Scenario # 2, Perryville KY – 8 October 1862
 

Historical Summary & Scenario Situation.
The climatic battle in the campaign for Kentucky initiated by a chance skirmish of Union and Confederate foraging parties looking of water.  Ignoring the good reports of the Union Army activities from BG Joe Wheeler, the Army of Mississippi’s Cavalry chief, the Confederate Wing Commander in central Kentucky, Leonidas Polk, and the Union Army of the Ohio stumbled through central Kentucky like blind men. Running low on water due to a autumn drought, MG Carlos Buell, the Union commander ordered his troops to concentrate at Doctor’s Creek near Perryville KY where water was rumored to be plentiful.  What the men of Sheridan’s Division found at Doctor’s Creek was Liddell’s Arkansas Brigade. Winning the skirmish for the watering hole on October 7th, Buell was looking to force a battle with Bragg’s army near Danville KY. Braxton Bragg, upon his arrival at the camp of the Army of Mississippi on the morning of October 8th, ordered an immediate attack.

This scenario starts with the attack of Cheatham’s division on the arriving troops of McCook’s 1st Corps.  Due to the ineptitude of Charles Gilbert, the Union 3rd Corps commander, and the brilliant screening actions of Wheeler’s Brigade against Crittenden’s 2d Corps, the Army of Mississippi achieved the classic economy of force. The Army of Mississippi, 15,000 men strong, was able due to the situation to achieve numerical superiority on the Army of the Ohio’s 1st Corps.  However, the advantage of the Army of Mississippi will last for only one afternoon, October 8th 1862. The Confederate player must achieve his objective before the sun sets as Wheeler’s charade is waning and the veteran division commanders in 3rd Corps, Schoepf, Mitchell, and Sheridan, are pressing for an advance on the undefended hamlet of Perryville.  The game lasts 6 turns representing the focus of the battle along Walker’s Bend of Doctor’s Creek, the H.P. Bottom farm, and the Russell House.

Scenario Victory Conditions.
Victory is determined by who controls the Junction Hex behind the Russell House or the destruction/neutralization of McCook’s Corps. Control of the junction hex is determined by physical occupation. Destruction of 1st Corps is made by the tally of casualties for the Union. The tally must be at least 2:1 Union losses compared to CSA for a claim of victory to be justified. The determination of the scenario winner is done at the end of T6.

Historical Results.
The CSA Army of Mississippi came very close to victory on October 8th. However, hampered by shortages of ammunition at the end of the battle as well as general exhaustion of the command structure above brigade level, the Army of Mississippi withdrew and left the Union in control of the field.  Jackson’s Division was destroyed but Rousseau held at the Russell House. The arrival of Crittenden on the Lebanon Pike south of Perryville forced the decision for Buell.

Special Instructions.
The only units allowed to go into breastworks (“form: bw” command) are those regiments belonging to Harris’ Brigade, Rousseau’s Division, Union 1st Corps. All other units, Union and Confederate, are prohibited from assuming the “bw” formation.

Reference URLs:
http://www.perryville.net/
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=16&n=4170660&e=679054&s=50&loc=Perryville