Background The salt works at Saltville, Virginia were just one of the many seemingly mundane but vital industries which helped sustain the South's capacity to keep her armies in the field. By 1864 the Federals could at last spare troops to seriously think of disrupting this indispensable source of sustenance. The operation was to consist of a two pronged cavalry attack which was planned to hit the town at the same time and destroy both it and the surrounding area. Unfortunately for the Federals the southern probe was halted by a badly outnumbered force of Confederate cavalry which they mistakenly took for the Saltville garrison. Hoping this would leave the town undefended against their comrades from the north the Unionists stayed put and awaited the successful conclusion to their raid. Union Brigadier General Stephen G. Burbridge arrived at Saltville on the morning of 2nd October, and proceeded to invest the town. The Rebel defenders, led by Brigadier General John S. "Cerro Gordo" Williams were a mixed bag of decimated cavalry regiments and local reserves. The favourable terrain in the area was strengthened further by rifle pits which proved of great help to the Confederates. The battle was a vicious affair as the brigades of Ratliff and Hobson found they could not break through the gray ring surrounding the town, Hanson, although he tried could not find an unguarded crossing point so was unable to take a serious part in the engagement. The battle petered out in the darkness and Burbridge withdrew to fight another day. The wells were eventually destroyed on December 20th 1864 by another mounted foray in which Burbridge was a part. UNION FORCES 5th Division 23rd Army Corps: Brig- Gen. S.G. Burbridge, average, +2 Hobson's Brigade Brig- Gen. E,H Hobson, average, +1 13th Ky. Cav. (400), BLC, average. 30th Ky. Mtd. Inf. (400), RM, green. 35th Ky. Mtd. Inf. (400), RM, green. 40th Ky. Mtd. Inf. (400), RM, average. 45th Ky. Mtd. Inf. (400), RM, average. Hanson's Brigade Col. C. Hanson, average, +1 11th Ky. Cav. (400), BLC, average. 26th Ky. Mtd. Inf. (400), RM, average. 37th Ky. Mtd. Inf. (400), RM, green. 39th Ky. Mtd. Inf. (400), RM, average. Ratliff's Brigade Col. R.W. Ratliff, average, + 1 5/6th U.S.C.C. (400), BLC, green. 11th Mich. Cav. (400), RptC, green. 12th Oh. Cav. (400), BLC, green Artillery 3 x 12lb Mountain Howitzers, average. CONFEDERATE FORCES Department of South West Virginia: Brig-Gen. A.E. Jackson, poor, +1 Giltner's Brigade Col. H. Giltner, average, +1 4th Ky. Cav. (300), MLC, average. 10th Ky. Cav. (200), MLC, average. 10th Ky. Mtd. Rifles (100), RM, average. 64th Va. Mtd. Ritles (100), RM, average. Reserves Lt.-Col. R.T. Preston, average, + l 4th Va. Reserve Bttn. (300), RM(Poor), Militia. Lt-Col. R. Smith, average, + l 13th Va. Reserve Bttn. (300), RM(Poor), Militia. Artillery 1 x 12lb Howitzer, l x 6lb SB, average. Army of Tennessee (Detachments) Brig-Gen. J.S. Williams, average, +2 Breckinridge's Brigade Col. W.C.P. Breckinridge, average, + 1 1st Ky. Cav. (200), MLC, average. 9th Ky. Cav. (300), MLC, average. Dibrell's Brigade Col.G. Dibrell, average, + 1 4th Tenn. Cav. (200), MLC, average. 8th Tenn. Cav. (300), MLC, average. 13th Tenn. Cav. (300), MLC, average. Robertson's Brigade Brig-Gen. F.H. Robertson, average, +1 3rd Conf. Cav. (100), MLC, average. 6th Conf. Cav. (100), MLC, average. 8th Conf. Cav. (100), MLC, average. 5th Ga. Cav. (100), MLC, average. Artillery 1 x 12lb Hovritzer, 1 x 3" Rifle, average. Notes: 1. The distribution of Confederate strength is purely a guess although the overall number is correct, also I have joined two independent Ky. Cav. Co's to the 4th Ky. Cav. in order to boost their numbers. 2. The Confederate player may amalgamate regiments of the same brigade to give larger units. I have already done this in the case of Robertson. 3. Everyone fights dismounted. 4. There may be a case for the Union artillery being green as the crews were volunteers from the cavalry. THE WARGAME I have taken the start to be 10.00 a.m. which has the Federals in position and poised to open the main assault, the game ends at 4.00 p.m.. Movement across the ford must be in murch column or disordered formation. Optional rules for this battle could be that Ratliff's brigade becomes tired after noon as they had been fighting since dawn. A die could be thrown to see if Hanson does manage to find an extra ford in his sector of the battlefield. TERRAIN Hills and fords are broken. The river, creek, their banks and the western edge of Sanders hill are rough. The Holston River can only be crossed at a ford, Cedar Creek anywhere. All works are considered light. Due to the dense underbrush lining the river banks any fire across this allows a saving throw as light woods. DEPLOYMENT Large Scenario Map (107K) General Jackson left the running of the battle to John Williams therefore he must remain on Chestnut Ridge and can only be forced off by enemy action. Breckinridge's brigade holds the western ford against Hanson, to his right on the forward edge of Church Hill lies Giltner, behind him is Preston's Reserves, Hobson's Union brigade is opposite this position. On Chestnut Ridge Robertson holds the left and Dibrell the right, Smith's Reserves are regrouping behind this line after having been thrown off Sanders Hill. The Rebel battery on Chestnut Ridge has the 6 pounder. Ratliff's cavalry hold Sanders Hill. VICTORY CONDITIONS The Federals must either inflict a 60% loss on the Rebels or gain control of Chestnut Ridge, no enemy force could hope to sack Saltville without having control of this dominant feature. HISTORICAL NOTE Saltville was infamous as the site of a massacre of black soldiers, at the time up to 155 were reported shot out of hand. Modern research puts the number between five and thirteen, as well as one white officer murdered. BIBLIOGRAPHY Blue & Gray Magazine - August '91 Compendium of Civil War - F.H. Dyer Units of C.S.A. - J.E. Crute Back to The Zouave Vol VII No. 1 Table of Contents Back to The Zouave List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1993 The American Civil War Society 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