Emperor of Columbia: A Monarchist America

Part 1:


Early in the spring of 1777, the forces of the Continental Congress of America seemed to be losing against the forces of King George. Already, New York, New Jersey, and much of the South were under the control of the British. In March, General William Howe suggested a strike into Pennsylvania, eventually taking Philidelphia by the end of the summer. Philidelphia was an important target, being the meeting place of the Continental Congress. If the Congress was taken, Howe believed, Washington and the other Continental Generals would give up, and peace could return to British america. Howes plans for the campaign were approved, and he was given 20,000 British and German troops to capture the city.


In early June of that year, forces of the Royal Navy sailed into the Delaware Bay. Within a few days, a large force of British regulars had disembarked a dozen miles south of Newcastle. During this time, local militia forces, loyal to the President of Delaware, John McKinley, massed in Newcastle. The forces gathered numbered about 5,000, so for any victory to be achieved, help was needed from the Continental Army. George Washington and the Continental army at this time had been stationed just south Philidelphia. When messengers from Newcastle arrived on the 17 of June, the idea that the Continental Army be sent south was vetoed by the Continental Congress, which was in favor of using the army to fortify Philidelphia.


The Continental Army Command, on the night of June 19, discussed disobeying the Congress, and marching certain units southwards in defense of Newcastle. By morning, it was decided that 7,000 regulars would be sent southwards, gathering Pennsylvania militias on the way to relieve Newcastle. So, on June 20, 1777, parts of the Continental Army, under George Washington marched southwards.


Meanwhile, William Howe and the British Army began to besiege Newcastle. British headquarters were set up in the small rural villages of Townsend and Clayton. Then, Newcastle was surrounded by the Royal Army. Next, an ultimatum was given to the towns militia commander Hugh Mercer, to surrender the town and leave without their weapons. After four hours, with no response by Mercer, the Royal Army began to bombard the town. By the end of the day, the Royal Navy began to bombard Newcastle from the sea.


From the 19 to the 27 of June, Newcastle was under siege with no hopes of any help from the Continental Army. However, on the 27 of June, Forward Elements of the Continental Army began to skirmish with Howes army north of Townsend. For the next few days, as Washingtons army arrived in the Newcastle area, Continental Forces fought their way towards Newcastle. Somehow, on the 29, a Continental Spy managed to get into Newcastle and inform them that they should attempt to break out on the 30. On the 30 of June, around 9:00 AM, Continental Army forces and Delaware militia both attempted assaults on the British Siege Lines. That day, the Delawarean forces managed to break out in the south especially, where regiments had been taken from to counter Washington. By the end of the day, the siege was broken, and Newcastles people as well the Delaware militia fled out through the Northern roads.


The siege had ended, with most of the defenders escaped, and the town now undefended.
 
Welcome to the North American Monarchy Thread Club Baconheimer. Tea will be served at 7:00 PM GMT each night in the Green Map Room. :)
 
Another North American Monarchy thread. These threads always have intrigued me. I will be watching this thread with interest and wish you well. Like another has said, I am particularly interested in seeing how you turn overwhelming republican sentiment into a monarchy.
 
Part 2:
With the seige of Newcastle ended on June 30, 1777, about 5000 militia from Delaware were freed up to defend Philidelphia. During the night of the 30, Washington, McKinley, and the rest of the staff convened, deciding that the best course of action would be to return to, and defend Philidelphia, as the Continentals would probably not win again in Delaware. So, on the morning of the 1 of July, 1777, the Continental Army marched north out of Newcastle.

Upon the return to Philidelphia, on June 10 (Celebrations took place on the 4 that slowed down the Continentals retreat), General Washington was informed that he was under arrest by the Continental Congress for disobeying a direct order, but also because they feared he might become too powerful. Nevertheless, Washington was not allowed to command the army for the next few weeks.

So the Continental Congress began to look around for leader to replace Washington. They looked around the Continental Army command, and found Thomas Conway, a colonel praised for his valor at Newcastle, his unit charging a British battery, but whose promotion had been denied by Washington, so an enemy of Washington at the time. Conway set the Continental Army to fortifying Philidelphia.
240px-Thomas_Conway_portrait.jpg


Throughout July of 1777, William Howes army moved north, conquering vast swathes of Delaware and New Jersey, while the Continental Army sat around in camps waiting for the enemy. Finally, on the 29 of July, the first British forces began to arrive in the Philidelphia area, skirmishing with Continentals and Militia, ill equipped and mentally unprepaired.

On the 1 of August, a British force of 7,000 began an assualt upon the southern defences on the outskirts of Philidelphia. This force was supported by alot of Artillery, which was used to keep the Continentals heads down while the British troops stormed the earthworks. British forces began to pour into the defences, which caused Conway to commit forces from the west and north of the city to the south. Around 3:00 PM that day, a few cavalry and light infantry batallions attacked from the West, overrunning the undermanned earthworks there. That night, fighting continued all over the city, with more of Howes army streaming in each hour.
bunker_hill-earthworks.jpg


On the morning of the 2, the last of the Continental Army command fled Philidelphia as William Howe entered the city, burning down the Pennsylvania state house in a symbolic act.
 
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