Results for Early September 1863 turn.
First the numbers, with CSA first and Union second:
NM 86/154
Losses 166,905/126,865
VPs 2,395/2,477
Points per turn from cities 42/45
Friends, let us begin this update with a poem, titled
To a Mouse by Robert Burns.
But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane [you aren't alone]
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft a-gley, [often go awry]
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promised joy.
For there is grief an’ pain a plenty for our tattered southern heroes as this turn did not turn out as I had hoped.
First, a little good news as A. Bezaine’s forces captured Mexico City! Battle opened on day 1, and continued with three more battles concluding on day 13. The Ejercito de Mexico (the Northern Mexican Army, i.e. The Bad Guys) has left Chihuahua and took Laredo so Chihuahua and its depot are open if our valiant French forces wish to secure all of Mexico. Thomas and Meade continue to sit tight and my guess is that the Ejercito hombres are going to join them and try to take Houston finally.
The Gulf proved anti-climactic as Dahlgren’s force sailed out to escort the guns from Ft. Jackson and we lost the resulting Battle of Atchafalaya Bay.
William Franklin’s division took Ft. St. Philip.
And Grant ousted Forney from Corinth but Forney gave better than he took.
The real head scratcher for me was the Battle of Charlottesville. Jackson’s Corp was sent to attack Butterfield and railed through Charlottesville where Holmes and Whipple were facing off. Although Whipple was at entrenchment level 1, and Lee MTSG, and Lee/Jackson/Holmes’ combined force had a global power of twice that of Whipple’s, Lee got creamed and CSA lost 8 NM. Whipple's luck was 50 and Lee's was 47 and both sides guns opened at range 5. Whipple had 8 10 lb parrots, 4 20 lb parrots and 4 12 pounders to Lee's 3 20 lb. parrots, 7 12 pounders, 2 10 lb. parrots and 3 6 pounders, and Whipple's guns rained carnage upon our brave soldiers.
Milroy’s corps MSTG but Lee is a 6-5-5 leader against Whipple 2-1-1. I don’t know how Lee lost so badly. All of our forces were in good shape, lots of cohesion and brigades all filled out. Sometime I am at a loss to understand how battles get resolved, but I’m not complaining and our boys soldier on. Oddly enough, Lee, Jackson and Holmes all retreated to Culpepper together and are at entrenchment level 1. I don't know why they didn't return to Lee's original starting point and the level 7 entrenchments.
Finally, Williams’ forces were repulsed at Buffalo, and they now sit in Niagara nursing their wounds.
The big story of this turn is what didn’t happen. I thought the Flotte d’ lAtlantique would make short work of the Union force in the Atlantic Shipping box but they inflicted 25 hits and were hit 19 times and the Union force remains in the box. The blockade is down to 25% so progress is being made.
And last, the BEF has arrived in the Lower Bay and have orders to disembark at Essex, NJ (Newark) and if all goes well will march into New York in 6 days. I chose Newark as I thought that my opponent would anticipate that the BEF would land either close to DC perhaps in Baltimore or Philadelphia, or NYC and he would not suspect Newark. Uxbridge will cut the rails next turn and hopefully NYC with all the money it contributes to the Union cause will be ours soon. Or at a minimum siphon off a large Union force that is rampaging across Virginia. The American Squadron will not bombard as word of the disaster at Fort Detroit spread quickly through the Royal Navy. The fleet will divide and a squadron will head to the shipping box in order to support Semme's harassment of Union shipping and to supply the BEF as they reclaim the colonies, er um, assist their southern allies… That is, if things don’t again go aft a-gley.