Rainbow Brigade Ep. 3, April 1862

[TacCovert4]

Carolina City Map



April 5th, 1862.

After replacing losses and welcoming Captain Richter's newly minted artillery battery, General Sennef opts to move Southeast, to the Beaufort Area, in order to defend Fort Macon. While en route he receives word that there are Federal troops beginning to make siege works around the fort, and other Federal troops in the area. Rainbow marches South, and then East, taking the road which will lead up through Carolina City, Morehead City, and finally Beaufort. Fort Macon itself is on the barrier island off of Beaufort, near Pine Knoll Shores.

Marching East along the road, General Sennef dispatches Major Dee and his Hussars to scout ahead of the force. On the morning of the 5th, as Rainbow is approaching Carolina City, the veteran Hussars ride back quickly. Federal Infantry has been seen on the same road as Rainbow, headed West. The Hussars believe that they were also spotted, and report that they saw the standards of the 27th Massachusetts, one of the formations of the 1st Brigade of Burnside's Coast Division. The scouting report was that they were on the march, in column, and had not entered the town yet. No Cavalry or Artillery were spotted, but the road is also heavily wooded and the end of the column was out of sight.

Looking at his Map, Sennef sees that the woods in the area are typical North Carolina pine forest, which is easily passable by skirmishers or walking cavalry, but will break up formations and severely slow artillery movement. The town of Carolina City is not a major port city, more of a resort town with a rail station and a wharf. The rail line continues to Beaufort, however, and on towards Raleigh, making it a vital link. Without the three coastal ports, Fort Macon is useless to the Confederacy, and without the ports any Federal capture of Fort Macon is logistically untenable and a dead end for the campaign.

General Sennef needs no orders, he knows that Rainbow must meet the Federal force and drive them off. Looking at the map, he sees where the road will have him enter from a heavily wooded area to the West. The Federals are on the road to the East.....

Note: The RED line on the map is the furthest parallel East to which Cavalry may deploy to start the battle. Infantry and Artillery will enter the map on the road.

[Capt AFB]

The Green Jackets' morale was good. It was not demonstrated in a open exuberant way, more in a subtle matter-of-fact way.

Maj Bird, Cpt Frum and the Sergeant-Major spent the past evenings around campfires with the troops, listening to their stories and laments, providing them a sympathetic ear and some guidance. After loosing so many friends in the last fight, it was a cathartic exercise and an essential experience to rebuild the confidence of his unit.

With the new batch of recruits, the veterans spent times showing them the ropes and tricks that would improve their own survival on the battlefield. Some of the informal individual training sometimes got out of hand with recruits getting hurt, but the sergeant-major would keep it all under control.

As Rainbow Brigade was getting ready to move to Ft Macon, Maj Bird clearly indicated to the Brigade chain of command that the Green Jackets will take the rear position of the column. He was in no mood to argue and his attitude showed that he was not going to accept anything else.

He was going to use that position to further train his unit during the march. It would slow down the speed on his movement, perhaps a half-day behind the rest of Rainbow Brigade, but it was clear in his mind that he was not going into another fight without as much training as possible...If Rainbow Brigade was engaged by the enemy before the arrival of the GJ, so be it...Rainbow Brigade was going to have to make do without his GJ, in the same way that the GJ was left fighting on its own without support during the last battle...A bitter pill that Maj Bird still had much trouble swallowing!

[Pruitt]

The Tarheel Legion Cavalry starts practicing drills. These include formations by bugle call, Mounted Pistol Target Practice, deploying with Horse Holders and some short route marches. The men are trying to get proficient at hitting horse sized targets with their pistols. If you put a Cavalry Trooper on foot he is halfway to defeat. Major Pruitt buys a pair of cows for a BBQ, North Carolina style! When we march, we will be ready!

Major Pruitt, Tarheel Legion Cavalry

[Cheetah772]

Should we assume the terrain is relatively flat? No hills at all?

In any case, while we don't know what Colonel Sennef has in store for us, it's clear that the space between the wooded area where the road runs through and shore will be a vital area because of its potential for flanking maneuvers for either side.

As my unit is being groomed toward a true skirmishing sniper unit, it'd be best to keep my men away from front line and play a major supporting role in taking out officers. My unit is best suited to moving around, acting as a mini-precision strike unit. We aren't powerful as an artillery unit, but artillery can only fire a shot at a time, while my 100 men can pick 100 targets all at once and quite effective even at 1200 yards.

I can open up as a skirmisher unit firing potshots at enemy officers then withdraw to the rear and take up a new position to south of the road, near the shore. From there, I can imagine we would be able to fire into rears of enemy units if they decide to counterattack us. I suppose this is where Sennef will want his artillery units situated.

We don't have as many men as Federals do, so it'll be crucial for us to take out their command if possible at all as to demoralize and sow confusion among lower Federal ranks. That will give us an advantage in planning an attack on their units.

Major Holden

[Pruitt]

We will also need to cover the Rail Road so the Yankees don't drive up it. Can we see the village through the trees from the red line? Will we have Slaves and/or Militia to help dig trenches?

Major Pruitt, Tarheel Legion Cavalry

[Cheetah772]

Don't forget that we'll have to watch the shore as I'm sure Burnside will send some naval assets to open fire on us if we try to push through the open space along the shore. We'll have to be mindful of that.

The way I see it, we have three avenues in which we can attack the Federals. The first is is through the railroad; second is the road that runs through the wooded area to the east; and lastly, the open space to south of the wooded area.

I'm sure Federals will pull back to the wooded area, placing best units to protect these avenues, and it'll provide some cover from our artillery unit (plus my sniper unit as well). Whatever we do, we'll have to do it fast to prevent them from reinforcing the front line and we can hold Carolina City in our hands. From there, we'll have to make our way to Beaufort.

Major Holden

[Colonel Sennef]

General Sennef studies the map and the results of the scouting done by Dee's hussars on terrain and enemy.

He sees the open forest to the South reaching to approximately 800 yards short of Carolina City.
He turns the map around: 'where would he place a blocking element if he were the enemy commander'.

A plan is germinating in his head.

[Snowygerry]

Just to note my presence, battalion will be in column, skirmishers company in line up front, 3 line companies in column on the road, one behind the other.

Finch rides up front.

Finch’s Company (Maj. Finch)(Snowy)(Veteran)
502 Infantry (Variety of Homespuns, good boots)
1853 Enfields/Bayonets
Shovel or Axe per man

Each company roughly 125 men.

[TacCovert4]

Initial Setup and Orders due by Saturday. As always in a meeting engagement, if orders slip the enemy will get initiative.

[Colonel Sennef]

Initial Setup and Orders due by Saturday. As always in a meeting engagement, if orders slip the enemy will get initiative.

Roger, I think I can deliver already later today.

[Colonel Sennef]

Operational Order

I. SITUATION: see map attached
Own troops: Rainbow
Enemy: likely 27 MA, an infantry unit of brigade strength?

II. MISSION: Take CAROLINA CITY

III. EXECUTION:

A. Commander’s intent: Execute the operation in four phases
1. Find enemy (likely in blocking position at road in Centre)
2. Fix enemy at his blocking position
3. Flank the enemy via covered approach South, with a minor probe North
4. Finish enemy

B. Execution: Rainbow is to split up in 3 parts: North (RR), Centre (Road sector) and South (Coast sector).
North: composed of major Pruitt Tarheels cavalry.
Centre: Sennef’s Saddle Blazers, NC Militia Captain Richter, major Gardners’ battery. (Anvil)
Major Leroy Tiger Rifles will be in reserve behind Centre
South: Colonel Khryses NC GG; major Finch company; major Bates company. (Hammer 1).
major Dee’s Hussars; major Birds Green Jackets; major Holden’s Georgia Badgers Militia (Hammer 2)

Phase 1: Find enemy / Deployment and advance till enemy contact (small red line on map)
· Sennef’s Saddle Blazers lead in tactical fashion (scouts up front ) follow road till red line on map.
· NC Militia Captain Richter, major Gardners’ battery; Major Leroy Tiger Rifles in reserve
· All infantry units assigned to South / Coastal sector leave road and proceed through open pine forest south-east
· Tarheels follow road till exit forest and swing North-East
· Dee’s Hussars follow Tarheels but swing south-east following forest edge

Phase 2: Fix enemy / Anvil
· Enemy likely to be found at western end of forest parcel in middle of map
· If enemy not found there proceed towards CAROLINA CITY along all three axis: North, Middle and South
· Centre: dismounted cavalry, long range rifle fire and artillery will engage enemy and fix him.
· Major Leroy’s Tigers be ready to move out at short notice at my command. As reserve you will exploit opportunities or neutralize threats
· North (Pruitt) will cross RR and move toward CC, using RR embankment as cover. If enemy is blocking progress: engage with long range fire; if RR free take possession of CC RR. Fortify and prevent enemy reinforcements.

Phase 3: Flank Enemy / Hammer 1 & 2
· South: All infantry units assigned to South / Coastal sector proceed through open pine forest south-east direction till south of enemy blocking position
· Hammer 1: Colonel Khryses NC GG; major Finch company; major Bates company move straight North into the southern flank of enemy blocking position
· Hammer 2: major Birds Green Jackets; major Holden’s Georgia Badgers Militia; you swerve and slam in the back of the enemy blocking position.
· Major Dee Your hussars will follow the coastline towards the pier of CC, swerve north and prevent reinforcements. You may find Pruitt’s Tarheels in CC RR station.

Phase 4: Finish enemy
· Enemy will be caught between Anvil of Centre and Hammers 1 and 2 of South and be crushed
· Dee (and Pruitt) prevent enemy reinforcements and send reports.
End state should be that Rainbow has possesion of CAROLINA CITY, see II: MISSION


IV. LOGISTICS: pm

V. C&C: General Sennef will be in Centre / Anvil
Commander of South / Hammer is Colonel Fawcett.

CAVEAT: If enemy main line of resistance is not in the forest but instead in CAROLINA CITY: same concept of operation:
· North, Central Anvil and Southern Hammer
· 4 Operations Phases: Find, Fix, Flank and Finish
· but 1000 yards further east.
· Adjusted orders will follow

[Snowygerry]

Let me just quote the parts relevant to me for easy reference.

Hammer 1:

South: Colonel Khryses NC GG; major Finch company; major Bates company.

All infantry units assigned to South / Coastal sector leave road and proceed through open pine forest south-east.

Hammer 1: Colonel Khryses NC GG; major Finch company; major Bates company move straight North into the southern flank of enemy blocking position.

I suggest Finch gets together with Bates to discuss to details of the march, but it should be as simple as to determine which battalion leads and which battalion follows, and pick some landmark to direct the movement on.

Will K be back in time, or do we need to command his troop as well ?

[Colonel Sennef]

Getting together would be good majors and indeed it is no rocket science.

As for Colonel K....
[OOC: I leave that to our GM Tac]

[Capt AFB]

Maj Bird listen to the orders.

Looking at the map again, he grimaces as he lost the opportunity to provide the commander his analysis before the orders were drawn.

The vital ground is CAROLINA CITY itself. Important ground is the forest to the West of the town.

If I were the enemy, I would place a skirmishing/delaying force to the West of the town and defend the town as my main defensive position.

Therefore, I would have Finch's battalion (which have axes) supported by Bates skirmishers and Dee's cavalry hit the town as an alternate objective for Hammer 2, with their flank protected by the Tigers now acting as Hammer 1.

The GJ would act as Brigade Reserve.

(If long range fire is part of the Anvil, shouldn't Holden be part of the Anvil?)

But Bird was too late to provide his estimate, and so will try to carry on as best he can with the provided orders.

[Pruitt]

Major Pruitt calls an officer's group meeting (includes senior NCO's) and gives an outline of the plan. "We have three outsize platoons and will move out in order of march, (Platoon A plus Major Pruitt, Lieutenant Oden in command, Platoon B, Lieutenant Ramsey in command, Platoon C, Lieutenant Erwin in command). Troops will carry Enfields at the ready and make sure all pistols are loaded.

A. We will flank any enemy troops found and Platoons A and B will deploy Horse Holders while the rest open fire on the rear of any enemy. Platoon C forms the Reserve and stays mounted. They will face the Rear and guard against any enemy coming.
B. If we do not bump into any enemy, we will follow the Rail Lines down to the Depot and set up a defense there. We will send back messengers when we have something to tell Colonel Senneff."

Major Pruitt, Tarheel Legion Cavalry