Second Raid

Well, my notoriety is increased from my successes near Harper's Ferry, so the Union commanders reinforce their garrisons. I start the raid in White Plains and manage to get twice as many recruits as the first raid. Still pretty small group, but we're getting there. We're also joined by a local trader named Ben Hatton, who says he'll help us sneak through the Union lines.

The damn Yankees are looking for me. A bunch of them burned Bloomfield, Rector's Crossroads, and Paris. I'll make them pay for that. The locals all rally and put the fires out. Strangely enough, they are all still supporting my efforts.

Just when I thought that adventure was over, a larger body of troops arrives at Hopewell, just north of my position! After burning the town, they move to Hay Market. These guys obviously know I'm close by. They march through Hay Market and then return to Hopewell. Will they think to come south? No, they move to Middleburg and burn it to the ground.

Okay, time to get moving. The most lucrative targets for me are the bridges at Union Mills and Occoquan. I'm going to move to Manassas Junction and see what I can do. There's a large garrison there, so that won't do. I ride down to Greenwich and probe toward Catlett's Station, finding a small garrison there. I'm tempted to just fight them now, but I want to wait and develop the situation further before I start trouble. I find another small garrison at Warrenton's Junction, but Rappahanock Station is empty. That's a start. Durn! There's another large garrison at Elk Run. Okay, I'm going to see if I can isolate the garrison at Catlett's Station. No dice. There's another sizeable garrison at Bristoe Station.

I might decide to continue with my original plan, but first I'm going to probe further north. I march to Frankville and probe toward Dranesville, and it's garrisoned. A larger garrison is at Herndon Station. Chantilly is not garrisoned, and I ride into the town, eliminating a picket there. Still, I can't find a serious gap anywhere. There's another garrison at Hunter's Mills. I guess I stirred up so much trouble on the first raid that they reinforced pretty strong.

I move back south to Rappahannock Station and probe toward Kellyville, surprising a sutler's wagon there. But I ran into another big garrison at Morrisville.

Okay, enough of that. I'm going to ambush one of those little garrsons south of Manassas and see what develops. I sneak into Warrenton Junction unnoticed. I maneuver my men into position and give the signal. It's over before it starts, and we wiped out the whole garrison. The large unit at Elk Run alerts and another company in Bristerburg joins the hunt. We gallop west to Salem. But by the time we get there, I find out that both enemy units have already given up the chase!

I lead the men back to Warrenton Junction and decide to press my luck. I'm going to destroy the rail lines there. The boys at Elk Run alert again, but this time no one joins them. This is good, because I hope to draw them away from the area so I can return and destroy the rail line at Rappahannock Station. They chase me until they reach Rectortown, where they pitch tents. Ha! I return to Rappahannock Station and destroy the rail line there. Now I need to decide whether to continue the raid or disband and play it safe. I could move to Catlett's Station and ambush the other small garrison there. I would most likely win that battle, but the large garrison at Manassas would come after me. Well, let's give it a go.

Ben Hatton takes us into Catlett's Station by a hidden path, and we sneak over to where the Union boys are resting. Another friendly local tells me that there's a Union garrison at Harrison's Ford, too. That means that if I attack here, I'll have three different units chasing me. But I like the idea of clearing them out so I can return on another raid and exploit the confusion.

I attack. We easily wipe out the garrison. The large force at Manassas does not pursue! But the two smaller units at Harrison's Ford and Bristerburg alert. Well! Not bad--no other Union forces alert. In fact, it turns out that Brentsville and Stafford Spring are empty. If I can survive this upcoming battle and return before the Union reorganize their lines, I can really have some fun.

The Harrison's Ford garrison marches quickly to Catlett's Station and attacks, but the other garrison for some reason marched to Elk Run. I lose the second battle of Catlett's Station, and we disband.

We'll be back!