Battle for Salem Church : 3rd May 1863

For our latest venture (actually a few weeks ago before I went on holiday)  into the ACW we played a version of the initial battle for Salem Church. By way of historical background I found this lovely period sketch of the battlefield, although there is more than one version. By way of short background the battle took place as part of the larger Chancellorsville campaign. General John Sedgewick having captured Fredericksburg is moving west to attempt to join the main army under Hooker and flank the Confedrate army. The leading division in the advance is commanded by Brigadier General Brooks. Blocking his advance are two brigades of Rebels under Brigadier General Wilcox and Brigadier General Semmes. Having read through the accounts of the battle it is slightly confusing as both sides fed reserves piecemeal into the battle. What they do agree on is the initial assaults by the Federals were successful to a point driving the rebels back from the church but then stalled, but the confederate reserves pushed the advance back and counterattacked. This was also driven back and by the end of the day with increasing numbers of troops squaring off across the battlefield hostilities ceased. The following morning discovering the ‘defeat’ of the main army Sedgewick retreated north across Banks Ford, over the Rappahannock River bringing the whole campaign to an end.

The period sketch of the battlefield in the afternoon but we will focus on the initial assault on the church

Battlefield at the start, looking south. Not easy to see from this angle but there is a moderate ridge feature which forms the Confederate defensive line. Brooks Division has three brigades in action and is supported by artillery who are off the table to the left, you can’t see them in this shot but the rebels have a small battery at the crossroads and the 9th Alabama are occupying Salem Church itself.

The 9th Alabama, historically only a company but I increased this to a small unit

Semmes Brigade in the foreground and in the distance Wilcox across the Plank Road

Russell’s Brigade still in marching order advancing towards the church

A better shot showing the rise upto the Rebel lines and you can just see the Rebel battery at the cross roads (I made sure the Union commander was aware how devastating canister could be and this had just the right impact on his confidence)

To the south Bartlett’s Brigade advances through the woods

Wilcox brigade around the Plank road with the 15th Virginia Cavalry awaiting orders

We had set the victory conditions as a line of control through the church and the school house so there was no point sitting back and the rebels advance

Union Forces now deployed in line

Wilcox’s line moves forward to take the ground  the school house

The battery at the school house has delayed the advance but is coming under heavy counter battery fire and won’t last long

The rebels have artillery on the ridge but can’t seem to hit anything

Russell’s Brigade advances towards the cross roads

Colonel H Brown angles his Brigade towards the Church itself

Dwindling numbers of the 9th Alabama hold the church yard

BG Wilcox seem preoccupied with holding the advance in the south and rebel troops can be seen deploying 

They can’t hold on long in the church......

And some of their support has been driven back

Now I should say at this stage as the first Rebel unit turns and runs, that the Rebel CO rolled some pretty terrible dice during this battle, it is hard to remember actually passing a morale check whilst the Union CO repeatedly passed almost every test 😢

Finally the 9th Alabama have been wiped out or captured (historically) and the church is unprotected

Union Forces are also advancing up the Plank Road where the battery has been overrun 

On their right flank the Rebels are still quite strong and in a desperate attempt to halt the advance a unit is sent out to flank the advancing Federals, you can just see them east of the Schoolhouse

A lot of open ground in the centre though and too few confederates to plug the gaps

Salem Church is taken

Semmes’ Brigade has been driven back

The cross roads is also now in Union hands

There are still Rebel Forces holding the schoolhouse at this stage, but they are out numbered and General Brooks is able to claim victory.

A fun battle, the Rebels severely hampered by my dice rolling far too many units failing morale checks.🤪