(2.00)Approximately 48 pages
This story, apparently published in its original form in The New York Times in the late 19th Century, is now available as a free download through Project Gutenberg.
On the face of it, this is a somewhat melodramatic story of a brigade commander who is the idol of his men because he wins battles... yet knows he must soon pay for past sins.
Of more interest to wargamers, however, is that this is also the story of a Union brigade in action, written by a veteran (Deforest commanded a company - the 12th Connecticut Volunteers - in the American Civil War). The brigade must attack and dislodge a Confederate force occupying a hilltop position.
When the Union force encounters the Confederates, the brigade commander soon realizes they have failed to guard their flanks. While his subordinate officers have no concept of tactics, their leader comes up with a plan to get the attention of the rebels with a feint attack, while flanking their position and launching a coordinated series of assaults.
While the story is definitely old-fashioned - and maybe a bit creepy by modern standards, as the age of the young lady involved is never specified - wargamers may appreciate a description of Civil War combat.
Reviewed by 
Editor in Chief Bill 
.