A Different Roll of the Dice

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The Battle for Montreal

After Montcalm’s failed attempt to retake Quebec City, the British soon put forth their plan to finish the conquest of New France. A fleet of ships and accompanying transports to land troops set sail down the St. Lawrence for Montreal. Likewise Amherst sent British land forces northward to assist in taking the city for a three pronged attack which included an advance from the Richelieu river, and down the St, Lawrence from Lake Ontario.

Before the Siege could commence, what was left of the defending French fleet had to be removed. Montcalm had only one ship of the line remaining, which had spent the winter double anchored downstream from the city trapped in ice. Although now mostly freed, it remained anchored to serve as a gun platform to face against the inevitable British assault.

The Last Stand of the Caribou

The Caribou (50) was one of the ships that King Louis XVI had ordered to have rebuilt in 1758. The job was done at the French shipyards in Quebec. Initial payments and imported materials had arrived prior to the full brunt of the British campaigns, and the job had been completed 1759. For the shipwrights, workers and crew, they had ceased to be expected to get paid once the British took Louisburg and Quebec City, but for them it had become a labor of love, pride and defiance against the British. The Caribou’s numerous survivals and escapes up to this last stand was a testament to her workmanship and the determination of her captain and crew. In preparation for the coming assault, additional guns had been brought aboard, and reinforced planking had been put in place for additional protection. Though presently incapable of going to sea, she had been turned into an effective floating battery. The Caribou and a few additional light support ships of less than 20 guns, were the remained of France naval defense of New France.

Battle of Ile Bouchard

On April 25th – May 1st, the Caribou, some of the smaller ships, and a hastily erected nearby island fort faced off against a fleet of British ships as the appeared downriver.

French Fleet: Caribou (50), a few small support ships, supported by manned wooden fort on the island.
British Fleet: HMS Bedford (64), Nottingham (60), Sutherland (50), Adventure (32), Squirrel (20), numerous smaller support ships.

Gascon Laman, a Caribou officer had been appointed captain by Montcalm after its previous captain who had been wounded in the battle for Quebec, had died over the winter from hunger and chill in his weakened state.

After being delayed and hampered by numerous felled trees tied by ropes to sunken rocks in the river, the British finally came in sight of the French forces. The partially catalogued Caribou, whose sails were down and bedecked by branches, launched a broadside at the Adventure, crippling it. The British pulled back while the Caribou pounded the Adventure until the current drifted it out of range.

Unable to find an easy way around the anchored ship, John Mordaunt was order to take marines and find an approach to cross the river to get to the island with guns to take the fort and the Caribou from the rear. Two separate attempts at this had failed as the Forts guns rained down on crossing attempts, sending rowboats to the bottom. The loss of Cook and Survey ships at the battle of Ile de Orleans previously had also hampered mapping efforts, leaving the British with incomplete knowledge of the channels. After losing a boat of men to rapids on a third attempt, and days of no progress, Mordaunt retreated and it was decided that the main ships would have to take on the Caribou and the small fort’s guns directly on May 1st.

The Adventure had already been lost sinking to the bottom or the river during the first night after the initial battle, but its crew had evacuated successfully. The HMS Bedford, Nottingham, and Sutherland, came into range with the rising sun behind them. The Caribou put up a fierce fight, damaging all three ships, and taking significant damage herself, until she stopped firing and caught ablaze. The British had thought the battle won, until the burning ship was suddenly cut free of her anchors and drifted directly towards the Nottingham. At first the British had though their cannon fire had set the ship alight and it had simply broken free of its moors, until they spotted a mad Gascon singing in French tied to the wheel. Evasive actions and additional cannon fire failed to stop the fire ship as it was deliberately steered into the Nottingham, setting it alight.

Once the Caribou had been dislodged the remaining ships made short work of the abandoned French fort. Several wounded French that were left behind in the fort surrender without resistance. The British learned that the rest had escaped in one of the light support ships during the fight.

Battle Results:

French Losses: Caribou (50), two light support ships deliberately burned to avoid capture. ~50 casualties, ~25 wounded taken prisoner.
British Losses: HMS Nottingham (60), Adventure (32), two rowing galleys.
~120 casualties. Damage to the Bedford and Sutherland

Clear British Victory

Battle of the Thousand Islands

Beginning May 2nd, the Amherst had gathered his forces to prepare to take Montreal, over a series on battles to capture the city. The first was against Fort Levis on Ile Royal against a 250 strong French garrison led by Pierre Pouchot which delayed Amherst’s advance 10,000 strong British force by 10 days and cost him 3 light warships. On when Pouchot ran out of ammunition on May 12th did he ask for terms and surrendered the fort to the British.

Battle Results:

French: ~250 casualties or captured.
British: ~100 casualties, 3 light warships of less than 20 guns

Clear British Victory

Siege of Montreal

Even after the fall of Fort Levis, foul weather, deliberately felled trees to create navigation hazards, incomplete surveys, and drownings to the rain soaked rapids delayed the British from setting up a proper siege of the city. The British had burned villages along the way to their approach to Montreal, and fought in light skirmishes that caused masses numbers of Quebec militia and native allies to desert in droves.

Still Montcalm put up a spirited defense of the city for 3 days until his (low quantities) of ammunition too was spent, and he surrendered Montreal to the British on August 4th.

French: ~200 casualties, ~300 were taken prisoner. Montcalm taken prisoner.
British: ~150 casualties (nearly half from drowning), 2 rowing galleys

Clear British Victory

With Montcalm and Montreal’s surrender, New France was effectively captured by the British. The remainder of the year was spent putting down minor pockets of resistance, and organizing the occupied territory.

 

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The Renewed Contest for Silesia

Fredrick had been successful in pushing back the Austrians and what was left of the Saxon army last year, to the point that he had regain control of middle Silesia. The Austrians still held upper Silesia, and had never fully taken lower Silesia. He main obstacles though were a severe shortage of manpower, lengthening supply lines a limited line of credit from Great Britain that might only last until summer.

He had a truce presently with Sweden and Mecklenburg, momentarily securing his northern front, but there was no guarantee it would last.

The Russians were still occupying East Prussia, and so far his most recent attempts at diplomatic inquiry toward Peter III had not been responded to. If only Empress Catherine would hurry up and die he might be able to make peace with Peter III.

If that happens, and Russia withdraws, Austria might want to finally back out of the war after losing an ally, if the British can keep the French occupied in Hanover.

Presently though after so much fight for the last five years, Silisia was in bad shape and was stripped of much food, manpower and resources. Fredrick was having a hard time finding what he needed, and thus had supplies lines back to Brandenburg. The Austrians too though would face similar problems in and subsequent attempt to retake Silesia. In order to bolster his own supplies and hurt Austria, he need to raid and take as much as he could from Northern Bohemia and parts of Moravia, before the Austrian Army was fully rebuilt and marched north. Fredrick had planned for such excursions over the winter.

Battle of Jitschin

During the spring Fredrick had sent incursions into northern Bohemia raiding numerous towns for supplies even hard currency to help subsidize his war efforts. Reichenberg, Gablonz, Leitmeritz, Jungbunzlau had all been raided and the Austrians finally put up a resistance in the town of Jitschin.

On March 28th Fredrick’s 8000 strong raiding forces led by Paul von Werner fought against a forward Austrian contingent of 10000 led by Andreas Hadik

Battle Results:
Prussian Forces: ~500 casualties
Austrian Forces: ~1500 casualties

Clear Prussian Victory

With advantageous terrain and greater mobility Werner hit Hadik’s’ forces quickly in a relatively short battle. This quick clashes the somewhat unprepared Austrian lines let to a Prussian victory as Hadik retreated from the field. However given that Werner was only there to harass and raid he did not pursue Hadik as he fled back toward the safety of the larger Franco-Austrian army to the south. His victory though allowed him to raid the town of Jitschin and move east and raid Koniggratz and Neustadt as well before retreating back to rejoin Fredrick in Silesia.

Siege of Glatz

While Werner was raiding northern Bohemia, Fredrick had wanted to retake the county of Glatz from the Austrian who had taken it early in the war. It would help him block Austrian movements in order to retake Upper Silesia. Fredrick began besieging the fortress of Glatz on March 26th.

The Franco-Austrian army however was well on march north, and Daun did not plan on letting Fredrick get his way.

Battle of Habelschwerdt

Daun led his forces north toward Glatz forcing Fredrick to take much of his army out to attempt to stop the Franco-Austrian army from lifting the siege.

On April 4th, the 45,000 strong Franco-Austrian Army led by Leopold von Daun met against Fredrick’s force of 38,000. An evenly matched battle left neither side with any clear advantage, and Fredrick wanting to preserve as much of his men as he could, stayed much more cautious than normal. This allow Daun to press a harder attack on his left flank, and Fredrick reinforced it from the center to prevent collapse on his left. While he was successful in repelling the Austrian attack, doing so revealed that he would not be able to hold his ground, and he began an orderly withdrawal from the field. Though Baron Laudon attempted to pursue the retreating Fredrick, he was repulsed by Lehwaldt.

Battle Results:
Prussian Forces: ~2500 casualties
Franco-Austrian forces: ~4500 casualties

Austrian Victory

After Fredrick’s loss he was forced to lift the siege of Glatz, and retreat back toward Shweidnitz.

Battle of Reichenbach

Daun sought to continue to the pursuit of Fredrick in the hopes of finally putting an end to the war with one decisive battle. He pursued Fredrick to Reichenbach when Fredrick finally turned on April 10th and stood his ground field his 35000 strong forces against the Franco-Austrians 41,000.

Daun though in his haste had overreach a bit too far and did not have his full forces to bear, when he realized Fredrick had stopped because Von Warner had joined in with his victorious 7500 forces from Jitschin at his flank. Learning from his prior mistake Fredrick was less cautious this time in order to bring the Franco-Austrian forces to heel; he equally desired a decisive victory that would put Austria out of the war.

Battle Results:
Prussian Forces: ~2000 casualties
Franco-Austrian Forces: ~5000 casualties

Clear Prussian Victory

Daun was hit hard by the two forces, in his over eagerness to put an end to the Prussian army had had overextended his forces and was forced to retreat back toward Glatz, and re-gather his army.

The Prussia’s had not pursued too far as Fredrick had been injured in the battle, and they had received word of more revolts against Prussian occupation in eastern Saxony.

Battle of Bautzen

On April 6th, after numerous unrest due to the war and lack of food in Prussian controlled eastern Saxony, ad-hoc Saxon forces team up with local militias and revolting citizen to besiege the weakened Prussian garrison in Bautzen. The militia forces ambush and attack forces attempting to deliver supplies to Prussian garrison.

When Fredrick got word of this, he dispatched Heinrich von Manteuffel with a force of 4000 force to quell the unrest and reinforce control over eastern Saxony. Even though Fredrick had previously concluded he would likely have to give up his occupation of Saxony in any peace, he still needed to occupy a significant portion of it in order to offer it for trade. The arrived on April 20th and fought against the Saxon militia forces, which soon retreated.

Battle Results:
Saxon Rebels: ~total casualties unknown, but in excess of 500.
Prussian Forces: ~120 casualties

Clear Prussian Victory

Daun too had gotten word of events in Saxony and desired to make sure it would remain a distraction for Fredrick. Ludwig Ernst von Benekendorff was sent with the last of the 3000 strong Saxon army back to Saxony to recruit more and continue attacks against Prussian held areas. Though they would arrive too late to assist or participate in the Battle of Bautzen.

Siege of Brieg and Munsterberg

Though Fredrick failed in taking Glatz as he hoped he still needed to retake upper Silesia, and move his army toward the Principalities of Munsterberg and Brieg as the area was less barren that the war wrecked Principalities and Duchies of middle Silesia. Without confirmed word of resumption of subsidies from the British, Fredrick was not sure he could afford another year of war, and wanted to restore as much of Upper Silesia to Prussian control as he could before considering peace.

He also hoped to draw the Franco-Austrian army out, since he knew it was not destroyed, into a better defensive battle of his choosing.

On April 15th the siege of Munsterberg began, and Breig was besieged the following day. Fredrick placed his army between where the Franco-Austrian army would have to go to relieve the assaults.

Battle of Frankenstein

Over a month would go by before Daun led the reformed Franco Austrian army against Fredrick’s forces near the town of Frankenstein. Daun forces were 43,000 strong against Fredrick’s 32,000 strong sole remaining offensive army.

Both sides were exhausted and low of morale and war-weary, and were forced to fight again after already facing three to four battle previously in the year. Despite picking the terrain no clear advantage presented itself to Fredrick other than wearing his enemy down, and perhaps too high a cost to his own men. On May 20th the two sides clashed.

Battle Results:
Prussian Forces: ~3000 casualties
Franco-Austrian Forces: ~4000 casualties

Draw

Both sides broke under the strain as weary troops fled or deserted form the battle amid the carnage. Fredrick was forced to lift the siege of Munsterburg as he retreated north. He though the war over now, at this loss until he realized the Austrian did not pursue and had fled as well. When he reached Brieg a day later intending to lift the siege there as well and retreat west again, he was met with news that the city had fallen, though he had barely enough men to garrison it helped morale and was worth considering a victory.

Both sides would spend the rest of the spring and summer rebuilding their forces after the heavy toll the spring fighting had taken.

 

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Third Siege of Kolberg

By June, Vasily Lopukhin finally put the Russian army to march again, intending a two pronged attack to take Kolberg, Prussia’s last remaining Baltic port, and to go over land to link up with Austria and march on Berlin. Lopkhin first redeployed the Russia Navy along with numerous transport to land soldiers at Koslin to then march on and lay siege to Kolberg, while he took the rest of the army through Poland to march toward the heart of Prussia. Fredrick though, had supposedly receive word on the planned attacks from the treasonous actions of Gottlieb Heinrich Totleben, in late May which was part of the reasons Fredrick turned northward after his stalemate with Austria.

Alexander Borissovitch Buturlin landed an 8000 strong Russian force near Koslin and prepared for march on Kolberg. Fredrick, with his prewarning had already bolstered the city’s supplies and garrison.

Fredrick himself continued to rebuild and replenish his own army, occasionally being forced to thin the garrisons in Saxony and elsewhere to bolster his strength. He had to stay positioned near eastern Brandenberg and northern Silesia and remain mobile enough to prevent the Austrians and Russians from joining, or marching on Berlin.

Fredrick had also expanded on peace explorations with Sweden, and hoped their truce would hold so that Sweden would not lend assistance to Russia against Kolberg.

On July 11th, Buturlin finally marched to and began besieging Kolberg. Russian warships bombarded the city for over six weeks, though with peace negotiations underway, Sweden declined to assist, though also waited for the news of the outcome of the conflicts before coming to any agreements.

Battle of Kolberg

Fearing a fall of the city, Fredrick ordered Heinrich von Manteuffel with his 4000, and another 1000 thinned off the Saxony garrisons to reinforced Kolberg further and strike at the Russia besiegers. On September 9th they arrived and did battle with Buturlin’s forces.

Battle Results:
Russian Forces: ~1200 casualties
Prussian Forces: ~900 casualties

Prussian Victory

Manteuffel’s victory secured Kolberg further and forced the Russians to lift the siege and withdraw back toward Koslin and their ships. The Russian fleet however would continue to batter the defense of the town for another month through to October 9th when the weather would force them to finally leave.

Battle of Landsberg

Fredrick would have sent more than Manteuffel’s fore to Kolberg, but he had none to spare, because the 41,000 strong Russia army led by Vasily Lopukhin had marched from St. Petersburg to the borders of Brandenberg over the summer.

After numerous skirmishes in late August and early September preventing Russian attempts to reach the Franco-Austrian army to the south, Fredrick finally faced the Russians in battle on September 8th, only a day before Manteuffel’s unforeseen victory. The two armies faced off near the city of Landsberg after Lopukh decided to head straight toward Berlin.

Fredrick command an army of 34,000 which, despite containing many younger and inexperienced troops, also had a large core of veteran soldiers and numerous guns Fredrick disrupted and broke numerous Russian charges before strongly countering with his own attacks.

Battle Results:
Prussian Forces: ~5500 casualties
Russian Forces: ~12,800 casualties or taken prisoner, numerous guns and supplies captured. Vasily Lopukhin killed in action.

Clear Prussian victory

In characteristic brilliance by the superb commander, along with artillery fire killing the Russian General Vasily Lopukhin the Russian army was routed from the field. Fredrick continued to chase the Russians all the way to Posen before turning southward upon receiving reports from events in Silesia and Saxony.

Fredrick’s victory over the Russian forces was a much needed boost to morale, and rippled across the diplomatic front. When word of the victory reached Sweden they became more inclined to settle for Prussia’s offer. The British too, upon hearing of the victories decided that they would at least release the remaining subsidies for 1761, and consider it against for next year.

Buturlin sailed his troops back to Konigsberg in occupied Eastern Prussia.
Count Aleksander Vasilievitch Suvorov, who was a staff officer under Lopukhin, re-gathered and reformed the retreating Russian army and also brought it back to Konigsberg.

Later, the accusations of treachery against Totleben would cause him to be imprisoned to the end of the war and subsequently exiled to Siberia.

Austro-Saxon Counter Push

Austria, though seeming down, was not out and even Saxony still had some cards left to play. While Fredrick was engaged with defending against the Russians, Ludwig Ernst von Benekendorff, after organizing the various Saxon militias and rebels pushed across the Elbe into eastern Saxony after Fredrick had been forced to thin the garrisons there.

Battle of Grossienhein

On August 26th, Benekendorff stormed the city of Grossienheim with a force of 4000 and fought off Prussian garrisons there.

Battle Results:
Saxon Forces: ~200 casualties
Prussian Garrison: ~600 casualties or captured. (not counted among Prussian’s main army numbers)

Clear Saxon Victory

Battle of Esterwelde

A few days later on August 31st, Benekendorff took Esterwelde in a similar manner from the lightened Prussian garrison.

Battle Results:
Saxon Forces: ~100 casualties
Prussian Garrison: ~1000 casualties or prisoners. (not counted among Prussian’s main army numbers)

Clear Saxon Victory

Benekendorff continued on his retaking territory in eastern Saxony but swung back south to link with the Franco-Austrian armies once he became aware of Fredrick’s victories over Russia.

Third Battle of Schweidnitz

Duan had once again re-gathered and rallied his army to once again enter the battlefields of Silesia. Originally hope had been to connect with the Russian armies, but it took too long for the Austro-Franco forces to recover over the summer. Now with Fredrick occupied, Austria aimed to retake the contested middle Silesia. The oft fought over Schweidnitz became a battle ground once again. On August 30th a 28000 strong Franco-Austrian forces led by Daun moved to take the strategic city and fortress.

Battle Results:
Austrian Forces: ~2000 casualties
French Forces: ~1000 casualties
Prussian Garrison Forces: ~1000 casualties

Franco-Austrian Victory

Battle of Brieg

While Daun took Schweidnitz, the recently captured Brieg was to change hands again as secondary Franco-Austrian forces led by Nádasdy auf Fogaras led a force of 9,000 to retake the city. The battle over the city was fought on September 2nd.

Battle Results:
French Forces: ~400 casualties
Austrian Forces: ~600 casualties
Prussian Garrison Forces: ~500 casualties or prisoners

Second Battle of Breslau

While Fredrick pursued the Russians, Duan and Nádasdy rejoined to descend on Breslau to retake the city on September 10th.

Middle Silesia, now heavily damaged, and sapped of strength from repeated battles during the war, did not put up as much resistance as it had in the earlier years of the war, but Breslau at least took longer than a day to fall, before what remained of the Prussian Garrison Forces retreated or fled on September 13th.

Battle Results:
Austrian Forces: ~1400
French Forces: ~600
Prussian Garrison Forces: ~800 casualties or prisoners

Franco-Austrian Victory

Second Siege of Liegnitz

Duan recalled Benekendorff and his Saxon forces again, much to his dismay because the Franco-Austrian army had taken too many losses in reconquering middle Silesia. He had at least succeeded in pushing the general Saxon front from the Elbe to the Black Elster

At a strength of 30,000 the Franco-Astrian army was now actually barely under matched with Fredricks own dwindling forces of 32,000 after the Russian defeat. Neverhteless, knowing Fredrick couldn’t have much left, Duan wanted to take as much of Silesia as he could before the rumors of peace overtures became a long sought reality.

Unlike the previous recapture, Liegnitz, being further off had been better supplied during the spring and summer. The Franco-Austrian army settled into a siege of the city on September 18th.

Fredrick though did not plan on letting the Austrian make further recaptures and after waiting for reinforcements and word regarding peace talks with Sweden and Mecklenburg, arrived with his forces on October 7th.

Battle of Leignitz

Fredrick though did not come alone in his march, only a day before arriving near Leignitz it had become apparent that smallpox had been picked up along the way or encountered on their arrival. On the eve before the battle nearly a thousand of his forces were quarantined in an attempt to prevent further spread.

Duan too saw the signs of sickness seeping into his forces after the first few initial scouting skirmishes, yet the two armies faced off against each other anyway.

The two armies fought only brief battles over four days, while the disease began to run though their camps.

Battle Results:
Prussian Forces: ~500 general casualties, ~2000 from smallpox.
French Forces: ~200 general casualties, ~800 from smallpox
Saxon Forces: ~200 general casualties, ~500 from smallpox
Austrian forces: ~500 general casualties, ~1500 from smallpox

Prussian ‘Victory’ in the sense that the Franco-Austrian forces abandoned the siege.

Disease had taken too heavy a toll on both sides for any decisive battle to be had, but the Franco-Austrian army abandoned their siege to retreat or face a outbreak, and Fredrick made no attempt to pursue as he had to likewise prevent the healthy members of his army from succumbing.

Aftermath

Too devastated from the battles and sickness neither side would pursue further offensives during the remainder of the year. Fedricks retreats to take winter in Crossen, while the Franco-Austrian army retreats to winter in Glatz.

Second Treaty of Copenhagen

After the defeat of Russia at Kolberg and Landsberg and the seeming defeat or withdrawal of Austrian forces, Sweden was ready to take the peace the Fredrick had offered. Sweden’s performance had been utterly abysmal and feared their Russian allies would not be back to help the next year. At the time of the signing, it was also unknown if France would succeed against Hanover or not.

Sweden was in occupation of the strategic city of Stettin controlling the mouth of the Oder, and the Islands of Usedom and Wolin. Mecklenburg occupied the Prussian Hither Pomeranian exclave in Mecklenburg, lands at far western Brandenburg near the Elbe River and the Hanover and Mecklenburg borders, and a sliver of land in north central Brandenburg. Prussia occupied the major Mecklenberg exclaves within Brandenburg.

Peace with Mecklenburg was effectively Ute Possidetis, though the actual occupied areas on both sides were small. Peace with Sweden was finally obtained with Prussia agreeing to give up Hither Pomerania west of the Randow River and the Island of Usedom in exchange for Sweden withdrawing from Stettin and the Island of Wolin.

Although this was technically the second treaty of Copenhagen during the Nine Years War, the first (unrelated and between France and Hesse-Kassel), had mostly been undone at the insistence of Austria during the last treaty of Versailles.

The real goal of Mecklenburg in the war had been Sweden’s promise to give them Wismar and other Swedish exclaves in Mecklenburg in exchange for their support, should Sweden obtain the lands that they had lost in the Great Northern War under the Treaty of Stockholm in 1720. With the present peace this had partly been accomplished.

Although later historians would criticize Sweden for going to peace too early, their army had proven ineffective, they were running low on funds, morale was low and the populace was war-weary. Mecklenburg wanted peace, and threatened to make peace independently of Sweden if needed, which would mean a withdrawal of Mecklenburg troops from Swedish Pomerania, which currently represented 40% of the defending forces there.

As per Sweden’s previous treaty of alliance with Mecklenburg which brought them into the conflict, Wismar would be fully turned over in five years’ time after peace was obtained, which was now set to occur in October 1766.

It was argued that since the full return of all lands lost to Prussia previously had not been entirely complete, that the Wismar conditions should not hold. However, soon after the peace, the Treaty of Schleswig between Denmark and Mecklenburg was announced, and Sweden would choose not to press the issue when the time came to give up Wismar five year later.

Treaty of Schleswig

Once Mecklenburg had finalized its removal from the Nine Years War, a defensive treaty between Mecklenburg and Denmark was made which had been in the works for a while. Its primary purpose was Denmark securing allies in the event that Peter III of Russia made moves against them regarding Holstein, while Mecklenburg’s goal was to prevent Prussia from seeking revenge in case Austria was defeated. The treaty was signed in Schleswig on November 20th.

 

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Indian Theatre

Afghan – Maratha War

Marathan conquests in 1758 had pushed the Afgans, under the Durrani Empire back out of northwest India. However political disruptions and revolts had weakened the Marathas hold over the area in the subsequent two years.

The prior year, the Durrani army had defeated the Marathan army at Barari Ghat, and the Marathan leader Dattaji Sindhia had nearly lost his life on the field. However Dattaji retreated with the Marathan army mostly intact and as a result of his care by Sikh physician, he came to an accord with the previously rebellious Sikh which brought about a tenuous but important Marathan-Sikh alliance. This resulted in Sikh forces reinforcing the Marathan army near Delhi as Durrani prepared for another battle over the control of Delhi near Panipat.

Ahmed Shah Durrani, the founder of the Durrani empire could not overlook his prior defeat seeking to take advantage of the unrest had sent forth another invasion into the northwest India for the fifth time.

Third Battle of Panipat

Najib-ud-Daula, tribal chief of Rohilkhand, had previously sided with Durrani and his influence in the region had prevented Dattaji from obtaining any additional allies from the region other than the Sikhs. In additional to troops, the Sikh’s had brought much needed supplies to help refresh and ward off the threat of starvation that was looming in the face of the Marathan retreat.

The Durrani forces number some 100,000 while the Marathan forces and Sikh allies numbers some 85,000. The armies came to clash near Panipet some 60 miles north of Delhi on January 21st.

Battle Results:
Durrani Forces: ~50,000 casualties
Marathan Forces: ~34,000 casualties. Sadashivarao Bhua killed in action.

Marathan victory.

Although Dattaji and Marathans were victorious, the amount of casualties they had suffered significantly weakened their army as a whole, and limited their ability to pursue significant offensives. To offset this loss of manpower, the Marathas recalled much of their forces off of their southern border with the Mysore.

Durrani would retreat his army back across northwest India, though not without further conflict.

Battle of Kasur

As Durrani retreated, he raided Punjab as needed to maintain what remained of his army, bringing him into increased conflict with the Sikhs of the region, who had now formally allied with the Maratha. On February 25th, a few weeks after the Durrani, defeat the Sikh’s would gather a 10,000 strong army to confront a 15,000 strong contingent of the Durrani army and further contest the control of the Punjab region of northwest India.

Battle Results:
Durrani Forces: ~5000 casualties
Sikh Forces: ~2000 casualties

Clear Sikh Victory.

With the losses at both Panipat and Kasur, the Durrani continued their retreat from northwest India. Although skirmishes between Sikh-Maratha forces and the Durrani would continue in the Punjab region, but by fall of the year the Durrani would have effectively fully retreated from the region.

The End of the Mughal Empire

Prince Ali Gauhar, the heir apparent of the Mughal Empire, had escaped Delhi in 1759 and his father, Alamgir II, was assassinated soon after in the same year. The Marathas had then placed usurping Shah Jahan III as the Mughal Emperor in Dehli under Marathan suzerainty. This coup along with rampant defacement and looting of Mosques and Mughal palaces, tombs, and shrines was additional reasons that Durrani had invaded India again. Even Shah Jahan II reign was short-lived as the Marathan Saders (nobles) soon deposed him in 1760.

The exiled prince had hoped to strengthen his positions and claim by captured the eastern provinces Bengal, Bishar and Odisha. His attempts to conquer the Bengal had brought him into conflict with the British East India Company.

Battle of Suan

The British East India Company, having for the moment been repulsed by the French at Pondicherry and Wandiwash the prior year, returned its attention to the western parts of Bengal and what remained of the Mughal Empire.

Mir Kasim Ali Khan, the Nawab of Bengal recently installed by the British, joined with the British East India Company against Prince Ali Gauhar.

The Mughal forces were supported by a dozen French officers and over 200 French soldiers led by Jean Law de Lauriston, the remains of the French forces that escaped Chandernagar which had been defeated by the British in 1757.

The Bengal European Regiment send a force of about 300 led by Major Carnac, accompanied by several hundred of the Nawab of Bengal’s Indian forces. On January 22nd, after chasing Prince Ali Gauhar forces (total number unrecorded) for some days, they met them in battle near Suan.

Opening rounds of artillery exchange by the British wounded several of the Emperor’s battle Elephants which then went rampaging across the field fleeing, causing significant disruption and chaos in his army. The British forces then advanced, and the Emperor was now only seeking to flee. French forces made a stand against the British long enough for the Emperor to re-gathered his forces and retreat, when by then the British had surrounded the French elements who then surrendered.

Battle Results:
British East Indian Company Forces: 12 casualties
Nawab of Bengal Forces: none
Mughal Forces: ~unknown
French Forces: 50 casualties, 162 prisoners taken.

British forces chased the Mughal forces for another week, until the Prince and his army learned of the Marathan victory at Panipat. The Emperor, whose treasury was mostly gone, saw much of his forces desert during his withdrawal. With few allies near, he took the offer of nearby chiefs to escort him to the Nawab of Oudh, Shuja-ud-Daula, with whom he took refuge.

The Last Mughal Emperor

The Mughal Empire had only a handful of loyal princely states remaining, Oudh, Rohilkhand (Rohilla), Kashmir, Punjab, Sind, and Bahawalpur in the north, and Mysore, Nizam, and the Carnatic in the south, and Bhopal in the midst of Maratha held lands.

While nominally beholden to the Mughal Empire, these states already had significant independence in their own right. Furthermore, Bhopal and the southern state, were separated from the northern Mughal states by the Maratha, who had recently assassinated the prior Emperor and even deposed their own puppet replacement soon after. The Mughal state itself and its capital Delhi was still in the hands of the Maratha after the battle at Panipat, and Punjab was falling to the influence of their Sikh allies. Sind, Bahawalpur and Kashmir border the Durrani and were likewise cut off from Rohilkhand and Oudh by Maratha occupation in Muhgal.

The gamble that the Nawab’s of Rohilkhand and Oudh had taken in preventing the Maratha from gaining allies in the hope of their defeat had failed. Dattaji Sindhia, leading the Marathan army in Delhi promised revenge against Rohilkhand and Oudh for siding with the Durrani.

Price Ali Gauhar, was named Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, but presently only Rohilkhand and Oudh had acknowledged such, and he was still in exile from his capital and throne in Dehli. In exchange for this and to supplement his meager army and treasury the new Emperor had promised the hand of his eldest daughter, born the prior year, the Nawab of Oudh, Shuja-ud-Daula’s heir, when she was old enough.[1]

Battle of Bareilly

On June 10th, Dattaji Sindhia led a Marathan army of 60,000 against the armies of Rohilkhand, Oudh, and the Mughal Emperor, led by Hafiz Rahmat Khan Barech, Shah Alam II and Shuja-ud-Daula, which numbered over 50,000. Shah Alam II hoped to defeat the Maratha and move on to re-conquer Delhi and obtain his coronation.

Battle Results:

Maratha Forces: ~10000 casualties
Mughal Allied Forces: ~15000 casualties. Hafiz Rahmat Khan Barech and Shah Alam II killed in action.

Marathan Victory.

The young Emperor’s death, disrupted the Mughal army, and send them running. Seeing no hope in recovering, Shuja-ud-Daula soon retreated his forces form the field and returned to Oudh, leaving Rohilkhand forces to be ravaged and defeated by the Marathan army, resulting in the death of Hafiz Rahmat Khan Barech as well.

The Marathan’s however were heavily spent, the casualties from this battle and Panipat combined were too high, and the movement of forces to the north had left them weakened elsewhere. Rohilkhand was effectively conquered and brought into Marathan control. The Afghan Rohillas peoples were chased into the highlands.

Peace though was made between Shuja-ud-Daula and Dattaji Sindhia which would leave Oudh intact and free from invasion after an indemnity payment.

The death of Shah Alam II, which occurred before the other states had even had time to hear of or consider whether or not they would recognize him, and without an obvious male heir, resulted in the effective end of the Mughal Empire. Despite this, Shuja-ud-Duala would name himself as regent anyway and planned to propose his son or his grandson by Shah Alam II’s daughter as the next Emperor, though this would never come to pass, nor was ever recognized by any of the other former Mughal Empire princely states.

[1] In OTL, Akbar Shah II, was born April 22nd, 1760. He was the second son of Shah Alam II, and was the Mughal Emperor that succeeded him. In TTL a daughter was born instead near the same date. Furthermore, I could not find info on his first son, so I assume he may have died young, nor anything on his other children, though given Shah Alam II much earlier death TTL, most of those offspring (and no additional sons) were conceived.

 

[0100010]

Indian Theatre Part II

Bussy’s victory over the British at Wandiwash and Pondicherry, and d’Ache arrival with the French East India fleet was a much needed relief to the French forces stationed in India. The British presently were holding back from any further offensives, momentarily content to stay in Bengal, and hold Madras and Masilpatum. With Lally dead, Bussy was firmly re-established as the acting commander of French forces in India. News of events in India returned to France with some company ships which departed in January, and arrived in Paris in April.

The French East India company factories, ports, or settlements that had been in India at the start of the war consisted of the following: Karaikal and Pondicherry in the south Carnatic coast region. French held Yanam was in the north Carnatic coast and had been lost to the British after their victory at the battle of Rajahmudry and Masilpatum. Chandernagar in Bengal had also been lost to the British. Factories in Surat, on the Marathan northwest coast, had been sacked and occupied by the British with little resistance. Mahe on the Mysore west coast was still held by the French. While Madras was briefly held by the French it was recaptured by the British. The only sustained French conquest was of Fort St. David and Cuddelore, which was taken from the British in 1758. [1] Plans to abandon the town were cancelled due to French victories in defending Wandiwash and Pondicherry from British attack. Bussy instead ordered the French presence at Cuddelore and Mahe to be strengthened and reinforced.

Fort Vijf Sennen and Nagapattinum and other Dutch East India company holdings on the south Carnatic coast, were largely left alone as a neutral party.

After his victories Bussy had spent considerable time engaging in diplomacy with the Nizam of Hyderabad: Salabat Jung (Mir Sa’id Muhammad Khan), and the Prince of Mysore: Hyder Ali. To this end Bussy was largely successful, establishing expanded alliances with both Mughal states and encouraging them to ally with each other in the face of British and Maratha aggression.

The main conflicting points Bussy had with Salabat Jung was his prior parley with the British in which he had recognized their conquest at Masulipatum and had granted the British East India company tracts of coastal land to operate from, which the areas that were once French rule or French influence. It would require a whole hearted defeat of the British in the north Carnatic in order to reverse that and Bussy did not think that such a task could presently be managed.

Jung however, was at least recalcitrant toward the British. The French had originally helped to bring him into power in Hyderabad, and he certainly had not approved of the initial British attacks and seizures of the northern French company assets in the preceding years, but was forced to reconcile with them after Clive’s victories.

After the death of the Nawab of the Carnatic, Anwarrudin Khan in 1749 the French had backed Chanda Shahib, while the British had backed Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah. In the various battles this contest of power provoked, Shahib had died in battle in 1752, leaving the French without an immediate contender for the position. Wallajah had received a firman from the Mughal Emperor, Alamgir II, confirming his possession of the Carnatic and the title of Viceroy in 1751. However Jung had still not acknowledged this and after the emperor’s death in 1759 was even less likely to because of the rivalries between the Khan, Jung and Ali. Hyder Ali was especially incensed at Khan and the British because of Khan’s refusal to honor his promise of surrendering Tiruchirappalli to him in 1751.

To this end Bussy, Ali, and Jung proposed a partition of the southern and central Carnatic. The French East India Company, in exchange for their aid, would gain new factories, forts and collection rights from the conquered areas, and those previously taken by the British would be restored if they were recaptured.

Lally’s prior failed raids against Tanjore three years prior in order to gain revenue had not been entirely unsound as a strategy, and it did lead to the brief capture of Madras. The main difference was that Bussy recognized the need for greater allied support among the Indian princes, and did not treat them or their Sepoy forces so badly. [2]

The Hindu were in control of the Tanjore region, which was a nominal Maratha ally. Hyder Ali coveted that area, in addition to opposing the British backed Nawab of the Carnatic. Salabat Jung was also urged on by the French, to accept the proposition of Raja Shahib, the eldest son of Chanda Shahib as a contender against Wallajah, and a figure from which to rally his father’s supporters around.]

Battle of Tiruchirappalli

Bussy’s European forces in India had been reinforced by the arrival of troops, supplies, and monies with de Ache’s fleet the prior December. But in order to execute a sustained campaign, he needed to deliver on his promises of aid to Hyder Ali and Salabat Jung to maintain their continued support.

Hyder Ali wanted the return of Tiruchirappali from Wallajah, and chose to take it by force. On February 20th, 500 French India Company soldiers, led by Claude-François Depardieu [3] and several guns would joined 2,000 Mysore forces against the city. A company of about 120 British East Indian forces and around 1000 of Wallajah’s Carnatic forces met them in battle in an attempt to stop the invasion.

Battle Results:
French-Mysore Forces: ~200 Indian casualties
British-Carnatic (Wallajah faction) Forces: ~350 Indian, 0 British casualties. 120 British captured. Unknown number of Carnatic forces captured. All guns captured.

Clear French-Mysore Victory.

Sympathizers to Raja Shahib had aided in the approach of the French-Mysore forces and disrupted effective resistance in the city, which fell after a short battle between the Mysore and Wallajah’s Carnatic forces. The British force which had only been there mostly as a show of force and assistive administration soon surrender after being surrounded.

With the fall of Tiruchirappalli, the way was opened for Hyder Ali to campaign across the southern Carnatic pushing toward the coast by the end of spring. In exchange for the their support, Hyder Ali granted factories to the French East India Company in the city of Tiruchirappali, and the coastal villages of Vedaranyam and eventually Thoothukudi.

Battle of Vellore

While Depardieu and Hyder Ali took Tiruchirappalli, Bussy and Raja Shahib themselves along with additional Mysore Indian allies as well as the French East India Company Sepoys matched against Vellore from multiple directions. The Mysore came from the west and the French and Sepoy forces from the south. During this time, Pondicherry had been reinforced, and d’Ache sailed north to harass and blockade the British in Madras. Although the French did not pursue a formal siege, their presence made the British hesitate in sending much in the way of relief forces westward once they became aware of the French and Mysore actions.

Administrators in Vellore paid the French 15,000 rupees to avoid a major battle in the town, just like they had paid 30,000 to the British mere month ago to Coote before his loss at Wandiwash. A 150 strong British East Indian Company force which had been in the fort were not so willing to be bribed.

On February 22nd, a 6000 strong combined French-Mysore-Carnatic (Shahib faction) force surrounded the fort of Vellore, and engaged in a brief artillery dual with the British and some Indian defenders.

Battle Results:
French-Mysore-Carnatic (Shahib faction) Forces: 15 casualties.
British-Carnatic (Wallajah faction) Forces: 20 casualties, the remaining captured.

Clear French-Mysore-Carnatic (Shahib faction) victory.

The fast attack and unexpected assistance from the Mysore took the defenders by surprise. Though with also the town itself having effectively capitulated, there was little the defenders could do once a wall section had been breached and they surrendered after at least putting up some resistance.

For sparing the town the French also demanded the fort be turned over.

Siege of Arcot

After Coote’s loos at Wandiwash his forces retreated back to Arcot whom they had taken from the French the prior year only weeks before their defeat. Bussy had been unable to pursue and retake the city because of the British attacks on Pondicherry. By the time Pondicherry had been successfully defended, the British had reinforced and fortified Arcot, which was the administrative capitol of the Carnatic, and where the (de jure) Nawab of the Carnatic, Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah was presently residing. The reinforcement of Arcot had (temporarily) placed it out of reach of recapture until the arrival of d’Ache in late December, but soon after that Bussy was occupied with critical negotiations with Ali and Jung.

Now with the British facing potential pressure from Pondicherry, the sea, as well as moves by Jung to the northwest of Madras, Bussy moved against Arcot swiftly after taking Vellore. The siege of Arcot began in full on February 23rd.

Battle of Ranipet

Clive could not ignore the renewed French advances on the Carnatic, and despite facing pressures in Bengal against the Mughal Prince Ali Gauhar, and in the Carnatic. Pocock’s fleet was in repair near Calcutta after their most recent defeat by d’Ache, and some of the ships had even sailed for England. While the French fleet blockaded Madras, the forces in Pondicherry had not mustered out to besiege the fort, so supplies and communications were still coming in by land to the north. Sending out too large of a force to lift the French siege of Arcot would risk and invasion by French forces in Pondicherry. However, losing Arcot and risking the capture of Wallajah was too much of a risk, so Clive went forth with 600 British forces and over a thousand Indian Sepoys to face Bussy in battle again. Clive’s forces arrived in Ranipet north of Arcot on March 6th, while picking up nearly 400 of Wallajah’s Carnatic forces along the way. There they engaged the French-Mysore-Carnatic forces led by Bussy.

Battle Results:
French-Mysore-Carnatic (Shahib faction) forces: ~500 casualties
British-Carnatic (Wallajah faction) forces: ~600 casualties, 400 captured. Arcot garrison surrendered.

Clear French-Mysore-Carnatic (Shahib faction) victory.

The 2000 strong British allied forces may have been a match for the 6000 strong French allied forces, but they were forced to divert and take on increasing casualties because Walljah, fearing execution if he were to be captured, sallied forth from the siege when Robert Clive arrived. While Wallajah succeeded in escaping, he did so at the cost of a losing Arcot, causing higher casualties and the capture of a few hundred British East Indian Company forces. Clive and Wallajah the retreated with the remaining forces back toward Madras. The siege of Arcot ended after the victory falling to French allied hands on March 6th.

Battle of Arrakonam

French forces in Pondicherry were indeed waiting for British forces to leave, but not to then besiege Madras, but to make excursions into the British supply lines running from Madras toward Arcot.

While Clive and Wallajah retreated with half the forces Clive had left with, he encountered French Company forces from Pondicherry in wait at Arrakonam, in the midst of raiding his own supply trains. Bussy was already in pursuit from the west after mopping up in Arcot. On March 8th, The British allied forces of just fewer than 1000 faced off against the French East India company forces and their Indian Sepoys of about 1200. With this French force poised to cut off his retreat to Madras, and the risked of getting caught between it and Bussy’s forces, Clive was forced to attack immediately.

Battle Results:
British-Carnatic (Wallajah faction) forces: ~200 casualties
French East Indian Company forces: ~350 casualties

British Victory.

When Bussy plan was indeed to trap Clive between himself and the excursion forces thing do not always go according to plan, and Clive was able to break through after a strong immediate attack against the French who had over relied on less trained freshly recruited Sepoy forces. The French forces fled and Clive and Wallajah made it back to Madras.

Battle of Markapur

While the French and the Mysore were campaigning in the south Carnatic against the British and the Nizam of Hyderabad, Salabat Jung executed his own campaigns against the central Carnatic region.

Jung sent a 5,000 strong force into the central Carnatic as part of the French and Mysore alliance terms, putting pressure on the Wallajah faction’s Carnatic forces, and to drive to the coast to cut off Madras from northern British holdings in the Circars by land. On March 2nd, Jung’s force met in battle against a 3500 strong force loyal to Wallajah near the city of Markapur.

Battle Results:
Nizam Forces: ~300 casualties
Carnatic (Wallajah faction) forces: ~500 casualties

Clear Nizam Victory

With a victory after the first strong resistance, Jung‘s commanders continue their southeastward push through the central Carnatic region.

Battle of Mahe

While much of the Fighting or proxy fighting between the British and the French occurred on the east coast of India, the British East India company had prepared plans for an attack on French East India Company possessions on the West coast as well. Taking Surat in the north had succeeded, but that left the French presence in Mahe toward the south. British forces set sail from Bombay in the early spring to attack and take Mahe, landing on April 7th.

Battle Results:
British allied Forces: ~100 casualties, 50 captured,
French-Mysore forces: ~60 casualties

Clear French-Mysore Victory

Unbeknownst to the British expeditionary force, during their transit at sea, Bussy’s reinforcement had arrived at Mahe. This made for a larger, tougher opposition than their intelligence had first determined when they arrived. With several hundred on each side however they were about evenly matched, and the British had went forward with the attack. The French called upon their Mysore allies while they held off the British. When the Mysore forces arrived the next day, the British realized they would not be able to succeed and retreated to their ships, while under fire, and sailed back to Bombay.

French-Mysore Invasion of Tanjore (Thanjavur)

Pratap Singh Bosole was the Hindu ruler of Tanjore and its surrounding district, in nominal alliance to the Maratha. He had supported the British with arms and supplies against the French only a few years earlier, and had defeated, captured and executed Chanda Shahib in 1752. He also helped defeat Lally incursion and raids toward Tanjore in 1758, after which a company of British East India forces were placed in the city to aid in its defense. These were reasons enough for Bussy to press for coordination with Mysore to take Tanjore.

After taking Tiruchirappalli Claude-François Depardieu led the French-Mysore army further into Tanjore to lay siege to the fortress there. Chanda Shahib’s former supporters had also gathered and recruited forces to supplement the French-Mysore army, swelling their ranks by several hudred to around 3000.

Battle of Alakudi

Bhonsle send a 6000 strong Tanjore army out to meet the French-Mysore threat, wher they did battle on February 26th near the village of Alakudi.

Battle Results:
French-Mysore forces: ~300 casualties
Tanjore Forces: ~1200 casualties

Despite being out numbered, the better trained French-Mysore forces ambushed the approaching Tanjore forces, assailing them with well placed artillery fire, and cutting off routes of retreat putting the Tanjore army into a rout. The way was now open to the siege of Tanjore itself.

Siege of Tanjore

The siege began a few days later on March 1st, against Tanjore and British forces number around 700. Likewise another thousand French forces had marched from Kariakal (this time with sufficient provisions) to take the countryside and approach form the east, reinforcing the French-Mysore Army, a few days after the siege began, and harassing and repulsing what few Tanjore forces Bosole had tried to send their way. D’Ache also had his fleet patrolling from Madras to the southern tip of the Coromandel Coast, preventing British relief and communication to the area. Word did finally reach Clive in Madras in late March, but he was in little position to help at the time. Though he sent word to Pocock and force in Bengal to move south as soon as possible and put an end the French Fleet.

Siege Results:
French-Mysore-Carnatic (Shahib faction) Forces: ~200 casualties
British-Tanjore Forces: ~100 Tanjore casualties, ~100 British forces captured, 500 Tanjore captured. Pratap Singh Bosole and the royal family of Tanjore captured.

French-Mysore Victory

The siege lasted a little over a month before the threat of starvation and desertion among the Tanjore forces resulted in a surrender on April 3rd.

After his capture, Pratap Singh Bhonsle would be sent north in chains to Arcot, where Raja Shahib would have him executed on May 31st, in revenge for ordering the execution of of his father. He had tried to arrange for his survival in exchange for his surrender, but only succeeded in obtain the promise of safety for his family. The Mysore and the French looted the region of much of its wealth to pay for the current and future expeditions.

Thuljali II, the eldest son of Pratap Singh, was allowed to remain as governer of the city in a much reduced region of Tanjore, subject to being a vassal of Raja Shahib. By the years end, Thuljali signed treaties which effectively ended the Tanjore dynasty, and made him subordinate to the French East India Company and the Carnatic region held by Raja Shahib (Which was in turn propped up by the French India, Mysore and Nizam states.)

Hyder Ali would annex the western parts of the Tanjore region, which included Tiruchirappalli. The French East India Company obtained factory rights in Tanjore and some additional coastal villages. Coiladdy, a trading post-fort taken by Bhonsle in 1758 was also returned to the French.

Polygar Revolts

Polygars were various governors in southern India who traditionally ruled with autonomy and had rights to collect taces of their subjects. South India was placed under the overlordship of the Nawab of the Carnatic which was the British backed Muhhamad Ali Khan Wallajah. His initial attempts to collect taxes from the region in the early 1750s frequently resulted in small wars with the local polygars, which resulted in his increasing dependence on the British East India Company for support. In 1755 Wallajah and the British sent a significant army to the region to force compliance. Significant destruction was wrought on the area by the British and Nawab’s force before the British were recalled from the area due to the outbreak of the war with France. In 1756 Muhhamad Yusef Khan was sent to the area again to collect revenue, but was unsuccessful and only resulted in stirring up significant additional rebellion and animosity with the polygars, until he too was recalled to Madras. He was killed by Lally’s forces during the Siege of Madras in 1758.

Puli Thevar, one of the leading polygars of the area, had formed a grand alliance among the polygars and declared effective Independence from the Nawab of the Carnatic in 1757. With the incursion of French-Mysore forces against Wallajah control and after their victories in Tiruchirappalli, Alakudi, and Tanjore; Puli Tuvar emerged further as a principal leader in the area, by taking further advantage of the war to evict Carnatic control. It was during the siege of Tanjore that communications were established between the French-Mysore forces and Puli Tuvar.

After the fall of Tanjore, emissaries from Hyder Ali and the French approached Puli Tuvar, who was know to be an enemy of Wallajah and opposed the British. He also wanted to thank the French for putting an end to Yusef Khan outside Madras. A tentative alliance was formed, in which the Polygars now backed by the Mysore and the French revolted in mass. By early summer, before the monsoons, they wrested all of Southern India south of Madras away from Carnatic control.

With numerous conditions of relative autonomy, the right to collect taxes themselves, and fair taxation levels, most of the polygars decided to accept over lordship from the Mysore instead of the Carnatic. The French Company thereupon also obtained their factory and coastal right in Thoothukudi.

Hyder Ali, had no strong objections to this arrangement, made formal by the end of the year, as he wanted to bring his forces back north to take advantage of Marathan weakness on his northern border using the plunder received from Tanjore. As part of the arrangement, Puli Tuvar would later be made direct administrator over the Madurai region and the areas to the south and west of it.

Additionally, Puli Tuvar, wanting to seek additional triumph against Wallajah and the British, accompanied the French-Mysore forces northwards, with a sizable contingent of his own forces.

[1] Fort St. David and Cuddelore was taken by the French from the British in 1758 as in OTL. I accidentally omitted this from my prior updates.
[2] The French East India Company failed to take Tanjore in OTL 1758. TTL the raid attempts were less extensive, and thus less of a failure but still a failure. This was another omission from prior updates.
[3] Claude-François Depardieu is a new name/personality for TTL.

 

[0100010]

Indian Theater Part III

Siege of Ongole

Jung’s force had continued their march southeast to take control over the central Carnatic region, reaching the city of Ongole on March 5th. There Carnatic forces loyal to Walljah defended a fort in which the 4500 strong forces of the Nizam of Hyderabad, Salabat Jung then put under siege. Some 2000 forces consisting of the existing garrison and those survivors who had retreated from Markapur and regathered defended the city and fortress there.

Siege Results:
Nizam Forces: ~500 casualties
Carnatic (Wallajah faction) forces: ~700 casualties. ~1000 captured. Fortress surrendered.[/FONT]

Clear Nizam victory

After a siege of over two weeks, the defenders finally surrendered on March 21st, after besieging artillery had breached their walls.

Battle of Eluru

While Ongole first came under siege, requests for aid had come from Carnatic forces to the British in Masulipatnum. Though without direct word from Clive (who was soon to be trapped in Madras) the British didn’t act until Nizam forces had begun to gather north of the British held fort. When rumors began arriving of the Mysore-Nizam-French Carnatic invasion, a 1500 strong British force led by Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Forde went forth from Masulipatnum on March 13th, to engage over 3000 Nizam forces gathering in Eluru.

Battle Results:[/FONT]
British East Indian forces: ~150 casualties
Nizam forces: ~500 casualties

Clear British Victory
Despite being outnumber over two to one, Forde effectively routed the larger Nizam force, causing them to retreat back into the Deccan plateau. After ending the immediate threat to Masulipatnum, Forde turned southwest to respond to the calls for aid by their Carnatic allies.

Battle of Guntar

Forde, turning southwest to assist the British Carnatic allies, marched over the Krishna River to attack another gathering of Nizam forces in Guntar on March 17th. Forde’s 1400 strong force had been reinforces only marginally by retreating Carnatic forces, but was an closer match against the 2000 strong Nizam forces that were marching on Guntar.

Battle Results:
British East Indian forces: ~200 casualties
Nizam forces: ~400 casualites

Clear British Victory

Again a superior Nizam force was routed by the Briitsh and fled. Forde though was concerned about straying too far from their fortress at Masulipatnum. If he were defeated, it would leave Masulipatnum vulnerable. Forde continued south, but arrived too late to prevent the fall of Ongole. He learned of the further extent of the allaiance, and fearing a possible counter-attack against Masulipatnum, returned there and sent immideate requests for reinforcements from British held Bengal.

Battle of Nellore

After their victory at Ongole, Jung was preparing to confront Forde, but after Forde retreated north again, Salabut Jung led a contigent south to meet up with Shahib faction Carnatic forces near Nellore north of Madras along the Penna River. They were accompanied by a two French artillery teams and a few French officers. On March 29th, a Nizam-Carnatic (Shahib) force of 3500 against a 3000 strong Carnatic (Wallajah) force led by Muhhamad Ali Khan Wallajah himself, some British guns and two (low-ranking) British officers.

Battle Results:
French-Nizam-Carnatic (Shahib) forces: ~200 casualties. (0 French)
Carnatic (Wallajah) forces: ~600 casualties, 200 captured. (1 British officer captured)

Clear French-Nizam-Carnatic victory.

Despite their victory, Muhhamad Ali Khan again escaped fleeing back to Madras. This loss effectively ruined his hold on the Carnatic, and his support began to wither away as French allied forces as Bussy prepared for his final objective of once again taking Madras.

Third Siege of Madras

Even thugh Bussy very much wanted to bring a siege to Madras as soon as possible, even after securing Mysore and Nizam as allies, his primary limiting factor was funds to pay for what he knew would be a long-term siege. This was the purpose of the expedition across the Carnatic and in Tanjore, to acquire funds, even though with his agreements more than half of the revenue gained would go to his allies. It was enough, so long as Clive stayed trapped in Madras. So far that had been successful but d’Ache increasingly complaining about keeping his fleet in once place for so long.

Bussy could not make a direct move against Madras until all his and his allies’ forces had returned. It took until April 20th, even with the help of the French fleet in transport, for the southern forces led by Depardieu to return to Pondicherry with their plunder. They also brought a new ally Puli Tuvar, and a few hundred soldiers sworn to him. Significant funds for supplies were need also because the siege would persist through ther Monsoon season, when normally there was a significant lull in fighting. Even if the French fleet had to retreat in the face of approaching storms, the British Fleet would also face the same weather hazards.

Khan’s remaining Carnatic forces had fallen back to Madras. The rest of the Carnatic was falling to Mysore, Shahib and Nizam forces as per the general division agreements made before the campaign back in January. While Khan’s forces bolstered the Madras defense, they would also eat up more of their supplies, and were dwarfed by the combined, French, Mysore, Nizam, Shahib, and Polygar forces which numbered just over 20,000 arrayed against about 6,000 Madras defenders. The Third Siege of Madras began in full on May 4th.

Battle of Kattupalli Island

On May 28th, word finally reached Calcutta of Clive’s request for aid. Word from Forde had also arrived earlier and the Bengal forces were already preparing the Fleet for departure and reinforcement. Additiuonal forces had to be pulled form the western Bengal front in order to allow a counter-attack from Masulipatnum to attempt to lift the siege as well as offset the losses in Marine Pocock’s fleet had suffered in the failed attempt to take Pondicherry the prior December.

Pocock’s fleet would sail forth and meet d’Ache’s fleet yet again off Kattupalli Island, while Madras was under siege. By the time they arrived on June 20th (after dropping off reinforcement at Masulipatnum), the coming Monsoon storm clouds could be seen on the horizon.

French Admiral Anne Antoine Comte de’Ache commanded the French fleet consisting of the, Centuare (70), Comte-de-Provence (68), Fortune (58), Conde (44), Duc d’Berry (44), Revenge (28) (ex-british), Queenborough (24) (ex-british), Vigilant (20), Elephant (20), and several support ships of less than 20 guns.

Admiral Pocock commanded the British fleet consisting of HMS Weymouth (60), Medway (60), Hampshire (50), Salisbury (50), Newcastle (50), Mary Galley (44), Alborough (20), Deal Castle (20), and some smaller support ships of less than 20 guns.

Battle Results:
French Forces: Duc d’Berry (44) sunk, Revenge (28) (ex-british) sunk, 3 support ships lost, moderate to significant damage to remaining fleet.
British Forces: HMS Deal Castle (20) sunk, moderate damage to remaining fleet.

British Victory

While d’Ache put up a strong fight, he saw two of his frigates go to the bottom, the British didn’t even try to capture, while his forces had only managed to sink one small British frigate. He might have pressed the attack on, but a lucky cannon shot took off his head. His second in command wasn’t as eager to stick around, and called a retreat.

The reason the British didn’t try to capture is that they were short of marines, had the French engaged close they might have fared better. Once the French were in retreat Pocock stayed long enough only to resupply Madras then pursued the French fleet toward Pondicherry. Pocock could not offer any reinforcements of significance to Clive or help to lift the siege, but advised him that forces from Masulipatnum were marching south. Clive in return gave instruction to Pocock, the French alliance with the Mysore and Nizam needed to be broken or weakened. At the minimum, their attention needed to be drawn away, even if it meant proposing alliance with the Maratha.

Pocock sent one ship back to Masulipatnum and Calcutta to bring word of events. Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, demanded to be placed on it with a contingent of his guard, promising he could muster reinforcements in the north. Since his arrival at Madras (and again after he retreated form losing at Nellore) Clive had found him to be unpredictable, duplicitous, and annoying. Yet the man owed the Company a great deal of money from numerous loans. A dead man could not pay anything back, so he relented and put Khan on the ships bound for Masulipatnum and Calcutta, along with all their wounded and non-combatants. That made for fewer mouths to feed as well. Behind the French ships, and coming out of partial hiding in the Sangarabarani River mouth, were several fresh undamaged ships that had not been part of the prior battle moved out to intercept. With southwest monsoon winds coming at their backs, by the time Pocock had turned around it was too late to avoid a battle.

Battle of Kottakuppam

Admiral Pock had pursued the French fleet to Pondicherry. He arrived in a few days, on June 23rd, and found them sheltering under the protection of the forts guns, attempting repairs. Pocock knowing his ships where in better shape and that he now outnumbered the French moved in. As he got close though he realized he had made an error in judgement.

Joseph de Bauffremont, had arrived in India from France that morning in command of a small fleet that had broken out of the medditerrenean after the Battle of Gibraltar Bay in March. He had make execellent time, arriving at Pondicherry on June 23rd. He had gotten debriefed on recent events, and was preparing to sail toward Madras to assist Bussy and d’Ache in their siege when d’Ache’s fleet (sans d’Ache) came into view. After getting a report on the most recent events, he took command of d’Ache’s fled and hid his ships in the river mouth waiting for Pocock to arrive. He then ventured his and d’Ache’s former fleet forth to engange in battle.

French Admiral Joseph de Bauffremont commanded the French fleet consisting of the Minotaure (74), Bertin (64), Centuare (70)*, Comte-de-Provence (68)*, Fortune (58)*, Favorite (44), Conde (44)*, Bouffonne (32), Queenborough (24)* (ex-british), Vigilant (20)*, Elephant (20), and some support ships of less than 20 guns.

Admiral Pocock commanded the British fleet consisting of HMS Weymouth (60)*, Medway (60)*, Hampshire (50)*, Salisbury (50)*, Newcastle (50), Mary Galley (44)*, Alborough (20), and some smaller support ships of less than 20 guns.

*Ships with pre-existing damage.

Battle Results:
French Forces: Conde (44) comdemn for damage, Queenborough (24) foundered, 2 support ships lost. 2/3rd of other ships suffered additional damage.
British Forces: HMS Salisbury (50) captured, Hampshire (50) grounded and burnt to avoid capture, 2 support ships lost, 1 captured. All other ships incurred significant to moderate damage.

French Victory

Pocock this time was forced to retreat, unable to risk further close combat and boarding actions with the French ships. He sent one small fast support ship to Madras with word, and made for Calcutta.

The French Fleet did not pursue beyond Madras, while the ships with significant damage remained in Pondicherry, those fit enough resumed the siege at Madras, arriving only two days later. However their stay was short as the monsoon storms and rain moved in, forcing them to return to shelter in Pondicherry.

While morale for the Madras forces had gone up after their resupply and when the French fleet had been chased off, it sank again upon the returning sight of French ships off the coast, once again blockading the city. Clive held out hope though that Forde and the forces from Masulipatnum could make a difference.

For Bussy word had come from France. He had been made commander of all French forces beyond the Horn of Africa. News also brought word that Spain had entered the war as allies of France, and that France was now also at war with Portugal. Bussy under his new authority, appointed Bauffremont as acting commander of the French Indian ocean fleet to replace the loss of d’Ache.

Battle of Sangam

Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Forde marched a British-Sepoy-Carnatic force of over 7000 though the central Carnatic in the hopes of relieving the siege of Madras. They had set off on June 7th, but due to torrential rains from the monsoons, and skirmishes with Nizam forces along the way, they made very slow progress. As they neared Nellore in late June, Forde saw that Penna River was swollen, and had to go upstream for a better place to cross. Bussy, based on both rumors and interrogation of the captured sailors from the HMS Salisbury and Hampshire, expected the coming march and went forth with nearly half his besieging force, near 10,000 in total to find and stop Forde. The Penna River proved just as much of an obstacle to Bussy, but time was on his side.

Finally on July 5th Forde found a place he could try to cross at Sangam. Bussy was waiting for him, but failed to ambush Forde as he had hoped. Attempts at artillery fire from both sides proved difficult as the torrential rains had gotten the powder stores of both sides wet to varying degrees. Cannon and musket fire was only sporadically successful, and the clashes soon erupted into a series of bloody bayonet charges, and hand to hand fighting.

Battle Results:
French allied forces: ~1100 casualties.
British allied forces: ~700 casualties, 12 men captured, 3 guns captured.

French allied victory

After making two failed assaults and repulsing one from Bussy, Forde withdrew his forces back across the river, and was forced to abandon some cannon and wagons which got stuck in the mud. He surmised he would not win a battle of attrition against his foe, who could also stay on the defensive and wait him out. Reports of skirmish attacks on his long supply line also forced his hand to return to Masulipatnum in failure. Bussy returned to Madras to resume the siege.

Third Siege of Madras concluded

The Third Siege of Madras had begun on May 4th. The 6000 or so defenders had managed to get resupplied on June 19th. Bussy returned from his victory over Forde on July 20th, but even after trading a British prisoner to Clive to bring word of Forde’s defeat, he refused to surrender yet ‘until he had resisted all he could’. Artillery exchanges between the defenders and the besiegers had reached a lull during the heavy rains. Clive continued to defy Bussy into September until the monsoon rains had stopped, and the French fleet returned from Pondicherry. Clive knew though, that he was only delaying the inevitable, hoping for a British fleet arrival from England if Pocock was unable to further assist. After Clive’s latest refusal, Bussy pounded Madras with artillery fire from both sea and land for three days once the rains had stopped. Clive finally listened to and made a counter proposal to the terms offered.

Bussy, while determine in his efforts, saw the money and provision of maintaining such a large besieging force for so long begin to dwindle. Over the late summer, Salabat Jung pulled at first a thousand, and then another thousand off the siege and back to Hyderabad because of Maratha incursions on his northern border. Hyder Ali likewise did the same. Puli Tuvar, while he was happy to assist in the battle of Sangam, did not feel like sitting around for a siege, and returned south with his meager force. Madras also still held numerous French prisoners whom he didn’t want to starve to death.

Furthermore significant news had reached Bussy and his allies in very late August. The Mughal Prince Ali Gauhar (and brief unacknowledged Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II) had perished in battle agains the Maratha on June 10th. This resulted in the refusal of Hyder Ali and Salabat Jung to recognize Shuja-ud-Daula of Oudh, regency to the throne and declaring themselves independent kings. Raja Shahib also declared himself King of the Carnatic, (but was still de facto subservient as a sort of buffer state to counter-balance the ambitions of the two ‘new’ kings), and heavily supported by the French. Thusly forces of Raja Shahib remained by Bussy’s side.

Clive’s counter proposal was the surrender of Madras to the French for their release to Masulipatnum, and a six month truce from now till March of the following year. If Bussy did not accept, then he would stop feeding what scraps he could to the French prisoners, continue his defiance and make any assault on Madras a very costly one. Bussy wanted verification of the numbers and health of the French prisoners, and an unarmed volunteer was allowed entry to account for their totals. When the volunteer returned, he also reported to Bussy that Clive showed him he possessed perhaps at least several more weeks’ worth of provisions, but that there could be more not shown to him. With rationing and refusing to feed the prisoners as Clive threated, that could be stretched out to a few months.

Bussy was prepared to reluctantly agree, he had few means to house and feed any British prisoners taken anyway. Bussy though also added the conditions that the British East India Company withdraw their support and claims for Muhhamed Ali Khan Wallajah as Nawab of the Carnatic and recognize Raja Shahib instead, as well as the Mysore, Nizam and Carnatic independence, in light of the late Prince’s death. Clive stated that unofficially he would do so, once verified, though the British prisoners taken from the Battle of Sangam claimed that they had heard such. Bussy countered that unofficially he would honor the truce, unless orders form the King of France made him do otherwise. Clive responded in kind.

Bussy and Clive accepted the terms and the Krishna River west of Masulipatnum was chosen as the respective border between the British and French areas of influence for the duration of the truce. Clive surrendered Madras to the French on September 7th. Full prisoner exchanges were also included in the terms.

Siege Results:
British forces: ~300 casualties.
French allied forces: ~200 casualties

French Victory

It took just over a month for Clive and his forces to be escorted back to Masulipatnum. When he arrived he had learned his instructions to Calcutta had borne fruit. Emissaries from the British East India Company had approached Dattaji Sindhia of the Maratha and obtained an alliance. Company forces would aid in his conquests and defense, in exchange for trading factory rights along the Orissa coast, proving stepping stones to link British controlled Bengal to British holdings in the northern Circars. While Clive would honor the truce he made with Bussy, he would still fight the French by proxy to weaken their allies.

Mysore Invasion of Keladi

With plunder obtained from the Tanjore conquest to help fund a campaign and promised French support, Hyder Ali had been setting his sights on the remains of the Keladi Kingdom, a Maratha ally on his northern border. After the monsoons abated, Hyder Ali invaded in September, and preparation for this was one of the reasons he had pulled much of his forces away from Madras in the summer. The Kaladi Kingdom would fall to Mysore conquest over the next few months from September to December.

Bussy supported the invasion with French advisors, artillery teams and the French India Fleet off the western coast in the latter months. This was in exchange for the previously granted trading locales given by Hyder Ali, and Mysore support in the French conquest of Portuguese Goa.

Siege of Goa

While Bussy was technically in truce with the British, said truce made no mention of the Portuguese, nor had Bussy mentioned that Spain was now a French ally and that France was now at war with the Portuguese to Clive during his negotiations. Bussy was not sure if Clive knew that or not, he suspected not (at the time), as he believed Pocock’s ships had already been in India for a while and would thus not have been aware of developments in Iberia the preceding march. As soon as Clive and his soldiers were escorted north Bussy planned a campaign to conquest Goa.

The Siege began on October 12th. The French fleet led by Bauffremont blockade and shelled Goa’s coastal defenses, and Claude-François Depardieu led a 5,000 strong French-Mysore army in besieging the city from land. The siege lasted more than two months before Portuguese authorizes finally surrender to Depardieu when given an ultimatum about surrendering to a fellow Catholic power or letting the Mysore take control of the city. Goa surrendered on December 20th.

Siege results:
Portuguese Forces: ~500 casualties
French-Mysore Forces: ~250 casualties.

French-Mysore Victory.

In Oudh and Bengal

Muhammaed Ali Khan opted to sail onwards with the British to Calcutta, in order to make his appeal to the Mughal Prince Ali Gauhar for assistance. The British ship arrived in Calcutta on June 24th. Word had not yet reached Calcutta of the Prince’s demise at the time, so Khan set out toward Oudh. He only learned along the way, after already obtaining escort from soldiers from Oudh, of the events that had befallen north India in June.

Khan arrived in Faizabad on August 9th and now found himself a ‘guest’ of the Nawab of Oudh, Shuja-ud-Daula, while he regaled his tale to the self-declared regent of the Empire. The Nawab however took his tale to imply the British had become weak. With Clive trapped in Madras, and possible now a prisoner of the French, and withdrawing forces away from the north in an attempt to relieve the siege, he had an opportunity to strike.

The Nawab kept Khan and the family and guards that had travelled with him as guests until he acknowledge him as the regent to the Mughal Empire, which Khan would eventually relent to in the false hope of obtaining support in the reconquest of the Carnatic.

Shuja-ud-Daula, relying on the peace he had obtained with the Maratha, organized his armies to march against the Nawab of Bengal as the former Emperor Prince had tried to do before.

Battle of Dhanbad

Shuja-ud-Daula marched an army of ~30,000 into Bengal arriving near Dhanbad on October 2nd before meeting his first real resistance. The Nawab of Bengal had organized a force of ~20,000 supplemented by a few hundred of the Bengal European Regiment forces led by Major Carnac

Battle Results:
Bengal-British forces: ~2200 casualties.
Oudh forces: ~1500 casualties

Oudh Victory

The Bengal-British forces retreated before Oudhs greater numbers, but did so as a delaying tactic. Shuja-ud-Daula march toward Calcutta would slow immensely with many skirmishes and difficulty in foraging on the march.

Battle of Jamalpur, West Bengal

By October 18th, Shuja-ud-Daula had reached Jamalpur in West Bengal, a mere 50 miles from Calcutta, pursuing the Nawab of Bengal eastwards. The Nawab turned his forces to face Shuja-ud-Daula again, but this time he had obtained the full measure the the British East India Company forces. While it had taken just over a month for Clive and his forces to reach Masulipatnum, the majority of them were able to board ships to Calcutta there. Clive arrived in time with a sizable force to meed Shuja-ud-Daula in the field, and bolstering the Nawab of Bengals forces by a few thousand up to ~22,000 against Shuja-ud-Daula’s ~28,000.

Battle Results:
Oudh forces: ~4000 casualties, 1000 captured. Several guns captured.
British-Bengal forces: ~1600 casualties.

Clive routed the Oudh army and put Shuja-ud-Daula into a general retreat. While the Nawab of Oudh would recover later, the hastiness of Clive organizing the defense in light of his recent arrival presented an intimidate effective pursuit. Shuja-ud-Daula was able to escape back to Oudh with most of his army, while Clive reorganized British EIC forces in light of all the recent developments. A retaliatory offensive campaign against Oudh would wait until the New Year.

 

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The Carribean

Pitt had long been advocating Caribbean campaigns to take the valuable sugar colonies away from the French. However, with fleet and sailors tied up in the blockade of France and North American operations, and infantry that had been used to reinforce Hanover or sent to support operations in North America to conquer New France, he was unable to obtain the level of resources he required.

Numerous naval actions had been occurring in the Atlantic and the Caribbean since the major operations in which the British recaptured St. Kitts and Nevis from French occupation in 1757. The naval actions primarily consisted of mostly British successes against French merchant ships or small warships of less than 20 guns. However, it did not create any significant change to the balance of power in the region. It did however had the effect of a steady erosion of French trade in the Atlantic. The French, while under British blockade, had been unable to field any significant attempts to reinforce the area either.

In spring of 1760, Pitt presented another Caribbean campaign plan. It was finally approved but took most of the year for resources to be obtained for it to be carried out. Finally a fleet was put en-route to the Caribbean as of late November 1760.

Along the way, the fleet had its first successes against the French when on the Naval Action of January 18th; it captured the French frigates Frippone (24) and Cumberland (24) in the Atlantic as it neared the Caribbean.

The original primary target of the campaign was the capture of Martinique. However when British ships scouting the island determined that the French had managed to reinforce it, those plans were altered. It was decided that an attempt against Martinique would have to wait for more reinforcements.

Fall of St. Barthelemy

On February 10th, the British occupy the French island of St. Barthelemy, no resistance was encountered and the island authorities surrendered to British control.

Invasion of Guadalope

On February 28th, Commodore Moore led a British Fleet to invade Guadalupe after scouting the ideal locations with which to land a 5,000 strong invasion force led by Major-General Peregrine Hopson. The British at first made decent headway, and captured the Fort Saint-Charles and what was left of the town of Basse-Terre (which was heavily damaged and burnt from cannon fire) in the first two days. Afterwards they encountered strong French resistance in mountainous areas or ambushes along the sugar cane fields.

After three weeks of little progress, disease began to take its toll on the British forces, over 25% of the total were sick, including General Hopson, forcing him to delegate to his subordinates. After weeks of slow advancement, having half of his sick sent back to Antigua, Hopson was granted the use of a few hundred fleet marines, how had fared better agains the Yellow Fever, to lend aid to the final attacks.

Battle Results:
British Forces: ~500 casualties, ~1300 sick from disease.
French Forces: ~500 (regular and irregular forces) casualties and captured.

British Victory

On May 30th, the Governor of Guadalupe, Charles François Emmanuel Nadeau du Treil, finally surrendered under the stipulation that the French captured forces be allowed to be sent to Martinique.

Naval Action of June 28th

On June 28th, a scouting force from Martinique sailing out to evaluate Guadalupe, was encountered by the British fleet. In the ensuing encounter, the French ship Malicieuse (32) is sunk, and the Eine (26) is captured by a British fleet in the Caribbean.

Invasion of Dominica

A series of summer storms from May to September had dispersed or prevented the fleets from either side from putting forth for any significant operations. The British wounded and sick meanwhile either recovered or died from the Yellow fever that had wracked them in Guadalupe.

Dominica, a previously neutral island only recently occupied by the French was not particularly rich, but had strategic naval value, especially so after word had arrived of Spain’s entry into the war. It had also become a haven for French privateers, several of which were sheltered in its bay.

On October 15th, The sizable British fleet descended upon a dozen French privateers in battle, sinking or capturing all of them, and losing only the HMS Rye (24) when it struck rocks and was decimated by cannon fire. Its crew, cannons, and store were salvaged by declared un-seaworthy and broken up.

The British were forces to besiege a French battery defending the Governors mansion over seven days which was out of range of their ships.

Battle Results:
British Forces: ~50 casualties
French Forces: ~25 casualties, ~125 captured.

The defending French forces retreated after running out of shot, spiking their cannon, and blowing their remaining powder supply in the night. They then fled to the island’s interior. This forced the British to spend several more days searching the island and elicit the surrender of the remaining inhabitants. The island fully capitulated on October 31st.

The remainder of the year and into early 1762 was spent protecting trade and suppressing French privateering in the area.

North America

Anglo-Cherokee War

On April 5th, Cherokee warriors raid several settlements in western North Carolina over the next few days. Colonials protested the diminished British defense of the area as many troops had previously been shifted northwards to engage Quebec. The problems and tensions would continue as the British, even after the fall of Montreal in August, would shift focus and troops in preparation for further campaigns in the Caribbean.

Treaty of Kahnawake

On August 18th, two weeks after the fall of Montreal, the Treaty of Kahnawake is signed. The Seven Nations of Canada, former allies to France, make peace with the British in a ‘Burying the Hatchet’ ceremony.

Governor of Quebec

In late fall an outbreak of tuberculosis occurred in Quebec, affecting both Quebecois inhabitants and the British garrisons including the recently appointed British governor James Murray. On October 21st, James Murray dies in Montreal from the disease and a combination of chill and injuries received during the battle for Quebec and Montreal. Major General John Mordant is appointed acting governor in his place. Strict quarantine and winter isolation manages to keep the outbreak in check, by by the following spring over 120 individuals had died.

Redistribution of Forces and Policies in North America

By mid November, word returned from London after Amherst had sent news of their success in New France. Parliament continued to insist on an extreme reduction of expenditures and to prepare sending forces south for campaigns in the Caribbean in the coming year against French and now also, Spanish holdings. Amherst who had already cut back on gift presented to the Natives much earlier in the year, then outright termination the policy under Parliamentary pressure. He was also force to increase the burden of costs on the colonials for housing and supporting British garrisons while at the same time shifting them south in preparation for the future Caribbean campaigns. At this, all parties, natives and colonials alike protested, but Amherst hands were tied.

When word arrived of the Cherokee raids in the southern colonies, Amherst could only send a smaller force to assist while advising that the colonial militias form the bulk of any counter-attacking force.

Battle of Echoee

Archibald Montgomerie, who had previously fought the Cherokee in the preceding years, was replaced by James Grant who took 500 British soldiers out with over 1300 volunteer militia from North and South Carolina and Virginia to counter attack the Cherokee. Virginia had contributed their militias on account of threats to southwestern Virginia by the Cherokee raids.

Though initially reluctant after having resigned his post the preceding year, Colonel George Washington was convinced to lead the Virginia detachment against the Cherokee forces. He was joined by General Hugh Waddel and the Carolina militias, and the British troops led by General Hames Grant, who was the official commander.

Cherokee forces of about 2500 warriors led by Cheifs Seroweh, Standing Turkey and Attakullakulla would face off against the 1800 strong British Colonial force.

A series of battle in the skirmishes in the summer and early fall pushed the Cherokee forces back. On September 24th, British-Colonial forces reach the Cherokee town of Echoee, and faced of in the largest battle of the Anglo-Cherokee war.

Battle Results:
Britsh-Colonial Forces: ~120 casualties
Cherokee Forces: ~250 casualties.

British-Colonial Victory

Grant, Washington and Waddell destroyed and burned several Cherokee towns during the summer, as well as raiding or burning Cherokee harvests. These towns were never reoccupied, and disease starvation and losses in battle preented the Cherokee from putting forth any more significant offensives. The Cherokee withdrew to west of the Appalachian Mountains, and sued for peace.

The freeing up of this frontier area brought many colonials from the northern cities in search of land to settle in the area, resulting in a population increase in the western North Carolina and South Carolina and southwestern Virginia during the 1760’s.

Other Events

On July 21st, Princess Joan is born to Queen Maria I and Peter III of Portugal.

June 22nd was the last known sighting of the HMS Poole (44) off the Cape off Good Hope, which was bound for India. It is presumed lost at sea.

 

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Summary 1761

January 18th – Naval Action – Nine Years War: A British fleet bound for the Carribean captures the French frigates Frippone (24) and Cumberland (24).
January 21st – Afghan – Maratha War – Third Battle of Panipat: Maratha forces led by Dattaji Sindhia narrowly defeat Afghan forces led by Ahmed Shah Durrani, ultimately resulting in the Durrani Empire’s withdrawal from northwest India.
January 22nd – Nine Years War – Battle of Suan: British East Indian forces defeat the Mughal Army led by Prince Ali Gauhar, forcing his retreat into the state of Oudh.

February 10th – Nine Years War – Fall of St. Barthelemy: The largely undefended French Caribbean island surrenders to a British invasion without resistance.
February 12th – Family Compact & the Fourth Treaty of Versailles: France, Spain, and Austria sign treaties to reaffirm and make new agreements concerning mutual war with the Britain, Portugal and Prussia. Additional agreements are made with Morocco, the Barbary States, Naples and Sicily for their support in the war.
February 20th – Nine Years War – Battle of Tiruchirappalli: French-Mysore forces capture Tiruchirappli, allowing Mysore to expand into the southern Carnatic.
February 22nd – Nine Years War – Battle of Vellore: French-Mysore-Carnatic forces capture the British held fort of Vellore.
February 23rd – Nine Years War – Seige of Arcot begins.
February 25th – Afghan – Maratha War – Battle of Kasur: Sikh forces allied to the Maratha defeat Durrani forces as they retreat through the Punjab region.
February 26th – Nine Years War - Battle of Alakudi: French-Mysore forces defeat the Tajore army during the French-Mysore invasion of Tanjore.
February 28th – Nine Years War – Invasion of Guadalupe: British forces invaded the French held island of Guadalupe in the Caribbean.

March 1st – Nine Years War – Franco-Spanish Ultimatum: Spanish diplomats give Queen Maria I of Portugal seven days to cease trade with the British and join them in war against them or face invasion.
March 1st – Nine Years War – Siege of Tanjore begins.
March 2nd – Nine Years War – Battle of Markapur: Nizam forces of the Mughal Empire defeat the British backed Carnatic forces of Wallajah at Markapur.
March 3rd – Nine Years War – Battle of Sainte-Foy: Montcalm defeats the British which allows him to besiege Quebec City while the bulk of British forces are away and the ice is not yet fully thawed enough to allow easy relief from British ships.
March 4th – Nine Years War: Second Siege of Quebec City begins.
French forces led by Montcalm besiege British occupied Quebec City.
March 5th – Nine Years War – Siege of Ongole begins.
March 6th – Nine Years War – Battle of Ranipet: British forces led by Robert Clive, coming to the aid of besieged Arcot, are defeated by French allied forces led Bussy.
March 6th – Nine Years War – Siege of Arcot ends. French allied forces captrure Arcot, but Wallajah escapes.
March 8th – Nine Years War – Battle of Arrakonam: British-Carnatic forces under Clive and Wallajah defeat French Forces that had been aiming to intercept them.
March 9th – Nine Years War: Spain formally declares war on the British Empire and Portugal. France formally declares war on Portugal.
March 12th – Nine Years War: Invasion of Portugal, a Franco-Spanish army invades Tras-os-Montes kicking off war between Spain, France and Portugal.
March 13th – Nine Years War – Battle of Eluru: British forces led by Lt-Colonel Francis Forde defeats Nizam forces near Eluru.
March 15th – Nine Years War – Battle of Hanover: A French victory by Duc de Broglie over the Duke of Brunswick opens the way to the Siege of Hanover.
March 16th – Nine Years War – Siege of Hanover begins.
March 17th – Nine Years War – Battle of La Coruna: British fleet defeats a Spanish fleet near La Coruna, Spain.
March 17th – Nine Years War: Battle of Guntar: British forces led by Lt-Colonel Francis Forde defeats Nizam forces near Guntar.
March 18th – Nine Years War – Battle of Gibraltar Bay: A large, French, Spanish, Austrian, Sicilian and Neapolitan fleet engages the massed British fleet at Gibraltar Bay in order to besiege Gibraltar. French victory allows the Siege of Gibraltar to commence three days later.
March 21st – Nine Years War – Siege of Gibraltar begins.
March 21st – Nine Years War – Siege of Ongole ends. Nizam forces take control of the central Carnatic city from the British backed the Wallajah Carnatic faction.
March 22nd – Nine Years War – Siege of Miranda begins
March 26th – Nine Years War – Siege of Glatz begins
March 28th – Nine Years War – Battle of Jitschin: Prussian forces led by Paul von Werner defeat Austrian forces led by Andreas Hadik near the town of Jitschin.

April 3rd – Nine Years War: Siege of Tanjore ends. French-Mysore forces prevail over Tanjore, capturing the Tanjore king Pratap Singh Bhonsle. This puts the Hindu region of Tanjore under combined Mysore, Carnatic and French control.
April 4th – Nine Years War: Battle of Habelschwerdt: Prussian forces led by Fredrick the Great are defeated by Franco-Austrian forces, forcing him to lift the siege of Glatz in failure.
April 4th – Nine Years War: Siege of Glatz ends. Prussian forces fail to capture Glatz.
April 5th – Anglo-Cherokee War: Cherokee forces raids settlements in western North Caronolina
April 6th – Nine Years War: Siege of Bautzen begins. Saxon forces, militia and citizens revolting against Prussian occupation defeat a beleaguered Prussian garrison in Bautzen.
April 7th & 8th – Nine Years War: Battle of Mahe: French forces repulse a Brtitish attempt to take Mahe.
April 9th – Nine Years War: Second Siege of Quebec City ends. British ships arrive and force Montcalm to lift the siege and retreat back to Montreal.
April 10th – Nine Years War: Battle of Reichenbach: Franco-Austrian forces pursuing Fredrick’s army are defeated when he stops to engage them. Daun is forced to retreat back to Glatz.
April 15th – Nine Years War – Siege of Munsterberg begins.
April 16th – Nine Years War – Siege of Brieg begins.
April 20th – Nine Years War – Second Battle of Bautzen: After the arrival of Prussian reinforcements led by Manteuffel, the siege of Bautzen is quickly put to an end after only a brief skirmish against the Saxon militia forces.
April 25th – May 1st - Nine Years War – Battle of Ile Bouchard: British forces defeat the last French ships defending Montreal from the east on the St. Lawrence River.

May 2nd – May 12th - Nine Years War – Battle of the Thousand Islands: British forces led by Amherst defeat the French on the St. Lawrence west of Montreal.
May 4th – Nine Years War – Third Siege of Madras begins.
May 17th – Nine Years War – Siege of Miranda ends.
Franco-Spanish forces assault and take the fortress for its provisions. French forces then destroy it for being indefensible in the face of starvation before French elements retreat back to Spain.
May 19th – Nine Years War - Battle of Stathagen: After harassing French attempts at maintaining the Hanover siege, the Duke of Brunswick is defeated by Broglie again and forced to retreat northward.
May 20th – Nine Years War – Battle of Frankenstein: Prussian and Franco-Austrian forces meet again but only fight to a draw. Fredrick abandons the siege of Munsterberg before retreating north.
May 21st – Nine Years War – Siege of Brieg ends. Brieg surrenders to Fredrick’s forces just as he was about to order abandoning it.[
May 30th – Nine Years War – Invasion of Guadalupe: the island of Guadalupe surrenders to British forces.
May 31st - Pratap Singh Bhonsle, the last king of Tanjore, is executed ending the Tonjore Bhonsle dynasty. His eldest son is only allowed rule as governor of the city.

June 1st – Nine Years War – Battle of the River Duomo: A starving Spanish force led by Alexander O'Reilly is defeated at the river Duomo by several hundred Portuguese peasants, and few guns and 100 soldiers.
June 10th – Mughal – Marathan War - Battle of Bareilly: Dattaji Sindhia leads the Marathas to victory over the Mughal army and conquers Rohilkhand. The death of Shah Alam II terminates the Mughal Empire and peace is made between the Marathas and Oudh. Hafiz Rahmat Khan Barech also killed in battle.
June 19th – Nine Years War - Battle of Kattupalli Island: British fleet led by Admiral George Pocock defeats French fleet. Anne Antoine the Comte d’Aché is killed in battle.
June 20th – Nine Years War – Siege of Almeida begins
June 23rd – Nine Years War - Battle of Kottakuppam: French fleet led by Joseph de Bauffremont defeats the British fleet led by Admiral George Pocock
June 28th – Nine Years War – Naval Action: French ships Malicieuse (32) is sunk, and the Eine (26) is captured by a British fleet in the Carribean.

July 1st – Nine Years War – Siege of Almeida ends. Spanish Forces led by Don Pedro Pablo Abarca de Bolea y Jiménez de Urrea the Count of Aranda takes the fortress of Almeida after an eleven day siege.
July 5th – Nine Years War - Battle of Sangam: Francis Forde’s attempt to relieve the Third Siege of Madras ends in failure after he is defeated by Bussy near Sangam.
July 10th – Nine Years War – Siege of Mazagan begins.
July 11th – Nine Years War - Third Siege of Kolberg begins.
July 21st – Princess Joan is born to Queen Maria I and Peter III of Portugal.

August 1st – Nine Years War – Siege of Montreal begins: After burning and raiding through French lands on the southern bank of the St. Lawrence, the British gather from multiple directions to siege Montreal, the last French holdout in New France.
August 4th – Nine Years War – Siege of Montreal ends. Montcalm surrenders Montreal, and with it, New France to the British.
August 18th – Treaty of Kahnawake: The Seven Nations of Canada, former allies to France make peace with the British in a “Burying the Hatchet” ceremony.
August 26th – Nine Years War - Battle of Grossienhein: Saxon forces led by Benekendorff retake Grossienhein from Prussian occupation.
August 30th – Nine Years War - Third Battle of Schweidnitz: Franco-Austrian forces defeat the Prussians and retake Schweidnitz
August 31st – Nine Years War - Battle of Esterwelde: Saxon forces retake Esterwelde from Prussian occupation.

September 2nd – Nine Years War - Battle of Brieg: Franco-Austrian forces capture the city of Breig from Prussia for the second time.
September 7th – Nine Years War – Siege of Madras ends. Clive surrenders Madras to the French in echange for a 6 month truce allowing the release of British forces and an exchange of all prisoners. The British East India Company would also recognize the indepedance of the Mysore, Nizam and Carnatic Kingdoms.
September 8th – Nine Years War – Battle of Landsberg: Fredrick the Great routs the Russia army led by Lopukhin who is killed in action, pursuing them back to Posen.
September 9th – Nine Years War - Battle of Kolberg: Manteuffel and the Prussians defeat Buturlin and the Russians forcing them to abandon the 3rd Siege of Kolberg.
September 10th – Nine Years War – Second Battle of Breslau: Franco Austrian forces led by Duan defeat the Prussians to retake the fortress and city of Breslau.
September 12th – Nine Years War – Siege of Mazagan ends.
Portuguese forces surrender the Fortress-city of Mazagan on the Atlantic coast to the Moroccan forces. Over the next few months, British and Portuguese ships are allowed to peacefully evacuate the Portuguese citizens to Brazil.
September 18th – Nine Years War - Second Siege of Leignitz begins.
September 20th – 23rd – A Hurricane ravages the outer banks of North Carolina
September 24th – Anglo-Cherokee War – Battle of Echoee: James Grant, George Washington, and Hugh Waddel defeat Cherokee warriors at Echoee, putting an end to the Anglo-Cherokee War.

October 2nd – Nine Years War – Battle of Dhanbad: Shuja-ud-Daula of Oudh defeats the British backed forces of the Nawab of Bengal.
October 7th to 11th - Nine Years War - Battle of Leignitz: Fredrick and Duan face off again, minor battles prove no conclusive winners, but a smallpox outbreak causes the majority of casualties of both sides.
October 11th – Nine Years War – Second Siege of Leignitz ends. Franco-Austrian forces abandon the siege and retreat in the face of a smallpox outbreak.
October 12th – Nine Years War – Siege of Goa begins.
October 15th – Nine Years War – Invasion of Dominica: British forces invade the French held island of Dominica in the Carribean.
October 18th – Nine Years War – Battle of Jamalpur: Clive and the Nawab of Bengal rout the forces of Oudh led by Shuja-ud-Daula, forcing him to retreat from Bengal.
October 21st – Governor James Murray dies in Montreal from illness.
October 23rd – 24th – A Hurricane strikes Rhode Island, Conniticut, Eastern Massachusetts and Boston, causing significant damage and destruction.
October 30th – Second Treaty of Copenhagen: Prussian comes to peace terms with Sweden and Mecklenburg. Prussia gives up Prussian Hither Pomerania west of the Randow River and the island of Usedom to Sweden, in exchange for Sweden withdrawing from Stettin and the island of Wolin. Prussia gives up the Prussian exclave in Mecklenburg, and land in Brandenburg near the Elbe and Mecklenburg borders in exchange for Mecklenburg exclaves in North-Central Brandenburg.
October 31st – Nine Years War – Invasion of Dominica: The island of Dominca surrenders to British forces.

November 15th – Nine Years War – Portugal formally declares war on Morocco in response to the fall of Mazagan, and request their British ally to do the same.
November 18th – Nine Years War – Siege of Hanover ends. French forces finally take over the city of Hanover after a bloody campaign to secure the southern half of the Electorate of Hanover.
November 20th - Treaty of Schleswig: Mecklenburg and Denmark announce a defensive treaty.

December 20th – Nine Years War – Siege of Goa ends. Portuguese authorities in Goa surrender to the French-Mysore army and the French East India Company takes over control of the region.

 

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Naval Losses and Gains 1761

Losses are from any cause (sunken, hulked, condemned, captured, sold, etc.)

British Losses:
SOTL: -11
HMS Ramillies (90), Essex (70), Temple (70), Hampton Court (66), Plymouth (60), Jersey (60), Nottingham (60), Guernsey (60), Hampshire (50), Portland (50), Salsibury (50)
Frigates: -10
HMS Southsea Castle (44), Enterprise (44), Poole (44), Lynn(40), Adventure (32), Hussar (28), Surprize (24), Rye (24), Flamborough (22), Deal Castle (20)

British Gains (built or captured)
SOTL: +6
HMS Blenheim (90), Ocean (90), Arrogant (74), Cornwall (74), Africa (64), Romney (50)**
Frigates: +2
HMS Lark (32)**, Eine (26) (ex-french),

Portuguese Losses:
SOTL: none
Frigates: none

Portuguese Gains (built or captured):
SOTL: +1
Nossa Senhora Madre de Deus e Sao Jose (64)
Frigates: +1
Santa Ana e Santo Joaquim (34)

French Losses:
SOTL: -11
Orient (80), Sceptre (80), Conquerant (74), Culloden (74), Couronne (74), Hector (74), Orphee (64), Duc-de-Bourgogne (64), St. Albans (60), Princess Louisa (58), Caribou (50)[/FONT]
Frigates: -11
Conde (44), Duc d’Berry (44), Baleine (32), Malicieuse (32), Unicorn (28), Revenge (28), Eine (26), Queensborough (24), Frippone (24), Cumberland (24), Blandford (20)

French Gains (built or captured)
SOTL: +4
Temple (70) (ex-british), Toulouse (64)*, Sagittaire (50), Salisbury (50) (ex-british)[/FONT]
Frigates: +5
Perle Noire (44)*, Lynn (40) (ex-british), Mignonne (30)**, Hussar (28) (ex-british), Mer de Jeune Fille (28)*

Spanish Losses:
SOTL: -5
Aquilon (68), Atlante (68), San Fernando (60), Bizzaro (50), [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Nuestra Senora del Rosario (50)
Frigates: -5
Nuestra Senora de la Soledad (30), Santa Barbara (30), Santa Teresa (28), Constanza (24), Santa Rosa (24)

Spanish Gains (built or captured)
SOTL: +1
Guernsey (ex-british) (50)
Frigates: +1
Andulaz (30)

Austrian Losses:
SOTL: none
Frigates: -1
San Leopoldo (40)

Austrian Gains (built or captured)
SOTL: +1
Trieste (64)
Frigates: none

Naples/Sicily Losses:
SOTL: -1
Santa Barbera (68)
Frigates: none

Naples/Sicily Gains (built or captured)
SOTL: none
Frigates: none

*TTL new/rebuilt ships TTL
**TTL built or purchased earlier than OTL

 

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Map changes: Treaty of Copenhagen
Areas encircled in blue: Swedish Territory Gains from Prussia

 

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Map Changes: Treaty of Copenhagen
Mecklenburg Territory exchanges with Prussia and Sweden

Areas encircled in yellow are Mecklenburg gains from Prussia
Areas encircled in blue are Prussian gains from Mecklenburg
Areas encircled in purple are Swedish Gains from Prussia
Areas encircled in orange are Mecklenburg gains from Sweden transferred in 1766 per their prior treaty of alliance.

 

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Western German Front: end of 1761

Blue Line: French line of Control
Green Lines: contested areas.
Please ignore that this and the other maps were based on a 1789 map. It was the best one I could find to serve as a base.

 

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East German Front: 1761

Blue Line:Franco-Austrian line of control
Green Lines: Contested areas

 

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Saxon Front 1761:

Blue Line: Austro-Saxon line of control
Green Lines: contested areas

 

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1762

Britain

The war was continuing to be an increasingly costly affair, both France and Britain tested the diplomatic waters for coming to a peace, but neither side was ready to make a serious attempt at it. Both though they were doing well enough that they were doing well enough that with just a bit more effort they could achieve their goals and gain a decisive advantage.

For Britain though, pursuing this extra push would cost ever more money and their army was stretching thin in order to support troops in the west Germanies, Portugal, India, North America and the Caribbean. Parliament authorized sending 500 British troops to reinforce Brunswick while Hanover itself raised another 4000 to prepare for the spring campaigns, and attempt to push the French back across the Rhine. Subsidies and officers were sent to Portugal to help them raise 3500 Portuguese troops to keep the Franco-Spanish armies at bay in the peninsula.

The 1762 amendment to the Militia act of 1757 expanded the size of the English and Welsh militia in the British Isles and now included Scotland in a very limited capacity. Scottish limitations were because of lingering concerns over the recent Jacobite uprisings there in 1745.

The Colonial Militia Service Act of 1762 was passed at the same time, and required the colonies in North America to provide quotas of enlisted troops for support in the Caribbean campaigns. Yet despite this there were very few allowances for Colonial officers, and many British officers viewed the colonial enlisted with contempt.

With no say in this act, and because this also pulled defenders away from protecting their homes against attacks by Native American, the colonial committees in years to come would cite the Service Act of 1762 as among the first of several intolerable acts passed by parliament.

Parliament also, after some debated decided to formally declare war on Morocco on January 3rd, 1762, at the behest of their ally Portugal who had done so the prior November. However any campaign against Morocco was described as a distraction at best and a waste of resources at worst and Britain would continue its policy of occasionally ransoming prisoners back for the moment. It was also decided that it was not needed to declare against Naples and Sicily since they had not done so, nor to the other Barbary States.

William Pitt, had been at the peak of his power in parliament after the fall of New France and the recent successes in the West Indies. Continued Caribbean campaigns as well as plans to hit France closer to home were prepared. However, King George II was becoming increasingly ill, and Prince George III was becoming jealous of his popularity as his began to surround himself with his own advisors.

Parliament’s view on Prussia though was precariously balanced. Had the devil’s luck not been with Prussia the prior year, they may have told Fredrick to seek peace and withheld subsidies. Now, again Parliament would narrowly approve a half years worth of subsides to Prussia to continue the war in the hopes that with Sweden removed and Russia possibly withdrawn Fredrick could force Austria into a peace.

Along with subsidies to Prussia and Portugal and money to raise forces in Hanover and the colonies, Britain had need to spend more on bolstering their navy, after the various defeats and victories whittled down their numbers. In truth they assessed that the combined French, Spanish, Austrian, Neapolitan and Sicilian fleet outnumber their own even when combined with that of Portugal. That also was not counting whatever Morocco and the Barbary States might have added to the opposition. Historians note: as of early 1762 the combined British and Portuguese navy numbered 118 SOTL, and 82 Frigates or 20 or more guns, and numerous support ships. The Allied Fleet (France, Spain, Austria, Naples, Sicily) numbered

138 SOTL, and 98 Frigates of 20 or more guns, and numerous support ships.

France

France too was by now hurting financially to pay for the war. Subsidies to Austria, Naples and Sicily, Morocco, the Barbary States, their West German allies, and raising over 12,000 more troops to be sent to the various front, and laying down many new ships was taking its toll. Trade from the Levant was no longer offsetting loss of trade to the Caribbean and India from British Atlantic blockades. Requests had been made for more support in India, but there were limited resources available. (Word of France’s second capture of Madras would not reach Paris or London until June.)

Choisel though he only needed to finish the fully capture of Hanover by either knocking out Brunswick’s Hanover army, or helping Austria decisively defeat Fredrick. Even so he still needed to draw the British away from the continent. Choisel would meet again with Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie prince Charlie) to devise a plan to strike at the British Isles themselves to force Britain into a peace.

Austria

Austria was again in need of rebuilding armies and subsidies from France, as well as needing help from France to force Fredrick to pull back from Silesia, since it seemed Russia was once again, marching back to St. Petersburg. France though kept attaching this assistance with additional costs. In exchange for further subsidies, reinforcing the French component of the army in Silesia, and raising an additional army to attack Fredrick from the West, Choisel and King Louis XVI wanted additional concessions to pass the diet.

These included:
That the County of Bouillon, held by the Duke of Bouillon, Jacques Léopold de La Tour d'Auvergne, is fully incorporated into French Authority. The title and holdings of the Duke of is retained; but removed from the lands and any authority in or of the Holy Roman Empire.

That “Further Austria” territories west of the Rhine in the Palatinate (former County of Falkenstein) would be added to the ‘French Netherlands’ (as part of ‘Austrian Netherlands’ concessions) in the event of Austria’s successful acquisition of Silesia.

That La Petite-Pierre (Palatinate-Zweibrucken), which has been de-facto ruled by France since 1680, is formally annexed by France.

Numerous other pre-approvals for various land trades between the German Princes in the HRE and France at the war’s end (again assuming a favorable outcome).

As well as consenting to the above, Austria and Saxony would raise and train over 8,000 additional forces in time for the spring campaigns against Prussia.

Prussia

Despite hating to have to concede territory to Mecklenburg and Sweden in exchange for much needed peace and closing the northern front, Fredrick was able to gain much relief to his beleaguered forces. By the opening of the spring campaigns, by shifting garrison troops on the northern borders and raising what he could from Brandenburg and Pomerania, Fredrick was about to gather over 10,000 reinforcements along with much needed British subsidies. It was enough to keep him evenly matched with the Franco-Austrian army in Glatz. So long as Russia stayed east dealing with their own troubles

Russia

With Vasily Lopukhin dead, Buturlin was acting commander-in-chief of the Russian army. He along with Suvorov had done what they could to re-muster their army from Fredrick’s rout and regathered them back in Konigsburg. They again were waiting for communiques from St. Peterburg, only to learn in late winter that Peter III had left his sequestration and there was feuding between Peter, Elizabeth and Catherine.

Without updated word other than rumor and concern for the palace, Buturlin began marching east in mid March, as soon as snows had abated enough to do so, once again leaving Fermor in charge of garrison forces at Konigsburg. By mid April, he had received orders from Peter III stating Elizabeth had passed, and was ordered to return to Konigsburg and make peace with Fredrick. Ten days later, he received orders from Catherine saying Peter III was dead and told to return back to St. Peterburg again.

The Short Reign of Peter III.

Elizabeth had become entirely unresponsive to communication on February 20th, 1762. In response, Peter left sequestration, and demanded to take on his duties as the Emperor of Russia, even though Elizabeth lingered on. Peter had already made his plans known about seeking peace and even alliance with Prussia, while many in the court saw that as throwing away their gains in East Prussia and betraying their allies. Elizabeth still being alive delayed the enactment of his plans. His response was to prepare the manifesto of March 1762 (OTL manifesto of February 1762) where in nobility was exempted from obligatory state and military service and given freedom to travel abroad.

Peter did not have long to wait as Elizabeth Petrovna, Empress of Russia died April 3rd, 1762. His manifesto was met favorably and enacted within days of his ascension, but was the only act passed under his reign. Peter’s next moves were to send out his order to make peace with Fredrick and ally with them against Denmark. Word of this got to Catherine and many of her supporters, causing significant anger. In response Peter III had some of Catherine’s guards arrested on April 11th, and was prepared to do the same to her.

Catherine convinced the Leib Guard to protect her and when guards loyal to Peter arrived on the night of April 19th and attempted to order them to stand aside a fight broke out, resulting in the deaths of three soldiers, and Peter’s guard fleeing as the Leib Guard began a general revolt. By the morning of the 20th, fighting had broken out in St. Peterburg, and Peter found himself and his Holsitein court forced to flee to Oranienbaum which was besieged. Hopelessly outnumbered Peter and his supporters were forced to surrender. Peter was arrested, and forced to sign his abdication to his wife Catherine on the following day, April 21st. Ten days later, on May 1st, Peter III was murdered by Alexei Orlav, brother to Gregory Orlov, one of Catherine’s lovers.

While Peter’s incomplete overtures of peace toward Prussia were aborted, Catherine recalled Buturlin’s army (after allowing reinforcement of Konigsburg) which had already been on the way to St. Peterburg to help secure her position and obtain his recognition of her regency. Catherine did not have the same level of hate against Fredrick that Elizabeth had, though also had no intention of throwing away Russia’s advantage against them in the war either. Even so, repeated defeats and Sweden’s withdrawal made continued campaigns daunting, so by summer Catherine took court to consider her options.

Spain

Charles III, King of Spain, despite his losses in the prior years campaign against Portugal did not desire to give up the assault despite the truce. The French commanders though were refusing to march in a second campaign unless the Spanish were properly supplied. To this end Spain raised significant additional supplies as well as 5,000 troops to replace some of those that had been lost. The French had replaced their losses as well but only the 600 or so they had lost the prior year. The British were now fully blockading Spain’s Atlantic coast and trade was suffering. Taking Portugal could be a used to bargain against any potential British conquests of Spain’s colonies.

The Gibraltar siege too had not been going well. Despite all efforts to blockade the fortress outside the reach of its guns, the British kept slipping small fast ships through. French, Spanish and a few independent contracted Dutch engineers began working on an expensive project backed by Spain and France that they hoped might make a dramatic difference in the Gibraltar Siege.

Portugal

Queen Maria I and Portugal found themselves almost entirely dependent on the British for the defense of their country. Their subsidies help pay for raising an additional 3500 Portuguese forces who were helped in being trained by the British. They could only hope to pursue a defensive war, and keep the Spanish at bay

Morocco

The Sultan of Morocco, Mohammed ben Abdallah, considered the last year to have gone very well. The subsidies received from France and Spain, and the ransoms from the British had paid for numerous projects and improvements, including financing the conquest of Mazagan. A combination of force and diplomacy subjugated many of the inland Berber tribes and expanded the Sultan’s influence further into the interior. Tangeirs was being rebuilt with French assistance. He had also funded two major expiditions, one along the Atlantic coast, going through Infi, Tarfaya, Cape Bojador, Dhakla, had finally reached Ras Nouadhibou (Cabo Blanco). With the continued subsidies this year, he planned out settlement projects in these areas to support a chain of trade toward the Sub-Saharan coast. Likewise, a western tran-saharan expedition went from Sijilmasa to Taghaza (Taodenni) destinted for Timbuktu and the slave and gold trade of the Sub-Sahara. Sijilmasa itself would be rebuilt and resettled along with Taghaza, again to support a chain of controlled trade through the area.

 

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Armies

North Franco-Spanish Army at Almeida
~6000 French, led by Charles Léonard de Baylenx (Marquis de Poyanne)
~20000 Spanish, led by Nicolás de Carvajal y Lancaster (Marquis of Sarriá)
~26000 Total

South Franco-Spanish Army at Gibraltar
~12000 Spanish led by Don Pedro Pablo Abarca de Bolea y Jiménez de Urrea (Count of Aranda)
~3000 French led by Philippe Joseph (Comte de Rostaing)
~15000 total

Anglo-Portuguese Army at Lisbon
~9000 Portugeuse led by Lobo da Silveira, Don José António (Baron de Alvito)
~5000 British led by John Burgoyne & George Townshend (Marquess of Townshend)
~14000 Total

Allied West German Army at Verden
~16000 Hanoverian led by Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand (Duke of Brunswick)
~2000 Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel
~7500 Schaumburg-Lippe led by Freidrich Wilhelm Ernst (Count of Schaumburg-Lippe-Bückeburg)
~11500 British led by John Manner (Marquees of Granbury)
~37000 Total

French-West German Army at Hanover
~44000 French led by Victor François Broglie (Duc de Broglie)
~5000 Hesse-Darmstadt
~6000 Wutternburg
~55000 Total

Second French-West German Army at Clausthal
~5000 French led by Ladislas Ignace (Comte de Bercheny)
~1500 Hesse-Darmnstaft
~2500 Wutternburg
~9000 Total

Prussian Army at Crossen
~40000 Prussian led by Fredrick the Great, Wilhelm von Seyditz, Heinrich von Manteuffel, Johann von Lehwaldt, & Paul von Werner

West-Russian Army at Konigsberg (East Prussia)
~25000 Russian led by Count Villim Vilimovich Fermor

Main Russian Army at St. Petersburg
~28000 Russian led by Alexander Borissovitch Buturlin & Aleksander Vasilievitch Suvorov

Main Austrian Army in Glatz
28000 Austrian led by Leopold Von Daun, Baron Ernst Gideon Loudon, Franz Leopold von Nádasdy auf Fogaras & Andreas Hadik
9000 French led by Louis Charles César Le Tellier (Duc de Estrees)
2000 Saxony led by Ludwig Ernst von Benekendorff
41000 Total

 

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North America

Timberlake Expedition:

On March 3rd, the Timberlake expedition was organized by Colonel Adam Stephen and Thomas Sumter, its purpose was to visit the Cheorkee to verify the end of hostiliess after the Anglo-Cherokee war had come to a head the prior fall. After months of visitation with the Cherokee, admist rumors of war with other tribes to their north, the expedition returned to Virginia along with several Cherokee, arriving in Williamsburg on July 2nd. Cherokee leader Ostenaco expressed interest in visiting the King of England, and it was eventually decided that the party would make the further journey all the way to London, despite concern over the still active war, and arrived in London in mid-August.

The Cherokee were immensely popular in London, and although they were unable to meet with King George II due to his poor health, they did meet personally with the Prince, whereupon their translator described their plight between the colonial settlers and the natives.

Quebecois Deportations:

The acting Governor of Quebec, General John Mordaunt, instated after the recent death of James Murray, like most English at the time, held no love for the French, and in particular more hatred than most after the recent battles to take New France. Several Quebecois, whom he and his picked men had deemed rebellious, were already put in stockades, suffering ill health over the winter, and some few not making it to spring. He pestered Amherst, who was busy planning for the Caribbean campaigns, for ships to deport what he described as the worst of the French, just as had been done to the Acadians in the prior years.

Finally relenting, Amherst allocated several transport ships, though not nearly as many as Mordaunt had hoped, to service the task of deporting only a small part of the Quebecois population back to France (as deportation to the Colonies and Britain had been disallowed). This combined with what merchant ships from the colonies as could be commandeered for this purpose resulting in over 4,000 Quebecois being deported in 1762 alone, beginning in Mid April as soon as the thawing ice allowed it.

Upon receipt of the refugees, and word arriving in Versailles in mid June, the French government issued a protest, though with the war did not expect much to occur in response. Never-the-less the diplomatic missive was received in London in August, and declared it would be taken into consideration.

Colonial Militia Act:

This act was an order from Parliament for the raising and training of nearly 4,000 Colonial troops into the more properly trained Militias that would serve to bolster the already stretched forces of the British army in the Caribbean campaigns of 1762. This was another reason Amherst was loathe to allow many transports to Mordaunt for deportations as they were in need for taking these forces south against French and Spanish holdings.

After the recent Anglo-Cherokee war, and amid renewed stirring of native unrest in the Ohio Valley and eastern borders, many of the colonials were voicing their dissent over the conscription ordered without their consent. They equally lamented the weakness in defending their homes from native attack this might cause.

The supplemental militia forces were drafted and training in the spring and sailed off on British transports at the first of the summer destined for French and Spanish held islands in Caribbean.

Native American Responses:

Amherst had happily implemented Parliaments order to cut down on expenses by terminating all gift policies with the Native Americans, even though that was not explicitly mentioned. Sir William Johnson, the superintendent of Indian affairs had warned what outcome this might result in, but was ignored. Amherst felt further justified by his actions after the Anglo-Cherokee war had finally come to a close. A significant factor contributing in its end was the lack of gunpowder and ammunition being traded to them by the restriction that had been put in place.

Despite rumors of discontent among the western tribes during the last year, Amherst was required to focus on providing for the Caribbean campaigns.

The Natives of the Great Lakes and Ohio River valley first considered the reduction of gifts by the British an insult in comparison to prior dealing and then the outright termination of those gifts the prior year an intolerable offense.

Pontiac, a Chief of the Ottawa, and Guyasuta a leader of the Seneca and Mingo tribes advocated preparing for war, and had been sending war belts to several of the tribes in the area. When the French seemed disinclined to offer much help after their defeat, and the gifts were terminated, renewed war seemed an inevitable conclusion.

The Illinois and Ohio Rebellion:

In late summer of 1762, several tribes in the Great Lakes, Illinois and Ohio country rose in rebellion against the British and settlers in the area. Among them were the Ottawa, Ojibwa, Potawatoni, Huron, Miami, Wea, Kickapoo, Mascoulten, Piankashaw, Delaware, Shawnee, Wyandot, Mingo, and Senaca. The Iroquois tribes (apart from the Senaca) maintained their alliance with the British.


The first British fort to fall was Ft. Detroit on July 20th, generally marked as the beginning of the outbreak. Over the rest of the summer and fall, raids would defeat and burn down Ft. Michilimakinac, Ft. St. Joseph, Ft. Miami, Ft. Ouiatenon, Ft. Sandusky, Ft, Presque Isle, Ft. Le Boeuf, and Ft. Venango. Ft. Niagra, Ft. Pitt and Ft. Ligonier would also be attacked but succeeding in repulsing the assaults.

The Native tribes killed numerous British soldiers and settlers including women and children, but left French colonists alone in the hopes that the French soldiers would come to their aid once more. Settlements in western Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna River in New York, and the Greenbrier and Jackson River settlements in western Virginia also faced numerous raids.

The Battle of Standing Stone Creek

A 500 strong British and Pennsylvania militia counter-attack met an unknown number of Native forces of the Lenape, Shawnee and Mingo tribes near Standing Stone Creek northeast of Ft. Bedford, on September 8th.

Battle Results:
British and Militia forces: ~40 casualties
Native Forces: ~74 dead and wounded.

Decisive British and Militia victory

With reinforcements from Ft. Bedford the British and Militia force marched onward to relieve Ft. Lingonier while other British reinforcement’s forces converged toward Ft. Pitt, forcing the Natives to abandon their sieges of the forts.

While during the fall, the British and Colonial forces would lessen the raids with increased patrols before the lull of winter, a concerted effort to counter-attack the Native Forces would not be brought about until the following year.

London would hear word of the Native Rebellion by early November. The Native Rebellion, possibly combined with the words of the Timberlake expedition, resulting in the issuance of the Royal Proclamation of December 1762, wherein further expansion on the part of colonial settlers west the Appalachian Mountains was to be suspended until further notice. This proclamation would be further expounded upon after the end of the current war established final determination of territorial changes. The colonials would not widely hear of the Proclamation until the spring of 1763, adding it to their growing list of grievances.

 

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Caribbean

On June 22nd, the main British army supplemented with conscripted Colonial Militias set sail for the Caribbean. The different fleets rendezvous at Carlise Bay in Barbados, prior to beginning the assault on French held Martinique. Admiral George Rodney led the British fleet while General Robert Monckton was in charge of the invasion forces.

Naval Action of July 5th:

Aware of British fleet movements in the area, the French made and attempt to intercept and end the British threat to their remaining Caribbean holdings.

Elements of Rodney’s fleet encountered a French patrol on July 5th and lined up for battle. The British forces in the engagement consisted of the HMS Cambridge (80), Suffolk (70), Marlborough (68), Trident (64), Eagle (58), Hector (44), Kinsale (40), Tweed (32), and the Argo (28). The French forces consisted of the Formidable (80), Juste (74), Intrepide (74), Protee (64), Aigle (50), Vestal (32), Sauvage (30), and the Diane (24).

Battle Results:
British Forces: Trident (64), foundered later from damage, surviing ships moderately damaged.
French Forces: Protee (64) captured but later foundered, Aigle (50) captured, Sauvage (30) captured, surviving ships heavily damaged.

Decisive British Victory

More British sails were spotted on the horizon by the French, where where other elements of Rodney’s fleet, just as the battle began turning against the French. The French forces were forced to turn and flee, unable to help the that could not keep up, resulting in the British capture of three vessels. The French had at least done enough damage to the (formerly French) Trident that it would succumb to the waves before it could reach a port. The Protee also would not survive to make it be converted or sold

The way was clear to the invasion of Martinique. Rodney chose not to pursue the French as he needed to make the rendezvous at Barbados without further delay.

Invasion of Martinique

On July 13th, the British fleets had all arrived at Carlise Bay, and prepared for the campaign, departing 10 days later on July 23rd.

The following ships comprised the British invasion fleet: HMS Cambridge (80), Princess Amelia (80), Dublin (74), Bellona (74), Suffolk (70), Marlborough (68), Devonshire (66), Edinborough (64), Worchester (60), Augusta (60), Dreadnought (60), Princess Mary (60), Eagle (58), Winchester (50), Bristol (50), Norwich (50), Ludlow Castle (44), Hector (44), Penzanca (44), Kinsale (40), Launceston (40), Tweed (32), Minerva (32), Southhampton (32), Pomone (30), Sauvage (ex-French) (30), Milford (28), Argo (28), Lowenstoffe (28), Shannon (28), Squirrel (20), Lively (20), as well as several support ships of less than 20 guns.

On August 3rd, the British fleet landed 9000 British troops and Milita on Martinique relatively uncontested, and began the contest over the island. The island governor Francis V Beauharnis had at his defense 1500 French soldiers, 7000 militia, and 15 privateers guarding the bay.

Battle Results:
British Forces: ~700 casualties
French Forces: ~250 casualties, most militia deserted or surrendered. 14 privateers captured, 1 sunk. All remaining French troops surrendered.

In a combination of battles and sieges, Fort Royal and other key towns on the island were taken over one by one over the next several weeks, resulting in the final full surrender of the island on September 20th.

Only one ship, HMS Devonshire (66) was lost due to navigation errors and running aground on rocks, and unable to be floated. After it was stripped of all usable equipment, it was broken up and burned.

Fall of St Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent:

Mere days after the surrender of Martinique elements of the British fleet sailed toward St. Lucia. Captain Hervey, in disguise as a lower officer, met in parley with the French Governor, whom did not surrender, but in truth his purpose was to ascertain the defenses of the island which was a single small fort. Hervey then sailed his squadron in, an overeager French soldier fired a shot even though others were preparing to surrender. Fearing resistance Hervey sailed in close and reduced the fort to rubble by cannon. The French took ten casualties from the bombardment before Hervey saw the stricken colors and ceased firing. St. Lucia then surrendered on September 28th.

On October 3rd, other elements of Rodney’s fleet arrived at Grenada, and demanded the French Governors surrender. He did not comply, but the residents capitulated, forcing the governor to surrender Grenada and the undefended Grenadines the next day on October 4th.

Hervey then continued on toward St. Vincent securing the surrender of the French there on October 7th.

With the fall of St. Lucia, Grenada, and St. Vincent, all that remained of French Caribbean island possessions was Saint-Dominique.

 

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South America

Cevallos Expedition of 1762

Soon after Spain’s declaration of war against Portugal on March 9th, 1761, the Spanish had sent order out to their colonies with instructions to prepare and commence hostile actions against Portuguese and British interests and territories.

Late among these included orders to the Governor of Buenos Aires, Pedro Antonio Cevallos, to prepare for a campaign to take the disputed Colonia del Sacramento and Portuguese territories beyond the Guapore River. The orders from Spain did not arrive in Buenos Aires until late September. It would still take three more months for forces to be prepared and recruited and a transport fleet to arrive. It was not until January of 1762 that the expedition crossed the Rio de la Plata and landed in the Portuguese territory.

On January 2nd, Nearly 3,000 Spanish troops and 1200 Indians besieged Colonia del Sacramento, which had only about 400 ill-prepared Portuguese defenders. After a month of siege, the Portuguese Governor, Vicente da Silva, capitulated the city on February 2nd.

After taking Colonia del Sacrmento, Cevellos marched his army further east to take Fort Santa Teresa on July 1st, and Fort San Miguel a few days afterwards on July 7th.

Cevellos continued on to conquer Rio Grande do Sul after the captures of Fort Jesus, Maria, Jose de Rio Grande, and Sao Jose de Norte over July and August culminating in the capture of Porto Alegre on August 27th.

 

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West Germany

Victor François, the Duc de Broglie, was not particularly happy with his new orders for the spring campaigns. He wanted to finish off Brunswick’s army and and complete the conquest of Hanover. Instead, even though he was still order to indeed complete that conquest, he was also being asked to divert a sizable amount of his forces eastwards.

Those forces would march southeast, take the city of Brunswick and meet up with the second French-allied army going northeast from Clausthal. They would then march east and take Magdeburg and move onward to Berlin, and eliminate Prussia from the war.

While Broglie understood and agreed with the need to remove Fredrick and Prussia from the war, his armies were already at the end of a long supply line, while his principal opponent the Hanoverian-British army still roamed. The order though could not be avoided, and to this end he sent a fifth of his forces east to be joined to the second army after the fall of Brunswick. But prior to that likely siege, points in between must be taken.

Battle of Burgdort

Elements of Hanover garrisons which had retreated the prior year were being organized and pushed back across the Aller River against the previous taken town of Burgdort. Broglie left a garrison force of 20,000 in Hanover and took the remaining 35,000 French and allied German troops eastward and was met in battle against a smaller detachment of 6,000 Hanover troops on March 12th.

Battle Results:
French Forces: ~500 casualties
Hanover Forces: ~1500 casualties, ~1000 captured. Remaining routed.

Clear French Victory

While not part of the Duke of Brunswick’s main British-Hanoverian army in the west, these smaller fights were would takes its toll on the French forces.

Siege of Brunswick

Five days later on March 17th, Broglie had met with the contignet led by Ladislac Ignace, Comte de Bercherry which had marched north from Clausthal, joining their 9000 to his 34000 to begin the siege of Brunswick.

While less defended than Hanover was, the city still well prepared, and was prepared to hold out for some time.

Battle Results:
Brunswick Garrison Forces: ~800 casualties. ~2500 captured. City surrendered.
French-West German Forces: ~1500 casualties

Clear French Victory

The siege lasted for nearly two months, when the defending fortress finally surrenders to a bloody assault on May 4th. Broglie himself though would not be present at the end of the siege as he would be force to take a large component of his forces back westwards to deal with troubles being caused by Brunswick’s army.

Siege and Battle of Minden

After the French had marched off to the east the Duke of Brunswick planned a campaign to strike at the French supply lines and cut them off in Hanover as he did not believe he could retake Hanover with a direct assault. The British-Hanoverian army pushed the French lines south west of the Weser River in a drive toward the Rhine, and in the process liberated most of occupied Minden, and began besieging French Garrison forces in Minden on March 30th.

Brolie upon hearing of Brunswick’s southern march knew what he was up to and was forced to take a significant part of the French-West Garman army off the Siege of Brunswick to face the British-Hanoverian army once again. Broglie arrived with 37,000 of his forces to meet the 35,000 strong defenders on April 16th.

Battle Results:
British-Hanover Forces: ~4500 casualties
French-West German Forces: ~7500 casualties, several guns captured.

British-Hanoverian Victory

Broglie’s luck could not hold forever as Brunswick and the British were fnally able to inflict a sound but costly defeat against the French and their West German forces. Though with the close call and the danger of some of his own forces faltering Brunwick was unable to capitialze on an immediate pursuit. Broglie, as a testament to his skill was able to hold the defeated French-West German army together and prevent a rout and was forced to retreat toward the southeast to regroup.

After the defeat of Broglie’s relief force the French forces defending Minden surrendered two days later on April 18th.

Silesia

Siege of Jauer

After delays by winter and weather, in late March, Leopold Von Duan, still the head of Austrian allied forces in Silesia began planning for the renewed battles against Prussia. It a started with the Siege of Jauer against a small Prussian defending forces. Since the area was so war torn and weary he had hoped it would not last long. Th Siege of Jauer began on March 27th.

Battle of Goldberg

Fredrick though had already been in the move after moving and reinforcing his army during late winter. While not all of his pieces were in place yet, we would not sit and wait while Austria renewed their attacks. Upon hearing word of the siege he brought the bulk of his army south to meet them. Duan too with his own scouts learned of Fredrick's movement and the two armies shadowed each other, one trying to end the siege the other trying to protect it. Eventually Fredrick and Duan fought once more near Goldberg on April 4th. Each side had a force strength of approximately 30,000

Battle Results:
Prussian Forces: ~3000 casualties
Austrian Forces: ~4000 casualties

Prussian Victory

With another bloody battle in which no side got a clear advantage until a charge by Wilhelm von Seyditz managed to break though an Austrian flank and Duan began giving ground until finally ordering a retreat even the the charge was eventually repulsed. With their defeat came a abandonment of the Siege of Jauer as well as Duan pulled back to Schweidnitz to regroup.

A defeat so early in the campaign was disenheartening to Austrian forces. Duan sent riders and emissaries seeking to again coordinate linking with the Russian armies, even though he was at the time, unaware of events playing out in St. Petersburg. Both sides pulled back to regroup and obtain reinforcements. By late-April however, Fredrick had learned of the French siege of Brunswick and became worried over his western front.

Battle of Landeshut

Despite his concern over events in the west, Fredrick needed to press the attack on the Austrian before they could fully recover. Once his remaining reinforcements arrived from the northern borders he began marching toward Glatz in the hopes for cutting of the Austrian supply lines. Duan maneuver to meet and block him with the two forces coming to a clash on May 11th, near the city of Landeshut in Silesia. Fredrick commanded a force of 37,000 and Duan having recovered had about an equal sized force.

Duan though had learned that facing Fredrick with even numbers resulted in a loss more often than not, and was careful to force a battle onto more favorable terrain for the defender.

Battle Results:
Prussian Forces: ~3500 casualties
Austrian Forces: ~2000 casualties

Mostly a draw, but the Austrians held the field.

The Austrian had tenaciously dug into their position, and Fredrick after seeing too many of his own forces fall, decided he could not sustain that rate of loss in this battle and thus withdrew to look for another way around or some other advantage. Fredrick continued to only skirmish with the Austrian forces through to the summer, managing to keep them on the defensive, and prevent any further incursions, even though the Prussian did not recover much more territory.

West Germany

Battle of Mundes

Brunswick pursued as soon as he was able while the French retreated southeastwards. Broglie knew though that he needed the reinforcements from the rest of his army still occupying the hard won Hanover. He was forced to recall them to rejoin his own forces, briefly leaving the city with minimal defenses. This bolstered his ready forces up to 38,000 which which to face Brunswick’s 30,000 strong force on May 2nd.

Battle Results
British-Hanoverian forces: ~4500 casualties, several guns captured.
French-West German forces: ~5000 casualties.

Clear French victory.

Vindicated, Broglie was able to defeat the Duke of Brunswick handily forcing him to retreat back toward the north again, it was not the end of Brunswick’s army though, and the battle had been costly for Broglie’s forces.

Siege and Battle of Magdeburg

Comte de Bercheny moved on toward Magdeburg with a 15,000 strong army and prepared to lay siege to the light Prussian garrison there on May 16th.

Fredrick though had learned of the fall of the city of Brunswick some 24 days after the latter had occurred on May 28th. Realizing the danger the French now posed to Brandenburg, Fredrick was forced to march the bulk of his forces out of Silesia in Jauer and toward the west. Fredrick personally led a force of 20,000 toward Magdeburg, learning of the start of its siege on the way there, and arrived on June 20th. The city had not yet fallen, and Fredrick viciously fell on the French forces.

Battle Results:
Prussian Forces: ~1500 casualties
French Forces: ~5000 casualties, 2000 captured 3000 desertions during the rout, several guns captured. Comte de Bercheny captured.

The outnumber French suffered a significant defeat and were routed, outright eliminating the second French–West German Army. Only about a third of their original number would regroup enough to rejoin Broglie’s army in the west. For the moment, the Prussian western front seemed secured. Fredrick though could not stay in the west for as soon as Duan learned he had marched toward Magdeburg, the Franco-Austrian army took advantage of his departure.

Silesia

Second Battle of Jauer

After most of Fredricks forces were away, Duan resumes a new attack of Jauer with a 35,000 strong force on June 2nd, against his remaining 15,000 strong force whom were led by Heinrich von Manteuffel.

Battle Results:
Prussian forces: ~500 casualties
Franco-Austrian Forces: ~1500 casualties

Franco-Austrian Victory

Fredrick had known it would be unlikely that his remaining forces would succeed against the greater numbers, so his orders were to inflict as many casualties as possible while engaging in fighting retreats. To this end Manteuffel was successful inflicted three times as many casualties as he had received, but of course Jauer would be lost.

Siege of Wohlau

After victory at Jauer, Duan sent some of his force around Pox ridden Liegnitz to Wohlau to lay siege to it while he continued to chase Manteuffel. A force of 10,000 Austrians led by Baron Ernst Gideon Loudon laid siege to the city on June 7th.

Battle Results:
Prussian Garrison: ~100 casualties, ~400 surrendered.
Austrian Forces: ~200 casualties

Austrian Victory

The city which had already traded hands more than once, did not last long during the conflict. The Prussian forces surrendered after a week and a half of exchanged shelling on June 18th.

Second Battle of Gorlitz

While Loudon besieged Wohlau, Duan now 22,000 strong force chased Manteuffel’s surviving forces to Gorlitz, where they again faced off on June 11th.

Battle Results:
Prussian Forces: ~750 casualties
Franco-Austrian Forces: ~2000 casualties

Franco-Austrian Victory

In a repeat of the prior action at Jauer, Manteuffel fought a fighting reteat design to inflict as many losses on the Franco-Austrian army as he could while delaying them to give Fredrick time to return.

Siege of Glogau

As Manteuffel get retreating westward into Saxony, Duan decided to stop pursing him into these deadly skirmishes, and refocus on the Silesia objective. He turned northward toward Glogau and met up with Loudon to prepare a siege of the city. The siege of Glogua began on June 26th.

Battle of Beuthen

After the French defeat at Magdeburg, Fredrick rushed back east toward Silesia as fast as his army could move, reuniting with Manteuffel’s forces along the way. They arrived in lower Silesia in late July learning that Glogau was now under siege by the Franco-Austrian army. At about Prussia’s 30,000 to the Franco-Austrians 31,000 force they wer once again nearly evently match, but Fredrick had scant few more troops he might call on after this. After days of attempts and out maneuvering each other, the battle was joined near Beuthen on July 28th.

Battle Results:
Prussian forces: ~4250 casualties
Franco-Austrian forces: ~7500 casualties

Prussian victory

In what was another very bloody battle in Silesia, Fredrick proved his luck once more and put the Franco-Austrian army into another route. But his victory may have been Pyrrhic as his army was in no condition to pursue, and the numerous battle and long fast marches had taken their toll in exhaustion on his troops.

The Siege of Glogua was abandoned the following day as a result of the Franco-Austrian defeat.

West Germany

Siege of Celle

Broglie’s force spent the remainder of the month of pushing the British-Hanover lines back north and re-exerting control over the province of Minden. While going after Fredrick when the Comte de Bercheny was captured was tempting, he would not let an eastward diversion put the conquest of Hanover at risk again. He wanted to cut landward lines of communication and supply between Hanover and Prussia and thus needed to capture Celle and exert control over the Hanover owned principality of Lunberg. Broglie gathered 32,000 strong force begin besieging Celle on June 3rd.

Battle Results:
Hanover Garrison: ~600 casualties, ~1400 captured.
Franco-West Germany forces: ~500 casualties

Franco-West German Victory

The city surrendered after nearly three months of siege in a final assault on September 1st. With French patrols now able to push northeast from Celle, subblies and subsidies over land via Hanover to Prussia would become more difficult. Unfortunately Britain had already sent a half year of subsidies and supplies into Brandenburg by way of the Elbe River prior to the city’s fall.

Battle of Walsrode

Broglie and Brunswick would face one more battle during the year. After the fall of Celle, Broglie want edto attempt to finally eliminate Brunswick army for good and marched on Verden. Brunswick took his army out to meet Broglie in battle at nearby Walsrode on September 6th. Brunswick set up a defensive force of 25,000 vs. Broglies 32,000.

Battle Results:
British-Hanover forces: ~2000 casualties
Franco-West German forces: ~3500 casualties

Mostly a draw, but Broglie’s forces withdrew.

Unable to obtain a quick decsisive defeat, Broglie withdrew before more causualties could mount, as even if he won, he might not have enough to besiege Verden before winter. As the final battle in the year in West Germany both sides withdrew to where they had each headquartered their forces, Broglie in Hanover again, and Brunswick in Verden.

Russia returns to the Front

Silesia

Duan’s request for assistance dispatched during the Battle of Goldberg had arrived in Russian occupied Kongsberg and was forward on to St. Petersburg. Newly coronated Empress Catherine consented to the request and sent orders back to Fermor in Konigsburg to march 20,000 of their forces there through Poland to link up with the Franco-Austrian army and either defeat Fredrick or force him into peace talks. Catherine did not want to remain tied up in the war longer than she had to as she was already eyeing gains to be had against the Ottoman Empire. By July 29th, Fermor’s army had reached Posen, as had word of its coming had reached Fredrick.

Fredrick was unable to do much to oppose it, given the current condition of his army, which had just endured a battle the day before. Fermor marched ever closer to Wohlau over the next few days.

Battle of Lissa

Fredrick could not do nothing either, and as soon as he dared, sent a contingent of 8,000, about a third of his offensive army consisting of his freshest troops led by Paul von Werner to attempt to intercept the Russian force. On August 4th they met in battle near the town of Lissa.

Battle Results:
Prussian forces: ~1500 casualties
Russian forces: ~3000 casualties

Russian victory

Despite doing well in the actual battle there was just not enough strength of numbers on Werner side to stop the Russians. After enduring the maximum amount of casualties Fredrick was willing to accept on the gamble he was forced to withdraw. Fermor continued on his way and arrived in Wohlau on August 8th. Fredrick once again retreated to Crossen.

A Peace?

At Russia’s insistence, and per Catherine’s orders, although they were willing to see the war to the end, it needed to end soon. Learning of what was left of Fredrick’s army the Russian delegation that accompanied Fermor felt he might come to terms. A tenuous trace held in the fall. Fredrick was stubborn though, and delayed, hoping that in the next year France would fail in the pursuit of Hanover and the British aid would continue.

When Fredrick learned that Broglie had begun besieging Celle, he offered status quo to Austria. A withdrawal from the part of Saxony his forces still occupied for the Austrian’s withdrawal from the parts of Silesia they occupied. He could offer little to the Russians except the concession of East Prussia, which he was loathe to do. Catherine had pre-authorized that obtaining East Prussia would be acceptable as would exchanging it to Poland for territory elsewhere after the war was done. Empress Maria Teresa however was insulted and refused, demanding all of the original goals she had set out before the war. By the time the diplomats had finished arguing only to declare no agreement had yet been made, winter was nearing. There would be no more actions in the Silesian Theater during 1762.