Forgotten potential Generals of the 18th and early 19th centuries

[Alt History Buff]

All,

Thought I'd kick this out to the group. I'm looking for some new characters to insert into my TL's and amateur novels and I often use this forum to test the feasibility of my ideas.

I like to add in some "Forgotten" personnel whom, for one reason or another, died young or were cast aside from potential powerful posts where they might have made a difference in history. Their "blank slates" allow a freedom to design their characters.

General timeframe is them reaching adulthood from 1750 (leadup to 7 Years War) to 1850 (leadup to American Civil War), with a concentration on western history (Europe and the Americas).

Any ideas?

Here are some examples, many I've used in my TL's/Novels:

Comte de Gisors (only son of the French General Duc de Belleville) - died young in 7 Years War, I have him as a major character in my amateur Revolutionary War novels.

George Howe (excellent young British officer, killed at Ticonderoga) - I've wanted to add this character several times but I have yet to do so.

10th Viscount Clare, 10th Earl Thormond (Jacobite Peerage) - Scion of exiled Wild Geese in France, died of "natural causes" at 17 just prior to American Revolutionary War. I'm adding him to my current novels as a Lafayette contemporary serving the French in India.

John Andre - Executed British officer in American Revolutionary War (espionage)

Nathan Hale - Executed American officer in American Revolutionary War (espionage)

Francis Pearson - British soldier - Battle of Jersey

Stephen Decatur - American War of 1812 Captain killed young in duel

Zebulon Pike - American explorer - I used him in one of my TL's when he became President in the 1830's.

Francis Dade -American Soldier

Several potential Kings whom died young before they could ascend - includes Louis XVI's elder brothers, the Duke of Kent (Victoria's father), etc.

The key is that they be young, talented and taken before they could make their mark on history.

I always like interesting personalities as well: Aaron Burr, Ben Franklin, William Pitt the Elder, Robert Clive, Lafayette, John Wilkes, Tippoo Sultan, etc, whom make good characters.

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[Green Painting]

Jean Victor Marie Moreau was not a blank slats, but a possible substitude for Napoleon.

 

[Geordie]

He wasn't young when he died, but a Sir John Moore who survived Coruna (sorry, don't know how to type the tilde) would potentially have effects on the Peninsular War.

 

[hzn5pk]

William Travis - 26 when lost at Alamo
James Bonham - also in his twenties when he fought bravely and died at the Alamo
James Fannin - fits the category of dying young, probably would never be heard of though if it was for the Goliad massacre

Nathaniel Lyon - was 43 when killed in action at Wilson's Creek, but showed initiative early for Union generals, would like to have seen what it would have been like if he survived and was given command in a theater that mattered. But then again, if he had risen, maybe Grant would not have ....

Patrick Cleburne - mid thirties, promising Confederate general in the West, he probably would not have impacted ACW much as North just too strong, would have liked to see what his career would have been post ACW, he had progressive views towards African Americans, in fact he wanted to enlist them sooner than what the CSA actually did

James McPherson - mid thirties, Sherman's right hand man before dying in Atlanta campaign, if he survives, does Sheridan's star rise, probably does. McPherson probably joins Sherman on march to sea and then through Carolinas.

 

[Anaxagoras]

Richard Montgomery: former officer in the British Army who became a Major General in the Continental Army when the Revolutionary War broke out. Killed December 31, 1775, during the assault of Quebec. Seemed to show real gifts, IMHO.

 

[Anaxagoras]

Patrick Cleburne - mid thirties, promising Confederate general in the West, he probably would not have impacted ACW much as North just too strong, would have liked to see what his career would have been post ACW, he had progressive views towards African Americans, in fact he wanted to enlist them sooner than what the CSA actually did

His actual views on slavery are basically unknown. He said in a letter to his brother that he "cared nothing" for slaves, which is far from the attitude of a closet abolitionist, though he was obviously not a pro-slavery Fire-Eater. His emancipation proposal was military common sense, in his opinion (he was right), but he obviously didn't understand how deeply slavery was intertwined with Southern society. We must remember that Cleburne was an Irish immigrant and had not been brought up in the South.

Interestingly, we know that Cleburne kept a diary during the war, but it vanished when he was killed at the Battle of Franklin in November of 1864 and has never been found. Probably it's sitting in some dusty, forgotten chest in the back of an old lady's attic somewhere, waiting to be found. I'm sure it would make for interesting reading.

James McPherson - mid thirties, Sherman's right hand man before dying in Atlanta campaign, if he survives, does Sheridan's star rise, probably does. McPherson probably joins Sherman on march to sea and then through Carolinas.

Grant and Sherman really liked him, but he made more than a few mistakes during the war. Had he been more aggressive at Snake Creek Gap in May of 1864, the Union forces could have bagged the entire Army of Tennessee at the onset of the campaign. And that July, he was unaccountably slow and cautious when approaching Atlanta from the east, giving the Confederates the opportunity to concentrate their forces against the Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Peachtree Creek. Not quite sure he was cut out for independent command.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Jean Victor Marie Moreau was not a blank slats, but a possible substitude for Napoleon.

Always a good person, I may also add Kleber who was assassinated in Egypt after Napoleon left.

 

[Alt History Buff]

He wasn't young when he died, but a Sir John Moore who survived Coruna (sorry, don't know how to type the tilde) would potentially have effects on the Peninsular War.

A good idea and an underutilized character. He served under Ralph Abercromby, whom I've used once or twice.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Richard Montgomery: former officer in the British Army who became a Major General in the Continental Army when the Revolutionary War broke out. Killed December 31, 1775, during the assault of Quebec. Seemed to show real gifts, IMHO.

You called it. I'm using Montgomery in one of my TL's.

 

[Alt History Buff]

William Travis - 26 when lost at Alamo
James Bonham - also in his twenties when he fought bravely and died at the Alamo
James Fannin - fits the category of dying young, probably would never be heard of though if it was for the Goliad massacre

Nathaniel Lyon - was 43 when killed in action at Wilson's Creek, but showed initiative early for Union generals, would like to have seen what it would have been like if he survived and was given command in a theater that mattered. But then again, if he had risen, maybe Grant would not have ....

Patrick Cleburne - mid thirties, promising Confederate general in the West, he probably would not have impacted ACW much as North just too strong, would have liked to see what his career would have been post ACW, he had progressive views towards African Americans, in fact he wanted to enlist them sooner than what the CSA actually did

James McPherson - mid thirties, Sherman's right hand man before dying in Atlanta campaign, if he survives, does Sheridan's star rise, probably does. McPherson probably joins Sherman on march to sea and then through Carolinas.

I've used the Texans a few times, and Cleburne but have little knowledge of McPherson. I'll look up his bio.

 

[FPSlover]

Two other cases to consider:

Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Ferguson: A promising officer in his early thirties regarded as the best shot in the British army who was crippled at Brandywine and died at King's Mountain. He also was the inventor of the Ferguson rifle and could have killed Washington at Bransywine, but did not. He could feeaubly survive the war and refine his rifle. The repercussions of him being able to be the spokesman of his rifle (and possibly get it adopted by a regiment or two) would be interesting....

General Sir Banastre Tarleton: Though a relatively famous officer (made famous by both his deeds during the American Revolution and the character smearing movie "The Patriot"), he never held a field command after the American Revolution. Historically, he wanted command in the Peninsula over Wellesley, but did not get it. If he did, things would get interesting...

 

[John Farrier]

Lt. Col. Charles Mawhood was a capable British army officer during the American Revolutionary War. Howe and Cornwallis thought highly of him. But he died at Gibraltar in 1780.

 

[Just a Rube]

Not exactly young or unknown, but Antonio Jose de Sucre was assassinated when he was only 35; one of Bolivar's most successful generals, he certainly could have played a major role in the squabbles among the newly independent Latin American nations.

I should probably throw in a shout-out to Thomas-Alexandre Dumas just for the coolness factor.

The Mexican War killed several politicians-turned soldiers who might otherwise have been prominent. I'd especially mention Henry Clay Jr. (son of that Henry Clay), John J. Hardin (a prominent Illinois Whig, and an associate of Abraham Lincoln) and Thomas Hamer (who both Grant and Taylor thought very highly of; Grant in his memoirs actually speculates a little about what would have happened if he had survived).

 

[Galba Otho Vitelius]

Off the top of my head, a number of American Civil War generals were killed in battle. The only two army commanders to meet this fate were McPherson, mentioned above, and Albert S. Johnston on the Confederate side, but there were quite a few corps, divisions, and brigade commanders. Limiting the list to corps and division commanders that showed promise, but were killed off by 1863, and you get Stonewall Jackson on the Confederate side, and Reynolds, Kearney, as well as Lyons on the Union side. And the federal government had problems in getting competent commanders into senior command slots.

In the American War of Independence, the only notable commander killed in action really was Montgomery, but given eighteenth century politics you have a few examples of generals who were sidelined who could have been good if they had been given a larger role. I think the best example of this is Percy on the British side (did well in the early battles but quarreled with Howe). Other examples are the British government replacing Carlton with Burgoyne, and while Henry Clinton wound up as the Commander in Chief in North America, he was put in the position when the British had already started to withdraw forces from the theater. He was pretty much the only senior British officer who had a clue about strategy and it would have been interesting to see what he could have done earlier if he had not been sidelined as Howe's # 2. On the American side you have Benedict Arnold, though after he switched the British had him conduct a few raids.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Two other cases to consider:

Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Ferguson: A promising officer in his early thirties regarded as the best shot in the British army who was crippled at Brandywine and died at King's Mountain. He also was the inventor of the Ferguson rifle and could have killed Washington at Bransywine, but did not. He could feeaubly survive the war and refine his rifle. The repercussions of him being able to be the spokesman of his rifle (and possibly get it adopted by a regiment or two) would be interesting....

General Sir Banastre Tarleton: Though a relatively famous officer (made famous by both his deeds during the American Revolution and the character smearing movie "The Patriot"), he never held a field command after the American Revolution. Historically, he wanted command in the Peninsula over Wellesley, but did not get it. If he did, things would get interesting...

Good call on Ferguson, I've never used him and I believe he was politically connected as well, thus no doubt he would have risen through the ranks without being halted due to low birth.

Tarleton, I think I may have used but I'll look back. He did make an evil villain in the Patriot.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Lt. Col. Charles Mawhood was a capable British army officer during the American Revolutionary War. Howe and Cornwallis thought highly of him. But he died at Gibraltar in 1780.

Never thought of him though he was nearing 50 in 1780.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Not exactly young or unknown, but Antonio Jose de Sucre was assassinated when he was only 35; one of Bolivar's most successful generals, he certainly could have played a major role in the squabbles among the newly independent Latin American nations.

I should probably throw in a shout-out to Thomas-Alexandre Dumas just for the coolness factor.

The Mexican War killed several politicians-turned soldiers who might otherwise have been prominent. I'd especially mention Henry Clay Jr. (son of that Henry Clay), John J. Hardin (a prominent Illinois Whig, and an associate of Abraham Lincoln) and Thomas Hamer (who both Grant and Taylor thought very highly of; Grant in his memoirs actually speculates a little about what would have happened if he had survived).

I'll definitely use Dumas sometime and hadn't thought about Clay Jr.

 

[FPSlover]

Good call on Ferguson, I've never used him and I believe he was politically connected as well, thus no doubt he would have risen through the ranks without being halted due to low birth.

Tarleton, I think I may have used but I'll look back. He did make an evil villain in the Patriot.

I am surprised that more people don't know of Ferguson considering what affect he had on the US. Had he killed Washington at Branywine, the US (and likely the world) would be a much different place.

As for Tarleton, don't use the Patriot as a source as the man's actions were totally out of touch with any account of him (he never shot a child in cold blood, never burnt down a church or forced people into one and then burnt it). Meanwhile, in the only massacre to his name (Warhax), he played little role. Really, the man was a good commander who for political reasons was kept out of command.

 

[TRH]

Russian Lieutenant General Aleksey Melissino died at the Battle of Dresden in 1813. I bring him up mainly because his father was a renowned artillery officer, and the family descended from a line of Byzantine nobles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissenos

I kind of want to see them become the kings of Greece in an ATL.

 

[Alt History Buff]

Russian Lieutenant General Aleksey Melissino died at the Battle of Dresden in 1813. I bring him up mainly because his father was a renowned artillery officer, and the family descended from a line of Byzantine nobles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissenos

I kind of want to see them become the kings of Greece in an ATL.

Good point idea. I've often used the son of the Great Russian General Suvorov as well. He died young in a minor border skirmish with the Turks.