alternatehistory.com

9 May

Confederate guns bombard the Rock Creek line. By now nearly a dozen large Dahlgrens are emplaced north of the creek, and their fire is proving destructive.
Despite this fusillade, however, the Confederate assault which goes in as the afternoon becomes the evening is not aimed to cross Rock Creek - instead, supported by the now-battle-scarred Virginia and two big 10" guns, as well as a trio of 7" Brooke rifles emplaced two weeks ago, 12,000 troops launch an attack on Fort Lyon in Virginia.
The earthwork fort has already been severly damaged by the shells bursting inside it, causing derangement of the walls and rendering many of the rifle pits unfightable. The four defending regiments are well aware of their difficult situation (for example, gunpowder stores are low - it has not been possible to resupply in any systematic way since the Virginia arrived a month and a half ago) and are on the whole not battle experienced or very well trained. They are also armed with chiefly unserviceable muskets - around fifty of which have broken just in the time since the Virginia arrived.
Though they resist well at first, after the death of the colonel commanding the 26th NY that portion of the defence suffers considerable disruption. Roughly three thousand infantry - a mix of formations from all over the Confederacy - reach one of the breeches in the walls, passing through the field of fire of disabled flank guns, and the fort's commander hastily surrenders.
The casualties from the battle were high on both sides, with the total Union killed/wounded being lower than the Confederate total but the captured Union troops reversing this.

The loss of Fort Lyon unhinges the defence of Alexandria, and there is worry in Washington that this success will - if followed up - result in the collapse of another section of the fort ring around DC. It would also clear out one of the last Union footholds on Virginia soil, and as such is important for propoganda purposes. It is nigh-impossible to do anything about it, though - the Potomac is interdicted by the Virginia, and Eads' gunboats which might be able to alter this are still at least a month from completion.

Confederate purchasing agents in France are hinted that the Ville de Nantes - a steam line-of-battle ship currently about to go into Ordinary - might be available for purchase if the price is right. This suggestion comes from Napoleon III, though he is not directly involved in the negotiations.


10 May
Further west, Smith attacks Morgan's division of the Army of the Ohio. The Confederate army (designated as the Army of Kentucky, a recent redesignation) is not much larger than Morgan's force, but possesses somewhat better weapons and an extremely important advantage - Patrick Cleburne.
An ex-British soldier, Cleburne's service in the 41st Foot has made him well aware of the importance of discipline, and he has also obtained a copy of the Hythe musketry manual and managed to put some of it into effect. As such, the Army of the Ohio runs into a screen of picked troops roughly as proficient with the rifle as third-class British infantry, all of whom have been given the Enfields Smith has been able to scare up.
The result is devastating. At three hundred yards more shots are hitting than missing, and Morgan's 7th Division is unable to counter this heavy and accurate fire - indeed, the sheer number of casualties incurred from what is a relatively small force about three regiments strong leads the Union army to believe they are heavily outnumbered.
Morgan's force pulls back to a small hillock, and Smith orders an assault. With Cleburne's rifles firing over the heads of the assaulting troops to suppress the defenders, Smith's men push through the (not) beaten zone and shatter Morgan's force.
There are now no cohesive Union armies between the Cumberland Gap and Lexington. As news of this military calamity spreads, Buell orders some of the reinforcements headed for Michigan diverted to form up at the closest rail junction to the Cumberland Gap - his hope is that they will form a nucleus that Morgan's sundered division can reform around.
As Smith's cavalry are pursuing Morgan's damaged force, capturing all their artillery and harrying them until nightfall, this hope may be a forlorn one.