God Save These American States

[Virginia Liberal]

Can do new England. Australia I'm saving for the spring simply because Australia is only a few scattered colonies still, it hasn't been heavily colonized, yet. New England is in the works probably tonight or tomorrow latest.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Boston, Ma

The mood in Boston was not what one would call happy. The City had been saved from attack by the Republican forces thanks to the arrival of British Regulars and a stubborn defense by the brave fighting men of the Royal New English Army. The fact that the Armies of the American Republics were threatening Boston and had captured the State of Connecticut were a sign that war had turned against New England. These facts had lead to the fall of Prime Minister Norman Gildson’s Government, it was replaced by an Emergency War Government led by William King of the Tory party as Prime Minister,Gordan Giles (Whig-N.H.) would become Speaker of the House, The rest of the cabinet would also be shuffled to reflect the new government Some like Christopher Allen (Whig-Ma) would remain their jobs but others were fired. The most shocking change was Adnrew Pinkman, leader of the Pine Tree Party being named Secretary of the Army. The fact that Andrew Pinkman gained a seat on the cabinet was due in large part to his befriending Victoria Duchess of New England, and her Husband Arthur Wellesley. This new Government was focused on winning the war or at least not being defeated and annexed by the FRA. However in the Long term it was acknowledged cdx that the Crown Republic needed more people, in the Crown Republic. If the first year of this war had proven two things it was that population was key and that the defender had the advantage in war from now on. Although it wouldn’t be enacted until the 1850’s the groundwork for the Immigrant Recruitment Act of 1852 would was laid in the winter of 1844-1845

Prime Minister: William King (Tory-N.H.)
Speaker of the House: Gordon Giles (Whig-N.H.)
Secretary of the Treasury: Christopher Allen (Whig-Ma)
Secretary of Imperial Relations: Andrew Jerryson (Tory-N.B.)
Minister of the Interior: Fredrick Rumple (I-Me)
Secretary of the Army: Andrew Pinkman (Pine-Ma)
Secretary of the Navy: Albert Farnsworth (Tory-Con)

Militarily the New English were far from ready to quit Childs, Wellesley and Major General Gordon Jones commander of the British Army now assigned to New England were already planning for their moves once the weather breaks. Chief on their agenda is to recapture the initiative to do this Jones along with Admiral Henry Longstreet were planning a two phase offensive. One that would try and drive the weakest member of the American Alliance out of the War. Longstreet wanted to strike at the core of the Commonwealth of American States, in a mostly symbolic way. Meanwhile the British and New English armies would advance once more in a campaign seeking to drive the Americans out of Connecticut and back on the defensive. It would all start on April 11, 1845.

Montpellier, Vermont

President Abraham Wynne and his fellow members of the Republican Reconquista Party were beside themselves with joy as they reviewed the gains from the first year of their war to reclaim the rest of New England from those backstabbing Royalists. Not only had they along with their Allies managed to prevent a New England Invasion of Vermont but they had managed to liberate the territory formerly called Connecticut, that was now called the Territory of Rhode Island, and was set to become part of the Republic of Vermont following the end of the war. Provided that they could hold on to it that is. The Fact that the American Block Armies had marched right up to the very gates of Boston only to finally be repelled stung. Wynne had been ready to walk up to that atrocity that they had built on Bunker Hill and kick the over embellished doors in. Wynne and his fellow RRP members were already working on a new Constitution that would transform the Republic of Vermont into the Republic of New England. Rebranding the Republic would better serve its expanded form as they added more states back into the fold. But of course that was something for another day before that could happen the war had to be won.

Militarily the Combined American Block Armies had decided upon a to stroke strategy for the spring campaign season. The Commonwealth and Federal armies would defend the ground gained in the fall campaign of 1844. Meanwhile, the Army of Vermont would marshal a large part of its striking power and into northern New Hampshire then angle south toward Concord which in addition to being the state capital was the major railroad hub outside of Boston in the Crown Republic of New England. If their Allies could hold what had already been taken and the Vermonters could take Concord then the Crown Republic of New England would be hard pressed to stay in the war with just one railroad connecting them to the Rest of British North America.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Japanese Influenza.

The winter of 1844 began with the Tokugawa Government along with the French Army of Japan mobilizing its army and navy to prepare for a war with the Russians and their Korean puppets. However the mustering camps quickly started seeing many of their men come down with an Illness. By the end of March the Illness had ravaged the camps and moved into the cities. By the time the plague lifted in the summer of 1844 over 2,073,472.96 Japanese had been killed. The 300,000 french living in Japan didn;t get off scot free 30,000 of them died from what had become known as Japanese Flu. The most tragic thing was that the Emperor Ninkō and all seven of his sons and two of his daughters, along with several members of the Tokugawa government, and the French Military Governor of Japan, leaving the Japanese Government in a quandary.

All of this was unknown to Prince Prince Toshihito who was sailing north from Australia with his elietly trained Regiment of Soldiers. Prince Toshihito and his men would arrive in southern Japan on June 15,1844 as the Japanese Flu was subsiding.It was here that he learned of the tragedy that befell his brother. Prince Toshihito quickly gathered up as many supporters as he could and began marching on Edu the capital of the French/Tokugawa government. This didn’t go unnoticed by the French and Tokugawa leaders they quickly peaced together an army and began marching south from Edo.

The Battle of Nagoya

The two armies would meet near the city of Nagoya. The Prince’s Force now consisted of 25,000 local Japanese troops plus his 6,000 men from Japan. Toshihito had brought enough weapons with him to equip and supply double this number of men. As he and his men progressed he announced himself as the true heir to the Japanese Throne. The French and Tokugawa forces on the other hand had 60,000 men however their morale was low after suffering through the flu the fact that the Imperial Family had been killed by the same flu.

The Battle would begin at 1200h on June 20th. For three hours the battle would seesaw between to the sides with it looking like the French backed army would win. Then 1645h two divisions worth of Tokugawa soldiers defected and joined the Prince’s army this left massive holes in the Tokugawa lines which Toshitio would take full advantage of and drive the Allied armies from the field capturing a large part of the Japanese part of the Army. Following the battle of Nagoya the Tokugawa shogunate fell apart and the French found the Japanese populus becoming more and more hostile toward them. On July 2,1844 Imperial prince Toshitio and his ever growing army wroul arrive at the gates of Edo. The French and their supporters were gone, along with all the gold and silver in the treasuries. This mass exodus had taken the entirety of the French Pacific Fleet, and the Tokugawa Navy in addition to any other ship or fishing boat they could lay their hands on. They had abandoned their holdings on the main island, and flet to the Northern Island of Ezo, where they established the Protectorate of Ezo.

Restoring the Empire of Japan

Toshihito would return to Kyoto where he would be crowned Emperor. Emperor Toshihito quickly abolished the shogunate and dissolved any forgien land holdings in Japan. Toshihito would rule in his own right as the Emperor, the absolute ruler of Japan. He would keep a privy council to help him govern the nation. He would break up the old clan based rule and divided Japan up into 12 districts, he would appoint his oldest and most trusted friends who had gone into exile with him as the Imperial Governors of each Imperial District. The Army from the highest ranking general to the lowest ranking soldier was made to swear an oath of loyalty to Toshihito. This was applied to a new class of Naval officers and sailors as well but the bulk of the old Japanese Navy had defected when the Tokugawa/French government fled to Ezo. He would begin plans for a new Imperial Navy but as of right now he had none. When it came to Ezo he had tough choices to make without a navy he had no way to capture the rogue Island. He would also summon the ambassador from the Russian Empire during this meeting he would promise that the Japanese Empire would not harass any Russian or Korean flagged ship, and that the ships flying the old flag were not part of the Japanese Empire. Toshihito would also meet with the ambassadors from the Italian Empire, The Union of German Republics, the Kingdom of Bavaria, the United Portugese Empire, the Federal Republic of America, the Commonwealth of American States, the Empire of Mexico and the Kingdom of Peru. formally establishing relations with them all.

A month later representatives of the Protectorate of Ezo and the newly established Japanese Empire would sign the treaty of Edo Bay. The French recognized the newly Crowned Emperor Toshihito as the true Emperor of Japan. While Toshihito grudgingly recognized the French Protectorate of Ezo as independent of the Japanese Empire. This treaty would end the Japanese Imperial Revolution. Emperor Toshihito would begin conducting an audit of the Empire’s gold and silver reserves and a study of the country’s precious metal production capability. Toshihito wanted to industrialize Japan however thanks to the French and their puppets stealing the gold reserves from Edo to their Ezo Protectorate leaving Japan broke.

Hakodate, Republic of Ezo (Protectorate)

Lucien Beaulieu was the former French Ambassador to the Tokugawa Shogunate (French Governor of the Colony of Japan) Now he found himself in a new Role statesman and founding father of the Republic of Ezo, this republic was basically the government of the Tokugawa Shogunate transplanted to the Northernmost of the Japanese Islands.

Lucien Beaulieu was also pleased to sign the treaty of Protection and Friendship making the Republic of Ezo a Protectorate and financial benefactor of the Kingdom of France. Now all he had to do was keep the Russians from invading. Lucien would accomplish this with the Treaty of Port Arthur signed on November 11,1844 which in exchange for damages caused by Japanese Sailors in previous years the Republic of Ezo ceded control of Sakhalin to the Russian Empire.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Rio de Janeiro , Kingdom of Brazil

The start of the 1840’s began with the ending of an Era Emperor Jose I of the United Portuguese Empire passed away at the age of 79 years old. He was succeeded by his only child Sebastian Xavier who was already 50 years old upon his being crowned Emperor Sebastian I of the United Portuguese Empire, King Sebastian II of Portugal and Algarve, King Sebastian I of Brazil. Sebastian would continue his father’s policies of focusing on developing the Empire holdings and staying out of the various wars that ripple around the globe. This general Neutrality would see the 1840’s become a boom time for the Empire. Sebastian had set a pattern that would be following by his children by for going the daughter of a foreign monarch to be his wife instead he married Patrícia Ávila Cavalcanti the daughter of a wealth Brazilan Planter. They would have three daughters Crown Princess Angélica Maria Serra de Braganza, Princess Andressa Zilda de Braganza, and Princess Constança Isabel de Braganza. All of whom would marry Brazilian or Portuguese nobles or wealthy families. If their Husbands were not of a noble family like in the case of Crown Princess Angelica he would take the Royal House’s name as his family name.

What this meant was that the Portuguese Empire spent the 1840’s growing rich as the warring nations began sinking each other’s merchantmen faster than they could be replaced Portuguese merchants began showing up to take their places and ferry goods to and fro for modest price increases under the safety of a neutral flag. The Portuguese merchants would be how the Empire chose to deal with nations that it liked and those that it didn’t. For example the Commonwealth of American States, Federal Republic of America, and the Kingdom of France hardly ever saw Portuguese ships arrive in their ports, while Portuguese merchants spent lots of time in Mexican, British, and Italian ports.

Emperor Sebastian I

This aversion to conflict with developed nations did not mean that the Portuguese Empire was completely pacifistic. Imperial forces would spend the 1840’s expanding and centralizing their African Colonies of Angola, Mozambique, and Gambia. This would make them one of only three nations to expand their aftican holdings during the 1840’s the others being the C.A.S. with their capture of Freetown and the British Sierra Leone Colony and the Swedish Empire with the establishment of their Kongo Colony. The expansion of Portuguese Mozambique would lead to a brush war with the Dutch Overseas Kingdom which was also trying to solidify its control of the southern part of the Africa.

Sadly Sebastian's reign would be brief in 1848 after just eight years on the throne Sebastian would get the Japanese Influenza after a Portugese trader brought some exotic goods to the royal family from Japan. The same illness that had decimated the Japanese Islands earlier in the decade. After suffering for weeks Sebastian would die on December 12,1848; on January 22,1849 Crown Princess Angelica Maria Serra de Braganza would be crowned Empress Angelica I of the United Portugese Empire, Queen Angelica I of the Portugal, Queen Angelica I of Algarve, and Queen Angelica I of Brazil. At just 37 years old it was hoped that she could reign as long as her grandfather had.

Empress Angelica I of the United Portuguese Empire, Queen Angelica I of the Portugal, Queen Angelica I of Algarve, and Queen Angelica I of Brazil

 

[Virginia Liberal]

A Russian pov is next then the 1845 kicks off. Unless yall have any other povs yall want to see

 

[Master Xion]

Did that flu that started in Japan trigger a global pandemic or did remain limited to Japan?

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Did that flu that started in Japan trigger a global pandemic or did remain limited to Japan?

No it did not. The dice roll was close but japan is too isolated and travel is just too slow right now. The Portuguese took it back to Brazil but even there it was much less severe than it was in japan. Japan's isolation from china help keep it localized as well

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Moscow, Russian Empire

Czar Michael II viewed the events that had taken place in 1844 with pride that he had gotten almost exactly what he wanted without having to spend any Russian lives to get it. The French position in Japan had been crippled with their puppet government being reduced to just the northern island of Ezo and that government having agreed to cede control of Sakhalin and most of the Kuril Islands to Russia. Then he had managed to get the Islands of NishinoShima, Mukojima Group Chichijima Group Iwo Jima and the Hahajima Group from the Empire of Japan when its new Emperor sought a peace treaty with the mighty Russian Empire. Micheal also forced both Japanese Governments to end their control of the Ryukyu Kingdom and recognize Russian the Ryukyu Kingdom as a Russian Protectorate. On February 7,1845 newly crowned King Shō Tai swore fidelity to the Czar of Russia and the Russians stationed a squadron of ships and two divisions of Infantry on the Islands. Admiral Nikita Pushkin would begin the process of turning Okinawa into a major Russian Naval Base.

For the Russians the Bloody decade wasn’t all so bad they had avoided any major war and got to watch as the British and French beat each other with sticks. Yet all was not as rosy as it might appear. As the 1840’s passed the Kingdom of Hungary-Croatia and the Byzantine Empire (a russian Client State) were starting to rattle sabers over the Balkans. Micheal’s older Brother Constantine XII and his ministers saw the Balkans as theirs by rights; the only problem was that the Croatians also claimed the Balkans as their rightful territory. In light of this saber rattling Micheal sent his brother a strongly worded telegram stating that Russia was not currently in any shape to fight a war in Eastern Europe and Constantine should back off before he found himself fighting alone. This telegram and the Hungarian’s not dragging their heels on getting involved with a Balkans war meant that this situation would not explode but simmer throughout the 1840’s.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Flight of the Manchu

There are some scholars who believe that the Chinese Reunification doesn’t begin till the outbreak of the Chinese Civil War 1864-1866, When the three largest chinese nations the Second Ming Empire, the Heavenly Kingdom, and the Hui Islamic Republic began a three way conflict for the soul of China. However, There are some scholars who see the Ming conquest of the Manchu in the 1840’s as the start of the Chinese Unification. These Scholars point out that although the Chinese Civil War would see the Ming establish a clear lead over the other two powers; it would not be until the 1910’s that China the bulk of China was reunited under the Ming with the Fall of the Heavenly Kingdom in the War of the Dragons 1907-1910.
From Reborn in Fire: The Chinese Dragon Rises from the Ashes published 1984

In July 1845 The Russian Far East Army had over 180,000 soldiers supported by 106 batteries of artillery that had been built up for an Invasion of Japan that now would never happen. For General Rurik Semenov it was a question of what to do now. Then the Russian Governor of Manchuria was approached by a diplomatic party from the Second Ming Empire. The Ming were ready to “Devour the sickly Qing Empire as their first step to restoring China.” Governor Sevastian Zhukov wasn;t sure that a revived China was in Russia’s best interest however he like any good bureaucrat passed the Ming proposal along to Moscow via Telegram. The Answer would come back 4 days later “All of Manchuria becomes Russian and the Ming can do what they want with the rest.”

On August 7,1845 Russian forces crossed the border and invaded the Qing Empire in Manchuria. Meanwhile the Ming Army invaded from the south. The Qing Empire, not in the best state to start with, found itself hard pressed to stop a joint invasion. The Fall of the Qing would be completed by two battles The First was the Battle of Mukden in the north. Their the Russian Far East Army would encounter the Qing Northern Border Army, the RFEA and the QNBA were just equal in size the Russians having 150,000 men (130,000 Infantry, and 20,000 Cavalry) the Chinese having 145,000 men (135,000 infantry, and 10,000 Cavalry) however the Russians had far more artillery than the chinese with 106 batteries (100 Field guns, and 6 Horse Gun batteries) to the Chinese 26 batteries of random artillery pieces. The battle would begin at 1300h on August 8th and last four days until 2100h on August 11th. General Duàn Peizhi and his men would give the Russians a bloody nose but in the end it was the superior Russian artillery, equipment and supply that carried the day. During the night of August 11th the Chinese Northern Border Army would slip away towards Beijing but it was forced to abandon all but its walking wounded and most of its artillery in order to avoid the Russian Cossack patrols After the Battle of Mukden the QNBA only had 86,000 men left ready for battle and 8 batteries of artillery.

While to the South the Ming Army 95,000 men and 18 batteries of artillery was able to march all the way to Langfang before encountering a sizable Qing force. The Ming Imperial Northern Army led by General Zhu Yitan the nephew of the Ming Emperor. The Second Battle of Langfang would see General Zhu Yitan’s Ming Imperial Northern Army engage with the Qing Imperial Bodyguards Army led by General Mo Song. The Imperial Bodyguards were massively outnumbered having only 56,000 men and 20 batteries of mix match artillery. However they fought like cornered tigers holding off the Ming troops for a full day before withdrawing to the Capital of Beijing. However they had bought time for Emperor Miankai and General Chen Huacheng to flee to the coast to meet up with a Quig Frigate that would carry them to the Empire of Mexico, to live in exile.

On August 12, 1845 the Ming Army now headed by the Ming Emperor himself would arrive at the gates of the City of Beijing. The City was not what it had once been and much of it was still in ruins from the sack at the end of the Great Opium War. The Defenders of the city would simply lower the Qing flag and surrender. Emperor Zhu Xiuxiang would accept the surrender of the garrison and pronounce the Qing State absorbed into the Ming Empire. He would cede Manchuria to the Russians in exchange for 1.5 million gold rubles, a large portion of which would be spent on rebuilding Beijing and the other former Qing controlled areas. Czar Micheal II would waste little time in annexing the rest of Manchuria into the Russian Empire, he would import the Russianification programs that had been running in outer manchuria since the end of the Great Opium War, and open the area up to settlement by Russians.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

what did yall think about the Flags of the Japanese Nations, Next post will move on to 1845

 

[pattontank12]

what did yall think about the Flags of the Japanese Nations, Next post will move on to 1845

I liked them.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Third Battle of Cape Charles

On March 7,1845 the Royal New English Navy supported by two squadrons of Royal Navy ships slipped out of Boston Harbor. To fool any American Spies they sailed North first before sailing out to sea and turning south, by doing this they completely fooled any American spotters along the New English Coast. Meanwhile the CASN Atlantic Fleet based in New York Harbor for the duration of the Conflict decided to Rotate half of itself back south to each squadron's home port. It just so happens that it is the Northern Squadron based at Norfolk that gets to return home first.

March 21,1845 The two fleets meet my accident at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and the Third Battle of Cape Charles begins in earnest. The Commonwealth Ships are heavily outnumbered almost two to one in ships of the line. Rear Admiral George Stephens and his sailors do their best but after eight hours of battle the CASN has to break off and sail north. The Butcher's bill has been high of the 12 CASN Ships of the line; only 4 are able to break off and retreat to the North; and of those four ships two will be chased down by New English Frigates and either sunk or forced to scuttle. The Defeated CASN Northern Squadron will seek shelter in Wilmington Delaware. On Land observers having witnessed the battle report what has happened to Virginia Militiamen in Norfolk and Hampton, Thanks to telegraph wires Governor Christopher Killroy in Richmond is able to order reinforcements to the coast. These take the form of mostly militia and these militiamen are split half heading to Williamsburg and Half heading to Norfolk. In Norfolk the Naval Base is defended by the 42nd Virginia Infantry Brigade regulars but not battle tested, and the newly formed 4th Old Dominion Marine Brigade. Brigadier General Thomas G. Roosevelt Commander of the 42nd Virginia is in command of the defense of the city. To the North the Capital Guards Brigade is moved via Railroad from Richmond to Williamsburg. The Capital Guards are known as a paride unit for protecting the governor's residence and the State Capital, however they had received a new commanding officer Brigadier General George Washington Lee recently returned from service in the Bolivian Campaign where he served with distinction. At Williamsburg Lee would assume command of the Militia gathering there in addition to his own men.

The Invasion of Virginia

Virginia Capital Guards Soldiers in their Colorful Uniforms

Having driven off the Commonwealth Navy the Royal Navy would proceed to enter Hampton Roads. And engaging Fort Monroe(1), Fort Patrick Henry (2), and Fort Lighthorse Lee(3). The Forts engaged the Royal Navy ships and did a good job of keeping them from entering the James River, or the Elizabeth River. Yet, they could not prevent the Transports from landing troops at Yorktown on the York River. the 1st Royal New English Marines, the 3rd Royal Marine Division at Yorktown.

The Battle of Kings Creek would begin at 1500h on March 21,1845. Lee would move his 15,000 Infantry, 5,000 Dragoons and 5 batteries of field guns to where the Williamsburg-Yorktown Road crossed King’s Creek deploying his men on the western side of the swamp. Major General David Ambrose was pushing his Marines hard trying to take as much advantage of the shock of the landings as possible. His 30,000 men were all highly trained light infantry and could stand the pace easily enough. They ran into Lee’s Virginians when they tried to cross Kings Creek. The battle would last five hours until well after the sun sank below the horizon. The British and New English struggled to attack across the murky swampy creek. Although outnumbering Lee by 2 to 1 Ambrose and his men were unable to dislodge the Virginians. During the night Virginia Militia men and regiments training to deploy else were flooded into Williamsburg. While the troops flooded there was some debate on whether or not to abandon the capital and at the end of the March 21st it was decided that the House of Delegates and the Commonwealth Council should evacuate inland however Chancellor Harrison and the cabinet would remain in Williamsburg as long as the Army was holding the british at bay. So during the night as trains brought troops in they would take the Commonwealth House of Delegates and Council out of the city. They would set up the legislative branch of the Commonwealth Government in the Virginia State Capitol Richmond.

By the morning Lee found himself in charge of a force of just under 24,000 men and 8 batteries of artillery. The British wasted no time in renewing their attacks on the Virginian’s positions. While the New English attempted to flank the Virginian line to the south. This would lead to the New English attack on the Marquis Hills which were the southern flank of Lee’s line. Beginning at 1300h the battle for the Marquis Hills would consume most of the energy for the second day of the battle, by 1900h after six hours of fighting the New English had managed to drive the Virginian off of the hills only to find them regrouping on the west side of Whiteman’s Swamp. That night General Ambrose met with his brigade commanders and decided to pull back to Yorktown and withdraw to the transports. Each day the Virginians get stronger and we get weaker. His plan had the New English Marines pull back from their location during the night and act as a rear guard while the 3rd Division embarked on the transports.

When the sun dawned on March 23rd Lee quickly realized that the British were pulling out and chose to attack. Lee’s men ran into the New English Marines digging in along a slight rise along the Williamsburg Yorktown road. The New English Marines tied up Lee’s advance for the rest of the day. To the cost of the entire brigade, either killed, captured or wounded. Lee and his men would approach Yorktown shortly after the last of the Royal Marines had headed out to the transports. The Virginia invasion had been repulsed. George Washington Lee was hailed a hero, and would be promoted to Major General at 38 years old.

Major General George W. Lee

1. OTL Fort Monroe
2. OTL Fort Wool, built much earlier and similar to Fort Sumter in Charleston
3. OTL Willoughby Spit copy of Fort Monroe

 

[Gentleman Johnny]

Three cheers for the Virginians!

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Yes the Brits were hoping for another American capital barn fire like they did to New York city back in 1805. But it didnt work out for them this time around. Good thing cause it would have probably caused the CAS to sur for peace the way the dice are rolling for some states moral level. Sc, Ga.La, and Da are not happy at the moment. Instead all homefront morale got a plus 5

 

[traveller76]

I foresee a bright future for Major General Lee.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

I foresee a bright future for Major General Lee.

He has made quite a name for himself going from Captain to Major General in over three years. And Virginia has firmly established itself as the Prussia (otl Prussia that is) of the New World. The Premiere Army in the CAS.

Also I think it's funny that no one ever guards the York River. The James is one of the most heavily defended waterways on the east coast. The York is like oh crap we left the back door open.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Concord Campaign Part 1

The spring campaign started with the Vermonter 5th Army 85,000 Infantry, 15,000 Cavalry 22 batteries of field guns and 4 batteries of horse guns under the command of General Roger Thompson began marching southeast though the rough country of Northern New Hampshire. Following their failed invasion of Vermont The New English had pulled back to the southern part of the state where the bulk of their industry and population was. Thompson’s objective was the state capital Concord. Concord was also one of the largest Railroad junctions in the Crown Republic of New England. If he could take the city or at least destroy the Railroads there then he would be dealing the New English war effort a near fatal blow. The mid April weather was warm and pleasant as his men marched south encountering only Militia units here or there, all were scattered and poorly organized. That was until they marched through the village of New Hampton and approached the pass though Burleigh Mountain. Burleigh Mountain was where the New Hampshire Militia had rallied there and the nearby town of Bristol. In the Pass that the Road used to travel south though the mountain Brigadier General Horance Pierce had gathered a force of 45,000 militia and 4 batteries of field guns; mostly old men and young boys but all of whom were ready to defend hearth and home.

The Battleof Burleigh Mountain Began on April 9,1845 when Thompson’s 5th Army marched down from the north toward the pass. When his cavalry reported an organized force blocking the pass. Even though his men had been pushing scattered militia around since they crossed the border Thompson knew that the Royalist had an army around Concord and decided to concentrate his army before he pushed on south. Last thing he wanted was to be suckered into a trap. So he deployed a Division of Infantry to the east protecting his left flank while he took the rest of the army into the pass. The battle began at 1600h late in the day. The fighting was harder than Thompson expected General Pierce’s encouragement and the easily defended positions of the pass had put steel in the backs of the Militiamen. Even though they were armed with everything from Flintlock muskets and Pennsylvania Rifles dating back to the American Revolution to modern caplock muskets they were able to make the Vermonters bleed for every yard of ground they gained.

In this fashion the New English Militia would drag out the battle for a full second day before withdrawing to the south, after learning that reinforcements were not coming. On the Morning of April 11th when General Thompson and his exhausted men emerged from the south entrance of the pass he had lost 1,500 men killed and 3,600 men wounded. He was forced to deploy into defensive positions and rest his men before he moved on south. While Thompson was forced to rest his men after their grueling two day battle General Childers moved his army north from Concord to the Town of Tilton on the Winnipesaukee River and had his men start entrenching on the hills on the southern bank of the river. When the exhausted Militiamen fell back to the town Childers would place them on his far Right Flank west near the town of Pemigewasset Village where he assumed that they would be out of the way when the Vermonters started south again.

The Vermonters wouldn’t arrive until April 14th however Thompson was not charging head long into the jaws of Childers' defenses. No he sent his cavalry in force for a heavy reconnaissance of the Royalist positions when Major General Norman Bellringer reported he reported that the Militia were on the Royalist extended Left flank. With this in mind Thompson decided to hit the Militiamen again. So he split his army up he sent 3 divisions under Major General Christopher Yancy towards the Royalist positions while he took the four divisions toward the Militia at Pemigewasset Village he would leave one division in reserve the Artillery and Cavalry he would split between the two Columns.

1200h April 15,1845 the Battle of Winnipesaukee River was well underway by this point. General Yancy’s column had arrived in Tilton at 0800h that morning and had immediately crossed the river and engaged the New English regulars defending the southern bank. Then two hours later at 1000h General Thompson’s column had arrived at Pemigewasset Village and had managed to cross the river there as well and engage the militiamen defending the town. Now Childers was having to deal with full fledged assaults on both his Left and Right flanks (his center was open except for scattered pickets relying on the River and the harsh landscape to hold. As the day drug on the Militiamen at Pemigewasset Village began to give ground under the well organized attacks launched by Thompson and the Vermonters. They had spent the winter learning the fire and rush tactics that the Commonwealth Army had developed for its men using their McKnight Revolving Rifles, and they worked just as well with the Vermonters Colt Revolving rifles. These tactics further limited the effectiveness of the New English militia’s slow firing muzzle loading guns.

As reports of the Militiamen starting to give ground got back to Childers he decided to send them some reinforcement in the form of a Brigade of Regulars and one of the batterie of Grinder Guns that had been attached his army during the winter. The reinforcements would arrive at 1640h it was one of those moments where things fell just right for the New English. The Militia in the center of the line were on the verge of breaking when the Grinder guns galloped in and deployed behind the flaging line. After a few minutes of offices shouting for the Militia to clear the field of fire the Grinders opened up. True to their name they ground up the Vermonter attack that was so close to breaking through the New English lines. The victorious attack became a route as the Vermonters in front of the Grinder Gun battery began to flee. Still the Battle was not over as they recovered the Vermonter Brigades began to advance again this time trying to swing wide and flank the deadly battery of Grinder guns. Yet the momentum had swung the Militiamen rallied around the Regulars and the renewed Vermonter attacks were met with stiff resistance which held them up till the Grinder Guns now broken up into two gun sections could be shifted to envelope these new attacks in their deadly fire. By the end of the day the Vermonters had given up and had pulled back to the northern side of the River.

To the East General Yancy would receive word that Thompson had been forced to break off the attack shortly before dusk. His own attack had been bogged down for hours by this point. He would use the darkness of night to also pull his men back across the river. The Vermonters would prepare for a New English Counter attack on April 16th, this was a very good thing. At 1100h Childers sent his regulars across the river in an attempt to drive the Vermonters back. Yancy had moved the unengaged Reserve Division up to his front so that he had fresh men to meet any attack. Childers viewed the Grinder Guns as a defensive weapon only so when his men attacked their Grinder Guns were left behind. This meant that the Commonwealth’s McKnight Rifles had the firepower advantage. The New English attack would suffer greatly each time they charged the Green coated Vermonters finally as darkness fell Childress was forced to recall his men. The Vermonters would withdraw back to Burleigh Mountain to regroup.Both armies were fought out and forced to enter camp to rest and regroup for some time. So ended the first part of the Concord Campaign.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

The Concord Campaign Part 2

To the south of the 5th Army’s offensive. Following the defeat in the Battle of Boston the American Armies had pulled back. By the spirn they were deployed in a loose line from Worcester Ma where the Commonwealth Army of New England was encamped, to Providence where the Federal Army Vermont Expeditionary Force was encamped. In Between those two the Vermont 3rd Army was Encamped at the small village of Douglas. These Armies were on a defensive setting hoping to hold British and New English Forces in place around Boston to allow the Vermont 5th Army to deal with only an isolated part of the Royalist Forces.

In Boston General Jones was ready to begin his offensive, with fairly accurate scouting reports by New English Cavalry and patriotic citizens reports he was confident. He would take his Army all 100,000 men (80,000 Infantry, 20,000 Cavalry) and 20 batteries of artillery aimed at the Vermont 3rd Army in Douglas. Once he had driven them off in defeat he would be dividing the two remaining American Armies. While he was fighting the Vermont 3rd Army. General Wellesley would take his Southern New English Army Now Just 50,000 Infantry, 15,000 Cavalry supported by 13 batteries of artillery and drive on the Federal Army in Providence.

The two battles would begin on the same day April 10, 1844 the Battle of Douglas would begin at 1000h with The British Regulars attacking the Vermonter’s Left Flank. The British Army outnumbered the Vermont 3rd army three to one, however once again the quick firing Colt Revolving Rifles made up for the numbers and the Vermonters were able to hold the flank under heavy pressure. Now General Jones showed that he was learning to deal with the quick firing rifles instead of massing his infantry he thinned out his lines and kept pushing to the left while launching feint attacks on the Center and on his Right flank, to keep the Vermonters from shifting troops from their left to their right. Eventually he reached the point where the Vermonters couldn’t. When his men reported that the Vermonter flank was up in the air Jones ordered his two reserve divisions to round the Vermonter Flank and Roll it up. At 1745h the British flanking attack was renewed however they were running out of daylight. Major General Richard Plum would risk sending two brigades one from the center one from the left to reinforce his right flank. Still he knew he was in trouble as the darkness of the night enveloped the battlefield. As Plum was planning on how he was going to extract his army from this battle without losing another third of it. A Rider arrived in the Uniform of the Commonwealth Army. He brought word from General Taylor for him to fortify his position and Keep the British Looking at his men come the morning they would be in for a surprise.

Vermonters Hold the Flank

When the sun rose on April 11th General Jones and the British renewed their attacks on the Vermonter Right flank, however they found it heavily reinforced over the night, so Jones began to Probe the Vermonter Center and Left flank. His men would find the Vermonter Left flank “much weaken”. However it was during these early morning hours that the British Cavalry failed Jones by completely missing the approach for Taylor and the Commonwealth Army of New England. The British Cavalry had laid on a heavy screen to the North and west of the town of Douglas, however Taylor swung east marching south through Milford the turning west. Jones would have been caught completely unaware except that there was a single cavalry company at the town of Uxbridge where they had been reshoeing their horses at a local blacksmith. It was at 1500h that Taylors Cavalry approached the town and drove the British out; they tried to capture the entire company but one trooper Corporal Thomas Umpton managed to escape. It would be he that informed General Jones that he had Americans in his rear. By this point in the battle the Jone’s reserve was a throw together division made up of units that had been rotated out of the line from yesterday’s action. It was this ad hoc division along with as much cavalry that he could gather together (15,000 men and 5,000 cavalry) that he would turn east to meet the advancing American force which he believed to be a division’s worth of cavalry he sent two batteries of field guns with them for support. They Would meet the Americans where the Douglas Road crossed Wellman Brook, with the first shots being fired at 1536h.

As the battle continued Jones began to grow worried about the volume of fire he was hearing coming from the east. By 1730h he sent his staff to recon the battle by Wellman brook. This staff officer would report back just an hour later that the Division defending Wellman Brook was facing at least three American Divisions of Infantry as well as a Division’s worth of cavalry; and were trying to mount a fighting withdrawal to keep from getting cut off. It was at 1830h that Jones finally grasped the direness of his situation. He began issuing orders for his men to begin disengaging from the Vermonters defending Douglas. Pulling back towards the south, he had hoped to make an escape south then turn east and back to boston. However where the Round Top Road and the Pine road intersected his vanguard ran into the 1st and 2nd North Carolina Negro Legions. Who open fire on the advancing red coats in the light of the moon. With his march stalled Jones had his men from up defensive lines and get what rest they could.

The 1st and 2nd North Carolina Negro Legions Hold the Road Closed

The Sun dawned on April 12th to find that the Commonwealth and Vermonter armies had encircled him. He Gathered up two divisions worth of men and launched an attack at the Colored troops blocking his escape to the south. The attack went in at 0700h and it immediately stalled. The North Carolinians had not issued their colored soldiers McKnight Revolver Rifles instead issuing them the Palmetto Breech loading rifle. However they had become professors with guns and were able to get a hight and accurate volume of fire. The attack broke at 0845h with the British regulars throwing down their rifles and running. Meanwhile the Taylor and Plum were bombarding the british positions with every field gun and horse gun they had. By noon Jones had had enough and he sent a messenger under white flag to Plum and Taylor and asked for a cease fire. The British would surrender unconditionally at 1330h. They would be held in Prisoner of War Camps in Vermont until the end of the war. It was the biggest British defeat since Yorktown.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

This Story is still my baby and no where near finished but it has s younger sibling. I launched my second timeline over in the post 1900 thread if you want to check it out the link is in my signature

 

[Virginia Liberal]

I give you the state flag of Bolivia