A Man, A Plan, Nicaragua!
What if William Walker didn't fail?
What if William Walker didn't fail?
May, 1856
It had been seven months since the filibuster William Walker had seized effective control over the government of Nicaragua. Though he never fully and directly seized control of the Latin American republic, his and his band of free-booters' influence was spread widely. He controlled the army which kept the remaining Legitimists scattered and in hiding. This month would be a major one for the history books - for America recognized Walker's government in Nicaragua as legitimate.
While this would be something of import for most new sovereigns, to Walker it meant that his actions, the "support" given to the Democratic Party and his free-booters taking control of the Army, were more than simply accepted by his home country - they were justified. The arrival of the American ambassador to Nicaragua later in the month simply confirmed this thought. While previously, Walker had talked of making the nations of Central America into new slave states within the Union, he now was faced with the reality of running a state. Conquest of nations would take too long and take more men than he had.
Another reality hit Walker in this month as well - quite rudely. C. K. Garrison and Charles Morgan, the two men that had been supporting him and his free-booters, were starting to pressure him to make "good on their agreement."[1] If he did make good with his two main supporters, they'd assured him that supplies and money would continue to flow to his regime. But if he went through with the confiscation, he'd gain the anger of Cornelius Vanderbilt - a man who could, and probably would, end his regime.
So, with the elections coming soon and his position of President not quite assured, William Walker chose Vanderbilt over Garrison and Morgan. While the two would most certainly cut off their support, Vanderbilt would be more than happy to learn that the new President of Nicaragua was pro-business. Only time would tell if he made the right choice.