Inspired by some suggestions I received offline from Chief Grey Wolf I would be interested in constructive criticism and comments on the following. GW loved multiple POD's. I am more moderate and will have 3 independent mary divergences:
Primary divergence 1: In Aug 1812 Lt. Gen Prevost does not sign an armistice with the Yanks. Instead he lets Gen Brock cross the Niagara which results in the Battle of Lewiston Heights where the ill prepared American force under Gen. von Renssellear are badly defeated. Brick is not killed as OTL at Queenstown Heights. Brock finds himself unable to advance far beyond the Lewiston area though and fortifies the area taken where he spends the fall repelling Yank counterattacks. A contingent of Mohawks prove very helpful to the British in this phase.
After Col. Procter and Tecumseh win the Battle of Frenchtown (Jan 1813 --as per OTL), Brock is sold on an Ohio offensive which assumes personal command over and mobilizes quicker than Procter did. .He attacks Ft. Meigs on 15 Apr 1813 (instead of 1 May) where Gen. Harrison has arrived 3 days earlier and to his dismay found the construction of the fort incomplete with most of the workers departed. Ft. Meigs falls and a wounded Harrison is captured. In the subsequent weeks relief columns headed for Ft. Meigs under Gen Clay are largely annihilated by Brock and Tecumseh. Meanwhile Brock arranges for Ft. Meigs to be completed.
9 May 1813 - Brock follows on his victory at Ft. Meigs to take Ft. Stephenson
For the rest of May and early June his objective is to seize supplies wherever he can find them so as to be less dependent on his supply line from Canada.
25 May 1813 - Goodbye Columbus Tecumseh and Black Hawk pillage the new Ohio state capital. In OTL Black Hawk was unimpressed by Proctor at Ft. Meigs and went inactive for a while. TTL he gets revved up.
In June American reinforcements start to arrive and Brock is reluctantly forced on the defensive. Meanwhile some Indian groups such as the Chicamauga branch of the Cherokee who had largely rejected Tecumseh starting joining in.
In late August an American attempt to retake Ft. Meigs is repulsed with serious losses.
The other two independent diverges occur in Sep 1813:
4 Sep In Nashville a confrontation between Col. Thomas Benton and Gen Andrew Jackson leads to gunfire and Jackson is killed (in OTL he barely survives 2 bullets)
10 Sep Commodore Perry is killed before he can transfer his flag. The British capture USS Lawrence and then the two battered fleets call it a day.
As a result of Jackson's death, most of the West Tennessee Militia go home in Dec 1813 when their commitment terminates (in OTL prevented this in a dramatic confrontation pointing cannon at his own men)
Because of this the Red Sticks are not soundly defeated in early 1814. News of greater Indian success in Ohio had increased their numbers by 40% and when a weak militia force attacks Horseshoe Bend it is repelled.
In spring of 1814 the Americans retake Ft. Stephenson though at some cost but are again frustrated by Brock at Ft. Meigs. However at the Second Battle of Lake Erie (3 Aug 1814) the Americans do prevail and Brock is forced to abandon Ft. Meigs in Oct much to Tecumseh's dismay but by the end of 1814 is still at Detroit having adequate provisions for the winter.
With no Jackson there is no expedition into Florida.
The Chesapeake campaign goes just as OTL. Washington is raided but the British defeated at Baltimore. Likewise the Battle of Plattsburgh is also an impressive American victory as per OTL.
In Sep 1814 the British sloop Sophia arrives at Barataria Bay and deliver a letter from Col Nicols to the pirate Jean Lafitte trying to persuade him to join. In OTL he stalled and ended up helping the Yanks. In TTL he is persuaded by the greater British successes in the west to join them (note word of Plattbsurgh and Baltimore have not reached him)
With Lafitte on their side the British strategy towards New Orleans is to land at Bararitraria down with Lafitte's help approach New Orleans from the south. They must cross the Mississippi at some point but together with no Jackson New Orleans falls 2 Dec 1814. On account of the earlier successes the British negotiators have not softened their terms as much after Plattsburg as they did OTL and wait to hear the results from Louisiana.
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Primary divergence 1: In Aug 1812 Lt. Gen Prevost does not sign an armistice with the Yanks. Instead he lets Gen Brock cross the Niagara which results in the Battle of Lewiston Heights where the ill prepared American force under Gen. von Renssellear are badly defeated. Brick is not killed as OTL at Queenstown Heights. Brock finds himself unable to advance far beyond the Lewiston area though and fortifies the area taken where he spends the fall repelling Yank counterattacks. A contingent of Mohawks prove very helpful to the British in this phase.
After Col. Procter and Tecumseh win the Battle of Frenchtown (Jan 1813 --as per OTL), Brock is sold on an Ohio offensive which assumes personal command over and mobilizes quicker than Procter did. .He attacks Ft. Meigs on 15 Apr 1813 (instead of 1 May) where Gen. Harrison has arrived 3 days earlier and to his dismay found the construction of the fort incomplete with most of the workers departed. Ft. Meigs falls and a wounded Harrison is captured. In the subsequent weeks relief columns headed for Ft. Meigs under Gen Clay are largely annihilated by Brock and Tecumseh. Meanwhile Brock arranges for Ft. Meigs to be completed.
9 May 1813 - Brock follows on his victory at Ft. Meigs to take Ft. Stephenson
For the rest of May and early June his objective is to seize supplies wherever he can find them so as to be less dependent on his supply line from Canada.
25 May 1813 - Goodbye Columbus Tecumseh and Black Hawk pillage the new Ohio state capital. In OTL Black Hawk was unimpressed by Proctor at Ft. Meigs and went inactive for a while. TTL he gets revved up.
In June American reinforcements start to arrive and Brock is reluctantly forced on the defensive. Meanwhile some Indian groups such as the Chicamauga branch of the Cherokee who had largely rejected Tecumseh starting joining in.
In late August an American attempt to retake Ft. Meigs is repulsed with serious losses.
The other two independent diverges occur in Sep 1813:
4 Sep In Nashville a confrontation between Col. Thomas Benton and Gen Andrew Jackson leads to gunfire and Jackson is killed (in OTL he barely survives 2 bullets)
10 Sep Commodore Perry is killed before he can transfer his flag. The British capture USS Lawrence and then the two battered fleets call it a day.
As a result of Jackson's death, most of the West Tennessee Militia go home in Dec 1813 when their commitment terminates (in OTL prevented this in a dramatic confrontation pointing cannon at his own men)
Because of this the Red Sticks are not soundly defeated in early 1814. News of greater Indian success in Ohio had increased their numbers by 40% and when a weak militia force attacks Horseshoe Bend it is repelled.
In spring of 1814 the Americans retake Ft. Stephenson though at some cost but are again frustrated by Brock at Ft. Meigs. However at the Second Battle of Lake Erie (3 Aug 1814) the Americans do prevail and Brock is forced to abandon Ft. Meigs in Oct much to Tecumseh's dismay but by the end of 1814 is still at Detroit having adequate provisions for the winter.
With no Jackson there is no expedition into Florida.
The Chesapeake campaign goes just as OTL. Washington is raided but the British defeated at Baltimore. Likewise the Battle of Plattsburgh is also an impressive American victory as per OTL.
In Sep 1814 the British sloop Sophia arrives at Barataria Bay and deliver a letter from Col Nicols to the pirate Jean Lafitte trying to persuade him to join. In OTL he stalled and ended up helping the Yanks. In TTL he is persuaded by the greater British successes in the west to join them (note word of Plattbsurgh and Baltimore have not reached him)
With Lafitte on their side the British strategy towards New Orleans is to land at Bararitraria down with Lafitte's help approach New Orleans from the south. They must cross the Mississippi at some point but together with no Jackson New Orleans falls 2 Dec 1814. On account of the earlier successes the British negotiators have not softened their terms as much after Plattsburg as they did OTL and wait to hear the results from Louisiana.
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