Devil’s Den : Gettysburg July 1863

For our second Historical ACW game I pulled out an old copy of Wargames Illustrated this included two 150 year anniversary scenarios (David and Phil you’ll know this one well🙂) I have enough figures for these now and with a bit of thought,including hunting the garden for some rocks I was able to set up a passable version of the Devil’s Den Scenario.

They take up a lot of space but old magazines do come in 

Our set up as close to the Magazine version as I could get, I did check out a few other sources, although the photo doesn’t show it well there is quite a rise in ground left to right up to Houck’s Ridge, as usual I took too many photos so feel free to skip.

Our set up was as close to the scenario set up as possible, including the timed arrival of the Rebel Forces but from then on we had no constraints and the game would develop naturally. Photo above from Big Round Top behind the 44th and 48th Alabama

Rebel left flank the 3rd Arkansas

The flank attack from Big Round Top has already thrown the Union defenders in to turmoil, the 4th Maine have taken a number of casualties, but Smith’s artillery has turned to bring their guns to bear on this flank

The third gun is currently unable to target the rebels but you can see the Union Forces nervously waiting the attack along the ridge

1st Texas Regiment deploys into line in Rose Wood but comes under fire from Sharpshooters and find themselves pinned down

The 2nd Georgia have started their advance across Rose Run and up the slope of the ridge but are turned back when they fail a morale check

Union General has redeployed the 124 New York to support the left flank but despite their advantage the rebels regiments form Big Round Top can’t seem to make it count

The 44th Alabama retreat back into the woods (they do rally later)

Turn three I think with the 15th and 20th Georgia being pushed into the attack

Rebels are making progress on their right flank hoping to catch the weak point in the union line where they have turned to deal with the rebels on Big Round Top

1st Texas still pinned down in the woods, union troops are even advancing ! And the Texas boys are unsupported as the 3rd Arkansas had fled the field some time ago

The Rebel advance being pushed all along the ridge

The danger of the flank attack is currently under control and smiths gun can turn again to wither the rebels attacking the front

On the left the 1st Texas have also temporarily been pushed back under fire

The rebels need to take those cannons to make any real progress

Finally the 4th Maine who have been under pressure from the start flee backwards through the risks of the Den, they won’t be able to rally but just in the nick on time the 120th New York reinforcements arrive to plug the gap

A shot along the ridge

The Union Forces on the right flank been pushed forward to clear the Rose Woods a dangerous advance under the circumstances

Finally the attack from Big Round Top is being pushed on 

And the 48th Alabama raising the Rebel yell give the New Yorkers the bayonet, the Union boys are pushed back

Finally one of the Georgia Regiments has made it to the ridge fence line and over Run one of Smiths Guns. It might be all over for the Union

A shot at this stage the union forces advancing off the ridge in the distance seemingly oblivious to the impending disaster at the Den itself with rebel forces crossing the stream and having made it to the fence line

.......you have got to be joking with literally seconds to spare the second Rebel gun manages to get off a final canister shot a double six😫, canister is deadly at this range and the 20th Georgia are literally blown to pieces.

We had allotted six turns plus a random seventh for the rebels to take the Den, even with the extra turn this loss of the 20th meant they couldn’t quite push the remaining Union troops out of the Den

The final shot of the Den the 120th New York having come on late are now holding the Den, the union line on this flank has been smashed but the Rebels can’t quite claim a victory.

A very fun game it was all over for the Rebels after 3 turns so it was amazing to see them gradually pull back only to be thwarted by the canister shot at the close. Enjoyed by both generals and a very well written scenario so many thanks David and Phil😀