Operation Friendly Pacific Walkabout: Procinctia's Mobalization

[Generalissimo]

Public Announcement from the Procinctian government

 

Operation Friendly Pacific Walkabout has been initiated. Procinctia is mobilizing a naval fleet medium size for exercises in Greater Eastern Pacific region. This extended training will consist of 51 combat surface vessels supported by 50 undersea craft backed with 200 additional seaplanes and 20 airships. With supply craft/replenishment oilers/hospital ships in support 2 Mizuho-class seaplane tenders, 1 Hiryū-class aircraft carrier, 2 Lexington-class aircraft carriers, 10 Fubuki-class destroyers, 10 Bagley-class destroyers, 10 Somers-class destroyers, 4 Kongō-class battlecruisers, 2 Pensacola-class cruisers, 2 Portland-class cruisers, 2 Brooklyn-class cruisers, 2 Aoba-class cruisers, 2 Myōkō-class cruisers, 2 Mogami-class cruisers, 20 Type J-3-class submarines, 10 Type J1-class Submarines, 10 Type B1-class submarines, and 10 Sargo-class Submarines will immediately sail due sue at estimated speed of roughly 20 knots. 

 

2,000 marines will be attached for training purposes.

 

Fleet will be monitored 480 miles from departure by 5 Zeppelin R Class bombers. Fleet will be monitored 1,200 miles from departure point by 200 Consolidated PBY Catalina in anti-submarine warfare configuration. Fleet will be monitored 5,000 miles from departure by ten Akron-class carrier airships. Fleet will be accompanied by 5 additional K-class anti-submarine warfare blimps.

 

Procinctian vessels not participating in Operation Friendly Pacific Walkabout are starting rotating patrols of the core Aleutian territories in a simultaneously held security training exercise.

 

Just a couple friendly training exercises around for everyone.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Generalissimo

[Generalissimo]

Classified to each captain of every individual ship in this operation:

Final destination of alleged training exercises 

[Generalissimo]

Classified

Single carrier (Lexington) had entirety of thirty bombers replaced with fighters intended for ground operations.

30 Douglas TBD Devastators were replaced by 30 Hawker Hurricane Mk I's for mission's duration.

Fighters not modified for *landing* on a carrier. . . 

Edited September 18, 2014 by Generalissimo

[Generalissimo]

Classified

Ten additional Type B1-class long ranged submarines are being sent on a simultaneous mission elsewhere.

Aircraft launching capacity was traded for space to supply additional manpower.

Each undersea boat is temporarily housing twenty plainclothes armed commandos for amphibious deployment.

200 men total who have all been thoroughly briefed on their operation by Generalissimo himself.

Commandos that completely resemble 1930's American mobsters in both outfits and weapons? 

Edited September 18, 2014 by Generalissimo

[Generalissimo]

With negotiations pending for a British military withdrawal from the Caribbean and total withdrawal from Jamaica, Spain and the Cuban Nationalist Forces have twenty-four hours to surrender and withdraw from Cuba. If this deadline is not met, the next negotiations will be held in Spain and the consequences will be more severe for the Contra Regime.

The original plan was to covertly back Mexico's effort containing Spanish expansion to Cuba.

 

Public

 

"The Empire of Spain has decided that after careful deliberation that Cuba is no longer a viable territory to protect, all Spanish forces on the island and all naval forces patrolling its waters shall leave for Europe within the next few days. What the Cuban Nationalist Front does however is out of our power, they are an independent force we were merely supporting but it appears that paranoid dogma and the thoughtless desire to refuse a people to better themselves has prevailed this day."

Sadly everything prematurely fell through before Procinctia could properly meddle.

Generalissimo wasn't going to allow this armada deploy without using it for something. . .

By courier zeppelin a new destination was given. . .

The Panama Canal~!

Fleet was already in Eastern Pacific anyways, might as well - right?

Even if that would require a few extra days of stopping for additional resupply and refueling.

 

Within four hundred miles of the canal an ultimatum would be delivered.

In Panama

As the fleet left Panama for Puerto Rico, the Marines set about securing and renovating the abandoned US Army bases, including; Fort Sherman (renamed Fort Jackson), Fort Grant (renamed Fort Lee), Fort Armador, Fort Randolph (renamed Fort Beauregard), France Field, Fort De Lesseps, Fort Clayton, and Fort Kobbe. The initial return of foreign troops had not been something welcoming to the Panamanians, several riots had broken out in the temporarily occupied cities of Panama and Colon. The rioting had led to the deaths of several protesters after Marines fired on the crowed, dispersing it.

Procinctia is offended by the Confederate States of America's casual murder of innocent Panamanians.

Teddy Roosevelt's grand canal, a modern wonder of the world, certainly deserves better.

Is that brutality justified by strategic power grabbing?

Yes there are problems, there will always be problems, especially in the current strategic climate!

Confederacy violence, about which I hear so much these days, is one of them.

It will be resolved, in time, especially with Procinctia stabilizing the situation.

Operation Friendly Pacific Walkabout just happens to already be cruising the neighborhood.

(This coincidence shows diligence in training is often underrated)

Confederate aggression won't be tolerated.

Total and complete withdrawal from Panama is demanded.

You have twenty hours given for accepting this ultimatum or will be removed by force.

The canal belongs to Panama.

From the Office of Generalissimo

Grand Admiral of Procinctia

Generalissimo of Procinctia

El Presidente of Procinctia

 

[Classified]

A coded, wireless telegram was sent out the rest of the Gulf Fleet ordering them to rendezous with the forces at Puerto Rico. The 2nd and 5th Marine Divisions were ordered to accompany the fleet.

Procinctia had no way to know CSA's fleet in the Atlantic was already over a day's travel away. . .

Edited September 18, 2014 by Generalissimo

[Generalissimo]

Classified 

As dawn crept on a Pacific day a fleet prepares for battle.

Tenders and Carriers in  Operation Friendly Pacific Walkabout have begun launching patrols and reconnaissance.

All in preparation for Confederate's inevitable attack.

On all ships all hands initiated final preparations.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Generalissimo

[Sarah Tintagyl]

*Public*

 

Inuits and Eskimos in our backyard.

But asking withdrawal is going too far.

Procinctia will turn back.

Your ships and crews will be sacked.

This is your warning, heed it well.

Or Mexico shall open the path to Hell.

 

(Out of Rhyme:)

 

"Procinctia will not issue ultimatums against Mexico's American allies in the Confederacy and expect us to simply allow you to attack their defenses in the Panama Canal. Procinctia will turn back or Mexico will take this as a declaration of war on our allies and a declaration of war against American stability."

-Amalia Solorzano

 

*Classified*

 

With the Procinctians on the water,

Mexican pilots readied for slaughter.

The planes were fueled, the ships were launched.

 

 

[Generalissimo]

Aleuts not Inuits

Do constitute our Procinctia

Very different people

 

Not withdrawing here

People keep getting killed 

Make a difference

 

Stopping the brutality

With more senseless violence 

Lack other options 

 

Mexico yells loudly

We shouldn't fight Condederates

They who poke Spanish

It's a bit hypocritical

Cuban stuff considered

 

You claim stability 

Yet still escalating this

Real peacemaker 

 

You concerns are noted but we're politely declining your pitiful offer.

The proposal runs contrary to Procinctia interests.

Obvious meddling is noted.

Mexico lacks a formal alliance with Confederate States of America.

By those measures you're not allies.

Confederates are real enemies of North American stability here.

We didn't make a blatant power grab in this.

It's all reaction to South's aggression!

You claim American stability but posture clear escalation.

How is that stability?

We're not backing down.

Everything that follows now rests clearly on your hands.

Savior of the Americans?

What a joke.

You're bringing a wider scale war between American countries!

Good job playing the at peacemaker.

Just walk away from this.

You might keep a degree of integrity that way.

We're giving you an extra hour to reconsider.

From the Office of Generalissimo

Grand Admiral of Procinctia

Generalissimo of Procinctia

El Presidente of Procinctia

Edited September 19, 2014 by Generalissimo

[Generalissimo]

. . . the Marines set about securing and renovating the abandoned US Army bases, including; Fort Sherman (renamed Fort Jackson), Fort Grant (renamed Fort Lee), Fort Armador, Fort Randolph (renamed Fort Beauregard), France Field, Fort De Lesseps, Fort Clayton, and Fort Kobbe. The initial return of foreign troops had not been something welcoming to the Panamanians, several riots had broken out in the temporarily occupied cities of Panama and Colon. The rioting had led to the deaths of several protesters after Marines fired on the crowed, dispersing it.

Not knowing the lack of Confederate air presence all bombers from the Carriers attacked France Field. In hindsight all efforts on this would probably be considered a massive and utter waste of resources. Ten Nakajima B5N, ten Mitsubishi Ki-15, and thirty Douglas TBD Devastator would annihilate facilities there.

Fourty Curtiss P-36 Hawk and Fourty Mitsubishi A5M would provide an escort. Not a single CSA related aircraft would be destroyed. Southerns hadn't exactly deployed any planes to Panama yet. Probably a terrible day to all Confederate infantry who tasked with securing the airfield.

(five minutes after deadline)

 

Simultaneously all tender based aircraft would attack Fort Kobbe. Eight Aichi E11A and eight Kawanishi H6K would bomb anti-naval targets. Forty eight Mitsubishi F1M and eighteen Watanabe E9W would provide escort.  Extent of damage from a moderately light  bomber force was unknown.

(five minutes after deadline)

 

After the attack on Panama every surviving aircraft involved was promptly refueled, rearmed, and checked for maintenance. Immediately afterwards rotating anti-air/anti-submarine/anti-naval patrols began.

(following initial attack, time unknown)

 

Four hours later seaborne assets would join the battlefield. Two Pensacola cruisers, two Portland cruisers, and two Brooklyn cruisers would begin naval bombardment on Fort Amador. Two Aoba cruisers, two Myōkō cruisers, and two Mogami cruisers would begin naval bombardment on Fort Grant. All four of the Kongō battlecruisers would advance through Paficic Enterence towards Balboa Reach. Ten Fubuki destroyers would bombard Fort Clayton but without reconnoitering their would be limits to damage of a widespread barracks. Employing previous reconnaissance from recent bombing ten Bagley destroyers would engage whatever survived of weakened Fort Kobbe.

(three hours after deadline)

 

Bombardment would continue for three hours or longer if necessary to silence Confederate batteries.

(six hours after deadline)

 

Following bombardment all 2,000 Procinctian marines attempted to landing in canal supporting town of Balboa.

[#1,000 M1918 Browning Automatic Rifles, #500 M1903 Springfields, #500 Boys anti-tank rifles between them]

(six hours after deadline)

 

Two hundred submarine based commandos begin perhaps the singularly most vital part of this. All of them would be attempting to secure and/or control the Miraflores Locks.

[200 Thompson Model 1921 with Type C drum magazines, Mk 2 grenades, and Explosive 808 between them]

Ten submerged Type B1 submarines would be onhand in reserve if necessary. 

(six hours after deadline)

Edited September 19, 2014 by Generalissimo

[Aggressivenutmeg]

Within four hundred miles of the canal an ultimatum would be delivered.

Procinctia is offended by the Confederate States of America's casual murder of innocent Panamanians.

Teddy Roosevelt's grand canal, a modern wonder of the world, certainly deserves better.

Is that brutality justified by strategic power grabbing?

Yes there are problems, there will always be problems, especially in the current strategic climate!

Confederacy violence, about which I hear so much these days, is one of them.

It will be resolved, in time, especially with Procinctia stabilizing the situation.

Operation Friendly Pacific Walkabout just happens to already be cruising the neighborhood.

(This coincidence shows diligence in training is often underrated)

Confederate aggression won't be tolerated.

Total and complete withdrawal from Panama is demanded.

You have twenty hours given for accepting this ultimatum or will be removed by force.

The canal belongs to Panama.

From the Office of Generalissimo

Grand Admiral of Procinctia

Generalissimo of Procinctia

El Presidente of Procinctia

 

Procinctia had no way to know CSA's fleet in the Atlantic was already over a day's travel away. . .

 

"There have never been any Panamanian deaths as a result of Confederate actions. These are false rumors spread by communist agitators. We will not withdraw from the Canal Zone as we are protecting the property of the Confederate investors in the bankrupt Panama Canal Company." - President Norman Kelsey

 

Several photos of happy, smiling Panamanians would be published in the confederate press, along with long-winded editorials decrying the Procinctians.

 

[hr]

 

Not knowing the lack of Confederate air presence all bombers from the Carriers attacked France Field. In hindsight all efforts on this would probably be considered a massive and utter waste of resources. Ten Nakajima B5N, ten Mitsubishi Ki-15, and thirty Douglas TBD Devastator would annihilate facilities there.

Fourty Curtiss P-36 Hawk and Fourty Mitsubishi A5M would provide an escort. Not a single CSA related aircraft would be destroyed. Southerns hadn't exactly deployed any planes to Panama yet. Probably a terrible day to all Confederate infantry who tasked with securing the airfield.

(five minutes after deadline)

 

Not suspecting an attack, the forces in the Canal Zone were complacent. When the initial air attack was spotted, the Marines rolled out their anti-aircraft guns. This was hardly a threat to the Procinctians, as the division only had 24 guns, that had to be spread along the entire stretch of the canal. The actual attack on the airfield would devastate it's structures and runway, but the battalion stationed there would quickly scatter into surrounding jungle and villages. Overall, the battalion would only suffer thirty-two casualties from the bombing, and one soldier who got lost and eaten by a jaguar.

 

 

Simultaneously all tender based aircraft would attack Fort Kobbe. Eight Aichi E11A and eight Kawanishi H6K would bomb anti-naval targets. Forty eight Mitsubishi F1M and eighteen Watanabe E9W would provide escort.  Extent of damage from a moderately light  bomber force was unknown.

(five minutes after deadline)

 

The troops stationed at Fort Kobbe would do all they could to repel the air attack, using the anti-aircraft guns and M2 machine guns when the seaplanes flew low enough. Ultimately, the long range 155mm artillery that was moved to the fort as makeshift shore guns would be destroyed or badly damaged by the bombing. A total of twelve soldiers would be killed and many more wounded. Ten of the twelve howitzers stationed at the fort would be destroyed.

 

 

Four hours later seaborne assets would join the battlefield. Two Pensacola cruisers, two Portland cruisers, and two Brooklyn cruisers would begin naval bombardment on Fort Amador. Two Aoba cruisers, two Myōkō cruisers, and two Mogami cruisers would begin naval bombardment on Fort Grant. All four of the Kongō battlecruisers would advance through Paficic Enterence towards Balboa Reach. Ten Fubuki destroyers would bombard Fort Clayton but without reconnoitering their would be limits to damage of a widespread barracks. Employing previous reconnaissance from recent bombing ten Bagley destroyers would engage whatever survived of weakened Fort Kobbe.

(three hours after deadline)

 

Bombardment would continue for three hours or longer if necessary to silence Confederate batteries.

(six hours after deadline)

 

Fortunately for the Procinctian cruisers, they would only be hit if they strayed within fourteen miles of Fort Grant, where the other 155mm howitzers had been stationed. The cruisers wouldn't need long to destroy the positions on Fort Grant. The few stragglers would limp back to the mainland, abandoning the islands, assuming the causeway wasn't destroyed in the bombardment.

 

 

Following bombardment all 2,000 Procinctian marines attempted to landing in canal supporting town of Balboa.

[#1,000 M1918 Browning Automatic Rifles, #500 M1903 Springfields, #500 Boys anti-tank rifles between them]

(six hours after deadline)

 

The survivors of Forts Grant and Armador (about 1600 men) would move inland to escape the naval bombardment. When the landing force was spotted entering the mouth of the canal, a radio call for reinforcements from Fort Clayton (at the first lock) was sent out, bringing another battalion into the fray. As the Procinctian marines began landing, they would be met with artillery fire from Clayton, covering the battalions from Grant and Armador as they moved passed Balboa, towards the first lock.

 

 

Two hundred submarine based commandos begin perhaps the singularly most vital part of this. All of them would be attempting to secure and/or control the Miraflores Locks.

[200 Thompson Model 1921 with Type C drum magazines, Mk 2 grenades, and Explosive 808 between them]

Ten submerged Type B1 submarines would be onhand in reserve if necessary. 

(six hours after deadline)

 

When word reached the Marines at Clayton (who were literally right next door to the first Miraflores lock) that enemy troops were attacking it, they would counter-attack in force and capture or kill the outnumbered and outgunned, Procinctian commandos.

 

When news of the attack reached the Confederacy, a coded radio telegram was sent to the Gulf Fleet at Puerto Rico, ordering them to leave a single regiment of marines on the island and to head to Panama at one.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Aggressivenutmeg

[Lynneth]

With war suddenly having broken out over the Panama Canal, the Communion decided to move five divisions to each side of the Canal Territory. Combatants found within Communion orders after having fled from bombardment would be detained temporarily until they could be sent by ship back to their home-country's mainland.

 

A public message was sent to both the CSA and Procinctia.

"The Communion will not interfere in the fighting unless combatants and attacks occur into Communion territory. Soldiers from either side will be detained for 2-4 weeks, until transport can be arranged to send them back home, [b]if[/b] they are found illegally trespassing on our territory.

 

"Further, we will be stationing troops near the Canal zone-Communion border to prevent fighting from spilling over. Our forces will try to make themselves highly visible in order to let bombers and the like know that they are non-combatants. Attacks on our forces will be dealt with locally."

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Only days after the victory in Cuba and the Caribbean, report after report fluttered onto the desk of President Solorzano as the stability created in the Americas seemed to be dashed again by the egos of the Confederacy, and especially the new Procinctian nation. Mexico has already issued a warning to the Procinctians, hoping that it would be enough to maintain the status quo. With the beginning of their attack on the Canal, Solorzano realized that more extreme steps needed to be taken.

 

Her first route would be diplomacy:

 

An invitation had already been sent to the American nations, albeit around the same time as the Procinctian declaration of existence. A follow-up invitation was then sent to the Confederacy and Procinctia.

 

Excellency,

 

Open warfare between American nations will only push to galvanize our enemies abroad. I would like to invite both the heads of state or the foreign ministers of the Confederacy and Procinctia to come to Kingston, Jamaica and meet with myself and the leaders of the American Enclave so that we can salvage American solidarity. Mexico takes the recent outbreak of war in Central America, most seriously, and the fighting must end as quick as possible. I hope that at Kingston, representatives can give their grievances and a permanent solution for the Canal can be found.

 

Amalia Solorzano,

President of Mexico

 

If that failed, Amalia knew that more...drastic options would need to be explored. 

[JEDCJT]

The outbreak of hostilities, this time initiated by the Procinctian nation against the Confederate-controlled Panama Canal - and so soon after the confrontation with the British and Spanish over the Caribbean - was very alarming to American Enclave leaders, especially the movement of a large naval force so close past the Enclave's Pacific coast. 

 

Naval bases in Washington (Naval Base Kitsap, Naval Station Everett, and Naval Station Seattle) and in California (Naval Air Station North Island, Naval Base Coronado, Naval Station San Diego, and Naval Submarine Base, among others) were placed on a state of high alert. The same went for Air Force bases in California and Washington; the largest of them, Los Angeles AFB and Edwards AFB would be readied.

 

Pending the deployment of the Pacific Fleet, Enclave officials would continue secure communications with their Mexican and Confederate counterparts. For now, diplomacy would be utilized, with President Julius Palmer attending the Kingston conference.

[Hereno]

[b]A statement from the foreign ministry of the Afro-Arab Jamahiriya of Egypt:[/b]

 

 

"We condemn the senseless attacks on the Confederacy in Panamá, and as a result, see Procinctia as a rogue state. No citizens of Procinctia will be permitted entry into our great Jamahiriya until such time as these attacks cease and there is a state of peace between the Confederacy and Procintia. We urge the Procinctian government to seek a diplomatic resolution to this situation and to work with foreign governments to promote, not destroy, global trade."

[Generalissimo]

In planning their incursion at Panama’s canal Procinctia failed to realize Confederate’s *real* advantage. There was a misconception of the Confederacy was just being old South resurgent, while that stereotype held a degree of truth, perhaps it was much too easy forgetting until recently these Confederates were largely part of the fallen US. Exact same United States who spent plenty of years in Panama. Experience was truly the CSA’s real advantage in this. How many of these men spent plenty of years in Panama? How many of the senior command staff overseeing strategy had served in the Panama crisis of 1885? Even if these particular forests weren’t particularly well known to confederate marines had plenty of experience in similar jungle fighting because all of the Caribbean was once America’s pond. How many officers were veterans of the Spanish–American War? Possible that any number of their officers rode with Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders at Las Guasimas or Fifth Army Corps in taking San Juan Hill. Experience that filters down to confederate’s institutional knowledge.

 

Compare to Procinctia of the arctic north’s complete lack of practical jungle fighting experience.

A country focusing entirety of their military around their navy might have gaps in their land warfare doctrines overall. 

 

 

"There have never been any Panamanian deaths as a result of Confederate actions. These are false rumors spread by communist agitators. We will not withdraw from the Canal Zone as we are protecting the property of the Confederate investors in the bankrupt Panama Canal Company." - President Norman Kelsey

 

Several photos of happy, smiling Panamanians would be published in the confederate press, along with long-winded editorials decrying the Procinctians.

Publications in Procinctia would feature long-winded editorials denouncing the Confederacy.
Always trust sensasionalist media to de-escalte any situation!

 

Not suspecting an attack, the forces in the Canal Zone were complacent. When the initial air attack was spotted, the Marines rolled out their anti-aircraft guns. This was hardly a threat to the Procinctians, as the division only had 24 guns, that had to be spread along the entire stretch of the canal. The actual attack on the airfield would devastate it's structures and runway, but the battalion stationed there would quickly scatter into surrounding jungle and villages. Overall, the battalion would only suffer thirty-two casualties from the bombing, and one soldier who got lost and eaten by a jaguar.

The troops stationed at Fort Kobbe would do all they could to repel the air attack, using the anti-aircraft guns and M2 machine guns when the seaplanes flew low enough. Ultimately, the long range 155mm artillery that was moved to the fort as makeshift shore guns would be destroyed or badly damaged by the bombing. A total of twelve soldiers would be killed and many more wounded. Ten of the twelve howitzers stationed at the fort would be destroyed.

Luck is a vital element of any battle. While all Fort Kobbe's Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns would prove completely ineffective ten 

Watanabe E9W's (over course of several covering pass) would be downed by a sole new rookie CSA marine who manned an old Lewis Gun. Ace in a day twice over; hopefully someone managed to film some of that. 

(seven hours after deadline)

 

Fortunately for the Procinctian cruisers, they would only be hit if they strayed within fourteen miles of Fort Grant, where the other 155mm howitzers had been stationed. The cruisers wouldn't need long to destroy the positions on Fort Grant. The few stragglers would limp back to the mainland, abandoning the islands, assuming the causeway wasn't destroyed in the bombardment.

 

 

The survivors of Forts Grant and Armador (about 1600 men) would move inland to escape the naval bombardment. When the landing force was spotted entering the mouth of the canal, a radio call for reinforcements from Fort Clayton (at the first lock) was sent out, bringing another battalion into the fray. As the Procinctian marines began landing, they would be met with artillery fire from Clayton, covering the battalions from Grant and Armador as they moved passed Balboa, towards the first lock.

Causeway wasn't destroyed in the bombardment. 

"To a surrounded enemy, you must leave a way of escape" - Sun Tzu

Procinctians had no desire to have Confederates fighting a desperate with everything they had.

In retrospect maybe a bit of mistake considering the CSA's tactical repositioning.

Initial three hundred marines landing were completely destroyed by defending artillery.

Cruisers threw down counter-battery fire until those guns were silenced.

Fierce bombardment had landing marines digging in right off their landing boats.

Battalions from Grant and Armador passed right by without encountering a single Procinctian.

Destroyers regularly laid out rolling fire into the jungles nearby Balboa to dissuade an outright attack. 

 

Heavier ships remained on standby to repeal any incursion. . .

. . . but Confederate forces walked by towards their objective unimpeded. 

 

(ten hours after deadline)

When word reached the Marines at Clayton (who were literally right next door to the first Miraflores lock) that enemy troops were attacking it, they would counter-attack in force and capture or kill the outnumbered and outgunned, Procinctian commandos.

Getting to Miraflores lock was easy as disembarking from a boat in the cover of darkness.

Holding it was a completely different story.

Main building was occupied rather promptly with minimal resistance. . .

. . . but within minutes the Marines at Clayton would respond.

Commando's plan opening the lock and holding the area long enough for Battlecruisers to pass through.

Explosive 808 planted throughout area for thining any imediate respone.

Battlecruisers in line of sight would privide supporting fire to bring down the inncomming mairines.

The ambitious plan wasn't enough.

Thousands against two hundred?

Confederates lost initial responders to explosives and naval bombardment.

If the mairines were skilled enough taking advange of darkness' cover and spread out. . .

. . . eventually the commandos would lose to attrition if nothing else.

Once reinforcements of the other Forts, who bypassed Balboa, the commandos be overrun no matter what.

This whole section of the fighting played right into confederate hands?

 

(twelve hours after deadline)

When news of the attack reached the Confederacy, a coded radio telegram was sent to the Gulf Fleet at Puerto Rico, ordering them to leave a single regiment of marines on the island and to head to Panama at one.

It would take a few days getting a fleet across the Gulf to Panama.

Battle might be over by then.

One way or another.

 

 

Edited September 23, 2014 by Generalissimo