Quasi-War III

[hzn5pk]

Tierra Del Fuego - nice. I thought that the USA would set up base in Nicaragua or Panama or have a friendly terms with the Yucatan to use the narrow part of OTL Mexico. But Tierra Del Fuego is not bad. It would be another couple of decades before OTL Chile or OTL Argentina ventured there.

What is the status of steam power? Is it part of the internal improvement policy of the Union party.

Steam boats have to be using the river system. And the Great Lakes.
Ohio, Mississippi, Tennessee, Cumberland, Missouri, and Arkansas.

In California, US steamboats rule the Sacramento River, Colorado, Columbia and Willamette

All of this has to provide even more access to California and Oregon. I would think that with the POTUS fully supporting settlement of Oregon, and perhaps Congress offering free land, more settles than OTL would make Oregon their destination. Within a few years will be even more than 25,000. And surely gold will be discovered in California around Sacramento before 1849. This will bring even more Americans to California. Then gold discovered in OTL British Columbia (OTL 1850's) will bring in Americans to fully extend the USA claim of the Oregon Country.

So great timeline, keep it up !!!

Railroads are starting to pop up connecting small networks around hub cities in the East. I also thought that the USA would have a small railroad set up in Panama or Nicaragua to ease supplies to the West coast.

With the advances in steam power, industry has to be growing in the North.

This will leave the South behind. I originally thought that maybe northern capitalists would invest in setting up textile plants in Charleston and Savanah. But maybe not now, these New England capitalists were probably anti-slavery and would not want to place textile mills down South.

Also, with no compromise and tariffs and slavery in the Floridas, Calhoun may agitate the deep South and secession might occur sooner than later, like around 1840. What is keeping Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and the Floridas in line now? What is going to be the spark, it cannot be an election of a Northerner? Maybe somehow, Calhoun is arrested for breaking a law and the backlash is the deep South seceding ???

 

[Alstein]

I can't the South accomplishing anything by rebellion- it would get crushed very very quickly, and foreign support wouldn't help.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Tierra Del Fuego - nice. I thought that the USA would set up base in Nicaragua or Panama or have a friendly terms with the Yucatan to use the narrow part of OTL Mexico. But Tierra Del Fuego is not bad. It would be another couple of decades before OTL Chile or OTL Argentina ventured there.

What is the status of steam power? Is it part of the internal improvement policy of the Union party.

Steam boats have to be using the river system. And the Great Lakes.
Ohio, Mississippi, Tennessee, Cumberland, Missouri, and Arkansas.

In California, US steamboats rule the Sacramento River, Colorado, Columbia and Willamette

All of this has to provide even more access to California and Oregon. I would think that with the POTUS fully supporting settlement of Oregon, and perhaps Congress offering free land, more settles than OTL would make Oregon their destination. Within a few years will be even more than 25,000. And surely gold will be discovered in California around Sacramento before 1849. This will bring even more Americans to California. Then gold discovered in OTL British Columbia (OTL 1850's) will bring in Americans to fully extend the USA claim of the Oregon Country.

So great timeline, keep it up !!!

Railroads are starting to pop up connecting small networks around hub cities in the East. I also thought that the USA would have a small railroad set up in Panama or Nicaragua to ease supplies to the West coast.

With the advances in steam power, industry has to be growing in the North.

This will leave the South behind. I originally thought that maybe northern capitalists would invest in setting up textile plants in Charleston and Savanah. But maybe not now, these New England capitalists were probably anti-slavery and would not want to place textile mills down South.

Also, with no compromise and tariffs and slavery in the Floridas, Calhoun may agitate the deep South and secession might occur sooner than later, like around 1840. What is keeping Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and the Floridas in line now? What is going to be the spark, it cannot be an election of a Northerner? Maybe somehow, Calhoun is arrested for breaking a law and the backlash is the deep South seceding ???

I will definitely bring up steam and rail power over the next few posts.

You are right about the gold. I'll be working out the American/British claims to the northeast in a few chapters.

As for slavery in the south, that will be a primary subplot.

 

[Alt History Buff]

I can't the South accomplishing anything by rebellion- it would get crushed very very quickly, and foreign support wouldn't help.

I would agree but bear in mind that America looks to have several open issues at the time.

Also, in this time period, the "north" would not have as many advantages in transportation (a functioning rail network) and as big an advantage in industrialization. The southern states would have certain advantages by being on the defensive.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 8 - The Beckon Call of Empire - January 1830

The Yucatan Peninsula

General (and President) Santa Ana could not believe it. How the hell did these Mayans so thoroughly cut off his supply lines. With Campeche and Merida so well fortified and the indigenous providing such a fearsome resistance from the hills, the invasion was quickly proving to be an expensive mistake. With resignation, Santa Ana pulled his professional army back from the Yucatan, instead ordering his navy (such as it was) to blockade the handful of Yucatan ports.

Humiliated, he determined not to allow such a blemish on his exalted military record to stand for long. With the remainder of his forces assembling at the western Mexican border with New Galicia, Santa Ana determined to march the "Liberating Army of the Yucatan" north to the Republic of the Sierra Madre Oriental. Neither of the other nations carved from New Spain possessed near the population nor martial capacity as the Republic of Mexico.

Santa Ana knew he needed a quick and decisive victory. He ascended to office by way of coup. Weakness and defeat would likely lead to his own ousting, perhaps the firing squad. Besides, the United States had been allied closely with the Sierra Madre for years. It would be best to crush the sparsely populated country swiftly and bring her resources under Mexican rule before America could make up its' mind what to do.

South Carolina

Calhoun had quite enough. The Supreme Court had rejected every logical argument brought before it for the return of runaway property. The northern cowards feared rebellion among the runaways whereever they had gone should a Fugitive Slave Act actually be enforced. But the decision was crippling the south.

Worse, the Federal Government had not only banned slavery within the vast conquered territories now ruled by the United States (without southern assistance, none of which would be possible), but the damned Massachusetts president even forcibly emancipated slaves in Louisiana and Guyana!!!

Something must be done.

Contrary to popular belief, Calhoun was not a successionist by heart, as many northern radicals held. He'd advocated a strong government, merely one that kept southern interests at heart. He was always willing to compromise on tariffs, which was effectively picking the purses southern plantation owners while lining the pockets of the new northern textile factories (Where did they think they got their cotton from?).

No Fugitive Slave Act?
Protective Tariffs (Protective of the North)?
No Expansion of Slavery into territories clearly suited for it?

If neither the government nor the courts were willing to halt this injustice, then the southern states would have to take matters in their own hands.

Though he loathed to admit it, Jefferson may have been right. If the national government becomes tyrannical and oppresses state freedom, then it is the right and responsibility for the state governments to Nullify any such harmful legislation.

Washington DC

John Quincy Adams didn't know what people were complaining about. Did they really believe this was cold? For god's sake, there wasn't two inches of snow on the ground! It was January!

Adams' northern origins prevented any of the cold from seeping too deeply into his hardy bones. These whining Washingtonians should try St. Petersburg. Even Adams found that dismal place frigid.

But Congress was returning to session, belatedly. He had plenty to discuss with their leaders. Great Britain's minister's hesitantly agreed to his proposal. During the last war, American and British troops had overrun the Gaspe Peninsula, the eastern point of French Canada. Sparsely populated, the land spent the past fifteen years jointly occupied and administered by both America and Britain, similar to the Oregon territory to the north-west of the continent. Well, there were now twenty-times as many Americans in Oregon as Britons. Within a few years, agitation would commence for statehood. It would be best to settle the matter now before it became an embarrassing standoff.

Adams offered Gaspe as well as a sliver of the disputed New Brunswick/Maine border in exchange for full American dominion over Oregon. This wouldn't go down well in Maine. The territory was administered by Massachusetts had officially requested seperation, largely approved by Massachusetts' legislature. It never made any sense to a physically seperated territory to be administered by a state and Adams was surprised the population hadn't pushed years or decades earlier. Without question, the Senate pass any resolution for statehood. No doubt, he and his party would pay for this by Maine's electorate for the next few elections but Adams had no choice. The deal was more than fair. America would receive far more territory (and more usable at that) than it gave up. It would also ease the occasional fear among the British Maritimes, many being descendants of exiles American loyalists, that the United States was coming to conquer them.

Adams expected the Treaty to pass. The southern congressmen had taken the habit of attempting to block any legislation favored by Adams' administration regardless if it affect their interests at all. It was a problem but was partially offset by the irritation caused to the northern and western states, offended that their unruly southern brethren were making their lives difficult. Many were supporting Adams merely to keep the Southerners from succeeding in their pointless tantrums.

Adams was looking forward to retirement. He never truly wanted to live a public life, prefering the law. But his father had pushed him into it, stating that the public valued his services too much, a sentiment echoed by General Washington and President Burr. Though never fully comfortable in the role, Adams felt the nation was creeping forward to join the ranks of great powers.

Harbors and canals were being completed. New steamboats cruised the rivers, opening up the interior with cheap transportation. Even a few of those new railroad lines are stretching from city to city, though Adams doubted their viability in the long run. The army and navy, though declined since the late war, remained in existance rather than being completely mothballed.

Henry Clay, his secretary of state, would likely be the next president. Clay appeared more willing to compromise than Adams, but then most people were.

Greater than ever was how Adams intended to leave his country. He treated himself to a glass of hard cider. If he'd known the great events occurring within and without his nation's borders, he probably would have drank deeper.

 

[hzn5pk]

So I take it that the borders of Maine are very similar to OTL. The top portion is not cut off, for extreme British claim. OTL Aroostook County is still in Maine. They grow some good potatoes up there !!!

a little of Maine and the claim to the Gaspe peninsula for all of Oregon Territory, to 54' 40" is a good trade.

What is the opposition party to the Union party that the Mainers would gravitate to? Is it the remnants of the Democrat-Republicans or Federalists? Surly they would not want to belong to whatever party Calhoun is in.

And maybe the Union Party would still keep Maine. They are becoming a state after all. If the Union Party controls both houses of Congress and the White House, why would they want to let Maine in, if it were going to add votes for the opposition. So Maine more than likely is on the fence or slightly favoring the Union Party.

And since we are talking political parties, what is the party of Calhoun? He is Democrat?

 

[Alt History Buff]

So I take it that the borders of Maine are very similar to OTL. The top portion is not cut off, for extreme British claim. OTL Aroostook County is still in Maine. They grow some good potatoes up there !!!

a little of Maine and the claim to the Gaspe peninsula for all of Oregon Territory, to 54' 40" is a good trade.

What is the opposition party to the Union party that the Mainers would gravitate to? Is it the remnants of the Democrat-Republicans or Federalists? Surly they would not want to belong to whatever party Calhoun is in.

And maybe the Union Party would still keep Maine. They are becoming a state after all. If the Union Party controls both houses of Congress and the White House, why would they want to let Maine in, if it were going to add votes for the opposition. So Maine more than likely is on the fence or slightly favoring the Union Party.

And since we are talking political parties, what is the party of Calhoun? He is Democrat?

I would assume Maine would go Unionist, though Adams himself would not be popular. I'm thinking this is the OTL equivalent of the Democratic-Republican party. Basically, they dominated for half a century due to a lack of opposition. The real election would be at the party convention.

As for Calhoun, I'm still not decided what the southerners would be called. Confederate Party is a little on the nose, especially as I already used Unionist as a party.

I'll work it out in my next post.

 

[Alstein]

Maybe they can call themselves Whigs or Populists?

 

[Alt History Buff]

Maybe they can call themselves Whigs or Populists?

I may go with Populist.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 9 - A Rising Tide - March 1830

Guanajuato, New Galicia

General John Coffee, pushing sixty years old, wondered why the hell he volunteered for this campaign. At his age, he should be in comfortable retirement awaiting death to take him. He'd served his country well in the last war under General Jackson in the Sierra Madre campaign. When the call came out for volunteers, Coffee inexplicably put forth his name for command of the "American Legion". As he had experience with the area and good relations with Mestizos, Negroes and Indians in his naturalized Tejas, he was deemed the most prudent choice.

I guess I was just bored, he mused. Having nothing to do, nothing left to accomplish, there seemed to be no reason to go on.

The occasionally confrontative relationship with New Galicia apparently over (the border arguement formally resolved), it was now in America's best interests to prop up the little nation. Chaos and intercene civil wars at the American border could do little for her interests. Besides, someone needs to teach that little Mexican prick Santa Anna a lesson. Did he really believe he could make himself a new King of New Spain. Reports of his retreat from the Yucatan proved elsewise.

The American Legion had sailed into Tampico from all points, but mainly men of Tejas, Louisiana and Tennessee, those areas being most proximate to the border nations. Over 4200 volunteers in all, Coffee also brought a large supply of munitions, muskets, powder and cannon to assist the weaker nations in their struggle against Mexico. Upon arriving reports were already flowing in. Santa Anna was at the border of both the Sierra Madres and New Galicia.

It was determined that the Anglo-Negro-Mestizo volunteer force (the Spanish and Indian mixed descendants were most eager to serve their kinfolk to the south) would divide into two armies, one to fight the pending invasion of Sierra Madre and the other to New Galicia.

Coffee commanded the expedition to New Galicia and reached Guanojuato in two weeks of marching. The other command would devolve to his most experienced subordinate, Brigadier General Jim Bowie, already moving south to where the Sierra Madre Army, such as it was, was forming near the Mexican border.

Upon reaching Guanojuato, Coffee was surprised to be greeted by President Farias of New Galicia in person.

"General Coffee," the New Galician expanded in Spanish, which Coffee partially understood. "We are most grateful for the assistance of you brave voluteers."

He gestured towards a mid-sized man in an unfamiliar uniform.

"Allow me to present my predecessor as President of New Galicia, whom has graciously agreed to command our nation's forces against this tyrant Santa Anna."

The fellowed nodded, "Welcome, General Coffee. My name is General Jose Fernandez."



Fort Adams, Cherokee Indian Reservation, Northwestern Georgia

General Zachary Taylor largely hated politicians. He, in fact had never bothered to vote for one in his life and didn't expect to alter that policy of indifference. So when the President sent yet another "Congressional Committeeman" to inspect the ongoings of the expansive Cherokee and Creek reservations (combined they were larger than half the nation's states), he didn't exactly embrace the visit. Fortunately, Congressman David Crockett of Tennessee wasn't the typical politician. The man was adament that the tribesmen were to be treated fairly and to both the letter and law of the nation's treaty obligations.

For the most part, Taylor was sympathetic to the Indian's plight. The tribes had proven more honorable in following the assorted treaties than America. At the very least, he'd been incensed by the constant intrusions of gold prospectors and slave hunters into designated tribal lands. And he was positively livid at the attitude of the Georgians that the national government had no say whatsoever in the ongoings on "Georgia soil". Well, part of the Tribal Reservations were on Georgia soil and that was Federal Land and Federal Land it would stay. Though severely undermanned, the handful of US Army post commanders sprinkled throughout the Cherokee and Creek lands were ordered to summarily arrest, detain, expel and do whatever they please with interlopers. President Adams remained in full support of any such protective measures, in spite of baying Georgian cries of tyranny.

Crockett for the most part was impressed. Having been invited to dine with General Taylor's family, he commented, "With less than five hundred soldiers at hand, I must say you have done an admirable job, General."

Crockett was most adament in support of the tribes. For the discussion, Taylor invited his adjutant, Lieutenant Jefferson Davis, and the local tribal liason, Sam Houston, whom had been adopted into the Cherokee Nation. Perhaps more importantly than the topic at hand was Davis' long glances exchanged with Taylor's fifteen year old daughter, Sarah. He saw where this was leading and did not like it. Taylor, whose career had caused hardship to his family, did not desire to see his daughter as an army wife, trapped into an eternal cycle of backwoods army posts. He would have a quiet discussion with the young man soon before the matter got out of hand.

"The Georgia Militia has been drilling an unusual number of sundays," Houston commented darkly. "The government of Georgia appears intent on "Reclaiming" their territory by one means or another."

Taylor's harsh features darkened. He'd done all that was possible to maintain the peace with the Indians. He would have none of some damn Georgians abruptly deciding they may flaught any American laws they deemed proper. He'd march on Atlanta and Savannah and burn it to the ground before he allowed that to happen. Damn John Calhoun and his "Nullification" Speech. He had half the south up in arms.

"Should these intrusions continue, will the tribes support me, meaning that they will obey my commands and go no further?" Taylor asked Houston.

"Yes, sir, you have engendered a fair bit of confidence among the Chiefs. But I warn you, there is a limit to their patience."

"You shall have full support of Congress," Crockett promised. "Tension is high but a few baying voices in South Carolina will not alter President Adams' committment to maintaining the Treaties."

Taylor appreciated the sentiment. He merely wondered if American resources were equal to their promises.

 

[Roland Traveler]

How many Creeks and Cherokee are there? If there's more of them than there are Georgians, then they should be able to crush any militia, especially since they have the defensive advantage and the Fed on their side.

Santa Anna is walking into a massacre. He didn't exactly have the best career OTL, and here he has to conquer vast stretches of desert, rainforests, and hostile territory before facing down the US. I predict he gets two victories before receiving an asskicking from the American expedition. If he lasts that long.

 

[Alt History Buff]

How many Creeks and Cherokee are there? If there's more of them than there are Georgians, then they should be able to crush any militia, especially since they have the defensive advantage and the Fed on their side.

Santa Anna is walking into a massacre. He didn't exactly have the best career OTL, and here he has to conquer vast stretches of desert, rainforests, and hostile territory before facing down the US. I predict he gets two victories before receiving an asskicking from the American expedition. If he lasts that long.

I don't know how many of the "5 Civilized Tribes" there were but I doubt they outnumbered the whole state of Georgia.

Recall in this POD, I have 4000 American Volunteers. This is not the 20,000 man professional US army he faced in the OTL Mexican War. Santa Anna would no doubt feel confident.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 10 - The Darkening Horizon - June 1830

Montreal, French Canada

Phelippeaux considered merely returning to Baltimore. In spite of their obvious anger at their lack of political participation in their own governance, the people of French Canada did not appear prepared to take the final step. Outnumbered 100 to 1 by the mother country, Canada could easily be overrun by France should she bother to send an army to crush her.

And neither the United States nor Great Britain, when approached through unofficial channels, proved willing to start a new war with France for the purpose of freeing Canada.

However, Mr. Papineau had formed a select committee to draft another set of protests to the young Emperor, for whatever that was worth.

Lacking anything better to do, Phelippeaux opted to stay.

Paris

King Joseph of Portugal had been pleased enough when he power hadn't diminished substantively upon his nephew's ascension to the French throne. That at least shut up the conspiracy theorists claiming he intended to usurp Napoleon II's throne. Of course, the young man still wasn't remotely prepared for the responsibility so Joseph remained effectively in charge. His only challenger would have been the Dowager Empress but the Emperor's mother had humiliated her son by bearing several bastard offspring by an unapproved morganic marriage. Napoleon II refused to received these siblings or his mother in court.

If only things abroad went as smoothly. In spite of all efforts, the French Empire overseas was a shell of what it once was. San Dominigue, Guadaloupe and Martinique were effectively independent, in fact if not name, their slaves free. Canada existed only at great cost to defend, surrounded by America and Britain's colonies. Little was left in Asia or Africa.

Even France's hegemony in Europe frayed as most of the German states, Warsaw and even those thrones in Italy and the Netherlands dominated by Bonapartes were increasingly insolent to France's request. In the end, it would take an iron hand to rule Europe, one Joseph did not have.

However, the situation in Iberia proved most worrisome. His throne in Portugal (seldom visited by its king) was never secure, the Portguese always on the verge or in fact in open rebellion. Only Spanish and French forces maintained the status quo. However, it was the Spanish King, his son-in-law King Carlos that provided the greatest indigestion. Virulantly opposed to any of the reforms of the Napoleonic Code, much of Spain was in revolt, Carlos' heavi-handed domination of his realm had imperiled the patrimony of Joseph's four-year-old grandson.

For all his abhorrance of the cost, Joseph had no choice but to dispatch French troops to Spain to put down the revolt. When complete, Joseph would discuss with his nephew Napoleon II his potential marriage to Joseph's eldest grandaughter, only now turning thirteen. It a few more years, she would be ready and a union between France and Spain would ensure the Bonaparte bloodline for generations to come.

As reports of spreading Spanish and Portuguese rebellion flowed in throughout April, Joseph hastily increased his projections for required troops. This was getting serious.

Flanders, Wallonia and and other points of the Netherlands

The Dutch, Flemish, Walloons and the other people of the Low Countries (formerly) had had quite enough. Initially pleased by the French Revolution, the Dutch and Walloon - speakers were soon dissappointed to find their peoples subordinates to the expansive power of France. The Austrian Netherland were annexed, later followed by the Dutch Republic. A temperary Kingdom under King Louis Bonaparte was dispanded under one of "Napoleon the Great's" final edicts and these lands consumed as well by the French horde in spite of great linguistic, cultural and religious differences.

As one, the former Low Countries rose in revolt. The chaos spread.

English Countryside

Ferdinand VII, claiment of Spain, was elated at the news of rebellion. The solicitations from Spain had intensified. Indeed, a quiet cabal of British officers were preparing to lead an expedition to Iberia, should the British crown agree to the measures.

He could only wait and pray.

Far better? His new wife had announced she was expecting child.

Perhaps Spain may yet return to her rightful King.

Madrid

Carlos III of Spain was livid. He had just dispatched a powerful expedition to Peru when these damned rebellions started up again. He demanded that his father-in-law in Paris DO SOMETHING. Too many of Spain's finest soldiers were currently sailing to the New World.

Too many of her other finest soldiers had just joined the rebellion.

Moscow

"Now?"

"Not yet. Our forces aren't in place. Be patient."

"We have been patient enough. The Czar imprisoned the last officer whom delivered a petition for reform."

"Not yet. Soon."

Washington DC

Andrew Jackson wondered what the hell Adams was playing at. The South Carolinans were in virtual rebellion, the Georgians not much better. Did he really believe negotiation and concessions would do the trick?

Adams weakness may imperil the nation. But Jackson had his orders. Organize the northern militias as Adams attempted to reach a compromise on tariffs. Jackson knew this would not be enough to get the South Carolinans to back down on their "Nullification". Refusing to obey Federals Laws, encouraging slave hunters to enter Federal "Free" Territory, openly shipping slaves into East Florida, and, of course, the Georgians defying a Federal Supreme Court order to desist on entering Cherokee and Creek lands in search for gold.

There was only one way this ended. Why waste time?

Washington DC

President Adams was already tired of dealing with Andrew Jackson. Did he really believe America was ready for her government to start invading states?

The pretense of negotiation was required for Adams to hold the high moral ground. He didn't believe that South Carolina or Georgia would back down any more than Jackson did. But Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina, though less effusive in their demands to extend slavery than the southermost states, were nevertheless adament about keeping their own. Fugitive Slave return remained a great topic and declaring martial law on the defacto in rebellion South Carolina and Georgia would no doubt alarm these states as well. Most had expanded their Black Codes to mandatory expulsion of free blacks from their shores, preferrably to Africa. The Supreme Court had just ruled this unconstitutional. None of the southern states had even acknoledged this.

Everything in proper sequence.

Who knows? Perhaps Adams could use this crisis to bring about the end of the institution.

He just had to play his cards right and Jackson had to be ready to move when ordered.

 

[Zek Sora]

Excellent as usual.

 

[Roland Traveler]

I don't know how many of the "5 Civilized Tribes" there were but I doubt they outnumbered the whole state of Georgia.

Recall in this POD, I have 4000 American Volunteers. This is not the 20,000 man professional US army he faced in the OTL Mexican War. Santa Anna would no doubt feel confident.

Overconfidence does wonders for the other side, especially when leading subpar soldiers. There was a battle in the Second Sino-Japanese war, I don't remember the name, where Japan got beaten quite badly because they didn't send out patrols and just plowed ahead. If China could do that to the better equipped and trained Japan, America should be able to bash Santa Anna easily. Unless the troops are sympathetic to the South.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Overconfidence does wonders for the other side, especially when leading subpar soldiers. There was a battle in the Second Sino-Japanese war, I don't remember the name, where Japan got beaten quite badly because they didn't send out patrols and just plowed ahead. If China could do that to the better equipped and trained Japan, America should be able to bash Santa Anna easily. Unless the troops are sympathetic to the South.

In OTL, Santa Anna was very overconfident. However, he was leading an army of regulars, hardened veterans against first Texas, then the United States.

In most of the battles of the Mexican War, it was American superiority in artillery that led to victory, not infantry or cavalry.

 

[Roland Traveler]

In most of the battles of the Mexican War, it was American superiority in artillery that led to victory, not infantry or cavalry.

Huh. I always thought it was the poor quality of the Mexican Army that let the US win so easily. Good to know.
Then maybe Santa Anna has a year before the US finally decides to deal with him once and for all. If they can bring their resources to bear that soon. In any case, Santa Anna is living on borrowed time.

 

[Gian]

Is it OK if I can make a world map for TTL c. 1830?

I might need some info about the state of the world though before doing so.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Chapter 11 - Rise of the Age of Rebellion - July 1830

County Derry, Ireland

"Good god, what is it?" The Irish farmer cried. He'd seen harvests fail due to the dry rot and the curl, but this was something new.

"I have no idea, Seamus it appears some sort of fungus."

"Nearly half my field has been contaminated! How will I feed the young ones through the winter?"

The other had no answer.

They did not realize that their counterparts in England and Scotland wer facing the same question. Though less dependent upon the potato than Ireland, many of the rural countryside would be shocked to discover the same rot throughout the crops.

Moscow

The officers were nearly ready. They only had to choose their moment.

Winter. It would have to be winter to ensure no reinforcements could be summoned easily. And the Czar must be struck down and struck down quickly, else all must be lost.

But how would the Czaravich react?

Alexander the First had taken years to get around to rooting out those whom murdered his father three decades ago. Most were never prosecuted.
But the son of Nicholas I? Who knew?

London

Ferdinand knew it was time to act. His homeland was in rebellion, though the revolt lacked focus. It needed a leader, a rallying point.

Ferdinand, his pregnant wife in tow, departed for Spain upon a British warship. He would win or he would die. Either way the throne would be decided.

It was a daring gambit, possibly his last. But after 20 years of exile, Ferdinand was determined not to spend another hour among foreigners. If he were to die, let him die a Spaniard on Spanish soil.

Guanojuato, New Galicia

"How long?" Coffee asked.

"A week, no longer," his ally, General Fernandez offered.

Coffee's Spanish was improving. Only a week to prepare. The pair of allies had debated the topic thoroughly. Fernandez' first inclination was to find a good spot of land to defend. Coffee doubted Santa Anna would gift the allies by dancing to their tune. It was far better to have the initiative.

At length, Fernandez agreed. If there was one flaw in Santa Anna's character (beyond his mercenary and vain nature), it wsa overconfidence.

The Generals poured over the map of New Galicia, searching for a good piece of dirt to teach the Veracruz-born Mexican a lesson.

In time, they believed they'd found it.

New Galicia

General (and President) Santa Anna was getting frustrated with these partison attacks. They weren't causing overly much damage but were slowing down his army. He wanted to route the New Galicians and then turn around and strike the death blow against the Sierra Madre Orientals.

He wasn't worried about the reports of a few hundred American "mercenaries". They were an unorganized rabble, anyway.

20 miles south of San Luis Potosi, Republic of Sierra Madre Oriental

Nicholas Bravo loathed Santa Anna. The man didn't have a patriotic bone in his body or a scrap of scruples in his heart. Bravo was already considering how to get rid of the bastard when Santa Anna launched his humiliating failed invasion of the Yucatan.

But now was not the right time to plot a coup. Bravo needed a victory of his own before he could summon the people to his side.

In command of the Mexican forces invading the Sierra Madres, Bravo would get his opportunity.

10 miles south of San Luis Potosi, Republic of Sierra Madre Oriental

Jim Bowie, in command of the forces of the Sierra Madre Oriental and the American volunteer legion was waiting for the f@#$%rs. He'd teach the bastards a lesson.

Montreal, French Canada

Phelippeux was been quietly summoned in the night to Papineau's spacious parlor. The Emperor had declined to even receive the Canadian petition. There was but two choices, endure or revolt.

It wasn't a particularly hard decision.

"There are few French regulars, fewer than twenty-five hundred in Canada," one Papineau's confederates stated.

"We should attack at once!" Another cried.

"NO," Phelippeaux shook his head. "It is too early in the year. France could still dispatch reinforcements before the St. Lawrence turns to ice. Far better to wait until the fall, September."

"That leaves greater time for our little conspiracy to be found out."

"True, but it cannot leave this room. Drill the militia, let the public outrage ferment on its own. In September, we take the cities and consolidate our hold on Canada over the winter. I believe that sympathetic Americans could be found to support our cause."

"Will the nation itself?"

Phelippeaux didn't know and admitted as such. But America was a large place and it would not be difficult to purchase powder and arms.

"We shall see. America may have their own matters to deal with, but there is always hope."

New York

The Irishman swung the stout club at this countryman. For centuries, these Protestant bastards (the youth didn't differenciate between Anglican and Presbyterian) had suppressed his faith, his people and his country, feeding off of the land like parasites. The Catholic youth from Galway would be damned if the pricks would carry on that tradition in America. He shouted a battlecry in Gaelic and swung again.

The other Irish youth parried the blow with his own club. The scion of former Irish gentry for eight generations, the Anglican youth had been but a boy when the ruddy Catholics forced his family off land they'd owned for 150 years, leaving the desperate and hungary clan to brave the waves in search of a new life in America. Of course, they only found the Catholics had taken residence there as well.

The slums of New York were aligned no less starkly than Belfast: Catholic or Protestant, never Catholic AND Protestant. Streets were marked by gangs.

Bitter and angry, the Protastant looked forward to a fight.

The battles of the old world left such an indelible mark on the soul of the Irish people that they were duplicated thousands of miles away from the source of their grievance.

So it was throughout most of the large cities of America.

The following day, the New York militia was called in to restore order. 38 were dead, hundreds of homes and shops had been vandalized or burned. The rest of America wondered if they could get these damned Irishmen to go home. They would not realize until the following spring that the wave of human migration had only begun for the lush Emerald Isle, grateful for its recent liberaton from England, would face a horror unknown in her history.

 

[stubear1012]

Will the Irish do better handling the potato famine?

It will be interesting to see if the Irish do a better job handling the impact of the potato famine. The way that the British handled the famine was very controversial.

Also in America as more and more Irish immigrated, there was a growing number of NINA signs (No Irish Need Apply) at places that was hiring workers.

I am enjoying this timeline, please keep posting.

Stubear1012