American Nuku Hiva?

Had the American losses not been so extensive by the British and their native allies, Madisonville would not had been abandoned. Give or take, the War of 1812 would had been over in a little more than a year and Congress might have some interest in Porter's claim on Nuku Hiva and probably ratify it as a territory. Granted, it would had be ignored save for it as a stopping point for whaling ships until the U.S gets some access to the Pacific. France did claim the entire island group of the Marquesas (to the Americans, the islands were known as the Washington Islands) in 1842 though they didn't establish permanent control until 1870. What say you gentlemen of Bacchus? Perhaps the men of the Essex wouldn't make that disastrous decision in going to South America if there's a nearby group of islands, one of which is under American control, thus butterflying the creation of Moby Dick?

Forgive me for the question. It's something that is bugging me.
 
More American South Pacific presence earlier?

Well I figured that out on my own. As I mentioned, the islands would probably be ignored until the United States gains access to the Pacific and I'm guessing the continued presence of an American settlement there isn't going to change the general course of American history, so it might gain some importance once the US has control of the West Coast. What else do you think would be the effects? I mentioned the possibility of Moby Dick not being written due to the possibility of the crew of the whaling ship Essex deciding to head east to Nuka Hiva instead of the long trip to South America as they did in OTL? :p

I mean come on, early American presence in the Pacific. :D
 
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