Rainbow Brigade Ep. 3, April 1862

[Colonel Sennef]

white flag!

Seeing that all of Rainbow's units are moving into their new positions to finish this battle, general Sennef decides to make an effort to end this bloodshed here and now.
Seeing all those beautiful boys mangled, maimed and in pain for the rest of their natural lives makes him sick to the stomach. He feels it as his duty as a Christian to try stop this from continuing.
He has the white blanket attached to a pole and orders a general cease fire along the line.

When the fire has died down he let the trumpeteer continue with 'cease fire', then approach on horseback with a small staff under cover of the white flag towards the place where he saw the enemy general enter the forest with 23 and 25MA.

If the enemy general is willing to enter into negotiations, Sennef intends to show him the hopelessness of his position w/o artillery. Sennef is willing to stop further hostilities after this gallant fight and to accept the surrender of 23 and 25 MA. To make it more attractive Sennef will offer him and his officers to leave on parole and let them keep their side arms. The men of 23 and 25 will be disarmed and be escorted out of the war zone to the hinterland.

[TacCovert4]

Update in Progress....I think I have all relevant information.

[TacCovert4]

April 5th, 1100hrs

MAP

South to North (this time):

Major Holden, incensed that his Badgers did not have a chance to shine in this battle, leads them in a rush to get to the road to the Northeast of the town. They arrive, winded and blown, to see the last of the 10th CT disappear into the trees at the sight of them.

Their blood up from their recent success, the Green Jackets reform on the road. It takes time, with platoons having to pass of prisoners and reorganize before they're ready to move out. Even such veteran troops cannot accomplish the impossible. Finally formed up, Major Bird leads them forward, a rebel yell rising across the open ground as they pick up the pace to close with the enemy and destroy them.

Also needing time to reform his men, Major Finch has his battalion form on the road just to the left of the Green Jackets. The Grenadier Guards, imposing in their helmets and fancy rapid-fire rifles have the 9th NJ sit on the ground in road junctions, small groups guarded by angry Grenadiers. With his battalion finally formed, Finch begins to steadily march forward in his triplex formation, moving somewhat in echelon to the rapidly advancing and shouting Green Jackets.

Gardner's battery limbers in the tight confines of the road and moves out towards the railway cut. Not sparing man or horse they manage to reach the cut and unlimber, firing a quick volley into the woods with unseen effects. Meanwhile, the General leads his Saddle Blazers out of the wood, galloping to interpose themselves between the 27th and the trees. At maximum range they open up on the disorganized group that is working their way across the field towards the woodline. Repeated volleys finally convince the men of the 27th to shy away from the trees and head East, where the Saddle Blazers aren't firing. A few brave troopers go down to fire from the trees to their Left however.....victims of their own success.

Major Leroy punches his Tigers over the embankment, the men taking cover behind trees as they move up until they can exchange fire with the 23rd. The firefight begins to build, with the veteran Tigers having an apparent better rate of exchange, though men are falling on both sides.

Captain Richter's Battery manhandles the guns up and over the embankment as well, moving alongside the Tigers to fire into the Yankee troops. Their fire is at first not very effective, as the Yankees have mostly gone to ground, but the return fire is only an nuisance.

Bates and Pruitt hold their positions, unpressed by the enemy and not needing to apply any further pressure.

Riding from the Saddle Blazers, a trooper with a white sheet on his carbine heads towards the treeline as the bugler begins sounding cease fire. The trooper at first actually attracts fire, rather than signaling a cease fire from both sides, and as he nears the treeline he falls from his horse. Through courage, or some might say determined stupidity, the sergeant hobbles towards the Yankee lines still waving his flag. General Sennef watches as he's struck again by a minie ball before an officer rushes out of the trees screaming and waving his sword, the sound of "G*D Damn You Cease Firing" carrying across the field.

General Sennef and his staff meet with Colonel Kurtz and terms are offered. Mulling over it for a minute, the Colonel sees the two battalions still marching forward towards the railroad, the gunners of nine field pieces, and knows that there are rebels behind most of the trees along the tracks. He decides to accept the terms, and sends riders back to command the remaining troops in good order to stack arms and march to the Railroad Station, before offering the General his sword. "We certainly were not expecting you to be able to move, much less fight, in good order after the thrashing we both took at New Bern." the Colonel says, before going on to the essentials like care of the wounded, feeding of his men, and where the officers would be sequestered until they could officially give their paroles.

And with that, the Battle of Carolina City is effectively concluded, with only refugees from broken regiments making it to Morehead City to board boats to join their comrades. A company of the 9th New Jersey, holding at Morehead, also withdraws after learning they're the last formation on the mainland. Within the week, General Parke boards ships to move back to Roanoke Island, leaving the Garrison of Fort Macon and Rainbow masters of Carteret County.

--------------------

[TacCovert4]

Aftermath

After collecting the dead and wounded, and securing the prisoners, Rainbow boasts the field, plus a haul of 800 stands of Enfield and Springfield rifles (1600pts), with the other half of the captured weapons being taken as emergency requirements by the State to build a state regiment. Unfortunately, situations require the attentions of Major Dee and Colonel Fawcett, and both of them entrain and depart with their units. However, Captain von Trapp remains, an observer as well as ally in the procurement of certain Prussian weapons, should the General decide to go that route. The General is also given leave to appoint another Colonel as his XO from within Rainbow's ranks.

One hundred Fifty veterans of Rainbow (presume with their weapons and equipment for simplicity sake) manage to return in the intervening weeks as Rainbow maintains camp betwixt Carolina City and Morehead City. Six Hundred recruits from parts West and South also arrive, and with the failure to capture the Fort, blockade runners are able to slip in under her guns to Morehead and Beaufort, bringing food, wool, and other needed supplies and orders......

Which will be good, because Rainbow took a frightful pounding over the last few months. After the lightly wounded returned to ranks, here is Rainbow's list:

Brigade stores Unattached to units
12 Wagons (24 men)

Legendary Stars: 3

Gardner’s Battery (Maj. Gardner)(TAG)
2 x 3.5in Blakely Rifles
4 x 10lb Parrott Rifles
1 Wagon
40 Men (grey-blue uniforms w/ red facings)
Smoothbore Musket/Bayonet

Richter’s Battery (Capt. Richter)(Exorcist)(Soldier Bonus)
3 x 12lb Dahlgren Heavy Boat Howitzer, 3 Mules
78 men (Dark Grey Shell Jackets/Trousers)
1853 Enfield/Bayonet, Single-shot pistol


Tar Heel Troop (Maj. Pruitt)(Pruitt)(Wounded!)
93 Cavalry (Grey Jackets, Jeancloth trousers, assorted covers)
3 x 1860 Colt Army
Enfield Short Rifle


Sennef’s Saddle Blazers (Brig. Gen. Sennef)(Sennef)
115 Cavalry (blue/grey uniforms, Crimson Cavalry Hats some with ostrich plumes)
Tranter Revolver
Saber
Sharps Carbine


Bird’s Green Jackets (Maj. Bird)(Capt AFB)(Businessman Bonus)
292 Infantry (Green Sack Coats and Trousers)
158 Jaegergewehr 1856/59 / Bayonet (+50% ammo)
Bowie Knives/Hatchets
Wagon of Supplies and Ammunition in personal stores (+50% ammo when stationary for 1hr)

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

Bates’ Company (Maj. Bates)(Sen)(Businessman Bonus)
97 Infantry (Green Sack Coats, Butternut Trousers)
28 Calisher & Terry Carbines
Single-shot Pistol
Dirk

Tiger Rifles (Maj. Leroy Wounded)(Fritgern)(Soldier Bonus)
120 Infantry (Blue/White Striped Pantaloons, Red Shirts/Blue-Red Jackets), Straw Hats & Fezzes)
1853 Enfield/Bayonet
Single-shot Pistol
Cutlasses

Georgia Badgers Militia (Maj. Holden)(Cheetah)(Businessman Bonus)
129 Infantry (Solid Green Sack Coat and Trousers, Brown leathers, brogans and Slouch Hat)
3 Whitworth Rifles w/Globe sights (1200yd range)
Kerr Revolvers
1796 Heavy Cavalry Sword (carried on baldric)

[Snowygerry]

Nothing much to add to that, thanks for doing all this, terrific job

[TacCovert4]

As has become the normal, we'll use this thread to do post-battle things, retraining, etc.

After a week or so, Governor Vance does send notice that the Confederate Government has finally taken notice of the importance of North Carolina ports to its continued survival. Rainbow will be remaining in the area until new regiments are formed and brought in to reinforce Fort Macon and keep the port open. Expect that Rainbow will have more than a month to train.....so units can refit to +30% of their current strength without any experience penalty.

And just to distill:

150 Returning Veterans Under Arms (no penalty to put them in any unit chosen by the General)
600 Recruits

1600 points worth of arms (a couple of units have notes about weapons they brought to Carolina City because they didn't refit to their pre-New Bern strength....those are additional to this number).

Blockade Runners have arrived, so the store is open....so to speak:

1pt-Smoothbores
2pt-Rifle Musket/Carbine
4pt-Revolver (various types)
6pt - Breechloading Weapons
8pt - Specialty Arms (If the General so chooses he can make Dreyse Rifles/Carbines available to one unit)

Artillery is a bit of a different story, but even smaller cannon are going to be running 150pts or more.

[TacCovert4]

As has become the normal, we'll use this thread to do post-battle things, retraining, etc.

After a week or so, Governor Vance does send notice that the Confederate Government has finally taken notice of the importance of North Carolina ports to its continued survival. Rainbow will be remaining in the area until new regiments are formed and brought in to reinforce Fort Macon and keep the port open. Expect that Rainbow will have more than a month to train.....so units can refit to +30% of their current strength without any experience penalty.

And just to distill:

150 Returning Veterans Under Arms (no penalty to put them in any unit chosen by the General)
600 Recruits

1600 points worth of arms (a couple of units have notes about weapons they brought to Carolina City because they didn't refit to their pre-New Bern strength....those are additional to this number).

Blockade Runners have arrived, so the store is open....so to speak:

1pt-Smoothbores
2pt-Rifle Musket/Carbine
4pt-Revolver (various types)
6pt - Breechloading Weapons
8pt - Specialty Arms (If the General so chooses he can make Dreyse Rifles/Carbines available to one unit)

Artillery is a bit of a different story, but even smaller cannon are going to be running 150pts or more.

[Snowygerry]

After a week or so, Governor Vance does send notice that the Confederate Government has finally taken notice of the importance of North Carolina ports to its continued survival. Rainbow will be remaining in the area until new regiments are formed and brought in to reinforce Fort Macon and keep the port open. Expect that Rainbow will have more than a month to train.....so units can refit to +30% of their current strength without any experience penalty.

I take it this is an improvement over what happened historically then ?

[TacCovert4]

Quite:

Historically, the Union won at New Bern. The Union captured Beaufort, Morehead, and Carolina City, then besieged Fort Macon on the barrier island. They built up extensive batteries and flat out crushed Fort Macon in a surprisingly short bombardment which very quickly got to the main Magazine. After that, they captured Washington, and then all of the North and Central NC ports were under Union Control for pretty much the rest of the war, leaving Wilmington as the only available port in NC. That's important, since NC ports would be the geographically closest to the fighting in the Eastern Theater, and getting goods 50 miles further North without needing a train would have been a boon to the minimal rolling stock available. Plus, Union cavalry especially raided inland, to Goldsboro, Kinston, even through my county, and played havoc on the few railroads in the area.

Historically the importance of the NC ports, and the danger of Burnside's Offensive didn't register until it was far too late. The NC Coast was a perfect location to stage blockade runners from, because of the barrier islands, sounds, and shoals that made it very difficult to pursue a ship through the inlets at speed. This is why it was also a hotbed of piracy in the 18th Century, and why the NC coast got the name "Graveyard of the Atlantic" and boasted a stupid number of lighthouses (and still does).

In short, Rainbow managed to turn a resounding defeat into a marginal victory in this ATL.....and yes, I reflect Rainbow's successes and failures onto the conduct of the war. This game has certainly made me research more, especially on casualty rates and stuff as I strive to be as realistic as possible in how units of the time would have fought and died.

[TacCovert4]

Quite:

Historically, the Union won at New Bern. The Union captured Beaufort, Morehead, and Carolina City, then besieged Fort Macon on the barrier island. They built up extensive batteries and flat out crushed Fort Macon in a surprisingly short bombardment which very quickly got to the main Magazine. After that, they captured Washington, and then all of the North and Central NC ports were under Union Control for pretty much the rest of the war, leaving Wilmington as the only available port in NC. That's important, since NC ports would be the geographically closest to the fighting in the Eastern Theater, and getting goods 50 miles further North without needing a train would have been a boon to the minimal rolling stock available. Plus, Union cavalry especially raided inland, to Goldsboro, Kinston, even through my county, and played havoc on the few railroads in the area.

Historically the importance of the NC ports, and the danger of Burnside's Offensive didn't register until it was far too late. The NC Coast was a perfect location to stage blockade runners from, because of the barrier islands, sounds, and shoals that made it very difficult to pursue a ship through the inlets at speed. This is why it was also a hotbed of piracy in the 18th Century, and why the NC coast got the name "Graveyard of the Atlantic" and boasted a stupid number of lighthouses (and still does).

In short, Rainbow managed to turn a resounding defeat into a marginal victory in this ATL.....and yes, I reflect Rainbow's successes and failures onto the conduct of the war. This game has certainly made me research more, especially on casualty rates and stuff as I strive to be as realistic as possible in how units of the time would have fought and died.

[Colonel Sennef]

Well done all and big thanks to Tac, let's all rep him for the time and resources he put in for us.
I truly enjoyed this episode.

As for the post-battle things:
Any Lessons Learned?
Rainbow should be a smart thinking organisation.

Re the refitting and re-kitting:
IMO Rainbow should work with its strength and keep its veteran status intact. Quality over quantity.

With this in mind and based on past performance
Rainbow's artillery made a terrific difference.
S my initial thoughts are to assign as many of the returning veterans to the artillery units without occuring penalty
and to spend the 1600 points to first kit out our Rainbow's two artillery units to the max.

Next comes the infantry, both line and light. Re-fit an dre-kit them w/o occuring penalty in the veteran status.

After that we re-assess what to do with what is left.

As for appointing a new XO: general Sennef thoughts go to appointing major Bird in this position.

[Snowygerry]

(...) This game has certainly made me research more, especially on casualty rates and stuff as I strive to be as realistic as possible in how units of the time would have fought and died.

It is a rather fun way to study the ACW yes, short summary of the historical campaign here,

https://www.mycivilwar.com/campaigns/620101.html

Pic of the historical fight at New Bern,

[TacCovert4]

Thanks guys, a game running this smoothly is it's own reward.

Keep in mind that the crack grenadiers and hussars are no longer a part of the organization.

When I'm back at a computer I'll note veterancy for all units

[Colonel Sennef]

Cannot fight w/o a map

For an overview of the area in which Rainbow was, is and will be fighting,
can anyone provide a link with a map?

[Snowygerry]

I've been looking but it's hard to find one at the correct "level", since we stopped Burnside's "expedition" before it became an expedition the historical maps don't really apply.

This one shows Carolina City and the railroad, barely, top left.

https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3902c.cw0307000/