Siege of Middleborough

Siege of Middleborough
Part of the Tasmana War
Date 24 May 1873 – 15 February 1875 Location Middleborough, Interior Tasmana, The Furbish Islands and surrounding towns Result Anti-government victory End of the Tasmana War Much of Eastborough and Middleborough destroyed
Belligerents
Kleiner Tasman Noord Tasman Nòu Occitània Nueva Asturias Pacifico Sandavel Zuid Tasman	Cumberland Interior Tasmana Kitchener New Anglia North Fluvanna Saint Brendan South Fluvanna The Furbish Islands
Commanders and leaders
Machiel Zonnenberg	NAME TBD
Units involved
a	a
Strength
TBA	TBA
Casualties and losses
TBA	TBA
Civilian casualties: TBD

The Siege of Middleborough was the last engagement of the Tasmana Mountain Campaign and Tasmana War. It began in XXX when anti-government forces under Machiel Zonnenberg surrounded pro-government forces under XXX in Middleborough and some surrounding towns, and ended with XXX's surrender in XXX. The siege was the longest in the Tasmana War.

By summer 1874 pro-government forces were pushed back to the Tasmana Mountans, which began the bloody Tasmana Mountain Campaign. By the end of summer, they were pushed back to only a handful of holdouts including Middleborough. Anti-government forces attacked the holdout in all directions in XXX but were pushed back. Under direct command of Zonnenberg, they surrounded Middleborough and began a trench warfare campaign. In a week, pro-government forces in Westborough defected, allowing anti-government forces to capture the city. A second hastilly planned assault was launched the same day but was pushed back.

The third assault was launched two weeks later. It captured parts of Eastborough and other towns, failed to capture many of its targets and saw heavy casualties. One month later when forces recovered, the fourth assault was launched which captured most of Eastborough but with heavier casualties. The fifth assault was launched in XXX before the winter set in but was pushed back. In early 1875 the sixth assault was launched, which broke through defenses in Middleborough. Heavy fighting continued for the next two days until pro-government forces announced a surrender. As Middleborough contained the last holdout of pro-government forces, its surrender marked the end of the Tasmana War.

The siege was the longest engagement in the Tasmana War. The cities of Eastborough and Middleborough were destroyed almost completely, being more damaged than Harrisbarig or Noorderstein, and never regained their prominence for decades. Westborough, which surrendered early on, was spared much of the damage. The siege also saw the use of trench warfare and modern weapons, which foreshadowed the First Great War