Background

The battle of Raymond was fought during the latter half of the campaign for Vicksburg, as a result of Grant's general movement towards Jackson, by which he hoped to interpose himself between the forces of Pemberton and Johnston.

The XVII Corps, under the command of Major General James B. McPherson, whilst slowly marching towards the village of Raymond, Mississippi, was struck furiously by Gregg's Confederate Brigade, who mistakenly assumed the Federal corps was " . . . a brigade on a marauding excursion."

Had Brigadier General John Gregg realized the true strength of the enemy, the action might never have been fought. That it was, and its results, brought considerable credit to Confederate arms.

The Battle

Early on May 12th, Gregg was informed by his pickets that " . . . a small enemy force" was advancing up the Utica Road. Deploying a regiment on each of the roads leading into Raymond, he held the rest of his brigade in the center, while placing Bledsoe's Battery on high ground, where it could cover the bridge over Fourteen Mile Creek.

At 10:00 am, Bledsoe's Battery opened fire on the leading elements of McPherson's Corps as it moved on either side of the road towards the bridge.

As the Federals pushed confused and piecemeal attacks into the thick woods and undergrowth bounding Fourteen Mile Creek, Gregg launched a flanking attack from the east, while his regiments in the center recklessly charged and broke any Federal unit which attempted to cross the watercourse.

After initial success, the build-up of enemy forces under the heroic leadership of Logan, caused the Confederates to give ground. Gregg's units continued to employ attack as the best means of defense, and delivered several successful charges during their withdrawal.

At one point , the 10th/30th (consolidated) Tennessee, under Colonel McGavcock, following retreat from earlier involvement in Gregg's flank attack, took position on a bare knoll in the center of the Rebel line. As the only visible target to the entire XVII Corps artillery present on the field, McGavcock's command was raked by gunfire.

Exposed to artillery and assailed by infantry, McGavcock realized that to remain would invite destruction, and to fall back would lay open the entire Southern position. Moving ahead of his troops, McGavcock led his regiment in a charge, which broke the Yankee infantry advancing on his line, but which resulted in his own death, and the eventual repulse of his unit from its commanding position.

Having delayed a Union Corps for half a day, Gregg's command withdrew beyond Raymond in good order, and was reinforced during the night by Walker's Brigade. Entering Raymond at 5:00 pm, McPherson decided to remain for the night, sending a dispatch to Grant declaring, "The rough and impracticable nature of the country, filled with ravines and dense undergrowth, prevented anything like an effective use of artillery or a very rapid pursuit."

Gregg's Confederates might have considered that their wild, hard-hitting charges had some influence on the Federal commander's reluctance to follow up.

The Wargame

Tabletop action lasts from 1000 hours until 1500 hours. There are twenty fifteen-minute turns.

I have been unable to ascertain the exact composition of many of the artillery units involved in the battle. However, by means of research and educated guess, I have arrived at units which appear historically correct, given the year and theatre of war. Bledsoe's Battery had only three guns at Raymond, but for the game, four Napoleons hardly seems overly generous!

Victory Conditions

Confederate: Although not essential, a better game will result if the Confederate victory conditions remain unknown to the Union player until the end of the game. They are designed to encourage the Rebel player to act in an historical manner, and both players will suffer a reduction in their "enjoyment factor" if these victory conditions are revealed prematurely.

So please, all you Yankees out there, DON'T PEEK!

Union Major Victory: By the end of the game:

1. Have one unrouted Federal unit and no Confederate units on top of McGavcock's Knoll.
2. Have no unrouted Confederate unit within twelve inches of the Utica-Raymond Road along its entire length, and no unrouted Confederate unit within the semi-circle of ground southwest of Fourteen Mile Creek.

Union Minor Victory: By the end of the game:

1. Have one unrouted Federal unit and no Confederate unit on top of McGavcock's Knoll.
2. Have no unrouted Confederate unit within twelve inches of the bridge over Fourteen Mile Creek, and no unrouted Confederate unit within the semi-circle of ground southwest of Fourteen Mile creek.

Confederate victory conditions

Confederate Major Victory: Prevent the Union player from achieving any of his victory conditions.

Confederate Moral Victory: Cause the rout of at least six separate Union infantry units during the course of the game. Such a result will cancel any and all Union victory conditions.

Terrain

The area of the game board is rolling farmland. All slopes are gentle and classified as broken ground. All wooded areas are considered to be "heavy woods" and are treated as rough ground. Creeks may be forded by infantry at the rough found movement rate, but are impassable to artillery other than via a road or trail. Owing to the steep and overgrown banks, all infantry will automatically go into disorder after crossing a creek.

Only units on the second level of elevated terrain (i.e. McGavcock's Knoll) may trace a line of sight over intervening woods. Therefore, at the start of the game, Bledsoe's Battery may trace a line of sight to the bridge over Fourteen Mile Creek and into the clear terrain beyond, but units on the high ground on either side of Fourteen Mile creek on the Gallatin-Raymond Road have their line of sight obscured by trees.

Deployment Information

Confederate: Set up Bledsoe's Battery as detailed on the game board map. On initial deployment, the Rebel player may use up to twelve hidden movement counters to disguise the positions of his infantry units. Hidden movement counters may be placed anywhere north of Fourteen Mile Creek. Any infantry unit positioned on any second level of elevated terrain will be visible to the enemy. For each unit so positioned, deduct two hidden movement counters from the twelve allotted.

Union: Dennis' Brigade sets up before the game begins as shown on the game board map. Each of the additional units available to the Union player arrives as detailed by the Federal Reinforcement Schedule and may enter in any formation along the shaded southern edge of the game board, but may not charge on their entry turn.

Order of Battle

Confederate

(Units on game board at start of play)

Gregg's Brigade

Brigadier General John Gregg, +2

1st Tenn. Btn., 200 men, RM, BMP 3
3rd Tenn., 500 men, RM, BMP 3
10th/30th Tenn., 500 men, RM, BMP 2
41st Tenn., 600 men, SB, BMP 3
50th Tenn., 500 men, RM, BMP 3
7th Texas, 600 men, SB, BMP 2
Bledsoe's Battery 2 x sections Napoleons, average

Union

(Units on game board at start of play)

2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, XVII Corps, Brigadier General Elias S. Dennis, +1

30th Ill., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
20th Ohio, 400 men, RM, BMP 3
68th Ohio, 400 men, RM, BMP 3
78th Ohio, 500 men, RM, BMP 4

Union Reinforcement Schedule

Turn 1

Roll one dice:
1, 2, 3,: Arrive Turn 1
4, 5, 6,: Arrive Turn 2

Major-General John A. Logan, +2 (+3 morale)

1st Brigade, 3rd Division, XVII Corps Brigadier General John E. Smith, +1

20th Ill., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
31st Ill., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
45th Ill., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
124th Ill., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
23rd Ind., 400 men, RM, BMP 3

Turn 2

Roll one dice:
1, 2, 3,: Arrive Turn 2
4, 5, 6,: Arrive Turn 3

Major-General James B. McPherson +1 (+3 morale)

Roger's Battery 3 x sections 12 lb. Napoleons, average
De Golyer's Battery 2 x sections 3" Rifles, average

Turn 6

Roll one dice:
1, 2, 3,: Arrive Turn 6
4, 5, 6,: Arrive Turn 7

3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, XVII Corps Brigadier General John D. Stevenson, +1

8th Ill., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
17th Ill., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
81st Ill., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
7th Mo., 300 men, RM, BMP 3
32nd Ohio, 300 men, RM, BMP 3

Turn 8

Roll one dice for each battery:

1, 2,: Arrive Turn 8
3, 4,: Arrive Turn 9
5, 6,: Arrive Turn 10
Sparrestorm's Battery 2 x sections 10 lb. Parrotts, average
Bolton's Battery 2 x sections 3" Rifles, average
Williams' Battery 3 x sections 12 lb. Napoleons, elite

Turn 12

Roll one dice:
1, 2, 3,: Arrive Turn 12
4, 5, 6,: Arrive Turn 13

Brigadier-General Marcellus M. Crocker, +2 (+1 morale)

1st Brigade, 7th Division, XVII Corps Colonel John B. Sanborn, +1

48th Ind., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
59th Ind., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
4th Minn., 400 men, RM, BMP 3
18th Wis., 300 men, RM, BMP 3

What if . . . ?

Had everything gone according to Confederate plans, Gregg would have fought at Raymond with the addition of a regiment of Mississippi cavalry and Brigadier William H. T. Walker's Brigade sent from Jackson as reinforcements.

The commander of the cavalry, Col. Wirt Adams, misunderstood Pemberton's ambiguous dispatch ordering him to join Gregg, and Walker arrived too late to take part in the fighting.

An interesting alternative scenario might be fought by including these "missing" units in the Confederate order of battle.

Mississippi Cavalry, 400 men, SG, BMP 3

Walker's Brigade Brigadier General William H. T. Walker, +1

25th Ga., 300 men, SB, BMP 3
29th Ga., 300 men, RM, BMP 3
30th Ga., 300 men, RM, BMP 3
1st Ga. Sharpshooter Btn., 200 men, SR, BMP 2
Martin's Battery
1 x section 12 lb. Napoleons
1 x section 12 lb. Howitzers

Historical Note

John Alexander Logan, 1826-1886, who commanded the Third Division at Raymond, was a charismatic volunteer officer who eventually rose to command the XV Corps in the campaign against Atlanta, and was appointed as head of the Army of Tennessee in July, 1864. Five days after receiving the army command, Sherman relieved him of it, stating that Logan had shown " . . . a species of contempt" for the work required of such an office holder. Logan always believed that it was his lack of West Point training which lost him the post.

After the war, Logan helped organize the Grand Old Army of the Republic, serving as its president on three occasions. He was instrumental in establishing Memorial Day, first observed on May, 1868, and now used to honor veterans of all wars.

Large Map (very slow: 151K)
Jumbo Map (extremely slow: 339K)

Bibliography

Unit Organizations of the American Civil War, Zimmerman
Rally Once Again, Griffith
Battles & Leaders of the Civil War, Johnston & Buell
The Struggle for Vicksburg, Civil War Times Illustrated
Civil War Almanac, World Almanac Publications
ACW General Ratings, Todd Fisher, The Zouave, Summer, 1991

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