Considering he was fighting a two front war the US came off pretty well.
Wrapped in Flames: The Great American War and Beyond
- Thread starter EnglishCanuck
- Start date
Essentially it's a little piece of Canadian nationalism (in particular the more Anglophone WASP types in Canada West) which will have some long term impact on how Canadians view themselves. Veterans of this war will be a group who cannot be ignored.
As for the Americans, OTL they were hopping mad at Canada post ACW for various reasons, and kinda went out of their way to snub them. The biggest was refusing to renew the Reciprocity Treaty they had signed and kept ongoing from 1854 - 1866 OTL (and likely TTL as well since there's going to be some other considerations in the timeframe) while also requiring passports to be used at the border and trying to restrict trade. Here they will likely do much of the above and more. There's a reason I said Sweeney is a man to watch after all. There's a whole continent to fight over. In the immediate aftermath there will be many hard feelings, and certain economic engines in the region will be changing, while new opportunities will be opened up as well. Rebuilding can be very lucrative after all.
Pretty spot on. Technically fought after the peace deal was ratified, so senseless, and then its a morale building victory that doesn't contribute to the outcome of the war at all. A very big feel good exercise.
He did come off well, but this will be used as another body blow against him and the Republicans in the election. In a theater they’d been dominate in for over a year, suddenly sees the Canadians storm defended positions, routing a Federal Army, liberating to Toronto while the American General is hot footing it south with his men. If McClellan is the Democratic Nominee you can guarantee he and his backers will hammer the existent administration over their handling of the war, especially after Lee’s great victory. Honestly it seems like Lincoln’s chances are sinking lower and lower, he needs a major and decisive victory to convince the American people they can still fight through to victory
It's not clear unless I've overlooked it, what the territorial demands of the British are. The British can play the card of Recognition of the CSA, which costs them nothing but would be a very expensive card to the Americans. So if I were the British, I would want as a minimum.
1. At least 1/2 of Maine which is strategically significant because of the railway.
2. A border straightening at Lake of the Woods.
3. The territory North & West of the Columbia River, which would solve the San Juan islands issue.
1. At least 1/2 of Maine which is strategically significant because of the railway.
2. A border straightening at Lake of the Woods.
3. The territory North & West of the Columbia River, which would solve the San Juan islands issue.
Well I do intend to get into the "Beyond" part of the title at some point.
However, as I've cautioned before in this thread, I would not think of this as being a repeat of TL-191 with a US Central Powers vs a British/CSA joined Entente. WWI is over 50 years away, and some of the key players, primarily Germany, don't even exist yet. Plenty of time for the butterflies to flap around and really mess things up!
So when we hit 1900 in TTL, don't expect the map to look extremely similar to our 1900.
Oh the election of 1864 is going to be interesting even compared to OTL. And if you think that one is interesting man the 1868 election I have planned is downright weird.
That said you are correct. Like I say, Lincoln is doing his utmost to make the best of a series of bad decisions right now. He has to balance a lot of balls in the air with the knowledge everything he does will be reflected on him in the upcoming election. Capitulating to the British this way is bad, but potentially dragging the war to a more expensive phase he might lose with Britain still in the fight is worse. There's no guarantees they won't make another pass at Washington like they did in 1863 after all, and you can only lose that battle once!
The politics of the upcoming election will be odd as members of each party will have reason to be dissatisfied with each leaders policies represented. There's War Democrats who don't like Lincoln, but might not vote for the Copperhead leaders currently ascendant in the Democratic Party. There's conservative Republicans who have objections to Lincoln's handling of the war or his stance on Emancipation but won't vote for the Copperheads. There's Radicals who think Lincoln has veered too far in the direction of the conservative Republicans, but won't vote Democrat and may need to take a third option. Lots of room for hard feelings.
Well, the Canadians were fighting on their home turf so they naturally had a stake, but let's see what they think of it all in the aftermath...
Essentially one of the reasons Lincoln was also willing to sign a peace deal. Britain recognizing the Confederate States of America while the Union was on the backfoot would be catastrophic for his cause, as there would be a small line of European powers (primarily France) who would very very interested in using that to flout US interests to suit their own gains. It's also a shot in the arm for a Confederacy which has already received the equivalent of steroids TTL to keep fighting.
Some astute observations, we shall see which the British end up getting at the negotiating table soon! The Treaty is typed out, and the chapter dealing with its ratification is incoming soon!
Chapter 93: A Half Peace
Chapter 93: A Half Peace
“A certain peace is better and safer than a victory in prospect; the former is at your own disposal, the latter depends upon the gods.” - Livy
“‘It is a strange feeling, to see the enemy so near and yet not join battle with him,’ one Canadian captain would write to his wife on the 5th of July 1864. The acknowledgement of the ratification of the Treaty of Rotterdam by the United States had, after two long years, brought peace to Canada. Per the terms of the treaty, the United States began withdrawing its forces from Canada on the 9th, observed by their Canadian counterparts.
The choreographed maneuvers and withdrawals, with protection of army property and then public property paramount, would take time. However, the American armies were at last leaving Canada. The same could not wholly be said of British armies in the United States…
British forces were retreating from the towns they occupied in northern New York, as well as organizing the withdrawal of their forces from Maine, save for those pieces which had been surrendered by the treaty. In those sparsely populated portions of Maine which Britain would now occupy, the difficult task of setting up a new administration, and properly settling the boundary would now follow. The people of this region would need to decide whether they would move overland to remain within the United States, or take oaths of loyalty to the Queen. In time this would yield 30,589 new citizens of Canada[1].
For some, who had been connected by economics and family before the war, the choice was not difficult. Their lives would not fundamentally change, and they would be even more connected with the main economic engine of the region. The construction of the St. Andrews and Quebec Railroad was about to change the whole economic pattern of the Maritime provinces, which the as yet unconnected area would benefit greatly from. Others, those who had taken up limited arms against the British, or those who could not reconcile their American identity with British politics, would need to find accommodation elsewhere by January of 1865…” - The World on Fire: The Third Anlgo-American War, Ashley Grimes, 2009, Random House Publishing
“With the official news the Treaty of Rotterdam had been ratified, the Pacific Division began its own muster for return to their assignments across the Pacific. Cunyngham received the confirmed receipt via the Union delegation under a flag of truce. It would still be over a month before his forces had commenced an orderly withdrawal from California, and the last British soldiers would not leave the American side of the Pacific until September when the remaining four companies of the 99th Foot were ferried back to British Columbia.
While many of the 99th Foot would remain engaged in British Columbia until 1865, the Royal Engineers would have their tour of duty extended into 1866 to help with the general maintenance of the Colony which had suffered during the war years. This would help with the construction of the Cariboo Road as well as surveying the interior for future settlement. It was by no means an unpleasant task for the soldiers. Many men, knowing of the Fraser Gold Rush, would be enticed away from their posts, something which earned the ire of the government in London, but not the Hudson’s Bay Company bosses who had some ire left over the failure to claim the desired stretch of land on the Columbia River. Though pleased about dominance in navigation, they would forever look south and wonder what might have been.
London however, had more need of men to deal with the King Movement in New Zealand which had erupted into open conflict in late 1864 rather than an expanded presence on the West Coast of North America. However, that shall be dealt with in the following chapter…” – Empire and Blood: British Military Operations in the 19th Century Volume IV
“The final terms of the Treaty of Rotterdam[2] set out the conditions for British peace. After much wrangling, the final indemnity was agreed upon to be set at only 66 million pounds, which would be paid in installments over the next five years. Britain would not place any other economic sanction on the United States, and the blockade of the United States would be, as soon as possible, lifted. This was of immense relief to the merchants of the United States, but also in London who were eager for normal trade to resume and predations upon global shipping to cease…
In Quebec, the treaty was a triumph, and the generous terms meant that the hoped for project of unifying all the Canadian provinces was now a reality. The corollary to the treaty which would allow some 21 million in reparation money to go towards paying for the economic damage inflicted on Canada was extremely popular with the province, which had suffered widespread economic destruction, especially in the more populous Canada West. There numerous farms had been destroyed, hamlets burned, and men made destitute by the war. Many would seek to remain in the ranks of the Volunteers simply to find some means of economic relief.
The coming economic recession would be painful, but many eager settlers, workers, and laborers turned out by the declaration of peace would soon be finding their way into a market which was hungry for labor. The Canadians had many plans for the post war economy and hoped to expand upon the wreck of the war[3]…” - Blood and Daring: The War of 1862 and how Canada forged a Nation, Raymond Green, University of Toronto Press, 2002
“Lincoln had ratified the peace, but at significant political cost. The Radicals demanded a plank for the 1864 election on ending slavery, but moderate Republicans, many incensed over the surrender of territory in Maine, were openly opposed to such a plank. The same held true for many War Democrats who might otherwise have supported the party.
While greatly aggrieved that he had sold territory to the enemy, he was of course aware that the consequences of a continued war may have been more than the nation could bear…
Unable to move the capital back to Washington, Lincoln maintained a vigil in Philadelphia and so looked to the seas to know whether his policy had worked. By mid August, not a single British vessel remained in sight and the blockade had at last been lifted. At this, he did at last breathe a sigh of relief. This was reflected in the economic mood of the nation as inflation fell for the first time since 1862, if only slightly, while confidence in shipping and trade seemed to be the talk of the city.
“It is well that one war should end and our trade be unimpeded,” Welles would write, “as the hurdles presently facing us are considerable. The seas and coasts are not yet free of enemies, and we find ourselves still confronting a foe who is if not our equal, then at least a contender. How we may wish for those halcyon days of ‘61 when it seemed we would reign supreme along the coasts of North America. For all its misery, we may miss the summer of that year now.” – Snakes and Ladders: The Lincoln Administration and America’s Darkest Hour, Hillary Saunders, Scattershot Publishing, 2003
“Peace was at last upon this unhappy domain of Her Majesty. With the Army of Canada withdrawing from northern New York, I found much of my time simply undertaking the removal of our army from American soil. However, even once that task was complete, the work to be done in Canada was not yet finished.
The Army would not yet be leaving, the potential for mischief south of the border was too great, even though there were other demands on our forces elsewhere, London was firmly focused on finishing what had started in North America. Diplomatic pressure had to be applied to ensure that the Americans left without destroying anything of great economic value, and assessment of the damages had to be made.
For myself, I was intimately involved in the goings on of our army, but alas my own wounds would force me from Canada for a time. My old war wounds had troubled me for some years and I would return for an operation in England in the fall of 1864, but it was not a total loss. My promotion to a full colonel was confirmed, as an officer it meant I could marry at last, and so in the winter of 1864 I formally had the hand of Louisa Erskine[4]. However, as soon as I was healed, my orders once again carried me to North America for the security of that loyal people was not yet ensured…” – The Story of a Soldiers Life, Volume II, Field-Marshal Viscount Garnet Wolseley, Westminster 1903
-x-x-x-x-
Hotel Hasey, Houlton, Occupied Maine/Province of New Brunswick, July 15th 1864
It was hot in the parlor of the grandiosely named Hotel Hasey in Houlton. A small fire burned in the kitchen adding to the heat, but doing nothing to ward off the ever present blackflies. Not that it bothered Lt. Colonel William Teele Baird of the 1st Carleton Light Infantry[5]. Scratching at his beard he took a deep draught of the cider available to him which abated the heat somewhat. Unfortunately it didn’t settle his nerves as he watched the party of horsemen crest the hill where his earthworks sat overlooking the village.
The town itself was a mile long collection of buildings which housed roughly two thousand inhabitants, or slightly less since the war had begun. Surrounding them was a rough wilderness of trees which stretched as far as the eye could see. Baird had watched those trees change from season to season, and near as he could tell they were the greatest wealth in the area at the moment. Besides its connection to New Brunswick, it offered little else of value. He had been there on business meetings before the war, and he knew for a fact it was more connected to New Brunswick than elsewhere. Not that this fact made the locals particularly happy at the moment.
Houlton had been the site of the first official combat on land between British and American forces when the war had broken out in February of 1862. The short skirmish had been rather bloodless, only two of the poorly armed Volunteers in the village had been wounded before the rather perfunctory surrender. However it, and the “battle” at Fort Fairfield had inflamed American opinion against Britain. Unfortunately for any red blooded patriots in the region who swore rabid loyalty to Washington, the ability of the American government to reinforce them had been limited by both the onset of the British blockade, and that the railroad only reached as far as Bangor. No reinforcements or relief had been forthcoming and so the locals had settled in for a grudging occupation. The fact that there had been so little death in the early fight had meant there was little overt ill will. With many others being related to or descendants of those living on one side of the border or another, life had gone on. The major difference had come when Baird and his regiment had moved in to replace the 62nd Regiment of Foot in the summer of 1862. He had personally known some people in the region, and so through a combination of good will and a light hand, the people had been fairly passive.
That was not to say there had been no resistance. The Temiscouata Road had seen the occasional sniper deciding to vent their anger at the British with a gunshot, while fistfights and assault had occasionally taken place between the men from New Brunswick and the people of Maine. However, he could count on two hands the number of people who had died from violence since the war had started. Now that the proclamation that the territory would be under British rule had begun to be promulgated, he hoped he could continue to do so.
Since the summer of 1862 Baird had worn two hats, first as the commander of his battalion, secondly as the de facto administrator of the occupied territory in Maine. He’d overseen the construction of fortified posts, patrols, and guard parties to halt deserters from Her Majesty’s forces that might have been of a mind to slip away on their overland travel. That had made the Hotel Hasey his headquarters for over two years unless he was travelling to Fredericton or Saint John. Usually though, he was here overseeing the administration of what most had assumed would be a temporary occupation. Now his men would be working to incorporate that territory into what was soon going to be a grouping of all Britain’s North American colonies.
“The party is here sir,” Lt. John Clark, one of his most able aides, announced.
“Thank you Lieutenant, please see them to the sitting room.” Baird said. Though there was no one likely to be mad at him, he was afraid of all that came next. The region would need a new government, new administration, and he was a soldier at heart, not a politician.
A few minutes later the men from Fredericton and Halifax were seated around the table in the parlor of the building. Colonel Charles H. Doyle who had effectively run all of the Maritime colonies sat near the head of the table, while Major General Charles H. Windham, who had been in charge of the “Reserve Division” in Halifax, was at the head. He was ostensibly the new governor general of the region, for now, but the secretaries from the governors of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick had made an appearance as well to grant civilian legitimacy.
“I trust the journey was not too arduous, sir?” Baird asked. Windham snorted.
“The railroad doesn’t reach here, and the road itself is rough at best. I had hoped my own arse wouldn’t feel so much horse after Crimea, but I was alas mistaken.” Polite laughter followed and Windham continued. “You’ve done well welcoming us Lt. Colonel Baird, but let’s not mince words, we’re here to consider the military situation in absorbing this region into Her Majesty’s domains.”
Baird nodded. “The situation as it stands is, well, very quiet sir. Lt. Colonel Saunders and his New Brunswick Yeomanry[6] have kept the road well patrolled and open, while my own men and the other Volunteer regiments have been able to police the area with little incident.”
“But not without any incident?” Doyle asked.
“There have been some.” Baird replied. “The occasional sniper or disgruntled local. That said, most have decided discretion is the better part of valor.” That earned a few chuckles around the table. Though Baird thought that the remoteness of the region meant that, naturally, it should have fallen into British hands long ago. Evidently London meant to fix that.
“Do we know how many new subjects of the Queen we should be expecting?” Windham asked.
“The locals have been kind enough to provide us with their 1860 census data. There are 22,000 people living in this region. A rather small number considering the whole area is 20,000 miles in size. Most of them live along the border here,” Baird replied.
“A reasonable number then, hardly like attempting to absorb the whole state,” Windham said. “Do you have any recommendations regarding people of the region who could govern for us?”
Baird shook his head. “It will take time for these people to reconcile themselves to British rule, so for now a civilian from our side ought to administer, while the militia have a light hand. That said, sir, I do believe the people will come around more easily than many suspect. The commerce and trade of this region was well linked to New Brunswick before the war.”
The building of the St. Andrews and Quebec Railroad, which in two years of fevered construction had attracted thousands of workers and immigrants, had already reached Madawaska[7]. It was projected to either reach Riviere de Loup by the end of fall, or by early next year. It would do wonders for the region, and Baird questioned whether enough people really understood that. Opening Quebec to the sea from Canadian soil would be an enormous boon to the people of Canada, and New Brunswick in particular.
“And so it shall be again,” Windham declared. “I have no desire to rule over these people as a conqueror however, we will have to ensure this area is pacific and amenable towards Her Majesty’s rule.”
Though all were in agreement, Baird could not stop himself from asking one important question.
“While I believe we may accomplish that, sir, I must ask, shall this region be administered from Fredericton or Quebec?”
Windham chuckled without mirth. “That Lt. Colonel Baird, is indeed a very good question.”
Windsor, Canada West, August 1st, 1864
Major George Denison III watched the last of the retreating Yankee columns from atop his horse. The long and painstakingly choreographed series of maneuvers was almost at its end. He’d coordinated with Yankee officers, largely a ferocious little man named Sheridan, who’d kept him notified of the comings and goings of the Yankee army. The two had sized one another up as well, and Denison had come away with the impression he could probably have bested the man in a sword fight, though he certainly wouldn’t have wanted to grapple with him!
His troop had followed the withdrawal alongside an oversized brigade of Canadians, largely men who had lived in this western district before the invasion in 1862, with Col. Shanly from the London District overseeing the whole ordeal under General Napier. Many men had, along the way, returned to their homes, leaving the already dangerously understrength battalions severely understrength. Denison personally cursed them for it, but many of their officers seemed to find it understandable. How could men see to their duties if the status of their families was still unknown? In Denison’s eyes, duty was first and all else secondary, wife or no[8].
Now though, the remaining twenty-nine men of his troop fit for duty, including one man who was wounded but could still ride a horse, were seated with him as they watched the last American troops crossing the river to Detroit. In a mere few moments, Canada would at last be free from Yankee occupation.
“We could have ridden the shorter distance to the Niagara frontier, you know. Better for all our behinds,” his friend and confidant Orlando Dunn observed.
“Careful Sergeant Major, I wouldn’t want the war to end on a sour note with you brought up on charges of insubordination,” Denison said with a smile.
“Perish the thought, what would you do without me?” The former militia officer from Devonshire said.
It was true. Denison was now the de facto commander of the 1st Canadian Volunteer Dragoons as well as his own little cavalry troop. That was why Dunn was so useful to him throughout the whole war. Having taken command, he was riding herd on the Yankee forces retreating, as the other troops were all badly attired. Only his father’s own well maintained horse stocks had allowed him to go on operating, and even then they needed to be generously reimbursed by the government for their services.
“Colonel Booker deserved the honor of liberating Hamilton, for all the work he put in at Davenport Ridge.”
“Too true,” he agreed. “I hope we may have the honor of riding the rails back to Toronto though.”
Dunn’s comment provoked a soreness in his rear which Denison had not realized was bothering him. He was only turning twenty-five in a month dammit, he shouldn’t have such aches. Nevertheless, he would also be grateful for even the uncomfortable seat one generally got on the Grand Trunk Railway carriages.
“Yes, I would not object, and I don’t think the railroads will either. God knows we had to put some pressure on the Yankees to fix the lines. It certainly got them moving home faster though.”
There had been plenty of destruction across Canada, from the infamous Burning of Brampton, to the more insidious case of arson against poor old Allan MacNab’s Dundurn Castle. However, much of the damage had simply come from ‘foraging’ or otherwise requisitioning supplies from many locals. Families had fled their farms, fields had fallen into disuse, and rolling stock and railroads had been damaged by the nasty little guerrilla war waged by loyal Canadians against the occupiers. It would take years to rebuild, and in a few cases, repopulate some areas. However, the destruction had been mercifully spread out, not turning Canada West into anything like what was happening to parts of the Southern states Denison read about in the newspapers.
Watching the Americans march away Denison shook his head. “We can’t let something like this happen again.”
“I agree with you there, but that’s why we enjoy Her Majesty’s protection,” Dunn said.
“No, something more than that. There were barely any Regulars in all of Canada West before the war, no wonder we looked like such an inviting target! Soon many will be going home, or elsewhere in the Empire after a while. No, we must make sure we no longer look inviting to any invader. It’s about time we think seriously about defending ourselves. When their war ends, how many thousands of men will be thrown out of work but have weapons and experience? How many of them will have a grudge against Britain or Canada?” Denison declared, looking across the border and the peril it would represent.
“An ominous question George,” Dunn replied, nodding in appreciation.
“Something will have to change Orlando, something will have to change.”
------
1] The populations of Aroostook County and Washington County in 1860 were 22,479 and 42,534 respectively. My rough guess is that the number of people in the borderline traced by the British would include, opposite everyone in the Aroostook, roughly 15,000 people from Washington County would fall under this new border. I doubt all of them would leave, but enough would go on principle to arrive at this number.
2] See Appendix
3] The full economic effects of the war will be explored later. However, there has been a recession and lots of destruction in Canada West and it has also delayed a lot of the building projects historically underway in the country (amusingly, the Parliament of Canada is now delayed quite a bit, as is the County Jail and Town Hall of my own hometown, both completed 1862 and 1863 respectively, here, much later).
4] Historically Wolseley actually left Canada for an operation in 1863 as his old war wound was troubling him. Here, I think you’d have to physically drag him away from the war so he stays on duty in Canada until September 1864, returns home for his operation and a promotion, and at long last marries his love Louisa Erskine three years earlier than OTL because he feels that his promotion to full colonel will allow him to support her.
5] Baird is one of those figures who I had hoped I could introduce in another way, but alas must give you his story here. One of perhaps the most able and competent militia officers in Canadian history, he worked hard to leave his name but without a war is largely forgotten. Here, because he serves on a quiet front, alas that is still mostly the case but he goes down in history as an able administrator and peacemaker TTL.
6] The New Brunswick Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry were first incorporated in 1848, but by the 1860s had grown to seven troops of cavalry, largely from around Saint John. In Wrapped in Flames they are, naturally, shuttled to the border to provide security for the Temiscouata Road and to protect the district. Another unit that, while serving a very useful purpose, would probably be largely forgotten about alas.
7] Or Edmundston.
8] Ironically he would have been married to his first wife already TTL, getting together in 1863, perhaps changing his opinion. However, war and separation means he’s well away from any real ability to marry just yet. I expect his nuptials will come in 1864 though.
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Appendix to Chapter 93: The Treaty of Rotterdam
Treaty of Peace and Amity between Her Britannic Majesty and the United States of America.
Her Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, desirous of terminating the war which has unhappily subsisted between the two Countries, and of restoring upon principles of perfect reciprocity, Peace, Friendship, and good Understanding between them, have for that purpose appointed their respective Plenipotentiaries:
The Representatives of Her Britannic Majesty:
George Villiers, George Robinson, John Hay, Edward Lugard, Joseph Howe, John Ross
The Representatives of the United States:
Charles Adams, Winfield Scott, Joseph Smith, Caleb Cushing, Thurlow Weed
Article I
There shall be a firm and universal Peace between Her Britannic Majesty and the United States, and between their respective Countries, Territories, Cities, Towns, and People of every degree without exception of places or persons. All hostilities both by sea and land shall cease as soon as this Treaty shall have been ratified by both parties as hereinafter mentioned. All territory, places, and possessions whatsoever taken by either party from the other during the war, or which may be taken after the signing of this Treaty, excepting only the territories hereafter mentioned in Article V and VI, shall be restored without delay and without causing any destruction or carrying away any of the Artillery or other public property originally captured in the said forts or places, and which shall remain therein upon the Exchange of the Ratifications of this Treaty, or other private property; And all Archives, Records, Deeds, and Papers, either of a public nature or belonging to private persons, which in the course of the war may have fallen into the hands of the Officers of either party, shall be, as far as may be practicable, forthwith restored and delivered to the proper authorities and persons to whom they respectively belong.
Article II
Immediately after the ratifications of this Treaty by both parties as hereinafter mentioned, orders shall be sent to the Armies, Squadrons, Officers, Subjects, and Citizens of the two Powers to cease from all hostilities: and to prevent all causes of complaint which might arise on account of the prizes which may be taken at sea after the said Ratifications of this Treaty, it is reciprocally agreed that all vessels and effects which may be taken after the space of twelve days from the said Ratifications upon all parts of the Coast of North America from the Latitude of twenty three degrees North to the Latitude of fifty degrees North, and as far Eastward in the Atlantic Ocean as the thirty sixth degree of West Longitude from the Meridian of Greenwich, shall be restored on each side:-that the time shall be thirty days in all other parts of the Atlantic Ocean North of the Equinoctial Line or Equator:-and the same time for the British and Irish Channels, for the Gulf of Mexico, and all parts of the West Indies:-forty days for the North Seas for the Baltic, and for all parts of the Mediterranean-sixty days for the Atlantic Ocean South of the Equator as far as the Latitude of the Cape of Good Hope.- ninety days for every other part of the world South of the Equator, and one hundred and twenty days for all other parts of the world without exception.
Article III
All Prisoners of war taken on either side as well by land as by sea shall be restored as soon as practicable after the Ratifications of this Treaty as hereinafter mentioned on their paying the debts which they may have contracted during their captivity. The two Contracting Parties respectively engage to discharge in specie the advances which may have been made by the other for the sustenance and maintenance of such prisoners.
Article IV
The Government of the United States shall acknowledge the damages subjected to the Citizens of Her Britannic Majesty’s realm committed in the month of November 1861 having been carried out in international waters; but perpetuated on the decks of Her Britannic Majesty’s vessels causing the unjustifiable loss of life of Her Majesty’s Citizens on sovereign British shipping. In doing so the United States concedes liability for the loss of life and property in these instances and these alone. The subject of damages for these losses shall be hereafter incorporated into Article VII.
Article V
The United States shall, in perpetuity, renounce all claims upon the San Juan Islands and the Rosario Strait, settling the dispute which had been yet unsolved by the Boundary Commission of 1856. Henceforth, upon the Ratification of this Treaty, the national boundary line between the Washington Territory of the United States and the Colony of Vancouver of her Majesty’s Government shall be defined by the Rosario Straight.
All persons and Citizens of the islands who do not wish to take the Oath of Loyalty to Her Britannic Majesty’s government shall be given six months to settle their properties and affairs and depart these territories unmolested.
Article VI
The United States shall agree to cede the County of Aroostook Maine in its entirety to Her Britannic Majesty’s Government. The United States shall also cede the territory of Washington County, Maine, to the east of the St. Croix River to the Bay of Machias to Her Britannic Majesty’s Government. The partition of this territory will be overseen by four commissioners appointed by the Government of the United States and Her Britannic Majesty’s Government, who shall properly define this border no later than the 16th of January 1865. The Commissioners shall agree to meet in Woodstock, New Brunswick for the purposes of such consultations so that the terms of the treaty may be met in full.
All persons and Citizens of these territories who do not wish to take the Oath of Loyalty to Her Britannic Majesty’s government shall be given six months to settle their properties and affairs and depart these territories unmolested.
Article VII
The Government of the United States has, by way of acknowledgement of the damages suffered by the Citizens of Her Britannic Majesty and Government, agreed that an indemnity for those damages be paid by way of restitution. This sum, as determined by Her Britannic Majesty’s Government shall be held at a total of no less than 66,000,000 pounds sterling. The value of this indemnity shall not be increased according to inflation beyond the time of the Ratification of these articles. The period of payment shall not exceed five years, with a date beginning on the 30th of March 1865, and proceeding yearly thereafter until the full balance of the indemnity has been paid.
- The Government of Her Britannic Majesty, in acknowledgement of the sufferings of Her Subjects in Canada hereby declares that one third of this indemnity, 21,000,000 pounds sterling, shall be paid to the Government of Canada on the same conditions as those outlined in Article VII.
Article VIII
In acknowledgement of previous agreements made by The Government of the United States and Her Britannic Majesty’s Government in the years 1817 and 1842 on the matters of judicial extradition regarding murder, or assault with intent to commit murder, or piracy, or arson, or robbery, or forgery, or the utterance of forged paper, and the demilitarization of the Great Lakes and international waterways of the interior, the two governments shall agree to the following; Until such time as another body of commissioners can be gathered to address the legal consequences of the post-war boundaries the two contracting parties shall honor the agreements binding them on judicial extradition in the interests if international harmony. The governments shall agree to delegate commissioners to discuss the contracting parties’ mutual interests in military activity on the Great Lakes and interior waterways regarding their respective borders and international trade.
Article IX
Immediately upon the exchange of mutual ratifications of this treaty, the naval forces of Her Britannic Government shall henceforth issue orders to lift the naval blockade imposed upon the United States on February 19, 1862. Permission shall be given for such orders to travel to the Pacific Coast as laid out in accordance with Article II of this Treaty. The naval forces of Her Britannic Majesty shall not linger longer than is necessary upon American shores to take on provisions or make repairs necessary to the swift transportation of vessels away from the waters of the United States.
Article X
This Treaty when the same shall have been ratified on both sides without alteration by either of the contracting parties, and the Ratifications mutually exchanged, shall be binding on both parties, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at Philadelphia in the space of four months from this day or sooner if practicable. In faith whereof, We the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this Treaty, and have hereunto affixed our Seals.
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Was inflation a known, formalized concept back then ? I don't know if economic theory was so advanced as to consider this. I would have figured the reparations be pegged to a gold standard instead, more in the air of the time, like what the Germans did with the French in 1871 (5 billion Gold Francs over three years): http://gander.chez.com/traite-de-francfort.htm .
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It was known, but how formalized is - insofar as I understand - relative to various national currencies. The United States has included this partially because the government suspended payment in gold for goods and services back in late 1861 less the Treasury be cleaned out and partially because inflation is ravaging the US economy right now which is a problem. Pegging it to the Greenback as of late 1864 means the US can get some sort of tackle on the domestic situation, especially as they have to watch how markets react to everyone being relieved at the opening up of the economy again.
OTL there were enough greenbacks in circulation that it took until roughly 1877 for them to reach parity with gold and the government issued the Specie Repayment Resumption Act, offsetting the economic calamity which had been taking place during that time, which was coupled with an outflow of capital to Europe. However, by the time greenbacks reached parity with gold most people accepted them as currency. This was the debate that got the "hard" and "soft" currency political/economic battles of the Gilded Age. There's debate about the relative effect of this on economic growth, but that's more than I care to get into!
For our purposes, the worst the Greenbacks hit OTL was about 258$ in Greenbacks to 100$ in gold before falling to a more reasonable rate in mid 1865 of 150 - 100. Here, in mid 1864 it's over 300 - 100, with a corresponding lack of investment capital in the US thanks to the blockade and the flight of European capital thanks to the war. So Lincoln and his negotiators are very sensitive to how the indemnity will be greeted by the public lest it ruin confidence in the greenbacks, and by extension, the monetary policy of the United States.
So... my guess was right!
Indeed, USA said goodbye to that potato field and the pig island!
But, they also said goodbye to a part of Washington County, which I suspect will have a name change.
Also, in a final note, I feel like there will be lots of heated fights between Quebec and New Brunswick about who should control these lands.
Except that the indemnity is denominated in British pounds unless I'm mistaken.
That means that the US have to procure said currency in said amounts. Inflation, or rather currency valuation within the US in this time, would, as far as it is relevant, only impact the exchange rates, which would make it worse.
The Americans can only realistically use gold gold to purchase pounds.
So, I guess that leaves only one way out to pay for the indemnities without draining the US of gold, that is taking loans and what it entails.
The loans could be interesting in how they play out. Only British and French banks can provide that amount in loans at the time, and I suspect that this aspect would have likely been taken into account during the negotiations. Because taking out loans means also paying interests on these loans, and if these loans are provided by British banks, perhaps as a tacit understanding reached along the treaty, then British banks stand to pocket a huge sum, de facto artificially inflating the war indemnities owed to the UK.
Or perhaps the Americans might as well go behind's the British banks' back and negotiate better interest rates with French banks. Would not it be funny ?
Or perhaps the Americans might as well go behind's the British banks' back and negotiate better interest rates with French banks. Would not it be funny ?
They may resist the name change, but it could also be incorporated into the neighboring New Brunswick counties. I personally think that these new Canadians will probably stubbornly resist a name change and incorporate the heritage, if only as a symbolic act of resistance.
Oh you may have nailed one of the big political hissy fits of early Confederation right on the head there!
A certain possibility. The Americans are currently having big money problems and will continue to do so for quite a while regardless of the outcome of the war. The US banking system will be relying on greenbacks as legal tender well into the future, with confidence that they're worth anything being quite shaky. The need for hard currency stocks is going to be huge. So huge any amount of gold will be seen as important.
Money policy post-war is going to be a big political issue to say the least.
Well France would never invade a North American country because of unpaid debts, right? Though more amusingly the ghosts of the French Revolution might be very amused at the irony of the nascent United States reneging on its debts to France and then having to pay up to get their own indemnity paid off.
By the time the US would default on the debts they'll be at peace (somehow) with the Confederates (either a peace treaty or conquest). And regardless, it would take a *while* for the US military to get even close to as weak as the Mexican one.