The Dead Skunk

[Herr Frage]

And so it begins.

“Whatever they might be playing at in York,” said Wolfred Nelson, “we here in Montreal are fighting to secure our rights as loyal subjects of Her Majesty.”

Badass. Hope they hear that in London and take note.

To this day, Papineau remains one of the few leaders in history ever to turn back an invading army by simply telling it to go away.

See above.

And the rockets red glare, and blue, rules the lake for now.

Still the time wasted at Montreal is a win for the British, chipping away at the time delay with London. So next chapter likely deals with London's response along with New Orleans.

 

[SuperZtar64]

Breathtaking update. Look forward to more!

 

[Herr Frage]

Looks like American logistics in Georgia are dependent on the canal.

With Berrien gutting the defenses on racial lines it seems quite set up for the Empire to have success in that theater.

Does Louisiana have any railroads yet?

 

[RickyCrash]

And the Americans win some early victories. The Canada thesis seems to be more likely as the Americans can now land anywhere they want in Anglo Canada

 

[EnglishCanuck]

Molson arranging a regiment called the Beer Swillers. God I love it! May Canada not fall!

 

[Herr Frage]

The Canada thesis seems to be more likely as the Americans can now land anywhere they want in Anglo Canada

What is the "Canada Thesis"?

 

[Steve Brinson]

What is the "Canada Thesis"?

The idea that Berrien will succeed in incorporating Canada, or at least Upper Canada, into the United States, in doing so succeeding in getting one over on the British and achieving something for American nationalism, but also tilting American politics further away from abolitionism.

 

[Lycaon pictus]

So next chapter likely deals with London's response along with New Orleans.

How did you guess?

Does Louisiana have any railroads yet?

Not yet. Roman (as IOTL) does have an interest in internal improvements, but not ones that might risk Louisiana going into debt, especially since they're still paying for that road to Fort-Keane.

 

[Henderson]

It was a warm day, even if you happened to be a full kilometer in the air over the shore of Lake Ontario. Corporal Alexander Stephens was very glad he wasn’t afraid of heights as he looked out to the northwest, the basket of the observation balloon swaying under his feet.

I apologize if I'm mistaken, but is this the Alexander Stephens?

 

[Donald Reaver]

I apologize if I'm mistaken, but is this the Alexander Stephens?

Is not a kilometer in the air too high for a balloon at that time with a cable tethering it? And why is he using kilometer.

 

[Henderson]

Is not a kilometer in the air too high for a balloon at that time with a cable tethering it? And why is he using kilometer.

Beats me. I think they're just using kilometers because the DRs tried to lead heavily into French ideas and culture, and distance themselves from Britain as a whole. just a guess though.

 

[Steve Brinson]

Is not a kilometer in the air too high for a balloon at that time with a cable tethering it? And why is he using kilometer.

The US uses metric here because of Anglophobia and Francophilia:

The ex-general was listening to Rep. Hardin of Kentucky, who was saying something about not conceding “one millimeter more” to British demands. (Along with Republican Purple, the younger DRP members seemed to have recently developed a peculiar fondness for the new system of measurement that had come out of France. It was “modern,” it was “advanced” and “scientific”… to Monroe it seemed wholly unnatural and ahistoric, but the French liked it and the British had no use for it, and apparently that was enough.)

 

[Donald Reaver]

Still, in the civil war they usually used tethered flights, and those went up only 500 feet. Untethered is not much good either the wind blows you away from the enemy or to the enemy, not reporting much either way.

 

[Donald Reaver]

The US uses metric here because of Anglophobia and Francophilia:

Thank you, I forgot about that.

 

[Lycaon pictus]

Still, in the civil war they usually used tethered flights, and those went up only 500 feet. Untethered is not much good either the wind blows you away from the enemy or to the enemy, not reporting much either way.

I was thinking of Civil War balloons, but I didn't realize they only went up 500 feet. Thanks. I'll change it.
(Also, I did some quick research, and it turns out wire rope was just being invented at about this time. The inventor was Wilhelm Albert, from Hanover, so ITTL that'll be yet another Hanoverian invention to wow the rest of the world. So the tether is probably plain hemp rope, which as best I can tell would have enough tensile strength.)
And yes, that's Alexander H. Stephens, OTL's first and last vice president of the Confederacy, who first appeared in this post. He comes off much better when he doesn't have a chance to show off his racism.

 

[Steve Brinson]

The largest campaign thus far was General Winfield Scott’s initial invasion of Lower Canada with 5,000 men, and the results were almost farcical. With Canadian military forces trying to surround Montreal and the city that had not yet renamed itself Toronto, Scott marched in unopposed, seized the town of St-Jean-sur-Richelieu and reached the river, breaking the siege. But when Scott made contact with Papineau’s rebels, they unequivocally told him to take his army out of Lower Canadian territory and back to the United States on pain of war. “Whatever they might be playing at in York,” said Wolfred Nelson, “we here in Montreal are fighting to secure our rights as loyal subjects of Her Majesty.”

To have an army intervene on your side, have the opportunity to declare yourself leader of your country with the aid of your more powerful neighbor, to have self-determination for your people who've been mistreated by Anglophones for so long - and to say "go to hell" because of your loyalty to the Crown despite its failures? That's the sort of thing national myths are made of. I mean, I have no connection to Québec or the British monarchy (really, an active opposition to the latter, though admittedly here it's very much the lesser evil), and I still felt a wave of patriotism in my heart on reading that.

I really hope Queen Charlotte, Brougham, and-or the British public hear the accurate story of that - if the Canadian establishment gets to paint Papineau and his people as traitors to the Crown they so ardently proclaimed their loyalty for, which unfortunately I expect them to have a good shot at, that would be a shame.

 

[RickyCrash]

This timeline has so many cool moments

 

[Herr Frage]

I really hope Queen Charlotte, Brougham, and-or the British public hear the accurate story of that - if the Canadian establishment gets to paint Papineau and his people as traitors to the Crown they so ardently proclaimed their loyalty for, which unfortunately I expect them to have a good shot at, that would be a shame.

Well on the plus side the event is likely too big to cover up long term. A successful invading army turned around and left after all.

As for short term I don't see Brougham and the Queen much liking the Compact and its peers and therefore may take their account with a grain of salt. There will definitely be changes in Canada after this war however it goes.

 

[RickyCrash]

I wonder if the British will raise regiments from the freed slaves in the Carribean in order to defend Florida?

 

[Lycaon pictus]

I wonder if the British will raise regiments from the freed slaves in the Carribean in order to defend Florida?

ITTL they never stopped after the last war. The Corps of Colonial Marines have become an institution, and they'll be making an appearance before too long.