16th New York alter their line of approach to avoid the burning factory building.
The burning building is causing lots of problems for the defenders too.
3rd Brigade, 1st Division's assault on the north west wall, from left to right, 32nd New York, 31st New York and 18th New York form the front line and receive a face full of musketry and in the case of 32nd, canister as well.
Wise's Legion Cavalry, suffer losses but force 1st New York Cavalry to pull back, however, 5th US Cavalry are still full of fight.
9th Virginia Cavalry are forced back by the carbine fire of both 1st US Cavalry and 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
Powder smoke blinds both attacker and defender on the north west wall.
The assaults in full swing.
The Union commanders watch the assault on the north east wall.
95th Pennsylvania who have been taking artillery fire for the whole assault, now suffer with canister and musketry, they are close to breaking.
96th Pennsylvania take musket fire at point blank range from 12th Alabama. In the foreground 95th Pennsylvania take more canister and break.
96th Pennsylvania now shattered fall out of line, their place taken by 4th New Jersey.
95th Pennsylvania fall out of line, but no rest for the rebels as 3rd New Jersey move into their place.
Something is going to have to give on the north west wall.
2nd Mississippi are forced back and now 18th New York have their muskets on the wall and deliver a withering volley.
In the cavalry firefights, both rebel regiments are being forced back upon each other. They are causing casualties but suffering badly themselves.
Hampton's Legion Cavalry defending that corner of the wall assist their colleagues by firing into the flank of 1st US Cavalry, scoring many hits.
Colonel George Anderson orders 4th North Carolina to assist in the defence of the north west wall.
Desperate situations in and around the arsenal.
Wise's Legion Cavalry fight desperately to hold their ground.
1st US Cavalry hit from the front and flank finally break.
The battle rages on.
18th New York breach the north west wall and are now inside the compound.
16th New York also fight their way into the compound on the north east wall.
Wise's Legion cavalry are close to breaking point.
1st US Cavalry have broken and fall back. However the firefight goes on.
A scene of utter carnage and destruction as the blue uniforms pour over the wall into the compound.
Difficult for the men to see more than three paces ahead.
With breaches made in the walls, the Union troops continue to press forward. The taste of victory is in the air.
Desperate fighting continues.
Wise's Legion Cavalry finally break and flee.
Cobb's Legion Cavalry are now in a hopeless position.
More Union troops breach the north west wall to add to the confusion within.
Vicious hand to hand fighting ensues, with bayonets and rifle butts to the fore.
The Union troops now have the advantage of the walls protection and pour fire into the enemy.
The dire and forlorn position of the defenders is obvious.
General Dan Hill gives word for his men to lay down their arms in surrender.
The scene just prior to the surrender.
General Hill surrenders his command to General Franklin OC VI Corps.
Once the dead and wounded have been removed, the remaining buildings of the arsenal are fired. It would never again produce weapons for the south.
EPILOGUE
Union VI Corps had successfully achieved all the objectives set out for it by General McClellan, he had taken the rest of the Army of the Potomac on a drive to Richmond which had culminated in the Seven Days Battles. Ultimately unsuccessful the Union Army fell back. Within two weeks of the Choke Peninsular being captured, VI Corps were forced to abandon their hard won gains and rejoin the retreating army.
The south never rebuilt the arsenal, they just did not have the resources, Port St. Charles was once again in operation as a blockade running port within a week of the Union departure.
When Don Haver was released from the Union prison camp after the war ended, he returned to Choke Peninsular and along with some former members of his company of the 6th Alabama, was granted permission for one final duty. They exhumed the body of Private Pat Morgan and placed it on a wagon, they made their way to the East Road and turned north. On reaching the lookout cabin overlooked by Choke Heights, the men carried the canvas covered corpse up the path to the summit. Once there they dug a grave, just below the rocks of the summit, the site they had occupied three years previously.
Once the body was interred, Don stood and looked out across the vast water. Pat would spend the rest of eternity on the mountain he had grown to love and now each morning he would indeed see the sun rise out of the ocean.
Who knows? maybe Pat could now also see all those pretty girls across the ocean...
Thank you all for taking the time to read this fictitious battle of the American Civil War. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed creating it, taking the photos and adding the narrative.
