So "Beseiged" means you can't move/attack?

[gbob]

I thought this would be an easy question to answer, but I haven't found it.
Playing Union v. Athena, early 1861. The same turn I sent garrison troops to Norfolk, CSA sent in some Cav and Militia to take the town. All arrived more or less together, fought to a draw, and my boys ended up beseiged in Norfolk.
Since then, I've sent loads of arty, cav, inf, and even sharps in there to reinforce, but no one will attack the lone CSA cav rgmt sitting on my doorstep. Orders to sortie, attack-all-out, different combinations of troops, whatever ... no one seems willing to go up against the awesome power of a single cav regiment foraging on marsh grass in the front yard! No wonder the South's NM is so much higher than mine! God help me if those horses get gas from all the marsh grass and start farting - my boys will prolly surrender!
In the immortal words of Henry II, "will no one rid me of this meddlesome cavalry regiment?" [slight paraphrase]
Based on the threads I did see, I gather that I should have had those reinforcements do a coastal assault from the ships. I'm gonna try that this turn and see what happens.
I also read that if a leader is 'present' and inactive, a sortie will not happen. Does 'present' mean in the stack or just in the region/town? I haven't been checking my general's active status (yeah, noob mistake), but the SOB is inactive this turn for sure. Is that gonna screw me up again?
This is likely a stupid question, but I don't think the manual makes the situation clear at all ....
As always, all comments and suggestions are welcome.

[Franciscus]

Better post your save for us to see the situation

Regards

[Jim-NC]

Have you tried to drag your troops outside the structure? Take some (without the inactive commander) and drag and drop them outside the city, and see if you get different results. If all your troops are inside a structure, they will not attack units outside the structure (city/port). The sortie button only allows the besieged force to join a battle outside the walls (I think all your troops are sailing into the port, and thus they are not starting combat).

[DrPostman]

The sortie button only allows the besieged force to join a battle outside the walls.

Well that explains a lot. No wonder that button never seemed to work for me. Thanks! Don't know why I
hadn't come across that explanation before