Glory: an alternate War of 1812

[Odinson]

1815-1875: Tecumseh's Legacy

Tecumseh's dream of a land for his people was realized in the aftermath of the War of 1812.

Tecumseh 1768-1852

The Confederacy received concessions of land from the United States, it's territories encompassing northern Indiana and much of the Michigan peninsula. A capital was officially established at the settlement of
Tippecanoe. The nation, for its first years, shunned the ways and technology of the white man, the teachings of Tenskwatawa still holding sway. But by the 1820s, Grand Chief Tecumseh had managed to convince the other, more traditional tribal leaders of the importance of modernization.

The nation was a confederation of many tribes, including the lenape, Shawnee, Miami, Pottawatomie, Wea, Kickapoo, and others. Each tribe maintained its own small army that would be a component of the larger national army.

In the mid 1830s, the native people of the Confederacy began to let in small amounts of white settlers, assuming they met certain qualifications. In order to keep up with it's neighbors, the Confederacy began the slow process of industrializing. Whites from the east coast brought money and some built small factories along the waterfront of the great lakes. These immigrants formed a small, yet important class in Confederate society. This class was known by the derogatory name of "the Yankee Tribe".

Tecumseh's Confederacy had an economy mostly relient on the export of fish and crops, with a small percentage being clothes manufactured in cottage factories. Each of the major tribes had it's own capital city that was subservient to Tippecanoe.

In 1848, partly inspired by the American Revolution and the revolts in Europe, Tecumseh and the other chiefs drew up an official constitution. This constitution established the tribal lands as individual "states" (ex: state of Shawnee, state of Miami) and replaced the position of grand chief with a prime minister to appear more "civilized" to the British and American governments.

Tecumseh died of pneumonia at the age of 84 in the capital on April 7th, 1852. His funeral was observed by his nation and delegates of the United States and the United Kingdom.

The Confederacy remained neutral during the Anglo American War.

 

[Odinson]

Something I've been thinking about, due to Andrew Jackson's actions, the civil rights movement of the 1960s has been pretty much butterflied away.

 

[Odinson]

A Very Canadian Revolt: 1866-1876

From Ontario to Quebec, to Nova Scotia, to New Brunswick, and even Rupert's Land, Canada simmered. Her citizens fought through peaceful means against Parliment in London. "We are not British, we are not British colonists, we are Canadians!"

Alexander Roberts Dunn naturally took the lead of the movement. From '66 to '69, peaceful demonstrations took place in cities such as Ottawa, Fredericton, and Quebec City, protesting British control. The movement was divided along ideological lines; some were advocating for complete independence, others greater autonomy.

On March 5th, 1869, a protest turned into a bloodbath. Nobody is sure who fired the first shot, but it was nonetheless the spark that lit the fire. Militias were raised on both sides, Parliment ordering the army not to engage. "We must let tensions cool, lest we further fan them."

Fortunately for the rebels, former Federated States general Braxton Bragg was in town. Bragg, and close to 7,000 former Federals had immigrated to the Canadas in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War. These settlers were still independence minded, some had even created an organization dedicated to buying an island in the Caribbean.

Bragg raised 500 troops for the the rebels. This would be known as the "1st Grey Back regiment." By May, the rebels had raised 3,034 soldiers. The loyalist raised 3,203. Almost evenly matched.

The two armies clashed, wounding and killing many. A seperate conflict was happening in the great lakes regions of Michigan and Wisconsin. These areas were more inclined to stay British, seeing as they were never retaken by the Yankees. Many in America wondered what stance President Stuart would take. Stuart remained silent on the matter, not wanting to provoke a fourth war with Great Britain.
(1st: American Revolution
2nd: War of 1812
3rd: Anglo American War)

The United Kingdom creamed the rebels at sea and managed to defend Nova Scotia. The rebels, however, could retreat further inland and buy arms and munitions from the Americans. This was denied by the American government, of course. By 1873, 4,000 American volunteers crossed the border and fought against the British. The population of the UK, demoralized and war weary, began to question the point of trying to keep them. Others, after defeat in 1858 and 1859, were determined to crush the revolt at all costs.

In late 1874, the rebels and British government reached an uneasy peace agreement that ended the conflict temporarily. Ontario, Wisconsin, Michigan, and lower Qubec would be "allowed to go their own way" as it was put. The rest of the rebellious areas were placed under martial law for the next two years before returning to civilian rule.

"Free Canada" as some called it, was officially called the dominion of lower Canada. The British, planning on subduing it at a later point. The rebels proclaimed it the Republic of Canada. Alexander Roberts Dunn (of course) was elected as the first Lord Protector of the Republic.

 

[Odinson]

Flagging you down

Cherokee
Admitted: March 5th, 1832


Creek
Admitted: October 6th, 1833


Rubrum
Admitted: May 17th, 1839



Albion
Admitted: September 7th, 1869

Missouri
Admitted: June 5th, 1876


Iowa
Admitted: August 3rd, 1876

Hanover
Admitted: December 26th, 1876

Hanover, Missouri, and Cherokee were made by @Marc Pasquin

 

[Dante]

I like how the state of Hanover just straight up ripped off the Royal Standard of Hanover, not even going to bother adding a star or something. I'm all for it, it beats the hell out of most seal on a blue background flags of most U.S. states

 

[Odinson]

I like how the state of Hanover just straight up ripped off the Royal Standard of Hanover, not even going to bother adding a star or something. I'm all for it, it beats the hell out of most seal on a blue background flags of most U.S. states

I think it's pretty nice. Marc Pasquin made most of them.

 

[Odinson]

The white in the top left corner represents the snow of Canada. The bear represents the spirit of the Canadian people. The elk and moose are derived from Hudson's Bay Company coat of arms. The shield is from the English Commonwealth under Lord protector Oliver Cromwell, a nod to English republicanism. The blue around the two beasts represents the Great Lakes. The black symbolizes those who died in their conflicts, with the sword symbolizing the will to protect the people of Canada.
The Latin phrase translates to " I strive towards higher things."


This is the first flag I ever made on my own. I'm a little proud.

 

[Odinson]

The Blaine Presidency: 1881-1885

James G Blaine, the 18th president, took office on March 4th, 1881.

President Blaine in 1881.


The newest president had been a protectionist before hand, but was now promoting free trade, particularly with Latin America. Blaine tasked his secretary of state to help negotiate an end to the Pacific War in 1882, though not without some territorial revisions. (It's goes just like OTL).


Blaine always had his eyes on the international stage. Blaine in 1882 granted recognition of the Republic of Canada. This infuriated Great Britain. Though, by the 1880s, they had lost control of most of it due to pro-independence civilians taking control of the local governments in the area. Blaine, in line with his campaign promise on civil service reform, signed into law the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883.


Blaine failed to win a second term, much of his fall being due to the scandals that surrounded him. He lost to Democratic Grover Cleveland. But, shortly after election day, the United States was invited to a conference in Berlin. From November 15th, 1884 to February 26th, 1885, various powers (including the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the German Union, the Prussian led Imperial Germany, and others) met to divide the continent. It was here that America was awarded it's first Colonial possession. Seeing America as an outside power that kept to itself, and thus not destabilizing the balance in Europe, it was granted control of the Congo. Thus, annexation of the area was Blaine's last act as president of the United States.


American Congo: 1885-1887


With the recent annexation of the Congo, President Grover Cleveland ordered a small detachment to the coast of the colony. 800 soldiers were dispatched alongside 200 civilian government employees. The ships made landfall at the port of Matadi on the left bank of the Congo river. The Congo was placed under the control of a newly created department: the Department of Overseas Holdings. Two men of particular importance were sent: George Armstrong Custer and William Mahone.

George Custer

William Mahone


These two men were sent to establish order in the region, Mahone appointed to serve as Governor General of the Congo, and Custer to serve as the commander of the Colonial Army. Mahone promised to combat the east African slave trade. The African chiefs played an important role in the administration by implementing government orders within their communities. Due to the large expanse of the territory, american control was patchy in the beginning.

Almost as soon as he reached the interior, Custer was thrust into battle with the Zanzibari sultans and slavers, powerful warlords who had control of much of the interior. American soldiers made daring raids into the interior alongside the natives of the region to capture slavers. On Custer's orders, and often not revealed to Mahone, the slavers were often executed upon the extraction of any information.


Custer and Mahone did not often get along. Custer, a veteran of the Apache War and the Comanche War, was reckless and arrogant. Mahone, a veteran of the South Carolina campaign during the Civil War, was more composed and level headed. This led to a great many heated arguments between the two.


I don't have a title for this one: 1887


The New York Times, June 18th


America's Jewel

In the heart of Africa, our brave boys continue to fight the good fight against the warlords of the interior. Supported by the sultan of Zanzibar, slavers wreck havoc, stealing away innocent Congolese to be sold and traded in the east. Colonial Governor Mahone issued a statement, promising that the warlords would be brought to heel. Brigadier general George Custer was not in Matadi at the time for a comment.


Mahone has invited renowned botanist George Washington Carver to tour the colony and inspect the soil for proper documentation. American businessmen are currently racing to the area to invest in the lucrative rubber industry.


Honoring A Giant

"I'm just glad we made some progress," said congressman Abraham Lincoln on the third of this month. "President Davis was an accomplished man, presiding over the defeat of the British and the annexation of the colonies of Hanover and Albion. If not for him, we could still be confined east of the Mississippi."


Lincoln introduced a resolution for a memorial for President Davis that was widely supported in the lower house. The Davis Memorial resolution is currently being voted on in the Senate.


States of the First Americans: 1832-1887


By 1887, there were three states dominated by the first people's. The first of them, the state of Cherokee, was founded in 1833 with its capital at New Echota in northern Georgia.


Also created later that year, the Creek state was created out of eastern Mississippi territory (the OTL Alabama counties of Jackson, Marshall, Dekalb, Cherokee, Etowah, Calhoun, Cleburne, Talladega, clay, Randolph, tallapoosa, chambers, Lee, Macon, Russel, Barbour, Henry, Houston, Madison, St. Clair, and Blount) with its capital at Horseshoe Bend.


The last of the three was the state of Rubrum (the rest of OTL Alabama) in 1839 with its capital at Wedowee. This state was populated by tribes of the muskogean family, including the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Alabama, apalachee, calusa, coushatta, and the yamasee.


Here, the tribes were able to protect their cultures and practices to a degree. Certain aspects, such as Chickasaw polygamy, came into conflict with the national government. The states restricted white settlement to only a few hundred a year to preserve their homeland. As time marched on, slow industrialization was introduced to the areas. Mining in particular took hold in Cherokee while metal works were equally popular in northern Rubrum. Creek remained primarily agrarian.


Culturally, the stories and myths of the first nations captivated young children when they were published in a series of books. Children across the south were intrigued by the sun stealing animals and Little Deer.


Joining the army was seen as an honorable profession by all the southeastern tribes. Many men from these three states distinguished themselves in the Anglo American War of 1857-1858. Many men left these States to go north or south and enlist during the Civil War when their States refused to join either side. Slavery was still widespread by 1864, but secessionist influence wasn't strong enough for any state to side and join the Federated States of America. This was due to, in no small part, the remembrance of President Houston's effort to preserve their land.


After the war and the passage of the 13th amendment, slavery "died" in a formal sense. Due to their neutral status, the occupation and reconstruction of the surrounding states was never imposed by the national government upon Cherokee, creek, and Rubrum. Instead, sharecropping was introduced and used to oppress poor blacks in the states, as well as various taxes and tests used to prevent blacks from voting.


Rumble in The Jungle: 1887-1888


William Mahone, governor of the American Congo, thought he had done a good job. He encouraged a build up of the rubber industry, but prevented Congolese exploitation. The Congo was being divided into administrative regions for proper representation, that way the people of the Congo could chart their own path.


Then he got word of Custer's actions in the interior. Custer was in charge of rooting out the warlords and slavers, and apparently he thought the best way to do this was by seizing control of the interior as his personal domain. Mahone, furious at the insubordination, ordered Custer to return to Matadi. As expected, Custer failed to respond.


Mahone ordered the 15th Virginia infantry regiment under the command of Colonel Darrel Harper to retrieve Custer to be court-martialed. The 15th departed from the capital Matadi to the growing city of Blainesburg (OTL Kinshasa) to supply themselves for the long trek. The regiment also swelled in size as it called for volunteers from the local population. Marching for three weeks, the 15th Virginia encountered the remains of a charred Village. The place had been burned by Custer's men for refusing to submit to his will. As they probed deeper, the sight became more common. George Armstrong Custer had evidently gone mad.


On August 14th, 1887, Custer was found deep in the heart of the Congo basin. And it was a nightmare. Custer forced the population to join his army and fight the warlords, or he burned them in their homes. "Fight or Die." Moral was low in "Fort Custer" when the regiment found the area. When Harper called for Custer to surrender, only a small group of diehards resisted, the rest thankful that the colonial authority was here to take down the rogue commander. The diehards were killed in a shootout with some scattering into the wilderness. Custer was apprehended and marched back towards the coast. He languished in a cramped jail cell for moths. Before being executed in early January, 1888 via public hanging.




U.S. Presidents

1789-1797 George Washington (independent) 1st

1797-1801 John Adams (Federalist) 2nd

1801-1809 Thomas Jefferson (DemRep)3rd

1809-1817 James Madison (DemRep) 4th

1817-1825 DeWitt Clinton (Federalist) 5th

1825-1827 Rufus King* (Federalist) 6th

1827-1829 Timothy Pickering (Federalist) 7th

1829-1837 Sam Houston (Democrat) 8th

1837-1841 David Crockett (Democrat) 9th

1841-1848 John Quincy Adams* (Libertarian) 10th

1848-1852 Daniel Webster* (Libertarian) 11th

1852-1853 Millard Fillmore (Libertarian) 12th

1853-1861 Jefferson Davis (Democrat) 13th

1861-1866 Winfield Scott* (Libertarian) 14th

1866-1869 Schuyler Colfax (Libertarian) 15th

1869-1873 Samuel J Tilden (Libertarian) 16th

1873-1881 James Ewell Brown Stuart (Democrat) 17th

1881-1885 James G Blaine (Libertarian) 18th


*Died in Office

 

[Gabingston]

American Congo: 1885-1887

With the recent annexation of the Congo, President Grover Cleveland ordered a small detachment to the coast of the colony. 800 soldiers were dispatched alongside 200 civilian government employees. The ships made landfall at the port of Matadi on the left bank of the Congo river. The Congo was placed under the control of a newly created department: the Department of Overseas Holdings. Two men of particular importance were sent: George Armstrong Custer and William Mahone.
View attachment 466321
George Custer

View attachment 466322
William Mahone

These two men were sent to establish order in the region, Mahone appointed to serve as Governor General of the Congo, and Custer to serve as the commander of the Colonial Army. Mahone promised to combat the east African slave trade. The African chiefs played an important role in the administration by implementing government orders within their communities. Due to the large expanse of the territory, american control was patchy in the beginning.

Almost as soon as he reached the interior, Custer was thrust into battle with the Zanzibari sultans and slavers, powerful warlords who had control of much of the interior. American soldier made daring raids into the interior alongside the natives of the region to capture slavers. On Custer's orders, and often not revealed to Mahone, the slavers were often executed upon the extraction of any information.

Custer and Mahone did not often get along. Custer, a veteran of the Apache War and the Comanche War, was reckless and arrogant. Mahone, a veteran of the South Carolina campaign during the Civil War, was more composed and level headed. This led to a great many heated arguments between the two.

Was their any... umm... hand chopping?

 

[Odinson]

Was their any... umm... hand chopping?

Nope. American Congo isn't going to be as bad as the Belgian Congo. Though, there is going to be a power struggle between Mahone and Custer before the end of the 19th century.

 

[Odinson]

The German Union: 1869-1887

The German Union, die Deutsche union, was formally created in 1869 from the west German confederacy. Also known as West Germany by its neighbors, has it's capital located in the city of Munich. The GU, in the spirit of the 1848 revolution, adopted a constitution similar to the one proposed by the Frankfurt Parliament.

The German Union was ruled by the king of Bavaria under a semi constitutional monarchy. The king retained the power to appoint a "Periclesian" (a homage to Pericles, the ruler of Athens in its golden age) who functioned much the same as a chancellor or prime minister. Instead of being chosen from the Reichstag, the Periclesian was elected by the people. King Ludwig II (ruled 1868-1886), in a vein similar to that of his grandfather, Ludwig I, wished to emulate classical Greece, including its democracy (with improvements). Under the Periclesian was the Reichstag, which was split into two houses: the Staatenhaus and the Volkshaus.

The German Union continued its industrialization, railroads linking its states. Looking protect itself from the newly formed German Empire (often called East Germany), the GU formally declared an alliance with Denmark in the 1870s, as well as forming better relations with the second French empire. Looking for prestige, the German Union joined the hunt for new colonies. By the late 1880s, the German Union possessed it's first colony, and thus the crown jewel of the empire: Kamerun (OTL German Cameroon).


Flag of the German Union. Based on the design of flags flown at the Hambach Festival in the 1830s.

 

[Odinson]

U.S. Presidents
1789-1797 George Washington (independent) 1st
1797-1801 John Adams (Federalist) 2nd
1801-1809 Thomas Jefferson (DemRep)3rd
1809-1817 James Madison (DemRep) 4th
1817-1825 DeWitt Clinton (Federalist) 5th
1825-1827 Rufus King* (Federalist) 6th
1827-1829 Timothy Pickering (Federalist) 7th
1829-1837 Sam Houston (Democrat) 8th
1837-1841 Davy Crockett (Democrat) 9th
1841-1848 John Quincy Adams* (Liberty) 10th
1848-1852 Daniel Webster* (Liberty) 11th
1852-1853 Millard Fillmore (Liberty) 12th
1853-1861 Jefferson Davis (Democrat) 13th
1861-1866 Winfield Scott* (Liberty) 14th
1866-1869 Schuyler Colfax (Liberty) 15th
1869-1873 Samuel J Tilden (Liberty) 16th
1873-1881 James Ewell Brown Stuart (Democrat) 17th
1881-1885 James G Blaine (Liberty) 18th

*Died in Office

looking at the list, I just now realized that none of the presidents from the Liberty Party served a full two terms. They were either one termers or they died during their second term (and Webster died in his first).

 

[Odinson]

So, are there anything in particular that y'all would like to see in this timeline?

 

[Odinson]

So, just out of curiosity, does anybody think this is an America Wank? I'm trying to be realistic in the timeline.

 

[Dante]

I love the Custer as Kurtz idea!

 

[Odinson]

I love the Custer as Kurtz idea!

Kurtz?

 

[Dante]

Heart of Darkness? It was a short story that would eventually influence "Apocalypse Now". Kurtz (in the book) is a rouge ivory trader in the interior of the Congo who more or less makes himself a god to the natives.

 

[Odinson]

A Build-up Towards Ruin: 1887-1904

In 1887 Imperial (or east) German and Russian alignment was secured by means of a secret Reinsurance Treaty arranged by Otto von Bismarck. However, in 1890 the treaty was allowed to lapse in favor of the Dual alliance between Germany and Austria-Hungary. This development was attributed to Count Leo von Caprivi, the Prussian general who replaced Bismarck as chancellor. It is claimed that the new chancellor recognized a personal inability to manage the European system as his predecessor had and so he was counseled by contemporary figures such as Friedrich von Holstein to follow a more logical approach as opposed to Bismarck's complex and even duplicitous strategy. Thus, the treaty with Austria-Hungary was concluded despite the Russian willingness to amend the Reinsurance Treaty and sacrifice a provision referred to as the "very secret additions" that concerned the straits.
(Source: Wikipedia, causes of ww1)

Von Caprivi's decision was also driven by the belief that the Reinsurance Treaty was no longer needed to ensure Russian neutrality in case the German Union attacked Germany and it would even preclude an offensive against the Union. Lacking a capacity for Bismarck's strategic ambiguity, the new chancellor pursued a policy that was oriented towards "getting Russia to accept Berlin's promises on good faith and to encourage St. Petersburg to engage in a direct understanding with Vienna, without a written accord." (Source: Wikipedia: causes of ww1). In 1892, Russia secured the Russo-French Alliance. This move was prompted by the Russian need for an ally since, during this period, it was experiencing a major famine and a rise in anti-government revolutionary activities. This alliance was gradually built through the years starting from the time Bismarck refused the sale of Russian bonds in Berlin, which drove Russia to the Paris capital market. This began the expansion of Russian and French financial ties, which eventually helped elevate the Franco-Russian entente to the diplomatic and military arenas. (Source: Wikipedia: causes of ww1).

Tensions with East Germany/ Imperial Germany forced the German Union to find allies. With its main rival finding a friend in Austria-Hungary, the GU sought an alliance with France. France also had a bone to pick with Austria Hungary. The two battled for influence in the Italian peninsula, hoping to dominate it. The issue between the United Kingdom and France stemmed from their empires. The scramble for colonial possessions had reignited the rivalry.

Britain found itself drifting towards the Dual alliance as a counterweight to France, Russia, the German Union, and Denmark. By 1902, the United Kingdom had formed an alliance with Japan to challenge Russia, who's adventurism in Asia alarmed both.

America for the time remained content with it's isolationism. That would not last. Anglo American tensions never really cooled after the Anglo American War of 1857-1858, and the arguably provocative actions of the cape colony during Cecil Rhodes Premiership didn't do anything to relax them. Many in America, Democrat and Libertarian, expected a war no later than 1910. The Republic of Canada also planned for a war with Britain as well, aimed at securing the entirety of the east coast.

It wasn't a question of if a war was coming, it was when.

 

[Odinson]

Freedom in Freedonia: 1876-1904

Shortly into Grover Cleveland's second term, the occupation of Freedonia officially ended. A new government was formed during the late 1870s, this time with black participation. During American occupation of the region, the previous slave laws were disbanded. The opposition to the move was met with bayonets. Unofficially, several prominent representatives who wished for a return to chattel slavery were quietly executed by the Freedonian Interior Safety Service (F.I.S.S.) after William Sherman and his forces left.

Militants, black and white, were dealt with harshly, facing public hanging. The nation remained primarily agrarian, and was in no mood to be drug into the 20th century. Any attempts by the government to invest in increased industrialization was vigorously resisted. There was a widespread belief that people from the rual areas were morally superior to city folk. This came to be known locally as "bumpkin honor." Few places in the small country possessed telegraphs, mostly government affiliated. Electricity was rare as well.

There was a perk to living outside of cities. In the aftermath of the Great Slave Revolt, many farms were forced to come together to form collective plots and share resources. This ment that people lived in closer knit communities than before, protecting them from bandits and thieves. And the F.I.S.S.

The Freedonian Interior Safety Service was widely distrusted by the general population, everyone hearing tales of people being taken in the night. The fact that the people who were taken were ussualy planning insurrection or riots never made it into the light of day until decades later.

Overtime though, the organization turned it's eyes to people with more dubious connections to these groups. Informants peppered the cities like lice, latching on to any and all leads. The motto of the F.I.S.S was "see like Argos", eyes everywhere. Many people feared a knock on their door in the night. In 1899, Xerxes Smalls (a former slave) accended to the position of director. From there, he used his position to not only root out insurrection and law breakers, but also tried to take out corruption. His predecessor, a man named Luther Bliss, had used the position to settle old scores with personal enemies and appoint friends to high positions, leaving much of the agency overrun with sycophants. Smalls purged the agency of the old guard, appointing more capable men to the positions.

 

[Dante]

Great update, loved the Luther Bliss name drop!