ACW Campaign - Part Twenty Two.

2115 hours, 2nd June 1862. Briefing tent of VI Corps, Stockton/Clanfield crossroads.

Divisional, brigade and regimental commanders sat on camp chairs or stood where they could find room, most clutching a mug of steaming coffee, others enjoying a pipe full of tobacco. All stood and saluted as General William Franklin entered the tent.

'At ease gentlemen, you have earned it. I want to start by congratulating all of you and and your men for the excellent job done so far. We have defeated the enemy both on the Stockton Road and at Crow Bridge. We have destroyed or captured six enemy infantry regiments, one cavalry regiment as well as three batteries of artillery.' He paused to allow the figures to sink in.

'However, the enemy still has a substantial force that needs to be dealt with. Our own forces have suffered also, every one of our brigades has suffered losses to some degree but we still greatly outnumber the enemy. We are still in the process of interrogating the prisoners, but it seems the brigade that attempted to block us on the Stockton Road, was indeed their total reserve.

The enemy is now on the run, but has little room left in which to retreat to. Eventually he will have to turn and face us. It may well be in one of the towns or somewhere else, but he must face us at some point.'

The gathered officers nodded or grunted in agreement. General Franklin motioned the men to gather around a table on which was spread a map of the peninsular.

'The majority of the corps will move south in pursuit of the enemy toward Clanfield. One brigade will be detached to continue along the East Road, through Stockton , Witton and eventually halting at Port St Charles. Any vessels you discover on the march down the coast larger than a damn canoe, is to be burnt, along with any quayside or other installations that are of use to the enemy. I intend to chase down the remaining enemy troops and destroy them as well as achieving all our other objectives. We will move out at 0800 tomorrow.

Questions?...'

2nd Brigade, 2nd Division under the command of Brigadier W.T. Brooks moves off east toward Stockton.

The remainder of VI Corps heads south in the direction of Clanfield.

At exactly the same time, in a tent of similar size, five miles south of the Union position, Major General Daniel Hill was also in a meeting with his senior officers, though far fewer in number than the former.

'We all know the situation gentlemen, although we have fought well, the enemy greatly outnumbered us. Courage and bravery alone cannot hold back superior numbers forever. A number of faces are missing from this tent, I only hope they are prisoners of the Union and not killed or wounded. You all know the peninsular well, there is no obvious location at which we can stand and hope to hold off the enemy. He can advance on any position we choose, from various directions.

I have no intention of fighting in any of the towns, I don't want any civilian casualties, nor loss of property to the townsfolk. It is my intention to fall back to the arsenal outside of Hampstead, it is far enough outside the town so any fighting would not directly affect the residents. The arsenal has a solid stone wall around the perimeter on which we can base our defence, if the enemy wish to take it and us, they will be made to pay dearly for it.'


Cobb's Legion cavalry lead the remnants of Hill's Division south through the town of Clanfield.

I can now set up the table to represent the arsenal at Hampstead.