“The Corps could easily have joined in the battle the first day. The distance from our starting point to the battlefield might have been traversed by noon.” – E. R. Brown, 27th Indiana Regiment, XII Corps
Two Taverns was a pleasant stop along the Baltimore Pike on the road to Gettysburg. Major General Henry W. Slocum had decided that it was an appropriate place to rest the Army of the Potomac’s XII Corps, and for the past two hours that was what he and his corps had been doing. It was somewhat past noon – lunch time – and since Two Taverns was only four to five miles from Gettysburg, should the new commander of the Army of the Potomac, Major General George C. Meade, order him and his corps forward to support what sounded like a growing battle, his corps would be rested and ready. However, as yet he had not received any clear-cut orders to advance, and Henry Slocum was a stickler for orders. Earlier that morning he had received an ambiguous discretionary order, which said “assume position for offensive or defensive, as occasion requires, or rest the troops.” Prior to that he had received General Meade’s Pipe Creek Circular, which to him strongly suggested that Meade’s preferred plan was to fight a defensive battle along Pipe’s Creek, and for that battle Henry Slocum would be acting as a wing commander with command over both the XII and the V Corps. With these two communiqués in hand, Henry Slocum chose the option to rest and wait for more direct orders from General Meade or from Meade’s designated field commander, Major General John F. Reynolds, who, unknown to Slocum, was already two hours dead.
Early’s Division advances on the just arriving XII Corps. (P. J. O’Neill)
As the day wore on, the noise of battle increased and Slocum received two messages from Major General O. O. Howard, the commander of the Union XI Corps, that things were not going well and that he needed help. However, it was a request and not an order, and Slocum did not take orders from General Howard but from General Meade. So XII Corps continued to rest. By late afternoon, Slocum had received a message that whenever he finally arrived at the new Union position on Cemetery Hill, he would be in command of the field until General Meade arrived. With the news that he would in charge, he finally got the XII Corps on the road and even diverted its First Division under Brigadier General Alpheus S. Williams northward to support XI Corps’ right flank. But it was too little and too late. By 6 p.m., Williams was in position to move on Wolf’s or even Benner’s Hill, but the battle was very much over and Howard’s unlucky XI Corps had again been rolled up two hours earlier by Jubal Early’s veteran Confederate division. With that sad news, Williams and his division was ordered to re-join the rest of the XII Corps on the Baltimore Pike.
However, had Henry Slocum simply decided to march to the sound of the guns three hours earlier, he could easily have had Williams’ First Division arriving on XI Corps flank by 3 p.m. Had that happened, Early’s division would have had to turn and face Williams rather than easily steamrolling over Barlow’s Knoll and the poorly deployed XI Corps. Would it have made a difference on the first day of Gettysburg? Maybe, as it probably would have bought enough time for XII Corps’ second division also to get into the fight, and perhaps even the lead elements of other Corps. At best, it might have resulted in the first day ending in a draw rather than a tactical Confederate victory. This scenario assumes that Slocum orders Williams’ Division with the XII Corps Artillery Brigade forward to the right flank of XI Corps, in much the same way that was actually done, but three hours earlier. In reality, Lockwood’s large green brigade did not arrive until the morning of July 2, but since this scenario assumes that XII Corps responded with more urgency, we have Lockwood arriving in the late afternoon on July 1.
Both the long and the short version of this scenario assume that rather than resting at Two Taverns, Henry Slocum orders XII Corps to march to the sound of the guns, and both use the exact same game board. However, they portray a very different situation and present the players with a different set of tactical challenges and opportunities.
This eight-turn version of the scenario starts with Devin’s Cavalry Brigade, which after having fought all morning was now being called upon to fight again and to screen and delay Jubal Early’s fresh division. Historically, Devin did not hold for long, but before he pulled out he did provide an unheeded warning that heavy forces were moving on the Federal XI Corps’ flank. However, in this version of “Slocum Arrives,” Devin has to hold for at least two turns to give the first division of the XII Corps under Brigadier General Alpheus Williams time to get into position to secure the flank of a very nervous XI Corps. This is an interesting situation, as it will require the Union player simultaneously to execute a delaying cavalry action against a fresh and aggressive infantry division while moving his own infantry division into place to check Early’s advance. This version of the scenario can be played in conjunction with “Barlow’s Knoll” or as part of the three-gameboard “A Long Afternoon” combined scenario, as both of those also start at 2 p.m. In this version of the scenario, the 17th Virginia Cavalry comes on the board mounted, leading Jones’ Artillery Battalion.
This six-turn version of the scenario assumes that Devin’s Cavalry Brigade did its job and delayed Early’s Division just long enough that the lead elements of Williams’ Division were able to get into position to hold the line until the other XII Corps artillery and the other brigades can get deployed. The shorter version of the scenario that does not require any Union cavalry figures and is completely contained on the one game board. In this version of the scenario, the 17th Virginia Cavalry starts dismounted, supporting Tanner’s and Garber’s batteries.
Devin sets up a cavalry screen as the Confederates cautiously probe forward. (Patrick LeBeau & Chris Ward)
Jubal Early’s Confederate division has the initiative throughout the scenario.
Within the indicated brigade areas, the respective player can set up the regiments in either battle line or extended line. Each full brigade that begins on the board may deploy one or two regiments as much as two inches forward as skirmishers and one regiment up to two inches back as a reserve. This option is not available for the two regiments from Von Gilsa’s XI Corps brigade – the 54th New York and the 153rd Philadelphia. Arriving units are indicated. All Union infantry units enter in road column. All Confederate infantry units enter in battle line or extended line. All batteries enter limbered.
While gamers are free to use any, all, or none of the optional rules, the following rules are recommended for this scenario: variable entry time (2 p.m. scenario only), road column under fire, and artillery fire over infantry.
If at the end of the last turn of the game, the Confederates have four regiments south of the York Pike and west of the Hospital Woods or across Rock Creek south of the Heidelsburg Road, they have won. The Union wins if the Confederates have two or fewer regiments south of the York Pike and west of the Hospital Woods or across Rock Creek. Anything in between is a draw. The Confederates may count any one regiment that is across Rock Creek north of the Heidelsburg Road towards their required five-regiment Victory Conditions.
The Confederates cannot cross Rock Creek north of the Heidelsburg Road until the 45th New York and the 153rd Philadelphia regiments have been driven off, and then only two regiments may cross north of the Heidelsburg Road – though, as noted, only one regiment will count towards the Confederate Victory Conditions.
Historically, the 26th Georgia Regiment was detailed to support Jones’ Artillery Battalion. To reflect this, the 26th Georgia must stay adjacent to the closest Confederate artillery battery until released. Roll 1D6 at the beginning of each Confederate active turn for release; it takes a 1 or 2 to be released. In the actual battle, the 26th Georgia was not released until the battle was almost over and the Union in full retreat. See similar rule for the 17th Virginia Cavalry.
If this scenario is combined with the “Barlow’s Knoll” scenario, then the restriction against Early’s units crossing Rock Creek does not apply. Likewise, in the combined scenario any XI Corps units from the Barlow’s Knoll scenario are also free to cross Rock Creek on to this board.
Due to previous fighting that morning, roll 1D6 for total figure losses for Devin’s Cavalry Brigade. Distribute losses as equally as possible among the battalions and regiments. All units start dismounted in a cavalry line or skirmish order. Due to having being heavily engaged all morning, all Devin’s battalions or regiments have a +2 MMP modifier due to fatigue and have no opening volley benefits. If any unit fails any morale check, it must remount and retire off the board via the York Pike. If any unit remounts, it must retire off the game board as detailed above. Once one complete regiment (both of the two battalions of the regiment) has begun to retire off the board for any reason, then all the rest of Devin’s Brigade will immediately remount and also begin to retire off the board via the York Pike. Once a unit has retired, it is removed from the game. These rules also apply to the scenario when combined with the “Barlow’s Knoll” or the “A Long Afternoon” scenario.
This cavalry regiment was detached from Jenkins’ Brigade and was more mounted infantry or partisan rangers than trained cavalry. As cavalry, Jubal Early noted that “they were not well trained.” They have eight figures with rifle muskets and fight as Veterans dismounted or as Green troops when mounted. They fire on the cavalry table with rifle muskets. If they attempt a mounted charge, it is all done in as Green troops in disorder. In the 2 p.m. scenario, once they dismount they must stay dismounted. In the 3 p.m. scenario, they are dismounted for the whole scenario. Historically on July 1, the 17th Virginia Cavalry was used mostly as support for Early’s artillery. To reflect this, they must stay adjacent to one of the Confederate artillery batteries until released. At the beginning of each Confederate active turn, roll a 1D6 and they are released with the roll of a 1 or 2.
Off-board to the west on Barlow’s Knoll, Wilkeson’s Battery was trying to provide fire support both to Von Gilsa’s two regiments on this board facing Gordon’s Brigade, and the rest of Von Gilsa’s Brigade that was facing Rodes’ Division on the adjacent gameboard. To reflect this, any time the 54th New York or the 153rd Philadelphia fire, and the natural die roll before any modifiers is even, then that fire gets an extra +1 DRM for artillery support. However, if it was an odd roll, then Wilkeson was busy assisting other units. If this scenario is played in conjunction with the “Barlow’s Knoll” scenario, this rule does not apply, as Wilkeson’s Battery is actually deployed in the battle space.
Rock Creek is treated as one inch of heavy woods for infantry or cavalry movement and one inch of rough terrain for artillery movement. Infantry in or crossing Rock Creek are in disorder. If an infantry or cavalry unit attempts to fire while in Rock Creek, it suffers an extra -4 DRM firing detriment to all its fires. Artillery may not fire while in Rock Creek. If a unit is targeted while in Rock Creek, the firer gets an extra +4 DRM firing benefit. (For further details and photo, see Gettysburg terrain descriptions.)
All wooded areas are defined as light woods.
The slopes on the ridge in the center of the game board are gentle and rolling. The crest of that ridge line is marked by the indicated fence line. Any unit that is within an inch of the fence marking the crest line is high enough on the hill to see over the crest line to the other side.
(For brigade, regiment and battery details see Army List)
Devin’s Cavalry Brigade – 2nd Brigade/1st Cavalry Division – Colonel Thomas Devin (1 LB)
At start, 2 p.m. scenario only
XI Corps – Two regiments of Von Gilsa’s Brigade
At start
• 54th New York
• 153rd Philadelphia
XII Corps / 1st Division – Brigadier General Alpheus Williams (1 LB)
• McDougall’s -1st Brigade – Colonel Archibald McDougall (1 LB) – Arrives 2 p.m.
• Ruger’s- 3rd Brigade – Brigadier General Thomas Ruger (1 LB) – Arrives 3 p.m.
• Lockwood’s – 2nd Brigade – Brigadier General Harry Lockwood (1 LB) – Arrives 4 p.m.
XII Corps Artillery Brigade – Lieutenant Edward D. Muhlenberg (no LB)
Arrives 2.30 p.m.
• Winegar’s Battery
• Atwell’s Battery
• Rugg’s Battery
• Kinzie’s Battery
II Corps / Early’s Division – Major General Jubal Early (1 LB)
• Gordon’s Brigade – Brigadier General John Gordon (2 LB)
• Hays’ Brigade – Brigadier General Harry Hays (1 LB)
• Hoke’s Brigade – Colonel Isaac Avery (1 LB) – Arrives at 3 p.m.
• Smith’s Brigade – Brigadier General William “Extra Billy” Smith (no LB) – Arrives at 4 p.m.
Early’s Divisional Artillery Battalion – Lieutenant Colonel Hillary P. Jones (No Artillery LB)
Arrives at 2 p.m.
• Green’s Battery, Garber’s Battery, Tanner’s Battery, Carrington’s Battery
• 17th Virginia Cavalry (From Jenkins’ Brigade – see special rules)