Rather than retire directly to England for the winter, with his costly expedition resulting in the capture of only one town, Henry decided to march most of his army (roughly 9,000) through Normandy to the port of Calais, the English stronghold in northern France, to demonstrate by his presence in the territory at the head of an army that his right to rule in the duchy was more than a mere abstract legal and historical claim.
Frem for at trække hæren tilbage til England efter erobringen af blot én by med sit dyre felttog besluttede Henrik at trække det meste af hæren (omkring 9.000 mand) gennem Normandiet til havnebyen Calais, der var en engelsk magtbase i Nordfrankrig for at demonstrere med sin tilstedeværelse i området og i spidsen for sin hær, at hans ret til regere i hertugdømmet var mere end et abstrakt juridisk og historisk krav.