As states seceded from the Union in 1860-61, Missouri attempted to maintain neutrality However, with a pro-southern governor and a pro-Union legislature Missouri was destined to fight a civil war within the very state itself. All hope of neutrality ended in July 1861 when a peace conference between Governor Jackson and Union Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon failed, with Lyon declaring that he would rather 'That the blood of every man, woman and child within the limits of the State should flow, than she should defy the Federal Government. This means war!' Forming an army, Lyon drove the pro-Confederate Missouri State Guard under Major General Sterling Price into the south-west of the state, where he prepared to finish them off.

Price, However, had joined forces with Confederate forces in Arkansas under Brigadier General Ben McCulloch, and was preparing to re-take Missouri. This was an allied army rather than a Confederate one, as Missouri had not yet formally joined the Confederacy. Price's commission came from Missouri, rather than Richmond, and McCulloch refused to recognise him as his superior, so the combined force ended up under McCulloch's control. Lyon attempted to get reinforcements from his departmental commander, Major General John Fremont, but none were forthcoming.

McCulloch moved north and prepared to attack Lyon's forces at Springfield, Missouri on August 10th. However, the night march to get the troops into position was abandoned, because of impending rain. This was because the Southerners carried their ammunition in easily soaked cloth sacks, and many of them were armed with flintlock muskets; heavy rain would have rendered many of their weapons useless. The Confederates remained in their cam, strung out along the banks of Wilson's Creek.

Coincidentally, Lyon had also decided to strike that same night, Although outnumbered two-to-one he reasoned that a surprise attack might be enough to even the odds. He consented to a plan proposed by Brigadier General Franz Sigel to split his forces in two, one force striking the Confederates from the north, whilst the other would circle to the south and trap them. McCulloch would be caught between the two forces and crushed.

At 0500 Lyon was in position, and at 0530 pickets fell back into the Confederate camps to warn of the attack. The attack was initially successful, scattering the Southerners back for some distance They fell back onto the main force, however, and Price responded well, organising a strong defensive line to oppose the Union advance. Lyon's attack stalled as his forces reached the top of the high ground that was to become known as Bloody Hill.

Sigel's southern column drove off the southern cavalry it encountered, but ran into trouble when it encountered a Confederate unit which wore a similar uniform to one of the Union units. This mistaken identity led to the Confederates surprising Sigel's troops with a crushing volley, and the whole command broke and ran. Sigel barely escaped capture by disguising himself as a Texas cavalryman.

The fight on Bloody Hill had developed into a slugging match, with Price launching three assaults up the slope, and both sides taking terrible casualties. After six hours of fighting Lyon, already twice wounded, was killed, and command of the Union forces fell to Major Samuel Sturgis. With Sigel out of the fight, Sturgis ordered the Union troops to withdraw. Missouri was now wide open, and Price soon captured Springfield before moving North to the Missouri River. McCulloch's Confederates returned to Arkansas

Casualties on both sides were high. The Confederates lost some 1,200 men out of about 10,000 engaged. The Union lost about 1,300 out of an original 5,400.

It should be pointed out that the scale of this scenario is really beyond that of 'Fire and Fury', as the forces represented are quite small. There is a nominal scale of 100 men or 4 guns to a stand, but there is no corresponding reduction in time or ground scale. The brigades in this scenario actually represent not only brigades but also individual regiments. Mixed brigades of infantry and cavalry have been split up where convenient and other units amalgamated. The result is not necessarily a completely accurate simulation of the battle, but it does capture the essential structure of the forces, tactical problems and potential results. The most important thing is that it gives a good game.

The following troops are required:

The number in parenthesis is the number of brigades of that type.

Lyon is the overall commander for the Union and may command any Union troops. No Union unit may receive benefits from more than one leader during a turn, however. In addition, if Lyon is killed he is not replaced.

All exceptional leader ratings only apply if the leader is attached to a brigade.

Plummer's 'brigade' was made up predominately of US Army regulars, and had a higher level of discipline and training than the other troops on the field. To reflect this the brigade is always gets a +1 on the manoeuvre table and a +1 in Charge combat.

All Confederate units begin the game encamped. They are placed in a loose grouping around their set-up site and may not move or fire until activated. Artillery is placed with the limber to the side of the gun.

A brigade is activated automatically during the first Confederate movement phase after it is fired on, or if it is engaged in charge combat. Otherwise brigades and batteries are activated by die roll.

At the start of each Confederate move roll a D10 for each brigade and battery. On a 3 or less the brigade may activate. This roll has the following modifiers:

(Note that the Union proximity modifiers are not cumulative)

During the Confederate turn in which a brigade is first activated it may form up on its set-up point with any facing and in any formation or movement mode without rolling on the manoeuvre table, but may perform no other movement. It is automatically considered to be disordered whether enemy action has caused it to become so or not. It may fire during the offensive fire phase of that turn. If an encamped brigade is charged it does not get to fire in the defensive fire phase.

If an encamped Confederate brigade is forced to retreat by charge combat, it ends the retreat in any formation the Confederate player wishes. It will, of course, be disordered.

An activated battery may start limbered or unlimbered. If unlimbered it is not eligible to fire in the offensive fire phase of that turn. Silenced batteries must start limbered.

Whilst encamped a brigade or battery is considered to be enfiladed. If charged it is always considered to be outflanked. On the turn on which it activates, a brigade or battery is not considered enfiladed but is considered to be changing formation. Encamped cavalry counts neither as mounted or dismounted for fire and close combat purposes.

As an alternative, an encamped brigade can be represented by its command stand and a few tents.

All Confederate brigades fire with Confederate cavalry factors to simulate the poor quality of their weapons and powder. Some weapons were of 1812 vintage.

Union artillery fires with Confederate artillery factors, except for one battery of the Northern Column which fires with Union factors. This battery represents Totten's Battery of regular artillery which performed exceptionally throughout the battle.

Despite this battle being very early in the war, Union cavalry fires with the factors given in the rules as they were armed with breech loading carbines.

This scenario uses a 6' x 4' table laid out as follows:

(Click on the image above to view the map)

Wilson's Creek is 1 1/2" wide and is fordable along its entire length, but units suffer a movement penalty unless crossing in column at a ford. Artillery may only cross at a ford.

Skegg's Branch is 1" wide and fordable by all units with the usual movement penalties.

All road crossings are fords. A unit defending the banks of Wilson's Creek or Skegg's Branch receives a +1 bonus in charge combat for favourable ground.

Woods are treated as rough going for movement, give a -1 cover bonus and give a defending unit a +1 favourable ground bonus in charge combat. Combat bonuses do not apply to artillery or mounted cavalry.

Broken ground is treated as woods, but does not block line of sight.

Hill contours and crest lines give a defending unit a +1 bonus in charge combat for favourable ground. A crest line is always considered to be one level higher then the hill on which it is placed.

Defensive bonuses for terrain are not cumulative.

The scenario starts with the Union 0500 turn and can continue until the Confederate 1230 turn.

Both sides score points for damaging or destroying enemy units as described in the rules.

At the end of each Confederate turn from 0800 onwards total victory points for each side.

If the Union score exceeds the Confederate score by more than 5 points then the game ends in a Union victory.

If the Confederate score exceeds the Union score by more than 5 points and there are no unspent Union brigades within musketry range of the Sharp House then the game ends in a Confederate victory.

If the last turn is reached and neither side has achieved victory then the game ends in a draw.

No Union units are deployed at the start of the game.

All Confederate units start the game encamped at the following positions:

All units enter within the marked entry areas on the map, in any formation and do not need to roll on the manoeuvre table on the turn of entry. They may not initiate charge combat on the turn of entry.

There are no Confederate reinforcements.