"You Say You Want a Revolution..."-A Haitian TL

[Fearless Leader]

Part VII: Amazing Grace...My Chains are Gone

(From “A History of the International Baptist Convention” by Christopher Turner 1982)

...Every manifestation of the Church of Jesus Christ has had an influence on history from the Catholics to the more recent plethora of denominations. These contributions have shaped not only the spiritual realities of the time, but also the geo-political and social realities of the time they came out of. This book seeks to deal with the contribution of one such denomination that of the “International Baptist Convention” or as it has been better known in the past “The Black Baptists”...

...To say that the Birth of the International Baptist Convention was unusual would be an understatement. Building off the fragmented religion of American slaves and Freedmen the IBC began to emerge as the Republic of Haiti emerged from the Second Haitian Revolution. Little did such founders as John Brown and Nat Turner realize that their actions in Haiti would lead to a religious phenomenon sweeping the world...

...One of the key factors in the founding of the IBC was the Haitian Reformation that accompanied and continued on after the Haitian Revolution...

...Though the island was nominally Catholic, European oppression, opposition, and neglect had led to the position of the Church of Rome being substantially weakened by the time of the 1830’s...

...Furthermore the faith of the people was at an all time low. Prior to the Second Haitian Revolution more and more natives were turning back to their traditional (or not so traditional) religions of voodoo and its analogues...

...The immense popularity of such revolutionaries as Jean Brun and Nat Turner coupled with their aggressive and charismatic preaching and distaste for voodoo would lead to a massive religious revival accompanying the Haitian Revolution...

...It is estimated that by the time the last French forces surrendered around 30% of the island was nominally Protestant. This number would increase dramatically as many Catholics left the island following the withdrawal of the last French forces and many converted to the increasingly popular teachings of Turner and Brun...

...However though the Haitian people were not short of enthusiasm, they were desperately short of actual knowledge and clergy to guide and channel that enthusiasm. Much of the early history of the IBC was wrought with internal conflict over numerous heresies many of which involved the syncretism of Catholic and Voodoo practices with the teachings of Brun and Turner...

...In an effort to curb the rampant heresies on the island. Brun and Turner among others petitioned the United States to send missionaries to help educate the people...

...However the few that did come were far from enough to solve the problem leading the Haitian government to authorize the foundation of a seminary. This was done in the hopes that these missionaries would educate a legion of black pastors which would then be capable of combating heresy within their churches. This seminary would be attached to Liberty City University (1) and would become a primary part of it’s reestablishment as an institution of higher learning in the New World...

...It didn’t take long for the students of Liberty City Seminary to have an impact on Haiti’s burgeoning Protestant population. Though many splinter churches would form, the IBC, better known at that time as the Haitian Baptist Convention, remained strong and continued to dominate the religious life of that nation for the remainder of the 19th century...

...The HBC would even have an effect on the remaining Catholics on the island, who isolated from Rome, adopted a very Jansenistic theology and forming an informal “Haitian Catholic Church” which retains a shaky relationship with Rome to this day...

...One of the major influences on the Haitian Baptist Convention was the Moravians. From them they inherited an extreme distaste (though not an aversion to) for violence, as well as a missionary zeal. Within a decade, the HBC was sending out missionaries “to the ends of the earth”. Starting in the European Caribbean colonies and moving out into Latin America, the United States, and eventually even into Africa, Haitian Baptist Churches began to proliferate rapidly throughout the 19th century...

...By the mid 19th century the name “Haitian” soon became inadequate due to the rapid growth of the denomination. With massive churches having sprung up on the Caribbean Islands as well as in the Black Freedmen communities in the United States the term “International” soon replaced “Haitian”. However due to the primarily African descent of the members of these churches the Convention was held in distaste and referred to as “The Black Baptists”...

...Yet not all White’s held the IBC in disdain. The influence of the IBC would lead to more and more freedmen being accepted into American Seminaries (positions previously available only to whites) as well as missionaries serving as professors at not only the Liberty City Seminary but the Freetown Seminary in the colony of Sierra Leone. Though their numbers were small at first, their influence would go a long way to establishing the IBC as a legitimate denomination...

...As the IBC began to gain strength both in teaching and in numbers so too did its influence grow. Would Max Weber’s legendary work the “Protestant Work Ethic” have been the same without the example of the IBC encouraging the growth of the middle class in the Caribbean, America, Africa, and to a lesser extent Latin America? Without the unifying bond of religion would the Caribbean Federation have developed into the stable democracy it is today? Would the Dominion of West Africa have been able to successfully petition for Dominion Status?...

...Today the IBC is one of the largest protestant denominations in the world. With churches across the world and with a membership encompassing all the peoples of the earth it remains a substantial force in the religious life of many nations...

Footnotes
(1): Liberty City = Santo Domingo in TTL. In TTL's Santo Domingo's University is re-established following the 2nd Haitian Revolution and takes a more Protestant/Secular approach to education.

COMMENTS?

 

[Nicomacheus]

The IBC sounds pretty cool a fusion of liberation theology with missionaries sent be fellow natives would be pretty powerful in the Caribbean and the colonial world, I'd imagine.

I wonder what the competition of the IBC will do to that other International rallying cry for oppressed masses...Socialism.

I'm still looking forward to how Texas develops. I'm hoping it avoids becoming a slaveocracy if the US is manumitting its slaves, but I fear otherwise. If nothing else, it will be interesting to see its fate.

I this case I'd wager the lack of comments is due mostly to the still narrow focus of the Tl, your excellent work in the details of it, and the positive reaction from most.

However, let me put a voice on the latter: MORE POSTS PLEASE!!!

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

The IBC sounds pretty cool a fusion of liberation theology with missionaries sent be fellow natives would be pretty powerful in the Caribbean and the colonial world, I'd imagine.

I wonder what the competition of the IBC will do to that other International rallying cry for oppressed masses...Socialism.

And since, of course, the evangelical IBC would be against excessive drinking, possibly for prohibition, we could see officially sanctioned non-alcoholic drinks .... IBC Root Beer, anyone?

 

[Fearless Leader]

Part VII: The Birth of the Lone Star Republic

(From “Born of Fire: An Early History of the Texan Republic 1813-1844” Lyndon Johnson 1948)

...Despite earlier attempts to found a republic upon the noble soil that would later give rise to the Lone Star Republic, the true beginnings of the Republic of Texas can be traced back to the General Colonization Law of 1824. This law stated that any household head regardless of race or immigrant status could claim land in Texas. What was intended as a one off grant to Stephen Austin and the Old Three Hundred along the Brazos soon multiplied exponentially as more and more Americans came to carve out a new destiny on the Texan Plains...

...Though initially the initial Texan colonists lived peacefully under the Federal Mexican government, inevitably their love of liberty would conflict with the tin-pot dictators ruling in Mexico City and lead to the Texan Revolution...

...One of the earliest causes of tension between the Texan colonists and the Mexican Government was the issue of slavery. The early Texan colonists, many of whom owned slaves, found their way of life under attack by the Mexican government’s emancipation proclamation of 1829. Fortunately the settlers, not ready to free themselves from Mexico City’s draconian laws managed use their one year exemption to circumvent the law by converting their slaves to lifetime indentured servants...

...However though many thought that slavery would inevitably lead to conflict between the Texans and their Mexican neighbours, it would be the issue of immigration that would be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. Massive American immigration worried the Mexican officials who feared that the ever growing Texan majority would lead to that state breaking away. Though measures were put in place to curb American immigration they would prove fruitless as more and more Americans arrived in Texas to start a new life. It is estimated that by 1834 over 50,000 Anglos were living in Texas (1) in comparison to just 7000 Mexicans...

...During this earliest period of the Republic’s history slavery, though illegal according to Mexican law, persisted in the region. American immigrants fearing that their way of life was being threatened by recent events in America such as the Floyd plan and the Nullification Crisis sought to start over in Texas and found numerous ways of circumventing Mexican authorities in regards to slavery, such as declaring their slaves as indentured servants and illegally importing slaves from America or the West Indies...

...Though pressure was growing from Texas to form its own nation and free itself from Mexico, it is quite conceivable that had the Mexican government listened to the demands of the Texans and conceded to them more than they originally did, that Texas would have remained in the Mexican Republic. However this was not the case as the Mexican government now under the draconian Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna sought to change Mexico into a centralized state...

...Unwilling to subordinate themselves to the would-be Mexican emperor the citizens of Texas rose up in open rebellion against the authorities in Mexico City joining with other regions across the country. Hispanic inhabitants soon joined their Texan brethren in forming militias and wresting control of the country from the Mexicans by the end of 1835...

...Fresh from quashing a similar rebellion in Zacatecas, in February of 1836 General Santa Anna arrived with a large army (though actual numbers are hard to come by it is estimated that his army ranged from between 7-8000) and sought to re-establish control over Texas. Unfortunately for him, he gravely underestimated the “undisciplined rabble of militia” that had just recently wrested the country from Mexican control...

...Few battles can claim to be as iconic as the Battle of Fort Defiance (2). It seems that the striking last stand of 500 Texans has been collectively etched into the minds of not only Texans, but Americans, and even the world. For over a century it stands as one of the key battles in the Texan revolution and one of the most glorious “Last Stand” actions of all time...

...(However iconic the battle of Fort Defiance may have been, few people realize it almost didn’t happen. For initially both William Travis and Jim Bowie sought to make their stand closer to San Antonio in the ruins of an old Spanish Mission. Fortunately they were convinced of the foolhardiness of their plan and focused instead on reinforcing Fort Defiance. Had they been firm in their resolve to defend the mission it is likely that Texas would still be a part of Mexico to this day)...

...Having built up the fort and amassed considerable supplies of food, powder, and artillery the Texans within Fort Defiance felt that they had prepared as much as possible for a potential siege. However they soon found themselves vastly outnumbered by the army of Santa Anna as it approached in mid-March and despite their advantage in artillery, things soon looked dire for the defenders of the Fort, especially as more and more reinforcements were brought in by Santa Anna...

...After over two weeks of wearing down the fort and amassing troops for an Assault, Santa Anna finally gave the fateful order March 31st 1836 sending his best troops to root out the last defenders from the now half-demolished fort. However little did he know that over half of the Texan guns, thought by Santa Anna to be destroyed, remained serviceable and concealed...

...The Battle of Fort Defiance literally gutted the army of Santa Anna. It is estimated that in the Repulse of the First Wave alone over 1000 Mexican soldiers died. Though exact numbers elude us to this day estimates regarding Mexican casualties of the battle seldom dip below 1500 and some reach as high as 3000...

...Furthermore, though most of the garrison fought to the bitter end, due to the ingenious use of a recently constructed tunnel system several key figures such as Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett managed to escape the slaughter at Fort Defiance and joined up with the Texan army forming in the north under General Henry Millard. Their escape would result in the climactic battle of Goliad and secure independence, at least for the time being, from Mexico...

...Having assembled a sizeable force during the first months of Santa Anna’s invasion as April 1836 dawned General Henry Millard was pressured by acting
President David G. Burnet to put said army into action. Though news of the action at Fort Defiance worried him he was forced into action by the arrival of a bedraggled Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie. Their arrival, coupled with the urgings of the President pushed Millard into action leading the Army of Texas south towards Santa Anna’s army...

...Meanwhile Santa Anna found himself in need of further reinforcements and unable to continue his campaign to secure Texas having unwisely committed far too many resources to the capture of Fort Defiance. He hoped that by pulling back to San Antonio he would be able to consolidate his gains and wait for reinforcements before proceeding to reclaim the rest of the region...

...However news soon reached him of a Texan army marching south. Pressed by his commanders who eagerly wished to engage the Texans without the annoying hindrances of fortifications, Santa Anna abandoned his initial plans and moved northward to meet the army at Cibala Creek. However despite this action being the wishes of his commanders (most notably Jose de Urrea who had arrived at Goliad towards the end of the siege and who’s cavalry was relatively fresh) the rank and file Mexican troops, demoralized by the pyrrhic victory of Fort Defiance began to question the leadership of their generals...

...”Remember Fort Defiance!” became the cry of the Battle of Cibala Creek as Texan troops under the command of General Henry Millard and Colonel Mirabeau Lamar engaged the Mexican army. Though equally matched numerically, pound for pound, the Texan force was the superior. Fresh from months of training and bolstered by the memory of Fort Defiance the Texans descended upon the Mexican army with a vengeance...

...Yet despite Cibala Creek’s reputation as a smashing Texan victory, for a while it was a close run thing. The Mexican cavalry was far superior both numerically and in quality to Lamar’s small force. Indeed as things went they very nearly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and would have were it not for Lamar’s actions and a fateful volley of artillery. Had the Mexican infantry held their ground and not fled the field it is quite likely that Millard’s attack would have failed and with it the hopes for Texan independence...

...However the Mexican infantry, raw conscripts mostly, demoralized by the losses at Fort Defiance broke fairly early on during the battle, turning the Battle of Cibala Creek into a rout for the Mexican Army. Things grew worse for the Mexicans when the cavalry of Jose de Urrea having nearly overcome the Texan cavalry under Mirabeau Lamar were ravaged by an artillery barrage that wounded their commander and sent them into a headlong retreat along with the infantry...

...With the Mexican army in full retreat the Texans ran headlong after them killing hundreds and taking many more prisoner. At the end of the day it is estimated that a mere 500 men survived out of Santa Anna’s army. Santa Anna himself was not among them having perished during the retreat. Upon the discovery of his body it was said that a great cheer erupted from the camp...

...Faced with an army on the verge of revolt General Vincente Filisola now in charge of the army with the death of Santa Anna and the capture of Urrea in the Battle of Cibala Creek found his position untenable and decided to retreat back to Mexico. There he could rectify his predecessor’s previous faults in the areas of logistics and return in the following year at the head of a larger army...

...Filisola’s plan never came into fruition however as when he returned to Mexico he found the nation in shambles. It’s treasury exhausted the Mexican republic had little in the way of funds to replenish its depleted army. For now the Texans would be granted the independence they had fought so hard for...

...Instead of invading Texas, Filisola found himself campaigning against his comrade Jose de Urrea who upon being released from Texan captivity rose in revolt against the Mexican government. Urrea’s rebellions (he would lead another following the infamous ‘Pastry War’) coupled with the French invasion of 1838 and the political instability that followed would cause major problems in Mexico and inadvertently bring about an end to the first part of The Texan Revolution...

(From “Chartering a Path to Independence: The Texan Debate over joining the Union” A.J Houston 1885)

...Following the uneasy stalemate that concluded the Texan Revolution, Texas soon became a place of intrigue for the United States of America, a nation that had long coveted the land and had tried to buy it from the Mexican Republic on more than one occasion. It was hoped by then President Henry Clay that by annexing Texas the balance between slave and free states (offset by the declarations of Virginia and Kentucky) would be rectified thereby preserving the status quo. However Clay would soon find that his ambitions in regards to Texas would meet opposition from not only abolitionists but Texans themselves...

...Whereas Clay sought to preserve the status quo, many both within Texas and within the United States recognized that the status quo was beyond saving. With the Floyd Plan being adopted in Virginia abolitionists had redoubled their efforts to abolish the institution focusing on economics rather than morality. These tactics by and large worked as many states especially Border States began to see their own abolitionist movements grow...

...With Kentucky joining Virginia in emancipating it’s slaves in 1834 the tide had indeed begun to turn against slavery. Though the Federal government had yet to intervene in the matter, even slave holders knew that eventually the overwhelming majority of states would protest against the institution at the base of their state economies...

...Furthermore the movement to ban slavery from the western territories of the United States was also gaining traction in Washington, a fact that few proponents of slave power ignored. The country which they had played a large role in shaping was quickly turning against them and their way of life...

...Texas it seemed was the only feasible option for the numerous slaveholders in the Americas. Only there with slavery enshrined in its constitution would their way of life be protected and valued. As time went by more and more slave owners saw the reason in this argument and made “The crossing of the Nagidotches” by immigrating to the Lone Star Republic...

...Yet despite these realities President Clay spent an enormous amount of energy attempting to coax Texas into the Union. Only the extreme stubbornness of Texan President David G. Burnet and Vice President Mirabeau B. Lamar among others prevented the deal from going through....

...During this time thousands of Americans from the southern states, fearing for their lives and way of life immigrated to Texas to start anew in a country more suitable to their needs. They of course brought their “property” with them leading to a large influx of slaves into the republic and contributing to it’s large Afro-Texan population to this date...

...Though joining the United States would in effect guarantee their defacto independence from Mexico it would not guarantee the way of life they had fought so hard to preserve. So it was decided to rebuff the offers of Henry Clay and others and focus on gaining their independence in their own right...

...They were aided by slave owning legislators who remained in the United States who formed “The Texas Lobby” in hopes of preserving their way of life in at least one area of the country...

...Soon enough the Texan refusal to incorporate themselves into the Union would lead to a cooling of relations between the two republics and the establishment of the status quo. This cooling deepened as the Federal government began to intervene in abolitionist affairs and began to see to the abolition of slavery in their republic...

(From “Born of Fire: An Early History of the Texan Republic 1813-1848” Lyndon Johnson 1948)

...Though the Battles of Fort Defiance and Chibala Creek ended the first Mexican excursion into Texas, they did little to bring about an official Mexican recognition of the rebel state. Even though Mexico recognized Texas, they refused to recognize all of it’s land claims especially to land south of the Nueces River...

...Following the Pastry War of 1838 it was hoped that Mexico could save face and hopefully bring about an end to the Texan insurrection or at the very least secure the disputed area between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River...

...However the Republic of Texas had been preparing for this and had mustered a large army under Henry Millard the hero of Cibala Creek. Marching south they met the Mexican army under General Adrian Woll, a French Mercenary and defeated it at the Battle of San Antonio (3)...

...Following the defeat of the Mexican incursion in 1842 few other serious attempts were made at regaining the wayward province. Mexico was too busy in it’s own internal affairs as Generals vied for the position of president on their way to and from their jail cells...

...During this time Texas quickly managed to establish itself as a nation in the proper sense gaining diplomatic recognition from not only the United States, but Britain, France and most of Europe. It had won its independence in all but name and with the Mexicans too busy fighting amongst themselves to bother themselves with the wayward province, the security of their nation was established. However the Texan’s failure to bring the Mexicans to the negotiating table would soon come back to haunt them...

Footnotes
1: 20,000 more than OTL due to altered US events
2: Goliad TX
3: TTL Texas is better prepared and more defensive in nature due to a staunchly independent outlook leading to their victory in TTL (no Dawson Massacre).

 

[Fearless Leader]

Here's a picture of the area where most of the battles of the Texan Revolution took place...

I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts on the Independent Republic of Texas (unfortunately for the timebeing a slaveocracy) and how it will develop.

Any thoughts on Mexico would also be appreciated...

Or comments in general...

 

[Historico]

Interesting last couple of installments fearless...Im really looking into the more Independent leaning with a stronger Afro-Texan population Lone Star Republic. In order to really make this work, your going have to try to keep Mirabeau Lamar in Power alot longer in TTL. In TTL he might be able to secure those loans from the UK, France and Belgium...to help bolster the Texas Economy. Maybe ealier oil development or a more cattle based economy could also provide a necessary niche for the newborn nation.

 

[Hashasheen]

Here's a picture of the area where most of the battles of the Texan Revolution took place...

I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts on the Independent Republic of Texas (unfortunately for the timebeing a slaveocracy) and how it will develop.

Any thoughts on Mexico would also be appreciated...

Or comments in general...

expand the place into Mexican held territory of the pacific, and create a Texan Slave Empire, rivaling the USA. that would be so fucking cool.

 

[Nicomacheus]

Thoughts on an Independent Texas:

Well, if Texas has to be a slaveocracy, at least it's an independent slaveocracy. However, where is Sam Houston??

1) Sam Houston and US Manifest Destiny
His journey to Texas is preventable. It's proximate cause derives from Houston's attack on Congressman William Stanberry with a cane and subsequent trial in April 1832. However, Houston had been a drunkard and had fallen from grace as it were some years prior. Going to Texas was a naturaly way to seek political rehabilitation. If Houston gets to Texas, then why isn't he at least in command of some part of the Texas Army? He was probably the most famous person in the country after Bowie and Crocket and more politically inclined and connected than either. Nevertheless, it's possible that with a POD in the 1820s Houston's life in Tennessee and the USA takes a different turn and he doesn't need to go to Texas.

Many people believe that keeping Sam Houston out of Texas is a key to keeping Texas independent. I disagree. It's true that Houston was the foremost advocate of annexation. However, even its foremost opponent, Mirabeau B. Lamar, came around by 1845. And a huge wash of Texans supported it. The reason?--the mounting public debt and US Manifest Destiny.

There are a couple of ways to fix the debt: 1) get a loan from England, France or the US, 2) the US doesn't go into panic in 1837 spawned by the Specie Circular, 3) secure Sante Fe and find silver around it, 4) don't attempt to drive all the Indians out of Texas. If anything, Houston is probably the most capable person in Texas at the time to accomplish a lot of the above.

The best way to keep Texas independent is to keep the US from wanting to annex it. That isn't too hard if you keep the Whigs in power until at least 1848; you've also introduced slavery politics which will be a big boon already (to keeping Texas independent). Then you need to get Texas solvent, which probably requires help from England and France. Once you get into the 1850s and Texas has solved much of its probelm you've probably changed opinion in Texas that even Houston couldn't make a difference (he didn't in 1861, for example).

A big question, though, is what the US does with land around Texas if it doesn't expand. What's the outcome of tensions with the Indian Territory (tribes routinely raided OTL into the 1880s)? Does the US expand into Mexico and the OTL Southwest, enveloping a rump Texas?

2) Debt and Finances
The finances of the Republic were piss poor. As Historico points out, loans from Europe are badly needed. Texas had incredible money problems in the 1840s. See here for specifics. The most relevant paragraph is this one:

During Houston's first administration (1836-38), the public debt of the republic soared from approximately $1,250,000 to $3,250,000. Houston's successor, Mirabeau B. Lamar, pursued aggressive policies toward Mexico and the Indians that added $4,855,000. In his second administration (1841-44) Houston and Congress pursued a policy of retrenchment and economy. The president abolished a number of offices in the government and in the army, combined or downgraded others, and cut salaries. Congress repealed the $5 million loan authorization voted earlier, as Texas had been unable to obtain money in the United States or Europe, and even reduced the pay of its own members. However, the Congress had overlooked an 1839 act that authorized the president to seek a loan of $1 million, and in June 1842, when he was considering a campaign against Mexico, Houston arranged to borrow that amount from Alexandre Bourgeois d'Orvanneqv of New Orleans. Congress also suspended payments on the public debt until the republic could meet its operating expenses. In his second term, Houston spent $511,000, only $100,000 of which went to Indian affairs. Though income slowly began to equal expenditures, at the time of annexation the public debt had risen to about $12 million.

The primary cause of the debt was the frequency of conflict both with the Indians and the Mexicans. Furthermore, the stability of the financial system would be key not just for state solvency but for the long term viability of slave agriculture in East and South Texas: most planters borrowed against their slaves as collateral and a weak, chaotic financial system makes it hard to do that.

3) Politics
Politics in the RoT were...chaotic at best. The system to some degree encouraged this, with a short tenure of office for the President and Congress, but it wasn't too different from a US state at the time. If you can get strong parties, then you're probably a decent way to workability.

4) Immigration
Also, given anti-immigrant sentiment in the US in the 1840s, under the right combination of circumstances that could be a boon for Texas. A big chuck of Irish would be nice, since they'd bridge the gap between Tejanos and Anglos. You've already given them a nice boon with increased Anglo immigrants at the start. This may however lead to tension as Texas tries to assert claim to the Rio Grande, particularly in Santa Fe.

5) Santa Fe
One of Lamar's biggest expenditures was the expedition to secure Santa Fe for the Republic (according to the Rio Grande claim). The residents of Santa Fe didn't have much enthusiasm for the RoT and will be even more suspicious if it's more Anglo than it was OTL. However, securing Santa Fe would secure an important trade route and secure claim to the silver in NM--both potentially key to stablizing the Texan encomy.

6) Domestic Economy
Agriculture will be dominant at first, but future trends may have important political effects. Slavery will be useful in plantation agriculture but ranching (particular open range ranching) is ill-suited to slave labor. Furthermore, there was sometimes something of an ethnic divide between ranchers and farmers (tejano and anglo) before the rise of railroads made cattle ranching more profitable. Oil might actually be a boon in the 1850s and 1860s if you can create a viable kerosene industry in Texas; it might also induce some industrialization (and risk industrial slavery as well).

Note: The Handbook of Texas Online is a very good online source, if you're looking for something more dependable and detailed than Wikipedia.

 

[Historico]

Hmm...So the problem is ,The mighty Republic needs Sam Houston but just not as ambitious as he was in OTL...Maybe, Lamar creates him an cabinet position as an Ambassador to the Indian Tribes? Or Possibly to the UK, where his fervent diplomacy might be better appreciated...

 

[Fearless Leader]

No Houston in Texas in TTL, he's staying in the states and in the Democratic Party to be exact. Though I'm sure some other analogue will rise up from amongst the Texans...

Thanks for all the info BTW...

 

[G.Bone]

Interesting TL Fearless Leader. I do admire how you have incorporated the drive for the anti-slavery movement of OTL into Hati and the results therein. My question is on the effects that it has in the Spanish ruled part of the island? Are they following Haiti's lead in governance/religious shift?

 

[Nicomacheus]

No Houston in Texas in TTL, he's staying in the states and in the Democratic Party to be exact. Though I'm sure some other analogue will rise up from amongst the Texans...

Thanks for all the info BTW...

No problem. Happy to help. At least Houston could be a boon to the United States.

One other thing: I'm not quite sure why the Texans wouldn't defend San Antonio as well as Goliad. Both straddled the main routes into Texas.

Two main roads led into Texas from the Mexican interior. The first was the Atascosito Road, which stretched from Matamoros on the Rio Grande northward through San Patricio, Goliad, Victoria, and finally into the heart of Austin's colony. The second was the Old San Antonio Road, a camino real that crossed the Rio Grande at Paso de Francia (the San Antonio Crossing) and wound northeastward through San Antonio de Béxar, Bastrop, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, and across the Sabine River into Louisiana. Two forts blocked these approaches into Texas: Presidio La Bahía (Nuestra Señora de Loreto Presidio) at Goliad and the Alamo at San Antonio.

I presume you could have Santa Anna choose not to divide his forces along both roads.

Additionally, are you expecting a different lead up to the Revolution itself? OTL part of the reason the Alamo was defended is that it was held by the Army of Volunteers (an army that had originally assembled under Stephen Austin to take Bexar) whereas Goliad was held by the nascent regular Army.

Also, if Henry Millard isn't prestigious enough to win the Presidency in the election of September 1836, then why doesn't Stephen Austin win? OTL it was a race between Austin and Houston that Houston won because of his fame as 'Old Sam Jacinto'. Austin did die in Dec 1837 (which might be interesting to catapult Lamar to power and have him force a change to the non self succession clause in the Texas Constitution) but if he doesn't command the Army of Volunteers in 1835 he might well live longer (he was only 45 when he died).

In any case, probably not helpful of me to rely on OTL details this closely. Looking forward to more!

 

[Fearless Leader]

Interesting TL Fearless Leader. I do admire how you have incorporated the drive for the anti-slavery movement of OTL into Hati and the results therein. My question is on the effects that it has in the Spanish ruled part of the island? Are they following Haiti's lead in governance/religious shift?

At the time of the French invasion, the Spanish part of the island was occupied by Haiti and subsequently occupied by the French and incorporated into the new Republic of Haiti following the Second Haitian Revolution. In fact the capital of the reborn Republic is in OTL Santo Domingo, a formerly Spanish city, renamed in TTL to "Liberty City".

One other thing: I'm not quite sure why the Texans wouldn't defend San Antonio as well as Goliad. Both straddled the main routes into Texas.
I presume you could have Santa Anna choose not to divide his forces along both roads.

Additionally, are you expecting a different lead up to the Revolution itself? OTL part of the reason the Alamo was defended is that it was held by the Army of Volunteers (an army that had originally assembled under Stephen Austin to take Bexar) whereas Goliad was held by the nascent regular Army.

Also, if Henry Millard isn't prestigious enough to win the Presidency in the election of September 1836, then why doesn't Stephen Austin win? OTL it was a race between Austin and Houston that Houston won because of his fame as 'Old Sam Jacinto'. Austin did die in Dec 1837 (which might be interesting to catapult Lamar to power and have him force a change to the non self succession clause in the Texas Constitution) but if he doesn't command the Army of Volunteers in 1835 he might well live longer (he was only 45 when he died).

In any case, probably not helpful of me to rely on OTL details this closely. Looking forward to more!

The more research I do into Texan history, the more it looks like I'm going to have to revamp my previous installment. Excellent Ideas BTW...

The Alamo was hardly what I'd call a fort. More like a dilapidated old Spanish Mission. Sure it could've been a fort, but IIRC the orders to Bowie and others were to destroy it to prevent it's use by Santa Anna...orders which they disobeyed in OTL but not in TTL instead preferring to focus their defensive efforts in Goliad thereby drawing Santa Anna to them and leading to his ultimate demise

 

[Fearless Leader]

Part VII: “We Were Emperors Once...”

(From “Bonaparte, Bonar, Buono the history of the French Imperial Family following the Second French Revolution” Alcorn 1956)

…The defeat of the Bonapartist Revolutionaries in the Second French Revolution marked the low point in the fortunes of the Bonaparte Family. It was hard to imagine that mere decades ago they were nothing more than the offspring of a humble Corsican lawyer…

…Following the death of Napoleon II and the end of the Second Revolution the tide quickly turned against the Bonapartes, called “The Scum of Europe” very few doors were opened to the Bonapartes following their failure in France. Furthermore rumours abounded of bounties placed upon the heads of the male Bonapartes, though these rumours have yet to be substantiated to this day…

…Nevertheless Europe following the Second French Revolution had become a very dangerous place for the Bonaparte family.* Even the Italian peninsula became rather unfriendly to their cause leading many of them (all the male members) to follow Joseph Bonaparte across the Atlantic to his former residence in Bordentown New Jersey…

… “Bonaparte House” as it is now known became a central point for the family following their immigration from Europe. Built like a fortress the mansion became a haven for French expatriates and sympathizers. It would serve as a base for the family as they sought to rebuild their lives in America although it would have to eventually be abandoned as the family sought to escape the legacy of their name…

…Many of the Bonapartes would go on to Anglicize their name to “Bonar” and establish themselves in their new nation. It would not take long for the “Bonar” family to establish itself in the economic and political circles of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. In fact after several decades the Bonar family had become one of America’s leading political families resulting in George Bonar (b. 1862) ascending to the office of President in the early 20th century…

…(It should be noted that President Bonar’s poor performance and offensive matter have led to his surname becoming a euphemism for the male genitalia, much to his family’s chagrin...

…However not all of the Bonapartes reacted as well to their exile in the New World. In particular Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, the youngest son of Louis Bonaparte became increasingly restless while abiding within the reinforced halls of “Bonaparte House”…

…Desperate to regain his uncle’s empire and yet wary of the crafty and hostile Metternich, Charles stewed in Bordentown New Jersey. During this time his attention was caught by the unfolding “Texan Revolution” in particular the actions of the soon to be deceased Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna the so called “Napoleon of the West”…

…However as much as the other Bonapartes wished for Charles to remain in America they could not stop his seemingly insatiable urge to make his fortune in Mexico. What they could stop was his usage of the name Bonaparte. Citing the threat of supposed “Bounty Hunters” they convinced Charles to change his name. Taking his family’s original name Buonaparte, Charles then shortened it to Buono and before proceeding to Mexico to make his fortune there…

…”Carlos Buono” as he was now called would arrive in Mexico in 1840, immediately he integrated himself into the Mexican military under fellow Frenchman General Adrian Woll. Woll, a mercenary who had served in Mexico for decades brought the young Frenchman under his wing initially as an observer, eventually giving him more and more responsibilities as time went on…

...In 1842 Woll was ordered by the Mexican government to mount an offensive to regain the rebellious state of Texas. Believing that the previous Mexican defeats were nothing more than poor generalship and bad luck Woll marched northward with little preparation intending to devastate the ill-trained Texan militia and retake the region. Unfortunately for him, he underestimated the Texans and was summarily defeated at the Battle of San Antonio by a superior Texan force...

...It was in this moment that Carlos Buono truly shone. With men falling left and right and with Woll decapitated by a fortunate artillery strike, Buono rallied the troops to conduct an orderly retreat. Realizing that they had vastly underestimated the Texans, he took the battered army back into Mexico where he intended to reinforce and resupply before venturing north again with a vengeance...

...However like his predecessor Vincente Filisola, Buono’s vengeance would be delayed. For in the midst of his reconstruction of his army his troops were called upon to put down yet another revolt in Puebla. Buono’s vengeance would have to wait...

...Following his victory in Puebla, Buono and his men became the Mexican government’s “fire brigade” putting down revolts wherever they started up...

…By 1846 Carlos Buono had become one of the most celebrated generals in the entire Mexican Republic. Several conservatives wished for him to lead the army to take power and end the seemingly never ending revolving door of presidents and administrations. However Buono refused and instead sought power by more legitimate means. His popularity would see the Mexican populace overlook his foreign birth and elect him to the Presidency in late
1846…

…To both conservative and liberal elements in Mexican society Buono represented the least of all possible evils. It was hoped that under him the Republic would be able to enter into a period of stability and moderation appeasing both groups…

…Faced with a nation in shambles Buono found himself forced to take extraordinary steps to try and reform and stabilize the Mexican system. It was decided that a new constitution was needed to see Mexico into the future.* What Mexico needed was stability and in 1847 Charles Buono was seen as the best man to bring that stability. This opinion perforated throughout Mexico leading to little opposition when he formed the Second Mexican Empire proclaiming himself as Carlos I…

…Key in Mexico’s acceptance of Buono as Emperor Carlos I was his insistence upon forming a Constitutional Monarchy. The National Assembly would retain its power, or at least some semblance of it thereby preserving at least the appearance of democracy within the nation…

…Meanwhile many in Europe looked upon Buono’s regime with little interest. It was widely held that he would be deposed within months and that Mexico would once again revert to a republican form of government and revert to its near lawless state…

…as the years passed it became apparent that Carlos Buono was not going to be deposed any time soon. With the military fanatically loyal to their emperor and with republican resistance rapidly fading the prospects of the problem posed by Buono simply “going away” disappeared altogether…

(From “The Second Napoleonic War: A History of the Second War of Texan Independence and the European Intervention” Vincente Fox 1983)

...Having consolidated his power in the nascent Second Mexican Empire, Carlos I sought to avenge previous defeats by restoring the Empire to its former greatness. So in 1850, 4 years after his ascension to the Presidency Mexican Emperor Carlos Buono ordered the invasion of the rebellious province of Texas...

...Unlike the previous two Mexican invasion attempts, this time they knew what they were going up against. Months were spent preparing a detailed logistical train as well as seeing to it that overwhelming force was brought to bear upon the Texans. Though this causes some unrest amongst the newly empowered provinces, most Mexicans were eager to avenge the deaths of their countrymen upon the Northern plains...

...February of 1850 would see advance elements of the Imperial Mexican Army cross the Rio Grande to secure their rebellious province mirroring the date 16 years ago when Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna attempted the same feat...

...Unfortunately years of financial turmoil had led to a substantial degradation of the Texan army from it’s height under President Henry Millard. Despite offering fierce resistance the Texan militia found itself lacking the training and the preparation to offer any serious delay to the Mexican Army. San Antonio was soon occupied as was Fort Defiance (whose defenders surrendered in an extremely embarrassing moment in Texan History)...

...Buono’s invasion of Texas, though cheered in Mexico, brought a less than enthusiastic response from the rest of the World. In particular France began to fear that Buono, or properly Bonaparte would use Mexico as a base to threaten the current status quo in France. As soon as Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande plans were laid to invade Mexico and remove Buono under the auspices of collecting on unpaid loans...

...Also, Buono’s invasion of Texas would inadvertently solve the Texan debt problem as Britain, France, and America were more than willing to loan money to the beleaguered republic...

...Unfortunately for Buono, he had counted on the political instability present within France to prevent any significant European intervention. However this proved not to be the case as nearly the entire French navy showed up off the Mexican coast in 1851 along with half the French Army as well as contingents from Spain and Britain...

...The arrival of the French and European forces would cause Buono to retreat from Texas in an effort to preserve the rest of his empire. He would be followed by a vengeful Texan army and take heavy casualties leading to numerous comparisons between his campaign in Texas and his uncle’s in Russia...

...The French intervention would be brutal and swift. Faced with the prospect of full on war with a European power, the
Mexican government promptly disowned Emperor Carlos I to bring about an end to the conflict in addition to agreeing to hefty economic terms which would plague the country for the foreseeable future...

...Arrested by his own men, Buono was turned over to the French and subsequently sent across the Atlantic where he spent the remainder of his life (albeit truncated by tuberculosis) in a cold dark cell...

...Mexico meanwhile would be forced to sign the Treaty of Havana which saw both Texas and the Yucatan formally granted independence (the latter a British Protectorate)...

...Without its founder the Second Mexican Empire soon dissolved as the country reverted back to a Republic. Unfortunately years of instability coupled with the reign of Carlos Buono and the European Intervention had left the country bereft of any real unifying leadership. Though the National Congress attempted to restore order the Mexican Republic soon entered a state of near anarchy and weakness that would never truly be overcome until the rise of the Universalists in the early 20th century...

(From the Biographical Database of the United States Congress: Joseph Bonar)

Joseph Bonar 1822-1891
Born in Trieste Italy, Joseph Bonar originally hailed from the infamous Bonaparte family. He would spend his boyhood in Revolutionary controlled France along with his father and uncles before following his uncle Joseph Bonaparte into exile in America. Shortly thereafter he would join most of his family in anglicizing their name to the more suitable “Bonar” as they sought to start afresh in America. Joseph Bonar would eventually marry Elizabeth Watts a daughter of a prominent industrialist before venturing into politics well supported by the wealth of his industrialist father (Jerome Bonar formerly Jerome Bonaparte being a major influence in the development of Paterson New Jersey). A Naturalized citizen, Bonar would run for Congress in 1852 as a Democrat in his native New Jersey. Holding that post for 4 terms before being appointed to a vacant Senate seat in 1874 Bonar would remain in that capacity for the rest of his life. He would die in 1891 and be succeeded by his son George Bonar who would eventually ascend to the office of President of the United States.

 

[Historico]

Part VII: “We Were Emperors Once...”

(From “Bonaparte, Bonar, Buono the history of the French Imperial Family following the Second French Revolution” Alcorn 1956)

…The defeat of the Bonapartist Revolutionaries in the Second French Revolution marked the low point in the fortunes of the Bonaparte Family. It was hard to imagine that mere decades ago they were nothing more than the offspring of a humble Corsican lawyer…

…Following the death of Napoleon II and the end of the Second Revolution the tide quickly turned against the Bonapartes, called “The Scum of Europe” very few doors were opened to the Bonapartes following their failure in France. Furthermore rumours abounded of bounties placed upon the heads of the male Bonapartes, though these rumours have yet to be substantiated to this day…

…Nevertheless Europe following the Second French Revolution had become a very dangerous place for the Bonaparte family.* Even the Italian peninsula became rather unfriendly to their cause leading many of them (all the male members) to follow Joseph Bonaparte across the Atlantic to his former residence in Bordentown New Jersey…

… “Bonaparte House” as it is now known became a central point for the family following their immigration from Europe. Built like a fortress the mansion became a haven for French expatriates and sympathizers. It would serve as a base for the family as they sought to rebuild their lives in America although it would have to eventually be abandoned as the family sought to escape the legacy of their name…

…Many of the Bonapartes would go on to Anglicize their name to “Bonar” and establish themselves in their new nation. It would not take long for the “Bonar” family to establish itself in the economic and political circles of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. In fact after several decades the Bonar family had become one of America’s leading political families resulting in George Bonar (b. 1862) ascending to the office of President in the early 20th century…

…(It should be noted that President Bonar’s poor performance and offensive matter have led to his surname becoming a euphemism for the male genitalia, much to his family’s chagrin...

…However not all of the Bonapartes reacted as well to their exile in the New World. In particular Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, the youngest son of Louis Bonaparte became increasingly restless while abiding within the reinforced halls of “Bonaparte House”…

…Desperate to regain his uncle’s empire and yet wary of the crafty and hostile Metternich, Charles stewed in Bordentown New Jersey. During this time his attention was caught by the unfolding “Texan Revolution” in particular the actions of the soon to be deceased Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna the so called “Napoleon of the West”…

…However as much as the other Bonapartes wished for Charles to remain in America they could not stop his seemingly insatiable urge to make his fortune in Mexico. What they could stop was his usage of the name Bonaparte. Citing the threat of supposed “Bounty Hunters” they convinced Charles to change his name. Taking his family’s original name Buonaparte, Charles then shortened it to Buono and before proceeding to Mexico to make his fortune there…

…”Carlos Buono” as he was now called would arrive in Mexico in 1840, immediately he integrated himself into the Mexican military under fellow Frenchman General Adrian Woll. Woll, a mercenary who had served in Mexico for decades brought the young Frenchman under his wing initially as an observer, eventually giving him more and more responsibilities as time went on…

...In 1842 Woll was ordered by the Mexican government to mount an offensive to regain the rebellious state of Texas. Believing that the previous Mexican defeats were nothing more than poor generalship and bad luck Woll marched northward with little preparation intending to devastate the ill-trained Texan militia and retake the region. Unfortunately for him, he underestimated the Texans and was summarily defeated at the Battle of San Antonio by a superior Texan force...

...It was in this moment that Carlos Buono truly shone. With men falling left and right and with Woll decapitated by a fortunate artillery strike, Buono rallied the troops to conduct an orderly retreat. Realizing that they had vastly underestimated the Texans, he took the battered army back into Mexico where he intended to reinforce and resupply before venturing north again with a vengeance...

...However like his predecessor Vincente Filisola, Buono’s vengeance would be delayed. For in the midst of his reconstruction of his army his troops were called upon to put down yet another revolt in Puebla. Buono’s vengeance would have to wait...

...Following his victory in Puebla, Buono and his men became the Mexican government’s “fire brigade” putting down revolts wherever they started up...

…By 1846 Carlos Buono had become one of the most celebrated generals in the entire Mexican Republic. Several conservatives wished for him to lead the army to take power and end the seemingly never ending revolving door of presidents and administrations. However Buono refused and instead sought power by more legitimate means. His popularity would see the Mexican populace overlook his foreign birth and elect him to the Presidency in late
1846…

…To both conservative and liberal elements in Mexican society Buono represented the least of all possible evils. It was hoped that under him the Republic would be able to enter into a period of stability and moderation appeasing both groups…

…Faced with a nation in shambles Buono found himself forced to take extraordinary steps to try and reform and stabilize the Mexican system. It was decided that a new constitution was needed to see Mexico into the future.* What Mexico needed was stability and in 1847 Charles Buono was seen as the best man to bring that stability. This opinion perforated throughout Mexico leading to little opposition when he formed the Second Mexican Empire proclaiming himself as Carlos I…

…Key in Mexico’s acceptance of Buono as Emperor Carlos I was his insistence upon forming a Constitutional Monarchy. The National Assembly would retain its power, or at least some semblance of it thereby preserving at least the appearance of democracy within the nation…

…Meanwhile many in Europe looked upon Buono’s regime with little interest. It was widely held that he would be deposed within months and that Mexico would once again revert to a republican form of government and revert to its near lawless state…

…as the years passed it became apparent that Carlos Buono was not going to be deposed any time soon. With the military fanatically loyal to their emperor and with republican resistance rapidly fading the prospects of the problem posed by Buono simply “going away” disappeared altogether…

(From “The Second Napoleonic War: A History of the Second War of Texan Independence and the European Intervention” Vincente Fox 1983)

...Having consolidated his power in the nascent Second Mexican Empire, Carlos I sought to avenge previous defeats by restoring the Empire to its former greatness. So in 1850, 4 years after his ascension to the Presidency Mexican Emperor Carlos Buono ordered the invasion of the rebellious province of Texas...

...Unlike the previous two Mexican invasion attempts, this time they knew what they were going up against. Months were spent preparing a detailed logistical train as well as seeing to it that overwhelming force was brought to bear upon the Texans. Though this causes some unrest amongst the newly empowered provinces, most Mexicans were eager to avenge the deaths of their countrymen upon the Northern plains...

...February of 1850 would see advance elements of the Imperial Mexican Army cross the Rio Grande to secure their rebellious province mirroring the date 16 years ago when Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna attempted the same feat...

...Unfortunately years of financial turmoil had led to a substantial degradation of the Texan army from it’s height under President Henry Millard. Despite offering fierce resistance the Texan militia found itself lacking the training and the preparation to offer any serious delay to the Mexican Army. San Antonio was soon occupied as was Fort Defiance (whose defenders surrendered in an extremely embarrassing moment in Texan History)...

...Buono’s invasion of Texas, though cheered in Mexico, brought a less than enthusiastic response from the rest of the World. In particular France began to fear that Buono, or properly Bonaparte would use Mexico as a base to threaten the current status quo in France. As soon as Mexican troops crossed the Rio Grande plans were laid to invade Mexico and remove Buono under the auspices of collecting on unpaid loans...

...Also, Buono’s invasion of Texas would inadvertently solve the Texan debt problem as Britain, France, and America were more than willing to loan money to the beleaguered republic...

...Unfortunately for Buono, he had counted on the political instability present within France to prevent any significant European intervention. However this proved not to be the case as nearly the entire French navy showed up off the Mexican coast in 1851 along with half the French Army as well as contingents from Spain and Britain...

...The arrival of the French and European forces would cause Buono to retreat from Texas in an effort to preserve the rest of his empire. He would be followed by a vengeful Texan army and take heavy casualties leading to numerous comparisons between his campaign in Texas and his uncle’s in Russia...

...The French intervention would be brutal and swift. Faced with the prospect of full on war with a European power, the
Mexican government promptly disowned Emperor Carlos I to bring about an end to the conflict in addition to agreeing to hefty economic terms which would plague the country for the foreseeable future...

...Arrested by his own men, Buono was turned over to the French and subsequently sent across the Atlantic where he spent the remainder of his life (albeit truncated by tuberculosis) in a cold dark cell...

...Mexico meanwhile would be forced to sign the Treaty of Havana which saw both Texas and the Yucatan formally granted independence (the latter a British Protectorate)...

...Without its founder the Second Mexican Empire soon dissolved as the country reverted back to a Republic. Unfortunately years of instability coupled with the reign of Carlos Buono and the European Intervention had left the country bereft of any real unifying leadership. Though the National Congress attempted to restore order the Mexican Republic soon entered a state of near anarchy and weakness that would never truly be overcome until the rise of the Universalists in the early 20th century...

(From the Biographical Database of the United States Congress: Joseph Bonar)

Joseph Bonar 1822-1891
Born in Trieste Italy, Joseph Bonar originally hailed from the infamous Bonaparte family. He would spend his boyhood in Revolutionary controlled France along with his father and uncles before following his uncle Joseph Bonaparte into exile in America. Shortly thereafter he would join most of his family in anglicizing their name to the more suitable “Bonar” as they sought to start afresh in America. Joseph Bonar would eventually marry Elizabeth Watts a daughter of a prominent industrialist before venturing into politics well supported by the wealth of his industrialist father (Jerome Bonar formerly Jerome Bonaparte being a major influence in the development of Paterson New Jersey). A Naturalized citizen, Bonar would run for Congress in 1852 as a Democrat in his native New Jersey. Holding that post for 4 terms before being appointed to a vacant Senate seat in 1874 Bonar would remain in that capacity for the rest of his life. He would die in 1891 and be succeeded by his son George Bonar who would eventually ascend to the office of President of the United States.

Very Intriguing Post indeed...How is Henry Millard still alive in 1850 when he died of complications in OTL 1844? And I can't wait to see how American Politics are stirring while Britain and France both come to help bail out Texas in TTL? and as always Keep it Comming...

 

[Fearless Leader]

Very Intriguing Post indeed...How is Henry Millard still alive in 1850 when he died of complications in OTL 1844? And I can't wait to see how American Politics are stirring while Britain and France both come to help bail out Texas in TTL? and as always Keep it Comming...

Millard's not the President of Texas during the Second Mexican Invasion. Rather he was president (running as Austin's VP before forcing a succession crisis upon the latter's death). If you'll reed more closely you'll see that the Texan Army has degraded since his presidency.

More on developments in Texas and America will be forthcoming in upcoming installments...

HOWEVER...

The next installment will look at the oft-overlooked continent (more accurately sub-continent) and the implications of a seemingly minor (or major depending on your point of view) butterfly effect upon it's history...

Also expect East Asia to be substantially different than OTL...


Again comments are more than welcome...

 

[Fearless Leader]

Part VIII: Land of the Forgotten Butterflies

(From “The Great Game: The Untold Story of the Resistance against Russia’s Conquest of Central Asia” Peter Hopkirk 1994)

... For years the British Empire looked upon the realm of Ranjit Singh, colloquially known as “The Sikh Empire” as a valuable buffer state between the riches of India and the unstable wilds of Central Asia. As both London and Calcutta became more aware of the Russian ambitions in Central Asia all possible means were used to secure the allegiance of such a valuable state in the hopes of gaining the wily Sikh’s allegiance...

...Unfortunately, these efforts spearheaded by none other than the legendary Alexander “Kabul” Burnes himself would prove useless in the long run. For the death of Ranjit Singh in 1833 (1) would render all of his efforts in that state null and void...

...For in as much as Singh had travailed quite hard to form the Sikh Empire, he saw to it that having established it he should enjoy himself to the fullest degree. Of all of Singh’s vices women was the most notable, with the man keeping a substantial harem to serve the urges of his flesh. Though the exact cause of Singh’s death is not known it is rumoured that he contracted syphilis from an imported European girl fleeing war torn France (2). Nevertheless his weakness for loose women would do more than claim his own life; it would also inadvertently lead to the downfall of the state he had worked so hard to create. For instead of grooming his eldest son Kharak into a suitable heir he preferred to spend his time indulging himself amongst his harem thus leaving a massive power vacuum following his untimely death...

...As it quickly became apparent that Kharak Singh (or any of the rulers that succeeded him following his mysterious death for that matter...) was in no way capable of succeeding his father or maintaining control of the Sikh Empire or its vast Army both Calcutta and London began to fear the worst. Not only had their most valuable ally on the subcontinent been lost but it had been destabilized to the point that it was feared Russian intrigues could very well turn the Sikh Empire with its powerful army against the British in India destabilizing their position greatly...

...Fortunately farsighted British administrators had seen this possibility and had began planning the neutralization of the potentially unstable Sikh Empire immediately following the death of Ranjit Singh. Though done under the auspices of “a defensive action” the actions undertaken by the EIC leading up to the First Anglo Sikh War of 1837-1838 would be anything but defensive preparing logistics and siege trains with the intent of invading the Sikh Raj...

...Meanwhile as the Company prepared for the inevitable war with the unstable Sikh Raj the search was on for a replacement buffer state with which to shield India from the interests of the Russian Bear. The obvious choice, pointed out by Alexander Burnes, and the one eventually chosen would be the Afghan kingdom of Dost Mohammed...

...Dost Mohammed, a personal friend of Burnes would prove extremely receptive to the British requests and offers of friendship and support in exchange for resisting Russian interests turning down a Russian mission under Colonel Vikitevitch in 1837 with the condition that his fortress at Peshawar currently held by the Sikhs be returned to him along with its environs...

...This served as a perfect casus belli for the Company who launched its invasion from the south in conjunction with Dost Mohammed’s attacks from the north and proceeded to fight a series of bloody engagements with the Khalsa before eventually coming out victorious...

...The Treaty of Lahore signed in 1838 would see the Sikh Raj all but dismantled. Dost Mohammed, now a loyal friend of Britain and the Company would receive not only Peshawar but a substantial portion of land around it while other portions of the Raj were either annexed by the company or friendly Indian States such as Jammu, the remaining portion of the Sikh Raj was ruled by Nau Nihal Singh (son of Kharak Singh) with the provision that a British Resident be stationed in Lahore along with a substantial contingent...

...In addition the treaty would also stipulate that the Khalsa, one of the largest and most professional non-British Armies on the sub-continent be reduced to a mere skeleton force, a shadow of what it once was...

...These harsh terms would eventually lead to the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1841 in which Punjab would rise up in arms in conjunction with Afghan rebels in an attempt to throw off their oppressors both Anglo and Afghan. However this rebellion would be poorly organized, have little popular support, and would bebe crushed with overwhelming force from the Company...

...The Anglo-Sikh wars of the mid 19th century would have a wide influence upon the unfolding of history not only in Central Asia but in the sub-continent as well. Dost Mohammed would be able to utilize the victories in both Anglo-Sikh wars to his advantage forming the basis for what we know as the modern Kingdom of Afghanistan. Britain would replace it’s one time ally in the Sikh Raj with the more lasting ally of Dost Mohammed’s Afghanistan(3)...

...Furthermore the heavy losses incurred by British troops during the campaigns in the Sikh Raj would reveal serious deficiencies within the armies protecting India. Without the purge of numerous incompetent officers and general reorganization following the Anglo-Sikh Wars it is quite likely the situation would have persisted, perhaps even leading to an eventual revolt by the native troops held by the company(4)...

...It is important to note how close this all came to not happening at all. Had Ranjit Singh not died when he did it is unlikely that the treaty of alliance and friendship between Dost Mohammed and Great Britain would have been signed due to the contentious issue of Peshawar. Dost Mohammed may have in fact listened to the Russian mission which he spurned in our history forever altering history and most likely resulting in a British invasion of the region which surely would have been a fiasco to say the least...

Footnotes

1: The Butterfly being that Ranjit Singh contracts syphilis and dies 6 years earlier than he did in OTL.

2: The Notorious French Whore Strikes Again! Stay tuned to see how many more world leaders are claimed by these women of loose morals!

3: Without British qualms over the Afghan seizure of Peshawar (which they had in OTL due to Ranjit Singh still being alive at the time of OTL’s negotiations with Dost Mohammed and Britain not being willing to piss off Singh in favour of Afghanistan) the British ally with Dost Mohammed causing him to spurn the Russian mission which he accepted in OTL, thereby eliminating the need for any invasion of Afghanistan (which was done to remove Dost Mohammed and replace him with a British puppet due to fears that he was friendly with the Russians).

4: Now from what I’ve read the First Anglo Afghan War was a major contributing factor to the Indian Mutiny of 1857. I believe that it coupled with the Anglo Sikh Wars directly contributed to the Indian Mutiny. In TTL there is no Anglo Afghan War and the problems inherent within the Company’s armed forces are rectified in time to prevent a Mutiny. (True history ITTL could have very easily turned out analogous to OTL but keep in mind that this was not an unknown problem at the time and could have been acted upon. Besides isn’t the point of AH making things different?)

 

[Fearless Leader]

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED...(sort of)

Now I realize that this period of history in regards to this era is especially confusing to most of you. To be fair up until a month ago it was confusing to me too, sure I knew the basics but hardly enough to put together the post above. Now my primary source is Peter Hopkirk’s “The Great Game” it’s an excellent read and I highly recommend it. Now I’ve only heard good things about it and haven’t seen anything wrong with it so here’s my read of what actually happened during this period of history in Northern India/Afghanistan.

I do recognize the danger of me only using one source so feel free to point out any errors. But only do so if you’re willing to explain yourself and cite non-wikipedia sources, preferably books or scholarly articles/websites.
Anyways here’s my read on what actually went down during this period of History.

Alright so it’s the 1830’s and Imperial Russia is beginning to flex its muscles in the general direction of Central Asia and India. Though the actual threat of Russia is minimal at this time (as it was during the entirety of the Great Game) it gets blown out of proportion by different Russophobes in London and the EIC. This is due primarily to a series of costly diplomatic errors which saw Persia, formerly a British ally, drift into the Russian sphere of influence, Russian threats from the Napoleonic Era (not too long ago mind you), rumoured Russian movements in Central Asia (in the region of Khiva currently located in the Turkmenistan/Uzbekistan region), and a general lack of knowledge about the region in question (Central Asia).

Holy crap that last sentence has got to be the king of all run on sentences. But it’s late so I won’t bother fixing it.

Now as expeditions are sent out to discover more about Central Asia the prevailing line of thought in regards to the defence of India is that a series of friendly “Buffer States” should be established around India to protect it from the encroaching forces of Russia. It is also hoped that by establishing these buffer states, the markets of Central Asia will be opened to British goods, though that is above all a secondary motive.

On the other hand the Russian expansion into central Asia is driven primarily by the desire to gain these new markets NOT to threaten India in any meaningful way at least not at this point (some would argue it never was but I’m not willing to make such a statement).

This period of time is dominated by the earliest players in what would later be called “The Great Game” a term used to describe Anglo Russian tensions in Central Asia during the 19th century. These “players” would be British and Russian adventurers who would seek gain knowledge and to spread their respective empire’s influence amongst the rulers of Central Asia. Key to this period of history would be one Alexander “Bokhara” Burnes one of Britain’s earliest ambassadors to not only the Emirate of Bokhara (for which he was most famous due to his corresponding book detailing his travels) but also to Afghanistan and Ranjit Singh’s Sikh Raj in Punjab.

The Sikh Raj existed in what is now the Punjab Region of Northern India (in a general sense, it’s territory at its height encompassed numerous modern Indian provinces in the region) and was at its height the most powerful native state on the sub-continent. Adding credence to the “Great Man” theory of history, this powerful state was by and large the result of the actions of one man: Ranjit Singh. His arrival on the scene would see the Sikh Raj form out of what was previously a loose conglomerate of independent city states and princes. As this state was one of the most powerful in the region (due to it’s large and well trained army) and the fact that it was directly in between British India (currently under the jurisdiction of the East India Company) and the wilds of Central Asia. It was approached by British diplomats (led by Alexander Burnes) and soon became a somewhat trustworthy friend and ally.

Now unfortunately the Sikh Raj would fall apart following the death of Ranjit Singh in 1839 rendering these diplomatic moves null and void but I’m getting ahead of myself.

During his central Asian travels, Alexander Burnes had also made friends not only with the Emir of Bokhara but also Dost Mohammed the current “ruler” of Afghanistan in Kabul. At this time Afghanistan was in the midst of considerable strife. The once mighty Durrani Empire that had dominated the region had fallen apart it’s rulers stripped of their throne and replaced with Dost Mohammed in Kabul. In addition to the dynastic struggle between Dost Mohammed and the former Durrani Empire, Persia (remember friends of Russia at this point...sort of) also coveted Western Afghanistan (Herat) and sought to aid the Durrani Princes in regaining their throne in exchange for their Eastern most province. Add to this British intrigue as well as Russian and you’ve got a veritable Crockpot of things going on.

Now as the 1830’s roll on Dost Mohammed is torn between the intrigues of the Russians and the intrigues of the British. The British want to add
Afghanistan as yet another buffer state to protect India and have access to its markets. Though Dost Mohammed is more favourable to the British due to their closer proximity at the time compared to Imperial Russia several points of contention prevent him from siding with Perfidious Albion. The most notable being the conflict between Ranjit Singh and himself over the fortress of Peshawar (located near the current Afghan/Pakistani Border) a vital border fortress. Despite the British offering little more than trade Dost Mohammed is willing to cooperate providing Peshawar is returned to him. However the British diplomats and politicians are unwilling to abandon Singh in favour of Dost Mohammed (even illicitly) thereby souring relations.

With the British unwilling to budge regarding Peshawar, their position grows weaker and weaker in the eyes of Dost Mohammed. Now the Russians had sent an ambassador in the form of Colonel Vitkevitch whom up until now had been receiving the cold shoulder from Dost Mohammed. With talks with the British at an impasse the British mission under Burnes is dismissed and Vitkevitch is given an audience with Dost Mohammed.

Now this pretty much wrecks Anglo-Afghan relations as the last thing Britain wants is a Russian-friendly Afghanistan. Such an entity would almost certainly lead to a Cossack invasion of the subcontinent due to the passes in the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan. It’s decided that Britain can never risk such an entity forming so Afghanistan must be made a British satellite. But rather than support the popular Dost Mohammed (deemed untrustworthy due to his dealings with the Russians) the British back another claimant Shujah Shah (an unpopular figure at best). The resulting aid given to Shujah Shah would be known as “The First Anglo-Afghan War”, the debacle that it became made it relatively well known amongst amateur historians and news broadcasters covering both the Soviet and American invasions of Afghanistan.

Skipping the exact details of the war, the British got their asses kicked and retreated back to India. By this time it had become apparent that Ranjit Singh’s sons were unable to hold the Sikh Raj together necessitating an intervention. This intervention became known as the First Anglo-Sikh War (The second would be the result of a rebellion by the remaining Sikh forces) and would see a number of bloody battles before the British emerged victorious. Together these wars would see both British attempts at establishing buffer states for India fail and little changing in the grand scheme of things.

What would change would be the status of the EIC’s army as the Anglo-Afghan and Anglo-Sikh wars both revealed the ineptness of the officers currently commanding the Indian troops. The actions of said officers (especially their abandonment of their troops in Afghanistan) would directly contribute to regiments that participated in both wars being the first to mutiny against the company. The Indian Mutiny of 1857 would mark an end to the near 200 year rule of the British East India Company in India as it was deemed unfit to govern the subcontinent and absorbed by the British Empire.

And that’s where I’ll choose to end this section of actual history as anything beyond it doesn’t relate to the previously posted part of the Timeline.
Comments are of course welcome as is constructive criticism...

 

[Fearless Leader]

Questions...​

For Everybody:
-Any thoughts on the previous sections of the Timeline? Good? Bad? Ugly?

-Any thoughts on Part VIII?

-Was the actual history portion helpful? Accurate? Necessary?

For Indo-philes and others more knowledgable in the subcontinent than myself

-Was Part VIII plausible?

-Would avoiding the 1st Anglo-Afghan War and reforming the Company's military be enough to prevent the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and the subsequent dissolution of the Company's rule over India?

-If so how would India develop had it remained under the EIC post 1858?

 

[G.Bone]

For Everybody:
-Any thoughts on the previous sections of the Timeline? Good? Bad? Ugly?

-Any thoughts on Part VIII?

-Was the actual history portion helpful? Accurate? Necessary?

For Indo-philes and others more knowledgable in the subcontinent than myself

-Was Part VIII plausible?

-Would avoiding the 1st Anglo-Afghan War and reforming the Company's military be enough to prevent the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and the subsequent dissolution of the Company's rule over India?

-If so how would India develop had it remained under the EIC post 1858?

The actual history does help although I'm not in a position of going on the particulars of India in this time period. I do like the "Bonar" period, especially since that whole bit about the certain association was my plight for a period of time. The whole changing of the names, taking over Mexico, and France intervening... well... it seemed a incredulous per say. I'm curious on Santa Anna's role in this, since that Bonaparte guy did weasel in to that role.

The explanation did help.

...The Anglo-Sikh wars of the mid 19th century would have a wide influence upon the unfolding of history not only in Central Asia but in the sub-continent as well. Dost Mohammed would be able to utilize the victories in both Anglo-Sikh wars to his advantage forming the basis for what we know as the modern Kingdom of Afghanistan. Britain would replace it’s one time ally in the Sikh Raj with the more lasting ally of Dost Mohammed’s Afghanistan(3)...

So more Afghans in the BEIC's armies and no Sikh's in the role as OTL? (more of a stupid question than anything else) So does the Afghans take that role?