Battle of Chester Station 1864 A Johnny Reb Scenario

Battle of Chester Station
1864

A Johnny Reb Scenario

by John Hill

On May 8, 1864, Major General Ben Butler broached his Army of the James out from behind its works on Bermuda Hundred and turned south towards Petersburg. And on May 9, elements of his Tenth and Eighteenth Corps approached Petersburg's northern defenses at Swift Creek. However, an outmanned, but aggressive Rebel defense brought the timid Union advance to a halt.

Meanwhile, on Butler's north flank, a polyglot of Federal units sprinkled from Chester Station to the James River guarded the Federal rear. And General Robert Ransom, in command of the troops defending Drewry's Bluff, sensed an opportunity to break into Butler's rear. Being impatient to strike, Ransom ordered an early morning attack on May 10th with two brigades already in place, those of Generals Seth Barton and Archibald Gracie. Though they were hard pressed, the Federals threw enough troops into the fray to blunt the assault.

But, had Ransom been willing to wait until later in the morning, he might have moved Eppa Hunton's experienced brigade and some artillery down from Drewry's Bluff to bolster the Confederate assault. This scenario assumes that this was done, and now Butler's northern flank may be in serious peril.

Comments about the Battle

"The regiment suffered in the extreme heat of the day."

--Lt. Colonel Boynton, 8th Maine

"The contest was final and desperate. The enemy broke and rallied, but was finally compelled to take cover in the woods."

--Colonel Dobbs, 13th Indiana

"I saw General Barton several times on the turnpike and in the open field, riding about, seemingly without object...his evident inability to manage his command caused me to ask for another commander of the brigade."

--Major General Robert Ransom

"Confident that the illegal and unjust act of General Ransom does not meet the approbation of the Department, I must earnestly request that proper steps be forthwith taken to repair the injury."

--Brigadier General Seth Barton

Confederate Order of Battle

Major General Robert Ransom's Division

C.S.A. Command Levels

Ransom's division has 44 points. If it loses 17 points, it cannot advance. If it loses 26 points, it must retreat.
Major General Ransom is worth 4 points and is a level 2 leader.
All brigade leaders are worth 2 points and are level 1 leaders.

Brigadier General A. Gracie

If Gracie's brigade loses 2 elements, it cannot advance. If it loses 4, it must retreat.

Brigadier General Seth Barton

If Barton's brigade loses 2 elements, it cannot advance. If it loses 4, it must retreat.

Brigadier General Eppa Hunton

If Gracie's brigade loses 2 elements, it cannot advance. If it loses 4, it must retreat.

Attached Elements

Rives' Battery: 2 sections 12 lb. Napoleons, Veteran
Hankins' Battery: 2 sections mixed guns, Veteran

Batteries are a divisional asset and are not affect by brigade losses.

Union Order of Battle

Brigadier General Alfred Terry in command

Union Command Levels

Since the Federals were from three different divisions, there is no divisional command level.
If Voris' brigade loses 2 elements, it cannot attack. If it loses 4 elements, it must retreat.
If any other Federal brigade loses 1 element, it cannot attack. If it loses 3 elements, it must retreat.
All Federal officers are level 1 leaders.

Colonel A. Voris

Colonel J. Howell

Colonel J. Abbot

Colonel R. White

Brigadier General I. Wistar

Attached Elements

Game Length and Victory Conditions

The Scenario is ten turns long.

For the Confederates to win, they must, at any time during the game, be occupying any two of the three road exits leading off the south edge of the board at the end of any game turn. Also, the roads so occupied must be free of all Federals all the way back to the north edge.

For the Federals to win, they must prevent the Rebels from occupying any tow of the three road exits at the end of the game. If at game's end, the Confederates are occupying one south road exit, the game is a draw.

Union Reinforcement Rules Reinforcing brigades enter in the order indicated on the map, with on more than one brigade per turn. Roll once per turn to see if a brigade arrives.

Possible Heat Exhaustion (Union units marked * on map.) Due to the extreme heat - almost 100 degrees - White's and Wistar's brigades may be seriously fatigued by the time they arrive. If a "2" is rolled for their arrival, the heat has taken its toll and all regiments in those brigades must fight as if they were green troops.

Terrain Legend Notes

Large Map (very slow: 152K)

Creeks: Treat as if broken terrain. Units in march column may move along creeks at the broken movement rate.

Woods: Treat as woods. Where woods are on both sides of a creek or road, assume woods go up to the road or creek's edge.

Slope: Treat as broken terrain if moving up or across. Hills are high enough for artillery on hilltops to fire over troops not on slope. If both woods and slope are present, treat as woods for movement.

Buildings: Treat church as stone wall. Treat other buildings as wood fences.

Map Size According to Scale

For 5mm scale, all squares measure 8" by 8". For 10mm or 15mm scale, all squares measure 12" by 12". For 20mm or 25mm scale, all squares measure 18" by 18".

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