Chickamauga River of Death
Chickamauga River of Death Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1) Introduction
1.1) General Comments
"Chickamauga — River of Death" is a brigade level simulation of the Civil War Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 18-20, 1863. With two players, one assumes the role of Braxton Bragg and commands the Confederate Army of Tennessee, the other becomes William S. Rosecrans commanding the Union Army of the Cumberland. As many as six players may participate, but the game is most enjoyable with four players, each assuming command of from one to four corps. While "Chickamauga — River of Death" is not an overly simple game, the mechanics of play will be familiar to most experienced gamers. The game system was first introduced in Phoenix Enterprises, Limited's previous title "Gettysburg — High Tide of the Confederacy". The 5 turn Seizing the Crossing Points Scenario (12.2) is recommended for your first game in order to become familiar with the mechanics of searching for fords, bridge destruction and reconstruction, and the various circumstances that trigger early release of certain reinforcements. It is suggested that this scenario be played several times before embarking on the full battle game, as unit dispositions at dawn on the 19th considerably affect the course of play.
1.2) Game Scale
Each hexagon on the mapsheet represents approximately 240-250 yards of real terrain and each day turn is the equivalent of one hour of real time. Each strength point of infantry and cavalry represents about 100 men. Each strength point of artillery represents between one and three cannon.
2) Game Components
2.1) The Game Map
The map represents approximately 28 square miles of the Chickamauga battlefield and includes the dominate terrain features that influenced the course of the battle. Players should note and become familiar with the charts and tables at the top of the mapsheet, giving particular attention to "Terrain Effect on Movement" and "Special Terrain Notes".
The painted map may be a new concept to some players. By way of clarification, clear terrain may appear as a variety of colors ranging from a solid green (fields) through yellow (open, uncultivated) to light browns. All woods hexes have painted woods in them; and slopes are all reddish to dark browns. If the terrain features in any given hex are in doubt, consult the Terrain Clarification Map in the back of this rule book.
2.2) Play Aids
Certain charts and tables are needed to play the game. Generally information relating to movement is found at the top of the mapsheet along with the Casualty Record. Charts and tables relating to combat resolution are found on a separate sheet and include the Line-of-Sight Table. The Turn Record and Reinforcement Chart enables players to mark off the passing game turns and receive reinforcements as scheduled; and also includes the off-map cavalry displays. Players should become familiar with the various charts and tables prior to the beginning of play.
2.3) The Units
2.31) Infantry and dismounted cavalry are printed with their full-strength side on the front of the unit and their half strength side on the back. Artillery units are unlimbered on the front and limbered on the back. Replacement leaders are printed on the back of those leader units that have replacements. All informational markers (except turn and casualty markers) are back printed.
2.32) All combat and leader units are also color coded for ease of recognition. A few moments study should familiarize players with Confederate and Union full and half strength color coding.
Players will also note that the strength counter types are color coded. This serves no purpose in the game other than ease of recognition.
2.33) Confederate Division Leaders and combat units have their parent corps designation printed on them (see 2.34). These corps designations are: (Infantry: P - Polk, HI- D. H. Hill, W - Walker, B - Buckner, Hd - Hood) (Cavalry: W - Wheeler, F - Forrest).
2.34) Sample Units:
Sample combat unit (infantry): front shows the parent corps designation, the brigade name, the division commander, and the combat factor at full strength; the back shows the same unit at half strength. Intact bridge and destroyed bridge markers are also shown.
Sample leader unit (corps): front shows the rank, command, name, and leadership value of the original leader; the back shows the replacement leader. Sample leader unit (division): front shows the original leader with rank, name, leadership and value; the back shows the replacement leader. The Union does not have replacement division leaders.
Unit types: Confederate and Union corps leaders, division leaders, infantry (musket), artillery, cavalry (pistol and carbine) and horse artillery units are illustrated front and back. Information markers shown are: cavalry mounted, in column, routed, digging, entrenchment, turn markers (Day and Hour), casualty markers, strength markers, and markers numbered for the Turn Record.
2.4) Game Parts Inventory
Your complete copy of "Chickamauga-River of Death" includes:
- One Mapsheet
- One Rules Booklet
- One Turn Record and Reinforcement Chart
- One ten sided die
- One Combat Related Tables
- Two Sheets of die cut unit counters
- One game box
3) Getting Started
The Union player should sit next to the west edge of the map and the Confederate player opposite him on the east edge. Read through the rules once, looking over the various charts and tables as they are referred to in the rules. Next select a scenario and set up the units as directed. The "Seizing the crossing points" scenario (12.2) is recommended for your first game. At first punch out only the unit counters you will need to play. Later on the rest of the unit counters should be punched out, sorted, and stored by type (i.e. Union by corps, Confederate by division, information counters by type).
4) Turn Sequence
"Chickamauga-River of Death" is played in "Game Turns", each of which has two "Player Turns" (Confederate and Union). Note that the Turn Sequence has been printed on the mapsheet for quick reference during play. The Confederate player always moves first in every scenario.
A) Confederate Player Turn
- Confederate Command Phase
- Confederate Movement Phase
- Combat Phase a) Union Defensive Fire b) Confederate Offensive Fire
- Confederate Charge and Melee Phase
- Confederate Rally Phase
B) Union Player Turn
- Union Command Phase
- Union Movement Phase
- Combat Phase a) Confederate Defensive Fire b) Union Offensive Fire
- Union Charge and Melee Phase
- Union Rally Phase
C) After the Union player completes his Rally Phase, advance the Turn Marker to the next hour. Continue in this manner to the end of the scenario being played.
5) Command Phase
5.1) General Rule
In order to attack, change formation, and move normally, a unit must be in command control, i.e. within command radius of its division or corps leader.
5.2) Command Control
5.21) Confederate combat units are in command control if they are stacked with their particular brigade's division or corps leader or if they are within the command radius of their division or corps leader. The command radius is a path not more than four hexes in length from the leader to the unit (exceptions: 5.42, 10.2). The four hex path must be free of enemy units and/or enemy zones of control (exception: the four hex path may be traced through a friendly unit that is also in an enemy zone of control). Unlimbered artillery units are in command control if within the command radius of any friendly leader (see also 5.4).
5.22) Command control is determined for Union units in accordance with 5.21, except that the command radius of Union leaders is three hexes (exception: 10.2). As second in command, the THOMAS leader unit may give command control to any Union units. His leadership value, however, may only be applied to units of XIV Corps.
5.23) Command Control is determined at the beginning of the player turn during command phase. The effects of being in or out of command control last for the complete player turn (exception: a leader's value may always be applied to any unit of his command making a morale check, if that unit is in the leader's command radius at the instant of the morale check).
5.24) Certain units are exempt from command control requirements, i.e. they are always in command control. These units are mounted cavalry, infantry in column, limbered artillery, and wagons (see also 6.82).
5.25) The Confederate and Union "Army-HQ Escort" units may only receive command control from Bragg or Rosecrans, respectively. They may not apply any leader's leadership value to their morale checks.
5.26) Effects of being out of command control: units that are out of command control may defensive fire only (i.e., may not offensive fire), may not voluntarily move adjacent to an enemy unit, may not change formation, have their movement allowance halved (round down), and may not initiate a charge.
5.3) Leaders
5.31) Both sides have division, corps, and army leaders represented in the game. The Confederates also have Wing commander units (see 5.4). All division, corps, and wing leader units have a leadership value printed on the unit.
5.311) The army leaders (Bragg and Rosecrans) increase the command radius of any friendly corps or wing leader with whom they are stacked by 1 hex. They may not give command control to any units.
5.312) Any individual leader's leadership value is applied as follows:
a) added to the morale level of any brigade of his command making a morale check (if in command radius).
b) added to the combat strength of any brigade of his command with which he is stacked in melee.
5.313) If a brigade is within the command radius of more than one of its leaders (division, corps, wing), the owning player has the choice of which leadership value to apply.
5.314) Units may not voluntarily be out of command control if within the command radius of either their division or corps leader.
5.32) Eliminating enemy leader units:
5.321) A leader may be eliminated in combat as described on the Combat Table.
5.322) If a leader is alone in a hex and an enemy combat unit occupies or passes through the hex, the enemy player rolls one die. On a roll of "9" or "10" the leader is captured (i.e. eliminated). A roll of "8" or less is considered "no effect" and the leader unit is placed on the nearest (in hexes) unit of his command. If two units are equally close, the owning player has his choice.
5.33) If a Confederate leader unit is eliminated, a replacement leader is immediately (at the instant of loss) placed on the nearest unit of his command. Confederate replacement leaders are printed on the back of the leader unit they replace. Replacement leaders are never removed from play. If a replacement leader is eliminated, the opposing player receives victory points as described in 11.1 and the leader is placed on the nearest unit of his command. All Confederate leaders have replacements on the back of their counter (except wing commanders).
5.34) The Confederate replacement leader rules apply equally to the Union leaders except that the Union has corps leader replacements only. The Union replacement corps leaders are printed on the back of the corps leader they are to replace. If a Union division leader is eliminated, his brigades may only be commanded by the corps leader.
Leaders may only enter an enemy zone of control to stack with a friendly combat unit.
5.35) If a leader's entire command is eliminated, the leader is removed from play but is not considered eliminated for victory point purposes.
5.36) If a leader is eliminated in combat, his leadership value may not be used when a morale check is made by the unit he was stacked with.
5.37) If a leader is stacked with a combat unit that fails a morale check and routs, the leader may rout with the unit, or may remain alone in the hex.
5.4) Confederate Command Reorganization
In the command phase of the 0300/0400 game turn, September 20th, the Confederate player must reorganize his command structure into 2 wings, a right wing and a left wing (see historical notes). The two senior Lt. Generals surviving at that point in the game each assume command of a wing (Longstreet and Polk were both senior to D.H. Hill).
5.41) The Confederate army must be divided into two wings; one of six infantry divisions, and one of five infantry divisions. It is recommended (but not required) that corps organization be retained whenever possible. Which divisions are assigned to which wing commander are at the discretion of the Confederate player (exception: the three divisions of Hood's Corps must be assigned to Longstreet), but once they are made the assignments are permanent for the balance of the game.
5.42) The Confederate player must now trace a chain of command, and command control must now originate with a wing commander whose command radius is 6 hexes. This 6 hex path is traced (per 5.21) to a corps leader who may still trace normally. Alternatively, the wing commander may trace 6 hexes directly to a division leader, who may then trace normally per 5.21. Wing commanders may never give command control directly to any brigade or artillery units. Corps leaders may still only command those division leaders assigned them at the beginning of the game.
5.43) In addition to the normal application of their leadership value (see 5.312), Wing Commanders extend the command radius of any leader unit in their wing with whom they are stacked by 1 hex.
5.44) Command Reorganization has no effect on cavalry.
5.45) The Confederate player must record his command reorganization for reference by both sides during play.
6) Movement
6.1) General Rules
6.11) During movement phase, units may move, change facing and formation, entrench, receive reinforcements, search for fords, destroy and repair bridges, and (in certain situations) be subject to withdrawal fire.
6.12) The movement allowances of the various unit types are printed on the mapsheet for quick reference during play. Note that dismounted cavalry moves like infantry in line formation and that unlimbered artillery may never move under any circumstances (but may change facing). Limbered artillery and infantry in column may not voluntarily move adjacent to any enemy unit.
6.13) A unit may move up to its movement allowance, paying varying costs for different terrain types. Study the "Terrain Effect on Movement" and "Special Terrain Notes" charts on the mapsheet.
6.14) A player may move as many or as few of his units as desired during movement phase, limited by the zones of control, effects of command control, and the terrain costs paid in moving from hex to hex.
6.15) A unit may never accumulate movement points from turn to turn, nor may a unit transfer movement points to other units. A unit's unused movement points in any given turn are considered lost.
6.16) A unit must stop when it enters an enemy zone of control. It may, however, move directly into another enemy zone of control on a subsequent movement phase but may be subject to withdrawl fire in so doing.
6.17) Artillery units have a special limitation placed on them. Artillery has four capabilities in the game. They may move, limber, unlimber, and/or fire. Field artillery units may perform any two of these capabilities in any given game turn. Horse artillery units may perform any three of these capabilities in any given game turn.
6.18) Miscellaneous: See 6.51 re moving over friendly units; see 6.68-6.69 re moving over an entrenched hexside.
6.2) Zone of Control
(See diagram below.)
6.21) A unit has a ZOC over its three adjacent frontal hexsides only.
6.22) Enemy units must stop when they enter this ZOC and may move no further that turn. The enemy unit may withdraw from that ZOC on a subsequent turn, but may be subject to withdrawal fire in so doing.
6.23) ZOC's extend across all Chickamauga Creek hexsides, including bridges and fords (located and unlocated).
6.24) ZOC's extend into and out of all other terrain types, including across minor streams.
6.25) Units that have no facing (6.34) have no ZOC.
See 7.37 for explanation of "a" - "e" on diagram below. (The hex diagram labels the direct front (a), flank (b), rear (d), and the hexes marked "a", "b", "c", "d" and "e" for the ZOC and facing relationships; the diagram itself is not reproduced in this text.)
6.3) Facing
(See diagram above.)
6.31) Units must always be oriented toward a specific hex side as shown above. Ambiguously faced units may be reoriented by an enemy player!
6.32) The three hexes in front of a unit are its frontal hexes and the middle hex is its direct frontal hex (see 8.24). The two hexes on its right and left flank are flank hexes and the hex directly to its rear is the rear hex. The hexside through which a unit is fired on or charged may affect its losses or morale (see Fire Modifiers and Morale Check Modifiers on the Combat Related Tables sheet).
6.33) When moving, a unit must always face itself so as to move through one of its three frontal hexsides. There is no movement point cost to change facing, but it may only be done during a friendly movement phase (Exception: 9.23). Note also that units changing facing in an enemy ZOC may be subject to Withdrawal Fire (but see 6.34).
6.34) Certain units have no facing, i.e. for game purposes all six hexes around them are considered frontal hexes. These units are: routed units, leaders, limbered artillery, infantry in column, units digging trenches, and wagons.
6.35) The "direct frontal hexside" will be the hexside faced by the unit's front edge, defined as follows: for combat units the edge of the counter toward which the weapon symbol is pointing and for the mounted cavalry counter the edge of the counter toward which the arrow is pointing. Note that the arrow on an artillery unit's limbered side has no relationship to facing (see 7.24).
6.4) Movement Formations
6.41) A unit may be in one of two formations when moving, march or line. Infantry in column, limbered artillery and mounted cavalry are in march formation. Units in march formation may use roads to move faster and trails to negate other terrain (See Terrain Effects on Movement), but they are generally more vulnerable if fired on. Infantry in column and limbered artillery also may not fire (See Fire Strength Formation Effects).
Units in march formation moving along a trail must pay the plus 1 movement point penalty to cross a stream hexside. Units in march formation moving along a road do not!
6.42) How to Change Formation: The cost in movement points to change formation is displayed on the mapsheet for quick reference during play. To change a unit's formation, deduct the appropriate cost from the unit's movement allowance and place or remove the March Formation counter on/from the unit in the case of infantry and cavalry. Remember that infantry in column has no facing but mounted cavalry does, so when placing the mounted symbol on a cavalry unit be sure to point the arrow correctly.
6.43) To limber artillery, deduct the formation change cost from the movement allowance and invert the artillery unit to its limbered side, being careful to ensure that the arrow points to the current strength (see 7.24). Reverse the procedure to unlimber an artillery unit.
6.44) Cavalry may mount or dismount at any point in the movement phase provided it has sufficient movement points to do so. Cavalry may also continue to move after changing formation, provided the movement allowance of the formation changed to has not already been exceeded.
6.45) If a unit wishes to both move and change formation, it must have enough movement points to do so. A unit may never exceed its movement allowance (exception: 7.65).
6.46) If a unit changes formation in an enemy ZOC, it may be subject to withdrawal fire. If so, the withdrawal fire is made at the unit just before it changes formation.
6.47) Units must be in command control to change formation (Exception: 5.24; 7.36).
6.5) Stacking
6.51) No more than one combat unit may occupy a hex at the conclusion of the movement phase. Players may move "through" friendly units only at no additional cost in movement points (Exception: may not move through wagons, see 6.81). When all movement has been completed no more than one combat unit may occupy a hex. Units may never enter a hex occupied by an enemy combat unit.
6.52) Certain counters are free stacking, i.e. a player may stack them in a hex in addition to the one combat unit. They are: leaders, entrenched markers, and all information counters (e.g. strength markers, in column, etc.). Leaders may, but are not required to, stack.
6.6) Entrenching
6.61) Only Union units may entrench. No Confederate units may entrench.
6.62) Entrenchments represent improved defensive positions and must be constructed as follows:
6.621) Units may only entrench during night game turns and must be stacked with or adjacent to their division or corps leader. (Exception: The Wilder mounted infantry unit may use any Union leader to entrench.)
6.622) To entrench, a unit must occupy the hex in which the entrenchment will be constructed from the beginning of one turn until the start of the movement phase of the immediately following turn.
6.623) At the beginning of the movement phase, place a "digging" symbol on the unit constructing the entrenchment. At the start of the next turn's movement phase (before placing any additional "digging" symbols), invert any "digging" symbols on the map to their entrenched side. The unit that constructed the entrenchment may then move normally.
6.63) Only one entrenchment may be constructed in any given hex. Entrenchments give a defensive benefit on three sides only. Once positioned they are permanent and may not be moved but may be dismantled if on a road (see 6.68).
6.64) Entrenchments may not be dug in an enemy ZOC.
6.65) Units digging an entrenchment may not fire defensively or offensively. If the digging unit is charged the digging symbol is removed and no entrenchment may be built in the charged hex that turn. If a digging unit elects to fire during the turn of construction, the digging symbol is removed and no entrenchment may be constructed in that hex during that turn.
6.66) Only infantry in line formation and dismounted cavalry may construct or dismantle entrenchments. A unit may not change formation and entrench in the same turn. Only infantry in line, dismounted cavalry and unlimbered artillery may benefit from being entrenched.
6.67) Benefits of being entrenched: -3 to attacker's die roll if fired at only through entrenched hexsides; no melee modifier to attacker meleeing an entrenched unit only through entrenchment hexside(s).
6.68) Entrenchments may be dismantled by either side, but only if the entrenchment is on a road and positioned so that the road passes through an entrenched hexside. The dismantling procedure is exactly the reverse of the construction procedure except that dismantling may be done during a night or day turn.
6.69) Limbered artillery may never cross an entrenched hexside. Infantry and cavalry (mounted and dismounted) may cross any entrenched hexside by paying plus 2 movement points for each entrenched hexside crossed plus the cost of other terrain in the hex entered. Crest hexsides may be ignored when crossing an entrenched hexside that is also a crest hexside.
6.7) Reinforcements
6.71) Players should consult the Turn Record and Reinforcement Chart each turn to see if they are due any reinforcements.
6.711) Reinforcements to which a player is entitled are received during the movement phase of the game turn indicated on the Turn Record and Reinforcement Chart. The Chart lists all available reinforcements by hour, day, and entrance area. Players may wish to place reinforcements directly on the Chart, in the space provided, prior to the commencement of play.
6.712) Reinforcements may not enter prior to their scheduled turn of arrival, nor may they be delayed past their scheduled turn of arrival (Exception 6.73).
6.72) Entrance Areas: The lettered areas "A"-"G" around the edge of the mapsheet are entrance areas for reinforcements.
6.721) Note that most entrance areas are several hexes side. Reinforcements entering the mapsheet in any given area may enter through any hex in the entrance area, not just the road hex.
6.722) Infantry reinforcements may enter in column or in line, cavalry may enter mounted or dismounted, but artillery may only enter limbered.
6.723) Each unit pays the terrain cost of the first hex entered, unless entering in march formation on a road. If two or more units wish to enter the mapsheet through the same hex the first one pays the normal terrain cost, the second in line pays twice the normal cost, the third three times, etc.
6.724) Enemy units may never block an entrance area to prevent friendly units from entering as scheduled. If enemy units occupy some or all of the hexes in an entrance area, friendly units may enter as many as possible inside the entrance area, and the rest merely move one hex to the right or left, then another hex, etc.
6.73) Certain reinforcements may enter the mapsheet prior to their scheduled turn of arrival under certain conditions.
6.731) Union Reserve Corps: Enters the mapsheet normally at 1200, September 20th, through area G; or may voluntarily delay 2 turns and enter at 1400 through Area F. May enter earlier through Area G in any Union player turn after:
a) Any Confederate unit(s) have crossed Dyer's bridge or Dyer's ford; or if:
b) Prior to 0800, Sept. 19th, any Confederate unit(s) move onto, west, or north of a line drawn from the Brotherton house due east to the B. Brock house, thence northeast to Dyer's Mill; or if:
c) Prior to 0800, Sept. 20th, any Confederate unit(s) move onto or across a perimeter defined by Kelly's Creek south to the La-Fayette road, thence north on the road to the McFarland Gap road, thence east on the road to entrance Area F; or if:
d) Prior to 1200, Sept. 20th, any Confederate unit(s) move onto or across a perimeter defined by Cloud's Creek south to the McFarland Gap road, thence east on the road to entrance Area F.
6.732) Union Off-Map Cavalry: May enter through Area E during any Union player turn 1600, Sept 19th, or later, at the Union player's discretion. Under no circumstances may the Union off-map cavalry enter the map prior to 1600, Sept. 19th. Must enter 1600, Sept. 20th, if not already in play.
6.733) Confederate Off-Map Cavalry: May enter through Area D or E in any Confederate player turn after:
a) Any Union off-map cavalry unit(s) have entered the mapsheet; and/or:
b) Any Union unit(s) cross Chickamauga Creek.
6.74) D. McCook: 2-2-Res: 2-Res Artillery:
a) Enters the map as noted on the Turn Record and Reinforcement sheet.
b) May not move east of Cloud's Creek, nor south of its intersection with the La-Fayette Road, nor west of the LaFayette Road.
c) Must be withdrawn through Area G by the end of the 1000 Union player turn, September 19th.
d) Movement restrictions "b" and "c" are ignored if the Confederate player crosses any boundary line of 6.731 a-d prior to the 1000 Union player turn, September 19th, thus releasing the balance of the Union Reserve Corps.
6.75) Lt. Gen. Longstreet was obliged to find his own way to the battlefield as Bragg did not send a guide to meet him. Accordingly, when the LONGSTREET unit enters the map, the Confederate player rolls the ten sided die. On a roll of "1" or "2", Longstreet must cross at Dyer's Bridge; "3" through "8", at Reed's Bridge; "9" or "10" at Alexander's Bridge. Note that if Longstreet crosses Dyer's Bridge, this does not release the Union Reserve Corps (see 6.731).
6.8) Special Units and Movement Rules
6.81) Wagons:
6.811) Wagons are an abstract representation of each corps field hospitals, ambulances, and forward supply elements.
6.812) Wagons: Move 3 hexes/turn; may only move on road hexes; may not move through friendly units; friendly units may not move through wagons; fire defensively and offensively with strength of 1; have no facing; may not initiate a charge; have no ZOC; and are exempt from command control.
6.82) Wilder's Mounted Infantry: The only Spencer repeating carbines present were carried by Wilder's mounted infantry (Union 1-4-XIV detached). For game purposes, this unit is represented and treated as a cavalry unit with a special morale value of 9 at full strength and 7 at half strength (printed on the unit as "m9" and "m7"). It also has its own line on the Range Effects Chart and on the Combat Related Tables sheet.
Wilder's mounted infantry is also exempt from command control, but may apply the leadership value of any Union leader (in command radius) to his morale checks per 7.64. Additionally the Wilder unit may give command control to Lilly's artillery unit (Union 4-XIV Horse Art - "Lilly") per 5.22.
6.83) Chickamauga Creek may only be crossed at bridges and/or located fords.
6.84) Destroying and Rebuilding bridges:
6.841) Only dismounted Union cavalry and the Wilder unit (if dismounted) may destroy bridges, if in command control. While engaged in bridge destruction, cavalry units may fire normally (offensive and defensive), but may not melee.
6.842) The bridges at Lee and Gordon's Mill and Dyer's bridge may not be destroyed in the game. To destroy any other bridge, the destroying unit must occupy a hex which contains the bridge to be destroyed as one of its hexsides. The destroying unit must occupy this hex from the beginning of one turn until the beginning of the movement phase of the immediately following turn.
6.843) Procedure: At the beginning of the movement phase, place an "intact bridge" marker on the bridge to be destroyed. Note, however, that an "intact bridge" marker may not be placed if a Confederate combat unit occupies the other hex containing that bridge hexside. At the start of the next turn's movement phase, if the destroying unit is still in place, invert the "intact bridge" marker to the side showing the bridge destroyed. The destroying unit may then immediately move normally. If the destroying unit is routed by fire attack, or melee attacked, during the bridge destruction process, the "intact bridge" marker is removed and the bridge is not destroyed.
6.844) To rebuild a bridge requires two infantry units, one on each side of the bridge hexside. These two infantry units must be in line formation, in command control, and must begin and end two consecutive complete game turns in position. They may not fire offensively or defensively, or melee during the rebuilding turns. At the end of the two turns, remove the "destroyed bridge" marker.
6.85) Locating fords: Neither side was sure of the exact location of the various fords across Chickamauga Creek. Fords must thus be located before they may be used.
6.851) Only cavalry units (mounted or dismounted) and infantry units (in line formation) may search for Fords. Routed units may not search. Units do not need to be in command control to search.
6.852) Once a particular ford is located, all units (of both sides) may use that ford as desired.
6.853) During the search procedure, the searching unit may not fire offensively, defensively, charge, or melee.
6.854) Procedure:
a) Searching unit moves adjacent to a ford hexside, stops and moves no further that turn, and places a "SEARCH" marker on that searching unit.
b) Start of next turn's movement phase, the searching unit rolls the die. If that ford's location number or less is rolled, invert the "SEARCH" marker to its "FORD LOCATED" side. The ford is immediately usable by all units for the balance of the game.
c) If a number greater than the ford's location number is rolled, the ford is not located and another "SEARCH" marker is placed on the searching unit. If the searching unit remains in the hex without moving, it may deduct -1 from its ford location die roll for each "SEARCH" marker stacked on it at the start of the third turn's movement phase. The process continues with each subsequent unsuccessful search die roll placing another "SEARCH" marker on the unit and providing an additional -1 die roll modifier on following turns. If the searching unit moves away at any point prior to locating the ford, all "SEARCH" markers are removed from play and the search for that ford must begin anew.
6.9) Withdrawal Fire
6.91) Withdrawal fire is a special type of fire attack which inhibits the ability of combat units to perform certain functions when in an enemy ZOC.
6.92) Withdrawal fire is a "free" shot, i.e. it may be fired anytime its special circumstances occur without affecting the firing unit's ability to have normal combat during combat phase (Exceptions: No withdrawal fire may be taken at units that are advancing after fire combat or melee combat; at infantry units that involuntarily change formation per 7.36).
6.93) Withdrawal fire is performed exactly like normal fire combat, except that each unit must fire individually, i.e. units may never combine their strength factors in withdrawal fire.
6.94) A friendly unit may withdrawal fire on any enemy unit that:
- attempts to change facing in its ZOC
- attempts to change formation in its ZOC
- attempts to move out of its ZOC (Exception: When a unit is forced to rout, no withdrawal fire may be taken as that unit leaves the hex in which the rout was forced)
- voluntarily routs from a charge (see 8.26)
7) Combat Phase
7.1) General Rule
During combat phase, units conduct defensive and offensive fire. Units suffering casualties must check their morale and units of the moving player which force an enemy unit to vacate a hex may advance after combat.
7.2) Combat Strength
7.21) The combat strength of a unit is represented by a strength marker placed under the unit. The unit's original, full strength is printed on the colored side of the unit. The strength counter is placed under the unit so that the number under the unit's direct frontal side is its current strength. As the unit takes losses, the strength counter should be rotated, inverted, or replaced with a lower value strength counter to reflect current strength. When losses reduce the unit to one-half or less of its original strength, invert the unit so that the white side is face up and shows the half strength value printed on the unit.
7.22) When a unit has a combat strength of one and takes another casualty, it is eliminated.
7.23) A unit's combat factor is unitary, i.e. it may not be divided up to fire at several different enemy units (Exception: 8.272).
7.24) Note that the limbered side of an artillery unit has an arrow printed on it. The arrow is for player convenience when changing an artillery unit's formation. When unlimbered, the unit's current strength is the number under its direct front side. When limbering the unit; the arrow should be positioned to point to the edge of the unit under which the current strength is shown.
7.3) How to Have Combat
7.31) When a combat unit wishes to fire at an enemy unit, first check the Fire Strength Formation Effects and Fire Strength Range Effects tables on the Combat Related Tables sheet to see if the firing unit's combat strength is tripled, doubled, normal, halved, halved and halved again, or whether the attack is not permitted because of the firing unit's formation.
After determining the number of combat strength points firing, find this number in one of the vertical columns on the Combat Table. Next roll the ten sided die provided and check the "Modifiers to Firing Unit's Die Roll" table to see if additions to or subtractions from the die roll are necessary. After determining the final modified die roll, cross index it with the strength points firing and find the result of the attack. The results are explained under the Combat Table. If a number result is obtained, the enemy unit fired at must reduce its current strength by that number.
7.32) See 6.17 for limitations on the ability of artillery units to fire and move in the same turn.
7.33) Combat is always voluntary. A unit is never required to fire at an enemy unit merely because it is within range or adjacent.
7.34) Players may combine units' fire during combat phase, i.e. a player may fire at an enemy unit with as many friendly units as may legally do so, combining all their strength factors into one attack. Note that in any given combat phase, however, a combat unit may fire once and may only be fired at once (exception: withdrawal fires).
7.35) When halving combat strength, always round down each unit individually. However, a combat unit's firing strength is never reduced to zero by halving — it always fires with at least a strength of one.
7.36) If an infantry unit in column is fired on and takes a strength point loss, it must immediately change formation in the hex in which the loss occurred. there is no movement point cost for changing formation as a result of a strength point loss.
7.37) Target Orientation: Refer to diagram 6.3. All fire is considered to travel along a straight line from the center of the hex occupied by the firing unit to the center of the hex occupied by the target unit. If this line enters the target unit's hex from the direction of a hex lettered "a" in the diagram, the fire is considered frontal fire. If the line enters the target hex from the direction of a hex lettered "b", the fire is considered through the flank. If the line enters from the direction of the hex lettered "d", the fire is considered to be through the target unit's rear. If the line enters the target unit's hex from the direction of a hex lettered "c", the firing player may choose whether the fire should be considered as through the flank or through the rear. Fire originating in hex "e" would be a flank shot unless the line of sight is blocked through hex "b", in which case the fire would be a frontal shot. Refer to the Modifiers to Firing Unit(s) Die Roll Table and the Morale Check Modifiers Table for the effects of fire through the target unit's flank or rear hexside.
7.38) Firing Unit Orientation: Combat units may only fire at enemy units in their "field of fire".
7.381) The field of fire of infantry and cavalry is limited to their three frontal hexes and all hexes labeled "a" in the diagram below.
7.382) An artillery unit's field of fire includes those hexes described in 7.381. It also extends outward between those 2 lines drawn from the center of the artillery unit's hex through the center of its right front hex and through the center of its left front hex (See diagram below).
(Diagram: "Artillery field of fire" — shows the DIRECT FRONT, LEFT FRONT and RIGHT FRONT hexes of an artillery unit, with "a" hexes marked.)
7.39) Line of Sight Table: This table is on the Combat Related Tables sheet and should be self-explanatory. Locate the hex type the firing unit is in and cross index it with the hex type the target unit is in. Terrain types in the intersecting box block line of sight with exceptions as footnoted. Also study the "Additional Notes" given and remember that you can't fire at anything you can't see! If all else fails, resolve line of sight disputes with a friendly roll of the die.
7.4) Defensive Fire
7.41) All of the non-moving player's units that can legally fire may fire at the moving player's units during the Defensive Fire Phase (see Turn Sequence 4.0).
7.42) Enemy infantry in line formation and dismounted cavalry may fire at any unit in range. Unlimbered artillery may fire a maximum of three hexes.
7.5) Offensive Fire
7.51) During the Offensive Fire Phase the moving player may fire all of his units capable of firing, up to their maximum range.
7.52) If an enemy unit is eliminated or routs out of a hex fired into by an adjacent friendly unit, one friendly unit that fired into, and was adjacent to, the vacated hex may advance into that hex without changing its facing. Advancing after combat does not subject the advancing unit to withdrawal fire. This option to advance must be exercised immediately, before any other combats are resolved, or not at all. Note that artillery may never advance.
Infantry in line formation and dismounted cavalry may not advance across a bridge, but may advance across a ford. If unlocated, the act of advancing after combat locates the ford.
7.6) Morale
7.61) In this game morale is a numerical expression of a combat unit's ability to take losses and continue to stand its ground and fight.
7.62) All combat units have a morale value of "7" on their full strength side, and "5" on their half strength side (Exception; Wilder, see 6.82). Artillery units have no half strength side and thus retain a morale value of "7" until eliminated. Leaders have a leadership value rather than a morale level.
7.63) A combat unit must check morale whenever:
- It takes a casualty or "M" result when fired at on the Combat Table;
- It is attempting to recover from rout;
- Morale checks are called for in the Charge and Melee Phase;
- A friendly unit routs through its hex;
- A friendly adjacent unit routs or is eliminated in Charge and Melee Phase only.
7.64) Morale Check Procedure: Determine the unit's current moral level (generally 7 or 5, but see 7.62), then consult the Morale Check Modifiers chart on the Combat Related Tables sheet. Add or subtract all applicable modifiers to the unit's current morale level to determine the final morale level. Roll the final morale level or less with a ten sided die to pass. If the unit passes, there is no additional effect and the checking unit remains in its hex. If the die roll is greater than the final morale level, the unit has failed its morale check and must rout.
7.65) Rout: Units that fail a morale check must immediately rout three hexes, ignoring terrain costs. They may not enter the same hex twice and must end up at least three hexes away from the enemy unit that caused the rout. If the routing unit is unable to rout three hexes due to being surrounded by enemy units, it surrenders instead (i.e. it is eliminated). If the three hex path passes through an enemy ZOC, that enemy unit may fire withdrawal fire at the routing unit (but see 6.94). If the three hex path passes through hexes occupied by friendly units, each friendly unit moved through must check its morale; and if a vacant hex is not available at the end of the three hex path, the routing unit must continue routing until there is a vacant hex. Routing units should generally move toward their own lines, but note that when alternative directions of rout are available, the player owning the routing unit has the final say on how it moves! Routed units may rout across bridges and located fords. Unlimbered artillery units which rout are limbered after routing (Exception: see 8.26 and 8.33).
7.66) Routed units (on subsequent turns) may move one hex per turn during movement phase, ignoring terrain costs.
7.661) The routed unit may not move to any hex that decreases the range between it and any enemy unit in its line of sight. If the routed unit can't move without doing this, it can't move.
7.662) A routed unit has no ZOC and no facing. It may not fire defensively or offensively.
7.663) Routed units may never voluntarily move adjacent to enemy units.
7.67) Additional notes on Routed Units:
7.671) If a routed unit is fired on and takes a casualty, it automatically routs three more hexes. "M" results are treated as no effect.
7.672) If a routed unit fails a recovery attempt in Rally Phase, it must rout three more hexes (direction per 7.65).
7.673) If a routed unit routs off the mapsheet, it sits off the playing surface adjacent to the hex through which it exited. It may not be attacked while off the mapsheet and may not reenter until it recovers during Rally phase. On the Rally phase in which it recovers, it is placed on the mapsheet in or adjacent to the hex through which it exited, and may move normally next turn.
7.7) Special Combat Rules
7.71) Off Map Cavalry Skirmishing:
7.711) Wheeler's Cavalry Corps and Mitchell's Federal Cavalry (minus Minty's Brigade) skirmished throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th around Chickamauga Creek in the area just south of the game map. These units are set up in the "OFF-MAP CAVALRY DISPLAY" boxes on the Turn Record and Reinforcements card and enter the game map normally on the 20th at the time shown, or earlier per 6.73.
7.712) The off-map skirmishing is resolved once per day on the 18th and 19th during the 2100/2200 game turn as follows:
- all units are considered to be dismounted or unlimbered and firing at their maximum range and at like targets. Each unit fires individually, i.e. they may not combine fire.
- Firing is simultaneous. Each unit in the display fires once and records the hits on scrap paper. "M" results are considered no effect. After all firing is completed and each side's hits are totaled, divide each side's total by 3, round down, and apply losses. Each side distributes its losses evenly among the units in display i.e. all units in the display must lose one factor before any units may lose a second factor.
7.72) Captured Artillery:
Unlimbered artillery units in melee that fail a morale check surrender (i.e. are captured and may thereafter be moved and fired by the capturing player (see 8.34).
8) Charge and Melee Phase
8.1) General Rule
This phase simulates the hand to hand combat of the period. A moving unit may charge a defending unit and, if it passes any required morale checks, may engage in melee (hand to hand) combat. Note that charge and melee are two separate subphases and charges must be resolved before proceeding with melee.
8.2) Charge Sub-phase
8.21) Once a charge is initiated, the charging unit(s) are committed to the entire charge-melee sequence and may not withdraw voluntarily.
8.22) Certain units may never initiate a charge. These are units that are out of command control, units with their half strength side face up, artillery units, infantry units in column formation, and wagons.
8.23) Within the limitations of 8.22, infantry and cavalry units may charge an enemy unit from any adjacent hex. (Exceptions: units may not charge across Chickamauga Creek or its fords; mounted cavalry may not charge into a woods hex; only mounted cavalry may charge across a bridge hexside).
8.24) Units may charge through their direct front hexside only (See 6.3). Note that units are not required to charge the same enemy unit they fired at.
8.25) The moving player may charge with as many units as he can get adjacent to the defending unit being charged. Note, however, that the attacker must commit at least as many strength points to the charge as the defender has in the hex. Leadership values are never included for purposes of calculating the minimum 1-1 ratio. Artillery is compared at full strength.
8.26) The defending unit may voluntarily rout when a charge is announced (Exceptions: unlimbered artillery may not voluntarily rout, only mounted cavalry may voluntarily rout from a mounted cavalry charge). Mounted cavalry may retreat (not rout) one or two hexes from an infantry charge. If the mounted cavalry retreats, it may not defensive fire at the charging unit. In either case (rout or retreat) the attacker (only) may withdrawal fire and one charging unit must advance into the vacated hex, without changing its facing. The defending unit may not fire defensive fire per 8.272 if it chooses to rout.
8.27) Charge Sequence:
8.271) Announce charge and indicate which unit(s) are charging and which unit is being charged.
8.272) The unit being charged may fire defensive fire at the charging unit(s). If being charged by more than one enemy unit, the defending unit may divide its current strength in order to fire with part of its current strength at each charging unit in its frontal hexsides. Note that this is the only occasion in the game when a unit may divide its fire strength.
8.273) Each charging unit must next check morale if it takes a casualty or "M" result. If the charging unit passes or is not required to check, the defending unit must next check its morale. If the defending unit fails, it routs and one charging unit must occupy the vacated hex (without changing facing).
8.274) If the defending unit passes its morale check, proceed to melee subphase.
8.3) Melee Sub-Phase
8.31) Units may never voluntarily rout from melee.
8.32) If a Unit (attacker or defender) in melee with its half strength side face up fails a morale check, it must surrender (i.e. eliminate) a number of its strength points equal to the current strength of its melee opponent(s). Any surviving strength points then rout. Any leaders in the hex roll one die. On a roll of 9 or 10 they are eliminated. Treat a roll of 8 or less per 5.322.
8.33) Artillery units melee at one half current strength, round up, and if unlimbered, may not rout after the melee sequence begins. (see 8.34).
8.34) If an unlimbered artillery unit in melee fails a morale check, it surrenders (i.e. it is captured). It then is owned by the capturing player who immediately receives a free facing for the captured unit only. Note that this is the only occassion in the game when a melee attacker does not advance. He merely places a "CAP'T. ARTILLERY" marker on the artillery unit and they remain adjacent until their next turn. Both may then move normally. Melee Casualty points are awarded only for the number of artillery strength points actually eliminated.
8.35) Melee Sequence:
8.351) Melee combat is simultaneous, i.e. both sides roll on the combat table and apply the melee modifiers found on the Combat Related Tables sheet. (Exception: 8.36)
8.352) After adjusting the strength counters to reflect losses, the defending unit checks morale. If the defending unit fails the morale check, it routs (exception: 8.32); and one charging unit must occupy the vacated hex (without changing facing). Note that if the defending unit fails its morale check, the charging units are not required to check morale and the melee is finished.
If, however, the defending unit passes its morale check, then the charging unit(s) must check their morale. If a charging unit fails its morale check, it routs (exception: 8.32); if all charging units rout, the melee is finished.
8.353) If both defending and charging units pass their morale checks, repeat the above sequence starting with combat rolls (8.351). Fighting continues in this manner until either the defending unit or all charging units are eliminated or routed. (See 5.32 and 5.38 for leaders.)
8.36) No melee modifier is given to an attacker in melee with an entrenched unit if the attacker charged across only entrenchment hexsides.
9) Rally Phase
9.1) General Rule: All of the moving player's routed units may attempt to recover their morale in Rally Phase. Units that successfully rally (i.e. recover morale) may fire in the next defensive fire phase and move normally in their next turn.
9.2) Rally Procedure:
9.21) Routed units attempting to rally make a normal morale check (7.64), applying all applicable modifiers. If the unit passes the morale check, it is considered rallied and functions normally until again routed.
9.22) If the routed unit fails its rally attempt, it remains routed and must immediately rout three more hexes per 7.65.
9.23) Routed units that rally successfully receive a free facing change.
10) Night Game Turns
10.1) During night game turns units may not voluntarily move adjacent to an enemy unit except as an advance after combat. If adjacent to an enemy unit at the start of any night turn, combat may occur normally except that all fire ranges are reduced to one hex.
10.2) All Leader unit command radii are reduced by 1 hex during night turns (Conf. 3, Union 2).
10.3) During the movement phase of the 2300/2400 game turn, players may attempt to recover stragglers. Roll one ten sided die for each Confederate and Union division in play that has taken casualties. Consult the Straggler Recovery Table on the Combat Related Tables sheet to see how many strength points are recovered by the division rolled for. The strength points recovered may be allocated to any brigade(s) of that division at the owning player's discretion. (Exception: The player may not bring an eliminated unit back into play; no brigade may have more strength points than are displayed on its full strength side). If a division receives more strength points than it can distribute among its brigades, the excess is lost.
10.31) As stragglers are recovered, reduce the totals on the Casualty Record as appropriate. Note, however, that a player may not recover from demoralization (11.2).
10.32) Players may not attempt to recover artillery or cavalry. Strength points recovered per 10.3 may not be allocated to artillery, cavalry, or mounted infantry.
10.4) Night turn movement restrictions:
10.41) Units in march formation (in column, mounted, or limbered) may not enter any woods hexes unless on a road or trail.
10.42) The movement point cost of all woods hexes is doubled for infantry in line and dismounted cavalry.
10.43) Units in woods hexes may change formation as desired, but their movement is limited as noted above.
11) Victory Conditions
11.1) Casualty Record: The counter mix includes three casualty markers for each side (six total). These are placed on the Casualty Record track on the mapsheet at the start of the game. As the game is played, move the casualty markers along their respective tracks to reflect one point per strength point lost, one point per star for each leader eliminated, and one point for each Colonel eliminated.
11.2) Demoralization: When an army engaged in battle loses enough of its strength it becomes demoralized. When the Casualty Record reflects losses of 275 points for the Confederates and/or 245 points for the Union, they become demoralized. The effects of demoralization are: all leaders' leadership value is reduced by 1 ("0" becomes "-1"); and routed units rout four hexes instead of three.
Certain leader units are exempt from the effects of demoralization. They are: all cavalry leaders, and the Longstreet, Granger, and Thomas leader units. The first player to demoralize his opponent is awarded 25 victory points, even if he also becomes demoralized during a subsequent game turn. In the event both sides become demoralized during the same game turn, no victory points are awarded for demoralizing the enemy.
11.3) Miscellaneous Victory Points: Players also receive victory points as listed below at the end of the 1900/2000 game turn of the specified day. The victory points for eliminating or exiting wagons (11.34) are awarded on the day they are earned.
11.31) September 18th;
a) Confederate:
- 2 pts: each ford located and bridge crossed.
- 2 pts: each Union strength point eliminated.
- 1 pt: each Confederate combat unit on the west bank of Chickamauga Creek.
b) Union:
- 10 pts: each bridge destroyed.
- 10 pts: total if Wilder and Minty do not take any casualties AND are within 5 hexes of any LaFayette road hex. 4 pts total if only one condition is fulfilled by either unit.
- 2 pts: each Confederate combat unit east of Chickamauga Creek.
11.32) Sept. 19th; (see 11.35)
a) Confederate:
- 10 pts- cut the LaFayette road at or south of the Kelly house.
- 40 pts- cut the Dry Valley Road at or south of the Vittitoe house.
NOTE: "Cut" defined as 20 or more unrouted strength points occupying or exerting a ZOC on the "cut" road hex or hexes.
b) Union:
- 40 pts- Confederates don't cut the LaFayette road.
- 10pts- Confederates don't cut the Dry Valley road.
11.33) September 20th; (exited units may not reenter the map)
a) Confederate:
- If the Union player selects 11.33 b1, the Confederate player receives:
- 2 pts: each unrouted Confederate combat exited through Area G.
- 2 pts: each Union combat unit still on the map.
- If the Union player selects 11.33 b2, the Confederate player receives:
- 1 pt: each unrouted Confederate combat unit on the map.
b) Union: (Only one of the following may apply)
-
If the Union player elects to withdraw toward Chattanooga, he receives 1 point for each unrouted Union combat unit exited through Area F.
-
If the Union player elects to remain on the battlefield, he receives 2 pts for each unrouted Union combat unit on the map, PROVIDED he controls the Kelly house and both hexes of Snodgrass Hill with a line of communication from all 3 hexes to Area F or G.
11.34) Wagons (anytime);
Conf: 25 pts- each wagon elim.: 10 pts- each wagon still on the map at the end of the 1900/2000 turn, Sept. 20th.
Union: 15 pts- each wagon exited at F.
11.35) To receive victory points for specific terrain, players must be able to trace a path of communication free of enemy units and/or Zones of Control to a certain area of the mapsheet. Confederates must be able to trace to entrance Areas "A", "B", "C", or "D". The Union must be able to trace to entrance Areas "F" or "G".
11.4) Victory Levels: Total each side's victory points as follows: 1 point for each enemy strength point eliminated and 1 point per star for each enemy leader (or colonel) eliminated (Casualty Record total); 25 points for demoralizing the enemy (if applicable); total of daily miscellaneous victory points. When both sides have totaled their victory points, refer to the table below to evaluate performance.
The player with the greater number of victory points over 25 is the winner. The victory levels are:
- Draw: 1-25 points more than your opponent
- Marginal: 26-75 points more than your opponent.
- Tactical: 76-125 points more than your opponent.
- Decisive: 126 or more points than your opponent.
12) The Scenarios
12.1) The Battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 18-20, 1863.
12.11) Set Up:
12.111) Union (set up first, move second: all units must set up in line, unlimbered, and dismounted.)
a) CRITTENDEN; WOOD; PALMER; VAN CLEVE; XXI Corps (all); 3 entrenchments within seven (7) hexes of Lee and Gordon's Mill, west of Chickamauga Creek (see also 12.121).
b) 1-2-Cav (Minty): within six (6) hexes of Reed's bridge, west of Chickamauga Creek.
c) CROOK; In command radius of Minty.
d) 1-4-XIV (Wilder Mtd. Inf); in the road hex adjacent to the Alexander's bridge hexside, west bank of Chickamauga Creek.
e) XIV Horse Art (Lilly); in the Alexander house hex.
f) Note: "Intact Bridge" markers may not be placed during set up.
12.112) Confederate (set up second, move first)
Davidson cavalry (of Pegram), mounted; east of Chickamauga Creek, in the hex containing the Dyer's bridge hexside.
12.12) Special Rules:
12.121) Until released, the movement of all Union XXI Corps units is restricted to the area within seven hexes of Lee and Gordon's Mill and west of Chickamauga Creek. They may, however fire normally. One division per game turn is released to move normally beginning with the turn in which any Confederate unit(s) west of Chickamauga Creek move within two (2) hexes of any LaFayette road hex (do not count the road hex).
If Confederate movement has not begun releasing XXI Corps by the Confederate half of the 1600 game turn, September 19th, XXI Corps may release one division per game turn beginning with the Union half of the 1600 turn, September 19th. The XXI Corps wagon is released along with the first division to be released.
12.122) The Union Wilder Mtd. Inf. (1-4-XIV) and Lilly (XIV Horse Art.) units may not move (but may change facing and/or formation) until Alexander's bridge is destroyed or the Wilder unit is routed, whichever occurs first. Both move normally thereafter.
12.13) Reinforcements; Both sides receive all reinforcements listed on the Turn Record and Reinforcements card for September 18th, 19th, and 20th.
12.14) Casualty Record; set all markers at "0".
12.15) Scenario Length; 1500, September 18th through 1900/2000, September 20th; 41 game turns.
12.16) Victory Levels; per 11.4.
12.2) Sept. 18th; Seizing the Crossing Points
12.21) Set Up; Per 12.11.
12.22) Special Rules: Per 12.12.
12.23) Reinforcements: Both sides receive all reinforcements listed on the Turn Record and Reinforcements card for September 18th, through the 1900/2000 game turn.
12.24) Casualty Record; Set all markers at "0".
12.25) Scenario Length; 1500, September 18th through 1900/2000, September 18th; 5 game turns.
12.26) Victory Levels; Each side receives the total of his opponent's casualty record (11.1) plus the September 18th miscellaneous victory points (11.31). (Draw: 1-5 point superiority) (Win: 6 plus point superiority).
12.3) Sept. 19th; The Indecisive Battle
12.31) Set Up
12.311) Union (set up first, move second: all units must set up in line, unlimbered, and dismounted unless otherwise noted.)
a) CRITTENDEN; WOOD; PALMER; VAN CLEVE; XXI Corps (all); 5 entrenchments; per 12.111(a).
b) CROOK; 1-2-Cav. (Minty); within 1 hex of the Cloud church.
c) XIV Horse Art. (Lilly); 1-4-XIV (Wilder Mtd. Inf);within 1 hex of the Viniard house.
d) BAIRD; 1-XIV (all) 4 entrenchments; within 6 hexes of the Kelly house, east of the LaFayette Road.
e) BRANNAN; 3-XIV (all); west of and adjacent to Kelly's creek, within 2 hexes of the Reed's bridge road.
f) REYNOLDS; 2-4-XIV; 3-4-XIV; 4-XIV Artillery; in column, limbered; in adjacent hexes on the Dry Valley road, from Withers house south.
g) THOMAS; on the Kelly house.
h) XIV wagon; within 12 road hexes (traced along road hexes only) of the road hex in entrance Area E (inclusive).
12.312) Confederate Set Up (set up second, move first: all units must set up in line, unlimbered, and dismounted, unless otherwise noted)
a) FORREST; ARMSTRONG; Forrest Cavalry Corps (all except PEGRAM and Scott's brigade); within 2 hexes, but not west of, Jay's Mill.
b) WALKER; GIST, LIDDELL; Walker's Corps (all except Gist's brigade); within 3 hexes of Fowler's Ford, west of Chickamauga Creek.
c) HOOD; JOHNSON; LAW; Johnson's Division (all); Law's Division (all); within 4 hexes of the Alexander house, south of the Alexander bridge road and west of Chickamauga Creek.
d) BUCKNER; STEWART; PRESTON; Buckner's Corps; in column, limbered; east of Chickamauga Creek in adjacent hexes, beginning in the trail hex adjacent to Thedford's ford, thence south on road hexes toward the road hex in entrance Area C.
e) "Ford Located" marker on Lambert's ford; Alexander's bridge intact.
12.32) Special Rules; See 12.121 only!
12.33) Reinforcements; Both sides receive all reinforcements listed on the Turn Record and Reinforcements card for September 19th, 0700 through the 1900/2000 game turn.
12.34) Casualty Record; Set all Union markers at "0". Set Confederate markers to reflect one (1) strength point lost; reduce Walthall's brigade (of Liddell) by one strength point.
12.35) Scenario Length; 0700 through 1900/2000, September 19th; 13 game turns.
12.36) Victory Levels; Each side receives the total of his opponent's casualty record (11.1) plus all applicable victory points from 11.2, 11.32, and 11.34. (Draw: 1-10 point superiority) (Marginal Victory: 11-20 point superiority) (Tactical Victory: 21-30 point superiority) (Decisive Victory: 31 plus point superiority).
12.4) Sept. 20th; Longstreet's Breakthrough
12.41) Set Up (see 12.421 before setting up)
12.411) Union (set up first, move second: all units set up in line, unlimbered, and dismounted unless otherwise noted).
a) PALMER; JOHNSON; BAIRD; THOMAS; REYNOLDS; 2-XX (-14); 2-XXI; 1-XIV (-14); 4-XIV (-8); nine entrenchments: within 3 hexes of the Kelly house (exclusive), on and east of the LaFayette Road.
b) BRANNAN; 3-XIV (-6): on and adjacent to (but not west of) the Poe house.
c) NEGLEY; 2-XIV (-6); in column and limbered; on adjacent trail hexes, from Dyer house west.
d) WOOD; 1-XXI (-3); in column, limbered; in woods hexes, adjacent to (but not east of), the Poe house.
e) CRITTENDEN; VAN CLEVE; 3-XXI (-6); in column, limbered; in adjacent Glenn Kelly trail hexes, from blacksmith shop south.
f) A. McCOOK; DAVIS; SHERIDAN; 1-XX (-14); 3-XX (-3); all units must face south-east; in adjacent hexes beginning on the LaFayette road hex adjacent N.E. to the A. Brock house, thence S.W. to the A. Brock house, thence due west to the Widow Glenn house, thence S.W. along the Dry Valley Road.
g) ROSECRANS; HQ Escort; on either hex of Lytle Hill.
h) 1-4-XIV (Wilder); XIV HA (Lilly); within one hex of Cave Spring.
i) CROOK; 1-2-Cav (Minty); within 2 hexes of the Mullis house.
j) XIV Wagon; within 4 road hexes of the Mullis house.
k) XX Wagon; XXI Wagon; within 4 road hexes of the Vittetoe house.
12.412) Confederate (set up second, move first: all units set up in line, unlimbered, and dismounted.)
a) Units not in play: PEGRAM; Scott; Pegram Horse Artillery.
b) FORREST; Forrest's Cavalry Corps (all except Pegram units not in play); On and/or north of Reed's bridge road, east of Cloud's creek (see 6.731(d)).
c) POLK; in Alexander house (see 5.42).
d) CLEBURNE; D.H. HILL; CHEATHAM; Cleburne's Division (-7); Cheatham's Division (-20); within 5 hexes of the Winfrey house; on and north of the Alexander Bridge road; not adjacent to any Union units.
e) WALKER; LIDDELL; BRECKINRIDGE; GIST; Gist's Division (-7); Liddell's Division (-13); Breckinridge's Division; Anywhere in the area bounded by Reed's Bridge Road; LaFayette road, Alexander Bridge Road, and the east-west hexrow containing Jay's Mill; but not on any road hexes or adjacent to any Union units.
f) LONGSTREET; JOHNSON; KERSHAW; STEWART; HINDMAN; BUCKNER; LAW; Johnson's Division (-4); Law's Division (-6); Kershaw's Division; Stewart's Division (-15); Hindman's Division; within 5 hexes of the Brotherton house (exclusive), east of (but not on) the LaFayette Road, and not adjacent to any Union units.
g) PRESTON; Preston's Division (-1); Buckner Reserve Artillery; within 3 hexes of the Hall house.
h) Army Reserve Artillery (Robertson); within command radius of any Confederate leader.
i) BRAGG; HQ Escort; in Thedford house.
12.42) Special Rules:
12.421) The negative number in parentheses following each division's listing is the number of strength points lost earlier in the fighting. These losses must be distributed among the brigades and artillery unit of the designated division in an even manner, i.e. all units in the division must be reduced by one strength point before any units may be reduced two strength points.
12.422) Confederate Command (see 5.42):
- Polk's Wing: Cheatham's Division; D.H. Hill's Corps (Cleburne and Breckinridge); Walker's Corps (Gist and Liddell).
- Longstreet's Wing: Hindman's Division; Buckner's Corps (Stewart and Preston); Hood's Corps (Johnson, Law, Kershaw).
12.423) At Chickamauga, Polk was notoriously uncooperative and slow starting. Accordingly, the POLK leader unit may neither move nor give command control (per 5.42) until he rolls a "1" or "2" on the ten sided die. Roll once per game turn at the start of the Confederate player turn. If POLK has not rolled a "1" or "2" by 1600, he may commence moving normally and giving command control in the Confederate 1600 player turn.
12.424) Confederate cavalry may not mount during the scenario.
12.425) Turn 1 (1100) only!
- All Confederate infantry units in Longstreet's Wing that start in command control receive a movement allowance of 12 (rather than 7). They must, however, still pay normal terrain and formation change costs.
- All Union units must add plus 1 to all morale check die rolls.
12.43) Reinforcements: Wheeler's Confederate cavalry corps and Mitchell's Union cavalry did not participate in the general engagements of the 20th. Accordingly, they may not be brought into play within the time frame of this scenario. The only reinforcement available is the Union Reserve Corps, which must appear at 1200, Entrance Area G.
12.44) Casualty Record: Set Union casualty markers to reflect 79 strength points lost. Set Confederate casualty markers to reflect 73 strength point lost.
12.45) Scenario Length: 1100 through 1900/2000 game turn, September 20th: 9 game turns.
12.46) Victory Levels: per 11.4, but note that in 11.33, the Union player may only select 11.33(b1). Miscellaneous daily victory points accumulated (11.31 plus 11.32); Confederate 32; Union 30.
12.5) Sept. 20th; The Rock of Chickamauga
12.51) Set Up (see 12.421 before setting up).
12.511) Union (set up first, move second: all units set up in line and unlimbered unless otherwise noted).
a) Union units not in play: ROSECRANS, HQ Escort; A. McCOOK; DAVIS, 2-1-XX, 3-1-XX; CRITTENDEN; VAN CLEVE, 3-XXI (all); NEGLEY, 1-2-XIV, 3-2-XIV; 1-2-Cav (Minty), CROOK; SHERIDAN, 1-3-XX, 2-3-XX, 3-3-XX.
b) Captured artillery (see 12.512j); 2-XIVArt; 1-XX-Art; 3-XX-Art.
c) PALMER; JOHNSON; REYNOLDS; BAIRD; 2-XX(-14); 2-XXI; 1-XIV (-14); 4-XIV (-8); nine entrenchments: within 3 hexes of the Kelly house (exclusive), on and east of the LaFayette road.
d) THOMAS; in Snodgrass house.
e) 2-2-XIV (-1); entrenched; adjacent to any Snodgrass hill hexside.
f) WOOD; 1-XXI (-6); 3 entrenchments; On slope hexes only, within 1 hex (but not south) of the blacksmth shop.
g) BRANNAN; 3-XIV (-11); 4 entrenchments; within 3 hexes (but not south) of the Vittetoe house.
h) GRANGER; STEEDMAN; 1-Res; in column, limbered; On any 3 adjacent trail hexes due west of (but not on) Snodgrass hill.
i) D. McCOOK; 2-Res; within 3 hexes of the McDonald house, west of Cloud's creek.
j) XIV Wagon, within 4 road hexes of the Mullis house; XX Wagon and XXI Wagon, within 8 road hexes of the Vittetoe house.
12.512) Confederate (set up second, move first: all units set up in line, unlimbered, and dismounted unless otherwise noted).
a) Confederate units not in play: PEGRAM, Scott, Pegram Horse Artillery.
b) FORREST; Forrest's Cavalry Corps (per 12.412b).
c) CLEBURNE; D.H. HILL; CHEATHAM; Cleburne's Division (-13); Cheatham's Division (-20); set up per 12.412(d).
d) POLK; in Alexander house (see 5.42).
e) WALKER; LIDDELL; BRECKINRIDGE; GIST; Gist's Division (-7); Liddell's Division (-13); Breckinridge's Division (-10); set up per 12.412(e).
f) STEWART; Stewart's Division (-17); Anywhere in the area bounded by Alexander Bridge road, Brotherton road, LaFayette road, and the Union entrenchments; but not on any road hexes or adjacent to any Union units.
g) HINDMAN; JOHNSON; LAW; Hindman's Division (-13), no artillery; Johnson's Division (-12), no artillery; Law's Division (-15), no artillery; On any trail hexes in the east-west hex row containing the Dyer house west of the LaFayette road; all units west of (and not on) the LaFayette road.
h) KERSHAW; Kershaw's Division (-3); within 1 hex (but not north) of the Poe house, not adjacent to any Union units.
i) PRESTON; Preston's Division (-1), no artillery; within 1 hex of the Brotherton house.
j) Artillery Park: all units limbered, within 2 hexes of the A. Brock house; "Capt'd Artillery" markers on the Union artillery units; Preston Artillery; Johnson Artillery (-1); Hindman Artillery; Res. Art. (Buckner); Army Res. Art. (Rbtson.); Union 2-XIV-Art. (-2, Capt'd); Union 3-XX-Art. (-6, Capt'd); Union 1-XX-Art. (-5; Capt'd).
k) LONGSTREET; HOOD; BUCKNER; anywhere to give command control.
l) BRAGG, HQ Escort; in Thedford house.
12.52) Special Rules;
12.521) See 12.421, 12.422, 12.423, and 12.424.
12.522) THOMAS is now in command of the Union Army and may give command control to any Union units in radius; he may also use his leadership value normally with any Union unit in radius.
12.53) Reinforcements: Wilder and Lilly HA enter Area F at 1400.
12.54) Casualty Record: Set Union casualty markers to reflect 156 strength points lost. Set Confederate casualty markers to reflect 124 strength points lost.
12.55) Scenario Length: 1400 through 1900/2000 game turns, September 20th: 6 game turns.
12.56) Victory Levels: per 11.4, but note that in 11.33, the Union player may only select 11.33(b1). Miscellaneous daily victory points accumulated (11.31 plus 11.32); Confederate 32; Union 30.
13) Historical Notes
CHICKAMAUGA—"River of Death", an appropriate name for the deep, tree-lined stream that meanders sluggishly through north-east Georgia, eventually emptying into the Tennessee River. The most popular tradition on the origin of the name is that "Chickamauga" meant "river of death" in the language of the Cherokee Indians, whose villages dotted the banks of the wandering stream in pioneer days. The first white men into the area brought with them smallpox, which quickly ravaged the Indian population. Attempting to relieve the fever, they bathed in the cool waters and died, thus providing a fitting name for the creek whose surrounding countryside would see death again in the desperate clash of two mighty armies.
History has not recorded much concerning the thoughts of the people living there in September of 1863: of Debbie Thedford, who berated a Confederate officer for ordering some soldiers out of her potato patch; of young widow Eliza Glenn, who fled with her two children to the cabin of Hiram Vittetoe, and then fled again when the battle caught up with her a second time; of Private Tom Brotherton, who knew every trail through the pine thickets and was instrumental in Longstreet's planning; of Tom's sister Adaline who returned daily throughout the battle to the Brotherton farm to milk the family cows and give the milk to the wounded of both sides that littered the cabin and yard; of Larkin and Sarah Poe, John and Priscilla McDonald, Robert and Carrie Dyer, John Kelly, and old man George Washington Snodgrass, whose cabin was a focal point in the repeated Confederate assaults of September 20th. Most of these simple country folk hid in the woods during the battle, emerging only after it was all over to find their homes crammed with dead and dying, or else burned to the ground.
History has, however, recorded in detail what happened on that battlefield of vine choked pine thickets, broken here and there by a few subsistence farms. These notes appropriately begin 2½ months before the battle, in early July. When Lee turned the Army of Northern Virginia south after Gettysburg, Longstreet's First Corps retired into the rolling hill country behind the Rapidan river. Here, officers and soldiers alike plunged into endless local parties and recuperated on the bountiful Virginia harvest of 1863. Gone, but not forgotten were the many comrades missing from the thinned ranks after the corps desperate struggles in the wheat field, the peach orchard, Little Round Top and Cemetery Ridge. Morale soared when North Carolina's governor Vance sent up 14,000 brand new uniforms especially for Longstreet's veterans.
Overall, however, the Confederacy's future did not look bright, as 1863 had thus far been a year of severe reversals. After the battle of Stone's River, Bragg had retreated from Murfreesboro and was now being maneuvered out of Tennessee by Rosecrans. If Chattanooga fell to the persistent Union drive, it would almost certainly be followed by a major concentration of Federals for a campaign against Atlanta. The capitulation of Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July 4th had not only cut the South in two and lost her the use of the Mississippi River, but had also freed Grant's large Union army to undertake further operations. The Gettysburg campaign, if not an outright disaster, was certainly a failure. If the South were to survive, a bold operation was desperately needed to seize the initiative and put the Confederate forces on the offensive. Lt. Gen. James Longstreet had just such a plan and he communicated it to the Confederate Secretary of War Seddon on August 15th. If Joe Johnson's army were brought over from Mississippi to join Bragg and one corps of Lee's army were sent down to them, this force could crush Rosecrans and march north, perhaps even threatening Ohio and Indiana. Lincoln would be forced to recall Grant from Vicksburg to stem the Confederate tide and Meade would probably be pulled back in front of Washington.
Consciously or unconsciously, Longstreet saw the one flaw in the theory advanced by so many that Confederate hopes for independence were forever lost at Gettysburg. That argument failed to take into account the substantial and growing feeling of "war-weariness" in the North and its attendent calls for peace. The Union's tremendous industrial and manpower superiority notwithstanding, there is no substitute for victory on the battlefield followed by immediate exploitation of the gains. This axiom was understood full well by Lee, Longstreet, Forrest, Grant, Sherman and others in the Civil War.
Thus it was that by late August of 1863, Gen. Buckner's Corps from Knoxville, and Breckinridge's and Walker's commands from Mississippi had joined Bragg in front of Chattanooga, the south-eastern city perhaps second only to Atlanta in importance as a supply and rail center. Confronted by this force, Rosecrans and his Union Army of the Cumberland determined to employ the same successful outmaneuvering strategy that had driven Bragg out of middle Tennessee. While Crittenden's XXI Corps demonstrated north-east of the city, the XIV and XX Corps crossed the Tennessee River and pushed through the mountain gaps to the south-west. Faced with the imminent likelihood of having their communication and supply lines to Atlanta severed, Bragg's Army of Tennessee evacuated Chattanooga on September 8th and retired through Rossville towards LaFayette, Georgia.
Rosecrans had done it again, this time capturing the second biggest prize in the south-east, Chattanooga, virtually without firing a shot. Overconfidence, however, had placed the Union army in extreme danger. Between Crittenden's XXI Corps (posted at Chattanooga) and McCook's XX Corps (near Alpine, Georgia) lay some forty miles of rough, mountainous terrain. Thomas' XIV Corps lay roughly in the middle at Stevens' Gap. Each of the three Union Corps was separated from the others by at least two days hard marching, so that it was impossible for them to support each other. Bragg's Confederate Army of Tennessee, on the other hand, was concentrated at LaFayette, Georgia, in excellent position to crush each isolated Union Corps one at a time. Speed was of the essence, however, so that when this opportunity was lost between September 9th and 13th, it was lost by failure to execute the strategic plan of Gen Bragg. The first effort failed at McLemore's Cove, a large cul-de-sac enclosed on three sides by steep ridges. Hindman and D.H. Hill, with three divisions between them, inexplicably failed to follow orders to cut off and destroy Union General Negley's small division of XIV Corps, which was out of position in the cove. The second chance was aborted when Leonidas Polk (the pusillanimous bishop-turned-general), with Buckner's Corps in support, not only failed to assault Crittenden's XXI Corps, now isolated at Lee and Gordon's Mill, but actually assumed a defensive posture and informed Bragg he could hold his position if attacked!
Rosecrans, by now alerted to the danger, ordered McCook to join Thomas at Stevens' Gap while Crittenden held the left flank of the Union army at Lee and Gordon's Mill. Bragg, though frustrated by his own subordinates in the opening gambit, had received word that Longstreet's Corps from Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had entrained on the Rapidan front and was on the way. Still retaining the initiative, Bragg determined to advance his army up the east bank of Chickamauga Creek and seize the bridges north of Lee and Gordon's Mill. The Confederates would then cross and drive west, severing the LaFayette and Dry Valley Roads between Crittenden and Chattanooga, thus cutting the Union army off from its supply base. Then facing south, the grey columns would push Rosecrans' three corps into McLemore's Cove and capture or destroy them. The general assault was to begin September 18th, and once more speed was of the essence.
Once again, however, the Confederate Army of Tennessee proved to be slow starting as it consumed most of September 18th in a leisurely approach march to get into position. The lead elements from Longstreet's Corps arrived from Virginia and joined Bushrod Johnson's provisional division, already skirmishing with Minty's Union cavalry east of Reed's Bridge. By mid-afternoon, Walker's Reserve Corps came up in front of Alexander's Bridge and Johnson had forced the Reed's Bridge crossing ("Seizing the Crossing Points" scenario - 12.2). As the afternoon wore on, the skirmishing at Alexander's Bridge continued as Union Col. John Wilder's mounted infantrymen hotly contested possession of the bridge with their Spencer repeating carbines, supported by Eli Lilly's battery of artillery. As night approached, Walker, realizing the bridge was damaged and unusable, marched his two divisions downstream and crossed at Lambert's Ford. Johnson's division, in the meantime, crossed Reed's Bridge and turned south, intending to attack Crittenden's XXI Corps at Lee and Gordon's Mill as ordered. Rosecrans, realizing his left flank was hanging in thin air, at 4:00 p.m. ordered Thomas' XIV and McCook's XX Corps up from Stevens' Gap.
As dawn broke on the 19th, the Union Army roughly covered a five mile line from the Cloud Church to Lee and Gordon's Mill, with XX Corps still to arrive on the field ("The Indecisive Battle" scenario - 12.3). The fighting of the 19th was opened by Thomas, who sent Brannan's division towards Jay's Mill to capture a Confederate brigade thought to be isolated there. Brannan instead ran headlong into Forrest's cavalry and savage fighting ensued which lasted throughout the day as both sides fed fresh divisions into the battle as they arrived. The struggles spread slowly over the field, gradually dying out at the north end and moving south as new divisions arrived, fought, and became exhausted. The most spectacular accomplishment of the 19th was the nearly successful Confederate breakthrough at the Brotherton farm by Stewart's division of Buckner's Corps. Nicknamed the "Little Giants", Stewart's division fought its way west across the LaFayette Road and reached the Dyer's farm, in the heart of the Union position. A timely counterattack by Joseph Reynold's division of XIV Corps and Wilder's mounted infantry saved the day, pushing Stewart back east of the vital roadway. As night fell, the armies lay roughly parallel, divided by the LaFayette Road except on the Union left, where Thomas had strongly fortified the Kelly Field area in anticipation of a Confederate assault in the morning.
Late that night "Old Pete" Longstreet arrived. Bragg had made no arrangements to have him met and guided to the battlefield, so that Lt. Gen. James Longstreet, second in command of the Army of Northern Virginia, was obliged to wander about and find his own way. Narrowly averting capture by a Federal patrol, "Old Pete" finally found Bragg sleeping in an ambulance and woke him up. In the ensuing conference, Bragg decided to split the Confederate Army into two wings, to be commanded by Longstreet on the Left and Polk on the Right. The split was made without regard to field position or corps organization. The third Lt. Gen. on the field, D.H. Hill, retained a corps command under Polk. With three Lt. Generals thus available, it is interesting to speculate why Bragg did not divide his army into three grand divisions. Player's might like to explore the consequences of this by constructing their own "what if" scenario.
The plan of battle was for Polk to open the assault at sunrise on the 20th at the north end of the battlefield, each division in the line attacking in succession as the division on its right became engaged. When sunrise had come and gone without the sounds of battle, Bragg sent a messenger to find out the cause of delay. Polk was found on the porch of a farmhouse, calmly reading a newspaper while awaiting his breakfast! Finally, about 10:00 a.m., Polk got things moving. Instead of flanking right around the north end of the Union position and then attacking south, however, Polk sent Hill's Corps into a costly assault by brigades directly against Thomas' log breastworks. The attack was, of course, repulsed as Rosecrans continually reinforced Thomas' fortified position in the Kelly Fields. Shortly before 11:00 a.m., the Union commander was informed that he had a gap in his line. None actually existed, but the forest obscured the division posted there so that Rosecrans, without verifying the report, ordered Wood's division to move left (north) and plug the supposed hole. As Gen. Wood obeyed, he left a very real gap behind him at the Brotherton farm, and it was into this gap that Longstreet poured five Confederate Divisions ("Longstreet's Breakthrough" scenario - 12.4).
The Rebel onslaught knifed through the gaping hole in the line and rolled up the Union right flank; sending Rosecrans, two corps commanders, and four division commanders fleeing with their troops in complete rout. Still unable to push Polk into a coordinated attack, Bragg failed to exploit the breakthrough. Thus yet another opportunity to utterly destroy the Union Army of the Cumberland slipped away. Union Gen. Brannan then quickly formed his division of XIV Corps facing south in the rough terrain just east of Horseshoe Ridge. Thomas brought up other units and a line was formed and hurriedly entrenched behind rocks and fence rails. The Union position now ran from near Horseshoe Ridge to Snodgrass Hill facing south, then a half mile gap to the right flank of the Kelly Field entrenchments which faced east. Gen. Granger's Union Reserve Corps, in the meantime, had been posted at McAfee's Church (north of the Cloud house) since early morning awaiting orders. Hearing the noise of an obviously desperate battle, he set his corps in motion toward the sounds of the fighting on his own initiative and reported to Thomas with two fresh divisions ("Rock of Chickamauga" scenario - 12.5).
After arranging his divisions for an attack on the flanks of Thomas' Snodgrass Hill position, Longstreet renewed the assault with desperate and repeated attacks. But Thomas stood firm through the vicious and bloody fighting, holding his ground and earning the sobriquet "The Rock of Chickamauga". Longstreet's last effort was with Preston's fresh division against Thomas' center. This too, was finally repulsed as the two exhausted wings (Confederate Left and Union Right) fought each other heroically to a standstill.
After remaining idle most of the afternoon, Polk finally got moving about 5:00 p.m. with a series of attacks against the Federal's Kelly Field position, but by then darkness was approaching and Thomas began his withdrawal to Chattanooga.
Incredibly, Bragg did not press his retreating enemy, even with Forrest's insistence that each wasted hour was worth another ten thousand Union casualties. Indeed, Bragg refused to believe he had won the battle, though not a single Union soldier remained standing on the field to oppose him. When advice on what to do was solicited from Longstreet, Bragg was told to move immediately against Rosecrans and destroy him. He instead took the victorious Army of Tennessee and laid seige to Chattanooga,