The Fall Campaigns

As fall approached, and with it the coming winter and a halt of operations, the Union was eager to continue with their success from earlier in the year and tighten the noose around the Confederacy. Their morale was running high, and they were confident of victory. Many believed the war would be over by this time next year, and a few optimistic folk were expecting an end to the war by christmas. The Confederates, on the other hand, had settled into a mood of grim determination. The odds were now against them, but they believed God was on their side, and if they fought with all their might, they would be victorious. In Charleston, the leadership pored over maps, hoping to find a way of fighting off the Union without splitting their forces too much. But, with Union success in the west, it was inevitable; they would have to divide their current armies and pray that it would be enough, that they had made the right decisions. Only time would tell.

Davis believed that it was now too late in the year for the Army of the Potomac to attack the CSA, and therefore decided to send Lee and 20 000 men west to support the western front. Lee disagreed with Davis, but made no complaint and followed his orders. The Army of Northern Virginia had used the time spent waiting to dig themselves into heavy fortifications, but they were now down to half their previous strength, and their leader General George Thomas, although a capable commander, was not on the same level of Lee. And the audacious plan that McClellan was putting into action would leave the defences useless. Moving south down Cape Charles, McClellan and 50 000 men crossed over the Chesapeake and up the James River to launch an assault on the flanks of the Army of Northern Virginia. The Union had only 5 transport vessels, but McClellan scraped together anything in the area that could reasonably float and put it into action, allowing around 8000 men to cross the bay at a time. However, this gave time for Thomas to hear the news and decide what to do. He had three choices; attack McClellan with his full force, move south to protect Richmond, or attack the now less defended north and try to take Washington. Perhaps a daring general such as Lee would have considered a move north, but Thomas had a reputation for being a slow and deliberate leader, and he showed this now. He quickly sent a vanguard of 5000 to attack the Union landing place while he mobilised the remainder of the army.

Battle was joined in the middle of a hazy late summers day, when the Confederate vanguard hit the Union force, numbering only 8000 at the time, as delays had meant only one deployment across the bay had been made. McClellan himself had not yet landed, and command fell to his subordinate George Meade, while the Confederate force was commanded by James Longstreet. The Confederates, knowing the importance of the battle, fought with all their might and quickly gained the upper hand. If the Confederates could destroy the initial landing force, they would be able to send cannonfire directly onto the landing vessels, and easily repel McClellan's attack. As they pushed the Union forces closer to the beaches, however, a stalwart defence by Meade bought enough time for the second round of landing vessels to arrive, and as the Union reinforcements quickly entered the fray, Longstreet gave the order to withdraw back up the peninsula, hoping to preserve his force. They quickly met up with Thomas and the remaining army, and they about faced and attacked the beachhead once again. The battle swung back in the Confederate's favour, and as night fell they continued the assault, banking on the fact that the Union could not transport men during the night. The Union managed to hold on, however, and as the next day dawned, another landing gave the Union enough of an advantage to push back the Confederates. Thomas ordered a retreat, but kept Longstreet in contact with McClellan as they withdrew, so the Army of the Potomac made slow progress up the peninsula. Thomas, judging that his casualties had been too high, decided he could no longer mount a defense of northern Virginia, and sent word to Richmond that he was retreating south. A spirited defence at Drewry's Bluff gave enough time for the city of Richmond to be abandoned; almost the entire population fled south, but not before they had stripped the city bare of everything important, including the Tredegar Iron Works, and burning everything else. Thus, as Thomas and the remainder of the Army of Northern Virginia moved south, McClellan and his forces entered the destroyed city. The victory was not celebrated by his men; the fighting had been fierce and the casualties huge, the highest ever in American history up to that point. Amongst the dead was Brig. Gen. George Meade, who had been wounded in the first day of fighting and had succumbed to his wounds.
(-3000 regulars, -8000 conscripts to the USA, -1000 regulars, -5000 conscripts to the CSA)


Richmond skyline after the evacuation. The burnt-out Mayo Bridge is in the foreground

Although some believed him to be the best general in the world at the time, Robert E. Lee had had few opportunities to prove his worth in this civil war. He had only been involved in one battle so far; the inconclusive Battle of Bull Run. It was now time for him to prove his competence. He and half of the Army of Northern Virginia made it to Atlanta where they merged with the remaining Army of Tennessee, with Lee taking command. The now 40 000 strong Army of Tennessee immediately moved north towards Chattanooga, only to meet with Sherman and an army of 50 000, rather confusingly also called the Army of Tennessee, who was moving south to attack Atlanta. The two armies met at the small township of Rome, Tennessee, almost equidistant between Chattanooga and Atlanta. Despite having a smaller force, Lee was an expert at using the landscape to his advantage. Lee strengthened his position on a natural ridgeline and centralised his forces to form an anvil, and as Sherman hit his front lines, Brig. Gen. Beauregard moved around to the west and struck Sherman's army like a hammer. The resulting bloodshed forced Sherman to withdraw back to Chattanooga. Lee pursued, but Sherman held his ground in the city. With news now coming in of the defeat that had taken place in Virginia, Lee's home state, he was reluctant to engage Sherman when he wasn't able to pick his battlefield, as he did not want to risk the lives of any more men that might be needed for the more important eastern theatre. Instead, Lee sent his cavalry around the city to cut communications and supply lines to Sherman, and engage the city in a semi-siege, as he waited for further orders from Charleston.
(-3000 conscripts to the USA, -1000 conscripts to the CSA)


Battle of Rome, Tennessee

The final engagement of the year took place on the Mississippi River. General Grant combined his force with that of Sheridans in Arkansas, and the now ~44 000 strong Army of the Mississippi tried for a second time to march down the river and take Vicksburg. Bragg had not received the reinforcements he had hoped for, as the Confederates were already spread thin, and Bragg had to resort to raising whatever kind of force he could muster for the coming campaign. He still had around 16 000 men with him, all tried and tested in the heat of battle, and by pressing into service anyone in the area who looked like they could hold a weapon, Bragg began to form a ragged but determined army. Determination would not be enough, however, and as Grant burned his way south from Memphis, the Confederates were forced to give way and and retreat south, as Bragg feared his ragtag army would break and flee if he tried to engage Grant. Bragg decided that a siege of Vicksburg was unavoidable, and thought that if the city was besieged, it would have two effects; the government in Charleston would see how dire the situation was and send him reinforcements, and his poorly trained army would be forced to fight, having no means of escape. Therefore, Bragg withdrew his army into Vicksburg, sent word out of his predicament, and waited for Grant to attack. Grant hoped to assault the city and take it quickly, avoiding a drawn-out siege, so in the early hours of the morning, he gave the command to attack Vicksburg. The battle lasted hours as, although Bragg was correct in his prediction that the mustered farmhands and stableboys did not fight well at all, his core army stood their ground and fought hard. However, Grant continued to push forward, and the situation looked bad for the Confederates. Bragg was on the brink of ordering the retreat south, when he heard trumpets being blown from south of his position. To the amazement of the Confederate forces, a flotilla of gunboats flying the Confederate flag sailed up the Mississippi and fired upon Union positions. Almost the entire Confederate navy had answered the call, and the shock of their entry into the battle nearly routed the entire Union army. However, a Union shore battery waited silently until the fleet had passed its position before firing, and a shell struck the steam frigate CSS Manassas, destroying her engine compartment and sending her to the bottom. Wary of the danger, the remainder of the fleet turned back for Vicksburg, allowing Grant to regroup his forces. Grant resigned himself to a siege of Vicksburg, and Bragg began to dig his forces in better. Although both sides counted their dead, no one bothered to count how many of those pressed into service before the battle had fallen; no one knew how many there were at the start anyway. Believing the situation to be stable and unwilling to leave their only lifeline with the outside world unguarded, the Confederate fleet turned south and sailed back down to New Orleans.
(-1000 regulars, -4000 conscripts to the USA, - 700 regulars, -2000 conscripts, -1 screw frigate to the CSA)

Nov. 5th, 1862

Maj. General George B. McClellan
Richmond, Virginia

General,

The battle for Richmond was a costly one. We undertook heavy losses, including a general officer. General Meade has been the highest ranking officer killed in battle so far. I knew the plan was risky, and the casualties could be great. I accepted that and made my peace with it. What I cannot accept was your conduct after the capture of Richmond. The Army of Northern Virginia found itself in retreat after your bold strike, and you failed to take advantage of your surprise. You sought quarters in the city instead of moving through it in pursuit of Thomas. What is worse, your delay in Virginia led to Lee pushing Sherman out of Georgia. You are hereby relieved of command of the Army of the Potomac, as well as your duties as commanding general of the Army. Report to New Jersey at once for further instructions.

President Abraham Lincoln
-- Telegram

Letter to the President of the United States

Dear Mr. President,

The world is at awe with your everlasting devotion to liberty, and your steadfast character. However, I am also aware of the suffering that your people are going through in the current conflict that is occurring in your nation. Thus, Mr. President, if you would be willing to accept, I wish to give to the American people 50 strong, healthy Siamese elephants as a gift. If left with adequate food and water, they will multiply and America will have access to their own elephants. The American West is an unforgiving terrain, and I am sure that there are numerous regions that your steam powered trains and boats can not reach yet. Thus, beasts of burden are needed to travel and to settle in those regions, and I assure you that there is no finer beast of burden than an elephant. If need be, you could even use the elephants to aid your logistical operations in the Western theater where I hear that the marshy terrain, rivers, and swamps are an obstacle for even the hardiest of men. Perhaps you could even use the elephants as mounts? The choice is yours as would the elephants. Please give my offer a consideration, and may your quest towards liberty be fruitful.

From,
King Rama IV of Siam

My good friend,

I have received your letters and they have warmed my heart during the start of this winter. I appreciate most highly Your Majesty's tender of good offices in forwarding to this Government a stock from which a supply of elephants might be raised on our own soil. If you see fit to send them to our shores, I shall not protest. You will find attached to this letter a reply from Secretary of State Seward with details on a forthcoming diplomatic mission to your country.

Meantime, wishing for Your Majesty a long and happy life, and for the generous People of Siam the highest possible prosperity, I commend both to the blessing of Almighty God.

Your Good Friend,

Abraham Lincoln

Confederacion Argentina (Argentine Confederation)

Since declaring independence from Spain in 1816, the fledgling nation of Argentina has been embroiled in conflict within its own borders, whilst simultaneously having to juggle the threat of foreign infringement of Argentine sovereignty. The internal strife was founded by the division between two political factions: the dominant province of Buenos Aires versus the rest of the provinces. Centralists in Buenos Aires supported the idea of a strong national government. While Federalists in the rest of the country sought a more equitable arrangement that would distribute wealth and power throughout the provinces, as opposed to having it concentrated in the capital of Buenos Aires. It is the conflict between the Centralists and the Federalists that caused great turmoil in Argentina, which continued for decades after its independence.

Over the years the two sides would fight fiercely against one another in the battle for political power, desperate to gain the upper hand. But neither side was able to deal the decisive blow that would mean they could take complete control of the country. By 1861, the Federalists had managed to build a confederation of Argentine provinces, but they were unable to wholly appease the Centralists in Buenos Aires who had declared the Province of Buenos Aires an independent nation. Despite this, Buenos Aires was soon forced to capitulate after defeats on the battlefield- they reluctantly joined the Confederation. However, the war was not over. The national President Santiago Derqui of the Federalist faction became increasingly unpopular. He faced revolts in some of his own Federalist provinces. This was an opportunity the Centralists could not afford to waste. With the Confederation in disarray, Buenos Aires declared its independence once more and would move to exert its influence over the nation. The two sides would oppose one another on the field of battle again. It would seem that the fate of the Argentine nation was to forever be at war with itself. However, it would take one man to realise that in order to end the civil war once and for all, a different approach was needed.

General Bartolome Mitre (Centralist. Governor of the State of Buenos Aires) addresses his troops after the Battle of Pavon. 17 September, 1861:

"Gentlemen, today we have won a decisive and emphatic victory over the Federalist forces. Indeed, it is a day for celebration, for we have brought honor to the State of Buenos Aires. But it is also a day of sorrow, for we have lost many of our brothers on the battlefield. They fought valiantly and their sacrifice will be remembered always. I feel this war has gone on for far too long. Too many of our people have died. So while we mourn for our fallen comrades, let us also mourn for those that lost their lives fighting against us. For they too are our brothers. It is time we no longer slaughtered each other in battle over our political differences, but rather it is time we united as a nation- as a people- for we are all Argentine and for that we all have reason to be proud!

This victory shall not be squandered. The State of Buenos Aires has been victimised by the Federalists in the past, but I will not let that disrupt the promising future of Argentina. We will not seek revenge against those that have wronged us. Instead we shall seek reconciliation. For that is the only way our nation will become whole. In order for reconciliation to be successful, we will need to make concessions. I am confident we can work with the Federalists to bring about a new age of peace and prosperity for Argentina and all her people!"

Centralists would continue to have victories on the battlefield. This led to the resignation of President Santiago Derqui. General Mitre used his success not as leverage to demand concessions from the Confederation, but rather he presented himself as a unifying figure. He began to gain influence in all provinces of Argentina and this led to the dissolution of the Confederate government, with the National Congress confirming him as interim President of the country. With that a new nation was born, henceforth to be known as the Argentine Republic. In 1862 an election was held to determine the President of the Republic and Bartolome Mitre ran for office with a leader of the Federalist faction as his running mate. With this newfound solidarity between the factions, Mitre was elected and a new day dawned for the people of the Argentine Republic.

Events of the World: 1862

Europe
The English are famed for their intolerance of change, so Albert Edward faced difficulties even at home as he tried and set up his new republic. Fortunately, a strong propaganda campaign - the increasingly popular weapon of the modern ruler – managed to calm and assuage the majority of people in the home islands, who decided to sit quietly and wait to see what happened. However, most did not mean all. The strongest political group in rebellion was the Marxists, but as tensions rose, any group that had a bone to pick with the government took the opportunity to protest against Edward. The Empire was not safe either. The more developed colonies of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand stayed loyal, but in India, barely four years after the end of the last Indian Rebellion, an uprising in the north quickly escalated into a full-scale countrywide uprising. In Ireland, too, separatist groups took advantage of the chaos to try and take control of the Emerald Isle. Fighting between the rebels in India/Ireland and the army caused the deaths of thousands on both sides, and there were risks that the army itself would turn against the government.
(-£79, -20% public support, uprisings in progress, -4000 regulars to the RGB)


Rough map of the uprisings on the Home Isles

The new government ordered the construction of churches all through Britain, in the hopes that the British people would become more religious, and hopefully turn against the godless Marxists. It had some success, but people were already fairly religious in Britain, and did not take kindly to having the government involved in their religion.
(-£132, +4% public support)

Thinking that perhaps an economical boom would help the situation, the government built factories throughout the land. The plan was successful; the new factories had a huge output, and the economy thrived.
(-£450, +1 industry sublevel)

Hoping to implement a more military culture in Britain, the government implemented a National Military School that taught the basics of military life alongside the regular curriculum to boys aged 10-18. The school had results, but it was expensive, and unfortunately at this school education took a back seat to discipline.
(-£788, -5% education rate, +1 army sublevel in 2 turns)

France attempted to put more manpower into the construction of the Suez Canal. However, the only available source was the local Egyptians, who were being used as forced labourers. More workers were added, but it caused uproar both at home and abroad.
(-£230, -15 prestige, -5% public support, -1 year expected completion date)

Always at the forefront of weapon design, French companies began researching new models of rifles. A few companies had breakthroughs.
(-£422, +5% equipment)

Factories in France began researching methods to improve efficiency and reduce waste. There was some success.
(-£92, increased income)

French merchants began trading heavily with traders in the Great Qing. Driven by a desire to be more successful than the failed British merchants the previous year, the merchants made a large profit.
(-£220, increased income in 1 turn, +5% public support)

Von Roon’s reforms were continued, with the King authorising Von Roon an increased budget to see the reforms out. Some bureaucrats took advantage of this to skim some money off the top for themselves, but there was an increase in troop numbers and fewer people managed to dodge the draft.
(-£788, +22 000 regulars, -1 year off increased army level)

Otto von Bismarck was appointed Minister-President of the Prussian Kingdom. He appealed to both liberals and conservatives, and was loved by the people for his diplomatic success at the Conference of Constantinople.
(+5% public support)


Otto von Bismarck

The Prussian military set out to purchase breach-loading artillery. However, a factory error left the new artillery with a severe design flaw, putting the operators at risk. The military was forced to abandon the new purchases.
(-£650)

Helmuth Von Moltke implemented a wargame to the Prussian High Command known as the Kriegsspiel. They had some success amongst younger officers, but the older ones snubbed it as a game for children.
(No effect)

Austria also set out to improve its military equipment. They were more successful than the Prussians.
(-£350, +5% equipment)

Factories in Austria were modernised and had their efficiency improved to encourage economic growth. It was somewhat successful.
(-£141, increased income)

The Austrian government attempted to reform the education system. It was a complete disaster, with high costs and large numbers of errors and mistakes.
(-£102, -3% education rate)

Kaiser Franz Joseph I took a tour of the Empire to try and improve his public support. He had some success, but his demands to travel in high style meant it was an expensive trip, and did not endear him to his poorer citizens much.
(-£100, +4% public support)

In Sweden, factories were constructed to try and make use of the abundant natural resources. It was mostly successful.
(-£600, +1 industry sublevel)

Railroads were planned to better connect Sweden with Norway. It was difficult terrain to cross and there were many delays, but the plan was still underway.
(-£489, +1 infrastructure sublevel in 1 turns)

A propaganda campaign intended to promote pan-Scandinavism went ahead. It was successful, but costs were higher than expected.
(-£190, +5% public support)

The situation in 1862 seemed dire for the Kingdom of Denmark, as huge Prussian armies converged south of the border and invaded. It seemed a strange decision for the Danes to not accept the Prussian ultimatum, and even stranger that Denmark seemed to be making no preparations for war. However, as the Prussian soldiers crossed the border, it quickly became clear why. The initial Prussian advance was met with sporadic fire as the smaller Danish army withdrew north. The Prussian commanders advanced slowly, half expecting a trap, and casualties were low. After three hours of fighting, almost on the dot, firing from the Danish lines ceased and white flags of parley went up. Danish commanders agreed to cede the lands Prussia had demanded – the three hours of fighting had been symbolic, showing that the Danes would not give in without a fight.
(-326 regulars to Denmark, -744 regulars to Prussia, Schleswig-Holstein ceded to Prussia)


Fighting between Denmark and Prussia

Russia’s industrial capacity was far behind the other Great Powers. In order to rectify this, the Russian government ordered an increase of industrial output.
(-£490, +1 industry sublevel)

It was decided to streamline the government to try and cut down on redundant and wasteful systems. However, bureaucrats always manage to slip through the cracks.
(-£200, increased income)

A centralised system of taxes was implemented to try and reduce corruption and overspending. However, it struggled to deal with the huge amount of territory it had to cover, so many of the far-eastern citizens did not see any advantages.
(-£102, increased income)

A prospecting expedition in Alaska was funded by the government. It was enormously successful, striking a rich deposit of gold within a few weeks. This encouraged migration to the area, and many other governments of the world looked jealously at Alaska.
(-£310, increased income)

The Romanian government attempted to increase the number of factories built. They poured funding into the project, but the factories were slow to become operational.
(-£550, +1 industry sublevel in 3 turns)

Education was also reformed, as the government made a primary level education compulsory for all citizens.
(-£100, +7% education rate)

A propaganda program attempted to encourage enrolment in the army. This one was directed a bit better, and managed to recruit only Romanians.
(-£91, +9000 regulars)

A railway was built from Bucharest to Giurgiu. The plan was well executed and the railway was efficiently built well before the expected deadline.
(-£541, +1 infrastructure sublevel)

Italian officers once more travelled to Prussia to receive training. Going on the theory that, as they had tried to go to Prussia and ended up in Sicily, they should try and head for Sicily and perhaps they would end up in Prussia. So they boarded a train for Sicily, and to everyone’s surprise, ended up in Stockholm. A short but expensive boat ride got them safe and sound to Prussia, where they underwent training under Prussian supervision.
(-£480, +1 army sublevel in 3 turns)

Factories were built in northern Italy to increase industrial output and provide jobs for the unemployed. There were some successes, however it raised an uproar in the southern Italy as they wanted job opportunities as well.
(-£620, +1 industry sublevel in 1 turn, -5% public support)

Italian shipbuilders received a huge order from the government. Hoping to make the Regina Marina the strongest navy in the Med, they went to work with gusto. However, perhaps they had not considered the high costs of vessels.
(-£6,100, +3 ironclads, +2 ships-of-the-line, +8 transport ships, all in 3 turns)

Education was tackled by the Ottoman government to try and combat the low literacy rate amongst their citizens. Attempts were made to try and distance education from religion, which had some success, but made some more devout subjects angry.
(-£190, +6% education rate)

Agriculture was also considered, with reformations taking place all over the Empire. Ottoman National farms were set up, taking advantage of the highly arable land.
(-£220, increased income)

Propaganda was released all through the empire celebrating Ottoman identity and emphasising the importance of the Sultan as Caliph over all Muslims.
(-£105, +9% public support)

Propaganda was also utilized by the Spanish government in order to increase the legitimacy of Queen Isabella II. Costs were high, but most people responded positively.
(-£173, +5% public support)

A meeting was held of Spanish economists to discuss how to improve Spain’s standing on the international market. The meeting was successful, and the better ideas were implemented.
(-£99, increased income)

The rate of exploitation of resources from Cuba was increased, with some success for the Spaniards.
(-£101, increased income)

The Greek government attempted to improve the education system by offering a range of classes to all ages and social standing. It was an expensive process, however.
(-£168, +5% education rate)

Military equipment was purchased from all over Europe by the Greek military. They almost purchased some nearly-new breach-loading artillery from Prussia, but decided that the Prussians were a little too eager to sell them, and refused.
(-£298, +6% equipment)

Railroads, which were beginning to look a little old and weathered, were refurbished and improved by the government. It was a highly successful move.
(-£399, +1 infrastructure sublevel)

The Greek government offered tax incentives to any farmer willing to test new inventions on their farms. Some braver souls took the risk, and for a few, the risk paid off.
(-£222, increased income)

The Americas
The USA, naturally, sought to improve the quality and size of the military. Reforms into training yielded good results. The size was no problem, as new recruits were still lining around the block to join.
(-£381, +1 army level, +130 000 conscripts)

The importance of the roll that ships had played in the battle for Vicksburg had not been lost on Union leaders. A fleet of new ironclad vessels was ordered, with the first expected to arrive within the year.
(-£4,000, +1 ironclad, +3 ironclads in 1 turn)


New US ironclad on its maiden voyage

The new Spencer repeating rifles had been tested by Union soldiers to great effect, and the army had ordered thousands in order to outfit as much of the army as possible. War factories got to work, but the order outstripped their capacity, so the order was slow to be filled.
(-£961, +1% equipment, +5% equipment in 1 turn, +5% equipment in 2 turns)

War bonds had not sold well at the start of the war. But with recent Union victories, more buyers had faith in a Union victory, so bonds began to sell far better.
(+£1,000)

To aid in the failing economy, taxes were raised in the CSA. The Confederate people recognised that it was a necessity of being at war, and it did not stop them from supporting their government. The news of the loss of Virginia galvanised many into signing up for the military.
(raised income, +90 000 conscripts)

The Confederacy recognised how important the navy was in saving Vicksburg from falling, and moved to improve the naval facilities in New Orleans, as well as training the Confederate fleet.
(-£345, +1 naval sublevel)

New vessels were constructed in New Orleans to replace the one lost and to add to the fleet.
(-£2,400, +2 screw frigates, +3 sail frigates)

A number of suspicious men were captured behind Union lines near Washington, and when interrogated, revealed that they were members of the Confederate Secret Service. The men refused to divulge their plan, and were shot as spies. Rumour has it they were planning on kidnapping or assassinating the President of the United States.
(No effect)

The process of modernisation continued in Mexico, with fairly decent results, as factories were built and mining operations improved.
(-£508, +1 industrial sublevel)

The Mexican government offered incentives to European investors to construct the planned railway that fell flat the previous year. Prussian investors took the offer, and construction was soon underway, this time under greater supervision.
(-£490, +1 infrastructure sublevel in 1 turn)

Schools were built all over Mexico in order to promote education and improve the literacy of the Mexican people. The results were outstanding.
(-£300, +8% education rate)

Brazil sought to improve the standing of freed slaves. There was some success, but the results were far from satisfactory.
(-£220, +3% education rate, +3% public support)

With the war in North America becoming increasingly bloody, more refugees took advantage of the Brazilian offer to escape the fighting. The Brazilian government kindly offered the refugees full citizenship and constructed housing in Rio.
(-£109, +6000 population, +5 prestige)

Attempts to build better quality roads along the coastline went ahead, but a fierce heatwave meant lazy workers and slow progress was made.
(-£460, +1 infrastructure level in 2 turns)

Having retaken Bogotá, the Colombian government sought to encourage migration to the city. It was a successful move as a surge of people moved to the city hoping to find work, and this led to a boom in the population.
(-£135, +0.19 population growth)

Construction of a railway was attempted to link Bogotá with more northern cities. Unfortunately, the heatwave that struck Brazil also hit Colombia, and the untreated metal rails expanded in the heat and became useless.
(-£380)

Seeds for coffee beans and bananas were provided by the government to try and promote farming, and the nation saw an increase in agricultural output.
(-£100, increased income)

Hoping to finally end the civil war, Colombian troops descended on known rebel strongholds. After some short battles, these were rapidly overtaken. The rebels were facing serious food and supply shortages, and many surrendered at the sight of government soldiers. Within a few months, the last rebels were captured, and the civil war officially ended.
(-100 regulars, -320 conscripts to Colombia)

Asia
In the wake of the civil war, the government of the Great Qing undertook a grand reconstruction effort to restore the damage done by the rebels. It was expensive, but homes were quickly rebuilt and the lands flourished.
(-£530, increased income)

The westerners that served the Great Qing were requested to help train the officers of the army. They accepted, and the quality of the Qing army was raised.
(-£370, +1 army sublevel)


Qing troops training

The training also extended to the officers of the navy, who benefited hugely from the training and advice.
(-£310, +1 navy sublevel)

After signing the Treaty of Friendship and Trade, French teachers entered the Great Qing and taught in schools, greatly improving education.
(-£170, +9% education rate)

An audit into national spending in Siam had huge results, uncovering corruption and reducing the nation’s deficit immensely. Those responsible for the corruption were promptly arrested.
(reduced nation deficit)

Siam’s education rate was one of the lowest in the world, with just 3% being literate. An attempt to tackle this was undertaken with some results, although people were a little slow to learn.
(-£120, +7% education rate in 2 turns)

Subsidies attracted foreign investment into the construction of factories throughout the kingdom. Factories sprung up all over the place, and industrial output increased.
(-£460, +1 industrial sublevel)

Countries of the World: 1862

Treaty of Bucharest

The following treaty is in accordance with the agreements between the United Principalities (to be referred to as Romania) and the Ottoman Empire in the year 1863 after negotiations took place in Bucharest between delegates of both nations. This treaty shall remain in effect until the signatories see it fit to end or renegotiate the terms. Annulment of this treaty must be declared 24 months prior to the date of termination.

Article I: It is hereby declared that Romania and the Ottoman Empire enter an alliance and shall aid each other should war be declared upon either of them, or should either declare war on any other nation.

Article II: It is hereby declared that trade from both the Ottoman Empire and Romania shall pass freely, without hindrance or extra cost through both nations.

Article III: It is hereby declared that Ottoman military units and Romanian military units are permitted to pass freely through the territories and waters of both nations, during times of war and peace.

Article IV: Romania and the Ottoman Empire hereby pledge to aid each other militarily in all ways possible, in order to ensure that both nations benefit from the progress and advanced military technology, training techniques and schooling of the other.

Article V: It is hereby declared that Ottoman and Romanian experts, in all fields, shall be exchanged in order to benefit from progress made by the other and to maintain the strong historical ties between us.

This is all as has been agreed, and all signatories are held firmly to their word,

[X] Sultan Abdulaziz I, the Ottoman Empire
[]Domnitor Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the United Principalities

Principatele Unite

Treaty of Bucharest

The following treaty is in accordance with the agreements between the United Principalities (to be referred to as Romania) and the Ottoman Empire in the year 1863 after negotiations took place in Bucharest between delegates of both nations. This treaty shall remain in effect until the signatories see it fit to end or renegotiate the terms. Annulment of this treaty must be declared 24 months prior to the date of termination.

Article I: It is hereby declared that Romania and the Ottoman Empire enter an alliance and shall aid each other should war be declared upon either of them, or should either declare war on any other nation.

Article II: It is hereby declared that trade from both the Ottoman Empire and Romania shall pass freely, without hindrance or extra cost through both nations.

Article III: It is hereby declared that Ottoman military units and Romanian military units are permitted to pass freely through the territories and waters of both nations, during times of war and peace.

Article IV: Romania and the Ottoman Empire hereby pledge to aid each other militarily in all ways possible, in order to ensure that both nations benefit from the progress and advanced military technology, training techniques and schooling of the other.

Article V: It is hereby declared that Ottoman and Romanian experts, in all fields, shall be exchanged in order to benefit from progress made by the other and to maintain the strong historical ties between us.

This is all as has been agreed, and all signatories are held firmly to their word,

[X] Sultan Abdulaziz I, the Ottoman Empire
[X]Domnitor Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the United Principalities

República Dominicana

Fellow citizens of the Dominican Republic, I Pedro Santana come before you today not as a tyrant or a conqueror, but as a Great Emancipator. I struggled to for seventeen long years to wrangle the country away from the grasp of wicked men who only rob and maim. And today fellow citizens thanks to your Great Emancipator those villainous rapists of this virgin soil rest in shallow graves. The eyes of the world are upon us and they envy our collective successes; they mockingly call me the “Nero of the Caribbean” because they clearly are envious of my enlightened rule and need to result to childish jabs. It just goes to show that democracy is resulting in the degeneration of those forced to live under its shadow.

However, despite the execution of our enemies on the homefront our work is from being done as it is crystal clear that our treacherous neighbor Haiti has been behind all this turmoil; they are akin to the parasitic vines that attempt to suck the life out of the mighty tree stealing the aforementioned tree’s well-earned sunlight. Those who once doubted my genius questioned why should the Dominican nation be reverted to a Spanish colony; it was obvious that those aforementioned men were Haitian spies and were promptly executed alongside their equally traitorous families. A true citizen knows that only Mother Spain can help stem this tide of Haitian refuse.

God favors me and thusly favors you my children.

- Pedro Santana, Great Emancipator, Liberator of the Nation, Governor-General of Santo Domingo, and President of the Dominican Republic

EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION

As of this day, January 1st in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three (1863) all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of the States: Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia are thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authority thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.

--Abraham Lincoln

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Emancipation Proclamation Sets Rebel Slaves Free, Nation Wide Emancipation Next?
New York Tribune Headline
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Secretary of War Edwin Stanton
Washington, DC

Mr. Secretary,

Greetings from Richmond. My youngest son and I went on a tour of the fallen city, I cannot say that it has been a cheerful tour. I have witnessed plenty of destruction and ruin of that once great city. As spring swiftly approaches we are still trying to hack that Gordian Knot. For many long months now we have not had a man in charge at the top. I have your offices recommendations for McClellan's replacement, but all seem unsatisfactory. Halleck has shown he is little more than a office clerk, all his victories in the West coming from the man besieging Vicksburg. Burnside is a capable corps commander but seems not able to take the pressure of high command, and General Hooker has more fighting spirit than common sense. I remain at an impasse, and would appreciate your counsel on the matter.

Your humble servant,
A. Lincoln
-Letter

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Mr. President,

You call this conundrum a Gordian Knot. Like Alexander's solution to that riddle, I have an equally simple solution: Appoint the man besieging Vicksburg.

Yours,
Edwin M. Stanton
--Telegram

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Maj, General Ulysses S. Grant
Vicksburg, MS

General Grant, you have orders to report to Washington as soon as possible to assume the post of Commanding General of the Army. I look forward to meeting you in person and developing a plan of action to end this rebellion. God be with you and bless your travels.

Your humble servant,
A. Lincoln
-- Telegram

Grenadine Confederation
Statement by President Mariano Ospina

We stand at the light in the end of the tunnel; it is not a mirage but the reality we wanted to reach. However, as the Paradise found in the West seems to have fallen under the reign of man once again, it has become flawed. There is much work to do in this land, nevertheless, let it not be a detriment to our ambitions for harmony; it is only a goal to achieve among many in the future. We have slaughtered each other, brothers and sisters under one God and one country, for a meaningless task whereupon a dictator would have taken place, erasing the autonomy he held as a flag for his cruel war.

If someone would have asked me, a year ago, whether I stood with fear at the position I found myself in, I would have replied without hesitation, that I was. Terror overcame me as I imagined the soldiers being led to their deaths, all of them Colombian in blood but acting upon the whims of a single person. Like insects drawn by the smell of a flower, led into the most grizzly storm of hail man may encounter; a massacre. This was the case with Victoria, which hasn't lived up to her name, nor has she lived up to her country in her final days. We can only wish to her and the United Kingdom peace as they recover from a blow to their unity, even at this very moment, praising young Edward's reasoning skills as he has taken his people out of one danger but they are thrown into another; nevertheless, this new fellow republic must stand for what ideals its people have expressed by rejecting the dark side of monarchic power and, in that manner, we wish him, and Britain's government, luck in their journey.

And to the other European powers who have taken the same decisions, we thank you for respecting the great lands and prairies of the West, who had once rejected their unfitting models because of natural diferences between men. Likewise, I must respect Brazil's restraint and patience, as they have fulfilled their peacekeeping role by avoiding any hostile actions against any nation.

To the Argentine Confederation goes our sympathy, for we have also reunified the peoples that fall under the veil of one nation, avoiding the fake sovereignty taken by spilled blood; that of Federalists that seeked to bring disgrace upon each of their respective provinces by splitting apart. We, in South America, are struggling nations that need to stand together as we face the horizon and what's beyond it, the last thing we need is people starving over a fervent ideology of difference, instilled by repressive, power-hungry men, who seek to reign their own kingdoms with a fist of iron falling upon their subjects, not caring for the shared nature of man.

And that battle against the violent and force reign over men is being fought by the Union, brothers at the North. Their recent advances, that have been reported in waves across the world of the free, show that they equate us within their nation; they are nothing but warriors for justice for all men and women on the face of Earth. Liberty is the essence of development in this world, emancipation of all is the answer! We applaud every nation who has recognized the essence, the fire raging inside each of us to achieve happiness! We, ourselves, have tried and will keep trying, to grasp it form Death's skeletal, rotting hand while shouting for the men slain on the battlefield, as we rise to Heaven in a final, triumphal act of liberty! We will never stop, nor will liberty be held back! We need to take this fight to the men who deal with the suffering of their fellow man, as an object, as a good to be traded away and to be disposed as soon as man's roaring soul has been shackled and it has withered away!

As such, I call for you, men of the Grenadine Confederation, to join this fight of liberty; a war that every single person has fought, some arguing they have the right to take other's liberties as they protect their own. We offer, our brothers of Colombia, to join upon a quest to achieve this objective. We are, now, opening spots for those who wish to taste the process that will turn this Earth, soiled by man, destroyed by man, shackled by man, into one that we imagined as the light in the end of the tunnel. Those who wish to be shipped further North to turn this world around, piece by piece, may do so. The Colombian Expeditionary Corps are at your service, America. Not again will we fall to the will of a few who put weights upon our shoulders to avoid us from rising, nor will we allow anyone to suffer from this shame as long as we live.

Long live Emancipation!

Amsterdam, The Kingdom of the Netherlands; An address by King William III,

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In 1815, after the Napoleonic scourge had finally been removed from the face of Europe, William I formally announced the founding of a state that became known as the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This new kingdom consisted of all of the former territory of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, the former Austrian Netherlands, and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. All three of these entities were primarily Dutch speaking, and all three, for nearly a quarter of a century, enjoyed their status in a united Dutch Kingdom that consisted of almost all of the Dutch speaking areas of the European continent. It was one of Europe's first examples of a true nationalist struggle, a fight against a foreign force that sought to extinguish the existence of a people with a long and proud history, who had at one time been the premier technological and naval superpower of the world. As spectacular as unity for the Dutch-speakers of the world was, it did not come without its loses. During the Napoleonic interregnum, the Netherlands' colonial empire was almost entirely seized by foreign powers. Long-standing Dutch colonies like Ceylon and the Cape were taken away, never to be transferred back to their rightful masters by the empires—actually, let us not pretend, it is in truth the singular 'empire'—that opportunistically stole them. But as one door closes, another opens, and so the Dutch people were happy to have surrendered so much of their colonial might if it meant that their nation could at long last be fully unified. To their dismay, though, while one empire had seized the Dutch colonies, another was planning to seize the Dutch homeland.

The French Empire that was imposed on the Netherlands brought with it a spectacular amount of evils, but its most enduring evil, which has been so perverted over the years that the Great Corsican himself, Napoleon, would surely not recognize it, is the existence of the state known as 'Belgium'. During the 30's, the French-speaking aristocracy that had been planted in the Southern Netherlands revolted. Napoleon's attempted destruction of Dutch nationhood had been most successful in the south, and so, many of the common men south of Brussels, the city that was my birthplace and the former capital of the Netherlands, joined this revolt. It was a war not of liberation, but of Francization, that these rebels waged against the Dutch crown. With the eager aid of the French empire, this Francophone-dominated aristocratic swath spread throughout the Dutch homeland, through Brussels and to all of Flanders. The brave William I led an army to defeat the rebellion, and did, but the rebels' newly adopted Mother France poured as many men as were necessary into the Netherlands to ensure he did not succeed. Years later, the Netherlands was forced at the point of a foreign sword to accept the southern rebellion's independence. As our empire was stripped from us, was stolen during a time of hardship, so to was our homeland.

As of today, I am formally announcing that the government of the Netherlands will no longer ignore the hardships forced upon Flanders by a French government that does not hold the welfare of the Flemish in their first interests. Flanders was the Netherlands, and if the imported French thugs that call themselves 'Belgian' continue to treat the region as a backwater worthy of contempt and conversion to their holier-than-thou French-Belgian identity, the formerly united Dutch people, inside Flanders and out, will not hesitate to move in the defence of the land of Flanders and its people.

We hope that the powers that be in Europe will sympathize with the oppressed peoples of Flanders, and not continue to deny the Dutch people their unity as a nation. Indeed, I have the utmost confidence that many have already taken note of their plight. I urge King Leopold I to think very carefully about what his next actions should be. I hold in my heart the best interests of all of the people of the Netherlands; I would hate for violence to have to occur, unless it were absolutely necessary.

Vorstin en Vaderland! God zal mij regeren als een goed instrument, dat ik zal wederkeren in mijnen regiment!

Confederate States of America

Excerpts from an Address to Congress

Vicksburg! Vicksburg, gentlemen! From the darkest hour of the fight, it was our navy that turned the tides!
Many of you might have very well thought that when I asked for us to improve our navy last year that it was useless when our enemy was the navy of the Union, but I firmly believe it has been shown that our efforts shall bear fruit!
If we are to taste this sweet nectar again, though, we must redouble our efforts! No doubt the Union has sought to bolster their own naval forces so as to prevent our gains, and so I call on us to redouble our own efforts, gentlemen!
But more so! We have an abundance of merchants, gentlemen. They seek out our ports. Both to leave them and to enter them, we have a massive resource in them. The people who would seek to do business with us are a great and mighty resource! With the rebellions in India, Europe, now more than ever, needs our cotton! India cannot provide while they are in turmoil, but we can! If we take advantage of this resource, not only will it help our own people, but the people of the world!

- Steven Mallory, Secretary of the Navy of the Confederate States of America (on January 4th, 1863)

The Empire of the Great Qing
New Year Speech given by Prince Gong at the Great Qing Gate in Tiananmen Square (February 18th, 1863)

Our good and loyal subjects.

On behalf of the Lord of Ten Thousand Years, I would like to wish every family happiness, peace and health in the New Year.

The first year of Qixiang has ushered in a most glorious restoration for the Great Qing Dynasty. The lands of the south, once scorched by the despised Taiping rebels, has witnessed a truly remarkable regeneration. True to our words, labourers from all over the Middle Kingdom upheld the fine task of bringing prosperity back to Nanfang. Where lands were once blackened and desolate now grow the most lushest of crops, and where nought but ruins and wreckage decorated the lands now stands an abode for each family. Embodying the virtues of the ever faithful dog, the Great Qing has generously provided to its people. It is yet another charitable deed in the Celestial Empire's long history, for we seek to better the lives of our noble subjects for all eternity.

It has also heralded a tremendous boost for the Self-Strengthening Movement as a whole new class of officers, trained in the arts of modern warfare by some of the brightest minds of the Occident, have assumed the mantle of both the Imperial Army and the Imperial Navy. Although it is a change to be rightfully proud of, as our military ushers in a leadership with a talented and modern outlook on life, it is merely one step along the road towards witnessing a true military modernisation. A long journey awaits us, but the strength of our martial spirit can not be denied. Soon, we shall be able to bring about a grand modernisation effort for the military. They shall possess the sharpest of minds, the finest of rifles, the bravest of souls, and an everlasting loyalty to the Son of Heaven and all of his loyal subjects. Through the completion of this arduous task, each and every one of us Chinese shall be afforded the greatest protection that we deserve.

Another victory for the Self-Strengthening movement has been met, as the minds of our youth encounter the knowledge of the west. Courtesy of France, professors and scholars from a country with a deep philosophical tradition have journeyed afar to pass their sagacity onto our own teachers and our own children. Although the east has brought upon this earth some of the most intelligent thinkers of all time, so too has the west. The teachings of Master Kong, Master Meng and Yan Yuan are just as insightful as those from Voltaire, Descartes and Pascal. As one of our traditional adages tells us, "A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood". It is imperative for the youth of China to not heed knowledge from not only their own garden, but the world around them. Only with an open mind shall their talents flourish unheeded, and allow for the next generation to the wisest of all.

With the arrival of the spring begins the second year of Qixiang; the year of the water pig. It is a time of benevolence and abundance. In the spirit of the pig, I shall like to wish a year where we may generously share what we have sown; not just from the Emperor to his subjects, but from all walks of life - from the father to his son, the elder brother to his younger brother, the husband to his wife, and to one friend to another friend. Underneath the guidance of the Celestial Empire's light, a most favourable year lies ahead for every one of us. Let us make great strides this year as bountiful harvests await us in all we do.

May all under heaven enjoy a happy and auspicious year.

My brethren it has been some time since we Englishmen found ourselves in the throes of Civil Anguish such as this. The dying cries of that old devil are heard wide across our beautiful Empire. That devil is a tyrant of established thievery. The old aristocracy muddled in their ways and in love with their own sense of power seek to hold on to the control they wielded over the masses. With their riches and their titles they grew fat off those who worked beneath the brutal Sun. It is a poison, power is. It seeps into your soul and leaves you desperate for more. And it is so easy to accept.

I, yes even I, was once caught up in the passionate embrace of power. My lust for the Crown was undeniable. My eyes coveted a thing that I truly believed to be the only beauty. By the Grace of God I eventually saw it for the Devil it was. My blessed mother, cursed though her mind may be, taught me through her addled brain the consequence of allowing poison within one's veins.

This poison seeks to seep throughout our entire Nation. Men using the passions of other Men to restore their own status and power. These men are the poison that suffocates our Nation. Like a serpent they wait and stalk the good and hardworking people of our Great Republic in order that they may strike us in our weakness.

This day I tell all the people of our Great Nation that as long as I have breath I will seek to crush each and every head of this Serpent. However I cannot do it alone! I call upon my beloved countrymen; men and women no less valuable than I, to stand with me against this Serpent and cut off its Heads! For we are no longer a Monarchy in which God has chosen one fallible human being to rule. No! We are a United Republic that has been blessed by God to choose whom shall rule us!

I thank the people of my country for putting their faith in me. And in return, I will put my faith in them! Let us march onwards Brothers and Sisters in perfect Unity! God bless our soldiers! God bless our workers! And God bless this United Republic!

-Albert Edward, Prime Minister to the URGBI. Pamphlet handed out across Britain.

Retaliations

The CSA looked in bad shape at the end of 1862. They had lost one of their most powerful states, Virginia, their control of the Mississippi was threatened, and the North taken huge swathes of land. Morale was low, and as they settled into their third year of war and blockade, food was rationed and the mood was grim. In Charleston, however, the war was not yet lost. Generals and tactitians gathered together, planning for a way to turn the fate of the war. General George Thomas, the man who so very nearly sided with the Union, hit upon an ambitious plan to try and save the Confederacy. Thomas had been responsible for the defence of Virginia, and he blamed himself for his defeat at the hands of McClellan. He hoped he would avenge this defeat.

In the early hours of the morning, new years day 1863, Thomas' force, now bolstered by 40 000 new recruits, crossed over the border from North Carolina into Virginia. It was here that the lack of infrastructure in the south came in use; it was many hours before Grant, newly arrived in the eastern theatre, heard the news. It was more hours after that when he realised that Thomas has avoided the trap of heading for Richmond. Thomas' army was still called the Army of Northern Virginia, and it was Northern Virginia that he was determined to fight in. Thomas led his army north-west into Virginia, heading for the town of Roanoke. There was a large Union force in his path; the Army of Roanoke, 60 000 strong, commanded by Joseph Hooker. When planning the Union's push deeper into the south, Hooker had been instructed by Grant to not engage the enemy until the Army of the Potomac had engaged first, so Hooker was initially unsure what he was supposed to do. This moment of confusion gave Thomas time to skirt around south of Smith Mountain Lake and prepare his men for the coming engagement.

Hooker, who was known for his brash, cavalier attitude, disregarded his previous orders and moved to attack Thomas. Hooker had heard how Thomas had been pushed out of Virginia by McClellan, how he had made a strategic withdrawal once his casualties got too high, and assumed that if he struck Thomas hard enough with his superior numbers, he would do so again. It was a grave error in judgement. Although Thomas did have a large number of raw recruits with him, the core of his force was the ones who had fought in the Peninsula Campaign and had been with him since the start of the war. On the Union side, Hooker's subordinates disliked and distrusted him, and as Hooker ordered a frontal attack, Thomas' lines held firm, and wave after wave of Union soldiers were cut down. The Union formation began to break down as commanders disregarded their orders and moved in the wrong direction. Finally, when he gauged the moment to be correct, Thomas sent Longstreet and the reserves in a loop around the Union position to strike at their flanks. The result was a bloodshed; Hooker seemed frozen, unable to make a clear decision, and Union soldiers lost their cohesion and attempted to flee the field. With a thick smoke covering the battle, it was tricky to escape, and the Confederate soldiers continued to cut the Union force down like rabbits. Eventually, at the pressure of his subordinates, ordered a retreat from the field. What ws left of his forces retreated back to Roanoke and then further, abandoning the town and fleeing back into the north. Thomas, having inflicted his first crushing defeat on the Union, took the town unopposed.
(-2,700 regulars, - 21, 500 conscripts to the USA, -600 regulars, -4,700 conscripts to the CSA)


Bayonet charge during the battle

When he heard of Hooker's defeat, Grant was furious at him. However, he did see an advantage; Thomas' move north had left the way to Charleston seemingly clear. If Grant could make it to Charleston before Thomas made it to Washington, the Union might win the war. However, that was a big if. Grant ordered the Army of the Potomac to march south. In a bold move, General Jackson abandoned his position training the Confederate army and took the men tasked with defending Charleston north to meet Grant. Upon learning of this force, Grant believed it to be a new army, and decided he couldn't defeat it and take Charleston before Thomas made it to Washington. Grant turned the Army of the Potomac around and headed north for the town of Charlottesville, hoping to cut Thomas off before he could make it into the north. Jackson, relieved that his gambit had paid off, and also a little disappointed that he hadn't fought a battle yet in this war, turned back for Charleston, not before entertaining thoughts of retaking Richmond, as there was now few Union troops between him and the city.

In the west, Lee faced much tougher odds. He had Sherman bottled up inside Chattanooga, but he was outnumbered and feared that northern reinforcements would soon be upon him. The recruits he had hoped would be sent to him, were instead assembled into the Army of Arkansas and, under the command of General Johnston, marched for Little Rock. Lee was left to try and take Chattanooga with just his remaining force. Union commanders drew up their plans to rescue Sherman, using their superior numbers against Lee. As Lee lay siege to Chattanooga, Sherman, not used to being on the defensive, attempted to force his way out. Lee gathered his army and attacked back. Shermans army, smaller in numbers and weakened after the siege, initially had the worst of the fighting. However, as Lee pushed Sherman further and further back into Chattanooga, another Union force appeared on the horizon. General John Pope and the 42 000 men of the newly formed Army of East Tennessee arrived to break the siege, and he immediately entered the battle. Lee, now heavily outnumbered, withdrew south back to Atlanta. A strong push by Pope in an attempt to encircle Lee nearly won the battle for the Union when, like a miracle from God, a Confederate army appeared as if from nowhere. Johnston, fearing what would happen, ignored his orders and had marched the Army of Arkansas back to help Lee. Union forces fell back at the arrival of this new force and Lee gave chase, but once again he was unwilling to risk his exhausted men in an assault of Chattanooga, leaving the result of the battle in much the same way as before, with Lee sitting on the borders defending Georgia. The main difference was that there were a lot more dead and wounded lying on the battlefield.
(-1,000 regulars, -7000 conscripts to the USA, -800 regulars, -3,900 conscripts to the CSA)

It was only on the Mississippi that the Union had any success during the early months of 1863. With the Army of Arkansas now on the border of Georgia, only the few remaining forces available to General Bragg was left to hold Vicksburg. Sheridan with the Army of the Mississippi, over 60 000 strong and now supported by a flotilla of warships, launched a second attempt at cracking open the town. Bragg bravely withstood the first assault, but his men were outnumbered more than four to one, and he knew he couldn't hold Vicksburg forever. As night fell, Bragg's men broke out of the siege and withdrew to the south. As Sheridan took Vicksburg, he ordered part of his army to give chase. Bragg and his men were harried all the way to Natchez, where the Union forces gave up, allowing Bragg to escape further to the only town before New Orleans; Baton Rouge. There was now only a very thin line connecting the western half of the CSA to the east, a line barely 70 miles long.
(-500 regulars, -1000 conscripts to the USA, -100 regulars, -500 conscripts to the CSA)


Second Battle of Vicksburg 1863

Having given the Ottoman provinces of Tunisia and Egypt ample time to respond to our de-vassalisation order, we hereby semi-mobilise our armies and navy and will remove the despots who dare rebel against the empire by force if need be, and we request that all loyal officers in Egypt and Tunisia readily join us in putting down any rebels we may face.

We invite the Bey of Tunisia and the Khedive of Egypt to Constantinople to retire with honour and allow democracy to grow in the rest of the empire. The era of autocratic rule is over and we request that they understand that and comply.

This is an order by the Caliph and Commander of the Faithful, and failure to comply will equate to war against the Ummah and the Caliphate.

His Highness, Grand Vizier Mehmed Fuad Pasha, Prime Minister of the Ottoman Empire

The Formerly-Known United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway

The United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway and the Kingdom of Denmark has a monumental announcement. After careful deliberation, I, Charles XV, King of Sweden and Norway, and Frederick VII, King of Denmark, have decided that each of our kingdoms alone cannot stand a chance against the other powers of Europe. In response to the recent seizure of the Danish Fief, Schleswig, the King of Denmark and I have agreed that the correct plan of action is to form an alliance. However, this alliance shall not be like any other alliance, but it shall be a Pan-Scandinavian Commonwealth. In light of all the separate Nationalistic movements spreading across Europe, the people of Scandinavia need to unite in order to even complete with the other movements of Germany and Italy, as seen by Prussia's seizure of Schleswig. Therefore, the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway and the Kingdom of Denmark shall unite into the Scandinavian Commonwealth and henceforth shall be referred as the Scandinavian Commonwealth. While each state shall remain sovereign from one another, our Scandinavian unity shall ensure the survival of all Danes (including their dependents), Swedes, and Norwegians.

Long live Scandinavia!

[x] King Charles XV of Sweden
[x] King Frederick VII of Denmark.