The French in Mexico

[PhilThib]

We shall model a little bit the French intervention in Mexico (via the Mexico off map box) and possibly in the Civil War in case the CSA manages to trigger foreign intervention.

Herebelow is some data collected on that point. Please feel free to feed that thread

French army in Mexico

It includes the Mexican Imperial forces (in italics). Leaders that are only flavour are in [color="DarkRed"]red.[/color]
Brigades are yet to be defined (in the Models file). Average French brigade is made of 2 line infantry regiments and a bataillon of Chasseurs (light infantry), or alternatively some zouaves or tirailleurs.

Vera Cruz April 1862
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1st Marine Rgt
2nd Marine Rgt
Troupes de Marines
2nd Zouaves, 1st Bn
Naval Battery
Marine Battery

+ Naval flotilla led by [color="darkred"]Admiral Jurien de la Gravière[/color]

+ British (Royal Marine Bn) and Spanish forces (1st and 2nd Infantry Bde, Cavalry Rgt, Hvy Arty, [color="darkred"]General Juan Prim[/color])


May 1862
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2nd Zouaves Rgt
99ème Ligne Inf. Rgt
3rd Marine Bn
2nd Chasseurs d’Afrique Cav. Rgt
Naval Mountain Battery
General Comte De Lorencez

1st Cavalry Bde
2nd Cavalry Bde
[color="darkred"]General Marquez[/color]

All British and Spanish forces removed by end of the month, as well as Admiral Gravière and Troupes de Marine.

September 1862
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18th Chasseurs à Pied
51ème Ligne Inf. Rgt
62ème Ligne Inf. Rgt
81ème Ligne Inf. Rgt
95ème Ligne Inf. Rgt
3rd Zouaves Rgt
3rd Tirailleurs Algériens Rgt
7th Chasseurs à pied Inf. Rgt
1st Chasseurs d’Afrique Inf. Rgt
2nd Chasseurs d’Afrique Inf. Rgt
3rd Chasseurs d’Afrique Inf. Rgt
12th Chasseurs à Cheval Cav. Rgt
5th Hussars
8th Artillery Rgt
1st Gd Horse Artillery
7th Horse Artillery
Egyptian Bn
Generals Elie Forey, Achille Bazaine, Félix Douay, [color="darkred"]Mirandol[/color]
General Comte De Lorencez goes home

1st Inf. Rgt
2nd Inf. Rgt
Contras Cav.
[color="darkred"]Dupin, Almonte[/color]

March 1863
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7ème Ligne Inf. Rgt
1st Tirailleurs Algériens Rgt
1st & 2nd Légion Etrangère Bn


January 1864
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2nd Tirailleurs Algériens Rgt
3rd & 4th Légion Etrangère Bn


March 1864
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1st Austrian Inf. Rgt
H Austrian Cav. Rgt
[color="darkred"]Maximilian, Thun, Miramon, Meijas[/color]

September 1864
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5th & 6th Légion Etrangère Bn

3rd Inf. Rgt
4th Inf. Rgt
1st Cazadores Cav. Rgt
2nd Cazadores Cav. Rgt
3rd Cazadores Cav. Rgt
4th Cazadores Cav. Rgt
1st Artillery
1st Horse Artillery

Thanks

[Adlertag]

Some corrections and precisions should be added : (unless I'm wrong...)

French contingent landed at Vera Cruz January 2nd 1862 ( not in April ).

In April , English and Spanish forces have already gone...( not in May).

Bazaine and Forey entered Mexico June 7th and 10th respectively ( don't arrived in September).

April 30th 1863 : Camerone ( wooden hand of Captain Danjou still venerated as a "relic" at the Legion...).

October 1st 1863 : Forey dismissed, Bazaine appointed.

January 20th 1864 : French Pacific Naval Division , led by Contre-Amiral Bouet attacked Acapulco. (these forces should be added).

End of 1864 : French naval squadron restricted to 2 frégates , 2 corvettes , 1 aviso , 4 cannonières led by Capitaine de Vaisseau Cloué.

January 1865 : Event to be confirmed : Pillaging American forces along Rio Grande created Diplomatic Incident with France.

September 25th 1866 : Belgian Legion defeated near Mexico ( not listed above, should be added ? ).

[PhilThib]

Our idea of French Intervention in the CW (if triggered) is to form a small army taken from the French forces in Mexico and to have them show up in Texas for use of the CSA

Is it Ok for you... ?

Of course, this would weaken a bit the 'Corps Expéditionnaire' in Mexico, so the Union could possibly mount a Mexican counterrattack...

Just my 2 cents...

[Chris0827]

If I was the French I would invade the western states and territories such as California. Since the land had once belonged to Mexico taking it could raise the popularity of the French with the Mexican people.