Beaver Dam Creek, 1862

Fire & Fury Scenario
Order of Battle

by Stuart Harrison

The Wargame

Despite my conclusions as to the Confederate handling of the action, I have found that Beaver Dam Creek provides a good small scale Fire & Fury scenario. There can be few wargamers who cannot find admiration in their hearts for the brave Southern boys who, on that fateful June day over 130 years ago, let out the Rebel Yell and charged pell-mell into the teeth of the Yankee guns. There can be fewer still who do not believe that they might reverse the course of history with careful preparation and with the benefit of hindsight!

Terrain

Lay out the terrain as detailed on the tactical map. Union Fifth Corps commander FitzJohn Porter described the creek as " . . . over waist deep and bordered by swamps. Its passage was difficult for infantry at all points, and impracticable for artillery, except at the bridge crossing at Ellerson's Mill and at the one above near Mechanicsville." So shall it be for the game, with all brigades crossing the Beaver Dam Creek becoming automatically disordered unless crossing by march column over either bridge. Normal Fire & Fury rules apply to fording Beaver Dam Creek. Ignore all movement penalties for crossing minor streams. The Chickahominy River is unfordable.

The valley floor of Beaver Dam Creek is considered as rough terrain, as are the wooded areas depicted on the map. Union works provide a +1 modifier for charge combat and a -2 modifier for fire combat.

Starting Positions/Game Length

Union and Confederate forces set up as detailed on the tactical map as of 4:30 pm, June 26th, 1862. The game comprises eight and a half game turns and begins and ends with the Confederate player turn.

Confederate Reinforcements

On the opening Confederate player turn, the brigades of Field, Branch, and Gregg may enter in march column at point "A" (in that order of march), together with the third Rebel artillery stand.

On the Confederate 6:00 pm turn, Ripley's brigade of D.H. Hill's division, arrives in march column at point "B", and is attached to A.P. Hill's division for the remainder of the game.

Victory Conditions

Confederate forces will achieve victory by controlling either one of the bridges over Beaver Dam Creek. and having one "non-spent" brigade within the Federal works, east of the watercourse, at the end of the game. Any other result is a Union victory.

Order of Battle

In order to play this scenario you will require the following model stands:

Union:

Union Forces:

Third Division, Fifth Corps

Brigadier General George A. McCall

Attached Brigades from First Division, Fifth Corps

(E = Exceptional)

Confederate:

Confederate Forces:

Hill's Light Division

Major-General Ambrose P. Hill E

Attached Brigades from Ripley's Brigade 6/5/3 E (arrives at 6:00 pm)

(E = Exceptional)

Large Tactical Scenario Map (very slow: 162K)
Jumbo Tactical Scenario Map (extremely slow: 391K)

Beaver Dam Creek Historical Summary

Conclusion

Having taken on A.P. Hill's role twice, I know what the other Hill was referring to in his comments about charging entrenched positions, especially when that position is protected by a God-forsaken bog! Despite my very own disasters, I came close to success to believe that with just one more push . . . with just a little more luck, I might achieve victory. Perhaps there is a lesson in that for all who seek to understand why such charges were, in fact, made during the Civil War.

Bibliography

Battles and Leaders of the Civil War by Johnson and Buel
Fort Sumter to Perryville by Shelby Foote
Rally Once Again by Paddy Griffith
Attack and Die by McWhiney and Jamieson

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