On Campaign: Battle of Shiloh Church

The Battle of Shiloh, Day 1 (6^th April, 1862)

“My God, we are attacked”- Brigadier General William T. Sherman

By Bryan Olson

Game Details:

Rules: A modified version of Rally Round the Flag by Scott Monsour

Scenario: Shiloh Church by Paul D. Stevenson (Guns at Gettysburg Scenarios 1, HEARTLAND, The
battles for Kentucky and The Tennessee)

Scale: One Infantry base= 80 men, One Artillery base = two guns

Ground Scale: 1”= 25yds (apx.)

Table Size: 6’ X 4’

Table Overview:

Mission: The Confederates must capture the Ben Howell field and Shiloh Church area. The Union commander must prevent this. The game length is 18 turns.

Pre Game

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="The Shiloh Church"]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="The Union Right, held by Buckland’s Brigade."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Patrick Cleburne’s Brigade is in position to kick off the attack on the Union line."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="McDowell’s Brigade positioned in the Ben Howell Field will serve as reserves for the battle."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640" caption="Hildebrand’s Brigade is charged with the task of holding the Union’s left flank."]

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Turn 1

Note: all photos were taken after the turn was completed.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Morton’s Battery of McDowell’s brigade is ordered to move into the Union line of defense."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Two regiments of Cleburne’s Brigade move into the “Small Filed”."]

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Turn 2

*Confederate Reinforcements Arrive*

Johnson’s Brigade

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Bushrod Johnson’s Brigade arrives on the field. He advances his regiments up the Pittsburg-Corinth and Western Corinth Roads."]

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Turn 3

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Johnson’s Brigade moves into the Rea Field."]

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Turn 4

*Confederate Reinforcements Arrive*

Shoup's Artillery Battalion

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Shoup’s Artillery Battalion arrives on the field. He is ordered to move his guns into the Rea Field to support Johnson’s Brigade."]

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Turn 5

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Cleburne’s Brigade reaches the Shiloh Branch."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The Union line armed with rifled muskets opens fire on the advancing Confederates."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Shoup’s Artillery unlimbers and prepares to open fire."]

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Turn 6

*Confederate Reinforcements Arrive*

Anderson's Brigade

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Cleburne’s Brigade crosses the Shiloh Branch and moves into smoothbore musket range."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Shoup’s Artillery opens fire on the Union infantry positioned at the edge of the Rea Field."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Anderson’s brigade arrives."]

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Turn 6 Casualties

Union: 2 Infantry Bases

Confederate: 1 Infantry Base

Turn 7

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The unopposed artillery fire from Shoup’s Battalion forces the Union infantry holding the edge of the Rea Field to fall back into the woods."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Anderson’s Brigade is ordered to move forward and support Cleburne’s attack."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Johnson takes advantage of the Union fall back and orders his brigade forward."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Morton’s battery of 6 pound smoothbore’s fight desperately to hold back the advancing Rebs."]

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Turn 7 Casualties

Union: 2 Infantry Bases, 1 Artillery Base

Confederate: 2 Infantry Base

Turn 8

*Confederate Reinforcements Arrive*

Various Batteries (Bankhead, Hodgson, Polk)

Pond's Brigade

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Pond’s Brigade arrives on the Confederates extreme left."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Additional Confederate Artillery reinforcement arrive. They are ordered forward to support Cleburne."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The Confederate advance in the Rea Field forces Hildebrand to order his regiments to move forward and take up their former position at the edge of the Rea Field again."]

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Turn 8 Casualties

Union: 3 Infantry Bases

Confederate: 3 Infantry Base

Turn 9

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The 23rd Tennessee (Cleburne) engages the 70th Ohio (Buckland) in close combat."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The 5th Tennessee (Cleburne) charges the 48th Ohio (Buckland) and forces them back."]

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Turn 9 Casualties

Union: 1 Infantry Bases

Confederate: 1 Infantry Base

Turn 10

*Confederate Reinforcements Arrive*

Russell's Brigade

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="On the Union left, Hildebrand is forced to once again pull his brigade back due to heavy artillery and small arms fire."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Russell’s Brigade arrives."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Victorious from its last round of close combat, the 5th Tennessee once again charges forward and engages the 48th Ohio."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The 23rd and 7th Tennessee (Cleburne) charge the 70th Ohio (Buckland) and are bloodily repulsed."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Pond’s Brigade reaches the Shiloh Branch."]

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Turn 10 Casualties

Union: 3 Infantry Bases

Confederate: 8 Infantry Base

Turn 11

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Johnson moves his brigade into the woods surrounding the Rea Field. There he continues to press his attack on the Union’s left flank."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Pond’s Brigade crosses the Shiloh Branch and moves to threaten the Union’s Right flank. A regiment from McDowell’s Brigade is ordered forward to oppose the Confederate thereat."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The 5th Tennessee and 48th Ohio continue to engage in close combat."]

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Turn 11 Casualties

Union: 3 Infantry Bases

Confederate: 1 Infantry Base

Turn 12

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The 15th Tennessee (Johnson) charges the 57th Ohio (Hildebrand) and pushes them back."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The Confederate artillery reinforcements deploy their guns and prepare to unleash a deadly fire on the Union line."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Due to several poor command rolls Russell’s Brigade is slow to move forward."]

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Turn 12 Casualties

Union: 3 Infantry Bases

Confederate: 2 Infantry Base

Turn 13

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Victorious from the previous turn the 15th Tennessee once again charges the 57th Ohio. The 57th Ohio fails to pass their morale check and routs off the table."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Two regiments from Pond’s Brigade move into smoothbore musket range and opens fire on the Union’s right flank."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The 17th Louisiana (Anderson) charges Morton’s battery (McDowell). The green gun crews of Morton’s battery fail to pass the morale check and they abandoned their guns."]

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Turn 13 Casualties

Union: 6 Infantry Bases

Confederate: 3 Infantry Base

Turn 14

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The mounting casualties on the Union side force them to begin to give ground to keep their line in tacked."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Before the Union can reestablish their broken left flank the Confederates seize the initiative and press the attack. Things don’t look good for the Union on their left flank."]

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Turn 14 Casualties

Union: 4 Infantry Bases

Confederate: 4 Infantry Base

Turn 15

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="The Union’s right flank still holds."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="Two of Russell’s regiments finally reach the Shiloh Branch."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="To make room for fresh Confederate regiments, three of Cleburne’s spent regiments are retired."]

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="On the Union’s left things continue to get worse, after being charged, the 77th Ohio fails to pass their morale check and routs off the table."]

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Turn 15 Casualties

Union: 5 Infantry Bases

Confederate: 1 Infantry Base

Turn 16

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720" caption="After being pounded by small arms fire from two sides, the 6th Iowa (McDowell) who was holding the ground around the Shiloh Church fails to pass their morale check and routs. The collapse of the Union’s left flank is now complete."]