He marched on Wareham, the port used by Matilda's party to maintain communications with Normandy. Wareham was too strongly defended for the king to capture, so he turned towards Salisbury instead. On his way there, he occupied Wilton Abbey while waiting for reinforcements from Winchester. While King Stephen was stationed at Wilton, mustering his forces for an attack on Salisbury, Earl Robert mounted a surprise attack at sunset on 1 July 1143. Stephen attempted to break out from the siege, but his army was forced back and dispersed by a cavalry charge from Earl Robert's army.
Earl Robert
Stephen