British Cuba 1763, then...?

The British managed to take the capital of Cuba because of the incompetent Spanish rulers in the capital. But outside the Capital the Creoles tended to put up more of a resistance. Afterall, it was there home. Spanish rulers lived in Spain. An important one would be the heroe José Antonio Gómez of the town of Guanabacoa. Guanabacoa is located 5 km. SW of the Capital. The British raided the town. José Antonio Gómez after the Capital fell and seeing what happened in his town started a guerilla war on the British. The British had the same problems in the Philippines. Outside Manila there were guerilla groups.

Off topic - The British did better in Trinidad in 1797. The Spanish governor Don José María Chacón seeing that he had few troops and no support from the local population handed the entire island over to the British.


Thinking the same thing would happen in Puerto Rico the British sent a huge invasion force of 68 ships to take over that island in 1797. Veteran troops from the UK. together with some German soldiers of fortune. It is said there were not too many Spanish regulars on that island. But there were plenty of local Natives who many armed just with farming utensils and machetes managed to defeat this huge British force.

Spanish Governor Don Ramón de Castro also would not surrender and knew what he was doing unlike the governors of Trinidad and Cuba om 1763. Spanish King proclaimed something. do not remember, because of the islanders loyalty. They also gave the islanders who wanted, free land.

Interesting. Hadn't heard of the guerilla campaign, I guess there's more resistance than I gave the Cubans credit for.

But if the British are firmly in control of Havana and offer the way for sugar planters to profit (by allowing free trade, which the Spanish never did), how much can the rebels do? The British will make their allies amongst the islanders, so there will be conflict.

Interestingly, even if the Cubans somehow win (I doubt they'd get significant support from the Spaniards, on both a racial basis and wariness of the British), the British companies stationed in the New World would have significant experience fighting against colonial, guerilla, unorthodox fighters... This will certainly change the dynamic of the ARW...
 
This also harkens back to the other fork of my original question. If the Cuban backcountry rebels are still a going concern by 1776, they might well make common cause with the mainland Revolutionary movement.

Although they may go their own way, either directly after the war or in '89, rather than joining the new nation, of course. (But a 14-striped flag could also lead interesting places.)
 
This also harkens back to the other fork of my original question. If the Cuban backcountry rebels are still a going concern by 1776, they might well make common cause with the mainland Revolutionary movement.

Although they may go their own way, either directly after the war or in '89, rather than joining the new nation, of course. (But a 14-striped flag could also lead interesting places.)

I can't see Cuba joining the Americans simply out of solidarity against the British. Different languages, different cultures, etc... Although I could see an Cuban revolution springing up simultaneously as the ARW, with an independent Cuba more than a century early... This would hasten any rebellions in other parts of Latin America and the Caribbean... I see Mexico erupting earlier, as well as Haiti/St. Dominique.
 
Wouldn't the islands want to say as part of Britain? the British occupation led to a booming trade, which will lead to far more prosperity than they found under Spanish rule OTL.
 

Thande

Donor
Britain might be able to cement her position by playing the natives against the ruling classes, maybe abolish or at least weaken slavery, etc. (Economically they would probably prefer to keep slavery, but if the island is restless the colonial administrators might take the decision to make the sacrifice in order to pacify it, as they did with the emancipation declaration during the American Revolutionary War in OTL).

Would be interesting to see what Cuba would look like today, assuming it wasn't (successfully) fought over again; perhaps something like Quebec, but with Spanish instead of French (and a more complex ethnic mix).
 
A century later a few hundred Confederate filibusters land and seize the island, crushing the Royal Navy and tens of thousands of British veterans.
 
Why would they Need to retake Florida? The brits held it from 1763 to 1784, and Florida was a Tory colony in the ARW IOTL, and likely so ITTL.

that most likely had to do with its VERY VERY small population, after the Brits took it the small Spanish population left for Cuba and by 1775 there were next to no Brits come to take their place, so the population of Florida was a small number of Spanish that don't care who rules and a smaller number of fresh off the boat Brits
 

NothingNow

Banned
that most likely had to do with its VERY VERY small population, after the Brits took it the small Spanish population left for Cuba and by 1775 there were next to no Brits come to take their place, so the population of Florida was a small number of Spanish that don't care who rules and a smaller number of fresh off the boat Brits
Well, plus the Seminoles, the Maroons, the Slaves and the Crackers.
But, yeah, there really wasn't anyone in Florida from about 1740 to the 1810's.
 
Well, plus the Seminoles, the Maroons, the Slaves and the Crackers.
But, yeah, there really wasn't anyone in Florida from about 1740 to the 1810's.

Brown people don't count, silly. They don't affect history!

But yeah, just because Europeans weren't around in power doesn't mean there wasn't anything happening there. :rolleyes:

I like the idea of a Seminole/Maroon style independent Florida, although in practice it would get swallowed up by Britain, Spain, or the US.
 
Well, plus the Seminoles, the Maroons, the Slaves and the Crackers.
But, yeah, there really wasn't anyone in Florida from about 1740 to the 1810's.

Brown people don't count, silly. They don't affect history!

But yeah, just because Europeans weren't around in power doesn't mean there wasn't anything happening there. :rolleyes:

I like the idea of a Seminole/Maroon style independent Florida, although in practice it would get swallowed up by Britain, Spain, or the US.
Actually, I think you'll find that most of the maroons and Seminoles arrived in (East) Florida after 1810. Not all of them, mind, but enough that NothingNow's statement is defensible, even counting 'brown people'.
 
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NothingNow

Banned
Actually, I think you'll find that most of the maroons and Seminoles arrived in (East) Florida after 1810. Not all of them, mind, but enough that NothingNow's statement is defensible, even counting 'brown people'.

Well, actually I forgot the Minorcans. They were the Majority of Florida's population for about decade or so actually.:eek:
This was a result of how few people on the ground in Florida at the time thanks to how successful Seminole and Carolinian Slavers had been in the Previous decades. The region was depopulated to such an extent that the Spanish managed to literally evacuate everyone who didn't want to stay in 1763.
 

NothingNow

Banned
I like the idea of a Seminole/Maroon style independent East Florida, although in practice it would get swallowed up by Britain, Spain, or the US.
Not really. If the Seminoles keep their heads down and don't piss anyone off, they could be ignored almost indefinitely. Until the Invention of Tourism there was literally no reason why anyone would want to go to East Florida, with the Exceptions of Key West, Tampa Bay and Saint Augustine.

It might make Haiti look rich, but it could stay somewhat independent.

The Map shows what the US and Spain would be interested in (UCS colors for Spain and the US respectively,) plus what IMO the Crackers, Seminoles, Maroons and Minorcans could likely keep. which is Mainly Swampland, F#C&ing Pineforest, Pine and Hardwood Hammocks and Scrubland.

hypotheticalSeminole country.png
 

mowque

Banned
Most of inner New Mexico and Arizona are worthless too. It isn't just the value of land. I have a hard time seeing America (assuming there is an America!) letting such an important shipping area (Doesn't alot of Gulf Stuff go right past Florida?) and part of the Eastern Seaboard going free. Besides, filibusters from 'Florida' or Georgia will always be trying to add land to their states.
 

NothingNow

Banned
Most of inner New Mexico and Arizona are worthless too. It isn't just the value of land. I have a hard time seeing America (assuming there is an America!) letting such an important shipping area (Doesn't alot of Gulf Stuff go right past Florida?) and part of the Eastern Seaboard going free. Besides, filibusters from 'Florida' or Georgia will always be trying to add land to their states.

Yeah, the Florida Strait is utterly vital for shipping out of the Gulf, and Key West is a convenient Coaling station, Tampa Bay is also the Best Harbor on the Gulf by a wide margin, but that's it for Economic value. And well, the Filibusters are always welcome to try and take the land, assuming they don't die of Malaria or Yellow Fever in the Swamp somewhere.
The *US might want to take it, but they also might not consider it worth the Effort ITTL.
 
A century later a few hundred Confederate filibusters land and seize the island, crushing the Royal Navy and tens of thousands of British veterans.
Que? I'm assuming this is a reference to some really bad alternative history novel, or were you actually being serious?
 
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