WI: Frederick Townsend Ward lives a long life

[tallwingedgoat]

Frederick Townsend Ward was one of William Walker's filibusters and Crimean War veteran who organized a private Chinese army to help the Qing suppress the Taiping rebels. His Ever Victorious Army was exceptionally well equipped at the time, being armed with Sharps breechloading rifles and never lost a battle. Unfortunately Ward was killed in action and his unit was handed over to Charles "Chinese" Gordon.

Ward married the daughter of a Chinese mandarin and was buried as a general of the Chinese army in full regalia. However the Qing abandoned his military reforms when the Taiping Rebellion ended and they failed to follow through with modernization.

Tom Cruise and John Woo teamed up to make a movie about Ward, but it didn't happen. The project was re-invented as "The Last Samurai" with Cruise playing a fictional character.

So what happens if Ward wasn't killed in battle? Does he change the history of China by modernizing its army? Does he distinguish himself in the American Civil War? He was certainly one of the most experienced American soldiers alive in 1861.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Townsend_Ward

[Hendryk]

I once asked the same question, and this is the input I got.

I'd like to see Ward's life go one of two ways: either he stays in China and uses his status as a war hero to support Li Hongzhang's Self-Strengthening Movement, eventually becoming an insider of the regime; or he goes back to the US to fight on the Union side, becomes a Sherman figure, and eventually makes it to the White House. In the latter case, being well-acquainted with Chinese civilization and having a Chinese wife, he might be instrumental in preempting the rise of anti-Chinese racism, resulting in sustained Chinese immigration to the US in general and California in particular. By the turn of the 20th century California may be up to one-third Chinese.

[tallwingedgoat]

That's a good plot, but not terribly realistic. It's highly unlikely for a high ranking Chinese mandarin with an oriental wife to get elected President of the United States - even if Ward had the reputation of Sherman himself. Also, no government will allow the population of California to become a third Chinese. At best a more moderate exclusion policy may be adopted.

It's certainly possible for Ward to get elected to Congress however, especially after a successful career in the ACW. Although I have no idea if he was at all interested in electoral politics.

I could see Ward returning to China after the ACW to sell surplus American weapons which was being sold to all over the world. Ward being a Mandarin of the third rank and distinguished soldier would have little trouble getting the deals done. He and his ACW veteran compatriots would likely find employment as military advisors to modernize the Imperial army in the post-Taiping era. If he play his cards right he could become a major figure in the Self-Strengthening Movement which if made more successful through greater interaction with the US, could cause Qing China to pull the proverbial Meiji.

Another possibility I see for Ward is for him to go back to his filibustering roots. Since he spoke Spanish from his time with William Walker in Mexico and was familiar with the Philippines (his NCOs in the Ever Victorious Army were Filipinos), Ward might just filibuster the Philippines if the opportunity arose. Ward could become the first President of the Republic of the Philippines. That's a way better movie than The Last Samurai.