Charles Orndorff - May 1, 2005 10:41 am (#9702 Total: 9705) Dale City, VA Red Badge of Courage On the table yesterday was the Matthews Hill scenario of Red Badge of Courage. Since this covers the Confederate delaying action at the beginning of the battle of First Manassas, victory goes to the side with the most infantry SP's "on or beyond" the Warrenton Turnpike, the east-west road running between Matthews Hill and Henry Hill. Confederate infantry must be on or north of the turnpike, US infantry on or south. Burnside moved south, and was boxed in by a Confederate line shaped like a reversed-L, with Evans on the east and Bartow on the south. Outnumbered and with nothing but green regiments, Burnside was unlikely to be able to force his way through. Instead, his regiments with rifles engaged the Confederates (armed with smoothbores) in a firefight at an advantageous range of about 150 yards. Although inflicting some casualties, Burnside did not seriously weaken the Confederate line. The decisive action was taking place further west. Porter had reached the Warrenton Turnpike, by way of Groveton, before any Confederates could block his path. Bee arrived in time only to set up a battle line, running north-south, to prevent Porter from moving east against the flank and rear of Bartow. With Porter's entire brigade south of the turnpike, and Bee tied down there by Porter, a US victory appeared likely. However, between Noon and 1:00 PM Bee extended his line farther north, putting part of his line and his reserve on or above the turnpike. If unchanged, a CSA victory was now assured. Porter was forced to send the 8th New York back to the north side of the turnpike in an attempt to push back some of Bee's troops. He received valuable assistance from Burnside's batteries, posted on Matthews Hill, which enfiladed Bee's flank. The 2nd Mississippi took casualties, was disordered, and one battalion retreated. Porter had the final activation of the game, and everything hinged on whether the 8th New York could drive back the remaining battalion of the 2nd Mississippi and occupy its position on the turnpike. When an exchange of musketry brought no result, a shock attack was the last hope. It seemed unlikely that the green New Yorkers would press home the attack, but they charged like veterans, and the outnumbered and disordered Confederates quickly fled. The result was a US victory by the narrowest of margins, 61-60. Had the 8th New York suffered an SP loss, it would have been a tie. Burnside and Porter probably had better than average luck in the number of activations, and if Bee had been able to react at the end, he might have driven back the now-disordered 8th New York. However, if Burnside had used his reserve regiment to hit Bee's flank and rear, the US victory might have been guaranteed a little earlier. The rule book calls this a well-balanced scenario, and I am inclined to agree. Charles