American Civil War Battle - Battle of Cake Hill

Hello Everyone. I have just returned from a very enjoyable wargame with two long time friends. Here is the after action report on the days events!

The scenario consisted of both sides fighting for control of a road junction which had to be held by the end of the game. The objective was slightly closer to the Confederate side, reflecting their smaller forces.

As you may see from the pictures I neglected to bring the roads for the game but the snake rail fencing indicated their boundaries.

The Union forces entered the table along two parallel roads at the opposite end of the table. One road crossing a ford and the other a bridge across a river.The terrain was interspersed by rough ground and woods and crossed by  a road.

Here is a close up of the ford. The terrain belongs to Adrian and is 1980's hex terrain refurbished by myself. The river is a big improvement on the one inch wide blue stripe which it originally had. I routed out a channel, sealed it with a layer of tile adhesive, painted the river bed then added a layer of resin and, once set, a layer artist matte medium, stippled to represent waves. The 'rapids' were white paint mixed with the matte medium.

A more detailed description of this method and materials I used can be found in my feature in issue 82 of Wargames Soldier Strategy magazine.

This view looks over the Union end of the table up the road towards the Confederate entrance point.

Here is an overview of the battlefield.

Confederate cavalry rushed along the road and deployed to their left in the woods in the centre of the board ready to defend the approach to the road junction. I have started to add to my Confederate cavalry. These are a mixture of Perry Miniatures and Wargames Foundry. The flag is from GMB Flags.

They made full use of the snake rail fencing surrounding the woods. Again these are Perry miniatures.

Here is the head of one of the Union columns heading for the road junction.

Here the Hampton's Legion is advancing along the Confederate left flank towards the rocky high ground.

While the Union forces were trying to deploy across the rocky ground to engage Hampton's Legion.

On the Confederate right flank the infantry arrived soon after the cavalry and spread across the road and started to dismantle some of the snake rail fencing which hampered their deployment. The rest of the defending force spread across further to their right placing their artillery on soon to be dubbed 'Cake Hill' and to the woods on the far right. The union forces soon showed their earnest will by throwing four hits in their first throw of firing, Adrian's previous occupation as a croupier obviously paying dividends!

Here is a close up of the fighting on the extreme right flank. This was a real too and fro battle where the Confederates occupied the woods on that flank then charged out to drive away the Union regiment opposing them in open order. This left the Confederates out on a limb and they were quickly attacked on their flank. They held out well but retreated back to the woods and then the Union forces engaged repeatedly in melee slowly forcing the rebels back. The rebel artillery support on cake hill repeatedly played on Union forces on both flanks.

It was now that the Generals retired for lunch and the supplies of chocolate cake were broken out and the location of the Confederate artillery became 'Cake Hill' hence the name of the battle!

The 5th New York, Duryee's Zouaves support the Union troops attacking the daring Confederates breaking from the woods. I painted these Old Glory figures before Perry miniatures released their version. The flags are GMB again.

Here is the view of the hunkered down Confederate cavalry, supported by Hampton's Legion, on their left, as the Union forces close in on them. in the background the Union forces are trying to deal with the enemy infantry who are slowly being pushed back to the woods from which they burst.

On the other flank the advancing Union forces drove off Hampton's Legion and the Confederate cavalry but more formed units held further Union advances in check. At the last gasp of the game the rebels were pushed back, only to regroup behind another regiment.

The Sessionists held the road junction at the end of the game, however the losses suffered by them during the game may well have meant they would have to quit the field if they did not receive further reinforcements soon.

This was a highly enjoyable game with a scenario supplied by Adrian, our host. Also it was great to see Chris able to make the game.

Further pictures can be found on this game at the New Buckenham Historical Wargamers facebook page, Here