IOTL in 1796, the French sent an army to Ireland, only to be deterred by storm.
Exactly as said on the tin- how could the expedition succeed?
Exactly as said on the tin- how could the expedition succeed?
I think your best, and as the previous poster seem to prove only bet, is to get the French force to act as a kind of nucleus. You disperse some of the french soldiers with some of Tone's revolutionary's and have them train them, drill them, etc...
If it work you have a real franco-irish force wich can stand a fight and would maybe be supported by the population.
Even if 15,000 men arrive the British will make it a priority to cut off Ireland so a supply line will be tricky. If they start living off the land the Irish could turn aggressive. Meanwhile an outraged Britain sends every available solider to Ireland and we see something resembling Oliver Cromwell's expedition into Ireland, only with a few dead Frenchmen too.
I have a question: how important were for England the resources produced in Ireland?
Honestly I don't think the expedition was ever expected to actually defeat the British. They were meant to force Britain to reenforce Ireland and draw troops and resources away from French interests.
Just forcing England to send a few thousand extra men to Ireland would probably be counted as a successful expedition on the French side. If they never actually had to fight the British in Ireland then even better.
Given a "national" Irish rising, presumably the Franco-Irish forces could be supplied with food, water, and some wagons, draft animals and horses; not sure about things like powder and shot, however.
How much manufacturing was there in Ireland in the 1790s, especially in places where the rebels and their allies could take without a destructive fight?
I presume Dublin would be the center of the British garrison, so whatever is operating there is probably not available, at least without a siege.
Anyone know?
Best,