3 June 1600: Pushing up the Trail

View East: Terrain confronting IR13 as they move into the woods

Once The Grenadiers pursed the retreating Freedonians into the woods, Captain Xavier considered his own task complete. He returned control of the Jaegers back to their section leader and followed D company in its push south to roll up the Freedonian line. The Freedonians at the field were in retreat, streaming back up along the Atwater trail or into the woods. IR 13 pushed on heedless of danger in an attempt to rout the Freedonians but instead stumbled into a carefully laid trap. As they pushed their way into the woods they came across a broad swamp which could not be seen from outside the treeline. Across the swamp, atop a rocky ridge, the Freedonians had established a second line of troops, that now poured heavy fire onto the mired and surprised Slobobians. Xavier saw dozens shot down and realized there would be no pushing across this swamp. C company’s commander saw this too and pulled the troops back to whatever cover they could find and settled into another firefight while the rest of the battalion pushed up Atwater trail. If they were successful, this would force the Freedonians on the ridge above them to withdraw.

Ultimately the fighting between the grenadiers deep into the woods north of this position compelled the Freedonians into a  slow withdrawal up Atwater trail. IR13 had suffered many casualties but were driven on by the furious exhortations of Colonel von Tripp and a sense that the Freedonians were breaking. The enemy gave ground slowly withdrawing from tree to tree. The terrain served to entice every man to simply seek a good hiding place and wait out the battle. Officers and NCOs everywhere were shouting, kicking, beating men forward.

View Northeast from the trail at the swap 

Eventually they came to a chokepoint in the advance and the final piece of the Freedonian defense became clear. on both sides of the trail were swamps. To the right a broad swamp perhaps 80 meters wide, toe the left a deep pond and swamp. Both were serious impediments to the advance. on the other side the enemy was will ensconced beyond stone walls. the trail itself was strewn with dead and it was here that A and B Companies had reached the limit of their endurance. Von Tripp sensed he would get little else out of the two spent companies. Behind him along the trail C company, still relatively unscathed was formed up in column. they would have to  pass through and assume the attack.