alternatehistory.com

Okay, here's a thread for alternate presidents we don't see every day. Let's take our favorite obscure historical figures and put them in the white house!
I'll start:



Ambrose Bierce

25th President of the United States
In office
March 4, 1913 – December 26th, 1914
Vice President Thorstein Veblan
Preceded by William Jennings Bryan
Succeeded by Thorstein Veblan

Party Republican

United States Senator from California
In office
March 4, 1905 – March 1, 1911
Preceded by Thomas R. Bard
Succeeded by John D. Works
Party Republican

Journalism
The San Francisco News Letter, The Argonaut, the Overland Monthly, The Californian and The Wasp.

Author
Notable Works

"Chickamauga"
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"
"The Death of Halpin Frayser"
Tales of Soldiers and Civilians

Personal details
Born
Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce
June 24, 1842
Meigs County, Ohio, United States
Died
Lost December 26, 1914 (aged 72)
last seen in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico

Cause of death Disappeared during hot air balloon ride
Resting place N/A; Memorial and Presidential Library in San Francisco, California, United States
Political party Republican
Spouse Mary Ellen "Mollie" Day (m. 1871; div. 1904)
Children Raymond Day (1872–1889), Leigh (1874–1901), Helen (1875–1940)
Profession
  • Soldier
  • Author
  • Journalist
  • Politician
Military career
Allegiance
United States of America
Service/branch Union Army
Years of service 1861–1866
Rank First Lieutenant
Unit 9th Indiana Infantry Regiment
Battles/wars American Civil War
Signature


Notes: Ambrose Bierce was widely known as a muckraking journalist and a successful author when he started his quixotic political career with a longshot run for senate. He was able to throw off criticisms of his personal life-- his divorce and his publication of scandalous short stories-- by tacking to the left and fully embracing the progressive movement. Bierce's signature wit won him the senate seat and later the presidency. His term was short lived: during a diplomatic mission to Mexico he and a delegation drifted off in a hot air balloon, never to be seen again. The short term consequences of the disappearance were disastrous: a constitutional crisis and rampant fear mongering that lead to the United States' entry into World War One and the opening of the Mexican/American theater. To this day conspiracy theories abound over the fate of the "missing president."
Top