Battle Of Pine Tree Hill, Missouri,

The wargame went for three hours with nine infantry, two cavalry and two 12 pounders a side. As usual infantry regiments were 24 figures and cavalry 12 figures. This time victory was simply calculated on individual casualties inflicted on the other side. The Yankees lost 125 and the Rebs lost 75.

                                         Below: My Confederate army prepares for battle.

                                                     Mat's federal lines.

                                 The Confederate  artillery lobs some shells towards the Federals. They have some accuracy to begin with and cause some reasonable casualties

                                    The Union army makes a firing line. That gap is not the end of the world but is crossable but both sides, instead, snipe at each other at long range. Any piece of cover is taken advantage of.

                                         The Confederates form their own firing line. At first, they re slightly outnumbered in this Eastern part of the field.

                                       The cavalry of both sides threaten and then withdraw.

                         The gap in the table was this time declared, by the dice gods, to be ground instead of lake, swamp or mountain but no-one tried to cross it; no Picket's charges here.

 

                                         The Union forces make good use of cover Confederate cavalry approaches on the Western front. previously it had been shielded by an infantry advance.

        Confederate artillery limber up and move slightly forard. hey have been resupplied but they fail to repeat their earlier success.

                        This Missouri regiment (known as the lambs because of their white uniforms) has been withdrawn due to its massive casualties.

                                     Confederate infantry have been creeping through the forested hill on the Western flank and this Texan regiment remains to give long range over head covering fire.

    Confederate forces have moved up on the Yankees flank. This Texas Ranger cavalry did not get into combat.

                          Despite many casualties the Confederates have advanced to short range shooting.

                                                         The Confederate view

    Final actions: The Confederate cavalry drives off an infantry regiment and prepares to charge the cannon crew.

CONCLUDING COMMENTS:

The battle was one of attrition. The advantage lay with the defender as units that moved a half move and fired were less accurate. (The targets got a + 1 to their save. Also, the attackers did not always have the advantage of cover). Nevertheless the Confederates did manage to advance and flank the Union forces, even getting the advantage of enfilade on a couple of occasions.

The Confederates used the wooded hill to advantage to increase fire power on the Western flank. Units that became desperately low i numbers were also withdrawn to prevent units routing. Skirmish formation was employed with some units to reduce casuaties as they advanced.

The Union forces did not deploy artillery until late in the battle so they had little effect. The Confederate guns, in contrast, ran hot and ran out of ammunition (6 rounds per cannon), only to be resupplied towards the end.