1812: British Reconquest of the United States

What if in the War of 1812, the British sought to reconquest the United States? If they succeeded?
 

FrozenMix

Banned
It would not be worth it for them, or possible for that matter. They gained far more from having the US trade with them then from conquering it, having to administer it and put down many rebellions, and ultimately taxing it.

As far as feasibility went, they didn't have enough troops to conquer the US, and by the time that they could commit a sizable portion of troops, the Tecumseh Confederacy had been vanquished by the US, eliminating the only real ally in the region.
 
Disbanding the USA and replacing its legislatures with British governors wouldn't have been a realistic goal. Maybe Britain could leave America intact but forced to recognise British overlordship, but there was no real reason to do this, especially given that the country faced the slightly more pressing matter of Napoleon's attempts to take over Europe...
 
London might seek to separate New England as its own Republic or Confederation while taking much of Maine as New Ireland and forcing US recognition of native states in upstate New York and parts of OTL Northwest territory. In an extreme they may try to lord over New Orleans but good luck that it doesn't fall back into American hands in the long term. This might really backfire in time as US interests expand westward, it gives Canada and New England a hostile neighbor that will only grow stronger and seek revenge.
 
What if in the War of 1812, the British sought to reconquest the United States? If they succeeded?

They fail. Why? Because there are more important uses of British time, money, and soldiers. Napoleon was still rampaging across Europe for much of the war, and once defeated Britain just has better things to do with itself. What do they get from spending a decade invading and fighting the United States? Say they win every battle, the US surrenders, and Britain occupies it.

They now have to proceed to hold down a modern (for the time) power who many back in the British Isles sympathize with, and which will steadily be growing stronger. Many of the occupied have now lived their entire lives independent of British control and have no desire to answer to London again.

The American colonies were a money drain BEFORE they revolted. Imagine how much money will be taken AFTER.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
1) They lose 2) The universe spins backward because of

What if in the War of 1812, the British sought to reconquest the United States? If they succeeded?

1) They lose, even more than what they lost historically.

2) The universe spins backward because of the extraterrestrial chiroptera in flight...;)

The British lost all three times they sought to assault any strategic target worth the candle in the US in 1812-15; they had also lost an entire army in the field during the Revolution before the French became involved.

There is a reason that the US and all the Western Hemisphere republics from Haiti to Cuba (eventually) gained their independence, from one European power or another, by force of arms. Time and distance essentially defeats any effort to deploy and sustain the expeditionary forces necessary to control a nation state in rebellion from an occupying power situated across an ocean.

Best,
 
British sailors did march on Washington, DC and burn the White House. They burned the White House in retaliation for a similar raid in Upper Canada (now Ontario).
The British did not devote more troops to the War of 1812, because defeating Napoleon was a higher priority.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
And then they marched on Baltimore (which actually

British sailors did march on Washington, DC and burn the White House. They burned the White House in retaliation for a similar raid in Upper Canada (now Ontario). The British did not devote more troops to the War of 1812, because defeating Napoleon was a higher priority.

And then they and 5,000 British Army regulars marched on Baltimore (which actually had economic and military importance, unlike Washington), and were soundly defeated, including losing their commanding general KIA.

The odds were so high, in fact, that the British retreated rather than even attempt the defenders at Hampstead Hill...

Best,
 
Not going to happen. To retake the US would mean more troops, ships, money, and resources to force the US to surrender. Then more of that to keep it pacified. The British had better things to do with all that than retake the US. The best they can hope for is a buffet Native state in the Old Northwest and maybe taking Maine. But total reannexation? Not happening without massive ASB help.
 
The British lost all three times they sought to assault any strategic target worth the candle in the US in 1812-15; they had also lost an entire army in the field during the Revolution before the French became involved.

To be entirely fair, the French were involved from the beginning, providing money and arms from practically the moment there was a war for these things to support.

Thing is, though, this was a special vulnerability of the colonies: British Imperial policy had been about preventing the creation of a sound financial industry in the colonies (amongst other things), as well as involving the prevention of the growth of important industries that run into armaments up the chain. This was very different in 1812.

There is no realistic scenario under which Great Britain is able to reconquer the US in 1812. Fin.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
Militarily involved....

To be entirely fair, the French were involved from the beginning, providing money and arms from practically the moment there was a war for these things to support.

Thing is, though, this was a special vulnerability of the colonies: British Imperial policy had been about preventing the creation of a sound financial industry in the colonies (amongst other things), as well as involving the prevention of the growth of important industries that run into armaments up the chain. This was very different in 1812.

There is no realistic scenario under which Great Britain is able to reconquer the US in 1812. Fin.

"Militarily" involved....;)

No French troops or ships before the alliance of 1778, obviously, and the Americans had already forced the British from Boston and defeated Burgoyne and forced the surrender of his army.

Best,
 
"Militarily" involved....;)

No French troops or ships before the alliance of 1778, obviously, and the Americans had already forced the British from Boston and defeated Burgoyne and forced the surrender of his army.

Best,

Well yeah, they had, but the French (and others) contribution in terms of arms and funding was key. Massachusetts would not have been able to provide the army necessary to contain the British in Boston without the mobilization of 1775, which was based around the powder and arms that were bought on foreign markets, partially using funds provided by the French foreign ministry.
 
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