A Different Roll of the Dice

[0100010]

Naval Losses and Gains 1760

British Losses (sunken, hulked, condemned, captured, sold, etc.):
SOTL: -10
Duke (90), Terrible (74), Somerset (70), Cumberland (66), Fougueux (64)*, Duc d’Aquitaine (64), Lyon (60), Tiger (60)*, Pembroke (60), Lichfield (50)

Frigates: -5
Thetis (44), Woolwich (44), Success (24), Port Mahon (24), Queensborough (24)

*not lost in combat: hulked, sold or broken up due to age/unseaworthiness.

British Gains (built or captured)
SOTL: +5
Thunderer (74), Bellona (74), Dragon (74), Superb (74), Essex (64)

Frigates: +1
Quebec (32)

French Losses (sunken, hulked, condemned, captured, sold, etc.):
SOTL: -3
Leopard (64), Dragon (64), Duc d’Orleans (54)
Frigates: -2
Aquilon (42), Mutine (24)

French Gains (built or captured)
SOTL: +8
Maria Josepha (116)*, Protecteur (74), Couronne Ottoman (74)**, Altier (64), Bertin (64), Notre Dame de Rosaire (64), Saint Francouis de Paul (64), Vierge de Sante (64)

Frigates: +6
Favorite (44)*, Duc d’Burgundy (44)*, Infidele (32)**, Legere (32)**, Boudeuse (32)**, Queensborough (ex-British) (24)

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

 

[0100010]

I'd appreciate some feedback, thoughts and speculation on events thus far and for what will come in 1761.

Thanks.

 

[Hecatee]

Overall a very good year at sea for the French, and the British defeat at Pondishery will come back to haunt them because they lost so many marines, sparse trained westerners whose loss may also weaken the ships in the area for future boarding actions, should any come around...

On the other hand the European battlefronts did not bring good news to the continental powers, with both Hamburg and Prussia relieved of a lot of pressure and given some breathing space for the winter that should allow them to reinforce. It's especially bad for the Austrians who need to rebuild full armies including weapons and guns instead of just nursing wounds...

 

[galileo-034]

1761 will be a decisive year, depending on de Broglie ability to take Hannover. Russia may be briefly out of the war with the Peter III interlude, Frederick's victories cost him precious manpower that could barely stand against both French and Austrian armies (I'm still feeling that the French are in a better position than ITTL).

The big change in India might be the Maratha faring better at Barari Ghat, combined with longer resistance from French Indian possessions, enabling France to keep a strong presence in the region after the war, leading the subcontinent divided north and south between French and British spheres.

Still, is the Comte d'Ache mentionned in recent naval actions the same than in the battle of Pondicherry of September 1759?
In post 98, he is mentionned never to have returned in India.

The story of De’Ache’s fleet does not end there. Although new supplies were picked up in Mauritius, and repairs were made, the damage was too extensive to be adequately handled by the island, and De Ache made his way back for France, never to return to India for the rest of the war.

 

[0100010]

Still, is the Comte d'Ache mentionned in recent naval actions the same than in the battle of Pondicherry of September 1759?
In post 98, he is mentionned never to have returned in India.

I changed my mind about the French fleet returning to India after realizing most of the ships that broke out of the Atlantic blockade near Rochefort were French East India ships, it makes sense that they would have gone back. However it also makes sense that after several prior failures Comte d'Ache may well have been replaced. I tried to find the name of a different French Admiral (or company man) to list instead but could not find a good list of names that would have been of the correct experience level, so kept his name for now. If someone can point out a better candidate I'll edit it. (Not La Clue as he is already in charge of the French Med. fleet)

Help me with some questions:
Who was the commander of Gibraltar during the Seven Years War and what size was it's garrison? (at it's maximum during the war)
Who's the best candidate for an Austrian Fleet commander?
Who for a fleet from Naples & Sicily? (spoilers)

 

[Xenophonte]

I guess the British governor being a military officer of high rank would the commander of the forces of the Crown in Gibraltar, but there was
not only one throughout that period there were several:

Lieutenant General William Home, 8th Earl of Home (1681-28 April 1761) Governor of Gibraltar Between 1757 and 1761.

Lieutenant General Edward Cornwallis Cornwallis served as the Governor of Gibraltar from 14 June 1761 to January 1776 , when he died.

http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_Gibraltar

 

[jlk7e]

This is a good timeline - I normally find reading actual timelines kind of tedious, because it feels like things happen mostly because the author wants them to, rather than because it's actually plausible things would go differently, but this one seems really well-researched and careful (though I've not closely read all of it, I admit - I was mostly focusing on the continental aspects).

One part I found implausible is the treaty with Hesse-Kassel, basically on the grounds that I don't understand either why the French and Austrians would have much interest in such an outcome (what is the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt to them? Why rouse the ire of all the other princes of the empire in order to give a prize to a marginally helpful princeling?), and I don't understand why the young Landgrave would accept it (he'd surely have the example of his ancestors during the Thirty Years War before him, and hold out hope for an eventual restoration). There'd be no real reason for him to sign such a terrible treaty - if he holds out and the French and Austrians win, he's, at worst, barely worse off than he is with the treaty, and it's possible he can get the Diet to force the Emperor to restore him even with a French victory.

Isn't it much more likely they'd just accept his surrender and let him remain on the throne in exchange for withdrawing from the war and letting them occupy his strong places until the peace? What does stealing all of his lands on behalf of the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt do for them?

Just to clarify: the Austrians and French wouldn't demand that William IX cede them all of Hesse-Kassel because he wouldn't accept, and that would probably make things more difficult for them than giving him a more lenient deal that he actually would have reason to accept. William wouldn't accept because if those are the terms, he really has virtually nothing to lose by not settling. The British can give him just as nice a pension for not settling, at any rate. And the Imperial Diet genuinely would not be happy about that kind of dispossession of a Prince of the Empire. Remember that the war actually started supposedly in response to Frederick's illegal dispossession of the Elector of Saxony. Why would the Austrians and French want to be doing the same thing to anyone other than Frederick himself?

 

[0100010]

Thanks for the positive feedback.

To answer your question:

What does stealing all of his lands on behalf of the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt do for them?

This 'treaty' is controversial, and definitely not recognized by the Anglo-Prussian aligned German powers., although I specifically mentioned [FONT=&quot]Britain Hanover, Prussia, and Brunswick, you can throw in any others aligned with their side.

France is obtaining pretty much all Hesse-[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Darmstadt and [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Wurttemburg[/FONT] exclaves in France or west of the Rhine, Louis XVI is actually trying to expand the principal borders of continental France a bit at a time. (Although the Austrian Netherlands are supposed to become a French client state rather than directly incorporated, he thinks that will change over time..doesn't mean he's right though)

Rather than paying [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Hesse-[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Darmstadt and [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Wurttemburg[/FONT][/FONT] with money (which is tight for France during the war) they are opting to buy them off with land gains from conquests.

France is also aiming to firmly orient those German states into French influence.
[/FONT]
The young landgrave is I think 16 or 17, and is getting strong armed into it Denmark, who was 'helping arrange' it also has ulterior motives to be revealed later.

Expect the whole Holy Roman Empire to have a potential shake up after the war is over.

However i[FONT=&quot]f France loses expect the treaty to get tossed.
[/FONT]

 

[jlk7e]

Okay, that does make sense, I suppose. It seems like the price is pretty steep, though. The Hessian enclaves within France are pretty small. Surely Hesse-Darmstadt could be bought off with smaller cessions - something like the Principality of Hersfeld (with a voice in the Diet) and the Kassel parts of the County of Hanau would seem like more than sufficient compensation for Ludwig VIII.

I'd also add that while this makes sense as a French move, it makes rather less sense as an Austrian one. These are two allies who, in OTL at least, never really saw eye to eye, and Maria Theresa actually cares to some extent about the Imperial constitution. To the extent that this effort is aiming to turn Hesse-Darmstadt into a French client state, that is a move that will come at the expense of Austria, which is Hesse-Darmstadt's traditional patron. Why would Maria Theresa want to rile up the princes in order to help Louis XVI get a more defensible frontier? She doesn't care about the defensibility of the French frontier, and she does care about Austrian influence with the German princes, which this move is a threat to, both in the sense that it makes the diet suspicious of the Franco-Austrian alliance in general, and in the sense that it appears to be an attempt to turn Austrian clients into French ones.

 

[0100010]

Heavily French influenced yes, direct client state, not entirely.
No Austria won't be happy about it, but Austria doesn't have full knowledge of what side deals France is making w/ their direct German allies.
Austria has also been very dependent on French subsidies during the war (and after Fredrick's most recent victories, is now even more dependent on them)

 

[jlk7e]

Heavily French influenced yes, direct client state, not entirely.
No Austria won't be happy about it, but Austria doesn't have full knowledge of what side deals France is making w/ their direct German allies.
Austria has also been very dependent on French subsidies during the war (and after Fredrick's most recent victories, is now even more dependent on them)

But Austria surely would be a party to the Treaty of Copenhagen? At any rate, I'd imagine that any deal of this sort would not be considered to have full effect until approved by the Diet.

 

[0100010]

Any other thoughts or ideas?

A critical issue I keep going back on forth on is whether or not Queen Maria I of Portugal would give in to French and Spanish demands of severing ties with England or not, or if Carlos would want to invade Portugal anyway. Remember that Maria tossed Melo out too in January 1760. Maria is Carlos's niece, her mother his sister. Her father (dead TTL) is the one who stood up to Spain and refused the ultimatum.

 

[0100010]

1761

France

Although things had gone decently at sea for a few battles the past year, Paris was increasingly worried about the eventual loss of many of her colonies to the British. Word had arrived of Quebec City’s fall the prior year, and with presently no way to resupply New France, they knew Montreal would soon suffer the same fate. While some of the ships that had broken out of Rochefort could have been diverted to New France, Choiseul considered the Caribbean holdings far more valuable than vast plains of snow. India too might already be fallen based on Comte d’Ache’s last report (Paris had not yet gotten word of Bussey’s successes)

Spain too was alarmed at Quebec’s inevitable fall to Britain, and had thus been preparing for over a year for the now assured entry into an alliance and the war come spring. Though this of course, would come with the demand of France armies assisting in invading Portugal if they did not acquiesce to demands and in besieging Gibraltar.

More armies in the south to assist Spain meant more money. More money was needed to help Austria rebuild their own forces after Prussia’s upsetting victories. More money was needed to maintain a build-up of the navy to have even a chance against the British at sea. More money was needed to pay off Morocco and the Barbary states to redirect them against the British instead of France and her allies shipping in the Mediterranean, (and in the Atlantic but the British were the real problem there) and their aid would be somewhat useful against any renewed British operations in the Mediterranean and Gibraltar. Sardinia too was rattling its saber about the Italian provinces, while more money might have solved that issue as well, Louis XVI vetoed it, and thus far intimidating threats from France, Spain and Austria combined was enough to make them back down.

More money, more money, more money; and there was precious little of it to go around. Paris had done just about all it could to make the costs of the armies and navies more efficient, and while there was many successes there, it wasn’t going to be enough alone. After months of fierce debate, Louis XVI finally relented to a mild increase on the taxes of the nobility, above what had been first passed a few years ago. With even greater reluctance, he also finally relented to the first ever, small tax upon the church, to first go into effect in spring this year. (With the condition that it was to be removed exactly one year after peace was obtained)

Yet, no one was happy. The nobles prior quiet grumbling became more frequently voiced dissent, upset that they had to pay anything at all, and upset that they had to pay over five times what the church was paying. The peasantry and merchant classes upset that they were paying over ten times what the nobles were paying. Louis didn’t understand this, why become more upset when previously they were paying even more over in comparison to someone that was paying nothing. The church, while supporting the prior taxes (due to their continued exception) became more muted, and started their own grumbling once they lost that exception.

Other revenue came from continued loans, taxes, and tariffs on trade. The latter was ever dwindling to the Atlantic and India but managing to increase to the Levant. Though at the same time, France in their need to appease Austria, threatened to risk the ire of the Ottomans, if a delicate balance of interests were not maintained. It significantly did not help matters that unlike his father and predecessors, Louis the XVI, due to his Catholic leanings, and the Devouts still whispering in his ear, had little love for those not of the faith. If unchecked, in time it could threaten to undo the Franco-Ottoman alliance which had been revived by his grandfather Louis XIV and continued by his father Louis XV.

Spain

Anticipating a war with the British and resumption of the Family compact, Charles III had spent over a year building up his forces and ships. The time for action would come this spring. An ultimatum would be delivered to his niece Queen Maria I of Portugal on March 1st. She would both abandon alliance and trade with the British and enter into the Family Compact against them, or he would invade Portugal to enforce his will.

Austria

The defeats Austria had suffered at the hands of Fredrick last year were devastating. Entire armies and numerous guns would need to be rebuilt and replaced, and there simply were not the funds or ready materials to do so. Despite his victory, Fredrick was severely depleted, and spent the winter picking off low-risk targets in eastern Saxony. Maria Theresa was in a quandary, and extremely dependent on French subsidies and support if they were going to be able to get back into the war. France knew this too. At the beginning of the year, there had been rumors that Fredrick might be willing to withdraw from Saxony and return to status-quo antebellum. These rumors though would arrive too late to affect the current diplomatic proceeding in Versailles. Maria Theresa of course did not want this, perhaps if Austria did not currently control upper and middle Silesia, she might consider it. The war had been too costly in men, money and materials thus far; only Fredrick’s complete defeat would make it worthwhile. That was something easily possible should proceeding at Versailles be favorable, or if Russia, whose reason for her current actions were unknown, (apart from rumor of Empress Elizabeth’s demise) resent forces towards Berlin.

Sweden and Mecklenburg

Sweden and Mecklenburg were in the midst of being pushed back. Fredrick had gone after soft targets in western Pomerania and Brandenburg in addition to eastern Saxony and succeeded in recapturing all territory previously lost. Only a heavily reinforced Stettin and the islands to its north remained in Swedish hands. Sweden’s performance had been abysmal. Sending more forces into Pomerania would diminish those kept for the most basic defense in the homeland. The Hat’s party was losing favor and the costs of the war were staggering. When Fredrick’s forces stopped at the border of Swedish Pomerania and offered a truce; Sweden gladly accepted.

Prussia

Fredrick the Great was beside himself. He was overjoyed at last year’s success, angry and the loss of so many men; relieved at the seeming abandonment of Russian forces and rumors that Peter III might be amenable to reconciliation; indignant that he had to swallow his pride and offer a truce with Sweden; resolute in his desire to make sure Austria couldn’t rebuild and Silesia was back under his control; and finally utterly humbled that he may well need to abandon Saxony to get a favorable peace back to the status quo.

He said as much in a letter to King George II, the old man still clinging to life, and to the British parliament, in the hopes for continued subsidies for yet another year, informing them that he was prepared to with draw from Saxony after retaking middle and upper Silesia, and sue for peace. He just needed the funds to still do that, as there were three main obstacles left. The Austrians in Silesia, the Russians still in East Prussia, though he held out hope Peter III would withdraw if the old bat Empress Elizabeth was truly dead, and lastly the French, if British and Hanover forces could keep them from marching east, he felt confident he could finish the tasks at hand.

Portugal

Queen Maria I of Portugal was also beside herself. British leaning members (and British diplomats) of court cried out about the need to maintain ties and relying on their economic (and military if the need arise) support, while Spanish leaning ones cried the opposite. The country was a wreck, still not recovered from the great earthquake in 1755.

Queen Maria I lamented that former prime minister, Sebastião de Melo, whom she had sacked a year prior, still somehow held power and influence despite his removal. He had severely weakened the power of the old aristocratic nobles previously and then destroyed them with his purges after the Tavora affair and the assassination of her father King Joseph I. Over the past year, he surrounded himself with powerful men, merchants, bankers, and influence via continued contacts with the Portuguese wine industry and its trade. He had deflected away blame for his handling of the Lisbon riot back onto the court, and was probably behind numerous publications criticizing the current government. The Queen came to loathe the man and aimed to repair the damage he had done to the Jesuit order. At the turn of the new year, after reading the most recent pamphlet, she had gone so far as to issue a decree that he could never be less than 20 miles from her presence. She wanted to have him arrested but things had become so twisted, she feared what repercussions that might have. Every mention of the man threw the young Queen into a tantrum.

On top of all of this, there were reports of Spanish troops massing near the borders and the Queen was battered by the sway of emotions that came from being pregnant with her first child.

Great Britain

Last year, after learning of the fall of Hamelin and the French being so close to Hanover, George II nearly died. He clutched his arm and fainted away, only to be caught by nearby servant and revived while tended to a doctor, who was already on hand for a scheduled check-up. His mood improved little afterwards and despite warnings to remain calm, fought with parliament for an increase in troop numbers to Hanover to avoid its possible fall to the French.

The costs were getting out of hand. The total base size of the army in the British Isles and in Germany over the war had gone up from 18,000 to 22,000, not counting all the casualties in between, of which over 3000 became casualties either in the Germanies or on the French coast from the failed descents earlier in the war, mostly undoing the increase. Yet more needed to be sent to Hanover’s defense, and more would probably be needed in defenseless Portugal if Spain did more than just threaten.

The British fleet remained strong and was expected to do well in North America. the Caribbean and Atlantic. The French blockade on the Atlantic was still going well despite last year’s breakout at Rochefort, and two more French ships the Frippone (24) and Cumberland (24) were brought back as prizes to be sold in February after having been captured in the Atlantic just after the turn of the year.

Yet despite this, total fleet numbers were being chipped away with these French upsets, and builds had not fully kept pace with losses. Parliament approved a modest expansion of the navel budget in an attempt to make up the deficiencies.

Revenue had gone down some with the loss of Levant trade, income from French shipping seizures had flattened out or reduced as they stayed bottled up. Trouble in Portugal was threatening to destabilize trade there, and now of all times, the damned Barbary pirates were snapping at the wounded giant that was the British Empire like filthy hyenas. Pitt and other members of parliament were already considering preliminary ideas on increasing revenue. Perhaps the colonies should pay up their fair share once the Montreal finally fell.

Russia

The prior year left Vasily Lopukhin very annoyed at the court in St. Petersberg. On the verge of marching to Berlin and facing a battle that would surely have been Fredrick's last stand, he received conflicting orders. Peter III indicated Empress Elizabeth was on her death bed and ordered him to return. By the time he had reached Koningsberg he had received conflicting orders from other members to go back to Prussia and finish the war, along with rumors of a contest of control in the court regarding Peter III and Empress Elizabeth’s state of health. Lopukhin decided to leave East Prussia occupied with well fortified garrisons and returned to St. Petersberg.

He found Empress Elizabeth alive, not well, barely speaking, if at all; and quite probably dying, but still alive, and supposedly mumbling about ‘no peace’ from time to time. Peter III immediately set about trying to undermine and replace him for having not withdrawn from East Prussia.

By very late winter, Empress Elizabeth still stubbornly holding on, managed enough strength to summon select members of the court to her bedside. Peter III in particular she gesture for him to come closer so he did, and stooped by her bedside. She gestured closer still, he brought his ear close to her mouth as she mumbled, her hands drawn up holding a blanket below her chin.

That was when she grabbed him. She held Peter III’s ear in a death grip and twisted it like he was a child being scolded, in front of everyone. She summoned the strength to yell, “Stop meddling” in his red swollen ear before she finally let him go. Peter was then sequestered in his apartment with orders not to be let out until Empress Elizabeth had passed on.

North Africa

Dupliex had been busy and effective in his dealing with Morocco and the Barbary states. He even managed to obtain the release (or ransom) of numerous Christian slaves as part of his diplomatic duties, during exchanges of 'gifts' between the French King and the rulers of the Barbary states.

Mohammed ben Abdallah, Sultan of Morocco was the most amenable to the possibilities that the French subsidies offered. He had already accepted the first payments from the prior year and closed off ports and trade to the British. There had been a few opportunities to capture British shipping but he was cautious of it, letting the Deys of Algiers and Tunisia take the greater risks. The Sultan chose to spend the money investing in his country, centralizing the government to obtain greater control over the outlying tribes, and to support expeditions south down the Atlantic coast and inland along the old Trans-Saharan trade routes, where gold and slaves could still be obtained.

Even though the Trans-Saharan trade might not be as great as it once was before the Europeans discovered how to sail past Cape Bojador, it could still provide an avenue of economic expansion and competition, even if small, to European trade and influence in the area.

Abdallah was also interested in improving his military forces, and expanding his meager fleet. The French were happy to assist as old muskets, cannons, and sloops were easier to offload than money, under the promise of Morocco ceasing the seizure and enslavement of all Catholic (the French King felt this distinction important) Europeans and of course ceasing piracy against all Spanish, French, Austrian, Naples, and Sicilian vessels in general.

As part of the pending support from French and Spanish actions against the British in the Mediterranean, the French (as part of the general subsidies) wanted the port of Tangiers expanded upon to serve as a haven for repair or attack if needed, and sent Engineers to assist in it's development. The Sultan was happy to oblige, as he still remembered his history lessons regarding the destruction the English wrought on the city in 1684 after they evacuated.

The Sultan also had his eye on the Portuguese held Mazagan, and given the rumors out of Spain and France, it could be ripe for taking soon.

Baba Aku II the Dey of Algiers, as well as the Deys of Tunis and Tripolitania viewed the French subsidies as merely bribes to not engage in piracy against the alliance of European states they were forming, and as ransoms for Christian slaves, but were happy to take the money and pursue the British when possible. They spent almost none of the income investing in their own lands and countries.

 

[galileo-034]

I don't know much about Russian politics of the time, but that looks like Elizabeth taking precautions against Peter III exiting war in the event of her death ie Russians marching on Berlin.

About the debt of France, is spending greater than IOTL or not? French successes at sea, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea, and in India, they may profit from some extra trade.

 

[0100010]

About the debt of France, is spending greater than IOTL or not? French successes at sea, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea, and in India, they may profit from some extra trade.

Yes spending is greater than OTL, but so is income, but not enough, to not have (or face) similar financial problems as OTL. So far the increased income is really only offsetting the increased expenses. The extra trade in the Med is taken into account with that. Profiting from extra trade in India still requires it to reach France, difficult when the British still rules the seas outside the med.

 

[0100010]

Family Compact & The Fourth Treaty of Versailles

By February the three powers, France, Spain and Austria, had worked out terms for a mutual alliance. Although France and Spain had a form of separate alliance via the Family Compact, and France and Austria had a separate one regarding Prussia via the Fourth Treaty of Versailles, together they would commit to war against the British Empire, such that no one power could make a separate peace without the consent of the other two.

There were of course numerous conditions in the whole arrangement. Austria desperately needed France's aid, in subsidies, troops, and guns to rebuild her armies, and finish the conquest of Silesia. Although Austria would have wanted to be able to have a separate peace with the British, they were formally at war already, and this desperate need was primary reason for Austria’s consent to be beholden to only a mutually approved peace.

France would directly provide 12 to 15 thousand soldiers, numerous guns, supplies, and monetary subsidies to Austria for direct action in concert with rebuilt Austrian forces against Prussia in the Silesian and Brandenburg theaters. They were to arrive as soon as possible off the Adriatic coast to join elements being raised there and travel north for the campaigning season to the front. Since France had effective control over the Mediterranean, and were already mustering troops in southern France (originally intended for use with Spain against Portugal and/or Gibraltar) this was easily accommodated. France also agreed to expand on their defensive alliance with the Austrian Empire against the Ottomans, from navel to both land and navel defense if the Ottoman Empire took any qualifying hostile actions.

In exchange Austria would agree to the support of her Naval fleet of (presently) 2 ships of the line (with a third being built) of 64+ guns, 6 frigates of 30-44 guns, and a few dozen smaller support vessels in all actions against the British in the Mediterranean sea during the war. If Prussia should fall, and Hanover is not yet fully occupied, then Austrian land forces would march west, with all due haste, to assist.

The French, who already occupied Ostend, Nieuport, and Dunkirk, were granted further permission to occupy all other forts and strategic areas at risk of invasion by the British on the Flanders coast. While at present, the interior portions of the Austrian Netherlands remained under Austrian control. The arrangement for the French client state in the event of victory is upheld and Silesia is turned over to Austria.

Numerous other proposals and tentative agreements were worked out concerning the distribution of Prussian lands among the victors. Austria however did express disapproval over the Treaty of Copenhagen, when they learned the full details, and demanded adjustments and for its final form to be approved by the Imperial Diet. France though was insistent that some form of punishment, either loss of land, money, or both, in some capacity be inflicted on those imperial states and principalities that had sided with Fredrick.

As of the begging of 1761, the French were presently in control of:
The Prussian provinces of Neuchatel, Cleaves, Mark, Lingen, Ravensburg, Minden (west of the Wesser), and Hohnstein; the Hanover provinces of Hohnstein, Grubenhagen, Gottingen, and Calenburg (south of Munden); the Brunswick provinces between Calenburg and Gottingen; and the entirety of the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.

The Austrian were presently in control of all parts of Silesia southeast of a line between Oels, Breslau, and Schweidnitz. Saxon forces held the Prussian exclave of the (Saalkries) Halle Region and Saxony west of the Elbe, while Prussia controlled Saxony east of the Elbe.

The agreements between France and Spain, for Spain’s full entry to the war, were that France would provide assistance in any necessary invasion of Portugal (if they refused their demands) and assistance in taking Gibraltar. Territories obtained from Portugal and Gibraltar would ultimately belong to Spain. France though would be granted co-usage of Gibraltar, for a period of no less than 30 years. Spain would be prohibited from trading away Gibraltar without French consent in any future negotiations during that period of time. Spain would also relent and provide a small contribution to the ‘North African Fund’ in order to secure co-belligerent action by Morocco and the Barbary states against British interests, while also noting their reservations and concerns about the potential for such funds to pay for means of Morocco threatening Spanish held Ceuta. To address Spanish concerns here, France agreed to assist in the defense of Ceuta against Moroccan (or Barbary) aggression during the proposed 30 year co-usage of Gibraltar.

France, Austria and most significantly Spain collectively put pressure on the regents of the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily for entry into the war on their side. Given The King of Spain, Charles III's prior rule over those lands and their subsequent passing to one of his younger sons, this was not difficult. While the two Kingdoms did not have a formal declaration of war against the British, nor were barred from a separate peace, they were compelled to contribute their naval forces on the order of 4 ships of the line, 6 frigates of more than 20 guns, and a few dozen support ships to the collective Franco-Spanish-Austrian-Sicilian-Neapolitan fleet for actions against British interests in the Mediterranean sea.

Historian’s Note: Together as of 1761, the combined French, Spanish, Austrian, Neapolitan, and Sicilian naval forces consisted of 151 ships of the line (of 50 or more guns), 107 frigates (of 20 – 49 guns), and numerous smaller support ships. On top of that would be any ships that Morocco and the Barbary States put into play, although their numbers were not recorded, and they were not known to have any ships of the line, and few if any frigates of substantial gun numbers. This would be set up against the British fleet as of 1761 consisting of 107 ships of the line (with 5 more slated to be launched that year), 86 frigates, and numerous support ships.

Should Portugal reject the Franco-Spanish demands they could lend 15 ships of the line (plus 1 to be launched that year) and 3 frigates (plus 1 to be launched that year) plus whatever support ships they had of lesser gun numbers to the British side. Or if they submit to the Franco-Spanish demands those numbers would be added to the ‘Grand Fleet’ on the Franco-Spanish side.

Regardless of which way Portugal would decide, copious amounts of fecal material was about to collide with many rotating blades.

*(These numbers are as best I could find via research as per OTL, with TTL changes already taken into account for up to this year, it’s probably not perfectly accurate but hopefully close enough)

 

[0100010]

The Start of Spring

Britain had been scrambling to raise additional forces in time for spring. They were alarmed at French and Spanish movements but only had rumors, though did know that France was amassing an army in southern France. Spain too had also been moving forces near Portugal and Gibraltar. The assumption had been a siege of Gibraltar, and so the rock and been reinforced and resupplied over the winter. Spies had determined that transports gathered near Toulon, and it was thought that a fleet might need to be sent into the Mediterranean to intercept. However with French fleet strength there and a buildup of French forces on the Flanders coast along with additional transports located there, Parliament feared a possible invasion and would yet again not allow venturing into the Mediterranean.

King George II still fought with Parliament over force deployments to Hanover. He wanted an additional 8000 troops sent to reinforce Hanover before the French would surely attack. Portugal too voiced their concerns and need for assistance if Spanish maneuvers intoned an invasion. Prussia also came hand in hat to request more assistance, money to maintain and recruit new forces, and a request for aid in keeping the French stalled in the west. Fredrick gave up the defense of East Friesia to Hanover and the British, he did not turn the territory over to them, but by spring not a single Prussian soldier was stationed west of the main borders of Brandenburg (not that there were many left to begin with) He effectively gave up the recapture and defense of the currently French occupied provinces to Britain and Hanover as well, at least for the time being.

Eventually a compromise was reached in that 3000 British regulars would be sent to reinforce Brunswick in Hanover, and half a year’s worth of subsidies sent to Fredrick to hold him over until midsummer. Another 5000 British regulars were readied for deployment to Portugal or elsewhere if the need arose.

In Hanover, the Duke of Brunswick had done as much as he could. He recruited additional forces from Hanover, Brunswick and Schamburg-Lippe in an attempt to even the odds against de Broglie and the French, and received the British reinforcements at the last minute. By spring most everyone that could afford to had already evacuated the city of Hanover and fled north including the remaining elements of the government. King George II demands were clear, even if the city of Hanover falls, they were to fight on, and force the French to bleed for every inch of Hanover soil they took.

In light of the serious threat of the fall of Hanover, Pitt wanted to make sure the British could capture something that they could trade back beside New France and began making out plans for a Caribbean campaign. Orders from parliament were sent to Amherst to finish the conquest of New France with all due haste, to then cut expenses as much as possible, and prepare for redeployment of forces to the Caribbean.

In Russia

Loupukin orders were now clear though it took quite a while waiting for Empress Elizabeth’s health to improve to properly receive them. Russia was not exiting the war and he was to return to Berlin and end Fredrick as soon as possible, even if she died prior to having that occur. He still had a problem though after bringing so much of the army home. He could not just let the army sit outside St. Petersberg in winter. The men wanted to return to their families after many years of war. They had thought that the war was over and that was why they had returned to Russia. He had to deal with quelling a possible riot when the soldiers found out the war wasn’t over yet. Over the winter he had to let many of them go home, just so all the firewood and food in the area would not be stripped bare. He then would have to recruit and train replacements in the spring. All of that together would cause a significant delay in any campaigns undertaken this year.

In Prussia

Fredrick looked across his army and saw far too many faces that were either too young or too old for war, but he had to work with what he had. He secured a truce with Sweden and Mecklenburg and hoped Brunswick and Hanover could keep the French at bay in the east so he could focus purely on the Austrians. Though he also could not over extend himself, his manpower was too scarce, but captured guns he had aplenty, so sought to use that as best he could. In a letter Fredrick was quoted as saying “If this trend continues I will have more guns than trained men to use them.” By March, Fredrick had managed to chase the Austrian out of the Principality of Jaur, and was preparing to attack through Schweidnitz again to cut off Austrian supply lines from Bohemia.

Queen Maria’s Decision

On March 1st, French and Spanish diplomats delivered their ultimatum to Queen Maria. Abandon trade and alliance with the British and join the Family Compact in alliance against them, or face a Spanish invasion in seven days’ time. The young Queen did not know what to do. Portugal was not in a state to be at war with anyone Spanish or British. The British were informed immediately, who sent word to London from Lisbon on the fastest ship possible (which would arrive 10 days later.)

Really she did not want to make the decision. A war with Britain came the real risk of losing Brazil, and much needed trade that would help her country recover from the terrible quake. Maria had sent the British off also with the question of how much aid in money and men they might be able to provide. Until she had that answer all her advisers could do was tell her to stall for time. Her husband (and Uncle) did tell her what he father (her husband’s brother) would have done. He would have defied Spain and sided with the British. Economically siding with Britain was probably the better choice, but a very risky one if they lost. In the end, after waiting the full seven days, Queen Maria had her subordinates feign compliance to her other Uncle, the King of Spain’s, demands. The deception only lasted for three days when Spanish officials, incensed at the ruse send word back prompting a Spanish declaration of war and invasion of Portugal on March 12th.

The Ides of March

Only a few days after the Spanish kicked off their invasion of Portugal, on March 15th, de Broglie led the French-West German army out of Hamelin toward Hanover. A newly formed French-Austrian army marched north from Austria toward Silesia, for a rendezvous with Fredrick the Great. Another Franco-Spanish army marched toward Gibraltar while a great fleet departed Toulon to head for the rock as well.

North Franco-Spanish Army at Alameida Led by:
Nicolás de Carvajal y Lancaster; Marquis of Sarriá (SP),
Charles Léonard de Baylenx; Marquis de Poyanne (FR)
French Troops: ~6000
Spanish Troops: ~30000
Total: ~36000

South Franco-Spanish Army at Gibraltar Led by:
Don Pedro Pablo Abarca de Bolea y Jiménez de Urrea; Count of Aranda (SP),
Philippe Joseph; Comte de Rostaing (FR)
French: ~3000
Spanish: ~12000
Total: ~15000

Anglo-Portuguese Army at Lisbon Led by:
Lobo da Silveira, Don José António; Baron de Alvito, Marshal of Portugal (PR),
John Burgoyne (BR), John Campbell; Earl of Loudon (BR)
British: ~5000
Portuguese: ~8000
Total: ~13,000

Allied West German Army at Hanover Led by:
Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand; Duke of Brunswick (HN/BW),
Friedrich Wilhelm Ernst Wilhelm; Count of Schaumburg-Lippe-Bückeburg (SL),
Count Nikolaus Luckner (HN)
John Manners; Marquees of Granby (BR)
British: ~12000
Hanover: ~18000
Schamburg-Lippe: ~9000
Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel: ~2000
Total: ~41000:

French-West German Army:
Led by Duc de Broglie at Hamelin
French: ~55000
Hessen-Darmstadt: ~7000
Wutternburg: ~9000
Total: ~71000:

Mecklenburg-Swedish Army at Stettin & Swedish Pomerania, Led By:
Jakob Albrekt Lantingshausen
Swedish troops: ~12000
Mecklenburg troops: ~8000
Total: ~20000

Prussian Army at Shweidnitz Led by:]
Fredrick the Great
Wilhelm von Seyditz
Heinrich von Manteuffel
Johann von Lehwaldt
Prussian: ~46000

West-Russian Army at Konigsberg (East Prussia) Led by:
Count Villim Vilimovich Fermor
Russian Troops: ~16000 (East Prussian occupation garrison)

Main Russian Army (currently being idle) near St. Petersburg, Led By:
Vasily Lopukhin
Alexander Borissovitch Buturlin
Russian Troops: ~51000

Main Austrian Army in Northern Moravia, Led By:
Leopold Von Daun (AU)
Baron Ernst Gideon Loudon (AU)
Franz Leopold von Nádasdy auf Fogaras (AU)
Louis Charles César Le Tellier; Duc de Estrees (FR)
Austrian Troops: ~40000
Saxon Troops: ~3000
French Troops: ~12000
Total: ~55000

 

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Battle of Sainte-Foy and the Second Siege of Quebec

Despite a harsh winter in which French forces and citizen experience hunger and starvation due to a lack of French relief supplies for the second winter in a row, Louis Joseph de Saint Véran, the Marquis de Montcalm knew he had to at least attempt to retake Quebec City in the hopes of a French fleet arriving in spring. He mustered 5000 of the best soldiers and militia he could with a few guns and part marched, part sailed down the still icy St. Lawrence towards Quebec City. Despite his desire to bring it along, the Caribou (50), was double anchored in front of Montreal, still encased in thick ice and unable to move.

On March 3rd, the French commander in Quebec, Montcalm and Francois Gaston de Levis arrived with a force of 5000 French soldiers and Quebec militia in an attempt to retake Quebec City.

The British, most of whose troops were away for the winter except for a small 3500 strong, hungry, scurvy ridden garrison led by James Murry.

In a disastrous attempt to take on the French outside the still unrepair walls Murry loses to Montcalm’s forces, taking over a thousand casualties before they retreat back inside the city.

Montcalm then brings his guns to bear on the city the following day on March 4th to begin a siege against the British occupying forces.

The siege however ultimately fails, as British ships arrive on April 9th, and destroy Montcalm’s light support ships, forcing him to withdraw back to Montreal.

Battle Results:
French Forces: ~850 casualties
British Forces: ~1200 casualties

French victory at first, followed by French defeat.

Invasion of Portugal

On March 12th, the Franco-Spanish army invaded Portugal in the region of Tras-os-Montes. A French Spanish force numbering 6000 French and 20000 Spanish troops entered Portugal from the northeast and met very little resistance. The Spanish forces were led by Nicolás de Carvajal y Lancaster the Marquis of Sarriá, the French were led by Charles Léonard de Baylenx, the Marquis de Poyanne.

The Franco-Spanish armies were already encumbered by significant arguments between Poyanne and Sarria. The army entered under the pretext of “liberating” Portugal from the British. So easily did they at first overrun the province that the Serria brought next to no provisions for the Spanish army. This was a major point of disagreement between himself and Poyanne as the French commander insisted on bring provisions along for the French. This in turn brought complaints from Serria who was slowed down in his advance by the French supply trains.

At first, the only real resistance in Tras-os-Montes was the fortress at Miranda, which Serria let Poyanne besiege so that he could take control of the rest of the countryside.

Siege of Miranda and Tras-os-Montes campiagn

On March 22nd, French forces under Poyanne besige the Portugese fortress of Miranda with nominal Spanish support from Serria. The Fortress fell nearly two months later on May 17th.

On April 12th, as the real reasons for the invasion became clear, Portugal issued a formal declaration of war against the French and the Spanish. The governor of Tras-os-Montes issued a call for resistance and the peasants of the countryside rose up against the Spanish. The Spanish situation quickly deteriorated due to their lack of provisions, and numerous guerrilla attacks, by the populace. Those that did not fight fled the area scorching the earth as they went leaving nothing behind of use to the Spanish.

Soon by late April the Spanish were falling back or rioting and finding the only provisions being what the French had brought. Poyanne at first lent provisions to Serria and the Spanish, but soon realized the seriousness of the situation. Which if it was not reversed he would have little left for his own French soldiers, and began to significantly cut back on what was doled out to the Spanish, creating immense resentment between the French and Spanish forces. Knowing the Miranda was provisioned, an assault was ordered out of necessity; the Spanish aided the French in an assault of the besieged Fortress and succeeded in taking in on May 17th.

Poyanne upon seeing how many provisions were gained verses how many were needed to feed the surviving combined France-Spanish forces knew it would not be sustainable. He set charges, knowing neither could hold it long term and destroyed the Fortress of Miranda, then took his French forces and enough remaining French provisions for the journey back to Spain, urging Serria to do the same. Serria being stubborn did not immediately retreat along with Poyanne, instead sending a Spanish force of light troops on to Oporto in the hopes of securing provisions for his army.

Battle Results:
French Forces: ~500 casualties
Spanish Forces: ~11500 casualties (including those lost to disease and starvation)
Portuguese Forces: ~2400 casualties or captured (prisoners released under conditions that they were not to reserve for the remainder of the year)

Franco-Spanish victory over Miranda, but defeat in the Tras-os-Montes arm of the campaign.

Battle of the River Dourmo

On June 1st, a weak, desperate, starving Spanish army of 2500 led by Alexander O'Reilly, attempting to cross the river Dourmo were met by several hundred Portuguese peasants, a handful of old cannon, and perhaps less than 40 actual Portuguese soldiers (mostly manning the cannons).

After enduring a few hundred casualties O’Reilly ordered a retreat, which became a disorganized flight back to the main Spanish army near Miranda. After learning of the defeat Serria retreated from Tras-os-Montes back to spain.

Battle Results:
Spanish Forces: ~500 casualties
Portuguese Forces: unknown

Portuguese victory

Siege of Almeida

A second arm of the invasion drove toward central Portugal from the west first targeting the Fortress Almeida and then with the intent to drive on to Lisbon after meeting up with the northwest arm of the invasion. However after learning of Serria significant failure in the northwest, the Count of Aranda was put in command and Serria was sent temporarily to command the land forces besieging Gibraltar before he would later ‘resign for health reasons’ in the fall.

On June 20th Aranda would besiege the Fortress of Almeida with at first 10000, then 20,000 Spanish and 5000 French troops (those from the prior failed campaign). The fortress would fall 11 days later on July 1st.

Battle Results:
French Forces: ~100 casualties (from sickness)
Spanish Forces: ~3000 casualties (mostly due to desertion and sickness)
Portuguese Forces: 50 casualties, remaining captured.

Franco-Spanish victory

By fall, The British under George Townshend and John Burgoyne had reformed and retrained the Portuguese army to 7500 Portuguese soldiers and 5000 British regulars, and numerous civilian militia. Through a series of defensive and guerrilla actions put a stop to the Franco-Spanish advance and the Spanish were forced to retreat due to lack of supplies, disease and desertion. Almeida became the only position that remained held in Franco-Spanish hands for the year. The 1761 invasion campaign was a disaster, out of initial force of ~36,000, over ~15,600 were lost. (only ~600 were French)

Faced with the reality of their unpreparedness and French demands to create proper supply lines for any future attacks, Aranda called a truce with Townshend and Silveira for the remainder of the year through to spring of 1762.

 

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Battle of La Coruna

After the Spanish ambassador in London delivered a formal declaration of war to the British on March 9th, British send out orders immediately to their fleets, including elements of the channel fleet to blockade Spain and reinforce Gibraltar (in addition to what had been sent before as a cautionary move)

On Match 17th, the British fleet send out with orders to begin hostilities encountered a Spanish fleet off the coast of northwest Spain near La Coruna. The British pursued the smaller Spanish fleet and engaged them in a short naval battle.

British Fleet:
HMS Prince George (80), Torbay (74), Wessex* (64), Isis (50), Anglesea (44), Sapphire (32), Aeolus (32), Mermaid (24), Lively (20), and three smaller sloops.

(*OTL Essex (64), but TTL prior Essex hasn’t been lost yet)

Spanish Fleet:
Galicia (70), Aquilon (68), Bizzaro (50), Santa Teresa (28), Galera Victoria (26), Constanza (24)[, and seven smaller merchant ships

After a short battle the British were victorious, successfully sinking the Bizzaro (50), and capturing the Santa Teresa (28), Constanza (24), and 3 merchant ships. The British suffered only minor damage to their own vessels. The remaining, damaged, Spanish ships were able to flee back into the La Coruna harbor where they were soon blockaded. On inspection, the British would consider the Santa Teresa and Constanza as not up to the Navy’s standard and they would later be sold.

Battle of Gibraltar Bay

Alarmed at the Spanish build up and troop movements over the prior year, as well as the contention in the Portuguese court, the British had been preparing for Spain’s possible entry into the war. Part of the preparation was significantly increasing the fleet size based in Gibraltar to be ready for a Spanish coastal blockade and a renewed attempt to blockade the French Mediterranean coast.

On March 18th, less than a week after the last precautionary supply and reinforcement transport ships had returned to England, Admiral Hawke was informed of sails upon the horizon. These turned out to be several of his returning scout ships moving as fast as they could. When the scouts ships began reporting in; (not all of which had made it back it seems) they told of a ‘sea of sails’ coming from the northeast from around the other side of the rock. As he was receiving this word, his lookout reported signal smoke from the top of Gibraltar, followed by signal canon fire. This only meant one thing, the French were coming. As Hawke was preparing his fleet to meet the La Clue and his French fleet he also got word from the Gibraltar Governor-General, William, the Earl of Home that a large Franco-Spanish army had arrived at the Spanish border, and were preparing for a siege.

At first Hawke felt confidant, and thought that the wildly varying numbers the scout ships had reported were improbable, impossible even. He would meet the French and the Spanish, since they had seemed to have thrown in with the French and destroy them. On the one hand it seemed the Spanish fleet out of Barcelona and the east Spanish coast had moved too quickly to become trapped in their harbors by any blockade. On the other it meant that with his larger fleet he could destroy the Spanish and the French on the sea. Then he would finally be able to properly blockade the French Mediterranean coast, and maybe this damnable war would finally be at an end.

Hawke’s confidence however began to waver ever so slightly as he began to see the number of masts appearing on the Horizon. It had to have been the entire French and Spanish Mediterranean fleets combined, it was going to be a tough fight. But by the time they were engaged Hawke would begin realize that it was even larger than that. He resolved though stand and fight to his utmost. He would not end up like John Byng.

British Fleet:
HMS Ramillies (90), Prince (90), Sandwich (90), Resolution (74), Dragon (74), Fame (74), Thunderer (74), Mars (74), Essex (70), Monmouth (70), Swiftsure (70), Temple (70), Hampton Court (66), Jersey (60), Plymouth (60), Montagu (60), Edgar (60), Firme (60), Panther (60), Guernsey (50), Chatham (50), Portland (50), Southsea Castle (44), Phoenix (44), Enterprise (44), Torrington (44), Lynn (40), Thames (32), Surprize (24), Actaeon (28), Hussar (28), Wager (24), Siren (24), Rose (24), Flamborough (22), Mercury (20), and 40 smaller support ships of less than 20 guns.

Total:
22 Ships of the line, 14 Frigates, 40 support ships.

French Fleet:
Maria Josepha (116), Foudroyant (80), Ocean (80), Orient (80), Duc d’Orleans (74), Phenix (74), Ferme (74), Conquerant (74), Culloden (74), Couronne (74), Guerrier (74), Hector (74), Centaure (74), Protecteur (74), Orphee (64), Sage (64), Duc-de-Bourgogne (64), Vailient (64), Fantasque (64), Modeste (64), Saint Anne (64), Altier (64), St. Albans (60), Sechelles (60), Venguer (60), Princess Louisa (58), Plieade (32), Diana (32), Vestal (32), Baleine (32), Oiseau (30), Unicorn (28), Emeruade (28), Dolphin (24), Diligente (24), Blandford (20), Bideford (20), and three dozen smaller support ships.

Spanish Fleet:
Rayo (80), Aquiles (74), Arrogante (74), Triunfante (74), Princesa (70), Monarcha (70), Atlante (68), San Fernando (60), Santisima Trinidad (54), Nuestra Senora del Rosario (50), Neustra Senora de la Soledad (30), Santa Barbara (30), Juno (26), Santa Rosa (24), Flecha (22), Aventorero (20), and a couple dozen smaller ships

Austrian Fleet:
Laharpe (74), Santa Barbara (70), Lipsia (44), San Leopoldo (40), Austria (40), Vienna (30), Pegaso (30), Delphino (30), and a dozen smaller ships

Sicilian and Neapolitan Fleet:
Santa Barbera (68), San Leopoldo (62), San Filippo (60), San Carlos (50), Ferdinand (40), Roma (30), Palmero (28), Siracusa (28), Calabria (24), Apulia (24), and half a dozen smaller ships

Moroccan and Barbary Fleet:
Collected British and French reports indicate at least 18 small ships hanging around the peripheries of the battle.

Total of the ‘Grand Fleet’:
42 Ships of the line, 39 Frigates, 96 support ships.

Although further into the battle it became clear how much the British were outnumbered, they also had the critical support of the guns of Gibraltar. Throughout the battle British ships that needed a reprieve would retreat to their safety. The Grand Fleet arrayed against them was careful not to approach too close. A few times though, some ships did venture too close and paid a heavy price.

The battle of Gibraltar Bay raged from late-morning to well past sunset. Throughout the ordeal the skies remained calm; at no time did the weather ever give any particular advantage to either side. At first it became a clash of cannon, and maneuvers, but then devolved into a slug-fest and became a battle of attrition.

Several ships on both sides had fought so much as to have run out of shot or powder. The Grand fleet however had the ability to resupply far more quickly than the British could, and although he could have, Hawke did not want to take too much shell and shot away from the Gibraltar provisions because he knew they would need.

Hawke knew he could not win a battle of attrition with the Franco-Spanish-Austrian alliance; nor could he allow him own fleet to become trapped in the bay. Before nightfall, he had managed to send out orders for a general retreat under the cover of darkness. When a roll of cloud cover and light rain obscured the moonlight, Hawke ordered the launch of fireworks into the night sky to commence the order for the general retreat, and they fought their way past the past the Grand Fleet and into the Atlantic.

When Hawke returned in summer to London he would report that the Moroccan and Barbary ships, did not get into any direct engagements, but would swarm crippled, unprotected British ships when the opportunity arose, or contented themselves with fishing men from either side out of the waters. It is presumed that the French and her allies sailors were returned, while British captives were brought back to North Africa as prisoner-slaves.

He also reported the presence of the Austrian, Spanish, Sicilian and Neapolitan flags in the battle as well.

Battle Results:

All ship losses due to sinking in action, floundering on return to port or being condemned for damage upon assessment.

British Losses: All surviving ships suffered moderate to heavy damage.
HMS Ramillies (90), Essex (70), Temple (70) (captured by French), Hampton Court (66), Jersey (60), Plymouth (60) (captured by French but later sold), Guernsey (50) (captured by Spanish), Portland (50), Southsea Castle (44), Enterprise (44), Lynn (40) (captured by French), Hussar (28) (captured by French), Surpize (24), Flamborough (22) (captured by Morocco), and 11 support ships of less than 20 guns lost or captured.

Grand Fleet: All surviving ships of the line damaged in moderate to heavy capacity. 2/3rds of the Frigates damaged.

French Losses: Orient (80), Conquerant (74), Couronne (74), Culloden (74), Hector (74), Duc-de-Borgogne (64), Orphee (64), St. Alban (60), Princess Louisa (58), Balaine (32), Unicorn (28), Blandford (20), and 9 support ships.

Spanish Losses: Aquillon (68), Atlante (68), San Fernando (60), Nuestra Senora del Rosario (50), Nuestra Senora de la Soledad (30), Santa Barbara (30), Santa Rosa (24), and 5 support ships

Austrian Losses: San Leopoldo (40)
Sicilian & Neapolitan Losses: Santa Barbera (68)

Moroccan and Barbary losses: 2 ships believed to have been sunk.

French-Spanish-Austrian allied victory.

The Grand Fleet led by Admiral La Clue was victorious and dealt the British Navy a serious blow, but they had fought back with great tenacity which would leave the Grand fleet very battered.

The Battle of Gibraltar Bay, involving a known 253 sailing vessels was the largest naval battle in the world since the battle of Lepanto in 1571 between over 484 rowing galleys. It was the first of its scale in the age of sail.

The Grand Fleet did not pursue the British once they were chased out of Gibraltar bay. For one, the Austrian, Sicilian, and Neapolitan fleet were not required or expected to venture beyond the straits. Also the fleet was in sore need of repairs after such a battle, and needed to be in place to begin the siege of Gibraltar.

France and Spain however did take this opportunity to send ships out toward the Caribbean unmolested by the retreating British. France as well separated off a few small ships directed for Quebec with some supplies, and to obtain news about the current fate of Quebec.

The Siege of Gibraltar of Gibraltar began three days later, once La clue worked out how best to align his forces for a seaward blockade. He had taken a cue from the British and much improved his ability to resupplying his ships at sea via the numerous support ships. (while staying out of reach of Gibraltar’s guns)

On land, it would still be several weeks before the land forces had finished preparations enough to attempt any artillery duels with the rock.


Siege of Gibraltar

On March 21st, 1761, La Clue completed his arrangements to begin a proper sea and land blockade of Gibraltar. Their goal was to starve out the garrison by preventing British resupply at sea, while the land forces hammered the guns before an eventual assault. However the French and Spanish were not fully aware of Britain very recent resupply of the fortress which was well prepared to endure a long siege.

Failures in the Portugal invasion also created problems when Aranda took over for Serria for the invasion and left Serria in charge of the Siege. Fortunately Serria did not have to do much, as French Artillery officer Philippe Joseph, Comte de Rostaing, had things well in hand. By summer the Franco Spanish forces under the French Artillery officer started trying to reach and shell the British gun emplacements on the rock. After three months of sporadic of artillery duels, which only resulted in deaths on the Franco-Spanish side, and little to no effect on the British garrison, Rostaing suspended the exchanges to consider alternate plans.

Over the course of the rest of the year, the French seaward blockade was a mix of success and failures. Hawke’s fleet was in need of long term repairs. This plus others issues in other theaters, combined with the need to continue to maintain blockades against both the French and the Spanish Atlantic coasts, the British did not try to lift the blockade directly with another fleet battle. Instead they sent fast ship blockade runners typically a night under the new moon in an attempt to keep the rock supplied. Seven out of Ten blockade running supply ships were successfully stopped, about half of which were captured, while the others escaped once they turned around. The 30 percent that made it through was more than enough to keep the garrison supplied, but half of those that made it through got captured on the return trip back out.

One other significant event occurred during the Siege of Gibraltar. The Governor-General of Gibraltar William home, died in April, leaving command of the rock to acting Governor John Toovey. An attempt to replace Toovey later in the year with Edward Cornwallis failed, and Cornwallis ship was nearly captured by the Franco-Spanish blockade.

It would not be until next year that Parliament would decide whether or not to send a fleet back in force to remove the blockading forces.

 

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Comments?

still to come:
Events in Hanover, Silesia, Quebec, and North Africa, plus other surprises.