The fall of Jamba gives government forces almost complete control of Angola's southern border, further restricting Unita's avenues for retreat in the face of its worst defeats in more than a decade.
The 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, under Lieutenant Colonel Lenard B. Cresswell, crossed Alligator Creek upstream from the battle area, enveloped Ichiki's troops from the south and east, cutting off any avenue for retreat, and began to "compress" Ichiki's troops into a small area in a coconut grove on the east bank of the creek.
He also attempted to build a bridge of boats to provide an avenue of retreat for the fort's garrison, but this failed because there were not enough boats to bridge the roughly one mile (1.6 km) channel separating the island from Charleston; the unwillingness of Moultrie and Rutledge to support the effort may also have played a role.
St. Clair had been ordered by General Schuyler to hold out as long as possible, and had planned two avenues of retreat.
He felt the defensive line allocated to his battalion was too wide to meaningfully defend, and he took care to reconnoiter avenues of retreat from his positions.
Burgoyne's men had placed a gun battery on top of Mount Defiance, overlooking the fort, and the American avenues of retreat were at risk of being cut off.
As some avenues of retreat were cut off, the British took a sizable number of prisoners, including General Thompson and much of his staff.
With no avenue of retreat and under heavy fire, Morgan and his men surrendered.
His strategy was to emphasize the attack on his right flank to prevent the Union army from reaching the Tennessee River, its supply line and avenue of retreat.
After an abortive landing attempt on October 11, Howe began landing troops in southern Westchester County, New York on October 18, intending to cut off the Continental Army's avenue of retreat.
Here, all Zimmerman needed to show was a "reasonable" fear of death or great bodily harm, coupled with no avenue of retreat.
