Editing Laeralian War of Independence (section)

==First Hostilities==
Louise I died on September 18, 1848, and was succeeded by her daughter, who named herself Duchess Louise II. By February of 1849, tensions had risen to the point that the various rebel groups were only barely contained from launching their own strikes. André-Hercule de Perignan, Baron de Alennau and the Ducal Spymaster, had intercepted various rebel couriers and learned that a major revolt was in the works. His agents began to target members of the rebellion, arresting several in the Corday region. This included Pierre de Coislin, a member of the Provisional Assembly who would later be tortured to death, making him a martyr. The overall leader of the revolt was [[Georges Emmanuel Lematre]], a merchant and soldier. He declared that March 4th, 1849, would be the first day of the uprising.

On March 4th, over 50 separate rebel organizations triggered coordinated attacks on enemy forces. At the time, the Duchy's garrisons were in a chain of various major cities along the eastern seaboard and leading northwest, from Cordeliers in the far southeast through St. Clair on the north of the eastern seaboard stretching northwest through Cenefort to Queensgrace, the ducal capital. Many groups had managed to stockpile weapons, and with surprise and numbers on their side, overwhelmed the garrisons at many cities along the east coast. In St. Clair, Laeralsford, Auvergne, Althea, Marist, and Tessé, the rebel banner was flown over the town center. The rebel capital was proclaimed at Althea. 

Although the rebellion had achieved many early victories, their situation was precarious. Even within rebel-controlled areas, many nobles were sympathetic to the High Fellsian crown, and managed estates with their own garrisons. Each of these estates was a threat to rebel control, and many became impromptu forts for Loyalists to gather. Furthermore, rebel uprisings in the northeast, notably those near Queensgrace, had been crushed. And of course, the nascent rebellion had a great deal of potential fault lines. The various rebel groups were extremely ideologically diverse. G.E. Lematre's Free Laeralian Army was the largest rebel organization. Arrivée-dominated and politically moderate, it controlled the cities of Althea and Auvergne. The Laeralian Republican Army was the second-largest group. Led by the [[Metice]] Jean-Paul Gauvain, it advocated for heterodox radical societal changes. The LRA controlled St. Clair, Marist, and Laeralsford. Various other rebel groups, such as anarchist Philippe Maillard's Young Laeralites and the White Scarf Band also controlled territory. 

Duchess Louise quickly ordered a full mobilization of the High Fellsian Army. While it's quality of equipment and training had suffered due to the lack of material support from France, it still was better-equipped than the rebellion. Louis-Marie de Beauvais, Comte de Soubise, was in command of the military. After pausing until June to crush rebels in the areas near Queensgrace, he advanced southward with an army of 19,000, intending to crush the rebellion in the cities of the northern seaboard. He dispatched an army of 11,000, under Joseph-Emmanuel de Lussan, Comte de Tavannes, to destroy opposition in the south. 
[[File:Crimean War 1854-56 Q71516.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Jean-Paul Gauvain, leader of the Laeralian Republican Army]]
In the north, the royal army was slowed by bad weather and guerrilla attacks as they advanced through countryside sympathetic to the rebellion. The Laeralian Republican Army, led by Jean-Paul Gauvain, advanced with around 15,000 to confront the enemy. He was joined by several local rebel armies, including the Yellow Spear Society (2,000 soldiers) and the White Scarf Band (5,000 soldiers), bringing his force to around 24,000. The two armies met at the Delear Heights, in modern-day Meridoc province. The rebels controlled the high ground, and were able to repulse the royal army's first march uphill. On the second assault, the rebels ran out of ammunition and fled, but had inflicted sufficient casualties to slow the enemy army. As winter set in, the High Fellsian army settled in, unable to advance further.

In the southeast, the royal garrison at Cordeliers had managed to withstand a rebel uprising in the city, and were now encamped behind fortified walls. The Nationalist Army had been besieging the city for over a month, but had little success. However, a defector inside the city opened a sally port for them, allowing Reynolds and his army to take the city by surprise. The coming of fall quickly sparked an end to the campaigning season, as all armies settled in for winter.