To win this battle witthout many losses, i put 3 good brigade + one sniper unit in the wood in the north, near the river. You can slaughter union cavalry when they arrive. After that, i lead one brigade in the north of the map to reache the forest who cut the map on a north-south axis. This place allow you to protect your counter-attack on the depot.
2 two others brigades stay in wood waiting for reinforcement.
With my new troops, i go to the small wood near the farm to push the skirmisher unit. After i launch a massive counter-attack on the VP and when i retake it, i go back to avoid free kill from snipers.
With this technique, i sustain +-2k-2k5 losses.
I hope i will help you.
But i'm agree with you, this battle is really not funny and very frustrating