That's a good idea though I'm having a division armed with Dreyse Needle Guns (which are probably the opposite of easy).
Fenians, Brits, Mexicans, Canucks and Frenchies....OH, MY! An alternate American Civil War
- Thread starter Alt History Buff
- Start date
Any ideas of what the Pacific Squadron was composed of?
Given that the total population of BC went from a few thousand to fifty thousand from 1858 to 1862, and Britain had several other problems to deal with at the time, the Squadron may be relegated to a few ships at best.
With all the unexpected things that happen in this TL anything could happen.
Britain has a greater industrial capacity than the USA.
It has more shipyards and more trained crews. In the British empire, there is a large pool of manpower to recruit soldiers from.
There are a lot of British citizens in the union army and military-industrial complex. So lots of potential for spies and sabotage.
With the collapse in Grain prices a lot of profit for smuggling grain to the UK.
With new York burnt and the collapse in export revenue, the US is running short on hard cash and gold and silver reserves so will want a quick end to the war.
The destruction of new york could start major outbreaks of disease.
The USA might be printing too many greenbacks leading to inflation. The British could start printing greenbacks too.
The British could launch an invasion of California and the goldfields there.
The Brtish control the undersea cable so they control, the information getting in and out of the USA.
The British could supply weapons to the Indians.
The British had a habit of giving free land to their soldiers who win a war somewhere like the USA by taking the land for the losers.
Chapter 32
April, 1863
London
Benjamin Disraeli looked on with a smirk as, once again, Russell and Palmerston were forced to take the defensive in Parliament. For his own part, Disraeli had stopped bothering to rise and speak himself. There were plenty of others to hurl abuse upon the beleaguered Ministry without his help. Most of Disraeli's time was spent working behind the scenes to forge an alliance of Conservatives, Radicals and like-minded Liberals. It was painstaking work and had proven quite frustrating.
But Disraeli had another reason to take his time. The ongoing events in America, Europe and Asia appeared to be emerging disasters for Britain. Did Disraeli REALLY want to be part of the Ministry that inherited those problems and were expected to fix them?
The British public had to read in the American newspapers that Victoria had fallen (a bit of an embarrassment to the Queen that her namesake was now in American hands, perhaps to be renamed "Lincoln" or some such). While dispatching ships to regain the colony would not be a problem, finding men available to evict the American army would be much more of a challenge. If 5000 American soldiers had indeed seized the Island of Vancouver, then the resources necessary to take them back may be better used elsewhere, like against the other 100,000 or so Americans now massing against the Canadian border.
By 1863, Britain had reinforced British North America with 30,000 British regulars to supplement the 15,000 colonials of Canada and the Maritimes in arms. Further, a militia had been formed which theoretically could provide another 20,000 armed men....for whatever militia was worth.
Unlike 1776 and 1813, the Americans would not launch a half-assed attack of ill-equipped amateurs with severe logistical difficulties. Now, experienced combat veterans with modern arms were delivered to within miles of the border by railroad. As most of Canada's population lay within a few dozens miles of the America border, this offered a dismal picture indeed. Already, there was talk that Britain's best chance of retaining Canada is to raze every American coastal town to the ground via the Navy.
But Disraeli would point out on the floor of Parliament that torching Manhattan hadn't exactly laid America low. It only infuriated them more.
As bad as the loss of Canada was....and it would be bad....it was still nothing compared to even a hint of a threat to India. 3.5 million Canadians (and Maritimes) provided utility for the Empire but India was call the Jewel in the British Crown for a reason.
The Russian advances into the Balkans, cutting off Istanbul from the Anatolian and Near Eastern portions of the Ottoman Empire and vows to "protect the Orthodox co-religionists of the Holy Land" would only bring Russia another step towards direct intervention in India. Disraeli had his doubts that the Czars of Russia ever really had intended to do this but the fear remained omnipresent in British minds.
Within a month of entering the Balkans, Alexander II pronounced the "independence" of Serbia, Wallachia, Moldavia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and whatever else may be in the Balkans, Disraeli didn't really know or care. Greece, of course, was already liberated a generation ago back in the 1830's. Serbia, Moldavia and Wallachia were defacto independent, only giving token fealty to the Porte. However the Turkic boot remained firmly on Bulgaria's throat and the Turks barely made a majority in Eastern Thrace despite the presence of the Capital.
There was no reason to believe that the Russian influence in the Balkans or the Near east would NOT expand westwards into Europe, into Africa or to the subcontinent.
Palmerston and Russell, though they no doubt loathed the idea of going it alone, had to dispatch a squadron to the Dardanelles to challenge the Russians. Only here did Disraeli deign to rise and speak, politely inquiring if the government had declared war upon Russia.
If so, why the the House of Commons not informed?
If not, then would the Royal Navy be authorized to wage war without permission of the Queen in Parliament?
Russell attempted to hedge and bluster all he could but, after a series of incisive questions from Disraeli, was forced to state that the Admiral in command would have to make the decision on the spot to intervene or not against the Russian Navy. This brought an uproar amongst even the Ministry's allies. ONE ADMIRAL had the power to determine if Britain waged war upon Russia?
And how would this war be fought?
Britain had a few regiments in the Mediterranean but no one seriously believe that the nation would challenge the Russians on land be it in the Balkans or anywhere else.
Finally, rumors of the Foreign Secretary's approaches to France and Austria to renew an alliance were addressed and Russell was forced to confess that early inquiries were being made "as had always been customary since time immemorial".
This brought up another roar of outrage to Disraeli's amusement. With his characteristic witty repartee, Disraeli pointed out that France had attempted to betray Britain and her other allies in the Crimean war by attempting to negotiate a separate peace with Russia which would split hegemony of Europe between them. Then, just two years prior, the French had elicited British and Spanish support on a debt-collecting mission to Mexico only to find out that Napoleon III had no intention of leaving, instead turning Mexico into a client state.
NOW the government wanted to put their trust in France AGAIN?!!!!
Even the Queen demanded an interview with her Ministers over that one.
Palmerston and Russell's policies were falling apart. In truth, much of this was beyond Britain's control. The war in Europe and Russia's actions were not the fault of the Liberals. But the looming disaster in North America (Canada, the United States AND Mexico) could be easily laid at the feet of Palmerston and Russell.
That didn't even take into account the fact that Britain's unemployment in the midlands continued to increase due to lack of cotton, grain prices inched up by the day and the loss of sales to America (both the Union and Confederacy) were harming British exporters. Naturally, some of the latter were made up by the increased military spending but that just added more debt.
Disraeli doubted any of these situations would get better any time soon and resolved not to call for a vote of No Confidence until he was certainly Britain had enough of the Liberals for some time in the future.
Indeed, Disraeli was correct. The situation was getting worse by the day. There would be a two week lag but that was enough to keep Britain in the dark that America had crossed her borders in British North America yet again.
Western Prussia
The Rhineland area of Prussia and her allies had resisted firmly for months before finally giving way to the superior French forces.
Only at this point did a pivotal action determine the war in the west. The King of Hanover (a cousin to the British Queen) had long despaired at being surrounded by Prussia. It seemed only a matter of time before the Hohenzollerns removed him from his throne. This was a fear many of the smaller princes of Germany shared. They either obeyed the King of Prussia's whims or lost their patrimony.
Many of these minor princes had openly condemned Wilhelm for claiming Schleswig and Holstein for his own rather than what the rest of Germany felt should be the rightful or preferred ruling house (Augustenburg). Most remained silent only out of fear of Prussia. Even the entrance of the war by Austria and later France would not move these Dukes, Princes and Kings from Prussian submission.
However, the actions of the King of Hanover, whose Kingdom lay wedged between Brandenburg, Rhinish Prussia and now Prussian Holstein and Schleswig knew he must risk all else forever be a puppet (even if his family wasn't removed from the throne, which they likely would be sooner rather than later).
The King secretly negotiated with the King of France and, at a critical moment, declared war upon Prussia, cutting off the supply lines of the overstretched Prussians. Several other smaller crowned heads, Oldenburg and Hesse among them, would follow suite and throw their forces in with France.
This led to a serious breakthrough in the west and much of Rhinish Prussia had fallen to the new allies in the west.
Seeing this, King Wilhelm and his coterie of Ministers (Bismarck, Von Roon and Von Moltke) withdrew much of the forces attacking Bohemia as well as several Corps garrisoning Schleswig and Holstein and threw them against Hanover. By June, half of Hanover had fallen and the King had retreated to French lines in the west.
Attempts by Wilhelm to make peace with Austria came to nothing as the Emperor smelled blood and ordered his forces north again on a second summer campaign.
London
Benjamin Disraeli looked on with a smirk as, once again, Russell and Palmerston were forced to take the defensive in Parliament. For his own part, Disraeli had stopped bothering to rise and speak himself. There were plenty of others to hurl abuse upon the beleaguered Ministry without his help. Most of Disraeli's time was spent working behind the scenes to forge an alliance of Conservatives, Radicals and like-minded Liberals. It was painstaking work and had proven quite frustrating.
But Disraeli had another reason to take his time. The ongoing events in America, Europe and Asia appeared to be emerging disasters for Britain. Did Disraeli REALLY want to be part of the Ministry that inherited those problems and were expected to fix them?
The British public had to read in the American newspapers that Victoria had fallen (a bit of an embarrassment to the Queen that her namesake was now in American hands, perhaps to be renamed "Lincoln" or some such). While dispatching ships to regain the colony would not be a problem, finding men available to evict the American army would be much more of a challenge. If 5000 American soldiers had indeed seized the Island of Vancouver, then the resources necessary to take them back may be better used elsewhere, like against the other 100,000 or so Americans now massing against the Canadian border.
By 1863, Britain had reinforced British North America with 30,000 British regulars to supplement the 15,000 colonials of Canada and the Maritimes in arms. Further, a militia had been formed which theoretically could provide another 20,000 armed men....for whatever militia was worth.
Unlike 1776 and 1813, the Americans would not launch a half-assed attack of ill-equipped amateurs with severe logistical difficulties. Now, experienced combat veterans with modern arms were delivered to within miles of the border by railroad. As most of Canada's population lay within a few dozens miles of the America border, this offered a dismal picture indeed. Already, there was talk that Britain's best chance of retaining Canada is to raze every American coastal town to the ground via the Navy.
But Disraeli would point out on the floor of Parliament that torching Manhattan hadn't exactly laid America low. It only infuriated them more.
As bad as the loss of Canada was....and it would be bad....it was still nothing compared to even a hint of a threat to India. 3.5 million Canadians (and Maritimes) provided utility for the Empire but India was call the Jewel in the British Crown for a reason.
The Russian advances into the Balkans, cutting off Istanbul from the Anatolian and Near Eastern portions of the Ottoman Empire and vows to "protect the Orthodox co-religionists of the Holy Land" would only bring Russia another step towards direct intervention in India. Disraeli had his doubts that the Czars of Russia ever really had intended to do this but the fear remained omnipresent in British minds.
Within a month of entering the Balkans, Alexander II pronounced the "independence" of Serbia, Wallachia, Moldavia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and whatever else may be in the Balkans, Disraeli didn't really know or care. Greece, of course, was already liberated a generation ago back in the 1830's. Serbia, Moldavia and Wallachia were defacto independent, only giving token fealty to the Porte. However the Turkic boot remained firmly on Bulgaria's throat and the Turks barely made a majority in Eastern Thrace despite the presence of the Capital.
There was no reason to believe that the Russian influence in the Balkans or the Near east would NOT expand westwards into Europe, into Africa or to the subcontinent.
Palmerston and Russell, though they no doubt loathed the idea of going it alone, had to dispatch a squadron to the Dardanelles to challenge the Russians. Only here did Disraeli deign to rise and speak, politely inquiring if the government had declared war upon Russia.
If so, why the the House of Commons not informed?
If not, then would the Royal Navy be authorized to wage war without permission of the Queen in Parliament?
Russell attempted to hedge and bluster all he could but, after a series of incisive questions from Disraeli, was forced to state that the Admiral in command would have to make the decision on the spot to intervene or not against the Russian Navy. This brought an uproar amongst even the Ministry's allies. ONE ADMIRAL had the power to determine if Britain waged war upon Russia?
And how would this war be fought?
Britain had a few regiments in the Mediterranean but no one seriously believe that the nation would challenge the Russians on land be it in the Balkans or anywhere else.
Finally, rumors of the Foreign Secretary's approaches to France and Austria to renew an alliance were addressed and Russell was forced to confess that early inquiries were being made "as had always been customary since time immemorial".
This brought up another roar of outrage to Disraeli's amusement. With his characteristic witty repartee, Disraeli pointed out that France had attempted to betray Britain and her other allies in the Crimean war by attempting to negotiate a separate peace with Russia which would split hegemony of Europe between them. Then, just two years prior, the French had elicited British and Spanish support on a debt-collecting mission to Mexico only to find out that Napoleon III had no intention of leaving, instead turning Mexico into a client state.
NOW the government wanted to put their trust in France AGAIN?!!!!
Even the Queen demanded an interview with her Ministers over that one.
Palmerston and Russell's policies were falling apart. In truth, much of this was beyond Britain's control. The war in Europe and Russia's actions were not the fault of the Liberals. But the looming disaster in North America (Canada, the United States AND Mexico) could be easily laid at the feet of Palmerston and Russell.
That didn't even take into account the fact that Britain's unemployment in the midlands continued to increase due to lack of cotton, grain prices inched up by the day and the loss of sales to America (both the Union and Confederacy) were harming British exporters. Naturally, some of the latter were made up by the increased military spending but that just added more debt.
Disraeli doubted any of these situations would get better any time soon and resolved not to call for a vote of No Confidence until he was certainly Britain had enough of the Liberals for some time in the future.
Indeed, Disraeli was correct. The situation was getting worse by the day. There would be a two week lag but that was enough to keep Britain in the dark that America had crossed her borders in British North America yet again.
Western Prussia
The Rhineland area of Prussia and her allies had resisted firmly for months before finally giving way to the superior French forces.
Only at this point did a pivotal action determine the war in the west. The King of Hanover (a cousin to the British Queen) had long despaired at being surrounded by Prussia. It seemed only a matter of time before the Hohenzollerns removed him from his throne. This was a fear many of the smaller princes of Germany shared. They either obeyed the King of Prussia's whims or lost their patrimony.
Many of these minor princes had openly condemned Wilhelm for claiming Schleswig and Holstein for his own rather than what the rest of Germany felt should be the rightful or preferred ruling house (Augustenburg). Most remained silent only out of fear of Prussia. Even the entrance of the war by Austria and later France would not move these Dukes, Princes and Kings from Prussian submission.
However, the actions of the King of Hanover, whose Kingdom lay wedged between Brandenburg, Rhinish Prussia and now Prussian Holstein and Schleswig knew he must risk all else forever be a puppet (even if his family wasn't removed from the throne, which they likely would be sooner rather than later).
The King secretly negotiated with the King of France and, at a critical moment, declared war upon Prussia, cutting off the supply lines of the overstretched Prussians. Several other smaller crowned heads, Oldenburg and Hesse among them, would follow suite and throw their forces in with France.
This led to a serious breakthrough in the west and much of Rhinish Prussia had fallen to the new allies in the west.
Seeing this, King Wilhelm and his coterie of Ministers (Bismarck, Von Roon and Von Moltke) withdrew much of the forces attacking Bohemia as well as several Corps garrisoning Schleswig and Holstein and threw them against Hanover. By June, half of Hanover had fallen and the King had retreated to French lines in the west.
Attempts by Wilhelm to make peace with Austria came to nothing as the Emperor smelled blood and ordered his forces north again on a second summer campaign.
You have some good points.
I will go into the American economic problems in future chapters.
Gold should not be an issue as the control over the California, British Columbia and now Nevada gold fiels had hard currency rushing in. Probably, the loss of grain exports and lack of steel and niter imports were bigger problems.
I don't think that an invasion of California...or even an expedition to regain British Columbia was likely in the near term. The logistics were simply too far much. We are talking supply lines of 8000 to 12000 miles depending on origin of the invasion (certainly British would not use any forces from India only a few years after the Mutiny).
The undersea cable would give an advantage in communication. It would allow reinforcements to arrive without warning from Britain but whether resources to do so would be available is another question.
I don't think that the British in this scenario would be able to REACH any of the Great Plains Indian tribes.
That's an excellent question. It's harder to find the answ than I expected, the best I've got right now is evidence from the Pig War (1859) during which 5 ships with 70 guns and 2,140 men were sent from the Harbour to San Juan Island.
I would also like to state that I'm really enjoying the TL, I just happen to live in Victoria so the history of this area is a particular interest of mine.
The British do not need to land a force to take and hold California. What they need is a mobile force that can hit the goldfields or shipments gold and move on.
This could tie down large union forces who have to chase them. A combination of Paul von Lettow Vorbeck and Ned kelly.
Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck - Wikipedia
Nevada was more silver mines than gold.
They do not need to give the weapons to the Indians only supply them to traders or smugglers who will move them on. even the idea this happens will keep even more union troops tied down looking for them. There were somewhere in the area of 50,000 Indians in California at the time. even having them as guides would be a big advantage.
In a dry year starting fires can cause all sorts of problems
Chapter 33
April, 1863
Grand Duchy of Posen, Kingdom of Prussia
Ever since the Partitions of Poland by Prussia, Russia and Austria in the 18th century, the Polish people had endured various levels of repression. The Russians would attempt to isolate their Poles Politically, the Austrian preferred to keep the Galician Poles under their power weak economically while the Prussians seemed intent on wiping out their culture.
Despite many assurances when then Frederick II took possession of highly populated sections of western Poland (which was necessary to connect geographically isolated East Prussia to the rest of his realms), Prussia had slowly done all that was possible to erode any function of Polish culture. Schools could no longer teach the language. Polish could not be used in government or the Courts, etc, etc.
Bismarck himself would quietly state that the only way the Polish question could be resolved was exterminating Poles as a culture....or as a population. This was all well and good when it was spoken privately. It was entirely something else when copies of a proposal to evict every Pole in the Grand Duchy of Posen, parts of Silesia, etc back into Russia or Austria....or wherever....were made public.
Again this wouldn't have been a problem if a Pole who had been "Germanized" over the past decades had not come across this proposal and dozens more, most with the signatures of high-ranking Prussian officials right up to the King. "Germanized" or not, the Pole would secret these documents out of Berlin and provide them to a representative in Denmark...who would print huge quantities of copies over 1863. Though attempts were always made to monitor the borders, it barely took weeks for copies to be printed in Russian Poland, Austrian Poland and, of course, the Grand Duchy of Posen and other Prussian Polish areas.
Already the Polish national awakening was flourishing across the borders after the Russian destruction of the Polish Revolt of 1860. Now, another would rise up in 1863 which not only vexed a desperate Prussia but spilled over into violence in Russian Poland and Austrian Galicia.
Concerned, the Czar would dispatch 40,000 Russian troops to reinforce the already armed borders of the region.
Bulgaria
Having faced the Ottoman many times in battle, the Russian military juggernaut had stolen a march on the tottering Muslim Empire and reached Bulgaria with remarkable speed. In passing, the Russian Generals would inform the Moldavians, Wallachians and Serbians that the loose attachment to the Ottoman was at an end.
Bulgaria was one of the few regions in the Balkans in which the Turk had yet to loosen their grip. With the Russian onslaught, Bulgarian patriots would rise up, distracting the overwhelming Turkic troops. Only the poor logistics of the Russian Army would slow it down.
Eastern Thrace would rise in revolt, with battles even reaching the streets of Istanbul. The Russian Domination of the Dardanelles would ensure no reinforcements of note could possible arrive in Europe from Asia.
Armenia
Russian Armies were on the march in Asia as well. The portion of Armenia under Ottoman control would seen a force of 50,000 Russians enter. The Armenians would be ecstatic at first but would eventually come to fear that one oppressor was just being replaced by another.
Egypt
Isma'il Pasha had ascended to power in Europe (self-proclaimed as Khedive) earlier in 1863. A stark Euro-phile, Ismail would resent that his illustrious Grandfather's (Muhammad Ali Pasha) had been forced to withdraw from military gains in the Levant at Ottoman expense by Britain and Austria due to the latters' collective fear that France or Russia would soon dominate the region.
Though highly Anglo-file in particular, Isma'il Pasha would spend much of the first months of his reign seeking an alliance with Russia in which his grandfather's gains in the Levant could be regained, this time without Continental interference.
By 1863, the Suez Canal was well in progress (not to be complete until 1869), but Isma'il already had several changes planned.
Grand Duchy of Posen, Kingdom of Prussia
Ever since the Partitions of Poland by Prussia, Russia and Austria in the 18th century, the Polish people had endured various levels of repression. The Russians would attempt to isolate their Poles Politically, the Austrian preferred to keep the Galician Poles under their power weak economically while the Prussians seemed intent on wiping out their culture.
Despite many assurances when then Frederick II took possession of highly populated sections of western Poland (which was necessary to connect geographically isolated East Prussia to the rest of his realms), Prussia had slowly done all that was possible to erode any function of Polish culture. Schools could no longer teach the language. Polish could not be used in government or the Courts, etc, etc.
Bismarck himself would quietly state that the only way the Polish question could be resolved was exterminating Poles as a culture....or as a population. This was all well and good when it was spoken privately. It was entirely something else when copies of a proposal to evict every Pole in the Grand Duchy of Posen, parts of Silesia, etc back into Russia or Austria....or wherever....were made public.
Again this wouldn't have been a problem if a Pole who had been "Germanized" over the past decades had not come across this proposal and dozens more, most with the signatures of high-ranking Prussian officials right up to the King. "Germanized" or not, the Pole would secret these documents out of Berlin and provide them to a representative in Denmark...who would print huge quantities of copies over 1863. Though attempts were always made to monitor the borders, it barely took weeks for copies to be printed in Russian Poland, Austrian Poland and, of course, the Grand Duchy of Posen and other Prussian Polish areas.
Already the Polish national awakening was flourishing across the borders after the Russian destruction of the Polish Revolt of 1860. Now, another would rise up in 1863 which not only vexed a desperate Prussia but spilled over into violence in Russian Poland and Austrian Galicia.
Concerned, the Czar would dispatch 40,000 Russian troops to reinforce the already armed borders of the region.
Bulgaria
Having faced the Ottoman many times in battle, the Russian military juggernaut had stolen a march on the tottering Muslim Empire and reached Bulgaria with remarkable speed. In passing, the Russian Generals would inform the Moldavians, Wallachians and Serbians that the loose attachment to the Ottoman was at an end.
Bulgaria was one of the few regions in the Balkans in which the Turk had yet to loosen their grip. With the Russian onslaught, Bulgarian patriots would rise up, distracting the overwhelming Turkic troops. Only the poor logistics of the Russian Army would slow it down.
Eastern Thrace would rise in revolt, with battles even reaching the streets of Istanbul. The Russian Domination of the Dardanelles would ensure no reinforcements of note could possible arrive in Europe from Asia.
Armenia
Russian Armies were on the march in Asia as well. The portion of Armenia under Ottoman control would seen a force of 50,000 Russians enter. The Armenians would be ecstatic at first but would eventually come to fear that one oppressor was just being replaced by another.
Egypt
Isma'il Pasha had ascended to power in Europe (self-proclaimed as Khedive) earlier in 1863. A stark Euro-phile, Ismail would resent that his illustrious Grandfather's (Muhammad Ali Pasha) had been forced to withdraw from military gains in the Levant at Ottoman expense by Britain and Austria due to the latters' collective fear that France or Russia would soon dominate the region.
Though highly Anglo-file in particular, Isma'il Pasha would spend much of the first months of his reign seeking an alliance with Russia in which his grandfather's gains in the Levant could be regained, this time without Continental interference.
By 1863, the Suez Canal was well in progress (not to be complete until 1869), but Isma'il already had several changes planned.
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Chapter 34
April, 1863
Detroit
Opposite of Detroit lay the small town of Windsor with little nearby beyond other small towns. As American and British relations soured, the British reinforced Canada with 30,000 soldiers.
However, 10,000 of these were currently sitting in Halifax, either as part of the garrison or the men assigned to partake in the abortive conquest of Portland, Maine.
Other 4000 were stationed throughout the rest of the Maritimes (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick).
4000 were stationed in the vital port city of Quebec despite the unlikely-hood that this would ever come under direct attack.
Perhaps another 8000 were stationed in, around and south of Montreal in the strip of land between the United States' border and the St. Lawrence. This was just north of the American town of Plattsburg and along the Grand Trunk Railroad line going east.
Thus, 26,000 of the 30,000 British regulars currently in British North America were stationed in the Maritimes and the part of Canada once known as "Lower Canada" or "French Canada" or "Quebec".
Only 4000 were stationed in the sprawling, predominantly English-speaking portion of Canada which used to be called "Upper Canada" despite this region possessing half of British North America's population.
Only a few months ago, the British position was that an American invasion was unlikely and thus only the eastern regions from which BRITAIN COULD STRIKE AMERICA were heavily fortified. Later, when the threat from America increased, these same regions became the areas which must be defended.
The flat Peninsula in Western Canada was the breadbasket of British North America. Largely English-speaking, most of the grain exported to Britain would arrive from these lands. However, the region had endured a tough year when the Grand Trunk railroad which carried these goods was cut off.
The eastern-most outpost was along the Detroit River in which only 1000 British Regulars and 3000 Canadian Regulars were posted opposite Detroit.
The British had few significant warships on Lakes Huron or Erie. The fleet assembled by Admiral Porter sailed from the Mississippi, up Lake Michigan, down Lake Huron, through the Detroit River and into Lake Erie simply was unstoppable. The handful of armed British-Canadian ships were butchered or attempted to flee to anchorages up streams.
This allowed General McPherson and his Cavalry Commander General Custer to cross the Detroit River a few dozen miles away from the British camp and land unopposed in Canada. 12,000 well armed men followed in their wake. Porter's flotilla, whose transports were not needed by MacPherson, would tarry only long enough to ensure a safe passage. Porter then departed across Lake Erie leaving one Ironclad to dominate the Detroit River.
Buffalo
A week later, Porter's fleet reached Buffalo on the eastern shores of Lake Erie. Here, General Hancock, now fully augmented by his old Corps and bearing the burden of commanding 14,000 men (about the most Buffalo could hold, even in spring), would happily board Porter's ships and any others he could scratch up on short notice and sail across the Lake to south-eastern portion of the peninsula near Kingston, Canada.
Again, the landing would not be seriously contested due to the lack of local soldiers and huge area to cover.
Plattsburg
Yet another small town bursting with soldiers, Plattsburg would see her first soldiers marching north, less than a dozen miles to the border and another 30 to Montreal and the St. Lawrence. The narrow strip of land south of Montreal was lightly inhabited but the British forces would have adequate intelligence from local sources and room to maneuver in the primordial (to the British anyway, the local French majority found the woods fairly tamed) forest to challenge Joseph Hooker.
Island Pond, Northern Vermont
After the battle of Plattsburg, General Robert E. Lee would assemble his own army to the train tracks of the Grand Trunk RR. Advance supplies had been quietly assembled near the Canadian border over the winter and a small garrison of lookouts and scouts been put on hand. It was a gamble as a spoiling operation by the British might have burned the supplies before any reinforcements arrived.
But no such operation took place and Lee ordered 6000 men onto the trains (there were eight locomotives pulling an average of 15 cars a piece). Given the relatively short distance and potential for sabotage, Lee ordered the trains to drive no faster than 15 miles per hour and, before each train, rolled a series of inspectors on manual-powered vehicles to ensure the tracks were intact. Thus it took nearly 24 hours for the procession to reach the last American town before the border where the army may safely disembark.
This was not only the last major station south of the border but the half-way point between Portland and Montreal. From here, Lee's army would have to walk.
Fort Garry, Rupert's Land
The Metis (mix of French Canadian and Indian) majority around the vicinity of Fort Barry were taken entirely by surprise. Many barely knew there was a war on.
1500 Union Cavalry and 400 allied Indians reached the isolated British settlement and assume control with nary a shot fired.
General Rosecrans would explain to the locals that private property would be respected provided that no resistance was offered. The goods of the trading companies however, were forfeit. Food, weapons, blankets, tools and other necessities were spread among the American soldiers. Meanwhile, furs, hides and other transferable goods were divided among the Dakota Indians who promptly turned around and rode home.
As Rosecrans brought the Indians as much to keep them out of trouble as anything else, he shrugged and wished them well (he was comforted that his agreement ensured their good behavior by promising their pay and other reimbursement over the next year rather than in advance) as he ordered his men to build shelters for the winter. He was informed it got mighty cold here, even by Minnesota standards.
Detroit
Opposite of Detroit lay the small town of Windsor with little nearby beyond other small towns. As American and British relations soured, the British reinforced Canada with 30,000 soldiers.
However, 10,000 of these were currently sitting in Halifax, either as part of the garrison or the men assigned to partake in the abortive conquest of Portland, Maine.
Other 4000 were stationed throughout the rest of the Maritimes (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick).
4000 were stationed in the vital port city of Quebec despite the unlikely-hood that this would ever come under direct attack.
Perhaps another 8000 were stationed in, around and south of Montreal in the strip of land between the United States' border and the St. Lawrence. This was just north of the American town of Plattsburg and along the Grand Trunk Railroad line going east.
Thus, 26,000 of the 30,000 British regulars currently in British North America were stationed in the Maritimes and the part of Canada once known as "Lower Canada" or "French Canada" or "Quebec".
Only 4000 were stationed in the sprawling, predominantly English-speaking portion of Canada which used to be called "Upper Canada" despite this region possessing half of British North America's population.
Only a few months ago, the British position was that an American invasion was unlikely and thus only the eastern regions from which BRITAIN COULD STRIKE AMERICA were heavily fortified. Later, when the threat from America increased, these same regions became the areas which must be defended.
The flat Peninsula in Western Canada was the breadbasket of British North America. Largely English-speaking, most of the grain exported to Britain would arrive from these lands. However, the region had endured a tough year when the Grand Trunk railroad which carried these goods was cut off.
The eastern-most outpost was along the Detroit River in which only 1000 British Regulars and 3000 Canadian Regulars were posted opposite Detroit.
The British had few significant warships on Lakes Huron or Erie. The fleet assembled by Admiral Porter sailed from the Mississippi, up Lake Michigan, down Lake Huron, through the Detroit River and into Lake Erie simply was unstoppable. The handful of armed British-Canadian ships were butchered or attempted to flee to anchorages up streams.
This allowed General McPherson and his Cavalry Commander General Custer to cross the Detroit River a few dozen miles away from the British camp and land unopposed in Canada. 12,000 well armed men followed in their wake. Porter's flotilla, whose transports were not needed by MacPherson, would tarry only long enough to ensure a safe passage. Porter then departed across Lake Erie leaving one Ironclad to dominate the Detroit River.
Buffalo
A week later, Porter's fleet reached Buffalo on the eastern shores of Lake Erie. Here, General Hancock, now fully augmented by his old Corps and bearing the burden of commanding 14,000 men (about the most Buffalo could hold, even in spring), would happily board Porter's ships and any others he could scratch up on short notice and sail across the Lake to south-eastern portion of the peninsula near Kingston, Canada.
Again, the landing would not be seriously contested due to the lack of local soldiers and huge area to cover.
Plattsburg
Yet another small town bursting with soldiers, Plattsburg would see her first soldiers marching north, less than a dozen miles to the border and another 30 to Montreal and the St. Lawrence. The narrow strip of land south of Montreal was lightly inhabited but the British forces would have adequate intelligence from local sources and room to maneuver in the primordial (to the British anyway, the local French majority found the woods fairly tamed) forest to challenge Joseph Hooker.
Island Pond, Northern Vermont
After the battle of Plattsburg, General Robert E. Lee would assemble his own army to the train tracks of the Grand Trunk RR. Advance supplies had been quietly assembled near the Canadian border over the winter and a small garrison of lookouts and scouts been put on hand. It was a gamble as a spoiling operation by the British might have burned the supplies before any reinforcements arrived.
But no such operation took place and Lee ordered 6000 men onto the trains (there were eight locomotives pulling an average of 15 cars a piece). Given the relatively short distance and potential for sabotage, Lee ordered the trains to drive no faster than 15 miles per hour and, before each train, rolled a series of inspectors on manual-powered vehicles to ensure the tracks were intact. Thus it took nearly 24 hours for the procession to reach the last American town before the border where the army may safely disembark.
This was not only the last major station south of the border but the half-way point between Portland and Montreal. From here, Lee's army would have to walk.
Fort Garry, Rupert's Land
The Metis (mix of French Canadian and Indian) majority around the vicinity of Fort Barry were taken entirely by surprise. Many barely knew there was a war on.
1500 Union Cavalry and 400 allied Indians reached the isolated British settlement and assume control with nary a shot fired.
General Rosecrans would explain to the locals that private property would be respected provided that no resistance was offered. The goods of the trading companies however, were forfeit. Food, weapons, blankets, tools and other necessities were spread among the American soldiers. Meanwhile, furs, hides and other transferable goods were divided among the Dakota Indians who promptly turned around and rode home.
As Rosecrans brought the Indians as much to keep them out of trouble as anything else, he shrugged and wished them well (he was comforted that his agreement ensured their good behavior by promising their pay and other reimbursement over the next year rather than in advance) as he ordered his men to build shelters for the winter. He was informed it got mighty cold here, even by Minnesota standards.
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The British do not need to land a force to take and hold California. What they need is a mobile force that can hit the goldfields or shipments gold and move on.
This could tie down large union forces who have to chase them. A combination of Paul von Lettow Vorbeck and Ned kelly.
Cutting telegraph lines treating up railroad tracks, bridges and any other mischief they can think of. Kidnaps of senior union officers or politicians.Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Nevada was more silver mines than gold.
They do not need to give the weapons to the Indians only supply them to traders or smugglers who will move them on. even the idea this happens will keep even more union troops tied down looking for them. There were somewhere in the area of 50,000 Indians in California at the time. even having them as guides would be a big advantage.
In a dry year starting fires can cause all sorts of problems
Possible solution: Give north MS/AL/GA back to the First Nations. Basically undo the Trail of Tears. Offer small landowners from those areas the estates of the old planter class in the southern half of those states, or homestead land out west. Be generous.
Then the British don't have anything to offer the Natives and you bought off white Southerners.
I wonder do the British have any of these yet?
en.wikipedia.org
Will the British be hiring German/swiss etc mercenaries like they did with the Hessians
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hessian_(soldier)
They could promise them land grants in America or elsewhere in the empire. There are a lot of German speakers already in America so this could make German Americans suspect.
Gatling gun - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hessian_(soldier)
They could promise them land grants in America or elsewhere in the empire. There are a lot of German speakers already in America so this could make German Americans suspect.
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Imperial 1914
Banned
Would Lee run for president 1868 in TTL since he was not a general in the confederacy
I think his heath and age would be against him. He died in edit 1870.
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If he died in 1970, I think he would be doing pretty well for himself, considering he was born in 1807 and all.
I don't think he would. He did not seem overly interested in politics and I doubt the electorate would want a southern plantation owner who volunteered to fight for the south.
I wonder do the British have any of these yet?
Will the British be hiring German/swiss etc mercenaries like they did with the HessiansGatling gun - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hessian_(soldier)
They could promise them land grants in America or elsewhere in the empire. There are a lot of German speakers already in America so this could make German Americans suspect.
I'll be commenting on these in the next few chapters.