Chapter 235
Chapter 235
June, 1800
Manhattan
The electioneering was already in full swing as the proxies of various candidates sought support among the population and various opinion leaders. Despite Laurens' best efforts, he could not convince Gouverneur Morris to declare his candidacy. Instead, the Pennsylvanian was happy to remain as Prime Minister, a near fact that he would be returned as the leader of Congress due to the his popularity in that body.
The Presidency, on the other hand, required direct public election. Several candidates had their agents pushing them, including the Secretary of War James Madison. New York Governor Aaron Burr, Federal District of Manhattan Governor James Jay and a few others opted to quietly run for office. New Secretary of State James Monroe (whom replaced Madison when he moved to Secretary of War), declined to even consider nomination as he was still stained by his past association with Thomas Jefferson, still associating with the radicals of Paris. John Adams deemed himself retired and quietly withdrew from virtually all political involvement.
Laurens, though having some political differences with Madison, respected the Virginian enough to know he would not lead the nation astray. Meanwhile, Burr was becoming increasingly active in the opposition and Jay was not personally popular with virtually anyone in Manhattan (though he had done wonders turning the Federal District into a vibrant and stylish city in just over two decades).
With the bulk of the establishment throwing their support behind Madison, the Virginian was considered the favorite for the position.
In the meantime, Laurens was facing a backlash from the Slave Provinces after it became apparent that Alexander Hamilton and Frederick Hohenzollern were effectively freeing every slave that desired it in San Dominigue and New Spain. There had been some hope among the Slave Provinces that any conquered lands would maintain slavery or, at least, the slaves would be gathered up and shipped to American ports for sale. To see that the commanders of the nation's armies apparently making a priority of freeing slaves by force of arms was dismaying to say the least. However, Laurens and Morris duly defended their commanders' actions in Congress and in the press as necessary to gain the support of the people.
The issue was particularly sensitive as recent indications were that the next census would reveal more Negroes living free in America than enslaved. Indeed, the number of Negro men eligible to VOTE was not terribly far behind those enslaved. Unsurprisingly, any region with a significant number of Negroes elected with virtual unanimity Congressmen in favor of abolition. Though it should have been obvious a generation ago, there was no chance whatsoever that the nation would allow the expansion of slavery by 1800, even if a territory or province voted in favor of it. The hope of gaining new slave provinces was dead and many were not happy about that fact.
Worse, virtually all of the most powerful politicians in the country were adamantly pro-manumissionist from Hamilton to Adams to Laurens (viewed often as a traitor in South Carolina) to Morris. Indeed, even the Virginians Madison and Monroe refused to support extending the institution in any way and were rumored to be in favor of some sort of phase-out. Aaron Burr of New York may be the most obnoxious in directly calling for immediate emancipation even in provinces which the institution was legal, regardless of local feelings.
Havana
Under the command of Commodore Edward Preble, a fleet was hastily gathered off Brooklyn from disparately stationed American ships as far as Charlestown and Newfoundland. Soon, a fleet comprised of 4 ships-of-the-line, four heavy frigates, 5 brigs and 4 sloops were gathered, challenging the fleets which took Veracruz and San Dominigue for bragging rights as the most powerful American squadron in history.
As intelligence was received of an impending Spanish attack from Havana reached the American capital, the government was torn as to how to proceed. Should the fleet remain to protect Manhattan? But that would leave San Dominigue, Veracruz, New Orleans and even ports along the Atlantic seaboard like Charlestown and Baltimore vulnerable.
In the end, Laurens approved the fleet raising anchor and sailing south. If the Spanish were to attack Manhattan, the odds were that the two fleets would intercept at sea. If the Spanish intended to attack a more southerly port, then the American squadron would be there to reinforce the West Indian squadron under Commodore Paul.
It seemed a reasonable compromise. However, neither the Americans nor the Spanish had accepted the ancient credo: nature was more powerful than man.
Due to the fear of the weather or perhaps simple lethargy, the Spanish fleet and the 20 transports and supply ships carrying 4000 Spanish soldiers from the Iberian Peninsula were slow to sail. In truth, their mission had changed multiple times from ravaging the American coast, seizing what the King of Spain still deemed "Florida" and, finally, a new plan was hatched to sail west to Veracruz. By historical coincidence, the American fleet arrived just as the Spanish had spent nearly four days leaving Havana harbor and attempting to form some sort of order.
A young and aggressive commander, Preble would commit his forces wholesale, signaling an immediate attack in a "general melee". The Spanish fleet, bearing six ships-of-the-line, two frigates and a host of smaller ships guarding the transports and supply vessels saw the Americans coming but believed the enemy would take time to form a line. Thus, the ferocity and suddenness of the attack took the Spanish by utter surprise. Unlike the previous poor performance of the Spanish West Indian Squadron, this fleet had spent nearly a year and a half repairing vessels and impressing every seaman they could find into the Navy, thus this was the most capable Spanish squadron in the West Indies in generations. The Spaniards fought back with equal viciousness. Both fleets suffered heavy damage to virtually all vessels.
The smaller American ships would bypass the general battle and seize after the helpless supply ships and transports. The latter would flee in all directions but were incapable of returning directly back due to contrary winds to Havana as the Americans had sailed along the coast of Cuba and placed themselves between the Spanish fleet and the shoreline, forcing them eventually further and further west. By the second day, two of the Spanish ships had been so totally damaged that they sunk under the waves and one of the American ships had taken a shot to its powder room. While the entirety of the ship did not explode due to the exhaustion of much of the supply, it was enough to blow a hole in the side and the vessel sank swiftly. No warships were taken but virtually all had been pummeled and were running low on powder, shot and shell. Three Spanish transports bearing 800 soldiers had fallen to the smaller and swifter American ships and were taken to Biscayne Bay by prize crews. Similarly, two cargo vessels carrying powder and various other supplies also fell to the Americans.
By the third day, the Spanish and Americans were mutually exhausted, almost drifting with the normal westerly winds and currents...which abruptly began to pick up. Both sides, bleeding from numerous wounds, attempted to backtrack east against the winds and found it impossible. On day four, a vicious hurricane would smash into the eastern Caribbean, sinking over 80 ships currently afloat throughout the Sea including 6 of the 16 remaining American warships of Preble's fleet and further damaging the already battered survivors whom fled for any port. The American squadron was scattered, some making for the Bay of Tampa, others New Orleans, Cap-Francois and Preble himself was pushed all the way to Veracruz. Three of these 10 survivors would never sail again, including one that got stuck in the Mississippi delta.
The American Fleet under Commodore Paul, fortunately, remained docked in Veracruz and Port-du-Prince though three ships anchored in the latter were damaged.
The Spanish fared no better. Of the dozen warships remaining in the West Indian squadron, eight never reached harbor nor did 10 of the 15 remaining transports and cargo ships.
In any given time, there were usually hundreds of trading ships scattered throughout the Caribbean. Due to the war, there were perhaps 120 or so braving the summer hurricane season. By best estimates, over 50 of these random merchant vessels (obviously mostly Spanish) would sink, often with all hands lost.
A dozen ports, almost entirely in Spanish hands now that Spain controlled the French West Indies as well (minus San Dominigue), suffered heavy damage and entire islands lost their sugarcane or coffee crops. Thousands were killed upon land and the entire regional economy was devastated for years to come.
The war came to a grinding halt for lack of fit combatants. Both Spain and America would decry the losses catastrophic. America lost nearly a third of their heavy ships in less than a week, a devastating blow. The Spanish lost even more warships but also suffered the loss of thousands of soldiers and priceless supplies which would now never reach New Spain. The West Indian economy was shattered, more and more colonies were revolting and, worst of all, the war in France seemed likely to renew.
Ironically, the disaster left both sides suddenly more willing to negotiate a settlement.
June, 1800
Manhattan
The electioneering was already in full swing as the proxies of various candidates sought support among the population and various opinion leaders. Despite Laurens' best efforts, he could not convince Gouverneur Morris to declare his candidacy. Instead, the Pennsylvanian was happy to remain as Prime Minister, a near fact that he would be returned as the leader of Congress due to the his popularity in that body.
The Presidency, on the other hand, required direct public election. Several candidates had their agents pushing them, including the Secretary of War James Madison. New York Governor Aaron Burr, Federal District of Manhattan Governor James Jay and a few others opted to quietly run for office. New Secretary of State James Monroe (whom replaced Madison when he moved to Secretary of War), declined to even consider nomination as he was still stained by his past association with Thomas Jefferson, still associating with the radicals of Paris. John Adams deemed himself retired and quietly withdrew from virtually all political involvement.
Laurens, though having some political differences with Madison, respected the Virginian enough to know he would not lead the nation astray. Meanwhile, Burr was becoming increasingly active in the opposition and Jay was not personally popular with virtually anyone in Manhattan (though he had done wonders turning the Federal District into a vibrant and stylish city in just over two decades).
With the bulk of the establishment throwing their support behind Madison, the Virginian was considered the favorite for the position.
In the meantime, Laurens was facing a backlash from the Slave Provinces after it became apparent that Alexander Hamilton and Frederick Hohenzollern were effectively freeing every slave that desired it in San Dominigue and New Spain. There had been some hope among the Slave Provinces that any conquered lands would maintain slavery or, at least, the slaves would be gathered up and shipped to American ports for sale. To see that the commanders of the nation's armies apparently making a priority of freeing slaves by force of arms was dismaying to say the least. However, Laurens and Morris duly defended their commanders' actions in Congress and in the press as necessary to gain the support of the people.
The issue was particularly sensitive as recent indications were that the next census would reveal more Negroes living free in America than enslaved. Indeed, the number of Negro men eligible to VOTE was not terribly far behind those enslaved. Unsurprisingly, any region with a significant number of Negroes elected with virtual unanimity Congressmen in favor of abolition. Though it should have been obvious a generation ago, there was no chance whatsoever that the nation would allow the expansion of slavery by 1800, even if a territory or province voted in favor of it. The hope of gaining new slave provinces was dead and many were not happy about that fact.
Worse, virtually all of the most powerful politicians in the country were adamantly pro-manumissionist from Hamilton to Adams to Laurens (viewed often as a traitor in South Carolina) to Morris. Indeed, even the Virginians Madison and Monroe refused to support extending the institution in any way and were rumored to be in favor of some sort of phase-out. Aaron Burr of New York may be the most obnoxious in directly calling for immediate emancipation even in provinces which the institution was legal, regardless of local feelings.
Havana
Under the command of Commodore Edward Preble, a fleet was hastily gathered off Brooklyn from disparately stationed American ships as far as Charlestown and Newfoundland. Soon, a fleet comprised of 4 ships-of-the-line, four heavy frigates, 5 brigs and 4 sloops were gathered, challenging the fleets which took Veracruz and San Dominigue for bragging rights as the most powerful American squadron in history.
As intelligence was received of an impending Spanish attack from Havana reached the American capital, the government was torn as to how to proceed. Should the fleet remain to protect Manhattan? But that would leave San Dominigue, Veracruz, New Orleans and even ports along the Atlantic seaboard like Charlestown and Baltimore vulnerable.
In the end, Laurens approved the fleet raising anchor and sailing south. If the Spanish were to attack Manhattan, the odds were that the two fleets would intercept at sea. If the Spanish intended to attack a more southerly port, then the American squadron would be there to reinforce the West Indian squadron under Commodore Paul.
It seemed a reasonable compromise. However, neither the Americans nor the Spanish had accepted the ancient credo: nature was more powerful than man.
Due to the fear of the weather or perhaps simple lethargy, the Spanish fleet and the 20 transports and supply ships carrying 4000 Spanish soldiers from the Iberian Peninsula were slow to sail. In truth, their mission had changed multiple times from ravaging the American coast, seizing what the King of Spain still deemed "Florida" and, finally, a new plan was hatched to sail west to Veracruz. By historical coincidence, the American fleet arrived just as the Spanish had spent nearly four days leaving Havana harbor and attempting to form some sort of order.
A young and aggressive commander, Preble would commit his forces wholesale, signaling an immediate attack in a "general melee". The Spanish fleet, bearing six ships-of-the-line, two frigates and a host of smaller ships guarding the transports and supply vessels saw the Americans coming but believed the enemy would take time to form a line. Thus, the ferocity and suddenness of the attack took the Spanish by utter surprise. Unlike the previous poor performance of the Spanish West Indian Squadron, this fleet had spent nearly a year and a half repairing vessels and impressing every seaman they could find into the Navy, thus this was the most capable Spanish squadron in the West Indies in generations. The Spaniards fought back with equal viciousness. Both fleets suffered heavy damage to virtually all vessels.
The smaller American ships would bypass the general battle and seize after the helpless supply ships and transports. The latter would flee in all directions but were incapable of returning directly back due to contrary winds to Havana as the Americans had sailed along the coast of Cuba and placed themselves between the Spanish fleet and the shoreline, forcing them eventually further and further west. By the second day, two of the Spanish ships had been so totally damaged that they sunk under the waves and one of the American ships had taken a shot to its powder room. While the entirety of the ship did not explode due to the exhaustion of much of the supply, it was enough to blow a hole in the side and the vessel sank swiftly. No warships were taken but virtually all had been pummeled and were running low on powder, shot and shell. Three Spanish transports bearing 800 soldiers had fallen to the smaller and swifter American ships and were taken to Biscayne Bay by prize crews. Similarly, two cargo vessels carrying powder and various other supplies also fell to the Americans.
By the third day, the Spanish and Americans were mutually exhausted, almost drifting with the normal westerly winds and currents...which abruptly began to pick up. Both sides, bleeding from numerous wounds, attempted to backtrack east against the winds and found it impossible. On day four, a vicious hurricane would smash into the eastern Caribbean, sinking over 80 ships currently afloat throughout the Sea including 6 of the 16 remaining American warships of Preble's fleet and further damaging the already battered survivors whom fled for any port. The American squadron was scattered, some making for the Bay of Tampa, others New Orleans, Cap-Francois and Preble himself was pushed all the way to Veracruz. Three of these 10 survivors would never sail again, including one that got stuck in the Mississippi delta.
The American Fleet under Commodore Paul, fortunately, remained docked in Veracruz and Port-du-Prince though three ships anchored in the latter were damaged.
The Spanish fared no better. Of the dozen warships remaining in the West Indian squadron, eight never reached harbor nor did 10 of the 15 remaining transports and cargo ships.
In any given time, there were usually hundreds of trading ships scattered throughout the Caribbean. Due to the war, there were perhaps 120 or so braving the summer hurricane season. By best estimates, over 50 of these random merchant vessels (obviously mostly Spanish) would sink, often with all hands lost.
A dozen ports, almost entirely in Spanish hands now that Spain controlled the French West Indies as well (minus San Dominigue), suffered heavy damage and entire islands lost their sugarcane or coffee crops. Thousands were killed upon land and the entire regional economy was devastated for years to come.
The war came to a grinding halt for lack of fit combatants. Both Spain and America would decry the losses catastrophic. America lost nearly a third of their heavy ships in less than a week, a devastating blow. The Spanish lost even more warships but also suffered the loss of thousands of soldiers and priceless supplies which would now never reach New Spain. The West Indian economy was shattered, more and more colonies were revolting and, worst of all, the war in France seemed likely to renew.
Ironically, the disaster left both sides suddenly more willing to negotiate a settlement.
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