God Save These American States
I had not set up a chapter on the UPE I did kinda cover french Argentina but there is not a whole lot going on in these there right at the moment. New Aquitaine and the UPE will factor into the Bloody Decade as a front in the Second War of Spanish Succession. And in the Upcoming Cold Years that follow it in the 1850s and scramble for Africa in the 1860s and 70s
It's still Jose I his eldest son just turned 16 in 1839. There will be an imperial wedding as a bright spot amongst the blood of the 1840s. It's already been hinted at a while ago. I wonder if anyone can guess.
I was gonna do it in 1839 but felt the 40s needed some light amid the darkness
I was gonna do it in 1839 but felt the 40s needed some light amid the darkness
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Ok was just making sure because the Mexico update has the Emperor named Antonio I
Oh thanks I'll fix it. His full name is Jose Antoino ect.. In early drafts I had him choose Antoino as his regal name. I must have looked at the wrong draft.
The Bloody Decade: Prelude The Colombian Civil War
The Bloody Decade began on March 7, 1841 when the Colombian Empire sent its east out of Valencia heading straight for Caracas the seat of the Bolivian Government. Following the Revolution of 32 the newly formed Imperial consisted of the core of the old Republican Army of 32,000 enlisted men plus officers. Over the course of the next ten years the Imperial Government would expand this small army to a force of 125,000 enlisted men plus officers. This was done slowly so that the training quality of the new recruits was just as good the older soldiers. The money it took to do this however required sacrifices upon its formation the Imperial Army had wished to up grade from the Flintlock Model 1812 Halls breechloading Rifle. However, as the coast of expanding the army to its needed size became apparent it was decided to for go this and keep the flintlock rifle. When the Colombian’s began their Invasion of Bolivia they committed were able to commit a force of 65,000 men supported by 90 field guns (15 batteries). In Bolivia the Republicans had not been able to replicate the success of the Imperials when it came to re-arming. As each state maintained its own military, this meant that the central government could not maintain a unified quality of the troops. It could control the arms that the Army was equipped with and though its murmurous contacts was able to secure the Palmetto Breach Loading Rifle for used on their troops. The Palmetto Rifle was not one of the McKnight series, it had been designed about the same time and fired a 50-56 caliber rimfire bullet, it was a single shot trapdoor action similar to the Custer Rifle that the Federals were using. When the Colombian Invasion began in the spring of 1841 Bolivia called up all the state armies to defend against the Imperial invasion a combined army of only 55,500 men supported by 72 field guns (12 Batteries) was all that they could assemble.
The Caracas campaign was the first of the war and it would show the difference that training made. The opening battle took place at Las Tejerias on March 21, 1841; here 35,000 supported by 48 field guns Bolivians entrenched around the town in the narrow valley met an Colombian Army of 40,000 supported by 60 Field guns. The battle was a bloody affair but two things became apparent quickly first the Bolivians not having the brass for the bullets for the Palmetto Rifle had used copper instead these shell began to swell in the humid conditions making jamming a major issue for the Bolivians, second the low quality of many of the Bolivian troops began to tell as the battle entered its second day. And the exhausted and frustrated Bolivian soldiers began to break under the pressure of Colombian attacks. By then end of the 22nd of May the Bolivians were forced to withdraw or risk their army breaking over course of battle on the 23rd of May. The Bolivians would fall back to the Fortress city of Los Teques where they would reinforce the 5,000 man garrison and prepare to make their next stand because behind Los Teques nothing stood between the Colombians and the gates of Caracas. The Battle of Las Tejerias was a bloody affair the Colombians took close to 3,500 men killed with 4,800 more men wounded. The Bolivians got off easier taking just 1,500 men killed and 2,600 men wounded. For the European observers the failure of the Bolivian rifles came as a relief as the firearms revolution that place in America had started to worry them just a bit. The Commonwealth advisors not pleased to learn of metal substitution in the shells however what they took away from the battle was the effect that the entrenchments had done for the Bolivians even with their ammunition issues. Meanwhile in Williamsburg the Filibusterer ambassador for Bolivia to the CAS began making the case for CAS intervention on Bolivia’s behalf.
Colombian Imperial Army attacks Bolivian Positions
The Colombians would push ahead with the next phase of their plan on May 30, 1841 the Colombian Imperial Navy would engage the Bolivian Counterpart off the Isla La Tortuga. Their for the first time ever two steam powered fleets would engage each other. The Bolivian Navy was more organized than the Army but over the last decade the Bolivian government had not been kind to the navy and many of their ships were far from fully seaworthy; still when the two fleets met the Bolivians fielded a fleet 38 ships centered around 1 50 gun steam powered ship of the line and 12 steam frigates the rest were a combination of steam sloops and brigs. The Imperial Armada fielded a fleet of 50 ships; the Imperial battle line featured a battle line of two 52 gun steam ships of the line and 17 steam frigates the rest of the fleet consisted of Sloops and brigs. The after a fierce five hour battle the Colombian Imperial Armada would emerge victorious. The Bolivians lost their ship of the line, 6 frigates, and 10 smaller ships; the Colombians lost 4 frigates and 8 smaller ships. The Colombians would go on to land 45,000 men at the town of Higuerote. This Army would quickly sever the remaining roads into the Bolivian Capital city and begin the siege of Caracas would officially begin on April 8, 1841.
Colombian Steamships on Patrol
Only 28,000 men and 24 field guns would escape the siege to continue field actions further east. This army would rally at El Guapo, where they would an additional 24,000 men to join the Army. However these men were ill trained and equipped with the older 1812 Halls Rifle not the newer palmetto rifle. This army commanded by Damián Zambrano would fight a series of battles along the eastern flank of the Colombian lines besieging Caracas. These attacks were easily driven off by the Colombian Imperial Army but they served to keep the moral of the defenders up. Meanwhile to the west Bolivian partisan groups constantly harassed Colombian supply trains as they bough supplies form Colombian Supply dumps to the front. Over the course of the Summer these hit and run attacks would continue but the Bolivians lacked the artillery to break the Colombian siege; and inside Caracas the defenders and civilians were fast running out of supplies. By mid-August The Bolivians would mount a desperate breakout. At dawn on August 18, 1841 the defenders began a massive bombardment having moved heavy artillery form other sectors of the front to concentrate on the Colombian eastern flank that had been subject to so many rear attacks by the Bolivian Field Army. The attack from inside the pocket caught the Colombians off guard and the Bolivians were able to successfully get 18,000 troops and some civilians out of the city before the Colombians closed the breech in the lines. This left just 10,000 men defending the city. Realizing what had happened the Colombians would launch two massive attacks on the defenses on the western flanks and the center of the line on August 20, 1841. These were the areas which had their heavy guns stripped away to support the breakout. The Bolivians would fight desperately but they were outnumbered 3 to 1 and lacked the heavy artillery support that could have made up of the lack of manpower, and they were forced back out of their earthworks and into the support trenches. The battle would continue until August 24, 1841 when with most of the city a smoking ruin Major General Isandro Diaz would surrender his command to Major General Marcio Pedroza of the Colombian 12th Army. When the fighting in Caracas finally ended just 3,500 Bolivians were left able to fight.
The Bolivian Army attacks the Colombian Siege lines around Caracas.
The Commonwealth of American States Chancellor Election of 1841
1841 would make the last year of the the Jackson administration. No one could argue that Jackson and the CMDP hadn’t reshaped the Commonwealth during the past nine years. As March approached the CCP, the CMDP, the SNA and Even the Aquila, and Louisiana Republican Parties would select who they would nominate for the Chancellor election. The CMDP would nominate the Forgein secretary William Henry Harrison. The CCP would nominate Virginia state senator Henry Clay. The SNA would field two candidates as its two wings couldn’t agree the Hawks would nominate Charles Coker Governor of South Carolina while the Doves would nominate Francis Underwood a state assembly man also form South Carolina. The Louisiana Republican Party would nominate Andre B. Roman; and lastly The Aquila Party would nominate Juan Carlos Garcia mayor of Havana. With so many candidates in the race every one was aware this could be the first election to go past two votes in decades. It also saw many start to question if the SNA would end up splitting like the UCP had.
March 11,1841 would be a sunny spring day in Williamsburg, CD as the candidates were delivering their speeches the House was shocked as the SNA Dove Candidate Francis Underwood would announce that he was withdrawing from the election and ask his supporters in the House to vote for Harrison the CCP candidate not his fellow South Carolinian and SNA party member Charles Coker. As Underwood was the last to give his speech the first vote would commence once he stepped down from the podium.
1841 Chancellor election first house vote 93 needed to win
Henry Clay (CCP-VA) 66 Votes
William Henry Harrison (CMDP-VA) 61 votes
Juan Carlos Garcia (AP-Ca) 36 votes
Charles Coker (SNA(H)-SC) 15 votes
Andre Roman (LPR-La) 5 votes
The results of the first vote saw Clay take a 5 vote lead but still no where near the 93 votes needed to win. Harrison came in a close second with 61 votes. The shock to many was how well the Cuban Candidate did as some Dominican votes defected to him. By the rules the two lowest candidates were dropped so the second vote would be between Clay, Harrison, and Garcia.
1841 Chancellor election second house vote 93 needed to win
Henry Clay (CCP-VA) 74 Votes
William Henry Harrison (CMDP-VA) 65 votes
Juan Carlos Garcia (AP-Ca) 44 votes
The Second vote would once again see Garcia shock the house as the Louisianan Cuban, and Dominican delegates would defect their party blocks to vote for him. Still Garcia came in third which meant that he would be dropped from the next vote. Clay was still leading in the votes to with 74 to Harrison’s 65.19 It appeared that Clay had the easier path to the win needing to covert just 19 of Garcia’s votes in place of the 28 needed by Harrison.
1841 Chancellor Election third house vote 93 needed to win
William Henry Harrison (CMDP-VA) 94 votes
Henry Clay (CCP-VA) 89 Votes
The outcome of the third and final vote saw Harrison rise to the win with 94 votes to Clay’s 89 votes. Which left much of the CCP in shock they had been expecting the win. The deciding factor turned out to have been the CCP’s stance on saving money by reducing Naval spending. As the Island states relied upon the Commonwealth Navy to keep their ties to the Continental states open and protect their trade with the rest of the Commonwealth much less international trade. Regardless the CMDP would keep the Chancellor’s office for the next nine years at least. Although Harrison was promising a much more low key administration than that of out going Chancellor Jackson.
Chancellor: William Henry Harrison (CMDP-VA)
Once the Election was conclude and William Henry Harrison sworn as the Chancellor of the Commonwealth of American States. Jackson would quietly leave the executive mansion heading for the recently completed Peninsular Railway station in Williamsburg The three story station doubled as the Railroads Headquarters and Corporate Office. From there Jackson would board a train that would take him to Petersburg where he would transfer to the Virginia and Carolina Railroad to travel south to Raleigh where he would transfer to the Carolina Great Smokey Mountains Railway which would take him Knoxville Nc, and finally board the Cumberland River Railway which would take him to Nashville. Jackson would think how complicated it was and made worse that Virginia and Carolina didn’t use the same Railroad gauge Virginia using a 5.0 track and North Carolina using the 4.6-foot gauge. Jackson the general in Jackson began to worry about the effectiveness that the developing rail system would have in the event of war since there were so many different gauges of track that meant tons of transfers between different trains. But as a politician he knew that the odds of fixing it before a war showed the flaws of the system would be near impossible. When Jackson arrived at his plantation near Nashville he would retire to the life of a North Carolina Gentleman for now but he wonder how long till he became bored.
The fall of Caracas was a planed for event of the Bolivians the location of the capital had been between a rock and a hard place when the Republican vs. Imperial border been settled during the Cold Civil War following the Revolution of 1832. But they had expected to keep more of their first line troops in the fight longer, than this, and recognized that the Army currently facing the Colombians had little chance of stopping the Imperials. If the world was a saner place they would have negotiated peace with the Imperials. But this was not a sane time and the Filibusterers in the Bolivian Government were able to push though an application to Join the Commonwealth of American States in exchange for help defeating the Colombians. The application was very generous to the CAS allowing them to divide the Republic of Bolivia up between the new state of Bolivia and up to 4 other states, and the CAS House of Delegates would be the ones to draw the new borders of these states.
The Application for state hood from the Republic of Bolivia would reach Williamsburg, CD on September 12, 1841. It would bring to the for front of Commonwealth politics the back seat debate over weather or not to intervein in the Colombian Civil War. The Application for State hood would trigger two weeks of debate before the Finally on September 25,1841 voting to accept the application and giving Colombia 30 days to with draw or be at war with the Commonwealth of American States. The vote for this had been close as the Commonwealth Chartist Party had worked hard to put together the votes to stay out of the war by accepting the application for statehood effective upon conclusion of the current conflict but the Aquila Party from the Commonwealth’s Caribbean states had gone fully in with the Commonwealth Manifest Destiny party to push for intervention and had won the vote. Chancellor Harrison would issue orders for and Army of 150,000 men and 20 batteries of artillery (120 guns) to be assembled in the city of Havana Cuba and for the Commonwealth Navy to ready a fleet to secure Commonwealth supremacy in the Caribbean Sea. On October 24, 1841 Colombia would reject the ultimatum and the Commonwealth Declaration of War would take affect, the Colombian Civil war had morphed into the Commonwealth-Colombia War.
The Caracas campaign was the first of the war and it would show the difference that training made. The opening battle took place at Las Tejerias on March 21, 1841; here 35,000 supported by 48 field guns Bolivians entrenched around the town in the narrow valley met an Colombian Army of 40,000 supported by 60 Field guns. The battle was a bloody affair but two things became apparent quickly first the Bolivians not having the brass for the bullets for the Palmetto Rifle had used copper instead these shell began to swell in the humid conditions making jamming a major issue for the Bolivians, second the low quality of many of the Bolivian troops began to tell as the battle entered its second day. And the exhausted and frustrated Bolivian soldiers began to break under the pressure of Colombian attacks. By then end of the 22nd of May the Bolivians were forced to withdraw or risk their army breaking over course of battle on the 23rd of May. The Bolivians would fall back to the Fortress city of Los Teques where they would reinforce the 5,000 man garrison and prepare to make their next stand because behind Los Teques nothing stood between the Colombians and the gates of Caracas. The Battle of Las Tejerias was a bloody affair the Colombians took close to 3,500 men killed with 4,800 more men wounded. The Bolivians got off easier taking just 1,500 men killed and 2,600 men wounded. For the European observers the failure of the Bolivian rifles came as a relief as the firearms revolution that place in America had started to worry them just a bit. The Commonwealth advisors not pleased to learn of metal substitution in the shells however what they took away from the battle was the effect that the entrenchments had done for the Bolivians even with their ammunition issues. Meanwhile in Williamsburg the Filibusterer ambassador for Bolivia to the CAS began making the case for CAS intervention on Bolivia’s behalf.
Colombian Imperial Army attacks Bolivian Positions
The Colombians would push ahead with the next phase of their plan on May 30, 1841 the Colombian Imperial Navy would engage the Bolivian Counterpart off the Isla La Tortuga. Their for the first time ever two steam powered fleets would engage each other. The Bolivian Navy was more organized than the Army but over the last decade the Bolivian government had not been kind to the navy and many of their ships were far from fully seaworthy; still when the two fleets met the Bolivians fielded a fleet 38 ships centered around 1 50 gun steam powered ship of the line and 12 steam frigates the rest were a combination of steam sloops and brigs. The Imperial Armada fielded a fleet of 50 ships; the Imperial battle line featured a battle line of two 52 gun steam ships of the line and 17 steam frigates the rest of the fleet consisted of Sloops and brigs. The after a fierce five hour battle the Colombian Imperial Armada would emerge victorious. The Bolivians lost their ship of the line, 6 frigates, and 10 smaller ships; the Colombians lost 4 frigates and 8 smaller ships. The Colombians would go on to land 45,000 men at the town of Higuerote. This Army would quickly sever the remaining roads into the Bolivian Capital city and begin the siege of Caracas would officially begin on April 8, 1841.
Colombian Steamships on Patrol
Only 28,000 men and 24 field guns would escape the siege to continue field actions further east. This army would rally at El Guapo, where they would an additional 24,000 men to join the Army. However these men were ill trained and equipped with the older 1812 Halls Rifle not the newer palmetto rifle. This army commanded by Damián Zambrano would fight a series of battles along the eastern flank of the Colombian lines besieging Caracas. These attacks were easily driven off by the Colombian Imperial Army but they served to keep the moral of the defenders up. Meanwhile to the west Bolivian partisan groups constantly harassed Colombian supply trains as they bough supplies form Colombian Supply dumps to the front. Over the course of the Summer these hit and run attacks would continue but the Bolivians lacked the artillery to break the Colombian siege; and inside Caracas the defenders and civilians were fast running out of supplies. By mid-August The Bolivians would mount a desperate breakout. At dawn on August 18, 1841 the defenders began a massive bombardment having moved heavy artillery form other sectors of the front to concentrate on the Colombian eastern flank that had been subject to so many rear attacks by the Bolivian Field Army. The attack from inside the pocket caught the Colombians off guard and the Bolivians were able to successfully get 18,000 troops and some civilians out of the city before the Colombians closed the breech in the lines. This left just 10,000 men defending the city. Realizing what had happened the Colombians would launch two massive attacks on the defenses on the western flanks and the center of the line on August 20, 1841. These were the areas which had their heavy guns stripped away to support the breakout. The Bolivians would fight desperately but they were outnumbered 3 to 1 and lacked the heavy artillery support that could have made up of the lack of manpower, and they were forced back out of their earthworks and into the support trenches. The battle would continue until August 24, 1841 when with most of the city a smoking ruin Major General Isandro Diaz would surrender his command to Major General Marcio Pedroza of the Colombian 12th Army. When the fighting in Caracas finally ended just 3,500 Bolivians were left able to fight.
The Bolivian Army attacks the Colombian Siege lines around Caracas.
The Commonwealth of American States Chancellor Election of 1841
1841 would make the last year of the the Jackson administration. No one could argue that Jackson and the CMDP hadn’t reshaped the Commonwealth during the past nine years. As March approached the CCP, the CMDP, the SNA and Even the Aquila, and Louisiana Republican Parties would select who they would nominate for the Chancellor election. The CMDP would nominate the Forgein secretary William Henry Harrison. The CCP would nominate Virginia state senator Henry Clay. The SNA would field two candidates as its two wings couldn’t agree the Hawks would nominate Charles Coker Governor of South Carolina while the Doves would nominate Francis Underwood a state assembly man also form South Carolina. The Louisiana Republican Party would nominate Andre B. Roman; and lastly The Aquila Party would nominate Juan Carlos Garcia mayor of Havana. With so many candidates in the race every one was aware this could be the first election to go past two votes in decades. It also saw many start to question if the SNA would end up splitting like the UCP had.
March 11,1841 would be a sunny spring day in Williamsburg, CD as the candidates were delivering their speeches the House was shocked as the SNA Dove Candidate Francis Underwood would announce that he was withdrawing from the election and ask his supporters in the House to vote for Harrison the CCP candidate not his fellow South Carolinian and SNA party member Charles Coker. As Underwood was the last to give his speech the first vote would commence once he stepped down from the podium.
1841 Chancellor election first house vote 93 needed to win
Henry Clay (CCP-VA) 66 Votes
William Henry Harrison (CMDP-VA) 61 votes
Juan Carlos Garcia (AP-Ca) 36 votes
Charles Coker (SNA(H)-SC) 15 votes
Andre Roman (LPR-La) 5 votes
The results of the first vote saw Clay take a 5 vote lead but still no where near the 93 votes needed to win. Harrison came in a close second with 61 votes. The shock to many was how well the Cuban Candidate did as some Dominican votes defected to him. By the rules the two lowest candidates were dropped so the second vote would be between Clay, Harrison, and Garcia.
1841 Chancellor election second house vote 93 needed to win
Henry Clay (CCP-VA) 74 Votes
William Henry Harrison (CMDP-VA) 65 votes
Juan Carlos Garcia (AP-Ca) 44 votes
The Second vote would once again see Garcia shock the house as the Louisianan Cuban, and Dominican delegates would defect their party blocks to vote for him. Still Garcia came in third which meant that he would be dropped from the next vote. Clay was still leading in the votes to with 74 to Harrison’s 65.19 It appeared that Clay had the easier path to the win needing to covert just 19 of Garcia’s votes in place of the 28 needed by Harrison.
1841 Chancellor Election third house vote 93 needed to win
William Henry Harrison (CMDP-VA) 94 votes
Henry Clay (CCP-VA) 89 Votes
The outcome of the third and final vote saw Harrison rise to the win with 94 votes to Clay’s 89 votes. Which left much of the CCP in shock they had been expecting the win. The deciding factor turned out to have been the CCP’s stance on saving money by reducing Naval spending. As the Island states relied upon the Commonwealth Navy to keep their ties to the Continental states open and protect their trade with the rest of the Commonwealth much less international trade. Regardless the CMDP would keep the Chancellor’s office for the next nine years at least. Although Harrison was promising a much more low key administration than that of out going Chancellor Jackson.
Chancellor: William Henry Harrison (CMDP-VA)
Once the Election was conclude and William Henry Harrison sworn as the Chancellor of the Commonwealth of American States. Jackson would quietly leave the executive mansion heading for the recently completed Peninsular Railway station in Williamsburg The three story station doubled as the Railroads Headquarters and Corporate Office. From there Jackson would board a train that would take him to Petersburg where he would transfer to the Virginia and Carolina Railroad to travel south to Raleigh where he would transfer to the Carolina Great Smokey Mountains Railway which would take him Knoxville Nc, and finally board the Cumberland River Railway which would take him to Nashville. Jackson would think how complicated it was and made worse that Virginia and Carolina didn’t use the same Railroad gauge Virginia using a 5.0 track and North Carolina using the 4.6-foot gauge. Jackson the general in Jackson began to worry about the effectiveness that the developing rail system would have in the event of war since there were so many different gauges of track that meant tons of transfers between different trains. But as a politician he knew that the odds of fixing it before a war showed the flaws of the system would be near impossible. When Jackson arrived at his plantation near Nashville he would retire to the life of a North Carolina Gentleman for now but he wonder how long till he became bored.
The fall of Caracas was a planed for event of the Bolivians the location of the capital had been between a rock and a hard place when the Republican vs. Imperial border been settled during the Cold Civil War following the Revolution of 1832. But they had expected to keep more of their first line troops in the fight longer, than this, and recognized that the Army currently facing the Colombians had little chance of stopping the Imperials. If the world was a saner place they would have negotiated peace with the Imperials. But this was not a sane time and the Filibusterers in the Bolivian Government were able to push though an application to Join the Commonwealth of American States in exchange for help defeating the Colombians. The application was very generous to the CAS allowing them to divide the Republic of Bolivia up between the new state of Bolivia and up to 4 other states, and the CAS House of Delegates would be the ones to draw the new borders of these states.
The Application for state hood from the Republic of Bolivia would reach Williamsburg, CD on September 12, 1841. It would bring to the for front of Commonwealth politics the back seat debate over weather or not to intervein in the Colombian Civil War. The Application for State hood would trigger two weeks of debate before the Finally on September 25,1841 voting to accept the application and giving Colombia 30 days to with draw or be at war with the Commonwealth of American States. The vote for this had been close as the Commonwealth Chartist Party had worked hard to put together the votes to stay out of the war by accepting the application for statehood effective upon conclusion of the current conflict but the Aquila Party from the Commonwealth’s Caribbean states had gone fully in with the Commonwealth Manifest Destiny party to push for intervention and had won the vote. Chancellor Harrison would issue orders for and Army of 150,000 men and 20 batteries of artillery (120 guns) to be assembled in the city of Havana Cuba and for the Commonwealth Navy to ready a fleet to secure Commonwealth supremacy in the Caribbean Sea. On October 24, 1841 Colombia would reject the ultimatum and the Commonwealth Declaration of War would take affect, the Colombian Civil war had morphed into the Commonwealth-Colombia War.
Attachments
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The next chapter was hard to write but it had to be done, I hope yall loath Charles Felix of Sardinia after you read it.
The Bloody Decade: Prelude Part 2 Bloody Monday
September 1, 1841 Cagliari, Sardinia
King Charles Felix and the head of his secrete police have are in a meeting with a French Exile named Dieudonnée Fontaine. Mr. Fontaine is an ex Franciscanist and a current Anarchist. King Charles asks him a simple question “So you understand who you are working for Mr. Fontaine and what you task is ?” Fontaine responds “ Yes your Majesty I am an agent of the French Crown charged with eliminating the Bonaparte stain from the throne of Spain, and bring pure French blood to rule the Iberian Peninsula as God intended; Viva la Roy. I will make sure that none of the current Spanish Royal Family survive me for I am the angle of death doing Gods Work.” King Charles nods “Very well you payment is on its way to your family in the Protectorate of Aragon half now haft after they are dead. Now leave us your presence offends me” the guards escort Fontaine out of the Place via a servants entrance and take him to a small steam clipper that will speed him to Spain. Charles Felix sits back in his chair soon it would all begin Killing the Spanish King would set ablaze the Iberian powder keg and lead to France and Italy declaring war on each other. Once that happened Sardinia would be poised to invade the Italian Empire and wipe the Bonaparte stain from the history of Italy and set himself on the Italian Throne where he should have been all along. If the explosion was bigger and more of Europe got caught up in the flames more the better. Republicanism even in a muted form of Constitutional Monarchy had too much power in Europe these days it was time for him to restore the proper balance of power, who knows Rome was and Italian city that ruled most of Europe no reason Sardinia could not as well.
King Charles Felix of Sardinia the Man Who Blew up Europe
March 7, 1842 Valencia, Kingdom of Spain
Monday March 7, 1842 started off as a warm sunny day The royal Family enjoyed a game of tennis in the palace yard before retiring inside for lunch. The first items had just been served with the Royal Dining room erupted in Fire and Flame. The Guards outside rushed into the palace to see what happened only to find King Francisco I, and Princess of Astoria Élisabeth Louise de Bourbon all dead the child missing both arms and a leg below the knee lie on the floor. The King had also been pierced by shrapnel from the bombs with a large splinter of wood going though his right eye most likely killing him instantly; although it was told later that it appeared that the king was trying to reach his daughter half a room away in his last moments. Prime Minister Joaquín María de Ferrer y Cafranga was summoned to the place were he was seen to weep over the fallen royals and issued orders for the Army and Navy to be mobilized and for the Royal Police to find the man or woman responsible for this. He would leave after issuing a summons for an emergency assembly of the Parliament, in this session Joaquín María de Ferrer y Cafranga would pain a vivid image of the seen he had seen at the palace and a demand for justice. This also opened the debate over who the next king should be Prince Francis Xavier Bourbon of France or Marius Napoleon Bonaparte Duke of Naples of the Italian Empire.
On May 5, 1842 after two months of evading capture Dieudonnée Fontaine was captured while in a brothel in a little town just 24 miles from the border with Protectorate of Aragon. On his person were detailed hand drawn maps of the Royal Palace in Valencia and almost 700 Gold French livre in his possession. Fontaine was taken in to custody and once he sobered up he agreed to give a full confession and tell everything including who his contacts were. Fontaine was taken back to Valencia to the Royal Police headquarters where he told everyone who would listen how he was recruited in Paris and the French government agreed to release his wife and children from debtors prison if he did this and give him enough money to retire in New Aquitaine and live out a happy life. Word of this was leaked to the press and before parliament could even convene it was all over the news papers FRENCH GOVERNMENT PAYS ASSASSIN TO KILL ROYAL FAMILY; FRENCH COUPE IN VALANCIA: FRENCH SEEK TO PLANT A PUPPET ON SPANISH THRONE; FRANCE COMMITS VILE ACT OF ACT OF WAR; CALL TO ARMS FRENCH COMMIT ACT OF TERROR AGAINST SPANISH GOVERNMENT; AVENGE GOOD KING FRANCISCO AND OUR POOR QUEEN AND PRINCESS. Were just a few of the headlines that were printed that day. The Spanish government would issue an ultimatum to Paris, France had 48 hours to apologize formally and officially, and pay 1.2 million French livre in reparations to Spain; and recognize Marius Napoleon Bonaparte Duke of Naples as the new King of Spain. This ultimatum would be sent by Telegraph an invention that was spreading across Europe after first appearing in late 1830’s, as well as official currier. Paris cried that France was innocent of this vile act that King Louis XVII would never order the assignation of his own cousin and his family it was unthinkable. But they replied that they would never accept a Bonaparte on the Spanish throne; France would mobilized its armed forces as well. On May 10, 1842 Spain declared war on the Kingdom of France and the Protectorate of Aragon. The next day May 11, 1842 the Kingdom of Sardinia would declare war on the Kingdom of Spain; while the Italian Empire and the Christian Republic of Granada would declare war on France and its allies. The Second War of Spanish Succession had begun.
King Francisco I of Spain and His Queen Caroline and Daughter Princess of Astoria Élisabeth Louise de Bourbon
King Charles Felix and the head of his secrete police have are in a meeting with a French Exile named Dieudonnée Fontaine. Mr. Fontaine is an ex Franciscanist and a current Anarchist. King Charles asks him a simple question “So you understand who you are working for Mr. Fontaine and what you task is ?” Fontaine responds “ Yes your Majesty I am an agent of the French Crown charged with eliminating the Bonaparte stain from the throne of Spain, and bring pure French blood to rule the Iberian Peninsula as God intended; Viva la Roy. I will make sure that none of the current Spanish Royal Family survive me for I am the angle of death doing Gods Work.” King Charles nods “Very well you payment is on its way to your family in the Protectorate of Aragon half now haft after they are dead. Now leave us your presence offends me” the guards escort Fontaine out of the Place via a servants entrance and take him to a small steam clipper that will speed him to Spain. Charles Felix sits back in his chair soon it would all begin Killing the Spanish King would set ablaze the Iberian powder keg and lead to France and Italy declaring war on each other. Once that happened Sardinia would be poised to invade the Italian Empire and wipe the Bonaparte stain from the history of Italy and set himself on the Italian Throne where he should have been all along. If the explosion was bigger and more of Europe got caught up in the flames more the better. Republicanism even in a muted form of Constitutional Monarchy had too much power in Europe these days it was time for him to restore the proper balance of power, who knows Rome was and Italian city that ruled most of Europe no reason Sardinia could not as well.
King Charles Felix of Sardinia the Man Who Blew up Europe
March 7, 1842 Valencia, Kingdom of Spain
Monday March 7, 1842 started off as a warm sunny day The royal Family enjoyed a game of tennis in the palace yard before retiring inside for lunch. The first items had just been served with the Royal Dining room erupted in Fire and Flame. The Guards outside rushed into the palace to see what happened only to find King Francisco I, and Princess of Astoria Élisabeth Louise de Bourbon all dead the child missing both arms and a leg below the knee lie on the floor. The King had also been pierced by shrapnel from the bombs with a large splinter of wood going though his right eye most likely killing him instantly; although it was told later that it appeared that the king was trying to reach his daughter half a room away in his last moments. Prime Minister Joaquín María de Ferrer y Cafranga was summoned to the place were he was seen to weep over the fallen royals and issued orders for the Army and Navy to be mobilized and for the Royal Police to find the man or woman responsible for this. He would leave after issuing a summons for an emergency assembly of the Parliament, in this session Joaquín María de Ferrer y Cafranga would pain a vivid image of the seen he had seen at the palace and a demand for justice. This also opened the debate over who the next king should be Prince Francis Xavier Bourbon of France or Marius Napoleon Bonaparte Duke of Naples of the Italian Empire.
On May 5, 1842 after two months of evading capture Dieudonnée Fontaine was captured while in a brothel in a little town just 24 miles from the border with Protectorate of Aragon. On his person were detailed hand drawn maps of the Royal Palace in Valencia and almost 700 Gold French livre in his possession. Fontaine was taken in to custody and once he sobered up he agreed to give a full confession and tell everything including who his contacts were. Fontaine was taken back to Valencia to the Royal Police headquarters where he told everyone who would listen how he was recruited in Paris and the French government agreed to release his wife and children from debtors prison if he did this and give him enough money to retire in New Aquitaine and live out a happy life. Word of this was leaked to the press and before parliament could even convene it was all over the news papers FRENCH GOVERNMENT PAYS ASSASSIN TO KILL ROYAL FAMILY; FRENCH COUPE IN VALANCIA: FRENCH SEEK TO PLANT A PUPPET ON SPANISH THRONE; FRANCE COMMITS VILE ACT OF ACT OF WAR; CALL TO ARMS FRENCH COMMIT ACT OF TERROR AGAINST SPANISH GOVERNMENT; AVENGE GOOD KING FRANCISCO AND OUR POOR QUEEN AND PRINCESS. Were just a few of the headlines that were printed that day. The Spanish government would issue an ultimatum to Paris, France had 48 hours to apologize formally and officially, and pay 1.2 million French livre in reparations to Spain; and recognize Marius Napoleon Bonaparte Duke of Naples as the new King of Spain. This ultimatum would be sent by Telegraph an invention that was spreading across Europe after first appearing in late 1830’s, as well as official currier. Paris cried that France was innocent of this vile act that King Louis XVII would never order the assignation of his own cousin and his family it was unthinkable. But they replied that they would never accept a Bonaparte on the Spanish throne; France would mobilized its armed forces as well. On May 10, 1842 Spain declared war on the Kingdom of France and the Protectorate of Aragon. The next day May 11, 1842 the Kingdom of Sardinia would declare war on the Kingdom of Spain; while the Italian Empire and the Christian Republic of Granada would declare war on France and its allies. The Second War of Spanish Succession had begun.
King Francisco I of Spain and His Queen Caroline and Daughter Princess of Astoria Élisabeth Louise de Bourbon
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Just figured I'd pop in to reiterate how much I love this TL! I don't always comment, but I enjoy each and every update you come out with. So I just wanted to give you some extra encouragement to keep this going!
@Marse Lee thanks that means alot there have been times over the years when I wondered if anyone was reading it.
@estevech that's a yes and no answer you'll have to wait and see to understand what I mean by that. I have 5 kids 4 of them girls writing that was hard. And this war is just getting going there is much more bloodshed and bad ideas to come.
@estevech that's a yes and no answer you'll have to wait and see to understand what I mean by that. I have 5 kids 4 of them girls writing that was hard. And this war is just getting going there is much more bloodshed and bad ideas to come.
Yeah Spain has had a tough time in TTL; but I can promise she will rise from the ashes of this war as mostly one country , the only question is who will sit on the throne and will she be independent or a French Puppet state?
The Bloody Decade: Commonwealth-Colombian War: Battle off of Aruba
The assembly and organization of what was now being called the Army of South America did not happen overnight. It was mid December before the men, horse, artillery and wagons were assembled in Havana, Cuba. Major General John Tyler of Virginia was named the Commander of the Army, by the Commonwealth Army. His command would consisted of 150,000 men plus officers. and 22 batteries of Artillery, Taylor would keep with Commonwealth Army division by diving the Army of South America up into Corps based around State Armies. His largest tow corps were from Cuba and Dominica. Virginia and Georgia would be the next two largest formations and Maryland and North Carolina would each send a division plus artillery and South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana would all commit token forces.
Army of South America Order of Battle
Major General John Tyler Commanding
1st Corps (Cuban Corps) Major General Arturo Ferraz: 30.000 Infantry, 2,000 Cavalry, 24 Field guns (6 From South Carolina)
2nd Corps (Dominican Corps) Major General Junípero Torrico: 41,000 Infantry, 2,000 Cavalry, 18 field Guns (6 from Florida)
3rd Corps (Virginian corps): Major General Thomas Jefferson Read 20.000 Infantry, 5,000 Cavalry, 24 field guns 6 Horse Guns
4th Corps (Georgian Corps) Major General Herschel Vespasian Johnson 20.000 Infantry, 5,000 Cavalry, 24 field guns 6 Horse Guns
5th Corps (combined Corps ) Major General Thomas George Pratt 23,000 Infantry 2,000 Cavalry, 30 field guns
While the Army was gathering in Cuba the Commonwealth Navy was already at sea. As soon as the Colombian Civil war had turn into a hot war Admiral of the Fleet Jacob McVey (of Georgia) had ordered the Caribbean Squadron based at Santiago de Cuba to be reinforced so that it was more than a match for the Colombian Imperial Armada. Admiral Randolph an the Caribbean squadron would depart Cuba on January 21, 1842 Their Mission was to seek out the Colombian Imperial Armada and destroy it to clear the way for the army to cross the from Bolivia on the transports.
To the South Admiral Álvaro Danon and the Colombian Imperial Armada had his fleet out on patrol the entry of the Commonwealth of American States meant that his force was no longer the larger fleet in the war. If the Imperial Command in Bogota had listened to him his fleet would be safely in port protected by the guns of the harbor defenses. However Imperial Command didn’t listen to him so here his force was at sea looking for the enemy so that they could die gloriously in the name of the empire.
Commonwealth Carribean Squadron
Rear Admiral George Washington Randolph
5 x88 Gun Ships of the Line
4 x100 gun Ships of the Line
1 x66 gun Steamship of the Line
12x 44 gun sailing frigates
9 x30 gun steam paddle frigates
3 x38 gun steam screw frigates
24 steam sloops
14 sailing sloops
Colombian Imperial Armada Caribbean Fleet
Fleet Admiral Álvaro Danon
1 Steam Screw Ship of the Line 58 guns
7 x30 gun Steam Paddle Frigates
6 x36 gun Steam Screw Frigates
24 steam sloops and brigs.
The Two fleets would meet 15 miles north of Aruba on February 7, 1842. As the battle of Aruba began Admiral Randolph had divided his fleet up into two his battle squadron made up of his sailing ships centered around 9 sailing Ships of the Line and a Flying Squadron built out of the Steam ships under his command, the Steam Squadron Centered around the Steam Ship of the Line CWS Cape Henry. Randolph would command the Battle squadron while Commodore James Stephens Bulloch the CSN’s leading tactician on using steam warships in combat. The battle began at 1000h when Randolph and his main battle line engaged the Colombian Armada. Unlike the Naval Battles of the War of 1805 there was no great clash of battle lines instead Dannon used the superior to run way from Randolph’s larger force. In this way the battle became a running fight. By 1600h Randolph had tired of this six hour chase and ordered Red Rockets fired from his Flag Ship the CSW Thomas Jefferson one of the new 100 gun ships of the line. These Rocket were the signal for Bulloch to bring his Flying squadron into the fight who was paralling the battle just at the edge of the horizon. Bulloch now orders all of his ships to make full steam and Randolph adjusted his squadron’s course to Drive the Colombians towards were Bulloch’s ships were at. At 1800h Danon realized that he was in trouble his ships were running short on coal and new smoke could be seen on the horizon, just twenty minuets later he could see the Commonwealth naval jack on the top of the ships rigging. He ran up the flags that spelled Cerberus. This was code for his frigates to form up on the his flag ship the 52 gun ARC Almirante Padilla and make full steam at the enemy fleet. At 1840 the Battle was finally Joined as the Colombian larger ships engaged Bulloch’s Flying Squadron to allow the smaller ships to escape. While Randolph’s sailing squadron closed the gap. The battle would last into the night before the last of the Colombian Battle line either surrendered or slipped beneath the waves. Fleet Admiral Álvaro Danon died in the battle when his flag ship ARC Almirante Padilla took an exploding shell in her powder magazine and exploded, as the last rays of daylight faded away. The Colombians had not gone down without a fight Bulloch had lost 4 of his steam sloops 4 steam frigates and his flag ship the CWS Cape Henry was heavily damaged. When February 8th dawned the Commonwealth fleet set sail for Cuba to gather the transports it was time for the army to sail south to rescue the newest members of the Commonwealth of American States.
Army of South America Order of Battle
Major General John Tyler Commanding
1st Corps (Cuban Corps) Major General Arturo Ferraz: 30.000 Infantry, 2,000 Cavalry, 24 Field guns (6 From South Carolina)
2nd Corps (Dominican Corps) Major General Junípero Torrico: 41,000 Infantry, 2,000 Cavalry, 18 field Guns (6 from Florida)
3rd Corps (Virginian corps): Major General Thomas Jefferson Read 20.000 Infantry, 5,000 Cavalry, 24 field guns 6 Horse Guns
4th Corps (Georgian Corps) Major General Herschel Vespasian Johnson 20.000 Infantry, 5,000 Cavalry, 24 field guns 6 Horse Guns
5th Corps (combined Corps ) Major General Thomas George Pratt 23,000 Infantry 2,000 Cavalry, 30 field guns
While the Army was gathering in Cuba the Commonwealth Navy was already at sea. As soon as the Colombian Civil war had turn into a hot war Admiral of the Fleet Jacob McVey (of Georgia) had ordered the Caribbean Squadron based at Santiago de Cuba to be reinforced so that it was more than a match for the Colombian Imperial Armada. Admiral Randolph an the Caribbean squadron would depart Cuba on January 21, 1842 Their Mission was to seek out the Colombian Imperial Armada and destroy it to clear the way for the army to cross the from Bolivia on the transports.
To the South Admiral Álvaro Danon and the Colombian Imperial Armada had his fleet out on patrol the entry of the Commonwealth of American States meant that his force was no longer the larger fleet in the war. If the Imperial Command in Bogota had listened to him his fleet would be safely in port protected by the guns of the harbor defenses. However Imperial Command didn’t listen to him so here his force was at sea looking for the enemy so that they could die gloriously in the name of the empire.
Commonwealth Carribean Squadron
Rear Admiral George Washington Randolph
5 x88 Gun Ships of the Line
4 x100 gun Ships of the Line
1 x66 gun Steamship of the Line
12x 44 gun sailing frigates
9 x30 gun steam paddle frigates
3 x38 gun steam screw frigates
24 steam sloops
14 sailing sloops
Colombian Imperial Armada Caribbean Fleet
Fleet Admiral Álvaro Danon
1 Steam Screw Ship of the Line 58 guns
7 x30 gun Steam Paddle Frigates
6 x36 gun Steam Screw Frigates
24 steam sloops and brigs.
The Two fleets would meet 15 miles north of Aruba on February 7, 1842. As the battle of Aruba began Admiral Randolph had divided his fleet up into two his battle squadron made up of his sailing ships centered around 9 sailing Ships of the Line and a Flying Squadron built out of the Steam ships under his command, the Steam Squadron Centered around the Steam Ship of the Line CWS Cape Henry. Randolph would command the Battle squadron while Commodore James Stephens Bulloch the CSN’s leading tactician on using steam warships in combat. The battle began at 1000h when Randolph and his main battle line engaged the Colombian Armada. Unlike the Naval Battles of the War of 1805 there was no great clash of battle lines instead Dannon used the superior to run way from Randolph’s larger force. In this way the battle became a running fight. By 1600h Randolph had tired of this six hour chase and ordered Red Rockets fired from his Flag Ship the CSW Thomas Jefferson one of the new 100 gun ships of the line. These Rocket were the signal for Bulloch to bring his Flying squadron into the fight who was paralling the battle just at the edge of the horizon. Bulloch now orders all of his ships to make full steam and Randolph adjusted his squadron’s course to Drive the Colombians towards were Bulloch’s ships were at. At 1800h Danon realized that he was in trouble his ships were running short on coal and new smoke could be seen on the horizon, just twenty minuets later he could see the Commonwealth naval jack on the top of the ships rigging. He ran up the flags that spelled Cerberus. This was code for his frigates to form up on the his flag ship the 52 gun ARC Almirante Padilla and make full steam at the enemy fleet. At 1840 the Battle was finally Joined as the Colombian larger ships engaged Bulloch’s Flying Squadron to allow the smaller ships to escape. While Randolph’s sailing squadron closed the gap. The battle would last into the night before the last of the Colombian Battle line either surrendered or slipped beneath the waves. Fleet Admiral Álvaro Danon died in the battle when his flag ship ARC Almirante Padilla took an exploding shell in her powder magazine and exploded, as the last rays of daylight faded away. The Colombians had not gone down without a fight Bulloch had lost 4 of his steam sloops 4 steam frigates and his flag ship the CWS Cape Henry was heavily damaged. When February 8th dawned the Commonwealth fleet set sail for Cuba to gather the transports it was time for the army to sail south to rescue the newest members of the Commonwealth of American States.
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Still loving the TL! Quick question though, do you plan to introduce fictional characters the further you get from the POD? Or do you plan to stick to historical figures?
I've been mixing them in for a while now. They are going to become much more common after the 1840s, some may be shadows of otl people like R E Lee is GW Lee here Jefferson Davis is James Madison Davis here , TR will either be protected or shadowed I moved his family to Norfolk way back when.
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Also if anyone wants someone name wise to appear or wants to help creat characters feel freel to put them and I will work them into the story.
Note I cannot photoshop at all so my fictional characters will have pictures of real people.