ED NOTE: this scenario first appeard in the pages of The Vedette, Newsletter of the Central Illinois Table Top Warriors (CITW) and is printed with their kind permission. I don't have current address information on CITW, I hope a member drops me a line so that I can publish it. When Major General John Pope took command of his newly created Army of Virginia, he had under this command some 70,000 soldiers scattered over an area whose perimeter ran from the Harpers Ferry to Washington to Aquia Creek, and then back to Manassas and Winchester. He attempted to concentrate his new command and reorganized it into three Corps: (Note that these Corps were different that those Corps serving in the Army of the Potomac.) I Corps: The troops that had been under the command of Fremont in -his Mountain Department, now under the command of Franz Sigel. In the post campaign reorganization of the Union forces, it would become the forever unlucky XI Army Corps. II Corps: Those troops that had been part of the Department of the Shenandoah, which were still under the command of Nathaniel Banks. In the post campaign reorganization of the Union forces, it would become the XII Army Corps. III Corps: These troops had once been the I Corps of the Army of the Potomac under Major General Irvin McDowell. They were left behind to help defend Washington, and so came uinder the control of Pope's new Army. In the post campaign reorganization of the Union forces, it would revert to it's old number, and once again become the I Corps. Pope ordered his Army, plus reinforcements en route from Fortress Monroe (Burnside's IX Corps and other elements of the Army of Potomac) to concentrate in front of Washington in order to prevent a Confederate counterstrike north at Washington. As he put his army together he made a series of decisions that had a major impact on the course of the campaign. He issued a number of General Orders, including his famous "Headquarters in the Saddle Order (which Lincoln is said to have commented that his Headquarters are where his hindquarters ought to be). More important though, were his other General Orders governing the conduct of the Army of Virginia towards the Rebel civilians in the area. These in essence removed the "kid gloves" that Confederate civilians had been treated with, and gave the Union forces a far greater ability to live off the land. These orders however also raised the ire of Robert E. Lee, with the result that Pope was one of the few Union generals that Lee actively disliked. On the plus side, Pope assigned to service with the cavalry of his army John Buford and George Bayard, two experienced officers that helped transform the Federal Cavalry into a actual functioning command. To prevent Pope from taking the key railroad town of Gordonsville, where the Orange and Alexandria line from Waslungton crossed the Richmond-Staunton Virginia Central, Lee ordered Major General Thomas Jackson to move with his old Army of the Valley to that point. To increase Jackson's strength, A. P. Hill's Light Division was sent to serve with Jackson, giving him a strength of some 24,000 veterans. As Stuart's cavalry had to remain behind to help watch McClellan, the old Valley cavalry of the late Turner Ashby was ordered to Gordonsville under it's new commander, Brigadier General Beverly Robinson. With the troops from the Peninsula campaign under orders to land at Aquia Creek near Fredericksburg, Pope decided to concentrate his Army at Culpepper Court House, 25 miles northwest of Gordonsville on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. It was on a line with Fredericksburg and protected by the Rapidan River, and while covering Washington from a Confederate attack also allowed Pope to threaten the Virginia Central Railroad. Jackson saw his chiance to repeat the maneuvers of his Valley Campaign of the spring of '62. He would fall upon the Union troops in detail, destroying each in turn. As the I and II Corps were the same troops that he had already defeated in the Valley, it seemed a simple enough task. On August 7th he started north, moving to the west of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, and heading for the Union rendezvous point at Culpepper Court House. Jackson's march north was ill fated in a number of ways. His staff work was poor at best, with the result that conflicting orders were issued to his divisional commanders. Robinson's cavalry was unequal to the task of screening Jackson's, and the Union cavalry under Bayard was able to track Jackson as he marched north. By the time Jackson crossed the Rapidan on the 8th, Pope and the Union commanders in the area were aware that he was coming on. and taking steps to meet him. Crawford's Infantry Brigade of Banks II Corps was already in position at Collin's Tavem on Jackson's planned route of advance, and on the morning of the 9 August Banks and the remainder of his corps were ordered to march to his support. Rickett's division of the McDowell's. the only other Union division Pope had present at Culpepper was ordered to cover Bank's left flank by holding a position at Colvin's Tavern. From there Rickett could either move three miles southwest to the support of Banks, or block a Confederate attempt to sidestep Banks and advance up the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. Pope's remaning divisions and corps commanders were en route to Culpeper. ie Sigel and his I Corps (2 divisions) from the Valley, and McDowell with King's division of his III Corps from Fredericksburg. Bank's orders were to halt Jackson's advance by taking up positions along Cedar Run and fall back if pressed, otherwise he was to hold his position and await reinforcements. Pope remained behind at Culpepper in order to coordinate the movements of his army, but planned to move forward if and when the battle started. While Pope was willing to allow Jackson to attack his position, he was unwilling to counterattack until the remaining elements of his Army were in position. By noon on the 9th the advance parties of the two armies had encountered each other, and began to deploy for action. For Jackson, the news that there were Federal troops to his front came as a surprise. His command was strung out along a single road, and it would take some time to deploy it for battle. He ordered Major General Ewell to take up a position from the road to Slaughter (Cedar)Mountain, and cover the deployment of the rest of his army. By 3 o'clock, Ewell had secured Slaughter Mountain, and Jackson's own division had started to arrive, A. P. Hill's Light Division was still to the rear, and Jackson was unwilling to start a battle until Hill was present. Events however were not under the control of Jackson, as Bank's saw a chance to fall on his foe before Jackson was ready to fight, and in defiance of his orders, started his command forward. CONFEDERATE ORDER OF BATTLE AND DEPLOYMENT Jackson's Wing: Army of Northern Virginia Major General Thomas Jackson, Ewell's Division: Major General Ewell (E) Early's Brigade, (E) 12 stands Hay's brigade, 10stands Trimble's Brigade, 10 stands Courney's Artillery Battalion 2 guns Jackson's Division: Brigadier General Winder (E) Stonewall Brigade (E), 4 stands Taliaferro's Brigade, 6 stands Johnson's Brigade, 6 stands Stafford's Brigade, 6 stands Shumakers'Artillery Battalion 3 guns The Light Division: Major General A. P. Hill (E) Pender's Brigade (E), 10 stands Thomas' Brigade, 10 stands Branch's Brigade, 10 stands Archer's Brigade, 10 stands Fields' Brigade (E), 10 stands Walkers Artillery Battalion 3 guns Wagon Train Guard: Brigadier General Lawton Lawton's Brigade, Jackson's Division 6 stands Gregg's Brigade, Light Division 10 stands Cavalry: Robinson's Cavalry Brigade 6 stands CONFEDERATE SET UP 1. Ewell's Division starts the game deployed as follows: Ewell's command figure, Courney's Artillery, and Hays and Trimble's Brigades may start the game deployed within 12" of the Slaughter house. Early's Brigade starts the game deployed in the field northeast of the Crittenden house, 2. Jackson's Division starts the game deployed as follows: Winder's command figure, Shumaker's Artillery, and Taliafeffo's. Johnson's and the Stonewall Brigade are in march column along the Orange Culpepper Road. The head of the column is at the point where the road from the Crittenden house meets the Orange Culpepper Road. 3. A. P. Hill's Division enters the board behind Jackson's Division in March column. The division may enter in any order that is wished by the Confederate commander. Brigades may not change their formation until all stands of that brigade are on the board. 4. Jackson starts the game at the Slaughter house. He is not considered as an exceptional commander for this game. but is rated as a standard corps commander. 5. The Confederate Cavalry was present, but not in brigade strength. It was scattered the area in small detachments, so it does not appear in the game as a formation. 6. Jackson was worried about the Federal Cavalry and his baggage train. As a result he had two brigades of infantry kept back to guard it. Thee brigades listed as the baggage guard could have been brought up, but were not. Consider them as a "what if" option. UNION ORDER OF BATTLE AND DEPLOYMENT II CORPS, ARMY OF VIRGINIA Major General Nathaneal Banks Williams's Division: Brigadier Williams 1st(Crawford's) Brigade (E) 9 stands 2nd(Gordon's) Brigade 9 stands Augur's Division: Brigadier General Argur 1st (Geary's) Brigade (E) 6 stands 2nd (Prince's) Brigade 6 stands 3rd (Greene's) Brigade 6 stands Corps Artillery: Corps Artillery Brigade 4 guns Corps Cavalry: Bayard's Cavalry Brigade 6 stands UNION SET UP 1. Argur's Division starts the game deployed as wished anywhere south of the Orange - Culpepper Road, and east of the North Fork of Cedar Run. 2. Williams's Division starts the game deployed as wished anywhere north of the Orange - Culpepper Road, and east of a line running due north along the Brown house road to the northwestern edge of the game board. 3. Bayard's Cavalry Brigade starts the game deployed as wished anywhere north of the Orange - Culpepper Road, and east of the woods bordering the northeast side of the Bushy Wheat Field. 4. The batteries of the XII Corps may start the game deployed as wished either attached to any unit of the XII Corps, or deployed on the edge in the large cornfield. 5. Bank's command figure starts the game at Coffin's Tavem. 6. Rickett's Division could have been brought forward into action if needed. What If For a "what if", have the following units arrive at the Collin's Tavern starting at 1600. The division may enter in any order that is wished by the Union commander. Brigades may not change their formation until all stands of that brigade are on the board. Rickett's Division has the following: Rickett's Division: Brigadier General Rickett 1st (Duryea's) Brigade 12 stands 2nd (Tower's) Brigade 12 stands 3rd (Hartstuff's) Brigade 10 stands 4th(Thoburn's) Brigade 10 stands Divisional Artillery 2 guns PLAYING THE GAME The game starts at 1500 and ends at conclusion of the 1800 turn. 2. The following terrain effects apply. The woods are considered as rough terrain, and are considered as two additional contours in height for purposes of line of sight. The cornfield and wheat field do not block line of sight. WINNING THE GAME The game ends at the end of the 1800 tum with victory points awarded as follows: 1VP Each enemy brigade which ends the game worn. 1VP: each enemy wrecked or captured gun. 2 VP: Each enemy brigade which ends the game spent. 2 VP: Each enemy exceptional divisional commander or corps commander killed, wounded, or captured. 4 VP: Each enemy brigade which is captured or driven from the field. 6 VP: Possession of Collin's Tavern HISTORICAL OUTCOME Banks' II Corps launched an attack on Jackson as the Confederates were still in the process of deploying. Jackson had an off day, as lacking his usual staff officers, he lost control of the battle. Bank's troops managed to break Jackson's own division, and forced elements of the Stonewall Brigade back in disorder. However A. P. Hill managed to bring up his Light Division, and drove Bank's troops back in turn. Rickett's division, which was the size of the entire II Corps, arrived too late to aid Banks. and Jackson camped on the battlefield and declared victory. However, Pope had time to concentrate his command, and now had all of I and III Corps with him at Culpepper. Having lost his chance to defeat the Union forces in detail, Jackson withdrew his command back to Gordonsville and awaited the arrival of Robert E Lee, and the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia. The 2nd Bull Run/Manassas campaign had just started and Jackson would have another chance to attempt to crush Pope's Army. Though this battle is known to history as the Battle of Cedar Mountain, that title is a misnomer of sorts. The mountain was actually known as Slaughter's Mountain, after the family that lived there. Cedar Run was the name of the stream that ran through the area. Somehow after the battle, the names were mixed with the result that the battle, and later the mountain itself, were known as Cedar Mountain. Back to Table of Contents -- Courier #75 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1998 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com