Redcoat Empire - Wars of the Americas

Hello one and all and wellcome to my first serious shot at trying to put together a comprehensive time-line.

I have been reading more and more about the American War of Independance, and after being realitivley ignorant I have found that the war is extreamly interesting and a quite close run thing.

So here it is, my take on a slightley different AWI, one that will change the face of the world and the British Empire. I am going to concentrate upon the 13 colonies for most of the initial phase.

Thanks for your time and patience and any comments are very welcome.
 
The Stamp Act

Duties in American Colonies Act 1765

November 1st, 1765 a new and controversial act officially came into force. The 'Stamp Act' was a further measure by the Grenville government to try and claw some of the money back from the American colonies that had been spent on defending them during the Seven Years War. The specifics were that for any new legal document in the colonies to be legitimate they would have to be officially stamped, with varying costs depending upon the document. This form of taxation was very efficient and had been used by the government in other areas before.

The bill was very un-popular in the 13 colonies as it was the first 'internal taxation' to have been levied upon them, others such as the recently passed Sugar Act were seen as externals as they dealt with trade. As such the argument of "no taxation without representation" because increasingly popular in the colonies.

One of the few consesions to the American colonists was that the did not neccessarily need spiece to pay for the stamps[1] but could pay for it in their own script. This was never going to be enough for the colonists, and the passage of the act spurred on the cause of rebelion.

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[1]This is the initial POD and it is a very 'minor' one, but one that will slightley lower the anger of the colonials. Eventually, once the war comes I hope that this would mean slightley more loyalists and less Patriots.
 
Hmmm...interesting. Though I'm not a wank-enthusiast, I do enjoy a good TL about the British Empire. Alright, I'll bite. I'm on board. Looking forward to seeing where you're going with this, there are several possibilities I can see and each one could make a very curious and entertaining read.
 
Hmmm...interesting. Though I'm not a wank-enthusiast, I do enjoy a good TL about the British Empire. Alright, I'll bite. I'm on board. Looking forward to seeing where you're going with this, there are several possibilities I can see and each one could make a very curious and entertaining read.
Thanks for coming on board :)

I really don't want this to be a wank, but I can understand as to why it may end up being one.
 
This looks interesting - so when the rebellion starts, it will be with much fainter support by the general population. The revolution in TTL should be interesting to see, especially how it initially progresses with a less sympathetic public.
 
Cool this looks like it could be fun to read :)
Thank you very much, glad to have you reading

This looks interesting - so when the rebellion starts, it will be with much fainter support by the general population. The revolution in TTL should be interesting to see, especially how it initially progresses with a less sympathetic public.
Thank you, although the changes are not that great. It reduces the number of Patriots while increasing the number of Loyalists so we get a split of 30%-35% Patriot, 20%-25% Loyalist and 40%-50% 'Neutral'

(OTL Patriot 40-45%, Loyalists 15-20% & Neutral 35-45%)

This means that there will not be too many changes at the start of the war, but it will mean more Loyalists to drive oxen-teams, helping relieve some of the upply problems for certain generals. It will also mean that the loyalists will be able to rally to the 'kings standrad' in more numbers and may be more succesful as a result.

Not sure how much detail to go into the first engagments - as the really big POD occuors well after Lexington, Concord & Bunker Hill, but I will give outlines of such battles as they may be informative to those who do not know too much of the AWI
 
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One - Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill

One - Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill

The say of the 19th April, 1775 dawned much as any other day did in Massachusetts during that season, but this was to be a spectacularly different one to those that had gone before. Thomas Gage, the was Governor of the rebellious colony and de facto General of an occupying British force. He had received orders from the King's Minister, Earl Dartmouth, that he should proceed to disarm the local militia who were building supplies and drilling in expectation of forthcoming hostilities. It was upon these orders that he chose to send Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith and around 700 British Regular troops, 'Redcoats', to the town of Concord where a substantial cash of arms and powder were stored.

The men marched with differing expectations, many believing that the militias would run at the sight of the Redcoats and others that if they did not, they would certainly be smashed aside and wish that they had. The actuality of the day was far different, Smith's route was first checked by a group of militia in Lexington where a tense stand-off was shattered when the British officer Pitcairn fired at the rebels[1]. Although this group was pushed aside by the numerically superior redcoats the rest of the day was to not go so well.

When Smith finally arrived at Concord the outnumbered militia surrendered the town to the British and retired to the north where they watched the British and their numbers grew. Arms and powder were discovered as were two artillery pieces. These could not be moved and Smith ordered that they should be spiked and their carriages burnt. Unfortunately the fire soon spread to some of the town's buildings and although the regulars tried, ineffectually, to fight the fire the militia were enraged seeing to smoke slowly drifting into the sky.

The militia moved towards Smith's position and he was compelled to retire as he was becoming out-numbered. Lord Percy, a singularly intelligent and professional officer[2], leading a relief column met with Smith's men, now back in Lexington, and took control. He managed to re-organise the group and extricate it from a progressively worsening situation. The conclusion of the 'battle' was a rebel victory and one that dispelled the myth's of the militia and, maybe more worryingly, showed that the redcoats were not the resolute and professional force that they had been. Indeed Percy was forces upon one occasion to form up a firing line to compel some of his own troops from a head-long rush[3].

Over the continuing days and weeks the New England militias grew in size and started to siege the British position at Boston. Gage was a natural conservative and had no real plan as to how to break the siege. He was stirred into action, however, on the 17th June when the colonials occupied Breed's hill on the Charlestown peninsular. from where artillery could pour down fire upon Boston and destroy the British in situ. Troops were quickly ferried across and readied for action.

Humphrey Bland[4] was was a leading tactician and wrote A Treatise of Military Discipline: In Which is laid down and Explained the Duties of Officer and Soldier which was "considered the bible of the British Army". He summed up the perfect attack by stating that your line would advance and encourage ineffective long range musketry, then present a organised volley and immediately charge the foe before they could re-load. The troops that attacked at Bunker hill (the name of this near-by hill giving the battle its name) did not follow suit and tried to engage their well protected foe in a musketry duel. The consequences of this was to take an appalling toll upon the British, even if they won the day.

The pyrrhic victory thus won at Bunker hill caused the siege of Boston to continue and the British were in an untenable position. Gage was replaced by William Howe, who had commanded Wolfe's light troops in the legendary attack on Quebec. When Washington finally placed heavy artillery on the Dorchester heights the game was up and on the 20th March, 1776 the British evacuated to Halifax, Nova Soctia. Here Howe started the process of turning his line regiments into an 'American' fighting force[5]. He would phase out the rigid and ceremonial look of the redcoats and allow a more 'rough and ready' form of the uniform. He would also implement light infantry tactics across the entire force, moving from three to two rank lines.

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This is a preliminary part of the story and although there has been one POD, it is not the main one. I have decided that the initial encounters would not be much different, mainly having slightly smaller numbers of militia, but this would not have a really big impact. There will follow another important update, which follows the course of OTL, and then the third update will outline the big POD and we will see how things develop from there.

[1] There is some argument about who fired the first shot of the AWI, some believe it to be this major, who was lost at Bunker Hill, while others place the first shot with an unknown militiaman

[2] Very true, and this man will feature heavily in TTL unlike OTL

[3] Again OTL and quite surprising I feel

[4] Not someone who I had known until recently, a very remarkable fellow

[5] This is also OTL, but it will be very important and go much further in TTL than OTL. This is one of the major outcomes of the war

Thank you for reading, hope you are enjoying it. Please feel free to comment.
 
Here Howe started the process of turning his line regiments into an 'American' fighting force[5]. He would phase out the rigid and ceremonial look of the redcoats and allow a more 'rough and ready' form of the uniform. He would also implement light infantry tactics across the entire force, moving from three to two rank lines.

...

[5] This is also OTL, but it will be very important and go much further in TTL than OTL. This is one of the major outcomes of the war

Hmm...interesting. Do you mean to suggest by this that TTL USA will focus more on irregular militia rather than ultimately moving to a standing army? Or am I reading at a total tangent to your ideas?


Edit: No, don't worry. I misread your comments. I thought you were referring to the US army, not the British. I was somewhat confused at the idea of Howe being an American commander... :\


I will say this, though - it's a bold move, and I presume this is a kind of a one-off, or the creation of an American Irregulars unit to fight alongside redcoats, rather than a reformation of the whole British army. Turning the entire army into skirmishers is a big move, and potentially disastrous. Yes, the Americans did really well as guerrilla fighters, but the British need to be able to fight in line of battle or they will be routinely destroyed in the way that the American skirmishers (skirmishers, note, not the Bluecoat Line Infantry) usually did when they foolishly chose to stand up against superior British forces. The British need some redcoats, surely, in order to hold the suburban areas. Skirmishers are just good for attacking supply columns and holding the interior, and that's a job the Americans need to focus on, not the British. Certainly irregulars wouldn't work back in Europe.

Still, I have faith in your plans, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the actual result of this is.
 
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you might find the book Fusiliers: a regiment of the american civil war (IIRC the title correctly). Book deals with the 23rd regiment of foot and how it was present at pretty much every major engagement of the ARW and gives particular emphasis to the use of grenadier and light companies for battles vs line companies for garrison work.

But an earlier reformation of the British army could be an interesting twist...

Will be interested in what happens with the Hessian troops and the role of scottish settlers in the south.

Keep it up,
foresterab
 
Ah, excellent, another convert to the Glorioulsy Glorious British Empire of Glorytm!!!!!!!!

No, seriously-great start. I shall be watching with interest, if for no other reason then Anglophilia and Ameriphobia.:):D
 
Hmm...interesting. Do you mean to suggest by this that TTL USA will focus more on irregular militia rather than ultimately moving to a standing army? Or am I reading at a total tangent to your ideas?


Edit: No, don't worry. I misread your comments. I thought you were referring to the US army, not the British. I was somewhat confused at the idea of Howe being an American commander... :\
Not to worry, I think I was a little un-clear

I will say this, though - it's a bold move, and I presume this is a kind of a one-off, or the creation of an American Irregulars unit to fight alongside redcoats, rather than a reformation of the whole British army. Turning the entire army into skirmishers is a big move, and potentially disastrous. Yes, the Americans did really well as guerrilla fighters, but the British need to be able to fight in line of battle or they will be routinely destroyed in the way that the American skirmishers (skirmishers, note, not the Bluecoat Line Infantry) usually did when they foolishly chose to stand up against superior British forces. The British need some redcoats, surely, in order to hold the suburban areas. Skirmishers are just good for attacking supply columns and holding the interior, and that's a job the Americans need to focus on, not the British. Certainly irregulars wouldn't work back in Europe.
I love the fact that everyone seems to think this idea is bold and new, when it is actually from OTL.

I may have been unclear again, How has in effect formed a "light division" with the Light and Grenadier companies of his army. Teaching them to fight in a more American way (fight from cover, fire and move... in other words a more modern way of fighting). This is to compliment Humphrey Bland's (again OTL) ideas on the perfect attack and something that made OTL British Army in the colonies more effective.

Having said all that, however, this is the start of a modernisation of the British Army that will lead it to be slightly better in the next conflict.

Still, I have faith in your plans, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the actual result of this is.
I hope I can repay your faith

you might find the book Fusiliers: a regiment of the american civil war (IIRC the title correctly). Book deals with the 23rd regiment of foot and how it was present at pretty much every major engagement of the ARW and gives particular emphasis to the use of grenadier and light companies for battles vs line companies for garrison work.
Funny that you should mention that the book by Mark Urban, Fusiliers (How the British Army Lost America but Learned to Fight) is actually what dispelled my ignorance about the AWI and has got me interested in the period.

Before this I did not know how much of the early days of the AWI was arguably a USA wank! and I will be borrowing work from his book.

What I eventually want to do would be to write my own 'book' copying Urban's, but changing it to a British victory

But an earlier reformation of the British army could be an interesting twist...
The funny thing is that everyone seems to think that I am doing something rather radical here, but I am actually just detailing history. Howe too the Army to Halifax and re-formed it, teaching the army a more 'Americanised' form of warfare.

Will be interested in what happens with the Hessian troops and the role of scottish settlers in the south.
The Hessian troops will be interesting, but I think that the Scott's in the south will have a large role to play

Keep it up,
foresterab
Thank you :)

Ah, excellent, another convert to the Glorioulsy Glorious British Empire of Glorytm!!!!!!!!
Convert! I fear not sir, I have always been a stern imperialist :) after all my name is;

Sir robert Clive james Wolfe

No, seriously-great start. I shall be watching with interest, if for no other reason then Anglophilia and Ameriphobia.:):D
Thank you for your encouraging words.

Interesting. I'm signed up.
Thanks

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New update to come shortly... and this will be the last update before the big POD
 
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