The Albemarle in Action

Littoral Operations in
North Carolina Waters

Gaming the Campaign

By Allen R. Garbee


GAMING THE ALBEMARLE'S CAMPAIGN

The Battle Of Plymouth

Terrain And Set Up: See map number one for the layout of the river, town, and Fort Grey. The Albemarle starts in the river channel near the town of Plymouth. The Union vessels set up near the northeast edge of the river (downstream edge). The Union vessels may start the game individually, at anchor, or cabled together if desired.

Order Of Battle: Confederate: CSS Albemarle

Union: USS Miami, USS Southfield, USS Whitehead, 1, 200 pd gun, Fort Grey (1, 100 pdr rifle); optional-USS Ceres (damaged)

The scenario starts at 8:00 AM. The game lasts until all of either sides vessels are sunk or withdraw off their respective baseline.

Union victory conditions: Major Victory: The Union must destroy the Albemarle, without losing any Union vessels; Minor Victory: The Albemarle is forced to withdraw, no more than two Union ships are sunk.

Confederate victory conditions: Major Victory - The Con-federate player must destroy all the Union ships, Minor Victory - Sinking or by damaging, forcing to retreat all Union ships.

Name Tonnage Dimensions Propulsion Crew Armament
Confederate States Navy
CSS Albemarle 376 152'(oa)x34'9" 2 screws, 2 boilers 150 Ram, 2,8" Brookes RML's
CSS Cotton Plant 85 107'x18'9" d=4.5' 1 screw, 1 boiler ? small arms
CSS Bombshell ? 90'x?, d=3.5' 1 screw, 2 engines 37 1 20 pdr RML, 3, 12 pdr How
United States Navy
USS Miami 730 208'x33'2"x 8'5" Sidewheel 1 boiler
8 kts, double ender
134 6,9" Dalghren SB, 1, 100 pdr
RML, 1, 24 pdr SB
USS Ceres 144 108'x22'x6'3"
d=7'7"
Sidewheel, 1 boiler
9 kts
45 2,30 pdr RML, 2,24 pdr SB
USS Southfield 751 200'x34'x6'5"
d=11'8"
Sidewheel
12 kts
61 1,100 pdr RML
5,9" Dalghren SB
USS Wyasulung 1,173 240'(oa)x35'x9.5' Sidewheel, 2 boilers
13 kts, double ender
200 2,100 pdr RML, 4,9" Dalghren
4,24 pdr How, 4 12 pdr How
USS Sassacus 1,173 240'(oa)x35'x9.5' Sidewheel, 2 boilers
13 kts, double ender
200 2,100 pdr RML, 4,9" Dalghren
4,24 pdr How, 4 12 pdr How
USS Mattabesett 1,173 240'(oa)x35'x9.5' Sidewheel, 2 boilers
13 kts, double ender
200 2,100pdr RML, 4,9" Dalghren
4,24 pdr How, 4 12 pdr How
USS Commodore Hull 376 141'x28'4"x9' Sidewheel, 2 boiler
10 kts
68 1 30 pdr RML, 1 32 pdr RML
4,24pdr SB
USS Issac N. Seymour 133 100'x19'8"x6'6" Sidewheel, 1 boiler
11 kts
30 1 30 pdr RML, 1 12 pdr RML
USS Whitehead 132 93'x19'9"x8' 1 screw, 1 boiler
10 kts
45 1 100 pdr, 3 24 pdr How

Battle Of Albemarle Sound

Set up Map. Terrain And Set Up: The terrain is set up according to map number 2 at right. There is no land-the entire area is deep, navigable water.

The Union ships are within the Union set up area on the map in any formation desired. The Confederate ships are deployed Southwest of the Confederate set up limit on the map. Both sides must set up so that no ships start the game within gunnery range of each other.

Order Of Battle

Confederate: CSS Albemarle, CSS Bombshell, CSS Cotton Plant Union: USS Miami, USS Sassacus, USS Wyaslung, USS Mattabessett,USS Commodore Hull, USS Issac N. Seymour, USS Whitehead

The scenario begins at 5:00 PM and continues until 7:30 PM or the destruction/withdrawal of either side.
Union Victory Conditions: Major Victory - Sink the Albemarle while suffering no losses.
Minor Victory - Force the Albemarle to withdraw up river while suffering no losses.
Confederate Victory Conditions: Major - Sink or cripple all Union ships allowing the Albemarle to exit the North map edge and enter the Albemarle Sound;
Minor - Sink at least two Union vessels and retreat off the South board edge. Any other result is a draw.

GENERAL REFERENCE WORKS

Davis, George B., Atlas to Accompany the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., 1891.
Faust, Patricia L., Historical Times Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War, Harper and Row Publishers, Inc. New York New York, 1986
Silverstone, Paul H., Warships of the Civil War Navies, Naval Institute Press, An-napolis, Maryland, 1989
Still, William N. Jr., Iron Afloat, The Story of the Confederate Ironclads, Vanderbilt University Press, Nashville, Tennessee, 1971
Trotter, William R., Ironclads and Columbiads, The Civil War in North Carolina: The Coast, v.3, John F. Blair, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 1989.
Young, Clairborne S., Cruising Guide to Coastal North Carolina, RR Donnelley & Sons, United States of America, 1983

The Albemarle in Action (Historical Background and Analysis)


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