Chapter 27: Landfall
1761 - July 4th
Portsmouth
Despite the anticipation of such a landing, the British Army and Militia were woefully unprepared. Only 3000 Regulars were in the immediate vicinity of Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Most of these remained in fortifications which were besieged by the French Navy or so out of the way that no one bothered.
Given the disparity of numbers, it would have been difficult to even consider contesting the landings but no serious attempt was made.
The summoning of the Yeomanry was perhaps even more embarrassing. Over 5000 militiamen were called to action in the region…but only 2400 actually showed up. And there were no arms, no munitions, no food or water and seldom anything resembling leadership. Directions tended to be something like “Militia Assembly in the town center”. But beyond that, the British militia was so poorly trained, organized and armed that they proved to be nearly useless. Many showed up with fowling weapons or other antiquated arms which would prove impossible to provide munitions.
Despite months of warnings, Great Britain proved utterly unprepared for actual invasion. The political classes had long been so assured of their naval superiority that it was considered laughable that any enemy would breach the English Channel. However, contrary winds, over-extension of resources and pure bad luck conspired for what proved to be the first successful invasion of Britain in nearly ¾’s of a millennium.
Scotland
Invasions of Southern England and Ireland would not be the only points by which the French intended to invade George II’s dominions.
A small French flotilla would carryover arms and munitions and 250 French soldiers to Scotland. They also carried the Young Pretender, Charles Stuart. Better known to history at Bonnie Prince Charlie, he had attempted to invade Britain in a previous war. After failing miserably, he was promptly forced into flight, leaving his supporters to be slaughtered.
Having descended into a pathetic drunk in the ensuing decades, barely communicating with his father. Both men lived off of the charity of the King of France and the Papacy. When the invasion was being planned, the Prince was summoned to Paris to discuss a role for him in the invasion. He showed up late, drunk and arguementative and was promptly discarded by de Choiseul as a potential puppet King in Britain.
However, later de Choiseul relented and agreed to dispatch the Prince to Scotland. The duc did not believe that Charles Stuart would raise significant support in Scotland or elsewhere in Britain. However, he was a demonic figure throughout Britain and the mere word of his presence may split the enemy response to the invasion, pulling precious Regiments north away from the main invasion.
It turned out this worked quite well. Bonnie Prince Charlie, whom failed to remain sober for five minutes would make speeches in various western Scottish towns, enough to prove to the locals he was the real thing.
However, this did not work out well for him. Only a few hundred Catholics or arch-Stuart supporters rallied this time and he was forced into flight one more time. The French forces, which had dumped him on shore, never alighted onto Scottish territory other than to assure he was going be recognized. The French then reboarded and sailed away, stranding the Prince and his party.
Within 48 hours, the Prince was fleeing throughout the highlands where even those clans whom supported him decades before hunted him like an animal.
As predicted by de Choiseul, several key Scottish regiments would be delayed in marching or sailing south to assist against the main invasion.
Though it would take two weeks, Bonnie Prince Charlie was captured. Unfortunately for him, it was not British regulars but militia that caught him. He was strung up and hanged like a criminal.
The rest of Britain would pay little notice as, by this time, they had more important things to worry about.
Portsmouth
Despite the anticipation of such a landing, the British Army and Militia were woefully unprepared. Only 3000 Regulars were in the immediate vicinity of Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Most of these remained in fortifications which were besieged by the French Navy or so out of the way that no one bothered.
Given the disparity of numbers, it would have been difficult to even consider contesting the landings but no serious attempt was made.
The summoning of the Yeomanry was perhaps even more embarrassing. Over 5000 militiamen were called to action in the region…but only 2400 actually showed up. And there were no arms, no munitions, no food or water and seldom anything resembling leadership. Directions tended to be something like “Militia Assembly in the town center”. But beyond that, the British militia was so poorly trained, organized and armed that they proved to be nearly useless. Many showed up with fowling weapons or other antiquated arms which would prove impossible to provide munitions.
Despite months of warnings, Great Britain proved utterly unprepared for actual invasion. The political classes had long been so assured of their naval superiority that it was considered laughable that any enemy would breach the English Channel. However, contrary winds, over-extension of resources and pure bad luck conspired for what proved to be the first successful invasion of Britain in nearly ¾’s of a millennium.
Scotland
Invasions of Southern England and Ireland would not be the only points by which the French intended to invade George II’s dominions.
A small French flotilla would carryover arms and munitions and 250 French soldiers to Scotland. They also carried the Young Pretender, Charles Stuart. Better known to history at Bonnie Prince Charlie, he had attempted to invade Britain in a previous war. After failing miserably, he was promptly forced into flight, leaving his supporters to be slaughtered.
Having descended into a pathetic drunk in the ensuing decades, barely communicating with his father. Both men lived off of the charity of the King of France and the Papacy. When the invasion was being planned, the Prince was summoned to Paris to discuss a role for him in the invasion. He showed up late, drunk and arguementative and was promptly discarded by de Choiseul as a potential puppet King in Britain.
However, later de Choiseul relented and agreed to dispatch the Prince to Scotland. The duc did not believe that Charles Stuart would raise significant support in Scotland or elsewhere in Britain. However, he was a demonic figure throughout Britain and the mere word of his presence may split the enemy response to the invasion, pulling precious Regiments north away from the main invasion.
It turned out this worked quite well. Bonnie Prince Charlie, whom failed to remain sober for five minutes would make speeches in various western Scottish towns, enough to prove to the locals he was the real thing.
However, this did not work out well for him. Only a few hundred Catholics or arch-Stuart supporters rallied this time and he was forced into flight one more time. The French forces, which had dumped him on shore, never alighted onto Scottish territory other than to assure he was going be recognized. The French then reboarded and sailed away, stranding the Prince and his party.
Within 48 hours, the Prince was fleeing throughout the highlands where even those clans whom supported him decades before hunted him like an animal.
As predicted by de Choiseul, several key Scottish regiments would be delayed in marching or sailing south to assist against the main invasion.
Though it would take two weeks, Bonnie Prince Charlie was captured. Unfortunately for him, it was not British regulars but militia that caught him. He was strung up and hanged like a criminal.
The rest of Britain would pay little notice as, by this time, they had more important things to worry about.
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