Annus Horribilis: An Alt 7YW TL
"a cruel reverse! I shall not survive it. I think everything is lost. Adieu pour jamais"
-Frederick II of Prussia
"a cruel reverse! I shall not survive it. I think everything is lost. Adieu pour jamais"
-Frederick II of Prussia
As anno domini 1759 began Britain was in fear. Their continental ally Prussia was failing, Hanover was under threat, rumors of invasion were everywhere, Madras was under siege, and even in America all did not fare well. Yet there was hope. For Pitt this was the year that Britain would win the war across the seas meanwhile Frederick believed he might yet turn the war around. Oh dear how wrong they were.
Madras the symbol of British power in India was under siege by an Irish Jacobite working for the British. Just imagine that, this was in propaganda terms one of the worse situations Britain could be in. And it onyl got worse. Starting on January 2nd the French began a heavy bombardment of the British town. Initially the bombardment seemed to have little effect, but as the weeks went on the damage worsened. And finally a breach was made. This quickly raised the morale of the disheartened Frenchmen who had due to the attacks of Yusuf Khan only been getting a trickle of supplies. Yet Lally continued the bombardment and flattened the town before finally launching his assault. With the might of French India Lally surged forth and climbed the breach at the head of his men. Bravely and fiercely the British would defend their Madras, but the numbers of the French were too much. After hours of bloodletting the British rose the white flag and offered their swords. Madras had fallen. And to add to that victory a British ship was sunk trying to run the blockade [1]. Then Lally turned towards Yusuf Khan, the British devil spawn. Without the hindrance of running a siege Lally was able to take back control of his supply lines and deter the raids of Yusuf. But he failed to bring Yusuf to battle. Yet battle is not always needed for victory as Lally found out. On a journey to relieve Madras a British fleet was ravaged by the turbulent waters of the Indian Ocean [2]. This fleet was scattered or sunk and forced to limp back to Calcutta without ever sighting Madras. For now France remained dominant in India.
The worst part about that defeat is it paled in comparison to the horrors of the Continent. The first of said horrors was Minden. Here the foolish Friedrich von Sporcken misunderstood his orders, to advance on the beating of drums. Instead of marching upon hearing the drums he choose to march prematurely with the beating of drums. This mistake would be exploited by the French whose artillery decisively hit at the British regiments with the French cavalry sweeping in for the kill. Yet the discipline of the British allowed them to repulse not one, but two cavalry charges to the amazement of both the French commander, Marquic de Contades. and the Hanoverian commander, Prince Ferdinand. Yet they would stand the third as the French finally broke their formation and turned the British advance into a slaughter [3]. The fool von Sporcken of course ordered the retreat and was able to retreat in some order, but the battle was lost. With several thousand men lost the Prince Ferdinand conceded the field and continued his march away from the French. Once again at Northeim Prince Ferdinand would attempt to make a decisive battle against the French. Yet this time de Broglie a general ahead of his time was once again in charge of the French army. At first the Hanoverian attack met with some success, and it fact de Broglie's left flank started to waver. But first Ferdinand's centre broke as a combination of artillery fire and a cavarly charge weakened it, before de Broglie delivered the killing blow by utilizing his columns in waiting. These fresh and ready reserves repelled the Hanoverian attack and followed through with a successful counter attack. Unable to stop the French Prince Ferdinand assembled what he could of his army and led an orderly retreat, yet thoussands were scattered and dead. With the victory at Northeim the French were once again able to overrun Hanover, though the Prince held out in the fortress at Hanover. Which is more then can be said for Frederick. Speaking of Frederick II of Prussia we should move on to him.
Frederick had begun the year of 1759 with some hope, it quickly left him as his enemies began dealing defeats to his armies like Kay. Rushing from Saxony to take charge of the war Frederick realized that the next battle would decide the war. Crossing the Oder he went in search of his battle and found it at Kundersdorf. On that famous field the Prussians would open the battle by setting themselves upon the Russian flank. And through the discipline and courage of those Prussian soldiers victory was achieved. But that victory wasn't enough even with all his most trusted generals arguing against it Frederick pressed on. Shortly after the oblique attack of the Prussians deteriorated and the Austrian cavalry charged from the reserves and began to give the Prussians the worse of the fight. Yet the Prussians regrouped and kept on the pressure. Later as moon rose the Prussians daringly launched a humongous cavalry assault on the Russian center and cannon. Disaster. The assault was a complete failure as the Prussians were sent routing without any sense of order and with many Prussian bodies left behind on the field. Seizing the moment, Saltykov ordered a counter attack of the entirety of Russian and Austrian cavalry. They annihilated and scattered the Prussian army. And along with it King Frederick himself. Victory was Austria and Russia's. With their army scattered and their king dead the Prussian general tried with little avail to stop what followed. Yet they couldn't as victorious armies of Russia and Austria seized Berlin and brought the war in Prussia to an end.
With Berlin in hand it was time for peace to be negotiated. And the allies did not dawdle, quickly they gave Prussia a harsh treaty. Saxony was to regain its freedom and then on top of that receive Cottbus, Magdeburg, and Halberstadt. Palatine got Minden, Cleve-Mark, and Ravensburg. Austria was returned Silesia and gained Prussian Guelders. Russia was rewarded Ducal Prussia. Sweden won Hither Pomerania and some land west of the Oder. On top of this monetary reparations would have to be paid by Prussia. This Preliminary Treaty of Vienna effectively dismantled Prussia and destroyed its power. But the war was not yet over, for Britain still stood a bastion against the allies on the Continent. Though many were frightened by the idea of a French invasion, as twice that year the Royal Navy had failed to catch a French fleet [4]. Pitt confident in the success of his American campaigns however delayed the peace until he received news from America. And news he did receive.
In America the British launched a new set of campaigns against the French foe. Arrogantly the British began their marches, for they believed that their numerical superiority assured them victory. And with 60,000 men to France's 11,000 that belief doesn't seem too far fetched. But the French had already shown Britain at Carillon that numbers did not mean everything. In fact it would be the two French commanders that had brought to the British the Catastrophe of Carillon that would bring the Tragedies of 1759. The first of which occurred at Fort Niagara. There the besieging army of Sir William Johnson found themselves suddenly attacked by a French relief [5]. Surprised by this relief the British reply was disorderly and inefficient. After the besieged French sortied from their fort the British were overwhelmed and victory was secured. This victory rallied the many wavering tribes to the Bourbon White (French Flag).
It was that new force that would shock the theater. With around 4,500 men under hand a hero of Carillon, Brigadier General de Bourlamaque, intended to outdo his superior Montcalm's victory of Carillon. Slowly and quietly de Bourlamaque creep up on the British position at Fort Crown Point and then bam! Like a viper de Bourlamaque struck at the British in a devastating hit and run attack he razed a good deal of the enemy camp and of their lake navy before running off. The British General Amherst soon struck out after his attacker. But this was just what de Bourlamaque wanted as he set off an elaborate ambush and gave the British an ever graver Monongahala to remember. In this Battle of the Woods de Bourlamaqrqu and his small army decimated the superior British and eliminated many officers like Amherst, effectively crippling the invasion. After this great victory de Bourlamaque did not fail to follow it up. As the British retreated he continued to harass and harry them dealing out casualties to the British and getting their Iroquois allies to desert. The British threat to Ohio was gone and with that de Bourlamaque rebuilt his forts resecuring the grip of France on the Ohio Valley.
Meanwhile to the north the Montcalm too would lay claim to victory. On July 31 his British adversary Wolfe attempted to force his way over the St. Lawrence River with a gallant landing. But that landing had failed as weather proved unfavorable and a few hundred men were lost. Worse yet not too long after the unsuccessful Battle of Beautport General Wolfe would fall ill. Even though the man fought hard against his illness it would not be long before it killed him [6]. In his place General Monckton took charge. Now without Wolfe in his way Monckton did away with the idea of assaulting Beauport again and instead choose to attack Cap Rouge, his favored target. Stealthily in the night the British went upriver and began to land men at Cap Rouge, but Montcalm was a step ahead. Lying in wait for precisely this sort of action was Colonel Bougainville, so once the sentries notified the colonel of the landing he was able to launch his counter attack with ease. Slamming down on the disembarking British regulars the French and Indian army threw the British into the sea, whilst their artillery opened up and forced back the British boats. Unlike at Beauport though this landing was no little loss. Near a 1,000 men were lost in the ill fated attempt at Cap Rouge, among them was Monckton. With both Beauport and Cap Rogue now thoroughly tried and failed, the remaining Brigadiers came to the conclusion that the landings failed because the regulars were not able to put themselves together well. For this reason a landing was planned 10 miles up the St. Lawrence River. And though the British realized it would give Montcalm a day to prepare, they believed that in this action they might succeed. So with some 5,000 men the British landed far from Quebec and after organizing themselves marched towards their destination. But that day of preparation proved to be a mistake as Montcalm made the most of it. And the third and final time the British assault was bloodily defeated. Luckily though the British retreated in good order. Finally as news arrived of the defeat of Amherst the British found themselves forced to lift their siege or risk be crushed behind Montcalm and de Bourlamaque.
With all of these failures of the American ventures, with only the small victory of Guadeloupe being there to prove the Pitt's strategy not entirely failed, the British were forced to come to terms with the fact that the war was lost. In light of the failure Pitt's government would collapse only for New Castle to remain. So it was Newcastle who would make the peace. The terms were simple Louisbourg and Guadeloupe were returned to France, whilst French sovereignty over the Ohio River Valley was recognized. Due to the expulsion of the Acadians the lost of Acadia was mostly accepted by the French, however the northern portions of it were returned to France. In India France gained Madras. Whilst in Europe they gained Minorca. In return the British were restored Hanover. Yet Hanover also gained Lingen-Teckleburg and East Frisia. Lastly Britain recognized the gains of the allies in Prussia. With little choice and an invasion expected Great Britain shamefully signed the Treaty of Versailles. And with that Europe after five brutal years of fighting was an entirely different place.
[1] British ship with money, supplies and troops sinks.
[2] Not really necessary, but for added effect.
[3] The third charge of the French cavalry breaks the British regiments
[4] Lagos and Quiberon Bay don't happen as the French successfully elude the Royal Navy
[5] Relief force isn't discovered
[6] Wolfe dies of illness instead of surviving it