6.20am.
Willich's 1st Brigade is first to draw blood. Ten Rebs are cut down as they move into sight of Belding's 1st Ohio battery's guns. A lively fire opens up between the tree-line and the 3 visible confederate regiments advancing. Cannot do much in this turn as I forgot that the Union units are fixed in position and have to be released by contact or fire of the enemy, to simulate historically ,being caught off guard by the surprise rebel assault. ( I did play around with the first turn just to see whether it is possible to save the guns, afraid not , but what is surprising is how much damage they do, going from one extreme to the other ; unfortunately in this campaign turn, they are having a very moderate effect ) - it is good anyhow, to know that it is not always the same opening, so things can vary.........!
6.40am.
Belding's artillery accounted for 105 rebs in defensive fire phase. , before being meleed by 2 confederate regiments of around 700 men.No chance to defend the battery with fixed units; still, gave a good account of itself before being captured. Baldwin's Brigade has been split in two with the Ohio regiments moving towards the smth house while the other two form a reserve under the command of Johnson himself.
7.00am.
Now , I definitely did not see that coming- 4 Regiments of Willich's 1st Brigade have high-tailed it before you can spit in a chipmunk's eye. Admittedly, Willich was positioned a bit to the rear with the 89th Illinois, and could not provide command morale bonus, but it was kind of inevitable, I suppose.The reb regiments first gave off a withering fire and then a 2 regiment mass sliced through the 49th Ohio in a melee assault and just before that , two reb regiments, ( A ) came out of the mist on the right, and that was too much for 2 of the union regiments who took another two with them in flight. The only good news was that they routed into a good position, for the protection of Kirk's right flank. Willich has moved the only regiment of his brigade not running to protect the ammunition wagons, as they are still fixed in place by scenario release rules. Kirk's 2nd Brigade is involved in a firefight with a confederate first line of 3 regiments, but can clearly see, another line of rebs with greater numbers about to come up ( B ). Kirk is however blissfully unaware that the Klingons, I mean 1st Brigade have vamoosed, and that is probably just as well. Johnson has been insightful to split Baldwin's 3rd Brigade as Willich will need the support in the centre and a positioning at the widow smith's house will distract the rebs for a while, so that the 1st Brigade can rally and move back to take some ground lost.
7.20am
Johnson has moved behind Kirk's Brigade after a successful rally of 3 regiments who are shoring up the hole between Willich and Kirk. Fortunately the ammunition wagons are free to move and rush up the Gresham Lane to a safe position. Things are looking rosy and a rider is sent back to Rosecrans field tent to report that a reb division and maybe two are attacking Johnson' s Division with full vigour. McCook is being appraised of events and has already decided to move the right flank, 3 Ohio horse regiments of Capt Lewis Zahm over the Puckett Creek to provide assistance to Baldwin's depletef force at the Smith house. Artillery fire from the 2 remaining batteries of Johnson's Division are performing well in the offensive and defensive fire phase. [ Note to self - reb melee assaults are nasty ; always have a one regiment of Brigade in a reserve position - yes, sir ! ]
7.40am
Getting some good shots with artillery and the defensive fire phase is pretty good too - Zahm's cavalry have all arrived at the smith house, much to Colonel Baldwin's relief.Three reb regiments have routed, mostly because they have been fired upon in open ground.Willich and Balwin's men and of course Zahm's will now open up a whithering fire from front and right and make things pretty uncomfortable for the enemy. Things are looking up.......two of Kirk's regiments have routed, one leaving it's battery undefended, so things here are getting a bit unsettling. :crosseye: