The Battle of Memphis 1862 - a What If? Scenario

 

A view of the Confederate River Defense Fleet looking north.  The Union Mississippi River Squadron is in the left distance. 

The Battle of Memphis June 6, 1862. 

A What If? Scenario

A view of the Union Mississippi River Squadron looking south-west.  The vessels are turned into the river current trying to maintain position in the river over the "deep" shoals.  The small wood-colored knobs represent locations of deep shoals that the shallow draft Union ironclads can move over in safety.  The Confederate ships cannot move over these without having to roll for grounding.  The clear glass beads represent "shallow" shoals that will ground any vessel.  Conestoga and two of the Ellet rams are seen anchored in the top right corner

Background:

The actual Battle of Memphis occurred on June 6, 1862, and resulted in the almost total annihilation of the Confederate River Defense Fleet at minimal cost to Union forces.  It eliminated the last major fleet unit the Confederates had on the Mississippi River (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Memphis).

After researching this battle, I realized their were a number of "what-if" variables that could have seriously changed the order of battle and strength of both sides.  I also wanted to create a situation where both sides would not have perfect knowledge of what the other side had. The Yaquinto Ironclads scenario I was using for the basis of this game had some omissions and errors.  I tried to correct these as much as possible. I especially want to thank Phil Ireson of Spithead Miniatures for letting me use his article for researching the battle. 

This game was fought with 1/1200 scale miniatures, mostly Spitheads.  I used a slightly modified version of the Yaquinto Ironclads game, converted to miniatures.

Notes for the scenario:

1. Four 8” Dahlgren were given to the Confederate RDF (River Defense Fleet) by the commander of Fort Pillow as it was being evacuated before the battle. The guns went to the Thompson, Lovell, Sumter, and Beauregard. However General Thompson withdrew all the experienced Army artillery crews previously loaned out to the fleet before the battle. He was in the process of returning those crews when the Battle of Memphis occurred. All 8” gun crews fire as “Green” crews. Other gun crews retain their original rating.

2. The Union ironclads were over a sandbank that was deep enough in the river for them to steam over, but too shallow for the deeper draft Confederate RDF boats. Apparently both sides knew this. An area around the Union ironclads is designated as a “deep” shoal. The Union ships (including the rams) can move over it, but rebel vessels have to roll for grounding.

3. Certain areas of the river will be designated as not having a current. Mostly those areas in the “shadow” of the main current that are behind a bend, but also hexes adjacent to the river bank.

4. The Union ironclads had logs suspended along their waterlines for extra protection against ramming. This reduced their speed and maneuverability. Increase the waterline armor for all Union Ironclads by 5 on all sections for ramming calculations only. Reduce the maximum speed of such vessels by 1mp. Turning capacity is 1/1, and Engine capacity is +1, -1, with no ability to use Emergency Engine Capacity until the logs are jettisoned. Once an ironclad is rammed, it looses the log protection for that section. The logs can be jettisoned on a roll of 1-4 on a D6 at the beginning of the turn, and the ship regains its original top speed and turning capacity.

5. The Ellet ram fleet and the Union Mississippi River Squadron were under two completely different command structures, and didn't always play nice with each other.  Davis, in command of the ironclads, does not seem to have been in recent communication with Ellet, and was unsure when Ellet's wooden rams would be arriving. Therefor the Union player will roll every turn to see when and if the Ellet rams arrive. The rams will not necessarily all arrive at the same time:

   Die roll on  1 D10	Vessels available
   1	Queen of the West, Switzerland, Monarch, Lancaster	Do not roll on subsequent turns
   2	Queen of the West, Switzerland, Monarch, Lancaster	Do not roll on subsequent turns
   3	Queen of the West, Switzerland, Monarch, Lancaster	Do not roll on subsequent turns
   4	Queen of the West, Switzerland, Monarch	Do not roll on subsequent turns
   5	Queen of the West, Switzerland, Monarch	May roll next turn for any additional boats
   6	Queen of the West, Switzerland	May roll next turn for any additional boats
   7	Queen of the West	May roll next turn for any additional boats
   8	Mingo	May roll next turn for any additional boats
   9	Lioness	May roll next turn for any additional boats
   10	Mingo and Lioness	May roll next turn for any additional boats

   When the rams arrived before the original battle, they tied up along the river bank rather than joining up with the ironclads.  When battle did start, only two of the four rams initially participated, and one never did.  To represent the miscommunication between the two fleets, use the following: When a ship from the ram fleet arrives, it has to anchor next to the shore to the west of the ironclads and stay there until “activated.” On the turn after it anchors, at the beginning of the turn, roll 2D6 for each anchored ram. In order to activate, a ram has to roll equal to less than the total of the boat commander's rating, plus crew's morale check value, plus 2. If a Confederate boat is in sight, add 2 to the value. If an adjacent ram activates, add 1 to the value. So the Queen of the West with Col. Ellet (+3), which has a crack crew (MC value of +2), would activate on a roll of 7 or less (3+2+2) . If a Confederate boat was in site it would activate on a 9 or less. If a ram arrives after another ram has already activated, the new arrival is automatically activated and does not need to anchor or roll for activation.

6. The Confederate RDF only had enough coal to fight this battle, and their vessels were doomed unless they won a dramatic victory. They considered burning their vessels and escaping overland instead of fighting. Therefor Confederate losses are not a consideration for victory, only Union losses.   
   

What if considerations:

1. Two more Union ironclads were available before the battle, but were put on guard duty somewhere else. The Mound City and Pittsburg could have been at the battle if less valuable vessels had taken their places. On the other hand, additional ironclads might have been withdrawn for guard duty in addition to the Mound City and Pittsburg. Only one roll is made on this chart.

   Die Roll 1D6	Additional ships available or deleted at start
   1	Add Mound City and Pittsburg
   2	Add Mound City and Pittsburg
   3	Add Mound City
   4	Add Pittsburg
   5	No additional ships available
   6	Delete one ironclad from the initial order of battle.

2. One or more of the Timberclads (Conestoga, Tyler, Lexington) could possibly have been made available for this battle. If one additional ship was received from step 1 above, add one to the die roll. If two additional ships were received from above, add two to the die roll. Only one roll is made on this chart.

   Die Roll 1D6	Additional ships available
   1	Conestoga, Tyler, and Lexington are available at start
   2	Conestoga, Tyler, and Lexington are available turn 3
   3	Conestoga and Tyler are available turn 4
   4	Conestoga is available at start
   5	No additional ships available.
   6	No additional ships available.

3. There was an abandoned fort next to the river. What if the Confederates had secretly re-manned it just before the battle?

   Die Roll 1D6	Fort Condition and Armament
   1	Fort is manned and armed with 2-42 pdr SB, and 3-32 pdr SB/57
   2	Fort is manned and armed with 1-42 pdr SB, and 2-32 pdr SB/57
   3	Fort is manned and armed with 2-32 pdr SB/32
   4	Fort is unoccupied
   5	Fort is unoccupied
   6	Fort is unoccupied

   If the fort is manned, the Confederate player does not need to tell the Union player until he actually starts firing. Each gun has armor values of 6, and a crew of 3, with an average crew.

4. There were a few batteries prepared on the bluffs at Memphis. These could have participated in the battle, but apparently did not.  I was unable to find out much on this, so I decided not to pursue it. If you find some good information on this, please let me know
   

5. River defense forces from New Orleans had been in the Memphis area a few months before, but had gone back to New Orleans, and were destroyed there in April. What if the Confederates had concluded that the combination of fortifications, and the “soon” to be completed ironclads Louisiana and Mississippi where enough of a defense of New Orleans, and allowed some or all of the New Orleans river defense vessels to remain north? This could have included the ironclad ram Mananas, and wooden gunboats Webb, McRae, Ivy, Mobile, Oregon, Pamlico, St. Phillip, Governor Moore, and Stonewall Jackson.  Multiple rolls are possible on this chart:

   Die Roll 1D10	Additional ships available at start	Ability to roll for more (1D6)
   1	Mananas	1-3
   2	Webb	1-4
   3	McRae	1-4
   4	Ivy	1-4
   5	Mobile	1-4
   6	Oregon	1-4
   7	Pamlico	1-5
   8	St. Phillip	1-5
   9	Jackson	1-5
   10 (0)	Governor Moore	1-6

   So if the Confederate player's initial roll on a 1D10 is a “4”, he automatically gets at least the CSS Ivy. If he then rolls a one through four on a 1D6 for the "Ability to roll for more", he gets to roll another time with the D10 to get another ship. Once the roll for "Ability to roll for more" is outside of the range, no more ships can be rolled for.  The Confederate player will always get at least one additional vessel to add to his forces.
   

6. General Thompson does not withdraw the Confederate army gunners: All RDF vessels with 8” Dahlgrens fire those guns at the ship's designated crew value.

7. Variable Intelligence: When using optional forces, both sides will have intelligence about the other that is either accurate, totally false, or somewhere in between. The player will report to the other player what he is allowed to know after rolling on this chart:

   Die Roll on 1D6	Result to be reported to the other player
   1 -Accurate	Must report the correct number and types of vessels
   2 – Mostly accurate	Must report the correct number of vessels, but not type
   3- Somewhat accurate	Report the number of vessels +/- 1D6, but must report at least 3 vessels
   4- Somewhat inaccurate	Report the number of vessels +/- 1D6, +/- 2
   5 – Mostly inaccurate	Report the number of vessels +/- 1D10, +/- 4
   6 -False	May report any number or type of vessels

   Types of vessels are reported as “Ironclads” or “Wooden Vessels.” No other information need be given as to ship type.

Initial Setup:

Union: Allowed to set up anywhere in the northwest corner of the map, within two hexes of the shoals in this area.

Confederate: Allowed to set up anywhere in the southern portion of the map, and no closer than 8 hexes from the nearest Union vessel.

The "base" Union starting forces for this game were the ironclads: Benton, Louisville, Carondelet, Cairo, and St. Louis.

The "base" Confederate starting forces for this game were the wooden ram vessels General Beauregard, General Bragg, General Sterling Price,General Earl Van Dorn, General M. Jeff Thompson,  Colonel Lovell, General Sumter, and Little Rebel (flagship).

How my game started up:

• The Ellet Ram fleet initially started with only the Mingo and Lioness.  The Union player would be able to roll for more vessels on turn two.
• What Ifs?
• The Union player got the Ironclad Mound City in addition to the the base vessels at start.
• The Union player also received the Timberclad Conestoga at start.
• The Confederate fort was unoccupied.
• There are no Confederate batteries on the bluff next to Memphis. 
• The Confederate player got to add the ironclad Manassas, and the wooden ram Stonewall Jackson to his initial forces.
• General Thompson does not withdraw the Confederate army gunners
• The Union player was given the following intelligence about the Confederate fleet: "The are 10 vessels in the Confederate fleet."   The Confederate player rolled a 2 on the Variable Intelligence table.
•  The Confederate player was given the following intelligence about the Union fleet: "The are 7 vessels in the Union fleet."   The Union player started with 9 vessels and then rolled a 3 on the Variable Intelligence table.  The +/- 1D6 roll was a 2, so he decided to downgrade the report by 2 vessels.  He could also have reported 11 vessels.