2nd Bull Run, Conclusion: Continuing to Attack
Jackson
I detecting a pattern in the instructions we get in this battle ...
Rather obvious that it already is.
I think we've got him on the run. Recon parties agree, reporting that we have about 35k strength in the area, with 25k for the rebels. Unless that swings against us, we keep going. Much of the ground, as you can see here, favors them. Organization and coherency of their men does not. We're pushing them back, and once we take the ridge I don't forsee good things for the Confederates here. I will not run at the mere thought of a threat.
The south flank is basically surrounded, but if they can hold out a while longer ...
Terrain, cover are virtual non-issues here. This has degenerated into little more than a general free-for-all, and that's much to our benefit it seems as we're definitely giving better than we are receiving. While some are still coming up, most of the Army is now in the fight. At the moment we estimate about 2700 losses on our side, nearly 5k for the enemy. Why would we stop now??
We've taken the north end of the ridge, and begun the process of wheeling south. We will crush Jackson, Hood, and any other rebel SCUM who stand in our way!!
** 4:34 PM -- Cpt. Alvin Ransom, another new skirmisher commander, is killed. This is a heavy-handed slugfest, and the newer, flimsy skirmisher units have their place. This isn't really it. They've served as little more than a useful distraction.
** 5pm -- We have some late arrivals, giving us almost a 2:1 edge in manpower here. At this point though it could be basically over by the time we get them in action. We've relieved the pressure on one side in the south. While half of our men down there have been crushed, the other half are heroes, and will soon get some rest I think.
Soon one of our biggest problems is the need to constantly reposition the artillery due to how quickly we are pushing them. A good problem to have.
** 5:19 PM -- Another rebel division, under Gen. Jones, has been spotted. We'll take them out too.
** 5:30 PM -- Shumaker here, on the west of the ridge, is the first of their main artillery emplacements to be reached. It is the end for our enemy.
They had their moments, catching us off-guard in isolated ambushes here and there, but the overall trend for the rest of the evening was that the Confederates were swept from the field.