Chapter 1: Divine Providence
Hello All! This is my first attempt at writing an alternate history timeline. I have had this ear worm in my head for months and have decided to finally write it down. I'm not much of a writer but I hope I'll be able to convey the vision I have properly. I have a rough outline between 1865 to 1914, not sure if I will go past that point but we'll see. Thanks to all who read it!
Ford's Theatre
Washington, DC
"I turned to speak to my fiancé, Clara and saw a man pointing a small pistol at the President. I knew I wouldn't make it in time but jumped up to charge at him anyways, hoping to at least distract him and hope for a miss. Divine Providence intervened, however, as the pistol misfired. The assassin then dropped the pistol and went for a knife. You know the rest, I am just thankful I was able to do my duty and help protect President Lincoln."
- Henry Rathbone, former Union Officer, Consul to Hannover, and retired member of the US House of Representatives
Interview on August 6th, 1926
Henry Rathbone, then Major and later Colonel, gave those remarks in an interview two days before his death, he was survived by his wife and 3 children. He was widely mourned as the hero that saved the President from certain doom. He could not be faulted thinking Divine Providence was involved, for even though the .44 caliber Derringer pistol misfired, it only takes a quick glance at the knife behind its display case in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, to know that Lincoln still could have died that night had Major Rathbone not acted as quickly as he did. John Wilkes Booth, forever infamous for his attempt on Lincoln, would die by a wound when the knife he tried to use was pushed into his stomach while wrestling with the Major for control. He would die of those wounds within the next half hour, quickly bleeding out, though it is stated that Lincoln did call for a doctor to try and save the man.
Many counterfactuals have been written and discussed, both in print and online, regarding what could have happened to the country if Booth had succeeded, thankfully we never have to know. What is certain, is that while John Wilkes Booth lay dying at Lincoln's feet he began to talk and Lincoln (against Rathbone's objections) leaned close to hear the words of a dying man. Rathbone could only hear bits of what was said, as it was barely above a whisper, but whatever it was Lincoln's already gaunt appearance looked even paler and thinner and his expression turned grim. As Lincoln never wrote or spoke of what was said by Booth, we can only speculate based off of Rathbones later recollection, in which he stated;
"I could barely hear anything from him (Booth) but I did hear some words, including "our negroes" and the phrase "there will never be peace while they are here". Then the man died spewing one last insult saying, "If only I had succeeded, I would shouting 'Sic semper evello mortem tyrannis', and you would be the one dying."
Three days later Lincoln would request a joint session of Congress, so that he may speak on his plans regarding reconstruction and what to do with the newly freed negroes. Whatever Booth said, most certainly impacted Lincoln for in the speech he gave on the fifth day after the attempt on his life. Throughout the war he had tried some limited colonization efforts around the Caribbean and even send some freed slaves to Libera, however he decided this was not feasible and stopped the efforts late in the war. He would, however, reverse course and was now against the idea of integrating the former slaves into the society (at least in the Southern US), believing the best course was for as many as possible to either be shipped back to Africa should they desire, or to give them land of their own within the current US borders and he had just the place in mind.
As part of their recompense for rebellion, Texas would not be readmitted without agreeing to Ratify the 13th amendment and to part with territory from the 35th parallel north on the Texas panhandle, giving it to an expanded Indian Territory that Lincoln proposed would then be split into two territories. The left part becoming the Territory of Oklahoma, that would eventually become home to over Two Million freed slaves. While the right half would become the Territory of Sequoyah, run for and by the Five Civilized Tribes. The debate that exploded afterwards was intense, though with the increased presence of Radical Republicans after the 1864 elections passage was essentially assured as they wanted harsh punishment for the South. The debate would drag on until October.
Then on Friday, October 13th, the US Congress passed the Slave Reparation Act of 1865. It was a day since the middle ages in Europe seen as bad luck but now, it is celebrated as an unofficial holiday in Black communities across America. While there were definitely detractors, like Frederick Douglass who initially saw this a a way for white America to push the black man out of what he believed was their country, most agreed it was the best of a bad situation. For even in the North during (and preceding the war) racism was rampant and blacks, while having freedom, were not truly treated as equals to whites. The downside to the resolution is it increased partisan resistance in Texas, with the war not officially being declared over until April of 1866. Of course, Texas was actually still officially in insurrection as they had not yet put together a Congressionally approved state government or state Constitution, Texas would be the last Confederate state re-admitted to the Union in 1870. Sadly, President Lincoln would not live to see a truly reunified United States of America, dying in February of 1870, one month before Texas was re-admitted. One major event that ended 1865 on a positive note was the official ratification of the 13th amendment on December 6th, 1865.
However, that was still several years into the future. In the meantime, while Lincoln and Congress discussed Reconstruction and the resettlement of freed blacks, Lincoln also had a few headaches to deal with on the international front. We will delve into these more in the next chapter, starting with Lincoln's modification of the Monroe Doctrine in how he dealt with the French in Mexico, the British in Honduras (modern day Belize), as well as the problematic filibuster in Nicaragua by William Walker that was, astoundingly, still going on as 1865 was coming to a close. It would only be decades later that the truth behind how he stayed in power could come to light and it would sour US relations with Britain and France for generations.
Chapter 1: Divine Providence
Chapter 1: Divine Providence
April 14, 1865Ford's Theatre
Washington, DC
"I turned to speak to my fiancé, Clara and saw a man pointing a small pistol at the President. I knew I wouldn't make it in time but jumped up to charge at him anyways, hoping to at least distract him and hope for a miss. Divine Providence intervened, however, as the pistol misfired. The assassin then dropped the pistol and went for a knife. You know the rest, I am just thankful I was able to do my duty and help protect President Lincoln."
- Henry Rathbone, former Union Officer, Consul to Hannover, and retired member of the US House of Representatives
Interview on August 6th, 1926
Henry Rathbone, then Major and later Colonel, gave those remarks in an interview two days before his death, he was survived by his wife and 3 children. He was widely mourned as the hero that saved the President from certain doom. He could not be faulted thinking Divine Providence was involved, for even though the .44 caliber Derringer pistol misfired, it only takes a quick glance at the knife behind its display case in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, to know that Lincoln still could have died that night had Major Rathbone not acted as quickly as he did. John Wilkes Booth, forever infamous for his attempt on Lincoln, would die by a wound when the knife he tried to use was pushed into his stomach while wrestling with the Major for control. He would die of those wounds within the next half hour, quickly bleeding out, though it is stated that Lincoln did call for a doctor to try and save the man.
Many counterfactuals have been written and discussed, both in print and online, regarding what could have happened to the country if Booth had succeeded, thankfully we never have to know. What is certain, is that while John Wilkes Booth lay dying at Lincoln's feet he began to talk and Lincoln (against Rathbone's objections) leaned close to hear the words of a dying man. Rathbone could only hear bits of what was said, as it was barely above a whisper, but whatever it was Lincoln's already gaunt appearance looked even paler and thinner and his expression turned grim. As Lincoln never wrote or spoke of what was said by Booth, we can only speculate based off of Rathbones later recollection, in which he stated;
"I could barely hear anything from him (Booth) but I did hear some words, including "our negroes" and the phrase "there will never be peace while they are here". Then the man died spewing one last insult saying, "If only I had succeeded, I would shouting 'Sic semper evello mortem tyrannis', and you would be the one dying."
Three days later Lincoln would request a joint session of Congress, so that he may speak on his plans regarding reconstruction and what to do with the newly freed negroes. Whatever Booth said, most certainly impacted Lincoln for in the speech he gave on the fifth day after the attempt on his life. Throughout the war he had tried some limited colonization efforts around the Caribbean and even send some freed slaves to Libera, however he decided this was not feasible and stopped the efforts late in the war. He would, however, reverse course and was now against the idea of integrating the former slaves into the society (at least in the Southern US), believing the best course was for as many as possible to either be shipped back to Africa should they desire, or to give them land of their own within the current US borders and he had just the place in mind.
As part of their recompense for rebellion, Texas would not be readmitted without agreeing to Ratify the 13th amendment and to part with territory from the 35th parallel north on the Texas panhandle, giving it to an expanded Indian Territory that Lincoln proposed would then be split into two territories. The left part becoming the Territory of Oklahoma, that would eventually become home to over Two Million freed slaves. While the right half would become the Territory of Sequoyah, run for and by the Five Civilized Tribes. The debate that exploded afterwards was intense, though with the increased presence of Radical Republicans after the 1864 elections passage was essentially assured as they wanted harsh punishment for the South. The debate would drag on until October.
Then on Friday, October 13th, the US Congress passed the Slave Reparation Act of 1865. It was a day since the middle ages in Europe seen as bad luck but now, it is celebrated as an unofficial holiday in Black communities across America. While there were definitely detractors, like Frederick Douglass who initially saw this a a way for white America to push the black man out of what he believed was their country, most agreed it was the best of a bad situation. For even in the North during (and preceding the war) racism was rampant and blacks, while having freedom, were not truly treated as equals to whites. The downside to the resolution is it increased partisan resistance in Texas, with the war not officially being declared over until April of 1866. Of course, Texas was actually still officially in insurrection as they had not yet put together a Congressionally approved state government or state Constitution, Texas would be the last Confederate state re-admitted to the Union in 1870. Sadly, President Lincoln would not live to see a truly reunified United States of America, dying in February of 1870, one month before Texas was re-admitted. One major event that ended 1865 on a positive note was the official ratification of the 13th amendment on December 6th, 1865.
However, that was still several years into the future. In the meantime, while Lincoln and Congress discussed Reconstruction and the resettlement of freed blacks, Lincoln also had a few headaches to deal with on the international front. We will delve into these more in the next chapter, starting with Lincoln's modification of the Monroe Doctrine in how he dealt with the French in Mexico, the British in Honduras (modern day Belize), as well as the problematic filibuster in Nicaragua by William Walker that was, astoundingly, still going on as 1865 was coming to a close. It would only be decades later that the truth behind how he stayed in power could come to light and it would sour US relations with Britain and France for generations.
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