Turned Back at Arlington - August 16th, 1861

Major Horace Durant's 3rd Battalion, 3rd Kentucky Cavalry advanced on Arlington again from Tomlin's Ford. This time Colonel Dixon Barnes' 2nd Alabama Infantry held the church north of town. The Federal cavalry probe was quickly turned back with light losses among the Confederate infantry.

More Cavalry Probes on August 11th, 1861

One of the challenges in this stage of the Grand Campaign is that players have a large area to cover with a very limited number of units. Fords and towns are guarded by single regiments of infantry or depleted cavalry battalions. Neither side has sufficient resources to launch a sustained campaign far from the rail lines, because it is difficult to secure the supply lines over that distances with such small forces. But there is still the threat of raids and forays, and the exact position of the enemy's forces is often uncertain.

Guarding strategic points serves as an alert to the enemy's intentions should he start an advance. Probes often don't take much ground, but they establish with they enemy is still present, whether the composition of his force has changes, and keep the enemy's resources tied up along an extended line.

On August 11th, the Union Kentucky cavalry battalions at Atkins Ford and Tomlins Ford moved south again to make contact with the Alabama Infantry at Rowland Mills and Arlington with almost the usual results. At Arlington, the Federals took position in and around the church north of town and were harder to push back to the ford than in previous occasions. With good cover and rifled weapons against their enemy armed with French Liege Muskets, they made a good showing for a brief probe. In the end though, their primary task was to see if the enemy was still there. He was.

Minor action at Arlington on August 11th. 

Renewed Fighting South of the Bull Head: August 9th 1861

Union forces left their positions at the fords on the Bull Head River and advanced on the towns immediately to their south. Cavalry probes at Arlington and Rowland Mills confirmed the presence of the enemy and withdrew back to the fords. At Centerville, the 1st Illinois Infantry and a battalion of Union cavalry attacked the 1st Alabama for a second day in a row. This time, they were successful and the 1st Alabama was forced to withdraw southward to Nicholas, leaving the Federals in control of Centerville.

Probes over the Bull Head - August 4, 1861

Once again cavalry battalions at Tomlin's Ford and Atkins' Ford crossed the Bull Head River and move south, probing around Arlington and Rowland Mills respectively. The outcome was a repeat of the situation on August 1st. Both battalions were repulsed by infantry and returned to the fords.

Arlington - August 4, 1861

Rowland Mills - August 4, 1861

Federal Cavalry Turned Back at Arlington - August 1, 1861

A battalion of Union cavalry (3rd Battalion, 3rd Kentucky) moved on Arlington from Tomlin's Ford. Instead of waiting in town, a regiment of Alabama infantry (2nd Alabama) advanced out to meet the enemy. The Federals opened fire at long range, but the Confederates fired as the closed-in and then delivered a volley at close range that drove the Union cavalrymen back to Tomlin's Ford.

Probe at Arlington: July 23rd

A regiment of Confederate infantry occupied Arlington on the morning of July 23rd, when a battalion of Union cavalry advanced on the town on the road from Tomlin's Ford. After a brief, but sharp skirmish, the Federals withdrew to the north again.

Retaking Arlington (July 18th)

A Confederate infantry regiment left Arlington on the morning of July 17th, allowing a surprised 3rd Battalion, 3rd Kentucky Cavalry to arrive from Tomlin's Ford and take possession of the town without a shot fired. On the 18th, a Confederate infantry regiment advanced up the Kingston Road and attacked the Kentucky Cavalry from the east. The cavalrymen held well, but were heavily outnumber and eventually withdrew in good order to Tomlin's Ford, leaving the Confederates in possession of Arlington once again.