"For God's sake, General, don't let us give it up so!" Col. Bouton. "God damn it, sir, if Mr. Forrest will let me alone, I will let him alone!" Genl. Samuel Sturgis. In the spring of 1864, Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry Corps was deployed to protect the rich farm country of Northern Mississippi. This area was important to the provisioning of the Western Confederate Armies. When planning his spring offensive against Atlanta, General Sherman feared that as his forces moved south into Georgia, Forrest would leave Mississippi and sweep north into Tennessee to ravage and destroy his long supply line and thus ruin the major Unionist offensive in the western theatre. In order to keep Forrest off his supply line and pin him in Mississippi, Sherman ordered Federal forces based at Memphis to launch limited offensives against the farm country protected by the Confederate general and his intrepid cavalry. On June 2, 1864, Brigadier General Samuel Sturgis, commanding an expeditionary force consisting of 5,000 infantry, 3,000 cavalry and 18 guns marched from the Memphis enclave and embarked upon the first of these offensives. Sturgis intended to advance on Tupelo, Mississippi via the Fulton Road, and hoped to bring Forrest to battle. His hopes were realized. Dawn of June 10, 1864 found Sturgis' force 75 miles southeast of Memphis encamped north of the Hatchie Bottoms at Stubb's Plantation. The general had ordered his cavalry this day to continue the advance at 5:00 a.m. and cross the swampy Hatchie Bottom via the Fulton Road. Two hours after the cavalry departed, Sturgis followed with his infantry. Historically, General Forrest, with an inferior force, intercepted Sturgis south of the Hatchie Bottoms at Brice's Cross Roads. In the ensuing engagement, the Rebels beat the Yankee cavalry, routed the infantry, captured the artillery and trains, and sent the fugitives reeling panic stricken back to Memphis. So much for Union offensive number one. It is difficult to find another Civil War engagement in which an independent Union force suffered a more complete or humiliating defeat. However, the battle was hard fought and the tactical situation far less one-sided than the historical outcome reflects. Our scenario recreates the tactical situation at 9:30 a.m. Waring's cavalry brigade has stumbled upon an unknown number of pugnacious Rebels out on the Wire Road. Crierson's other brigade has been ordered forward to support Waring, and the Yank infantry is pounding down the Fulton Road to reinforce the cavalry. With a little luck, and much hard fighting, there is no reason why an adventuresome and capable Yank commander cannot whip "that devil Forrest" and thus erase this stain on Northern honor. TERRAIN Brice's Cross Roads is located on high ground forming a watershed between Tishomingo and Campbelltown Creeks. Fields cleared for planing corn represent the only open ground. Blackjack Oak scrub covers the balance of the field. The corn fields are mostly enclosed by heavy worm fences. Tishomingo Creek is passable only at bridges or fords. The Wire Road, and the Fulton Road west of the Cross Roads, are in very bad condition due to recent rain and the passage of thousands of mounted men. They are considered BROKEN ground. Trails and other roadways are treated as OPEN ground. The ridge lines representing the watershed rise gradually, and the knoll on which stands the negro cabin is the highest point on the field. 1. Treat Blackjack Oak covered areas as ROUGH for visibility and BROKEN for movement. All units may employ HIDDEN MOVEMENT. 2. All fences are treated as HEAVY FENCE for saving rolls. INITIAL SET ON The Union player sets on first. Waring and Winslow deploy within one foot radius of their respective map symbols. Winslow may take his initial move as if mounted, but must dismount at the end of the turn. Waring is considered dismounted. Sturgis himself enters with the infantry as indicated under SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES. The Confederate player sets on Lyon's brigade and the Escort Squadron within one foot of the Forrest map symbol after the Yankee has deployed. The balance of the Confederate force enters as indicated under SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES. SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES Rules Affecting Union Player FORCE MARCH RULE: At game start the Union player must announce if he is ordering his infantry to FORCE MARCH. If he so elects, he begins rolling for the arrival of his infantry at the beginning of the 11:00 a.m. turn. A roll of 1 on a D6 at 11:00 a.m. = arrival; 1 or 2 at 11:15 a.m. = arrival; roll of 1,2,3 at 11:30 = arrival; etc. After a successful roll, the one brigade may enter in march column on the Fulton Road PER TURN. Upon arrival, each infantry regiment must take a STRAGGLING CHECK. If the Unionist does not elect to FORCE MARCH, he may begin rolling for arrival time at 1:00 p.m. STRAGGLING CHECK: Each infantry REGIMENT must roll for straggling and exhaustion upon entry. Roll 1 six sided die: Roll of 6 = 2 stands lost from regiment; roll of 2,3,4 or 5 = 1 stand lost; roll of 1 = no stands lost. Regimental morale is adjusted for stands lost, just as it would be for casualties. This is to reflect exhaustion. STURGIS-McMILLEN INEBRIATION CHECK: Both these Union officers were heavy drinkers. There is strong evidence to suggest they were imbibing during the battle. At 12:00 noon, and each hour thereafter, both command figures must roll a D6 for inebriation. If either officer tumbles from his saddle and is removed, his CRITICAL POINT VALUE is added to the CRITICAL POINT TOTAL of the army. 1 or 2: TOTALLY BLASTED: Officer movement is reduced by one half. OFFICER CASUALTY ROLL is always as for CLOSE RANGE (5 or 6 on one die), to reflect increased likelihood that our heroes will become unhorsed. If unhorsed, the command figure is removed from play. 3 or 4: COMMANDING UNDER THE INFLUENCE: Subtract 1 from OFFICER BENEFIT. On subsequent Sturgis-McMillen inebriation checks, subtract 1 from die roll. 5 or 6: ABILITY NOT IMPAIRED: No effect, but must take S-M-I-C every hour on the hour. Rules Affecting the Confederate Player UNIT AVAILABILITY: At game start, the Confederate player rolls dice to determine if Rucker and/or Johnson are available initially. Roll 1 six-sided die for each brigade. 1,2 or 3 = brigade on field. Brigades enter along the east side of board at the Wire Road, may move at MOUNTED SPEED, but are dismounted at the end of the move. Either brigade that does not successfully enter during the initial turn, roll as indicated above on each successive turn until entry. Three of Bell's regiments enter automatically along the Wire Road at the beginning of the 11:45 a.m. turn. They may employ mounted movement during entry, but are dismounted at the end of the turn. Bell's 4th regiment may enter with the balance of the brigade at the option of the Reb player, or may enter along the north edge of the board at the Widow Tapp's at 12:15 p.m. on a roll of 1,2, or 3. This roll is continued on each successive turn until the unit arrives. One section of artillery may accompany this regiment. This regiment may remain mounted. At the option of the Confederate player, units may employ either their primary weapon (rifle-musket or carbine), or shotguns. Also, in MELEE, Confederate melee points are increased by two columns on the COMBAT RESULTS TABLE. These options are to reflect the historical fact that most of Forrest's men were equipped with a brace of six-shooters, plus other close action weapons that give them a distinct melee advantage. This rule is essential in order to reflect accurately the distinct nature of Forrest's command. If Bedford Forrest is shot, all Rebel units must check morale. VICTORY CONDITIONS CONFEDERATE: The Confederate player wins a strategic victory if he drives the Yankees west of Tishomingo Creek and causes Union CRITICAL POINT LOSSES EQUAL TO 40% OF THE TOTAL UNION FORCE. The Confederates win a tactical victory if they accomplish any one of the above criteria. UNION: The Union player wins a tactical victory if he avoids both Confederate criteria. The Unionist wins a strategic victory if by game end he can safely move any of his troops off the east end of the board. UNION ORDER OF BATTLE BRIGADIER GENERAL SAMUEL STURGIS Brig. Gen'l. Benjamin Grierson (Div) Col. George Waring (Brig) 15 dismounted figs., rated ELITE; repeating carbine armed 15 dismounted figs., rated AVERAGE; breechloading carbine armed 15 disrnounted figs., rated AVERAGE; breechloading carbine armed 20 dismounted figs., rated GREEN; breechloading carbine armed 20 dismounted figs., rated ELITE; repeating carbine armed 2 sections 12# mountain howitzers; rated AVERAGE Col. Edward Winslow (Brig) 15 dismounted figs., rated ELITE; breechloading carbine armed 15 dismounted figs., rated AVERAGE; breechloading carbine armed 15 dismounted figs., rated AVERAGE; breechloading carbine armed 15 dismounted figs., rated AVERAGE; poor breechloading carbine armed 1 section 6# James Rifles 1 section 12# James Rifles 1 section 12# Napoleons OFFICER FIGURES Grierson - BENEFIT 2; CRITICAL POINT WORTH 3 Waring - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT WORTH 2 Winslow - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT WORTH 2 Capt. Fitch - BENEFIT (arty. only) 1; CRITICAL POINT WORTH 1 Col. William McMillen (Div) Col. Alexander Wilkins(Brig) 20 figs., rated ELITE; rifle-musket armed 20 figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-musket armed 20 figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-musket armed 20 figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-musket armed 20 figs., rated GREEN; rifle-musket armed 1 section, 3 inch rifles, rated AVERAGE 1 section, 12# Napoleons, rated AVERAGE Col. George Hoge (Brig) 20 figs., rated ELITE; rifle-musket armed 20 figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-musket armed 20 figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-musket armed 20 figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-musket armed 20 figs., rated GREEN; rifle-musket armed 1 section, 6# James rifles, rated AVERAGE Col. Edward Bouton (Brig.) 25 figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-musket armed 25 figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-musket armed 1 section, 6# James rifles, rated AVERAGE OFFICER FIGURES Sturgis - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 4 McMillen - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 3 Wilkin - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 2 Hoge - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 2 Bouton - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 2 The Union player is allowed 12 DUMMY COUNTERS CRITICAL POINT VALUE FOR ARMY: 71 40% : 28 60% : 43 CONFEDERATE ORDER OF BATTLE MAJOR GENERAL NATHAN BEDFORD FORREST Col. Hylan B. Lyons (Brig.) 20 dismounted figs., rated ELITE; rifle-musket armed 20 dismounted figs., rated ELITE; rifle-musket armed 15 dismounted figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-musket armed 10 mounted figs., rated ELITE; repeating carbine armed Col. Edmund Rucker (Brig) 20 dismounted figs., rated ELITE; breechloading carbine armed 15 dismounted figs., rated ELITE; breechloading carbine armed 15 dismounted figs., rated AVERAGE; breechloading carbine armed Col. William Johnson (Brig.) 25 dismounted figs., rated AVERAGE; breechloading carbine armed 15 dismounted figs., rated AVERAGE; bree(hloading carbine armed Col. Tyree 1. Bell (Brig.) 25 dismounted figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-MLIsket armed 25 dismounted figs., rated AVERAGE; rifle-musket armed 25 dismounted figs., rated GREEN; rifle-musket armed 25 mounted figs., Fated ELITE; breechloading carbine armed 2 sections 6# smoothbores, rated ELITE 1 section 10# Parrot rifles, rated ELITE 1 section 12# Howitzers, rated ELITE OFFICER FIGURES Forrest (with Lyons) - BENEFIT 2; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 5 Lyons - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 2 Rucker - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 2 Johnson - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 2 Bell - BENEFIT 1: CRITICAL POINT VALUE 2 Morton (arty, on ly) - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 2 Buford - BENEFIT 1; CRITICAL POINT VALUE 3 Confederates are allowed 12 DUMMY COUNTERS (HIDDEN MOVEMENT) CRITICAL POINT VALUE FOR ARMY : 48 50'y.: 24 (Conf. cannot attack) 60% : 29 Map SCALE: 1/4" = 500 YDS. 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