Siege of Middleborough

Siege of Middleborough
Part of the Tasmana War
Soldiers inspecting cannons and trenches on the outskirts of Eastborough
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
Third Army First Army	elements of the First, Fourth, and Fifth Armies
Strength
120,000 70,000 initial, 50,000 reinforcements	50,000 soldiers 10,000 civilians
Casualties and losses
22,000 killed in action 36,000 died from disease and hypothermia	12,000 killed in action 20,000 died from disease and hypothermia
Civilian casualties: 5,000+ died from all causes

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 engagement 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 hastily planned assault was launched the same day and soldiers gained some ground, especially around Westborough, but were stopped.

The third assault was launched one month later when reinforcements arrived. It captured parts of Eastborough and other towns, but 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