alternatehistory.com

17 June

During a storm, the blockading squadron for the Delaware river is scattered. HMS Thunder - anchors carried away and without the power to steer - is driven into the shore, sustaining severe damage, and the old ironclad is found to be not in a fit state for refloating once the storm dies down - her keel is broken and the weight of the armour has distorted her skeleton.
As such, her crew are taken off by the Defiance. The guns, unspoiled supplies, and some of the armour plate are taken aboard for redistribution (or salvage), and what is left is burned.

Pennefather begins pushing down the rail line from Detroit. He moves slowly and methodically - he already has his major victory for the war, and does not want to risk being outmanoeuvred by the Union forces. (In truth they have little they could outmanoeuvre him with - there are three artillery batteries and a division in his way, and their small arms are mostly smoothbores).

The submersible vessel the Pegelius launches from Boston under cover of darkness. It attempts to reach the blockaders offshore and detonate a caulked gunpowder keg under the keel of the Duncan, though problems with the design mean it has to surface after an hour less than halfway to the target.
Boats retrieve it with difficulty.



18 June

Lee spends the day with Jackson and Cleburne, working out possible tactics and strategies for the coming campaign. Jackson volunteers information from the campaigns earlier in the year, offering insight into the behaviour of George McClellan - that he is a dangerous opponent, but that he is overly cautious. (In short, that he treats uncertainty as danger rather than opportunity).
Stuart is consulted on the capabilities of his cavalry, and the Confederate cavalry commander emphasizes a particular point - he has managed to arm all his men with rifled carbines, some of them breech-loading, and he is confident in his ability to defeat infantry so long as his men do not go up against large numbers of defenders at once.
About three in the afternoon, Lee comes to a conclusion - the caution of McClellan is both an advantage and a disadvantage to the man. It is an advantage as McClellan is very hard to destroy, but it is also a disadvantage as he is easy to predict - McClellan will always keep back a reserve, and will never allow his line of retreat to be cut off, and this very fact is exploitable.


The New York completes casing. A debate is ongoing as to what armaments to give each United States ironclad, as it is felt there will only be two of the heaviest gun (the 15") available.

For the fourth time this month, a supply line is briefly established through the Confederate siege line around Washington. This area of the siege is tenuous at best - the fort ring makes the area to be covered too large to permanently interdict - but the railroad is cut and supplies have to be fought through under heavy escort.

The issue is raised in Congress whether the government should evacuate to a safer location, further north; this is decided against, though the debate is close and it goes to a vote in the House. As the results are read out, the firing of Confederate guns at the Rock Creek line can faintly be heard.