Hello Everyone! Long time no see!
For those who do not know, I've been working on this idea for a while now, alongside many others, and now I want to get this TL started. The premise is simple: several of the British colonies in North America that rebelled OTL remain loyal. This new, loyal, nation remains loyal to Britain indefinitely, but must deal with a sovereign USA on their northern border. The purpose of this thread IS NOT to show off a finished or nearly-finished timeline, but rather to encourage discussion towards the development of one. Please comment and critique with all of your hearts! (Thanks and credit to those brave souls that participated in this thread!)
1745 - Primary Point of Divergence
At the Battle of Bloody Marsh, Spanish troops trounce local Georgian militias. Lord Oglethorpe asks for military support from Westminster and Britain promptly sends a Regiment of regulars. British troops establish a headquarters at Augusta City, Georgia and campaign against the Spanish.
1756 -
As the French/Indian war heats up, British troops seize Florida from the Spanish.
1757 -
American Settlers begin moving into Florida. [~8 years earlier than OTL]
1763-
Britain takes Cuba -- Without Florida, Spain has nothing to trade - Britain holds Florida, & Cuba.
1763 ~early 1770's
Britain Focuses on the Caribbean, and Gulf Coast, sending Troops and Settlers for Development. Augusta City begins to expand and is fortified. Guy Carleton becomes governor of North Carolina, as per Glen’s TL, and Canada faces unrest.
1770’s until around 1775-
A continental congress takes place with representatives from Virginia up to Quebec and Nova Scotia, and the parties vote for rebellion. Georgia, the Carolinas, Florida, and Cuba refuse to rebel. The *ARW begins.
1787 or so-
The *ARW ends with the Treaty of Paris and a successful Franco-Dutch-Spanish Intervention. The pro-US forces have far less success in the South than in OTL, and although the British are repelled to their heartland of Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas, the pro-US troops rapidly find themselves out of their depth in the south. More German mercenaries are hired than in OTL. The *United States of America forms, and Britain reorganizes the remainder of the southern colonies into the Loyal Augustan Colonies. In a fascinating move, 14,000 Hessian mercenaries are encouraged to remain in the colonies to both form a professional auxiliary force and to train local militias into a more formidable force. The Germans agree, spurred on by partial tax-exemption status and pensions.
1790’s~1810-
Tensions rapidly begin to increase in North America, particularly with the onset of the French Revolutionary Wars. Britain offers safe haven to the exiled and fleeing émigrés, offering them safety in her American colonies in particular. Some choose to immigrate to Augusta, others remain in Europe. During the war, Augustan troops and British regulars seize New Orleans and the area around it, including much of the OTL states of Arkansas and Louisiana. France, hoping to salvage a front which it was not prepared to defend, sells the Louisiana Territory to the United States at a severe discount. The US calls for Britain to abandon the area, but Britain claims that the French Republic had no right to sell land that was confiscated by the British. Spain and Britain sign a joint-defense pact for North America until such a time as the French Republic had been contained. The US, pressed by a strong Federalist Majority and President Alexander Hamilton prepare to mobilize against Britain before a desperate France orders the US to pay more for the already-purchased Louisiana purchase, somewhere in the realm of $17,000,000 more.
Hamilton, Congress, and the people of the US are outraged, feeling that France and the world does not yet respect their sovereignty. The US quickly signs a pact with Spain and Britain that no military action will occur in North America until the end of the French Revolutionary Wars. Ultimately, the French Republic remains unconquered, and an awkward peace returns to Europe with the Treaty of Amiens in 1803. The US, now that the war with France is over, presses Britain to concede New Orleans. Britain refuses. The Empire of Haiti successfully declares independence, and Napoleonic France pushes to restore French Rule. Britain fends off France and aids rebels in overthrowing the Empire of Haiti. After a dizzying series of political and diplomatic moves, Haiti becomes a free, self-governing British territory. Augustan politicians first begin motions to annex the new colony of Saint Dominic, but Britain refuses for the time.
The Napoleonic Wars begin as per OTL, with the US invading Augusta in pursuit of gaining New Orleans. The conflict, treated as separate from the overarching Napoleonic Wars, is dubbed both the Second Anglo-American War, and the War of 1805. The War against Augusta is a disaster, despite the US nearly seizing New Orleans. Spain intervenes on the English side in pursuit of regaining Louisiana. The Patriot capitol of Annapolis is burned to the ground by British troops, The War ends in 1807 with the Treaty of Quebec. The US retains the former British province of Quebec, but Augusta retains New Orleans and Spain regains control of much of the remaining Louisiana Purchase.
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What are your thoughts?
For those who do not know, I've been working on this idea for a while now, alongside many others, and now I want to get this TL started. The premise is simple: several of the British colonies in North America that rebelled OTL remain loyal. This new, loyal, nation remains loyal to Britain indefinitely, but must deal with a sovereign USA on their northern border. The purpose of this thread IS NOT to show off a finished or nearly-finished timeline, but rather to encourage discussion towards the development of one. Please comment and critique with all of your hearts! (Thanks and credit to those brave souls that participated in this thread!)
1745 - Primary Point of Divergence
At the Battle of Bloody Marsh, Spanish troops trounce local Georgian militias. Lord Oglethorpe asks for military support from Westminster and Britain promptly sends a Regiment of regulars. British troops establish a headquarters at Augusta City, Georgia and campaign against the Spanish.
1756 -
As the French/Indian war heats up, British troops seize Florida from the Spanish.
1757 -
American Settlers begin moving into Florida. [~8 years earlier than OTL]
1763-
Britain takes Cuba -- Without Florida, Spain has nothing to trade - Britain holds Florida, & Cuba.
1763 ~early 1770's
Britain Focuses on the Caribbean, and Gulf Coast, sending Troops and Settlers for Development. Augusta City begins to expand and is fortified. Guy Carleton becomes governor of North Carolina, as per Glen’s TL, and Canada faces unrest.
1770’s until around 1775-
A continental congress takes place with representatives from Virginia up to Quebec and Nova Scotia, and the parties vote for rebellion. Georgia, the Carolinas, Florida, and Cuba refuse to rebel. The *ARW begins.
1787 or so-
The *ARW ends with the Treaty of Paris and a successful Franco-Dutch-Spanish Intervention. The pro-US forces have far less success in the South than in OTL, and although the British are repelled to their heartland of Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas, the pro-US troops rapidly find themselves out of their depth in the south. More German mercenaries are hired than in OTL. The *United States of America forms, and Britain reorganizes the remainder of the southern colonies into the Loyal Augustan Colonies. In a fascinating move, 14,000 Hessian mercenaries are encouraged to remain in the colonies to both form a professional auxiliary force and to train local militias into a more formidable force. The Germans agree, spurred on by partial tax-exemption status and pensions.
1790’s~1810-
Tensions rapidly begin to increase in North America, particularly with the onset of the French Revolutionary Wars. Britain offers safe haven to the exiled and fleeing émigrés, offering them safety in her American colonies in particular. Some choose to immigrate to Augusta, others remain in Europe. During the war, Augustan troops and British regulars seize New Orleans and the area around it, including much of the OTL states of Arkansas and Louisiana. France, hoping to salvage a front which it was not prepared to defend, sells the Louisiana Territory to the United States at a severe discount. The US calls for Britain to abandon the area, but Britain claims that the French Republic had no right to sell land that was confiscated by the British. Spain and Britain sign a joint-defense pact for North America until such a time as the French Republic had been contained. The US, pressed by a strong Federalist Majority and President Alexander Hamilton prepare to mobilize against Britain before a desperate France orders the US to pay more for the already-purchased Louisiana purchase, somewhere in the realm of $17,000,000 more.
Hamilton, Congress, and the people of the US are outraged, feeling that France and the world does not yet respect their sovereignty. The US quickly signs a pact with Spain and Britain that no military action will occur in North America until the end of the French Revolutionary Wars. Ultimately, the French Republic remains unconquered, and an awkward peace returns to Europe with the Treaty of Amiens in 1803. The US, now that the war with France is over, presses Britain to concede New Orleans. Britain refuses. The Empire of Haiti successfully declares independence, and Napoleonic France pushes to restore French Rule. Britain fends off France and aids rebels in overthrowing the Empire of Haiti. After a dizzying series of political and diplomatic moves, Haiti becomes a free, self-governing British territory. Augustan politicians first begin motions to annex the new colony of Saint Dominic, but Britain refuses for the time.
The Napoleonic Wars begin as per OTL, with the US invading Augusta in pursuit of gaining New Orleans. The conflict, treated as separate from the overarching Napoleonic Wars, is dubbed both the Second Anglo-American War, and the War of 1805. The War against Augusta is a disaster, despite the US nearly seizing New Orleans. Spain intervenes on the English side in pursuit of regaining Louisiana. The Patriot capitol of Annapolis is burned to the ground by British troops, The War ends in 1807 with the Treaty of Quebec. The US retains the former British province of Quebec, but Augusta retains New Orleans and Spain regains control of much of the remaining Louisiana Purchase.
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What are your thoughts?