A small Union Army cavalry force was stationed in nearby Suffolk, Virginia under the command of Major General John J. Peck. On September 23, Peck sent Colonel Samuel P. Spear to reconnoiter Franklin and the Confederates therein. Spear reported back to Peck about the Confederate's replacement bridge capable of supporting artillery pieces, as well as an estimated Confederate concentration of 10,000–12,000 men. Peck forwarded this information on to his commanding officer, Major General John Adams Dix who, in turn, developed a twofold mission to roust the enemy from Franklin and destroy the floating bridge with a joint service attack with the Union Army and Navy respectively.