Tuesday, September 8, 2015

All Green Alike part 2


The Union has pushed five brigades around the Confederate left.  They currently occupy Groveton and all but have Gainesville as well, both major objectives.  All of those units are at fatigue level four however, so they're done fighting for the day.


More accurately, they're done attacking for the day.  Johnston has moved the units under his command around from the right to reinforce the Confederate left.  If his men hurry, they could be in position to counterattack the Union brigades before the end of turn one.  More likely and the safer option would be for Johnston to concentrate near Gainesville and try to initiate an assault on Wilcox's brigade first thing during turn 2.  This would be enhanced by the arrival of Elzey's brigade by rail on the morning of July 20.

So far the Confederates have been forced to just react to what the Union has done.  Most of the initiative rolls have been won by the Union, which is the main reason they've managed to be so successful so far.  Even though most of the northern units are now too fatigued to continue operations, their superiority in numbers will make it difficult for the Confederates to dislodge them from Groveton/Gainesville.


One setback for the Union has been Miles' attempt to force a crossing at Mitchell's Ford.  Earlier in the turn Bonham's brigade crossed Bull Run at the ford but after suffering losses in attacking the Union holding troops decided discretion is the better part of valor and recrossed the river.  The Union saw this as an opportunity for a double-envelopment of most of the Confederate army.  However, Miles was unable to concentrate all of his command for the attack and instead conducted two piecemeal attacks which were bloodily repulsed.




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