1813-18 French End Game Campaign (continued)
Lefebvre played a master stroke - and instead of rushing for Dublin, he swung south and intercepted, defeated and scattered the relief column on its way back from Waterford. He thus removed the possibility of facing Wellington at full strength and the risk of being attacked from two directions should Wellington sally out of the city as his relief column approached. Turning northward again, Lefebvre this time beseiged Dublin and in a tight battle won mainly due to superior numbers of French artillery, Wellington was defeated. Rather than remain in and secure Dublin, the French gave the Irish their independence, and left immediately for England.
While Lefebvre was clearing out Ireland, Rainer had landed a raw (but keen and excited) Corps on the Welsh Coast, and made short work of the defenders of Cardiff. However, he suffered heavy losses and failed to destroy the British forces completely, and was therefore unable to continue on toward London - he was bitterly disappointed not to be able to rendevous with Soult and Mortier who were marching south from Scotland with all haste.
The British fleet, by now starved of resources and communications from London was in disarray, while being distracted by small French flotillas in the Irish Sea. This enabled Napoleon himself to land his Imperial Guard and veterans from the eastern front in Portsmouth in early April - just as Soult and Mortier's forces surrounded London. Initially he ordered them to await his arrival, but when news came of at least one British column heading in from the northwest, he gave the go-ahead to take the city. And so it was that London fell into French hands and Napoleon's victory was completed in April 1815.
The nightmare of the English was complete, and Napoleon rode and paraded in London - to the cheers only of his own troops.
Congratulations to the LME team. This has been an outstanding campaign experience. Thank you all.