Parkey Gap Holds!

 "Parkey Gap Held!"

Disposition of Forces

The Army of the Pines under the solid leadership of General Stiner has met the Kingsportion Jone's Army and driven them back.  The taking of Parkey Gap holds the Kingsportions at bay and opens the way to liberate Sneedville. A small force of bold Knoxville men met the invading Jone's Army and stopped them cold.  The action took place approximately fourteen miles from Sneedville at the Northern end of Parkey Gap.  Troops from Barbourville Dragoons and a combined force of Sneedville and Bean Station men, colloquially known as "the Orphans", established a blocking position and soundly defeated the overwhelming forces under the leadership of Commander Mathew Patton.  

The initial volleys rendered the vanguard cavalry regiment the 1st Duffield Lancers ineffective as they scouted the abatis obstacles. The 2nd Duffield, advancing to the sound of the guns faired no better as Commander Patton, his troops in column fed his regiments in piecemeal and was unable to amass forces. The 1st Virginia Line broke for the cover of the trees to escape the withering fire from the dismounted Barbourville Dragoons.  The rough terrain slowed their advance considerably but they were able to close ranks on the edge of the woodline. The 2nd Virginia Line opened up on the Orphans pinning them in the woodline.  The artillery men unlimbered their guns well away from the opening of the gap while the remainder of the Kingsport line followed up.  

The Evarts Lancers drove into the foray, charging for the reforming 1st Virginia, they were met with cannon shot from the Big Stone Gap Btry which greatly slowed their advance leaving them fair game for the volley fire that then poured into their front driving them back, men and horses alike going down, bloodied and screaming. The Orphans rallied and reformed their firing lines while the Pineville Line reenforced up the rear slope and the Middlesboro Line and Cumberland and Harrogate batteries advanced to the gap.  The 2nd Virginia failed to reform into close order and were left in the open on the narrow road.  Pennington's Dragoons advanced up the road  to attempt a flanking effort and the Surgoinville Rifles advanced.

While the artillerymen unlimbered and wheel their guns into place, the whole of the Knoxville line poured fire down into the 2nd Virginia reducing half of their line and driving them to the rear. The Barbourville Dragoons fired into the 1st Virginia wittling away at them but their resolve held firm.  The 1st Virginia returned fire causing a great number of casualties among the dragoons in the fallow fields. The Big Stone Gap gunners, in the middle of limbering their guns, were panicked by the routed 2nd Virginia and remained unable to act.  The Rifles, unperturbed by this continued to advance in to the gap left by the 2nd Virginia.

The Barbourville Dragoons let cry their war cries and charged for the 1st Virginia in an attempt to drive them from the woods. The Orphans and guns fired into the advancing Surgoinsville Rifles stopping them in their tracks. The Pineville Line continued to advance up the rear slope and form an extended firing line tied in with the Orphans on their right while the Middlesboro Line remained in reserve along the northern road.  The 1st Virginia volley fired into the dragoons now in the open dropping many of them in the fallow fields and stopping their charge cold. The gunners recovered from their initial shock and prepared their guns for movement. The dragoons were advancing to support the 1st Virginia and the Rifles who had held, pinned by withering fire.

The Turning Point

Commander Patton looking at the bulk of his forces and the larger mission at  hand felt his water high-water mark for this battle had been reached and sounded the general retreat. Those unit that had not already routed or been destroyed conducted an organized withdrawal back down the gap gathering their wounded as they withdrew.  General Stiner, always a consummate gentleman, ordered a cease fire and allowed the Kingsportions to depart stating "I believe they've had enough for today boys. I believe we have too."

On turn six I realized that the Kingsportions were suffering too high of losses for the campaign and the Army of the Pines was just beginning to take the upper hand and get the bulk of forces in place including the guns. So I called the game with the final shots being fired by 1st Virginia Line to cover the withdrawal.  After sorting out all of the points both sides had suffered close to 30% losses (34% KP, 31%KV) so I while it was a victory for the Army of the Pines, it wasn't a decisive victory and I allowed Jones' Army to withdraw orderly and take their wounded and severely wounded with them.

I gamed this out using The Men Who Would Be King.  Unfortunately I got too caught up in the play to take enough photos of the action.  It was interesting using unit stands instead of individual figures, and it is kind of unnerving to watch whole stands disappear, and then to think that the stand represent 150 men in campaign terms made it even more so. This may be too little too late for the overall campaign but it still played out fun. 

The final butcher's bill .

Jones' Army
1st Duffield Lancers      313 K 156 W 156 SW
2nd Duffield Lancers     250 K 125 W 125 SW
Pennington Dragoons     No Losses
1st Virginia Line            250 K 125 W 125 SW
2nd Virginia Line           450 K 113 W 112 SW
Surgoinsville Rifles        100 K 50 W 50 SW
Big Stone Gap Btry        No Losses
2/1 Big Stone GapBtry   No losses

Army of the Pines

Barbourville Dragoons    225 K 113 W 112 SW

Evarts 2nd Lancers          375 K 188 W 187 SW

Pineville Line                  25 K 13 W 12 SW

Middlesboro Line            No Losses

The Orphans                    75 K 38 W 37 SW

Cumberland Btry             No Losses

Harrogate Btry                 No Losses