Bonaparte Ambition

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Part 1: The Story Begins…..
The island of Corsica was ruled by the Republic of Genoa since the early thirteenth century. By the turn of the seventeenth century the inhabitants of the tiny Mediterranean island began to have ideas of independence from their rulers in Genoa. In 1729 Revolution finally came to Corsica against the Genoese Republic. In 1755 the Republic of Corsica was proclaimed under Pasquale Paoli. They remained independent until 1769 until the Republic of Genoa decided to sell the island to France to help cover its debt to the French monarchy.
In 1769 French troops invaded and ruthlessly put down Corsican opposition. The inhabitants turned to one of their secret benefactors Great Britain for assistance. Forced into exile along with 1500 other Corsican freedom fighters Paoli went to England, and after discussion with government officials were sent to North America particularly the Colony of Maryland and grant tracts of land for their assistance to the Crown of England.
Part of this group was Carlo and his wife Letizia Bonaparte and their growing family who decided to accept a new life in a new land. Their newest child Napoleon would be born on August 15, 1769 outside of London and would signal the Bonaparte’s commitment to their new allegiance.
By early 1770 the Corsican emigration began with many settling in or around the city of Baltimore with its high level of Catholic population.
 
Pasquale Paoli
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    Chapter 2: The First Father……
    Pasquale Paoli Corsican by birth had by the 1770’s personally led a revolution against the the Republic of Genoa and the Kingdom of France so when the colonists in North America began to voice their outrage against Britain’s Parliament Paoli voice was sought out by many early voices of the Revolution like Patrick Henry, Samuel & John Adams, and Joseph Galloway. Ever the revolutionary Paoli immediately dove into the rhetoric of moment even securing a place as a delegate from Maryland at the First Continental Congress held in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
    During the convention Paoli aligned himself with the radicals like Patrick Henry and Samuel Adams. Together the three men began making plans to stand up to British aggression. Adams already the leader of the Sons of Liberty in Massachusetts called for the forceful ejection of British troops from Boston. Paoli convinced the two others that preparations were needed in order to be successful in their endeavors.
    First the Continentals would need the support of the Native Americans living along the border of the colonies, and delegations headed by Paoli and John Adams were sent to meet with the Iroquois Nation.

    The Paoli-Adams Accords secured an agreement between the Continental Government and the Iroquois Nation of mutual defense against “foreign” aggression. Paoli won the gathered chiefs by telling them his story of the Corsican people, and how Great Britain refused to come to their aid. He showed how the Corsican and the Iroquois were alike and how they needed to band together against the British to gain freedom for their people.

    While Paoli and Adams were away the First Continental Congress sent petitions of grievance to King George III and Parliament. Hoping to gain time Paoli and his allies moved in a different direction. Militia from every colony began drilling in preparation. Scouts were dispatched to observe British forts and depots gathering information on supplies and troop movements. A Central Committee was established to help begin preparing for eventual conflict with the mother country. The Committee consisted of Paoli, Samuel Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Harrison of Virginia, John Jay of New York, and John Rutledge of South Carolina.
     
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    • Carlos Bonaparte
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    Chapter 3: Bonaparte and the Revolution Part 1
    Carlos Bonaparte and his wife Letizia were close friend of Pasquale Paoli, used their connections with him to gain prominence within Baltimore. When Paoli went to Philadelphia Carlos was his assistant. By 1774 the Bonaparte’s had established themselves financially in Baltimore and were growing as a family. Already 6yr old Joseph, and 4yr old Napoleon would be joined by Lucien on May 21, 1775 when word of the Battles of Lexington and Concord arrived in Philadelphia of Continental victory. Carlos was commissioned by the Continental Central Committee and raised a regiment of volunteers to serve under newly promoted Lieutenant General George Washington of the Continental Army. Made up of mostly veterans from Corsica the 1st Maryland marched to Albany, New York where they participated in the capture of Fort Ticonderoga along with Colonels Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen.
    Flushed with victory, and recruits the tandem of Allen, Arnold, & Bonaparte moved northward and assaulted Fort St. Jean opening the way to Montreal.
    During the assault on Montreal Bonaparte’s mostly Catholic troops were used as a propaganda experience to help gather support for the Continental cause, and ultimately adding a fourteenth colony to the rebellion.
    While in Montreal the Continental commander for the Northern Department Major General Philip Schuyler arrived and took over command. Not acknowledging the exploits of Allen and his Green Mountain Boys, Schuyler alienated Allen and forced a vital source of manpower to head back to the Green Mountains of Vermont. Schuyler invasion of Quebec was derailed as Canadian militia delayed troops and forced the Continental army to stop before the walls of the mighty city. Schuyler never enthusiastic about the invasion called it off and returned to Montreal where Arnold, Bonaparte, and Brigadier General Richard Montgomery began to fortify the city in anticipation of British attach.
     
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    Chapter 4: Bonaparte and the Revolution Part 2
    Following the string of victories in 1775 the outlook for the Continental cause was highly favorable. Following the withdrawal from Quebec Bonaparte and the 1st Maryland was dispatched to join forces with Washington’s army in New York City.
    Washington had guessed that the new British commander General William Howe would attack New York City for its strategic position, and began fortifying the area.
    Bonaparte and his Marylanders served throughout the New York and New Jersey Campaigns of 1776. Employing a scorch earth policy all the while employing a Fabian tactics that saw Continental Army use hit and run tactics to whittle down their more powerful British opponents. By the end of the Summer the city of New York City was rendered useless by the British, and began to show to General Howe that the Americans wouldn’t be easily subjugated so easily. Howe dispatched Major General Charles Cornwallis to follow Washington through New Jersey.
    What Cornwallis found was a barren landscape and the Continental Army just out of his reach. Hit and run tactics carried out by Iroquois war leader Colonel Joseph Bryant kept British and their German Mercenaries fearful of the night when Mohawk and Continental rangers would kill sentries and kidnap officers causing confusion throughout Cornwallis forces. Without the full worthy of the British army Howe not Cornwallis couldn’t bring Washington to battle. With New York City in ashes Howe was forced to dole out his forces to shelter and feed his army.
     
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    • Pasquale Paoli
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    Chapter5: Rebellion to Revolution
    As Washington was gearing up to do battle with Howe Paoli and the CCC pushed their plans to declare Independence from Great Britain. Already Paoli had begun to gather a group of followers loyal to the cause of liberty. Loyalists and Moderates were targeted for “accidents”. Joseph Galloway was the first such incident. A fire broke out at his residence on February 8, 1776 killing Galloway and his daughter. Many would speculate that Paoli had them killed in their sleep, and covered it with the fire. Never less the Loyalist cause lost a key supporter in Pennsylvania.
    Following Galloway death many opponents of Paoli were either convinced to retire, accept offered gifts of loyalist, or support the Corsican. By the Summer of 1776 a committee of seven was formed to write a Declaration of Independence: Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Pasquale Paoli of Maryland, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Robert Livingston of New York, and Henry Laurens of South Carolina. From June 11-28, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was written majority by Jefferson but in consultation with other members of the committee. After it was written it was finally voted on and July 4, 1776 The Declaration of Independence was ratified.
    On August 2, 1776 Paoli began to lay the groundwork for a functional government. The position of Consul was introduced to help lead the nation. It was later agreed that a three man Consul, one from each section of the states. From the New England Samuel Adams was selected as the Consul of New England. From the Mid-Atlantic initially Benjamin Franklin was selected, but he refused and instead accepted the position as the Minister to France, so in his place Philip Schuyler was selected instead. For the Southern section George Washington name was put forward but he was needed in the field so instead Pasquale Paoli was nominated. Together Adams, Schuyler, and Paoli began to craft legislation and build the needed tools to prosecute the war.
     
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    • 1776
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    Chapter 6: Washington’s Counter Attack
    The year of 1776 was bitter sweet for the Continental cause. Independence was declared, but the loss of New York City damaged hopes of an early victory. That the city was made useless to the British began to sow seeds of doubt into General Hose’s mind of ever bringing the rebellious Continentals back under the Imperial banner. Even though Washington denied supplies and shelter to the British army with his scorched earth policy the British army failed to be defeated on any battlefield.
    News compounded as British General Sir Guy Carleton recaptured Montreal forcing Major General Richard Montgomery to employ delaying tactics to help keep the British army as far away from Albany as possible. Brigadier General Benedict Arnold commanded Montgomery’s rearguard action that ended up in defeat, but was able to stall British plans of invading into New York buying much needed time for Consul Schuyler and General Montgomery time needed to train troops to do battle in 1777. It also earned Arnold a promotion to Major General and solidified his place as a military figure for the Continental Army.

    After being ejected out of New Jersey Washington plotted a new strategy. British commander Sir Charles Cornwallis set up outposts along the Delaware River to monitor Washington’s army while the main army returned to the remains of New York and winter quarters. The troops left were German mercenaries Hessians under the Command of Colonel Johann Rall stationed in Trenton, New Jersey. With winter fast approaching Washington gambled on a daring move. Rall’s position was dangerously overextended and Washington moved on Christmas night 1776, and crossed the Delaware River.

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    Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware and the ensuing battle of Trenton was a much needed victory to close out 1776. Rall’s whole force of 1500 troops were either killed, wounded, or captured. It proved that Continental troops could stand up to European professional soldiers and defeat them in combat. It also furthered the strategy of hit and run tactics that Washington and many of his generals now saw as their main battlefield tactic. It also forced Sir William Howe to convince his superiors to gamble on one gigantic campaign to finish the rebellion.
     
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    Chapter 7: Burgoyne Takes Command
    By the end of 1776 it was becoming apparent to British military strategists in London that New England needed to be isolated from the Southern and Middle Colonies. It was decided to allow Lieutenant General John Burgoyne to assume command of the Northern Army stationed in Montreal and invade down Lake Champlain and the Hudson River Valley capturing Albany. A second army under Sir William Howe would move up the Hudson River linking up with Burgoyne. Once linked up Howe would be freed to move on Philadelphia, the seat of the Continental Congress. A third army under Brigadier Barry St. Ledger would move out from Lake Ontario moving through the Mohawk Valley destroying the Iroquois villages, and pulling troops away from the main northern army. It would be critical for all main columns to work in tandem to be successful. By June of 1777 Burgoyne army of 9,000 British Regulars, Canadian Militia, Hessian mercenaries, Native Auxiliaries, and Loyalist volunteers departed by ship lacking a vital component for his army: wagons, horses, and draft animals which the Continental Army under Montgomery commandeered the year earlier. This would plague Burgoyne during the coming campaign.
     
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    Chapter 8: Washington’s Gamble
    When Washington became Commander in Chief of the Continental Army one of his first acts was to form a group of Rangers tasked with gathering information on British strengths, and information. To lead this unit Washington chose Connecticut Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton, officially later generations would dubbed Knowlton “Washington’s Spymaster”.
    Knowlton had served during the French and Indian war and had experience in gathering information, but now was tasked with infiltration behind enemy lines. By the winter of 1776/77 Knowlton had a dozen informants working behind British lines feeding bites of information back to Washington’s headquarters.
    By March of 1777 Knowlton brought to Washington’s attention the British plan of isolation of New England and capturing Albany.
    Washington now had the upper hand in knowing exactly what his opponent would do, and now planned to try and bagged the main British Army while in the same time not losing the war.
    Washington now decided to play out an elaboration scheme to fool the British into thinking their plan hadn’t been infiltrated. By secretly moving his troops from Pennsylvania into New York Washington replaced his troops with Militia acting like the Continental Army while Washington moved to confront Howe’s move up the Hudson River.
     
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    Chapter 9: Arnold Vs St. Leger
    Colonel Barry St. Leger departed from Montreal on June 7, 1777 with a mixed force of British regulars, Canadian militia, Huron auxiliaries, Hessian mercenaries, and Loyalist volunteers totaling around 3500 effectives. Navigating up the St. Lawrence River and across Lake Ontario the British Invasion force arrived at Fort Oswego. From there they attacked Fort Stanwix which guarded the entrance into the Mohawk Valley forcing the garrison into a siege. It was here that the Continental and Iroquois Alliance was tested.
    Major General Benedict Arnold was dispatched with 500 Continental regulars and gathered local militia to meet the British Invasion. At the Battle of Oriskany Arnold along with Iroquois warriors fell upon a large column of St. Ledger’s force routing the British and falling back to the siege of Fort Stanwix. When news of the defeat at Oriskany became know through the British camp many of St. Lever’s native auxiliaries lost their will to fight and departed. It was finally on August 10th and pressed by Arnold’s forces that St. Ledger was finally forced to surrender at the settlement of Stillwater. With St. Leger now removed from the board gave Washington another angle for the coming campaign.
     
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    Chapter 10: Gibraltar of the North
    The first obstacle in Burgoyne invasion was the posts of Crown Point and Ticonderoga. Burgoyne’s army of 8,000 moved fast leaving most of its equipment behind in exchange for speed and stealth. Unfortunately for Burgoyne the local Continental commander Brigadier Arthur St. Clair knew of enemy activity from his Indian Allie’s stationed with his command. With his small force of barely 3,000 regulars and militia St. Clair planned to abandon his position. His second in command Colonel Anthony Wayne when he heard of the plan to withdraw arrested his commander in the name of the Revolution and sent to his superior his decision to hold out until otherwise ordered to by his superiors.
    On July 1st Burgoyne sent a white flag and offered terms for surrender. Wayne by now had withdrawn from Crown Point and position his forces within the stone structure of Ticonderoga. On July 2nd word arrived from Consul Schuyler of his approval of the arrest and Wayne’s promotion to Brigadier General. His orders were to hold out as long as possible in order to buy time for Montgomery to prepare for Burgoyne arrival. After skirmishing with British forces for two days Wayne decided to to abandon the fort and withdraw to Fort Independence across Lake Champlain. From Fort Independence Wayne would hold up and strike Burgoyne lines of communication diverting much needed resources from his main army.
    With Ticonderoga now occupied Burgoyne waited for his supply lines to catch up . This just gave Generals Montgomery and Washington more time to gather their forces.
     
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    Chapter 11: Bennington Massacre
    Continental commissary officers had done such a good job of stripping the countryside of draft animals and supplies that Burgoyne army was in desperate need and listened to reports of a fertile region of the “New Hampshire Land Grants” and decided to dispatch Colonel Friedrich Baum to requests the necessary supplies. Baum would soon be met by a force of New Hampshire militia, Green Mountain Volunteers, and Massachusetts militia all under the command of Brigadier General Ethan Allen.
    Allan for his part had left the Continental cause and returned to his beloved Green Mountains of Vermont following his snubbing at Montreal from a year earlier. Fortunately for the Continental Cause Counsel Samuel Adams offered Allen a commission to help meet this threat. Throughout the month of July Allen gathered his forces: three regiments of New Hampshire militia under Colonel John Stark, 500 Green Mountain volunteers under Colonel Seth Warner arrived, as well scattering of militia companies from Massachusetts were formed as a reserve.
    It wasn’t until early August that von Baum finally took his dismounted regiment of Brunswick cavalry in search of horses and supplies. Almost immediately von Baum was beset by hit and run tactics. Baum for his part was new to fighting in North America and not used to these hit and run tactics employed by these Continental “farmers”. Whenever Allen’s troops would lay a trap and strike the advancing mercenaries von Braum would deploy his troops only to find his enemy had gone. Unwilling to meet his foe on the field of battle von Baum had little regard to Continental militia, and continued into Allen’s trap.
    During the night of August 15 Allen sent detachments of troops to cut off von Baum’s avenue of escape. Word had already filtered into the Continental camp of atrocities committed by stragglers from von Baum’s column which enraged Allen’s men. At the town of Bennington Allen had his main force dug in and had build a redoubt. Warner and his Green Mountain Boys were waiting in the wings to fall upon von Baum once he became engaged. On the morning of the 16th von Baum, contrary to reports from his scouts informing him that he faced an enemy almost twice his side, told his officers to teach these novices how to make warefare.
    Around 3pm the battle began and as sharpshooter began to pick off officers the battle turned almost immediately against von Baum. With dwindling gunpowder supplies von Baum hadn’t expected to meet such stout defenses from a “lone wilderness” settlement. The Brunswick mercenaries fought valiantly even after then wagon supplies were infiltrated by Green Mountain Boys. Without much choice a last step saber charge was ordered by von Baum where the Colonel personally led the charge. The charge failed horrendously as von Baum was mortally wounded. Allen for his part let his men take out their frustrations on the now helpless mercenaries killing many in cold blood. It wasn’t until Colonel John Stark accepted the now dying von Baum surrender that the Massacre ended. At a cost of 40 dead and 60 wounded out of some 2100 troops involved. As the the British forces recorded some 350 killed and 550 wounded and captured. The loss of almost 1000 men was a deep loss for Burgoyne especially when word from Indian scouts sent to find out what happened to von Baum reported of a massacre.
     
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