Another month of Manoeuvre - and some fighting (?).
With matters in Kent undecided, we move into June. Prince Charlie romps southwards through the Highlands and Cope moves down to the Borders while Murray nips across to Carlisle.
Cumberland shifts northwards with part of the Midlands army, leaving a couple of Brigades "just in case".
The French fleet again sallies forth, brushes aside the now seriously depleted Royal Navy (wooden ships don't just grow on trees you know) in a short action, and moves to land (correctly) at Thanet some reinforcements for Richelieu.
The French hold a Council of War at Deal (usual routine, but it only takes two rounds to decide: they will seek battle at the earliest opportunity.
The Government plans for Kent are also aggressive. The options for George are marching to Dover to join Albermarle (with the chance the French may zip north from Deal to Sandwich, then on to Canterbury or Thanet), march to Deal, and meet Albermarle there (with the risk of being intercepted by the French) or to march to Sandwich and catch the French in a pincer, with Albermarle coming up from Dover, in the hope of hitting Richelieu in the Deal-Sandwich area (risk of defeat in detail for one friendly force or the other).
Deal is about two days' standard march (with guns & wagons, and in column, and assembling at march end) from Canterbury (about 16 miles), but only about three hours or so from Dover. Coordination may be tricky, unless the units at Dover force-march to get there in a day.
The French, who will likely be pretty quickly informed of the movement of the troops from Canterbury by scouts (the French have more cavalry units with them, so can out-scout the British locally) have several choices:
One: Sit fast at Deal, then hit Albermarle as he emerges from Dover - but with the risk of finding George bearing down from the north or north west if Albermarle simply slips back into Dover Castle. Risky...
Two: March south from Deal to prevent Albermarle from linking with George, as above, but pushing a small holding force north to hold the walls of Sandwich (and maybe distract any arrivals from Canterbury) and sending mounted vedettes to monitor the Canterbury-Sandwich and Canterbury-Deal roads. Here the risks are of Albermarle refusing battle as above.
Three: March to attack George. This would seem wisest, given that it is thought that that is the smaller enemy force. However, if Albermarle gives chase unmolested he will be only about three to four hours behind the French.
Four: March north from Deal towards Sandwich, as if heading for undefended Canterbury if G. is taking the Deal road, or to meet an evacuation fleet; hopefully tempting Albermarle out, but then stopping HIM en-route.
The topographical map shows that on the road from Deal, south of Sandwich, north east of Ham, there is a low, shallow elevation, like a very low ridge (topped by an occasionally wooded track called Felderland Lane for lateral movement). A force around here could block an advance from either Dover or Deal.
A small stream runs along a wet, partially-wooded, slight valley to its front, separating the low "ridge" from the rise on which Ham sits. Seems as good a place at any to await any force from the Deal direction.
In addition, jutting southwards from very low this rise is an equally low "spur" which carries the Deal road. A force here could block that road, with one flank on the bend of the shallow wooded valley and another on the wetland or the village of Worth*.
(In literature, Worth was the "birthplace" of Horatio Hornblower. In legend, Henry the Fifth allegedly landed here from the Agincourt Campaign and had a tryst with a local Ale-wife; hence the name of one of the village pubs "The Crispin Inn".)
However, on Streetview the rise marked on the topographical is barely noticeable - the land here is generally pretty flat; so will likely to have more of an effect on drainage than provide difficulty to troops. Hmmm.... 
Still, getting an enemy marching from Deal to deploy in the wetter ground, bombarding them, then attacking could work.
IF, however, the enemy come up the Dover road a move along the "higher" ground and the Felderland Lane should be easy enough; given that the option of redeploying on Foxborough Hill would cover the Dover approach.
Hmmm... All well and good, but this leaves the French vulnerably close to George if Albermarle won't play ball and attack - and George makes good speed - so putting the onus on the French to make the running and attack Albermarle.
Council of War (again):
At the French Council of War the options are thrashed out. As information comes in suggesting that George, marching from Canterbury, has halted near Eastry, presumably to coordinate with Albermarle on the morrow a decision is made.
It is decided to try the old "sneak out" ploy of leaving the tents up and campfires burning with a scratch crew, to make it look as if the camp is occupied, to hopefully stop Albermarle's scouts from spotting what is going on, while pushing to head off George as far up the Canterbury road as possible. A night march IS hazardous, but will hopefully give the French a few hours to confront and maul George before Albermarle starts chasing.
To a large extent the French force has done its job; seriously embarrassing the sitting Government and the Hanoverian dynasty. If it can win a battle against the king himself before sailing home this will be all to the better.. Does any of this really help Charlie? Maybe by keeping Government forces in the south, but as stated before, the French are playing their own game..
The Field:
The land where George's army is camping, astride the road on shallow rise east of Eastry with nearby water, seems pretty flat farmland, with slight dips to small watercourses. Like the Felderland site above, there is little in the way of sharp or extreme changes in elevation. George has been alerted to the enemy approach and the men are Standing To.
I spent about 20 minutes making up a table where, apart from the woodland, the features are primarily set-dressing. The main feature is the road and the the two minor settlements (Betteshanger and Finglesham) with some token "semi-boggy ground and token spinneys.
[Technical note: my camera has been playing up - see pic above - as has the "adding images" on Blogger, the process having seemingly changed this week (for the worse, as per usual with updates). It took half an hour and two browser changes to get the last two pics added. I hope this isn't an omen...]
With matters in Kent undecided, we move into June. Prince Charlie romps southwards through the Highlands and Cope moves down to the Borders while Murray nips across to Carlisle.
Cumberland shifts northwards with part of the Midlands army, leaving a couple of Brigades "just in case".
The French fleet again sallies forth, brushes aside the now seriously depleted Royal Navy (wooden ships don't just grow on trees you know) in a short action, and moves to land (correctly) at Thanet some reinforcements for Richelieu.
The French hold a Council of War at Deal (usual routine, but it only takes two rounds to decide: they will seek battle at the earliest opportunity.
The Government plans for Kent are also aggressive. The options for George are marching to Dover to join Albermarle (with the chance the French may zip north from Deal to Sandwich, then on to Canterbury or Thanet), march to Deal, and meet Albermarle there (with the risk of being intercepted by the French) or to march to Sandwich and catch the French in a pincer, with Albermarle coming up from Dover, in the hope of hitting Richelieu in the Deal-Sandwich area (risk of defeat in detail for one friendly force or the other).
Deal is about two days' standard march (with guns & wagons, and in column, and assembling at march end) from Canterbury (about 16 miles), but only about three hours or so from Dover. Coordination may be tricky, unless the units at Dover force-march to get there in a day.
The French, who will likely be pretty quickly informed of the movement of the troops from Canterbury by scouts (the French have more cavalry units with them, so can out-scout the British locally) have several choices:
One: Sit fast at Deal, then hit Albermarle as he emerges from Dover - but with the risk of finding George bearing down from the north or north west if Albermarle simply slips back into Dover Castle. Risky...
Two: March south from Deal to prevent Albermarle from linking with George, as above, but pushing a small holding force north to hold the walls of Sandwich (and maybe distract any arrivals from Canterbury) and sending mounted vedettes to monitor the Canterbury-Sandwich and Canterbury-Deal roads. Here the risks are of Albermarle refusing battle as above.
Three: March to attack George. This would seem wisest, given that it is thought that that is the smaller enemy force. However, if Albermarle gives chase unmolested he will be only about three to four hours behind the French.
The French hold a Council of War at Deal (usual routine, but it only takes two rounds to decide: they will seek battle at the earliest opportunity.
The Government plans for Kent are also aggressive. The options for George are marching to Dover to join Albermarle (with the chance the French may zip north from Deal to Sandwich, then on to Canterbury or Thanet), march to Deal, and meet Albermarle there (with the risk of being intercepted by the French) or to march to Sandwich and catch the French in a pincer, with Albermarle coming up from Dover, in the hope of hitting Richelieu in the Deal-Sandwich area (risk of defeat in detail for one friendly force or the other).
Deal is about two days' standard march (with guns & wagons, and in column, and assembling at march end) from Canterbury (about 16 miles), but only about three hours or so from Dover. Coordination may be tricky, unless the units at Dover force-march to get there in a day.
The French, who will likely be pretty quickly informed of the movement of the troops from Canterbury by scouts (the French have more cavalry units with them, so can out-scout the British locally) have several choices:
One: Sit fast at Deal, then hit Albermarle as he emerges from Dover - but with the risk of finding George bearing down from the north or north west if Albermarle simply slips back into Dover Castle. Risky...
Two: March south from Deal to prevent Albermarle from linking with George, as above, but pushing a small holding force north to hold the walls of Sandwich (and maybe distract any arrivals from Canterbury) and sending mounted vedettes to monitor the Canterbury-Sandwich and Canterbury-Deal roads. Here the risks are of Albermarle refusing battle as above.
Three: March to attack George. This would seem wisest, given that it is thought that that is the smaller enemy force. However, if Albermarle gives chase unmolested he will be only about three to four hours behind the French.
The topographical map shows that on the road from Deal, south of Sandwich, north east of Ham, there is a low, shallow elevation, like a very low ridge (topped by an occasionally wooded track called Felderland Lane for lateral movement). A force around here could block an advance from either Dover or Deal.
A small stream runs along a wet, partially-wooded, slight valley to its front, separating the low "ridge" from the rise on which Ham sits. Seems as good a place at any to await any force from the Deal direction.
In addition, jutting southwards from very low this rise is an equally low "spur" which carries the Deal road. A force here could block that road, with one flank on the bend of the shallow wooded valley and another on the wetland or the village of Worth*.
(In literature, Worth was the "birthplace" of Horatio Hornblower. In legend, Henry the Fifth allegedly landed here from the Agincourt Campaign and had a tryst with a local Ale-wife; hence the name of one of the village pubs "The Crispin Inn".)
Still, getting an enemy marching from Deal to deploy in the wetter ground, bombarding them, then attacking could work.
IF, however, the enemy come up the Dover road a move along the "higher" ground and the Felderland Lane should be easy enough; given that the option of redeploying on Foxborough Hill would cover the Dover approach.
Hmmm... All well and good, but this leaves the French vulnerably close to George if Albermarle won't play ball and attack - and George makes good speed - so putting the onus on the French to make the running and attack Albermarle.
Council of War (again):
At the French Council of War the options are thrashed out. As information comes in suggesting that George, marching from Canterbury, has halted near Eastry, presumably to coordinate with Albermarle on the morrow a decision is made.
It is decided to try the old "sneak out" ploy of leaving the tents up and campfires burning with a scratch crew, to make it look as if the camp is occupied, to hopefully stop Albermarle's scouts from spotting what is going on, while pushing to head off George as far up the Canterbury road as possible. A night march IS hazardous, but will hopefully give the French a few hours to confront and maul George before Albermarle starts chasing.
To a large extent the French force has done its job; seriously embarrassing the sitting Government and the Hanoverian dynasty. If it can win a battle against the king himself before sailing home this will be all to the better.. Does any of this really help Charlie? Maybe by keeping Government forces in the south, but as stated before, the French are playing their own game..
The Field:
The land where George's army is camping, astride the road on shallow rise east of Eastry with nearby water, seems pretty flat farmland, with slight dips to small watercourses. Like the Felderland site above, there is little in the way of sharp or extreme changes in elevation. George has been alerted to the enemy approach and the men are Standing To.
I spent about 20 minutes making up a table where, apart from the woodland, the features are primarily set-dressing. The main feature is the road and the the two minor settlements (Betteshanger and Finglesham) with some token "semi-boggy ground and token spinneys.
[Technical note: my camera has been playing up - see pic above - as has the "adding images" on Blogger, the process having seemingly changed this week (for the worse, as per usual with updates). It took half an hour and two browser changes to get the last two pics added. I hope this isn't an omen...]
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