Fredericksburg Monitor April 2nd 1865

The Fredericksburg Monitor
22nd April 1865
Editor Miss Urgence Precombe

The advancing forces of the Union faced a stiff old fight at Sutherland's Station today.  the Rebels had dug up a line of defences, a ditch in fact, to protect the Southern Railway.  

General "Phil" Miles division faced "Stuart" Heth, with the Petains and Martin filling in as brigade commanders.  For this first half of the game I commend Phil's heroic if unlikely dice rolling.

The Union Central Brigade comes on table, keen to whip them Rebs.

But I am facing thick woods to the right flank.

The New York Irish advance to engage the enemy, but don't get too exposed. "The centre holds," a rare Yeats joke there.

But the Confederates have exposed their thinking.  It's lines, lines, lines.  They are holding.  With half our army missing the Union engage the centre rotating units in a meat grinder.

And B.Gen Pea's dice are pretty excellent, unexpectedly.

B.Gen Farthingdale turns up on his blinds.  It's off for a walk in rhe woods.

I push forward the right keen to help the centre.

But the Rebs push skirmishers into the woods to scout me.

My deployment of the guns across the road seemed reasonable, even using an obstructed shot would help, but it was ruled not allowed.  Seems the Union gunners haven't played these rules recently.  It puts them in a sticky position.

I go down on table, ahead on the right now.  My guns are going to have to be sacrificed to ease pressure on the centre.

And out centre is struggling.

And Genetal Phil appears on the far left, confronted by skirmishers.

I drive off the skirmishers blocking the right and they flee back to the Rebel lines.

From the rebel side it looks different!  Their centre has also been weakened, and their reserves are stretched with a left hook coming around the lines next time.

And that Southern Gentleman B.Gen Quincy has seven regiments coming at him, lead by "Yankee" Phil whose dice rolling has been improbably good.