
2 x 3” Rifle, 2 x 12pdr HowitzerM
7 pieces

Poague’s battery began the day by taking two howitzers from Raine’s battery and placed them just in front of Grigsby’s line about 35 yards west of the Hagerstown Pike. Here it engaged with Union batteries of Matthews and Thompson. As Gibbon’s line advanced through the corn, Poague withdrew to A. Poffenberger farm, ending up on Hauser Ridge. Raine had already lined up the remaining pieces on Hauser Ridge.

Sumter (Georgia) Artillery, B
Patterson’s BatteryEliteCasualties:
3 x 12pdr Howitzers, 3 x 6pdr SBSB
Patterson’s battery was from the Reserve Artillery and continued S.D. Lee’s artillery line close to the Hagerstown Pike. Welker refers to 6 howitzers however I have gone with the armament listed in Johnson & Anderson.
 
From Longstreet’s Command

Hood’s Division – Brig. Gen. John Bell Hood

Wofford’s Brigade (aka- Hood’s)[950]
Col. William T. Wofford
18th GeorgiaEliteCasualties:
RMStrength 186+202 - SMALL
Hampton’s LegionEliteCasualties:
RMStrength 77+201 - SMALL
1st TexasEliteCasualties:
RMStrength 226+203 - SMALL
4th TexasEliteCasualties:
RMStrength 204+202 - SMALL
5th TexasEliteCasualties:
RMStrength 175+202 - SMALL
10 bases

Wofford’s and Law’s brigade arrived to reinforce the left flank. Wofford lined up his brigade in the West Woods aligned as follows left to right:
18th Georgia
4th Texas
Hampton Legion
1st Texas
5th Texas
Carmen’s number of 854 did not include officers. I have nominally added 20 to each regiment.


Law’s Brigade (aka- Whiting’s)[1,187]
Col. Evander M. Law
4th AlabamaEliteCasualties:
RMStrength 3083 - SMALL
2nd MississippiEliteCasualties:
RMStrength 3033 - SMALL
11th MississippiEliteCasualties:
RMStrength 2673 - SMALL
6th North CarolinaEliteCasualties:
SBStrength 3093 - SMALL
12 bases

Law’s brigade lined up to the right of Wofford’s brigade in the West Woods as follows:

2nd Mississippi
6th North Carolina
11th Mississippi
4th Alabama

Hood’s Division in numbers 2,137 with 22 bases (ratio 1:97)
 
D.H. Hill’s Division – Brig. Gen. Daniel H. Hill [not present]

Ripley’s Brigade [1,349]
Brig. Gen. Roswell S. Ripley
4th GeorgiaVeteranCasualties:
RMStrength 3254 - STANDARD
44th GeorgiaVeteranCasualties:
RMStrength 1622 - SMALL
1st North CarolinaVeteranCasualties:
RMStrength 3153 - SMALL
3rd North CarolinaGreenCasualties:
RMStrength 5475 - STANDARD
14 bases

Ripley’s brigade was lined up behind the Mumma Farm and was subject to enfilading artillery fire from across Antietam Creek. He was responsible for the burning of the Mumma Farm and barn yet this merely acted as an aiming mark for the Federal artillery.


Colquitt’s Brigade [1,810]
Brig. Gen. Alfred H. Colquitt
13th AlabamaVeteranCasualties:
SBStrength 3103 - SMALL
6th GeorgiaVeteranCasualties:
SBStrength 3003 - SMALL
23rd GeorgiaVeteranCasualties:
SBStrength 5005 - STANDARD
27th GeorgiaVeteranCasualties:
SBStrength 4204 - STANDARD
28th GeorgiaVeteranCasualties:
SBStrength 2803 - SMALL
18 bases

Colquitt’s brigade arrived at approximately 7.45am sent by D.H. Hill to reinforce Ripley’s brigade. Carmen records an estimated strength nearer 1,900.

D.H. Hill’s Division in numbers 3,159 with 32 bases (ratio 1:99)
 
Confederate Artillery on Nicodemus Heights

Commander: Capt. John Pelham
Stuart’s Horse Artillery
Pelham’s BatteryEliteCasualties:
4 x 3” RiflesR
Alleghany (Virginia) Artillery
Carpenter’s BatteryVeteranCasualties:
1 x 3” Rifle, 1 x 10pdr Parrott,
1 x 12pdr Napoleon
M
Danville (Virginia) Artillery
Wooding’s BatteryVeteranCasualties:
2 x 10pdr Parrott, 1 x 3” Rifle,
1 x 12pdr Napoleon
M
11 pieces

Morning opened with about fifteen cannon on Nicodemus Heights directly under Pelham’s command, including the Stuart Horse Artillery, three cannon from the Staunton Artillery, the Alleghany Artillery, and a battery from Danville, Virginia. I have omitted Garber’s Staunton Artillery as it was armed with only 6 pounder smoothbores.
 
Last edited:
Antietam – Opening Assault: Comments on Confederate Strength

Lawton’s Division in numbers (omitting Early’s brigade) 2,960 with 32 bases (ratio 1:93)
J.R. Jones’ Division in numbers 2,220 with 25 bases (ratio 1:89)
Arrival of reinforcements:
Hood’s Division in numbers 2,140 with 22 bases (ratio 1:97)
D.H. Hill’s Division in numbers (Colquitt’s and Ripley’s brigade) 3,160 with 32 bases (ratio 1:99)

Total 8,340 with 89 bases (ration 1:94)


Strength
No. bases
Ratio
Lawton’s Division
2,960​
32​
1:93​
J.R. Jones’ Division
2,220​
25​
1:89​
Hood’s Division
2,140​
22​
1:97​
D.H. Hill’s Division
3,160​
32​
1:99​
Total
10,480
111
1:94

These figures appear to show that the Confederate Army began their defence with just over 5,000 men present. I Corps attacked with just over 9,000 men, however as Hoffman’s brigade [720] and Christian’s brigade [900] were effectively missing, essentially only about 7,400 men were actually involved in the assault, a ratio of only 1:1.5 advantage. The subsequent arrival of Confederate reinforcements significantly shifted the balance onto the Confederate side until the arrival of Mansfield’s XII Corps (about 7,000). This restored the balance to a similar value to that at the start. It is not surprising therefore that the battle took on a seesaw nature, the numbers involved merely a reflection of this.
 
Early morning on the 17th...Harry T. Hays gets his Louisiana brigade moving in the West Woods.
20210226_154616.jpg
 
I’ll have to figure out how to “sticky” this thread. This right here folks is a thoroughly impressive and creative example of how it all comes together: games, miniatures, terrain mods, orders of battle research, action reports, and kid-in-candy-store sheer fun!

Game on, Hannover, we are watching with great interest. :thumbsup:
 
Thanks everyone for your very positive support. I had to delay the start a couple of days to finish off two of the main protagonists - General Meade and General Jackson! I'm sure you will see them later on.

Antietam was described as ‘Artillery Hell’ and you began to realise why as the large quantities of artillery of both sides for what was essentially a relatively small area of battlefield opened up at the start of the game. The Union command obviously thought this may be the game winning strategy and so concentrated their command points on the artillery and as a consequence had several brigades become hesitant, more of this later.

The plan for the Union Army was essentially the same one that ‘Fighting Joe’ adopted which was also partly determined by the times of arrival of the different brigades. Federal regiments had difficulty crossing the ground of the Miller Farm and were targeted by Confederate artillery on Nicodemus Hill (off board).
Duryee's brigade enters the cornfield.jpg

The view from behind Federal lines. You can see the smoke from skirmishers in the East Woods attempting to disrupt Douglass' brigade. In the far distance S.D. Lee's artillery opens up. General Hooker and Doubleday look on.
Duryee's brigade about to enter the cornfield.jpg

Duryee's brigade enters the cornfield supported on their right flank by the Iron Brigade. Seymour's brigade holds the East Woods in the far distance.
 
Duryee’s brigade was the first to be affected by slow movement. Even Duryee got hit but was fortunate that shell fragments merely passed through his coat. As the Federal heavy guns across Antietam Creek (what Hunt called his ‘guns of position’) opened up, even though events are largely dictated by dice, the game oddly mirrored the actual battle as Divisional commander Brigadier General John R. Johns was killed by an incoming shell in the second game turn.
J.R. Jones becomes a casualty.jpg

General John R. Jones becomes a casualty - I had to mark the spot with something suitable!
 
In the East Woods skirmishers began peppering the Confederate line although there were few casualties as a result. However, Seymour’s brigade was the second Union brigade to become hesitant and as a consequence, they were unable to pressurise Douglass’ line effectively to support the advance through Miller’s cornfield.

Duryee’s brigade in the cornfield as expected found it difficult to maintain control. Meanwhile Gibbon’s brigade was also struggling to get any momentum to their advance being affected by Poague’s howitzer section placed in front of what was now Grigsby’s Division. Their lack of movement resulted in Phelp’s brigade backing up Duryee’s move through the cornfield and the Iron brigade stalling on the Miller Farm.
Duryee's brigade halve way.jpg

Duryee's brigade enters the cornfield, Confederate skirmishers are forced back.
View from behind the Iron Brigade.jpg

View from behind the Iron Brigade. In the mid-distance is Grigsby's and Penn's brigade and Starke's brigade is behind them in the West Woods. In the far distance is the smoke from S.D. Lee's artillery line.
 
Federal brigades were finding that they were becoming targeted by Confederate artillery on Nicodemus Hill and their counter battery fire was having difficulty in affecting the Confederate batteries placed there.

Thompson’s battery was able to follow Duryee partly into the cornfield and were eventually able to open up on Douglass’ line who had also suffered from artillery fire from across Antietam Creek. This was enough for the 60th Georgia who retired in some disorder, leaving a gap in Douglass’ line. Will the Union troops emerging from the cornfield be able to take advantage of this? Will Hay’s brigade, called up by Jackson to plug the gap between Douglass’ line and the Mumma Farm, arrive in time?
Duryee's brigade struggles through the cornfield.jpg

Duryee has difficulty controlling his brigade in the cornfield and they begin to exchange volleys with Confederate skirmishers. Brockenbrough's battery spots this and fires into the maelstrom! Poague's howitzer section near the Hagerstown Pike begins to disrupt the Iron Brigade's formation. On the right of the picture, Hay's brigade is moving up to support the Confederate line.
Phelp's brigade follows into the cornfield.jpg

Phelp's small brigade move into the cornfield to support Duryee's brigade. As you can see some regiments in Duryee's brigade have become unformed and some lost their fire discipline.
Patrick's brigade arrives.jpg

Patrick's brigade arrives to attack the Confederate left flank.
 
The miniatures are from a number of manufacturers - the majority are Redoubt Miniatures, Old Glory Miniatures and Elite Miniatures with a scattering of Sash & Sabre and Dixon Miniatures. Redoubt and Elite are slightly larger than the others in size but the first three manufacturers I think are compatible. My mounted cavalry are Dixon Miniatures because I really like the horses! Elite have a reputation of being very animated and they specialise in Napoleonics so their ACW range is a little limited. Some people think Elite are like Marmite - an acquired taste! - you either love them or loathe them, but I think their Napoleonic Range is really superb. I am painting some Mississippi regiments at the moment from Steve Barber Models as they are dressed in Mississippi State uniforms with red braiding and some of my artillery is from them. I will post some pictures next week showing the difference between them, if you like, then you can see for yourself.
 
Back
Top