After 210 turns, I offered Ned (playing R.E. Lee) a victory in our "On to the James" scenario (alt with Early's Corps remaining with the ANV) from Campaign Overland. This expansive scenario begins with the armies entrenched at Cold Harbor the night before Grant issues orders for the AoP to move to the James river.
Playing as Grant, I sent 3 Corps south of the Chickahominy to threaten Richmond from the east and 2 Corps north to attack the southern capital from that direction. After losing most of the Union cavalry on the Peninsula in a series of small actions, the two Union Corps successfully assaulted Richmond from the north. However, the Confederates actually abandoned the Capital after only a short struggle and used the time to concentrate on Butler at Bermuda Hundred. Eventually Butler was overwhelmed and destroyed in detail, in part because Grant was unable to send reinforcements across the James River due to a flotilla of Confederate ironclads and gunboats below Trent's Reach. By the time any Union forces arrived, Butler was history.
The defeat at Bermuda Hundred also prevented Grant from sending more than a cavalry raid in the direction of Petersburg. Although the cavalry occupied the city for a time, the Confederates ousted the Union horsemen and eventually brought all of the forces south with the Union troops following at a distance. Eventually, Grant attacked with two Corps from the north and 3 Corps from the east. The Union gained the north bank of the Appomattox after significant losses. But the attacks from the east against the entrenched Confederates and their forts proved extremely costly and time consuming. Even though my Yankees were able to capture and occupy the outer defenses, the rebels had time to build an strong inner line of works that boasted ample guns and lots of rifles. In contrast, the attacking Union forces east and south of the river were much reduced and fatigued and were unable to secure more than a few feet of trench in the inner line.
By this time (evening of June 17th) Grant conceded that there was little chance of seizing Petersburg without reinforcements or pontoons. Even if my Union troops captured the city, the losses on the Union side were so great (over 45,000) that the best possible outcome was only a draw -- which meant that the whole affair resulted in a siege with advantage to Ned's Confederates.
Congratulations to Ned who devised a winning strategy and employed excellent tactics. I thoroughly enjoyed the game and Ned as a player. Salute!
_________________ BG Ken 'Muddy' Jones 1st Brigade/3rd Division/XV Corps/Army of Tennessee USA
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