Evening attack on East Cemetery Hill, July 2,1863

This battle was fought on May 15th 2004 at "Drums along the Maumee - V" in Toledo, Ohio. There were five participants with three taking the Confederates and two the Union. The scenario is from Enduring Valor Vol 2 by Scott Mingus, Sr.

By 7:00PM the plans were laid to break the bite of the Union fish-hook on Cemetery Hill and to neutrallize the barb on Culp's Hill. The CS Generals had decided to throw in the whole reserve to take this hill. Rebel sharpshooters opened shortly before the 7:20 launch of the assualt down the brickyard lane. Their accurate fire disheartened the remnants of the 75th Ohio so that they broke and high-tailed up the hill and cover.Union guns targeted and drove off the shorpshooters and then opened up on the 2qst NC advancing across field crossing fences and stream. Long range Confederate guns on Benner's Hill targeted the Union line in support of the CS advance. This was generally ineffective except that their fire drove off the 54th NY who routed. This left yet another gap in the Union first line of defense.

General Hays ordered forward the pride of Louisiana who exchanged shots at long range with the 17th Connecticut that had advanced to fill the gap left by the two routing regiments. The two then continued firing at short range until the 5th LA was driven back shaken and effectively out of the battle. Hays accompanied his elite brigade with the supporting 9th LA in a charge led by the 6th LA. this resuolted in a melee that decimated the 6th and wiped out the 17th CT.

Harris  was hit and was down but not before calling for Ames to bring up the 68th NY and the 153rd PA to fill the gap left by the melee and earlier routs. This two units had been given orders to move when CS general Hay went down wounded in the melee. The infuriated men of the 9th LA now charged the exposed flank of the 68th NY and rolled them up. Next hit in the charge was the 153rd PA as the New Yorkers fled past them down the lane. The Pennsylvanians were subsequently caught in the flank as they were moving and soon were routed along with the 68th NY. The cahrge ended with the 9th LA disorganized and behind union lines,=. Robinson and the crew of Steven's guns heard the noise to their left but could not see in the dark nor distinguish between fighting, routing Yankees, or pursuing rebels.

8th and 7th LA advance up Cemetery Hill toward guns

Reinforcements of "Red" Carol's brigade led by the 14th Indiana in attack column hit the disorganized 9th LA in total surprise and threw them back the way they came. The 14th surged forward through McKnight's orchard toward the sound of the guns Northward.

The furthest extent of the 9th LA before counter-charged by "Red" Carol's  Brigade

Earlier the 57th NC had moved to mancher's Spring. Gathering darkness had silenced the ranged fire of Stevens and the other Union guns supporting the defense. Opposing them was the shaken and green 33rd Massetchusetts whichtook heavy casualties doing their duty.The 41st NY seeing two of their own regiments swarming past them in shear terror, headed up hill in good order to take a position on the baltimore Pike for a second line of defense. They were followed by the 33rd MA which had unintentionally cleared the way for the charging Confederates to sweep between them and Robinsons units holding the base of Culp's Hill.

The 8th LA takes Weidrich's guns

The 41st NY and 33rd MA were too late to support Weidrich's guns. The gunners received a charge from the 8th LA who had the fortune of being overshot by shell with too long a fuse. Having taken Weidrich the 8th was blasted by cannister from Stewart, but they maintained good morale. By this time the 7th LA had come close enough to shoot down Rickett;s gunners. The 8th then charged Stewart which fired the last of the cannister but did not dissuade the attackers. Stewart's gunners were driven off and the fight had taken its toll. the victorious 8th would not advance further that night.

Smith's and Gordon's Reserve Brigades advance toward Cemetery Hill

While hand to hand fighting was taking place in the lunets under gathering darkeness, Smith's and Gordons Brigades were in the environs of the Wagon Hotel and a fierce fire was being exchanged with Krzyzanowski's 58 and 119 NY regts. The 58th soon took enough casualtied to rout taking Hill's gun crew with them. The time was now 9:40 PM and eleven Union regiments had received 2400+ casualties killed, captured ,wounded, or routed and dispersed. With Harris wounded and Ames killed the US postion was in dire condition.The remaining 119th NY could not hold eight fresh CS regts. CS lost ~1600 from 6 regts.  With the tide of battle with the rebels, the inability of the crumbling defense to coordinate in the darkness, and Robinson fixed by orders on Culp's Hill with limited knowledge of the situation, it seems likely that the CS would have swept the hill within the last hour of fighting ( the game lasted 7 turns before riunning out of time). ... Would this result have opened Washington to attack or forced the war weary Norhtern Goverment to seek peace talks? Who knows. All commanders played with enthusiasm and skill.