This is a scenario for any American Civil War Skirmish Level Game. (I.e.: Brother Against Brother) The Historical Battle The largest skirmish at Cedar Key, Florida at the railroad bridge leading over to the island (Station No. 4.), occurred on February 13, 1865. After Union troops had raided over 40 miles inland into Levy County, capturing many contrabands (slaves freed from the local farms), wagons, horses, and cattle, the Union troops were attacked at 7:00 a.m. by Capt. Dickinson's cavalry as they approached the bridge at Station No. 4. The Rebels attacked the waiting Union Troops on the landside of the railroad ridge to Cedar Key. The outnumbered Confederate forces managed to pin down the Union troops with their captured supplies behind the railroad cut and deployed their sole artillery piece in a position able to fire at both the entrenched troops and any union troops who attempted to cross the bridge. A firefight ensued with little effect to either side, resulting in few casualties. Maj. Weeks (USA), who had gone to the island the night before, raced across the bridge with 60 members of the 2nd FL Cav. (US) at the sound of rifle fire coming from Station No. 4. Upon crossing the bridge under artillery fire, his men deployed to either side of the road and held their position. By noon, the Rebels began to run low on ammunition allowing the other Union troops to start outflanking Dickinson's cavalry on the right. In the early afternoon, the Rebel artillery fired it's last round and most of the men had few cartridges left. General Miller was on the way with ammunition and confederate reinforcements from Gainesville, but would not arrive until well after dark. During the night, the Union troops withdrew across the bridge, but without their captured wagons and 100 head of cattle. The Rebels, resupplied and reinforced, advanced to find the abandoned position and recaptured the stolen property taken from area homesteads. The Game Setup for the game is easy. Most of the troops start on the table in their `deployed' positions. The only troops off the board are the 60 men of the 2nd FL Cav. (US) and Maj. Weeks. They will enter on the railroad trestle 5 turns after the first shots are fired. Because the Union believes that they are outnumbered, they will not advance until Maj. Weeks orders them or they see 2 Rebel units retreat out of the action. Order of Battle CSA (Confederate) Capt. John J. Dickinson (overall CSA Commander) 2nd Florida Cavalry, CSA Co. B- Lt. McLeod, Lt. Stephens: 18 Men Co. H- Lt. McCardell, Lt. McEaddy: 52 Men 5th Florida Battalion (Cavalry) Co. H- Lt. Haynes, Lt. Brantley, Lt. Haile: 20 Men Florida Special Battalion (Mounted) Capt. E. J. Lutterloh: 18 Men Detached Florida State Troops (Militia) Capt. King, Capt. Dudley, Capt. Price, Capt. Waterson: 37 Men Independent Artillery-Lt. T.J. Bruton 1, Gun and 10 men, probably a 12 lb. Mountain Howitzer (with both Shell and canister shot available) USA (Union) Maj. Edmund C. Weeks (Overall Union Commander) Capt. E. Pease: 2nd Florida Cavalry, US 186 men (total) Maj. Lincoln: 2nd U.S.C.T. (United States Colored Troops) 200 men Back to Table of Contents -- ACW Newsletter # 9 Back to ACW Newsletter List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2003 by Marc Shefelton. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com