Alternate War of 1812

JJohnson

Banned
Let's say that the War of 1812 still occurs in a timeline where the US contains OTL Canada/Nova Scotia, while the United Kingdom kept Rupert's Land. Without a Canadian theater, how much investment would the British make in invading from the Hudson Bay into this version of the US? Would this be mostly naval? Would there still be battles on the Great Lakes?

As a second scenario, let's assume the British have held Cuba as a British colony since the 1740s' War of Jenkins' Ear. Is there a realistic way the Americans could've captured the island militarily? I'm not thinking so.
 
I'm guessing that 'containing' doesn't been conquer, but the US effectively keeps the British from pushing down from Canada and the Maritimes and there by any attempts to push into Canada are repulsed also. I doubt the British would attempt an overland campaign from Hudson Bay because of the length of the possible supply lines and the terrain.

Most likely the British will just mount a series of 'butcher and bugger' raids along the Atlantic states. One could consider more raids on the likes of the assault on Washington and Baltimore.
 
I've read that the American Navy did well against the British. If there were no Battles on the Lakes, America might have had come close to Cuba... but I do believe Great Britain would have used her navy to protect the land.

With that, it might have been easier for America to take the rest of Canada from the British land troops. MIGHT being the operative word.
 
I've read that the American Navy did well against the British. If there were no Battles on the Lakes, America might have had come close to Cuba... but I do believe Great Britain would have used her navy to protect the land.

With that, it might have been easier for America to take the rest of Canada from the British land troops. MIGHT being the operative word.

The American Navy was lucky, it was facing the world's foremost naval power and only won a few victories since there was a Frenchmen running amok in Europe. In OTL the BN successfully completed it's strategic goals and blockaded the States while the USN won a few tactical victories. (if privateers counted as such)

If the USA tries to push north, it will likely have a long-war (There was plenty of loyalists up north, some from the south). The US-Army at the time wasn't exactly professional, I can't see them taking the fortress of Quebec easily.

Also if the States can't get things done by Napoleon's defeat in 1814, then it will be screwed. Given naval supremacy the Birtish can do a lot of nasty things to the Eastern seaboard. Of course by 1814 both sides were tired, New England was considering secession due to the blockades, and the British was war weary. I can see the British giving the USA good terms, what I can't see the British abandoning all of Canada & it's pride when it's just a matter of money.

*Note that Canada was the main source of timber for the Royal Navy, considering the recent history of the Continental system the British would want to protect it's safest source of timber: Least they get stuck with an unreliable European source .
 
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The Brits really didn't want to fight the US in 1812 and were half-hearted about the war once it was clear that the US wouldn't really treaten Canada.

I can see all this changing if the US managed to take British Cuba. It would have involved defeating the Caribean squadron (which my memory puts at about 30 ships of the line - but this may be well out!) then overcoming any ground troops. It would be a major slap in the face for a country that expects results from its admirals and generals.

I can see more naval activity along the eastern seaboard, and a more active use of ground forces at New Orleans.
 

JJohnson

Banned
I'm thinking along the same lines. I'm interested in making Cuba part of the United States in an alternate timeline, but if I were to make it British during the War of Jenkin's Ear, I don't really see much of a way to transfer it to the Americans during the Revolution. If it were British in 1812, then it's likely to stay that way from all I can see. The Confederacy might like having a potential partner there though.
 
The American Navy was lucky, it was facing the world's foremost naval power and only won a few victories since there was a Frenchmen running amok in Europe. In OTL the BN successfully completed it's strategic goals and blockaded the States while the USN won a few tactical victories. (if privateers counted as such)

If the USA tries to push north, it will likely have a long-war (There was plenty of loyalists up north, some from the south). The US-Army at the time wasn't exactly professional, I can't see them taking the fortress of Quebec easily.

Also if the States can't get things done by Napoleon's defeat in 1814, then it will be screwed. Given naval supremacy the Birtish can do a lot of nasty things to the Eastern seaboard. Of course by 1814 both sides were tired, New England was considering secession due to the blockades, and the British was war weary. I can see the British giving the USA good terms, what I can't see the British abandoning all of Canada & it's pride when it's just a matter of money.

*Note that Canada was the main source of timber for the Royal Navy, considering the recent history of the Continental system the British would want to protect it's safest source of timber: Least they get stuck with an unreliable European source .

LOL Again, MIGHT being the key word in what I said
 
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