shilohn

Events leading to Shiloh (alternate) Battle April 6, 1862

February1862 Forts Henry and Donelson fall to the Union advance up the Tennessee River toward the important rail junction at Corith, Mississippi. Brigadier General Grant working with Commander Andrew Foote's flotilla of Union Ironclads have positioned land and river forces near Shiloh church. Land forces are supported by mortar rafts towed to Pittsburg landing by troop transport riverboats. Commander Foote is protecting these with twin 10 gun tinclads, the Tyler and the Lexington, and one monitor, the newly christened Wombat boasting two 7 inch Brook rifles.

This protection is needed because the Confederate ironclad, Chivalier had escaped and was thought to be lurking somewhere up-river. The CSA also has the tinclad, Persimmon and has assembled three steam launches and fitted two with spar torpedoes.

The Rebel naval attack is timed to begin just before Albert S. Johnston's dawn attack on the Union across the entire front. The CSA goal is to take out the Union gunboats and force the evacuation of mortar rafts and effectively deny yankee ability to transport Buells troops across river to reinforce Grant. If this can be done, the Rebs will control Pittsburg landing long enough to box Grant in and gain a major land victory.

Union victory conditions are to destroy the Rebel flotilla and protect the transports and naval mortars and have gunboats available to defend the Left river flank. If the Union can not maintain at least two gunboats, they must retreat naval forces down river with the last ironclad until re-inforcements arrive.

First few turns saw the CSA ships moving downstream at full steam with the launches following the larger vessels. Meanwhile the Tyler was fired up and brought under steam and began to move up river with the Lexington under full steam. The Wombat followed behind the tinclads to intercept anything that tried to break thru the Tins straddling the width of the river.

Once in long range the vessels began long range bombardment ... the Persimmon vs the Lexington and the Chivalier vs the Tyler. Besides men and hull hits the Tyler took stack hits which slowed her to a crawl. Then the Lexington, which had been in good shape and gave out considerable harm on the Persimmon, really received a sour note when a special hit exploded the magazine(1) sinking the ship and leaving only a hazard to block the Rebel advance.

The monitor then took on the wounded Persimmon at long range as she manuevered past the stricken Lexington. Few survivors made it to shore due to the explosion and burns received.

By this time the Chivalier and the Tyler were at point blank range and were firing as fast as the crews could reload. The Tyler was taking on water from so many hull hits and had lost speed from a boiler hit but continued effective fire into both the Confederate casement and the tinclad. However, the rebs brought up one of the launches and hit her with a spar torpedo(2). The explosion finished off what was left of the hull and she sank on the spot. Most of the crew that was captured aboard the Chivalier as she passed the wreckage between the swimming men and the nearest shoreline.

The Persimmon had now passed the monitor without inflicting much damage on that low profile vessel and she was focussing on keeping tht last hull afloat. However, she had distracted the monitors fire enough to now allow the Wombat to also fire at the two launches now coming after her.
The Rebs in an all out effort attacked the Union monitor with a spar torpedo launch and a boarding launch as a backup. The Wombat successfully manuevered to miss the torpedo which became wet in the attempt rendering it useless for future attempts. The rebel launch grappled and boarded the Wombat(3) and the boarding marines and sailors with their officer. Defensive fire was light due to the surprise effected. The Rebels then were able to overcome the crew after killing their marines and some of the sailors.
Union captains on the transports, seeing what had happened to the tinclads began towing the mortar rafts down river to safety.

Conclusion: Major Confederate naval Victory
Situation for the land batle in progress: No Union reinforcements from Buell across the river. No Union naval support of Grant. Confederate casement ironclad and launches continue down river to challenge any further Union naval advance. the Persimmon stays near Pittsburg Landing to bombard in support of the CSA land attack.