The Roads to Lebanon

During THE OZARKS CAMPAIGN command simulation, the Confederate Department of the Eastern Frontier will be entering the campaign theatre from the west and the Union Army of the Arkansas from the East. They will initially be separated by the White River. Lebanon will be a county seat that is assigned victory points in the simulation and it is likely to fall under Confederate occupation at the beginning of the simulation. The roads to Lebanon will be critical in determining strategies for defending and taking Lebanon.

 

 

THE CLINTON ROAD: The Clinton Road runs from Clinton to Yellville and passes through Lebanon town. There is only one settlement (Tomahawk) between Lebanon and Yellville on this road. (Tomahawk is a choke point in the simulation, only accessible from Lebanon to the south and Yellville to the north.) To the south, the Clinton Road passes through Wiley's Cove and Meadows before reaching Clinton to the south, in Van Buren County.

THE JASPER ROAD: The Jasper Road goes from Jasper to Lebanon, passing through Borland and Point Peter. This is a mountainous route passing through gaps that will have some of the highest elevations and roughest terrain in the simulation. It includes Point Peter, which is a choke point in the simulation.

 

THE BATESVILLE ROAD: From Lebanon to Batesville, this road passing through many towns and settlements: Locust Grove, Richwoods, Wallace Creek, a crossing of the river, and Graham.

 

 

Locust Grove becomes a strategic location on the campaign map. Holding Locust Grove prevents or grants access to Lebanon from the east. Union troops east of the river could move through Locust Grove to Lebanon from North Fork and Buffalo, Mt. Olive and Sylamore or Batesville.  Holding Locust Grove could also prevent or allow troops moving southwest to Wiley's Cove and then north up the Clinton Road to attack Lebanon coming up the east side of Bear Creek and across Town Ford.  It will be possible to move against Lebanon via Batesville and Clinton, but it is a long way and puts supply lines at greater risk.

 

Yellville is in itself important as the county seat of Marion County and one of the victory point locations in the simulation. It is also a key to defending / attacking Lebanon. Control of Yellville would allow several routes to advance on Lebanon. Taking the road to Borland or Jasper would bring forces against Lebanon from the south, coming up the west side of Bear Creek and no requiring troops to ford the creek.  The Clinton Road would bring troops against Lebanon from the north, also on the west side of Bear Creek.   By moving via Buffalo City, forces could move south to the Batesville Road and against Lebanon through Baker Hollow, which is the most difficult line of attack given both Baker Ridge (if defended) and the need to ford the creek.

 

 

Lebanon will be important, whether there will be any fighting in Lebanon remains to be seen. Locust Grove and Yellville appear likely to be scenes of fighting prior to any move on Lebanon, but that all depends on the commanders' strategies...