New York, New York

[Noravea]

The Hudson River Valley would really be the site of any war New York is involved in on its own soil. It's an inherent disadvantage for New York, that Southern New York can easily be cut off from Northern New York.

[Noravea]

Bump... Any more comments so far?

[Shtudmuffin]

Originally Posted by Noravea

Bump... Any more comments so far?

When's the next update????!!!!

[Noravea]

Originally Posted by Shtudmuffin

When's the next update????!!!!

Today or tomorrow.

[Shtudmuffin]

Originally Posted by Noravea

Today or tomorrow.

Ok. Good.

Another question: At the very beginning of TTL, I noticed this little snippet:

Originally Posted by Noravea;6447927We must go further back than [B

the founding of our Republic in 2011[/B]

And it leaves me to wonder-why has the Republic been founded in 2011, but the War for Independence is in the 1890s?

[Noravea]

Originally Posted by Shtudmuffin

Ok. Good.

Another question: At the very beginning of TTL, I noticed this little snippet:




And it leaves me to wonder-why has the Republic been founded in 2011, but the War for Independence is in the 1890s?

It could exist as something other than a Republic until then.

[Shtudmuffin]

Originally Posted by Noravea

It could exist as something other than a Republic until then.

Ahhh. I see. Although, why would a state attempting to become a spiritual successor of the US want to be anything other than a Republic?

[Noravea]

Originally Posted by Shtudmuffin

Ahhh. I see. Although, why would a state attempting to become a spiritual successor of the US want to be anything other than a Republic?

It'll be an issue later on actually. And more spiritual in the State's Rights idea.

[Shtudmuffin]

Originally Posted by Noravea

It'll be an issue later on actually. And more spiritual in the State's Rights idea.

Alright then. I'm anxious to see how you do this.

[Noravea]

Originally Posted by Shtudmuffin

Alright then. I'm anxious to see how you do this.

Thanks. Once I get out of this war, it'll speed up a bit.

[Shtudmuffin]

Originally Posted by Noravea

Thanks. Once I get out of this war, it'll speed up a bit.

I'm kind of hoping that New York will have a colonial empire. Now that would be badass. And considering how they are a major center of trade and finance, affording the means to upkeep such an empire wouldn't seem to be much trouble for them.

[Malta Shah]

Hmm the Hudson line in is broken. It seems that forces are milling about here and there. Albany will leave quite the Anti American impression and would likely extinguish the city's prominence for some time.

If you could add in some sort of battle or skirmish at Ramapo...

As for my Great Grandparents things must be quite crazy, with one side of my family concentrated in New York City and the other part in the Adirondacks. Let alone those in Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, I imagine the house I visited many times there is demolished in the fighting.

[SilverSwimmer]

Originally Posted by King of Malta

Hmm the Hudson line in is broken. It seems that forces are milling about here and there. Albany will leave quite the Anti American impression and would likely extinguish the city's prominence for some time.

If you could add in some sort of battle or skirmish at Ramapo...

As for my Great Grandparents things must be quite crazy, with one side of my family concentrated in New York City and the other part in the Adirondacks. Let alone those in Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, I imagine the house I visited many times there is demolished in the fighting.

A fellow Rocklander!

[Malta Shah]

Originally Posted by SilverSwimmer

A fellow Rocklander!

Indeed, granted I used to live in Suffern until I was about 7 I come up all the time since my family is/was concentrated in the area. Literally, my Ma's side lived in Rockland county and my Dad's side lived in Mahwah. I just wish all the New Yorkers in Maryland weren't from Long Island so they would know where Rockland is.

Edit:

Oh, and what about the French Canadians living in New York/New England. How do they feel?

[Noravea]

I'll get into that soon enough, but likely after the war.

[Rex]

I look forward to seeing how Roosevelt gets out of this one. Perhaps the Prussians will play Big Damn Heroes.

[Noravea]

Part VI

----------

"The future of our nation and people was decided at Valhalla."
-Theodore Roosevelt

By November of 1894, the situation was uneasy for the young nation of New York, and the Fourth Continental Congress. The United States had broken through the Hudson River Valley, and now large swaths of land in New York and western Connecticut were under occupation. To the north, Albany and Schenectady, the largest cities under American occupation, were facing the full brutality of General Wheeler's soldiers, and to the far north, guerrillas that were part of General Wood's Army of the Hudson were fighting for their lives in the Adirondack Mountains. New York City had now avoided being cut off for the third time, with General Forsyth's attempt to capture New Haven being a complete and utter failure. The Continental Army had no means to actually repel the Americans from their territory, but at the same time, the Americans had no means to push further into Continental territory. Roosevelt had on November 21st ordered the Continental Army to reorganize itself, with Colonel John Jacob Astor IV being ordered to return to New York and coordinate the city's defense, and Theodore Roosevelt himself being placed in command of the northern frontier, the area in the Hudson River Valley and Northern Connecticut that was still under Continental control. General Wood on the other hand was ordered to move his base to Mount Marcy, and coordinate the guerrilla effort in the Adirondacks from there. Roosevelt on November 22nd ordered that all front-line commanders meet in New York City to discuss a possible plan of action against the Americans. There, Roosevelt would devise an overall war plan with the goal in mind to push the Americans away from New York, and to convince foreign powers to enter the war on New York's and the Continental Congress' side.

The meeting began at Federal Hall, the headquarters of the Continental Congress, where the various commanders met. Colonel Roosevelt, Colonel Astor, General Nelson A. Miles, Admiral Dewey of the Continental Navy, and various other front line commanders who had joined the war effort. The meeting was held with President Gracie of the Continental Congress present. On November 26th, Gracie made it clear that the overall goal for the war before the winter hit was to put the Continental Army in an advantageous position for the spring, and to convince more foreign countries and people to support the Continental cause, something that several foreign businessmen were funding since the victory at New Haven. Roosevelt decided to organize his forces into three main groups, the Southern Front, under John Jacob Astor's command, the Central Front, under his own command, and the Northern Front, which would be shared by General Wood and General Miles to the north, with the overall objective to capture Albany or Schenectady. The meeting was cut short on December 1st when General Forsyth attack the Connecticut town of Danbury, where the Continental lines were the weakest. Should, according to Roosevelt, Danbury fall, "The capture of New England would certainly be guaranteed." Roosevelt immediately returned to the front lines.

The Battle of Danbury began late on December 1st, when General Forsyth ordered his infantry to push into Danbury, and to push the Continentals out of the town. Roosevelt arrived at Danbury with a large amount of his forces on December 3rd, as fighting had moved into the northern part of the town. While Roosevelt knew that losing the town was inevitable due to the lack of reinforcements, he decided to attack the Americans just to the south of the town in order to draw the Americans back briefly, and to allow for some 10,000 Continentals fighting in the town to set up fortifications just north of the town. Roosevelt and his newly formed Rough Rider cavalry immediately launched a charge on the morning of December 3rd, routing the American Cavalry from southern Danbury, and forcing nearly 15,000 Americans to pull back from the front lines to repel Roosevelt. By the end of the day, fighting had ended south of Danbury, and the Americans went on to capture the town by the morning of December 4th. Once again, while the Continentals lost Danbury, they managed to cause heavy damage to American morale, and physical damage to American artillery behind the lines as well. The Continentals had managed to strengthen the lines north of Danbury to prevent another attack.

Roosevelt realized he needed to act fast against the Americans in order to prevent a cutoff of New York City for the winter, which he knew would be disastrous. On December 8th, Roosevelt returned to New York to meet with several foreign businessmen in order to convince them to fund the war effort. On December 10th, Roosevelt found his inspiration for his plan to counter-attack the Americans. While listening to a performance of Wagner's Götterdämmerung at Federal Hall, artillery began raining down on Manhattan from American positions in New Jersey. Roosevelt could do nothing, and while feeling the ground shake, he listened to the Opera, and in later notes, believed to have found inspiration from it to organize his counter attack:

"I had decided that our fate shall be determined at Valhalla. A small town in the middle of the Hudson River Valley, that was in the center of the American occupation. If we cannot stop the Americans before the winter begins, our cause is doomed to failure. Like the mighty Valkyrie, we shall lift up New York to a place among the gods. I have ordered my couriers to travel to New Rochelle to meet with Colonel Astor, and to call on an immediate meeting of the Continental Army. It will be all in for this epic struggle for independence, and self-determination for the people of New York and other free men and women across the Americas."

Roosevelt met with Colonel Astor in New Rochelle on December 11th, the night after viewing the performance of Götterdämmerung. Roosevelt also met with the Mayor of New York, and the Commissioner of the New York Police Department to gather up what militias and officers were available. President Gracie ordered for reserves to be brought down from New England to take part in Roosevelt's master plan. By December 15th, over 50,000 Continental soldiers were brought under Roosevelt's command, many of them unseasoned recruits from New England, Connecticut, Long Island, and New York City. An additional 50,000 soldiers were brought in to the northern frontier, just north of Danbury. Roosevelt's plan called on striking through the heart of American territory from the north and south, and meeting at the small town of Valhalla, where Roosevelt would cut off General Forsyth's forces. Another 20,000 volunteers would in the meantime attack Yonkers, the American bridgehead to the eastern side of the Hudson, to distract the Americans. On December 17th, Roosevelt launched his plan, which he had dubbed the Valhalla Campaign.

The Valhalla Campaign began on December 19th, when 20,000 militiamen from Westchester County and Brooklyn launched an attack on Yonkers from the south, and while quickly being defeated, forced American soldiers from the area to return to Yonkers. At the same time, Roosevelt launched his offensive from New Rochelle into Colonial Heights and Scarsdale, quickly punching through the thin American lines. By the end of the day, Roosevelt had reached White Plains while General Forsyth was preparing to return to Yonkers to repel the counter attack. On the morning of December 20th, General Forsyth gave the order for his 75,000 soldiers to the east of Roosevelt's attack to quickly move back into Westchester Country. Almost immediately after the first sign of an American retreat was apparent, Colonel Astor launched an attack and quickly recaptured Danbury from the Americans. General Miles on the other hand had a more difficult time breaking through from the north, being attacked by the main body of Forsyth's army at Yorktown Heights. Miles after several hours of heavy fighting, forced Forsyth to retreat to the south as he continued his part of the offensive towards Valhalla. By nightfall on December 20th, Roosevelt launched a massive assault on White Plains, once again forcing General Forsyth to retreat further into what was becoming a pocket forming just to the east and west of Valhalla.

The Battle of Valhalla began on the morning of December 21st. The night before, snow had blanketed the town, which would be the site of a battle that would rival Gettysburg in size. Roosevelt had the night before defeated the Americans at White Plains, and was now moving into position in Valhalla. General Forsyth, realizing that the Continentals were about to cut his forces off, quickly ordered a massive assault on Roosevelt's forces from the east. Fighting immediately began just north of Silver Lake, where Forsyth attempted to break through Roosevelt's lines. He was successful in initially getting 15,000 soldiers through Roosevelt's defenses, and preparing a retreat back to Yonkers. Roosevelt's plan to bring 100,000 troops into Valhalla hadn't initially worked, with General Miles still to the north fighting off an American offensive directed to preventing his troops from reaching Valhalla. By midday on December 21st, Roosevelt ordered multiple infantry assaults on Forsyth's forces to the east, inflicting heavy casualties on Forsyth, yet taking heavy casualties on his own. By the end of the day, over 30,000 soldiers lay dead or wounded on the battlefield, making December 21st, 1894, the deadliest day in American history.

The second day of fighting at Valhalla on December 22nd led to Forsyth mustering enough cavalry to break through Roosevelt's northern flank, allowing Forsyth to allow supplies out of Connecticut and his own troops back into the Hudson River Valley at ease. Roosevelt's lines had reorganized themselves around Kensico Lake, giving him a vantage point in allowing him to cut off Forsyth's troops at several points at a time, and while not able to completely cut off the flow of troops from Connecticut towards Yonkers, it allowed Roosevelt to cause damage to the American supplies and convoys leading out of the battlefield. General Forsyth received bad news however, when his rear armies reported that Colonel Astor as assaulting them from the east, forcing Forsyth to bring up his reserves and to keep Roosevelt occupied while more troops made the retreat. As the sun began to set, General Miles had broken through the American lines at Pleasantville, and his troops were now pushing into Valhalla. The third day of fighting was the worst day for the battle for the Americans however, when General Miles completely cut off General Forsyth's troops from retreating. While 35,000 Americans had broken through in the span of two days towards Yonkers, 20,000 Americans, including General Forsyth, were trapped in Connecticut.

On December 23rd, Colonel Astor had reached Valhalla and completely encircled Forsyth's forces. Roosevelt ordered Astor to immediately return to New York City, and to capture Yonkers while the Americans were still facing a retreat. Astor moved out west with 30,000 soldiers, and quickly forced Forsyth to order his troops that had broken out to retreat across the Hudson River. Forsyth would be killed hours later by a sniper near Silver Lake. Later that night, 20,000 American soldiers surrendered to the Continental Army, ending the Battle of Valhalla.

Over 25,000 Continentals, and 30,000 American soldiers were killed in the three day long Battle of Valhalla. It was a stunning victory for the Continentals, as a massive portion of the American army had been forced to retreat, were captured, or were killed, and the most capable commander for the Americans on the front lines was a casualty of war. On December 25th, Colonel Astor broke through the American lines at Yonkers, capturing the town, and ending the American occupation on the eastern side of the Hudson River. On December 26th, Roosevelt and Miles had wiped out all American resistance on their side of the Hudson River, having in ten days ended the American's advantage for the upcoming winter. News of the victory at Valhalla was sent to Europe, and across the United States of America, sparking similar independence movements in the southwest, and in California. In Europe, several countries that had been considering sending aid were finally convinced by Grover Cleveland to intervene in favor of the Continentals. On December 29th, a rebellion broke out along the Rio Grande in Texas, and an independence group in Sacramento had formed the California Congress. On January 3rd, 1895, the German Empire officially recognized the Continental Congress, and declared war on the United States. The United Kingdom followed on January 5th, 1895. While news of these developments had shocked the Continentals, achieving their victory, news of France and Spain announcing their support for the United States the following week was disheartening as Europe had finally invested itself in American affairs.

The Winter of 1894-1895 was however not over. While the Continentals had beat back Americans along the Hudson, fighting as still prevalent in the Adirondacks. Albany and Schenectady were under occupation, and it would take time for German and British forces to arrive in the ports the Continentals had controlled. The Battle of Valhalla was a turning point for New York's Independence.

[Malta Shah]

Oh the imagery this will inspire! Roosevelt and his Rough Riders riding across the Snow Covered White Plains with Valkyries at their side! The Nordic Gods in the horizon saluting with horns of war and Victory.

[Noravea]

Originally Posted by King of Malta

Oh the imagery this will inspire! Roosevelt and his Rough Riders riding across the Snow Covered White Plains with Valkyries at their side! The Nordic Gods in the horizon saluting with horns of war and Victory.

Exactly. As with every battle and war, there comes its legends...For example, some legends about the Battle of Valhalla

-Roosevelt brought the New York Philharmonic to play Ride of the Valkyries as he charged into battle on December 21st (Unknown)
-General Forsyth considered defecting to Roosevelt (False)
-Roosevelt was nearly shot during battle, but his mustache blocked the bullet (Unknown)
-There was so much blood that every inch of snow was covered in blood (False)
-Unknown mass graves from the unidentified dead are still present in the area (True)

And now that the winter season is coming, my next update will concentrate on what else is going on in North America, and a bit on the intervention force by Germany and the UK for New York, and France/Spain for the US.

[Noravea]

Any questions? Comments?