Read Henry V: The Background, Strategies, Tactics and Battlefield Experiences of the Greatest Commanders of History Paperback for Free Online Page B

provided supplies of bread and wine. Henry's intention
    was to cross the river Somme at Blanchetaque, where Edward III had forced
    a crossing during the Crecy campaign in 1346. He had even ordered a force
    of 300 men southwards out of Calais to secure his passage. However,
    here he found his crossing opposed on 13 October and had to make new
    arrangements, as Tito Livio, author of the Vita Henrici Quinti of c.1438
    describes: Then the English reached the passage of the River Somme which
    the French called Blanchetaque. Because it had been defended in advance by
    the enemy by means of sharp stakes fixed close together, it allowed the
    English no chance of crossing. Thus they had to move upstream in search
    of another crossing/
    Although the French had been slow to react to the English siege of Harfleur
    they had now decided to make their move. Charles d'Albret, the Constable of
    France, and Marshal Boucicaut had commanded observation forces during
    the siege of Harfleur at Honfleur and Caudebec respectively. Following the
    fall of Harfleur they had returned to Rouen where a French army was being
    assembled, with both the King and Dauphin arriving there by 12 October.
    They had then formed part of an advance guard, as large as 6,000 strong, that
    had crossed the Somme, based itself at Abbeville and now denied the crossing
    to Henry and his army.
    Henry was now forced to turn inland in an attempt to find an unguarded
    crossing point so he could resume his march on Calais, though he now knew
    that his supplies would not last the distance. The English force followed the
    river Somme south-eastwards, skirting around the fortified city of Abbeville,
    which held substantial French forces, who were also shadowing the English
    progress along the other bank of the Somme. On the 15th they passed the
    city of Amiens, while on the 16th they reached Boves, where Henry was able
    to gain supplies for his army by threatening to sack the place, much as he had
    done at Arques and Eu earlier in the march. The following day the army
    pushed on towards Corbie, where there was a large-scale sortie by the French
    against the English column. This was pushed back and French prisoners
    taken, from whom Henry learnt something of the French battle plans and
    sought to counter them to some extent, as the Gesta Henrici Quinti relates:
    Meanwhile as a result of information divulged by some prisoners, a rumour went
    the rounds of the army that the enemy command had assigned certain
    squadrons of cavalry, many hundreds strong and mounted on barded horses,
    to break the formation and resistance of our archers when they engaged us in
    battle. The king, therefore, had it proclaimed throughout the army that every
    archer was to prepare and fashion for himself a stake or staff, square or round,
    but six feet long, of sufficient thickness, and sharpened at both ends; and he
    commanded that whenever the French army drew near to do battle and to break

    The village of
    Bethencourt-sur-Somme
    lies on the banks of the
    river Somme and it was
    here, and at Voyennes,
    that Henry V and his
    army forced a crossing
    of the river early on the
    morning of 19 October,
    thus enabling him to
    steal a march on the
    French advance guard,
    who were forced to follow
    the loop of the Somme
    via Peronne. (Hektor)
    their ranks by such columns of horse, all the archers were to drive in their
    stakes... so that the cavalry, when their charge had brought them close and in
    sight of the stakes would either withdraw in great fear or, reckless of their own
    safety, run the risk of having both horses and riders impaled.
    By this point the main French army was probably on the move from Rouen,
    reaching Amiens once the English forces had passed further to the south.
    Henry had to make a bold decision in order to get his men across the
    Somme, and decided to cut off a great loop of the river, heading directly
    towards the village of Ham. This would enable him to get ahead of the
    French shadowing