Battle of Tunnel Hill

[kipt]

The Battle Of Tunnel Hill
November 25, 1863

On March 2, 2024, 6 members and myself as umpire, of the Gentlemen's Gourmet Gaming Society refought the above battle, using Regimental Fire and Fury.  After the disastrous battle of Chickamauga, where Confederate General Bragg defeated Union General Rosecrans, the Union fell back to Chattanooga and were besieged.  With defeat looking the Union in the face, General Grant was sent to take command.  He relieved Rosecrans, replacing him with General Thomas (the "Rock of Chickamauga").  Grant opened up the supply line and planned to defeat Bragg.

Bragg occupied Missionary Ridge facing Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain on his left flank.  His line of communication was behind his right flank.  Grant planned to use General Hooker, recently arrived from the East with two Corps to attack Lookout Mountain while General Sherman with the Army of the Tennessee was to attack Bragg's right.  Sherman was to take Tunnel Hill which would threaten Bragg's whole line, while Thomas was to hold Bragg's center so Bragg couldn't detach troops to his flanks.

Sherman, after crossing the Tennessee, attacked the wrong position, leaving Bragg time to reinforce his right.  Bragg sent General Cleburne to Tunnel Hill where Cleburne established a defensive position.



Here is the position, with trees cleared to the distance of 100 yards (4") in front of the breastworks.  The railroad tunnel is on Cleburne's left flank.  A regiment (the 2/15/24th Arkansas combined and Bingham's battery of light guns) holds the right flank, also behind breast works.

The Union troops consist of 3 brigades from the XV Corps (Corse, Lightburn and Loomis) under the command of General Ewing, the 4th Division CO.

Lightburn on the left and Corse on the right.  Here we are looking south.


Loomis's brigade is coming from the west, with an attached gun from Callender's battery on his left flank.
Off board to the north the Union has two batteries of 6 guns each (3 stands each) that can fire onto the board but cannot enter.


This is a closer look of Cleburne's left flank, showing the railroad tunnel, troops from Brown's brigade (sent as reinforcements from Stevenson's Division, then guns from Key's battery and a section from Barret's battery and 2 other regiments, the 39th and 56th Georgia on the far-left flank.  Also showing the cleared woods in front of the rebel barricade.

The battle begins with Lightburn's and Corse's Brigades advancing up through the light woods towards the Rebel defenses.  The 46th Ohio on Corse's right flank takes casualties from the Rebel battery and infantry in the center of the hill.


Loomis's Brigade moves towards the cornfield on Corse's right flank.

Return rifle fire from the Union disorders the 17/18/24/25th Texas Dismounted Cavalry on the right of Shannon's battery.  Recovering from disorder, rebel musketry disorders the 46th Ohio and causes a casualty (1 stand, 40 men).
For the Union, a demi-brigade under Colonel Taft enters the western edge of the board as Ewings's Division continues the advance on Tunnel Hill.



Rebel fire causes a stand loss for the 37th Ohio on Lightburn's left flank and silences Callender's gun that was advancing with Loomis.   Continuing fire destroys this gun section.
Return fire silences one gun of Shannon's battery at the incomplete barricade at the top of the hill and destroys the other gun.  Two stands of the 17/18/24/25th Texas Dismounted Cavalry are lost and again are disordered.  Union losses are 1 from the 37th Ohio, 1 from the 6th Iowa (disordered) and 2 from the 26th Illinois of Loomis brigade on the right.
Both sides trade fire from the edge of the clearing and the barricade on the hill causing several rebel casualties, as they move to cover the gap the barricade.    General Smith, commanding Cleburne's Texas Brigade on the hill was mortally wounded. (Interestingly for this battle, Brave Colonel Granbury is able to move up and take over the Texas Brigade as a special scenario rule - so he does on the next full turn).
Union casualties are from the 37th Ohio and the 26th Illinois.



The Union assaults the barricades.  The 37th Ohio on the left is stopped in its tracks from the defensive fire, while the 30th Ohio and the 40th Illinois dislodge the 17/18/24/25th Texas Dismounted Cavalry.  The rest of Granbury's (now) brigade, the 7th Texas and the 6/10/15th Texas Dismounted Cavalry repulses the Union assault.  Casualties are heavy on both sides.



Both sides reorganize after the attack, but Brown's Tennessee Brigade on the left of Granbury's Brigade advances: the 32nd Tennessee moves into the Glass farm area while the 3rd Tennessee and the 23/45th Tennessee attack Loomis's 12th Indiana but are repulsed. This threatening advance by the Rebels releases the remainder of the off board union brigades (special scenario rule if the Glass farm fence is occupied by the rebels).

On the rebel right flank, the 2/25/24th Arkansas led by brave Colonel Warfield moves to flank the advance by Lightburn's Brigade.


Musketry and cannon fire as well as counterattacks occur around the barricades.  Union brigades of Matthies and Raum of J.E. Smith's 2nd Division of the XVII Corps Advance from the West and Northwest.



Taft's demi-brigade advances toward the Glass farm, not quite attacking.  The 39th and 56th Georgia that were the extreme left flank of the rebel line advance to the railroad embankment and take position flanking Taft.



Constant musket and cannon fire are now happening from the Union left to the right, while local attacks and counterattacks are dropping men left and right.  Taft falls back after losing to the Georgia musketry and takes position in the muddy ditch.



A Confederate artillery battalion under Major Carnes arrives from the main Confederate line as reinforcements.  There are three 4 gun (2 stands each) batteries.  They take position on the rebel left to shore up the line.

Union heavy casualties were making it more difficult to move the troops.
Desperate Union assaults finally breach the rebel line at the barricades, but reforming Confederates are poised to throw the one Union regiment (6th Iowa from Corse's Brigade) across the barricade.



This was the end of Turn 7 in the game.  The whole scenario is 18 turns so we didn't make it half way.  It appeared the Confederates would be able to reestablish their defence on Tunnel Hill, but the two brigades from General Stevenson's Union Division were relatively fresh so it was possible this could have a better ending for the Yankees.  As it was at the end the Confederates were still holding out for Bragg's army.  Who, by the way, was now retreating from Thomas's unordered attack up Missionary Ridge.

Good game but all were tired.  We started at 10:00, 45 minutes for lunch and stopped at about 4:00.

[paulr]

     

A great looking very hard fought game

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Looks awesome

[Chris Pringle]

Five hours' play for less than half a game seems somehow unsatisfactory, given all the effort you put into setting up such a beautiful layout. Puts me in mind of this discussion as aired on this forum a couple of years ago:
https://bloodybigbattles.blogspot.com/2022/02/at-that-point-we-called-it-who-cares-if.html

[Roy]

Brilliant looking game and good report.

[Keraunos]

Great photographs with good captions to explain the action.  Thank you.

[Martin1914]

Fantastic looking troops and terrain. Thank you for the report.

[Steve J]

Cracking looking game for sure!

[kipt]

Five hours' play for less than half a game seems somehow unsatisfactory, given all the effort you put into setting up such a beautiful layout. Puts me in mind of this discussion as aired on this forum a couple of years ago:
https://bloodybigbattles.blogspot.com/2022/02/at-that-point-we-called-it-who-cares-if.html

Couple of issues that cause the incomplete games for us.  Out of the 7 people there, only myself and one other have the rule set, so we are 100% conversant with the rules.  Two others are perhaps 80%, one at maybe 60% and two are below 20%.  They rely on me or the other knowledgeable gamer to tell them what and when to do it. 

That slows things.  The other item is the number of units.  A brigade has 3 to 5 regiments and while the order mechanism is very good, one still needs to check for each unit.  Easy for 4 out of the 7.

The scenario in the book says it should be able to be completed in 6 hours but this group can't do that.

However, I will still do more RFF and encourage the others to get the rules.  we still have fun and that is the main reason for doing this.

[Chris Pringle]

we still have fun and that is the main reason for doing this.

Hear hear! Bravo.

Chris