Battle of Shellbyville Part 2

On turn four the Union brigadier Freeman pulls back his left flank, but on the right he continues to blaze away at Purdy's dismounted troopers.  Freeman's men get the worst of it.  The 6th Va fails its moral check, breaks, and routs to the rear.  Dodson limbers up the remains of his battery to take up a better position within the town.

The 14th RI pulls back

The firefight continues on Freeman's right, but he takes losses

On turn five, Freeman decides to forge ahead despite the fact that his supporting brigades are nowhere in sight.  The 2nd NY Lt. fires into the flank of the 4th Va cavalry and takes out two stands.  This is too much for the green troopers and they mount up and hastily retreat to the west. Purdy withdraws his regiments on the left.  An eerie silence falls upon the field of battle.

The 6th Va rallies

Dodson's new position

Purdy's men break off the action and pull back towards the town

Turn six- The 2nd NY Lt limbers up and pushes hard towards the hill to gain better firing positions as the 4th Va has routed from the field.  The 14th RI moves to support the NY battery.  The 6th Va rolls a one and breaks for the second time.

The 4th Va runs.

The 2nd NY Lt and the 14th RI seize the hill

The 6thVa breaks yet again

Purdy's men now line the road east of Shellbyville

Turn 7- Herringbone's South Carolina brigade arrives on the field and makes a rapid march to the front.  At the same time, Langston's two batteries rumble into Shellbyville.  The weight of numbers has definitely swung in favor of the South.  Despite this, Freeman pushes one of his regiments across the bridge to maintain pressure on Purdy's thin line.  From the smudges of dust boiling up to the east, it appears that Union reinforcements are finally at hand.  The question is, will they be in time? 

Herringbone's South Carolinians finally arrive.

Langston's guns make their appearance in Shellbyville

The last action of turn seven is the firing of the 2nd NY Lt at Dodson's battery.  The fire is accurate once again and the rebel battery is all but eliminated.

The final shots of turn seven. Dodson's battery is silenced and Freeman is able to push a regiment across the bridge.