Another Victory for the Confederates

April 7^th 1862. Today our brave boys utterly routed the blue bellies at Chard Farm. Many unionists were killed and several officers wounded. Confederate casualties were minimal. Celebrations continue well into the night as our boys avail themselves to the ammunition and supplies abandoned by the fleeing Tories. Edward D. Malone reporting for the New Colchester Gazette.

In a previous action at Chard Farm the Little Framlingham Militia (LFM) managed to seize a gun and ammunition convoy from the Confederates. Lt Shelley Fire is given the task of training the Union militiamen to operate the gun.

Faced with an immediate counter-attack the Union right is anchored on Chard Farm and occupied by the Missouri Volunteer Infantry (MVI). The LFM sets up their line behind makeshift barricades which close the gap between the farm and thick woods on their left.

Lt Dan Daniels leads the Confederate attack with his rifle-armed skirmishers. Adopting a position behind a fence they begin picking off Lt Shelley Fire’s gunners with devastating accuracy at long range.

The Union gunners do get off one round but it causes minimal damage before Lt Fire is wounded and the last gunner picked off by Daniel's riflemen.

At this point Capt Bill Hook leads the majority of the Confederate New Colchester Volunteers (NCV) up through a corn field in the centre. He keeps them just out of sight and range until the right moment.

Lt Kitt Bagg deploys his LFM skirmishers on the edge of the woods to protect the Union left against Confederate skirmishers who are moving up through the woods. He takes some casualties from Confederate fire but he gets the best of the fire-fight. He halts Lt Chester Drawers’ NCV skirmishers and inflicts significant casualties on one group of cowboys and ruffians led by Adjudant-chef Cookie Cutter.

Lt Hans Holding’s riflemen had been positioned to bring fire to bear on the Confederate centre but realising the danger in the woods he turns his men around to deal with Frenchie Simmons' cowboys, As he does Capt Bill Hook leads the NCV forward to open fire on the Union infantry manning the barricades.

Undeterred by Hans Holding’s advance, Frenchie Simmons has his men fire of a hasty volley and then leads them forward to charge the unionists. When it comes to fisticuffs Frenchie’s men decimate the enemy and send the survivors fleeing for safety. Encouraged by his leader’s bravery Cookie Cutter charges Kit Bagg’s LFM skirmishers. Seeing what happened to Hans Holding, Kit Bagg decides to evade but his men move slowly. They are caught in the rear by Cookie Cutter’s cowboys and cut to pieces like cookies on a plate.

On the other flank Maj Bill Payer deploys three companies of the Confederate NCV to open a devastating volley on the Missouri Volunteer Infantry holding the perimeter of Chard's Farm.

The Missouri Volunteers suffer heavy casualties and Chard’s farm is set alight when rounds hit the Union powder barrels.

Flushed with his victory over Hans Holding, Frenchie moves forward to threaten the left flank of the  LFM which has been taking casualties and shock from Capt Bill Hook’s NCV in the centre of the Confederate line.

Again Frenchie leads his men into fisticuffs, destroying G Company of the LFM and wounding Capt Bob Float in the process.

The morale of the Union troops is wavering. Colonel Howdens Kitchen realises that he must withdraw before his men flee the field. He tells off D Company of the LFM to take the gun and lead it to safety even though this means abandoning the valuable ammunition cart.

An eyewitness says he heard the wounded Lt Shelley Fire croak out “we have saved the gun!” Another says he saw Frenchie’s cowboys mount up in hot pursuit. The truth of the matter will no doubt become clearer in the days that follow. What is clear is that the boys of New Colchester routed the unionists and are now celebrating their victory.

This was another cracking battle  in our ongoing Missouri campaign using Sharp Practice rules.