To: 
From: "Vern Humphrey" 
Reply-To: r_catholic-l{at}yahoogroups.com

To: seanmbrook{at}aol.com [mailto:seanmbrook{at}aol.com]
> >
> > VH> I'm not sure Napoleon encouraged that kind of input.
> > >
>  Is that wholly fair?  For all his quarrels with them,
>  Napoleon did respect the abilities of Talleyrand
>  and Fouche.  And he did heed them more during
>  the early years of his rule.

His circle of advisers were few, and he heeded them only as far as they
supported his aims.  The Duc D'Enghen is a case in point.
>
> >
>  True. And the French almost certainly would have
>  built fortresses at several spots to bar and harass
>  any invasion force trying to push up the river.

Just a decade or so later, the British tried exactly that, and a very small
and extemporized American army beat them all hollow.
>
>  Seems reasonable.  I did wonder if the British might
>  have tried an invasion in the north, from Canada.

They migh -- but where would it go?  The trip down the Mississippi is a
long one, and their advance would be harassed all the way down.
>
> > VH> Third, they would be operating in a friendly population --
> which could
> > be
> > called on to provide militia (as they did in 1814/5).
> >
>  But wasn't the population still very sparse in
>  Louisiana?  Would there have been enough
>  people to form a really effective militia during
>  the first years of a French program to develop
>  Louisiana?

It was enough to beat the British when they DID try to take New Orleans.
>
> > VH> Finally, New Orleans is not Copenhagen.  The approach to the city
> > requires
> > sailing about a hundred miles up the Mississippi river -- no
> in-and-out like
> > Copenhagen.
> >
>  Granted.  A good point.  But Copenhagen was
>  impressive!

Impressive, but a special case.
> >
> > VH> And it would have worked in Louisiana like gangbusters!
> Especially if
> > wives
> > had been imported.
> > >
>  Seems likely.  Esp. from what I read about the
>  "theme" system worked out by the Heraclian and
>  Isaurian dynasties.  When Muslim armies invaded
>  the Empire, the soldier farmers would rally to
>  harass and harry them.  Plus forming larger forces
>  to fight them in pitched battles.  The Muslims were
>  usually glad enough to leave after seizing as many
>  slaves and booty as they could.

In America, it would have worked even better -- because you have a more
battle-worthy and woods-wise population.
>
>  Has the Army War College studied the Byzantine
>  theme system?

Certainly -- in fact, to an extent it's mimicked in many countries,
including Switzerland.
>
>
> > >
>  Yep.  Better to face two rival powers rather than just
>  one who held both Canada and Louisiana.

Which tells us the cards favored Napoleon, if only he'd known how to play them.
>
>


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