The field of battle; looking east from the Mississippi River. The town of Warrenton is protected by a shore battery.

God and Confederate generals.

Officers of the Union.

Strange martial attire. Must be Zouave officers.

You can spot a Rebel a mile away by his crusty hat.

The new face of battle at Game Central: comfy furniture.

As the battle opens, opposing cavalry units stare each other down.

Dismounted Union cavalry: the 2nd Wisconsin, the 3rd Iowa, and the 5th Illinois Cavalry (not sure of the order).

...And their mounted Confederate counterparts, elements of the Mississippi Cavalry, doing a little reconnaissance.

Rebel units move up towards the stream. Until they are spotted, divisions or individual brigades are represented by bases with numbers.

A view of the Confederate defenses overlooking the Mississippi: the Warrenton Shore Battery.

Union forces enter the battlefield. This is XIII Corps commanded by McClernand.

A closer view of Federal forces moving up. Zouaves advance.

More Union divisions on the move. The larger part of McClernand's 4 divisions.

The Mexican stand-off soon develops into a small action.

The smallest Confederate division, Forney's, takes a defensive position to block the enemy.

The Federals close in on the stream.

A wall of Union steel. Cavalry versus cavalry at right.

A sudden Rebel charge in the center to try to catch the blue-bellies flat footed.

Loring's division moves up through a gap in the terrain. This is the largest Confederate division present at the opening of the battle.

Union forces move nimbly up to the stream as the Rebels prepare their defenses.

Union boys splash through the stream on the Federal right flank.

In the center, Forney's Confederates have failed to bust through with their surprise attack, and now face the wrath of the guns.

An overall view of the battle for the stream.

Yankees close in, becoming denser by the minute. The Rebels open fire with a deadly cannonade.

Vicious fighting in the center. More Union infantry presses on through the woods.

Desperate fighting on the little hilltop in the center.

Another gaggle of Federals comes marching up the road towards the Rebel-held town. This is McPherson's XVII Corps, 3 divisions strong.

The Confederate left flank is anchored at Warrenton. This is M.L. Smith's division in the town.

Union cavalry searches for a way around the Rebel left flank.

The pressure mounts as a spirited Yankee attack is countered for the time being by an equally strong defense.

Federal troops mass in the central woods for a big push.

More bitter fighting in the center at close range.

A smoke blossoms from the Confederate left flank as the enemy comes into musket range.

The Union left flank deploys at the stream in front of the town.

Crash! Bayonets drive home in the center!

A closer view of the Union attack at their right flank.

The Rebel shore battery protecting the river is coming under threat of infantry attack.

The town is bristling with eager Secessionist bayonets.

Fresh Yankee troops on the left flank on their way to battle.

Union forces manuver towards the town. An artillery battery is silenced by Rebel guns.

War is grim. And then you break for lunch.

Wargaming is soooo much fun when you can't roll less than a 9. The Union secret weapon stands in the center.

A young Union infantryman is photographed on the eve of the battle.

As the battle nears its bloody end, Loring's division is hit by successive waves of Yankees.

A rebel whoop is heard as another Confederate division enters the battlefield: Stevenson's, with 5 brigades!

Another view of the Confederate center and left attempting to fall back under intense pressure.

This time the Union boys cheer as a friendly gunboat stakes its territory in the Mississippi River.

Stevenson's artillery is swiftly assailed by nimble cavalry coming in on the open left flank.

The blue tsunami roils forward, sucking Loring's brigades into it, one by one.

The Warrenton Shore Battery is silenced from the land side. The gunboat crew breath easier.

A view from Union positions looking toward Warrenton. Federal artillery hammers the Rebels in the town.

A thin line of Confederates is coagulating as best it can. Stevenson's men are much needed in the center.

A lone Confederate brigade can be seen at the top of this photo, wallowing in a sea of blue. It was shortly to drown.

A Federal attack on Warrenton is brewing. Units move up under cover of the woods.

Meanwhile, the town is assaulted from the river side by the division that silenced the shore battery.

Musket fire crackles from the humble dwellings in the streets of the town as Union infantry steam forward.

Another picture of the Rebel left and center reeling under the weight of the enemy advance.

The battlefield as the game drew to a close. A Rebel skedaddle is in order, pronto! The Union wins the laurels at Warrenton.

Either they had a good game, or there's a particularly interesting jogger out on the Ohlone Trail.

Confederate Order of Battle

Union Order of Battle

Objective: defend Warrenton and block Union from moving north or east.

Objective: capture Warrenton and keep east-west road free of Confederates.

The following units are on the board at start:

The following units arrive at 0800 hours along south edge of map:

Mississippi Cavalry - 6/5/4 cav

2nd Wisconsin Cavalry - 4/3/2 cav

Warrenton Shore Battery - 1 gun stands equivalent

3rd Iowa Cavalry - 4/3/2 cav

5th Illinois Cavalry - 4/3/2 cav

The following units arrive at 0800 hours along north edge of map:

1 corps leader - Lt. General John Pemberton

The following units arrive at 0830 hours along south edge of map:

Artillery Reserve - 2 gun stands

XIII Corps - McClernand - 1 corps leader

Forney's Division - 1 division leader

9th Division - Osterhaus - 1 division leader

Moore's Brigade - 11/8/6

Garrard's Brigade - 6/5/3

Hebert's Brigade - 12/9/6

Lindsey's Brigade - 6/5/3

Division Artillery - 2 gun stands

Division Artillery - 2 gun stands

M.L. Smith's Division - 1 division leader

10th Division - A. Smith - 1 division leader

Balwin's Brigade - 7/5/4

Burbridge's Brigade - 9/7/5

Vaughn's Brigade - 6/5/4

Landrom's Brigade - 7/5/4

Shoup's Brigade - 11/9/7

Division Artillery - 2 gun stands

Division Artillery - 3 gun stands

12th Division - A. Hovey - 1 division leader

Loring's Division - 1 division leader

McGinnis' Brigade - 12/9/6

Tilghman's Brigade - E 7/5/4

Slack's Brigade - 9/7/5

Buford's Brigade - 15/11/8

Division Artillery - 2 gun stands

Featherstone's Brigade - 10/8/5

14th Division - Carr - 1 division leader

Division Artillery - 2 gun stands

Benton's Brigade - 9/7/5

Lawler's Brigade - 11/8/6

The following units arrive at 1200 hours along north edge of map:

Division Artillery - 2 gun stands

Stevenson's Division - 1 division leader

S.D. Lee's Brigade - E 11/8/6

The following units arrive at 0930 hours along south edge of map:

Reynold's Brigade - 7/5/4

XVII Corps - McPherson - 1 corps leader

Barton's Brigade - 10/8/5

3rd Division - Logan - 1 division leader

Cummings' Brigade - 8/6/4

J. Smith's Brigade - 9/7/5

Jackson's Brigade - 4/3/2

Leggett's Brigade - 7/5/4

Division Artillery - 3 gun stands

Stevenson's Brigade - 9/7/5

Division Artillery - 3 gun stands

6th Division - McArthur - 1 division leader

Reid's Brigade - 12/9/6

Ransom's Brigade - 8/6/4

Division Artillery - 2 gun stands

7th Division - Crocker - 1 division leader

Sanbern's Brigade - 7/5/4

Holmes' Brigade - 9/7/5

Boomer's Brigade - 7/5/4

Division Artillery - 3 gun stands

Arrives at 1200 hours at north end of Mississippi River:

Gunboat - 3 gun stand equivalent