021w Willcox's Attack I, June 17th, 1864 - WDS Campaign Petersburg

Just as Lee felt at Gettysburg on July 3rd, the previous year, just one more assault and the Federal line would break, so now, almost exactly a year later, Meade felt the same way at Petersburg. Just one more assault and the Confederate line would break and Petersburg would fall. To make that happen, Meade ordered Burnside's IX Corps to prepare an assault that would carry the rebel line. Fortunately for Beauregard and the defending Confederates, Meade did not obtain the full support of his on the spot superior, General Grant. As a result, several key units were withdrawn, thus diminishing Meade's total number of troops that would be available for the assault. This scenario depicts one of those piece meal assaults carried out on the 17th of June. Earlier in the Day, Potter's Division was tasked to assault the rebel lines west of the Shand house. After that assault failed, Burnside ordered Willcox's Division to make an almost identical attack. This time the attack would commence at 2pm, just north of the Shand house. The Union objective, clear the ravines west of the Shand house, then hold against a counter attack.