"Division-sized ACW battles in the West?" Topic

I'm thinking about collecting forces for Division-sized battles in the Western theatre and wanted to know a few things before I start:

1. Were there (m)any Division-sized battles in the West?

2. Are there any books on such battles?

3. Were the uniforms different to those in the East?

Cheers

There are enough smaller battles in the west you can do.

Battle of Belmont (Grant's first battle)
Battle of Richmond, KY
Battle of Iuka, Miss
Battle of Jackson, Miss
Battle of Brice Cross Roads, Miss
These are just a few off the top of my head

I don't know about any books dealing specifically with small battles, but general history of the western theater can point you to more research online.

You can also do scenario battles that involve parts of larger battles of around a division on each side. Shiloh alone can give you a number of scenario's.

Western theater uniforms are pretty much the same as east if you discount fancy zouave units mostly seen in the Union east. Confederate uniforms in east and west are the same.

Good Luck, enjoy the study of the period.

Kim

"Were the uniforms different to those in the East?"

Western Union soldiers were more independent with their uniforms. Slouch hats were common, mixes of forage and kepi. They wore blanket rolls as well as back packs. You might see mixes of jacket types, shells, frocks and sacks. One reason was supply came west slower than to the East. The eastern theater got things first and then it progressed west. Further west, the slower. Also Western soldiers were more independent than eastern. I like to mix my regiments up with slouch, kepi, forage, backpacks and blanket rolls. Some I make completely uniform.

I make my Confederates a little more ragged as well in the west.

Yes there are smaller battles that should meet your criteria. For example Mills Springs.

The further west, the smaller the total troops. But you should find plenty.

And even a big battle like Chickamauga can provide division sized battles at many of the attacks were isolated (by terrain and command control) division attacks.

Thanks all, very informative :-)

Agree with the point about the uniforms – for the Confederates, even worse as except for Texas most of the troops were a long way from their state arsenals

If youre considering a division sized battle, consider Wilson's Creek, August 1861.

It was pivotal. It was weird. Given optional deployments it could play out a thousand different ways.

The big drawback is that as it was so early the uniforms were mostly civilian clothes, some exaggerated militia uniforms and a lot of Union troops wearing gray.

Arcadia Publishing is a good source for books on some of the smaller battles. The books aren't expensive and there is a sale on now.

Yes there were,

Shiloh, Stone River, Champion Hill, Chickamauga, the battles around Atlanta, Chattanooga, Perrysville just to name a few.

Check Bowen's division south of Vicksburg soon after Grant's crossing part of the overall Campaign. Another is Belmont, Grant's debut.

There is at least one book on the Battle of Mill Springs, but my copy has gone into hiding, so I can't provide the title. Mill Springs became a National Battlefield a few years ago, and now has a nice museum.

I visited Wilson's Creek long ago and picked up a set of six postcards depicting uniforms, three Union and three Confederate. If I can find THEM, I could scan them in and send you copies, if you'd like.

Going a bit further west to New Mexico, Valverde and Glorieta Pass were smaller battles. There are large paperback books on these two battles. Actress Greer Garson once owned a ranch that was part of the Glorieta battlefield.

For even further out west, there were a number of engagements in Arizona. These were really small, the sort of things you could recreate as skirmishes while you paint your division.

Grelber

Thanks for the additional info. I found what looks like an interesting book to start off with called "Fields of Blood: The Prairie Grove Campaign". Will also check out the recommendations.

You might check out George Anderson and Ryan Toews, <Kirby Smith's Confederacy> (Potomac publications); it, and the other books in the series, are full of small ACW scenarios -- and some large ones as well -- and they are very reasonably priced PDFs at the Wargames Vault.

The battle of Mansfield Louisiana in April 1864 during the Red River Campaign is somewhat bigger than a division per side, but is very playable in RFF. The Rebs have an infantry division and a dismounted cavalry division. I have regimental labels already made if you want them.

Grelber wrote: "If I can find THEM, I could scan them in and send you copies, if you'd like."

Yes please, if you can find them.

West of the Mississippi is my favorite ACW stomping ground. The only down side is there is a lot more cavalry to paint.

Also purchased "Pea Ridge: Civil War Campaign in the West" and "Bloody Hill – The Battle of Wilson's Creek".

Try Rebel Yell, Yankee Hurrah, a scenario book by George Anderson and Ryan Toews. It has small battles of Fort Donelson (Smith's Attack), Tazewell, Iuka, Hatchie Bridge, Richmond, Thompson's Station, Dutton's Hill, Port Hudson, Wauhatchie, Ringgold Gap, Pickett's Mill, and Overall Creek.

It's available from On Military Matters. I plan to obtain it at Historicon in July.

link

what rulesets would you suggest for these smaller scenarios, I'm using 25mm size troops.