The Grisiana War of Secession - Preliminaries

 A few months back I bought a couple of books: Neal Thomas's One-Hour Wargames, and William Silvester's Solo Wargaming Guide. I quickly wanted to put the Guide to good use, and cooked up a map for an ACW campaign:

Now this is the map I've been using for the campaign, and it can be a bit hard to read (mostly because of my chicken-scratch handwriting that at times I even struggle to decipher), so here's one that hopefully is a bit easier to read:



So what's brought about the recent unpleasantness between Bleunois, Grisiana, and Verdemedio, you ask? 

Grisiana decided they'd had enough of this whole "Union" thing and wants to part ways. They may be parting ways over any number of things. Like if pineapple really belongs on pizza or not. You know, the deep, serious issues we all wrestle with. Either way, it just seems fitting considering it's being fought with ACW figs, so why not?

Diplomacy has broken down between Grisiana and Bleunois, and Bleunois, knowing that it'll just be a colossal mess if everybody can just leave and do their own thing, has decided that a..."special military operation"...is required. Both sides have (initially) appealed to Verdemedio to bring them over to their side, since they have more regular infantry than either belligerent. That and their railroads would be a real benefit to the coming hostilities.

Verdemedio, though, decided to remain neutral in the conflict, but had decidedly better relations with Bleunois, so only allowed Bleunois troops to cross through Verdemedian land.

For this campaign, the Eagle's Prey rules (from Hoplite Research) are being used for resolving the battles, and in a limited capacity on the campaign scale. Most of the campaign rules come from the aforementioned Solo Wargaming Guide, with a few additions, namely:

1) Railroads are almost instantaneous transportation, but they do cost 1/2 day's movements to get everyone loaded and unloaded (1/4 day's movements if the commander is an Engineer)

2) Railroads can only be used if the army using them controls both the departure and destination stations.

3) Good roads and railroads have telegraph lines running alongside them. Communication is instantaneous, but each station/town is a "break" in the line, requiring re-transmission to go further down the line.

So here are the belligerents in the current conflict:

Bleunois

CinC: Gen. Richard Thomas (G Engineer)

I Brigade: Gen. Richard Thomas (G Engineer)
    1 Bleunois Infantry [750 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in St. Pierre, enlistment 3 years
    2 Bleunois Infantry [750 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in St. Pierre, enlistment till War's End
    3 Bleunois Infantry [750 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in St. Pierre, enlistment 3 months
    1 Bleunois Artillery [150 men, 8 Med guns](Morale: Mil.), raised in Touloun, enlistment 3 years
     2 Bleunois Artillery [150 men, 8 Med guns](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in New Leipzig, enlistment till War's End
    Bleunois Voltigeurs [600 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Benesville/Poultonnes, enlistment till War's End
    Blauwald Rangers [600 men] (Morale: Rec.), raised in Samuelsburg/Terryville, enlistment 3 years

II Brigade: Brig. Gen. Jonathan Howard (E)
    4 Bleunois Infantry [750 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in St. Pierre, enlistment 3 years
    5 Bleunois Infantry [750 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in St. Pierre, enlistment till War's End
    6 Bleunois Infantry [750 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Masonville, enlistment 3 months
    3 Bleunois Artillery[150 men, 8 Med guns](Morale: Rec.), raised in Reeseburg, enlistment 3 years
    Touloun Fusiliers [450 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Touloun, enlistment 3 months
    Green River Rifles [750 men] (Morale: Mil.), raised in Taflonne/Elmer's Junction, enlistment 3 months
    New Leipzig Jaegers [450 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in New Leipzig, enlistment till War's End

 III Brigade: Brig. Gen. Joseph Kennedy (F)   
    7 Bleunois Infantry [750 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Masonville, enlistment 3 years
    8 Bleunois Infantry [750 men] (Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Masonville, enlistment 3 years
    Rittersburg Rifles [450 men] (Morale: Rec.), raised in Rittersburg, enlistment 3 months
    Bleunois Guards [450 men] (Morale: Mil. ), raised in Couloumbeinne, enlistment till War's End
    4 Bleunois Artillery[150 men, 8 Hvy guns](Morale: Mil.), raised in Parkersville, enlistment till War's End

Grisiana
CinC: Maj. Gen. Alexander Polk (E)

Polk's Brigade: Maj. Gen. Alexander Polk (E)
    1 Grisiana Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in New Gascony, enlistment till War's End 
    2 Grisiana Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in New Gascony, enlistment 3 months
    Grisiana Tigers [450 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Beleau/Carentan, enlistment 3 months
    1 Grisiana Artillery [150 men, 8 Hvy guns](Morale: Rec.), raised in Westerville, enlistment 3 years

Grouchy's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Pierre Grouchy (D Eyepatch)
    3 Grisiana Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in New Gascony, enlistment till War's End
    4 Grisiana Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in New Gascony ,enlistment 3 years 
    Grisiana Guards [450 men](Morale: Mil.), raised in New Gascony, enlistment till War's End

Bragg's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Daniel Henry Bragg (E)
    5 Grisiana Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Rossburg, enlistment 3 years
    6 Grisiana Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Rossburg, enlistment till War's End
    Westerville Guards [450 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Westerville, enlistment 3 years
    2 Grisiana Artillery [150 men, 8 Hvy guns](Morale: Mil.), raised in Ceubert, enlistment till War's End
 
Zolicoffer's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Steven Zolicoffer (D Cavalry)
    7 Grisiana Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Rossburg, enlistment 3 months
    8 Grisiana Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Rossburg, enlistment 3 months 
    Rossburg Rifles [600 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Rossburg, enlistment till War's End 
    Ceubert Voltigeurs [450 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Ceubert, enlistment till War's End
    3 Grisiana Artillery [150 men, 8 Hvy guns](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Toulouse, enlistment till War's End
    
Verdemedio
CinC: Brig. Gen. Howard Pryce (E), and Brig. Gen. Antonio De La Vega (F Cavalry)

I Brigade: Brig. Gen. Howard Pryce (E)
    1 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in San Manuel, enlistment 3 months
    2 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in San Manuel, enlistment 3 years
    3 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in San Manuel, enlistment 3 months
    4 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in San Manuel, enlistment 3 years
    Green Hill Guards [450 men](Morale: Mil.), raised in Arima/Talavera, enlistment till War's End
    2 Verdemedio Artillery [150 men, Lt guns](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Las Palmas, enlistment till War's End

II Brigade: Brig. Gen. Gabriel Bustamente (F Cavalry)
    5 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in San Diego, enlistment 3 years
    6 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in San Diego, enlistment till War's End
    7 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in San Diego, enlistment till War's End 
    8 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in San Diego, enlistment till War's End
    Los Toros de Trinidad [450 men](Morale: Arm. Civ.), raised in Trinidad, enlistment 3 months

II: Brigade: Brig. Gen. Antonio De La Vega (F Cavalry)
    9 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in San Diego, enlistment 3 years
    10 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Casa Granillo, enlistment 3 years 
    11 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Casa Granillo, enlistment 3 years
    12 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Casa Granillo, enlistment till War's End
    13 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Casa Granillo, enlistment 3 months
    14 Verdemedio Infantry [750 men](Morale: Prov. Reg.), raised in Casa Granillo, enlistment 3 months
    Los Lobos de Santa Luna [450 men](Morale: Arm. Civ.), raised in Santa Luna, enlistment 3 years 
    1 Verdemedio Artillery [150 men, 8 Hvy guns](Morale: Rec.), raised in Trinidad, enlistment till War's End
    
    
    The initial war plans were as follows: 

Bleunois began mobilizing April 1, 1861. After debating whether to send all forces through Masonville into Rossburg, or to take advantage of the extra point of entry through Verdemedio by attacking on two fronts, or to concentrate all force through Casa Granillo, the decision to advance all columns through Casa Granillo was chosen. 

But the traffic management left...a bit to be desired. II and III Brigade were ordered to first concentrate in St. Pierre and then advance through Casa Granillo into Carentan, while I Brigade would gather at Elmer's Junction and then advance through the same path. With forces for all 3 brigades scattered throughout the state, they inevitably criss-crossed each other on the way to their concentration points, much to the likely confusion and consternation of the enlisted men. 

Meanwhile in Grisiana, General Polk dithered some, unsure at first of the best defensive strategy to employ. When he finally decided to split his forces between Westerville and Carentan, 10 days had already passed since the Bleunois mobilization!

As April drew to a close, only Bragg's Brigade was in positions and dug in at their assigned post. Thomas's I Brigade waited on one last battalion to link up with them before they moved on to Carentan. By the time that last unit arrived, III Brigade had arrived and both were well underway to the first clash of the war, with II Brigade only a few days behind. Several days of rain brought the advance to a temporary halt.

And then on the morning of the 3rd of May, Bragg's picket lines reported clouds of dust from massed columns of troops. The enemy had arrived in Grisiana.
    
    
    
    

    
   
    










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