Antietam - September 1862

Continuing our American Civil War 160th anniversary series four of us gathered to refight the Battle of Antietam on the 17th September. While we have attempted to refight all the battles within a week of the anniversary Antietam was to be played on the actual anniversary. As normal we used 6mm miniatures. What follows is a summary of this refight.

At 6am Joseph Hooker ordered I Corps to move tentatively forward. His corps comprised the divisions of Doubleday, Ricketts and Meade. Of the three Doubleday's was the largest. Their tentative movement was against the Rebel positions around the West Wood and the Cornfield, shown below.

Below, the general situation before the battle commenced viewed from the south just prior to 6am. Sharpsburg is in the centre while Antietam Creek meanders south on the right. Union forces are on the east of the creek, except in the north where they had crossed before the battle. 

Below, a view of Hooker's Corps as it advances on the Rebel left around 6.30am.

At 7am Hooker's advance was reinforced with Edwin Sumner's II Corps. This corps began the morning east of Antietam Creek. It to comprised three divisions being those of Richardson, Sedgwick and French. Crossing by a single ford advanced brigades formed up in the dead ground between Antietam Creek and the Sunken Road. When combined the corps of Hooker and Sumner contained 25,000 bayonets and were supported by some 100 cannon.

The Rebels, though generally well positioned, were increasingly concerned by the weight of Union artillery which would soon be belching shell and ball at their positions. As such the Confederate left fell back to what was considered a more defendable line, a small stream that flowed in to the Potomac. 

Extending the left of the Sunken Road a gentle slope slightly east of Dunker Church. This area was selected to mass a number of Rebel cannon. From this position Lee felt that any breakthrough from the Cornfield or a movement against the Sunken Road could be held. Further, from here he could transfer his limited reserves to any sector using interior lines, should that be required.

Yet no sooner had the Rebel left fallen back General Stuart was contemplating advance! Indeed, his cavalry, all now dismounted, would probe back and forth for much of the day harassing the Union right at every opportunity. However, it was in the area of the West Woods and the nearby Cornfield that the battle would unfold with ferocity.

Above, the battle begins around the Cornfield, which has been trampled by advancing Union troops. The two brigades of Lawton's Confederate division are in the centre foreground. The West Wood is in the left foreground, the East Wood on the right.

Below, a view from the Union lines. In the trampled cornfield are the two brigades of Rickett's Division. In the distance elements of Doubleday's and Meade's divisions press the Rebel left flank.

However, as Hooker pressed from the north we must return to Sumner's position. By 8am, with his strength growing on the west bank of Antietam Creek, Sumner moved south-west. His right would soon rest near Roulette Farm. 

McClellan had earlier in the day advised Sumner that the Rebel positions to his front were exposed and they could be driven in. However, as his brigades deployed and his artillery opened fire "Bull" Sumner was somewhat surprised to learn that the enemy to his front were protected by a sunken road. 

Above, Rebel forces deployed around the Sunken Road. Below, another view around 9.30am this time viewed from the Confederate lines.

Faced with what he determined to be an impregnable position, and suffering heavy casualties from Rebel guns, Sumner ordered his divisions back. There would be no assault on the Sunken Road. Caution it seemed, would be Sumner's friend. Instead of attacking the Sunken Road he would demonstrate and ignore McClellan's repeated orders to advance.

Meanwhile the action in the Cornfield was growing in ferocity. Union forces gained some initial advantage and Lawton's brigades were forced back. However, such was the determination by both blue and grey the fighting in the north would swing back and forth all of the morning drawing in reinforcements progressively.

In the south 9am found IX Corps, under Ambrose Burnside, began to advance. Burnside had four divisions under command. These were the divisions of Wilcox, Sturgis, Rodman and Cox. Of these Issac Rodman's was the smallest. IX Corps bought another 13,000 bayonets and 40 cannon into the fight. More importantly Burnside's activity pinned an increasing number of Confederate divisions in place in the southern sector. 

The first Confederates to feel the weight of Burnside's attack was the division of Brigadier General David R Jones. Jones had massed his small division on and around the high ground around the Lower Bridge, also known as Rohrbach's Bridge. Burnside attack was well conceived and comprised several thrusts. The first was against Rohrbach's Bridge, which was supported by a heavy concentration of artillery. Simultaneously, other brigades moved towards, and eventually across, three additional fords. Burnside's artillery concentration in particular forced Jones to abandon the position and fall back. 

Yet while Burnside's use of artillery initially was successful, it also proved problematic. His advancing brigades were, for a period, relatively unsupported by artillery. This was seized upon by Jones as first his brigades, and then others, counter-attacked the fragile bridgeheads.

Above a counter-attack against Burnside's position around 10.30am by D.R. Jones' brigades. Below, the view from a Union perspective. Sharpsburg is clearly visible on the left.

Below, the view around 12.30pm as Union casualties mount. In the foreground McClaw's division is engaged by part of Cox's division which has attempted to outflank the Rebel line using one of the fords. This Union movement was eventually driven off.

Below, a general view of the situation viewed from the east. Visible are the Lower Bridge and Middle Bridge. Across Antietam Creek are Sharpsburg, the area of the Sunken Road and, in the top right, a portion of the East and West Woods.

Indeed, after several hours of intense fighting Burnside's divisions would be forced back across Antietam Creek. By 1pm the divisions of Sturgis and Rodman were exhausted and Cox's division had collapsed.

With the Union attack stalled in the north and casualties mounting in the south McClellan around 11am ordered Mansfield to reinforce Hooker. Little Mac hoped in so doing to at least stabilise the position in the north. Simultaneously, he ordered Sumner to increase the pressure against the Rebel centre. 

Yet Sumner had his own problems. A portion of his command was being progressively drawn into the fighting in the East Woods while he remained unsure or unwilling to overcome the Rebels ensconced in the Sunken Road. With Sumner refusing to advance McClellan was forced to look elsewhere. 

From 1pm until around 4pm McClellan moved his focus to the centre. Initially Burnside's right was extended by the artillery of Franklin's VI Corps. Eventually some Union 60 cannon were deployed and by share weight of fire forced the Rebels opposite back. 

Above and below, views of the Union centre. In both the Rebel's opposite have fallen back to reduce the impact of the Union artillery fire.

With the Rebels retiring the corps of Franklin and Porter prepared to cross. But it was Sumner that made the first move. Protected in part by the Union artillery on the east bank elements of his divisions moved south. Their movement opened up the Middle Bridge and other Union brigades now moved across. Additional Union troops crossed at the Lower Bridge and in between at a ford. Antietam Creek was once again full of advancing blue columns.

Lee, of course was not idle. He ordered a counterattack - determined to disrupt the flow of Union troops before they could gain a foothold. All along the line Rebel brigades swept forward well supported by Confederate artillery with General Jackson in the thick of the fighting. Again the fighting was fierce but slowly the grey and butternut veterans gained the advantage.

Above, Union troops cross Antietam Creek by a ford well supported by artillery. On the left others cross at the Lower Bridge. In the upper right Sumner's artillery can be discerned forming on the west bank of the creek, near the Middle Bridge.

Above, Union troops are engaged by Rebel counter-attacks near the Lower Bridge. General Jackson is visible in the tick of the fighting.

Below, the firing becomes general between the Middle Bridge and Lower Bridge. Visible, supporting the Rebel infantry, are Confederate artillery concentrations.

By 5pm the casualties being reported to Little Mac by his corps commanders were reaching concerning levels. Reluctantly McClellan ordered the Union divisions to fall back. He knew he had pressed the enemy as best he could but Lee, it seemed had held - but only just.

The surgeons worked tirelessly as the extent of the casualties were revealed. The butcher's bill was unprecedented. Seven Union divisions were exhausted and two further divisions had completely collapsed. Rebel casualties, while less, were equally daunting. Four Confederate divisions were exhausted and three more were nearing exhaustion. Like the historical battle Lee had held, but McClellan had not been destroyed. 

It is perhaps worthwhile summarising a little of the mechanics. The forces were positioned generally in line with their historical dispositions. The scenario begins at 6am in the north with Hooker's I Corps is activated. However, to model McClellan's poor staff work the Union players are limited to activating one additional corps on each odd numbered hour. The corps selected is at the Union player discretion. This simple mechanic created a rolling commitment of forces. 

The terrain was much as that outlined in the Volley & Bayonet scenario book "Battles of the American Civil War", modified slightly by the maps included in Sears' "Landscape Turned Red". We use a ground scale where 1" equals 200 yards which means that the battlefield fits on a table that measures just 4' x 3'. Each turn represents an hour. As to the miniatures they are from my own collection drawn from the Heroics & Ros American Civil War range. Terrain is a mix of commercial and homemade pieces.