The Grisiana War of Secession - The Siege of New Gascony (Assault on 4 July 1861)

 After the failed attack on the Union forces concentrating at Beleau, General Polk decided it would be wisest to move his men to the capitol of Grisiana, New Gascony and prepare defensive fortifications to make things as difficult-to-impossible for General Thomas to secure the objective of the campaign as possible. They arrived and began work on the fortifications on the 5th of June. 

In the meantime, the combined might of Bleunois and Verdemedio continued concentrating at Beleau for the final push on New Gascony. The last columns arrived on the 6th of June, and they marched on their final objective, reaching the outskirts of the city on the 20th to find Polk's men dug in in front of the city gates.

Work commenced on their own trenchlines shortly after arriving, with both Generals Thomas and Pryce irritated at each other for not bringing any Siege Guns. They're best hope would be to starve them into submission. In the meantime, and after some bitter disputes, Thomas sent Pryce's Brigade to secure Westerville as another supply point, as it was just on the southern border of Verdemedio. It was thought that with the city surrounded, the hapless defenders would eventually be forced to surrender to find remedy for starvation and sickness.

[I used the Siege rules in William Silvester's Solo Wargaming Guide to determine the state of both forces in the siege. A card is drawn for both attacker and defender to determine their state of supply, their overall health and when the defenders would surrender or the attackers quit. Both armies were left with supply throughout the siege and in good health, with the Union attackers willing to sit it out as long as possible, while Polk's boys would surrender after they've suffered 50% casualties].

While General Thomas's men were all determined to sit out the siege, Thomas wanted to find some way to gauge their opposition's predicament. He planned a trench raid, launched by Bustamente's Brigade, who were sitting in a reserve position, to capture some prisoners for interrogation. To keep the enemy off balance, he ordered a limited attack by all frontline units, with the exception of General Pryce's column, recently arrived from Westerville and needing to prepare their own fieldworks. The plan would be set in motion on the 4th of July.

On the morning of the 4th, all forward batteries began hammering their targets (mostly enemy batteries in hopes of silencing them) and some front units left their works to pin down the enemy and keep them from reinforcing the selected section of trenches that would be raided. Around 9AM, after getting his Brigade organized into a giant Attack Column, Bustamente launched the desired trench raid.

Unfortunately for them, not only were they attacking dug in infantry, but the 4th Grisiana Infantry Regiment proved to be very stubborn besides, repulsing the giant column time and time again! Despite their best efforts, the entire column was getting worn down with no real gains to show for it, and the battalion that disgraced themselves at Beleau, Los Toros de Trinidad, fought on until they just couldn't anymore and quit the field. Seeing how fiercely they fought alongside their comrades, General Bustamente commended them in his Official Report of the day's action:

"They did their Duty to the capacity of the men, and a commander cannot in good conscience expect more."

Despite Los Toros having redeemed themselves in the eyes of their commander, the raid faltered, and as noon approached General Thomas decided to call off the attack, with no prisoners to show for the effort.

Union Casualties

Blauwald Rangers: 100 killed, 50 lightly wounded, 50 severely wounded

4 Bleunois Infantry: 37 killed, 19 lightly wounded, 19 severely wounded

Green River Rifles: 62 killed, 31 lightly wounded, 32 severely wounded

3 Bleunois Artillery: 50 killed, 25 lightly wounded, 25 severely wounded

7 Bleunois Infantry: 12 killed, 6 lightly wounded, 7 severely wounded

5 Verdemedio Infantry: 150 killed, 75 lightly wounded, 75 captured

6 Verdemedio Infantry: 150 killed, 75 lightly wounded, 75 captured

7 Verdemedio Infantry: 150 killed, 75 lightly wounded, 75 captured

8 Verdemedio Infantry: 150 killed, 75 lightly wounded, 75 captured

Los Toros de Trinidad: 150 killed, 75 lightly wounded, 75 captured

Los Lobos de Santa Luna: 38 killed, 18 lightly wounded, 17 severely wounded

Confederate Casualties

3 Grisiana Infantry: 37 killed, 19 lightly wounded, 18 severely wounded

1 Grisiana Artillery: 87 killed, 44 lightly wounded, 43 severely wounded (battery temporarily silenced)

4 Grisiana Infantry: 50 killed, 25 lightly wounded, 25 severely wounded

Grisiana Tigers: 25 killed, 13 lightly wounded, 12 severely wounded

3 Grisiana Artillery: 75 killed, 37 lightly wounded, 38 severely wounded (battery temporarily silenced)

7 Grisiana Infantry: 37 killed, 19 lightly wounded, 18 severely wounded

Rossburg Rifles: 50 killed, 25 lightly wounded, 25 severely wounded