Battle of Nolustee

Last year on my old blog, I decided to start an American Civil War campaign in commemoration of Memorial Day. I chose to model my campaign on the 1864 North Florida campaign.

This year, I decided to restart the campaign, this time using Dominion of the Spear and Bayonet for rules.

Background

The Union holds the Florida port city of Jacksonville. However, the rebels use interior roads to supply the army with beef.

Historical note: Once Vicksburg fell, cutting off supplies from Texas, Florida became the primary beef supplier of the Confederate army.

The Union decides to launch an expedition from Jacksonville to take Lake City. This will cut off the rebel's supply of beef.

A Confederate army marches to counter the expedition. It meets the Union forces near the little (fictional) town of Nolustee.

The Forces

The Union commander, General Truman Seymour, has the following forces:

• 4 infantry brigades (Barton, Hawley, Chuzzlewit, and Montgomery)
• Rated as line infantry
• Montgomery's African American troops, including the 54th Mass., are elite.
• Chuzzlewit's brigade is fictional. All others are historical.
• 1 cavalry brigade (Henry) - rated as Skirmishers
• 1 artillery detachment (Hamilton)

General Finegan commands the Confederates. I'm not naming the brigade commanders. Finegan commands:

• 3 infantry brigades (Line)
• 1 cavalry brigade (Skirmishers)
• 2 artillery detachments

Note that the cavalry units are rated as skirmishers. I assume they operate as mounted infantry.

Set Up

• Finegan (top): Artillery in woods (fortified), line, mounted skirmishers, with artillery and line in reserve
• Seymour: Montgomery, Hawley, Henry' mounted skirmishers, with Barton, artillery, and Chuzzlewit in reserve.

The Battle

Montgomery's brigade unleashes a volley that sweeps through the rebel artillery, sending the artillerists running.

The cavalry brigades wipe each other out.

Seymour brings up his artillery. It flails the rebel's reserve infantry. Things are looking good for Seymour.

But the rebel infantry routs Hawley's brigade.

And Chuzzlewit's brigade.

Montgomery's brigade falls to the reserve artillery. Now Seymour is staring at a possible defeat!

The rebel artillery blasts Barton's brigade. They flee, leaving the field in Confederate hands.

Aftermath

Seymour must retreat back to Jacksonville, with the rebels nipping at his heels. Finegan sees an opportunity to liberate Jacksonville from the Federal troops.

Stay tuned for chapter 2 around next Memorial Day!