- Joined
- Feb 27, 2017
- Location
- Ohio
As a participant, I would say the biggest lesson was on supply. We may have been moving late on the Monocacy, but we were moving and the supply problem got in the way. Lesson learned!
During his ride south, Stuart observed large Union forces marching west and crossing the Patapsco, and additional large forces moving south.
This makes me wonder if it would not have been better if we had remained together at the beginning, and then advanced in force with the cavalry as our front.I would just say as an advertisement if you will that this has been a tremendous experience for me at least. The fog of war element is real and it gave me, for one, a better appreciation of tve decision making commanders need to make. Its easy to see where things went wrong (for my side) in retrospect.
Also, as I mentioned in a previous post -- the importance of supy and logisitcs. There were several moves Rebel Brit, Lubliner & I talked about and/or wanted to make, but had to postpone die to tiredness and/or veing out of supply. The rout of Ricketts division Saph mentioned above is one. If I recall correctly 2 of the 3 divisions that made that attack needed to resupply and that was one factor in the fizzle of the offensive we had intended. By the time we were ready to go, Union reinforcements had arrived from Baltimore.
And again, as Saphroneth says above, its really hard to know what to do when you dont really know where the enemy is. The cavalry as eyes and ears of the army was really reinforced to me playing this.
I'm looming forward to the next game and hope to apply some of the lessons learned.
So my advance didn't putter out. In fact I am surprised I still exist! What I wonder, though Longstreet has surrendered, and Stuart is caught, what would have been my chances of crossing back into Virginia over the Potomac?So here's the events of the 23rd, which is the day Longstreet was forced to surrender:
Here's what the Confederates could see at the end of the day.
View attachment 391746
This is also the date of a major Confederate offensive over the Monocacy, which managed to rout two more divisions, leaving just four Union divisions in the west unrouted. A misstep however was the peremptory order to McLaws to cross the river at a specific ford (which was defended).
View attachment 391747
The Union view shows where 5th, 6th and 2nd Corps have reached now, along with the chaotic mess that resulted as an attempt to corall Longstreet.
View attachment 391748
And here's the movements. Yes, it's very confusing.
Interestingly Couch defended his ford, but then moved east (probably correctly as otherwise he'd be liable to encirclement) and got successfully attacked.
As of this date (the 23rd), fairly good chance of getting most of the rest of the army out.So my advance didn't putter out. In fact I am surprised I still exist! What I wonder, though Longstreet has surrendered, and Stuart is caught, what would have been my chances of crossing back into Virginia over the Potomac?
There is indeed. At this point there's one Union player and two Confederate, so I'll most likely attach you to the Union...If there's another game, I would definitely be interested.
Ryan