Braddock and Pitcairn

hey, all. probably the last thing before i go to sleep tonight, but this is something i've been considering recently, and requires two PODs in the same few decades. not gonna lie, i was inspired to consider this during my most recent playthrough of AC3.

anyway, the key part of this is really irrelevant to the other, and is what i REALLY want to look into because i just find it rather interesting. those familiar with the American Revolution will recall that John Pitcairn was the commander of the British forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill, where he was killed. two possibilities occur to me concerning PODs for this: 1) that he is not assigned as commander there at all for whatever reason, which is what i'm most interested in, or 2) he avoids being shot and killed during the battle and goes on to survive the Revolutionary War, which is probably the more realistic POD. my ultimate goal with this is, from a writing standpoint, to have Pitcairn as the first British ambassador to the newly-formed United States after the Revolution (iirc, there's theories that his apparent attempts to find and arrest/kill American leaders during the Midnight Ride and battles of Lexington and Concord may have actually been him trying to just go there and negotiate with them)

another possibility occurred to me during dinner earlier tonight, which could be a go-around for Pitcairn specifically but requires a much earlier POD which could itself butterfly the entire Revolution: Edward Braddock. again, those familiar with American history going further back that the Revolution are probably aware that one of/the opening engagement of the Seven Years' War (the French and Indian War, specifically) was Braddock's disastrous expedition, which resulted in his death and, among his soldiers, included George Washington. the thought that occurred to me is Braddock surviving the expedition and, maybe even against all logic and reason, the entire Seven Years' War and is becomes the British commander at Bunker Hill instead of Pitcairn (perhaps his botched expedition gets him demoted or reassigned?). of course, if Braddock isn't killed, would that even mean that the Seven Years' War begins at all? and that's one of the key factors to the start of the Revolution itself, and there is no way in hell that i'm writing that out of this particular TL.

so, thoughts? suggestions? remember, i mainly want to figure out how Pitcairn can survive the Revolution, possibly to such extent that he as an individual is not looked upon with too much scorn by the Americans, which would better-facilitate his assignment as ambassador after the war; Braddock at Bunker Hill is a secondary objective (any other British commander of the era would work as a replacement so long as Pitcairn sticks around)
 

FrozenMix

Banned
John Pitcairn was the not the overall commander at Bunker Hill. He was only a Major. He was also a Royal Marine officer, and him being in charge of much of anything would have been an issue. If you recall, he was the second in command for the expedition to Concord, and it was a very unusual situation.

The attack was planned out by Thomas Gage, who was the overall theatre commander, and was led and commanded by William Howe, who was the highest ranking officer on the field and led the concluding attack.

As for Braddock, I have no idea what him not dying would mean, but the complete failure of his expedition likely leads him to be recalled to Europe in disgrace anyways, much like other failed British commanders in the Americas during the war like the Earl of Loudon, James Abercrombie, and William Shirley, and much like them, he would likely not hold another meaningful post.
 
John Pitcairn was the not the overall commander at Bunker Hill. He was only a Major. He was also a Royal Marine officer, and him being in charge of much of anything would have been an issue. If you recall, he was the second in command for the expedition to Concord, and it was a very unusual situation.

The attack was planned out by Thomas Gage, who was the overall theatre commander, and was led and commanded by William Howe, who was the highest ranking officer on the field and led the concluding attack.
fair enough (though i could have sworn i read that he was General Pitcairn at Bunker Hill). my question remains, but Pitcairn being only a major at the time in and of itself gives a bit of a go-around--maybe he isn't deemed important enough to be put in a position of command at Bunker Hill after Lexington and Concord, especially if the British leadership decide that he botched the previous engagement in one way or another (depending on how the rest of the TL is written or depending on one's POV over how it happened, it could be for either failing to capture the supplies at Concord or for allowing blood to be shed when he was sent just to negotiate) so he's recalled to Europe for his at least perceived failure, much like you suggested would happen to Braddock. though i wonder if this would leave him in a position to eventually become ambassador to the US like i want to write in (unless the British leadership remembers his failures and decides to send him there just to get him out of the way)
As for Braddock, I have no idea what him not dying would mean, but the complete failure of his expedition likely leads him to be recalled to Europe in disgrace anyways, much like other failed British commanders in the Americas during the war like the Earl of Loudon, James Abercrombie, and William Shirley, and much like them, he would likely not hold another meaningful post.
i think now i'm leaning more towards Braddock still dying since his expedition and subsequent death are kinda important to American history, though i think maybe i'll explore this again sometime as a separate TL. maybe it could be the actual POD for Anglo-American Rivalry :p
 
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