The results are in. It's Operation Hey Diddle Diddle sending Knoxville's forces north as Operation Second Wind sees the Kingsport forces making another push into K-ville territory.
October 3rd will prove to be a pivotal day as dawns and two fresh armies meet somewhere along the Powell River and Morristown comes under siege.
With the adoption of Operation Hey Diddle Diddle, General Stiner sends his Army of the Pines out from their safe-haven, intent on rendezvousing with the little orphan companies holding out in Tazewell. Those three companies arrive after a day's march and have some time to wait. It turns out ths little crossroads along the Powell River is equidistant (20-miles) from both Horrogate and Chuckville. The Knoxvillians have a slight edge on travel time, and they may opt to storm across the river before General Patton arrives with Jones' Army from the east.
Here's a shot of the Powell River from that bridge in the center. Even with their one-week stream crossing advantage, that's a touch obstacle for General Patton to cross.
Further south, things get complicated around Cherokee Lake. Rogers' Army left dummy fires burning overnight, and slipped across to the north shore, under orders to occupy Tazewell. (Perhaps with an eye toward marching south on Knoxville?) The next morning General Brock realizes that he has been had, and that the Greene Army to the West isn't going anywhere, immediately sets out in pursuit with the Army of the East. Unfortunately for him, this paves the way for Greene's Army to move into the void and lay siege to Morristown starting on October 2nd.
Hampered by the need to re-stablish control over Bean Station, General Brock loses another day, leaving him now a full two days behind Rogers' Army, which will arrive on the outskirts of Tazewell on October 3rd and open the Siege of Tazewell on October 4th.
Knoxville's High Command, eager to preserve control of Morristown, urges the Army of the West to make haste, but due to the poor roads west of Jefferson City, won't arrive until late in the day on October 5th. To dampen their spirits even further, October 5th brings with it a light rain, and thunder in the distance warns of approaching storms in the coming days.
And away up in the north, the Harlan Blitz continues its march toward Kingsport, stopping up short at noon on October 4th to lay siege to that small town. As an E-Class town, the Duffield militia will put up only a token resistance. As a result, the Blitz will spend the 5th pacifying the place, restocking their stores, and then head out on the 6th...except that torrential rains move in on that day with no end in sight. Does Commander Haynes shelter here until the rains ebb, or continue his mission? We're going to the hive mind on this one.
The Army strengths shown on their respective pages are accurate as of October 2nd, the date of the Battle of Powell River.
