Colonel Lawford had been tasked with the defense of the line of the Chikaboogie Creek.
He had three regiments of infantry (the usual suspects - the 5th Alabama, the 1st Texas and the 9th Virginia) and a pair of guns.
A note on terrain: The Chikaboogie is a middling body of water crossed by a stone bridge. It is fordable east of the bridge. North of the river is the small hamlet of Mooresville which itself nestles in a small valley in the Black hills. The Northern side of the town is much encumbered by stone agricultural enclosures that form an obstacle to the free movement of infantry.
On the Southern side of the river, the land rises gently in a series of low terraces that are not an impedient to movement but do allow artillery to fire over the heads of infantry.
His orders are to prevent the Union from forcing the passage of the creek to defend the approaches to Greggton to the South.
Brigadier-General Guildenstern has four Union Regiments and a pair of guns. His orders are to take the bridge at Mooresville. He has determined that the best means of doing that would be to take possession of the heights to the South of the creek. He will attempt to do this by pushing two regiments through the town and over the bridge. His other two will ford the river and attempt to turn the Rebels out of their position.
Lawford has determined that he will put two of his regiments forward to defend the bridge while keeping his third in reserve. His artillery he will retain in the rear on the heights to keep good fields of fire.
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| Map for a table 90cm x 150cm |
A note on terrain: The Chikaboogie is a middling body of water crossed by a stone bridge. It is fordable east of the bridge. North of the river is the small hamlet of Mooresville which itself nestles in a small valley in the Black hills. The Northern side of the town is much encumbered by stone agricultural enclosures that form an obstacle to the free movement of infantry.
On the Southern side of the river, the land rises gently in a series of low terraces that are not an impedient to movement but do allow artillery to fire over the heads of infantry.
His orders are to prevent the Union from forcing the passage of the creek to defend the approaches to Greggton to the South.
Brigadier-General Guildenstern has four Union Regiments and a pair of guns. His orders are to take the bridge at Mooresville. He has determined that the best means of doing that would be to take possession of the heights to the South of the creek. He will attempt to do this by pushing two regiments through the town and over the bridge. His other two will ford the river and attempt to turn the Rebels out of their position.
Lawford has determined that he will put two of his regiments forward to defend the bridge while keeping his third in reserve. His artillery he will retain in the rear on the heights to keep good fields of fire.
