You think it would’ve worked out if it remained that way ?
Empire of Freedom: The History of the American Empire
- Thread starter Kaiser of Brazil
- Start date
Nope. What he just did doomed the UAR from the start, so if that trend continues from there, everything's going to fall apart like a house of cards.
In that case, I'll still be rooting for the Imperials here.
In a sense, the UAR is damned if you do, damned if you don't, considering that it's unlikely that the oligarchic politicians would handle the war effort better than Bell's regime.
A Centralized Military was completely necessary, the infighting of militia commanders in Mississippi resulted in two defeats. Meanwhile, a centralized command, like what Lee was able to impose in Virginia, saved the UAR twice.
The capture of Cuba is probably more decisive than most think, that and the fall of Mobile. Given the Empire's numerical advantage, I'd try to go on the defensive in the east while just launching simultaneous offensives on all other fronts. Kill the UAR by a series of a thousand cuts strategy
LII: THE EMPIRE OF FREEDOM III
THE EMPIRE OF FREEDOM III
After Bell’s coup, the Republican forces started a series of attacks against the Imperial and Freedonian forces in Mississippi, greatly militarizing the state and imposing an unpopular conscription. The Empire was forced to do the same as Lee’s forces crossed the Potomac and threatened Columbia itself, where General Halleck would show one of the greatest failures of American military history, turning what could’ve been an easy victory into a disaster. Meanwhile, the Imperial navy launches it’s decisive attack against the greatest force of the Republican Navy, led by the Invincible Ironclad “GSR Phoenix”.
Bell’s coup was supported by the armed forces thanks for the prestige of Lee’s support, the resistant governors of Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia were put under arrest and martial law was imposed. Bell finally gave the Republican army some much-needed organization, organizing an hierarchy by abolishing the State Militias and organizing an Army corps organization similar to the French one. Yet, due to their incompetence, both Davis and Barney would be demoted, as Corp commanders for the new General of the Mississippi Army: George Reed. At an young age, Reed went to Europe, studying new tactics in the Commonwealth and serving as an cavalry officer of the British Army during the Great European War. Reed was a brilliant and aggressive commander, he is quoted with the saying “Never a position can be defended forever, the only way to victory is the attack, if you always let the enemy dictate the battle, your defeat is inevitable.”
The following months in the Mississippi front would be Reed showcasing the greatest military campaign the continent has ever seen. The 4th, 5th, and 7th Legions, plus the Freedonians, outnumbered the Republicans almost 2-1, yet, Reed would move his men in a speed matched only by Jackson’s Valley campaign in Virginia, picking them up one by one. In Leakesville, Beauregard and the Freedonians would be cut off due to the overextended supply lines, and while Curtis used the 4th and 7th Legions to siege the state capital of Harrisonville (OTL Jackson), the newly formed “Army of the Mississippi” part of the Grand Army of the Republic, would launch a surprise attack that routed the 5th Legion and captured Hattiesburg. John Brown’s Freedonians were forced to retreat from Mobile and East Mississippi, joining with the Imperials for the siege of Harrisonville. Yet, instead of engaging the Imperial legions in the siege, Reed marched his troops west towards Port Gibson, planning to take Vickysburg and cut off the supply lines from New Orleans. Curtis didn’t want to abandon the siege, instead he sent Beauregard’s 5th Legion together with the 7th to defeat the Republicans. The Battle of Port Gibson is studied to this day by military strategists, 87,000 Imperials would meet 61,000 Republicans, setting camp North of the Bayou Pierre and preparing to attack on the morning of the 13th of September, yet on the night of the 12th, the Republicans were the ones attacking. Reed slipped his troops across the river in the swamps of the west, launching an artillery barrage from the south and attacking with a third of his forces to make Beauregard believe that was the main attack. The Imperial troops took positions to the south and waited the attack, it would come as the 3rd Corps under Braxton Bragg attacked, and as the Imperials fought off the attack, Reed himself led the flank assault from the Swamp, that the Imperials didn’t bother to defend as Beauregard believed it was impossible to cross the Bayou swamps, allowing the Republican forces to capture the Union camp and attack from the rearguard. Beauregard ordered a retreat just before being shot in the head by a sniper, the retreat turned into a rout as the Imperial forces panicked and lost their central leadership. The Legion system showed its failure as the Americans still believed that the honor of battle would spare commanding officers, as such the Cohorts were equal while all the leadership was centered in the commanding officer. The disaster of Port Gibson would cost the Imperials 14,000 Casualties and over 30,000 prisoners, with at least 7,000 deserting during the retreat towards Harrisonville, all while the Republicans just lost around 5,000 men.
With the 5th and 7th legions crippled, and the Republicans retaking Vickysburg, Curtis had no other choice but to retreat north towards Memphis. Yet Reed wasn’t done yet, sending his army to block their escape and both raced one another to the north, yet the Republicans knew the terrain better, and Reed prepared to block their way in the Battle of Bellewood. On the 25th of September, 80,000 Imperials were blocked from escape by 56,000 Republicans, yet Curtis believed his numerical superiority would give him his victory, and like Beauregard, he underestimated George Reed. Imperial forces crossed the Little Jackson Bayou, charging after the Republicans knowing that breaking their lines was their only chance of survival. On the first day, the Imperials failed to break their lines, with 4,600 Casualties to the Republicans’ 3,100. Yet during the night, the Republican forces abandoned their defenses in the river marching to the north and leaving the Imperials surprised, as they crossed the river towards the north, a dense fog covered the battlefield, and at the 1300 hours, the Republicans charged against the Imperials from the flanks in the forest, flanking them from both sides while leaving a small force to hold the front. Chaos came on the battlefield as the Imperials desperately fought for their lives, Curtis ordered all the reserves focused on the front in an attempt to break north to escape, all while the Cherokee Cavalry charged from behind, over 80 pieces of artillery were captured and just as the morale started to break, Curtis’ men were able to break the front and retreat to the north. It was a tactical victory for the Dixies as they captured 12,000 men and practically all the artillery pieces of the Imperial legions, yet it was an strategic defeat as it allowed the Imperials to retreat north to Memphis. Yet it doesn’t take out the fact that in 2 months, George Reed’s Army of Missouri was able to completely expel the invaders from Missouri, captured enough troops to make up an entire legion, killed General Beauregard, and left Louisiana defenseless as he prepared his next move: The invasion of Louisiana.
Yet, while the Republicans turned the tide in the South-west, in Kentucky, Polk’s Army of Tennessee would meet an opposite end. As Polk’s men captured Central Kentucky, General Thomas was demoted with the arrival of General Sherman’s 8th legion, who became the overall commander of the Kentucky front. As Polk marched North towards Louisville, Sherman’s men came down upon the Republican forces in Elizabethtown, the battle would happen on the 15th of September, with the Dixies losing 8,500 men, including General Polk, and Sherman losing only 3,400. His aggressive approach would turn the tide of the Tennessee front, as he pushed the Republicans back to Tennessee, while the Cavalry officer Nathan Forrest would become the new General of the Army of Tennessee.
Yet, the main front of the war in Virginia would move to Maryland, General Lee would launch his offensive on the 17th of August, 76,000 troops heading towards the north in an effort to bring the war to the Empire and force it’s surrender by surrounding and capturing Columbia. Opposing him was Halleck and over a hundred thousand men, with other thirty thousand in Columbia as part of the Imperial Guard. Yet, Halleck would commit one of the greatest mistakes of the War, deciding against fighting Lee head on and instead divide his men to hold strategic positions of Maryland. That allowed Lee to engage in more equal terms, and the divided Imperial Army was picked apart like Lee did in the previous campaign, with Jackson’s corps keeping the 1st Legion in Woodsboro, while Lee attacked the 2nd and 9th Legions in Braddock Heights. The Imperial forces were defeated at Braddock on the 23rd of August, and Lee would strike the first legion on the following day, the Legions were routed to Baltimore, leaving Columbia open to attack. Lee didn’t waste time, and on the 26th of August of 1852, the Siege of Columbia started.
The Phoenix exploding as it attempted to reach the port, killing most of it’s crew and Admiral Franklin Buchanan
And the Republicans find their Napoleon while the Imperials make terrible blunders, that combination now turns what could be an easy victory into a nightmare, with two of the most important cities of the Empire threatened and an Emperor once again in the frontlines.
Although the Empire is losing now, it has a bigger industry and manpower than the south, so they are certain to win. The Empire just has to survive for a while longer until the the navy blockades and starves the republicans. Plus now that the Empire can see the indecencies of their armies, they will reform and re-arm the entire military and go to victory.
By-The-Way, if the Empire loses the war it’s because the author is really Pro-Republican and this timeline is ASB.
By-The-Way, if the Empire loses the war it’s because the author is really Pro-Republican and this timeline is ASB.
I don’t like these kind of accusations thrown around, I already said that Sherman is gonna be the Butcher of the South. It is my Timeline and if I want to make things harder for the Empire or make them lose I can do that by making Quebec revolt, Spain invading from the West, and Napoleon being defeated allowing the Commonwealth to come back in force. Just because I gave the Republicans some breathing room in Mississippi doesn’t mean they are gonna win the war, and I assure you that I am not a Republican, especially not an UAR kind of Republican.
Not exactly ASB if it doesn't defy the laws of science. Unlikely to the point of implausible, perhaps. But not ASB.
For some reason I thought it was Thomas II, lol
Also, if Germany was to become independent from France, would you rather that it be under a Prussian Stratocracy ? An independent Rheinbund ? Or a Communist Germany ? This doesn’t mean that the Germans will be able to free themselves from the French, it’s just a poll to know the people’s opinions.
Would probably be Prussian dominated since they are the lead protestent force against the Catholic French
A Communist Germany was something that I'd like to see considering I've almost never seen it before in timelines in that time period.
After the war, will the Empire be merciful? Or will even saying the word "republic" be considered treason?