IV. The Redcoats’ Revenge!
A cool War of 1812 graphic I found online.
With the curtain closing on the Napoleonic Wars, Britain now bolstered by its victory over its ancient enemy of France turned its attention westwards towards the ever irritating thorn in its side: The United States. Prior to Napoleon's death at the Battle of Leipzig, the British had been actively involved in the Americas. As Spain stumbled, Britain took advantage of its old rival's weakness and supported rebellions against the Spanish Crown with arms and generous financial assistance as part of its foreign policy to maximize control if not at least influence in the region. And in North America, despite the fact that the fledgling Republic had won a long and protracted war for its independence, only a few short decades earlier, Britain still sought to keep the young Republic under its sphere of influence. This desire inevitably resulted in it coming once again into conflict with the United States whose government was committed to enforce its national sovereignty.
While the lead up to the war was all but inevitable when viewing the conflict in hindsight, the war was still undesirable to both parties. The War had after initially begun in response to the conditions set by the then ongoing Napoleonic Wars. The United Kingdom found the Royal Navy with an increasingly worsening shortage of sailors, so it began impressing (forcefully conscripting) men from stopped American ships. The act was justified by the British as they claimed that they were seizing men who were suspected of being British born, or were British deserters. Regardless of the justification they gave, the act was a blatant violation of American sovereignty from the US government's perspective. This however wasn't the only cause of the war as there were many other economic issues in addition to festering geopolitical concerns such as the fact that Britain was supporting Native American tribes who the American settlers moving westwards, were already in conflict with. The British to their credit had actually tried to avoid the war by repealing the Orders of Council [1] which was the original cause of the initial dispute with Britain, but the message had arrived too late with hostilities now well underway.
The war at this point was mostly a sort of stalemate for both sides with neither party really gaining an advantage over another, but that all changed with the Battle of Bladensburg. The Battle, or more accurately as it is termed in American historiography: The Humiliation of Bladensburg was where the fortunes of the Americans turned for the worst.
Prior to Napoleon’s death, the war in the Americas was stalled with the British adopting a much more cautious and indirect strategy. With its superior economic strength and naval superiority, Britain initiated a blockade of key American ports. It also invaded and occupied several coastal islands to be used as forward operating bases for coastal raids. And though not decisively defeated militarily, the Americans found their economy being slowly strangled to death.
However despite the scales of war favoring the British, the conclusion of the war in Europe put Britain in a very uncomfortable position. With the war now decisively over, the British government now had to come to grips with the true cost of the war. Britain, as the primary fiscal benefactor of the various anti-Napoleonic coalitions, bankrolled its other allies with generous subsidies/fiscal aid and arms in the face of France and its Grand Armee’s overwhelming might. The war’s end and Britain evacuation of troops from the continent put the added strain of the demobilization troops upon the British government. Thus Britain’s objective in the war shifted towards bringing it to a swift conclusion so that they could negotiate a favorable peace agreement from a position of strength.
As part of this more aggressive strategy, the British forces began acting with more initiative. And thanks to earlier repulsion of the American invasion of Canada, the Canadian counteroffensive, and incoming reinforcements coming from Europe, the British feeling confident in their future prospects, pressed forward with their saber aimed at the heart of the young American Republic.
The lead up to the Humiliation of Bladensburg was followed by an increase in raiding by the Royal Navy clearing the way for the landing of British troops while also depriving the Americans of resupply and communication by the sea. This prelude to battle could best be described as a testament to the superior organization of the British military forces as opposed to severe failure and incompetence on the part of the American defenders. The source of incompetence can be traced to Brigadier General William H. Winder who failed to make appropriate defensive preparations in the wake of the incoming British march towards Washington DC. The fact that he lacked to construct proper field fortifications outraged his political opponents during his later court-martial hearing leading many to speculate that he was engaging in treason by aiding the British.
A portrait of Brigadier-General William Hinder whose incompetence led to the Humiliation of Bladensburg. Hinder rather than earning his position through merit on the battlefield obtained his high post through his familial connections to the then Federalist Governor of Maryland, something which would have dire consequences for the future of the party in American politics.
As a part of the Chesapeake Campaign the British force was aimed towards the American Capital. With the British controlling the Chesapeake Bay, they sent two different forces to serve as a diversion for the American defenders. The British commanded by Major-General Robert Ross took advantage of this to reach Nottingham. From Nottingham he continued towards Upper Marlboro where he was faced with the choice of either advancing towards Washington DC, or Baltimore. Baltimore was a large and significant trading port which would give the Crown’s forces the clear advantage should it fall into British hands. However Washington DC was the nation’s Capital, its capture would give the British a symbolic victory, and in their minds, would be more likely to demobilize the Americans into suing for peace. With the head cut off the beast, the British hoped that they would have enough leverage to sue for a much more favorable peace.
A portrait of Major General Robert Ross: the man who captured President Madison and led the British to capture Washington DC.
Faced with this dilemma, Ross spent quite some considerable time deliberating on this matter, holding his army on standby. This deliberation however caused him to lose his initial momentum because had he pressed forward in a relentless push to DC, he likely would have caught the Americans by surprise and would have been able to take the city without much resistance. And at the urging of his subordinates, Ross decided to press forwards towards Washington DC which on the route there led him to the fateful battle of Bladensburg.
In order to defend Washington DC, Windell theoretically had a force of roughly 15,000 men under his command. However in reality he had far fewer numbers to work with as the American defenders he could only muster were roughly 1,500 militia men, 120 dragoons, and 300 regular infantry troops [2]. The largest unit within this makeshift army, the militiamen, were both poorly trained and ill-equipped. This combined with many logistical issues brought about by the then Secretary of War John Armstrong Jr’s misguided naivete that the British would not dare attack the Capital hampered effective coordination of the nation’s resources to defend Washington DC. This fact was recognized by Windell and his men which likely contributed to a general decrease in morale prior to the battle.
The British with skillful use of deception and its superior numbers were able to overwhelm the American defenders. However, due to Winder’s incompetence and failure to manage a proper retreat, this led to the defeated forces leaving the battlefield in a hasty and chaotic manner. Instead of trying to regroup and mount a defense of the Capital from an enemy attack, the troops fled in fear for their lives. However the shock of this disgraceful defeat pales in comparison to the political fallout of the battle. President Madison wanted to oversee the battle as part of an attempt to boost the low morale among defenders by exercising his position as Commander in Chief. He was thus present on the battlefield along with several other key government officials. No doubt he tried to project an image of strength and resilience in the face of the enemy, likely inspired by President Washington who famously took over command of the army and personally led troops to crush the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794. However the sudden and chaotic retreat of the American forces during what was termed “The Bladensburg Races, “ took Madison and the members of the Federal government by surprise. And with the British rapidly advancing on their position, they tried desperately to flee, only to be surrounded leading to President Madison and several other government officials getting captured. The disgraceful retreat in the face of an enemy attack on the Capital, and capture of a sitting President thus led to the battle of Bladensburg being termed in American history as the Humiliation of Bladensburg.
A painting depicting the Americans desperately trying to mount a defense against the British at the Battle of Bladensburg.
With President Madison and many key government officials captured, the government was now thrown into chaos as it was left headless due to the absence of a Chief Executive. And now that the American defenders were thoroughly crushed at Bladensburg, the capital was largely left defenseless causing fear and panic to grip the denizens within the city. Within the rest of the United States, news of the battle caused public opinion to turn against the war with many American troops becoming demoralized as a result.
Thus on the 24th of August, the British entered the city largely unopposed. Ross however prudently had first of his forces entering the city consisting of his most experienced troops should any defenders remain to try and resist the British capture of the city. Once within the city, the British began systematically razing key government buildings choosing to largely spare civilian and residential properties. Many important governmental buildings such as the Library of Congress, the United States Capitol Building, the White House, etc were razed to the ground. But some of these fires had started to spread of control leading to several civilian homes being caught in the ensuing flames. This led to many survivors of the battle who had fled into the city after the disaster at Bladensburg along with some fellow armed citizens becoming enraged at the looting and destruction of various cultural landmarks and governmental buildings. This anger manifested into various smaller bands of citizens and militiamen engaging in smaller skirmishes with the British troops. And in one such engagement, Major-General Robert Ross was hit with stray enemy fire leading to his death. The enraged troops now egged on by Ross’ advisor, Cochraine, unleashed their wrath upon the city engaging in retaliation against the denizens of the capital with the rest of the city being set ablaze in the ensuing chaos after the rest of the city was thoroughly sacked. The Sack of Washington as the event was now labeled in both British and American historiography, led to a general sense of Anglophobia spreading throughout the nation for many years to come with the event being compared to Vandal sack of Rome 455 in the American public consciousness. Though surprisingly enough while the Capital was sacked, Cochrane made sure to treat President Madison and the captured American government officials in accordance with proper diplomatic protocol while they were under British custody.
A painting depicting the British burning the White House during the Sack of Washington.
With Washington DC in ruins, the British moved towards Baltimore hoping to capitalize on their victory and the US’ in its severely weakened state wishing to gain the maximum amount of leverage possible to negotiate a favorable peace settlement from a position of strength. Baltimore being a large and wealthy port city made it a vital strategic location for whoever controlled. Its immediate proximity to the American capital also allowed the British to reinforce their position to try and strong arm the Americans during peace talks by holding their capital and their President over their heads.
The Battle of Baltimore was a hard fought and bloody affair for both sides, but the British had two main advantages on their side the first being the lack of morale and war weariness among the American soldiers and general public, and the superior firepower and better organization of the Royal Navy and the British Army. Still the Americans despite the odds against them, made a valiant effort at defending the city unlike the severe failure and incompetence shown during the Battle of Bladensburg. During the siege of Fort McHenry the Americans sank their own ships at Baltimore harbor to impede the landing of British troops and to obstruct British vessels trying to enter Baltimore. The British however determined to take the city, began a relentless bombing campaign on the fort. Though this did little structural damage to the fort being quite modernized and well constructed. Despite all of this, what finally turned the tide was a chance event whereby a rocket artillery shell landed on a gunpowder magazine within the fort that ultimately caused a massive explosion destroying Fort McHenry.
With the fort destroyed, any survivors from McHenry who were lucky enough to be actually outside the fort itself, fled for their lives. Major General Samuel Smith who commanded the Maryland militia, withdrew his sizable force of 10,000 men [3] from the city itself fearing the worst for a more defensible position outside the city. Either way the withdrawal of troops causes panic to spread throughout the city as the citizens of Baltimore fearing the worst as news of what happened to Washington had by now reached the city. With the tide of the battle turning in their favor, the British ceased their bombardment of the city and began landing troops within it, beginning a full scale invasion. The Governor of Maryland Levin Winder who ruled the state from the capital city Baltimore, was forced to take drastic action in order to respond to the new state of events. In an attempt to spare the city of a sacking, he soon entered negotiations with the British and which resulted in the British forces entering the state capital without a fight. Governor Winder in negotiations agreed to open up the city without offering resistance in exchange for the British agreeing to spare the city and its citizens.
With the Fall of Baltimore, President Madison’s capture at the hands of the British, and Washington DC finally taken and razed to the ground, the war-weary and now thoroughly shaken and demoralized public had turned against the war and demanded peace. Within New England there were calls for secession among some members, though this view was not shared by the general public in the region. The British similar to the Americans, had also wanted to negotiate peace. Though they wanted it from a position of strength now that the US was severely weakened. But there was no real government to actually negotiate with. This was largely thanks to the aftermath of the Battle of Bladensburg where the President and several key members of the federal government were captured by the British effectively leaving the United States government decapitated now that it no longer had a sitting Chief Executive to lead the Young Republic in its time of great peril [4]. Though as for President Madison and the other members of his Cabinet, they were taken to Britain where they would be taken to London where they would be held under house arrest until the war’s conclusion.
A portrait of President James Madison: the first and only sitting President to ever have been captured on the battlefield. After the war's end he was released and allowed to finish his term, but he largely withdrew from the Public and most government functions after falling into a deep depression over the misfortune the US had suffered under his leadership.
As the War of 1812 involved fighting in multiple theatres, such as in the Atlantic Theatre which involved notable battles such as the Humiliation of Bladensburg or the Battle of Baltimore, there was also fighting in the Northeast towards the Canadian border. Part of the motivation for the US entering the war in the first place was so that they could potentially gain more territory from the British portions of North America, particularly Quebec. Many Americans saw the War as a Second Revolution of sorts and thus sought to use the war as a means to try and expel the British from the continent just as they did from the United States.
As France and Britain had been historic enemies for centuries with the two peoples’ differing religions (Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism/Protestantism) worsening this existing divide, it was assumed that the Quebecois would have little love lost for their British overlords and would join the invading American forces. But this did not happen as much to the Americans’ dismay; the Quebecois stayed loyal to the British Crown and fiercely resisted American attempts to “liberate” them and instead fought side by side with the British colonists. Many of them were descended from the American Loyalists who were dispossessed of their lands and property for supporting the Crown leaving many of them with a bone to pick with the Americans invaders. It didn’t help that the invading Americans looted lands that they occupied. The resentment from the looting of York after all was what partially motivated the Sacking of Washington.
Many troops arriving from Canada wanted to settle the score with the Americans which no doubt raised their morale as they pushed forward into the Northern United States. This ultimately culminated in what was the Battle of Plattsburgh as part of British attempt to push from the Southward into New York State as part of an ambitious plan to capture New York City. The Battle despite its outcome was actually quite a close affair as Captain George Downie who commanded the HMS Confiance, and was the most experienced British commander during the battle, was nearly killed by cannon fire during the initial exchange between the HMS Confiance and the USS Saratoga. Both ships battered each other with gunfire leaving them quite heavily damaged. Though unfortunately for the Americans the USS Saratoga suffered extensive damage with much of her crew either dead and worse of all its Captain Thomas MacDonough had been killed as part of this initial barrage leaving the ship leaderless allowing for the British to win the naval battle granting them supremacy over Great Lakes. And with this victory Sir George Prevost: the Governor-General of Canada, felt confident enough to advance upon Plattsburg taking the city, giving the British more leverage at the peace table. Yet despite this great victory, British manpower and logistical issues prevented them from pressing further into the state towards New York City.
A painting depicting the fierce naval battle on Lake Champlain during the Battle of Plattsburgh.
With Washington DC reduced to ruins, the survivors of the government had to find a new place to reconvene and use as a temporary seat of government. The obvious choice was the city of Philadelphia. The city had the required prestige and political and historical significance for such a move. The city was the site of the Continental Congress which was the intellectual and political heart of the American Revolution which led to the United States’ formation in the first place. In many ways this move was quite poetic as they were forced back to their Revolutionary center in another war against Britain. To many it likely seemed that this was a second American Revolution against the British who sought rather than outright conquest of the United States, the economic subjugation of the nation rendering it effectively a puppet state at London’s beck and call. Of course the fact that they were losing this war didn’t help with morale, and thus the provisional government opened negotiations with the British hoping to salvage something of a tenable peace. Despite the great peril facing the nation, the situation was somewhat stabilized by the work of acting President John Galliard who took over the reigns of the Chief Executive after the Humiliation of Bladensburg. According to the provisions set by the 1792 Act of Presidential succession the President would be succeeded by the Vice President followed by the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate. Unfortunately after receiving the shocking news about President Madison’s capture, Vice President Elbridge Gerry's health took a turn for the worse and he collapsed, passing away from what appeared to be a stroke [5]. This left President Pro-Tempore of the Senate John Galliard with the duty to lead the Young Republic in its time of crisis. And despite the war’s outcome and the humiliating peace the government was forced to sign, his own personal reputation as a man of great character and impartial judgement remained unscathed and improved thanks to his handling of the nation during the last days of the war and its eventual aftermath.
However in midst of all this darkness for the fledgling American Republic, there stood one bright spot who many saw as a hero in face of an endless stream of national humiliations. The actions and military record of General Andrew Jackson during the War made him out to be a national hero to the public though more modern historiography and scholarship has made him out to be a much more controversial and quite polarizing figure [6]. Andrew Jackson became nationally renown during the Creek War where he successfully prosecuted campaigns safeguarding American interests. With his victory over the Creek tribes he managed to force them into surrendering massive amounts of territory to the United States in what is today the states of Georgia and Alabama. To the American public who had been clashing with Native Americans during the course of the war and in their attempts at settlement of new lands Westwards, Andrew Jackson’s popularity skyrocketed.
A painting depicting Andrew Jackson leading troops during the Battle of New Orleans.
But where Andrew Jackson really earned his popularity was at the Battle of New Orleans where he repulsed a British invasion of the city despite the British forces’ advantage in numbers, training, organization, and equipment. Unlike in the other battles of the war, the British forces entered the Battle feeling overconfident after their pivotal victories at Bladensburg and Baltimore and thus poorly executed their plans with the victory at New Orleans being termed unofficially by the Americans as the “miracle of New Orleans.” To the American public which was forced to watch helplessly as the President was captured, the capital was sacked and then razed to ground. Jackson's victory was a fresh breath of air to a nation which held its breath hoping for the disaster not to get any worse.
Despite this triumphant victory, Jackson’s role in the aftermath of the war as there was a general sense of discontent bubbling to the surface in New Orleans, the city which he defended and governed. With the British attack incoming, Jackson had placed the city on full lockdown implementing Martial Law whereby he as the senior military officer in the area wielded supreme authority with civilian administration being suspended. And While there were some tensions between the Anglophone and largely Protestant Americans troops, the largely Francophone denizens of the city accepted these state of affairs in order to defend the city. As much as the Louisianais [7] had misgivings with the Americans they were not keen on being conquered by the British. And despite being sold by France, the French of Louisiana still inherited the animosity for the British as part of the multi-century long rivalry between France and England (now the United Kingdom).
But with the battle now won and the British forces repulsed, it was expected that the Martial Law would now be ended with there being a return to normalcy, but this didn’t happen much to the people of New Orleans’ dismay. Instead Jackson maintained martial within the city citing the possibility of potential British counterattack looming. The people of New Orleans however took issue with this reasoning as news had reached them that the British were in negotiations with the Americans to mete out a peace treaty. Jackson however remained paranoid about the city’s prospects and refused to hand over power. To be fair to Jackson, the nation and the federal government were in turmoil as the Chief Executive had been captured with the Capital City in ruins and occupied by foreign troops.
Despite this, Jackson who was from a more rural southern background distrusted the people of the city whom he regarded as foreign. New Orleans along with the rest of the Louisiana Purchase had only recently been annexed by the US and had previously been part of the Spanish Empire and the French Empire. As such the majority of its inhabitants were Catholic Spanish or French speakers which caused quite a bit of friction between the Anglo-Protestants. Jackson however who was from this rural Protestant background distrusted the citizens of New Orleans viewing the city as foreign and cosmopolitan. As such he ruled with an iron fist within the city, prosecuting all those who challenged his authority. Most infamously he ordered the arrest of the State Senator Louis Loaullier and a District Court Judge Domnic Hall for daring to question him. Louallier was imprisoned while Judge Hall was banished from the city.
However the disgruntled citizens’ annoyance at Jacksons’ policies turned into outrage as Jackson’s increasingly harsh and authoritarian rule was more than they could stomach. The harsh lockdowns of the city had also disrupted commerce throughout the city with many families now facing severe economic hardship as a result of this loss of income. Since New Orleans was a major hub for commerce and trade, continued martial law would be nothing but ruinous for the city. Recognizing this, a delegation of prominent citizens mostly made up of the Latin (French/Spanish) population in the city tried arranging for a meeting with General Andrew Jackson exercising their rights to petition the government for a redress of their grievances. And in order to try and make the delegation more agreeable to Jackson, they placed Jean Baptiste Plauché, an ally and supporter of Jackson at the head of the delegation. Plauché was notable for commanding the “Battalion of Orleans,” a militia group called up to defend the city. And as Plauche was also of Francophone background he was seen as an ideal candidate to speak on behalf of the city denizens.
A portrait of Jean Baptiste Plauché a Founding Father of the Louisiana Revolution.
But contrary to the delegates expectations, the talks went nowhere as Jackson lashed out at them and accused them of insubordination and treason. He then had many including Plauché arrested, planning on court-marshalling them. However a few members managed to escape and took shelter in a local Church where they were provided sanctuary by the sympathetic clergy. Jackson’s soldiers then surrounded the building demanding the surrender of these “fugitives” into their custody. However the local clergy remained steadfast, refusing to let armed men into a sacred place of worship. A large crowd had also been forming around Church as well with the local congregation instead demanding the release of Plauché and the other delegates as they were simply petitioning for redress. Tensions began growing as the crowd became more rowdy with the divisions between the largely Protestant Americans and Catholic Spaniards and French became more apparent. Tensions soon boiled over as the American troops tired of the impasse began forcing their way into the Church. Other people in the crowd soon rushed to try and stop them and in the ensuing scuffle a soldier’s rifle fired into the crowd. The crowd outraged at this became violent and a full scale riot erupted throughout the city.
Jackson, angered by what he saw as treasonous behavior, soon called up the rest of his forces and brutally crushed the brief revolt with many of its leaders executed. For the French speakers in Louisiana the action was seen as a gross violation of their rights and this only served to deepen the divide and animosity between themselves and the Americans who saw Jackson’s actions as justified. These actions however would have far and wide reaching consequences in the future.
Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, diplomatic negotiations were being conducted at the city of Ghent whereby the British were able to impose a harsh peace treaty on the Americans. Despite the impressive victory at New Orleans, the result mattered little in the grand scheme of things as the Americans had thoroughly lost the war. For the British, seizing New Orleans would have simply been the cherry atop their sundae dessert. The American military was beaten with the population now weary of war and the nation essentially driven to bankruptcy leaving it unable to actually conduct an extended war. Part of this treaty forced harsh territorial cessations upon the Americans. The British annexed the disputed Massachusetts District of Maine outright designating it a new Crown Colony of Nova Hibernia (New Ireland). The British also annexed small bits of the Northern Louisiana Territory into British ruled North America where it was incorporated into Prince Rupert’s Land. The British annexed northern portions of the state of New York into Upper Canada ensuring British control over the Great Lakes.
In addition to this the British despite Tecumseh’s death were able to secure the interests of their Native American allies with the Americans fiscally ruined and unable to continue the war. Tecumseh’s brother Tenskwatawa was able to maintain a small group of followers. The British appointed him as the head of a rejuvenated Confederacy using him as a largely pliant figurehead for their own interests in the hopes that this Native American Confederation would serve as a buffer against the Americans who would no doubt eventually try to avenge their humiliation in years to come. Though this Confederacy was operating on borrowed time as without the dynamic leadership of Tecumseh, and the demographic disadvantage the Native Americans had compared to white settlers, the Confederation’s fall was not a matter of if, but when.
While the Young Republic was beaten and humiliated it however remained intact and would never forget this humiliation with the seeds being sown for another reckoning as the Bald Eagle after nursing its wounds would once again seek to spread its wings once more.
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Author's Notes:
[1] The Orders of Council were a set of laws passed by the British government aimed at strangling the French economy where the British would forcibly conscript American sailors . These laws were the main trigger that led to the war beginning in the first place.
[2] I used Wikipedia as a reference for some of the details surrounding the battles for things such as the number of troops involved and the names of some key figures involved in the battle. My old laptop broke which caused me to lose a lot of my old notes and other such materials. That's actually part of the reason why I haven't really updated my Komnenian TL in so long.
[3] I went off some of my old notes that I could salvage for that figure, though I'm honestly quite unsure exactly how many troops he commanded. If anyone has an exact number please let me know so I could correct this.
[4] This actually almost happened during the battle in otl. If you notice I'm not going into that much detail about the battles as they're quite similar to otl, though a few minor divergences have changed their outcomes significantly. To illustrate my point at the otl Battle of Leipzig the French Army nearly captured Tsar Alexander, the Prussian King, and a bunch of their staff officers. Had the French actually captured them, then this might have been a "Miracle of the House of Brandenburg" type moment for Napoleon that would have likely allowed him to keep a status quo peace.
[5] I remember my history professor saying that this was his cause of death during lecture, though I couldn't really find anything to prove or disprove this. And Gerry was quite old anyway, so I can imagine a shock like this might plausibly cause his health to fail like this as he only lived a little bit longer than the battle in otl.
[6] This is quite similar to otl actually though it might be even more so due to the nature of some of the divergences I have planned for the US. Though as I'm still American, it won't really be a trope of America becoming a grim-dark dystopia or an America-screw. I'll try my best to try and write a natural progression of events for the US.
[7] I think this is the French translation for the word Louisianans.
Either way this chapter is the longest one yet. I really hope you guys enjoy reading it. Also sorry for the long wait time in between chapters. I know I initially said I was going to cover Spain, but I decided to follow things in a chronological order, and as the war of 1812 ended right after the Napoleonic wars, it made sense to cover this topic next.
I'll also try and publish a map when I get a chance.
Also I'd like to thank
@Sārthākā for helping me brainstorm some of my ideas for this chapter. As you can probably tell, I was inspired by some of the developments in his tl:
The Revenge of the Crown. It's quite an entertaining read and I highly recommend it.
