Lee’s First Victory: The Battle of Gaines’ Mill (1862)
I put on the Battle of Gaines Mill at the club on Friday 1 May, using my 1:72 (20mm) scale plastic ACW figures and my ‘Beards n’ Bayonets’ rules. The battle, General Robert E. Lee’s first victory as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, was set in the Seven Days’ Battles of the Peninsula Campaign of 1862, which saw Union General George McClellan unsuccessfully attempt to capture the Confederate capital Richmond. The battle took place in Virginia on 27 June, and is also known as the Battle of Chickahominy River.
Lee had 57,000 men, and attacked the isolated V Corps of McClellan’s army, led by General Fitz John Porter (34,000 men).
Union General Fitz John Porter
The Union side consisted of Rob (Syke’s division), Paul B. (Slocum’s), and Paul S. (Morrell, and later McCall’s divisions). Union strength was 15 infantry, 6 skirmish, 6 artillery and 1 cavalry units. McCall’s division would come on later.
Confederate General Robert E. Lee
The Confederates were made up of Ian (Longstreet’s division), Patrick (A. P. Hill’s division), Mal (Ewell’s division), Doug (D.H. Hill’s division), and Alex (Jackson’s division – initially off table). They had 25 infantry, 10 skirmish, and 10 artillery units.
Terrain
The table was dominated by Boatswain’s Swamp – a river with light woods on either bank – where the Union army was concentrated. Two large hills (Turkey Hill on the left and the other hill with McGehee’s house on top) and another hill at the Confederate table edge were prominent, with a few scattered woods. Two lines of field defences reinforced the Union left by Morrell’s position.
T1: Confederates Approach
The Confederates began their assault. Ian moved up Longstreet’s division from the table edge, while Mal advanced in columns in the centre, and was hit by Rob firing the Union artillery from the hill at the end of the line
T2: Union Skirmishers Cross the Swamp
Both Pauls sent their skirmishers across the swamp to pester Ian’s division. Patrick caused a casualty on these with the guns of A.P. Hill’s division on the Confederate-held hill.
T3: Jackson Arrives
Alex rolled in Jackson’s division, which deployed on the Confederate far left.
Mal and Doug were by now attacking vigorously towards Boatswain’s Swamp.
Paul S. inflicted 3 hits from skirmish and artillery fire on one of Ian’s units, which was tentatively advancing. The rest of Longstreet’s division had halted, contrary to expectations…
T4: Rebel Plan Dawns on the Federals
With the Confederates having the initiative, Doug unlimbered 2 batteries from D.H. Hill’s division, as his men approached the Union defensive line.
Patrick’s infantry of A.P. Hill’s division appeared after a march and began to deploy for an assault, facing Paul B’s division (Slocum).
It had become clear that the Rebel plan (devised by Doug) was not to assault Paul S. along Boatswain’s Swamp, but to fix the Federal left with Ian’s infantry and artillery of Longstreet’s division, while attacking on the weaker Union right with Jackson’s, D.H. Hill’s and Ewell’s divisions.
T5: Confederates Coordinate; McCall’s Division Arrives
In an alleged minor miracle, Rob rolled a 6 this turn to win the initiative for the Union. Nevertheless, Jackson’s division (Alex) now joined D.H. Hill (Doug) and Ewell (Mal) in a general advance against the Union right flank, where Rob was deployed with Syke’s division. This was where the Swamp petered out, allowing for a rapid advance.
Ian withdrew Longstreet’s division 6″ to prevent unnecessary casualties from Paul S.’s Union artillery on Turkey Hill.
McCall’s Union division of Pennsylvania Reserves arrived with 3 infantry and 1 cavalry units, coming under Paul S’s command at the far left of the Union line.
Ian began systematically firing on Paul S’s infantry across the Swamp, with Longstreet’s divisional 12-pounder Napoleons.
T6: Confederates Reach the Swamp
Union initiative allowed Paul S to hit Patrick’s infantry of A.P. Hill’s division.
Meanwhile, Paul B’s and Rob’s artillery struck Mal and Doug’s divisions…
Yet the three divisions of Jackson (Alex), D.H., Hill (Doug) and Ewell (Mal) were relentlessly advancing against the Union right
Mal, linking Doug’s division and Patrick’s, threw in a one infantry unit against one of Paul B’s infantry units on its flank. The Federal unit lost, fell back, and took more Confederate fire. Mal fired his skirmishers at Rob’s infantry, but Rob saved…
T7: Federal Positions Face a Cascade of Confederate Assaults
The Federals won the initiative. The centre of the battlefield was seeing most of the action as Mal’s division took on Rob and Paul B. Indeed, Mal fired on Rob’s skirmishers, and Rob charged some Union skirmishers into Mal’s.
With Union left and centre pinned by Ian, Patrick and Mal, Alex (Jackson) and Doug (D.H. Hill) were continuing to advance strongly on the far Confederate left: 10 infantry, 4 artillery, and 4 skirmish units against Rob’s 4 infantry, 2 artillery and 2 skirmish units.
Mal destroyed one of Paul B’s infantry… Meanwhile Patrick began an attack with A.P. Hill’s division against Paul B’s division (Slocum), which while veteran, now had to split its attention between Mal and Patrick…
T8: Confederates Unleash Successive Blows
Doug now commenced the flank attack on Rob’s Union right.
Ian stuck to his brief and continued pummeling Paul S’s line from the Rebel-held hill.
Patrick was advancing on Paul B. (Slocum’s division).
Four Confederate batteries trained their sights on Rob’s flank at McGehee’s house. Rob lost one Union infantry unit. 3 Federal infantry units had now been lost in total (none by the Confederates).
The Confederate plan was working. As Alex and Doug struck the Union right flank, Mal was bludgeoning though in the centre – supported by Patrick, with Ian maintaining pressure on the Confederate right.
There was chaos in the centre of the battlefield. Only a rapid shift of units to the right could stop the Confederate flank attack. Paul S., taking more casualties from Ian, retired Morrell’s and McCall’s units from the Swamp to the field defences behind the Union left. Mal’s assaults were adding pressure to Paul B’s units, but 3 of Mal’s units had to fall back after taking considerable losses.
T9: Federals Outflanked
The final turn began with Rob repelling Doug’s attack on the McGehee’s house position.
Only 3 Union infantry units were still at Boatswain’s Swamp, with both Rob and Paul S having retired up the high ground at the back of the Union position.
But the momentum was with the Confederates, and Doug advanced again against McGehee’s Hill, in the rear-right of the Union defences. Jackson (Alex) was hot on his heels…
Elsewhere Mal had 3 units disordered and so Ewell’s division was largely spent. 4 artillery batteries (Doug and Alex) were now striking the few remaining Union infantry units on McGehee’s hill…
At this stage, with the Federal position turned and collapsing, we ended the game at 10:30pm.
Conclusion
A hard-fought epic game ending with the Confederates destroying 3 infantry, 4 skirmisher, and 1 artillery units of Porter’s corps (24 victory points), whereas the Federals destroyed 1 infantry and 2 skirmisher units of the Army of Northern Virginia. The overall result was that although the Union army also retained Turkey Hill (5 points) and McGehee’s House (5 points), they only totaled 19 victory points. So this was a decisive Confederate victory.
I enjoyed researching and organising this lesser-known but pivotal battle, and I believe the game was enjoyed by all. We repaired to the pub after the game. Although I am pleased with my 1:72 ACW figures, I am considering acquiring 28mm ACW armies, probably from 1st Corps. Yet another new project for a never-ending wargamer’s lead pile! Thanks to all who played!
