General Sickles - The Hero

From the Editorial Board at the Philadelphia Republican 
9th of July 1863

One of our stalwart reporters has sent a message today that General Sickles III Corps has taken the surrender of southern General Anderson's Division east of Harpers Ferry. After several days of skirmishes and battles along the Potomac River the rebel troops found no way to escape from Sickles' boys and surrendered.

While this paper and other across the United States await more information on the events along the Antietam Creek and the surrender of General Lee; we are gladdened that the men of the Third Corps have much to celebrate.

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Now for the game as an after-action-report. For four game days Sickles and Anderson fought along the Potomac with Sickles trying to surround Anderson and Anderson trying to cross back over the river. With one day of rain and a second with the river to high to cross Anderson's Division was forced to surrender on July 7th after Sickles launched a third attack in so many days. With each attack the southern forces were reduced. In the end Anderson had less than 2,500 men left to lay down their arms to General Sickles.

Now before Tim chimes in and says I was playing favorites with this colorful New York leader, the original plan was to have him cross over through Harpers Ferry with General Sykes to corner the Confederate forces. An opportunity for greater laurels. In the end General Anderson was to important of a force to leave alone and the Third Corps was sent in to finish them off quickly. Unfortunately, as in most American Civil War battles the troops could not be defeated as fast as the generals expect. Well done General Sickles.