Britain was getting crushed by the superior French armed forces. As Victoria struggled to hold on to India, she failed to defend against a massive French force of 800,000 preparing to attack Great Britain at its weakest point: Catholic Ireland.
Irish Militia in Combat with Redcoats during the Cork Uprising
The preparations for the invasion had been made long before any war started, a sort of pre-made blueprint on how to defeat the British. Now, Louis dispatched his fleet and landed in Cork and other major coastal towns after intense but futile resistance from the English Navy. Also, Lord Nelson was killed in this battle, snuffing out the life of best English sailor alive. French troops quickly received support from the Irish populace, who were determined to finally throw off the hated English "invaders." Thousands adopted a new blue and white Harp of Ireland banner. Britain then proceeded to ship thousands over the North Channel from Scotland. The French fleet made sure attacks across the Irish Sea were impossible by bottling up the remnants of the Royal Navy. Irish Protestants who did not support France were encouraged to board French ships to neutral countries. As Ireland gradually fell under French control, Victoria now had a revanchist new Republic of Ireland to deal with that took orders directly from Louis.
The Irish army was soon reorganized and made into a decent armed force. Combined with the French Army of Ireland, they were verging on chasing the Redcoats back across the North Channel and into Scotland. However, the French decided to just secure the border, as they knew Presbyterian Scotland would not really appreciate French Catholic overlords.
Back in India, the British struck back, wiping out scores of pro-French Indians and spies. Still, Ireland had been lost. Britain was perilously close to losing its colonial empire.
In late 1871, France was wiping out British island territories and was cutting China up into chunks for itself and its allies. China would be a source of headaches later.
Back in America, Alexander was beating back Andrew and the French. The Duke of Arlington, now heading the Invasion Army of Northern Virginia, was rampaging through Andrew's territory. By the end of 1871, Virginia had fallen to Alexander. In the Western Theatre, Schickelgruber was successfully attacking Southern Missouri, Akansea, and Louisiana. His plan, known as "Schickelgruber's Snake," was to cut Andrew's domain right down the middle. Once separated, Andrew would be easy to dethrone. In the middle of 1872, Schickelgruber decided it was time to lash out. In a climatic series of battles, he cut through the ad-hoc fortifications and besieged New Orleans. On September 5th, 1872, New Orleans surrendered and Andrew moved his government to Atlanta.
Andrew's government flew into a panic. Meade was ordered immediately to go on the offensive. His army was routed by a vengeful Jefferson Davis. Davis had finally brought his reputation back to normal. Now, he decided to march east, in an attempt to squeeze Andrew against Lee. From the Caribbean, Custer was ready to seize Florida. Andrew was in as tight a spot as Victoria.
In Texas, one of the most decisive events of the war took place. The elderly Member of Congress David Crockett participated in the overthrow of the Texan Royalist government. He soon took power and declared martial law. Royalist property was seized and he executed the former governor. Most of the Texas nobility fled to Arizona and set up a Royalist bastion. The entire state of Arizona became a giant fortress, ready to die for their cause, thinking they were too far, much too far, in over the top. They would win or die. Alexander was about to make sure it was the latter.
In early 1873, Lee was down in the Carolinas. Unless a miracle happened, Andrew was doomed. Arizona was under seige. Davis and Hancock were crashing through the Cotton states. Virginia was now Alexandrian. France was becoming more interested in defeating Britain. Finally, on June 1st, 1873, Andrew fled Atlanta and rode to the coast in the Flight from Atlanta. Once at the Atlantic, he boarded a French trading vessel, the
Dauphin, and set sail for France and friendly European waters. However, the Alexandrian fleet in Cuba caught wind of the trip and raced to capture him. On June 20th, Alexandrian admiral Lucius David Smythe on board the
Kraken, a small light steamer, caught up with Andrew. A small skirmish ensued when Smythe and his men boarded the
Dauphin. Cornered in his cabin, Andrew was forced to surrender. He handed over his gold sword to Smythe, saluted, and marched himself to the Kraken's brig. Andrew had been overthrown.
Things began to grind to a halt as the disheartened Royalists started to surrender across North America and the Caribbean. Meade was trapped at Birmingham on October 4th by Davis and Sheridan was captured for a second time by Custer on November 21st, in the Florida Everglades. At last, the final remaining noteworthy Royalist commander on the field was Hiram Grant. Mustering the last Royalists in North Carolina, he made a final offensive. On January 13th, 1874, Grant's army attacked Atlanta. If he regained the the secondary capital, it might inject some new life into the Royalist cause. If he lost, it would be for the final time. The huge Second Battle of Atlanta was a catastrophic loss for both sides. Over 100,000 men died. At last they broke on January 17th. Grant was on the run with the pathetic remnants of the Royal Army. After two months of guerrilla warfare, Grant was cornered by the Duke of Arlington at Gregory's Courthouse, 50 miles from Raleigh, North Carolina. After a handful of shots, the white flag was raised. The old, near-sighted Duke rode in on his white horse and entered the Courthouse with Custer and Hancock. There, Grant signed the Treaty of Gregory's Courthouse, officially ending the War for American Succession on April 22nd, 1874. Alexander had won.