A Soldier's Country: History of the American Stratocracy

[Alstein]

ISTM that the proposed change would be aggressively centralist. It would presume to dictate the form of each state's government by regulating the franchise.

It seems to include property qualifications for voting, which some states had already abolished IIRC. The extension of the franchise to all "soldiers" is problematic as well, because who is included? The vast majority of "soldiers" were state militia, whose service might be formal or casual. Also long or short, or in wartime or in peace. Who controls the records of service?

If a man served in the militia of one state, what happens if he moves to another state?

All this was in the hands of state governments, and did not have the profound political effects as ITTL.

And what about sailors? They endure hardship and risk their lives, too.

Also, ISTM that such a rule creates an obvious tool for a ruling clique to manipulate elections; they can simply arrange for men of their faction to be mustered into the militia for guard duty or during some alleged Indian threat. Others would be excluded simply not publishing announcement of the muster till the last minute, then informing latecomers that the quota is already full, or even that the muster is already over.

And finally, during most of American history, before the ARW and in OTL after it, there were not many wars for men to serve in. Establishing this rule now would entrench the veterans of the ARW as a ruling class for a generation. Or... it could create incentives for ambitious men or groups to foment wars, and thus opportunities to gain veteran status. Every future war/peace decision would be influenced by those political consequences.

Those would be matters for the Supreme Court. My guess is soldier rights would be viewed as broadly as possible in the long term.

 

[Alpha_North]

Chapter Four: May God Bless Our Enemies

Battle of Naples (1799)

Flag of the Panthenopean Republic​

The Swiss Revolution, as it would be called, would be a bloody conflict for both sides of the conflict. Swiss militias on both sides would constantly harass French or Austrian forces, as the two goliath forces battled it out in the Alps. Archduke Charles would find great success, as French leadership wasn't as strong here, so he could force the French to retreat or die in every battle. However, their presence was still in the area, as French soldiers joined the militias, which would harass the Austrian forces to the point that it was every day. Though in the end, Alois von Reding, the main Swiss commander against the French, with the help of the Archduke, would force the French out of the Swiss lands and the Radicals would be quashed. The Swiss Confederacy would stand strong. However, that wouldn't be the case for outside Switzerland. The Kingdom of Naples would soon be forced to fight the French force of Jean Victor Moreau, in which they were utterly beaten at the Battle of Naples, where Neopolitan forces would be outmaneuvered by French cavalry and overrun. Ferdinand IV of Naples would be able to flee to his lesser kingdom of Sicily and thanks to the British navy, the French would be forced to stay in mainland Italy. The Neopolitan lands would be formed into the Parthenopean Republic, joining the coalition of sister republics with France. The Austrians would begin the stages of peace with France, as Napoleon made a bloody and costly path in hopes to take Vienna, with the French agreeing. Austria looking to sign peace, the other powers would soon follow suit. The Russians would sign peace with France, and Portugal would do so as well after a combined French-Spanish force would beat the Portuguese Army in the War of Flowers in 1800. Ferdinand IV of Naples turned to Ferdinand III of Sicily after signing peace with France, much to the dismay of Britain. The War of the Second Coalition would end in 1800[*], the turn of the century, after a coalition of European nations threatened the British to end the blockade.

Returning back to the Americas, Aaron Burr had just won another landslide victory in the Election of 1798 against the Democratic-Republicans, who were soon losing relevance amongst the Southern states, as this strange branch of pseudo-Federalist thought expanded. Burr's inaugural address would highlight the rising tensions against the British and that the American way of life was being challenged once more by their former overlords. It spoke of the French and Spanish allies that were being attacked by the British, seeking vengeance to those nations that liberated the Colonies. What was named the "Call for Unity" would rally much of the American people to fight against the British, to help the French to return the favor when they helped them. However, the Congress wasn't as gung-ho as the people, and Burr understood that, even with all the training and funding going on, it would take more years to bring the American Army to a fair stage for war. American politicians were able to ease the blockade, promising a "halt of any violent actions occurring in areas that were previously fought over", being practically a ceasefire but without a formally declared war. Although the British hated to lose some of their power in the Americas, they absolutely needed to get ships to Europe so that they could strangle the French by sea.

"Huzzah! The Forge is made of iron!" - US officer during the USS Forge's encounter with the HMS Bonne Citoyenne

The battle between the USS Forge and HMS Bonne Citoyenne​

The Americans made no waste of time while the war in Europe was still raging, Burr called for the commission of several ships. However, he was keen on them made in a certain way. While the Undeclared War was still underway, a ship was commissioned that would later be named the USS Forge in the early years of Burr's first term, so it would get involved with the Haitian Revolution. It was a fair ship, but to protect American trading interests in Spain's American colonies. However, while the blockade was beginning to take effect, British ships would sail past Florida do blockade the Southern coast. It would be where USS Forge would become legendary, as it would be said that when the HMS Bonne Citoyenne would encounter the USS Forge, the British ship's cannonballs would merely bounce off of the Forge's hull, with the officer famously exclaiming "Huzzah! The Forge is made of iron!". The HMS Bonne Citoyenne would be sunken by the USS Forge, which would be the word around the country for a week before everyone moved on, but many military commanders, as well as the Consul Burr. The USS Forge would be called back to port to see what had it have an edge over a British vessel, before realizing that it was what it was made out of. The ship was made in South Carolina, being constructed with white oak, which was what most ships were made of, but the USS Forge also was made out of Live Oak, native to the most southern American South. Although the ship's design wasn't revolutionary to make it go faster, the strong hull was enough of an advantage to take down the HMS Bonne Citoyenne. With this knowledge, Burr called for ships to be made with these materials, to stand a chance against the British if a war was to come. American ships would nearly all go to the Carribean Sea, as that was where the British blockade was weakest, practically having the United States at the Carribean and the British blockading in the Atlantic. Trading across the Canadian border had grown way more restricted, but it was still allowed.

When the War of the Second Coalition was over, Napoleon's army and Napoleon himself was furious at the Directory. They had sacrificed so much to the Republic, but their opportunity to take Vienna, to cement French dominance, were crushed. To them, the casualties and victories they faced would've led to Austria bending their knee to the French Republic, but they merely got the rest of Italy. Filled with a vengeance, Napoleon would rally the support of fellow French generals. The French Election of 1797 didn't occur that the French Directory feared an election would weaken the nation during a time of war, but now the war was over. Napoleon called to the masses of Paris to demand the Directory for an election, so the Directory was forced to do an Election in 1800, with Napoleon Bonaparte becoming the main candidate. However, the Directors feared this would be an end to their power, so they tried to stage a Royalist coup so they can justify their absolute power. Jacques François Dugommier and some Directors refused to comply, wishing to finally make the French Republic follow up with its name, so they would be imprisoned for "conspiring with French royalists" and would be guillotined. This reemergence of the guillotine gave much fear for the French public, but they would soon turn angry after an attempt to arrest Napoleon failed. Napoleon declared the Directory was trying to seize power, just like those mad Jacobite-Royalists, so Bonaparte rallied the military and people of Paris to remove the Directory from power. Napoleon Bonaparte would name himself Consul of the French Republic, mirroring the title Consul from the United States in hopes to foster greater relations with their friend in the Americas.

Napoleon Bonaparte, Consul of the French Republic​

Bonaparte, drawing influence from Forge democracy that was still popular by the military, had military representatives still a part of the government. Although the people finally were able to be a part of the government, they were not the most powerful, and both the military and public representatives would argue with one another in the French Tribunate and would vote in the Legislative Assembly, but the Grand Senate, the advisory body of the government, would be dominated by the military. Consul Napoleon Bonaparte would be accompanied by two other Consuls, Jacques MacDonald and Charles-François Lebrun, but those Consuls' powers would be reduced to a nominal position after a public referendum in 1804, vesting all power to Napoleon Bonaparte. The peace within France would boost Napoleon's popularity, as the issues throughout the Revolutionary Wars were beginning to devolve and the people were happy. With Napoleon consolidating power, he would remove many Republican members of government, mainly those part of the public rather than the military. In hopes to ensure that the public would still view Napoleon favorably and the military not to take total control, the People's Senate would be formed, with representatives elected by the people annually to play an advisory role similar to the Grand Senate, but with lesser influence. However, it was successful and had most of the French populace on his side.

However, a great tragedy would occur on July 6th in 1802, in the late second term of Aaron Burr, an American Days Parade was done after the President's Mansion was completed, due to some funding issues for the mansion with the military focus being on the Consul's mind. The day after the parade was over, Aaron Burr would speak before a rousing crowd, unbeknownst to him, one of his oldest enemies would be in the crowd. Alexander Hamilton's life was in shambles. His political career was nonexistent, leading to him taking up a job as an editor of a newspaper and a writer. His wife, Elizabeth Schuyler, would claim that her husband would abuse her and would drink constantly. His eldest son, Philip Hamilton, would distance himself from his father by taking up a military career thanks to the backing from his mother's family. It would all finally come down upon Alexander Hamilton in 1801 when he would be exposed as an adulterer when a flirtatious letter was found, meant to be sent to a woman by the name of Louisa Adams and as soon as it was discovered, her husband and the eldest son of John Adams, John Quincy Adams, demanded a duel from Hamilton, which he would accept, actually killing John Quincy Adams in the duel, making him a criminal but wouldn't be charged. Elizabeth Schuyler would be able to divorce her husband and take their children with her. Hamilton would be fired from his job and with his remaining wealth, he began to live in a small hotel. With nothing left to lose, Hamilton decided to take vengeance upon the man he hated most, the man he blamed for his downfall. As Consul Burr spoke on a pedestal before a crowd of joyful Americans, a single figure moved closer towards the Consul, with an object bulging out of the left side of his coat, and soon, he pulled out his pistol and fired it upon the Consul. The bullet hit Burr in the neck, as blood spurted upon his formal coat, a crimson upon the black fabric. The crowd would be filled with surprise, then anger. Unable to control the situation, the crowd soon became bloodthirsty. Hands grabbed upon the Founding Father, as Hamilton's face was stoic. Burr's last words were to Thomas Pinckney, who was standing to his side, "May God bless our enemies, they'll need it" was what Pinckney claimed. By dawn, there was nothing left of Hamilton but a mangled corpse.

"May God bless our enemies, they'll need it." - Last words of Consul Aaron Burr

Consul Thomas Pinckney, Vice Consul Charles Pinckney​

With Vice Consul Thomas Pinckney turning into the Consul, the people were outraged. Hundreds of thousands mourned at the funeral of Aaron Burr, and now they were filled with anger, anger at the British, who were thought orchestrated this assassination. Pinckney was able to remain as Consul in the Election of 1802, changing how the Vice Consul is chosen, being chosen as a running-mate of a candidate and if that candidate wins, no matter what, they will become Vice Consul, choosing his younger brother, Charles Pinckney. The Democratic-Republicans accused Thomas Pinckney of nepotism, but Charles Pinckney would fire back for his brother, stating that "I will defeat all my enemies as I have done before, from across the Ocean to any idiot that stands before me". He became very popular in 1803 when he purchased the Louisiana Territory from France for a relatively minimal price after their colony of Haiti was being difficult to recapture from the rebellious slaves, doubling the size of the United States. The British would attempt to make a deal with the United States, but there would be no deals made. The British would also have tensions with the French Republic, over Haiti mainly. When Napoleon sent a French force to dispatch of the slave uprising, the British, who were against the notion of slavery, supported the uprising and would declare war on France in October 18th, 1803, starting a blockade of Saint-Domingue. However, in the crossfire, three American trading ships and even one Danish ship would be captured in the blockade, which the Americans saw as a violation of their sovereignty. Another incident would occur, the Theseus-Vernon affair, when the HMS Theseus attacked the USS Vernon, mistaking it for a French ship. Although the USS Vernon was at a gun's disadvantage, 38 compared to the Theseus's 74, it was one of many ships that were built from the Live-White Oak combination, as well as having a sleeker design that would outrace any British vessel of similar power. The USS Vernon was able to down the sails of the HMS Theseus, forcing the British ship to stand idle while the Vernon took a position at the ship's front and constantly maneuvered fired volley by volley from both flanks until the British ship under the command of Captain John Bligh would be killed by shrapnel, and soon the crew surrendered to Commodore James Barron and the HMS Theseus would be captured. The British demanded the return of the ship, but the Americans refused. When Haiti would finally declare themselves an independent nation, they would purge the white population in Haiti in the 1804 Haiti Massacre, in which Pinckney was appalled from hearing. The United States demanded that the British stop their support for Haiti and to condemn their actions, but the British gave no reply. The Americans were ready for war, but they were waiting for the right moment.

Commodore James Barron receiving the deceased Captain John Bligh's sword​

[*]The differences to the treaties after the War of the Second Coalition IOTL would be: Recognition of the Roman Republic & Parthenopean Republic, Venetia would be given to France to be formed into the Venetian Republic and is recognized as well, Switzerland stays under Confederal power.

 

[Wendell]

You made Alexander Hamilton into a villain. You're brave. Subbed.

 

[traveller76]

Since the military is more powerful in the US and France is there more research and development of better equipment and supplies for the Armed Forces?

 

[Alpha_North]

Since the military is more powerful in the US and France is there more research and development of better equipment and supplies for the Armed Forces?

The only development so far has been the Americans using the better materials and design of OTL USS Constitution for their ships, as well as the American forces better trained and armed, but there isn't any real research that would push the technology at this time to advance.

Wait, so Benedict Arnold stayed loyal? Is there a specific reason why? I'd love to learn more about Arnold. Love this by the way!

I'll be talking about Arnold likely sometime after the presumed conflict between the Americans and the British.

 

[Alpha_North]

Chapter Five: Total War

" Battle? Cape Town was no battle, it was death. On both sides it was death." - Sir David Baird after the Siege of Cape Town ended

The Stand at Cape Town, Cape Colony
​

The war between the British and French was one where no side could win decisively. A French invasion of Britain was out of the question after what happened in Ireland, with the United Kingdom severely paranoid and having a strong contingent in the English Channel. On the other side, the British alone making a landing onto mainland France would only lead to a slaughter. Napoleon would know that the European powers would rally behind the British sooner or later, so he would try to take advantage while the British were still alone. In January 1804, Napoleon sent out a French force led by Pierre Augereau to conquer the island of Sicily in a night crossing, with 20,000 soldiers on the island by dawn. Ferdinand III of Sicily would flee the island and his people, which enraged many of the locals. After some skirmishing, the Sicilians would lay down their arms peacefully and very little casualties occurred. The British would attempt to strongly blockade Sicily but would prove ineffective as smugglers easily snuck past the ships, eventually giving up on the attempt. The British would instead send ships to the Dutch-controlled Cape Colony so that they could take the colony back and regain their prestige after the last vestige of Ferdinand's kingdom fell. The Governor of the Cape Colony, Jan Willem Janssens, would only have 2,000 men available against the 5,000 strong British force. However, the larger issue was that the Governor wasn't even in the Cape Colony, the previous Governor, Jacob de Mist was still waiting in the Cape Colony for the smooth transition of power, and it wouldn't help that Jan Willem Janssens would actually be captured by a British fleet and forced into house arrest by the United Kingdom. However, de Mist wasn't willing to give up on Dutch sovereignty over the Cape Colony.

The British would land at Woodstock, assuming there to be a small battle or an instant surrender, however, they were not prepared to face such resistance. de Mist sent out small boats and set them aflame going towards British vessels, which interrupted their supply lines, as the ships had to relocate to avoid being set on fire. With little supplies available at their disposal at the time, the British decided to raid Woodstock of its supplies, which enraged the populace against the British. When the British were able to recover their supply lines, hundreds of Dutch volunteers were rallied on the fight against the British, militias soon constantly harassing the British forces, as the formal Dutch force concentrated their forces in Cape Town, to prepare and fortify. Going nowhere marching around the Cape, Sir David Baird, who had faced against the Tipu Sultan, decided to launch a naval assault on Cape Town itself, already losing around 150 soldiers against the militias. On the dawn of March 15, a complete British invasion of Cape Town would land and have a vicious fight against the Dutch. Militias had joined the ranks of the soldiers and Cape Town was fortified with wooden walls and thicket barricades, and the British were utterly slaughtered, men being killed before they could even leave the waters, bodies piled at the barricades. It was only when Sir David Baird ceased the landings at noon and sent contingents around Cape Town to surround it that some decent headway could be made. On the beach landings, 300 men would be killed, but the battle was still bloody. de Mist would refuse to attempt to flee Cape Town, standing at the side of his fellow Dutchmen. A Dutch poem, Strijders van de Kaapkolonie or "Warriors of the Cape Colony" by Willem Bilderdijk, would have the line "Ares drew a line on the sand, and a day later hellfire had arrived" which became a legendary quote used during the Zulu conflicts. British soldiers were able to push past the thicket barricades, and enter the town, which led to an even bloodier death toll compared to the already 1,000 casualties in total. The street warfare was so bloody, it was difficult for Sir David Baird to command his troops safely, even being injured by small shrapnel when a cannonball landed just a few feet away from the General. Some advisors recommended that the British would pull out of the situation, but Sir Baird didn't want his soldiers' deaths to be for nothing, so he pushed onward. However, the Dutch would not prevail, as de Mist would be killed while hiding out in a home, the fighting would finally die down, as Dutch militias would attempt to retreat the battle, which caused the remaining Dutch forces to be surrounded and forced to surrender. In the Stand at Cape Town, around 2000 British and 1000 Dutch forces would be killed or injured, not counting the many civilian casualties at Cape Town. After the capture of Cape Town, the Cape Colony would be difficult to maintain, as Dutch resistance and a sense of Dutch nationalism swept across the Cape Colony during the Stand at Cape Town. Another 5,000 soldiers would be sent to the Cape Colony to keep the peace, but it would still prove some difficulty until they were able to crush the last of the Dutch militias in 1805 at the cost of a thousand more British deaths.

Back in Europe, the United Kingdom decided that they must assert themselves onto the mainland. The British attempted to reach an Anglo-Swedish agreement to use Swedish Pomerania as a military base against France. However, in the War of the Second Coalition, the British had hired privateers on the Barbary Coast to help strangle the French naval capacity, but in turn, they were supporting an enemy of the Swedes since 1800. There was some talk by the Americans to get involved in the Barbary Coast, as some of their merchant ships had been seized by pirates. However, Consul Aaron Burr decided to not be involved in North Africa, out of fear that an incident would occur at Gibraltar and lead to a war that the Americans were not prepared for. Although practically cut off from Europe, the American economy was able to keep afloat through trade across New Spain and the Canadas. It wouldn't help that the British attacked Copenhagen during the war, as the League of Armed Neutrality was growing more buddy-buddy with the French Republic, with Prussia even invading Hanover in retaliation. The Battle of Copenhagen was luckily not as bad for the Danish as it could've been, as their fleet had just departed a few days before the attack and retreated to Swedish Pomerania after hearing the news. The League of Armed Neutrality would lose much of its influence with the death of Paul I of Russia, who founded the League of Armed Neutrality, and the exit of the Russian Empire, finally having the League of Armed Neutrality disbanded. Now fast-forwarding to now, an actual attack on Sweden would occur, as a Swedish fleet sent to deal with those Barbary pirates would be intercepted by the English Channel fleet of the United Kingdom. A small battle would ensue in which a hundred Swedish soldiers and sailors would lose their lives. The Channel Incident, as it was called, would cement the Kingdom of Sweden to not cooperate with the British. As the Swedes refused to give Swedish Pomerania as a military base, the British were willing to simply cut off Sweden from being able to support their continental territories and take Pomerania as a base. Of course this time, they wouldn't do it alone. Although they had attacked Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark-Norway, the British and Danish were willing to negotiate. Napoleon had demanded the Danish to attack the British Baltic Sea fleet and demanded that they end all trade with Austria and Britain. A small incident would even occur when Dutch ships impressed Danish sailors, claiming they were Royalist deserters, which really soured relations. Having no real allies, King Frederick VI negotiated with Britain. Swedish Pomerania was promised to the Danish King, in exchange for using Denmark as a supplying area for the British fleet and soldiers.

Battle of Stettin, 1805​

The Pomeranian War, not to be confused with the theatre during the Seven Years' War, would only last a month. The British and Danish fleets would blockade the Swedes from being able to support their troops in Pomerania, and with British and even Russian pressure, the Treaty of Copenhagen would be signed where Pomerania would be transferred to Denmark-Norway. Napoleon foresaw this coming, and while the war was being finished up, Napoleon concentrated some forces in the Batavian Republic. After the Treaty of Copenhagen was signed, Napoleon concentrated another force near Gibraltar, which swayed many British ships away for the supposed attack. On the 1st of March, 1805, a French fleet would shortly sail towards Denmark with 40,000 soldiers. Knowing that they were unready to defend, the Danish and British forces in Denmark would retreat to Norway and King Frederick VI and his family would flee as well. Thankfully, the time had finally come for nations to rally behind the United Kingdom. The new Emperor of Russia, Alexander I, would sign a military alliance with the United Kingdom just after the fall of Denmark, fearing a French attempt to take over the Baltic Sea if the United Kingdom were to fall. Frederick VI would sign an alliance with the United Kingdom as well. Fearing that the Austrians would join the war, Napoleon sought to strangle British control in the Mediterranean. The British were already blockading Brest and with the Danish fleet at their side, they would have to forego instant supremacy in the English Channel, but the seat of British power in the Mediterranean was Gibraltar. If a combined French-Spanish fleet were to defeat Nelson at the sea, hopefully near the Spanish coast so that they could gain land support, Gibraltar would be isolated without the British diverting ships to the Mediterranean. The French and Spanish knew that some British ships would need to supply themselves at Gibraltar and check-in through the Strait to get to Nelson's fleet, so while they led on Nelson with smaller detachments, the main force led by Pierre-Charles Villeneuve would stay stocked on Spain's east coast. Their position would be revealed when five British ships would be attacked going towards Gibraltar, two of them sunken, as well as when a small raiding mission by the HMS Zealous would be attacked and sunken by a combined 5 French and Spanish vessels. Nelson would quickly sail west, as his cat and mouse chase was merely a ruse. However, British officers that were to enter Gibraltar knew of the risk when entering the Mediterranean Sea, so they stayed stationed at Gibraltar. The French and Spanish officers didn't want to fight battles where the British would be supported, so they decided to wait for Nelson to arrive and destroy his force, then destroy the second force waiting in Gibraltar. Although apprehensive to leave the Straits, this waiting game became apparent to the British officers, and separated fleets fighting separated battles against the French-Spanish fleet, they knew that there would only be the demise of the British. Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Louis, who had been attacked by the French-Spanish fleet when attempting to get resupplied, led the British ships from Gibraltar in hopes to join up with Nelson.

"Oh see Napoleon! I am here, and Sir Thomas Louis has arrived!" - Admiral Nelson's last words

Battle of the Alboran​

The battle would ensue near the Alboran Island, where Nelson's legacy would be. After the two sides sighted each other, it became clear who had the upper hand. Nelson was formally outnumbered two to one, but that would be relieved a bit when Barbary privateers were reused and joined the British fleet on their journey to war, being promised to be able to raid the Spanish coasts with ease if they were to assist. However, their ships were not the British 74-gun vessels, smaller and meant to carry men not fire cannons, but they would help none the less. The British would have their morale raised when a combined Barbary-British fleet would make headway in the French line of ships, with the HMS Victory led by Nelson being the vanguard. 10 ships would be cut off from the main force and be pummeled by North African rifles and British cannons. In hopes not to lose to the British, Villeneuve led the main force that wasn't cut off by the British to make a sharp turn and counter charge the British line, using their larger numbers to slowly overwhelm the British and encircle some of their ships. However, their plans would be foiled by the now arriving British fleet from Gibraltar, who interrupted many of the ships from attacking Nelson's force, in doing so, charging with a lesser number of ships. French and Spanish fleets would be boarded and tough fighting would ensue, but the British had outmaneuvered the larger French-Spanish force. In the last moments of the battle, Nelson would be heard yelling with pride, "Oh see Napoleon! I am here, and Sir Thomas Louis has arrived!", before a pistol shot from a French officer struck him in the eye, and the Admiral fell dead to the ground. The British would win the Battle of the Alboran Island, shortened to the Battle of the Alboran, at the cost of the life of Admiral Nelson. Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Louis would famously see the body of Admiral Nelson after the war, saying to him, "I have arrived Nelson". After the battle, he would be promoted to Admiral. Although a failure at sea and secure British supremacy had come, Napoleon was still a beast to be faced at land.

Napoleon Bonaparte had already taken the Republic out of the French Republic, practically a dictatorship surrounded around him. Many of the French soldiers and generals had already forgone Forge democracy and were completely loyal to Napoleon, but there were still people that questioned Napoleon's total power, especially in the previous counter-Revolutionary areas. Napoleon would have to prove to his people that he was not to be reckoned with and that he was worthy of being their supreme leader. Napoleon was just itching to name himself Emperor of the French, but he wanted to chance of it to backfire. So he would move east to face the Russians and recently-joining Austrians. The Grande Armée had been trained to the best of their abilities and was reorganized under the Corp system. His first victory would be great, as he would surround the army of General Mack at Ulm using the French's surprising amount of mobility to encircle his army. In the end, General Mack would be forced to surrender his 60,000 soldiers. General Mikhail Kutuzov would be forced to flee across Austria to avoid destruction but would face serious casualties at the Battle of the Ill, where Kutuzov had to sacrifice around 5,000 soldiers to save his army from the Grande Armée. Kutuzov eventually made it towards the armies of the Russian and Austrian Emperors, although at the sacrifice of Vienna's capture. Napoleon's army was far from home and exhausted, with winter coming soon. So, he would decide on having a decisive battle near the town of Austerlitz.

"How a man can be crushed like a common bug." - Famous words of Prince Johann of Liechtenstein while in French custody

Eve of the Battle of Austerlitz​

The Allied army was outnumbered, having 67,000 soldiers compared to Napoleon's 74,000. Because of this, their position of the Pratzen Heights was vital for their victory. Napoleon's right flank was very lackluster, but the Allied forces decided to conservatively, but constantly attack the French right with cavalry to wear down that flank and force Napoleon to reinforce it, where they would attempt to charge cavalry between the right flank and main army to isolate the right flank's support and destroy it, where the rest of the army would then descend upon the remaining French force that would then be outnumbered themselves. Napoleon assumed that the Allied army would assault his right flank, but he was unsure if they would continue onward to encircle his force or do hit-and-run tactics to wear his flank down. As a safety precaution, he would send a hidden contingent of cavalry to fight off any sort of hit-and-run tactics, also preparing some of his infantry to march right to make it look as if he was launching a mass assault, where he would incline his enemy to attack the right flank mainly, in which he would take the Pratzen Heights and cut the allies in half. At around 7:00 am, some Russian cavalry charged at the right flank, but had stayed for too long and soon, that contingent of cavalry swooped around and encircled the Russian force. Marshal Davout would arrive, in which the Allies saw it as Napoleon reinforcing his right, and so a cavalry force led by Lieutenant General, Prince Johann of Liechtenstein, charged in between the main army and the right flank, unable to clearly see through the morning mist. It was at the Liechtensteinian's horror to see the full French army, unmoving, standing before him. Napoleon first assumed that this cavalry force was the Allied army, where he focused more men than he needed to on Prince Johann. As the mist cleared, General Kutuzov could see the Prince being encircled and realized his huge blunder, and Napoleon saw that the army still remained on the Heights, although without any real cavalry to defend themselves. Kutuzov was forced to call up the Russian Imperial Guard to the Pratzen Heights to avoid them being isolated by a large army as well. However, the French cavalry swooped down like all the evils from Hell. General Bagration attempted to hold off the French cavalry, but they were outnumbered and decided they had to flee from the battle. The entire Allied army to flee from the battle or risk complete encirclement. That day, Austerlitz's name became synonymous with Allied incompetence and Napoleon's brilliance.

King Jérôme I of Holland, King Louis I of Denmark​

More would occur during the War of the Third Coalition. An Anglo-Russian Army would face the Army of Italy, comprising of mainly of French forces, but also Italian conscripts and volunteers. The Anglo-Russian Army would capture Venice thanks to British ships but would face disaster when facing the Army of Italy, as the French Marshal André Masséna brutally sieged down Venice and aggressively fought the Anglo-Russian army, pushing into Austria, and securing Dalmatia, after thousands were sent onto ships so that they could save themselves from the French beast. However, there was still an issue. Under British jurisdiction, Barbary privateers could raid all across the Mediterranean, so often stole the supplies from French ships and raided French and Spanish towns on the coast. Although treaties were signed with the Third Coalition, having the Holy Roman Empire dissolved, the Confederation of the Rhine formed, France taking Dalmatia, Sicily, and Denmark, etc, Britain was still supporting the Barbary privateers and was drawing new allies like Prussia. Napoleon knew that he needed to find a way to defeat the British, or they'd forever be a thorn on his side. On the other hand, he has set down France ready to become the main power in the world and the French people loved him without reserve. Many soldiers of the Grande Armée had mass sworn oaths of loyalty, as well as many of his commanders, and all of his Marshals. So, on the 30th of July, Napoleon declared himself Emperor of the French, having a coronation in Paris, then declaring himself King of Italy in Rome, with all of the Italian sister republics formed into the Kingdom of Italy. He named his brother, Louis Bonaparte, King Louis I of Denmark, helping him enforce his rule. In August 20th, Napoleon dissolved the Batavian Republic and named his other brother, Jérôme, King Jérôme I of Holland. In the meantime, Prussia was surprised by the sudden shift in power, threatened by the Confederation of the Rhine, and they finally decided that neutrality was not the way to go. They must ready for war.

 

[Hagre]

A new chapter is always great!

 

[Alpha_North]

Map of Europe before Napoleon declares himself French Emperor,1806
France and French Allies (green), Former Third Coalition Nations (blue)​

 

[Gentleman Johnny]

Gotta admit, I'm Team Nappy all the way.

 

[Hagre]

Sorry if I’m bumping a dead TL but what happens to Liberia ITTL?

 

[TheNixonator]

Sorry if I’m bumping a dead TL but what happens to Liberia ITTL?

How is it dead?

 

[Hagre]

How is it dead?

Seems a bit inactive to me is all but I’m probably wrong.

 

[Modern Imperialism]

This is for the US. But wouldn’t voting be open to all people who joined the army and militias? The landowners and more wealthy individuals probably would not be entirely against a weight voting system for all vets.

The US military could very well mimic the Roman legions in some ways. The enlightenment and people who found United States were often influenced by classics. Those militias and soldiers could also eventually be turn into public workers as well especially during peacetime.

United States is far from stable and still has proxy conflicts. Imagine how the militarization of US society changes the frontier. Natives are now facing more organized, armed, and trained settlers. Those poor whites especially from the south would flood into the US military if it means good benefits and more political power.

This actually might make south more of a modern Rome or Sparta. Those poor whites in militias and army will likely become the private or local paramilitary police forces across the south to help police slaves and capture run aways. They would be people best suited to put down slave revolts and kill any abolitionist. Haiti revolution will still cause the American south and society to fear slave revolts more.


Another issue is the honor culture in the south in general. Duels could be even more widespread and common place.


I could see this changing the class dynamic in south somewhat. The middle class could very well be the vets and soldiers in south who are also it’s police force. US filibustering in Latin America could be much more successful then otl.


I don’t think the soldiers are going to stay pacifist when it comes to war. Maybe pragmatic but definitely not timid or pacifist if they think they can win.

The US could have a ronin or samurai type situation form given the nature of society. It won’t be hereditary like Japan or even a official but you will have many soldiers and militias hold a special position within society and command a large amount of respect in many areas. Many probably form paramilitary or private military groups during peacetime while others are full time soldiers who fight natives, pirates, and build infrastructure on the frontier.

Soldiers and vets are likely given land and pensions in return for service. US has plenty of land to give them and if they are people clearing out natives or forcing them to kneel they are likely ones who get first dibs on new land west. Now you have a land base military class in society. Aristocrats in the south might be much more junker like.

In a time period before nation wide public education the military is often the best way for social mobility if your lower class. Think how that completely reshapes American society with a more militarized state. The military for poor whites in south or later on immigrants in north would lead to US developing a truly large but efficient army(it would likely be more meritocratic and innovative then Europeans ones especially in the long run).

The US military could provide soldiers with basic education because soldiers who can read can follow orders better and just do more for you. Basically take that harden frontier people of backcountry and turn them into more educated and calculated soldiers. The US military could also provide food, housing(barracks and bases), pensions, and political rights. Immigrants later on might join especially Irish ones because they get automatic citizenship for service. US might even develop its own foreign legion that might be much larger then France ever had.

The navy might lean more New England or “Yankee” dominated but much larger earlier on then otl while southerners and frontier population make up more of the army which like navy would be much bigger earlier on then otl.

Americans could be much more aggressive about driving the Europeans out of Americas and establishing regional hegemony. With larger military and racism of time they might push for a full invasion of Haiti with or even without French. Brits and French could easily upset Americans like otl but in this setting they might actually be more victorious in Canada and even Caribbean and Atlantic.

More free states early on from Canada might make the southern aristocrats and soldiers be even more persistent on expansion south(golden circle). The north is still more against slavery but the more militarized nature of society might make them more expansionist as well.

Lastly in Europe, given the background of Prussia being an “enlightened” monarch and militaristic one I could still see them adapting to change in a world like this better then the one in otl.

Militaristic nature of these reforms and revolutionaries in France does not rule out Napoleon making himself a emperor. Not all enlightened ideas were democratic. It would take on neo plutocratic undertones. Napoleon could liken himself to Caesar or “enlightened” emperor. That right there is when almost all Americans might back away from overly supporting France anymore.

Even if Americans win over brits in Americas and the Brits lose in South Africa the French still might get push back by the Coalition of people. Russians, Austrians, Prussians, Brits, and maybe a flip floppy Spain could all still team up against France and at least push them out of non francophone lands

 

[Hagre]

Americans could be much more aggressive about driving the Europeans out of Americas and establishing regional hegemony. With larger military and racism of time they might push for a full invasion of Haiti with or even without French.

Speaking of racism, what do you think is the state of African-American veterans ITTL's USA?

 

[Alpha_North]

Chapter Six: Conquest

"I laugh hearing the British, self-declared champions of abolitionism, cutting down their slaves in the Bahamas." - Andrew Jackson's response to the slave uprising in the Bahamas in a local Tennessee newspaper

Battle of Cat Island​

The War of the Third Coalition was not only the war to give Napoleon the aura of invincibility and extreme genius, but also the war to embolden the American people and at the right moment as well. The Undeclared War, this latter phase called the Carribean Conflict, would flare up again during the War of the Third Coalition, as British ships seized American vessels and took those sailors and forced them to join the British Navy. Consul Thomas Pinckney demanded the British stop this impressment or face war, but the British would only limit this demand for proper American ships and would soon target merchant ships instead. In retaliation, the sturdy American ships carried marines over to the Bahamas and commenced raids, which brought the Bahamian slave owners with their homes set aflame and slave uprisings would occur around the same time as Napoleon taking Vienna. However, the British were preoccupied with a war in Europe, so simply ordered nearby ships to take charge, but that would prove little effectiveness, only able to secure some of the smaller islands in the Bahamas, like Cat Island. The uprisings had grown so bad that the prominent Earl of Dunmore had been captured by his slaves and his estates burned. He would be shot dead when he failed to escape from capture. The slave population had outnumbered the slave owner population, and this became prominent on how quickly the slaves began to dominate. The Liberation, as it was called by the slaves, or the Great Bahamian Slave Uprising by the British, would strain Haitian-British relations, as the Haitian government began supporting the Bahamian slaves. However, meanwhile, the Americans paid little attention to the Bahamas. Excluding some small voices in New England, the nation was filled with a passion to beat the British once more. To relive that Romantic view of the American soldier. On the 14th of June, 1806, the United States of America declared war upon the British Empire.

There were two fronts in the War for the Canadas: the Great Lakes Front in the west and the Saint Lawrence Front in the east. Before the war was even declared, American and Canadian troops arrived at the border. The Canadas were not helpless. The Canadian knew the land they lived on and had clear anti-American sentiment after most arrived at the Canadas after being expelled. They were also led by Sir Isaac Brock, who had quickly risen the ranks during the wars against France and was now in a position to lead the Canadian army. He would hastily train forces and instill patriotism amongst the Canadian soldiers, but this enthusiasm wasn't breached with most of the troops. The biggest threat to Brock before the war aside from the Americans was the growing violence between the Anglo and French Quebecians. Since the French expedition into Ireland, it was the closest thing to the British Empire's downfall since ever. The Anglos had to unite against their Irish and French enemies, which exploded the anti-Irish and anti-French sentiment in the United Kingdom. When the Acts of Union was passed, having Ireland incorporated transforming Great Britain to the United Kingdom, fear of insurrections occurring in the Canadas became a real fear and these fears became true with the St. John's Uprising when Irish-Newfoundlanders swore an oath of loyalty to the Society of United Irishmen and some 80 Irish soldiers stole ammunition and guns from their respective forts and divided it up between the 400 total Irishmen that swore the oath. After this uprising was put down, Irish Canadians were heavily discriminated against, which eventually seeped towards the French Quebecians. The British government feared that the French influence in the Canadas would have France attempt to uproot the British Empire in North America, so King George III demanded that the French populace in Quebec would be put a watchful eye over. Around 4,000 British soldiers would be sent to the Canadas to watch over the French Quebecians, which many of the French Quebecians thought was imposing on their rights. However, the sparks of insurrection would begin in 1800, when a French man by the name of François Blanchet would be found dead in the streets of Quebec City. He had recently begun a newspaper called Le Canadien, which riffed on Britain's growing anti-French sentiment and colonial power over the Canadas. This, as well as another incident where French ruffians attempted to start a fire near a British officer's living quarters in Montreal. This aggravated both the French populace and the troops where the first major conflict would begin, in Quebec. The Quebec Riot of 1800 would be put down rather quickly, but it convinced the British that the French can no longer be trusted and began repealing rights that the British had promised them after the Seven Years' War. It was said that these rights would be restored when the French threat was gone, but it still made the French Quebecians outraged with their British overlords, eventually leading to the Quebec Riot of 1801 and the Montreal Rebellion, where some two hundred French Quebecians declared the 'Free City of Montreal' in 1803, but were quickly quashed.

"Vive le Québec!" - Louis-Joseph Papineau at the Battle of Quebec

The "Libérateur" Flag, Flag of the Quebec Revolution

French Quebecian rebels and American soldiers fighting together in the Battle of Quebec
​

With the Canadas now in a state of war, many French Quebecians saw this as their time to strike and lead their own destiny. Right after the declaration of war was done, hundreds of French Quebecians raised arms against the British authority. Sir Isaac Brock's forces were able to withstand a French uprising in Quebec and were able to force them out of the city, however, Montreal wouldn't be so lucky. French rebels had overrun each building and forced the unprepared garrison to flee, however, the rebels' biggest problem would be the Anglo populace within Montreal, in which the two constantly fought one another in bursts of conflict. The French Quebecian rebels were disorganized, facing an army, while another one was on its way to envelop the Canadas, they needed leadership and found that with the Brotherhood of Liberté, which was formed in the wake of French rights being revoked. The Libérateurs had secretly worked for the independence of Quebec, mostly through diplomatic means. There were some that demanded a military uprising, inspired by the American Revolution, but were a minority until these mass French uprisings. The main voice for a violent uprising, a bombastic French college student named Louis-Joseph Papineau, the youngest of the secret society at 20 years old. Faced with an actual uprising, Papineau convinced the Brotherhood of Liberté to take the reigns and in Montreal, they revealed themselves and became the heads of the Quebec Revolution. With the Brotherhood, they were able to organize a Quebecian Declaration of Independence, which rallied way more people to their cause. By the time the Americans reached Quebec, nearly ten thousand French Quebecians had risen arms against the Canadians. The Quebecian Revolution would hit its climax at the Battle of Quebec, where they allied themselves with the American military and defeated the British force led by Sir Isaac Brock, who had led a vigorous defense of Lower Canada but with no avail. The French Quebecians would help take the city of Quebec and Consul Thomas Pinckney would recognize the independence of Quebec, which would secure rebel control over Quebec.

"Fire till there's nothing left to fire, then bayonet them till your bayonet breaks, then fight with your bare hands!" - Major Zachary Taylor at the Siege of Fort Wayne

General George R. Clark, General Winfield Scott

Siege of Fort Wayne
​

In comparison with the St. Lawrence Front led by General Winfield Scott, the Great Lakes Front would prove more challenging. Since the Undeclared War, the British have supplied the Native Americans with guns and ammunition, in hopes of wearing down the Americans in the areas of the former Northwest Territory. One man would be considered able to juggle the British and Native threat at once, George R. Clark, who at this point, was very familiar with the areas around the Great Lakes in his fighting during the Revolutionary War and the Undeclared War. His first target would be the Native threat, launching an American force in Cleveland to raid villages near Fort Recovery after natives attempted to overrun the fort and steal their guns. However, the natives had no real sense of unity, mainly due to religious beliefs, as those who followed Tenskwatawa began a witchhunt for possible witches, which alienated many natives. Tenskwatawa's brother, Tecumseh, had attempted to unify the natives, but his brother's actions had been too detrimental, so American opposition was not unified, but broken up. After the Americans had practically exterminated the villages between Cleveland and Fort Recovery, which finally helped the natives unite under Tecumseh, mainly around the Wabash and Tippecanoe rivers. Tecumseh would lead a force of 700 warriors to attempt to take Fort Wayne, but the garrison, merely a hundred soldiers, refused to give up the fort. The commanding officer of Fort Wayne was a man by the name of Zachary Taylor, and he would vivaciously defend the fort for days, repelling any attack made by Tecumseh, and Tecumseh's force would be destroyed when the American force from Cleveland arrived. Zachary Taylor would keep his Brevetted Major role permanantly for his grand actions that brought Tecumseh's army to its knees. After the Siege of Fort Wayne, Tecumseh's force would pose no threat to the Americans and the natives would disperse into infighting when Tecumseh would die from a wound he had gotten from the siege. After Tecumseh's fall, Sir Isaac Brock's position was turning very grim. He was able to maneuver around the Montreal forces and set up defenses in Ottawa and York, even able to buy himself time as 10,000 British soldiers landed near Quebec and took the city, but Winfield Scott was brutal in his attempt to take back Quebec and would take back the city after a week of British control and 5,000 casualties in total. The remaining British soldiers would be forced to leave the Canadas, as winter was finally here, forcing both American and British forces to hunker down.

The Royal Navy was still a force to be reckoned with, having nearly 80 warships available in the Atlantic. Although the United States could secure the defense of New Orleans, the coast in the Atlantic would be impossible to beat the British at their own game. Although the Americans were able to use Spanish Live Oak in Florida, it still wasn't enough. The Americans would be beaten at the Capture of the USS Consul and the Battle of Boston Harbor, as well as many other defeats, but would have some victories. In the Battle of the Tip, near the tip of South America, the USS Sparta would capture the HMS Phoebe. The largest victory would be at the Battle of Belize when around 60 ships, 42 of them simple paddle boats, would attempt to anchor themselves in Belize, to secure the Carribean for the British, but they when they would anchor themselves, a squadron of American "Live" ships, would attack Belize during the night. The British were able to mount a defense and drive off the American force, but nearly all of the paddle boats were sunken, as well as multiple other ships. The leading General, General Robert Ross, would be killed during the conflict. It would be a major embarrassment for the British, eventually losing Belize to another American force in 1807.

Napoleon enters Berlin​

During the winter, the only combat would occur at sea, but even that was minimized. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom was mainly focused on the War of the Fourth Coalition. Prussia, Russia, Norway, Saxony, and the United Kingdom would form the Fourth Coalition against the French Empire led by Emperor Napoleon. However, Napoleon would already know of the inevitability of war with Prussia, so he would lead a preemptive strike on Prussia, going through the Franconian Forest and crushing the Prussian army at the Battles of Jena and Auerstedt. Napoleon would be able to destroy a quarter of Prussia military and before the year was over, he marched in Berlin and paid respects to the deceased King Frederick The Great. In less than a month, Napoleon had taken Prussia out of the war. Napoleon would create the Duchy of Warsaw after the local Polish began an insurrection against Prussian conscription, naming his Marshal by the recommendation of his other Marshals, Louis-Nicholas Davout as Duke of Warsaw, as a reward for taking a major role in the fall of Berlin. Napoleon would beat the Russians at Eylau, having Alexander I sue for peace with the Treaty of Tilsit, effectively ending the War of the Fourth Coalition just like that and setting the stage for Napoleon's Continental System.

"Don't shoot till you're ready to die!" - George R. Clark at the Battle of York​

While Napoleon was fighting the Russians, the United States rebegan their offensive. All the Canadians had left were Ottawa and York, with effectively nobody else but themselves. Sir Isaac Brock would force himself out of the city of Ottawa, hoping that Canadian militiamen would slow down the Quebecian-American forces enough so that he could rally men to his cause and make a decisive victory against General George R. Clark before making a defense at York. He was practically going to sacrifice the city of Ottawa, but he needed to buy time for new forces to arrive. However, his plan would go less than expected. Clark had marched during mid-winter at the surprise of Brock, taking York in the Battle of York, crushing any Canadian militia that stood in his way. With York gone, Sir Isaac Brock knew that his force was going to lose, so he surrendered the city of Ottawa to spare his forces. The British were not willing to give out though, as they had full focus on the Canadas after the end of the War of the Fourth Coalition. Sending another 10,000, veterans of the wars with Napoleon as well as of the previous landing force, they proved a mightier threat than before. Canadian insurrection was at large, and militias constantly disrupted supply lines. With the Bahamas under control, the British were opened up to do whatever they wished. Belize would soon be taken back by the British a month into the American occupation and the British were even able to do a raid on New Orleans after an American squadron was baited out and destroyed. Many American slaves would free themselves and join the British army, influenced by the Bahamas and Haiti to fight for their freedom. After securing the vulnerable Quebec, around 5,000 Canadian militiamen were gathered, and George Prévost would be chosen to lead the army to take back the Canadas. The United States would face hundreds of raids by the sea-dominant British, but the Consul could do little about it. Prévost would quickly march and take Montreal, thankfully the Quebecian government was at Washington for their safety. York would face stiff resistance, forcing Clark to send his army to take care of it, leaving Winfield Scott to deal with Prévost. An American-Quebecian garrison in Ottawa was holding out against Prévost's army, so Scott was forced to march to Ottawa, leading to the grand Battle of Ottawa.

On the 6th of July, Scott and Prévost would meet on the battlefield. Winfield Scott led 12,000 soldiers and militiamen while Prévost led 15,000 soldiers and militiamen. Scott's brash capture of Quebec was effective, but brutal, leaving to many American soldiers dead, and now they were facing British forces, a good number of them veterans. Scott had to think intelligently if he was going to win, so he split up his force, having Prévost visibly see that he did so, then he began to fallback. Prévost assumed it was a retreat at the sight of his army, assuming the splintering force to be deserting, he ordered half of his army to attack the retreating army. Unbeknownst to him, the splintered force regathered themselves and soon were charging at the following British force. Discovering it was a trap, Prévost quickly ordered those forces to come back through a message of horse and he ordered the rest of his army to march in that direction as well to quickly bring his force back together. However, the garrison surprisingly sallied out while Prévost was trying to unite his force, convincing many British soldiers that another force had flanked them from behind, convincing Prévost as well, telling his army to retreat to Kingston, to avoid being presumably encircled. However, the Americans were able to deal deadly shots to the retreating British army, leaving 1,000 casualties while none of the American forces died. Fearing that they had to quickly regroup in Upper Canada, the marching to Kingston was very exhausting and many of the militia decided to desert hearing that Clark was coming back from York, leaving 10,000 soldiers between two American armies, a similar situation Brock faced. George R. Clark would beat George Prévost at the Battle of Kingston, sometimes called the Battle of the Georges, leaving another 1,000 casualties. Prévost would surrender when Winfield Scott and George R. Clark's forces would unite. With nearly 30,000 British and Canadian forces captured or killed by the Americans, the United Kingdom was forced to sue for peace in the Treaty of New York. Quebec would be given independence (but effectively an American puppet state), adopting a constitution similar to the American Constitution, the United Kingdom cedes the rest of the Canadas to the United States for 18 million dollars, Canadians have five years to leave the Canadas, all prisoners on both sides are released. The War for the Canadas would effectively end on the first day of December 1807.

Map of the United States after the War for the Canadas​

 

[Alpha_North]

Bumping this up to come back from this TL's hiatus! I haven't been going over this sort of stuff for a while, so I'd love some feedback from the Chapters I've already done before I get back into it.

 

[thekingsguard]

A militarist more Roman version of the American Republic... I quite like this.

 

[Deleted member 109224]

It wasn't until 1809 that the coast of Labrador was separated from Lower Canada. It should be part of Quebec here.

Otherwise, very interesting!

 

[Deckhand]

yuck

 

[Hagre]

yuck

Care to elaborate?