Great Retreat
The Great Retreat, also known as the Federalist retreat to the Antilles, was the exodus of the remnants of the internationally-recognized Federalist-led government of the United Commonwealth of America to the islands of the American Antilles territories during the early half of 1921 following the conclusion of the Continental Revolutionary War. The Federalist Party, its leadership, and around three million United Commonwealth Armed Forces members took part in the mass retreat, along with many civilians and refugees fleeing from the Continental Revolutionary Army.
 Retreat routes used by fleeing Federalists | |
| Date | January 3, 1921 to May 18, 1921 |
|---|---|
| Location |
 Antillean Territories, United Commonwealth of America |
| Participants |
Amelia Abarough George Ossoff Douglas MacArthur |
Following the continued defeats in the south and the collapse of the Federalist-led government following the capture of Chicago, acting President Amelia Abarough would issue an executive order calling for a general retreat from the mainland to the American Antilles, which was already occupied by over 100,000 Federalists troops. Beginning in January of 1921, Federalist forces located in the southern and mid-Atlantic states would begin to retreat from the frontline, with hundreds of civilians and refugees accompanying them on their journey to the UCA's last remaining port cities. Protection of the large Federalist and civilian convoys would be carried out by the Ku Klux Klan, in accordance with the "Unholy Alliance" and to the dismay of the remaining Federalist leadership. Utilizing the United Commonwealth Navy, over a hundred naval vessels would be refitted to carry the evacuees to the Antilles. Evacuations would continue up until the start of May, when Continental naval and aerial forces were given the order to destroy an Federalist ship leaving the mainland, including non-military vessels. Along with forces, a number of artifacts and items important to American history would also be taken to the Antilles.
After the retreat, the leadership of the UCA, particularly President Abarough and General of the Armies George Ossoff, planned to make the retreat a temporary one, with plans to retake the mainland. However, following Great War I and the June 16th incident of 1950, these plans would largely be abandoned, with the government instead focusing on the development of the Antilles for long-term occupation. In the modern era, the UCA still claims sovereignty over the Continentalist-governed mainland United Commonwealth.
Background
Beginning in 1917, the Continental Revolutionary War would reach a turning point by 1918, with Continentalist forces beginning to push into Federalist territory, with the overall goal of establishing a Landonist state in the United Commonwealth. Plans for a general retreat, or a temporary withdrawal, of Federalists forces from the frontlines would begin to take shape following the Battle of Cleveland, where Continentalist forces would capture the city and open a new front aimed towards the Federalist capital of Chicago. Despite this, any plan of retreat would be disregarded by the Federalist leadership, who were arrogant to the increasing strength of the Continental Revolutionary Army.
At the end of 1920, Chicago, which had been under siege for over three months, would fall to the Continental Revolutionary Army, with President Carson Henderson and a majority of his Executive Council being captured and arrested by Continentalist authorities. With the president under arrest, Amelia Abarough, the most senior member of the remaining Executive Council, would be declared acting president. With the loss of the nation's capital, along with continued losses in the south, Abarough would issue Executive Order 1101, ordering a general retreat of Federalist forces to the American Antilles territories, which at the time was garrisoned by 100,000 Federalist troops. Through the executive order, the United Commonwealth Navy would be redirected to evacuation duty, with many of the navy's ships being outfitted to carry large groups of personnel.
Relocation of forces and people
Beginning in January of 1921, Federalist forces located in the southern and mid-Atlantic states would begin to withdrawal from the frontlines, traveling to the nearest port cities still under Federalist control. This would include Baltimore, Miami, Charleston, and New Orleans. Along with Federalist military forces, hundreds of thousands of civilians from the southern states and refugees from the northern, Continentalist-controlled, states would evacuate alongside military forces. Many of the civilians and refugees would be comprised of groups who were targeted by the Continental Revolutionary Army and their ideology, which included wealthy Americans, industrialists and businessmen, bankers and land owners, and laborers who aligned with the Federalist Party, known by Continentalists as "labor traitors".
Due to the large and unexpected influx of civilians and refugees, the retreating Federalist forces would be placed into a difficult position, assisting fleeing citizens to the port cities, while also moving to evacuate most military elements before the Continentalist forces could advance further into Federalist territory. To the dismay of Abarough and the remaining Federalist leadership, retreating Federalist forces would rely on the protection of the Klu Klux Klan as apart of a temporary cooperation agreement between the two traditional enemies. Realizing the Federalist plan, Continentalist forces would initiate a final push into Federalist territory, though would be meet with resistance that would slow down their advance. By March, over one million military personnel, civilians, and refugees would leave the mainland and arrive in the Antilles, with more ships being repurposed for evacuation. As more arrived to evacuate to the Antilles, oaths of allegiance to the United Commonwealth of America and the Federalist Party would be required in order to board UCA Navy ships.
In April of 1921, the Continental Revolutionary Army would win a decisive victory at the Battle of Nashville, effectively separating the remaining Federalist territory on the mainland. In the same month, acting president Abarough, along with the remnants of the civilian government of the United Commonwealth of America would officially evacuate from the mainland and arrive in the Antilles, with the remaining evacuation operation being handled by Commanding General George Ossoff. Beginning in May of 1921, Continentalist naval and aerial forces would be authorized to indiscriminately sink any UC Navy ship leaving the mainland, regardless of combat status. A total of twenty ships would be sunk by Continental forces, mainly civilian and hospital ships. The sinking of the UCS Endurance in particular would shift international opinion towards the Federalists, with many global powers condemning the Continentalists for the indiscriminate targeting of naval vessels. Despite this, the Continental campaign against the evacuation would prove successful, with the last evacuation ship leaving New Orleans, and in turn the mainland, on May 18, 1921. Many Federalists would be left stranded on the mainland, and would either surrender to advancing Continental forces, like in New Orleans and Miami, or would fight in a last ditch effort to defend their cities, like in Baltimore and Charleston.
Relocating artifacts from the mainland
During the early stages of the war, some historical items would be sent to the Antilles by the National Directorate of History in order to ensure temporary safety. Following the capture of Chicago in 1920, the Continentalist provisional government would begin to take steps in ensuring their dominance over the nation. In order to symbolize the nation's transition into a Landonist state, the Continental provisional government would order the Continental Revolutionary Army and other Continentalist-aligned forces to gather and destroy significant artifacts pertaining to American history, which the government argued "symbolized the failings of the oppressive capitalist state" and would promote "anti-Landonist and anti-worker thought" if kept. Following the issuing of Executive Order 1101, Executive Order 1102 would be issued by Acting President Amelia Abarough, which ordered the United Commonwealth Army to locate and secure artifacts and items important to American history and take them off the mainland and to the Antilles. A special division of the army, known as the United Commonwealth Historical Preservation Force, would be created to ensure the collection of artifacts. As Federalist forces slowly withdrew from the frontline, the UCHPF would collect important artifacts from the Library of the Nation and the Smithsonian Muesuem in Washington City, while also collecting statues, historical items, and documents from around the remaining portion of the country still under Federalist control.
Artifacts collected by the UCHPF would be immediately transported to the Antilles through a variety of different transportation methods, though most were transported via boat. More important artifacts, including the Declaration of Independence, the original Constitution of the United States, and Plymouth Rock, would be prioritized over historically obscure items. In total, over three hundred documents, items, statues, and other historical artifacts would be sent to the Antilles. Many of these historical items would be placed in the newly-constructed National Museum of the United Commonwealth in Davis.
Immediate UCA military actions
Following the conclusion of the retreat, martial law would be enacted by the United Commonwealth Armed Forces in order to quell unrest within the islands. However, martial law would largely only effect Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, where millions of displaced Americans would re-locate during the Great Retreat. In 1922, President Amelia Abarough, based on the approval of her Executive Council, would extend the 1917 Martial Act indefinitely, allowing her to continue enforcing martial law. Using the excuse of national security, Abarough and the Executive Council ordered the arresting of politicians, journalists, and individuals that had previously criticized the Federalist government prior to the war.