“What do you plan to do?” Sherman asked.
“Nothing — until we have worked out where the convoy is headed. They will not go to the assigned ports that are in these orders, you can be sure of that. They will know by now about the occupation and the commanding officer of the troops will plan accordingly. I think the decision must be yours, General, because this is a military matter. Their army commanders will be planning a landing — or landings. Their navy will act as an escort and provide fire to cover any landings.”
“That was my thought as well.” Sherman finished his ale and rose. “Let us take this discussion to my office and consult the maps there.”
The map of the British Isles was unfolded on the desk below the oil lamp. General Sherman studied it thoughtfully.
“Any ideas, Gus?” he asked.
“None! I have no intelligence of their destination and am no tactician. I will not attempt to even guess.”
“Very wise. Which leaves the responsibility to me. First — let us limit the possibilities.” He tapped on the map. “I think that we can eliminate landings in the north and west. Scotland and Wales are too distant from the seat of power. Cornwall is the same as well. We must look to London.”
“They will not attempt to come up the Thames as we did,” Farragut said. “It is common knowledge that our floating batteries are still stationed there. But here to the east, in the Wash, there are protected waters where landings are possible. Or farther south, perhaps, at the port of Harwich.”
Sherman shook his head. “Again — too far from the center. Harwich is a better possibility, it is surely close enough to London. But we would be warned if they landed there and could easily mass the troops to stop them. Therefore I believe that it is the south coast that we must worry about. They will know that we have seized Portsmouth, so they will not come ashore there. But here, farther east along the south coast, it is very different. Flat beaches, shallow waters, easy access from the sea. Brighton. Newhaven. Hastings.” He ran his finger along the coast.
“Hastings, 1066,” Fox said. “The last successful invasion before ours.”
“I can station a screen of ships across the mouth of the English Channel,” the admiral said. “From Bournemouth right across to the Cherbourg Peninsula. The Channel can’t be more than eighty miles wide there. A force the size of this one coming from India would be easily spotted as it approached. But, of course, if they do go west to Cornwall or beyond, we will never see them. Their troops would be well ashore before we knew anything about it.”
The ticking of the clock could be clearly heard in the silence that followed. This was a command decision — and General William Tecumseh Sherman was in command. The burden of decision rested upon his shoulders alone. His commander in chief was on the other side of the Atlantic and could not be consulted in time. It was indeed his sole judgment. He glanced up at the clock.
“Admiral, can you meet me here at eight o’clock in the morning to discuss your orders?”
“I shall be here.”
“Fine. Gus, I want your clerks to rake through the files. Get me the strengths of all the units listed in these orders. I will also want that by eight in the morning at the latest. Earlier, if you can manage it.”
“I’ll get onto it right now.”
“Good. On your way out, tell the officer of the day to send for my staff. It is going to be a long night.”
Dawn was just breaking when a haggard-eyed Fox brought the files with the strengths of the various military units that were in the approaching convoy. The staff officers moved aside when he came in and handed the papers to General Sherman.
“They are all here, General. All of the troops listed as being in the convoy. I wish I could be as sure of the accompanying naval vessels. Here are the original manifests, but any number of ships could have joined the convoy since they sailed. The route and dates of the convoy were well known throughout the fleet. Any or all of the British ships that escaped capture could be with the convoy now.”
“Excellent. Now I suggest that you get some rest. You have done all that could be done.”
Sherman himself looked as alert as he had the evening before. A seasoned campaigner, he was used to days and nights without sleep. By eight o’clock, before Admiral Farragut arrived, the plans were well in hand. Once the orders had been written, the staff officers dispersed to implement them as soon as possible. Sherman was alone, looking out the window at the park when the admiral came in.
“It is done,” Sherman said. “Orders have been issued and the first troop movements will begin this morning.”
“To… where?”
“Here,” Sherman said, slapping his hand down on the map of the south coast of England. “They will try to land here — they have no other choice. But our troops will soon be digging in all along this coast. From Hastings to Brighton. The heart of our defenses will be at Newhaven Fort, right here. Some of the guns there were damaged, but they have all been replaced by now. That coast will soon be bristling with American might. Any attempts to land will be blasted from the water. But I hope that disaster will not happen. It must be averted.”
“How do you plan to do that?”
“I will be able to tell you when I join you. When do you estimate that it is the earliest that the convoy will arrive?”
“They may be slower than anticipated, but in any case they cannot get to the Channel any faster than was originally planned. Three more days at the earliest.”
“Good. You will post your ships at the Channel mouth, as you outlined last night. I shall join you in two days’ time. Will you have a ship for me in Portsmouth?”
“The Devastation just came in from patrol and is refueling in Southampton. I’ll telegraph orders for her to await you there, then she will join us in station. I sincerely hope that you are right in your summation of the situation, General.”
Sherman smiled wryly. “Admiral, I have to be right or we are lost. If the British army from India gets ashore, it will be a ragtag, murderous invasion with no guarantee of a successful outcome for either side. I have issued my orders. What happens next is up to the enemy.”