AHC/WI: Napoleon flees to the New World

[House of Orange]

What if, after escaping his exile in Elba, Napoleon Bonaparte finds himself not back in France, but in the Americas? Perhaps his plans change and, not wanting to risk recapture by gambling his freedom on the continent, he decides to escape to the Americas. Or, he gets on the wrong ship, and by the time he realizes that his ride isn't bound for the mainland, it's far too late.

Either way, which country would Napoleon end up in, and how would his life proceed from there? Could the U.S. grant him asylum and let him live the rest of his days in Louisiana? Or, perhaps, he arrives in Veracruz harbor and, in order to satisfy his thirst for conquest, later ends up joining the Mexican struggle for independence (which could result in Napoleon becoming a prominent figure in Mexico)? Or, he hides away in the Caribbean until launching a military expedition to crown himself Emperor of Haiti?

If Napoleon exiled himself to the New World, away from the clutches of the Coalition powers, numerous opportunities would await him, especially in the Spanish-American Wars of Independence later on. How would Bonaparte proceed in his new continental oyster?

 

[Kaze]

Are we not forgetting about South America? Simon Bolivar extended the offer to come to South America. Bolivar's evil plan was a simple one = have Nappy whip his army into shape. The end result of Nappy being there would be that Bolivia would be much, much bigger the the OTL one.

As for Louisiana, it had already been sold to the US before his escape from Elba.

 

[House of Orange]

As for Louisiana, it had already been sold to the US before his escape from Elba.

I'm aware of that, I simply thought it would be where Napoleon would likely settle if he sought asylum in the United States; the question is if the U.S. would grant him that asylum.

 

[FillyofDelphi]

Are we not forgetting about South America? Simon Bolivar extended the offer to come to South America. Bolivar's evil plan was a simple one = have Nappy whip his army into shape. The end result of Nappy being there would be that Bolivia would be much, much bigger the the OTL one.

As for Louisiana, it had already been sold to the US before his escape from Elba.

The question is would Europe tolerate Nappy having a prominent position in said Bolivia? Or would they see it as a threat

 

[Nmale]

I'm aware of that, I simply thought it would be where Napoleon would likely settle if he sought asylum in the United States; the question is if the U.S. would grant him that asylum.

President Madison would not let Napoleon come to the United States. While the radical Republicans would be dismayed, he would not want the United States to alienate Great Britain so soon after the War of 1812 and he would not want to entangle the United States into the affairs of Europe. As Kaze said Bolivar offered Napoleon refuge so if he wanted to come to the America’s he would most likely go there.

 

[fdas]

The question is would Europe tolerate Nappy having a prominent position in said Bolivia? Or would they see it as a threat

Not much they can do about it.

 

[Enigmajones]

I tried to write a TL about Napoleon fleeing to Texas so I'll vote for that.

 

[Koprulu Mustafa Pasha]

Planing a Napoleon fleeing to Mexico TL. Not anytime soon as A) There is already a Mexican TL from around 1821 which I don't want to start at the same time and B) I have no spare time.

My vote is Mexico

 

[FillyofDelphi]

Not much they can do about it.

Except send in some warships and kindly ask that the international outlaw be returned to his legal imprisonment.

 

[fdas]

Except send in some warships and kindly ask that the international outlaw be returned to his legal imprisonment.

They can't force Bolivia to hand him over. What are they going to do? Invade Bolivia? Napoleon would beat them up.

 

[House of Orange]

Are we not forgetting about South America? Simon Bolivar extended the offer to come to South America. Bolivar's evil plan was a simple one = have Nappy whip his army into shape. The end result of Nappy being there would be that Bolivia would be much, much bigger the the OTL one.

So I did some research into Bolivar, and I wasn't able to find any mention of Bolivar inviting Napoleon to South America; in fact, Bolivar had been granted asylum and had been living in Haiti in 1815 (when Napoleon escaped Elba).

However, if Napoleon also flees to Haiti, the two great men could meet and befriend one another in Port-au-Prince. And if Napoleon decides to accompany Bolivar on his returning expedition to Venezuela in 1816, an unstoppable duo would be formed: one that would sweep across South America.

If this were the case, could Napoleon help Bolivar consolidate his new lands? Perhaps a united "Greater Bolivia" could form out of Gran Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru; such a country would have the potential to become a large power-player in post-independence-war South America.

 

[FillyofDelphi]

They can't force Bolivia to hand him over. What are they going to do? Invade Bolivia? Napoleon would beat them up.

Ha... that's funny. He couldent beat them with a familiar and much larger army in the type of set piece battle at which he excelled and supported by generals he had experience with. I somehow doubt he'd do better with B rank and far more fractious Bolivian forces. And, push come to shove, the Europeans can just strangle the infant nation's economy and stability by cutting off trade, attacking shipping, bombarding coastal cities, and unleashing the golden cavalry of St.George in support of dissidents/separatists

 

[fdas]

Ha... that's funny. He couldent beat them with a familiar and much larger army in the type of set piece battle at which he excelled and supported by generals he had experience with. I somehow doubt he'd do better with B rank and far more fractious Bolivian forces. And, push come to shove, the Europeans can just strangle the infant nation's economy and stability by cutting off trade, attacking shipping, bombarding coastal cities, and unleashing the golden cavalry of St.George in support of dissidents/separatists

The Europeans will be unable to support a large force because of logistical matters of moving an army over the entire ocean. So, it will be a much reduced European force facing an army on home ground.

 

[FillyofDelphi]

The Europeans will be unable to support a large force because of logistical matters of moving an army over the entire ocean. So, it will be a much reduced European force facing an army on home ground.

Assuming the Europeans agree to meet in a mass battle. Far more likely they land and seize the coastal cities and dig in. Watch as Gran Columbia crumbles. Nappy can't take his army, especially cut off from supplies, everywhere at once.

 

[fdas]

Assuming the Europeans agree to meet in a mass battle. Far more likely they land and seize the coastal cities and dig in. Watch as Gran Columbia crumbles. Nappy can't take his army, especially cut off from supplies, everywhere at once.

Why would Napoleon be cut off from supplies? He is the one fighting on home turf.

 

[NegusNegast]

So I did some research into Bolivar, and I wasn't able to find any mention of Bolivar inviting Napoleon to South America; in fact, Bolivar had been granted asylum and had been living in Haiti in 1815 (when Napoleon escaped Elba).

However, if Napoleon also flees to Haiti, the two great men could meet and befriend one another in Port-au-Prince.

Napoleon wouldn't be allowed into Haiti, given that he just sent an expedition to reconquer them in a very bloody war. It's more likely that he would be killed, which is what happened to other Frenchmen in Haiti at the time.

"Or, he hides away in the Caribbean until launching a military expedition to crown himself Emperor of Haiti?

Not very plausible, remember OTL the military expeditions to Haiti he sent were summarily defeated, and after they were defeated the Haitians constructed large fortifications such as La Citadelle Laferriere that would make reconquest impossible.

 

[FillyofDelphi]

Why would Napoleon be cut off from supplies? He is the one fighting on home turf.

My apologies; I should have phrase that better. Facing a severe shortage of supplies would be a more accurate description of what they'd be facing. As for the "home turf" of South America, some of its notable qualities in the late 1810's/early1820's include...

• Sparse and small civilian population from which to derive supplies.
• Extremely poor infrastructure and rough terrain, particularly once you get away from the coast
• Marginal agricultural productivity, again especially inland.
• Extremely politically and ethnically diverse, including hostile natives, presumably self freed slaves, lawless bandits, and Spainish Loyalists, with the main centers of Bolivar's revolution being on the exposed coast.
• Little domestic manufacture, with main wealth source being export of precious metals and cash crops.

All of these combine to make local supplies a precious and limited commodity: sustaining a large troop concentration in a region for any extended period of time would be difficult, and marching back and forth over the same area will pick it progressively cleaner. What ability it has to provide advance equipment (Cannons, guns and ammo, powder, ect.) is even more limited than rations and located in precisely those areas most vulnerable to the sea-dominating Allies.

For Nappy to even have a hope of staying in his self-imposed exile, he'd need to put himself in a situation where the Europeans feel he isent going to immediately jump into a military adventure and can quietly retire to write his memoirs. Perhaps he gets a nice small estate in Quebec.

 

[funnyhat]

Ha... that's funny. He couldent beat them with a familiar and much larger army in the type of set piece battle at which he excelled and supported by generals he had experience with. I somehow doubt he'd do better with B rank and far more fractious Bolivian forces. And, push come to shove, the Europeans can just strangle the infant nation's economy and stability by cutting off trade, attacking shipping, bombarding coastal cities, and unleashing the golden cavalry of St.George in support of dissidents/separatists

This is looking at it too much like a video game. If he has an army at his command there, it is fighting under totally different circumstances, and the Europeans aren't going to send their whole army on this adventure. It's logistically difficult in 1815 to project military power on another part of the world, especially when the goal is to find one man.

Latin America is in a totally chaotic situation in 1815, with revolt breaking everywhere. Spain has its hands full trying to suppress all the revolts. If Napoléon makes it to a place of asylum in the Americas, he can probably just disappear from the Europeans' radar if he keeps a low profile.

 

[Byzantion]

What if, after escaping his exile in Elba, Napoleon Bonaparte finds himself not back in France, but in the Americas? Perhaps his plans change and, not wanting to risk recapture by gambling his freedom on the continent, he decides to escape to the Americas. Or, he gets on the wrong ship, and by the time he realizes that his ride isn't bound for the mainland, it's far too late.

Either way, which country would Napoleon end up in, and how would his life proceed from there? Could the U.S. grant him asylum and let him live the rest of his days in Louisiana? Or, perhaps, he arrives in Veracruz harbor and, in order to satisfy his thirst for conquest, later ends up joining the Mexican struggle for independence (which could result in Napoleon becoming a prominent figure in Mexico)? Or, he hides away in the Caribbean until launching a military expedition to crown himself Emperor of Haiti?

If Napoleon exiled himself to the New World, away from the clutches of the Coalition powers, numerous opportunities would await him, especially in the Spanish-American Wars of Independence later on. How would Bonaparte proceed in his new continental oyster?

What if Napoleon fled to the Kingdom of Hawaii ?

 

[alexmilman]

Nappy in his famous tricorn hat doing the hula dance would be something to remember....