AAR 2

Here is an AAR [class assignment] submitted by Cadet Candidate Jahn (Longstreet)

In late June of 1863 the Army of Northern Virginia, led by Robert E. Lee, invaded the North in an attempt to bring the already long and bloody American Civil War to an end. The Confederates hoped that a victory in the North would force the Union into a peace agreement or bring the much sought after support of potential European allies. Lee's plan to invade the North called for the Army of Northern Virginia to swing west behind a cavalry screen and thrust quickly up the Shenandoah Valley behind the curtain of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and debauch into the fertile Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania. Unfortunately for the Army of Northern Virginia, the Army of the Potomac learned of their movements and began to move in pursuit. This is where the JodieCon 2000 "Roads to Gettysburg" campaign simulation began. The ANV* moved to consolidate and catch the Union army off guard in the crossroads town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, while the Army of the Potomac began a foot race to the same town in an attempt to defend there against the Confederates.

When the fatigued Confederates arrived on the outskirts of Gettysburg, they were shocked to see an army of blue already defending, in almost a full arc, two to three ranks deep around the town and up to Culp's hill and Cemetery Ridge. General Lee, played by the seasoned commander Special Forces veteran Fred Hubig, reevaluated the situation at hand. The Union was in an ideal spot to defend against direct attack from the Confederates. Lee sought to force them from this position to attack us on ground of our choosing. Three main roads led into Gettysburg from the South, the Emmitsburg, Tanneytown, and the Baltimore Pike roads, and Lee reasoned [was informed by the Operational Game Master] that if we moved to the south of the Union position and held these three roads, we would effectively cut off the Union supply route and force them to attack us.

I, playing the role of General Longstreet and commander of the I Corps, ordered my second division under Hood and third division under Pickett to move behind the cover of Seminary Ridge to the high ground on the weak southern flank of the Union while McLaw of first division protected our flank. The second and third Corps, under Hill and Ewel, of the ANV moved around the opposite flank of the Army of the Potomac to secure the Baltimore Pike and the Taneytown road. They used the cover of cannon fire and screened their movement with only a few brigades of infantry.

I Corps movement was executed without a glitch. Hill moved down the Emmitsburg road and over to the Taneytown road to secure our new right flank. Pickett moved up to Big Round Top. [Which gave the Confederates a central observation and signaling position, as well as full view of all Union and Confederate troop dispositions.]

Fortunately the Union hadn't secured big round top, and Pickett was able to settle into a defensive position right away, but later learned the error of attempting to place artillery there. McLaw shifted from Seminary Ridge to a ridge straddling the Emmitsburg road. Just as McLaw and Pickett were in place the Union began to send troops away from their main defensive line. Unfortunately, Hill and Ewel engaged in contact before they were able to make it to a defensible position.

McLaw saw some action a little way through the second day when a brigade from Hancock's Corps wandered into their sector. The unfortunate Union brigade was nearly destroyed, and only escaped when their division commander and Hancock himself moved to rally them. After that the Union troops set up near McLaw were hesitant to leave their heavily defended position on Cemetery ridge.

Union troops under Slocum and Sickles moved to combat Pickett on Big Round top, but the terrain was thickly wooded and the Union was unable to bring their superior firepower to bear. Pickett's division was involved in heavy fighting.

Garnet led a heroic charge, and drove the Union troops back, but unfortunately he was unable to reorganize before the Union counterattacked and killed or captured all of his men. From my point on Big Round Top, I could see Hood moving up the Taneytown Road to support our left flank. He was nearly engaged in a battle against Union cavalry, but J.E.B. Stuart heroically fended them off until Anderson's division from the Confederate III Corps arrived on the Cavalry's flank and totally destroyed them.

Pickett charged down Big Round top just in time to disorder the Union troops guarding the Taneytown road, and when Hill arrived he cleaned them up, capturing two batteries and rendering two brigades combat ineffective. At this point the Union began a strong counter attack, seeing the situation they were in now that we had cut them off from their supplies. Hancock's entire Corps moved from behind the wall on cemetery ridge and attacked McLaw while Sickle sent more reinforcements to attack Hill and Pickett. McLaw was momentarily caught off guard because he was making a diversionary attack on Little Round Top, but he was able to rally his men in time to counterattack and destroy two brigades of Union infantry. One of the Corps' batteries attached to his division was taken, but the Union brigade capturing it paid dearly when Porter Alexander was able to fire several of his other guns at canister range enfilade into their march column. I Corps met their objective of holding the Emmitsburg road, and at the same time we occupied the Taneytown road.

The Army of Northern Virginia [the umpire actually] forced the Union to attack them on favorable ground. The results for the Confederate cause were much better than the historical account.