During June of 1863, Genera1 Robert E. Lee moved the Army of Northern Virginia north on a desperate invasion. Lee's Pennsylvania campaign was launched in order to relieve Virginia of the burden of war and to disrupt any Union operations planned for that summer. He was looking for a decisive victory on Union soil. By June 30, 75,000 Confederates were across the Potomac poised to do battle in the cities of York, Carlisle, and Chambersburg. General Joseph "Fighting Joe" Hooker had shadowed Lee's movement with his 95,000 man army until June 27 when, over a dispute with General in Chief Halleck, Hooker resigned. On June 28 Major General George Gordon Meade was placed in command. Upon learning that Federal forces were concentrating to the east and south, Lee ordered his army to gather in the Cashtown- Gettysburg area to prepare for battle. On July 1, just after sunrise, the Confederates marching east with A.P. Hill's two divisions in the lead found Gen. John Buford's Union cavalry waiting on a ridge west of the town of Gettysburg. For the next three days the fate of a "nation torn asunder" would be decided across the fields and ridges near this little Pennsylvania town. History There is nothing extremely unusual about this field. What was most unusual to me was that the Confederates arrived from the north and west and the Union from the south and east. The Rebs moved down the Cashtown Pike. This road starts west on Herr Ridge, passes through two ridge lines, McPherson's and Seminary, then enters Gettysburg. The ridges are about 500 yards apart and are dominated by Oak Hill, one and a half miles to the north. Both of the ridges were named for local farming families, and Seminary Ridge for the Lutheran Seminary. The Seminary, whose cupola was used as an observation point by both sides, was located in a grove of trees with a stonewall around it. One hundred and fifty yeards north of Cashtown Pike and parallel to it is the unfinished railroad line. This also runs through all three ridges by means of deep cuts. A small stream, Willoughby Run, rneanders between Herr Ridge and McPherson's Ridge. On the south slope of Oak Hill along the Mummasburg Road stood the Forney farm and fields which extended west along the road for about a mile. Near the farm runs a stone wall about 550 yards long. Oak Hill itself was covered by a large woods but most of the terrain in the north is open and flat. The land south of the Cashtown Pike is cut by a mixture of picket and rail fencing inside and east of Herbst Woods. Terrain Notes The scale I used is 1" on the wargame table to 40 yards of actua1 ground. Each square on the map is 12"x12" on the table. The woods on Seminary Ridge and all orchards are light. All other woods are dense. Willoughby Run is fordable at all points. The Chambersburg Pike, Hagerstown Road and Mummasburg Road have fences along their whole lengths on both sides. Other fences should be around the orchards and throughout the open fields as you see fit. The Seminary was a fairly large building with a stone wall all around. Also note the stone wall perpendicular to the Mummasburg Road. Large Map (slow: 126K) Jumbo Map (very slow: 332K) The Scenario The battle starts with Archer's and Davis' brigades of Heth's division moving east along Cashtown Pike. Davis' Brigade (DS) to the north, Archer's to the south (ES, FS). The Confederate artillery at this time was firing from Herr Ridge (E5). Pegram's battalion had 5 batteries. I found that Pegram deployed all his guns but that only those with the range to counter Calef's guns (the rifled ones) opened fire. Pettigrew's and Brockenbrough's brigades, although on the field most of the day, are not ordered forward against the Federal forces on McPherson Ridge from the south side of Cashtown Pike (E5, F5) until 2:45 pm. Pender's division, although ariving on the field at 10:00 am, is deployed begind Heth's division west of Willoughby Run on Herr Ridge (D5, ES, FS, GS) and attacks at 3:30 pm. McIntosh's artillery reinforces Pegram on Herr Ridge at noon. Rode's division arrives at 12:40 pm at Oak Hill (A1, A2) along with Carter's artillery. Gamble's cavalry brigade starts along McPherson Ridge from Herbst Woods north to the railroad cut (E#, F3). Davin's brigade is north of Gamble along McPherson ridge, reaching to the Mummasburg Road (C2, D2). Also, one battery of artillery (Calef's) were deployed here. One section (2 guns) to the left of Gamble and two sections (4 guns) between Gamble and Devin north of the Cashtown Pike. Wadsworth's Federal Division arrived in the area of McPherson's Ridge about 10:00 am, so depending on your movement rules, Cutler's brigade, followed by Hall's batter, and then Meredith's "Iron Brigade" arrive at H2 on the south edge in march column. Gen. Reynolds also arrives with Culter's brigade. At 11:30 am, Doubleday's 3rd Division, accompanied by Capt. Cooper's Battery B, 1st Pa Art arrives at (H3) on the Hagerstown Road with Colonel Stone's 2nd brigade at the head of the column. At noon, the first three brigades of I Corps arrive at (G 1 ) on or off the roads. These are Steven's Battery E, 5th Maine, Reynold's Battery L, 1st New York, and Stewart's Battery B, 4th US. Immediately behind is Brigadier Gen. Robinson's 2nd Division with Paul's brigade in front. The Forces The strengths of the sides listed are taken mainly from Scott Bowden's book Armies at Gettysburg. The morale ratings (with some adjustments) are also taken from Bowden. All numbers are given in men per regiment. The cavalry has not been reduced to reflect horse holders, usually 1 in 4. Infantry on both sides were mostly anned with the rifled musket, but some regiments skill carried the smoothbore muskets. Cavalry was armed with breech loading carbines. Victory Conditions UNION: Control of the roads at F1 and G1 are of primary importance along with an orderly withdrawal to these areas. CONFEDERATE: Smash the Union forces as soon as possible and control of the roads at F1 and G1. Game Length 20 turns, may vary according to your rules system. Orders of Battle UNION Cavalry Division - Brig Gen John Buford 1st Bde Col William Gamble 8th Illinois 505 VET 12th Illinois 251 VET 3rd Indiana 337 VET 8th New York 623 REG 1st Pennsylvania 416 VET 3rd Pennsylvania 394 VET 2nd Bde Col Thomas Devin 6th New York 272 VET 9th New York 395 VET 17th Pennsylvania 499 REG 3rd West Virgina 63 VET I CORPS Maj Gen John F. Reynolds FIRST DIVISION - Brig Gen James Wadsworth 1st (Iron) Bde Brig Gen Solomon Meredith 19th Indiana 339 ELITE 24th Michigan 496 ELITE 2nd Wisconsin 302 ELITE 6th Wisconsin 342 ELITE 7th Wisconsin 370 ELITE 2nd Bde Brig Gen Lysander Cutler 76th New York 375 VET 84th New York 344 VET 95th New York 261 VET 147th New York 430 VET 56th Pennsylvania 265 VET SECOND DIVISION - Brig Gen J.C. Robinson 1st Bde Gng Gen G.R. Paul 16th Maine 311 ELITE 18th Mass 307 REG 94th New York 445 REG 104th New York 309 REG 107th Pennsylvania 255 REG 2nd Bde Brig Gen H. Baxter 12th Mass 282 VET 83rd New York 215 VET 97th New York 255 REG 11th Pennsylvania 292 VET 88th Pennsylvania 296 VET 90th Pennsylvania 241 VET THIRD DIVISION - Maj Gen Abner Doubleday 1st Bde Col Chapman Biddle 80th New York 287 GREEN 121st Pennsylvania 306 REG 142nd Pennsylvania 363 REG 151st Pennsylvania 473 GREEN 2nd Bde Col Ray Stone 143rd Pennsylvania 450 REG 149th Pennsylvania 465 REG 150th Pennsylvania 400 REG I CORPS RESERVE ARTILLERY 2nd Battery, Maine Lt (Hall): 6x3,, rifles 120 VET 5th Battery, Maine Lt (Stevens): 6x12lb Nap 128 VET Battery E & L, 1st NY Lt (Reynolds): 6x3"rifles 133 VET Battery B, 1st PA Lt (Cooper): 4x3" rifles 114 VET Bauery B, 4th US (Stewart): 6x12lb Nap 132 ELITE CONFEDERATE III Corps Lt Gen A.P. Hill HETH'S DIVISION - Maj Gen Henry Heth 1st Bde Brig Gen James J. Pettigrew 11th N. Carolina 500 REG 26th N. Carolina 850 REG 47th N. Carolina 500 REG 52nd N. Carolina 500 REG 2nd Bde Col J.M. Brockenbrough 40th Virginia 275 VET 55th Virginia 275 VET 47th Virginia 275 VET 22nd Virginia Battery 275 VET 3rd Bde Brig Gen James J. Archer 13th Alabama 210 ELITE 5th Alabama 210 ELITE 1st Tennessee 210 ELITE 7th Tennessee 210 ELITE 14th Tennessee 210 ELITE 4th Bde Brig Gen Joseph R. Davis 2nd Mississippi 500 REG 42nd Mississippi 500 REG 55th N. Carolina 500 REG PENDER'S DIVISION - Maj Gen Wm D. Pender 1st Bde Col A. Perrin 1st S.Carolina 320 VET 1st S.C. Rifles 320 VET 12th S. Carolina 320 VET 13th S. Carolina 320 VET 14th S. Carolina 320 VET 2nd Bde Brig Gen James H. Lane 7th N. Carolina 311 VET 18th N. Carolina 311 VET 28th N. Carolina 311 VET 33rd N. Carolina 311 VET 37th N. Carolina 311 VET 3rd Bde Brig Gen Alfred M. Scales 13th N. Carolina 311 ELITE 16th N. Carolina 311 ELITE 22nd N. Carolina 311 ELITE 34th N. Carolina 311 ELITE 38th N. Carolina 311 ELITE 4th Bde Brig Gen E.L. Thomas 14th Georgia 300 VET 35th Georgia 300 VET 45th Georgia 300 VET 49th Georgia 300 VET III CORPS RESERVE ARTILLERY McIntosh's Battalion Maj D.G. McIntosh Danville (VA) An (Rice): 4x12lb Nap VET Richmond (VA) Art (Johnson): 4x3" Rifles VET 2nd Rockbridge (VA) ART (Wallace): 2x12lb Nap and 2x3" Rifles VET Hardaway's ALA Art (Hurt): 2x12lb Whitworth and 2x3: Rifles ELITE Pegram's Art Battn Maj WJ. Pegram PeeDee (SC;) Art (Ziimmerman): 4x3" Rifles VET Fredricksburg (VA) Art (Johnson): 2x12lb Nap and 2x3" Rifles VET Richmond TVA) Art (Crenshaw): 2x12lb Nap and 2x12lb Howitzers VET Richmond (VA) Art (Brander): 2x12lb and 2x10lb Parrott Rifle Richmond (VA) Art (McGraw): 4x12lb Nap VET Average 100 men per battery II CORPS Lt Gen RS. Ewell RODES DIVISION Maj Gen R. E. Rodes 1st Bde Brig Gen J. Daniel 32nd N. Carolina 454 REG 43rd N. Carolina 420 REG 45th N. Carolina 605 REG 53rd N. Carolina 420 REG 2nd NC Batt 240 REG 2nd Bde Brig Gen A. Iverson 5th N. Carolina 503 VET 13th N. Carolina 368 VET 20th N. Carolina 395 VET 23rd N. Carolina 368 VET 3rd Bde Col E O'Neal 3rd Alabama 338 VET 5th Alabama 338 VET 6th Alabama 350 VET 12th Alabama 271 VET 26th Alabama 338 VET 4th Bde Brig Gen S.D. Ramseur 2nd N. Carolina 273 ELITE 4th N. Carolina 273 ELITE 14th N. Carolina 273 ELITE 30th N. Carolina 273 ELITE CARTER'S ART BATTALION Lt.Col TM. Carter Jeff Davis (ALA) Art (Reese): 4x3" Rifles VET Louisa Morris (VA) Art (Page): 4xl2lb Nap VET Richmond (VA) Art (Fry): 2x3" Rifles and 2x10lb Parrott Rif VET King William (VA) Art (Carter): 2x12 lb Nap and 2x10lb Parrott Rif Average 100 men per battery. Back to The Zouave Vol VII No. 3 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