Replay of Forward to RichmondTurn 6 (8:45)U.S.A. Burnside continues through the woods, moving his artillery into a firing position while Blenker reforms a line across the open hill side. As Davis crawls forward towards the Bull Run his artillery exchanges fire with Longstreet's artillery, both inflicting casualties, at the same time Keyes moves through the woods along the Cub Run.Schenk continues slowly over the open ground on the approach to the Stone bridge and his artillery opens fire on Evans at the bridge. Franklin leaves the Warrington turnpike and moves in behind Sherman. Porter moves to the bull Run and engages Cocke at the Bull Ford. Richardson and Wilson continue their slow progress - off board - towards Sudley Springs. Howard holds the Washington / Centerville road and the two cavalry units move slowly along the Warrenton turnpike. C.S.A. Cocke's units at Balls and island
fords are engaged by the forces of Porter and Sherman and both sides take
casualties. Bonham holds at the tree line north of Mitchell Ford as Longstreet
also takes cover at the tree line, leaving his artillery in the open to
engage Davis. Jones advances through the woods to meet Burnside - leaving
his 4th Regiment to tackle Blenker. Holmes forms a line across the hill
top and advances to face Blenker, and takes hits from Blenker’s artillery.
Ewell closes ranks as his artillery finally moves into position to fire
on Blenker. Jackson and Bartow pick up speed - off board - towards New
Market. Early makes slow progress north as does Stuart. Harrison manages
to get past Early and sets off after Stuart while Radford is left behind.
Bee and Hampton hold their ground at Mitchell and McCleans fords.
Turn 7 (9:30)U.S.A. Blenker, Burnside and Davis all hold their ground as Blenker's 3rd Regiment suffer heavy casualties in an attack by Jones. Franklin's artillery moves forward to join Davis while the rest of his brigade remain in the woods. Howard moves onto the Washington / Centerville road while Keyes remains static in the woods. As Richardson re-enters the map just above Sudley Springs Wilcox - still away in the wilderness - manages to pick up speed while remaining, seemingly blindfold, unaware of the need for haste if he is to exploit the gap in the CSA left flank. Shenk positions his artillery in the woods overlooking Evans at the stone bridge and 3 of his 4 regiments locate the unmarked ford/crossing of the Bull run ¾ of a mile north of the Stone bridge. One cavalry unit moves to cover Shell at the new found river crossing while the other holds its position.C.S.A. Cocke's units are heavily engaged
with Porter and Sherman and while inflicting casualties has 2 units eliminated.
Bonham holds his ground and Jones creeps forward in the woods and engages
Burnside while one of his units exchanges fire/casualties with Blenker's
3rd Regiment. Holmes slows his advance as his artillery takes casualties
from Burnside's artillery. Ewell closes up on Holmes and extends the line
across the hill side and his artillery exchanges fire with Blenker. Bartow
and Jackson continue their rapid move north and make haste through the
woods towards New Market. Early's 2nd Regiment makes towards Balls ford
while the rest of his brigade moves to support Cocke's suffering units
at Island Ford. Bee reorganises his troops at Mitchell Ford and pushes
his artillery over the river. Stuart pushes north to block the route south
of the Scotty Spring / New Market road just north of the Warrington turnpike.
Radford makes up ground to rejoin Harrison.
Turn 8 (10:15)U.S.A. Blenker holds his position but continues to take casualties - his 3rd regiment is reduced to ½ strength. Burnside also holds his ground and takes casualties from Jones - the battle is really on here! Davis moves his units into the woods on his right. As Franklin drops back towards Centerville, Howard moves from the Washington road to take up position half-way down the Centerville / Mitchell ford road. Keyes slowly creeps through the woods. Richardson crosses Sudley Springs and heads down the left hand fork in the road. Shanks 3 units cross the new ford and threaten to out-flank Evans at the Stone bridge. His 4th unit remains on the open hill side overlooking the Stone bridge. Porter, meanwhile moves his artillery to join that of Shank as his 1st and 2nd Regiments move to engage Cocke at Lewes ford and the 3rd and 4th Regiments fall back from Cocke at Balls ford. Sherman pulls his ½ strength 4th Regiment back and the 2nd and 3rd units break contact at the eastern of the two Island fords, while the artillery moves east to fire at Bonham. Wilcox appears to be thinking that he is “the Grand Old Duke of York”, marching his men up and down (or he is hopelessly lost). Still off the board, he is now heading back towards Centerville.C.S.A. Cocke’s artillery, having suffered
50% casualties pulls back from island ford to make way for Early. Bonham
leaves the woods and moves north into the open ground, taking the fight
to the advancing Union forces. His 2nd Regiment takes casualties from Davis’s
artillery. Longstreet reorganises north of Blackburn ford. Jones continues
to trade casualties with Burnside in the woods. Holmes and Ewell close
on Blenker as Holmes 2nd unit goes head to head with Burnside's artillery.
Bartow reaches New Market, pushing ½ his force west through the
woods to block Richardson's route south. Jackson's leading units approach
New Market. Early replaces Cocke’s units at Island Fords. Harrison and
Radford take up position ½ way between Lewis ford and New Market
while Bee and Hampton remains static. Stuart pushes a little further north
to keep watch on Richardson. There is a heavy exchange of fire between
Jone's and Blenker / Burnside which reduces Blenker's 3rd Regiment to 1/2strength.
Turn 9 (11am)U.S.A. Davis’s 3rd unit and his artillery engage Bonham's 2nd. Porter undertakes a slight reshuffle and Franklin makes a move to backup Blenker/Burnside. Howard joins Davis in blocking/attacking Bonham. Richardson pulls back to form a line roughly from Sudley Springs to the new ford. Wilcox re-enters the board, heading for Centerville while Sherman continues his “Mexican stand-off” at the Island Fords. The fire-fight between Blenker/Burnside and Jones/Holmes and Ewell continues. Fire from Bonham causes Howard's 4th Regiment to become ½ strength.C.S.A. Bee moves from Mitchell ford to
McCleans house. Bonhomie’s 2nd unit, under heavy fire from 4 directions
is wiped out. 1 and 3 retreat across Mitchell ford leaving the 4th to try
to disengage from the advancing Keyes. Longstreet also retreats back across
the river at Blackburn’s ford. Jones/Ewell and Holmes are fully engaged
with Blenker and Burnside. There is now a solid line of units locked in
hand to hand battle from the Cub Run to the eastern board edge. Bartow
advances north both up the New Market/Sudley Springs road and towards Lewis
ford and the Stone bridge. Jackson closes to support Cocke at Balls Ford,
allowing Cocke’s artillery to pull back and rally. Harrison and Radford
move ahead of Bartow and on the right flank, Holmes 2nd Regiment is reduced
to half strength.
Turn 10 (11;45)U.S.A. The fight on the eastern edge of the battle area is relentless. Blenker’s 2nd is reduced to ½ strength and his artillery eliminated. Burnside pulls his 2nd out of line and replaces it with his 4th. Davis advances to close off both Blackburn's and Mitchell Fords. Franklin is ready to join the fight alongside Blenker and Burnside and his artillery destroys Ewell's in a long range duel. Howard surrounds their cut-off 4th regiment of Bonham while Keyes starts back towards Centerville. The leading units of Wilcox’s brigade arrive back in Centerville! The 2nd cavalry unit joins the assault on Bonhams's 4th.C.S.A. Evans 2nd unit crosses the Stone Bridge to engage the artillery units of Porter and Shenk. Cocke’s 1st crosses Lewis Ford to challenge porter. Bonhomie’s 4th, under heavy attack, is reduced to ½ strength. More casualties on the eastern flank as Jones 3rd Regiment goes to ½ strength. Bartow nears Lewis Ford at the Stone Bridge while Jackson closes up around Balls Ford. Reinforcements in the shape of Smith with 3 Regiments plus an artillery battery enter the board from the south, coming from Manassas Junction and heading up the road to New Market. THIS MARKS THE HALF-WAY POINT IN THE BATTLE.
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