Historical Overview
The battle opened at dawn (about 5:30 a.m.) on September 17 with an attack down the Hagerstown
Turnpike by the Union I Corps under Joseph Hooker. Hooker's objective was the plateau on which sat the Dunker Church, a modest whitewashed building belonging to a local sect of German Baptists. Hooker had approximately 8,600 men, little more than the 7,700 defenders under Stonewall Jackson, and this slight disparity was more than offset by the Confederates' strong defensive positions. Abner Doubleday's division moved on Hooker's right, James Ricketts's moved on the left into the East Woods, and George Meade's Pennsylvania Reserves division deployed in the center and slightly to the rear.
Jackson's defense consisted of the divisions under Alexander Lawton and John R. Jones in line from the West Woods, across the Turnpike, and along the southern end of the Miller Cornfield. Four brigades were held in reserve inside the West Woods.
As the first Union men emerged from the North Woods and into the Cornfield, an artillery duel erupted.
Confederate fire was from the horse artillery batteries under Jeb Stuart to the west and four batteries under Col. Stephen D. Lee on the high ground across the pike from the Dunker Church to the south. Union return fire was from nine batteries on the ridge behind the North Woods.
The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.
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Set-Up Order
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Union Army
Joe Hooker
Take 4 Command Cards
You move first
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| 9 | - | 2 | 3 |
Confederate Army
"Stonewall" Jackson
Take 5 Command Cards
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| 7 | - | 2 | 2 |
Victory
6 Flags
Special Rules
The Dunker Church is a Victory Banner for the Union as long as a Union unit occupies the hex.
Whoever occupies the most Cornfield hexes takes a Victory Banner. The Confederates start with this Victory Banner. If the opposing side occupies more Cornfield hexes, pass the Victory Banner to them.
The Iron Brigade can ignore 1 flag. Place a Special Unit marker on this unit.
Remove the Construct Fieldworks card.
