The Battle of Cedar Creek

A Fire & Fury Scenario

by Edward W. McKie

By October, 1864, the Shenandoah Valley seemed lost to the Confederacy. General Jubal Early's Corps from the vaunted Army of Northern Virginia had been soundly defeated in the previous month at the battles of Winchester and Fisher's Hill, by General Philip Sheridan's Army of the Shenandoah. Believing the Confederates to be totally defeated, Sheridan, in accordance with Federal strategy, withdrew his army northward, ravaging the country as it went. Once at Winchester, Sheridan was to send reinforcements to General Grant's army in front of Petersburg.

On October 18th, Sheridan was on his way back from a conference in Washington, D.C. His army of 31,000 men, under the temporary command of General Wright, stood along Cedar Creek near Middletown. Early followed the retreating Federals and the Confederate troops were at Fisher's Hill. Although outnumbered two to one, he was confident he could defeat Sheridan's host. General Gordon formed a daring plan of attack which Early approved. This involved a dangerous night march which would bring overwhelming numbers against a flank which the Federals thought unassailable.

As dawn broke on October 19th, Early's Corps of 18,400 men suddenly struck the forward Federal position on General Crook's VIII Corps. Totally surprised, hit from front and rear, Crook's Corps was driven back in confusion. Wright then failed to form the VI and XIX Corps for a stand along the Pike. After a brief struggle, the Union army was driven back west of Middletown, then withdrew to a new position north of the village. By 10:00 am, the Confederates had taken 1,300 prisoners and 18 guns, and had halted to loot the enemy's camps.

Press the Attack

Gordon urged Early to continue the attack; however, Early believed the Federals would retreat. He did not press his advantage. Sheridan, who had spent the night at Winchester on his return from Washington, arrived on the field at 10:30 am. Assuming command, he reorganized his reforming army. At 2:00 pm, Early finally ordered Gordon to make a probing attack against the new Union line; this attack was repulsed with ease.

The Confederate commanders were becoming increasingly uneasy and their worst fears were soon realized, when, at 4:00 pm, the Union troops swept forward. Within minutes, the battle turned around and Early's Corps was driven from the field, losing most of its artillery, supplies, and baggage wagons.

The Confederates lost 2,910 men, of whom 1,050 were missing. Union losses were 5,665 men, about 1,600 of which were missing. Confederate General Stephen Ramseur was mortally wounded and died the next day at Sheridan's headquarters. A gallant soldier, he was respected by both sides; his loss was felt keenly by the despairing South.

The battle of Cedar Creek virtually ended the war in the Shenandoah Valley. Early's Corps disintegrated and was finally destroyed by General George Custer's cavalry at Waynesboro on March 2, 1865.

Cedar Creek Scenario

The following scenario is for refighting the battle of Cedar Creek, using Fire & Fury rules. The scenario will take approximately eight hours and can accommodate up to six players.

Terrain

Terrain should be laid out as shown on the map. The battlefield will require an 8' by 6' gaming area. A scale of 1" represents approximately 60 yards. Wooded areas will affect combat, movement, and line-of sight. Cedar Creek may only be crossed at fords or over the bridge; other streams are fordable over their entire length.

Woods provide a -1 fire combat modifier for cover and +1 charge combat modifier for defending favorable ground. The Union breastworks provide a -2 modifier to fire and a +2 modifier in charge combat to units behind them.

Order of Battle

The complete listing for each army is provided. All brigade strengths and effectiveness ratings and exceptional leader ratings are listed.

Using the 200 scale from Fire & Fury, one troop stand equals about 200 men; one stand of artillery equals 8 guns.

Union Order of Battle

Army of the Shenandoah
P. H. Sheridan

VI Corps, Wright 1 E Leader + 2 Art.

Wheaton's Division 1 Leader

Getty's Division 1 Leader

Keifer's Division 1 Leader

XVIII Corps, Cook 1 Leader + 2 Art.

Thoburn's Division 1 Leader

Haye's Division 1 Leader

XIX Corps, Emory 1 Leader + 2 Art.

McMillan's Division 1 E Leader + 2 Art.

Grover's Division 1 Leader

Cavalry Corps, Torbert 1 Leader + 2 H. Art.

Merritt's Division 1 Leader

Custer's Division 1 Leader E

Unattached under Torbert

Confederate Order of Battle

Valley Army
J. A. Early

Ramseur's Division 1 E Leader

Pegram's Division 1 Leader

Gordon's Division 1 E Leader

Kershaw's Division 1 Leader + 1 Art.

Wharton's Division 1 Leader + 3 Art.

Cavalry Division, Rosser 1 E Leader + 1 H. Art.

Placement of Commanders

The placement of the division and corps commanders is left up to the owning player who may place these leaders within 6" of any unit in his command.

Game Length

Play begins with the Confederate 530 turn and ends with the Union 1830 turn.

Starting Positions

The map indicates the starting positions of all the divisions of both sides as of 530, October 19th. All brigade's except for Custer's and Rosser's commands are deployed from the start. They should be deployed in supported lines. Union camps may be represented by a row of six tents per camp.

Reinforcements

The only reinforcements during the game are for the Union. Custer's cavalry division marches on at road "A" on the 830 turn. For the Confederates, Rosser's cavalry division (except Paine) enters between road "A" and Cedar Creek on the 1600 turn. The Confederate cavalry will not arrive if the Union player blocks it by use of the special rule mentioned later.

Special Rules

Confederate Surprise Attack

During their 530 turn only, all Confederate units may move their full movement rate (minus penalties for the terrain) without the required die roll on the maneuver table.

Union troops may not move freely until the 630 turn. If any units are attacked during the 530, 600, or 630 turns, they must roll on the surprise attack table. Each unit rolls only once during the turn on which it is first attacked. Union units fired on or attacked before their 630 turn, may move freely from that time onwards.

Surprise Attack Table

Die Roll Effect

1 to 3 Surprised; defenders are disordered/silenced and cannot fire into the next phase.

4 to 8 Hasty Alarm; defensive fire is halved in the next phase.

9 to 10 Alerted; no effects upon the defender.

Enforced Union Withdrawal

If, at the end of the 930 Union player turn, the Confederates have inflicted at least 20 casualty points, and have obtained a ratio of 2:1 in their favor, both armies will disengage. The Union army will withdraw north of the line x-x. There it will reorganize and deploy as the Union players wish. The Confederate army will loot the Union camps before following up. The Confederate players may reorganize and deploy their units no nearer than 1' from the x-x line. This simulates the Union retreat, the arrival of Sheridan, and the Confederate delay in pursuing. The game will restart with the Confederate 1430 turn.

Blocking Rosser's Arrival

Rosser's two cavalry brigades and horse battery will not arrive on the field of battle if the Union players block his arrival by sending two unspent cavalry brigades off the game table by road A before the Confederate 1600 turn. During the actual battle, Rosser's cavalry took no part in the main action and was eventually driven from their position on the Confederate left, by the vastly superior Union cavalry.

Victory Conditions

Victory points (VP) are awarded for enemy casualties as given in the Fire & Fury rule book. The Confederate players can achieve a decisive victory by fulfilling the following conditions: have a non-spent infantry brigade on the north bank of Cedar Creek within one foot of the bridge and astride the Valley Pike and also by obtaining at least a 3:2 ratio in casualty points. The Union players can achieve a decisive victory by preventing the Confederate players from achieving the conditions listed above.

Large Map (very slow download: 204K)

Bibliography

Battles and Leaders of the Civil War
A Dictionary of Battles by David Eggenberger
Civil War Dictionary by Mark M. Boatner III
The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War

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