After Action Report
The Battle of Bull Run: Take Command 1861
1st Manassas – Jackson’s Brigade
Played:15Dec2005 3:26 P.M.
Game Start: Noon, July 21, 1861
Difficulty Level: Normal
When we left off last time, Jackson’s Brigade had driven off a lone, impetuous attack by the 11th Massachusetts. However, troops under Colonel William B. Franklin have attacked in tandem and I’m struggling to drive them off before Northern reinforcements arrive.
After Action Report, Part 2
12:10-12:15
As we pass the ten minute mark of the engagement, a Union regiment of Sherman’s Brigade, the 2nd Wisconsin, has crossed the stone wall located at the northern base of Henry Hill, and it has started a flanking fire on my rightmost regiment, the 5th Virginia. In order to combat this threat, I’ve decided to pull the 5th back to the fence line facing north just east of the Henry House, and I’ve brought up the 4th Virginia from reserve to bolster that flank. If you take a look at the screenshot titled “Trouble Coming”, you’ll notice that the boys from the 2nd are still dressed in gray at this early point in the war. As the 2nd neared my lines, two other regiments under Sherman soon to be famous in their own right, the 79th New York “Highlanders” and the 69th New York Militia, backed them up. At this moment, the 1st Minnesota routs and breaks on my left. That should ease the pressure considerable. In order to dispose of Franklin once and for all, I send the 27th Virginia regiment forward to the fence line west of Henry House, which forces his lone remaining regiment, the 5th Massachusetts Militia, to wheel and face the threat. Now, I can move my blue-clad, rofle-toting men of the 33rd Virginia up to this unit’s suddenly exposed right flank. You can see the tight spot I’ve placed the Yankees in if you take a look at the rightmost screenshot below. Some other things to notice include the line of dead left near Henry House by the 1st Minnesota. In addition, notice the struggle swirling around the Henry House itself. The 69th New York, its green regimental color waving, has launched a charge on the 2nd Virginia as we move on after we reached a quarter past noon.
 Trouble Coming! |
 Rout of 1st Minnesota |
 Flanking The 5th Mass. |
Part 1 – Part 2
12:15-12:20
More bad news is on the way. Some of the Yankees have emerged from the woods off to my right, but luckily Cocke’s Brigade is there to attempt to repel them. As Cocke is attending to his business, I have some issues of my own, and early in this fight, I get several pieces of good news to counter one bad. The 69th New York ended up routing my 2nd Virginia, and that regiment is likely lost for the day. However, the 5th Virginia immediately counterattacked and drove the 69th away through the ranks of the 2nd Wisconsin. At the same time, my two leftmost regiments were able to drive off the last of Franklin’s men. If you take a look below, I show the twin routs side by side. That unsupported Union battery in the distance looks tempting…
 Rout of the 5th Mass. |
 Rout of the 69th NY |
At this point, I needed to stop, and unfortunately my save file ended up getting corrupted. Due to this reason, I will have to leave this AAR unfinished. Although one of Jackson’s regiments routed, Confederate reinforcements had already arrived on the right in the form of Cocke’s Brigade, and more were fast approaching. I had the situation well in hand and based on my previous experiences playing this scenario, I believe I would have held until the rest of the reinforcements arrived and pushed the Yankees back. I’ll try another one involving CWBR in the coming weeks, this time from the Union side.
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