2nd Imperial-Balonic War
| Second Imperial-Balionic War | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||
| Belligerents | ||||||||
 Vionna-Frankenlisch |
 Republic of Urat |
 Confederate States of Balion | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
|
Lord Richmond |
Thaddeus Whittaker |
William P. Gardener | ||||||
| Strength | ||||||||
|
400,000 |
60,000 |
1,600,000 | ||||||
The Second Imperial-Balionic War was a war fought between April 1871 and April 1875 between Vionna-Frankenlisch and the United States of Balion. It was the greater of two Imperial-Balionic conflicts fought in the mid-late 19th century and outnumbered its predecessor in size, casualties and fallout. There were multiple causes for the war, the continued Balionic practice of slavery, protection of Imperial trade against improving Balionic exports and continued Imperial-Balionic tensions which culminated in the Balionic attack on Fort Edward, starting the war. Despite recent disagreement by historians, the general consensus is that neither side prosecuted the war for legal or legitimate reasons and, in fact, the conflict is often used as an example of a non-just war.
During the first year of the conflict, many of the eastern states of Balion voted to secede from the Union and, a month later, went to war with the Union. This further confused the conflict and has led it to be referred to by many as the Balionic Civil War, however, in Balion it is often considered a separate conflict. Many historians also divide the two conflicts, Vionna-Frankenlisch never sided fully with either faction and, in fact, fought both on different occasions. However, there were cases of Imperial troops supporting one side against the other temporarily, such as at the Battle of Moore's Mill.
The Republic of Urat acted as an ally for the United States of Balion, mainly due to the age-old Uratic dislike of Vionna-Frankenlisch. Sixty-thousand Uratic men served in the conflict with around forty-thousand being sent to Balion. They saw action against the Confederates and the Vionna-Frankenlischians, most famously at the Battle of Williamsburg where the Uratic First Division was severely mauled and the other two divisions of the Uratic Expeditionary Force were broken against the Imperial lines.
Opening
Background
Of the colonial powers of Magna Europa, Vionna-Frankenlisch had established itself as primary. Though south Terrifica continued to dismay them and Balion had won its independence in the War of Balionic Independence, the Frankenlischian Empire was, by far, the largest and wealthiest of the Magna Europan empires. Imperial trade was roaring and Vionna-Frankenlischian industry was strengthening by the day. However, when rapid industrialisation washed over Balion, a stark and well-placed threat to Imperial trade began to emerge. Slavery in the southern Balionic states provided cheap raw materials for factories in the northern cities. In 1864, the First Imperial-Balionic War broke out over allegations of privateering against Balion. Though it was never proven, the Vionna-Frankenlischian government claimed that merchant shipping between Magna Europa and Imperial holdings in Ziania was being raided by pirates in the pay of Balion. The war ended in a swift Imperial victory following a victorious naval campaign and threats of invasion.
Though postwar tensions swiftly deescalated as Vionna-Frankenlisch was facing war on the Magna Europan continent (and eventually did go to war in 1868), the economic situation remained volatile. Imperial trade with Balion was exclusively with the Commonwealth of New Frankenlisch on the north-east coast of the country, entering primarily through the West Oakcliffe capital of Bradwater. An Imperial-held sea fort in Bradwater's Gestoria Bay monitored shipping and had played an important part in the tensions leading up to the first war. Fort Edward, Bradwater was to play an important role in the Second Imperial-Balionic War too. Tensions began to mount again in early 1869 when Balionic diplomats began to protest Vionna-Frankenlischian involvement in the Balionic anti-slavery movement. President Abraham Larkinge had been elected on a solid anti-slavery platform and promised "Emancipation on Balionic terms" in a not-so-subtle reference to Imperial meddling. The protests were ignored and Balion responded by blockading Fort Edward.
Outbreak of War
In January 1871, the sloop-of-war HMNS Marienberg attempted to run the Balionic blockade of Fort Edward. The West Oakcliffe Militia, from batteries emplaced around Gestoria Bay, forced the ship to withdraw under a withering bombardment which killed seven men and wounded several more. No resupply ship had reached had reached the fort for a year and, though some supplies were smuggled in by sympathetic or well-bribed locals, the situation within Fort Edward was dire. Finally, on 10th April, General G. H. Beauchamp and 400 federal soldiers arrived to reinforce the blockade. Following a diplomatic demand for Vionna-Frankenlisch to relinquish control of Fort Edward to Balionic authorities (which was ignored without comment), the blockading forces ordered Major John Pelham to surrender the fort and its garrison of 134 men. Pelham refused and, on the 12th, a bombardment began which lasted for 14 hours and ended with the fort's surrender. Major Pelham and his men were returned to Frankenlisch aboard the frigate UNS Grand Union.
Though the presence of the fort had become a controversial issue in Vionna-Frankenlischian politics, the blatant attack blunted all argument and Lord Heatheride's government demanded full reparation, the return of the fort to Imperial hands and a full inquiry into the the incident. The Balionic reply was negative and Queen Caroline commanded her government to declare war which they did at five minutes to midnight on the 12th of April. The declaration was delivered to President Larkinge in person by Lord Fallenver, the Imperial ambassador in New Grythshead.
Imperial Preparations
The Conservative government of Lord Heatheridge, already pro-military, reacted quickly to the outbreak of war. Expecting a repeat of the First Imperial-Balionic War, a strong naval squadron was assembled under the command of Admiral Sir Ian Carrin-Jones. Though the Admiralty were in favour of a swift raiding campaign to bring the war to a close quickly, the government put priority on taking back Fort Edward. This decision can mainly be attributed to the Imperial Government's misjudgment of the importance of the fort to the Vionna-Frankenlischian people. The attack on an Imperial possession was enough to stir the population into war fervour but they did not place any real importance on the fort itself as a symbol. This decision was to prove a key contributor to the drawn-out conflict which eventually developed.
Carrin-Jones took the newly-commissioned HMNS Beauclare as his flagship. Beauclare was the final Imperial ironclad to use a central-battery design and was the pinnacle of naval technology at the time. Along with Beauclare was two ships-of-the-line, two ironclad frigates and a myriad of other wooden warships. A convoy of forty auxiliary ships carried supplies and troops. Admiral Carrin-Jones had served in the previous Imperial-Balionic War and, though an accomplished officer, had never commanded an expedition of such size before. Many did not consider him the best man for the job but, with a lack of experienced alternatives, the Admiralty gave him the command. The force which he had command of, 13 warships in total, was far in advance of the mostly wooden Balionic Navy of the day but did not have the numbers to effect a major blockade. Though more ships were available, most were kept in reserve in case of another continental conflict.
Military advisors to the Cabinet were not taken by the plan to take back Fort Edward. They eventually came to the conclusion that, in order for the fort to be held, that Bradwater would have to be seized as well. Therefore, the expedition had to be expanded to include the Imperial Army. Lord Lynwood, then Secretary for the Army, was ordered to arrange a force of roughly corps-size to take Bradwater. Immediately, a plan based on the wish to win a symbolic victory and maintain the prewar status-quo had expanded to the invasion and occupation of a major Balionic settlement. Though uneasy, the military authorities complied and put together a potent force consisting of the Guards Division, the Glynmoran Division, the Ballaetan Brigade and the Frankenlisch Cavalry Division. Organised into the Imperial Balion Corps, the force also carried a large supply train, an artillery component of 42 guns and a significant contingent of the Royal Engineers.
Command of the IBC was given to the Marquess of Tevetdale, an experienced general who served in the army of the Kingdom of Ballaeter in the War of the Vionnan Coalition. Alexander MacCernau was a strong and diligent man in his early fifties, though he had fought fiercely against the Vionna-Frankenlischian invasion of his county, he was actually in favour of integration and was well-liked at the Court of Saint Romulus. The IBC numbered around 25,000 men in total. Embarkation began on 16th April and the fleet set out from Frankenlisch two days later.
April in Balion
In contrast to the swift amassing of forces enacted by Vionna-Frankenlisch, Balion's own movements were overshadowed by political struggles at home. The 1871 Presidential Election had just ended and the controversial Union Party candidate, Abraham Larkinge, became the 14th President of Balion. This outcome was welcomed in many states as Larkinge was strongly opposed to secession and was seen as the strong leader required to prevent the breakup of the Union. However, in many southern states, the new president was not popular. Popular opinion in those states were that Larkinge's government would not be the conciliatory one they hoped for. Though secession was popular, most ardent secessionists preferred the idea of greater state and commonwealth power within the Union, very few actually advocated the breakup of the Union entirely.
The first edict of the Larkinge government was the withdrawal of the Return Order of 1844, a presidential order that mandated the return of slaves that had escaped north. Though the government assured that a new piece of legislation would be drafted to replace the Order, the damage was already done. Larkinge was widely criticised for focusing on dividing the Union further rather than combating Vionna-Frankenlischian aggression. Some historians consider the attack on Fort Edward to be an overreaction to political pressure but this cannot be fully verified. The abolitionist movement in Balion was delighted by the repeal of the Order and the Union Party received record political donations from abolitionist groups.
When mobilisation eventually began against Vionna-Frankenlisch, the situation was heavily confused as secessionists in the south were unnerved by federal military movements. A mobilisation order was given on 18th April known as the General Muster of 1871. According to the General Muster, the state militias would muster by Commonwealth. On the 20th of April, the militias of the Commonwealth of Columbia would muster, followed by those of the Commonwealth of Oakcliffe on the 22nd, then the Commonwealth of New Vionna on the 26th, the Commonwealth of New Ceasia on the 28th, and finally the then-called Central Native Commonwealth on the 30th. The General Muster was met with great suspicion in the south. Many were confused by the seemingly pointless gap between musters in the northern and southern states and some more extreme secessionist politicians began suspecting a surprise invasion of the southern states by northern troops. The sudden reinforcement of federal forts and military emplacements in the south, a perfectly routine move considering the outbreak of war, only served to heighten tensions even further. President Larkinge and several of his top advisors appeared before the Senate on 23rd April and gave what was considered to be a thoroughly unsatisfactory and evasive performance in the face of heavy questioning by southern senators.
At the time of the breakout of war the Union Navy was far behind the Imperial Navy but could still muster significant force. This included three ships-of-the-line, eight heavy frigates and about thirty sloops-of-war and corvettes. Along with the General Muster, the Union Naval Order of 1871 gave the Secretariat of the Navy permission to press ships into service and issue letters of marque. The Union fleet prepared for war and set out for war stations. Several of the smaller vessels, not equipped with steam engines, were kept in port by unfavourable winds. Admiral William Benteen assumed command of the main Balionic fleet and took the 92-gun UNS Confederation as his flagship.
Opposing Forces
Balion began the war in a tense political situation and was, militarily, the underdog. In terms of fleet power, the Imperial Navy was vastly superior though much of its strength was retained for home defence. On the land, Imperial forces were battle-tested and led by experienced officers. Though Vionna-Frankenlischian ships were far more advanced than their Balionic counterparts, the Imperial Army did not retain as modern an arsenal as the Union Army. Balionic soldiers carried the reliable and accurate Springford 1862 Rifle-Musket and Union cavalry carried a variety of excellent (and often multiple-shot) carbines. Imperial cavalry were old-fashioned shock cavalry, both light and heavy, and dragoons were the only mounted troops to carry carbines (though other cavalrymen tended to carry pistols). Experience of fighting with natives and slave revolts, along with the Okkamidur War of 1866, had given Balion a suite of experienced officers and a style of fighting far divorced from the old-fashioned nature of continental warfare.
In 1871, the Union Army was only thirty-thousand men strong. This included twenty-five regiments of infantry, eight regiments of cavalry, and a sizable Ordnance Corps responsible for artillery, supply, and engineers. The Union Army was also responsible for 46 frontier posts in the Central Native Commonwealth, and 62 minor posts elsewhere, mostly on the coast. The April General Muster of 1871 was intended to raise a militia total of 90,000 men for a service of four months. As things turned out, such a force was not remotely sufficient and the war lasted much longer than that period, however, for the initial needs of the Union forces, the muster would have been sufficient.
In terms of experience, Vionna-Frankenlisch had fought four wars since 1850. The Imperial-Cornellian and First Imperial-Balionic wars had been mostly naval campaigns and were only short conflicts. However, Imperial forces had also fought two extended continental wars in the War of the Vionnan Coalition and Queen Caroline's War, both of which were victories. Excepting Queen Caroline's War, which was fought in 1868-70, most of the soldiers who had fought in these conflicts were no longer in the service. However, the lessons learned from the four wars had not been forgotten, and many of the officers were still serving. The Viscount Lynwood and the Viscount Richmond, the hero commanders of the War of the Vionnan Coalition, were still on the army lists and both would come to command troops in Balion. For the most part, the same equipment used in the previous Imperial wars remained in service for this conflict and the Imperial Army had become very familiar with its use.
Bradwater Campaign
Main article: Bradwater Campaign
Unhindered by rough seas, Sir Ian Carrin-Jones' fleet made the crossing to Balion in twelve days. The fifty-three vessels arrived off the coast of New Frankenlisch on 30th April and spent another day sailing along the coast to reach Bradwater. The arrival of the Imperial fleet was well-observed and news spread across Balion swiftly. Though Fort Edward (renamed Fort Independence) could not be garrisoned in time, the defences of Bradwater were reinforced prior to the arrival of the Imperial fleet on 1st May. Gabriel H. Beauchamp was still in command of the forces in Bradwater and, when the Imperial fleet sailed into sight, he wasted no time in ordering his batteries to begin firing on them. At noon on 1st May, the first battle of the war commenced. The Imperial ironclads spearheaded the attack, sailing into Gestoria Bay and seizing Fort Edward back with marines. This was followed up by the landing of army units on both banks of the Bay, heavy casualties were taken by the landing forces as Union batteries targeted the boats rather than the impervious ironclads who returned a mostly ineffective fire. Led by the Guards Division on the east bank and the Glynmoran Division on the west bank, the landing forces overran the Balionic batteries and marched swiftly to encircle Bradwater. Skirmishing on the outskirts of the town was inconclusive and a breakout attempt by Union Army forces was repulsed. Offered generous terms of surrender, General Beauchamp turned the town over to the Vionna-Frankenlischians and was permitted to march away with his men to New Grythshead.
News of the victory reached Frankenlisch swiftly and reactions were mixed. Parliament and the Army were delighted, while the Admiralty and much of the public were deeply concerned that the invasion would lead to a longer and bloodier conflict. While the Imperial Balion Corps entrenched itself in and around Bradwater and the Imperial flag was re-raised over Fort Edward, the Diplomatic Service began making peace overtures. The Union government was adamant, there would be no peace negotiations while Bradwater remained in Imperial hands. The invasion was a rallying cry and, in the northern states, volunteers surged to the military with 15,000 men signing up for naval service and near double that number enlisting in the Union Army. Though the inhabitants of Bradwater were treated honourably and crime was punished harshly, rumours of atrocities committed by drunken Imperial soldiers soon spread, fanning the flames of resistance. In many southern states, conversely, enthusiasm for the war was low and volunteers were met with enlistment offices closed by local officials. In the run-up to the hectic June-August harvesting season, most southern planters had other concerns, while more others were actively disloyal to a Union which they felt no longer represented them.
In response to the capture of Bradwater, the Union Army organised a force under General Robert F. Cameron to retake the town. Cameron's command, named the Army of the Shelbien after the river flowing through Oakcliffe, consisted of a division of regulars, a brigade of the Ordnance Corps, a brigade of cavalry, and three divisions of militia. Joined by additional militia forces along the route of their advance, the Army of the Shelbien numbered roughly 45,000 men (most likely less). At the Second Battle of Bradwater, the Union forces suffered a heavy defeat. The largely militia Army of the Shelbien was unable to break the Imperial positions and, in a subsequent counterattack, was lucky to escape destruction at the Battle of Horton's Ford - thanks mostly to the brave rearguard action of Major General Elijah Horton's Legion.