Ripley's Station Part Two

 As 7:00 chimes in the Union cavalry is poised to make assaults on both flanks.  In the south, Smith's men charge through the woods at the thinly deployed lines of McMichaels's two dismounted regiments.  A hail of fire greets the blue clad cavalrymen and brings them to a sudden halt.  Smith can see rebel infantry coming up fast behind McMichaels' line, so he wisely decides to pull back.  However, he dismounts his two regiments on his left to face the rebel infantry there. 

McMichaels' troopers stop Smith's charge.

One of Rogers' regiments trying to regroup in the face of enemy fire

As the turn ends, a larger brigade of Union infantry shuffles onto the table via the Jonestown Pike.

Turn 6: To the north, Rogers' troopers splash across Brittle's Run.  One regiment is unable to brave the fierce fire of the line of Confederate defenders, but on the right, two regiments succeed in coming to grips with their foe.  The first round of the melee is a draw.  The second round, though, sees the Union cavalry overpower the rebs, driving them back fifty yards in disorder.

Rogers fails in his attempt to break the rebel line.

Smith draws back the two regiments on his right flank to allow Fredricks' massive brigade to attack down the Pike.  The dismounted 5th U.S. sends a volley at the 33rd Ga with telling effect.  One of the rounds finds General Turner, killing him instantly.

The 5th U.S. in a hot duel with the 33rd Ga

Parker's Confederate brigade comes on to the table just south of
Ripley's Station and march directly to the support of McMichaels' cavalry.

Parker's regiments advancing

Turn 7: On the northern flank, General Purdy urges his men towards Brittle's Run to continue to pour fire into Rogers' disordered horsemen.  Despite his "poor" rating, he is coming into his own this spring morning.  Just as the Union line appears to be wavering, a shell fragment tears into Purdy and mortally wounds him.  He is taken from the field to a nearby farmhouse, but his wounds will prove to be fatal by the end of the day.

Purdy's men firing into Rogers' disordered regiments.

To the south, General Fredricks hurries his men down the Jonestown Pike and deploys his lead regiment into a line of battle.  McMichaels' men are scurrying for their horses as Parkers men filter through them to take up a position behind the stone wall.  The rebel cavalry has done its job of keeping the Yankees from crossing Brittle's Run.  Now it will be up to the infantry to hold the line against a quickly growing host of federal troops.

Union infantry reading to attack south along the Jonestown Pike

Hart's brigade of infantry comes onto the table.

The Confederate cavalry has gotten the better of their Union counterparts this day, but just barely.  They have roughed up several Yankee regiments, but they have lost two brigadiers in the process.  This loss of leadership will make things difficult for the rebels in the next phase of the battle.