"The West Woods" Battle Report: Playtest of  a scenario from "Undying Courage - Antietam"
    
8:40 AM  September 17, 1862                                                         by Scott Mingus (Copyright)
Union General E.V."Bull" Sumner's II Corps are ordered to come to the support of the beleagured  I and XII Corps' earlier advance. They must take the West Woods guarded by elements of CSA General Longstreet's Corps. Union Brigades headed by  Gorman, Howard, and Dan will be advanced against (reduced) Confederate Divisions led by Hood, McLaws, and Walker.
The battle began with Union's three Brigades immediately moving forward Hagertown Pike. The 125th NY assaulted S.D.Lees guns on the high ground east of Dunker Church. Between the volleys of the 125th and the supporting fire from the adjacent Union batteries, the unsupported crews were killed or driven off leaving the guns to  the New Yorkers. Meanwhile Early brought forward his brigade to the Pike and Patterson's battery hammered the Yanks as they advanced. The 49th VA charged and drove off the 1st MN while elements of the three US Corps in column began to swing around toward Nicodemus farm on the Confederate Left.
Playtesters: Dave, Brad and Ben Jordan and Dave Rogers
The Rebs hurried reinforcements splitting around the West Woods Cobb and Kershaw toward Dunker Church and Semmes and Barksdale toward Poffenberger Farm. Many units got mixed in the race resulting in weakend forces getting to the front. The Georgians assaulted the lost guns on the Right just as the Yank were bringing up their own artillery. Union guns quickly left without unlimbering as the butternut rebs re-gained the hill.
Violent fighting West of the Miller cornfield ensued as waves of Rebs approached the Pike and were cut down by union fire from the 59th NY and the 71st PA and Knap's guns. Col Johnson of Jone's Brigade was severly wounded in the hot fire. Patterson continued to pour fire into the flank of the Pennsylvanians and then the re-formed 49th VA charged supported by Kershaw's South Carolinians breaking the 71st and sweeping away Knap's crews finally settling into melee with the 59th NY before being halted at Miller's cornfield.
By this time Bruens guns were set up by the Miller farm-house supported on the ridge by 42nd NY and 7th MI. The MA Sharpshooters set up near the Toll House opened fire on the 52nd VA. As the Virginans surged forward and disbursed the snipers they were charged by the 20th MA while taking fire enfilade from the Miller farm high ground. the Virginians fell back in good order until reinforced by the Texans led by the 5th. The 20th was subsequently decimated in hand to hand combat. The tide had clearly turned by 10:40(turn 7) as the Union forces, seeing the hopelessness as CSA guns and other reinforcements being drawn up, began to fall back. The Confederates were too bloodied and disorganized to follow up with effect. The reduced Georgia regiments 8,9,11 and VA 46, 49 were in flight due to Union artillery and melee results at the end. Union regiments routing were 59 NY and 1 MN. None reovered by 11:00AM finish.
RESULTS:  Minor Confederate Victory .... CS possession of West Woods barn - CSA 37% Losses/ USA 39% Losses
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Furthest CSA advance as seen from Rebel lines
Furthest CSA advance seen from Union lines
Union forces back away as Texans surge toward Toll House and Miller Farm
Reinforcements surge East of the West Woods (top) toward Dunker church and West past Poffenberger Farm(bottom)