《The Rebellion Burns Bright》 Chapter 1: The Beginning of Something Revolutionary When First Lieutenant Samuel Kim came to, he was no longer in his rather comfortable room in Camp Pendleton. Instead, he was tied to a chair inside a small and plain tent. That was not the only fact that surprised him, as he realized that he dressed in his dress uniform for the Marine Corps instead of his sleepwear. Shaking off his surprise caused by the sudden changes, the US Marine looked at his surroundings to analyze the situation. The interior of the tent was bare, with only a small table with a lantern and a stool beside his own chair. Outside, the lieutenant could hear the sounds of shouting and pounding, though he could also make out several voices that were speaking directly outside of the tent he was in. Struggling against the bindings futilely, Lieutenant Kim yelled loudly enough for his captors to hear, Whos out there and what do you want? The voices outside the tent suddenly ceased and two figures walked through the tent flaps to greet the Marine Corps officer. The first one that entered was a man that was fairly short in stature but had an air of authority surrounding him. He looked like he was in his late-40s, with streaks of grey hair that stood out from his auburn hair. The man wore an old-fashioned colonial hat with an outfit that consisted mainly of the colors brown and white. The second man that entered was taller and his face looked more weathered. The taller gentleman looked a decade older than his counterpart and strode into the tent with confidence. His outfit was more sophisticated; he wore a wig, and a colonial officers uniform that Lieutenant Kim had seen in textbooks. Both men looked tense as they approached their captive cautiously. How did you manage to get past all of my men and come to the top of this hill with all your luggage with you? The younger man asked accusingly. Lieutenant Kim stared at the man, having no answers to the mans question. I do not how I ended up here either. I was thinking that this was a prank made by some of my subordinates, but I dont think they would go this far for a mere prank. The senior stepped up towards the bound officer to question him. You said subordinates, does that mean you are part of a militia? Or perhaps, a member of the redcoats? Judging by your way of dress, I would assume you are a soldier employed under an elite British unit. Redcoats? Do you mean the British? Lieutenant Kim inspected the two people in front of him once more and shook his head. Then Im guessing you are colonials fighting against them? I assure you, I am not a loyalist or a member of the British military. My name is Samuel Kim. I am a First Lieutenant of the United States Marine Corps. United States Marine Corps. May I ask where this United States is? Is it an Asian nation that has lent mercenaries to the British to assist them in the colonies? After all, your features suggest that you come from the Asian continent. The US officer shook his head, No, the United States is something far greater than some nation in Asia that is employed by the British. If my hunch is correct, it is the nation that you are trying to create. The United States of America, with the first thirteen states being the thirteen colonies in North America. That caught the attention of both of the colonials as the younger one nearly grabbed the bound officer by the collar, What do you mean by that? You claim to be an officer of a nation that does not yet exist? Yes, because Im an officer of the United States in 2018. Which would be around 240 years ahead of your time. May I ask the current date and where I am exactly? It is the 17th of June, in the year of our Lord 1775. You are currently sitting on Breeds Hill, overseeing the city of Boston. The older man coolly answered before his younger compatriot could answer. If you are from the year 2018 as you claim, then you are 243 years ahead of our time. That is quite a bold claim, Lieutenant Kim. The words of the older gentleman did not hold any malicious intent, but he and his partner both looked dubious of his bold claims. Lieutenant Kim closed his eyes and hoped that whatever brought him to this place would have at least brought him some items of use to verify his identity. You told me before that I arrived with some luggage. May I request you to bring them to this tent? The luggage may contain some items that may verify that I am from the future. Colonel Prescott, have someone fetch this mans luggage from the other tent and bring it here with due haste. As the younger man left, the older man turned back to his captive with a different look in his eyes. Before, he looked professional and indifferent to the lieutenants words, but with the colonel gone, the colonial looked eager and even hungry. You said that this United States would consist of the thirteen colonies of North America. Does that mean we achieve victory? Do we win the war against the redcoats? Lieutenant Kim blinked at the sudden change of atmosphere but welcomed it. We do. We will declare our independence next year, in the year 1776. Afterward, we will win a string of victories against the British that will bring the French to our aid. After receiving French aid, we will begin to push the British back further and further, and the war will end with the surrender of General Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781. The British will formally recognize our independence in 1783 and from there, we will expand to the west and the United States will span from the Atlantic to the Pacific. In the year 2018, the United States is the worlds sole superpower. We do not have an empire, but we are a democratic republic that stands for equality and justice with a military that kings and conquerors of the past would envy. The colonial soaked in every word the officer said and looked celebratory when his small speech ended. And many told me that we would only suffer defeat if we challenge the might of the British military! If what you say is true, good sir, then we should gladly fight for our nations future! Excuse me for being a bit rude earlier, but I am Major General Israel Putnam of the Continental Army. I have read about you in our history books, general. And since today is June 17th of 1775, I would assume that you are about to fight the British in one of the most famous battles in American history: Battle of Bunker Hill. General Putnam looked confused at the remark. Are we forced to retreat from our current position early on? Our plan is to defend Breed Hill and to withdraw to Bunker Hill if we are breached. No general. The majority of the battle does take part in Breed Hill, but the name Battle of Bunker Hill sounded more appealing to historians I suppose. Lieutenant Kim replied. However, if it is not too late, I do have some suggestions to inflict more casualties on the British and to secure a complete American victory As he was speaking, Colonel Prescott and another colonial walked into the tent with a large travel bag with wheels, a military backpack, a rifle, and a pistol. They were all placed onto the table in the tent and the colonial that assisted the colonel left the tent. General Putnam went over to the table and inspected the rifle with great interest. Is this weapon also from the future then? This looked remarkably well crafted and seems to fire projectiles other than balls. That weapon is considered outdated from the year I come from, but was widely used in the early 1900s. However, that weapon is still years ahead of anything your militia or the British army has. The rifle is called the M1 Garand, a rifle that is able to fire repeatedly without needing to inject the bullet directly into the gun. The end of the rifle has a small opening where you can place a clip of bullets into the rifle directly, allowing a continuous stream of fire. Each clip holds eight bullets, so in a span of a minute I can most likely shoot around 40 to 50 accurate shots towards the enemy. General Putnam picked up the Garand and weighed the rifle in his hands. The rifle seems to weigh about the same as our muskets, but it is it seems considerably shorter. But you say that this can fire 40 to 50 shots per minute? Yes, general. And the range for the Garand is several hundred yards and also has a sight to assist in aiming. If used correctly, I would assume that rifle could change the tide of an entire battle. Lieutenant Kim answered. But before I get into any more specifics, may I ask that you open the small pouch at the very front of the bag and pull out the small booklet that is in it? It will help clear up any doubts about my claims. While the general was still looking over the rifle, Colonel Prescott opened up the front pouch and pulled out a small black booklet. The very top of the booklet had the word PASSPORT emboldened onto it. The center of the cover featured an eagle that held arrows in its left claw with an olive branch on its right claw. The very bottom line of the booklet cover adorned the words United States of America. Curious, the colonel opened up the booklet and was greeted with a large picture eagle, with a somewhat familiar flag flying in the background. He read out the words that were written next to the eagle to his superior, who had also taken notice of the booklet. We the People of the United States, in Order to create a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America. General Putnam, Colonel Prescott, I know it is hard to believe what I am telling you. Even in my times, the thought of someone going back in time and changing history is only in works of fiction. However, I have somehow traveled back 243 years into the past. I do not know how, but what matters more is that I am here with knowledge about the future. You may not trust me because I am a stranger, but my presence may change the course of this battle, war, and our future nation. So please, I ask you to trust me and let me help you win against the British. I can save dozens, if not hundreds of lives today if you do. The Marine Corps officer pleaded. Even though he was far away from home, his mind was racing with improvements he could bring upon the United States now and beyond. Surprisingly, it was Colonel Prescott that spoke first. While I still have my doubts, I believe that we should allow this man to assist us, general. His speech makes it clear that he is not British and he seems fiercely loyal to the United States, which is the cause we are fighting for if this man is correct. We will need to speak to him in greater detail, but for now, I believe he can be trusted. The older colonial adjusted his wig and looked at the rifle and then the booklet. I spoke with him briefly while you fetched his luggage and I am inclined to agree. If he does have knowledge that can assist us in the upcoming battle, then I see no reason to keep him bound and useless while the British overwhelm us. Unbind him. In a few seconds, Colonel Prescott untied the rope and Lieutenant Kim rose from his chair unsteadily. He held out his hand to the general for him to shake. Then let us fight for the future of our nation. General Putnam took his hand and shook it, We must. If shots are fired today, then there will be no peace until the end of this war. Chapter 2: God is a Yankee (?) This here is a layout of the battle, which will commence around 3 PM later today. Lieutenant Kim showed the Colonials an accurate map of the battle through his laptop. He had managed to skim through the content of his equipment before starting the strategy meeting and found his laptop buried in his combat backpack. Despite being on for about half an hour, the laptops battery did not fall a single percent and had the entirety of Wikipedia and various history textbooks downloaded into it. As you can see here, the fortifications on Breeds Hill will provoke an aggressive response by the British and they will attempt a frontal assault to dislodge us from our positions. In front of the uptime officer was the two colonial officers that had interrogated him before. General Putnam wanted to reveal the lieutenants presence to the rest of the camp to inspire them, but Lieutenant Kim advised against such actions to limit rumors that may spill to the British. Instead, the Marine Corps officer stood in front of the colonel and major general to exploit their situation and change the battles outcome. The officers were in awe of the laptop in front of them, still wondering how the machine worked. Thankfully, they were equally captivated at the vast and detailed map on the glowing portion of the machine. However, in the world where I come from, the stand at Breeds Hill led to a number of problems. It was harder to supply Breeds Hill with men and supplies due to the distance. While the distance is not too significant, it did hinder reinforcements from assisting the main forces stationed at the hill. Many regiments decided not to advance in face of British bombardment and stayed put on Bunker Hill. Additionally, Breeds Hill had more gaps on the sides that led to troops being diverted elsewhere. The battle managed to force the British to play their hand and inflicted severe casualties upon the British troops, but it also came at the cost of losing the battle and a retreat from Charlestown and surrounding areas. So what changes do you advise order to win this battle? General Putnam asked, his eyes fixated on the map. Lieutenant Kim smiled and used Paint to draw over the map. The best course of action is to provoke a response in order to draw out the battle and then withdraw to a more defensible position. I have researched a bit on the battle and the British officers that we will be facing. If my thinking is correct, then the British will attempt to completely envelop and destroy us if we feint a retreat after their first assault. We should finish some fortifications on Breeds Hill, but focus more on the fortifications of Bunker Hill. A small force, consisting of some of the best disciplined and skilled regiments, will hold Breeds Hill and the surrounding flanks to delay the British advance. The regiments will blunt the first British assault, then retreat towards Bunker Hill in order to make the British believe that we are low on ammunition or that our lines are breaking. Once the British troops take the bait and move in towards Bunker Hill, we will play to our defensive advantage and inflict massive casualties on the British troops. After several volleys of fire, the British will either attempt to reinforce their assault with additional troops or retreat hastily back to the beaches. Since we will have a steady flow of reinforcements arriving at Bunker Hill, we should be able to fend off the British even if they received additional support. Once the British start retreating, we will advance and retake Breeds Hill and fire at them while they retreat. From there, we will be able to refortify Breeds Hill and gain the tactical advantage once again. By this point, the lieutenant had altered the map to fit his battle plan and the final drawing he made was a large arrow that pressed towards Mortons Hill. Finishing his suggested plan, Lieutenant Kim turned to Colonel Prescott and Major General Putnam for his reply. Its a bold move, but considering the information we have now, it is a very sound plan. I am usually not a general that likes to consider the specifics and troop numbers, but even I think this is a fairly logical course of action. General Putnam replied after a moment of silence. Colonel Prescott nodded his head. This plan might be the key to our victory, but I must ask this. If the British believe that they will lose a large number of men assaulting Bunker Hill and choose to fortify Breeds Hill, what will we do? I have already accounted that possibility into the plan, Colonel. If the British troops decide to not press forward, then we will flank them with the regiments placed in Charlestown itself as seen on the map. The lieutenant highlighted several small boxes that occupied the edge of the town. As in the original battle, if we have several regiments stationed within the town and have them hide from the British, we can use them to flank the British position and cut off any reinforcements from reaching Breeds Hill. Once these regiments begin the attack, we will move forward with our main forces and retake Breeds Hill by force if necessary. We will take more casualties, but a flanking maneuver will make the British either split to fight two sides or to retreat completely. With that explanation, the colonel looked more at ease. I still have a few minor worries about this plan, but I do not object to this plan. Before the two Continental officers could say anything, Lieutenant Kim interjected his thoughts into the conversation. It is a dangerous plan and requires everything to go according to plan. Because of this, I volunteer to be at Breeds Hill with the Garand to assist the regiments there. No. General Putnam instantly replied, I apologize if I may sound rude, but you hold valuable information that can change the course of history. We cant risk losing you in this minor battle when instead, you can alter entire wars in the near future. I insist that you stay behind at Bunker Hill and oversee the battle from there. That may be so, general. But I will not be out in the open and firing my Garand like the others. Since the Garand has a further effective range and better accuracy than all muskets and rifles, I will be in an entrenched position on the hill and fire at the British to help push back the first assault. Unlike in the original battle, there will be fewer men up on Breeds Hill and I cant guarantee that they will succeed in driving the British back. But if I am firing with a Garand at the hill, I can ensure that at least the first wave will be decimated. The Marine firmly stated. If there are any signs of dangers, I will make sure to retreat along with the others. General Putnam looked conflicted, but he let out a sigh and straightened his uniform. Even though I do not want to admit it, your suggestion makes sense. Even though I can have one of my best marksmen use your weapon, you are more used to this rifle than any of my men. And you were an officer for the United States military in your time. If you insist on being at Breeds Hill during the initial attack, then I will give you an officers commission to lead the regiments defending the hill. Sir. Even though he may be an officer from the future and have valuable insight, I do not think it is appropriate to immediately appoint him as an officer. All the regiments that we currently have already have officers leading them. It would be unwise to have a regimental commander removed and replaced right before a crucial battle such as this one. Colonel Prescott looked at the uptime officer apologetically. I do not doubt your skills or abilities, Lieutenant, but these men are not professional soldiers. Many of them are led by people they are familiar with or lived nearby. Changing commanders will affect morale and spread discontent amongst the militiamen. The commanding colonial general drummed his fingers onto the table. Then perhaps there is a way to avoid that problem entirely. If we are to hold Breeds Hill for some time with a minimal amount of troops, then we should have our most disciplined and skilled marksmen to occupy the hill. Out of the 1200 militiamen we currently have, we can find 400 men suitable for the task and place them under your command. We can assure the men that this will be an important task for our defense and guarantee that we will come to their aid should they be overwhelmed. It is important to make sure that they are not to be seen as sacrifices, which they will not be. Instead, they should be seen as the very best we have to fight against the British troops. Lieutenant Kim nodded in agreement. I can assure you that I will do my best to wreck confusion in the British lines so that they will have to retreat after their first charge. I will make sure to do enough damage to deter them for some time, but not enough to cripple them to the point where they retreat in a disarray. Our goal is to defeat them utterly to the point where they are unable to withdraw the men they land. Otherwise, those same soldiers will come back to haunt us elsewhere, in New York or even Quebec. Quebec? Will we take Quebec? Colonel Prescott asked with confusion over his face. With a grimace, the Korean-American shook his head. No, at least, not in the future I come from. We take Montreal but fail to take Quebec. That could also change, but we must focus on the battle at hand. I believe it is settled then. Mr. Samuel Kim, I formerly grant you the commission of Colonel of the Connecticut Militia. You will be assigned a regiment of 400 men, a Marine regiment if you will. You will take up position on Breeds Hill and defend the position until the planned retreat. You are to bring victory not only for the colonies but for our future nation of the United States of America. Shockingly, as General Putnam said those words, the insignia on Lieutenant Kims uniform began to change. The emblem changed from a single silver bar to a silver eagle with arrows clutched in its claws. Colonel Prescott noted the oddity first and the other two men in the tent watched the transformation complete. Silence reigned in the room for several seconds before Colonel Kim cleared his throat. "In the future, we have a saying that says "God is a Yankee." Perhaps that is why I was sent here and why he is still watching over me." Chapter 3: The Battle of Bunker Hill (Part 1) Colonel Samuel Kim stood on a box in front of the 400 men that was loaned to him. The militiamen were finishing up the defenses on Breed Hill, which under the officer''s command, primarily consisted of trenches and stakes to protect the defenders and slow down direct charges. The men in front of him were not soldiers, but civilians in arms. He suspected that most of them were ordinary farmers or frontiersmen that had experience in shooting, which was logical as they were more likely to use their muskets and rifles to hunt or fight against Native American tribes. Regardless, even if they were all more "experienced" than other militiamen, they were a far cry from the professional soldiers that the United States would field in the coming centuries. It didn''t help that the United States didn''t even exist as of yet and the men under his command identified themselves with their colonies. "Alright!" Colonel Kim raised his voice to draw the attention of the men that were whispering amongst themselves, "Some of you may be wondering why you are now under my command for the upcoming battle. I have no doubts that you are more surprised at the fact that I, a man of Asian descent, will be your officer for the time being." Mutters and nods were widespread throughout the ranks, with some looking skeptical at the colonel that was dressed like a British officer. He grimaced, but looked upon the crowd determinedly from his position, "That is because I am here to fight for your colonies, your homes, and your loved ones. I may look like a stranger, and to an extent, I am a stranger. However, I have been given the task to help defend your lands from the British, and I will carry out that duty to the end." "All you most likely have varying reasons for joining your militias and fighting against the British. Some of you believe that the British are invaders, entrenching themselves in a land that is not theirs. Some of you might be here because you seek glory or fame. Others may be here because you were forced or convinced by your neighbors or loved ones. Regardless, all of you are standing here today, united under the banner of defeating the British. And in the end, that will be all that matters." The Asian-American stepped off the box and stood face to face with the men at the front, "If you think for a moment that the British will stop after seizing Boston, then rid yourself of such delusions immediately. If they defeat us today, the Redcoats will seize Boston and march into surrounding colonies. They will occupy your homes, force you to quarter them, and punish you for daring to fight against the Crown. No matter the reason for your presence here today, you will be fighting not for your own reasons, but for your lives. Your lives to exist and live. The 400 of you have been gathered from the surrounding colonies and are unfamiliar with one another, so I do not expect you to act friendly to one another immediately. However, for the time being, we have a common cause to fight for and all of you here have selected for being the very best that your colonies have to offer." Colonel Kim noted that some of the men straightened their postures and looked proud at the statement. He let out an internal sigh of relief at the sight. If he was going to lead these forces into battle, he needed them to understand what they were fighting for and remain solidly under his command. They had precious little time before the British started their assault, so he quickened his speech. "So men of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut let us fight! Let the British underestimate you, for that will be their greatest mistake! None of you here are professional soldiers, but you are fighting for a cause greater than the cause of the Redcoats: for the livelihood of your colonies, your people, and yourself! So come unite together and fight! And even if I am a stranger, let us come together and resist! Show them that none of you are to be trifled with!" Surprisingly, most of the men raised their entrenching tools and weapons and cried out affirmatively. The men looked up to the colonel with a determined gleam in their eyes and newfound respect. He grinned at the men under him and pulled out his own rifle. "For this battle, you will be part of the First Marine Regiment, the first regiment to have men from differing colonies stand united! We are the first line of defense and you have been told our plan for defense! We will make them pay for every inch of Breed Hill and be the hammer to break them once they retreat! So men of the First Marine Regiment, take your positions! Prepare yourself for battle and resist! For victory!" "For victory!" After his speech, the group scattered and began to take their positions within the trenches, as Colonel Kim instructed them. He was aware of the line battles that were common in this period, but the militiamen were not soldiers and he did not want them to take unnecessary casualties. The trenches would protect them from naval fire and small arms fire and help the militiamen steady their aim while firing. As he instructed several of them to spread out evenly throughout the trenches, a militiaman dressed in modest clothes and a colonial hat came up to him, "That was some speech, Colonel. I had my reservations before, but now I''m beginning to believe that you are the right man for the job." The colonial stuck out his hand for the officer to shake, and Colonel Kim shook the hand firmly, "Colonel William Kim, unofficially part of the Connecticut Militia. May I ask for your name?" "Doctor Joseph Warren. I was commissioned to be a major general but today, I am fighting as a private with the Massachusetts Militia," At the man''s reply, Colonel Kim''s eyes widened. He was well aware of who the man was and knew of his fate in the original Battle of Bunker Hill. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Warren. Let us hope we achieve victory together on the battlefield today." Just then, an explosion rocked the surrounding area as a crater materialized in front of the trenches. When the two men looked towards the shores, they saw the British slowly unloading from their boats and forming ranks. Oddly, Warren chuckled and gripped his musket tightly, "When you spoke to the men back there, were you speaking truthfully, Colonel? About standing united against Britain and fighting for our future?" "I meant every word of what I said, Dr. Warren. Hopefully one day, the colonies will be able to unite as one and realize the true threat to their livelihood." Colonel Kim answered, his thoughts wandering to the formation of the United States. "Then we are in good hands. I am proud to be part of this "First Marine Regiment" and fight alongside you, Colonel Kim. And I''m sure all the men here think the same," Warren bowed respectfully before moving into a position within the trenches. "Please wait a moment, Dr. Warren," Colonel Kim placed the Garand down on the ground and rifled the bag he was given by General Putnam. He pulled out a battle flag and attached it to a pole that was provided to him. The flag displayed the original Marine flag design, but with the words stating "First Marine Regiment of America." "If would like for you to be the standard barrier for the regiment. Hopefully, this flag will fly on even after this battle ends." Warren looked at the flag intriguingly but nodded his head. "It will be my honor." After the major general/private left to walk through the trenches waving the flag, the Marine officer looked through his supplies as the British bombardment picked up. For the Garand, he had 20 clips of ammunition, good for 160 total shots. In his mind, he was already thinking of aiming at the senior officers and infantrymen in order to throw the British in disarray. In addition to this, he had five frag grenades, a flare, and a medkit for emergency treatment. On top of all this, there was a single note written on a piece of paper. The paper addressed Colonel Kim directly and held some answers to his presence in the past. He had read the paper before, but he read it again for reassurance. "To Lieutenant, now Colonel, Kim of the United States Marine Corps, Undoubtedly, you are confused about how you were brought to the past and why you have been thrown into the midst of the Revolutionary War. All I (and you may choose to imagine who "I" am) can inform you about this matter is that you have been tasked to change the United States for the better. The United States was a nation founded on many promising and great ideals, yet those ideals were exclusive and America was neither the home of the free or the brave for all for the longest amount of time. You have been given tools (and you will receive more tools as time goes on) to help change the fate of the United States. You are aware of your nation''s history and the tragic mistakes it will make, sometimes intentional and sometimes accidental. Your task is to change the United States so that it is a land for every one of its citizens as early as possible, and become a "Watcher" for the nation as it moves into the future. Help change the lives and views of those around you and proceed to expand your influence across all the colonies. As I said, you will be given the necessary tools (weapons, clothes, etc) to achieve this. Your first test will be here, at Breed Hill. It will be difficult and a long, painstaking process. But I am hopeful that you will change America and help her throughout the ages, changing not only America''s destiny but the world''s destiny. I will be watching carefully. And as you said, perhaps God is a Yankee." Folding the note into his pocket, Colonel Kim prepared his gear and stepped into the trenches along with his men. The bombardment continued for half an hour longer before the British began their march towards the hill. Looking around, he saw that several of the men have been rattled from the bombardment and looked uneased by the lines and lines of British soldiers moving towards them. Even though the defenses he made had prevented any of the colonials from being maimed or killed, the bombardment was shaking their morale. Colonel Kim raised his voice and shouted, "Do not be afraid! You are not alone! You have 400 fellow militiamen with you and thousands more waiting back at Bunker Hill! Hold the line and hold your fire until my command!" Immediately, Colonel Kim watched carefully as the British began to move closer and closer. As they were within a certain range, the bombardment halted and only the sounds of movement on both sides were heard. Once the Redcoats were within 300 meters of Breed Hill, the Korean-American officer yelled out his command, "Fire!" Hundreds of musket shots rang out in unison, along with several shots fired by Colonel Kim''s Garand. He saw three officers fall from his fire and dozens of additional Redcoats fall from the militiamen''s fire. Expectedly, he heard shouting amongst the British as the British troops reformed ranks and returned fire. He ducked into the trenches and gritted his teeth. The Battle of Bunker Hill had begun. Chapter 4: The Battle of Bunker Hill (Part 2) "Fire!" The muskets of the First Marine Regiment cracked in near unison as numerous Redcoats towards the front fell from the steady fire of the colonials. For every volley the colonials fired, Colonel Kim fired four shots at British officers and NCOs. Some of the militiamen in the vicinity looked at him in awe as he shot continuously towards the British lines, firing steadily and surely and downing the British leaders. Even though he had superior weaponry that could potentially kill every British officer that he could see, he was preserving some ammunition in case the battle turned awry. While he wanted to crush the British right away, he knew that if the Redcoats turned into a disorganized mess without leadership, it could result in a free for all between the colonials and the British. And as of right now, he could hardly afford to engage in melee against the British troops. No, the Patriots needed a solid victory utilizing every militiaman, including the ones at Bunker Hill, and gain a morale boost from delivering a blow against Britain. By now, the battle had been raging on for nearly half an hour. Casualties had been relatively light amongst the men of the First Marine Regiment so far, with only several men dying from British fire. The defenses that were prepared before the battle had paid dividends and had protected the untrained militiamen significantly. Meanwhile, Colonel Kim witnessed over a hundred British troops laying on the ground completely still or in pain. Despite the lack of training, the militiamen were decent shots and the trenches and stakes allowed them to rest their muskets and steady their aim. After another volley, the British assault withered and the Redcoats retreated to regroup. This was the moment that Colonel Kim had been waiting for. "Marines! Remember the plan! You have done excellently and showed the British your resolve! Now is the time to gather the wounded and retreat back to Bunker Hill to join our fellow militiamen! Together, we will march forward and defeat the British!" The response was muted from the sound of renewed bombardment, but the men spread the word quickly amongst themselves. Within minutes, the survivors of the battle grabbed their weapons and belongings and began to "flee" towards Bunker Hill as a loose unit. The wounded were carried by some of the militiamen and a few recited a quick prayer for the fallen. While grabbing his bag of supplies, the colonel spotted flag bearer Warren, who was still flying the flag of the Marine Regiment proudly. Colonel Kim trotted up to him and grinned, "Good to see that you are doing well, Dr. Warren. The men put up one hell of a fight." "Yes, they did, thanks to your leadership. We lost some good lads, but we inflicted heavy casualties on the British," Warren replied, waving the flag while motioning the others to move along, "Now let''s hope that our fellow allies at Bunker Hill are able to do the same." The two of them began to retreat towards Bunker Hill with the others when the Marine officer spotted an African American man on the ground. Colonel Kim clearly remembered that the man was fighting relentlessly and unwavering during the entire battle. The man was clearly alive and was wounded with a noticeable gash on his leg, yet he was alone on the ground with the other colonials moving past him. Colonel Kim frowned at the sight and moved towards the man. Pulling out his medkit, he began to yell at the men in the vicinity, "Why are you not helping this man?" "We''re prioritizing the more important wounded, sir. He''s only a Negro." A colonial stated matter of factly. Colonel Kim''s blood began to boil as he glared at the men surrounding him. He began to treat the wounded man with caution, applying rubbing alcohol to his wound and then wrapping with a gaze. Once he finished his emergency treatment, he turned to look at the militiamen under his command, "Whether if someone''s white, black, brown, or purple, I do not give a damn. This man fought with you and was wounded. He did not flee upon seeing the enemy, nor did he cower during the fight. Yet you treat him differently because of his skin color. By your logic, if I were to be shot on the battlefield, you would leave me behind because I am not white." Some of the men began to spout objections, but Colonel Kim continued as he helped the African American man up onto his feet, "We are rebels, gentlemen. We can''t pick and choose who we fight with, and we sure as hell will not leave behind men that are willing to fight with us. So do not look at their skin color, but look at their spirit and bravery. If I had 1000 men like this wounded gentleman, then I will be able to take on the entire British Army with them." As he was holding up the wounded man, the colonel nodded to the doctor and moved forward back to Bunker Hill. The other men followed, albeit a bit more reluctantly this time. Some of them looked livid at the colonel''s remarks, but others looked like they were contemplating silently. When they reached Bunker Hill, General Putnam personally greeted the return of Colonel Kim, "Colonel Kim! Good to see you alive and well! How goes the battle?" "The British have suffered hundreds of casualties and I managed to take out at least two dozen NCOs and officers. The British have been blunted, but they were regrouping to lead another attack on Breed Hill while we left. They''ll start advancing soon, general. Are the men in Charlestown ready?" General Putnam nodded, "They are ready on your mark, colonel. I see that this Negro is wounded, does he need treatment?" "No general. I patched him already using my medical supplies. There are a few others that are wounded as well that most likely need treatment," He asked Dr. Warren to carry the wounded man to the medical tent and ensure his well-being before turning back to the general. He pulled ou the medkit and handed it to the general, "This is a medical kit that can help the wounded avoid being diseased from their wounds and ensure they are treated properly. If there are any doctors in the vicinity that can help the wounded, please instruct them to use the rubbing alcohol in the medical kit over the wounds to cleanse it from disease and then apply the bandages and such. If they have any questions regarding the medical supplies, they can always ask me." "Very well. Thank you, colonel," General Putnam replied, "Lad! Take this to the doctor and tell them to use the rubbing alcohol to clean the wounds of the wounded and then apply the bandages!" A man from the Connecticut Militia took the box and ran off towards the doctors. The militia general looked towards Breed Hill, which was picking up with activity, and then gazed over the militiamen around him. "Some of the militiamen turned back after the British began to bombard Charlestown Neck, but we still have around 1,200 men with us. An additional 400 are hiding out in Charlestown, under the command of Colonel Prescott. Once the Redcoats start pushing, we will prepare ourselves in the trenches and fight accordingly." Colonel Kim looked around to spot the men from his unit and found them towards the front of the militiamen. Despite only engaging in one battle, the men looked much more focused than before and held their muskets closely. It seemed like the skirmish with the British had instilled some sort of discipline into the men. He noticed that while the Marine Regiment was hiding in the trenches and prepping for battle, the more raw militiamen were out of the trenches and readying themselves on open ground. Shaking his head, he began to inspect the British troops coming towards him with a pair of binoculars. From what he saw, he saw at least 2,000 British troops moving down from Breed Hill and towards Bunker Hill. From a militiaman''s standpoint, the British soldiers probably looked intimidating and terrifying. Like on Breed Hill, the British bombardment was rattling the hill and to an extent, the men on the hill as well. Some of the men that were outside the trenches were killed instantly when the artillery fire struck home. As the British began to march closer and closer, he saw some of the men panic and flee, despite barking orders from General Putnam and other colonial officers. When loud booming sounds came from the peak of Bunker Hill, Colonel Kim and the others turned to look at the source of the noise. On the hill were six artillery pieces, all firing towards British lines. From the distance, Colonel Kim was able to see a man with a peg leg loading up another volley to fire upon the British. Seeing this, the Marine officer could, quite literally, feel the spirits of the militiamen lift tremendously. And when the British came into firing range, the colonel did not hesitate to call out his order to the Marine Regiment, "Fire!" The other officers echoed his order and over a thousand muskets let loose a volley towards the advancing Redcoats, along with several scattered shots from himself and nervous militiamen. Most of them missed, but a good amount of the shots struck the British lines. His shots struck true and hit several of the British officers once more. Unlike Breed Hill, there were over a thousand men on Bunker Hill and they were able to somewhat match the British in terms of volume, and Colonel Kim was hitting the British lines without restraint. When the British returned fire, the few men within the trenches were safe from British fire, though some of the unfortunate militiamen that remained in view of the British were struck down. Once he saw that the Marine Regiment was ready to fire once more, Colonel Kim pointed towards the enemy, "Fire!" In addition to the regiment''s fire, Colonel Kim pulled out a frag grenade and pulled the pin, counting two seconds before throwing it accurately towards the British lines. After a few more seconds, a small explosion erupted in the British ranks. Immediately afterward, he threw the remaining frags toward the enemy, achieving the same results. With just the five grenades, he saw dozens of British soldiers go down from the fragmentation. As more and more British soldiers were cut down, suddenly, the Redcoats began to turn tail and march away from the battlefield. Unfortunately, while he was about to pull out his flare gun and call for a charge, he saw that despite the British retreat, some of the colonial units were fleeing as well. That''s when he noticed that there were dozens of dead militiamen on the ground. While his regiment remained fairly unscathed, the colonial units that refused to utilize the trenches and fought the British with line formations suffered heavy casualties and were on the run. Suddenly, he felt a burning sensation in his pocket and he pulled out the piece of paper from before. The previous message on the paper had disappeared and was instead replaced by a single sentence, "Rally the men by singing the song." For a moment, Colonel Kim was extremely confused at the wording of the sentence. What did the messenger mean about "the song?" Suddenly, his mind drifted that song that seemed relevant to the situation. Somehow, he got the feeling his assumption was correct. He cleared his throat and recalled the verses before singing, "Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men. It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes. Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see? Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free! Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men. It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes. Will you give all you can give so that our banner may advance? Some will fall and some will live. Will you stand up and take your chance? The blood of the martyrs will water the soils of Our Land! Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men. It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!" He had no idea why "God" wanted him to sing that song, but the song was short and seemed to have an effect on some of the colonial soldiers that were near him. Initially, the militiamen looked at him strangely but had a changed expression on their face as they listened to the lyrics. After he finished the song, he saw that many from his own regiment and from other regiments were singing along as well and began to direct their attention towards him. It was now or never. "My fellow militiamen! The British are on the retreat and are fleeing! We are able to cut them off and encircle them with our forces in Charlestown! So move forward!" Colonel Kim fired his flare gun into the air to signal Colonel Prescott in Charlestown. Immediately, he and his own unit began to move forward with hundreds of the remaining militiamen join in on the charge. His goal was to move his forces forward and get within firing range to fire at the British if they turned back, or at least divert their attention while the men in Charlestown moved up. The militiamen fired upon a few stragglers that were behind the main retreating force, but it seemed like they had caught the British troops in a full rout. When they climbed Breed Hill, the charging militiamen witnessed hundreds of additional militiamen flanking the British troops and catching them completely by surprise. The first surrender came several minutes later. While some of the British soldiers were able to return to their ships and boats successfully and flee to the warships in the harbor, hundreds of them surrendered once it became clear that they were stranded and surrounded. "May I speak to the gentleman in command?" One of the British officers asked as he looked at the surrounding militiamen nervously. "I am Colonel Kim of the 1st Marine Regiment. Do not worry, your men will be unharmed and will be treated fairly," Colonel Kim replied, giving a stern look to his unit and to the militiamen around him, "I will need to speak to General Putnam about procedures regarding prisoner exchange, but I''m sure you will be returned to Britain in due time." The British officer looked humiliated, but nodded glumly, "My name is William Howe, General of His Majesty''s Army." Colonel Kim blinked. The Battle of Bunker Hill Aftermath "...the Battle of Bunker Hill was one of the most prominent and important battles in American history. Not only was the battle an overwhelming victory for the colonies, but it also rattled the confidence and image of the British Empire. The ramifications of the battle were enormous... The official figures revealed that 86 men under the colonial militias were killed with an additional 192 men wounded. In contrast, 419 British soldiers and officers lost their lives, along with an additional 841 soldiers and officers wounded. Additionally, 212 men (which did include a number of the injured soldiers) were captured by the colonials, including General William Howe, who would be forever disgraced for being part of the disastrous battle... Not only did the British lose hundreds of men, but they also lost over a dozen artillery pieces and left behind a considerable amount of weapons and ammunition for the colonial militias to scavenge... According to official reports, upon hearing the disastrous British defeat at Bunker Hill, King George became visibly outraged and declared that there would be no peace in the colonies until the rebellion was crushed. This would lead to King George''s Proclamation of Rebellion on July 15th and the "official" beginning of a military conflict between Great Britain and the colonies. General Thomas Gages was sacked from his position as the Commander in Chief and was replaced by General John Burgoyne, one of the few British officers in the area that did not participate in the Battle of Bunker Hill... Another important noteworthy result of the Battle of Bunker Hill was the emergence of General William Kim as an important national figure. The battle allowed then-Colonel Kim of the 1st Marine Regiment to gain recognition and admiration from militias in the northeastern colonies. The mysterious Asian officer''s heroics and leadership were crucial to the American victory at Bunker Hill, and he would earn the nickname "Yellow Marshal" from his peers... The growing popularity of Colonel Kim in the northeastern colonies and support from the Continental Congress, along with his leadership in the Invasion of Canada, would only cement his legacy in the annals of American history..." Chapter 5: The War Must Go On Colonel Kim watched as the bodies of dead militiamen and Redcoats be carried away by several of the colonials. The officer''s white dress hat was in his hands as he solemnly watched the departure of the fallen. The men of the First Marine Regiment stood closely behind, also removing their hats to pay their respects for the dead. Several militiamen from other colonial militias and prominent officers were in the crowd as well, among them being General Putnam, Colonel Prescott, and Colonel John Stark. Amongst the dead were ten of the original four hundred members of the regiment and their names were written down by Colonel Kim as the bodies were identified. After the colonel read all ten names, he gave an appreciative nod to one of the militiamen carrying out the bodies of the dead. The man stared at Colonel Kim''s face but returned the nod with a shadow of a smile on his face. After a few moments of silence, the Marine officer turned to the members of the regiment and spoke, "Ten brave men from our regiment died today on the battlefield, with an additional seventy brave men from other regiments killed as well. Any of us could have been laying on the cold, hard ground. Yet luckily for us and unluckily for them, we escaped death and are now hailed as heroes, while they lay lifelessly on the ground. "That is why we will not forget their names as we soldier on. This battle is only the first battle of this war, gentlemen. Let us not forget that. We have forced the British to flee and saved the city of Boston. But mark my words, the British will return to the colonies with a vengeance and will seek revenge for their loss on Bunker Hill. Which is why we must continue to fight the good fight and make sure that the deaths of our fellow militiamen are not in vain. More than ever, we must train and prepare to resist." Standing in front of the members of the First Marine Regiment, he saluted the men and generously took the regiment''s flag from Warren''s hands, "I understand the battle is over and you all have your own lives and duties to return to. Even so, I could not have asked for any braver men for the battle. You may not be soldiers, but you showed those Redcoats hell. It was an honor fighting alongside all of you, even if it was only temporary." The reactions from his men were mixed. Some looked surprised at the man''s words, while others looked uncertain. A single voice rang true from the crowd, cutting through the colonel''s words, "And who said we leaving, sir?" A single individual limped up to the front of the crowd and Colonel Kim recognized him as the African American militiamen he had treated earlier. The African American militiamen earned a few curious stares and glares from the others, but the crowd was silent as he spoke up, "I thought you was going to remain our leader, sir. I don''t know about the others, but I am going to follow you and fight under you till the end." "Well, I would be honored to continue leading the regiment. But frankly, Mr..." "Poor. Salem Poor." "Mr. Poor, I was planning to travel to Philadelphia to receive an official commission from the Continental Congress, but until then, I will be unable to provide for any of the troops." Even after hearing Colonel Kim''s response, the injured man remained undeterred, "I left behind my wife and family to fight, sir. I knew what I was going to fight for and die for. And if you didn''t choose to save me on that hill sir, I would''ve most likely died or been taken, prisoner. I owe you my life, and many of us here probably can say the same. With you as the leader, I''ll gladly follow." "Hear, hear!" Several of the militiamen cried out. General Putnam cleared his throat, "I have decided that for the time being, I will assign my duties to one of my fellow officers and travel with Colonel Kim to Philadelphia. Those stubborn fools at Philadelphia will most likely try to deny him a commission, so I will go with him to convince them. Additionally, General Washington is on his way to Boston, so he will be able to take command during my absence. Those of that want to stay in the First Marine Regiment, you have my word that the regiment will become an official part of the Continental Army." After several minutes of debate and activity, the remaining members of the regiment were officialized. Approximately 200 men of the original regiment opted to remain under Colonel Kim''s command, which included men like Salem Poor and Joseph Warren, and an additional 100 men pledged their service to the First Marine Regiment. Colonel Kim caught a few names of the ones that joined and recognized a number of them. The most notable individuals of the newest regiment members were Major Andrew McClary (who was supposed to be dead) and Captain Thomas Knowlton (one of the first intelligence specialists of the Continental Army). Even though the regiment shrunk in size, it was still a decently formidable force and the men were determined due to their victory at Bunker Hill. However, before he could speak to his reformed regiment, he felt a familiar burning sensation in his pocket. The colonel pulled out the "messenger sheet," as he called it, and read the content of the paper, "Go to the Cemetery near Charlestown and locate the structure that is out of place. You will find supplies there." The Korean American officer''s eyes widened as he read the message and he pulled General Putnam to the side to show him the message. The general read it carefully and grinned slyly, "You are truly blessed by the Lord himself. Let us go with the men, colonel, and see what the "benefactor" has to offer." "We should do our best to prevent the others from knowing my secret, with the exception of certain individuals. If word gets out that I am from the future..." "Then you will be a walking dead man. Do not worry, I have already warned Colonel Prescott and my own lips are sealed." With that reassurance, the colonel called for his regiment to gather and led them towards the cemetery near Charlestown. Upon arriving at the cemetery, the members of the First Marine Regiment discovered a large barn in front of the dozens of graves. Strangely, it seemed as though the other colonials in the area were simply overlooking the barn or unaware of the barn at all. Colonel Kim took a deep breath and pushed open the doors of the barn. When he walked inside, he came face to face with an unbelievable amount of supplies for his regiment. Clean uniforms and caps that looked similar to his own were stacked by the hundreds on the side of the barn, along with boxes of various insignias. On the opposite end of the barn were rows and rows of backpacks, not too different than the military backpacks he used in the battlefield, but definitely styled to look more like colonial packs. When he looked inside of them, he found food items, spare clothes, flasks, rain gear, flint and stone, toiletries, supplements, blankets, and even additional ammunition. An entrenching tool and bayonet also hung off the sides of each pack. He gulped as he realized that the sheer quality and amount of supplies in this barn would make his regiment the best equipped and best-prepared regiment in the entire Continental Army. "We will assign ranks later on, but for now, grab a uniform, a hat, and a pack. They will be yours to keep and maintain from now on, so take good care of them. These were given to us by... my benefactor. There are enough supplies for us to march to Philadelphia, so we will begin our trek once we are ready to depart." The men eagerly seized up on the chance to grab their gear. While the men were busy grabbing their own equipment, Colonel Kim took note of some supplies that he didn''t spot beforehand. On the wall farthest from the barn door was an array of modern pieces of equipment. He found ten more frag grenades, twenty additional clips of ammunition (he had expended fifteen clips during the Battle of Bunker Hill), additional rounds for the flare gun, a hydro flask with water filters, three field medkits, several smoke grenades, a variety of blueprints, and a backpack that was similar to the ones issued for the other marines. In addition to this, he also found a small pouch next on the side. It was seemingly empty at first, but a note materialized within when the colonel stuck his hand in it. He pulled out the note and read the words on the paper. "This pouch will be directly connected to the US Gold Reserve in Fort Knox from the future. Every time you reach into this pouch, you will be able to pull out one troy ounce of gold. Currently, Fort Knox has 147.34 million try ounces of gold. You do the math. With the amount of gold you are able to pull from this pouch, you can severely devalue the price of gold around the entire world. The only limitation of this pouch is that you can only pull three hundred ounces from this pouch per day. Regardless, I am sure you (and only you will be able to utilize this pouch) will be able to use the pouch wisely. After all, while your knowledge and skills are important, I''m sure some of the leaders of the Continental Congress will be... much more flexible to negotiations if you have a seemingly large amount of money. And you will need money to maintain your regiment''s standards as well. So carry on, Colonel Kim. Let us see how history will remember you." In the future, Colonel Kim would deny allegations that he suddenly collapsed onto the ground while his men were getting ready, despite his men''s insistence. However, only one thought ran through his mind after he finished reading the message: What in the God damn hell. Chapter 6: The Birth of the Marines The members of the 1st Marine Regiment came to a halt approximately two kilometers out from Boston. Despite Colonel Kim''s wishes to travel immediately after gathering their belongings, he allowed the marines to celebrate in Boston with the locals. Hundreds of locals celebrated and threw festivities due to the British retreat, which the unit was invited to join. The colonel recognized that the unit needed some time to unwind before their long march, and permitted them to take the night off and enjoy themselves (without their uniforms or bags), although he gave them stiff warnings against excessive drinking and causing fights with others. In addition to this, he told them to return to the barn area by one in the morning as they had a long march ahead of them. While most of the marines celebrated, the colonel himself reviewed the various supplies he had at hand and took inventory. The number of uniforms and bags exceeded the number of men he had under his regiment by 50, and he recognized that they were most likely spares. In addition to the uniforms, bags, and his own supplies, he discovered a sizeable stack of additional medical supplies, various books, water filters, weapons, and ammunition hidden away in a room towards the back of the barn. The most important items he found from the pile were the boxes filled with hundreds of vaccines for smallpox and cholera. Additionally, there was a sizeable amount of antibiotics and medication to treat common diseases such as influenza and malaria. The medication and vaccines weren''t 100% effective, but they would go a long way to help his regiment stay healthy and functioning. He also made a mental note to write down information about the production of smallpox vaccines for future reference. When he finished up taking inventory of the items, Colonel Kim pulled out150 ounces of gold from the pouch for finances and asked General Putnam to convert them into currency and to buy some needed supplies for the regiment (horses, wagons, additional ammunition to be used for training, camping gear, and etc). After revealing how he had gotten the money, General Putnam inspected the "magic pouch" for a few minutes but left shortly after to acquire the supplies the regiment needed. The colonial militia general returned to the barn two hours later, with eight horses, four wagons, and more perishables and supplies than expected. Apparently, when General Putnam asked around to trade for currency and buy supplies, locals that were sympathetic to the patriot cause and colonial militiamen donated food items and scavenged ammunition, though the horses and wagons were bought outright. Additionally, the general traded the remainders of the gold for large amounts of the Spanish dollar and the British pound. Afterward, he ordered some of the marines that remained behind to start pitching tents and to set blankets. By the time everyone had returned, most of the sleeping gear was already set up and the regiment was told to sleep after the last few men returned. Thankfully, he did not hear a peep of complaint from the locals and the men readied themselves rapidly after the Asian officer woke them at eight o''clock sharp. The wagons were loaded up and the regiment was well underway towards New York by nine. Colonel Kim was at the head of the group and saw that some of the men were already winded from the march. The regiment would need several months to even reach the physical and combat capabilities of boots (new marines joining a unit). Additionally, he suspected that not all of the men would accept his forms of training and spent the majority of the previous night planning a new training regimen and manual for the marines. While the new physical training was much more relaxed (to some degree) compared to the one he was used to in the future, it was still physically taxing, especially with the amount of marching the troops would need to carry out. Even so, he viewed the training as necessary to instill discipline and to build up the marines'' endurance and strength. But he would take things slowly, for the time being. "Alright," Colonel Kim stated as he looked around the group, "We''ve been marching for barely over half an hour, yet I see some of you are already tired. I hope you are aware that the march to New York will take approximately a week, even if we march eight hours a day. Unfortunately for you that hate physical exercise, you will be doing much of that under my command." "As your commanding officer, I will inform you of our training regimen, my expectations for all of you, and the words you will live by as marines. Now for some of you, you may think you''re ready or capable enough to become a professional right away, but even those of you that fought on Bunker Hill will find yourself pressured from the expectations I have set. I will warn you now, the training will be physically and mentally demanding. You will be required to run early in the morning, which is separate from the march. You will be required to exercise your arms and chest and improve your hand to hand combat capabilities. You will be training with your muskets daily and will be forced to learn drills, formations, and tactics. For those of you that are illiterate, you will be taught how to read and write. Some of you will be more ready than others in various areas. However, after three months of training, I expect every one of you to meet the minimum standards." As he had expected, he saw several of the men looking skeptical and even downright petrified at what he was listing. Even so, he carried on as he knew what he was about to state would change many of the skeptics'' minds. "However, you will not go unrewarded for your services. For the enlisted men, you will be paid 3 per month (nearly double of what the Continental Army regulars are paid). The officers, once they are assigned, will be paid 6. As time goes on, I will make a comprehensive list of all the payments for all the ranks, but for now, that will be the standard pay. I will also personally use my own money for all your equipment, supplies, and pay. You will never go hungry under my command. And I have medications that will make you immune to smallpox and treat most diseases as well. If you endure my training and exceed my expectations, you will not enjoy the benefits I have listed above, but be rewarded with bonuses and honors as well." Now that certainly did grab the attention of his men. While the more hardened and patriotic soldiers remained unwavering even before he announced the pay rate, nearly everyone was surprised and jubilant at the amount of money they were going to earn per month. In addition to this, the notion that Colonel Kim himself would pay for their supplies, food, and well-being, and even make them immune to smallpox was a complete shock to all the soldiers in the regiment. The atmosphere of uncertainty and skepticism was replaced with determination and hope. He paced in front of them back and forth, inspecting the uniform and looks of the marines in the front, "Under my command, I promise that you will become even better soldiers than any soldiers the British have to offer. My expectations are set sky high so that you can exceed the abilities of a typical Redcoat at a faster rate. As you may already be aware, I am not a very traditional or ordinary officer. I will not train you orderly or fancily as the British Army trains their soldiers. I do not fight "gentlemanly," because my job is to train you to become a professional marine and to train you to stay alive so you can become a professional marine. My way of running this unit will be completely different than any other units, but because of these reasons, we will become an elite unit that will ruin any British soldiers that face us." "Now before we begin our march to New York once more, I will like to make sure to do your best to remember everything I will tell after this moment. Because I will now explain our motto and our main regiment rules. Do not worry, I will have them printed for your convenience in the future, but for now, listen carefully." "Semper Fidelis will be our motto. In Latin, this means "Always Faithful." You will remain absolutely faithful to three things while you are in the marines: to the marine''s fighting cause, to the marine regiment, and to your fellow marines. As stated, remain faithful to our fighting cause, because we are fighting for not only ourselves or our unit, but for the people of the colonies as well. Remain faithful to the regiment, even in times of great hardships. Remember that if you decide to abandon your duties or turn tail, you will affect the capabilities of the entire regiment. No matter how small your role is, neglecting your role can cause our entire regiment to fail or crumble at the worst times. And most importantly, remain faithful to your fellow marines. No matter where they are from, no matter what their beliefs are, and no matter what they look like, over time, you will learn that they will always fight by your side and watch your back. Adding on to this, while you are now "soldiers," remember what we are fighting for. If civilians are in need of our assistance, we will help them. While winning battles are important, we must also win the hearts of minds of the people to truly win the war." Colonel Kim scanned the faces of the men with his eyes to see if the men were paying attention. Upon noticing he had the attention of nearly everyone, including General Putnam, he continued, "My rules for the regiment are strict, but also fair. You are not to drink while we are "deployed." This means if we are involved in a campaign or near a battlefield, you will not be allowed to drink. Smoking will be tolerated, but that will be out of your own pocket. You are expected to carry out any daily duties and tasks assigned to you, which will range from cooking to washing clothes. You will carry out every duty with the maximum amount of effort, even sleeping. You will call your superior officers "sir" and any enlisted men by their rank. All of you are expected to be well-groomed, though beards and mustaches will be allowed. I expect all marines to wash their hands several times a day and take a bath at least twice a week." "You will not shoot any soldiers that are surrendering and treat any prisoners with respect, regardless of their rank. You will not harass any civilians at any given time. You are to look after your fellow marines and ensure their well-being; you do not leave any marines behind. You are to care for all the wounded, even wounded enemies. You will not fire upon any medical personnel or structures. You are not to loot any dead bodies, civilians, or cities, but I will provide you with according bonuses to ensure that you are properly rewarded. You will not steal either." "The reason why there are many rules that you have to follow is simple," Colonel Kim stated to the crowd, "If we are formally commissioned by the Continental Congress, we will be a military unit directly representing the struggle against the British. Like any other officially commissioned units, we will become the faces of the colonial cause. By now, the word of our regiment will be spreading throughout the northeast and while most will not know our individual names, they will be aware of our unit''s existence. That means we must act and look professional. Above all else, we must remain disciplined and show our enemy that we are able to become more disciplined than them, even if we are just "colonial rabble." A few scattered laughs rang out the crowd as the commanding officer of the regiment smiled, "That is all I have for right now. We will keep marching. Training will officially begin tomorrow and I will explain your daily schedule at a later time. For now, let us move forward. Onward, marines!" Instead of the loud "Oorah!", he heard hundreds of times per day with the future marines, these marines were silent. "From this point on, our battle cry will be "Oorah!" You will say it when we charge into battle and in normal settings like this when I give out a group command. Now again: onward marines!" "Oorah!" Chapter 7: George Washington, Commander in Chief "Again. Fire!" The targets were dummies made of hay and old clothing that was formerly worn by the men of the 1st Marine Regiment. When he gave the command, a few dozen muskets roared in reply. Some of the shots struck the practice targets that were set in front of them, the impact of the musket balls rocking the dummies. However, many of the targets remained untouched and were only battered due to the previous group''s practice. Colonel Kim wasn''t disappointed, but he frowned and looked at the men on the firing range, "All those targets that are still "alive" are Redcoats that will be able to fire back at you and kill you. Your muskets are not perfectly accurate, but make sure to stabilize your aim and aim at the torso of the targets. Getting shot is not exactly a pleasant experience, so even if your targets aren''t dead, they''ll be laying on the ground in pain. Reload with due haste, and prepare to fire again." The group was the last company assigned to the firing range for the day. The other companies were exercising and training under their new officers to improve their group unity. In the past few days, Colonel Kim sorted the 300 men under his command into categories that were similar to that of the modern military structure. He separated the 300 into 3 battalions, 6 companies, and 30 platoons, with each of the groups having a number significantly less than that of the battalions, companies, and platoons during his time. Regardless, it allowed the regiment to have an organized hierarchy that helped with assigning duties and training. The 3 battalions were led by recently promoted Lieutenant Colonel Warren, Major McClary, and Lieutenant Colonel Daniel White, a militiaman that was formally part of the Massachusetts militia. Under them were a number of officers and NCOs that were ranked by their performance in training and their abilities based on what Colonel Kim saw in the past few days. The structure wasn''t perfect, but it would make do for the time being. The regiment was just outside the city of New York and was finishing up their daily training before night fell. They had arrived at the port city just hours prior and the men had been greeted by a number of enthusiastic locals that were aware of their victory on Bunker Hill. Apparently, messengers on horses were sent to Philadelphia to report on the Battle of Bunker Hill, so the Continental Congress was most likely aware of his existence. Due to this, he wasn''t in a huge hurry and was taking his time to train the troops during the march. Even after just a week, many of the men were showing improvements and working better as a unit. On the edges of the field where the 1st Marine Regiment was making their camp for the night, a number of curious and interested onlookers watched on. The civilians were a diverse group, consisting of men, women, and children. While the colonel was usually wary of people watching training, he was allowing it for the time being so the men worked harder due to the crowd. Eventually, he would need to be more cautious to avoid espionage, but for the time being, he was fine with it. A few New Yorkers requested his permission to join, and he allowed them, swelling his numbers to around 330. They were assigned to their platoons with little issue and began training with the regiment, though they lagged slightly behind the other marines. "Come on lads! Do you think the Lobsters will wait for you to finish reloading and wait for you to fire at them before shooting at you?" Colonel Kim shouted, prompting several of the men to furiously fight with their muskets, "By the time you finish reloading, I would''ve fired four shots!" It wasn''t a fair comparison, as he could easily reload his rifle and fire continuously, but it worked well to motivate the men to finish readying themselves as they were still unaware of the full capabilities of his personal weapon. After twenty more seconds, the members of the 6th Company were all ready to fire once more. "Remember, all Marines are Marksmen! I do not care if you want to be an artilleryman, a horseman, an officer, or a drummer! All Marines are Marksmen and all of you will train till you are the very best shots that the colonies have to offer! Fire!" The field echoed with the sounds of muskets firing as the 7th Company unloaded their weapons. This time, there were more dummies struck by the musket balls than before, though several of them were still untouched. Colonel Kim grunted in approval and waved at them, "Right Shoulder Arms!" There were a few ripples of inconsistencies amongst the 50 men standing, but the command was obeyed within two seconds. "While you practice like this at the firing range, remember that it will be much different in an actual battle. You will be moving constantly, firing behind cover, and firing at the enemy without hesitation. This is just to improve your aim. Later on, when you manage to actually hit all the targets, you will learn to train in a "combat environment." Otherwise, splendid work 6th Company. Company officer, what is your company''s evening schedule for today?" "Sir!" An African American man adorning a gold bar on the side of his uniform stepped up to the front. He saluted the colonel and then turned to his men, "We are assigned to kitchen duties for dinner and then education lessons immediately after. After that, we are to enjoy the rest of the evening before sleeping at 2200 hours." Colonel Kim gave a respectful nod to First Lieutenant Poor, "Very good, lieutenant. 6th Company, you are dismissed." "Oorah!" The members of the 6th Company jogged after their officer and moved towards the "kitchen" parts of the camp. His decision to make Salem Poor an officer was... controversial at first. Thankfully, the man was literate and a fast learner, so despite some grumblings between the men, the members of the 6th Company accepted the man as their leader. The Asian officer was harsh on some of the more vocal members, so even if there were any remaining dissidents in the group, they kept silent and followed the lieutenant''s commands. "He''s a good lad, even if he''s a Negro," A voice rang out from behind. General Putnam was also wearing a Marines uniform, despite not being an official member of the regiment. It was mainly for aesthetics, as the man had taken a liking to the clean and professional uniforms that were unlike the colonial uniforms. Colonel Kim didn''t mind and thought the uniform suited the man. "I mean no offense, Colonel Kim. I know how you feel about working with Negros and the likes, especially since you are not a white man yourself. But I never imagined a Negro would ever be able to become an officer, let alone a professional soldier." "No offense taken, general," Colonel Kim assured the man. "I do not believe the color of someone''s skin should determine their worth. In fact, I would say that the most dangerous and best soldiers would be slaves fighting for their freedom, for they would fight with their freedom on the line. Nobody should dismiss non-whites simply because they are "inferior." If you let them prove their worth, they will not fail you. Lieutenant Poor has shown to be more than capable of his duties, he simply needed a chance, sir." General Putnam took off his hat and inspect it, "I am beginning to agree with you, colonel. It''ll take some time, but eventually, I''ll come around. Now if you''ll excuse me, I want to see what the lieutenant and his men are preparing for dinner." Colonel Kim let out a hearty laugh, "By all means sir. I am curious about that myself." Before he or the general could make their trek towards the kitchen, a guard that was stationed on the perimeters of the camp ran up to him and saluted, "Sir! General Washington and his men are approaching, and I have received word that he wishes to speak with the leader of our regiment." The colonel was surprised but recalled that Washington went through New York before marching towards Boston to lead the Siege of Boston in the other history. He thought that Washington would stay put in Philadelphia or begin gathering men elsewhere since there was no siege up in Boston at the time, but his assumption was wrong. "Inform the men to arm and ready themselves so we can impressively welcome an important guest coming to our camp." "Yes, sir!" After the guard dashed away to camp, General Putnam smiled at Colonel Kim, "It looks like our first president has arrived." "Let''s hope that he comes in peace, for the last thing I want to do is fire on the man that became America''s Father in the other history," Colonel Kim muttered as he straightened his uniform and walked to the entrance of the camp. Despite the suddenness of the situation, the marines gathered themselves quickly at the word of General Washington''s arrival. Within a span of several minutes, the entire regiment, including General Putnam, was lined up neatly near the gates, splitting into two groups to greet the leader of the Continental Army. Colonel Kim himself was standing in front of the entrance, silently staring at the Father of the United States as he approached. George Washington looked similar to the portraits the colonel saw in his history books. He was tall and solidly built, and he rode his horse gracefully in front of hundreds of shuffling soldiers. At the colonel''s command, 19 muskets fired blanks into the air to welcome the man''s arrival. Upon seeing the only Asian man amongst the marines, the general beckoned his horse forward and stopped in front of the colonel, "Colonel Kim, a pleasure to meet you. I have heard of your heroics at Bunker Hill and I am here on the request of the Continental Congress to escort you and your men back to Philadelphia." Colonel Kim nearly stuttered before answering, being awed by the man''s presence, "Thank you, General Washington, the pleasure is all mine. Please, I insist that you stay in our camps for the night and enjoy some dinner. The sun is setting and I''m sure some rest and food will ensure the men are ready for tomorrow''s march." "Then I thank you for your hospitality, colonel." General Washington motioned for his men to carry on and the few hundred members of the Continental Army walked in between the lines of marines. The looks of awe and envy were present on the faces of all the arriving soldiers as they looked at the still men by the entrance. The Marines remained stoic and unmoving, their muskets held at port arms as their fellow patriots walked by. "Your men seem certainly professional and disciplined, colonel. I can see why you managed to pull off a victory at Bunker Hill despite the odds." General Washington commented as he moved alongside Colonel Kim into the camps. "My regiment was not formed officially until after the battle, sir. But they have been training and working tirelessly for the past several days. I am proud to be their commanding officer" The leader of the Continental Army slowly nodded and inspected the marines, "Are all their supplies and uniforms paid by yourself, colonel?" The colonel had to fight to keep down a grin as he answered, "Yes, I am a... fairly wealthy man with connections. May I suggest that we retire to my tent for the time being as dinner is prepared? There are some things that I need to discuss with you in private." On their way to his personal tent, Colonel Kim invited General Putnam to join him for "the talk." Upon entering, Colonel Kim took in a deep breath and spoke, "My name is Colonel Samuel Kim, sir. And I am from the future." Chapter 8: For a Better Future After about half an hour, Colonel Kim finally managed to finish his tale. He explained to the commander in chief about his life in the future, his sudden appearance at Bunker Hill, his "mission" given to him by his "benefactor," his special tools and supply drops, and the future of the United States. To General Washington''s credit, he looked calm and collected throughout the ordeal. He only raised an eyebrow when the colonel showed him the laptop and the various history articles stored within. When the Korean-American finished, General Washington shook his head disbelievingly, "So you are an officer of the "United States Marines" in the future, sent back into the past by the Almighty, and now you are here, fighting for your country''s future and seeking to change it." "That would be the simplest way to put it, sir." "And what you told me is true? This "United States" we are fighting for will one day eclipse Britain and I will become the "Father" of the country?" Colonel Kim nodded, "It is the truth, sir. The United States will become the world''s greatest power by the mid 20th century and become unchallenged before the century''s end. You were the nation''s first president and many historians believe that without your guidance and your firm precedent, the nation might have struggled even more so after our independence." General Washington remained silent for a few moments. His eyes glanced at the glowing screen of the laptop, and then back at Colonel Kim, "I have always believed that the Almighty had a presence on Earth and was involved in the daily lives of people. Although you have told me that you are unsure of what your "benefactor" is, I believe your presence is a sign of the Creator or some being that is related to him in some way. Since you are here under his blessings, I will support your endeavors, colonel. If the Divine Author wishes to rewrite the history of the United States through you, then I will follow his wishes and ensure the history of your world does not come about." After saying this, General Washington bowed to the Asian officer, shocking both Colonel Kim and General Putnam. Colonel Kim shifted in his seat uncomfortably and cleared his throat, "I am surprised you took my tale well, general. To be frank, I thought there would be many more complications due to my unique circumstances." "I will confess and state that I am... discomforted about the future generations revering my name and treating me like the Almighty himself. Yet it is humbling and it is a reminder that every action that I take from now on will affect the future generations of Americans. While your presence is surprising, I have accepted that the reasons for your travel are beyond my comprehension." The general stated as he straightened his back and came to a normal sitting position. "Now, what is your plan for the future, colonel? I assume you wish to win the war first and then reassure the values that the United States was founded on?" The colonel pulled out some maps from his laptop to show the commander in chief his plan. "Yes, sir. I already have several plans in the works for the immediate future and then some long term plans I hope to accomplish over a long period of time. My immediate plans are to push the British out of the north completely and ensure they no longer pose a threat to the northeastern colonies. I am constructing a plan where I utilize my troops to invade Quebec and attempt to form an alliance with the Six Nations neighboring New York, seizing Montreal and Quebec to deny the British an invasion point to threaten New York. The second part of that plan is to have another army, or my regiment, invade the Maritime provinces shortly after, with their objective being Nova Scotia. In another history, Nova Scotia and Quebec were often the staging points of invasions and raids against the northeastern colonies. This time, with Boston no longer under siege, we will have the flexibility to counterattack the British and bring the war to their colonies. Since the British suffered heavy losses at Bunker Hill, they will be unlikely to hold both objectives and be forced to focus on one front or divert their forces. If we are able to seize our objectives, the northeastern colonies will be secured and we will be able to dig in to defend our positions. Additionally, with the northeastern colonies secured, we will be able to assist the south with greater vigor and have a bigger influence in the south throughout the war." "I see, and with this, we can possibly win the war much earlier or even acquire the support of other European powers like in your history," General Washington nodded approvingly, "While I do not disagree with your plan to work with Indians, I must ask, what will you attempt to offer them to convince them to join our cause?" "I understand it''ll be a long shot to convince Congress, but I will attempt to explain to the representatives of the Continental Congress about my situation and convince them to allow the Six Nations to form a state in the Union." Instead of General Washington answering, General Putnam cut into the conversation, "That will be a difficult and bold move, colonel. While I understand your reasons, I''m not sure if the Continental Congres will allow "savages" representation. It will mean slicing away a portion of New York and Pennsylvania and handing them to the Indians." Colonel Kim tiredly sighed, "It will be a battle, but I do have leverage. I can offer them millions of pounds worth of gold, a fully equipped and battle-ready regiment, future knowledge about technology and inventions, and much more. While I do not wish to force anything upon the Congress, I can not let the atrocities that befell upon the Native Americans in my history happen in this history. Additionally, the Six Nations can be a valuable ally and with their assistance, we can take Quebec with far fewer losses and harass the British in their western territories. I can, quite literally, agree to pay off all of New York''s and Pennsylvania''s debt if they agree to release a small portion of their western territories to the Native Americans." "And if that fails?" General Putnam asked. "Then I negotiate with the Native Americans on my own. I''ll offer them weapons, supplies, and money to convince them to fight for us." "While I do see the value in allying with the Indians, I must warn you that this issue may divide Congress and your actions may turn them against you." General Washington warned. The Marine officer looked at the leader of the Continental Army with fire in his eyes, "Which is why I will need your help, General Washington. You have greater sway with the Continental Congress than I do and Congress needs to see that we must avoid the mistakes the United States made in my history. Otherwise, it''ll be an eternal stain upon our future nation. I believe the issue with dealing with Native Americans, slavery, and equal rights will be our biggest conflicting points, but those are issues I am unwilling to yield from." General Washington looked deep in thought as he listened to the colonel''s words. "They certainly will be difficult, but I will do my best to support you, colonel. You have my word. As a show of support, I will also free my own slaves and allow them to work on my farm with pay and lodging." Even though the colonel was aware that General Washington was more agreeable than expected, he was surprised at the general''s comment, "Just like that, sir?" "I have now learned of the vile stain slavery leaves on our nation: the "Civil War," my own failures to even attempt to abolish slavery as the president, and the barbaric treatment of slaves by future slave owners. It is better to get rid of ourselves the institution now so that our future generations are not corrupted or mistreated from the practice." A messenger called out from outside the tent, announcing that dinner was ready. Colonel Kim rose from the box he was sitting on and turned to his fellow officers, "For now, let us grab some dinner, sirs. We can discuss this at a later time. For now, let us enjoy some good food and relax. We can discuss the fate of our nation afterward." Chapter 9: The American Founders… Not Yet At Least "South Carolina will never accept this... abomination of a proposal!" Representative Edward Rutledge yelled as he glared at Colonel Kim. Colonel Kim, General Washington, and their men arrived in Philadelphia on July 2nd of 1775, 15 days after the Battle of Bunker Hill. When the two men arrived with their units, they were welcomed into the town as heroes, with inhabitants of the city looking at Colonel Kim with a mix of confusion and celebration. Shortly after their arrival, General Washington, Colonel Kim, and General Putnam were privately escorted into the Pennsylvania State House by the representatives of the Second Continental Congress. Their men made their way to the outskirts of the city to set up camp, as their stay was expected to take some time. On the way to Philadelphia, General Washington became a close confidant and friend of Colonel Kim. The two men, despite their vastly different upbringings, found themselves agreeing with a number of subjects such as the issue of slavery and religion. They also shared an interest in theater, strangely enough. Apparently, General Washington enjoyed watching plays and performances, which led to Colonel Kim showing him some plays and movies from the future on his laptop. Colonel Kim showed him several plays such as Shakespeare and Les Miserables and movies like Patriot, The Crossing, and Glory. General Washington took a particular liking to these movies and regularly visited Colonel Kim''s tent to discuss their future course of action and watch movies. Both men agreed to work together in order to establish a better future for the United States and cooperate militarily, even if Colonel Kim was not offered an official commission. Additionally, General Washington reassured the colonel that he would not institute a ban on black soldiers as the other history and copy the British tactic: allowing blacks to fight for their freedom. As a show of goodwill, Colonel Kim administered the smallpox vaccine to Washington''s men and his own men, warning the general about the importance of hygiene and how the Continental Army was devastated due to diseases in the other history. Overall, the two established a good, working relationship. Unfortunately, a number of representatives in Congress were hostile to some of Colonel Kim''s proposals. The marine officer revealed his secret to Congress and with the support of General Washington and General Putnam, gained their confidence in his tale. After hearing the history of the United States and the heights it achieved in just two centuries, the pro-independence faction was galvanized and with the knowledge that a Declaration of Rebellion was to be announced soon, took the winds out of many of the pro-peace faction''s sails. The representatives debated and discussed the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, but Colonel Kim interjected to reveal the changes he sought to make if the United States "reformed." Up until this point, things were seemingly fine until Colonel Kim raised the three key issues he desired to settle. The first two issues he raised were the issues of slavery and equal rights. Needless to say, that raised an uproar from the North Carolina and South Carolina representatives to Congress. Benjamin Franklin, who was one of the few representatives to remain calm and level-headed through Colonel Kim''s explanation, replied in his stead, "Gentlemen, Colonel Kim has explained his intentions and has explained to us the reasoning for his proposal. If slavery is to bring civil war upon the "United States" and cause decades of suffering for both Negros and whites alike, then should we really continue to the institution? Additionally, as General Washington has stated, the colonel has access to technology and inventions that can assist with the development of the southern colonies to make up for their losses of slaves and it will allow the south to have greater representation, should the proposal of the United States go through. We must make a decision here gentlemen and together as a whole. We must be hanged together, or we must be hanged separately." Colonel Kim had to fight down a smile as he recognized the quote immediately but scowled as he turned towards the man that was pointing at him, "This is not just about slavery, esteemed representative. This is about the United States and everything she stands for. All of you here will one day be revered by the future generations for declaring independence and founding a nation that was both revolutionary and ideal. But the stain of slavery and the false promises of equality to all will last for an eternity. Additionally, the issue of slavery, if not resolved now, will inevitably lead to conflict and as seen in the other history, civil war. We must settle this matter now, esteemed representatives, or else it will lead to a division that can not be fixed easily in the future." "It is God''s will..." "If you are using the Almighty''s name to justify your claims, Mr. Rutledge, do remember that Colonel Kim here was sent by the Creator himself to rewrite the past. The Almighty has showered Colonel Kim with gifts and supported his endeavors, and if Colonel Kim is advocating for the end of slavery and the beginning of equality, I believe that he is carrying out the Almighty''s will." General Washington declared, answering in Colonel Kim''s stead, "I have seen images of the future, and Colonel Kim is correct. The lives of millions are now at stake, gentlemen. Perhaps the entire world." That brought silence to the entire room, not because General Washington spoke, but because General Washington was speaking highly of Colonel Kim and supporting his proposal. Representative Rutledge collapsed into his seat, looking outraged and embarrassed. "At the beginning of next year, Britain will promise slaves freedom if they take up arms against their masters and fight for Britain. Even if you refuse on an abolition clause, the British will do everything to turn slaves against the southern colonies and free them. It is estimated that nearly 15%-20% of all slaves in the southern colonies either fled into freedom or defected to the British. While I do not wish to threaten the esteemed representatives of North Carolina and South Carolina, they currently are at a crossroads. Either they will be remembered and celebrated as liberators and freedom fighters, while also receiving compensation for their losses and additional wealth from future technology. Or they refuse." The colonel rose to full heights and walked in front of the representatives, "I am not demanding you to turn over all your slaves and free them into the wild, representatives. I am humbly asking you to free them, treat them as humans, and give them pay for their works. They can continue serving their owners, provided they get rights, fair treatment, and payment. It is a difficult choice, but your respective colonies will see much improvement in the long run. So I ask that you consider the request and debate amongst yourselves." John Hancock, who was presiding over the Congress, tapped his gavel to gain the attention of the representatives, "May I also remind the representatives that if what Colonel Kim has told our Congress so far is true, then the king will declare the colonies open rebel within this month. If that is the case, then we must act unitedly and decisively. Additionally, the king is most likely aware of South Carolina''s presence in this Congress. He will not treat that fact lightly." The 10 representatives from North Carolina and South Carolina rose from their seats but were more subdued than before. North Carolina Representative William Hooper glanced at the other representatives and frowned, "I will discuss the matter with the members of the Committee of my state. As Colonel Kim requested, we will keep his situation a secret for the time being. But there will be demands if you want our colonies to join, gentlemen. And those demands will be long and contentious. If they are not met, then we may have many problems against the other colonies." They existed as a group, bringing silence to the room. Colonel Kim rubbed the back of his neck in frustration and sighed, "I apologize for bringing disunity to the Congress, representatives. But I am firm on this issue and it is an issue I will not relent on." "I''m afraid nothing can be done about that, Colonel Kim," Thomas Jefferson said as he stood up to speak to the remainders of Congress, "Even with the representatives of the Carolinas being discontent and leaving, we must remember that we have knowledge and power on our side. We now have a means to constantly finance this war, we have the means to invent technologies greater than anything the British have, and we have the potential to bring upon this world a fair and ideal republic. A republic that is not corrupted by slavery and selectivity, but of equality and liberty. I am still uncertain about the Constitution, as that is another matter to discuss entirely. But independence? I believe our time to make that declaration is drawing closer, and we will need to decide if we will repeat the tragedies of Colonel Kim''s history, or rectify them." Jefferson gave a reassuring smile to Colonel Kim and motioned to him, "This man is proof, living proof, that the United States will one day live up to its ideals. That in years beyond our time, the mistakes we were to make were changed and fixed, but at greater costs than we could have possibly imagined. His views and beliefs may be starkly different than ours, but they are a derivative of what we will develop in the future. Perhaps God himself was dismayed at our failures and mistakes and sent him back to our times to fix things, but regardless, we have been given an impossible opportunity. An opportunity we must seize without hesitation. I can not say I agree with everything Colonel Kim has to say, but I am willing to compromise and to listen in order to build a more prosperous future for ourselves and our future nation." "My apologies Colonel Kim, please continue with your speech." "Thank you, Pr...Mr. Jefferson," Colonel Kim said as he took back the spotlight, "The other issues are the Native American tribes, specifically the Six Nations, and Canada. I believe I have a proposal to help the Six Nations join our cause and turn them against the British." Intrigued mutterings began to break out between the representatives as Hancock banged his gavel again to allow the colonel to continue, "We allow them possession of their current homeland, which unfortunately includes parts of New York and Pennsylvania, offer them representation in Congress and in the United States, allow them to seize Niagara, and give them weapons to fight for our cause." And another round of debates and discussions began, though this time with considerably less hostility. Chapter 10: A General and a Canada Major General Kim grinned, "Thank you, sir. Although I was looking forward to fighting by your side, it seems as though this is the route we must take to ensure victory." The two men were walking back to the marine camp after the meeting had adjourned for the day, with General Putnam staying behind to discuss matters with the Massachusetts representatives. After the meeting ended, he was pulled aside to speak with some of the more prominent statesmen in the room and reassured the representatives that had issues or concerns with the war and the future United States. The meeting was a relative success, despite the fact that the representatives from the Carolinas stormed out of the meeting. The remaining members of the Continental Congress were more receptive to the Asian man''s ideas, even though several of them were controversial. The representatives of New York and Pennsylvania initially balked at the idea of conceding western territory but also recognized that the Six Nations could potentially be a staging point of invasion if they sided with the British. Additionally, General Kim''s rather lucrative offer of money and promises of rapid industrialization after the war were convincing enough that the representatives were willing to negotiate the exact boundaries, should the Native Americans accept General Kim''s offer. Afterward, they supported the marine general''s two-front attack after seeing that they had the initiative against the British and recognizing that they would be able to avoid the mistakes of the other history. General Washington volunteered to lead the main forces of the Continental Army to threaten Nova Scotia, striking at Fort Cumberland and moving forward towards the port town of Halifax. Since most of the British that managed to retreat from the Battle of Bunker Hill were in the area, it was decided that the core of the Continental Army was needed to push the British into the sea. And with the knowledge that there were numerous pro-patriot sympathizers in the area, General Washington was confident that the Continental Army would be able to seize Fort Cumberland at the very least and place pressure on the British so that the invasion of Quebec would have a higher chance of succeeding. Meanwhile, General Kim''s regiment was officially designated as an "Extra Continental Regiment," though it was agreed to allow the regiment to expand further in size. While he was an Extra Continental Regiment and still under the authority of General Washington, his unit was considered a "special" unit and he was to be fairly independent of the main chain of command. Additionally, the major general was given one additional regiment, the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, to seize the province of Quebec. The Continental Congress formally commissioned him as a major general and gave their approval to allow him to deal with the Six Nations and the French Canadians. Amusingly, his insignia on his uniform changed once more once the words were spoken, changing from an eagle to two stars. When the members of the Continental Congress saw this, they were mystified and shocked, much like General Putnam at Bunker Hill, and seemed more receptive to the newly minted general''s plans. He was given the power to negotiate on behalf of the Continental Congress for both factions, appoint a military governor if he was successful in his invasion, and recruit further men if necessary. To show his appreciation, the newly commissioned general offered to pay for the pay and supplies of any men under his command to lighten the financial burdens of the Continental Congress, which they accepted gladly. In total, he was now the official leader of over one thousand men. However, the two generals were planning to stay within the vicinity of Philadelphia for an additional month. During this time, they planned to recruit more men for their respective units and to train them for battle. Additionally, with the gold Major General Kim had at hand (he had given a majority of the gold he collected over the past 13 days to Congress), the two officers sought to gather supplies for the campaign ahead. "I am sure we will fight together one day, General Kim, but we must carry out our duties for victory." "Undoubtedly, sir. But for now, we will be able to train our unit together and ensure the men are somewhat capable before starting the invasion." Major General replied as they reached the entrance of the camp. Two marines standing at the front of the entrance saluted the two generals entering. The Asian general turned to them and saluted back, "Well, men, I have an important announcement to make. Tell the men to be battle-ready and assemble at the front of the camp within 5 minutes.." The two marines looked stunned and scrambled into the camp to relay the command to the rest of the regiment. The regiment took some time to assemble, as some platoons were a distance away from camp for training. However, once the entire regiment was standing shoulder to shoulder in front of their commander (along with the rather disheveled non-marines), Major General Kim did not scold them and instead broke out into a wide smile. "The wait is over men of the 1st Marine Regiment. I have been officially commissioned as a Major General and you are all soldiers of the Continental Army." Cheers broke out through the ranks as some tossed their caps in the air to celebrate. Major General Kim allowed them to continue their celebration for some time before continuing. "Additionally, we have been given permission to recruit more men for the regiment and we will have another regiment joining forces with us for a military campaign. Men of the 1st Marine Regiment! We have been given our first objective as an official unit under the Continental Army. We are to secure an alliance with the Six Nations and then invade the province of Quebec, liberating the French Canadians from the hands of the British! We will march to Montreal, and then to Quebec in order to show the British how much you have improved as a unit and to show them that we can take the war to them!" "Oorah!" The commanding officer of the marines'' smile got wider as he heard their battle cry. "As such, we will continue training and preparing for the campaign for one month''s time. During this time, you will be expected to train harder as we are now representatives of the Continental Congress itself! We are also to help the civilians in and around the city in our spare time to build their trust and win their hearts while recruiting more men for our regiment as well! After a single month, we will move forward to victory!" "Oorah!" "As your commanding officer, I will allow you to enjoy some time off for today. I will give your pay in advance so you may go to town and celebrate accordingly. If you wish to stay behind, you may do so and rest. If you are going into the city, remember the rules of our unit carefully: no excessive drinking, no harassing civilians, and remain respectful to all you come by. I encourage you to find individuals that may be willing to join our regiment as well. You are to return by 2200 hours and be ready to carry out your duties tomorrow morning as usual. Understood?" "Yes, sir!" "Good. Regiment dismissed." After the marines excitedly took off, General Washington also gave a short speech to his own men and handed out pay accordingly. Thanks to the funds that Congress acquired through the major general, the Continental Army was able to at least get paid for the time being. He also allowed his men to take some time off for the day but warned them that they will begin training tomorrow morning alongside the marines. There were some grumbles about this, as the soldiers in Washington''s army were more than aware of the rather grueling training the marines endured but went on their way accordingly. General Washington excused himself for the time being as a messenger brought news that Thomas Jefferson sought to speak with him. Nodding respectfully, the tall commander trotted away on his horse towards the city. Approximately five dozen marines stayed behind in the camp when General Kim entered the camp once more. All of them looked sharp and they were lined up neatly within the center of camp and looking at their officer stoically. The general inspected the faces of those that remained behind and saw that a majority of them were officers, including all three battalion leaders. He looked at them with a stern expression but smiled as they refused to be intimidated. "Well, then lads, is there a reason for lining up in the middle of camp even though I gave you the day off?" "We would like to receive additional assignments, sir." Major McClary declared as he saluted. "Very well. Major McClary, lead the remaining men and have them practice at the firing range, but with running included. It''s the same drill that I taught the battalion leaders just two days ago. Additionally, assign a few of the men to guard the perimeter just in case. We do not want to let down our guard." Major McClary nodded, "Yes, sir!" The group sullied off, leaving the general to his own devices. However, not a minute had passed when one of the corporals approached him and saluted him, "Sir, you have visitors at the gate. They said they are Representatives William Hooper of North Carolina and Christopher Gadsen of South Carolina from the Continental Congress. They have asked me to let you know that they are here to negotiate on behalf of their colonies." "Allow them to enter and escort them to my tent, private. You have my thanks." General Kim walked to his tent and entered, setting up some refreshments for his guests. He was pouring out some cold coffee when the two representatives walked in and greeted the general. Representative Hooper stepped forward ahead of his counterpart and stuck out his hand, "I apologize for my actions earlier, General Kim, but I hope you understand that your proposal was radical for the representatives of the Carolinas. Our slave populations are quite large and many of us were intimidated at the prospect of being outnumbered by former slaves, especially since some of them will be hostile to us after their freedom. But discussing matters with other representatives, we have agreed to hear your exact proposal and send your words back to our colonies for a final decision." "Please gentlemen, sit and we can discuss the issue at hand." General Kim pulled out several crates in front of the small table he used as his personal workspace. The men looked a bit offended but took their seats on the crates anyways. "I also must apologize for my aggressive tactics during the meeting, but do understand in the world that I come from, the people in my times were angry at the treatment of African Americans after the Revolutionary War. They were outraged at the fact that our country, founded on democratic principles and liberty, would maintain slavery for over a century, and oppressive any non-whites for two centuries." Representative Gadsen winced, "Yes, well, I can understand general. I don''t own any slaves myself and I can see that slavery would be contradictory to liberty and equality. But I''m afraid many in my colony will not see it that way unless they are guaranteed compensation and reassurance that the slaves won''t revolt against them once they are free." "Which is why I have a plan that may appeal to both of your colonies. We will gradually emancipate the slaves, with total emancipation set year happening in the year 1800. That will give some time for the slave owners to adjust and be compensated for their losses. During this time, if slave owners wish to emancipate their slaves early, they are free to do so. I will offer a chance for any slave owners to "sell" their slaves to me, and the freed slaves can then join my regiment to fight the British. I will also offer additional payments to the Carolinas and reveal technology from the future to help them increase production even with the loss of slaves. All I ask you, gentlemen, is to convince the members of your colonies that the slaves will not revolt after they are free, that they can still use African Americans as laborers provided that they are paid and have their rights, and that they will be able to make record profits even without slavery." Both representatives looked at each other and nodded afterward. Representative Hooper cleared his throat, "Perhaps I was too hasty before, General. Your offer seems... valid. But it will take some time for the others to agree. I will ride with a few members of the delegation to North Carolina to make the case and if all is successful, we will officially become part of this "United States." "As will I," Representative Gadsen affirmed. Suddenly, a bright light filled up the tent, making all three men shield their eyes from the glow. Once the light disappeared, there were several additional crates inside the general''s tent. General Kim also felt a burning sensation in his pocket, the pocket with the "magic messenger" inside. He pulled out a scrap of paper and read the content, while the representatives looked bewildered and frightened at the sudden appearance of seven crates. "Check your storage later on also. You have received the following for your successes so far: 1) Advance payment for the states of New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and South Carolina to convince their delegations of your plan (each state will receive the content of one crate currently in your tent). Additionally, there will be three crates for the Continental Congress to utilize for the war. 2) 1000 Rifled muskets, along with plenty of additional ammunition and gunpowder. 3) Additional uniforms and packs. 4) A crap ton of more medical supplies. Good luck!" General Kim bolted from his seat and ran over to the crates. Each of the crates had a label on them and he inspected the ones that were labeled "North Carolina" and "South Carolina." He opened the crates and came face to face with stacks of gold and silver bars, each of them 100 ounces. Each box contained 20 bars of each metal, and the general calculated the amount of money in the crates. 112,000 in each crate. "Gentlemen, I believe that I have something that may make your argument much more convincing." Chapter 11: Colonel Benedict Arnold, Traitor or Not? General Kim sifted through the small pile of papers on his makeshift desk as he looked over some paperwork sent to him by Congress. It had been three weeks since his arrival in Philadelphia and there had been good and bad developments during his stay. For one, the Continental Congress was in favor of the Declaration of Independence, though they were planning to wait for the Carolinas to come to a final decision. With Boston and New York unoccupied and the northeastern colonies secured, for the time being, the delegates from the northeast were less reluctant to ratify the declaration. Unfortunately, as the rumors of abolishing slavery and establishing a free nation spread throughout the colonies, Georgia boycotted the Congress and was teetering on the verge of remaining loyal to Britain. Regardless, good progress was made between himself and the Continental Congress and he was now longer starstruck every time he saw Jefferson or Franklin. During the three weeks, more and more men from nearby colonies arrived in Philadelphia, seeking enlistment under the 1st Marine Regiment. His show of goodwill to the locals and his aggressive enlistment campaign paid off and his unit was now 750 men strong, along with the soldiers of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment. Instead of adding additional battalions, he expanded the currently existing chain of command, with the troops from Boston taking seniority in rank. Thankfully, General Kim was blessed due to his benefactor, as supplies, uniforms, and weapons never became a problem, and the benefactor was generous enough to provide a special uniform for the Pennsylvanian regiment as well. He also administered the vaccine to all the newcomers and administrated them to the members of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment as well. The new rifled muskets (which was explained as an experimental weapon brought from overseas), along with the increased physical training and exercise, made the marines into a tough fighting force. After several weeks of training, the marines looked much more disciplined and trained before. The 1st Pennsylvania Regiment was also training alongside their fellow patriots but lagged behind in many aspects except marksmanship. While the Pennsylvanian regiment was lacking in terms of strength and hand to hand combat, the regiment was filled with excellent marksmen and snipers. And due to many of them being frontiersmen, they worked with the marines quite well as they also preferred unconventional warfare over line battles. Even more excitedly, General Kim was now in possession of a dozen artillery pieces. Through General Putnam, he acquired the artillery that the British left behind and "lent" it to the 1st Marine Regiment for use, along with ammunition. As such, the marine regiment also had a small artillery corps consisting of 50 members. Additionally, with his future knowledge, assigned Major Knowlton a company of 100 marines to utilize as an independent, special company officially designated as the "Marine Recon Company." He was tasked with gathering intelligence and spying on the enemy activity as the invasion went underway. Due to the company''s special status, they carried out their own private training along with their core marine training. Meanwhile, the Continental Army under General Washington''s command swelled in rank rapidly as continental regiments made their way to the commander to report for duty. General Washington had nearly 15,000 men under his command, many of them rough and unpolished militiamen or civilians. But with the assistance of General Kim and the marine regiment, the men were becoming a better fighting force and nearly all of them were vaccinated (when the benefactor said a lot of medical supplies, they meant it). Thankfully, due to the increased amount of funds available, almost all the men were clothed in uniform and were in possession of firearms and ammunition. It was almost time to leave Philadelphia and General Kim felt prepared more than ever. He was just waiting for one more final piece to arrive in order to begin his advance. "General Kim, your guest has arrived." A marine called out from outside his tent. "Send him in." An average height, well-dressed man walked into the tent silently, tilting his head downwards towards General Kim before rising back again to full heights, "General Kim, it''s an honor to finally meet the hero of Bunker Hill. I am Colonel Benedict Arnold and I have been assigned to the 1st Marine Regiment." General Kim rose from his seat and personally greeted the man, "Thank you, Colonel Arnold. And it''s a pleasure to meet you. Please have a seat colonel, we have much to discuss." Once the two settled into their seats, the general continued, "Colonel Arnold, I specifically requested your assignment into my regiment for a reason. What I am about to reveal to you must not be revealed to anyone, not even the men in the marine regiment. The Continental Congress is aware of what I am about to tell you, but do not mention that you have acquired this knowledge to them either." "You can trust me, general. I will ensure that I will not discuss this matter without your presence," Colonel Arnold stated, straightening his posture. "The truth is colonel, I am a man from the future; the year 2016 to be exact." He then went on to support his claims through the use of his laptop and his futuristic equipment. Colonel Arnold looked startled, but he looked excited once he realized General Kim was speaking the truth. "Did you request my commission because I was considered a capable leader in the future? Does history see me as an officer worthy of commendation and praise?" "Yes and no, colonel," General Kim typed in the name "Benedict Arnold" into Wikipedia and then turned the screen to the colonel, "I believe it is better for you to read it yourself, your history was... complicated to say the least." The colonel took approximately five minutes to skim through his biography, his eyes darting back and forth. By the time he reached the end of his biography, Colonel Arnold''s expression had changed from excitement to disbelief and horror, "I betrayed the colonies and my name was forever synonymous with the word "traitor." Why would I ever turn against my countrymen like this?" "You were passed for promotions several times, unrecognized for your heroics despite placing your life on the line each time you fought. You were also heavily injured and were coaxed by a colonial loyalist during the time you were recovering from your wounds. While I could not condone your behavior in this history, I can understand the reasoning behind it." Colonel Arnold looked at his superior nervously, "And did you ask for my presence to place an eye on me, general. Or even worse, kill me?" General Kim frowned and shook his head, "No, colonel. In fact, I''ve called you here for another reason. I am hoping that you will serve under my command and oversee the leadership of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment." The colonel''s eyes widened, but General Kim continued to clarify, "The man in the other history is not you. You have not gone through the things the "other" Benedict Arnold has and you have not betrayed Congress in this history. I believe, and I hope, that the tragedy of the other history can be avoided and that you and your skills can be recognized and rewarded in this history. We need talented military leaders, and you were one of the best the patriots had before your defection." "Is Congress aware of my history?" "No, it is one of the few things I am keeping from them. I''m willing to give you a chance colonel so that you avoid what happened to you in the other history" General Kim leaned in with his hands folded, "Do you know the history of Admiral Yi Sun-shin, colonel?" "I can''t say I''m familiar with that name, general," Colonel Arnold answered. "Well, he was similar to your other self in many ways. Admiral Yi was a man from a country called Joseon, also the place where my ancestors were born. He was a skilled and brilliant leader, able to seize victory even from the jaws of defeat. Like your other self, he was unrecognized and even mocked despite his abilities. In fact, he never lost a single battle during his entire life, yet he was demoted because of his rivals and his government. He went from the greatest admiral in the Joseon Navy to a lowly private in the army. Yet he was not discouraged from being unrecognized or demoted and kept on fighting, and eventually achieved the rank of admiral once again before dying in battle. In Joseon, he is considered one of the most legendary military leaders and his name is highly revered." "I just want you to remember this," General Kim turned the laptop back towards him and closed it, "I will do my best to ensure that the others recognize you for your abilities, should you be able to achieve success in battle. However, even if you are unrecognized or mocked by others, remember that history will not forget your deeds. You may be treated harshly now, but you will go on to be recognized by future generations, for achievements such as money and rank are temporary. But your legend, your results are eternal. I will not treat you any differently than others under my command and ensure you are given a proper chance to prove yourself." "I...I will take some time to think about this issue, general. If you don''t mind," The once proud and excited colonel looked downtrodden. General Kim nodded and showed him the way to a private tent for him to go over his thoughts. After the general returned, he sighed and rubbed his temple. The general knew that if he revealed Colonel Arnold''s story to Congress, Congress would attempt to execute him for treason immediately. Especially so since General Washington apparently did not have a good relationship with Colonel Arnold. Even so, Colonel Arnold wasn''t irredeemable, far from it actually. The man lost his wife while fighting for the colonial cause, suffered through various illnesses and diseases, always endured difficulties to achieve victory, and was loyal, at least initially. If anything, his story and his betrayal were a bit tragic, though the betrayal was still unacceptable. Nevertheless, he was going to give the man a chance. Whether the colonel accepted it was up to his own devices... Chapter 12: Just Native American Things And they nearly got combat experience when they approached the border of Six Nations. At first, some of the Iroquois units nearby believed that the colonial forces were invading, even though the three regiments under General Kim''s command did not cross the border itself. It was only after General Kim personally approached some of the scouts under a white flag did they recognize that an invasion was not imminent. Afterward, General Kim and a small part consisting of hardy marines were brought to the town of Onondaga to negotiate with the representatives of the six native tribes. Colonel Arnold was placed as the temporary commander of the regiments in case the meeting went awry and he was instructed to march on to Fort Ticonderoga to prepare for the invasion of Quebec if he did not return within a month''s time. The journey to Onondaga took approximately 3 days on horseback and the meeting did not begin right away, so General Kim and his group were treated as guests for the time being. After waiting for about a week, the representatives were finally gathered to discuss terms with the colonial representative. They were gathered in the town''s meeting hall to discuss matters privately, and each group had a collection of guards that were tensely waiting. While the meeting was supposed to be peaceful, there was always a chance the meeting would turn hostile. "I apologize for the wait, Mr. Kim. My name is Montagu and I am here to represent my people, the Oneida," One of the Native American representatives stated as he gestured to the men around him, "These men are each from the five other tribes within our confederacy and we are very interested in what you have to offer." "Thank you for meeting with me willingly, representatives. It is an honor to be in the presence of the representatives of the most powerful Native American tribes." General Kim bowed to each leader and then rose to meet them face to face, "I bring an offer from the Continental Congress in Philadelphia that will hopefully be of great benefit for the people of the colonies and the people of your respective tribes." Desagondesta, the representative for the Mohawks tribe, looked at the general cooly, "The British have also offered us a deal to join their side in the war and they offered us much to fight by their side. The Continental Congress you claim to represent also represents the people that have pushed us out of our homeland and stole our native territory. Our people have much to gain from joining with the British than your "upstart British." General Kim internally sighed and didn''t reply right away. He knew the Mohawks would be the most hostile to his offer, as their chief was pro-British and was currently in London to negotiate for the Six Nations. Regardless, the other five tribes were more malleable and were unlikely to outright refuse his offer, "Which is why I have a very attractive proposal for the respective representatives of the Six Nations. The Continental Congress is aware of the grievances of the people of the six tribes and wishes to formally apologize for their transgressions into your homeland. To remedy the situation and assure your independence, if you agree to join on the side of the colonial cause, then the Continental Congress will abide by the following terms: 1) There will be no further cession of territories from the Six Nations to any of the colonies. Any of the current territories they occupy will be formally recognized, permanently, as the territories of the Iroquois Confederacy. The lone exception will be the eastern territory boundaries within the state of Pennsylvania, which will be adjusted to match the eastern boundary lines in the state of New York. 2) The Six Nations will be allowed to send a representative to the Continental Congress, one from each tribe. The current Continental Congress will formally declare independence from Britain within a year''s time and will create a new nation called the "United States of America." Once this nation is formed, the Iroquois Confederacy will be given the opportunity to formally be accepted into the nation as a state, equal to any of the colonies currently represented in the Continental Congress. 3) If the Iroquois Confederacy accepts the offer to join the United States, they will be able to maintain their current way of life and maintain their tribal system. However, they will still abide by the laws of the United States, with guarantees that these laws will not discriminate or oppress any Native Americans or Native American tribes. 4) The Iroquois Confederacy will receive the strip of land between their current territory and the former Fort Rouille, should they wish to expand their territory against the British in Quebec. Their claim and annexation of the territory will be formally recognized by the Continental Congress. 5) As a show of goodwill, the Iroquois Confederacy will receive 60,000 in gold, along with 600 muskets and ammunition, split evenly amongst the tribes, should they choose to join the war against Great Britain. That is what the Continental Congress, and myself personally, offer to your tribes. I will give you time to discuss these terms amongst yourselves. These terms are negotiable, and I promise on my own life and the honor of Congress that these terms will be followed through should the Six Nations choose to accept it." All six representatives of the tribes looked shocked and then read the terms amongst themselves, with a copy of the treaty given to each representative. Sganyodaiyo, the representative of the Seneca people, cleared his throat and looked at the general with hunger in his eyes, "And these terms have been approved by your Congress?" "Yes, I have received the approval of Congress to transmit these terms to your tribes. As of current, the representatives of New York and Pennsylvania have also agreed to abide by the territorial terms written in the treaty, and the materials listed in the treaty will also arrive within a short amount of time should the tribes agree to the terms." "Very good. I will discuss these terms with the chief of my tribe and my tribe will begin a discussion regarding the terms at once." Sganyodaiyo exited the meeting hall in haste. The other representatives followed one by one until only Desagondesta remained. He looked just as shocked as the other representatives, but he shook his head when his eyes met General Kim''s eyes, "I will admit that these terms are far better than what the British have to offer, but I will be unable to come to a final decision until the chief returns. However, I will discuss these terms with the other elders and listen to their opinions about this treaty. Before I do, please tell me, Mr. Kim, will your colonies truly abide by these terms?" General Kim slowly nodded, "They will, Representative Desagondesta. If they do not, I will ensure that the terms and your people are respected. Despite what people of the colonies may think about the Six Nations, you have my words that I will side with the Six Nations should the colonies attempt to break the terms of the agreement." "But why go so far for our tribes? You are but a stranger to us." "The colonies are fighting for liberty and freedom, Representative Desagondesta. If they refuse to offer the same to the people of the Iroquois Confederacy even after the agreement, then I will protect the people of your tribes. I do not fight just for the colonies, but also to the ideas of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness." "You are an interesting man, Mr. Kim," Desagondesta offered the man his hand and the two firmly shook hands, "Even if we do not agree to your Congress'' proposal, let us hope for peace upon our lands." +++++ AN: Just to make things clear, I (the author) am well aware that the Iroquois Confederacy was not a united entity or nation (unlike most of the colonies, which were united by an official state government). I am also aware that the six tribes were not the only native tribes in the area. However, like OTL, the tribes will act independently from each other and the tribes that will lean in favor of the patriots will act regardless of the opinions of the other tribes. This is historically accurate as seen IOTL, where the Mohawks supported the British, while two tribes supported the patriots. Regardless, the offer will be appealing to the tribes as it will clearly define their territorial borders, allow them to expand westward, give them needed money and supplies, and even offer them representation (which is a lot more than what the British had to offer in our history. Combined with the fact that Governor Carleton of Quebec was famously hostile to even pro-British Native Americans, the Americans have a real chance of securing support from the Native Americans). Thus, even the Mohawks (who were pro British in our history chiefly due to their leader), will be intrigued and interested in what Congress has to offer. And if Quebec is successfully taken, the Iroquois Confederacy will have little choice but to work with the colonials (as Britain can not help them or supply them). It doesnt mean that cooperation will suddenly materialize overnight. The two factions will be wary of each other (and in our historys Declaration of Independence, there was even a section calling the natives savages and condemning the British for allying with them). Regardless, Kim has opened up a potential path for the two sides to reconcile and work together. And with Congress being aware of the atrocities the natives faced (added with the fact that history will not look at the atrocities kindly), the colonial representatives will be much more open to negotiations (also helps that theyre basically getting bribed to put up with the Iroquois). The other major native group, the Cherokee, will be covered once Kim goes southward. Things will be different than OTL and once the Cherokee hears about the fair treatment of the Iroquois... They might not side with the British so eagerly... Chapter 13: Do You Hear the People Sing? Invasion of Canada Do you hear the people sing Lost in the valley of the night It is the music of a people Who are climbing to the light For the wretched of the earth There is a flame that never dies Even the darkest night will end And the sun will rise. We will live again in freedom In the garden of the Lord We will walk behind the plow-share We will put away the sword The chain will be broken And all the men will have their reward! Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Somewhere beyond the barricade Is there a world you long to see? Do you hear the people sing Say, do you hear the distant drums? It is the future that they bring When tomorrow comes! Admittedly, it was a strange sight to behold. Nearly 2,700 men were marching and singing together over the border of Quebec as they approached the fort of St. Johns. The men were from various colonies and for a few of them, from Native American tribes. The negotiations with the Six Nations took several days to finish and by the time General Kim returned to his army, it was already August 22nd. However, the negotiations were fruitful and yielded positive results. Four of the six tribes accepted the proposals outlined by the treaty, though they desired to wait and speak with the Congress first before accepting "statehood" into the United States and agreeing to the remaining terms. The Oneida and Tuscarora, like the other history, threw in their support of the American colonies, along with the Seneca and Cayuga. The remaining two tribes, Onondaga and the Mohawks, stood firmly neutral for the time being, with the Onondaga tribe agreeing to adopt a "wait and see" approach. The Mohawks tribe was waiting for the return of their chief, but a few of the elders were already leaning towards accepting the colonial offer, as they would be able to gain territory and secure their sovereignty compared to the relatively vague offer made by the British. More and more elders of the two neutral tribes were also voicing their support for Congress since General Kim gave the supportive tribes the promised arms and gold, showing that the terms were being followed to an extent. The four tribes that were sympathetic to the patriot cause agreed to send representatives to Philadephia immediately to agree upon the terms, with the Onondaga also sending a representative to meet the members of the Continental Congress. General Kim happily wrote a letter in support of the tribes and also wrote his personal regards to the members of Congress, stating that the representatives of the tribes were friendly and that they should be treated as equals. Before he left to rejoin his men, some of the warriors of the Iroquois Confederacy were already preparing to launch an invasion into Quebec to seize Niagara. Three of the tribes, Oneida, Tuscarora, and Seneca, all offered 50 men each from each tribe for the invasion of Quebec, which General Kim accepted graciously. The men were all on horseback and were slated as the first "First Cavalry Company" of the marine regiment, the "hammer" to the main regiment forces'' "anvil". There was a language barrier between many of the Native Americans and the men of the colonies, and an atmosphere of cautiousness as well. But General Kim was optimistic and made sure that the two groups mingled as much as possible, utilizing translators to help the two groups communicate. He personally began to learn the language of the three tribes to build a relationship with them, even though he struggled with pronunciations. By the time the group reached St. Johns, a crucial fort that stood in their way to Montreal, the men of the regiments were more accepting of their new Native American allies. General Kim noted that the men that had more exposure to African American soldiers (which made up about 15% of the 1st Marine Regiment regiment in total, after the mass recruitment in Philadelphia saw many freed slaves and free African Americans join) were more accepting of the Native Americans, though the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment and the 3rd Connecticut Regiment were more hostile and nervous around the Native Americans. Yet the men of the Continental Army had arrived in their first objective of the campaign unscathed and relatively united on September 8th of 1775. Despite their attitudes to one another, the forces of General Kim''s army were now focused on their common enemy and objective: Fort St. Johns and the forces within. Before they even reached the fort, several British skirmishers and Indian scouts attempted to harass them but were driven back with casualties due to the superior firepower of the colonial forces. Several of the Native Americans saw the Native Americans with the colonial forces and after some discussion, they retreated back to their villages without any penalties. The Marine Recon Company, led by Major Knowlton, had successfully managed to scout out the fort and the general composition of the troops stationed within. General Kim received word from one of General Washington''s messenger while his men were resting at Fort Ticonderoga and were told that the main bulk of the Continental Army was already moving into the Maritime province with the assistance of local patriot sympathizers. As such, some of the British forces in Quebec were already being withdrawn to defend Fort Cumberland and the surrounding areas. Fort St. Johns, which was situated near the border of New York, was manned by 600 British soldiers and a few members of the local militias. An additional 100 Native Americans were also within the fort, already stationed there before the word of the negotiations was spread to Quebec. General Kim tasked them with gathering further information and also meeting with locals to win over their support for the colonial cause, which Major Knowlton accepted without complaint. Once he began the invasion, General Kim made sure to spread the word of the Continental Congress'' guarantees to the locals using printed posters and messages. The guarantees were simple: the people of Quebec would not be taxed until the year 1785 if they chose to side with the Continental Congress, their language and religion would be respected and supported by local law, they would have representation in the Continental Congress, and they would be allowed to have local elections to choose their own leaders. He knew words mattered, but General Kim was aware that he needed to show the locals that the colonial forces could achieve victory and secure Quebec before they accepted any of the terms. After reaching about 500 yards from the fort, General Kim ordered the artillery corps to unlimber and prepare for bombardment. Colonel William Thompson, the leader of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, was placed on the left flank while Colonel Arnold and his 3rd Connecticut Regiment were deployed to the right flank. Colonel Arnold was already receiving praises for seizing the schooner Royal Savage before it managed to depart from its shipyard just east of Fort St. Johns and for capturing valuable munitions and supplies in the ship that were originally meant for the defenders of the fort. The centerline was held by the 1st Marine Regiment, all 600 members that were part of the infantry. His troops were spread out and entrenched in pits and trenches dug with the entrenching tools of the 1st Marine Regiment. As trained, they were watching from their trenches carefully, making sure to remain hidden and entrenched. The Native American cavalry company was held in the rear, mainly to watch for any flanking actions and to flank the enemy forces should they attempt to leave their defenses in the fort. "Fire!" The twelve 12-pound howitzers roared to make their existence known. The crew of the howitzers was used to the sounds of the guns firing and moved calmly as they began to reload the guns to fire once more. From a distance, the general saw five of the shells striking the walls of the fort, enough to cause damage and startle the defenders. His artillery corps had plenty of ammunition and if the defenders wanted a siege, they would be battered by colonial artillery fire. After about four rounds of artillery fire, the fort looked much battered compared to before and the British forces within the fort were returning fire. The few cannons on the fort walls were firing at the colonial positions, but only a few landed even close near the entrenched regiments. General Kim had taught the men how to build effective earthworks to limit the damage caused by artillery fire and the marines had taken the lessons seriously. The few artillery fires that struck the colonial positions caused relatively minimum damage. Even so, several of his men became casualties as some of the shots from the British barrage managed to land home directly. Even with a number of losses, it was clear that the twelve colonial howitzers were causing much more damage to the defenders than to his own men. The Quebec campaign was expected to take anywhere from a month to four months and the last thing he wanted was to force his men to scale the walls and fight in close-quarter combat. Out of the three regiments under his command, only the 1st Marine Regiment was equipped and trained enough to prevail in hand to hand combat. The 1st Pennsylvania Regiment did not have bayonets, due to their own preferred rifles, and the 3rd Connecticut Regiment was not trained up to the same standards as the 1st Marine Regiment. If they were the win the fight with minimal losses, they needed to force the British out of the fort or at least have open space to push in and force the fight into the fort. Seeing that the British weren''t budging from the fort, General Kim ordered the artillery to seize fire and the men to set up a siege around the fort. Since each regiment outnumbered the enemy in total, a regiment was placed on the eastern, western, and northern parts surrounding the fort, with the artillery positioned in the east next to the river so they could be evacuated if their positions were overrun. However, in secret, 200 men from the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment and the 1st Marine Regiment (as the two regiments had 1,000 men and 750 men respectively) were detached from their forces in the middle of the night and positioned in the defenses already constructed in the southern side of the fort. The calvary company was also tasked with reinforcing the forces on the southern positions, watching for any breakouts and to flank the defenders if they attempted to retreat from the fort. Their siege works were positioned out of range of British small arms fire, though the British were still within range of the colonial howitzers and rifled muskets. What followed was ten long days of siege, with the 400 men in the southern parts of the fort remaining hidden in the trenches and the artillery bombarding the walls of the fort erratically to prevent the defenders from getting any sleep. The 1st Pennsylvania Regiment also harassed any defenders attempting to man the walls with their superior range during the siege. They inflicted over a dozen casualties on the British forces for only one of their own. Finally, after ten days of relentless harassment and artillery fire, action finally came upon the Continental Army. Approximately 300 men from Montreal, consisting of British regulars and Canadian militias, approached the northern siege works of the colonial forces on September 18th at noon. The northern section was guarded by the 1st Marine Regiment, and when the British reinforcements neared the marines, the northern gates of the fort opened to reveal one hundred Indians and several hundred British regulars marching out to support their allies. The remaining cannons in the fort focused their bombardment on the marine''s positions. Their goal was apparent to General Kim: to breach the colonial forces in the north before the other flanks could properly reinforce the pressured lines and to allow the reinforcements to supply and to reinforce the British within St. Johns. He knew that the British within the fort were lacking in foodstuff as per the other history and with the early capture of the Royal Savage, this was even more so. The defenders were desperate, and he was going to use it against them. "First Company, Second Company, focus on the enemy coming from the fort. Third Company! Focus your fire on the enemy forces coming from the north! Hold out for reinforcements and buy time for our forces to seize the fort!" "Oorah!" Deep in the trenches, General Kim looked to the sky and fired his flare gun. Each of the commanding officers of the flanks was in possession of a flare gun and they were only to fire the flare guns if they were under attack. General Kim created a plan for every potential route of British assault, and the colonial forces responded to the North Assault Plan accordingly. Colonel Arnold, whose men were better at close combat compared to the men of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, immediately began their attack on the fort itself and breached through the collapsed walls on the eastern portion, which had suffered heavy damage from the constant string of bombardment. The Pennsylvanians moved in to support the 1st Marine Regiment while the Native American cavalry company in the east flanked around to hit the reinforcements coming from the north. Finally, the men on the south side approached from their earthworks and scaled the southern walls with the hopes of catching the defenders by surprise. For a span of ten minutes, General Kim and his men needed to hold on their own. But he was confident, no certain of his victory. He pulled out his Garand and aimed towards the British forces streaming out of the fort. He waited for them to step into range and shouted out his command, "Fire!" The superior rifled muskets of the colonials struck the British lines with deadly force, outside the range of the regular British muskets. General Kim also fired eight shots continuously, all aimed at any notable British officers and soldiers. By the time the British managed to form their lines and stepped within range, the marines managed to fire off two deadly volleys, whittling the British forces by a hundred men. Unfortunately for the British soldiers, their apparent reinforcements were faltering against the disciplined fire of the Third Company and the militiamen were already routing in face of losses. Regardless of their losses, the remaining British forces returned fire in an effort to fight against the entrenched colonials, striking some of the marines that were exposed while firing. The bombardment from the fort continued upon their positions, throwing earth into the air and knocking additional marines out of the fight. General Kim showed no mercy to the British soldiers in front of him and slid in clips after clips into his rifle to fire upon the enemy. When the reinforcements from Montreal broke and began to flee from the battlefield, the remaining British soldiers and Native Americans attempted to retreat back into the fort. However, before they could flee to safety, they were cut off by the Native Americans sided with the patriots, along with the riflemen of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment. At the same time, the marines moved forward to assist the engaged units and moved forward while firing, only readying themselves for hand to hand combat when the Native American cavalry and British soldiers became too clustered together. Many of the surviving British aligned Native Americans surrendered upon seeing the charging patriot aligned Native Americans. And after several minutes, the British soldiers surrendered as well. The remaining defenders within the fort, all three hundred of them, also surrendered upon seeing the remaining colonial forces storming the fort and the other British soldiers surrendering. Within ten days, General Kim managed to take Fort St. Johns, seized a British schooner and supplies, forced the surrender of 400 British soldiers, and inflicted 250 casualties for only 32 of his own. The road to Montreal was now open, and by the end of the month, nearly the entirety of Quebec was aware of the Yellow Marshal, his message, and his military victory over the British. Chapter 14: Before the Final Battle for Canada… Now was the time to rest his tired forces, spread propaganda, and establish a fair and noticeable government in Montreal in order to turn the French Canadians against the British and establish a patriot stronghold in the north. The Native American cavalry company, along with two dozen marines on horseback (seized after the battle of Fort St. Johns within the fort itself), was on its way to Fort Ticonderoga with the captured British soldiers. They were ordered to deliver the prisoners to the garrison at the fort and to head back up to Montreal in order to prepare for another offensive. In the meanwhile, General Kim would busy himself with administrative work and would prepare his men for the inevitable march to Quebec City. For the next five days, General Kim tasked his soldiers to establish defenses around Montreal and assist with any rebuilding and humanitarian efforts to help the locals. While the British did not damage the city much, they did ransack stores and any forms of ammunition to deny the advancing Continental Army of any supplies. General Kim also ensured to send scouts out to the north to watch for any potential British offensives and sent a detachment to the nearby countrysides to spread the word of Montreal''s capture and the new government set up in Montreal. For good measures, General Kim made a series of declarations as the temporary military governor of Quebec (until General Putnam, who was in Boston, arrived in Montreal to take on the role of military governor). Firstly, he declared that the French Canadians rights, beliefs, language, and culture to be respected. Catholics were allowed to freely practice their religion and the clergy was free to continue their practices and ways of life. Any soldiers of the Continental Army and any individuals from the colonies were to obey local laws and traditions. Secondly, he assured that the province would be free from any taxes and tariffs until the year 1785 and no property or goods of any Quebecois would be seized by force. This was a show of goodwill and guarantee to the locals that the Continental Army would not forcefully take their goods or possessions during their campaign. Thirdly, he proclaimed that no French Canadians would be forcefully drafted or recruited into the Continental Army. Instead, the French Canadians were offered a place in the Continental Army as equals to any other soldiers, with the same pay, supplies, and training. With this point, he made sure to point out that Governor Carleton was forcefully recruiting men into local militias to defend Quebec City and harassing locals in order to ensure British victory. Finally, General Kim declared that the people of Quebec were guaranteed the right to self-determination and were given a formal offer to elect a representative to participate in the Continental Congress once Quebec City was seized and liberated. While he was unsure how the Quebecois would respond to such an offer, he didn''t want to force the people of Quebec to accept rule from the Continental Congress. They would need to decide how to proceed on their own and hopefully, with his gestures of goodwill, they would choose to at least ally with Congress in their struggle against the British. The declarations were printed through local presses and machines and spread through the city and the surrounding countryside. To say the French Canadians were suspicious was an understatement. While some optimists celebrated their "liberation," most of the population remained cautious of the Continental Army. Even after several days have passed and with the declarations clearly being followed by the soldiers of the Continental Army, the populace remained leery of the Continental Army. While General Kim had offered much to the locals, the Quebecois were decently well off under the British (as General Kim knew the Quebec Act went a long way to win British support amongst the locals). Regardless, General Kim continued on and began actively meeting with local leaders through the use of a translator and making sure he and his regiments were seen throughout the city. Mainly as a way of showing the locals that the Continental Army was not an occupying force, but a liberating force. After five days have passed, with small steps of progress being made, Major Knowlton marched into the city of Montreal with his Recon Company. And to the surprise of General Kim, he was also accompanied by hundreds of French Canadians and additional recruits from the colonies, along with loads of supplies and munitions. The leaders of the additional forces were (self-proclaimed) Colonel Ethan Allen, who apparently had entered Quebec on his own upon hearing of General Kim''s advance and recruited locals for the patriot cause, James Livingston, a grain merchant from New York living in Quebec at the time of the invasion, and Major John Brown, a Continental Army officer that was sent from Fort Ticonderoga with three hundred militiamen from the Massachusetts militia to help with the invasion of Quebec upon Colonel Prescott''s request. While the main forces of General Kim''s army were attacking Fort St. Johns, the three men, along with their volunteers, had managed to seize the nearby Fort Chambly and take the supplies within. The brainchild of the plan was Major Brown, who saw that the British forces were distracted with the siege of Fort St. Johns and ordered an assault onto the undermanned Fort Chambly and force the defenders to surrender after a short siege and battle. The men were welcomed wholeheartedly by General Kim, explained the situation of the current campaign and administrative affairs, and tasked with assisting the other regiments as well. He guaranteed to the two hundred French Canadian volunteers (who were placed as the "First Canadian Regiment," another Extra Continental Regiment) and the Massachusetts militiamen that they would be just as well as the other soldiers for their service. General Kim allowed the Marine Recon Company to rest within the city for several days before tasking with them to spread the word up north and to scout out the defenses of Quebec City with great caution, as he knew the city was the last stronghold of the British in the Quebec region. As for the French Canadian volunteers, they were tasked with helping mend the unease relationship between the Continental Army and the locals, serving as translators and negotiators between the two parties. Allen was officially granted a lieutenant colonel rank to lead the newly established Canadian regiment while Major John Brown was designated as the official commanding officer of the "1st Massachusetts Militia Regiment." Livingston was the official liaison between the colonial forces and the Quebecois, who often taught General Kim about the local culture and helped him with negotiations. During this time, General Kim also came into contact with Christophe Pelissier, who owned an ironworks in Trois-Rivires, a town that was halfway between Montreal and Quebec City. A radical and a strong believer of liberty, Pelissier was already known to General Kim, who studied about the Invasion of Quebec in the other history. It was also a reason why General Kim planned to hold any elections after the capture of Quebec City, as the locals not only wanted autonomy, but also security in the face of British military might. Regardless, the two exchanged pleasantries and General Kim formally negotiated to utilize Pelissier''s ironworks to supply his regiments with ammunition and cannonballs. Additionally, the general assured Pelissier that he and his army was in Quebec to help bring liberty to the province and to protect them from "British imperialism," with elections promised after Quebec City was formally secured. Pelissier often met with General Kim and was also a crucial proponent in promoting cooperation between the colonial forces and locals. After eighteen days have passed after the occupation of Montreal, both General Putnam and the cavalry detachment that was sent to Fort Ticonderoga returned. Apparently the general and his militiamen from Connecuitcut were encountered by the marine cavalry company, who were warned of General Putnam''s arrival and escorted the group to Montreal. Additionally, another group of one hundred Native American warriors joined with the group, several of them joining from local villages and others sent from the Iroquois Confederacy for the invasion. It was at this time that General Kim received two crucial pieces of information. The first was that the Iroquois, excluding the Mohawks and the Onondaga, had invaded Quebec through Niagara and was moving westward to pressure the British in the area. The second was that General Washington, along with 15,000 men of the Continental Army, successfully managed to force the defenders of Fort Cumberland (which was only manned by six hundred members of British regulars and local militiamen) to surrender after two weeks and was moving to cut off the British forces in Fort Edward. He was also marching the main core of the army to Fort Sackville, the last bastion before the city of Halifax. The British were being pressured from all sides, and now was the time to strike. General Putnam and his militiamen, all three hundred of them, were tasked with guarding Montreal while the other regiments of the Continental Army began their trek towards Quebec City. General Kim was reassured by General Putnam''s promises of a light-handed approach to handling affairs with French Canadians and promises to abide by the Asian officer''s previous declarations, which were already being supported by a number of locals. The general also made sure to remind his senior that he needed to win the hearts of both the lower classes, the merchants, and the clergy in order to earn the loyalty of the Queboics. By the time General Kim left, the locals were cautiously accepting of their new administrators. On October 10th, nearly a full month after the invasion of Quebec began, General Kim began his march to the final British stronghold in Quebec. With him were 600 marines (a small detachment was left behind to protect Montreal), 800 men of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, 700 men of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment, 250 warriors of the "Marine Cavalry Company," 300 members of the 1st Canadian Regiment, and 300 men of the 1st Massachusetts Militia Regiment (for a total of 2,950 total men). Supporting these men were plenty of munition and supplies bought from locals and seized from the British forts, twelve howitzers, four twelve-pound cannons, and a firm conviction to seize the city before winter set in. Chapter 15: General Arnold, a Changed Man "Yes, sir. He says he''s confident he''ll be ready within two days." General Kim paced in front of a strategic map of Quebec City, a map he detailed and copied by hand using various sources from his laptop. The 4 western gates, along with the Quebec Citadel and redoubts, were clearly marked on the map while lines were drawn on the northern part of the city to outline the defenses overlooking a steep hill. Those were the points where the British were expecting the colonial forces to attack from. The eastern portions of the city were exposed, but it was directly facing the St. Lawrence River. Meanwhile, the southern defenses consisted of a steep cliff with a wall to boot. With the weapons and tools he had at hand, it was "technically impossible" for him to attack anywhere but the eastern and northern portions of the city. The colonial forces arrived outside Quebec City on October 15th and immediately began a siege to wear down the defenders. General Kim was aware that the city needed to be taken preferably before December or he risked his soldiers and supplies being pelted and drenched from snowstorms. Thus, just hours after arriving outside the city limits, General Kim ordered his artillery to begin a constant barrage of bombardments on the western city walls and to begin implementing his plan against the city''s defenders. Before leaving Montreal, General Kim shared his plan to the rest of the colonial officers and the plan was set into motion even before the army''s arrival at Quebec City. Colonel Arnold and one hundred marines, along with Major Knowlton and his company, were sent ahead to carry out their part of the plan (possibly the most crucial part of the generals plan) which involved seizing Point Levis, a small village that was directly across from Quebec City. Colonel Arnold was chosen for the task due to his ability to improvise quickly and his excellent leadership abilities (not to mention, he was one of the few colonials to enter Quebec City in the other history). While the bombardment was underway, the Continental Army made several feints towards the city to raise the alarm but General Kim pulled back his troops immediately after the colonial soldiers fired off a volley. Once the colonial soldiers withdrew, the bombardment halted and the guns did not fire against for exactly four hours. His troops took turns making feint attacks toward the city, both as a probing attack and as a distraction to tire out the British and make them less wary of an imminent attack. Already, seven days have passed and the British units were getting used to the scheduled artillery barrage followed by a feint attack, cautiously making General Kim hope that the real attack would catch the defenders off-guard. Even so, General Kim was acting carefully and making sure all his units were in place before the assault into the city. He was aware that Governor Carleton was not a stupid man and played to his strengths well, unfortunately for General Kim and his men. While his troops were better equipped and better motivated than the invading soldiers of the other history, the general needed additional reassurance in order to prevent his troops from being caught in a stalemate or being cut off within the city itself. A portion of the western wall was already in disarray and broken, with the gap in the wall covered by logs and mismatched stones. The northern and western fronts were ready to push in on his mark, and now all he needed was Colonel Arnold to finish his preparations. The cost of capturing the city would not be light, but it would be worth it. +++++ Colonel Benedict Arnold, commanding officer of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment, Hero of the Battle of Fort St. Johns, and "daring" Continental officer, was not as courageous as his men thought he was. Oh sure, he volunteered to lead this mission, due to his experiences in the navy and his own belief in his abilities. But he wasn''t doing this so that some other poor bastard wouldn''t be tasked with leading the assault. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He was afraid of dying. Despite his "heroics," Colonel Arnold was a man that never took unnecessary risks and was only "daring" when he needed to be. He cared deeply for his men''s health and his own health, for varying reasons. Just two months ago, he would not have given a damn about his own health or his own men as long as he achieved victory. Victory for himself, and for the colonial cause. That was until his views and outlooks were shattered completely by General Kim. At first, he was eager to learn of his own future. After all, General Kim specifically summoned him to his side and revealed his deepest secret to him. He was so sure that he was remembered as a hero in the future, a renowned patriot military leader whose name was passed down through the ages. The truth was much dimmer than he thought it would be. The history of the other world, of his other-self, disgusted him. To see how far he would have fallen without General Kim''s appearance and support was both painful and disgraceful. Even after learning of his fate in the other history, Colonel Arnold could not come to terms with the fact that he abandoned the patriot cause in the other history, the cause he believed in for years. And to think, his betrayal was because of his hunger for money and fame, which clouded his better judgment, and led to his own destruction. In a way, it was ironic; he always believed he was above ranks and fame until he was shown the "other history." He came to his decision just a day after his first meeting with General Kim. Colonel Arnold accepted General Kim''s offer of commission and formally became the leader of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment initially, and then transferred to the 3rd Connecticut Regiment upon the general''s request. What the "other" Benedict Arnold in the "other" history was disgraceful and he himself was ashamed. And while General Kim was the only one to know of his "other" self, Colonel Arnold was going to do his damn best to ensure that he didn''t disgrace his family name this time around. Thankfully, when the general said he would be given a fair chance to prove his worth, he meant it. And Colonel Arnold''s chance to prove himself came when he was tasked with seizing a British ship docked near Fort St. Johns in order to capture supplies and demoralize the defenders of the nearby fort. He led three dozen men to raid the lightly defended docks at dusk and seized the schooner before it could make its escape. The capture contributed significantly to the fort''s fall and he was hailed as a hero. But it wasn''t enough. He needed to do more, achieve more, and win more for the patriot''s cause. Ranks and money be damned, he was getting paid well enough by the general and he was high enough rank to lead nearly a thousand men by himself. No, he needed to achieve more and win more to get placed into the history books, this time as a hero, not a villain. And above all else, he needed to atone for what he had done in the other world. Colonel Arnold couldn''t die yet, he still had so much to do. "Colonel, the general has sent the signal! The attack has commenced" One of the marines he was leading stated. The colonel grinned as he looked at the marines around him. They were all skilled and disciplined men, some of the best the marine regiment had to offer. General Kim was loaning these men to him to cause chaos behind enemy lines. They all looked at him expectantly, as he was the first officer outside of the marine regiment to be given command of the marines. Regardless, he was going to win and to bring these men back home. "Prepare the rafts and canoes!" Chapter 16: The Battle of Quebec City (Part 1) "Oorah!" The skies were still dark when General Kim made his move. Several marines were killed by British fire as they approached the walls, but the main bulk of the colonial forces pushed on through the breach. The riflemen of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment picked off any defenders they could see on the walls and provided covering fire for the advancing soldiers. In addition to this, the marine artillery corps continued to fire at British positions on the walls and on the main citadel itself. Out of the 3,000 or so men that were taking part in the assault, a good majority of them were attacking through the western walls. The western walls were the most heavily fortified and heavily manned part of the city, but it was also the place where the Continental Army had a chance to entrench themselves. The northern and eastern defenses were directly next to the city itself and lacked open space for the units to freely move and establish themselves. Meanwhile, there were open fields and hills behind the western gates, the perfect terrain for the marines to dig in and organize themselves. The plan of attack was complex, yet simple. The assault was to be carried out from three different directions: west, north, and east. Colonel Arnold and Major Knowlton, along with two hundred marines, were to attack from the river itself utilizing boats and rafts to seize the docks and place pressure on the British flanks. The 3rd Connecticut Regiment, along with the 1st Massachusetts, were tasked with striking the northern defenses using the cover of darkness and surprise. The main attacking force, consisting of the remaining units of General Kim''s army, was ordered to breach the western defenses and secure the walls for the final push into the city proper. His goal was to divide the enemy forces so that one of the fronts could achieve a breakthrough, or at least disorient the enemy and pressure them from multiple sides. General Kim fired several shots as he advanced forward, the marines streaming in first as the shock troops. Before he committed his men to the attack, he also directed the men to enter through the breach in waves. Each wave was tactically planned to utilize the strength of each unit under his command. The first wave was the marines, the elite troops that would establish a "beachhead" and push back the enemy. The second wave would consist of the 1st Canadian Regiment and the individuals in the regiment would shout for the defending Canadian militiamen to surrender and to fight for their freedom from the British. Even if the militiamen sided with the British did not defect or turn against the British regulars, the action was approved by General Kim to demonstrate that the attack was not merely a colonial effort to seize Quebec. It was also to make the defending militiamen hesitant to fire upon their own countrymen. Only time would tell if the tactic worked, but it was worth an effort. The third wave would consist of the Native American cavalry units, which would enter through the breach and strike any British units attempting to resist the colonial advance in the open field. With fire support from the marines and the Canadian regiment, the cavalry would sweep any British defenders attempting to remain close to the western walls in order to fire upon the narrow entry point. Once the field was cleared and secured, the Pennsylvanians would move in and signal for the artillery to halt their fire. Afterward, the riflemen would man the remainders of the wall and nearby high points to harass the British forces near the outskirts of the city itself. It was a solid plan in theory, but now the plan would be tried against hostile British soldiers. As the Canadian regiment, shouting at the top of their lungs, followed the marines, he silently prayed to his "benefactor" for victory and success. Hopefully, his prayers would be heard and the brave men on the other two fronts would succeed in their endeavors. +++++ Major John Brown of the 1st Massachusetts Militia Regiment''s respect towards General Kim and his men grew significantly during the time he spent with them. The marines were a fearsome bunch, as their superior weaponry and tactics made them extremely difficult to defeat in combat. And led by their inspiring and fearless leader, it was unsurprising that the marine regiment was undefeated in combat and prevailed in every battle. Major Brown greatly appreciated having the marines by his side, as they were a source of inspiration for his men and the other units under General Kim''s command. However, he did not appreciate the fact that he was now in charge of leading the assault on the northern defenses of Quebec City. Despite the men of the 3rd Connecticut and the 1st Massachusetts Militia being isolated from their allies, the push into the northern parts of the city was initially a success. Some of the British regulars and militiamen that were manning the northern defenses were sent to the west to counter the main assault group. Additionally, the two regiments managed to catch the defenders off guard using the cover of darkness and managed to get an accurate volley of musket fire on the remaining soldiers on the defenses before the defenders were able to respond. As a result, the two colonial regiments managed to enter the city limits and seize the northern Dauphine Redoubt with few casualties. Unfortunately, one of the casualties happened to be Colonel Justin Swift, who was shot in the leg by a frantic Quebecois militiaman while he was leading the 3rd Connecticut Regiment forward. The man was not in any mortal danger, but he was unable to continue leading the assault and was evacuated by two soldiers from his regiment despite his protests. As the next highest-ranking officer, he was now the leader over a thousand men with the task of continuing the attack into the city. Major Brown knew that he was allowed to retreat or hold his ground if the situation looked bleak, as General Kim didn''t want any of them being captured or killed pointlessly. Regardless, he knew he couldn''t sit still or retreat. There were only two hundred marines involved in the river invasion and faced an uncertain amount of defenders. If Major Brown halted his attack now, it would allow the British to reposition themselves and repulse the marines fighting in the riverfront. He ducked behind the stone redoubt as a bullet whizzed by him. The major gritted his teeth as he readied his musket and fired towards the origin of the bullet. He wanted to say that he managed to pick off the British soldier aiming at him, but both sides were firing upon each other continuously. The ground was littered with dozens of bodies on both sides and from his point of view, it was an even battle between the two forces. The regiments needed to move forward and they needed someone to initiate it. "Soldiers of the Continental Army and militia! We need to move forward! Fix bayonets and charge!" +++++ "That''s another one dead." A marine proudly announced as he moved away from the window to hide from British counterfire. Major Thomas Knowlton didn''t respond as he fired off a shot off his own towards a militiaman that was standing next to the British regulars. The bullet struck home and the militiaman went limp into the dirt. The marines had managed to secure a number of buildings in the vicinity of the docks and were utilizing them to harass any of the defenders that attempted to approach their position. Despite his own reservations of Colonel Arnold''s abilities (and sometimes, sanity), Major Knowlton had to admit that the colonel pulled off a miracle in order to make the plan work. Colonel Arnold worked tirelessly for a period of ten days to acquire any canoes or boats from the locals. Once he realized he didn''t have enough for all two hundred marines that were planned for the river crossing, he ordered the men under him to build canoes themselves. While the hastily built canoes were not entirely stable (indeed, nearly two dozen men fell into the river and were attempting to warm themselves up in the occupied buildings), the colonel managed to get all two hundred marines across the St. Lawrence River without any deaths. And now, the marines were safely secured within the buildings and were able to carry out their part of the plan. While the marines near Major Knowlton were taking their time to aim their rifled muskets and pick off the enemy accurately, Colonel Arnold was looking through his binoculars and watching for any signs of friendly or hostile movements. "Anything yet, colonel?" Colonel Arnold shook his head, his tall and imposing figure leaning cautiously away from the window, "I''m seeing some activity in both the west and the north, but the other groups have not yet breached the inner parts of the city." The major wasn''t surprised, as the British response to their sudden appearance in the docks was rather lackluster. Most likely, it meant that the other two groups were facing the brunt of the British defenses, "Then will we continue to maintain our position?" "You will maintain this position with your recon unit. I will lead the other remaining marines into battle," Colonel Arnold smirked as he placed his binoculars away into a small pouch. "The other fronts may need our assistance, but we still need to make sure that we have a point of escape if we are pushed back." One of the first acts the marines carried out was to burn and wreck any transport ships or boats that were not theirs. This was a specific order that came from General Kim himself, mainly in order to prevent the British forces from escaping if they lost the battle. While Major Knowlton wanted to object to the colonel''s orders, he knew the colonel wasn''t wrong. Just one hundred marines flanking an enemy position could turn the tide of battle in their favor. The major didn''t want to split up his forces and risk the lives of the other marines, but attacking the British with a risky flanking maneuver was a better option than letting the other two groups be whittled down from British fire. "I will provide covering fire for you, colonel. Which front will you assist?" "That should be obvious, major," Colonel Arnold grabbed his musket and motioned for his men to follow, "It''s definitely not the front that we know will prevail in the end. Chapter 17: The Battle of Quebec City (Part 2) The charge did not work as intended. The men of the 3rd Connecticut and the 1st Massachusetts were not fearless, nor were they trained in hand to hand to the same extent of the marines. The men were certainly brave and disciplined (thanks to the training they received under Colonel Arnold and General Kim), but they were still outmatched by the British in terms of individual skill. The initial charge caught the British off guard, but once they managed to equip bayonets of their own, the British seized the upper hand and forced the colonials to a standstill. It didnt help that a number of British soldiers were shooting from the buildings as well, keeping the battle even and tiring out the attackers. While the colonials outnumbered the British, if the regiments continued taking heavy casualties, it was entirely possible that the men would begin to retreat from the battlefield. And Major Brown was not confident in his abilities to rally the men for another assault. The front needed help, but General Kims main forces were still bogged down in the western outskirts of the city. For the time being, the major and his units were isolated and alone. That was until he heard a battle cry coming from behind the defenders. Oorah! The battle began to shift rapidly. A number of British soldiers turned to meet the soldiers flanking them but quickly found themselves pelted by bullets. The houses that previously housed British soldiers were now firing upon the defenders while a small group of individuals wearing black jackets and white pants hid behind crates and walls while firing on the Redcoats. Push forward! Major Brown cried as he led his men with his musket raised above his head, Come on men! Are we going to let the marines take all the credit?! The sight of allies flanking the British and forcing the British to split their attention rejuvenated the weary colonial forces and they pushed the British lines with greater vigor. More British soldiers and Qubcois militiamen began to fall compared to the colonial soldiers, being harassed from two sides and hit with both bayonets and bullets. It was the militiamen that threw their arms and surrendered first. Many of them looked angry and glared at the British regulars as they did. These soldiers stepped away from the chaos and allowed the colonial forces to fight the remaining British regulars without any resistance. Soon, the British found themselves significantly outnumbered and outgunned. After a failed attempt to dislodge the marines from the nearby buildings and to retreat further into the city, the British soldiers also surrendered. By the time the fighting died down, hundreds of bodies were dead or dying on the ground. Immediately, Major Brown ordered the medics within his ranks (a useful role that was created by General Kim to treat any wounded on the battlefield) to treat the injured on both sides. He also began to inspect the surviving men under his command in order to get a sense of his units combat strength. As he was doing so, a man dressed in a fancy uniform that was similar to that of the marines uniform stepped forward to greet him, Colonel Swift? Unfortunately not, Colonel. Im Major John Brown, 1st Massachusetts. Colonel Swift was injured while leading the initial attack and I was placed in command in his stead. Thank you for the assistance, Major Brown replied. Its a good thing we made it here on time. We took several casualties while coming here to help your men, but it looks like we made it just in time, Colonel Arnold said as he looked at the remainders of his 3rd Connecticut regiment calculatingly, What is the condition of your regiment and my regiment, Major? Major Brown sighed, Not too good sir. My own regiment suffered around sixty casualties and the 3rd Connecticut suffered approximately one hundred fifty casualties. The men are also exhausted from climbing and fighting for the last several hours. Colonel Arnold frowned, The defenders fought furiously, so Im not entirely surprised. Regardless, Ill need any able-bodied men to come with me to help the general. Understood sir. Ill let the men know right away. ++++ Quebec City was now in General Kims hand. But General Kim wasnt celebrating. No, he was mourning and reflecting on the events that transpired during the Battle of Quebec. He was in a tavern that was temporarily set up as the HQ of the Continental Army with his officers and representatives of the city. The gathered individuals looked celebratory and grim at the same time. The city was now under colonial control, but the costs were heavier than estimated. It didn''t help that a large number of dead defenders were locals as well. The general severely underestimated Governor Carletons capabilities and nearly two hundred men under his direct command were now casualties. It was apparent that the governor was somewhat aware of the marines tactics and planned accordingly. While the weather was not cold enough to freeze the ground directly, the governor poured water over the fields beyond the western gates and placed a layer of gravel as well. As a result, his forces struggled to build trenches in the fields and took over five dozen casualties as they were caught in the open. The governor also placed artillery pieces directly near the outskirts of the city to deny any charges, which cost the general nearly twenty Native American fighters. His forces barely achieved a breakthrough just as Colonel Arnold and his men began their flanking attack on the remaining defenders. In total, the invading army suffered over four hundred casualties, which included forty two marines. In contrast, the defenders suffered around five hundred casualties with eight hundred captured. It was evident that the governor did not get any reinforcements as the other history and was left to make do with a smaller force of British regulars. And General Kim''s spread of propaganda was somewhat effective, as the number of militiamen that answered the governor''s call of arms was significantly less than the their history and many were reported to have been forcibly conscripted. Regardless, the defenders fought tooth and nail and inflicted many casualties on the Continental Army. It was a victory, but a very pyrrhic victory for the Continental Army. As Governor Carleton stated as he was captured, If your Army was any smaller, we wouldve prevailed in the end. Like after the previous battle, General Kim called for a meeting with his officers to review the battle and implement improvements for future conflicts. The last battle was an overwhelming victory and the strategic meeting afterward was brief. This meeting was most definitely going to be longer. But first, he needed to speak with the representatives of the Qubcois first before he convened the post-battle meeting. Colonel Moses Hazen, who was one of the commanding officers of the militiamen within the city, stepped forward to speak on the behalf of the gathered Quebecois. In another history, he would have defected to the Americans once the Invasion of Quebec was underway. In this world, he remained on the side of the British and defended Quebec City during the battle. However, he was not hostile to the Americans and was cooperative with the Continental Army. He cleared his throat as he respectfully tipped his hat to the commanding general, "Thank you for meeting with us civilly, general. I''m sure most of the gentlemen gathered here are aware of your guarantees and promises, and none of us have any objections to them. However, we are... worried about your plans for Quebec City. Especially since many of us fought in the battle against you." "It''s understandable, Mr. Hazen," General Kim responded as he looked at the French Canadian representatives, "Do not worry, the same guarantees and promises I made to the people of Montreal and the occupied parts of Quebec will apply to Quebec City as well. Additionally, you have my word that none of the militiamen will be held as prisoners for their participation in the battle. Any French Canadian militiamen that surrendered to our forces will be released immediately and be allowed to return to their homes in peace." Hazen visibly relaxed at those words, "And we have heard rumors that you will convene an election in Quebec?" General Kim nodded, "Once the situation in Quebec is settled and the remaining British prisoners are safely transported out of the province, I will allow the people of Quebec to hold an election in regards to their future. Of course, the choices will be between independence from both Britain and the Continental Congress, or participating in the Continental Congress and sending a representative to Philadelipha to discuss terms." "And I''m sure you wish for our people to participate in your colonies'' Continental Congress?" "That would be correct, but I will leave it up for the people to decide. While I will guarantee that you will be able to enjoy autonomy and representation within the Continental Congress, it is ultimately up to the people of Quebec to decide on how to proceed from this point onwards. I do not wish to be like the British, gentlemen. We come as liberators and friends, not as conquerors." "I see," Hazen replied as he looked at the general thoughtfully, "We will spread the word amongst the locals and to nearby towns as well. For the time being, I would like for your forces to remain in Quebec and help build up defenses in case of a potential British invasion. The election can also happen in due time." The Korean-American officer bowed slightly, "Of course. Regardless of what Quebec''s decision may be, we wish for the province to be free from any potential British aggression." Once the representatives exited the tarven, General Kim turned to the remaining officers and sighed, "Alright gentlemen, let us review what happened today..." Chapter 18: A More Perfect Union After a series of negotiations, it was agreed that January 2nd, 1776 would be the official date of the election regarding Quebec''s future. It took several weeks for the province to be calmed and pacified, but by mid-December, General Kim was confident that Quebec was totally free from British control. The few remaining strongholds in isolated parts of the province surrendered upon hearing the fall of Quebec City, as they were now within a hostile territory and isolated from the main British forces in North America. Additionally, the defenses in Quebec City were coming along nicely, with the former defenses being rebuilt and small warships being constructed to defend the city from any naval incursions. After it became clear that Quebec was free from British control, the locals embraced the colonials more openly and more Quebecois vocally supported the patriot cause. This was mainly due to the lack of British threat of retaliation, the forgiving attitude of General Kim and the policies carried out by General Putnam and General Kim, which allowed the Quebecois greater autonomy and respected the culture and rights of locals. Even so, the general was greatly anticipating the results of the election. Upon his insistence, all Quebecois twenty years or above (including women) were allowed to vote for their province''s future. Some of the representatives were hostile to the idea, but General Kim remained unfettered by their protests. He argued that the people of the province as a whole needed to decide on the future of Quebec, not a selective group of individuals. Additionally, he stated that many of the locals were affected by the British "occupation" and the colonial invasion. As such, in his opinion, they deserved the right to voice their opinion on the matter as well. Seeing that they were unable to change his mind, the representatives relented. January 2nd was declared the official election date and the day was declared a temporary holiday to allow the people to vote. Ten polling stations (most of them were in taverns that were within the largest towns and cities in the area) were opened throughout the province and all of them were under the watchful eyes of colonial soldiers to ensure that the election was carried out fairly. Once the polls closed, the results were carried by Native American cavalry units to Quebec City, where the votes were to be counted by both colonial and local representatives to ensure that there were no bias or rigging involved. And now, General Kim waited for the votes to be finalized. The total population of the province of Quebec was approximately 90,000, so he expected the votes to be counted fairly quickly. Some of the votes were already counted, but he requested that the votes to be only reported after all the votes were accounted for. The last thing he wanted was false hopes and early celebrations. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, there was a knock on his room''s door. When he opened it, he came face to face with Christophe Pelissier, who was one of the representatives that was in favor of joining the Continental Congress and the other colonies. Upon seeing General Kim, the French-Canadian man broke out into a wide smile, "You have done it, general! The votes were overwhelmingly in favor of joining the Continental Congress and fighting against the British. Many were not happy with Governor Carleton''s policies during the invasion and your own policies and troops have won the people over." "How close was the vote?" "From the report I saw, it was 52,000 individuals in favor of joining the colonies and 19,000 in favor of independence," Pelissier answered, "A considerable margin, I would say. The people have spoken, and the other representatives will convene to decide on the individuals that will be sent to Philadelphia to represent Quebec." General Kim let out a sigh of relief as he slumped into a chair, "If I can speak honestly, Mr. Pelissier, I think I need a break for some time. The Invasion of Quebec and the administrative work have drained me considerably." The ironwork owner let out a small laugh, "By all means, I think you deserve a break for all the work you have done for the sake of Quebec. You have certainly done much to make sure the people remained happy and relatively unaffected from the invasion. I mean, if you look at the votes, I believe that the message of the people is very clear." "Unfortunately, I have no time to rest for the immediate future," General Kim grumbled as he showed the representative a parchment, "The Continental Congress has requested me to travel to Philadelphia immediately, along with the Quebecois representatives if Quebec voted in favor of joining our cause. I assume Congress is eager to hear the news regarding Quebec and wishes to assign me elsewhere. I''m afraid the war goes on in other colonies, even with the capture of Halifax by General Washington. I will most likely be sent to the south, as the fighting is the heaviest there." "I will let the others know immediately. Will your units withdraw from the province as well?" Pelissier asked with a worried expression. The general stroked his chin, "I will remain for a few days for the other continental forces to arrive in Quebec City. For the time being, my men and I will remain here. Do not worry, I have received word that a contingent of 1,000 men will be permanently stationed in the city. General Putnam will continue to serve as the military governor until the relationship between Quebec and the Congress is officialized, but that matter will be settled soon enough." Pelissier nodded understandingly, "That sounds workable. Well, I will allow you to celebrate in peace, general. I''m sure you are exhausted and desire some rest." "Please," General Kim said as he smiled, "Thank you for the news, Mr. Pelissier. I can breathe a bit easier now." After the French-Canadian man left, he laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling silently. He had been in the past for nearly half a year, and the changes he had made were already substantial. The British were not threatening the northeastern colonies and were forced to retreat to Georgia, where their main forces were now stationed. Quebec City was not under siege but was firmly under colonial control. The Maritime province was also occupied by the colonial forces and from what he understood, the Maritime province was already sympathetic to the patriot cause and was sending representatives to Philadelphia as well. The Native Americans were not hostile to the colonies, but actively cooperating with them and negotiating on their official status with the colonies in Philadelphia. The future of the United States looked bright, especially if the representatives agreed on the proposals for true equality and rights for all. Of course, not everything was going smoothly. Georgia was actively hostile to the Continental Congress and was a staging point for the British forces. South Carolina was teetering on the brink of civil war due to the abolition proposal. The British were bombarding and raiding coastal cities, as General Kim recently received word that the British fired upon the city of Boston in revenge for their losses. And even with the promises and guarantees made by him and the Continental Congress, the United States was neither united or independent. It was a fluid situation, and one wrong move could cause the colonies to be divided even further. Despite all the work he had managed so far, his work was far from over. Even if the United States achieved independence, he would need to help build the nation from the grounds up. If General Washington ran for the presidency once more, he would need serious help presiding and uniting a diverse and disjointed nation. To say Samuel Kim was stressed and pressured was an understatement. When he told Pelissier that he needed a break, the general was not joking. General Kim really wanted a break, especially since he was saddled with much work and responsibilities. But duty called, and he was needed everywhere. With a tired sigh, the leader of the marines slipped under his covers. The Asian officer was only asleep for several minutes before his door opened with a crash. In the doorway was Colonel Arnold and several other officers celebrating with alcohol (which General Kim allowed temporarily to relieve the morale of the men), who were all in a jubilant mood due to the recent news. It took them several moments to realize that the room was strangely quiet and several moments more before they realized that their commanding officer was in bed. General Kim glanced up from his position and groaned, "Colonel, I will give you five seconds to leave the room with the others. If all of you are not out of the room by then, I will make all of you run around the city until daylight." Needless to say, the colonial officers excused themselves from the room faster than the British retreat from Montreal. Chapter 19: Farewell, Canada After General Kim finished his farewell speech, he was going to march his units back to Philadelphia along with the four individuals selected as representatives of Quebec (Livingston, Pelissier, and two other individuals). General Kim peered into the crowd of seven thousand individuals in front of him. Some of them were soldiers of the Continental Army, both from his own units and from other units that have recently arrived in Quebec City to relieve him and his men. Most of the people in the crowd were ordinary civilians who came out of their way to listen to the general''s final speech before he returned to the Thirteen Colonies. General Kim didn''t believe that he was a great speaker, but he was going to do his best to leave a good final impression and inspire the gathered individuals to continue the fight against the British. It had been eight days since the vote across the province was finalized, and it had become vividly clear that most of the population was supportive of working with the Continental Congress. New flags of the province of Quebec were raised everywhere (The flag was similar to the "other" Quebec''s flag, though the flag was gold instead of blue) and enlistment for the 1st Canadian Regiment and the new 2nd Canadian Regiment expanded the number of French Canadians in the Continental Army to nearly one thousand individuals. There were no protests or riots against the decision, but a general acceptance of the province''s future. While a minority desired independence, even they recognized the potential for a British invasion and the protection they were offered under the Continental Congress. Added to the greater liberties they were beginning to enjoy, even the harshest critics of General Kim and the Continental Congress grudgingly realized that a relationship with the Congress preferable at least for the time being. The few remaining dissenters (mainly pro-British individuals that were from Britain or traced their ancestry backed to Britain) had already fled the province once the colonials took over. The general himself was proclaimed as "Le Librateur" in the province, which both humbled and surprised him. The title served as a reminder that while his work was "done" in Quebec, there were still thousands out there that sought the same relief and liberation that the Quebecois received. "It seems like just yesterday, I was at the very southern edges of Quebec. I was peering into the unknown, a land that was untouched by the war and firmly in the hands of the British," General Kim said as he started his speech, "I can not say that everything went perfectly and that the lives of everyday people of this land were not affected. Even so, I do no regret fighting and liberating Quebec from the British. I do not regret giving the people of Quebec a chance to seize their own destiny." "We must not forget this; freedom is not free. Freedom will always come with a cost, but it will be up for the people to determine if the costs are worth the outcome. Just over a week ago, the people of Quebec determined that the risks were worth the benefits and chose to join in our struggle against the British. For that, I thank you. While there is a difference in culture and beliefs between Quebec and the other colonies, I assure you that your voices and determination have been heard by those in the colonies. We may not be united now, but we will be united soon through our common future; a future free from British rule and liberty for all!" The crowd stirred a bit but continued to listen as the general continued, "Which is why, to my greatest regret, I must leave the province and help finish the war elsewhere. There are still so many people waiting for liberation, waiting for a chance to voice their opinions like the people of Quebec have throughout the entirety of North America. I love the people of Quebec, they have been the most welcoming people despite my own shortcomings. It is truly a shame to depart from a land that has welcomed me and supported my hopes and dreams. But before my departure, I will like to leave this final message for the people." "We must be free not because we proclaim freedom, but because we practice it. Quebec has become, quite possibly, the first place in the world where its future was decided by the population as a whole regardless of race and gender. It is a radical idea, an idea that is untested and untried. But we must remember that we can not make freedom exclusive to certain individuals and groups, but allow freedom to be practiced by all that are willing. I sincerely hope that Quebec will be a shining example to the other colonies and provinces that will serve as a reminder that the people are able to control their own destinies and that freedom can be guaranteed for all. It will not be an easy fight, but it is a cause worth fighting for. And even as I leave this wonderful province, I hope that these words are taken to heart and guide the brave people of Quebec in their future endeavors. Thank you, and may God bless all of you here today." After he finished, the crowd clapped and cheered for the general. In front of the crowd, General Kim was relieved of his duties in Quebec by Major General Benjamin Lincoln, who had been recently promoted to the rank of general and was placed in command of the defenses in Canada. With a final wave, General Kim, "Le Librateur" of Quebec, parted ways with the French Canadians and started his journey back to Philadelphia. +++++ The journey back to the colonies was intentionally made longer so that General Kim and his men could rendezvous with General Washington and his own men. The two officers decided to meet in the city of New York, the same place where they had their first meeting together. With some coordination and effort, the two groups met together just outside New York City on January 27th of 1776 and began their trek together back to Philadelphia as victors. General Washington was also escorting the representatives of the Maritime province, which consisted of two representatives from Nova Scotia (as Prince Edward Island was still under nominal British control). "It certainly seems like they were waiting for our return, General Kim," General Washington chuckled as the people of New York were cheering and welcoming the presence of the two most famous military leaders of the Continental Army. From the looks of it, it seemed as though the entire city was gathered to throw a welcoming celebration for General Washington and General Kim. The soldiers of the Continental Army proudly marched behind their respective leaders and smiled at the celebratory crowd. General Kim failed to suppress a smile and grinned at the crowd, "The city seems a bit battered, but the people sure seem firey as ever." New York City was one of the cities targetted by the British sea raids and was evidently recovering from a previous raid that destroyed parts of the docks and the city. Yet the people seemed lively and in good spirits, which was a welcoming sight to see for General Kim. "Well, you have inspired the people after all. Your legacy is spreading throughout the colonies, even the southern ones. Many have heard of your leadership during the Battle of Bunker Hill and have been made aware of your victory over the British in Quebec. Some are calling you undefeatable, they see you as a symbol of hope." "But you have also achieved much success as well, general. I can not take all the credit for all the victories so far, especially so since Colonel Arnold was the key reason why my forces won the Battle of Quebec in the first place," General Kim protested. General Washington shook his head in response, "Oh, the people have been made aware of his successes as well. He will be formally promoted for his heroics once we arrive in Philadephia, but my successes pale in comparison to your own successes. You won an impossible battle at Bunker Hill and not only drove the British out of Quebec, but also secured the loyalty of the Quebecois to Congress as well." The Asian officer adjusted his hat and looked at the adoring crowd, "It still feels strange, sir. Sometimes, it feels like I''m in a dream as if this was all too good to be true." "If this is a dream, then it is certainly a wonderful dream. Let us hope we do not wake up from it." General Washington replied. The "parade" continued until the Continental Army marched to the western outskirts of the city to begin their trek to Philadelphia. Once they left the city limits, some of the civilians followed suit. Some of them wanted to continue to watch the formations of soldiers heading to Philadelphia. Others wanted to enlist their services in the Continental Army. A small boy, no older than the age of sixteen, ran up to General Kim as he was guiding his soldiers and smiled brightly, "Sir! My name is Kayden Cox and I would like to join your marines!" "And may I ask how old you are, Mr. Cox?" General Kim asked as he inspected the young man up and down. "Fifteen, sir! But I have written permission from my parents to enlist!" "Er," The marine commander looked to General Washington for help, but was greeted to the sight of the man smiling and motioning for him to carry on, "While I have no doubt you are brave and eager to join the marines, I must say that you are far too young to join the marines as a soldier. But, if you are willing, I will allow you to serve as a drummer or flag bearer for my regiment. Especially since the marines do love to sing a song that needs some drumbeats." Some of the nearby marines chuckled at the general''s statement, but Cox''s smile didn''t falter, "Sure thing, sir! Will I get your uniform and everything?" General Kim grinned, "I believe that can be arranged. Major Poor! Please see to it that this boy is properly in uniform and ready to join our ranks. He will be placed under your command for the time being." The boy didn''t seem intimidated or frightened at the sight of the tall African American man coming to greet him. Instead, the boy enthusiastically began to ask the recently promoted major about his military career and his stories during the campaign. Major Poor seemed surprised, but was also infected by the young man''s smile and guided him to the back of the lines. It was a tough choice, allowing children to join, but he knew they had a better chance of surviving and getting fed properly under his command. Especially since the general was going to place any children in non-combat roles. While he was most definitely against the usage of children in warfare, General Kim knew that if he turned down Cox or any other children like him, they would attempt to join other units or even local militias. And while General Washington was a good man, he most likely didn''t have any qualms using children for battles. It was a choice he didn''t like to make, but General Kim had to make them anyways. The march continued for a few hours longer before the two generals were intercepted by a messenger coming from Philadelphia. The messenger seemed out of breath, but he walked up and saluted to the two officers, "General Washington, General Kim. I have been tasked with delivering this message from the Continental Congress to both of you." After being handed the message, the two generals looked at the content of the message together. Immediately afterward, General Washington and General Kim ordered his men to pick up the pace and rapidly march to Philadelphia. The message from Congress was short, yet powerful, "The Declaration has been finalized. Independence is near." Chapter 20: With Liberty and Justice For All "Connecticut?" "Connecticut votes yes." General Kim stared awe-struck at the representatives in front of him despite his best efforts. The Declaration of Independence, one of the most famous documents in American history, was being ratified in front of his very own eyes. The room was missing a few members that were present in the other history and housed several new ones, but the ratification of the Declaration was still well underway. It didn''t help that all the Founding Fathers, including General Washington who was beside him, were present in one room as well. It was simply hard not to stare like an idiot while spectating one of the most defining moments in American history. Especially since the Declaration was now modified and refitted to declare something even more radical: that all men were created equal. John Hancock, who was presiding over the vote, gave a curt nod to the Connecticut representative before jotting down the vote. "Very well. Delaware?" The Delaware representative, a man named George Read, stood up from his seat and looked at the group, "Delaware is in favor of the Declaration." "Noted. Iroquois?" Montagu stood up to represent the five tribes that have agreed to acknowledge the authority of Congress. With the British removed from Quebec, the Iroquois Confederacy was now even more pressured to accept the offer of joining the United States. Onondaga readily accepted General Kim''s proposal after seeing the fall of the British in Canada and the Mohawks were on the verge of doing so as well. And with the changes made to the Declaration, the tribes were more receptive to accepting the document. However, even though they acknowledged the authority of Congress, it didn''t mean that they were readily going to accept integration into the proposed United States. Technically, they could still remain a sovereign state or territory, though most definitely heavily influenced by the United States. The representatives of the tribes had been debating amongst themselves for days and finally, it seemed as though they have finally come to a decision. "Our tribes have agreed to the Declaration, we will join the United States." Silence reigned in the room for several moments before Hancock continued, "Thank you. We will continue, gentlemen. Massachusetts?" John Adams stood up immediately and declared his answer, "Massachusetts votes yes, your honor." "Maryland?" "Maryland votes in favor of the Declaration." "New Hampshire?" "New Hampshire approves of the Declaration." "New Jersey?" "New Jersey votes yes." "New York?" The New York representative, a man named Philip Livingston, glanced at General Kim before nodding, "New York supports the document." "North Carolina?" Representative William Hooper remained stoic as he spoke, "North Carolina will vote in favor of the Declaration." The decision caused a small stir amongst the representatives, but Hancock banged his gavel to silence the room, "Order! We will continue the vote and discuss the repercussions afterward. Now then, Nova Scotia?" Johnathan Eddy, a man who was one of the leaders against the British in Nova Scotia in the other history, looked around the room nervously before speaking, "Nova Scotia votes yes, your honor." "Very good. Pennsylvania?" "Pennsylvania will support the Declaration," Franklin stated as he glanced at his fellow representatives. "Quebec?" Pelissier, who was selected as a representative of the French Canadian province, gave an appreciative nod to General Kim before answering, "Quebec votes yes to the Declaration." "Rhode Island?" "Rhode Island votes yes, your honor." "South Carolina?" The South Carolina delegation looked significantly smaller than before, but Representative Rutledge looked undeterred, "South Carolina will vote in favor of the Declaration." Some members of the delegation looked positively murderous, but they kept silent as Hancock jotted down the affirmation. "And to the final colony, Virginia." Thomas Jefferson''s eyes swept the room and smiled, "Virginia is firmly in favor of the Declaration." Hancock placed down his quill and cleared his throat, "It is settled, gentlemen. With a vote of fifteen to none, the representatives of the colonies and territories have voted unanimously in favor of Independence." A long silence settled into the room and the representatives all glanced at each other uneasily. Native Americans stared at the colonials. The Quebecois representatives stared at the Nova Scotian representatives. The room was much more diverse than the other history and an air of uncertainty loomed in the room. "Then let it be declared, that on this day, February 4th of the year of our Lord 1776, that the United States of America is free and forever free from British rule. May God bless our American states." Hancock stated as he banged his gavel for a final time. Chapter 21: Down with the Traitors, Up with the Stars! "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature''s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation." General Kim glanced up from the copy of the Declaration of Independence he was reading and looked at the crowd of people in front of him. Thousands from across the state, and from other colonies, gathered in streets in front of the Pennsylvania State House to hear the Declaration that would change American history forever. It had been three weeks since the ratification of the Declaration of Independence, three weeks since the United States was born. General Kim was given the honor of being the first to read the Declaration to the public. While the public suspected that something major was imminent, they were still waiting patiently as the general read the document. The Continental Army was lined up beside him and was flying the new flag of the United States, which General Kim found in his room just the morning prior. The flag consisted of fifteen stripes and fifteen stars, representing the first official fifteen states of the United States of America. Seeing the flag fly in the air felt nostalgic, yet strange at the same time. It was a flag that was very similar to the one he constantly saw in the future, but different in a number of ways. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL men are created EQUAL," General Kim emphasized those words heavily before he continued, "That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." He continued to read the text of the Declaration and finally came upon the last paragraph, one of the most important parts that would seal America''s fate in this new world, "We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies and Territories, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies and Territories are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. The Representatives of the United States of America stand concertedly behind this Declaration and proclaim the birth of a new nation, founded on the principles of liberty, into this Earth. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." As he finished the paragraph, the general placed the document by his side and raised his voice, "May the people of our new nation, bless this United States of America." Shots were fired into the air to signal the beginning of independence, with the flag being proudly waved by none other than Private Cox in his small marine uniform. General Kim marched his troops down the streets of Philadephia as a stunned and shocked crowd watched on. Unlike the documentaries and movies that portrayed the crowds celebrating the news of independence, the reality was much different. The people were still reeling from the ramifications of the Declaration and the uncertainty that followed. However, he had no time to wait for the people to accept the Declaration. General Kim had received new orders from Congress several days ago. South Carolina was in a civil war, with the eastern coastal lands held by Loyalists sided with the British while the western portions of the state were controlled by the South Carolinians that remained loyal to Congress. The Loyalists in the state, many of them being slaveowners, surrendered Charleston without a fight and the Patriots were forced to evacuate to the west. There were two official state governments: the Patriot government in Stateburg and the Loyalist government in Charleston. The orders from Congress were clear: March down south with General Washington and prevent South Carolina from totally falling into the hands of the Loyalists and the British. At the same time, the Continental Army was to deliver a decisive blow against the British and force them to bow out of the war. Chapter 22: The Swamp Devil General Kim looked around the town of Amelia and grimaced. While he and his troops (during his stay in Philadelphia, three additional regiments were attached to his unit, along with additional recruitment for the marines, swelling his ranks) marched down to South Carolina, he had received constant updates about the rapidly fluid borders between the two South Carolina factions. Unfortunately for the Stateburg government, the British utilized the capture of Charleston and rapidly expanded into the state like an infection. With troops pouring out from Georgia and the territories held by the Charleston government, the Patriots in South Carolina were holding on by a thread. This was visibly evident in Amelia, which was guarded by fortifications and militiamen. The small sleepy town was in the center of the southern state and was a crucial junction between the eastern and western parts of the state. Additionally, the town was just twenty miles south of Stateburg, making it a crucial defense point. Many militiamen from South Carolina and North Carolina were already working tirelessly to build defenses near Stateburg, but losing Amelia would allow the British to have a straight path to the Patriot capital. Thus, while General Washington was deployed the town of Kingstree, which was about eighty miles east of Amelia, General Kim was tasked with defending Amelia from any British incursions. As he and his unit entered the town, a militiaman approached the Asian officer and shook his hand, "General Kim, I presume?" "Yes, I am. And you must be Lieutenant Colonel Sumter. Pleased to meet you, lieutenant colonel." Lieutenant Colonel Sumter led the group towards the southern outskirts of the town, pointing out the hastily built defenses and the numerous militiamen improving them, "We''ve had a few scouting parties probe our defenses for the past several days. It seems the British have learned that General Washington was moving towards Kingstree and decided to shift units to the east. However, there is a very good chance that the British will attempt to strike sometime soon after they have gathered sufficient regulars and Loyalists for an assault." The general nodded as he listened, "Do you need any of my units to assist your men in erecting the defenses?" "That would certainly be helpful, sir." General Kim ordered his troops to assist the militiamen on building additional defenses, defenses that the men under his command often utilized. The men all obeyed without question and began to assist the beleaguered militiamen on preparing trenches and earthworks. The marine commander turned back to the militiaman after he saw the orders being obeyed, "Did the militia suffer a defeat before being able to retreat to Amelia?" "All of the men here are worn out and tired from the recent British invasion. The whole invasion has been defeat after defeat and the men you see here are the survivors of every defeat. Some of them even managed to run from Charleston all the way here, in hopes of avenging the betrayal they suffered at Charleston. Unfortunately, hardly any full-strength units have shown up to relieve us and we have been forced to constantly retreat. It doesn''t help that the damned Swamp Devil and his men have been harassing any militiamen that are trying to reinforce our positions or any locals that are sympathetic to our cause." Lieutenant Colonel Sumter scowled. Some of the militiamen began to curse at the name "Swamp Devil." When General Kim heard the name, his eyes widened in surprise, "I''m sorry, what is the true name of this "Swamp Devil?" "A major by the name of Francis Marion. He was one of the officers that assisted the Loyalists in taking over Charleston and turning it over to the British. He''s been impossible to catch and is the reason why we have so little information about the British in the area. Anytime we send out some of our men to investigate our surroundings, they are either killed or kidnapped. That damned bastard has caused the death of over two hundred militiamen. The Devil has also been burning down the plantations and farms of anyone that has sided with the Stateburg government. We call him and his men the "Devil''s Brigade," as they raise hell everywhere they go." Immediately, General Kim connected the dots in regards to the "Swamp Fox." Marion served directly under Colonel William Moultrie, who was known to be brutal to runaway slaves and was one of the men leading the defenses in Charleston at the time. Major Marion served under him and was also a known plantation owner. With the split in opinion over the issue of slavery, it was obvious why the Swamp Fox switched allegiance; he had a personal reason to do so and his commanding officer was most likely sympathetic to the Charleston government. After hearing this, General Kim pulled Colonel (recently promoted) Knowlton aside, "Starting from tomorrow, you are to scout around the area and attempt to locate Major Marion and his men. You are to carry out this mission with extreme caution, as he will employ the same tactics as you do. Bring several of the Native American warriors with you as well. If you find them and come under attack, use the flare gun to signal your location and I will sent a regiment to your aid." As Colonel Knowlton left, the general began to feel extremely uneasy. Governor Carlton was a headache to deal with, but now he had to deal with the "Swamp Fox" and his men. And knowing the man''s tactics, General Kim knew that defeating Major Marion was not going to be a simple task. Chapter 23: Surprise, Surprise "I bring urgent news from General Washington!" A lone rider wearing a Continental Army uniform rode his horse into the center of the town, where General Kim and several of the Continental Army and militia officers were gathered. The general was marking a map of Amelia in order to organize the defense of the town from any enemy assaults while the officers offered suggestions and comments. When the rider stopped in front of the group, all the officers halted their activities and looked at the messenger. "What do you have to report?" General Kim asked as the rider took a few moments to compose himself. After a few moments, the rider handed General Kim a letter and the general read it immediately. "General Washington is under attack by thousands of Loyalists and British regulars at Kingstree, while the British are bombarding and assaulting General Lee just north of Georgetown! General Washington is asking for any available units to reinforce his position, as the general has sent some of his own men to assist General Lee." General Kim frowned, "The roads from here to Kingstree is not safe. If I send a sole regiment towards General Washington, it will take them at least eight hours for them to get to him. During that time, they can be ambushed at any given point." The messenger grimaced, "I was fired at by several hidden woodsmen several times, but I managed to arrive here in one piece. However, General Washington believes that it is unlikely that the British will strike at Amelia for the time being. While the numbers are uncertain, a large number of British soldiers and Loyalist militiamen are striking the Kingstree and Georgetown. The commander believes it is an attempt to flank around Amelia and strike at Camden." It was a tough choice, but Colonel Knowlton was still in the wilderness and General Kim needed all his units to be at full strength. If the colonel found the Swamp Devil, then the marine general needed to deploy his men and defeat him rapidly before Major Marion became a bigger threat. However, if General Washington was dislodged from Kingstree, then General Kim''s forces would be cut off from the eastern parts of the state and be suspect to a two-way frontal assault. "I will go, sir." Brigadier General Benedict Arnold, who was promoted for his heroics in Canada, was now the leader of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment and the 4th Connecticut Regiment. The two regiments combined consisted of nearly two thousand men and were well trained due to the rigorous training set by General Arnold. After the marines, the Connecticut Regiments were most definitely the best-disciplined regiments under General Kim''s command. The general looked at his counterpart uneasily, "Are you sure, General Arnold? The roads will be treacherous and if Major Marion''s men saw the messenger, then the enemy may be expecting your men to pass by." "Then we will break through them and reach General Washington. You are needed here, sir. I will guide my men to help our commander." "If you and your regiments leave, then it will leave our defenses significantly weakened." General Arnold didn''t disagree but locked eyes with his superior, "The defenses around Amelia are nearly complete and you still have nearly three thousand regulars and two thousand militiamen under your command. Just like in Quebec, a small force attacking from the flank can make the difference between victory and defeat." A moment of silence passed between the two of them before General Kim nodded in agreement, "Ready your men for combat and march east immediately. If you are ambushed along the way, you are to fire your flare gun into the air." "Understood, sir. I will not let you down," General Arnold saluted before moving towards his units. After about half an hour, the two regiments under General Arnold''s command was on the move to the east with the messenger. Shortly afterward, a flare round was shot into the air southwest of the town. The officers, who had just resumed the meeting, looked at the flare and then at their leader for orders. General Kim barked his orders at the officers, "Colonel Warren, you are to lead First and Second Company to assist Colonel Knowlton. I will watch over the defenses and ensure that the British do not attempt to attack. If you are outnumbered and outgunned, you are to do your best to rescue Colonel Knowlton and his men and commit to a fighting retreat." Colonel Warren gave the general a crisp salute and left the meeting with the officers of the First and Second Company of the Marines. They were out of the town within a span of ten minutes and rapidly began their march towards the location of the flare. During this time, General Kim hastened the remaining defenders to take positions in the defensive lines in case of a British attack. However, an hour passed and there were no British troops in sight. Instead, two flare rounds were fired just minutes apart from each other. One of them came from the southwest awhile the other came from the east. Before the general could deploy any troops to help the two groups, the British attack descended upon Amelia. Chapter 24: A Hero Falls General Kim watched as the British and their colonial allies retreated away from Amelia and towards the east. The fact that General Arnold and his men were also towards the east did not escape him, but there was little he could do at this moment. The fighting raged on for approximately three hours and after some time, it became clear that the British did not intend to break the colonial defenses at Amelia. Instead, they harassed and picked off any colonial units towards the outskirts of the town, as the attackers were clearly outnumbered by the defenders. Both sides received few casualties, as they cautiously remained out of each other''s firing range. The battle only escalated after Colonel Knowlton, Colonel Warren, and the marines with them approached the town and flanked the British positions. When the general saw the marines flanking the enemy lines, he pushed his men forward to engage the British head-on. After taking a number of losses, the British retreated to the only open road available to them and abandoned their attack on Amelia. Even though Amelia remained secured, it did little to improve his sour mood. He couldn''t risk sending his soldiers towards the east to rescue the beleaguered Connecticut Regiments, not after they and the marines were ambushed when they stepped out of Amelia. Additionally, the men under his command were exhausted from defending the town, leaving only a handful of soldiers that were willing and able to wander into hostile territory. To put it simply; General Arnold and his men were alone. And General Kim would only know about their fate after the battle was decided. Colonel Warren stepped up to him along with Colonel Knowlton and saluted, "Sir, I''m here to report on the incident with Colonel Knowlton''s men and Major Marion''s men." "Did you manage to catch the Swamp Devil?" "No, general. Unfortunately, the Swamp Devil was not with the soldiers that attacked us. I fired the flare because I believed we would be overrun, but the militiamen that attacked us retreated shortly after I fired. It seemed as though the forces that attacked us were smaller than we thought and took heavy losses before they retreated. We hastily counted the number of dead attackers, and we counted approximately two hundred." The general nearly cursed as he scratched his chin forcefully, "And your casualties?" "One hundred and seventy, sir. Fifty-seven are dead." "Treat the wounded and have the men rest up. The British may return if General Arnold and his men are defeated," General Kim ordered, "Let us hope he managed to break through and reach General Washington though." +++++ News regarding the fate of General Arnold and his men reached General Kim five days later. During the five days, the general improved the defenses surrounding the town and managed to gather precious intelligence that revolved around the town. Many of the patriot sympathizing civilians were fleeing en masse to the western and northern parts of the border, and only a three-mile radius surrounding Amelia was cleared of any hostile activity. It seemed as though the British and Major Marion decided to withdraw from the area for the time being. On April 3rd of 1776, a single soldier wearing a Continental Army uniform approached the northern borders of Amelia. His uniform was dirtied and ragged, and the man wearing the uniform looked just as worn out as his uniform. He was limping and using his musket as a form of support as he appeared in front of the colonial defenders. "Don''t shoot! Don''t shoot! I''m Colonel Gold Silliman. I''m with the 3rd Connecticut Regiment!" The man cried as he laid down his musket onto the ground and collapsed onto the ground. The soldiers that were posted as guards in the northern parts of the town cautiously moved into the forest surrounding the northern roads as one of the soldiers rushed to the fallen soldier''s aid, "Are you alright?" "I''ll live," The ragged soldier answered, "But I must see the general. I have news regarding my commanding general and the men under his command." General Kim rushed to the northern entrance and ran to the injured soldier as he was brought into the town, "I apologize if I sound crude, but may I ask what happened to General Arnold and the Connecticut regiments?" Colonel Silliman grimaced as he held onto a nearby soldier for support, "He''s dead, sir." "Dead?" General Kim echoed as he looked to the sky in frustration, "What happened?" "We were ambushed by the British about an hour east from Amelia. We were outnumbered and they caught us out in the open. They were hiding behind the terrain while shooting at us. We lost dozens in the initial few minutes, so General Arnold ordered the majority of the men to keep on moving east to support General Washington. He refused to retreat with the others and ordered the remaining men to continue without him. I was one of the few that stayed behind with him and we moved into the forest to try and fight them on even footing. We might have held our ground if a few dozen of the British soldiers didn''t have some new rifle that could fire every few seconds! We lost more than half of our men before General Arnold was shot through the chest and collapsed onto the ground. He died shortly afterward and the surviving men surrendered. I was shot in the leg when that happened and they didn''t notice I was still alive because they began to chase the fleeing regiments soon after," The injured colonel winced again before looking serious at his leader, "But there''s something else I must tell you, sir." The general''s face looked dark as he listened to the man''s story, but became curious at the man''s sudden change of composure, "Something else, colonel?" "The Negro folks we had in our rank, sir. A few of them stayed behind with us to help the others retreat. A good number of them died fighting, brave men they were. But the ones that surrendered after General Arnold''s death... they were shot. Not by the damned British, but Major Marion and his men." "Major Marion and his men shot them? He was there at the battle? And he shot the surrendering black soldiers?" Colonel Similiman nodded, "Aye. He was there alright, most likely the reason why the British and the Loyalists were fighting from the woods then out in the open. I was watching from the ground when the prisoners were rounded up and the Negros were singled out. I recognized Major Marion since one of the Loyalists called him by his name, but he and his men executed the dozen or so Negro soldiers that surrendered before they went on their way. After they left, I bandaged my leg as best as I could and then began my way back to town to let you know what happened. General Kim had a fiery look in his eyes as he scanned the men surrounding him, "Those damned Loyalists will pay for every single life they have taken these past several days. Mark my words; not a single Loyalist town will remain standing after I am finished with South Carolina." Side Story: General Arnold’s Death General Arnold dropped to the ground and fired into the forest blindly. The Britsh and their allies were hiding behind the trees and bushes and firing on his units from two sides. While his men were responding appropriately, he saw a few dozen of his soldiers on the ground. And they weren''t firing back at the enemy. While he and his men could attempt to outrun their attackers, his units would take far too many casualties and his enemies would not sit still either. As much as he reviled the idea of leaving some of his men behind, it needed to be done. Some of his men needed to stay behind in order to buy time for the others to make their way to General Washington. "Colonel Wyllys! Are you still alive?" General Arnold shouted as a bullet whizzed by him. "I hear you, sir!" A voice shouted over the din of gunfire and cries. "You are now in charge of the Second and Third Connecticut Regiment. I will stay behind with some of the men to cover your retreat to General Washington! You are to help him in any form or shape and give the damned British a beating!" Colonel Wyllys responded immediately, "You can''t stay behind, general! You''re our commanding officer!" The general gritted his teeth as he reloaded his rifled musket, "My orders are final, colonel! Do as I say!" After he fired off another shot towards the woods, General Arnold bellowed as loudly as he could, "Men of the Connecticut Regiments, Colonel Wyllys is now your commanding officer. You are to follow him to the east and obey his orders! 1st Company and 2nd Company of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment, remain behind as we cover their retreat!" Hundreds of men reacted to the order in various ways, ranging from moving closer to the prone general to fleeing rapidly towards Kingstree. The attackers made no maneuvers to intercept the fleeing men and focused on the few hundred that remained behind. General Arnold noticed that a few of the men he ordered to remain behind also fled, but turned his attention back to the battle at hand. "Run to the southern forests and find cover! We won''t last a minute out here!" The remaining men charged into the southern forests near the British positions and battled with a few British troops that were hidden nearby. General Arnold managed to disarm and stab a man himself with a bayonet, earning a sharp cry from the British soldier he stabbed. After a few minutes, the remaining Continental soldiers managed to carve a small area for themselves in the forest, hidden away from the other attackers. When they managed to fight back using cover, they managed to hold their ground and the members of the 3rd Connecticut Regiment even blunted a British charge. General Arnold never stopped firing his musket, even as he was running low on ammunition. He was towards the front of his soldiers, yelling out commands and inspiring the men to fight harder. "Keep on fighting! Do you want to live fifty more years, or be remembered for fifty more generations?" But after several more minutes, it became increasingly clear that the British were utilizing their numerical advantage to their advantage. More and more of the general''s soldiers felled from British fire and the general noticed that some of the British soldiers were firing several times within a single minute. Even so, he never wavered and continued fighting. He wasn''t going to be remembered as a coward or a traitor but as a hero. And knowing his luck, he would only get injured in the leg like in the other history. Or be captured. Either way, he wasn''t going to surrender willingly. After firing his musket, General Arnold fumbled while reloading and dropped the ball he was trying to ram into his musket. Before he could grab the ball, he felt a single shot slam into his chest. Time slowed down as he saw the ball drop onto the ground and his musket following soon after. His body swayed backward before landing onto the grass, his eyes now facing the sky and the numerous trees that covered his field of vision. He turned slowly to look at his surroundings and saw that a nearby soldier saw him get shot. The man, a colonel by the name of Gold Silliman, ran up to him and lifted his torso gently, "Sir! Don''t worry, I''m sure there''s still a medic somewhere. We''ll find one for you and get you patched up! You''ll be fine." The general knew it was a lie, as he felt the man''s hands trembling. He coughed up a spray of blood before gripping the man''s sleeves, "Put me down colonel and continue the fight. I am finished." "But you are not dead y..." "I am done, colonel. My time is finally up," General Arnold muttered as he relaxed, "Perhaps this is my punishment from God... But tell the general this; my only regret is that I did not do more for my country." Some of the soldiers nearby saw their fallen general and rushed to his side, but the general was already closing his eyes as his lifeforce faded, "I will see you soon... Margaret." +++++ AN: If you''re wondering who Margaret is... It''s Arnold''s wife that died back in 1775. Chapter 25: For General Arnold… And the United States The following two weeks were quiet, as the British did not attempt to attack Amelia. General Kim received several reports regarding the status of troops elsewhere and was satisfied to learn that the boundaries in South Carolina was somewhat stable. The Continental Army wasn''t winning, especially in the coastal areas, but they were holding. And that''s all he needed to bring his hammer down on the Loyalist and British. When the route to North Carolina was clear enough to send messengers, General Kim wrote a briefing about the atrocities committed by the Loyalists in South Carolina and the urgent need for further men and aid to drive the "tyrannical and anti-human" British out of the colony. Additionally, he suggested that Congress utilize this news to spread throughout the colonies to turn them firmly against the British and also notify other European powers to turn the general opinion against the British. Afterward, he began to look inwards and began focusing on his troops. During the two weeks, the general studied the tactics employed by Marion extensively. Using the laptop he had at hand, he read through various textbooks and articles in order to discern the major''s strategies and guerilla warfare methods. The general also read up on various battleplans and tactics utilized by guerillas over the centuries, ranging from the jungle tactics of the Viet Cong to the urban disruption methods employed by the Polish partisans. He looked through the terrain map of South Carolina to determine the best routes for discreet movements and to predict the location of British and Loyalist units in the wilderness. It was a new experience for him, as he never encountered insurgents as a marine lieutenant in modern times. But he was more than willing to learn and sharpen his skills as a leader, for himself and for his men. And for General Arnold. Nobody blamed him for General Arnold''s untimely death, even though the soldiers knew the risks that General Arnold was taking when he decided to march east. Regardless, General Kim felt responsible for the man''s sudden demise, as none of his soldiers knew the truth. He was the one that revealed the future to General Arnold and made him more reckless and daring. He was the one that gave the general the green light to reinforce General Washington. And he was the one that sent hundreds of men to their death due to his carelessness as a commanding officer. No matter what anyone told him, General Kim held himself responsible for General Arnold''s death. The man died a hero, but he died decades earlier than the other history and never got to see himself be hailed as a hero. It was a mistake that the general was never going to repeat. He was going to command his troops aggressively and wreak havoc on the enemy, but he was also going to carry out his orders carefully and with more intelligence. During the wait, General Kim also drilled his men on guerilla tactics and asymmetrical warfare. While his troops were already employing unconventional tactics, he developed new doctrines to make them fight better independently and strengthened the roles of the various platoon and company leaders. They were taught strategies and tactics individually, in order for them to carry out their own maneuvers and plans if they were cut off or stranded from the top leadership. The men were taught to maximize the terrain to their advantage and use them to ambush any roving enemy patrols and units. Additionally, the general taught the men how to dig holes and to cover them up with branches and leaves, both as traps and to use as hiding holes to surprise enemy troops. This training was not exclusive to the soldiers of the Continental Army but was extended to the militiamen as well. As many of the militiamen were locals that knew the surrounding areas, the militiamen met with the general frequently to discuss their plan of attack and mark the settlements that supported the Loyalists. General Kim also took a list of names of local plantation owners and merchants that sympathized with the British and contributed to the rapid fall of Charleston. He didn''t like to target civilians, it was unethical and was against the marine doctrine. But he knew it was necessary. Sapping the wealth and influence of the Loyalists was critical to his campaign and he was planning to turn the slaves against them. Between watching slavery go on and pillaging the property of "traitors," he very much preferred the latter. His benefactor also supplied with him additional goods for his upcoming offense. While the general wasn''t angry at his benefactor of General Arnold''s death, he was disappointed in himself for not being able to do anything about the man despite his noticeable benefits and boosts. As if he could hear his thoughts, the benefactor provided General Kim with an array of woodland uniforms (more green/brown colored marine uniforms, along with dark leather hats to blend with the surroundings), mosquito nets, rubber boots, maps, compasses, and bowie knives. The usual "good luck" was written on the message parchment after he received this and the general distributed the new equipment to his men. With the new equipment at hand, he carried out training exercises in nearby forests and trained all the men under his command effectively. While the militiamen were definitely behind the soldiers (the 1st Marine Regiment, the 1st Pennsylvania Rifles, 4th Massachusetts Regiment, the 1st Canadian Regiment, and the 6th Massachusetts Regiment) of the Continental Army. However, they were hardened survivors of previous battles and were determined to drive out the Loyalist and British, especially after hearing about the horrific atrocities carried out by Major Marion (while many of them had neutral or hostile opinions on abolition, nearly all of them were disgusted by the blatant execution of surrendering soldiers). Within two weeks, his troops improved and familiarized themselves with the new doctrines and tactics. All of them were burning for revenge in the name of General Arnold and the brave three hundred that sacrificed themselves while fighting traitors and invaders (the story of General Arnold and his last stand was already being spread to nearby units and towns). It was April 15th when General Kim received reinforcements, along with some news from Philadelphia. The reinforcement group, headed by Brigadier General Robert Howe and Colonel Anthony "Mad" Wayne (or at least, not mad yet), consisted of nearly three thousand men to help defend Amelia and strengthen the Patriot''s control of South Carolina. That was when General Kim learned of his promotion to Lieutenant General (a completely new rank in the Continental Army), along with confirmation that the story of General Arnold was spreading like wildfire throughout the colonies. Several days before the offensive towards Orangeburg (a town that was approximately 25 miles southwest of Amelia), a town occupied by the British, he rallied his men together and stood in front of them. He only said a few sentences, but it was enough. "General Arnold did not retreat and carried out the motto of the marines to the very end: Semper Fidelis. We will not retreat, because he did not retreat. We will show the traitors that our cause is right and just, and strike them down for what they have done. For General Arnold and the United States!" Chapter 26: A Letter Preserved in Time Sergeant Benjamin White''s (Continental Army, 1st Marine Regiment) letter to his mother in Boston, April 20th, 1776 Displayed at the American National Museums of History and Culture, _______ D.C. To my dearest mother, It has been a while since my last letter and I apologize for that, but my unit was isolated for some time in a town called Amelia in South Carolina. The British and the damned traitors attacked us ferociously and we lost many good men during the fighting, including General Arnold. The men are grieving for his death, as he died fearlessly while looking down hundreds of muskets pointed at him. But we''re already on our way to avenge his death. By the time this letter reaches you, I hope that we are marching through South Carolina and causing chaos across the rebellious parts of the state. What I have seen so far during my time with the Marines has been an experience, but the reason why I sound so vengeful in this letter is due to the things I have seen in this cursed state. Just yesterday, my regiment raided a nearby Loyalist plantation under General Kim''s orders. He was grief-stricken from General Arnold''s death and was driven to punish the traitors for betraying our cause to join the British. When we took over the plantation, I saw something that I wish I never had to see. The owners of the plantation fled upon seeing our regiment, but they left behind all their slaves and belongings. My platoon was tasked with clearing the slave pens of the plantation and what we found was horrifying. The slaves were crammed into small "houses" and some of them had the nastiest wounds and scars I had ever seen. That alone was already terrible to see, but what we found towards the side of the "houses" was what made me sick to the stomach. There were five dead bodies, bodies of slaves, hanging from the roof of the slave houses. It looked like they have been hanging from some time, as I could see the bodies decaying and crawling with maggots. After General Kim and the other officers talked to some of the slaves there, we found out that the owners left the bodies like that as a warning to slaves that wanted to escape or fight for their freedom. I managed to stay somewhat composed through the affair, but some of the men in my unit hurled onto the ground upon seeing the dead bodies. After hearing the reason for the hanging slaves, General Kim was furious and brought over nearly every unit under his command to the plantation to witness the dead bodies. He then reminded us that this was what we were fighting against; men who sold their souls to the Devil in order to keep this horrific practice called slavery. Mother, you know that I was rather neutral to the idea of freeing the slaves. But now I am burning with passion to kill this evil practice. I have fought alongside good Negros from Quebec to South Carolina. They may be different, but they are brave and loyal just like the rest of us. And after seeing the bodies, I understood the reasoning for General Kim''s hatred for slavery. These poor souls were hung because they wanted to be free, like us. I''m sure many of them, given the chance, would fight alongside us just as bravely as the Negros in our unit. Yet the traitors have the gall to claim that they are inferior and should be treated as such. And even worse, they betrayed the other colonies to do so. I plead you to spread this to your neighbors and your friends. The others must hear about these evils committed by these traitors far and wide. It was like the verse you read to me often, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. How can we be fighting for freedom, if we are unable to love those that are different than us? And treat these Negros in contradictory ways to the teachings of Christ? We can not. Therefore, while I punish these traitors with the army, I hope that you can show the evils and the contradictions of this immoral practice to those in Boston. I will return home safely. I promise. Love, Ben Chapter 27: The Emancipation Proclamation (Begone Slavery!) "And the protests?" Thomas Jefferson was not an intimidating man, per se. Even though he stood tall at six feet two, his posture and presence made him seem significantly smaller than he actually was. However, when he spoke, everyone around him became attentive towards him. His articulate speeches and natural intellect made people gravitate towards him. This was especially evident when Congress was gathered for its regular meetings. Benjamin Franklin, a close colleague of Jefferson, answered the Virginian''s questions, "It''s fairly under control, though we have received reports of slave owners being attacked on the streets. The people are visibly outraged at the atrocities committed by the Loyalists in South Carolina. Along with the drawings of the slaves that we received from General Kim being printed on the newspapers, the public''s opinion has swung significantly towards supporting independence and abolition." Jefferson nodded his head as he took in the sight of the room. The atmosphere of the room was tense, especially so since some of the representatives in the room were slave owners. The recent publications about Major Marion''s atrocities and the brutal treatment of slaves have done wonders to boost the Patriot cause. The people were angry at the British, and rightfully so. Any thoughts of making peace with the British were already out the window as the support for independence grew stronger and stronger. The news was also sent overseas to Spain and France, in hopes of pushing the two European nations into war against Britain. While Congress did not know the direct impact of their actions, they were going to discover the results soon enough. Normally, this would have made the members of Congress ecstatic. The war was going well, the people were behind their Declaration, and they were building the foundations of a new nation, one that would one day be one of the strongest on Earth. Yet the letter they had just received from General Kim turned the entire Congress on its head. The document that they had in front of them was a piece of text written by General Kim himself. After securing Orangeburg from the British, General Kim made this document public and enforced the content of it throughout the liberated parts of South Carolina. Although the Declaration was more impactful, this document was revolutionary in itself. The Emancipation Proclamation. People outside of the southern states were beginning to warm up to the idea of abolition, despite protests in Maryland and Virginia. However, they were in favor of a more gradual abolition after the war ended. But the Emancipation Proclamation was an announcement, a proclamation that all slaves that were within the Loyalist parts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida were now free. While it didn''t directly free any slaves in the other colonies, the representatives of the slave-holding colonies were worried that it may affect the slaves in the Patriot held lands and make them restless. It was a valid concern, but the Proclamation was already being enforced by General Kim and even General Washington if words were to be believed. In fact, General Washington also endorsed the Proclamation and was spreading it to the other units fighting in the Southern Theater. "As we all know, despite General Kim''s rather bombastic way of making his point, he was not exaggerating when he revealed the crimes committed by the Loyalists in South Carolina," Samuel Chase, a Maryland representative, stated, "However, this Proclamation was made without our consent and may result in instability throughout Maryland and Virginia, amongst other states." "And leave the slaves to rot and be enslaved by the Loyalists?" John Adams retorted, "His actions may be extreme, but his words are not wrong. The Loyalists in South Carolina have betrayed us in the name of slavery and have done everything they can to maintain this abhorrent practice. This Proclamation will not only sap their strength but turn any Freedman or slaves against them." "Even so, he is getting far too political and too independent from our affairs." Adams'' eyes narrowed, "Are you suggesting something, Representative Chase?" The opposition silenced themselves immediately. While General Kim was still a mystery and a non-white to boot, there was no doubt in his abilities and his success. And to an extent, many of the representatives agreed with the Proclamation''s intent. The Loyalists in South Carolina could not go unpunished for their actions. "Perhaps it will be helpful to read the content of the document once again. After all, there is a reason why this document was sent to us first before it was to be sent to other groups outside of South Carolina." Jefferson cleared his throat and read the document that was placed in front of him, "That on the twentieth of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, all persons held as slaves within any Colony or designated part of a Colony, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion and a state of war against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Continental Army will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom. "That Lieutenant General Samuel Kim and Commander in Chief George Washington will, on this day, designate the Colonies and designated parts of the Colonies, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in a state of war against the United States; and the fact that any Colony, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith, represented in the Continental Congress of the United States by members chosen to represent their respective Colony shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such Colony, and the people thereof, are not then in rebellion against the United States." Now, therefore we, Lieutenant General and Commander in Chief George Washington, by virtue of the power vested to us by the Continental Congress in time of actual armed rebellion and war against the authority and assembly of Congress, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing threats to our security, do, on this twentieth of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the Colonies and parts of Colonies wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in armed rebellion and hostilities against the United States, the following, to wit: The occupied territories of the colony of South Carolina under allegiance to the government in Charles Town and the British Crown, the colony of Georgia under the allegiance of the British Crown, the colony of West Florida under the allegiance of the British Crown, and the colony of East Florida under the allegiance of the British Crown And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, we do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated Colonies, and parts of Colonies, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the leadership of the Continental Army will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons. And we hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in necessary self-defense; and we recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully for reasonable wages. And we further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the armed service of the Continental Army to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all sorts in said service. And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the Declaration of Independence upon military necessity, we invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God." "Elegant, yet powerful. Nowhere in this document does General Kim or General Washington declare themselves acting above our authority, but merely using the powers bestowed upon them to carry out the war against the Loyalist and British. I believe we should allow this Proclamation to stand and see the war through." "Here here!" The representatives in favor of abolition, which numbered a fair amount more than those that opposed the radical Proclamation, cried out. "Order!" Hancock banged his gavel as he presided over the room, "We shall have a vote on this at a later date after we discuss and debate the matter thoroughly. And the next item on our agenda is a medal in honor of Brigadier General Benedict Arnold. I believe there were motions to name a medal for valor after the general..." Chapter 28: The Free South Carolina Regiment Orangeburg, South Carolina (Stateburg aligned) May 5th, 1776 "Come on, move your feet! You call that running?" Major Poor hollered as he jogged ahead of the pack, "If you want to run down your former masters, then you''ll have to run faster than that!" The former slaves and Freedman of the 7th Free South Carolina Regiment were struggling behind the major, who was effortlessly running backward in front of the group. The major''s words seemed to have some effect, as some of the men of the regiment let out a burst of speed to match the major''s pace. The main bulk of the Continental Army in the Western Theater was currently stationed in Orangeburg after it was liberated from the British. While General Kim wanted to push his troops towards the southeast to begin his trek towards Charleston, he restrained himself as General Washington and General Lee were defeated at Georgetown. It was the Continental Army''s first major defeat in the war, with nearly one thousand dead and an additional four thousand captured. After General Washington moved his troops to support General Lee at Georgetown, the Continental Army attempted to dislodge the British and Loyalists within the coastal town. However, the defenders were well entrenched and utilized the superior British navy for bombardment. General Burgoyne, the Commander in Chief of the British forces in North America, made an aggressive and daring maneuver to isolate the two armies from one another. With the help of the local Loyalists, he managed to achieve a breakthrough and force General Lee to flee, leaving General Washington to hold the line along with his men. Outnumbered and outgunned, General Washington withdrew hastily and with General Lee''s rapid retreat from the battlefield, entire regiments were captured by the British and their allies. The defeat at Georgetown forced General Washington to move back to Kingstree, while General Lee fortified himself several miles east of Kingston, a town near the North Carolina border. As such, General Kim was ordered to hold his position at Orangeburg and was regelated to raiding only nearby plantations and estates. Until the Continental Army in the Eastern Theater managed to capture Georgetown, his army was to stay put and secure the western portions of the state. While he desired a rapid end to the war, the general did not want to place his troops at risk and overextend his units. The only good thing that came from his new orders was that he was able to focus on training the new recruits under his wing and liberate slaves from plantations nearby. After raiding each plantation, General Kim brought the former slaves back with him to Orangeburg to ensure their safety and health. Already, the small town was swelling in size from the influx and housing was being erected at a rapid rate to accommodate the soldiers and former slaves. Thankfully, the town''s inhabitants were welcoming, due to their liberation from the British and Loyalists (the town was one of the pro-Patriot towns in the region and was forced to quarter and provide for the British and Loyalists when it was occupied). Along with a stream of supplies moving in from North Carolina and General Kim''s own wealth, the town remained supplied and fed. Many of the older men elected to join the Free Regiment, which was expanding rapidly in size. Major Salem Poor was placed as the official "trainer" of the group until the regiment was organized and trained enough to become "combat-ready." Already, he was earning a reputation for being a strict and fierce trainer, a grizzled veteran that fought battles from the very northern winter lands of Quebec to the swamplands of South Carolina. After running for several minutes longer, he brought the one thousand men of the Free Regiment to a halt, "Attention!" The regiment took some time to catch their breath and stand at attention, the slowest soldiers earning harsh glares from their instructor. Major Poor shook his head dejectedly and looked at his trainees, "I''m sure all of you have been told this multiple times since you started your training, but there is a reason why you are being trained harshly." "All of you are here for one thing: to fight in order to keep your freedom and to help others gain their freedom! All of you are the faces of abolition, of freedom itself! If you perform poorly, you will only validate what the traitors are saying: that us Negro folks are inferior and are only good as slaves. General Kim is expecting great things from this regiment, and I will ensure that his expectations are met after I am through with you. Now forward, march!" Major Poor led the unit to the firing range, which was set up in the grassy areas just outside of the town. There were dozens of soldiers already in the firing range, all of them being marines. The major brought his men to a halt and made them watch the marines practice their firing accuracy from a distance. The marines were hitting the targets with deadly accuracy while moving into various formations, to the awe of the Free Regiment. One of the marines noticed the large presence of soldiers and made his way to the group. He stopped in front of the major and saluted, "Good to see you, sir." The major returned the salute. The marine that saluted him was a member of his very own 8th Company, 4th Battalion and was recruited into his unit before the South Carolina Campaign. "The same goes to you, Captain Hamilton. How are the others?" "They are doing fine, sir. I''m running through the exercises you instructed me to carry out with them and they are performing them admirably. We also have a few new local recruits and we''re ah... "breaking them in" as we speak." "Certainly good to hear," Major Poor replied with a grin, "If you don''t mind, captain. Can you fetch the quartermaster and tell him that the 7th South Carolina will need muskets for target practice? I believe they are ready for the next step in their training." Captain Hamilton nodded, "Will do sir. I''ll tell the others to step off the firing range and work on some other drills." As the captain saluted and walked away, Major Poor brought his attention back to the black soldiers, "Starting from today, you will be training in the firing range. You will practice here daily and work your damn hardest to be at your best when we fight the British once again. It may be a week from now, or it may be a month. But until that time comes, there will be no slacking off. Am I clear?" "Yes, sir!" Chapter 29: Catching a Fox Roads between Amelia and Orangeburg (Stateburg aligned) May 23rd, 1776 General Kim waited patiently with his men on the northwestern side of the road between Amelia and Orangeburg. With him were the First Marine Regiment and the Free Seventh South Carolina Regiment, approximately two thousand men in total. The remainder of his army was towards Orangeburg but were ready to deploy towards his position once they were given the signal. The plan that was underway was the brainchild of Colonel Knowlton and himself. The operation''s name was "Michael," named after the angel in the Bible. A White woman from Amelia was sent to Moncks Corner, which was under British/Loyalist control. The woman was the sister of one of the South Carolina militiamen and volunteered for the operation, with the approval from the militiaman himself. While General Kim thought of sending a slave woman to enemy lines for the operation initially, he immediately rejected the idea as it would most likely end up with the woman being enslaved again or even executed. The organizers of the operation''s beliefs were that the British and the Loyalists would not attempt to interrogate or torture a woman and be more convinced of the woman''s story using a fake personal story to draw away suspicion. The lady, by the name of Elizabeth Lane, was instructed to pretend that she had lost her husband due to General Kim''s various raids and ran to Moncks Corner with "valuable information" about a "dire situation at Orangeburg." The dire situation was that an accidental fire caused much of the ammunition to explode and the units in Orangeburg, due to their extensive training under General Kim, were low on gunpowder and ammunition. To make the deception believable, a controlled explosion was carried out in the ammunition building where much of the ammunition and gunpowder were originally stored. Colonel Knowlton and his men were able to spot and predict the approximate times when a British or Loyalist scout made their patrol near the town and timed the explosion to match with when the patrols came by. As such, Elizabeth was tasked with informing Major Marion and the other Loyalists/British that an emergency shipment of ammunition and gunpowder was being sent to Orangeburg from Amelia and was due to arrive within a week. General Kim and Colonel Knowlton believed that the Swamp Devil would take the bait and most likely follow up with a direct attack on Orangeburg itself. So while the marine regiment and the former slave regiment awaited for Major Marion and his ambushers, the remaining defenders of Orangeburg were preparing to intercept Major Marion if necessary and defend the town from an imminent British attack. The decoy convoy, which consisted of wagons carrying bags and barrels filled with dirt and sand, was moving slowly on the road while General Kim and his men watched. The several dozen soldiers with the convoy consisted of marines wearing the regular Continental Army uniform. All of them looked on guard and peered into the surrounding woods carefully. The convoy was only several hours away from Orangeburg now, and Major Marion was still yet to be seen. Suddenly, shots were fired from the southeastern parts of the woods and a thousand men charged towards the convoy. Several of the marines with the convoy were taken down immediately, but most of them fled towards the hidden positions of the marines and the Free Regiment. Major Marion and his men did not give chase and instead began to tear apart the convoy. Only after they were distracted did General Kim commenced his attack, "For General Arnold!" "Oorah!" Disciplined volleys of fire, followed by a much less disciplined volley of fire, struck Major Marion and his men while they were distracted. Hundreds of Marion''s men were downed by the volley, but Major Marion, who was still alive, barked orders to retreat. Immediately, the marine regiment moved forward along with the Free Regiment and engaged in hand to hand combat to prevent their escape. The Native American cavalry units thundered behind Major Marion and his men, cutting off their escape route into the forest. The general himself rushed at the front of the pack with his men and disarmed several of his enemies directly. Within minutes, the fighting was already over. The initial volley from the Continental Army absolutely devastated the Swamp Devil and his unit, and with the escape route cut off, the Loyalist militiamen surrendered in droves. And towards the center of the pack was a single man dressed in a fancier uniform compared to the other Loyalists, surrounded by bayonets held by the soldiers of the Free Regiment. Chapter 30: Looking a Bit Orange Orangeburg, South Carolina (Stateburg aligned) May 23rd, 1776 Brigadier General Robert Howe grinned as he watched the British and Loyalists futile attack the defenses of Orangeburg. He was leading from the front and directing troops to defend the town while General Kim was off hunting Major Marion. The townsfolk that were not participating in the fighting had been evacuated into the woods just a mile northeast from the town. Meanwhile, thousands of Patriots, both regulars and irregulars, resisted the British assault. General Kim''s operation had worked dividends and the British, who were expecting the Patriots to be low on ammunition, were caught completely off guard by the organized and constant stream of fire coming from the Continental Army''s lines. With nearly 5,000 soldiers, 1,000 militiamen, and a handful of former slaves that took up arms to defend their new home, the defenses were holding steadily and the British were finding themselves stuck in a stalemate against their enemy. While General Howe wanted to rush the British positions and gain recognition for himself, he knew that he was doing plenty of damage already and held his men back until General Kim and the others arrived. The last thing he wanted was a repeat of General Lee''s embarrassing retreat at Georgetown and destroy General Kim''s carefully trained and collected troops. After all, while they had the advantage in morale, arms, and positioning, the British still outnumbered them by a margin. A messenger from the 1st Canadian arrived and saluted to the general before delivering his message, "Sir, Colonel Hazen is requesting support from his position. The British are attempting to breach our defenses through the left flank and the 1st Canadian Regiment has taken numerous casualties." General Howe looked at his current troop deployment and nodded, "Tell Colonel Hazen that the 1st Pennsylvania will move towards his position and help him wear down the British attack. Inform him that reinforcements will arrive soon and for him to hold his position as long as he can." "Will do, sir." The messenger ran off and General Howe scribbled a message for Colonel Thompson. He knew that the British often deployed their most veteran soldiers on their right flank, so it was expected that Colonel Hazen would come under pressure. This was why Colonel Hazen and his men were deployed to the very left of the colonial positions, as he and his men were well disciplined and veterans themselves. Colonel Hazen was commissioned as an officer of the 1st Canadian Regiment once the regiment grew in size and most of the members of the regiment partook in the Invasion of Quebec or fought in the Battle of Quebec City. All in all, they were somewhat of a match for the more experienced British troops that they were facing. Regardless, he could not leave them to wither away and needed the men for a potential counterattack if General Kim arrived. After several seconds of writing, he called for one of his aides and handed the message to the man, "Tell Colonel Thompson to follow this order with due haste. If his position is contested, then tell him to send as many of his men as he can to Colonel Hazen immediately." After an additional hour, it became clear that there were no clear winners, with a significant amount of casualties taken by both sides. However, that changed when a flurry of horseriders came charging from the northern road out of Orangeburg and directly towards the British right flank. There was a mix of Indian war cries and "Oorahs!" that boomed throughout the battlefield as the Indian cavalry units struck the British right flank swiftly and moved back into the woods before the British could reorganize their lines. This was the moment he was waiting for. General Howe himself moved to the front of the pack, "All the Massachusetts and 4th Pennsylvania regiments, fix bayonets and charge! The remaining units are to advance and fire upon the enemy!" The British commanding general, Brigadier General Charles Grey, saw the immediate American counteroffensive and feared a potential flanking attack by General Kim and his marines. He had heard stories about General Kim''s marines and his Native American horsemen and suspected that Colonel (who was promoted, which was unknown to the Colonials at the time) Marion failed in his attempt to ambush the convoy due to the presence of the Native Americans. Fearing the total loss of his 10,000 troops, General Grey ordered an immediate retreat, which was harassed by the advancing Continental Army. When the British retreated, it became clear that the battle was an American victory, though it was a closer battle than the previous ones. The American casualties stood at four hundred casualties, with one hundred and sixty dead. The British casualties stood at nine hundred, with approximately four hundred dead. By the time General Kim and his men returned to Orangeburg, the battle was over and the American flag in Orangeburg remained flying proudly. Chapter 31: Introducing Soccer and Baseball… Orangeburg, South Carolina (Stateburg aligned) May 31st, 1776 "So you can''t let the ball touch your arms or hands unless you''re the "goalkeeper," correct?" "Mhm, and you can only touch the ball with your feet, your chest, and your head. If you touch it with your arms or hands, it is a "foul" and the opposing team will get a "free-kick," which means that they will get to kick the ball freely without direct interference from where the foul happened. That is not the only way you can get a foul. If you purposely tackle, push, elbow, knock-down, or any physical violence on an opposing player, it will be called a foul. If the referee deems that you have committed a serious foul, then he will give you a "yellow card," which means you are being warned of your behavior. If you get a "Red card," which comes after the yellow card, then you are no longer allowed to play in this game. If you excessively argue with the referee then the ref can give you cards based on your behavior. The referee will determine if a play is foul or no foul. If he deems that something is foul, he will fire a blank shot into the air to signal for the game to stop so he can call out a foul. Also, one other thing, if a foul happens in the "goalkeeper''s box," the box where the goalkeeper can use his hands and arms to block incoming kicks, then there will be a "penalty kick" for the player that got fouled on. Which means the player will face the opposing goalkeeper one on one in a measured distance to shoot the ball, without the interference of any other player," General Kim stated as he spoke to a group of forty soldiers that were all dressed in civilian clothing. He was giving them a rundown of the rules before the game, just to ensure that they understood the rules thoroughly. They were given instructions for the past few days, but he wanted to ensure that the game was as clean and entertaining as possible, "The point of the game is to enjoy yourselves while exercising at the same time, gentlemen. I want to see good sportsmanship and behavior on both sides. The players of the winning team will get a reward individually, so there is an incentive for you to try your best, along with the fact that the men of your own regiments will be cheering you on. I have told you the rules of substituting players, boundaries, and other basic rules. Any questions before I have you begin?" To give the soldiers some entertainment and to take their minds off the constant battles that had occurred in the past several months, General Kim planned a sporting event for the soldiers under his command. The sports soccer and baseball from his time were chosen, with the equipment provided by his benefactor. The balls and other sporting supplies were different compared to the ones he was used to in the future. For example, the baseballs were made with an average size rubber core, loose winding, and leather skin. The baseball bats were all made of wood, and the gloves were fashioned with leather and strings. The soccer balls also held a large rubber core, with wrappings and animal skin on the outer layers. The soccer field and the baseball field were both drawn in paint, with the borders highlighted by white paint that was made on the field itself. The goalposts on the soccer field were made of wood with metal anchors on the back. The baseball field outfield walls were crafted with boards and crates. They were a far cry of what everyday Americans used in the future, but they were good enough to introduce the sport to the colonials. Teaching soccer was fairly straightforward. Baseball was more difficult to explain, but an instruction manual was handed out to each regiment to review the rules of the bat and ball sport. The teams took some time to practice and get used to the sport, under General Kim''s supervision. After a week of practice and learning, each regiment nominated a team for baseball and a team for soccer to compete in the first "Continental Army Sports Tournament," with the grand prize being fifty pounds for each individual on the first-place teams for either sport. A few of the men that were more interested in training rotated between the training grounds and the defenses of the town. All the soldiers that were spectating or participating had their gear nearby, ready to go if the British and Loyalists decided to ruin their day of entertainment and sports. And there was no doubt that the colonials would be very angry due to the fact that they were planning to march towards the west once reinforcements from the north arrived in Orangeburg. It wasn''t just the soldiers that filled up the crowd to watch the teams play on the two fields; former slaves and town residents also gathered to see the large sporting spectacle that had raised the regiments into a frenzy. There were a few seats available, which were mainly from boxes, crates, and any furniture that the town residents lent out. As such, most of the spectators were either sitting on the ground or standing. Ingeniously, several of the town residents saw the large crowds of gathered soldiers and sold food items and beverages while walking between the groups. When a blank gunshot was fired into the sky, four teams from four different regiments gathered onto their respective fields. The soccer field was occupied by the teams of the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment and the Free Seventh South Carolina Regiment. The woodsmen that consisted of the majority of the Pennsylvania team looked all too eager to play the game while the South Carolina members looked just as competitive as their counterparts. On the baseball field was the Marine Regiment, led by General Kim himself (who used to play baseball in high school) and the First South Carolina Regiment. Both of the South Carolina teams were the "home teams" for the games and when the matches started on both sides, the crowd waited in anticipation for the entertainment to begin. Following the rules of home-field advantage in baseball, the Marine Regiment team batted first. A catcher, wearing leather paddings and a large leather mitt, stood behind "home plate" (which was a wooden pentagon buried into the ground). The umpire, which was a soldier from the 1st Canadian and also wore paddings and a safety mask, stood behind the catcher intently. The umpires for each game were from regiments that were not playing in the match and were given personal manuals to study the game. The umpires had little official training, but they understood the more detailed rules of the sport, which was good enough for General Kim. On the mound (a pile of dirt with a piece of wood on it) was a tall, intimidating South Carolina native right hander named William Smith. General Kim''s manual did have instructions on how to throw various pitches, so he had no idea what the man could throw, but from the warmup pitches the man tossed, he threw the ball straight and fast. The first batter that stepped into the box for the Marines was Captain Alexander Hamilton, who looked a bit out of place but seemed determined not to make a fool out of himself. He adjusted the safety helmet made of iron and waited for the pitcher. He hacked at two pitches out of the zone and held his bat in an embarrassed manner after his second swing. The next two pitches were also out of the zone, but Hamilton held back and watched them fly past by. The general watched carefully as he noticed that the pitcher threw two fastballs and two pitches that looked seemingly like sliders. The fifth pitch looked like a fastball and in the zone, which Hamilton took a heavy swing at. However, the pitch was slower than he anticipated and the ball landed in a thud in the catcher''s mitt. The catcher had to slide to make the catch, as he misjudged the ball, but he held onto the ball and Hamilton was out on strikes. "Strikeout!" The umpire yelled, waving his fist in the air. The South Carolina regiment soldiers broke out into cheers, while the civilian spectators looked a bit more confused at the play, but cheered regardless. As Hamilton walked dejectedly back to the dugout, General Kim offered him a reassuring smile, "You still have plenty of chances, Captain and it is your first time playing. Don''t look defeated. Remember, Semper Fidelis." Captain Hamilton looked a bit more optimistic as he returned the smile, "Thank you, sir." General Kim was the next batter up and he stared down the pitcher, who returned the stare. He got into a familiar batting stance and waited intensely. He knew that the pitcher had a fastball, a pitch that was similar to a slider, and a changeup, from what he saw. The speed and break of the pitches were just above an average high schooler, but he still waited cautiously. The first pitch that was thrown to him was a pitch that broke outwards towards the outside of the strike zone. But the general was waiting on a breaking pitch and whipped his bat around, making solid contact with the ball. While the ball was designed to travel less than a regular baseball, the ball streamed into the outfield and slipped right over the fences, which were only about three hundred and twenty feet away. This time, it was the Marine regiment that broke out into cheers as the general circled the bases with a satisfied grin on his face. He hoped the sport caught on. He loved baseball. Chapter 32: Battle Cry of Freedom! June 16th, 1776 Near the town of New Windsor, South Carolina (Charleston aligned) Oh, we''ll rally around the flag, boys, We''ll rally once again. Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom! We will rally from the hillside, we''ll gather from the plain, Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom! The Union Forever! Hurrah, boys hurrah! Down with the traitors, up with the star! While we rally around the flag, boys Rally once again, Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom! We are springing to the call with a million freemen more, Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom! And we''ll fill our vacant ranks of our brothers gone before, Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom! The Union Forever! Hurrah, boys hurrah! Down with the traitors, up with the star! While we rally around the flag, boys Rally once again, Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom! We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave, Shouting the battle cry of freedom! And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave, Shouting the battle cry of freedom! The Union Forever! Hurrah, boys hurrah! Down with the traitors, up with the star! While we rally around the flag, boys Rally once again, Shouting the Battle Cry of Freedom! General Kim and his men (1st Pennsylvania Regiment, 4th Pennsylvania Regiment, 1st Canadian Regiment, 1st Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Regiment (3/4 strength), 2nd North Carolina Regiment, Free 7th South Carolina Regiment, 1st South Carolina Regiment, 4th Massachusetts Regiment, 6th Massachusetts Regiment) were on their way to the town of New Windsor, the westernmost town held by the Loyalists in the colony of South Carolina. The group was in high spirits as they marched, as they had received some good news before their departure to New Windsor. The first one was that the British military willingly exchanged survivors of the Battle of Black River (the battle in which General Arnold perished) for prisoners of war, so the trial for Colonel Marion was set to go forward. The trial, which was set to happen in Stateburg, was under the supervision of the South Carolina government (with the current "governor" being John Rutledge of South Carolina in Stateburg, while the governor for the Charleston government was Rawlins Lowndes). The lawyer for the case of John Mathews, who was also supposed to be a Continental Congress delegate in another world, but was still an ordinary lawyer in South Carolina at the time. The case was highly controversial, as it seemed as though the British military had also given up on trying to prove Colonel Marion''s innocence. Nearly all the new "states" of the United States were swept with fervor to witness the case involving the man that killed one of their war heroes, Brigadier General Benedict Arnold. The soldiers under General Kim''s command was livid and eager to see the traitorous slaver be sentenced, preferably life in prison or outright execution. The other piece of news that reached his troops a week or so before their departure was just as noteworthy. France had joined in on the war, and Spain was on the verge of doing so also. With the news of the British being defeated at nearly every turn in North America, France seized the chance to capture the Caribbean colonies from the British. While France refused to support the United States with any significant material aid (with the exception of gunpowder and weapons, which Congress purchased from them directly), the European nation offered diplomatic recognition instead. This was gladly accepted by Congress and France declared war on Britain and accepted the United States as a legitimate nation, with the first ambassador Benjamin Franklin set to arrive in August. Additionally, General Kim was pleased to hear that Layfayette had already contacted and he was set to arrive in North America by early August. Due to the fundings that were given to them by General Kim, Congress was able to pay for the young man''s voyage and avoid the controversy that surrounded Layfayette when he left in the other history. The war was coming to an end, General Kim could feel it. While the "Huns" (a name given to General Kim and his marines, but also adopted by the rest of the men) were marching to their target, a messenger from the rear guard came up to him and saluted, "Sir, the men of the 1st South Carolina have found a few boys that have been tailing us for some time. They have been captured and they have asked me to inform you that you are needed in the rear." General Kim returned the salute and brought his men to a halt, "I will be there shortly." As the messenger returned to his post, General Kim raised his voice to speak with the troops, "Spread the word! We will be making camp here tonight and we will strike New Windsor at dawn! Your commanding officers will know what duties to carry out, so get to work!" The men immediately heeded his orders and the lines of troops dispersed to set up camp. Meanwhile, the general, flanked by a platoon of soldiers from 6th Company, went to the very end of the group and walked up to the dozen or so men holding several young boys captive, "Are these the boys that have been tailing us?" There were six boys in total, their ages varied from a young child to a teenager. All of them looked frightened at the sight of General Kim, but he only raised an eyebrow as he inspected them. Colonel Sumter, who was leading the 1st South Carolina Regiment, nodded, "These are the boys, sir. They appeared near our columns approximately earlier this morning and have been tailing us every since. I captured them as I suspected they may be British or Loyalist spies. They refused to answer any of our questions and demanded to speak with you, general." "I will take care of this, colonel. Take care of your men and have them carry out their duties for the night." Colonel Sumter nodded respectfully and walked away with his men. Behind General Kim, his marine escorts were gripping their firearms tightly just in case the situation turned violent. However, General Kim walked up to the boys without any hostility and offered them his hand, "Lieutenant General Samuel Kim, commander of the Western Theather of the Continental Army and commanding officer of the Marines. I heard that you wished to speak with me?" "We do, sir!" One of the older boys yelled as he clumsily saluted, "We wish to join your army!" "The Continental Army? And how old are you, Mr.?" "Jackson, Hugh Jackson! And I am Sixteen, sir! And my brothers here are fifteen and nine." "Jackson..." General Kim muttered, he was so used to seeing famous historical figures now, it didn''t faze him as much, "And the name of your brothers?" "Robert and Andrew, sir! And the other boys here are from where we live and came to join up with us!" General Kim nodded, "Well, I can see if something can be arranged. Your youngest brother might be a little bit too young, but he can stay with us and help the army." He ordered the platoon that accompanied him to take them back to the other marines and warned them not to "break them in" too much. As they walked away he stared at the young boy named Andrew Jackson and sighed. The boy had no idea how famous/infamous he was in the other history, but General Kim was going to make sure the boy''s destiny was changed. Perhaps under the influence of himself and the other soldiers of the Continental Army, Jackson would become a better person and be seen by historians in a more positive light. Especially since his army group had Native Americans and African Americans mingling with whites. Chapter 33: The Hammer to Break Them New Windsor, South Carolina (Stateburg Aligned) June 18th, 1776 The town of New Windsor had been evacuated prior to General Kim''s arrival. The border town was small and nearly devoid of life as the Continental Army marched in. According to the civilians that remained within the town (many of them being Swiss or Palatine, as they were descended from the original settlers of New Windsor), New Windsor was occupied by the Loyalists around mid-April, when the Continental Army was still trying to secure their lines in South Carolina and was defeated at Georgetown. The town was lightly occupied, as most of the Loyalists and British troops were stationed in the east near Charleston. A few units had been probing the settlements further west, but after the fall of Orangeburg, those units were withdrawn back to the east. Prior to the general''s arrival, the Loyalists had only a few hundred men stationed in the town and withdrew immediately upon being alerted of the Asian general''s presence. "Are there any slaves in the settlement?" General Kim asked the head of the town as his men set up camp and built defenses around the small town. David Zubly Sr., a man in his late thirties, hesitantly nodded his head, "There are a few, but most of us have heard about your Proclamation. We will set them free, but please do not raid or destroy any of our fields." "The soldiers under my command will only raid the plantations of Loyalists and those that do not free their slaves willingly. As long as you ensure that the slaves of this town are freed, no harm will come to New Windsor or any of its inhabitants," "Thank you, sir. And what of the slaves?" "If you wish to hire them to work in your fields, then you may do so. However, I will not allow any of the freed slaves to be exploited. They are to be accommodated and decently paid. I will also compensate any former slave owners with a fee to ensure that you do not face immediate hardship during these times," The general replied cooly. Zubly bowed his head and looked around at the thousands of soldiers occupying the town, "Will you protect us from the Loyalists and the British, should they try to occupy this town again?" General Kim rubbed his chin, "Most of my forces will remain within the town, so do not worry about the British coming back. I will allow all of you to return to your normal lives, provided that you follow my terms regarding slaves." The Swiss man nodded without a word and ran off to inform the other townsmen of the news. Meanwhile, General Kim gathered the Marines and made them line up in the center of the town, as a show of strength and to also announce his next course of the attack. He noted the faces of several "important" figures in the other history standing in the ranks. This included, but was not limited to, Colonel Knowlton (who was now a grizzled, seasoned soldier who had seen through hell and back), Colonel Warren (from Bunker Hill all the way to South Carolina, the man served with distinction that he failed to display in the other history due to his early death), Colonel Poor (one of the highest-ranking black soldiers under his command, if not the entirety of the Continental Army, the man was a fierce soldier and capable leader in charge of the 2nd Marine Regiment), Captain Hamilton (the future (?) statesman was a decent soldier, but showed flashes of brilliant leadership), Colonel Daniel White (who was unknown in the other history, but was one of the most efficient and unwavering Marine officer the general had), Private Jackson (at age nine, he already showed signs of his future self and was adapting nicely to the rather foreign presence of African Americans and Indians), Colonel Silliman (the man survived Marion''s ambush and was placed as an officer of the newly formed 2nd Marine Regiment), and Colonel Hazen (the Canadians were a tough bunch, and Hazen was the perfect embodiment of the ideal Canadian soldier). All in all, the Marines accounted for up to around 1,800 men and came from various backgrounds. However, they were united as one under General Kim''s command, the man who had gone above and beyond during their war against Britain. Even with the mistakes that he made, the men trusted him and respected him to great heights, and General Kim wasn''t planning on disappointing them. "Marines of the Continental Army," General Kim shouted as the Marines stood at shoulder arms in front of him, "Many of you have come a long way to be here. Some of you have even been with me since the Battle of Bunker Hill, a battle that seems like it was decades ago." Scattered laughter rang out amongst the original Marines, but the general continued, "And all of you, despite my race and alien tactics, have decided to stand behind me and fight the British with me to the very end. And for that, I thank you. I had the pleasure of serving with thousands of different men during my time as an officer. And during that time, I had never served with finer men, fighters, than the Marines." "Oorah!" "The war is coming to an end, gentlemen. Whether the British know it or not, we will bring this to an end. Many have died for our cause in order to give our nation a chance at victory, and we will not forget or waste their sacrifices," General Kim frowned for a moment, and all the Marines knew that he was thinking of one individual in particular. His death was something that the general blamed himself for even after all this time. "We will not march onto Charleston, for the moment. Instead, we have another goal that will shatter the Loyalists and break the British resolve. As your commanding general, I will lead the Marines into Georgia and bring the traitorous slavers to their knees!" "Oorah!" The marines cheered, all of them well aware of the atrocities and sins committed against slaves by the slaveowners. Many of them had personally liberated plantations and freed slaves, and was made aware of the fact that the institution of slavery was wrong. Even those that were actively supporting slavery before, could not justify some of the things they had seen during the plantation raids. "To maintain security in South Carolina, most of the men under my command will remain in New Windsor and Orangeburg. But we, the Marines, will march onward! If the traitor Colonel Marion was the Swamp Devil, then we will be the Devil''s Horde to sweep the colony of Georgia and rid it of the disease called slavery. And carve a path of liberation and destruction to Savannah! The time is now, Marines. For General Arnold, and the United States!" Chapter 34: A Very Secret Meeting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America July 1st, 1776 By God, I never expected him to be such a remarkable man, Captain John Paul Jones exclaimed, And youre telling me that hes responsible for the string of victories we had during this war? Most of it, yes. Thomas Jefferson replied. A group of prominent individuals sat in a private room in the Pennsylvania State House. The group consisted of nearly two dozen people, ranging from representatives to military officers to businessmen. All of them were gathered for one reason: to plot the future course of their new nation. With General Kims approval, the few members that were aware of the mans secret shared the information they had with the other members that were ignorant of General Kims background. They had been picked due to their respective histories in the other world and their relations with the general. Many of them had come into contact or were familiar with General Kim during the mans time in the colonies. While the Asian officer kept his secret somewhat guarded, he knew he needed to trust certain members with the secret in order to help him advance America. Originally, he was able to maintain contact with Congress on regular occasions with messengers or visits, but due to his role in the war, his contact with Congress was becoming limited. Additionally, it was more sensible to spread out the development throughout the colonies instead of keeping it in the hands of one individual. As a result, Kim gathered a list of names he found trustworthy and loyal to the American cause and asked Jefferson to gather them for a meeting. Which was why Jefferson was considered the "host" of the meeting. The General has been most generous with the information he has at hand. Information that can revolutionize the world as we know it. Therefore, as members of this group, we must ensure how to selectively and discreetly use what we have to our advantage, Jefferson mentioned. To help with the visuals and capabilities, various pictures and documents containing information about various inventions, political theories, and weapons (provided by their Patron). Each individual in the meeting room was marveling at different things, especially items that came from the far future. Jefferson allowed them to look and inspect the items to further verify his testimony. And personally, he could not berate them for being mesmerized by things from the future. He had spent countless days reading the Constitution and other great political works in the collection in his own free time. To ensure none of the information was leaked or stolen, the precise details were as vague as possible. Even if a British inventor managed to get information about a Breech loader, he would still be years, if not decades, off from fully being able to replicate one. "A ship..." Captain Jones exclaimed, "They named a ship after me! And while I don''t know what "missiles" or "radars" are, I assume they are the future weapons of naval warfare." "Missiles are flying bombs that are propelled by a very powerful machine. In the future, they will be used to destroy ships, buildings, anything. As for radar, I believe it''s some sort of contraption that uses the particles in the air to detect the location of an object far away," Jefferson had read everything that the general had provided for him, but many concepts were still foreign to him. Jefferson silently thanked the fact that Franklin wasn''t present at the meeting, as the man would have collapsed from excitement. Christopher Pelissier, one of the representatives for Quebec and the owner of an ironworks, made his own comments, "With some work, I believe my ironworks will be able to replicate some of the more practical tools such as the grain cradle, the iron plow, and the cotton gin. As for the weapons, rifling will be difficult due to the precision it requires, but I may be able to study some of the machining tools used in the "future" and attempt to make bastardized copies of them." Jefferson nodded. Even with the wealth of information and foresight available to them, they were strained by the technology of the time period. Additionally, they were constrained by the current resources they had at hand, and the war raging on in the colonies, "That will do. I am not expecting things to change completely overnight, but for these changes to be implemented systematically so that we are able to push our nation ahead of other powers." Brigadier General William Alexander, who was a capable officer and a businessman that involved himself in mining and agriculture, spoke, "There is also information about mineral deposits. Specifically speaking, there are significant gold reserves in North Carolina and South Carolina, and with the knowledge of where they are, they can be exploited. This goes for many of the colonies." "This is why we must work together to ensure that we play our parts accordingly in order to push the United States forward. General Kim has done a great amount of work to help our nation so far, but we can not solely rely on him," Jefferson firmly replied, "The objective of this meeting is to allocate the roles each of us will play in introducing new inventions or discoveries to the general public. But before I continue with this meeting, I must ask. Mr. Pelissier, do you have any contacts in France that we may be able to utilize?" "A few, but I thought that Mr. Franklin was already on his way to Paris at this time?" "General Kim has also provided me a list of names, chiefly individuals from France, that may play significant roles in our country. Should we successfully manage to bring them here. The general has suggested we also broaden the scope of this plan to other nations as well." The Virginian handed the list to the Quebecois, who read them silently to himself. The list contained names of individuals, their birthdates, and their current approximate location. The top of the list contained names such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Joachim Murat, Gratien Le Pere, Alexandre Brongniart, Marie-Louise Lachapelle, Gaspard Laurent Bayle, amongst a few others. "I will try to ask my contacts, but it would also be better for Mr. Franklin to receive this list as well." "He will receive it shortly after he arrives if all goes well," Jefferson said. General Alexander looked intrigued at the list, "May I ask who the individuals on that list are? Surely they are of great importance in the other future if the general has set aside a specific list to find them." "One will be the future emperor of France and an excellent military officer that will revolutionize warfare. He is a little boy now, but he has great potential. Another is a future French cavalry officer that will serve alongside the said Emperor. He was known to be a charismatic, yet inspiring leader. There are a few others on this list, including engineers, mathematicians, scientists, and the such. The general expressed in the letter that he chose individuals that he believed would flourish even under different circumstances." "And their names?" "Are you interested in taking them for yourself, general?" Jefferson joked. "I am merely curious, and many of those individuals have a promising military career ahead of them. I just wish to be aware of potential officers that may lead our nation''s military one day." "I will not reveal the names so easily, for secrecy sakes. However, most of the individuals on this list are currently children with bright futures. There will be no kidnappings or such. The goal is to convince these families to move to our new nation once it is formed by giving incentives. The general believes that with Quebec a part of the United States, it will be easier for people from France to transition into our nation by living within Quebec. Of course, there will be complications and I doubt we will manage to convince all if any, families to move to our nation. Especially since we have just been barely recognized. But the objective is to open up all our options and bring these future prominent individuals under our wing to educate and raise them if possible." Pelissier looked thoughtful as he gazed on the list once again, "I will do my best, Mr. Jefferson." "Now then, let us go back to the meeting. Starting with the inventions mentioned by Mr. Pelissier..." Chapter 35: And Your Punishment… Death. Stateburg, South Carolina, United States of America June 30th, 1776 Order! Judge Aedanas Burke banged his gavel as the jury stirred from the sight of Marion entering the courtroom. The disgraced colonel was the subject of hatred for most of the South Carolinians in the room. Even the few delegates and observers from the other colonies and the Continental Congress glared at him in contempt. The prosecutor was Thomas Heyward Jr,, who returned to the colony after signing the Declaration of Independence. His opposition, Marions lawyer, was John Mathews. The two of them were on cordial terms and interacted with each other on a regular basis due to their law backgrounds. Both had agreed to keep the case a civil affair and to carry out this case professionally despite the mixed feelings they had for the defendant. Colonel Marion stood tall and proud at the defendant stand. Despite the hostility stemming from the jurors and observers, he stood unwaveringly at the stand. Colonel Marion, Judge Burke said neutrally, You are charged with high treason against the legitimate government of South Carolina and the Continental Congress, execution of surrendering prisoners of war, crimes against humanity, murder, destruction of property, theft, and aiding the enemies of South Carolina and the Continental Congress. How do you plead? Not guilty. Marion replied with a frown. The trial went underway immediately. Witnesses after witnesses were brought forth to testify against the colonel for his actions. The few survivors of the group that fought with General Arnold until his death were the most descriptive about their testimonies. They painted the colonel as a sadistic man that executed the African Americans in the Connecticut Regiments in cold blood. One of the witnesses broke out into tears on the witness stand, claiming that one of the men executed had saved his life in an earlier battle. He described his frustration at his inability to prevent the former slaves death and proclaimed that the African American man died with his head held high. The personal stories stirred the jury even further, but the judge banged his gavel to silence them. The last few witnesses were men from Marions own brigade. They supported the stories of the others and confessed that Major Marion ordered them to execute the African Americans due to the Loyalist governors orders. They also revealed that the group had executed up to three hundred runaway slaves before they were captured by General Kim, along with burning and pillaging properties owned by Patriots. Even despite Mathews attempts to cross examine the witnesses and defend his client, it became evidently clear that the evidence against Marion was undeniable. The jury dispersed into a private room and came out with their decision within minutes. Guilty. The decision was unanimous and swift. The jury was picked to be as least bias as possible, but Marion caused terror and destruction upon the civilian population living in the areas controlled by the Stateburg government. And it was hard for the jurors to stomach the fact that the colonel executed surrendering soldiers, regardless of their color, and killed General Arnold, a renowned hero. The testimonies also affected their views of the colonels actions and displayed him in a negative light. This is outrageous, I was merely carrying out orders given to me by my superiors! Crimes against humanity? Murder? I partook in a war, not a jousting match! And the prisoners of wars that you mentioned were Negros, slaves! Marion shouted, to the dismay of his lawyer, This court is a sham! Those Negros fought more honorably and bravely than you did, colonel. Heyward stated in passing. For the crimes you have committed against the lawful government of South Carolina, the inhabitants of South Carolina, and against the people of the United States themselves, I herby declare that your sentence will be death by hanging, Judge Burke hardened his gaze towards the defendant as he banged his gavel. Chapter 36: The Tide (Against Slavery) Turns… Richmond, Virginia, United States of America July 4th, 1776 "Morning Jim!" Jim Davis looked up to see George Young walk towards his small general store. Young was a farmer that owned a plot of land outside of Richmond and often visited the town in order to sell his goods or travel through Richmond towards the port town of Norfolk. Recently, the farmer had been staying near Richmond instead of journeying east to Norfolk due to the recent British raid on the coastal town. As such, Davis saw the man more frequently in town and often interacted with him due to Davis'' ownership of the only general store in Richmond. "Good morning George," Davis replied with a smile, "You''re looking awfully bright today. Did something happen?" "Sure did! You know how Mr. Hunter that recently fled from Virginia and to the Caribbean colonies, well, I managed to buy a part of his plantation! It''s a mighty fine piece of land too since the part that I bought wasn''t used to grow tobacco so the soil is still good for growing." Jonathan Hunter had been a regular at his store before his departure from the colony. The man was a plantation owner with over two hundred slaves and was very well off too. However, ever since the news leaked from about Colonel Marion and the brutalities of slavery in the other southern colonies, slave owners were looked down upon with disgust. Regardless of their previous social status or wealth, many slave owners were suspected of mistreating and oppressing their slaves. To many, even in Virginia, the idea of slavery seemed to run contrary to everything that the Declaration of Independence stood for. The fact that Thomas Jefferson, a man greatly respected across the colonies, was one of the writers of the Declaration and even freed his own slaves immediately after, only stoked the flames of abolition further. Davis had heard the Declaration of Independence through a town crier and like many that heard the words of the document, he was shocked at the notion of achieving independence from Britain. But as the months wore on, it was clear that independence was the right choice after all. His business was hurt because the British decided to bombard coastal cities, which slowed trade and limited imports of goods for his store. Colonel Marion''s execution of black soldiers, soldiers fighting for independence and to an extent, for his colony, deeply troubled him and the newspapers portrayed the brave men staring down the colonel fearlessly even in the face of death. And with additional stories and pictures (and good God, the pictures), the reality behind the institution of slavery was shockingly revealed to him. Plantation owners hanged several of their own slaves to serve as an example so the other slaves wouldn''t run free. Slave owners were forcefully conscripting their slaves to fight for the Loyalists and shot any that attempted to escape. And the conditions they were in when they were liberated by the Yellow Marshal and his Marines were unsightly. He never really had an opinion on slavery before, his thoughts were usually focused on running the store and providing for his wife and three children. Yet as he learned the cruel realities behind slavery, Davis started to grow into an abolitionist himself. And naturally, Hunter, who was one of the biggest plantation owners nearby, drew ire from him. While Davis was not outright hostile to the man, he grew weary of the possibilities that Hunter was just as sadistic and cruel as the plantation owners he read and heard about in the southernmost colonies. Davis wasn''t the only one to think this either; many of the thousand or so residents of Richmond had heard and read the same news and stories he did and looked at the slave owners (especially those that had dozens of slaves) differently. After social isolation and pressure, Hunter sold his plantation to the colony and fled Virginia with his belongings and family. Before he left, Davis overheard that he was planning to move to Jamaica. "That''s wonderful to hear, George. I guess that means you''ll be buying more goods from my store then?" The farmer gave him a crooked grin, "Possibly! I''ll need to get some field hands to help out on my farm. My boys are only ten and nine, so they can''t help as much. I was thinking of hiring some of Hunter''s former slaves for the job, what do you think?" Hunter took around ten personal slaves with him, but the rest were left behind in Virginia. Before he left, he left behind a signed document saying that his slaves were now free. As such, the one hundred and ninety or so former slaves were now working on nearby farms or looking for jobs by themselves. "They might know a thing or two about Hunter''s former lands, so that may be a good idea," Davis admitted. He leaned over close to Young and whispered near his ears, "And I heard rumors that the Yellow Marshal himself will compensate anyone that decently pays and provides for former slaves handsomely." Young looked surprised and looked around before speaking, "Where did you hear that rumor?" "A friend of mine came back home from South Carolina after he suffered an injury in battle. The poor lad, he broke his leg and he''s on crutches now. But before he was sent home, he heard stories of General Kim and his marines marching through swathes of South Carolina and Georgia, freeing any slaves they saw and compensating slave owners that freed their slaves willingly. So perhaps he may do the same for those that have slaves in the other colonies. Or in your case, treat former slaves well. "I don''t have much right now, but we''ll see after I make more money from the farm," Young shrugged, "Besides, the last thing I want is to be one of those dirty, no good slavers that treat people like animals." Chapter 37: Liberation Near Augusta, Georgia July 6th, 1776 Tom didn''t know why his master was so scared. For the past week, his master had been forcing Tom and the other slaves to "take a break" from work earlier than usual. Instead of working hard on the tobacco fields until the sun went down, Tom and his ninety other fellow slaves were allowed to "enjoy" the rest of the day off just a few hours after the sun was highest in the sky. Even more strangely, the slaves were receiving better food than before and new buildings were being constructed to expand their quarters. There were no more beatings or lashings too, which Tom was grateful for. The changes were strange and Tom thought that it had something to do with the fact that his master looked off into the distance with a fearful look every so often. It was another normal day after the changes were made when Tom and the other slaves were out on the field maintaining the crop and preparing for harvesting season. While they were working on the field, one of the young masters, the eldest boy that was on the cusp of adulthood, ran towards the master''s main house in a panic. When the master talked with the young master on his porch, he turned pale and ran off into the direction the young master came from. The master was usually the one who supervised the field, so when the master ran off, many of the other slaves slacked off or waited in silence for their master to return. However, Tom worked just as hard as before. After all, the master did treat them better and the last thing he wanted was those nice things taken away from him. When the master returned, he returned with an army of soldiers. Thousands of men walked through the fields, looking at the slaves working on the field with a mix of sadness and pity. From where he was working, Tom could hear the conversation between his master and a tall man with strange facial features. From the way the master was treating the man, it was obvious that the strange man was the leader of all the soldiers. "And their treatment?" "They are being treated as fairly as possible, sir. I have been unable to pay them because it''s before harvesting season and I do not have the resources to do so, but you have my word that they will be paid fairly soon." The strange man scanned the lines of slaves and grimaced, "I will give you some gold to you for doing this willingly, Mr. Anderson. Most of it will be to compensate you, but I expect some of them to be used to improve the conditions of the now-former slaves. By that, I mean decent housing, decent food, pay to start from now, and the such. I''m sure you have heard of what has happened to some of the less accepting plantation owners in South Carolina and Georgia?" Tom''s master, Mr. Anderson, nodded his head vigorously, "Yes! Yes! I do. Don''t worry, sir. You have my word that I will abide by your terms." "That''s good to hear, Mr. Anderson," The officer''s eyes swept the field again, "All of you are now free and forever free! You may not know what that means now, but you will know soon enough. None of you are slaves from now on; all of you are free men!" Afterward, several soldiers under the man''s command went to the slaves and checked for any injuries or health issues. Tom was treated by a fellow Negro who inspected him with care, "Good to see that you''re unhurt." "It''s cuz I a good slave!" Tom declared proudly. The Negro soldier shook his head and gripped his shoulder, "You''re not a slave now, sir. You''re a free man." "A free man?" Tom asked confusedly. "You don''t need to work here anymore. You can walk and leave this plantation freely. You don''t need to listen to Mr. Anderson there anymore either, because he isn''t your master. You can stay and get paid for your work, but otherwise, you can gather your belongings and leave with your friends and family." Tom scratched his head, "But if I is to leave master, what could I do?" The man smiled for a second before loosening his grip on his shoulder, "Well, how about you join up with me and serve in the marines? The pay and the food are good. The training is a bit tough, but you get used to it after a while. If you decide to join, you can come with us and free other slaves too. General Kim is a great man, we''ve freed thousands of slaves under his command. He''s very fair to everyone, even former slaves, and I''m sure you''ll have no problems fitting in and fighting with us." The former slave was unused to the idea of freedom. The idea of leaving the place he had spent the last fifteen years was foreign to him. But then he saw the fancy uniform his fellow Negro was wearing and saw that hundreds of other Negros were wearing the same uniforms too. They all looked well-fed, fit, and carried themselves professionally. Tom imagined himself standing next to them, fighting with them, and freeing people slaves too. After thinking about it, the idea didn''t sound so bad. He had no idea what "being free" meant, or how to be a soldier, but he was a hard worker and knew he could learn one day. "How do I join?" Chapter 38: We the People News article from the American Weekly Mercury, July 20th, 1776 Displayed at the Kim Memorial, _______ D.C. "... In his letter to Congress and to the colonies, Lieutenant General Samuel Kim revealed his background and his family''s story. Shockingly, his past was not filled with luxury or extravagance. Nor was it filled with higher education or military experience. No, the Hero of Bunker Hill''s tale was a much humbler one, if not surprising. General Kim was born in the Asiatic nation called "Joseon," in a city called "Hanyang." His parents, both of whom were Koreans, were slaves. The general, who has been lauded as one of the most successful military officers of the Continental Army, was born a slave. In a desperate quest to escape their life of servitude and to give their son a better chance at life, General Kim''s parents fled the nation and traversed across entire continents. Both in an attempt to find a better life and to escape any slave hunters from capturing them. After years of travel, they finally managed to arrive in Europe, where they decided to flee to the North American colonies and settle in search of a better life. Alas, it was not meant to be, for the general''s parents perished on their journey to the Americas. By the time he arrived in New York City, he was an orphan at the age of eighteen. Afterward, he traveled across the frontier alone, seeking to find a place for himself despite his uncommon appearance. That was until the scepter of Revolution reigned over the colonies. Only then did he return to the coast in order to establish a new nation that was truly free in both law and spirit. Knowing his story, we should ask ourselves this question: Is Samuel Kim a lesser man because his parents were slaves? Or is this despicable institution we call slavery an obstacle that may prevent the next Samuel Kim from rising to lead the colonies? Should the man be condemned for his past, despite the achievements he has accomplished over the past year? Or should the colonies disavow slavery and give an equal chance for all PEOPLE. In the end, we the people must decide. Perhaps in due time, when the war is over, we will have our answer." Chapter 39: 1st Marine Regiment, 6th Company Near Augusta, Georgia July 12th, 1776 "And I said, "Well, you''ve ever seen a Negro with a musket before? You see one now." And the poor sod ran off with his tail between his legs after General Kim came around him and asked him what was going on." Corporal George Brown finished his story with a grin. The other marines in his laughed at his statement as they ate lunch for the day. The members of the 1st Marine Regiment, 6th Company were sitting in their part of the temporary marine camp and were enjoying some roasted corn, wheat bread, and grilled chicken for lunch. They had raided another plantation earlier that morning and had the rest of the day to train and rest. The two marine regiments swelled in size due to the recent raids, as many liberated slaves joined up with the marines. As a result, nearly two thousand five hundred marines were now under the command of General Kim. More than a quarter of the regiment consisted of freedmen or former slaves and unsurprisingly, some of them were the most motivated fighters in the marines. Near the place where the 6th Company was enjoying their meal, the American flag, consisting of fifteen stripes and fifteen stars, flew proudly in the air. Other companies were also nearby, enjoying the food and mingling with one another to enjoy their meal before they were expected to return to their duties. "Elizabeth! Can we get more bread over here? We''re plowing right through them!" Sergeant Benjamin White hollered to one of the women that was serving the food to the marines. Some of the members of the 6th Company were recently liberated slaves and had a larger appetite than the others. "Gimme a second, I''ll be right with you!" As the woman strolled off to grab more bread for the men of 6th Company, the more talkative members of the company gathered around closely. Sergeant White whispered quietly to the other marines around him, "I''ve heard rumors that Elizabeth is trying to get close to our general." Corporal Brown''s eyes widened as he chewed a piece of chicken, "Really?'' "So I''ve heard." "Well good for him then," Private First Class Timothy Reed stated as he finished up the final piece of bread on his plate, "The man deserves it. He''s been fighting without a break for the past year. Elizabeth is a good girl too, she''s been with us ever since we marched into North Carolina." Elizabeth Green was a rather independent, pretty twenty-year-old white girl from a farm in North Carolina. While General Kim and his men were marching through North Carolina in order to suppress the Loyalists in South Carolina, a number of North Carolinians joined up with the general. Elizabeth was one of the few women that joined the marching army and had served as one of the cooks and inventory managers ever since. "Gossiping about the general again, gentlemen?" A voice rang out from above the men. Some of the gathered men had to suppress a groan as they saw Captain Hamilton, the company leader, standing over them. Sergeant White and the others stood up and saluted, "No, sir. Just discussing about lunch and our future raids, sir." Captain Hamilton gave the men a crisp salute and nodded, "I don''t mind if you talk about the general, sergeant, but do remember not to spread false rumors about his personal life." "Will do, sir." As the captain walked away to join a conversation with the other marines of the 6th Company, Sergeant White and the others around him sat down again to eat, "He''s too uptight sometimes." "Nah, just overprotective about the general. He greatly respects our commander," Corporal Brown shrugged, "Hey, new recruits! Introduce yourselves a bit! You''ve been awfully quiet since the beginning!" The three new recruits looked at their seniors nervously. One barely looked like a teenager while the other two were former slaves that had joined recently. "Private Hugh Jackson, sir!" The kid saluted clumsily. Sergeant White snorted, "No need to call us "sirs" if we''re not officers, Private Jackson. Just call me "Sergeant" or "Sergeant White." Same goes for the others like Corporal Brown here." Jackson nodded and turned to the two other recruits expectingly. One of them spoke up after a few moments, "I is Private, Private Tom." "You have a last name, Tom?" "Er..." Tom looked around and caught his sight on General Kim, who was eating with some of the most senior officers of the marines, "What''s his name?'' "You mean General Kim? His first name is Samuel and his last name is Kim." Sergeant White replied. He didn''t make fun of the former slave''s odd manner of speaking, as their general was a bit odd with his way of speaking as well. And it was understandable why Tom spoke strangely; he was a slave until several days ago. "Then I is Kim, Tom Kim," Tom declared. Sergeant White looked at PFC Reed, and then at Corporal Brown, They all looked surprised as he was, "You sure?" "Yes." The sergeant laughed a bit before settling down, "It''s just... his name isn''t that common. If anything, he might be the only one to have it." "Then they is two Kims now," Tom insisted. "Nothing bad about that," Corporal Brown said with a grin. He turned to the last new recruit, "And you?" "Private Elijah Washington." This time, nearly all the senior marines laughed. Sergeant White actually wiped a tear from his eyes as he looked at the two former slaves, "We''re not laughing at you two... It''s just, we have two marines with the same last names as the two highest-ranking generals in the Continental Army. If that isn''t amusing, I don''t know what is. We have Private Kim and Private Washington, and we''re led by General Kim and General Washington." The other marines nearby heard the sergeant''s words and chuckled in amusement. "6th Company, gather around the flag! It''s time to get back to duty!" Captain Hamilton shouted. Per their training, the marines immediately cleared their plates and readied in front of the flag within three minutes. The 150 marines of the 1st Marine Regiment, 6th Company stood at attention while their captain inspected them, "Before we go to the firing range, General Kim has something announce to our company." The members of the 6th Company saluted when they saw the general and General Kim saluted to the men as he walked in front of them. After clearing his throat, the officer spoke to the group of men in front of him, "With the approval of the Continental Congress, I will now ask the marines of 6th Company to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The marine regiments as a whole will recite the pledge daily, but if you still have reservations about pledging full allegiance to the United States as an entity, then you may excuse yourself to the side while the Pledge is recited." None of the marines fell out of line and waited patiently for the general to continue. They had heard about the Pledge from the other marines before they even ate lunch, and all of them were willing to take the Pledge. General Kim looked proud as he placed his hand over his heart, "Then place your right hand over your heart, turn towards the flag, and repeat after me." "I pledge Allegiance, to the flag, of the United States of America. And to freedom and independence, for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." "Let us not forget that we are fighting not for the flag itself, but for the ideals that flag represents. Do not worship the flag or the Allegiance. Worship the principles which they stand for." General Kim announced, "Dismissed. Return to your duties." And with that, the marines of 6th Company jogged towards the firing range to being target practice. Chapter 40: The March to Savannah Savannah, Georgia July 22nd, 1776 Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell felt relaxed and bored as he watched some of the British regulars drill near the town. He and one thousand British soldiers, along with an additional one thousand or so Loyalist militiamen, were stationed in the small port town of Savannah. The location of Savannah was the reason for his relaxation and boredom, as the town was far away from the front lines. He did receive reports of the Huns raiding plantations near the borders between South Carolina and Georgia, but not a single raid had happened in the last week. The reason being was because of General Burgoyne''s reckless invasion of Boston and the surrounding areas, as the lieutenant colonel heard rumors that the "Chief" Hun was recalled to lead the bulk of the Continental Army in South Carolina (which in turn, meant that the lieutenant colonel was left with fewer men in Savannah). Personally, Lieutenant Colonel Campbell was against his superior''s attack on Boston, as he believed it was a foolhardy invasion that would result in loss of precious territory in South Carolina and would yield little results as the general only had eight thousand soldiers with him. Even more so, since London informed General Burgoyne and the other British generals in North America that they would only receive token reinforcements: mainly consisting only of a few German mercenaries and recently recruited soldiers from Great Britain. However, the Commander in Chief of the British forces in North America carried out the invasion regardless and left the southern colonies in a more vulnerable position. Currently, the British Army only had around fourteen thousand soldiers in the colonies, which meant that South Carolina, Georgia, and East/West Florida only contained six thousand regulars in total, supplemented by Loyalist and slave units. He was unsure of the exact strength of the Continental Army, but he knew that the Yankees were growing stronger day by day and the fact that the colonials had rolled the greatest military on Earth in nearly every engagement wore down the morale of the British troops. Thankfully, the men under his command were in decent spirits and were in far better conditions than some of the frontline units up in South Carolina. While the soldiers and militiamen guarding Savannah were rather inexperienced, they were fresh, well-rested, and decently trained. He had made great efforts to train the few men he had under his command and to prepare the defenses around Savannah accordingly. While it was highly unlikely that Savannah would come under attack, due to the withdrawal of the Huns from Georgia and the new front in Boston, the lieutenant colonel wasn''t taking any chances. Just when he believed that nothing of significance would happen for the rest of the day, a group of militiamen ran towards him. One of the Georgian Loyalists, a Scottish Colonel named Lachlan McIntosh, looked worried as he approached his British counterpart, "Lieutenant Colonel, we have spotted a large group of Continental troops heading towards Savannah. They are only an hour''s distance away." Suddenly, the lieutenant colonel snapped to attention at the mention of Continental troops, "Do you know who is leading them?" Colonel McIntosh grimaced, "It''s the Hun." "I thought he retreated back to South Carolina a week ago?" Lieutenant Colonel Campbell answered angrily. It was the Loyalists that informed him of the Huns supposedly "withdrawing" from Georgia, as they received the information from plantation owners in the border areas. "Evidently not. He must have moved his troops discreetly." The British officer sighed and marched towards the barracks, "Inform your men to take positions on the western portions of the town. The Huns may be fearsome, but they are few in numbers. We may be able to hold them off and force them to retreat." An hour later, it became evidently clear that the Huns were both fearsome and many in numbers. He had heard initial reports that the Huns only numbered only a thousand or so, but from what the lieutenant colonel saw, there were easily over two thousand Continental marines invading Savannah. "Oorah!" Lieutenant Colonel Campbell swore that the Hun''s battle cry rocked the ground itself and the men under his command looked shaken. He waved one arm in the air and rallied his men, "Hold your ground and don''t let those damn Huns get on your nerves!" The Huns opened fire outside of his own men''s range and inflicted a few casualties in the British ranks. However, the lieutenant colonel had adapted several of the tactics used by the Huns themselves and had his troops hidden in fortifications and ditches. While he thought the style of fighting was "ungentlemanly," he knew that it was a necessity for victory. "Maintain your positions and force them to approach us! Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" The British officer ordered. Thankfully, the Continental marines did not have artillery amongst them and was forced to resort to musket fire. After several rounds of ineffective fire, the Huns moved forward closer and closer to the British positions. Towards the front, the lieutenant colonel could make out a single Asian man leading the pack. Strangely, it seemed as though the Huns were moving in an arrow formation. Once they got within a hundred yards, Lieutenant Colonel Campbell called out his order, "Fire!" Hundreds of muskets rang out in unison and the British officer was pleased to see dozens of the Huns fall onto the ground. However, the marines took no time to exploit their chance to snipe down the exposed British soldiers and returned fire, causing dozens of his own British regulars to collapse. Even so, the British continued to pour fire on the exposed marines, who pushed forward despite losing numbers of men. Just then, the center of the marines arrow formation opened and hundreds of horses and their riders charged towards the British positions. The charge caused great disarray amongst the British lines and despite the British officer''s best efforts to organize his men, chaos fell upon the battlefield. The other marines, taking advantage of the chaos, pushed forward with little opposition and pushed into the British defenses relentlessly. The lieutenant colonel managed to rally a few hundred of his men to fall back towards a secondary defensive position. After receiving reports that the Loyalists were also on the retreat, the British leader was forced to abandon his positions. Unfortunately, as he was leading his men deeper into the town, he was shot in the back by one of the marines. In another timeline, Lieutenant Colonel Campbell would be hailed as a hero for becoming a crucial part of the defense of Jamaica. In this world, he was one of four hundred British/Loyalist casualties in the Battle of Savannah (along with one hundred and fifty marine casualties). Chapter 41: Indians and a War Belt "Sir, there is a large party of Indians that is waiting towards the northern limits of the town," Colonel Poor stated as he walked into his general''s tent. General Kim frowned as he eyed the colonel warily, "Are they hostile?" "No, sir. Apparently, their leader wants to speak with you." "Tell them that I''m on my way," The general replied. The colonel saluted and walked out of the tent. Meanwhile, the general stood up from his seat and gathered any valuable gifts he could offer to the Amerindian leader. He knew that gifts were an important aspect of diplomatic exchange with the Native Americans (or at least, realized that now after speaking with the American Indians under his command) and prepared accordingly. He placed a significant amount of gold into a pouch and walked towards the temporary armory situated in the camp. Once he arrived, he grabbed three rifled muskets and some ammunition for the exchange. Afterward, he walked to the northern limits of the town and immediately spotted the large contingent of the Native American group waiting for his arrival. The 1st Marine Regiment, 6th Company was watching the newcomers carefully, along with the Native Americans that were part of the Continental Army. When the officer arrived at the scene, the soldiers and marines of the Continental Army stood at attention and faced their leader. The visitors eyed the Asian man intensely, as he stood out from the rest of his men and his features were unusual. An elderly man with a weathered face stepped forward to greet the Asian officer. Immediately, General Kim bowed deeply and presented the gifts he had in hand to the person he assumed was the leader of the delegation, "Welcome to Savannah, sir. I was made aware of your presence just moments ago, so I had little time to prepare a proper gift for your visit. Please, take these items as a sign of friendship and peace from myself and the colonies." The Native American elder looked surprised but smiled warmly as he spoke through a translator, "I am Skigausta Oconostota, the First Beloved Man of the Cherokee tribe. I have traveled for several weeks in order to meet you, but you and your men were constantly on the move so I followed as best as I could. Thankfully, you stopped in this town so I could finally speak with you face to face." "I''m honored to welcome one of the leaders of a prominent tribe such as the Cherokee," General Kim replied, "May I ask why you sought to speak with me?" "I have spoken with the leaders of the tribes of the North. They have told me stories about you and your men: how you vouched for them highly despite being a foreigner and how your men fought alongside their tribesmen throughout the war. You have even managed to convince the white men to stop encroaching in their territory and protected their homeland, for the time being. Tell me, why did you support them?" "Because I hope to create a new nation, a nation founded on equality and liberty," The general answered, "I am not naive enough to believe that the people of the colonies will accept the tribes of the north or your own tribe right away. However, if I am able to ensure that the tribes are treated as fairly as possible, then I will do everything in my power to do so. There will be dissent in some of the northern colonies due to the recent treaty with the tribes of the Iroquois Confederacy, but the tribes now have a voice in the colonies and have been accepted as an equal to any of the other colonies. A nation that believes in the ideas of equality and liberty can not use those ideas selectively." Ocononostota looked thoughtful upon hearing the general''s remarks and nodded, "Wise statements. I did not expect less. If our tribes were to work together with your "nation," then would we receive the same treatment as the tribes of the North?" "As a representative of the colonies, I believe I can say "yes." "Your ideals and actions are promising, but unlike our brethren to the north, we have not seen it for ourselves. Believe me when I say this; I do not wish to bring war upon my people. My people have suffered enough and the fact that there are still white men settling on our lands will make many of my people hesitant to join your cause. But you have my word that there will be no raids to your colonies." "What of the British and Loyalist settlements?" The Cherokee elder smiled, "Since the British are weakened here, I am willing to entertain the idea of raiding their settlements. Of course, if you would provide us with weapons as you did with the tribes of the North, then that idea will be more appealing." General Kim glanced at his troops, "That can be arranged. I can also provide some specie and training for your tribes as well." "I will speak with the others and consider our options," Onoonostota promised, "But before we depart this meeting, I also have a gift for you." One of the Native Americans brought forth a colorful belt made of wampum. The belt was handed to the elderly Cherokee before it was handed to the general, "It is a war belt, for yourself. Even if we do not intervene in your cause, may you and your men find success on the battlefield." With that, the delegation departed, leaving General Kim a bit more confident than before. Chapter 42: Lafayette is Here Savannah, Georgia August 1st, 1776 "We currently have just a little over 11,000 men available from our theater for the attack on Charleston," General Kim said as he pointed at a map of Georgia and South Carolina. The map was labeled to show the approximate location of the Continental units in the area, "General Lee has around 5,000 men at Kingston, but he will be unable to take the town directly with the men he has under his command and must get through Georgetown before reaching Charleston. Therefore, our group will be the main striking force." Around 8,000 soldiers were stationed between New Windsor and Orangeburg, under the command of General Howe. General Kim had the two Marine regiments along with a (hastily created) regiment of Georgia militiamen that consisted of former slaves and white Patriots. Facing them were around 6,000 men, ranging from British regulars to slave conscripts. The information was acquired through less savvy means, but the general believed that the information was fairly accurate. "We outnumber the British substantially, but we must not be overconfident. The British and Loyalists have had Charleston under their control for months now, and I have no doubts that they have prepared defenses accordingly. Additionally, we can not rule out their navy as a factor, as they might be able to provide support in defense of the town. What we need is a rapid, devastating attack to capture Charleston and bring the war in the South to an end." The officers gathered around him nodded their heads in agreement. With the British''s attention divided between three fronts (New England, the South, and the Caribbean), it was evident that this was their best chance to firmly secure the South and clear out the Loyalists from the region. "We must be wary about the possibility of the British sending reinforcements to South Carolina from Flordia," Colonel Knowlton interjected, "There are currently 5,000 British soldiers stationed in East Florida and while many of them are there to protect the British possessions in the Caribbean, it''s possible that some of them may be sent to Charleston if the town is threatened. If South Carolina falls, then they''ll most believe that we''ll threaten West and East Florida." General Kim rubbed his chin, "I have considered the possibility of invading the Floridas after we capture Charleston, but that is for another time. Colonel, do you think that you can gather more intelligence in the Charleston area and find any Patriot sympathizers or slaves to turn against the Loyalists there?" "Yes, sir. I will recall my men from the nearby areas and focus our attention on Charleston." "For now, I believe the best course of action is to secure Georgia from any potential counter-attacks and to make preparations for our final assault on Charleston. I will request for further reinforcements from General Howe in order to secure the southernmost areas of the colony and to rebuild the fortifications around Savannah. We do not want to be flanked by the British troops in East Florida once we make our way north." "Isn''t it better for our army group to move north to assist General Washington with the siege?" Colonel Warren asked. Currently, around 10,000 men under General Washington''s command were laying siege to Boston in order to contain General Burgoyne''s sudden invasion. While Boston was in British hands, the invasion had been contained to the city and surrounding areas. Other than that, General Kim and his men had little information regarding the status of the siege. "I am confident that General Washington will emerge victoriously. However, I will send some reinforcements for him north once we secure the South. I have already sent him... an interesting gift that he may be able to use during the siege." After several more minutes of discussing tactics and invasion paths, the officers adjourned for the night. While General Kim was going over the reports given to him by his regimental officers, a messenger entered his tent and saluted, "General, I come bearing news from General Howe. He says that you may be interested in the contents of the message." The general accepted the papers given to him by the messenger and read the content of the letter. His eyes widened after he read the first few sentences, "So... Lafayette has come." Chapter 43: Lafayette’s Journal "When I entered a small port town called Savannah, I was both nervous and eager. For months, I have heard rumors of a man from China that was an important military leader for the colonials. During my long voyage to the Americas, I spoke with many of the sailors and merchants to discover more about this man. Even they had only heard speculations about this "General Kim," and as my destination grew closer, I spent more and more time wondering how the man ended up continents from his home. During my travel, I also studied the books that Ambassador Franklin handed to me before my departure. The books were filled with information about previous battles the Americans had engaged in and new military theories that were foreign to me. Thankfully, those books stymied my boredom and I was fairly preoccupied with studying as much as I could before my arrival. I must be frank. Before I arrived in this "United States of America," my opinion of my future allies was positive, but also wary. I had heard about the numerous British defeats by the Americans and the cries of liberty stemming from the new nation, but I almost convinced myself that the "Americans" were merely lucky due to British incompetence in battle. I was in love with the ideologies that the Americans were fighting for and they seemed sincere in their pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all (even slaves!), but I was hesitant to imagine that the Americans were well-trained and well-equipped for their cause. After all, they were "mere" colonial subjects and constantly sought to purchase arms and gunpowder from foreign nations. As such, I concluded that the Patriots were merely brave and committed to their cause, and were defeating the British because of their willpower and British neglect. I was wrong. When I arrived in New York City, it appeared as though my assumptions were correct. The city was battered and half-destroyed, and the Patriots only had state militias stationed in the city. While they seemed relatively well-armed, the militiamen were a far cry of the professional soldiers of the French, and even British, Army. I assumed that this was the case for most of the Continental Army and had little expectations for "General Kim" and his men as I traversed towards the southern colonies. Imagine my surprise when I was greeted by thousands of uniformed veterans in the town called New Windsor that looked every bit as professional as the soldiers of France! And I meant thousands of men. They were nothing like the militiamen in New York, as the way they trained and even marched looked strikingly different. In fact, several of them greeted me in French and I discovered that many of them were Queboics! Their leading general, a well-spoken man named Robert Howe, informed me that his commanding general was expecting me down in Savannah. I spoke to him for several minutes and complimented the professionalism of his troops, yet he claimed that it was all due to the works of one General Kim. He even stated that General Kim''s personal units, the Continental Marines, were even better trained and equipped than the rest of the Continental Army. His statements excited me to no ends and I rushed with several of the Marine cavalry, Indians from the areas near Quebec, to Savannah. Most of the Indians spoke very little English, but they were well-behaved and treated me like one of their own, which shocked me. I then learned that General Kim was a strong believer in the ideals of liberty and equality and treated his soldiers equally, regardless of background or race. It was at this time I realized that many of the soldiers that were with General Howe were Negros, which left me both hopeful and flabbergasted. I finally arrived in Savannah after several days of riding and my initial opinion of General Kim was a man of integrity and power. The men under his command respected him greatly and he carried himself in an authoritative, yet humble manner. His face was certainly Asian and his accent made me believe that he was certainly not born in the colonies. The man greeted me eagerly and was perhaps more excited than I was. He gave me a tour of his temporary camp and led his men through drills and training. His tactics and ways of command were certainly foreign, but I soon understood the reason for the continuous American victory against seemingly improbable odds. General Kim inspired his men and his marines were trained to deal with nearly every type of situation. Not only that, but his officers and men were extremely flexible in doctrine and focused on the "winning" aspects of battle instead of the "gentlemen" aspects. Even so, I was impressed by the sights of thousands of elite marines and smiled at the thought of the British surrendering and panicking en masse against this powerful force. When night came upon the town, General Kim invited me to a personal conversation with him in his tent. I happily obliged and we spent hours discussing every possible topic. The topic we spent the most time on was the future of this "United States." Shockingly, it seemed as though the general had numerous connections with the Continental Congress and revealed the future plans that Congres had prepared after the war ended. It seemed as though the United States would become a republic, a "federal republic" at that. I was keenly interested in this topic, as republics were uncommon and lackluster throughout history. But the general seemed confident that this republic would succeed and for some strange reason, I believed him. He asked me about my own personal beliefs and I admitted that I joined the American cause because the ideals of liberty appealed to me greatly. He seemed supportive of my ideas and stated that he believed the ideals of liberty was able to mesh with a monarchial government with experimentation and trials. I was surprised to hear this statement from him, as he was extremely pro-republican, but I appreciated his support nonetheless. I finally ended my conversation with him after hours of interesting dialogue, which is why I am writing this entry. I have learned that we will be moving up north to capture the town of Charles Town from the British within two weeks, and I have determined myself to learn as much as I can and be of use to the cause of liberty..." Chapter 44: Lord Rockingham, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland London, Great Britain August 14th, 1776 Charles Watson-Wentworth, or more well known as "Lord Rockingham," was in a dreary mood. News had arrived from the colonies about the current situation in the war and Parliament was growing increasingly wary of fighting the "Americans" due to it. The Fall of Savannah was another sore point for the ruling North ministry, which was under fire for its handling of the war. The numerous military defeats and the fall of nearly all of Britain''s North American possessions left Prime Minister North in a precarious position. It was becoming increasingly clear that support for the war was plummeting rapidly. Far too many British soldiers had been dead and wounded for little gain, and the amount of money wasted in the war was not unsubstantial. And with Spain declaring war on Britain, resources were needed elsewhere, especially the more valuable British Caribbean possessions. Lord Rockingham sipped on a cup of cider silently as he read the most recent updates about the war of the rebellion. The loss of Savannah meant that effectively, Britain only controlled small snippets of territory in North America. the Floridas, Boston, Charleston, and Prince Edward Island were all that remained in British hands. The former prime minister sighed in disapproval as he read the casualty reports from the battle. Hundreds of British soldiers were once again dead and another loyal colony was lost simply because of Lord North and to an extent, the King. He had advocated strongly for a peaceful resolution to the American quagmire and warned about the potential consequences Britain faced if it roused itself into war. His words were prophetic, as Britain was now stuck in an endless loop of defeat and was surrounded on all sides by enemies that wanted British blood. Yet there was hope that the war in North America was coming to an end. With the controversies surrounding the current ministry, including the continuous military defeats and the support of vicious slavers, Parliament and even the public were clamoring for peace with the Americans. Another British defeat, perhaps in Charleston or Boston, would seal the fate of Lord North and his cabinet. Lord Rockingham was aware that his supporters in Parliament were on the verge of carrying out a vote of no confidence against the Prime Minister should another disastrous defeat occur. And the lord welcomed it, as he wanted to end the war of rebellion in order to deal with the war against France and Spain. A knock on his room''s door snapped him out of his train of thought. The man walked slowly to the door and opened it to see a middle-aged man dressed in formal clothing. When the door opened, the visitor bowed and shook Lord Rockingham''s hand, "Lord Rockingham, you wanted to see me?" "Ah yes, Mr. Burke. Please, take a seat." The two gentlemen sat in their respective chairs and looked at each other. The MP from Bristol was offered a glass of cider and graciously accepted the drink from the lord, "I assume you wanted to discuss about the recent news received from North America, Lord Rockingham?" "Indeed," The lord a sip from his cup and leaned forward, "It seems as though the "Hun" has emerged victorious once again." "A very mysterious individual indeed. First, he appeared out of nowhere and if accounts are to be believed, led the Americans to victory in Boston. Then he raised a significant force and captured Quebec. And now he''s in the South, where he''s freeing slaves in droves and disrupting our war efforts in the theater. Despite his origin, he seems rather talented and a strong supporter of the American cause." "Perhaps the Chinese are to be approached... cautiously. If a single Asian man can impede our war efforts that much, then I have worries about what an army of them can do. But that is for another time. Do you have any news regarding Parliament?" Burke shook his head and leaned back, "Nothing substantial, but I have heard rumors that the current Prime Minister may try something desperate in North America in order to save face." Lord Rockingham slumped in his chair, "Let us hope he does not do anything rash, for the last thing we need is the annihilation of more British soldiers and the loss of our Caribbean possessions." A moment of silence reigned in the room as the two men took in the events of the past several months. After a while, the lord broke the silence by placing down his cider on his desk, "I have also received an interesting proposition from the current American ambassador to France." "Do you mean Benjamin Franklin?" "So you have also heard about him?" Lord Rockingham said with a shadow of a smile on his face, "He is quite an... eccentric man, but he spoke with me for several hours and proposed something interesting." Burke gripped his glass tighter and sat upright in his chair, "What did he have to say?" "If we are to recognize America''s independence and withdraw from North America completely, then America will not cut off ties with us and continue with "business as usual." Of course, they will be under different governance and they will be an independent nation, but the ambassador promised me that America will not support Spain and France and will gladly trade with Britain freely." "All of our North American possessions?" "All except Rupert''s Land," Lord Rockingham confirmed. Burke rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "The only colonies we fully control are West and East Florida, but even they are in danger of being seized if General Burgoyne is defeated and the Continentals are sent southward. But at this point, I believe that is a fair cost for the end of this war. We will be able to save some face by retaining control over Rupert''s Land." Lord Rockingham nodded, "Only if Parliament listened to your words before this entire quagmire began." "Perhaps, but it is far too late to reminiscent of the past. It is unsurprising that he went directly to you, as you are rather sympathetic to their cause and Lord North is against any form of American independence." "If his ministry collapses, however..." For the first time during the entire conversation, Burke smiled, "Then we have a chance to end the war and rebuild our relationship with the American English." Chapter 45: The Battle of Cambridge Cambridge, the United States of America August 23rd, 1776 General George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, remained unfazed as the British marched forward out of Boston. He had been waiting outside the city for weeks, waiting for General Burgoyne to make a maneuver in order to utilize the defenses he had prepared for this moment. General Washington and his men surrounded the city and built defenses in various defensible positions around the city, with his headquarters based in the town of Cambridge near Boston. Thousands of redcoats marched in formation towards General Washington and his men while the artillery pieces from both sides bombarded each other. The British Navy also provided fire support from the coast, but only a dozen or ships were in the vicinity. Some of the shots landed directly onto the British lines, creating large holes that were rapidly filled by other British regulars. Thankfully, the American soldiers and militiamen were hiding in trenches and sturdy fortifications and endured the artillery exchange relatively well. Even so, dozens fell from the heavy fire brought upon the colonial lines from the British Navy and artillery. The general wasn''t a huge supporter of General Kim''s style of warfare but recognized that it was far better for his soldiers to return home safely then die foolishly out in the open. Burgoyne''s troops in front of him were proof of such. Privately, General Washington if his counterpart was delusional since he ordered his men to walk through open terrain in order to fight the entrenched Americans head-on. The Continental Army (and the local state militias) outnumbered the British Army significantly. All in all, nearly 14,000 regulars, along with 6,000 militiamen, were under his command in total, though only around 7,000 were directly at Cambridge with him. He originally had around 10,000 regulars at the beginning of the Siege of Boston, but thousands of soldiers and militiamen from nearby colonies reinforced the general and answered his call to arms. The large number of troops and the high spirits of the Continentals were mainly due to General Kim, as General Washington was aware of the amount of gold the Asian man supplied to Congress for the war. While many of the newcomers were relatively untrained, they were equipped with weapons and uniforms. "Wait for them to get closer. Order the men to begin firing once the British are halfway towards the trenches," General Washington ordered his subordinates, "Prepare the experimental weapons as well." The command was relayed to the other officers that were with their units and the Americans waited patiently as artillery whittled down the British numbers. Even under heavy fire, the British held together solidly while General Burgoyne followed closely behind his frontline troops. Within minutes, the British were within range and several muskets rang out in panic. The panic shots set off a chain reaction and nearly all the entrenched soldiers rained fire upon the enemy. The British were cut down ruthlessly by American fire and General Washington winced at the rather indifference the British soldiers showed to their losses. Even though only half of his men actually fired upon the enemy (due to positioning), the initial volley cut down hundreds of British soldiers. Immediately, the British exchanged fire and dozens of exposed Americans were taken down from the volley. The American soldiers and militiamen reloaded hastily and fired again, though much less accurate this time due to the rising pace of the battle. The second volley from the Americans was scattered but still managed to inflict damage on the marching troops. It was at this moment that the British soldiers rapidly closed their distance and started to run towards the American trenches. The British were wounded and shaken, but they were nowhere near out of the fight. "Fire the Hwachas when ready!" The Hwachas, weapons that originated from General Kim''s ancestral homeland, were wooden artillery pieces loaded with long arrows. They used a complicated mechanism that involved lighting a "fuse," which would then set off the gunpowder that shot the arrows forward. It was a "gift" from General Kim, who had received it from his benefactor. General Washington only had three at hand and he was going to use them to maximize his advantage. Five soldiers manned each Hwacha for positioning, reloading, and lighting the fuse. As instructed by General Kim, the Hwachas were aimed towards approximately fifty yards in front of the American trenches and elevated to a forty-five degrees angle to maximize its firepower and distance. Once the order was given, each crew set off their Hwachas and watched carefully as three hundred arrows flew towards their target. As practiced, the crews aimed for the densest British formations in order to utilize the widespread effect of the arrows. The arrows took several seconds to arrive onto their targets and struck the British formations indiscriminately. The charging British soldiers managed to see the arrows but were far too late to react. Dozens of arrows landed on their targets and instantly decimated the British soldiers towards the front. While over half of the arrows veered off target, the arrows that impacted the British soldiers created a scene of a massacre. Several British soldiers had arrows pierced through their torsos and head, while others cried in anguish at the arrows lodged in their arms or legs. Slowly but surely, the British assault slowed but continued for a reason that General Washington couldn''t fathom. Suddenly, he sickeningly realized that Burgoyne most likely wanted the trenches for himself and was relying on the superior British hand to hand combat to overwhelm a designated point in the defenses. A spearhead tactic. "Prepare for hand to hand combat!" General Washington shouted as he motioned for the crews of the Hwachas to retreat to avoid capture, "Do not fall back, for if we win today, we win our independence!" Thousands of men clashed against each other in the trenches and General Washington remained just outside the trenches to witness the spectacle. Dozens of soldiers surrounded him to protect him while he called out orders to accommodate the ever-changing situation in the trenches. "Sir, General Wooster requests reinforcements to his position!" "The British have been pushed out of the eastern trenches, but they have redoubled their efforts into our center and the British Navy has resumed bombardment in the east!" "12th Massachusetts Regiment has suffered severe casualties and their colonel is dead!" The entire affair was bloody and General Washington rued for the thousands of men that died under his command, but after nearly two hours of intense fighting, the British retreated with under two-thirds of their forces intact. If Washington''s assumptions were correct, then the Battle of Cambridge was the bloodiest day of the entire war. And unfortunately, his own men suffered over a thousand and five hundred casualties. As General Washington attempted to encourage his men''s spirits and rebuilt the battered defenses, a messenger arrived in front of him and his men. The messenger was out of breath, but seemed extremely excited, "General, I bear news from General Kim. He sent me directly without a letter, but asked me to relay this message to you." "What is it?" "Charleston has been seized, we have won sir." Chapter 46: Victors of the Revolutionary War Philadelphia, United States of America September 15th, 1776 General Kim stared at the American flag flying over the Pennsylvania State House disbelievingly. The war was over. Or at least, the fighting part of it was. After the disastrous losses he suffered during the Battle of Cambridge, General Burgoyne withdrew from Boston and fled to Florida. His forces had suffered heavily during the battle and the uncooperative populace pushed the British soldiers to the brink of revolt. As such, the general and his men retreated from the city three days after the battle and ended the short, but significant Boston Campaign. Due to the British defeat at Cambridge, a week-long ceasefire was negotiated between the British military and the American military for both sides to collect themselves, but the results were clear: the United States had won the war. Just over a year after General Kim''s arrival, the United States was (theoretically) independent and the victors of the Revolutionary War. The Continental Army was still not disbanded, as the US and Britain were still technically "at war" with each other. However, General Washington, General Kim, and their men were recalled to Philadelphia for military honors and celebrations. General Kim had no objections to the order, as he and his troops had been fighting for months on end and his men deserved the rest. Thousands of civilians and soldiers were alike were out on the streets in celebration at the war''s end and General Kim was drinking silently as he took in the sight of the celebrations outside of a nearby tavern. There were plenty of alcohol and flags involved, and outbursts of the "Do You Hear the People Sing" song were common. It seemed as though the people were mainly relieved that the war was coming to a close, though there was widespread support for independence. The celebrations almost reminded him of the future United States. Almost. As he watched silently, a tall gentleman adorning numerous medals on his chest joined him and sipped some watered down wine slowly, "It is all over now." "We may have a few more battles ahead of us, but the war is basically over." General Washington nodded his head looked towards the crowd, "We still have much to do to get our new nation on its feet." "I am worried about our nation''s future, but my own future as well." "Your own future?" "I am a man out of time and have done my best in order to help the United States earn its independence early on. As an officer, I did the best I could in order to win America its independence and strengthen it at the same time," General Kim stated, "But what will be my role after the war officially comes to a close? I have many options, but I''m not sure which path I should take." "Perhaps after the Constitution is adopted, you can become our nation''s first president and lead the nation to a brighter future," General Washington suggested. General Kim snorted quietly, "Surely you jest. You are supposed to be the nation''s first president." The Commander in Chief smiled mysteriously, "History has changed, has it not? Perhaps it is no longer my destiny to lead this nation and become its "Father." A moment of silence passed between the two of them before General Kim raised his eyebrows questioningly, "I''m guessing that you wish to return to your farm in Virginia instead of becoming the president?" General Washington let out a small laugh, "You know me too well. And I will return to Virginia after this war because I am confident that you will be a suitable replacement." "I may have future insight and have recognition from the people, but I am still..." "Asian." "Precisely," General Kim answered. "Then perhaps you can establish a precedent, and an important precedent at that," General Washington replied, "You have my support and goodwill." The marine sighed and sipped his own cup of watered-down wine, "The Constitution is still being "patched up" by Mr. Jefferson and his colleagues, so we will put this matter to rest until then." "I agree, now is a time of relaxation and celebration," The Virginian held out his cup towards his counterpart, "For our nation, and for those who lost their lives for its freedom." "For General Arnold and the United States," General Kim drank to the toast, with his Benedict Arnold Medal of Honor and several other medals hanging from his uniform. Chapter 47: The Constitution of the United States A well-armed Populace, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Does that sound better? Jefferson asked his colleagues. John Adams frowned and looked at the text written on the parchment, A bit more specific than the "other" Second Amendment, but perhaps its better to make this Amendment more specific in order to prevent confusion in the future. A group of men was in one of the private rooms of the Pennsylvania State House. Five delegates were assigned to the framing of the Constitution and all of them but Madison were the original authors of the Declaration of Independence, with only Franklin missing due to his current duties in France. James Madison was invited by Jefferson personally and was introduced into the Watchmen Society, the official name of the organization that consisted of those that knew of General Kim''s secret. Originally, James Madison was bewildered at the sudden invitation to be one of the authors of the Constitution but realized the reasoning behind the invitation after learning of his history in the other world. They were tasked with crafting a new and improved Constitution, that would then be presented to the other delegates and further debated upon. "We should take into consideration the evolution of culture and weaponry over time, which is why I reasoned that we shift the wording. The term "militia" was considered outdated in modern times due to the presence of a standing military and the "National Guards" of each state," Jefferson stated. "Perhaps there should be an extension to this amendment to recognize the need for some governmental regulations regarding weaponry, especially the transport of weapons in and out of states," Madison suggested. Jefferson looked at his fellow Virginian for a few moments and wrote on a separate piece of parchment, "A fine suggestion, but the text will need to be crafted carefully. Too many governmental regulations will result in a tyrannical government in the future." "This much more tiring than I expected," Robert R. Livingston, a lawyer from New York, mentioned as he wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, "I expected the process to be much easier since we had the entirety of the Constitution already written out for us, but there are numerous changes that are critically needed." Roger Sherman, the fifth delegate in the room who was also a lawyer by trade and originally from Connecticut, placed down a copy of the "other" Constitution onto a nearby table and looked at the other delegates, "It''s fairly simple; we have incredible foresight on the problems that this Constitution faced in the "other" America''s history. While they did the best they could with the original Constitution and modified it sparingly, they were numerous other problems with the Constitution that politicians were unwilling to change or modify due to their own interests. However, since we know what the problems are, we are able to do our best to fix them. In essence, we are tearing down chunks of the other Constitution and replacing it with "improvements," so to speak." "We have been working on this for nearly a month now, yet we have just barely reached the Bill of Rights," Jefferson muttered, "But thank heavens that we have managed to finish the "core" of the Constitution." Article I was modified in several different ways. Slaves were considered as "one person," but all slaves were to be freed twenty years after the ratification of the Consitution. Afterward, a "sunset" policy would go into effect, banning slavery in total across the United States. "Gerrymandering" or the manipulation of district boundaries to favor a certain party or class, was to be illegal in every shape and form and a nonpartisan committee was to draw the district lines fairly and without bias. The Habeas Corpus was only to be suspended in times of rebellion, not during wars. Term limits were to be established for every elected federal and state positions (with the basis being four years, barring Senators and Representatives). The maximum number of terms for Senators (only federal) would be three, while the maximum number of terms for Representatives would be six. In total, a Congressman could only serve in Congress for twenty years maximum. A "Delaware" Rule was to be implemented in order to designate the number of seats in the House of Representatives, with the lowest populated state serving as the number of people represented by one representative. However, there were talks to potentially implement the Cube Rule to allow Congress to grow more naturally. The redistribution of House seats was to be implemented every twenty years after a national census was taken (the census would be every ten years). Organized territories (with 10,000 settlers or more) were granted one representative in the House of Representatives until their statehood. Congress had to power to levy income taxes when that option became available (the official deal with the other delegates was that tariffs, in turn, would be set incredibly low if that happened). Additionally, Congress was authorized to charter a national bank. Both the representatives and senators would be elected by popular vote, though the state legislature had the power to recall a senator with a supermajority vote. The age requirement for Senators was lowered to match with the age requirement for Representatives (25 years old). Additionally, bribes were specifically banned and donations for active Congressmen were also banned. Article II was slightly trickier. There were plenty of debates between the five men for the power of the executive, but all of them recognized that a semi-powerful executive was needed during certain times. As such, the powers of the executive were broadened to encompass a new power; the Executive Order. An Executive Order was an order that a president was legally able to use during times of crisis or great interest. Once an Executive Order took effect, it was to be active for sixty days maximum. During those sixty days, Congress would vote on the matter and if it passed through Congress with a majority, then the Executive Order would become permanent. If the Executive Order was rejected by Congress through a vote or expired after sixty days, then the Executive Order would be null. As such, the President had some say in law-making, but even that was limited by Congress. However, the Executive Order power allowed a president to respond to a national or foreign crisis rapidly, which was the main basis for the new addition to Article II. Even then, the president was not allowed to declare wars without explicit Congressional permission. Additionally, the President''s form of veto was a "line-item veto," not an over encompassing total veto. The Electoral College was to remain as the method of electing presidents, but electoral votes of each state were not "winners take all." Instead, candidates would be awarded electoral votes according to the voter''s preference. The age requirement for Presidents was lowered to 30 years old, and the qualifications were modified to a person that had been an American citizen for at least thirty years and a resident of the United States for at least fifteen. Article III was also debated fairly intensely, with the five men differing on their views of the Judicial powers. However, they came to an agreement that judicial review was a necessary check to the Legislature. Due to this, judicial review was designated as an official power of the Supreme Court, though the power of judicial review was limited to only the State Supreme Courts and the Federal Supreme Court. Judges were limited to one, twenty-year tenure, including the judges of the Supreme Court. The official number of Supreme Court Justices was to expand by two every century, with the starting basis being seven. The remaining articles were left alone... for the time being. Afterward, the Framers moved onto the Bill of Rights. They were aware of the necessity to incorporate some of the later amendments into the original Bill of Rights for a more equal and better United States, but they were careful in choosing the texts of the amendments and implementing them to a new Bill of Rights. The First Amendment was changed minorly, but the change of wording was crucial: "Congress shall make no law sanctioning any establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Now they were finishing up on the Second Amendment, which was considered (if what they read were to be believed) a very controversial amendment. "Moving on," Jefferson announced as he read through the papers that contained the texts of the other Bill of Rights, "Third Amendment is worded well enough, I believe it can remain as it is." "The Fourth Amendment. Most definitely something I agree with. But in the notes given to us by General Kim, it says that due to the evolution of technology and the expansion of government powers, numerous loopholes have appeared for the government and law enforcement to find exceptions to the Amendment." Adams noted. "A right to privacy, along with a bit more narrow definition of the Fourth Amendment may fix this," Livingston muttered, "However, this is not an easy one to fix, that is for sure." Jefferson wrote on a parchment rapidly as the talks continued behind closed doors. Chapter 48: Bermuda and a Naval Invasion Philadelphia, United States of America September 26th, 1776 Eight frigates and a few schooners and sloops are at our disposable," Captain John Paul Jones reiterated as he spoke with the military officers gathered in the room, "The French Navy in the area is aware of our current plans to capture the island and has offered to provide naval assistance." "What is the navy facing, captain?" General Kim asked. "We expect at least a dozen warships to be based around the island, though we have received information that their presence around the island is inconsistent. It seems as though they have their hands full raiding American merchant ships and fighting off any incursions by the Spanish and French Navy." The officers were gathered in a local barrack built to accommodate the thousands of soldiers in the city. General Washington departed to Virginia several days prior, as he was checking up on the local militias and troops stationed across the United States. Meanwhile, General Kim and his men were garrisoning Philadelphia and preparing for the next, and final step of the war. Captain Jones rubbed the back of his neck as he continued, "With the assistance of the French Navy, our forces will most likely outnumber them. However, I have severe doubts about the quality and training of my men. Some of them were former sailors or officers for various ships, but many of them are untrained and their abilities are questionable." General Kim agreed with the man''s assessment, "That may be so, but any delays on our attacks may allow the British to bring in reinforcements or toughen the defenses on the island. The Bermuda civilian population is sympathetic to our cause, but unless we land troops directly and contest the British there, they will not rise up to aid us." "The problem is the landing part, general," Captain Jones stated, "While we might be able to pull off a victory, the British Navy will put up a very good fight and might deny us total naval supremacy. Our current plan is to land a regiment of marines on the island and seize it, but if for some reason the British are still able to contest the waters around the island..." "Then our forces will be cut off and stranded." "Precisely." The general looked around the room questioningly, "Does anyone have suggestions on how to get around this problem?" Most of the officers under General Kim''s command were veterans and had plenty of experience improvising and adapting according to the situation. As such, the general did not shy away from asking his subordinates for any ideas or suggestions. While most of the officers stood silently and pondered over the situation, Colonel Knowlton spoke up, "What if we snuck onto the island discreetly and landed a smaller strike force, and then proceeded to engage the British Navy directly?" "Go on, Colonel," General Kim said as he looked at the intelligence officer with great interest. "Two years ago, three ships managed to avoid the island''s defenses and patrols and sneaked several barrels of gunpowder out of the Bermuda magazine before fleeing. While the British naval presence was negligible during that time, that brief incursion did allow us to acquire information about potential landing points and the rough positions of the defenses on the island," Colonel Knowlton pointed at the map of the Atlantic Ocean and Bermuda that was strewn on the meeting table, "What if we divert the attention of the British Navy and then land troops similar to the previous operation while they are distracted? It is well known that the British Navy has been aggressive towards hostile vessels. So if we send out a diversion force, we can have it avoid a direct confrontation but lure away any nearby British ships from the island. I would suggest that we divert them south as our main landing forces will be coming from the northeast. To make the deception convincing, we will need to devote a good number of our ships to act as the bait. Once the British take the bait, the remainders of the task force can land on the island relatively unmolested and strike the defenses rapidly. Once the invasion force lands, the remaining ships will head south and strike the British from the north, while decoy force turns around to face off against the British, catching them from both sides and allowing us to seize Bermuda. If for some reason the battle turns awry, then we''ll have some ships near Bermuda to withdraw our forces and return to the mainland." "Your thoughts, Captain Jones?" General Kim asked. Captain Jones looked at the map intensely, "Perhaps instead of having the decoy force consisting just of warships, we can make the bait juicer... If we are able to make it seem like there are prizes on some of the vessels of the decoy task force, then it might ensure that the British take the bait." "Colonel Knowlton, perhaps you could leak some misleading information to the British," General Kim suggested, "I believe I have a potential contact in mind that may inform the British of our "plans" once it is finalized." The colonel grinned, "It''ll be my pleasure, sir." Chapter 49: Battle of Bermuda Entry in the "Worldwide Online Encyclopedia (WOE)," Edited on November 1st of 2025: ..."The Continental Navy saw limited action during the Revolutionary War, due to its insignificant size and the strength of its opponent. Before France''s and Spain''s declarations of war, Great Britain and the Royal Navy dominated the Atlantic Ocean and local North American waters. Even with the numerous amount of privateers, the United States rarely engaged the Royal Navy head-on, and the few times it did, the young nation suffered devastating defeats (see Battle of Florida Bay). However, at the time of the Invasion of Bermuda, the situation in North America, and the world, had changed notably. With two European powers declaring war on Great Britain, both with strong interests in the British Caribbean colonies, the Royal Navy was forced to divert most of its resources to the Caribbean Theater. With the land war in North America grinding to a halt, the Royal Navy withdrew most of its ships from the North American Theather and sent them southward to face the Spanish Royal Navy and the French Royal Navy. However, there were two places where the Royal Navy was still active in the North American Theather: Prince Edwards Island and Bermuda. The ships that patrolled around Prince Edwards Island were a token force, as the British military expected that the island was indefensible against a full-scale American invasion. The island was in close proximity to the newly declared state of Nova Scotia and was surrounded on all sides by hostile territory. As a result, only four frigates and a handful of sloops guarded the island. Meanwhile, a much larger and more powerful contingent guarded the island of Bermuda, a critically strategic resupply point between Great Britain proper and the British Caribbean colonies. While the United States showed no interest in the island, even after the fall of Charleston and the end of the Boston Campaign, Great Britain remained wary of the prospect of an American invasion of the island. It was not a secret that many of the locals on the island were sympathetic to the American cause and even supplied them with stolen gunpowder in the initial days of the Revolution (see the Bermuda Incident). As such, the Royal Navy had a dozen ships based at Bermuda in order to disrupt any attempts of invasion. In addition to this, the defenses on Bermuda were rebuilt (the defenses were originally dismantled after the Bermuda Incident) and a garrison force of two hundred Royal Marines was stationed on the island. On September 30th of 1776, Paul Wentworth, an important British spy that gathered information about American activities in North America, acquired information that the Continental Navy was escorting a small fleet to France which contained prototypes of a new breech-loading rifle that could be produced more efficiently than the then known Ferguson rifles. According to the information Wentworth received from a "disgruntled Loyalist in the Continental Navy," the new rifle could "substantially improve" the combat effectiveness of the French Army, and France could produce "at least a thousand" within a year. The fleet was set to depart Norfolk on October 7th and pass by Bermuda around the 12th. Wentworth immediately sent this information to a British contact in Boston, which was then sent rapidly to the commanding naval officer in Bermuda, Vice Admiral Richard Howe. Unknown to Wentworth, the "Loyalist" was actually a disguised Continental Marine and a member of the Marine Recon Company. The Marine Recon Company distinguished themselves during the Revolutionary War for their combat abilities and intelligence gathering abilities (see Battle of Norton Creek and Operation Michael). The information leak was a planned act carried out under Colonel Knowlton''s orders, as the Continental Navy and Continental Marines, in fact, had their sights on capturing Bermuda itself. The "fleet" headed to France did not consist of merchant ships with a few armed escorts. Instead, the fleet was composed of ships of the Continental Navy that were expecting to fight the British. Due to the Continental Congress, the Continental Navy had ten new "Continental Frigates" at its disposal (though only eight would see action in the Invasion of Bermuda). While the new frigates were untested, all of them were well-armed (six with 32-guns, three with 28-guns, and one with 26-guns) (for more information, read about the Fifteen Continental Frigates). The southern fleet consisted of two of these new frigates (both with 32-guns), along with seven armed merchant ships and two schooners (led by Commodore Esek Hopkins). In addition to the fleet sailing from Norfolk, another fleet, sailing from New York City, was sent as reinforcements for the southern fleet to strike the Royal Navy from the north. The northern fleet consisted of six Continental Frigates (three with 32-guns, two with 28-guns, and one with 26-guns) and three sloops. This fleet was considered the "main" attacking force for the upcoming battle and carried six hundred marines (led by Brigadier General Joseph Warren and Brigadier General Marquis de Lafayette). The leader of the northern fleet was Commodore John Hazelwood, an American naval officer that distinguished himself against the British in South Carolina. Meanwhile, a small French task force, consisting of one fourth-rate ship of the line and two frigates, led by Rear Admiral Chevalier Destouches, departed from Saint Martin in order to aid the Americans. Admiral Howe was recently appointed as the new Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy in the Caribbean Theather and was in transit to the Caribbean when he received the tip off from Wentworth. The admiral, who was unaware of the developments of the Continental Navy, was alarmed at the prospect of France gaining a technological advantage and decided to send seven of the eight ships available to him at the time to intercept the incoming "merchant fleet (four other British ships were raiding American merchant ships elsewhere in the Atlantic). Only the frigate HMS Galatea was left behind to keep watch on the island. The battle commenced on the morning of October 12th, when Admiral Howe''s flagship HMS Intrepid caught sight of the southern fleet approximately twenty nautical miles south of Bermuda. Commodore Hazelwood, on board his flagship USS Bunker Hill, acted according to American plans and sailed his ships eastward in an attempt to bait the British ships to follow him. His maneuvers convinced Admiral Howe that the fleet did, indeed, consist of the valuable breechloader prototypes and moved the British ships away from Bermuda. Approximately two hours after the HMS Intrepid spotted Hazelwood''s fleet, Hopkin''s fleet closed in on Bermuda and attacked the lone HMS Galatea. Despite fighting against nine ships by itself, the HMS Galatea put up a valiant fight and managed to sink a sloop. After receiving numerous hits to its hull and deck, the British frigate struck colors and surrendered to the Continental Navy. Immediately after the HMS Galatea''s surrender, five hundred Continental Marines carried out a swift landing to overtake the island. While the marines fought for control of the island, five Continental Frigates and one of the two sloops sailed away from Bermuda and towards the east to join with the southern fleet (the USS Norfolk and the other sloop remained behind to provide limited fire support and to act as escape ships for the marines if the battle at sea turned awry). The fight on Bermuda itself was costly for the Continental Marines, as the Royal Marines employed tactics similar to tactics used by the American marines and inflicted numerous casualties in the initial assault. More than four dozen marines were killed or injured in the initial landing, in addition to an additional five dozen casualties by the end of the invasion. During the attack into the town proper, around two hundred Loyalists joined the Royal Marines in defense of the island. The defending marines managed to spread the word of the American invasion and roused a sizeable force of locals to resist the invaders. However, this also tipped off the locals that were sympathetic to the American cause and rallied a few dozen of them to harass the Royal Marines and Loyalists. One particular Bermudian, Henry Tucker, provided the American marines with invaluable intelligence on the layout of the island and supported the invasion force with a small group of militiamen he had managed to gather. While most Bermudians were pro-American, the presence of the Royal Marines and the number of Loyalists, limited the American leaning Bermudians from supporting the Continental Marines outright. Nevertheless, when the British were removed from the island, the Bermudian population supported the United States more vocally and acted without fear of repercussions. The battle continued for five more hours before the British surrendered due to the death of their commanding officer Major John Pitcairn. In the end, the Continental Marines displayed their proficiency in marksmanship and their veteran status by overwhelming the Royal Marines and the Loyalists despite the relative even numbers between the two forces. Colonel Warren, who was the leader of the assault, accepted the surrender and hoisted the American flag in the middle of the town to signal to the American ships that were waiting offshore. While the battle was being decided on Bermuda, Admiral Howe finally engaged the Continental Navy just four hours after spotting the American ships. Commodore Hazelwood moved his ships intentionally slower than its maximum speeds and was turning northward when the Royal Navy bore down on his ships. The American commodore gambled his ships due to the fact that Admiral Howe was aware of the prized "breechloaders" that were "on his ships." As such, the commodore correctly believed that his British counterpart would be reluctant to fire on the American ships indiscriminately and would attempt to disable his frigates first in order to capture the merchant ships as prizes. This proved to be true when Admiral Howe initially aimed for only the frigates and avoided heavily damaging the merchant ships and schooners, a move that would come back to haunt him later on. The two Continental Frigates under Commodore Hazelwood''s command, the USS Virginia and the USS Bunker Hill, were the primary targets for the seven British ships. In the initial volleys, the USS Virginia was heavily damaged while the USS Bunker Hill, received relatively light damages as it narrowly missed the shots aimed at her. The American ships returned fire immediately, with several shots striking the HMS Bristol (fourth-rate ship) and two frigates. The three British ships received only minor damages and continued on without any hindrance. It is important to note that one of the American schooners, the USS Enterprise, was outfitted with eight four-pounder rifled cannons. Even though the four-pounders did little damage compared to the more powerful eighteen-pounders and twenty-four pounders, the rifled cannons allowed the crew of the USS Enterprise to unleash accurate shots upon the British ships. The rifled cannons were developed at Pelissier Ironworks, which was owned by Quebec Representative Christophe Pelissier. Developing rifled cannons were both costly and time-consuming, which was why only the USS Enterprise was armed with them. Still, the rifled cannons would prove to make a difference in the battle as the USS Enterprise would go on to cripple and sink the HMS Canceaux. As the battle raged on, the small French fleet appeared just south of the British positions and engaged the British from behind. Unknowingly, Commodore Hazelwood created an opportunity for the French ships to strike at the British ships while they were out of position. The Royal Navy managed to turn in time to greet the surprising appearance of the French ships, but were struck with a solid volley from the French Fourth-Rate ship Fier and her escorts. The volley impacted HMS Mermaid and damaged the ship heavily, to the point where the ship began to take water rapidly after being struck by the French ships (she sank just an hour later). Taking advantage of the confusion, Commodore Hazelwood ordered his ships to use their advantage in speed and smaller size to maneuver around the British ships and force the British to split their attention. The plan worked phenomenally as the American ships prevented the British ships from fully directing their attention on the French ship of the line and harassed them continuously. However, after the arrival of the French, the USS Virginia was struck with more cannon fire from the HMS Intrepid and was out of the battle, leaving the USS Bunker Hill as the sole frigate in the fight. Shortly after the arrival of the French fleet, Commodore Hopkins'' fleet appeared on the horizon from the northwest, which shocked Admiral Howe greatly. With the appearance of another American Fleet, the British admiral suspected that the battle was a ruse for an invasion of Bermuda (unknowing to him, Bermuda was already under American occupation by this time). Thus, Admiral Howe moved his ships to intercept the incoming fleet and sail back to Bermuda. He also ordered his ships to fire upon all vessels, including the merchant ships. Onboard the USS Benedict Arnold, Commodore Hopkins ordered his ships to prevent the Royal Navy from returning to Bermuda and employed a similar tactic to Commodore Hazelwood; he moved his ships flexibly and engaged the British from a distance. The combined fire from all sides took a toll on the British fleet. While the Royal Navy managed to sink another Continental Frigate (USS Pennsylvania) and destroyed several smaller ships, it found itself outgunned and outnumbered. Admiral Howe lost two frigates in a span of an hour before he finally abandoned his plans to break for Bermuda. He then redoubled his efforts to exploit a gap between the northern American fleet and the French Fleet to escape to the Bahamas. It was during this effort that the HMS Bristol was crippled to a halt by the steady fire from USS Samuel Kim (under the command of Captain John Paul Jones, who would be promoted after the battle). The northern American fleet moved in quickly to surround and capture the British fourth-rate. Captain Jones had a small detachment of marines on his ship in case of boarding action (led by General Lafayette) and his ship led the way to seize the crippled British ship for the Continental Navy. Despite receiving extensive damages from heavy British fire, the USS Samuel Kim managed to hook onto the HMS Bristol and started the boarding action. General Lafayette, who showed resilience and bravery at the Battle of Charleston, led one hundred marines and dozens of sailors from the USS Samuel Kim onto the beleaguered British ship and captured it within an hour. The captain of the British ship, Captain Henry Mowat, surrendered his ship to the French general after a tough battle which resulted in the death of ten marines and numerous sailors of the USS Samuel Kim. By then, Admiral Howes flagship and the surviving two frigates managed to escape the battle and sailed to the Bahamas. The battle would have huge ramifications for both Great Britain and the United States. For the United States, it was the first major naval victory over Britain and allowed the United States to have a stronger position during peace negotiations with Great Britain. In particular, the loss of Bermuda meant that the Royal Navy lacked a sufficient base to resupply from in between Great Britain proper and the British Caribbean colonies. As such, the United States would acquire all of Britains North American possessions in exchange for basing rights in Bermuda and East Florida till the end of the war with France and Spain. Despite the deal, the loss of Bermuda would allow France and Spain to gain an edge in the Caribbean, which would result in the fall of Jamaica in March of 1777. For Great Britain, the loss of Bermuda and a number of its ships would be another nail in the coffin for Lord North. Combined with the loss of South Carolina and Georgia, along with the failures of the disastrous Boston Campaign, Lord Norths ministry would collapse totally and would allow the Whigs to form a new government under Lord Rockingham. Despite its shaky beginnings, the new Whig government would prove to be an effective and powerful political force for the next decade. Another ramification of the loss of Bermuda was a heavy blow to Britains psyche. The island nation was embarrassed by its former colony in nearly every land battle. However, it never lost a naval battle against the United States until Bermuda. After the loss of Bermuda, the British public would grow skeptical of the true might of the British military and this would result in new reforms in both the army and the navy. Additionally, the seemingly invincibility of the Americans would greatly affect the decisions made by Britain in the Anglo-American War... Chapter 50: Formalizing the Occupation Bermuda, United States of America (Military Occupation) October 29th, 1776 General Kim stepped off the sloop that transported him to Bermuda and was greeted by salutes from the marines stationed on the island. The Invasion of Bermuda was an unprecedented success and was widely considered an important strategic victory to secure American shipping lanes in the Atlantic. After reading the battle reports, General Kim felt as though the victory was achieved due to both luck and skill. The marines, under General Warren''s leadership (who was promoted due to his efforts in South Carolina and Georgia) seized the island as planned. They took more casualties than expected, but the marines managed to push into the island despite facing heavy fire and succeeded in securing it from the British due to their superior experience, training, and weaponry. Meanwhile, the Continental Navy managed to pull off a miraculous victory partially due to chance and luck, as the British moved exactly as they hoped. Even so, he could not dispute the fact that the sailors of the Navy fought courageously, especially Captain John Paul Jones of the general''s namesake ship and Captain William Stewart of the USS Enterprise. "Sir," General Lafayette saluted him as he approached the harbor, "Good to see you with us." Even though English wasn''t his native tongue, the French officer spoke English reasonably well with an accent. Needless to say, Lafayette was gifted with a bright mind and keen observation skills, which General Kim saw at Charleston. While the general himself didn''t directly participate in the battle (a rarity, as he usually led the marines personally), he had no doubts that Lafayette carried out his part in the invasion exceptionally. The HMS Bristol (which had been renamed the USS Bermuda) stood as a testament to that fact. The mighty fourth-rate ship was being fixed in one of Bermuda''s docks and was expected to be the flagship of the Continental Navy for some time. The Asian officer returned a crisp salute and adjusted his uniform, "It''s good to see you alive and well, general. I must compliment on your performance during the invasion and your stellar heroics during that naval boarding. Now, how is the situation on the island?" "Thank you, sir. As you already know, General Warren has been appointed as the military governor of Bermuda until the end of the war. As such, he has been overseeing the rebuilding of defenses on the island. Thankfully, the damages were not extensive, so General Warren expects the defenses to be at full strength within a month. We have already employed a few locals for the task, but the majority of the work is being carried out by the marines of the 3rd Battalion and 4th Battalion. Additionally, we have brought over a few engineers from the mainland to help set up additional defenses, including the one you recommended: Tadeusz Kosciuszko. I''m beginning to see why you recommended him, sir. The man is brilliant and is very thorough in his work." While Bermuda was under American control, the members of the Continental military were well aware that the British could attempt to reseize the island at any given time. Due to this, two full marine battalions, some six hundred marines, were permanently stationed on the island until further notice. The Continental Navy was based on the island as well, and constantly patrolled the waters around it. While the French ships that assisted the Continental Navy during the Invasion of Bermuda had departed, a bigger contingent of French ships was expected to arrive within by mid-November. As for the Polish officer serving in the Continental Army, General Kim saw the presence of Tadeusz Kosciuszko as a victory of sorts. The man was clearly talented and his skills were often wasted in the other history. While the war was practically over by the time the man arrived in the United States (except the Boston Campaign, in which Kosciuszko was a part of Washington''s staff and was one of the primary reasons why the defenses around Boston held solidly), his skills were still invaluable. The general made a mental note to convince Congress to offer the man a place in the future American military and task him with building defenses towards the western frontier and the coastal areas if possible. Perhaps this time, the man wouldn''t leave back to his homeland due to the lack of respect and lack of payment he received from the United States. "I see, and the political situation on the island?" General Lafayette smiled warily, "Not terrible, but not great either. It seems as though much of the English population are a bit reluctant to follow our directives." After the occupation began, General Warren implemented many of General Kim''s own ideals and rules on the island. Despite the island not being mentioned in the Emancipation Proclamation, the new governor banned slavery on the island and gave the minorities (which was actually the majority of the island''s population) greater freedoms and rights. The wages of slaves were paid out of pocket by General Kim and Congress, but the new changes brought by the Americans stirred up some resentment amongst the islanders of English descent. "I''m not too surprised," General Kim crossed his arms as he watched some of the marines rebuild the fortifications on the beaches, "While many Bermudians are sympathetic to the American cause, it''s mainly because we have a stronger economic presence here than Britain. Otherwise, we would have faced much stiffer resistance." "General Warren has already offered free passage to those that wish to flee to Britain, and around four hundred locals have taken up his offer. Those that are staying on the island are... tolerating the changes at best. Thankfully, some of the more sympathetic locals have voiced their support for our presence on the island." "Hearts and minds, General Lafayette. We can not expect to change a person''s opinion overnight. Instead, we must help them realize that there are better alternatives to slavery and that in the long term, the changes will be beneficial to them." The French general nodded, "I do not doubt it, sir. Slavery is against everything the American cause stands for, but it must be treated with caution." While the two men were conversing and walking towards the central parts of St. George, the capital of Bermuda, a finely dressed man approached the two officers and nodded his head, "General Kim, General Lafayette." "Captain Jones! I mean... Commodore Jones. How are you?" General Kim exclaimed. One of the few men in on his secret, the general viewed Commodore Jones as a friend and a close confidant. The navy officer was one of the few contacts General Kim had in the navy and the Asian officer often gave information and advice to the commodore. "Doing as well you can imagine," Commodore Jones broke out into a wide grin, "General Lafayette, do you mind if I borrow the lieutenant general for a few moments while I discuss some private matters with him?" "Not at all," General Lafayette replied. However, the commander of the marines did notice that the French officer looked a bit disgruntled at Commodore Jones'' sudden intrusion, "I have some things I must report to General Warren about, so I will be on my way. I will be waiting for you back at the main administrative building, general." When Lafayette departed, the commodore pulled the general into a private room in a nearby inn, "How do you like the ship named after you?" "Well, it''s a fine ship but I''m a bit embarrassed that it was named after me. I don''t think I''m worthy enough to have a ship named after myself." "I must object, general. You are too harsh on yourself. Other than General Washington, you have been the most important officer during this entire war. Without you, it''s hard to imagine where we would stand," Commodore Jones shrugged, "Technically, we know what happened without your presence in the "Revolutionary War," but my point still stands. Additionally, the ship''s name is fitting. She unleashed hell upon the British, just like her namesake." General Kim laughed heartily, "True enough. Now, what did you wish to discuss?" "Several things, if you don''t mind." "By all means." "The first topic I wanted to discuss with you was about the USS Bermuda. Congress has informed me that I will be the captain of the ship once it is patched up." "Congratulations!" General Kim stated sincerely. Commodore Jones waved his hand, "It seemed as though my antics in the other history played part in the decision, along with my actions during the battle for Bermuda. I must admit, I was greatly pleased when I heard the news about my promotion and my new vessel." "It''s good to see that our talented officers being placed in ranks deserving to them." General Kim was silent for a few moments before speaking again, "But regardless of your "other" self, you deserved the promotion based on the merits of "this" history." "Well, reading about my "other" self did influence my actions a bit. It seemed as though I was revered as some hero in the other history, but I was hardly a figure to look up to, so I cleaned up my act a bit. Perhaps the biggest impact was that I wanted to cry out "I have not yet begun the fight!" sometime during the battle, but never got the chance to as we were doing well for the majority of it." The two men chuckled at the remark and settled down to continue their discussion, "What else did you want to speak to me about?" The commodore leaned in and glanced around the room before speaking, "It''s in regards to your secret. I was hoping that you would be able to convince Pelissier to build more of those rifled cannons that were on the Enterprise and perhaps help convince Congress to maintain a navy after the war''s end." "I have already spoken with Representative Pelissier about the rifled cannons. He believes that he can forge a few more, but desires to utilize his resources to other projects, especially steel-making. As for an official navy, I have discussed the matter with Mr. Jefferson and a few others. It seems like the United States will have a navy, a decently sized one at that, in order to protect our shipping lanes and the waters around Bermuda after the war ends. Even if the British recapture Bermuda, you will have your navy." "Thank heavens! I was beginning to wonder if I needed to move to Russia as I did in the other history," Commodore Jones rubbed his neck, "Though I can''t imagine why I would live in an ice-cold hell like Russia. Perhaps it was because of the commission I received, but after reading about my fate in Russia in the other history, I have no desire to go there or even leave the United States for that matter." General Kim smiled, "This time, America won''t abandon its heroes, John. They will be remembered and repaid, as they should be." Chapter 51: Securing Bermuda Bermuda, United States of America (Military Occupation) November 11th, 1776 "No slacking off until we finish, men! Lunch will be served after we dig out these trenches, so work faster!" Captain Hamilton hollered. The members of the 1st Marine Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 6th Company were digging trenches and erecting barricades near the beaches around St. George, the capital of Bermuda. Despite Captain Hamilton''s shoutings, the men were already working their hardest to finish their set quota for the day. In total, there were two battalions (which constituted for 4 companies) on the island and they were rotated out to work on the defenses around the island. While one battalion trained and "kept the peace" around the island, another battalion worked on the defenses and ensured that the various guns and encampments on the island were usable. "He''s screaming at us, but he''s not doing any work of his own," Private First Class Timothy Reed grumbled. Sergeant George Brown, who was promoted like many members of 6th Company due to their bravery during the Battle of Charleston, dug into the ground with his shovel, "I mean, he was helping us earlier. Besides, we dig trenches all the time." "I guess it could be worse, at least the view is nice," The PFC replied as he glanced at the beaches, "The weather is really nice too. Maybe after I retire, I can come back here for a visit." "You want to leave the marines?" Private First Class Tom Kim looked shocked and nearly dropped his shovel. The former slave sounded much more well-spoken after spending months with the marines and was now semi-literate. He also carried himself with more confidence and dignity, as he had a much more noticeable presence than before. "Well yes. I enjoyed my time serving in the marines, but I have family in Pennsylvania that I need to get back to, remember? My father owns a farm and wants me to take over for him once I return." Private First Class Kim looked thoughtful as he continued digging, "That be nice, having a family to go back to. I probably stay in the marines, if it exists after the war. The marines are my family, and they set me free." The Pennsylvanian looked embarrassed and looked down to focus on his digging, "I''m sorry Tom. It slipped my mind that your family isn''t in the Americas..." "No worries Tim," PFC Kim replied, "Happens all the time with me when I''m learning." "If we want to talk about our life stories and future plans, let''s do it while we''re eating lunch. Because I don''t know about you gents, I want to eat," Sergeant Benjamin White noted casually as he flicked away a pile of dirt. "Yes Sargent," The three enlisted men replied in unison. It took approximately an hour for the trenches to be finished and when the marines of the 3rd Battalion finished, they erupted into cheers. Before they could all run off to the kitchen hall to feast on their lunches, the men were stopped by Captain Hamilton and another officer that they were all too familiar with: Brigadier General Joseph Warren. The men all stopped in their tracks and scrambled to form lines. When they all did, they saluted the two officers with all the respect they could muster. General Warren gave the men a friendly smile and saluted back. The men weren''t too afraid of the men, as he was generally kind, but they knew he took discipline seriously, "I''m afraid we have a change of schedule, gentlemen. But it might be a change of schedule that you may approve of. In two hours, all marines of the 3rd and 4th Battalion will report to their barracks and change into their dress uniforms. We have an important guest coming from Europe to visit the island before transiting to the mainland, so I expect all of you to look and act professionally. Am I understood?" "Yes, sir!" "And since you have been working hard for the past two weeks, I will allow you to take the day off and enjoy yourselves after the visitors are escorted elsewhere. For now, you are dismissed." After two hours, all the marines on the island were gathered near St. George''s harbor and were waiting for the "esteemed guests" to arrive. Unsurprisingly, this caused quite a stir amongst the men. "Do you think the guests are going to be members of royalty or nobles?" Private Hugh Jackson asked the marines around him excitedly. "I doubt any European nobles would want to come here or America, out of all places. If anything, it''s probably going to be another European officer. There has been a whole bunch of them joining our ranks recently," Sergeant White replied. The private looked slightly crestfallen, which made some of the other marines nearby grin at the boy''s naivety. "The ships are arriving!" One of the marines shouted. Despite their training, nearly all the marines turned to see a ship that was a few miles offshore. The ship sailed into the harbor gracefully and when the guests stepped onto the ground, the marines all snapped to attention. General Warren personally came out to greet the delegation, which consisted of five men and a dog. The men leading the entourage, a tall and imposing officer dressed in full military uniform, shook the general''s hand and spoke with him through a translator, "Thank you for coming out to welcome me, General..." "Warren. Brigadier General Joseph Warren of the Continental Marines." "Ah, yes. General Warren. And these are your men, I presume?" "Not all of them, but most. They are some of the finest the marines have to offer." The man inspected the marines thoroughly and nodded in approval of what he found, "Truly remarkable. Your men seem to be well-trained and well-armed. May I ask for them to perform some mock drills to see their capabilities?" "Of course, General von Steuben," General Warren led the Prussian general''s entourage and the marines to an open area, where the marines carried out a dozen different formations and maneuvers. The marines also displayed their marksmanship and trigger discipline at a recently-built firing range. General von Steuben looked suitably impressed, "Are all of the soldiers in the Continental Army like this?" "Not necessarily. Some units are trained better than others, but the marines have been specially trained by Lieutenant General Samuel Kim." "Ah, the Hun in Gentleman''s Clothing," General von Steuben smiled when he saw that the American military governor looked confused, "There are some in Europe that call your general by that name, especially the British. Do you also have the reports that I requested before my arrival?" General Warren handed a packet of documents after he received it from his assistant and gave it to the Prussian, "All the details of the battles the Marines have fought in are in there, along with our code of conduct and rules." The Prussian general thanked the man and had his military secretary Peter Stephen Du Ponceau carry it for him, "Very well, let us excuse ourselves and discuss more over some refreshments." In a short while, the marines were dismissed to enjoy the day off and the members of the 6th Company ran off to finish constructing a side project of theirs. A baseball field. Chapter 52: Into Kentucky” Colonel Salem Poor, commanding officer of the 2nd Marine Regiment (along with the 1st Cavalry Battalion and the 1st Recon Battalion), slowly approached the small town of Boonesborough, which was two hundred miles northeast to the closest American fort. His unit was sent to Kentucky in order to help protect the few American colonists in the area and attempt to end the violent conflict between the settlers and Shawnees in the north. Thankfully, the Cherokees had kept to their words and only a few rebellious Cherokee tribesmen threatened the American settlers in the region. However, the Shawnees were overtly aggressive against the United States and any attempt to conduct diplomacy with them was met with hostility. The border war between the American settlers in Kentucky and the Shawnees intensified after the Iroquois and Cherokees decided against fighting the Americans, and Colonel Poor was sent with his men to limit the amount of damage on both sides. He also had an important message to deliver to the settlers of the Kentucky Territory. The columns of soldiers were greeted by a small group of armed settlers within Boonesborough, who all looked enthusiastic at the sight of American soldiers. One of them was dressed in a modest military uniform while the others were all dressed like frontiersmen. A man in his early thirties, which Colonel Poor reasoned was the leader of the group, shook Colonel Knowlton''s and Colonel Silliman''s hands and pointedly ignored Colonel Poor, "Welcome, sirs. It''s good to see that Congress is finally sending some troops over here. Those accursed Indians have been raiding our settlements for months!" Colonel Poor was not a stranger to racism. Even with the better treatment, he received nowadays thanks to General Kim and his men, there were plenty of Americans that were skeptical of his abilities and rank. While he wasn''t personally offended, the colonist''s indifference towards him left a poor taste in his mouth. The leader of the Marine Battalion looked uneased as he glanced over to Colonel Poor, "Actually, he is the leader of this unit." "The Negro?" The man looked stunned as he turned to the well-dressed African American marine. "Colonel Poor, commanding officer of the 2nd Marine Regiment and the leader of this expedition," Colonel Poor replied cooly, "May I ask who you are?" "Daniel Boone, the leader of this settlement," Boone looked visibly embarrassed at his mishap and quickly moved to shake the man''s hand, "I apologize for that, but there aren''t a lot of Negros in Traynslvania and the ones that are here are..." The marine officer didn''t wait for the man to finish and smiled forcibly, "General Kim sends his regards, Mr. Boone. My unit will be assisting the defense of your settlements for the time being. However, I have brought with me a list of conditions that you and the other settlers of Kentucky will follow if you wish to continue your livelihood here." Boone nodded his head hesitantly and listened to the colonel''s words, "First of all, the Transylvania Purchase is now null and void, due to a new agreement that the United States has made with the Cherokees." "That is outrageous!" Boone exploded, "My men and I have shed blood for this land, land that is rightfully ours I say! If you are here to force us out, then we will not be removed willingly." At this moment, several of the men in Boone''s group drew their firearms, which provoked a reaction from the marines. Colonel Poor stood his ground while over a thousand marines stared down the settlers with their rifled muskets. Realizing his mistake, Boone ordered his men to stand down, but the marines maintained their positions in front of the settlers. "I have not yet finished, Mr. Boone," Colonel Poor stated as he pulled out a parchment which contained all the conditions in which the settlers in Kentucky were expected to follow, "That is only the first part. Now if you are willing to listen, then perhaps you will not be as enraged as before." "Go on." "A new treaty has been negotiated, which has been officialized just several weeks ago. You are aware of the location of the Green River, correct?" "The large river just fifty miles south of here?" "Yes. That is the final, and official, border between the Cherokees and the "Kentucky Territory. Settlers will be not permitted to establish any settlements south of that river. However, anything north of that can be legally settled, provided that you receive permission from the state government of Virginia." "And on whose authority was this treaty negotiated?" Colonel Poor frowned, "By the authority of the Continental Congress of the United States, Commander in Chief George Washington, Lieutenant General Samuel Kim, and Governor Patrick Henry of Virginia. If you wish to dispute this matter, then I suggest you petition to them to settle the matter." Boone turned pale but kept silent as the colonel continued, "Furthermore, any raids or violent acts against the people of the Cherokees, the Creeks, or any of the tribes south of this settlement will be dealt harshly. However, both Congress and Governor Henry have recognized that the Shawnees have refused to negotiate a peaceful settlement on the matters of colonists in this region. Therefore, I have been authorized to protect your town and ensure that any incursions from the Shawnees are met with force, or negotiations whenever possible." "Just to make things clear; we are not being removed from Transylvania." "No." "You are here to protect us from those savages that raid us from the north, but we are to make peace with those in the south?" "That is correct." "And how can you be trusted to handle this matter fairly when you have Indians in your own regiment!" Boone pointed at the Iroquois cavalry unit (nicknamed the Spirit Walkers). Colonel Poor offered a small smile, "Because they are not Shawnees, Mr. Boone. They are from the Iroquois Confederacy, who are not friendly with the Shawnees either." The frontiersmen looked disgruntled but kept his opinions to himself. "Oh, and one more thing Mr. Boone, if any slaves are within your town''s jurisdiction, then they are to be freed immediately." Boone escorted the marines into the small town with frustration in his eyes and the men were given a tour of the settlement. Afterward, the soldier with the frontiersmen, a young Virginian militia captain named George Rogers Clark, gave them a rundown of the current stock of weapons and ammunition, "We''ve been hit hard lately, but we still have a sizeable amount of weapons and ammunition in case we''re attacked again." Colonel Poor nodded approvingly, "My men and I have brought supplies needed for the town, including some food and weapons. And if the Shawnees come around again to raid the settlements around here... then we''ll meet them on the battlefield." Chapter 53: An Timely Rescue Boonesborough, Kentucky Territory (Claimed by Virginia) November 24th, 1776 "Colonel, we have a problem," Boone said as he hastily walked into a large warehouse the marines were using as a barrack. The colonel was in the process of organizing supplies and writing letters for additional arms and foodstuff to Governor Henry when the frontiersman walked in. Colonel Poor and his men had settled into the town fairly quickly. While some of the townsmen were clearly angry at the sudden agreement that Congress made with the Cherokees, even they were grateful for the presence of the marines. Since they had arrived, not a single raid had occurred within "Kentucky," though Colonel Poor received scattered reports that clashes still occurred between American settlers/Iroquois tribesmen and Shawnee Indians in the Ohio territory. Over the past two weeks, Colonel Poor directed his men to improve defenses around the town and helped the locals hunt and tend livestock. This gave the settlers a tremendous morale boost, as they felt more secure and hopeful due to the assistance given to them by the marines. There were rumors that more settlers may move into the area, but the rumors were unverified. "What is it, Mr. Boone?" "My daughter, her friends, and two men have gone missing." The colonel stood up from his seat and looked at Boone intensely, "Do you have any details of this matter?" Boone looked distressed as he paced in front of the African American officer, "Five days ago, the group, including my daughter, left for a hunting trip just a few miles north of the settlement. They left with enough provisions for two days and promised to be back within three days at the latest. However, the group hasn''t returned and nobody has seen them since they left town." "And you said this was five days ago?" Colonel Poor asked, "Why was your daughter with them?" "Yes! Five days ago. Jemima has an independent streak and often goes hunting with the others to help. I insisted that she remained in the settlement, but she refused and promised that she would be safe, so I gave her a firearm and allowed her to leave with the others. I''m afraid I made a grave mistake," Colonel Poor studied the man carefully and sighed, "I''ll do my best to find them and bring them back safely, Mr. Boone. I promise you that." "Thank you. For now, I will gather up some of my own men to see if we can be of any help." Before Colonel Poor could say anything, Boone left the building. Colonel Poor spoke with Colonel Sillman after the man left, "Has Colonel Knowlton and his men returned?" "No, colonel. They''re returning from Lexington, so they won''t be here for several days." "Then I''m afraid I have no choice but to deal with the matter myself," Colonel Poor said as he walked towards the exit, "While I''m gone, you are in charge Colonel Sillman." Colonel Sillman nodded, "Will do. Take care, colonel." With great haste, the African American marine found his Native American marines drilling just outside the city limits, "Is Captain Okwaho here?" "Here I am," A deep voice rumbled as a tall and well-built Amerindian wearing a marine uniform stepped forward, "Do you need something?" "Several of the settlers have gone missing and I need your assistance in tracking them down." Captain Okwaho frowned, "I will go with you then, and bring some of my best trackers with me." The Native American captain gathered ten other riders and moved to the entrance of the town, where Boone and five other men were gathered. Colonel Poor approached him carefully and spoke, "Mr. Boone, you are better off staying here with the others and making sure no one else goes missing." "But it was my daughter that went missing!" "I understand your concern, but I promise you that we will return them safely. And I''m sure the people of this town need your assurance and leadership during these troubling times." Boone hesitated, but eventually relented, "Godspeed, colonel. Please bring them back." Colonel Poor gave the man a small salute, "Will do, Mr. Boone. Just you wait." The search party traveled the approximate location of where the missing townsmen were hunting and searched around to find any tracks or clues. Suddenly, one of the riders called out to Captain Okwaho, who listened to the man''s words before translating it to the colonel, "He says that there is blood and marks on the ground indicating that something, or someone, was dragged nearby. There are also flecks of paint on the ground near the marks." "And your guess?" Captain Okwaho scowled, "Judging by our location, I would say our neighboring Indians up north." "Shawnee," Colonel Poor looked around cautiously, "How long have those marks been here for?" Another flurry of conversation passed between the two Amerindians and the captain turned back to the colonel after the exchange, "No more than three days. He says there are several tracks left behind, so trailing after them should not be too difficult." "Let us be on our way then." The group rode their horses and followed the trail left behind by the Shawnee Indians and the settlers. When they discovered the party resting in the middle of the woods, Colonel Poor executed an attack without hesitation. The eleven marines on horseback thundered into the camp and dispatched the six Shawnee Indians they found quickly, though Colonel Poor ordered his men to show restraint when dealing with the kidnappers. Four of the Shawnee Indians were knocked out of battle immediately and the remaining two fled north. "Are you alright?" Colonel Poor asked as he spoke with one of the frightened girls. "Yes, for the most part," The girl replied, "Did father send you?" "If your father is Mr. Boone, then yes. I''m with the Continental Army and I was sent here to bring you safely back to Boonesborough." Jemima looked relieved and took the hand that the colonel offered her with caution, "Thank goodness! The Indians were kind enough to us but to Henry and James that were with us..." It was at this moment that Colonel Poor realized that there were only three girls in the camp, and the men were nowhere to be seen, "What happened to them?" "Dead. They tried to protect us, but they were overwhelmed by the Indians, and then they were scalped." Colonel Poor''s face darkened as he placed the girl on his horse, "I''m sorry for what happened, and I promise that it will be dealt with accordingly. For now, let us get you back to safety." The girls were a bit frightened when they realized that the other riders with the colonel were Indians themselves, but after a few minutes of explanations and reassurances, the two other girls rode with Captain Okwaho and one of the others. The four Shawnee prisoners were also placed on some of the riders. As they rode back towards Boonesborough, Jemima gripped the colonel''s back and sobbed into his uniform, "Henry and James were so kind... and they were helping me learn to improve my shooting when..." The colonel had dealt with the British and had risked his life on multiple occasions, but he never expected to help counsel a girl after a loss, "They''re in a better place now. After today, I''ll send out my patrols nearby and make sure this never happens again." "You promise?" "I promise." Chapter 54: The Constitution of the United States of America Philadelphia, United States of America December 10th, 1776 John Hancock looked at the five dozen delegates in front of him and banged his gavel, "We will now begin today''s session, gentlemen. We have much on our agenda to go over today." The Continental Congress was gathered in the Pennsylvania State House as per usual, but the main topic on the agenda was hardly normal. Today''s meeting would decide if the United States would truly stand "united" and establish a nation unlike any other. A federal republic, established by a Constitution. The Constitution. "For the past two months, we have debated and edited the draft of this Constitution," Hancock stated as he began the processions, "And now, for the past month, delegates were sent back to their colonies to discuss this matter further with the legislatures of their respective colonies As agreed upon before, the delegates of this Congress will vote on the official establishment of this Constitution today. If Congress decides to approve of the wording of the Constitution, then it will be sent to each individual colony to have it officially ratified by their respective legislatures. To simplify the matter, I will ask the distinguished delegates of Congress if there are any objections to the current proposed final draft of the Constitution." "Aye, I have some concerns that I wish to clear up before I allow my fellow delegates from Virginia to approve of the matter," Patrick Henry, the current governor of Virginia declared, "Is the power of "Executive Orders" strictly necessary for the president? I feel as though this may lead to an abusive, tyrannical executive that will attempt to circumnavigate Congress using this power." Jefferson, who was one of the "Framers" of the Constitution, responded to his colleague''s question. He knew that Henry was mostly on board with the Constitution (as in the "other" history, he refused to even attend the Constitutional Convention), but the Virginian governor still had reservations about the rapid expansion of presidential powers, "Which is why there have been several restrictions and limitations on the president''s power. For one, there are two types of Executive Orders: the Explicit Executive Order and the Consent Executive Order. The Explicit Executive Order is an executive order made by the president with the powers he has been specifically given by the Constitution. For example, he may command the military to respond to an emergency crisis, though he may not declare wars because that is outside of his power. The Explicit Executive Orders do not need to be approved by Congress. However, the Consent Executive Order, an executive order that does not fall within the jurisdiction of the president, must be approved by a majority of Congress within sixty days in order for it to be "officialized." An example of this would be if the president wishes to set a national quota on immigration, which would need to be approved by Congress in order for the executive order to be made permanent." "And what if the president decides to go to war, but decides to ignore the consent and counsel of Congress in order to do so and call it something other than war?" "Section Two has clarified that the president may not drag the United States into a war and the definition of "war" has been stated as "an armed conflict between the United States and a foreign power for a period longer than thirty days." Henry sighed and sat down onto his seat, "And the Bill of Rights will be ratified immediately after the ratification of the Constitution, correct?" "That was the plan, yes," Jefferson replied, "All fifteen of them." "Then I have no further objections." "What about the voting requirements set in the Thirteenth Amendment?" James Duane, a delegate from New York, asked, "Wouldn''t this encourage mob rule? The last thing we want to see is uneducated, misguided people who vote without proper guidance. Voting is not a right, it is a privilege." Jefferson would have agreed with the man before the appearance of General Kim, but his views had shifted significantly since then, "Perhaps, but is it fair to deprive the ability to vote from people who have supported us through this endeavor? Many, if not most, of the current men serving in the state militias and the Continental Army, would be blocked from voting if we were to set various restrictions, such as property requirements, literacy tests, and poll taxes. Without them, we wouldn''t be where we are today. Let us also not forget that General Kim has attempted this method in Quebec, and found great success. There were no mobs of people attempting to influence the decisions of others, but orderly groups of people that voted on the future of their colony." "That is merely one, small example. We are attempting to establish this Constitution for all the colonies." "Then perhaps the phrase, "all men are equal," is not true at all? If we are truly to create a nation that is "equal" for all men, then how can we restrict some of them from participating in privileges that other, wealthier men can? As to the fear of mob rule, that is why the presidential electors, judges, and numerous different positions will not be directly elected by the people," Jefferson smiled at the delegates around him, "And if this Constitution proves to be ineffective, then we will review it once again in the future and make the proper changes." Discussions continued for over three hours, with the delegates presenting their final inputs and thoughts about the Constitution. In the end, fifty-eight of the sixty-four delegates signed the document. Interestingly, nearly all those that knew of General Kim''s secret supported and signed the Constitution. +++++ Changes to the Constitution: Executive: - The two types of Executive Orders, as stated above. - The president is limited to two terms in office. - Vice Presidents are handpicked by the President. - Electoral College without the winner takes all system. - A coalition government is allowed to be formed if no candidate for the presidency gets a majority (ie, a party with a smaller amount of electoral votes can cede them to a party with more electoral votes through compromise). If there are no coalitions formed within thirty days of the election (only if no candidate has a clear majority), then the House of Representatives will vote for the next president within fifteen days. - Election Day is officially designated as the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November and is a national holiday. - The president''s veto power is a line-item veto, not a total veto. - The age requirement for Presidents is 30 years old, and a potential candidate for president must either have been resident in the United States at the time of this document''s ratification or have been an American citizen for at least thirty years and a resident of the United States for at least twenty of those years - Presidents are to be officially sworn on February 10th. - The vice president succeeds the president in case the president is incapacitated, resigned, or impeached. - No presidential pardons. - When the president is impeached by the House, he will be "removed" from office until they are either convicted or cleared of all charges against them. Legislative: - The Cube Root Rule for the number of House representatives is to be implemented (rounded up to the nearest whole number). So the first Congress will theoretically have 141 Representatives once the Census is complete. - A national census is to be taken every ten years, while the number of House seats is to be redistributed every twenty years. - District lines are to be drawn by a non-partisan committee elected separately from Congress. - Slaves are officially counted as "three-fifths when appropriating the total number of house representatives until the sunset policy sets in twenty years after the official ratification of the Constitution. Afterward, slavery is to be illegal in every form, including inmates and prisoners. - All organized territories (with 10,000 people or more) are to be granted one House representative. Any future federal districts are to be granted the number of representatives appropriate to their population. - Congress can implement income taxes when that time comes. - Congress can charter a national bank. - Bribes and donations are banned for any sitting Congressmen. - All members of Congress must revoke any occupations they held before their election into Congress and will be barred from accepting any occupations five years after they retire from Congress (they will still be paid a yearly sum from the government that is similar to their Congress pay). - All proposed bills and acts are to be read out loud in front of the members of Congress before being voted upon. - Term limits for Congressmen are as followed: six terms in the House, three terms in the Senate, and eighteen years in Congress total. - Habeas Corpus can not be suspended unless there is an active rebellion. - State legislatures may recall Senators with a majority vote, but all representatives and senators will be voted in by voters. - The age requirement for a Congressman is twenty-five years old and a potential candidate for Congress must be a citizen of the United States for at least twenty, and a resident of the United States for at least fifteen years (or a resident of the United States upon the Constitution''s ratification). - All elected Congressmen are to be sworn in on February 3rd, unless for "specific and special" reasons. - Congress shall assemble at least three times a year. Judiciary: - "Judicial Review" is an official power of the Supreme Court. - The power of judicial review is only applicable to each state''s Supreme Court and the Federal Supreme Court. - All judges are to serve until they turn 70 years old. Afterward, they are to be retired with a generous pension. - The number of judges is to be only adjusted by Congress, with the starting basis at nine. - Prisons will not be owned by any private entities. All prisons will be operated and managed by the government. Additional changes: - Citizens will be automatically registered to vote, with the voting age for men being twenty-five and the voting age for women being thirty-five (automatically means as long as they have the proper verification of citizenship, they can vote). - In order to vote, a voter must verify their citizenship. - Once they ratify the Constitution, a state can not legally secede from the Union. Bill of Rights: First Amendment: Congress shall make no law promoting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Second Amendment: A well-armed Populace, being necessary to the security of a free nation, the right of the people to keep and bear personal Arms, shall not be limited. Third Amendment: No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. Fourth Amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. No properties, belongings, or possessions shall be seized from an individual for a period longer than a year if they are not found guilty of any crimes. Fifth Amendment: To secure and protect the freedoms of the people, a person''s right to privacy shall not be violated without a warrant. Sixth Amendment: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Seventh Amendment: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of a Private or a Federal Counsel for his defence. Eighth Amendment: In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law. Ninth Amendment: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. Tenth Amendment: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. Eleventh Amendment: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Twelfth Amendment: Section 1: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Section 2: The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay a poll tax or other tax. Thirteenth Amendment: The right of citizens of the United States, who are twenty-five years or older for men and thirty-five years or older for women, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age. Fourteenth Amendment: Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction twenty years after the ratification of this amendment. Fifteenth Amendment: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution explicitly, nor prohibited by it to the States, are firmly reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Chapter 55: The Society’s First Meeting Philadelphia, United States of America December 12th, 1776 "And I''ve sunk your First Rate!" Madison cried as he folded his arms triumphantly. Jefferson gave the man an amused smile as he looked at his pieces, Why yes, it seems like you have. The Watchmen Society was gathered at Benjamin Franklins residence, which was located within the city of Philadelphia. Normally, the Society met within the Pennsylvania State House. However, today, they were gathered in Franklins home for a private meeting and to avoid other delegates and prying eyes. Sarah Bache, Franklins daughter, was away dealing with family matters so the house was open for the three dozen delegates to meet together. While some of the members were waiting for the leader of the Society to show up, they enjoyed a few of the board games that General Kim shared with them previously. The results were... interesting. Still playing Naval Clash (aka Battleship)? Washington asked as he glanced at the two Virginians with wooden boards in front of them. Its an interesting game, with the right amount of deception and strategy to make it enjoyable, Jefferson replied as he turned back to his own board, B7. Miss, Madison replied immediately. Washington chuckled as Jefferson let out a small groan and marked the miss on his board, Personally, I find the game Risk fairly entertaining, but I assumed that you would be reading instead of playing a game, Thomas. Ive read anything and everything the General has provided me with. Even that book, The Art of War. However, even I enjoy occasional forms of entertainment. Then youll most likely enjoy the movie that General Kim will show the rest of the group today. I believe it was called Glory, a movie about Negros fighting in the Civil War of the other history. Quite. And the movie will hopefully prove that we were right to abolish slavery early on, Jefferson replied as he moved another marker onto his Second Rate, which was on the verge of sinking, I have yet to see his marvelous computer personally and Im fairly excited to see what it entails. Just moments later, a figure entered the house and greeted all its occupants, I apologize for running late, but the trip from New York took longer than I expected. Welcome back to Philadelphia, Samuel, Washington greeted the man warmly. Thank you... Er, George. Now we can get started with the meeting. This meeting was the first meeting that had General Kim as its head, as Jefferson was usually the leader in his absence. There were a few figures missing from previous meetings, such as John Adams, who was sent to Amsterdam to meet with British representatives to end the war, and Franklin, who was still in Paris. However, the meeting went smoothly despite the awkwardness General Kim felt leading many of the Founding Fathers and other prominent figures and the absence of a few notable members. Mr. Pelissier, I have heard that you achieved success in regards to your development of steel and tools? Yes. The Bessemer Process is proving to be a success and I believe that it will allow the United States to have a head-start on Britains own steel industry. There is still a great amount of work needed to be done to refine the process, but its coming along. As for the tools... my ironworks have managed to produce a few hundred iron plows. Though, we have also managed to develop several steel plows. I have sold them to several of the farmers in Quebec and found great success. The iron ones are more fragile than the steel ones, but they are still able to break the soil for planting. The grain cradle and cotton gin will need to wait for the next harvesting season, but they are ready. Ive already contacted other ironworks and craftsmen in the New England colonies to spread the idea. Thats fantastic news, General Kim nodded to the Quebecois respectfully, And updates on weaponry? With the success of the Enterprise, I have been approached by several members of the Navy and Army to produce rifled cannons and rifled muskets. They will take time, but we are developing better machinery and methods for rifled weapons. If you need any resources for your ironworks, I can provide funding to help the process along. That wont be necessary. My finances are stable for the time being. And once production increases, I will be making a significant profit. Well, that certainly sounds positive. How is the ratification for the Constitution coming along, Mr. Jefferson? There is still controversy surrounding it, as it is radically different than your historys own Constitution, Jefferson answered, However, I can answer confidently than Virginia will ratify it once the state legislatures assemble and debate about it. Even Henry is onboard with the idea. As for the other colonies, the struggle will be a bit more difficult. Rhode Island will most likely object to it, though the guarantees made by our proposed Bill of Rights will help the matter. Pennsylvania will debate on ratification within a week and the vote can swing either way. South Carolina will most likely ratify, as the Loyalists there have been flushed out and slavery has been decimated in the state. And the list goes on. The biggest problem is that the Constitution makes the government fairly powerful, but most of the delegates are thankfully supportive of it due to their awareness of the other historys Articles of Confederation and such. Even so, they will need to convince the people of their colonies that this is the right choice forward. I have my own plans to help broaden support for the Constitution, but perhaps establishing this worlds version of the Federalists Papers may help strengthen the case for the Constitution? I will see what I can do, Jefferson responded sincerely. And the meeting for Americas future continued... Chapter 56: Uncovering the Truth Philadelphia, United States of America December 12th, 1776 "That was much more tragic than I anticipated," Jefferson muttered softly as he stared at the credits of the movie, "Perhaps I was mistaken about my perceptions of Neg... African Americans. Those African Americans fought valiantly to keep the Union alive but I expected all of those African Americans to return home happily as freedmen. " "The truth is often tragic, Mr. Jefferson. Unfortunately, even the slaves that were freed after the war did not enjoy much freedom or happiness," General Kim sighed as he recalled the history lessons he received in high school and college. The Founders had ended the more "strategic" part of the meeting for the day and General Kim had set up a projector (a gift for this occasion) so the members of the Watchmen Society were able to watch "Glory." The delegates watched the movie silently, admiring the moving pictures and the vivid colors that were displayed on the wall for them to see. By the end of the movie, some of the members were nearly in tears as they saw glimpses of the "other" United States and the problems it faced. "It has to do something with that "Jim Crow" laws you spoke of, correct?" General Kim nodded, "Unfortunately, even after the Civil War, the South would resist any attempts of integration and equality, even developing "Jim Crow" laws to deprive African Americans of rights and liberties. It would take nearly a century for those Jim Crow laws to be broken through the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The worst part is, even in my times, the Confederacy is remembered... fondly by some Southerners. Even after the Confederacy lost the Civil War, some of the more prominent Confederate members spread misinformation about the true causes and nature of the Civil War. They claimed that the United States was the aggressor, that the South seceded because of state''s rights instead of slavery, and the such. Needless to say, their tactics worked and the nation was still feeling the effects of it even in the year 2018." "You mean, citizens of the United States admired the traitors?" General William Alexander asked incredulously, "Unbelievable. Thank heavens that the issue is solved, hopefully." One of the few members from South Carolina, Representative Christopher Gadsen, looked nervous as other members glared daggers at him, "South Carolina will never secede, or attempt to reimpose slavery. At least, not while I and the other delegates from South Carolina are alive." "That reminds me, Samuel. Perhaps you can show us the basic history of the United States from your history so that we may have a better understanding of the future," General Washington mentioned casually, "Most of us have only heard bits and pieces of what the future is like. I believe it may help us create more long term goals if we are more aware of what the future has in store for us." "Coincidentally, I have prepared a PowerPoint about American history for you to look at." The members of the Watchmen Society looked confused as General Kim pressed a few buttons on his laptop, which made the man grin. They had no idea they were going to be the first people to suffer from PowerPoint presentations in this history. The projection on the wall flickered to a title page which stated, "United States History (and Relevant World History)." Next to the title was the picture of the modern American flag, with fifty stars and thirteen stripes. "Let us begin." He went through as much information as he could. He started with the Treaty of Paris, the establishment of the republic, and the first few presidencies. Jefferson seemed more surprised at the fact that Adams was the second president than the fact that he himself was the third president. The Louisana Purchase greatly interested the men gathered in the room, especially after General Kim listed the great amount of wealth and farmland that the territory eventually offered to the republic. Madison, one of the newest members of the Society, looked absolutely shocked when a slide revealed information about the fourth president. Slides that revealed the War of 1812 stirred great interest amongst the members, especially the stories of the burning of Washington D.C. (the namesake of the city looked unfazed at all the information being revealed in front of the group). The belief in Manifest Destiny and the controversial Trail of Tears brought mixed arguments between the Society''s members, though the views on the Trail of Tears were mostly negative. The political chaos and the division of the nation before the Civil War, the Civil War, and Reconstruction troubled nearly everyone in the room. After seeing the results of leaving the issue of slavery and equality alone, the room universally agreed that the current Constitution would (hopefully) prevent such a division from plaguing the nation in the future. The rapid industrialization and the Gilded Age depressed a few of the more pro-agriculture members such as Jefferson, and the level of corruption during these eras shocked them. When General Kim watched them, there was no doubt that several of them were thinking of ways to add a safety measure to prevent corruption and exploitation pre-emptively. General Kim continued into the Progressive Era, with the expansion of women''s rights and more expansions of rights. He braced himself for the inevitable as he discussed World War One with the members. "World War One," Washington recited the words on the wall, "It sounds very ominous. I''m assuming there were more world wars?" "There were only two World Wars, but both of them were devastating. The amounts of lives lost in both wars are probably unimaginable for all of you, but the end results were horrifying. New weapons were developed as industry and technology increased rapidly. Millions were thrown into conflicts, with soldiers and civilians dying in droves during both wars. The two wars changed the entire global order, shattered entire nations, and allowed mankind to push the limits of their horrors to the test." "How many died in those wars?" General Alexander asked, looking uneasily at the pictures of the First World War." "Approximately 20 million people died in the First World War, with a total of 40 million casualties. For reference, the current population of the United States, or the total population of all the colonies that signed the Declaration, is approximately 2.5 million people." The room went quiet as they processed the numbers while General Kim informed them of the horrors of World War 1: everything from poison gas to trench warfare. He briefly went over the radicalism the world saw after the collapse of several countries after the First World War and the buildup to the Second World War. The information the colonials received was more than enough to make them go completely still. "The Second World War was even more deadly, with nearly 70 million dead and hundreds of million injured. But the weapons and crimes of this war were... much more terrible than the First World War." The Japanese invasion of China, the Rape of Nanking, Unit 731, the Pearl Harbor Attack, the German invasion of Poland, antisemitism, the fall of France, etc. All the horrible truths of the future were revealed to the members. The faces of the delegates paled further and further as General Kim apologetically explained the events of WW2. But the two events that shook the cores of every person in the room were the most barbaric ones: the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Holocaust. "Six million Jews, murdered in these industrial camps, simply because they are Jews?" Jefferson asked mutedly. "Yes." General Kim replied simply. "And to think the United States, even that far into the future was still discriminatory enough to turn back those fleeing refugees and send them back to death." "The atomic bombings too," Washington mentioned, "The bombings were carried out by the United States, was it necessary?" "It was either dropping those two bombs and forcing the Japanese to the negotiating tables or invading Japan itself and cause millions of casualties." All the delegates looked remorseful and horrified but continued to listen. Everyone was both extremely interested and disturbed as they heard General Kim''s explanation about the Cold War and America''s involvement everywhere. "Well, hopefully, the limitations we placed on the president work as intended, though perhaps passing a few more regulations may help," Madison laughed nervously, "Now about this... "CIA" though. That may be a bigger problem later on." "I think I must... come to terms with all the information revealed to me. Forgive me while I excuse myself, gentlemen," Jefferson fixed his clothes and left. The other members of the Watchmen Society filed out immediately after, all of them looking lost in thought as they left. General Kim was afraid that he had completely rocked the colonials and caused them to rethink their position in the United States. He stayed up all night, worried about what the future held for the Watchmen Society. His assumptions were wrong. The new information the delegates received did not deter them, no it changed them. And for many of them, it would change their perspectives permanently. Chapter 57: I Need a Drink Thomas Jefferson was hardly a drinker, but after hearing about the future from General Kim the day before, he badly needed a few drinks. As he sat in a private room in a local house he was renting for his stay during Philadelphia, he took a few sips of scotch from his glass and looked out the window with a troubled expression on his face. In his mind, his thoughts were racing all over the place and caused him to sigh deeply. After all, knowing the future of humanity was both a privilege... and a great burden. "Six million," Jefferson said softly as he looked at the glass in his hand, "Two World Wars, and an America that was racist and discriminatory for God knows how long." At first, he didn''t want to believe what he was hearing from General Kim. While he knew that the "other" America was a far more different place than the America of now, it was hard to imagine all the blunders he would have made without the Asian man''s intervention. Because he didn''t do anything about slavery in the other history, America would attempt to rip itself apart and even afterward, would remain a place exclusive to a select few for over a hundred years. He finally understood why General Kim pushed hard for equality and expansion of liberties. In General Kim''s world, the lack of equality would cause the United States to fracture and never become the nation he had hoped it to be. But the more shocking parts were America''s general attitude and the two World Wars. Because of his nonaction, America would remain discriminatory and block refugees from arriving on the shores of America. Those refugees would be sent back to this vile "Nazi Germany" nation and be murdered in great numbers. And worst of all, there were Nazis within America at the time and some ideas the Nazis had about racial superiority came directly from the United States. He felt like the blood of those that died in the other world was on his hands. He knew that notion was foolish, as he had died hundreds of years before the rise of the "Nazis," but he allowed the problems of racism and slavery to grow even while he was alive. Despite all his successes so far, he felt like a failure, a fraud. If General Kim never arrived, he would have made the same mistakes and caused the same amount of distress and death as he did in the other world. He insisted on reading more books on history to General Kim and the man relented, loaning him several books in regards to American history and the history of the entire world from the 18th century onwards. Needless to say, he stayed up all night reading those books, and what he learned distressed him further. Humanity was still violent and fractured, even after these "World Wars." America would not become the "land of the free, home of the brave" for the longest time. And America would become a blessing and a curse upon this world. As he paced in his room nervously, he started to doubt the idea of the American Republic but shook those negative thoughts out of his head just as quickly. Despite the flaws of the Republic in the other world, the United States had proved to do plenty of good as well: the Marshall Plan, Land-Lease during the Second World War, rebuilding entire nations, and turning them into democracies, and so on. Besides, he and his colleagues made plenty of changes to the Constitution, which would hopefully allow America to allow "liberty and justice, for all." And while he was alive, he would do everything he could to help America reach its true potential from the beginning: a land that was accepting and providing for all those that sought life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. While he pondered silently, someone knocked on the front door and Jefferson walked over to let his visitor in. The visitor was a sole Asian man who looked just as distressed as Jefferson, "May I come in, Mr. Jefferson?" "Please." General Kim stepped in and looked around the house. His eyes fell on the violin that was resting in Jefferson''s living room and he picked it up gently, "May I?" Jefferson looked surprised, "You play the violin?" "I dabble," General Kim answered as he played a violin piece that Jefferson had never heard of. The music was beautiful, yet a bit tragic. Hearing the man play the violin was soothing for his soul and helped Jefferson forget about the horrors of the future, even if it was just for a moment. After ten minutes, the lieutenant general placed down the bow and stopped playing, which earned a round of applause from Jefferson, "May I ask what song that was?" "Sonata 9 "Kreutzer," written by Beethoven. The author of this piece is currently six at this time." "Truly?" Jefferson chuckled, "It would be interesting to see him come over to the United States. I believe Napoleon''s father had already accepted our offer of paying off his debt in exchange for moving here..." "Some people are born to achieve greatness regardless of their place of birth, but I do not believe that would be the case for Beethoven. He needs the right influence and training in his life to succeed. However, unlike Beethoven, I believe you are able to achieve great things even though history has changed greatly." The Virginian looked determined as he stared out the window and looked at the cloudy sky, "I have already decided, General Kim. I will not fail America, not again." "You didn''t fail the United States the first time, Mr. Jefferson." "Perhaps, but I could''ve done things so much differently and limited the flaws of our nation the first time around." General Kim remained silent as Jefferson continued speaking, "I understand the reason for your strong push to change history so much, general. And frankly, I don''t blame you. You saw the horrors of the past in your future and decided to change things for the better. Now that I am also aware of what the future has in store for our nation, I will redouble my efforts to improve America and ensure to change the fate of not only this nation but other nations as well. That does mean I may contend against you during the first presidential elections." "I have no plans of running." Jefferson smiled, "You say that now, but I believe it is inevitable that you will take the highest office of this land. "Duty calls," does it not?" General Kim sank into a nearby chair and groaned, "Not you too, Mr. Jefferson." "Please, call me Thomas," Jefferson finished the rest of the scotch in his cup and sighed, "The First President will either be you, or Washington." "He does not want to be president either." "Excellent, the two men we could rely on to be a unifying force for our nation suddenly does not want to become president. Perhaps Franklin will be up for the job after he is finished with "diplomacy" in France," The "future" president dryly stated. "You will make an excellent president, Mr... Thomas. I have no doubts about it." The delegate poured himself another glass of scotch, "Let us hope you are right. While you are still here, let us discuss my wife''s health for a few moments..." Chapter 58: Napoleon, the Lion of Naples Paris, France January 7th, 1777 "Marvelous," Franklin muttered as he read the document in front of him, "Simply marvelous." After nearly a month, Franklin finally managed to get hold of a copy of the Constitution. He had heard from his aides that copies of the Constitution were already being made available to the British and French governments and wondered what their reactions to the radical document were like. His reaction was of joyous acceptance, as he saw the document as one of the final steps to the establishment of a legitimate republic. There were parts of the documents that he disagreed with, such as the idea of universal suffrage and the "rigid" division between the church and state. However, in his eyes, the pros outweighed the cons and the document was certainly crafted in an elegant manner to protect the people and ensure the future republic''s stability. "Grandfather, I have prepared you some food," William Temple Franklin, Benjamin Franklin''s grandson, stated as he placed a tray of food in front of the senior ambassador, "You''re still reading the Constitution?" The older Franklin smiled, "Why, of course! I may not have been in Philadelphia when this document was written, but I gave the writers my input through my letters. What are your thoughts on it? Why, I think its a wonderful document! A truly inspiring, revolutionary piece of work that will change the world as we know it. Of course, Franklin was aware of the influence the document would have in the future. But his grandson didnt need to know, What are your thoughts on it, William? William was still young, just barely 16 years old, yet he was sharp and intelligent despite his questionable ethics around women. Franklin knew of his grandsons future demise and fall from grace, thanks to some information supplied by General Kim. As a result, the elderly statesman was more active in raising the boy and instilling the ideas of republicanism and temperance into his grandson. Well, its... different for sure. But arent you worried that allowing this much liberties and freedom to the people might cause unrest and factionalism? I mean, if everyone had a say in what the government should do, I think it would weaken the nation. Franklin was surprised at his grandsons insightful reply. He had certainly made a number of good points, and in another world, Franklin might have agreed with him. However, he believed it was the best way forward and allow the United States to become a true model republic. Excellent points, William. I see that your tutors have been helping you with your studies in philosophy and government? Williams face turned red from the mans compliment as he rubbed his neck. Franklin chuckled at his grandsons antics and answered, To answer your question, I believe there is a difference between allowing everyone to have a voice, which is a democracy and allowing everyone to have a voice in electing their representatives, which is the republic our nation is trying to build. There may be factions and divisions. However, I believe allowing opposing opinions to be heard and debated will help the people decide what the best course of action for the nations future is. There are divisions everywhere, William. You just dont hear them because those divisions are not prominent or public. As for unrest, the people will have the right to peacefully protest and elect new officials if they deem something is against their interests. So I believe there will be more peace than violence through this Constitution. Ill read the Constitution again when I return from my tutors home later this evening. Maybe I overlooked a few things. Thats my grandson, Franklin let out a hearty laugh. The two discussed diplomatic matters while Franklin ate. Their conversation came to an abrupt halt when one of Franklins aides knocked on his door, Mr. Ambassador, a gentleman by the name of Buonaparte is here to see you. Ah, yes. Please escort him in. Franklin replied, William, Im afraid this meeting is a private matter. We can discuss more afterward. After William left, a tall man in elegant clothing entered the room. Carlos Buonaparte was a Corsican noble, a very distinguished one at that. It was odd that a man from Corsica who had no dealings with the current French government would meet with the ambassador from the newly established United States. Yet, the two of them were here to discuss an important matter that Franklin had been tasked with. Bringing Napolon to the states. Mr. Franklin, Buonaparte greeted the man warmly with a smile and a handshake, I hope you are in good health. I am, and I hope you are as well, Franklin replied. In his mind, his thoughts recalled the fact that Buonaparte would die of stomach cancer within a few years. Now, let us talk about business. As I said through my letters, I am more than happy to move to the United States provided that you agree to your terms. 50,000 Francs, and 1,000 acres of land in any place you desire. Additionally, all the schooling for your children will be funded and provided for by the government. Buonaparte smiled, Your nation is far too generous for a man like myself. I have asked in my letters before, but why have you sought me out personally? We believe that you will make a fine administrator and we are in need of men of your caliber to help establish a proper government. And your son. The Corsican rubbed his chin, Indeed... I had heard rumors about your nation being a republic. I have some concerns about my title once I move... You will be provided for by the government and a man like yourself will have no troubles being elected into a public office, Franklin answered, Besides, your background will most definitely help you rise to prominence in America. Also, is your son with you today, Mr. Buonaparte? Indeed he is. I heard that you have great expectations for him! He is talented and intelligent, just like his father, Buonaparte boasted. May I see him? Of course. The man left for a few moments and returned with his young son in tow, His name is Napolon. In Italian, it means Lion of Naples. Franklin peered down at the small boy and shook his hand, I have no doubts that one day, he will change the world. Chapter 59: Peace in our Time "The Honorable Mr. Charles James Fox, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of His Majesty''s Government, is entering." John Adams, John Jay, Richard Henry Lee, and John Laurens stood up and greeted the British foreign secretary politely. The British entourage consisted of Fox, Duke Charles Lennox (the Master General of the Ordnance), and a few other aides to ministers within the Rockingham Ministry The mood in the room was tense, especially between the British delegates. Negotiations had started just a week ago, yet the talks between the two nations were slow. While it was clear that the Americans held the upper hand in the meetings, the British were unwilling to concede to the Americans easily and were doing everything they can to extract some sort of victory from the peace talks. "Mr. Adams," Secretary Fox said as he began the meeting, "Have you considered the terms that His Majesty''s Government offered at our last meeting?" "I have read the terms and discussed it with my fellow representatives. While they do fulfill most of the terms that we offered during our first meeting, I must politely decline on behalf of my government." Adams carefully answered. "May I ask what part of our offer displeases you?" Adams pulled out the parchment with the listed terms the secretary gave to him several days earlier. He cleared his throat and read out the conditions that were marked, "There are two conditions that we find unsatisfactory. The first condition is the return of Bermuda to Great Britain upon signing the proposed treaty." "We have offered all of the North American possessions in return for Bermuda, have we not?" "Perhaps, but I must daresay that the remaining British possessions in North America are within our reach if we so desired. The only reason we have not done so is because of your current conflict with France and Spain," The chief American ambassador smiled, "After all, the fall of the remaining colonies in North America may spell disaster for your nation''s efforts in the Caribbean." Secretary Fox grimaced, "They are still under our control, ambassador." "Which is why I have a counter-offer; Britain will have basing rights in Bermuda and East Florida for ten years, in exchange for the cession of all British territories in North America, including Bermuda. We will also offer substantial monetary compensation." "For merely basing rights?" The British minister scoffed, "That is preposterous." The Bostonian didn''t flinch, "And our neutrality in the conflict. However, if His Majesty''s Government is unwilling to concede, then we may potentially turn to other nations in order to fulfill our objectives." Instantly, Adams saw conflict on the man''s face. He knew that if the secretary refused his offer outright, then it would lead to unrest within Britain. The British public and even the British Parliament were weary of the war against the United States. Thanks to John Laurens, who studied in Britain and mingled with the higher members of society within Britain up until recently, Adams had a fairly clear picture of the current mood of the British public. Rockingham''s position as prime minister was still unstable, the British government had used up far too many funds and men for little gain, the British military had been humiliated, and the British had allied with very unpopular groups (primarily the Loyalists) during the conflict. A stall in negotiations would only help strengthen the American position in the talks. Along with the thinly veiled threat of continuing the war (with potentially more British defeats), the American delegation had driven the British delegation into a corner. "I will discuss this matter with Lord Rockingham," Secretary Fox said with a frown. "The second condition that we were unsatisfied with was the compensation for any Loyalists who lost their properties or possessions during the war. We are willing to compensate Loyalists outside of South Carolina and Georgia." "Is that all?" "That is all." "Then I will list the current terms that we have agreed upon so far: 1) His Majesty''s Government (of Great Britain) will officially recognize the states of the "United States" as free and sovereign states and that the British Crown and all heirs and successors will relinquish all claims, possessions, and territorial rights within the states. 2) Lawful contracted debts are to be paid to their respective creditors on either side. 3) The Continental Congress will fully compensate for the confiscated properties and valuables of British subjects (Loyalists) seized by the Continental Army during the war. This compensation will be made over a period of several years, the exact terms will be negotiated at a future date (with an exception to the properties and valuables seized in the colonies of South Carolina and Georgia). 4) The Continental Congress will no longer seize any properties and valuables of British subjects remaining in the "United States" and will provide safe, speedy transit for said British subjects upon their request (with the exception of those in South Carolina and Georgia). 5) Prisoners will be freed on both sides and returned to their respective countries safely. All equipment and valuables that belonged to the British Army in North America are to be relinquished to the Continental Congress. 6) (Disputed) Great Britain will cede all of its North American possessions that are under their control (West Florida, East Florida, New Foundland, Rupert''s Land, Prince Edward''s Island, Northwest Territory, the Indian Reserve) to the states of the "United States" in exchange for basing rights, monetary compensation, and guarantee of American neutrality in the current conflict between Great Britain and the Kingdom of France and Kingdom of Spain. 7) All territories claimed and seized by the "United States" during the War between the "United States" and Great Britain will remain under American control and be officially recognized as a part of the "United States." 8) These terms are to be ratified and enforced within six months of this treaty''s signing." Adams nodded his head, "We may have a few more suggestions and changes in the future, but we are most satisfied with the current proposals." "I will discuss this with Lord Rockingham within a week. Until then, farewell." With that, the British delegation left. Once it became clear that the British delegation was gone, the "Second" President wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, "That was much more difficult than the last time I met with him. I half-expected him to leave the meeting in a storm of rage." "Well, our position is certainly much better right now than the other history," John Jay mentioned, "But good God, I did not imagine that this would be happening so rapidly." "It''s well known that Lord Rockingham wants a peace deal sealed quickly and he is far friendlier to the United States than the "other" prime minister. It also helps that the British have been bloodied in every battle they fought in," Lee stated. Lauren, the youngest member of the delegation and a new addition to the Watchmen Society, shook his head disbelievingly, "I was ready to return to the colonies and enlist, but before I could even arrange my trip back to the Americas, the war was over. May I ask why you entrusted me with such a huge secret and allowed me to take part in this negotiation?" "Your father was... one of the "traitors" as you already know," Adams said solemnly, "But we managed to uncover your history in the other world and believed you would be suitable for negotiations. Your knowledge of the views of the British public was invaluable and your patriotism was commendable. Additionally, General Kim himself was quite moved by your passion and anti-slavery rhetorics in the other history, which is why you are here." The South Carolinian looked sheepish as he looked down at the ground, "I am still young, Mr. Ambassador, but I have been burdened with a great secret and important task. I am honored by the responsibilities given to me, and I will not fail you. Or die early, like my "other" self." "That is all we need, Mr. Lauren," Jay nodded his head approvingly, "South Carolina is currently in chaos and very few capable men are left in its government. In due time, once the Constitution is ratified, perhaps you will play a critical role in the state''s politics and guide it to a brighter future." Chapter 60: Remember an American Hero Author''s Note: I have a Patreon if you would like to donate for my work! https://www.patreon.com/okmangeez I''m mainly trying to pay off a bit of my college tuition with the money I earn from Patreon, so if you have any spare change laying around, donations would be greatly appreciated :) If not, don''t worry! Just sit back and enjoy the story. +++++ Norwich, the United States of America January 15th, 1777 Ten thousand soldiers shuffled slowly through the small town of Norwich in Connecticut. Not a single smile could be found amongst the soldiers as they all marched orderly towards a small graveyard towards the outskirts of Norwich. The town''s inhabitants, who were warned of the procession beforehand, all watched solemnly as the group marched through the streets with an empty coffin towards the front. Nearly all of the inhabitants of Norwich were out of their homes and workplaces to witness the march, as the man the procession was for was a native of Norwich. A large American flag covered the wooden coffin, and the soldier at the very front carried a single headstone that was made in memory of a distinguished American hero. General Samuel Kim led the procession and gathered the group around three marked graves that were already adorned with flowers. He smiled sadly as he ordered the headstone to be placed gently next to the graves, directly next to a headstone that was labeled, "Margaret Mansfield Arnold." After the headstone was firmly planted into the ground, all the soldiers took off their caps and remained silent for a minute. Then General Kim spoke. "I have never met anyone as brave as General Arnold, and perhaps I never will again. No matter what the odds were, he always answered when duty called. All of my victories, victories that have been accredited to me, should have been accredited to this man. Because without him, I, and the United States, would have never been able to achieve those victories. The Battle of Fort St. Johns, the Battle of Quebec, and the list goes on. General Arnold inspired and saved thousands by leading his men courageously and seizing victory in every battle he fought in." "My biggest regret is that he is not here with us today, celebrating the independence of our new nation; a nation that he believed in and fought for until the end. But I can rest easy because I know that he is in a better place and smiling upon our victory. And even after his death, his legacy and name will carry on through our nation. I''m sure that he is also laughing heartily in heaven as his namesake ship terrorizes the British at sea." Scattered laughter rang out between some of the men, but the mood became serious quickly once again. General Kim took out a hat worn by General Arnold and placed it on the man''s headstone, which read: "Here lies Major General Benedict Arnold. A caring brother, a loving son, and a hero of the American Revolution. May his name be remembered for more than fifty generations." The empty casket was lowered into the ground and two muskets, along with an officer''s sword, were laid on top of the casket. As the soldiers shoveled dirt on the casket, General Kim gave his parting words. "It is with great pride that we stand here, independent and free, due to your efforts. And we will ensure that the hopes you held for this nation carry on, even after your death. General Arnold, we are here and you will never be forgotten." Thirteen muskets rang out in unison as the soldiers paid their final respects for General Arnold. General Kim held back tears as he left his own cap on top of General Arnold''s grave and departed after a few minutes of prayer. Before he left Norwich, he still had several matters to attend to. Escorted by a group of marines, the Asian officer made his way to General Arnold''s family home and knocked on the door gently. The door opened to reveal a young woman his her early twenties, whose facial features were somewhat similar to that of Arnold''s. She caught the sight of General Kim and bowed, "Thank you, sir." "Are you planning to visit his grave anytime soon?" "After the soldiers leave. It seems like my brother is sorely missed by the men that were under his command during the war." General Kim nodded silently and sighed, "I''m sorry." Hannah Arnold frowned, "Do not be, sir. Benedict knew what he was signing up for and joined the Army willingly. While I was corresponding with him throughout the war, he seemed much happier than during his time here. His life was filled with hardships, but he truly found peace and a cause worth fighting for while he was in the front lines. If anything, you lifted him up back on his feet during his lowest times." "Even so, he was under my command when he died and because of my actions, he left behind three young children without parents." "If it''s a burden for you, sir, then there''s no need to adopt them," Hannah said, "I can provide for them with the remaining estates and Benedict''s pensions." "No, I do not think of it as a burden. I truly want to provide for them and it is the least I could do in his memories," General Kim replied. He knew that the remaining Arnold was struggling financially even with the remaining estates and pensions and that it was difficult for Hannah to take care of three children and work, "Are they in your home?" The woman led him inside privately and introduced to him to Arnold''s three young sons, "The oldest one is Benedict, named after his father. The second eldest is Richard, and the youngest is Henry." Without hesitation, the general lowered himself to the boys'' heights and patted their shoulders, "Hello Benedict, Richard, and Henry. My name is Samuel, and I was good friends with your father." "Is he coming home?" Henry asked. Upon hearing the question, General Kim''s heart nearly shattered, "No, little one. But he is in a better place now. I can not replace your father, but I will take care of you like my own sons. I promise." He planned to live in New York City after things settled down and were planning on getting into a more serious relationship with one Elizabeth Green in the near future. He reached an agreement with Hannah that he would have the boys visit every month and allow her to visit them whenever she wanted, along with some donations to help her maintain Benedict''s business. While he knew that he could never replace General Arnold''s presence, he was going to make sure that they grew up to be outstanding people just like their father. "Promise?" "I promise." Chapter 61: Meet the Adams Boston, the United States of America January 22nd, 1777 General Kim was "on vacation," so to speak. He was taking some time off from leading the Marines and left Brigadier General Knowlton (who was promoted like many of the Marines officers) in charge of the Marines until he returned. Currently, he was visiting the home of John Adams in the city of Boston, the place where his adventures started. Elizabeth, his "girlfriend" of sorts, was off visiting one of her relatives in the city so he was visiting the household with only his sons in tow. While John Adams was currently in Europe and was negotiating a treaty with the British to bring an official end to the Revolutionary War, General Kim was visiting to see John''s wife, Abigail. Apparently, she wanted to meet with him face to face and discuss some political matters, which surprised him to some extent. According to her letters, she was aware that he was a main driving force of minorities '' and women''s rights through her conversations with John Adams, though she was still unaware of his secret. Feeling relaxed for the first time in ages, the Asian man knocked on the front door and waited for someone to answer. While he was waiting, he fiddled with the three "books" in his hand. They were books he had written over the course of the Revolutionary War and knowing that Abigail was an avid reader, he wanted her opinion on them. "Samuel, whose house is this?" Benedict asked. Samuel smiled at the boy fondly, "This house belongs to one of my colleagues in Congress. Do you remember what I told you about Mr. John Adams?" "Yes. He was a delegate of Congress and was sent to Europe as an ambassador to end the war against Britain." "You''re absolutely right!" Over the last week or so, he had been teaching the boys the basics of science, literature, history, and politics personally. While they were young, the three Arnolds were fast learners and sharp. He knew that all of them would go onto have careers in the British military and had high hopes for them. Of course, without their biological father around, their fate would be much different. Regardless, he was taking steps to make sure that they grew into well-educated men that would carry on his legacy. When the door finally opened, he came face to face with a young boy that was around Benedict''s age. The boy looked surprised to see him and turned his head towards the house, "Mother! There are three children and a strange man at the front door!" The Marine chuckled as he heard a woman scolding the boy and telling him to return to his studies. It took Abigail Adams several moments to appear at the front door, but when she did she gave him a friendly smile. She was dressed in simple clothing, yet she looked elegant and graceful like Samuel imagined her to be, "Thank you for visiting, General Kim. I''m sorry for my son''s rude outburst. He has never seen a man... of your race before. And neither have I for that matters." "No worries, Mrs. Adams. And please, just call me Samuel," He replied, "There is no need for formalities." "Then call me Abigail," Abigail looked down at children in surprise, "I didn''t know you had children, Samuel!" "Well, they are the sons of one of my close friends and best officers who died in battle. I am looking after them in his place." "Please come in! I''m sure my children will be glad to meet them!" The children set off to play with Abigail''s four children (Samuel discovered that the boy that answered the door was John Quincy Adams) while the two adults sat by themselves in the sitting room. "Do you want some coffee, Samuel?" "That would be excellent, thank you." Abigail poured him a cup of black coffee and he drank it without any added substances, "Now then, I''m sure you have many questions for me. Feel free to ask anything on your mind." "I hope you have some time on your hand because I do have a number of questions I want to ask you," Abigail said as she placed down her cup on a saucer. "By all means, fire away." "I''m sorry?" "My mistake. I have a rather unique set of terms that I use on a daily basis. "Fire away" means to start right away, like "fire away" the cannon." The Adam looked puzzled, but maintained her smile, "I see. Now, the first thing I wanted to ask you about was the Constitution. I heard from my husband that you played an important role in establishing minorities'' and women''s rights in the document. While I do not know how much of an impact you had, I wanted to ask why you were so adamant about supporting them." "Because I am a minority myself," Samuel looked down at his cup bitterly, "While I have been generally accepted by society even though I am Asian, I know that if it weren''t for my military successes, I would have been treated as an outcast. During my journey to the Americas, I met many different types of people and recognized that a person''s merit should not be determined by the color of their skin. Their merit should be determined by their actions, their achievements, and their "merit." Thankfully, I managed to be recognized for my merits here and have been treated fairly well. However, I know that without lawful protection to minorities, they would be trampled by the majority and scorned upon regardless of the talent and abilities they hold. I am an exceptional case. I have seen many freed slaves accomplish much despite their background. Imagine what they can do for our future nation if they were considered as equals and devoted themselves to improving our nation instead of spending their lives trapped as a slave." "I''m assuming that your parents also influenced your decision?" Samuel glanced up at the woman and gave her a small grin, "Quite so. Slavery is a terrible institution that has no place in our republic. If we keep slaves shackled to chains, then we would be holding back the future of our nation for meager monetary gains." "I see," Abigail nodded her head approvingly, "I agree with you in that regard, Samuel. I must admit that I was surprised to see your Emancipation Proclamation and your support for minorities'' rights, but I supported your moves regardless. But what about women''s rights? Why were you so supportive of them?" "My reasoning is the same as my justification for minorities'' rights. Women have great potential as well, and they should have the chance to better our nation and improve themselves. By holding them back, we would always be moving forward with one arm tied behind our backs." Abigail looked genuinely interested as she sat upright in her chair, "You are a very exceptional indeed. Even my husband was reluctant to support women''s rights until he was convinced by you. Judging by your statements and your ability to move my husband''s mind, I understand why those delegates in Congress allowed such a revolutionary document." Samuel scratched his cheeks sheepishly, "It wasn''t much." "But it was! And you have changed the future of this nation for the better!" Abigail nearly shot out her seat, but composed herself at the last second, "I apologize. I rarely speak about political matters other than my husband. Most of my lady friends are a bit less involved in the political matters of the country, which I find shameful." "No worries, Abigail. I am enjoying this conversation as well." "I have already asked too much and I know that you had some things in mind to discuss. Please, "fire away." The general laughed and pulled out his three books, "I have written three different books and I am looking to have them published. Do you mind reading some of the content?" "Gladly," Abigail replied as she took the books from Samuel. She read the names on the covers and was intrigued, "Interesting... It seems like the three of them are diverse in topic." The book with the red cover was labeled, The Revolutionary War: A Perspective from Samuel Kim. The book with the blue cover was labeled, The Avengers: The Beginning. And the final book, with a white cover, was titled The Necessity of the Republic and the Constitution. "Feel free to read the summaries I have provided on the covers of each book. Each one of them is several hundred pages long, so I thought a summary would be helpful." The room went silent for a few minutes as Abigail read the summaries of the books. After she finished with the final summary, she closed the books and placed them on her lap, "They are most definitely interesting. The books are very different from one another, yet all of them managed to grab my attention." "Which one do you prefer?" "Personally, I would read The Necessity of the Republic and the Constitution first, since I am more familiar with politics and I am also a keen supporter of the republic. The book on the war with Britain would most likely be my second book of choice since the book seems to devolve into battles and politics that I am not familiar with. The Avengers is certainly interesting as well, though I am a bit mystified of the content of the book. It seems as if it''s some sort of folklore." "Well, my aim with the Avengers was to create American folklore and spread a message about acceptance and equality through imaginative storytelling." "Yes... A former slave with unimaginable powers, a creature that is the creation of an Indian goddess, a Pennsylvanian inventor that reminds me of an opposite version of Mr. Franklin, a farm girl from Massachusetts Bay, and an ordinary soldier all grouping together to combat British infiltration and help America achieve its independence. It certainly is creative." Samuel shrugged, "It''s most definitely different and unordinary, but I think it''s a good story with subtle messages." The two continued to converse for several hours and by the time he was finished, he discovered that the three boys had befriended all four of the Adams children. Life was certainly interesting outside the military. Chapter 62: Delaware, the First State Dover, the United States of America February 20th, 1777 Thomas McKean tapped his gold-headed cane on the table before him, "Gentlemen, I do not wish to hurry this procession, but I believe that we should make our decision soon. After all, we have been meeting in this room for the past week, yet we have not come to a consensus." The other delegates in the room silenced their arguments and looked at the tall, thin Congress member with unease. McKean''s quick temper and crass attitude were well-known to the other thirty-two delegates present and no one wanted to provoke the man to explode into an unending tirade. However, after a few moments, the convention continued, albeit a bit more civilly than before, as the matter the delegates were discussing was of utter importance. Joshua Clayton, one of the youngest members of the Delaware House of Assembly, cleared his throat to garner attention and spoke, "Like many of my fellow assemblymen here, I believe the Constitution has good ideas and intentions. However, we are still hesitant about the idea of a powerful federal government with widespread suffrage. Did we not see the tyrannical rule of Britain and fight against them to win our freedom? Why should we allow a powerful government to lord over us? Because they are not the same damn it! How many times do I have to beat it into your head?! McKean exploded. Before anything happened, George Read, one of the three Delaware delegates to Congress, intervened, As my colleague here has poorly attempted to state, the proposed Constitution and federal government are very different than the rule of the British. For one, we will actually have representation and a fairly powerful representation at that. Additionally, there are fourteen guaranteed amendments that will immediately be invoked when the Constitution is ratified, which will protect the peoples rights and liberties. A House that is divided can not stand. While the Constitution may seem overbearing, it must be understood that it was made with the purpose of creating a stable, representative nation with protections to safeguard the people''s interest. Ah, a quote from The Necessity of the Republic and the Constitution? Clayton asked. Read smiled knowingly and pulled out the very book Clayton mentioned, An interesting read that has many valid points. Im sure most of you have read it as well. The book states several excellent counter-arguments, which I have been preaching to you about for the last week. Yes, yes. Frankly, we have been blessed by your speeches," Clayton stated sarcastically, causing a few of the delegates to laugh, "What about the issues of slavery? I understand that we are trying to make a nation of equals, but there are plenty in this room, including Rodney, who have numbers of slaves. Will they be compensated after their slaves are freed?" "Please do not use me as a tool to oppose this document," Caesar Rodney replied, "I support this document thoroughly, and the last time the members of Congress discussed this document, we came to an agreement that the slaves would be compensated for by the government. The compensation won''t be high, but it will hopefully be enough. I have always supported the ideas of a strong, central government, but this proposed federal government is enough for me." McKean finally managed to recollect himself and adjusted his large cocked hat, "The other members of Congress and I have another piece of information that may help convince you lot to ratify this document." Finally managing to make the room silent without his explosive outburst, McKean continued, "The federal government is expected to build a new capital, a brand new city that is apart from any other states. Some of the final proposed locations were Wilmington in our colony and Swedesborough in New Jersey. So it is very likely that the capital of this United States might be right next to our colony, or within our colony itself. I''m sure you already have an idea of what that entails." The other delegates understood immediately. Having the capital close to Delaware would boost the state''s prestige, convince more merchants and traders to pass through the colony in their travels to the capital, and the such. While Delaware was by no means poor, it lagged behind other states in terms of population and trade due to its small size, small population, and lack of abundant resources. The state did have a thriving agricultural community but was usually outmatched by the other colonies in terms of production. "And being in the United States with the other colonies would allow us to be on equal footing with them as well." McKean declared. Rodney, who was the more charismatic speaker of the three, spoke up, "The document isn''t perfect, but it certainly goes above and beyond anything the world has seen before this moment. Parts of the documents are radical, such as women''s rights and racial equality, but it is for the benefit of ourselves and for the United States. As the Necessity of the Republic places it, "To drag down women and minorities would mean that the United States would always fight with one hand tied behind its back." Additionally, I know that many of you know that older women are a great deal more knowledgable, capable, and wise, than the youth of either gender and, some may say more capable than ourselves. I, for one, know that my grandmother was certainly more than capable of making me feel like a schoolboy once more with but a few wise words." This earned a few chuckles from the delegates. Motivated by the laughter, Rodney pressed forward in a more serious manner. "This was all taken into consideration when crafting this document. Additionally, our colony will have much leeway in terms of establishing our own local laws and traditions. The Constitution allows us to be ourselves first and foremost and also allows us to be a part of a bigger and greater nation. To cast it aside and say that we are better off on our own would be foolhardy. If we refuse to ratify and go our own way, and the other colonies band together to form the United States, then where would that leave us?" "A House that is divided can not stand," Clayton echoed the previous argument. "Exactly, and while the Constitution forbids any attempts at secession, I believe we will never need to secede because while we will be incorporated into a large nation with the other colonies, we will still be able to be ourselves and maintain our own way of life, with few exceptions," Rodney stood up and thumped the table, "So, what will it be? Will our colony be the "first state" of this greater union? Or will we hesitate and allow the other colonies to pass us?" A vote was started several minutes later and when the votes were counted, it was clear which side emerged victoriously. By a vote of 25-5 (the three members of Congress did not vote), Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution on February 20th of 1777. Chapter 63: Damn Yanks London, Great Britain March 25th, 1777 "You heard the recent news?" Stanley Jones asked one of his shipmates. Marcus Wilis snorted, "Which one? There has been plenty of news these days." The two men were sailors on the British ship HMS Prince George, a 90-gun second rate that was undergoing repairs after an extensive naval battle against the French Navy in the Caribbean. They were currently in a tavern drinking and chatting amongst themselves while they enjoyed their time on land. While they were mere enlisted men and on the bottom rung of the social ladder, even they have heard the rumors and news swirling around in the capital of the British Empire. "I''ve heard from one of the officers that Lord North is going to be tried for his failures against the Yankees," Jones whispered defensively, "Apparently, the former prime minister attempted to cover up his mistake and shielded his blunders until the end to His Majesty. His Majesty was in a frothing rage after discovering his treachery and basically threw him out of office!" "Wouldn''t surprise me. Hell, even the news sent by the Americans were more reliable at times than the news given to us by Lord North," Jones replied. "And look what that damn fool has done. We''re about to lose the entirety of North America because of him. I''m sure the French and Spanish are laughing hysterically as we lick our wounds and attempt to beat them back." Wilis frowned, "Careful there Stanley. I''m sure we''ll defeat the French and Spanish after some time." Jones sighed, "I''m sure we will. But the losses against the Americans however..." "Can''t be changed. Those damn Yanks rolled the army over and the army is a laughingstock now. General Burgoyne... I mean former general Burgoyne is getting tried to for butchering a bunch of troops in Boston." "Good riddance. Serves him right. I heard he ordered charges into enemy fortifications suicidally." "I don''t blame him. That damn Hun and his men are the reason why we lost I tell ya. It was announced the other day that General Carleton was being appointed as the Commander in Chief of the British Army in the Caribbean since he has the most experience against the Hun and actually managed to bloody that Chinaman''s nose," Wilis mentioned casually. "It seems like all we talk about are the Americans now," Jones said with a laugh, "Even us." Wilis drank the mug filled with beer in front of him, "Can''t blame us. The things they have done have turned Britain on its head. I mean just two years ago, they were still British subjects. Yet in two years, they''ve managed to basically take all of North America. Not only that, but they''re attempting to create a republic of all things." The sailor spat out this word like it was distasteful, but Jones didn''t comment on it, "I haven''t managed to read whatever that law document they made in North America is." "The Constitution, they call it. I''ve read parts of it, but it feels like they''re trying to capitalize on their revolution and create a radical government, something that is completely different than the British government. They even have parts about treating Negros and women as equals!" "I can''t say much about Negros, but you and I were both sickened when we heard about that Colonel Marion fellow in South Carolina." "It''s completely different. He was executing surrendering soldiers. Even if they were Negros, they didn''t deserve it. But giving them the same rights as a white man? It''s absurd!" Wilis countered, "Thank God that Lord Rockingham had the steel to denounce that man. Lord North was spineless and let that man run freely as our "ally." I wouldn''t mind him being hung." Jones tried to calm the slightly drunk man down, "You might get shot by one of his supporters if you keep speaking like that. He still has plenty of supporters." "You''re right, but it needs to be said," Wilis stated. "I''m sure the Americans will be out of hair for many years. But for now, we should talk about the war with France and Spain. After all, the war with the Yanks is done once that treaty is finalized..." Chapter 64: Discharge Philadelphia, the United States of America April 25th, 1777 "Attention!" General Kim yelled as inspected his soldiers one last time, "I''m sure all of you are excited that the war is over and you can finally go home. But before we depart, I have a few words to say." The seven thousand men that had served under General Kim''s command lined up in front of him uniformly. Many of them had served under the Asian officer''s command since Bunker Hill and all of them looked at their commanding officer attentively as he spoke. While a few units were missing due to their deployment elsewhere (the Second Marine Regiment was still in Kentucky, while a few members of the First Marine Regiment were still on Bermuda), most of the units that served under General Kim''s command till the end of the war were with him in front of the Pennsylvania State House. It was a symbolic sight, as the State House was where independence was declared and where the war "officially" began. A crowd of civilian spectators watched from the side, as they also listened in on the general''s speech. "You have fought hard and well for this day, and every one of you played a critical part in helping America be set free! And now, we are closer than ever to ensure that this nation, a nation we have earned, is truly a place where there are liberty and justice for all!" Explosive cheers broke out amongst the soldiers and some of the civilians as they celebrated. From the news that Congress and the public had received, the peace negotiations with Britain were drawing to a close. Which meant that the war was finally over after all the waiting. "While the war with Britain is over, we must remember that we are now fighting a new war; a war to prove that our United States can survive, and survive as an untested republic! We have earned our freedom and independence, so let us not squander our chance and ensure that our nation stands as a beacon of hope and liberty for all. Because when the Constitution is officially ratified, and I have no doubts it will be, it will mean that all of you here will have a voice in our nation''s future. Which means you will all be on the frontlines for our American republic!" "Let us remember those that had fallen and never forget the heroic sacrifices they made in order for this day to come forth. And do not let their sacrifices be in vain. Now that all of you have a chance to make a difference in our nation, take that chance and seize it firmly. If you can participate and protect our republic as good as you defeated the British, then I am confident in our nation''s future." Five states had ratified the Constitution so far: Delaware, Pennsylvania (by a vote of 37-30), New Jersey (30-7), Connecticut (117-51), and South Carolina (129-21). Massachusetts was set to vote on the ratification within two weeks while Rhode Island was stuck in a 32-32 deadlock (despite the arguments made by the Congressional delegates from Rhode Island). Even so, progress was steady and if things went right, then the Constitution would be officially ratified within a year or so (which needed ten states to agree). Congress did agree to officially organize elections in 1779 even if the Constitution was ratified earlier so that the first president and Congress would be inaugurated in 1780. Additionally, they needed to take a somewhat reliable census before appropriating districts and such. "As for the Marines, I have a special final word for all of you," General Kim looked at the men dressed in black coats and white pants, "Once a Marine, Always a Marine. Even if you are discharged and no longer serve with the Marines, you will always be considered a Marine. That also means if a fellow Marine is in need, you are to help them in any way you can. I am not demanding this from any of you, but remember that the men standing next to you fought with you and bled with you. Do not forget the experiences you shared together. You are all brother in arms." "If any of you are in need of assistance, or want to see your lovely commanding officer again," His statement earned snickers from some of the soldiers in line, "Then my residence will be in New York City, in lower Manhattan. It''ll be easy to ask around and discover where I live, because well... I am the only Asian man in America." He had purchased a large home in Lower Manhattan, as he had planned before. He knew that the city would grow to become an important economic and political center of the United States and wanted to ensure that he had a part in that growth. Already, he had purchased several plots of land around Long Island and Staten Island and had plans to build an ironworks there. He also planned to set up a printing shop (the New York Times) and possibly an arsenal as well. All in all, he was going to be busy for the next several months, if not years. But for the time being, he was going to celebrate the end of the war with the rest of his men. That statement earned more laughs and snickers from the usually disciplined men, but General Kim understood that they were finally relaxed and happy due to the end of the war. He gave them one final salute, took off his cap, and placed his right hand over his heart, "Now let us recite the pledge, one last time before I hand all of you your discharge papers." All the soldiers followed, and many of the civilians did as well. "I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands, one Nation, by the People, with liberty and justice for all." Chapter 65: After the War… Long Island, the United States of America June 1st, 1777 "You holding up alright Timothy?" Samuel asked the African American man. Timothy gave him a toothy grin, "Never better, sir. The work isn''t easy, but I''m getting the hang of it." The two of them were in the Long Island ironworks, which was owned and operated by Samuel. Setting up the ironworks wasn''t a simple task, but with the assistance of Pelissier and George Read (who also had an ironwork near Maryland), he managed to turn his dream of an ironworks into a reality. The ironworks wasn''t completely finished yet, but there were a number of laborers working on projects within. Timothy Kim, the former Private First Class of the Continental Marines, was one of the Marines that signed up to work under his former commander. Since most of the Marines were honorably discharged (with the exception of the Marines in Kentucky), the ones that didn''t have a family to go back sought for work. When the news spread amongst the men that the former commandant of the Marines needed workers for his new projects, dozens of Marines took the chance to "serve" under him once again. "He''s a fast learner," Luke Watson, one of the ironworks experts that Kim borrowed from Read, stated, "Of course, I also have a number of things to learn from Mr. Pelissier''s men, but the ironworks is coming around nicely. I would say that by the end of winter, we''ll have the ironworks operation at full capacity." "That''s good to hear," Samuel nodded as Timothy returned to his work, "What about the Pelissier Process. How long until that is implemented in this ironworks?" Watson rubbed his chin, "Maybe a few months, give it or take. That process is certainly brilliant and will revolutionize iron and steel as we know it, but we will need to set up the ironworks proper before we make any attempts to build the proper tools for that process here." "And the current projects that you are carrying out?" "We''re making good process. We have produced a dozen or so iron plows so far. Four of them were defective, but the quality of the products will improve as the skills of the laborers improve. The grain cradle has the same problems, but the problem will fix itself as time goes on, just like the iron plows. We''re still in the testing stages, so it''ll take some time for this ironworks to truly match up with the Pelissier Ironworks or the Principo Ironworks down in Maryland." "Take as long as you need," The Asian man replied, "You don''t need to produce any en masse. Focus on the quality and the training of the men. I will continue to finance the ironworks until we are ready to start normal productions." The ironworks manager nodded, "Will do." After a long two-hour horse ride from Long Island to Lower Manhattan, Samuel finally arrived at his two-story residence in New York City and entered, "I''m home!" "Samuel!" A little boy shouted as he ran up to the man. "Hello Richard," Samuel said as he enveloped him into a hug, "Where are your brothers?" "With Miss Elizabeth upstairs. She''s teaching them English." "And why aren''t you up there with them?" Richard frowned, "I don''t like English very much. I just want to grow up and become an officer like you and dad!" The Asian man chuckled and ruffled the young boy''s hair, "Well then, you need to be well-educated! You can''t become an officer if you can''t read and write. It might be boring, but English is very important. So go back up there and take part in the lesson." "Yes Samuel," Richard ran upstairs and disappeared out of his sights. Samuel picked up a newspaper that Elizabeth bought in the morning and walked into the kitchen. As he made himself some coffee, he read through the headlines and smiled at the news he read. The peace treaty with Britain was officially signed and British North America was entirely in American hands. And while the United States needed to compensate the Loyalists that fled (and the news reported that Loyalists were already leaving in mass droves), there was finally peace in the North American Continent. Additionally, Massachusetts and Quebec had ratified the Constitution in the past two weeks (the former ratified through the State legislature, the latter held a referendum), bringing the total number of states to seven. If three more states ratified, then the Constitution would become law and the United States would officially be formed. There were plans by the Continental Congress to transition into a peacetime government and serve as the interim government until the government was elected in 1780. So for the next several years, the delegates would be extremely busy putting together a new nation. As he thought about his own printing shop (he had acquired a local New York printing shop, renamed it into the New York Times, and had placed several standards/requirements for the shop to make before it began printing), Elizabeth walked downstairs with the boys, "Welcome back! You''re earlier than usual." It was certainly odd that Elizabeth was staying with him, even though they had a relationship. According to colonial standards, living together with a man before marriage was heavily frowned upon. But in the North Carolinian girl''s case, it was a bit different. She was a long way from home and she was determined to get together with Samuel as soon as possible. While Samuel didn''t mind too much, since he did love Elizabeth and thought she was a wonderful woman, he just wanted to take things a bit more slowly until marriage. Elizabeth didn''t mind and had no qualms moving into his home until he was ready (which really shocked him, but then again, she was a hardy, independent farm girl). While he was away for his businesses, she took care of the kids and educated them. The three boys mobbed Samuel in the kitchen, nearly making him spill his coffee, "Samuel!" "Good to see you three," The man said with a smile. He also gave Elizabeth a light peck on the cheeks, "Did you study hard?" "I can count to one hundred!" Henry declared confidently. Samuel had to laugh at that statement, "Congratulations, Henry." How were the arsenal and ironworks? " I didn''t have to visit the arsenal in Staten Island. I''m planning to visit the arsenal early tomorrow morning, but since its evening, I wanted to spend more time with all of you since I''ve been busy lately. Now, how about we cook some supper together?" Before the children could reply, someone knocked on the front door. When the owner of the house answered, a person he never expected to see was at the front door, "Good evening Samuel" "Mr. Liviginston! Come in, please." Robert R. Livingston, one of the framers of the Constitution and a prominent figure in New York, stepped into the house, "I apologize for the sudden intrusion, but the news I hold is fairly urgent." "No worries. We were just about to make some dinner for the evening, care to join us?" "No, no. I wouldn''t want to exploit your hospitality," Livingston said with a chuckle. He pulled out a piece of parchment he was carrying and handed it to Samuel, "This is for you." Samuel skimmed through the content of the paper and his eyes widened, "But I just settled in New York." The Founder lowered his voice and leaned in, "Well, knowing the other history, I think we might need your assistance in convincing the others that this is the right step forward. I have already heard a lot of discontent in the Assembly about the Constitution. If you support the document publicly in that convention, I believe it will tip the scales in our favor. Especially due to your prestige and service in the Revolutionary War." "And when will this convention take place?" "In two weeks, at the statehouse." "I will be there, I promise. Chapter 66: Ratification of the Constitution Brigadier General Marquis de Lafayette entered the city where his adventures in the Americas began. It seemed like only yesterday he arrived in this (formerly) half-destroyed city seeking to find his destiny thousands of miles away from home. He was naive and inexperienced back then, and if truth be told, he still felt naive and inexperienced. Yet a year later, he was standing in the same exact spot his past self was standing on, only things were much different. The city was repaired and lively, much more so than when he first witnessed the city. However, that was not the reason why today was different than before. Because today was the day he acquired important news: news that the Virginians had ratified the Constitution, bringing the number of states that ratified the document to ten (New York and Iroquois had ratified in the last two months, while Maryland rejected the ratification by a slim margin and Rhode Island continued to debate on the matter). This meant that the Constitution was officially legal, and the supreme law of the land. While there were many headaches that the Continental Congress was dealing with, such as Maryland''s surprise rejection of the Constitution, the news of the United States being officially established sent jubilation throughout the new nation. He had remained in General Kim''s (Samuel, he corrected himself) home for the past several months and had a very pleasant relationship with his former superior. He worked with him to form the nucleus of the future American military. The retired general was tasked with creating a new military with a few officers, such as General Washington (who now resided in his farm in Virginia peacefully as a farmer) and General von Steuben (who also resided in New York due to his... close confidant). The roles were divided by the military branches. As such, General Washington and General von Steuben were writing new guidebooks, ranks, insignias, and doctrines for the Army. Meanwhile, Commodore Hopkins and Commodore Hazelwood were tasked with doing the same for the Navy. Originally, Commodore Jones was also to participate in the reformation of the Navy, but he was granted command of nearly the entire Continental Navy to protect the sea lanes from privateers. Unfortunately for the United States, some British privateers (and even French ones) continued to plunder American merchant ships. Until that was settled, Commodore Jones was going to live in the Atlantic Ocean. Expectedly, General Kim was assigned to reform the Continental Marines, into the United States Marine Corps (suspiciously, the general already had a flag for the Marine Corps). Originally, it was going to be a subbranch under the proposed United States Navy, but surprisingly, several vocal members of Congress wanted to establish the Marines as their own independent branch. The French general noted it was mainly because the Continental Marines achieved much success throughout the Revolutionary War, with many Marines receiving a long list of honors and decorations for their services. As such, even members of Congress were opposed to making the Marines a "tributary" to another branch. The matter was to be officially voted on when Congress was "officially" assembled in 1780, but until then, he and his former superior were doing their best to create a reformed, improved version of the Continental Marines. Which, to say the least, was difficult due to the improvements that General Kim implemented throughout the entire war. But that wasn''t his role for today. He was entering the city after riding his horse from Virginia. In fact, it was because he witnessed the Virginian state legislature declare the ratification that he knew about the ratification before anyone else in New York. He was originally visiting to meet with General Washington, a pleasant man who he had high respect for and wanted his perspective for a memoir the Frenchman was writing. However, the date coincided with the vote of the ratification, a spectacle that drew him in. And once he was absolutely certain he wasn''t hallucinating, he rode back to New York as fast as he could. Even at his top speed, the journey took two days, including rest. Greeting a few locals that he befriended during his stay in the port city, he rushed to "Times Street," the street which the shop for the New York Times resided in. The shop itself was fairly average-sized, but the newspaper itself was rapidly becoming one of the biggest newspapers in New York City. Designed personally by General Kim during his free time (which to say, wasn''t much but the man worked himself to the bone), the newspaper was filled with honest articles, clean and organized designs, detailed cartoons, historical facts, and a section which featured a "short story" section. The prices for the newspapers printed by the New York Times were substantially lower than the other newspapers in the city, which helped its competitiveness greatly. But the news he had was breaking, and if he was right, it would probably help the newspapers sell its next edition rapidly. "Is Samuel here?" Lafayette asked as he rushed into the shop. A few workers perked up from the ruckus and a woman, who Layfaette recognized as one of the scores of women the former general hired, spoke to him, "The chief is currently at home. He was just here a few hours ago, but retired for the night." "Regardless of whether he''s here or not, I have some important news that might help tomorrow''s edition sell very well. Virginia has ratified the Constitution, which means the Constitution is now legal." Several of the workers immediately mobbed him for questions and verification. It took an exhausting hour to convince them that he was, indeed, in Virginia when that happened and witnessed the event. And once he convinced them, he gave them every little detail he could remember before rushing off Samuel''s residence. When he entered the house, he was greeted warmly by the man in accented French, "Je suis content de vous revoir!" "Merci," Lafayette replied, "Samuel, they have ratified the Constitution." "Who?" "Virginia. It''s official now." "You are joking." "No, I swear! They ratified in front of my own eyes. For a few moments, Samuel didn''t react. However, when he did, his shoulders slumped as if the weight of the world was taken off his shoulders, "Thank God it has finally happened." "The process was very fast, much faster than I expected in my honest opinion. But it has happened, for the better, or for the worst." Samuel smiled and clapped the man''s shoulder, "Let us hope it is for the better. Now this calls for a celebration. I believe I have some fine wine that I have been saving for this moment, care to join me?" "Of course. After all, it is an important day for mankind as a whole." Chapter 67: Planning for the Future +++++ New York City, the United States of America March 10th, 1778 "Well then, congratulations on your marriage," Jefferson stated, his sentiments echoed by the other men in the room. "Thank you all for your presence," Samuel said as he settled down into his chair, "Now since the formalities of my wedding are over, we can begin our first Watchmen Society meeting of the year." The Watchmen Society meeting was the biggest to date. Nearly all the members (both old and new) were present in Kim''s house in New York City. The house''s living room was just large enough to fit all five dozen delegates that were present. The only missing members were John Adams (who was still in Europe as the Chief Secretary of European Affairs) and Pelissier (who was attending to matters in Quebec and was watching over the Napoleon family). The official cover of the meeting was for all of them to attend Kim''s wedding, which was a hugely celebrated affair at a local church. Samuel spent a private night with his newly wedded wife and arranged for his house to be cleared for the meeting the day after. Elizabeth and his "sons" were visiting Hannah Arnold in Connecticut, while his businesses were being managed by various supervisors. So he was free for the entire day, to manage the future affairs of the United States. Some of the newest additions to the Society were Lafayette (who was vouched for by Kim and accepted so that he was aware of the upcoming French Revolution), Colonel Poor (who returned from Kentucky just weeks earlier with a girl in tow), Alexander Hamilton (for his service during the Revolutionary War and his "other" history), and Henry Lee (for his "future son" and his brilliance in cavalry). "As per usual, let us welcome the newest members of our ever-growing group," The former Marine announced, "We have four new members: General Lafayette, Colonel Poor, Captain Hamilton, and Lieutenant Colonel Lee." "All members of the military?" John Hancock asked as his eyes scanned the new members. "Former military, but with great political potential. Now let us begin the session. As agreed upon in our last meeting, the newest members, and members who have joined our session for the first time, will be granted a chance to learn anything they desire on my laptop." A loud gasp escaped one of the members and everyone turned to see Benjamin Franklin nearly toppled over in his chair, earning more than a few chuckles. The man returned from France at the beginning of the year, which meant that this meeting was his first one as an official member of the Society. "We will go alphabetical by each individual''s last name. So, Mr. Franklin, you are first." Kim pulled out his shiny laptop (which always remained clean for some odd reason) and placed it on the table. Franklin strutted over eagerly and looked at the laptop in awe, "So this is the "laptop." Truly an ingenious machine! I saw it briefly before in Philadelphia, but I was unable to see the fine details of it from afar." "What would you like to search up?" The man thought for a few moments before smiling, "An invention that is advanced and world-changing. Something that I would have never imagined in my lifetime." Samuel smiled and typed away on his keyboard, "I imagine this article would fit your criteria." "The Internet," As the inventor read the article, his facial expressions changed from confusion to intrigue, "The entirety of the world''s information, at a person''s fingertips! So you''re telling me that if someone had one of these devices and had a "connection" to this "Internet," they would be able to search for any types of information ever recorded?" "You are correct. While I do not have a connection to the internet, I have something called "Wikipedia" which was originally from the internet and downloaded into my computer. Keep in mind, this "Wikipedia" is only a very small fraction of the total knowledge available on the internet. But even still, this has information about millions of different people, places, events, etc." "So if I typed my name into this "Wikipedia," it would show all the relevant information about me?" "Would you like to try?" "As tempting as it is, I will decline," Franklin smiled, "I''m sure the information you have about me from the future will change due to your presence. Perhaps I will ask you about this another time." The other members searched for information relevant to their personal life or trade. Hamilton searched up for the economics of the future United States and his own personal legacy. Needless to say, he was flabbergasted about the numbers ("$20 trillion? I have no idea what that number means, but it sounds impressive. Also, about the National Bank..."). Lafayette learned about the French Revolution and republicanism in France, though he did look a bit sickened at the destruction of the monarchy and the "Reign of Terror." Lee researched about his famous "son," who was mentioned in his conversations with Kim. He also discovered tanks and the future of calvary, which both impressed him and disappointed him ("There is no honor in warfare in the future"). Meanwhile, Poor looked up about the history of African Americans and the history of the United States Marine Corps. He was disappointed with the former, but interested in the latter. "Now we got that settled. The first order of business is... the expansion of the United States and our Society. There are only two states that have not ratified, Maryland and Rhode Island. However, they will most likely ratify by the end of this year. We have several potential states looking for statehood, including a proposed Cherokee state that will encompass southern Kentucky, northern Georgia, and eastern Tennessee. Other future states include Vermont, Kentucky, and Georgia. So by the year 1790, we may have approximately twenty states, which means that we may need to spread our Society further." The debate on this matter was short. One person would be "scouted" and selected to join the Society from any future states in order to ensure that the states had an individual that was "in" on the secret. Additionally, any Society members that joined the government, both on the state and federal levels, would act independently from the Society to prevent the group from dictating the American government. They were to only safeguard the American republic and advise the government only when necessary. "Speaking of the government," Jefferson stood up from his chair and looked at two people in particular, "I believe there are two individuals here that have... an excellent chance of heading the new government when it is formed in two years." Washington and Kim looked down at the table as all eyes turned to them. Samuel spoke out first, "I thought it was settled that George would be the first president?" "No no. That was your own decision, Samuel. I am fairly certain that I supported you for the presidency." "What happened to "non-interference" in governmental policies?" Hancock asked with an amused expression on his face. "That doesn''t necessarily mean that we are forbidden from running for governmental positions. We are to act independently and with the people in mind, but we can still run for Congress and the such," Jefferson answered, "And I''m sure looking at the other history, there is already a very suitable candidate in this room..." "I am already retired," Washington casually pointed at Kim, "He has incredible foresight about the future, strong leadership, and prestige. I believe it will be simple for him to run and get elected." "But you were the first George. At least run for one term." "I''m old." "You''re 48." "And you''re 30! You are much younger than me. Let me retire to my farm in peace." "If you agree to become the first president, I will run after you." "I will appoint you as my vice president and then resign immediately after taking office." "You wouldn''t!" "Gentlemen!" Franklin bellowed, "It is obvious that these two act like children when the presidency is mentioned. Therefore, I will settle this dispute. Washington will head the Continental Congress as the first "acting" president until the elections are underway in two years. Afterward, Kim will become the first "official" president after elections. Well, if he is elected." Samuel nearly threw his hands in the air, "Are all the delegates in favor of this?" "Aye," Many of them stated. "Why?" "Because you are from the future and can set excellent precedents for future presidents to follow?" Jefferson answered questioningly. "I will think about it," Kim muttered, "Now moving on... The next is the exploitation of resources. I believe we have already covered negotiating with the Cherokees in regards to the goldfields that are near their territory..." Omake: To the Future (Part 2) Samuel Kim High School, New York City, the United States of America July 20th, 2025 "Alright, class. Please place any textbooks and study guides away from the desks so we can begin the midterm," Jonathan Wright, a history teacher at Samuel Kim High School announced. The class of thirty or so students followed their teacher''s instructions and prepared themselves for the incoming test. Towards the back of the classroom, two boys whispered to one another as they waited for their instructor to pass out the exams. "How much did you study?" Albert Ehrler asked his close friend. "Enough," Justin Da-nuo Kong answered, "If it''s like the other tests, then it''ll be a lot of critical thinking and impact. But I did study the material all night yesterday. Trust me, it wasn''t that easy." "Well yeah, because we cover the Revolutionary War and its aftermath for pretty much an entire quarter," Albert deadpanned, "After that its the very late eighteenth century and the entirety of the nineteenth century: industrialization, the French Civil War, the Jamaican Rebellion, the Anglo-American War. Can''t say they''re not interesting though, I think most of the class is interested in that stuff too..." "Is there a problem back there?" The teacher called out. The two boys shut up immediately and accepted the tests that were given to them. Justin wrote his name on the very top and sighed. A third of the test was multiple choice, though there were more than a few response questions on the bottom. "1) The Battle of Bunker Hill was considered one of the first major American victories against Great Britain during the Revolutionary War. Why was this battle more significant than the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which was also a significant American victory? A) The Battle of Bunker Hill destroyed a significant portion of the British Navy, which later on allowed the Thirteen Colonies to enjoy an advantage at sea. This allowed greater amounts of materials and weapons to be imported to the Thirteen Colonies. B) The Battles of Lexington and Concord were not American victories. Instead, the Thirteen Colonies suffered more losses in men and material during the battles, which allowed the British to advance into Boston. C) The colonial militia forces during the Battle of Bunker Hill inflicted disproportionate losses against the British forces, decimating the British military''s leadership. The severe losses that Britain suffered led to the American invasion of Quebec and Nova Scotia. D) The colonial militia forces managed to slow down the British advance and prevent the collapse of the defensive lines in Boston. This forced the British military to prolong a siege of the city, which later ended in an American victory after Britain''s withdrawal." That''s too easy, Justin thought as he circled the right answer. He looked down at the next question. "2) What was the impact of the American Invasion of Canada (1775) on the (then) colony of Quebec and why? A) The Invasion of Canada resulted in a severe backlash against the occupying American government due to its anti-Catholic and anti-Loyalist policies. These acts resulted in the severe hindrance of the invading American forces and kindled a pro-British sentiment in the region that lasted up until the mid-19th-century. B) The Invasion of Canada resulted in a serious defeat for the invading American forces, which forced many Patriots in the region to flee into hiding. As a result, Governor Guy Carleton controlled the region with little opposition and forced severe punishments on the population until the second American Invasion of Canada in 1778. C) The Invasion of Canada resulted in a stunning victory of the invading American forces, which led to the American occupation of Quebec. As a result, Quebec was officially invited to the Continental Congress and saw the first widespread universal suffrage in a colony-wide referendum to decide on the colony''s future. D) The Invasion of Canada lasted until the year 1777, which destroyed two major cities (Montreal and Quebec City) and saw wide-spread devastation in the countryside. This resulted in the anti-American and the anti-British attitudes in Quebec that nearly led to the colony''s independence from the United States after its capture." Easy, once again. "3) Samuel Kim established himself as an important American figure during the Revolutionary War. His biggest role in the Revolution was... A) Leading the Continental Marines to success multiple times on the battlefield, bringing about a swifter end to the war. B) Creating sports such as baseball and soccer, which helped boost morale amongst the Continental Army after it suffered numerous defeats in 1776. C) Establishing a national newspaper, helping the Continental Congress counter British propaganda and raising the image of the Continental Army. D) Defeating the Native Americans, which led to the end of the war in the Ohio and Kentucky Territories." After answering a few more multiple-choice questions, he finally moved onto the free-response questions. "1) In your own opinion, using historical evidence, explain the reasons why Samuel Kim rose to prominence during and after the Revolutionary War. How did he utilize his prominence and what impacts did he have on American society? Bonus points for relating any current events or laws to Samuel Kim''s legacy." Justin groaned. He knew this was going to be on the test because they covered an entire week about the nation''s hero during class. His brain raked at all the numerous relevant pieces of information he remembered during their lectures and discussions. He felt immensely proud that one of the nation''s hero (oddly enough) was Asian, but to cover so much information about just one man... He sighed and flipped to the next question while he organized all the information in his head. "2) What was the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Declaration of Independence? What similarities did these two documents share? What were some differences between the two documents? How did these two documents transform American society and views? Refer to pre-Revolutionary War time periods and cross-examine the differences between pre-Revolution and post-Revolution America." "3) It is commonly believed that the song "Do You Hear the People Sing" was created by Samuel Kim before the Battle of Bunker Hill, as the battle was the first recorded event in which the song was sung. Here is a section of the lyrics of the song down below: Will you give all you can give So that our banner may advance Some will fall and some will live Will you stand up and take your chance? The blood of the martyrs Will water the soils of our land! Do you hear the people sing? Singing the songs of angry men? It is the music of the people Who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart Echoes the beating of the drums There is a life about to start When tomorrow comes! How does this song symbolize the beliefs held by the Thirteen Colonies during the Revolutionary War? Examine at least one paragraph from the lyrics given above and refer to historical evidence to support your assumptions. Additionally, define the word "slaves" in regards to the context of the song and time period." "4) The Revolutionary War had profound effects on the decision making and outlook of Great Britain towards the United States. Explain the evolution of the views Great Britain held towards the United States as the war progressed. Additionally, how did Great Britain''s views impact the negotiations for the Treaty of Amsterdam (1777) and the concessions Great Britain ceded to the United States? Bonus points if you are able to explain how the views developed by Great Britain during this time period carried over to the Anglo-American War (1832)." Justin scribbled furiously on his test paper. He had a lot of work to do. +++++ AN: Bonus points if any of the readers want to answer some of these questions... Chapter 68: Operation Paperclip Bermuda, the United States of America May 1st, 1778 William Cockerill waited patiently in order to check in with the "Customs Officer" that was speaking with people in line. He was merely nineteen years old and had come straight from England, like all the immigrants currently awaiting in Bermuda. He was unsure why he couldn''t just travel directly to New York City, where his letter of recommendation came from, but he had a hunch why he and his fellow Britishmen were treated differently than immigrants from France or Prussia. The island of Bermuda was home to the Continental Navy, or also known as the American Navy, and also had an impressive number of American soldiers strutting around the island. If he had to guess, the British were sent to Bermuda before being sent to North America as a show of force, and to ensure that Great Britain understood that Bermuda was well-defended and well-fortified. Not that Great Britain wanted another war, the British Lion had been bloodied and humiliated during the "American Rebellion." He was here because he received an intriguing letter about two months prior. The letter was written by a man named "Samuel Kim," whose name was odd yet somewhat familiar. He introduced himself as an owner of an ironworks in New York City and asked for Cockerill to work under him. The American believed that he had immense talent and wanted the Englishman to design some machines for use in his ironworks and a factory he was planning to open within two years. Cockerill was going to be given a substantial pay a large bonus, and unlimited funding for any of his projects if he decided to accept the offer. Seeing that his career in England was lackluster both financially and career-wise, the British blacksmith accepted Samuel''s offer and traveled across the Atlantic in order to search for a new opportunity in a foreign land. He had mixed feelings about coming to the land that his home country had been at war with just months earlier, but the promise of high pay and unlimited support for his projects put him at ease. Finally, after waiting for about fifteen minutes, the line moved up and he was face to face with the "Customs Officer." The officer was sitting in a private booth and writing things down on a piece of parchment. He looked up at the man and smiled, "Welcome. What is your reason for immigration?" "Work. I was offered a job in New York." "I see," The officer replied as he scribbled a few words on a new parchment, "Do you have any letters of recommendation on you to verify this?" "I do," Cockerill pulled out the letter from Samuel from his travel bag and handed it to the officer. The officer read it for a few seconds before his eyes widened, "Ah, I see. You''re planning to work with General Kim?" "General?" "He was the former leader of the Marines before he retired. I served under him for a long two years." It was then that Cockerill realized that the man was in a military uniform (without a hat) and had a musket hidden in the corner of the booth, "I see. Well, is he a good man?" "A great man. One of the best officers the world has ever seen, yet humble and caring. I heard from the others that his businesses are experiencing great success, so you''ll be fine sir." After asking a few more questions, several of them which Cockerill thought was odd ("Have you contracted any serious illnesses in the past month?" "Do you have any livestock or food items in the bag that you brought from England?"), he was cleared by the officer and handed his immigration papers, along with a small booklet, "These papers will verify your identity. You just need to show them to the Customs Officer once you board your ship to New York, and then show them again to an officer once you step onto the North American mainland. This booklet will have all information about the United States, from ports of entry to our current system of government. Welcome to the United States, sir. Next!" As Cockerill wandered off, he saw that a Negro was next in line and was walking up to the booth that he stood in front of just moments earlier. He shrugged and walked back to the inn he was staying in the town of St. George. Since the ship to New York was expected to arrive in a week, he decided to go into a nearby tavern to drink and read the booklet he was given. He went inside, he found the tavern bustling with activity and discovered that other Britishmen were also drinking and chatting within the tavern. He sat down alone at a table, ordered some food and drinks, and opened the booklet. The very first page was the so-called "Constitution" of the United States, apparently the very highest form of law in the nation. "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America," Cockerill mumbled, "Certainly a mouthful." He read through the book and was mystified at what he was processing. He had heard rumors that the United States was attempting a republican form of government, but the laws they had crafted and established were much more extensive than he imagined. He couldn''t imagine this nation would last long without a strong central figure, like a king, but admittedly, it seemed like the Yankees made great efforts to create their republic. "The current "president" of the United States if George Washington, who has been placed as the head of the Continental Congress until the first elections are carried out on November 9th of 1779. As willed by the Constitution, male and female citizens (those that were living in the United States upon the ratification of the Constitution, which was ratified on August 9th of 1777) may vote in the General Election for the President and for Congress (the age requirement for men is twenty-five, while the requirement for women is thirty-five). All voting places across the United States will be determined before June of 1779 and citizens will be able to vote in the first elections provided they have proof that they have been living in the United States prior to the ratification. The right to vote will not be hindered by race, religion, belief, or sex, as prescribed in the Bill of Rights (the first Fourteen Amendments of the Constitution)." "You''re also reading that booklet too?" A Welsh accent called out behind Cockerill. The Englishman turned to see a young man dressed in a large coat and trousers. Cockerill nodded slowly as he placed down the booklet, "I don''t have much to do, so I decided to read the booklet they gave me." "Same here," The Welshman said as he pulled out a booklet that looked exactly like the one that Cockerill had, "It''s interesting as laws and politics go, but I''ve never been fond of politics." "I''ve been using this to study about my future home for the next several years, depending on how things go." "Pardon me for my rudeness, my name is Watkin George. I was an apprentice working at Cyfartha Ironworks." George said as he shook the man''s hand. "I''m William Cockerill. I was a blacksmith working in a small shop in England." George stared at the table and the Englishman noticed that he was staring at the letter of recommendation that he placed next to his booklet, "Were you also invited by that Samuel fellow?" "Yes. Were you?" The former apprentice fumbled with a few things in his coat before pulling out a crumpled letter, "Yes. He sent me a letter three months ago through that John Adams fellow that was in Great Britain. Offered me a place at his ironworks. Apparently, his colleague invented a process to produce steel in mass quantities and I was intrigued so decided to come over." Cockerill shrugged, "I was offered pay and a place to continue any of my projects." "I thought you were a blacksmith?" "I also designed machines in my free time." "Interesting," George muttered, "Then perhaps you''ll like to accompany me and work together once we''re in New York? After all, we''ll be working in the same ironworks my suspicions are correct. And I''m still relatively inexperienced despite my apprenticeship." "Certainly. I was wondering how I would spend the next week on this island anyway," Cockerill replied, "But I''m interested in that steel-producing method you mentioned... Could the Americans have found a way to produce steel in mass quantities..." Chapter 69: President (of the Continental Congress) George Washington George Washington looked out the window of his office longingly and sighed. All he wanted and asked for was to retire in peace and let the others take care of the governing, but unfortunately, he was pretty much thrown into the executive position despite his protests. He had to admit that the title "President George Washington" had a nice ring to it, but he never cared about titles or honors. He fought in the Revolutionary War because he believed it was the right thing to do, freed his slaves because he was convinced by God, and went back to his farm because he wanted to live a simple life. Unfortunately, the other members of the Watchmen Society (and even the delegates of Congress who weren''t aware of Samuel''s secret) had other ideas. He and the others reached a compromise; Washington was to serve as the first president until the first general elections, then he was allowed to retire to Virginia. Despite his reluctance, he knew that he would be hunted down and badgered until he caved in, so he conceded and accepted the position from Congress dutifully. It had been three months since he was sworn into office (he recited the same presidential oath that was used in the other history during his inaugural ceremony) and he was still getting used to his new duties. While he rarely used his executive powers (as he believed himself to be a more ceremonial president than an "actual" president), there were numerous pressing matters that he had to deal with on a daily basis. From diplomacy to internal security, there were many things he had to do to make sure the nation was up and running for the next president to smoothly take over. He had sent a delegation to Morroco just a few weeks prior in order to get the nation to recognize the United States and protect American shipping from being raided by the Barbary Pirates. While he knew it wasn''t an immediate concern, Washington wanted to ensure that he resolved the problem sooner rather than later. Additionally, with some encouragement from Samuel, he had instructed the delegation to open a potential partnership between the two nations. In this history, France recognized the United States first, but even so, Morocco had the potential to be an "ally" for the young nation, and treating them as equals would possibly help foster a relationship between the two nations. It was a long shot, but it was still worth a try. After all, Washington had no delusions about the future of Africa. If the United States didn''t do anything, then the other European nations would run rampant and exploit the people living there. And while his opinions of Africans (not African Americans, he firmly saw them as equal Americans) were mixed, the sheer brutality and inhumane acts carried out by the other European countries made him feel like he had a duty to the natives there. Speaking of European nations, the British were trading heavy blows with the French and Spanish in the Caribbean. It wasn''t a secret that the current British government wanted to save face after losing all of its North American possessions (the occupation of West Florida, Prince Edward Island, and New Foundland was carried out in May after the British retreated from those colonies). As a result, Britain was devoting much of its military to push their enemies out of the Caribbean and retake its seized colonies (Jamaica, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Vincent, Montserrat, Tobago, and St. Kitts). They were also looking to conquer Cuba and Hispanola if the rumors were correct as an act of anger and revenge. Due to the end of the conflict between the United States and Britain, it seemed like Britain was regaining the upper hand in the region and defeated a sizeable French fleet off the coast of the Bahamas recently. He had no doubts that the French and Spanish were angered at the American "betrayal" for loaning out East Florida and Bermuda for resupply and basing to the British, but it was a deal that allowed the United States to expand and achieve peace. In the end, all the two nations could do was protest and grit their teeth, as they were in no shape or form to attempt an invasion of the republic. As for the homefront, the Cherokees and the United States were planning a peaceful, diplomatic meeting in Georgia in a month''s time to determine the relationship between the two. With Georgia occupied and a mere "territory," there was great potential for successful negotiations in order to settle any disputes once and for all. With the Iroquois (or the Haudenosaunee as the people there called themselves) acting as support for the American side, Washington had high hopes that the Cherokees would join, or at least maintain close relations. There were very few American raids into the Cherokee settlements this time around, with most of them being carried out by Loyalists through Georgia, so the amnesty between the Indians and the colonials was more mellow. If all went well, the meeting would end successfully by sometime next year. However, not all natives were amicable. In particular, the Shawnees were extremely hostile to the United States and constantly battled settlers in the Ohio Territory. It had reached the point that Washington asked Congress to remobilize some veterans to deal with the threat, as the Continental Army had been mostly disbanded. Approximately three thousand veterans, many of them former slaves, answered Congress'' call to arms. They were offered greater pay and better pensions in return for another year of enlistment. Three regiments were organized from the returning veterans (one of them that was mostly African Americans, who called themselves the "Fighting Freedmen") and they were sent to Ohio to fight the Shawnees. All attempts at diplomacy were rejected and it seemed as though the situation would end with only one victor. Thankfully, the Iroquois was also assisting with their own warriors and the conflict was slowly tipping in their favor. Domestic affairs were rather peaceful and orderly. Congress passed the Bill of Rights after Maryland (reluctantly) ratified the Constitution. The Bill of Rights and its guarantees were enough for the Rhode Island federalists to push the state assembly to ratify the Constitution (the vote was still close, 55-52) in June. With all the "founding" states now in the Union, the biggest threats to the unity of the states were now over and the nation was mobilizing for its first-ever election in 1779. And thanks to the help of the Watchmen Society, the American economy was expected to grow in leaps and bounds in the next few decades. Already, the "Pelissier Process" was being spread throughout the US to have a way of producing inexpensive, mass quantities of steel. So far, only Pelissier and Read had managed to replicate the original Bessemer Process effectively, but he knew that other places around the United States would soon catch up. And with steel, better tools and machines were going to be crafted. The steam engine was already on some of the Watchmen Society members'' minds, which could forever revolutionize the economy and propel America ahead of its competitors. Other potential inventions that drew interest were the telegraph, the cotton gin, the Jacquard Loom, and the battery. Not every domestic affair was about the economy. There were plenty of other fields that were being explored. For example, an Eerie Canal was being planned (or a replica of the other history''s Eerie Canal), though the United States needed more experts and engineers to truly fulfill the project. Having information was one thing, but putting it into practice was another. Benjamin Rush was writing out "new" medical theses and was creating some semblance of a medical system across the United States. The last time Washington heard from him, he was in eastern Philadelphia, draining out swamps that would decimate many civilians in Philadelphia from yellow fever and malaria in the future. Loyalists were being driven out of South Carolina and Georgia and Loyalist leaders were being put on trial. South Carolina and Georgia were expected to be black majority states after the expulsion of the Loyalists, so Washington was placing great efforts to ensure that things didn''t spiral out of control in the southernmost regions. Just as he was deep in thought, a knock on his office''s door made Washington turn away from the window. He opened the door to see a member of Congress, Pennsylvanian Delegate Andrew Allen. In the other history, he betrayed the United States after opposing independence. Yet in this new world, he was a respected member of the Continental Congress and a fierce advocate for federalism. Samuel''s presence had changed thousands, if not millions, of lives, and the aftermath was seen everywhere. The delegate cleared his throat and nodded his head respectfully, "Mr. President, I was asked to give you an update on the current situation of Congress and also hand you this letter." The president accepted the papers that were handed to them gracefully, "Thank you. Is there anything else?" "No. All is well," Allen replied, "I will excuse myself, as I know you are busy with your administrative work." The delegate bowed and left the room, presumably to deal with other matters. Washington walked to his desk and placed the letters on the wooden top. He read through the letter first, as he spotted the name "Samuel Kim" written on the envelope. After skimming through the content, he smiled at the letter, "So... The next president is doing well as expected." The letter was long and descriptive. Samuel explained his current situation in New York about how he managed to "collect" a number of future British engineers and industrialists. Additionally, it seemed as though the Buonaparte family was now living in New York City after Pelissier''s recommendation and he befriended the head of the Corsican family due to his ability to speak some French. Samuels'' armory was coming along nicely and was expected to be able to produce rifled muskets for the military in the near future. The ironworks was a work in progress, as the workers needed more training and technical skills, but the man''s newspaper was thriving apparently. It seemed as though Samuel was putting the "freedom of the press" into action. Washington looked out the window one more time and went back to work. At least he would be out of the office and be free of executive work in a year or so. For Samuel? He probably had to deal with this for eight years. Chapter 70: The Oath of Allegiance New York City, the United States of America July 30th, 1778 "I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will uphold truth and justice, and carry out my duties as a citizen faithfully; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God." "Congratulations," Samuel said with a smile as he folded the paper which was printed with the Oath of Allegiance to the United States, "You are all American citizens on the 30th of July, in the year of our Lord 1778. The man waited for cheers to die down as he addressed the group of one hundred or so people in front of him. "As citizens, you will enjoy all rights and liberties stated in our Constitution, which was handed to you just a few minutes ago. I suggest you go through it with your families so that you understand the document thoroughly. After all, there are several duties of an American citizen that are important to remember, such as serving on a jury when the courts are established or bearing arms against any foreign enemies. Additionally, while voting is not a requirement, I highly recommend that you do so to exercise your privilege as an American citizen and have a say in our nation''s future. Furthermore, I will be hosting a citywide town hall meeting in a week''s time, which any citizens are allowed to join.to debate politics or any local concerns. It will be hosted on Sunday evening, and dinner will be provided." "My assistants and I will give all of you your citizenship certificate, which you can use to verify your identity while voting amongst other things. Please remember not to lose them, as there is a replacement fee. Otherwise, thank you for attending and all of you are dismissed." His "assistants" were people from the printing shop that also printed the citizenship certificates a few days prior. It was a long and cumbersome process, which involved him and a few New York officials going door to door around the city to confirm each individual''s length of residence in the United States (any piece of parchment that stated that they were living in the US before August 9th of 1777 did the trick). He wasn''t there for the entirety of the trip around the city, but he knew that the entire process took about three weeks in total. After all the new citizens were verified, Samuel was asked to print the certificates in his printing shop and host a "citizenship ceremony." He mainly assumed this was the case because of the current governor of New York, Robert Livingston (who was also a Watchmen Society member). The governor knew that he partook a citizenship ceremony before (as Samuel was a naturalized American citizen in the future), so he wanted to replicate the process as accurately as possible. He carried out the first few ceremonies to demonstrate how it was done and other state officials followed suit and delivered. Samuel did have reservations about how he carried out the citizenship ceremonies, as his own ceremony was all but a distant memory. But as long as the people were given the Constitution (which was a bonus provided by Samuel so the people were aware of the document), understood their current status, and received their certification, he was sure it would be fine. Hopefully. This particular group he was speaking to were workers from his ironworks and armory. The two businesses were growing rapidly, and he was already employing both locals and immigrants alike. He understood the importance of integrating and helping out new immigrants, so he ensured that they were treated fairly and cared for. He provided housing for immigrants (he managed to acquire a few more properties in New York and renovated them into housing units and was planning to build an entirely new town in his history''s Fort Lee area) and did his best to find translators to prevent the language barrier from affecting the workflow. So far, a lot of German immigrants were coming from abroad, along with Swedish, Dutch, and some British immigrants as well. There were also a few African Americans coming into New York City, mainly some of his veteran marines searching out employment after their emancipation (all black soldiers that fought for the Continental Army were freed after being released from duty). Already, New York City was feeling a bit more like the United States he was familiar with; a land of immigrants and newcomers that just needed a little push to take their steps into greatness. As he absentmindedly handed a certificate to one of his workers, the next person in line greeted the Asian man by name, "How are you, Samuel?" Samuel''s face broke out into a grin as he realized who was speaking to him, "I''m doing fine, Tom. How does it feel to be an American citizen?" "A dream come true," The African American replied, "Ya know, I thought after this war was over... I thought that maybe they would send me back to that plantation down in Georgia again." The man from the future''s grin turned into a grimace as he recalled that several slaves that fought for the Patriots in his history were enslaved once again after the war came to an end, "If they did, I would have taken up arms against the government." "And I would have followed. But they kept their words and now I''m free, and a citizen too! This nation is surely something else. I''m planning to visit my old friends down in Georgia soon. If Mr. Anderson is selling his farm, then I''m gonna buy it and help the others get up on their feet too! I got plenty of money on my hands now, and it ain''t fair that I enjoy all this to myself," Tom said with a gaping grin. "Good to hear that, Tom. I''ll gladly give you some time off and give you some extra money so that you can fulfill your goal. Call it an "extended vacation," Samuel answered as he patted the man on the back, "And if you must, I''ll let you go back to Georgia and stay there in order to help out your fellow freedmen. After all, they need someone to educate them and help them understand their new status." "Will do, general!" Tom gave the man a salute out of reflex, "Er, I mean Samuel. Thank you." After the entire group left, Samuel and the others stayed behind to see if there were any leftover certificates. As he was going through a small pile of papers, a well-dressed man stepped towards him, "Bonjour." "Ca va?" Buonaparte switched to English. Apparently, the former noble was apt in both French and English, and very fluent in Corsican. Though, Samuel could only speak English and a bit of French currently, "Good. It was just odd to see so many commoners being granted "citizenship." I''ve always heard the rumors when I was staying in Paris, but even l'' esclave being given rights..." "Our nation is founded on equality, monsieur. You did also take that Oath of Allegiance too." "Yes, but it wasn''t as if I could refuse: money to pay off all my gambling debts, extra money for moving here, and vast amounts of land. Along with a chance to partake in this nation''s government. The nobility title was certainly prestigious, but it hardly guaranteed financial success." Carlo Buonaparte moved to New York City after Samuel''s urgings. Originally, the man wanted to move his family to Quebec, but after Samuel guaranteed that the man would make a profit if he invested in his businesses and also recommended several farmlands west of the city to acquire for his holdings, the Buonaparte settled in New York. The man''s four children were now mingling with Samuel''s own children and being educated by Maria Buonparate and Elizabeth. Samuel hoped that with the right influence and teachings, Napoleon would thrive and become a strong supporter of the republic in the future (like Jackson, but that was another story). "America is very different than Corsica or even France, but I''m sure you''ll get used to it after some time." "Indeed," Buonaparte looked over a certificate left on one of the tables, "Let us hope it grows powerful and prosperous. For our own good, and for our finances." Chapter 71: Harsh Lessons Cape Francois, Saint-Domingue August 2nd, 1778 "Merde," William Simon muttered as he marched towards the city with his military unit, "The British are finally here." Simon was part of the French garrison that was stationed in the French colony of Saint-Domingue. The war between France and Britain was fiercely raging on and he wasn''t too surprised that the British attempted a landing on the valuable French colony. Especially since the British had defeated the French in a naval battle off the coast of the Bahamas just a month ago. However, the fact that the British managed to take the port city of Le Cap rapidly was concerning. The garrison in Saint-Domingue was reinforced by additional French troops several weeks earlier and Le Cap was formerly guarded by over three thousand French troops. The fact that half of them managed to escape and retreat from the city when the British invaded meant that the British had brought a great number of troops, or something else. As the French Army consisting of six thousand men (gathered mainly from Port-au-Prince and the northern towns) moved towards Le Cap, they were greeted by the sight of the British Army preparing defenses around the town. Simon watched as British soldiers dug two lines of trenches over wide strips of land and erected barricades behind them as well. From the looks of it, the British had three thousand soldiers at most. The French general in charge of the attack, General Philibert Francois Rouxel, commanded his men forward in a direct assault against the British. The French lacked heavy artillery, but the few artillery pieces they had fired upon the Redcoats. The British, who spotted the French Army moving towards their position, quickly hopped into their trenches and disappeared from sight. Simon almost snorted as shells rained down on the trenches from above, "The cowards. Hiding in their holes like a baby climbing back into its mother''s womb." It was difficult to see how much damage the artillery caused upon the British soldiers, but General Rouxel committed his troops and pushed forward. Eight thousand Frenchmen in uniform charged forward, determined to drive the British out of the trenches and retake the town. Suddenly, when the French soldiers were four hundred meters from the first line of trenches, the British opened fire on their ranks. Hundreds of French soldiers fell from the stream of British fire coming from the trenches. Thankfully, Simon managed to avoid getting struck by a musket ball, but he witnessed at least two hundred people go down before they managed to reach the trenches. Gritting his teeth, he jumped into the trenches with his bayonet and engaged in a melee with a Redcoat. While the French reached the first line of defense, British soldiers in the second line of trenches and behind the barricades fired on any individuals wearing blue. After an exhausting hour, Simon and the others finally managed to secure the first line of trenches after taking heavy casualties. Before they could move forward, a dozen detonations rocked the trenches that the French just seized, killing many instantly and shaking the survivors. Simon was one of three hundred that were instantly killed in the blast. Thankfully for him, he would be one of the lucky ones as hundreds more were wounded and maimed from the blast. After the explosions, the surviving French ranks disintegrated and the survivors retreated away from the town without any organization. By the time the smoke and dust cleared from the battlefield, the British took four hundred casualties, while the French suffered over two thousand. The British general that led the battle was none other than Brigadier General Patrick Ferguson, a survivor of the British Southern Campaign and designer of the Ferguson rifle. Chapter 72: Native Americans and Negotiations Savannah, Georgia, the United States of America August 20th, 1778 Tsiyu Gansini, or Dragging Canoe, waited patiently for the "Americans" to arrive in order to begin negotiations. Truthfully, he loathed meeting with the white devils that he had fought just over a decade ago. Sure, these new whites were no longer "English," but "Americans" and acted more "properly." However, dealing with them peacefully left a bad taste in his mouth. After all, there was no reason to believe that the "Americans" would keep their words and treat them as equals. For all he knew, this "United States" was pretending to be peaceful and cooperative until they were prepared to swarm his tribe and the tribes in the north. But he had promised to Skigausta that he would attempt to negotiate with the Americans as peacefully as possible, so he held down his true thoughts and maintained an impassive face. After a few minutes of waiting, the American delegation finally arrived at the designated meeting place. The meeting place was just outside the town of Savannah and in an open field, which was to deter either side from hiding troops or ambushers nearby. A group of Native American warriors, acting as Dragging Canoe''s guards, watched tensely as a lone American man sat in front of the Native American representative. He was also accompanied by a number of troops, all of them being ordinary soldiers from the Continental Army. Dragging Canoe eyed them cautiously and imagined how he would take them down if a fight broke out between the two sides. The American man, a statesman by the name of James Madison, smiled, "O''-Si-Yo''." Dragging Canoe was surprised, but hid his emotions, "Greetings." "I''m sure you have already received our terms through your Chief," Madison stated, "I am open to hearing your thoughts and suggestions to negotiate a peaceful and fair settlement between the United States and the tribes in this region." "What is your aim with our tribes?" Dragging Canoe asked pointedly. To the man''s credit, Madison did not falter from the question, "Our hope with Cherokee, the Chickasaw, the Seminole, the Creek, and the Choctaw is to have them join the Union as equal citizens while maintaining their autonomy." "So you wish to integrate us and turn us into white men." "No, our wish is to ensure that your tribes maintain their cultures while also becoming a part of the United States. While it may seem odd, the United States is striving to become a nation that is inclusive to all. The Iroquois is already considered one of the founding states and is willingly participating in our government. We hope that your tribes may do the same." The Native American frowned, "But you wish for the Five Tribes to move back to our original homeland and give up territories elsewhere." Madison nodded, "Admittedly, there have been many debates about allowing all five tribes to become separate states and claim large chunks of territories. As it stands, we wish for the five tribes to adopt a similar model to that of the Iroquois and form one single state in your homeland. So the central and eastern parts of the Tenessee Territory and the southern parts of the Kentucky Territory." "And you want us to just give up our lands as simple as that?" "Of course not. There will be proper compensation, as mentioned in the documents we sent to your respective tribes. The United States government will also aid the tribes in moving into the proposed state "Hisgi." Any loss of property or possessions will also be compensated. Additionally, you will be able to maintain your current tribal culture and your warriors, as long as the tribes elect and appoint federal representatives and judges. As guaranteed in our Constitution, the state will never be forced to cede any land once incorporated into the United States and will be protected like all the other states." Dragging Canoe grunted, "Is that all?" "That would be the extent of our offer. We can provide more for the tribes if they are still hesitant about the matter." "Why should we join with your nation, when we can create our own and keep our current territories and possessions?" "A good question," Madison said as he thought for a few moments, "In short, the five tribes are surrounded by our new nation and while I do not want to sound antagonistic, the two sides may have conflict in the future if the relationship between the two is not settled early on. Also, there are no guarantees that the British will simply watch from the sidelines. It is entirely possible that they attempt to invade the continent in the future, especially since we have received news that they are achieving victories in the Caribbean. On top of that, we offer economic and military support to protect the tribes and help them flourish despite our history." "I have no guarantees, but I will send some of my warriors to report back to the First Beloved Man of the tribe and further negotiate. Keep in mind, I am merely representing one of the five tribes. You will need to convince others as well." "Then I sincerely hope that all of them are receptive to our offer," Madison replied. Chapter 73: John Paul Jones Was a Fighting Man… Middle of the Atlantic Ocean December 1st, 1778 Commodore John Paul Jones enjoying his job as an officer of the Continental Navy, but he had to admit that he hated the cold. Why he wanted to travel to Russia out of all places in the other history was beyond him, even if they offered him a position in the navy unlike the United States of the other history. But in this world, he was considered one of the highest-ranking naval officers of the United States and was escorting merchant ships to Europe. The war against Britain was over, but there were plenty of privateers and pirates that attempted to raid American ships thinking that the United States had little power to stop them. It was his job to command the USS Bermuda and to prove them wrong. His ship and two Continental Frigates (the USS Bunker Hill and the USS Benedict Arnold) were escorting about six merchant ships that were traveling from New York to France for trade. He had carried out two escort missions so far, and both of them were rather uneventful except for a few armed exchanges against pirate ships. The merchant ships carried valuable shipments of steel, metal goods, and luxury goods to sell to France. As such, Commodore Jones was on heightened alert to escort these ships to France safely. The last thing he wanted was to be caught by surprise and lose his warships and merchant ships. Suddenly, one of his lookouts shouted at him, "Commodore, we have a few British ships off in the distance!" The officer took out the binoculars that were gifted to him by Samuel and looked off into the distance. Sure enough, there were six ships flying the British flag, though it seemed like only three of them were warships. However, the British ships were moving towards them and it seemed as though they were attempting to intercept them directly. "Maintain our speed, but turn slightly southward. I want to see what those ships want with us." After signaling to the other American ships, the USS Bermuda followed the commodore''s commands and moved slightly off course from their original route. An hour later, it was evident that the British ships were still tailing them for some odd reason. Now he had to make a choice; would he slow down to face the British ships or continue to set sail for France? USS Bermuda was a fourth rate ship but was noticeably slower than the frigates and the merchant ships. As a result, the other ships were moving slower than their fastest speeds to match with the USS Bermuda''s speed. From what Commodore Jones saw, the British ships were noticeably faster and all of them were smaller than the USS Bermuda. It would take some time for them to catch up, but they would catch up eventually. And the last thing he wanted was the merchant ships to be caught in a potential firefight. "Signal to USS Bunker Hill to take the merchant ships and continue its journey to France. The USS Benedict Arnold and the USS Bermuda will make a stand and fight." Three hours after the USS Bunker Hill and the American merchant ships departed, the British ships were finally upon the two American warships. Judging by the size of the British ships, the commodore guessed that the convoy was made up of three frigates and three merchant ships. However, he waited for the British ships to open fire first, as the United States and Britain were technically at peace. When the first shots from the British ships landed in front of his ship, Commodore Jones gave his orders, "Fire!" The USS Bermuda was refitted with six 6-pounder rifled cannons to replace the four 6-pounders on the quarterdeck. Three of them opened up on the British ships, along with the other twenty cannons on the port side. Several of them landed directly on one of the British frigates, while shots from the USS Benedict Arnold also poured onto the British ship. After four hours of relentless combat, the British ships finally conceded and fled towards the west. One of the British frigates was sunk, while the surviving British ships were all damaged to various degrees. The USS Bermuda and the USS Benedict Arnold were damaged, but stable enough to continue its voyage to France. However, two of the British merchant ships were stranded in the water due to the loss of their masts. The American ships descended upon them and captured them as their prizes. Commodore Jones stepped onto the captured ships and spoke with the captain in charge of the ships, "Why did your ship and the other British ships attack us? Are you not aware that there is peace between the United States and Britain?" The captain grimaced and nodded, "I was aware, but we were being escorted by privateers who were formerly Loyalists in South Carolina. We were traveling to the Caribbean to sell slaves in Jamaica, as it was recaptured four months ago. However, the Loyalists on the other ships wanted to engage your ships as an act of revenge for their losses in South Carolina. We had little choice in the matter, as they were our escorts and the waters around here are dangerous to regular merchant ships." "Slaves?" Commodore Jones frowned, "You have slaves on the two ships?" "Yes, about three hundred on each ship." "Inspect the slaves and provide them any provisions for them," Commodore Jones retorted to one of his crew members, "We will be sailing back to Bermuda." "Where will these slaves go from there?" "I have a friend in New York who can help us in that regard. They''ll be freed once we return." Chapter 74: Alexander Hamilton, A Finance Guy New York City, the United States of America April 1st, 1779 Alexander Hamilton woke up early in the morning and went to work almost immediately after waking up. After his honorable discharge from the Continental Marines, he spent his time passing the bar exam and preparing himself for an elected position, state or federal. Reading about his fate in the other world left him extremely intrigued in politics and he decided to enter the political arena early on. He knew that due to his age and inexperience, it would be an uphill climb to reach Congress (he knew he was all but guaranteed a spot in the state legislature through his connections), but he was determined to change the future of the nation for the better. And to ensure that he did not meet an early demise as he did in the other history. That all changed rapidly within a span of a week. At the end of March, President Washington announced publicly that he was not going to run in the first presidential elections and endorsed Samuel Kim in his stead. His move set off a chain of events that rocked the very foundation of the new nation. The man''s endorsement was at the front page of every newspaper, even the New York Times. Hamilton knew that Samuel was still reluctant to nominate himself for the presidency. But he was coming around slowly to the idea and contacted many individuals in planning for the long road ahead. From the public''s reaction, it seemed like there was considerable support for Samuel''s ascendency into office. From New Englanders who watched as Samuel fought for their colonies, to Quebecois that witnessed the man''s gentle way of administrating the French-Canadian colony, to Southerners, where thousands were either liberated or compensated by him personally. Samuel had no shortage of national acclaim and attention. Added to the fact that some other prominent members of society (such as Jefferson and Franklin) also backed the man''s nomination, the Korean-American was surprisingly riding a wave of optimism and positivity. It also helped that he was one of the leading officers that defeated the British at every turn. Some were even calling him the "Iron Commandant" of the Marines, an undefeatable and unshakable man who forged the path for America''s independence. That was where Hamilton came in. To the young man''s surprise, he was asked to serve as Secretary of the Treasury if the Asian man was elected president. Maybe it wasn''t too surprising, as he did serve as the first Secretary of Treasury in the other history. However, he wasn''t like the other "Alexander Hamilton." He had never opened up a bank (he planned to, but it was a work in progress), served as a lawyer in two trials so far (and none of them were as remarkable as some of his cases in the other history), and he was still young. He would turn twenty-five just before next year''s inauguration. He still had his educational background and theories, but they were extremely inadequate for the role he was to fill. Thankfully, he was given documents on some of his works in the other history and had the help of another member of the Watchmen Society, one who was more well-versed in economics than he was. The two were asked to review the documents, look at the other history, and come up with a comprehensive plan for the future of the American economy. While he waited for his partner to come, Hamilton went through a list of the things his other self did in order to secure revenue for the federal government. "Whiskey tax... A rebellion right when we''re getting started is the last thing we need," Hamilton grumbled, "Sure west Pennsylvania has shrunk a bit, but there are plenty of farmers and frontiersmen in the region. A whiskey tax would irritate, if not enrage people in the west. Especially more so since our nation is bigger... Maybe if the law was modified to prevent the farmers in the western regions from being unfairly treated, I could perhaps pull this off. It would still be a very sensitive issue, but it would certainly help boost finances. Another reason for that "Whiskey Rebellion" was due to the lack of economic and social welfare in the region. Since the frontiers are fairly secured and the government will be looking westward early, perhaps that could also remedy the problem in itself..." A knock on Hamilton''s door rocked him out of his thoughts. He made his way to the front and opened the door to see Robert Morris, former Pennsylvanian Delegate to Congress, waiting patiently. The man greeted Hamilton with enthusiasm, "It''s good to see you again, Alex." "We saw each other yesterday, Robert." "Alas, but we have so much work to do!" Morris entered the house and went straight to his usual place at Hamilton''s study. His documents and writing materials (many of them which were "future" tools such as ballpoint pens, wooden pencils, and erasers) were already laid out neatly for him to being work immediately, "Now then, what were you working on while I was on my way here?" "The Whiskey Tax," Hamilton replied. Morris let out a groan, "For God''s sake, Alex! You''ve been stuck on the Whiskey Tax for a day now. Haven''t we agreed that it won''t be necessary for some time?" "But it would be a good backup, just in case the other items are not successful." "How much does Congress owe in terms of debt currently?" "Approximately four million pounds." "How much did Congress owe in the other history?" "Twenty-eight million." "Exactly!" Morris slapped the desk hard, "Our financial situation is very stable, compared to the other history. We don''t need to worry about paying the troops, because they have been paid. We don''t owe much foreign debt, our biggest concern is state debts which we can address through other means." Hamilton nodded at his "mentor" and sighed, "I apologize. Now, let us review then the proposed ways of revenue for the future government." He pulled out a document and laid it out on his desk. The list wasn''t long, but it was detailed, "The first is a land tax. It''ll be adjusted based on value and usage, in order to prevent farmers and any landowners in the west from rioting in protest. Of course, this will take some time to implement, but if done correctly, it can provide us a good, steady source of revenue without much controversy." "The second item on the list is an excise tax, specifically on tobacco, cotton, soap, candles, steel, and a few other manufactured goods. The key is to balance out the interests of the north and the south. Especially since the south has been hit hard by the war. The excise tax on tobacco and cotton will be purposely low for the time being, while the north will take a brunt of the excise tax burden." "The third item on the list is customs duties. Manufactured goods from Britain, sugar, molasses, and a few other things will be targeted in order to prevent Britain from flooding our markets with their own goods in the early days and to get our own economy in order. Thankfully, with the improvement in farming tools and such in the North, I''m sure the customs duties on manufactured goods won''t be a huge issue for the southern colonies." "All in all, these are just proposals and will need to be studied carefully to find the right point of maximum productiveness of each duty and tax. We do also have Samuel''s magical gold bag, which will help us prop up the government in the short term. But we shouldn''t be reliant on him too much. Even if he is elected as the president, leaving one man in charge of the entire nation''s finances will only bring trouble." Morris patted him on the back, "Excellent! You''re just as sharp as your other history''s self." The New Yorker gave a small smile to the businessman, "I had your help, and the help of my other self as well. I can''t take all the credit for this." "But you stitched these policies together! You might be young, but you have just as much potential as your other self had. Now then, I have the expenditure proposal given to me by Samuel. Have a look at them yourself and see which ones might be feasible." A long piece of parchment was handed to Hamilton, who read the list in silence. His eyes grew wider as he went through the list, "I did not expect him to have such a comprehensive agenda already." "Well, it''ll need to go through Congress first. Samuel informed me that he wants to prevent the Executive from having a big say in the annual budget. Said he was going to write an executive order for it and convince Congress to pass it, which I have no doubts they will. But he wanted to know which of them were viable enough to be passed by Congress, and asked if you could modify the ones that weren''t viable so they would be viable." "Hmmm," Hamilton twirled the ballpoint pen in his hand, "It seems like he''s placed a heavy emphasis on education, which won''t be too much of a problem if the nation''s income is steady. The idea of national universities throughout the nation, even in regions like the west, will be greatly appealing to many. A "test'' of primary education schools in bigger cities won''t be a huge problem as well, especially if it''s not entirely focused on the north. "A national military... That was a given. A thirty thousand men Army with the best equipment and officers, along with an officers school in the north and south each. A fifty ship Navy, with five third-rates, twenty, redesigned Continental Frigates, and a number of sloops, brigs, and support ships. A separate number of ships will be set aside to defend the coast and counter-smuggling. A ten thousand men Marine Corps, with its own academy in Georgia and a few small boats for the branch''s use as well. I will need to run the numbers on this, but it should be possible not immediately, but after a few years. Perhaps the military can start out small and then bolster its strength as time goes on. If we set these goals as the goals for the military at the end of Kim''s second term, if he is elected to two terms, then they might be feasible." "A research department to develop new technologies, chemicals, industries, and weapons... That is interesting, though there is no doubt that we will need experts and teachers first before this ever gets off the ground." "A federal saving that is to be saved yearly, with a portion of the federal budget going towards this saving. It''s to be used in times of emergencies or financial crises... It might be useful seeing how much debt the United States accumulated in the other history." "Improvements to health, city layouts, and sanitation. I''m sure with the information we have now, we can make considerable changes to prevent some of the worst from happening. I''m sure many would agree with this." "National infrastructure upgrades across the board, certainly a huge plus for those in the frontier, as well as those in the more populated areas." An additional national fund to compensate slaves and to purchase any slaves and free them in the US. Itll certainly help former slaves to get back on their feet and also help save slaves from certain doom... "There are far too many positives on this list, I''ll need to narrow it down to see which ones hold priority," Hamilton stated with a sigh. "Take your time," Morris replied, "We still have a few months." "Don''t you also have that voyage to China coming up soon?" Morris grinned, "Ah yes, the Empress of China. It''ll be sailing next year. Thankfully, Samuel has provided me with a... hefty amount of silver to trade with the Chinese. Along with this!" He pulled out a small booklet that looked organized and cleanly printed, "A book to help me with words and phrases in Cantonese and Mandarin. Apparently, the Chinese speak a few different languages within its borders, and the area I''m planning to visit speaks mainly Cantonese. It''ll be useful for trade, and a good way to show some respect for our future trading partners. I''ve been asked to represent the United States as best as possible and deliver very agreeable terms to them. Apparently, Samuel wants to visit China in the near future, so I''ll be sailing there to lay the groundwork for his visit later on." "China?" Hamilton asked, "What about Korea?" "He doesn''t want to talk much about Korea, but from what I''ve managed to learn, it''s not a very nice place to visit for foreigners, or himself. He did have an interest in buying and freeing Korean slaves and bringing them back to the US to set up a community here, but he says he''s still considering it..." Chapter 75: The Election of 1780 "The Americans have done it, they have gone mad." -Lord Rockingham "The first General Election in the history of the United States was both a celebrated and widespread affair. While none of the candidates running for the presidency and Congress campaigned through the streets, the election introduced an important precedent for future elections. Samuel Anjung Kim, one of the front runners for the presidency, released a set of policies he vowed to push through if he was elected president. The policies were comprehensive and detailed, with nearly all of them being personally reviewed by subject experts and molded to fit the demands of the public at the time. From a description of his revenue plans (which included a low excise tax, high customs) to a plan to establish universities across the nation, Kim''s policies displayed a semblance of seriousness and determination that promised a better, more prosperous future for the United States. His policies, nicknamed the "Fifteen Promises," was printed by newspapers on a daily basis up until the election itself. Generally, the policies appealed to the broader population, everyone from freedmen (who were promised compensation and support) to rich business owners (a low excise tax, guarantees of improvement of merchant shipping security). Before he released the policies, Kim was bolstered by his reputation as the "Iron Commandant" for his war efforts and his political backings. However, once the policies were widespread (indeed, Kim''s own newspaper played a critical role in this), it was all but certain that the Korean-American would become the front runner. This political development was shocking, and historians still remained surprised at the eagerness of Americans to vote for a minority during the early days of the republic, but it is generally agreed that public opinion was very much in favor of the former war hero during this time period. Also, the announcement of Benjamin Franklin being Kim''s vice president pick was also a strategic and popular move. Additionally, only a few token opposition candidates ran for the 1780 Presidential Elections, such as John Hancock, the former Continental Congress president, and Thomas Jefferson, a prominent Continental Congress delegate who would go on to become the nation''s second president. Through an act passed by the interim Congress in 1778, a census was created through meticulous and thorough effort. The process itself was finalized just months before elections began, and was aided by various state governments. However, the 1780 Census gave a clear picture of the political situation of the United States and also provided evidence for the success of Kim in key states. The total number of Americans living in the United States (excluding Bermuda, Georgia, the Northwestern Territory, West Florida, East Florida, and the Indian Territory) was totaled at 2,614,600. The number of citizens stood at 2,284,600, which meant that the total number of slaves during this time was 330,000. This was a sharp drop off from the estimated 600,000 slaves around this time period. The sudden drop in the number of slaves was due to the liberation of slaves throughout South Carolina during the Revolutionary War (which saw the number of slaves decrease from approximately 250,000 to merely 70,000). Other reasons included were the freeing of slaves by free will (as was the case seen in all the Founders such as George Washington and Jefferson) and the abolition of slaves that served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. In addition to this, several states saw a decline in the total population as well. South Carolina was the most affected state, losing 50,000 of its 180,000 inhabitants. Other states saw various degrees of emigration, mainly from fleeing Loyalists that feared retribution from the newly formed United States. All in all, it was estimated that nearly 150,000 colonists left the United States before 1780 (including colonists in the territories). When the fated day on November 7th descended upon the United States, thousands of eager Americans went to the designated voting places to cast their ballot for the first-ever election in America. About 1 million Americans were eligible to vote, with the voting requirements allowing males that were twenty-five years old or older and females that were thirty-five years old or older. Out of the 1,255,000 citizens that were legally allowed to vote, 1,029,100 turned out for the first election, an astounding 82% of eligible voters. That number has not been topped in the United States ever since, though there were several close calls (in 1820 and in 1888). Once the votes were counted, Samuel Kim was elected as the first president of the United States with 733,340 votes. Out of 167 electoral votes, Kim won a total of 115 electoral votes, winning the race by a wide margin. Coming in second place was Thomas Jefferson, who won over half of Virginia''s and North Carolina''s electoral votes with a total of 36 overall. The proportional electoral system saw its first appearance in this election, which accurately painted the general consensus of the American voters. While not all the electors were "faithful" (indeed, Kim was "cheated" out of 4 electoral votes in total), it wasn''t a prevalent issue and hardly mattered for Kim''s victory. Analyzing the places that Kim won handily, it was not surprising to see why he was able to win the election in a landslide. For example, Massachusetts was split fairly closely between Hancock and Kim, despite the fact that Hancock was from Massachusetts. Historians often debate on this mysterious turnout, but the general consensus is that Kim''s defense of Boston in the Battle of Bunker Hill, in addition to his close partnership with businesses in the area, allowed him to bite into Hancock''s voter base. Kim easily carried Quebec, no doubts due to his liberation of the province and his ease of governance in the area. South Carolina, now with a black majority, also went to Kim, due to his large part in freeing thousands of slaves in the area. New York was won outright by Kim, mainly because he was from the state (Kim lived in New York City and operated his businesses around the area). Added to the fact that the other candidates made half-hearted efforts at best to contend for the presidency, the victory was not too surprising. Critics during this time period were shocked by the man''s victory, but to the majority of the people in the time period and to historians, it was all but inevitable. Across the pond, European powers watched with great interest to the "Great American Experiment," and they too were shocked at Kim''s rise to the presidency. Lord Rockingham even wrote in his journal, dated 1780, "The Americans have done it, they have gone mad. They have elected our nation''s terror, the Hun, as their leader. They had so many other choices, yet they elected that man. Only time will tell how this will affect our relations with our former colony, but I can only assume the worst." Monarchs in France and Spain expressed similar opinions, but the interest in the United States was more of a mix of curiosity and disbelief. Curiosity at the republican form of government, and disbelief at the fact that an Asian man (the only Asian man in the colonies) was now the leader of the United States. The 137 seats in the House of Representatives and the 30 seats for the Senate were also voted on and by the end of December, the new government was finally prepared to take on its role as the governing body of the republic (it must also be mentioned that the first African American Senator, Congressman Eliyah James from South Carolina, was also ushered into the federal Congress, along with a few other African American Congressmen). From the immediate start, President Kim was busy in his new role as the president. In the first "100 Days," the nation witnessed the new president forming the first national cabinet and departments, consolidating the national military, creating the first "healthcare system," helping out the poor and oppressed, establishing national universities, and cementing the faith of the people in the nation. Due to this, a saying was created during this time period, "Washington was the first president, but Kim was the first president of the people." Population Breakdown by state (counting slaves): Key: 1 House Seat = 19,084 people Electoral Votes = House Seats + Senate Seats Each state differed in choosing Electors. Some states chose Electors through state legislatures, others chose Electors by individual districts or popular vote. Quebec: 111,200 (8 electoral votes, 6 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (7 Electoral Votes to Kim, 1 Electoral Vote to Pelissier) Nova Scotia: 31,000 (3 electoral votes, 1 House Seat, 2 Senate Seats) (1 Electoral Vote to Kim, 2 Electoral Votes to Washington) Iroquois (Haudenosaunee): 49,700 (5 electoral votes, 3 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (5 Electoral Votes to Kim) New Hampshire: 49,500 (5 electoral votes, 3 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (4 Electoral Votes to Kim, 1 Electoral Vote to Hancock) Massachusetts: 272,600 (16 electoral votes, 14 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (9 Electoral Votes to Kim, 7 Electoral Votes to Hancock) Rhode Island: 52,900 (5 electoral votes, 3 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (4 Electoral Votes to Kim, 1 Electoral Vote to Hancock) Connecticut: 209,100 (13 electoral votes, 10 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (11 Electoral Votes to Kim, 1 Electoral vote to Hancock and Jefferson each) New York: 206,500 (13 electoral votes, 10 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (12 Electoral Votes to Kim, 1 Electoral Vote to Hancock) New Jersey: 139,600 (9 electoral votes, 7 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (7 Electoral Votes to Kim, 1 Electoral Vote to Jefferson and Hancock each) Pennsylvania: 341,200 (19 electoral votes, 18 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (16 Electoral Votes to Kim, 2 Electoral Votes to Hancock, 1 Electoral Vote to Jefferson) Delaware: 46,100 (4 electoral votes, 2 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (3 Electoral Votes to Kim, 1 Electoral Vote to Jefferson) Maryland: 232,000 (14 electoral votes, 12 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (9 Electoral Votes to Kim, 5 Electoral Votes to Jefferson) Virginia: 525,300 (29 electoral votes, 27 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (16 Electoral Votes to Jefferson, 14 Electoral Votes to Kim) North Carolina: 240,100 (15 electoral votes, 13 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (9 Electoral Votes to Jefferson, 6 Electoral Votes to Kim) South Carolina: 130,000 (9 electoral votes, 7 House Seats, 2 Senate Seats) (7 Electoral Votes to Kim, 2 Electoral Votes to Jefferson) Electoral Votes Total: 167 Votes Total, 84 Votes needed to Win United States population total: 2,614,600 Population Breakdown by Territories (counting slaves): Bermuda: 9,200 Georgia: 38,000 Indian Territories: Unknown Northwestern Territories: Unknown Kentucky: 50,000 Vermont: 48,000 "Maine:" 50,000 East Florida: 11,000 West Florida: 6,000 New Foundland: 10,000 United States Territories population total: 222,200 Total population of the US: 2,836,800 Chapter 76: The First Cabinet of the United States "Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses. Your persecuted, your trampled minorities, yearning to breathe free. Whether they are in our nation, or outside of it, let them bask in the light of the beacon of liberty! And let them pursue the American Dream; the dream that any man or woman, no matter how poor or disadvantaged they are, may rise up from poverty and oppression and even rise to the highest office of our republic! And our nation, a nation found on the values of liberty, justice, and equality, will give them not only an opportunity but a helping hand!" -President Samuel Kim, in his first public inauguration speech to the public in front of the Presidential Mansion. +++++ Philadelphia, the United States of America April 20th, 1780 The first Cabinet of the United States gathered in a large meeting room in the Presidential Mansion located on Ninth Street of Philadelphia. The fifteen individuals came from nine different states, had a wide variety of occupational background, and was of various ages. President Samuel Kim, the first elected president of the United States of America, took his seat in front of the fourteen men and started the first official Cabinet meeting, "Gentlemen, first off, let me just state that I did not expect to be sitting here, ever." Laughter rang throughout the room as Secretary of Agriculture Benjamin Harrison V interjected, "It seemed like you were the only one to not know about your chances of being elected, Mr. President." Another round of chortles left President Kim tapping the table lightly, "Regardless, I must thank you all for accepting the nomination for your respective positions. After all, I''m sure some of you don''t want to be here too much, mainly due to age or... retirement." "Ah yes," Director of National Intelligence Washington muttered bitterly, "Retirement. It seemed like ages ago, I was promised to return back to Virginia." "Well, you are only mainly needed for this first meeting, Director Washington," President Kim said with a reassuring smile, "Don''t fret, the National Intelligence Agency will be based around your plantation back at home." If Director Washington said anything under his breath, no one heard it. The president continued with his speech, "Now then before we officially begin the meeting, I will ask all of you to recite the Presidential Oath, which has been approved by Congress. in the Oath Administration Act." The oath was two folds, officially, the oath was for Congressional members when they took office, as well as the Cabinet members themselves. However, there was another purpose listed towards the end of the act. It was for the president to administer a "Presidential Oath" directly, but did not acknowledge what the presidential oath was. In fact, the "Presidential Oath" was an oath to swear secrecy on President Kim''s private matters, mainly in regards to time travel, and recognize that breaching the oath would be treason. That specific section was written into the Act by Congressional members that were aware of President Kim''s secret and passed rushed through Congress. All fifteen members, including President Kim, stood up with their right hands raised, "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully protect and acknowledge the Presidential Secret of the United States, and will preserve and defend this secret from all enemies, both foreign and domestic, to the Best of my Ability." "You may be seated. Now, let us go over the agenda that we have for today. Since most of your respective departments are either nonexistent or barely operational, we will discuss the Executive Orders that Congress has passed and strategize our primary focuses for each department." "The Consent Executive Orders that were passed in Congress are as followed: C-E Order #1: Departmental Organization Act. The act created the departments and the cabinet positions we have currently, along with the roles they will fulfill in the new government. The bill includes the nomination process for each cabinet member. C-E Order #2: The Federal Revenue and Expenditure Act. The act will firmly designate Congress as the branch that controls the budget, with limited input from the president. C-E Order #3: Mint and Coinage Act. The act will create a currency that is similar to the currency created in the other history. The currency, the American dollar, will use a decimal system, have no official standard for gold and silver, and have small value coins to ease the public into using money on a daily basis. The value of the coins are as followed: Five-dollar coins, one dollar coins, twenty-five cent coins (quarters), ten-cent coins (dimes), five-cent coins (nickels), one-cent coins (pennies), and half-cent coins (steels). Bills will be created at a later date and the government will actively fight against counterfeiting through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Secret Service. C-E Order #4: The Creation of the United States Armed Forces. Through this act, the United States Military has been officially created. The branches are the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the United States Coast Guard. All of them will operate under the direction of the Department of Defense, with the exception of the United States Coast Guard. They will be under the direction of the Department of the Treasury, unless it is wartime. C-E Order #6: The Capital City Act. Approved nearly unanimously, the capital city will be built near Harmer''s Town (OTL''s Havre De Grace) in Maryland. Several prominent surveyors and engineers, such as Andrew Ellicott and Tadeusz Kosciuszko, have been contacted and a plan will be drafted and finalized hopefully within the next year or so. The following Consent Executive Orders are still being debated in Congress: C-E Order#5: The Federal Education Act. The act will grant the federal government to survey and select six sites across the United States to create six new national universities. Additionally, each state will have one primary school constructed and funded by the federal government. C-E Order #7: The Freedmen Act. The act proposes that the federal government uplifting recent freedmen with job opportunities and discounts on seized Loyalists lands. Additionally, provide refuge and asylum for any slaves seeking freedom from slavery. C-E Order #8: Veteran Pensions Act. The act will give a yearly pension to any veterans, adjusted for inflation every year. Additionally, any medical expenses caused by injuries that veterans have suffered during active service will be fully compensated for by the government. C-E Order #9: The Creation of Military Academies. If the act passes, then a total of three military academies (one for the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps each) and five military bases (two Army, two Navy, and one Marine Corps) will be created." "Thankfully, Congress has achieved a quorum early on, so we were able to pass many executive orders within a short amount of time. However, we will need to wait for the Tariff and Excise Tax Act, which was proposed by a congressional member two weeks ago, to pass before we are able to move forward with the expansion of the federal government. After all, that is "officially" what will provide funding for the government. Regardless, we can plan and prepare accordingly with the finances we have at hand." "That was... a long list indeed," Vice President Franklin mentioned thoughtfully as the cabinet members processed the details of the Executive Orders. "Well, I guess in the other history, I would be horrified at the fact that you have basically rammed through nearly a dozen executive orders in the first two months," Secretary of Research and Education Jefferson said, "But on the bright side, at least these executive orders need the explicit approval of Congress, and have forced Congress to move rapidly to deal with your constant barrage of proposals." "Well, considering I only have four years, I would like to move as fast as possible," President Kim replied, "Now onto the departments themselves. I asked all of you after your nominations to compile a plan for the future of your departments. We will now go over plans and discuss them in this meeting. Secretary Adams, I believe you are first." Each cabinet member received future information relevant to their fields in order to strategize and plan for the future accordingly. From the information they received, the cabinet members were asked to compile a "Four-Year Plan" for their departments. Secretary Adams cleared his throat and began, "Our current status on the international stage is, to be frank, secured. This history''s Revolutionary War has turned out significantly better for us in terms of reputation and presence. We have thoroughly defeated the British and seized a large amount of territory from them. As a result, our nation has been acknowledged and recognized by most European nations as of right now. However, it is evidently clear that the "shock and awe" will soon wear off and be replaced with fear and hostility. This is the conclusion I have reached due to my year-long assignment to Europe and my discussions with the Vice President. Simply put, our position and our ideals have left the European colonies in the Americas in a very uncomfortable position. Many European nations feel threatened by our republican values, our anti-slavery policy, our aggressive expansion, and our "radical" politics. If C-E Order #7 passes, then it will only reinforce their fears that our nation will undercut their slavery-based plantations in the Caribbean. As a result, we can not turn to any of them for alliances or partnerships. There are a few exceptions, such as Britain, as Lord Rockingham wants to maintain good relations with us and want to continue trading with our nation, and the Netherlands, which played a very limited role in our Revolutionary War. As such, most of Europe is "off the board" for our relations. As per the other history, Morocco has been approached about a potential alliance of friendship, but I have yet to receive a reply from the ambassador that was assigned to Morocco. While I doubt there will be close relations between our two nations immediately, over time, I believe a partnership can be developed through trade and mutual interests." "Another interesting point is the looming Laki Eruption, which will cause famines in parts of western Europe and Africa. There was speculation in the other history that the Eruption was one of the causes of the crop failures in France that led to the French Revolution. If the Revolution still happens, then there is a chance we can attempt to aid a moderate faction to prevent the radical republicans from seizing power and causing a "Reign of Terror." Additionally, the Eruption will cause famines in Egypt, killing one-sixth of its population. If we were to prepare a sufficient amount of grain for the looming famine in Egypt, then not only would we gain a substantial amount of goodwill from the Egyptians and the Ottomans, but also allow our merchants to make a hefty amount of profit." The foreign policies were discussed for several minutes. The cabinet as a whole decided to accept Secretary Adams'' proposed policies and remain open to friendly relations with other nations. "Right then, Secretary Poor?" Secretary of Defense Salem Poor was perhaps the most shocking nomination out of all the cabinet nominations. The African American man was the sole African American man in the Cabinet. However, his experiences during the Revolutionary War, along with his valor and intelligence, earned him the leadership of the nation''s defense. The former Marine brigadier general nodded his head and straightened stiffly in his seat, "As proposed by you, Mr. President, I have compiled a plan to slowly build up our nation''s military into an effective and disciplined machine. During the first four years, I believe that we must focus on laying the groundwork and avoiding hasty measures. I propose that we bring back some willing veterans and create the core of the military through those veterans. These veterans will be selected and examined thoroughly in order to ensure that they are both knowledgeable and capable. Overall, our goal in four years is to have half of the original "40,000 men Army, 10,000 men Marine Corps" proposed in the bill. That way, we aren''t forcing the military to recruit men to fill numbers. Instead, the military can focus on "quality over quantity." I have already reached out to some Marine veterans, and dozens of former NCOs and officers are ready to re-enlist, particularly the Negros fighting in Ohio. Once we have a sufficient number of veterans returning in each the Army and the Marine Corps, we can start training new recruits " "As for the Navy, that will be whole another matter. The quality of the crewmembers differs from each ship. Unfortunately, it will take longer to properly inspect each ship and ensure that the quality of the crew is up to par. I propose we create a schedule to rotate ships out of active service and inspect the quality of the crew over a period of four years. There are currently over thirty ships in active service, so we will need to inspect one every one and a half months. As for the ships that are being planned, the crew will consist of officers trained in the United States Naval Academy and regular crew members that will be trained in one of the proposed naval bases." And the discussions continued on and on for hours... +++++ First Cabinet of the United States President: Samuel Kim (New York) Vice President: Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania) Secretary of State: John Adams (Massachusetts) Secretary of Defense: Salem Poor (Massachusetts) Secretary of the Treasury: Alexander Hamilton (New York) Attorney General: Robert Sherman (Connecticut) Secretary of Federal Lands and Resources: Akiatonharnkwen (also known as Joseph Luis Cook) (Iroquois) Secretary of Research and Education: Thomas Jefferson (Virginia) Secretary of Commerce: Christophe Pelissier (Quebec) Secretary of Agriculture: Benjamin Harrison V (Virginia) Secretary of Health and Human Services: Benjamin Rush (Pennsylvania) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Abraham Clark (New Jersey) Secretary of Internal Affairs*: James Madison (Virginia) Secretary of Veteran Affairs: Christopher Gadsen (South Carolina) Trade Representative: Robert Morris (Pennsylvania) Director of National Intelligence: George Washington (Virginia) *Department of Internal Affairs deals with government corruption, department inspections, election security, state governments, and public services. *Secretary of Veteran Affairs is a part of the Department of Defense. The Trade Representative is a member of the Department of Commerce. Chapter 77: The Secret Service Philadelphia, the United States of America September 30th, 1780 Sergeant George Brown of the Marine Corps, or officially now known as ex-Sergeant George Brown, walked down the subdued streets of the capital of the United States and made his way to the Presidential Mansion. He had been back in "civilization" for just over a week now, as the business with the Shawnee Indians took far too long for anyone''s liking. The Shawnees were thoroughly defeated by the United States military after a brutal three-year war, which saw thousands dead on both sides. Under the direction of President Washington and President Kim, the American forces were restricted from looting and massacring natives. Even so, swathes of Shawnee villages were destroyed due to the war and many Shawnees were left homeless. Thankfully for them, President Kim was very generous when it came to the peace treaty. He offered the Shawnees a chance to integrate themselves into the United States peacefully and promised compensation for the destruction caused by the war. In exchange, the Shawnees were to lay down their arms and be restricted to their original homeland territories. The leaders of the Shawnees were also exiled away from the United States and into the west, with a clear warning that returning to the United States would lead to their arrest. Personally, the former Marine thought that the president was too lenient to the Indians. Sure, he had fought with plenty of Indians side by side during the war against the British, but they were "good" Indians that were valuable allies and fellow Americans. The Indians he fought were far wilder, and he had seen some of the atrocities they committed up close: everything from massacred settlers to scalped soldiers. There were far too many times where he wanted to avenge the death of his less fortunate comrades, but only his training with the Marines restrained his impulses. Now he was heading to the residence of the president to meet with the Secretary of Defense, his former brother in arms. Apparently, the secretary wanted to speak with him privately and offer him a job that was outside the military. Originally, he was planning on returning to South Carolina after his time in the military was over, but he was interested in what Secretary Poor had to say and decided to travel to Philadelphia before going back. Upon arriving at the Presidential Mansion, he was greeted to a sight of many people lining up in front of the large residence. It seemed like dozens, if not hundreds, of folks, were waiting in line near the entrance. At first, he thought they were government workers attempting to enter the Mansion in order to get to work, as it was still early morning and the Presidential Mansion was being used by the various "departments" and agencies. However, he saw that there were far too many children and babies in line for that to make sense. In fact, it seemed like the line was filled with every sort of citizen: whites, blacks, women, men, elderly, children, rich people, and poor people. Curious, he walked up to one of the guards denying people entrance and asked him about the line, "Why are there so many people in line?" The young white man standing at the entrance wore a black jacket and dark blue pants. A musket hung tightly on his right shoulder and small golden star patch with the letters "S.S." stood out on his left breast. Upon seeing Brown, the man scowled and motioned towards the line, "They''re all here early to see the president." "To see the president?" The guard looked at him oddly. "Where have you been? It''s been in the newspapers for about a month now. "Come meet the president for five minutes and speak about any important issues to him! The president will be open to all visitors every Saturday from sunrise to sunset." They''re all here to meet him, shake his hands, and talk about how they want funds for this or laws for that." Brown raised an eyebrow, "So he just lets any common folk walk in and talk to him?" "Only on Saturdays, the president is a busy man," The guard replied thoughtfully, "Well if you aren''t here to meet him, then are you here for a meeting or work?" "For a meeting with the Secretary of Defense," Brown pulled out his citizenship papers and the letter with the Department of Defense''s seal on it. It took a few moments for the man to review all of the Marine''s papers. Once he did, he returned them to the African American and escorted him through the front, "Good luck with whatever your meeting is about." The ex-military tipped his hat and walked into the Presidential Mansion. The white mansion was large and was a few blocks away from the heart of Philadelphia. If Brown had to guess, then there were around forty rooms within the building. After he walked into the building, the man encountered a woman sitting behind a small desk in the lobby area. The woman beckoned him to step forward and looked up at him, "Do you need something, sir?" She was a young black woman, possibly in her early twenties, and sounded articulate. Brown also noticed that she was a looker too, "I''m here for a meeting with the Secretary of Defense." "Your name, sir?" "George Brown, I''m a friend of the Secretary." The woman didn''t look fazed at all as she stood up to escort him towards the secretary''s office. The two wordlessly walked together down a hallway and stopped in front of a door that was marked "Department of Defense." The receptionist rapped her knuckles on the door and was met with an inquiry from the inside, "Mr. Secretary, there is a man by the name of Mr. George Brown here to see you." "Tell him to come in!" A muffled voice from the inside said. "He''ll see you now." As Brown opened the door, the woman fast-walked back to the front to greet another guest. His thoughts about the girl was disturbed as former brigadier general Salem Poor walked up to him, "Sergeant! It''s certainly good to see you again, alive and in one piece." Brown chuckled and shook the man''s hand, "It''s just "Mr. Brown" now, Mr. Secretary. How is the high-end life treating you?" "Fairly well, but I would rather fight the British again than handle all the paperwork I have been assigned to," Secretary Poor said with a laugh. He motioned for his former subordinate to sit down in front of his desk before he spoke again, "The office is certainly nice, though half of the time, I am out of the office and inspecting soldiers and sailors." The office was very nice. It was spacious and well-lit from the two large windows behind Secretary Poor''s desk. There was a large painting of a battle hanging from one of the walls, while various memoirs that Secretary Poor collected during the war were hung from the opposite wall (his military uniform, his medals, his certificates, and other valuable trinkets). There was enough room for several couches with a coffee table in the corner, most likely for guests, along with a bookshelf filled with various books. The ex-sergeant had to let out a whistle, "It certainly is a nice office." "We can admire the office together later, but for now, I have called you here for official business," Secretary Poor''s mood suddenly shifted into seriousness, "I have two reasons for calling you here. The first is, you are to be awarded the Benedict Arnold Medal of Honor for your bravery and valor in the war against the Shawnee Indians." "What?" "You''re being awarded the Medal of Honor, by the president himself. You were one of the few nominated for the award, and the president has decided that you were fitting of one." "I''m sorry, but you lost me. What did I do exactly to be awarded this medal?" Secretary Poor let out a tired sigh and rifled through some of the papers on his desk. He found what he was looking for and read the content of the paper out loud, "During the Battle of Kemp, Sergeant George Brown of the Fighting Freedmen, formerly of the Continental Marines, rescued four soldiers that were ambushed by a dozen Shawnee Indians and held off the Indians by himself for a period of ten minutes in order to let the soldiers escape. He managed to kill four Shawnee Indians before the Indian ambushers retreated. Sergeant Brown suffered no injuries from this incident." "Ah that. It wasn''t much." "Wasn''t much? You saved the lives of four men and fought twelve Indians at the same time!" Secretary Poor exclaimed. Brown fiddled with his hat, "Well, I just shot one at point-blank range and stabbed a few with the bayonet." "Well, you''re getting the medal anyways sergeant. The ceremony is in two weeks, so you''ll have to stay here for the time being. I''ll mail you with further information after this meeting. The next thing I want to discuss is about work. Do you have any jobs planned in the immediate future?" "No, I was going to go look for one once I got back to South Carolina. I''ve made a lot from being a soldier, so I was thinking about going home and starting a farm while employing some of the former slaves for help." "Well, I have a job offer for you. It won''t be anything military, because dear God you have already served enough for this country and I know you''re done with the military. What I''m offering you is a job as the leader of the Secret Service." "The Secret Service?" Brown recalled the patch the guard in the front of the Presidential Mansion wore, "You mean like that guard outside?" "Oh, you''ve met Jim? Great lad, though he''s still rough around on the edges. Yes, I''m offering you to be like that guard outside. The Secret Service isn''t just for guarding duty, but they''re also tasked with protecting the president when he goes out for public events, sort through any mails directed to him, and crack down on any counterfeiters. It''ll be much more relaxed than the military, and I need someone that''s capable and experienced to take the helm of the agency. I''m not selecting you because I know you, sergeant. I''m selecting you because you''ve proven to be capable, and I know you don''t want to go back to the military. Even so, I think we need people like you to help lead and establish a solid base to start from." "Why not one of the higher-ranking officers?" The secretary grimaced, "Most of them are either retired, in politics, or reapplying for the military. We''ve had a few candidates, but most of them have no military backgrounds." "Hmmm. May I have some time to think about it?" Secretary Poor nodded, "Of course. You have until the ceremony to come to a decision. Then again, there''s also another option if you want to implore. It''s about your home state, South Carolina. Apparently, the Secretary of Federal Lands and Resources came across information that there may be gold in the region. I have been authorized to inform you of this since many of the freed slaves down in South Carolina are still living in poverty and struggling. So if you want to recruit former slaves and strike for gold for yourselves under the government''s direction..." Chapter 78: The First President of the United States "The government must constantly be vigilant and provide for the well-being of the people. A populace that is poor, hungry, ignorant, and restless will become less accepting of a republic and will search for those that offer an improvement from their feeble conditions. A healthy, functioning republic must ensure that the people are healthy and functioning as well. Only then will the people be less susceptible to demagogues and authoritarians and fully embrace the founding ideals and liberties of this republic." - President Samuel Kim, the "Father" of the United States "President Samuel Kim was an enigma, not just due to his background, but also due to his actions. Unlike any other leaders during the time period, President Kim was focused on being a "president for the people" and worked not only to improve the nation''s strength and finances, but also the people''s trust in the nation. As he stated during one of his public speeches in the first year of his presidency, "I do not consider myself above the law, or any greater than other American citizens. I was voted in by the people and for the people. And it is my duty to ensure that their voices are heard." As such, it was unsurprising to see that President Kim enacted over a dozen sweeping reforms during his first term, reforms that were aimed to improve the people''s lives and the people''s trust in the government. Under the first President''s directions, the nation was organized into a manner that was unseen in most nations before. The government was organized into eleven different departments (Department of State, Department of Defense, Department of the Treasury, Department of Justice, Department of Federal Lands and Resources, Department of Education and Research, Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Internal Affairs), each with its own purpose and objective. Various agencies were created to deal with specific problems, for example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was created to become the investigating arm of the Judicial Branch and ensure domestic security. By the end of President Kim''s first term, the American government employed over fifty thousand workers (excluding soldiers) and was consistently growing to deal with the influx of states and immigrants. An interesting method that President Kim used to employ government workers was through the Federal Employment Act of 1781. In the act, the president specified that the government was to allow those that were "unqualified" for a certain position to be trained and educated by the government for free. In return, those that were trained by the government joined the government''s workforce at a reduced salary for two years. This meant that former slaves, illiterates, and even the physically disabled, were granted a chance to be educated and trained by the government and offered a government job. Indeed, after the passage of the Federal Employment Act, one of the biggest groups to apply for government jobs was former slaves with no educational backgrounds. By the year 1790, this group would consist of nearly forty percent of the government''s workforce, a considerable amount considering the total population of African Americans in the United States (approximately 21% of the population). Another important policy carried out by President Kim was the establishment of multiple federally funded schools throughout the nation. The Federal Education Act of 1780 enabled the government to build six universities and fifteen public primary schools (one in each state), throughout the nation. Through the act itself, the schools were not to discriminate based on sex, color, or beliefs, and were ordered to "provide an inclusive environment for any bright minds of the United States." The construction of the first university and first primary school began in late 1780 and all of them were finished by the year 1794. The schools were strategically placed throughout the United States to ensure that a university was in place "within 300 miles of anyone living in one of the states" [The universities are known today as New England University, the University of Quebec, Federal New York University, the Federal University of Virginia, the Federal University of the South, and the Frontier University]. These schools proved to be critical in the development and advancement of American industries and technologies after their completion, as they helped thousands of bright minds to develop their talents with the government''s support. And with the creation of the ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency), many graduates from these universities were funneled into the agency and played critical roles in the rapid growth of the United States. ARPA was one of the biggest, if not the greatest, achievement of President Kim (and possibly the greatest achievement of the United States). The agency, which was created in the Departmental Organization Act of 1780, became the forerunner of America''s technological developments. Employing any and all experts and researchers, ARPA gave a significant amount of funds to individuals for research and development purposes. Under the joint leadership of the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary Christophe Pelissier, one of the richest men in America) and the Secretary of Education and Research (Secretary Thomas Jefferson, future second president of the United States), the agency encouraged not only domestic researchers, but overseas researchers to join the agency and work on various projects with government approval and funding. Researchers were often given certain projects to work on by the government, but experienced and seasoned researchers were granted leeway to work on their own private researches. Any researcher that was working in the agency signed an agreement that patents granted to any of their projects were to be controlled by ARPA. In return, the researchers themselves would receive sixty percent of any royalties received from the patent, while the remaining forty percent was split between the federal government itself and the agency (30% to the government, 10% to the agency). The patents themselves were released for the public, in exchange for a 1% profit margin for any uses of the patents. By the year 1800, the agency employed over ten thousand researchers, was self-sufficient in funding and provided the federal government with millions of dollars in revenue. The agency exists to this day and is credited with the creation of dozens of critical inventions, ranging from railroads to the World Wide Web. Education and employment were not the only areas that the United States enjoyed success in. Through the Freedmen Act of 1781 (which was passed after a close vote in Congress), African Americans saw a substantial increase in wealth and prosperity as they were given government assistance in acquiring their own farms. In fact, the eight years of President Kim''s presidency was often recalled as the beginning of the "African American Golden Age," where African Americans increasingly grew in population and wealth. By the year 1788 (the end of President Kim''s presidency), much of the southern farmlands were controlled by African Americans, many of them being former slaves or freedmen. For example, Georgia had the highest ratio of African American farmlands to White farmlands (a ratio that was nearly 3:1), while other states saw less, but still significant degrees of African Americans owning farms. Additionally, the Freedmen Act assisted any fleeing slaves seeking freedom and granted them a chance to integrate themselves into American society. Over the eight-years of President Kim''s presidency, nearly 50,000 slaves were granted asylum, many of them from the French colony of Hispanola (which saw significant amounts of action due to the British-European War and saw widespread devastation in the northern end of the colony). Many of these slaves were settled into the Florida territory (West and East Florida were merged due to the low population in both) and in the year 1792, Florida was granted statehood as the third black majority state (the two other being South Carolina and Georgia). The new nation''s capital was also developed and approved by President Kim. Columbia (after both Washington and Kim refused requests to name the capital city after them) was built on the former village of Harmer''s Town and designed by Andrew Ellicott and Tadeusz Kosciuszko. Ellicott was a land surveyor and a formidable architect, while Kosciuszko was a military engineer. The two combined their efforts to create a new city from the grounds up and ensure that it was spacious, "grand," and defensible from foreign invasions. The new capital was planned to be built over a large area that occupied northeastern Maryland and parts of southern Pennsylvania. The city was planned to be situated on both sides of the Susquehanna River, with the river flowing in the center of the planned city. Several key monuments and locations were also planned as well: the White House (which was in reference to the Presidential Mansion in Philadelphia, which was painted white), "Capitol Hill" (the home of the Capitol, the meeting place of Congress), the Hall of Heroes (a permanent memorial with the written names of those that died during military conflicts), the Tomb of the Unknown (a tomb with an eternally burning flame that was built in remembrance to the unknown soldiers that died during military conflicts), the National American Library (one of the most extensive and largest libraries in the world today), the American Museums of History and Culture (which carefully preserved everything from the original Constitution to the muskets used by President Kim during the Revolutionary War), and the Federal District National Park (a large park preserved in the northern side of the city from the original forests that were present before the construction of the capital). Two military bases were established near the city (the Columbia Army Base was built in the north in Pennsylvania, while Hart-Miller Island was developed and fortified into a naval base) and many defenses (earthworks and forts) were built around the city in the case of an invasion. The city was finished in 1792, during President Jefferson''s first term in office, and served as the capital city from the year and onward. Thanks to the development of the capital in the area, the Delaware-Columbia Canal was approved and started in 1788 and finished by 1798. Native Americans also saw substantial protection and growth under the Kim presidency. Historians often mention that President Kim had a soft spot for Native Americans and worked persistently to ensure that their cultures and lands were protected. It was due to his efforts that Iroquois joined the Union, along with the "Hisigi" state (admitted in 1783 along with Kentucky, Maine, Vermont, and Georgia to increase the number of states to twenty). Due to his guarantees that the Natives could develop their own unique state governments (which they would utilize to create the unicameral "Tribal Representative Council" in each state and the "National Native Council" for Native American states in the nation) and his offer to assist the Native American tribes to develop their economies, the Native American states'' trust in the federal government grew increasingly. Their trust in the federal government was seen when the state of Iroquois accepted the offer from the state of New York''s and the state of Quebec''s of creating the Erie Canal that would connect the east with the west in 1788. While the Native American states developed at a much slower pace than the other states in the early years of the republic, over time, they gradually adapted to create their own form of economics that benefitted them greatly. Often referred to as the "naturism," the Native American states focused more on communal agriculture, livestock raising, mining, and tourism/studies of the national parks within their states in an effort to preserve nature and disrupt nature as "little as possible." While the Native American states generally avoided industry, they did develop minor industrial sectors to diversify their economies. For his efforts to protecting the Native American tribes, President Kim was often granted many Native American names and titles, with some of them being "Great Peace", "Gay:n?:s?" (meaning "The Power of Goodness in Onondaga), and "Equa-du-we-u-we wa-ni-da-tsi" (meaning "The Great Chief" in Cherokee). As mentioned in the paragraph above, national parks were also created and developed under Kim''s presidency. Over three dozen sites were declared national parks during President Kim''s eight years in office and all of them were preserved to this day. In light of his creation of the national parks, President Kim stated in a newspaper interview in 1782, "While we may enjoy the sights of these wonderous national preserves, we must ensure that the future generations may also see what their ancestors once saw and recognize that over time, many of these sights will disappear due to expansion and development." National parks were often patrolled and maintained by Native Americans, many of them which would form the backbone of the National Park Rangers. Over time, these natural preserves would assist the studies of wildlife and protect endangered species from extinction. The military also saw a substantial increase in strength and size under the "Iron Commandant" (a nickname given to President Kim due to his service during the Revolutionary War). A military man, President Kim believed in the idea of a strong, but small, national military to act as the "core" of the military if it needed to be expanded rapidly during a widespread war (indeed, this was the case in the first major conflict that the United States after its independence, the Anglo-American War of 1832). Additionally, three military academies were established (one for the Army, one for the Navy, and one for the Marine Corps), and all of them would develop into prestigious and famous military academies that would churn out some of the greatest military leaders in American history (Lieutenant General Napoleon "Nathaniel" Bonapart of the Army, Admiral Reynold John Jones of the Navy, and Major General Andrew Jackson of the Marine Corps). By 1788, the United States Military boasted a well-disciplined, well-trained Army of 25,000 men, a Navy with 40 ships, a Marine Corps with 5,000 men, and a Coast Guard with 30 small ships. The military gave significant pay to all its servicemen, which resulted in the military becoming one of the most popular employers of former slaves and freedmen (an estimated 35% of the military were minorities and nonwhites, according to the records kept by the Department of Defense). For example, over half of the Marine Corps was filled with former slaves, freedmen, and Native Americans (a small minority of them being veterans from the Revolutionary War), which led to Georgia being nicknamed "the Marine State" (as much as 15% of the Marines were Georgians). Over time, this would help the white population view minorities in a more positive light as many minorities willingly served to defend the United States, a country that gave them rights and opportunities. Veterans were also taken care of consistently, the Veteran Pensions Act of 1781 saw thousands of Revolutionary War veterans receiving regular payments for their service. Injured veterans were also provided the best healthcare the government could provide, which also greatly contributed to the founding of many hospitals and the discovery of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). All in all, President Kim enabled the United States to be fully prepared for a potential invasion and also helped establish the military as a prestigious and excellent career opportunity. In addition to the military, the first police forces were created in each individual state and were funded by both the state and the federal government. The motto of the Police was "to uphold the law and to protect the people," a motto which has carried over to this day. The police acted as the "enforcers" of the peace and also ensured that the people''s rights, liberties, and possessions were protected. While the police force in each state remained small during the first few years of the republic, they increasingly grew in size and evolved into an effective and trustworthy security force that was held accountable by the public. Another important agency created during this time period was the "National Intelligence Service," which was led personally by Director George Washington (the interim president and legendary Revolutionary War general). The NIS was established to collect political and military information about other countries, specifically European nations. Based in Mount Vernon, the agency would employ fifty agents within its first eight years of its existence and branch out into Britain and France to acquire valuable information about the mood of the public, underground movements, government, and military units and bases in the two nations. The NIS was severely restricted in terms of responsibilities, specifically, they were prohibited from directly assisting any underground movements and interfering with the government of other nations. However, the NIS collected several important pieces of information under Director Washington''s directions (who proved to be a valuable "spymaster" until his death in 1806), which greatly contributed to the decisions President Jefferson made against the First French Republic. Healthcare was also established and expanded during President Kim''s presidency. Secretary Benjamin Rush, the first Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources, took pre-emptive measures to control disease and funded efforts to research diseases and medicine. It was under Secretary Rush that the United States became one of the first countries to accept and support the germ theory of disease, which stated that diseases were caused by unseeable microorganisms. During this time period, all of Europe accepted Aelius Galen''s miasma theory. However, after extensive research (in hand with the infant ARPA and the Department of Education and Research), Secretary Rush concluded that diseases weren''t spread through "bad air" or the such, but through microorganisms that potentially carried through the air and fluids as well. Under this new direction, Secretary Rush established the first "Medical Doctrine of the United States," which emphasized on sanitation (to clean any of these microorganisms and prevent their spread), prevention (alcohol and heating could be utilized to destroy the harmful microorganisms) and identification (while they were invisible to the naked eye, Secretary Rush correctly theorized that they could be seen through tools such as microscopes and pushed for advances to identify the microorganisms). Due to this newly established theory, radical measures were taken to ensure that diseases could be controlled and prevented throughout the nation. Mosquitoes were identified to be carriers of yellow fever (after observing that areas near swamps, which were often breeding grounds for mosquitoes, experienced severe outbreaks of yellow fever) and swamps near major population centers were cleared. Several anti-mosquito methods (such as smoke and peppermint oil) were enacted to prevent mosquito bites. The smallpox vaccines were provided by the government for free and over time, it became a requirement to work in any government posts. The blood of those infected by disease was seen as infected blood as well, so infected patients were separated by disease category to prevent contamination. The first case of "quarantine" was also enacted during a yellow-fever outbreak in Stateburg (South Carolina). Infected patients were identified and isolated into makeshift government hospitals, doctors and civilians were ordered to wear a mask to prevent breathing in any microorganisms carried in the air, warnings of the symptoms were posted throughout the city and suggested preventive measures prevent the spread of the disease, travel in and out of the city was heavily restricted by the military, and large assemblies of people were banned during the outbreak. As a result of these methods, the yellow fever outbreak in Stateburg (and nearby towns) was contained and only resulted in the death of fifty individuals. While other European nations refused to accept the Medical Doctrine of the United States, this early development of germ theory and disease prevention greatly improved the healthiness of the American population and the United States generally avoided mass spread panic and devastation caused by worldwide global pandemics that were increasingly common in the 19th and 20th century. One of President Kim''s main aims was to create a sense of national unity and trust throughout the United States. As such, he acted in an open and transparent manner that was placed as a precedent for future American presidents. Despite all his achievements and honors, President Kim remained a humble man that openly believed himself as a servant of the people. During his eight years in office, President Kim regularly met ordinary citizens in his Presidential Mansion in Philadelphia. Every Saturday, from 1780 to 1787, President Kim personally met and spoke with people from all over the colonies in the "Presidential Meet and Greet" (a tradition that has carried on to this day, though with more security measures and precautions). Ordinary citizens, ranging from beggars to rich business owners and even slaves, were able to express their grievances or propose solutions to the president of the United States himself. Estimates believe that nearly 10% of all Americans had a conversation with President Kim over his lifetime (over 200,000 individuals), a staggering amount considering the fact that many of these individuals spoke with the president during his time in office. This "small" act paid off immensely and when Thomas Jefferson entered office, the people''s faith and expectations in the government grew rapidly, especially after Jefferson continued this tradition during his two terms as well. Additionally, the president banned his businesses from carrying out any direct dealings with the government and enacted strict controls on the influence of businesses within the politics of the government. Q uoted directly from President Kim, "A president should never have a conflict of interest; they should never personally favor a certain establishment over another. A president must remain impartial at all times, regardless of the circumstances." President Kim was also one of the most principled defenders of many of America''s guaranteed rights, something that he displayed publicly. When a newspaper in Maryland criticized him for his support of fleeing slaves, a mob of the president''s supporters surrounded the establishment and threatened to burn it down if they refused to rescind their statement. When the president received the news about this event, he applauded the newspaper and congratulated them for exercising their freedom of the press and freedom of speech. While he didn''t outright belittle his supporters, he firmly announced that "No matter how different their opinions are, the Constitution, the supreme law of the land, protects their freedom of the press and freedom of speech. Opposing opinions should not be belittled or silenced but welcomed and discussed through peaceful discourse. One of our nation''s greatest strength is that the people have the right to debate and exercise their thoughts freely without governmental interference. Violence should never be the answer to a differing opinion." After his statements were published throughout the nation, the protesters backed down from their rioting and newspapers started to publish more controversial opinions and criticism of the state (in fact, Kim''s words were said to have affected the court case Rhode Island v Roberts (1792), a court case which protected the right of an individual to criticize and protest the government in front of a government building). Also, the president supported the freedom of religion and was often seen in various churches, synagogues, and temples (and even participated in a Native American spiritual worship) despite his Presbyterian faith. While some criticized his actions as heresy and even betraying his Christian beliefs, President Kim was firm in his decision and his support for the people to choose and worship any religion they desired. As such, all religious establishments were taxed at an equal fixed rate and no religion was favored over the other. In fact, when the motto of the United States was voted on by Congress, President Kim countered the motto "In God We Trust," and suggested the motto "E pluribus unum" (Out of Many, One). "E pluribus unum " was established as the official motto fo the United States in 1784, and would go on to be displayed in most American coins and bills, along with seals and documents. The Korean-American president was also accredited with coining and enforcing the term "American," and created various folklores and ideas to establish what an "American" was. According to the president himself, an American was, "one who supports the principles of equality, liberty, and justice, and one who accepts these ideas and incorporate it into their lives." In order to reinforce this belief, President Kim published several novels that carried these themes discreetly. The most prominent example of this was the book titled "The Avengers: The Revolution," in which the main characters of the book would go onto be some of the most recognized fictional American heroes. The book, which portrayed a team of misfits and strange individuals, displayed the team fighting in the Revolutionary War and "avenging" the death of General Benedict Arnold by fighting against Colonel Francis Marion and his "Devil''s Brigade." The team, which consisted of Captain America (the embodiment of the American spirit, a former slave from South Carolina that was struck by a meteor, gained superhuman abilities, and carried a shield with the American stars and stripes made from the metals of the meteor), Doctor Strange (a racist inventor from Philadelphia that created advanced machines and tools from garbage and junk), Bess (a female sharpshooter from the rural areas of Massachusetts who was equipped with a rifled breechloader and never missed a shot in her life), Yeti (a creation of a mythical Native American goddess that was half-human, half-beast with enormous strength, enhanced senses), and Sarge (an ordinary Marine sergeant from Virginia that was the only "common" man in the team), portrayed all aspects of American society at the time and carried the message that an American was "not a specific race or creed," but someone that believed in the principles of the nation. Historians believe that the team was purposely filled with minority members to help push the idea that African Americans, women, and Native Americans were also citizens as well (these groups were often treated less fairly by the majority white population during this time). Unknown to President Kim at the time, his "odd" book would grow increasingly popular as time went on and helped foster an interesting and new perspective on other races and minorities by the general population. On top of this, the president promoted new and original artworks, literature pieces, and political ideologies to help grow an American identity and worked constantly to have the people identify as "Americans" instead of the states they hailed from (ex. Virginians, Marylanders, New Yorkers). Not only did President Kim defend the rights of all Americans and created a national sense of unity, but he defended the rights of immigrants as well. President Kim was an immigrant himself, a man that journeyed several continents to discover a place he could call home. Due to this, he remained steadfast in his support for immigrants and refugees. The Immigration and Refugee Act of 1783, passed by Congress, was an example of this. The Act declared that the government could not discriminate against immigrants based on beliefs, race, religion, or region, provided a clear path for immigrants to become permanent residents, and only restricted immigration during wartime (which was to be lifted immediately after peace was established). During President Kim''s eight years in office, approximately two hundred fifty thousand immigrants would travel to the United States and call it their home. Many ventured out west to the undeveloped parts of the nation such as Kentucky and the Ohio Territory (created from the Northwestern Territory after the defeat of the Shawnee Indians), but some remained in various cities in the eastern United States and eventually grow to assist other immigrants fleeing from war and devastation that plagued Europe and the Americas during the 19th century. Various charitable organizations were created by American citizens and the federal government to aid in translation, employment, and housing (President Kim would create the Naturalization Assistance Agency (NAA) during his term in office and would create a charity of his own after his retirement, the Immigrant Integration Foundation). By the time Thomas Jefferson took office in 1788, the nation was stable and growing rapidly. Various economic protections that were created under the Kim presidency allowed domestic businesses to flourish and grow. The United States still lagged behind Britain economically, but they were quickly catching up to the world''s biggest power. With the discovery of a method to mass-produce steel and several key inventions (such as the iron plow, the cotton gin, and the grain cradle), America''s industrial and agricultural output was rising at an exponential rate. The number of states had also expanded as well, including five new states (President Kim eased the requirements for a territory to become a state, establishing that a territory could apply for statehood if they matched with the population of the least populated state in the Union and that Congress must vote on the matter within six months after a territory applied for statehood). The government was on its way of becoming a large, organized structure, with positions filled by merit (President Kim was explicitly clear on providing any positions being filled by personal reasons and worked hard to ensure that the best, most knowledgeable minds occupied appropriate positions). The national military was expanding and consolidating itself to be a formidable power. The people were united and their liberties were protected, with no major revolts or signs of unrest during the Kim presidency. The capital city, called "Columbia." was nearing completion, along with the first universities and primary schools. The United States was safe, prosperous, and free. The future looked bright, and the peaceful transition of power exemplified this fact. However, while the United States remained strong and prosperous, a nation across the ocean was about the erupt into flames and test the new leader of the United States, President Thomas Jefferson, on how to deal with a foreign crisis. President Jefferson''s dealings with the crisis would create ripple effects far and wide, which would greatly affect the future of the United States of America. Chapter 79: Volcanic Eruptions Reykjarvk, Iceland (Denmark) June 8th, 1783 Vice Admiral John Paul Jones of the United States Navy was on a civilian merchant ship, the Happy Wife, while he waited for the volcano to erupt. Technically, he wasn''t supposed to be here; he was supposed to be patrolling the Atlantic on the USS Bermuda. However, he was asked by the president himself to accompany the Happy Wife and nine other merchant ships to evacuate people on Iceland when the volcano erupted. The ten ships were officially designated as civilian ships and docked in the Icelandic town of Reykjarvk on June 1st. Thankfully, the locals weren''t hostile and allowed the ships to dock in the small port after the American sailors explained that they were here to research about the volcanos on the island and trade with the locals. While the crew of the ten ships bought some supplies and traded with the Icelanders, a team of three individuals made their way to Laki to inspect and take note of the volcano right after the ships docked. They weren''t on the secret, but they were told by Admiral Jones to return on the morning of June 8th at the latest. The lead researcher, a French Canadian man named Lucas Daoust, agreed and promised to return as soon as he could. To match with the cover story, the admiral was dressed out of his military uniform and was wearing a normal civilian outfit, something he only wore at home when he was with his wife. Ever since he got married (and how he pulled it off, he still did not know), he desired to return back to the states every once in a while. Now? He definitely did not want to go back home, not yet at least (even if his two-year-old kid was waiting for him back at home). Not until he got to watch the volcano erupt and swoop in to save the locals from disaster. "Admiral," Lieutenant Adam Smith, one of his officers from the USS Bermuda that was accompanying him, asked, "Do you really think the volcano will explode?" They were ways out from the volcano itself, but Admiral Jones knew that the volcano would catapult ashes, dust, and debris across the entirety of Iceland, and then Europe itself. Even if they were some distance away from the Laki Volcano, they would definitely hear and see the volcano erupt. "I do not know," Admiral Jones "confessed," "But Secretary Jefferson said that he sent a team earlier this year and the team reported that there was some interesting activity surrounding the volcano. Nothing will probably happen, but I don''t know for sure." Just then, as if God was answered his statement, a loud rumbling noise thundered from the east. The ship didn''t rock violently, but Jones felt a vibration shuddering the vessel. Lieutenant Smith felt it too and looked off into the distance, "Well, it looks like we have our answer admiral." Admiral Jones looked towards the sky and saw that plumes of smoke were already appearing into the sky, "Do we have any damn translators with us?" "We have two, sir." "Well tell them to get off their asses and tell the locals that a volcano just erupted. Warn them that smoke and ashes will rain on the village if they don''t evacuate and that we''re offering them a chance to get off the island before it goes to hell. Also, inform them that any of their belongings and possessions will be compensated and they can choose to return once it''s safe." "I''ll get it done right away, admiral," Lieutenant Smith replied. He scampered off immediately to find the translators. "Where the hell is that research team?" Admiral Jones bellowed to the other sailors on deck. "They''ve returned just a few moments ago, sir." One of the sailors answered. The American naval officer sighed in relief, "I want all the sailors on board to prepare for an evacuation! That volcano just erupted and if we stay here any longer, we''ll be toast. Help any Icelanders fleeing the island on board and assist them with moving their belongings. We leave in two hours, max!" Reykjarvk had around 10,000 inhabitants and he only had ten small vessels, but he would have to make do. Not all of them would evacuate, but if he was going to do his damn hardest to ensure that those who were evacuated survived. After all, in the other history, thousands died due to the eruption. As the admiral placed his foot on a nearby crate and watched the plumes of smoke clouding the sky, a nearby sailor saw the image and scribbled something on his journal. Chapter 80: Senators and Conspiracies Charleston, South Carolina November 1st, 1783 Senator Eliyah James was back in his hometown of Charleston as Congress was in recess for the winter. After spending months in the temporary capital of the United States, Charleston seemed like a foreign place to him. It seemed like the town had grown rapidly in his absence, as he saw many new buildings and streets present on the outskirts. The two new federal schools, the University of the South and the Charleston Primary School were being constructed near the center of the town. From what he understood, the university was expected to be finished after several years, while the primary school was planned to be completed sometime next year. Laborers constantly worked on constructing the new schools, and Senator James noticed that many of them were Negros like himself. In fact, it seemed like many of the town''s inhabitants were Negros now and he had only seen a few of them enslaved by their white masters. As he strolled back towards his home near the harbor, he was stopped by a group of white men who wore expensive clothing and pulled into a small alleyway. The senator''s eyebrows rose as one of the men pointed accusingly at him, "It''s this Negro alright, the one that''s in the senate!" "May I help you, gentlemen?" Senator James cooly asked. "You can start by learning your place, you damn Negro," A tall, burly looking man sneered. The senator merely blinked. He was not unused to racism. While President Kim had helped immensely in advancing equal rights for all, there were plenty of those that still looked down on him for his race. Hell, it wasn''t uncommon in Congress either, as a few white Congressmen from the South and even the North gave him odd looks if he tried to propose laws or speak up during discussions. Life was much better for him, but it wasn''t completely easy. No matter how educated or how popular he was with the other Negros, some people only saw his skin color. Like the people in front of him right now. "Now listen here boy," The one who pointed at him earlier spoke to him face to face, "We all know that you don''t belong in Congress, representing our state. At least not the proper folks in the state. How about you quietly retire and let me take your place? I know you Negros are desperate for money, working those low-end jobs and going mining. I''ll offer you a lot of pesos to scramble off and never return to Philadelphia." "You can run against me in the next election, sir," Senator James replied, "There will be one in three years. One more year for the House elections. If anything, you could''ve run in the last election." "I did and you damn Negros mobbed the ballot boxes. Robbed me of my chance of representing the real people of this state. Now I''ll give you one more chance; take the damn money and resign peacefully. Or me and my boys might have a few troubles with you." A few of the members of the group were armed with clubs and knives and Senator James quickly realized that he was hidden from any civilians. But hell, he wasn''t going to let some moping white men tell him what to do or what not to do. The last thing the state needed was a bunch of racist white folks representing the state and sending it back to the time before the revolution, with slavery and all. So the senator raised his chin and said, "No." He kicked his nearest captor and bolted for the streets, with the angry group in tow. When he reached the streets, he felt a blow to his back and tumbled forward onto the ground, ruining his clothes. He expected another blow to come, but instead heard a bunch of shouting and yelling. The senator looked up from his place on the ground and saw that four men sky blue uniforms were fighting with the hooligans with muskets. One of the uniformed men went down on the ground after being stabbed, but the other three fired on their assailants. Two of them went down and the rest immediately surrendered. "You alright, senator?" Senator James looked up to see a young white man holding out his hand to help him up. The African American man took the hand hesitantly and rose back onto his feets, his back still stinging from the blow he received earlier. The man saw that his back was injured and winced, "We''ll escort you to a doctor after we toss these... criminals into prison." "Are you the police?" Senator James wheezed. "Yep, South Carolina State Police, just created last year," The police officer proudly stated, "You''re lucky, senator. A few lads playing on the streets saw those ruffians drag you into that alley and reported it straight to us. We came as fast as we could. Thankfully the police building was nearby so the trip didn''t take too long." The senator nodded as more uniformed men arrived on the scene and dragged the group away, while others tended to the officer that was stabbed, "Will he be alright?" "I can''t say for sure, but I sure hope so. Martin is a good officer and a war veteran to boot." "I pray that he is alright, he got hurt thanks to me. They wanted me to resign and take a bribe so that they could snap up the seat in Congress for themselves." The officer''s eyes widened, "Those damn bastards. Don''t listen to them senator, you''re a fine Congressman." "You follow my works?" "You constantly update what''s going on in Philadelphia through the newspapers and listen to your constituents well," The officer blushed, "I aspire to run for Congress and be like you, sir." Senator James chuckled, "That''s good to hear. What is your name?" "Samuel Earle, I''m twenty-three." +++++ AN: Samuel Earle is a real person folks. And if you do a brief search about his background, you might understand why I inserted him into the update. Chapter 81: The Land of the Free St. Augustine, Florida Territory, the United States of America January 11th, 1784 James lived an interesting life so far. Originally, he worked on a sugar plantation in Jamaica and spent sixteen years as a slave harvesting sugar cane. However, that all changed when the French and Spanish took over the island and ravaged much of the plantations there. The French, who took control of the island, decided that the island was "unkeepable" and looted the island as best as they could. Afterward, they gathered as many slaves as they could and shipped them to Hispanola to make the island unprofitable when the British returned. He worked on a sugar plantation in Hispanola as he did in Jamaica previously, but soon after he got settled in his new home, the British invaded and caused destruction and chaos in Hispanola as the French did in Jamaica. While he was illiterate, he was fluent in English and learned a good bit of the language the slaves in northern Hispanola used. He heard rumors that the war between his two previous masters was coming to an end and before he knew it, he was taken off Hispanola forcibly and packed onto a ship. After a short trip, he was now on foreign land for the second time in the past five years. He was ushered off the ship along with hundreds of other slaves and forced onto the docks while he was chained. When British troops lined up next to him and the others, James was afraid that his life was coming to an end. Perhaps the British discovered that the gathered slaves were formerly British and were to be executed for "betrayal" or for doing fieldwork for the French. It wasn''t uncommon for slaves to go mysteriously "missing" or to be killed for disobedience. When a soldier near him adjusted the straps of his musket, the slave near leaped into the ocean out of fear. Several minutes of unease passed by as the soldiers watched the slaves leave the ship one by one. After the last slave exited the ship, the slaves were ordered to march ahead and keep their heads down. The former Jamaican slave closed his eyes and walked forward, listening to his captors as he knew he had no chance to get away anyways. He was surprised to see that he was not in an open field, about to be fired upon by the Redcoats. Instead, he was still in the town and was brought to a halt in front of a line. The line was drawn clearly and on the other side of the line, a number of soldiers in unfamiliar blue uniforms watched their surroundings carefully. One of the British officers walked up to a white soldier with a fancy blue uniform and spoke to him, "The slaves are all yours for the keeping, as we promised." "Are the French aware of their "escape?" The blue-uniformed soldier answered. The British officer snorted ungentlemanly, "Are the French capable of doing anything right?" "Maybe the Quebecois, but they''re not entirely French. I, and most Americans, have no love for the French." "Then we finally agree on something, I suppose," The Redcoat mused, "The payment?" "Sent to your superiors, 50 pounds for each as we guaranteed. However, for their safe passage, we have a bit extra for you and your men." A chest was handed to the British officer, who opened it and smiled, "Right then, we''re in agreement. We didn''t see anything, and you and your men didn''t see anything. If anyone asks, we were both attending to important military matters. Tomorrow, we will all guard the line and glower at each other, but perhaps I will be open to buying you a drink tomorrow evening for your gracious support." The British departed quickly afterward, though James overheard one of the British soldiers mumbling, "Damn Yankees." Right after they left, the blue-uniformed soldiers brought them over the line and unchained them. The soldier that was speaking with the Redcoat earlier stood in front of them and motioned for them to follow him, "Come on lads, we have a lot of things to do before we can help you live freely. It''ll only take a few days at most, and after that, we''ll assign you jobs fitting for your background." Three hours later, James was clothed in new clothing and fed one of the best meals of his life. He looked at his captors while eating his meal slowly as if he expected them to drag him to a plantation right after he finished his meal. Many of the other slaves seemed all too eager to eat a good hot meal and enjoy their new clothing, but James saw that a few others like him were also skeptical of their new masters. Finally, after the meal was completed, the soldier from before stood in front of them and spoke, "Before I start talking, who speaks English here?" Around five hands were raised out of hundreds, and after a short while, James hesitantly rose his hand too. "Right then, I''ll need you lot to translate for the others because time is precious. My name is Nathanael Greene, and I''m a major general for the United States Army. Just so I clear up any misunderstandings, none of you will be returning to slavery." James looked at the man in shock and when the other slaves around him asked him what the man said, he translated the general''s words to them. The slaves looked either confused, intrigued, or skeptical at the man''s words. "After we process some papers for you and ensure that you receive some education, we will allow you to own your own lands and receive citizenship." "What did he say?" One of the slaves asked in French Creole. "He said..." James hesitated, wasn''t his words too good to be true? Freedom, education, land? Was that white man telling him the truth, or was he just exciting them in order to get them to work harder? "He said we''ll be set free, get educated, and own land. And citizenship." "Of course, all of those guarantees will not come right away. However, if you swear allegiance to the United States and follow our instructions, I promise you that all of you here will be citizens of our nation within a year, if not shorter. There are many former French slaves in Florida that can attest to this and they will also help you transition into our society. Many of them are landowners in Florida themselves. If you are willing, then please stand up so we can help you get prepared for the road ahead." There were dozens of slaves that stood up after hearing the American officer''s translated message. However, James remained seated and thought over his options. The offer seemed too damn good to be true, and he knew in his heart that all the white people were the same. The French and British weren''t any different, they just tossed him into slavery without a second thought. But he didn''t have many options at this point, not when he was in a foreign land without any friends or contacts. The best course of action for him was to take the leap of faith and hope to whatever God was out there that he was making the right choice. So he pushed down onto the table and stood up. Chapter 82: A Session for the People January 28th, 1786 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States of America "How much for one?" "A penny. You''re in luck, because it was printed only an hour ago." George Brown, head of the Secret Service, flipped a copper penny to the press worker and rustled open the papers to read the daily news. The front page was plastered with major protests that were happening in Maryland and Virginia over the issue of ending slavery. Thankfully, they were peaceful, but to the former Marine, it seemed like these people were protesting against the founding values of the nation. Brown remembered that the ARPA managed to invent a "cotton gin" machine that expedited the process of separating cotton from its seeds. As a result, many planters in the southern states (even South Carolina) were growing large amounts of cotton for profit. Especially since that Moses fellow in Rhode Island and a few others built water-powered textile factories in the north, and Britain and the United States concluded a trade deal which granted the US Most Favorable Nation status. And with these developments, the issue of slavery was rearing its ugly head in the public once again. Plantation owners in Virginia and Maryland wanted an extension to the official deadline of abolition, which was planned to be implemented across the nation in 1797. However, with slavery becoming "profitable," some plantation owners were all too keen on keeping the institution alive for as long as possible while they had the chance to do so. South Carolina and Georgia were evidently opposed to slavery, as both were now African American majority states, but there was much more tension in the two major slave states in the United States. Working in the Presidential Mansion, Brown heard more than his fair share of rumors about the government and he knew that if the president heard about the protests, then he wouldn''t take it lightly. The man was a crusader against slavery and was keen to see it disappear off the face of the North American continent. As he walked down the streets of Philadelphia to head to Congress Hall, he ran into one of the agents under his command, Jim Wilson. Ever since Brown accepted the position as the head of the Secret Service, his friendship with Wilson had grown significantly. He worked with Wilson on a near-daily basis and saw the young man (now in his late twenties) as a close partner and confidant. Wilson also seemed in a rush to get to Congress Hall and greeted his superior before continuing his brisk journey to the building with the African American man in tow, "Morning sir! We need to hurry, or else we''ll be late for our shift!" "I''m coming, Jim," Brown grumbled. He was a bit older now, in his early thirties, and he certainly felt his joints occasionally creak if he attempted to carry out too much physical exercise. He silently thanked his lucky stars that he gave the information about the gold to some of his friends down in South Carolina instead of going down there and mining it himself. Being the head of the Secret Service wasn''t entirely physically demanding, though he still exercised a good amount to keep in shape. But mining for gold for years and most likely working on a farm after selling the gold? He couldn''t imagine it. He hadn''t worked on a farm in years, and the last he did, he was a slave. His place was here: in the city and working for a man he had respected for a decade. Finally, the two men arrived at Congress Hall, where a large crowd was gathering for the annual presidential event that followed a week after the president''s Speech of the Union. The speech was given every year, the third Saturday of January. It was fairly traditional and "ordinary," as Brown guarded the president while he spoke in the last five Speeches of the Union. The president talked about bringing unity to the nation, ensuring the people''s wellbeing, and furthering economic growth in order to enhance the nation''s prosperity. He usually spoke about controversial topics too, such as women''s rights or accepting slave refugees, but otherwise, the speeches were fairly routine. However, today was the day that many Americans were focused on. The "Presidential Roast" sessions, which happened on the fourth Saturday of January. The event was always highly publicized, attended by many members of the public, and a great way to get a few chuckles out; it was a way to start off the year light-heartedly. It was an event created by President Kim, which wasn''t unusual for most of the public. The president was a good leader, but he definitely created a number of strange events and precedents (ranging from the "Roasts," to the strange "memes" which were a form of political cartoons with humorous captions and pictures). As President Kim put it, the sessions were meant to "make jokes or comments about the president and to help the people understand that the president was also an ordinary citizen." In other countries, it would have been unimaginable to make jokes or crack insults at the leader of the nation directly in their face. But then again, the United States was unlike any nation in the world. Wilson and Brown stood guard in front of Congress Hall, patted down every individual for any weapons or dangerous objects, and waited until the Hall was filled with spectators before heading inside themselves. The event was a first-come, first-serve basis, with only a few reserved seats for selective members of government, so the Hall was usually overflowing with people within an hour. As soon as the door closed, President Kim stepped into the room and smiled at the crowd, "Good morning! I am honored to be on the receiving end of yet another one of these sessions for the fourth time." The crowd let out a good-hearted laugh as the president continued, "As the previous sessions, we will have a few designated people make some jokes at my expense. Afterward, the podium will be open for those that are brave enough, and witty enough, to top the jokes cracked at me by those designated people. So without further ado, let us begin!" As was tradition, Vice President Franklin stepped up to the podium with a script and scowled, "Thank you, Mr. President, for yet another brilliant speech. I nearly fell asleep in my chair since your speeches are always so unique and different. Like your Speeches of the Union." VP Franklin waited for the crowd to quiet down before continuing, "After working with you for the past several years, I can say with great confidence that I no longer drop my teacups in a start when I hear the Presidential Mansion vibrate. I know that the vibration is due to you screaming, "Oorah!" after answering any questions or commands." "Another thing I forgot to mention is that the president is looking for a new secretary. The last one he had gone deaf after the last "Oorah." If you are interested in the position, we can provide plenty of earplugs for your own health." And so the session continued. Snipes and jokes were made towards the president. After the Vice President, Director Washington went to the front and made underhanded comments about retirement and how he himself would be retired after all the Revolutionary War veterans were dead. Some members of the Cabinet and a few friends of the president followed. Finally, the podium was opened to the public. Brown moved towards the president, who was seated towards the front, protectively and watched as an elderly man stepped onto the stage. The man cleared his throat and spoke, "I would like to thank Mr. President for allowing me to come up here and speak so the people can listen to someone else ramble on for hours. The president is half my age, but it feels like he speaks for longer than that when he''s on stage. I think I aged a few years while watching the opening act." Brown let out a loud laugh and saw that the president was laughing as well. The ex-sergeant had to admire that about the president, he was certainly open and transparent. He didn''t take any insults to heart and genuinely did his best to help the people stand up more confidently. With these rather "small" actions, the president was creating an environment that encouraged criticism and supported the idea that the people and the government were one and the same. Which was something Brown could get behind. Chapter 83: Immigration June 1st, 1786 New York City, New York, the United States of America "Next!" Johnny Linehan went into the designated room nervously. He had seen a few others like himself enter the room and not return, so he was afraid that he made the wrong choice when he decided to immigrate to the United States. He was from Dublin, a son of a poor merchant, that decided to travel across the seas to search for better fortunes in a new land. From the sparse rumors he heard about America, he knew that it was a "land of opportunity and religious freedom" and to a Catholic like himself, that was all he needed. However, he still worried about his future as the people that entered the room before him were all Irish like himself. But they weren''t just "Irish," they were Catholic Irish. Many of the people on the ship he sailed in were from Leinster and Muster, regions that were known to be predominantly Catholic. And he did know that many Americans were Protestants or followed other religious beliefs. He had heard rumors that there weren''t that many Catholics in the United States. To him, it was a bit suspicious that they were isolating all the recent arrivals from the Catholic parts of Ireland into a private room, with none of them returning afterward. He knew that his previous assumptions were possibly wrong, as news about the new republic was often suppressed in Britain. Even so, he silently prayed that the United States would offer him a place to stay despite his Catholic beliefs and that the nation was accepting of Catholics, even if there weren''t many of them in the nation. The inside of the room was brightly lit from a nearby window and a woman was sitting behind a desk with some papers in her hand. Linehan was confused about what to do next, and only moved to sit in the seat in front of the woman after she gestured to him. The woman was a middle-aged blonde with a serious look on her face, which did nothing to calm his nerves. In fact, it shocked him that a woman was going to be interrogating him. "Your papers, sir?" Linehan nearly tripped over himself as he handed the papers a man had handed to him at the docks. He filled it out briefly while waiting for his turn in the room and it was a detailed description of his name, his place of origin, and a few other personal information. The woman looked at the papers in her hand and spoke, "Mr. Johnathan Linehan?" "Yes?" The man replied nervously. "I see that you are from Dublin, Ireland. Is that correct?" The Irishman nodded silently. "And your reason for coming to the United States is for a better career opportunity?" That question was met with another nod. "How long will you be staying here?" "I''m not sure." "Where will you be staying?" "Here, in New York City I suppose." "I see that you listed your former occupation as a merchant. Can you elaborate on that a bit please?" "My father and I ran a small store in Dublin and we traded foodstuffs for goods." He was barely eighteen, so he had only a little bit of experience as a "merchant." "I see." The woman answered monotonously, bristling his nerves, "Do you have any relatives, friends, or contacts in the United States that could potentially vouch for the statements listed?" Linehan shook his head. He didn''t know that it was a requirement! "No worries. There are plenty of people in your situation; starting off in a foreign land without any contacts. I''ll just note that down so that I can have that for reference later on. Now, what religious denomination do you follow?" The man felt his heart stop. Should he lie about this? Was this a test? He clutched his hands firmly and decided to answer truthfully because while he was afraid of the consequences, he wasn''t going to abandon his faith so easily. His father would have been ashamed if he decided to lie and abandon his faith in order to enter America. And he couldn''t do that, as his father helped pay for his voyage here, "I''m Catholic, ma''am." She scribbled a few notes onto the papers that Linehan gave her earlier, "Do you have anything you would like to declare, such as the possession of illegal contraband or goods" "No." And it was the truth, he was patted down by a soldier on the docks and only had about five British pounds in his pocket. "Do you swear that you will obey all American laws and acknowledge that you will suffer the consequences if you break any of them?" "Yes." "Well then, welcome to the United States than Mr. Linehan," The woman handed some papers back to the man and shook his hand, "Show those papers to the man outside and he''ll help you get started on your stay in America. Make sure to read everything on that booklet on the top, as it will contain valuable information about places you can settle, our laws, and so on. If you have any questions, the United States Department of Internal Administration building will be on the intersection of Broadway Street and New Street." "Broadway Street and New Street, I understand. Thank you." Linehan felt relieved as he walked out the door on the opposite end from where he came from and came face to face with New York City. The city was alive and bustling, filled with people walking on the streets. He saw a lot of different types of people: white women, black men, and a few of those Indians too. He spotted a small booth which was occupied by a lonely looking man and walked up to it, suspecting that this was the "man outside" the lady before was talking about, "Hello." "Your papers?" The man from Dublin felt much more positive than before due to his fears disappearing and handed the man his papers. It seemed like the United States had a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy with the number of government workers he was seeing. The man glanced at his papers for a few moments and looked back at him, "Do you have any foreign currencies with you?" "A few British pounds." "Well you can trade them in here and we''ll give you American dollars, which is the currency of the nation. Would you like to do that today? It''s not required, but recommended." Linehan shrugged and coughed up his money. The man took it and replaced the British coins with American ones. The American coins were lighter and looked much different than the British ones, "The current exchange rate for five pounds is ten dollars. As such, here are fifteen eagles, five quarters, four nickels, and five pennies. I see that you''re a former merchant. If you want to find a job working in a business, I suggest you head over to Wall Street. It''s a huge street that covers several blocks down that way, you can''t miss it. Welcome to the United States." And with that, he was on his way into this foreign country called "America." He decided to follow the man''s advice and walked towards "Wall Street." After a few minutes of walking, and plenty of staring, he found "Wall Street." The street was certainly busy and was spacious, but it had a number of businesses on the street. While walking down the street, he found a printing shop called the "New York Times" that was selling newspapers and bought the newest edition for half a cent. He walked to a nearby inn, got himself comfortable, and decided to read more about the country before making any final decisions. "President Kim declares "pandemic" in Stateburg after Yellow Fever Outbreak, Implements controversial and tyrannical measures to "contain the disease," The headline for the newspapers screamed. President Kim? Tyrannical? Pandemic? All of these things were new to him, so he decided to read his booklet while reading the newspaper for support. He soon discovered that the President was the democratically elected leader of the country. Apparently, these elections were every four years for the presidency, two years for the "House" (like the House of Commons in Parliament) and six years for the Senate (the House of Lords). Any citizens above the age of twenty-five for men, or thirty-five for women, were allowed to vote. That fact shocked him when he discovered that gaining citizenship was straightforward and easy, and the fact that a lot of people had a say in the workings of the government was foreign to him. The fact that the newspaper was criticizing the president for his "overresponse" to the outbreak of a disease in "Stateburg" (wherever that was) was also surprising, though he read in the booklet that the United States guaranteed freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion (the last part was the part that relieved him the most). After he read about weekly political town halls, the construction of national universities for people of all color and beliefs, and the weekly "Presidential Meet and Greet" (which anyone, even the poorest people, could meet with the leader of the nation), his head was spinning. The nation was strange. The United States celebrated the common people, placed them in power, and the nation was running fine. Laws were made to prevent discrimination on race, origin, or belief. The government was open and transparent and provided welfare for the people. The nation accepted immigrants, refused to place restrictions on them, and offered plenty of opportunities for them to achieve success. Just what was this nation? It seemed a bit too good to be true. He walked out onto the streets and decided to talk to a stranger, just any stranger to see if anything the booklet and the newspapers stating were true. He decided to speak to a Negro, which both terrified him and excited him as he never spoke with a black man before. After all, if the booklets were telling lies, then the Negros or the Indians would point them out first, right? He tapped an unsuspecting Negro''s shoulder working in a shop and gave him a hesitant smile, "Hello." "Welcome to the Wall Street Clothing Store! The name is Samuel. What can I get for you today?" The Negro replied with enthusiasm. He was well-dressed and had a foreign accent while speaking English, but he seemed fairly well-cultured. "I''m not here to buy any clothes sadly, though maybe later," Linehan stated, "I just wanted to ask, are any of these things in this booklet true?" "Well let me see!" He took the book and read the first few pages, nodding his head in agreement in time he flipped a page, "Don''t see anything wrong with this booklet, certainly handy. You new to the States?" "The States?" "Yep! The United States of America, so people have a few nicknames for the nation. Like "America" or "Yankeeland," or "States." I''m assuming you''re new then?" "Just got here a few hours ago actually," Linehan confessed. "Well, you''re certainly going to be surprised at all the things you find in the States. Our nation is very different than those pompous monarchies back in Europe. Everything in that book is true. Didn''t see anything wrong in there." Linehan looked hesitant, "Well, does that mean you can vote also?" "Oh yes, sir! Voted in the last election I did. Turned twenty-five just in time to vote for the president. Voted for President Kim, a good man he is! Liberator of slaves, man of the commons. Great man. And don''t even get me started on the funny things he does like the Presidential Roasts! Absolutely hysterical! Apparently, the man looks like he''s enjoying himself when the people are cracking insults and jokes at him!" "Er... What race is he exactly? I''ve never heard the last name "Kim" before." "He''s Korean, some small nation next to China all the way in that far away land of Asia," "A Chinaman?" Linehan asked incredulously. "Something of the sorts, but we try not to look at people''s race too much when we''re judging them here. See look, I even own a shop myself!" Samuel sniffed the air dangerously, "Except for a few of those damn racist slavers down in Virginia. They can burn in hell." "This is a lot to take in..." The Irishman said as he looked at the heavens to see what to do. "Tell you what, you''re probably looking for a job aren''t you? Well, I''m actually looking for an assistant to help me out with running some errands and helping organize my inventory. If you''re interested, I could give a decent pay so you can get some money before setting off elsewhere. I''ll even buy you a free dinner every other day and we can go drinking together at the local pub. That is if you don''t mind working for a Negro like myself." "No, no," Linehan replied mutedly, "I''m interested." Samuel gave a sharp grin, "Well then Mr..." "Linehan." "Mr. Linehan, we''ll be getting off fine together!" Chapter 84: Restaurant Culture December 15th, 1788 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States of America "Benedict! Over here!" Benedict Arnold Junior, a "sophomore" at the Tybee Marine Academy, looked towards the source of the voice and found Richard sitting with Henry and another man that he had never seen before. The three of them were sitting around a table just outside a "restaurant," a new type of establishment that sold food and beverages from a set "menu." Apparently, it was another idea created by his "uncle" and was popular in the capital. His "uncle" had built the restaurant, named "Koam," while he was at the Academy so he was both excited and mystified by what the restaurant had to offer. "Come on Andy, let''s go join them," Benedict said to his senior at the Academy. Andrew Jackson was a year older than Benedict Arnold Jr. and was a respected member of the Tybee Marine Academy. He came from a fairly impoverished family back in North Carolina but entered Tybee Academy with a recommendation from Benedict''s adoptive father. Andrew was brash and blunt, but he was also a leader who looked after his fellow Marines. Despite his rather harsh attitude at times, he acted very maturely and was well-respected by his peers. The two of them became quick friends after meeting each other through a meeting set by the president and often studied together back at the Academy. When they first met each other, Benedict was surprised to learn that Andrew, who was only a year older than him, fought with his adoptive father on the front lines during the War of Independence. Apparently, Andrew joined the former Marine general''s army group in South Carolina eleven years ago and fought with the Marines until the end of the war, making him one of the youngest Marines to ever fight in combat (though Jackson admitted that he only fired his gun five times during the entire war). As such, the Marine from North Carolina told Benedict the stories about then-General Kim and the battles he fought in during the war. While he heard plenty of stories about the war from his uncle, Benedict was eager to hear the stories from another point of view. The two made their way to the table Benedict''s brothers were sitting at and took their seats in front of them. Richard and Henry gave their eldest brother a firm handshake and looked at the menu while they talked, "So how''s Tybee?" "It''s great. I''m doing really well. I might be able to graduate early at the rate I''m going," Benedict replied, "How''s Westpoint?" Richard shrugged, "Pretty good. Oh yeah, let me introduce you to my classmate at Westpoint. This is Napoleon, Napoleon Bonapart." "Please, call me Nathaniel," Napoleon said with a smile as he shook Benedict''s and Arnold''s hands, "You''re the eldest son of the president, correct?" "Well, he''s more of an uncle to us, but yes. I''m Benedict Arnold Jr. Nice to meet you. And this is my senior from Tybee, Andrew Jackson. He''s from North Carolina." Pleasantries were further exchanged and the five of them took some time to look at the menus in front of them. The food choices on the menu were interesting. There were a variety of Korean foods offered (such as some marinated meat dish called "bulgogi" and "fish pancakes") along with some original dishes such as "pizza" and "Philly fries." The ingredients used for each dish were listed in small texts below the dish names and the price for the dishes was also listed as well. After some consideration, Benedict decided on the fried rice with bulgogi. Each individual ordered a unique dish to try and decided to share a pizza together. "So, do we go up to the owner and order or?" Benedict asked confusedly. "Nah, watch," Henry said as he waved to a man dressed in neat, black clothing, "Waiter! We''ll like to make an order please." After the waiter walked over to the table, Henry repeated the dishes that the individuals wanted to order to the waiter and the man jotted down the order on a small notepad. He nodded his head and thanked him before walking off. A minute later, they were all served water and utensils for their dishes. "This is nice. And I assume that they''ll be delivering the food directly to us too?" "Yeah, the food takes some time to come out, but it''s worth the wait," Henry answered, "Now, we haven''t seen each other in a while, so I want to hear all of your guy''s stories in detail. I''m still deciding between Westpoint and Tybee." "Westpoint is better." "Tybee is superior" The two other Arnolds answered simultaneously. "Our current president was a Marine, and one of the best too. Tybee is also very nice, it''s always pretty warm and has a nice view of the ocean. The training is tough, but it''s rewarding and the people are really friendly there. We''re practically like a huge family," The eldest declared. Richard rolled his eyes, "Your bias for uncle is showing. The Marines are great, but the Army is better. General Washington was one of the best officers during the war too, and he was in the Army. Besides, Westpoint is also nice and it''s only a day''s trip from New York City. The closest city to Tybee is Savannah, which is small enough to be called a town. Besides, the Army cleans up the mess created by the Marines." The two brothers bickered while Nathaniel looked at Jackson, "Personally, I was deciding between the Army, the Navy, and the Marines, but I decided on the Army. They have some fascinating artillery weapons, such as the Hwachas, and I wanted to study them up close." "You''re an artilleryman then?" Jackson asked, which was met with a nod, "Well good for you. Personally, I joined the Marines because I was a Marine when I was nine." "Nine?" "I joined President Kim''s army group down in South Carolina during the War of Independence as a drummer. Decided to continue my career in the military after I grew up." "Is he as great as everyone says?" "He''s certainly great, just not a God-like some people portray him as," Jackson chuckled. Nathaniel sighed, "I would like to meet him one day, but unfortunately, he''s a very busy man. I heard the Hwachas were first created in Korea and that the rifled cannons that we use were partially developed by him. He sounds like a fascinating man." "Well, perhaps we can ask one of the Arnold brothers for a meeting with him. Though, I''m not entirely sure if that''s possible given his circumstances these days. His wife has given birth to their third child and he has to deal with those damn Europeans," Jackson grumbled. Nathaniel raised his eyebrows, "I''m from Europe." "Ah well, mostly directed towards the Brits," Jackson shrugged, "Too bad they came out in better shape than France or Spain. I heard that after the chaotic peace deal, Britain acquired Cuba in exchange for a few of their Leeward Islands. Seems like all the nations involved were on the verge of exhaustion." "Not too surprising, since they fought for years and devastated their colonies. But the president is probably busy helping the next president get adjusted to the workload of the presidency. After all, the future president has been staying in the Presidential Mansion since his election..." The conversations came to an end when the food arrived. Benedict looked at his dish and grinned, "That smells and looks delicious." "Wait until you try some of the other new restaurants that have been opening up nearby. There''s a Creole restaurant a few blocks from here and they have some of the meanest stew you''ll ever try," Henry mentioned. All of them dug into their food, blissfully unaware that the five of them would become some of the most well-known figures in American history... Chapter 85: The French Revolution Begins Lafayette knew that he took a huge risk when he sailed across the Atlantic to the United States. He was disobeying his father-in-law''s direct orders to remain in France and risked possible imprisonment once he returned to France. So when he was arrested immediately after returning to France in 1783, he wasn''t surprised nor bothered. Despite his treatment by the King in the other history, he knew that this time around, he would be reprimanded more harshly due to France''s relations with the United States. As he predicted, he was placed under house arrest for several months before he was finally released and "congratulated" by the government for his fine achievements during the American War of Independence. However, he was basically locked out of the nobility and forced to "retire." During his time under house arrest, he reassessed his own thoughts about a constitutional monarchy and slowly concluded that he was wrong about focusing solely on a constitutional monarchy. His time in the United States had been wonderful and the nation, despite its young age, was functioning well with its republican form of government. The fact that France was a republic (and a fairly successful one) in the future did not elude him either. Samuel Kim, the first president of the United States and one of his closest friends, was an ardent republican himself and Lafayette fondly recalled the days where the two of them debated between the finer points of a constitutional monarchy and a republic. While he was imprisoned in his own home, Lafayette knew that the storm was coming. France hadn''t done any better in its war against Britain in this world than they had in the other world. And with the volcano eruption in Iceland, food prices rose sharply despite the best efforts of American merchants and the American government to slow the disastrous price hike. With a lackluster effort in the war against Britain, a mounting debt, and a sudden rise in food prices, Lafayette expected the Revolution to come earlier. And without any say in how the government-operated or any influence to voice his proposed reforms to the King, he knew that France was heading to disaster, the same disaster that wrecked the nation in the other world. So he vowed himself to take it upon himself to lead the republicans (or any of the pro-reform groups) this time around and establish a new France, whether it be a republic or a constitutional monarchy. For several years, he gathered dissenters and critics of the current regime and built himself a support base. He knew that when the Revolution erupted, he would need supporters and friends to prevent the Revolution from going off rails and truly build a France based on equality and liberty. He contacted individuals that were Girondins in the other history: Pierre Vergniaud, Marguerite Elie Guadet, Armand Gensonee, and a few select others. They were mainly pro-constitutional monarchy, but they had similar views and beliefs as him as well. He spoke to Robespierre on a few occasions in order to discern the current thoughts of the man and to possibly prevent him from being radicalized during the Revolution. He also sought the help of the American representatives in Paris (with John Adams visiting France frequently) and with their support, he found the proper funds and information for his efforts. By the time the Estates-General was called in 1786, Lafayette was confident in his ability to harness the opposition to the current regime and utilize it to create a unified front for a reformed France. During the Estates-General, Lafayette represented the Third Estate as he was cast out from the government''s favor. Much similar to the other history, the Third Estate was disregarded and cast aside by the king and the other two estates. The National Assembly was formed, much like the other world, but this time, it was arranged by Lafayette himself. As a result, when the Third Estate was opposed and excluded from the Salle des Estas, Lafayette gathered members of the Third Estate and members of the clergy to declare the Tennis Court Oath and release the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. However, the Declaration this time was more inclusive of the rights of those living in the rural areas and of women. It also revoked the practice of slavery and claimed that it was a "disgrace, a sin upon the civilized world." The Declaration was more radical, but it was a necessity. Lafayette knew that in order to gain widespread support, he needed to appeal to the French people not only in Paris but in other areas of France as well. And while he was losing the support of any plantation owners or slavers, he was determined to see things through. And now he was here, leading a crowd of supporters in front of the Bastille to begin the first steps to tearing down the monarchy and forcing the nation to reform before it collapsed. "People of France!" Lafayette shouted in front of the crowd of thousands. He wasn''t an orator like Jefferson or Kim, but he had prepared a speech with the help of John Adams (before he left back to the United States) to not sound like a bumbling fool. The Revolution needed a strong leader, a guiding hand to ensure that it wasn''t delegitimized by radicals or power-hungry men. He was going to ensure that he himself never turned into a dictator or monarch and was firm on only serving the interest of France, "All of us stand here today in order to bring justice to France! Our nation has been restrained and neglected by those that we have trusted to lead it! Our calls to fix the woes of France have been met with nothing but disdain and scorn even as the situation grows worse day by day. Our peaceful methods have been blocked at every turn, so today, we take action. We must restrain ourselves from total violence, as we are not tyrannical or brutal as the nobles or monarchs. However, we must act! We must show them that unlike them, we fight for a better France; a France built upon the ideals of libert, galit, fraternit! And we will not falter until the day that those ideals are the laws of this land! Even if we are fired upon or attacked, we will push forward for a new France! Viva la France!" "Viva la France!" As the people marched forward in an organized, unified manner, the song of liberty that originated from the United States was sung the crowd, "A la volont du peuple Et la sant du progrs, Remplis ton c?ur d''un vin rebelle Et demain, ami fidle. Nous voulons faire la lumire Malgr le masque de la nuit Pour illuminer notre terre Et changer la vie. Il faut gagner la guerre Notre sillon labourer, Dblayer la misre Pour les blonds pis de la paix Qui danseront de joie Au grand vent de la libert. A la volont du peuple Et la sant du progrs, Remplis ton c?ur d''un vin rebelle Et demain, ami fidle. Nous voulons faire la lumire Malgr le masque de la nuit Pour illuminer notre terre Et changer la vie. A la volont du peuple, Je fais don de ma volont. S''il faut mourir pour elle, Moi je veux tre le premier, Le premier nom grav Au marbre du monument d''espoir. A la volont du peuple Et la sant du progrs, Remplis ton c?ur d''un vin rebelle Et demain, ami fidle. Nous voulons faire la lumire Malgr le masque de la nuit Pour illuminer notre terre Et changer la vie!" Some of the garrison in the Bastille looked panicked as the crowd moved in and fired upon some of the protesters, which provoked a hostile reaction. Lafayette was at the front of it all, doing his best to keep the crowd in check and to bring down the Bastille to begin the fires of Revolution. Chapter 86: Thomas Jefferson, Second President of the United States AN: Why is Jefferson not full-on supportive of Kim''s policies? Well, he is. But he fears the large, overpowering government of the future and places himself as a "moderate" to balance the powers of the federal government and the state governments. He''ll still continue many of Kim''s policies, but seek a middle path (as he was fairly anti-Federalist in OTL). +++++ Excerpt from The Founding Fathers Series: Thomas Jefferson Published in 2005, written by the Federal University of Virginia "Our nation was forged in fire and crafted with the most promising ideals. It is a creation that will not be easily broken." -Thomas Jefferson during the Philadelphia Riots, Founding Father and the second president of the United States. "The Jefferson presidency began a new era in the United States, an era that followed a period of prosperity and stability in the United States. The first president of the United States, President Samuel Kim, was a popular president with widespread support that created the foundations of the federal government and the republic. As such, when President Thomas Jefferson entered office in 1789, he was met with high expectations from both the public and the members of the government. Elected with 99 electoral votes out of the 96 needed to be elected (the total electoral votes rose to 191 during the Kim presidency due to the admission of Maine, Kentucky, Vermont, Georgia, and Hisigi as states), Jefferson was sworn into office on a far closer margin than Kim (who was elected with 115 in his first term and 161 in his second term). However, Jefferson was undoubtedly one of the most influential and most important figures during the early days of the republic. In his last Speech of the Union, President Kim warned of the dangers that laid ahead for the republic and reminded the nation that the republic would only survive if the states worked together despite their differences. He stated that he had no doubts about the formation of parties, but asked the people to "remain civil and open-minded to others, even if they were in a different party." As such, when the 1788 presidential elections rolled around, the candidates contending for the presidency restrained themselves from personal insults or snides and utilized the precedent set by President Kim for their campaigns (by posting their policies and proposals publicly before the election). In total, there were four major candidates that ran for the presidency (all under different parties): Thomas Jefferson, Archibold Bulloch, John Jay, and Salem Poor. Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of Research and Education under the Kim administration, was perhaps the most well-known public figure out of the four candidates. Jefferson was described as an "unimpressive man physically, yet a brilliant orator that captivated the crowd." He was one of the strongest proponents of the Federal Education Act of 1781 and contributed a significant amount to see the act implemented across the nation. As the leading candidate for the Republican Party, a party that was considered a "moderate" party by the public, Jefferson was much more in favor of state rights compared to the first president. However, he (and his party) also saw that the programs run by the government under Kim were widely popular (as the departments were excellent sources of employment and Jefferson''s own department saw the development of technologies that improved the lives of farmers and industrialists). Thus he cautiously campaigned on a platform of greater autonomy for the states, while at the same time continuing the policies started under the Kim administration. While Jefferson was an agricultural man, he was not blind to the fact that the United States economy was climbing upwards thanks to its growing industrial sector. So even though he favored policies that promoted agriculture (such as a lower excise tax, improved infrastructure for transport of grain, and more funding towards the development of agricultural technology and doctrines), he also pushed forward policies that boosted the industrial sectors as well (such as greater governmental subsidies in new mills and factories, along with the continuation of the national bank). Additionally, Jefferson placed himself as a "unifying figure" and portrayed himself as a compromising, understanding man that would work with other political parties to further the interests of the United States as a whole. He rejected slavery but promised to provide proper compensation for all slave owners (higher than the compensation promised by President Kim). Jefferson guaranteed that western states would see more focus from the federal government if he was elected into office. He also appealed to both white and minority voters, carrying himself as a man that would further the equality policies carried out by President Kim. Due to his name recognition and his role as the Secretary of Research and Education (during his time as the Secretary of the R&E, the department developed the cotton gin, the "Yankee" loom, and a few other critical inventions), Jefferson easily became the front runner for the 1788 election. John Jay was the next forerunner in the election, and he was the leading candidate for the Unionist Party, a party that described themselves as the "heir" to President Kim and his agenda. The Unionist Party was popular across the United States, though its biggest support base was within the New England area. A strong believer of a powerful federal government and a former Senator for New York, John Jay pushed for a stronger federal government and sought to bring the nation further together. He fully supported President Kim''s departments and programs and sought to expand upon the foundations that the first president built. Believing that industry was the key to edging out Britain economically, his policies were much more favorable to industrialists, bankers, and traders. He campaigned for much stiffer protections for American industry and an emphasis on the strengthening of the national bank (which was created under the Kim presidency). An ardent believer of secularism and democratic traditions, Jay agreed with Jefferson on the finer points of equal rights and supported the Bill of Rights without much opposition. However, he sought to toughen the restrictions on obtaining citizenship, as Jay believed that an easy path to citizenship could destabilize the nation and harm the formation of a proper "American identity." Unlike Jefferson, Jay was firm in maintaining the governmental policies to end slavery with the same amount of compensation offered by President Kim. He believed that giving slave owners a chance to renegotiate the terms for ending slavery would "delay the process, and at worst, maintain the practice." With the sudden unrest in regards to slavery and the rise of slave owners desiring to seek a delay to the end of slavery, his fear was only reaffirmed and his stance on the issue hardened. Additionally, he believed that the government should "do everything in its powers to uplift the very people it has oppressed for decades" and approved of President Kim''s Freedmen Act. Displaying himself as the successor of President Kim''s legacy and a supporter of a stronger, more united United States, John Jay became a formidable opponent to Thomas Jefferson. Archibold Bulloch was a relative unknown before the 1788 presidential election. He was the governor of Georgia before his bid for the presidency and was a lawyer before his governorship. However, when he entered the fray as a member of the Whig Party (a party that stood for less federal powers and more autonomy to the states), he accused Jefferson of having "no firm ground to stand upon" and placed himself as a person that truly stood for the interests of farmers and those that supported a small government. An avid conservative, he was against raising additional tariffs and campaigned to have them lowered, along with a much lower excise tax than the excise tax proposed by Jefferson. Additionally, he believed that the federal government was growing at an alarming rate and wanted to roll back some of the policies that "wasted the Treasury and expended far too many resources." He appealed to southern voters in general by promising greater powers to the states and an extension on slavery if needed, while at the same time allowing free African Americans to maintain their current rights and holdings (though he opposed the Freedmen Act). He called for the closure of the national bank and an end to "mass immigration that is filling the states with immigrants that can barely speak English." Overall, Bulloch was the most conservative and right-wing candidate that was present in the 1788 election and his abysmal vote count greatly reshaped the Whig Party''s policies. The biggest surprise candidate, however, was Salem Poor. An African American man from Massachusetts with a long and prestigious career (ranging from a Brigadier General in the Continental Marines during the Revolutionary War to the Secretary of Defense under President Kim), there was no doubt that if Poor was white, then he would have been one of the top two candidates for the presidency. Running as an Independent, he was one of the most experienced candidates with a thorough and detailed set of policies. His policies aligned in many ways to Jay''s policies, but made the public aware of the growing unstable situation in Hispanola (now modern-day Republic of Haiti) and sought to provide aid for refugees "fleeing slavery and oppression." Additionally, he was a supporter of more widespread education for the black population and a stronger support net for poor and disfranchised people. While his skin color played against him in the 1788 election (he only won votes in South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina), Poor publicly stated after his defeat that he ran to, "prove that a Negro can run for president and provide hope for a future generation." Indeed, Poor''s actions would inspire a new generation of African Americans in the United States (with the first African American president being elected into office in 1828). And while he ran against Jefferson during the election, he was invited back to serve in the cabinet as the Secretary of Defense, an invitation that he accepted (creating a precedent for Secretaries to retain their positions depending on their merit even with a new president). 196 Electoral Votes in total, 99 Electoral votes to win In the highly contested 1788 election, Jefferson came out on top with a close victory over the other candidates. While Bulloch and Poor did divide some southern electoral votes amongst themselves, Jefferson ultimately prevailed due to his more moderate policy that appealed to a wide range of voters, name recognition, and his role in the development of ARPA and the Department of Research and Education. Additionally, he actually met with voters personally and appeared in the public often to discuss policies and his campaign, which provided him with a boost in support as voters compared him to President Kim. With support from every state, Jefferson managed to slip past Jay with a tight majority. Thankfully, none of the other candidates contested the results of the election and conceded the election peacefully, allowing the first peaceful transfer of power in the United States to occur. President Kim himself personally congratulated Jefferson on his victory and invited him to stay in the Presidental Mansion in Philadelphia to adjust to the role of the president and familiarize himself with the workings of the government before being officially sworn in, which Jefferson graciously accepted (the practice is still in force today). Along with Vice President James Madison (who Jefferson considered as a close friend and capable politician), the Jefferson presidency prepared to take office in February. When President Kim departed with fanfare and Jefferson entered office on February 10th of 1789, the future seemed brighter than ever for the United States. While the election was close, the peaceful transfer of power, another successful election, and the rapid growth of the population and economy contributed to a positive outlook for the United States. However, that positive outlook was greatly challenged within just the first year of the Jefferson Presidency. Immediately, the president was thrown into three formidable crises that needed immediate attention within the first year. The first crisis was the French Revolution, which erupted just days before Jefferson officially took office. After the Treaty of Paris, which saw the end of hostilities between France and Great Britain, France was in a precarious financial situation. France was nearly bankrupt from the war, and along with terrible harvests, rocketing food prices, and the disruption of trade in the Caribbean, the nation was at a knife''s edge. When King Louis XVI attempted to prevent the nation from collapsing by calling a General Estates, the Third Estate (composed of the "common" citizenry) was excluded and edged out by the First (clergy) and Second (nobility) Estates. When the situation in France did not improve and the conditions worsened, the Third Estate erupted into revolution. Marquis de Lafayette, a former Brigadier General of the Continental Marines and a Revolutionary War hero, released the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen," a declaration that called for equality and political rights in France. The Declaration, followed by the Storming of the Bastille, launched a period of unrest and civil war in France as King Louis XVI attempted to restore peace and order while revolutionaries led by Lafayette attempted to reform the crumbling French government and finances. The Revolution was met with both celebration and skepticism by the American public. Some called for full support of the French revolutionaries, as Lafayette''s Declaration was similar to that of the Declaration of Independence. The supporters of the Revolution, often referred to as the "Interventionists," sought to create a potential republican ally in Europe and support a nation that had similar founding ideals to the United States. The Unionists were the most in favor of "intervening" in the French Revolution and providing aid to the revolutionaries. However, others were skeptical and wary of participating in a conflict in Europe and was hesitant to the idea of provoking the backlash of other European nations (none of which were republics, or democratic for that matter). The "Americanists" (which was mainly backed by Republicans and Whigs) desired for the government to retain its full focus on the United States and allow the Revolution to carry out by itself. There was a distinct lack of interest in French affairs, especially since France was reluctant in their support for the United States during the Revolutionary War. As a result, the Americanists formed a bigger following than the Interventionists (it is important to note that these were not political parties, merely labels given to the groups during this time period). However, before President Jefferson could even resolve the issue at all, an after effect to the French Revolution rocked the Americas. The second crisis that erupted was the Hispanola Revolt, a civil war between the northern and southern parts of the island. The northern parts of Hispanola were devastated during the Anglo-French War of 1776. Many plantations were still in disarray and slaves found themselves influenced by the tales of the "Promise Land" (the United States) in the north. As a result, when the news of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen arrived in Hispanola (which guaranteed the abolishment of slavery), slaves in the northern parts of the colony rose in rebellion. Acquiring weapons and ammunition left behind by the British and French during the war, thousands of slaves flocked to the ideas promised by the Declaration and declared the establishment of a free Hispanola colony (that was still loyal to France). This was met with severe hostility from plantation owners in the South and both sides clashed over control over the island by mid-1789. With the French monarch occupied by the chaos in France itself, the French authorities and plantation owners on Hispanola saw themselves in a bitter standstill against former slaves that demanded rights and opportunities as citizens. The news of the Revolt shocked the United States and debates split the nation even further on the issue. As the issue with the French Revolution, many saw the crisis as a potential prolonged conflict that could drag the United States into another period of war for years. While there was support to help fleeing slaves settle in American territories (indeed, approximately 60,000 slaves would make the journey north due to the Revolt and settle in the Florida Territory and the reorganized Mississippi Territory), the question of intervention loomed over the country. The third, and the most controversial crisis, was the court case New York v. Von Steuben (1789), which was decided on September 1st of 1789. The case involved Inspector General Fredrich Von Steuben, who was an important figure in the United States Army and controlled much of the organization and logistics of the nation''s young military. One of General Von Steuben''s neighbors witnessed the general engaging in homosexual acts with another man while trespassing on his property and immediately reported it to the police. Upon receiving the report, the police arrested Von Steuben and his partner (a young lieutenant in the United States Army) and charged with sodomy, which was punishable by death according to New York laws. Von Steuben appealed and stated that his Fifth Amendment right had been violated, as he was engaging in homosexual acts privately at home and the government overreached its boundaries to invade his privacy. The Appellate Court agreed with Von Steuben, but the State Supreme Court overturned the ruling made by the Appellate Court. As a result, the case reached all the way to the highest court of the land, the United States Supreme Court. Despite the controversial nature of the case, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Rutledge, agreed to hear the case. The hearing for the case took several months and was a much-discussed topic throughout the nation. Most of the population condemned Von Steuben''s actions and believed that the charges against him were valid as he was carrying out an illegal act (even despite the Fifth Amendment protecting one''s right to privacy). A very small minority, with President Kim one of the most vocal members (after he was out of office), believed that Von Steuben''s rights had been violated and rejected an intrusion into one''s privacy through the law as it created a "dangerous precedent for the government to invade a citizen''s privacy in the name of justice and safety" (stated by Kim in New York Times article). In a stunning 5-4 decision (considering the time period), the Supreme Court ruled that Von Steuben''s Fifth Amendment right was, indeed, violated and overturned the New York Supreme Court''s decision regarding the case. Chief Justice Rutledge, who wrote the majority opinion for the case, stated that while the Fourth Amendment supported the doctrine of "reasonable suspicion" for the police to use in order to carry out an arrest or a search, the majority ruled that the illegal invasion of privacy carried out under New York''s laws were unconstitutional. As written in the opinion, "While it is clear that Mr. Von Steuben violated New York''s laws regarding sodomy, the fact that his privacy was invaded can not be ignored. The laws state that sodomy is illegal in all forms. However, it can not be expected that the state of New York can and will invade every citizen''s home in order to enforce this law. Due to this, the Supreme Court finds the sodomy laws in New York as a violation of the Fifth Amendment, an amendment that guarantees an individual''s right to privacy, and firmly rejects the notion that the members of law enforcement can and should invade any homes at whim in order to enforce the sodomy laws." The ruling "caught the nation on fire." Riots broke out across the nation against the ruling made by the Supreme Court and protests rocked the Supreme Court Hall in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Riots, a series of riots that erupted from September 12th to October 2nd, saw widespread unrest and dissatisfaction at the judicial system and the ruling government. Even the Presidential Mansion came under fire as rocks destroyed several windows at the front of the mansion and the Secret Service came under attack from angry mobs. This period of unrest marked the end of the peaceful era under the Kim Presidency and rocked the nation into its first real test of unity and stability. With the eruption of riots and protests around the country, other dissatisfied groups also took to the streets to protest government policies (ranging from slavery to minority rights). President Jefferson was thrown into the fire despite his relative inexperience. Yet, his actions and policies would go on to cement his legacy as one of the greatest presidents in American history. Chapter 87: Unwavering Philadelphia, the United States of America September 14th, 1789 President Thomas Jefferson''s hands shook as he started his fifth attempt at writing a letter to Samuel. After several minutes, his usual savviness with words failed him and he was forced to toss the parchment he was writing on aside. He sighed and looked out the window of the Executive Office. Thankfully, his office faced the "backyard" of the Presidential Mansion, so there were no angry rioters or broken windows in his line of sight. It had been two days since the riots had begun across the nation, and the government was barely able to hold the rioters in line. Thankfully, President Kim''s formation of the police forces in each state allowed the federal and state governments to retain a semblance of control. However, they could only hold out for so long and could only arrest so many people until they themselves collapsed. He needed to act decisively and quickly, as he was the leader of the government and the nation. But where did he even start? How could he manage such a controversial and tense issue without provoking the wrath of various interest groups? His position on the Supreme Court''s issue was firm, he agreed with the Supreme Court. The government had no right to lord over individuals and invade their privacy in the name of "the law." Even before Samuel came back in time, he was against the death penalty for homosexuals and pushed for a more "moderate" approach to sodomy (castration). However, if he openly supported the Supreme Court, it would cause two major problems. At least, in his views. The first problem was that he believed in the separation of the three branches. If he supported the Supreme Court''s decision openly, then it would make it seem like he had an agenda and possibly influenced the vote. The ruling was very close, a 5-4 decision. In fact, if he announced that he agreed with the Supreme Court''s decision, then it was possible that the rioters would be inflamed even further and refuse to back down. The second problem was the fact that the case was about sodomy. Most of the nation was Christian, and while Jefferson himself was a diest Christian, he knew that the majority of the nation saw this ruling as a major breach of their religious beliefs and moral beliefs. Hell, if what Samuel told him was correct, then the nation would still be partially against sodomy in the 21st century due to many religious people being against it (even after 200 years of social progress and development). Which was why he considered writing to Samuel for help. He knew that in the other history, he was considered a good president, perhaps even a great one. But he never faced such a major trial by fire in the other history. It was possible that he could have handled this crisis if he was just a bit more experienced, but his experience was reading the works of his "other" self and serving in a Cabinet position (which was inadequate to deal with the current situation). But whenever he tried to finish his letter to Samuel, he was unable to finish it. He didn''t know if it was his pride or if it was due to his own fears, but for the past two days, he was unable to finish a single paragraph of writing. "I can not solely rely on him," Jefferson whispered softly, talking to himself to ease his anxiety and worries, "The people elected me and placed their faith in my policies and leadership." Suddenly, he had a rush of inspiration while thinking about Samuel and the stories from the future. The second president of the United States grabbed his trusty ballpoint pen (a gift from Samuel) and scribbled on a new piece of parchment. He had a speech to write, a speech that would hopefully subdue the unrest and reunify the nation from the unruly discourse it was facing. +++++ "I do not support sodomy, nor will I in the near future. However, the people of the United States must remember the founding values of our nation: equality, liberty, and justice. Equality, in that no race, religion, or personal creed is favored over others. Liberty, in that individuals may choose their own beliefs without fear of repression from the government and society. Justice, in that no bias or favoritism is shown when carrying out the law. While many of you may disagree with the ruling of the Supreme Court, I do believe that the case was carried out in the fairest manner possible. The Supreme Court did not view the case through a religious lens, but through the lens of the highest law of the land, the Constitution. Our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions any more than our opinions in physics or geometry. I am not disregarding those that hold a strong religious belief, as that is admirable in its own right. However, the moment we allow our religious beliefs to dictate our politics and our government, it will inevitably lead to a society where we will sacrifice our sacred liberties in the name of morality and religion... But even if we were to disregard the Constitution and look at the commandants given to the world by Christ, did he not say that the greatest commandant after loving God with all your heart, was to love your neighbors as you love yourself? There are no doubts that there are teachings against sodomy in the Bible, but it is imperative to avoid selectively choosing certain teachings while ignoring one of the greatest commandants of all. You do not need to approve of those that partake in sodomy. However, as Christ said and did, it is better to guide them and lead them away from their "misdeeds" rather than to execute them without hesitation. We, as a nation and as a people, fought a tyrannical government that attempted to intrude in our daily lives in the name of public order. It was just over a decade ago where British troops were forcibly entering the people''s homes and occupying them to "safeguard us." It was one of many grievances that led us to revolt, and establish a new nation where the government is ruled by the people and liberties are upheld to the highest standards. Yet, today, the people are demanding that the government should be allowed to freely interfere in the private lives of citizens and knock down their house''s doors in order to uphold a law that can be only enforced through intrusion. Have we forgotten the spirit of our revolutionary cause? Why did the colonies band together to fight tyranny, only to invite tyranny back just several years later? There are ways to compromise. Perhaps the state governments can allow these acts to be allowed behind closed doors and intrusions only enacted through arrest warrants through the courts. But we must be vigilant and remain on guard to prevent overreach of governmental powers. The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. The same can be said for the laws against sodomy..." -President Thomas Jefferson in his "Call for Unity" speech in front of the Philadelphia rioters on September 15th of 1789 Chapter 88: Washington the… Prophet? Richmond, Virginia, the United States of America October 2nd, 1789 Sometimes, George Washington wondered if he was ever going to catch a break. He was nearing sixty years in age, yet he was stuck with more responsibilities then he would''ve liked. Sure, he knew that the nation "needed" him, but he would''ve killed to get one peaceful day back at his farm. Before he was "called into duty," he was enjoying his "retirement" (he was still the de-facto head of the National Intelligence Service, but he only responded to a few letters and reports per month). He was getting to know his slaves a bit better (he regretted that he was never able to settle the issue during his lifetime in the other history) and was expanding his estate so that his former slaves would be well off after he was gone. However, that all changed when the Philadelphia Riots (or the Riots of the States) started two weeks ago. He watched with his own eyes as the nation that he and the others so carefully built, slowly collapse into disorder and chaos. Jefferson spent a tireless amount of hours attempting to restore order to the nation and was barely successful in preventing the worse. He managed to slowly rebuild the people''s trust in the government by speaking out in front of the people and touring the entire nation to speak with disgruntled individuals. There were far too many times where Washington was afraid that his fellow Virginian was going to be killed or assassinated by angry mobs, but thankfully, that never came to pass. Instead, Jefferson''s efforts helped restore a sense of trust towards the government and the presidency. Many individuals likened Jefferson to Kim, but much more proactive in that he stepped out of Philadelphia in order to mend the rifts that were appearing in the nation. Still, it wasn''t enough. There were plenty of dissenters to the current president and the government as a whole. Critics that were subdued during the Kim presidency was now more apparent than ever. Slave owners that were dissatisfied with the government''s slavery policy were making their voices heard, racists that wanted the sudden influx of immigrants (especially those that were being rescued from slavery in the Caribbean) stopped were protesting, and Christians that were abhorred by the "legalization of sodomy" were on a knife''s edge. Despite Jefferson''s best efforts, he wasn''t able to meet or speak with everyone, the nation was getting larger day by day after all. And with the sudden political turmoil the administration faced, the cracks were growing day by day. Which was why he was here, in the capital of Virginia, for an important speech. A crowd of a few thousand had gathered before him, composed mainly of Virginians, but a few Americans from other states as well. He announced publicly that he had something important to speak about Christianity in the city and it had garnered attraction from many religious individuals across the state. At first, he harshly declined any attempts to make him a public figure again, whether it was a cabinet position or even a local sheriff. Even when Jefferson asked him for assistance, he reluctantly gave a message to a newspaper in support of the current administration and remained on his farm. However, his steadfast fixation on retirement was broken when Samuel (it was always Samuel that got him into these messes) personally visited his estate and delivered something shocking to him. Samuel gave him his personal "message carrier" to God. At first, Washington was surprised and confused at why Samuel gave him such a priceless piece of treasure. After all, while Samuel no longer used the parchment as often, he still used it occasionally to communicate with God and ask for necessary materials to change the United States (Washington knew that the Korean-American asked for some guides on the Mandarin and Manchu languages, as Samuel was hoping to visit Asia after the crisis was over). It was invaluable, in fact, Washington considered the parchment holy. It allowed Samuel to act as a "messenger" of God and was the reason why the United States had changed so radically in a short period of time. But Samuel was insistent that he was to take it. Apparently, God wanted something from, something urgently. So with great reluctance, as always, Washington took it. For a week, the Virginian went on a spiritual journey and connected with God. The being that was responding to him never stated that he was God, but Washington was all but certain. He knew basically everything and everyone. And he was omnipresent as well. During the week he had the parchment, God warned him of a divisive future, where Christianity would be perverted and be used as a justification for some of the most terrible atrocities the world would ever see. The reason why he sought out Washington was that he wanted the man to take up the mantle of finding a new branch of Christianity: a branch that would uphold the greatest commandants and counteract any radical Christians that desired to impose their doctrines on the nation and government. After many prayers and affirmations, Washington was determined. He was always a devout Christian at heart, and now he had a calling given to him by God himself. Not through Samuel, but directly to him. "I had a vision," Washington stated calmly as he scanned the members of the crowd. The crowd reacted in surprise and anticipation but didn''t call him out for heresy so he continued, "A vision that one day, our faith would be perverted by those that seek to gain political power and use their "faith" to justify slavery, murder, racial cleansings, and destruction. These heretics would use the Lord''s name in vain and exploit those that believed in him to further their agenda. It was a horrifying vision, a vision of a potential future if our nation continues down its current path. As a devout Anglican, I was aghast at the fact that our faith, which promotes brotherhood, respect, and generosity would morph into a monstrosity as I saw in that vision." He took a deep breath and continued, "As you know, many devout Christians were outraged by the Supreme Court''s ruling on sodomy, and I can see where the justification comes from. However, we must remember that the scriptures themselves stated that the greatest commandment was "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" and the second greatest commandment, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." As the Lord himself stated, "All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." "Perhaps we need to start anew and begin following these commandments. The vision I received was due to the potential for exploitation of the faith, a potential that could see the faith weaponized into something political and disastrous. Therefore, I have set forth on establishing a new branch, a new Christianity where we accept those that are different than us, yet treat them like ourselves as Christ commanded. Where we worship the Almighty, yet do not attempt to impose our faith on others. Actions speak louder than words, do they not? If we follow the Almighty''s doctrines and benefit the nation collectively, then people will follow naturally. Together, we will build something that the Lord would have wanted: a church that accepts all and that worships him with all." As the man spoke, people had mixed reactions in the crowd. Some jeered him, others looked up to him as a leader. Some in the future even claimed that Washington had a holy light surrounding him as he spoke. However, from that moment forward, a new chapter of American history and religion began. One that would shake the nation and morph Christianity into something radically different. Named "Vicinusm" (Latin for "neighbor), the new branch would attract followers rapidly (especially amongst immigrants and minorities) and change the course of the Second Great Awakening... Chapter 89: Rebellion Montreal, Quebec, the United States of America October 11th, 1789 "You can not be serious, governor." "I assure you, I am." Two men sat in a private room in the Governor''s Mansion in Montreal, the capital of the state of Quebec. They were the most powerful men in the state; one of them was the richest man in the state while the other was the political leader of the state. While they disagreed from time to time, they both wanted what was best for the state. Until now. Christophe Pelissier looked at Governor Nicholas Tessier with a frightened look as he leaned in closer, "Do you realize what that could do to our state?" "It is better than allowing that ruling to stand! Do you realize the situation in Quebec, Christophe? The people want Jefferson''s head! Most of the state is Catholic and when they heard the news about sodomy being legalized..." "Not legalized, but the law regarding invading privacy being unconstitutional!" "Do you think they see a difference?" Governor Tessier asked. Pelissier went silent as he was unable to refute the governor''s claims, "The people are clamoring for something to be done. And if the government in Philadelphia is unwilling to see reason..." "Then you will force Quebec to secede from the Union? Only a few years after we have joined?" Pelissier replied heatedly. "We joined on the basis that we would be protected! That we would have autonomy! But now, the federal government has declared the sodomy laws unconstitutional, I believe it is time to make our voice heard and known!" Pelissier slammed his fist onto the table, "There are other ways to approach the current situation! If you choose the path of secession, then it could mean the end of the United States!" "I am a Quebecois first, and whatever an American is second," Governor Tessier replied, "When Kim was president, he allowed us to act independently and gave us plenty of incentives to remain in the United States." "Which we will lose if we secede!" "Which we will be able to control ourselves if we secede. But perhaps if the federal government revoke the ruling..." "You know full well that only the courts can revoke that ruling." "Then we are at an impasse. Christophe, I know that you are loyal to the United States for some reason, but you must realize that I am doing this for the sake of Quebec. Not the United States." The businessman gripped his fists tightly and sighed, "Governor, if we are to secede, which is unconstitutional in itself, then we will need to face down the United States military. We do not have a military." "I have already raised a state militia in order to defend ourselves if it comes down to a war," The governor firmly replied, "We will still maintain our democratic traditions, but we will not accept this federal tyranny lightly. I have already spoken with the governor of North Carolina and a few other states, and they seem interested in the matter as well." "Give me some time to speak to my contacts in Philadelphia," Pelissier asked as he stood up from his seat, "I will work with them to try and find a reasonable solution." "You have until the end of the year, Christophe. I do want to remain in this United States, but if our voices are yet again marginalized and tyrannical laws are imposed on us... Then I''m sure you know what will happen." Chapter 90: Shoot, if You Dare Former president and Marine commandant Samuel Kim never expected he would be back in the state of Quebec with an army with him again. Then again, Quebec was making its displeasure at the recent Supreme Court ruling publicly known. The crisis reached a breaking point when the Canadian state declared that they would secede if the ruling was not overturned. This action forced President Jefferson''s hand, and due to his loyalty to the United States and his friendship with Jefferson, Samuel accepted a commission to lead a group of Marines to settle the matter peacefully. Or forcefully, if it came down to war. Until the negotiations ended, he was officially a Lieutenant General again, though Major General Joseph Warren remained as the Commandant of the Marines. "You think they would really shoot at us?" Major General Israel Putnam asked. The man was old, as the years had not been kind on him. He was just a shade over seventy years old, but the former general from Massachusetts looked closer to eighty than seventy. However, due to the role he played in Quebec during the Revolutionary War, he was asked to be one of the delegation members. He accepted dutifully and met Samuel for the first time in several years. "We can only hope that they won''t," Samuel replied with a frown, "Not when we guaranteed that we will not attack." The group sent by the federal government consisted of one thousand Marines, all armed and ready for action. However, General Kim''s orders were clear; they were not to attack any of the Quebecois militiamen unless they were fired at first. The former president didn''t want the situation to escalate and sought to mediate this crisis peacefully. The last thing they needed was an unprovoked attack that would galvanize the people of Quebec. Fort St. Johns, which was the fort that the negotiations would be held at, was currently occupied by the Quebec state militia. The federal fort was "peacefully" seized by members of the state militia and was in a strategic position to protect the capital city of Montreal. Instead of the usual flag with the fifteen stripes and twenty stars, there was a flag of Quebec flying proudly at the top of the fort. To Samuel, it was the ultimate form of irony as it was also the first fort he seized in his liberation of Quebec. Now, he was returning once again to "capture" the fort on behalf of the United States. When the group arrived at Fort St. Johns, they were greeted by members of the Quebecois militia and government. Governor Tessier himself personally greeted General Kim and led the delegation to a small meeting room within the fort. All the Marines except a pair of guards remained outside the fort, waiting for the final outcome of the negotiations. They stared down the two thousand or so Quebecois militiamen that manned the fort. "It''s good to see you in uniform once again, General Kim," The governor said cordially. The Korean-American man had to smile at that comment, "It does bring back some good memories. Memories of a more, united time." "I assure you that if our demands are met, then we will gladly remain united with the other states." "Then let us discuss what you have in mind." Governor Tessier rattled off the list of terms that Quebec wanted from the federal government, "The overture of the New York v. Von Steuben, a ban on any immigration of Africans from the Caribbean to Quebec, the right of Quebec to operate a state militia, and the right to allow Catholicism to be the official religion of our state." "Outrageous! If we allow you to have special treatment, then all the other states will call for their own conditions to remain in the United States!" Putnam thundered. General Kim held up his hand to calm the man down, "The courts will not overturn the case, as I have no authorities over the courts. The federal government can not allow a state to exclusively ban certain types of immigrants, as that would be directly against the current laws. The current president has been working on a bill that would allow states to have their own individual militias, a "National Guard" if you will. Finally, establishing Catholicism as the official religion of Quebec would go against the very spirit of the First Amendment and would open doors for the other states to do the same." "So you reject all our requests, except one." "I''m afraid so, but we are here to negotiate on the matter." The two men spoke with one another for a period of three hours, discussing and arguing every fine point of the list of conditions stated by the governor. After the three hours passed, it became clear that the two were at an impasse as Samuel was unwilling to concede the parts about immigration or religion. "The state will adjust the laws accordingly, so a ban on sodomy may be enforced, just within the framework of the Von Steuben case. The state will maintain a "National Guard." However, the state will still be subject to accepting African immigrants, but they may be placed in a certain region in Quebec. And a definite no on the state religion issue. That is what we have so far." Governor Tessier announced, "I am still not satisfied." "Why are you so persistent on the issue of immigration all of a sudden, Governor?" "Because while some states may have Negros to deal with on a daily basis, Quebec has no place for them. Yes, they are citizens, but it can upset the fragile balance within our state! Think about it, there are hardly slaves, or Africans, in this state for that matter. We are afraid that these fleeing slaves from the Caribbean will settle in Quebec as they are "French" in some senses as well!" "Most of them are being settled in Florida and other southern states." "A thousand or so opted to travel to Quebec in the past year, and they have settled in a cluster around the southern area, in a place named Toronto!" "And why is that a huge problem?" "Because... we were planning on having Quebecois settle the area! Citizens and righteous folks that have been a part of our state for years! And besides, that is not the only problem I have with the current proposal. Hardly any of our requests have been fulfilled!" The former president and Marine crossed his arms, "The federal government will not budge any further on those issues." "Then I''m afraid it is secession, then." General Kim stood up and walked out the door, with General Putnam in tow. The governor barked a few orders after the men started leaving, but to everyone''s surprise, the former Marine walked into the courtyard and stood in front of the two thousand militiamen that were waiting for the end of the meeting. "It has come to me, that the governor and I are at a point where we can no longer see eye to eye," Samuel shouted, "The governor has declared that the state will secede due to the issue between the state government and the federal government. Therefore, Quebec is now in a state of rebellion." Surprised and shocked faces greeted the man as he continued, "However, I recognize that Quebec does have issues with our current government and I have tried to the best of my abilities to work out a compromise. As I have failed, those that are willing to start this rebellion may fire." "Are you mad?" General Putnam asked as the former president stepped forward and spread his arms. Samuel did not reply as he walked in front of the militiamen, "Here is your former president, who bled and fought for your state to be free. Unfortunately, if your state continues down this path, then you will be forced to face me on the battlefield. If you are unwilling to shoot me, then your secession movement will not succeed. So if you are truly willing to break free from the United States, then fire." After a tense three minutes, none of the militiamen fired. In fact, one by one, they lowered their arms. Not even the private guards of the governor dared to fire on the Father of the United States. "We do not settle issues and divisions within our nation with threats of rebellion, but with words, debates, and laws," Samuel continued, "I understand that many of you are frustrated, but this is not the way to go, gentlemen. This will only cause further divisions, and bring the downfall of our great nation. If you truly want to make a difference, then run for office and vote! Debate on the national stage and make your voice heard in a peaceful, civil manner! Now, I ask you humbly, not as the former president, but as a fellow American citizen, to put down your arms and go home! Those that do will be forgiven for their actions today. And our nation can move on from this crisis." Within a few hours, the American flag, once again, flew next to the Quebec flag over the fort and Governor Tessier was arrested on charges of treason against the United States. However, Samuel made it known that if this happened again in the future, then he would be much less forgiving to the offenders. Chapter 91: Jefferson’s Cabinet Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States of America November 20th, 1789 President Thomas Jefferson sat idly with his Cabinet in a meeting room within the Presidential Mansion. The worst of the crisis was over, at least he hoped. With Quebec''s attempt at secession resolved peacefully, and with thinly-veiled threats, the other states that were muttering about seceding quieted down significantly. The riots were subdued, with those that destroyed property and hurt other individuals behind bars, and the nation was looking somewhat more peaceful than before. However, there was plenty of discontent throughout the nation and the secession crisis in Quebec sparked a fire underneath the opposition. Petitions and protests were becoming all too common, but that was a relief to Jefferson as the opposition was at least peaceful for the time being. "Mr. President," Secretary Salem Poor nodded respectfully as he entered the room, "I''m sorry I''m a bit late. I was a bit delayed with some paperwork." "Or spending some time with your new wife?" Secretary Harrison mentioned playfully. Many members of the Cabinet were carryovers from the Kim administration, as Jefferson wanted to keep the knowledge of the Presidential Secret restricted and saw no reason to replace those that were already well-adjusted to their respective roles. As such, all the men on the Cabinet were quite close to one another and treated each other with a healthy amount of respect. Or in Secretary Harrison''s case, he teased the other members. Everyone in the room knew that the man was good at his job, and joked occasionally during meetings to lighten the mood. The Secretary of Defense''s face flushed, "I assure you, I was not with Jemima." "I''m surprised that her father let you swoop her off her feet and bring her all the way to Pennsylvania. He''s in Kentucky after all..." "Gentlemen!" President Jefferson said loudly, "You can chit chat after the meeting. For now, we have some business to settle. Now then, let us begin our meeting. Secretary Poor, since you came late, you go first." "Yes, Mr. President," Secretary Poor organized his papers and cleared his throat, "The military is reaching its objectives and is set to see an additional two more expansions before the military can be declared "alert and ready." The Army will be primarily stationed on our border with Spain, towards the Louisana Territory. We have already established two more forts along the Mississippi River. The Marines will be stationed in Georgia and Bermuda, though we are looking at a Marine base in Maine or Nova Scotia as well. The Navy will be stationed in Virginia, Massachusetts, Florida Territory, and Bermuda. And the Coast Guard will be stationed across our entire coastline to crack down on smuggling and watch over customs." "When will the military reach its peak strength?" "We believe it will take an additional three to four years. We have plenty of recruits, but we need to ensure that their training is up to par." Jefferson nodded, "And the "People of Interest?" Secretary Poor shrugged, "Doing as well as they could be. Mr. Jackson is excelling in his academics. He''s set to graduate early next year. Thanks to the early changes in his life, he is a much more stable and mature young man. He seems fairly determined to overtake our former president''s legacy and prove his worth. As for Mr. Bonaparte, he is an outstanding artilleryman and is showing great promise. In fact, I have received reports that he has written an entirely new doctrine about the usage of artillery in battle. His theory is unique, but fundamentally sound and has incorporated the use of Hwachas into the doctrine to promote a "superior firepower" method." "Excellent. Anything further to report?" "None, Mr. President." "Moving on then, Secretary Revere?" Paul Revere was a surprising and newest addition to the Cabinet. He was a member of the Watchmen Society but was unexpectedly appointed as the Secretary of Research and Education by Jefferson. Jefferson believed that Revere was suitable for the role, as he was bright and was an inventor himself. As a result, he was placed as the head of the Department of Research and Education and oversaw the development of new technologies in the United States. "The steam engine is in testing phases, we expect it to be commercialized within a year or two," Secretary Revere answered, "We''re still working on the self-contained cartridges to develop the breechloaders, though we are getting quite close. Additionally, Mr. Alessandro Volta, thanks to our backing and encouragement, has managed to develop the voltaic pile, the precursor to the battery. He is teaching at New England University but operates a lab within the university for his research. Mr. Franklin is also with him, and the two are getting along quite splendidly." "Very good news indeed. The steam engine will be revolutionary, and we sorely need it to speed up the Industrial Revolution in the United States. How long will it take for the self-contained cartridges?" The Bostonian rubbed his chin, "I am not completely sure on the timetable for it, but I can assure you that the department is doing its best." President Jefferson nodded, "Very well, then. Director Woodhull?" Abraham Woodhull was a new member of the Watchmen Society and one of the best spies that Washington had under his command during the war. Naturally, he received the position of Director of National Intelligence after Washington retired to Virginia. The man was cunning and smart, but extremely loyal to the nation, "We are keeping a close eye on the situation in France. Lafayette has constantly received information from us, but as you have stated, we have firmly rebuffed any requests for arms or loans. Several of our agents are on the ground and assessing the situation. From the last report I received from an agent in France, the Revolution is well underway, but there has been a considerable amount of changes." "Such as?" "The French king has refused to move back to Paris and is remaining in Versailles, for some reason. In the other history, as you know, King Louis moved back to Paris after the public demanded him to do so. However, as of now, he remains in Versailles and there are rumors that he is attempting to avoid the situation in Paris entirely and rule from Versailles separately." "And Lafayette?" "Technically, he is the Prime Minister of France. He is currently the head of the National Assembly based in Paris and is making widespread reforms. His position is stable, as he has willingly purged some of the radicals and consolidated his grip on the revolutionaries. We do not know how the king is reacting to the reforms, but it may be safe to conclude that we are currently looking at two different French governments ruling France: one in Paris and one in Versailles." "But Versailles is very close to Paris, yes?" "Correct. However, there are rumors that the king may flee to the south if relations between the monarch and the current revolutionary government goes sideways." The president slumped into his chair, "So a civil war then." "The monarchy is unpopular, but the nobles are currently very angry at some of the reforms that Lafayette is making. It''s not strange to believe that they may throw their lots in with the king and hope to roll back the radical changes Lafayette is bringing upon France." "Keep a close eye on the situation like before, and report back to me immediately if things change. What about Haiti... I mean Hispanola?" "Chaos. The northern parts controlled by the ruling French minority is constantly fighting with the rebelling slaves in the southern parts. The colony never fully recovered after the British invasion during the Franco-Anglo War and is seeing more and more destruction as the war rages on. With no help coming from European France, the two sides are at a virtual stalemate, unless we intervene." "I do not want to intervene on the matter," President Jefferson stated firmly, "If we support the rebels, then we''re going against France and the last thing Lafayette needs is for us to "betray" him, even if he wants to free the slaves in Hispanola. If we support the French minority, then we''ll galvanize the slave owners in our own country and poison relations with the Africans in the Caribbean. Do you have any agents on the ground?" "We''re training a couple of refugees for the task and will have a team in the colony within a month." "Good. For now, we''ll maintain neutrality and accept refugees coming from the island. Our southern territories are certainly benefitting from the influx of refugees. I believe Florida will be a state soon enough and the refugees from Hispanola have turned the territory into a budding agricultural center in the south, especially those grapefruits, oranges, and lemons to prevent scurvy. Hopefully, President Kim is successful in his current trip to Asia and brings back some of the kiwifruit and lychee he mentioned when I last met him..." Chapter 92: The Long Journey Ahead New York City, New York, the United States of America February 1st, 1790 "You''re looking mighty fine Mr. President!" "Thank you, Samuel." The former president was inside Wall Street Clothing Store getting a few new outfits for his expedition to Asia. Samuel had asked the owner of the shop to tailor him a suit (a "future suit" that he wore often when he was still in the 21st century) and the owner of the shop, a man also named Samuel, obliged. The suit was similar to the design that the Marine gave to the clothing shop owner and was navy blue in color. It was an impressive form of craftsmanship and the wearer felt like he was already one step towards the future. "None of that, sir. When you''re in my shop, I''m Sam and you''re Samuel," The shopowner grinned, "Makes it easier for my friend here too." "You don''t need to call me "sir" every time, Sam. Just call me Samuel," Samuel replied, "What''s your friend''s name?" The white man that was waiting on the side and holding a variety of clothes in his hand smiled, "Johnny, sir. Johnny Linehan." "Please, just call me Samuel. I have enough people calling me sir already," The Korean-American mentioned with a smile, "Now, how much for this suit and the clothes that Mr. Linehan is holding?" "Five dollars, Samuel." He pulled out ten Eagles from his pocket and handed it to the shopkeeper, "Here you go. By the way, how is the spinning mill you invested in coming along? "It''s coming along nicely. Managed to save up a lot of dollars to fund that thing with a few others. Should be finished at the end of this year. Johnny here is working extra hard to get that mill up and running, since when it does, we should make even bigger profits!" Samuel laughed as he placed his clothes in a bag, "Good to hear that, Sam. Best of luck in your endeavors." He walked out of the shop and went onto the streets of New York City. Before he walked back to his house, he picked up a newspaper printed by the New York Times and purchased it. Samuel allowed his newspaper to operate independently from himself and always bought a copy of the daily newspaper with his own money. He looked at the headlines of the front page and frowned at what he saw, "Three African American farmers dead in a vicious assault by mob." The incident happened in North Carolina, where a group of angry people burned down a farm operated by an African American family. There were investigations going on to discover just who was involved in the incident, but there were rumors that a white supremacist movement was spreading through some of the disgruntled areas in the southern states. Everything was speculation, but there was a noticeable uptick in activities against minorities in the area. Other pieces of news involved the trial of the Quebec governor Tessier, the beginning of the Erie Canal (which faced some opposition from the Iroquois), the construction of the USS Constitution, an incident between American warships and a British slave ship, and other important news. "Damn," Samuel muttered as he walked back home, "Hopefully, Thomas is able to deal with everything smoothly and isn''t thrown out by the time I return." He was leaving in two weeks for Asia. After some careful preparations and planning, Samuel was planning on visiting Vietnam, Lanfang, China, Korea, and Japan. It was going to be a long trip, and he expected it to last around a year and a half. He was leaving his laptop behind, but until he returned, the Watchmen Society was on their own. Samuel was a bit nervous that if things turned to worst, he wouldn''t be here to help the nation endure. However, this was a test (albeit a short one) to make sure that the nation wasn''t reliant on him for its existence. The Korean-American man looked up and started walking. He and his wife had four new children, two boys and two girls, and he wanted to spend every minute he could with them before he went on his trip. He was bringing his eldest along, who just turned ten, but the others were remaining behind in America. Sighing deeply, he folded the newspaper into his bag and made his way to his house downtown New York. Chapter 93: Anchors Away! Boston, Massachusetts, the United States of America February 15th, 1790 "Permission to come aboard, sir?" "Permission granted, First Lieutenant Jackson." First Lieutenant Andrew Jackson of the United States Marine Corps stepped onto the decks of the USS Charleston and smiled, "It''s certainly an impressive ship, sir." Admiral John Paul Jones returned his smile, "She most certainly is. It''s a bit disappointing giving up the USS Bermuda, but the USS Charleston is a fine ship. She''ll serve us well on our voyage to Asia." The two officers were part of President Kim''s expedition to Asia and Europe, in which the former president was seeking to establish good relations with. They were expected to be gone for a year and a half, if not longer, so the eight ships in the fleet were fully stocked and armed. Three of them were warships of the United States Navy (USS Charleston, USS Enterprise [the name was given to a newly built 32-gun frigate], and USS Virginia), while the other five were merchant ships of varying sizes. The aim of the trip was to establish relations with Asian and European nations, exchange pleasantries, trade goods, and bring back immigrants to the United States. Specifically, the former Marine commandant was looking for Asian immigrants to bring back to the United States. Admiral Jones volunteered for the expedition, due to his relationship with Samuel. While his first child was recently born, he was keen on touring the world and wanted to take part in the historic expedition, which was why he was on the USS Charleston instead of being at home in Lowell. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Jackson greatly admired his former superior and immediately volunteered for the expedition after he graduated, which was coincidentally just before the beginning of the expedition. "Is the general aboard the ship?" "He''ll be here soon, lieutenant," Admiral Jones didn''t point out the fact that Samuel had been retired from the military for several years now, "But I must say, I was fairly surprised that you were coming along on this voyage." The lieutenant shrugged, "I would rather travel the world with General Kim than being stuck in Bermuda or Georgia for God knows how long. Besides, I thought I could learn a thing or two from the general while we were on the expedition together." Admiral Jones knew that Jackson had an odd case of hero worship regarding the Revolutionary War Hero, but considering that Jackson was a rather bloodthirsty individual that murdered Native Americans in the other history, the naval officer preferred this version of Jackson over the other version, "Nothing wrong about that. But keep in mind that his eldest child is coming along with us, so he might be busy taking care of him." "Benedict? I''m sure he can take care of himself, though it''s odd he''s leaving when he''s in the middle of his military education." "No, no. His biological son. The kid is ten, and his name is Justin." "Justin Kim?" "Justin Jin-un Kim. Apparently, it''s customary for those with Korean blood to have a Korean middle name and an English first name, or vice versa." "Does the general have a Korean name?" The admiral snorted, "Of course he does. He was born in Korea. His Korean name is Anyoung. Did you not read the manual that he handed out to all the members of the expedition? It has information about the customs and etiquette of the nations we''re visiting." To his credit, Lieutenant Jackson looked extremely embarrassed, "Er, I might have accidentally left it back at home. I do have an excuse though, a mob was attempting to attack the Negros that were working under our family and I was in a hurry to get ready for the trip after things settled down." "Your family has slaves?" "No! Of course not," Jackson scowled, "I worked with plenty of great and talented Negros, and I know that enslaving them is a terrible act. The twenty or so Negros working for our family are all free, and they work with pay. But there are some in North Carolina who don''t agree that the Negros are equals and raise hell for the freed ones." "And your family was on the receiving end of one of the attacks?" Jackson nodded, "My brothers and I are all Marines, so we shot at them when we were attacked. Poor Jonathan though, he and his wife lost their lives helping us defend the farm. Thankfully, the ones that attacked us were rounded up and thrown into prison. I managed to shoot two of them myself." "Are the attacks common?" "No, sir. The attacks aren''t too common, thank God for that. But there have been more than a few across the South. Heard there were a few incidents up in the North as well." "Indeed," Jones replied solemnly, "In New York of all places. Let''s leave the negative thoughts to the side for our trip though. I''m sure the nation will be fine while we''re gone." Now, other than the manual, do you have everything else with you? "Yes, sir!" Jackson answered as he snapped a salute, "I have my passport, my personal belongings, and my Marine supplies." The lieutenant pulled out a small, leather book with the words "United States of America" engraved onto the cover. He handed it to the admiral, who flipped open the booklet. The first page of the book was Jackson''s personal information, along with a rough portrait of him printed on the side. The passport was a far cry from the passport Samuel brought with him to the past, but it was a work in progress. The backpack on his shoulders contained clothes, toiletries, and other bare necessities for the trip, along with some pocket change. His Marine kit consisted of his Marine standard Staten 1785 Rifled Musket, dress and combat uniforms, a Mameluke sword, and a few other tools. "Everything seems to be in order," Admiral Jones stated, "Report to Brigadier General Moses Hazen down at the mess hall. We''ll be off after our VIP arrives." "Yes, sir!" Chapter 94: Lafayette and Samuel Reunited Paris, the (First) French Republic March 21st, 1790 "Salut, ?a va?" "Tout va bien." Samuel Kim, the former president of the United States, exchanged greetings with the first and current president of the French Republic. The two hadn''t seen each other for several years, yet they were still close friends. Marquis de Lafayette constantly exchanged letters with Samuel over the years, which allowed the two of them to have constant updates about the situation in their counterpart''s country. Lafayette was swiftly elected president after the king fled southwards and he established a modern constitution (the French Republic was a centralized state, with a proportional, unicameral legislature with limited rights for freed slaves, despite Lafayette''s best efforts). With Samuel traveling around the world, Lafayette invited the American to visit France during his brief trip to Europe, an offer Samuel gladly accepted. The "Hun Fleet" arrived in Calais just three days before and now, the members of the American expedition were in the capital of the French Republic. The two presidents were sitting in Lafayette''s office to speak about private matters. "How goes the war?" Samuel asked carefully in French. President Lafayette sighed, "It is going well, but I''m afraid the other European nations will intervene soon. The former king and his forces are pushing hard, but we''re slowly advancing. However, even if he is defeated, then I''m afraid the European monarchs will not watch ideally as a republic forms on their very borders." The French King was now in Marseilles, far away from the center of the French Republic. After rapidly losing popularity and support in the north, the king moved his base away from Versailles. While the city of Marseilles was filled with republican supporters, the King''s soldiers, along with troops levied by nobles, "pacified" the city. Since much of the southern countryside was uninformed about the republican government in Paris, King Louis was able to hold power in the region through a series of propaganda and heavy-handed tactics. "King Louis'' actions are surprising," The American stated, "In the other history, he attempted to flee the nation instead of trying to fight the revolutionaries..." "Perhaps it is because the French government wasn''t as bankrupt as last time, along with the fact that I prevented the radicals from executing the nobles," Lafayette suggested. "It''s possible, but we will never know for certain. How does it feel to be the president of France?" "Unusual. It seemed like yesterday, I was informed of the future of France. Now? I am the leader of France, a role I feel poorly prepared for." "You managed to rein in the radicals and united the revolutionaries under a common banner. I''m sure you are more than adequate." The French president sighed, "Yes, but now we are in a civil war with a European war looming in the distance. The Montagnards are still causing a ruckus in the General Assembly and though their influence has diminished, they are still capable of causing widespread disorder and chaos." "Robespierre?" "He''s much more mellowed out now, but I''m afraid the civil war with the Monarchists will radicalize him." Samuel nodded, "Ah yes... The Reign of Terror. Anyone that studied French history in my time knew about that period." "If he does anything akin to it, I''ll throw him into prison or exile," Lafayette said bluntly, "Now, what are your plans for your world voyage? You mentioned a few destinations in your last letter, but they were incredibly vague." "Well France, of course. I''ll be heading to the Netherlands in a few days'' time to negotiate a treaty with the Dutch East India Company to acquire parts of South Africa." "South Africa?" "The Dutch Cape Colony and the areas around it. It has incredible deposits of minerals. Gold, copper, silver, diamonds, and more. If the British take the colony again, then I fear that they''ll set up a racist state that persecutes Africans in the region again. Hopefully, the Dutch are willing to concede at least the eastern portions of South Africa and establish a clause that allows us to occupy the entire area if the Netherlands should fall in the future." "The Anglo-Dutch War. Perhaps you can entertain the idea of letting France have a share of the colony?" "I think you already have enough on your plate in Haiti, Gilbert," Samuel chuckled. "Don''t remind me of that quagmire," Lafayette shook his head gently, "Now then, where to after the Netherlands?" "Great Britain, I have an audience with the king." "You jest." "No, I am completely serious. Apparently he is... interested in meeting with me." "Hopefully he doesn''t execute you on the spot." This time, it was Lafayette''s turn to laugh, "After that, I''m guessing Asia?" "A few stops in Africa, including the Cape Colony for trade and resupply, and then off to Vietnam, Lanfang Republic, China, Korea, and Japan." "I''m sure your trip will be a huge success, Samuel," The former French noble grinned, "But if you don''t mind, I was wondering if you can personally oversee some of the soldiers. Your legendary acclaim has reached even France. Some of them are ah... "fans" of you." Samuel blinked, "That is both disturbing and shocking." "Well, you did whip the British, and many Frenchmen are not too fond of them." "That is probably an understatement, but I''ll see what I can do." Chapter 95: Fort Hope, South Africa AN: Fort Hope is around the same location of Port Elizabeth in OTL. +++++ Entry in the Worldwide Online Encyclopedia (WOE), Edited on January 12th of 2025: "Fort Hope, often known as "Hope Cape" or "FH," is a major port city and the third biggest city in the Federal Republic of South Africa (FRSA). Founded in 1791, Fort Hope served as an outpost for American traders that were traveling between the Americas and Asia. The area which Fort Hope was built upon was purchased by the United States in 1790 (Treaty of Amsterdam [1790]). Former president Samuel Kim negotiated with the Dutch East India Company and attempted to purchase the eastern parts of modern-day FRSA, which was far away from the center of the Dutch Cape Colony (1652-1807) based around Cape Town. However, the Dutch East India Company representatives refused to concede any part of the colony to the United States. The Dutch East India Company sought to retain control of the Asian trade, as the trade flowing from Dutch possessions in Southeast Asia and India increasingly grew to be profitable. Additionally, the Company had no jurisdiction in the area that Kim sought to acquire for the United States. In fact, the area was primarily occupied by the Xhosa people at the time and was not settled by Dutch colonists. As such, the Dutch East India Company rejected Kim''s proposals outright. Instead, they offered an adjusted deal that would allow the United States to maintain a small outpost in the coastal areas away from the Dutch settlements. The Treaty of Amsterdam was signed by both parties in 1790 and for a price of five hundred thousand dollars, the United States was granted a charter to establish a trading port outside of the Cape Colony''s territorial boundaries. An American expedition arrived in 1791 to settle the area and built a fort for protection. This fort was named "Fort Hope" by the leader of the expedition (an Army colonel by the name of Napoleon "Nathaniel" Bonapart) and marked the beginning of Fort Hope''s existence. The town was visited by Kim several times in its early years (as Kim would travel to Asia four times over his lifetime). The outpost moderately grew in size over the coming years from a small fort occupied by a few traders and soldiers to a thriving town of three thousand individuals by the year 1807. While most of the three thousand inhabitants were from the United States, with many of them being traders, the town also boasted a significant African population. In particular, a thousand or so of the city''s population were Zulu and Xhosa people. With the United States adopting an early policy of equality, the nation was able to cooperate with native tribes in the region with greater ease than the Netherlands. While the Zulu and Xhosa people were not entirely friendly with the Americans (indeed, as American South Africa grew in size and influence after the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War in 1806, tension between the two groups rose), the United States sought to avoid direct conflict with the natives and formed an amicable relationship with them. The official policy of the United States was of "peaceful co-existence," where the United States cooperated with natives and allowed them to move to Fort Hope if they so desired. Natives were not treated as "inferior" beings and were seen as equals, which was set as the law of South Africa during its time as an American protectorate (from 1807 to 1922) and as a republic (from 1922 onwards) (for racial conflicts in South Africa, see article South Africa Civil War). The native population in Fort Hope served as laborers and farmers (small areas around Fort Hope were claimed by the American government for farming and expansion) and even served as auxiliaries at times to protect the town (some of these native auxiliaries would go on to serve in the Angl-American War of 1832). As Fort Hope grew into a trade port, it attracted the attention of European traders traveling to Asia and served as a resupply point between the two continents. By the year 1830, the town grew to 60,000 inhabitants and served as an important center of trade and commerce in the area. With the dissolution of the Dutch Cape Colony and the establishment of the American Cape Protectorate after the collapse of the Dutch trade empire during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War of 1806, the town grew rapidly in size (as it was unrestricted by the treaty set between the Netherlands and the United States) and maintained its own independent government that was separate from the American federal government. However, the growth of Fort Hope simmered tensions between the city and Cape Town, which saw Fort Hope as competition to its economic growth and immigration. Additionally, the pro-native policies adopted by the administration in Fort Hope served as another conflict of interest between the two zones (the former Dutch controlled Cape Town area and the American influenced Fort Hope area). This would all lead to the eventual civil war in South Africa... Fort Hope also played a crucial role in the Anglo-American War of 1832 and would earn the nickname "the Rock of Africa" due to its perseverance and part during the war..." Chapter 96: The Common Man and the Monarch London, Great Britain March 30th, 1790 "Mr. Samuel Kim, of the United States." Hushed whispers broke out as Samuel walked into the ballroom. He was alone without his escorts, but he kept his posture proper and straight as he walked with the British prime minister. "Forgive them, Mr. Kim," Lord Rockingham stated, "Most, if not all, of the people here have never seen a person of your kind." "I understand completely, Prime Minister," Samuel replied. It was not the first time he had experienced this, as he received this sort of attention even back in the United States. The pair walked through the ballroom and climbed a flight of stairs. At the top was a closed private room that was guarded by a pair of intimidating soldiers. The prime minister smiled and beckoned the former president forward, "His Majesty is expecting you." Samuel stepped into the room when the prime minister opened it. Following traditions, he bowed to the king once when he entered the room, bowed again in the center of the room, and bowed one last time in front of King George III, the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The American was unsure if the king was riddled with mental illness, but was hopeful that the monarch in front of him was still sane, "I am honored to be standing in the presence of His Majesty and blessed beyond words to be allowed to speak to His Majesty despite our... differences. If it can be made clear, I have never, nor will ever have, animosity against His Majesty or his subjects. The actions I have committed against His Majesty may never be forgiven, but I plead that we may be able to move forward into the future together without the hostility that pitted us against each other during the war." King George stared at Samuel for the longest time before he moved. He slowly settled into his throne and spoke, "It is strange, that although you may not look like myself or my subjects, you are able to speak the language of our two nations so properly and artistically." The American held his tongue as he waited for the king to continue, "The past can never be... forgotten so easily. You have caused great distress amongst my subjects and my ministers. And humiliated the nation I govern with repeated injuries. Yet, I have no desire to continue this feud. Whatever you have achieved or accomplished against me or my nation, I will allow them to pass and remain in the past." "Your assurances are... welcoming, Mr. Kim," King George stated, "I was the last to consent to the separation of... The United States and Great Britain. However, I have always stated that if a meeting between our two, independent powers occurred, then I would be the first to welcome the friendship offered by the United States as an independent power. I am sure that Ambassador Pinckney has mentioned this?" "Yes, Your Majesty." The monarch nodded his head slowly, "Despite the separation that has erected a division between our two, independent nations, I am... pleased to see... the United States to not only reach out to us in a friendly manner but to achieve success on its own." Samuel''s eyes widened but he stayed silent. "Tell me, Mr. Kim. What is your nation''s desire for France?" "We will remain out of the current conflict that is embroiling the Kingdom of France," Samuel answered smoothly, "I answer this as a representative of my nation and I can say with a certain confidence that the United States seeks only to make friends, not enemies." "Indeed." King George stared off into the distance, "I will not be able to forgive you immediately, Mr. Kim. Not now, perhaps never. But let it be said and declared that as long as I live, there will be friendship between Great Britain... and the United States." "Thank you, Your Majesty." "Now, one last matter. I have heard about your... curious expedition to Asia. I can only assume that you are returning to visit the continent of your ancestors?" "Yes, Your Majesty. I will be acting as a representative of the United States in order to discern the situation of the nations of the Asian continent and offer an exchange of pleasantries, trade deals and ideas." "As a show of friendship... I will support your expedition, provided that you will be willing to carry representatives of the British Crown as well." The former Marine nearly sputtered out an "I''m sorry?" but closed his mouth in time, "I would be honored, Your Majesty." "The details of this will be given to you by my prime minister," King George folded his hands in front of him, "Let this be a beginning of a... return to friendliness between the English nations." With three final bows, Samuel left the king''s presence. Chapter 97: Slave Revolt Hillsborough, North Carolina, the United States of America April 10th, 1790 "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," Charles recited the words of the Founders by reading from a copy of the Declaration of Independence, "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form." "What does that mean, Charles?" James, one of the dozens of slaves that were gathered around the literate slave, asked. "It means we''re equals! You''ve seen those other Negros walking around like the white man, haven''t you?" Charles looked around and raised his fist, "Haven''t you all? Those Negros strut around as freedmen while we sit here and toil away on the fields!" Murmurs of agreement echoed throughout the crowd and those murmurs only emboldened Charles, "So why are we slaves? These men, great men said that all men are equal. They built this nation, so we should be equals too! There are already free Negros, why can''t all of us be free?" The agreement from the crowd became louder and clearer. "Some of our masters are good men, men that take care of us and promise us freedom soon. But what about the others? I know some of you have mean masters, cruel ones even. What if they don''t want to free us and keep us down forever? Do you want to live as slaves instead of those free Negros forever? Do you want your children to live the same?" "No!" "Then we fight for freedom. For equality! If they won''t give it to us now, then we will take it ourselves!" Charles looked around the crowd dangerously and smiled, "Gather our brothers and sisters. Take up your farm tools and march with me! Together, we will all become freedmen!" "Freedmen!" Within a few days, the word about rebellion spread throughout the slaves and by the end of the month, the Hills Slave Rebellion broke out across North Carolina. More than five thousand slaves would raid a militia armory located some distance away from New Bern and marched on a crusade to earn their freedom... themselves. Chapter 98: Journey to Asia Onboard the USS Charleston, Off the Coast of Africa April 30th, 1790 First Lieutenant Andrew Jackson glanced nervously at the person next to him. The legendary American general and the first American president was standing next to him, completely at peace while scribbling something into his thin notebook. The North Carolinian had stood next to General (or was it President now?) Kim before. In fact, he stood next to the Asian man plenty of times when he was young. They had fought together in numerous battles and he had the honor of being personally led by the general himself (the then-general never allowed the children in his army out of his sight and practically raised them as his own children). Yet he felt awe-struck to be standing next to the man "who built America." Some were even calling the former president "America''s Father," and Jackson thought that the title was fitting. It was through General Kim''s willpower, tactical genius, and benevolence that the United States was now a shining beacon in the Americas. Even if the nation was still unstable and loose, he had no doubts that things were improving day by day and the nation was rapidly growing in size and power. It also didn''t help that he desperately wanted to speak to the older man. Although he would always deny it, Jackson wanted to show his former commander that he had grown from the brash brat that created more than a few problems for the man during the American Revolutionary War (a term coined by General Kim himself). Sure, he was still blunt and a bit brash at times. But he graduated at the top of his class at Tybee Marine Academy (his mother always bragged about that to all her friends and neighbors), studied Asian culture intently for the expedition (despite forgetting to bring his pamphlet along, he spent weeks studying the material closely to gain an edge over the others), and fixed his attitude so he was more "mature and disciplined." He wasn''t the young nine-year-old kid that barely knew the difference between the barrel and the butt of a musket. He was a trained officer of the United States Marine Corps (just thinking about that made him proud and patriotic) and a veteran to boot. So why was it difficult to talk to General Kim? "Are you anxious about something, Lieutenant Jackson?" The young officer stiffened instantly. General Kim gave him a grin and beckoned him to come closer. Lieutenant Jackson obliged and moved close enough to see the things that the general was writing in his notebook. He saw several drawings accompanied by lengthy paragraphs under them. When he looked closely, he was able to discern that the drawings were various military tactics and inventions. "I do this in my free time," The general muttered softly, "I think of new battle plans that could help the military, or think about potential solutions to any emergency situations back in America. I also brainstorm ideas about inventions as well." "You''re an inventor, sir?" "No, I''m more of a free thinker. Also, there''s no need to call me "sir." Just call me Samuel." "I''m inclined to refuse, sir. It just doesn''t feel right calling you "Samuel." Jackson answered seriously. General Kim laughed and handed him the notebook, "Would you like to see it?" Jackson grabbed the notebook a bit too eagerly for his own liking, but gracefully accepted the item and flipped through it. There were various sketches of all different sorts of ideas and thoughts inscribed into the pages. It was as if he was flipping through the mind of the general himself. And just by looking at it, he was able to discern why the man was a genius. His battle tactics were completely new and revolutionary. It was as if he took the lessons he learned during the Revolutionary War and refined them three steps further. His inventions sounded implausible (flying through the sky using hot gas and a basket, using the wind to fly a metal glider, communicating across hundreds of miles instantly using electricity), yet he reasoned how each invention was possible and the necessary parts/discoveries in order to make them possible. He also jotted down thoughts about his life and his expectations, along with his "battleplan" on how to approach each and every Asian nation they were visiting. Additionally, he wrote down potential problems that America possibly faced in the future (everything from slave revolts to war with a European power) and recommended a pragmatic solution for all of them. In short, the man was always innovating, always looking to better himself and the country, and always had a plan for everything. It was no wonder why the British were whipped so easily during the war, General Kim was always several steps ahead of them. "It helps me relax." The former president mentioned in passing. "Relax?" Jackson asked. The man nodded, "It helps me remain occupied, knowing everything I do will help America grow into a better nation. This journal is my legacy, and also my place of refuge. It also helps writing things down on paper, as I won''t forget any important thoughts." "Maybe I should also write in a journal." As if the former Marine Commandant predicted this, the Korean-American pulled out a journal from his suit jacket (which was one of a kind) and handed it to his former subordinate. "Then by all means." Once again, Jackson graciously accepted the book and stored it off to the side for the time being. Then he blurted out his true thoughts, "Can you take me in as your student?" General Kim raised an eyebrow and the man flushed, "I mean, it''s just that I still have much to learn and you are one of the best officers out there. Additionally, you seem to know so many things, and I am very inexperienced. It would be an honor to learn from you, sir." "Well, I don''t mind, but do you have something that you want to learn in mind?" "Battle tactics outside of the ones I learned at the Academy, as I know you basically wrote all the books there singlehandedly. Additionally, history and languages. Specifically, Asian history and the Korean language." "The Korean language and Asian history?" General Kim asked with a surprised expression. "I would like to be able to communicate with the Koreans once we reach Korea, and knowing history always helps understand the cultures of the nations we''re visiting. I learned a bit of American Indian history through my time with the Indians, and I felt like I understood them better after hearing their stories. I believe the same thing can be applied here, and it would help me gain a fresh perspective. Additionally, I''ve heard that you wish to bring some Korean and Chinese immigrants back to America. By learning Korean, I believe I can help Korean immigrants integrate into our nation more smoothly." "Well certainly. I''m not doing much these days except taking care of my son, brainstorming, and entertaining the British representative on our ship," The well-dressed man replied, "However, I will warn you this. If you really desire to be a student of mine, I will work you to the bone." Jackson grinned, "Trust me, sir. I know. I was, and still am, a Marine." Chapter 99: Jackson’s Journal Journal entry of First Lieutenant Andrew Jackson (future 5th President of the United States), June 19th, 1790 Displayed at the American National Museums of History and Culture, Columbia. "Our arrival in to "Dai Vet" was met with curiosity more than celebration. That was only to be expected, since America''s presence was only known in the Americas and Europe. Even so, it felt... odd to be standing in a nation that very few "foreigners" like myself have visited before. As per usual, General Kim was able to find a local pirate (or a sailor, I was unsure what was the appropriate word for the man was) that was able to speak some passable English to work as a translator. Apparently, the general''s Vietnamese was terrible, which surprised me to an extent. But then again, he was from Korea, not Vietnam. The beginning of our journey to pay respects to the emperor of Dai Viet was rocky, but at least the blasted Brits decided to stay behind in order to prepare for the more important journey to China. It took several days for us to arrive in Ph Xuan (I sincerely hope I wrote the accents down correctly), the temporary capital of Dai Viet, in order to meet with the Emperor of Dai Vet. The man''s name was Quang Trung and from what information I could gather from our "guide," he was a reform-minded individual with the backing of most of the peasantry. He implemented sweeping reforms during his reign (which started several years before). Like General Kim, he took a nationwide census, provided identification for most of the citizenry, preached religious tolerance, and structured critical tax reforms that benefited the peasantry. We prepared suitable gifts for each of the nation that we were visiting. General Kim was the one that appropriated and arranged most of the gifts, as he was the leader of the expedition. Surprisingly, many of the things that the general brought as gifts to the Dai Vet Emperor were military weaponry and technology (instead of the heaps of silver he had brought for the Chinese). He had brought nearly a thousand of rifled muskets, along with ammunition and other military gear. A group of one hundred marines (including myself) led the way while he paid a few locals to help us transport our "gifts" to the city of Ph Xuan. The capital city was a bit... underwhelming to say. It was certainly big, but the city felt out of place for some odd reason. No signs of industry were seen anywhere and the people (especially those in the outskirts) looked much more impoverished than the people back in the United States. I was told that Dai Vet was an absolute monarchy (or something along those lines) and that "liberty" was a foreign concept in this part of the world. But even so, the people looked downtrodden and poor. Needless to say, it left a significant impression on me. Perhaps I was reminded of the slaves still under the boots of slave owners back in the United States, but I felt a certain empathy for these people. It felt restrictive that I was unable to help them and watched them from the sideline. Of course, not areas were like this. It seemed as we went towards the more central parts of the capital, there was plenty of wealth and grand things displayed for the world to see. We were escorted into a palace by an army group known to the locals as the h?u-quan (Army of the Rear). Apparently, General Kim managed to send a message to the emperor through several officials and the emperor was expecting our arrival. I was not one of the ones selected to enter the palace with General Kim. That honor belonged to the highest ranking Marine officers (Colonel White and Major Williams). I and the other marines that were not selected waited outside patiently while staring down our Vietnamese counterparts. I struck up a conversation with a few of them (they were surprisingly friendly, but cautious) using the limited amounts of Vietnamese vocabulary that I knew. It was difficult to communicate with them due to the language barrier (the accents were very confusing and our languages were leagues apart), but hand gestures and pointing saved the day. By the time General Kim returned, the Marines and the Vietnamese soldiers were able to understand the very basics of our backgrounds and our countries (though, as General Kim requested, we avoided any mentions of our republican form of government to avoid upsetting the Vietnamese locals). General Kim briefed us once we arrived at a lodging place near the palace. The Emperor of Dai Vet, Quang Trung, took the introductions warmly and accepted the gifts we provided for him with enthusiasm. The translator turned out to be more than useful, as he allowed the general and the emperor to engage in a long and productive conversation. Apparently, our ships were now cleared to cross the "South China Sea" without any harassment and he had given us a letter of introduction to the Chinese Emperor (which would help our standings, as the Dai Vet emperor was "well-liked" by the Chinese Emperor). After seeing the "sufficient amount of tribute," we were granted to take a few of the locals with us back to the United States (apparently, this was a crude effort for the Dai Vet Emperor to have some presence in our "far away and foreign" country, the man was ambitious) and also a few scholars for education. Tomorrow, General Kim was to negotiate with the emperor in order to open an American trade outpost in Dai Vet. He did briefly mention that he and the emperor discussed "very private matters" regarding the emperor himself and a few other important subjects, but he refused to mention exactly what he discussed (though I did catch a few mutterings of the emperor''s health and "invasion). All in all, it was more than we could have hoped for and the Marines celebrated accordingly (without alcohol, of course). Our expedition looked very promising so far, but I was still cautious. After all, Dai Vet was a vassal of China and China was (if General Kim''s words were correct) a very difficult nation to handle." Chapter 100: The Lanfang Republic Dong Wan Li, Lanfang Republic July 9th, 1790 "So you''re saying that this republic precedes the American Republic?" Lieutenant Jackson asked as he and two other members of the Marines walked in front of a hundred American Marines and some wagons that were carrying gifts for the Lanfang Republic. "By a year, yes. The Lanfang Republic was established in 1777. Their current president, Luo Fangbo, is the founder," Kim replied, "In the Lanfang Republic, the president serves for life, but upon his death, a new president is elected. Or so from what I heard." The American expedition took a short detour to the Chinese republic in Borneo before their trip to China, upon the insistence of the former president. When the other members of the expedition heard that there was a republic in a relatively unknown part of Asia, they agreed to set sail to contact the nation. The four British ships that were part of the joint expedition decided to make way towards Canton (Guanzhou) to meet with the British representatives in China and prepare to greet the Chinese emperor. While the British were not outright hostile, it was safe to say that they were relatively wary of the Americans. The British were not pleased when the Americans were sidetracked in Dai Vet, and decided to make their way towards China on their own. Kim concluded that they would most likely meet the Chinese Emperor before the American expedition, but believed that it was for the best. They still had plenty of time to meet with the leader of China and if the British failed to leave an impression, then they had a chance to stir up the Chinese courts themselves. Major Oliver Williams, an African American man from Georgia and one of the co-leaders of the expedition, frowned, "President for life? That sounds like a recipe for an authoritarian government." "Asian cultures are much more conservative than European cultures. While Lanfang may be more "advanced" in terms of democratic principles, they are much more used to dynastic types of governments with a single ruler serving for life. Additionally, the Lanfang Republic still adheres to Confucianism: loyalty, social hierarchy, altruism, and other values. This republic is much different than the republic back at home." "Let us not forget that this nation is one of the few republics outside of the United States, and their founding date is similar to our nation''s own founding date," Colonel Daniel White, a man from Massachusetts and the other co-leader of the expedition, mentioned, "Perhaps they will be more sympathetic to our nation due to our republicanism similarities." "That is what I am hoping as well. Thankfully, some of the locals speak Cantonese so I should be able to communicate with them somewhat. Remember, China is a very large nation. Each region has its own dialects and sub-languages. The Chinese of the Lanfang Republic mainly hails from the Guangzhou region, where Hakka Chinese and Cantonese are prevalent." Jackson furiously scribbled into his journal while the leader of the American expedition smiled, "Think of it this way. The people in France speaks... French. However, the people of Hispaniola speaks French Creole, a language that combines French with a few other languages. Similarly, Cantonese is similar to Mandarin, but is different in many regards due to the geographical distance and local preferences. I am merely generalizing, but that should put the differences in the two languages into perspective." The other members of the expedition understood the example quite well and by the time the group arrived at the presidential palace, they felt fairly prepared to speak with the president of Lanfang. "Why did you bring weaponry as gifts for the Lanfang, general?" Lieutenant Jackson inquired. "Because the Lanfang Republic is small and surrounded by rather hostile nations on all sides. To them, weaponry will be the most satisfactory gift. I have also provided blue prints for them to work with so they can develop their own local arms and ammunition in the near future," Kim answered. The officer nodded and wrote some more words down into his journal. Just then, a Lanfang Republic official strutted up to Kim and bowed his head slightly. He spoke to the man in fluent Cantonese, "President Luo is expecting your arrival, former president of the American Republic." "Thank you," Kim replied in accented Cantonese. He nodded towards the group and the small group of Marine officers made their way into the presidential palace. The palace building was huge and guarded by dozens of local soldiers, all of whom looked at the American group intently. The official escorted the group through numerous hallways and finally arrived in the "office" of the president, a large room decorated with various paintings, maps, and charts of the local kongsi (corporations). Towards the end of the room, an aging Chinese man looked out the window of the office. "Your excellency," The unnamed Lanfang official declared, "The representative of the American Republic has arrived." The president turned to look at his counterpart and smiled, "Thank you. Please bring some tea for our guests." The former American president bowed deeply and raised his head, "I am Samuel Kim, former president of the American Republic and the current American representative to Asia." "Kim... Your ancestors hail from Korea?" Kim nodded and translated the Lanfang president''s words to the other members of the group. President Luo waved his hand for the Americans to sit and they readily obliged. A few moments later, an official walked in and prepared tea in front of the group. "What brings you to our humble nation, former president Kim?" From the tone of his voice, the ex-Marine commandant could discern that the Lanfang president was merely reaffirming his previous title as the American president. With that in mind, Kim replied with an even tone, "I have heard rumors about a republic in Asia, and decided to discover the truth behind the rumors." "I can see why, being a former president of another republic. Please, exchange your stories and I will exchange mine. I am sure there are some interesting tales behind the founding of our two republics." It took nearly two hours for the two men to completely trade the histories of their respective countries. At one point, a translator, who worked with the British in Canton, was brought in so the two sides could understand each other more fluently. By the end of the exchange, President Luo seemed fairly impressed at the short, but storied history of the United States. "And now you are here, in our small republic, after such a grand journey. From revolution, to war, to the presidency, to peace." "I feel like a good portion of my life force was drained away during those days, but they are behind me now," Kim chuckled, "The American Republic is still... unstable at times, but it is growing steadily." "In many ways, you are like me. You founded your republic and led it in its early days." President Luo stated. "Not without the other great men that fought and led besides me." "I would be more than willing to work with your republic in the future. I will need to meet with the Zhong Ting, but I am sure that they will be more than happy to establish trade and cooperation with our "sister" republic." "Zhong Ting?" "Our version of your "Congress." Though it translate something akin to the "Court" or the "Assembly." "That sounds excellent. Additionally, we have some firearms for your nation''s defense, along with some blueprints so you can produce them domestically. They are a more advanced version of the musket and should help your nation in the future," Kim said. "Thank you. Now before you make your way to China, I must show you the state of our nation and write you my own letter to the Emperor..." Chapter 101: An American Martyr Chapel Hill, North Carolina May 14th, 1790 Major General Nathanael Greene watched the delegation of slave rebels with an impassive expression. The president ordered him and the five thousand troops with him to put down the rebellion peacefully. He had a list of concessions that the federal government was willing to make, many of which he personally thought was reasonable. However, he was given the authority to put down the slave revolt violently should the rebels reject the government''s offer. Next to him was Brigadier General Leonard Washington, an African American Marine that was a hardened veteran of the Revolutionary War. He was personally appointed by the president due to his experience and his race, as the president believed that speaking to an African American with authority would help negotiations. General Greene was unsure how much of the man''s race would play an effect on the rebels, but he hoped it was enough. After all, despite his allegiance to the Constitution, he didn''t believe the slaves were committing any wrongs. He had worked tirelessly to help freed slaves in Florida for the past several years and seeing the slaves "back at home" demanding to be freed struck a chord with him. From what he was told, the slaves avoided unnecessary killings (there were a few murders here and there, but he was briefed that they were mainly against especially cruel slave owners) and property damage (only a few plantations were directly burned or destroyed, the slaves focused mainly on buildings made for slaves). Truthfully, when he read the reports on the North Carolina Slave Uprising, he suspected that there were more than a few veterans of the Revolutionary War backing the slaves. The slaves moved in a cohesive and disciplined manner. They were especially cautious about the limits of damage they committed, as if they were working to turn the public opinion for the rebelling slaves. It was certainly effective, as many Americans were sympathetic to their plight and exemplified the restraints they showed in their rebellion. Nevertheless, he had his orders. Despite his personal opinion, the slaves did carry out murders and destruction of property. And no matter how much he sympathized with their goals, he had to ensure that this action was not repeated across the nation. If rebellions became a commonplace in the United States, then the nation would never survive past the current century. The terms to the rebelling slaves were incredibly lenient, yet harsh. Harsh enough to make any current slaves reconsider the idea of rebelling against the state and federal government. Yet lenient enough to help persuade the slaves that their conditions would be improved swiftly. There were five members of the delegation. They represented the slaves that were up in arms in North Carolina. The former slaves controlled a large swathe of North Carolina, and was far too close to the North Carolina''s capital city of Raleigh for comfort. All in all, it was estimated that nearly 15,000 slaves were part of the rebellion, approximately half of them being capable of fighting. State militias were ordered to contain them after the initial outbreak and managed to contain them without bloodshed. It looked like the rebels were waiting for the government to make the first moves. "Thank you for meeting with us, general," A tall, African American male that spoke in a disciplined manner stated. At that moment, General Washington''s eyes widened. "Timothy?" "Leo?" The man named "Timothy" asked in shock, "My god, it is you!" "Are you leading the rebels here, Timothy?" General Washington asked, with strain evident in his voice. The rebel leader nodded, "I had to, Leo. Those slaves were suffering and they were so passionate about fighting for freedom. It took me back to the good ol'' days of the Revolution. I organized them and made sure they didn''t do anything out of line. They were a bit scattered when they first started, but I managed to help unify the movement." "And I''m guessing the raid on the state armory in New Bern was also planned by you?" "I have no idea what you''re talking about," Timothy replied with a dangerous smile. Pleasantries were exchanged with the rest of the members of the delegation (two of them were former slaves from North Carolina, the other two were also Revolutionary War veterans). Afterward, the meeting officially began. "Mr. Timothy... I''m sure you are aware of why were are here?" General Greene said as he pulled out the list of terms the president wrote himself. Timothy nodded, "To end this rebellion peacefully?" "Correct. Some in the government wanted to put down your rebellion harshly in order to make you and your... followers an example of the federal government''s reaction to armed rebellions. Many are not too keen about rebellions, especially with the affair in Quebec just over a year ago. However, President Jefferson wanted to end this conflict without further bloodshed and he has offered you rather generous terms, sacrificing his own political power and image in the process." "President Jefferson is a good man, I have nothing against him." "That is good to hear. Now the terms are as followed: 1) All slaves rebelling against the North Carolina government and the federal government will put down their arms immediately and effectively return all territories and properties that were seized during the rebellion. 2) Any slaves that committed murders or partook in the destruction of property during the rebellion will be placed in fair and just trials. Additionally, the leaders of the slave rebellion will face trial as well. 3) All slaves that rebelled against the government will be exiled to the Unorganized Territories along the Mississippi River (AN: Around OTL''s state of Mississippi). They will not receive any aid from the federal government, but they will be allowed to live their lives as freedmen in this territory. 4) All slaves that partook in this rebellion will be forever barred from entering the state of North Carolina, or any other states that also ban the offenders. 5) Slavery in North Carolina will officially end in 4 years, instead of 8, as authorized by North Carolina governor Richard Dobbs Spaight. All citizens that were affected by the rebellion will be formally compensated by the federal and state governments." Timothy looked conflicted and looked at General Washington for a few moments before turning his attention back to General Greene, "Will the government really abide by these terms?" "They will." "That means I will face trial, correct?" "Yes, you must face trial." "There are thousands of young women and children, along with thousands of men that can live as freedmen if we accept the offer," Timothy declared to the other members of the delegation, "Even if we are hung, we can save thousands. Let us not forget why we fought; we fought for freedom and liberty. By accepting, we will ensure a brighter future for our brothers and sisters." The two Revolutionary War veterans acceded first, followed by the two other members of the delegation (who accepted after some hesitation). General Washington watched sadly as the delegation left to deliver the demands back to their compatriots. General Greene firmly placed his hand on the man''s shoulder and frowned, "He''s a brave man, that Timothy." "A great man," General Washington answered. "President Jefferson will most likely make sure that they are locked up for life, or executed. After all, he can not go easy on the leaders. Even the governor of Quebec was jailed for life. And he will make it clear that any future rebellions, especially violent ones, will not be met with a gentle hand." "He is a martyr, and he knows. Yet, he keeps his chin up and walks with confidence. It''s hard to believe that he was a former slave that was barely literate before the Revolutionary War started. America is about to lose a hero." Chapter 102: China and Political Games Canton (Guangzhou), Qing Empire (China) July 30th, 1790 Samuel Kim arrived at the American "factory" located within the city of Canton after anchoring briefly in Whampoa for inspections. The seven American ships (one of the American merchant ships that was part of the expedition went directly to Canton instead of Lanfang in order to deliver Kim''s messages to the American traders and the military governor of Guangdong) were cleared by the inspectors and arrived at the port city to prepare for their expedition to meet with the Chinese emperor. While the ships were undergoing inspections, Samuel received word that the British were already on their way north towards Tianjin to meet with the emperor directly. However, he wasn''t deterred or concerned. The British sent the same (nearly the same) delegation they sent in the other history and if his assumptions were correct, then they would make blunders during their meeting with the Qianlong Emperor and return to Britain unsuccessfully. When he, his family, and the other members of the expedition made their way to the small American enclave in Canton (several members of the crew were granted shore leave to stretch their legs, with a rotation determined by the captain of each ship), they were greeted by an American flag hoisted on a tall flagpole. The American flag was a welcoming sight to Samuel, who had not seen an American flag on land in months. The flag was also a reminder that history was changing quickly and the United States was gaining a presence in far flung continents such as Asia. The flag with fifteen stripes and twenty stars waved proudly in the air as the group moved forward. The group was greeted by Robert Morris, who had retired from his post as Trade Representative in the Cabinet and opted to oversee the American trade to China. He lived in China for several months at a time, and the expedition corresponded with his stay in the American factory at Canton. "Welcome to China, Mr. President and the members of the expedition." "Thank you, Mr. Morris," Samuel replied with a handshake, "Are the preparations completed?" "The Chinese officials were a bit confused on the timing of our mission and the British mission, but they agreed to meet with our mission shortly after the British one. The gift list and letter you provided for them seemed to have offset their initial hesitation. Exactly what was written in them?" Samuel chuckled, "I will tell you soon.. For now, the men are exhausted and need some time to rest for our future journey." Morris called over several assistants, some Chinese and some Americans, to take the men to their temporary lodgings while Kim, his family, Morris, and the Marine officers made their way to Morris'' private apartment. Elizabeth and Justin, Samuel''s eldest son, excused themselves to a private room while the others sat in Morris'' small sitting room to discuss affairs. "Since we''re out of the public''s eyes and ears, can you tell me what was written on those papers?" Morris asked jovially. "It wasn''t anything important in particular," Kim replied immediately, "Do remember that China is a very unique nation, even more unique than the nations that our expedition has already passed through. Their hierarchy is rigid, their cultural and social norms are strict, and etiquette means everything here. I simply mentioned that I was here on the behalf of the United States to offer "tribute" and sought an audience with the Emperor. I also clarified that I and the other members of the expedition will be more than willing to follow all local customs, rituals, and processions in order to properly greet the Emperor. I also requested to bring the ships up towards Tianjin, so we do not have to walk to Beijing with the gifts." "Do you think that''s enough?" The former president shrugged, "I''m not sure. However, it will all depend on the Emperor''s mood. If his meeting with the British goes sour, then it''s possible that he will be reluctant to engage us at all. Or, if we manage to impress him with our willingness to conform to their customs, the Emperor might view us in a more positive light." "I''m assuming the customs you are talking about are from the little booklets that you handed to us back in the States?" Major Williams asked as he pulled out the said booklet from his pocket. "Yes. The kowtow, what we must do when the Emperor sends an Imperial Edict, the proper forms of greetings, the customs of the Imperial Court, and other important customs will be critical. It will greatly influence the views and opinions of the court officials and the Emperor towards us. Not only that, but we must remember the perspective of the Chinese towards the world. China believes that the rest of the world is filled with its tributary states and that they are the strongest nation in the world. To the Chinese, the Emperor is the Son of Heaven and a God in human form. To them, we are inferior while they are superior. Some of you may have issues with these beliefs, as do I. However, in order to make this venture successful, we will need to remember these beliefs and play them off the Chinese, respectfully of course. That way, we ensure our success in China, and in Korea and Japan as well." Lieutenant Jackson scratched his head as he jotted down a few lines into his journal, "Is that why you brought silver, gold, valuable gemstones, steel, a cotton gin, and a threshing machine instead of weapons and other valuables for the meeting with the Chinese Emperor?" Samuel smiled, "Pretty much. Despite what some may believe, China is fairly advanced and have its own internal industries. We can''t expect to impress the Emperor with just machines and industrial goods that are either far too complex to replicate or for looks. No, we need to make sure to leave a significant mark on the Emperor''s mind and gift him things that he can make use of. Silver is the main form of currency in China, and we have a boatload of it. Gold is and gemstones are valuable in their own rights. China may have ways to create steel, but the United States has ways to mass produce steel and that can be something to catch the Emperor''s interest. The cotton gin is revolutionary, since China has long struggled to make cotton profitable. This is mainly due to the difficulty of removing the seeds from the cotton. However, with a cotton gin, that obstacle is gone and they can increase productions to make cotton profitable. As for the threshing machine, it''s pretty self explanatory; it will significantly decrease the time it takes for crops to be collected." "So gifts, and practical machines that they can use to improve their own economy. But should we really give away our industrial secrets so easily?" "The British are already working on replicating the cotton gin, so that won''t matter as much. As for the threshing machine, it''s still a fairly complicated machine to replicate so they''ll need some time to produce it and distribute it. Additionally, China is far away and will have relatively little impact on our total trade," Samuel pulled out a letter from the bag he was carrying and showed it to the others, "I also have a letter from President Jefferson on the matter, which allows me to have leeway in negotiations." "We don''t doubt you, Mr. President," Colonel White mentioned, which caused a visible recoil from Samuel. Despite spending eight years as the president of the United States and being called "Mr. President" every day during that time span, the title still felt a bit out of place. "And I''m sure you already have a plan." "I do. Now let us go over the basics of the plan. We will accept any demands made by the Chinese officials during our trip, unless they are totally unreasonable and we are obligated to object. The only thing we will strongly push for is to travel by sea to Beijing, instead of by land. That means if they ask us to make detours on our trip up to Beijing, then we will do so. If they ask us to bring only three ships towards Tianjin, the port closest to Beijing, then we will do so. Remember, they view us as inferiors and barbarians. If we make too many demands, then they may turn increasingly hostile. After we arrive in Tianjin and make our way to Beijing, we will make no attempts to break any rules that the officials set out for us. I will allow all of you to ask if you can speak with the locals occasionally, or ask questions about local affairs. However, do not carry out these actions lightly or often, or we will arouse suspicion. Do not speak any Mandarin, Cantonese, or Manchu that you know, since China does have laws against foreigners learning their local languages. Remember, in Asian culture, bowing is a very important form of greeting. Refrain from handshakes and bow to those with significant authority and rank. We will most likely be asked to learn court rules and customs before we even meet the Emperor, so keep an open mind and learn as much as you can." Lieutenant Jackson frowned, "It seems like we''re sacrificing our dignity in order to meet with the Emperor." "I agree. But remember, we are here as visitors. We can not act arrogant or conceited. I''m sure the British will act that way, but we know better. How would you like it if an ambassador from China came to the United States and strictly refused to show any shred of respect to the president and the members of government? It''s the same way for the Chinese. When we are in their "home field," we must play by their rules. If it means sacrificing a bit of dignity, then so be it. It''s not wrong to be prideful of our nation, as we have achieved much in little time. However, we can not be blinded by our pride." Samuel answered firmly, "Following customs will not be the deal breaker for the Chinese. There are other issues we must address as well, such as playing the "tribute nation" and our "barbarian" status..." Chapter 103: Lewis and Clark Richmond, Virginia, the United States of America August 1st, 1790 William Clark brushed off a bead of sweat from his brows and readjusted the straps of his large backpack as he walked through the city of Richmond. The capital of Virginia was bustling with human activity as farmers and traders sold crops and purchased goods due to the harvest season. Hundreds of new immigrants moved through the Virginia capital for work or to move west, as Virginia (along with Pennsylvania and Iroquois) was the gateway to Kentucky and other western territories. He also spotted a few Cherokees and Choctaws in the background, exchanging goods and tales with the locals. All in all, it was a fairly peaceful day in Richmond. He was traveling through the Virginian capital in order to make his way north towards West Point. He returned back to his family farm in Lafayette, Kentucky (TTL''s Louisville) for the early harvest season and was on his way back to the American military academy to continue his term there. His family was doing well without him, which stung a bit but was understandable. He had nine siblings and all of them (even his older brothers) were assisting the farm to some degree or lived nearby. Thus, his trip back home was a welcoming one, but not necessarily a needed one. After staying over for a good part of the summer, he struck out to return to New York and arrive in time for the new semester at West Point. While he was making his way through Richmond, he decided to stop by the local general store in order to buy some additional provisions for his long trek north. While the roads were generally safe and paved (the first two presidents'' efforts saw much of infrastructure in the "important" states being improved), he expected the journey to take at least an additional two weeks. And he was taking a small detour to New York City in order to link up with one of his seniors, Richard Arnold. The second child of Benedict Arnold was one of his mentors and a prominent officer in the making. Clark wanted to say that he befriended Richard for friendship. However, he would be lying if he said that was the only reason that he befriended the Arnold (Richard being the adopted son of the late president was one of many reasons that added to the friendship). Even so, the two were good friends and he was stopping by Richard''s house for a few days to rest for his final stretch to West Point. After entering a nearby general store, an African American shopkeeper greeted him with a smile, "Welcom''! What you lookin'' fo''?" "A dozen or so dry biscuits, a dozen dried meats, and some rum and fruits if you have them." While he usually stopped by a town before sundown, he liked to sleep in the outdoors every other day in order to save money and enjoy the outdoors while he still could. As such, having dry food for back up was a necessity for him. "Sur'' thing suh! The biscuits be ova there, by the entrance. The meats ova by dat shelf. And some ol'' fruits in dat box ova there. I''ll get da rum from the back, you wai'' here suh." The man disappeared to the back to grab the rum and Clark quickly met his way through the shop to buy the listed goods, along with a few extra things (mainly a book and an additional canteen). After he finished, he waited for the shopkeeper to come back, as it seemed like the African American man was busy with something in the back. While he was waiting, he skimmed through a newspaper that was shelved near the entrance and sighed. All was not peaceful in the United States. The famous North Carolina v Timothy Kim case sparked controversy around the nation. The jury declared Timothy guilty of inciting rebellion against the government and destruction of property. However, the jury recommended mercy, which resulted in the judge handing out a fifteen-year sentence to the veteran, with a chance of parole. This led to protests (thankfully peaceful ones) across the nation. Some people thought that he was being unfairly treated and the sentence was too long, while others thought that he should have gotten the noose. Regadless of ones'' stance on slavery, the issue was divisive and incited frustration in the populace (who believed that this court case, along with the New York court case regarding sodomy, discredited the judicial branch). Clark always heard about the "good old days" under President Kim, when the nation was stable and united, and wondered if the nation would have been in a better state if he was still president (he did live under the Kim presidency, but that was before he was an adult). Even with the unrest and controversy, he had to give it to President Jefferson, the man was a fighter. He worked hard to bring order to the nation once again, occurring frequently in public, and hailed the judicial branch as an independent, fair branch of government, separate from the populace''s mood swings. Despite the controversies surrounding the court case, he was getting things done due to the Republican Party''s alliance with the Democrat Party (an alliance of rural voters) in Congress. The Whig Party and the Unionist Party were acting as the opposition, though the Republican-Democrat alliance had a majority. President Jefferson was introducing criminal reforms (focusing on rehabilitation of criminals), infrastructure expansion out west, and allowing the states to maintain greater autonomy as long as they were not actively hostile to the federal laws (President Jefferson was keen on keeping the states in line and united). He was either popular or hated, but he was certainly looking good for re-election in two years. The Congressional elections this year would be the ultimate obstacle, as the Unionists and the Whigs were challenging the Republican-Democrat majority and seeking to capture a majority in Congress. He hoped that the Democratic Party won back in his home state of Kentucky, or at least the Unionists. While the Republicans were decent, it felt like they were placing too much focus and emphasis on the east coast rather than the western states. Suddenly, a young adult rushed into the shop and nearly knocked Clark over. Thankfully, due to Clark''s sturdy frame, it was the young man that toppled over and fell onto the ground. Clark put down the newspaper he was reading and held out a hand for the man to take, "Sorry about that." As he got a closer look at the man, who accepted his hand readily, he realized that the "man" was actually an older teen. The teen was certainly tall, and in good health. When the teen saw his uniform (he always wore his uniform, and had a spare in his backpack for convenience), the boy awkwardly saluted, "My bad, sir!" "I''m still a cadet at West Point, no need to call me sir," Clark chuckled, "What was the rush?" "I was checking if Joseph had the book that I requested ready. By the way, I''m Meriwether Lewis, but just call me Lewis." Lewis politely held out his hand for the officer candidate to shake, and Clark shook it firmly, "William, William Clark. I''m attending West Point Military Academy." "That''s amazing!" At this time, the shopkeeper (who Clark discerned to be "Joseph") walked out of the backroom with several canteens of rum. He spotted Lewis and gave him a wide grin, "Heya Lewis! Lemme getcha book after I help da man." The total of all the items the West Point attendee bought came out to two dollars and ninety six cents. After fishing over five Eagles, a quarters, two dimes, and a penny to the shopkeeper, he started walking out the door when he spotted the title of the book Lewis was buying. "Here ya go, da "Kim''s Memoir of the Revolutionary War." That be a quarter." Lewis handed a quarter to Tom and held out his book excitedly. Clark came over and gave the teen a knowing smile, "It''s a good read. The president certainly has a way with words in his memoir, every event seems so vivid. I almost imagined I was at the Battle of Quebec City or the Battle of Charleston while reading the book." "You read it before?" Lewis asked bewildered. "Of course. It''s one of the books in the curriculum back at West Point. After all, the book does contain listed details about the major battles that President Kim fought in. Some of my friends back at West Point adore the book. In fact, a few my instructors are veterans that fought in the war and told me their stories." The teen shifted his feet uncomfortably, "Do you mind if I ask to hear some of those stories? I''ve always been interested in the topic." Clark rubbed his chin. He supposed he could kill a few hours at the local tavern with Lewis to talk about the stories he heard and his own experience so far. "Sure. Do you know any decent taverns around there? We can drink a bit while we''re talking." Chapter 104: The Dragon and the Eagle The Wise Men From Afar: An Analysis of the American Expedition to Asia Written by Isiah Lee, an article published by the New York Times in 1999 "... The Kim Embassy, as the American Embassy to China was often called, entered after the disgraceful exit of the Macartney Embassy. Not only did the Macartney Embassy fail to develop any substantial relations with the Qing Empire, but it also created an air of misunderstanding between the Middle Kingdom and one of Europe''s most prominent powers. George Macartney, the leader of the British Embassy, was instructed by King George III to prove Britain''s superiority over the United States. This was not done out of spite or due to America''s growing industrial and economic might. Indeed, it is widely believed that King George desired to ensure that Great Britain gained a favorable status in China and sought to ensure that the British Embassy was not eclipsed by the American Embassy. Additionally, the presence of a potential "Chinaman" negotiating for the United States only strengthened King George''s (and by extent, Macartney''s) motivation to ensure that Britain was not met with another defeat in the international front. Despite tales to the contrary, King George held some respect for former American president Samuel Anyoung Kim, who he considered as both a revolutionary upstart and an inspiring leader. Even so, he feared that the "Chinaman" would give the American Embassy an unparalleled advantage and allow the United States to gain access to the wider Chinese market. Perhaps if King George was aware of Kim''s true intentions behind the embassy, he would have softened the pressure on Marcartney and the other members of the British Embassy. Unfortunately, that was not meant to be. Macartney, upon recommendation from other British officials, prepared gifts to demonstrate the "British technological and mechanical superiority." From various clocks to an entire planetarium, the items that Macartney brought for his trip to China were supposed to signify the technical prowess of the British Empire. He and the members of the Embassy believed that gifting these items would earn the favor of the Qianlong Emperor, as they were some of the most advanced machines that Great Britain had to offer at the time. Unlike the Kim Embassy, the Macartney Embassy rejected entertaining the idea of introducing machines used for trade or industry, continuing Britain''s long-standing policy of protecting its industrial secrets. Instead, all the gifts presented to the Qianlong Emperor was for personal, entertainment use. And while they were impressive machines, the items failed to convey the true strength of Great Britain (namely its industrial might). This would be another factor that would lead to the ultimate impasse between the two empires. The Macartney Embassy originally traveled with the American Embassy towards Asia, after the Kim Embassy stopped by Europe in order to meet with foreign dignitaries in France, the Netherlands, and Great Britain. The three British ships and eight American ships that consisted of the fleet sailed from Great Britain on April 6th of 1790, stopping in several outposts across Africa and India for resupply. From there, the fleet arrived in Vietnam on June 17th of 1790, with Kim and the American Embassy paying respects to the Emperor of Dai Vet (Vietnam) Quang Trung. Macartney pointedly refused to meet with the Dai Vet Emperor, believing that the nation was a backwater compared to the more prosperous and profitable region of China. Instead, he planned extensively with the members of his Embassy for his audience with the Chinese Emperor on board his flagship, the HMS Lion. Shortly after Kim returned from his mission, the British Embassy and the American Embassy parted ways due to a conflict of interest. Macartney wanted to make a good first impression to the Chinese Emperor and believed that seeing him before the American Embassy arrived would make it harder for Kim and his men to leave an impact. Motivated by the Kim Embassy''s departure to the Lanfang Republic, Macartney wasted no time to proceed forward with his goal of making contact with the Qianlong Emperor. On July 15th, he was at Tianjin, the gateway to Beijing, with his Embassy (which had miraculously avoided disease during the journey). To his great relief, the Chinese Emperor agreed to meet with his embassy personally, in no part due to the urging of Macartney. As the Qianlong Emperor was leading an imperial hunting expedition north of the Great Wall at the time, the Macartney Embassy was guided to Chengde, the site of the imperial city the Emperor used during his hunting expedition. However, even before Marcartney reached Chengde, his Embassy was doomed for failure. There were various reasons why the Macartney Embassy was unsuccessful, unlike the Kim Embassy. The biggest, and most glaring, flaw of the Macartney Embassy was the failure to understand the perspective of the Qianlong Emperor and his Imperial Court. Macartney (mistakenly) believed that showing off the "superiority" of Great Britain would lead to an understanding between the two powers and open China up for trade. The general consensus of the Macartney Embassy was that China was powerful, but a technologically backward nation that could be persuaded to see "reason." With China accepting only silver and specific luxury goods from the Europeans for trade, the British leader of the Embassy was resolute in his belief that showing Britain''s technological might would lead to British goods replacing the (hard to acquire) silver, ginseng, and fur needed for Chinese goods. This belief was contrary to the popular opinion in the Imperial Court, which believed that European powers were inferior and reliant on Chinese goods. Contrary to Marcartney''s beliefs, China did not necessarily need British, or other European, goods. While there was little industry in the Qing Empire (as most of the industry were very small-scale compared to the growing industrial giants of the United States, Great Britain, and France), there was little demand for finished products and an even smaller demand to costly foreign goods (though European goods were popular among the Chinese elites). Moreover, China, was by all means, self sufficient in terms of all its demands and believed that the foreign nations had more to lose in the China Trade than they did. Thus, Macartney''s demands (relaxation of trade restrictions, acquisition of a small Chinese island for British traders, and a permanent British embassy established in Beijing) were silently scoffed at. Essentially, Marcartney demanded far too much for far too little. Another critical issue was formalities and etiquette. Macartney''s refusal to kowtow (bowing and touching one''s head onto the ground as an act of submission and respect), along with a list of cultural slights, quietly angered the Qianlong Emperor. At one point before the meeting, the Emperor nearly refused to entertain the Macartney Embassy, which was only prevented due to the intervention of Heshen (the Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Palace). Heshen, who was appointed by the Emperor to oversee the Macartney Embassy, reported that the British were not acting rude out of arrogance, but out of ignorance. Though the Qianlong Emperor agreed to move forward with the meeting with Macartney, the damage was already done. Not only were the British seen as arrogant (this sentiment was only amplified as Macartney made a list of stringent demands that was meant to demonstrate that the Qianlong Emperor was "equal" to King George III), but they were seen as ignorant barbarians as well. As a result, the Macartney Embassy was not treated with lavish ceremonies and parades that messengers from Portugal and the Netherlands. Instead, the Embassy was hastily taken to the Emperor, with their route filled with troops to signify the Qing Empire''s strength and to ensure that the Macartney Embassy was not "bloated with arrogance and pride." On top of all this, the perception in among the Qing officials was that Macartney was considered a "conveyor of tribute," instead of a diplomatic delegate. Indeed, the Macartney Embassy was seen as a "tribute mission," while the gifts were believed to be "tributes." Macartney''s insistence that the Embassy was a full diplomatic mission instead of a tributary mission only heightened the wariness of both sides. In addition to all this, the British gifts failed to deliver awe and shock. This was mainly due to the poor choice in the gifts offered by the Macartney Embassy, whose members believed that the gifts were technological marvels to the Chinese. Despite their belief, mechanical clocks were commonly seen in the Imperial Palace back in Beijing (due to the Portuguese and Dutch), while naval technology drew little to no interest from the Emperor and his officials. The planetarium, which was designated to be the grandest of all the gifts, only drew annoyance from an increasingly impatient Emperor, as it took weeks to assemble and deconstruct. The gifts failed to leave an impression and the gift list provided to the Emperor was mistakenly mistranslated, which made the monarch believe that the British were purposely exaggerating "common" goods as refined, precise ones. This only increased the negative perception of the British and portrayed them as "arrogant, brash, and pompous." Macartney''s meeting with the Qianlong Emperor was short and lasted two days (from July 22nd to July 24th). Macartney bent his knee for the Chinese Emperor, presented his "tributes," delivered the letter from King George, participated in a grand feast with the members of his Embassy and Qing officials, and showered with gifts (it is important to note that many of these gifts were rather subpar compared to gifts that Kim would receive during his visit). Afterward, he was sent on his way back to Tianjing with a reply letter from the Qianlong Emperor. Eager for a response, he had the letter translated immediately. Up to this point, he believed that he had left a favorable impression upon the Chinese monarch. Unfortunately for Macartney and Great Britain, the Qianlong Emperor firmly rejected all of his proposals and refused to even entertain the "concessions." Frustrated, Macartney attempted to speak with the Emperor again in order to restart negotiations, but he was firmly rebuffed by Heshen (who was also getting annoyed by the British''s antics). Thus, the Macartney Embassy left China without much fanfare and a dispirited Macartney departed back to Europe. He was originally supposed to travel to Japan after his trip to China, but the rejection from the Chinese Emperor deflated his enthusiasm and a disease outbreak swept through his ships. Thus, he was forced to return to Great Britain with nothing to show for his trip except the gifts he received from the Qianlong Emperor. Historians commonly believe that this significantly influenced Macartney''s perspective of the Chinese, as his Embassy''s failure, along with the relative success of Kim''s Embassy, festered a hatred of the Qing Empire. Upon his return to Great Britain, he published an account that portrayed China in a negative light, describing it as a "poor, backward nation which is on the verge of revolution and uprisings." This belief would eventually make its way into British politics, as the terrible memories of the Revolutionary War would gradually fade away with the new generation. Lord Rockingham, who served as Prime Minister from the end of the American Rebellion to 1791, would be replaced by Charles James Fox, a Whig and a member of the Rockingham''s ministry, upon his death. Fox would be notable in his attempts to find other ways to open up China and his gradual halt of the slave trade. However, the failure of Macartney''s Embassy worsened King George''s mental health (and would eventually lead to a constant decline of his health until his death in 1810) and in 1799, the Tories would consolidate their rule over the government through Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, who would set the nation on course for conflict with China and the United States. The Tories would push forth anti-American policies, as they saw the United States as a threat to their Empire (due to its success in the Revolutionary War, its rapid economic and population growth, and its "success" in China). These fears would only be cemented due to the Louisiana Purchase (1818), the formation of the United States of Mexico and independent Central American republics (1825-1826), the creation of the League of American Nations (1826), and the Jamaican Rebellion (1825-1827). These events would only fan the flames of distrust between the two nations, until the two nations came to blows in 1832... Meanwhile, Kim''s Embassy leisurely arrived in Canton on July 29th of 1790. By this time, the Macartney Embassy was out at sea and was traveling back to Great Britain to deliver the unfortunate news to King George. In a sharp contrast to the Macartney Embassy, the Kim Embassy was not in China to seek major trade concessions. Instead, they sought to "play the long game" with China (as they did with Korea and Japan). Instead of outright demanding trade concessions, the Americans sought to make concessions to the Qianlong Emperor in return for some minor cultural (not economical) concessions. The Kim Embassy focused on three concessions: allowing foreigners (especially Americans) to learn the Chinese languages (Cantonese, Mandarin, and Manchu), allowing some immigrants to make their way to America to settle (with promises of free land, thus allowing a Chinese population to grow in America and become a cultural bridge between the two nations), and the blessings of the Chinese Emperor for their trip to Korea and Japan (which would provide them with significant political clout). In turn, the Kim Embassy planned to offer a yearly tribute mission to the Emperor to pay their respects (loaded with silver, fur, and ginseng), allow a painting of the Emperor to be displayed in the White House (in the hallways near where the main office of the president was to be located), and place a direct Qing embassy in the United States so that the Qing government would have some insight on how the United States operated. This was all done to appease the Chinese monarch as much as possible, while at the same time cautiously requesting concessions that would (hopefully) lead to a better understanding between the two nations in the future. Additionally, a personal request was made for the Emperor to write letters of recommendation to the king of Joseon (King Jeongjo) and the Japanese shogun (Tokugawa Ienari). For the meeting with the Emperor, the members of the Kim Embassy practiced their social etiquette and manners religiously, and studied about Chinese traditions and culture through Chinese translators and locals. In fact, when the group arrived in Tianjin on August 25th, they would leave a noticeable first impression on Heshen, who would state that the Americans are "barbarians, yet they carry with them the elegance and respect of a Chinese." The Grand Secretary was ordered by the Qianlong Emperor to closely supervise the Kim Embassy, as the Macartney Embassy left a poor impression on the ruler of China (the only reason the Emperor considered the Kim Embassy was due to Kim''s timely letter, which left him slightly interested and intrigued). This time, the Qianlong Emperor wanted to ensure if the new delegation was worth meeting and Heshen was told to report on his perception of the Americans after meeting them. Heshen carried out the Emperor''s will, but what he wrote shocked the monarch and his officials. In the report, the senior advisor claimed that the leader of the American Embassy was a Korean who spoke fluent Mandarin and Manchu (the latter surprised the court the most). Not only that, but he was told that the Americans had brought "sufficient tribute" in forms of silver, gold, gemstones, and two machines that were "simple, yet interesting." The attitude of the Americans and their approach to the local customs were also emphasized, with Heshen claiming that "the British are barbarians, but the Americans are civilized barbarians." The fact that the entire American delegation was more than willing to carry out the traditional etiquette of the Imperial Court was not unnoticed. As such, the Emperor, who''s opinion and mood shot up quickly after reading the letter, ordered the Grand Secretary to treat the foreigners cautiously, but with greater splendor than he treated the British delegation. The Kim Embassy was approved to set forth and meet with the Qianlong Emperor. Since Kim''s "tributes" to the Qianlong Emperor were heavy, it took several weeks for the expedition to arrive at the Emperor''s imperial city in Chengde. However, it was during this expedition that allowed Kim to gain a favorable reputation in the eyes of Qing officials that accompanied the American delegation. Kim traveled through Tianjin and Beijing benevolently, speaking with the locals and following all the guidelines set up by Heshen. The members of the delegation always followed local customs and never acted out of place (unlike the Macartney Embassy, which routinely attempted to gather information about the local regions and locals). He regularly spoke with the Qing officials (no translators were needed as Kim was able to speak both Mandarin and Manchu), looked out for their well-being, and instructed the one hundred Marines with him to protect the Qing officials above all else (despite their own objections to the order). To Heshen and the other officials, Kim was an articulate, intelligent individual that was well-cultured and respectful (indeed, Heshen would make comparisons of Kim and Macartney, claiming that they were as different as "heaven and earth themselves"). It was also during this journey that the Emperor''s advisor would discover the history of Kim''s past, which he revealed after some time. Shocked that a slave from a Qing tributary state traveled to foreign lands and led the white (and even black) foreigners in battle and in the government, the Grand Secretary would regularly speak with Kim on many matters. The topic of the American republic was purposely avoided (though not hidden), but the matters between the two top officials (ranging from Chinese superiority to the "barbarian" lands) would go lengths to raise the perception of the "migu rn" (Americans). By the time Kim arrived at Chengde on September 14th, Heshen was ready to provide a glowing report of what he saw with the Kim Embassy. With multiple officials to back up his claim, the Grand Secretary set high expectations for the American delegation. It was important to note that this was also the time when the celebration for the Qianlong Emperor''s 79th birthday began, making an exemplary American performance crucial to swaying the Emperor''s perception of the group. Thankfully to the Kim Embassy, Kim and his chosen representatives (Colonel Daniel White, Major Oliver Williams, and Lieutenant Andrew Jackson) delivered spectacularly. Not only did all members of the delegation kowotow (one by one), but they all greeted the Emperor in Mandarin and then Manchu. The Emperor was more than pleased by the immense worth of the gifts and when urged to demonstrate their "hidden tributes" to the Emperor, they obliged. The cotton gin and the threshing machine (which was shown in a demonstration in a field) drew a stir from the crowd of delegates that were in the room (among them were ambassadors from Burma, the Muslim nations in Central Asia, and Dai Vet). When Kim bowed to the ground and offered the machines and their blueprints as a tribute to the Emperor, they were accepted with praise ("Gifts worthy of the Emperor and all of China"). Through Heshen''s account, it was discerned that the Emperor was "most pleased" with the gifts and the cotton gin and thresher would be developed and used with great success in the future (which would only improve the relations between China and the United States). In fact, these machines would buoy the Qing''s deteriorating finances and delay the opium problem (a problem that emerged after the British failed their negotiations with China). Though, this did not prevent the collapse of the Qing Empire in 1865 after the destructive Taiping Rebellion, the Nian Rebellion, and the Second Opium War. After the "tributes" were received, the Qianlong Emperor also received a personal letter from President Thomas Jefferson and from Kim himself. They were written in Chinese and were carefully crafted to appeal to the Emperor. Like he did with Macartney, the monarch did not give an immediate reply to Kim''s written pleas. However, it was noted by several officials in historical records that the Emperor was in "high spirits" and seated Kim and his envoys intentionally to his left (which was considered a high honor). The birthday celebration would last a week, which Kim and the other members of his Embassy fully enjoyed. Even the other Marines were allowed to participate in the celebration and by the end of the week, the Kim Embassy was drowning in gifts from the gracious Qianlong Emperor. The trip was memorable enough that many members of the Kim Embassy either held on to some of the more aesthetic looking gifts to be passed on to their descendants or donated to the American National Museums of History and Culture (with items such as jade scepters, silk robes, and Chinese porcelain vases being some of the first exhibits in the museums when it opened in 1792). When the Kim Embassy returned to Beijing, they received their reply from the Emperor. The Chinese monarch, extremely pleased by his meeting with the barbarians that accepted his superiority, agreed to the "generous and reasonable requests made by a tributary nation." He specified that barbarians who acknowledged the supremacy of the "Son of Heaven" would be allowed to learn the languages of the Qing Empire, a selective way of the Emperor giving the Americans a preferential status on the matter. He also agreed to allow some of his beloved subjects to "leave China and enrich the lands of America, which have shown their loyalty to me." A hard quota was set on the number (3,000 per year) to control the emigration rates. As for an embassy, the Qianlong Emperor rejected it, in favor of having three Qing officials act as "observers to the "President of the United States of America, a head of a tributary state which must learn the guidance of the Son of Heaven." However, the Emperor did assure that they were merely to observers and the post was mostly ceremonial, but they were to oversee all affairs regarding China. Above all else, he stated that the United States was "more than welcome to trade with China, provided that they follow their promises." The end of the letter ended like all the letters the Qianlong Emperor sent to his subjects, "Do not say that you were not warned in due time! Tremblingly obey and show no negligence!" And attached to the letter was a pair of letters addressed to the king of Joseon and the Japanese Shogun, telling them to "protect the Americans and listen closely to the requests made by them." It was a total diplomatic rout. Up until then, the European powers struggled to form any sort of diplomatic connection to the isolationist Middle Kingdom. Yet, the Americans managed to pull off a miracle and not only have China acknowledge them in some senses but to gain (albeit minor) concessions from China. Shortly after the Kim Embassy left China entirely, China would show preference to American traders and allow them to have a bigger chunk of the China Trade. The American factory in Canton was expanded to sit upon the sites of two factories and Qing officials would travel to Canton to receive official reports about the "tributary state" of the United States yearly. It was a stunning victory for the young republic, which saw its prestige and recognition in China rise (though, it could be argued for the wrong reasons). The United States did follow up with yearly tributes (which was supplied by Kim, until his death, and then by the American government until the collapse of the Qing Empire). They also placed a portrait of Qianlong Emperor (and later his successors), which was hand-drawn by the official portrait maker of the Emperor himself, in the hallways of the White House. After the fall of the Qing Empire, these portraits were donated to the American National Museums of History and Culture. All in all, the Kim Embassy succeeded where the Macartney Embassy failed; earn the recognition of China and gain some concessions. Ultimately, the Chinese rejection of the British and the alleviation of the Americans would result in an intense backlash against China in Britain. As explained earlier, this would lead to growing anti-American sentiments as well. The Anglo-American War of 1832 only reaffirmed Britain''s negative view of China, as America appealed to China during the war and the Qing Empire found a good enough excuse to kick the British out of the nation entirely in 1833 (for declaring war on a tributary state of China without provocation, when in reality it was for the excessive smuggling of opium carried out by British traders). This resentment, like the resentment towards the United States, would lead to the explosive First Opium War, beginning the "Time of Troubles" in the Qing Empire and leading to its collapse in 1865..." Chapter 105: Samuel’s Homeland Hanyang, Kingdom of Joseon October 12th, 1790 "How are we looking so far?" Samuel asked as he ran through the list of names the King of Joseon sent him. The list had more than a few names on it. In fact, it had over four dozen names. Some of them were Yi Sungdeuk, Jeong Yak-jong, Im Sang-ok, and Jeongye Daewongun. "We''re on progress to leave within a week, sir. Currently, we have around three hundred fifty-six people ready to board our ships and return back to the United States, just under our objective of five hundred. However, negotiations with the local lords are proving to be tricky; they''re trying to extract every ounce of gold from us for one slave." Major Williams answered swiftly. "Damned nobles," The leader of the expedition mumbled. Lieutenant Jackson scowled, "They''re trying to extract every damn penny in order to get payments for slaves. Reminds me of some folks back at home." "Let''s not get too heated, as this was to be expected. The nobles know we want them and that we''re willing to pay, so they''re pushing us hard. But if needed, I''m sure we can always tell them that we can travel to the southern parts of the peninsula for a better deal." Samuel answered. The leading officers were organizing purchases and negotiations for purchasing nobis, the slaves/serfs of Korea, from local nobles. King Jeongjo''s and his court''s reaction to the former president of the United States was a simple mix of shock and horror. When he arrived off the coast of Korea and delivered the letter from Emperor Qianlong, the Joseon king and his court waited several days before responding. To their bigger surprise, the former "slave" knew all the court etiquette and acted properly in front of the monarch of Korea. Some of the court officials claimed the letter was a forgery and that he was to be thrown into prison (or executed). Others suggested that Samuel was a descendant of a noble and was lost at sea shortly after birth. All in all, it was an amusing scene as the court bickered with itself and the king was intently focused on the letter from the Chinese Emperor. Finally, after hours of speaking back and forth, King Jeongjo granted Samuel the right to carry off some of the Korean slaves to "barbarian lands" (with payment of course). There were a few conditions for their stay/trade in Korea. The first was that they were only to be in Joseon for two weeks, as their presence was causing a stir among the population and the court. The second condition was that the Joseon government received payment for the Kim Embassy''s stay in Joseon. The third condition was that Kim could only bring a dozen men maximum onshore at a time. The last condition was that King Jeongjo would be allowed to send several "select" people along with Kim to the United States. They were all willingly accepted and now the eight ships of the expedition were anchored offshore of Hanyang, near where the metropolitan city of Incheon would be in the future. The two Marine officers (Lieutenant Jackson and Major Williams), along with Samuel, were in the former president''s private quarters onboard the USS Charleston. Samuel and his crew had been in Korea for a week and finally, the king sent him the list of names he wanted (but it sounded awfully like he demanded) Samuel to take. The Korean-American read through the list and frowned. "It looks like the king wants us to take away some of the people he doesn''t like in his realm." "Political dissenters?''Jackson asked. "I guess you can call them that. There are a few illegitimate children that may potentially challenge his successors and a number of Roman Catholics." "Catholics?" "Joseon has always persecuted Christians. If you''re a Christian, you''re as good as dead. It isn''t always the case, but usually, Christians are viciously stamped out by the Joseon government." The lieutenant wrinkled his nose, "Great, first the nobility here act more pompous than the ones in Europe. Then we''re treated like devils because of our looks. Now I''m told that they persecute Christians too. Anything else?" "You forgot slavery and militarily weak," Major Williams mentioned with a chuckle, "I know you told us that slaves only make up around 7-8% of the Korean population, but I''ve seen plenty on my short visits onto the shore. And if I may be frank, their military looks like a joke. They still carry spears and swords as if they would be effective against muskets and cannons. The few firearms they have are matchlocks and a few small cannons." "Don''t forget ignorance too. Seems like most of them don''t expect a white man to be able to speak a bit of Korean. And none of the people I spoke with, even the Korean officials, seem very educated about the outside world." Jackson piped up. The former Marine put down the list and sighed, "They are the "Hermit Kingdom" after all. And not only are they very conservative, but they are incredibly corrupt and stagnant as well. The amount of corruption in this country is beyond your imagination." Major Williams shook his head. "It''s hard to see how you came from such a place, sir, no offense." "Well, there are always a few exceptions. Besides, my life was hardly ordinary," Samuel smiled, "Also, if we bring these people back with us, perhaps they will have completely different lives due to the atmosphere and affairs of our nation." Just then, Colonel White walked in and saluted, "Sir, there''s a small raft approaching our ship. There are six passengers on board, two adults and four children. I need a translator out there to help translate their words for us." All three officers in Kim''s private quarter rose from their seats and immediately nodded in approval as they moved towards the deck. When they arrived, a few dozen sailors were looking down on the raft below. Kim peered over the deck and shouted down at them in Korean, "What do you want from us?" A male adult shouted back loudly, "Sir, if you are purchasing me and my wife, then purchase my children too! Our lord is willing to sell us away, but not our children! Please, my wife and I want to be with our children and not be split apart!" "Armed guards at the ready, just in case. Sailors, man your stations in case any armed Korean ships attempt to engage us," Samuel said as he turned to the others. A dozen Marines snapped in reply and moved into the armory. Meanwhile, the sailors of the Charleston started to move on their feet in order to prepare for a potential conflict. While there were no ships in the immediate vicinity, it was certainly possible that these stragglers were followed. After he gave out his commands, the "ambassador" turned back to the stricken man and replied, "We will take you onboard for now and I will discuss with your lord about your situation!" A rope was lowered and the six Koreans were pulled up carefully. The four children (two boys and two girls) were pulled up first (by typing the rope around their waist), and then the two adults were pulled up after. When they climbed onto the deck, all of them looked around warily at the numerous foreigners around them. The male slave looked warily at Major Williams, who remained unfazed at the stare and maintained a passive expression. He turned to the only other Korean man on the ship and bowed, "My lord." "What are your names?" "I am Pakjun, and this is my wife Eunha. My children are named Pakha, Pakhee, Hajun, and Eunjun." "May I ask who your lord is?" "The great and honorable Lord Lee Sangoon, who owns 50 li of land." "Ah yes, I think I remember meeting with him a few days ago. I will discuss with him tomorrow when I return to the shore." The man laughed and hugged his wife and children, "Thank our ancestors! You are very gracious, my lord. What work do you have for us? We will get started right away!" Samuel shifted his feet awkwardly, "You are no longer slaves, and you do not need to call me "lord." "I''m sorry, my lord. What do you mean?" "You''re free men now. The moment you boarded this ship, you were set free. Unfortunately, the Joseon government might not see it that way and may attempt to re-enslave you if you return. But if you come with us, we''ll take you to a place where you can get settled, gain some land, and live freely. Of course, if you wish to return, I will not stop you, that is your right. Be aware though, the land we are traveling to is my home, but a foreign place for Koreans like us." "I am not willing to risk splitting up my family again," Pakjun replied firmly, "I will go wherever you go, my lord, and obey your words." The Korean-American had a complicated expression on his face as he looked at Jackson, "Er, it looks like we have a lot of work cut out for us... If we truly want them to be Americans." Chapter 106: Meeting with President Jefferson Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States of America April 11th, 1791 President Jefferson sipped some of the green tea provided for him and sighed, "So your trip to Japan was fairly lackluster compared to your trip to the other Asian nations..." The president and the former president were chatting quietly with one another in the Presidential Office within the executive residence. The sun was shining brightly through the windows as the two men enjoyed each other''s company. It had been nearly a year since Jefferson last saw Samuel, but the man was still the same as ever: upbeat, optimistic, and focused. They were drinking some tea that Samuel brought over from China and conversing about various topics. Samuel nodded, "Very. The Shogun was opposed to the idea of letting any of his people leaving the country, but he agreed to allow us to have a trading outpost like Dutch Dejima near Nagasaki. Japan is overtly cautious to us, but not outright hostile." "And through your trip, you managed to negotiate for an outpost in South Africa, establish ties with China and the Lanfang Republic, and secure our relationship with Britain," Jefferson placed down his cup gently, "It seems like the State Department is going to be a bit busier now." "How is everything on the home front? When I checked the newspaper a few days ago, it seemed like your coalition lost seats in Congress." Jefferson frowned, "We lost the House, but we maintain a majority in the Senate. A fifth party has emerged, bolstering the opposition and creating an interesting dynamic in Congress. I''m sure you''ve heard of them: the Frontier Party or "The Front." They hail from Kentucky, Iroquois, and Hisigi, representing the more western states in the Union. I never expected a white majority state to form a coalition with two Native American states, but I guess times are changing faster than we expected." "Why did they join the opposition?" "They believe that I haven''t done enough for the western states, despite my best efforts to build up infrastructure and trade in the area. They also oppose my position on the sodomy laws and believe that the Republican Party is far too radical despite our "moderate" policies. It''s not a huge problem so far, Congress is still running well as intended and the government is stable. There''s civilized debates in each Congressional meetings and the parties are not totally fractured to the point where they refuse to work with one another." "All is well then." "For now. It seems like there hasn''t been a major incident in months, which is a relief," Jefferson sank into his chair, "If I knew this job would be this stressful, I would have just retired like Washington." Most of Jefferson''s hair was silver now, a testament to the stress-inducing role of the presidency. He looked much more tired than his past self, though he still had a fire in his eyes. Samuel tapped his shoulder lightly and smiled, "You''re doing an excellent job though, Thomas. I''m sure history will remember you kindly." "That''s what keeps me going. Now, I have a few other things to talk about with you. Chiefly speaking, it''s about the military and the Asian immigrants you brought back with you." After Samuel nodded, Jefferson continued, "The military is doing well, though I have sent out an expedition to claim that South Africa strip that you acquired for the nation. They should be leaving within a month''s time, and the leader of the expedition is Colonel Bonapart." "Napoleon?" Samuel asked with an eyebrow raised. "Nathaniel," Jefferson corrected. "He is rising fairly rapidly in the ranks, and his abilities have already been well noted by his superiors. He does have our backing as well in the matter. We''ve been keeping tabs on him, and it seems like he''s doing fairly well. He''s currently in Norfolk along with his peers for the expedition. As for Lieutenant Jackson, he is being sent to the Mississippi Territory along with a thousand other Marines to guard the border and keep an eye out for the freedmen exiles. Units are being rotated every half a year in order to ensure that soldiers have time to return home and to build up combat experience. There haven''t been any major skirmishes on the border, but it does happen every so often." "I''m assuming that some Natives aren''t too friendly." Jefferson scratched his chin, "Most definitely. Though I have heard reports that a few Native Americans from the Quapaw and Osage tribes are moving into a specific part of Spanish Louisiana on their own in order to break away from the Spanish and be admitted into the Union. That will be both a problem and an interesting scenario. I believe the place is where Arkansas was in the other history, though the Natives are calling it "Akansa." "Have you had any luck with acquiring Spanish Louisiana?" Samuel asked. "No. The Spanish refused to even entertain the idea. To them, we''re a threat to their colonial holdings. They don''t want to give us more land to settle, at least not yet. They''re not aggressive in their enforcement of the border, but that may change if American settlers spill into Spanish Louisiana." Suddenly, the president stood up and pulled out a lengthy box from the corner, "I also wanted to speak to you about this. It''s our first prototype, take a look at it." Samuel took the box from Jefferson and opened it. Inside was a long breech-loading rifle that was around 50 inches long. The rifle felt relatively light and as the former Marine primed the rifle and entered a firing stance, he saw that there was a small sight on the top of the rifle. "A breech-loader?" "Our efforts were finally a success. We worked with the schematics you left behind in order to create this: the M1790 Lee Rifle. It was made by a designer named Jonathan Lee, a Virginian who was given funding and suggestions to work with. It can effectively fire 8 rounds per minute and has an effective firing range of around 1000 meters. There are still a few problems with the seal, but they are being worked on. We''re planning on ordering around 3,000 of these rifles and gradually shift the military from muskets to rifles. It will take a decade at least, but this is a start." "Only if the Marines had this during the Revolutionary War," Samuel said with a smile as he placed the rifle away, "It''s still very impressive. Is this based on the M1819 Hall design?" "With a few adjustments, basically. It still suffers the same drop in velocity, but it''s a work in progress." The Korean-American handed the rifle back to Jefferson, but he rebuffed his attempt, "We have a few more prototypes sitting in a shop in Virginia. That''s my gift to you. Now for the Asian immigration matters. Do you have any tea farmers with any of the Chinese people you brought to the United States?" "A few dozen in secret, yes." All in all, 550 Koreans and an additional 600 Chinese immigrants returned with Kim. A few American ships in Canton that were returning to the United States were also employed by Kim to bring the immigrants back. For the time being, they were making themselves home just west of New York City and setting up their own "Koreatown/Chinatown" with Samuel''s help. The government was still going through the previous occupations of the immigrant to determine the best way to allocate land/jobs to the recent arrivals. Thanks to some extensive training during their journey, most of the immigrants were able to speak some English, though only a handful was fluent enough to strike out on their own. "I looked through various charts and maps in your laptop and it showed that the most suitable places to grow tea would be in the southern parts of the United States, and I mean the very southern parts. Would it be possible to move some of those immigrants to that area, especially the unsettled parts of "Alabama?" "They''ll need government support though to set up settlements and farms in the area." "Then they will receive the support they need." "I''ll see what I can do. I assume you have taken a liking to tea?" Jefferson let out a hearty chuckle, "Most definitely. Martha has always liked tea, but I am starting to enjoy the taste of it as well." "You should try barley tea from Korea. The taste is unique but refreshing," Samuel said as he sipped more of his green tea. He had a sudden craving for milk tea and suddenly had a rush of inspiration to implement milk tea early in this world, "I just had something in mind that I need to take care of. Is there anything else you need, Thomas? Not that I didn''t enjoy this conversation, but I still have to help the immigrants settle into the nation and deal with my businesses. Both will need my support." "Ah yes. I have been informed by the National Intelligence Service about the French Civil War. It''s picking up and Lafayette and his supporters are driving towards the south. The last I heard from them, they were fighting in Lyon." Chapter 107: (1791-1792) AN: Since we''ve finished up the Asia Arc, I will be moving the timeline in two-year intervals to speed things up. I will still provide POVs and important events in a separate update, but these updates will give the readers an overview of the events happening in the United States and abroad. +++++ 1791: February 3rd: The 6th United States Congress is officially sworn in. Ten seats in the Senate (Hisigi, Kentucky, Maine, Vermont, and Georgia) and all House seats were up for re-election. Voters'' turnout across the nation hovered just above 60%. The election sees the rise of "The Front" (Frontier Party), which stands for greater government assistance in infrastructure to help integrate the western states to the east, expansion towards the west, granting land to citizens for settlement out west, and a lower excise tax to benefit the farmers in the western/rural areas. The new Frontier Party gained four seats in the Senate (two in Kentucky, one in Hisigi, and one in Georgia). The Democrats held one seat in Georgia (while losing the other one to the Frontier Party) and Hisigi (one seat was also lost to the Frontier Party). The Republicans lost two seats in Kentucky, but kept its hold on Vermont. Maine is still held staunchly by the Unionists. The Whig Party fails to gain any seats in the Senate once again, remaining a party for specific regions. The Democrat-Republican alliance holds a narrow 21-19 majority in the Senate. In the House, the opposition gains a majority. After the addition of five additional states during the Kim Presidency, the size of the House is 159 seats (with Bermuda, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Florida having one seat each due to their territory status, or in Bermuda''s case, federal district status). The Frontier Party, boosted by the western states, gain all three House seats in Kentucky, two in Hisigi (the third seat going to the Democratic Party), two seats in Georgia (the third seat going to the Democratic Party as well), two seats in Iroquois (the other seat going to the Democratic Party). a seat in Pennsylvania (the rest being split between the Democratic Party, Republican Party, and the Union Party) and odd seats in southern states. Vermont is split between the Democratic Party and the Republican Party (two seat to the former, three seats to the latter). Maine is firmly Unionist with four seats going to said party, while the fifth seat is held by the Republican Party. The elections are fierce across the nation, though the process itself is peaceful (despite outcries and protests from a number of interest groups such as slave owners). The Congressional elections show the public''s reaction to the controversial cases under Jefferson''s presidency, though the Republican-Democrat alliance still holds a solid number of seats in the House due to the growing economy and the (relatively) stable situation of the nation. The House is split 80-73, with the Frontier Party taking away seats from the Republicans and Democrats (6 seats are independent). The Unionists hold the biggest share of the House seats, with many northern states (including Maryland and Virginia) seeing the benefits of industrialization, government research, and a large, functioning government. The new speaker of the House is former presidential candidate John Jay of New York (Union Party). The Political Parties of the United States: Republican Party: The "moderate" party that balances the issue of a large federal government and the autonomy of states. The party supports the precedent laid down by President Kim, but believes that the autonomy of states is a crucial safeguard against tyranny. As a result, it supports governmental programs and agencies (such as education and research). However, it supports the notion that the states should also have a say in those programs when they are in the boundaries of the states. For example, it believes that the Virginian government should have a say in how the Federal University of Virginia operates, such as courses, requirements, land issues, etc. The Republican Party champions itself as the defender of the dual nature of the United States (federal and state governments). It supports industrialization and expansion of agriculture, with no heavy favoritism to either sides. It also advocates strongly for equal rights, though is cautious on how much land/funding it gives to freedmen. As a result, the party finds support in both cities and rural areas, though it doesn''t dominate either areas. However, due to its alliance with the Democrats, the party has shifted more towards favoring agriculture and the tech to support it (which has seen some fruits, such as the threshing machine, the steel plows, the cotton gin, and various canals/roads). The Republicans are pro-immigration, like the Democrats, and seek to find support among immigrants that are naturalizing for additional support in the political field. Jefferson is actually an outlier in his party as he is considered a "Radical Republican," due to his views on equality (which he favors more strongly) and societal issues (as seen in the New York case). Democratic Party: The party for rural Americans. It strongly believes in an emphasis on agriculture and leans conservative (though still progressive by this time''s standards). The party believes that autonomy is also important for the continuity of the United States, due to the relative size and differences between each state. It supports the expansion of infrastructure (particularly canals) in the eastern regions of the United States, putting the party at odds with the opposition parties. It has allied itself with the Republicans due to somewhat similar beliefs and due to the threat of the Unionists (which is pro-industry). Like the Republican Party, it supports equal rights and has found support in freedmen due to the party''s support for land for former slaves (which was done intentionally to gain supporters in the recently integrated black majority states). The Democrats are staunchly anti-slavery, which is why the Whig Party exists. Despite their relatively pro-state government policies, they support helping slaves fleeing from the Caribbean and even capturing slave ships in the Atlantic to free them on US soil. As a result, they support a strong Navy, but believe in a small, but professional, Army and Marines. The party supports a lower excise tax as well, though not as low as the Frontier Party is proposing. Frontier Party: The new and fresh face of the American political field. It differentiates itself from the Democrats and Whigs by claiming to be for citizens in the West that is "neglected" by the federal government. Like the Unionists, they believe that the government should grow bigger, though they should place a focus on the western states to ease the lives of settlers in the area. Improvement of infrastructure out west (especially canals such as the Erie Canal), land development, laws granting favorable amounts of lands to settlers, a very low excise tax, granting African Americans land out west (especially after thousands were exiled to "Jefferson"), and the support of more immigrants (to settle the western territories) are the core policies of the new party. Their policies are picking up interest in even non-western states and they have found near universal support out west. With more and more territories in the west being settled, the Frontier Party is looking like the next "big party" to challenge the established parties in the government. While they align closely with the Democratic Party, they have allied themselves with the Union Party due to its belief in a more unified United States and the integration of the western states to the eastern states. This is chiefly due to the fact that many of the party leaders believe that the federal government is crucial to the success of the western states in the future. Union Party: The pro-federal government party, which strives for an expansion of the federal government and to provide greater aid and relief to the populace. Calling themselves the true successors to President Kim, the party has found popularity in many states (especially in northern ones). The expansion of industry to southern states has awakened the Union Party in several southern states as well. Standing for a more united United States, the party is more reluctant to accept immigrants and want immigration to be more controlled (to ensure the nation''s stability and unity) (they especially prefer to encourage immigration of skilled artisans and educated minds to the United States). They are heavily pro-industry, owing to the recent industrial boom experienced under the Kim Presidency and believes that the nation must race ahead of the other European states to gain an early lead in industry. They are strong supporters of equal rights, an "American" identity, greater protections for the American industrial sectors, integration of western states (though not on the radical levels of the Frontier Party), and the development of new technologies to promote faster travel, communications, and industry. They also support an additional expansion of education institutions across the United States and a powerful military to prevent rebellions (much like the ones that have been occurring recently). Their position on abolition is non-wavering, but they believe that African Americans should be provided jobs in industry (to grow industry in the south) instead of being given land for compensation. Whig Party: After the failure of Archibold Bullock in the 1788 Presidential Elections and the near extinction of the party due to its bumbles during the 1788 Congressional Elections, the party changed its tone and became a party similar to the values of the Union Party. However, they are willing to give more leeway to slave owners (in particular, greater compensation for them and an extension to the life of slavery until the owners are compensated) and favor rural policies over industrial ones. The party split off from the Democratic Party and joined with the Union Party coalition due to its conflict with the Democratic Party. The Union Party doesn''t particularly like them too much (especially the whole deal on slavery), but sees the Whig Party as a useful way to siphon off some votes from the Republican-Democrat coalition. The official 1790 census reveals that the population of the United States (including territories) sits at 4,543,399 (a large increase from the previous total of 2,836,800 in 1780). This is attributed to an increase in immigration, the gradual end of slavery (allowing African Americans to have a population boom), the peaceful growth of Native Americans within the United States (which has also seen a population boom), and a rapidly growing economy. The 1800 census will determine the appropriation of House districts and the number of seats in the House of Representatives. February 10th: The United States enter formal diplomatic relations with Portugal, with the approval and support of Great Britain. February 15th: The French town of Macon is captured by Republican forces, opening up the path to the city of Lyon. The Monarchists are supported by Austrians and Prussians, with British support in forms of non-military aid. While direct conflict has not yet occurred between the Republicans and Austria/Prussia, relations between the two factions are tense and war seems imminent. March 20th: Thomas Paine publishes the Rights of Man, which is directly influenced by the American Revolution and the French Civil War. He argues that a popular revolution is not only permissible, but inevitable if the government fails to safeguard the rights, liberties, and livelihood of the people. Taking into account the success of the American Republic, he urges for reforms within the British government, earning mixed reactions within Britain itself. April 1st: In order to create a uniform system of measurement, Congress approves of the "Measurement And Weights Act" of 1791. The Act establishes the metric system as the official system of measurement in the United States. April 5th: President Jefferson visits the site of the new capital, which is nearing completion after a decade of construction. Columbia is set to be finished by 1792, with Jefferson on course for being the first president to take office in the White House. April 15th: After some deliberation, Congress approves the creation of a National Numismatic Collection, to be displayed in the future American National Museums of History and Culture. Several other objects of importance are also considered to be added to the Museums, such as Benedict Arnold''s uniform and sword, various letters written during the Revolutionary War, and a rifled cannon from the first USS Enterprise. April 29th: The Sejm of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth establishes a new constitution (often called the Constitution of 1791). It is considered one of the first modern codified constitution in Europe. It draws some influence from the French Republicans, though it is very different compared to the French Republic''s Constitution that was declared in 1790. May 30th: The Republicans manage to seize Lyons after a fierce battle, leaving the Monarchists in an alarmed and panicked state. The rapid advance of the Republicans have created a stir among European monarchies and the potential threat of a liberal, republican state in Europe leads to many major European powers to send more aid to the Monarchists. However, the Republicans enjoy a wide amount of support in both metro and rural France, due to the charismatic leadership of Lafayette. Lafayette, a skilled politician, manages to keep the French National Assembly united in its efforts against the Monarchists despite external threats. Privately, he also exiles/imprisons several controversial leaders that advocate for mass executions of nobles and radical policies that could subvert the republic. June 11th: Colonel Nathaniel Napoleon Bonapart lands in South Africa with five hundred American soldiers, planting the US flag on what would eventually become the South African protectorate. The site he plants the flag in will become Fort Hope in the future. July 14th-July 17th: The Priestley Riots rock Birmingham, leading to the destruction of property of many pro-civil rights Dissenters. The Dissenters, who took inspiration from the French Republicans, are attacked by rioters for their radical political views. This will lead to many liberals fleeing the area and moving elsewhere, which will make Birmingham a conservative city for the next several decades. July 20th: With the rising threat of a potential Republican France, Austria signs the Treaty of Sistova, ending its war with the Ottoman Empire. The war ends in a stalemate with Austria suffering financially (both from the war with the Ottomans and its support of the Monarchists in France). August 1st: The slave rebellion in Haiti comes to an end, leading to an uneasy peace between the freedmen in the south and the slave owners in the north. For the time being, the colony is split into two zones (south being a "free" district while the north being a "slave" district). This allows the colony to start rebuilding, but with lack of funding from European France, the colony suffers due to the destruction caused by the rebellion. Many freedmen (and escaped slaves) immigrate to the United States, which offers them a chance for a better life and citizenship. These immigrants will significantly bolster the number of blacks in the southern states (in particular, Florida and the future state of Jefferson). August 2nd: The first steamboat enters service in Lake Erie, creating a stir in the United States about the potential of steam engines. August 9th: The first Asian immigrants (outside of Kim''s direct transport of Asian immigrants in 1790) arrive in the United States. Many of them will settle in the town of Xin (meaning "new" in Chinese) just north of New York City and await for land grants and jobs. Around 2,500 Chinese immigrants, 1,000 Vietnamese immigrants, and 500 Koreans (mainly slaves bought with the assistance of Kim) settle in the United States, creating an interesting and thriving Asian community. Many are welcomed simply due to Samuel''s history in the United States. August 25th: The Federal University of the South is completed in Charleston, South Carolina. The university would go on to help thousands of African Americans in the future to acquire an advanced education and become one of the best universities in the southeastern parts of the United States. August 27th: Declaration of Pillnitz is made, with Prussian King Frederick William II and the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II wishing to "put the King of France in a state to strengthen the bases of monarchic government." September 1st: Former president Samuel Kim forms the first baseball league (Major League Baseball) and the first soccer league (Major League Soccer) in New York, which will expand to other New England states over the course of ten years. The leagues provide ordinary citizens with great baseball and soccer abilities to make a living (or in some cases, make additional earnings) playing either sport (or in some cases, both sports). The new sports leagues draw great attention from the populace, as it provides a form of entertainment and rivalry. The New York Yankees, the Brooklyn Dodgers, the New York Giants, and the Albany Rangers are the first baseball teams to be created. The New York City Soccer Club, the State Island Soccer Club, the Albany Hunters, and the Iroquois Warriors are the first soccer teams. The first season is slated to begin in 1792, with each organization receiving funding and assistance from various local businesses (and even from their respective state governments) to form their teams. The teams have no official "owners," though each team is basically self-run by the players. A "commissioner" is assigned to head both leagues (to oversee the leagues, to ensure that the teams are playing fairly, to make sure that the players are paid on time, and to arrange the schedule for the teams). William Duer becomes the first baseball commissioner, while Okwaho (English name Robert Williams) becomes the first soccer commissioner. September 15th: Michael Faraday, whose parents immigrated to the United States looking for work in the growing industrial sector, is born in Boston, Massachusetts. October 5th: A prototype of the M1790 Lee Rifle arrives in France. Antoine Lavoisier, who was selected as the Minister of Logistics, takes great interest in the potential of the rifle and orders for a similar prototype to be made for the Republican Army. The French replica is designed and finished in 1793, called the "Lavoisier Rifle" named after the minister. October 28th: The Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen is published across France, as French feminist Olympe de Gouges advocates for women to have more political rights in the nation. Taking inspiration from the success of women''s rights in the United States, the Declaration proclaims that the presence of women in politic would help legitimatize the French Republic and create a stronger sense of national unity. It also advocates for more women''s right in general. The Declaration is controversial in France, but it will open up the conversation about women''s rights in the republic. November 7th: The first Chinese settlers arrive in the future state of Alabama. With the assistance of the American federal government, a settlement is created (named "Qian" after the Chinese Emperor) (AN: OTL Mobile, Alabama) and the settlers prepare to create farms in early spring. Northern Alabama is settled by Native Americans from various tribes (originating from Hisgi) while the southern parts are mainly settled by African Americans, Caribbean Africans, and Chinese. The territory becomes an odd place in the south over the next several decades: a mix of Native Americans, Chinese, African Americans, Caribbean Africans, and Whites. December 2nd: Florida formally petitions to become a state. Congress is now tasked with voting on the issue within the next sixty days. December 20th: The Treaty of Jassy ends Russia''s war with the Ottoman Empire. Russia manages to increase its presence in the Black Sea, while the Ottomans suffer financially and loss of territory. 1792: January 5th-January 22nd: The city of Liege erupts into revolution, influenced by the French Republicans nearby. Within several weeks, the prince bishop is removed and a republican government is declared. The newly proclaimed Republic of Liege requests formal protection from the French Republic, which Lafayette hesitantly accepts in secret. February 4th: On America''s Independence Day, Columbia is officially declared complete and ready for settlement. The president and his cabinet, along with Congress and the Supreme Court, takes up residence in the newly built capital. President Jefferson becomes the first president to take a seat in the "Oval Office," the official office of the executive. Many agencies remain in Philadelphia or New York City to ensure that the government can continue to function in the case that Columbia is occupied by a foreign power. However, Columbia officially becomes the seat of the American government and is one of the most carefully designed and constructed cities in the world. Boasting museums, monuments, parks, and a large library (along with a university under construction), Columbia becomes a relatively good place to move to due to its proximity to two large cities (Baltimore and Philadelphia) and its relatively aesthetic design. Senators and Representatives receive their own homes and "apartment buildings" in the new capital for them to live in for free. Over time, these buildings will be redesigned to fit the taste of elected official from each respective state. Each will come with its own gardens, the best available amenities/furniture, and a crew of cleaners/cooks. These housing complexes (along with the crew of cleaners/cooks) will be paid for by the federal government and be a "reward" to each elected official. At this time, the Capitol Building is not yet complete, though Congress does assemble in the building every once in a while to get a feel for the building. February 9th: Congress unanimously votes for Florida''s statehood (in the partially constructed Capitol Building). Florida becomes the 21st state in the Union and is allocated two Senators and four House seats (for its population of 72,219 people). The election of the Senators and Representatives are slated to happen on schedule with the 1792 elections (and adding six more electoral votes to the needed total in the presidential elections). February 26th: The capital of Florida is designated in a complete "neutral" site in the middle of the state, named "Hammock" (a Seminole word for jungle) (AN: OTL Tampa Bay area). However, Sovtaj and St. Augustine remain as the two biggest cities in Florida. March 1st: Francis II becomes the new leader of the Holy Roman Empire. March 20th: North Carolina designates Raleigh its new state capital, in the newly formed Wake County. March 25th: Congress passes the Asian Immigration Settlement Act of 1792, officially designating a part of the budget to assist Asian immigrants in their integration into the United States. This Act will help build a public school (for teaching English, government, and a wide variety of other subjects) in Xin, grant loans to help Asian immigrants acquire land, and help the expansion of Xin for future immigrants. April 1st: After some spring training for the soccer and baseball players, the MLB and MLS kick off their season. Each MLB team will play 48 games while the MLS will play 30 games. The top two teams will move onto the championship. The season is expected to end around September. The four "stadiums" are built to house the two leagues (two for each league). Three of them are in New York, while a soccer pitch is made in Iroquois (in Onondaga). The MLB plays by the 2019 National League rules (with no DH), with a few modifications (such as the mound being 60 feet away and lowered two inches from the 2019 standard, pitchers pitching more innings, etc.). The MLS plays by the 2019 MLS rules. April 5th: The Minas Gerais Conspiracy in Brazil fails, leading to an end of the Brazilian Separatist movement in Brazil for the time being. May 1st: Austrian troops move into Liege to re-install the prince bishop to rule over Liege. A small French detachment in the city comes under attack by Austrian forces, finally bursting the tense relations between Republican France and Austria. May 5th: The New York Stock Exchange is created with Samuel Kim being one of the original founders of the Exchange. The agreement is signed between various stockbrokers within the New York Times building, leading it to be called the "Times Agreement." May 18th: Russia invades Poland-Lithuania, kicking off the Polish-Russian War. May 21st: A fleet of American merchant ships arrives off the coast of Japan on May 10th, warning the Shogun that American scientists have predicted Mount Unzen will collapse and cause disaster to nearby areas. The fleet offers to help Japanese citizens to evacuate, but is firmly rebuffed by the Shogun. On May 21st, true to the American predictions, Mount Unzen collapses and causes massive earthquakes. The earthquake is followed up with a mega tsunami (by this time, the American fleet safely evacuated away from the area). While rejected by the Shogun, the American fleet manages to skillfully evacuate some locals that heeded their warnings. Though most of them return, a few dozen return to the United States along with the fleet, creating the first Japanese community in the young republic. June: Britain gradually expands its settlements in British Colombia, claiming the region for itself and to maintain its presence in North America. Oregon Territory is also claimed for the British Crown. June 17th: The first celebrations in memory of the Battle of Bunker Hill occur in Boston. The battle, which is deemed as the "turning point" of the United States, is widely known and remembered by many in Boston. "Bunker Day" will become a popular holiday in the New England region. June 29th: A "Coalition" is declared against the French Republic, with the Holy Roman Empire, Prussia, Spain, Naples, Portugal, Sardinia, and several other Italian states joining in the fray. The intention of the Coalition is to restore the French monarchy over all of France and to put an end to the French Republic. Great Britain opts to stay out of the war, as they believe the French Civil War is allowing Great Britain''s dominance overseas and the government is unwilling to commit to another war against a republic. July 1st: A steam engine is first used in an iron mine in western Pennsylvania with great success. July 14th: The United States enters into formal diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire. Privately, the United States enters into an agreement with the Ottoman Empire in that they will assist the Ottoman Empire with modernizing its military in exchange for protection against Barbary Pirates and trade. The Ottoman Empire also acquires a prototype of the M1790 Lee Rifle, though they will use muskets as their primary infantry weapons for some time. At the same time, the United States urges the Ottoman Empire to reform and modernize in order to survive against the growing European powers, which is duly noted by the Ottoman government. August 1st: George Washington and his followers (of Vicinusum) establish the Vici Foundation, a foundation for poor Americans, former slaves and immigrants. The Vici Foundation opens up several homeless shelters, help the poor/homeless Americans to find jobs, and educate them in order for them to find success in the future. The Foundation also works to help newly arrived immigrants learn English and become "outstanding" Americans. The Foundation also promotes Anglicism with a few modifications (with an emphasis on brotherhood and neighborly love). The movement gradually grows from Virginia to neighboring states. August 20th: The first battle between Republican France and the Coalition occurs in Strasbourg. The Coalition military, being mostly unaware of the complete change in military tactics, is completely routed by the Republican Army in the Battle of Strasbourg. The 20,000 French soldiers easily manage to blunt the Coalition offensive (numbering at 40,000). The Republican Army is given strict orders not to advance outside of French territory in order to deal with the domestic civil war, so they are forced to play defensive against the invading armies. However, the Battle of Strasbourg (which results in 25,000 Coalition casualties in exchange for 7,000 French casualties) boost Lafayette and his Republican government. It also rallies the people of France behind Lafayette, who is seen as the "savior against foreign invaders." September 19th: With popular support and another victory against the Monarchists and Coalition forces (this time in Valence), Lafayette introduces sweeping political and land reforms. Women are granted the right to vote, slavery is officially abolished within the Republic (though Haiti will take this news badly), taxes are restructured, and peasants are granted land ownership. Seized noble lands are redistributed among the lower classes as well. This greatly increases support for the Republican government. The conscription laws are also passed by the National Assembly, but is also met with some support due to the various invasions France faces. September 25th: Thomas Paine flees to the United States (avoiding war stricken France). He is welcomed warmly by the American government and settles in Richmond. October 1st: In a thrilling "American Series" baseball championship tournament, the New York Yankees wins the title (beating the Albany Rangers in six games, best out of seven). In the "All-American Soccer Championship," the Iroquois Warriors defeat the New York City Football Club two games to one (best out of three) for its first title. The tournaments bring in thousands of spectators and develop a "fan" culture in New York, as people support the numerous clubs within the state. It also creates some sort of brotherhood between New York and Iroquois (and a sense of pride for the Iroquois, due to their victory in the soccer championship). After the tournaments, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania all join in the fray to form their own teams and join the league. The victors of the tournaments receive special trophies. The New York Yankees receive a large gold trophy with a various flags and a player swinging a baseball bat standing on a podium (with a plaque that states "American Series Champions, New York Yankees 1792). The Iroquois Warriors receive a similar trophy, though the trophy is a soccer ball being crowned on top of a podium. These trophies will be proudly displayed at the state houses of their respective states. It will be a tradition for the trophies to be displayed in the state houses in the future, though the two first trophies will be donated to the American National Museums of History and Culture. October 12th: The first rudimentary electrical telegraph is created in New York City, in the Federal University of New York. The inventor, James Forten, an African American inventor working with ARPA and a student in the university, manages to apply the theories made by Volta into a messaging device that uses electrical currents. The first telegraph is expensive to make and is very limited in terms of distance (it could only send messages to another telegraph twenty feet away due to the limitations in wires and metallurgy). However, his invention is hailed as the beginning of modern communications. October 15th: The Nootka Conventions occur between Spain and Great Britain. Spain agrees to allow Britain to claim and settle into Oregon and British Columbia after a tense meeting. With Spain preoccupied in Europe and Great Britain jockeying for influence in North America, Spain is forced to cede to Britain''s demands. Thus, Britain is able to maintain its presence in North America through the West Coast and Rupert''s Land. November 1st: The first dynamite is invented by ARPA, with the aid of several researchers. The invention is considered an important invention for commercial use (mining) and military use (explosive). November 6th: The 1792 elections sweep the nation. Voter turnout rates are high, averaging in the high sixties, as the political parties seek to make gains in Congress and possibly nab the presidency. However, Jefferson wins the presidential election just barely (closer than his first time being elected) with 103 votes (202 electoral votes in total due to the addition of Florida, 101 votes to win). Florida swings primarily towards Jefferson, allowing him to hold onto the presidency. The runner up, John Adams of the Unionist Party (as John Jay opted to run after Jefferson is out of office), wins 90 votes while the Frontier Party (with Daniel Boone as the candidate) receives the remainders. The Democratic Party chooses not to run a candidate and allies itself with the Republican Party candidate (Jefferson), which allows Jefferson to prevent the House from voting on the new president (his incumbency and the high rate of economic growth also helps him in this matter). The political makeup of the 7th United States Congress will be revealed in the next update... November 25th: The Paris Declaration of 1792. Republican France condemns the invasion of foreign powers and declares that it will help the "will of the people" spread throughout Europe. This sparks a lot of anger and fear from the European monarchs. However, Britain strangely remains silent despite this remark. Map of the United States (1790) Here''s a link for a map of the United States: https://imgur.com/a/5FWIqlG#gNwUdqn Chapter 108: Asian Immigration Jeong Yakyong strolled through the streets of New York City with his older brother Jeong Yakjeong and their official translator Major Williams. The trio walked past tall buildings (compared to Korean architecture) and walked past people of many different races: Whites, African Americans, and Native Americans. People peacefully went about their day in one of the biggest cities in the United States. Newspaper boys delivered newspapers to houses, shopkeepers opened up their shops for business, and a group of children ran around laughing and screaming as they made their way to New York City Primary School for their morning lessons. The smell of various foods, from Native American smoked venison to French Caribbean spices, wafted through the air while the sound of wagons and voices filled the streets. The two Korean brothers were in the city for the second time. The first time they were in New York City, they were housed in a secluded building to await "processing" and only managed to catch a rushed view of the city before moving towards Xin (where a settlement had already being partially built for the arriving Asian immigrants). Yakyong was quite surprised that all the sheets he filled out were in Korean, but then again, the person that liberated hundreds of Korean slaves was a Korean (a Korean "American", Yakyong was told). After he filled it out, he was interviewed by one of the Marine officers that was with him on his trip to the United States. The man, despite his foreign appearance, spoke Korea good enough for the interview to finish without any problems. Once that was finished, he was reunited with the others, climbed into a wagon, and journeyed to their new home. What was strange was that several of the local residents cheered on the arriving Asian immigrants, which caused more than a few of them to be shocked. Yakyong originally wanted to remain in Joseon, but decided to travel to the United States with his family. His family, being filled with Catholics, faced persecution in Joseon and was on the list of people the king wanted to exile. As a result, despite living a fairly comfortable life as an administrator for the government, he decided to follow his family and take an uncertain leap into an unknown world. When the "Americans" reassured the immigrants that people can worship any religion freely in their nation, his family members were beyond relieved. Yakyong himself wasn''t Catholic, but he was also slightly relieved that he would be able to carry out his ancestral worship even in these foreign lands. At first, Yakyong expected to be worked to the bone along with his family members to pay for their trip and settlement in a foreign land. However, he and the other immigrants that came with him enjoyed plenty of food, entertainment (in forms of English books translated to Korean and "American" games like chess, checkers, and cards), and an education. It was more than he and his family members could have hoped for and their long, four month journey was relatively comfortable. When they were told that they would be granted a job or even land if they learned English properly, they all decided to take their daily "English lessons" (taught to them for free by several "Marines" and sailors) extremely seriously. By the time the USS Charleston (he learned that the ship was named after a famous battle during the United States "Revolutionary War," with a Marine using the analogy of Joseon fighting a war for its independence from China) pulled into New York, he was confident that his English skills were at conversational level (he did have a knack of academics, as he was a former administrator for Joseon). His family members lagged behind in their English abilities, but they still had time. From what he heard, the "American Congress" was debating on a proposal for the newly arrived immigrants in order to help fund their efforts to settle in the United States. It was expected to take some time, but for the time being, the state of New York (which was like a province, but with much greater autonomy and its own provincial government) and Samuel Kim (he was still a mystery to many, but some immigrants heard rumors that he was a former slave, which Yakyong dismissed as being completely false) were providing them with the money needed for their settlement. One thing he noticed was that he and the others mainly received English education instead of learning about other subjects, which added a layer of mystery to the nation they were moving into (the only thing they were told was that none of them would ever be slaves again). However, he was determined to learn more about the "United States" and its history, and so he asked to venture out into the city with an escort. Major Williams, the intimidating black Marine (when Yakyong first saw him, he thought that the major was a mountain demon due to his dark skin and unshakable expression), was appointed to escort Yakyong and his brother to New York City. The man spoke fairly decent Korean (though with an incredibly heavy accent), though he had a dictionary with him to help out with certain words and sentences. And now he was here, just a few weeks after his arrival in the United States, exploring the "fabled American city" that many immigrants had wondered about during the journey. "What is he doing?" Yakyong asked in English slowly, pointing at a man in blue clothing looking around the streets with a club on his belt. "He''s a "policeman," Major Williams replied, speaking clearly for the two Koreans to understand, "He makes sure to stop crime and protect the citizens." "So he''s like a magistrate," Yakyong wondered out loud in Korean. "A bit different, but the idea is similar. A "policeman" is not a judge, he carries out the law." The former Joseon official nodded his head and looked around. The city was smaller than Hanyang, but it was just as lively, if not more more so. Not only were the people different (he was still struggling to grasp the concept of different races as he had only seen Koreans and a few Chinese merchants in his entire life), but the general atmosphere was different as well. He wasn''t sure if it was the air, but something was different in the United States. He earned a few friendly looks as people walked by and one of them even stopped Major Williams and chatted with him in rapid English. Yakyong caught a few words here and there (he heard "Korean," "Samuel," and "clothes"), but confusedly watched as the Marine laughed while the stranger looked embarrassed and walked away. "What did he say?" "He thought that you were Samuel Kim and asked why you were asking "funny clothing." Yakyong blinked, "Are my clothes weird?" The two Korean brothers looked at each other''s clothing. Both were wearing the traditional Korean hanboks. Yakyong wore a gat (a hat made of horsehair and bamboo that was worn by yangbans (nobles) or people that passed the civil exams) while his brother wore his hair shortly. "No, just interesting. The only Korean in the United States for the past decade has been Samuel Kim, and he always dressed and acted like... one of us," Major Williams replied. "Just who is this "Samuel Kim" person and why does everyone seem to know him and hold him up like a king?" Yakjeong, the Catholic brother, cut in. Major Williams adjusted his military cap, "Perhaps it will be easier for you to read about it then explain it to you. You have the Korean-English dictionary, correct?" Both men nodded and the Marine smiled, "Then let us visit a bookstore in order for you to purchase some books. I''ll buy some for you." The three ventured to a bookstore called New York Times Publishing Company on a street called Times Street. The bookstore was filled with thousands of different books and a few people were in it to explore the vast selections available for the public to purchase. Yakyong gaped at the sight, "Are all these books available for commoners?" "If they have the money, yes. Usually they can also read the books for free in here, but there''s a public library that''s better suited for that,'' The Marine answered. "There''s a library available to commoners as well?" Yakyong asked, even more surprised than before. "Yes, though the number of books is fairly small. It just opened up last year. Now, what would you like to read about?" Yakjeong went on his way to find books about Catholicism and the United States, while Yakyong picked out a few books about philosophy (he saw the names "Voltaire," "Rousseau," "Diderot," and "Plato"), American History, republicanism (one of which was written by the mysterious Samuel Kim), and English grammar. After the two brothers picked out the books, Major Williams pulled out several coins (Yakyong noted that the coins were all different in terms of size, composition, and weight) and handed them to the shopkeeper. While Major Williams offered the two to visit some of the industrial sites in New York City (specifically, a steelmill and a weapons factory operated by the Samuel Kim), both of them politely turned down the offer. They decided to return to their home and read the new books they acquired. Soon, the two of them parted ways with Major Williams (who lived with the other translators and assistants in the outskirts of Xin) and made their trek back to their home. Xin was a town with around a thousand individuals so far, nearly all of them of Asian origin (though it wasn''t unusual to get the occasional "American" visitors that wandered around the town to sell goods). The town was situated just north of New York City (AN: it''s pretty much the same location of New Rochelle) and was only partially complete, as laborers worked hard to expand the town for future immigrants to settle into. As Yakyong walked through Xin to get to his home (which was in the eastern outskirts), he walked past a few Koreans setting up a small marketplace for them to sell some of their old belongings for money and a group of Chinese people playing weiqi out in the streets. Unlike New York, there was hardly any pleasant or foul smells and only the smell of fresh, unearthed dirt was recognizable to Yakyong. Instead of the sound of wagons and chattering voices, only a few scattered laughs and mumbles was noticeable throughout the streets of Xin. Many of the buildings were built in Korean and Chinese style, an aesthetic blend of the two that was in stark contrast to the "European" styles of the American buildings. The town wasn''t as lively as New York City, but he could see the roots of civilization spreading in this small settlement. From what he was told, a school was going to be built here (that was free to attend for all!) and an official marketplace was going to be built in the center of the town (which was fairly empty, by design). The house of the Jeong family was designed off the Hanok (traditional Korean houses) in Joseon. It was much more spacious than the family home he had back in Joseon, and it was certainly big enough to fit the six family members that he came with (three brothers and three sisters). After being bombarded by his family members with questions about the city (Were the white and black people rude and condescending? Did you speak any English to those foreigners? Was it safe for them to go to?), he retired to his private room. He opened up a few of the books and spent the next several days reading tirelessly. In his views, the "American Republic" was absolutely fascinating (a form of government he had never even considered back in Joseon). He had always believed that the people should be subservient to the government, while the government should provide for their well beings in return. However, the American Republic was different. The people were the government themselves, and in turn, provided for the well being of the people on their own. It was a foreign concept, radical even. But he could see the wisdom behind a republic (and the flaws behind it as well). If the people represented the government and led it, then they would know what would be best... for the people. Thus, the government would ensure that the proper resources and money were allocated to the necessities of the people. He had seen the corruption of the Joseon government and knew that a government separated from the ordinary people had many problems, so there was a certain appeal to that idea. Of course, that didn''t mean the system wasn''t flawed. There was always a chance that a liar, or someone with incredible wealth and influence, could influence the people themselves, thus subverting the people to their whims. Even so, it was definitely something different, something he didn''t expect. The Constitution of the United States was an absolutely stunning piece of literature and he enjoyed reading about it, even if he didn''t agree with everything it had to say (like arming the people, that sounded like a terrible idea considering the potential for rebellions). As for philosophy, he was surprised to find so many different types. From "liberalism" to "conservatism," from "absolutely monarchies" to "republics," there were a wide variety of selections for him to read from. In his mind, he was already forming a new political theory (one that combined the teachings of Confucius with some of these European and American ideas) to create the "best" form of government. He had written several books on political theory in Joseon (indeed, it was one of the reasons why the King took a special liking to him), but he expected this project to be far greater than anything he had written before. And American History was... impressive, to say the least. Having a Korean (though Yakyong highly doubted that Anyoung, the Korean American''s real name, was a son of former slaves) lead foreigners in battle and win a war against a major empire was certainly appealing, especially since the history books mentioned that "Samuel Kim" would go on to serve as the nation''s first leader. Incorporating so many different races, encouraging people of all creed and color to come to the nation to settle, and creating a radical new government... the United States had a very storied and interesting history despite the fact that it had only existed for a decade and a half. By the time he left his private room (he had been fed by his family as he read in his room by himself), he was absolutely certain that he knew more about American history than most "Americans." However, there was one question he wanted to ask to an American, which prompted him to leave his room and travel to Major Williams'' house. The major lived in a small house with his small family (a wife and two daughters) towards the southern end of Xin. Apparently, the major was tasked with ensuring that the immigrants settled in smoothly and was living in the house for free while he worked with the immigrants. As such, he lived in Xin with his family and worked from within the town itself. When Yakyong knocked on the major''s door, the Marine opened it up and greeted him in Korean, "Mr. Jeong, do you need something?" "I read the books and I wanted to ask a question." "Yes?" "Why didn''t the Kim declare himself as a monarch and rule America as a king? He had the power to do so, the military was on his side and the people supported him." Yakyong asked. Major Williams thought for a moment and shook his head, "Because he didn''t want to." "Why not?" "President Kim once told me this," Major Williams said, ""With great power, comes even greater responsibilities." He believed that he had a responsibility to ensure that the will of the people was heard and to bring about a democratic, republican form of government. Even if the others wanted him as king, he would have never accepted it. He fought for the ideals of the republic and of liberty, not for his own personal gain. After all, that is the core belief of our nation: that every citizen has a duty to ensure that the republic is upheld for all who live in it." The Korean man thanked the major and left. He needed some time to think. Chapter 109: Surviving in Exile Timstown, Mississippi Territory, the United States of America November 11th, 1791 James River felt a lurch on his fishing rod and yanked it hard. The bamboo rod shuddered from his strength, but it bent flexibly to respond to his commands. A fish was pulled out of the water from the hook on the rod''s fishing twine and landed softly onto the nearby grass. James unhooked the fish from his rod and smiled at his success. After inspecting his catch for some time (he was unable to tell exactly what it was, but it was definitely food), he tossed the fish into a worn out wooden bucket. Inside the bucket were five fishes of various types and some water, his contribution to the Timstown "meal bank." Since Timstown was forced to be self sufficient on its own due to the "exile" of all its inhabitants, every able-bodied person within the town carried out their part to ensure that no one starved. People received their food from the food bank, carried out their tasks (since James worked on a plantation back in North Carolina, he helped tend the crops during the harvest and pre-harvest season and fished during the winter), and fortified their settlement. While attacks on the settlement were not common, they tended to happen out of the blue (mainly from some Native Americans that were hostile to their presence, though most were friendly). As a testament to that, an old musket (used during the Revolutionary Wars, a "belonging" that he got to keep after the rebellion''s raid of the New Bern armory) sat on the ground next to him as he fished, just in case he encountered some hostile Natives. The noon sun shined down on his dark face brightly and he bathed in the warm sunlight while fishing. After fishing for two more hours (during which he caught six more fishes), he stood up, grabbed his gear, and walked southwards toward Timstown. Before he did, he looked at the river one more time and smiled. The "Yellowbush River" (AN: known as Yalobusha River in our history) was the first thing the settlers saw when they first arrived at the location of their new settlement. A long river that spanned as far as the eye could see, it was a river that provided water and food for the inhabitants of Timstown. James remembered the feeling he had when he saw the river and was informed by a soldier that he was now free from this point onward (as long as he remained within this location). He felt liberated and truly free to carry out his own destiny. He no longer needed to toil away on the fields, fretting about how much food he would receive every meal. Instead, he was free (mostly free) to go about his life as a freedman: hunting, fishing, farming (out of his own free will), reading (a few freedmen in Timstown knew how to read and taught the others as best as they could with the a hundred or so books they brought along), and living. That was why he decided his last name was "River;" it was the sight of the Yellowbush River that helped him realize that he was now a freedman. Of course, life wasn''t easygoing in Timstown when the fifteen thousand slaves first arrived. They were given necessities such as food, tools, weapons, and utilities to make a new settlement (which he was told that President Jefferson secretly provided for them so they wouldn''t die out here) and live out their lives in the middle of nowhere (though he knew he was still within the United States, in a placed called Mississippi Territory). However, the first year was a particularly rough time for the newly freed slaves. Families ran away in order to establish new identities and start fresh elsewhere (despite previous warnings), with a few returning after several weeks due to starvation and wounds (given to them by hostile Native Americans or bandits). Harvest season began right when they arrived, meaning that they had to ration their supplies extremely carefully and ensure that the working adults were fed first (and to save up food for the winter). This led to a few dozen people dying of starvation. A vicious disease ravaged some of the more exposed members, killing hundreds in a matter of a month. Morale was at an all-time low as the winter set in, even as the settlement took shape and (some) people had a warm place to sleep in. If a Marine hadn''t delivered a letter from Timothy (the namesake of the town) to the freedmen, James was almost certain that the settlement would have fallen into total anarchy. But Timothy (bless his heart) sent a passionate letter to the exiles. He stated that he was currently in prison for his part in the rebellion, along with several of the other rebel leaders. Other rebel leaders were executed by hanging for more serious crimes, such as murder. James was saddened and angered to hear that Charles, the one that convinced him to join the rebellion, was executed for killing his former master brutally (James didn''t approve the murder, but he understood that Charles'' master was especially harsh and oppressive). Even so, the letter assured that the rebel leaders that were executed were tried fairly and received a swift end. That Timothy was alive was proof that the courts were not looking to execute every one of them. In fact, even after landing in prison, Timothy was living in relative comfort and was even allowed to read and write in peace (he mentioned that he wanted to get into politics in the future). He urged his followers to stay strong, even in tough times, because the president allowed them to walk away freely since he expected that they would survive and thrive in the "Mississippi Territory." The former revolutionary also mentioned that once he was released from prison, he wanted to visit them and see the community booming. Above all, he reminded them that the nation didn''t abandon them. In fact, the United States believed in them (especially President Jefferson) and they were sent to the "promised land" in order to make a new life for themselves. The letter wasn''t necessarily long, but it lit a fire under the freedmen that were formerly under Timothy''s command. The men started going out in bigger groups to hunt and fish to provide more foodstuff for the settlement, while the women and children went out to gather edible plants and berries. Some freedmen ventured out and traded with nearby Natives for food in exchange for the scarce number of valuables the settlement had (beads, jewelries, and coins). Logs were cut down at a faster rate to create houses for everyone. Hostile Native American settlements were raided for additional supplies and weapons (and to secure the surrounding areas). By the time spring rolled around, Timstown was a very different place than before; a real town with a growing economy. When spring arrived, fields were plowed (Samuel Kim, the former president himself, sent a dozen wagons filled with necessities, ranging from axes to soccer balls for the children, along with some cows, horses, and pigs), the log walls were erected, and the final few houses were finally completed. After the harvests were over (the locals grew rice, wheat, corn, hay, rye, and even a bit of bamboo for furniture and tools), the food stores were filled with foodstuffs and the people of Timstown enjoyed a rather peaceful fall filled with feasts, games (soccer was enjoyed by both children and adults), and additional expansions. The population of the city was under thirteen thousand, but it was slowly growing. James waved at a few guards standing in front of the settlement and entered through the opening while waving his bucket around. The other guards slapped him on the back and smiled as he walked away to the food bank. The streets were unpaved and the buildings looked very crude compared to the more "modern" buildings in the east, but they were certainly homely. In the background, he could make out the town''s mill and the town''s armory. On the streets themselves, loggers carried logs through the town to improve the inner town walls while hunters hauled off a massive bear they managed to kill. He heard a loud shout and turned around to see a group of children playing soccer in a small field set aside for the townspeople. The children were smiling and laughing without a care about the world, instead of crying and working on the fields or serving their masters. The sight warmed his heart. That was what freedom looked like. Seeing the children only cemented his belief that his choices were the right ones and he silently thanked President Jefferson for sending them here instead of outright executing them. Sure, many freedmen died due to the exile, but he also did his best to send them support and gave them an opportunity to truly live. If he could vote, he would most definitely vote for that man. Afternoon Daniel!" James said as he sauntered towards the manager of the food bank, "Look at the fishes that I caught!" Daniel, a small man with bifocals, looked up from his paperwork, "Good to see you, James. How many have you caught this time?" "Twelve! That ought to feed a few families." "It sure will. A few of them will probably be sent to families to be eaten today, but the others will be smoked and salted to be preserved," Daniel answered with a genuine smile, "Now, as for your meal..." The manager pulled out a few strips of squirrel meat, a large loaf of bread, and some berries. It was certainly more than enough for him to have his fill. He was also given a small cask filled with whiskey to wash the food down (the town''s brewery was new and the people working there was basing their work off the books they had at hand, but the alcohol they made didn''t taste so bad). After he received his meal quota, he wandered back to his house to eat his lunch. His home was a small building in the middle of town. The houses around his home looked similar to one another and were lined up neatly fit many people into a small area. He opened the wooden doors to his home and caught a whiff of alcohol coming from one of the empty casks he had cracked open on his dining table. The house was simple, filled with only the most basic furniture and belongings: a table, a pair of chairs, a desk, a small bookshelf with three books he managed to acquire from bartering, a closet, a bed (which he proudly built for himself, though it was a bit lopsided), and a nice carpet woven by some friendly Native Americans that visited the town in the fall. He sank into one of the chairs and wolfed down his lunch. Once he was finished, he leaned back into a bamboo chair that a craftsman in Timstown built and slowly read a book about a freed slave with magical powers fighting against the "evil" British (his reading was still lousy, but he was getting better at it). Once the sun set (he only managed to finish a single chapter of the book after a few hours), he looked out of his small window to enjoy the dimmed view of the settlement. He was stuck here, but he never felt trapped or ensnared. If anything, he was starting to get used to his life here. "Maybe I should start a family," James muttered. After all, he was living in a small (but comfortable) house on his own and he did feel lonely at times, despite his neighbors and friends. Maybe it was time to start looking for a wife and having kids. There were plenty of single women in the town, he just needed to impress them (and he was sure that his skills as a farmer and as a fisherman was bound to impress some girls). With that final thought, he drifted off to sleep on his cushy bed made up of bamboo and hay. He had another day to enjoy tomorrow. Chapter 110: The Trail that Never Was Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America February 20th, 1792 Senator Usdi Gvna (in Cherokee, his name means Little Turkey) of Hisigi, or known as "Liam Turkey" to most of the American public, slowly rose from his chair and looked out the window to see the empty streets of Columbia. From his window, he was able to make out the distinct dome of the giant Capitol Building that was still under construction). The streets of the capital were organized neatly (as intended by the designers) and the street that Little Turkey''s house sat on was a street specifically reserved for the members of Congress. The large, one story building he called his home was numbered nineteen (as Hisigi was the nineteenth state to join the Union) and was designed to look similar to the houses he lived in back in Hisigi .The house''s roof was lined with elegant wooden panels and the house itself was painted in white. There were four rooms within the house, a bedroom and a guest/work room for each senator. The house was still bare, as he had just moved in a week ago, but he was slowly adjusting to his new home. His wife and children opted to remain back in their home state, as they wanted to remain close to their family and friends. He did feel lonely at times, but he knew that his job was too important to concede (especially since he won the seat in a fair election). He shared his house with the other sitting senator from Hisigi, a Choctaw named Pushmataha, and the two of them lived comfortably with one another (despite their differences in party and tribe). However, Senator Pushmataha was out on official congressional business which meant that Senator Little Turkey and his guest were in the house by themselves. The two of them were speaking in a hushed tone, as the details of their conversation were highly secretive. His guest, Senator Thaonawyuthe (also known as "Chainbreaker") of Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) concernedly looked at him, "Are you alright, Usdi Gvna?" "I''m fine, Thaonawyuthe... mostly. I''m just... disturbed by what you said." The senator from Hisigi replied as he sat down and gripped the armrest of his seat tightly, "So in this "other" history, my people were expelled from their homeland and put on these "reservations?" And many of them died during the journey there?" "The Trail of Tears. Sadly, it wasn''t just your tribe that suffered, many other tribes suffered as well: the Muscogee, the Seminole, the Chicksaw, and the Chocktaw. I''m afraid in that other history, the United States was... not too friendly to any Native Americans." "Is that why your confederacy declared for the United States early on? To avoid that fate?" Senator Thaonawyuthe shook his head, "We didn''t even know that President Kim was from the future until we joined, as he believed that revealing that information to us beforehand would have turned us hostile to the United States or would have made us feel like we were being threatened to comply. It''s the reason why out of all the people of Haudenosaunee, only three people know of this." "Who are the three?" Senator Usdi Gvna cautiously asked. "Myself, Senator Odeserundiye, and the Governor Chief of Haudenosaunee ." The Cherokee senator frowned, "And why tell me?" "The Watchmen Society believed that it would be best that the highest ranking political officials in each state were aware of the "other" history. Your fellow Hisgi Senator will be told within a week." "Why not just share the secrets of the other history while he''s here? It would make things much simpler." "People respond differently to the information we tell them," Senator Thaonawyuthe answered bluntly, "Some people respond in outrage, like Senator Odeserundiye when he discovered that he was exiled to Canada and lived a life of solitude and poverty after the Revolutionary War. Tell me, do you not feel some anger towards the United States now? A feeling of hatred and loathe for what befell upon your people in the other history?" There was no point in lying, so Senator Usdi Gvna nodded, "I did. But to think that this nation could act so... savagely against us. Are you sure that history is true?" "Everything I told you is true, all of it. The most important thing you must remember is that this United States is not the other United States. This United States allowed us to join as states, with real representation in their Congress and a place for our people to live and thrive. Haudenosaunee is prospering, to the point that Native Americans from other areas are moving into our state, especially from "Canada." Our people are respected for our role during the Revolutionary War and our duties as guardians of the National Parks. A canal is being built through our state, which will bring in more prosperity and prestige. While I may not like the fact that white settlers are being allowed to settle in the western parts of the state, it is helping our state, and our people, to flourish. We have rights, freedoms, lands, jobs, and so much more than what we had in the other history. That is already proof that this United States is truly a nation that is looking out for us, and that the other history will not be repeated." Senator Usdi Gvna was unable to refute his arguments. It was true, Hisigi was growing fast just like Haudenosaunee. While a few tribesmen grumbled about being under the "heel" of the white men, the state was stable and the people were finally able to live in peace for the first time in centuries. The southern Native American state was the gateway to the west and attracted traders and settlers by the thousands. Many former warriors (that still wanted to fight) either found jobs in the United States Military or served as guards for settlers that were traveling west. Chota, once a small village for the Cherokees, was now a large town that served as the economical and political seat of Hisgi. The agricultural sector was growing rapidly, with various tools and seeds given to them by the government to put to use (for free, with no strings attached). A bit of industry was also expanding into Hisigi as well, as the State General Council saw the potential in that area. While preserving their homeland and making sure it remained untainted were the primary goals of the tribes in the state, a few mines and small-scale workshops were operating within Hisigi to create additional wealth. The state economy was booming, and along with it, the population of the tribes. "But what if they turn against us one day? What if they decide that they want our land and believe they can make better use of it? We are still outnumbered, Thaonawyuthe. Your state only has eighty thousand people, and thousands of them are white settlers. My state barely has over seventy thousand. The whites and blacks out number us substantially." "Then we fight, on the battlefield and in Congress," Senator Thaonawyuthe said firmly, "However, I do not believe that will happen. The people of America believe that we are one of them now, and they accept us. Many of our warriors serve, and have served, in the military with distinction. They will not betray us in this history, I am sure of it. We are not just "Native Americans," we are also "Americans."" "Even still..." "That is why we need to make sure we prove to them that we belong, and receive as much support as we can from the government to grow faster. It is why I''ve been working closely with my party to make sure that more schools will be built in Haudenosaunee and that we receive more funding to improve our state''s industry..." The Hisigi Senator snorted, "I have no idea why you, out of all people, aligned with the Unionists." "They want to help us build up our state, integrate into our nation so we are closer to other states, and fund us to improve the quality of life in our state," Senator Thaonawyuthe glowered at his junior, "I have no idea why you joined that Frontier Party. They seem rather, bombastic." "We''re a state in the west, or "more" west than the ones in the east. The Front convinced me with their enthusiasm and policies..." "Many of which are promised by the Union Party. And the Frontier Party wants more immigrants to settle in the western lands! Are you saying that you want more of those foreigners to settle in your own, ancestral homeland?" "Of course not, but there are certain benefits of keeping them around. Our state has managed to grow rapidly because of those immigrants moving through us to head west..." And the two began to bicker about politics, moving on from the more depressing realities of the other history. Chapter 111 (1793-1794) January 1st-14th: The French Republic pushes southwards during the New Years Assault (French Civil War), which results in the capture of Montpellier. This splits the Monarchist controlled territory in two and begins the final death knell of the Monarchists. King Louis XVI stubbornly refuses to reform the country (mainly due to the fact that some of his strongest supporters are nobles and anti-republicans), but receives extensive aid in terms of troops and supplies from his Coalition allies. However, by the end of the month, the king would only hold the southernmost part of France (from Bordeaux to Beziers and from Saint-Tropez) even with the backing of foreign powers. Even so, the French Republic is battered from the south and the east as the Coalition forces are mobilized and ready to "punish" the upstart liberal republic. January 12th: The Republican France envoy to the United States, Francois Buzot, arrives in Columbia and personally greets President Jefferson in the Oval Office. He attempts to persuade the American president to take a part in the all-out war in Europe and intervene to help the French Republic. The president rejects him firmly, but presents a counteroffer. President Jefferson offers the French minister a way to acquire weapons and ammunition, along with various industrial goods, in exchange for upfront payment and a favorable trading status for American traders. While all the major political parties are wary of a potential war, they all desire to stay neutral and trade with both sides (as trade with Europe is lucrative and vital to the growing American economy). With the French Republic offering to pay more than the competitors for supplies, there is a noticeable interest that arises from the different political parties. No official deal is ironed out, but it begins negotiations between the United States and the French Republic. Meanwhile, President Jefferson publicly announces C.E. Order #18: The Agricultural Export Order. The Consent Executive Order details an outline for increased agricultural trade between the French Republic and the United States and an even principal payment for any agricultural products (that would be paid over a course of ten years) that the French Republic purchases from the United States. Since France is suffering from the effects of conscription and war, agricultural production is down, which has led to some discontent among the population (despite the relative popularity of the ruling Lafayette government). Congress is now tasked debating and voting on C.E. #18 within the next sixty days. At the same time, the United States begins to keep a close eye on Caribbean, as the French Republic is fighting the Spanish in the region. Spanish Hispaniola is being massed with thousands of Spanish troops as Spain prepares for an invasion of Saint Domingue. With news of the war spreading through the French Caribbean colony, thousands of refugees flee the island and a slave owner conspiracy threatens to bring back slavery on the island... January 23rd: The Second Partition of the Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth occurs between Prussia, Russia, and the PLC. The size of the PLC is greatly reduced and the independence of the nation is hanging on by mere threads. Due to their humiliating defeat during the Polish-Russian War of 1792, the PLC is in great disarray and on the verge of losing its independence. Tadeusz Kosciuskzko, a Polish engineer that obtained American citizenship after fighting in the Revolutionary War as a brigadier general and designing Columbia, is sent to the PLC as a diplomatic envoy of the United States in hopes of preventing the nation''s collapse. Kosciuskzko brings an offer of military aid (in forms of arms and materials) to the besieged nation. King Stanis?aw Antoni Poniatowski accepts and the PLC begins to arm itself with American made weapons from future Prussian and Russian aggressions. January 25th: Hearing about the French Republic''s pleas for aid, Samuel Kim (owner of multiple companies and factories) gives a secret loan of $1 million to the French government, along with a 5% cut from his weapons and industrial factories (which the French Republic is expected to pay off twenty years after France ends its war with the Coalition and the Monarchists). While Samuel knows this is a serious gamble (as the French Republicans may fall apart due to the pressure), he knows that the Republicans need aid in order to beat back other foreign powers and avoid radicalization. As a result, Kim would (secretly) become one of the biggest supporters of the French Republic. January 27th: Samuel Kim convenes the Watchmen Society in Columbia and the Society discusses the recent turn of events in France. Nearly all of them agree to help supply the French Republicans (as Lafayette requests for more and more support). By the end of 1794, the French Republic would receive millions of dollars in secret from the "treasury" of the Watchmen Society, along with weapons and other goods to ensure a republican victory in France. At the same time, other matters are discussed among the members. The most important being the next potential candidate for the presidency. John Jay, who faced Jefferson once and lost, proclaims that he will run for the 1796 presidency. There are no objections from the Society members and they all wish him the best of luck. This meeting is also the first time that the new members of the Society from Kentucky (Daniel Boone), Hisigi, and Florida (James Martin, a former slave from Jamaica who was elected as the governor of the new state). Future prospects are also discussed and the Society agrees to hold meetings more regularly (nearly all of them are involved in the government, the military, and business, which makes a meeting of all members difficult). January 30th-February 17th: The French Caribbean colonies of Guadeloupe and Martinique are captured by Spanish forces, as the defenses in the two colonies are severely lacking (due to the crisis the French Republicans are facing at home). February 1st: The MLB is expanded to include the Boston Patriots and the Rhode Island Colonials, creating a total of six teams. The schedule is rearranged to fit the travel time between the states and each team will now play 42 games. The MLS also sees an expansion, as the Boston Terriers and the New Haven S.C. join its ranks. February 3rd: The Seventh United States Congress is officially sworn in. 32 Senate seats were up for re-election, with all House seats up for re-election as well. In the Senate, the Republican-Democrat Alliance makes moderate gains. A Senate seat in Florida went to the Democratic Party and a Senate seat in Pennsylvania flipped from the Union Party to the Republican Party. The R&D coalition now holds a bigger lead in the Senate, with 23 seats to the Unionist-Front''s 19 seats (the Front gained a seat in Florida, which was admitted into the Union in 1792). Once again, the Whigs fail to seize a Senate seat, though they put up a strong fight in North Carolina. Meanwhile, the House sees an increase in size from 159 to 163 (owing to Florida''s admission as a state). Three of Florida''s House seats goes to the Front, while the fourth seat goes to the Democrats. The Front sees a growth in popularity and gains seven seats in the House (as the party worked in conjunction with the Union Party and Whig Party to pass critical infrastructure bills in Congress). The Republican Party manages to wrestle a few seats from its main rival, due to President Jefferson''s rising popularity (as no major scandals or domestic events have rocked the administration for some time). The Democrats snag a seat from the Whigs and a seat in Florida. When the dust settles, the results are clear: the Union-Front-Whig coalition holds the House with a bigger majority than before (83 to 73). This is mainly attributed to the Front dominating in Florida and taking seats from incumbent Democrats. United States House of Representatives: Yellow: Republican Party (42) Red: Democratic Party (31) Green: Frontier Party (27) Blue: Union Party (48) Brown: Whig Party (8) Grey: Independents (7) February 9th: Several hundred kilograms of dynamite are used to clear a path for the Erie Canal, clearing rocks and trees from the planned path of the waterway. Demand for the explosive would increase exponentially as the states overseeing the project (chiefly Iroquois, with the support of New York and Quebec) desire to see the canal complete within three year''s time. At the same time, more immigrants would be employed to carry out the project, under relatively safe working conditions and provided with good pay. By the end of 1793, nearly 10,000 immigrants (many of them would be Chinese or Irish) would be working on the development of the canal. February 10th: President Thomas Jefferson is officially sworn in for his second term in office, this time in the White House. He promises a time of stability, prosperity, and growth for the United States. For his second term, President Jefferson seeks to consolidate American control over the western territories, increase relations with foreign powers, and expand both the agricultural and industrial sectors with new inventions and innovations. February 15th: Spanish forces from Spanish Hispaniola crosses the border and invades Saint Domingue, throwing the French part of the island into another bloody war. However, the invasion comes with an interesting twist. The northern district (which is primarily filled with slave owners and their slaves) declares for the French Crown after King Louis announces he will allow slavery on the French colony to be maintained. This will lead to the Spanish invasion focusing on the free southern district, which comes under fire from two sides. March 1st: The first "United States Army Balloon Recon Corps" is created, as ten gas balloons are designated for military use. The corps will see some action in the west and act as scouts/messengers for the United States Army during the 19th century. March 7th: After nearly two months of debate, Congress passes the "Arms Neutrality Act of 1793." The bill declares that the United States will be available to sell military arms to any countries, but will maintain firm "neutrality" in the European conflict (backed by the United States Navy). However, it is noted that the bill is slightly slanted in favor of the French Republic (with the French Republic receiving favorable payment plans and discounts), as the American government is becoming more receptive to its potential republican ally in Europe. The main beneficiary of this act would be the French Republic, who would go on to purchase millions of dollars worth of arms, ammunition, and goods to supply their war efforts. C.E. Order #18 would also be approved by Congress on the same day, leading to some economical stability for the French Republic for the time being. However, the Arms Neutrality Act and C.E. Order #18 will cause an outcry from many European powers, to the point that American envoys would be sent back home from the few nations that the United States has diplomatic relations with on the continent. The only exceptions are Great Britain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and the Ottoman Empire (as the United States does not recognize the French Republic yet). Despite this, nearly all European nations fighting in the war would buy materials and arms from the United States, as their quality and quantity are only outmatched by Great Britain (except Spain, which would embargo the United States completely). Strangely, Great Britain backs America''s "neutrality" and supports them at sea, preventing other powers from raiding American convoys and merchant ships. There are several speculations for why Britain protected American shipping to the French Republic. The most plausible speculation is that with France busy being stuck in a multi-front war and with the other European powers busy with Revolutionary France, Britain is able to expand its influences overseas. This speculation is supported by the fact that Britain would engage in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (which would see Mysore being diminished into a rump state) and the sudden start of the Second Anglo-Martha War (which would be the decisive blow to the Martha Empire in India). As a result, Great Britain saw the potential of the war to diminish France''s ability to wage war or threaten British interests in the near future, thus helping the Americans ship further arms and supplies to the republicans (which would help drag on the war). The two pieces of legislation would also kick off a massive economic boom in the United States, as the United States starts producing more and more to supply various nations abroad. It would also mark the high point of Anglo-American relations until the mid 20th century. March 16th: The "Day of Defeats" occur for the Coalition forces as they are routed both at sea and on land. Off the coast of the French island of Ile d''Yeu, the Spanish Navy suffers severe losses against the French Republican Navy (which is mainly filled with brand new ships as most of French Royal Navy pledged allegiance to King Louis). The Spanish loses nearly twenty ships in the battle, while the French Republicans only suffer seven losses. This loss is mainly attributed to the miscue between the Spanish Navy and the French Royal Navy, as the French Royal Navy failed to arrive on time to assist the Spanish Navy. Meanwhile, a joint Coalition-French Monarchist counteroffensive into Montpellier fails spectacularly, as the republicans grind the attackers to a halt with their adaptive "trench and flank" tactics. The French Republican Army is led by General Andre Massna, who would make a name for himself during the war. As the losses start to pile up (the Coalition would lose nearly 20,000 men from the offensive, while the Monarchists lose around 10,000), the front line breaks down and the French Republic begins its final "reconquest" of mainland France. April 1st: Sam Houston is born in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He will later go on to play an important role in the United States Military during the Anglo-American War. April 2nd: The First Recon Battalion of the First Marine Division becomes the first unit in the American military to receive breech-loading rifles as their primary weapons. The process of incorporating the rifle to all soldiers of the United States Military is expected to take at least a decade, if not a bit longer (due to the limitations of production). The rifles would be used with great effect during the brief Akansa Intervention of 1796. April 6th: Bloody Saturday occurs in Paris, as the Jacobin Club (which has been losing support from the populace and power in government due to its radical attitudes) attempts to coup the Lafayette government (which is dominated by the Girondins). Thousands of Jacobins seize various strategic locations across Paris and manage to free Robespierre (who was imprisoned by Lafayette due to his radicalization after the foreign invasions began). Lafayette immediately declares martial law and comes down harshly on the rebelling Jacobins. Robespierre manages to escape with several of his followers, but many are outright killed due to the mass chaos that occurs throughout the capital city of the French Republic. It would take two weeks for order to be properly restored and by the end of it, ten thousand men and women lie on the streets dead. The Jacobin Club is instantly discredited and the public mourning that Lafayette shows for his failure to stop the rebellion would solidify his image as a "man of the people." After Bloody Saturday, all major political factions of the French Republic would rein any radical members and pursue a more moderate tone in the National Assembly. Robespierre and the remaining members of the Jacobin Club flee for Austrian Netherlands and attempt to runaway to the United States. However, they are caught by Austrian authorities. The reactionaries are imprisoned, though they are kept as "trophies" to represent the "dangers of liberalism and the existence of Republican France." This would eventually lead to Lafayette''s authorization for the French offensive into nearby Coalition territories. April 22nd: Tea harvest begins in Alabama by Chinese farmers, which begins domestic tea production within the United States. Over time, tea will become an important American export to Europe. May 10th: President Lafayette increases taxes and creates war bonds to finance the government, as the Paris government attempts to prevent a massive overload of debt and to continue the war. This is met with broad support as the French Republicans achieve victory after victory against the Coalition forces and push the Monarchists back. The war bonds program is met with enthusiasm from the general population and thousands of people attempt to pitch in their money to support the war effort. June 1st: Gaspard Laurent Bayle graduates from Quebec City Primary School and is accepted into the University of Quebec to study medicine. He is marked to be an "extremely intelligent young man, especially for a sixteen year old, and a man gifted in the arts of medicine and science." June 14th: The First Secretary of State of Spain, Manuel Godoy, attempts to raise taxes in order to support the increasing costs of the war with Revolutionary France. This is immediately met with public backlash and riots. Despite Spain''s commitment to the war against the French Republic, it would deploy thousands of soldiers to quell the rioters. The riots would end after several weeks, but the lingering discontentment and instability would erupt in Spain after the Spanish failures during the Anglo-American War and the independence of nearly all of its American colonies. July 3rd: The first bill against slavery would be proposed in the British Parliament, but it would be stalled and rejected for being "too radical." July 5th: With the increase of settlers in the Mississippi region, Mississippi Territory is divided into two distinct territories. The western half is declared as the Mississippi Territory while the eastern half is declared as the Alabama Territory. The borders between the two is decided to be at the Tombigbee River (up to the Kentucky border) and the Mobile River (as the Tombigbee River does not run all the way south to the sea). The Mississippi Territory would mainly be settled by free blacks and Native Americans, while the Alabama Territory would be settled by many different races. By this time, Alabama maintains a population of nearly two thousand whites, three thousand Chinese settlers, three thousand French-Caribbean blacks, two thousand African Americans, and a thousand Native Americans. In the future, Alabama would be called the "Variety State" for its true embodiment of the American ideals of diversity. July 30th: The New Orleans Incident. A border skirmish happens between American forces and Spanish forces on the Mississippi River. American soldiers claim that the Spanish troops crossed the border between Spanish Louisiana and the United States, while their Spanish counterparts claim the exact opposite. While casualties are limited, it would poison relations between the two nations, especially as news of the atrocities occurring in Saint Domingue spill over to the United States. August 2nd: Les Cayes, the final stronghold of French forces in Saint Domingue, falls to Spanish forces. Free blacks and white French soldiers fight to the very end to no avail, as Republican France is unable to send an expedition to provide relief. The conquering Spanish (and French Monarchists) reimposes slavery on the island. The French Monarchists are allowed to maintain full control over the northern district and parts of the southern one (all the way south until Port Au Prince). The remainders are annexed into Spanish Hispaniola. In the immediate aftermath, numerous atrocities would be committed by French Monarchists and Spanish forces, as they pillage towns that were already devastated by the previous Saint Domingue Civil War and re-enslave thousands of freedmen to work on plantations. Hundreds of blacks would be killed by Monarchists due to their participation in the Saint Domingue Civil War as well. More slaves would be imported from Africa to make up for the losses as well. This would cause a massive roar of anger from the United States, who would take in many freedmen fleeing from the nightmare occurring in Saint Domingue as they can. As a result, Florida''s population would swell from just over 70,000 in 1790 to nearly 150,000 in 1800. Unfortunately for the United States and the French Republic, this would boost the Spanish government''s prestige and provide some economic boost to the previously struggling nation. While Spain does not see a resurgence, it is not collapsing and stabilizing for the time being. August 11th: The first recorded words of "American Creole" would be transcribed into a local government report in Sovtaj. American Creole, a mix of French Creole, French, and English, would become a widespread language in the American South among African Americans and French Caribbean Americans. September 2nd: The first French offensives into Coalition territory begins as nearly fifty thousand soldiers attack and occupy Mons, defeating an overwhelmed Austrian garrison force of 15,000. This would mark the beginning of the French liberation (and annexation) of Austrian Netherlands. September 10th: Salon-de-Provence is captured by Republican forces, prompting the French king to flee to Corsica in terror. Many nobles, conservatives, and loyalists who believe in the monarchy would soon follow suit and create a "government in exile." However, many Monarchist soldiers would continue to fight for the Crown with the Coalition forces. The king would also see some Republicans defect to his side as they believe that Lafayette is "far too radical." However, due to the king fleeing from the mainland, the remaining Monarchist forces fold and the Coalition forces are forced to occupy the remaining "Kingdom of France" territories on the mainland on their own. This leads to an increasingly hostile reaction from the local populace. October 1st: The New York Yankees defeat the Boston Patriots in seven games in a thrilling series, beginning a centuries long rivalry between the two cities. This would mark the Yankees'' second straight American Series victory, something that many New Yorkers take extreme pride in. In the MLS, the Concord SC makes a surprise entrance into the MLS stage and wins its first title against the defending champions Iroquois Warriors. This would also mark the beginning of "sports sections" in newspapers and hail a new age of entertainment. October 6th: President Lafayette officially declares that France is a completely secular nation and will follow a model similar to the United States in terms of separating the church from the government and preventing them from holding any political sway. This will drive many members of the clergy to the king and an angry response from Pope Pius VI. While the church is allowed to operate freely without any harassment from the government, the "radical" policies enacted by Lafayette angers the Papal States and many other states in Europe. November 9th: Stephen F. Austin, who would influence Spain''s decision to sell the Louisiana Territory in 1818, is born in Wythe County, Virginia. November 25th: The town of Cleveland is founded after an expedition by Moses Cleaveland into the Ohio Territory (located in OTL''s Huron, Ohio). December 1st: The United States Congress officially recognizes the Alabama Territory and the Ohio Territory as organized territories. Both will have a seat in the House of Representatives in the next Congress. December 5th: With the help of Samuel Kim, Quebec creates the National Hockey Association with New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Nova Scotia. Six teams are created (Quebec City H.C., Vermont Mountain Boys, New York ,Concord H.C., Montreal Nationals, and Nova Scotia Loggers) and the first season is to start in 1795. Hockey becomes the most popular sport in the American "north north," and becomes one of the original American sports. 1794: January 24th: The French Republican Army pushes into Charleroi, threatening the city of Brussels. At the same time, Kortrijk and Waregem are taken in a matter of days, as the republicans have more troops to send over to the eastern front. January 30th: The Qianlong Emperor, after some negotiations with American envoys, agrees to increase the immigration quota from three thousand to four thousand. With word spreading about free land and jobs in the United States, the quota will be filled every year within the first half of the year. Samuel Kim will also contribute to the effort by hiring merchant ships to directly bring immigrants to the United States (five ships every month, regardless of the costs). By 1795, the Chinese population in the United States will increase to nearly fifteen thousand (along with three thousand Koreans, four thousand Vietnamese, and a few hundred Japanese). The town of Xin will see rapid growth during this time period, as it will go from a town of a thousand inhabitants in 1792 to nearly ten thousand by 1795. Asian immigrants (at least those that have adjusted to life in the United States) will slowly, but surely, move into other cities as well. February 22nd: Congress passes the "National Military Expansion Act of 1794" in an effort to be "alert and ready" at anytime, given the situation down in Saint Domingue. With the horrors of slavery and mass atrocities making the headlines of newspapers weekly (thanks to espionage efforts of the National Intelligence Service, which has recruited several former refugees to interview the locals and shed light on the atrocities committed in Saint Domingue), the populace is rather receptive to the expansion of the military. The Navy will add five more ships to its inventory (the current Navy standing at fifty ships), while the Marines will expand from 10,000 men to 15,000 men. Further investments are also made into military technology, as ARPA works around the clock to implement new inventions into weapons. March 1st: A large shipment of American supplies arrive in Le Havre, bolstering the continually expanding French Republican Army. The shipment will greatly help the French Republican Army, as it seeks to conquer and consolidate the Austrian Netherlands. March 11th: The "Free" Ocean Declaration is made. President Jefferson declares that waters within fifty kilometers of the United States is an "abolition zone," strictly cracking down on any slave ships passing near American waters. The Navy is ordered to be on "high alert." American naval ships will regularly patrol the ocean in search of any slave ships off the shores of the United States and the Coast Guard would also assist the Navy for the task. This is mainly due to new reports from Saint Domingue, which reveals that thousands of slaves are being important monthly to rebuild the colony and make it profitable again. While hardly any Spanish (or any slave) ships will venture near the United States (due to the cold relations between the two and the Spanish embargo on America), this move is supported by most of the American public (even slave owners, as some of them are disgusted by the way the Spanish and French treat their slaves on their colonies). In 1794, only three Spanish slave ships would be boarded and captured by the United States Navy, but those three captures alone would save the lives of nearly a thousand potential slaves from a life of enslavement and hardship. This declaration also causes more sparks to fly between Spain and the United States, but both sides are unwilling to engage in an actual war. April 2nd: Kosciuskzko, after a successful trip back to his homeland, returns to the United States. Before he does, he encourages Poles to move to the United States for a better life and freedom from "European oppression." Several thousand will travel across the Atlantic to settle into the United States over the course of the next several decades (especially those in the occupied parts of Poland). April 9th: The beginning of the Akansa-Spanish War. Members from several different Native American tribes (Natchez, Caddo, Quapaw, and Osage) come together and form a safe haven in the "Akansa Confederacy" (OTL Arkansas and southern Missouri). After several years of consolidating their domain, they "secede" from Spanish Louisiana, triggering a hostile Spanish response. Their ultimate goal is to be recognized as a state in the United States, earning the same political rights and successes that the other Native American states in the Union have managed to acquire. With Spain stretched from occupying Saint Domingue and engaging in a war against France in Europe, the Spanish government is slow to respond to the secession. However, by September, an army of five thousand Spanish soldiers would engage in an all-out war against the Native Americans, seeking to either beat them into submission or destroy them completely. It is during this conflict that the United States would secretly support the Native American tribes fight against the Spanish by supplying them and even sending a United States "Foreign Native American Legion" (composed of around five hundred Native American volunteers from the United States) to assist in their struggle. The conflict will drag on for nearly three years, as Spanish forces are unable to defeat the Akansa Confederacy (who are being trained in guerilla warfare by US advisors). April 11th: Bordeaux falls to Republican forces, as Spanish and Italian troops are unable to hold the line against a rapid assault from the French Republican Army. April 29th: The primary school in Chota is finished, the first primary school in the "western" states of the Union. May 1st-May 23rd: After a brutal three week long struggle that sees much of Marseille destroyed, the French Republican Army proudly raises the republic''s tricolors above the city. The three weeks of fighting would lead to 45,000 French dead (with 10,000 being civilians), 30,000 Italians dead, 10,000 Austrians dead, and 15,000 French Monarchists dead. June 19th: Brussels is captured after General Joachim Murat uses his cavalry aggressively to cut off supplies to the city. The arriving French forces promise the local population that they will be represented in the French General Assembly, provided that they swear loyalty to the republic. These promises are met with cheers and celebration. June 25th: The Battle of Saar results in a stalemate as Coalition forces finally manage to stop the relentless French advances. Despite this, the French forces regroup and manage to seize Trier, which results in further clashes. July 20th: With the "liberation" of France nearly complete by republican forces, President Jefferson, with the consent of the Senate, formally recognizes the French Republic and begins relations with them. This is met with general hostility across the European continent, though the reactions of many European monarchs would be met with indifference by the American government and public. July 30th: The Haitian Revolution begins as Toussaint L''Ouverture, a charismatic Haitian leader, leads three thousand armed slaves to revolt against the ruling authorities in Spanish occupied Saint Domingue. He will be supported by members of the National Intelligence Service, who provides him valuable intelligence in regards to troop movements and Spanish reinforcements. The United States officially remains neutral in the conflict, though they ensure to provide L''Ouverture with non-military aid. August 8th: The Frontier University is completed in Lafayette, boosting the town''s prestige and opening a path for westerners to be provided with a formal education. August 26th: The first US Navy steamboat, the USS Erie, enters service. It will mainly be used as a transport ship during its twenty years of service. September 11th: Aachen is occupied by French forces after a swift battle. On the same day, Toulouse is liberated by republican forces, which spells the end for the war on French soil. October 1st: The Albany Rangers shockingly sweeps the Boston Patriots in four games, leading to mixed feelings in New York (as many support the Yankees, who were third place during the season). Meanwhile, in the MLS, the Iroquois Warriors once again seizes the championship by beating the New Haven S.C. two games to none. November 4th: Elections begin across the nation, as one Senate seat in Maine (due to Senator dying from an illness) and all (165) House seats are up for re-election. Voters turnout will remain high as per usual, due to government campaigns to promote voting and increase interest in politics by everyday Americans. November 11th: Ghent is captured by French forces, throwing the Coalition into a panic. As a result, more troops are sent to the front to halt the French advances. Additionally, the Coalition forces are now being familiarized by standard republican tactics and plan to counter them to blunt their offensive. This will lead to an overall stalemate in the coming years and the beginning of the transition of the First French Republic into the State of France. November 30th: Archie Marsh, an inventor at ARPA, invents the tin can (with some suggestions and pointers from the Watchmen Society). This will revolutionize the storage of food. December 12th: The first experimental US dollar bills come into existence, with denominations in $1, $5, $10, and $20. While these will not be widely available until the 1820''s, this date marks the beginning of the "American dollar" in paper currency. Chapter 112 (1795-1796) 1795: January: Britain records its coldest month in recent history, which cites some concern about the food production and stability of the region. January 11th: The first American military advisors arrive in the French Republic, officially sanctioned by both the French Republican government and the American government. The United States makes it explicitly clear that they will not participate in any battles directly and will act as mere observers. Among them is Captain Andrew Jackson and Colonel Nathaniel Bonapart, who will both take inspirations and ideas from the war to craft new tactics. The move is not publicly announced, but several European nations are aware of their presence, to their suppressed anger. January 27th: The Battle of Liege ends in a stunning French defeat, which will signal the beginning of the stalemate between the two sides. The French Republic will make steady gains, but will be unable to decisively defeat and turn the tide of war against the First Coalition. However, the French Republic will still occupy a large swathe of Coalition territory in the coming years. January 30th: Benjamin Franklin dies, at the old age of ninety. He is mourned by the American public and especially by the members of the Watchmen Society. During his life, he witnessed the development of the American colonies, the Revolutionary War, and the formation of the American republic. In the future, he will be memorialized by many and his face will adorn the one hundred dollar bill. A statute of him will be erected in front of the American National Museums of History and Culture. February 3rd: The Eight United States Congress is sworn in as per usual. The composition of the newly elected American legislature is similar to before, but with some differences. The United States Senate is the same as before (as the empty Senate seat in Maine is filled by a Unionist). The Republican-Democrat Alliance still holds a 23-19 majority over the Unionist-Front Alliance. https://imgur.com/a/t6E97Bi#okctNVc United States Senate: Yellow: Republican Party (14) Red: Democratic Party (9) Green: The Frontier Party (5) Blue: Unionist Party (14) Meanwhile, in the House, two new seats were added due to the recognition of Ohio''s and Alabama''s organized territory status. Both of the new seats went to the Frontier Party, who also swipes a seat from the Democrats. In return, the Democratic Party manages to seize some seats from the more unpopular incumbents of the Whig Party. With the Republicans making gains due to the popularity of President Jefferson and faster economic growth, the Republican-Democrat Alliance is now able to challenge the Unionist-Front-Whigs Alliance in House bills, provided that they are able to sway the Independents. However, the Unionist-Front-Whigs Coalition still holds a (now more narrow) majority (82-77). https://imgur.com/a/9LeGOTj#Wdv34dW United States House of Representatives: Yellow: Republican Party (45) Red: Democratic Party (32) Green: Frontier Party (30) Blue: Union Party (46) Brown: Whig Party (6) Grey: Independents (6) February 4th: The United States celebrates its 20th year of existence, with fireworks, feasts, and alcohol flying freely across the nation. President Jefferson gives a stirring speech that calls for a continued time of "unity, prosperity, and freedom for all Americans." The newly built USS Constitution fires cannon shots off the coast of Boston, beginning a yearly tradition of the ship firing its broadside that will last up until modern day. February 15th: Congress passes the Fortifications Expansion Act of 1795, expanding the line of fortifications on the American-Spanish border in the west and heighten the alert status of the military in the area. With the Akansa Crisis coming to blows between the Spanish and the "Akansa" people, the United States government is committed to prevent the war from spilling over to American territory. Additionally, Congress authorizes more funding to ensure that more units are equipped with the M1790 Lee Rifle. By the end of 1795, approximately 2,000 American Marines and Army soldiers would be armed with the rifle. February 16th: The French city of Biarritz is seized by Republican forces, which leads the Spanish to withdraw troops from its American theater to support the defenses back at home. As the French Republican Army moves closer towards the Spanish border, it becomes evidently clear that they will attempt an invasion through the Pyrenees Mountains. March 2nd: Marie-Louise Lachapelle, a woman of French birth, manages to earn a doctor''s license after completing her studies in the University of Quebec. She becomes the first licensed female doctor in the United States. March 19th: Thousands of Dutch protesters take to the streets, demanding for government reforms and democratic elections. Influenced by the American and French Revolutions, the protesters, calling themselves "Patriots," call for liberalization of the country (which is ruled by William V''s iron fist). The protesters are met with stiff resistance by the military and many are jailed or killed. This will lead to lingering discontent and destabilization of the country, marking the end of the Dutch Empire. It should be noted that French influence in the area is especially heavy, and it remains entirely possible that the Patriots are backed by the French Republic. April 11th: French Republicans capture the city of Nice, threatening the Italian Peninsula. The cost of the war with the Ottomans and the French is severely straining Austria''s finances, but Austria refuses to back out of the war and continues its commitment. By this time, substantial Russian troops are moving into the eastern front as well, blunting the French advances and slowly turning the war into an endless slog between the two factions. April 21st: Sweden becomes the first European nation to recognize the French Republic. In the near future, the two nations will become cordial economic partners. However, with the war in Europe coming to harsh blows, the monarchy wisely opts to sit out of the conflict and proclaim neutrality. May 1st: King Kamehameha I unifies the Hawaiian Islands, creating the Hawaiian Kingdom. The Hawaiian Kingdom will draw attention from Britain, as it needs a major supply base between its colonies in Australia and its remaining North American holdings. Unfortunately, that will result in the British annexation of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1819. May 4th: John Hopkins, who will become one of the greatest businessmen in America and help set up social programs to eradicate poverty, is born in Maryland. May 5th: The first commercial steamboat company, Erie Enterprise (funded by Samuel Kim) opens up for service. It will have nine steam paddle boats in its service by the time the Erie Canal opens up in 1798. May 11th: Congress passes the Erie Canal Funding Act of 1795, supported broadly by all major political parties. It will expand the Erie Canal project to encompass the Hudson River, the Mohawk River, Oneida Lake, the Osewgo River, and Lake Ontario. This will connect the states of New York, Iroquois, and Quebec into a giant, continuous water network. With the federal government now having a share in the project, the Erie Canal project will see additional manpower and funds to its disposal. It will be completed in 1798, officially opening up the flood gates to the west and beginning America''s western expansion. June 1st: C.E. Executive Order #20 is passed by Congress, which creates the National Guard. All states in the Union are required to have at least 1,000 National Guardsmen in active service or in the reserves in case of disasters, invasions, or riots. The National Guards will be primarily funded by each state (approximately 55% of the budget), with the rest of the costs being taken care of by the federal government. The National Guards will vary in size by each state, but they will play a significant role in the Anglo-American War. June 19th: The Hawkesbury and Nepean War begins in full swing, marking the beginning of the end of the natives in Australia. Settlers in Shelburne (OTL Sydney) will brutally suppress and murder thousands of natives. The atrocities committed during this war will be a major red mark against Australia in the future. At the same time, thousands of settlers arrive in Australia, which results in the rapid growth of the colony. June 28th: The French Republican Navy is defeated off the coast of Bordeaux by a joint Spanish and French Monarchist fleet. This will result in the French Republic seeing a drop in import and destroy any chances of a French naval invasion of Spain. While the French Republic never seriously considered a naval invasion, the presence of significant defensive buildup on the French-Spanish soldier led the Republican government to believe that a direct attack would be disastrous. July 15th: Spain pulls out of the Coalition, as they have gained much from their participation during the war and seeks to keep its gains. The Treaty of Andorra is signed between the French Republic and the Kingdom of Spain, officially ceasing hostilities between the two. The treaty specifies that Spain will keep all of France''s colonial holdings in the Caribbean (excluding the Monarchist aligned Saint Domingue). In exchange, Spanish forces will withdraw from the small slices of French European territory they occupy. This will lead to the complete collapse of the Monarchists on the mainland and King Louis (who is currently exiled in Corsica) will condemn the "cowardly Spanish" for "aiding the Republicans." This will free up many French soldiers for the Paris government to utilize against the remaining Coalition forces in the eastern front. However, Lafayette is well aware that France needs peace, and soon. While France is experiencing great success, the devastation caused by the French Civil War, along with the expenses of the war, is pushing France''s finances (even with all the aid from the United States and the Watchmen Society). In secret, he and his government begin negotiations with the Coalition to bring an end to the war. July 30th: Samuel Kim embarks on a diplomatic journey to Europe with President Jefferson''s full support. During what is called the "Second Kim Embassy," Kim will meet with representatives and rulers of Sweden, Denmark-Norway, Portugal, the Ottoman Empire, and Russia. He will achieve varying degrees of success. Due to his efforts, Portugal will reopen diplomatic relations with the United States and strengthen American ties to the Ottoman Empire (military and economic support for domestic reforms under Sultan Selim III. He will also help improve relations between the United States and Denmark/Sweden. However, his reception in Russia will be met with hostility due to America''s interest in the Ottoman Empire and over time, the two nations will develop friction that would last until the mid 20th century. August 14th: While there is a general stalemate between the Coalition and the French Republic (as costs of the war escalate), the city of Turin falls to the French Republic. This will mark the beginning of the end of the First Coalition War and the escalation of peace talks between the two warring factions. The Kingdom of Savoy will survive the war, but it will be greatly influenced by France (which will lead to the Italian Revolution and the formation of the Italian Republic in 1867). August 22nd: Anti-war demonstrations begin in the French capital, as some believe that the war should come to an end. The protests will be a vocal minority, but a minority with a very large presence. While many accuse the anti-war demonstrators of committing treason and acting against France''s best interests, there are many that echo the sentiments of the demonstrators. The war devastated swathes of southern France and has led to the death of thousands of Frenchmen. And with the war becoming more and more costly with every advance, the demonstrators demand that the war ends on France''s terms, but come to an official end. President Lafayette continues his peace talks with the Coalition. However, the Coalition is clear: they want King Louis back on the throne. Lafayette skillfully demands to establishment of buffer states between France and the Coalition to prevent another invasion of French territory and is unwilling to cede that term. As a result, negotiations will continue to go back and forth. Privately, the government of the French Republic discusses potential ways to "accept" the Coalition demands while at the same time preventing King Louis from gaining any power. September 11th: Baba Hassan, the ruler of Dey of Algiers, will pledge not to harass American shipping after some consultation with the Ottoman Sultan and some "tribute." October 3rd: Corsica officially "secedes" from the French Republic, called itself the Kingdom of Corsica. King Louis will become the official head of state (though he does not give up his French monarchy title). The King declares that Corsica will be allowed to govern itself fairly autonomously if they pledge to help the rightful king of France retake the mainland. This is met with amusement from many Frenchmen in the mainland. October 22nd: Toussaint L''Ouverture manages to liberate Les Ceyes and the surrounding areas from Spanish authorities, prompting an even more aggressive Spanish response. Slave rebellions occur throughout Port-au Prince as well, making life extremely difficult and dangerous for the Spanish soldiers stationed in the area. The atrocities committed by the Spanish forces in Spanish Saint Domingue will only stir more rebellion sentiment in the region. November 1st: A group of Native American fighters in Akansa leads a series of raids on Spanish forts and settlements near the Akansa Confederacy. With the Spanish going around in circles, the Spanish government deploys more troops to combat the Natives in the area (as Spain is now out of the Coalition War). November 19th: The Polish military manages to beat back an attempted Russian incursion into its territory, using American supplied weapon. Russia and Prussia will hold back on dividing up the territory for the time being (with both being occupied by the Coalition War). This will give the four million inhabitants of the PLC plenty of time to prepare and defend their country from the expansionist powers. December 1st: The NHA begins its season, drawing great interest from Americans that want to watch a more "contact" sport. December 19th: President Lafayette visits the United States as a formal visit of its republican counterpart. The visit is brief, but he will stay in Columbia for a week to discuss matters with the Watchmen Society and the American federal government. 1796: January 14th: Antwerp is captured by French forces, which results in the capitulation of Austrian Netherlands to the republicans. By this time, Austria is on the verge of bankruptcy due to its previous commitments and the Emperor is becoming increasingly unpopular. Riots break out in major cities, as many within the Austria clamor for peace. January 21st: A hundred Spanish soldiers chase down a group of Akansa fighters into American territory. The Akansa fighters cross the border and flee towards Fort Greene for sanctuary. Things turn confrontational when several Spanish soldiers fire towards the fort, which provokes an American response. There are no American casualties, but several Spanish and Akansa fighters are wounded in the escalation. This event is met with uproar from the American public, as news of the Akansa "Freedom Fighters" being brutalized by the Spanish and the border intrusion filter through newspapers. Combined with the brutality of the Spanish authorities in Spanish occupied Saint Domingue and the (romanticized) Haitian Revolution, the American public is clamoring for a response against Spain. Even the more passive Congressmen are now making aggressive retorts to "make Spain pay." President Jefferson asks for the Watchmen Society to gather and meet for an emergency meeting. By the end of it, the general consensus is clear: the United States can not stand by and only provide indirect aid to the Akansa Confederacy. The nation had built up its finances and military for this very moment, and Jefferson will respond to the Spanish intrusion. At the same time, James Madison announces he will run for the presidency in the upcoming elections. He is wished the best of luck from all members, even John Jay. January 30th: The French Republican Army is repulsed at the Battle of Stuttgart, which will mark the furthest advance the French Republican Army will make into the German states. February 9th: The Qianlong Emperor, who was promised to not as rule as long as his grandfather, abdicates in favor of his son (the Jiaqing Emperor). While he will rule from the shadows until his death, the Qianlong Emperor will ensure that the new emperor is receptive to the United States. February 20th: President Jefferson issues Explicit Executive Order #9, a mobilization of the United States Army, the Hisigi National Guard, and the Kentucky National Guard towards the Spanish-American border. No outright war will be declared, but the United States Military is now on heightened alert as Congress debates on whether to go to war with Spain over the matter. Privately, Congressional leaders and the President meet and agree to avoid a full out war against Spain (which may lead America into a bigger quagmire). However, the United States will now intervene in the Akansa Crisis on side of the Native American people in the area. February 25th: Spain, contacted through proper diplomatic channels in Portugal), is given an ultimatum by the United States: pull out of the Akansa Confederacy within one month or face immediate American hostilities. While Spain has achieved success in the Coalition Wars and gained colonies in the Americas, they are completely unwilling to engage in another war, a war across the Atlantic nonetheless. With resources being tied down to suppress the rebellion in Spanish Saint Domingue and to prevent revolutionary tendencies from spreading to other parts of the Spanish Empire, Spain gives careful consideration to the offer. March 15th: C.E. Executive Order #22 is issued, authorizing an American task force (led by General Nathaniel Greene) to intervene and put an end to the Spanish threat in the area. Spain is informed that they now have exactly one month to withdraw all its forces from the borders of the Akansa Confederacy for its incursion and "invasion" of American territory or face a war with the United States. Five thousand American troops, supported by the National Guard and local militias, move into clear out the area as peacefully as possible. All Spanish authorities and officers in the area are given the same ultimatum that was given to the Spanish government. Most of them accept and return to New Orleans, though a few refuse and are met with hostilities. By the end of the one month operation, Spanish troops have been completely cleared out by the United States with only a few dozen casualties. This will be called the "Akansa Intervention" in the future. At the same time, the Spanish government is given a generous offer by the United States government: shift the borders from the Mississippi River to the Missouri River (though Spain will hold New Orleans and the remainders of the Louisiana Territory) for a sum of four million dollars. Additionally, the United States pledges not to encourage any secessionist movements within the remainders of the Spanish territories in North America, along with normalization of relations. The Spanish government is hard pressed to accept the offer, as they are unable to afford another war (this time, with a regional power that is an ocean away). Additionally, while many conservative elements of the Spanish government desire to contain the United States, even they are unwilling to potentially antagonize a country that borders (directly or indirectly) most of their New World holdings. March 24th: The Battle of White River occurs. Two hundred American soldiers of the United States Army First Division get into a firefight with five hundred Spanish troops. Armed with the new M1790 Lee Rifle, the American soldiers devastate the Spanish forces, inflicting disproportionate casualties. By the end of the battle, one hundred and forty Spanish soldiers lay dead, with even more wounded. The Americans only suffer seventy casualties, with only two dozen deaths. April 23rd: All Spanish troops are evicted from the Akansa Confederacy (either by force or by diplomacy). The United States makes moves to integrate the Akansa Confederacy into the nation (as a territory first, since Akansa does not meet the population requirements needed for statehood, due to the increase in population of all eligible states). A proper state government is established in Greensville (named after the American general that led the expedition to liberate Akansa) (AN: OTL''s Little Rock) and the United States provides relief to the territory (as it was under siege from the Spanish for two years). May 1st: The Spanish government accepts the offer made by the United States and sign the Treaty of Lisbon, which will mark a de-escalation of hostilities between the United States and Spain (until the Mexican Independence War and the Anglo-American War). The Treaty states that the United States will now have its border at the Missouri River, though the remainders of the Louisiana Territory (along with New Orleans) will remain under Spanish control. In exchange, the United States will not construct any forts within fifty kilometers from the new border until 1806. It will also give four million dollars in payment for the new territories. This news is met with celebration across the United States, as Jefferson showed extreme restraint to the situation, but at the same time showed Spain the potential of America''s power and expanded America''s frontier (fairly) bloodlessly. His popularity, and legacy, is significantly boosted by this event. May 14th: Spanish authorities lose control over the southwestern parts of Spanish Saint Domingue, as Toussaint (who is still being given non-military US aid) manages to liberate that part of the island from the Spanish. The Spanish sends over the troops withdrawn from Akansa to Saint Domingue to violently suppress the rebellion. May 22nd: In a surprise move for the presidency, John Jay (Unionist) and James Madison (Republican) throw in their hat at the same time. This will cause a great stir among the voters, as both candidates are highly accomplished (James Madison as a former cabinet member under Kim and a vice president under Jefferson, while Jay had been a Senator since the nation''s inception). A relatively interesting and informative political campaign begins between the two of them, while two other candidates (from the fading Whigs and the Front) make their bid as well. June 4th: The French Republic and the First Coalition sign a highly controversial treaty (mediated by Great Britain) in London. The Treaty of London will revert the French Republic to the "State of France," with King Louis as its official "head." Additionally, France will withdraw from the Italian and German states completely. The Kingdom of Corsica will be restored, with King Louis as its ceremonial head. In return, all hostilities between the two sides will cease and France will maintain control over Austrian Netherlands. Austrian Netherlands will be incorporated into France over the next several decades, with autonomy and representation. The war will also destabilize the parts of Germany and Italy that were occupied by the French, which will be noticeable in the regions when the Third Coalition War begins in 1840. However, this deal will satisfy nobody. The French don''t want the King to return (he does, but he is under house arrest in Versailles and is forbidden from participating in the government), but the French government is aware that dragging on the conflict will only lead to more dead soldiers and weaker finances. They are a republic in everything but name (and the king). Since the European powers are unable to forcefully remove the ruling government, this remains in place. The French public''s reaction to the news will be mixed, though Lafayette reassures them that the nation will remain democratic and will not be directly ruled by the king. On the flip side, the Coalition forces believe they have sacrificed their troops and money for nothing. Austria lost the Austrian Netherlands and its finances are in shambles. Prussia and Russia lost a bit less, but they still suffered from the losses. Spain is happy with what it managed to acquire (though Saint Domingue will make them rethink this opinion in the coming years). The Italian and German states suffered the most directly, though they managed to keep their borders intact. The only reason why they pulled out was due to the rising costs of the war and the willingness of France to revert back to a "monarchy" (which allowed the European powers to save some face). All in all, the peace is inconclusive, and will only result in the Second Coalition War in 1806 after King Louis is overthrown (for good) and the Second French Republic is declared. As part of the treaty, the Jacobin-Montagnards that were captured, including Robespierre, will be sent back to France for trial. They will all be imprisoned or executed for mass murder, destruction of property, and treason. Several days later, the American observers will return to the United States. Captain Jackson and Colonel Bonapart will both be influenced by the war and the devastation it costed. It will heavily affect their perception of the cost of war and will lead to their relatively peaceful, diplomatic policies during their times as presidents. June 20th: The French government announces it will hold new elections to deal with the public outcry and the change in government. After elections are held, Lafayette still remains in power (just barely) as a "Prime Minister" (basically the president, but with a change in title). July 1st: Congress votes to reorganize the territorial borders of the American territories. The previously "Unorganized Territories" in the northwest will be split to include the Wisconsin Territory (up to the Missouri River) and the Illinois Territory. There is fierce debate whether to allow Ohio to include everything from its border from the Iroquois all the way to the Illinois Territory border, but that matter is not settled (though a proposal is made to divide up the "middle" territory between the two territories). The remainders of the newly acquired territory from Spain is designated "Unorganized Louisiana Territory." Akansa officially becomes an organized US territory, along with Michigan (which does not include the Upper Peninsula) and Alabama. All three of them will have seats in the next Congress. Another problem is the legality of the Mississippi Territory. Some Congressmen believe that the territory should be granted organized status, as it meets the population requirements and has the largest settlement west of the Appalachians. However, others believe that the exiled freedmen should not be granted reprieve so easily and vote to delay the issue for several years. In the end, the Mississippi Territory is refused organized status, beginning a law suit against the federal government. July 11th: The Ottoman Sultan Selim III creates the Nizam-I Cedid, the "New Order." It will be a major military reform that will hail the creation of the first modern military units in the Ottoman Empire. The new army will be equipped by European and American weapons and follow American/European doctrines of battle. The Sultan will also make some legal reforms to better structure the empire and allow more autonomy within the further territories of the Ottoman Empire. July 15th: Alabama will create a new city named "Washington" (AN: OTL''s Rainbow City, Alabama) in honor of the American Revolutionary war hero. It will serve as the state''s capital after its completion. August 4th: The presidential campaign in the United States pick up as Madison, Jay, Boone (the Front candidate), and Alexander Martin (the Whigs candidate) debate with one another publicly for the first time in American history. They will answer questions from the public and also debate on numerous topics (both foreign and domestic) for the press to record and spread. It is also noted that by this time, Jefferson and his Republican Party have widespread support from the American public (due to the Akansa Intervention). Many people predict that Madison will win the election easily and for the House to shift back to the Republican-Democrat Alliance. August 11th: The American "embassy" in Nagasaki is complete. Like the Dutch "embassy," it will be restricted and cut off from the rest of Nagasaki and be under heavy scrutiny. However, this will peacefully allow the United States to gain a foothold in Japan. In the coming 19th century, it will greatly influence and shape Japan, which will also help lead to the alliance of the two nations in the future. Through this "embassy," the United States will introduce more advanced science and military technology to Japanese society. September 3rd: The first "Anti-Monarchy" clubs are established in Paris, which will spread to the rest of France. The clubs'' agenda is to remove the monarchy in France (which they call a "tumor") and re-establish the brief, but popular, French Republic. It will fade after the overthrow of King Louis in 1806, but will spread to the United States after the Anglo-American War. September 19th: As his eventual presidency comes to a close, President Jefferson makes a farewell speech to the American public. In the speech, he calls for national unity, strength, and endurance. He emphasizes the necessity of the United States to come together and build the nation into something greater together. He also calls for civility in politics and discourse even after he leaves office. His presidency will be remembered fondly by future historians and he will be regarded as one of the best presidents (due to his ability to overcome all the crises he faced and his amazing ability of foresight). October 2nd: The Treaty of Madrid is signed between the United States and Spain. The treaty will normalize relations between the two countries (though they will still be generally unfriendly with one another). Trade will continue, though the "Free Ocean Declaration" made by President Jefferson will remain in place. October 15th: Catherine the Great of Russia dies, with her son Paul I taking her place. November 8th: Elections happen across the country, with voter''s turnout crossing the seventy percent threshold. After the votes are counted, James Madison is declared to be the distinct winner of the 1796 Presidential Elections with 124 votes (John Jay received a mere 60). He will serve as the Third President of the United States of America. The Congressional elections result also favors the Republicans. Chapter 113 (1797-1798) 1797: January 26th: Russia begins the 1797 Russian Invasion of Poland, determined to seize the final bits of Polish territory for itself. However, the Russian Army is met with stiff resistance from the Polish Lithuanian Army, as they fight desperately to prevent the Russians from completely annexing the PLC. The war will last two years and will cost Russia a river of blood. Prussia opts to stay out of the war, as they have suffered financial and military losses due to the First Coalition War. During this time, the United States send military and non-military aid to the PLC to fight Russian aggression. While Russia remains unaware of America''s support for the PLC, the PLC''s sudden ability to beat back the Russian invasion (at least initially) will arise some suspicion. January 27th: A small group of American business owners (overseen by the Watchmen Society) hires hundreds of people in Riobamba to work in the United States, with the American government''s full support. They move quickly out of modern day Ecuador and leave on a fleet of American merchant ships waiting in Guayaquil. Just a week later, Riobamba is struck by an 8.3 earthquake that causes over forty thousand casualties. The earthquake is considered the deadliest earthquake ever to strike the region. February 3rd: The Ninth United States Congress is ushered in as a new administration takes over the White House. In the Senate, nine Senate seats are contested (Hisigi, Georgia, Kentucky, Vermont, and one seat in Maine). The Democrat Senator in Hisgi defects from his party and joins the Front, narrowing the Republican-Democrat majority to 22-20. https://imgur.com/a/Cv5Lvqy#ro3NJV8 United States Senate: Yellow: Republican Party (14) Red: Democratic Party (8) Green: The Frontier Party (6) Blue: Unionist Party (14) Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, the Republican-Democrat Alliance gains a majority due to President Jefferson''s actions during the last two years of his term. This year''s House elections results in the addition of two new House seats (from the Ohio Territory and the Alabama Territory) and the near extinction of the Whig Party''s influence. With slavery at its death knell and with most of Congress refusing to entertain the idea of granting an extension or additional aid to slave owners, the Whig Party is a very small shadow of its former self. In the coming years, many members of the Whig Party will merge with some Independents to forge a new party (to distinguish themselves from the "pro-slavery" Whig Party). Since the Republican-Democrat now controls the House (after swiping some seats from the Unionists), they gain a majority in both levels of Congress and commands the Presidency as well (81-76). https://imgur.com/a/YyxexcA#gvrvEd4 United States House of Representatives: Yellow: Republican Party (49) Red: Democratic Party (32) Green: Frontier Party (30) Blue: Union Party (42) Brown: Whig Party (4) Grey: Independents (10) February 10th: President James Madison is sworn in as the Third President of the United States of America in the White House. His first term will begin with a period of economic downturn (the Panic of 1797). February 28th: The Sixteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution is proposed by a Quebecois Senator. The wording of the Amendment is as followed: The Languages in which Congress and federal Departments conduct their Business and, in the case of Congress, makes its Laws shall include the standard English Language of the Day, but Congress shall make no law prohibiting or promoting the use of any Language by any States relating to the Business and Governance of the States. The Amendment will be met with opposition from the Unionists, but will face widespread approval from the other parties. Congress will debate on this issue for several months before voting on the measure. March 1st: Ohio formally petitions to be a state. However, due to the disputes of the exact borders of the future state of Ohio, along with some questions surrounding the validity of the census (the territorial government claims that the population exceeds 70,000, well above the 65,000 needed to become a state, but there are doubts about the accuracy of the census), the petition is shot down immediately. A Congressional committee is tasked with clearly outlining Ohio''s western borders and carrying out an accurate census with the help of the United States Department of Internal Affairs. March 12th: The Panic of 1797 begins due to numerous factors, both domestic and foreign. At the home front, the rapid expansion of factories led to a significant amount of loans being lent out by the Federal Bank of the United States. While returns were generally stable and the bank had a sufficient reserve, the bank still relied on stable market prices and trade in order to support the rapidly growing economy. However, when the Bank of England raised interest rates (due to the cold weather in Britain sharply raising British import of wheat, which in turn, depleted the financial reserves of the Bank of England) and the British government crafted an import tax for American industrial goods in order to protect its own industries, demand for American goods in Britain plummeted. While trade with France and other European nations continued, Britain was one of America''s closest and biggest trade partner. With the sudden changes in trade policies, prices of raw material, such as cotton, dropped sharply (as much as 20% by July), sales across major factories stumbled, and prices for finished goods went up as many businessmen scrambled to offset the sudden loss of profit. Many factories laid off workers, lowered wages, and were unable to prevent major financial losses. With many factory owners struggling to pay the interest of their loans, the Federal Bank also stumbled and found itself unable to lend out additional loans to any enterprising citizens. As a result, the economy retracted for the first time in American history and President Madison was forced to deal with a potential volatile economic situation. March 19th: Aboriginal warriors attack the Australian colonial town of Shelburne for the vast purges the colonial government carried out in recent times. The aboriginal warriors manage to kill a few dozen settlers before they are brutally repulsed and destroyed. The captured aboriginal warriors are executed by the colonial government and the "Battle of Shelburne" will throw Australia into a further frenzy to destroy the natives. March 23rd: With the French Saint Domingue (the remaining northern parts of it) on the verge of another rebellion, Prime Minister Lafayette (regrettably) authorizes the sale of the colony to Spain in the Treaty of Paris (1797) for $1 million. With much of the colony in tatters already, there is little incentive for the French government and people to hold onto the "island of misery and rebellions." Slave owners in the colony will accept this news with glee and the entire Caribbean island (except the small, rebel controlled parts of "Haiti") will be united under Spanish rule. Spanish Hispaniola (which now includes the northern parts of former Saint Domingue) will be firmly ruled by Spain until the Flight of King Louis in 1806, which results in the king''s take over (due to numerous reasons, mainly the colony''s instability and the sudden uprisings in South America). April 2nd: An uprising in Paris is met with restrained force as protesters demand the "puppet king" to be removed from the throne and for France to revert back to a republic. The "Anti-Monarchy Clubs" are held responsible for the beginning of the uprising. Unfortunately for Lafayette, mainly radical factions start to gain power within the former republic due to the sudden return of King Louis. King Louis remains within his palace in Versailles, though he meets with current and former nobles in an effort to regain relevance and power. April 15th: The Second Great Awakening shakes the roots of American society. Many Americans will flock to religion in the face of economic uncertainty and religious denominations will guide a spiritual awakening across the nation. With an emphasis on "brotherhood, fellowship, and charity," the Second Great Awakening will have a generally positive impact on American society. Greater emphasis will be placed on the poor, immigrants will convert to Christianity in mass numbers as religious denominations provide for them, and movements will spring up to increase the government''s involvement in social programs. Immigrants in general will be swept up by religious fever (even a few Asian immigrants and Native Americans), as these religious denominations will help them find a place in a foreign land. Vicinusum will especially prove to be popular in Virginia and a few neighboring states, as former war hero George Washington becomes a strong supporter of religion and charity work. The general impact of the Second Great Awakening is an evolution of America''s perspective of race and immigrants. With the end of slavery a year after the Second Great Awakening is in full swing, many religious groups focus on the social aspects of race problems, preaching equality and community between all races. The Awakening will lecture the people that slavery is an "abhorrent sin" and that all Americans are equal in the eyes of God. As for immigrants, they will be accepted and treated well by these same religious groups despite their foreignness (as immigrants are seen as "lost" lambs looking for a greater destiny in "the Promised Land"). The Awakening will especially prove to be popular out in the west and in urban areas. In addition to the societal impacts, it will also encourage religious people to establish a personal relationship with God and maintain righteousness (from work to politics). It should also be noted that many members of the Watchmen Society specifically aided religious denominations that promoted these things and ensured that the religious movement would have a positive impact on American society. April 20th: With the economy facing a downturn, President Madison issues C.E.O #23: The Economic Stimulus Package of 1797. It will include expansion of infrastructure throughout the United States, government loans for businesses (with no bailouts), sales of land in the west, a boost in the Federal Bank''s monetary reserves (in exchange for greater regulation) and an increase of the total number of government workers. President Madison hopes that with sufficient government intervention, the worst outcomes of the economic downturn could be avoided. While President Madison is a Republican, he knows all too well that government inaction in a time of economic (or political) crisis could result in instability, or worse, a total crash. The Consent Executive Order #23 is the final result of his utilization of future knowledge (he focuses closely on the Panic of 1837 in the other history). It should be noted that the C.E.O #23 also includes the very first version of the Homestead Act, which will encourage citizens to move westward (especially after the Erie Canal is finished in 1798). May 11th: The United States and the State of France sign a "Treaty of Friendship," that will affirm the close relations between the two nations and increase political and economic ties. While some Americans are wary of being "latched" onto a European power, and thus being dragged into a European War, the reception to the treaty is quite positive. While France is no longer a "republic," they are still democratic and their values are similar to the American values. Additionally, American merchants and businessmen greatly benefited from their cooperation with France during the First Coalition War. The two will remain very close partners (and eventually, close allies). The treaty also signals the beginning of greater American cooperation with France, than with Britain. While Britain will remain an important trade partner, France will eventually surpass Great Britain as America''s top trading partner (mainly due to the Panic of 1797 and the Treaty). May 19th: The price of gold falls by nearly 10% across the United States (the slide began at the beginning of the year), due to the increased output of the gold mines in Georgia, South Carolina, and Hisigi (along with Kim''s "magic bag"). This will further elevate fears about a downward spiral for the economy. June: With the establishment of the Akansa Territory, nearby Native American tribes move into the American territory in order to escape Spanish rule. The Wichita, the Kansa, and the Missouri tribes will just be some of many tribes that settle into the territory, boosting population growth. In addition to this, American traders also reach the new western border of the United States for trade and American troops set up shop in the area as well (carefully abiding by the Treaty of Lisbon and not building any fortifications fifty kilometers from the border). The state of Akansa will be admitted as a state within fifteen years. Up north, several northern tribes band together in order to form their own territory up north (within America''s borders). While a number of them will be hostile to US expansion (especially the Pawnee, the Santee, and Cheyenne), others will peacefully attempt to create another "Native American territory" within the United States. With the border being the Missouri River, many of these peaceful tribes will set up their homes just east of the Missouri (AN: around eastern North/South Dakota and western Minnesota). June 5th: Congress swiftly passes the "Economic Stimulus Package of 1797," giving the struggling economy a swift push to prevent a prolonged economic downturn. The "ESP" (as its more commonly known throughout the population) will help turn the economy around. People that are unemployed due to the crisis find jobs in the government, or in construction work. Businesses and factories slowly recover, and the few that are unable (or unwilling) to take up the job offers given to them by the government head west. The rapid response by the government, combined with the beginning of economic recovery a year later, will help increase the people''s trust in the government and prevent any major domestic unrest. June 10th: The Lanfang national government enters into a secret pact with the United States. The pact will allow Lanfang to act as a "middleman" between the United States and East Asia. American ships will still sail to Canton to trade, but American traders will be able to trade for Chinese, Korean, and Japanese goods through Lanfang (as American merchants often wait months in Canton to fill up their cargo to bring back to the United States). Lanfang will greatly benefit from this deal, as American traders will pay the island nation with industrial goods, precious metals other than silver, and technology in exchange for Asian goods. June 19th: The "Naturalization Act of 1797" is passed near unanimously by Congress. The Act clarifies the requirements to become a citizen of the United States (ten years of residence [which includes time spent off American soil during military serve, if needed], no major criminal offenses, a Citizenship test [which includes American history, laws, government, and knowledge of a potential citizen''s home state], and an oath of allegiance). Any immigrant that are eligible for citizenship due to the Act are included (so if an immigrant arrived in the United States ten years prior, he is eligible for citizenship after the passage of the Act). The Union Party is satisfied as it requires an immigrant to live in the United States for a substantial amount of time before attaining citizenship. The Frontier Party is also amendable to the Act, as it will greatly benefit those that will attain citizenship after living in the western territories/states (a number of them are now eligible due to the Act). The Democrats/Republicans are also supportive, as it now creates greater incentive for people to immigrate to the United States and lets nearly any immigrant to naturalize to become an "American." True to their beliefs, the United States will see a rapid growth of immigration rates during the 19th century and will lead to the rapid settlement of many interior states. July 2nd: The United States will carry out the first joint-military exercise off the coast of Florida. The United States Marine Corps would unload from ships of the United States Navy to carry out a mock invasion, with the defending forces being the United States Army. The exercise will achieve great success and spread new doctrines acquired from the First Coalition War through the branches. In a twist of irony (and fate), Major Jackson would accept the surrender of Colonel Bonapart (the two of them already good friends due to their observer status in France) in "Fort America" (a mock fort built for the exercise). Nearly a thousand Army soldiers, a thousand Marines, twenty five ships, and several thousand Navy personnel take part in this exercise. July 9th: Explicit Executive Order #10 is declared (Congress will allow the president to send this expedition under an E.E.O due to the nature of it). President Madison orders the creation of an expedition to survey the northwestern parts of the United States that are still officially "Unorganized Territories." The objective of the expedition is to make contact with the Native Americans in the area, map out potential locations for settlements (while avoiding hostile Native American territory), and clarify the western borders with Spain. For this expedition, President Madison appoints Major Jackson and Colonel Bonapart to lead (due to Major Jackson''s experience with Native Americans and Colonel Bonapart''s military experience and ability to think quickly on his feet). The two of them officially receive their commission on the 30th and begin to assemble a team of individuals to help them journey through to the western territories. July 21st: The Navy adds the last ship from the National Military Expansion Act of 1794 (the USS Quebec City) to its inventory. With the addition of the USS Quebec City, fifty five ships (the best quality for its time) are under the United States Navy''s direct control. The military budget is approximately ten percent of the annual budget, with the rest allocated to ARPA, public education, land development, infrastructure improvement, the federal government itself (services, salary, and other utilities), and various other programs run by the United States government. With the success during the Akansa Crisis and the necessity to secure American shipping from potential pirates and privateers (since the First Coalition War nearly threatened American merchant ships), the American public is more than willing for the United States to maintain a "modest sized, top-notch military." August 3rd: The "Free Sioux Nation" is formed in future Lakota. The "Nation" consists of several different tribes that sees the United States as a potential threat (and believe that their "Native American" counterparts sold their souls to the white invaders). Their goal is to remove the Spanish and the Americans from their territory and create an independent entity for themselves. They will play a relatively important role in the American Western Front during the Anglo-American War.. August 19th: Congress formally approves of the new borders between the Ohio Territory and the Illinois Territory. The Flatrock River and Sugar Creek will be the new borders between the two territories. At the northern end of the Flatrock River, the territory will be split exactly in half up until the Michigan Territory. Congress also recognizes "the Missouri Territory" an Unorganized Territory (AN: OTL Missouri and southern Iowa). September 9th: After the fall of Port-au Prince to rebel forces, Toussaint L''Ouverture (with the nudging of the United States) declares a free and independent Haiti in the town of Les Cayes to a cheering crowd. The new Republic of Haiti is declared to be "totally free from European rule, both by the oppressive Spanish and the traitorous French." Slavery is abolished, a Constitution similar to that of the United States Constitution is established, and Toussaint is swiftly elected as its first ever president. By this time, Spain has suffered more than ten thousand casualties due to the rebellion and disease. With the acquisition of northern Saint Domingue from the French, the Spanish spends less considerable effort to stamp out the so called "republic." However, they will still refuse to recognize Haiti''s independence and continue a low-scale war against them up until 1806 (even after the United States recognizes the Republic of Haiti in 1798). September 22nd: The United States Military establishes a report that states that nearly forty percent of the United States Army, along with sixty percent of the Marines, are now armed with the latest M1790 Lee Rifle. October 13th - October 30th: The Kingston Rebellion occurs in the British colony of Jamaica. The rebels, emboldened by the successes of Haiti against their colonial overlords, consist of enslaved blacks that fight against British rule (which has only returned in force after the British retook the island from the French). Several hundreds are killed and the British places severe restrictions over the slaves on the island. The colony will still supply the British Empire with sugar, but will remain a hot spot in the Caribbean for years to come. November 7th: Frederick William III becomes the new king of Prussia. November 16th: ARPA (based out of New York City) invents the arc lamp using a crude battery. The implications of this invention will only be widely known during the mid 19th century. December 1st: In a surprising move, the Qianlong Emperor sends his fifteen year old grandson (the future Daoguang Emperor) to oversee the "capabilities and governance of the Tributary State of the United States. This is mainly due to the interesting reports the Qinalong Emperor has received from his officials in the United States (who are honorary members of the White House Staff and oversees American relations with China). While he is not surprised at the republican nature of the United States (due to Kim''s constant letters, the constant updates sent by the American federal government, and the existence of another tributary republic, Lanfang), he is still keen on keeping tab of the "tributary nation in the barbarian and unknown lands." Historians often remark that this action was a show of force and power by China. When the United States government catches wind of this, they prepare a heavily armed escort (two First Rates, three Third Rates, and five Continental Frigates), along with a number of merchant ships, to carry the Prince and his delegation (over a hundred officials and servants) to the United States. The fleet will depart in late January and arrive in the United States by June. At the same time, this expedition (and China''s inability to deploy its own ships to traverse oceans), will lead to China exploring the possibility of creating a small, modern fleet in order to maintain prestige and face. 1798: January 1st: While each state entered the Union at different times, nearly every single state in the Union declares the end of slavery at the beginning of 1798. Only a few special cases (mainly in North Carolina) remain. By the year''s end, slavery is completely abolished and the United States becomes one of the first nations to eradicate slavery. January 29th: The Sioux Conflict begins as Native Americans from the "Sioux Free Nation" raids several American aligned Native American villages in the Unorganized Territories (future state of Minnesota). This will spark a bloody conflict in the area as the Sioux Free Nation seeks to gain dominance of the upper Missouri River region. The US Army will deploy over three thousand soldiers to contain the conflict and to push back the Sioux Free Nation away from its borders, starting a bloody war between the United States and the Sioux Nation. Since most of the Sioux Free Nation sits in Spanish territory, the United States is unable to fully eradicate the problem (and Spain will deny any access to its Louisiana Territory). As a result, the war will last over a decade and even after the Louisiana Purchase, the independent movement in the area will linger. February: The process of interchangeable parts become more and more popularized thanks to the efforts of the federal government and Samuel Kim. Samuel, who is one of the richest men in America, is an innovator and many factory owners/businessmen follow his models closely. With the recovery of the American economy going nicely, business is picking up faster than usual (with the United States experiencing a period of confidence and a "can-do" attitude). February 5th - February 17th: The North Carolina National Guard is deployed to deal with insurrection and unrest as the remaining slave owners in the state rebel against the governor of North Carolina''s decree to end slavery before June 1st. Fourteen slave owners will lose their lives due to armed confrontations, but the insurrection will be put down before it gets out of hand. Several key areas in the central and western parts of the state will be patrolled by the National Guard to ensure that the governor''s decree is followed through. March 9th: The expanded Erie Canal is declared complete as the nation as a whole celebrates. The canal will open the floodgates to the west (literally and figuratively), which will increase the rate of settlement in the western parts of the United States. Within just three years, Ohio will qualify for a state, with Michigan and Illinois not too far behind. Ontario will also see benefits from the completed project, as immigrants arriving from Europe will journey into the interior northern territory through the Erie Canal. Erie Enterprise officially opens for business and becomes one of the most profitable water transportation companies in the United States. The opening of the Canal will also signal the "bounce back" of the American economy, as investment and development of the west provides an additional boost to the recovering economy. March 15th: The Irish Rebellion begins as Britain cracks down on the pro-independent Society of United Irishmen. The Society, which stands for an independent, republican Ireland, fights against the British authorities in Ireland. Clashes between rebel militias and the British military will occur from March to June, but the Society itself will not be dissolved until September. France will discreetly send material aid, but will not intervene in the conflict. March 30th: The United States Military is declared to be "fully operational." In total, the United States Military stands at fifty thousand Army soldiers, fifteen thousand Marines, and fifty five Navy ships. New bases will be built across the nation due to western expansion. However, many military units will still be primarily stationed in the east. While American territory is vast, the spread out nature of American military bases encourage the British to attack the "Southern Underbelly" of Louisiana, Jefferson, and Alabama; and attack the western frontiers during the Anglo-American War. April 5th: The United States officially recognizes the Republic of Haiti as a sovereign and independent nation (after a lengthy talk with the Spanish government). Spain will not lash out in rage, as they recognize that having a small, independent "republic" will help quell the rebellious tendencies of Saint Domingue (and since the territories that the small republic controls are the most unprofitable regions). Due to the recognition, the United States will send an ambassador to the Republic of Haiti (former Senator Eliyah James of South Carolina, who retired from politics to take care of his family). The United States will also send aid more directly, though cautiously avoid sending too much arms to the small republic. However, America will assist in helping rebuild the war torn republic and do its best to stabilize the nation with aid in order to build up a reliable ally in the only other independent American nation. Agriculture will shift away from plantations to private (and communal) staple crop farms (though coffee and bananas will still be grown on the island) and a small industrial sector will spring up after a decade. Over time, the United States and Haiti will develop a strong relationship (an older brother, younger brother relationship) and two will become founding members of the League of American Nations. April 10th: After a very lengthy debate, the Sixteenth Amendment of the Constitution is passed and approved by a two thirds majority in the House and the Senate. The Sixteenth Amendment will be enshrined by future historians as the very core of America''s "greatest value" (diversity) and the Amendment will encourage Americans to speak multiple languages. By modern day, more than seventy percent of all Americans will be able to speak languages other than American English. May 2nd: The May Riots occur throughout France, as King Louis'' invisibility to the public, along with the popularity of the former republic, affects the public perception of the effectiveness of the "State of France." While Lafayette is still popular, mainly due to his overarching reforms as the first president, most of the French populace blames the other European powers for the political situation in France (as they believe France won the war handily). Demonstrations and riots rock the entirety of France, as the people demand for the king to be removed and for the Republic to be restored. Lafayette will struggle to ensure that things remain under control while King Louis is impassive to the wave of unpopularity. He will continue to scheme with various nobles and contact foreign nations to restore his "rightful place as the head of France." May 23rd: Samuel Cooper, who will go onto become one of the highest ranking generals during the Anglo-American War, is born in Albany, New York. June 1st: The Appalachian Mountains Marathon and the National Summer Games will begin at the same time. Several fleet footed Native Americans and frontiersmen will hike throughout the entirety of the Appalachian Mountain Trail (from Maine to Georgia) in order to seize a huge prize of five thousand dollars. They will be followed by riders who will ensure that they do not cheat (such as ride horses throughout the race). The Appalachian Mountains Marathon will draw the attention of millions as newspapers will blare the status of each participant daily. People will also come out to feed the participants and provide them with warm clothing as they make a seemingly impossible journey to hike through the mountain range. Meanwhile, the National Summer Games will be an entertaining highlight of the summer for many Americans. The Games spans the first two weeks of June and is hosted in the cross way point between Pennsylvania, Iroquois, and New York. There will be numerous events (ranging from one hundred meter sprints, to triathlons, to javelin throws) and the winners will receive medals and prizes. Over time, more states will join the Summer Games and an entire town called "Summer" built in Iroquois (which will, in the future, feature a huge stadium for the Games). With sports leagues, marathons, and games, the United States population gradually shifts into a society that highly values sports (and encourages children to carry out physical exercises). June 12nd: Prince Mianning of China arrives in New York with much fanfare. He is greeted by an impressive honor guard consisting of members of every military branch, the president himself, and key members of Congress. He will stay in the United States for four months before beginning his return trip to China. During his time, he will be (briefly) exposed to western cultures and ideas. It is believed that this brief trip also shape his views to see the United States more favorably. He will play a critical role in "assisting" the United States during the Anglo-American War (by kicking out British traders and merchants) and help set the foundations of modern China (which will also indirectly lead to the end of the Qing Empire). June 30th: In a Supreme Court ruling (James v. North Carolina), the SCOTUS declares that states can not make any laws that enforce segregation based on race. The North Carolina law, which was subject to extreme controversy throughout the nation, stated that for the "safety" of the white and black communities, the two communities should be firmly separated (claiming that the state government will ensure that the two communities are "separate, but equal"). In an unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court found this to be in violation of the Eleventh Amendment, as the Eleventh Amendment clearly specifies that "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." According to the court''s opinion, by forcing people to segregate, the state of North Carolina was depriving the citizens of the said state of "life (the ability to live wherever they wanted), liberty (segregation based on their race would limit the people''s liberties and livelihood), and property (in order to enforce the new laws, North Carolina would need to forcefully remove people from their properties to ensure complete segregation)." This will also be the first court case that mentions an "implicit" definition of the Constitution, as the Chief Justice writes that the Constitution (specifically, the Eleventh and Twelfth Amendments) "supports and cradles the idea of equality and diversity, without subjecting people to inspection based on the color of their skin." July 9th: The Republic of Haiti officially declares its capital in Les Cayes, due to the relative safety of the city''s location. Government buildings will be built in the area and the city will become the bloodline between Haiti and the United States. August 2nd: A violent, armed uprising in Dublin (part of the Irish Rebellions) will be swiftly suppressed by the British Army. The uprising will result in hundreds of Irishmen dead. August 30th: Detroit, which has seen a swell of immigrants due to the completion of the Erie Canal, becomes a city of five thousand inhabitants. At the same time, many other settlements expand and/or founded (Toronto, Cleveland, Arnold [AN: OTL''s Toledo, named after Benedict Arnold], Thaona [AN: OTL''s Hamilton, named after Senator Thaonawyuthe of Irouqois], St. Louis, and a few other cities). September 6th: The final battle of the Irish Rebellions end just outside of Killala. All the leaders of the Society of United Irishmen will be imprisoned or executed. The destruction of the Society of United Irishmen will result in many republicans fleeing to the United States. September 9th: The Russian Empire officially conquers the PLC after a tough war. The PLC is officially dissolved and split between Russia and Prussia (with Russia getting a larger portion than Prussia). While the Poles and Lithuanians fought valiantly against overwhelming odds, they are completely swamped by Russian manpower. Many Poles (especially ones that fought in the military) will flee to the United States with their families and be accepted with open arms. A majority of them will take part in the Race to the West (settlement of the western USA). October 5th: With the assistance of some advisors and engineers from the United States Navy, the Qing Empire begins its crash project of creating a deep water navy. They will have twenty modern ships by the year 1810. October 22nd: Crown Prince Mianning returns to China with ships full of gifts and "tribute." He will also return with a number of Western books that he keeps in secret. November 1st: Sultan Selim III begins the First Crimean War against Russia with his newly formed Nizam-I Cedid in order to regain dominance in the Black Sea. This conflict will last for three years and the Ottoman Empire (and the Sultan) will enjoy a considerable amount of success against a weary Russian Empire. November 5th: Elections begin once again, this time with many more voters (due to the Naturalization Act of 1797). All House seats are up for re-election, while thirty two Senate seats were up for re-election as well. The result will lead to a shift in Congress (as the Union Party aggressively pursues a campaign to reiterate that the party would''ve handled the Panic of 1787 preemptively due to their big government policies). December 2nd: The first prototype of the steam locomotive is created in New York by ARPA. While the prototype will be far too heavy and slow to be reliable, it will hail the beginning of the Age of Railroads. Chapter 114: Financial Crisis Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America April 1st, 1797 "Three more factories have closed in Massachusetts two weeks ago, and the remaining ones are facing a financial crisis with only a few exceptions," Secretary of the Treasury Balthazar P. Melick announced with a grimace, "The people are panicking and the economy is evidently sliding. We must do something now, Mr. President." President James Madison, third president of the United States, read through the reports with a careful eye. He wasn''t a very big person. In fact, he was one of the shortest men in the White House. However, his keen blue eyes and strong demeanor reminded the top members of the Executive Branch that he was in charge. His level-head and intellect were what got him elected to the highest office of the United States in the first place. Even during these dire times, he remained composed and dignified to "steer" the nation in the right direction. The two of them were speaking privately with one another in the Oval Office, discussing a plan to halt the economic panic. The president and his cabinet were meeting later today, but the two of them wanted to iron out a solid proposal to present to the Secretaries. "I agree, despite my party''s policies. I''m afraid that I can not allow the federal government to stand by and watch this crisis unfold," President Madison replied firmly, "We must intervene swiftly and quickly. The nation is our top priority, my party be damned." "I assume you already have a proposal, Mr. President?" "Yes, but it''s not yet complete. I wanted input from the Cabinet before finalizing it and sending it to Congress for a vote." The American president walked over to his desk and slid open a drawer. He pulled out two things: a stack of papers and the laptop. "I interacted with the "Oracle," and I believe I have found an answer." Secretary Melick smiled. The "Oracle" was an affectionate name the previous presidents placed on the most advanced piece of technology in the world. The name was fitting, as the "Oracle" allowed the United States government to have immense foresight and have a wealth of information from the future. Other than then-President Kim, the "Oracle" was probably the most influential "figure" in the United States. After all, it was what led him to change his views on economics and his former business (he followed the precedent and gave up his business until he was out of office). If there was an answer to their problems, it was in that device. "The Panic of 1837," President Madison mentioned as he swung the laptop over to him, "Look at the causes of the Panic and tell me that it doesn''t look eerily similar to our current situation." "The Bank of England raising interest rates, American banks raising interest rates in response to the Bank of England, depleting the savings of businesses and people, plummeting prices of raw goods... It sounds awfully like our situation." "Yes, but it may be worse. According to the reports I have received in the last month, Great Britain also created an import tax against our goods and our Federal Bank is being depleted of funds. It is possible that this "Panic" may correct itself, but I fear that the worst potential outcomes may happen without government intervention." The Secretary of the Treasury nodded and flipped through the proposal called the "The Economic Stimulus Package of 1797." The "package" included plans to have the federal government employ more people (in both construction work and administrative work), feed a portion of the federal budget to the Federal Bank (in exchange for greater regulations and oversight in order to ensure that this didn''t happen again), and provide businesses with a temporary loan (with a low-interest rate, but with full expectations for the borrowers to pay off their loans in the future). "This seems like it''ll work, Mr. President," The secretary stated as he placed down the proposal onto the president''s desk, "However, may I suggest something?" "Go ahead. You are more knowledgeable about finances than I am. If it wasn''t for the "Oracle," I would still be working on this proposal." "President Jefferson acquired more territory out in the west. The amount of territory is not substantial compared to the total size of the United States, but there is plenty of room for two or three additional states to spring up in the area, discounting the territories occupied by the Natives." Secretary Melick wasn''t a huge fan of the Natives, but they were loyal to the United States and were major contributors to the nation, so he held back his complaints. "What if we offer land in the newly acquired territories to allow some of these unemployed fellows to take their dissent elsewhere?" President Madison''s eyes widened, "That is a very sound idea. Give them land in those territories, encourage them to settle in the interior parts of North America, and allow them to develop it." "Of course, there is also the option of pushing further west since Spain has withdrawn most of their military forces from our borders..." "I will need to consult Secretary of Defense Knox before making such a decision, but I very much doubt that the people will stomach a war while the country is going through an economic crisis," Madison answered, "And I do not want to be known by future generations as a warmonger. Some other president can conquer Louisiana, for all I care. As of right now, our priority is on fixing this problem so the people support and trust the government. After all, do we really want the people to distrust the government and believe that we are against them?" Chapter 115: A Couple of Years on the Erie Canal Mohawk River, Iroquois, the United States of America August 12th, 1797 "You heard? They passed that natural thing in Congress." Conor Murphy rolled his eyes, "Naturalization, Jack. They''re allowing immigrants to naturalize now." The two Irish immigrants were working on the Erie Canal on the Mohawk River. They were within the borders of the state of Iroquois, which was not entirely friendly with "outsiders" but allowed them to remain within the state as long as they worked on the canal. Conor had to admit, the state had some fairly nice views of the wilderness. Most of the Native Americans of the state still lived in small, communal villages and towns while the only big "city" was Onondaga, which was the state capital. As such, the state felt much emptier and... wild. Conor stopped for a moment to take a deep breath of fresh air as he adjusted his "hard hat" (an iron hat with some padding inside) to shield his eyes from the sun. "What does naturalization mean Conor?" Jack O''Brien asked as he swept his shovel into the dirt. There was plenty of work to be done and with Congress throwing money behind the project, there was plenty of profits to be made as well. They got paid a Quarter per hour and if they worked more than eight hours in a day, their wages doubled for the extra hours they worked. The government called it "overtime pay," but Jack and Conor saw it as "more money for more effort." Sure, the United States was a bit weird and the two of them were still adjusting to their life here. But the pay was honest and always on time. And the government hired anyone that was willing to work. They didn''t judge people by their race or religion, which helped the two Irishmen since both of them were Catholic. All they had to do was to work hard, follow the American laws, and they were set to have a steady job with good pay and benefits. "It means they''ll let us be citizens if we live here long enough and behave ourselves." "Don''t they have some kinda test?" "It''s just some of that American history, government, and law stuff. Nothing too difficult for literate lads like us." Conor replied with a shrug. That was another benefit they received for working on the canal: school lessons. Some teachers from the government came out to help teach the workers learn to read and write, while also teaching them useful things like math, science, and history. That was all for free as well, and a lot of immigrants took up the offer in order to make their stay here permanent. Conor and Jack weren''t any different from the others, they joined in on the lessons with their fellow workers. They had been working here for a year now and Conor was certain that he and his partner were "above average" in terms of education. Jack smiled, "I think I''m gonna take that test and live here. It ain''t so bad in America no matter what some of them people back in Britain say. The folks here are nice, the pay is good, and I heard they gonna offer some land to us out west after this canal is done. Ain''t that a dream?" "Sure is. Gonna see if I can get ma and pa here.I''m sending them money every month so they can save up and move here. There''s a lot of Irish folks in New York City, so I think they''ll fit right in. Connie needs schooling as well, her twelfth birthday was just last month. She ain''t gonna be digging trenches like me, so she should probably get schooling and go to those universities here. She''s a bright girl, so I''m sure she''ll do fine." "Oh, they accept women. It always slipped my mind," Jack shook his head, "I don''t know about that Conor. Do you think they should be receiving education?" "Well they can do a bunch of stuff here that women in Europe can''t, so why the heck not? And this nation ain''t like any other. They let Negros go to those national schools. They let Indians guard their "National Parks" or whatever the hell that is. And they let women vote. Women going to school ain''t that hard to accept once you realize all the other weird things happening in this country. Besides, Connie can get schooling here for free and that''s too good of a chance to pass up for her." "You really love your sister, don''t ya Conor." "Of course I do you spud, now let''s keep on working and make more coins." The two worked silently for an hour or so until the supervisor (who was a tall, Native American with traditional clothing and a cap with a feather on it) called a few of the workers over. Conor noticed that most of the group were Irishmen like himself while a few unfamiliar "Asian" men stood by and watched their pale-skinned counterparts with interest. The supervisor spoke English clearly with a slight accent, "Alright listen here! We''ve just hired more laborers for the canal. Most of the new recruits are Chinese or Korean. Almost none of them can speak English, but it will be your duties to help them learn English and teach them what to do. I will help as much as I can, but I will need all of you to assist me. There are four Chinese and Korean men that can speak English, so you will relay commands to them while helping the others learn as much English as possible. For this extra duty, the government will pay you an additional quarter per hour, with the overtime benefit adjusted to match your new earnings. Excited whispers and murmurs broke out between the Irishmen. Fifty cents an hour! And a dollar for every hour they worked after the eight hour quota. Conor could almost envision buying land or even starting up a business with that kind of money. All the Irish workers accepted and they were paired off with an Asian worker. That meant that Conor had to separate from Jack for a while, but he wasn''t worried. They were still going to eat lunch together anyways (and even if he was wary of the Indians, they made some mighty fine smoked meat). Conor was paired off with an Asian man named "Meng Tengfei." He had an awful time pronouncing that name, but settled on the name "Meng" with the Asian man''s approval. Surprisingly, the man spoke bits and pieces of English, enough to somewhat communicate. "You from Korea?" The Irish worker asked curiously. Meng opened his mouth and shook his head, "No! China. Everybody ask, "You from Korea?" And no, I am from China." "Oh," Conor replied. Guess it was a touchy subject for the Asian man. In Conor''s defense, he learned about that lad named "Samuel Kim" from his history lessons and he was worshiped by many Americans. Helping the poor, starting businesses, giving excellent pay to his workers, serving as the first president, defeating the damn Brits in battle (that was definitely a plus in his book). It seemed like that man could do it all, and it was emphasized that he was Korean. In this country, he was basically as popular as the Pope was to Catholics. With that in mind, he assumed that almost all Asians were Koreans (and after all, he never met an Asian before coming to the United States). He realized that it was like if someone asked Conor if he was Scottish instead of Irish. Somewhat close, but enough to irritate him."Sorry." "No, no. It''s ok. You from where?" "Ireland, part of Great Britain. You know, that powerful country in Europe?" Regardless of his thoughts about Great Britain, it was still one of the biggest and strongest powers in the world. "Britain?" Meng asked with a confused expression on his face, "Where that?" "Oh you never heard about Britain? We''ll it''s very far from here and very very far from China." Meng called over a translator to translate Conor''s words to him. Conor frowned when he discovered the Chinese translator''s name was "Lei Fengfang." Did the Chinese just purposely come up with difficult names to pronounce? "Ah, I see." His Chinese companion replied as he received the translation, "Meiguo very far from home. I from Guangxi, south China." "Oh, I''m from Munster in southern Ireland." And the two started an awkward, but interesting friendship. Omake: The Founders of the French Republic(s) AN: All credits go to @sparkptz (user on alternatehistory,com) for this wonderful update! If you want to contribute to the timeline, feel free to PM me and I''ll do my best to incorporate it into the timeline. This includes, but is not limited to, a writing piece about China after the Kim Embassy, or an analysis of America''s unique relationship with Native Americans. Maybe you think I didn''t really cover certain parts of the world well (such as the Ottoman Empire, the Poland Lithuanian Commonwealth, or Japan) and want to write up a short story for them. I''m always open to more additions to the timeline! +++++ Excerpt from the book "Founders of Two Republics: Lafayette and Danton, 17871808" Published in 1999 The Estates-General As 1788 gave way to 1789, King Louis became more and more intransigent with regard to the demands made by the Estates-General. More and more, his ear was given over to the urgings of the arch-reactionary Comte dArtois his brother who feared (with some ironic justification in hindsight) that making any questions on the questions of legitimate absolutism or on the question of privileges for the nobility would open the door to Americanism a by-word, in his views, for degenerate mob rule. An exasperated Comte de Mirabeau, one of the early leaders of the Third Estate, is known to have remarked to Jean-Joseph Mounier that he was more royalist than the King himself. Disillusioned by Artois meddling, seeing his eloquent argumentation summarily ignored, and the Kings refusal to countenance any sort of accommodation on the question of representation for the Estates, Mirabeau announced in early January that he was taking a brief sabbatical to consider his health, and the torch for the cause of the Third Estate passed to the other public giant of the Estates-General: the Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette was already a national icon for his role belated though it was in the American Revolutionary War. French newsletters, pamphlets, and public gossip of the time tended to vastly exaggerate Lafayettes role in the conflict, presenting his arrival as the critical turning point that took a war in the balance to a decisive victory against that most hated, ancient of enemies: the English. Unlike Artois, the French public viewed the American Revolution as an event to be celebrated and toasted and saw Lafayette as a conquering hero returning home. Lafayettes diaries reveal that he was well aware that all this was untrue, and he was deeply uncomfortable with the adulation, but demonstrating some of the keen political instincts he found in America, he decided to ride, rather than correct, the wave, for he had a purpose in mind. Almost immediately, Lafayette began making speeches that would not have been wildly out of place in the halls of the Cordeliers or Jacobin Clubs a year later. Outdoing even the sentiments of the sensational pamphlet Quest ce que le Tiers-etat? by the obscure monk Emmanuel Sieys, he argued that the Third Estate of which he was not a delegate represented the only legitimate executive body of France. He called for the First and Second Estates to be dismissed, for all noble privileges to be ended, and for a new democratic Constitution to be promulgated on the basis of universal manhood suffrage. The speeches shocked the listeners many had figured Lafayette to be an idealistic but otherwise mild-mannered noble, just like them, not an Americanised radical and electrified the general population, amongst whom Lafayette was now second only to the Lord God himself in popularity. Louis and Artois, naturally, counted amongst the former. Their mood deteriorated yet further when it was discovered that Jacques Necker, who had been Louiss Finance Minister on-and-off for the last several years, had in fact been misrepresenting or outright fabricating part of his financial reports, culminating in a blatantly false accounting of the monarchys debts being released to the public. Necker was summarily dismissed but Lafayette, sensing his moment, demanded a full accounting of the monarchys debts as far back as the Compte Rendu of 1781, alleging that it too was fraudulent correctly, as later analysis would uncover. Incensed, Artois urged the Estates-General disbanded and Lafayette punished, but Louis was indecisive, stuck between his own outrage and his fear of triggering an uprising. It was thus grimly ironic, from his point of view, that his subsequent actions set France inexorably on such a path The Revolution Begins Today, most historians state that the French Revolution began officially on the 1st of February 1789, with the storming of the Bastile by the Bourgeois Militia of Paris. Hearing of this, Louis ignored the advice of Artois to crush the uprising by force and caved, giving in to Lafayette and the Third Estates demands. The next day, the Militia was reorganized by the National Assembly into the National Guard and Lafayette appointed its commander-in-chief, on top of his roles as Leader of the Assembly and Prime Minister. On this same day, Georges Danton volunteered for his local militia battalion for the Cordeliers district of Paris. Unlike the regular French Army, the officers of the National Guard were elected, not appointed (a practice that continues to this day). However, while the vast majority of the elected officers of the first National Guard were bourgeois property owners, reflecting the roots of the National Guard as a bourgeois militia created to protect the capital from both invasion and from looting, the Cordeliers district was already known for its political radicalism and had played a significant role in the storming of the Bastile. Dantons noted political idealism, personal magnetism and razor-sharp wit ensured he was elected as Commandant in the National Guard (equivalent to Major in most English-speaking countries). The first few months of Dantons time in the National Guard were not auspicious. A founding deputy of the Parisian Society of the Friends of the Constitution - later known as the Jacobin Club - he was initially far more aligned with the radical politics of Maximilien Robespierre, Jean-Paul Marat, and other future Montagnards than the bourgeois liberal politics of the Assembly. Furthermore, his physical condition was ill-suited to military work; the rest of the officer corps of the National Guard resented that this fat, illiterate ogre [2] was to be considered their equal and, in some cases, their superior. Danton himself disdained his fellow bourgeois officers, thinking them more concerned with shopkeeping than protecting the people, and railed against the property requirements for entry into the National Guard. Dantons relationship with Lafayette was a complex one from the beginning. Although Lafayette was nominally his superior as Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard, the Cordeliers Battalion under Danton remained largely autonomous, notably more radical and more representative of its poor sans-culottes population than any other district in Paris. Historians would later discover that Danton, Camille Desmoulins, and Fabre dEglantine had been forging property deeds to allow impoverished men to skirt property requirements for joining the National Guard, though such requirements would soon become moot. Danton also vociferously opposed Lafayettes decision to support the expulsion of Robespierre from the National Assembly in late August, believing it a betrayal of democratic principles, as well as the arrest of Jean-Paul Marat several days afterward for his call to violent insurrection against the Assembly and the Grand Chatelet. He railed against the active vs passive citizen distinction proposed by Mirabeau and Mounier in the Assembly, and excoriated Lafayette highly unusual at the time for allowing the resolution to come to the floor of the Assembly at all. It is during this time that Danton is known to have seriously considered leaving the National Guard, and he was instrumental in the founding of the radical Cordeliers Club in early September. On his behalf, Lafayette appeared deeply suspicious of Danton, believing him to be a violent insurrectionary in waiting, and it was only his fear of triggering such an insurrection from the Cordeliers district which deterred him from expelling Danton from the National Guard or allowing the Grand Chatelet to break up the Cordeliers district and thus reduce Dantons power. He wrote of the Cordeliers Club that they were bloodthirsty terrorists in wait, and in his diary appeared to be weighing up the possibility of declaring it a proscribed organization. He appeared to distinguish between Dantons Cordeliers and Robespierres Montagnards, but his initial impressions were deeply negative and would take years to warm. However, any incipient clash between Lafayette and Danton the only man who could plausibly contest Lafayette as the most popular man in Paris was circumvented by Lafayettes Ordre dEgilisation of 1 September, allowing all citizens of age eighteen or older to join the National Guard, entirely bypassing the property requirements imposed by the National Assembly. Danton would be one of the few officers in the National Guard to enthusiastically support this decision, and the Paris sections in which Dantonist sentiment was strong in particular those with strong membership in the Cordeliers Club, which had quickly grown beyond the district itself found membership in the National Guard swelling, even while the more conservative bourgeois battalions of the National Guard in other parts of France found both officers and rank-and-file deserting in droves. For the time being, Dantons faith in Lafayette was restored. The Birth of the Republic The drastic change in the character and composition of the National Guard would have significant effects mere months later. By this stage, a farcical situation had developed whereby the Assembly would pass laws to one effect, and the King in Versailles would promulgate decrees that bore only vague, if any, resemblance to the laws upon which they were supposedly based. Worse than this seemingly dual governmental apparatus, one in Paris and one in Versailles, were rumors beginning in late September that Louis was considering suspending the Assembly, sacking Lafayette, and annulling many of the decrees passed since the Revolution had begun. Infuriated, calls had begun within Paris and the remaining radical members of the Assembly for a mass demonstration on Versailles to dissuade the King from taking such actions. Many of the most strident of such calls were made in speeches by Danton and other members of the Cordeliers Club. One such demonstration had already been attempted in October, but the King had refused to leave Versailles, and the marchers - largely women armed only with pots and broomsticks - had decided to disperse rather than take on the regular Army troops that had been deployed in defense of Versailles. Worried that a second attempted demonstration would turn into an outright insurrection, in particular with the backing of the sans-culotte National Guard sections, but also deeply concerned about Louis XVIs intransigence and mindset, Lafayette asked the King to come to Paris to make a speech to the Assembly reaffirming his commitment to constitutional monarchy and the Revolution. Instead, spurred on by his arch-reactionary brother, the Comte dArtois, and believing that Frances financial situation had sufficiently recovered, Louis instead fulfilled the worst fears of the Revolutionaries: on the 15th of November 1789, he declared the Revolution to be complete, the Assembly to be dissolved and ordered the Army into Paris to restore the natural order of things. The subsequent battle between the French Army and the heavily Dantonist Paris National Guard in the streets of Paris would be soon recognized as the opening battle of the French Civil War... --- Notes: [1] "What is the Third Estate?" [2] Danton was likely dyslexic; though he could definitely read and write he preferred not to do so, which is why very little survives that was authored by Danton himself. The derogatory comments on his physical appearance should speak for themselves. Omake: The French Revolution AN: Continued from the last chapter... Once again, all credits go to @sparkptz. +++++ The Republican Fortress The first night of newly established French Republic as of then, occupying little more than Paris itself, and even then largely the sans-culottes districts of city was a chaotic one. Lafayette had never wanted a Republic in truth, and his posthumously published diaries would demonstrate a deep belief that constitutional monarchy was by far the best chance France had of stable democratic government (a belief that likely influenced his acceptance of the Treaty of London at the conclusion of the First Coalition War). However, his utmost ideal was protecting democracy and the Revolution, and now that Louis had made his choice abundantly clear, Lafayette made his own. Quickly realizing that the Republics sole hope was the sans-culottes dominated National Guard that, just days before, he had been worried would be the source of an insurrection, he ordered Marat released from prison and allowed Robespierre and Barre to resume their seats in the much-depleted Assembly. The latter was an entirely symbolic gesture, of course, but the message was obvious: you are free, now protect your Revolution. Indeed, the conclusion of Lafayettes famous saying to Danton now in his capacity as Commandant in the National Guard makes this abundantly clear: I am not your friend, and you are not mine. But we are both Frenchmen, and in defence of liberty, that is enough. Danton responded to this call of arms with near-fanatical enthusiasm. In a line oft-quoted by radicals, would-be revolutionaries and radical reformers, he sounded the call to arms in the Cordeliers and Jacobin Clubs: The tocsin bells we are about to ring are not an alarm, it sounds the charge on the enemies of liberty. We need audacity, then again audacity, always audacity, until the people are saved! [1] Audacity, however, would not be the word used to describe Lafayettes first hours as President of the French Republic, for he promptly disappeared from view for several hours. Rumors abounded perhaps he had fled with the Assembly, or been kidnapped or killed by royal agents, or even had defected to the King and only the natural authority of Danton and, to a lesser extent, Robespierre prevented panic breaking out amongst the ranks of the assembling National Guard. Years later, Lafayette would reveal in those critical hours in the dead of night that he had been consulting with the American Ambassador John Laurens. Why he did so at such a juncture, however, has never been fully explained neither Lafayette nor the ambassador divulged any details of it before their deaths, nor were any notes taken of their meeting. However, based on what followed, historians have guessed that the Ambassador contained secret correspondence from the former American President, Samuel Kim, with advice on how to proceed in exactly such a juncture. Amongst many other things, Kim was one of the great military innovators known to history, had taken a keen public interest in Lafayettes cause from the Revolutions outset. It is thus understandable that some would conclude that Lafeyette, a gifted military commander and a fine leader of men but not otherwise known as an innovative tactician of note, would not be solely responsible for the urban warfare tactics used in the forthcoming battle many years before they would be widely employed. However, it is likely that the truth of this matter, one of the great unsolved mysteries of the French Revolution, followed Lafayette, [...], and (if involved) President Kim to the grave, and will never be recovered. Nevertheless, the period of time in which Lafayette was apparently indisposed represented a mortal danger to the survival of the nascent Republic or it would have, had his opponent grasped the urgency and gravity of the situation. Louis, still prone to indecision and temporizing despite Artois influence, did not dispatch the Army immediately, and despite his later reputation truly did not want blood spilled on the streets of Paris. Besides, how could Lafayette possibly hope to resist? The Assembly is but a pack of beggars, he is quoted as saying dismissively, and so beg they surely will. But the Assembly at least, what was left of it did not beg, and Lafayette did not back down. As night turned to morning, sunlight revealed that the streets of Paris themselves had been fashioned under Lafayettes personal direction into a reply more effective than any words: across the city, on wide thoroughfares and narrow, twisting lanes alike, hundreds upon hundreds of makeshift barricades had been constructed of torn-up cobblestone, street rubble, bricks, ripped-out doors, and anything else the citizens of Paris and National Guard the two were, by now, essentially synonymous could get their hands on. Some of these were, reportedly, genuinely imposing structures in their own right, revealing a level of sophistication in conception and design that reveals exactly why some historians have theorized that the designs came from Samuel Kim himself. Above the largest of these barricades there flew the famous tricolor that had already come to symbolize the Revolution; red, white, and blue. Paris had been turned from a city into a Republican fortress. It was not until late morning that news of this continued defiance reached Louis XVI. After a little more vacillation, and with enormous reluctance, he assented to Artois using the Army to put down the Revolution once and for all. At three oclock in the afternoon, Artois led three columns of infantry, somewhere between ten and fifteen thousand in total, from Versailles to march on the city. Against them were, nominally, fifty thousand National Guard. However, even a desperate scouring of the city for arms only produced enough firearms and ammunition for twenty thousand, the vast majority of whom had never so much as held a gun before, let alone been trained to use one productively. Artois confidence that by the following morning the monarchy would be fully restored thus appeared well-founded. What happened next would have been impossible for King Louis and Artois, overconfident and contemptuous of his enemies, to imagine. The Battle of Paris [2] The first sign of trouble came before they had even reached the city. Since the 17th century under Louis XIV, Paris had been lit by candle and oil lamps that illuminated the city after dark the original source of Pariss famous descriptor, the City of Lights. On Lafayettes orders, those lights had all been smashed. The three columns thus found the city rapidly darkening upon their arrival shortly before sunset, with any and every known cache of weapons in the city had been raided and cleared out. Artois men were said to have been visibly unnerved by the prospect of fighting an unruly mob in unlit streets after dark, but Artois pressed on without calling for reinforcements (despite having no experience whatsoever in urban warfare). They were, after all, just an unruly mob. Artois plan was to have the three columns split up, control the major thoroughfares of the city, and steadily root out the revolutionaries street by street. The first column would march for the Place Joachim-du-Balley in the centre of the city. The second would march to the H?tel de Ville (the City Hall). The third would occupy the Place de la Bastile, although the hated fortress had been demolished months earlier. It is difficult to imagine a more misguided strategy than the one Artois chose, nor a more fateful outcome. The first column marched up the Rue Saint-Honor to the Place Joachim-du-Balley, taking only light fire on the way. As is the case today, the square itself has merely four streets leading in and out and upon arrival, three of these streets had been blocked by large, imposing rubble barricades. It was only then that the column cold, lacking food, water, ammunition, and now caught in an open space surrounded by barricades and tall buildings realized the depth of its predicament. Sensing the risk of being trapped the column tried to back out the way they had come, but it was too late. The National Guard rapidly converged on the surrounding buildings and started raining heavy fire on the near-helpless column, with only a fountain and stray rubble as cover, and the Rue Saint-Honor itself was quickly barricaded. The first column was now trapped. The second column, commanded by Artois personally (as he had believed Lafayette would be at the Hotel de Ville), fared little better. The entrance to the square in front of the Hotel de Ville had been barricaded, and Artois ordered the few cannon he had brought along wheeled up and the barricade destroyed. This quickly bore fruit but poisoned fruit, as upon entering the square, this second column found itself in a similar predicament to the first: caught in an open space, surrounded by tall buildings, and taking heavy fire from three directions, with the majority of exits still barricaded. Artois was quickly shepherded back the way he had come, although in this case, the presence of cannon ensured that the second column had far more of a fighters chance than the first. This was just in time because the barricade that had been smashed on the way in was soon repaired by National Guards under heavy fire, it should be noted. The third column, on the other hand, had proceeded to the Place de la Bastile by a circuitous route around the north of Paris, in the process largely avoiding the main barricades and the bulk of the fighting. They reached their destination without significant incident, beyond the sporadic exchange of fire with small groups of National Guards. Finding their destination largely deserted and thus pacified, they heard word that the second column that personally led by Artois had run into heavy fighting, and they resolved to reinforce their comrades. However, they soon found that the streets had been barricaded behind them, and they could no longer go out the same way they had come in. They were thus trapped deep in the restive eastern districts of Paris, home of the most radical sections of the sans-culottes, including those whose leadership was dominated by Danton and the Cordeliers Club. The commander of this third column attempted to send out small detachments to find an alternate route, but the interior streets of Paris, then as now, are narrow and twisting, and in the dark these detachments soon got lost or worse, in some cases, trapped behind barricades and taking heavy fire. Somehow, all three columns were now in virtually the same hell: stuck in open spaces, surrounded by tall buildings filled with ferociously angry National Guards armed to the teeth, trapped by barricades some ten feet fall and lacking food, water, ammunition, lighting, and warmth. The results were inevitable. Many defected straight to the National Guards, taking their weapons joining the very same unruly mob they had been sent to crush. Others surrendered, mostly those whose officers who believed in Lafayette, thought Artois and the King a fool, the expedition foolhardy, and had no intention of losing their lives in their name. Some of these officers would soon join the newly raised Republican Army, facing off against their former brothers-in-arms. Most, though, were led by hard-headed royalists and would hold out through the night, taking grievous casualties (while inflicting many of their own). The remnants of the first column tried to fight its way down the Rue Saint-Denis to join the second column, and the third column continued its attempts to do the same, but beyond adding to the eventual body count, such actions had no impact on the result of the battle. By dawn, the last of the surviving soldiers in Paris had surrendered or defected. Just over a thousand of their number lay dead, with a similar number wounded. Casualties for the National Guards ran over fifteen hundred dead and two thousand wounded, mostly sustained around the Hotel de Ville and the Rue Saint-Denis as the three columns desperately attempted to blast their way through the barricades even as more were constructed amidst the fighting. However, these figures were of little consequence beyond the creation of martyrs. The Republic had faced its first and most dire test, and it had passed with flying colors. Artois did not stick around to see the fruits of his labor. Once it was clear that the situation in Paris was irretrievable and his army was melting into the night, he took those officers and soldiers still at hand and retreated to the relatively of the south bank of the Seine, and then ran like the wind itself back to Versailles once it became incontestable that the battle was lost. From there, with the National Guard bearing down on them, the King, his family, and his entourage fled. They would not stop until they reached Marseille, hundreds of miles to the south... --- [1] Very similar to the famous OTL quote that was blamed by the Girondins (probably incorrectly) for instigating the September Massacres of 1792 which brought down the monarchy OTL. [2] This entire battle is basically a flat-out rip-off of what happened on Day 2 of the Three Glorious Days during the 1830 July Revolution. Chapter 116: The Crown Prince of China Xin, New York, the United States of America June 17th, 1798 Prince Mianning of the Qing Empire scowled as the Qing Administrator to the United States, Lai Qiao, bowed at his feet, "So you are telling me that there in this tributary state, there isn''t a set place for royal officials to hunt quietly away from peasant hunters?" "I humbly ask you to not take this as an insult, my Prince," Qiao said solemnly as he remained on the ground in front of the Manchu prince, "Meiguo is a very odd nation, a republic like the Lanfang state. There are no nobles or royals in this nation." The two of them were within a luxurious mansion in the western district of the city of Xin (there was another residence for the prince in Columbia, but he preferred to be near his own people). The "Asian City" was separate from the American city of New York, but Xin was just as busy as its neighboring city. Over ten thousand people lived in the area, ranging from Chinese immigrants looking for land to American citizens looking to establish connections in the bustling settlement. The city was prospering due to a continual flow of Asian immigrants to the United States (numbering around five to six thousand per year). In this "barbarian nation," Xin was the only place that reminded Prince Mianning of his home. Even his mansion, which was designed and built in record time, looked like a small, royal retreat that he visited often in China. Prince Mianning was unsure why his grandfather sent him to this faraway land, but he was going to ensure that he acted properly in this "tributary state." "Do they not know who I am?" "They are well-aware of the importance of his royal highness, which was why important members of their government and military came out to greet you personally." In truth, Qiao knew that the Americans were upstarts and hardly revered his Imperial Majesty to the extent that "civilized" Chinese people did. However, they were still respectful of all Chinese officials like himself, and that was enough for Qiao to give the barbarians a bit of leeway. After all, the United States still submitted its yearly tribute to the Emperor, hung the Emperor''s portrait in their "White House," and the nation itself was thousands of kilometers away from the Chinese Empire. If anything, it was surprising that they even made concessions. "Rest assured, my Prince, I will lodge a formal complaint against the Meiguo government and tell them to set aside some land for your own, personal use during your stay here." The prince looked somewhat alleviated by this remark, but his scowl remained, "While I was traveling in that province called "New York," there was a large amount of land sealed off from the peasants. What is in that land, a holy temple?" "No, your royal highness. That would be something called a "National Park." It is a private park set aside by the Meiguo government for the beauty of nature to remain pristine and untouched in that area. I believe they call it "Bear Mountain National Park." "That will do then. Inform the Meiguo government that I will be using that "National Park" as my hunting grounds." Qiao internally panicked, "Your highness, I have the utmost respect for your decisions. However, demanding such a thing to the Meiugo ren would anger them. They consider their "National Parks" as natural treasures and want to preserve the wildlife in the area as best as possible. Additionally, their "National Parks" are guarded by these people called the Ynd''nrn, the Native Americans. They are fearsome warriors, much like those Hui Muslims in Qing, and they are more than willing to use force to protect those parks." "Then buy it from them." "I am unsure if they are willing to concede those lands easily, your highness." Prince Mianning sighed, "Very well, I will have to settle with private plots of land to hunt. However, I expect them to be bountiful of huntable wildlife and an honor guard of local Meiguo ren." "Of course, my prince," Qiao replied happily. "What are my plans for this week?" Qiao gave the question some thought before answering, "Your entourage will be leaving for Meiguo''s capital in four days'' time. The city is called "Columbia," named after an explorer that discovered these lands. You will be given a personal tour of the city by the Vice President, a man named Richard Henry Lee. You will be staying at your official residence in the city, though you will be able to visit and inhabit the White House as well. The White House is like a much smaller version of the Forbidden City for the American presidents. It is their place of residence and authority. When I am in Columbia for my administrative work, I live in the White House and meet with the president frequently." "That man is named "James Madison," correct?" "Yes, your highness." "Why is he sending his "vice president," or whatever that is, to show me around the city instead of himself?" "I have asked the same question to him personally and he answered that he will give the tour of the White House to you personally. However, as he is the leader of this nation, his attention is required to the nation''s workings." Surprisingly, Prince Mianning nodded his head approvingly, "He created a splendid welcome for my arrival, I will allow it. I will personally ask him about the hunting grounds when I meet him then. What will I be doing for the next four days?" "Whatever you would like, your highness. You could visit some of our people in this city publicly to show that the Emperor and his will are still with them. There is much to see in both Xin and in "New York." You can also take your time to relax and rest. I will be more than willing to serve your highness'' needs by providing you with anything that is within my abilities." "Books." "Your highness?" "It is important to know more about this nation and its people. Of course, they are barbarians but it will be useful to show some knowledge and intellect about certain subjects when speaking to the leader of Meiguo. Give me something interesting to read about the government of Meiguo, along with information about its people and its resources. Perhaps I can also negotiate with them to allow the Emperor to exert more influence here and increase the number of tributes we receive from them." "Of course, your highness. I will get to it right away." Chapter 117: The Haitian Republic and President Toussaint Les Cayes, Republic of Haiti May 28th, 1798 "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ambassador," President Toussaint L''Ouverture of the Republic of Haiti said through his translator as he shook the African American man''s hand, "My countrymen and I greatly appreciate the assistance of the United States through our troubled times." "It''s a shame we could not do more, Mr. President. However, the United States will now stand firmly behind your nation and support you in any way we can. That is a promise," Former Senator, now the American Ambassador to Haiti, Eliyah James replied. The two of them were meeting in a spacious house in the middle of Les Cayes, the de facto capital of the Republic of Haiti. Ambassador James arrived on the morning of May 27th after being appointed by President Madison and the Senate as the ambassador to the new American nation. He was well-liked by the people of South Carolina and was fondly remembered as a soft-spoken, yet strong-willed, Senator that stood up for African Americans during the early days of the republic. He considered his new position as a great honor and accepted it willingly. While he knew little about the local language and culture, he was more than willing to learn about Haiti in order to ensure that the United States maintained a close relationship with its Republican counterpart. President Toussaint smiled, "That is good to hear, Mr. Ambassador. For a while, some of my fellow Haitians were nervous that the US would turn us away or throw us to the wolves." "For what reason?" "They believed that America would not want to risk a conflict with Spain over a mere "former colonial possession," The Haitian president coughed, "Of course, I always believed that the US would pull through to help us. After all, your nation provided us with valuable aid during our War of Independence. Some of my lieutenants preferred to have direct American military aid, but intelligence and non-military supplies were crucial to our victories as well." Ambassador James was briefly informed by President Madison about the role of the NIS in the Haitian War of Independence. The US remained firmly "neutral" in the conflict, as they believed that supplying any rebels in order to topple governments and nations was a bad precedent to set. The former senator thought about that notion for a while and had to agree. It would be foolhardy to fund any insurgents with weapons and money since there were no guarantees that they would become Republicans or even nominally democratic after they achieved independence. The Haitians were no exceptions, though, after Toussaint all but guaranteed that Haiti would become a republic, the US sent limited aid to support the rebels. As the Haitian president mentioned, the US provided intelligence for rebels through the NIS. The National Intelligence Service maintained a sizeable spy network in the area due to their recruitment of former slaves that fled from the island to the US. As such, NIS agents were able to gain insight into Spanish activities on the island. Using forged government papers, money, and bribery (mainly of Spanish authorities), the Haitian rebels were always one step ahead of the Spanish. As for non-military aid, the US sent foodstuffs, clothes, and farming tools to prevent starvation. The Spanish government lodged an official protest, but due to strained relations and the Akasna Crisis, the US refused to back down. And as public opinion was firmly against Spain for its atrocities on the large Caribbean island and in Louisiana, the US didn''t give a damn about their protests. After the American government allowed Spain to randomly check cargo of any American civilian ships that approached the rebel-controlled parts of Saint Domingue, the European nation discovered that the US was only sending non-military supplies (America''s official statement was that it was trying to prevent mass starvation on the island and even offered some to the Spanish colony). Spain was unwilling to fire upon American ships for providing non-military aid to the Haitians and the whole matter was avoided like the plague. The entire debacle made the ambassador feel proud of his country. Yes, the US could have provided more aid for the Haitian rebels, but the US still showed some levels of commitment and allowed the Haitians to free themselves. It legitimatized the nation as an independent entity that achieved victory through themselves, instead of being hobbled along by a foreign power. The US was also like Haiti, back in the day. It was alone in the world without friends and squared off against a dominant European empire. Yet, the United States won and achieved independence by itself (with some assistance by France, like how the United States provided aid to Haiti). And above all else, it showed great restraint by the United States. America was supposed to be a beacon of freedom, liberty, and free will. Instead of toppling the Spanish authorities directly and creating a puppet state in Haiti (which was certainly feasible given the size of the American military), the United States guided the freedom fighters to turn their nation into a democratic republic and recognized them as equals. There was no demand for compensation or repayment, only a display of friendship. "The United States stands, and will always stand, with her friends in the Americas." "And so will Haiti," Toussaint replied evenly, "Now, Mr. Ambassador, I was told that you have an important message from Columbia?" Ambassador James pulled out a letter written by President Madison and handed it to the Haitian leader, "President Madison requested that I delivered this letter to you personally, and then negotiate the terms written on the letter." For a few minutes, the American ambassador remained silent as the president read through the letter with a neutral expression. James was well-aware of the content of the letter. In it, Madison addressed the need to revive Haiti''s destroyed economy and offered various forms of aid in order to help Haiti get back on its feet. The offer included a list of loans (with very low-interest rates), reconstruction efforts (providing lumber and tools needed to rebuild many Haitian towns), a free trade deal (which would allow the US to establish a presence in the Haitian economy, and vice versa), essential aid (foodstuffs, tools, military arms, and experts), and military training (with members of the Haitian military being allowed to train with the US military). Afterward, he folded the letter neatly and placed it on his desk, "The terms are agreeable, but I believe a few of them can be adjusted a bit." "Very well, then let us discuss." Omake: The Beginning of the French Civil War AN: Many thanks to @sparkptz for another update. Once again, if you want to contribute to the TL, feel free to shoot me a DM with your excerpts, POVs, or narratives! Since we''re expanding the story to the global stage, I''ll gladly put any inputs from the readers into the timeline. +++++ Spark''s Note: Many of these events are referenced in Chapters 94 of the main timeline +++++ Excerpt from Arise, Children of the Fatherland!: The First Coalition War The Purge of Marseille News of the astonishing events of the 14th, 15th, and 16th of November spread throughout France over the following weeks, although not as fast as Louis XVIs entourage as it sped southwards. Amidst the chaos of the Battle of Paris and the subsequent clean-up the National Guard had deliberately damaged much of the citys roads and lighting in the effort to turn Paris into an armed labyrinth of barricades and traps it took over a week for messages to be sent out to the various departments informing them of the astonishing events of the previous weekend. Indeed, many of the southern regions of France did not hear about the Republic at all until royalist armies, reimposing the Kings absolute authority, told them about it, usually in the course of levying troops from said regions. This delay turned out to be fateful. Whilst Lafayette and the much-depleted National Assembly tried to get control of events in Paris and assert their newfound Republican authority on the provinces, the royal entourage continued towards Marseille. Initially, the King had intended to set up court in Tours, but it soon became clear that they needed to get as far as they could from the clutches of the National Guard whilst still remaining in the metropole. Along the way, the entourage initially the royal family, the nobles that constituted the remaining court at Versailles, and those who had escaped the disaster in Paris had grown into a respectable army. Rumors of the Kings flight had spread far quicker than any official messages from either the Kings entourage or from the National Assembly, and those conservative and royalist nobles who had not yet fled the country flocked to the Kings side. Soon the Kings entourage had attached to it a respectable army of near eight thousand; albeit one of the more top-heavy armies in recorded history. At least half of the army was of the officer class, with only a small fraction of enlisted or levied troops. On the 13th of December, the royal army reached Marseille. What followed can only be considered one of the great tragedies of the entire war. Still infuriated by the humiliation at Paris, Artois now with experienced military men around to guide him was determined to do to Marseille what had not been done to Paris, particularly as Marseille had been one of the cities most enthusiastic in support of the Revolution. Whilst the people of Marseille had ample warning of what was headed their way, and the local Dantonist National Guard tried to organize a valiant defense, there was no repeat of the victory the Parisians had achieved on that fateful November Sunday. Artois had learned his lessons well, and the people of Marseille did not have a Lafayette leading them. The Royal Army stayed in a single group, avoided the makeshift defensive structures the National Guard had tried to construct, and over the following days methodically purged the city of its pro-Revolutionary sentiment district by district, street by street, house by house. It is difficult to determine the exact death toll of what was soon described in Republican propaganda as la purge, but modern historical estimates of whom were killed during the battle or were executed after the fighting had ended range from five to seven thousand, with some wilder neo-Montagnardin claims of up to twenty thousand (ironically, these dubious claims typically rely on Girondin propaganda after the fact). Louis and Artois had, at last, crushed an unruly mob. The fallout from the Purge In the short term, the Purge of Marseille was a badly-needed triumph for the King. Had he been forced out of France entirely, it is quite possible that the French Civil War could have sputtered out before it even reached a chance to get fully going, and the Battle of Paris would have been the final paragraph in the long history of the monarchy in metropolitan France. However, with Marseille under firm royalist control, the King was able to consolidate, establish a new court, and even gain control over much of southern France often, as mentioned by dint of controlling the roads and getting the message there first. Over the course of the first half of 1790, the Republic steadily pushed the royalist forces back, but never quickly or decisively enough to truly threaten the King''s position in Marseille. All the while, migrs who had fled France throughout 1789 flocked to the Kings court, bringing with them two full armies under the Prince de Cond and the Marquis de Bouill, and Austrian mercenaries began to pour into the south of France. By summer 1790, the National Guards push south had stalled, and all was ready for a massive counterattack against the Republic. In the longer term, however, the Purge was a permanent stain and a catastrophe for the Royalist cause. Amongst those parts of France that did know about the Republic and fall under its authority, the story of the Purge became a black legend, although admittedly a highly embellished one. The new Republican anthem, La Marseillaise, was named in honor of the city by Lafayette; no citizen of the Republic needed any articulation of what was meant by contre nous, de la tyrannie ltendard sanglant est lev. The Girondins, who would dominate the National Assembly until the April Coup and the Second Republic, would enshrine Remember Marseille! as their motto. More religiously devout parts of the north that had grown increasingly uneasy with Lafayettes radical reforms, particularly Britanny and the Vende, almost immediately snapped back to full-throated support for the Revolution. The people of Marseille had been guilty solely of protecting their own lives and liberty; for that crime they had been massacred by their own King. The French public would never forget, and never truly forgive. International support slipped too; American Ambassador Laurens immediately denounced the Purge (admittedly, his views on the war were far short of neutral), and Great Britain, which had been gradually moving towards a pro-Louis position, soon declared a policy of neutrality that it would maintain for the rest of the war. Fortunately for Louis, however, the Austrians, Prussians, and Spanish had no such moral quandaries, thinking that Louis had finally done what he should have done all along. The Austrians and, to a lesser extent, the Prussians were soon sending significant but secret military aid to Louis following constant pleas by Queen Marie Antoinette to her brother. Of course, being propped up by the despised Austrians did not do any favors for Louis reputation amongst the French people. Official declarations of support would follow next August with the Declaration of Pillnitz. The formation of the First Coalition was underway. The Republic consolidates However, it was not until late January until Paris received word of the scale of the tragedy that had unfolded on the Mediterranean Coast, a testament to how effectively the Royal Army was controlling communications in and out of Provence and Aquitaine. In any case, the Assembly had been well and truly occupied during that time with establishing a brand new government. With many of its authors no longer present, the Constitution that had been worked on throughout 1790 was no longer fit for purpose not least because it assumed a monarchy and it was thus quickly discarded by the now much more radical Rump Assembly, and a new drafting process began. This drafting process, however, would largely have to wait until the Assembly was reconstituted. 150 of the original deputies had opted to stand by Lafeyette and declare a Republic when the King had laid down his ultimatum, overwhelmingly out of personal loyalty to Lafayette. Once it was clear that Paris was saved and the Revolution was, for the moment, secured, another six hundred or so emerged from their hiding places to resume their seats in the Assembly. Dantonists and Montagnardins alike [1] railed against Lafayettes decision to allow these deputies back, warning that they had abandoned the Republic in its hour of greatest need and were not likely to be its friends going forward. Indeed, many of these delegates would form the core of Orleanist agitation in the years to come. Lafayette held firm, however, pointing out that he had let Robespierre and Barre resume their seats. In any case, the question was moot; even with over 750 deputies in the Assembly, that left almost six hundred seats that needed filling. Elections were arranged for February; a ludicrously optimistic timetable by any standards, given that contact with the provinces was only just re-established and, in the case of virtually all of France south of Lyon, would not be made at all and little about the basic constitutional structure of the new Republic was known. Lafayette knew, of course, but he was not yet telling anyone that would be work for the new Assembly. Out in the provinces, the situation was no less chaotic. News about Louiss ultimatum to the Assembly, the Assemblys declaration of a Republic, the Battle of France and then Louiss flight to the south had come all at once; news of the Purge of Marseille arrived in most places shortly thereafter. The resultant shock sent the populace of most departments still loyal to the Revolution into what has often been described as a Second Great Fear. Estates, property, legal titles, and anything else associated with the monarchy were smashed, seized, or burned by armed mobs, often led by delegates of local Jacobin Clubs. Anything owned by known conservative absolutists or those who had gone to join the King in Marseille was treated with particular disdain. Eventually, the National Guard was able to restore order, but no attempt was made to restore the property of those now widely viewed as murderous traitors. This was, to say the least, an extraordinary environment in which to hold Frances second ever attempt at a democratic election, and the first with universal manhood suffrage. Yet somehow, the election of February 1790 went off smoothly in those provinces that were not under Royalist control or seeing active fighting, largely thanks to the enthusiastic participation of the populace turnout in some communes were in excess of seventy percent and the watchful eye of the National Guard, now firmly enshrined as the institutional embodiment of the Revolution and the Republic. On March the 7th, the new delegates of the National Assembly the famous Second Assembly took their seats for the first time. The new Assembly of a thousand was a very different body to the old. Largely gone were the swathes of liberal and conservative nobles who had represented the intellectual cream of the pre-Revolutionary French crop. In their place were men although, as of yet, no women from all walks of French life: lawyers, doctors, artisans, merchants, and journalists. These were men who had cut their teeth out in the provinces, translating Lafayettes democratic reforms into tangible, real-world action where it mattered. They knew their country, they knew their people, and, they were committed to making their new Republic work. Amongst them were many of the giants of the Revolution and of French politics for the next two decades: Lafayette, Danton, Desmoulins, Brissot, Robespierre. The great French experiment in democratic republican governance mirroring that of Kim, Washington, and Jefferson across the Atlantic had begun in earnest. +++++ [1] The author is being tricky here; at this stage, there is no discernable difference between Dantonists and Montagnardins, neither term having yet come into use (even Jacobin is too specific at this stage). One might wonder why the author is at pains to make this distinction... Chapter 118: 1799-1800 January 1st: The United States Department of Internal Affairs continues its task of creating a nationwide census. The biggest obstacles are the states and territories out in the west. Due to the sparse amount of settlements and the relatively spread-out nature of the people in the western parts of the nation, it is difficult to record an accurate census. The process is tedious, but thousands will be employed by the Department to ensure that the 1800 Census is completed. For the Census, the Department of Internal Affairs counts the total population of each state, the total population of the United States, the ethnic demographic of the United States (White [which is split into further categories], African Americans, "Canadian" American, Native Americans, Caribbean Americans, and Asian Americans are some of the options on the list), the population of major cities, and more. The Census is expected to be completed by June, in time for the bi-annual elections. The Census will be crucial to the distribution of House seats to each state and admittance of territories into states (as according to the Constitution, the districts of the House of Representatives are to be redrawn every twenty years after the Census is complete). January 14th: President Toussaint of the Republic of Haiti approves the terms outlined by President Madison in the Treaty of Friendship between the two nations. The United States Federal Bank will loan $5 million to Haiti, with a 2% interest rate attached. America will receive Most Favorable Nation status in Haiti, and the two nations will establish close trade ties. Additionally, the United States government will send financial, agricultural, and industrial aid to the island nation in order to help with the reconstruction and revitalization of the Haitian economy. January 21st: In preparation for the upcoming elections, the New York State Legislature passes an Act that will bring ranked-choice voting to its state. It will be the first state in the nation to do so (by this time, all the states use a first by the post system). Ranked-choice voting will be used by most of the states within twenty years'' time. January 25th: The first seeding machine is patented by Eliakim Spooner in Vermont. February 3rd: The Tenth Congress of the United States is sworn in to preside over the Legislative body of the government. Despite the fierce campaign by the Union Party, the Senate remains virtually unchanged. However, the Democratic Party loses one seat to the Frontier Party, thus creating a tie between the Republican-Democrat Coalition and the Unionist-Front Coalition. Despite this tie, the four parties will still cooperate with one another and work for compromises, thus preventing a deadlocked government. In the House, the Whig Party is folded into the Union Party and the Front Party. In addition to this, the Unionist campaign (which claimed that they would''ve done a better job handling the crisis and prevented the crisis in the first place) sways the public, as "Unionist policies" help turn a struggling economy around. While President Madison is popular, the Republican and Democratic Parties are (ironically) blamed for causing the crisis in the first place. While the Republican Party will maintain the same amount of seats as before, the Democratic Party will lose several seats, tipping the balance of the House back into the hands of the Unionist-Front Coalition. February 10th: The Pennslyvania State Legislature implements ranked-choice voting for federal and state elections. February 11th: Ohio formally petitions to be a state. After months of review, it is determined that the Ohio Territory meets all the requirements for statehood. Congress will now decide on the measure within sixty days. February 20th: Congress organizes the Illinois Territory and the Wisconsin Territory into Organized Territories. They will both have a House seat in the upcoming 1800 federal elections. The ambiguous population data for the Missouri Territory means that the territory will not earn Organized status. March 2nd: Anti-Monarchy Clubs riot across France once again, this time led by the "Friends of the Republic," which itself is led by Georges Danton, demands the immediate restoration of the republic and the end of the monarchy. King Louis, who is making power plays in the background, is discovered privately funding pro-monarchist candidates for the National Assembly. The Friends of the Republic and other Anti-Monarchy Clubs will make great efforts in order to subvert the king''s authority and push forth pro-Republican candidates in the upcoming 1799 National Assembly elections (National Assembly terms are three years in length, with the last one being held in 1796). At the same time, Lafayette, the father of the First French Republic, declares that he will step down from being Prime Minister even if the Girondins wins a majority in the National Assembly. Many expect that Jacques Pierre Brissot will take his place if the Girondins achieve another majority. March 11th: The Sioux Free Nation carries out a surprise raid on several western settlements in the Wisconsin Territory. The raid catches many settlers there off guard and leads to the death of nearly one hundred Americans. The American government and the public are outraged by the senseless killing and approve the deployment of nearly five thousand more troops into the area. By the end of 1800, there will be around ten thousand American troops stationed in Wisconsin, and the future Anikegama state (the proposed name "Minnesota" was shot down by the locals and was replaced by Anikegama, which means "chain of lakes" in Ojibwe). March 19th: The first American military advisors arrive in Haiti. The advisors will help shape the formerly guerilla force into a respectable army. Additionally, the establishment of trade between the two nations will see an increase in the traffic of American ships around Les Cayes. While Port-au-Prince is the bigger city and port, the presence of Spanish troops in the area will deter some American traders and investors from the city. Thus, Les Cayes will see rapid growth while Port-au-Prince lags behind. March 29th: Congress grants Ohio statehood, making it the twenty-second state in the Union. The number of House seats will be determined by the Census. Its capital will be Cleveland, though they plan to construct a new capital towards the central area of the state. April 2nd: Unfortunately for the Spanish authorities in Spanish Hispaniola (which has now been combined with the former northern parts of French Saint Domingue), the creation of the Haitian Republic in the south does not deter slaves from rebelling in the Spanish colony. April 2nd will mark the beginning of another long conflict (the Second Haitian Revolution) between Spanish soldiers and rebelling slaves (many which are supported by the Haitians down in the south). The rebellion begins as five slaves are massacred by French slave owners after attempting to flee to Haiti. In response, hundreds of slaves (mysteriously armed with firearms) rebel against the ruling authorities and attempt to liberate "all of French Saint Domingue under the banner of the Haitian Republic." The gruesome rebellion (which will remind the Spanish soldiers of the trauma they suffered against the Haitian rebels just two years before) will last seven years as Spain struggles to hold down its island colony from another wave of rebellion. While they will not accuse the free Haitians of supporting and inciting the rebellion, relations between the two will be extremely frosty, and only the presence of the United States will prevent Spain from outright invading the upstart republic. However, over the next seven years, Spanish soldiers will regularly cause incursions into the Republic of Haiti''s territory. April 9th: A controversial report published by an American merchant in China will provoke a hostile reaction from the American public. In the report, the merchant outlines Britain''s operation of smuggling opium into China in order to gain an edge over American merchants and to make profits (exporting nearly 300 long tons of opium per year). It will also reveal the problems caused by opium, especially opium addiction, and will shed light on the dangers of allowing American traders to engage in the practice of exporting opium. President Madison declares that he will work closely with other government officials to prevent Americans from exporting drugs to other countries, while at the same time make private remarks to find a balance between the potential uses of drugs and the problems of drug addiction. April 30th: A few weeks after President Madison''s declaration, Congress passes the "Opium Regulation Act of 1799." The Act will specifically ban American traders from exporting opium into China. The sentence for breaching this Act will be a minimum of thirty years in federal prison without parole. However, the Act will also open up a possible avenue of American traders to instead sell opium domestically to the government (in a regulated manner) to be used for medicinal practices. With the passage of the "Medical Avenue Act of 1799," it will allow the federal government to oversee and develop potent drugs into pain killers. Opium will play a critical role in the creation of the earliest forms of morphine. Due to this Act, many American traders opt to trade with the Lanfang Republic in order to trade for Asian goods. This will see a growing trading relationship between the two. May 5th: Days after the approval of the Opium Regulation Act of 1799, Congress will approve the Medical Avenue Act of 1799, which will create the American Society of Medicine. The Society will be tasked with documenting the potential uses of different plants and drugs and submit a yearly report to Congress on its findings. Additionally, the Society will be tasked with speaking with medicine men and shamans of local American tribes to compare and collect knowledge about native plants and drugs in the United States. Also, the American Society of Medicine will be able to rank each type of drug and plant by the levels of uses and addictions, though Congress will not be able to ban drugs unless they can "cause immediate death or have no medicinal benefits." Cannabis will be one of the first drugs to be examined in detail by the Society, and it will be used for treating pain and PTSD in the near future. In addition to the creation of the American Society of Medicine, the Medical Avenue Act will lead to the construction of more hospitals and clinics across the United States in an effort to improve the American people''s health. The same Act will also create a new branch within ARPA: Medical Science Advancement branch. The MSA will oversee the evolution of medical theories, treatments, and doctrines. The first medical universities will also be set up by the federal government under the Act. May 9th: Consent Executive Order #25 is issued by President Madison. C.E.O #25 is titled "Animal Preservation Act." It will detail the importance of conserving animal and plant species, as they may disappear due to overhunting or/and the rapid expansion of settlements. The president lists seals in Quebec and the Ontario Territory as an example, noting that the number of seals in the area has dropped dramatically due to the increase in trade with China (as Chinese traders accept seal pellets and furs as payment for Chinese goods). The dramatic decrease of the seal population is not unnoticed by locals and hunters, and the Department of Federal Lands and Resources provides an extensive report about their study of the near extinction of seals in the area (which they had carried out for nearly five years). In conjunction with this, ARPA will publish the "Food Chain Theory," which will see an increase in support from the American public (especially those on the East Coast) about the potential dangers of the extinction of different species. To make the Act palatable to western settlers and frontiersmen, the Act will mention that the government will allow the people to continue hunting, fishing, and collecting plants for their livelihood. However, the Department of Federal Lands and Resources will be allowed to ensure that certain species on the brink of extinction or near extinction are properly protected. The Act will be approved by a close vote in Congress and declared as law. It will be one of the earliest movements to protect wildlife. The Act will also lead to the creation of the Wildlife Preservation Agency (WPA), under the control of the Department of Federal Lands and Resources. May 15th: Israel Putnam, a hero of the American Revolutionary War and former Major General, dies at the age of eighty-two. He will be visited by the former soldiers under his command and by General Kim. June 9th: After over a year of extensive effort, the 1800 Census is completed by the Department of Internal Affairs. The official demographics of the United States is as followed: States: Quebec: 312,119 (9 seats) Nova Scotia: 98,300 (3 seats) Iroquois (Haudenosaunee): 161,199 (5 seats) New Hampshire: 139,921 (4 seats) Massachusetts: 552,478 (16 seats) Rhode Island: 76,243 (2 seats) Connecticut: 279,129 (8 seats) New York: 582,692 (17 seats) New Jersey: 259,928 (8 seats) Pennsylvania: 671,321 (20 seats) Delaware: 71,029 (2 seats) Maryland: 372,152 (11 seats) Virginia: 835,671 (25 seats) North Carolina: 429,889 (13 seats) South Carolina: 328,107 (10 seats) Kentucky: 281,233 (8 seats) Hisigi: 72,826 (2 seats) Vermont: 172,492 (5 seats) Maine: 183,450 (5 seats) Georgia: 145,229 (4 seats) Florida: 139,219 (4 seats) Ohio: 94,222 (3 seats) Population of Official States: 6,258,849 Organized Territories: Newfoundland and Labrador Territory: 30,204 Alabama Territory: 48,194 Illinois Territory: 59,271 Wisconsin Territory: 34,383 Michigan Territory: 67,012 Akansa Territory: 24,391 Unorganized Territories: 189,921 *Jefferson Territory: 32,110 Federal Districts: Columbia.: 32,889 Bermuda: 11,252 Total US population: 6,789,136 *Jefferson Territory is not represented in Congress due to various legal issues. Due to the Cube Root Rule, there will be one hundred and ninety-two seats in the House of Representatives (as there are six organized territories with a Representative in Congress, plus one for each Federal District). One House seat represents, on average, around 34,015 Americans. As twenty-two states are in the Union, there will be forty-four seats in the Senate. The minimum requirement for statehood is adjusted (72,000) to account for the growth of the American population. The US population shows significant signs of growth (in 1790, the population was 4,543,399). This is attributed to the improvement of farming efficiency, the constant influx of immigrants (the French Civil War and the First Coalition War, along with other wars, contributed to French, Italians, Germans, Poles, Austrians, and a number of other ethnic groups fleeing to the United States), improved infrastructure to settle the western lands, and a steady economy. The ethnic demographics are as followed: 64% Whites (Americans with European descent, discounting Canadian Americans who are considered a distinct culture/identity) 20% African Americans 6% Canadian Americans (Quebecois) 5% Native Americans 4% Caribbean Americans (African Americans with Caribbean descent) 1% Asian Americans Some of the biggest and most notable cities in the United States are as followed: 1) New York (NY): 100,212 2) Philadelphia (PA): 91,029 3) Baltimore (MD): 52,875 4) Boston (MA): 43,787 5) Columbia (FD): 32,889 6) Charleston (SC): 29,127 7) Quebec City (QB): 27,641 8) Lafayette (KY): 26,921 9) Albany (NY): 25,104 10) Montreal (QB): 21,458 11) Norfolk (VA): 18,099 12) Salem (MA): 16,374 13) Timstown (JF): 15,929 14) Sovtaj (FL): 15,711 15) Richmond (VA): 13,125 16) Xin (NY): 12,008 17) Onondaga (IQ): 10,355 18) Cleveland (OH): 9,457 19) Detroit (MI): 8,166 20) Toronto (QB): 7,611 21) Thaona (IQ): 5,293 22) Chota (HI): 5,104 23) Sainte-Anne-des-Pins (ON): 5,021 24) Buffalo (IQ): 4,094 June 19th: Major Jackson and Colonel Bonapart return from their Northwestern Expedition. They will return with a number of friendly natives curious about the life in the East Coast of the United States, the soldiers they originally departed with (which numbered around two hundred), and extensive information about the situation in the Unorganized Territories of the United States. This information will include friendly and hostile tribes, the approximate border of the Sioux Free Nation, the location of Spanish fortifications on the border, amongst other things. The two will be highly lauded as heroes and the Northwestern Expedition will become one of the most famous American expeditions in history books. Both will be honorably discharged upon their request for their service (though they will both rejoin the military in the future). July 7th: The July Protests rock the Netherlands as William V, Prince of Orange, struggles to contain the growing Patriots movement in the country. Thousands of protesters take to the streets to fight against William''s corruption and power in the government. The protests last for weeks before William V reluctantly passes several reforms to cede more power to the States-General of the Netherlands and also reduce corruption in government. However, this will hardly satisfy any Patriots, as they demand democratic reforms (influenced by the United States and France). For the time being, the Patriots will hold off on a full-scale revolt (as they are aware of Europe''s general hatred for republics and fear a potential foreign intervention). That will change when King Louis is toppled and the Second Coalition War begins, which will lead to the establishment of the Holland Republic in 1807. July 30th: Andrew Jackson and Nathaniel Bonpart declare their runs for the House of Representatives on the same exact day (North Carolina for Jackson, New York for Bonapart). There is a plethora of evidence that the two corresponded frequently and discussed political matters in their private journals and letters. Both of them will join the Union Party and will have a profound in American politics for years to come. August 5th: Several people in the Jefferson Territory formally sue the federal government for denying rights (in particular, voting rights) to the inhabitants of the Territory (as Congress denied Organized Territory status to the Territory twice despite the fact that it met all the requirements needed for the status). The case will determine the fate of the thousands living in Jefferson. August 21st: An improvement of the ARPA locomotive is tested and is able to chug along at five kilometers an hour across a hundred-yard track. ARPA believes that it will take several more years of design improvements to make the steam locomotive feasible for commercial and military use. September 20th: The US Army violently clashes with Sioux warriors on the Bois de Sioux River, which results in the death of nearly fifty Americans and one hundred and fifty Sioux warriors. The soldiers that participate in the battle note that the Sioux are well-armed despite their relatively isolated nature. This does not lead to any immediate accusations, but the government starts to watch the area closely. October 14th: The first miner''s lamp is created by ARPA. This will improve the safety of miners, as it prevents the flame within the lamp from igniting flammable gas inside mines. By this time, ARPA is making a significant amount of money for the federal government and for itself. With the funding, ARPA decides to build a number of research labs across major urban areas and build its own school, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T). October 15th: Austria enters into a secret agreement (The Berlin Agreement) with Prussia and Spain to suppress the French Republicans if King Louis is overthrown. Great Britain will also have a part in these talks, though they only show a slight interest in the whole affair. November 1st: Virginia implements ranked-choice voting. November 10th: King Jeonjo of Joseon dies under mysterious circumstances. His son, Sunjo, inherits the throne at the age of nine. Queen Jeongsun becomes Queen-Regent until Sunjo becomes of age. December 10th: The elections for the National Assembly in France result in the Girondins maintaining a crucial majority in the legislative body. Jacques Pierre Brissot will be appointed as Prime Minister by a very disgruntled King Louis. The elections reveal a total blowout against Monarchist sympathizers, though news of mobs roaming around polling places to beat any Monarchists into submission stirs controversy (especially amongst the Orleanists). 1800: January 1st: The new century begins in the United States, as many Americans remain optimistic about the country''s future. However, all Americans are unaware of the storm that is about to approach the United States in the upcoming decades... January 15th: "America the Beautiful" is approved as the National Anthem of the United States by Congress. The lyrics are as followed: "O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! Oh, America! Sweet America! God shed his grace on thee And, crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern impassioned stress A thoroughfare of freedom beat Across the wilderness! Oh, America! Sweet America! God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law! O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife. Who more than self their country loved And mercy more than life! Oh, America! Sweet America! May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness And every gain divine! O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears! Oh, America! My America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!" Video for reference: The lyrics and music were composed by none other than Samuel Kim, who submitted the song to Congress. The song was met with great approval by nearly all Congressmen when it was first submitted and was voted on quickly. February 2nd: The Ottoman Empire pulls off a stunning victory against the Russian Empire in the Battle of Ochakov. After a year-long stalemate between the two powers, the Ottomans finally achieve a breakthrough. This begins the Ottoman Empire''s slow crawl towards Crimea and Russia''s bitter defense. This victory will also vindicate Sultan Selim and consolidate his power in his domain. February 19th: Volta and a few members of ARPA place several arc lamps in the White House for the President''s and his Cabinet''s personal use. This will bring some amusement amongst the inhabitants and visitors of the White House since many are defective. However, the few that work will spark some interest in further improvements to the arc lamp by the upper levels of the US government. March 1st: Barnaba Chiaramonti succeeds Pius VI as Pius VII. He is crowned on March 9th. March 5th: Dantonists start a peaceful protest against the ruling Girondin government, as they believe that the Girondins are far too complacent due to their time in power. Some even fear that the Girondins will allow the King to gain strength if they maintain their own power in the government. The protests are carried out without problems and Bissot works to improve the policies of the Girondins while firmly declaring that they will not allow the King to wield any form of meaningful political power (which will upset the King, Monarchists, Orleanists, and a number of foreign factions). March 19th: The USS Virginia catches on fire and explodes, killing over a hundred sailors. While hundreds survive the accident, many of them are heavily wounded. Congress immediately opens up an investigation about the causes of the fire and manages to discern that the fire began due to a negligent sailor who smoked on duty. The US Navy is forced to pay compensation for the sailors'' death (though the remaining pensions will be paid out by the federal government) and also implement stricter regulations of on-duty behaviors. Due to the deaths, Congress will authorize an emergency fund to relieve the family of the dead and treat the survivors for free. One of the sailors is awarded the Benedict Arnold Medal of Honor for bravely fighting the fire and saving three of his fellow sailors. His name is Reynold John Jones, a nineteen-year-old Seaman Apprentice (he decided to enlist instead of attending the Naval Academy to prove that he can exceed his father''s reputation on his own). April 4th: Congress authorizes the construction of a new USS Virginia. The new ship will be outfitted with the best upgrades possible and will be bigger than its predecessor. April 19th: The Battle of Lake Shetek results in another bloody American victory. This time, the American Marines fight off the invading Sioux away from American territory. A force of five hundred Sioux Indians will fight against four hundred Marines, with a hundred pro-American Native American allies. Thirty-five Marines, fifty pro-American Native Americans, and a hundred and thirty Sioux Indians are casualties by the end of the fierce battle. May 3rd: Samuel Kim begins a campaign to increase awareness of vaccines (especially smallpox vaccine) and make them more readily available. Through his efforts, nearly all of New York will be vaccinated after several years and the campaign will spread to the rest of the nation. May 15th: The British Parliamentary Elections result in a sweeping victory for the Tories. William Pitt the Younger becomes the new Prime Minister and with the king''s declining mental health, he will subtly influence the future King George IV. The Tories will also begin to enact more and more anti-American policies in order to fight against the expansion of American influence and economic power. They will also push Britain into war against Republican France during the Second Coalition War... June 21st: Consent Executive Order #26: The Formation of the Anikegama Territorial Guard is publicized by President Madison. The Anikegama Territorial Guard will function similarly to the National Guard. However, they will be completely funded by the federal government. It will be tasked with assisting the American military in keeping peace in the area and to help establish closer relations between the United States and pro-Native American tribes. The Territorial Guard will eventually become the Anikegama National Guard after the territory reaches statehood. Congress will swiftly approve of C.E.O #26 after hearing the results of the Battle of Lake Shetek. June 30th: The Battle of Yelisavetgrad (which is within Russian territory) results in an Ottoman victory. Shortly after this battle, the Russians will begin peace negotiations with the Ottoman Empire. July 1st: The Act of Union with Ireland of 1800 passes in the British Parliament. The Act will enjoin Ireland with Great Britain, dissolving the Parliament of Ireland. However, the Tories will regularly oppress the Irish and refuse to make any further concessions or reforms. This will stoke anger amongst the Irish population. July 5th: Michigan petitions for statehood, as it meets all the requirements to become a state. It will claim all the territories up to the Maumee River in the south. August 6th: Constitution Day is celebrated across the United States, as the Constitution was ratified on August 6th of 1777. It will become a national holiday in 1838. August 19th: The Treaty of Ochakov will end the First Crimean War, with the Ottoman Empire making notable gains. All territory west of the Dnieper River will be ceded to the Ottoman Empire and Russia will recognize the independence of a "neutral," smaller Crimean Khanate. The victory will be a major morale boost for the Ottoman Empire and cement the Sultan''s power over the country. September 1st: Congress approves of Michigan''s request for statehood (and its claims), and Michigan becomes the twenty-third state in the Union. With a population of 83,394 people, Michigan is allocated two House seats and two Senate seats. This will bring up to the total number of Representatives to one hundred and ninety-three (along with forty-six Senators). September 9th: A Spanish incursion into Haitian territory will lead to a diplomatic spat between Spain and Haiti. The United States tries to help settle the issue, but the two nations refuse to even enter talks with one another. The incursion will lead to Haitian soldiers pretending to be slave rebels in order to fight against Spanish soldiers. September 27th: Mount Vernon officially becomes the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service. After the establishment of the NIS HQ at Mount Vernon, Washington famously says "Even in retirement, I can not escape my service to this country." October 2nd: In River v. the United States, the Supreme Court rules (in a 6-3 ruling) that the inhabitants of the Jefferson Territory are Americans by law and deserve all the rights and liberties guaranteed to them by the Constitution. Additionally, not all those that live within the Territory are exiles (and the non-exiles make up approximately ten thousand people, which is the baseline for Organized Territory status). As such, it declares that the Jefferson Territory must be recognized as an Organized Territory as they fulfill all the requirements for the status and that a Representative from the Territory should be allowed to have a seat in the House. The ruling is met with mixed opinions, as some believe that the "rebels" deserve a chance to prove their loyalty to the US, while others want nothing with those that started an insurrection. Congress will reluctantly accept the ruling and allow Jefferson to have a seat in the House (and change its status into an Organized Territory). There will now be one hundred and ninety-four seats contested for the 1800 elections. October 9th: The construction of a new federal university in Cleveland begins. The new university, named "Midwestern University," will serve as the main federal university for the inhabitants of Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and a few other nearby states. November 4th: One hundred ninety-four seats in the House, along with five Senate seats (one from Maine, two from Ohio, and two from Michigan), are contested. The presidential race is all but guaranteed for Madison, as he is a popular president with significant backing from the public. He wins re-election in a landslide, winning 161 electoral votes out of 232. The ranked-choice voting system in Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia will lead to very interesting election results from those states... Omake: The First French Republic AN: @sparkptz is doing amazing work! +++++ The Dawn of Liberty: The French Revolution and the First Republic The Constitution of 1790 The new Assembly decided to meet in the Tuileries Palace, where they had been meeting since the women of Paris had compelled them to move from Versailles to the capital the previous October. They quickly renamed the Tuileries to the Palais de la Rpublique as their first action, with only token resistance from the few monarchien conservatives still remaining. They had been a major force in the Assembly through much of 1789 but now their influence had vanished entirely. There were several matters upon which the Assembly was of virtually a single mind, and it took less than a week for most of these to come to a conclusion. Lafayettes proposal for the basic structure of the Republic, that of a centralized government in which the President would be popularly elected but could only come from the ranks of the unicameral Assembly, received near-unanimous assent, largely based as it was on the successful American model. The provinces would be organised along the departmental lines outlined the previous year, with each department being run by a local assembly whose elections would be simultaneous with those of the National Assembly and the President. As a concession to the radicals, especially those from the Cordeliers Club, Lafayette largely neutered the office of the Mayor of Paris, instead empowering the Paris Commune much to the surprise and displeasure of the current mayor, Jean Sylvain Bailly, who had been lobbying Lafayette to smash the radical sections and give him untrammeled power over the city. The rest of the details, however, would take much longer to work out, with questions over slavery, the status of the Catholic Church, the governance of colonies, and the political status of women taking months at a time to work out. It would only be in 1793 that the complete Constitution of the Republic was finalized, one of the final acts of the Second Assembly. Much of the urgency had been defused by the successful passage in the initial fortnight of sittings of a collection of decrees known together with the early decrees on the basic structure of the government as the Constitution of 1790. Explicitly modeled on the American Bill of Rights, these decrees were special laws that superseded all other law and could only be suspended by secret ballot of the Assembly with at most two dissenters. Their main purpose translates those rights found in the Declarations of the Rights of Man into written law, although now largely purged of the active vs passive citizen distinction that had so animated the Assembly during the Revolutions first year, and formed a rock-solid foundation for civil liberties in the new Republic [1]. Along with the string of military victories in Gascony through late February and early March, when the former American President Kim visited Paris to massive public interest and adulation in late March Lafayette could reasonably tell him that France was on the right path. Kims visit, although known only to Lafayette and the American government at the time, came with another boon to the new Republic: two tons of gold and silver, the first tranche of an enormous amount of hard currency at least $20 million worth personally gifted to the First Republic by Kim (and, later, the American government) through the 1790s. The gift was happily accepted and soon put to work paying back some of Frances increasingly anxious creditors, many of whom were thus subsequently well-inclined to back the Republic in the Civil and Coalition Wars to come. They may not have been overly impressed by impassioned speeches extolling democracy and liberty, but the bankers of Paris, Amsterdam and London were positively ecstatic about the Republics ability to pay off its debts in a timely manner. This would have an easy-to-miss but objectively enormous impact on the fortunes of the Republic in the years ahead. The birth of the parties On matters not directly related to the imposition of the core Constitution of 1790, however, divisions soon emerged as the question over how the new Constitution was to be implemented drew different answers from different sections of the Assembly. The bulk of the deputies were uncommitted and belonged to no faction at all, and were generally described by the somewhat derogatory aphorism La Plaine (The Plain) or, even more derogatory, Les Crapauds des Marais (The Toads of the Marsh). Two distinct camps began to coalesce around the dominant personalities of the Assembly to vie for the support of the Plain, upon whom any majority in the Assembly depended as well as any majority in the Jacobin Club, from which both groups hailed. The larger of the two was the Jacobin moderates and those few monarchien leftovers who had chosen to accept the Republic. These soon turned into a loose grouping around Jacques-Pierre Brissot, the Marquis de Condorcet, and Jean-Marie Roland although in the latter case, it was his wife, Madame Marie-Jeanne Roland, who held the true political power in the relationship. Indeed, Madame Roland was soon widely acknowledged as the unofficial leader of the faction through her ownership of the salon where these deputies and like-minded publicans typically met most nights to discuss policy and strategy. Officially this group called themselves the Society of 1789, but as many of the most prominent deputies originally hailed from in and around the Bordeaux region, this grouping quickly became known as the Gironde. They came to occupy the right-hand side of the meeting chamber. Opposite them on the left side of the chamber were the radicals in both the Assembly and the Jacobin Club; those who had railed against the active vs passive citizen distinction throughout 1789, those who had called for a mass uprising against Versailles throughout the previous October and November, and those who called for the most radical social and political reforms to French society. Of these, Robespierre and Danton were unquestionably the dominant personalities, and meetings of the Jacobin Club were often used to coordinate political strategy and decide on policy stances (although at this stage, the Paris Jacobin Club was ironically controlled by none other than Brissots Girondins). A minority from the beginning that often stood in opposition to the wishes of the majority, this group soon came to be called the Mountain La Montagne. So began the political history of a word now universally associated with radical, revolutionary politics. There were two major points of division that soon emerged between the Gironde and the Mountain. The first was whether the Revolution had finished its work or not. For the Gironde, the set of political rights now enshrined in the Constitution of 1790 was by and largely sufficient, and the important political task now was reconstituting the legal system which, after all, needed rebuilding from the ground up, having been completely torn down as one of the earliest acts of the first Assembly to enforce the new order. In this, they were heavily inspired by the experience of the United States and wished to model the French Constitution on the American. Brissot, Condorcet, and the other leading figures in the Gironde supported some further additions and reforms to the Constitution of 1790 in certain areas, but otherwise, the Gironde was the new home of social traditionalism in the National Assembly. While the early Gironde is often described as the first of the parties (along with the Mountain), in truth they were much too disunited on key issues to be truly described as such. The main which revealed just how loosely knit the early Girondins was the question of slavery in the colonies. Many of the leaders of the Gironde were passionate abolitionists, Brissot having lived in America with its abolitionist Constitution as recently as 1788 and having founded the Society of the Friends of the Blacks upon his return to France. But the loose faction Brissot and Condorcet led, as well as the Plain upon whose political power they relied, was dominated by well-to-do liberal nobles, merchants, and other bourgeoisie. Many of these men were heavily invested in the sugar, coffee and indigo trade, and made a handsome profit from their "investments" (i.e. slave estates) on Saint-Domingue. And so, by and large, the Gironde was reticent to follow the American lead on the question of slavery in 1790, settling instead for full Republican citizenship for the free people of color on Saint-Domingue (many of whom were themselves wealthy slaveowners) and a token strengthening of the Code Noir. The same applied to the question of gender quality, although in 1790 this issue raised far fewer passions than that of slavery. In keeping with their broad social traditionalism, the Gironde by and large as opposed to the equalization of rights between the sexes at this early stage in the life of the Republic. Madame Roland was particularly strident in this regard and was often described as "Madame Hypocrite" by Danton and Desmoulins as a result [2]. When women began to appear in National Guard units and even participate in actual fighting near the end of 1790, this was seen by Girondins as an aberration borne out of desperation due to a lack of available recruits, not an example of things to come. It would take until the Battle of Lyon the following year for this reflexive traditionalism to be seriously challenged. On the whole, the Gironde thus argued that the Revolution needed protection, not advancement, and they were more focussed on military needs than social or political ones. On this, the Mountain fiercely disagreed. How could slavery be permitted in the Republic when Article I of the Constitution of 1790 said, in no uncertain terms, that "men are born free and equal"? How could the Revolution be regarded as complete, Danton and Robespierre argued, whilst bread and sugar were in short supply in the streets of the capital? How could a government be truly democratic whilst the decisions of government were not in themselves subject to the final assent of the people? How could Madame Roland argue that the people were freed, and there were no more passive citizens, whilst she herself opposed the emancipation of half the population, of her own sex? Why, when the finances of the nation were still decidedly shaky, were the parasitic monasteries and other freeloaders in the Catholic Church allowed to independently hold vast lands and monies that were rightly the property of the nation as a whole? These and more were the questions that would come to define French politics for generations to come. The Jacobin Schism However, none of these questions, while sources of passionate debate, were what drove the Gironde and the Mountain apart and led the Jacobin Club to split in two. That, instead, was the question of late 1790 of how to conduct the war and, above all, whether to expand it, as the great Republican push to the south fizzled out and French Civil War began to turn ever more against the Republic. It was this question that drove Brissot and Robespierre, previously allies and fellow leaders of the Jacobin Club, to become bitter enemies, with tragic consequences for the latter. Brissot argued that the war was aimed at the wrong enemy; in extraordinary, somewhat paranoid speeches on the floor of both the Assembly and the Jacobin Club, he argued that the true enemy was not King Louis it was Austria. Austria, that was supplying Louis with arms and mercenaries. Austria, that had sheltered the emigres throughout 1789, and used them to build a counterrevolutionary army now unleashed on the French people. Austria, that was biding its time until the Republic faltered, upon which it would strike and purge all of France like they had purged Marseille. It was thus Austria against whom France needed to strike, lest Austria strikes them first. Moreover, a war with the true enemy would surely galvanise the people, stir them into even greater action, and give them the extra morale boost required for them to drive Louis from France once and for all. To Robespierre, this was complete madness. Calling into question the wildly optimistic forecasts Brissot made of the outcome of such a war, he and the other Montagnards pointed out that the Republican Army and National Guard were losing in the field to just the Royalist armies, and at best was maintaining a stalemate. If war were declared on Austria, then Prussia, Spain, and perhaps even Britain would intervene; how could France possibly hope to succeed against all of Europe combined? Furthermore, far from exposing all of Frances hidden internal enemies to be rooted out, such a dramatic escalation of war would likely create even more internal enemies. For all Brissot warned of the dangers of radical change, Robespierre noted with more than a hint of irony, he was proposing the most radical scheme of all: war with all of Europe. Brissot, for his part, was disgusted by what he saw as timidity on the part of Robespierre and the rest of the Mountain. They had proposed extraordinary schemes for the radical overhaul of the entire French social and political structure over the year: state-funded universal education, a mandatory cap on the price of bread, mass confiscation of Church property, the list went on. But yet when it came to this matter, Robespierre was now a fount of caution? Brissot could barely believe his ears as he listened to Robespierres dispassionate oratory on the matter, and it was no shock when, fatefully, on the 12th of October, he and the other Girondins walked out of the Robespierre-led Jacobin Club, never to return. The split between the Mountain and the Gironde was complete. Lafayettes intervention Brissots confidence was based in no small part on his knowledge that he had the support of the vast majority of the Plain, and thus the Assembly as a whole. Austrophobia had been deeply ingrained for generations in the French psyche, made only worse by the fact that the deeply unpopular Queen was the brother of the Habsburg Emperor in Vienna. Moreover, Robespierres arguments, convincing as they were to the Mountain, held little sway amongst the bulk of uncommitted deputies; many thought that he should not have been permitted to take his seat in the Assembly in the first place, and many felt that Lafayettes regular warnings about letting would-be tyrants and terrorists gain power over the people was aimed at the Mountain (as his diaries would later bear out). Besides, Austria really was funding Louis and was providing them with mercenary armies; in the eyes of most, the two nations were effectively at war anyway. Better to either force Austria to end their support or make the undeclared war a declared one. It seemed that an ultimatum to Austria that would set the two nations on the path to war was inevitable, but then in stepped the one voice who single-handedly could overrule all others in commanding the attention of the Assembly: Lafayette. He had held his peace for weeks and chosen not to participate directly in the debate, concerning himself with the more pressing tasks of the day-to-day conduct of the war, building up the administration of the new Republic, and retaining the support of the provinces particularly the Vende who were tiring of endless recruitment drives to replace constant battlefield losses, as well as those who had never been the most enthusiastic supporters of the Revolution in the first place. However, in one of the most famous moments of his political career, on October 20th, he rose from the Presidents seat in the Assembly and made the following, very brief, statement: Deputies, I have listened carefully to the arguments made on all sides, and I have come to the conclusion that Mr. Robespierre is correct. A war with Austria at this time would be a most perilous undertaking, whose outcome we cannot possibly determine, and whose consequences for liberty and for France none can foresee. Whilst Mr. Brissot may well be correct in saying that such a war may be inevitable, that does not compel France to begin that war now, of her own volition. A free republic does not go out in search of monsters to slay. The Assembly was shocked. The seemingly unstoppable momentum towards war with Austria was halted at once and rapidly turned into reverse. A stunned and sheepish Brissot proposed a new resolution the next day, condemning Austria for its support of King Louis but also underlining the Republics peaceful intentions to all nations. It was quickly seconded by none other than Robespierre, who was as surprised as any by the turn of events, and the French Civil War remained, for the time being, merely that. It could be argued, however, that the greatest impact of Lafayettes intervention was on Georges Danton. Certainly, he had it in mind when he himself was called to make a fateful choice years later, one that would determine the future of the Republic +++++ [1] The "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" is virtually identical to OTL with two big changes: Article I''s second sentence now reads "Social distinctions founded in law are hostile to the common good" which basically kills off "active vs passive citizen" forever -- although it also does quite a few other things that are less expected and would take years to play out. There is a brand new Article XVIII: "The principles of the Revolution and this Declaration are of one body, none may suspend one without suspending the other." Basically an anti-Robespierre, anti-Terror Article. Lafayette, of course, personally wrote the entire thing as in OTL. [2] "Madame Hypocrite" is my invention, but Madame Roland''s OTL social conservatism and accusations of hypocrisy thrown her way by the radicals is not. Chapter 119: 1801-1802 AN: Whew, this took a while. Now that we are deviating away from OTL, I have to basically craft all these events by myself. Anyways, here''s another two year update! +++++ 1801: January 15th: James Field, a former slave that was rescued from slavery and brought to the United States, invents the Haulie (a hybrid cross between a foot-powered scooter and a bicycle). With a scooter frame, a seat, wooden wheels with a bit of rubber coating, and pedals, the Haulie is a strange but impressive device. Field owns a large plantation with dozens of workers and notices that his workers often struggle to return home or haul loads of crops due to the distance and size of the plantation. Thus, he creates the designs for the Haulie, which will allow the workers to pedal the transportation device if they need to travel a long distance without any load or push the object by foot if they are carrying crops or other goods. This will help his workers return home and carry stacks of crops to markets/warehouses faster. He files for a patent for his transportation device and after he receives his patent, he commercializes it and sells the Haulies in markets. The Haulies will revolutionize transportation and spread quickly throughout the United States. The Haulies are cheap to make and they will allow people to travel faster at a lower, personal cost. This will open up a path for people in rural areas to travel to cities for work (as the Haulies are clocked to go as fast twenty kilometers per hour). They will also help the Postal Service reduce the time needed to deliver packages and mails. Additionally, it will allow greater freedom of movement for women, which will help advance the feminist revolution in the United States. January 20th: The Qianlong Emperor passes away, officially transferring power to his successor, the Jiaqing Emperor. The first act he carries out during the official beginning of his reign is the execute Heshen, one of Qianlong Emperor''s favorite court officials. Heshen''s daughter-in-law, Princess Hexiao, will be spared but exiled to the United States. This confuses the American government greatly, but they (very awkwardly) accept the exile and she settles into Xin. Meanwhile, the White Lotus Rebellion in the southern parts of China swings into full-scale armed revolt as the Jiaqing Emperor desperately attempts to contain the rebels. In addition to this, the southern regions of China are shaken by the British opium trade, which has been growing since the rejection of the Maccartney Embassy. This will lead to some interesting dialogue between the United States and China... February 3rd: The Eleventh Congress is ushered in as President Madison begins his second term in office. https://imgur.com/a/LujQC9l#K9ygh1h In the Senate, the Republican-Democrat Coalition regains a majority as the new Senate seats in Michigan and Ohio swing in favor of the Coalition. Surprisingly, the Republicans manage to gain a Senate seat in Michigan, with the Democrats taking one seat in Michigan and Ohio each. The Front takes the other Senate seat in Ohio. The Maine Senate seat up for re-election will, once again, go to the Union Party. The Frontier Party is surprised by the results, as they expected the new Senate seats to fall to them. Even the Republican Party and the Democratic Party are stunned by the outcome. However, all four major parties will accept the results with grace (though the Front will show frustration from their "defeat"). United States Senate: Yellow: Republican Party (15) Red: Democratic Party (9) Green: Frontier Party (8) Blue: Union Party (14) https://imgur.com/a/MfOKoUP#S6sXzTf In the House, one hundred and ninety-four seats are contested (more than two dozen seats than the previous House). The ranked-choice voting in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York (the biggest states in the Union) brings about interesting results. For the first time in a decade, the Republican-Democrat Coalition will seize the House. This is mainly attributed to the ranked-choice voting in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York. The four major political parties had a presence in all three states, but the Republican Party was favored as the second "safe choice," if not the top choice, by many voters. As a result, the Republicans gain the most seats out of any political parties. The Democrats also take a few new districts out in the west, while the Front and the Unionists capture the remaining ones. The House is now led by the Republican-Democrat Coalition, 92 to 88 (many Americans call the Unionist-Front Coalition as the "Liberal Coalition," while the Republicans are known as the "Centrists" and the Democrats are known as the "Conservatives"). However, the Republican-Democrat Coalition''s lead is slim and many believe that the Independents will be the real "majority" in this new Congress, as they hold enough sway to affect the final vote of new bills. This will cause some states to adopt ranked-choice voting (due to the advantages it offers to certain parties and candidates), while others will avoid it for the time being. However, it is clear that President Madison now has a cooperative Congress to work with and can push forth new legislation with ease. This will greatly relieve the occupants of the White House. United States House of Representatives: Yellow: Republican Party (58) Red: Democratic Party (34) Green: Frontier Party (38) Blue: Union Party (50) Grey: Independents (14) Several important things to note for the composition of the Eleventh United States Congress: 1) In Massachusetts'' Tenth District, Abigail Adams wins the House elections and is the first woman elected to the United States Congress. She will not be affiliated with any party and enter Capitol Hill as an Independent. This will cause some awkward moments in Congress as one hundred and ninety-three men and a single woman meet for House sessions inside the Capitol. She will become one of the most vocal supporters of women''s rights and will find some Congressmen who are sympathetic to her cause. This will also begin the slow, but steady feminist movement in the United States. 2) Nathaniel Bonapart and Andrew Jackson, both famous across the United States for their Northwestern Expedition, will be elected to the House. Bonapart is sworn in for New York''s Fifteenth District, while Jackson is voted in by North Carolina''s Ninth District. Both will be members of the Unionist Party. They will be under the tutelage of James McHenry, a fellow Unionist who was the Speaker of the House from 1791 to 1800. 3) Senator Alexander Hamilton, who has been a Unionist Senator for New York since 1793, announces that he is not seeking re-election for his Senate seat for the 1804 Congressional Elections. It is rumored that he will be aiming for the presidency. 4) James River, one of the rebels involved in the North Carolina Slave Uprising of 1790, is elected as the Representative of the Jefferson Organized Territory. While African Americans in Congress is nothing new (indeed, there are around forty African Americans in the House and five in the Senate), the fact that a former rebel is now a member of Congress will unsettle a number of Congressmen and everyday Americans alike. 5) Gaspard Laurent Bayle, whose parents immigrated to the United States right before he was born, becomes a House representative for the state of Quebec. At twenty-six years old, he is one of the youngest Congressmen and is also an accomplished doctor. February 15th: Shortly after being elected into Congress, Abigail Adams create the "Society of Feminists and Equal Rights." The Society of Feminists and Equal Rights will be headquartered in Boston and will meet monthly to promote women''s rights and help push female candidates into Congress. With Adams'' election into the House, women in the United States will be more interested in politics than ever before and feminist rallies will become commonplace in the New England region. It will find many supporters out in the west, especially amongst Native American states and western states, where women are generally more independent than their eastern counterparts. Quebec will also play a noticeable role in the advancement of women''s rights. Despite their rather conservative social views, women''s rights (and political rights in general) will be one area that Quebec will support outside of their norm. March 2nd: After a fierce debate within the Watchmen Society, the group agrees to admit a female representative. The choice is quite obvious: Abigail Adams. She will be invited to a meeting in the near future and will be introduced to the most secretive and exclusive group in the United States. March 21st: A surprising revelation rocks the entire U.S. military. "Derrick" Sampson, who had been serving in the American Army as a sergeant for nearly a decade, reveals herself to be a female by the name of Deborah Sampson. Sampson will later state that Abigail Adams'' election into Congress influenced her decision to reveal her true identity. This revelation will shock the entire nation. The fact that a woman achieved the rank of sergeant in the Army will electrify the national debate over women''s rights and women serving in the military. Deborah Simpson will be reprimanded by the Army for hiding her true identity (in reality, her unit was aware of her sex, but decided to keep quiet about it as she was an excellent soldier) and discharged. Sampson will become an icon for the Society of Feminists and Equal Rights and will be exemplified as proof that women are just as capable as men. The fact that the First French Republic also employed women in their National Guard will not go unnoticed by the Society as well. While women will not be accepted into the military right away, a few will join the National Guard and become reserves for their respective states. States such as Iroquois, Hisigi, Quebec, Ohio, and Kentucky will approve of women joining the National Guard at a higher rate than other states. The Anikegama Territorial Guard will also incorporate a number of female Native Americans into its ranks. April 2nd: Ontario applies for statehood. There is some debate in Congress about the validity of Ontario''s request for statehood, as Ontario has not been granted Organized Territory status (this was due to the difficulty of creating a Census, and the 1800 Census was the first official Census in the territory). Additionally, the size of Ontario (which will be almost as big as Quebec) will stir up some debate between Quebec and other states. Quebec (and the Ontario Territory) desires to split the eastern parts of the territory off from the west and wait for enough people to settle in the west to create a new state there. This is in order for the French-speaking parts of the United States to gain four Senate seats instead of just two if the entire Ontario Territory is accepted as one whole state. Meanwhile, most of the other states desire the Ontario Territory to remain as one single state (though even they are concerned about the sheer size of the newly proposed state). This will cause the debate to carry out for sixty days before Congress finally votes on the matter. April 10th: Great Britain''s first Census reveals that the nation has around ten million inhabitants. With the news that the United States has nearly seven million, this causes serious concerns in the British government. The United States is growing at a rapid pace in terms of territory, population, and economy. Prime Minister Pitt will work to counter this by growing the British Empire and expanding British influence in Asia and Africa. May 3rd: Aleksandr Pavlovich Romanov becomes Tsar Alexander I of Russia. May 9th: Samuel Kim leaves on another voyage to Asia, this time to help the Qing Empire deal with the growing opium problem in its southern provinces and to (hopefully) sell military arms to help modernize the Qing military. May 22nd: The city of Marseilles erupt into revolt as the Anti-Monarchy Clubs in the settlement stoke flames against the monarchy. Portraits of King Louis are burned and an effigy of the king is hung in the middle of the city. "Tuer le Roi" becomes a popular chant from the rioters, as they demand that the King is permanently removed from France by execution. To make matters worse, the National Guard that is deployed into the city is reluctant to fight the rioters. In fact, many of them join with the protesters (a number of them are veterans from the French Civil War and remember the King''s forces decimating the republicans in Marseilles). This will be a prelude to the French Revolution of 1806 and the establishment of the Second French Republic. King Louis is alarmed at Prime Minister Brisott''s inaction and is afraid that he will be removed from his current throne by an angry mob. As a result, he will send feelers to other European monarchs, especially Britain. His plan is to rely on foreign armies and mercenaries to restore the monarchy permanently if the Republicans seize control of the nation. Prussia and Austria have already agreed to support King Louis through the Berlin Agreement, though Britain demands all of France''s possessions in India if they sign the Agreement. June 1st: After a lengthy debate, a compromise is reached. Ontario will enter the Union as one single state (becoming the first state since the creation of the United States to skip the "Organized Territory" status entirely). In exchange, the United States Military will occupy Rupert''s Land and ensure that it is firmly under American control (which will allow the Canadian Americans to have another French-speaking state in the future). Thus, Ontario becomes the twenty-fourth state in the Union, with two House seats (for its population of 74,833 people) and two Senate seats. It will also be the second majority French state, owing to its population influx from France (many Protestants that were persecuted by the King during the French Civil War fled to the United States, specifically Quebec and the Ontario Territory). Its capital will be Sainte-Anne-des-Pins (shortened to Sainte-Anne) (AN: OTL''s Sudbury). June 19th: In an act of cooperation and friendship, the state of Iroquois and Quebec agree to form a "shared city" between Toronto and Thaona. Mississauga, a town created from the shared city project, will be jointly administered by the two states (northern parts to Quebec, southern parts to Iroquois). All three towns (Toronto, Thaona, Mississauga) will be popular trading and industrial hubs and will be considered the new "gateways" to the west (especially towards Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois). June 30th: The U.S. military suffers a defeat several miles west of Fort Washington (AN: OTL''s Saint Paul area). One of the most remote and western American forts, the defenders overextend while chasing a small group of Natives and is caught off guard by an ambush with hundreds of Sioux warriors. By the end of the battle, one hundred American soldiers are dead while the Sioux warriors suffer only twenty casualties. It will be one of the worst American defeats in the region. In lieu of the defeat, five hundred soldiers of the U.S. Army, along with the local Territorial Guard, will be deployed to Nibioda (AN: OTL''s Minneapolis) to protect the town''s inhabitants from any future incursions. July 4th: Due to the confusion surrounding Organized Territories, statehood, and borders, Senator Hamilton proposes a new amendment to the Constitution: "1) All Territories, regardless of Status, will be permitted to apply for statehood if they have met the minimum requirements needed. The requirements for statehood will be determined every twenty years by Congress in conjunction with the National Census. The territorial borders of all Territories will be determined by Congress, with input from the local Territorial Government. 2) Territories will be granted Organized Status only if their population exceeds the average number of people per House seat. This requirement will match the changes brought by the expansion of Congress and the National Census every twenty years." This will bring another flurry of debate in regards to the territories. However, this amendment will be met with support from most Congressmen. July 9th: After some debate, the Massachusetts State Legislature implement ranked-choice voting for the next federal elections. The local Unionists in the state are confident that this will benefit the Union Party, as Massachusetts is a strong Unionist stronghold. July 29th: Three Army regiments are sent into Rupert''s Land to firmly establish American control over the disputed territory. Over a five month period, the American soldiers will clear out any British troops in the region peacefully and will disrupt the small fur trade the British maintain in the area. This will cool relations between the United States and Great Britain significantly, as the ruling Tory government is not happy with the "American occupation," even though Rupert''s Land is technically American territory. August 4th: Samuel Kim arrives in China and is granted an audience with the new Emperor of China. He discusses several issues with the Emperor while speaking Manchu. With Prince Mianning''s recommendation, the Jiaqing Emperor agrees to some of the proposals laid out by Kim (the "gift" of a thousand rifled muskets, an American officer acting as an observer to the Qing military, and a visit by several American doctors to combat the Opium Epidemic in southern China). August 19th: Abigail Adams, considered by some as the most powerful woman in America, is formally accepted into the Watchmen Society at Columbia. At first, she is shocked and confused by the existence of the Society but accepts it after an explanation from her husband (who reached his term limits in Congress and is now the governor of Massachusetts). Just like the first House session of the Eleventh Congress, the meeting with her is a bit awkward (as the rest of the Society are composed of men and some were reluctant to have her in the Society at all). However, the meeting will finish relatively smoothly as the Society touches upon several topics: a permanent building for the Society to meet in (some proposals are Columbia, New York City, Boston, and Richmond), an inquiry about the purchase of the entirety of the Louisiana Territory and northern New Spain, the Republic of Haiti, and a number of other points of interest. September 1st: The Iroquois Native Council agrees to open up the Niagara Falls and the Lake Erie regions to white settlers, provided that they pay an annual fee to the state government and to obey and respect all Native traditions. While white settlers have settled in the region for some time, the Native Council''s decree will make it officially legal. This will create an interesting state dynamic, as the western parts are primarily white while the eastern areas are predominantly Native American. September 15th: After nearly a decade of research and development, ARPA believes that the improved telegraph is ready to be commercialized. With the approval of the United States Congress, the first telegraph lines are laid out between New York City and Philadelphia (a distance of nearly 160 kilometers). The telegraph lines will finish within a year and during this time, ARPA will also "develop" Bina Code (Morse Code). October 3rd: The first feminist rally in the United States is held by the Society of Feminists and Equal Rights in Boston. Abigail Adams will personally lead the rally, which is attended by thousands of women (and a few men). She will also introduce the Haulies (which she discovered through her time in Congress, as Congress saw the invention as a potentially useful tool for the Postal Service) to the general population and electrify onlookers with a passionate speech about women''s rights. She speaks about how America is considered the "Bastion of Liberty," but mentions that the former French Republic surpassed the United States in terms of women''s rights (the French National Assembly have a few Assemblywomen by this time). She enthusiastically meets many of her supporters and declares that a new political wave will flood the United States. October 21st: A violent slave uprising is suppressed in Cap-Haitien. Two hundred Spanish soldiers lose their lives, while over five hundred slaves perish from the battle. The Spanish authorities on Spanish Hispaniola implement draconian measures to quell the slave uprising. By this time, the population of the Spanish parts of former Saint Domingue is around 450,000, while the Republic of Haiti''s population hovers above 400,000 (for reference, the total population of Saint Domingue in 1790 was around 900,000). With over five thousand slaves in open revolt, Spain agrees to import more slaves to replace the ones that fled to the United States/Haiti and the ones in rebellion. Over the period of the following decade, Spanish Saint Domingue''s population will rise from 450,000 to nearly 800,000. While parts of the colony will be hit by the rebellion, the rebels will only control small swathes of territory (near the Haitian-Saint Domingue border) and the colony will become profitable. However, the active insurgency in the area, combined with the high losses of Spanish troops, will force Spain to reconsider their position on the colony. This act will spark an outcry from the United States and President Madison will re-implement the "Free Ocean Declaration" made by President Jefferson in 1794. Any slave ships that approach American waters will be captured and the captured slaves will be liberated within the United States. The United States Navy actively patrols the Caribbean, especially around Haitian waters, which greatly angers Spain. Many in the Spanish government blames the United States for allowing the Haitian rebels to successfully form a republic, while others accuse the United States of subverting Spanish influence and stirring revolutionary sentiment in the colony. While no diplomatic actions will be taken by either side, it is clear that the relations between the two nations will not be warming any time soon. However, President Madison''s firm decision to liberate any slaves near American will be met with support from across all the major parties. Senator Hamilton will publicly state, "No matter what our political parties are, we can all agree that the disease known as slavery needs to be eradicated." November 15th: Francisco de Miranda, who has been living in the United States since his exile in 1783, gathers hundreds of ardent Americans and leaves for Venezuela. He decides that the time is right to bring independence to his home state, as Spanish soldiers are bogged down in Hispaniola. Miranda met with many of the Founders during his stay in the United States and it was the support and ideals he discovered in America that prompted him to stay in the nation until his planned uprising. His group arrives in the Spanish colony a month later and he begins to create an active underground movement to overthrow the Captaincy General of Venezuela. Manuel de Guevara y Vasconcelos, the Captain-General of the colony, is aware of Miranda''s presence but is unable to locate him and imprison him. While the United States is somewhat supportive of Miranda, they will not provide him with military arms. However, Congress will covertly pass a bill that will give Miranda ample funding (approximately $500,000) to acquire arms and gather supporters himself. Out of all the foreign powers that America has relations with, Spain is the most hated nation by a wide margin. As a result, the American government will have no qualms supporting a firmly republican revolutionary to bring about another republic in the Americas. The NIS will watch this conflict from the sidelines as they have no assets in the area. However, it will take some time for Miranda to develop the independence movement in Venezuela. Most of the colony is indifferent to independence and sees themselves as Spanish subjects. Even so, Miranda sees potential for a revolution and bids his time in secret. December 2nd: Congress proposes a monument to memorialize the first president, Samuel Kim. Kim, who had just returned from his trip to China, publicly shoots down the idea. He claims that he doesn''t "want to be worshipped by future Americans for something that anybody could''ve done as the president." Nevertheless, some Congressmen will be insistent on creating his monument in Columbia. The idea will only be approved in 1837. December 19th: The British government will revoke America''s "Most Favored Nation" status and implement stricter tariffs on American goods. This will not affect the American economy as badly as expected, as the United States has increased trade ties with other nations in Europe. France will greatly benefit from the trade between itself and the United States, but the French economy will show some strain from this partnership. However, the American economy will show signs of strain from the sudden change in Britain''s economic policies. While it will not reach the level of the Panic of 1797, it will incite similar fears in the populace. Since the situation has not escalated into a major financial crisis, President Madison opts to take a more careful approach to the state of affairs. 1802: January 22nd: The Seventeenth Amendment is voted on and passed with more than a two-thirds majority in both levels of Congress. It will be the core foundation of statehood for future American territories, from the Americas to elsewhere. February 1st: Britain starts to making threatening maneuvers towards Nepal, making the King of Nepal, Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah, and the Nepalese Mukhtiyar (Prime Minister), Bhimsen Thapa, extremely wary of a potential British attack. While the soldiers in the Nepalese military are extremely fierce and disciplined, they are poorly equipped and vastly outnumbered by the numerous units fielded by Britain and the East India Company. The fact that Britain has been aggressively expanding its zone of influence in India creates a sense of urgency within Nepal. As a result, Mukhtiyar Thapa sends out his younger brother, Bakhtawar Singh Thapa, to look for ways to bring more arms from nearby Tibet or Qing in order to defend against the British imperialists. One thing will lead to another and Bakhtawar will end up on a ship to the United States, after being told by the Jiaqing Emperor that a nation that managed to "utterly and completely defeat the British" exists out in the west (this was what Prince Mianning reported to his father after his expedition). It will take him over nine months to arrive in the United States, but once he does, he will change the course of Nepal''s history forever... February 20th: Abigail Adams introduces an amendment to even the voting age for men and women. However, her attempts are shot down immediately by most of the sitting Congressmen. This will begin the long and eventful journey to bring about equality of sexes under the law. March 1st: The Haulies are made available in local markets and stores in Boston. The few hundred in stock are sold out by the end of the day. Within a week, hundreds of Bostonians will be seen riding around the strange contraption around the town. Reports will show that some people from Framingham (a town 44 kilometers away from Boston) will be able to use the device to travel to Boston within two hours'' time. Due to the Haulies, demand for rubber will go up and various innovators will try to find ways to improve upon the initial design. It will also begin the era of communications and transportation (along with the invention of the steam locomotive and the telegraph). March 11th: Eleuthere Irenee du Pont creates a gunpowder and chemical company in France. His business will become extremely successful (known in the future as the French company DuPont Chemical Company) and he will be one of the biggest financers/supporters of the Second French Republic. April 2nd: The first telegraph line is connected between Hartford, Connecticut and Boston, Massachusetts (which is set to end at Philadelphia). A test message is sent from Boston to Hartford, with the first message saying "Does this work?" It works as intended. And the nation is (quite literally) electrified by the revelation of a fast method of communication across long distances. The United States Postal Service will be one of the first groups to see if they can employ the new invention for sending mail quickly, while the United States Military will also be interested in the project as well. While the telegraph is nowhere near perfect, it is something that catches the interest of the entire nation. April 29th: The French economy starts its decline due to a combination of an overheating economy, a poor harvest, and rising inflation. This will be one of the direct causes of the 1806 French Revolution. While some will blame Prime Minister Brisott for the sudden downturn of the country''s economic fortunes, many will blame the King for their sudden troubles. This is mainly because France is still recovering from the aftermath of the French Civil War and the populace believes that the King and his "foreign masters" caused untold harm on the nation. Their accusations are somewhat true, as the French Civil War left important financial centers like Lyon completely wrecked. However, the fall of the price of gold (due to the aid offered by Kim and the Society), along with American exports flooding French markets, are the real causes of the economic downturn. This will only spark more troubles for Brisott and the Girondins. Some Girondins (who will later be called the "Left-Girondins") demand swift government intervention much like what President Madison did during the Panic of 1797. Others demand a more moderate approach. Brisott will do his best to manage the economy, but his policies will only moderately improve the situation. This will show in the upcoming French National Assembly elections. May 1st: John Hancock dies due to a heart attack. His death is mourned by the entire state of Massachusetts and the Watchmen Society. The Society elects a new representative to take his place: Benjamin Clark Cutler, a Massachusetts House representative that also maintains a vast amount of wealth from trade and industry. He will be scouted out for several months before the Society contacts him. If the Society believes that he is unfit for its standards, then another candidate will be proposed and elected. May 15th: The Hanwi Massacre. The Anikegama Territorial Guard, along with a few members of the United States Army, completely wipes out a Sioux village just within America''s borders. This is mainly due to the frustration of both the Anikegama Territorial Guard (which has suffered dozens of casualties against Sioux raiders) and the Army (which has suffered the most out of all the other American groups in the area). The inhabitants of the Sioux village, called Hanwi, will be massacred for "invading American territory" by the leading officer of the Anikegama Territorial Guard. The Army officer will not contradict his statements and allow for the massacre to be carried out. By the end of the massacre, nearly two hundred Sioux Indians lay dead, including women and children. In the immediate aftermath, every individual that participated in the massacre will be court-martialed and imprisoned for their actions. Members of the Anikegama Territorial Guard will be tried the same way as the Army soldiers. Nearly all of them will be hung for their involvement in the atrocity, though a few are "only" imprisoned for twenty years for attempting to stop the massacre while watching the event unfold from the sidelines. The impact across the United States will be felt immediately. The news is leaked by several Native Americans that saw the aftermath of the massacre. Native American states will rail against the federal government for allowing such an act to be carried out under their nose. The entire public will be horrified that their nation''s own military executed civilians in cold blood. The Department of Internal Affairs will start an investigation into the military for any signs of corruption or abuses of power. The Anikegama Territorial Guard will officially be designated under the United States Military until Anikegama reaches statehood. All in all, it will cause the government to keep a tighter leash on its military, as the Hanwi Massacre and the destruction of the USS Virginia have revealed severe flaws in the organization. Soldiers will be taught that "following orders" is not a valid excuse to carry out heinous crimes and that they are to disobey their superiors if their orders run contrary to the Constitution. President Madison will appear before the public to proclaim that the Hanwi Massacre is an "anti-thesis for everything the nation [United States] stands for" and that the government will ensure that such an act, "never again happens to the people we share our livelihood and our lands with." One of the most vocal and scathing critics of the ruling government and the atrocity will be Representative Andrew Jackson. Upon hearing the news, Jackson was incensed and demanded Congress to execute all the participants of the massacre. He would later go on and deliver a fiery speech to the rest of Congress, proclaiming that "only damn cowards fire upon civilians" and that the United States "failed to deliver on the promises of equality and justice by killing Native Americans, who were on American lands, in cold blood." He will become an extremely popular figure around the nation for his speech and become one of the most noticeable members of the Union Party. However, this massacre will only embolden the Sioux Free Nation and some formerly pro-American tribes will flock to the Sioux Free Nation''s side. The Sioux will use this massacre as evidence to prove that the United States is no different than the other imperial powers and will only exploit Native Americans. June 10th: Illinois applies for statehood. After the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment, Congress declared that a territory needed at least 75,000 inhabitants and an organized territorial government in order to be granted statehood. Illinois meets both of these criteria, thus their application. July 5th: Congress approves of Illinois'' petition for statehood, welcoming the twenty-fifth state in the Union. Illinois will be granted two House seats and two Senate seats for the number of people living in the state (77,291). July 8th: Congress passes the "War Crimes Act of 1802," specifying the types of war crimes that are subject to immediate execution. This list will include: -Intentionally killing civilians. -Murdering prisoners of war. -Rape. -Mutilation. -Enslavement. -Cruel treatment and torture. Amongst other things. It will be passed unanimously in both levels of Congress and swiftly signed into law. The War Crimes Act will also specify that ignoring an individual that is carrying out these crimes or carrying out these crimes due to "orders" will also result in immediate imprisonment and potential execution. Additionally, "Hanwi Day" will be memorialized by the populace as a constant reminder that even the most idealistic nation in the world could not truly live up to its full expectations. Hanwi will officially become a memorial site and the remains of the victims will be properly buried. The United States Army will be tasked with ensuring the site''s safety and to never forget the atrocities carried out by its own members. July 11th: Seeing the potential of the Haulies, Congress passes the "Postal Service Enrichment Act of 1801." The Haulies will be improved to be more durable and stable by ARPA (with Field receiving a handsome bonus for his invention) and the Haulies will be supplied to the United States Postal Service for faster transportation in both urban and rural areas. Additionally, New York City will be a "testing ground" for a "Haulie Road Route" that will reserve a portion of the road for Haulie users. July 30th: Abigail Adams leads another rally in Boston, this time utilizing the Haulies to go door to door to spread political awareness about women''s rights. Hundreds of female volunteers will deliver pamphlets to nearly everyone that is within Boston in record time. Unlike the previous rally, a number of women are from ways outside of Boston and the Haulies will signal a change in campaigning and political activism. August 2nd: A Qing military group sent to crush the White Lotus rebellion is annihilated, forcing the Emperor to create a new approach to the situation. After some input from his son, he will create a small, but organized army group in order to swiftly deal with the partisans. This army group, which will be nicknamed as the "Ninth Banner Army," will be composed of some of the most veteran soldiers of the Eight Banner Army and equipped with rifled muskets and rifled cannons ("sold" to them by the United States). This group will be organized and trained by Major General Anthony Wayne, a hardened veteran of the American Revolutionary War. They will suppress the White Lotus rebels with brutal efficiency while the Emperor himself enacts social reforms to urge the rebels to put down their arms and stop fighting. By the end of 1803, the White Lotus Rebellion is officially declared over, though the "invulnerability" of the Manchus and the Qing government is completely shattered. This will only spark more rebellions within China later on... August 11th: The first American doctors and professionals arrive to help combat the spreading opium epidemic in southern China. They will be the only foreigners allowed to travel within the interior of the nation. September 4th: Five ships of the British Royal Navy will enter American waters around Sovtaj "accidentally," though the incident is resolved peacefully. However, the sudden change in Britain''s policies towards America will worry and anger the United States government. September 10th: The Tay Son dynasty will complete its consolidation and unification of Vietnam (Dai Viet). Emperor Quang Trung will build up his military in the event of a conflict with the Qing Empire, which he believes is inevitable. However, for the time being, he will utilize his military to look westward towards Thailand and neighboring states. October 5th: The telegraph lines between Boston and Philadelphia open. President Madison personally sends a message to his friend John Adams (the governor of MA) from the Philadelphia Telegraph Station. The message will be simple and short, "Change is coming, and it is coming fast." November 2nd: The elections for the Twelfth United States Congress occur. Fourteen seats in the Senate (Hisigi, Georgia, Kentucky, Vermont, Illinois, Ontario, and a seat in Maine and Florida each) are contested. A sitting Senator in Florida passed away during his term, which opened up a free Senate seat in the state. As for the House, one hundred and ninety-seven seats are contested. The newly implemented ranked-choice voting policies in Massachusetts and South Carolina will have a significant impact on the makeup of the Twelfth United States Congress... November 10th: Bakhtawar meets with a representative of the federal government and requests assistance in defeating the British Empire. He is able to meet the president in record time and the two will discuss matters in private. By the end of the discussion, President Madison manages to iron out an agreement for Nepal. Nepal will be able to freely buy weapons from the United States (that will be sent to the American merchants in the Lanfang Republic for easier access). Additionally, the current American military advisor to China, Major General Wayne, will be directed to Nepal to help the Nepalese implement the tactics the Americans used to successfully defeat the British. In exchange, President Madison inquires about "Gurkhas" and a potential agreement for several of them to move to the United States... December 14th: After a very close election, the Girondins (still unified under a single banner) will edge out other factions with 51% of the seats, signaling the coming end of the Girondin rule. While the Girondins are still somewhat popular, many desire to see a new party take leadership as they believe the Girondins have been ruling for too long (the economic downturn does not help the Girondins either). However, the opposition (primarily the Dantonists) is divided and the ruling party barely manages to hold onto power. Prime Minister Brisott will face formidable opposition from other factions and even within his own political group. This bitter political divide will cause the French king to make his move in 1805... which will only result in the establishment of the Second French Republic. Omake: For the French Republic! AN: Since my own update is out of the way, I''ll let the French MVP of this timeline to shine as well. Credits to @sparkptz. And please, my brain is steaming from all the information that I have to read. If you want to make contributions to the timeline, by all means, send me a PM. Since my updates are usually vague in terms of specific detail, any reader can fill in the gaps to make the timeline more immersive. +++++ Credit goes to Cmmdfugal for inspiring the twist at the end, once it was brought up it was much too good to resist. +++++ Excerpt from Arise, Children of the Fatherland!: The First Coalition War The Darkest Winter This great republican experiment, however, relied on the continued existence of the Republic itself, and by 1791 that appeared far from assured. It was abundantly clear that the enthusiasm and revolutionary zeal of the National Guard could not yet fully the gap left by the loss of much of the Army. Whilst many of the rank and file soldiers and junior officers remained loyal to the Revolution, the majority of the senior officer corps and virtually all those of colonels rank or above defected to Louis. Those who chose to remain did so out of loyalty to Lafayette, not the Republic, and they were a poor fit for the enthusiastic but poorly trained citizen militias that constituted the National Guard. Moreover, many were not at all fond of democracy; whilst Lafayette did demonstrate at times a fondness for the trappings of militarism, it is a testament to Lafayettes belief in democratic governance that he did not take the obvious opportunity feared by Robespierre to establish a military dictatorship. He would have had the overwhelming support of the French Republican Army and most of the populace had he done so, even at the cost of strangling French democracy in its crib. Indeed, Lafayette was much too busy fighting the actual war to give time to such schemes. Leaving the question of the new Constitution and the administration of France in the largely capable hands of the Assembly, he had gone to personally lead the defence of Clermont-Ferrand in November 1790, the fall of which would have rendered all of central France vulnerable. His presence galvanized the local defenders into a successful defence of the town against a royalist Army led by the much-despised Marquis de Bouill, but he could not be everywhere. Nevertheless, the sight of the President of France himself walking the walk and leading men into battle personally was a much-needed morale boost for the populace, who needed to see that their leaders, too, were in this fight. France still had no lack of enthusiasm amongst the citizenry for the defence of the Republic. What it lacked were good military leaders capable of channeling that enthusiasm in militarily productive ways; mere revolutionary fanaticism was not in itself a solution. The vast imbalance in the quality of military leadership ensured that the winter of 1790-1791 was a grim one for the Republic. Every month, more and more of France went dark, falling under royalist control. Whilst the Republic had successfully stabilized in the first half of 1790, the National Guards campaign to retake southern France had ground to a halt in the summer, once Austrian mercenaries and the emigr armies that had been building throughout 1789 returned under the Prince de Cond and the Bouill. Once those armies turned to offensive campaigning in the autumn, the fortunes of war turned decisively against the young Republic The first true battles of the Civil War between armies in the open field ended in disaster for the Republicans, with the citizen militias that constituted the National Guard-led armies being poorly trained, poorly led and largely incapable of standing up to a real army despite their numbers. At Carcassonne, a National Guard force of twenty thousand was routed by a Royalist army under the Comte de Provence that was half its size, leading to the fall of Toulouse. Similar ills would befall a relief army of fifteen thousand near Montauban several weeks later. Most distressingly, the town of Valence fell to Cond on Christmas Day 1790, ceding control of the lower Rh?ne to Louis and leaving the city of Lyon, Frances second city and a major center of manufacturing and trade, open to attack. By the end of 1790, virtually all of le Midi, France south of a line from Bordeaux to Lyon, was in King Louiss hands, and Lyon itself was under siege. On the 18th of January, Lyon itself fell, and a wild panic swept through the country as fears of a second purge consumed the populace. No purge was forthcoming, however Louis had been stung by the harsh international criticism and public epithets now being attached to his name, and was furious at Artois for being so heavy-handed with his subjects. He made it absolutely clear that the population of Lyon was to be well-treated as the loyal subjects of France that he was sure they were. The damage to Louis public reputation, of course, had already been done a year earlier and could hardly be repaired now. It is worth pausing for a moment to note that this marked the sad end of one of the sadder subplots of French history, for starting in late 1790 and accelerating dramatically through 1791 and 1792 the vast bulk of French Protestants, still largely living quietly in southern France, began to migrate en masse to the United States. Set upon by angry, paranoid ultra-Catholic mobs looking for scapegoats and given little protection by royalist authorities, the much-abused Huguenots overwhelmingly decided that enough was, at last, enough, and almost all would flee their homes and make their way north. A few would settle in the cities of the Republic, where the Constitution of 1790 gave them at least solid legal protection to practice their faith. Unfortunately, anti-Protestant prejudice was no less asphyxiating in the north despite the enlightened religious tolerance espoused by the Assembly, and they were given the cold shoulder by their new neighbors. As such, thousands upon thousands would continue their journey across the Atlantic over the next twenty years and end up settling in the vast empty spaces of the American north and west, with the state of Quebec and the Ontario territory especially eager to welcome French speakers to fill their lands. Excepting the Lutherans living as they had done for generations in the religiously tolerant Alsace territory, this ended the story in France of a community that had once made up a tenth of its population and dominated its elite. The Army of the Rh?ne When the news of the fall of Lyon reached Paris, a large crowd likely organized by the Montagnards packed the Place du H?tel de Ville, the very same square that had been the site of the most intense and vicious fighting during the Battle of Paris, and was already being seen by the Parisians as a near-sacred space. They demanded that Lafayette take immediate action to rescue the war situation. The First Republic needed a real army, and it needed it fast. Two days later, the Army of the Rh?ne, a hastily assembled collection of five thousand Army regulars many of whom had fought in the Battle of Paris on the losing side and fifteen thousand National Guards who had been training in the city marched out of Paris under the leadership of the most capable senior officer Lafayette could find: a promising 24-year-old National Guard colonel named Joachim Murat. Murat had been born in 1767 to a wealthy innkeeper and been serving as a provincial clerk when the Revolution began. Drawn to excitement and action as young men often are, he quickly joined the National Guard, and rapidly through the elected ranks by virtue of his keen intellect, fearlessness, and charisma. His first distinction of note, however, came during the Battle of Paris, where on his own initiative he had personally led detachments under heavy fire and grapeshot to rebuild barricades. Not long afterward, he was elected to the rank of colonel by his fellow Parisian National Guard officers, as the previous occupant of the post had been killed in the battle. In the space of a little over a year and a half, Murat went from minor haberdasher''s clerk to third-in-command of the Parisian National Guard. Evidently seeing a spark of genius in the enthusiastic and courageous young man, Lafayette elevated him to General of the Republic at the end of January and gave him command of the hastily assembled army with orders to retake Lyon and secure the upper Rh?ne Valley. Lafayette expected the campaign would take at least six months. It would take half that time. Murats army first met the Royalist army marching northward at Creancy, about 40 kilometers west of Dijon, on the 12th of February. The Royalist army, under the recently returned Prince of Cond, was of roughly equal size and qualitatively superior strength. However, they were totally unprepared for actual combat against a real army, let alone one led by a general of Murats caliber. The Prince quickly broke contact and retreated for the safety of Macon, where they had previously been encamped and where fortifications were quickly constructed along the Sa?ne River. Murat, however, had no intention of repeating the mistakes of the British during the American Revolutionary War. Rather than attacking the fortified position directly, he instead surrounded the town in the dead of night and conducted a small, seemingly inept attack from the north. Once this false attack broke and Cond pursued, thinking he had the opportunity to smash the Republican army and march on Paris himself, Murat unleashed the bulk of his force from the south. In the dead of night, fifteen thousand men swept into the town and its fortifications with only minimal resistance. Surrounded and with their supplies having been seized, the Royalist army capitulated after three more days of intense fighting, and the road to Lyon was open. So began one of the most famous military careers in European history. After Macon Murats brilliant victory at Macon was a vital one for the long-term survival of the Republic. Had Murat been defeated, it is quite possible that Cond would have marched directly on Paris, and there would have been little to stop him from reaching the city. At best, a second, bloodier battle of Paris would have broken out. At worst it would have ended democracy in France. Although for several reasons Lyon is the more celebrated victory in France these days, as we will soon see, Macon is generally considered the greater military achievement. With a single, brilliantly executed night attack, he likely ensured the safety of the Republic at least until the formal declaration of war by the First Coalition a year later. It had, however, come at a tremendous cost. Roughly a fifth of Murats army at least three thousand men had become casualties, mostly due to repeated and costly frontal assaults on the surrounded but entrenched royalist army in the final stages of the battle. Whilst the royalist army fared even worse in the final accounting, Murat was in no doubt that his army was in no shape to march anywhere, let alone take a large city by force. For that, the Army of the Rh?ne would need to recuperate and grow far beyond its original size. It is likely that the experience of this battle and the subsequent Battle of Lyon, wherein victory came only at a staggering cost in lives, heavily shaped Murats subsequent views of how modern warfare worked. Coming to the same realizations as General Kim had in America 15 years earlier, Murat would write that to leave a man exposed to enemy musket and cannon on the modern battlefield is to condemn him to death, and would become one of the most proficient and capable generals in Kimian trench-and-flank doctrine throughout the First Coalition War. For now, though, with the Saone secured and the road to Paris blocked, Murat decided to encamp at Macon to rest, recover, and reinforce. Hearing news of a great victory achieved over the royalists, men from all over northern France converged on Macon to enlist under Murats banner, and over the following month Murats army recovered all its former strength and beyond. It would not be until early April, however, that the Army of the Rh?ne was of sufficient strength to finally march on Lyon. For his part, Cond had managed to escape the carnage at Macon by boat down the Saone, arriving in Lyon several days later. According to the diary of his aide-de-camp, it took well over a week for the shock of the defeat to wear off. Once it did, however, he resolved that the road to Lyon and then the city itself would cost the Republicans as much blood as was humanly possible; he was determined to do to Murat what the Parisians had done to Artois, to whom he was related by blood. Both sides thus spent March and early April making preparations for the battle to come. The Battle of Lyon Other victories soon followed Macon in early March for the re-energized Republican armies. The royalist Army that had beaten two Republican armies on the way to Bordeaux was beaten back from the outer districts of the city and pushed back to Marmande. A second attack on Clermont-Ferrand by the Marquis de Bouill, hoping to relieve Lyon by outflanking Murats army from the west, was repulsed by the National Guard. The seemingly inexorable northward advance of the royalist armies was decisively halted in the four weeks between mid-February and mid-March. Lyon would mark the beginning of their retreat. On April the 7th, the Army of the Rh?ne decamped from Macon and began the march south. It had swelled enormously in the previous weeks; it had numbered roughly fifteen thousand fit and battle-ready soldiers after the Battle of Macon; it now had over thirty thousand. Men and, as would soon be discovered, several hundred women had come from all over the Republic to join the Army. Despite the obvious irregularities, Murat welcomed all with open arms and a blind eye; with such an acute manpower shortage nationwide, beggars could not be choosers and he knew he would need every warm body and every gun he could get his hands on if he was going to take Lyon. He had been thoroughly disabused of the notion of an easy victory by the cost of such a victory at Macon. Cond had not been idle either. Having been soundly beaten twice in the field by Murat, he was not about to make the same mistake a third time. A largely new army of twenty thousand, a mixture of levied troops from Provence and Languedoc, genuine royalists, and mercenaries funded by Austria now garrisoned the city, and he had every intention of making it as unpleasant for Murat as Lafayette had made Paris for Artois. All manner of defensive fortifications and traps were built, especially around the confluence of the Rh?ne and Saone rivers. Heavily outnumbered, Cond knew that he could not feasibly defend the right bank of the Saone and probably not even the Rh?ne, but he intended to make the Rh?ne itself a virtually impassable barrier, using his substantial advantage in cannon to make the narrow bridges across the Rh?ne a killing zone. He very nearly did so. Whilst there were some small blocking engagements carried out to slow Murat north of the city, by and large, the Army of the Rh?ne reached the outskirts of the city unmolested on the 14th. From there, it took a week for the defensive fortifications surrounding the city to be methodically destroyed by cannon and for the west city to be surrounded. Then the real fighting began. The Battle of Lyon was a long, drawn-out and truly bloody affair, far too complex for concise description here. Many books have been dedicated simply to this battle alone. However, suffice it to say that over the course of the remainder of April and into early May, Conds men were slowly pushed by brutal street fighting out of the western half of the city and across the Rh?ne. A mass uprising of the residents instigated by Republican agents on the 27th of April helped speed this process along, but Cond was able to put down the rebellion in the eastern half of the city by the 2nd of May. By the 10th of May, however, the situation had stabilized, with Murats forces holding the right bank of the Rh?ne and Cond the left. This suited Cond just fine; he was perfectly willing to hold his half of the city and effectively deny its use to the Republic. In doing so he would ensure the security of the lower Rh?ne valley and the approaches to Marseille, and he would steadily whittle down the Republican Army by sheer attrition. Indeed, desertion rates throughout early May rose precipitously in Murats army as many of the peasants and craftsmen who had swelled his ranks throughout March decided that vicious urban warfare was not what they had signed up for. Murat, therefore, decided that he had to try something more unorthodox. Breaking the stalemate In early May, while the Army took a much-needed opportunity to rebuild ammunition supplies, small detachments of men secretly crossed the Rh?ne in the dead of night and entered the sewers below the eastern city. Their goal was simple: place as much gunpowder as they could in the cellars and basements of the buildings on the left bank. On the 26th of May, all was ready, and at 7 oclock in the morning, six massive explosions ripped through eastern Lyon. Several hundred royalist soldiers were killed instantly, with many more wounded. The result was pandemonium. Many in the royalist army thought the Republicans had crossed the river and were attacking them from behind and ran; many were too stunned to even do that, suffering from what later historians would describe as the first recorded instances of shellshock. Amidst the chaos, smoke, and fire, Murat sounded the charge across the now-unguarded bridges across the Rh?ne. The battle, he thought, was turning in his favor. Cond, however, had other ideas. Having faced Murat on and off for over three months now, he knew his enemy well, and he was fully aware that Murat was likely to try some trick to try and dislodge him from his defensive positions. He was as shocked as any when he saw those defensive positions blown to smithereens, but he had already prepared an answer: a reserve of two thousand of his best men and, more importantly, thirty cannon, kept secret and safe about half a mile from the river. He ordered them deployed to the bridgeheads immediately. Within minutes, the Republican battalions that had crossed the Rh?ne ran headlong into a wall of steel from the royalist reserve. Cut down by terrifyingly accurate musket and grapeshot, they broke and ran back across the very same bridges they had crossed just fifteen minutes beforehand. Murat was able to rally his men and stabilize before the retreat could turn into the rout that Cond had been hoping for, but the left bank of the Rh?ne was soon back in Royalist''s hands. Many of the royalist soldiers who had run or been shellshocked recovered either their nerve or their wits and returned to their posts at the east bank of the Rh?ne, now with several large, smoldering craters and piles of rubble as cover. A huge firefight at close range now broke along the entire riverbank, the uneasy quiet that had prevailed for the last fortnight has been well and truly shattered. However, the royalists still had the decisive advantage in cannon, and for a time it seemed like they would prevail. At the La Mulatire Bridge near the confluence of the Rh?ne and Saone, the royalists had gained the upper hand. Liberal use of grapeshot from their cannon had driven off or killed many of the Republican defenders, and the last battalion defending the west end of the bridge was on the verge of breaking. However, the royalists too had taken grievous casualties and had likely not fully recovered from the psychological shock of the explosions, and when a lucky shot killed the artillery commander at the scene, the artillery company broke and ran. The intensity of grapeshot aimed at the Republicans across the bridge died down at once. That in itself may not have been decisive, however, for the remaining Republicans were still heavily outnumbered and outgunned. Yet it was, for one soldier on the Republican side chose that moment to enter the historical stage. That soldier was a 22-year-old woman who was determined to prove that women too had their place in the Revolution, and was equally determined to do so in the most dramatic fashion possible. She was one of the several hundred who had surreptitiously joined Murats army, and she would not leave the historical stage for many years yet. French Republican propaganda would call her lange de lgalit: the Angel of Equality. Her real name was Charlotte Corday. LAnge de lgalit Charlotte Corday was, in many ways, an unlikely revolutionary hero. Born Marie-Anne Charlotte Corday dArmont in July 1768, she was the daughter of nobles from Caen. Her mother and older sister had died when she was still a child and her father, consumed by grief, sent young Marie-Anne and her surviving younger sister to an abbey. There, she immersed herself in the abbey library where she was exposed and transfixed by, the greats of Enlightenment-era political literature: Voltaire, Rousseau, even Plutarch. Rendered independent, hard-headed, and intelligent by the necessities of her childhood, d''Armont took to her learning with a single-minded intensity that she would later devote to far more dangerous practices than mere reading. When the Revolution broke out in 1789 she became a keen supporter and was eager to see the principles of liberty and reason applied to her country, which she loved dearly. Like many in France, d''Armont idolized Lafayette, both for his (exaggerated) military exploits during the American Revolution and now the sweeping democratic reforms he was pushing through the Assembly. However, she was by no means a radical and admitted later that she even supported a constitutional monarchy. That is, until word reached Caen of the Purge of Marseille. Horrified and revulsed that a King would be so merciless to his own people, and convinced now that saving France meant saving the Republic, d''Armont renounced any royalist sympathies and now went only by the commoner name Charlotte Corday. She packed up her belongings and a copy of Plutarchs Parallel Lives, left the abbey, and made her way to Paris. Once there, Corday bought a small apartment and began attending Girondin meetings at Madame Rolands salon. She had been deeply impressed by arguments from the Girondin newspaper Le Rpublicain as well as speeches by the leaders of local Girondin groups in Caen, and wanted to find out more in person. Upon arrival in Paris, she became a full-throated convert to Girondin muscular republicanism. A true believer in the twin Girondin pillars of revolutionary militarism and the Constitution of 1790, she was enraptured by the arguments of Brissot and the Rolands. Equally, she was disturbed by the radical maximalism of Robespierre and the Montagnards, believing them the flipside of royal tyranny. Corday held a particular dislike for Jean-Paul Marat, believing him a demagogue who would destroy the Republic from within if given free rein. There was, however, one small problem: she was also one of the first of the French revolutionary feminists, believing that women were not just the equal of men politically but militarily too. Women, she argued in the salons, had been the ones to march on Versailles in October 1789. Women in very small numbers, granted, and in no organized capacity had fought with valor in the Battle of Paris, and they had been purged along with the men in Marseille. It was only right, therefore, that they are given the full spectrum of political rights guaranteed them in the Constitution of 1790 including the right to die for their country in battle if they so wished. Whilst she generally impressed with her sharp, witty oratory, and even had some sympathy for her actual arguments from the leaders of the Society of 1789, particularly Brissot and Condorcet, by and large, the Girondins were far more interested in stabilizing what already was rather than rocking the boat further with something so radical as gender equality. And even this was restricted to her arguments for political equality at this stage, virtually no respectable politician outside of the most extreme Montagnards would publicly countenance allowing women into the National Guard. However, upon hearing that Murat was recruiting anyone with a pulse to the Army of the Rh?ne, she found an opportunity to prove her point in the most unmistakable way possible. She packed her bags once again and headed to Macon. Once there, she found that the rumors about Murats lax recruitment policy were true, and she joined the National Guard as Charles Corday, private in the 1st Norman Battalion of the Army of the Rh?ne. From all reports, many noticed that she was, in fact, a woman, but there were hundreds of those in the army now and everyone had more important things to do than worry about that, especially once the fighting began. She was otherwise largely anonymous to history until this critical moment in the heart of Lyon when the royalist artillery on the east bank of the Rh?ne fled. Cordays charge Noticing that the booming of cannon had ceased from across the bridge, and perplexed that her more manly comrades were doing exactly nothing in reply, she found a blood-stained tricolor flag that had fallen when its owner had been cut to ribbons by grapeshot. With a primal and unmistakably feminine scream of Vive la rvolution! Vive la France!, she took the flag and charged across the bridge. The remnants of the battalion, shocked that a woman no, a girl was showing up their courage, followed across with battle yells of their own. It was, by any objective analysis, a suicidal charge at a superior enemy across a narrow bridge. However, the royalist defenders, shaken by the loss of their artillery, saw the Republicans changing them head-on and presumed that their enemies opposite had been reinforced somehow. Rather than chopping Cordays charge down, they wavered, their wild, panicked shots missing all their targets. When they were set upon with bayonet and knife, they fled. The effect on the royalist fortunes was immediate and ruinous. Seeing their comrades flee and seeing Cordays tricolor flying over the west bank, the soldiers manning the bridge adjacent also broke and fled. Although Cond managed to contain any further panic, and a single breakthrough may have been enough for Conds depleted and battered army to contain, two was fatal. By noon, Murat had six thousand men firmly in place across the Rh?ne and the result of the battle was sealed. It would take several more days to fully clear out the royalist army from the city, but by the end of the month, the blood-stained Republican flag the Corday tricolor, as it was soon universally known was flying uncontested over Lyons town hall. A standardized version, consisting of a dark-red diagonal slash over the original Republican tricolor, was soon adopted as the popular symbol of the National Guard and of Murats army. As a testament to the importance of this battle to the people of the city, this standardized Corday tricolor still flies over the city hall by official decree today. Lyon had been, by far, the most bloody battle of the war. In six weeks of largely unrelenting street fighting at close ranges, Murats army had suffered over seven thousand casualties, Conds had suffered over five thousand and upwards of six thousand citizens of Lyon had been killed, mostly inadvertently in the crossfire or in the uprising of April 27. The city, famous for its silk artisans and a center of both manufacturing and banking, would take many years to recover from the death and destruction inflicted upon it during April and May 1791. Despite this, the citizens of Lyon took immense pride in the years to come for their part in the battle and the central place the battle held in the narrative of the broader war. Lyon would immediately join Paris in the pantheon of the most famous battles of the French Civil War and indeed the First Coalition War. It made Murats reputation as the finest general in the Republic even if, militarily, Macon was the far more impressive achievement. For all that, however, Lyon is not just a famous battle in France, but a renowned battle the world over a simple reason: it would not be the last the world heard of Charlotte Corday +++++ [1] Corday is one of the most mythologized figures of the Revolution relative to how much we actually know about her life; she has been depicted and propagandized and adapted in any number of ways. What is clear though is that this was a young lady who was clearly intelligent (the little tidbit about Parallel Lives is from OTL, and even her would-be executioners remarked on her intellect), absolutely single-minded, highly patriotic, overtly and consciously feminist and with no fear of physical death at all if it meant saving France and advancing her feminist Girondin ideals. As such I think her actions in sneaking into the National Guard and seizing her Moment during the battle are relatively plausible. Chapter 120: Congressman Abigail Adams Abigail Adams, the first woman to be elected into Congress, walked up a long flight of steps towards the United States Capitol Building. The "House of Congress" was huge; it was nearly the size of a small town and contained various chambers and rooms. The giant dome that encased the top of the Capitol glittered white as she finished her climb to the top. From the final steps, she saw the words "E Pluribus Unum " engraved on top of the large wooden doors that served as the entrance to the Capitol, the official motto (and belief) of the United States. It was fitting for the republic: out of many states, cultures, races, and beliefs, there was one United States to unite them all. There were a few Congressmen towards the entrance and nearly all of them turned to stare at her when she arrived. She replied with a graceful smile and greeted them with pleasantries. Some of them seemed unnerved by her presence, while others were more welcoming. Nevertheless, the people of her district had spoken; Abigail Adams was the House Representative of Massachusetts'' Tenth Congressional District. Whether the other Congressmen liked it or not, she was here to stay. The first Congressional session of the year was set to begin at eleven o''clock sharp, but she was at the Capitol two hours early in order to be sworn in with her fellow junior Congressmen. With the recent redistricting of all Congressional Districts across the United States, there were dozens of new Representatives in the Eleventh United States Congress. That was one of the reasons why she managed to win the House seat in her district, as the redistricting left the MA''s Tenth Congressional District without an incumbent. Thus, she managed to edge out her competitor (a Unionist, which was no surprise since it was in Massachusetts) due to her name recognition and nearly all the women vote. Regardless, she was going to prove that she belonged in Congress to serve as an inspiration for future generations of women. From this point forward, she was going to be the precedent for female Congressmen. It was strange that the United States, a bastion of freedom and democracy, was so... lacking when it came to women''s rights. Even France had pulled ahead of the United States in that regard, and France was no longer a republic. Regardless, she was here to bring about change to the republic, a change she knew was going to be for the better. She waited in lines for a few minutes to take her Oath of Office, chatting with a junior South Carolina Representative named Samuel Earle. He was pleasant to converse with, as he seemed just as eager as her to begin his term in office and was unfazed by her sex. From their conversation, Abigail was able to discern that the new representative was a former police officer in the city of Charleston and a state senator. During his time as a member of the police force, he rescued the then-South Carolina Senator Eliyah James (who Abigail knew was the current American ambassador to Haiti) from a mob of racists. Shortly after that incident, Representative Earle pursued a career in politics, became popular with the locals, and was elected into Congress in the recent elections. Before they could continue their conversation, the male Representative was called into a private room to take his Oath of Office. Just moments later, Abigail was also brought into another private room and a federal judge awaited her inside. "Congresswoman," The federal judge greeted her cordially and lightly shook her hand, "My name is George Keith Taylor, a judge of the United States Circuit Court for the Fourth Circuit. I will be the one administrating and witnessing your oath today." "It''s an honor," Abigail replied with a small bow. Judge Taylor placed a copy of the Constitution into his right hand and beckoned her to place her left hand on the piece of literature. She carefully placed her hand on the Supreme Law of the United States and raised her right hand. The court official nodded and watched her carefully, Now repeat after me." "I, Abigail Adams, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter." "Welcome to the United States Congress, Congresswoman Adams," The federal judge stated as he lowered the Constitution, "Please do not be late for your first session." Abigail thanked him and left the room elegantly. She was in no hurry to the House Chamber as there was still an hour left before the first session began. However, she decided to arrive in the Chamber early in order to get a glimpse of the Chamber itself and to prepare for a short speech she had planned for her introduction. After entering the large room with hundreds of seats (which were for future representatives as the United States grew), she decided to take a seat in the front row and waited for the other members to gather. Within an hour, almost all the House Representatives were gathered inside the chamber. Many of them mingled and struck up conversations amongst themselves. Others sank into their seats silently. It was quite a sight, as nearly two hundred people were bustling and chattering within the room. There were whites, African Americans (she was unable to tell the difference between an "African American" and a "Caribbean American" by looks alone), and Indians all enjoying each other''s company. The activities only died down after Speaker of the House Abraham Baldwin entered the room. The Speaker was a Democrat from Georgia and received his duties due to the political coalition between the Republicans and the Democrats (since the Republicans held the Speakership the last time they held a majority in the House, they ceded the Speakership to a Democrat after they gained a majority in the most recent elections). Speaker Baldwin cleared his throat and pounded his gavel on the elevated podium in front of all the other House members, "The first Congressional Session of the House of Representatives of the Eleventh United States Congress will now begin. Please, take your seats." The members of the House obliged and sat in their unassigned seats within several minutes. The Speaker of the House looked around the room before his eyes landed on Abigail. She noticed that he squinted at her as if his eyesight was failing him. He adjusted his line of sight before he could see her frown and addressed the chamber. There was no doubt that a few of her fellow Representatives were also looking at her the same way, "As per tradition, we will begin our session with roll call. New representatives will be given the option to introduce themselves to the rest of the House. After that is complete, we will proceed with a review of the legislation that was passed last year. Afterward, we will enter a recess. During that time, any bills that will be discussed today must be placed in the "hopper" at the side of the Clerk''s desk. I will now begin roll call." Abigail had spent countless hours researching her fellow Congressmen and knew the political affiliation for most of the Representatives from the northern states. As the Speaker rattled off the names, her mind unconsciously recalled information on each known Congressman that was called. "Representative Nathan Alarie of Quebec." A member of the Republican Party, he was in his second term in office. "Present." "Representative Thomas Boutin of Quebec." He was a member of the Democratic Party and was one of the most senior Representatives. He was in his seventh term in the House and was known to be a vocal supporter of states'' rights. "Present." "Representative Jordan Livingston of Quebec." The representative''s father was a Revolutionary War officer and one of the earliest Quebecois supporters for the United States. Representative Livingston held similar beliefs to his father and was an ardent Unionist. "Present." It took some time for her name to be called (as the Speaker was going from the most northern states to the most southern states). She was alert throughout the entire procedure and immediately replied when her name was called. "Representative Abigail Adams of Massachusetts." "Present." "Do you have a word for us, Congress...woman?" "I do," Abigail rose from her seat and turned to look at the hundreds of male representatives with a determined expression, "First of all, I would like to thank Mister Speaker for allowing me to speak in front of my Congressional counterparts." She noticed a few Representatives winced when they heard the words "Congressional counterparts." Despite the nonverbal insult, she continued, "I am aware that my presence is unnerving to some of the esteemed members of the House of Representatives. Up until this point, all elected members of the federal government have been men. However, I am here to assure you that despite my sex, I will carry out my duties as a Representative to the best of my abilities. I am not seeking special treatment, sirs, I am here to represent my constituents and participate in Congress like all other Representatives. I only ask that you keep your minds and your hearts open. You will discover that I am more than an aging woman with grey hair." That last comment earned a few chuckles from the serious and somber crowd. After her short speech, she bowed and sat down to scattered applause. Speaker Baldwin looked uncomfortable as he adjusted the collar of his jacket, "Right, then we will continue. Representative Fisher Ames of Massachusetts." "Present." An uncompromising Unionist and one of the most prominent members of the Union Party. And the session continued. Chapter 121: A Pair of Rookies Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America February 3rd, 1801 "So what do you think about her?" Jackson asked as he sipped on his glass of beer. Nathaniel Boanpart fiddled with the fork on the table and sighed, "She''s my mother-in-law, what do you want me to say?" "I meant as a Congress...Congresswoman." "She has always been well-versed in politics and helped father-in-law with his Congressional speeches and debates. I''m sure she''ll do fine." Nathaniel visited the Adams family often due to his marriage to Elizabeth Adams, and he witnessed just how political his mother-in-law could be personally. The two Congressmen were sitting at a private table in the KoAm restaurant in Columbia. The "chain" restaurant, which was owned by former president Samuel Kim, had a spectacular view of Capitol Hill and was a personal favorite of many Congressmen. This was the third time the two had visited the eatery since they moved to Columbia in early January. Nearby, several other Congressmen were enjoying late lunches as the House session was currently in recess. Jackson grinned and gently placed his glass on the table, "She seems confident and determined. Hell, I see a fire in her eyes that I don''t see in many of the other Representatives." "Well, if you were the first woman in Congress, I''m sure you would also have the same fire in your eyes." "I do have fire in my eyes! Before I was elected, I promised the voters that I would light a fire under other Congressmen''s asses and pass sweeping change through the House! I already submitted a new bill to build more schools in North Carolina and the rest of the Union! " "How did a Unionist like you even get elected in North Carolina anyway?" Bonapart asked as he looked around for his meal. There was only an hour left before recess was set to end and he didn''t want to be late. "My district covers Wilmington and you know how the people in towns go about these days. They all want those shiny new factories in their towns and benefits from the federal programs." The North Carolina Representative said as he waved his hands around dramatically. Bonapart frowned, "But your district is still rural." "The Union Party has plenty of benefits for rural folks, they just need to spread the message and make sure the Democrats and the Front don''t poison them," Jackson shrugged as he sipped his beer, "Well, I guess my "fame" had something to do with my victory, along with my message. You know, for that long journey you and I took to the Missouri River. That probably didn''t matter for you though, you live in a Unionist stronghold." The former Army officer couldn''t'' deny his friend''s accusations. He lived in New York City, so it was hardly surprising that the people of his district overwhelmingly voted for the Unionist candidate. Just then, a waiter delivered food for both of the Representatives. Bonapart dug into his Caribbean spice stew and bread, while Jackson wolfed down his bulgogi with rice covered in salted seaweed. The Corsican had to admit that Jackson''s meal looked scrumptious, as the bulgogi looked extremely tender. His stew was also delicious, but strangely, there was a bittersweet taste from the Haitian inspired dish. "How''s your wife doing anyways?" Jackson asked as he swallowed another mouthful of the Korean meat. "Elizabeth? She''s doing fine. Since her mother is in Columbia now, she decided to move here with me. She''s back at the apartments. Is, what''s her name?" "Sacagawea." "Is she in Columbia with you?" "Nope. She''s back in Wilmington with ma and my brother Hugh. They''re sending her to the primary school there." "I still can''t believe you adopted her," Bonapart muttered as he broke off a piece of bread. "The Hidatsa tribe kidnapped her and it wasn''t like we could send her back to her own tribe! She''s twelve! And her tribe lives in Spanish territory and worse, near the British Oregon Territory." "Well, it did nearly get us killed," Nathaniel mused. Jackson was furious that the Hidatsa tribe was trying to sell young girls into slavery and personally defeated six of their warriors to free the captives. In the end, no one in their expedition was hurt and the two of them were promoted to Brigadier and Colonel respectively before their discharge, "You have a soft spot for Natives." Jackson snorted, sending a few pieces of rice flying out of his mouth, "You sound just like Bob. Thankfully Hugh was supportive. He deals with the Natives in Hisigi all the time. A lot of them are trying to learn how to farm and Hugh teaches them." "So does Lucien. He''s setting up a small factory in Onon... I don''t even know how to pronounce it. The Iroquois are really interested in making steel for themselves, for weapons and things. I don''t know much of the details, I was never really keen on the family business. Speaking of family, Lucius is in... that Native territory in the west. The one with the Territorial Guard." Lucien was six years younger than Nathaniel, yet he was already a wealthy businessman. Meanwhile, Lucius, who was nine years younger, followed Nathaniel''s footsteps and joined the Army. "You mean Anikegama?" "That''s the one. I heard he''s deployed there with Richard." Nathaniel replied with a nod. "Isn''t Richard a Brigadier now?" Neither of them had seen the son of the Revolutionary War hero for some time, but both of them remained in regular contact with him. He was sent to Anikegama at the beginning of the year along with his unit, the Second Infantry Division. "Promoted a few months ago, yes. Hopefully, both of them stays safe. The Sioux are stepping up their activity in the territory." The former Marine finished his meal and wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Well, we can discuss more later on after the House session is finished. Are you doing anything later today?" Nathaniel sighed, "We both have a Union Party meeting with Mr. McHenry, Andrew." "I know, I know. I was just thinking, maybe we could work on a bill together?" "What do you have in mind?" Jackson gave his counterpart a sly grin, "Ever heard of Haulies?" Omake: Do Your Hear the Women Sing? AN: We all know who wrote this great piece Thanks again to @sparkptz +++++ Excerpted from Arise, Children of the Fatherland!: The First Coalition War The Republican summer campaign of 1791 Lyon transformed the entire complexion of the war. From a position merely three months before that looked like it was steadily proceeding towards a total victory for the Royalist armies, Lyon now rendered Louis long-term strategic position in France close to indefensible. The lower Rh?ne Valley was now vulnerable, forcing Louis to drain other armies of troops and resources to ensure its security, and once the Republicans gained the initiative in the southeast they did not let it go. The war had a long course to run, but the royalists would never again push as far north as they had in February 1791. The Army of the Rh?ne was in not much of a fit shape to exploit its success in the immediate aftermath of Lyon, of course, and attempts through July and August 1791 to retake Valence were rebuffed by the reinforced Royalist armies in the area. However, Lyon was never seriously threatened by Royalist forces again, plugging the largest and most dangerous hole in the Republics defenses. Cond, having now lost three battles in a row against Murat, lost favor in the royal court and was replaced. However, this did not improve royalist fortunes in the southeast. The situation for Louis in the southwest was, if anything, even more dangerous for the King. Having pushed the Royalist army under the Comte de Provence away from Bordeaux, Lafayette ordered the Republican army in the area reorganized into a single Army of Aquitaine under the most exceptional officer of the Bordeaux fighting: Jean-Baptiste Jourdan. Unusually amongst the French officer corps of the formal army especially amongst those not from Paris Jourdan was an outspoken supporter of the Mountain, which caused more than a few ruffled feathers in the Gironde when word reached the Assembly of Lafayettes choice. He was, however, manifestly a brilliant commander, and would prove as such over not just the First but Second Coalition Wars. Jourdan soon put any queries about the appropriateness of his appointment to rest by taking his newly-reorganized army of ten thousand regulars and ten thousand National Guard and conducting a superb summer campaign in the southwest of France. Winning a string of tactically brilliant victories over the course of July and August, he approached the problem of massive casualty rates exposed by Macon and Lyon in a completely different, though complementary, way to Murat. Emphasizing surprise and movement, Jourdan would only modestly engage the main body of an enemy force, seeking only to hold it in place. The main thrust of his attack would be against supply trains, routes of retreat and weak points in the enemy line. Rather than killing the enemy outright, or reducing casualty rates using defensive fortifications, Jourdans philosophy was to unbalance and disorient the enemy force, winning the battle with as few casualties as possible. Audacity, he wrote of his philosophy of battle, is our protection,, echoing Dantons famous invocation of 15 November 1789. By September 1791, Jourdan had pushed the royalists all the way back to Toulouse, and he had retaken the city by early October. By then, however, Louis had been reinforced by yet more mercenaries and levied men, and a planned campaign to push all the way to Montpellier was postponed once spy reports revealed that Jourdan was severely outnumbered and needed to regroup. With Toulouse firmly in Republican hands, both sides took winter quarters, but it was clear who had the upper hand in the southwest. The royalists fared best in the centre, but this did not mean they fared well. A third attempt to take Clermont-Ferrand failed in June 1791, and it would be the last the royalists would manage. The Republicans were led by a Girondist noble named Charles-Fran?ois Dumouriez. A capable and popular organizer of troops, Dumouriez was able to put together an army of thirty thousand by July 1791 and commence his own summer campaign. However, Dumouriez did not have either the innovative skill of Murat or the impetuosity of Jourdan, and fighting soon became bogged down in the difficult, mountainous country of the Massif Central. The lines of battle stabilized by November around Saint-Flour, with neither side having the strength or the inclination to renew offensive campaigns in rugged highland terrain with winter setting in. The women of the National Guard The victories through the summer of 1791 were much-needed ones for the Gironde, not just militarily but politically too. The political standing of Brissot and the other Girondin leaders had deteriorated badly the previous winter; their bellicosity had been severely discredited by Lafayettes intervention as well as the disasters of the previous December and January. Down the line, very few would publicly admit that they had ever opposed Robespierres now-obvious argument that starting a war with all of Europe when the domestic military situation was in such dire straits was a terrible idea. This was even more true when the war with Europe would actually get underway a year later, and everyone could see first hand just how difficult such a war would become. The Mountain, however, had not forgotten and had made great political hay out of that fact through the first months of 1791. More worrying and necessitating more direct intervention by Lafayette had been whispers of an armed uprising to overthrow the Girondin ministry and maybe, just maybe, Lafayette himself, had begun to circulate in Paris through January 1791. Brissot had wanted Lafayette to crack down hard on such schemes and make an example of them, but Lafayette had chosen a different and in hindsight superbly astute option. When a large mob crowded the square in front of the Hotel de Ville in late January demanding that France be purged of traitors, Lafayette walked out in front of them showing no small amount of personal courage in doing so and simply told them that yes, they were right, the enemies of the Revolution and the Republic had to be crushed. What was more, he invited them to personally do so at the front. A new Army of the Rh?ne is going to retake Lyon, he told them, go join up and he will take you, no questions asked. Seizing on the opening Lafayette had given them, a pronouncement encouraging all the citizenry of Paris to join the Army of the Rh?ne was rammed through by the Girondins that same afternoon. Thousands had done so so. Yet thousands more did so after Macon, swelling the ranks of the Army of the Rh?ne to the large size Murat felt would be needed to take Lyon correctly so and, more importantly from Lafayette and the Girondin ministrys point of view, getting many of the most radical individuals of the Paris sections out of Paris itself. Without anyone really noticing what he had just done, the danger of radical insurrection from the Paris Commune was adroitly defused and was nullified entirely after the victory at Lyon. It would be well over a year before any real danger of an armed insurrection rose once more in the restive districts of Paris. Those three simple words no questions asked, however, created a new and deeper political problem for the Gironde even as it solved their immediate ones, and eventually rise to the first serious split inside the Gironde as the left-Girondins began to coalesce. For, as we now know, amongst those who took no questions asked literally were several hundred women, the most famous of whom would obviously be Charlotte Corday. They fought alongside their surprised and bewildered male comrades-in-arms at Lyon, serving with distinction and at times extreme bravery if not quite the same dramatic flair of Corday and the roll of honor of the Republican fallen in Lyon includes the names of a hundred and forty-six women. The story of women in the French National Guard, however, could easily have ended there. Whilst those women already in the Army were allowed to stay, at the overwhelming demand of the enlisted National Guard troops, the no questions asked, policy was quickly halted, are you a woman now being one of the few tests re-instituted to bar entry to the Army of the Rh?ne. Corday instantly became a hero of the first order to the soldiers of the Army of the Rh?ne (the irony of a Girondin true believer becoming the hero of the most radical Army in France was not lost on her) and she was quickly elected by her the men of her battalion as high as Captain, becoming the first female officer in the Republic. Before long there would be others to follow in her footsteps, particularly in those battalions where Monatagnardin ideals held the strongest sway. However, she was still officially Charles Corday on the rolls, and so that was the story officially told by the Assembly and the army through the summer of 1791. It could easily have remained that way too; in the still deeply Catholic nation, many were appalled by even the suggestion that women would find themselves in the muck, blood and gore of a battlefield, and even quite liberal politicians shuddered at the thought of beautiful young ladies like Corday being killed in battle. Rumors as to what had transpired at Lyon, and that Charles Corday was in fact a young woman did excite gossip throughout the country, but most gave them little weight. While those in the Society of 1789 did in many cases knew perfectly well who this Charles Corday was whose flag was rapidly becoming a symbol of the Republic, having met and argued with Charlotte in Madame Rolands salon through the previous winter, most were more than happy to continue with this transparent fiction. Corday and the women of the National Guard thus needed a patron to protect them from the traditionalist Assembly and to tell their story. They found one in, of all people, a zealous Montagnardin officer named Louis-Antoine de Saint-Just. Saint-Just Louis-Antoine de Saint-Just was born to a retired cavalry officer in central France in 1767. A promising but obviously rebellious child from an early age, his childhood is most known for a famous although the apocryphal story that he had drummed up a students rebellion and attempted to burn down his school. Whatever the truth of this event, Saint-Just entered adulthood a wild and transgressive young man, but his focus soon turned to that of virtually all young men: a woman, in this case, named Thrse Gell. However, any budding courtship and from all accounts, both were enthusiastic about the relationship was cut off when Thrse was married off by her powerful and influential father to the son of a prominent local family while Saint-Just was out of town. Heartbroken and disgusted by the entire turn of events, he began a fascination with literature, turning as so many did in the 1780s to the Roman classics and the best of Enlightenment thought. When the Revolution hit in early 1789, Saint-Just was an instant and full-blooded convert and joined the Blrancourt National Guard the next day. A zealous true believer in the cause of libert, galit and fraternit and a borderline-ruthless disciplinarian, he steadily ascended the ranks until, by the end of 1790, he had reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the National Guard. When Lafayette made his famous no questions asked call for all who were willing to join Murats army, Saint-Just wasted no time in taking his unit to Macon. It was there that he met Charlotte Corday for the first time. It is unlikely that the pair got off to a good start, despite both admitting later that they were drawn to each other straight away. Saint-Just was an increasingly committed Montagnard, being enamored with the speeches of Robespierre and Danton and the writings of Desmoulins and Marat. Corday was, of course, a paid-up member of the Society of 1789, and truly hated Marat. It is highly unlikely that agreed on anything relating to matters of constitutional governance or the proper course of the Revolution. They did, however, agree on at least one very important thing: the political status of women in Republican France was unacceptable. The two were soon exchanging letters on how to improve this one vital failing of the Revolution (and likely arguing about everything else). Any lingering doubts about the complete correctness of Cordays call for total equality without exception between the sexes in Saint-Justs mind were obliterated by the Battle of Lyon. Whilst he expressed shock that Corday had been the one to personally lead the charge across the bridge at royalist muskets the two were by now rather close he was not surprised, and it served to be an object lesson in Cordays point: the equality of the sexes was not a radical proposition (and a good thing too, for Corday disdained radicalism) but a reasonable one, rooted in liberty, rationality, and objective reality. In this, she had been finally joined by many of the other women of the Army, many of whom had been reluctant to accept political equality as a cause worth fighting for. Most of them had wound up under Saint-Justs command although not Corday herself as many hailed from the Aisne region themselves and he was clearly the most welcoming, least hostile senior officer to their presence in the Army. When the news that the Assembly had effectively erased Cordays and by extension all of their contributions and sacrifices during the battle, they were outraged, and looked to Saint-Just, their commanding officer, to rectify the situation. In September they found their opportunity. By then, Murats attempts to take Valence had clearly failed, and he decided that with his main strategic objective complete, now was the time to set up early winter quarters in Lyon and allow his soldiers some long-overdue home leave. Corday, Saint-Just, and the women of the National Guard, however, did not go home. Instead, Saint-Just took the battalion to Paris, and there the women of the National Guard dropped a bombshell on the Republic... +++++ Excerpt from: "The Barricades and the Rostrum: Corday, de Gouges, Mricourt and the beginning of Revolutionary Feminism" Les Defenseurs de l''galit By autumn 1791, the first stirrings of the revolutionary feminist movement Corday had tried to whip up a year earlier were evident. A mixture of writers, journalists and playwrights, largely drawn from the ranks of the Jacobin Club and the left flank of the Gironde had begun circulating petitions and pamphlets in the summer of 1791 calling for increased rights for women. Most outspoken amongst them with Corday out of Paris were the playwright Olympe de Gouges and the singer Throgine de Mricourt. Both were members of the Society of 1789 and early examples of the so-called left-Girondins, intensely patriotic (Mricourt, in particular, had a deep and personal hatred for the King, having been smeared throughout 1789 by royalist press as a rabble-rousing harlot) but also intensely committed to advancing the cause of women in France. In July the pair created a private society called The Defenders of Equality, likely the first revolutionary feminist club in Europe. Indeed in societys first pamphlet, they would outline the defining sentence of revolutionary feminism: no revolution in the name of liberty and equality is complete or just until women have secured both. Although the Defenders of Equality were careful to keep their membership hidden and would never hold public meetings, they would soon find amongst their membership some surprisingly high-profile figures: Brissot, Condorcet, Danton, and, known only to de Gouges and Mricourt, funded personally by Lafayette. It would be this secretive group of pamphleteers and petitioners that Corday, Saint-Just, and the women of the National Guard would turn to upon their return to Paris in mid-September 1791. Their plan was simple: Saint-Just would write up the full story of the women of the National Guard, and they would reveal the truth simultaneously to a meeting of the Society of 1789 and to the Jacobin Club. As proof, Mricourt and Corday would unveil the original bloodstained Corday tricolor, which she had been permitted to keep by her superior officers under threat of full-blown mutiny from the entire battalion in which she served. The next day they would present a petition to the National Assembly calling for the removal of all barriers to gender equality, including the reinstated ban on women serving in the National Guard (avoiding mentioning that said ban had never been officially lifted in the first place). They planned their stunt for the 10th of October. It was, to put it mildly, a mixed bag. In the Society of 1789, Corday was immediately howled down and was even accused of stealing the famous Corday tricolor. She did receive support from several of the leaders of the Society mostly those like Brissot and Condorcet who were in on the plan as members of the Defenders of Equality as well as the fellow veterans of the Battle of Lyon present who stood to corroborate her story (even if they vehemently disagreed with her petition). One even pulled out a pistol and threatened to shoot any man who so much as laid a hand on her a duly elected Captain of the National Guard or the sacred Corday tricolor. Madame Roland, however, was horrified and threatened her with expulsion from the Society of 1789. Dismayed, Corday, Mricourt, and their supporters mostly fellow veterans of Lyon left. They received a better hearing in the Jacobin Club. There, Saint-Just took the lead with a stern, moralizing speech, describing in vivid detail the actions of women at Lyon and railing against the practice of barring women from the electorate and the military as counterrevolutionary. Danton, of course, was already on board, but Robespierre, long sympathetic to gender equality, was highly impressed by both the young mans stirring oratory and the actual arguments put forth. He was even more impressed when the women in question, having been kicked out of Madame Rolands salon, arrived and unfurled the Corday tricolor to a rousing rendition of La Marseillaise led by Mricourt. At the conclusion, Robespierre stood and told them Citizens, today you have won a new convert to your struggle. From this day forth, your cause shall be mine as well. Of course, without the support of the Gironde, when their petition was presented the next day it was doomed to crushing defeat. Only the Mountain and even then, far from all of the Mountain and a handful of left-Girondists voted in support of even taking up the petition, let alone assenting to its demands. The Assembly, however, did know that merely rejecting a petition would not make the issue go away, so they proposed a compromise that, at least to them, solved the problem: the names and deeds of those women who had fought at Lyon would be officially recognized and the Charles Corday fiction dropped, but they would be expelled from the National Guard without pay. The women were, of course, not consulted on the adequacy of this "compromise". Unfortunately, this was, if anything, even worse than merely having a petition rejected. The women of the National Guard had not fought for glory or recognition most, unlike Corday, had not fought for revolutionary feminism or to prove a broader political point but for the same reason their male comrades had fought: to protect their country in an hour of dire need. Being expelled from the National Guard was an outrage; being denied their pay was just a further insult. At meetings of the Jacobin Club, they and their supporters raged, but there was nothing they could do: the National Assembly was the supreme legislative body of France, there was no getting around it. Except there was, and de Gouges, who had been expecting this outcome all along, was preparing it. The Declarations of the Rights of Women and the Female Citizen As is the case today, the official Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard is the President of France. Unlike the modern-day ceremonial role, however, in 1791 this was a quite serious and literal, indeed the most serious, part of Lafayettes job, and like any other military commander, he could issue orders as to the composition of his Army and they would have to be obeyed so long as such orders were consistent with the Constitution of 1790. Olympe de Gouges was one of the very few people who knew that Lafayette was the one who was secretly backing the Defenders of Equality, perhaps with this very outcome in mind, so through October 1791 she prepared a work known today as the Declaration of the Rights of Women and of the Female Citizen. Part biting satire, part a political call to arms, but in reality an exhaustively researched legal argument, it methodically went through the Constitution of 1790 and explained in no uncertain terms why it, as already written, barred all legal and political inequalities between men and women, and why the Battle of Lyon proved it to be so. The thrust of the argument can be summed up in its most famous line, drawing attention to the equality of punishment guaranteed by Article X: Women have the right to mount the scaffold, they must also have the right to mount the barricades and the speakers rostrum.. She published this work on October 28, 1791, a famous day in the history of European revolutionary feminism. It was an immediate bombshell. The salons of France, already filled with excited chatter about the news that Charles Corday was actually Charlotte Corday, were stirred up even further by de Gouges hugely controversial work. For the first time in over a year, the now-established party boundaries broke down completely, as left-Girondins and Montagnards argued in favor of the Declaration and its political goals, beating off attacks from the right by other Girondins (who regarded it as egregiously radical) and from the left by ultra-radicals (who regarded its harsh critique of the Constitution of 1790 as counterrevolutionary). Arguments about it often descended into fist fights as passions grew to uncontrollable heights over the issue, and in Brittany, the National Guard even had to be called out to suppress a riot by devout Catholics who wanted de Gouges (and even Corday) arrested. Ultimately, though, none of this sound and fury actually mattered, because the Declaration had been explicitly addressed to one and only one person: the Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard and the President of France, the Marquis de Lafayette. In one of the most hotly debated Constitutional decisions in French history, Lafayette considered the document for two weeks, and on December 9th, he made his pronouncement: As President of the French Republic and Commander of the National Guard, it is my solemn duty to ensure that the rules and regulations of the National Guard are consistent with the highest constitutional principles espoused in the decrees of March 1790, as established by the National Assembly of France. On the 26th of October 1791, I received a legal petition from Mme. de Gouges requesting an explanation as to the restrictions on membership of the National Guard and their consistency with the Constitution of 1790. Having carefully considered this petition and the arguments it contained, I have decided that: 1. The legal distinction between men and women with regards to their ability to defend France with force of arms is not founded in Nature, as demonstrated by the actions of Capt. Charlotte Corday and other women of the National Guard at Lyon through April and May 1791. Laws creating such distinctions are thus inconsistent with Article I of the Constitution of 1790. 2. The actions of Capt. Corday and the women of the National Guard were manifestly consistent with the good of the Republic and its citizens. Decrees that would have prevented those actions are thus inconsistent with Articles IV and V of the Constitution of 1790. 3. The above being established, the decree of the Assembly of October 11 preventing the proper dispensation of pay to duly enlisted soldiers and duly elected officers of the National Guard is inconsistent with Article XVII of the Constitution of 1790. As Commander of the National Guard, I, therefore, order that all regulations and decrees of the National Guard restricting enlistment, election and payment on the basis of sex are annulled, and the women represented by the petition of Mme. de Gouges be reinstated to the National Guard with full rank and back pay. This was a sensation and had it come from any other than Lafayette, it would have been enormously destabilizing. However, Lafayettes political status was such that, begrudgingly, the nation largely accepted this new reality although only with regards to the National Guard. The rest of the Declaration of the Rights of Women, that relating to political equality, was dutifully ignored by most, even as enlistment in the National Guard was open to women. For most of the women of the National Guard, this was victory declared: they had merely wanted the chance to continue to serve France as they had already done (as well as their pay). They returned to Murats army at Lyon and rejoined their National Guard units, and soon more women enlisted to fight alongside them. However, Lafayettes legal argument did not go completely unnoticed by all, and soon the question was asked by more than merely radical Montagnards as to why Article I, which now forbade distinctions based on gender in the National Guard, did not do so everywhere else too. If women like Corday could lead hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of men under fire, why could she not participate more actively in the political process? For this reason, Corday, Mricourt, and de Gouges did not regard it as a total victory. For Corday, political equality had been the goal all along; the right to die in battle but not the right to vote was not much of a right at all. For her partner Saint-Just, the fact that no fewer than four articles of the Constitution had been violated simply proved how irrational and unjust the current situation truly was. Corday, however, would not have the opportunity to continue the fight then and there as she was, of course, a duly elected officer of the National Guard and had to return to her battalion in Lyon. She would serve with great distinction as a company and then battalion commander through late 1791 and early 1792, as Royalists made concerted attempts to retake Lyon, but she was not done with her work in Paris. Not by a longshot. Ever since 1791, a debate has raged on as to why Lafayette made the decision he did. Some grumbled that he was indeed a secret radical, and had only been attacking the Montagnards to maintain the fiction of distance. Many of these grumblers eventually renounced their previous support of the Republic and quietly left for Marseille. Others claimed that Lafayette, always known for his idealism, had been genuinely convinced by Corday, de Gouges, and the arguments they had made, and this is the generally accepted argument today. A small minority of historians, however, have since suggested a more prosaic, cynical reason. The Republican summer offensives of both 1790 and 1791 had stalled out because of serious manpower shortages, and those were more acute than ever by the end of 1791. Under the cover of political enlightenment, Lafayette had just doubled the number of recruits available to the National Guard without yet having to resort to the even more controversial and destabilizing option of forced conscription. And as 1792 dawned, France would soon need every single recruit, man or woman, that it could get... Chapter 122: (1803) 1803: January 10th: A representative of Erie Enterprise (on the orders of Samuel Kim) introduces the steamboat to China, demonstrating the effectiveness of the steam-powered ship to the Qing court. The Qing Empire will purchase the steamboat from the representative and add it to its small, modernized navy (by this time, around four "modern" ships are complete, with sixteen ships set to be completed by 1810). Additionally, China will look into utilizing the steamboat as river and coastal vessels, since it will cut down transportation times significantly. At the same time, the Lanfang Republic will also acquire a steamboat and begin its own modernization project in order to protect against the Dutch. Using the nation''s newfound wealth due to its trade with the United States, the small island republic will arm itself to defend its independence. January 30th: The United States enters discussions with Spain to acquire the rest of the Louisiana Territory. However, the Spanish government refuses to even entertain the idea and rejects the offer. Instead, the two nations will discuss the official borders between Spanish Louisiana and the United States, to no avail. Despite the American delegation providing maps and approximate borders, the Spanish will refuse to concede to the American proposal (which sets the border west to encompass the future state Lakota [AN: OTL''s North and South Dakota]). The U.S. pushes this proposal, as they desire to have more leeway when they are fighting the Free Sioux Nation and have several American settlements that are west of the Missouri River (though they are under constant attack from the Sioux Indians). Meanwhile, Spain does not want to concede anymore territory to the upstart republic as they are threatening Spanish interests in the Caribbean. February 3rd: The Twelfth United States Congress assembles in Columbia. https://imgur.com/a/4FxK471#UtbsFU9 In the Senate, the new Senate seats from Ontario and Illinois are spread out between three parties. The Democrats and the Unionists split Ontario. Meanwhile, the Front takes both seats in Illinois. The Senate is now tied between the two factions, with each side holding twenty-five seats. United States Senate: Yellow: Republican Party (15) [Centrist] Red: Democratic Party (10) [Conservative] Green: Frontier Party (10) [Center-Left] Blue: Union Party (15) [Liberal] https://imgur.com/a/cUXyRez#rD2um0V In the House, a new party emerges from Massachusetts. The Liberal Party, led by Abigail Adams, will establish its presence within the Twelfth United States Congress by securing three House seats. One of the members of the party will be none other than Deborah Sampson, who won her Congressional district in Massachusetts. While the party will mainly focus on the issue of gender equality, they will also promote many new ideas (such as pensions for government workers, worker''s rights, and expansion of public education). While the party is small, it will gradually attract more and more followers due to its ideals and policies. They will align with themselves with the Unionist-Front bloc, though they will be considered the "radical" wing of the Liberal Coalition. Ranked-choice voting will bring interesting results to the House, as the Democrats gain seats in South Carolina while the Unionists make gains in Massachusetts. In addition to this, the Hanwi Massacre and other recent scandals destroy the Republican-Democrat majority and the Liberal Coalition regains the House in overwhelming fashion. While President Madison is not to be blamed for the massacre (which was carried out by individual soldiers and officers), the effects of the Massacre will be felt through the voters. United States House of Representatives: Yellow: Republican Party (52) [Centrist] Red: Democratic Party (37) [Conservative] Green: Frontier Party (35) [Center-Left] Blue: Union Party (58) [Liberal] Purple: Liberal Party (3) [Radical Liberal] Grey: Independents (12) February 10th: Doctor Marie-Louise Lachapelle of Quebec makes a name for herself in China, as she becomes one of the most renowned and caring American doctors in China. Using recommendations from the Department of Health and Human Services and the American Society of Medicine, she and the other doctors will help opium addicts by supervising their gradual withdrawal from the substance and treating withdrawal symptoms. Due to their limited numbers, the American doctors will not be able to counter the opium epidemic. However, they will help establish treatment methods to combat opium addiction and introduce modern medical science to the Asian nation. February 14th: Timothy Kim is released from prison on parole. He travels to the Jefferson Territory and he is welcomed as a savior by the locals in his namesake town. He quickly becomes one of the leaders of the state and establishes a more organized, formal territory government. When Jefferson is granted statehood in 1812, Timothy will be elected as the first Governor. March 2nd: Quebec proposes a new canal that runs from Lake Ontario, through Lake Taronto (AN: OT''s Lake Simcoe), and into Lake Huron to cut down on travel times from the east coast to Ontario and Rupert''s Land. The canal will be named the Ontario Canal and constructions will begin in 1804. The Ontario Canal will help the growth of nearby towns (such as Sault Ste-Marie, Sudbury, Toronto, Thaona, and Mississauga. March 19th: New South Wales establishes the "White Only Policy" and declares its capital city in Shelburne. Only whites are allowed to settle in the colony (and even that definition of white is very narrow). A few slaves will be imported into the colony, but they will be massively outnumbered by the number of white settlers in the colony. At this time, the population of Australia is around 120,000 (discounting the Aboriginals). April 1st: The April Anti-Monarchist Riots begin in France as the Marseilles Riot of 1801 emboldens the Republicans in the nation. Major cities from Metz to Paris to Lyon to Marseilles see intense unrest as the National Guard and the French Army struggle to contain the rioters. Monarchist sympathizers are targetted and their properties are looted by angry mobs. A group of Republicans also protests directly outside of King Louis'' palace in Versailles and even attempt to storm it (which is only stopped by the King''s own bodyguards). While the April Riots start due to the strong anti-monarchy sentiment across the nation, it also happens due to the stagnating economy, which is only made worse with Brisott''s cautious policies. Many Monarchists that were once loyal to the king will flee the nation, as they realize that the French monarch is unable to protect them. As a result, many will flee to Corsica (a place where Republicans have little presence in), nearby European nations, or Spanish Saint Domingue with their possessions. A few Monarchists will even move to Quebec and Ontario in the United States, though they will face some persecution in the young republic. April 10th: The Despard Plot succeeds in causing mass chaos and destruction across London. Colonel Edward Marcus Despard manages to acquire several hundred kilograms of dynamite from Irish Republican sympathizers in the United States (who purchased the dynamite from mining and construction companies). He and his conspirators blow up the Bank of London, the road to Windsor Castle, an army barracks near the Tower of London, and the gates of Buckingham Palace. The fallout from this event is immense. By a sheer stroke of luck (or misfortune), King George III would be caught in the blast near Windsor Castle, though he survives the incident. The Bank of London would collapse from the blast of the dynamite, while the explosion near the Tower of London kills dozens of troops. By the end of the day, nearly three hundred British people are dead, the nation is in absolute chaos, and the king is in a coma. Not only that, but the British economy takes a nosedive as the destruction of the Bank of England throws the economic situation of the nation into mayhem. Loan records, bank statements, and other invaluable information are lost in the explosion. Immediately, the British government begins a manhunt to hunt down the people involved, though Despard and his group flee back to Ireland in order to join with the remnants of the United Irishmen. The United Irishmen, also funded by various Irish-Americans back in the United States, plans to carry out an uprising in early 1804. As a result, while the British government is in chaos, the Irish prepares to launch another rebellion against the British government. However, the group''s plan changes dramatically as the British government manages to arrest one of the conspirators involved in the Despard Plot. The captive rattles off all the names of those involved in the bombings, including Despard. Due to this, Despard and his fellow conspirators go into deeper hiding within the Irish countryside. Worse, the British government begins an unrestricted search for the bombers within Ireland, arresting many innocent civilians and putting the entire island under martial law. This only creates more anti-British sentiments and unintentionally swells the ranks of the United Irishmen, who are both horrified and excited over the turn of events. The heavy-handed tactics from the British results in the United Irishmen accelerating their plans for an uprising to late 1803. Meanwhile, the Prince Regent stands as the regent for his father. The revelation that Irish revolutionaries nearly killed his father galvanizes the regent against the Irish. When King George III fails to wake up from his coma and dies in 1810, his son will immediately start implementing oppressive laws against the Irish and refuse Irish Catholic Emancipation. The Catholic Emancipation proposal (which has been floating since the Act of Union) immediately loses support after the revelation behind the Despard Plot and the Tories will hold a stranglehold over the British government for years to come. April 29th: The Society of Feminists and Equal Rights creates an organized campaign to prepare for the 1804 elections. They aim to gain more seats for the Liberal Party and actively work to get more women into Congress. They also establish their own newspaper: the Lady Liberty Herald. May 5th: Thomas Paine publishes an essay called "In Defense of Liberty," in which he condemns absolute monarchs across Europe and praises the United States and French Republics. He also emphasizes on the revolutionaries in Haiti and elsewhere and states that mankind is "rising to the expectations set by the American Republic." The essay is received with great enthusiasm among the French and the Americans but is censored and banned in other nations. May 15th: The first Hanwi Day is recognized by the federal government. Hundreds of soldiers are deployed to the memorial site to place flowers on the graves of the two hundred Sioux Indians that were massacred. They come under fire from several Sioux scouts, but the memorial service will finish without any casualties. May 19th: Robert E. Lee, son of Vice President Henry Lee III, is born in Columbia. May 30th: The Battle of Niobrara River ends in a stalemate between the U.S. Army and the Sioux Indians. The Sioux Indians take casualties, but they are able to successfully withdraw after wiping out an Army patrol near the river. Forty-four American soldiers lose their lives in exchange for fifty Sioux lives. Brigadier General Robert Arnold notes that several Indian tribes that were formerly aligned with the US, such as Yankton and Omaha, are now fighting for the Free Sioux Nation. This leads to escalating fears that the war in the west will never end as both sides are unable to reach a compromise. June 2nd: A telegraph line between Boston and Philadelphia is officially complete. The line allows a message from the Massachusetts city to the Pennsylvanian city to be sent within a day instead of taking several days. Since the telegraph lines aren''t entirely stable (the Philadelphia-Columbia line will break down only a month after its competition, due to the fragile nature of the wires), a team of engineers will ensure that the lines are maintained and functional daily. June 30th: Major General Anthony Wayne links up with Bakhtawara in Canton and the two traverse to Nepal together. With them are hundreds of men hired by Bakhtawar to carry the American shipments of firearms (approximately two thousand rifled muskets directly from the United States), ammunition, and rifled cannons (ten pieces). Once they arrive back in Nepal through Tibet, General Wayne implements the same training regimen as he did with the Ninth Banner Army. July 10th: Dai Viet invades Cambodia, forcing Siam to join the war as well. At the same time, Burma, who has suffered numerous defeats at the hands of Siam, join in on the war to subjugate Lan Na (a small vassal kingdom under Siamese rule). Emperor Quang Trung personally leads his armies against the Siamese, which are now equipped with rifled muskets and cannons. Within days, the Siamese forces will be forced to retreat relentlessly as they struggle against both invading armies. Rama I of Thailand realizes the precarious situation of his country and seeks help from elsewhere, but unfortunately, his country is isolated and alone. July 22nd: As the British economic situation continues to tumble, lower-class British people immigrate to the United States to seek financial success elsewhere. Irish immigrants will be the most common group as the Irish are blamed for the bombings and persecuted by the British government and public. Additionally, the shock of the Bank of London''s downfall results in the temporary ascendance of the banks in the Netherlands. August 3rd: The construction of the first railway line begins in the United States. It will stem from Columbia to Baltimore. The owner of the line will be the federal government, which will set up the Federal Railway Union when the railway is complete. As the steam locomotive prototype is still of questionable quality, the railway will first be used as a wagonway before being upgraded to a railway. This will allow ARPA to develop a more reliable steam locomotive for its first appearance. August 19th: The first "Haulie lanes" in New York City are completed. The sight of mailmen delivering packages and letters while riding on the contraption will not be an uncommon sight in the city. Hundreds of citizens with their own private Haulies will use it to carry goods or for general exercise. The project will be met with positivity and success, and other states will seek to develop their own Haulie lanes in their major urban areas. August 30th: Congress passes the "Vaccination Act of 1803," requiring vaccines for all federal employees. The vaccines will be provided for free to employees, and later on, the Act will be expanded upon to offer free vaccines to any citizens. September 15th: The Irish Rebellion of 1803 begins as tensions finally boil over with the United Irishmen capturing Dublin Castle and seizing key points across Dublin itself. Approximately ten thousand rebels rise in revolt across the island, with many ordinary civilians joining in as well (due to the British government''s heavy-handed tactics against the Irish in response to the Despard Plot). It will take nearly a month for the British government to stamp out the rebellion. September 28th: Cambodia falls to Emperor Trung''s forces. Immediately, Siam begins to seek peace with Dai Viet but Emperor Trung desires parts of eastern Siam as well. Thus, the war continues with Siam being pressed on both sides. October 3rd: The chaos in Britain delays the East India Company''s war plans against Nepal. This buys the Nepalese time to arm and readies themselves for the upcoming war... October 19th: The Irish Rebellion comes to a bloody end as nearly five hundred rebels and three hundred British soldiers are killed in the Battle for Dublin. All the ringleaders of the rebellion are executed and the British government discovers that the Irish rebels were armed with American weapons. This will cause unspeakable fury to erupt from Prime Minister Pitt the Younger and King George IV. One of the conspirators to the Despard Plot is also caught in the mass round-ups and he confesses that the explosives used during the bombings were also from the United States as well. November 10th: The British government demands the United States to hand over the Irish-Americans that sold weapons and explosives to the Irish rebels. The American government firmly refuses, claiming that the ones involved in the plot are American citizens and they will be tried in American courts for their connections to the Rebellion and the Despard Plot. This will cause a tremendous rift to form between the two nations. The whole affair will cause King George IV to develop very anti-American attitudes. When the Irish-Americans involved in the plot are found innocent four months later, Britain will nearly cut off all relations with the United States in outrage. While outright war will be avoided due to the diplomatic skills of President Madison (who would go on to offer compensation to rebuild the Bank of London and even attempt to send doctors to help treat the comatose King George III), relations between the two will rapidly deteriorate. Historians argue that the Despard Plot and the near-death of his father changed King George IV''s habits and policies significantly. Which, in turn, caused the Anglo-American War to erupt under his rule. November 22nd: Emperor Jiaqing bans the use of opium throughout China, though he also pushes for reforms to rehabilitate opium addicts and counter the British opium trade in the southern provinces. One of his reforms sees the expansion of the cotton industry through the use of the cotton gin, which will help China make up for some of its silver deficit. December 5th: The first horse-drawn cotton harvester makes its appearance in South Carolina. The inventor, a plantation owner named Charles Pickney, will receive widespread acclaim for his invention. December 31st: On New Year''s Eve, Miranda begins the Venezuelan Revolution. Thousands of rebels fight Spanish troops in Caracas and surrounding areas. Within a week, the Spanish troops are driven out from the city and a Republic will be declared (which will be based on the United States). In response, Spain diverts some soldiers away from Saint Domingue. This will only cause both Saint Domingue and Venezuela to become war zones in the near future. Chapter 123: The 1804 Presidential Elections Excerpt from "A New President, A New Precedent: the 1804 Elections and the Hamilton Presidency." Published in Sheabe, Yakima (2019) With President Madison''s eventful presidency coming to an end, the United States prepared to choose a new president in the 1804 Presidential Elections. While Madison was a relatively popular president, the public grew increasingly wary of the rule of the Republican Party. For sixteen consecutive years, the Republican Party held the leadership of the Executive Branch and the people desired a different party to take the helm. The most obvious choice was the Union Party, which was debatably the most popular party in the nation. So when the Union Party nominated the popular New York Senator and former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton as its presidential candidate, many Unionists, and even members of other parties, enthusiastically supported his presidential bid. However, several hurdles blocked Hamilton''s path to the White House. The 1804 Presidential Race was heavily contested, despite Hamilton''s relative popularity in the eastern (and most populated) regions of the United States. The Republican Party nominated Senator Samuel Bryan of Pennsylvania. Representing the more rural parts of the state, Senator Samuel Bryan was a compromise pick between the Republicans and the Democrats. He was conservative enough for the Democratic Party to put their weight behind him while at the same time, he was flexible to moderate ideas that earned him the approval of the Republican Party. In Congress, Senator Bryan was notably famous for opposing Hamilton''s progressive initiatives (some of which were borderline radical for the era) and criticizing the Union Party for "talking much, but accomplishing little." If anyone could fight the Unionist presidential candidate on the national stage, it was Samuel Bryan. And he did. When Hamilton debated with Bryan on various issues, Senator Bryan produced well-articulated, sensible answers that were persuasive. Even though Alexander Hamilton was able to motivate voters by working tirelessly to campaign throughout the United States (even in western states such as Kentucky), publishing his extremely detailed policies, and promising sweeping reforms if he was elected, Bryan chipped away some of Hamilton''s voter base and weakened his position. (It''s important to note that during this time period, a "Conservative" was usually one that held conservative social views and pro-agricultural economic views. The Democratic Party received much support from the rural areas specifically because they promoted the expansion and protection of the nation''s agricultural sector, which was in contrast to the Republican Party''s moderate position and the Union Party''s pro-industry position. Additionally, the Democratic Party''s social views favored racial minorities and immigrants despite its overall conservative slant, thus earning the support of minority groups such as Canadian Americans, African Americans, and Caribbean Americans. Even so, the Democratic Party never managed to grasp an outright majority with any particular group due to the other political parties [which offered alternative choices for voters]). However, the biggest obstacle for Hamilton was one Squire Boone, who was a House Representative from Kentucky and the Frontier Party''s nominee. The Frontier Party aligned itself with the Union Party in Congress. However, there were no written rules to stop the party from nominating its own candidate and attempting to seize the presidency for themselves. With the public wavering on the Republican Party, the Frontier Party grasped their opportunity to make it into the White House themselves, or at the very least, force one of the other parties to negotiate with their party and form a coalition government. Thus, "the Front" nominated Squire Boone, Daniel Boone''s younger brother. Daniel Boone was the first governor of Kentucky and was immensely popular during his time as the state''s executive (to this day, he is credited as the "Father of Kentucky"). When Squire decided to enter the political arena himself, he was already well-connected and well-liked within his home state. Thus, he easily sailed into the House in 1796 and assumed an influential position in the Frontier Party within a few years. Known to be a frontiersman and a down-to-earth person, the public, especially those in the western states, adored Squire. The common people were able to relate to him more easily than the other "upper class" candidates (Bryan and Hamilton were both very well-off and lived comfortable lifestyles). Not only that, but Squire himself was one of the first settlers in Kentucky and personally defended the territory from Native American attacks before it was even recognized as a territorial extension of Virginia. Promising to defend settlers in the west from Sioux attacks and proclaiming himself as the champion of the common man, Squire entered the 1804 presidential race as a serious candidate. Squire opted to focus more on the western states and the southern states, thus most of his debates with the other candidates were through letters and newspapers. Even if he failed to make a showing in New England or Canada, he was set to win the western states and some of the southern states in a landslide. There was no doubt within the Frontier Party''s ranks that this would allow them to play a critical role in the upcoming election. While the Union Party was outraged at the "betrayal" of the Frontier Party, they were forced to treat the new contender seriously. The Union Party''s leadership suspected that the Frontier Party would attempt to nominate a presidential candidate for themselves. As such, the emergence of Squire Boone as a leading candidate was not a complete surprise. However, this would lead to the relations between the two parties to sour and the surprise coalition between the Frontier Party and the Democratic Party in the 1820 Presidential Elections. The 1820 elections would reshape American politics and send Joseph Crockett into the White House... When November 6th rolled around, the public voted for one of the three presidential candidates in the running: Hamilton, Bryan, or Squire. While the 1788 Presidential Elections was the first election to have multiple candidates from different parties, the 1804 Presidential Elections was the first election where all the candidates in the running were legitimate contenders. There were 240 Electoral Votes up in the air, which meant that a candidate needed at least 121 Electoral Votes to become the next president of the United States. As expected, Squire swept the west and garnered votes in the south. Meanwhile, Bryan earned the majority of the southern Electoral Votes and a handful of the northern ones. Hamilton won an outright victory in the northern states and snared a few southern Electoral Votes as well, but in the end, it was clear that none of the candidates had an outright majority needed to win the presidency. 240 Electoral Votes in total, 121 Electoral Votes to win. When the votes were counted and announced on November 30th, the "Coalition Rule" came into effect. Within thirty days, the candidates were required to form a "coalition government" in order to win the presidency, or the election would be decided by the House of Representatives. This was the first time this rule was implemented, which caused a bit of panic and chaos across the nation. However, within two week''s time, a coalition government was declared between Squire and Hamilton. Squire saw the Union Party as the better party to ally in terms of popularity and support. Additionally, the historic ties between the two parties were not forgotten by Squire and he immediately sought out Hamilton when the initial results were announced. Of course, Squire''s support required Hamilton to make concessions. The most notable ones were as followed: 1) Hamilton was to resolve the "Sioux Problem" by diplomacy... or by force. The Sioux Indians were deterring settlers from pushing into the Wisconsin and Missouri Territories. Even though those territories were relatively safe compared to the border territory of Anikegama, the fear of a potential Indian raid was prevalent and thus, many settlers avoided those territories. This fear intensified when a group of Sioux warriors managed to penetrate through America''s borders and raided several settlements in the Wisconsin Territory. 2) Hamilton was to allow several qualified Front members to become members of his administration''s cabinet. 3) Hamilton was to play hardball against Spain and secure the remainders of the Louisiana Territory for settlement. This was in conjunction with the first term. Since the Free Sioux Nation was based within Spanish territory, they would be forced to flee elsewhere or fight against the American forces directly if the United States acquired the rest of the Louisiana Territory. This was also a major policy of the Frontier Party, which wanted more land expansions for settlers (since most of the territories within the United States were being organized or admitted as states). 4) Hamilton was to expand the upcoming railroad and telegraph to the west as fast as possible (for ease of communication and transportation). 5) Hamilton was to focus on the agricultural sector more than the norm of the Union Party. 6) Hamilton was to prioritize domestic issues over foreign ones. 7) Hamilton was to appoint a Frontier Party member as vice president if he is elected to a second term. These conditions were things that Hamilton could live with and so, on December 17th of 1804, Squire Boone conceded his electoral votes to his Unionist counterpart. Alexander Hamilton was declared the victor of the 1804 Presidential Elections and was sworn in months after. The Fourth President of the United States was elected under unusual circumstances, but even so, the republic managed to hum along without major riots or protests (which were about to destroy the State of France across the Atlantic). The 1804 elections did have a fair amount of controversy. Samuel Bryan cried foul over the fact that the two parties conspired with one another to secure the White House and refused to even discuss terms with him. He (unsuccessfully) attempted to sue the two candidates over the issue. Some of Squire''s voters felt bitter that the Kentucky Representative willingly conceded the elections and handed the presidency to a "rich, spoiled aristocrat from New York" (which was the general view of many in the west). However, the end results were accepted as legitimate and the few that were frustrated by the sudden turn of events were unable to deny Hamilton''s ascendancy. Due to the murmurs of unrest, Hamilton began his term with his promised reforms and moved quickly to prove that he belonged in the White House. Additionally, he worked relentlessly to rally the people in the west by carrying out the guarantees he made to Squire. By doing so, he would play a critical role in shaping America''s destiny in the 19th century and lay down the foundations for the Louisiana Purchase and Pax Americana... +++++ List of American Presidents: 1780-1788 Samuel Kim (Independent) 1788-1796 Thomas Jefferson (Republican) 1796-1804 James Madison (Republican) 1804-? Alexander Hamilton (Unionist-Front) Chapter 124: The American Special Forces Nibioda, Anikegama Territory, the United States of America June 19th, 1805 Lucius Bonapart, Sergeant of the United States Army, wiped off a bead of sweat from his forehead and grunted. He was just over 174 centimeters in height and was physically nonintimidating. However, he was cunning and an excellent shot, which made him one of the top soldiers in the Army, "Why did they gather us here anyways? Hell, most of the group are from the Marines..." One of the Marines, a Mohawk Corporal named Kariwase, glared at him. He was huge and a seasoned warrior, having been deployed to the west for nearly two years upon his own request, "It''s not like we wanted to be stuck here with a bunch of Georges either. We were roped into it." There were around four dozen men waiting outside the perimeters of Nibioda, a small, but growing town of nearly a thousand individuals. Around thirty of them were Marines, while the rest were part of the Army. The commanding officers of each individual warned them to be on their best behavior, as they were going to be "put under evaluation" for a special unit. All the participants accepted their "evaluation" willingly but weren''t told that the evaluation would be a joint one between the Army and the Marines. The two branches got along with each other well... on the battlefield. But outside of that? There was a strong rivalry between the two branches to prove that they were the most effective ground force. Some even claimed that the rivalry went all the way back to Commandant Kim and General Washington in the Revolutionary War, though everyone was well aware of the Marines'' feats during America''s War for Independence. "Settle down you two," Captain Justin Jin-Un Kim, the highest-ranking officer in the vicinity, scolded the two men. He was tall and lean, with both Asian and White features mixed into his face. His hair was charcoal black, but his eyes were strikingly blue, "Remember, you are to be on your best behavior. We don''t want a repeat of what happened four days ago, do we?" "Not my damn fault that the Georges couldn''t even make fucking breakfast correctly," Corporal Kariwase replied with a deadpanned expression, "I mean, uncooked bison meat?" Captain Kim, to his credit, was much like his father. He was tough as nails but looked out for his fellow soldiers. His facial expression softened ever so slightly as he sighed, "Don''t forget that I suffered through the incident as well. Now, look sharp and stop talking. You don''t want to make a scene before the evaluation begins, do you?" "What are the evaluations even for?" Sergeant Bonapart asked. "You''ll see," The son of the first president answered nonchalantly. Soon enough, a group of officers made their way to the evaluation group. Despite their rivalry, the two branches put aside their differences for now and saluted the officers as they passed by. Captain Kim at the front of the evaluation group in the very right corner, as they were all standing in rank order. Brigadier General Richard Arnold, who was overseeing the evaluation, passed by each individual with a hint of a nod or a smile. When he reached his "step-brother," he gave a knowing smirk, which the captain only returned in kind. "At ease, men." "I''m sure all of you are anxious to know what this is all about," General Arnold said as he strutted to the front of the group, "So I will quell your worries right now. You have all been chosen for a special task force, the first "special forces," if you will. You will undergo three months of intense training, more intense than the training the Marines receive. In fact, it will make Marines'' training look like child play." A few Army soldiers paled at the words and Lucius nearly paled as well. It was no hidden secret that the Marines went through a lot of tough shit. Despite the crap that the Army piled on them at times, even the most pro-Army soldiers begrudgingly admitted that the American Marines were some of the toughest bunches that the United States had to offer. "However, this task force will offer you a chance to become the very best and give you a front-row seat to end this war in the west. You will receive higher pay, new ranks, and a personal recommendation from the Commander in Chief after you retire. The other officers and I have already discussed each individual here and decided that all of you here were the best possible candidates for this task force. So now the choice is up to you." "Sir," Captain Kim saluted as he stepped forward, "Is there a name for this group?" "United States Special Operations Forces, or just "Special Forces." General Arnold closed in on him and whispered under his breath, "Congrats with that princess. Uncle married a farm girl from the south and you married a princess. I''m guessing next is a French Revolutionary?" The captain sputtered as the Army general gripped his shoulder lightly, "Any questions?" "What''s the difference between this "Special Forces" and the Recon Battalion, sir?" Corporal Kariwase asked, "Because I''m a member of the Recon Battalion and we already do "special" missions." "The key difference is that you will be doing penetration missions. Once you are formally accepted into the Special Forces, you will be given further clearance on the matter. But for now, all I can tell you is that this task force will be critical to the end of the war here in the west. And I mean critical. It is an initiative established by the President himself since he wants this war to end within two years'' time. You will not only do fieldwork but intelligence work as well." "That''s usually reserved for the NIS though, sir." "But the NIS can''t be everywhere and most of their agents aren''t capable of combat," Arnold smiled, "But all of you are." Kim already knew about the formation of the Special Forces beforehand. After all, his father had informed him about it as soon as it was formed. Before, he still had trouble believing that his father was a man sent from the future, but then he was introduced to the laptop and interacted with it. His father revealed the secret when he was twenty-four (just after he was promoted in the Marines), but raised him like a "21st-century child" in terms of education and morals throughout his entire life. He knew that in his father''s eyes, he was the most suitable to carry out his father''s role as a member of that very shady organization that watched over the United States with a cautious eye (though, he saw the sense in keeping an organization like that alive to keep a check against any demagogues or authoritarian groups). It helped that he was fully accepting of all the "modern" ideas. He also knew the history behind the Special Forces and knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. "I accept, sir." "The others haven''t finished asking their questions." "Regardless, I accept." +++++ AN: So Napoleon has (and had, in our history) a lot of siblings. Here''s what they''re doing right now: Joseph: Practicing law in Pennsylvania, aiming to join his sibling in the House. However, he''s a Republican and doesn''t agree with some of Nathaniel''s political views. He''s one of the few Bonapart family members to not live in New York. Lucien: The current holder of the Bonapart family business. The Bonapart family is well off and owns vast tracts of land in New York. They also own several factories, numerous shops, and a fleet of merchant ships. He''s an outspoken Unionist living in New York. He''s married to an African American woman that he met when he was in Virginia for business. Elisa: Teaches at the federal primary school in New York. She graduated from Federal New York University with a degree in mathematics. She''s married to a wealthy French-American that also lives in New York. She''s also a Unionist like most of her siblings. Lucius (Louis, who changed his name so he didn''t have the same name as that King Louis): Captain in the American Army. Currently deployed in Anikegama Territory. Fluent in Ojibwe, French, English, and Quebecois-French. He''s a graduate of Westpoint Academy (class of 1799) and is single. Paula (Pauline): Born in 1782, she''s currently helping out her family''s business with Lucien since she''s not interested in pursuing a university degree. She''s good friends with Samuel Kim''s second son, Darren Sungho Kim, who is currently twenty years old. Darren is also managing his father''s business and is set to inherit most of Kim''s industrial and trade empire. Virginia (OTL Caroline): Born in 1784, she''s getting ready to enter the Federal University of New York like her oldest brother Joseph. She''s planning to become a doctor in the near future. John (Jerome): Born in 1785, he''s still attending the federal primary school in New York City. He''s drawn to factories and machinery and will study engineering to improve the efficiency of the Bonapart factories. All of them are acquainted with the Kim family. Chapter 125: The First President of the Second French Republic Paris, the Second French Republic May 15th, 1806 Georges Danton skimmed through several important documents in his makeshift office near the National Assembly Hall when his secretary cautiously knocked on his door to earn his attention, "Mr. President, the American representative is here to see you." "Bring him in." The secretary nodded and returned several minutes later with a tall man of mixed Asian and white descent. He wore a nearly all-black military uniform, with a green hat perched on his head. President Danton was well aware of the man''s identity and greeted him with a firm handshake, "Colonel Justin Kim, it is an honor to finally meet you." "The honor is mine, sir," Colonel Kim replied in fluent French. "Please, sit," Danton said awkwardly as he waved his hand towards an empty chair. He wasn''t much of a conversationalist, but that allowed him to think deeply and critically compared to some of his peers. The two of them settled into their respective seats and appraised each other for a few moments. The French leader didn''t see any emotions from the colonel''s face, but he knew that Colonel Kim was a bit... underwhelmed due to his ugly appearance. He was a huge man and charismatic, but he was not a sight to fawn upon. Yet here he was, the democratically elected leader of France that was forced to defend the nation against an upcoming foreign invasion. Which was why the American officer was here in the first place: to help Danton defend his homeland. The former members of the First Coalition were gathering their soldiers for a full, frontal invasion of France and Danton needed all the help he could get. This time, Britain was joining as well, basically ensuring that France would be surrounded and cut off. American merchant ships were allowed through, due to America''s threats of armed neutrality, but it was a contentious situation. President Danton was provided a report of the captain and his unit, the elite American military group called the "United States 707th Special Forces Battalion." The battalion consisted of two hundred members, all of them handpicked by the top military officers of the American republic and trained with an intensity that made him mentally shudder. President Hamilton, his American counterpart, was generous enough to provide some of the less classified missions that the men had been on and the Frenchman was suitably impressed. The 707th had a 94% mission success rate, and many of its missions involved infiltration, sabotage, intelligence-gathering, and "blitz" (he was told that the Americans used that term for quick and devastating military strikes that would leave the enemy scattered and confused). All in all, they pushed their physical limits to the absolute brink and overcame even the most difficult missions with a staggering amount of willpower and skill. Danton was no military man, he left that up to Corday or Murat, but he knew that the 707th was an elite unit that would put even the best units in France to shame. Colonel Justin Kim was the leader of that battalion. The son of the American war hero and former president Samuel Kim, he showed extreme promise as a military leader. However, unlike his father, many of his actions were classified by the American government for a period of fifteen years and only a few of his missions were revealed to the public as of now. He was told that Congress had the ability to override any of these classified missions and release it to the public if necessary, but President Danton knew why such a protocol existed. If Spain discovered that the Americans had been penetrating into their Louisiana Territory in order to fight Indians in their territory, it would cause a huge diplomatic scandal. As a result, only a few missions that the 707th participated in on American soil were released to the public. President Danton only knew about this sensitive information because President Hamilton trusted him, or at least trusted him enough to send the entire battalion to France to help him in the upcoming war against the rest of Europe. President Hamilton was shackled by his nations government. He was unable to authorize a direct military intervention, as Congress would have none of it. His deal with the other party of his coalition government meant that he was forced to focus on domestic issues. While France declaring another republic was an important international event, Congress was keener on dealing with America''s borders and integrating the newly acquired territories of the United States. When the Dutch government was toppled by the Patriots and the Prince of Orange was overthrown within weeks (inspired by the Second French Revolution), the British immediately declared war on the newly declared Holland Republic. There were multiple reasons for this; chiefly speaking, the British were none too pleased that the Dutch saw an economic resurgence after the Bank of England''s collapse and the ruling government despised republics. As a result, after the Holland Republic was declared on February 1st, the British declared war just two weeks later. Danton received only scattered reports about the war between the British and the Dutch, but he knew that the Dutch Empire was going to crumble from the war. Seizing upon the situation, the United States managed to affirm an ownership transfer provision written in the Treaty of Amsterdam and declared the Dutch Cape Colony under "American protection." The Americans hadn''t annexed the territory outright, but it was quite clear that they would be occupying the Dutch Cape Colony for the foreseeable future. This meant that the United States was busy with its own issues to fully assist the French Republic, a situation that reminded Danton of the First Coalition War. However, President Hamilton was not helpless and he had plenty of willing allies in Congress to re-introduce the "Armed Neutrality Act" to trade weapons and supplies to France. Not only that, but he managed to secure the deployment of the 707th into France (which was voted on by Congress behind closed doors). Despite France''s precarious situation, Danton felt a tinge of hope when he heard the news. Even if it was only a fraction of what America had to offer, it was still a symbol of cooperation and friendship. And to him, that was all that mattered. Now, the unit was in France (awaiting in a hotel in Paris) and they were preparing themselves for the long war ahead. Colonel Kim coughed to break up the silence, "My men are all accounted for and we will begin to carry out operations shortly. If you are willing, we can start our assignment right away." Danton frowned, "But the Coalition has not invaded our territory yet." "Even so, they have already declared war on France. My orders were clear: we are to help the French military beat back any invasions and make the invaders'' lives miserable. I intend to carry out the latter parts of the orders until the invasions begin." "I am not a military expert, but wouldn''t that hasten their preparations and move up the timetable of the invasion? My military is still working to organize itself and we are expected to fight on three fronts, four if Holland requests our protection." "It is a difficult choice, sir. However, I believe it''s the right one. If we do nothing and allow the Coalition to build up their forces directly on the French border with no harassment whatsoever... It can make the war more difficult later on. They already have a month''s headstart on us, so this is a risk we must take." The French president grimaced. France was still in... difficult situation There were no violent uprisings or civil war this time around, though the event was still called the "Second French Revolution" by many. When Brissott was unable to secure a majority in the Assembly and the opposition was unable to unify to form a majority bloc, King Louis attempted to intervene and appoint a minor noble as the new prime minister. That action earned him an armed uprising that saw thousands of National Guardsmen and civilians march to Versailles to remove the King from his throne. Predictably, the King fled with his few followers to Prussia, where he invoked the "Berlin Agreement" that drew the leaders of the First Coalition into the war. This time, Britain was assisting the Coalition. In return, King Louis handed them any French overseas possessions, something that Danton couldn''t do anything about with the domestic situation. At the beginning of February, Austria, Prussia, Britain, and numerous nations declared war on France once again. However, the two sides were still preparing for the war as the revolution had (quite literally) ended in a day. The shock from the swift downfall of King Louis forced the other nations to take their time before attempting an invasion, as they were caught flat-footed (they expected King Louis to last a bit longer). While it gave time for France to prepare its defenses (and offensives), it also meant that the nation was being restructured to be on a war footing. Combined with the stress of creating a new civilian government, the nation was still in a delicate situation. "Then do what you must." "Do I have your word that you will allow some French soldiers to support us in some of our missions and training?" "May I ask what these missions will entail?" "Intelligence gathering. We''re still blind about the entire situation in Europe, so we want to gather information as rapidly as possible. Once we have suitable intel, we will begin our "blitz" operations to rattle the Coalition forces. Additionally, it would be good for France to have its own Special Forces group in case we are forced to withdraw due to unknown circumstances." Danton thought for a moment before replying with a nod, "Of course. I will arrange a suitable detachment to be under your command. However, I expect that you and your unit will take great care of the Frenchmen under your command." "Of course, sir. And one more thing, President Hamilton would like to pass on a short message to Lafayette." "By all means." Danton''s face did not betray the mixed emotions simmering in his heart. "General George Washington is dead. He passed away in January of this year." Omake: The Beginning of the First Coalition War AN: You all know who to credit Also, all the "omakes" in my timeline are canon, so this is officially part of the timeline. +++++ Excerpt from Arise, Children of the Fatherland!: The First Coalition War The Republican Army in 1792 The news that women would now be openly fighting on the Republican side stunned and horrified the Royalist commanders. Women had always fought around the edges and in disguise in war, of course, but that was one thing, endorsing it was quite another. Many had heard the rumors that had come from Lyon but all had dismissed them as fanciful. Then the word of Lafayettes order of 9 December reached Marseille, and the reaction was unanimous revulsion. Not content with corrupting the people, Artois remarked with despair, Motier now defiles our women as well!. That the women of the National Guard were all there entirely of their own volition presumably did not occur to the Kings brother. The general attitude and zeal of these women is summed up best by the mottos inscribed on the flags of the scattering of all-female battalions raised through 1792 and 1793: in France, all are equal to defeat tyranny, free women, live free or die and, most famously, the Republic or death [1]. Some cut their hair short to avoid wasting time that would otherwise be spent fighting, others emulating Corday chose to keep their femininity on full display. All wore the tricolor cockade on their bosom. Their elected officers were hard taskmasters, demanding abnormally high standards of discipline and marksmanship from them. Failure was abhorred, cowardice a moral sin, lest the women of France disgrace themselves in battle. Far from being a token or an ornament, these battalions would become of the most distinguished available to French generals once they deigned to actually use them. On the flip side, although they remained a small minority the addition of thousands of women added further complications to the National Guards already-severe discipline issues. It soon became clear that the rank-and-file men did not react well to losses amongst their female brethren, and loss of morale or further costly vengeance attacks would often result. It should be noted, however, that their enemies often suffered the same problem; many a Coalition officer would write with despair at the lack of fighting spirit when his men learned that the company they had just routed had been full of women. Moreover, the sight of an all-female battalion obstinately holding the line whilst their male colleagues wavered was often enough to shame their male comrades-in-arms into showing similar fortitude. Nevertheless, the problem of poor discipline and recklessness persisted. If the Republican armies wanted to become a truly effective fighting force capable of standing up to the armies of Europe, standards needed to improve. Leaning heavily on the organizational brilliance of the mathematician Lazare Carnot, over the first half of 1792 the French army was overhauled. This was not easy, and on more than one occasion small sub-units went into outright mutiny, but Lafayette ensured the senior officers were understanding as the new rules were bedded in. Officers continued to be elected, of course, but the process of officer election was standardized, time requirements placed for eligibility, and the common practice of battlefield promotion by acclamation greatly curtailed. Moreover, the structure of the Army was overhauled: no longer would there be two entirely distinct institutions the professional Army and the all-volunteer National Guard serving alongside each other but not under the same banner, as Lafayette merged these two institutions into a new Republican Army. The National Guard would now become the main rank-and-file of the French armies, while the professionals were now subsumed into the Republican Army as the Revolutionary Guard. The Lige Revolution The reorganized Republican Army would soon be put to its most challenging test. On January 5th, the so-called Lige Revolution began, whereby a large mob in the city of Lige in the Austrian Netherlands stormed the town hall, seizing it and proclaiming the First Republic of Lige. Over January sporadic fighting in and around the city would see the Prince-Bishop flee and the Lige republicans declare victory. A delegation from the city arrived in Paris on the 22nd and presented their credentials to Lafayette along with a request for a declaration of friendship from a fellow Republic. President Lafayette, well-aware of the potential consequences but also not seeing a reasonable alternative, agreed, with the stipulation that the declaration not be made public for the time being. Unfortunately, if Lafayettes intentions were to avoid provoking the Austrians, then he may as well not have bothered with the stipulation. On March 1st, the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II died after a reign of just two years. A shrewd monarch of the enlightened despot mold, he was genuinely interested in many of the social reforms coming out of France when he came to power in 1790, believing firmly that some measure of modernization and reform was vital to ensure the long-term stability of the Habsburg empire. He had permitted thousands of men to travel to Marseille to fight as mercenaries under the Royalist banner at the urging of his sister Queen Marie Antoinette, but for various reasons, he had no intention of declaring war on the Republic unless it moved first, and Lafayette ensured that France did not. The new Habsburg Emperor, Francis II, had a quite different attitude to the Republic. Whereas Leopold II had treated the emigrs as an annoyance at best and thought Artois a pompous fool, Francis II essentially agreed with Artois on the Republic. He was particularly incensed by the events in Lige and felt that if not contained then republicanism would become a wildfire that swept through all of Europe. He immediately declared the Lige Republic Ge?chtete [2] and began preparations to invade Lige and reinstall the Prince-Bishop. On May 1st Austrian troops marched into the territory of the Republic of Lige to retake the city. As chance would have it, a brigade of the French Republican Army from Metz had just arrived in Lige by request of the increasingly nervous government. Metz was one of the most enthusiastically pro-radical cities in all of France, having long embraced the ideals of the Enlightenment in totality. Robespierre had made his name there as a young lawyer by writing a stirring essay on the evils of capital punishment. It had also been one of the cities in France that had wholeheartedly embraced the enlistment and election of women in the National Guard. Thus, Lafayette chose a newly-raised brigade that was at least one-fifth female to trumpet the latest great social advance of the Revolution to Frances new ally. In particular, a mixed-gender troop of dragoons had elected one particularly pugilistic female officer, a Lt. Alicia de Villepin. Upon seeing an advance company of Austrians marching up to the gate, de Villepin, a humorless terror of a woman, rode to the gate and demanded that they explain their purpose and, if not there on the request of the Republican government, leave immediately. At this, the commanding Austrian officer, presumably thinking her a jumped-up townswoman, did probably the worst thing he could have done: he laughed at her. It is difficult to be sure what exactly happened next. The most eye-catching claim is that de Villepin pulled out a pistol and shot the insolent Austrian colonel dead on the spot. Others say that the rank-and-file dragoons, outraged by the disrespect given by the Austrian pig to their commander opened fire and killed him. Either way, a small pitched battle was soon underway at the city gate. Outnumbered, the small Austrian force was forced to retreat. Casualties were not high on either side, amounting to a few dozen spread across both sides including de Villepin who suffered a broken arm, and with a much larger Austrian force mere hours away the French brigade was forced to withdraw regardless. With this small action, the French Civil War was now the First Coalition War. The news hit Paris a week later like a bomb. The Assembly descended into pandemonium when they learned that French blood had been spilled by the hated Austrians not on French soil, granted, but on Republican soil, which was close enough. A draft declaration of war was immediately drawn up by the Girondins, and all other business adjourned until it could be passed. When the Lige government-in-exile and the Metz regiment reached Paris, they were treated to an impromptu parade by the cheering Paris crowds, with de Villepin and her broken arm being a particular talk of the town. Lafayette had not wanted the coming war. He had intervened decisively against one in October 1790, he had done so again after the Declaration of Pillnitz. Now, however, he could see that the war he had so dreaded was inevitable. His diaries would later reveal that he had already come to this conclusion before Lige had even fallen. On the 18th of March, he had written: Grim tidings from Vienna. Leopold is dead, Francis is King of the Romans now. I fear that he will move to make war on Lige and on France as soon as he can. Prussia and Spain will most certainly join him. I must act quickly to ensure that Great Britain does not. France faces its greatest test. With the general European war now clearly inevitable after the confrontation in Lige, President Lafayette thus made his move. His first meeting was with the American Ambassador, John Laurens. Laurens was not in a position to offer military aid or alliance, and in any case, Lafayette seems not to have sought either, but he quickly secured continued financial and non-military assistance from the United States. Lafayette was thus able to focus on continuing the expansion of Frances fledgling war industry. His second meeting was with the British Ambassador. It was there that Lafayette secured what he craved above all, even more than American support: British neutrality. Anticipating many of the same arguments the British diplomatic corps would soon be using to explain perfidious Albions decision to irate European monarchs, Lafayette pointed out that, with Spain and France locked in bitter war and the Netherlands nervously watching its back, Britain would have a largely free hand to do as it pleased in the colonial sphere if she stayed out of the war. The Ambassador promised to convey Lafayettes arguments to the British Cabinet but informally, he also told Lafayette that Cabinet had already informally decided on neutrality, for We have only recently extricated ourselves from one tangle with a Republic. We have no intention of finding ourselves in another.. The European monarchs were indeed furious with this decision. Without the backing of the powerful Royal Navy, they could not possibly hope to blockade France and prevent trade with America, particularly as said trade was largely happening on American-flagged ships. France could therefore not be strangled into submission, it would have to be ground down in the field of battle, slowly and painfully. Nevertheless, Francis proceeded with his plan, and in Vienna on June 29th, Francis along with envoys from Prussia, Spain, Portugal, Sardinia, and several Italian states under Habsburg dominion signed the Declaration of the First Coalition. Lafayette was now fighting the war against Europe that he had so wished to avoid. Strasbourg By mid-July, all was ready for the Coalition attack. A force of over forty thousand, consisting of twenty-five thousand Prussians, fifteen thousand Austrians, and a smattering of Italians assembled near Frankfurt. On the 18th of August, the Coalition Army crossed the French border. The plan was straightforward: defeat the Republican army massing near Strasbourg then march on Paris and end the upstart Republic. The army was led by the Duke of Brunswick, and he was so confident of victory that he even made an inflammatory proclamation threatening the National Assembly with exemplary punishment if they did not surrender. This proclamation stirred up great unrest in Paris, as many interpreted it to mean that royalist plotters were planning a coup. Lafayette, however, had no intention of surrendering. All year he had been making preparations for the coming attack by the Austrians. Indeed, when Murat and Jourdan had begged Lafayette for reinforcements so they could continue their offensives, Lafayette had refused, instead focussing on his army reforms and building up reserves. Now that the moment of truth had arrived, he recalled Murat from the Rh?ne and gave him one job: protect Paris at all costs. To do so Murat had been given he had the finest army the Republic had yet assembled: five brigades totaling over twenty thousand men and women, a mixture of battle-tested battalions, fanatically devoted and comparatively well-trained newcomers, and elite Revolutionary Guard cavalry. Some of the greatest French generals of the First and Second Coalition Wars Klber, Dessaix, Marceau, Augureau, and Massna would cut their teeth as chefs de brigade in the battle to come. About 20 miles north of Strasbourg, Murat had chosen his battlefield. Picking a site where the gap of open country between the Rhine River and the thick forest was at its narrowest, he had dug multiple lines of mutually supporting trenches with overlapping fields of fire, makeshift earth ramparts and barricades to slow enemy progress and channel enemy soldiers into pre-arranged killing zones covered by artillery. It was a veritable fortress, although one mostly hidden from view, and the only task now was to dangle the final bait. That bait would be one brigade of infantry under the manifestly brilliant and tenacious shopkeepers son, Andr Massna. This brigade would in fact contain the 1st Norman Battalion, whose chef de battalion was now none other than the Angel of Equality herself, Charlotte Corday. On the morning of August 20, against the backdrop of the rising sun, six thousand men rose out of their trenches and towards the assembled Coalition Army. Spreading out to create the illusion of a larger force, they followed their orders to the letter and attacked head-on, with predictably ugly results. Of the five thousand who made the charge, over fifteen hundred became casualties of battle. Corday herself was one, having been hit in the shoulder and then bodily carried to the field hospital by her adjutant who had personal orders from Murat to not let Cmdt. Corday get herself shot to pieces trying another ridiculous stunt, so worried he was about losing one of his bravest and best officers. And yet for all that, the attack was a complete success. Many have remarked on just how unprepared Brunswick was for the tactics used by the enemy that day. How, historians have wondered, had he completely missed the revolutionary shift in military doctrine brought about by Kim, and then given life in Europe by Murat and Jourdan? A Prussian delegation led by Baron von Steuben (of von Stueben vs. New York fame) had even visited Bermuda years before and observed first-hand the power of the new tactics. The answer is simple: like many Prussian and Austrian nobles, he considered America beneath his notice and the Revolutionary War an irrelevant colonial squabble. That the Republicans had done so well in 1791 was just confirmation of the low opinion these nobles held of King Louis and Artois as military men. Also, failed attacks that quickly turned into full-on routs of the Republican Army had been a hallmark of the first year of the French Civil War. Brunswick had simply assumed the same would happen again. It did not. Instead, Brunswick chased after the fleeing Republicans and blundered straight into Murats killing zones. The Coalition soldiers were channeled by the cleverly disguised ramparts into the artillerys field of fire, and barriers slowed their progress whilst the well-protected French infantry cut them down. They did manage to take the first line of trenches but the French simply fell back to the second line, protected by comrades behind them. Saint-Just would write that this was less a battle than the ruthless new philosophy of industry applied to battlefield slaughter prescient words given what would follow in the Second Coalition War and especially the Anglo-American War. With the trap sprung, Murat slammed the steel jaws shut. His Revolutionary Guard cavalry had driven off their opposing numbers on the flanks, and in a maneuver reminiscent of Cannae he surrounded the benighted Coalition army. That was the last straw for the Italians. Seeing calvary behind them, dead comrades all around them, and pinned in place, they threw down their arms and surrendered. As it often did, the stench of defeat spread like wildfire through the army. The Austrians wavered, then unit-by-unit also surrendered or ran, effectively halving the size of the Coalition army. The Prussians held out the longest, but by days end, Brunswick was in full flight, having lost well over half his army dead, wounded, or captured. Murats army had also suffered from a thousand dead and many more wounded, the largest portion of whom had taken part in Massenas charge. But there was no mistaking it: the French Republican army had won and won fairly easily, having never been seriously challenged in the second line or forced to retreat to the third and final line of trenches. The Coalition army, on the other hand, had been shattered numerically and psychologically by the battle, and would not be able to conduct serious offensives on northern France for a full year. Brunswick was in shock. How exactly had he lost, and lost so badly, to a filthy mob that included women? To his dying day, he never truly processed what happened at Strasbourg, blaming spies, bad weather, dirty tricks, the cowardice of the Austrian and Italian soldier compared to the Prussian, and even the unwillingness of his men to fight against women for the outcome of the battle. In truth, he had been decisively outwitted by a vastly superior commander fielding a smaller but far more committed army. Strasbourg immediately became known as Murats masterpiece. With the threat to the north secured, Lafayette allowed Murat and a contingent of his soldiers to parade through Paris. Over three hundred men and a tiny handful of women were publicly presented with the newly established legion dhonneur before cheering crowds. For her part, a recuperating Corday had been one of those recipients, and she was delighted that she was not the only woman to have been so. The other three were a corporal who had led a detachment to retrieve four wounded men from the first trench, a private who had saved a commandants life by bayonet-charging a Prussian soldier who had bested him in hand-to-hand combat, and the lieutenant who had saved Cordays life was the third. On top of her adjutants heroics, Corday was fortunate indeed to have been on the Republican side of the battle, for her wound would doubtless have been a mortal one without the great advances in battlefield medicine imported from America. Following the shocking casualty rates at Lyon, President Lafayette, undoubtedly drawing from his personal observations in America, had invited dozens of Quebecois doctors to France to help institute a wide-ranging program of importing best American medical practice into the Republican National Guard and Army. The introduction of battlefield ambulances, field hospitals, much-improved hygiene practices and even an early version of saline intrusion likely saved many hundreds of lives at Strasbourg and elsewhere. With such practices and everyone made an extra effort to save the Angel of Equality Corday was soon on the slow path to recovery, and even retained all her limbs. But her time as a soldier was at a close for now. She struggled to hold a musket properly for at least a year and her wound would cause her great discomfort for the rest of her life, though needless to say she wore it with great pride. Besides, her true calling was in the political sphere, and it was there that she now devoted all her energies until her recall to the Army in 1794. In a way, it was a blessing, for it allowed her to return to her true passion: fighting for political equality for women, and beyond that left-Girondist republicanism. This time, she was given no cold shoulder in the Society of 1789. Instead, she was treated to a standing ovation upon her arrival and immediately elected to the Coordinating Committee, although she and Madame Roland would never see eye to eye, and neither would trust the other. Excerpt from "Founders of Two Republics: Lafayette and Danton, 1789 1806" The Decrees of 26 September Despite the stunning victory at Strasbourg, the atmosphere in Paris becoming increasingly fractious in the spring of 1792. The Spanish had invaded at both ends of the Pyrenees, and Jourdans sole army was now faced with the prospect of fighting off three separate Coalition armies. Sensing the danger of encirclement, Jourdan abandoned Toulouse and conducted a fighting retreat all the way back to Bordeaux, only narrowly avoiding being cut off by the Spanish on two separate occasions. A new Army of Auvergne under Augureau reinforced Jourdan and stabilized the situation, but nonetheless the Republic was now firmly on the defensive in the south. It was in this environment that the Montagnards began to rapidly gain political momentum. France was standing at the precipice, they argued, now was the time to ditch all half-measures and all unnecessary scruples. Demands to fill the entire Montagnard program were constant: full nationalization of church property to fund the war, universal conscription which now included women unless involved in work crucial to the overall war effort, and the permanent banning of all counterrevolutionary displays of social distinction such as nobility or non-military rank or station and, most disturbingly, the creation of a Revolutionary Tribunal to dispense revolutionary justice to enemies of the Republic. The most direct challenge to Lafayette came in the form of a series of proposals that sought to devolve power from the monarchical Presidency and place them back in the hands of the Assembly. It truly seemed like the Montagnards were about to sweep all opposition away. On 15 September, an emboldened Robespierre gace a highly controversial speech which included, following a long denouncement of the Girondin ministry, the famous line outlining his vision for the Montagnard government that seemed increasingly inevitable: Weakness is the road to monarchy, and incompetence the path to tyranny. The driving force of the revolutionary government must be both virtue and terror: virtue without which terror is deadly, terror without which virtue is impotent. What is terror, applied to the enemies of the Republic, but an emanation of justice? It thus must be terror, less a distinct principle than a general consequence of democracy, that must also be applied to the questions facing our nation. This speech was delivered with none other than Jacques-Pierre Brissot sitting directly opposite, and it was abundantly clear what Robespierres point was: Brissots leadership of the Assembly had been so weak and ineffectual it amounted to treason. Having agitated like no other for this war, Brissot had no clear plan for its conduct and had failed to capitalise on the opportunity given by Strasbourg. Whereas this speech would have been drowned out with jeering a year before, now the Plain hung off Robespierres every word and the Gironde could only sit in stony silence. He even received a standing ovation afterward. It seemed that Robespierre, not Lafayette and certainly not Brissot, would be running France soon. Alas, Robespierre, in his hatred of Brissot, well-founded though it might have been, had finally gone too far. For it was then that Lafayette decided that enough was enough and the Mountain needed to be brought to heel. Lafayette had one huge trump card in his pocket: he was still widely popular with every part of the public. Even the radical sections of Paris and the National Guard who despised Brissot, Condorcet, and all the other moderate nobles who dominated the bulk of the Gironde adored Lafayette as one of their own. He had deliberately steered the First Assembly to adopt aggressive democratic reform, he had led men into battle, he had personally declared the two great "Equalisation Orders" for the poor and for women soon to be three, once slaves and people of color [3] were counted. There were some grumbling and suspicion about how close Lafayette was to the Gironde in the more radical battalions of the National Guard, but by and large, they forgave him that one oversight. If he led, they would follow. On the 25th of September, some much-needed good news reached Paris: Valence had been liberated. Lyon really now was truly secure from attack, and hopes were even raised that Klber would be able to march on Marseille and end the war. This was, of course, not remotely possible the arrival of a large Italian army prevented any further progress but the brief hope it created gave Lafayette the political space he required. The very next day, Lafayette personally introduced a famous set of bills known as the Decrees of 26 September. These were stunning in their scope. Firstly, women were granted the right to vote, albeit in a very restricted manner. Corday, hearing from her astonished friend Mricourt, is said to have walked down to the National Assembly to see with her own eyes whether it was real or not. Slavery was abolished in all forms and in all French territory. Property belonging to those nobles who had become emigres or fled for Marseille in 1789 was regarded as forfeited forever; the decrees stipulated how the properties would be eventually divided amongst the local peasantry and communes. Bowing to military reality, the decrees even called for a small measure of conscription by lottery. It seemed an overwhelming Montagnard political victory. And it may have been, had it not been for the content of the remainder of the decrees, for they were a complete and total repudiation of the rest of the Montagnard philosophy of radical maximalism. The property of the church was clarified as explicitly protected by Article XVI of the Constitution of 1790. A wide variety of exemptions for religion and conscience were permitted for the conscription lotteries; the Mountain believed such exemptions creeping royalism and aristocracy. Most stunning of all, inciting terror and deliberately turning citizen against citizen were explicitly listed as unprotected by Article X of the constitution and thus legitimately punishable by law. No one had any illusions about the true target of Lafayettes decrees. With a single stroke, Lafayette had flanked the Montagnards from both left and right; he had drained their political program of its urgency and rendered their governing philosophy de facto unconstitutional. The message was clear: I have given you most of what you wanted, now get back in line or face the consequences. For many in the Mountain led, as we will soon see, by the Cordeliers Club and Georges Danton the correct reply was simple: declare victory and do as told. The Montagnard coup But, fatefully, Robespierre did not get in line. Instead, at emergency meetings of the Jacobin Clubs executive council on the 26th and 27th, he and the other Montagnard leaders called for the tocsin bells to sound at noon on the 28th and have the National Guard march on the Assembly and force the withdrawal of the anti-Montagnard decrees. It was, in effect, the calling of a second Revolution, one against Lafayette himself. No one was under any illusions as to what a successful push to withdrawal the decrees would mean: Lafayette would effectively have lost the confidence of the Assembly, which under the Constitution of 1790 would render him little more than a figurehead. The executive committee of the Jacobin Club, backed by the most radical battalions of the National Guard, would be the true executive body of France. There were two people who had comparable popularity in Paris to Lafayette and could thus feasibly turn the National Guard against Lafayette. One was Charlotte Corday, and she was not about to facilitate a coup on behalf of the Jacobin Club. The other was Georges Danton, who everyone believed had the Paris garrison of the National Guard in his back pocket since 1789 through this control of the Cordeliers Club, of which more than half the officers of the Parisian National Guard were members. He even had de facto control over the Paris Commune, which since 1790 had been the real governing body of the city. Danton was present at both meetings of the Jacobin Club. He was on the executive council of the Jacobin Club and the unquestioned leader of the Cordeliers Club; on paper, at least, he was an enthusiastic and committed radical Montagnard and would wholeheartedly support such a coup. This was especially so as Robespierre had promised him the coveted posts of Minister of Justice and Minister of Information in the new Montagnard ministry. The future and fate of the Republic thus came down to the decision of a single man, Georges Danton. But he would not make the choice everyone was expecting, and in doing so would permanently shape the course of both the First and Second Republics. To understand why we must go back to 1790. During the great Gironde-Mountain split of late 1790, Danton had publicly supported the Mountains position on the possibility of war, as he firmly believed that war with Europe was both unnecessary and extremely risky. However, he had not been by any stretch the most vociferous contributor to that great debate, being content to make his position well known and not go further beyond that. Privately, however, he despaired. To him, the war was a vital issue, indeed a life-and-death issue for the Republic, but it was not worth tearing the Assembly apart over it. He had counseled Robespierre to tone down his rhetoric, but Robespierre, stubborn and single-minded as ever, had not listened to his advice. The two would never fully connect at a personal level; Robespierre thought Danton venal and of dubious character, Danton for his part thought Robespierre puritanical and severe, the one milk-drinker in a Republic full of taverns. Frustrated, Danton privately reached out to the Girondins to reach an agreement and keep some semblance of unity in the Assembly, but Brissot, feeling he was about to win, had summarily dismissed his overtures with alas all-too-typical arrogance. That was a slight Danton would not forget, and he would come to disdain Brissot almost as much as Robespierre did, but it did not change Dantons underlying conviction that the loss of unity was a grave development. We have our Republic, he liked to say at the Cordeliers Club, we should come together to enjoy it. Danton had already been impressed by Lafayettes leadership during the Battle of Paris, and his intervention confirmed that he was fundamentally more motivated by the protection of France than political advantage. He still vehemently disagreed with Lafayette politically, but he understood now that the President was irreplaceable as a unifying figure for the Republic. Shortly after, he began a private correspondence with Lafayette, believing that it was important that the President have someone inside the radical sections of Paris keeping him in the loop. Lafayette was suspicious at first, but there is no doubt that his adroit refusal of the confrontation with a large mob early 1791 was shaped by knowledge slipped to him by Danton. Before long, Danton became the eyes and ears of Lafayette inside the radical sections. In return, men close to Danton gained influential posts inside the Ministry of Information whereupon they likely instigated the Lige Revolution, ironically sparking the very war Danton had spoken against. Nevertheless, cultivating this relationship would pay enormous dividends for Lafayette now in late 1792. Dramatizations often present Dantons choice as an agonized one but these are entirely products of poetic license; in truth, the choice was easy for Danton. He firmly believed that the greatest disaster France could suffer was a coup against Lafayette, and Robespierre planning one was the final straw for him. Thus, on the 27th of September 1792, Danton slipped word to Lafayette that the coup Lafayette was fully expecting would begin with the ringing of the tocsin bells the following day. The most hardcore radical battalions of the National Guard, those supposedly in Dantons pocket, would converge on the Assembly and force the withdrawal of the anti-Montagnard decrees and the resignations of the Girondin Ministry. That, at least, was Robespierres plan. It never even got to the starting line. At dawn on the 28th, Robespierre, Barre, Billaud-Varenne, Couthon, and other prominent members of the Jacobin Club were arrested in morning raids by the National Guard. In a bitter twist of fate, some of the battalions called out to escort the Montagnard ringleaders to prison were the very same battalions Robespierre had been relying upon to enforce his coup. He realized the game was up immediately. Danton! He has betrayed us! were reportedly the first words from his mouth upon having his door beaten down by the National Guard. The coup had failed before it had even started. Following the failed coup, the Mountain descended into bitter acrimony but it was not directed at Lafayette, the National Guard, or even the Girondins. No, instead the ire was directed inwards at one Georges Danton. None of the leadership of the Cordeliers Club had been swept up in the arrests, and many guessed correctly that Danton had been the one to slip the details of the coup to Lafayette. Combined with the fact that the Dantonist National Guards had come out decisively against the coup, and the picture for the remaining Jacobins in Paris was crystal clear. Danton, Desmoulins, and dEglantine were expelled from the Jacobin Club and physically shunned in the Assembly by the remaining deputies of the Mountain. Shorn of all its leaders, the Mountain would rapidly decline into near-irrelevance in the Assembly, and the Gironde would become more politically dominant than ever. Indeed it would be until the Second Revolution before the Gironde would finally lose its iron grip on French politics. For Dantons part, he was now thoroughly sick of politics. Hated as a traitor by many on his own side, cynically instrumentalized by those opposite, and with his beloved National Guard morphing more and more into a traditional if highly democratic and egalitarian army than the citizen militia he so adored, he felt that his time was done. He would continue to make contributions from a distinctly radical perspective in the Assembly and was broadly treated as a respected elder statesman, ceaselessly advocating for the welfare of the poorest and most marginalized citizens of the Republic. He chose not to run for re-election in 1793, instead of retreating to a quiet retirement with his family back in northeastern France. His betrayal of Robespierres coup was his last contribution of note to the First Republic, and his part in the history of France, everyone felt, was over. However, they would all be proved very, very wrong [1] All lifted from OTL from a petition by Manette Dupont in 1792 lobbying for the creation of, well, this. There was a nice marching song I wanted to include that was written by Manette Dupont but I decided not to, this post was super long as it is. The Revolutionary (Female) Republicans organization is lifted from OTL too. A fair few people really did fight very hard and put a lot of effort into trying to make women in the French National Guard a thing in OTL 1792, although the constant references to Amazons in the histories are IMO a little unseemly. [2] Free as a bird, meaning in breach of Imperial Law/Imperial Bans and thus subject to military sanction. [3] Not an anachronism; this has a fairly specific meaning in this time and place (freed slaves and the born-free descendants of slaves). Chapter 126: The Death of George Washington Mount Vernon, Virginia, the United States of America January 29th, 1806 "Sir, you have visitors." George Washington glanced up at his former slave, now butler and longtime friend, Nathan Cook with a tired smile, "Bring them in, Nate." Nathan nodded somberly and followed his instructions. A group of men entered the room and George, despite his frail state, recognized all of them: Samuel, Richard Allen (a former black Methodist bishop that joined his Vicinusum sect), Jefferson, Madison, and many other members of Vicinusum and the Watchmen Society. Washington felt his heart warm as he realized that all these men and women took some time out of their busy schedule to see him depart from the world. He knew he was going to die, but he was unafraid, not with the people he came to respect and care for by his side. "George," Samuel was the first by his side and gently shook his hand, "How are you feeling?" "Better, but I am at my ends, Sam." The former president, this world''s "Father of the United States," shook his head, "I''m sure you still have some time left. You''re not that old." Washington cracked a small smile at the subtle joke, despite the heavy atmosphere, "I lived longer than I should have. I have lived a fulfilling life doing good for this country, and for this world. If the Almighty believes that I should go, then it is time for me to go." The others watched silently as Samuel grimaced. Washington was suffering from Parkinson''s Disease. It was incredible that his memory and his mental state were not deteriorating, but his body was slowly shutting down. Without any modern medicine to treat him, his death was all but certain. Some therapy and exercise helped prolong his lifespan. However, Washington was going to pass away within weeks, if not days. "You still have much to do. We still have much to do." "You do, Sam. I am finally at peace. You and I have achieved much together. Well, mostly you but..." Washington let out a weak chuckle which made him cough, "The republic lives, an idealistic and equal republic. The dreams of millions have been made into reality. Our nation will serve as a beacon of light for centuries to come. Just keep one promise for me, Samuel, and the others as well." Everyone looked expectantly at George, who raised his hand as if he was blessing them, "Promise me that the republic continues to live for its ideals. That this republic, anointed and approved by the Lord Almighty himself, will continue to bless those that live within its borders. That my sect Vici will continue to serve the poor, the needy, the oppressed, and the persecuted. Never let the future generations forget what we fought for, what we died for. That is all I ask, my final request." He had seen it all. He had seen a time traveler appear before his very eyes and push him towards a path different than his "other self." At first, he accepted the words of the time traveler because he believed he was God''s prophet. However, over time, he gradually accepted the man''s words for what they truly meant. Over his life, he realized that Samuel''s words were correct. Minorities were not that different than white men like himself. His former slave, Nathan, was a testament to that. He was a good friend, even though he was Washington''s slave in the past. He was smart and certainly capable of thinking and voting for himself. It took years for his thought process to come around, but it did. And when it did, he began to promote it, work for it. He knew he didn''t want to be president this time around, so instead, he worked to improve the United States through charity and through religion. He didn''t care about glory or honors. He didn''t care about politics or becoming the first president. No, he just wanted to make a greater United States, an America that stood for all its ideals and egalitarianism. He was unsure if he succeeded, but he had done his best and the United States was a much better place than it was just twenty-six years ago. Washington already included Nathan to be his successor in the Society in his will. Martha had died a year before, so he left all his properties and belongings to Nathan as well. He also appointed Richard Allen as the new leader of his Vici sect when he died. Now all that was left for him was to pass on. He had met God, and he knew he was going to enjoy speaking with him again, this time face to face. "Of course," Jefferson muttered as he looked down at his fellow Virginian. "Then I can finally be laid to rest. The Creator awaits me." Those were the final words of George Washington, who died next to his friends and followers on January 29th of 1806. Despite his death, his legacy would continue through Vicinusum and his life would never be forgotten by future generations. His statute in front of the Hall of Heroes would stand as a testament to his military abilities. His Vicinusum sect would go onto become one of the most charitable Christian denominations for generations. And monuments and statutes of him would be erected in Nova Scotia and various other locations as a constant reminder of his contribution, and his legacy, to the United States of America. The American Military and Intelligence Agencies The bread and butter of the United States Military. The United States Army has the most personnel out of the three branches (Army, Navy, Marines). Consisting of 60,000 soldiers, the United States Army is a medium-sized, yet well-trained and disciplined, fighting force. Unlike the armies of other nations, a majority of the United States Army consists of veterans due to the ongoing conflict between the Free Sioux Nation and the United States. The main military academy for the Army is West Point Military Academy, which is located in New York. Per the USM doctrine, during wartime, the U.S. Army is to be rapidly expanded with the "regulars" serving as the mentors for newly enlisted recruits. While the Marines take priority in equipment (to the grumbling of many Army soldiers), the United States Army is still well-equipped in terms of 1806 standards. Nearly every soldier is armed with the M1790 Lee Rifle, which is a far superior standard firearm than rifled muskets and smoothbore muskets. Some of the officers are armed with the experimental SIA (Staten Island Armory) Revolver (six-shots). The artillery corps are armed with M1802 6-Pound Field Guns and M1802 12-Pound Howitzers (an earlier, less reliable version of M1841 12-pounder howitzer - Wikipedia). Bayonets and entrenching tools are, of course, critical parts of the standard Army kit. Each division consists of 15,000 men, which is then split into several regiments and battalions. None of the divisions are divided by region or state. Instead, any enlistees are expected to mingle with fellow Americans from other states. Additionally, each division has a nickname, based on its history or a name that was selected by the members of the division. 4 divisions (60,000 men in total): United States Navy: The United States Navy is small (compared to the British or Spanish Navies), but powerful. Armed with the best naval technology of the era (explosive shells, rifled cannons, hulls made of live oak, steel bottoms), the United States Navy boasts fleets of modern ships that are capable of holding the line against most navies around the world. While the USN rarely ventures beyond the "Bermuda Line" (the unofficial line just fifty nautical miles east of Bermuda), it has the ability to do so when required (such as fighting pirates, protecting merchant ships, and seizing slave ships). Its main bases are located in Norfolk, Annapolis, Boston, Halifax, Bermuda, and Sovtaj. If war occurs between a major naval power and the United States, the USN is expected to deploy hit and run tactics while the United States government builds more ships in Quebec (which is isolated from the Atlantic except through the northern straits) and elsewhere. In a situation where the United States Navy holds the numbers advantage, it is expected to fight cautiously, but aggressively. Like the Army and the Marines, the Navy is expected to expand rapidly if a war breaks out between America and a foreign power. The United States Naval Academy is located in Annapolis, Maryland. 4 Fleets (55 ships in total): United States Marines: Heirs of the greatest American war hero, Samuel Anyoung Kim, the United States Marines take pride in the fact that they are considered the "very best" the United States has to offer. Consisting of the most disciplined and harshly trained men of the entire military, the Marine Corps is the "spear" of the United States and the front line troops to any invasions. Equipped with the best weaponry, lead by quick-thinking officers, and filled with indomitable spirit (Semper Fi), the Marines are the toughest opponents that any American enemies will face on the battlefield. The Marine Corps Officers Academy is located on Tybee Island in Georgia, just several kilometers east of Savannah. 1 Division (15,000 men in total): United States Special Forces: The USSF is considered its own, independent unit. Under the direction of SOCOM (Special Operations Command), the USSF carries out dangerous tasks that are considered beyond the capabilities of ordinary US Military personnel. There are only two battalions under SOCOM, yet both of them (the 1st and the 707th) are considered to be the most elite units in the United States Military. Boasting a success rate of over 90%, the USSF is like a silent assassin while the USM is like a booming cannon. Specializing in espionage, infiltration, sabotage, "blitz," and intelligence gathering, the USSF weakens the enemy before the USM strikes its hammer upon them. The USSF is armed with the most advanced technology of its era (all members are issued with the SIA Revolvers, experimental breechloading carbines, and grenades) and is put under a training regimen that puts even the Marines to shame. Currently, the 1st Special Forces Battalion is deployed in Louisiana while the 707th is deployed in France. Weapons of the United States Military: M1790 Lee Rifle (standard issue rifle for the US Army and the US Marines): Officers'' Swords (issued to all officers of the United States Military) Tomahawks (issued to several units, but primarily cavalry ones) M1802 6-Pound Field Guns National Intelligence Service Federal Bureau of Investigations America''s domestic intelligence agency. The FBI is tasked with investigating criminals and threats on American soil, countering counterfeit currency, and cracking down on smuggling. Considered America''s second line of defense, the FBI employs over a thousand individuals and works in conjunction with the NIS to root out threats at home. While not as "prestigious" as the NIS, the FBI is more than capable of fulfilling its missions and even nets a bit of income for the federal government due to its anti-smuggling and anti-counterfeit operations. Like the NIS, the FBI is constantly under Congressional scrutiny and is expected to follow the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the letter. The FBI Headquarters, nicknamed "Mount Justice," is in Providence, Rhode Island. United States Secret Service Chapter 127: An Exile "Twenty-five cents." "Twenty-five cents? For this new tea?" The Asian shopkeeper, named Mr. Chen, asked in Chinese, "This is some good quality tea that I directly imported from China! A dollar and that is final." (Former) Princess Hexiao replied with a deep frown. Despite living in Meiguo for nearly five years, she was still not used to acting like a "commoner." When she lived in Beijing as a noble, she relegated mundane household chores (such as shopping, house cleaning, and cooking) to her servants. However, since she was exiled to this foreign land by herself, she was forced to adapt. She was fairly independent on her own now, especially since her husband was in the military. Even so, "commoner" things like haggling at the markets or sewing irritated her. The former Chinese noble was inside the central market square for Xin, which was now a large town of over twenty thousand inhabitants. While Xin seemed small compared to the neighboring city of New York it was still an impressive town in its own right. It was early in the morning, yet many individuals were already roaming the streets to open up their stores or go to work. Hexiao was negotiating with a shopkeeper that opened his tea shop early. The tea shop served tea and food, but it also sold tea commercially (rumors had it that a family member of the shopkeeper owned a tea farm down in the Meiguo South). Since she disliked being seen in public more than it was needed and preferred to keep to herself, she always bought any necessities early in the morning from a few select shops. Unfortunately, the shopkeeper was being stinger than usual. Mysteriously, his old stock of green tea was "sold out" and replaced by a more expensive type of green tea (that was supposedly shipped from China). It was not unusual to haggle down prices (even Hexiao had to admit that haggling saved a fair amount of money), but the shopkeeper was being exceptionally strict about the prices. Hence the quarrel between the two of them. Hexiao looked around and saw that the few people eating and drinking inside the shop were looking at her. She sighed in defeat and pulled out a green paper bill. The front of the bill was marked with the face of an Asian man with a "$1" stamped onto it, "A dollar then." Mr. Chen happily accepted the bill and handed her a small box filled with tea leaves, "For you, Miss." As she walked out of the shop, she caught the glances of the shop''s patrons. Most of them were Asians, but there were a few whites and blacks as well. According to her husband, Asian culture caught the interest of many meiguo ren and the sight of "foreigners" in Xin was not uncommon. Many even lived here, despite the social awkwardness and language barrier. It was hard to forget that her husband was also a foreigner. He was half Korean, but in her eyes, he was a foreigner. Though, after her extended stay here, that wasn''t entirely a bad thing. With the scent of fresh tea and steamed buns behind her, she walked onto the paved streets of the market district with a neutral expression. Her house was in the northern parts of Xin, near the Imperial Prince''s former residence. The place had turned into a pilgrimage site, with many new immigrants visiting the residence daily. While immigrants that have adjusted to their lives in the "barbarian lands" no longer revered the Emperor (which, in China, would have been high treason), the recent arrivals were much warier and sought the Emperor''s blessings for their success in their new homeland. As for Hexiao, she disliked the Jiaqing Emperor, almost on the borderline of hate. The new emperor executed her father and sent her into exile. Her previous husband, Feng?eninde, died under strange circumstances and as a widow, her fate was left in the hands of the Jiaqing Emperor. The Emperor decided that with her husband dead and her father executed, she was to be exiled away to prevent her from threatening his throne (which she found idiotic, as she never even considered plotting against the Emperor). Thus, she was sent to Meiguo, the mysterious barbarian land that was supposedly a tributary state in faraway lands. When she first arrived in Meiguo, she hated it. She was stuck in Xin because outside of Xin, Asians (specifically, Chinese) were uncommon and rare. She no longer possessed any wealth or status, as Meiguo was a gnghgu (republic). She was alone and isolated, living off the small allowance the Emperor "generously" provided for her. Her life was dull and boring until Justin Kim arrived at her doorsteps. He was sent as a "caretaker" for her, as she requested someone with "some form of status." Justin was a soldier and at the time, he was a captain in the Marines. He was also the eldest son of one of the former leaders of Meiguo (it was still difficult to understand exactly why the meiguo ren elected their own leaders). At first, their relationship was rocky, and that was putting it mildly. She saw the Marine as a "barbarian of low status" despite his background, mainly because he was a half-breed. Yet, he remained steadfast in his attempts to get her adjusted and helped her learn English (she could read, write, and understand fairly fluently, but she still struggled to speak the language). He took her to various places outside of Xin (which included national parks, theaters, and the city of Columbia), informed her about the history and laws of the nation, and even let her visit the Marines under his command in the province called "Florida." And after two years, they got married. It gave her stability and she loved the man, despite her initial impressions of him. After all, he was courteous, committed, and caring. Which was unlike her previous husband, who she was all but forced to marry. Now, he was somewhere far away fighting in a war. He was very secretive on the matter, claiming that it was a government secret (she understood that he was a member of an "elite" group of soldiers). She understood it was an important matter for the Meiguo government, but she felt extremely lonely shortly after his departure. Other than her husband, Hexiao did not have many friends as she struggled to converse in English (thank the heavens that her husband could speak Chinese despite his origins) and had a bit of an inferiority complex due to it. Additionally, she preferred to stay at home and read, which left her socially isolated from the rest of the Xin community. Thankfully, he did promise to send her letters often and when she arrived at her home, she saw the mailman inserting an envelope into her house''s mailbox. "Good morning Miss Kim!" The mailman, an immigrant from Korea, waved with a smile. The man''s brother was the current mayor of Xin, a man named Jeong Yakyong. Apparently, Jeong was formally a member of the Korean royal court before he decided to flee with his family. Why his brother became a mailman out of all things was a mystery to her. He spoke in English, so Hexiao knew she had to reply in kind, "Good moning." "It seems like this letter came from overseas, from France of all places! Do you know anyone from France?" "No." "Well, it might have to do with your husband. He''s pretty famous, with his father and all!" The mailman mounted his Haulie, a strange contraption that consisted of two wheels, a frame, a seat, and a basket, "Well, I better get back to work! I have a lot of mail to deliver!" As the man pushed the Haulie away with his feet, Hexiao grabbed the letter and walked into her home. The house was small but neat and newly built. There were three rooms (a single bedroom, and a study room for her and her husband each), a kitchen, and a sitting room. Sunlight shone from the numerous windows in the house and a pile of books awaited her on the kitchen table. She sat down on one of the chairs and looked at the envelope. "For Hexiao, the white house near the Imperial Residence, Royal Street, Xin, New York." She smiled and neatly opened up the letter with a letter opener. A single letter and a piece of jewelry sat in the envelope and Hexiao decided to read the letter first. "Dearest Hexiao, I''m currently wet to the bone as I am writing this, as I just finished a mission with my men. I led my men towards a group of enemies in secret, which forced us to wade through a river. Fighting during the night while dripping wet is a terrible feeling, but it was necessary and we managed to secure an overwhelming victory against our opponents. There were only a hundred of us, yet we managed to destroy a group twice our size and wipe out an entire artillery group (the guns and all). So yes, my time in my current workplace has been very eventful so far. If you''re asking why I am still wet, we had to walk through the river to return to our friends. It was dreadful, yet this was what I signed up for. I''m glad to hear that you are doing well. I miss you and I keep that portrait of you close to my heart. However, I encourage you to go outside and talk to some of our neighbors! They are very nice people. Mr. Lee makes a mean chicken stew and his two sons are playful. Ms. Rene loves to read, just like you! While I''m not there, you shouldn''t be staying at home all day and reading! You should go out and venture out on your own. You are thirty, after all. I decided to stop by a nearby town to get you a gift and to send you my letter. I hope it speedily reaches you, as I do want to read your letters..." After that, he discussed in lengths about other parts of his "trip," among other things. Hexiao glanced at the jewelry and smiled. It was a beautiful silver bracelet that was exquisitely made. It fit her wrists perfectly and it reminded her of her husband every time she saw it. She sighed and looked out the window. Next time that her husband returned, she was going to make sure they tried for a child. Staying home along was getting lonely, but having a child would keep her busy. Besides, if she and Justin had a child, then the child would three-quarters Asian instead of half... Omake: A Perspective of the Kim Family AN: An omake written by a reader named cast2007 on the AH.com website. +++++ Kim Residence "Samuel we need to talk." Elizabeth Kim nee Green told her husband. Former President Samuel Kim involuntarily tensed. After a lifetime of war, governing and business there were few things that could faze him these days. Yet those words from his wife of many years were still able to put a shiver down his spine. "About?" "Our daughter-in-law." Samuel pinched his nose. Although Elizabeth had been nothing but polite and courteous to Hexiao, they had been married long enough to realize that Elizabeth had disapproved her firstborn son''s choice in a partner. "It''s been three years since they''ve married and yet she still hasn''t changed much since then." "She did grow up in a different culture and doing her best. Justin has been helping her." "Justin''s caring and gentle nature is matched only by his determination and ambition. However, both of us know that whoever married him would have the capacity or be the wind beneath his wings or a load stone attached to his neck. With Hexiao, as it stands it''s the later." "And why is that?" "Of the many social events that Justin''s attended since their marriage, how many times has she accompanied him?" Samuel winced. "None." "It''s been three years. Although they have kept silent out of respect for the goodwill that you''ve generated, they are starting to ask questions about the stability of their marriage." "He seems happy and their marriage is fine." "What was it that you once told me? Perception is reality? The public''s perception is not looking good for either of them. Besides, a good marriage requires both compromise and alignment of long term goals. I see neither happening at this moment. Justin is bending over backwards to accommodate her and is receiving nothing in return. If things continue as they are, Justin will either have choose between his dreams or his wife''s happiness. If he gives up his dreams to make her happy, he''ll resent her. If he pursues his dreams, he''ll either lose her or be doomed to an unhappy marriage for the rest of his life." "Are you asking her to reinvent herself and mold herself into his demands?" "I''m not asking her to completely change herself for him nor do I wish her to do so. However, I do not think it is unreasonable to have her meet him halfway and do her best to support him." Elizabeth paused, "During our courtship, I was met by a group of ladies among them Congresswoman Adams and Martha Washington? Do you know what they asked me?" Samuel shook his head. "They asked me if I knew what I was getting myself into by marrying you. If I was willing to become the immediate stepmother of three boys who had lost their father on the field of battle. If I was capable of being the spouse of the founder of a nation and be capable putting its needs above my own during your term of office. If I was able to standup to public and constant scrutiny as your wife for the rest of my days. "They told me that if I wasn''t willing or able of doing all those things and more and still loved you that I should go back to Carolina and save you the heartbreak and sorrow. At the time, I thought that they were a group of snobby rich ladies trying to run a young country farm girl out of town. But then they said that if I was willing, they would do their best to help me grow and develop the skills needed to rise to the occasion." Elizabeth frowned. "No one''s had that talk with Hexiao and it''s best that we address this while Justin is away." Samuel sighed. "You''re right. We have been remiss." Chapter 128: The Presidency of Alexander Hamilton "... President Hamilton was unlike his predecessors, in that he believed that a strong and powerful federal government was best for the fledgling American republic. While the first three presidents believed that there needed to be a firm balance between the state governments and the federal government, President Hamilton sought to tip the balance in the federal government''s favor. Before he took office, he wrote in his journal that, "for the past twenty-five years, the United States has prospered due to the stability and strength of our national government. It is time to expand upon it." Indeed, it was unsurprising that once he assumed office, he proposed a slew of radical reforms that were all aimed at strengthening the federal government. The American public was certainly not surprised, as Hamilton was a radical member of the Union Party, who won the nomination and the presidency through his political connections and proposals for sweeping reforms. Even so, the tenacity of President Hamilton and his drive to push through his reforms were surprising to even the most devout Unionists. While less than half of these proposed reforms were passed (and many of the ones that were passed were modified to make it more "moderate"), the fourth president left behind a powerful legacy that is still felt to this day... Much like the first president, Hamilton submitted several Consent Executive Orders at the very beginning of his term to set the tempo for his presidency. Consent Executive Orders #28, #29, #30, #31, and #32 were all of Hamilton''s initial attempts to push through reforms and each of them were unique and progressive in their own ways (owing to Hamilton''s progressive outlook and beliefs). All five of these C.E.Os passed, though one of them was an edited version of Consecutive Executive Order #29... Consent Executive Order #28 created the United States Special Forces and the Special Operations Command. C.E.O #28, which was named the "Military Specialization Act," called for the formation of a "specialized group of American military personnel to deal with difficult tasks that require specific sets of skills and experience." The reasons for this Act was easily recognizable. With the agreement established between Squire Boone and Alexander Hamilton, the new president needed to end the threat that the Free Sioux Nation imposed in the west. Due to the fact that most of the Free Sioux Nation occupied the Spanish Louisiana Territory, President Hamilton recognized that a direct military operation into Sioux held territory would provoke the Spanish. While America was more than capable of fighting Spain in the North American theater, the American government sought to avoid a costly and expansionist war that would drop America''s already low standings in Europe. Thus, the United States Special Forces was formed in order to carry out covert operations within the Spanish Louisiana Territory and to surgically strike the Native Americans that fought under the Free Sioux Nation. The creation of the United States Special Forces was not out of President Hamilton''s impulse to root out the Free Sioux Nation. Indeed, the forty-nine-year-old president immediately sent out peace feelers after inhabiting the White House. This was due to his desire to accommodate the Native Americans within the Free Sioux Nation and to establish a permanent peace between the two nations. However, he saw that the previous president (President Madison), failed in this regard and created the United States Special Forces as a necessary fallback plan in case the peace negotiations fell apart. His fears were only reaffirmed when the Free Sioux Nation demanded the entirety of the Wisconsin Territory and the Anikegama Territory in exchange for a ceasefire. This prompted him to deploy the Special Forces in order to swiftly deal with the Free Sioux Nation. His plan was to either force the Free Sioux Nation back to the peace talks, or to push them into the interior of Spanish Louisiana so they no longer posed a threat to the United States. After the USSF achieved success against the Free Sioux Nation, C.E.O #28 became one of Hamilton''s greatest military legacy... Consent Executive Order #29 was a radical proposal to standardize education in the United States and to establish a single, national curriculum. Named the "Education Standardization Act of 1805," it was the first attempt to create a uniform set of subjects taught at federal schools. The Act would have enacted the following guidelines for all federal primary schools (which hosts students from the ages of ten to eighteen): "1) Students from the ages of ten to twelve will be considered "Entry Level Students." A ten-year-old student will be 1st grade, an eleven-year-old student will be 2nd grade, and so on. They will be taught how to read and write, basic arithmetic, basic critical thinking, and creativity (arts, music, dance, etc). If a student is young but is able to pass a designated exam given by a federal school, then they will be able to move straight to the "Intermediary Level." 2) Students from the ages of thirteen to fifteen will be considered "Intermediary Level Students." Here, they will receive a more advanced education. Students at this level will learn about general science and science history, world history, geography, basic algebra and geometry, introductory courses on calculus, writing skills, reading skills (students will be expected to read and analyze moderately difficult pieces of literature), and health classes. Depending on the location of the state, foreign languages can be offered as well (or in some cases, local languages). Additionally, students will be able to take "electives" that will allow them to take classes of their own, personal interest (which includes woodworking, metalworking, horse riding, sports, shooting, etc). From this point onward, students will receive a letter grade based on their performance of each of the core subjects (Science, World History, Geography, Mathematics, English, Health, and Languages). Students will be encouraged to think independently and critically, and to discover their attunement in a certain field of study. 3) Students from the ages of fifteen to eighteen will be considered "Advanced Level Students." They will prepare for graduation (which they will receive a certificate verifying that they have graduated from a federal primary school). Additionally, any students that desire to pursue an education degree in a private, public, or federal university will be encouraged. Students will be required to take advanced science (biology, physics, and chemistry), advanced mathematics (including statistics), government and sociology, American history and law, economics, personal finance management, nutrition/cooking, and psychology. Electives and Languages will still be offered. Students will learn extensively about the American republic and learn the various rights and liberties they have as citizens. Additionally, Advanced Level Education will primarily push for students to have greater independence, an advanced perspective of the world, useful knowledge, and the ability to become productive citizens of the United States. Students will receive performance reports as they did in the Intermediary Level, but that will also be used to help determine their future career path and college education. " Under the Act, teachers would be banned from physically disciplining their students. Instead, alternative punishments would be used to discipline any rule breakers, and teachers would be expected to teach their students sincerely and encourage them to pursue their goals. The Act also proposed a branch under the Department of Research and Education called the "Evaluation Agency" to rank each federal schools and their instructors Additionally, the Act called for an increase to the salary of teachers in order to make teaching an appealing career choice. In compensation for the "federal overreach," individual states would be allowed to offer their own electives and languages, all teachers would be hired locally, and the state government would have the power to petition for a change in the curriculum should they feel like its unnecessary. Also, each respective state government was to have a member of the state government to keep tabs and oversee the federal primary school in their state. Unsurprisingly, this C.E.O failed spectacularly and was only supported by a few select members of each party. Many Congressmen believed that the Act gave far too many concessions to the federal government for far too little in return. Additionally, each state had different priorities and beliefs that would have made the implementation of this Act far too difficult. For example, Frontier University specialized in farming due to the agrarian nature of the region while the University of Quebec focused on medical biology and engineering. And that was just the federal universities. The federal primary schools were different by state and nearly all the states valued their own, independent education system. Also, this was contrary to what Congress desired. Congress desired more schools, not a more standardized school system. With the rapidly growing population of the United States, the demand for schools was spiking. There were numerous bills that were passed to accommodate the growing number of young students in the nation. However, due to complications in acquiring suitable land for the schools, along with the necessary infrastructure in order to support a larger school system, Congress needed to pass a bill to accommodate new students yearly. Thus, President Hamilton shifted gears and proposed Consent Order #30, the "Hamilton Act." It was the classic stick and carrot approach utilized in politics. The Hamilton Act would allow the states to acquire federal lands to build new schools to keep up with demand. This included all the federal territories owned by the American government out in the west (which would allow even territories to build schools within their borders). The federal government would also pay for all the costs associated with the construction of the schools. In exchange, the Department of Education (which was to be separated from the Department of Research and Education) would establish a very broad set of curriculums (specifically, all students were to be taught English, General Science, History, "Life Skills [which included finances, health, and a few other necessary skills for independent adults], Government and Politics, and General Math). Additionally, the Department of Education would be allowed to assess the schools every three years and submit a report to the federal government for review. Schools that performed poorly would be potentially closed by the federal government or be forced to reform to help improve the school''s standards. While it was not entirely satisfactory for some members of Congress, especially those in the opposition (the Democratic Party was very against the Act), the Hamilton Act was passed through both chambers of Congress and made into law on September 5th of 1805 and would pave the road for the explosion of literacy, education, and innovation in the United States... C.E.O #31 was an entirely different area of interest. The "Criminal Reform and Justice Bill" introduced the idea of "rehabilitation" instead of "incarceration." Additionally, the Bill provided a safeguard against prison guards from exploiting prisoners. Interestingly, President Hamilton provided an extensive study made by the New York state government on the effectiveness of rehabilitation. New York was considered one of the most progressive states in the Union, due to the presence of Samuel Kim (who became increasingly progressive after finishing his two terms in office) and Alexander Hamilton. Indeed, it was the first state to implement a variety of rehabilitation programs and "community service" events for imprisoned criminals. After ten years of experimenting with the new policies, New York saw a significant drop in reoffending criminals and many inmates that were released after their stay in prison found themselves in a much better place to acquire a job and change their standings in society. It is important to note that this study was inherently flawed and utilized by President Hamilton to push through the bill. Not all former inmates were tracked and the ones that succeeded in being "rehabilitated" were exemplified over the ones that didn''t. However, the Criminal Reform and Justice Bill was crafted in a manner to only apply these policies to federal inmates and prisons. Thus, Congress was more than willing to accept such a proposal, especially when it was revealed that placing prisoners in prisons longer was more costly than providing basic relief programs. In addition to this, the Bill would also create the first mental institutions to help treat mentally disabled American citizens and open up space where they could seek help and care by specialists. Hamilton''s justification for this addition to the bill was that there was a potential for mentally disabled citizens to break laws unknowingly or in times of distress. Thus providing them help and treatment would be the best way to help them recover and becoming contributing members to society... The Criminal Reform and Justice Bill also provided a new set of standards for the police force across each state. Realizing his mistake from the original "Education Standardization Act of 1805," President Hamilton listed "broad" requirements that were critical to the future of the police. Police officers were now required to have at least three years of training, with the training focusing on law, communications, societal outreach, and combat equally. Any police found breaking the law or abusing their positions of power would be met with the "three-strikes" system. The first offense would result in a month''s suspension without pay and a "re-training" course. The second offense would lead to a year''s suspension without pay with the officer being permanently placed on the local police watchlist. The last offense would result in immediate termination and a blacklist from all federal agencies. Of course, the charges would need to be proven and thus a separate division under the Department of Internal Affairs (named the "Police Accountability Division" or PAD) would oversee the matters. The bill also emphasized the mission statement of the police, which was to uphold the law and protect American citizens equally. While America did not have major problems with the police at the time, the fourth president recognized the potential for the police to abuse their powers and acted accordingly to ingrain a professional and just mindset into the police force early on. Thus, the police part of the Criminal Reform and Justice Bill would establish a very rigid standard for future generations of police officers... Finally, C.E.O #32 was an anti-monopoly bill. "The Hamilton Anti-Monopoly Act" was considered a fairly unusual bill during the time period. The bill prohibited anticompetitive agreements and unilateral conduct that monopolized or attempted to monopolize the relevant market. President Hamilton claimed in a public speech that "economic competition and individual innovation [were] two important aspects of the American spirit and to allow several individuals to hold immense economic power [was] not only unreasonable but against everything America [stood] for." During this time, monopolies were incredibly uncommon, as the United States simply lacked the infrastructure or communications network to develop such a trend. However, there were individuals that did hold incredible economic sway, such as Pelissier, who owned most of the steel production and forges in Quebec, or Kim, who owned a vast share of New York''s industrial and newspaper sectors. As such, it''s not entirely surprising that Hamilton, a man who was the first Secretary of the Treasury and a very progressive-minded individual, saw the threat that monopolies would pose in the future. Congress was split on the issue, but the decisive blow for the bill came when the former first president publicly supported the bill and stated that Hamilton''s ideas were "for the future." This immediately resulted in the passage of the bill and the first anti-monopoly laws in the United States were formed before monopolies could even take root. Many historians agree that this was possibly Hamilton''s greatest achievement, as it helped increase the competitiveness and drive of the American economy. Especially when the United States overtook Britain in terms of economic production and population, and sailed beyond... The early victories for Hamilton gave him an enormous confidence boost. Hamilton managed to pass many of the reforms he promised during his race to the White House and was already considered a very productive president. However, the remainders of Hamilton''s presidency would not be as easy as the first several years, as the president''s attempts to pass equal women''s rights, nationalize the railroads (which was just beginning to emerge at the beginning of Hamilton''s presidency), acquire the Louisiana Territory, diffuse the growing trade war with Britain, and counter the emergence of the "French Empire" on northern Saint Domingue would all result in failures. Even so, the first several years of the Hamilton presidency proved to be a crucial turning point in American history and the beginning of the "Imperial Presidency" that started with President Hamilton and ended with President Andrew Jackson..." Omake: The French Offensive and Bloody Saturday AN: Once again, praise be @sparkptz! +++++ Excerpt from Arise, Children of the Fatherland!: The First Coalition War The Devils Balls As winter began in 1792, the Republican cause seemed distinctly on the back foot. The success at Valence was virtually the only offensive victory France gained, and even that was caused principally by the foolishness of the Royalists in an ill-advised attempt to retake Lyon. Strasbourg had secured the north, and thoughts began to turn in Paris towards how to exploit the opening that Murats victory over the arrogant Brunswick had given them, but that was still some time off. The south, particularly the passes through the Massif Central and the area around Bordeaux, became of utmost priority for the Republic by late 1792, and in those campaigns, the Republic was very much on the defensive. This, however, was a situation to which the French armies of 1792 were extremely well suited. The best way to describe the French army at the end of 1792 would be determined, innovative, but unsophisticated. Its great weakness was tactical maneuver; its infantry units were generally simply not capable of the sophisticated tactics or fluidity of formation that their well-drilled opponents could muster, which greatly reduced both their offensive potential if not well-supported by Revolutionary Guard cavalry and rendered them highly vulnerable when caught out in unsuitable terrain. Two brigades of largely National Guard, for example, that had been sent to Bordeaux to reinforce Jourdan, were caught unawares in mid-September by the Spanish. Virtually the entire force was annihilated or captured, with their Spanish opponents suffering only light casualties despite numerical inferiority. This was emblematic of the state of French infantry in late-1792: greatly improved, but still tactically limited. However, when entrenched and given the opportunity to defend a fixed position, the French Republican infantry was a fierce proposition, proving near-impossible to dislodge or break. The one great exception to this rule in mid-1792 was Jourdan, but even he was well aware that he could not ask his National Guard battalions to perform complex maneuvers or maintain rigid formations. His great gift was his ability to work around the limitations of his army, not remove them. There were two departments, however, in which the French Army was not at all deficient, and indeed was in fact far ahead of its opponents. The first was its widespread intelligence network, second only to the American NIS in its sophistication and reach. The Republic was, above all, an ideological project, and one that had a great many followers amongst the reformers, the Enlightenment liberals, and the urban poor all across the invisible masses of Europe. In a project spearheaded personally by Georges Danton before the failed Jacobin coup of 1792, a vast network of spies and informers was assembled throughout Royalist France and the rest of Continental Europe; those sympathetic to the Republican cause were encouraged to contribute by simply collecting information on anything relevant to the war: troop movements, levies, war plans, financial information, tidbits relevant to morale, anything. This more than anything else was what gave French commanders their uncanny ability to ensure that battles largely happened only at a time and place of their choosing; the French armies may not have been able to outmatch the Coalition armies in an even fight, but most of the time they knew where the Coalition armies were. There is no doubt that Jourdans brilliant fighting retreat to Bordeaux would have not been possible without constant detailed information being fed to him on Spanish and Royalist army movements by the Ministry of Information. The second factor, and unquestionably the most terrifying for the Coalition armies, was the French artillery. Lafayette had ensured that no French commander would, after Lyon, ever have cause to complain about a lack of artillery support; raising and training new artillery companies and giving them finest cannons and howitzers France could produce was a high priority from the very beginning of his Presidency. As with the strides made in battlefield medicine, there is no question that the Republic benefited greatly from its close ties to the United States, even if official recognition was not yet forthcoming. A new system, called the Republican system, was introduced and called for streamlining the existing Gribeauval system into just four calibers, of which the 6-pounder and 12-pounder would predominate, and the designs were near-copies of the new American cannons being produced by Kims factories in New York. The new French artillery was lighter, cheaper to make and of higher quality and hence longer-ranged than the Coalitions artillery. A French 12-pounder Gribeauval made before 1789 would struggle to be effective at ranges beyond 900 meters, by 1792 Republican 12-pounders were able to push this to a full kilometer. [1] The men manning the artillery too were of high quality. Although technically part of the National Guard, the artillery companies of the French Army had a quite different character and quality to their citizen-soldier comrades, as standards of both recruitment and training in the artillery were the highest in the entire army. Noble or commoner, man or woman, blanc or noir, any were welcome to try and join the artillery companies, but a serious of rigorous examinations ensured that only the best and brightest were admitted. Once there, they were constantly drilled and trained; French artillery companies and platoons competed between themselves to record the highest rate of fire and the greatest accuracy during their training, and the standards they achieved were high indeed. Even so, between 1791 and 1793 the artillery companies doubled in both size and number. None of that, however, was known to the ordinary Spanish, Austrian or French Royalist soldier standing in line formation on the battlefield. What they knew about was what the French artillery was firing at them, and they did not much like it. For many a decade, the main ordnance fired by cannons or howitzers in the course of battle as opposed to the siege had been either roundshot or grapeshot. Roundshot (little more than a large metal ball) was accurate and somewhat effective against dense infantry formations at ranges of up to a kilometer, but grapeshot, nothing more than a sack full of small iron balls, was orders of magnitude more devastating. Canister shot had been invented in 1753 and solved many of the problems of grapeshot, in particular the great damage done to the cannons themselves, but suffered from extremely poor accuracy compared to roundshot and thus the effective range was generally well under three hundred meters and often created friendly fire problems to boot. There was thus a great desire for a shell that combined both the range and accuracy and roundshot with the devastating anti-personnel properties of the canister shot. As it so happened, the solution was already in place before the Revolution even began. In this country [Great Britain], then-Lieutenant Henry Shrapnel is credited with the discovery of the spherical caseshot [2] in 1782. Conceptually a reinforced canister shot with a time fuse, this superficially resembled a large roundshot but instead was filled with small iron balls and a small explosive charge that would detonate after a specified time, expelling the iron balls forward of the now-empty casing with great velocity. The results of a caseshot detonating in front of a dense infantry formation and showering any poor unfortunates in the cone of fire with the lethal contents of the caseshot were gruesome, to put it mildly. However, this first version of Shrapnels caseshot, whilst obviously promising, was highly unreliable, prone to premature detonations. The British Government in 1789, whilst very excited by the prospects of this new ordnance and encouraging Shrapnel and others to continue working on the design, did not yet consider it ready for widespread use. Across the Atlantic, however, in secret the military researchers and engineers of ARPA disagreed. They too had invented the caseshot of course keeping it very much secret from the public and the world and their variants did not suffer the premature detonation and reliability issues that doomed Shrapnels initial versions as weapons of war. Reports from ARPA archives of the results of their testing are filled with a mixture of both unrestrained excitement but deep trepidation; the Americans knew they had a truly devastating weapon in their hands that would make a bloody, gory mess of those on the wrong end of its gift. It is not known when the decision was made by the famously Francophile President Jefferson to share the secret of the caseshot with the French Republic, but likely it came after the Declaration of Pillnitz, which convinced the American government that the First Coalition War was inevitable and that the French Republic would need more active support to survive. In great secrecy a shipment of the first model ARPA-designed caseshot was sent to France the Americans of course keeping the most advanced versions for themselves as well as detailed instructions as to its manufacture and use in battle. Soon the French were making their own caseshot nicknamed the les couilles du diable (the devils balls) by the French artillery companies and coming to very similar conclusions to ARPA, albeit with more enthusiasm as they had a real war to win. However, it was approximately a year until the caseshot was ready for battlefield use. The main bottleneck was not production but rather training; the effectiveness of the caseshot depended greatly on exquisite timing of the time fuse on the part of those manning the artillery. A too-early detonation would scatter the contents too widely to be truly effective against line infantry, too late and the caseshot was little more than a small bomb with a highly localized effect. It took months and months of intense training before the new artillery companies raised through late 1791 and early 1792 were ready to use the new weapon, and their first test would be at Strasbourg. There was in fact great nervousness in the French Army about debuting such unproven ordnance at such an important juncture. Failure would likely mean the end of the Republic; a great deal of faith was being placed in the promises of their American friends. However, they needed not have worried, for the caseshot proved entirely in line with ARPAs claims and far more effective than even the most optimistic expectations of the French artillery officers. Sat well behind the French trenches, the French artillery waited in silence whilst Massenas brigade engaged, were rebuffed, and returned. Once Brunswicks army moved to within a kilometer of the French trenches, the signal was given and the howitzers and cannons opened fire. At this range, the Coalition soldiers assumed they were being fired upon by roundshot and reacted accordingly until some of the roundshots started bursting mid-air less than a hundred metres in front of them and cut entire infantry platoons to quite-literal pieces. In some analyses, the French artillery, more than the trench tactics used by Murat, was what turned Strasbourg decisively in the Republicans favor. Everyone was familiar with grapeshot and canister shot, but canister shot was short-ranged and liable to hit your own men as much as the enemy; whatever the French had concocted was sailing harmlessly over their heads over their own shoulders before shotgun-blasting the unfortunate Coalition infantry with bullets the size of grapefruits. It was likely this, more than anything else, that triggered the wave of desperate and uncoordinated charges through the pre-designed French killing zones by the otherwise-disciplined Prussians and Austrians, attacks which were only partially effective in dislodging the first line of entrenched defenders and wholly ineffective against the second. After the battle, Austrian soldiers would not whisper amongst themselves about the effectiveness of Murats entrenchments, or the fanaticism of the French soldier, or even the obvious presence of women on the battlefield. They would speak about the devils balls, and the great mess they made of their army. Brunswick, of course, watching from well back in safety, simply thought that his men had gone mad for some reason or that the battlefield had been booby-trapped somehow. From the New Years Offensive to the Day of Defeats Emboldened by this enormous success, the caseshot would become the standard anti-personnel ordnance of the French army. Further refinements would follow in the years to come, but the basic ARPA design would remain largely unchanged through the remainder of the war. By December, every army serving under the tricolor was well-stocked with caseshot and had companies trained in its particular usage. With it, the French were able to do what they had barely been able to do since the beginning of the year: conduct real offensives. Now with the knowledge that France could substitute the lack of tactical capacity of their National Guard formations with sheer firepower, Lafayette replaced Dumouriez with Massna at the head of a greatly-reinforced Army of the Centre and began the New Years Offensive on January the 1st, 1793. In contrast to the set-piece masterpieces of Jourdan and Murat, the New Years Offensive did not win any prizes for subtlety in its tactical execution. However that made it no less effective; being the very first the Republic had attempted in winter and across the most difficult terrain in France no less, it did have the great benefit of being a complete surprise. With little warning or preamble, Massna took his new army encamped near Issoire and marched to Saint-Flour, where Republican intelligence had suggested a Royalist-Italian army was building. The results were as predictable as they were one-sided: the Royalists were largely levied peasants from Provence who had no real enthusiasm to fight their own countrymen, and the Italians were even less enthusiastic about fighting an Austrian war. Completely taken aback by the sudden appearance of a large French army on their doorstep on January 3rd, the Coalition army essentially disintegrated; many ran once the devils balls began raining down on them, and quite a few of the Royalists out-and-out defected straight over to the cheering Republican lines. Those who did stay and valiantly tried to put up a stand were promptly dissuaded of those ideas by the massed Republican infantry and howitzers. Saint-Flour was probably the most one-sided Republican victory of the entire war; Coalition Army of thirty thousand had suffered five thousand casualties and been scattered to the four winds, Massena had suffered no more than three hundred casualties, far fewer than those inflicted by Generals Winter and Mountains upon the Republican army. There was now very little standing between Massena and the city of Montpellier on the Mediterranean coast. With limited opposition Massena promptly took the city on January 14th, effectively slicing the Royalist-held territory in half. This sent the Coalition commanders into a frenzied panic. No one had been expecting an attack through the Massif Central, especially not during winter. The news that the Coalition army holding the central front had been blasted away reached Marseille only a few days before the even more shocking news of the capture of Montpellier. It is at this point that Louis made serious preparations to evacuate the metropole and flee to Corsica. In the meantime, however, the Spanish attack on Bordeaux, which had begun several weeks before, was put on the backburner and three armies gathered and prepared to retake Montpellier. A truly enormous battle was looming. On the 10th of March, the combined Coalition armies two Spanish, one mercenary Austrian and one Royalist, totaling close to a hundred and fifty thousand men marched from Toulouse and towards Montpellier. Lafayette, for his part, was well aware of the significance of what had taken place. If Montpellier held, then Louiss position in the metropole would be entirely indefensible and he would have to flee, either to Austria or to Corsica, and the greater part of France would have been liberated. Offensives could then begin earnest to the north and east to force the Austrians and Prussians to the negotiating table and end the war. If, however, Massna was defeated, then the passes through the Massif Central would be vulnerable, Bordeaux would come under renewed assault and even Valence would be at risk. It was therefore paramount that every free man and woman France could spare was sent to Montpellier at once. At the same time, the Republican intelligence had heard from liberal sympathizers within Spain that the Spanish King Charles IV had approved an extraordinarily bold undertaking: a secret invasion of the Vendee. This invasion would be small and, in itself, not a serious threat, but the true goal was obvious: for years, the Vende had been by far the greatest source of disquiet and unrest within the Republican-held part of France. An isolated, poor, rural and deeply Catholic department largely untouched by the social and economic forces that had led France to revolution, the peasants of the Vende whilst supportive of Lafayettes 1789 early reforms as much-necessary correctives to unjust taxation had been much put out by the later social reforms, particularly with regards to the status of women, believing them an intrusion of temporal authorities into the sacred domain of the Church. The province provided few recruits for the National Guard and virtually none of those were women the tiny handful that did were by and large looking for a way to get out of the province and the general mood of the province had dampened yet further by the announcement of conscription. There is no doubt that Lafayettes decision to include a wide array of religious exemptions to conscription and refusal to confiscate any of the Churchs vast landholdings was aimed at minimizing the possibility of unrest in the Vende. Nevertheless, he feared that a single spark could light the region on fire a spark that a Royalist-Spanish army could easily provide. On the same day that the Coalition combined army left Toulouse, the Spanish fleet set sail for the Vendan coast. Extraordinarily, however, and to the great surprise of all, both schemes would completely fail. On paper, the greater shock of the two came at sea. The French Navy had been greatly reduced by defections to the Royalist side particularly as the bulk of the French Navy was based at Toulon, less than a days ride from Marseille and so the Republic had been hard at work rebuilding its navy since 1790 with modern ships. As with the early Republican Army, it lacked experience and know-how, but while its officer corps needed to be totally reconstituted, many of the ordinary sailors of the Navy had found their way to Republican territory. A small fleet, cobbled together between some of the few the Republic still had and a handful of newly-constructed vessels was able to sail from La Rochelle under the command of Admiral Pierre-Charles Villeneuve, one of the few pre-Revolutionary French naval officers to remain loyal to the Republic. On paper, this small fleet was well outmatched by the Coalition invasion fleet, as it was less than half the size and with less experienced commanders and crew. However, communication and language issues as well as infighting over who should assume ultimate command over the invasion plagued the Coalition fleet, and it largely split into a Royalist squadron under the Comte de Puisaye and a Spanish under Frederico Gravina. Nevertheless, either squadron was still able to easily outmatch the small French force waiting near ?le dYeu. However, fate, as it often does in naval combat, intervened, in the form of thick dawn fog on March the 16th that sometimes occurs in the Bay of Biscay during spring. Even on its own would not be enough. However, once again the superb military intelligence capabilities of the French state came into play: Villeneuve knew well that the Coalition fleet had internal problems, and more importantly had split into two. A miscommunication meant that Royalist squadron had elected to sail around the west end of the ?le dYeu, the Spanish the east, and this allowed Villeneuve to set a trap. Hiding behind the north side of the island and shrouded by the fog, Villeneuve waited for the Royalist fleet to pass by just after dawn and then, less than fifteen miles off the mainland coast, pounced. The Royalist fleet, in the midst of preparing to unload their troops, were shocked to find the Republican fleet emerging from the fog behind them. They attempted to turn to engage, but amongst the French ships were three brand-new ships-of-the-line which could hit harder and from further away than any the Coalition navies had, and the Royalist squadron was soon scattered and four transports sunk. The French ships then turned to meet the Spanish, who had aborted their own landing preparations to help their Royalist colleagues. The fighting in this engagement was more even than it had been against the Royalists, but when a Spanish brig being used as a troop transport had its gunpowder store abruptly explode, obliterating the ship as well the six hundred men aboard and seriously damaging the transport next to it, Gravina decided that enough was enough. Twenty of his ships had either been sunk or forced to disengage with severe damage and in return, he had only sunk seven Republican vessels. With the majority of the transports gone and the expedition a total failure regardless of how the battle went, he signaled to his remaining vessels to depart to the south, despite still arguably having the upper hand. The attempted invasion of the Vende had failed. The Battle of Villeyrac The truly momentous event this day, however, happened hundreds of kilometers to the south. On the morning of the 16th, the Coalition combined armies assembled and prepared to meet the Republican army west of Montpellier. Meeting the four Coalition armies were three divisions of the French Republican Army just south of Villeyrac: the left under Marceau, the right under Massna and the central Revolutionary Guard division under the recently-promoted Michel Ney, numbering a hundred and thirty thousand strong. With Like at Strasbourg, the Republican armies were largely entrenched or defiladed and built a wide array of defensive dugouts, trenches, berms and other earthworks. The first line of trenches and field fortifications was only lightly manned, mostly by Revolutionary Guard skirmishers and sharpshooters armed with new model rifles, and their orders were to pick off as many Coalition officers as they could. The second line was more heavily defended and manned, a mixture of Revolutionary Guard and the best National Guard, all of whom were explicitly instructed to hold fire until the the whites of the enemies eyes were visible. The subsequent three lines held the remainder of the National Guard, and at the rear, a reserve force of Revolutionary Guard was available to plug dangerous holes in the line when required. The Republican strategy, agreed between the three French generals in advance, did not rely on holding every inch of ground and never yielding as dramatizations often present. Massna, Marceau and Ney did not expect to hold the first defensive line or indeed even the second. Their hope was, however, that in taking the first two defensive lines the Coalition would be disorganized and cut off from easy communications and thus counterattack; the idea was not to hold ground for no reason but rather inflict massive casualties on the Coalition armies. Critical to this was a policy of rapid counterattack at any position the Coalition managed to take within the main French defensive lines the first would not be seriously contested once the skirmishers withdrew and for this, a new battlefield communications system was implemented for the first time. For each of the ninety battalions, one of the lieutenants of that battalion was explicitly charged with keeping three flags raised at their position at any one time: two identifying their unit and one outlining their basic situation whether a position was counterattacking, withdrawing, or needed reinforcement. Any given signal would then be relayed by further flag stations a hundred yards apart all the way back to the command position in the rear, and orders returned by flag colors back down the line. This system was very crude, consisting little more of basic colors assigned by a table, but it was far faster than the traditional practice of runners. It would need to work if the Republican strategy were to end in success. The battle began at nine in the morning with skirmishes between the Republican and Coalition cavalry near Loupian. These were cursory at best; neither side needed much by way of scouting to know where the enemy was and how they were disposed. With the steep foothills of the Massif Central protecting the Republicans right flank and the Mediterranean on the left, the Coalition knew they would have to break through the Republican position directly to continue their advance on Montpellier. The battle proper, therefore, really started two hours later, when the Spanish advanced their two armies and began engaging the Republican skirmishers. In truth these initial engagements drew very few casualties save for a few Coalition officers being wounded or killed, and very little by way of meaningful fighting. However, it did change the battlefield: before long the entire scene was shrouded in thick smoke. With the Coalition army now in the range of the Republican howitzers which were showering the Coalition soldiers with disconcerting if largely unaimed caseshot, the Comte de Provence and the Spanish commander Antonio Ricardos ordered their men to assault the Republican lines. What followed was a desperate, bloody mess for the entire rest of the day and well into the evening as thousands upon thousands of Coalition and French men and women engaged each other at a virtual knife-fighting range for hours on end. A confusing, smoke-filled and body-strewn back and forth played itself over and hours and hours, as generals largely ceded effective control over the battlefield to captains, lieutenants and sergeants. The battle, such as it was, ceased to be a single coherent action as opposed to a hundred desperate individual struggles between the mostly Spanish Coalition soldiers and the Republican men and women, mostly over trenches, defensive embankments and other strongpoints in the French position. However, several things are clear from detailed analyses of the battle. First, while the Republican communication did not work anywhere near as efficiently as advertised the dense smoke, the confusion of battle, overworked signal officers in the chain and the death or wounding of many of the key signal lieutenants ensured the system was constantly overwhelmed it intermittently allowed the French commanders a measure of understanding and control over the course of the battle that the Coalition generals simply could not manage. There are many accounts from both sides of the Coalition overwhelming a French defensive position, only to be beset within minutes by reinforcements from Revolutionary Guard infantry held in reserve, forcing the Coalition infantry to withdraw or suffer heavy casualties. By and large, the Republican commanders had a much better idea of what was actually going on in the smoke-filled melee surrounding them and local tactical opportunities were exploited far more effectively on the Republican side. Second, the superiority of the French artillery was now completely obvious to all, and a major shock to the Spanish commanders who had not fully believed the tales coming out of the north after Strasbourg. French artillery was simply superior in every single way, with Republicans inflicting thousands upon thousands of casualties on the often-exposed Coalition soldiers. While the French howitzers raining caseshot were mostly inaccurate and caused fewer casualties in themselves, the morale effect they had on the Spanish troops was enormous, and this caused major problems for the Coalition commanders in keeping their units in formation and in position. There is no doubt that the desperation of the Spanish soldiers to take French defensive positions, just like the Prussians and Austrians at Strasbourg, was driven by their desire to gain protection from the French artillery. Third, while the second line did indeed fall just as Massena had expected, it had taken until three oclock, and at a staggering cost to the Coalition by the standards of the time. Several elite infantry regiments of the Spanish Army were simply shattered by early afternoon, and every defensive position the Coalition soldiers took off the French cost lives at a level the Coalition army simply could not sustain. This, in the end, is the critical factor upon which the battle and indeed the entire war: the French armies, despite being drawn from the great unwashed masses of the country who had barely even held a gun before, were fighting for liberty, equality, and in defense of their homes and their country. The Coalition forces simply were not. It is thus no surprise at all that the French fought harder, more desperately, without fear and with utter tenacity that the Coalition forces could not overcome. In one typical scene a 20-year-old French sergeant of Revolutionary Guard chasseurs, Henri de la Rochejaquelin, upon learning that his platoon had run out of ammunition and become isolated, ordered the soldiers to remove the bayonet for their weapons, drop everything else and sounded a charge on a Spanish battalion that was blocking their way. For this action, Rochejaquelin would receive the legion dhonneur, second class. By nightfall, it had become abundantly clear that the Coalition simply could not breakthrough, and much more of this would render Ricardos without an army. The men were exhausted, morale was low, ammunition was scarce and they had only just taken the third line, and were experiencing constant counterattacks on their positions in the fourth. Units were starting to break, and one entire regiment of Spanish infantry, having pushed too far and been immediately surrounded, had even surrendered en masse. In the dead of night, therefore, Ricardos submitted to the obvious and ordered a general withdrawal. Provence was furious, knowing that the Spanish were effectively abandoning the attempt to retake Montpellier and, by extension, ceding all of southeast France including Marseille, but there was nothing he could do. By midnight, the ragged remnants of the Coalition army retreated back to their encampment at Bziers. Within a week they had fallen back to Narbonne, where they would remain. There would be planning for a renewed assault on Montpellier beginning in July, but it would never materialize. Bloody Saturday The morning of the 17th dawned on a smoke-free battlefield covered in corpses in quantities unknown to European warfare since the days of the Mongols. The victorious Republic had suffered thirty thousand casualties, over ten thousand of whom had died on the field. The Coalition armies had suffered far worse, with double the casualties and well over double the deaths, but nonetheless the scene was utterly shocking to all who surveyed the remnants of the battlefield. Unlike the great Republican victories at Paris, Macon, Lyon, and Strasbourg, there was no great fanfare or outpouring of celebration following the victory at Villeyrac. There was a great sigh of relief, yes, and no small amount of joy at the knowledge that Louis would soon be forced from the metropole, but the sacrifice had been too great and the battle too bloody for anything but somber recognition and hundreds of more recipients of the legion dhonneur, many of which were posthumous. Indeed, although 15th of March was soon memorialized by the Girondin government as The Day of Defeats, acknowledging the twin victories at Villeyrac and ?le dYeu, within the institutional memory of the National Guard 16 March has a different name: Le Jour des Larmes, the Day of Tears. Indeed for the first time there started to be public murmurings that perhaps the cost of the war was too high, particularly with conscription in effect and the imposition of war taxes to finance National Guard salaries back in March. No one wanted a return to the ancien rgime of course and few publicly countenanced any rollback of the social, political and economic forms the Assembly had decreed since 1790. But Villeyrac, far from marking the ultimate affirming of the Revolution, instead led some to wonder if enough was enough. If liberty, equality and fraternity were the priority, they wondered, then would it maybe be best to ultimately come to some agreement, some arrangement that secured democratic government by the people of France in perpetuity, even if nominally under the reign but not the rule of a King? Britain, they argued, was doing something like that with some success, why not France? So began the political rise of the Orlanists, named as such because they coalesced around the self-styled Girondin deputy Phillipe galit. However, he is better known to both history and the French public as the Duc dOrlans, head of the Orlans cadet branch of the Bourbon royal family, and indeed in the line of succession to the French throne. Orlans was a member of the Society of 1789, of course, and a genuine advocate of the Revolution indeed Marie Antoinette fervently believed him the puppet master of the entire thing but with the Montagnards discredited, Orlans now found himself the center of both war-skeptical and conservative political organization within the Republic. Some even wondered if Orlans himself, a respected deputy of the Assembly in reasonable standing within the chamber, should be crowned as a figurehead King of the French in a final compromise between the royalist sympathies everyone knew still existed and the maintenance of French democracy. As of yet, this was little more than whispers and salon conversations, but as the war dragged on and on, their voice would become more organized and louder, and become highly influential in crafting the peace that would finally conclude the First Coalition War. Of course, in the eyes of many, in doing so their main achievement was to make a second Revolution, and a second war, entirely inevitable. In the short term, however, the return of conservative political organization to the Republic instead triggered one of the grimmer, sadder episodes of the First Republic: Bloody Saturday and the two weeks of destruction that followed. Totally convinced that Orlans rise meant the presage of a royalist coup they had long feared, the extreme-left rump of the Jacobin Club, led by the journalist Jacques Hebert and the ultraradical priest Jacques Roux organized a mob of twenty thousand strong on April 6th 1793 to storm the prison in which Robespierre, Marat and the other Jacobin leaders imprisoned after the failed coup of the previous September. With many of the Parisian National Guard battalions called to the front to reinforce Massena and, Lafayette had mistakenly thought, to drain Paris of its most radical energies and with Danton no longer in a position to feed information on the Paris radicals to the President, the insurrection took all completely by surprise. It likely did not help that, several months earlier, the Spanish had invaded Saint-Domingue and sugar imports from the colony had ceased completely, leading to a severe shortage within Paris. Thus while Bloody Saturday is generally pinned as a reaction to the rise of the Orlanists, in truth it was more likely an inevitable reaction to broader, deeper-set patterns within Paris. Coupled with rising taxes to fund the war, the poor and increasingly hungry districts of Paris needed only a spark to be set aflame, and Orlans rise provided it. As in September, not all of the radicals in Paris agreed. The Cordeliers Club still held some sway, especially within the National Guard, and the same deep belief that a revolution against the Republic would be disastrous still held sway. Lafayette did not even wait to hear a word he could well hear what was happening from his office to declare martial law in the city, and an attempt to storm the Palais de la Rpublique and take the National Assembly by force was blocked by ten thousand National Guard, many of whom had been part of Robespierres escort to jail months before. With the vital centers of government-protected, the mob turned their ire on anything and everything else that smacked of counterrevolution, and over the next two weeks, much of the city burned tragically including many of the old slums that housed the poor and hungry of east Paris as the National Guard desperately tried to reassert control. Thousands died, mostly in the fires that raged through the city largely uncontrolled in the fortnight after the 6th. In the chaos, most of the freed Jacobin leaders escaped and fled to the border whereupon they were promptly captured by the Austrians and much of the city was in ruins. Lafayette, for his part, was horrified by the events of early April. There was enormous pressure upon him from both the Girondins, who had always been afraid of an insurrectionary mob rising out of Paris, and the rapidly-rising Orleanists to forcefully crush any semblance of radicalism within France and within Paris. The Jacobin Club was of course designated a terrorist organization and disbanded, but many in the Assembly wanted far more than this. They wanted all the remaining radical deputies of the Assembly purged, the Cordeliers Club banned (even though it had come out against both the September coup and the Bloody Saturday insurrection), the radical programme rendered unconstitutional to even advocate, mass arrests of those who had led the insurrection, the Paris Commune broken up and some even wanted a rollback of social reforms. Lafayette did none of these things, indeed he did the opposite. Instead of cracking down more broadly, he made the following pronouncement on May the 3rd, at the height of the anti-radical push in the Assembly: The responsibility for the terrible events of April rests with me, and me alone. Those who had committed violence and insurrection will be prosecuted according to the laws of the Republic. However, the deeper responsibility lies with those who allowed the people of this city to live in poverty and hunger while other citizens did not. As President of France, the ultimate responsibility for the violence thus lies with me, and I tender my immediate resignation. The Assembly descended into a shocked uproar, and Lafayette was convinced by unanimous pleading even the leftover radicals now felt Lafayette was their only protection against the tender mercies of the Girondins to remain President, but by all accounts, his brief resignation was quite genuine. He had actually met with some of the ordinary men and women who had participated in the insurrection and had been profoundly affected by the tales of years of crushing poverty and desperate hunger that he had heard. Afterward, as a token of solidarity, he refused to wear the traditional culotte that signaled him a member of the nobility, and increasingly disdained his own noble title. The latter years of his Presidency would be preoccupied with schemes to try and improve the lot of the citizens of the poorest districts of Paris, but with little support in the Assembly, these rarely came to much. In the aftermath, the mood in France was dark and one of mourning. Even the increasingly positive news from the front was not enough to lighten the demeanor of the French citizenry. However, despite the elated delusions that abounded in Vienna, Berlin, and Madrid, this was not the presage to a collapse of French morale. The French populace was grim, yes, but a determined grimness to see this fight, for which all in the Republic blamed King Louis and the Austrians for starting, through to its just and proper conclusion. When Lafayette began a war bond drive in May to help finance the war, the response he received was overwhelming, and together with ever-growing American aid largely secured French finances for the rest of 1793. Whilst arguments were rising over the proper terms of the peace, and whether compromise was a better route to long-term security than all-or-nothing victory, all agreed on this: there would be no peace whilst foreign soldiers held a single square meter of French soil. The war, therefore, ground on... +++++ [1] Some of you may be reading this and thinking isnt this all just Napoleons OTL reforms and advances being applied 10 years early?, and you are entirely correct in thinking so. [2] This is, of course, a shrapnel shell, which was only officially named as such in the 1850s. Greater pressure to come up with military innovations after the humiliation of the Revolutionary War means its invented by Shrapnel two years before OTL, but obviously, ARPA, which is cheating, got there first and also is using more of a late-19th century design which fixes the reliability problems that plagued the pre-1850s versions. The American-French connection ensures that Maj-Gen. Shrapnel does not get the credit here outside of Britain. Chapter 129: Raise a Glass to Freedom! Alexander Hamilton, former Senator for New York and now the Fourth President of the United States, paced around the Oval Office nervously. If Madison was dignified and composed, Hamilton was the exact opposite. He was filled with energy, always moving around and asking questions to his Cabinet in order to grasp the nation''s domestic and foreign situation. He was just a shade over fifty years old, yet his body moved around like he was twenty. He had been president for over three years, but his enthusiasm never wavered for a single moment. It was for this reason he was known as "indomitable" in the political arena; if he had his sights on something, he was going to accomplish it no matter what. The Oval Office was littered with stacks of papers and reports. Hamilton was messy, but it was an organized type of messy. He knew exactly what each stack of papers contained and the content of each paper (it certainly helped that his wife, Elizabeth, organized them and told him where everything was). Several maps were strewn across his Faithful desk (the desk was made with the scrapped remains of the first USS Benedict Arnold), some of them portraying the situation in Europe while others were maps of the Americas and Asia. He had drawn a number of the maps himself, as he was meticulous in his efforts to precisely recreate what was happening across the world. A portrait of Madison stared at the mess in the Oval Office as if it was silently disapproving of the disorganized look of the Executive''s room. Nearby, a number of Cabinet members watched the president patiently as he picked up a map of Nepal off his desk. While Hamilton lacked Madison''s ability to lead the government with a calm and steady hand, he made up for it with his incredible confidence and charisma. "Nepal," Hamilton simply stated as he slid a map of Nepal on one of the coffee tables in front of the gathered members of his Cabinet, "General Wayne is still there, correct?" "Leading some of the Nepalese, yes." Secretary of Defense James Wilkinson, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, replied, "He is giving the British a licking. In his last letter, he claimed that he felt like he was twenty-two years old all over again. Apparently, the war is giving him some fond memories of his victories against the British during the Revolutionary War." That statement earned several rounds of laughter from the gathered members of the Executive branch. While Hamilton did want to keep decent relations with Great Britain, it was obvious that the British government was acting more and more hostile towards the United States. He had enough headaches trying to deal with Britain''s outroar against America "stealing the Dutch Cape Colony" (which was blatantly false, since the U.S. and the Netherlands agreed to allow the American government to take over the Cape Colony for "safekeeping" if the Netherlands was unable to do so and vice versa) and selling arms to France (ironically, Britain had supported America''s "Armed Neutrality" the first time around). As such, President Hamilton was perfectly happy with giving the British a gentle reminder that the United States was not to be trifled with. Nepal was holding its own against the British East India Company, though reports did reveal that both sides were exhausted from the two-year-long conflict. The E.I.C. suffered severe casualties thanks to the presence of General Wayne and the Nepalese armed with American weapons. However, Nepal was still heavily outnumbered. Thankfully, Britain was preoccupied with fighting France, so the E.I.C. was unable to receive reinforcements in arms or men. "And the Gurkhas?" "Nepal has stated they will happily send some over to assess our military and even let a few of them settle in the United States, provided that we pay for everything. Are you sure that they are necessary?" "Well, I was told that they were some of the finest soldiers the world has to offer," President Hamilton smiled, "And while the 1st Special Forces Battalion is doing an excellent job keeping the Sioux busy, I think they would appreciate a bit of assistance." Hamilton sat down to sip on some tea and sighed, "Now then, what else?" "The American Cape Colony is secured. We have already sent out a few explorers to survey areas with mineral deposits," Secretary of Federal Lands and Resources Wishe (also known as Michael Thresh) stated. The Secretary of Federal Lands and Resources was mostly occupied by Native Americans, due to their involvement in the National Parks and elsewhere, "Singapore is being developed. As mentioned in previous reports, the Sultan of Johor was more than happy to loan out the area for annual payments. It''s eating up $10,000 yearly, but that''s merely a drop in the bucket considering our finances. The city should be available for resupply and trade within three years'' time. Thankfully, Congress ratified the purchase before the British were able to react." The British had taken over all of Holland''s possessions in Asia, including Ceylon and the Dutch East Indies. It was evidently clear that the Holland Republic, which was fighting for its life with France against the Second Coalition, was not going to be able to take them back anytime soon, if at all. Therefore, it was important for the United States to maintain a presence in the area, just in case Britain attempted to cut off America''s trade with China or seize the Lanfang Republic. While Britain was busy in Europe, there was no doubt among the Cabinet members that Britain would shift its attention towards Asia after it was finished with their European problems. "Is the Front complaining?" Secretary Wishe was a member of the Front, who was appointed by President Hamilton after the last Secretary of Federal Lands and Resources retired. As such, he served as the contact between the administration and the Frontier Party. "No, Mr. President. If anything, they''re satisfied. They recognize Britain''s threat to our trade with China and the trade itself is profitable. They''re not too happy with the Cape Colony situation though." "If they knew what South Africa turned into in the other history, I''m sure they would agree with our pre-emptive actions in the area." "I agree, sir. Unfortunately, they don''t." "If anything, they should be nervous about King Louis'' flight to Saint Domingue," The former Senator muttered as he looked at a map of the Caribbean, "He''s right off our shore and they don''t want to do anything!" The Director of the National Intelligence Service, Abraham Woodhull, the longest-serving member of the Cabinet, cleared his throat, "He hasn''t made any aggressive maneuvers towards the United States or Haiti, at least, not yet. Additionally, we still have eyes and ears in the area, so we will know anything that occurs in the region. If anything, his actions are simply... odd." King Louis bought the former French colony from Spain after Spain suffered from a financial crisis due to the French invasion of the Spanish mainland (which was still ongoing) and the never-ending rebellion in the former French Saint Domingue. The French king managed to run off with a chunk of the French treasury and bought himself the island to rally his supporters. Only around 50,000 answered his call, along with a few dozen warships. However, he loudly proclaimed that any freed blacks in the "French Empire" (a name that caused many in the Cabinet to scoff, since the "Empire" only controlled the northern parts of Saint Domingue") were now citizens if they served the monarch. He also introduced a number of reforms and reconstruction projects in the "Empire" to aim for a "reconquest" of the French mainland. It would have been amusing to the members of the American government... if the "Empire" wasn''t bordering the only other independent American nation and wasn''t off the coast of Florida. "Keep a wary eye on him. He still has a decent navy and it seems like he''s becoming increasingly popular, if almost a cult-like figure, in the "French Empire," Hamilton mentioned, "He''s importing thousands of slaves too, to make up for the losses the "Empire" has suffered. He''s definitely not a friend of ours." "Will do sir. Now about Miranda and his followers; they are still in the planning and gathering stages of their revolt." "Still?" "They believe that it is imperative to have good support in the area, or that is what our agents in his group have suggested. As such, they plan to launch a revolt in several years, instead of starting one soon." "Ah, using the Earthquake to turn the religious against the Royalists, correct? And then seemingly obtaining "divine favor." "Which is why they are working from the southern provinces to the north. By the time they roll around towards Caracaras, the Earthquake will occur and it will make it seem like Miranda and his republican ideals have received the support of God. Additionally, with Spain still embroiled in the Second Coalition War, Spain will be worn out by the time Miranda revolts with his countrymen." "I have no qualms with his plans. How many agents do we have in his group?" Hamilton asked. The Director skimmed his notes, "Three. We don''t have many Spanish speakers, but our agents in Miranda''s group are all Americans that joined him in his endeavors to liberate Venezuela freely. And even if he knows, I''m sure he won''t mind that the United States is watching his back." Hamilton nodded and clapped his hands, "We have focused too much on foreign affairs, gentlemen, now onto the domestic front. Secretary Cockerill, if you will." Secretary of Research and Development William Cockerill nodded. Years ago, he immigrated to the United States due to a job offer from a man named Samuel Kim. Now, he was a member of the Cabinet and a member of the Society. He wasn''t angry for being "sniped" by the American government and brought overseas. Instead, he found it amusing, and he enjoyed his life in the United States than the life of his other self in Europe. "The first horse-drawn harvesters are being used in Virginia, and we expect more states to follow. That will increase our crop yields several times over, with a vast reduction in the manpower required to harvest a field. We already have had several farming cooperatives in Iroquois, Hisigi, Kentucky, and other states request the machines. It seems like combined with our early introduction of industrial farming, we will have a major agricultural and population boom." "That will keep the Front happy and docile," President Hamilton replied with a playful grin, "Anything to add on that, Secretary Monroe?" Secretary of Agriculture James Monroe shook his head, "Not much, Mr. President. The Iroquois and Hisigi are going full ahead with their "organic farming" methods. It seems like they are still heavily engaging in the Three Sisters approach, with varied success. The South is producing cotton, this time through African American cooperatives and partnerships. They''re also growing a lot of rice and other cereals. Florida is producing most of the nation''s citrus, Alabama is growing tea and cotton, Jefferson is still building up the farm infrastructure in the territory. Kentucky is growing various products, such as tobacco and hemp. And so on. The introduction of crop rotations, better-made tools for farmers, land expansions, and improved infrastructure have all led to the current rapid growth of the agricultural sector. If anything, it is growing just as fast as the industrial sector, if not faster." "Excellent. And details about American industries?" "Doing well as expected. The railway line between Columbia and Baltimore is complete and is already causing a stir among the population. The telegraph lines are being expanded as well, though they are currently under ARPA''s directive. If we manage to rapidly build up the railroads, then our economy will be unstoppable. Along with the telegraph, our economy will easily overtake Britain''s economy," Secretary of the Treasury Charles Cotesworth Pickney casually replied, "Our industrial advancements are frightening the European powers. Britain is taking measures to edge us out of their markets and trying to replicate our own innovations. I must say that they are very close behind. They are not going to give up their industrial superiority without a fight. However, thanks to our development, we have become one of the biggest exporters to Europe and since Europe is at war again, we are making hefty profits." "Which will help with our social programs and improving the United States as a whole," President Hamilton answered with a firm nod. His wife was acting strongly in her role as the First Lady and was leading initiatives to help treat mentally disabled people in the United States and build mental institutions for their care. Additionally, Elizabeth was soft on orphans and pushed her husband to build several federal orphanages across America, which he happily obliged. The orphanages would turn out to be useful since the Second Coalition War was going to leave behind a lot of orphans from what he was seeing, "We are making good progress, gentlemen. However, we still have much to accomplish. Congress may have rejected my proposals for an equal gender amendment, but I''ll make sure that they approve the bill on worker''s rights if that''s the last thing I do. Remember, this is a fight we must make for our future generations. Democrats and Republicans be damned." And for them to remember me as President Hamilton, the man who remade America following the legacy of the First. Chapter 130: The End of the Second Coalition War Colonel Justin Kim checked his gear and filled out a checklist to ensure that all his equipment was with him. He had been in France for two years now, carrying out dozens of missions in support of the Second French Republic. His time in France had been rewarding and while his unit had suffered hundreds of casualties (out of the 200 men of the 707th Special Forces Battalion, over half of them were either dead or injured to various degrees), the 707th had wreaked havoc on the Coalition forces. The colonel was able to confidently declare that he and his men were some of the biggest reasons why the French military managed to sweep the Coalition forces in the beginning stages of the Second Coalition War. He and the remaining able-bodied members of the 707th group were inside Hotel de Ville. The war was over, with rousing success for the French. France had managed to seize the Catalonian regions in Spain, the Duchy of Savoy, and almost the entirety of the Rhineland within two years. This was in part due to the Girondins during the interwar period, as they prioritized strengthening France''s military in case that the nation was dragged into a war, once again. When the war began in 1806, France took three months to mobilize and prepare for its offensives, but when they started to move forward, they were unstoppable. Many were veterans from the First Coalition War and now, they were supported by masses of artillery and seasoned officers. Their advance only came to a halt after the sheer numbers of the Coalition forced the French military to a grinding halt. As a stalemate set in, the French government sent out peace feelers to bring the Second Coalition War to an end. Great Britain presided over the peace negotiations as the "leader'' of the Coalition and managed to secure "favorable" terms for the Second Coalition. France agreed to withdraw its forces from the areas that it occupied (parts of the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and Italy). In return, the Coalition agreed to allow a neutral "Kingdom of Rhineland" to form under the former Duke of Julich''s illegitimate child Karl August. The Kingdom of Rhineland would occupy the entirety of the left bank of the Rhine (including the Ruhr Valley on the other side of the Rhine) and maintain no connections to the Holy Roman Empire, Austria, or France. Additionally, the new kingdom would be a constitutional monarchy, with the French having a strong input on what the nation''s constitution would look like. The Kingdom of Navarre was also released as an independent entity, with the same terms as the Kingdom of Rhineland (neutral and under a constitutional monarchy). The French also made minor land gains (Gerona from Spain and Savoy from Sardinia). Many members of the Second Coalition were unsatisfied with the terms, especially Austria, Spain, and the Papal States. However, there wasn''t anything the Coalition could do about it. The Coalition forces were exhausted and the French forces were not. The only reason why France agreed to such terms was that Danton did not want to continue the war for longer than it was necessary. However, not all was well for the Coalition. Great Britain managed to sweep France and Holland from the seas during the war, but their Navy suffered a fair amount of damage during the war. Spain was in a state of instability, as King Charles IV was forced to abdicate due to his failures during the Second Coalition War. His son, Ferdinand VII, seized the throne and made it explicitly clear that he was not going to allow any liberal reform to happen under his reign. This sparked off an insurrection movement across Spain (but concentrated near the Catalonian areas), as many Spaniards were deeply unsatisfied with the absolutist nature of the Spanish government. It didn''t help that the French conveniently left behind some weapons in Catalonia for the people to use against the new king. Austria was teetering on the edge of financial ruins and the loss of several members of the Holy Roman Empire to the "Kingdom of Rhineland" was not helping matters as well. The only nation that truly came out on top was the Second French Republic. It now had a buffer state between itself and the Holy Roman Empire, a new ally in the Holland Republic, and its sovereignty as a republic was recognized. "How are you doing, Colonel?" Colonel Kim turned around to see Minister of Defense Charlotte Corday approaching him with a smile. He had worked with the woman regularly during his stay in France, mainly due to her critical position as the overseer of the French war effort and her keen military insights. Despite the amount of power behind her position, Minister Corday was only forty years old and looked even younger. "As fine as I could be. Just pondering over the future of Europe." Corday nodded understandingly, "I am not surprised, considering that your nation just purchased Iceland and Greenland from the Danish. Do you know what your nation will do with them?" Denmark was hit hard from the Second Coalition War. While they were strictly "neutral," they constantly traded with the Second French Republic and the Holland Republic, which drew the ire of the Second Coalition. As such, the British crushed their navy and demanded that they halt their trade with France. In the aftermath, Norway was broken away from Denmark and the small Scandinavian nation was forced into submission. With no navy to protect their outer holdings in Iceland and Greenland, the United States government offered a generous sum for the purchase of said territories. The Danish government happily accepted in order to obtain money to rebuild their ruined navy and to thrust a nose towards the British, who were horrified that the Americans were expanding towards Europe. "I''m not entirely sure. President Hamilton seemed very vague about his plans for the two islands. But if I had to guess, they''ll probably be merged to become a single republic under the protection of the United States." "Well, regardless of what his plans are for Iceland and Greenland, it has the British government in a panic," Corday mused. "Do you mind if I ask a question?" "By all means." "Why did France agree to such a lenient peace treaty? I mean, the Treaty of Geneva could have gone very differently if your government pushed the Coalition diplomats harder. Surely, you could have asked for more in Spain and Italy..." The Minister of Defense tapped her chin, "President Danton was insistent that we do not antagonize the Coalition more than necessary. Additionally, he mentioned something about how a united Prussia is the biggest threat to the future of France and desired to break the Prussian influence in the Rhineland even if it meant sacrificing our other gains." Colonel Kim looked stunned. Was Danton a member of the Society? "Who gave him that advice?" "President Lafayette. I believe it was in a letter addressed to him shortly after Danton took office." "I see..." "Well, if that is everything, I must ask for you and your men to remain in France a bit longer." "For what reason?" "The president is insistent on rewarding your unit for your valiant actions during the war, and I am inclined to agree based on your unit''s performance and your heroics. You will all be rewarded legion dhonneur for your service. Though, we have to wait for the other generals to return from their fronts. Murat is still in the Rhineland, Massena is still near Marseilles, Desaix is on the Savoy border, and so on." The son of the first American president smiled, "It would be an honor." Chapter 131: The Wild Wild West AN: I realized that the US no longer has a state or territory named Mississippi (due to the territory of Jefferson). Thus, the Missouri Territory (which is squashed between Anikegama and Akansa) will be Mississippi and where Kansas is in OTL will be Missouri. Also, if you don''t know who the characters are, refer back to Chapter 115. +++++ Cork, Mississippi Territory (OTL Red Oak, Iowa) March 1st, 1809 Conor Murphy sighed as he sipped on some whiskey and looked out towards the open fields. He had just finished up planting the fields for the evening and was now resting on the porch of his large, farmhouse. He had managed to plant corn, soybeans, and wheat on a few dozen throughout the morning and afternoon, which was only a fraction of the hundreds of acres he owned. After working on the railroads for several years and saving up his money, he finally managed to buy some land out in the west to set up a farm. After some discussions with some of his fellow canal workers (Jack, Meng, and Jack''s friend Song), he decided to join a "cooperative" with them and jointly work on their farms. As such, he and his group bought several hundred acres of land for themselves out in the Mississippi Territory and built a small town together, Cork. The town consisted of his small family (his wife [an Irishwoman he met in New York], two sons, and three daughters), his group members and their own families, and a few other Irish and Chinese that decided to settle in the area. The total population hovered just above a hundred, but it was slowly growing. "Mind if I have some of that whiskey?" The Irish immigrant turned to see a smiling Meng climbing onto his porch. Conor gave his longtime friend a lopsided grin and handed him a glass, "Of course." After pouring a glass of the alcoholic beverage for himself, Meng settled onto the porch and sat with Conor in comfortable silence. The sun was setting beautifully off in the horizon and a warm, orange light basked the two men''s faces. "How you like that new planter?" Meng asked. "Made my life a lot easier," Conor replied as he glanced at the rolling planter that rested next to his porch. The Cork Cooperative, which was the cooperative that Conor and his group founded, shared equipment with one another. Additionally, if a member of the Cork Cooperative needed money, they were given a loan with low interest to help their farm grow. It also acted as the middleman between the farmers of the Cooperative and buyers out in the east (towards Hamilton, the territory''s capital, or other nearby towns). None of the farmers in the area was rolling around in money, but they were making enough to get by and some. Thus, it was crucial for the Cooperative to acquire new machinery and tools to improve the quality of the farms and the speed of harvesting/planting. Since none of them were rich, they all pooled in to buy a single piece of machinery or tool together (or multiple, if they had enough money) and rotated it around. The rolling planter was one of the pieces of machinery that the Cooperative bought and lent out to its members, and it was a godsend to Conor. "I just place the seeds inside, roll it around, and it plops down the seeds in no time." Meng nodded, "Can''t wait to use it. My back hurts from doing everything by hand." "I never heard you complain about your back when we were digging that canal." "I was twenty-four years old then." The Irishman chuckled as he poured out another shot of whiskey, "Time flew by rather quickly. How are your folks doing?" "The same. Mama is doing the same old thing and complaining about how there''s not a lot of Chinese here. Yan is at home watching the kids." Meng used his hard-earned money to "convince" a few Qing officials to allow his family to travel to America. He met his wife, Yan Tang, in Xin, but the rest of his family (except his wife and three children) were from China: his parents, his uncles and aunts, and his cousins. Many of them decided to strike out on their own, whether it was working on an infrastructure project or working in a factory. But Meng''s parents and one of his male cousins decided to move to Mississippi with him. "How about your life?" "Jerry can walk now, just saw him take his first steps when I woke up in the morning. Ben is being taught by Susan, she''s claiming that he''s a genius but that''s what mothers always say," Conor answered with a sly smile, earning a knowing nod from Meng. "The girls are growing up quickly, hard to believe that they can finally help around the farm. I got a letter from my folks back in New York. My sister is gonna graduate that university in New York soon with a degree in engineering if you can believe it!" Just then, a nearby bush rustled and two pairs of eyes darted towards the source of the sound. Conor reached for his gun, which was hidden under the porch, while Meng gripped the whiskey bottle tightly. Before the two of them could make a move, a small man walked into their field of vision with his hands in front of him, "We''re not Indians." The man was short, shorter than Meng, who was barely one hundred and sixty-four centimeters. He carried a military rifle and wore a black uniform with a green hat sitting on his head. However, the most distinct part about the man was the two long and slightly bent knives hanging on the man''s waistband. After looking at the man closely, Conor realized who the man was, "Gurkha." Conor had heard stories about them before. The Gurkhas were fearsome warriors that were originally from some mountain nation in Asia. After the United States gave them weapons to give the British a beating, several of them immigrated to the United States to become soldiers for the United States Military. They hunted down Native Americans that attacked the United States in the west and were famously nicknamed "Jiibay" (Ojibwe for Ghost) due to their involvement in the Anikegama Territory. Only a few ever saw them in real life, and fewer remained alive after seeing them. They were basically legends out in the western frontier. To the Free Sioux Nation, they were invisible enemies that terrorized their warriors. To the Americans out in the west, the Gurkhas were their silent protectors, the spirit guardians. "Yes, Sergeant Hanuman Khadgi, at your service," The man gave the two men a crisp salute in his accented English, "I have been dispatched to inform you that there may be a large group of Indians heading in your direction." After listening to his words, Conor''s blood ran cold. Hostile Native Americans were uncommon now, thanks to the efforts of the United States Military. However, they still existed and a few of them raided American settlements every once in a while. It seemed like the inhabitants of Cork were unlucky, "Hostile?" "Very hostile. My men and I spotted their camps hours ago and we scattered to inform nearby villages about them. We''re pretty sure they will be coming close by here once they begin to move. One of my men is on horseback and he is going to rouse the local Army unit to fight against the invaders, but I suggest you evacuate as a precaution." "How large is the group?" "Fifty or so." "We have around three dozen men here that have arms and can fight. We can call upon the inhabitants of Red Oak to come and help us as well. We will hold our ground." Sergeant Khadgi frowned, "If you are going to fight, then I suggest you get the women and children out of here first. I will gladly help you defend, should they come through here." "Agreed," Meng said, finally releasing his grip on the whiskey bottle, "I''ll tell Yan and my mama and papa to evacuate with the kids. After that, I''ll warn the others." As Meng ran off, the Gurkha turned to Conor, "Where is Red Oak?" "About five kilometers north..." "That''s not too far," Sergeant Khadgi stretched as he looked squinted his eyes towards where Red Oak was, "Do you have a horse?" "Of course..." "Never mind. Use it for the evacuation. I will run there and back within forty minutes. I should have enough time to prepare for the incoming Indians." Conor belched, "Forty minutes? Even if someone ran their fastest, it would take an hour or so!" "Ah, but you see my friend," The Nepalese cracked his neck and grinned, "I am a Gurkha." For some reason, the Irishman was confident that the man in front of him could absolutely run ten kilometers within forty minutes. "After this ordeal is over, please stay over at my house for a meal and a drink." "But the Third Amendment says no quarter?" "Yes, but I would like for you to stay at my home for a bit." The sergeant took off with a wave and an affirmative nod, leaving Conor alone to begin the evacuation efforts. Chapter 132: Father and Son New York City, New York, the United States of America August 15th, 1810 Samuel Kim read through a stack of reports that he received from various government officials in his large study room. His house, which was in Manhattan, was large and spacious to accommodate his frequent guests and his large family. His study was filled with books and memoirs that he collected during his life. The chair he was sitting on was made in Korea, which he had bought during his first visit to Asia. His desk was made in France and was a personal gift sent by Lafayette (along with his many bookshelves). Every object in his room made Samuel recall a past memory, which was why the study was his favorite room in the house. Despite his "retirement," he consistently read about domestic and international affairs. After all, he was still the de facto head of the Watchmen Society and an advisor to the president. He needed to remain sharp and knowledgeable to help the country chug along, though he was slowly phasing out his involvement in government as he wanted the government to be able to run without him. While he was reading a file about the Norwegian-Swedish War that ended a few months ago, his eldest son knocked and walked into Samuel''s private study with a tray. The tray carried a teapot, two cups of tea, and biscuits. Justin smiled at his father and gently placed the tray down on the desk, "What are you reading?" "The Norwegian-Swedish War. Those Norwegians never stood a chance," Samuel replied as Justin poured tea into the two cups. He accepted one of the cups with a respectful nod and drank the content, "Did your mother want me to come down and eat?" "She''s still preparing dinner with Emily and Hexiao. Is there anything interesting in that pile that I can read as well?" Samuel chuckled, "To me, they''re all interesting. I''m comparing the... other history with this world''s history. For example, look here. In the history that I come from, Charles August was killed on May 28th of this year. Yet, from what I have heard and read, he is still alive and he is now King Charles XIV of Sweden after the previous king abdicated due to health complications. Now the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg has taken over Sweden, instead of the House of Bernadotte." "That is interesting," Justin mused, "But doesn''t that mean it will be harder to predict the future?" "Yes, but we can still draw similar situations from the other history to apply to this world. However, we still have knowledge about future technologies and natural disasters, so it shouldn''t pose too much of a problem." Justin picked up a piece of paper from the pile and skimmed it, "If I remember correctly, the Spanish Civil War didn''t occur until the 20th century, correct?" "You are right. However, history has changed greatly in the last thirty-five years. It seems like the Second Coalition War and the French Republic''s victory in it has led to an early crisis in Spain. That, and the fact that the French Republic detached parts of Spain and left behind some weapons for the Liberal rebels to use." "Which is why Venezuela is in open revolt," The special operator muttered as he read another report, "Interesting that he took Bolivar under his wing. Is he a member of the Society?" The elder Kim shook his head. Despite the fact that he was nearly sixty years old, his hair was barely greying, "No, but we have NIS agents "encouraging" him. Not outright manipulation, but steering him in the right direction. The Society wants to see Miranda reach Caracas right before the earthquake in 1812 hits so that it looks like he has divine approval." "Why not just act the Patron to call in a meteor..." "You''ve been watching too many modern movies," Samuel frowned, but a hint of amusement gleamed from his eyes. "The Patron contacts and provides when it feels like it needs to. Hold on, since you are already here... I need your help with something." The former president opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a pair of maps. He unrolled a few of them and laid them out for his son to see, "Help me draw the new borders in Europe and in the Americas." One of the maps was the map of this world, which needed to be updated. The other map was a map of the other world in the year 1810. Justin looked at the foreign borders that were displayed on the second map, "France looks huge." "You know exactly why." "I know, I know. It''s just... hard to imagine that Representative Nathaniel Bonapart was the conqueror of Europe in the other history. I''ve met him and his family before, they''re all nice and peaceful people." "It was surprising that he didn''t continue his career in the military, but I''m happy that he''s doing well here. I believe he joined the Liberal Party to appease his mother-in-law, but he seems sincere in his pursuit of progressivism," Samuel let out a real scowl that made Justin shiver, "Unfortunately, some of the changes I have brought are... not good." Justin sighed, "Are you still thinking about King Louis?" "Just help me redraw the borders." Colonel Kim nodded wordlessly. He knew better than to push his father about the issue. While France was a (fairly) stable republic, the Second French Republic also led to King Louis'' flight to Saint Domingue. And now, after negotiations with the Spanish government, Spanish Hispaniola had been sold to the former French king. The leader of the 707th Battalion adjusted the borders of the "French Empire" to include nearly the entirety of the island of Hispaniola, with only the southwestern parts belonging to the small (and now besieged) Republic of Haiti. He then edited the borders of Venezuela, with the southernmost provinces (which were in rebellion) colored in red compared to the Spanish controlled provinces colored in yellow. Wisconsin, Akansa, and Alabama were all colored into deeper shades of blue to signify their statehood (which brought the total to twenty-eight in the Union). In addition to the adjustments on the map, Justin jotted down the population of the United States on a separate sheet. Next to the line that said "1810," he wrote "10,329,005 ." As for Europe, he glanced over to his father, who was doing it himself. Norway was now part of Sweden, which formed the Kingdom of Sweden-Norway. Finland was under siege by the Russians, as Russia wanted to redeem themselves after the losses they suffered during the Second Coalition War and the Crimean War. "I feel like something bad will happen soon," Samuel mumbled quietly. "Are you afraid that Jackson might win the presidency in two years?" Justin said teasingly. The former Marine commandant rolled his eyes and lightly punched his son''s shoulder, "No, he''ll do a fine job. He''s passionate, articulate, and progressive. He''s firmly on Hamilton''s side on many issues and I expect a bright future ahead of him. No, this is not about who''s the next president. I''m afraid within a few years, something explosive will happen." "Like what?" "I don''t know, son. But I think a storm is coming... Revolutions and wars that will rock America..." Chapter 133: The Death of a King London, Great Britain December 1st, 1810 "Where is Amelia? Where is she?" "Your Majesty, she is fine and well." "Then I demand to see her!" The royal attendant swallowed nervously, "I''m afraid she is still... secluded. But rest assured, Your Majesty, you will see her when the time comes." King George III, the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, babbled as if he did not hear his attendant''s voice, "Why must this happen? What happened?" Nearby, the Prince of Wales, the heir to the throne, watched his father''s dementia flare up with a grimace, "Will he get better?" "I do not know, Your Royal Highness," The attendant replied quietly, "But his... actions have been worsening recently. One of the attendants let it slip that Princess Amelia has passed. Since then, His Majesty has been acting more and more irrationally." "Where is that damned Minister North? I will have his head for losing to... that Hun in Boston! Kill Burygone! Kill Howe!" "Leave us alone, for a few minutes," The Prince Regent commanded. Once he and the king were alone, the younger George sat by his fathers bedside and tried to calm him down, Father... I have lost my realm. I have lost my child. I have lost everything! The insane king shouted, What will my father think of me? I must take them back! All of them! I will try. King George turned his head to his son and let out a manically laugh, Oh you fool! Do you not realize, it is a threat. It will rip the remainders of our realm. They will cast us out and dethrone us! Those damn Yankees! Oh yes, they smile and jest but they are plotting against us! The Prince Regent knew that ever since the Despard Plot rocked Britain, the king had been both in pain and insane. And after his sister passed, his father had jumped off a cliff, so to speak. He had only awakened from his coma three months ago, but the kings condition had only worsened since then. The prince was aware that his father did not have much time left and that soon, he would be crowned king. It was all because of the damn Yankees. It was because of them that his father had turned into a blubbering, insane man. And the Irish too. Once he was king, they would pay. It would take years, if not decades. But once the preparations were made, both would pay. Rockingham! Where is Rockingham? Hes dead, father. The British monarch turned and stared at his sons face, Hello father! It seems you are looking much younger. Do not worry, you will rule for a hundred more years! With a surprised look, the King suddenly collapsed onto his bed and gasped, It can not be! Father? The Prince of Wales rushed to his fathers side and grasped his hands, Father, are you alright? As if the haze cleared just for a single moment, King George III looked deeply into his issues eyes and let out a breath, Do not let them win. I was a fool to be deceived. And King George III, the man who had lost the entirety of North America to a group of rebels, drew his last breath and died in the hands of his son. Chapter 134: The Society and France AN: Thank you @sparkptz for another wonderful update... And this time a POV +++++ New York City, New York, the United States of America January 30th, 1811 Charlotte Corday was a woman well accustomed to dealing with death. Over her life, she had dealt it out more times than she could count; she had killed dozens of men with musket, rifle, and even bayonet once or twice. As a wartime Minister of Defence of the Second French Republic, she had sent many thousands more of her own countrymen and women to their dooms in the service of their country. And as all military justice was typically the responsibility of the Minister of Defence, she had even signed off on the executions of those who had rebelled against the authority of their elected superiors; grim, hard work, but she had seen first hand in the first war the importance of discipline in an army, even a free, democratic one. She had even faced death directly herself, 18 years ago, at Strasbourg, with a musket ball in her shoulder. Lying in the field hospital, she had been truly convinced she would die that day, and even welcomed it better than the excruciating pain that was the alternative back then, and had never entirely departed her body. No, she was familiar with death and not afraid of it. And yet now, sitting in New York with the American President, faced with her own mortality in a very different sort of way, she felt a deep chill running down her spine. She put down the document she had been fixated with for the last ten minutes and breathed in deeply. This information is... Yes, madame colonel, its all entirely accurate, President Hamilton said. I suppose you understand now our reluctance to share this information. Oui. A lesser person would be broken by knowing of their fate in a history that never was, especially one as grisly as her own. Marat, that poisonous little creature... but he was long dead, executed for treason many years ago, the Jacobin Club was but a distant memory, and Corday was still here. But that, I think, is not why I am here. Hamilton nodded. "No. These revelation of these secrets are merely proof that you have been inducted into the Watchmen Society." A secret society of the best and brightest men in America, who had access to knowledge and foresight that likely came from God himself...it was a long way from the abbey in Caen. "But why reveal these secrets to me? I am not the President of France, Danton is." "Danton is..." Hamilton hesitated, visibly mulling his words. "America views Danton as a fine leader and a friend, but information of this nature requires a higher level of trustworthiness, and Danton has not quite reached that standard yet." The words seemed harmless and reasonable, but Corday well knew what he meant -- she well knew that any accounting of the official of the finances of the Republic would reveal irregularities surrounding the Presidency and the Ministry of the Interior, where Danton''s personal influence was unshakeable. Not to mention, this sort of information was not the sort that you placed in the hands of those in the spying business without being very, very careful about it. Still, though, he was the President of France, and by any standard a good one. Somewhat venal and vain, yes, but he loved his country and his Republic and was truly committed to the welfare of all its citizens, especially its poorest. So long as he was well-compensated along the way, of course. "D''accord. But you did not answer my first question." "You command the largest, most powerful army in Europe. You have proven your selfless commitment to the ideals espoused by the Society since you ran across that bridge at Lyon. And, if I may be so presumptuous, we believe your own Presidency is merely a matter of time. In truth, we have rarely found a better candidate for induction." "I am not American, and I have no desire to become American," Corday pointed out. Unlike someone, I know... but now was not the time for that. "My loyalty is to my patrie, to France." The Society believes that the future of democracy depends on the strength and stability of both our two nations. The United States is protected by large oceans, but France is surrounded by its enemies. If liberty is to flourish, your country must be given all the help it can. And thus all the financial and military aid since 1790, Corday realized. All the money, all the weapons, even American military units... it suddenly all made sense. As did the most inexplicable in her eyes decision that President Danton had made in 1808. You are worried about the rise of Germany, and thus France must be strong. I think what you have just read proves that a powerful Germany, especially one under the thumb of Prussia, is a potential threat to the whole world but to your country most of all. Les guerres du monde... she could just about imagine Verdun, even if the numbers involved boggled her imagination. She could not imagine Auschwitz and Treblinka, and all the other horrors these Nazis appeared to have cooked up in the history that never was. Suddenly, Lafayette convincing Danton to willingly throw away all of Frances hard-earned gains during the recent war to craft a neutral state a Kingdom no less between France and Prussia made complete sense. As did the enthusiasm of Danton and the Americans to throw money at the new Kingdom to connect their economy to the Republic in any way possible. Perhaps we should prevent the problem altogether, and break Prussia entirely, Corday suggested. Had he not just acknowledged that the French army was the finest in Europe? Perhaps. But the other history also demonstrates, quite clearly, that interfering too much with the governance of another nation is fraught with the risk of unexpected consequences. Who is to say that we do not create the same outcome, with a Germany angry and resentful at our meddling? Corday did not entirely agree better to lance the boil immediately, she thought but she could see the point. And although she was now an inductee into the Watchmen Society, she was not a full member and knew that Hamilton had access to information far beyond what she had just read. And so we wait? We wait. A man must commit a crime before you may condemn him. Very well. Corday sighed. I suppose the military inspections will be quite different to what I was expecting when I was sailing from France. Yes, but Im told ARPA has had one or two problems with their prototypes the demonstrations will be in two weeks instead. In the meantime, madame colonel, you are welcome to see what you please in New York. Do you have anything in mind? Corday grimaced. I think I will go visit my little sister Genevieve. While your 707th battalion was in Paris, she met one of its officers and eloped with him when they returned to America. I believe they are currently here in New York. Hamilton chuckled in sympathy. I can hear that you do not entirely approve. Corday gave a distinctly Gallic shrug. Good and pious Catholic although she was, she was also still a revolutionary feminist down to her bones. Even when it came to her beloved little sister running off with an American soldier across the Atlantic. She is her own woman. And she is probably safer here in America than in France. Hamilton nodded. What was the soldiers name again? Lucius Bonapart. Chapter 135: The Venezuelan Revolution Angostura, Guyana Province, Rebel Occupied Venezuela March 19th, 1811 Brigadier General Noah Lewis wasn''t an ordinary African-American farmer turned revolutionary. Well, his official background claimed that he was a farm boy from South Carolina with a primary school educational background. Then, when Miranda was attempting to find support for his home country''s revolution in the United States, Lewis was "enamored" by Miranda''s cause and eagerly joined up, becoming one of his closest and most trusted American supporters. He learned Spanish while he helped Miranda gather supporters in America and when Miranda decided to sail back to Venezuela to prepare for the revolution, Lewis was already his right-hand man. At least, that was what most of the people around him believed. Most of his background was true. Noah was a farm boy from rural South Carolina. His parents were former slaves that managed to acquire a small farm through the federal government. He did attend the primary school in Charleston, walking for nearly three hours a day to obtain an education his parents failed to achieve. And he was interested in Miranda''s dreams for an independent, republican Venezuela. However, his secret was that this was a part of his job. Specifically, his job for the National Intelligence Service. The NIS rarely held recruitment drives for new agents. Instead, any applicants interested in joining the agency had to send an application through the NIS HQ in Richmond and be approved by the Director himself. He applied mainly because he wanted to explore the world a bit on his own and because he knew that the NIS was a prestigious career in the government. He believed that he could even be the Director of the NIS one day, becoming a member of the Cabinet and an advisor to the president. However, the application process was extremely difficult, as it demanded the applicants to show their intelligence, their wit, their knowledge of international politics and geography, and any abilities that would be useful for their career in the NIS (if they were accepted). Noah wasn''t the smartest man in South Carolina, but he was certainly intelligent and quick on his feet. As for his exceptional abilities, he proved to be capable of picking up languages quickly and he passed the physical part of his NIS training with top marks. In short, he was the perfect man to mold for any foreign situation. He already knew English, American Creole (due to his exposure to Caribbean Americans during his time in South Carolina), and a bit of French. Learning Spanish was difficult, but manageable. It helped that the NIS managed to hire a native Spanish speaker to teach several agents the language. Since the NIS lacked a presence in South America (or anything south of Haiti for that matter), Lewis was tasked with "infiltrating Miranda''s group, providing quarter-yearly updates, and steering Miranda towards republicanism." He was informed by the NIS Director himself (who took a special interest in the mission) to read any instructions and suggestions sent by the NIS closely. The NIS drops were irregular, owing to the distance and the ongoing civil war. However, they were informative and Lewis quickly discovered that he was not the only NIS agent in Miranda''s American group. In fact, there were three other agents, though only one of them could speak Spanish. One of them was the "link" between the NIS and the NIS agents in Venezuela. He was in charge of traveling to America every few months to obtain supplies and aid, which allowed him to pick up any packages sent by the intelligence agency and bring it back to the group. He also brought back the information reports sent by the agents to the NIS, who then quickly drew up new orders. "General Noah!" One of Miranda''s officers, a man named Simon Bolivar, called out to him, "Miranda wants to see you! It''s about the upcoming attack on Maturin!" "Tell him I''ll be there shortly," Noah answered with a nod, "I just need to finish up on our current inventory of weapons." Colonel Bolivar walked away to inform the leader of the Venezuelan republicans as Noah jotted down the current status of the current republican forces. He wasn''t a military man, he knew that much. That role belonged to another NIS agent, Colonel Adam Nelson, who was actually being "loaned" by the NIS from the U.S. Army. Miranda actually knew that Nelson was an American officer, which was why he was invited in the first place. However, Noah was more than capable of assessing the military situation and taking note of any equipment and supply deficiencies. Thanks to the American government giving Miranda monetary aid, the republican forces, which numbered around 15,000 individuals, were well-equipped and well-armed. They were unable to face the Spanish directly on open grounds, but for a guerilla force that was focused on winning the populace''s support? It was more than enough. The entirety of the province of Guyana had thrown in their support for Miranda, giving him a base of operations and a manpower pool to work with. And now, he was slowly moving northward as Spain was caught up in a civil war and revolutions elsewhere. Satisfied with the fact that none of the equipment or firearms were missing, Noah walked to a small house that belonged to Miranda and knocked before he entered. When he arrived in the sitting room, there were several other leaders waiting for him, including Miranda, Bolivar, and Nelson. "Now that Noah is here, we can begin our plans for the upcoming attack on Maturin," Miranda stated with a smile. A map was sprawled out in front of them, showing the major towns and cities of Venezuela, along with the territories controlled by the Republicans and the Royalists. "I have been kindly informed by Colonel Nelson," Miranda said as he gestured to the said American officer, "That Rio de la Plata is now in revolt as well." "Rio de la Plata? Why?" Fernando Rodriguez, one of Miranda''s aides, asked. "There was an attempt by King Ferdinand to replace the governor with one of his own loyalists. The attempt backfired and now our brethren in Argentina are in full revolt. That will divert the attention of Madrid away from us for some time." Noah feigned ignorance as he looked at the map, "Have there been any reports of Spanish troops being withdrawn from the area?" "None. However, our scouts have noticed that the Royalists are moving away from our lines and back towards Caracas. It is possible that they will attempt to hold the northern provinces instead of contesting us down in the south." "Then it will be a bloody war." "Which is why we must strike now to consolidate our republic and secure additional support from the people," Miranda said as he pointed at the town of Maturin on the map," Maturin is lightly defended and will open up the paths to Barcelona and Carupano. Once we secure these towns, we will control the Cumana Province, which will allow us to have one, single front towards the west." "May I suggest something, sir?" Noah cautiously asked. "Of course." "Maturin and the surrounding towns are friendly to the republican cause. Once we move in, it is unlikely that they will heavily resist. The Cumana Province will provide a boost to our manpower and support. However, the Barinas Province is less than friendly to our cause, and will most likely side with the Royalists. Despite their Royalist leanings, they have now been effectively abandoned by the Royalists. Perhaps we can focus most of our attention on Barinas and send a light force to seize and occupy Cumana. Once Cumana is seized, we can raise forces from the area itself while we also take Barinas at the same time. In America, they have a word for this, it''s called a "pincer movement." We will strike from both sides and gradually bore them down at Caracas." Miranda stroked his chin thoughtfully, "But would that not draw the ire of the Royalist forces? If they see that we are overstretched, they may attempt to attack us head-on and force us to retreat." "That is a valid concern. But since they have given us an opportunity to strike, we should take it. If we are too slow, then they may think that we are vulnerable and attack." "I will take your words into consideration, Noah. You have my thanks." In the corner of his eyes, Noah saw Colonel Nelson give him a slight nod, which he returned in kind. The NIS wanted most of Venezuela, except for Caracas, to be seized by the Republican forces by March of next year, if it was possible. He wasn''t told why, but he knew that the NIS had something planned for that month. That didn''t mean that Noah was pushing Miranda to send his men to their deaths. In fact, the Republican forces were more than capable of seizing both of the neighboring provinces (Cumana and Barinas) at the same time. However, without his input, Miranda would have waited too long to seize Barinas, which would have led to the Republican forces being bogged down there instead of moving towards Maracaibo and Caracas. Noah was giving the Venezuelan leader a gentle nudge in the right direction, to help him gain his homeland''s independence and to set up whatever the NIS had planned for March of 1812. The die had been cast. It was now time for Noah and the others to see it through. Chapter 136: Singapore, the American Pearl of Asia Singapore, American Protectorate February 5th, 1812 "Call." Corporal William McKenney gave his comrade a shit-eating grin, "Alright, reveal your cards then." Private Samuel White placed the two cards in his hand out into the open, "Two pairs." "Well that''s too bad," Corporal McKenny revealed his own cards, "Four of a Kind." "God damn it! That''s the third time you beat me today." "Maybe practice a bit more on your bluffing before challenging the New York Holdem master," McKenny replied pointedly as he shuffled the deck. Three other Marines, not including White, were playing New York Holdem with him. Since Singapore was ways away from most American protectorates/territories, there was only a single regiment stationed within the port city (Second Marine Division, which was tasked overseas to protect Iceland, Greenland, South Africa, and Singapore). The Eight Marine Regiment, which had its own small artillery company, an engineering company, and a medical platoon, was the group assigned to Singapore, totaling just over a thousand men. The regiment was excused for the afternoon and the men were resting within the barracks. The corporal had night duties at 1900, but until then, he was enjoying his time with his fellow Marines in this far-flung American outpost. Lance Corporal Xiao Shirong frowned as he gripped one of his wooden coins tightly. The Marines were not allowed to gamble with actual money, but the nightly New York Holdem matches were very competitive, "I swear that you''re rigging the deck or something." "Nah, just pure luck and skill. After all, it''s all I''ve been playing since we got here." Singapore was a small port town that served as the American gateway to China. American merchants docked at the town for resupply and trade while Chinese traders sold goods to any interested American merchants for decent prices. Usually, Chinese traders came to Singapore to sell Chinese goods without the stringent requirements made by the Qing government, which allowed them to net a hefty profit from hungry American merchants. Due to the existence of American Singapore, the Lanfang Republic was losing a bit of profit from the former "middleman" trade it had between China and the United States. A sergeant entered the barrack and tossed a large bag into the building, which turned the heads of more than a few Marines, "Mails and newspapers are here!" All the Marines in the barrack scrambled to their feet and rushed the bag with frightening speed. Corporal McKenny was at the head of the pack and managed to grab the bag, "Hell yeah!" He opened the bag and sifted through the dozens of envelopes to find an envelope addressed to him. It was from his parents, who were living in Virginia. After he ripped his envelope open, he tossed the bag to Private White, who was instantly mobbed by the other eager Marines. As the private fought for his life to get his letter, Corporal McKenny read his letter and smiled. His parents were doing well in Richmond, with his father working as an administrator for the local Internal Affairs office. Apparently, he was busy with his work as an election official was caught taking bribes from a candidate, which caused a firestorm to blaze through Virginia. The Department of Internal Affairs was busy auditing every official tied to the elections and making sure that the elections happened fairly and on time. His mother was pregnant, which wasn''t a surprise since William already had three siblings and his parents wanted more kids. After reading through the letter, McKenny unfolded the newspaper, the Richmond Star, that was attached to his letter and read through the content. The newspaper was from months ago (to be precise, October 15th) since the distance between the United States and Singapore made communications difficult. However, the headlines of the newspaper made him groan, "Damn Yanks, won the American Series again." "Of course they did, they''re the best baseball team in America!" Lance Corporal Xiao shouted over the huge ruckus in the barrack. "You''re only saying that cause you''re from New York. The Richmond Scouts are so much better..." "And you''re saying that because you''re from Richmond! Besides, the Scouts was only formed ten years ago. The Yankees was one of the founding teams of the MLB and they''ve won six championships in twenty years..." William was about to argue with the Chinese-American about baseball when he heard a loud bell sound echo through the barracks. He tossed the newspaper and the letter on to his bed and dressed in his blue dress uniform. Several other Marines followed suit, including the lance corporal. After he finished, he walked out with his Lee rifle in hand and took up his post near the harbor with his card game mate. "Guard duty near the harbor. This is my favorite night time task," His partner said as he held his rifle at shoulder arms, "The light sea breeze always feels nice since it''s always hot out here." Thankfully, the military was sensible to provide the Marines stationed in Singapore with some summertime uniforms. Instead of the stuffy, long-sleeved uniforms, the blue dress uniform the two Marines wore was short-sleeved and a bit loose. "At least we''re not stuck in god-forsaken Greenland. I heard it''s three times colder than Quebec up there," William replied. "Damn right. And at least we get to see a few ships and mingle with the locals here. I heard Greenland is empty." "You can speak to the locals. I can''t." Xiao shrugged, "Well that''s my job here, to translate and help the other Marines understand what the locals are saying." Every platoon had at least one translator that could speak Chinese or Cantonese. The population of Singapore (which was around five hundred individuals) was primarily Chinese, which meant that translators were needed to communicate with the locals. As such, Xiao was tasked as the translator for his platoon. "You and like a hundred other guys. Why did y''all sign up for the military?" "Steady pay, see the world, pensions, healthcare, do I need to go on?" "Point taken." The two stood in silence for a few minutes until an American warship leading a smaller Chinese junk made its way into the harbor. The warship, the USS Providence, docked and several sailors stumbled out onto the deck. One of them approached the two Marines and gave them a crisp salute, "Can you call the colonel over?" "What for?" William asked. "It''s... a delicate situation. Lieutenant Commander Jones demanded it." Xiao tapped his partner''s shoulder, "I''ll get him. He''s probably in his quarters." A few minutes later, Colonel David Walker, a tall African American man from North Carolina, walked towards the harbor with Xiao by his side. The Marine officer looked at the sailor with a raised eyebrow, "I heard that Lieutenant Commander Jones wanted to see me?" Everyone in the vicinity snapped a salute and the sailor nodded, "Yes, sir. It has something to do with slavery." William had never seen his commanding officer lose his cool before, but Colonel Walker had a look of loathing on his face as he looked at the Chinese junk behind the USS Providence, "I''m guessing that there are slaves on that ship?" "You are correct, colonel. But it''s even worse than you could imagine. The Chinese merchant that owns the ship wanted to sell uh... "virgin female Chinese slaves from Guangxi" to us specifically." "To us?" "Apparently, it''s because there are a lot of single, "wealthy" men here... I think it''s better for the lieutenant commander to explain it." As the colonel walked onto the ship, he turned to his two subordinates, "Tell Baker Company to make ready and assemble at the harbor immediately." The pair obliged immediately and ran towards the barracks of Baker Company as they talked, "Slaves for us? What the hell does that mean?" "Seeing that "virgin" was used, I think that the merchant was trying to sell soldiers like us "female prostitutes," as they call it in China," Xiao scowled, "I heard a few stories from my mama, she''s from China. If a family is poor, they sell one of their daughters as a slave. Most of them are sold to be laborers or servants, but there are more than a few that are sold as brides or as prostitutes." "You''re joking," William replied, absolutely abhorred by the notion of selling girls as wives, "Please tell me you are joking." "I''m not. China has some really questionable aspects, and this happens to be one of them." William grew up in a Christian household. His parents followed the Vicinusum sect, which was founded by Revolutionary War hero General George Washington. From a young age, the importance of equality, abolition, and liberty was drilled into his head. When he attended the Richmond primary school, he learned about the terrible ways that slaves were treated on plantations and grew to hate the concept of slavery. The fact that he had a number of African American friends only reinforced his belief that racism had no place in a free nation like the United States and that slavery was morally wrong. While he had witnessed a few slaves before he was ten years old, he never saw a slave again after the nation abolished the institution. As such, it had been years since he had even thought about slavery. "You know, I know we''re not supposed to attack civvies, but is it wrong that I have an urge to punch that Chinese merchant right now?" Xiao snorted, "You''re not the only one. I''m getting that urge too." "But you''re Chinese." "Chinese American," Xiao corrected, "I was born and raised in good ol'' Yankeeland. I''m an American citizen, voted for Hamilton in the last election, I''ll probably vote for Jackson in the next one. All the things I know about China are from stories. My mama and papa were some of the first Chinese immigrants to America, so I grew up as an American." "I know your life story, Shirong, we''ve been stuck here for over a year together. Now let''s rouse up Baker Company before the colonel gets pissed at us." Baker Company of the Eight Marine Regiment was stirred into action by the two Marines and before the colonel even got off the American warship, the entire company was lined up and ready to go at the harbor. Colonel Walker returned the salutes of his men as he spoke, "You might not see action, lads. Lieutenant Commander Jones is clearing things up with our "enemy." Apparently, there are a hundred female slaves on board that ship, some as young as twelve. They were to be sold to us, apparently, for ten taels each, which is about seventeen dollars." An outcry of anger was silenced by the colonel, who waved his hand to silence the assembled men, "As you know, the United States is a free nation. We do not allow slavery, in any shape or form. As such, the moment the... captured Chinese women were brought into Singapore, an American territory, they were automatically freed by our laws. However, in accordance with the 1804 Compensation Act, we are currently negotiating with the merchant to free the... captives for a reasonable price in order to prevent a potential conflict or international incident. As such, all of you are here as a precaution." "Fucking hell, we''re gonna pay that slaver money?" William swore under his breath. "Do you not read the handbook? It''s one of the most important Acts outlined. If any American military personnel capture or free any slaves, they are to provide reasonable compensation to the person they liberated the slaves from in order to prevent any diplomatic scandals..." Xiao answered. "It just feels, wrong. We''re doing the right thing by freeing them." "Well, the Act was passed Congress since we captured a few British slave ships heading to Jamaica..." "Thank you, my primary school teacher. What''s the next class, English?" Finally, after some wait, the slaves were offloaded from the Chinese junk and escorted into the harbor. None of them were in chains or in bad conditions, but there was a heavy atmosphere surrounding the liberated Chinese females as they saw dozens of men lined up awaiting them. Some even panicked at seeing the men. Luckily, Colonel Walker knew exactly why they were panicking and dragged Xiao and a few other translators to let the former captives know that they were not being sold into prostitution or slavery and that they were being freed. William saw at least a few girls that looked younger than fourteen and blanched. Were they really going to be marked off as wives? He felt his stomach protest against the sight. "Tomorrow, the entire regiment will be tasked with building suitable housing structures for them until we can figure out what to do with them," Colonel Walker shouted, "As such, you will be tasked with guarding them and making sure that they remain comfortable and safe. Under the Compensation Act, they will be provided with an allowance so they can support themselves and within two months, a decision will be made on where they will go next. So until then, we are to keep an eye on them." William finished up his evening duties and went to bed. It was a sleepless night. Omake: Prostitution in the United States and American Territories Here''s an important omake by Lord_Abaddon097! Thank you for the writing piece +++++ An Excerpt from Selling Sex: A History of Prostitution in the United States. One can not look at the history of prostitution and its place in the modern-day without looking at Singapore. At the time in 1812 it was a small port city that was recently absorbed into the American overseas empire (that included Greenland, Iceland, and South Africa) that was quickly becoming the nexus for not just American trade, but trade from all across the East Indies (Indonesia), India, and China. This was due to its relatively low tariffs and political distance from Britain, who were well known for being much more aggressive in their Asian dealings than America. It was well known by traders that there was a regiment of soldiers that were far and away from their home across the world, and one enterprising slave trader, seeing all those lonely, and wealthy, men, brought virgin female Chinese slaves from Guangxi to sell, being unaware of the American perception of slavery. Had he been turned away, or his stock confiscated from him, it might have ended there. However, due to the 1804 Compensation Act, which dictated that all slaves be negotiated for at a reasonable price" and the American policy of freeing every slave that steps on American soil, he made a tidy profit. Strangely, that slaver never returned to China as he and his ship were sunk by Vietnamese pirates during his journey back to the Qing Empire... Despite this, rumors began to abound that the Americans were willing to pay a hefty profit for slaves in Singapore, and thus, a number of slave ships would journey to the isolated American outpost to trade their "goods." Indeed, this practice only ended ten years later, as the American government pleaded with the Qing Emperor to abolish the trade, which was formally accepted and enforced in 1822... Even so, there were thousands of slaves (some men, but mostly women) that landed in Singapore and were subsequently freed by the garrison force there (in accordance with American laws that dictated that all slaves were to be freed should they step foot on American soil). The men usually carried out labor for the Singaporean government (which was ruled by a military governor) with pay and settled into Singapore itself, which allowed the population to grow from five hundred individuals in 1812 to nearly ten thousand inhabitants by 1850. The women were built homes or given paid passage to the American mainland, and most put their near lives as sex slaves behind them: some marrying local Singaporeans, others to the Marines stationed there. However, some of the more experienced women saw an opportunity. Gathering together a group of like-minded women, Yin Ying-Yeun (likely not her birth name) convinced them to pool together their stipends given to them by their liberators and buy a decent parcel of land in Singapore and built the now famous Free Flower Theater. Madame Yin, as she came to be known, was a veteran courtesan that was kidnapped from Guangzhou, a talented playwright, musician, and actress, she taught her new charges the necessary skills and mannerisms needed to become successful courtesans. Madame Yin was fascinated by American culture, the confluence of events that lead to the formation of America, and the strange European notion of a national spirit behind a country. This led to the formation of a unique art form of play known as the National Drama. They are performed exclusively by women dressed in costumes symbolic of the country they represent and tell Historical events and world happenings from the perspective of the Nation herself. This style of comedy spread quickly outwards from Singapore, as more and more of the slaves that were freed there banded together and bought land elsewhere in the US, founding Theaters all across America. By 1845 one could find a Singaporean Theater from New York to Timstown. Madame Yins first hit Drama was about the American Revolutionary War. The Drama portrayed America, as an idealistic and rebellious daughter wanting to strike out and live on her own, and Britain, as a mother jealous of her daughters youth wanting to keep her in the house, having a domestic dispute. The style of play quickly became popular as a vessel for political satire and propaganda. This form of theater grew especially popular in the aftermath of the Anglo-American War, which saw the death of over four hundred and fifty thousand Americans and created a sense of national unity and nationalism... A secondary effect of the Dramas was that they legitimized, in the eyes of Americans, the oldest profession, as it was euphemistically known. They saw the courtesans as legitimate artisans and studiously ignored the actions going on behind the stage in favor of praising the artwork itself, and many wealthy bachelors made a pilgrimage to Singapore to experience the originals for themself. Paula Bonapart (sister of the 8th President of the United States), who went to Singapore in 1825 for a business trip, remarked on the original Revolutionary Drama. These womens reputation as wonderful actresses is well deserved, they very much embody their roles and are very passionate about the work they do. Madame Yin, the owner of the theater, most especially. She made friends with Madame Yin and they exchanged letters for the rest of their lives. The public perception of prostitutes shifting from slatternly and amoral women to talented, if indecent, artists brought a loosening of the tight Puritan morals that had gripped the country since the Second Great Awakening and was a key factor in the feminist movement throughout the mid to late nineteenth century. It even led to the Liberal Party placing legalized and regulated prostitution as a part of their party agenda... Chapter 137: Andrew Jackson, Fifth President of the United States The Imperial Presidency: The Legacies of President Alexander Hamilton and President Andrew Jackson Published in New York City, New York (2009) "Peace is all I wish for. Peace for our nation, and peace in the Americas. But if words fail, then our great country will not hesitate to use force to guard our beloved ideals." -Andrew Jackson, Fifth President of the United States. "Andrew Jackson was like Alexander Hamilton in many ways. He was charismatic, an excellent orator, and unwavering even in face of strong opposition. By the time the 1812 elections rolled around in the United States, Jackson had been a member of the House of Representatives for over a decade. During his time in the House, he fostered an image of the "common man standing up to the elites." He was passionate in his speeches and deeply committed to his goal of improving the lives of every American common man and woman. Representative Jackson promoted various social programs to help ease poor Americans, advocated for rewards and incentives for independent innovators and business that created new inventions, supported a peaceful resolution with the Sioux Indians, and fought corruption in the federal government. While some of his fellow Congressmen disliked the "brash and loud North Carolinian," the public adored him. Not only was he a popular Congressman, but he was also a war veteran (who fought in the Revolutionary War at the age of ten), a former farmer (working in the fields with his mother, two brothers, and several African American workers before he joined the Marine Corps), and a recognized explorer (traveled throughout the west and mapped out significant parts of the Missouri River). He was relatable, often spending time away from Columbia to speak with ordinary citizens in Wilmington and other urban areas in the South. In short, he was easily the Union Party''s presidential nominee for the 1812 Presidential Elections. At the time of the 1812 Presidential Elections, the number of total Electoral Votes increased from 240 to 253 (accounting for the admission of Akanasa, Wisconsin, and Alabama as states). With the addition of more states in the West, Jackson knew it was critical for the Front to back the Unionists in the upcoming elections. Therefore, he and his party negotiated with the Frontier Party to avoid a split vote and after some political dealings, the Frontier Party agreed. As such, the Union Party and the Frontier Party were firmly behind Jackson''s run for the presidency (though, he would be considered a "Unionist" president instead of a "Unionist-Front" president). Meanwhile, on the opposite side, the Republicans and Democrats rallied around Nathan Alarie, the first Canadien (also referred to as Quebecois and Canadien-American) presidential nominee of a major political party. A staunch Republican, Alarie served as a Representative in the House from 1800 to 1804 before being elected into the Senate. An experienced politician with strong backing from the Canadien and several northern states, Senator Alarie was known to be a well-intentioned man with a quiet voice. His platform promised realistic and tangible policies, such as creating a program for farming cooperatives to loan out farming equipment owned by the government, providing employment for new immigrants, and establishing a safeguard against government entrenchment in private businesses (though, Alarie was fully supportive of the Hamilton Anti-Monopoly Bill). On paper, it seemed like the 1812 Presidential Election would be a close one as both candidates were highly qualified and filled with promising intentions. However, the reality was much different. President Hamilton was extremely popular during his time in office. Even his more controversial policies (such as purchasing Iceland and Greenland from Denmark) were met with enthusiasm at home and his clean sweep in the 1808 elections demonstrated this. Not only that but with the rise of railroads and telegraphs, the public saw the necessity for a president that would push these new and mystifying inventions into prominence. Additionally, since Hamilton was a Unionist, many sought to continue Hamilton''s popular domestic policies by electing another Unionist into the White House. The public''s perception was not the only reason why Jackson won the 1812 Presidential Election outright. Indeed, Jackson was a gifted and fiery orator. When debating Alarie, Jackson constantly went on the offensive against his soft-spoken opponent by questioning the finer details of his policies. Thus, the public saw the Unionist candidate as a man with conviction and boldness while they saw the Republican candidate as a withdrawn and weak person who was easily pushed around. 253 Electoral Votes in total, 127 needed to win. On November 3rd, the nation went to the ballot box to vote for their next president. The turnout rate was low, hovering in the mid-sixties, which was mainly attributed to the fact that the public believed Jackson was destined to win. They were correct, as Jackson was declared the next president of the United States after the votes were counted, winning 175 Electoral Votes to Alarie''s 78. Despite his southern background, Jackson won large swathes of the north and west, while winning a majority in many southern states as well. While Alarie dominated Quebec and Ontario, he struggled to win a majority of the Electoral Votes elsewhere. Outside of the Canadien states, Alarie only won a majority in Nova Scotia, Maine, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania. Thus the Fifth President of the United States was selected with little controversy and the United States continued its path of progressivism and government expansion. When President Andrew Jackson was sworn in on February 10th, 1813, he was met with an excited crowd of over fifty thousand citizens that were eager to see the "common man" enter the White House. In a rousing speech, Jackson declared that he would usher in a continued age of "progress and prosperity, following the ideals left by America''s Father." This was the first reference that placed Samuel Kim, the nation''s first president, as the "Father" of the United States and it left a favorable impression on the crowd. After the Oath of Office, the new president proceeded to throw one of the biggest parties ever thrown by a president. The public was invited to join the festivities within the White House (though, certain corridors and rooms were sealed off to prevent any theft or damage) and the people eagerly obliged. In what would be known as the "Three Days of Jubliee" by historians, thousands of Americans celebrated and partied for three straight days in and around the White House. The festivities were so loud and prominent that Representative Nathaniel Bonapart commented, "From the halls of the Capitol, I could hear the National Anthem being sung by drunk citizens on the streets. Yet, it is only one in the afternoon." It is also rumored that the "Three Days of Jubliee" created the first drink called "milk tea," which was a mix of creamer, green tea, sugar, and ice... After the celebrations died down and the mess at the White House was cleaned (which took approximately five whole days, according to the logs of the White House staff), President Jackson went to work. During the weekdays, he focused on pushing forth his policies through Congress, while during weekends, he met with the American people frequently and listened to their concerns and problems. Modeling himself off of President Kim, Andrew Jackson was a keen listener and a tangible friend to normal Americans. In fact, a number of his policies were implemented mainly due to his interactions with the common folks (such as the expansion of federally funded hospitals, scholarships for students from poor families, translators for immigrants, etc.). However, many of his policies were his own, and they would go onto change American history much like Hamilton. Jackson implemented the Food, Alcohol, and Drug Administration (FADA) to regulate the purity of alcohol, ensure that rotten and spoiled food were not sold at markets, and provide further administrative capabilities to the American Society of Medicine (which would be one of the closest partners to the FADA) a year after entering office. The FADA would go onto become one of the most necessary federal agencies, as it would grow to provide quality control in the food processing industries and restaurants, along with preventing the widespread sales of moonshine and black market drugs. While the scope of the FADA was limited when Jackson created the agency, it would become a powerful arm of the federal government. Additionally, Jackson fought corruption everywhere within the government and expanded the powers of the Department of Internal Affairs to work in conjunction with the FBI to investigate and arrest any corrupt officials. Under Jackson''s presidency, hundreds would be investigated and imprisoned for major offenses ranging from embezzlement to election fraud. The North Carolinian also appointed the first female cabinet member, Elizabeth Marshall, who would go on to serve as the first female Secretary of the Treasury. This earned some outcry from the conservative members of Congress and society, but Jackson pushed her nomination through with sheer force and will. It certainly helped that Marshall, who was an extremely wealthy businesswoman and a keen entrepreneur, was well-known to the public. Jackson also adopted some of Alarie''s own policies, such as creating a federal program to lend out newly invented farming equipment to farming cooperatives and starting an "employment group" to help new immigrants find jobs upon arriving in the United States. Moreso, the most notable domestic policies under the Jackson presidency was the subsidization of railroads and telegraphs, which allowed the two to explode in growth during Jackson''s eight years in office (by the end of 1820, there would be over a thousand miles of railroad tracks in the United States, along with similar amounts of telegraph lines). Debatably, the Homestead Act of 1819 was also an important act that would grant land to millions of settlers out in the west... Furthermore, Jackson strengthened the American Navy from fifty-five ships to nearly eighty ships by the end of his term in office. With America''s influence spreading across the globe and numerous Spanish colonies in the Americas in revolt, the fifth president emphasized the necessity to "talk softly, but carry a big stick." This was the core of his foreign policy methods and his policies allowed America to double its size through the Louisiana Purchase. Spain finally managed to quash liberal rebels within Spain proper after a decade long civil war and was completely bankrupt. At the same time, it was facing multiple rebellions in its colonies and the Spanish populace was on the verge of another revolt. As a result, the Spanish government sold the Louisiana Territory and parts of New Spain to the United States after President Jackson offered $40 million following the Spanish proposal. The southern borders were placed at the Mayo River, the Conchos River, and the Salado River, which was done intentionally as Spain hoped the rebels in New Spain (the Mexican Revolution began in 1817 after King Federinand attempted to remove criollos from the colonial administration and raised taxes) would clash with American settlers, thus creating tense relations between the two groups (in reality, this never happened as American settlers did not reach the area until years after the treaty was signed and America was all too happy to fund republican revolutionaries on its borders). Thus, Jackson''s greatest legacy was a foreign one, as it cemented the idea of "Pax Americana" and set up the stage for America to grow into a global superpower by 1865... At the same time, Jackson also helped establish a lasting peace with the Free Sioux Nation after the Louisiana Purchase. A close friend of Native Americans (to the point where he even adopted a young Native American girl, Sacagawea, as his daughter), Jackson was horrified at the bloody, decades-long conflict between the two sides. When Hamilton directed the military to violently crush the Sioux, Jackson fiercely opposed the move and attempted to find a peaceful end to the war. After being elected president, he worked quickly to bring the violence in the West to a close. In a surprising move, he personally visited the Sioux Nation in 1819 and ironed out a compromise between the two sides (this sudden peace treaty would be due to the Sioux Nation being exhausted after years of warfare and Spains withdrawal from the area). Sioux would remain an autonomous territory within the United States for thirty-year and enter the nation as a single state afterward. In a show of goodwill, Jackson removed most military units near the Sioux-American border and sent aid to help restore the devastated parts of the Lakota Territory (the new name of the Sioux Nation). His works to improve relations between Native American tribes (specifically, the more nomadic ones in the west) and America would make him one of the highest-ranked presidents amongst Native Americans in the future. Unfortunately, Jackson would be unable to completely neuter the resentment among some of the more bellicose Indian warriors, which would result in thousands of them aligning with the British during the Anglo-American War... Jackson''s approach to foreign policy would also secure the independence of Venezuela (the First Republic of Venezuela declared its independence in 1812 after Caracas was captured from Royalists forces following the 1812 Venezuelan Earthquake) and the Federation of South America (which declared its independence in 1814). Though both countries were not recognized by Spain, after the Louisiana Purchase of 1818, the United States forced the issue on Spain, and ultimately, the Iberian nation was "convinced" to stop its wars against the two independent nations (though neither would be recognized by Spain until 1844). With the sovereignty of the new American nations secured, President Jackson extended a warm hand of friendship and provided them with economic support, which would go ways to stabilize the two nations. However, trouble continued to brew for Venezuela, as Simon Bolivar, the commanding general of the Venezuelan Army, started another invasion of New Granada that was ordered by President Miranda (the Second Invasion of New Granada, the first one happened while Spain and Venezuela were still at war with one another) shortly after the agreement between the United States and Spain. Thus, Spain resumed its bloody war against its former colony, while also dealing with an armed revolution in New Spain... Unintentionally, Jackson fostered Spain''s hatred of the American Republic (due to America''s rapid expansion and its support for revolutionaries in Spanish colonies), a hatred that would contribute to Spain''s entry in the Anglo-American War on the side of the British... +++++ List of American Presidents: 1780-1788 Samuel Kim (Independent) 1788-1796 Thomas Jefferson (Republican) 1796-1804 James Madison (Republican) 1804-1812 Alexander Hamilton (Unionist-Front) 1812-? Andrew Jackson (Unionist) Louisiana Purchase Map https://imgur.com/a/AYJ3uGu#nB4T95g Chapter 138: Regret Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America December 1st, 1812 President-Elect Andrew Jackson sighed deeply as he sunk into a chair in a guest room of the White House. He unconsciously covered his face with both of his hands and looked down at the ground. His mind was reeling from the shock he received upon learning about his... "other" self in the "other" history. After being told about his other self by President Hamilton in a private room, he almost wished that he had forgotten about it. Jackson was raised his entire life to value the ideals the nation stood for. He spent his early years in President Kim''s army group and encountered people from all aspects of life. He hunted with Native Americans (who taught him the proper method for smoking and preserving meat), cooked with African Americans, and cleaned with whites. Some of his fellow whites mumbled about being stuck with "savages" and "Negros," but Jackson never saw it that way. The Korean-American general, a man he looked up to even to this day, always instilled him the importance of treating people by merit, not by appearance. That belief was reinforced when a Senecan warrior named Guyasuta saved his life from a stray British bullet. The warrior was injured, but he survived his wounds and laughed off the incident after he recovered. In his mind, there was no doubt that Indians and African Americans were just as brave and intelligent as their white counterparts. His family "employed" a number of African Americans (when in reality, it was the other way around) and he worked with them for many years before heading off to the Marine Academy. He still remained in contact with Guyasuta and a few of his former comrades from the Revolutionary War and studied Native American customs during his time as an officer in training. But in the other history... Samuel Kim never traveled into the past and thus, the Revolutionary War dragged on longer. His family was killed during the war, leaving him by himself. He became hot-headed, even more than he was now. The "other" Jackson was a mad man, drunk on his ego and viciousness. He dueled a man that insulted his wife (a woman that was still married to another man, of all things!) and exterminated thousands of Indians under his presidency. He owned numerous slaves and profited from slavery. As if that wasn''t bad enough, apparently, his other self was an extremely tyrannical and brutal slave owner as well, whipping and beating slaves on whims. It was a polar opposite of "his" life, a fact that did not escape him. He would have been the "other" Jackson if his former commander wasn''t a time traveler. While he thought over the meaning of his life, he wondered if the first president interacted with him to change the destiny of a potential evil-doer. Now that he thought about it, it made sense. Although he was the one that founded President Kim (well, he and his brothers), the man had taken an interest in him right away. And while he never interfered in the North Carolinian''s life, the time traveler did check up on him from time to time. And during that trip to Asia, he took a peculiar interest in the young Marine officer... Exactly how did the former president feel about him? Disgust? Amusement? Worry? "Sir, the others are waiting in the Oval Office." A voice said from the other side of the closed door. "I will be right there," Jackson replied as he took a deep breath and straightened the collar of his dress shirt. He wore a suit that was like the "modern" suits designed by the first president. The only key difference was a long feather tucked into his breast pocket, a gift sent by an aging Guyasuta when he heard that Jackson was elected into office. As he walked down the hallways of the White House, Jackson steeled his nerves and formed a calm smile on his face. He was about to see the current president and all the former presidents in the Oval Office. He was elected by the people for his deeds in this world. Though, because Jackson knew what he did in the "other" history, he was going to make it up for it in this world and double the "goodness" he had planned for the American people. And triple for the Natives and African Americans, for the atrocities his other self committed upon them. "Mr. Presidents, President-Elect Andrew Jackson of North Carolina." One of President Hamilton''s aides announced as the former Marine officer walked into the Oval Office. The Oval Office was spacious and grand, which wasn''t surprising since the office was a place where history was made. The Faithful desk, the official work desk of the president, stood in front of a pair of windows that were letting in beams of sunshine. The smell of ink and smoke wafted through the office, which was created by the burning fireplace and a number of open ink bottles. The office was neat and organized, with the current president and the previous president all sitting comfortably on several couches that were placed in front of the fireplace. Jackson looked up to see a portrait of the previous president, James Madison, intensely staring at the small crowd from its position above the fireplace. "Ah, Mr. Jackson! Please, come in," President Hamilton greeted him with a handshake, "The photographer is ready." "Will it really take a life-like portrait of me?" "Of course! I think I explained it to you before," The sitting president said with a sly grin, "It shouldn''t take long. ARPA has refined the process. I believe it''s called "daggertypes." "Dodsonotypes," Jefferson, who was leafing through a small book, stated as he sharply glared at President Hamilton, "Mr. Wayne Dodson invented the process, in Boston." "Right. Now let us gather together and take the picture. After all, the future generations will need something to remember us by." After a few minutes of adjustments, the group was finally ready to take the picture. Samuel Kim sat in the middle (upon everyone''s insistence, including the photographer) with a kind expression on his face. Jefferson sat to his right, his book firmly in his right hand. Hamilton stood directly behind the first president, his arms crossed in front of his chest and his lips curved into a small smile. James Madison stood next to Hamilton and looked at the camera sternly. Finally, Jackson himself sat to his former mentor''s left. He chose to display a warm and welcoming smile, as he wanted to be remembered as an approachable and friendly president. The process took an hour to complete (as the photographer wanted to take multiple pictures). By the time it finished, everyone but the current president, the former presidents, and the president-elect left the room. Samuel turned to the new president and patted his shoulders, "I heard that Alex told you about your history?" "He did," Jackson replied nervously. He was forty-five years old, yet he felt like a kid when speaking with President Kim. It wasn''t the awe-struck feeling he had when he was younger. No, it felt more like his adoptive father was talking to him. Especially since Samuel''s hair was finally graying and he looked a bit closer to his actual age. "Are you displeased about yourself or anything else?" "I am in a stage of self-loathing." "You''re not the first, nor will you be the last," The Korean-American reassured him, "Believe me, I think Benedict had the worst reaction out of everyone that has been told of their "other" history." "What did he do?" "Betrayed the United States and sold it out to the British. Nearly succeeded in giving West Point over to the British with no resistance. His name was synonymous with "traitor" in the other world." "Oh." "Listen," President Kim lightly gripped his shoulder, "Do not worry about what happened in the other world. You are your own man. I apologize if I may seem manipulative since I completely changed the course of your life. I''m unsure if you will be able to forgive me for what I have done..." "You''re joking. If anything, I should thank you. It''s because of your efforts that my family still lives on and that I''m not some terrible monster that owns slaves and duels people on sight." Samuel nodded, "I know, but still, I played "God." I just want to let you know that I am very proud of you, Andrew. When I first met you, you were a small boy. I knew your destiny and tried to help you change your views and your life. And I''m proud that you have managed to turn out to be an outstanding person. Though your life has been radically different than your life in the other history so far, it seems like you were destined to become president. I know, you will do great things for the country." Jackson''s back straightened as he embraced his mentor, "I will not let you down. And I will make sure that I will repay those that I hurt in the other history." Jefferson coughed, his silver hair and wrinkled hands moving as he did, "I am... touched by this scene. But we are also gathered here today to fill Mr. Jackson in on the other history and the Oracle. I''m not as young and chipper as you, Samuel, so let''s get it done. I want to return home to Martha as soon as possible." "Spoilsport," Samuel teased, "Alright Andrew, it''s time for you to see the White House bunker..." Omake: The End of the First Coalition War and the State of France AN: And he''s back lads +++++ This piece takes us all the way to 1796 and the end of the First Coalition War. After that there''ll be a piece on the 1796 - 1806 interbellum period, then a piece or two on the Second Coalition War, and then that''ll be it from me. Excerpt from Arise, Children of the Fatherland!: The First Coalition War The Belgian Campaign The area known as La Belgique Belgium in English largely begins its history as a distinct and particular area of the European political map following the Eighty Years War in the latter 15th and early 16th centuries. This war concluded in 1548 with the lowlands of the Rhine-Meuse delta being divided in two, with the mostly-Protestant north consolidating into the United Provinces (which would form the First Dutch Republic) and the mostly-Catholic south officially known as the Royal Provinces. Over the next 240 years, Belgium would see more warfare and more geopolitical shifts, with first the Spanish Habsburgs then the Austrian Habsburgs coming into possession of the territory. On the eve of the Revolution and the First Coalition War, the Austrians were still the very reluctant rulers of the territory, having tried several times to give Belgium away to anyone who would take it. The people of the Austrian Netherlands, for their part, were less than thrilled about their Habsburg overlords. Contrary to popular belief though, this agitation was often quite conservative in nature; when the liberal reformist Emperor Joseph II tried to introduce his reforms to the provinces, the wealthy elites of the area banded together and conducted a brief revolt against Austrian rule, which they thought was undermining the authority of the Church. However, the so-called Brabant Revolution then as now was misinterpreted as an outgrowth of the radical-liberal Revolution that exploded mere months before in neighboring France, and so from the start, the Girondins had an eye towards Belgium for further expansion. This temptation only grew further when Lige, the prince-bishopric which bisected the two regions of the Austrian Netherlands, erupted in revolution this one very much along French radical-liberal lines in 1792. After the Austro-Prussian army had been shattered at Strasbourg, Brissot and the Minister of Defence, Lazare Carnot, began to draw up plans for an invasion of the Austrian Netherlands and incorporation of the mostly French-speaking population into the Republic. As a rule, Lafayette rejected aggressive campaigns, as he did not want France to become an aggressor in the war and he did not want to stretch French supply lines not to mention French finances beyond French borders. However, Belgium represented a different case. France both treaty-bound and (just as important to the idealistic Lafayette) honor-bound to liberate and likely incorporate the Republic of Lige into France, and in doing so they would effectively be detaching Belgium from Austrian rule whether they liked it or not. The dream of a French Republican Belgium, however, would have to wait until the following year. The urgent situation in the south needed every man, woman, gun and cannon France could spare, and many of the supremely confident and battle-hardened battalions that Murat had enjoyed at Strasbourg were given to Jourdan, Massna or Klber who, of course, had themselves been promoted beyond Murats command to stabilize the situation in le Midi. What Murat had left was not sufficient to conduct Brissots offensive into Belgium, and indeed Murat had his hands full dealing with the remaining Austrian army in the region the one that had been sent to pacify Lige and only did so after a protracted campaign of maneuvering and skirmishing over the winter of 1792-93. After Villeyrac, however, the threat to southern France receded, and Lafayette was able to build up Murats army now renamed the Army of the Ardennes to two divisions totaling fifty thousand men by summer 1793. With this, at the beginning of September Murat was able to fight the first offensive French actions of the war, crossing the border of the Austrian Netherlands on September the 1st and laid siege to the fortress city Mons the next day. The Austrian army in the area tried to relieve the city, but the attempt was quickly beaten back by the much larger and much better-armed French army, and by October the fortress garrison had surrendered. Unusually heavy rains turned the area to mud in November and December, bringing any offensive campaigns or military maneuvers to a grinding halt on both sides, but as winter set in and the ground hardened again, Murat undertook the next part of the offensive plan. Rather than marching on Brussels, as the Austrians likely fooled by French spies planting false information had been expecting, Murat instead headed east to Charleroi, taking the city in a surprise attack at the beginning of January 1794. It took a fortnight for the Austrians to fully appreciate that Murats true destination was the very city that had kicked off the expansion of the war into a general European war: Lige. By then, though, it was too late, and by months end the flags of the Lige Republic and the Corday tricolor were flying over Lige. Even if the Austrians had fully understood Murats intentions, however, it was unlikely they could have done much about it, as at around the same time a second French army, under the reassigned Dumouriez, had taken the eastern city of Kortrijk in Flanders. Superficially, this string of success after success may seem difficult to understand, so completely removed was it from the grinding back-and-forth and increasingly stalemated conflict that characterized the main theatres of the south. On paper, this was only exacerbated by the fact that the two sides had virtual numerical parity; both sides had two armies in the general area totaling about a hundred thousand men, now that Brunswicks army had been rebuilt after the disaster at Strasbourg. However, the quality gap between the two sides was large. Murat was the finest commander in France and had experienced army that was only growing; in January he was given two more brigades totaling ten thousand men and women, one commanded by that most famous woman of all, the recalled and promoted Charlotte Corday. Even more important, however, was the enthusiastic embrace of the French armies by the local populace. Austrian rule had never been popular amongst the common population of the region (not least because the Habsburgs proved distinctly reluctant rulers), but after the Brabant Revolution of 1789 much of that ire had been directed against the nobility of the region as well. It was one thing to resent Austrian rule, it was another if you only really complained about Joseph II lifted some of the most onerous feudal obligations on the peasants and common people of the area. The French, on the other hand, promised and, for the most part, delivered upon the full suite of legal reforms, civil rights, the abolition of unjust feudal obligations and taxes, democratic assemblies and true autonomous self-government (Murat, showing a certain level of political acumen if also cynicism, decided not to talk in too much detail about revolutionary feminism in the deeply Catholic region) as free citizens of the French Republic. Land reform was particularly popular; the word that the properties of those conservative nobles who had fled their estates before the advancing French would be declared legally vacant and distributed amongst the local peasantry was hugely effective at generating genuine enthusiasm for French administration of the region. Militarily, the main upshot of this was that almost immediately, brand-new Belgian companies of the National Guard started to be raised in Mons, Charleroi and Lige although the last of these were technically still under the nominally-independent Republic of Lige. Not only did this relieve the French of the need to divert soldiers for garrison duty, but it meant that far from becoming more vulnerable as supply lines were extended, Murat and Dumouriez actually gained strength as they completed the encirclement of Brussels. By mid-1794, the Austrian position in Belgium had become virtually indefensible. The brief re-emergence of the Republic of Lige ended on May 17th when the Republican Government, having returned to the city from their exile in Paris, petitioned the French National Assembly to join the French Republic as the Free Department of Lige. On May 20th, the Assembly near-unanimously approved the petition and Lige became the first territorial acquisition of the French Republic. Cut off from the rest of the Empire, the smaller of the two Austrian armies tried to make a stand at Brussels, but Murats overwhelming dominance in artillery and increasing mastery of the cavalry charge meant they could do little but abandon the city. On June 19, Murat entered the capital of the Austrian Netherlands in an impromptu parade before cheering crowds, and the French tricolor was raised over the city. The integration of La Belgique into the Republic was well underway. Dumouriez, meanwhile, pushed southwest to try and liberate or, rather, annex the remainder of the Austrian provinces in the area. A third army of twenty thousand attempted to invade the Saarland, just across the border from Lorraine, but was rebuffed by the reinvigorated Brunswick at Saarbrucken. However, with the threat of losing all territory west of the Rhine now obvious, the Austrians and Prussians decided to abandon the Belgian provinces which, it should be recalled, the Austrians had never been exactly thrilled about having anyway to reconsolidate a defensive line in the hilly Palatine Uplands on the Rhines left bank. They were not able to prevent Dumouriez from taking the city of Trier, but doing so cost the Republicans twenty thousand casualties; by now the Austrians and Prussians had learned from the errors of 1792 and 1793 and were adopting many of the same defensive tactics used so effectively against the Coalition armies the previous year. As the autumn rains set in, the fighting thus ground down to the same bloody, indecisive stalemate that was increasingly characterizing the fighting down south. The last major Austrian holdout at Antwerp would not capitulate until 1796, but the end of Austrian rule in the Belgian provinces was effectively complete with the fall of Ghent in late 1794 and by 1795 administrative plans to reorganize La Belgique according to the French departmental system although with significant local autonomy were being drawn up in the Assembly. However, the French advances in the north effectively ended here. Murat attacked and took Aachen and attempted to march to the Rhine but falling victim to his own tactics, he was surprisingly defeated the first true defeat of his career by a well-entrenched Prussian Army ten miles southwest of the city in early 1795. With the gains of 1794 at risk, Murats Army of the Ardennes was forced to retreat back to Liege. With Austria and Prussia pouring men into the area to secure Germany from invasion, Murat spent the remainder of the warfighting constantly to hold on to what France had already gained. The flight of King Louis and the liberation of Marseille In the south, things were far less straightforward for the French. Montpellier had been secured but Bordeaux had been under siege for weeks by the Spanish when the Day of Defeats had occurred, and although the Republican victory at Villeyrac had secured the central front, Jourdan was in a much more difficult position. He had been pushed out of the city proper in mid-March 1793 in brutal street-to-street fighting and now only held some of the eastern districts on the right bank of the Garonne River. He feared, however, that the Spanish would take some of the forces that had failed at Villeyrac and use it to attack Bordeaux from the west; he would certainly have to withdraw from the city entirely if so. Therefore, to the great consternation of Massna and Ney, Lafayette acted on Jourdans urgings and ordered them to advance southwest towards Narbonne, chasing the very same Coalition army they had just beaten at Villeyrac, rather than east to Marseille to force Louis from the metropole altogether. Marceau, with just twenty-five thousand men remaining of his pre-Villeyrac army of forty thousand, would instead have the task of marching on Marseille from the east. The main thrust of the attack, however, would come from Klbers Army of the Rhone from the north. Unable to cope with the relentless two-pronged Republican assault, the Coalition and Royalist armies in the region fell all the way back to Marseille, where they resolved to make the French pay for the city in blood. King Louis, however, did not wait for this outcome. Although few French Republicans would have believed it, he had despaired at the ever-more bloody and bitter turn the war was taking and the death and destruction now rampant throughout the southern parts of what he still considered his Kingdom. Although his future experiences would darken his outlook greatly, King Louis XVI was not his brother, and not a fundamentally cruel man or an inflexible ideologue. His great weakness, at its core, was indecision and a propensity to simply follow along with whoever the loudest and most influential voice in the room was. That indecisiveness was had led him to essentially hand over day-to-day decision making over to the arch-reactionary Artois, with dire consequences for all. But, looking back, it was likely that had Louis accepted the demands of the women of Paris back in October 1789 to move the monarchy to Paris, accept the Constitution he had been crafting the main bulk of which would become the Constitution of 1790 and become the figurehead monarch atop the constitutional monarchy Lafayette had wanted, then the Civil War and Coalition Wars may never have happened, and France would have become the stable constitutional monarchy [1] that Lafayette had wanted all along. But it did happen, and by 1793 Louis was reduced to little more than a spectator in Marseille. Neither he nor Artois had any influence amongst the Austrian military commanders, who universally disdained Louis and made quite clear that, in their view, this would not end with status quo ante but significant Austrian, Prussian and Spanish gains from France. Even so, Louis still held out hope that maybe, just maybe, the Republic would crumble, the Revolution would be reversed, and everything could go back to the way it was in 1788. The reality on the ground, however, was deteriorating: the Republic was advancing inexorably on all fronts, the optimism in Coalition ranks in mid-1792 had faded completely. However, it was not to be. On September 10th, 1793, mere days after the beginning of the French advance into Belgium, Klbers Army of the Rhone swept past the papal enclave of Avignon which had seen a pro-French annexationist uprising as Klber approached and joined up with Marceau to seize the town of Salon-de-Provence after a fierce but brief battle. The Republic had taken the entirety of the Rhone Valley and a combined army of eighty thousand was now just fifty kilometers from Marseille. With this news, a mad scramble for the docks at Toulon and Marseille began as virtually every noble and wealthy bourgeoisie that had flocked to Marseille when Louis had set up shop boarded the ships of the Royal French Navy and sailed for Corsica. The Kingdom of France, at least in the metropole itself, was at an end. Corsica would leave a deep mark on Louis. The small island, now under firm Royalist control, would declare its independence from the Republic, an amusing development to many on the mainland C in 1794, but it would claim jurisdiction over France itself. However it was by any standard a total humiliation for the King, reduced to a rump court on a Mediterranean island whilst the war for his Kingdom was waged by Austrians, Prussians, and Spaniards C none of whom were exactly proven friends of the Kingdom of France. Even if he won, he knew that the Kingdom would have to pay an enormous price for his victory and he would likely be reduced to a virtual vassal of the victors, and yet he still viewed it as a superior option to simply giving in to the Republicans. Once again, the influence of the ever-reactionary Artois on his thinking cannot be overstated. Left behind on the mainland, however, were still tens of thousands of loyal royalists in Marseille, supplemented by fifty thousand mercenaries, Italians, and Austrians. Whilst most of the more unwilling of the levied local troops had deserted by now, many making their way to Republican lines, news many exaggerated, but not all of reprisals and atrocities carried out by the ultra-radical National Guard units had reached the ears of Marseille, and those left behind were resolved to hold the city or die fighting; hideous tales of what had happened to some royalists captured by the wrong National Guard unit did wonders to inspire a sense of grim, unyielding determination in the defenders of Marseille. In truth, such atrocities were becoming more and more commonplace as the war dragged on and became bloodier and more embittered, even as decisive results grew fewer and fewer for either side. Summary prisoner executions, village burnings, and vigilante mob lynchings of treasonous or deviant elements were rife throughout southern France in 1794 and 1795 and carried out by all sides of the war, although the greatest frequency of events would come in those parts of Royalist France taken over by Austrian and Spanish troops who were invited to live off the land. The flood of refugees north to the Republic and west across the Atlantic is usually seen in terms of a great Protestant migration especially given the unique character the Huguenots gave the American state of Ontario but as the Republicans pushed further and further south, many ordinary French men and women fled north. Lafayette was at pains to ensure that these fellow citizens were housed and cared for, but the social and financial strain they put on many towns and cities in the Republic only added to the problems. This flood would only be deepened by the bloody slaughter at Marseille. Contrary to expectations the Republican army did not attack the city immediately after taking Salon-de-Provence. Instead, they surrounded the city and entrenched, while a division of twenty thousand marched the eighty kilometers to Toulon and, taking the defenders entirely surprise, snuck into the city at night and took it before the Royal French Navy long concentrated in the port city could fully evacuate. Twenty ships were seized, another fifteen burned. Those monarchist nobles and pro-Royalist bourgeoisie who had been too foolish or slow to escape in time were given snap trials for treason and quickly executed. It was a grim foretelling of what would follow in Marseille the following May. By then, Klbers army had been reinforced to no fewer than a hundred and fifty, now outnumbering the Coalition-Royalist defenders almost three to two. With the city being constantly resupplied by the still-dominant Royal French Navy, Klber decided that a prolonged siege would be fruitless; the city would have to be taken by force. On May the 1st, the order to begin the artillery bombardment of the fortifications was given. Over the next three weeks, the streets and alleys of Marseille became a maze of rubble-strewn battlegrounds as the Republicans took the city house-by-house. Neither attacker nor defender gave any quarter; units would often fight to the last man over a house they had occupied. The city was heavily damaged by the fighting; both the Republicans and the Coalition were entirely indiscriminate with their use of massed artillery to clear out entrenched positions. Fires raged uncontrolled and with the infrastructure of the city so badly damaged there was little that could be done to put them out; it is likely that many thousands upon thousands of soldiers from both sides and civilians alike perished in these alone. However, the outcome of the battle was never truly in doubt. The Republicans simply outnumbered the Coalition defenders by too much, their advantage in firepower was even greater, and in most neighborhoods, they had the local populace on their side. On May 23rd, the last Coalition defenders had either evacuated the city by sea or had been cleared out, and the guns fell silent over Marseille. No city would suffer as much during the war as the temporary royalist capital. From its pre-Revolutionary population of 120 000, by wars end, perhaps 20 000 people still lived in Marseille. Several thousand had been famously killed during the Purge, but in objective terms, the scale of the tragedy in 1789 was dwarfed by the "Terror of 1794". Best estimates suggest that at least twenty thousand civilians died during the vicious street fighting and uncontrolled urban fires that had raged throughout the battle, and many more were killed from the city in the round of angry reprisals mostly driven by those looking for vengeance against those who had participated in the Purge or collaborated with the Royalists. The remainder would become refugees, many of whom would leave France altogether for the colder but safer fields of Quebec and Ontario. Whilst Marseille did recover greatly during the post-war period due to heavy investment, it would take many, many years for the damage and trauma that the First Coalition War inflicted on Marseille to fully heal. The city would never forget and never forgive its occupation by the Royalists, particularly as the French royal administrators were displaced more and more by unscrupulous Austrian military advisors. With the pro-Republican atrocities conveniently erased from memory by the remaining residents of the city, few were surprised when Marseille became the largest hotspot of anti-royalist agitation and unrest after the Treaty of London. Excerpt from The Republic of Virtue: France 1790 C 1834 The Treaty of London By mid-1795, the shape of the war had solidified and frozen entirely. The French Republic had expelled virtually all Coalition forces from its core territory, save for a few pockets around Bayonne in the extreme southwest. The former Austrian Netherlands, now reorganized into the autonomous Belgian departments, were largely integrated into the Republic and were not going back to Austrian rule. On the flip side, the Coalition had finally wised up to the French tactics and, whilst morale and superior artillery were still on the French side, the National Guard found little more success breaking through well-entrenched Coalition infantry protected by trenches and earthworks than the Coalition had through 1792 and 1793. Frustrated by the stout Prussian defense of the Rhineland, ideas circulated of invading the Netherlands and outflanking the Prussian positions from the north C and setting up a fellow Republic, as liberal interests in the Netherlands wished. However, these were quickly quashed by Lafayette, as he knew that doing so would likely drag Britain into the war. Despite Austrian urgings, Franco-British relations were still warm in 1795, despite British misgivings about the shift in the continental balance of power. Neutrality served British purposes well; with all their major European rivals occupied they had an entirely free hand in the colonial sphere and were able to repair much of the damage done to British prestige during and after the American Revolutionary War. Moreover, British industry, British weapons, and even British food supplies were critical to supplying the French war effort and Britain was perfectly content to continue making an enormous amount of money selling these goods to the Republic (ironically, often paid for with American gold). Coalition complaints that Britain was outfitting the French armies were met with polite reminders that the Coalition powers were equally welcome to trade with Britain on the same C and sometimes better C terms, never mind that France was far closer and thus easier to trade with than Austria. Reassurances from Lafayette and the French Ambassador Talleyrand that France did not want to go out and, say, conquer all of Western Europe convinced the British that there was no indeed to get involved in the war and harm the ever-more-lucrative trade going back and forth across the channel. Nevertheless, the British Crown stood firm on its one red line: Britain would not tolerate any interference in the Netherlands that would threaten British hegemony in the United Provinces. Indeed, it would be this issue above all others that would convince Britain to join the Second Coalition War a decade later. Without the flanking option of invading the Netherlands, Brissots dream of a Republic that stretched all the way to the Rhine was thus clearly not going to come to fruition; the French only made minor gains in Savoy and almost no headway in Germany proper. Any wild schemes of a naval attack on Spanish supply lines were put paid by a defeat just off the coast from Bordeaux in early 1795. The war may have been static on the map, however, all participants C except maybe Portugal -- were now feeling the effects of years fighting the most brutal war Europe had known in generations. War exhaustion had well and truly taken hold in France, not helped by continued conscription, continued secularisation of the Church C which served as a backhanded way of getting around the Decrees of 26 September and using Church property to fund the French state C and ever more pressing food shortages. American aid and British trade became more and more valuable to propping up the Republic, aid that became even more overt when a small military delegation under Col. Nathaniel Bonapart came to observe the war. In reality, they were in France to deliver yet another enormous shipment of American gold and demonstrate prototypes of the latest American breechloaders and rifles. By mid-1795, however, the Republic was looking distinctly wobbly. Pro-peace demonstrations, an unthinkable and indeed near-treasonous idea in 1791 and 1792, became commonplace. Draft-dodging was becoming endemic, conservative interests were finding their voice again through the rapidly rising Orlanists after years of silence and, most worryingly for Lafayette, agents from the Ministry of Information reported with alarm that talk of a royalist uprising in the Vende was becoming a real concern again. The point was hammered home when a huge pro-peace demonstration broke out in Paris, the burned-out home of the most radical population in the country. He needed to find a way to end the war, and through the British, he began reaching out to the continental powers for a negotiated peace. Unsurprisingly, the Spanish were the first to respond positively to these overtures. In many ways, despite the war being a principally Austrian and Prussian enterprise, it had been Spain who had done the heavy lifting and had the most success in occupying French territory. By extension it had been they who had shed the most blood for the Coalition cause; many of the most elite regiments of the Spanish Army had been decimated at Villeyrac and Bordeaux. Queen Maria Luisa and Prime Minister Manuel Godoy, by that point the true rulers of Spain, were keenly aware of the unfair burden Spain was carrying, and the perilous state of both the Spanish Army and the treasury. After the liberation of Biarritz, if the French decided to cross the Pyrenees it was questionable whether the remaining Spanish armies could stop them. Spain, however, had made significant gains in the colonial sphere through the war; they had seized many of Frances most lucrative colonies, most notably Saint-Domingue although the devastation wrought by repeated pro-Revolution slave uprisings meant that the once-lucrative colony was nowhere near as productive as it once was. Better get out while they were ahead, the Queen and Godoy decided, rather than risking the territorial integrity of the Kingdom fighting for the inept Austrians and arrogant Prussians (let alone the cowardly Louis, sulking on Corsica). On July the 15th, therefore, Lafayette and Godoy met in Andorra, an independent centuries-old principality deep in the Pyrenees. Godoys demands were surprisingly modest: recognition of Spanish dominion over all the colonies it had seized, including Saint-Domingue, in return for withdrawal from France and from the war. Lafayette, who likely had already been informed of the Spanish position in advance, agreed immediately, and just like that the war between France and Spain, which had been undoubtedly the European monarchy that had most threatened the survival of the Republic, was over. The Spanish withdrawal ended once and for all the prospect of a Coalition victory in the war. Indeed there was a general recognition in Europe by summer 1795 that the war was not long for this world; Sweden had decided to recognize France back in April, America had done so the previous year. Aside from a brief scare after the fall of Ghent to the French in 1794 which had raised the specter of a French invasion or French-inspired revolution in the Netherlands, a red line the British would firmly hold to throughout the First Coalition War and would drag them into the Second, Britain stayed resolutely on the sidelines. It was thus down to France against Austria, Prussia and their Italian allies, and by mid-1795 both sides were so thoroughly ground down that the chance for decisive gains for either side were minimal. However, the peace negotiations were almost as slow and grueling as the war itself, even as it continued to chew up finances, material and, above all, men and women. The Habsburg Emperor Francis II and the conservative Hohenzollern monarch Frederick William II were of one mind and inflexible: Louis had to be restored at the top of the French state. What happened underneath was less of a concern, but the Austrian and Prussian monarchies were absolutely convinced of the anti-republican argument that republicanism meant future war and instability. This conviction would be inherited by their successors, and anti-republicanism would bind the once-hostile Habsburg and Hohenzollern monarchies closer and closer in the years to come. This insistence, more than anything else, was what dragged out the war into 1796. Lafayette knew that if there was one thing that could convince the people of France to keep fighting, it was the return of Louis C the butcher of Marseille who had declared war on the French people C to the throne of France. And indeed, when word broke of the Coalitions demands, it spurred one of the last great patriotic fervor of the war as thousands upon thousands rushed to sign up for war bonds, the ever-growing war industries, and the National Guard. It was likely this last great spurt of energy for the French armies that allowed them to complete the clear-out of the Austrian Netherlands by seizing Antwerp, the last significant action of the war. The deadlocked negotiations were finally broken by a proposal from, of all people, Brissot. In discussion with American and British diplomats, Brissot had come up with a constitutional structure known as the State of France. This compromise preserved the democratic government and all the reforms achieved during the Revolution whilst also restoring the King as the head of state. The Kings divine right to rule would still come from God, a point upon which Louis himself was insistent, but it would come from God through the people, not directly C the democratic institutions the Republic established were thus the instrument through which God expressed his rule, and thus the Kings ministers and the governmental apparatus would answer to God through the people. It was a convoluted and somewhat confusing argument, but it did solve the core issue: how to place Louis back on the throne whilst giving him no actual power and cementing the gains of the Revolution. Brissot had managed to thread the needle that had flummoxed some of the finest diplomats in Europe and, at last, the Treaty of London was signed on the 4th of June, 1796. The First Coalition War, which had started out as the French Civil War in December 1789, was over at last. Exact figures are highly debated, but it is generally agreed that around a two hundred thousand French men and women died on the battlefield across both sides, with an even higher toll on the civilian population due to disease, starvation, atrocities, and being caught in the crossfire. Losses for the Coalition were lower overall, but still grievous by pre-Revolutionary standards. Hundreds of thousands would flee Europe throughout the 1790s, mostly French Protestants looking to escape Royalist persecution and Catholic prejudice. Aside from the ruined capital, the devastation was overwhelmingly concentrated in the southern provinces of the country, with Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux all suffering devastating damage and population loss. Belgium suffered too, though not quite to the same extent. However, while the human and material cost was enormous, there was no doubt that France had been the victor in the war. Only Spain and Portugal could claim any gains whatsoever by taking control of overseas French colonies, especially in the New World. Austria had fared terribly, losing the Belgian provinces to the French directly and ending the war on the verge of financial ruin. Prussia had fared better, with its armies putting up a much better show in defense of the Rhine than the Austrians could manage, but Frances great historic rival, Austria, had been the one to aggressively expand the war and it had lost badly as a result. It is one of the great what-ifs of history if the reformist and anti-war Joseph II had survived for longer, rather than dying in 1792 and passing the imperial crown down to his reactionary, anti-revolutionary son. The Habsburg Empire would never regain its full 18th-century glory as an independent great power. France gained in other, less tangible but more significant ways. Beyond the obvious outcome of securing the future of the most egalitarian, liberal and free democracy continental Europe had ever seen C even if under a rickety, unstable constitutional compromise C the Revolution and the victory in the war had imbued in all French citizens, even conservative Catholics, a sense of national pride, honor, and kinship that had never been true under the patchwork collection of feudal domains that comprised the Bourbon ancien rgime. France had fought for libert, galit et fraternit against the great powers of continental Europe and won, and the resulting self-confidence and self-assuredness would hold France in good stead in the turbulent decades to come. Moreover, the Revolution had been originally fought over legal, economic, and political reforms that, a republic or not, France desperately needed. Whilst the war understandably takes pride of place in recollections of the Revolution, the Assembly had been hard at work reforming every part of Frances economic and legal structure along with the liberal Enlightenment ideals of the French philosophes like Voltaire and Montesquieu, as well as the sterling example taking root across the Atlantic under the stewardship of Kim, Washington, and Jefferson. Despite the devastation wrought by the war, France emerged from 1796 bursting with ideas and energy and ready to dive head-first into the modern era. However, these longer-term benefits that would play out as the 18th century transitioned to the 19th did not change the fact that much of France lay in ruins in 1796. As the First Republic ended, giving way to the State of France, the First French Revolution had finally come to an end. Now the victorious revolutionaries needed to rebuild their country +++++ [1] Of course OTL history clearly demonstrates otherwise [the idea that Louis going back to Paris in October 1789 would have stabilized the constitutional monarchy and avoided what happened next]; the successful womens march on Versailles in October 1789 was one of the great turning points of the Revolution that set in motion all the forces that would push it to ever-increasing radicalization for the next four and half years. Far from making the Revolution worse, the fact that everyone had a clear, well-defined, and obvious enemy to go after helped avoid the paranoia and conspiracy theory which drove the Revolution''s worse excesses (paranoia which incidentally I do not believe was principally the fault of the Jacobins). But the author doesnt know that. Chapter 139: Viva la Mexico! Monclova, Rebel Controlled New Spain July 4th, 1817 "The peninsulares want nothing more than the destruction of our homeland. They desire to bleed us dry in order to fatten themselves with our wealth. They expect us to be loyal subjects to Madrid, yet refuse to allow us any form of autonomy. Even worse, they are kidnapping our people to fight in their wars." General Vincente Gurrero, the leader of the New Spain Independence Movement, looked around to his band of a thousand followers and shouted, "No more! We will not bow to the Spanish tyrant! We will not bleed and empty our pockets, only to watch our own people suffer! We will fight, and if we need to declare independence for our demands to be fulfilled, then so be it." "?Viva la Revolucion!" "?Viva la Revolucion!" His followers echoed. The group of rebels was small, but it was rapidly growing. News was spreading about the Spanish king''s, a tyrant that disregarded his colonial subjects like cattle, decision to send over twenty thousand Spanish soldiers to force the inhabitants of New Spain to bow to his authority. At the beginning of the year, he decreed that all members of the New Spain administration and leadership were to be peninsulares, that taxes were to be raised to replenish the empty Spanish treasury, and that New Spain inhabitants were to be forcibly recruited to deal with unrest in the other parts of the Spanish Empire. His decrees were made shortly after Spain bankrupted itself fighting in the Second Coalition War and its own civil war. Additionally, the uprisings in New Granada caused the monarch to reconsider his colonial policies. King Ferdinand determined that the best way to keep Spain''s colonial holdings close was to remove the native criollos and mestizos from positions of power and to replace them with loyal Spainards to integrate the colonies with the Iberian nation. His approach to the situation was completely wrong and backfired. Immediately after his decrees reached the New World, thousands of criollos, mestizos, and indios protested the king''s decision, and those protests were only met with force. Just a month ago, dozens of protesters in Mexico City were mowed down by Spanish troops, which caused the entire colony to erupt into flames and rebellion. Various factions fought for their own interests, but General Guerrero was different. He sought to establish an independent nation, a republican nation. He had opposed the Spanish colonial government from a young age. However, recent events had only hardened his resolve against Spain and its "puppet" government in New Spain. Like the United States, his homeland needed to revolt and declare its independence to reach its true potential. And with an idealistic, powerful republican nation in the north to serve as an example for Mexico''s future, Guerrero was inspired to create his own ideal version of his homeland. A Mexico that was no longer exploited by Europeans or by foreigners. Instead, he envisioned a republican Mexico ruled by its own people, with the people''s rights and autonomy (like the indigenous people that he lived with throughout his life) protected. It certainly helped that he had been reached out by a few American negros, who promised to provide private aid to him and his army. They had been extremely helpful to his cause, as he and his forces were now equipped with high-quality firearms, uniforms, and even a few artillery pieces. The American government was silent on the matter, but it was only a matter of time before they themselves intervened in his cause. He was sure of it. After all, he studied American military tactics (guerilla warfare and irregular warfare earned his undivided interest) and read about how the United States assisted Haiti in its struggle for independence. Now all he needed to do was to win and to show the world that he was fully committed to creating a republic in his homeland. One of his followers started singing a song that was all too familiar to him. It was a song sung by revolutionaries, from France to the United States, to New Granada. It was a song of hope, of freedom. As the song continued, he began to sing it as well. It was not just a song, it was a promise. A promise of a better tomorrow, of a free nation with free people. No more slaves, no more exploitation. Independence. "Canta el pueblo su cancin, nada la puede detener Esta es la msica del pueblo y no se deja someter Si al latir tu corazn oyes el eco del tambor Es que el futuro nacer cuando salga el sol ?Te unirs a nuestra causa??ven lucha junto a m! Tras esta barricada hay un ma?ana que vivir Si somos esclavos o libres depende de ti Canta el pueblo su cancin, nada la puede detener Esta es la msica del pueblo y no se deja someter Si al latir tu corazn oyes el eco del tambor Es que el futuro nacer cuando salga el sol Ven dispuesto a combatir, hay una lucha que ganar Muchos hoy van a morir ?Ests dispuesto a derramar Tu sangre en las calles de Mexico por la libertad? Canta el pueblo su cancin, nada la puede detener Esta es la msica del pueblo y no se deja someter Si al latir tu corazn oyes el eco del tambor Es que el futuro nacer cuando salga el sol!" +++++ AN: For reference: https://youtu.be/0fIcMF-DDEQ Chapter 140: ‘Tis Not the End Otowahetaka (Translates to "City" in the Lakota Language, located OTL''s Rapid City), Free Sioux Nation January 1st, 1819 Kitala''mato (Little Bear) looked at his chief in disbelief and struggled to contain his temper, "Why have we made peace with them?" Wa''sake (Snow Claw) grimaced and walked over to his warriors, who were waiting expectantly while he met with the American president, "It is for our future, Kitala." "Our future? My brother has no future! He was killed by those white devils three years ago!" The seasoned warrior replied with a growl, "Their leader is here. This is a perfect chance to take revenge and show them that we are still capable of fighting!" "If we do not make peace now, then how much longer do we have to fight?" The Lakota Chief asked as he looked around the dozens of warriors that were gathered around him, "We have been fighting for hundreds of moon cycles. We have suffered terrible losses and thousands of warriors have died to defeat our enemy. But we can not hold for any longer. The Spayolas are gone. They have sold their lands to Milahaska Tamakoce. The river will no longer protect us from our foes'' wrath. We must have peace to protect our future, to protect our children''s future." "What about the other tribes?" One of the warriors asked. "They will have to accept the American president''s terms, or else they will face a terrible fate. We have no choice." Kitala''mato shook his head, "No, we do have a choice. We can journey west, towards the Sa Glasa. They have been the ones selling us weapons for the past several years, they will gladly take us on and help us. We do not need to give up! If we kill the president of Milahaska Tamakoce, then they will shower us with rewards and honors!" "I will not allow you to kill him and reignite the war," Wa''sake said sternly, "I am tired, our warriors are tired. My heart is sick, but I will fight no more. As your chief, I ask... No, I demand you to stop fighting." Most of the other warriors agreed. After the "Special Forces" of their enemy started wreaking havoc within their lands, the tribes united under the Sioux Nation banner became demoralized and unable to resist their foes'' onslaught. Their weapons were sabotaged, their leaders were killed, and their will to fight was slowly broken. It didn''t help that the wana gi (the ghosts) terrified even the women and children with their actions. Wa''sake sighed and waved his hand, "I will continue my meeting with the leader of Milahaska Tamakoce. By tomorrow, our tribe will finally have some peace." "At the cost of bowing our heads and accepting the wasicu (the white people)." "Silence, Kitala! I will not have you impudently raise your voice and cause a disturbance!" With that, the Lakota Chief walked into the meeting cabin and left the warriors alone in silence. Many of them decided to obey the words of their elder, but others, like Kitala''mato, had other thoughts. He gathered those that showed defiance against the Chief''s words and ushered them away from prying eyes and ears, "The Wicasa Yata Pi wants us to have peace with the wasicu, but we know that there will never be peace with them. They killed my brother in cold blood, my father in battle, and my mother through the sorrow of their deaths. I will not stop until we are free from their grasp." "But how? The Wicasa Yata Pi is right, our people are tired and even our warriors are unwilling to fight." One of them asked. "Then we do as I say. We take those that are still willing, those that want vengeance for all the dead of our tribe. We head west and continue our resistance there. And in due time, we will strike back and retake what is ours," Kitala''mato smiled, "This war is not over. It will never be over until every wasicu is removed from our lands. Those traitors in that "Ankigama," who even bastardized the name of their own homeland for the wasicu, will also learn that their "protectors" will only be their oppressors..." Chapter 141: The US in the 1810s +++++ The United States of America in the Early 19th Century Historical Essay by Ahsewerun Jackson, 1992 "...Historically speaking, the 1810s was one of the most progressive and prosperous eras of American history. The United States enjoyed several periods of rapid economic and political growth (which includes the 1840''s and the 1880''s in the 19th century), though the 1810s was a "glimpse" of things to come. Indeed, the 1810s was considered the height of the "Romanticism Era" that came in the aftermath of the Second Great Awakening. The era of Romanticism was able to emerge and grow due to the economic prosperity America enjoyed during this time period... The average life of an American citizen improved significantly during the 1810s. Under the Hamilton Presidency and the Jackson Presidency, both of which enjoyed widespread popular support and a strong economy, numerous social and economic programs were implemented to help the daily lives of nearly every American. In 1811, President Hamilton implemented the National Grain Emergency Stockpile. Through the stockpile, the federal government purchased grain from farmers, helping poor farmers sell their products at a consistent price and allowing the government to use said stockpile to feed the poor and homeless. The National Grain Emergency Stockpile also allowed America to avoid the fallouts of the Year Without a Summer (1816), which saw crop failures across the northern United States and Europe. The stockpile prevented thousands of Americans from outright starving and a relief bill passed by Congress in 1817 helped small farmers, communes, and cooperatives back on their feet. This move bolstered the federal government''s popularity, as many Americans increasingly saw it as a beacon of stability and leadership. In addition to this, President Jackson created the Farming Cooperative Commission in 1813 (under the Department of Agriculture) to lend out the most advanced farming equipment to relatively poor farmers for them to increase their yields and profit. The FCC was met with widespread success. The agricultural sector of the nation (which was benefitting from imports of various animal/plant species, a cooperative government, improved infrastructure, and better farming tools/theories) expanded as fast as the industrial sector. This era of prosperity allowed many Americans in rural areas to contribute to the growing cultural and political movements across the United States... As for the industrial sector, the introduction of the steam locomotive and the telegraph greatly improved transportation and communication respectively. The steam locomotive, which was officially "finalized" in 1814, allowed raw materials and finished goods to travel across the nation at a quickened pace. Meanwhile, the telegraph opened up paths for businesses to hold multiple branch locations throughout the nation and improved the logistics of production and transportation. Additionally, with ARPA focusing more on the betterment of industrial technology, factories saw increased production and efficiency, which led to the United States catching up to Britain in terms of industrial capacity by 1820. Under the Hamilton Presidency, anti-monopoly bills were created to increase economic diversity and competition, which forced various businesses and industries to offer better working conditions and pay to skilled and unskilled workers. While President Jackson did contribute to the improvement of workers'' conditions, he did stimulate the growth of the railroads and the telegraphs, which in turn, created additional prosperity for businesses and created more work in the industrial sector. As such, the urban areas enjoyed the fruits of industrialization and created a humming middle class that played a part in the Romanticism Era... The exact beginning of the Romanticism Era is still debated to this day. However, many historians acknowledge that the Romanticism Era took off after President Kim''s book, "Against All Odds," was published in 1813. The book mirrored certain events of the Venezuelan Revolution, which began in 1803, but was different in many regards. For one, the plot of the book described an island colony revolting against its colonial master after a series of brutal polices which saw the decimation of much of the island''s population. Most of the subjects of the island were natives that were conquered by the colonial empire, which was only named "the Empire" throughout the book. Even as the Empire continually destroyed entire settlements and killed hundreds of the "Island," the rebels continued forward and held onto their hopes of a free and equal nation that was no longer a subject of the Empire. There was no happy ending for the people of the Island, as the Empire opted to destroy the entire island before revolutionary sentiments spread throughout the rest of its colonies. Thus, the final scene of the book revealed the final hundred or so rebels being mercilessly gunned down by the soldiers of the Empire, with the last living rebel dropping dead with a book of the planned Constitution of the Island. The book raised several questions throughout the United States. One of the most notable questions was, "What was the point of the book?" President Kim, to his dying days, never revealed the true intentions behind the book. This left the American people to interpret the book and draw conclusions on their own. Some saw it as an America "that might have been" if it had lost the Revolutionary War. However, many saw it as a warning. Many more believed that the book was describing the unsuccessful uprisings in Jamaica and Ireland, and was alluding to the fact that many colonies were unlike the United States (which was blessed with talented leaders, a unified revolutionary movement, foreign funding, and numerous benefactors throughout the Revolutionary War). Some colonies, despite their zeal for independence and equality, were not capable enough to seize independence on their own. The fact that the Island was cut off from the rest of the world and lacked any support abroad served as proof that even a well-motivated rebellion could fall apart without aid from elsewhere (especially if the colony was small or lacked the base to oust the colonial government). The fact that various revolutions were springing up at the time did not go unnoticed by many of these believers. This book was the most influential American book in the early 19th century, as America began to turn its eyes towards the various independence movements that sprung up in the Spanish Empire... As more and more colonies declared their independence and fought against their former colonial overlords (especially within the Spanish Empire), the American public increasingly became aware that the United States was able to determine the outcome of each and every rebellion across the Americas. As the United States was the beacon of liberty and republicanism, the American people believed that supporting "freedom fighters," especially republican rebels, was an "American duty, which was given to us by God himself" (as one Baptist Minister claimed). President Kim''s book greatly facilitated this belief, as many Americans viewed President Kim as the "Father of the United States," whose words could sway public opinion without any difficulty. Thus, in a single stroke, the Era of Romanticism began, which portrayed the people fighting against their colonial administrators as "greater than life figures, who saw the American Dream and decided to create it within their own homelands." The Romanticism Era ushered in an age of books and theaters that focused vividly on the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the revolutions across the Americas. Authors portrayed the revolutions as a "black and white affair," creating a struggle between "good and evil," "tyranny and freedom." Many popular works came from writers in New England, Quebec, and the South, which suffered the brunt of the damages caused during the Revolutionary War. Playrights produced plays that emphasized the "romantic aspects" of the revolutions, avoiding the destructive nature of the revolutions and focusing solely on the struggle for independence and for liberty. The headlines of major newspapers constantly reported on the status of the revolution in the Americas, portraying revolutionaries such as Miranda, Guerrero, and Bolivar as the "reincarnations of Washington himself." Even religious denominations claimed that the United States was to "manifest its destiny to spread the joys of republicanism and liberty across the Americas." This growth of Romanticism led to hundreds of wealthy Americans privately funding revolutionaries abroad, which helped Venezuelan and Mexican revolutionaries to achieve early successes before the American government began to fund the rebellions on its own... President Jackson himself was not immune to this Romanticism wave. In fact, Romanticism greatly affected the public''s perception of Native Americans. "Against All Odds" made the United States review its long-standing conflict with the Sioux Nation and many saw the similarities between the United States and the Empire were distressing. Additionally, the rise of Romanticism created a favorable impression of Native Americans (as "noble warriors that fought alongside the revolutionaries") that led to the American public demanding for an end to the brutal conflict between the United States (the Empire) and the American Indians (the Island). Although the Sioux Nation remained a mystery to most, the Indian nation''s war against America was seen as a valiant struggle for independence and fair treatment. After the Louisiana Purchase of 1818, President Jackson paved a peace deal with the Sioux Nation riding on the public''s sentiment for a "just" peace. Jackson himself was a fighter for Native American rights and was already content with giving the Sioux Nation a just peace treaty. As such, the Treaty of Otowahetaka guaranteed the Native tribes within the Sioux nation autonomy and near independence within the United States. Much like their brethren to the east, the Native tribes of Sioux formed the Lakota Territory (which was still considered "American" by outside observers) and acquired lands to form their own communities within Lakota. Under the terms of the Treaty of Otowahetaka (which would be the basis of future "Western Indian Treaties"), each tribe member in the Lakota Territory received 100 acres of land (which could be used by the recipients, be used as a communal farm, rented out, or sold). 50 additional acres were granted to each head of household and/or adult male. The tribes would ultimately decide how the land was dispersed, but the land needed to be granted in someone''s name, or it would default back to the American government. This task was handled by the Department of Federal Lands and Resources (which was called the "Native American Land Commission"). Additionally, each tribe was granted 100 acres per cultural and sacred site they wished to preserve. A committee from the Department of Federal Lands and Resources would also decide if the sites were, indeed, sacred or cultural to the Native tribes (which was formally called the Native American Diplomacy Committee). The Committee was composed of Native Americans from the eastern states, along with American citizens with doctorates in Native Studies. In both cases, each agency was expected to carry out their tasks as fairly as possible. In terms of the NAPC, the agency also consisted of a tribunal that would oversee any territorial or labeling conflicts between the commissioners of the NAPC and the Native tribes. The Secretary of Federal Lands and Resources also held powers to veto or overturn any decisions made by the NAPC, but if the Native tribes felt the "final" ruling was unfavorable to them, then they were able to bring the case to the Supreme Court. Finally, the Tribes would also receive the benefits that many American citizens enjoyed, in that they were able to rent out advanced tools for farming, purchase firearms (at a discounted price) from the federal government, utilize the court systems for grievances, receive education in schools built by the federal government, and more. All in all, it allowed for the Native tribes to act independently from the American government (many tribes banded together and created their own governments and "nations" within the Lakota territory), while providing a way for the United States to avoid "rolling over" any Native American tribes in their trek to the Pacific Coast (which was inevitable after the passage of the Homestead Act of 1819)..." +++++ "... The average life of a farmer in the United States during the early 19th century greatly differed depending on the state the farmer resided in. For example, a farmer in the state of Quebec was most likely a Catholic that enjoyed the fruits of industrialization and was able to pay for the best farming equipment for relatively cheap cost due to his close proximity to the industrial centers of Quebec City and Montreal. Additionally, the Quebecois farmer was, most likely, a member of a large farming cooperative (upwards to 10,000 members) that had been in place for several decades and generally made decent profits due to the nearby urban centers in Quebec and the New England states, along with the Erie Canal and other waterworks to rapidly transit his harvests to various markets. Meanwhile, a farmer in Illinois was much further away from the factories of the east coast and thus, relied on the FCC for the newest farming equipment. He was probably a member of a much smaller farming cooperative (that averaged around 100 to 200 members) and made only a small profit because he was in a western state. Despite the improvements to infrastructure, farmers in the western states struggled to make large amounts of profit as shipping fresh grain and foodstuff to the more populated eastern states was difficult, which was why many farmers in the west relied on fermented grain mesh in the form of whiskey to sell to the east (this was before the introduction of the steam locomotive, which allowed grain and other agricultural goods to be shipped across the entirety of the United States within days, instead of weeks). By the year 1820, there were approximately 17,000 farming cooperatives and nearly a thousand farming communes across the United States. Cooperatives were generally utilized by immigrants and non-Native American citizens to establish themselves in the farming community and to receive assistance to build up their farms before they became profitable. Meanwhile, Native Americans generally favored communes, where their harvests contributed to the benefit of their tribes and their states (nearly 90% of Native Americans lived in the states of Iroquois, Hisigi, Akansa, and Ankigama or in the territory of Lakota)... On the flip side, Americans that lived in cities and towns (which was about 15% of the population) had many more opportunities and job choices available to them. Most major cities had federal primary schools for children to attend. These schools were not mandatory but highly encouraged (to the point that 85% of all children that lived in urban areas attended nearby primary schools, compared to 20% of children from rural areas). Primary schools were handled both by the local state government and the Department of Education. The Department of Education provided basic "templates" for textbooks (which included necessary information that the Department expected all students to learn), which was then filled out by state governments to attend to their own needs. For example, the Department of Education provided a "basic" textbook for history, which was filled with information on the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the presidencies of the first four presidents, while the state governments filled the rest of the textbook with history of their respective states, along with important historical figures from said states. So each student in the federal primary schools was taught by the federal government and the state government at the same time (though, some additions made into textbooks by the state were reviewed by the federal government). These schools provided lessons on English, General Science, History, Life Skills, Government and Politics, and General Mathematics, which allowed many young children to receive an education that was considered advanced by other nations. By the time a child in urban areas reached eighteen years old, they were met with a variety of job opportunities... Federal universities (and other state and private universities) were usually the main choices for many young adults (statistics reveal that nearly 35% of students that attended a primary school went onto universities). Universities gave students an opportunity to obtain doctorates, which were utilized to further their careers in specific fields. It was also an ensured way to success, as many federal agencies and businesses looked out for those with doctorate degrees for well-paying positions. Immigrants, minorities, and women saw the universities as the gateways to a better life and with the federal universities being relatively low-cost and even free for excellent students, thousands of new students entered them yearly. Students from well-off families attended private universities, though some entered federal universities as well. This created a highly educated middle class in urban areas and many experts in various fields of science, math, history, and engineering that significantly contributed to the development of the United States. Especially since many graduates entered the government as specialists (by 1820, the United States had nearly 300,000 federal workers, due to the expansion of the federal government and the creation of new agencies). ARPA was the most popular choice for those with science and engineering degrees, though the government also employed those with other degrees for other roles... Those that did not attend federal universities usually took over their family''s business or trade or entered the working class. With a strong economy that was only hindered briefly during the Panic of 1797, many Americans that did not work for an advanced education enjoyed economic success as well. Industrialization offered jobs for people even without an educational background, such as factory jobs, shipbuilding, trade, and more. With anti-monopoly policies set in place, workers enjoyed a period of growing wages and safety measures (placed by Congress) that allowed them to prosper in their own way... For Americans that were unemployed, homeless, or very poor, the government introduced a number of social programs to ease their burdens. The first soup kitchens were created under President Jackson, which allowed the poor to receive at least two meals a day (paid for by the federal government). Homeless shelters were built, which provided an opportunity for those neglected by society to earn an education and enter the workforce. Orphanages sprung up under President Hamilton, which gave thousands of orphans in the United States to rise to success despite their background. Overall, the early 19th century saw the development of the American Dream proclaimed by President Kim; that any American, regardless of wealth, color, background, or sex, could achieve success and even become the nation''s leader. This Dream was further reinforced by Eliyah Peters, the Seventh President of the United States, an African American man whose parents were former slaves in Gerogia... As seen by previous statements, the early 19th century created the first "modern" social hierarchy that is evident today: the "rich," the "middle class," the "working class," and the "poor." This was a very generalized statement of the classes of the United States during the time period, but this period provided a glimpse of the social hierarchy that would be widespread in the future... +++++ "... In the early 19th century, there was no unifying "American" culture that is seen today. Some could argue that modern American culture is still divided by regionalism, but this was especially evident during the Romanticism Era of the United States. In fact, "American" culture would not be developed until the outbreak of the Anglo-American War, which forced the nation to rally behind the American flag and brought the nation closer together than ever before... One common aspect that was spread out throughout the United States was the existence of "town hall meetings." Created under President Jefferson, most cities and towns (along with many villages) had a meeting place for nearby inhabitants to gather and debate on political issues (this meeting place was usually maintained by the state government). Generally, most of these political debates took on a Tuesday, though each region of the United States (which I will cover in the next paragraph) differed on how each meeting took place... In the New England areas, the town hall meetings were preceded by a large feast (as in the New England states, the meetings were generally held before dinner time). People would use the meetings as a time to socialize and enjoy food before settling into the (often) heated debates about politics. In the South, the town hall meetings were often held after a cooperative farm meeting, followed by the actual town hall meeting and then lunch and prayer. In the Canadien states, meeting-goers attended a mandatory "town prayer" (due to the prevalence of Catholicism in the Canadien areas). And so on. These differences represented the difference in culture between the states before the Anglo-American War. The New England areas were the most liberal of all parts of the United States (owing to the fact that it was the most diverse area in terms of demographics). The nexus of immigrants and various cultures, New England was heavily influenced by multiple cultures, which all unified to form the New England Culture. In particular, Chinese and Korean cultures mixed with European cultures to create an interesting cultural dynamic that was unseen in the rest of the world. Rice became a staple for many households, even non-Asian ones, and community fellowship created close and friendly communities even in the growing cities of New York and Boston. New Englanders enjoyed tea more than the rest of the colony and the "restaurant culture" that started to emerge after the introduction of "Ko-Am" by President Kim. Additionally, New Englanders were generally more attuned to "foreign" cultures and often took the best of each one to add to their own. As a result, Americans from New England were much more friendly to strangers, accepted new ideas more quickly, and generally seen as the bastion of progress in the (already liberal) United States. It was no surprise that many of the "fusion" foods that would grow to symbolize American diversity (such as bulgogi rice burgers, Vietnamese meat sandwiches, Haitian-Chinese stews, and curry) originated from New England... The Canadien states were a striking contrast to the New England states, in that the majority of immigrants that settled in the area were that of French descent. Heavily Catholic and conservative, the Canadiens were surprisingly progressive in terms of women''s rights and democracy. However, Canadiens were fairly hostile to non-French immigrants and were generally unfriendly to outsiders. The only significant minority within the French-dominated states of Ontario and Quebec (which would be split to Montreal and Quebec in 1826) was the black population, which mainly consisted of former slaves from French colonies in the Caribbean. As such, even they were considered Canadien to many (and were generally accepted as such by locals). The black population of the Canadien states was focused mainly around Toronto and the southern Ontario Peninsula, which meant that most Canadiens never saw a non-Canadien throughout their lives. In fact, many rural Canadiens were unable to speak English and exclusively spoke Quebecois French (also called Canadien French). A census in 1830 revealed that only 40% of Canadiens were able to speak English, though that never became a huge issue as Canadiens elected into the federal government were able to speak English and most government forms/ballots were written down in Quebecois French. Despite their close proximity to one another, New England and Canada were extremely different... At the same time, the South was somewhat a mix of the two. The South was dominated by two, equally prosperous and powerful groups: the white and black communities. The South itself was split into two different regions. The Upper South was majority white (those with European descent), especially in areas such as Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. The Lower South (such as Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama) were majority black (African Americans and Caribbean Americans). One common factor was the Protestant nature of the region. After abolition, many former slaves turned to various sects of Protestantism (ranging from Vicinusum to the newly created Black Baptism). Added with white Protestants in the region, Protestantism was prevalent and visible in everyday life. Due to the rural nature of the area, the South was economically conservative (though there were exceptions to this norm, such as northern Virginia, the urban areas of the Carolinas, and Maryland), but socially moderate. While relations between the white and black communities were lukewarm, they were both accepting of each other and often cooperated with one another to further the economic interests of the South. This was the primary reason why the South remained a stronghold for Democrats and Republicans for decades... One of the most unique cultures was the Native American culture that developed in the Native American states and territories. States such as Iroquois and Hisigi were more open to outsiders, seeing them as potential business opportunities. Iroquois was well-known to be one of the more progressive states, allowing settlers to inhabit the western parts of its state (that was relatively untouched by the local tribes). However, even the Iroquois fit the "Native American mold" that was created by the public''s perception. Native Americans were friendly and engaging, even to non-tribal members. Even so, they were fiercely competitive and stubborn, often the last communities to accept any major political and economic shifts (with the only exception being women''s rights). Native American states were generally conservative and proud of their autonomy, the western ones even more so. The Native American culture created during this time period was an awkward one as the tribes integrated with the rest of the United States, while at the same time maintaining their ways of life and customs. As such, it wasn''t surprising that the Native American states lagged behind in industry compared to the other states while focusing more on communal agriculture (that was mainly between tribes and families), maintaining a tribal political system in their states (Chief-Governors, tribal councils, and a nationwide "Native American council"), and generally disliking any form of settlers (except Native American ones) occupying" their lands... The West was very distinct from the other regions. Isolated from the rest of the nation and constantly facing hostilities from Native Americans, the West developed a more "hardy" culture compared to the rest of the nation. Divisions and disunity were not tolerated and communities were small and tight-knit. Families constantly shared food and supplies with one another to survive, and western farming cooperatives were generally smaller than their eastern counterparts. To the people of the West, the United States was divided between two regions: the "East" (any states east of Illinois, with Ontario and Quebec also included in the mix) and the West. The West was well-known for creating many of American legends and myths (such as the Native American spirits that protected the daring settlers in the West, along with the stories of Paul Bunyon and the Jiibay (meaning "ghosts" in Ojibwe, which was a nickname for the Gurkhas). The West also valued discipline and marksmanship, producing a number of talented soldiers and officers throughout the 19th century (many of which fought in the Anglo-American War). Religion was important to many Westerners, but it was not as prevailing as it was in the South or Canada, as most Westerners focused on survival and prosperity more than worship. Surprisingly, this instinct for survival made the Westerners socially accepting of all races, as a "them vs us" mentality set in and many different races cooperated with one another to survive in the western frontiers of the nation. The only exception to this notion was the "western" Native Americans (which were differentiated from the "more civilized" "eastern" Native Americans), as they were viewed negatively after the decades-long conflict between the United States and the Sioux Nation. These Westerners would set the tone for the rest of the west as the Louisiana Purchase expanded America''s frontiers and the Homestead Act of 1819 opened the floodgates for millions of immigrants to acquire land out in America''s new stretch of territories..." Chapter 142: A General and an Admiral Simon Bolivar tapped his foot impatiently as he stared off into the horizon of the Caribbean Sea. A gentle sea breeze slapped his face as his lungs took in the fresh, salty air. It was early morning and he was waiting in the port town of La Guaira for the third day in a row. Normally, he would''ve stormed off after the second day, mumbling swears under his breath, but Bolivar knew that the expected shipment was crucial to the security of Venezuela. Besides, he hardly wanted to embarrass himself and his nation in front of the Americans. They were Venezuela''s suppliers and friends, an older brother that watched over the new republic (nothing like the American one, as the Venezuelan Republic was a confederacy of different provinces). Some were critical of the United States for sitting on its hand and snatching parts of New Spain and Louisiana while revolutionaries across the Americas struggled for their independence. However, Bolivar knew better. From the stories he heard from merchants and traders, the Yanks (as they affectionately called themselves) were more than ready to lend a hand to fellow American nations. This shipment from the United States proved that, as it contained a lot of "special things" to help Venezuela liberate the remainders of New Granada. If anything, Bolivar saw the current American president, Andrew Jackson, as a genius. President Jackson forced Spain to sell Louisana and a large chunk of New Spain for a decent price. And immediately after the treaty was officialized, he turned his guns on the Spanish and told them to back off from Venezuela and the Federation of South America. It had been five months since the cease-fire between Spain and Venezuela began, which gave plenty of time for both sides to lick their wounds. While Venezuela had been building up its strength and government, Spain was busy dealing with a revolution in New Spain and another one in Chile as well. Bolivar saw this as a golden opportunity to strike, and President Miranda (who won the first presidential elections for the Confederacy handily), agreed. But not before some help from the United States came over. Finally, after waiting an additional hour, two frigates and a fourth rate sailed into the harbor, making Bolivar jump with joy. A few of the soldiers under his command were watching from a distance, as they knew better than to disrupt their superior when he was in deep thought. When the ships finally docked, an aristocratic-looking gentleman wearing a long blue coat and a decorated sword greeted him through a translator, "The USS Caribbean, the USS Huron, and the USS Hudson Bay are here for General Simon Bolivar." "That is me," Bolivar replied as he hastily straightened his uniform. The American naval officer did not look impressed, "I thought you would look a bit more... proper, sir. After all, you are the highest-ranking commander of the entire Venezuelan military." Bolivar''s eyes narrowed at the response. It was true that he was the second-highest ranking general in all of Venezuela (after Commander-in-Chief Miranda). While General Lewis was Miranda''s favorite, he took the position of Minister of Defense. Miranda offered him the spot first, but Bolivar pointedly refused, as he preferred to fight on the battlefield since that was his specialty. The Venezuelan general knew he was a good officer, leading a few critical victories during the Venezuelan Revolution (alongside the Legion of Hell and Jose Tomas Boves, who he could barely command). Yet, he wasn''t exactly the most impressive looking officer. Still, it hurt his pride when the American pointed it out so rudely. "And I thought Americans knew better than to judge a person by their looks?" The Venezuelan shot back. "I''m not a damn Yank," The "American" replied curtly, "Rear Admiral Thomas Cochrane of the American Navy, but I was born and raised in Britain." "Why are you serving the United States then?" "They promised me a rank and action, along with some good pieces of land and steady pay. How could I refuse?" "So a mercenary then." Admiral Cochrane scowled, "A professional that was sought out by the American President himself. Now before I change my mind, do you want to see what I have to offer?" Bolivar reluctantly nodded and the admiral commanded the sailors of the three American ships to start unloading their cargo. The Venezuelan officer smiled widely as he saw the "gifts" that were coming out of the vessels, "Are those artillery pieces?" "The finest that America has to offer: the M1802 6-Pound Field Guns. They''re relatively easy to drag around, very accurate, has a fire rate of two shots per minute, and an effective range of 1,600 yards. Though, I heard the Yankees are designing and building new ones, claiming their weapons are "getting old," Admiral Cochrane snorted, "As if entire regiments armed with breechloading rifles, repeating pistols, and long-range artillery pieces aren''t good enough." "How many are there?" "Sixteen. Those crates are filled with ammunition and my ship has an artillery crew that will teach you and your men how to operate them effectively." The other Venezuelan soldiers started to drag the artillery pieces away while Bolivar peeked into a box marked "Rifles." He pulled out a sleek rifle and looked at the design, "The famous American breechloaders?" "Three thousand of them, in these crates and more onboard the other ships. Plenty of ammunition to go around for that as well." "Any more surprises?" Bolivar asked. Miranda had kept him in the dark about what the shipment entailed, but he promised that it would be worth the wait. Now he could see why. With the artillery pieces and rifles, he could easily sweep the Spanish forces in New Granada, whose strength was being sapped due to Spain''s focus on New Spain. "Just a few more. Don''t be so impatient," The British/American admiral stated bluntly, "In my flagship, there is nearly $300,000 worth of gold and gems. It''s a gift from a "sponsor" in the United States. The sponsor told me to inform you and your president that they are to be spent to improve the Venezuelan nation." "$300,000?" That amount of money was nothing to scoff at. It could pay the salaries of the entire army for months! Or build an entire city for that matter. "Finally, these three ships are from yours to keep. The crew of each ship will teach your lot how to sail and maintain them. The only condition is that I am to be the admiral of the three ships, even after they are officially transferred to your nation." Bolivar''s jaws nearly dropped. "These three ships?" Admiral Cochrane rolled his eyes, "Do you see any other ships?" "But... that ship is..." "A ship that is almost a ship of the line, but your president received more money from the "sponsor" in the previous months and ordered these ships. They were sold to your government at a heavily discounted price, of course. But they''re still mighty fine ships. The fourth rate, my flagship, has sixty cannons. The two frigates have thirty-two guns each." Bolivar realized just why Miranda looked so smug for the past month. The president knew he was getting something to bulk up the entirety of the Venezuelan military. The general was told to remain in the harbor until a "relief force" arrived (which would take at least a few days). It all started to make sense. The "relief force" was most likely the men that were to be trained as Venezuelan sailors! "If that is all, General Bolivar, then perhaps you can give me a small tour of this town? After all, I will be stuck in these... lands for some time." The Venezuelan nodded with enthusiasm as his mind was filled with the different ways he would utilize his new weapons to break Spain''s hold in New Granada, "Of course, Admiral." Chapter 144: The End of an Era Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America February 10th, 1821 Sacagawea held her "brother''s" hand tightly as they walked off the passenger car of the steam locomotive, "Don''t let go of my hand. Remember, there are thousands of people here today." "I know, sis," Samuel Jackson, the thirteen-year-old son of Andrew Jackson, replied with an eye roll, "I''m not going to get lost." Nearby, a pair of Secret Service agents walked behind the president''s children and blended into the background. Sacagawea knew exactly where they were since she was used to the security detail she had for eight years. However, she chose to ignore them and focus on the rather rebellious teenager on her plate, "And remember, you need to behave once we get to the ceremony. You''re the president''s son." "I know." "You were running around in Uncle Sam''s office." "Can you blame me? He has the coolest and most advanced technology in the nation!" The Shoshone had to smile at that remark. The two were returning from their visit to the first president''s office in New York City. His new office building had just opened recently (standing five stories tall) and they were some of the first civilians to tour it. Many workers were already setting up shop within the building and the younger Samuel was able to catch a glimpse of a lot of American Enterprise''s (Samuel Kim''s company) engineering projects. After their short visit, they took a train back to Columbia, which took approximately four hours since the steam locomotives were traveling at seventy kilometers an hour. Now, they were in Columbia to watch their father retire from the presidency and for the new president to take his seat in the White House. They traveled through a crowd of people to reach the stage set up in front of the Capitol Building. The huge domed structure provided an intimidating, but a magnificent background for the current president and the soon-to-be president. Sacagawea made her way up to the stage with her brother in tow and shook hands with a few important political figures (among them were the Chief Justice Smith Thompson, Speaker of the House Joseph Hopkinson, and various Cabinet members). After exchanging cordial greetings with all of them, they made their way to their father, President Andrew Jackson. The elder Jackson was preparing for his farewell speech and only noticed them after Sacagawea cleared her throat. Once he saw them, he sheepishly put down his papers and smiled, "Welcome back! How was your trip to New York?" "It was great! Uncle Sam has the coolest things!" Samuel replied with a grin. "I thought you said the ARPA laboratory in Boston was the coolest?" His father answered with a matching grin. "Yeah, but uncle is doing everything by himself! I saw a design for this really amazing rifle that can fire multiple shots and..." As the two chatted among themselves, Sacagawea was unable to suppress a sad smile. Samuel was excitable and smart, just like his father. He was their father''s pride and joy. However, she could see the lingering sadness in her father''s eyes whenever he spoke with his biological child. Samuel''s mother, a woman by the name of Rachel Fields, died early due to childbirth complications. As such, Samuel was the sole reminder that her father had to the only woman he loved. Sacagawea had done her best to help her adopted father cope with the depression that followed, but the sadness always remained. She was proud of him, for saving her and raising her all these years. Though, she wished she could do more for her father. She was busy working these days, whether it was going on diplomatic missions out west to negotiate treaties with Native Americans or giving lectures at federal universities about the differences in tribes out in the west (she was, after all, a graduate of the Federal University of New York with a degree in Native Studies). As such, the Native American woman was unable to visit her father frequently, though some considered her the "First Lady" of the White House due to her close relations with the president. "And what about you, Aippu?" Sacagawea smiled at the nickname. Aippu was shortened for the word a''ipputoonkih, which meant "butterfly" in the Shoshone language. "It was interesting. Uncle had a lot of Native Americans working in his office. I think he mentioned that they were receiving training to take their expertise back to Iroquois and Hisigi." "That sounds just like Samuel, always putting others before himself," President Jackson nodded with approval, "Well, are you ready?" After this ceremony was over, the Jackson family was going to move out west. Specifically, they were going to try to find Sacagawea''s parents by traveling through the Unorganized Territories. They agreed to search for two years, and if nothing came out of the search, they were going to move to California and settle there. "Of course," Jackson''s two children replied in unison. Thirty minutes later, the Fifth President of the United States went in front of a crowd of twenty thousand and began his speech, "My fellow Americans! It has been an honor serving as your president for the past eight years. It seems like only yesterday, I was taking my Oath and preparing for my time in office. Now, I am an old and aging man, like all the other former presidents." After some of the laughter died down, Jackson continued, "I will keep my speech short since I believe that many of you are here for the new president that will be inaugurated today. Words can not describe how privileged I was to serve as your president. Despite my own flaws, the people of the United States gave me an opportunity to lead this great nation to a brighter future. And I have done my best to fulfill their expectations during my stay in the White House. I will not boast of what I have done, because I did them to help the nation, not for my own, personal benefit." "As I leave the office of the Presidency, I only ask for the people for two things. I ask that the United States, her people and her government, to treat the Native Americans in the west with great care. For we must remember that while those lands are supposedly ours due to our deal with Spain, there are thousands of souls living on the lands that we have acquired. They are not hostile to us for the sake of being hostile, but because they are wary due to the way that they were treated by the Spanish. They believe that we will sweep aside their homeland and culture, and replace them with our own settlers. Our nation, a nation that cherishes diversity and different cultures, should not expand for the sake of expansion. Instead, we must show restraint and respect the Native Americans that have lived in these lands for hundreds, if not thousands of years." "The second thing I ask from all of you is what previous presidents have asked for the nation. We must not resort to infighting within our government. Our great Union, composed of thirty different states, have various different ideologies and interests. However, we need to remember that our Union can only hold together if the members of the Union are willing to work for the betterment of the nation as a whole. No matter what our political affiliation may be, whether it is Republican, Democrat, Unionist, Front, or Liberal, we must work together to move the nation forward. After all, the political parties within our nation have one goal in common: to improve and better the United States so it becomes a Beacon of Liberty and Equality in a world that is ruled by tyranny and oppression. Therefore, I ask all my supporters, and supporters from other parties, to fully support the Sixth President of the United States in his endeavors and reach for a better tomorrow. Thank you." Sacagawea, along with thousands of others, let out a thunderous applause after President Jackson gave a full bow to the crowd, and to the prominent American figures on stage. As he walked off stage, Joseph Crockett, the Democratic-Front president-elect, shook hands with the outgoing president and strutted up to the podium. Chief Justice Thompson stood next to him and held out one of the first copies of the Constitution to begin his Oath of Office, "Mr. Crockett, please repeat after me." " I, Joseph Crockett, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." "Congratulations, Mr. Crockett. You are now the Sixth President of the United States." +++++ AN: List of states in the Union: 1820 United States Census States: Total population of states: 13,851,357 240 House Seats for states, 3 for territories, 2 for Federal Districts (245 in total) 57,715 Americans per House Seat. Minimum population required for statehood: 90,000 Territories: * = Territories with a House seat Total population of territories: 533,673 Federal Districts: Total population of Federal Districts: 61,571 Total US population: 14,446,601 Protectorates: Most Populous Cities: Demographics: 61% Whites (Americans with European descent, discounting Canadian Americans who are considered a distinct culture/identity) 21% African Americans 9% Canadian Americans (Quebecois) 5% Native Americans 3% Caribbean Americans (African Americans with Caribbean descent) 1% Asian Americans Chapter 145: The 1820 Presidential Elections "... The 1820 United States Presidential Elections was perhaps the most shocking election in the history of the United States. In fact, historians often attribute this election as the one that turned American politics "on its head." In 1819, rookie House Representative Joseph Crockett (nicknamed "Joey") earned the presidential nomination for the Frontier Party (which sought to influence the next president''s policies on western expansion and reached an impasse with the Union Party). His humble background and down-to-earth personality, which mirrored closely to Squire Boone''s traits (who won a significant chunk of the electoral votes during his presidential run), were seen positively by the members of the Frontier Party''s leadership. Additionally, Joey was young and an exciting candidate, being just barely thirty-four years old. The Front believed that they had a good chance to create another coalition group with one of the two major parties (Union and Republican) through Joey Crockett, the "Frontiersman of the West." What they didn''t expect was a surprising offer from a rival party... The Democratic Party was a party that always remained in the shadows of the Republican Party. Popular in the rural areas, the Democratic Party was powerful in its own right, in that it provided invaluable support for the moderate Republican Party''s political power. It was through the Republican-Democrat Coalition that the two parties managed to get legislation passed in Congress, as the White House was in the control of the Union Party for sixteen straight years. However, the Democratic Party''s leadership was uncertain if the Republican Party would be able to beat the coalition between the Union Party and the Frontier Party for the presidency. While the Republican Party was slowly regaining its influence after losing four presidential elections in a row (the 1804, 1808, 1812, and 1816 elections), the Democrat Party believed that their combined strength was not enough to seize the White House. Additionally, with the Republican Party''s platform shifting ever so in favor of the growing urban areas of the South and West, the Democrats felt that they would be sidelined during a Republican presidency. Therefore, once it was confirmed that the Frontier Party would nominate their own candidate, the Democratic Party offered their support for the Frontier Party''s candidate. Despite their differences, both parties found a massive amount of support in the rural areas, and with the two working together, it was possible that they would even be able to seize the vaunted White House. It took three months for the two parties to work out their combined policies, but on December 1st of 1819, they had reached an agreement. Joseph Crockett would be the presidential candidate, while Senator John C. Calhoun, a South Carolinian Democrat, would become the vice-presidential candidate. The policies of the Front-Democrat Coalition were simple: pass a more radical Homestead Act (with more schools in the west, improved government programs for farming cooperatives, and federally funded infrastructure projects), encourage immigration to fill the newly acquired western territories (even going as far as compensating travel fees), let the territories form into states without government interference, and lay the railroad tracks (which were focused around the eastern seaboard) west. The Union Party was running high due to its victories in the past four presidential elections. For sixteen years, the Union Party dominated the government and expanded America''s power like never before. In fact, much of the Union Party believed that its presidential candidate would win a sweeping victory in the 1820 Presidential Elections, regardless of the Union Party''s opponents. Many historians claim that this is why the Union Party was unable to come to an early agreement with the Frontier Party, as the Union Party was so confident in its victory, it alienated its ally. While some in the party panicked at the Frontier Party''s independent run for the presidency and its alliance with the Democratic Party, most of the party''s members believed that this would only divide the vote from the Republicans and seal the Union Party''s ascension into the White House. The Union Party''s presidential candidate was John Quincy Adams, son of former Senator and former Secretary of State John Adams. Quincy came from a very prestigious background, graduating from Harvard College and entering Congress as soon as he was eligible. A deep thinker and philosopher, he was well-known as a man that placed the country above his own interests. However, he was unyielding to compromises and his personality was "stiff." While the Union Party saw those qualities positively (as recent Unionists such as Hamilton and Jackson were similar in those regards), many in the nation did not. He confidently pushed out his liberal agenda right after he was nominated by his party: more protections placed in Jackson''s Homestead Act to favor American citizens over immigrants when it came to western settlement, a national railroad network fully funded and controlled by the government, government-controlled companies, and an expansion of the federal workforce... As for the Republican Party, they had been left high and dry by the Democratic Party. When they attempted to negotiate with the Democratic Party to reconsider their position, the Democrats pointedly refused and shot the negotiations before they even began. However, the Republicans were somewhat confident in their chances of earning more electoral votes than the Union Party and securing a coalition government with the Front-Democratic power bloc. This was mainly because the Union Party was beginning to become more and more liberal, due to the influence of the past two presidents, and the Republican Party managed to garner some support from the more moderate members of the Union Party. Due to this, the Republican Party did not seek to win the election outright but to secure enough votes to make their party more appealing to the candidate with the most electoral votes and present themselves as the "moderating" influence to secure the approval of the nation. Accordingly, the Republican Party nominated Senator Henry Clay, a Republican from Virginia, as its presidential candidate. Clay was a fiery speaker and the Senate Majority Whip (after the Republican-Democrat Coalition re-took the Senate in the 1816 elections). He was considered a veteran politician at the age of forty-three, having served in Congress for twelve years (House of Representatives from 1808-1810, Senate from 1810 onwards). Unlike John Quincy Adams, he was more flexible to change and was known as the "Great Compromiser" within Congress (as he served as the tenacious balance between the Democratic Party, the Union Party, and the Liberal Party). His policy was an example of this, as he advocated for a "return" of balance between the federal government and the state governments, a hands-off approach to the growing telegraph and railroad industry (though, he proposed that passenger lines remain under federal control), and a minor expansion of federal agricultural and industrial programs. Clay was popular in Virginia and the neighboring states but was received with mixed reactions elsewhere. However, the one bright spot about his presidential run was that he nominated Eliyah Peters, a more conservative-leaning African American Republican from Georgia, as his vice-presidential candidate. Peters was the governor of Georgia and a popular one at that. With this move, Clay believed that he had managed to secure much of the South for the Republican Party, but he was wrong... Before analyzing the election itself, it is imperative to delve into the campaigning process and the changes in the presidential elections. Quincy and Clay both utilized traditional methods to spread awareness for their campaign, in that they traveled with their vice presidential candidate and mainly met voters through debates and occasional rallies (neither candidates campaigned excessively, as it seemed "distasteful"). Both used railroads to move across the eastern states, but mainly as a form of transportation, not as a political tool. However, Crockett and Calhoun devised an ingenious scheme to raise support for their campaign and edge out their competition. The two remained separate from each other and campaigned independently. In fact, it was not until after the elections were called did they reunite in Lafayette. During their campaign trail, Crockett focused his efforts in the west while Calhoun took to the east. In the west, Crockett walked hundreds of miles with his supporters on a "Campaign March" across the western United States. From Timstown to New Marseille, the Congressman personally met with thousands of voters and visited dozens, if not hundreds, of towns and cities in a non-stop tour. He often rode horses more than he walked (though, he stilled walked hundreds of kilometers) and was able to travel up to thirty kilometers per day. Many voters were awe-struck by Crockett''s presence, as he was the first presidential nominee that visited the people of the west in person. As a result, his Campaign March quickly picked up interest from the locals and was reported on daily in western newspapers. His March lasted three months (finally arriving in New Marseille in May after leaving Timstown in February), but after resting for a month in Wisconsin, he decided to restart his March, this time from the north to the south. He and his staff planned their route carefully and visited towns he had never visited before. During their journey back to the south, Crockett was met with expecting and enthusiastic citizens. The popular catchphrase, "Crockett the People''s Prophet" sprung up during the Crockett''s March and it rang across the entire western frontier. By the time Election Day came, the western states were filled with millions of Crockett supporters, who wanted to see "the man who cared" in the White House. And more importantly, after the redistribution of House seats and electoral votes through the 1820 Census, the western states composed of nearly one-third of all the Electoral Votes available. The west was growing at a rapid pace and many western settlers were now eligible to vote as well. The other two candidates failed to realize the importance of winning the west and allowed the Electoral Votes in the area to fall onto Crockett''s laps... On the east coast, Calhoun implemented a strategy based around reaching as many voters as possible. He rode trains for the majority of his campaign trail like the candidates of other parties, but he utilized the new technology in a different way. Calhoun gave rousing speeches from the passenger cars after his train stopped at a station, talking with voters quickly before the train set off to its next destination. While there were less than a thousand kilometers of rails at the time, Calhoun managed to hit the few dozen towns and cities that held a railroad station. In fact, he was the first candidate that managed to visit almost every single major urban areas in the east, before the other candidates could even mobilize their own support base to spread the message. After he utilized his "Stop and Drop" technique, he moved on foot to the southern areas and spread the message of the Front-Democrat campaign to rural voters. While the south saw some urbanization since the turn of the century, many voters were still in the rural areas and Calhoun made sure that he and his running mate''s voices were heard. Like Crockett, Calhoun carried out his own "South March" (from Washington to Richmond) and won over the loyalty of thousands of voters. Comparatively, Quincy remained almost exclusively east of Illinois (traveling as far as Cleveland, Ohio and neglecting the western states entirely) while Clay fought with Calhoun for votes in the south. Interestingly, most of the debates between presidential candidates were handled by Calhoun himself, which made some voters believe that Calhoun was the presidential candidate for the Front-Democratic bloc, instead of Crockett... In 1818, Congress passed the Eighteenth Amendment of the United States with a three-fourth majority in both houses. The Amendment read: "All Organized Territories and Federal Districts, as voting members of the United States, will be granted electoral votes in the Presidential Elections proportional to their population." This response was in due part to Newfoundland''s objections for remaining a territory for the past forty years and lacking any voting rights in the Presidential Elections (citizens in the territories and Federal Districts were allowed to vote in the presidential elections, but had no say in the actual election process). As such, Congress agreed to allow electoral votes for all Organized Territories and Federal Districts provided that they met the same guideline set for the states as well. In 1820, this meant 57,715 people per House seat (which was one Electoral Vote). Only two territories met the qualifications set by the Eighteenth Amendment: Newfoundland and Labrador (with over 60,000 inhabitants) and Mississippi (with over 70,000 inhabitants). Both had one Electoral Vote each, which meant that instead of 300 Electoral Votes, there were now 302 Electoral Votes up in the air. While Bermuda, Columbia, and Lakota had zero Electoral Votes combined (as none of them met the minimum population requirement), the Eighteenth Amendment was seen as a "fair" method of providing electoral votes to non-state entities. Unknowingly, this Amendment would be the most critical part of the 1820 Presidential Elections... When November 7th of 1820 rolled around, the American people stormed the ballots and voted for their preferred candidate. Unsurprisingly, Crockett/Calhoun swept the west. Surprisingly, they also took the biggest majority of electoral votes from the south, robbing Clay from his biggest support base (though Clay won Virginia and its surrounding states handily). Quincy took the New England states easily, but surprisingly, despite his own running mate being Canadien (Jordan Livingston, a Quebecois and the son of a Revolutionary War hero), he was unable to win a plurality in Quebec or Ontario. Indeed, it was Crockett that won the plurality in the two Canadien states, owing to his March and Calhoun''s visits (amusingly, there were several newspaper clippings from Quebec that showed Calhoun attempting to learn Quebecois French in an effort to pander to the voters there). Since Quincy believed he had all but won the northern Canadien states, he focused his efforts elsewhere. Unfortunately, it was Crockett and Calhoun that won the hearts and minds of the Canadien voters. By the time the dust settled, Crockett had won the plurality of the popular vote and a near majority of the Electoral Votes. On December 10th, the Electoral Votes from all the states and territories, except Newfoundland and Labrador and Mississippi were known: 150 to Joseph Crockett, 94 to Quincy Adams, and 56 to Henry Clay. Crockett wrote in his journal that he was "both terrified and excited to see the results from the two territories, as it [would] determine the next president of the United States." Indeed, it was reported that Clay was outraged at the results and demanded major compromises if Crockett wanted to form a coalition government with him. Meanwhile, Quincy stubbornly refused to entertain the idea of a coalition government and instead, desired for the vote to go to the House. The House of Representatives would vote for the next president of the United States if Crockett failed to win the two remaining Electoral Votes, and the House was controlled by the Unionist-Front Coalition (which was beginning to splinter due to the 1820 Presidential Elections). However, it was all but certain that the Unionists would refuse to support Crockett. Instead, it was likely that the Republicans and Unionists would attempt to push either Quincy or Clay into the White House (since the two parties, if combined, formed a majority in the House of Representatives). A week later, the final electoral votes from the two territories arrived. Newfoundland voted for Crockett (as they were in favor of Crockett''s pro-immigration policies), while Mississippi also threw in their hat for Crockett (as they supported Crockett''s plans for an improved Homestead Act). With those votes, Crockett was confirmed as the next president of the United States, barely earning a majority of the Electoral Votes..." +++++ List of American Presidents/Vice Presidents: 1780-1788 Samuel Kim (Independent) [Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania, Independent] 1788-1796 Thomas Jefferson (Republican) [James Madison, Virginia, Republican] 1796-1804 James Madison (Republican) [Henry Lee III, Virginia, Republican] 1804-1812 Alexander Hamilton (Unionist-Front) [James Worthington, Ohio, Front] 1812- 1820 Andrew Jackson (Unionist) [Christopher G. Champlin, Rhode Island, Unionist] 1820 -? Joseph Crockett (Front-Democrat) [John C. Calhoun, South Carolina, Democrat] Map of the United States in 1820 https://imgur.com/a/QU19Gpm Chapter 146: President Crockett Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America March 1st, 1821 "You have a meeting with the representative from Mexico in three hours, Mr. President." "Let me guess, he''s going to be asking for military aid again?" "He knows you''ll reject sir. But if you reject him, he can go to private investors and claim that he is receiving no help from the American government." Joey Crockett''s secretary, a young Native American man from the state of Hisigi, stated, "It worked the first time, and this time, he''ll probably try to bring his proposal to other investors that show interest." President Joey Crockett, Sixth President of the United States, adjusted his alpaca cap with a sigh, "That''s sensible. I''ll need to speak with him about the Comanche. I received a memo that said Guerrero''s men wiped out an entire Native American village in retaliation for a raid. Maybe I can negotiate a pact with the Comanche to avoid raiding Mexico as well." "Do you need anything before the meeting, sir?" "A tray of refreshments with the usual: biscuits and coffee." As his secretary sauntered off, Crockett sank into his office chair and spun around to look out the window. For a moment, he appreciated the serene view of the White House backyard and fumbled with his hat. Being a president was a tough job, tougher than he had ever imagined. Hell, he thought walking across the western states twice over was easier than spending a week in office. There were so many things to do and all of them were happening at the same time: Bolivar and his men running through New Granada and entering Peru, tense standoffs between Haiti and the "French Empire," the collapse of the Federation of South America, the independence of Chile, and that was just the foreign front. The domestic front was even more complicated. Settlers worked carefully with Native Americans to prevent another bloody war out in the west, but occasional firefights weren''t uncommon. The Navy needed more ships, but Congress was debating on just how many ships the Navy actually needed. The British were refusing to negotiate a firm border agreement between the United States and British Oregon/British Columbia. He was barely a year into office, yet he felt like he had aged ten years already. "Mr. President?" A voice firmly rang out through the wooden doors of the Oval Office. "Come in." Vice President John C. Calhoun, a tall man with a stern expression, entered the office. Upon seeing his former running mate, the vice president''s face softened into a smile, "I just wanted to check up on you, Joey. I know you''re still working on that bill for California." "Thank you," Crockett replied hoarsely as Calhoun took a seat in front of him, "Would you mind meeting with the Mexican representative in my place?" "That would look bad in front of our friends down in Mexico. After all, you are the president, not me." "I thought so," The president mumbled, "You know, I envy you sometimes. You know all the things I do, but you don''t need to do anything with it. I need to know all the things from the other history, and make decisions that won''t screw our nation in the long run." Both men were part of the Watchmen Society, as members of the Cabinet. When he was first told about the other history, Crockett was more mystified that his name was David more than anything. He was able to imagine himself as a Jonathan, or maybe an Andrew. But never a David (Davy Crockett had a nice ring to it though). However, that was the only "fun" part about knowing the other history. As the president of the United States, he was now burdened with the task of making America powerful and egalitarian, but also avoiding all the mistakes that the United States made in the other history. That meant he had to fulfill his campaign promises, but also make sure that they happened cautiously. As much as he wanted the west settled, he didn''t'' want to kill hundreds of thousands of Native Americans to do so. No, he needed to ensure that they were protected, while at the same time allowing settlers to move in. It was a stressful affair. And it didn''t help that all these foreign events were happening under his watch. Of course, that wasn''t to say that Calhoun wasn''t startled at his "other self''s" history. If anything, the notion that he was one of the factors that caused the Union to descend into a Civil War made the South Carolinian have a minor breakdown. "Well, what can I say," Calhoun shrugged, "It looks like I dodged a bullet. Funny how I was the vice president in the other history as well, and I''m the same in this world." "Somethings never change." "Hopefully, somethings will. Now, how is your project coming along?" Crockett fiddled with his quill nervously, "I have a proposal written up, but I want to hear your input. After all, you''re more of a politician than I am." The vice president chuckled, "Of course, let me hear it." "We offer the same deal to the tribes in Nevada and California that we offered to the other western tribes. We make a slight reduction in the total number of acres offered, but instead, we offer them a five percent slice for any profit made from the gold and silver found in their former homeland. In order to do this, we''ll be taxing any gold and silver found in the two regions." "Which will give them enough income to grow their own communities instead of losing everything and receiving nothing. Certainly a fair deal, but I''ll need to look at the wording a bit. What about gold found in the acres of land they receive from us?" "Technically, we''re receiving land from them. But any precious metals found on their land after the negotiations? Theirs to keep." "This might cause some conflict as the gold fever sets in." The man from Kentucky crossed his arms, "Well, we''ll make sure to actually protect the Natives this time around. I mean, mother of Jibay, 10,000 Native Americans in California slaughtered like animals for gold? And a law that basically turned the survivors into slaves and cattle? If any of the settlers try to do that under my presidency, I''ll hang them myself." Vice President Calhoun tapped his arm, "When will you propose this to Congress?" "A year. Give some of our federal surveyors time to "find" the gold and silver, and then quickly rush this thing through before the rumors spread." "That sounds fine. It''ll also give our economy a terrific boost. Maybe we''ll have a railroad from New York to San Francisco within a decade." "We''ll need to finish up the one to Chicago first," Crockett said as he looked at the clock, "The track to Peoria is finished, but they''re still working on the one to Chicago. I have a meeting with the Mexican representative now." "Give me a basic rundown of the foreign situation in the Americas." The president groaned. His vice president did this quite often. He drilled Crockett on the foreign situation so he wouldn''t mess up in front of foreign dignitaries and seem knowledgeable about the subject "Bolivar is marching through Lima as we speak. Admiral Cochrane is whipping the Spanish Navy in the Caribbean and making us and the Venezuelans a tidy profit on the side. Guererro, aided by Morelos and Guadalupe Victoria, is fighting outside of Leon. The Spanish have nearly 15,000 soldiers in New Spain, trying to fight off the growing revolutionary army. Argentina is struggling to contain the rebellion in the Eastern Provinces, which is being backed by the British. And Chile is now independent and forming their own republican government." "Excellent, now off you go. I''ll write a letter to Mr. Kim. It looks like he''ll have another revolutionary on his doorstep, very soon..." +++++ AN: Preoria is OTL''s Kokomo, Indiana. It borders three different states (it''s in Illinois, but right next to Ohio and Michigan as well). In the future, it''s going to be the second biggest city in Illinois and a critical railroad junction city. It''s also going to be a massive industrial hub in the upcoming future. Chapter 147: Defending the Argentinian Republic Rosario, Republic of Argentina January 11th, 1823 Carlos Maria de Alvear watched the opposing forces carefully as he prepared the defenses of the town. Ironically, he learned most of his military skills after leaving the Spanish Army. Specifically, he learned about the art of "trench warfare," the careful use of artillery and cavalry, and the importance of outmaneuvering his enemy from American and French books. The Spanish, despite being beaten badly by the French during the Second Coalition War, was slow to adapt to the changes in warfare, and the colonial troops in the Spanish Empire were kept in the dark about such changes. Additionally, the Argentinian officer studied the strategies used by Bolivar up in the north as well, as the Venezuelan managed to kick the Spanish out of New Granada with his superb skills and tactical ingenuity. All in all, Alvear considered himself a student of warfare, one that attempted to implement and utilize any advantages at hand. Rosario was a small, sleepy town of three thousand inhabitants. But every Argentinan on the battlefield knew that this town would make or break their new republic. The Federal League, backed by the Portuguese and the British, overwhelmed them at every turn up to this point, mainly due to the difference in firepower. The soldiers of the Federal League were armed with modern breechloading rifles supplied by the British, called the "Nottingham Rifles." Not only that, but they also had artillery, something the Argentinians sorely lacked. And Alvear knew exactly why the British and Portuguese were suddenly friendly to their enemies in Montevideo. It wasn''t a secret that the British were in a "friendly" competition with the United States and sought to counter their influence across the world. When Nicolas Rodriguez Pena, the first and current president of Argentina, threw in his lot with the Americans, none of the other powers (especially the Spanish and the British) were pleased. As a result, the British, pressuring the Portuguese, sowed discontent in the Eastern Provinces and gave them arms to rebel against Buenos Aires. By now, the Federal League controlled most of northern Argentina, and they were steadily advancing towards Buenos Aires. Rosario was the only town that connected western Argentina with the eastern parts. If Rosario was lost, then so was the war. Thankfully, the United States wasn''t planning on abandoning Argentina to its fate. After all, while it wasn''t a federal republic like the United States, it was still a republic (to some extent). It also helped that President Pena wasn''t a complete idiot and adopted some modest reforms to appease their powerful friend in North America. President Crockett, the current American president, was usually reluctant in providing aid to foreign revolutionary groups. But since Argentina was a nation and the Federal League was being supplied by the British... He and the American Congress gave Argentina its blessings and shipped tons of military aid over (everything from weapons, to money). As a result, General Alvear''s men, numbering ten thousand men, were armed to the teeth with the best American weapons: Lee Rifles, a few dozen SIA Revolvers split between the officers and some of the NCOs, twelve 6-Pound Field Guns, six 12-Pound Howitzers, and even a few of prototypes of the "Sam Repeating Rifles." They were comfortably dug in the outskirts of the town, with layers of trenches and barbed wires to deter any direct charges. A battalion of cavalry awaited in the nearby woods, ready to smash the enemy from the side and cause chaos. And he had one more advantage up his sleeve... Alvear was betting on his enemies being overconfident and walking into his trap. After all, the Republican Army had been on the retreat for nearly a year now and the opposing general in the Federal Army, one Fructuoso Rivera, was thirsting for a complete victory. So the Argentinan general waited for the enemy to move closer. The Federal Army outnumbered him two to one, but he knew with his current defenses, his men would hold. And even turn this battle into a rout if they held for a while. Federal artillery began to fire and pounded the entrenched Republicans, but Alvear was expecting this and had his men dig foxholes and sloped barriers within the trenches themselves. It was a risky move, as it could result in a few of his men tripping and falling during the battle, but it would be a move that his enemies would not expect. General Rivera was not an idiot and used similar tactics throughout the war (though Alvear suspected that it was due to the British advisors in the Federal ranks). However, Rivera wasn''t flexible and lacked keen battlefield insight. If there was a sudden change of pace during a battle, he was slow to pick up on it. If his first wave of troops were decimated, he would push forward again with his superior numbers and "superior" weaponry. Rivera was also far too aggressive, which was good against an enemy that was routing constantly, but not against an enemy that was preparing to make its final stand behind waves of defenses. So General Alvear needed Rivera to think that the Republican lines were weakening from the bombardment and create an enticing bait for the Federal Army to take. After an hour of artillery fire (Alvear informed his artillery crews to hold off on firing until the Federal Army was closer), Alvear made his move. An explosion cut through the center of the first trenches as the last rounds of artillery struck. From the Federal Army''s point of view, it looked like the centerline was in complete ruins. Republican soldiers laid on the ground unmoving while a few others scattered to the second line of trenches. If Alvear had no idea what was going on, he would have assumed that a trap under the first line of trenches exploded due to the artillery fire and caused an accident. In reality, Alvear had evacuated the soldiers from the center part of the first line of trenches and exploded a few kilograms of dynamite underneath the trenches. The "unmoving soldiers" were actually alive and part of a special unit to surprise the enemy, while over three thousand soldiers remained within the untouched parts of the trenches. Expectedly, Rivera''s men charged forward and converged on the breach. Many of them stopped outside of the range of the entrenched Republican soldiers to fire off a volley towards the trench, forcing all the peekers to duck their heads. The Republican Army held their fire until the enemy was within "the kill zone." "Fire!" The eight artillery pieces under Alvear''s disposal ripped open canister shots onto the enemy ranks. Rivera''s army wasn''t densely clustered, but the soldiers were close enough to one another to cause significant damage. In the trenches, and outside the trenches, Republican soldiers opened fire. The Federal Army, which was used to the Republicans using muskets, was caught by complete surprise as they were struck by infantry fire from five hundred yards away. However, the shock wore off and the Federal troops kept on marching forward to at least take the first set of trenches. They picked off a few of the Republicans outside of the trenches, but most of them managed to roll back into the holes safely. From then on, it was a massacre. The Federal Army took heavy losses pushing into the first line, but the Republicans also took casualties from the accurate shots from the Nottingham Rifles. Within minutes, a good chunk of the Federal Army was within the trenches, engaging in close combat against the numerically inferior Republican Army. That was when Alvear pulled out the remainders of his surprises. A bugle blew and Rivera''s cavalry battalion burst out of the woods, rushing towards the Federal Army that was still in the process of spilling into the trenches. That was not all. A group of Native Patagonians, consisting of the people of Ranquel and Boroanos, rushed out with melee weapons and firearms. In total, the Natives numbered around three thousand men. Some of them ran to flank the Federal Army, but most of them ran to fight General Rivera and the five thousand troops he held back to use at his disposal. They were ordered to hold off any Federal reinforcements from arriving and to cause as many casualties as possible. From what Alvear saw, he knew that Rivera was going to be unable to deliver his orders to the brunt of his army. While this was happening, the men in the second line and third line of trenches rose to aid their allies. Numbering over six thousand, they were fresh and ready to take on their Federal opponents. Meanwhile, the three thousand men in the fourth trenches, Alvear''s last set of reserves, moved into the second line of trenches and waited for their moment to charge. They were not needed, as General Rivera was shot and killed by a Native fighter just three hours later. By the end of the day, the Federal Army was shattered. three thousand Federal soldiers were dead, along with nine thousand wounded. Over five thousand soldiers (discounting the wounded) and all the Federal artillery pieces on the battle site were captured, while a few thousand barely managed to escape. Meanwhile, the Republican Army suffered a thousand dead and three thousand wounded. It was the biggest victory in the Argentinan Liberation War and turned the tide of the war in Argentina''s favor. Though, the war was not over... Chapter 148: The Mexican and American Republics Salado River, Border between the United States of America and the Republic of Mexico July 25th, 1824 Samuel Kim walked up to the new border between the recently declared Republic of Mexico and the United States. As the first president, he was chosen for this historic meeting between the two nations. At first, he objected and wanted someone else more "diplomatic" to take his place, but President Crockett was rather insistent on his choice. After all, Samuel funded the Mexican revolutionaries for years and it was due to his efforts (and a few other prominent Americans) that Mexico was now free and independent from Spanish rule. Ironically, it was mainly due to Crockett''s insistence of maintaining "neutrality" from the federal government (while at the same time, allowing, and almost encouraging, Americans to privately fund revolutionary groups through organizations and "charity" groups) that led to Samuel having a large role in the Mexican Independence War. However, after a short meeting with the president in Columbia, the Korean American relented and accepted the task placed at his feet. Besides the former president was a group of military officers that were also taking part in the meeting, along with a camera crew that would capture the historic moment. An honor guard of Marines accompanied him through his entire journey to the West, with the Marine Commandant (the son of a Revolutionary War veteran) insistent on the matter. As he walked closer to the Mexican delegation, Samuel gripped the American flag, now with thirty-two stars, in his right hand tightly. He had been in the past for nearly fifty years now, and yet, he was still shocked at all the changes he had managed to create. America was free, bigger than ever. Europe was... a mixed place, but fairly peaceful after the two violent Coalition Wars. Most of the Americas were free, though Spanish forces were still holding out in certain pockets across the two continents. Mexico was not entirely free, as Spanish soldiers still occupied the southern provinces, based around Vera Cruz. But they were almost free and a republic had been declared, which was enough for Crockett to make his move. Once he reached the meeting site, Samuel firmly placed the American flag on the American side of the border, and a Mexican officer responded similarly on the Mexican side of the border. Men on both sides saluted their counterparts (though, Samuel felt a little out of place in his civilian wear) and watched as the representative of each nation walked to the small tent that was designated as the meeting place. In the background, the tunes of the American National Anthem was played by a small band as the two entered. "Senor Kim," General Guadalupe Victoria, who was now serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexican President Guererro''s Cabinet, stated. He was dressed in civilian wear as well, but even that had a distinct military tone to it, "It is a pleasure to finally meet you." "Likewise," Samuel replied with a firm handshake, "I hope that Mexico is doing well?'' Former General Victoria crossed his arms while maintaining eye contact with the American revolutionary, "As well as it can be. Your support was... very much appreciated by myself and Vincente. Without your help, I''m sure we would still be fighting Monterrey." "Don''t sell yourself short, Minister. It was you and your fellow revolutionaries that won Mexico''s independence." "To an extent," Victoria let out a small laugh, "But your weapons were certainly helpful in breaking the Spanish. Oh, only if you were there yourself. The Spanish forces in Mexico City were terrified when they discovered we had artillery at our disposal..." "Now I am remembering the events of the American Revolution in my head," Samuel mused. "I almost forget how long ago the American Revolution was, it seems like it was so recent. Yet, I was born ten years after your nation declared its independence." "To me, it seems like the Revolution was yesterday." The Minister of Foreign affairs clapped his hands, "You still look like you are barely fifty, yet you are older than my grandfather!" "Did he survive the war?" "Unfortunately no. However, let us not dwell on the past. For now, we must look to the future, for both of our nations." Samuel leaned forward, "Of course." "I have received word from your country''s president that we would have America''s full support. President Crockett was proposing that we establish a fair trade deal with one another to benefit our nations, along with allowing students in Mexico to travel to the United States to learn in American universities. That was already accepted by Vincente just a short while ago." "Yes, and we offered the same to Gran Colombia and Argentina as well, though not the Federal League." "Ah yes, the Federal League lap dogs that fought against Argentina. I hoped that the Argentinians would mop them up, but unfortunately, Britain''s puppet still stands. Ironic, they overthrew the Spanish to trade themselves to another master." "There is not much we can do there, but rest assured. The United States will protect its friends. In fact, there is a reason why President Crockett wanted me to meet you in a... dramatic fashion." "Is it a secret weapon?" "Not quite," Samuel answered with a chuckle, "In fact, it''s a proposal to create an organization. A joint effort, between Mexico, the United States, and other American nations. Something that would eclipse mere trade deals and treaties." Victoria waved his hand for the American to continue and he obliged, "The proposed organization would be called the "League of American Nations." It would consist of two parts. The first part would be an economic treaty between the members of the League, in that we would be able to trade with members of the League freely. Additionally, as the biggest and most "stable" nation in the Americas, the United States would help League members financially until they are able to stand on their own two feet." "I''m sure Vincente would stumble on his own feet to sign such an agreement, even without hearing the second part. After all, half of our country was ruined by the fighting. And Spanish soldiers fight on in Vera Cruz." "Which leads to the second part of the League''s policy: a defensive pact. An attack on one member of the League would be seen as an attack on all the members of the League. Thus, it would deter nations such as Spain and Britain from re-invading the free American nations outright, while at the same time, allowing military cooperation to foster between our countries." "Does that apply to the situation in the southern parts of Mexico that are being attacked right now?" The Mexican Minister pressed. "Not entirely, no. But rest assured, President Crockett is applying some very heavy pressure onto the Spanish government to withdraw their troops from Mexico. Provided that your government is willing to let them go free." "If it''s between revenge and independence, I will always take independence." "A sound choice. And that is the basis of the League." "Which nations have been interested in this, so far?" "Haitian President Joseph Bunel has outright stated he would join the League upon its formation. Gran Colombia, under Miranda, has expressed interest as well, along with the Argentinan leader Nicolas Pena has also responded positively. That makes it around four nations, including the United States, so far." "I am very much inclined to sign it. After all, despite America''s expansion into northern New Spain territories, your nation has consistently provided for our revolutionaries and protected us from the worst of Spain''s atrocities," Victoria cleared his throat, "But, as always, I will need to speak with Vincente and the rest of the Cabinet. This will probably need the approval of the Chamber of Deputies as well." "By all means. The exact wording of the treaty for this League needs to be ironed out. President Crockett will provide more details about a Convention for the League in the future." "Thank you, senor. Everything seems satisfactory then. Just out of curiosity, what are your thoughts on Yucatan and Central America also declaring their independence?" Samuel thought for a moment before replying, "It is my hope that Mexico allows them to walk free if they choose to do so. After all, I believe it would be a bit... hypocritical if Mexico attempted to exert its force on those two regions in a desire to put them under Mexican rule. After all, you and your revolutionaries fought a war against oppression and tyranny these past years." "Will they be offered a seat at the League?" "That is up for those states to decide. But do consider their positions and accept their independence, should they choose to go their own path. After all, I''m sure the Natives in Yucatan were not too pleased of President Guerrero''s massacre of the Comanche." With those parting words, Samuel left the tent and returned to the American side of the border. Now for the last leg of his trip, he was going to visit his home state. Or, his home state in the other history. California. Chapter 149: The League of American Nations The League of American Nations (Spanish: Liga de las Naciones Americanas, Portuguese: Liga das Na??es Americanas, French: Ligue des Nations Amricaines) or the LAN or LNA is an organization that was founded on June 1st of 1825. Encompassing nations in the Americas, the LAN was founded with the intent to create close economic and military ties between the newly installed republics in Central and South America, and the United States. Headquartered in Ciudad de Libertad in the Federal Republic of Central America, the LAN has evolved to become one of the most formidable power blocs on Earth, promoting democracy and economic development in its member states and abroad. The original charter for the League of American Nations was created in 1824 when President Joseph Crockett of the United States sought to create a united organization for the Western Hemisphere. After the fall of the Spanish Empire in the Americas and the rise of various countries in its place, regional rivalries started to hamper the development of many young American nations (the Argentina Civil War, the Ecuadorian Uprisings, the Chile-Bolivia Crisis). As such, President Crockett, despite his conservative beliefs, believed that an organization encompassing the entirety of the Americas was necessary to promote cooperation and friendship between the new nations. After a year of negotiations and discussion, the charter for the LAN was officially ratified by six nations in Columbia (all six are considered the founding members of the League): The charter for the League of American Nations consisted of two important parts that led to some of the founding nations to sign the document. The first part (from Article 1 to 3) consisted of an economic treaty that tied the nations together. Under the terms of the LAN charter, a common market was developed between the member states, creating the freedom of movement of factors of production (capital and labor) and enterprises, and promoting free trade areas with no tariffs.* Additionally, the LAN charter affirmed America''s commitment to the League and granted economic aid to its member states. These terms allowed companies and workers in the LAN to move between the member states freely and formed incentives for local investors to support companies and projects elsewhere. After the ratification of the treaty, the United States designated Sovtaj and New Orleans as the free trade areas, while other nations followed with one or two specific regions/cities as their free trade zones. This immediately led to American companies expanding their operations into the LAN members and developing the economies of said nations (mainly in Mexico and Central America). Haiti, which already had close economic ties with the United States and its close proximity to a hostile power (see The French Empire) saw little economic change after the ratification of the charter. However, the other members of the LAN benefited extensively from the economic pact signed between them and the United States. The Republic of Colombia, which relied heavily on its exports of cocoa for its economy, found eager buyers in the United States, which allowed them to recover economically after the destructive Venezuelan Revolution and the First and Second Invasions of New Granada. It also bought time for the nation to develop its agricultural and industrial sectors, with the help of American investors and experts. Similarly, Mexico managed to recover from the fallout of its own independence war (the Mexican Independence War) rapidly due to American investments and aid (though, at the cost of its own domestic industry for the first several decades after its independence). After railroads from the American East Coast started to move westward, Mexico saw the development of its own railroad industry due to American efforts. This, in turn, connected the two nations closer than ever... According to Article 3 of the League of American Nations Charter, the headquarters of the League was to be based in a city in the Federal Republic of Central America (due to its central location). After the ratification of the charter, the FRCA requested additional economic aid to build an entirely new city for its future capital and League headquarters. The official justification for the project was made on the grounds that the FRCA was still a period of uncertainty and a new city, based in a central location of the FRCA, was needed to prevent regionalism from breaking the nation apart. The United States agreed to aid the Federal Republic of Central America in its efforts to build said city and plans were drawn up by the former designers of Columbia (Andrew Ellicott and Tadeusz Kosciuszko). Within a year, they managed to survey the proposed area of the city and finish the layout of "Ciudad de Libertad." By 1828, construction for the new city began and it was completed fourteen years later (due to the Anglo-American War delaying the construction of the city). When it officially opened in 1842, Ciudad de Libertad served as the capital of the FRCA (the seat of the Federal Congress) and the headquarters of the League of American Nations. Unintentionally, the creation of the city saw the rise of American investments into the region, as American companies started to build railways in the nation to connect the headquarters of the League to the United States overland and develop the agricultural sector for coffee. Along with the FRCA (and many other member states) sending students to study in the United States and the importation of American experts to assist in the development of the economy, these factors played a crucial role in the stabilization and unity of the Federal Republic (which experienced political turbulence until the late 19th century)... Argentina was isolated and received much less economic support than the other American nations. However, they also saw significant investments into its economy (particularly in its arms industry due to the isolated nature of the nation and the hostile powers surrounding it) and Argentina managed to grow its domestic industry ahead of any other nation except the United States itself... The second part of the Charter (Article 4 to 5) consisted of a defensive and military pact between the member states. The presence of European nations (especially Britain) in the Americas was not unnoticed by the various American nations. Indeed, Great Britain played a large part in pitting the Federal League against Argentina in the Argentina Civil War, which caused the death of thousands and the secession of the Federal League from Buenos Aires. As such, the member states were keen on receiving protection from the United States. Unsurprisingly, Article 4 outlined a mutual defense clause for the member states, stating that an attack on one nation was an attack on all the nations of the League. Additionally, Article 5 stated that the League would adopt weapons with similar designs and schematic (as an effort to standardize weapons and usage across the League of American Nations), along with greater military cooperation (such as military exercises between the members) to create a unified "American" force to defend the Americas in case of a foreign invasion. This section of the Charter was controversial in the United States. However, due to great efforts made by President Crockett and the Frontier Party, it was accepted and placed in the final draft of the League''s Charter. This section of the Charter would receive widespread support in the United States following the League''s involvement in the Anglo-American War and its crucial part in the defense of the United States during the European Invasion of America... Today, the League of American Nations consists of every nation in the Americas and six observers (the Icelandic Republic, the Federal Republic of South Africa, the Second Republic of Spain, the Second French Republic, and the Kingdom of Portugal). Various American nations joined the League during the 19th and 20th centuries. The total GDP of the League today is estimated to be around $80 trillion (with the United States alone having a GDP of $48 trillion dollars). The combined forces of the League of American Nations have around 6,000,000 military personnel (with the LAN being the biggest contributor to the peacekeeping forces of the Organization of Independent States)... +++++ *AN: This is basically the same as the wording for the definition of a Common Market. Also, Ciudad de Liberatd is where Saba, Honduras is in OTL. Chapter 150: Revolution in Jamaica "The Rankin Rebellion (also known as Jamaican Rebellion) of Jamaica, 1825-1826" By Jared Lamb. Published in Kingston, Jamaica, the United States of America, 1999 "As the various American rebellions in the Spanish Empire were coming to an end, a new rebellion rose to prominence in the eyes of the United States and Europe. On September 2nd of 1825, after hearing that the British Parliament refused to abolish slavery across the British Empire (though Great Britain ended the slave trade in 1819), thousands of slaves revolted against the royal administration in Kingston. This coordinated rebellion was only made possible due to the existence of Fete in Cockpit County and the brief (but destructive) French occupation of Jamaica during the American Revolutionary War... The root causes of this rebellion stemmed from the French invasion and subsequent occupation of the island colony in March of 1777. The British Empire, reeling from its shocking defeat in the former Thirteen Colonies and the loss of Bermuda, failed to mount an effective naval campaign to protect Jamaica from a foreign invasion. With its fleet overstretched and its army in disarray, a joint French and Spanish invasion force was able to land and capture the eastern portions of the island after a month-long campaign. After Spanish Town fell, the occupiers decided not to pursue any further west due to the harsh terrain and the fear of overextending into an unknown wilderness. As such, their occupation was focused around Kingston and the surrounding parishes. During the occupation, the French (who took the brunt of the occupational duties) implemented harsh work quotas and crushed all rebellious sentiments on the eastern portions of the island as they believed that they would inherit Jamaica after a peace treaty with Great Britain. This caused significant unrest, but no armed rebellion as the local population was significantly outgunned by their overlords (along with the fact that the French Navy had control over the surrounding oceans). However, by 1778, the situation had changed significantly. The British, after their dealings with the Americans, managed to secure naval bases in Florida and Bermuda, ensuring a continuation of the war in the Caribbean. The Royal Navy, which was hampered due to supply concerns and overextension, was now back in the Caribbean Sea with full force. One by one, the British colonies Spain and France had seized throughout the war began to fall to Britain, which unleashed the full might of its military to resecure British interests in the Americas. Since Britain was no longer distracted by the rebellion in the North American colonies (by this point, the United States was already formed), it sought to reconquer its former colonies in an effort to salvage their reputation and profits. As such, even the combined might of France and Spain was unable to slow the numerous number of British ships that swarmed the Caribbean. By April, the British were on track to invade Jamaica and "liberate" it from the French, who were unable to resupply the garrison or maintain a constant naval presence around the island. It was exceedingly clear that France would not be able to hold Jamaica from a full-frontal British invasion, especially since support for the war was waning in Paris and Madrid. Unsurprisingly, the French evacuated the island, but not before causing mass devastation to ensure that the British was left empty-handed when they returned. Valuable goods were forcibly seized from the inhabitants of Jamaica. Spanish Town and Kingston were both looted, along with other smaller towns in the vicinity. Entire plantations were burned to the ground, while any resisting slaves, freedmen, and slaveowners were killed. Within weeks, the eastern portions of the island were wrecked and after carrying out its final acts of reprisal, the French abandoned Jamaica in short order. By the time Britain "recaptured" the island, much of the plantation economy, which had produced much sugar for Britain, was in ruins. During the small, two week window between the French evacuation and the British invasion, many slaves fled to the west to Cockpit County, which was untouched by the occupation and generally isolated from the rest of the island (due to the presence of Maroons that were recognized as autonomous by the previous British administration). Initially, the Maroon inhabitants of the county, the Accompong Town Maroons, resisted the runaways and violently confronted them. However, the fleeing slaves massively outnumbered the small population of the Maroons in the area and some were armed with weapons left over from the French invasion and evacuation. After a clash that lasted nearly two months, the runaway slaves prevailed and the remaining Maroons forced to comply with the new "administrators." By the time the British re-established some semblance of control over Jamaica, a new and independent group had emerged that threatened their rule: the Fete Maroons (though, unlike what the name suggests, very few Fete Maroons actually married with the indigenous people of Jamaica). The Fete Maroons, taking the place of the Accompong Maroons (who were relatively few in number), consisted of nearly five thousand former slaves that were unwilling to be re-enslaved by the British. They were based in Fete, near the former town of Trelawny (which was uprooted and destroyed in the Second Maroon War) and operated independently from the British government in Kingston. Due to geography and the group''s militant and isolated nature, the British were unable to deal with the group''s autonomous status, until it became far too late... After the war, the British government made extensive efforts to repair the damages caused by the French occupation. With the civil war in French Saint Domingue, the sugar prices in Europe rose and Britain recognized the potential to make a significant profit if Jamaica was rebuilt. As such, Jamaica saw the mass importation of slaves shortly after the end of the war between Britain and France/Spain. Along with the arrival of American Loyalists that fled the United States after the Revolutionary War, the population of the Caribbean colony quickly ballooned from 230,000 in 1780 to nearly 650,000 by 1820. During this time, the plantation system was expanded to increase the amount of sugar produced in Jamaica. It was also during this time that the abolition movement in the United States took the interest of freedmen and Maroons in Jamaica, especially the Fete Maroons. Nearly all the Fete Maroons were former slaves that personally experienced the horrors of slavery and the message of abolition and equality rang true for many of them. As a result, the Maroons within Cockpit County became increasingly aggressive in its raids near its borders, often targeting plantations and stores in order to free slaves and obtain valuable firearms and ammunition. The Jamaican governors, throughout the early 19th century, sent out military expeditions to crush the Fete Maroons and restore order in the northwestern counties of Jamaica. However, these expeditions were often repulsed with force by invigorated Maroons that sought to defend their independence and freedom at all costs. By 1825, no less than six military expeditions were carried out against the Fete Maroons, all of them ending in failures (the terrain near Fete was extremely mountainous and the Fete Maroons were surprisingly adept at building defenses). Even so, life continued on in much of Jamaica, with the plantation economy pumping out tons of sugar for export and the slaves of the island being oppressed by a small white minority (it was estimated that the slave to slave owner ratio was around 20:1). In 1819, a monumental event shook the very foundation of Jamaica and unintentionally began the colony''s road to revolution. The British Parliament passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, which promptly ended the Atlantic slave trade and gradually reduced the number of slaves that were shipped to the British Caribbean colonies. This Act was seen as an effort to slowly end slavery across the British Empire. However, this Act created a sense of urgency and optimism in Jamaica. Many freedmen, notably those that converted to Baptism, sought to bring abolition to the colony swiftly and loudly clamored for their cause. Meanwhile, Fete Maroons (who heard about the Act many months after it passed) believed that abolition would soon come to Jamaica and they would be able to somewhat "reintegrate" back into the British Empire. Despite popular misconceptions, the Fete Maroons were not disloyal to the Crown or hostile to the idea of living under British rule. Instead, they were opposed to re-enslavement and sought to maintain their freedoms. Many Fete Maroons even celebrated at the prospect of their "enslaved brethren" living as free people in the near future and the Fete Maroons themselves being admitted as "loyal subjects" of Great Britain. Unfortunately, Britain had no plans to immediately end slavery in its Empire. The sugar coming out of Jamaica was still profitable, despite competition from the French Empire that occupied much of Hispaniola. Additionally, the slaveowners in Jamaica heavily lobbied against an immediate abolition of slavery, fearing for their livelihood and profits. More importantly, Parliament itself was not set on abolition, as the annexation of French and Dutch Caribbean colonies in the early 19th century meant that they were profiting from slavery more than ever before. In fact, there is evidence to strongly suggest that British slave traders evaded the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act by purchasing slaves from Spanish and Portuguese traders. Years passed with no reforms or changes, which led to significant unrest within the slave and freedmen population of Jamaica. The Fete Maroons, discontent with the lack of progress, continued their raids around their territory and riled up slaves to revolt against their overlords. The island was on the verge of an uprising in 1824 when word arrived in Kingston that the British Parliament was debating on the issue of abolition within specific parts of the Empire, which included Jamaica. This temporarily uplifted the mood of many abolitionists and the island colony quietly waited for the final verdict from London. Their wait took almost a year, and when the news came, it set the colony ablaze. Parliament unilaterally rejected the proposed Abolition Act and refused to negotiate on the issue further, claiming that it was an issue that needed to be resolved "at a later time." When Jamaican freedmen and slaves caught wind of this, they rose in protest. While the Fete Maroons encouraged slaves to violently revolt, many of the protesters were influenced by Jamaican Baptists to peacefully fight for their rights instead of a violent insurrection (which would inevitably end in bloodshed and a strong military backlash). As the Fete Maroons terrorized the countryside, thousands of slaves walked off their plantations and refused to work. They walked through the streets of Kingston and Spanish Town with freedmen, demanding abolition and half-pay for their labor. Led by charismatic Baptist preacher Tyrus Rankin, a free black man, the protesters dissented peacefully. The protests lasted all about five days before it turned into a violent affair. Governor John Moore was appointed as the new Royal Governor of Jamaica in January of 1825. A disciplined military man, Governor Moore saw the protesters as a threat to Jamaica''s white population and economy. At first, he threatened the protesters to return to their fields and continue their works, but after his demands were rebuffed several times by Rankin and several other leaders, he gathered up his forces (consisting of British regulars and colonial militiamen) and marched into Spanish Town, where the majority of the protesters were. On August 15th of 1825, the governor personally led one thousand men to face off against the protesters. After the crowd refused to disperse, he ordered his troops to open fire. He believed that this act would frighten the protesters, which primarily consisted of slaves, into submission and break their will. He was wrong. Sources vary on the number of protesters that were killed in the immediate aftermath. The lowest estimates are around twenty, while the higher estimates claim a hundred. However, what was clear was that the protests were no longer peaceful. Instead of backing down, the group of unarmed men fought back with their bare hands. For the next several hours, the crowd of slaves and freedmen engaged in a free-for-all brawl against the assembled British forces. Several of them managed to steal firearms from corpses of dead soldiers and fired back at the British. As the crowd grew bigger and rowdier, Governor Moore was forced to withdraw back to Kingston. By the end of the day, nearly three hundred slaves and freedmen were dead, along with fifty British militiamen and regulars. The impact of the "Spanish Town Massacre" was instantaneous. Slaves rose in armed revolt against the British, supported by the Fete Maroons (whose opinion of the British turned for the worse after hearing about the Massacre). Despite some claims by British sources that the United States officially supported the rebels with funding and arms, no official records reveal any support for these claims. The Fete Maroons did receive some minor aid from Caribbean Americans sympathetic to their cause. However, their support was minimal due to the British presence in and around the island colony. In fact, this was one of the few "independent rebellions" in the Americas that was not directly supported by the United States. The American government, reluctant to anger Great Britain by aiding the rebels, left the rebels to fend for themselves. This did not deter the above mentioned Caribbean Americans from supporting the Fete Maroons and the rebelling Jamaicans, but the American government itself had no position on the Rankin Rebellion. Even so, the small amount of aid that trickled in was enough for the rebels to bring war upon the colony. On September 2nd of 1825, a group of slaves armed with farm tools and stolen firearms fought and defeated a small group of local militiamen in Mandeville, officially igniting the Rankin Rebellion (as Rankin was seen as the leader of the rebels, along with a Fete Maroon named Luke Jaffray). Across the island, the flames of rebellion took root and devastated the colony that the British government spent decades repairing and expanding. The rebels, supported by their Fete Maroon allies, managed to occupy the western parts of the island within the first two months of the rebellion. The Fete Maroons played a crucial role in this rapid takeover, as they were already armed and prepared for a potential war (thanks to their years of isolation and aid from foreign citizens). While local militias attempted to resist, they were quickly overpowered by the hardy Maroons and reactionary slaves. As such, the western counties fell one by one after being overwhelmed by the combat abilities of the Maroons, along with the numerical superiority of the slave rebels. Meanwhile, Governor Moore, along with Maroons and freedmen loyal to the British, consolidated his control over the eastern parts of the island. During this time, dozens of whites were murdered by rebels, which only inflamed fears that the rebels were set on "exterminating the whites" on the island. As such, the fighting between the two groups was vicious and resulted in more destruction and deaths (for example, the town of Hayes was completely destroyed and its inhabitants were killed by both rebels and "loyalists" alike). By the time 1826 rolled around, the sugar production across the colony was at an all-time low and much of the infrastructure was ruined. While thousands of slaves were still enslaved and oppressed by slave owners, thousands more were freely rebelling against the colonial government. Not only that, but the rebels were becoming bolder and bolder, raiding plantations in the eastern parts of the island and sabotaging British efforts to continue the production of sugar. Governor Moore''s ruthless actions to crush the rebellion, such as the execution of captured rebel leaders and the destruction of villages aligned with rebels, only worsened the situation. As London tracked the status of the rebellion, it quickly realized that the situation on Jamaica was lost. Reinforcements to the island did little to crush the resistant rebels and the Rankin Rebellion was slowly becoming a drain on British finances. Even if Britain managed to negotiate with the rebels to end slavery in Jamaica, it would only encourage slaves in other colonies to rebel for their freedom (it is important to note that after the Rankin Rebellion, the British doubled their troop presence in their other Caribbean colonies and ruthlessly suppressed even the smallest uprisings). Additionally, much of Jamaica was already ruined and the British government recognized that even if the rebellion ended, the colony would never truly recover from the aftermath and would no longer be profitable. In the end, it was decided that keeping Jamaica and wasting more money and men into the quagmire was not worth the headache. On May 19th of 1826, Governor Moore received word to withdraw from the colony in "orderly fashion" and evacuate any Loyalists from the island. It was a stunning reaction to the Rankin Rebellion, but Britain had already set its sight to other overseas enterprises (such as India) and sought to resolve the conflict before Britain''s finances and manpower suffered. Additionally, Britain had watched the Spanish flail and waste resources for nearly decades in order to put down the rebelling slaves in Saint Domingue, which made the British government believe that a rapid withdrawal was the best course of action. Not only that, but Britain still held other colonies in the Caribbean. While they were not enough to completely make up for the drop in sugar production, they were still more profitable than a ruined Jamaica. These justifications led to Britain''s withdrawal and a stern warning to other European powers to keep away from the "cesspool of traitors and slaves." However, the withdrawal was anything but peaceful. Like the French several decades prior, the British burned down anything of use on the island to leave the colony "completely barren and useless" to the rebels. By the time Governor Moore and loyal Brits withdrew in August, Jamaica was in ruins once again. The rebels celebrated their victory, but also mourned for the destruction that fell upon their homeland. Nearly thirty thousand Jamaicans were dead and over forty thousand had fled the island. The economy was ruined, thousands were homeless and unemployed, and the rebels were unable to form their own form of government successfully. So they turned to the one nation that could support them and lift them back on their feet. In fact, most of the locals supported annexation into the said country in order to stabilize the situation and receive protection from hostile foreign powers. The United States of America. Unknown to the rebels, and to the United States, America''s annexation of Jamaica in 1827 (which officially established Jamaica as a protectorate for thirty years, followed by a referendum) would lead to a complete collapse of Anglo-American relations (as Britain would accuse America of purposely supporting the rebels on the island in order to expand their "empire"). This sudden turn of events would be the "final" step that set the two nations on the path of war. Of course, the spark that ignited the war itself was in Thurlow, Oregon Territory (now in the American state of Franklin), which was caused by a group of prospect American miners entering the British Oregon Territory to search for gold and unintentionally killing a dozen British settlers in an accidental firefight... Omake: The Culture of Singapore Singapore is perhaps the only society to be reasonable to call a matriarchy. 65% of land is owned by women and 75% of political leaders are women. Since the Singaporean Congress was formally created to govern the island in 1840 only 6 men have been President, four of which were in the last hundred years. This abnormal culture originated, as with most things Singaporean, in 1812, when a massive influx of mostly female* slaves from then to 1822 exploded the population from around 500 to above 10,000 and would have been more if more had chosen not to go to America. This means that around 6,000 to 7,000 of the islands inhabitants were women by 1822, and the massive disparity wouldnt be nearly balanced until 1880. These women were given stipends that allowed them to buy a plot of land for a house and many pooled together to buy land for farming communes, other started businesses,** and a few crews bought their own tradeships***. The island had a simple elected position to govern similar to a mayor, to which a woman named Yan Zhen had been elected. In 1832, with the outbreak of the Anglo-American War, came the British invasion of Singapore. Most of the inhabitants of the island, including the stationed Marine brigade, fled to Lanfang or Johor. However many, around 5000 people, stayed behind. A majority of which were women freed on the island that bought land and built their homes there. The British were not kind occupiers, not only did they look down upon orientals, they hated anything that had to do with America and its culture. When the commanding officer of the British forces, Major Sentinel Bigby, marched to the governing house for the city he demanded the woman standing at the front of it to go fetch the governor, assuming she was a servant. She, Yan Zhen, responded that she was the one in charge of the island and would be negotiating for it. Bigby, incredulous, laughed, and tried to send her off to find the real leader of the island. Becoming angry at her subsequent insistence she was the real leader he ordered her arrest. When it became apparent later that she was indeed the elected leader, he dismissed her of her position and placed himself as the military governor during the occupation. He was in command of the island for another 4 years. He was a notorious racist and misogynist, and his lack of care for the island''s inhabitants was the defining factor of the brutality of the occupation. Bigby never punished any mistreatment of the people there, which only encouraged the sadistic portions of his army to go about their barbarity. Yan Zhen reportedly died after two months of being beaten and raped by her guards. 168 other women were known to have died similar deaths, not counting the 30 women that were executed for dissidence, with countless others raped and left alive. The Rape of Singapore, along with many other atrocities during the Anglo-American War, by the British forces was not recognized by Britain until the early 20th century, with the event notably being one of the last, and left a stain on the psyche of all those involved. By the end of the occupation, the women who had experienced the rampant misogyny and gross mistreatment by the men of Britain became in return misandrist. This misandry, though not becoming law for the most part and fading within a couple of generations, set a suspicion in the islands culture of men in power, as well as fueling an extremely radical, for the time, feminist movement. The combination of a woman majority population and landownership practically ensured that the feminist movement was engrained in the spirit and law of Singapore. Singapore became very feminist in its culture, the children that were raised there having it ingrained into them that women were on the same standing as men in all ways. Those who owned the land of the household were seen as the head of the household, and eventually, that turned into the woman being the default head. The congress placed massive tariffs on British goods coming through the port. The constitution enshrined freedom from religion in response to the Islamic powers with shariah law surrounding them, making the state officially atheist. Several misandrist laws were enacted from 1840 to 1870, though fortunately, most were repealed shortly after due to foreign pressure. The most consequential tradition that arose from this time was the precedent of the inheritance of land and business being given to the eldest daughter, instead of the eldest son. Barring a will, it is presumed that ownership will be given to women first, even today. With land being a rare commodity on the small island it became nearly synonymous with wealth. These wealthy women in turn supported women candidates for congress, who in turn enacted laws that supported wealthy people. The laws were in letter completely gender-neutral, but their enforcement heavily favored women due to most wealthy people being women. Singapore, however, was not at all a horrible place to live for a man, despite propaganda otherwise. Compulsory education was introduced in 1844, and you were free to venture to American universities no matter your gender. Many men, seeking to strike out and acquire land for themselves elsewhere, joined the US military, others sought gainful employment with the Indies Strait Trade Company. Singaporean men were well known for their exceeding politeness. Labor in Singapore was, and is, dominated by men. Often a man became wealthy purely through marriage, becoming an integral part of whatever business they wedded into, even if they didnt own it. The reactions from its neighbors were a mix of mostly negative. Its certain that if America had not been the protector of Singapore, and if it wasnt a major trade port, it would have perished. The Islamic sultanates surrounding the nation hated it for banning Islam, and many European traders disliked its tariffs and resented its strategic location. However the Qing saw it as a very strange extension of itself due to their appreciation of America, sympathy for British atrocities, and the fact that it was majority Chinese, so Singapore and its traders were granted favored status by the Qing until their collapse. Singapore became a huge center of culture, with such establishments as the Free Flower Theater, the Singapore Academy of the Arts and Philosophy, and the famous Yan Zhen Memorial Food Market. It quickly became a tourist attraction for all sorts, to see a mystical amazon republic, and later a holy site for feminist movements across the world. Overseas in Europe, Singapore was not noticed much by the public on the continent. France notably had excellent relations, as it was by far the most liberal in its views towards women, however, most other nations had a stance of mild distaste. The British, however, as with most things American, detested the nation. It was mocked by anti-suffrage activists as what happens when women arent kept in the home. The National Drama, the National Artform of Singapore, was denounced as gauche American smut, unfitting for the imagination, let alone the stage and a disgrace to the spirit of Shakespeare. The tariffs set on British goods were a large annoyance, and The Indies Strait Trade Company infuriated their endeavors in the region. The distaste between the two nations has lasted to the modern day... *Estimates range from 60-70% of the slaves freed were female **The main reason women had to pool together to start businesses was that the labor and resources to build and maintain such buildings were very expensive. Most women built their own houses out of local materials by themselves. ***One such crew resulted in the formation of The Indies Strait Trade Company. Chapter 151: The First African American President Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America December 28th, 1828 "So this is the bunker," President-elect Eliyah Peters of the Republican Party mused as he walked down several flights of steps and stopped in front a pair of sturdy, oak doors, "And inside is?" "The Oracle," President Crockett replied. Nearby, Secretary of Defense Meriwether Lewis, who was recently appointed by the president to replace the previous secretary, held up a candle-lit lantern to provide a light source for the two men. The president pulled out a key from his pocket and unlocked the doors of the "Bunker." As they entered, Secretary Lewis fiddled with a few objects in the corners of the room and within minutes, the room was lit up by several bright arc lamps powered by charcoal sticks and large cell-batteries. Peters cocked his eyebrows as he looked at the lamps, "Were those developed by ARPA?" "They developed the arc lamps towards the beginning of the nineteenth century. Though, it was only recently that they managed to allow these arc lamps to last a while. They last a few hours and need to be replaced constantly," Crockett shrugged, "But it lets us sit in this dark, stuffy room without a lantern warming up our faces. They''re not for commercial use, at least, not yet." The room was quite plain, contrary to Peters'' expectations. There was a very long meeting table, accompanied by nearly three dozen chairs. The walls were lined with bookshelves after bookshelves, crammed with various books and texts. A thin chest rested on one of the bookshelves and President Crockett managed to bring it down after nimbly climbing onto one of the chairs. He used another key to open the chest and when he did, Peters was greeted with the piece of evidence that proved that Crockett wasn''t a madman. The object was thin, barely thicker than a two hundred-page novel. It was about a third of a meter in length and a strange logo with a bitten apple was displayed on the smooth metal surface of the Oracle. Crockett lifted the top half of the contraption and a screen, along with a set of keyboards, was revealed to the people in the room. He pressed a button and the screen lit up. Peters jumped back, "What in the mother of Jesus?" "There isn''t Jesus here, only the wonders of the future." The sitting president replied. "Relax, sir," Secretary Lewis said with a knowing smile, "It won''t bite. I reacted the same way you did when I first saw it, but it''s a non-living machine like a steam engine. Just... much more advanced." After loudly clearing his throat, the first African American president shifted the collar of his shirt and took a deep breath, "Right. That was silly of me. And forget about my outburst there, gentlemen. Usually, I do not say such vulgar language." "Of course," Crockett tapped a few buttons on the keyboard after the screen displayed "Samuel Kim, password." He awkwardly pressed enter and the Oracle now displayed a picture of the American flag with several emblems on the bottom parts of the screen, "Now, in the future, this is called a "laptop." Apparently, it is a powerful machine capable of doing anything within the reaches of your imagination. Or so I was told." "Fly to the moon?" The Georgian asked. "Funny that you mention it. America did land on the moon, using the power of computers, which is a more general way of calling these machines. I believe it was in the mid-twentieth century." "America landed on the moon?" "We''ll probably land there a bit earlier this time around," Crockett replied nonchalantly, "A shame, I did want to see those metal rockets before I died." The recently elected president shook his head in disbelief, "I will need to verify that later." "And that''s one of the easier things to comprehend. Some of the information you will learn will haunt you. It is called the Oracle for a reason; you can see into the future and make your decisions accordingly, using examples from the future to avoid catastrophic mistakes. However, that information will remain a scepter above your head, a constant reminder that one mistake you make can affect the destiny of mankind as a whole. Being the President of the United States is not an easy job, especially since you know that your actions may cause significant changes to the future. Not just good changes, but terrible changes as well. There have been far too many times where I have stayed up late at night, pondering if the things I have achieved will leave a positive influence on our world. Will one of my decisions kill millions in the future? Will it lead to mass murders, to famine, to wars?" The man shook his head, "It is a burden that we have to take unwillingly, but it is our burden." At that moment, Peters saw the sixth president age several decades right before his eyes. Then everything clicked into place. Why he was so insistent on creating a foreign organization for American nations, despite his focus on domestic issues and his conservatism. Why the president prepared so much to protect the Native Americans in California and Sierra before allowing a federal inspector group to "discover" gold and silver out in the west. Even as he clamored for a faster settlement of the west. Why his hair was completely gray despite being merely forty-two years old. The American presidency, prestigious as it was, was taxing. Every single president before him read the content within the Oracle and realized just how much power they held in their hands. As Crockett mentioned to him in an earlier meeting, "A butterfly''s wing flap in China can cause hurricanes in England." Would he be up for the task? The Seventh President of the United States, Eliyah Peters, the son of two former slaves, gripped his hand tightly. There were no records of him in the other history, something that Crockett mentioned to him the first time he was told about "the Secret." That meant his parents were most likely slaves in the other world and continued to remain as slaves throughout their entire lives. He would''ve been born into slavery, not into a moderately affluent farming family. He never would''ve attended a federal university, because they didn''t exist in the other world. He would''ve been stuck as a "Negro," nothing more and nothing less. The changes the previous presidents have brought upon the world were positive and allowed a man like him to rise to the nation''s highest office. He was elected with the confidence and blessings of the people, despite his skin color, despite his background. Would he be able to do the same? "I am willing," Peters slowly responded, "To take the burden." President Crockett looked at him for a few moments and patted his shoulders, "You''ll become one of the greatest presidents this nation will ever see, just you wait." Chapter 152: Eliyah Peters, Seventh President of the United States of America Personal Details: Born: July 19th, 1790 (Bulloch County [renamed to Eliyah County], Georgia) Died: January 2nd, 1838 (aged 48) (Savannah, Georgia) Cause of Death: Suicide (by firearm) Resting Place: Eliyah County, Georgia Education: The Federal University of the South (graduated in 1810) Political Party: Republican Height: 184 centimeters Spouse: Ezra Battle Children: Abraham Peters, Natasha Peters, Eliyah Peters II +++++? The Tragedy of President Eliyah Peters: An Analysis of the Seventh President of the United States By Barbara Lee. Published in 2011 (Eliyah, Georgia) "... When Eliyah Peters, former governor and senator of Georgia, was elected as the Seventh President of the United States, there was an unbridled sense of optimism throughout the United States. Peters, the son of two former slaves, was seen as the shining example of America''s progress as a nation built on equality and merit. Elected overwhelmingly by a wave of hopeful voters, the first African American president began his term in office with near-universal support from the population. Even the most conservative voters in the rural parts of Quebec were curious to see what the man had in store for the nation. President Peters was a likable president and his moderate policies, carefully balancing progressivism with conservatism, was met with great approval from across the political aisle. Unfortunately, his true test (and his greatest tragedy) began during the very beginning of his second term in office. That test was the Anglo-American War, and it shattered the carefree and "can-do" attitude the United States displayed during the first four decades of its existence. Especially as the young republic fought for its life against an unimaginable invasion of the American mainland, while President Peters held the nation together through sheer force of will... Historians agree that the 1828 Presidential Elections was a strange one, in that it was the first time in American history that none of the four major political parties formed a coalition with one another. The Democratic Party, feeling that the Frontier Party was moving away from its interests by creating the League of American Nations, broke ranks with its former ally. The Frontier Party attempted to negotiate with the Union Party but was firmly rebuffed due to their unpredictable attitudes. As such, there were four candidates in the running for the presidency in 1828: Eliyah Peters of the Republican Party (after Henry Clay declined to run), John Quincy Adams of the Union Party, John Jacob Astor of the Frontier Party (a veteran senator from the state of Ohio), and John Williams Walker of the Democratic Party (the first governor of Alabama and a House of Representative member). The Liberal Party, the fifth "major" party in the United States (with nine seats in the House and two in the Senate) sided with the Union Party. However, all four of these parties held different policies and agendas, which made the 1828 presidential race a close one until the final few months... Peters was the first African American presidential candidate for a major political party in the United States. His ability to bridge the gap between the parties as a rookie senator allowed him to build up a reputation as a reliable, and negotiable, leader. However, he remained steadfast in his core beliefs (a check on the growing powers and numbers of the federal government, a civil service agency to aid capable Americans receive proper careers and positions, a partial-governmental control of the growing railroad industries, helping the reconstruction of Jamaica and allowing any refugees from the island to live in the American mainland). It was due to his background, nature, and, ironically, his skin color (as an African American running for office, which led to him having thousands of enthusiastic supporters) that allowed him to gain a large following early on... Adams maintained the policies he proclaimed during his 1820 presidential run, with a few modifications. Influenced by the Liberal Party (which, in turn, was heavily influenced by John Quincy''s mother, Abigail), he confirmed his commitment to equal rights for men and women and pushed for rapid reconciliation with Britain to prevent a potential war. Learning from his mistakes during his previous campaign, Adams spent countless amount of hours speaking with voters and moving from town to town in both the east and the west. While this buoyed his public image significantly, it took a severe toll on his physical health... Meanwhile, the candidates of the two other political parties found themselves fractured and fighting each other for votes. Despite their alliance under the Crockett Presidency (which saw a shift in Congress, as the Unionists and the Republicans were forced to work more closely with each other), the two parties splintered over the issues of foreign affairs and its policies of western settlement. The former was due to the League of American Nations (which the Democrats were heavily opposed to, as they believed it took too much effort and money away from domestic programs to be used abroad) and the collapse of Anglo-American relations. The latter was due to the discovery of gold and silver in California and Sierra in 1827. President Crockett was insistent on making sure that the Native American tribes received an array of benefits and restricted settlers to certain designated lands within the two territories (through Consent Executive Order #77, the Pacific Indians Protection Act). While the Frontier Party was mixed on Crockett''s policies, his explanation for his actions allowed him to establish his own policies as the party''s policies. He firmly believed that the Leauge of American Nations was necessary for the security and "soft expansion" of the United States across the Americas, especially with Britain looming in the background. Additionally, the League opened up a path for many more immigrants (especially from Latin America) to move into the United States to seek for better opportunities, thereby providing increasing settlement of the western territories (indeed, Sonora, Pecos, and Taho would benefit from immigrants coming from Mexico, Central America, and Colombia). As for the protection of Native Americans, it was explained as an effort to integrate Native Americans into the United States, while allowing them to have the finances to develop their own lands, thus giving the western territories an easier time of becoming developed as the east. All the while avoiding a potential war between settlers and local Native Americans over precious metals... The Democratic Party believed that Crockett''s policies were unnecessary interferences by the federal government and saw the "over-protection" of Native Americans in California and Sierra as an unwarranted act. Instead, they believed that the tribes on the Pacific Coast should''ve received the same deal as the other tribes out in the west. This was especially since the Democrats were conservative and desired less government interference in the "natural flow of things." While they were in favor of the protection of Native Americans (as it was political suicide not to support it), the Democratic Party was not in favor of excessive federal meddling and excuses to expand the federal government further. Nor were they interested in having America tangle itself into a foreign organization, which assured the other members that America would carry much of the economic and military burdens for the first several decades of the organization''s existence. Therefore, instead of focusing on winning the election itself, the two parties quarreled and sought to snipe each other''s voter base. This worked in Adams'' and Peters'' favor, as they were able to concentrate on each other while the Democrats and the Front quarreled... Even so, it seemed very likely that the election would be decided by the House of Representatives due to a lack of alliances and coalitions up until the final two months before the election. However, disaster struck on September 19th of 1828, when John Quincy Adams unexpectedly passed away after contracting pneumonia during his campaign trail. The sudden death of a presidential candidate rocked the nation and it shocked every single political party. The other three candidates publicly offered sympathies for the Adams family and put aside their political squabbling for some time after his death. However, the unexpected death of John Quincy Adams caused the Union Party to scramble as they attempted to find a suitable replacement for him. The party settled on Nathaniel Bonapart, a retired, but popular, Congressman who was once a part of the Union Party. By that point, it was far too late and the party''s unity fractured as some of the more moderate members of the Union Party drifted to Peters (as Nathaniel was considered far too liberal for them). Especially after Peters promised to work a few of Adams'' policies into his own presidential policies as a way to honor the hardworking Unionist candidate''s legacy... After that, it was clear that with the Union Party reeling from its sudden crisis and the two other political parties in disarray, the Republican Party was going to seize the White House once again. After the votes were counted, Eliyah Peters had won 175 of the Electoral Votes out of 312 possible (Louisiana and Mississippi both achieved statehood in 1826 and had four Electoral Votes each, while Quebec was split into two states [Quebec and Montreal], which created two additional Electoral Votes due to Montreal''s Senators). Bonapart, who barely had any time to deliver a speech to the public, receive a disappointing 62 Electoral Votes while the remaining Electoral Votes were split between the Democrats and the Front. While there was a chance for Peters to win the presidency even without Adams'' untimely death, it was clear that he managed a solid victory because of it. Despite the circumstances surrounding his entrance into the White House, Peters promised an era of unity (as the political parties were starting to show disunity) and "Good Feelings." He delivered a calm, but powerful speech to proclaim that he would work with all the parties to achieve an "America that is suitable for all" and to work tirelessly to prove his worth. Despite some misconceptions, Peters was not unpopular. He was a powerful orator, an excellent spokesman, and a caring individual. If anything, he was just as popular as Quincy Adams and attracted crowds due to his speeches (though, he managed to secure the votes of many African Americans and Caribbean Americans as he served an inspiration to them all). Yet, he believed he only managed to win the presidency by a stroke of misfortune and luck and sought to become a respected leader based on his own merits and policies. His first term proved his worth. But his second term defined it. Unfortunately, his second term took a toll on him as the public''s opinion made him increasingly pressed and guilty, which ultimately led to his suicide as he believed he had failed in his duty as the president..." Omake: Interwar France and the Second French Revolution AN: Let''s give a round of applause for sparkptz for giving a lot of flavor and details into the European parts of this timeline. Also, Spark mentioned he only has a few updates left for France after this post. So if someone wants to also write prompts for Europe, Asia, etc... Be my guest One final message: two or so more posts until the Anglo-American War erupts... Grab your popcorn and prepare as you read this excellent update. +++++ The State of France Brissots brilliant compromise C and in recent years, his reputation has been much revived as history has gained a greater appreciation of the urgency of peace in 1795 C proved immediately and deeply controversial. Whilst the Orlanists, by then the de facto opposition party in the Assembly, rejoiced the coming of peace, even they did not much celebrate the return of Louis to Versailles. A Revolutionary Guard battalion, led by the Orlanist major Henri de la Rochejaquelin, had to escort the royal entourage all the way from Toulon to Versailles, lest the King was attacked by angry mobs looking to avenge Marseille. These men, however, were following orders from Lafayette C now returned to his 1789 position of Prime Minister C and paid no attention to those of the King. Thus began ten years of King Louis XVI of France, already embittered and resentful following his exile in Corsica, effectively becoming a prisoner in his own palace. The population of France at large was no less pleased about Louiss return to Versailles. However, they were pleased with the end of the war, which they all agreed that they had won, and by and large, they grudgingly accepted that Louis could wear his crown, don his robes and go hunting on his much-reduced royal estates so long as he did not have a hand in government, and so long as peace and prosperity returned to France. Out of sight, out of mind was the general attitude, so long as Louis had no role in the administration of the country. That live and let live attitude, however, would struggle to survive to the turn of the century as the flaws in Brissots compromise became more and more obvious. As peace returned to Europe, the revolutionaries were able to finally take stock and look back on their work. First French Revolution had utterly changed one of the oldest and most complicated states in continental Europe. In less than seven years, France had gone from a mismatched patchwork quilt of old feudal domains with inconsistent, vague and illogical taxation, legal and privilege systems to a modern nation united under a single banner. And now, after the war, this new modern nation flourished. Merchants, traders, and industrialists found a France ready and eager for investment of any kind, and American, British and Dutch capital flooded into the country. This investment was particularly concentrated in Paris, large parts of which were still burned-out husks after Bloody Saturday, and the devastated south. By 1799, much of Paris had been rebuilt, with wide, smooth streets, a modernized aqueduct and sewer system that would greatly reduce the spectre of disease in the capital, and gaslighting on every street corner and boulevard. At Lafayettes insistence, the first areas of the city to be rebuilt and have their sanitation brought up to modern standards were the poor sans-culotte districts of eastern Paris. The City of Lights had reclaimed its mantle in full. Indeed, all of France flourished in the years following the end of the war. The Girondins were, to a man, economic and political liberals, and the suite of reforms passed during the Second Assembly bore fruit after the wars conclusion. The old protectionist guild systems were swept aside, eliminating the major barriers to entry for would-be entrepreneurs. The inefficient and manifestly unfair taxation system that asked too much of the common people and next to nothing of the nobility was brought out of its feudal decay, and any number of arcane rules and restrictions on who could do what and where was struck from the books. At the same time, the laughably ineffective tax farming system was abolished and replaced with a modern, centralized revenue collection service based on the American IRS, which together with the tax reforms meant that the common French peasant paid far less in tax but the French state made far more in tax revenue, thus solving the financial problems that had driven France into revolution in the first place. The much-despised and much-criticized French legal system too underwent vast reform; no longer was France separated into a variety of illogical and mutually disjoint systems of generalits, parlements, and dioceses. A project spearheaded by the Assembly deputies Nicolas Bergasse and Dr. Joseph Guillotin had drawn up a wholly new and infinitely more sensible administrative legal system for France, based on the equality of justice, the right to a fair trial, and judicial independence from the state based on the common law system (which had previously only applied in the north). The French departmental system had also been created to help facilitate this transformation; no longer were people obliged to go to law over two to three years at great costs to find out which judge they would have the misfortune to appear before, as one member of the Paris parlement had complained in the 1760s. Neither was the result you could expect in a French court dependent primarily on your social standing and your financial means; evidence now governed the judiciary in France. The result was that France, like a spring long-constrained by a decaying political structure and the pressures of war, rebounded beyond all expectations in 1797. Enterprise and entrepreneurship flourished as the old privileges, guild systems, and barriers were dissolved and foreign trade surged. Many rich merchants and traders in France had despaired the near-total loss of Frances colonial Empire to the Spanish (and to some extent the British) under the Treaty of Andorra, but they soon found America and Britain far better places to do business. Like in America, post-war France was a hub of free thought, experimentation, and innovation, and economic growth between 1796 and 1801 rose to stratospheric heights by European standards. It was this environment that a satisfied Marquis de Lafayette was able to retire from active politics at last when his third and final term expired in 1799 amidst a full-blown economic boom. The Father of the Republic, as he was known even before he stepped down, had wanted a stable, liberal, and democratic constitutional monarchy (despite his professed republicanism) from the outset; he had finally achieved his goal albeit by circuitous means. Although still a relatively young man C he had barely turned 42 when his third term expired C the stresses and rigors of leading France through the heady days of the Revolution and the war had drained the energy out of Lafayette, and for the next five years he would be little involved in the day-to-day politics of France. Instead, he often chose to visit his old comrades in America from time to time, rather than stay in France where he felt he would overshadow those who came after him. Nonetheless, Lafayette would go down in history as the father of the French Republic and the hero of two worlds. Though the Girondins would have the first and most persistent claim on Lafayettes legacy, like those on the left-wing of French politics reorganized in the first year would point out C and with good reason C that the most popular and celebrated parts of Lafayettes political legacy were those that they had pushed for: universal suffrage and the abolition of the active/passive citizen distinction, gender equality in the national guard, the abolition of slavery, all those ideas had come from the radical wing of the early Revolution, not the moderate and center-right Girondins. Regardless, all agreed that his mixture of idealism, level-headedness, foresight, and wisdom would be the model for all future French leaders to aspire towards, regardless of political faction or ideology. Moreover, his commitment to French democracy was no self-serving fa?ade; there were many occasions, particularly in 1791 and 1792, when he could have transformed himself into a military dictator, and few other than Robespierre would have complained. When he did return to French public life during the Second Coalition War, it would indeed be in his beloved National Guard as an officer, not in politics. While he would have a significant effect on French politics when he did choose to intervene, such interventions were rare and indirect, usually in the form of advisory letters to his successors. He was keen to create an example, following that of his American friends and heroes Washington and Kim, to those that followed him that when ones time was up in politics, ones time was up. His successor, unsurprisingly, was the author of the compromise of 1796, Jean-Jacques Brissot. Still, in the height of the post-war boom and at the top of the political party that had dominated France virtually uncontested since 1792, Brissot was at the very height of his popularity in 1799. The Presidential election of 1799 still stands today as the most one-sided in French history, as Girondins or Girondin-aligned groupings took over 80% of the vote, with only a handful of Catholic Orlanists and Parisian or Marseillean radicals not aligned in some way with the Society of 1789. As he took office as President, he was content to continue the Girondin focus on rebuilding damaged infrastructure, building forts on the French borders and coastlines, infusing the military with the latest and greatest innovations from both France and America, and encouraging foreign investment in France with free trade policies. France was rich, France was powerful, and times were good. The death of the Jacobins However, the economic boom and good times could not fully paper over the cracks that were apparent from the beginning. With Louis return had also come all the migr nobles who had converged on Marseille in 1789 and 1790 and then fled to Corsica in 1794, and they were none too pleased to find all their estates confiscated and distributed out to the commoners. The Marquis of the Jacobins was a common epithet attached to Lafayette in conservative circles in the late 1790s, and many of these nobles were forced to buy back their old estates outright, which in turn angered many of the peasants who had been promised their share of the land, although the accountants in the State Treasury were mighty pleased with such an outcome. Moreover, the question of the status of women, which had been one of the advances confirmed by the Treaty of London, rose back to prominence as peace came. The population of France had, by and large, accepted the revolutionary feminist reforms during the war, aimed as they were at encouraging women to join the National Guard. Tens of thousands had done so, serving alongside their male colleagues with great bravery and distinction, and now they returned home to find that, below the grand political gestures, little had changed for them back home. They could vote, yes, but socially their status had barely advanced as distinctly second-class citizens. For these women, many of whom continued to wear their full National Guard uniforms even after their units were officially disbanded, this was a slight that they would not and could not accept and, by and large, they were supported by their former male comrades, who needed no lessons on the worthiness and bravery of the French woman as a citizen and defender of the Republic. As we will soon discuss, they quickly formed a nucleus of opposition to the compromise of 1796. The largest sore, however, was unquestionably the presence of Louis in Versailles. Louis had returned to his Kingdom C or State, as it was now known C a bitter and depressed man. Cut off from any independent and tangible source of actual events, he had taken the reports of anti-Royalist atrocities being carried out by the Republican hordes C not all of which were fabricated or exaggerated C with grim despair, firm in his belief that chaos was the true ruler of his Kingdom. As much as anyone else, he resented the compromise that had been fostered upon him by the European powers C and Britain most of all C that revoked his divine right to rule in all substance and reduced him to a virtually powerless figurehead. His mood was not improved by his deeply uncomfortable return to Versailles, flanked all the way by National Guard units who flew the Corday tricolor as they escorted him back to the palace, and only Rochejaquelin''s battalion as a barrier between him and the baleful glares of the National Guards beyond. As soon as he returned to Versailles, therefore, he began looking for opportunities to undermine and eventually overthrow the system. Such was his low public stature and lack of political power, however, that it would take ten years for that opportunity to come. In the meantime, Louis C or, rather, the spectre of Louis and a return to the ancien rgime C provided a focal point around which anti-Girondist, anti-compromise agitation began. Not only did Louis provide a highly convenient scapegoat upon whom all problems in the republican monarchy could be blamed, but the presence of Louis himself was also seen as an affront to national honor; honor that had been won with the shedding of blood on the battlefield. This slight was only magnified by Louiss insistence on adopting a modified tricolor as the national flag: one with the fleur-de-lis superimposed on top. This was more than a little inflammatory, especially to the Montagnard remnants still present in French politics. Indeed, when the Jacobin ringleaders were returned to Paris for their trials and sentencing, several of the most die-hard and notorious Jacobins chose to make their last speeches a call for the deposition of the monarchy C and in some cases suggestions that Louis himself would be on the scaffold one day C to raucous cheers from the assembled crowd. Robespierre, curiously, was not amongst them; during his Austrian imprisonment, he had seemingly come to deeply regret his actions throughout late 1792 and was the only one of the Jacobins to plead guilty to all charges. Do not make my mistake, he implored the Parisians who had come to watch the death of the once-leader of the Montagnards and the dominant radical voice of the early Republic, of waging war against liberty in libertys name. Never mistake, as I did, moderation for treason.. From all reports, Lafayette attempted to gain clemency from his former political foe, but Brissot would not have a bar of it. Robespierre would be executed by louisette [2] on 28 September 1796 C four years after his failed insurrection was exposed. Maximilien Robespierre would end his life a tragic figure, filled with remorse. The Girondin caricature of the man as a blood-crazed tyrant stopped only by the patriotism and integrity of Lafayette has long since been discredited as unfair C not least because Danton, not Lafayette, was the one truly responsible for Robespierres downfall. The Girondin critique also focusses unduly on the final stages of Robespierres political career when his own personal hatred of Brissot got in the way of his usual good sense, and it misses that Robespierre was, in many ways, the driving intellectual force behind many of the democratic reforms in the first two years of the Revolution. It was Robespierre who convinced Lafayette to end the active-passive citizen distinction that barred democracy to the bulk of the citizenry, it was Robespierre who passionately spoke in 1789 when few others agreed that galit meant exactly that C for women, for slaves, for Jews and Protestants. Above all, it was Robespierre who, with great foresight and wisdom, warned France of the dangers of aggressive wars against Europe, even one in service of so noble a goal as democracy. The great irony of his life was that whilst Brissot and the Girondins had won their own personal battle over Robespierre, France by 1796 was a nation far more in line with Robespierres vision of the republic of virtue that he alone had believed in from the beginning. However, he would no longer be there to see the republic return and mature, ten years later. The Anti-Monarchy Clubs Nevertheless, Robespierre to the end was strident in his belief that Louis could not reign with any legitimacy in France, and it did not take long for many to agree with him. Almost at once, political clubs sprung up across the country calling for the monarchy to be abolished completely and for the Republic to be restored under the Constitution of 1793. These were, naturally, especially concentrated in Paris and Marseille, but there were hundreds of Anti-Monarchy clubs scattered across every city and town of note in the country. There was a surprising amount of political diversity in these clubs; some were Girondist liberals who thought the Constitution of 1793 was essentially perfect, some were radical neo-Montagnards who thought monarchy a repellent abomination on principle, others were gatherings of veterans, especially female veterans, who felt that France had been cheated of its well-earned victory by the Treaty on London and that the settlement embodied by the State of France was a large backward step (which, for the female veterans returning home to find their broader place in society little-changed, it most certainly was). These veterans would mostly coalesce under the banner of the revived Defenders of Equality, the secretive revolutionary feminist society begun by Mricourt, de Gouges, and Corday in 1791. It had mostly become dormant after achieving most of its original goals, but with the threat of losing their gains growing by the day (and her own political ambitions in mind), Corday decided to revive the society. This was no longer the secret group of pamphleteers it had been in 1791. Corday opened membership and affiliation with any group of National Guard veterans and supporters who professed belief in female equality as embodied by the Constitution of 1793. By 1798, the Defenders of Equality was the largest grouping of war veterans in the Republic, with over a hundred thousand members across France, and virtually all its female veterans. It was this network and the political organization C not to mention hard muscle C they provided that truly launched Corday into her now-famous political career despite being both still a full colonel in the National Guard and a new mother as of 1798. Such concerns could not stop the indomitable Angel of Equality, however, and she ran for election to the National Assembly in 1799 at the head of a grouping now calling itself the Left-Girondins. She was still part of the Society of 1789, but there was an increasingly clear divide within the Girondin camp between those who supported the compromise of 1796, like Brissot and Condorcet, and those opposed, like Corday. It was of course not at all clear that women could run for national office, but no one was about to say no to Charlotte Corday, and she was elected by a landslide in her Caen electorate. However, despite the deep military roots, the Defenders of Equality were not the largest and most powerful of the new Anti-Monarchy Clubs by the turn of the century. That instead was an entirely new group of political clubs that sprung up across France in 1797 that affiliated to each other under the name The Society of the Friends of the Republic, but they were more often known by the name of their newsletter: Les Nouveaux Cordeliers. Like the original Cordeliers Club, this organization was dominated by its two leaders, giants of the original Revolution: Georges Danton and Camille Desmoulins. Danton had been retired from politics since 1793, and the original Cordeliers Club had dissolved itself not long afterward. However, his outrage at Brissots compromise C his distaste for the man was second only to Robespierres C had driven him to return to Paris and his old apartment in the Cordeliers district. From there, it was surprisingly easy for him to reconnect with his former friends and networks within Paris, particularly within the Ministry of Information. Much of the anger directed his way after the failed 1792 coup had dissipated; the most diehard anti-Danton radicals had mostly been caught up in Bloody Saturday and been executed or exiled, and the chaos of those two weeks had made many realize that Danton had been right along. With even Robespierre admitting on the scaffold that Dantons moderation had been correct, most of the remaining left-wing and sans-culotte activists in Paris were happy to have a man of Dantons political stature C and networking ability C to lead them. And lead them he did. In 1798, Dantons New Cordeliers clubs started holding demonstrations against the monarchy and the compromise of 1796. By 1802, the New Cordeliers clubs numbered half a million adherents across France. Corday had the support of the veterans, but Danton had the people as a whole. The two of them, increasingly occupying shared political ground through common hatred for the compromise of the Treaty of London and of the monarchy, were well-placed to take advantage of any slip-ups the compromettants, as they called them, would make. Their wish was granted in 1801. as the French economy, allowed to run wild by the laissez-faire free trade principles of the Girondins, overheated and crashed in 1801. This led to a deep and painful recession by 1802, made worse by a poor harvest in 1803. Shockingly, the Girondins, who had ruled without seriously being contested since 1792, very nearly lost their majority in the Assembly in the elections of that 1802, gaining only 52% of the vote, whereas three years before the Gironde had won over 70%. 1802 also marked Danton returning to the Assembly for the first time since 1793. With the economic crisis, of course, came a sharp decline in tax revenue for the French government coupled with runaway inflation, raising the spectre of a renewed financial crisis C the very thing that had triggered the original Revolution in the first place. A suite of economic and financial reforms was rammed through by Brissot and the more economically-minded reformists in the Girondins in 1803 and these did stabilize the French economy to a large degree, mostly by getting inflation under control, and averted the risk of the French government once again going bankrupt. However, public credit for this achievement was minimal: the left and the general population of France was furious that several taxes had been raised to eliminate the government deficit, and the remaining nobles and conservative right were apoplectic that much of the inflation control measures had involved printing mass amounts of silver coins silver that had been obtained by melting down the large amounts of confiscated property of emigre nobles who had fled their estates during the war [3]. Amongst these increasingly disillusioned citizens of France was one citizen that Brissot could ill-afford to alienate: Corday. Always on the leftward edge of her party and self-admittedly much less interested in the ins and outs of economic policy than the great questions of political rights and natural justice, she found both the raising of taxes and the melting down of seized property objectionable. Not that she had any problem with confiscating noble property C in her eyes, emigres were traitors and were lucky not to face the louisette along with Robespierre and Marat C but she felt that it was improper for the government to simply melt it down to mint new silver, rather than selling it on the open market to raise money. Nor did she have particular problems with Brissots insistence on funneling what money the government did make on beefing up the military rather than on public works programs, as Danton wanted. Regardless, she despised the monarchy C ironically enough, given that she had been a constitutional monarchist herself in 1789 and like would have found the State of France an ideal endpoint for her own early liberal ideals C and wanted to see it and the compromise of 1796 gone. Her true animating issue, however, was the same one that had brought her into politics in the Paris salons in 1790 as a comely but anonymous young lady from Caen: the status of women in France, and above all the fifty thousand or so female veterans of the First Coalition War. Stories about how the women of the National Guard, who had fought and bled for France, returned home to cold shoulders, suspicion and outright ostracization in some cases, enraged her. These slights were particularly galling as, in the majority of cases, the perpetrators were in fact other women who felt the female veterans had gone "against their sex" by fighting in the war. It was a reminder that while the revolutionary feminist gains of the Revolution were superficially obvious and celebrated, underneath much less had truly changed about French society, especially rural French society. This, more than anything, was the sore point that pushed her away from her moderate Girondism and steadily to the left, no doubt finally succumbing somewhat to the influence of Saint-Just. For now, however, she stayed true to her roots in the Society of 1789 and decided to prop up the ailing Girondin government. Yet public discontent with the economic torpor and the strict and seemingly unfair measures the Girondins were using to deal with it grew throughout 1804, even as Dantonists organized mass demonstrations and riots that rocked an increasingly angry (and hungry) country. They wanted money for bread rather than new forts, ships and guns C although in truth they wanted those too, a strong army was universally popular C but Brissot would not, or more likely could not, listen. In truth, it would likely have made no difference; he could not well snap his fingers and fix the economic crisis, particularly since it is now generally agreed that excess inflation was the ultimate cause of the crisis, and thus could not be solved simply by printing more livres as his critics generally wanted. Nevertheless, it was no surprise that the Gironde lost any semblance of a majority in the 1805 elections, although his opponents were sufficiently divided that his 37% vote share C half of what it had been six years before C was still enough to see him elected President. By then, however, Corday had become just as disillusioned by Brissot and Condorcets insistence on a hands-off economic policy as everyone else. Since late 1801, she had started up a secret correspondence with Danton, at first little more than cordial discussions about the state of the country between two patriots, not least because Danton was one of the few prominent male politicians willing to publicly speak on behalf of female veterans. But by 1805, Cordays shift to the left had meant this correspondence had turned into active feelers being sent out by Danton, who was ever attuned to the possibility of wedging out a political opening when it appeared, for a possible political alliance with the explicit aim of ending the constitutional settlement and restoring the Constitution of 1793. While they still had their differences and would continue to do so, they now aligned on most key issues, and they were willing to set aside what they still disagreed with to achieve their true goal: a restoration of the Republic and, by extension, of French honor. However, this correspondence was entirely secret, even as the new Assembly took its seats and Brissot was sworn in for his third and final term as Prime Minister. It was not until November 1805 that Corday finally tipped her hand, when the Defenders of Equality walked out of the Society of 1789 and disaffiliated themselves, never to return. Brissot and Condorcet, used to somewhat dramatic flair from Corday C she had taken to wearing her National Guard uniform full-time in recent months, for example C saw it as a warning but little more than that and expected her to return in due course, but Madame Roland, who had never trusted Corday, warned that it was a sign of a deeper betrayal. It would take her less than a fortnight to be proved correct when the critical vote to confirm Brissots nominations to the royal ministry came up. Until then, it had always been understood that as the President C or Prime Minister C went, so did the ministry and that a vote for one was a vote for the other. With Brissot confirmed as Prime Minister as the winner of the most votes, few expected any problems with Brissots ministry. That was, however, until he nominated Jean-Marie Roland, husband of Madame Roland, as Minister of Finance. Not only was Mr. Roland the husband of the one figure that Corday felt epitomized all that was wrong with the Girondin core, but he had been the architect of many of the economic reforms that Corday had angered so many ordinary citizens. Superficially, therefore, there seemed plenty of reasons for her to oppose his nomination. In truth, Rolands nomination was little more than a pretextual trigger for Corday to carry out the plan that she and Danton had already prepared, and was just waiting for the right moment to strike. Thus, when the critical vote came to the floor, Corday and her assortment of a hundred or so left-Girondins stood from her previous seat next to the Girondins and crossed the chamber, joining Dantons Republicans on the left of the chamber. The chamber descended into an uproar, but soon the rest of Cordays left-Girondins had followed her and Dantons Republicans C soon to be an official party, formed out of a formal alliance between of the New Cordeliers and Defenders of Equality C were the largest grouping in the Assembly. Brissot and Madame Roland were furious, but there was little they could do C there was no law or constitutional rule that prevented Cordays action, and besides, between Corday and Danton, the vast bulk of the National Guard was on their side. There was brief talk of withdrawing the nomination to get Corday back onside, but it soon became clear that the split was permanent, and that Corday had formed a permanent alliance with Danton. Brissots majority in the Assembly was now gone and he had no Ministry, and under the structure of the constitution, that meant one thing: permanent deadlock in the Assembly. The April Revolution It was at this moment that Louis spied his opportunity. Stripped of all political power, he had stewed and vacillated in Versailles for almost a decade, urged by some advisors to take a harder stand against the leftover institutions of the Republic, urged by others to let politics be the business of the common people and enjoy the life of a King. Now, however, as 1805 ticked over to 1806 and the Assembly looked no closer to resolving its newfound constitutional crisis, those advisors telling him to try and reclaim his mantle as a true monarch implored him to take his chance now that the Assembly was falling into C in their eyes C inevitable division, chaos, and deadlock. Only the uniting force of a King, they argued, could give France the stability it needed and return the boom times to France. Thus, in April 1806, Louis made another fateful decision, but not one that would see his full kingly authority restored. Instead, it would start a chain of events that would lead to a second Revolution and his final flight from France, never to return. In fact, King Louis had been agonizing over what to do for months by that point. It had been obvious since November the previous year that France was in the grip of a constitutional crisis every bit as serious as the one in 1788 and 1789 that had preceded the first Revolution when the Paris parlement had refused to back the reform packages presented to them unless the Estates-General was called. To him, the fact that history seemed to be repeating in some degree was a deeply ominous omen, and as much a danger as an opportunity. On this, his instincts were to be proved correct, but his inner circle led by Queen Marie Antoinette, the Comte dArtois, the Comte de Conde and other key members of his court urged him to seize the opportunity to, if not overturn the republican Assembly entirely, then at least regain some semblance of political power. On the 5th of April, he finally gave in to the constant urgings of those around him and made his move. In the morning, decrees were printed, promulgated and circulated around Paris of the Kings shocking decision: Brissot had been dismissed as Prime Minister, on the basis that he clearly no longer had the will of the people behind him as he had no majority on the floor of the Assembly and no sign of obtaining one. That in itself was eyebrow-raising and likely would have provoked unrest, but Brissot was sufficiently unpopular by then that there was still a chance that the King could have been successful in his scheme, and Brissot would have gone quietly, had he not added a second, far more controversial clause to his decree. Claiming that if Brissot didnt have the will of the people, as the Constitution required the Prime Minister to have, then no one did, Louis declared that the decision to appoint Prime Ministers C and Ministers in general C thus defaulted back to the King, and he declared with this returned power that the Duc du Richelieu was the new Prime Minister, with other Ministers to follow in due course. Richelieu was a man of little public stature at that stage outside being a notable royalist and had no particularly standout qualities beyond one outstanding one: unswerving loyalty to the monarchy. A close confidant of the Queens, he had been a royal attendant from a young age and had been with Louis through thick and thin throughout the entire First Coalition War. It was, in short, a royal coup. In Paris, the news hit like a case shot exploding over the city. After several hours of bewilderment in which people at first struggled to believe that the King had gone so far, realisation began to dawn that, yes, Louis had undertaken a coup right underneath their noses. Spontaneously, the various Anti-Monarchy Clubs C spearheaded by the New Cordeliers C began to meet and the dormant National Guard units of the city reactivated themselves. Fear of a royalist army marching on the city and a repeat of the Battle of Paris was thick in the air that evening, and the people of the city organized and collected arms en masse in preparation to defend themselves. Paris was mobilizing for a second Revolution. An emergency meeting of the Assembly was called that same afternoon, but few paid heed to the stern speeches and defiant decrees passed on the flood of the chamber that day. Everyone to the right of the Girondins was laying very low, not wanting to get caught up in the increasingly febrile mood of the city, and everyone to their left was out on the streets of Paris and many no longer recognized his authority as Prime Minister. In truth, no one inside the chamber did so either, as after a few perfunctory denunciations and registrations of concern as to the Kings blatant power-grab, focus on the Assembly floor soon turned to the question of who was to replace Brissot as Prime Minister, with various Girondin candidates putting up their hand. However, out in the streets, these were not the questions that were animating the ever-growing crowds and mobilizing the Anti-Monarchy clubs to act as the tocsin bells rang throughout the city. It was time for action. The increasingly well-armed mob only grew in size throughout the evening, and by seven oclock, an enormous crowd had filled the Place du Hotel de Ville C the same site that had seen the heaviest fighting during the Battle of Paris seventeen years before C and overflowed onto the surrounding streets. Estimates vary wildly in size, but credible ones put it at well north of a hundred thousand people who had poured out onto the streets of Paris. Spontaneous rounds of La Marseillaise C no longer the national anthem C and cries of down with the Bourbons! dominated the air, but those later became mixed with down with the Gironde! and even death to the compromisers!. With the mood growing increasingly heated in the city and the National Guard quite clearly on the side of the mob, nerves inside the Tuileries grew about the intentions of the mob. Someone needed to take control. At eight oclock, someone did. There were two notable absentees from the debates in the chamber: Danton and Corday. Unbeknownst to almost all, they were in fact inside the Hotel de Ville, holding secret conversations with, of all people, the American Ambassador, who had indicated to them early in the afternoon that he wished to meet urgently with them. Like the famous secret meeting with Lafayette, this meeting has been the fodder for many conspiracy theories down the years about American involvement in French republican history, but in truth, this meeting was far less secret: Danton and Corday had resolved that Brissot needed to go and the monarchy had to fall, and they had agreed that in that event, Danton would take the Presidency and Corday would become Minister of Defence. All that changed on the 5th of April was that both now had assurances that the Americans would actively support the new Second Republic in any war declared on France, so long as France was not the aggressor. By eight, however, that meeting was finished, and an excited hush fell over the massive crowd as a door opened and out strode two giants of the First Republic: Georges Danton and Charlotte Corday. Both were dressed in full National Guard uniform, complete with decorations in Cordays case, and were wearing tricolour cockades. Two horses were quickly found for the pair, as it was obvious now that they would be leading this makeshift army. In a moment often-reproduced and dramatized since, Corday is said to have mounted her horse and held the bloodstained tricolor flag from Lyon aloft C although it is not at all clear how it was brought to her C and called: Citoyens, le Boucher du Marseille essaie de nous prendre notre libert. Alors, Gardes et Gardes, marchons! [4] Thus, by eight-thirty, somewhere between a hundred and two hundred thousand men and women, armed with everything from the new cartridge-firing breechloader muskets to shovels and rocks, marched out of the center of Paris and southwest, with Danton and Corday at their head. Their destination: Versailles +++++ [1] Of course OTL history clearly demonstrates otherwise; the successful womens march on Versailles in October 1789 was one of the great turning points of the Revolution that set in motion all the forces that would push it to ever-increasing radicalization for the next four and half years. But the author doesnt know that. [2] This is the original OTL name of the guillotine, which has hung around here rather than being attached to poor old Joseph Guillotin. Without the Terror, the guillotine/louisette is seen as the honorable and humane method of execution that it was always intended to be (certainly much more humane than what it replaced), without the horrible political connotations attached to it in OTL. [3] These economic reforms are basically the same as the Directorates reforms from 1796 C 1799 OTL that had a similar stabilizing effect on the French economy and provoked similar public ire, I dont know enough about that period to craft something more novel. [4] Citizens, the Butcher of Marseille is trying to take away our liberty. Therefore, National Guards, march! Map of the US (1860) https://imgur.com/a/q76JsOm#s7hRowM This is a map of the United States after the Anglo-American War. Chapter 153: Civil Service Exams Boston, Massachusetts, the United States of America January 29th, 1831 "Begin." Charles Sumner read the beginning portions of his Grade 4 Judicial Branch Civil Service exam with a careful eye. After President Peters set up a system of Civil Service examinations across the United States in 1829, Sumner was one of the first applicants to sign up for the exams. Reviewing the government-provided study guide and studying on his own for over a year, he was finally within a secluded room in Boston City Hall with thirty other applicants. The Grade 4 Judicial Branch Civil Service Exam was a test to see if the applicant was qualified to serve as a clerk of the court in the First Circuit Court of Appeals. There were nine grades in total, with one being the highest (usually to serve directly in the office of the Secretaries of the Cabinet) and nine being the lowest (usually jobs that involved less stringent education requirements, such as custodial work). Grade 4 exams were considered "difficult" and applicants were encouraged to have extensive legal knowledge, excellent administrative capabilities, and high proficiency in communications and finance. While Sumner knew he had his faults, he thought he was fit for the duties required for a clerk of the court and his application was accepted by the government. His father died due to a freak accident in his childhood, which left him alone with just his mother. His mother struggled to make money throughout his childhood, working as a seamstress to support him. While he attended the local primary school in Boston and received excellent grades, he decided against attending a university due to his ailing mother and nursed her back to health for two years. During that time, he took the opportunity to study law and worked a few odd jobs to keep his household''s finances afloat. When the Civil Service System was established by the federal government, it was like a candle was lit inside of him. He finally had an opportunity to earn a prestigious career without needing to go to a university. At first, he wanted to take a lower grade examination in order to work in a local government office and stay by his mother, but she insisted that he aimed higher and he decided the highest he could go (in his views) was the clerk of the court of the First Circuit Court of Appeals. And so here he was, finally taking the Grade 4 exam after a year of studying and working. He knew there was going to be a variety of critical thinking questions along with several questions based on his knowledge, so he had prepared accordingly. "1) You have been notified that the local court office has failed to procure a Defense Counsel for the defendant (who does not have the resources to procure a Private Counsel) in a criminal court case. The designated Attorney for the case attempts to push for the court hearing to proceed on schedule, despite the lack of a Defense Counsel. What Amendment, under the Constitution, is this scenario a violation of? Additionally, provide a brief explanation of the Amendment you have selected and your solution to the scenario below the answer choices. A) The Seventh Amendment B) The Eighth Amendment C) The Ninth Amendment D) The Tenth Amendment E) The Eleventh Amendment" Sumner circled choice A and quickly wrote down his explanation. "The Seventh Amendment of the Constitution clearly delineates that the accused in a criminal prosecution have the right to the "Assistance of a Private or a Federal Counsel for his defence." In the context of this scenario, it is clear that the court administration failed to provide the defendant with a Federal Counsel, which is a necessity as the defendant was unable to acquire a Private Counsel. In this situation, it would be appropriate to inform the judge presiding over the case about the situation (though, it was most likely that he was already informed of the situation) and if the situation fails to resolve itself, then it is necessary to involve the Attorney General to look into the situation..." There were forty questions in total, and he had just two hours to complete them. It was a tiring, painful process but Sumner pushed through the exam with sheer willpower and determination. By the time the proctor asked the applicants to place their writing tools away, Sumner was confident that he had passed the test. Unfortunately, he still had one more test to take (the Public Service Aptitude Test, to determine if he was fit to work within the government itself). After that, there was an interview section with a local Attorney or Judge to determine if he was suitable enough to work in the Judicial Branch. Thankfully, lunch and refreshments were provided by the administrators. As he quickly wolfed down a meat sandwich and chugged some water, he thought about the long list of facts and rules that he needed for the PSAT. There were a ton of things he needed to know, as the government sought to employ the best and the brightest within its ranks. The young man groaned as the proctors ushered in him and the other applicants back into the room. It was going to be a long day. Chapter 154: The Golden State The History of California: From a Spanish Colony to an American Giant By Jonathan Chen, published in Gam San, California, the United States of America "... When gold was discovered by federal inspectors in 1827, it caused a large surge of immigrants to flock to the "Golden State" in order to strike riches quickly. At the time, the population of California was estimated to be less than 90,000, most of which were Native Americans. However, by the year 1832, the population of California was nearly 200,000, with thousands more arriving in the territory to mine for gold in California and extract silver in Sierra. 70% of the immigrants that moved into the western territory were Americans from the east coast, with the remaining 30% consisting of foreign immigrants. Most of these foreign immigrants hailed from China, and helped build California into the prosperous and diverse state it is today... The first Chinese immigrants to California arrived in March of 1828, after evading Qing authorities and hitching a ride on an American ship heading to San Francisco. Most of the group were Cantonese, originating from the southwestern parts of China. While the Qing government made serious efforts to improve the fragile situation in southern China, the region was often stricken with rebellions and opium epidemics (which was somewhat combated by American doctors and the medical usage of marijuana, but not enough to completely reverse the growing crisis). As such, many of these immigrants were fleeing not only to improve their lives but to also bring over their families from China and move to the United States (the first few waves of Chinese immigrants mainly consisted of men, as they "established" themselves within California before bringing over their families with the money they earned). By this time, the United States was already known to the Chinese people as "Meiguo" (translated to "Beautiful Country"). Thousands of Chinese living in America often sent gifts and letters to their relatives back in China, and the Western nation was known to be tolerant and prosperous by the Chinese populace (this was often limited to the Guangzhou region, as it had the most exposure to the West due to Canton). Unsurprisingly, the news that gold was discovered in the United States, and on the Pacific side of the nation as well, sent ripples through the Chinese peasantry. Immigration to the North American nation was limited due to the quota (which was at 9,000 per year by 1825) and the distance of travel. However, "Meiguo" was now "reachable" to any Chinese citizens that aspired to move to the nation to escape their life of poverty and struggles. Even more, American ships allowed even the poorest Chinese peasants to travel on their ships and move to the United States for a small, reasonable fee. This all led to the rapid Chinese immigration of California and the establishment of a large Asian community on the American West Coast... By the year 1832, five years after the discovery of gold in California, nearly 40,000 people of Chinese descent lived within the borders of California. They made up nearly a fifth of the population, a percentage that was unmatched in any other American state. As many of these Chinese immigrants obtained money to build their homes and establish businesses (ranging from laundromats to banks) (it is important to note that the first bank owner in California was Chinese, Zeng Yun), they eagerly attempted to bring their family members over. Though, their efforts were temporarily halted by the Anglo-American War and the resulting British blockade of the American West Coast. However, this only led to thousands of Chinese immigrants joining the American Foreign Legion, which would allow them to receive their citizenship rapidly (due to President Bonapart''s decision to allow any combat veterans of the Foreign Legion receive expedited citizenship) and also alleviate their status in American society (as fierce, loyal fighters that defended a foreign land that provided them a new home)... Now, it is important to mention that President Crockett played a large part in allowing California to be settled "peacefully." Historians now have access to historical records that display President Crockett''s efforts to build up local infrastructure and reach a peaceful settlement with Californian Native tribes before the 1828 Gold Rush began. The Sixth American President was notified of the discovery of gold in 1825 and spent the next three years to ensure that the proper guidelines were in place before opening the territory for settlement. Construction began to expand the port facility and residential areas of San Francisco in 1825 (at this point, San Francisco was a small port village of 800 people). In 1826, President Crockett reached an agreement with FRCA President Jose Cecilio del Valle to build a railroad through the Federal Republic of Central America to ease the travel between the American East Coast and the American West Coast. He also offered additional financial incentives, such as constructing a port in one of the Pacific towns within the FRCA (which resulted in the town of Mechapa becoming a major hub of shipping in the future) and the employment of local workers for the task. By the latter half of 1826, the construction for the Nicaragua Railroad was underway (which would be completed in 1832, just before the outbreak of the Anglo-American War). Additionally, in 1828, the American government reached an agreement with the majority of Native American tribes in California. The Treaty of the Pacific listed similar benefits the other western Native American tribes received, but the Californian tribes were also allowed to keep any gold discovered on their land. Not only that, but President Crockett also agreed to split half of the yearly tax the government collected from gold in the region (which was small, but created a significant source of income for the federal government) with the tribes based on the number of members of each tribe (with the biggest tribes receiving more gold than the smaller tribes), significantly boosting the finances of the Californian tribes and allowing them to become a very powerful force within the future state... All this allowed California to enjoy an era of peaceful and orderly settlement. Government agencies were already set in place by the time the first immigrants reached the shores of California (including over a hundred Chinese Americans serving as translators, along with a handful of Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean ones). When foreign immigrants arrived in the territory, they were quarantined in Alcatraz Island for immunization and customs (the average length of stay of an immigrant on Alcatraz was about three days, with meals and housing provided for). All settlers were allowed to purchase housing built by the government within San Francisco and elsewhere. Native Americans often acted as guides for new arrivals, showing them goldfields that were untaken by the tribes (which still contained a significant amount of gold, despite the tribes being aware of them longer than the settlers). When 1832 rolled around, California was a very diverse territory that was humming with prosperity and life. Unfortunately, that peace was shattered after a group of prospect miners (that sought to avoid the tax on gold in California) ran into a British settlement after entering the Oregon Territory to search for gold in Peel Creek..." +++++ AN: Peel Creek is Josephine Creek of OTL. In OTL, gold was discovered in Josephine Creek a short while after the 1849 Gold Rush happened. ALSO, WE''RE FINALLY HERE GANG. The next update will be the opening shots of the war... Or more specifically, why the war begins. Chapter 155: A Minor” Skirmish Peel Creek, Oregon Territory March 1st, 1832 Jonas Bowles trudged through the forest with his friends and handled his rifle carefully. They were entering British territory and the members of the expedition knew that they needed to be on high alert at all times. The British had a few Native American allies that were more than willing to shoot at any "trespassers," but they were usually bunched around the town of Melville (AN: Medford, Oregon). Bowles and eleven other people were heading much further west, a territory that was right next to the Pacific Ocean itself. And from the rumors he had heard from Native Americans, it contained gold reserves that were unexploited... Yet. "Watch your step," Bowles said as he gestured towards a tree root directly in their path. "Damn," Jasper Wise, one of his close friends and an African American from Virginia, mumbled, "We''ve been walking for ages already, you sure we''re going in the right direction?'' "We''re almost there. I''m sure of it." Wise looked into the masses of trees around them and frowned, "Wish they left some gold for the rest of us so we wouldn''t have to sneak into British lands." "It won''t be a problem," Little River replied with a heavy accent. He was a member of the Siuslaw Tribe, a small group whose ancestral homelands were near the Anglo-American border, "Mr. Bowles is correct, we are near the place where the gold is. This area is home to the Wishram Tribe. If we meet a member of that tribe, I should be able to speak to them and we should be able to escape without any difficulties. If we remain undiscovered, then we should be able to stay for some time and return back to the land of the Americans with gold in our hands." "Is the Wishram Tribe... friendly?" Little River gripped the old musket he had in his hand, "Sometimes, sometimes not. Usually, they do not attack unless attacked upon. If we encounter them, do not fire upon them and wait to see their reaction." The African American man snorted, "That''s reassuring." "Calm down, we''ll be fine," The white Virginian that was leading the group stated. For the next half an hour, the group remained silent and trekked through the vast forest quietly. They used the Williamette River as their guide, making sure that the water source was always to their right. Finally, after a long journey, they arrived at Peel Creek, the place that was rumored to contain untouched gold. "Right, looks clear," Bowles pulled out some of his tools and immediately went about his way to find some gold. The other members of the expedition reacted the same way. Luckily for them, they all managed to find a few pieces of gold that would fetch a decent price back in San Francisco. Unfortunately, that was when things started to go wrong. Half a dozen white men emerged from the forest with arms, making Bowles throw down his mining instruments and picking up his rifle. One of the men stepped forward and yelled with a firearm in his hand, "Who the hell are you?" "Just some settlers looking for some land to settle into," The American called back, trying to imitate that accent of the voice, "We''re not looking for any trouble." "You''re a Yank, aren''t you? You trying to invade us?" "If we were invading, we would''ve shot first! We''re here to explore the land, nothing else!" The British man scowled, "Doesn''t look like you''re here to "explore." What are you here for then?" Just then, a group of unrecognizable Native Americans walked out of the woods and behind the group of Americans. Someone in Bowles'' group fired at the Native Americans while panicking, which only resulted in the others firing towards the other Native Americans and even the British as well. The man that Bowles was talking to fell onto the ground with a nasty gunshot wound in his chest. The response was instantaneous. All three groups (the Native Americans, the Americans, and the British) started to fire upon each other. Some of them entered into melee combat, while others landed on the ground after being shot. Bowles managed to last all about five minutes before being shot by a British settler. However, the American group just managed to beat back their enemies and flee into American territory with their wounded in tow. By the end of the firefight, five of the six British settlers laid dead, while three Americans and five Native Americans were deceased as well. The news would reach Columbia two months later, which would then be sent overseas to Great Britain... Chapter 156: To War! London, Great Britain July 29th, 1832 "Prime Minister, the crowd is getting restless every day. They''re calling for blood." Duke of Wellington, the Prime Minister of Great Britain and her Empire, massaged his temple with his right hand, "Those damn newspapers spinning preposterous rumors of the incident should be shut down!" The Cabinet of the British government sat around a meeting table in 10 Downing Street, adjourning for the fifth time in as many days to address the crisis at hand. After all the ruckus that was caused following the public''s awareness of the "Oregon Incident," the British government was scurrying to come up with a solution that was acceptable to the public. However, the task was much more difficult than it seemed. "It doesn''t help that the sole survivor of the "massacre" was brought back to Britain and displayed that shirt in front of a mob," Foreign Secretary George Hamilton-Gordon, the Earl of Aberdeen mentioned. "Since then, the mob has gotten bigger and out of control." "He shouldn''t have been speaking to the crowd in the first place!" Prime Minister Wellesley spat, "He sauntered up to a group of rioters and held up a bloody shirt claiming that it "belonged to his father and the Americans killed him in cold blood." Now, look at what he has done! The press is claiming that the Americans invaded a British settlement in Oregon, raped several British women after massacring the men, and torched the settlement to the ground! And that daft man claimed that it all happened! No matter how much we deny his claims, they don''t believe us!" "We were close to a deal with the Americans as well," Secretary Gordon added. "Of course we were! They were willing to accept responsibility for the incident and offered reparations. But the fact they refused to turn over the men involved to our courts..." Home Secretary Robert Peel grimaced, "It was only a reminder to the public that the Americans did the same thing when those Irish bombers nearly killed our previous monarch." Prime Minister Wellesley drank an entire cup of tea to calm down, "If we manage to convince the American government to turn over those men, then the public should be palpable to a peaceful settlement..." "Your Excellency!" An aide rushed into the meeting room and immediately looked embarrassed at his intrusion, "I believe you should take a look at this." The leader of the British government took a newspaper from the aide''s hand and his eyes widened, "Impossible! I only received this message three days ago! How?" On the front page of the newspapers The Times, a single headline screamed out that immediately grasped the reader''s attention, "Yankee Warships heading towards Iceland, Prelude to an Invasion!" "Sir," Robert Dundas, the First Lord of Admiralty, asked, "Is this true? Have they launched an invasion under our very nose?" "Of course not. I have been reassured by Ambassador Canning that the Americans have sent out a routine patrol fleet to Iceland after it finished maintenance. But this information was only sent to me. How did the Times get this information?" "I released that information, Mr. Wellesley." The Cabinet turned to see George IV, the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover, quietly enter the room. He had matured significantly during his time as king, going from a spoiled and obese young man to a healthy, but aged monarch. Unlike his father, he was sane, but King George IV always had a slight maniacal look in his eyes. He constantly involved himself in the government''s daily affairs and the members of the Wellesley Ministry knew that he harbored a deep hatred for Britain''s "daughter" across the Atlantic. The prime minister looked stunned before giving a gracious bow to his sovereign, "Your Majesty, I..." "How incompetent is your ministry that you ignore the evidence of the American atrocities and attempt to concede Britain''s honor for useless land and money?" "We are seeking to avoid a war, Your..." "Not another word from you," King George IV glared, causing the Duke of Wellington to cower into his seat. He swept his hands across the room and the remaining Cabinet members, who rose for their monarch, sat onto their seats, "Now, all of you have seen what the Yankees are willing to do. They have massacred citizens of my realm, and believe they can settle this crime with bribes. Yet, all of you seem perfectly content to allow this to happen and left me in the dark about what was happening in this very room. Thankfully, it seems as though one of you was loyal enough to me to inform me just what was happening. Lord Chancellor, you have my undying gratitude." Prime Minister Wellesley turned to the Lord Chancellor, the 2nd Earl of Rosslyn, in shock, "You?" "It had to be done, Your Excellency. His Majesty needed to hear about our decisions on this crucial matter." "And thankfully, Ambassador Canning sent me a similar letter he sent to you, Prime Minister. While you may have easily overlooked the details of the letter, it is clear to me that those... treacherous Americans are preparing for war. The timing of their "patrol fleet" is impeccable. Why would they send warships right next to our waters while this issue is ongoing? Does it sound sensible to you? To any of you?" The room went silent as the king glared at every individual sitting around the table, "No, it is clear to me that the Americans are threatening our domain. They attempt to block us out of every opportunity. I have heard that those yellow monkeys are attempting to remove British traders from Canton. They have a dagger pointed at India. They prevented us from seizing South Africa, and I heard that there have been discoveries of gold and diamonds there. They enticed those Negros on Jamaica and swept into seize the island for themselves after we left. Which was the reason why the Whigs were removed from power." "There was no evidence of their involvement and they have promised they will not allow such a thing to happen again..." Secretary Peel started before falling silent after King George turned to him. "And you believe them? After all their actions? Their president," The British ruler spat the word out as if it was cursed, "Is a Negro. Do you think he will sit idle while our colonies in the Caribbean are filled with Negros, clamoring for rights? No. He will push us out of the Americas, just as his predecessors pushed Spain out of the Americas. And what comes next after that? Hawaii? Australia? India?" "We will stop them here and show them the might of Albion! They have been upstarts for far too long, and it is time to put them in their place." Putting on a brave face, the prime minister stood up to speak to the monarch, "Your Majesty, our military is not prepared to fight in a war against the United States and we can still push the American government to give up more concessions..." "I will give you two choices: resign or war." "But you can''t..." "I can, and I will. I will go up to Parliament and wave the bloody shirt of my dead subject myself if necessary. The public is crying for war. The demonstrations for the past week are proof. Now, what is your choice?" Prime Minister Wellsley shuddered. The king''s anger was almost tangible and he knew that he had no other choice on the matter. If he resigned, then Parliament would most likely choose a war hawk to take his place, considering the current public sentiment. Therefore, it was either he led the government during the war, or a more ambitious war hawk would, "War, Your Majesty." "Then I expect Parliament to vote on the matter within a week, Prime Minister. Oh, and send the word out to our fleets in the Caribbean and elsewhere as fast as possible. They are to destroy the American Navy and crush them before they can even resist." After the king left, the members of the Cabinet slumped into their chairs. They now had a war to plan out. Chapter 157: The Anglo-American War Begins The Clash of Titans: The Anglo-American War and Beyond By Raymond Smith, published in Timstown, Jefferson "... When Britain declared war on the United States on September 5th of 1832, the clash between the two titans was inevitable. The war caught the American government (and even the British government) by surprise, but by no means was it totally unexpected. The two sides had been competing against one another for decades and it was only a matter of time before matters escalated into war. Even so, after reviewing historical evidence, it was clear that the United States was reluctant to go to war with the world''s most premier naval power, and it was hardly surprising. While the young republic had made great strides to improve its military up until the eve of the war, its navy was still sorely outnumbered by the enormous and well-trained Royal Navy. Immediately after the declaration of war, Britain committed nearly half of its total ships to defeat the United States and they were more than enough to fight the eighty-five ships that were part of the United States Navy... King George IV was the primary driver for the war between the two Anglo nations, as evidenced by the journals and historical accounts of various members of the British Cabinet at the time (including the Duke of Wellington, who served as the Prime Minister during the time period after achieving a modicum of success during the Second Coalition War and playing an important role in the subjugation of Mysore). His insistence that the British government seized upon the public''s outcry after the Oregon Incident eventually led to the British Cabinet capitulating to his demands and declaring war. However, before they pushed Parliament to vote on the matter, they managed to successfully convince the aging king (King George was seventy at the time) to delay the declaration of war until British forces were in position to end the war in a single, swift stroke. The Duke of Wellington and his ministers knew that it was crucial to end the war as quickly as possible, as they desired to avoid a drawn-out conflict against the United States. In their views, a long war with America would drain British finances quickly (which was finally doing well after the Despard Plot and the Second Coalition War). Not only that, but a prolonged war would open an opportunity for France to carry out her ambitions on the European Continent. While relations between Great Britain and the Second French Republic were cordial, Britain was not blind to the fact that France was now the premier continental power. If Britain turned her eyes elsewhere for some time, then it was highly likely that France would attempt to expand her influence throughout Europe (this fear was only confirmed after France''s extensive involvement in the 1840s Revolutions, which saw the fall of the Spanish monarchy and the establishment of the Italian Confederation). Therefore, the Wellington government saw a quick victory with the goal being to capture Iceland, Bermuda, Singapore, and South Africa. There was a justification for each of these protectorates. Chiefly, the British government (rightfully) assumed that these protectorates were indefensible by the American military units and the Royal Navy, which significantly outnumbered the American Navy, had the ability to cut off these overseas American territories from the Continental United States (Greenland was ignored for its insignificant value and its lack of a large military presence). And Britain was not alone in their war effort against the United States... The sun of the Spanish Empire was setting by the year 1830. They had lost their entire empire in the Americas with the exception of Cuba and a few Caribbean islands. In the views of the Spanish government, there was only one excuse for the rapid decline of Spain''s position in the Americas: the United States. It was the U.S. that supplied many of the rebels in the Spanish colonies and stepped into protecting the independence of the Latin American nations. Spain believed that without America''s constant interference, then it would have been able to completely quash the revolutionary sentiments of the colonies before it became widespread (there have been doubts about this theory, but America''s part in the Latin American revolutions has been acknowledged by most historians). While Spain had lost the Americas, it gained several important lessons in anti-partisan activities, a sizeable army that consisted of hardened veterans and brilliant officers, and a bitter leadership that wanted to put the Americans back in their place. Therefore, it was no surprise that Great Britain approached Spain with an offer of a joint coalition against the "American threat." The Duke of Wellington played off the Spanish brilliantly, promising British aid and support for the "restoration" of the Spanish Empire in the Americas and elsewhere. In fact, under the conditions of the temporary alliance, Spain would also gain South Africa, a valuable colony that could serve as a waypoint between Spain and the Philippines. Not to mention, gold and valuable gems had been discovered in the African colony shortly before the war began, which meant that the territory offered some economic value. While Spain''s finances were unstable at best, it saw a golden opportunity to not only strike back against their hated enemy but to also restore at least a few parts of their former empire. Therefore, it was hardly surprising that Spanish Prime Minister Francisco Tadeo Calomarde y Arria (who was indispensable to King Ferdinand in his efforts to destroy the Liberal Movement in Catalonia and elsewhere during the Liberal Uprising of 1809) decided to ally Spain with Britain for the war. This was with King Ferdinand''s blessing, as he sought to "crush the republican upstarts" that caused him headaches during his reign... By the time the declaration of war was delivered to the White House by the British ambassador (who promptly returned to Britain after the message was delivered), the British and Spanish were already on the move. On September 15th of 1832, a flotilla consisting of thirty ships of the Royal Navy struck Iceland with the Royal Marines. While Iceland usually lacked a large naval presence, an American fleet (consisting of fourteen ships) was around Iceland for a standard patrol at the time. On the island itself was a garrison of a thousand Marines (which was part of the Second Marine Division, a garrison division that was spread out across the American protectorates throughout the world). When the British struck, they had the element of surprise and numbers on their side. The declaration of war had not yet been sent to Iceland (with the British promptly blocking any ships from sending a warning to the island protectorate) and when the attack came, they were caught completely off guard. While the American ships boasted a fairly significant number of technology improvements (rifled cannons, durable hulls made with white oak, and a few ships outfitted with steam engines), they were vastly overshadowed by the experience and training of the Royal Navy. The British lacked some of the technologies that the Americans enjoyed, but they were seasoned and held a naval tradition that spanned centuries. Additionally, the American fleet was outnumbered 2:1, which led to expectant results. The American fleet put up a valiant defense against a superior foe but was ultimately defeated in a span of several hours. By the end of the Battle of Heimaey, the United States lost nine ships, with an additional two ships captured. The remaining three, suffering from varying amounts of damage, limped back to the United States using another ship as a decoy (which was one of the captured ships). On one of the remaining three ships was Admiral Reynold John Jones, who would go onto become one of the most decorated American naval officers. On the flip side, the British had lost merely three ships and were nearly at full-strength when they descended upon Iceland. The local garrison, knowing that the local population would be reluctant to fight a superior force and wanting to avoid a destructive battle on the island, chose to quietly surrender after the Royal Navy started shelling Reykjavik (it is important to note that a few refused to surrender and decided to resist in the countryside, gathering information whenever they could and sabotaging British efforts on Iceland to no avail). In one move, the British had crippled nearly a tenth of the United States Navy, captured nearly a thousand Marines, and seized one of their objectives. Once people in Britain received the news, the public was overjoyed. They had finally given the "bloody Yankees" a black eye and they hungered for more. The Times captured the British sentiment perfectly as they reported on the Battle of Heimaey and the fall of Iceland on September 27th, "the Yankees are nothing but a pack of weak, mad dogs barking into oblivion. Soon, we shall put them in their place." Indeed, the British populace was convinced that the war would be over before they knew it, and the United States would be forced to retreat back to the North American continent. As the successes began to pile up in the early days of the war, this "victory fever" became even more evident, especially after Portugual joined in on the war (after pressure from London) and invaded America''s ally Argentina with Brazil and the Federal League... On September 30th, the United States finally received the news about the declaration of war and shortly afterward, the disaster at Iceland. This sparked an outcry from the American people for varying reasons. Some were enraged at the fact that the British attacked the United States with little warning and captured Iceland before the declaration of war was even delivered. Others were reluctant to enter a war with Great Britain and saw the war as a mess created by the Peters administration, as the administration "failed" to engage in diplomacy with the British and prevent the war. In fact, many wanted to negotiate a settled peace with Great Britain almost immediately, as they were aware that the United States would be unable to challenge Britain at sea, which would only lead to America losing all her territories elsewhere. This view was only reinforced after Spain entered the fray, prompting many to believe that the war was already lost. While the public was confident in America''s power at home, they were not blind to the fact that the British and Spanish navies outnumbered the American Navy significantly. Not only that, but America had no ways to "win" the war, as Europe was now out of America''s reach due to the capture of Iceland and the Caribbean was soon to be swarming with hostile ships. Unsurprisingly, the coastal areas were especially against the war, as they knew that they were the most vulnerable (as the British promptly displayed during the Revolutionary War). President Peters promptly went to the public and informed the public that he had made every attempt to reach a peaceful resolution to the Oregon Incident, but the British refused and declared war instead (this much was true, as President Peters was just as confused at the sudden declaration of war like the rest of his Cabinet and the American public). In a speech to the American people, he asked for the United States to stand together against its efforts against the European powers and to prosecute the war until an "honorable peace" could be achieved. He also reassured the nation that ARPA and the United States Military would do everything they could to "protect the United States and all her citizens with new weapons and defenses." Ultimately, Congress declared war on Great Britain and Spain. The House voted in favor of the war by a vote of 167-77-5, while the Senate did as well (56-9-1). Immediately after war was declared by Congress, it passed the Military Reinforcement Act of 1832, which called for an expansion of the United States Military in total. The standing army of the United States at the time was 80,000 (totaling at five divisions), while the Marines numbered at 30,000. The Act called for the Army to double in size (to 160,000) and for the Marines to add another division to its ranks (to 45,000). The United States Navy (which numbered at seventy-one ships after the Battle of Heimaey, along with three heavily damaged ships) was to be expanded upon as much as possible, with no set limit to the number of ships to be built. Additionally, the Act called for America''s industrial centers to be moved inland to avoid bombardment by enemy fleets and for Quebec to expand its dockyards and ports to pump-out ships for the Navy... Being fully aware that invading the Caribbean was potential suicide (indeed, evacuation efforts began as quickly as possible, but the British and Spanish were ready to intercept such an effort), the top brass of the American military decided to look westward and expand into the territory that started this war in the first place. Indeed, this turned out to be the correct call for the short term as the United States Navy was soundly defeated in the Battle of the Cayman Islands and the Battle of Crown Haven (losing a total of twenty-one ships in the process). Ultimately, the evacuation of the Caribbean failed and nearly five thousand Marines (spread out between Jamaica and Haiti) were cut off from any form of aid and supplies. This only continued elsewhere, such as Singapore (which contained a single Marine regiment) and South Africa (which held five thousand Army soldiers, along with a thousand Marines). While the military personnel in all these places resisted initial invasion attempts (except for the Marines in Singapore, who evacuated to Lanfang and managed to smuggle themselves into Mexico), most of them eventually fell within a year. The only places that managed to resist in some way or form were the military units in South Africa (which evacuated to the interior with the help of the Zulus and Xhosas after holding Fort Hope against a Spanish invasion for nearly two months) and Jamaica (like the Fete Maroons, the Marines on Jamaica evacuated into the northwestern counties of Jamaica and fought against the British occupiers from there, along with hundreds of the local population). Haiti was not attacked until December 9th of 1832, but it was only able to resist for a month before surrendering due to British/Spanish bombardments and the French Empire(which allied itself with Britain in early November and promptly carried out an invasion of America''s ally in the Caribbean)... Out in the west, the war slowed to a slow slog between the two sides after a brief surge of American victories near the Californian-Oregon border. America enjoyed a numerical advantage in the area, despite the fact that half of its Army and Marines were busy training new recruits and shaping up the American Military. Nearly forty thousand American soldiers and five thousand militiamen, along with five thousand soldiers from allied nations (every single member of the League of American Nations promptly followed through with a declaration of war after America was attacked, as they feared that they were next if America lost) fought in the "Western Front" by the end of 1832. However, they were unable to make a decisive push into British North America for several reasons. The terrain in the area was heavily forested and mountainous, which made offensives incredibly difficult. Not only that, but the British managed to reinforce the Oregon Territory with several thousand Australian units, along with numerous Hawaiian warriors (that were effectively bribed and coerced to participate in the war, after Britain''s political takeover of Hawaii in 1819). Both the Australians and the Hawaiians were well-versed in fighting in rough terrain and were fierce fighters, which caused the American push into the territory to stall. In addition to all this, several Native American tribes sided with Britain, and several more that were thought to be friendly to the United States revolted in western Lakota and elsewhere. Within months, the fight in Oregon devolved into a complicated mess that prevented the United States from utilizing its superior weaponry to its full advantage. There were no "big, decisive battles" in the region. Instead, with both nations at the end of their supply lanes, the Western Front devolved into a game of skirmishes, ambushes, and traps... When 1832 ended, America was on the retreat. Iceland had fallen. Jamaica and Haiti were under occupation. The coastal areas of South Africa were under attack by fierce Spanish and British assaults. Singapore was next on the chopping block. The American Navy was in full retreat, protected only by naval mines that were churned out by ARPA just before the beginning of the war. Bermuda was under siege. And the Oregon Territory was turning into a bloody mess for both sides. However, the United States was not out of the fight, or at least, President Peters was insistent that America remained in the fight. The war was far from over, and the first African American president was motivated to prevent a complete American defeat. Any attempts made by the British to open up diplomatic dialogue were outright ignored by the American government. He, along with Congress, funneled money into ARPA to develop new technologies to turn the tide of the war and ARPA obliged by beginning the construction of a game-changing weapon that would change the fate of naval warfare forever... It was unfortunate that this project, dubbed "Project Monitor," was discovered by the British government through a traitor in America''s midst..." Omake: The Second Coalition War AN: You know who it is +++++ Excerpt from The Republic of Virtue: France 1788 C 1834 The Great French Wall After the Second Revolution had been essentially completed by the expulsion of Louis from Versailles and France and the Constitution of 1793 officially restored, although now with the removal of direct elections of the President, the summer of 1806 was a challenging one for the re-established French Republic and the newly-minted President Georges Danton. In accordance with the treaties that were supposedly secret but that everyone knew C or assumed C existed, the members of the First Coalition (minus some Italian minors who had drifted away from Habsburg domination since 1796) declared war on France on May 1st, 1796, just as Louiss entourage reached London. Faced again with the same enemies as ten years previously, the chaos in the immediate post-Revolutionary period meant that France was not able to bring her full weight to bear to the newly-erupting war and, once again, France found herself defending her own soil on multiple fronts. However the Girondins, despite appearances, had not been idle during the Interbellum. Knowing well that Francis and Frederick William viewed the Treaty of London as more of an enforced truce than a peace treaty, especially if the Republic returned, a great deal of the increased tax revenue had been invested in a program of military modernization. The first of these was a new program of fort-building along the coast and the new French frontiers, which would bear immediate fruit as the Coalition attacked. The other major modernization program was in introducing newly designed small arms to general service, which the Coalition would find a highly unpleasant shock when full combat between French and Coalition armies took place later that year. But that was yet to come. Through June and July of 1806, the war on the continent mostly consisted of protracted sieges of the great and newly constructed French fortresses along the Rhine and in the Pyrenees. These hugely expensive edifices were the great interwar Girondin contribution to the French defensive strategy, especially in the newly acquired Belgian departments where the country was flat but defensible rivers were common. These were built to the highest standard of Franco-American engineering, great polygonal bastions with large banks of enfiladed high-quality French artillery and requiring only small garrisons that could successfully hold out against far more numerous besiegers for weeks without support. For the most part, these fortresses worked as advertised, and the Austro-Prussian armies were forced to sit and lay siege to these large fortresses lest they suffered constant bombardment at will by the oversized and expertly handled howitzers positioned within these forts. Contrary to myth, however, the intention of these great forts at Metz, Sedan, Luxembourg, Lige and elsewhere were not to make the new northeastern border of France an impenetrable wall, for any fortification is only ever as good as the men and women who are charged with its defense, as well as the timeliness of the relief force when a siege occurs. Indeed this myth was essentially disproved in late July, when the massive new fortress at Strasbourg C built on the site of the great victory of 1792 C was forced to surrender to a massive Coalition army of a hundred and fifty thousand. Nevertheless, the other fortresses held out, especially in the Pyrenees and Alps, until the mobilization of the National Guard had finally been completed in mid-August. Together with the ring of coastal forts that made direct naval invasion seemingly impossible, the myth of the Great French Wall would gain great popular currency and impact strategic thinking in places well-removed from France, to the great regret a generation later of those who had bought into it. The surrender of Strasbourg shocked and dismayed the French public, who had fully bought into the myth of the Great French Wall, even if they gave little credit to those who built it. Luckily for France, the Girondins had been dutiful in their plans, and a second, albeit lesser line, of fortifications along the Meuse and Moselle rivers meant the Austrians and Prussians, who had already spent an alarming amount of their offensive energy in the effort of breaching the first line of fortifications, were unable to push deep into France as they hoped and fully take advantage of their big head-start over the Republican armies. A two-pronged attack on the Nancy-pinal defensive line ended in failure, and by then Corday finally had the French armies on the march. This was none to soon, as in August 1806 the war took a critical turn which, whilst not enormously important for the situation on the continent, would have enormous long-term consequences across the world. For on August the 12th, the United Kingdom entered the war in response to the Batavian Revolution, which had erupted the previous month. The Batavian Revolution The so-called Batavian or Dutch Revolution is striking in the extent that it mirrors the First French Revolution seventeen years before. The Dutch Stadtholderate, despite having the richest banks in the world and holding an enormous share of global capital, was thus in the grips of deep deficits in 1806. However, in truth, troubles had started decades before. As in France, a middle-class Enlightenment-inspired movement, known as the Patriots, grew in opposition to the autocratic, authoritarian rule of the Stadtholder William V. Indeed, in 1787 a Patriot uprising had to be put down by force with the assistance of a Prussian army under the later-infamous Duke of Brunswick C an action that, ordinarily, would have been highly provocative to the French Bourbons but, in a sign of just how weak the ancien rgime was by that stage, the Prussians marched into the Netherlands and put down the Patriot revolts largely unchallenged. Most Patriot leaders fled to France, lest they be caught by Stadtholderate authorities and hanged. During the First Coalition War, these Patriot leaders urged permission to return to the Netherlands to start a pro-French revolutionary uprising there. While Lafayette was happy to let them leave, and Dantons men in the Ministry for Information constantly tried to manipulate the government into supporting such a move, Lafayette proved utterly inflexible in refusing to provide any assistance to such a project, without which any Patriot uprising would fail as in 1787. His reasoning was simple: he refused to take any action that risked dragging Britain into the war, and Britain had made it abundantly clear that it would not tolerate any interference with the Dutch Stadtholderate. It is easy to understand why Britain took such a stance. In the late 18th century, Amsterdam was the worlds great capital store, with Dutch banks holding over two-fifths of British national debt. While Britain looked at the First French Revolution and republican experiment across the channel with a mixture of caution, amusement, and opportunism C Great Britain had, of course, no great love for the Bourbon dynasty C it viewed any such potential revolution in the Netherlands as the matter of grave concern. A French-sponsored government in Amsterdam, however, and thus French dominion over the Dutch banks was universally regarded as intolerable in London. Historians are divided as to whether President Danton knew this or not. He vociferously denied any involvement and historical documents do not disprove his assertion (though they dont prove it either). In any case, however, French involvement was not directly responsible for the events of July 1796, although the ultimate cause does indeed lead back to France. As the worlds great banking capital, Dutch banking interests were heavily invested in the French economy as bankers, tripping over themselves in the rush to extend credit to French enterprises. When the good times ended in 1801, however, the close ties to France came back to bite the Dutch banks and, by extension, the Dutch economy. Fortunately, the underlying soundness C and size C of the Dutch banking system (and its critical importance to Britain as well) ensured that no true financial crisis emerged, but it meant that by 1806, the Dutch economy had been encountering heavy weather for several years, and the Dutch government was in severe financial difficulty. Unsurprisingly, William V turned to the most obvious solution to solve these financial problems: he raised taxes on just about everything. Unfortunately, as in ancien regime France, these taxes fell disproportionately on the common people rather than the nobility, and especially on the rising middle classes, who were the bedrock of the Patriots support. To William, this was a feature, not a bug, as he believed that breaking the middle classes financially would dampen their political enthusiasm too as they turned away from political demands to more self-centered economic pursuits instead. In this, he was very wrong. Officially, the Dutch Revolution starts on February the 15th 1806, with the dissemination of anonymous pro-Patriot pamphlets circulated in Utrecht declaring that the new taxes were unjust and that people should refuse to pay them. Over March and April, this quiet anti-tax rebellion spread throughout the city, despite the attempts of the authorities to spread it out until the whole province was effectively in legal revolt. However, this was not really a true Revolution; the Patriot cause was not yet truly reignited and for the most part, it was merely a generalized practice of tax evasion. However, in May, two near-simultaneous events set the Netherlands aflame. Firstly, the news that Louis XVI had been forced from Versailles, that the Second Republic had been established in France and that Georges Danton was French President percolated through the Netherlands. Second, on the 20th, William V had finally had enough and ordered the Army to re-establish order in Utrecht and called on the Prussians to lend support, as they were marching through the area anyway on the way to Belgium. With this, he thought, he was heading off any threat of renewed Patriot insurrection. He was very, very wrong. Unbeknownst to all C at least officially C a large contingent of Patriots had snuck back across the Franco-Dutch border with a healthy assortment of weapons and into Amsterdam. On the 24th they arrived in the city and found it teeming with anger and resentment; William had abused them, overtaxed them, and now was calling upon foreign armies to crush their largely non-violent resistance. They were, to put it mildly, fed up, and waiting for a spark. That spark arrived two weeks later, on the 6th of May. A company of Prussian soldiers who were in the city to restore order were somewhat overzealous with their orders with regards to an obstinate shopkeeper who had refused entry to the Stadtholders tax collectors. An argument escalated to a standoff, which somehow led to shots being fired and returned. This was not the first such incident involving the Prussian company, but it was the first that saw the general shooting on both sides. Soon the firefight was spreading, as armed Dutch civilians converged to avenge the shopkeeper, who had been killed, and before anyone knew part of Amsterdam had risen up in armed insurrection. Despite the desperate attempts of loyal troops to contain the situation, by nightfall, a militia ten thousand strong was marching on the Town Hall, where the Stadtholder himself was located. Stunned by the sudden spiral of events out of control and aware that the mob would not leave him in one piece if they captured him, William V fled. The Patriot militia found the palace abandoned with official documents, gold and directives strewn around, left behind in the rush to flee. From there, the Patriot leader Rutger Van Schimmelpenninck declared that the office of Stadtholder was abolished, and a Staatsbewind, or State Council, established to rule the Netherlands until elections were held to elect a new, democratic Assembly. Officially, he claimed that this was not a revolution, merely a reforming of the existing governmental apparatus, but given that the Dutch Republic had long been a hereditary monarchy in all but name, no one was fooled by this claim. They were even less fooled when they noticed the final part of his declaration: a request for French support to cast out the Prussian invaders. The French Autumn Offensives This had not been missed in London. Henry Addington had succeeded the ailing William Pitt (the Younger) several months previously as Prime Minister, and immediately he was faced with a grave national crisis. With the British press being fed lurid stories about mob violence in Amsterdam by Orangists and the arrival of both Louis XVI and the exiled Stadtholder William V in London, Addington had no choice but to declare war on France and join the Second Coalition on August 12th. By this time, the massive task of mobilizing the great but unwieldy French armies was finally near-completion. Conscription had been in place for well over a decade now and anti-draft resentment had died down to more generalized grumbling and annoyance, but it still proved difficult at times to enforce the draft requirements and bring the French armies up to nominal strength. A mixture of carrots C in the form of appeals to patriotic honor and the defense of France, especially as the Coalition armies laid siege to the great fortresses of the northeast, was mixed with the liberal use of the stick. Danton was not Lafayette, and he encouraged Corday to be tough-minded and somewhat inflexible in dealing with draft-dodging, which was a persistent problem in the still deeply Catholic northwest of the country. However, the draft was by then not a novelty and the appeal to French honor was a powerful one, especially when it came from Corday who was now seen as nothing short of Joan dArc reincarnated after her central role in the Second Revolution. As the war aged and the apparent threat to la patrie grew, so did compliance. Of note, the fraction of women in the National Guard rose substantially compared to the first war; one because the draft applied equally to all, at least nominally, but also because it was more obvious than ever that military service was the one great exception in French society was equality in the sexes existed in deed and not just in word. An equally large headache, however, emerged with the equipment and weaponry that these men and women would be using. Since the early 1700s, the French armies of both the ancien rgime and the First Republic had used the time-old Charleville musket, which was largely in line with the capabilities of similar weaponry used by their European competitors. However, by 1795, the view of the French general staff, let by the ever-insightful Joachim Murat and Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, was that the great limiting factor on the capacity of the French armies to break the stalemate that had developed by that late stage of the First Coalition War was not manpower or tactical sophistication, but firepower. The French soldier of 1795 would manage, on average, one shot per minute in combat, two if circumstances were extremely favorable or the troops in question were Revolutionary Guards. And those shots would not be especially accurate; claimed accuracy levels of fifty percent at 150 meters fell apart entirely in combat with misfires, lack of training, battlefield stress, and thick smoke (especially at Villeyrac) making target identification and accurate fire near-impossible. Most of these factors could not be helped, but increasing the rate of fire of the French soldier could compensate for many of these shortcomings. Thus, when the war ended in 1796, Lafayette sent the Revolutionary Guard commander Michael Ney to the city of Bern in Switzerland, ostensibly to establish relations with the Swiss Confederation (which had stayed resolutely neutral during the war). In truth, however, Ney had secret orders from Lafayette to meet, of all people, a mechanic and inventor named Samuel Johannes Pauli, and lure him to Paris. These orders must have seemed baffling to Ney C why was Lafayette telling him to meet a Swiss tinkerer with no military background, of all people C but from all accounts, it did not take long for Ney to change his mind. For upon their meeting, Ney showed Pauly a standard-issue Charleville musket to inspect and within two hours, Pauly had suggested half a dozen different potential improvements that were worth exploring, some of which had taken the French generals years of bloody experience to grasp themselves. Evidently convinced he was in the presence of genius, Ney promised Pauly a generous state salary and personal sponsorship if he were to help design new weapons for France. Within the week, Pauly had packed up his things and followed Ney back to Paris. Neys enthusiasm for the man was not misplaced. Taking the Gallicised name Jean Samuel Pauly, he established a gunsmith workshop in Paris under the nominal auspices of the great weapons manufactory in Saint-tienne, but in truth working under the strict and secret supervision of Lafayette himself. It did not take long for this partnership to bear fruit, for in 1798 Pauly filed a secret patent for a breechloading shotgun with a brand new and truly revolutionary feature: the needle-firing integrated cartridge. As part of his personal sponsorship, Ney had taken Pauly to watch battlefield exercises of the French Revolutionary Guard in late 1796. While there, Pauly realized that the great inhibitor of the individual soldiers firepower was the sheer difficulty of reloading, a highly involved process with multiple steps that only became more challenging in actual combat. Moreover, to ease this process, musket balls had to be slightly smaller than the barrel they were supposed to fit in, which had the unfortunate side-effect of making the already-poor accuracy of these weapons even worse. Thus, Paulys focus immediately turned to ways to simplify this reloading process. His solution was to incorporate all the ingredients C including mercury fulminate primer powder at the base, which was Paulys major insight C needed to fire the shot in a single brass or paper casing that could be loaded through the breech of the weapon, a process far simpler and quicker than the long, convoluted reloading of the traditional musket. The cartridge would then be activated by a needle, a major innovation, though not the first of its type as the Americans had already hit upon the same idea several years before. [1] The Pauly gun was not without its drawbacks. Extracting the used cartridge was not always easy, and it took several iterations before Pauly fixed early reliability issues. It required two separate powders to make each cartridge, which presented huge new logistical headaches for the French war machine. The major problem, however, was cost: the Pauly gun and its ammunition were far, far more expensive than the Charleville it was endeavoring to replace in large numbers. In every other way, however, it was a vast improvement. It was easier to aim and shoot than the Charleville, it was far easier to clean (as all breechloaders are), it was far more weather-resistant and easier to aim to boot (as you would not have the smoke from the burning powder being blown back at your face). Most of all, though, a Pauly-armed soldier could shoot up to ten times per minute, a massive increase on the previous one or two. Lafayette and Murat, seeing the demonstrations, needed only one look before recommending their universal adoption in the French armies. Pauly and his apprentices at the Paris gunsmith would go on to produce some of the most famous and innovative firearm designs of the 19th century. However, this was not at all cheap, and not at all straightforward, and the expense associated with jumping the French armies from flintlocks to cartridge-firing breechloaders has been partially blamed for the slowness of the economic recovery following the crash of 1802. Indeed it had still not been completed by 1806, and only a sixth of the French soldiery could be equipped and armed with the new guns. In September 1806, however, the French armies decisively proved their worth. The Coalition armies, whose every movement was tracked (and, from time to time, actively harassed) by the American 707th special forces battalion that was secretly sent to aid the French, were still by and large attempting to employ variants of the old trench tactics associated with the first war and were expecting the French to do the same. But the French had changed tactics again: over and over on the northwest front, where the French armies met their Coalition counterparts, the French would concentrate their best Pauly gun-armed battalions and still-superior artillery in the center. Rather than engaging in the slow, elongated battles of attrition that characterized the first war, they concentrated their firepower in the center of the Coalition position at often point-blank range. With still-superior artillery and now a vast disparity in small arms firepower, the Coalition position typically crumbled and the Coalition army was forced to retreat lest the entire army be swallowed up. This pattern characterized the remainder of 1806. Strasbourg was liberated on September 28th, the siege of Lige lifted two weeks later, and on October 20th Marchal Murat linked up with the Dutch patriot Army near Antwerp. By years end, he had swept into the Rhineland and was threatening to cross the Rhine itself. French fortunes were similarly positive in the southwest in the Pyrenees and in the southeast in Savoy, although the mountains slowed progress in both places. The Scheveningen Debacle With the war going increasingly badly on the continent, the pressure on the British government from her erstwhile Coalition allies to relieve their situation was immense. The British were the one power that was doing well in the war; by 1807 they had seized most of the remaining French overseas possessions in India and the Pacific, and they had smashed the Dutch Navy as it attempted to sortie from Amsterdam. The Danish Navy, which had been sent in support of the Dutch, met a similar fate several months later. With the French reluctant to seriously engage the British at sea beyond the practice of blockade-running, British mastery of the seas was at its absolute zenith in the beginning of 1807. It was thus understandable that there would be pressure on Britain to leverage this naval dominance into actual results on the continent. This pressure was internal too; with both the Stadtholder and King Louis in London and themselves amassing forces for a potential invasion, Prime Minister Addington thus felt he had no choice but to endorse an invasion of the Netherlands C France itself seen as being far too hard a nut to crack due to the Great Wall myth C in February 1807. An invasion force of no less than fifty thousand men, including twenty thousand British regulars, twenty thousand Orangists who had evacuated the Netherlands after the fall of the Stadtholder and ten thousand French Royalists were assembled in a hundred and fifty ships. From there, however, things began to go very, very wrong. From the start, the invasion force was plagued with internal difficulties and infighting over seniority and goals. The Orangists did not trust the French Royalists, who in turn still resented the British for staying out of the first war, who in turn thought the Orangists and French Royalists absurd and were beginning to question the worthiness of their cause. Unsurprisingly, there was thus great disagreement about where the invasion force should go: the British government had by then virtually written off the Coalition cause as a whole, and wanted to land on the lightly defended and easily defensible North Holland peninsula which could be easily protected by the Royal Navy. From there, they could use the threat of a large Army in the Franco-Dutch rear to obtain a separate, favorable peace. The Orangists, on the other hand, wanted to land near Noordwijk to restore the Stadtholder. The British, who by then was thoroughly sick of William Vs overbearing attitude and rather more sympathetic to the Patriot complaints about his rule than before, were not so enthusiastic about this plan as it meant running straight at the Patriot armies near Amsterdam. The French, meanwhile, wanted to land near the Rhine-Meuse Delta, cut off the Republican armies to the north and west, and march on Paris. It was this final option, in the end, that the British commander, the Duke of York, agreed to, if for no other reason than it would be easy to supply. However, he did so with great reluctance, as the sea in that area is riddled with dangerous shoals, and decided to compromise by landing a little north, near the town of Scheveningen. His reluctance was soon proved well-founded, as these shoals played havoc with the Coalition fleet as it approached the coastline, only adding to the confusion within the ranks as several ships ran aground. It was an ill omen for what was to follow. This confusion did have one positive side-effect: it meant that the French, who of course knew all about the invasion, were themselves in the dark about where it would land. The Republicans had thus dispersed their forces throughout the French coastline, and only had fifteen thousand men defending the area around the delta when the British began landing on March 7th. It was thus possible, as the British finally began unloading onto the beach near Vlissingen at the mouth of the Meuse, that the British invasion could still work and could push inland to Antwerp, which would have seriously threatened the French rear. However, it was then that the arguments over the invasion goals re-emerged in earnest, as the process of unloading was slowed to a crawl by squabbles over command structure, sulking from the Orangists who were angry that the fleet had landed so far south, and even complaints from the French C who had picked this area as an invasion site C that the fleet had landed so far north in the Netherlands, rather than southeast in French Belgium. It was enough to give the Duke of York, who also had intermittent foul weather to deal with, a headache, which presumably only got worse when he was given a shocking piece of news by a messenger who had been sent out ahead to scout the local area: the French Army that was marching on the invasion site was not five thousand strong, as first thought, but fifty thousand. In short, the French were not dispersed as first thought, but concentrated, and coming. The result was instant pandemonium in the ranks. The Royalists panicked C no doubt in a somewhat exaggerated way, to force the fleet to land further south C whilst the Orangists wanted to immediately march north, away from the beach and towards Amsterdam. The British regulars, meanwhile, could see that trying to meet an army that large in the process of unloading was an extremely bad idea, and immediately began preparations to get back aboard the ships. But the message was a lie. No one knows if the messenger was a turncoat in the employ of the French Ministry of Information or not or if he was simply fed bad information, but the truth was that the original estimation had been correct: the French really had been dispersed, and could not have stopped the invasion army from moving inland and the beachhead being secured. By the time this was realized on the evening of the 8th, however, and the re-embarking process stopped, it was much too late. The French had realized the invasion was at hand, and the small force of five thousand near Den Haag was beefed up to twenty thousand, with more on the way. Without waiting, the French commander decided to exploit the confusion he was well-informed was present in the Coalition ranks and march on the beach immediately. With half the invasion force still on the ships when the French army arrived as well as most of its supplies, York knew they could not possibly stand up to an actual army and had no choice but to surrender without so much as a shot being fired in anger. The local French commander was generous, allowing the entire invasion fleet to sail away without taking prisoners C the French Royalists had wisely gotten off the beach as soon as word of the incoming Republicans spread C although they had to leave all their heavy guns behind. The Debacle at Scheveningen, as the events of the 8th and 9th of March 1807 became known, instantly caused an uproar back in Britain. The unfortunate Duke of York was court-martialled, but even that scapegoat could not save Prime Minister Addington, who resigned in May. For the war, the embarrassing failure hardened the British opinion that the cause of the Coalition was more folly than wise, and it would be the British, not the French, who would begin secret negotiations with the French in mid-1807 to bring the war to a conclusion favorable to both nations. The Stadtholder had been the driving force behind the invasion C Louis had signed on with far more reservation C and it was then that the British wrote the House of Orange off once and for all. Their only condition was that British interests in the Netherlands be restored and protected, a condition that the somewhat anglophile Danton was happy to agree to. Longer-term, however, it has been argued that the debacle was a net positive for Britain. Everything that could go wrong had gone wrong, with only rich embarrassment as a cost, and the British would study the failures at Scheveningen carefully in the decades to come. The importance of a clear and unified plan, good relations between the services and between Britain and her allies, good intelligence of the situation on the coast, bad intelligence to throw off Britains enemies, and speed in getting off the beach before enemies could reinforce: these were lessons that would be well-learned and heavily emphasized in the British armed services in the following years. Much thought would go into the best way to conduct large naval invasions, and Britain would get many opportunities to fine-tune its practices in the colonial sphere through the early 19th century. It would be these lessons that would be applied to great effect a quarter of a century later, when Britain and her allies would attempt another large naval invasion of a hostile continent. Unlike Scheveningen, however, this invasion would be wildly successful +++++ [1] The Pauly gun is literally just the OTL Pauly gun, invented about a decade early here as Pauly is brought to Paris much earlier than OTL and is given basically unlimited remit to do what he wants. It is amazing to me that Pauly presented an honest-to-god cartridge firing, needle-activated breechloader to Napoleon in 1812 and he... rejected it, because it would have required two powders. The Pauly gun has its problems (and was really complex and expensive relative to other firearms of its time) but it really is massively superior to traditional 18th-century muskets in basically every way otherwise; from all reports, everyone who fired it came away with rave reviews. The big change from OTL, really, is that Lafayette knows that this is where arms manufacturing is going, and so says "give me as many of those as you can". Pauly''s apprentices, incidentally, would be responsible for a great many firearms innovations in OTL, most notably Dreyse who invented the first rifled needle gun. Chapter 158: No Quarter Crater Lake, Oregon Territory (Occupied by the United States) January 9th, 1833 "The view is nice," Sergeant Julian Correa said as he looked at the clear, blue surface of Crater Lake, "Too bad we''re here under shit circumstances." Private Felix Mariano, a soldier in the Mexican Republican Army that hailed from Monterrey, had to agree with his sentiments. Crater Lake was beautiful, and the forests around it were serene. Unfortunately, the view was ruined by hundreds of soldiers milling around and building fortifications. Most of the soldiers were Americans, but there were a few Mexican and Central American soldiers as well (though, Private Mariano knew that the Central Americans identified by their regions, such as Guatemala or Honduras). The "front lines" were just a few kilometers north, but everyone at camp knew that the so-called "front lines" were just for formalities. The front was wherever the enemy was, and they appeared anywhere and everywhere. Even a few settlements in northern California had been raided, despite the fact that the American coalition forces were entrenched in southern Oregon. "Could be worse, sergeant. At least we''re not being shot at," Private Mariano replied. "You''re not wrong." The two trudged towards the edges of the base''s perimeter and silently kneeled onto the ground, waiting for the remainders of their platoon to arrive with their platoon leader. The platoon was patrolling around the base camp, though Private Mariano and Sergeant Correa remained behind for a few hours to help with translating as they were some of the few bilingual speakers in the area. While many of his fellow soldiers were digging or setting up the tents, the two of them, along with many others, were placed on watch duty. It was the worst part about this job, as the British (and the Hawaiians, and the Australians, and the hostile Native Americans) were damn good at ambushes and "probing attacks" (as the American soldiers called it). They never remained in one area long enough for an extended battle. Instead, they focused on harassment and attrition, which was effective against the numerically superior invading force. America''s push into British North America had crawled to a near halt, as its military attempted to quell the Indian revolts near Lakota and pacify the areas around California. Sergeant Correa and Private Mariano shared a comfortable silence before the Mexican Independence War veteran spoke up, "I sure as hell didn''t expect to be dragged into another war right after we got our independence." "I don''t think anyone did." "The Yankees certainly didn''t," Sergeant Correa snorted, saying the word "Yankee" without any hostility in his voice, "I mean, when I first heard about that "League" thing, I thought it would help us a lot. Economic aid from the United States, military protection. Though, if I knew that it would lead to Mexico being involved in another war, right after she started making her recovery, then I wouldn''t have supported it as easily." Private Mariano understood where his NCO was coming from. The man had throughout the entire length of the Independence War, from the very beginning to the very end. He was with Guerrero when he created his "Republican Army" and was with the future president when he triumphantly entered Mexico City as the head of a unified Mexican independence movement. There was no doubt that the man was tired of war, and wanted to live in peaceful times after what he had been through. After all, the man had gone through hell and back, slogging through dozens of battles against the Spanish during the prime years of his life. The only thing the sergeant hadn''t seen yet was the Devil himself. The young Mexican man gently touched the cross he had on his necklace as his thoughts drifted back into reality, "But if they fall, then we may be next. The damn Spanish invaded Venezuela and took Caracas. The Brazilians and the Liga Federal have seized Buenos Aires." "Which is why I''m here, instead of slaving away on my farm and being yelled at by my wife," The sergeant answered with a smirk, "Don''t discount our brother in arms down in South America. The Spanish may have taken Caracas, but they''ll now have to march to Bogota to make the Colombians surrender. And the Argentinians are with the Chileans, raising hell against the invaders in Cordoba. They''re winning now, hermano, but they will not win forever. America will strike them back, I just know it." A small group of men walked towards them, wearing the uniform of the Mexican Army (which was dark green, complete with steel helmets provided by the Americans). Private Mariano recognized all their faces, they were the members of his platoon. Strangely, there were more than a few missing from the group, including the platoon leader. However, while they seemed armed and unharmed, the other members of his platoon looked positively afraid as they moved closer, making the two Mexican soldiers snap into alert. The sergeant checked his Lee rifle and held it up towards his chest, while the private followed suit. He leaned down and whispered into his subordinate''s ears, "Emboscada." The young man from Monterrey nearly cursed. An ambush, involving his friends and comrades. He recognized the signs immediately. The British and their allies often used this trick to create an opening in the defensive lines of every fort and outpost. They would ambush a patrol unit or a platoon just outside of a camp''s perimeter, then use the survivors to create a false sense of security for the guards that protected the outer defenses. Once the guards attempted to help the survivors or allow them to pass, the attackers would descend like a bee storm and cause as much destruction and death as possible. They had been drilled on what to do in this scenario, and most of it involved fleeing and warning the other soldiers within the vicinity. "Go. Warn the others. If it''s anything like the previous raids, the guns they''re holding have no ammunition and they''re of no help to us. I''ll cover you." "But sergeant..." "No buts!" Sergeant Correa growled as he shoved the man towards the lake, "Warn them that they''re coming! They''re gonna catch us with our pants down!" Private Mariano stumbled from the push, but quickly picked himself and ran. A shot rang out from the woods, but it narrowly missed the young Mexican as he fled the site. The sergeant immediately moved after the shot was fired, tackling three of the men in front of him and making them hug the ground. Numerous shots rang out in response to this and the veteran grimaced as he saw his subordinates cut down like wheat in front of a scythe. He quickly handed a few rounds of ammunition and cartridges to the men he tackled and roared at them, "Load your rifles and fire god damn it!" Despite the fact that most of his men were Catholics, Sergeant Correa was not. There were no atheists on a battlefield, but there was no time to pray while getting shot at. Thankfully, the three of them weren''t stupid and managed to load their rifles and return fire. The few survivors that lacked ammunition ran back towards camp, with the intention of returning with ammunition. The sergeant shot at any humanoid outlines he saw, hoping that it would be enough to cover his fleeing men. Unfortunately, even after his best efforts, he only managed to last a few minutes. There were at least a few dozen enemies in the woods and they managed to cut down the Mexican soldiers with ease. Sergeant Correa was the last one to be shot, but the shot that struck him hit home and knocked him into the ground. He was alive but barely conscious. As his vision faded into nothingness, he heard a cry erupt from the attackers as they ran out of the woods and towards the base camp. The last thought that crossed his mind was him hoping that he gave the others enough time to prepare themselves, because there were a lot of Indians, along with many white and tanned soldiers. Chapter 159: Argentinian Guerillas Near Villa Maria, Argentina (Occupied by the Federal League) February 14th, 1833 Colonel Calvino Moretti watched carefully as a Federal convoy left the town of Villa Maria and went out into the open road, heading towards the front in Cordoba. He and a hundred men were lying low in a nearby field, with their positions hidden by the darkening sky and ditches. He knew that the other men under his command were in good positions to strike the convoy as it came close, all they needed was a signal from him to begin the attack. Despite what anyone claimed, Argentina was hardly out of the fight. Buenos Aires and Rosario were under enemy occupation, but the western provinces were still controlled by the Argentinan government, which had moved its seat of power to Cordoba in order to continue the fight. The loss of the eastern provinces was a blow to the Argentinan struggle against the Federal League and Brazil, but it was not a knockout blow. Despite all his faults, President Carlos Maria de Alvear, the second president of the Republic of Argentina, was a hardy and resilient man. President Alvear refused to surrender and continued on the struggle despite the fact that half of the country was under foreign occupation. Additionally, he knew that Argentina was isolated from the rest of the League, except for Chile, and decided to move the little industry that Argentina had to the western provinces. As such, despite losing two critical settlements that were important to the Argentinan economy, the besieged republic was still producing arms and ammunition for itself with the help of Chile out in the west. This was why the invaders were closing in on Cardoba, as it was the temporary capital of Argentina and was one of the biggest industrial cities in Argentina not named Buenos Aires. Thankfully, the Chilean military was helping the Argentinians defend the western provinces, which had brought the Federal and Brazilian push to a slow crawl. While Chile still had a sizeable military to work with, the Argentinan military barely consisted of ten thousand men after the rapid advance of the enemy armies after they invaded in mid-October. The initial defenses around the border worked as intended, but only lasted a month before they were exhausted, allowing the Federal League and Brazil to sweep Rosario and push straight into Argentina. Most of the federal government and a chunk of the military managed to evacuate to the west, but not before suffering heavy casualties. As such, Argentina was unable to meet the Brazilian and Federal forces directly, as they outnumbered the Argentinians nearly six to one. Even with the assistance of Chile, the League forces were outnumbered two to one. This resulted in Argentina creating a new method of warfare, "irregular" warfare as some called it. Guerilla warfare. Utilizing the local population (that hated the Federal League and Brazil), small and mobile groups of fighters, and ambush, the Argentinian military crafted a unique way to resist a numerically superior force. It was still a work in process, as it was a recent doctrine created by the military brass. However, it had proven to be quite effective so far. The lead of the convoy passed by the hidden Argentinan colonel and the man turned to look at the dozen or so men around him. The plan was to hit the convoy from multiple sides and to make the enemy think that the ambushers outnumbered them. From the information he had, the convoy consisted of over five hundred men, which meant that the Argentinians were actually outnumbered five to one. However, they had darkness and surprise on their side. Also, the locals nearby helped prepare several ditches and holes in the field to launch the ambush, and a few of them were participating in the attack as well. It was how he received information about the convoy in the first place; the locals were unsure of what was inside the convoy but provided information on the approximate number of guards for the convoy and the fact that it contained valuable supplies for the Federal League. Colonel Moretti silently counted to ten before nodding to one of the Boroanos Native that was with the Argentinan military. The man lifted his head and let out a war cry, signaling the attack to begin. Several flares were lit above the convoy to provide lighting for the ambushers, while they themselves remained in the dark. A hundred shots rang out within a span of a minute, dropping a few dozen men before the members of the convoy were able to respond. As planned, the ambushers themselves began to move away from their initial positions to throw off the enemy and to prevent them from rushing towards them with their superior numbers. Firing his CAR 1829 (Cardoba, Argentinan Rifle), the colonel downed a person that looked like an officer before sliding into another ditch nearby. The few Native Patagonians within their ranks continuously screamed loud war cries to disorient the enemy while firing a mix of firearms and bows. To their credit, the soldiers of the convoy ducked low and started firing back, but they lacked vision on their attackers. A few Argentinians were shot down during the span of the firefight, but many more enemy soldiers fell from the fire of the Argentinan guerillas. To the enemies'' credit, they realized that if they were unable to see the enemy, then they needed to get up close and personal to deal with the problem. Unfortunately for the Argentinians, they were still outnumbered. "Carga!" He knew what that meant: charge. "Retreat! And throw the coctel!" As the attackers quickly withdrew, three of them tossed "Moretti cocktails" at the dozen or so wagons of the convoy. The "cocktails" were filled with animal fat and oil, with a burning cloth shoved into the top of the bottle to act as the ignition source. It was an invention that Moretti himself created, in response to Argentina''s lack of artillery and grenades. Though, they were still rare as glass bottles and animal fat were not widespread commodities in the middle of Argentina. The Moretti cocktails weren''t able to produce a huge explosion, but the cocktails were flammable and caused a significant amount of damage. Unknown to the attackers, the convoy wagons were filled with gunpowder and firearms, and the wagons themselves were made up of wood. Therefore, even the colonel was surprised when the convoy blew sky-high, knocking him down from the blast. Some Argentinians were caught in the blast, but the enemy soldiers were heavily affected by the sudden explosion. Dozens of them were killed instantly, while the rest were thrown off on their feet. After the explosion, the remaining survivors fled back to Villa Maria. Colonel Moretti shakily got back up onto his feet. The battle was won. Chapter 160: Intelligence Leak Bermuda, British Occupied American Territory March 29th, 1833 "And you are absolutely certain that the French king is correct?"Admiral Amelius Beauclerk asked his subordinate. Commodore Edmund Lyons, one of the most promising officers in the British Navy, nodded. He was tasked with handling intelligence in the American theater, through the Royal Intelligence Agency (an agency that was created in 1828 due to America''s NIS). The RIA was still young and was unpolished compared to its American counterpart, but it still managed to acquire important pieces of information from the American mainland. However, the RIA was not the only source of military intelligence Great Britain had. In fact, the most secret and critical knowledge about the United States came from the French Empire, which Admiral Beauclerk thought was odd. Simply put, the French Empire was a minor power, no matter what King Louis (who was nearly eighty) claimed. The fact that the French Empire was able to acquire more sensitive intelligence than Great Britain, without an intelligence agency or anything of the sorts, was baffling. However, the information sent by the French king in exile was almost always useful, which made Admiral Beauclerk believe this mind-boggling secret American project. The Royal Marines managed to capture Bermuda just over a month ago. While the commanding admiral of the North American theater was no friend of the Yankees, he had to admit that they were a fierce and stubborn bunch. The Americans, despite their numerical inferiority at sea, harassed the Royal Navy for months, using a combination of privateers and frigates. It wasn''t nearly enough to turn the tide of war, but it delayed the British invasion of Bermuda for some time. After the Royal Navy managed to secure the waters around the small island, they bombarded the isle for over a week before the Royal Marines arrived onshore. When they did, they discovered that the American Marines stationed on Bermuda were extremely resilient, with many of them surviving the heavy bombardment that destroyed most of the infrastructure and fortifications on the island. Additionally, those blasted American mines wrecked a few of the ships that were used to deliver the troops for the invasion, along with a frigate offshore. Admiral Beauclerk and the other officers were already working on a "minesweeper" to clear the American mines that littered the eastern coast of the United States, but during the invasion itself, he had none at his disposal. Hundreds of good men lost their lives before they even landed on the beaches of Bermuda, and once they stepped onto the sand, they were fired upon immediately. After a fierce battle that took a week, the surviving American Marines finally surrendered. The British military took over nine hundred losses, while the Americans lost under six hundred men. Apparently, the civilians of Bermuda were evacuated first, with some Marines remaining behind to delay the British takeover of the island and to inflict casualties. And to an extent, they succeeded. Evidently, it was not a fun ordeal, as he had seen the aftermath. There were bodies in every house that was still partially standing and more. The port was badly damaged, while entire settlements were flattened. He shuddered as he thought of how the other fronts were faring. The Spanish were bogged down in South Africa, unable to advance past the coastal areas. They were having trouble in Colombia as well, to the point that they were considering withdrawing from the theater altogether, though not before they sacked Caracas and dashed any Colombian attempts to seize Guiana (with some pressure from Britain, as it was a British colony). Oregon was no better, as communications with the soldiers in the area were extremely difficult. Though, he heard that it was a stalemate for both sides, a very bloody stalemate. The Portuguese and Brazilians, along with their Federal League allies, were being battered and bruised from the "guerilla" Argentinan fighters, despite their initial sweeping successes. However, everywhere else, Britain was proving itself to be the world''s premier power. Singapore and Iceland were in British hands. The Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans were both owned and ruled by the Royal Navy. The American Navy, down to just three dozen ships, were now in hiding. While mines were still a problem, the Royal Navy was able to routinely hit a number of America''s coastal cities, causing significant damages and deaths. Kingston, Jamaica was in British hands, though there were still resistance fighters hiding out in the western parts of the former British colony. If all went well, then the war would be over soon and America would sue for terms. At least, that was if America didn''t have another damned ace up their sleeve. "Metal warships," Admiral Beauclerk scowled as he looked at the report that was provided for him, "How long do we have?" "A year, at maximum, before they finish their first. This "Project Monitor" was originally supposed to be developed in Halifax, but after the American Navy was defeated, they moved the entire project to Quebec City." The admiral flipped through the report and quickly scanned the content, "Three different types of ships... Ironclads, armored frigates, and torpedo boats. Each of them with incredible capabilities to make our navy obsolete. Rotatable turrets, rolled four inch armor, and explosive shells for the ironclads..." "Do we have any similar projects of our own, admiral?" Commodore Lyons asked. "If we did, I wouldn''t be scowling," Admiral Beauclerk replied, "Some of our engineers theorized that such ships were possible, but they were still researching on what type of steel and iron ally could be used to create such metal monstrosities. But if the Americans are starting to build their own..." "They have the designs and science to create them." "Ten of these "Monitor class ironclads" by 1836? And twenty of these "Bunker Hill class armored frigates?" My God..." The intelligence officer winced, "Their only limitation is that they need time to set up the proper facilities in Quebec and Montreal to start building these ships. Once they are ready, the Americans will start constructing the ships of "Project Monitor" right away. Their industrial output... may have eclipsed ours." Admiral Beauclerk wanted to snort, but maintained a trouble expression as he finished reading, "I will report this to London right away. They will need to make a decision quickly. Now, do you have anything else for me?" "One more thing sir," The commodore said as he handed another pile of papers to the admiral, "The French monarch managed to acquire valuable information on the American NIS." As he flipped through the pages, the admiral''s eyes widened. The papers were filled with information on known agents, past agents, points of contact, operations, etc. Most of the information was slightly outdated, dating back to 1825 and it seemed as though these reports were created from memory. But it was more than enough to reveal ways to root out American agents and make the Americans blind. Or, use America''s eyes against itself. Chapter 161: Invasion "... When Great Britain acquired information regarding Project Monitor, the island nation utilized said information in a discreet, yet hurried manner. With the United States developing a series of game-changing weapons, the British government knew that time was not on its side. The urgency of the situation was not to be underestimated, as Great Britain had one year (at most, two years) until the United States churned out a fleet of armored warships that would tip the balance of power in its favor. As such, a probing attack was carried out against Quebec City, under the guise of being a normal raid against one of America''s coastal cities, in order to scout out the defenses in the area for a potential invasion to disrupt Project Monitor. The result was an unfortunate wakeup call for Great Britain... Despite its massive intelligence leak (that neither the NIS nor the FBI was aware of), the United States was not completely incautious. The American federal government was all too aware that Project Monitor, and the location of the project, was a very risky move that could be exposed and destroyed before completion. As a result, before the Project was transferred to Quebec City, numerous fortifications and guns were brought into the region to defend against a potential British incursion. The opening of the Saint Lawrence River (on the side of the Atlantic Ocean) was heavily mined, to the point that a foreign fleet sailing into the river would have to spend a painstaking day just to disarm the staggering amount of mines that were strewn in the waterway. Additionally, these were not the only defenses that the American military had up its sleeves. The United States built a pair of floating batteries directly in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River (an idea they developed alongside the naval mines in 1830). These floating batteries were also protected with a number of river vessels, which were planned to be used as decoys to delay an invasion fleet and give time for the shore and floating batteries to fire upon the enemy. If an invasion fleet wanted to hit Quebec City directly, then they would need to sail through 300 kilometers of hostile waters, facing continuous attacks from mines, shore batteries, artillery, river vessels, and floating batteries. In short, it was suicide. And a detachment of the Atlantic Fleet of the Royal Navy discovered this the hard way... On May 9th, 1833, eighteen ships of the Royal Navy entered the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River and attempted to breach the American defenses. Three of the ships were "minesweepers": small and maneuverable sail ships that were used to grapple mines and move them away from the route of the bigger ships of the line. The remaining fifteen ships consisted of four ships of the line and eleven frigates, a rather standard fleet used for bombardment. The fleet entered American waters early morning and after discovering the mines in the opening of the river, the minesweepers were deployed to move the dangerous explosives out of the way for the rest of the fleet (cutting the mines off of the anchors that secured them and moving them away). It only took ten minutes before the fleet was discovered by American defenders and the soldiers that witnessed the hostile ships immediately sent out a message through a telegram that alerted nearly every town and city in the Canadien state. The batteries stationed near Grosses-Roches and Godbout aimed their ten 30 centimeter Totten guns (named after Joseph G. Totten, who was involved with the development of numerous coastal guns) at the enemy fleet and opened fired fifteen minutes after the British ships were spotted. The guns fired both round shots and common shells (though during this time period, these shells were called "explosive shells"). The first volley managed to strike three of the ships (the HMS Ocean, the HMS Antelope, and the HMS Hawke). None of the ships were sunk, but the common shells fired upon the HMS Hawke set parts of the ships ablaze, forcing the crew to divert their attention to the flames onboard. In response to the American batteries, the British ships opened fire on the coastal defenses (and the towns near them), indiscriminately raining down shots on the enemy to silence the shore guns. As the two sides locked into an artillery duel, a group of American "snipers," armed with the newest Clarke Rifles, fired on the crew of the minesweepers. While the minesweepers were just outside the maximum range of these rifles (about 940 meters), British reports revealed that two crewmen were killed from the sniper fire (with an additional crewman drowning after falling overboard). The Clarke Rifles failed to deal any significant damage to the minesweepers, but it did damage the morale of the crew onboard and slowed down their operation to clear the mines in front of them. During the ensuing battle, nearly three dozen Americans lost their lives (most of them civilians from the towns of Grosses-Roches and Godbout), while several dozen British sailors died from the American guns. The HMS Hawke was sunk after several well-aimed round shots struck the starboard side of the ship, causing the ship to list and then ultimately slip into the river. One of the minesweepers was also hit by one of the 30-centimeter guns, blowing a hole in the ship''s side and making it sink within a span of fifteen minutes. Most of the other British ships had varying amounts of damage as well. However, the British fleet managed to disable five of the guns through its bombardment, which noticeably reduced the amount of fire directed at the ships. Realizing that the battle was moving far too slowly and that the minesweepers were taking far too long to disable the hundred or so naval mines in the water, the British fleet disengaged and attempted to sail out of the Saint Lawrence. However, disaster struck when a loose mine drifted near the HMS Havannah (a 36-gun Fifth Rate) and a common shell burst near the mine, causing it to explode. The naval mines were connected to an onshore battery through a cable (with an anchor linked to the mines to prevent them from drifting). Without the charge from the battery, the mines were unable to explode (which allowed the British to come up with the idea of using minesweepers to cut off the anchor and the cable that connected the mines). However, while they were "useless" without the said cords, the mines were still loaded with nearly twenty kilograms of Trinitrotoluene (or more commonly known as "TNT"). The explosive common shell was all that was needed to set off the "dormant" mine and rock the HMS Havannah with a large explosion. The resulting explosion "split the Havannah in two" and the ship was lost with all lives on deck. The surviving British ships fled the scene immediately after the loss of the Fifth Rate. The British lost three ships (a Third Rate, a Fifth Rate, and a minesweeper) with nothing to show for the losses they received. The "Saint Lawrence Folly" made the top brass of the British military realize that a direct invasion of Quebec City (the site of Project Monitor) was nearly impossible. Immediately after the "Folly," additional American defenses were erected on the riverbanks and over a hundred additional mines were strategically placed throughout the Saint Lawrence River. These upgrades were confirmed by several British ships that patrolled around the region (another direct attack through the Saint Lawrence River was never attempted). Admiral Amelius Beauclerk (the highest-ranking British naval officer in the American theater) and Field Marshal FitzRoy Somerset (a veteran of the Second Coalition War and an Army officer that oversaw the ground operations of the Anglo-American War in the American theater) tirelessly worked for weeks to create a convincing plan to end the war with a decisive British victory. With the American government refusing to negotiate for a settlement (evidently, due to Project Monitor) and the British government pushing the military for a quick end to the war, the two officers were hard-pressed to come up with "one, large victory to end it all" (as King George mentioned in his journal on May 15th). An invasion of the Canadien states or the New England states (which were some of the most fortified places in the entire United States) was out of the question. Instead, Admiral Beauclerk, utilizing the information he received from the French Empire (who, in turn, received the information from Remi Vaillancourt, a former NIS field chief from Quebec who developed bipolar disorder after retiring from the American spy agency), decided that there was a potential opportunity to bring the American government to the negotiating tables through an invasion elsewhere. The plan was submitted to the British Cabinet and was subsequently approved by the Duke of Wellington (Ironically, it was the canned foods [invented by the United States in the early 19th century] that allowed the British to even consider the invasion, as it lessened the logistical burden to feed the invading troops)... The plan consisted of multiple steps that would take several months to come to fruition. The first step was the destruction of the NIS capabilities in the Caribbean, everywhere from Jamaica to Cuba. The combined navies of the French Empire, Great Britain, and Spain heightened their focus to constrict the movement of all foreign ships in the area. The Caribbean and the American side of the Atlantic were closed off completely (to the ire of the French Republic, that proclaimed Armed Neutrality when the war began and traded with the United States in reduced amounts due to the conflict between America and Britain). Smugglers and privateers were gunned down ruthlessly, while NIS agents within the Caribbean were hunted down and caught (utilizing the information given to them by Vaillancourt, over 70% of the NIS agents in the region were captured, with the remaining ones helpless to provide information critical for the war effort). This was an extremely risky move, as it revealed that the "Alliance" (as these powers were known during the war) had a mole within the NIS. Indeed, immediately after the NIS lost contact with most of its operatives within the Caribbean, the FBI and the Department of Internal Affairs carried out a thorough inspection of the entire agency to no avail (though they failed to consider that a former member of the NIS was the mole). Immediately after the first step was complete, infrastructure in the Caribbean islands was expanded upon to provide logistical hubs of an invasion of the United States. Havana and Le Cap (which was already a large port city, as it was the capital of the French Empire) saw increased activity as troops from Britain to Portugual prepared for the "final" onslaught against the United States. Mercenaries, particularly from Germany and Italy, were recruited in significant numbers by the French Empire (that had significant amounts of capital due to its increased production of sugar and other cash crops) and Great Britain (due to its presence in Hanover). Colonial troops were to arrive after the initial invasion began in order to reinforce the Alliance lines. The Alliance fleets constantly attacked cities in the Atlantic region to remove prying eyes away from the troop buildup in the Caribbean and even captured the city of Halifax temporarily through the Royal Marines, though they withdrew before an American counterattack was launched (the Royal Marines suffered significant casualties due to the soldiers stationed in the city and armed civilians, while the Royal Navy suffered the loss of a frigate and two sloops due to mines, which were only a taste of what was to come). Finally, the RIA "accidentally" released an invasion plan of Columbia in Caracas before the Spanish formally withdrew from Colombia. The invasion plan was placed on the body of a high-ranking Spanish officer, and it detailed a very thorough plan for an invasion of the American capital. In the plan, the Royal Navy was to use aging warships as baits for the mines while the actual warships pushed through and established supremacy in the waters near Columbia. Once the forts and the guns in the area were neutralized by a very large Alliance fleet, thousands of troops were to pour into the region and capture the American capital. After the city fell, the front would gradually expand and the Alliance forces would seize every significant city/base to capitulate the United States (Baltimore, Norfolk, Richmond, Philadelphia, and New York). A Venezuelan soldier discovered these plans after Caracas was liberated in late July of 1833 and the Colombian government raced to deliver this message to the American government by land. Within a month and a half, the message was delivered and the American government scrambled to respond (as the date of the "invasion" was set to begin in November of 1833). The potential for an invasion into Columbia was only reaffirmed when a large fleet of Spanish and British ships entered the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and caused extensive damages to the fortifications in the area on August 3rd of 1833. Not only that, but the minesweepers employed by the British managed to disable over three dozen mines, nearly half of the mines located in the bay. While the Alliance fleet withdrew after some time, the attack thoroughly convinced President Peters and his Cabinet that the planned Alliance invasion of Columbia was real and the government devoted a huge chunk of America''s industry to fortify the capital and the surrounding districts. Troops were called from every corner of the United States to defend the Chesapeake region while numerous forts and fortifications were erected in every corner of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Bridges were rigged with explosives, National Guards were mobilized, and movement throughout the area was carefully monitored and watched by the military and the FBI. By mid-October, nearly half of the armed forces of the United States were camped in the sector and it seemed as though a foreign invasion would be thrown back into the sea rather quickly. Alliance attacks at the defenses around the Chesapeake Bay continued (albeit with more losses), which only heightened the urgency of the situation. It was unsurprising that the entire nation was shocked as the combined might of Britain, Spain, the French Empire, and Portugal slammed into the southern United States instead of the eastern United States. On November 5th of 1833, thousands of troops stormed New Orleans, Pensacola, and Okafai with the intention to seize as much land as possible and force the American government to capitulate to Alliance demands (which included the cessation of Argentinan territory to the Federal League, the formal recognition of British control over Iceland, Bermuda, Singapore, and Jamaica, the formal recognition of Spanish control over South Africa, and the expansion of the Oregon Territory into northern California). The southern region was specifically targetted as the defenses in the area were lacking (as planned by the British leadership) and the area was less densely populated than the eastern United States. The invasion itself was relatively straightforward, as it was planned with the lessons Britain (and to an extent, the French Empire) learned during the Second Coalition War. The target cities were bombarded by Alliance fleets during the weeks following up to the invasion (with British ships using common shells for their bombardments, which were finally produced by Great Britain in significant numbers for usage). All forts in the area were located and accounted for, with the invaders aiming to neutralize them first. A day before the invasion was carried out, RIA saboteurs downed the telegraph lines around New Orleans, Pensacola, and Okafi, cutting off communications. As the invasion was underway, the same saboteurs derailed the railroad tracks leading into the cities to prevent people from escaping by train (which caused dozens of deaths as two trains went off the tracks and crashed). There were only a few naval mines scattered in the area, which allowed British minesweepers to clear them with relative ease. Once the troops were onshore, the ships provided naval support and pummeled any American guns that fired on the Alliance soldiers and ships. Within a few hours, nearly twenty thousand foreign soldiers were on American soil and pushing the few American defenders out of the invaded cities. New Orleans, Pensacola, and Okafi had seven thousand troops combined (with five thousand of them in New Orleans), with many of them being militiamen and National Guardsmen instead of formally trained soldiers. Only two Army regiments were part of the defending forces (and both of them were within New Orleans). The end result was four thousand American casualties for two thousand Alliance casualties, with the remaining American defenders captured by the invading forces (one of the Army regiments managed to flee after losing half of its men and warn an Army division that was coming up from Mexico, preventing the collapse of Texas from the invasion). Armed holdouts continued for several weeks, but the invasion forces managed to secure the cities to funnel more men onto the North American continent. Within five days, a total of sixty thousand soldiers of the Alliance were pushing northward, facing minimal resistance from disorganized militias, armed civilians, and scattered military units. By the time the Peters administration realized that they had been deceived and ordered the units around Columbia to defend the southern states, the southernmost parts of Louisiana, Jefferson, and Alabama, along with parts of western Florida and eastern Texas were under foreign control. The Invasion of the United States had begun. +++++ AN: Totten guns are the Rodman guns of TTL. Clarkes Rifles are the Sharps Rifles of TTL (with slightly better range). The mines that the United States is using are based on the Jacobi mines of OTL. Okafi (a mix on the word" Sun Water" in Choctaw) is located directly south of OTL''s Tallahassee, located on the shores of western Florida. And yes, the Spencer repeating rifle (or TTL''s equivalent) is coming up soon. The US is just fielding placeholders until the Spencers are produced in sufficient numbers. Chapter 162: Battle of New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States of America November 5th, 1833 Captain Robert E. Lee, 5th Company Commander of the 6th Static Infantry Division, frowned as he looked at the Army engineer, "So, what is wrong with the telegraph lines?" Corporal Obadiah Lincoln, a tall and lean Army engineer, hesitated before replying, "The lines are down, sir. And I''m fairly certain they were purposely sabotaged." "Sabotaged?" "Intentionally cut, sir." "I know what sabotage means, corporal," Captain Lee said gruffly, "But for what reason?" "I have no idea. It could have been the British, it could have been some locals that accidentally brought the lines down..." The Army captain sighed, "Place the men on high alert and tell them to look out for any suspicious movements. We''re at war, I hardly doubt that this act was accidental." "Will do, sir." The two men were within Fort Hamilton, a fortress that stood just west of the city of New Orleans. The fort guarded the mouth of the Mississippi River and was manned by two regiments of soldiers of the 6th Static Infantry Division. Within the bastion was fourteen 20-centimeter Totten guns, along with six M1802 12-Pound Howitzers. Most of the men stationed within the fort were green (a reference to the clean, dark green uniforms that the Army soldiers wore) and had little to no combat experience. There were a few veterans from the western front, such as himself and a few other soldiers, that taught the "greens" everything they had learned from their months in combat. Even still, memories and warnings could only do so much to help the regiments prepare themselves for actual combat. And as Captain Lee discovered the hard way, there was nothing "striking" about war. War was a game of survival and wits, a game which forced him to adapt and learn quickly in order to live. As the captain walked on the southern walls of the fort, he pulled out his binoculars to see if there were any fleets in the area. The "Alliance" (as the coalition between Britain, Spain, Portugal, and the French "Empire" was known) had stepped up their raids on coastal cities bordering the Gulf of Mexico for the past several weeks. Before the telegraph lines were cut, his commanding officer (a colonel named Samuel Cooper) informed him that Pensacola, Okafi, Sovtaj, Hammock, Mobile, and Clarkston had all been bombarded, with their defenses in ruins. New Orleans was hit as well, but Fort Hamilton was just out of reach of the guns of the Alliance fleets so it remained standing. The raids unnerved Captain Lee for some odd reason as if he expected something unexpected to occur that would shatter the balance of the war. It was likely that the Alliance sought to demoralize the people of the United States by laying waste to any cities their guns could reach, but his gut feeling told him otherwise. His eyes swept across the waters and spotted a few shapes on the horizon. He squinted and soon, the number of shapes increased from a dozen to several dozen to over a hundred. And they were coming closer. Captian Lee cursed as he raced to his CO''s quarters. Every time he passed by one of his subordinates, he shouted a warning, "There''s a large Alliance fleet coming towards New Orleans! Get to your stations!" After informing his CO of the approaching fleet (that consisted of over a hundred ships), the Virginian stood near the artillery crews and waited for the fleet expectingly. This fleet wasn''t just for raiding, he was absolutely sure. If anything, it looked like a full-scale invasion fleet. The numerous ships of the Alliance opened up on the already-damaged city of New Orleans and Captain Lee winced as death rained on the city once more. A number of civilians had already left, but many more remained in the city to rebuild the once-proud and beautiful city on the Mississippi River. Colonel Cooper had ordered his men to remain within the safety of the fort, and despite his own personal feelings aside, the captain agreed with him. It would be foolish to send out the two regiments into the city while it was being hit with shells and shots. The bombardment lasted for nearly two hours before the enemy''s guns fell silent. Shortly afterward, several ships moved closer and closer to the city''s harbor, which was lightly damaged compared to the destruction in the rest of the city. Colonel Cooper approached the captain and placed his right hand on the man''s shoulder, "I have already sent out a messenger, but if it seems as though the fort is about to fall, you and your company are to evacuate and send out a warning to the rest of the United States. I have already asked Captain Barton to do the same with his company." "Sir..." "That is an order captain. I do not care about your desire to hold your ground and fight. It is imperative that the rest of the military is aware of what is going on here in New Orleans! The telegraph lines are down!" Suddenly, it made sense. The sabotaged telegraph lines. The numerous raids on the coastal cities for the past several weeks. The transfer of so many military units to Columbia. The Alliance, with the British at its head, was invading the United States. At least Virginia wasn''t going to be invaded... Or so he hoped. "Understood, sir," Captain Lee replied nonchalantly. As soon as the Alliance ships started to unload in the harbor, the artillery pieces stationed within Fort Hamilton unleashed on the invaders. The captain watched as shells exploded upon the invaders while local militiamen and National Guardsmen scrambled to respond. The bombardment had taken a toll on the defenders, making them disorganized and battered compared to the "fresh" invading soldiers. Despite the American guns shelling the enemy as fast as they could, the enemy established a firm beachhead and advanced, pushing the defenders outside of the fort away from the harbor and towards the city''s center. Colonel Cooper ordered the guns to hold fire, as the risk of friendly fire was far too great within the city itself. Unfortunately, that meant the Alliance managed to pull out their own artillery pieces from the ships and started to rain fire on Fort Hamilton. Not only that, but the group of enemy soldiers split into two, with one heading directly towards Fort Hamilton. There was no doubt that the enemy sought to seize the fort for themselves. The regiments within the fort readied themselves for battle as the bastion''s ordnance fired on the approaching soldiers without impunity. Several of the men on the walls were killed from the Alliance''s siege artillery, which shook the morale of the men more than Captain Lee expected. He grimaced as offered words of encouragement to nearby soldiers, even as the amount of enemy fire increased. Finally, the enemy soldiers were close enough for the defending soldiers to open fire on the enemy with their rifles. Captain Lee joined in with his Samuel rifle (a rifle made in 1824 that held fifteen rounds) and aimed for noticeable officers and NCOs like he was trained to do. Shells and shots rocked the walls, damaging them and knocking a few men off their feet. Canister shots fired into the Alliance ranks, though they did less damage than the captain would have liked (as the Alliance soldiers avoided bunching up into straight lines). Meanwhile, the attackers scattered and dug holes and trenches to take cover from the relentless American fire, while at the same time moved forward to put the American defenders in the range of their own rifles. Thousands of shots rang out and many hit the guardians of Fort Hamilton. Medics rushed to assist the screaming wounded while the others continued to fire as many bullets as they could towards the hostiles. "Medic! I can''t feel my arm!" "Fuck, how many of them are there?!" "Crew 4 is down! Can anyone fire the guns?" "Captain Barton is dead!" That last shout made Captain Lee fall back away from the walls. Captain Barton was supposed to retreat with him, but now he was dead. With Colonel Cooper occupied by ordering the troops, he knew he had to make a decision quickly. Grabbing a nearby drummer, the captain sent out an order for 5th and 6th Company to withdraw from the battle and to gather in the courtyard to flee through the northern gates. The colonel looked towards the drumming sound and gave a tired salute to Captain Lee, who returned the salute with his own. It took a few minutes for the men to detach themselves from the walls and to gather, but once they did, Captain Lee wasted no time to order his men the situation and to start the retreat immediately. Ten minutes after he grabbed the drummer, the 5th and 6th Company of the 6th Static Infantry Division were withdrawing as fast as possible. Thankfully, the Alliance group that was attacking Fort Hamilton had no cavalry amongst its ranks and they were able to escape the heat of the battle with their lives intact. From a distance, Captain Lee watched as the southern walls crumbled and the enemy pushed in. Despite all the destruction, the American flag, with 34 stars and 15 stripes, waved proudly above the roar of the battle. But he knew it wouldn''t remain flying for long, he had to move before the enemy advanced even further into American territory. "Where to sir?" Corporal Lincoln looked battered, but he remained on his feet and on alert, which was a good sign compared to some of the other men under his command. His mind took a moment to think about the current situation. It was possible that New Orleans was not the only city that the Alliance was invading. He thought about all the cities that were bombarded by the Alliance and considered his options. "Clarkston," The Virginian captain finally replied, "There is an infantry division coming up from Mexico after their fight in Oregon. They will be able to help us. One of our platoons will be sent up north to send a telegram directly to Columbia, but the rest of us will rally with the division." Because when he thought about it... There were no other military divisions within the vicinity of Louisiana. The road was wide open for any invaders. +++++ AN: Samuel Rifle is the Henry Rifle of OTL. Chapter 163: America under Siege Salem (OTL''s Hattiesburg), Jefferson, the United States (Occupied by the Alliance) November 12th, 1833 (7 days after D-Day) Private Aston Davidson slid behind a crumbling wall and took a slight peek to see where the partisans were shooting from. His action was met with a shot landing too close to his head for comfort. He quickly ducked behind the barrier and shouted over the din of the gunfire, "They''re in the bank building!" "Keep your head down private!" His sergeant shouted, "Damn Negros and their rifles!" The 4th (The King''s Own) Regiment of Foot was clearing out the resistance fighters in the town of Salem, one of the biggest towns in the southern state called "Jefferson." The town itself was named after a Revolutionary War hero named Salem Poor, a Negro of all people. It was just one of many reminders that the United States had abandoned its white, British roots and pandered to Negros and Chinamen. Instead of restoring friendly relations with Britain, a country that had many things in common with the republic, America constantly interfered in Britain''s business and always placed the Negros above its cousins across the Atlantic. While Private Davidson wasn''t completely hostile to the United States, he was no fan of the young American nation. His feeling about the invasion was mixed, as he hated being shot at from five different directions by armed Americans. However, he was promised a raise along with the rest of the soldiers participating in the invasion (from one shilling to three shillings) along with a small slice of any loot the soldiers "liberated." It also helped that a majority of the people in the region were Negros, as he had no qualms shooting at them. And many British soldiers echoed his sentiment. Unfortunately, this was one part of the job that he absolutely hated the most: conquering cities and clearing them. After aiming carefully behind his shelter, the private fired his Nottingham Rifle towards the stone building that remained standing even after the British artillery bombardment of the settlement. The once-proud "Federal Bank of the United States" was now in partial ruins, though it looked much better than the numerous ruined buildings around it. He didn''t bother to check if his shot landed and pulled out a paper cartridge to reload his rifle. He rotated the crank to open the chamber, pulled off the string of the cartridge, and poured the gunpowder into the chamber. Once the gunpowder was in place, he placed the cartridge paper on top of the gunpowder to use as wadding and placed the bullet into the chamber. Once that was complete, he fidgeted with the crank and adjusted the rear sight on his rifle. He laid down and aimed carefully before firing. This time, he was able to see an exposed Negro man brandishing a rifle go down right after his shot was fired, making him grin as he slapped another shot into his firearm, "I got one!" "Shut your mush!" The private wisely kept his mouth shut as he continued firing. He was one of the youngest members in the regiment, barely twenty years old. His backstory was all too common in the British Army; he was poor and was fed drinks by a recruiting sergeant in a pub, after which he took the King''s shilling and enlisted once he realized he had nothing better to do. He was very fit despite his status, which allowed him to be waved into the Army with ease. And after a year of training, he was on American soil fighting for the glory of the British Empire, the King, and God. A cheer from some of his fellow comrades shook Private Davidson from his thoughts and he turned to see a mortar team arrive. The mortar team quickly went to work and trained their 12-cm mortars towards the American refuge. Within minutes, several shells streaked into the sky and explosively struck the ground. Most of them missed their targets, as mortars were known to be fairly inaccurate. However, three of them struck the bank directly and caused a portion of the front wall to crumble. While the mortars were firing away, Private Davidson continued to fire his rifle, as he wanted to cut down as many defenders as he could before the inevitable charge. Finally, after several rounds of shells, the bank collapsed entirely and panicked shouts erupted from the Yankees. The enlisted British soldier started to fix his bayonet even before he was ordered to do so and a minute later, the command he had been waiting for came. "Charge!" Private Davidson and dozens of others ran quietly towards the Negros with a neutral expression. If he had been on the other side of the charge, the private knew he would''ve been intimidated by a group of red-uniformed soldiers with stony faces. Surely, they would give up now? In response to the British charge, the surviving defenders yelled out a strange sound: a mix of a yelp, a scream, and a war cry. Instead of running or surrendering, the outnumbered locals met the British charge with a charge of their own. It soon turned into chaos as British soldiers with bayonets battled with Negros armed with everything from bayonets to rubble. "Get out of our town, damned lobsters!" A Negro screamed as he swung a rifle wildly towards Private Davidson''s face. The Brit ducked and thrust his rifle''s bayonet towards the man''s midsection, opening up a hole in the black man''s stomach. The wounded lad landed on the floor hard, though he stayed alive and weakly attempted to hit the private with his rifle. The foot soldier frowned as he kicked away the man''s firearm and ended his life with a stab to the neck. His mind barely processed the man''s death as Private Davidson stopped a man that was charging at him with his rifle and slammed him in the head with the butt of the gun. The American crumpled and received a bayonet to the back. Within fifteen minutes, the battle was over (or at least, in this part of the town). The dead bodies were counted and it was discovered that twenty British regulars had lost their lives in exchange for forty-five American lives. Most of the British casualties had been from the rifle exchange, as even non-military Americans owned excellent breechloading rifles. The fact that the civilians fought to the death and cost the lives of over a dozen British soldiers was sobering, but the private shelved the thought away as he knicked a golden necklace off of a dead body and pocketed it. He knew he would be punished if he was caught with the valuable, but he was aware that the others were doing it as well. And he already had a secure place where he could store his loot (as he had picked a few souvenirs already). For the Empire, the King, and God? Those things were secondary. He was in it for the honors, the glory, and the money. Sure, Britain beating America in a war would make his heart swell a bit with pride. However, beating Americans senseless and being rewarded for it was much more motivating. And after this war was over, he was going to finish his seven years in the Army and return to Britain as a well-off man. He just had to survive. +++++ AN: Nottingham Rifle is similar to the Kammerlader rifle. It can fire up to around 8-10 shots per minute. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kammerlade Map of the United States with Cities https://imgur.com/a/P4BfIld#IYhmQh6 For reference :) Chapter 164: Resistance Border between Florida and Georgia November 13th, 1833 (8 days after D-Day) "Are you seeing this Leo?" Claude Mois asked his fellow partisan, "It looks like the sky is falling!" The two males were with a group of over two dozen Americans that were defending their homeland. Despite the lack of an American military presence in the area, the civilians resisted as hard as they could, especially once the stories of the Alliance atrocities started piling up. The fact that most of these atrocities were directed towards African Americans and Caribbean Americans did not escape them either, and many were risking their lives to slow down the British advance until the Army arrived to relieve them. The group was hiding in the jungles that formed a border between the state of Florida and Georgia. And now, they were silently waiting for a British unit to make their way up north in the darkness of the night and the jungle. Leonard Vital, a Caribbean American who was born and raised in a farm near Tallahassee, snorted softly, "If the sky is falling, then it better fall on the damn Spanish." "Your dad is with the Spanish though." "Conquered by the Spanish, Claude. Big difference. You make it sound like my dad joined up with the Spanish or something." Tallahassee had been conquered just days ago and unfortunately, Leonard''s father was in the town when it was captured by the Spanish. Leonard managed to get his mother and two younger sisters into Georgia safely but chose to remain behind and fight the occupiers. And hopefully, rescue his father while fighting and stalling the invaders. Unfortunately, the front was constantly pushing inward into American lands and it was almost impossible to sneak into the occupied territories to look for his father. Seeing that Leonard was clinching his Lee rifle a bit tighter, Claude comfortably patted the sixteen-year-old''s shoulders, "He''ll be fine. Your dad is a tough man." "That doesn''t matter," Leonard hissed as he brushed away his friend, "My old man is hot-headed and he''s bound to pick up a gun and start shooting, especially once the newly arrived Frenchies start enslaving black folks like ourselves. He''s a patriot too, loves America. There''s no way he stays out of trouble." "He''ll survive. Until we roll them back to the sea, we''ll need to pray for him to survive under their rule." "Sure, I''m supposed to entrust my father to God and the bastards that invaded my home." "Lighten up and just enjoy the show," Claude replied. The moon shone on his face and he revealed an uneasy smile as he laid down onto the ground, "Just wait a few hours. You''ll have something to take your anger out on soon enough." "I''ll shoot the Chegs the moment I see them," Leonard mumbled under his breath as he attempted to clear his mind by watching the falling lights in the sky. He shook his head as he rested his rifle close to his twitching hands. No matter what he did, his thoughts drifted back to the memories of the invaders ruthlessly destroying settlements and stealing any form of valuables and food from the locals. He considered himself a Floridian first, and an American second. And the sight of seeing the people of his home state suffering had stoked his anger. Maybe if the Army came down to save them, then he would consider joining the military. Until then, he was going to roam with the local band of resistance fighters and hit the invaders as much as possible. If he wanted to run, he could have ran to Georgia days ago, but he remained behind because the invaders decided to invade Florida. This was his home, and he was going to defend it. "The Kochings are coming!" Someone whispered. The nickname the local fighters gave the invaders ("pigs") had a bittersweet origin. After seeing the European soldiers ransack every food store and warehouses they could find, they received the nickname "pigs" for their seemingly endless appetite for food. Yet, it was a reminder that the locals were now beginning to starve under the conditions brought to them by the foreigners. Leonard laid on his stomach and hid under carefully under a large bush as a French troop column entered his field of vision in the distance. The other freedom fighters took positions in hiding holes and various plant life as hundreds of French troops marched towards Georgia, their next destination after their conquest of western Florida. The French troops looked well-fed and victorious and moved with extreme confidence. However, what really boiled Leonard''s blood was the fact that some of the men in the French ranks were blacks. If he hadn''t seen the senseless murders and atrocities committed by the French black troops, he would''ve never believed any of them to be true. But he had, and they were just as worse as their white counterparts. It seemed as though they believed that they ("noble" blacks of the French Empire) were "superior" to the "peasant blacks" of the American republic. "Don''t fire yet," A person gently whispered as he slowly lowered Leonard''s rifle. The teen looked to see the older Claude laying down next to him, "Remember: until you see the whites of their eyes." "Even with the moonlight and the falling lights, it''s hard to see their eyes." "Just trying to calm your nerves. Your hands were shaking." The Caribbean American looked down to see that his hands were, indeed, shaking. However, they were slowly calming down. This was Leonard''s third raid, but he still felt jittery at times. Realizing what the older man had done for him, Leonard bowed his head slightly, "Mesu." Finally, the French troops came closer and he could see the gleaming buttons on the bright blue French uniforms. It was almost mystifying why the French soldiers wore such bright uniforms. They were much easier targets to aim at, even during the night. He and his fellow partisans wore dark-colored clothing or almost no clothing at all (to utilize their surroundings to their advantage). Even the American soldiers wore dark olive or navy blue uniforms. Well, it was good for him as he steadied the firearm in his hand and cocked the hammer. He aimed at the nearest enemy he could see and prepared to fire. The rules of the raids were simple. Each person was to shoot three times, then immediately move into the deeper parts of the jungle. If the enemy pursued them, they would run into various traps laid out near the area (traps that Leonard remembered by heart as he was forced to study where they were during the day). If they still continued their pursuit, the partisans would use the jungle to their advantage by blending in with the shadows and attacking at any unsuspecting soldiers with their rifles or knives (which every partisan carried, whether the knives were hunting knives or bakery knives). Whoever shot first was the "signal" for the others to begin firing. Right as the first shot rang out, Leonard fired and saw a black French soldier go down with blood spurting out of his throat. The Floridian wasted no time to open up the chamber and shove another shot into his rifle. He took eight seconds to reload (several seconds slower than the faster reloaders in the team), but he managed to down another French soldier right after he completed reloading and aiming. By then, the French soldiers were in disarray and they moved around to spot where the shots were coming from. The second volley by the American group gave their location away and the French column managed to fire off a volley. However, they were immediately met by another volley from the hidden partisans. This time, Leonard missed but immediately after firing his third shot, he fled along with the others into the jungle. Before he was out of the sight of the road, he saw a figure limping towards the rendezvous point. "Good to see you, Leo." "Claude, grab my shoulder, and let''s make a run for it." The man wheezed, "I can''t, they shot my leg up real good." "I''m not letting you die under the boots of the Kochings," Leonard answered as he slung the man over his back and held his unloaded rifle in his armpit, "We have to fight another day." Claude laughed despite his injuries, "Oh zanmien. You will get us both killed one day." "Saving your sorry ass, yes." The two managed to scamper away just as the first French soldiers were caught in a pit trap. Leonard didn''t know how many French soldiers were killed, but he knew that every dead French soldier was one less to terrorize his homeland. And to him, that''s all that mattered. ++++ AN: Chegs is the English Creole word for "dogs." Kochings is the English Creole word for "pigs." Mesu means "thanks." Zanmien means "friend." Chapter 165: The War Cabinet Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America November 24th, 1833 (19 days after D-Day) President Eliyah Peters paled as he looked at the war map of the United States. The Seventh President of the United States looked haggard and exhausted as his eyes darted around the room, which wasn''t surprising considering the situation the nation was in. For the first time since the Revolutionary War, parts of the nation were occupied by foreign powers. And unlike the Revolutionary War, America''s enemies were rapidly advancing into the interior, which was sparking massive panic in every state. The members of the Cabinet were in the meeting room of the West Wing of the White House. Since Columbia was not under direct threat from the fleets of the Alliance and invasion, the president decided to hold the emergency war strategy session in the brightly lit meeting room instead of the "bunker." The warm sunlight shining through the windows was contrary to the dark mood within the room. "Fushaven had fallen, sir," Secretary of Defense Lucius Bonapart reported as he pointed towards the critical rail city in Alabama, which was shaded red to signify the Alliance occupation of the settlement, "We''ve received scattered telegraph reports from the area just this morning." "How did they advance so quickly?" President Peters asked solemnly. "Railroads, sir. Jackson was one of our biggest rail hubs in the south and after its capture, the Alliance utilized the steam locomotives located in the town to smash our defenses in Fushaven directly." The president frowned, "Why were the tracks at Jackson left intact?" Secretary Bonapart shifted uncomfortably, "The Alabama National Guard unit in Jackson received the order as the town fell. By the time it arrived, there was nothing the National Guardsmen could do." A fist firmly landed on the table, startling the occupants of the room. President Peters was a quiet and reserved man, but while he spoke to the members of his Cabinet, there was an edge to his voice, "I want an order sent to every single town in the south with a railroad station: the rails are to be destroyed." "All of them?" "The ones in Jefferson, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia." "But Mr. President..." "I do not care if it slows us down when we recapture the south, I want the Alliance offensive to halt before it advances any further! Jackson is connected to Atlantia, which is connected to important cities in the east and the midwest. We can not let them capture any rail lines coming in and out of Atlantia." "It will mean sacrificing Jefferson and Alabama, sir. Along with Florida." "I know," The Commander in Chief''s shoulders slumped as he looked directly at the secretary, "But we do not have a choice. The front is constantly expanding and even though our troops are being deployed into the region, we can only hold so much ground. If the government receives backlash for this move, then I will personally take the blame." The Secretary of Defense hesitantly nodded, "I will send out the order. However, I recommend that we keep the lines in Atlantia and Washington intact. We have managed to reinforce the two cites with thousands of troops and the officers there have confirmed that the Alliance has not reached either one of them. Additionally, I highly recommend that we send out the "scorched earth" order to deny the advancing enemy supplies and resources. We have delayed sending the order for far too long, but we still have time to slow their advance. " "I do not like the scorched earth tactic, but I understand it must be done. You have my full support for the orders," President Peters wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead and looked at the various pieces (representing American military units) on the map, "We have one hundred and ten thousand troops at our current disposal..." "Ninety thousand, sir," The Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs Lieutenant General Jacob Brown stated, "Twenty thousand troops are currently in Texas, but we are unable to communicate with them. Hopefully, they will be enough to stall the Alliance''s push into Texas, if there is one." "Ninety thousand at our current disposal. Thirty thousand soldiers are in Washington, while twenty thousand troops are in Atlantia. The remaining forty thousand are holding the line in southern Georgia and eastern Florida. When will the next division be ready?" "In a month, Mr. President. We will have an Army division and a Marine division ready for deployment. That will give us thirty-five thousand additional troops to utilize." "Are we able to siphon off troops from other regions?" President Peters asked. "I would recommend against such a move, sir. We are still unsure about the exact troop strength of the Alliance in the area. It''s entirely possible that they may attempt to invade elsewhere with our military focusing on the southern states. A single division, along with local National Guards, is holding the entire New England region by itself. Another division is holding the Canadien states, and thirty thousand troops are in Oregon. We have already started ramping up recruitment and we expect our military to double again in size within six months." "That is if enlistment holds steady." "Which is why I believe my proposal has some merit, sir. Forgive me if I''m being rude, but allowing immigrants to fight in my proposed "Foreign Legion" would free up our garrison units to fight in the southern front. Especially in Oregon, as there are a number of immigrants in California willing to fight. under the American flag" The president waved his hand, "I will see to it. My biggest concern is our industry. Much of our industry has been moved to the west, out of the reach of the Alliance bombardments. However, this has resulted in reduced industrial output and a stall in the production of those new Pelissier Repeating Rifles. It doesn''t help that Project Monitor is keeping the Canadien states preoccupied, along with the fact that our trade is nonexistent." "We still have plenty of leftover Lee Rifles and a sufficient reserve of Clarkes Rifles and Samuel Rifles. Arming our soldiers will not be a problem. Ammunition is our biggest concern, as the breechloaders eat up an exhausting amount of bullets and gunpowder," Secretary Bonapart mentioned, "The Pelissier Repeating Rifles will only make our logistical problems worse. Our industry was more than capable of supporting the ammunition needed for one hundred thousand troops. But supporting three hundred thousand troops without any imports from other nations? That will be a difficult problem to deal with." "Secretary Lloyd, do you agree with his assessment?" Secretary of the Treasury James Lloyd cleared his throat, "I do. It would be better to stick with the Lee Rifles and the Samuel Rifles, along with the Clarkes Rifles for sharpshooters until our industrial situation improves. As planned, the federal government and the Federal Bank are doing their best to support the rapid industrial expansion in cities such as Detroit, Peoria, Madison, Cleveland, and Thaona. Even so, I expect the process to take at least a year or two. Especially since we have a number of projects in development under ARPA, everything from the breechloading "Springfield" siege guns to the Gatling guns." "Project Monitor will be complete before October, Mr. President," Secretary of Research and Development David Jean said as he cut into the conversation, "We will have two Monitor class ironclads and three Bunker Hill class armored frigates ready, along with a dozen torpedo boats. We just need to hold out until then. Toronto, Thaona, and Montreal are all producing wooden frigates to support the metal warships in securing the American coastline." President Peters leaned forward and clasped both ends of the table, "Let us hope the public does not waver until then. And General Brown, is SOCOM in position?" For the first time during the entire meeting, someone in the room grinned. That man was the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staffs, "Oh, the Gurkhas have already been unleashed in Florida, and the two SOCOM battalions have been released into Alabama and Jefferson. The British and their lapdogs will not have an enjoyable experience facing them. They will also be formally assisting the civilian partisans in the area, which will only worsen the resistance in the occupied territories." "In the meantime, Major General Napoleon has reassured us that St. Augustine will hold if there is an enemy attack and has even proposed a counterattack on the Spanish and French positions in Alligator Town. Especially since he has received additional shipments of artillery to blow a hole in their lines..." +++++ AN: The Pelissier Repeating Rifles are the Spencer Repeating Rifles of OTL. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_repeating_rifle Springfield Siege Guns are the Armstrong Guns of OTL. Alligator Town is Lake City, Florida of OTL. Chapter 166: We Shall Never Surrender! "... The American people have asked me many questions throughout this conflict: ''How much more does our nation need to suffer to end this war? Why is the government persistent in continuing this ruinous struggle?'' And to answer their concerns, I reply with this short answer, ''Because we must.'' This war is not a pointless squabble to determine borders and territories, but a clash between the old world and the new world; a clash between the Great Experiment, our beloved republic, and the monarchies of Europe that seek to prove that our experiment is nothing but a failure. These same monarchies attempted to subdue the French Republic in Europe, yet failed to do so. And now, they bring their aggression, their anger, upon our home. But their goal still remains the same. They seek for our submission, our acknowledgment that our nation is beneath theirs. The moment that we make this unthinkable concession, we proclaim to our allies that our ideals are inferior and invalidate republicanism to the rest of the world... ... I have, with full confidence, that we will stand victorious above our enemies by the end of this war. It will not be an easy battle: lives will be lost and our morale will be shaken. Yet we must preserve not only for ourselves but for our allies that lean on us for protection and for future generations that are born in this Shining City on a Hill. Our nation has defeated the British once, with nothing but sweat and blood. We shall defeat them again, this time with steel and fire. Even though the British have numerous allies, we will emerge from our Darkest Hour triumphant... ... Even though our overseas territories are occupied and our southern states are besieged, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go onto the end. We shall fight on the seas and oceans. We shall fight, with growing confidence and strength in the air. We shall defend our home, our Republic, whatever the cost may be! And we shall fight on the beaches. we shall fight in the fields, we shall fight in the streets, and in the jungles. We shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender!" -We Shall Never Surrender speech given by President Eliyah Peters on November 27th of 1833 in front of both chambers of Congress. +++++ "...We expected the Americans to give up and sue for terms after we invaded the mainland. Instead, they roared back in defiance. We should have never awakened the American Colossus. Now it is directing its terrible anger towards our nation, and we are running out of time to finish this war. I am afraid this war is already lost." -Duke of Wellington''s journal entry on December 22nd of 1833. +++++ Near Lake Miccosukee, Occupied Florida November 29th, 1833 (24 days after D-Day) SOCOM operator Corporal Chen You, a member of the 2nd Special Forces Gurkha Battalion, moved swiftly through the jungle with his comrades. The Chinese-American from Xin had to admire his Gurkha compatriots, as they seemingly had an endless supply of stamina and energy. And they were terrifying fighters to boot. If he was asked to paint the perfect soldiers, he would''ve instantly described the Gurkhas. Nevertheless, he was no slouch when it came to warfare and endurance. He had specially trained with the Gurkha Battalion for over three years now and while he lacked the combat experience some Gurkhas boasted, he believed that he was a capable soldier in his own right. He joined the military four years before the outbreak of the "American British War," mainly due to his preference for physical activities over studies (to the disappointment of his parents). After joining the Army, he was quickly recognized as a potential candidate for the Special Forces due to his excellent physical skills and marksmanship (which he picked up quickly after joining the military). After spending two years in the regular branch of the Army, he passed the SF trials with flying colors and was assigned to the Gurkha Battalion. He wasn''t the only non-Gurkha within the Gurkha Battalion, as there were around three hundred others like him. They were attached to the Gurkha Battalion to learn under some of the best American SOCOM operators, and also due to the fact that there were only around a thousand or so Gurkha soldiers within the United States. Another battalion was being formed under the remaining Gurkhas not assigned to the 2nd Special Forces Battalion. This meant that the Gurkhas in You''s battalion were the only Gurkhas directly fighting in the war. The battalion leader, a Gurkha Major named Manjul Sherpa that hailed from Central Nepal, wordlessly halted the group and signaled for the soldiers to spread out with his hands. Corporal You dove into a nearby bush and cocked his Pelissier Repeating Rifle. He had seven centerfire cartridges loaded into the rifle and he knew with his training, he could fire up to twenty-one rounds a minute. Carefully repositioning himself to fit into the formation set up by the battalion (a half circle with a rearguard), the young special forces member scanned the surrounding areas covered in the night''s darkness. The wilderness was silent except for the sound of insects and reptiles, which made the corporal on alert for any sudden noises. Like all SOCOM operators, he was wearing a nearly all-black uniform with a dark green beret on his head, so he wasn''t too worried about being spotted due to the lack of moonlight. Even still, he had been drilled in the importance of remaining on his toes at all times, so he was absolutely focused on his surroundings. Finally, several light footsteps revealed the presence of a small group of people and caused the entire battalion to point their weapons towards the new arrivals. Major Sherpa remained in his hidden position as he quietly called out to them with his Nepalese accented English, "Yankees." "Don''t ask me about the American Series wins, they won dozens. One National Series win, which was in ''29 against the Pelicans. The bastards." Corporal You recognized the verbal exchange. It was a simple, yet fairly effective way of knowing if their "guests" were Americans, since hardly any foreigners followed American baseball. The mentioned series was specific to the area as well (the Pelicans played in St. Augustine). And since they knew where to meet the Gurkha Battalion, it meant they received a message from the battalion leader sometime before. Though, the Asian soldier was a bit sore that the man hated the Yankees, as they were his home town team. "If you try anything funny, we''ll blast you to pieces." Major Sherpa growled. "I know," The voice replied. The major sent a team to inspect the hidden Americans, which included Corporal You. He approached the group with caution and only lowered his rifle after seeing that their contacts (half a dozen whites and blacks) had their weapons on the ground. The Chinese-American patted one of them down and was satisfied after discovering that the man''s weapons (an old rifle and a knife) on the ground were the only "dangerous things" on him. After the group finished their inspection, the Gurkhas, and "honorary" Gurkhas, moved the group towards the major. Major Sherpa emerged from the shadows and inspected the partisan group the battalion was looking for, "Your name?" "Andrew Leger. I''m one of the leaders of the resistance in the area, so to speak." "You let kids and women fight with you?" The Xin native had noticed that a woman and a teenager were amongst the group of rebels, but kept his mouth shut to avoid pointless chatter. However, Leger, a large white man with a hardened face, scowled, "Does it matter?" "The woman? Maybe not so much. The child? Yes." "This child has a name," The young-looking boy answered, his face trembling, "Leonard Vital, and I have probably killed more men than you..." "That''s enough," Leger said, scolding the boy, "They are here to help us and teach us. Do not berate them." Major Sherpa watched the exchange without changing his neutral facial expression and merely crossed his arms, "We have food for you as well, along with additional ammunition. Some of my men will run through the front lines during the night to bring back supplies daily. From this point forth, the four companies of the battalion are under the rotation system we discussed before. Two companies will terrorize our enemies, one company will focus on maintaining a small breach in the enemy lines to bring in supplies, and the fourth company will train your group and any other resistance groups we can find. Our job is to unify the resistance fighters and to make the invaders bleed." Corporal You heard his commanding officer swear something in Nepalese, but he caught the word "British" and "Nepal" in between the Nepalese words. He was probably ranting about the British invasion of Nepal just over two decades ago. Though, there were no British soldiers in this sector since they were towards the very western parts of the occupation zones. Maybe he just despised Europeans in general. "Then let us move back to our hideout and continue our conversation from there." "We are already aware of the location of your base and have taken some additional measures to bolster the defenses around the area." "How?" The rebel asked, his eyes widening at the Gurkhas'' statement. The officer responded to his question with a smile that the corporal had seen too many times before. It basically meant, ''Gurkhas.'' "Alpha and Baker Company, move out. Charlie Company, breach. Delta Company, follow me." The companies moved like a swarm of bees as they carried out the major''s orders, with Corporal You (who was a member of Delta Company) flanking Major Sherpa along with the rest of his unit. As they began to jog into the deeper parts of the jungle, the corporal eyed the feisty black kid from earlier. Despite his age, he looked almost like a veteran and acted like he had seen hell, which he probably had since he had been fighting the invaders for weeks now. He felt sorry for the kid but cleared his mind as he ran. It wasn''t a good time to get distracted. +++++ AN: Yes, I am aware that President Peters ripped off Churchill. But uh, it is an inspirational speech. And certainly a loud and clear message to Britain: you can only pry the surrender documents from our cold, dead hands. Chapter 167: Battle of Alligator Town The Clash of Titans: The Anglo-American War and Beyond By Raymond Smith, published in Timstown, Jefferson "... Unlike their British counterparts in the west, the French and Spanish forces that were amassed in Florida saw their advance into the United States stall quickly. In the opening phases of the invasion, they were able to seize Okafi, Hammock, and Sovtaj rapidly within a week. Hammock and Sovtaj were subsequently sacked and evacuated, as they held no important strategic value to the overall invasion of the United States (even so, the "Sacking of Florida" caused the death of nearly ten thousand Americans and resulted in valuables worth millions of dollars seized by the Alliance). However, Okafi itself was used as the main logistical hub for the invading forces in the area, a funnel for the supplies needed by thousands of Alliance soldiers. This allowed the French/Spanish troops in western Florida to move into the surrounding counties (which were relatively undefended and in chaos) quickly. After just a mere week, Tallahassee (the biggest settlement in western Florida) had been captured and the Alliance was threatening Georgia. After an additional two weeks, Alligator Town, which served as the railway junction between Tallahassee and St. Augustine, fell as well, despite the best efforts of Major General Nathaniel Bonapart. The American general, who was training two Army regiments in South Carolina, was one of the first officers to respond to the invasion and led a valiant effort to prevent Alligator Town from falling. Unfortunately, the two regiments under his command were lacking artillery and were disorganized when they engaged the enemy, which led to his decision to withdraw and wait for reinforcements. After retreating back to St. Augustine, General Bonapart blew the rails between Alligator Town and St. Augustine, effectively destroying any chance of the Alliance quickly pushing into St. Augustine (a naval invasion of the town was written off after the US reinforcements arrived)... After the fall of Alligator Town, the Alliance''s fortunes in the east faltered. Upon entering Georgia, the French and Spanish soldiers quickly found themselves under fire from the locals in the area. Partisans sprung up everywhere and constantly harassed Alliance supply depots and troop formations. Despite the fact that the Spanish had experience in dealing with guerilla fighters (a term coined by the Federal League after facing resistance fighters in Argentina) in Colombia and its former American colonies, the Floridian jungles and swamps severely hampered efforts to root out guerillas. The most common tactic was the "hit and run" doctrine established by many American civilians turned combatants. After hitting a hostile target, the guerillas would flee into the jungle and set traps to cause even more havoc and casualties among the Alliance troops. Any attempts to create goodwill by the occupying forces flew out the window within the first weeks of the invasion and the Spanish/French came up with draconian measures to suppress partisan activities to some success (including the infamous "concentration camps" to hold thousands of Americans hostage in order to prevent attacks). To their credit, the Alliance did manage to push into southern Georgia despite attacks from the locals... While many Native Americans in the southeastern United States moved to Hisigi upon the state''s formation, others remained behind in their native homeland and remained integrated to the local state government. The Hitchiti tribe, native to southern, was one of the few tribes where most of its members remained in their ancestral lands and it was the first line of defense Georgia had against the invaders. A rural and industrious people, the Hitchiti were well known to be extremely adaptable and utilized the nearby Flint River (which they considered their "source" of settlement) to build several local workshops in Hihnje (for metalworking and weaponry). The Native American town was one of the bigger towns in western Georgia and was in a critical position due to its close proximity to the Alliance''s flank in Jackson, Jefferson. As such, on November 25th of 1833, a Spanish force of 3,000 soldiers marched towards the town, feeling confident that victory would be won with little effort as the United States lacked a large military presence in the town. Unfortunately for the Spanish troops, the town had been hastily reinforced by the 24th Army Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division (led by Colonel Keon Burton, an African American, West Point Academy graduate). The two thousand American troops were supported by approximately four hundred Hitchiti militiamen. Many of them were ordinary farmers, tradesmen, or workers before the invasion, but after hearing about the threat to their home, they took up arms against the invaders. Colonel Burton worked closely with the locals to defend the town and fortified it for three days with little rest. By the time the Spanish arrived, the Americans were entrenched and ready to blunt the attack. In their arrogance, the Spanish forces lacked any artillery to directly assault the town and were forced to engage in a skirmishing battle with the Americans. The defenders were primarily armed with the Lee Rifles, but three platoons under the 24th Regiment carried Clarkes Rifles (the main sharpshooting weapons for the United States throughout the war). With a range of 940 meters, an iron sight, and a firing rate of nearly 10 shots per minute, the Clarkes Rifles devastated any Spanish soldiers that drew too close to the defensive fortifications of the town. The Spanish were unable to respond to the American sharpshooters as they were mostly armed with rifled muskets (and only a few Nottingham Rifles provided by the British Military). Realizing that a direct assault was futile, the Spanish Colonel Lope Tineo (who was the commanding officer of the attacking forces) decided to withdraw in order to avoid unnecessary casualties and to return with artillery. The Battle of Hihnje was hardly a "battle" (with only eighty-two Spanish casualties for four American casualties), but it was an important strategic victory that left a potential flank route open for the United States military to utilize. And while the town did fall after a bigger Alliance assault (with a detachment also attacking from the north), the delay in the fall of Hihnje slowed the Alliance advance in Alabama and bought more time for the United States to rally its forces in Georgia... The United States SOCOM, specifically, the 2nd Special Forces Gurkhas Battalion, infiltrated Florida on November 26th of 1833 and unified a significant chunk of the partisan groups in the area into an effective "terrorizing" force. Every isolated patrol unit was picked off with brutal efficiency (with the dead invaders having their heads mounted on pikes by the Gurkhas, which demoralized and enraged the Spanish and French soldiers in the area), the supply storages of the invading forces were blown up with explosives, and infrastructure (everything from bridges to roads) was sabotaged relentlessly. This significantly obstructed the Alliance''s effort to resupply and hold Alligator Town, especially after the bridge over the Suwanee River (which marked the midway point between Alligator Town and Tallahassee) was destroyed by Gurkhas. As a result, the Alliance discreetly withdrew several thousand soldiers from Alligator Town (to lessen the logistical burden on the defending forces in Alligator Town, and also to deal with the increased number of partisan attacks) and bolstered the defenses in the settlement to the best of their abilities. This withdrawal was witnessed by several SOCOM operators, who relayed the sighting to one Major General Nathaniel Bonapart in St. Augustine. On December 10th of 1833, the general executed a plan to liberate Alligator Town and push the invaders out of Florida, which was to begin on Christmas Day (a holiday that was celebrated religiously by many Spaniards and French Empire citizens, due to the prevalence of Catholicism in both countries) (Christmas was also celebrated in America, though not as widely as in Spain or in the French Empire). Regarding the Christmas assault on the Alliance forces in Alligator Town, the deist General Bonaparte wrote, "Perhaps attacking [the Alliance] on their religious holiday is unsightly, but [the Alliance] ha(s) left me little choice on the matter." The Battle of Alligator Town combined the new doctrines and technologies invented by the United States in between the Revolutionary War and the Anglo-American War. SOCOM operators, working with local guerillas, intensified their efforts to isolate Alligator Town, cutting off supply and reinforcements to the Alliance occupied settlement. General Bonapart, armed with reinforcements and heavy guns, split his troops into two groups. The main army group (consisting of nearly seven thousand men, due to the constraints of logistics and roads in the swampy region of northern Florida) marched westward from St. Augustine to directly challenge the eastern defensive line in Alligator Town. Meanwhile, a small detachment consisting of one thousand soldiers (led by Colonel Harvey Brown) marched through an atrocious part of the Floridan jungle to hit the defenders from the north (a jungle that was thought to be impassable by the French and Spanish forces in Alligator Town). The group was led by several Gurkhas and partisans, who knew a "safe" path through the wilderness. This attacking force faced four thousand French and Spanish defenders that were well-fortified and "fresh" (the defenders of the town ransacked and stole foodstuffs from the locals to keep themselves fed, which resulted in many locals starving from the ensuing food shortage). Nearly three-quarters of the Alliance forces in Alligator Town were French mercenaries, with the remaining troops being Spanish regulars. The French mercenaries, up to this point, had enjoyed a lucrative period of looting and sacking American towns. While this significantly increased their morale, it also decreased their discipline, as they expected their stay in the United States to be "relatively easy." Meanwhile, the Spanish soldiers were battle-hardened veterans, with many of them returning from the mess in South Africa and Colombia. Despite their inferior weaponry (the few breechloaders Spain owned were given to the front line forces in Georgia), they were more than capable fighters and extremely disciplined. To this day, it is unknown why the French decided to leave mercenaries as garrison forces in Alligator Town. However, it is generally believed that if the French defenders were regulars instead of mercenaries, the Alliance could have made the ensuing battle a much more costly affair for the attacking Americans... On Christmas Day, General Bonapart ordered his artillery to begin bombarding the town in order to create an opening for the American forces to launch an assault. Alligator Town was surrounded by three lakes, which gave the defenders an enormous advantage as it guaranteed that the attackers were forced to attack through small bottlenecks. However, this also meant that the troops and defenses near the town were bunched together. While the general sought to avoid unnecessary civilian deaths, several shells landed within the town itself, killing hundreds of civilians that were (ironically) celebrating their liberation from the grips of the Alliance. Among the thirty artillery pieces the American officer had at his disposal, ten of them were the new 20-pound Springfield guns that were produced in Cleveland (a testament to America''s growing industrial might despite the initial backfoot the industrial sector suffered during the first year of the war). The Springfield guns were the first artillery breechloaders and were much more reliable than their muzzleloading counterparts. Additionally, the Springfield guns boasted a range of 3,000 meters, a high firing rate, and impressive accuracy. These guns, along with twenty 1829 20-pound Joshua Guns, rained death on the defenders and caused a significant amount of damage to the cramped fortifications. However, they did not cause as many casualties as General Bonapart hoped, as the Spanish soldiers and French mercenaries withdrew to the town proper during the majority of the bombardment phase and waited for the artillery guns to fall silent before retaking their positions. Even so, the defenders were in disarray and the American military leader decided to press forth with his attack. Five thousand American soldiers assaulted the eastern defenses, utilizing their superior range and fire rate to their advantage. Ordinary American infantry soldiers outranged their opponents by several hundred meters, devastating the defenders while suffering only a few casualties. Platoons of sharpshooters picked off enemy officers and NCOs without mercy, aiming to destroy the leadership of the Alliance defenders. Immediately after the French and Spanish forces retook positions in the (largely) destroyed defenses in the east, American artillery opened up their guns and fired explosive shells into enemy lines (though, the Spanish and French returned fire with their own artillery pieces located within the center of the town, causing a number of American casualties). General Bonapart remained behind with the two thousand "reserves" and used a number of messengers to relay his orders. Even with the technological improvements of the United States military, military firearms still produced an exorbitant amount of smoke that covered the battle within minutes (which was why European armies still wore bright, differentiating uniforms so generals had an easier time seeing their units). As such, General Bonapart should have struggled to give out commands to his soldiers from a distance as all the units under his command wore dark olive uniforms that were difficult to make out (especially due to the color scheme of the surrounding area). However, the United States Military (with a few improvisations from the Corsican-American general) had come up with a solution to this problem: military balloons and flags. Military balloons relayed enemy positions and movements through the usage of brightly colored flags to the field command center, while the men at the command center (along with Nathaniel himself) watched for the flags waved by the balloon operators and the brightly colored flags carried by the flag bearers of each regiment (every regiment had a flag that was a distinct and different color from the flags of other regiments). As such, General Bonapart, with five military balloons under his command, was able to receive information on the movement of enemy troops and the movement of his own troops. He then used this information to quickly send orders to the regimental commanders, who then utilized the information and orders given to them to move their unit accordingly. American officers and NCOs enjoyed another distinct advantage over their Alliance counterparts, in that the United States military emphasized the importance of "flexible command." While General Bonapart issued the orders, it was up to each individual regimental officer to come up with a plan to carry those orders through and adapt to the changing situation on the ground if necessary. As such, the regiments under General Bonapart''s command were able to function even without input from the general (though, the general provided crucial information and general orders that pushed the regiments in the right direction). Not only that, but every single American officer and NCO was literate and had some form of schooling, adding to the effectiveness of American leadership and tactical thinking. The end result was that the regiments under General Bonapart''s command countered every counterattack attempt made by the defenders and held their ground until their commanding officer ordered a direct assault on the enemy defenses. Four hours after the Battle of Alligator Town began, a military balloon that was positioned in the very northern sector of the battlezone furiously waved two black flags towards the command center. This prompted General Bonapart to rapidly send out messengers with an order to push into the enemy defensive positions. As the main body of American soldiers moved forward, Colonel Brown''s men in the north emerged from the jungle and began a flanking maneuver into the northern parts of Alligator Town. The colonel and his men suffered numerous casualties during their five-days march through the jungle, with dozens of soldiers forced to return to St. Augustine, suffering from malaria and yellow fever (it is important to note that most American settlements in Florida cleared surrounding swamp areas to prevent yellow fever and malaria outbreaks, which was why the Alliance troops initially did not suffer from "jungle diseases"). Even so, they were motivated to breach the Alliance lines in the north and break the defenders. The main reason why the Alliance officers believed that an American attack through the north was infeasible was that the area was filled with swamps, ponds, and creeks that would ruin paper cartridges of invading soldiers. Their assumption would have been correct for any other armies but the American Army. The United States had managed to build its first metallic cartridge breechloaders just as the war began (the Pelissier Repeating Rifles, with centerfire bullets, a 7-round tube magazine, and a fire rate of 21 bullets per minute) and upon General Bonapart''s insistence, the 39th Army Regiment of the 5th Infantry Division (the men under Colone Brown''s command) was equipped with all the Pelissier Repeating Rifles that were available. As such, when the regiment emerged from the jungles with their Gurkha and partisan comrades, they suddenly became one of the most powerful units in the entire battlefield. The 39th Regiment, consisting of many black Georgians and Floridians, viciously attacked the three hundred French mercenaries that were manning the northern defenses (in case General Bonapart''s main army group swung around to attack from the north). By this time, many of the French mercenaries were demoralized from the bombardment and the firefight with the American troops, and in the face of a flanking attack, their morale collapsed. The surviving French forces turned tail and fled westward (where they were cut down by awaiting Gurkhas and guerillas that hunted them down) or surrendered immediately. Miraculously, the 39th Regiment suffered only two casualties in exchange for one hundred French casualties (with the remaining survivors surrendering to Colonel Brown). Exploiting this opportunity, the regiment smashed into the flank of the defending forces (now cut off from Alligator Town). The Spanish troops fought till the bitter end, inflicting most of America''s losses during the battle. However, an hour after Colonel Brown and his forces emerged from the shadows, the battle was over. The Americans suffered seven hundred casualties (with two hundred dead). The Spanish and French defenders suffered a staggering three thousand casualties (with over one thousand four hundred dead) with the rest captured by American forces. Out of Alligator Town''s five thousand inhabitants, nearly three thousand were dead due to the occupation and the ensuing battle. And the entire town was devastated as well... The United States finally scored its first major victory against the invaders and the Battle of Alligator Town was a much-needed victory to showcase America''s battle prowess. The Battle of Alligator Town was the first battle in history to be extensively photographed, with a number of American journalists from St. Augustine taking pictures of the battle and its aftermath. Shortly after the battle, major newspapers displayed numerous photos of American soldiers bravely charging into the heat of the battle, American artillery pieces firing on the enemy, and thousands of dead bodies strewn across the battlefield. The headlines lauded the battle as the "beginning" of America''s grand victory over the invaders. It also proved to be the turning point in the Florida theater, as it secured eastern Florida from a potential Alliance invasion and opened up a path for the United States to retake Tallahassee. However, the defeat would also increase the number of atrocities carried out by the Spanish and French forces in the state, as partisans became more emboldened to strike the invaders following the American victory... However, Florida rapidly became a "backwater" due to the constraints of logistics in the region and the spotlight of the war moved to the west. Especially after the siege and destruction of Timstown... +++++ AN: Hihnje is located in Bainbridge, Georgia of OTL. Joshua Guns are TTL''s equivalent of the Parrot Guns. Chapter 168: Enlistment New York City, New York, the United States of America January 11th, 1834 Marie-Adriana Bonapart dArmont, the twenty-one-year-old daughter of Charlotte Madeline de Corday d''Armont and niece of Marie-Anne Charlotte de Corday d''Armont (also known as Charlotte Corday, the former president of France), firmly crossed her arms and scowled, "But Maman..." The elderly Corday shook her head and returned to her cooking, "No, Adriana. I will not allow you to go fight in the war! You can''t even enlist, you''re a woman!" "Tata enlisted in the National Guard despite being a woman! And she even became president of France!" "She is... unusual," Madeline Corday responded as she stirred the pot of stew with a wooden spoon, "Besides, this place is not France. America has plenty of men willing to enlist and fight for the country. I will not allow you, my only daughter, to enlist when your brother has already enlisted as well!" The two Corday women were bickering inside their home on Times Street of New York City. The once shining economic capital of the United States looked much grimmer due to the numerous British raids on the city. While the attacks on the city had stopped, thanks to the hundreds of mines that were positioned near the city''s waters, there was a heavy atmosphere that lingered in New York due to the death and destruction that occurred during the war. Thousands of New Yorkers had died due to the shells of British ships, while many others fled into the western parts of the nation to escape the onslaught that was happening across the American East Coast. Adriana''s mother decided to remain in New York, despite her own father''s protests (who wanted the entire family to move to Columbia after he was appointed as the Secretary of Defense). She had many friends in the city and since Adriana finally managed to secure a job at American Enterprises, Madeline firmly put her foot down. Thankfully, Lucius Bonapart was a very even-headed and understanding man, and he agreed to her decision, though not before making his wife promise monthly visits to the American capital. And now the two women were alone in the house after Luke di Bonapart, Adriana''s twenty-year-old brother, decided to enlist in the Army in order to follow his father''s footsteps and fight in the war. "I am old enough to make my own decision!" "And I am old enough to see that America does not need you to fight." "They are letting immigrants, non-Americans, fight in this war, Maman. Surely I, a person born in this nation, should be fighting instead of relying on them to fight for us?" "Well if they want to fight, then let them fight. But I will not allow you to go to war! Our home here in New York is safe, and America isn''t interested in allowing women to fight.." "America is my home! And if Tata can fight for her country, then I can too. Even if I have to disguise myself." Madeline massaged her temple and sighed, "We will speak no more of this, Adriana. You are giving me a headache. Go to your room and prepare for your new job. You can contribute to the war by doing your duty at your new workplace." Seeing that she was getting nowhere, Adriana begrudgingly went to her room and loudly closed the door behind her. Her room was littered with science books that she used during her student days at New York University and various drawings she sketched in her free time. The French-American girl rolled into her bed and pulled out a hidden poster she stuck underneath her bed. The poster displayed an image of an elderly Asian man with a finger pointed at her, wearing a beret and a suit that was colored in red, white, and blue. The caption under the picture screamed, "I want You to defend our country." She took a long look at the poster and rolled it tightly before stuffing it under her bed again. She felt downcast that she was born a woman. Yes, America was a shining example of equality and justice, but most of the power was still held by men. Fewer women could vote than men and there were many more men compared to women in the government as well. From what Adriana could remember, there was only one female Senator and eleven House Representatives in Congress, and only one female cabinet member. The worst part was that women could not serve in the military, not even in logistics. There were far more opportunities for women to work in factories now, as thousands of men left their careers behind to enlist in the Army or the Marines. However, women were still forbidden, both by law and by society''s standards, from directly participating in the war. Heck, women in France had been allowed to serve in the French Military for decades now, yet America lagged behind in this one important aspect. Loud noises on the street made the young woman look out the window and she witnessed columns of soldiers marching through New York City. From what she had heard (and she always kept her eyes and ears open for any news about the war), the garrison division in the New England area was heading down to the south to fight in the front lines while a new division took its place. As she watched hundreds of men march in their military gear towards the railway station, her mind recalled the images of her brother in his Army uniform after he completed basic training near New York City. He left on a train along with many other soldiers and waved his metal hat at her as his train steamed away. Almost immediately after he left, she begged her mother to join the Army as well, but she was rejected at every turn. Her mother was a very stubborn woman, to the point that she ran away from France to marry her father. It had been a few months since her brother had left for the front lines and thankfully, he was still alive. In a twist of fate, he served under their uncle, General Nathaniel Bonapart, and took part in the Battle of Alligator Town (as a Private First Class in the 41st Regiment of the 5th Infantry Division). He described his emotions during the engagement and Adriana became more convicted of her desire to join the fighting when she read his letter. He confessed that he felt extremely afraid while he was being shot at by enemy firearms and artillery, but he felt elated in the aftermath. While he claimed that war was terrible, he always stated that willing and able people needed to fight the battles that others couldn''t and he was proud to serve. "Adriana! The mailman is here! Can you get the mail?" "Be right there!" She ran towards the front door and a white mailman gave her a smile from his position on his Haulie, "Good morning miss. Here are your letters and today''s newspaper." "Thank you," Adriana accepted the delivery with grace and waved as he went on his way. She flipped open the newspaper without hesitation and scanned the headlines. The New York Times was one of the most reliable and informative newspapers around and she greatly enjoyed reading it. However, her heart sank when she read what was written on the front page. "Timstown burned and destroyed! Thirty thousand Americans dead in Massacre!" As she desperately read the story, her face broke out into a scowl. The British, after sieging the city of Timstown for nearly two weeks, decided that the siege was taking far too long and decided to burn the city to the ground instead. Thousands of civilians, including women and children, that were taking up arms to defend the city were killed as the British bombarded the city relentlessly using artillery and mortars. After the city was in ashes, British Indian troops took to the town and cleared it of any inhabitants. Timstown was, effectively, a dead city. The inhabitants of the settlement had defended their home to the last man and unfortunately, the American Army was not able to relieve the city in time due to the Alliance attacking Washington. Her hand instinctively crumpled the newspaper and she rushed to her room in order to pack. Grabbing a large roll of bandages, she taped down her chest and changed into more masculine clothing (trousers, shirts, and a cap to hide her face). Before her mother could say anything, Adriana was out the door with her belongings and forged identification papers (that claimed that she was a man) in her hands. She had a war to attend to. After all, it was in her blood. Chapter 169: The Army Rangers East of Clarkston, Texas, the United States of America January 20th, 1834 Captain Robert E. Lee took out a pair of binoculars and looked towards the enemy troop formation across the San Jacinto River. He and the troops under his command (after his two former companies were absorbed into the 2nd Infantry Division and he was assigned a command under a different company) were waiting for the British to make a push towards the town. Despite the British Army''s rapid advance into Jefferson and Alabama, the Redcoats in Texas were surprisingly... restrained. By "restrained," Captain Lee meant that the British merely bombarded the defensive earthworks around Clarkston instead of directly advancing into the town itself. In fact, the British Army hadn''t even aimed most of their fire on Clarkston, as they specifically aimed for the American soldiers manning the defenses. Unfortunately, the 2nd Infantry Division was unable to respond in kind, as they lacked artillery to do so. The units that were sent to Oregon often lacked "heavy" equipment, as the vast forests of the Northwest and the intense close combat in the region made cannons and mortars less than useful. And the 2nd Infantry Division was promised heavy equipment after it returned to the east coast, so they left the few mortars they had behind. Thankfully, the commanding officer of the division, an old Brigadier General named William Henry Harrison, wasn''t an idiot and utilized his team of veteran sharpshooters to pick off British officers and troops like there was no tomorrow. He purposely left his regular soldiers back in the defensive lines around Clarkston because the British soldiers could somewhat match the Lee Rifles and Samuel Rifles that the Americans were equipped with (as all the British soldiers were equipped with breechloaders). As such, teams of sharpshooters roamed around independently to inflict casualties on the British lines. Besides, charging enemy lines without any artillery support while the enemy had more than a few pieces of artillery wasn''t the sanest of choices. So Captain Lee was grateful that the leader of the "Texas Guards" (as some of the locals called them) was capable. Lance Corporal Obidah Lincoln, the young lad that had been with him through the past two months, came up to him and saluted. The lad had been promoted by General Harrison (with input from Captain Lee) due to his valiant efforts during the initial phases of the invasion and the defense of Texas, "Captain, we''ve finally received a message from Columbia." "What did it say?" Captain Lee said as drew closer to the enlisted soldier, "Any orders? News? Anything?" The 2nd Infantry Division had been deprived of information for the past two months. They had no idea how the rest of the United States was doing, except for some sporadic news they received from refugees coming from the south or runners from the west. The westernmost telegraph lines only extended to St. Louis and New Orleans, with the former being too far away for contact and the latter being under enemy occupation. And with the state of Texas under sudden attack from the British Army, the division was distracted with defending from the British advance. After things settled into a stalemate (with the British refusing to cross the river and commit to an all-out attack and the Americans lacking any artillery support and manpower to crush the 15,000 or so British soldiers that opposed them), General Harrison received word that Wichita was now connected to St. Louis by a telegraph line, due to extensive construction efforts by the American government. A runner, who knew binary code, was sent to the Kiowa city with due haste to send a message to Columbia and receive a response. And it seemed like he had finally returned with the news they were waiting for. "It said that Columbia sent out a runner from St. Louis two weeks after the invasion began, but the runner was killed by a British skirmishing unit on his way here. I believe it''s best that you look at the message directly though, sir. General Harrison has already received the original message, but this message was specifically for you." A telegram slip was handed to him and the captain read the message carefully. He was surprised to discover that Colonel Cooper was still alive, and was evacuated to American lines by resistance fighters a week after the invasion began. His mind still recalled the bombardment and the Alliance invasion vividly, with hundreds of good soldiers dying from enemy fire while he was ordered to flee with his men. It was an unforgettable, and terrible, memory. "The good colonel is alive," The Virginian mentioned to his subordinate from Kentucky, "He''s been promoted to Brigadier General, though he is currently in a hospital for treatment. Shrapnel wound to his leg, he''ll have to walk with a cane for some time." "That is good news," Lance Corporal Lincoln exclaimed. He proceeded to immediately straighten his posture, "Sir." "And it looks like I have been promoted as well." "Sir?" "I''ve been promoted to a Major for my "heroics" at Fort Hamilton and for my efforts of safely evacuating hundreds of American soldiers. I''ve been granted my own battalion." "Will you be leading one of the battalions in the Second Infantry Division?" Captain Lee shook his head, "No. I have received orders that a "special" battalion is on its way to our position and I will be in charge of it." The lance corporal''s eyes widened, "A special battalion sir? Does that mean you will lead a special forces group?'' A moment of silence passed before the officer threw his head back in an ungentlemanly manner and roared with laughter, "Me? Leading a group of special soldiers? Oh, that is one hell of a joke, Lance Corporal." "No, I mean... You''re a great officer, captain," Lincoln sputtered as he looked around frantically, "I thought they were giving you a special promotion for your works so far." "SOCOM is its own, independent branch. They are very special, far beyond my reach. No, the battalion heading our way is a newly formed unit made up of Native Americans. It says that they will arrive... today. And after they arrive, we are to make an attempt to dislodge the British from their current position and push them eastward..." Just hours later, a thousand or so Native Americans arrived from the north on horses and their "leader," a tall and lean Missouri Indian named Kemarax (which literally meant "mud turtle'' in the Missourian language), shook hands with Major Lee, "It''s nice to meet you, sir. I''m Kemarax, and we are the Rangers." "Rangers?" Major Lee asked with a raised eyebrow, "Are you telling me that all of you were National Park Rangers?" "No, no. Just me and a few others, and the remaining men decided to call this unit "the Rangers." But every warrior you see here are all volunteers from the tribes of Oto, Iowa, and Missouri. You will never find braver men anywhere else in the United States," Kemarax puffed out his chest proudly. "Where have you served?" "Up in the north, putting down the traitors," The Missourian grimaced, "Cheyenne and Crow, along with numerous other tribes, are in open rebellion. We have been hunting them down for the past year until we were asked by the government to come down here and chase the invaders out." Major Lee noticed that all the men were armed with Samuel Carbines (modified Samuel Rifles for cavalry), spears, and tomahawks. Due to their lack of military uniforms, the scars on their bare arms and legs were visible. Nodding his head, the American officer turned back to the former Park Ranger, "Do you have an official rank?" "I was granted one before I came here. I am a Captain, from what I was told." "I will allow you to take the brunt of the commanding duties until I have a feel for your unit, Captain Kemarax. Until then, please fill me in as much as you can." "Of course. I am sure that you know what our unit is specialized for?" "I wasn''t told anything about your unit''s ''specialization.''" The newly-minted Major responded while looking at the troops. Kemarax grinned, "Shock troopers, sir. Or at least, that''s what the military officers from Columbia call us. We strike hard, fast, and relentlessly. We''re excellent both in shooting and melee. We managed to score numerous victories over our foes because of our combination of cavalry, marksmanship, and close-combat." "Rangers... the shock troopers. That certainly has a nice ring to it. I''m sure this unit will be critical in the upcoming attack on the British." The Native American man''s grin widened even further, "Oh, I''m sure." Chapter 170: A Violent Clash in Texas The Clash of Titans: The Anglo-American War and Beyond By Raymond Smith, published in Timstown, Jefferson "...The Battle of San Jacinto River occurred on February 12th of 1834 and was one of the bloodiest battles of the Anglo-American War. After receiving orders to make an eastern push to remove the British presence in Texas, Brigadier General William Henry Harrison was given a very difficult task of fighting (and defeating) an enemy that had nearly equal numbers to his own army group and superior artillery. Not only that, but the British still maintained a naval presence in the area, and the guns of the British fleet had more than enough range to reach General Harrison''s men should they attempt to push into the British lines. His opponent, fifty-four-year-old Brigadier Samuel Benjamin Auchmuty (one of the few Anglo-Irish that were allowed to serve as an officer), was an experienced veteran that had fought in the First and Second Coalition War. He had seen the innovation of military doctrines and weapons through firsthand experience and was a skilled officer in his own right. And he had one specific order from the chain of command: do not push westward until further reinforcements arrive (before the battle, three thousand Portuguese soldiers were to arrive in early March to allow the Brigadier to make a push into Clarkston). Therefore, General Harrison and the Second Infantry Division, along with the 1st Rangers Battalion, had a daunting task ahead of them: defeat an entrenched enemy with superior firepower and force them away from Clarkston, one of the biggest settlements in Texas. Unlike General Bonapart or General Kim (who was appointed as second in command of all the United States Armed Forces in late January of 1834), General Harrison did not have any artillery pieces to bombard the enemy, nor did he have military balloons to relay intelligence to him during the heat of battle (his unit had left behind their military balloons and mortars back in Oregon on the orders of the Chief of Staff and was unable to receive supplies from the West Coast due to the lack of communications and infrastructure). Therefore, "Old Greenwood" (a nickname he earned fighting in the forestlands of Oregon) needed a thorough plan to cross the San Jacinto River and quickly strike the British before their superior long-range firepower could decimate his own men. The two bridges that once provided routes over the river were destroyed in December by American engineers in order to halt the British advance. As such, the Second Infantry Division needed to rebuild the bridges or find another path over the river in order to advance eastward. After surveying the enemy defenses and inspecting various geographical maps of the region, General Harrison firmly decided on a course of action that would affect the ensuing battle... Port Cedar was one of the most westward occupied settlements in the United States (with the exception of settlements out in the Western Territories). A small port town with two thousand inhabitants, it was used as a small logistical hub for the British soldiers fighting in Texas. However, it was only guarded by a garrison of approximately five hundred or so men, with the remaining fourteen thousand British soldiers defending the banks of Bear Lake, San Jacinto Bay, and the southern parts of San Jacinto River. This meant that the main forces of the British Army within Texas were several kilometers north of Port Cedar, which left Port Cedar a potential breakthrough point for the American Army if it was captured. The biggest obstacle to the capture of the town was the British Navy that was based out of New Orleans. Approximately ten ships made routine, daily patrols around Port Cedar and Cedar Bay (in which the occupied settlement was located in). If the American forces in Texas attempted a desperate naval invasion without the support of any American ships while the British patrol fleet was in the area, then they would be easily destroyed without much of an afterthought. This meant that the pattern of the British patrol fleet needed to be studied extensively in order for the American forces to pull off the risky maneuver. For two weeks, General Harrison gathered resources and planned for the daring strike as he received reports on the habits of the British patrol fleet. On February 11th, he decided that it was time to bring the battle upon the British and ordered the execution of the plan. The unit that would carry out the naval landing would be the 1st Rangers Battalion... On February 12th, at five o''clock in the morning, the one thousand or so men of the 1st Rangers Battalion (supported by an engineering company in order to blow the port facilities of Port Cedar should the attack fail) sailed across Cedar Bay towards its target. The British patrol fleet, which usually made its appearance from nine in the morning, was nowhere in sight. The invasion "fleet" purposely landed a kilometer south of Port Cedar, near Cedar Bayou, in order to avoid any British soldiers watching Cedar Bay. The invasion was orderly and swift; within two hours, the entire Battalion had landed on the British side of the waterways and began its push northward. At approximately seven-thirty (as the group purposely slowed down to match the timing with the planned American assault on the San Jacinto River), the Rangers Battalion made contact with British soldiers that were patrolling the streets at the southern end of the town and started the battle. Out of the five British soldiers that initially engaged the enemy, one of them managed to flee and roused up the garrison forces within the town. Two hundred answered the call within the first ten minutes and they managed to form a makeshift defense line towards the center of the town. The Rangers, using their horses, managed to surround the area quickly and strike the barracks that were filled wth unprepared British soldiers. The British soldiers that were not within the center of the town surrendered in quick order and the ones that were up in arms against the Americans were surrounded and outnumbered within mere minutes. After suffering nearly one hundred casualties, the remaining British soldiers surrendered and the surrendering troops were tossed into a warehouse that was shifted into a makeshift prison (which the locals eagerly provided). The Americans now held a beachhead in Port Cedar and had the ability to flank the British positions up north. However, the "decisive breakthrough" General Harrison hoped for was not as decisive as he had hoped... Meanwhile, in the north, the Second Infantry Division began its push eastward. Making use of a narrow, shallow part of the river up in the very north, General Harrison committed nearly all of his forces to strike the British formations near the San Jacinto from the north. Meanwhile, he maintained a thousand soldiers on the American side of the San Jacinto in case the British attempted a direct assault towards Clarkston over the river. In the defense of the river banks, the thousand or so men from the Second Infantry Division were supported by approximately five hundred militiamen from various parts of Texas. The general himself was part of the attacking force, leading the way to rapidly converge on the British ranks before the guns could be turned towards him and his men. Now, it is important to recall that the British had a defensive line that stretched from San Jacinto Bay to parts of the San Jacinto River. While the British had plenty of spotters in the northern parts of the San Jacinto River (indeed, an attempt to build a bridge in the northern parts of the river was caught and destroyed by British forces), the British were unaware that the river became shallow enough to cross after a certain season. However, the Americans (especially the Texan locals) were very much aware of this fact. With almost no rainfall during January and February (which was typical for Texas), the northern end of the river became just shallow enough for General Harrison and his men to wade through (though the water came up nearly up to their chest and they were forced to carry their equipment above their heads). However, the army group was spotted by a group of British skirmishers, which managed to flee south to warn their southern brethren that the Americans had landed on the British side of the river and were marching to fight the British directly. As the British turned to face their opponents in the north, the 1st Rangers Battalion struck Brownwood (a small community where a large chunk of the British artillery pieces was located), capturing nearly fifteen guns and negating a significant part of the British artillery advantage. The Rangers took approximately fifty casualties while inflicting two hundred, forcing the British to back off from the elevated defensive position. Despite the loss of Brenwood, the British still had thirty-five additional guns at their disposal and most of them were located near the main bodies of the British Army, forcing the 1st Rangers Battalion to hold its position in Brownwood. Even so, the engineering company that traversed with the Battalion managed to turn their newly captured equipment towards the British lines and fired on them relentlessly... At ten o''clock, General Harrison''s forces engaged the British approximately seven kilometers north of Jonesburg (which was the "mid" point between the Second Infantry Divison and Port Cedar). Brigadier Auchmuty, who suspected that the American forces in the south were nothing but a diversion, committed twelve thousand soldiers to fight the American troops in the north and utilized the remainders of his soldiers to reinforce his southern flank. The British troops were armed with the Nottingham Rifles, while the Americans were still primarily armed with the old Lee Rifles (which matched the Nottingham Rifles in terms of range, but with a slightly slower fire rate). Since the British still had artillery at their disposal, General Harrison ordered his troops (which had superior numbers) to engage the British directly instead of skirmishing from a distance. While the British attempted to build trenches facing the north to blunt the American offensive, they were only able to set up a disconnected line of defenses before the Second Infantry Division was upon them. During the American charge, British artillery fired upon General Harrison''s soldiers with canister shots, inflicting a significant number of casualties before the battle even began. What followed was a four-hours long bloody struggle between the American soldiers and the British regulars, with the two sides firing at point-blank range and fighting in hand to hand combat. As the attack began, the 1st Rangers Battalion pushed up from the south in an attempt to flank the enemy but faced its own struggle against the two thousand British troops in the south. The British patrol fleet arrived halfway throughout the battle and fired upon the engineers that were on Brownwood, knocking out several of the guns and killing a dozen Americans. The fleet proceeded to bombard the American defenders that were waiting on the banks of the San Jacinto River, as they were now close enough for the British ships to attack them. The fighting finally died down around two-thirty in the afternoon, with Brigadier Auchmuty calling for a general withdrawal eastward after the 1st Rangers Battalion managed to break the southern flank and moved northward to flank the main body of British troops. The British retreated in an orderly fashion as General Harrison consolidated on the eastern banks of the San Jacinto (his troops were far too exhausted to chase Brigadier Auchmuty and his remaining men). The British patrol fleet witnessed the retreat of the ground forces and proceeded to unleash explosive shells on Port Cedar, killing approximately two hundred inhabitants of the town and even a few dozen British troops (that were trapped in a warehouse as prisoners). They would be the final casualties of the Battle of San Jacinto River, one of the bloodiest battles of the entire war. The United States suffered over ten thousand casualties from the battle (just under half of all the American soldiers committed to the battle), with four thousand American soldiers dead (nearly a quarter of all the American soldiers committed to the battle). General Harrison had his victory (and the security of Texas), but at an enormous price: his unit was no longer combat effective enough to continue the push eastward. For the time being, the Second Infantry Division was forced to consolidate their holdings and focus on improving the defenses in the area to prevent any further Alliance invasions of the western territory... Great Britain suffered approximately eight thousand casualties from the battle (more than half of all the British regulars committed to the battle), with four thousand dead (over a quarter of all the British regulars committed to the battle). Brigadier Auchmuty would be rewarded with a Distinguished Service Order due to the massive casualties he inflicted upon his opponent (with inferior numbers) and his orderly withdrawal from Texas. He would be placed in charge of the Jefferson front during the American counterattack, which would lead to him inflicting further American casualties and making him one of the only Anglo-Irish officers distinguished in the entire war... The Battle of San Jacinto River turned out to be a pyrrhic American victory, securing Clarkston from the British and preventing an Alliance takeover of Texas. However, the resulting casualties led to a stalemate in the region, which only ended after the United States began to push back the Alliance forces in April of 1834... +++++ AN: Port Cedar is OTL''s Baytown. San Luis Bay is Tabbs Bay of OTL. Jonesburg is Lynchburg of OTL. Chapter 171: Siege of Washington The Clash of Titans: The Anglo-American War and Beyond By Raymond Smith, published in Timstown, Jefferson "... The Siege of Washington began on January 2nd of 1834 when British forces (along with their Portuguese, Brazilian, and Indian "allies") arrived near the edges of the capital of Alabama and immediately maneuvered to isolate the city. However, Field Marshal Hugh Gough, a veteran of the Second Coalition War and the Third Anglo-Martha War, recognized that Washington was a very formidable fortress. The Alliance advance into Alabama was hampered due to Hihnje remaining in American hands until mid-December (which forced the main bulk of the British troops in North America to divert several regiments to secure their southern flank), an increasing number of partisan activities (only made worse by the 707th Special Battalion operating in Alabama), and local American partisans sabotaging the tracks up to Washington. Not only did this give the United States to reinforce the frontline city with additional troops (another full Army division on top of the 30,000 that were deployed in late November of 1833), but it gave the defenders plenty of time to build up defenses and prepare for a full-scale assault. Washington was geographically blessed with three individual river banks located towards the south of the city (with the city itself being positioned on the very northernmost river bank). The second bank was the location of Fort Washington, a hastily constructed fort that was set to defend the settlement from any incursions from the south. The fort was manned by soldiers of the members of the 4th Brigade of the Second Marine Division (which was at 2/3rd strength due to the maulings the Marines received during the early stages of the war). Taking position near the fort was the 7th Brigade of the Third Infantry Division. The second northernmost bank (directly below the settlement itself) was occupied by the 8th and 9th Brigades of the Third Infantry Division (with each brigade occupying the adjacent sides of the Coosa River). The remaining American forces were spread out in the surrounding areas, with the five thousand or so militiamen guarding Washington itself. All of them were in trenches or in fortifications, which meant that attacking and occupying the Alabama capital would be a bloodbath for the British-Portuguese forces. That was something they could ill-afford. Marshal Gough''s scouts reported the sightings of the American forces and defenses back to him and he came to a quick realization that a frontal strike from the south would be disastrous, if not suicidal. The defenses would take weeks to completely overcome and the marshal was uncertain if he would have an army left by the time he cleared the southern defenses. Thus, the only sensible move was to attack from the west and enter Washington overland from the north (as the Coosa River was shallow enough to cross without any boats from the northwest). While there were formidable defenses out in the west as well, there were fewer natural obstacles to overcome, and it was possible to cut off the forces at Fort Washington before marching towards Washington itself. As such, the Commander in Chief of the British Army in North America decided to swing his army group around from the west. The men under his command, numbering at 50,000 strong (40,000 British troops and 10,000 Portuguese troops) captured the village of Ashville after a minor battle against the Second Marine Recon Battalion. With its flank secured, the Alliance army struck the western defensive lines with an artillery bombardment on the same day that Ashville fell (using a mix of solid shots and explosive shells) and advanced towards American lines almost immediately after the artillery guns fell silent. [It is important to note that the reason why there were numerous British troops committed to Washington was that the city was seen as an important strategic objective for the British high command, along with the fact that a large number of American soldiers were gathered in the area]. Led by Brigadier Sir Harry Smith, the son of a major in the British Army and an expert in skirmishing and "rifle warfare," the Alliance forces purposely placed their officers and NCOs behind the enlisted troops in order to prevent a breakdown in leadership (something that many officers found disgraceful, but begrudgingly accepted after a number of officers were killed in the first two months of the invasion due to sniper fire). British skirmishers and sharpshooters, armed modified Nottingham Rifles that had an extended range (in exchange for less penetrating power), aimed at exposed American defenders and focused heavily on enemy officers and NCOs as well. Marshal Gough was well aware that the Americans held an advantage in fire rate and firepower, which meant that a swift advance, while the enemy was in disarray, was critical to the success of the attack. Additionally, the western defenses were (initially) manned by the 5th and 6th Brigade of the Second Marine Division, which added up to a mere 6,000 Marines. While the 15th Infantry Brigade was held in reserve for rapid deployment in Washington and the 8th Infantry Brigade was near the two Marine brigades to reinforce within minutes, the attackers had a small narrow window to gain a foothold in the west, which they could use to slowly push their way towards the city. However, the British Marshal were unaware of a number of factors before executing his plan... The American defenders were led by one Lieutenant General Samuel Kim, the former first president of the United States and one of the most decorated war hero in the history of the young republic. Pushing 87 years of age, the elderly American was surprisingly fit and sharp for his age. In fact, Samuel himself requested a field command in the war and his request was granted eagerly by the Chief of Staff and President Peters. Granted his old rank of Lieutenant General and placed in charge of overseeing the American defensive lines in the southern front, the Korean-American carried out his duties energetically (remarking that he felt like he was "back in 1775 again," a reference to the Battle of Bunker Hill). His main focus was on the city of Washington, as it served as an important railroad hub. With Atlantia secured and the fighting in Georgia slowing down, Alabama became the former president''s main focus (the Jefferson front was specifically handled by Major General Holata of the Seminole Tribe). Additionally, Washington was strategically important as the capture of the city would open up a route for the Alliance to push northwards towards Hisgi and even threaten northern Georgia, something that Columbia was keen on preventing. Additionally, with America''s resources already being stretched thin, General Kim was explicitly told to not expect any further reinforcements, especially as the British (supported by its newly arrived Indian troops) made rapid advances in Jefferson and entered Akansa and Kentucky (as more troops were needed out in the west, where the front was growing bigger, and a force of 50,000 was seen as "more than enough" to hold Washington). That meant that the general was effectively on his own with the resources he had at hand... Lieutenant General Kim focused most of his efforts to improve the defensibility of the area. Military balloons were attached to a specific area and connected with telegraph cables to improve communications (something that General Bonapart in Florida would quickly pick up on and use it to spot his artillery). This meant that an approaching enemy was spotted from kilometers away, allowing the defenders to scramble a force to rapidly respond. Trenches were dug on the river banks to make a flanking attack impossible, ensuring that the enemy was forced to commit to a frontal assault in order to achieve a breakthrough. Barbed wires were laid out in massed numbers in the front of the trenches, further hampering any potential direct assaults on the American defenses. Earthworks were also raised in order to nullify artillery shots (though, they were less effective against explosive shells) and the first "pillboxes" were built to provide a small, fortified fort to withstand bombardment and provide a safer location for American sharpshooters to fire from. These pillboxes were built into the trenches, making them difficult to outright destroy and capture. Additionally, they were camouflaged to match the nearby terrain so they were harder to discern from a distance. In short, the areas around Washington were turned into individual fortresses that would be capable of holding an enemy multiple times its size (which was why the general allowed his troops to spread out in a fairly "loose" manner instead of tightening up all the defenses around Washington and its southern fort). And while artillery would, indeed, scatter some of the defenders and defenses, it would take time to dislodge the American military personnel from their positions completely. That was where the second part of General Kim''s brilliance came in to ensure that any area could be reinforced rapidly: pontoon bridges. Pontoon bridges were not uncommon throughout history. The first examples of pontoon bridges were in Ancient China in 9th Century B.C. They were also used by Ancient Greeks, Romans, and even in Western Europeans during the Medieval Ages. While bridges were already present on the Coosa River towards every direction (as entry points into Washington), they were far too small and narrow for a massed number of soldiers to cross rapidly (the main bridge in the south contained rail tracks coming up from the north and was subsequently blown in early December). Additionally, constructing new bridges with the sole purpose of connecting all the individual "islands" (aka riverbanks) was seen as a waste of resources and manpower. Therefore, General Kim settled on an alternate path that initially led to some confusion among his general staff. Even after the expansion of the railroads into the south, a significant chunk of transportation in Alabama was carried out by the Coosa River (which flowed into towards Bienville and into the Gulf of Mexico). As such, there were plenty of river barges and boats in the area, especially around the capital city of Washington, which was also a growing industrial town in Alabama. Seeing the potential of the barges (many which were similar sizes and shapes), the general tied them together and created a giant pontoon "platform" (in reality, multiple bridges that interconnected with one another) where soldiers from the West Bank, the East Bank, and the Washington Bank could all move to any of the other banks with ease. After the set of pontoon bridges were completed, a local mentioned that it was like "looking at a damn floating island in the middle of the [Coose River]." It took only three weeks to finish the "Coosa Bridge" (as it took some time to find the right type of barges to tie together and additional time to refit them to serve as a giant bridge), but when it was completed, it provided a significant tactical advantage for the defending forces (the bridge was rigged to explode if the American lines collapsed). The biggest weakness was susceptibility to artillery, but the Alliance guns were not in range to destroy Coosa Bridge. This allowed the Coosa Bridge to play a critical role in the month-long siege... Instead of forcing the western defensive lines to collapse and gaining a foothold, Marshal Gough and his forces were bogged down against the sudden appearance of four additional Army Infantry brigades (the 8th, 13th, 14th, and 15th) that reinforced the two Marine brigades. The Marines, led by Caribbean American Brigadier General Dubois Warrens, were battered by the explosive shells (taking approximately two hundred casualties), but they remained firm even after the bombardment and raised hell for the attacking forces, holding tens of thousands of troops on their own for nearly fifteen minutes. Not only that, but the American artillery guns fired upon the British and Portuguese forces, delivering accurate and devastating shells of their own. While the British did manage to inflict significant amounts of casualties on the reinforcing American soldiers with their siege guns, the battle devolved into a one-sided fight with the United States Army and Marines badly damaging the combined Alliance assault. After realizing his mistake, Marshal Gough pulled back his forces and began to set up for a siege to keep the American soldiers tied down in Washington while the other fronts advanced. General Kim unleashed his Marines, along with a few Army units, to force the Alliance troops to retreat away from Washington. However, the American counterattack was met with an equally stubborn British/Portuguese defense (the two nations were no strangers to the new ways of warfare and reacted faster than General Kim had expected). Marshal Gough knew that there was a chance that the Alliance assault would fail and planned accordingly, building a defensive line with the assistance of 10,000 troops (that were held in reserve) that was well out of the range of American artillery. The American counter-assault resulted in a stalemate (mainly due to a cavalry flanking maneuver failing to pan out) and General Kim was forced to withdraw his troops back to their defensive positions (as he knew he was not receiving any further reinforcements). Ashville became a logistical hub for the Alliance, as the British marshal utilized his engineers to connect rail tracks to the village in order to rapidly transit additional supplies and troops (the reinforcing soldiers were colonial troops from India and Brazil, as British regulars were sent to advancing fronts). Meanwhile, General Kim constantly harassed the British forces, firing on them during the night and leading surprise "attacks" on the British positions before withdrawing back to the defensive lines. For the next month or so, it was a game of cat and mouse between the two sides, with neither side willing to force a costly battle. Especially since the British were adept at building defenses and the Nottingham Rifle matched the range of the American Samuel Rifle and Lee Rifle (while the Sharpes Rifle outranged all three rifles, it was only fielded by American sharpshooters). The end result of the first engagements of the siege was six thousand British casualties and a thousand Portuguese casualties, for a combined total of two thousand dead. Meanwhile, the defenders suffered merely two thousand casualties, and only five hundred dead. After the battle, the British Commander in Chief refused to commit to another assault and settled on a sharpshooting and artillery duel. This was only broken after General Kim received orders to break the British siege on Washington and begin a counteroffensive into Alabama... Chapter 172: Into the Trenches! Near Ashville, Alabama, the United States of America February 14th, 1834 "Five minutes until we breach! Check your gear and get your tin cans on straight!" Private Do Viet Ho, who hailed from Pennsylvania, gripped his Robinson Shotgun tightly as he leaned on a nearby earth wall, carefully making sure that the Samuel Rifle slung on his back wasn''t hit with any dirt. He adjusted his steel helmet and double-checked his gear as ordered by his NCO. Above the tunnel he and his unit were residing in, the ground periodically rumbled from artillery fired by both sides. As he dusted himself off, the private felt a hand clasp his shoulder and turned around quickly. When he did, he saw an African American Marine grinning widely at him, "Jittery?" "A bit." "This ain''t even your first battle though," Private First Class Charlie River from Jefferson said as he inspected his own equipment. "Even still." The Vietnamese-American Marine was noticeably quieter than his comrades, in part due to his slight accent when speaking English. Private Ho knew that the other Marines didn''t judge him due to his... unordinary accent. It helped that one of America''s heroes was Asian, as it created a generally positive reception towards Asians in the United States. However, he personally liked to speak as few words as possible. Especially before a major operation that would most likely result in thousands of casualties. Private Ho''s sergeant, a clean-shaven white man from Virginia, shouted just as the miner''s lamp above their heads swayed from another ground shake, "Three minutes!" He didn''t have a watch on him, but the private quietly counted down the minutes in his head. Next to him, one of his Quebecois comrades was muttering a prayer while clinching his cross necklace. PFC River fiddled with a knife and strapped it to his belt as he looked at the tunnel''s exit point. More and more shells pounded the ground and despite the relatively calm demeanor of most the Marines, Private Ho knew that they were nervous. After all, they were playing the most critical part in the whole counterattack against the British and were being sent on a high-risk mission that would result in many of them being injured or dead. The Army Engineers managed to create an underground tunnel that started from the American western defensive lines all the way to the British trenches that were a kilometer away. How they handled such a project was beyond him, but from what he had heard, the Engineers spent days and nights calculating the distance between the American lines and the British lines, dug underground to bypass "no man''s land," and reinforced the hidden tunnel to the point that it would make a coal miner blush. Apparently, more than a few of them worked in mines before and knew some tricks to keep the underground tunnel from collapsing on itself. It was a tight squeeze, with almost 4,500 Marines of the 5th Marine Brigade, 2nd Marine Division lined up literally back to back in the dimly lit tunnel. However, it was the safest way of directly attacking the British trenches and causing chaos in the British ranks while avoiding British artillery guns. Of course, they would be alone by themselves for some time as their Army counterparts advanced to reinforce them, but the Marines knew what they signed up for when they joined the branch. The daily life of a Marine was never easy, in fact, it only got harder with each passing day. Thankfully, the first one thousand that were breaching into the enemy trenches (like Private Ho) were armed with some of the newest toys that ARPA cooked up: Robinson Shotguns, the perfect guns to clear trenches with speed and efficiency. And now, the time had come. "Listen up!" Sergeant Ted Williams growled, "The Engineers are going to create an opening for us to enter the British trenches in one minute! When they do, I want no one to retreat. All of you are going forward and clearing the trenches from the damn Brits, Ports, or whoever the hell is there. Once we have the trench line, we hold from any counterattacks and wipe the bastards from this Earth! Am I understood?" "OORAH!" "Good. Now let''s give them hell, courtesy from the Huns!" Private Ho opened the tube for his shotgun with a lever near the hammers of the shotgun and placed two shots into the tube. After the shots were secured, he flipped the main tube of the gun back into its resting position and cocked the two hammers. There was only one trigger, which meant that he had to pull the trigger twice to fire both barrels. But opening up the gun and reloading weren''t too difficult, and the weapon provided him with plenty of firepower. He plugged a bayonet into the shotgun and prepared for the signal with both of his hands fiddling the stock of the firearm. A small explosion occurred towards the very end of the tunnel (the Marines were told to stay a distance away from the area and they reluctantly obliged), creating an opening and letting a rush of air into the underground tunnel. Sergeant Williams blew his whistle and charged, with the other Marines following closely behind his heel. The Vietnamese-American was towards the very front of the group and let out a small "Oorah!" before jumping into the enemy trenches. As Private Ho exited the tunnel, he was met with clouds of smoke drifting through the battlefield, the smell of blood, and the din of artillery and rifles created by both sides. The sudden appearance of the American Marines had completely caught the defenders off guard. As Private Ho fired two consecutive shots to down a pair of his opponents, he realized that the two soldiers were Indians, not British. He quickly reloaded his shotgun in a matter of four seconds and pushed forward as he fired two more shots, downing three additional Indian troops. The Indian soldiers barely had time to swing around their rifled muskets when the Marines emerged with their space clearing shotguns. Within minutes, nearly a thousand Marines were in the trench line and mopping up the broken British colonial troops with ease. While the private realized that the British placed their Indian troops towards the very front with inferior firearms in order for them to take the brunt of the fire from the American lines, he had no time to ponder upon that thought as he ducked deeply into the trenches and switched out his shotgun for his Samuel Rifle. He fired an entire magazine and was sitting down to reload when British artillery shells exploded around the trenches the American Marines were occupying. He took a deep breath as the shells rocked the trenches and caused a few Marines to collapse. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the soldiers of the American Army rushing the first line of British trenches, supported by the dozens of American artillery guns that were pouring fire on the British lines. Private Ho steeled his nerves and swung his rifle to fire more shots towards the British. The Army needed some covering fire, after all. +++++ AN: Charlie River is the grandson of James River from Chapter 109. L.C. Smith Shotgun are the Robinson Shotguns of TTL. Chapter 173: Traitor Quebec City, Quebec, the United States of America February 15th, 1834 As the sun rose in the east, a group of men gathered in a large, private room in an inn near the central areas of Quebec City. All fifteen of them wore dark, navy blue vests with the letters "FBI" displayed on the back. Five of them were armed with revolvers, while the remaining agents were armed with batons. The room was littered with empty boxes that the group was going to bring for the raid (in order to gather physical evidence from their target''s residence) and the arrest and search warrants were laid out on the table. The intensity of the situation made everyone extremely focused on the conversation, and none of the operatives were smiling. "So we''re cleared then?" Field Agent Levi Price asked as he shifted the baton on his belt. Special Agent in Charge Jeremiah Lanius looked at his younger subordinate and nodded, "The district judge, Judge Girard, signed off our warrants an hour ago. We are authorized to arrest Remi Vaillancourt on suspicions of treason against the United States, conspiracy, murder, and numerous other federal offenses. Additionally, as we planned for the past month, we are to seize any documents that are located within his homes to be studied back at Mount Justice." "We finally get to bash that traitor''s face in." "There will be no violence unless the suspect resists," S.I.A.C Lanius warned with a stern look, "Until he is tried in a court of law and found guilty of the accusations made against him, he is innocent." "Sir, with all due respect, I don''t think he''s innocent. Not with all the evidence we have against him." "Even more reasons to be careful." It was hard to believe that Vaillancourt was not guilty. After the initial investigations within the FBI and the NIS discovered that there were no internal moles, the FBI managed to lock in on a Quebecois mailman that had somehow deposited thousands of dollars into the Federal Bank out of nowhere. The man''s background was investigated and the investigation uncovered some questionable irregularities in his finances. When the mailman was brought in for interrogation, he confessed information about Vaillancourt paying him off to rearrange the letters he was sending out. Instead of the former NIS agent''s letters being sent to his family in New York City, they were being sent to Wilmington in North Carolina. One of the letters had been intercepted after a warrant was issued, and the content of the letter made it explicitly clear that Vaillancourt was leaking national secrets (using some of the codes that the NIS used, to add insult to the injury). From there, the FBI dove into the rabbit hole and discovered that the letters were being handed off to a smuggler in the Carolinas, who then broke through the British blockade (while the British blockade was in full-force, there were a few holes that smugglers managed to exploit). The smuggler then sailed to France and dropped off the letters while he traded for goods with the locals. It took over two months for the US to pressure France in finding the receiver of these letters. After some time, the French government finally obliged and a raid on the person''s home revealed that the man was an extreme monarchist. That same man also sent the letters off to the French Empire (despite the tense relations between the two, a few ships passed through both nations) and it was evident that the letters were sent directly into King Louis XVII''s hands (the old French king finally passed after his years in exile, and his son took over the throne). The report that was compiled from the investigation, along with the testimonies and the evidence, was more than enough to compel the federal court to issue the warrants. After a short discussion, the men headed out to Vaillancourt''s large home, which was on the outskirts of the industrial city and monitored by three other agents as well. Once the agents on the site saw the group, they moved into position. One of them came up to the Special Agent in Charge with a frown, "He''s inside, sir. Night watch saw him go in during the evening and he hasn''t left the house since then." "With all the entrances accounted for?" "Yes, sir." "Good. We breach in twenty minutes. We won''t knock, but we''ll announce ourselves." A third of an hour later, the three groups of the FBI task force were ready to breach the three different entrances of the Vaillancourt home. On Agent Lanius''s signal, the teams rammed their steel battering rams into the doors and pushed into the house with their weapons drawn. Echoes of "FBI! Get down on the ground!" rang through the house as eighteen individuals moved to secure the building. Lanius personally led one of the groups and moved towards the room which was suspected to be the former NIS agent''s study. He kicked down the door and entered with two other agents, his six-shot revolver scanning the room for any threats, "FBI! Mr. Vaillancourt, we have a warrant for your arrest. Show yourself!" In the corner of the study, a fit and lean man lashed out at one of Lanius'' subordinates with a sword. The agent went down with his shoulder heavily bleeding from a deep cut and Lanius wasted no time to fire a shot into the assailant''s right arm. The shot landed home, but the sword-brandishing man continued to fight despite his injuries, attempting to cut off the Special Agent in Charge''s head. Another shot landed in the man''s leg and the slasher collapsed onto the ground in a heap. Lanius breathed heavily as he checked up on his injured agent while his other subordinate, Agent Price, pinned Vaillancourt to the ground. "Let me go!" Vaillancourt screamed, "I''ll have you know that I am a personal friend of the King of France!" Lanius blinked, "Mr. Vaillancourt, you are under arrest for treason against the United States, conspiracy, murder, accessory to murder, private correspondence with a foreign government, bribery, use of fictitious name and address, and a host of other crimes. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you." "Release me! I do not have time for this!" "Tell that to the judge," Agent Price growled as he bandaged the raving man''s wounds and dragged him away. Chapter 174: Concentration Camps Eastburn, Jefferson, the United States of America (Occupied by the Alliance) February 19th, 1834 Lance Corporal Aston Davidson lifted a section of the fencing and planted it firmly into the ground. Nearby, dozens of British soldiers, along with hundreds of Indian troops, were setting up various tents and enclosures for the first "concentration camp" in the occupied American territory called Jefferson. The idea came from the east, as the Spanish and French were setting up their own concentration camps out in Florida (apparently, there were two camps in the area already and they held thousands of American prisoners). Originally, the British officers were going to force the Americans to carry out the grunt work, but after two consecutive revolts that resulted in the proposed camp being burned down twice, they were forced to relegate British and Indian troops to the project. Privately, Lance Corporal Davidson was glad for the short respite, as the war had been harsh on him and his unit so far. He had been shot at constantly during his time in America, even when he was resting in his barracks. The Americans were like angry hornets that constantly swarmed around the Alliance soldiers and took any opportunity to attack and create chaos. "Lance Corporal Davidson!" The young man turned to see his sergeant walk up to him with a scowl. He cleared his throat and ensured that his stockade was even before turning to greet his NCO, "Yes, sergeant?" "Grab your gear and follow me. Lieutenant Young wants a few of the rebels inside this camp as soon as possible." "I''ll get to it right away," Lance Corporal Davidson replied. He had no qualms with shoving a few of those upstart Americans in the camp, especially after all he had suffered throughout this bloody invasion. After grabbing his rifle and his pouch, the veteran followed his sergeant and a dozen other soldiers to a nearby farmhouse where a number of Americans were being held captive. Lance Corporal Davidson looked at the dozen or so men and women gathered in the room and frowned. He recognized three of them from a previous raid, in which a group of American guerrillas attempted to burn down his regiment''s barracks and killed a few British soldiers. Unfortunately, that raid also burned a good bit of the loot he had saved up and killed one of the few men that he befriended in the unit. His face made a predatory grin as he realized that they were unarmed and unable to resist, while he was backed by the might of His Majesty''s Army and armed with a rifle. "Shove them into one of the completed huts and force them to work dig some trenches outside the camp," The sergeant stated as he roughly pushed one of the rebels off his feet, "If they don''t comply, beat them." The lance corporal obliged and forced one of his former attackers, a Negro, off his feet. When the man stumbled to get up, Davidson slammed his back with the butt of his rifle, "On your feet!" "I''m damn well trying," The captured partisan mumbled as he gasped in pain from the hit, "Give me a second." When the British soldier attempted to strike the man again, the dark-skinned American rose to his feet quickly and tried to wrestle the rifle away from his captor. However, Lance Corporal Davidson, with months of combat experience and alertness drilled into him, fired the moment he saw a hint of resistance. The Negro fell to the ground with a gaping hole in his chest. There wasn''t any doubt that he was dead. The remaining half a dozen British soldiers, along with the rest of the captives, looked at the dead partisan in shock. The sergeant had already left for the camp with his own prisoner, so Lance Corporal Davidson didn''t shy away from threatening the detainees, "You try to resist, and we won''t hesitate to shoot. Understood?" Despite the defiance in the eyes of some of the prisoners, most of them quickly nodded as their eyes glanced over the dead man''s body. Davidson kicked one of the hostages and scowled. After seeing that his new captive was a white man, the lance corporal dragged the man onto his feet and pushed him a little bit more lightly, though not by much, "Now move!" Within an hour, a dozen American prisoners were slaving away outside of their new home and digging trenches for no obvious discernable reasons. For some reason, that made Lance Corporal Davidson put extra effort into his part of building up the camp. After all, if all the Americans were rounded up and placed in these camps, then they wouldn''t be able to shoot at him when he passed by a "pacified" area. With that thought, he hammered in another section of the fencing which was to keep the American prisoners from escaping. And if a few of them died in the camps, well... That was war. And they were civilians that were shooting at them, which made them fair game to all the horrors of war. Siege of Washington Wikibox After a few hours of editing... I bring you the official Wikibox for the Siege of Washington! As you can see, the Alliance took a beating... Disregard the "1813" part, the siege happened in 1834. Whoops https://imgur.com/a/t1tDA70#tHaj4zZ Chapter 175: This War of Mine Near Waukeenah, Florida, the United States of America (Occupied by the Alliance) March 2nd, 1834 "Do you think this will work?'' Corporal Chen You asked as he slightly shifted his legs in the shadows of a nearby tree. "It''s a good plan. Don''t fret too much," Colonel Manjul Sherpa whispered back, "Now stay silent and wait." The two hundred and thirty-five members of Delta Company remained in their positions in the jungle, waiting for the time to strike. Over the course of the past three months, they had lost fifteen operators due to hostile forces but they were still carrying out missions as if they were at full strength. Delta Company alone had partaken in over two dozen successful missions and caused an enormous amount of damage to the invaders during their time in Florida. Now, they were setting up for an operation to rescue captive American prisoners in the so-called "concentration camps" set up by the Alliance forces. Information about those camps trickled in slowly, but from what Corporal You and the others (the SOCOM members and the rebels) heard so far, they were horrific. The camps were made specifically to detain "unruly" Americans and force them to partake in slave labor. At first, the only information from the camps came in the forms of rumors, but after a Gurkha captured and interrogated a French officer (with the help of a few rebels that knew how to speak some French), the rumors led to investigations (scouting out the rumored campsites). The investigations turned into truths and the truths were petrifying. There were two large camps in Florida alone (that held thousands, if not tens of thousands of Americans) and the third one was being built right in front of them. Just outside of Waukeenah, Florida. Once a thriving town filled with Seminoles, it was now an oppressed and heavily damaged settlement with hundreds of former residents already trapped inside the Waukeenah Concentration Camps. The Alliance bastards didn''t even bother to finish up the tents for housing, forcing the hostages to sleep out on the dirt at night with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The conditions weren''t that much better in the other camps, and it was estimated that nearly ten thousand Americans were already dead. However, the 2nd Special Forces Gurkha Battalion needed indisputable and solid proof of the camps. It was America''s words against the Alliance''s words, and the federal government needed visual evidence. Something to bring the nation together to completely smash the Alliance and to brand the nations of the Alliance as barbaric, uncivilized warmongers. It was for that reason that Delta Company brought two journalists from the St. Augustine Daily along for the operation. Of course, they had a Dodsontype camera to photograph the sight of the Waukeenah Concentration Camp and the desolate Americans trapped inside the hellhole. "Follow the plan and make sure that we sweep the camp clear of any hostiles before liberating the prisoners. And remember, do not hesitate to shoot any bastard French or Spanish soldiers on sight, unless they surrender," Colonel Sherpa announced to his troops. Right before he placed the whistle in his mouth, the colonel mumbled, "Or just shoot them all, just avoid the journalists." Corporal You unconsciously nodded at his colonel''s words as he blew the whistle. Ever since the information about the concentration camps was revealed to the unit, all the rules of war flew out the window. Naturally, the Gurkha Battalion was rather skilled in covering its track and leaving no witnesses (the few times the "revenge killings" happened, the rebels had been left out of the operation). Every single soldier of the battalion knew that if the military or the government found out, they could potentially be charged under the War Crimes Act. However, they were all in this together, and the Chinese-American was going to take this hidden "sin" to his grave. He would never betray his comrades. And the acts they committed against the invaders instilled a fear of the Gurkha name in them. Especially after what happened to the last group that the other companies hunted down. Not to mention, all the guards that were on watch in the outer perimeter of the camp were murdered without hesitation. Running out of the trees while hugging his rifle, the corporal screamed out the most threatening yell he could muster, "Ayo Gorkhali!" "Ayo Gorkhali!" The rest of the group shouted as Delta Company emerged from the jungle as if they were ghosts. They only fired at the workers in the Alliance uniforms and avoided any workers that were not in uniform. Dozens of workers fell within the first few seconds and the Gurkhas never stopped running into the camp. Once the Nepalese trained warriors were within close combat range, the soldiers on the front lines switched to their Kukri and cut down their opponents with brutal efficiency. Meanwhile, the men towards the back lines continued to fire precise shots with their rifles, cutting down any resisting uniformed soldiers and workers alike. Corporal You was one of the soldiers on the front lines and stabbed a dark-skinned man in a bright blue uniform with his Kukri before drawing it out and swinging it towards a Spanish soldier charging at him with a bayonet. The slash from his Nepalese weapon ripped his opponent''s throat opened. His third enemy parried his Kukri with his officer''s sword but lasted about three rounds before he fell to the ground with a large stab wound in his leg. "Por favor..." The man stuttered as he attempted to crawl away from the honorary Gurkha. "No," Corporal You replied as he stabbed the man in the chest. The Spanish officer drew his last breath and collapsed onto the ground. He turned to see the enemy breaking and one of the journalists staring at him with a mixed expression, "What? He didn''t say he was going to surrender. And he charged at me with a bayonet as well." "You''re right. I''ll just... forget this entire scene," The journalist, a thin and young white man, replied in a Southern accent, "Could you ask some of the others to guard us while we take the pictures?" "I''ll grab a few, but we need to liberate the prisoners first. Wait, do you smell that burning?" The man turned to see a building on fire and he rushed over to the site. He saw dozens of his comrades breaking down the front door and he pulled a nearby Gurkha that was away from the fire, "What the hell is going on?" "The French mercenaries. A bunch of them were overseeing the construction of this camp. You know them, a bunch of kleptomaniac, power-tripping cowards. Some of them managed to escape our assault, but they set the building on fire before they left," The Gurkha growled. "Fuck." Nothing more could be said, or needed to be said. Sprinting towards the burning building, Corporal You assisted the others in breaking down the front doors and saving the badly charred individuals inside. Most of the captives were saved, but a few were still trapped as their jail building collapsed on itself from the fire. A dozen more died from complications from the fire. After everything ended, the Chinese-American soldier collapsed onto the ground, consoling a weeping Caribbean American man who had lost his son from the fire. The journalists would snap a picture of the moment and within two weeks, the picture (along with dozens of other ones taken of the concentration camp and its victims) would sweep the nation. The war was taking a dark turn. Chapter 176: An Aging General Lieutenant General Samuel Kim, the former president of the United States and one of the richest men in the world (despite the monopoly laws breaking up some of his companies), watched as the units under his command moved into position to face off against the Alliance forces. Despite the beating the Alliance received just weeks ago, it managed to gather its forces in Village Creek and rally a significant number of men to hold the city. Samuel had 55,000 men under his command, with some units being rotated out after the Seige of Washington and others being reinforced with fresh recruits. While he was getting used to commanding such a large army (during his Revolutionary War days, the biggest army he commanded was just over 20,000 men), he still had trouble managing such a large number of troops. Thankfully, the "Independent Combat Doctrine" allowed his officers to work with much leeway and thus, he was able to heavily rely on his officers to manage the troops directly under their command. Despite the fact that his army group was much smaller than before, he still outnumbered the Alliance forces. The Alliance was only gaining ground in Jefferson (and the surrounding states). On all the other fronts, the American military was counterattacking the invaders in order to expel them from the continent. Unfortunately, that didn''t mean that it would be an easy fight to kick the invaders out of the American mainland. The officers leading the Alliance forces realized that bashing their troops against the American lines wasn''t working and adopted a much more defensive policy (except Jefferson, where the Alliance forces were purposely expanding the front against the overextended American forces). The British Commander in Chief, Field Marshal Hugh Gough, survived the Siege of Washington and was now leading the defense of Village Creek from the American counterattack. During the American counterattack into central Alabama, the invaders fought a fighting retreat and delayed a rapid American advance. It also helped that much of the infrastructure in the region was torn up (by both sides) and thus, the American military was forced to push slowly (clearing the settlements and the countryside of any enemy soldiers). As the American troops moved in to liberate their homeland, they quickly came face to face with the realities of the war. Starving American citizens were found everywhere, especially as the winter without any food and supplies took its toll. Settlements and villages that were once thriving before the war were now ghost towns. This only slowed the advance even further, as the American soldiers treated and fed the ailing people to the best of their abilities. More than ten thousand bodies had been uncovered by the local soldiers, with many of the bodies showing signs of starvation and disease. Unfortunately, that built up time for the Alliance to consolidate and retreat. Field Marshal Gough had 45,000 men under his command after his disastrous siege on the northern Alabaman city. As a result, he had built up the small town of Village Creek into a formidable fortress with layers of trenches, bunkers (which he copied off from General Kim), and a small fort overlooking the city. In order to seize the settlement, the American troops needed to cross the river, dislodge the Alliance forces from their fortifications, and clear the town completely. It was going to be another bloody battle. "An underground attack won''t work," General Kim muttered as he lined up his finger with the blue line marking the river, "They''re also on the other side of the river, which will make such a feat impossible. The enemy has additional Indian troops coming in as reinforcements from the east and west, which means that crossing the river from elsewhere and flanking will alert them immediately. They have defenses set up to prevent such flanking maneuvers. The river is shallow enough to cross without any pontoon bridges, but our forces will be exposed for some time before we reach their lines and they''ll have Indian troops as their meat shields to cut down our numbers..." "Why not utilize the calvary, sir?" Major General Winfield Scott inquired as he made a fist under his chin, "They should be able to cross the river speedily and break the first defensive lines." The Korean-American officer shook his head, "There''s too much open ground between the river and the Alliance lines. Our cavalry would be massacred before they could make a breakthrough. And we can''t afford a prolonged fight. Especially since Fushaven is home to... one of those camps." Both men grimaced uncomfortably. Ever since the shocking revelation that the invaders were using "concentration camps" to detain and enslave American citizens, it had caused an uproar in the public and the military. Starving and dying Americans were already bad enough, but the fact that the Alliance was now tossing any "resisting" citizens into shoddy camps for them to slave away and die sparked a sudden wave of nationalism and unity. The number of men enlisting was climbing rapidly and the American flag was being waved in every street. On top of the news of the concentration camps was the revelation that a former NIS agent revealed national secrets which allowed the invasion to happen. Congress was grilling the NIS director and the high command of the agency and the public was further outraged about the agency''s performance during the war. There was some backlash against the Quebecois as well, especially since the traitor was from Quebec. However, the Quebecois governor was quick to swear off any involvement in the matter and pledged the state''s "undying loyalty" to the Union. It wasn''t surprising that thousands of Canadiens were enlisting to prove that they weren''t traitors. "I can personally lead several regiments of cavalry and infantry to breach the defenses in the east and making threatening moves towards Jackson. That would make the field marshal believe that we are aiming to liberate Jackson instead of Fushaven. It would draw some defenders away from Village Creek as well," General Scott stated after pondering for a moment. "Are you absolutely sure? You will be cut off from supplies and surrounded by hostile forces." "No, I will be surrounded by thousands of Americans that are sick of the Alliance occupation and help us move through the occupied territories. Regardless, I am not aiming to hit Jackson. I am planning to swing my troops around and cut off supplies flowing into Village Creek from the south. The 707th Special Forces Battalion is also operating in Alabama, so I can ask for their assistance in this matter." General Kim watched as his fellow officer draw his proposed attack path, taking in the account for the local topography. After an hour of planning, the two came to an agreement. General Scott would take charge of two cavalry regiments and an infantry regiment and prepare for his plan of attack (after receiving a response from the SOCOM personnel in Alabama). Once everything was put into place, the general would cross the river in the dead of night, overrun a part of the eastern Alliance defenses (since it was lightly defended compared to the defenses around the settlement of Village Creek itself), and make a mad dash towards Jackson. Once he reached the approximate halfway point, he would swing back around and hit the southern rail lines coming into Village Creek and the surrounding areas, destroying the defenders'' supply lanes and forcing them to commit to a battle or retreat. It would take several days to execute but if it worked... Samuel would freely admit that General Scott was still talented even in this world. +++++ AN: Village Creek is literally next to Village Creek and it is Birmingham in OTL. Chapter 177: The American Foreign Legion In the Beautiful Lands: the American Foreign Legion in the Anglo-American War By Spencer Xiao, published in San Francisco, California "... With the invasion of the American South underway, Secretary of Defense Lucius Bonapart made a critical decision in withdrawing the American forces stationed in Oregon to the east. On January 13th of 1834, the order for the withdrawal of 25,000 of the 30,000 US troops in California and the Oregon Territory arrived in San Jose (the temporary territorial capital of California after a raid on San Francisco destroyed a portion of the city). Additionally, this order was accompanied by another notice that authorized the creation of the American Foreign Legion in the West to replace the American soldiers that were returning east. This notice famously stated that Chinese immigrants were to be "the primary targets of the recruitment drive to fill the ranks of the American Foreign Legion." To this day, there is some controversy on this particular matter, but there is no doubt that Chinese immigrants were the most numerous foreign-born residents in California and Sierra at the time. Thus, it was unsurprising that Secretary Bonapart sought to fill the ranks of the proposed American Foreign Legion with Chinese immigrants, especially with the incentives involved in enlisting for the Legion. In conjunction with the first two orders, a third decree declared that American citizens were to be recruited to create new regiments in the region. As such, it was clear that the veterans that once protected the Californian territory and other nearby American territories were to be replaced with fresh recruits, many of whom had no previous experience in combat. At least, that was what the Cabinet believed at the time. The president and his secretaries, along with his military advisors, "wrote off the west" in order to "save the east." This resulted in the American Foreign Legion receiving inferior equipment (not out of racism, but due to the difference in priority and difficulties of supplying the western territories) and working with relatively few seasoned veterans to protect the vast expanses of the American West. The federal government had relatively low expectations for the American Foreign Legion as well, as many of the members rushed through training to quickly fill the vacant ranks of the withdrawing units... However, the American Foreign Legion (of the West, as the east was primarily filled with Irish immigrants) transformed into a contingent to be reckoned with within a year. As Secretary Bonapart proposed, propaganda was spread around California and Sierra to attract Chinese immigrants into joining the American Foreign Legion. Promises of steady pay (despite the government''s finances shaking under the strain of the wartime economy, the blockade, and an expanded military) in times of economic uncertainty, citizenship after serving for two years (if the enlistee passed the citizenship test), and a fee waive of any family members that wished to immigrate to America after the war were desirable offers for the Chinese immigrants. The result was that thousands of them joined the American Foreign Legion in droves. It reached a point where the military capped the number of Legion members in the West to 10,000 due to a shortage of equipment and fear of logistical strains (as a small Army division raised alongside the Foreign Legion). While numerous Chinese immigrants planned to return to China after earning money, many others were adamant on remaining in Meiguo after establishing new businesses and homes in California and Sierra. Not only that, but Chinese immigrants were received positively during the Gold Rush, which helped convince many that remaining in the United States was a viable option for their future. Many sought to bring their families over from China, and thus, fee waives and promises of citizenship were highly appealing to numerous immigrants. As one Foreign Legion veteran wrote in a letter to his wife in China, "Meiguo is a foreign land even now, but I am fighting so that it will be our home in the future." Unlike what the Cabinet assumed of the Chinese immigrants in California and Sierra, many of them had some combat experience. Around seven hundred Chinese migrants formed a militia unit early on in the war (the famous "Dragon Militia Regiment"). Most of the members of the said unit fought in several skirmishes and battles alongside American soldiers, serving with valor despite their initial inexperience. Furthermore, many of the Chinese settlers were from the Guandong Region, which was strafed with violence and instability (which caused many of these said immigrants to flee China in the first place). Rebellions and banditry were not uncommon in the region, especially after the beginning of the British opium trade. Since a large majority of the expats were peasants, they had some experience in fighting against rebels or/and bandits to defend their livelihoods. Thus, the Chinese that enlisted in the Foreign Legion were not all "green-horns" like the government assumed. Regardless, there were numerous obstacles that the Foreign Legion of the West had to overcome. Firstly, almost all the new enlistees (except the former members of the Dragon Militia Regiment) had never shot a firearm in their life. The possession of firearms was heavily restricted in the Qing Empire, and it was difficult for peasants to buy, use, and maintain them. Thus, it was unsurprising that the unit suffered heavy casualties during the early parts of its existence (in 1834 alone, nearly 3,000 Legion members lost their lives fighting in the war, with approximately 6,000 total casualties). Discipline was also another critical issue, as America''s enemies in the West often employed strategies to pick off American forces using ambushes and lightning strikes. Fighting off bandits was entirely different than combating an enemy that remained nearly invisible in the woods and exploited any opportunities to cut down American soldiers. The Native Americans that sided with the British often employed fear tactics, such as war cries, scalping, and melee combat, to grate American morale and discipline as well. While the Foreign Legion adjusted after several months of constant harassment, guiding the Legion to be an effective fighting force against the enemy in the beginning was a critical problem (which contributed to the casualty rates of the unit). Despite all odds, the Legion was trained for a period of fifty days to become the most proficient soldiers that America had to offer in the West. Numerous American and Mexican soldiers served as trainers for the legion and in the early days, most of the Legion''s officers were Americans (with a few of them being Chinese-Americans). Several veterans were weaved into the Legion to serve as NCOs and to assist the Chinese soldiers in adopting new strategies and tactics. Brigadier General Andrew Jackson, who was reinstated in the Army due to a lack of capable commanders in the region, remarked that he could, "take the entire North American continent with just 10,000 Chinese soldiers." And while his claim was nowhere near the truth, the Legion became a remarkably well-adjusted unit despite its inferior equipment (given only Lee Rifles, iron helmets, and uniforms to combat the enemy) and relatively short training period. By the end of the war, the American Foreign Legion of the West would become one of the most formidable units (toughened by years of combat and brutality). Serving with distinction and holding the enemy back for two years without any reinforcements from the eastern United States, fifteen members of the Legion would be rewarded with the Medal of Honor for their exemplary courage and valor. In fact, there were numerous accounts of Legion members sacrificing themselves in order to protect civilians or hold back the enemy, especially since the war was a violent ordeal in the West (just as much as the debacle in the East). Over 4,000 Chinese migrants lost their lives during the Anglo-American War, a tenth of the former Chinese population in California, with numerous more sporting various injuries from combat... Every single surviving member of the Foreign Legion during the Anglo-American War would go on to become American citizens after serving their two years. President Napoleon would play a critical role in this development, as he would create the policy of "American by spilled blood," in which any serving personnel of the Legion would be qualified to become American citizens if they were wounded by hostiles in combat... Meanwhile, the American Foreign Legion of the East (filled with Irish immigrants that sought for vengeance against the British) served just as impeccably..." Chapter 178: Not These United States” but The United States” Clarkston, Texas, the United States of America April 11th, 1834 "It sure is lively, ey?" Kemarax asked. "Well, tomorrow is the day after all." The CO of the Rangers replied with a chuckle. Major Robert E. Lee leaned back and sipped some whiskey and looked up to see the starry sky that watched over the numerous bonfires and tents that sat just west of the town of Clarkston. The men of the Rangers Battalion were drinking and eating with their fellow soldiers as the massive offensive to drive the invaders out of the United States was planned for the following day. Not all of the soldiers were Americans; there were numerous soldiers from Mexico, Central America, and even a few from Yucatan as well. After it became clear that the Alliance was not invading anywhere but the United States, League members that were in close proximity to America sent their troops to help defend the continental power. Mexico had already committed thousands of troops in the Oregon Territory, but it raised thousands more to support the American counterattack into Jefferson. The FRCA and Yucatan had less manpower to offer, but they provided as many supplies and aid as possible. And with the arrival of the American forces that were formerly stationed in the West, the combined strength of the League forces stood at over 70,000. Major General Harrison (who was promoted in order to have a high enough rank to command all the troops) was confident that the troops were enough to overrun any Alliance defenses and flank the invaders that were pushing into Kentucky and Akansa. And Major Lee was inclined to agree. The troops were in high spirits, had plenty of provisions and supplies, and decently-equipped for the task ahead of them (the federal government finally finished its crash project to connect a rail from Clarkston to Wichita to St. Louis, allowing firearms, artillery, and ammunition to finally flow into Texas). Kemarax wolfed down some roast beef and placed his plate down with a sigh, "Do you have anything you want to do after this war is over, Robert?" The two had been stuck together for three months now and had developed a close friendship. It certainly helped that both relied on each other during a bloody battle and saw it through to the end. Major Lee pondered upon the captain''s question with a frown, "Nothing really comes to mind. I''m too focused on the war that I haven''t given much thought about my future." "Surely there is something you want to do after the war? Getting married? Starting a business? Or perhaps, running for political office? After all, your father was a "vice president," was he not?" "True," The Virginian scratched his beard, "I was thinking about marriage after I retired from the military. Well, before this invasion began. I don''t think I''m well-suited for business, as no one in my family has much experience in it. But politics..." "Like father, like son," Kemarax grinned as he gave the man a slap in the back. "Then what about yourself?" "Like you, politics. After this bloody war is finished, I can return to my homeland in Missouri and run for office when the territory receives statehood. After all, people like war heroes. Moreso in my tribe." "Ah, a war hero. I never took you as one." Major Lee jested. The Missourian deadpanned, "Very funny. But after this war, I should be. And hopefully, I will be able to use my reputation to finally see the "mythical" city of Columbia myself and represent my people on Capitol Hill. My people are... not taking the war well and have been neglected by the rest of the nation. Hopefully, I will be able to bring more light on the situation and help my tribe seek the help it needs." "Neglected, how?" Major Lee as he turned his attention towards the co-commander. "Well, I have mentioned before that some of the pro-British tribes have inflicted devastation in the north. The Pawnee tribe formerly bordered my tribe''s homeland before most of them were expelled following the war between the Sioux and the Americans. However, several Pawnee settlements remained even then, and before the war started, many exiled Pawnees returned to settle their grudges against America. After Britain declared war on America, the hostile Pawnees raided nearby settlements and allied with other British aligned tribes to bring chaos into the region. My homeland was directly affected, which was why we threw our support behind the United States: in order to protect our lands and receive assistance. The American government gave us supplies and weapons to deal with the problem. Unfortunately, we were forced to fight our own battles as America was busy elsewhere, which has resulted in many of the tribes suffering from the aftermath. Fields have been burned down, settlements have been destroyed, and many are struggling to survive. Even worse, we lack the money to rebuild." Major Lee''s expression darkened, "Then shouldn''t you be up in the north?" "We chased the Pawnees from our homeland and burned their settlements. The lands around my home are safe, which is why the Rangers chose to come down here in the first place. Perhaps, if we show our loyalty and our willingness to fight and die for the United States, then it will give us the assistance we need." "I will speak with my father about this," Major Lee promised, "He still has some pull in Columbia and I am certain that he will be able to bring light about your people''s situation." Kemarax looked up at the sky and smiled, "Perhaps one day, it will not be "your" people and "my" people, but "our" people. A day where we will be viewed as "Americans" and be cared for by your government just as well as any Americans. The lives of those people suffering under the invaders are worthwhile, but they are not the only ones affected by this war." "The sooner this war ends, the better. Which is why we must see this war through." Chapter 179: Push for the American Republic! Samsborough, Georgia, the United States of America May 2nd, 1834 Private Marie-Adriana Bonapart dArmont, or known to her fellow soldiers as "Private Adrian d''Armont," ran across the open grounds with thousands of American soldiers to capture the enemy trenches and secure the town of Samsborough. A Georgian town that was just north of the Georgia-Florida border, Samsborough (named after the first president) was formerly a sleepy town filled with farmers before it was captured and ransacked by the French-Spanish forces. It had been under occupation for months, and now the United States military was descending upon the settlement in its first step to secure all of Georgia. The battle had been going on for hours now and the American general leading the attack, Major General Duncan Lamont Clinch of North Carolina, decided to commit nearly all his forces to breach the center. The trenches had been softened up with the constant barrages of shells delivered by the American artillery guns (numbering over a hundred), but there were plenty of defenders that were shooting back at the charging American troops. And the enemies had artillery of their own, which they used to shower shots all across the battlefield. Hundreds of American soldiers were already dead or dying on the ground while numerous medics (with the noticeable red cross on their helmets) dragging any wounded back to the back lines. From a distance, American snipers fired on any exposed defenders and provided covering fire for their advancing comrades. A hundred yards from the trenches, the young Corday-Bonapart fired three shots from her Samuel Rifle, shifting the lever where the trigger was located each time before firing. Two of the shots missed, but the third one drilled into the hole of a distracted Spanish soldier. Despite being annoyed at her aim, she plugged her bayonet before diving into the trenches with the others. She squarely landed on the wooden bottoms of the trenches and immediately jumped into the fray. It was a bloody affair, but it was what Private d''Armont signed up for. Her unit, the 44th Infantry Brigade of the 15th Infantry Division (led by Brigadier General Sam Houston, a man who always led his soldiers from the front), finally managed to secure the trenches after getting "up close and personal." Private d''Armont managed to kill a soldier in the trenches with her bayonet (a young French Negro, whose right arm was already injured) as her compatriots cleared the rest of the section she was in. While she loaded the chamber of her rifle and added three more shots into the tube, General Houston whipped around his pistol and shouted commands, "Hold for a potential counterattack! We are not to give an inch to the enemy! Once we are organized and artillery softens up the second line of trenches, we will push with the 14th Infantry Division!" "I thought our second battle was supposed to be easier than the first?" A soldier next to Adriana grumbled loudly as they reloaded their firearm. Upon recognizing the voice, the private from New York gave the soldier a wry smile, "As my brother always likes to say, ''No battle is easy.'' And I think he''s right." The neighboring soldier was "Jonathan" Graham. Her real name was Jennifer Graham, a farmgirl from northern Georgia. However, after seeing her home state invaded, she joined the military under a false name (much like Adriana). Surprisingly, there were a number of female soldiers within the military (all hiding their true gender), with five female soldiers in the 15th Infantry Division alone. Though they struggled behind the other recruits at times, they managed to complete their basic training and fought on the battlefield alongside men. Private d''Armont suspected that her former drill sergeant knew that she and Jennifer were females, but allowed them to pass anyways. After all, America needed more soldiers on the battlefield, and if a few women were capable enough... Several minutes passed by with the two focusing on the battle instead of chatting. Both of them were busy firing their rifles until they heard a loud explosion echoing from the west side. As they turned their heads, they witnessed a giant explosion engulf a large section of the trenches, throwing men up in the air like ragdolls. Private d''Armont could only stare in shock as another explosion immediately followed, this time only fifty yards from her position. The French-American private swore enough to make a sailor blush as she ran away from the western side of the trenches. Mines were rarely used by the Alliance and the few times they were used, they were laid out on open ground to slow the American advance. Even then, those mines produced only small explosions. The scale of the explosions occurring within the trenches made her believe that the defenders buried black powder in the trenches themselves. It was something that the British used against the French in Saint Domingue (military history always fascinated her and she knew every major battle and wars from the past century like the back of her hand)... Just as another explosion rocked her former position, she looked down at the wooden floor of the trenches and groaned. The French and Spanish soldiers never floored their trenches with wood, and the reason for the explosions became crystal clear to her. Immediately, Private d''Armont lept out of the ditch and yelled at her fellow compatriots, "The floor! The floor is rigged to blow!" Adriana was unsure how the Spanish and French managed to set up such a trap without having the mines backfire on their own troops... But surprisingly, it worked. There were probably black powder and other explosives below the trenches, covered with some form of protection to prevent an artillery shell or accidental shot from causing a chain reaction. And they were spaced out to cause as much damage as they could without wasting any explosives. Since there was a few second delays between each explosion, that meant someone (possibly running underground) was setting off the explosions themselves... In short, a terrifying weapon that could break even the most hardened army group. Jennifer immediately heeded her call and jumped out. Many others in the immediate vicinity climbed out as well. Just a few seconds after a few hundred soldiers streamed out of the trenches and ducked into the dirt, the section of the trench she was occupying blew. More and more soldiers were leaving the trenches in the east, but in the process, they were taking heavy fire from the French and Spanish soldiers in the second line of trenches. Thousands were already dead or wounded from the first two blasts, and it was clear that they had to either push or retreat. In the chaos, Private d''Armont barely made out the fact that General Houston was unconscious or dead from being struck by a piece of debris from one of the explosions. When she saw that the American flag and her division''s banner (a red hawk with a bright blue background) were both on the floor, her adrenaline and instincts kicked in. Crawling to the broken remnants of the two standards while dodging enemy fire, she untied her chest bindings and tied the flags together. Now, it was one long flagpole with two flags flying next to each other. She struggled to lift it up, but a familiar face helped her, even though the woman was bleeding from her shoulders. "Push for the republic! Into the next trenches!" +++++ AN: Samsborough is Thomasville, Georiga of TTL. Chapter 180: The American Colossus and the French Giant Paris, the Second Republic of France June 5th, 1834 Former French president Francois-Andrew Isambert handed the Assembly''s gavel to the incoming president with a sad smile. He had been removed from office due to the election that occurred on May 1st (that saw the Republican coalition collapse and the Girondins earn a supermajority in the National Assembly) due to the growing crisis within the nation. The French Republic was a proud nation, resisting attempts of foreign powers to force the nation to bend to their will and building a powerful continental power despite all odds. It wasn''t surprising that after the war between the United States and Britain began, there were many factions within France that sought to aid their beleaguered republican counterpart. The fact that Britain blockaded America and forcibly turned away numerous French ships only inflamed the pro-war factions, especially as the French Republic entered a period of economic downturn and instability. The Republicans sought to keep the nation out of the war, believing in the old dogma that France needed to focus on domestic issues before looking outward. However, the French people disagreed, and after a vote of no confidence in March, the Girondins (along with the Neo-Montagnards, that decided to abandon the Republicans over the war issue) were in power for the first time since 1830. And since the President of the Republic was appointed by the National Assembly (rather than a direct vote), the party with the majority appointed the next president. The new President, President Ange Rene Armand, was a former lieutenant in the navy and a war hawk. An outspoken man that was one of the younger leaders of the Girondin faction, he was immediately selected for the presidency by the new National Assembly (that was led by the Girondins). The new cabinet formed immediately after President Armand''s appointment, and Isambert knew that France would be at war very soon. However, he had already prepared the government and the military accordingly during his "lame duck" period to ensure that the war would start off smoothly for the nation. After all, despite being ousted from power, he was still French, first and foremost. And while the Republicans disliked foreign wars, they knew the importance of maintaining a professional military, especially since Austria and Prussia were becoming closer and closer to one another. Reserves were already being called up, the Republican Army was being sent down to the south to sweep Spain off its feet, and the Republican Navy was moving away from the English Channel and regrouping in Marseilles. Sabotaging the next administration and crippling France in the name of "political gain" would only destroy the reputation of the Republicans. It was better to ensure that France won a swift and dominating victory instead of a prolonged war that would only drain the finances of the nation. "President Armand," Isambert stated as he placed the gavel firmly in his successor''s hand, "I wish you the best of luck." The new president looked a bit gleeful, but he remained composed and graciously accepted the gavel, "Of course. France will emerge from this war victorious." Isambert nodded solemnly and sat down in a special seat behind the Girondin president. President Armand stood on a podium in front of the entire National Assembly, consisting of 460 Assemblymen. The entire Assembly was gathered for the transfer of power, and the president''s speech. Banging the gavel once to signify that the new government was now in power (a tradition passed from the beginning of the Second Republic), President Armand began his speech, "I believe I do not need to give a long speech, gentlemen. Every person in this room knows the reason why the vote of no confidence was called. And every person knows what to expect for the next several years. However, I would like to clarify several things before we proceed to vote on the declaration of war." Several opposition members murmured amongst each other, but the other members of the Assembly remained silent as they waited for the president to continue. "I am not asking for this declaration of war simply because our finances are suffering and our people are clamoring to put the British into their place," President Armand stated as his eyes swept the chamber, "When the First Republic was facing the entirety of Europe by itself and was struggling for its own survival, it was the United States that came to our aid. It was America that stared down the might of the British Empire and shipped weapons and supplies to support our encircled nation. It was America that gave us millions of dollars of aid, simply because we were an aspiring republic and they believed that we could change the Old World as they had changed the New World. It was America that supported us with their own soldiers during the early days of the Second Republic. Simply put gentlemen, we have much to owe for our friends across the Atlantic, and we have spent far too much time debating on this issue. "This war is one of moral obligation, of fraternite. Surely, you have heard of the atrocities the British, the Spanish, and the French Pretenders have committed against America? Tens of thousands of civilians are dead, if not hundreds of thousands. And yet, the United States is enduring and fighting back. They are being blockaded, numerous enemies are invading their home soil, and yet, they are struggling until the very end. What does that remind you of, gentlemen?" Silence reigned in the Assembly. The Girondins were already set to approve the declaration of war, but there was a noticeable reaction from the opposition as well. Isambert knew why the Girondin president was stirring up the opposition: he wanted France to have a total united front in this war and sought to sway a few members of the opposition to his side in order to maintain a majority for the foreseeable future. After all, if the war ended swiftly, then it was possible that the Girondin-Neo-Montagnard coalition would swiftly fall apart. "And if you are still unconvinced that we are to join this war on the side of the United States, then I have one final argument that will sway your minds," The president pulled out a piece of paper and waved it in front of the Legislative body of France, "The Americans are building ironclads, metal monstrosities that will make the British High Fleet nothing more than rowboats! They are only three months, at most, from completing these weapons. If we sit on the sidelines while twiddling our thumbs and the United States unleash these new weapons upon the world... Would it be wise for the American public and government to remember France as a nation that turned its back on America while it was fighting for its life? To be remembered as a nation that received everything from the United States, but gave nothing in return?" Again, Isambert had to admit that President Armand was a masterful politician. He was offering two perspectives of the war, with both of them being perfectly valid (if anything, necessary) reasons to declare war. France was in America''s debt, no matter how much it tried to glance over the issue. It was due to America that the French Republic prevailed in its darkest hour. And now, with the United States in her own darkest hour, the president was calling for the Assembly to repay America in full. It certainly helped that Britain and her allies were committing unspeakable atrocities against the Americans. And then there was the ''interest'' aspect of the declaration. By helping the United States defeat the so-called ''Alliance,'' France would forever be in America''s good grace. Once the American ironclads were complete, America''s allies in the League of American Nations would be the first to receive the new weapons. After that? It would be France if it joined the war on America''s side. If France had ironclads, then the entire balance of the continent would be changed in an instant. France would no longer be at the whim of the British government, but Britain would be at the whim of the French government. Especially if Great Britain lacked the ironclads to fight back with. After all, if France had ironclads, then it wouldn''t have backed down when Britain blockaded the American East Coast and forced France from trading with the United States. France had an interest, and a friend, in America. "With that, I rest my case. Let us vote on the matter." It was unsurprising that the declaration of war passed with overwhelming approval. 423 Assemblymen voted in favor, 20 abstained, and only 17 opposed the motion. After nearly a year of deliberation and uncertainty, France was at war with the entire Alliance. And finally coming to America''s aid. Chapter 181: Haha, Brrr Northdale, Florida, the United States of America (OTL''s Madison, Florida) June 22nd, 1834 Major General Nathaniel Napoleon Bonapart ducked his head as cannonballs whizzed above. As he had expected, the Spanish and French were lacking explosive shells and were using regular shots instead. That served him just fine, as he and his men were tucked behind various earthworks and trenches while waiting for their enemies to push. Overnight, the "Harvey Brown''s Regiment" (which was quickly becoming one of the most reliable and well-known regiments in the entire United States Army) built up fortifications on a small hill near the small town of Northdale overnight, just like before the Battle of Bunker Hill. While General Bonapart and his men were busy, a partisan attack just a kilometer west of the town kept the Alliance forces in the area occupied. As a result, when morning dawned, the invaders were shocked to see the famed Harvey Brown''s Regiment (with a very distinct regimental flag of an alligator chewing on a musket) was camped right outside of Northdale by themselves. And even more surprisingly, General Bonapart, the commander of all the American forces in Florida, was among the group. Of course, the American general was present in "Fort Northdale" because he wanted the Spanish and French to take the seemingly irresistible bait (destroying one of the most successful American regiments and killing the commanding American officer in Florida). Not only that, but he also wanted to see the new weapons that ARPA had created in action. It was a weapon that was going to revolutionize warfare. He was absolutely certain of it. It was basically a new type of artillery, but for close range. Of course, bringing those weapons along meant that the regiment was unable to lug any artillery guns (to his greatest disappointment). So all General Bonapart could do was wait and hope that the opposing commanding officer would attack the American position. Meanwhile, the soldiers of the Harvey Brown''s Regiment were waiting in the trenches as well. The trenches were designed a bit differently than before, to account for the new weapons. There was an emphasis on earth pillboxes, with steps to make certain parts of the trenches more elevated compared to the other parts. There were also boxes of ammunition for the new weapons secured safely within the pillboxes, with each box containing dozens of magazines. General Bonapart unconsciously grinned as he glanced at the boxes. He wasn''t anxious because he was afraid of the course of the battle. No, he was anxious for the battle to truly "begin." He had learned plenty of things during his time at Westpoint, but one of the most important lessons he learned was, "Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If his forces are united, separate them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected. " A quote from Sun Tzu''s Art of War, it was a very simple, yet noteworthy piece of advice. Thus, he had formulated a very comprehensive strategy to take over Northdale and wipe out the opposition. The enemy had not seen the weapons yet, as he was the first to receive them (with the Army usually giving his units better equipment due to their smaller numbers). As such, even with the Harvey Brown''s Regiment''s superior rifles, the regiment only numbered at two thousand men. Meanwhile, the defenders of Riverdale and the surrounding villages consisted of eight thousand men. While they had inferior weaponry, they had artillery and greater numbers on their side. He had already sent out a messenger earlier on horseback, making it seem as though he was requesting reinforcements from the other units. This was to hasten the opposing commander''s resolve to make a decision quickly. His plan also accounted for the possibility that the guns failed or ineffective. Despite the logistical constraints of Florida, there were two American regiments, along with the feared Gurkhas, waiting in the jungle for his signal. All of them were given enough quinine and other medications to survive the various jungle diseases that were prevalent in the area. Once he fired his flare gun, they would descend from the north (where the jungle was the thickest) and seize the town. Of course, this was also another reason why he wanted the enemy to attack him instead of the other way around; if they attacked, then the town was open for the other American regiments to take. And if the town was seized, then the regiments could swing around and flank the enemy with a classic anvil and hammer tactic. Additionally, to the east, a cavalry regiment was also waiting to assist the Harvey Brown''s Regiment and to evacuate the major general out of Fort Northdale should the situation turn against him. It was possible that the enemy expected such a move, as he had used it plenty of times before. After all, it was suspicious that he was here with only a few troops. As such, he had his second in command, Major General Jared Oliver, lead an attack with the majority of the American forces in Florida in the town of Hsve just a week prior. The units were slowly moving north from the town, which was fifty kilometers south of Northdale. Thus, General Bonapart was making it seem like he was holding out for the reinforcements from the south to arrive and acting as though he was unaware of the fact that the main bulk of the American forces in Florida were still kilometers away (which was true to some extent, as he only instructed General Oliver to move his forces as slowly as possible). While Alliance soldiers rarely strayed into the jungle (which usually resulted in them being maimed or outright killed by awaiting partisans), a number of them patrolled and scouted the main roads for major troop movements The opposing commander was most likely taking his time to double-check if there were any reinforcements suddenly arriving from the south and ensuring that General Bonapart was truly by himself and alone. All in all, it was an elaborate trap. Now he just needed for the trap to be sprung. "General!" One of his sharpshooters shouted, "They''re on the move!" General Bonapart carefully peeked out one of the pillbox''s openings with his binoculars and spotted a large group of soldiers moving towards his position. The artillery barrage continued as the enemy began its advance on Forth Northdale. "Prepare the guns!" Seventy-five soldiers quickly wheeled in the fifteen Gatling guns into the pillboxes. After removing the wheels off the Gatling guns and fixing them onto metal stands, the pre-assigned "Gatling crews" were placed on each Gatling gun, with a total of six members on each gun (three to operate the gun itself and the other three acting as reserves). With a maximum range of nearly 1000 meters, the Gatling guns could decimate the enemy before the infantry could even fire (as the Pelissier rifles had an effective range of 500 meters). However, General Bonapart had specifically instructed the men to allow the enemy to come into the Pelissier rifles'' firing range before firing upon the enemy. He wanted to inflict as many casualties as possible and win the battle handily. "4th Company, ensure that the earthworks and pillboxes in the west are intact and secure. That area was hit by multiple shots. 5th Company, we have a large group heading to our south. Reinforce the area," General Bonapart barked as the troops around him moved into position, "Lieutenant Band! Are you absolutely certain that the mines are functioning and in place?" "As certain as I can be, sir!" "Good. Now let''s send them to hell and save those pour souls in Tallahassee." At five hundred meters, just outside of the effective firing range of the rifled muskets that the French and Spanish soldiers carried, the Gatling guns and the Pelissier rifles opened fire. To the enemy officer''s credit, he had committed most of his forces to the south and north of Fort Northdale, as those areas seemed the "weakest." Overall, he had six thousand men at his disposal and he committed only a thousand of them for a direct assault in the "center" of the American position. However, General Bonapart expected such a maneuver and committed most of his Gatling guns to the north and the south. The general himself watched the Gatling guns fire on their first-ever targets from the south. As he had expected, it was an absolute massacre. Hundreds of soldiers were cut down in the span of several seconds and the carnage only continued as the Gatling gun fired 400 rounds a minute. Shells continuously fell onto the floor of the pillboxes as the crew reloaded the magazine of the guns with precision and efficiency. Within ten minutes, the battle was over. Over four thousand Spanish and French soldiers were dead. And only two Americans were injured. The attackers failed to even reach the "mine zone" set one hundred meters in front of the American fortifications. Most of them were dead before they made it within two hundred meters. The commanding American general fired his flare gun only towards the end of the battle, as he was awed by the devastation caused by the Gatling guns. Strangely, General Bonapart felt an odd feeling rising his chest as he saw the number of dead French soldiers on the ground. But he quickly waved it off and watched his soldiers celebrate the stunning victory. Chapter 182: The Advanced Research Projects Agency https://imgur.com/a/nVUjfmp (Map of the North American front during the war) +++++ "ARPA and Technological Innovation in the United States" The Industrial Revolution and Inventions, By Maxwell Kent, Published in Boston, Massachusetts "...One of the oldest and most prestigious agencies in the United States, the Advanced Research Projects Agency (also commonly known as "ARPA") has been at the forefront of the improvement and development of various technologies throughout America''s history. From the telegraph to computers to the World Wide Web, ARPA has proven to be a reliable and critical group that has been credited with thousands of inventions. With hundreds of research centers in the United States alone (along with dozens of others in the member states of the League of American Nations) and numerous branches under its name (including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Defensive Development Initiative, and the Energy Development Agency), ARPA has expanded from a small, single-group agency into one of the biggest agencies in the American government. Indeed, it is critical to see the role of ARPA throughout the history of the United States in order to recognize the reasons for the agency''s rapid growth, especially during the Anglo-American War... In 1832, shortly after the declaration of war from Britain was delivered to the White House, President Eliyah Peters (the Seventh President of the United States) worked with his Congressional allies in order to pass a bill that provided additional funding and personnel for ARPA (titled the "Research and Development Act of 1832"). Prior to the passage of the R&D Act of 1832, ARPA was already considered a prestigious agency under the federal government. The agency managed to create various inventions that were critical to the industrial development of the United States, chiefly the telegraph and the steam locomotive. Even before the R&D Act was approved by Congress, the agency was self-sufficient in funding and provided additional revenue for the federal budget due to the rapid construction of railroads and telegraph lines across the United States. This was due to the fact that the federal government sold patents of ARPA''s inventions for a 4% profit margin (a slight rise from the original 1% profit margin set in the beginning), with 60% going to the researchers involved in the inventions and the remaining 40% being split between the government and the agency itself (30% to the federal government, 10% to the agency). In fact, the agency was able to build the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (or M.I.T.) with the funds it procured from its patents in 1799. By 1832, the agency employed over 20,000 personnel and was continuously growing due to the creation of more and more labs across the United States (mostly in and around universities, both private and public). Therefore, some could argue that the R&D Act was redundant, as the agency was not lacking in funding. However, the Act did provide crucial support for ARPA''s involvement in the Anglo-American War. After the passage of the Act, ARPA was conjoined with the military (for the duration of the war) in order to provide improvements to the equipment of the three major military branches (Army, Navy, and the Marines). The military provided valuable insight into the practicality and actual performance of some of ARPA''s inventions in combat, with adjustments made accordingly to prevent unnecessary deaths and improve the firepower of the average soldier. The military also provided the recommended priority for certain projects, influencing ARPA''s heavy focus on the development of the Gatling guns, the Springfield guns, and the Monitor-class ironclads during the first three years of the war. ARPA had numerous projects in the works before and during the war, but with the military''s input, the agency focused on the development of "war-winning" weapons that would make the most difference on the battlefield. After Project Monitor was finished in July of 1834 (three months ahead of schedule), ARPA was lauded by many as the most important group, other than the military and the government itself, in the war effort... In addition to being conjoined with the military, ARPA was also given additional funding to expand its department, provide continuous funding for its wartime projects, and designate specialized labs across the nation. The agency grew from having 20,000 personnel to over 50,000 by the end of the war. A few of the new-hires were engineers and designers without any college degrees, such as William A. Clarke (the designer of the famed Clarke Rifle, which was the primary weapon for American sharpshooters during the war). However, the vast majority were college graduates that were integrated into the agency in order to keep up with the heightened demands made by the government and the military. The increase in manpower allowed ARPA to maintain the expanded scope of the agency during the Anglo-American War and prevent any delays in its projects. Additionally, with increased funding from the federal government, the agency never suffered any financial problems and added improvements to some of the projects in development (for example, rotating turrets and black powder shells were added to the Bunker Hill armored frigates after additional breakthroughs were made due to ARPA''s increased funding). The biggest change brought from the Act was the designation of specialized labs in certain areas of the country. By 1832, federal universities already developed reputations for certain areas depending on the location of the university. For example, New York University placed a special emphasis on finance and business while the University of Quebec was geared towards industry and engineering. However, this bias did not reach the ARPA labs that were featured in these universities, with many of them pursuing different projects and research even if its host university was focused on other interests. Thus, research was spread out evenly across the United States and the ARPA research centers and labs were fairly decentralized. The eruption of the Anglo-American War changed this significantly, as the Act called for more centralization and efficiency. Thus, the labs were transformed into ones that matched their host universities'' preferences, along with additional labs being built for weapons development and engineering. Additionally, several sub-branches were organized into the agency in order to improve productivity and output. The sub-branches organized during the war were as followed: Researchers and engineers focused on the Navy Branch of the Defensive Development Initiative were moved to the University of Quebec, while weapons designers of the Army Branch were moved to Cleveland (after a new lab was opened in the growing industrial city, following the partial destruction of M.I.T. during the British coastal raid). New York University became the new home of the Chemical Engineering division (with most of the actual labs in Xin, as the Asian-majority city avoided major raids throughout the war), while Philadelphia headquartered the Mechanical Engineering branch of ARPA. The Agricultural Engineering division moved into Lafayette in Kentucky, while Botany and Earth Sciences went to Onondaga in Iroquois (which signaled the beginning of America''s intellectual expansion westward). After the war, new universities were built around the new labs, creating more accessible higher education more evenly across the United States... Finally, one of the most significant changes made from the Act was the addition of researchers and students from the member states of the League of Nations. A major lab was built in Wichita, Kiowa (the most western lab in the nation at the time) and various scholars from Mexico, Central America, Yucatan, and Venezuela studied under American researchers. The Wichita Lab (which would later become the Federal University of Wichita) would become the center of LAN cooperation in the fields of technology and research, and even contributed to the development of the first "airships" fielded by the United States... Chapter 183: The Empire in Peril "This is a disaster," The Duke of Wellington, the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Ireland, sighed as he massaged his temples, "The Americans are pushing us everywhere, from Texas all the way to Florida. The French republicans are already closing in on Barcelona, and our fleet is stretched due to our commitments in the Americas and in Europe." "The French and Spanish front in Florida is collapsing, sir. The Spanish are pulling their troops out as fast as possible to save their homeland, while the French are withdrawing to the west in order to save themselves," Secretary of State for War and the Colonies George Murray mentioned as he shuffled through a pile of papers, "That American general, General Nathaniel Bonapart, has been giving them troubles for the entirety of this invasion and he has finally broken through with those terrifying "Gatling guns" of his." "Do we have anything to counter these "Gatling" guns?" Master-General of the Ordnance Henry Paget hesitantly shook his head, "No, Your Excellency. The only way to fight against these Gatling guns is to... halt our advances into American territory. With those guns, the Americans can now hold their positions indefinitely while we lose thousands at a time. Additionally, we will not be able to develop anything akin to the Gatling guns for at least a decade at the very least. All our resources are being used for the war effort and for the construction of the ironclads." "Have we made any progress on that?" "We are at least five years away from starting the construction of a prototype." First Lord of Admiralty Robert Dundas answered quietly. The prime minister clasped the armrest of his chair tightly and tossed the papers in front of him off the table, "So you are telling me that we are years away from combating these new weapons that the Americans have developed and yet, we are to somehow finish this war on our term? The bloody Yankees have a machine that can fire hundreds of rounds per minute, artillery guns that can fire a dozen shells in a span of a minute, and soon, they will have ships entirely made of metal to blow our fleets from the water! This war has been nothing but suicide for our nation." Prime Minister Wellesley pointedly looked at the 2nd Earl of Rosslyn, who had served as the Lord Chancellor of his Cabinet. The man had sold out the Cabinet to their monarch and now, all of them were paying the price, "I would not be surprised if a vote of no confidence passed Parliament this very instant. The people are getting unruly as well." At first, the public was fully supportive of the war and as the successes piled on, their enthusiasm shot through the roof. But as the British losses grew and the United States handed Britain and her allies more and more losses, the support for the war waned rapidly. With France''s entry into the war, the support for the war collapsed. The people were now protesting, and even rioting, in the streets for a "quick" end to the war. Yet, America (and by default, France) demanded harsh terms against Britain (including reparations, a total Alliance withdrawal from all of America''s overseas territories, a transfer of all Alliance colonies in the Caribbean to the United States, an additional cessation of colonies across the Americas, and the trial of all captured Alliance soldiers in the "League of American Nations High Court") and refused to budge on the matter. The prime minister and his Cabinet knew that if they accepted America''s demands, then the Tory Party would collapse and disappear completely, along with Britain''s remaining prestige and finances. It was an offer that they could not accept, even if a few members of the Cabinet wanted to (especially Prime Minister Wellesley). And the king that had placed them in this position in the first place was nowhere to be seen. He was hiding in Windsor Castle and rarely replied to any requests and reports made by the British government. "Call for a general withdrawal from America," The Duke of Wellington commanded firmly, "British troops are to be given the highest priority. By now, Marshal Gough should have received additional Indian troops from the East India Company. He will use those troops as decoys as we save our regulars. Do we have any information on when the Americans will finish their metal warships?" "We are completely in the dark, Prime Minister. The Americans have snatched up a number of our own agents and have closed off any leaks from "Project Monitor." It looks like they learned their lesson from that Quebecois traitor." Foreign Secretary George Hamilton-Gordon, the Earl of Aberdeen replied. "Then we must hurry. Or else, we will be at the complete mercy of the Americans. We promised the East India Company that we would pay for the expenses of the Indian troops, so they are disposable to us. The Spanish are already withdrawing, so we will not face any opposition from them. The French monarchists will be crushed regardless of our intervention, so it is better for us to cut ties with them... We will allow the Portuguese to return with us, as we will need to defend Iberia against the French republican rabble..." "Your Excellency," The 2nd Earl of Rosslyn piped up despite the hostile looks shot at him from certain members of the Wellington Cabinet, "May I speak?" "Your request to resign is denied, Lord Chancellor." "I apologize for my previous actions, but I believe there is a way to salvage our situation back at home. The public is not aware of our esteemed monarch''s role at the beginning of this war. Therefore, it may be possible to discreetly shift the blame of this war from our government, to His Majesty." The British Prime Minister''s eyes widened, "Go on." "I have a set of letters that proves my correspondence with His Majesty. Many of them go into detail about his... loathing of the Americans and his willingness to push the government into an armed confrontation with the United States. If some of these letters were revealed to the public..." "Then we can push forth a Regency Bill to convince the king to retire, and allow his daughter to take the throne. Thus shifting blame away from our ministry, and towards the monarchy itself," The Duke of Wellington finished, "But why should I trust you, Lord Chancellor? After all, you are partially to blame as well." "I will release the letters to the public myself. And within a week, I will resign." "Interesting," The Duke of Wellington frowned, "We shall see. For now, let us focus on the matter at hand." Chapter 184: The American Advance The Clash of Titans: The Anglo-American War and Beyond By Raymond Smith, published in Timstown, Jefferson ".... By the time the Wellington Ministry decided to order a general withdrawal of British regulars in North America, General Bonapart was on the move in Florida. After shattering the French Empire and Spain outside of Northdale on June 22nd, the major general regrouped with General Oliver and marched westward to bring an end to the Alliance presence in Georgia and Florida. Gathering his forces and supplies in a small village called Waukeenah (which was just thirty-two kilometers east of Tallahassee), the Corsican-American general planned for a lightning assault to take the occupied city. Since western Florida was more settled compared to central Florida, there were wider roads, better infrastructure, and more settlements. Thus, General Bonaparte was able to muster two divisions to execute his plan to rapidly advance against his disorganized opponents (due to Spain''s hasty withdrawal from the North American theater after the defeat at Northdale and the invasion of the French Republic). However, his hopes of marching into Tallahassee within a week were quickly dashed when the true horrors of the Alliance occupation revealed themselves to the American soldiers... The existence of concentration camps was not a secret to the American public or soldiers. Indeed, a number of recruits joined the United States Military after seeing the photographs of the camps with their own eyes (after the pictures of the concentration camps were revealed to the public, the American military saw a huge surge in recruits, fulfilling its necessary quota and beyond). Unfortunately, nothing prepared the advancing American soldiers to the consequences of the months-long Alliance occupation. As forty thousand American soldiers moved westward, they were greeted with the sight of starving civilians and dead bodies. As Private First Class Luke Bonapart of the 41st Regiment, 5th Division wrote in a letter to his family, "It is horrible. I walked past thousands of graves and they were not for fallen soldiers; they were for ordinary citizens that were starved and abused by the invaders. We entered a small settlement that was once a prosperous farming town. Before the war, it boasted a population of five thousand people. When we entered, there were only three thousand souls that were still alive, and all of them were ghastly thin." Famine and disease were the main causes of death, as Alliance soldiers stripped the occupied territories clean of any resources and food. This meant that hundreds of thousands were starved and left vulnerable to diseases. Most of the occupied population were forced into a state of slavery, toiling away on the fields to feed the massive Alliance armies and serve as laborers for their overlords. To make matters worse, the invaders hardly sold any provisions to the people and seized any and all valuables. As one survivor stated, "They did not come to conquer us. They came to loot, burn, and destroy us." There were numerous incidents of cannibalism and a countless number of refugees that fled to nearby states during the war (often at the risk of their own lives). A few years after the war, the estimated number of Floridian civilians dead came up to 60,000, with the pre-war population of Florida standing at 500,000. Directly after the war, 330,000 people remained within Florida''s borders. Florida was not the worst state in terms of population loss. Indeed, nearly a third of Louisiana''s population laid dead by the end of the war (from a pre-war population of 200,000), and only 90,000 people lived in the state by the war''s end. Similarly, 40% of Jefferson''s population perished during the war (from a pre-war population of 160,000, and also the state with the highest black population percentage-wise), and only 50,000 inhabitants remained when the peace treaty between the League of American Nations and the Alliance was signed... American soldiers were mobbed by starving and diseased civilians and Bonapart''s Army expectedly slowed to treat the survivors as best as they could. Unfortunately, this also led to a number of disease outbreaks and a rapid shortage of supplies as General Bonapart attempted to uplift the civilians. Even worse, there were a number of civilians that were hostile to the advancing American Army. While most partisan groups in the South organized behind the assistance of the Special Forces, a minority of them remained hostile to both the invaders and the American federal government. These partisan groups, often called "Whigs" (due to their opposition to the British, that were led by Tories, and opposition to the federal government, much like how the American Whigs were opposed to a powerful federal government), believed that the American government failed to protect the livelihood of the people and blamed the mass destruction of the South on both the invaders and the federal government. While they held off on attacking American soldiers throughout the beginning of the invasion, as the United States regained the upper hand in the region, the Whigs struck without mercy. It took two weeks for General Bonapart to root out all the Whigs in Florida, and nearly a hundred American soldiers were killed by their own countrymen. About one hundred Whigs were captured and executed without trial by the American commander, and this has often been overlooked by contemporary historians due to the chaotic and controversial nature of the European Invasion of America... Finally, after nearly a month-long delay, the Army of Florida advanced into Tallahassee on August 1st and clashed with the French defenders within the town (by this time, most of the Spanish regulars were in Cuba and in transit to Spain, which saved the Spanish Army from being annihilated). Only ten thousand French defenders greeted the thirty-five thousand American soldiers. With the combination of the Gatling guns (the first time they were used to attack an enemy position), Springfield guns (General Bonapart''s weapon of choice, with each gun firing a dozen explosive shells upon the enemy within a minute), military balloons (for communications purposes), and a well-disciplined and well-trained army, General Bonapart took the town within three hours. The battle was a complete route and the general broke the last remaining bastion of enemy resistance in Florida, inflicting six thousand casualties for only a thousand of his own. The remaining defenders surrendered and Tallahassee was back in American hands. However, due to General Bonapart''s delay, the majority of French forces managed to flee to the west (to the British and Portuguese) and dug in on the border of Alabama and Jefferson. British Field Marshal Gough was forced to divert thousands of British regulars to protect his flank and retreated towards the Gulf of Mexico for a better defensible position. Thankfully for him, General Bonapart was in no position to advance as he was tasked with providing aid to the ailing civilians in western Florida, dismantling the Tallahassee Concentration Camp (the camp that killed nearly 10,000 Americans), and reorganizing his forces as he grouped with Major General Duncan Lamont Clinch (the commander of the Army of Georgia)... However, two shocking events would rock the United States and aid it in its war effort. The first was the arrival of the first ironclads (the USS Monitor, the USS Virginia, and the USS Quebec) on August 3rd of 1834, spelling the end of the Alliance invasion of the United States. The second was the unexpected death of one of the most prominent leaders in American history, due to a stroke of misfortune involving a sniper in the city of Salem in Jefferson" Chapter 185: America Rules the Waves! Onboard the USS Monitor, St. Lawrence River August 3rd, 1834 Admiral Reynold John Jones watched the dark surface of the St. Lawrence in the pilothouse at the frontend turret of the USS Monitor. The ship was chugging forward at seven knots and the sixty crew members inside were working tirelessly to ensure that the Monitor''s maiden voyage went off without a hitch. Though the admiral was unable to see the Monitor''s sister ships (the USS Virginia and the USS Quebec), he knew that they were sailing behind his flagship as they slowly made their way towards the location of the small British fleet located off of Anticosti Island. Even after seeing the ironclads moving by themselves, Admiral Jones had a hard time believing that the metal ships were floating and moving forward. However, the smell of coal and the sound of the steam engine pumping power into the Monitor dispelled his thoughts. This was (one of) the final result of the Monitor Project: thick 4-inch rolled armor, four 40-cm smoothbore shell guns fitted into two gun turrets, two small steam engines to turn the turrets, two vertical boilers, and two powerful engines that pushed the 1400-ton ship forward. Despite it being named an "ironclad," the ship was covered in steel and gave off an intimidating gleam. He was certain that if his father was alive, then he would''ve lept out of his bed and jumped at the chance to command one of these ships. Unfortunately, his father had passed just as the war began and after his death, Reynold was inducted into the Society as an official member (before his father''s death, he was an observer with his father maintaining a seat within the Society). Even with his "advanced" knowledge due to his inclusion in the secretive group, he had no idea how the ironclads worked. However, he did know two things: it was invincible against anything the Alliance navies fielded, and he was to lead the ironclads on their first attack against their enemies. He planned to send every British ship he saw to the bottom of the sea. Admiral Cochrane (his acquaintance and "rival") would quickly follow behind with his three Bunker Hill class armored frigates and the remainders of the United States Navy would band together to sweep the Alliance away from the East Coast and restore a connection between America and France. The ships also had to take back St. Johns from the British, as the port city had been captured shortly after the fall of Bermuda to supply the British ships that were tasked with monitoring the St. Lawrence River. He had also heard that Admiral Cochrane planned to lead a surprise attack against the British Isles themselves, but it was merely a rumor for now. If the rumors were true though, he hoped that he would be leading the attack. After all, it would be poetic to send a Jones to raid the British... "How is she holding up, lieutenant?" Lieutenant Jason Moore, a young African-American lad from Virginia, saluted enthusiastically, "She''s running smoothly, sir. There haven''t been any problems so far." "And the guns?" "Armed and ready to fire whenever you give the command. The gyroscopes are working perfectly as well." Admiral Jones smiled at the man''s enthusiasm, and he knew that it was shared by many of the crew members. This was finally a chance for the disgraced United States Navy to give their opponents a black eye. And it was on an "invincible" ship to boot. He checked the time and glanced outside with his binoculars to see very dark, tall figures out in the distance, "Tell the engineers to increase our bearing speed from seven knots to eight knots. Signal the other ships as well, we will be upon them soon." "Aye, Admiral," Lieutenant Moore replied as he hurried away to inform the engineering department. Clearing his throat with a cough, the admiral stood in front of the "intercom" instrument that allowed him to make announcements to the crew. It was a large tube that transmitted his voice through other tubes that were placed throughout the ship. As he began to speak, he felt the ship slowly increase its speed and move faster towards the hostile ships, "In mere minutes, we will be upon our enemies. They will attack us, their attacks will all fail, and we will watch as our guns devastate all their ships as they are unable to respond in kind." "Some of you may believe that this is cruel," Admiral Jones swore that he heard several snorts from the officers next to him and more across the ship, "But we were not the ones that started this war. However, we will be the ones to finish it. Every shell we fire will be in memory of the thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, that lost their lives in this brutal war started by Britain and her allies. Every ship we sink will be for the cities they burned in the name of their kings. And most importantly, since the British love the seas so much, we will send them to the bottom of the seas to enjoy the full view of the destruction of their Navy!" Cheers broke out throughout the ship as the Monitor moved forward, slightly faster than before. The turrets began to slowly rotate and point towards their target as the sun began to rise in the distance. The ironclads were merely two kilometers away from their foe now, and it became clear that the fifteen British ships that were docked right off of Anticosti Island spotted them because there was a flurry of activity on all the wooden warships. However, with only a gentle breeze in the air and the Monitor-class ironclads moving forward with the power of the steam engine, the American ships were in a comfortable range for their guns to fire within seven minutes. From a distance of 500 meters, the twelve guns between the three ironclads fired explosive shells towards the enemy fleet, setting six ships instantly aflame (two shells for each ship). Their salvo was met with a scattered British counterattack, but all of them bounced harmlessly off the metal armor that coated the ironclads. Every seven minutes, the ironclads fired their explosive shells at the enemy. And within a span of twenty minutes, all the British ships, including a large first rate, were on fire. Half of them were sinking and an attempt made by a frigate to ram the Monitor only resulted in the wooden ship being torn apart. It was a flawless and one-sided victory. Admiral Jones almost pitied his enemies but authorized his gun crew to continue firing. Within an hour, every single British ship was at the bottom of the sea and over a thousand British sailors lost their lives in the short, but brutal battle. Chapter 186: Death Salem, Jefferson, the United States of America August 26th, 1834 General Samuel Kim watched the battle unfold from only a short distance away as he relayed orders every so often. The United States Military was finally hammering the final blows to the invaders and pushing them back to the sea, especially since the American Navy blew the Alliance Navy out of the waters with its new ships. Three ironclads, three armored frigates, six torpedo boats, and two dozen wooden warships wrecked an Alliance fleet that was twice its size off the coast of Cuba. Now, the Alliance was surrounded and running out of supply on the American mainland. America finally had control of the seas again, and the military brass was already planning to liberate Bermuda and Jamaica after the Alliance was completely pushed out of North America. For now, the general was focused on the battle in front of him as he was in command of nearly 60,000 men, with a number of them being recruits fresh out of boot camp. Unlike before, General Winfield Scott wasn''t with him, as he was continuing the American drive into southern Alabama. General Kim was shifted to the Jefferson front as General Holata was injured after capturing Eastburn, with the Native American general''s aides acting as his own staff for the time being. The Jefferson front was pushing south at a steady pace, but the occupation had taken a very heavy toll on the state population. Out of all the states that the Alliance occupied, Jefferson was hit the hardest due to its relatively high black population (more than two-thirds of the state was African American before the war began). The residents of the state were enslaved, and were either imprisoned in camps or toiled away on the fields. He had heard the stories of starving and diseased civilians mobbing the American troops in Florida, but it was twice as worse in Jefferson. It seemed like there were more bodies than living souls and General Kim''s aging heart was torn as he saw the aftermath of the changes he brought upon this United States. This America was better, he had no doubts about it. But there were far too many deaths that was partially in his name and his mind was heavily weighed down because of them. As his troops engaged the British and Portuguese in battle, his eyes coldly watched hundreds of Alliance soldiers perish from the superior firepower and numbers of the Americans. Even he wasn''t planning on giving his enemies any leeway, as they destroyed the decades-long peace in the United States and caused an untold amount of suffering. "Sir," Major General Charles de Salaberry, an old Quebecois officer that was originally part of the Quebecois National Guard before being transferred into the Army, "Colonel Smith is asking for new orders. He has managed to seize the southern parts of the town, albeit with moderate casualties." Samuel looked up to see the ten military balloons floating above the battlefield, all of them connected with telegraph wires for rapid communications, "Inform Balloon #3 that Colonel Smith is to hold position until reinforcements alive. Send in three of our reserve regiments to support him, while General Leister swings his troops around to take the heat off him." General Salaberry nodded, not mentioning the odd slang that General Kim used to give out his orders, "Understood, sir. I believe it would also be a good idea to bring up the six Gatling guns we have to suppress the enemy while the reinforcements move into support Colonel Smith and the two regiments under his command." "Excellent idea. Send the orders with due haste." As the Quebecois general moved towards the telegraph operators to transmit the new orders, General Kim sighed and looked up at the sky. Despite all the destruction and deaths this war had caused, it was slowly coming to an end. The United States Navy had regained some semblance of control over the seas and the Alliance was retreating on all fronts. Bonapart was still terrorizing the British and their allies in this world and was pushing into coastal Alabama, threatening to cut off all the invaders in the area. General Harrison was hammering his way into Louisiana, supported by Mexico, the Central American Republic, and Venezuela. Andrew was stuck in a stalemate against his opponent in Oregon, but the brunt of the fighting was out of California. And General Scott was mopping up the retreating British forces along with General Clinch. After the war was finished, he planned to return to quiet retirement and possibly finish his book series that was based off of Harry Potter. He was finished with seven of the books, and the last one needed the war to end in order for him to write a historically parallel ending... Out of nowhere, he felt something impact his stomach and he fell onto the ground. He faintly heard voices shouting in panic as several officers ran to his side. General Salaberry looked horrified as he gripped Samuel''s right hand and looked down at his abdominal area. At that moment, General Kim realized that he had been shot, and judging by the location of the pain, it was probably a deadly shot for this time period. He was almost certain that his intensines had been hit as well, and blood was seeping out of him at an alarming rate. "The medics are on their way, sir," General Salaberry reassured him, "You''ll be fine." The man''s voice was laced with uncertainty as he deeply frowned after inspecting Samuels'' wounds. However, the former president gripped his subordinate''s hands tightly and looked at him dead in the eye. Samuel had been blessed by his Patron for his relatively "youthfulness" despite his age, as he looked like he was in his mid-fifties despite his actual age being eighty-six. However, he wasn''t immortal and he knew there were risks in fighting in the frontlines. Maybe this was where his story came to an end. And a step that America needed to take in order to move into the future, into a world where he was no longer alive. He had done plenty of things for the United States, and it was now time for the nation to spread its wings on its own. "My will," Despite the pain, Samuel felt a small surge of energy keeping him alive as he spoke, "Is in my trunk in my personal quarters. There is also a letter, which I ask you to send to the government and the press. It''s a letter addressed to the nation. For unity." "Sir..." "My time has come. It has been... a long journey. I will see Benjamin and George soon enough," General Kim''s mouth formed a small smile as he spoke his final words, "The battle is at its height. Continue to send orders in my name. Do not announce my death." Just moments later, Samuel Anyoung Kim passed at the age of eighty-six. Despite his own, personal feelings, General Salaberry carried out his superior''s final words and it was only after Salem was recaptured that the American soldiers learned of the Samuel''s death. The British sharpshooter that fired the killing shot was captured and hung almost immediately. The United States was entering a new era, an era without the guidance of its "Father." +++++ New York Times Headline, September 7th, 1834: "America is a widow, and all her children are orphaned." "First in war, first in peace, and first in America''s time of need." Chapter 187: This is the End Bienville, Alabama, the United States of America September 13th, 1834 "Move out of the way!" Lance Corporal Aston Davidson pushed another soldier out of the way as he entered the city of Bienville and rapidly moved towards the port. The Alliance, after two shattering naval engagements, was now in a full-retreat and every soldier on the North American continent was scurrying to escape from the hellhole that was known as the United States. While the United States had metal monstrosities that could blow any wooden ships out of the water, a few ships had managed to slip through the blockade and flee across the Atlantic. Of course, just as many ships were sunk (with thousands of British, Portuguese, French, and Spanish soldiers unaccounted for due to the United States Navy), but almost all the surviving soldiers were willing to take a risk to return home. His regiment, the 4th King''s Regiment of Foot, was already scattered and broken due to previous engagements and a breakdown in supplies. Many of them had been stricken with diseases as well, which meant that he was able to flee from his unit with very little trouble. Technically, he was deserting, but considering that tens of thousands of other British soldiers were also deserting to escape the United States, there was very little chance that he would be caught and court-martialed. Especially since the American soldiers were becoming more and more brutal to their opponents. The death of America''s first president had radicalized the Americans. They were already hardy and stubborn but now, they were extremely motivated and determined to wipe out their enemies. There were rumors of American soldiers shooting surrendering prisoners, especially if they were found anywhere near the concentration camps. And Corporal Davidson had personally seen thousands of Americans charging into flying bullets and shells screaming, "Semper Fi!" even if they were not in the Marines. He had learned in the early days of the war that the American Marines were some of the toughest soldiers the United States had to offer, but now it seemed like all American soldiers were now the toughest soldiers the British Army had ever faced. The Americans were advancing faster and faster and now, only a month after the old "Hun''s" death, the United States was on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and the Alliance had its back to the wall. Behind the invaders were invulnerable American metal warships that sunk anything they saw. In front of the invaders were hundreds of thousands of angry American soldiers (rumored to number at least 300,000) armed with the best weaponry and equipment in the world. The thought of earning riches and returning to Britain as a moderately wealthy man flew out the window a long time ago. Now, he was bent on surviving and making sure that he didn''t die in this wretched, foreign land. The American Army was already on the outskirts of Bienville, so he only had mere hours before he would either be captured or shot at by a group of disgruntled American troops. He barely held onto his rifle as he breezed through the ruined streets of central Bienville and made his way down south. As he was running, he saw a large group of Alliance soldiers hiding behind rubble and buildings while shooting their firearms. Most of them were British, but there was a mix of Portuguese and French soldiers as well (though, no Indian troops as many had been sent to the front to delay the Americans). When Davidson moved closer, he saw that several American soldiers were in front of them and firing indiscriminately into the Alliance ranks. He swore as he slid into cover and fired back with his breechloader. "How the hell did they get over here?" Corporal Davidson asked as he shot one of the exposed American soldiers. "The Indians!" One of the British soldiers shouted back with a noticeable Welsh accent, "Bloody traitors opening up for that damned Winfield to flank us! Every port from here to Okafi is swarming with American troops!" "The Indians betrayed us?" "What do you think? The lot surrendered in mass numbers!" Corporal Davidson cursed his rotten luck and the Indians as he ran into a building to take cover and have a better position to fire on the American soldiers. He promised to God that if he managed to return home safely, he would never touch a firearm again and repent for forgiveness. Just anything to escape and return home, even with only the clothes on his back. However, just as he entered a partially destroyed building, he spotted a black American Marine enter into the building as well. The Marine''s uniform proclaimed him as a member of the famed Marine Recon Battalion and a dozen other Marines flanked the black Marine as well. Right as Corporal Davidson was about to throw down his weapon and surrender, the Marine frowned and fired his rifle. +++++ Private Leonard Vital of the 1st Marine Recon Battalion, United States Marine Corps, watched as the British soldier crumpled onto the ground with a gaping hole in his head. He saw the British soldier react to his presence and responded instantaneously, due to his previous experience as a partisan and training from the Gurkhas. He had joined up with the Marines after the United States Military liberated Florida, as he discovered his father had perished in the Tallahassee Concentration Camp. Discovering that his father had been killed by the invaders made him enraged and he joined up with the military to cleanse the United States from the stain of the invaders. Oh he was definitely "young," but his combat experience, along with his training (directly under Gurkha special operators), was second to none compared to many of the American troops and he had been placed in the special 1st Marine Recon Battalion after enlisting. He and his unit were one of the first troops within Bienville after General Winfield Scott managed to create a breach in the final Alliance defensive lines due to the defection of thousands of Indian troops. "No time to stand around, private," His sergeant evenly stated, narrowing his eyes as he saw the dead British soldier, "We have work to do." "Yes, sarge." With that, the small group of American Marines moved forward to completely cut off the Alliance troops from retreating. If they liberated Bienville, then the only other port the Alliance soldiers could escape from was New Orleans, which was already under siege from General Harrison in the west... Chapter 188: The Society Without Kim Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America September 21st, 1834 "We, the members of the Society, do swear that the knowledge given to us will not be used to hinder or corrupt the American Republic, nor ignored to repeat the mistakes of old. As our name dictates, we will remain as Watchers of the United States of America and strive to not only improve the ideals, knowledge, and people of this nation, but every nation on this Earth, in private, to the best of our abilities. Ex Scientia Pax ("From Knowledge, Peace" in Latin)." "Please be seated," President Eliyah Peters stated as he looked at the occupants of the White House bunker after the "Oath of Knowledge." The president looked haggard, but his voice still maintained its edge of steel despite his appearance., "The war is nearly over, gentlemen. We must decide the final steps to end this war for good and ensure that this affair is never repeated in the future." Nearly every single member of the Watchmen Society, except for military officers, were present in the White House. The bunker had been expanded during President Peters'' terms and was able to fit one hundred and twenty-two people that were present for the meeting comfortably. This was only the third time that the majority of the Society had been assembled during the war, as the war had kept every Society member busy with various projects and tasks. Now, with the war reaching its end, the members were gathered to discuss their plans for the final actions of the war and the war''s aftermath. President Peters, like many members of the group, looked as though he aged two decades in four years. He was merely forty-four years old, yet he looked older than Samuel Kim before he passed. Likewise, much of President Peters'' cabinet looked like they were ready for retirement from the stress accumulated from the painful and brutal war. "As planned, we''re allowing the remnants of the Alliance armies to retreat into New Orleans and flee into the Gulf of Mexico. It''s been much easier to pick off Alliance ships and transports as the evacuation efforts are in one area," Secretary of Defense Lucius Bonapart mentioned, his grey hair glowing in the soft light of the kerosene lamps on the table. "Since they have an escape avenue, many of the remaining Alliance soldiers on the front lines have been much more willing to retreat than stand their ground and continue fighting. Though, surrenders are a bit... less common than they were before." "I say that it serves them right. Bastards should be thankful we''re accepting surrenders at all," Tsoai, the Congressional Representative of the Kiowa Territory and a member of the Kiowa Tribe, answered with a snort. "None of our tribal members have been willing to accept the surrenders of those savages out in the west. Not after they burned several villages and murdered thousands. And the British and their puppets have done much more terrible things to the south..." "They will be prosecuted as enemy combatants, as I have mentioned before," President Peters reassured the Native American representative with a tired smile. "Mark those British-aligned savages up for treason against the United States." "We are straying off-topic. I believe we should focus on the raid on the British Isles since we are merely mopping up the Alliance forces in the Americas," Secretary Bonapart interjected. On that note, Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Jacob Brown cleared his throat, "The "Doolittle Raid" is on track to happen within a month. As planned, we will bombard any and all British ports, shipyards, and naval facilities, while also striking fear in the heart of the British Empire by hitting London. Of course, as President Peters requested, we will avoid hitting civilian targets..." "I would like to ask why we are not seizing the opportunity to burn their cities as they have burned ours. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are dead and yet, we are to show restraint?" Marcus Tailor, a wealthy African American businessman from Alabama, asked heatedly, "They have nothing to counter our ironclads and metal warships. Now is the chance to completely strike down the British Empire and ensure that it will never be able to spread its wings in the future!" There were some murmurs of agreements, but most of the other Society members remained silent. President Peters held up his right hand and frowned, "Do remember that I was not the only person to make that request. It was a request made specifically by our late president and Society''s founder Samuel Kim." "And he''s dead, because the damn Tories shot him!" "Regardless, it was his final request to us." The president pulled out a sheet of paper and placed a pair of glasses on his nose to read the content of the paper. "To the United States and all her free citizens, If this letter has been made public, then I am dead. However, while this may cause panic and disarray, I ask that the people of the United States continue on with their lives, because I was merely one man in a nation of millions. This nation was not built by me, but by everyone within the nation. It was due to the efforts and trust of the American people that I was able to guide the American Republic in its earliest days, and I ask that the American people continue to guide it to its fullest potential even after my death. I wrote this letter to address the issues that the United States may face in the near and far future. I do not demand these requests be met, but I simply ask that the United States, a beacon of liberty in this dark world, to take these requests into careful consideration before making rash judgments. Rash judgments that can possibly derail the progress our nation has built up over the past several decades and lead it down a dark path which it may never truly escape from. I ask that the nation show restraint in its revenge against the nations of the Alliance. An eye for an eye seems like a fair trade, but eventually, it will make the whole world go blind. The Alliance has committed unspeakable atrocities on the American people, but we must realize that we must not stoop to their levels. We must prove to the world, and ourselves, that we are willing to follow our standards and ideals even in the face of darkness. That does not mean revenge should not be enacted upon those that have destroyed the lives of our fellow Americans; the British and her allies should pay dearly for attacking our nation. However, we should never purposely target civilians in our efforts for revenge. Attacking military targets is valid during a war, but attacking civilians in an effort to break our enemies'' resolve will only harden it and make their people despise us for generations. Instead, destroy the symbols of their power and their wealth. Make them realize that attacking the United States was their greatest mistake in their histories, and we will prove to the world that we are steadfast and just. Remember to treat others equally and fairly, regardless of gender, race, or beliefs. Our nation''s greatest strength is our diversity, our ability to integrate those that are persecuted, outcasted, and oppressed. While many nations neglect a large source of manpower, intellectualism, and potential, our nation has been able to rely on every citizen within the American Republic to contribute to our society. Males and females both study in universities and become scientists and researchers to produce better technology for our nation. Whites, Blacks, Canadiens, Asians, and Native Americans are all able to serve as officers in our military without any bias towards a certain race. Protestants, Catholics, Jews, and Buddhists are able to hold political office without fear of being persecuted or neglected due to their religious beliefs. We must maintain this trend, for this is the core of our republic: that any American, regardless of their background, physical appearance, or beliefs, can succeed and thrive in our nation. This devastating war should not be blamed solely on our military or the government. Our nation, as a whole, prepared for this conflict as quickly and as efficiently as it could. Unfortunately, due to a combination of misfortune and ill-preparations, the United States was invaded and many lives were lost in a ruinous struggle that nearly tore our nation apart. It can not be denied that the federal government made a number of mistakes which caused the invasion to occur. However, I request that the public maintain its faith in the government, as, despite its shortcomings, it will do everything it can to rebuild the nation and restore the public''s trust in its legislators. Do keep in mind that the men and women within the government are all humans. None of them are perfect, nor do we truly expect them to be perfect. Like many Americans, they also struggled to keep the nation afloat and to defeat the greatest threat that the United States has ever witnessed in its short history. Some even lost their lives due to the war, as they worked tirelessly at the expense of their own health in order to keep the nation united. I do not expect every American to forgive the mistakes that the government has made. But I sincerely hope that the government''s efforts and heroics can also be recognized alongside its mistakes. Do not allow the parties to become divisive tools to fracture our nation. Political parties will always exist, but do not be blinded by party loyalties. Instead, look carefully at the positions and policies of every candidate and choose the most qualified and articulate ones. In the end, if the people worship parties, then it will only lead to uncontrollable corruption and a collapse of the Republic. Finally, I ask the American people to remember that in the end, we are all Americans. A person living in California has a radically different life than a person living in Quebec. However, we are united under one flag, one nation, one federal government, and one Constitution. Perhaps it is too early for the United States to truly realize that it is one nation with multiple states, instead of multiple states with one nation. However, I do believe that one day, in the near future, the nation will become "the" United States. Even if this idea is not prevalent as of now, I ask that the American people do their best to help support the reconstruction of the southern states after the war''s end, and push America to a better tomorrow. For the public, I have left $5 million to the federal government to rebuild the American South and ensure that the American people are taken care of even after my passing. I have also left a sizeable amount of funds to start the charity group, "The Watchmen Charity Foundation," supported by many influential Americans to help uplift the poor and ensure that no American goes hungry or cold. Additionally, I have left aside more money to continue funding the tributary mission to China, in hopes that one day, our two nations will become the strongest allies. With a heavy heart, I give my final farewell to the United States of America. May the nation, and its people, prosper for thousands of years to come. Samuel Anyoung Kim." "We have read the letter, but even still..." Tailor said weakly. "No. We will proceed with the original plan for the Doolittle Raid. Even if we leave Britain behind in a sea of fire... Will that bring back the thousands that are dead? No, it will not. Instead, it will only galvanize the monarchies of the world that our republic is a threat, and create a very dangerous precedent for future generations to follow. Imagine if this precedent continues when the United States builds nuclear weapons," President Peters declared, "We are not only doing this for the current generation but for future generations." "The Southern states will try to impeach you, sir. Remember, we have allowed the states affected by the invasion to still maintain their Congressional representatives until elections can be held," Senate Majority Leader Luke Simmons uttered. "Let them damn try, I''ll go down fighting. We will not burn down Britain. Is that understood?" A few Society members looked defiant, but they all assented. Due to the death of Samuel Kim, the leadership of the Society naturally moved to the President, though there were disagreements if this was the right choice. For now, President Peters was the head of the Society and while the Society voted on several matters, military and government affairs remained separate from the Society. "Now, we will discuss the economic issues and then move onto the official wording of the peace deal. Secretary Lloyd, I heard that the first oil wells have been opened in Pennsylvania to support the growth of the kerosene lamps. Would that improve our economic situation after the war''s end? After all, petroleum oil was referred to as "black gold" in the other world..." Chapter 189: Loss New Orleans, Louisiana, the United States of America September 30th, 1834 Colonel Robert E. Lee and his men marched through the streets while thousands of American soldiers busied themselves by cleaning and rebuilding the ruined city of New Orleans. While the majority of the United States Army was being tasked with restoring some semblance of order across the South, Colonel Lee and his men were being assigned to the west to combat the final bastion of hostile powers on the North American continent. Currently, his unit was heading west to Clarkston in order to catch a train heading to Austin. Once they were in the southern Texan city, they planned to catch a boat to Costa Rica, walk across the narrow Central American province, and then hitch a ride on a boat to California. While the Rangers were moving through the city, Colonel Lee spotted a familiar-looking man setting up telegraph poles with a number of engineers and walked over to him with a bright smile, "Lincoln!" "Good to see you, Major!" Lincoln answered as he turned around and saluted the officer. "It''s colonel now," The CO of the Rangers said as he lightly tapped the Army Engineer''s shoulders, "Still fixing telegraph poles?" "Not quite, sir. I was promoted to sergeant after the Battle of Ashville and I''ve been overseeing the others set up the lines instead of doing it myself." "Certainly better than doing it yourself, no?" Sergeant Lincoln chuckled, "Aye, sir. Are you heading off somewhere?" "The brass wants me out west with my men. Our Chinese boys in green have been steadily holding the enemy back, but the enemy hasn''t been defeated quite yet." "Well, best of luck to you then, sir. I''ll be here in Louisiana for a few months, helping repair the infrastructure in the state," Lincoln peeked behind Colonel Lee''s shoulders and looked around, "Where is Captain Kemarax? I haven''t seen him for some time as well." The Virginian looked down at the ground and took off his hat, "He is... no longer with us." "Oh." "He died during the battle for New Orleans. He was one of the final casualties." "I''m sorry, sir." "No need. Now if you''ll excuse me." Colonel Lee gave an awkward salute and left the engineer behind. The facial expression of the Rangers darkened when they heard Captain Kemarax''s name, but they continued their journey. Before they left the city, the Rangers stopped at a makeshift graveyard with thousands of coffins that were awaiting transport. The group made their way to the coffin marked "Captain Kemarax, Army, Missouri Tribe, Missouri." They weren''t the only ones inside the graveyard; there were hundreds of other soldiers paying their respects to the fallen. Instead of giving a moving speech, Colonel Lee looked at the coffin containing the dead body of his friend and comrade in silence, contemplating all the time they spent together before entering New Orleans. One by one, the members of the Rangers Battalion touched Kemarax''s coffin, muttered a few words, and walked outside of the graveyard. Even as the final Ranger finished up his goodbyes, Colonel Lee remained next to the coffin with a mixed expression on his face. "One of your friends?" The colonel turned to see an Asian soldier wearing the uniform of the Special Forces Gurkha Battalion. In response to the question, the Army officer nodded his head wordlessly and continued to stare at the coffin. "It''s the same with me," The Gurkha said as he gestured to a nearby coffin marked, "Sergeant Ajit Gartaulal, Special Forces Gurkha Battalion, Nepal, North Carolina." "How did he perish?" "A mission that went wrong. My team was being transported on one of the torpedo boats when we came under fire from a pair of British frigates that happened to be evacuating nearby. Our boat managed to sink one with a pair of those Olson Torpedoes, but the other frigate managed to sink us with its cannons. I was one of the few survivors of the incident. The captain of the boat, some Irish lad from the Foreign Legion named Kennedy, dragged me by the neck and onto the shore. Saved six more lives after that." "My condolences." "The same goes for you," The Asian soldier saluted, "Sergeant Chen You, Special Forces Gurkha Battalion, Delta Company." "Colonel Robert E. Lee, Commanding Officer of the Rangers Battalion." "I''m guessing you''re being sent somewhere to finish up this war?" "California." "Cuba," Sergeant You replied, "At least you don''t have to deal with the jungle. I''ve been living in the jungle for the past year and let me tell you, it gets really tiring after a while. I probably have a higher chance of dying from alligators or some disease than enemy soldiers." Colonel Lee managed to crack a small smile, "Let''s hope that we both survive this war without dying." "The war''s nearly done anyways. Heard the Navy is going to stick it to the Redcoats directly. I hope they bash a few skulls in..." Chapter 190: Strike the Heart of the British Empire! AN: Thank you @THE LAST KRORK (on AH.com) for providing me the list of targets for the raid. And here''s the long-awaited update... +++++ London, Great Britain October 15th, 1834 "It is almost time, Your Majesty," The Duke of Wellington stated as he gracefully smiled at his monarch. "The coronation will begin in an hour." Queen Charlotte the First, formerly known as Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales before her father''s removal from the throne, looked at the prime minister with a mixed expression and nodded curtly. She was normally known to have an abundance of energy and a youthful spirit, yet she remained sullen despite her approaching coronation. The prime minister and the Queen''s escorts knew the reason for her downcast behavior, as her father was forced to abdicate the throne due to pressures from Parliament and the people themselves. They had turned on her father, King George IV, after the papers revealing his role in the disastrous Anglo-American War were leaked to the general public. They patiently waited as she asked, "Are the preparations finished?" "Of course. The people are already gathering outside for the ceremony. It seems as though your recent speeches have won back the favor of the people." That was very far from the truth and everyone knew it, even the Prince Consort Christian August of Sweden. The public was still angry, and rightfully so. The abdication of King George IV and the reassurances made by Queen Charlotte to cede near all of the monarchial powers to Parliament soothed some of the public''s outrage, but their unhappiness towards the monarchy was very evident. With the rapid downturn the British Empire was facing due to the war with America, the public blamed the (former) King and, by default, his daughter, the new monarch of Britain. Only a few radical republicans called for the monarchy to be abolished, but the sentiment of dissatisfaction hung over the entirety of Britain like a wet rag. While there was a sizeable crowd waiting for the Queen''s coronation to begin, it was much smaller and rather indifferent compared to the crowds that eagerly gathered for the coronation of the two previous monarchs. "I see." The Queen did not say much else, waiting silently for the processions to begin so she could get them over with. Meanwhile, the others lightly chatted amongst themselves as they recognized that the Queen wanted some time alone. Queen Charlotte was thirty-eight years old, and despite her tomboyish personality in her early years, she had grown to be an elegant and refined lady with a strong interest in music and arts. She had married Prince Christian August, the second son of King Charles August of Sweden, when she was twenty years old after meeting him at a party in London. The monarch already had two sons: a seventeen-year-old named Edward and a fourteen-year-old named William. Originally, she wanted her eldest son Edward to inherit the throne, due to her conflicted emotions over the abdication of her father. When the prime minister and his Cabinet approached her before the passage of His Majesty''s Abdication Act, she was aghast at the government''s insistence on placing the failures of the war on her father. She objected strongly to the proposal and attempted to convince Prime Minister Wellington away from the plan, but she was rebuffed by both the Cabinet and Parliament. After the Act passed and the King was forcibly removed from the throne, the then-princess Charlotte nearly refused to accept the throne as she cared little about the court politics and despised the fact that her father was vilified by society. Yet, she had to accept for several reasons. The first was the fact that the public trusted her, to an extent. She was known to be free-spirited and kind, and the public adored her due to her public image. As the only child of the most recent king and his heiress, she was naturally the center of attention in the British upper echelons, and for the lower classes. Prime Minister Wellington argued that she was the only one that could restore the public''s faith in the monarchy and calm the growing discontent within the country, ignoring the fact that he was the strongest proponent to remove the previous monarch. However, Queen Charlotte recognized that his statements were true. The people saw her in a positive light, even after the abdication of her father. Many believed that she would be a better monarch than King George IV and after her reassurances to the public, that view was only strengthened. Not only that, but her children were too young to inherit the strain of the title, "King of Great Britain." The British Empire was in peril and needed a diplomatic and well-received monarch to guide it through its time of crisis (even if the monarch''s powers were limited). Edward was bright, but he was unprepared to inherit the throne. Thus, she dutifully agreed to assume her position as the Queen of Great Britain and surprisingly, received her father''s blessing (who was currently "retired" away from London). "Prime Minister! Your Majesty!" An aide rushed into the private room within Westminister Abbey. "How dare you disrupt..." "American warships are heading towards London, Your Excellencies! The ships are made of metal and they float!" Queen Charlotte turned to the prime minister, whose face had paled considerably. He cleared his throat and looked at his monarch with a calm expression, "I am sure that our coastal guns and the Western Squadron will be able to deal with them, Your Majesty. Do not worry, they will never strike London itself." +++++ Vincent Holder squinted as he looked towards the east where a battle was happening. He was in the small parish of Canvey Island that was several leagues east of London and was with a large group of people who were also watching the clash on the seas. The British Western Squadron was engaging with some... odd looking ships with dark coating. From the distance, he was unsure which side was winning, but he assumed that the Royal Navy would emerge victoriously. After all, it was the best navy in the world and the odd-looking ships were outnumbered nearly ten to one. "I heard those ships that are fighting our ships are Yankee ships," Someone near Vincent whispered. "The Yankees sent only five ships to fight us? They must be stupider than I thought." Instead of making his own comments, Vincent continued watching the American warships fight against the British ships. He saw numerous explosions and fires break out on the wooden ships, but the strange-looking Yankee ships looked unscathed even after two hours passed. By that time, a few people had already left as they expected the battle to end in Britain''s favor, but the folks that remained behind watched in shock and horror as the American ships pushed through the wreckage of the British Western Squadron (with all the ships on fire or completely destroyed). As the ships came closer and closer, Vincent realized that the hostile ships were made of metal, and remained afloat despite the absurdity of the idea of a metal warship. Each ship carried dozens of guns and the American flag, with thirty-three stars and fifteen stripes, waved proudly above them. Luckily for him, the ships did not fire upon the group as they passed by, but he saw a number of American sailors grinning down at him and the other civilians. A few of them carried firearms, but not a single shot was fired towards them for some odd reason. The lead ship of the small American fleet had its name painted boldly on its hull for everyone to see: USS Samuel Kim. As the American ships entered the Thames River, Vincent broke out into a sprint to witness just what the ships were planning to do. It was obvious that they were heading towards London, but were they planning on carrying out an invasion of the heart of the British Empire? Or turning the city into a sea of fire? "I''ll remain outside the city," Vincent mumbled to himself, "But those monstrosities... I need to see what happens." When the ships entered the city through the Thames, all of them opened fired with their many cannons. Shell after shell fell upon the city, most of them aimed at the dockyard, but a few landed within the city itself. Vincent was unable to see where the shells within the city landed, but he silently prayed that the Queen would not be struck by those explosive terrors. The metal ships fired for only half an hour, but by then, hundreds of shells had landed within and around the city (as the ships had advanced cannons that could fire several shots within a minute). After they finished, one of the ships fired another broadside that struck the heart of the city itself, before they retreated back into the ocean and headed south. It would take a week for Vincent to learn the extent of the damage caused by the Yankees from the newspapers. Initially, the newspapers attempted to suppress the true extent of the damage caused by the American raid, but after American Admiral Reynold John Jones released photographic evidence in France, along with the list of targets his fleet had struck across Britain, the aftermath of the raid spread across the Isles. Many of London''s monuments were destroyed, such as the Bank, the Tower, Buckingham Palace, and the Westminister Palace. To Vincent''s relief, Westminister Abbey was not targetted and the Queen escaped the attack unscathed, though her coronation was completely ruined. The docks in London were completely destroyed and burnt to the ground, along with all the ships within. Despite the surprising restraint showed by the American warships, numerous stray shots and the final salvo fired into London killed over a thousand inhabitants and set parts of the city on fire. That was not all. After the raid on London, the American warships continued to terrorize the British Isles for three days (apparently, getting resupplied from France). The Western Squadron lost nearly fifty ships (with the French Navy joining the fray as well) during that period, a disastrous number of losses as it now allowed the French Navy to contend with the British Navy in Europe. The dockyards in Woolwich, Deptford, Chatham, Sheerness, Plymouth, Portsmouth, and Pembroke were all destroyed. Bristol was also raided and parts of the city were in ruins (though they were largely industrial areas). All in all, it was the most disastrous three days in the British Empire''s history, which would take years to recover from... Chapter 191: The Treaty of Reykjavik Reykjavik, Iceland, the United States of America (American Protectorate) December 22nd, 1834 Secretary of State James K. Polk looked at the British ambassador in front of him with a neutral expression as he listened to his counterpart''s arguments, "And why should we allow Great Britain to maintain an embassy in Columbia?" "In order to restore relations, of course!" The British Foreign Secretary, George Hamilton-Gordon, exclaimed, "In order to ensure that such a tragedy never occurs again, Britain and the United States must have a proper, diplomatic relationship!" "I have been explicitly told by the President to allow Britain to maintain only a single, small embassy in the city of New York. Nothing more, nothing less." "And your nation is refusing to allow a British ambassador to take residence in the nation." "An envoy is enough to communicate between our two nations." The two senior diplomats of their respective countries were meeting in the small Icelandic city of Reykjavik. After Britain evacuated from the island in October, the United States re-occupied Iceland and established a heavy naval presence to prepare for further raids on Britain in order to force the island nation to the negotiating tables. However, that wasn''t necessary as the British government sued for peace just weeks after the "Iron Coronation" occurred (a quote from the New York Times, claiming that Queen Charlotte''s ascension to the throne was met with "iron and steel raining upon London"). After taking some additional time to decide on a location to negotiate the peace treaty, the two sides agreed upon Reykjavik. Despite the fact that it was a city within an American Protectorate, it was right between the United States and Britain. Additionally, America insisted on the location as a show of force to the British delegation, as the metal warships that patrolled near the island served as a constant reminder of America''s power to the British delegation. Now, the two sides were ironing out the finer details of the peace treaty, and unsurprisingly, Britain was trying to gain even the smallest concessions from the treaty. Since the British minister avoided being overbearing or forceful during the negotiations, it was clear to Secretary Polk that the British government was thoroughly whipped and wanted to peace out of this war as soon as possible, quite possibly due to the looming vote of no confidence against the current ruling government. Though, at the same time, Britain was trying to save some face by not caving into every one of America''s demands immediately. But they were, slowly and surely. There was nothing Britain could do about the Sword of Damocles hanging by a thread above its homeland. For the time being, America had graciously ordered the ironclads to hold off on destroying additional targets within Britain. But the American government had made it clear that if the British government dragged on the negotiations, the United States Navy would pay a friendly visit to Britain''s shores... again. "Surely, we can arrange something more suitable for our envoys? Even if you do not want an official British ambassador within your country, you can at least have him in the city of Columbia..." Secretary Hamilton-Gordon argued impassionately. A bead of sweat trickled down his forehead and he wiped it away with a handkerchief. Secretary Polk offered a wry smile as he listened to his counterpart''s tone and expressions. It was clear that the British man was stuck between a rock and a hard place. His government wanted him to gain minor concessions if possible, yet at the same time, wanted him to avoid angering the American delegation. The American diplomat had to admit that the British foreign secretary was doing a fairly decent job considering his circumstances. Even so, Secretary Polk refused to budge an inch on most issues (except the part that concerned the transportation of British troops back to Great Britain). "If a British envoy in New York City desires to contact the President or me, then he can contact us through a telegram for an appointment and a basic outline of his intended message." "Ah... Of course, of course. Now then, is there anything more to discuss?" "Territorial concessions," Secretary Polk replied solemnly, "I assume that you have no objections?" In order to defang the British Empire and to ensure that an invasion of the American mainland never occurred again, it was necessary for America to have complete control over the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. Polk had read about the British Empire of the other world and knew that they managed to expand their power and influence through a series of islands throughout the world for refueling and basing their massive navy. Without those bases, Britain''s rise to international prominence would be delayed, or even completely dismantled. In fact, he had read more about the history of the British Empire in the other history more than his own presidency. Well, it didn''t matter to him much for the time being; he was only 39 years old and had a long career ahead of him. The biggest irony about the small snippets he read about his presidency was that he was ironing out a treaty with Britain that consisted of territorial concessions (that included Oregon, even more amusingly) in this world as well. "My government has no objections over the cessation of the Hawaiian Islands or any of the Caribbean Islands." "Of course," Secretary Polk almost snorted. It wasn''t like Britain could keep those islands if America really wanted them. After all, they were daggers towards the stomach of the United States. "However, the cessation of Ascension Island, Saint Helena, the Tristan Islands, the Falklands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands... Are these all necessary? I can understand, Mr. Secretary, that our nation caused... great distress to the United States and the Hawaiian Islands and the Caribbean Islands were used as part of the invasion. However, these other islands are much further away and are necessary for Britain''s interests..." "Britain''s "interests" saw part of our nation burnt down to the ground and hundreds of thousands massacred without justification, Mr. Secretary," Polk stated coldly, his usually cool personality heating up quickly by the British diplomat''s words, "Britain should be extremely thankful that our government is level-headed enough to not respond to an event with passion and blind rage. However, even our government can hold back the angry populace for so long... especially if Britain refuses to accept our rather lenient peace treaty." "I wasn''t specifically rejecting the demands, good sir!" Secretary Hamilton-Gordon answered quickly, his skin paling at the sudden acidic words Polk spewed out, "What I meant to say was... If we traded these islands away, would it be possible to waive the transportation fees for all our soldiers and to possibly allow America to... retain the Indian troops instead of sending them back to India?" "I''m afraid that they will still have to return. After all, many of them participated in the invasion and the American public will not allow them to remain. Perhaps we can allow a few to settle in the United States, but unfortunately, most of them will still return to India. As a show of our generosity, we will transport them back with great speed and even take them directly to their home regions..." +++++ Treaty of Reykjavik Signed January 20th, 1835 (Approved by the League of American Nations: the United States, Mexico, Haiti [government in exile], Colombia, the Central American Republic, Yucatan, Argentina, and Chile) "... And let it be known that Great Britain takes full responsibility for the onset of this conflict between the United States and Her Allies, and Great Britain and Her Allies. To amend the once-thriving relationship between the United States and Great Britain, Her Majesty''s Government and the Government of President Eliyah Peters agree to the following terms that will be honored upon the signing of this document: Article 1: Her Britannic Majesty''s government agrees to the immediate surrender of British soldiers within the American continents to the nearest authorities of the United States or Her Allies. This surrender shall include any British vessels, both unarmed and armed, to the nearest port authorities of the United States or Her Allies within five nautical miles from the coasts of any territory owned by any member of the League of American Nations. All prisoners of war will be returned to Great Britain after arrangements are made between Her Majesty''s Government and the Government of President Peters, with the exception of naval ships, which will remain in the possession of the American Military or Her Allies'' militaries. Article 2: The prisoners of war, captured by the United States and Her Allies, will be returned to Great Britain two months after this treaty signed. Her Majesty''s Government agrees to pay additional fees for the release of captured officers and allows the Government of President Peters to prosecute British officers and regulars that were engaged in the heinous crimes that were committed inside the "concentration camps." They will be tried in the High Court of the League of American Nations but Her Majesty''s Government will be entitled to select and pay for lawyers for their defense and to select observers to ensure the fairness and transparency of said trials. Such observers shall have diplomatic immunity and shall be subject to the approval of the United States Government and of the League of American Nations, which approval shall not unreasonably be declined. In addition to this, the United States will provide fees to safely and swiftly transport British prisoners of war to Great Britain. Article 3: Her Majesty''s Government will cede all territories of British North America, the Kingdom of Hawaii, Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Montserrat, Saint Christopher, the Virgin Islands, Nevis, the Sint Maarten Islands, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Tobago, Antigua, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines, Barbuda, Dominica, the Bahamas, Barbados, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Ascension Island, Saint Helena, and the Tristan Islands to the United States of America, and relinquishes any and all claims to the before-mentioned territories. Article 4: Her Majesty''s Government officially recognizes America''s claims over the island of Jamaica and relinquishes all claims to the territory. Article 5: Her Majesty''s Government will cede the Mosquito Coast to the Federal Republic of Central America and relinquishes all claims to the territory. Article 6: Her Majesty''s Government will cede Guiana, Bonaire, Aruba, and Curacao to the Republic of Colombia and relinquishes all claims to the territories. Article 7: Her Majesty''s Government will cede British Honduras to the Federal Republic of Central America and the Republic of Yucatan, and relinquishes all claims to the territory. Article 8: Her Majesty''s Government will cede the Falklands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Island to the Republic of Argentina and relinquishes all claims to the territories. Article 9: Singapore will be returned to the United States, with all the damages inflicted upon the city reimbursed by Her Majesty''s Government. All British soldiers will withdraw from the city with no actions taken against the native population. The United States will have full control over the Malay Peninsula and Borneo, and Her Majesty''s Government will not contest the United States on this matter after the signing of this treaty. Article 10: Her Majesty''s Government will immediately halt any shipment of arms and aid to the Kingdom of Portugal and Brazil after the signing of this treaty. Article 11: Her Majesty''s Government agrees to elevate the United States to "Most Favored Status" in trade after the end of hostilities between Great Britain and the United States. Article 12: Her Majesty''s Government, upon the request of the Government of President Peters, agrees to allow the American government to aid the Irish people in immigrating to the United States, with no additional fees to be given to Her Majesty''s Government. Article 13: This treaty will officially end hostilities between Great Britain and the United States and Her Allies. Chapter 192: The War’s End AN: After being sick for a week, I''m back! I''m a lot better now. Apparently, I was just stressed out a bit too much. I should be ok from now on, so thank you for all the well-wishes Here''s to the end of the Anglo-American War! Finally! +++++ The Clash of Titans: The Anglo-American War and Beyond By Raymond Smith, published in Timstown, Jefferson "... The Treaty of Reykjavik (signed on January 20th of 1835) and the Treaty of Havana (signed on February 3rd of 1835, after the fall of Cuba in late December of 1834) confirmed the end of hostilities between the United States, and Great Britain, Spain, the Federal League, and Portugal-Brazil. As shown in the previous chapter, the Treaty of Reykjavik was a mortal blow to the British Empire, a blow that would lead to the Great Recession (which would also affect the United States after the official end of the Anglo-American War) and the Atlantic Standoff. The Great Recession would lead to political and economic changes across both the United States and Great Britain, while the Atlantic Standoff would begin a "cold" war between them. The "cold" war would not lead to any major battles or conflicts (though armed confrontations and skirmishes were common). Instead, it would lead to establishing various competing zones of influence and numerous colonies (or in America''s case, protectorates) across the globe. Expectedly, this also led to a rise in nationalism in both nations and the creation of the infamous "White Man''s Burden" theory in Britain and other European colonial powers... Meanwhile, the Treaty of Havana was just as harsh as the Treaty of Reykjavik, if not harsher. However, by the time the treaty was signed, the Spanish Empire was already ripping at the seams, and the Kingdom of Portugal-Brazil was facing domestic unrest due to the costly and disastrous Anglo-American War. The Second French Republic occupied the entire eastern half of Spain and was already on course to establish a new "Republic of Aragon" to serve as a buffer state between Spain (as Spain had fought France three times in the course of forty years) and itself. Additionally, the Spanish monarch, King Ferdinand VII, was deeply unpopular in Spain and the Spanish people were exhausted by King Ferdinand''s absolutist tendencies and Spain''s overwhelming defeat in the Anglo-American War. With half of the nation occupied and the economy in tatters, the people were on the verge of revolt (the Spanish Revolution, which lasted from 1836-1845, would signal the beginning of the Revolutions of the 1840s across Europe). Meanwhile, Portugal was facing a potential split with Brazil and a vocal liberal bloc seeking to reform the kingdom''s government and economic policies. These reasons, combined with the threat of naval bombardment from the American armored warships, led to Spain and Portugal quickly accepting America''s demands. The Peters Administration, along with the League of American Nations, discussed the extent of the terms intensively. The Spanish and Portuguese colonies'' seizure in the Americas was universally agreed upon by the League of American Nations members. The captured colonies were to be split between the United States and her allies, similar to how the former British colonies and territories were assigned after the Treaty of Reykjavik. Each dependency was assigned by geographical proximity or historical ties (for example, the United States was to occupy Cuba and Puerto Rico, while Venezuela was to occupy Trinidad). More importantly, the US planned to seize the various Spanish and Portuguese islands across the Atlantic. From Sao Tome off the coast of Africa to Cape Verde and the Azores near Europe, nearly every significant island in the Atlantic was thrown into the Treaty of Havana. This was to ensure that the United States had a ring of islands protecting the mainland in the Atlantic and preventing European colonial empires from expanding (or at least, to delay them). Meanwhile, Brazil was expected to "only" lose lands up to the Iguazu River, and the Federal League (which would reform to become the Republic of Uruguay shortly after the end of the Anglo-American War) was set to lose all lands west of the Uruguay River. All the lands captured from Brazil and Uruguay were to be ceded to Argentina to compensate the beleaguered republic that saw its eastern territories occupied during the war. Another goal of the League of American Nations was to defang Brazil and the Federal League. Invading the two countries was seen as too costly to carry out (though, both nations were raided by American warships to force them to capitulate to the LAN''s demands). Articles 1 and 2 from the Treaty of Reykjavik were added to the Treaty of Havana, and a guarantee that the Spanish would peacefully withdraw their troops from Cape Town and Fort Hope (the final two towns that were under Spanish occupation in South Africa) was included as well. A few weeks after the Treaty of Reykjavik was signed between the Leauge of American Nations and Great Britain, the Treaty of Havana was officialized. The Spanish Empire, which had once stretched across the Americas, came to an end with the Spanish delegation signing the treaty in a city within their (former) colony. There were plenty of disgruntled voices in the Spanish government, but with revolutionary sentiments swirling within Spain proper and the American Navy in position to wreak havoc on the Iberian Peninsula, their protests were muted. The four belligerent nations signed away their territories and their pride to improve their domestic situations, especially Spain. Unfortunately, all of them would face a turbulent decade directly after the war, with the Federal League and Brazil going through economic crises while Portugal and Spain faced political instability (and in Spain''s case, outright rebellion)... ... Yet, even after the surrender of all the nations in Europe, the war was not over. One remaining foe continued to occupy a LAN member and refused to surrender despite the overwhelming odds against them. The French Empire, which only controlled Hispaniola and French Guiana, was surrounded by enemies on all sides. From the north, the United States loomed over the island nation after successfully removing its foes from its homeland. In the west, Mexico, Yucatan, and Central America waited patiently to assist its northern ally in invading the French Empire (many Mexican, Central American, and Yucatan soldiers assisted the United States Marines in the Invasion of Cuba and the subsequent occupation). To the south, Colombia marched towards French Guiana (as it was cut off from Hispaniola due to the American blockade) and sent its small navy to support the United States in its blockade of the French Empire. Within the French Empire itself, Haitian rebels gathered to fight against the French Emperor and liberate their homeland from occupation. After the signing of the Treaty of Havana, the League of American Nations prepared for a month to bring the French Empire to a swift end. The preparations were almost unnecessary, as the French Empire collapsed without much of a fight. Before the invasion occurred, dozens of warships pounded every coastal facility and port they could find, completely breaking Imperial France''s ability to resist an invasion. America''s Special Forces teams were inserted throughout the island, fresh off their victories in the American mainland and Cuba. After weeks of chaos, the main event began as the United States launched its final operations of the war. On March 9th of 1835, two American Marine divisions descended upon Hispaniola with the support of the United States Navy and the combined navies of the League of American Nations. The First Marine Division invaded Cap Haitien, the French Empire''s former capital before Nouvelle Versaille was built in Hispaniola''s central regions. At the same time, the Third Marine Division struck Port Au Prince, while Haitian rebels revolted in Les Cayes. Meanwhile, ten thousand soldiers from Mexico, Central America, Yucatan, and Colombia landed on the beaches of Santo Domingo to rouse the Spanish speaking parts of the island against the French Empire. The majority of Imperial France''s soldiers and mercenaries had been either captured or killed by the time the invasion occurred. Thus the French Empire was unable to resist as it was swarmed from all sides. Within three weeks, the island was nearly under complete LAN control. And on March 31st, the French King, Louis XVII, was captured without a struggle after ordering his personal guard to stand down. One of the soldiers that arrested the king, Private First Class Marie-Adriana Bonapart dArmont (who would become a Congresswoman and Secretary of State later on), commented, "The [French] King looked weary when we approached him. But when we accepted his surrender, he looked very relieved. It was as if he was hoping for us to capture him alive." After his capture, he ordered the total surrender of all his remaining forces to the League of American Nations. He was brought back to the United States in an ironclad, surrounded by a Marine platoon at all times. When he stepped foot on the American mainland, he was immediately placed in a secure prison and was charged with numerous crimes against the United States and its citizens. However, the trial results would leave many Americans stunned, leading to the deportation of Louis and his family to France and then to Singapore... The final chapter of the Anglo-American War came to a close after Imperial France''s surrender. It is estimated that nearly three hundred thousand to four hundred thousand Americans perished in the war, with over 65% being civilian casualties. Additionally, over a million Americans suffered some form of injury (from light injuries to life-threatening). To put it into perspective, the other LAN members'' total casualties were seventy thousand, a mere fifth of America''s total deaths. The results of the war were horrendous to the population of the United States... Meanwhile, Great Britain lost over 55,000 men (many were killed during the final days of the war, as they were sunk attempting to flee from the American mainland). Spain lost a similar number of men, while Portugal lost approximately 20,000. The French Empire lost over 70,000 people (due to the LAN''s direct invasion of the nation and its disproportionate involvement during the invasion of the American mainland). Just under 25,000 Indian troops lost their lives, while tens of thousands of Brazilians also perished. Overall, the number of dead was more than five hundred thousand people... America was entering a new era, an era in which it faced potential economic collapse and an uncertain future. Many questions lingered in all Americans'' minds: Where would the United States go on from here? How would America integrate its new territories? And how would the United States go on to rebuild the mass amount of territories that were completely devastated from the war (everywhere from Jamaica to Akansa)? All eyes would turn to President Eliyah Peters after the war, but unfortunately, he would be caught up with the Great Recession and the ensuing economic collapse. As such, it would be President Nathaniel Bonapart, one of America''s biggest war heroes and President Peters'' successor, that would drag the nation out of its quagmire and cement his legacy as one of the most progressive and inspiring presidents of all times... +++++ AN: Nouvelle Versaille is located in OTL''s Loma De Cabrera Chapter 193: The Trial of the Decade St. Augustine, Florida, the United States of America July 1st, 1835 Louis XVII, the former Emperor of the French Empire, trudged into the large courtroom within the Floridian city of St. Augustine (one of the few major cities in Florida that remained relatively untouched throughout the war). The two Marines by his side frowned as they watched him drag his feet toward the center of the room but remained silent as all eyes turned towards "Emperor" Louis. From far away, no one would''ve suspected that he was a former monarch, with his very plain clothing and unkempt greying hair. Yet, nearly every man and woman in America knew his face, as he led one of America''s most hated enemies during the war. His face had been plastered on the front page of hundreds of newspapers across the United States, and the former monarch was certain he was facing a certain doom as he took his place next to his lawyer. His hands remained bound by a pair of handcuffs as he awkwardly sat in a wooden chair behind the defendant''s table. Behind him, members of the press gathered in the public box to record the High Court''s ruling and Louis'' reaction. His lawyer, a private American lawyer named Jeremiah Kagan, looked at the former monarch and wordlessly nodded as they waited for the final part of the trial to begin. The case had gone on for two weeks in front of the High Court of the League of American Nations, a judiciary body that consisted the top judges of the LAN. The High Court handled the people that committed the worst atrocities during the Anglo-American War, and Louis'' former position as the head of state of the French Empire placed him directly in the High Court''s jurisdiction. Despite the obvious bias present among the judges, Louis believed that the trial was legitimate. The judges allowed both sides to discuss Louis'' case, a dozen witnesses were called in to testify for and against Louis, and both sides presented numerous pieces of evidence to make their case. Louis had to admit that even though Jeremiah was a Jew, he created a convincing defense for his client. Jeremiah claimed that Louis was "out of the loop" and was unaware of the atrocities happening in the United States. He stressed that the French monarch had treated the prisoners of war on Hispaniola extremely well and personally dealt with a pair of officers who took part in the concentration camps after the truth had been exposed to the world. And there wasn''t any proof that Louis ordered for the creation and establishment of the concentration camps. In fact, he ordered his troops to avoid massacring civilians. As such, he couldn''t and shouldn''t be charged for crimes against humanity. The American lawyer certainly looked uncomfortable around Louis, but he remained professional throughout the whole ordeal. Personally, Louis was tired and just wanted this trial to end. He was crowned as the "Emperor" of the French Empire after his father passed away in 1825, leaving him to recapture France from the Republicans. Yet, he never aspired to retake the French mainland in Europe. Instead, he sought to build the French Empire as a stable power in the Caribbean and purchase colonies to expand his small fiefdom. He managed to negotiate with the British for Guiana but was unable to make any further gains due to Britain''s interest in its Caribbean colonies. Even so, he built up the French Empire to be a respectable power for its size, creating a prospering economy from slavery and sugar plantations, along with a loyal group of French citizens (both white and black). He passed political reforms to place more power into the hands of the General Estate (which was an appointed parliament filled with nobles and wealthy landowners), as he desired to lived out his days without any more politics. When the British government offered some of its own colonies in the Caribbean, along with potential gains of territory and wealth from the United States (specifically, Jamaica), in exchange for the French Empire''s participation in the war, Louis subtly rejected the offer (using the little remaining executive power he had). He believed that the French Empire was fine on its own, and sought to avoid any confrontation with the gigantic beast of the north (Yankeeland). Ironically, it was his reforms that led to the French Empire''s involvement in the war, as his ministers were able to overrule his initial decision and accepted Britain''s offer. The ministers sought to crush Haiti, which proved to be a hindrance to the French Empire as slaves fled into the small nation for freedom and the United States maintained bases in the region. The additional colonies in the Caribbean, along with loot and territory from the United States, were just extra cherries on the top. And all of them were absolutely certain that with the British Royal Navy and the Spanish Navy, they would have an absolute naval advantage and force America to bow to their terms. And so, since his nation was at war, Louis did his best to help his nation win and even managed to correspond with an American agent to give his nation an upper hand in the conflict. Of course, within a few short years, it became evident that the war was a disaster for all the nations fighting the United States and her allies. The past several years had been stressful for Louis, as he witnessed his carefully built "Empire" crumble around him. And now, he wanted this whole farce to end. While he hoped to avoid execution, he knew it was inevitable due to his status. But as long as his family was exiled or banished instead of being executed, he was willing to welcome death. The nine judges of the High Court of the League of American Nations walked into the courtroom and took their seats in the tall podiums in front of the others. The Clerk and Court Reporter also took their seats to record the events of the trial, while the attorney for the case, a United States Attorney of the Department of Justice, sat in his seat just moments before the judges entered. The Chief Justice of the High Court, Associate Chief Justice Elijah Glasgow of the United States, banged his gavel and spoke, " We will now resume the proceedings of the trial against the defendant, Mr. Louis-Charles de France. As mentioned in yesterday''s session, the High Court of the League of American Nations, representing every member of the League, has settled on a unanimous decision." Louis looked up to meet the American judge''s eyes. The eyes gave nothing away and remained calm as the owner of said eyes recited the court''s decision, "Without a doubt, the soldiers of the French Empire carried out heinous acts against the people of the League of American Nations. From murder to taking hostages, thousands of soldiers employed under the French Empire willingly carried out these actions during their invasion of the United States. As such, those found guilty of violating the Mexico City Convention will be prosecuted and dealt with without mercy." The Mexico City Convention, an entire set of rules for warfare. Louis had mixed feelings about the Convention, as it would be laughably difficult to enforce. But, maybe it was necessary considering some of the things that he was (forced) to see due to the aftermath of the war between the Alliance and the United States. "However," Justice Glasgow sighed, "That is not to say that we will throw away justice in pursuit for vengeance. The evidence has shown that despite Mr. Louis-Charles de France''s status as the Emperor of the French Empire, he held minimal power in his own government and was overruled by his own ministers. With the provided physical evidence at hand, the judges of this court were able to infer that Mr. Louis-Charles was not an advocate for the concentration camps, nor was he fully aware of the implications of said camps. As Mr. Kagan mentioned in earlier sessions, the defendant made every effort to treat prisoners of war fairly and privately denounced the use of the camps after they were revealed to the public. However, the fact that he was the head of state of the French Empire and engaged in a conspiracy with an American traitor, is not to be ignored." "As such, the High Court of the League of American Nations finds the defendant, Mr. Louis-Charles, guilty of Conspiracy against the entire League of American Nations, Espionage, Negligent Homicide, Sabotage, and War Crimes. For the crimes you have committed against the League of American Nations, all of your assets will be seized by the League of American Nations and redistributed to compensate those that were directly affected by the war." Louis nodded. It wasn''t as if he was going to get his estates and belongings returned to him. He knew they were probably being sold off already. "You and your family will be permanently forbidden from living or visiting the Americas: North, Central, and South." That was also fair. And if anything, Louis wanted to stay as far away from the Americas as possible. "You will serve a three-year sentence in an American federal prison. Your family will be kept under house arrest during your time in prison. After your sentence is finished, you and your family will be deported to stand for another trial in France." The final words of Justice Glasgow turned Louis into a pale mess. He was to return to France and stand trial. A place where not even the most extreme monarchists held a sliver of empathy for him. A place that was more than willing to hang him, as the French Republic was... different than the United States. He almost wished the League of American Nations executed him instead. It would''ve been quick, and painless. But now, he was returning to France for the first time in decades to face trial for the crimes that his father committed... TAD Timeline Spotlight: The Republic of Mexico and the Mexican Independence War "The Mexican Independence War" The History of the Americas in the 19th Century, By Carlos Vera, Published in Mexico City, Mexico https://ibb.co/D8D3GVw (The flag of the Republic of Mexico, established on July 1st of 1824. Mexico adopted a flag that took some inspiration from the American flag) On July 1st of 1824, the Spanish Empire grew much smaller as New Spain declared its independence from its European master and proclaimed a republic in Mexico City. The new nation was called the Republic of Mexico, a nation founded on similar values to its northern neighbor (the United States of America) and a "fresh start for the formerly oppressed colony." Indeed, it was unsurprising why the Republic of Mexico rushed its process to become an independent nation, as it immediately established relations with the United States upon its independence. Since the United States refused to negotiate and aid with revolutionaries and rebels directly, an established and independent government was necessary to open diplomatic channels with the North American giant. The Mexican Constitution was still in development, while the Mexican government was still being formed (under the aegis of President Vincente Guerrero, one of the most prominent Mexican revolutionaries and a friend of the United States) when the first Mexican envoy arrived in Columbia. Still, it was enough to convince President Joseph Crockett to cooperate with Mexico. This action proved that many in Mexico believed that America''s support was critical for the success and future of the Mexican Republic, as Spanish armies still threatened southern Mexico (based around Vera Cruz) and the republic was teetering on the verge of ruins due to the extensive damage the nation received during the Mexican Independence War. The background of the Mexican Independence War begins with King Ferdinand VII of Spain and the rejection of liberalism within his government. King Ferdinand VII, unlike many governments and monarchs around him, rejected all forms of liberalism. This extended to any political and economic reforms that would have transitioned the struggling Spanish Empire into a stable entity. This was enabled due to King Ferdinand''s desire to hold absolute control over the government and a reaction to the rise of revolutionaries and republicanism across Europe and the Americas. His father, King Charles IV, was also an absolutist that saw his powers cemented during the First Coalition War against France. Due to his victory over the French in the war (through the Treaty of Andorra), his popularity rose, and his rule remained unopposed. However, with slave rebellions in the former French Hispaniola and France''s shocking victory over the Coalition during the Second Coalition War, cracks began to appear in the Spanish government and weakened King Charles'' hold over the Spanish Empire. The independence of the Kingdom of Navarre and France''s acquisition of Genova under the Treaty of Bern in 1808 resulted in King Charles'' abdication. The humiliation from the defeat was more than enough for his reign to end, and his son, King Ferdinand VIII, seized power. While many ministers and government officials sought reforms and compromises, King Ferdinand VII thought otherwise and ignored the perilous domestic situation (which included domestic unrest and a struggling economy). Believing that he would succeed where his father failed, King Ferdinand ruled Spain with an iron fist and quashed liberal revolutionaries with brute force (especially in the Catalan region after the French forces conveniently left weapons behind for liberal rebels to use before their withdrawal). This also applied to New Spain and other Spanish colonies, as King Ferdinand attempted to remove criollos from all administrative positions and place ''good and loyal'' peninsulares to fill the colonial governments'' entirety. In addition to heightened taxes and the deployment of Spanish soldiers to the Americas, the inhabitants of the Spanish American colonies were enraged by King Ferdinand''s heavy-handed tactics and directly led to various independence wars across the Americas... The United States of America was an anomaly and inspiration for many Mexicans. It was a very progressive republic in an era of conservatism and monarchies. The fact that the United States allowed women to vote and hold political office while drawing a distinct line between the Church and the State were puzzling, if not offensive, to many Mexicans. Unlike the Fifteen Colonies and Territories, New Spain was heavily tied to the Catholic Church economically and socially and was very conservative. Indeed, supporters of American liberalism, such as Vincente Guerrero, were in the firm minority at the beginning of the Mexican Independence War (which began in the summer of 1817). Even so, America''s history of defeating its colonial master and creating a healthy and prosperous republic was an inspiration that numerous Mexican leaders sought to emulate. The inhabitants of New Spain were very aware of America''s growing might and prosperity. Even if many disapproved of the American republic''s political aspects, they believed that a republic was an important necessity to earn the United States'' recognition and create stability. The fact that the United States managed to tie dozens of different regions and cultures together to form one nation was noteworthy to many Mexican leaders. America''s benevolence to fellow republics (such as the Republic of Haiti, which was established on September 9th of 1797) meant that a Mexican Republic would likely receive economic and political aid from the United States. This eventually led to Guerrero''s rise as a popular leader with the people''s support, especially in northern Mexico around Monterrey. While Guerrero''s urgings to create a republic similar to that of the American republic fell on deaf ears within Mexico, his words moved many Americans aware of New Spain''s struggle for independence. As the Age of Romanticism swept the United States, many American citizens felt inspired, if not obligated, to assist the Mexican revolutionaries fighting against Spain. Many of them supported a revolutionary that held similar ideals to the American republic, and that revolutionary happened to be Vincente Guerrero. With Guerrero promising economic and political reforms, he earned support from numerous American ''investors'' and, over time, the support of the people (as the war ruined entire regions in Mexico and created further economic instability). With the backing of many Americans (including Stephen F. Austin, a businessman who operated several mines across the American South) and a steady flow of supplies, Guerrero became the figurehead of the Mexican Revolution and led the most powerful faction in the multi-sided Mexican Independence War. It is important to note that the United States did not actively support Guerrero and his followers. Indeed, President Andrew Jackson (followed by President Crockett) passed explicit orders to prevent the American government from assisting or participating in the Mexican Independence War. In fact, President Jackson purchased a huge chunk of northern New Spain through the Louisiana Purchase, denying the Mexican revolutionaries territory in the north. Even so, private American citizens gladly supported Guerrero and his men, while in the United States itself, the government ''looked the other way.'' Guerrero himself was not enraged by America''s Louisiana Purchase, as he believed that the territories America acquired from New Spain were ''worthless'' and the cessation was a debt payment to his American supporters (later on, Guerrero would mention his regret over the loss of California and the other New Spain territories, but held his belief that he would''ve been unable to contest America''s claim to the region). As Spanish troops were pushed out of the north, other Mexican leaders rallied around Guerrero (such as Guadalupe Victoria, a brilliant general who would also become the first Minister of Foreign Affairs for Mexico), and the fight slowly pushed towards Mexico City. King Ferdinand was unwilling to lose another American colony after losing Venezuela and other South American colonies to Miranda, Bolivar, and other revolutionaries. As a result, he sent thousands of more soldiers into New Spain to combat Guerrero and the other Mexican War leaders. The war dragged on for seven years in total, ruining much of New Spain and resulting in the death of nearly one hundred thousand individuals. However, on May 29th of 1824, Guerrero''s forces (armed with American rifles and artillery) broke the Spanish defenses in Mexico City and shattered the biggest concentration of Spanish troops in New Spain. Just over a month later, Guerrero and other leaders declared the Republic of Mexico, opening up direct American aid, which would result in the final battle against Spain at Vera Cruz on August 22nd of 1824. Now the Mexican revolutionaries finally had their nation after a long and ruinous struggle. However, much of the nation was in chaos and ruins due to the long war for independence. Despite the war, the Catholic Church still maintained a huge influence within the new nation economically and politically. Numerous peninsulares and criollos controlled over 90% of the land within Mexico, with most Mexican citizens being subsistence farmers. Even though much of the nation was rural and agricultural, Mexico''s agricultural sector had been in a state of decline for decades, especially due to America''s emergence in the world market and the lack of innovative tools and techniques in Mexico itself. Mexico had no industry to speak of, and the lack of infrastructure and local corporations remained as hurdles to industrialization. The few merchant families within Mexico (controlled by the consulado, an organization of elite merchants) placed their own interests above the new nation. There was no unified national market, and the few regional markets within the nation were small and disorganized. And with Central America and Yucatan clamoring for independence, it seemed certain that the Republic of Mexico would collapse with one wrong move from the new government... Military Uniforms during the Anglo-American War TAD-UKPiechota1 (Uniform of the British Army) TAD-LANPiechota3 (Uniform of the United States Army) TAD-LANPiechota2 (Uniform of the United States Marines) All credit goes to Kaiserowsky on AH.com for these amazing designs. Map of the United States/South America (1835) https://ibb.co/72ZMMx8 https://ibb.co/nLLP1q2 All credit goes to Rub37 on AH.com! TAD Timeline Spotlight: The (Unitary) Republic of Mexico and the Mexican Constitution "...Perhaps it was unsurprising that President Guerrero (who was not officially elected into office but assumed the position due to his status as the figurehead of the Mexican revolutionaries) sought to emulate the American Constitution and implement it upon Mexico. Due to the urgent necessity for a functioning government to unite the devastated and disjointed regions of former New Spain, the first Mexican president and representatives from every province (called the Republican Junta) were set to officialize a Mexican Constitution heavily influenced by, if not nearly the same as, the Constitution of the United States. However, on August 12th of 1824 (three days before the proposed Mexican Constitution was officialized), a pair of letters arrived at Mexico City directly addressed to President Guerrero. One letter was from President Joseph Crockett, and the other was from legendary American revolutionary and former president Samuel Kim. The letters were different, yet they both carried similar messages that have led historians to suspect the sitting president and the former president contacted one other before shipping the letters off. In President Crockett''s letter, he congratulated President Guerrero on his successful revolution and Mexico''s independence. As promised by Samuel Kim, who acted as the de facto American ambassador during his meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Guadalupe Victoria, the American president assured that the United States was ready to provide monetary and industrial aid for Mexico. In fact, by this time, a bill (Consent Executive Order #70: The Mexico Aid and Relief Act, known as ''MARA'') to provide such aid was being debated upon in Congress, causing splinters within the Frontier Party and the Democratic Party. Indeed, only after President Crockett and his allies in Congress listed several tangible and important reasons why the aid was necessary did Congress move to pass the bill. He argued that an unstable and fractured Mexico would create a ''dangerous situation'' for settlers trekking west, potentially bringing about war in the border territories. Additionally, he pushed the narrative that allowing an aspiring republic to fail, when said republic bordered the United States, was ''completely unacceptable, which was only going to delegitimize America as the Bastion of Democracy." Even after the president''s arguments, the various political parties debated on this issue for weeks. The Union Party, the most anti-isolationist party in the United States, was the first to support the bill and, eventually, convinced the other parties to pass it. However, President Crockett''s letter stated as if American aid was guaranteed at the time of its writing, which was far from the truth. Even so, the lie was ''necessary'' for the next part of his letter, which would determine Mexico''s future. The Sixth American President appealed to the Mexican president to ''carefully implement a republican government'' and ''take his time to craft a Constitution that would befit the new nation, instead of adopting the American Constitution.'' He reasoned that the American Constitution was adopted by rebelling colonies that were ''completely different than that of New Spain, with very different histories, necessities, and circumstances.'' While President Crockett believed that many Americans would be flattered and pleased to learn that Mexican revolutionaries looked upon America with high regard, he emphasized the importance of an independent Constitution written for the Mexican people''s necessities and circumstances. As he famously stated in the middle of his letter: "It is difficult to craft and design a document to create a new nation under one common Law. Even our Founders, who many in America believe were beyond ordinary men, struggled for over a year to craft our Constitution. Nonetheless, the people of Mexico during your Revolution have suffered more than the people of the United States during the American Revolution. It is imperative to create a document that can reassure those that have lost everything that your new nation can bring about the changes and reforms fit for the former colony of New Spain, instead of a document fit for Fifteen Colonies and Territories that were once under British rule and escaped unmolested by war and chaos." With that remark, President Crockett suggested something astonishing to President Guerrero: a unitary republic with several compromises to prevent massive disorder and unite the new nation. It was a shocking suggestion to the Mexican president who sought to establish a federal republic to appease the various regions that spanned the proposed Republic of Mexico and the masses. Indeed, the shock from the suggestion was tremendous to the Guerrero and the Republican Junta, as the only unitary republic in existence was Haiti (which only occupied a small, southwestern portion of Hispaniola, a tiny nation compared to the Mexican state). President Crockett believed that a federal structure in Mexico was unnecessary and potentially determinantal to the Mexican Republic''s future growth, as each province would attempt to take priority over the other provinces. He reasoned that Mexico needed a strong government from the start to keep order and rebuild the nation, especially in the face of a major economic crisis. Unlike the Fifteen Colonies and Territories that rebelled against Britain, New Spain was devastated and contained a tiny middle-class population with a declining economy. Its already weak economy, which relied heavily on silver exports, was shattered during the Mexican War of Independence. Additionally, while the War of Independence had united the colony against Spain, that unity was beginning to show strain and wear after the long War of Independence. A weak central government was the last thing Mexico needed, as President Crockett stated in his letter. There were several good reasons why a unitary Mexican Republic was viable in President Crockett''s mind. The first was the independence crisis in Yucatan and Central America. Yucatan, which was primarily populated by Mayan natives and other native ethnic groups, sought to distance themselves from Mexico City after the Comanche Massacre in northern Mexico. The Comanche tribe was a fierce raiding tribe that dominated present-day southwestern United States, quarreling with numerous neighboring tribes and states throughout its history. Due to an Indian treaty between the United States and the Comanche tribe in 1819, the Comanche looked to the south for new raiding targets as America was considered ''off-limits.'' As such, from 1819 to 1823, the Mexican revolutionaries fought against Comanche raiding parties constantly. Dozens of settlements were razed, and thousands of Comanche Indians lost their lives before then-General Guerrero led a military expedition to put down the Comanche ''savages'' (as he mentioned in his journal) himself. The Northern Expedition into the Comanche territory led to the destruction of a dozen Comanche villages and the death of over five thousand Comanche men, women, and children. This incident made headlines in the United States, but unfortunately, many major newspapers portrayed the Comanche as ''brutal and violent'' savages that were much worse than the disliked Sioux Indians. Before the Indian treaty of 1819, the Comanche raided numerous newly erected American settlements and killed many settlers, which had turned the American public''s opinion against them. As such, Guerrero faced little repercussions for his actions and continued to receive aid from American citizens until the end of the Mexican War of Independence... While the American public may have remained apathetic to the Massacre, the Mayan people in Yucatan and the surrounding provinces were struck with fear. While the information about the Northern Expedition was suppressed, rumors circulated throughout the nation about the vicious murders carried out by Guerrero''s soldiers against natives. Regardless of the actions carried out by the Comanche tribe itself, many Native Americans in the Yucatan Peninsula (especially its political leaders, such as Yucatan Governor Juan Mara Echeverri) believed that Guerrero planned to suppress and even eliminate the native population in Yucatan and Chiapas (another province with a significant Native population). Combined with the fact that Yucatan was not affected by the Mexican War of Independence (creating a disconnect between Yucatan and the rest of Mexico) and the independence sentiments in Central America (due to political and economic differences with Mexico City), Yucatan representatives formally ''withdrew'' from the Republic of Mexico and declared the Federated Republic of Yucatan on June 21st of 1824. The representatives from Chiapas followed just a week later and joined the Republic of Yucatan. And three weeks after Yucatan''s independence, Central America declared independence as well, forming the Federal Republic of Central America. With urging from Samuel Kim and members of the Republican Junta (many of them which believed that the regions were not worth starting a war over and sought to avoid further strain on the fragile Mexican nation), President Guerrero reluctantly allowed them to depart from Mexico peacefully. However, he crushed a rebellion in Valladolid after a group of local elites attempted to secede due to Guerrero''s supposed radicalism... Interestingly, the independence of Yucatan and Central America presented an opportunity for the Republican Junta. As the nation was much more reduced in size, even the furthest province (at the time, Zacatecas) was only a few weeks walking distance to the proposed capital site of Mexico City. Additionally, with many of the northern provinces pledging full loyalty to Gurrero himself, the Mexican president had a golden opportunity to centralize the nation under his command (and pass on a strong, central government to future generations). The northern provinces served as Guerrero''s support base during the initial stages of the Mexican War of Independence, and Guerrero''s Northern Expedition protected numerous communities from Comanche raids in the border provinces. Combined with the capital city being in Mexico City (which was towards the central part of the proposed republic), the Junta slowly realized that President Crockett''s suggestions were sane and reasonable. Especially so since America aid was due to arrive (in the minds of the Junta), and a strong central government would have the authority to distribute the aid effectively to the hardest-hit regions. Adding on, the Catholic Church was still a sacred and powerful institution in Mexico. While Guerrero sought to create a secular republic, he recognized the necessity for an amendable relationship with the Church, as it had the proper resources to assist in the reconstruction and reform efforts. A centralized republic would have the power to keep the Church in line and the strength to wrestle control away from it eventually. Additionally, he sought to rein in the monopoly of the consulado over the regional markets and the plantation owners that controlled a vast swathe of land in the nation. With no powers beyond the central provinces, a weak federal government would be unable to carry out the dramatic reforms necessary to fix the nation. The final event that sealed his decision to establish a unitary republic was Samuel Kim''s letter. He assured that he would support any republican government that Mexico created and promised $1 million in monetary aid, with no strings attached. In addition to this, he also offered to create a branch of his company, American Enterprises, in Mexico to begin the former colony''s journey to industrialization and infrastructure efforts to create irrigation canals for farms and railways to connect major towns. And on top of all this, he offered to send engineers to Mexico to revitalize the silver mines and add steam engines to increase productivity. The promises of aid from the American government and Kim''s guarantees pushed the Junta to accept and implement President Crockett''s suggestions, as they believed that a unitarian republic would be able to hold together with American support. Of course, until it was able to stand on its own. And so, a new Constitution was written from scratch. Drafts of the Constitution were released in intervals to keep the expecting population at bay while the Junta crafted a set of laws suitable for Mexico. Inspirations were taken from the American Constitution, such as the various Amendments under the American Bill of Rights (Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, universal male suffrage). However, there were additional provisions to create a local ''flavor'' to the Constitution. The racial caste system from the colonial era was abolished, and the Catholic Church became the official religion of the Republic of Mexico, though freedom of religion was guaranteed. One interesting aspect of the Mexican Constitution was an important emphasis on education, as Mexico''s literacy rate was low compared to America''s literacy rate. The Constitution declared that public education would be offered without cost as soon as possible, as ''an Educated populace [was] critical to the continuance of this Republic.'' A unicameral Chamber of Deputies was established as the Legislative Branch of the Mexican Republic''s government, which had already existed after the fall of Mexico City to allow provinces to file grievances against Guerrero and the Junta. The Supreme Court of Mexico was designated as the highest court of the land, while the President was the executive (with checks and balances similar to that of the American government). With that, the Republic of Mexico was officially ''born'' on December 22nd of 1824, just days before Christmas was celebrated across former New Spain. Many elites fumed at some of the guarantees made in the new Constitution (such as universal suffrage and the abolishment of the racial hierarchy) and promises made by Gurrero himself (who was already working on passing land reforms to slowly loosen the grip of elite families from owning much of the land in the nation, establishing trade with America and other nations, and taking out loans to alleviate Mexico''s financial problems temporarily). However, much of the nation sighed in relief and rejoiced at the formation of the national government. Various provincial governors grumbled at the sudden establishment of a unitary republic, but the only violent rebellion was in Valladolid, which was quickly crushed by the newly formed The Republic of Mexico Army (filled with former revolutionaries under Guererro''s command, and later on would serve in the Anglo-American War). Guerrero''s popularity ensured him being elected to lead the nation during its first six years(as the Mexican Constitution designated a single, six-year term for each president). With American aid on its way and (some) stability, the Republic of Mexico was finally able to inspect its economic situation and turn the declining economy around... TAD Timeline Spotlight: The Mexican Economy in the Post-Independence Era "The Economy of Mexico in the Post-Independence Era" The History of the Americas in the 19th Century, By Carlos Vera, Published in Mexico City, Mexico. "... On April 4th of 1825, exactly two months after America''s own Independence Day, the people of Mexico elected Vincent Guerrero as the Republic of Mexico''s first president. One month later, he took his Oath of Office and entered the National Palace, formerly known as the Viceroy Palace, as the executive of the new republic (at this time the Yellow House, the future residence of the Mexican presidents, was under construction and was only finished after Gurrero left office). In his victory speech, the president declared that he would ''construct Mexico into a powerful, modern nation'' and ''completely overtake our former colonial masters and prove that we will succeed as an independent republic.'' This speech, which was recited in front of nearly tens of thousands of citizens, drew many cheers from the crowd. Due to his charismatic personality and substantial promises, the public had high expectations for President Gurrero and the newly established government (complete with the Chamber of Deputies, the Cabinet, and a hastily appointed Judiciary). Almost immediately after taking office, President Gurrero worked tirelessly to stabilize and improve Mexico''s economic situation. Thankfully, right as he took office, aid from Samuel Kim began to arrive in Vera Cruz to help restore the damaged port city, and the American government was well underway to support its new republican neighbor. Even so, the challenges facing President Guerrero and his cabinet were daunting, and Mexico''s future remained uncertain for the first five years after the declaration of the Mexican Constitution... During the colonial era, the biggest contributors to the Mexican economy were the agricultural sector and the silver mining sector. Agricultural products were exported in significant numbers, but silver was the true ''driver'' of New Spain''s economy. The Spanish Crown held a monopoly on the silver supply in New Spain and enacted various reforms before the 19th century to not only increase the production of silver but also to increase the standings of miners (to make mining a more respectable profession). Several successful strikes were carried out by miners in New Spain''s history, demonstrating that miners were some of the most respected and well-paid free workers within New Spain. However, mercury was an absolute necessity to extract silver from ores through the patio process. Mexico lacked the trees to use as fuel to extract silver with high heat; thus, the patio process was critical to the silver production in the Spanish colony. During the colonial era, nearly all of New Spain''s mercury was from Spain, or more specifically, the mercury mines in Almaden. Unfortunately, due to the Mexican War of Independence, the supply of mercury halted completely, bringing silver production (and a significant part of the economy) to a halt. Even worse, the silver mines themselves (in the New Spain provinces of Zacatecas, Guanajuato, and Puebla) were damaged during the war due to the fierce fighting between Mexican revolutionaries and Spanish soldiers, especially in the more sparsely populated north. Combined with the devastation to a significant amount of farmland and the various amounts of damage to Mexico''s biggest towns and cities, the Mexican economy in the post-independence era was on teetering on a cliff''s edge. Yet Mexico held two distinct advantages that allowed them to survive: American aid and a central government. The first batch of aid from Samuel Kim consisted of machinery and steam engines for the silver mines (to repair the damaged mines and increase their efficiency), food aid (for areas heavily affected by the war, such as Vera Cruz and Puebla), gold bullions (for the Mexican government to use for finance while the economy entered its recovery stages), farming tools, and various seeds and plants (that were already double-checked by Kim personally to ensure that none of them were invasive to the local wildlife). Additionally, hundreds of American engineers, doctors, merchants, bankers, and professors were sent to help modernize the Mexican economy. These professionals all worked under American Enterprises, Kim''s personal company, and they were prepared to help Mexico establish its own domestic corporation to begin industrialization and overseas trade. All in all, it was an impressive amount of aid, and many members of the government let out a sigh of relief upon its arrival. Moving with urgency and care, the Mexican officials immediately began revitalizing the economy and uplifting the ailing populace with the aid it received from abroad, wasting no time to begin its various projects to revive the economy. With a strong, central government that was able to direct the provinces under the Republic of Mexico, the nation started to show some signs of recovery within a year. However, it was only the beginning of a long journey to modernization... The first sector that was ''revived'' was the silver mining industry. President Gurrero, his Cabinet, and the Chamber of Deputies were fully aware that silver would stabilize the economic situation until other economic sectors were developed. Additionally, with America and European nations heavily relying on silver for the China Trade, silver was in high demand across the Western World. As such, much of the Mexican government''s concentration was on repairing the mines, improving their efficiency, building infrastructure to improve transport to and from mines, and establishing a steady source of mercury for silver extraction. The first two were resolved quickly due to Kim''s aid, as he provided the necessary equipment and tools to both repair and improve the mines. As the mines started to pump out silver ores, steam engines were also introduced to improve productivity. The steam engines were critical because they allowed miners to travel to their working levels faster, winch out heavy materials, and pump out water. Like in American and Great Britain during the early days of the Industrial Revolution, Mexico enjoyed the fruits of steam power and saw increased production after implementing the steam engines in the mines... The latter two goals were glaring problems that the Mexican government placed more focus on. While New Spain''s silver production was high even with poor local infrastructure, an improved road (and potentially, a rail) network was seen as a necessity for reducing the cost of transport, increasing the safety of merchants and travelers (as banditry was common due to the poor and rural nature of the existing roads), and connecting the nation''s interior to the coastal areas. The Mexican government sought to construct railroads as soon as possible, as they believed that it would help unify the nation (both politically and economically) and put thousands of Mexicans to work. However, Kim (who arrived in Mexico in May of 1825 to help assist the Mexican government) remarked that placing a significant amount of resources to construct the railroads would be counterproductive, as other areas of the Mexican economy needed immediate attention. He proposed that the government spend money and resources to create more paved roads and improve the farmlands (from irrigation canals to better tools). Despite his suggestion, the Mexican government was insistent on building railroads but was willing to compromise on the scope of the project. Thus, the Atlantic Union Company, America''s biggest rail company, was given a contract to build a rail line that ran from Vera Cruz to Mexico City to Leon to Zacatecas. An additional two divergent rail lines were planned to be built after the Vera Cruz-Zacatecas line was finished (from Vera Cruz to Oaxaca to Salina Cruz, and from Mexico City to New Santander to Monterrey). The first mentioned rail line connected the silver mines in the northern parts of Mexico to Vera Cruz. Similarly, the latter two were planned to connect the Pacific to the Atlantic by land and Mexico City to the United States. Before the construction of the rail lines from Vera Cruz to Mexico City began, the Mexican government started major construction projects to improve the quality of existing roads and pave new ones. While these various projects took over a decade to complete, they employed thousands of Mexican workers, created a growing middle class, and built the public''s trust in the new government. Especially since the new republican government was doing more for the former colony''s sake than the Spanish administration before them... For the last issue, Mexico turned towards Peru-Bolivia to acquire mercury. Peru-Bolivia maintained one of the few mercury mines needed for silver extraction in Huancavelica, which was necessary since Spain was hostile to its former colonies in the Americas. Once negotiations began, the Peruvian-Bolivian government knew the significance of the mine within their borders. Due to its recent independence from Spain and economic uncertainty, the South American nation negotiated deals that heavily favored itself. Unfortunately, there was little Mexico could do to negotiate better terms, as they needed the mercury from Peru-Bolivia urgently. And while there were a few other nations that produced mercury, Peru-Bolivia was close to Mexico and held large mercury reserves. As such, President Gurrero and the Chamber of Deputies approved a treaty that declared Mexico would purchase mercury from Peru-Bolivia in large quantities while paying marked-up prices for the mercury. This quickly angered many in the Mexican government, as they saw the Peruvian-Bolivian government as ''greedy and backstabbing towards their fellow republican revolutionaries.'' While America started to export mercury to Mexico after discovering several mercury mines in California in 1836, Mexico and Peru-Bolivia''s relations went cold after the deal was signed. And later on, it would play a critical role in Mexico''s willingness to intervene in the 1837 Ecuadorian Crisis against Peru-Bolivia... Meanwhile, the agricultural sector of the Mexican economy improved as well. With Kim exporting various American manufactured farm tools to Mexico and introducing better farming techniques to improve crop yields, the farms around Vera Cruz (where most of the exports were coming from) began to see rapid improvements within three years. And as the tools and techniques spread across the nation, the stagnant agricultural sector began to grow from its long hibernation. However, it was not just Kim''s efforts that brought about improvements to Mexican farmers in the post-independence era. Indeed, the Mexican government played a vital role in the development of agriculture. President Gurrero, delivering on his election promises, passed various land reforms to slowly cede more lands to peasant communities and combat the monopolies held by various wealthy criollo and peninsulare families across the nation. Knowing that taking aggressive actions might provoke an armed response (as seen in the Valladolid Rebellion, which saw the death of thousands of rebels and Mexican soldiers), the president decided to take things slowly but surely. Using the gold he had at hand and borrowing more from American banks, he bought millions of acres of land directly from wealthy landowning families and sold them to subsistence farmers with a critical condition. The condition was that the subsistence farmers were not to make any down payments for the land they acquired, but they were obligated to pay a yearly tax according to their yield and profits for a period of twenty years. This was done through many government officials that collected information from those that ''bought'' land from the government and reported their findings to the Chamber of Deputies and the President in Mexico City. Depending on the farmer''s yields, the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture decided whether to seize parts of the land, allow the farmer to maintain his current holdings, or even grant more land to productive farmers. While President Gurrero expected to take losses in the short term, he believed that the nation would benefit in the long term. In addition to this ''buyback,'' the Mexican government also implemented an inheritance tax across the nation. Once a landowner died, his children would only inherit three-quarters of the land, with the remaining going to the Mexican government for future sales or ownership. This slowly allowed the Mexican government to roll back the monopoly held by several powerful families and redistribute the land to lower-class farmers. On top of these reforms were irrigation projects to open up farmland that was unavailable before and the establishment of an Emergency Grain Stockpile (like the one in the United States) to allow farmers to sell their produce at a steady rate and provide relief to starving citizens. By the time Gurrero left office, Mexico was well on its way to ''modernizing'' the farming industry, with land reforms bringing the total of land owned by wealthy landowning families from 90% to 75%. Additionally, the people finally felt secure and well-fed, allowing the next administration (led by former Foreign Minister Victoria) to smoothly take power through the 1831 Elections... An important aspect of Mexico''s economic growth during the post-independence era also relied on a healthy mix of grains, ranching, and cash crops. For grains, the staple trio of maize, wheat, and vegetables remained the most important crops within Mexico and was crucial to the Mexican nation''s stability. Some of the discontent that stemmed from the Mexican Independence War was from food shortages (especially maize, which was probably the most important grain in Mexico). The wide availability and increased production of these staple crops helped boost population growth and prevented food shortages that would inevitably lead to riots and even outright revolution. As for ranching, it provided a steady source of meat and other dairy products that the nation needed and offered an alternative to areas with relatively poor soil quality. This was especially true in northern Mexico, where the weather and land were dry. Ranching also helped develop Texas and other southwestern states in the United States, as Mexican ranchers often dealt with newly established American communities on the frontier by offering them steady supplies of meat, dairy, and leather (which we will cover later on). For cash crops, Mexico invested heavily in its coffee and sugar cane industry, especially since the nation faced heavy competition from other American nations from other cash crops. Colombia produced most of the Americas'' cocoa, while the United States produced a significant amount of oranges and even more cotton. While Haiti and the French Empire were competitors in the sugar industry, Mexico had an ideal climate suitable for the cash crop. With lowered prices, there were willing buyers in Europe, and even in the United States. Meanwhile, coffee production was big across the Caribbean, but the same reasoning for developing the sugar industry applied to the coffee industry. Coffe was in high demand across the United States (especially as the emergence of cafes took the United States by storm), and most of southern Mexico was ideal for coffee growing. As such, sugar and coffee production exploded as many big landowners sought to increase profits with the new advancements they had at hand. But one of the biggest and surprising developments in Mexico''s agricultural sector was the introduction of jute, a natural fiber derived from plants. Due to its appealing color, strength, and cost-effectiveness, jute was one of the most profitable crops in existence. However, jute was only local to certain eastern regions in India and nowhere else in the world. In fact, there were many historical records of British merchants and businessmen enriching themselves off the sale of jute, which could be woven into clothing, ropes, sacks, and other items made of fabric. Yet, Samuel Kim managed to acquire a handful of jute plants, taught himself how to grow the plant properly, and introduced jute to Mexican farmers in the province of Vera Cruz in 1826, promising them that the plant had great potential for growth and profitability in the humid, tropical climate of Mexico (which often saw a large amount of rain as well). The problem with growing a jute plant was that it required a perfect climate to accommodate it. India''s eastern regions contained soils with fine particles of clay and silt, along with heavy monsoon seasons, to help the plant grow and spread. While Mexico''s southern provinces were not exact replicas of the Indian regions that grew jute successfully, they were very close in terms of the soil type (fluvial sediments that were ideal for jute plant growing), heavy rain seasons (approximately 2000 mm to 3000 mm of rain in the area per year), and climate (tropical). The first few yields of jute in 1827 offered promising results, and the jute plant continued to spread across southern Mexico (and in Yucatan as well). With virtually no competition from the rest of the Americas, Mexico exported jute in greater numbers year after year, and the plant became one of Mexico''s biggest cash crops. This plant, combined with sisal (a plant native to Mexico and also a plant cultivated for fiber production), led to the textile boom that supplemented the industrial growth in Mexico. In fact, many historians claim that jute and sisal led to the economic boom in Mexico from 1830-1835, as it provided America with an alternative to cotton as the Anglo-American War tore through the southern states... As for the industrial sector, the Republic of Mexico had virtually no industry to speak of for the first several years. While Kim''s American Enterprises helped establish several textile factories (which became critical after jute became more and more prevalent), steel mills (especially after iron mines were discovered in western and northern Mexic), and a few manufacturies for farming tools, Mexico''s industrial production remained low due to the United States. With America already having a strong industrial presence and exporting manufactured goods for cheap, Mexico''s industrial sector struggled to compete against America''s industrial might. This was after tariffs were applied by the Mexican government to help stimulate the local industry''s growth. However, the Mexican government expanded its industry into smaller but less competitive sectors to help Mexico industrialize. Vera Cruz was expanded into a major port city with a large port to handle imports and exports for trade, and a shipyard was built within the city for building both commercial and military ships. With the assistance of American technical advisors, Mexico built small but cheap steamships to sell to local powers (which was especially important in the post-independence Americas era, as many new nations sought to build up their merchant marine and navy). Additionally, Mexico also directed its steel to be exported to the southwestern United States, especially as California became a commercial hub. Steel was critical in constructing railroads, machines, and other goods, which territories like California lacked due to the sheer distance between the eastern United States and the western United States. As such, Mexico produced steel for its own railroad industry and for ''stricken'' American territories out in the west, which helped develop a friendly relationship with American settlers and Mexicans. Of course, the industrial sector in Mexico changed during the Anglo-American War, which forced Mexico to invest more in its industrial sector and produce weapons, helmets, and other military necessities to support the United States. During the Anglo-American War, Mexico truly ''roared into existence,'' as it was one of the few LAN members untouched by the war. After the invasion of the southern United States during the height of the war, northern Mexico (and other cities such as Veracruz and Mexico City) shaped into an industrial hub to arm and supply tens of thousands of LAN soldiers. Monterrey grew rapidly as lower-class Mexican citizens, and poor subsistence farmers flocked to the city to obtain a well-paying job in a factory. And after the war, the expanded industrial sector remained and grew. This was especially true after American Enterprises'' holdings in Mexico were ceded to the Mexican government after the public reading of Kim''s will. The Mexican branch of American Enterprises was rebranded as ''Mexican Industries and Enterprises'' (in Spanish, ''Industrias y Empresas de Mexico'') and owned by the Mexican government until its privatization in the late 19th century (and to this day, IEM remains one of the biggest corporations in Mexico). By 1835, Mexico was a valuable economic, military, and political ally of the United States and one of the biggest economies in the Americas (after the United States)... Now, while these reforms and growth helped propel Mexico to greater heights, the effects of these changes were not evident until the year 1835, a decade after the Republic of Mexico''s founding. During the first five years of uncertainty around the Mexican Republic, thousands of Mexicans immigrated to the United States on promises of free land and citizenship. From the year 1825 to 1835, it was estimated that around 100,000 Mexicans went through a perilous journey through the vast deserts of the Mexican North and the American Southwest to reach ''freedom.'' Many of them settled in (the current states of) Texas, Shandin, Taho, and California, along with a few in Kiowa, Louisiana, and Baja California. These immigrants would help establish ranches and farms across the southwestern United States and help tired American settlers settle into the rough conditions of the ''Wild West,'' becoming an indispensable part of the United States for centuries to come... +++++ AN: New Santander is the old name for Ciudad Libertad in Mexico. And yes, I did plenty of research on Mexico''s climate and soil conditions, and I reasoned that jute was possible in the region. If it doesn''t... well, sue me. Anyway, here''s the long-awaited update! Next up: Central America (though the spotlight of Central America will probably be two updates instead of three). TAD Timeline Spotlight: The Formation of the Federal Republic of Central America "The Birth of the Federal Republic of Central America" New York Times History Journal Volume 90, Article written by Dominic Rondeau. Published on February 12th of 2020 "... The history behind the Federal Republic of Central America, one of the most prosperous nations in the Americas, is complicated, to say the least. Today, the FRCA is not unlike the United States in many of its characteristics: a constitutional, presidential federal republic with multiple states and a diverse population. However, when the FRCA was first formed in 1824, it was a bitterly divided nation split between various ethnicities, regions, and political groups. When the FRCA declared independence on July 14th of 1824, the transitional government (the Central American junta) was disarrayed and divided. Out of the seventy representatives that gathered to vote on independence in Tegucigalpa, only thirty-nine of them voted in favor of independence (with the pro-independence faction rapidly assembling a Notice of Independence and sending it to Mexico City before the opposition came together to block said maneuver). Most of the representatives who voted in favor of independence believed that Mexico would neglect the Central American states, which was only reaffirmed when the junta in Mexico City often ignored requests from Central America in favor of requests from local, ''Mexican'' states. The pro-independence faction was only emboldened to break away from Mexico after Yucatan''s exit from the Mexican Republic, especially as news came that Guerrero would allow Yucatan to secede peacefully. However, the loyalist faction in the FRCA argued that Central America was ''not ready, in any shape or form'' to declare independence. The junta was in its infancy when independence was declared, and not a single draft of the future Constitution existed when the independence vote was held. In fact, almost none of the junta members was aware of what the government would even look like, except that it was to be republican. As such, it was unsurprising why the FRCA experienced instability and uncertainty during its first several years of existence. It took two months for the capital to be decided upon (Guatemala City), and even that decision was contested almost immediately by representatives from Comayagua, San Salvador, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. The argument led to a compromise to have Guatemala City house the national Executive while Tegucigalpa housed the Legislative and Judicial Branch. The junta then argued over what type of government the future Central American nation would look like. With rumors spreading about a unitary government in Mexico and Yucatan, the junta quickly declared a federal republic to accommodate the various states within the Central American Republic. However, it wasn''t until the late 19th century that the FRCA truly became a ''federal'' republic. The various states within the FRCA highly valued their autonomy and intentionally disempowered the federal government to prevent ''federal overreach.'' This resulted in the FRCA starting as a ''confederation'' more than a ''federal republic'' when it was first established. The federal government held just enough power to keep the region together, but not enough to bring about quick reforms and changes (as was by design). While the junta was finally forming some semblance of a federal government and code of law, the nation was already ripping at the seams from the uncertainty. Border skirmishes occurred between Guatemala and San Salvador, with both sides accusing of escalating the situation first. Secessionists in the liberal parts of western Guatemala stirred up independence sentiments to form their own state to have representation in the junta (which only represented the five ''original'' states from the New Spain era). Conservatives battled with Liberals openly in meeting rooms (which, at the time, was located in Guatemala City) and in the streets, with Guatemala City becoming a hotspot of clashing political ideologies. Liberals sought to completely copy the United States: a secular republic with universal suffrage, a powerful federal government, and rapid industrialization. Meanwhile, Conservatives sought to maintain the status quo as much as possible; they sought to enshrine Catholicism as the national religion (much like Mexico), maintain a cash crop economy, and only allow male landowners to vote. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church wrestled with the junta to seize more political and economic control (especially as rumors of Central America becoming a secular republic became more prevalent), oftentimes inflaming the local population to rebel against the Union. One such attempt started an open revolt in the village of Chiquimula that quickly spread to the edges of Guatemala City. When five indigenous people were found murdered in their homes on October 5th of 1824, the Church quickly accused the junta of creating ''bounties'' on Native Americans to clear out the area for foreigners to settle into. For their evidence, the Church pointed out that the junta was dealing with an American businessman even before an official government was established, which raised suspicion that the junta was actually planning to sell out the entirety of Guatemala and the other Central American states to the United States. In reality, the junta sought aid from foreign powers, especially from the United States, to keep the nation afloat while it experienced severe instability. Samuel Kim, who was invaluable to the success of the United States and Mexico, also offered aid to help the Central American Republic, which the junta graciously accepted. The junta was informed beforehand that Kim''s priority remained in Mexico, with only occasional aid sent to aid Central America. As such, there weren''t any concrete plans to have Kim arrive in Central America and help develop the nation. However, the Catholic Church across former New Spain despised the liberal, secular republic in the far north and viewed it as a potential threat to their own power. While Mexico was able to keep its own Church in check due to its political and military might, the weak ''government'' of Central America had neither. And with many of the indigenous population being illiterate and religious, the Church was able to rile up the peasantry in an armed revolt against the junta. As nearly three thousand rebels, armed with a spare number of firearms and many farm tools, marched onto Guatemala City to bring down the Central American government. With only local militias to suppress the uprising (two of which were quickly defeated by the rebels'' superior numbers), many members of the junta prepared to flee from the city before it was besieged. However, two things prevented an early collapse of the FRCA and brought it back from the brink of extinction: Jose Cecilio del Valle and a coincidental sighting of Spanish ships off the eastern coast of Comayagua. Now, Jose Cecilio del Valle was not a military genius or an inspiring political leader like Samuel Kim or Vicente Guerrero. Valle came from an upper-middle-class background; his parents were both from distinguished families and held a sizeable amount of wealth from estates and livestock. His father sought to give his son a good education and moved his family to Guatemala City (from Coluteca, Comayagua). After attending the University of San Carlos, Valle decided to journey across the Americas at the young age of 20. The reasons for his journey remains unclear to this day, but it is assumed that he desired to visit other entities and expand his horizons. He journeyed through the other Central American states, Mexico, Venezuela, Haiti, and finally, the United States. For two years, he lived in the United States, attending various seminars and classes in American universities, even encountering the American Secretary of State in a brief meeting in 1806. Unlike many revolutionaries inspired by the American Republic''s existence, Valle maintained a firm, neutral stance in his political views. He believed that the United States had a host of excellent ideas and laws that should be imitated. At the same time, he believed that the United States was far too ''radical'' for his tastes and believed that the American Constitution and government were only successful because ''they were in America.'' However, the idea of independence appealed to him (as he believed that New Spain was shackled by Spain and was unable to fulfill its potential truly). After returning to Guatemala in the year 1808, he quietly advocated for a peaceful separation between the Central American states and Spain. He remained in a small minority until the Mexican War of Independence broke out in 1817. Soon after, Valle''s views were supported by a growing number of Guatemalan inhabitants, and he was elected the mayor of Guatemala City in 1819. Eventually, he emerged as a fairly prominent political figure in Guatemala and was appointed as a junta member in May of 1824, when the junta was first created. Valle was a Moderate, a man who was well-liked by both Conservatives and Liberals. He sought to maintain a balance between the two sides and create a Constitution that appealed to the vast majority of the representatives and public, which was a very tall order at the time. Known as the ''Great Compromiser'' by his colleagues, Valle helped prevent an internal civil war between the Conservative and Liberal factions within the junta. His background as a man born in Comayagua and an inhabitant of Guatemala helped establish an uneasy truce between the two rival states. He was not the only Moderate politician in the junta, but he was one of the most well-liked and respectable ones. Like most of the junta during the Chiquimula Rebellion, he was in Guatemala City as he was ironing out the various clauses within the proposed FRCA Constitution. However, unlike other representatives, he was calm and organized when he and the others were informed of the ''rebels'' imminent arrival, a group that sought to overthrow the junta and establish a Kingdom or Theocracy.'' Instead, he rallied the people of Guatemala City (many of whom that personally knew Valle due to his tenure as a mayor). After he hastily gathered a militia to face off the rebels, he boldly declared in front of a crowd of one thousand individuals, "The Union will not die today, not now, not forever." While Valle was the one that assembled the militia, the officer leading the militia was one Jos Rafael Carrera Turcios. He had engaged the indigenous rebels in the two previous battles with several Guatemalan militiamen and barely escaped both times with a small group of followers. Turcios was the one that arrived in Guatemala City to warn the imminent rebel threat to the junta and was quickly appointed as the leader of the thousand or so assembled ''militiamen'' (in reality, a mix of artisans and farmers armed with a minimal amount of weapons) upon Valle''s request. The new ''general'' quickly built up a set of defenses just a kilometer east of Guatemala City within three days and valiantly led a defense against the rebels once they attacked his fortifications on November 2nd of 1824. Despite coming from humble farming backgrounds, he showed immense potential in warfare and led an ill-trained and ill-equipped army to victory. Outnumbered three to one, Turcios personally led several charges to completely break the rebel army, inflicting 1,400 casualties for 700 of his own. He quickly seized the initiative to hunt down the fleeing rebels all the way to Chiquimula, where he arrested the Church officials that incited the rebellion and personally brought them back to Guatemala City. For the time being, the Republic was saved, thanks to the efforts of two men. However, many representatives were offended that Turcios dared to arrest members of the Church and the Church demanded that Turcios be handed over for trial. It seemed as though the Republic would break itself internally, when on November 30th, a fleet of Spanish ships was spotted off the coast of Comayagua. What truly alarmed the junta (and Central America as a whole) was that two of the ships forcefully docked in La Ceiba, with local city officials being threatened to allow the Spanish ships to dock. The news quickly spread throughout the region, and it created something unseen in Central America ever before: a sense of unity. More precisely, a united sense of fear and horror. In truth, the Spanish ships were there to extract some peninsulars sought to return to Spain due to the instability of Central America and the persecution against the peninsulars (like Mexico, Central America viewed the peninsulars in a negative light, believing that they were the main root of most of Central America''s problems). The ships left after two days, but it evoked a sense of fear and urgency within the junta. Central America had no time to bicker and divided itself when Spain loomed in the background. While Spain had no plans to retake its American colonies, the Central American junta believed otherwise and rapidly came together after the ''La Ceiba Incident.'' With Valle acting as the mediator between the various interest groups, the Constitution was ironed out in record times and finalized on January 25th of 1825. The Constitution of Central America created a federal republic, with five states and thirty ''provinces.'' The Federal Congress of Central America was bicameral, with a Senate and a Federal Assembly. Each state had six provinces, and each province held one Senator. The Federal Assembly was proportionate to the provinces'' population, and the first Assembly contained one hundred representatives in total. While this seemed messy to outsiders, it was a ''reasonable'' compromise to balance regionalism and federalism. The Executive was the President of Central America, which was allowed to serve two four-year terms. The Judicial Branch was a copy of the American judicial system, with various Circuit Courts and regional courts being established. Surprisingly, Catholicism was not established as the national religion; the Constitution declared that Central America remained a secular republic. The Chiquimula Rebellion greatly delegitimized the Church in the eyes of many political leaders (even conservative ones), and nearly all of them sought to de-fang the Church before its power grew further. As for suffrage, only literate men were allowed to vote, which satisfied the Conservatives. However, like the Mexcian Constitution, the FRCA Constitution guaranteed a ''freedom of education'' (which promised that the government would provide free and accessible education when possible), which was enough for the Liberals to accept the compromise. Most importantly, the states held massive amounts of power, more so than their American counterparts. States were allowed to maintain their own militaries (though most of them only maintained a small militia), implement their own tariffs, and maintain laws that were not in conflict with federal laws. Valle, who wanted to retire from politics after finishing up the FRCA Constitution, was surprised to learn that the junta wanted him to become the first president (as his Moderate stance allowed him to handle both factions effectively). He reluctantly accepted the offer and was appointed as the interim president on February 7th and was elected as the official president on July 1st. Thus began the Federal Republic of Central America''s first steps into the annuals of history... +++++ AN: So I made a mistake in Chapter 154. The FRCA''s president''s name is wrong, and unfortunately, I can''t edit it. However, Jose Cecilio del Valle is the (canon) first president of the FRCA. And I may or may not do a chapter on the FRCA''s economic history. Feel free to comment on whether or not you want a chapter covering the FRCA''s economy. If not, we''ll jump into South America and the other regions. Chapter 194: The Great Recession New York City, New York, the United States of America May 19th, 1835 Rowland G. Hazard walked down the street and into the Federal Bank of the United States on Wall Street, a large rectangular building made out of white marble. It was early in the morning, with a few clouds floating in the sky and a chill breeze drifting through the air. Wall Street was already busy with dozens of workers making the final repairs to the damage that the street had suffered during the ''Anglo-American War'' (as some were calling it already, while others called it ''the Second American Revolution''). Additionally, numerous businessmen and bankers were carrying out their business in the financial sector of New York City, as Wall Street was home to over a dozen large businesses and several banks. The thirty-three-year-old man was on his way to Federal Bank to secure another loan for his company, as he was planning on expanding his textile and farming tool factories down in Rhode Island. Usually, he utilized the bank in Providence for his business. However, he had a meeting with a representative from American Enterprises later that evening, so he decided to make do with the giant Federal Bank building in New York City (one of many attractions to America''s biggest city). Since the war was over, thousands of young men were returning to continue their lives as civilians, and Hazard''s factories were now filled to maximum capacity. With trade resuming somewhat with France and other European powers (though, Hazard had heard that France was fighting Austria and Prussia once again, while it was busy trying to tie down ''the Confederation of Aragon'' to itself), business was slowly picking up again, and the American economy was showing signs of life. As he strolled into the bank''s large lobby, he was met face to face with a statue of a bald eagle standing on a pillar with its wings outstretched. A plaque below the eagle stated, "Federal Bank of the United States: For the People, By the People." The lobby itself consisted of several booths (with only a few of them filled with bank tellers, as it was early morning), a seating area with a dozen benches, a newspaper rack, and a ticketing machine. He pulled out a ticket from the machine next to the bald eagle statue and looked at the number inked onto the paper, ''19.'' Nearby, a bank ''messenger'' (who relayed the ticket numbers to the tellers and kept the flow of the guests controlled) tipped his cap and Rowland returned the gesture. He sat down quietly with his briefcase and quietly read through a newspaper. The New York Times, one of New York''s and America''s finest newspapers, had a large and bolded headline at the front page that announced First President Samuel Kim''s funeral march. The funeral was set to start today and travel from New York City to Boston, Quebec City, and then down to Florida after it finished its journey through the northern states. Rowland frowned as he looked at the deceased president''s picture, who wore his military uniform from the days of the American Revolution even though the picture was taken just months before his death. His grandfather had fought in the Revolutionary War alongside the man, and it seemed as though the entire nation was now in mourning as the shock of the war wore off. While the government was fine and the nation was still (relatively) intact, it felt as though America had lost her captain. Before he could finish a sports article describing why the New York Yankees were favorites to win their twenty-fifth American Series championship in October, his number was called by one of the tellers. "Number 19, please report to Booth Number 5." Adjusting his suit jacket''s collar, he walked up to Booth 5 and opened up his briefcase with a confident smile. He handed his bank card and pulled out a few documents he had prepared in the last week or so, "If it''s possible, I would like to speak with the manager and acquire a business loan." "How much money do you plan to borrow?" The teller, a stocky and tanned Native American man, asked. "Ten thousand, in Bucks or coins. Either one works for me." ''Bucks'' were green paper money that the United States government had printed throughout the Anglo-American War. They were not backed by gold or silver and were purely on ''faith and credit.'' Like Rowland himself, many citizens were rightly worried about this monetary change, but the Bucks were absolutely critical to the war effort. With trade with Europe lost and the federal government''s budget running on fumes (not to mention the difficulty in transporting gold from the West to the East), the Bucks provided a way for the government to finance the war and keep the economy from completely collapsing on itself. It was also a way to scale back the production of coins (except coins worth less than a dime, as they were not ''valuable'' in terms of metal worth) and hold precious metals in reserve when trade was re-established with the rest of the world. The Buck and Banking Act of 1833, the brainchild of Secretary of the Treasury Nicholas Biddle, created nearly $400 million worth of Bucks (money printed on green, cotton paper that was difficult to forge due to various engravings and fail-proofs). The denominations were $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, and $1000. While one Buck was not as valuable as one Gold Eagle, the United States'' dollar coin (the usual exchange rate was a dollar and fifty cents of Bucks for a dollar of an Eagle), it was stable enough to be widely accepted as a form of payment. Though, the sentence ''This note is a legal tender for all debts, public and private, except duties on imports and interest on the public debt, and is receivable in payment of all loans made to the United States'' was clearly branded to the back of every Buck. "I''m sorry, sir. We received a telegram last night that we are to suspend all loans above one thousand dollars." "Only one thousand? Why?" Rowland asked, bewildered by the sudden change. There were only two things that could''ve suddenly shifted the Federal Bank''s policies: the Federal Reserve (which oversaw the Federal Bank and was tasked with keeping an eye on inflation caused by the Bucks) and Congress itself. "The Federal Reserve Director in Columbia announced that a bill to print more Bucks is about to fail in Congress. The Federal Bank''s reserves are low, and to counteract any future issues involving bank runs, we are capping loans at one thousand dollars." By no means was Rowland a mathematician or a businessman that knew every aspect of the economy. However, he learned a few things from his father about the finer points of asking around to determine the current economic situation, "What about the bank rates?" The Federal Bank of the United States was not the only bank in the nation. There were hundreds of state and private banks across America, with very different monetary policies than the standardized and carefully controlled Federal Bank. However, the Federal Bank provided an enormous amount of funding to state and private banks and kept them somewhat organized and monitored to prevent fraud and bank runs. If the Federal Bank was suddenly pushing unfavorable policies due to a monetary reserve issue, it was possible that the bank rates were being raised. "It was raised to ten percent just last night." "Ten percent!?" Rowland nearly yelled, "It was one percent just a week ago!" A sudden rise in the bank rates would mean that other banks would have less money to lend out, which meant that he wouldn''t be able to borrow large sums of money from private or state banks due to the sudden bank rate hike. Or even if he could, the interest rates for such a loan would be insanely high. "I''m sorry, sir. However, we are in a precarious position, and we are doing our absolute best to accommodate our partners..." The Rhode Islander sighed and shook his head, "Forget it. I''m assuming the loan interest rates have risen as well?" "Only slightly. It is currently at 5%. We are also only lending out Bucks instead of coins for the foreseeable future." "I''ll have to make do with what I can get. One thousand it is." An hour later, Rowland left the bank with a contract for a thousand dollar loan with a 5% interest in hand. He opted to withdraw the thousand dollars from the Federal Bank in Providence, though he withdrew some money from his personal account to spend during his stay in New York. As he walked off Wall Street and towards the train station, he witnessed a crowd of tens of thousands of people that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Men, women, and children of all races, colors, and creed watched silently as a locomotive with a single passenger car passed through the Manhattan Central Station. Realizing that it was Samuel Kim''s funeral processions, Rowland took off his hat, held it close to his heart, and waited in silence as an aged man (who he presumed was the deceased president''s eldest son) read Samuel''s final words to the United States. Suddenly, the skies darkened and droplets of rain began to fall upon New York City, as if nature itself was crying from the man''s death. Rowland looked up and covered his head with his left hand. The rain felt ominous as if it was a warning to the United States for what was about to come. Just three days later, with Congress failing the second Buck and Banking Act, the United States would enter the period known as the ''Great Recession.'' The day would officially be known as Black Friday (as in the following month, numerous banks across the nation would close, and the American government would be unable to provide sufficient funding for Reconstruction programs) and begin an era of economic and political uncertainty that would last for nearly six years (that would only end in future president Nathaniel Bonapart''s fourth year in office)... +++++ AN: For reference, here are the current coin denominations in the United States. Anything under a Dime is usually made with cheaper metals like copper or iron, while Quarters and above are made with either Silver or Gold. Half Cent ($0.005) Cent ($0.01) Half Dime ($0.05) Dime ($0.10) Quarter ($0.25) Half Eagle ($0.50) Eagle ($1.00) Quarter Union ($2.50) Half Union ($5.00) Union ($10.00) Double Union ($20.00) Columbian ($50.00) Double Columbian ($100.00) TAD Timeline Spotlight: South Africa, Fort Hope, and the Xhosa Nation "... When the United States acquired fort Hope in 1790, it marked the beginning of America''s expansion of influence across the globe. While the United States was extremely young (just over a decade old), it was also large and rapidly growing. Since Spain maintained a minimal presence in Louisiana and Britain barely held onto Rupert''s Land, the young republic turned its eyes overseas and sought to join in on the ''Empire'' games with a different purpose: to build a network of protectorates and establish a global American presence. To do this, the United States heavily favored diplomacy over direct warfare, especially since its military (mainly the navy) was small. Utilizing its newfound wealth and stability, America signed the Treaty of Amsterdam [1790] with the Netherlands to acquire a small port outside the Dutch Cape Colony''s borders, which laid the foundations for the modern South African nation. While it remains unclear why Amsterdam gave up its monopoly over the southern African region and the only gateway to Asia (at the time), historians suspect that Kim may have bribed the Dutch government into accepting the offer. Especially since five hundred thousand dollars was nowhere near the amount of money that the land was worth at the time. However, others argue that the Dutch government had no official control over the areas around present-day Fort Hope. In fact, it discouraged the Boer settlers from trekking into the region due to the Xhosa people (that directly bordered the outer borders of the Dutch Cape Colony). Thus, by accepting America''s proposal to purchase Algoa Bay, the Netherlands received money for an area they did not directly control and set up the possibility of seizing the small area once the United States managed to push back the Xhosa people... In 1791, Colonel Nathaniel Napoleon Bonapart planted the American flag in South Africa and claimed the small slice of territory ''granted'' by the Dutch for the United States. Within a year, he and his unit of five hundred men quickly built a fort and named it ''Fort Hope,'' which became the main hub of American trade and military presence for decades (even after South Africa''s independence, the United States maintained a naval base in Fort Hope). In the Treaty of Amsterdam, the site of America''s port city was declared to be the very eastern borders for the Dutch Cape Colony, which was both an attempt to stop the mass migration of Boers to the east and to create a ''buffer'' zone between the Xhosa and the Cape Colony. For the first decade of its existence, Fort Hope was isolated and mostly occupied by American soldiers. While a few traders and adventurers settled into Fort Hope, the town was dangerous as it suffered over a dozen attacks from the Xhosa tribes from 1791-1796. Additionally, Cape Town served as a much safer and more established port city for American and European ships to transit through, which meant little attention was drawn to the small American fort. A few American ships did drop by Fort Hope every once in a while, but they were far and few in between. Records reveal that no more than forty ships docked at Fort Hope from 1792 to 1801, half of them resupply ships for the small port''s inhabitants. The Xhosa people proved to be a dangerous foe and a huge threat to Fort Hope''s existence. Even before the arrival of the United States in Algoa Bay, Boer frontiersmen had fought in two separate ''wars'' against the Xhosa people. The Second Boer-Xhosa War (1789-1790) between the two factions resulted in the Boers being expelled west of Algoa Bay and away from Zuurveld (which the Boers managed to capture during the First Boer-Xhosa War, which lasted from 1779-1781). When Colonel Bonaparte established Fort Hope, he was encroaching on Xhosa lands and, expectedly, faced stiff opposition. Three months after the colonel arrived in South Africa, he and his men were attacked by two hundred Xhosa warriors that believed that the Boers were attempting to expand eastward again. The chiefdom in the area was Gqunukhwebe, a subdivision of the Xhosa nation that occupied most of the western parts of the Xhosa nation (the Gqunukhwebe people originated from the very westernmost Khoi tribes that were displaced by the Boers). Attempts to establish peaceful contact failed dramatically due to a lack of translators and preconceived hostilities of the Xhosa people to outsiders (including the few African American soldiers that were part of Colonel Bonapart''s unit). A battle was fought on February 9th of 1792, just three kilometers north of where Fort Hope stood. The battle was an overwhelming American victory, with the Gqunukhwebe suffering over a hundred and fifty casualties (which included their chief, Khwane KaLungane). In contrast, the American soldiers suffered just a dozen casualties, with no deaths. The Battle of Nukakamma River (which was next to the site of the battle) shook the region as the death of Chief Khwane led to the instability of Gqunukhwebe. This directly led to numerous raids on Fort Hope due to the disunity and disarray of the Xhosa people under the Gqunukhwebe chiefdom, which led to over three thousand American soldiers defending the port city by the year 1796. However, in April of 1796, the Rharhabe tribe that lived in Ciskei moved into the Zuurveld region after settling an internal civil war. The Rharhabe subdivision of the Xhosa nation originated from Rharhabe (who was the brother of Gcaleka, the King of Xhosa and the heir from the Great House, the ''official'' royal lineage of Xhosa kings). After failing to usurp his brother from the throne, Rharhabe occupied the western parts of the Xhosa nation with his followers and established a new ''chiefdom'' for himself (though, it was technically under the rule of the Xhosa nation). After Ngqika, the grandson of Rharhabe, seized control over the tribe, he set his eye to the west as the Gqunukhwebe was fractured. His expansions were met without any opposition, and soon, he reached the borders of the American Protectorate of Fort Hope, which territories had slowly expanded in the aftermath of Gqunukhwebe''s collapse. Unlike Chief Khwane, Ngqika showed an aptitude for diplomacy, and when the American delegation extended an olive branch to him, he accepted it on one condition: firearms. Stories of American soldiers successfully beating back attackers nearly thrice their numbers had spread to Ciskei and beyond, which made Ngqika both afraid and intrigued of these ''New Whites'' (this was often a term given to Americans, even though there were plenty of African Americans, Caribbean Americans, and Native Americans that were members of the American garrison in Fort Hope). However, he understood the power of the weapons that these foreigners had brought, and when the same foreigners attempted to peacefully negotiate with him instead of trying to seizing his lands, he was elated. Especially so when the American delegation spoke of trade and ''peaceful co-existence'' between the two sides... In 1796, the Commander of the Fort Hope garrison was one Brigadier General James Gunn, a veteran of the Revolutionary War and one of the few Georgians to defect to the Patriots during the war (Nathaniel Bonapart had returned to America by 1792). A hot-headed man with a way with words, General Gunn was an enigma, and perhaps that was why Columbia sent the Georgian to a far-flung outpost in Africa. His brashness often led to him butting heads with the Joint Chief of Staffs, but he was a decent officer and was considered to be ''capable enough'' to deal with the relatively delicate situation in South Africa. When Ngqika offered him peace in exchange for firearms, General Gunn immediately gave out a positive response. He and Chief Ngqika held a small summit on the Great Fish River approximately a hundred kilometers east of Fort Hope and deep into Xhosa territory. The treaty was relatively simple and was signed by both parties on July 27th of 1796. The United States was granted the right to expand ten kilometers from Fort Hope in all directions, was officially ''at peace'' with the Xhosa nation, and was permitted to trade with the Xhosa people. In return, Xhosa (specifically, Chief Nqika and Rharhabe tribe) received an annual shipment of firearms and ammunition, along with access to Fort Hope (with a limited number of Xhosa warriors within the town itself). Neither side received authorization from their superiors to officialize this treaty. General Gunn sent a very vague letter to Columbia just three days before meeting with his Xhosa counterpart. Similarly, Chief Ngqika kept King Khawuta KaGcaleka (the official king of the Xhosa Nation and senior house) in the dark. This was mainly because Chief Nqika intended on overthrowing King Khawuta and place himself as the king of the Xhosa people, which was why he sought to acquire these ''fire weapons'' in the first place... Due to the Treaty of the Great Fish River, Fort Hope was secured from any native attacks and finally held land to begin expansions, turning it into the port city that Samuel Kim envisioned. Thankfully, Columbia recognized the treaty as it believed it was crucial to the peace in the region and the expansion of Fort Hope. As such, Fort Hope slowly grew into a modest town of three thousand inhabitants by 1806 (excluding the garrison forces) and slowly shifted some of the balance of trade away from Cape Town. Meanwhile, Chief Ngqika overthrew King Khawuta after receiving several shipments of firearms and established the Rharhabe as the senior house of the Xhosa nation in 1799, placing himself as the sole king of the Xhosa people. Under his rule, the Xhosa nation continued an amicable relationship with the United States, trading small bits of land, livestock, and farm goods for firearms, tools, and luxury goods. It helped that the United States treated the Xhosa nation as an independent nation, not unlike other European or Asian nations (which helped smooth relations). Additionally, America''s practice of equality ensured that any Xhosa people that were living or trading within the small American protectorate were treated as equally as any other American. A hundred or so immigrants of Xhosa origin also moved into Fort Hope and the surrounding American-controlled territories, most of them from the overthrown Gcaleka house. And after the United States annexed the Dutch Cape Colony following Holland''s defeat in the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, America would establish the American Cape Colony and contact the Sotho and the Zulu tribes as well. Especially when gold and other precious minerals were discovered by American surveyors up north near the Vaal River... While the treaty allowed greater cooperation between the natives and the Americans, the Boers suffered harshly due to the deal. The Boers were not included in the Treaty of the Great Fish River, and after acquiring firearms from the Americans, the Xhosa nation immediately turned them towards their longtime enemy. Hundreds of Boer settlers and nomads were killed from the Orange River all the way down to the horn of Africa, as the Boers lost their military edge that allowed them to push against the warring African tribes for so long. Additionally, the American outpost in Fort Hope served as a check against the eastern expansion of the Boers, which only angered the population against the United States. Even more importantly, Cape Town no longer held a monopoly in South Africa and over merchant ships heading to Asia. As Fort Hope slowly grew, the 50,000 inhabitants of the Dutch Cape Colony grew increasingly anti-American. Just three decades before South Africa''s independence, the Boer population would become one of the racist and most anti-government hot zones that would eventually lead to civil war... Chapter 195: Until Every Brit is Gone New Edinburgh, Oregon Territory, the United States of America May 22nd, 1835 Dean O''Hogan was huddled in a sitting room with twenty other Irish-Americans in a large house near the edge of New Edinburgh. The house was purposely kept dark, with only a pair of lanterns revealing the Irish men''s faces in the middle of a quiet, moonless night. The smell of tobacco and whiskey flowed freely through the room, with nearly everyone drinking or smoking as they waited for their orders. Half a dozen men played the card game New York Poker, gambling gold Eagle coins commonly seen throughout the American West. Unlike the others, O''Hogan was quietly in the corner of the room by himself, as he only knew three individuals in the house. However, they were all busy making the final preparations for tonight''s raid, which left him alone to stew in his thought. "Are you Mr. O''Hogan?" A high-pitched voice asked. The Irishman turned around to see a wide-eyed teen with red hair and freckles. The boy was no older than sixteen, and O''Hogan frowned at his presence. The raid they were planning was dangerous and was certainly going to turn violent. Why was the kid here? Everyone else was in their mid-twenties or thirties and very far from home. Perhaps he was someone''s cousin or nephew? "I am," O''Hogan answered, "Why are you asking?" "So you are the Corporal Dean O''Hogan? Recipient of the Medal of Honor? The one of twelve?" O''Hogan grimaced at the raw reminder of his experience during the Anglo-American War, "Kid..." "You and your regiment were outnumbered 300 to 5,000! And you held out from the British for two days to stop them from marching straight to Greensville..." "Stop," The former soldier unconsciously gripped his revolver''s handle and took a deep breath, "Don''t talk about the war in front of me." It seemed as though the kid noticed O''Hogan''s grip on his pistol and slowly backed off, "I...I''m sorry, Mr. O''Hogan! I won''t bother you again!" As he scampered off, the former soldier of the United States Army took his hand off his firearm with a sigh. The boy''s mentions of his ''heroics'' from the war awakened memories that he wanted to bury: the dirty trenches, the broken bunkers, the thousands of bodies, and the continuous thunder of artillery and guns. The governor had all but begged his unit to fight despite the overwhelming odds against them, as the National Guard force sent to fight them were massacred, leaving the city-wide open. The highest commanding officer in the vicinity, one of the few survivors of the Akansa River Massacre, commanded the 1st Irish Volunteer Regiment to defend their positions with their lives, or until reinforcements arrived to relieve them. His unit was a militia unit, not an official army unit. Yet they were the only ones between the British and Greensville, and they vividly remembered the Razing of Timstown. They were all good shots and armed with their own rifles, but they faced down 5,000 heavily armed British soldiers with artillery. Still, they dug in, creating trenches and bunkers to delay the invaders as long as possible, which the unit did for two days. Hundreds of good Irishmen had died defending their home and killing Tories. Only three of them were veterans; the rest were all civilians risking their lives to fight a demon they thought they left behind in Europe. Yet, they didn''t have to if a sudden British incursion into Kentucky didn''t delay the reinforcements. Waking up among dead bodies and discovering that he was one of the twelve that survived the brutal British assault that ran up short outside of Akansa''s state capital was a horrific recollection. He remembered limping his way back to American lines and being met with surprise as the soldiers expected none of the Irish soldiers to have survived. Yet, twelve out of the three hundred did, and nearly all of them were rewarded medals and honors for their heroics. None of them mattered to O''Hogan; he lost his friends and his wife that day. His teenage son managed to flee to American lines, but his wife was killed in Louisiana. Later, he was told that the 1st Irish Volunteer Regiment took down a thousand British soldiers in the intense struggle, saving Greensville and the American Midwest. But those lavish words of praise rung hollow, especially as he watched thousands die regardless of his heroics. The number of dead civilians and maimed soldiers he witnessed kept him up at night, and those sights were all too common in a bloody war of desperation and survival. He continued to fight in the war as a member of the Army and was honorably discharged after finishing up in Oregon. In Oregon, he witnessed the final remnants of the British Empire within North America; British settlers living out their lives without a care for the world until the war was directly upon them. And it sparked a fire in him. The British soldiers were gone, but their influence remained. British people remained, and that had to be rooted out by force. Just looking at the British settlers that remained sickened him. They were all reminders of the dead, of pain. "Listen up!" Benjamin Dorrian, one of O''Hogan''s friends, whispered as he entered the sitting room, "We''re heading out in five minutes. Grab all your gear and prepare the torches. You know where the Tories live, and you know what to do with them. Just follow the plan, and we''ll be safe. The local garrison forces have been bribed, and they won''t care about some dead Brits refusing to leave American lands anyway. Now prepare yourselves; it''s time for the Final Reckoning." O''Hogan grinned in the darkness and looked over his mask. The mask was simple yet elegant. It was red in color and was barely able to cover his upper face. But it was the mask that they agreed to wear. It was to be a symbol for the future: a symbol of revenge and blood. The British had spilled the blood of many Americans and many Irish. Now, they were going to pay. He slipped on his mask and waited for Dorrian to announce their departure. The tall, lanky Irishman looked over the group with a Lee Rifle in his hand and his mask shadowing his eyes, "Until every last British man, woman, and child is purged from these lands... Our fight is not over! Most of you have fought in the war and witnessed the unspeakable atrocities the British have committed to America''s people. And yet, thousands remain in these territories, hoping that they would be ignored and that they would be able to sow the seeds of another war or an uprising! If the government is unwilling to do anything, we will take matters into our own hands and spark a movement to root them out! Doltas!" "Doltas!" The group replied in unison. It was the perfect motto for the group: revenge. The gunmen marched out of their safe house and into the neighborhoods of the British settlers. O''Hogan spotted a man walking out of one of the marked houses and fired his revolver without hesitation. The others followed suit and barged into homes marked with a red X on their doors as the man fell. The torches were used to provide sight and light the houses on fire. The flames lit the entire affair, as the Irishmen killed over a hundred British civilians within a span of three hours. By the time the sun rose into the sky, New Edinburgh was partially in flames, and hundreds were wounded or dead. The fire had spread to other parts of the town and burned down the houses of Americans and British alike. Fifteen bodies were found hanging from trees, all of them mutilated and killed in brutal fashion. A sign was staked in front of the trees that read, "They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no helper." Chapter 196: Congress and Debates "Which is why we must provide a large amount of aid for the people immediately!" "With what money, Senator Clement? The government is barely managing to pay for its current expenses, even with its income from ARPA." "Foreign loans and the Second Buck and Banking Act, as I have stated for the past month. Senator Weaver. With those, we can implement the necessary programs to turn this crisis around..." "And borrow from who? The British? They hate us. The Spanish? They''re about to enter a civil war. The French? They''re busy fighting off the rest of Europe after that republican revolution in Hanover turned sour. Even the Russians can''t loan us money because they''re fighting their own war against the Ottomans. China doesn''t loan money out to foreign countries, and the other American republics are struggling economically as well..." Senate Coalition Majority Leader Henry Caldwell cleared his throat to stop the fighting between the two senior senators, "Gentlemen, this is exactly why I wanted this conversation away from the public eye. The nation is struggling, and the people are begging for assistance, yet the two of you are far too eager to argue with one another." While the two bickering senators looked flushed by the Senate Majority Leader''s comment, Senator Eleanor Cord of Rhode Island waited silently as she slowly sipped a cup of coffee. Her eyes darted between the three men in front of her as she maintained her calm composure. Next to her was Senator Jose Barrios, leaning forward from his seat with his hands clasped together. He looked at Senator Caldwell and Senator Clement intently but opted to remain silent like his female counterpart. The senators were gathered in a private meeting room inside the Congressional Lodge, where Congressmen from all over the country gathered and socialized. It was one of the original buildings made for Congressional use, other than Capitol Hill and the Homes of Congress. The building itself was nothing spectacular, but it was homely and contained much history and entertainment. Excluding the gathered senators, there were a dozen other Congressmen in the lodge, but the meeting room was far away from the Lodge''s main areas and was well out of earshot from the other occupants. Senator Richard Weaver spoke up after Senator Caldwell''s blunt comment, "With all due respect, everything I said was true." "Duly noted," Senator Caldwell answered, "However, the Democratic Party''s position on this issue should be... re-evaluated. My party and I understand that all the states that were heavily affected were areas with many Democratic voters and officials, but the rest of the country has been hit hard as well." "The rest of the country was not burnt down, sir," The African-American senator replied icily, "The biggest priority should be the reconstruction of the South. Even my home state was physically affected by the war; Boonesville was raided, and many border towns were damaged as well." "I agree, but that does not mean the rest of the country should suffer. The Republican Party has offered a compromise on this matter: a focus on the South''s reconstruction and a relief bill to halt this rapid economic downturn until the government has sufficient funds to carry out bigger and more organized economic projects. On top of that, a reduced Second Buck and Banking Act to help finance the relief efforts and reconstruction. The Frontier Party and the Democratic Party both rejected the offer, and now we are locked in a stalemate in the Senate." Senator Frederic Clement from Montreal frowned and crossed his arms, "You left out the fact that a third of the Republican Party rejected the bill, and another third wanted a more radical version of it." "Our party has many members with various ideas and agendas. We are a broad moderate party, and our goal is to arrange agreements between the major parties and avoid gridlock. I believe that was quite obvious when I asked the senior senators of every party to meet with me today," Senator Caldwell stated as his eyes swept through the room. "Thankfully, we managed to pass critical bills to uplift the ailing inhabitants of the war-torn states with food and material aid. However, until this bill is passed, I''m afraid the nation will be blind while moving forward." "America has always been economically powerful. We have only hit a pothole because of the war. We do not need excessive government funding to revive the economy. The economy will fix itself, and my party strongly believes that our proposals will help fix the problems without funding issues," Senator Weaver declared as he gestured with his hands precisely. "What, selling three ironclads to France to fund your bare-minimum government programs and pray that trade will just magically solve all of our problems?" Senator Clement exploded. "And you mentioned earlier that the French Republic lacked money due to their war with the rest of Europe. How will they afford ironclads worth millions, if not tens of millions, of dollars?" "They will buy because of the power and prestige those ships represent. Let us not forget their rivalry with Britain as well. They still show interest towards the ships, despite recent developments..." "Then what will the Navy use to protect our shores? Rafts? A dozen ironclads have been delayed due to funding issues already, and Montreal and Quebec have been heavily affected by the sudden delays..." "Gentlemen!" Senator Caldwell raised his voice as he slammed his palm onto the coffee table in front of him, "Let us stay civil and discuss this matter without raising our voices. We are here to compromise and iron out a deal, not to argue and bicker. Especially when the nation is in chaos." "There were riots in Boston, New York, and Savannah last week alone. Over a hundred private banks have closed over the past month, along with hundreds of factories and businesses. Piracy has increased due to a lack of a merchant marine. Three thousand veterans are currently occupying the lawn in front of Capitol Hill to protest Congress''s indifference to their economic and social plights," Senator Cord spoke up as her mouth twisted into a scowl, "Two weeks ago, a dozen female factory workers were attacked because their supervisor allowed them to keep their jobs, instead of hiring returning veterans in Detroit. A group of brigands is murdering British settlers in the Oregon Territory while the Army is cracking down on Native Americans that aligned themselves with the British during the war. The southern states are under martial law, and the president is rumored to be ill. I believe ''chaos'' is an understatement, Senator Caldwell." "Senator Cord, it was the Liberal Party that radicalized the Union Party to the point that the Democratic and Frontier parties rejected the Union Party''s proposal," The Kentuckian senator remarked. "Radical? How so? The Union Party supported our proposal on their own accord, and the Liberal Party''s agenda is finding more support day by day." "The Liberal Party did not ''radicalize'' us," Senator Clement clarified, "Our party chose its own path, and it decided that the Liberal Party had the right ideas as we advance." "A path that even I would agree with if it did not involve so much trust in Bucks and an enormous deficit spending," Senator Barrios finally joined the conversation as he relaxed his posture. "I agree with some of the government programs that the Union and Liberal Parties have proposed, but I disagree with many of them. A ''national healthcare'' system, a ''social security'' program, a ''GI'' bill, and among other things... If we even attempt to implement one of these programs, we will be emptying our coffers for the next several decades. Not to mention the proposal to print an additional billion dollars worth of Bucks to alleviate our monetary issues. I have already discussed with my fellow Congressmen about supporting the Republican Party''s proposal. However, they will never agree to the proposal made by the Union Party and the Liberal Party." "Even though almost all Texans will benefit from these proposals, Senator Barrios? Especially since thousands of them fought bravely for the United States during the war," Senator Cord smiled lightly as she placed her empty coffee cup back on the table, "Our proposal is a considerable risk, but a risk that will pay off dividends if implemented successfully. We can not implement a ''half'' plan and hope for the best; we must carry through fully." "Perhaps in the far future, but certainly not now." "No, I believe a year or two will suffice. Until then, we are amicable to a more watered-down compromise. However, I believe our proposals will be implemented sooner than all of you may expect. We have someone in mind that we believe will help us push these matters into national prominence." A few minutes later, a single knock on the door quieted the chatter in the room. Senator Caldwell opened the door to find his personal aide looking fazed and frowned, "What is it, Benjamin?" "Sir, Bonapart has just resigned." "The Defense Secretary?" "No, sir. I mean, General of the Army Bonapart. He walked up to the protesters in front of Capitol Hil and publicly announced his resignation and support for the protesters. He also announced his run for the White House as a candidate for the Liberal Party and promised that he would personally pay his former soldiers'' pensions with his own wealth until the government acts. He has already announced his proposals and promises to various newspapers in Columbia. The news of his actions is spreading like wildfire." Senator Caldwell turned to Senator Cord with a dumbstruck expression. The first female Senator in American history only smiled as she poured herself another cup of coffee and looked out the window towards Capitol Hill. Chapter 197: The Watchmen Society in the Post-War Era New York City, New York, the United States of America August 11th, 1835 "And do we have a second?" Secretary of Defense Lucius Bonaparte asked as he looked at the large group assembled before him. "Aye, I can vouch for the lad. He''s young but has a good head on his shoulders," Nathan Hale, the owner of the Boston Daily, said as he raised his right hand. A group of over a hundred individuals sat around a large round table in the deceased First President''s home''s basement. After President Kim''s passing, the Society restructured itself to be a more ''loose'' organization until a more consistent and solid procedure was set. As a result, the Society, which consisted of over two hundred individuals, was divided by region. The regional Society groups would focus on their specific regions, and the entire Society would meet twice a year to establish overarching agendas and discuss the nation''s future. Though, the members stayed in contact with each other throughout the year and distributed resources accordingly to maintain unity. Thankfully, due to the creation of the ''Watchmen Society''s Charity Organization,'' the members could be seen in public with one another since the ''charity'' was already one of the biggest relief organizations in the United States. And was supported by many economic and political leaders of the country. "He''s 40, Hale. He''s not exactly a ''lad'' or young," Senator Caldwell commented with a snort. "Well, he''s younger than most of us. We need some young-blood anyway; Hamilton retired, and Adams passed two months ago. That man lived to a hundred... Quite an accomplishment considering that he died much earlier in the ''other'' history..." Secretary Bonaparte tapped his gavel lightly, "We will proceed with the vote before our meeting is derailed for the fifth time. Those in favor of allowing Mr. John Hopkins to be considered a candidate for the Society, please remain silent. Those who are against the motion, please speak up now." "I have a question, Mr. Secretary," General William Henry Harrison, who was well-known as ''Old Greenwood'' to his troops, mentioned as he stood up from his chair. "I had heard some unsavory rumors about Mr. Hopkins. Specifically, that he profited off the economic chaos during the war and even bribed a few British officers to get past the British blockade." "The rumors are baseless, General Harrison," Justin Kim, the eldest son of Samuel Kim, answered. The once young Special Operator was now an aging man with streaks of white hair and a weathered face. Unlike his father, he was aging normally and looked much more mortal. "I know you only joined recently, but we have many policies in regards to choosing candidates for the Society. The Society has kept a close eye on Mr. Hopkins for nearly two decades now; we do that with every individual that rose to prominence in the other history and this history. While there is some truth to him profiting off the war, it was mostly because he was daring enough to challenge the British blockade by himself and utilize an inexhaustible number of smugglers. He risked his entire fortune on those blockade runners, and that endeavor paid off handsomely. Additionally, he donated over $500,000 to the American government and Boston during the war and even helped the military direct logistics and industry in the New England area." "A philanthropist then, much like his ''other'' self." "Basically. And it''s no wonder he moved to Boston instead of Baltimore: that city is a major industrial and commercial hub." "Any other objections?" Secretary Bonaparte asked tiredly. A minute of silence passed before Bonaparte banged his gavel again. "We will proceed with Stage 1 of his initiation and establish contact with Mr. Hopkins. Another vote regarding his admittance into the Society itself will be held in the future." The Defense Secretary stopped for a moment after reading the next agenda on his list, tugging his shirt''s collar uncomfortably as he read the words a second time. He hesitantly put down his gavel and took a large swig of water from his cup. The other members stiffened and watched the temporary acting head of the Northeastern/Canadien branch of the Society without a word. "The next two topics are critical. The first topic is about the current... unavailability of President Peters. The second is about Nathaniel Napoleon Bonaparte." "As you all know, President Peters currently has a mild case of pneumonia. While he isn''t in mortal danger, it is a cause for concern due to the president''s overall poor health. The war took a heavy toll on his mental and physical health, and he was barely beginning to recover when this illness struck. Secretary of Research and Development David Jean has managed to administer the first, rudimentary form of penicillin to the president, something that was created with great haste due to our destructive war against Britain. However, we are still holding our breath on the results. Until he fully recovers, the Cabinet has agreed to a temporary rotation to head the Society meetings. If you have any objections, please put them forward." "Why not hand it off to President Kim''s own heir and successor?" General Harrison asked, "I would like to nominate Mr. Justin Kim to head the Society meetings until the president recovers. After all, he has plenty of experience and has more modern knowledge than most of us." Kim shook his head, "I don''t think having my family run the Society would be healthy. We need strong leadership, especially since the Society is more fractured than ever before, but I''m not suitable to take up my father''s mantle. Besides, President Peters already has plenty of experience leading both the government and the Society. I believe the Cabinet will do a fine job until President Peters recovers." A few mutters came from some Society members about ''the government controlling the Society,'' but they died down after a few moments. Bonaparte nodded his head and continued the meeting with a stroke of his gavel, "Onto the next issue then... Nathaniel Bonaparte." "Is this favoritism, Mr. Secretary?" Senator Caldwell asked, lowering his glasses and directing his eyes towards the head of the meeting. "You''re nominating your own brother to enter the Society? Because that wasn''t on the agenda that I received before this meeting." "I am not nominating him because he is my brother, Senator. I am nominating him because he fits the criteria for the Society and we have put off his membership for decades now." "I believe Secretary Bonaparte has a good point. After all, Nathaniel Bonaparte is the former General of the Army, a renowned former Congressman, and a very talented individual," Senator Cord fired back. As one of the few women in the Society, she was a presence that was hard to overlook. "I fully support the inclusion of Nathaniel Bonaparte," General Harrison interjected. Representative Robin Holmes, a slave in the ''other history'' but a respected Congressman in this one, voiced his opinion, "I agree. By credentials, there is no reason why we should not approach Mr. Nathaniel Bonaparte. He is every bit as talented as his other self." "That is precisely the problem," William Pickney, the Governor of Maryland, said, "Do remember that he was very... imperialistic in the other history. And he has shown signs of it here as well. Not to mention, our successors played a very big part in shaping his destiny in this world. He was the Emperor of France in the other history. I''m not sure what his reaction to the information would be like, especially since we''ve kept him in the dark for so long. The man is nearly seventy!" "Yet, he is running for President and, due to his popularity and clear policies, will most likely win. If he wins, he''ll learn about the secret regardless of what our opinions are. Isn''t it better to show a bit of trust and invite him into our circle before he''s elected?" Senator Cord suggested. "And Governor Pickney, I have met Nathaniel many times before, and he has always been an American patriot and a republican. So I doubt he would attempt to create a monarchy in America, if that is what you are suggesting." "The elections are still a year off, and he is running for the Liberal Party, which has never won a presidential election in its history..." "I believe this matter will take some time to debate. As such, I will move this topic to the latter portion of the meeting. Until then, formulate your arguments, and we can discuss the matter towards the end," Secretary Bonaparte announced hastily. "Now, onto the recent development of technology. ARPA has outdone itself once again and has developed the first ''refrigerator car'' to feed the southern states with fresher food. Not to mention, the invention of the typewriters has eased government bureaucracy and literature, along with the first rudimentary ''car,'' which is more of a barely self-moving wagon..." Chapter 198: Timstown Service Timstown, Jefferson, the United States of America October 4th, 1835 "And Joshua proclaimed, ''Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.'' While the road ahead looks dark and steep, let us remember that the Lord is watching over us and advance with strength and courage. This hardship is a test of our perseverance and commitment to God! We can not falter, not today, nor tomorrow. And in the end, we will be rewarded with the Lord''s blessings!" "Amen!" The crowd of three hundred people answered. Pastor Jeremiah Green stood before his congregation as they gathered for service on a chilly Sunday morning. They sat within a large warehouse converted to a temporary church as his old church had been burnt down during the war. Nearly all of the congregation, which was overwhelmingly black, were originally from Timstown and had managed to survive the war either by fleeing to the countryside or other states. The city was still under construction, and only a small portion had been rebuilt to its former glory. Nevertheless, many had returned to their former home and started a new life amidst the ruins. The people sat on wooden crates, hastily-crafted benches, and stones, but they listened attentively to the pastor. "We must support one another and ensure that none of our brothers and sisters remain hungry. Our ancestors had even less than we did, yet they always provided for the needy. Many of them went hungry, but they trusted the LORD and carried out his words. They worked for many years, and in the end, the Lord blessed them with prosperity." Pastor Green took a moment to read from the Bible and recited a passage, "For the Lord says in Deuteronomy 28, ''And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth." "And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. The Lord shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the Lord; and they shall be afraid of thee.'' "Now, to those that have wronged us, to those that have destroyed our homes and killed our people; our anger towards them is justified. The South was not perfect when invaded, but it was the closest thing to God''s kingdom on Earth! Good men and women lived together side by side, with freedom and equality. Harmony and prosperity reigned because God approved of his children! Yet those that sought to break us, to break God''s kingdom on Earth, tore us down because of their greed and jealousy. Do not blame our government, for they did everything they could to protect us and fight for our right to live. No, stir your anger towards those hypocrites in Britain and their monarch. While we preached equality and civility, they preached hate and tyranny." Pastor Green cleared his throat as the crowd stirred, "However, that is why we must remain vigilant! For a Day of Reckoning will come where we will be called into battle and face the devils in sheep clothing on the battlefield! It may be tomorrow, or it may be in years. But when that Day arrives, we will gladly face them with the Lord''s blessing. Until that day, we must work harder to rise from the ashes and prove that we are God''s Chosen People. Do not go around killing former British subjects, as those men in the West do. Instead, let us come together and rebuild what has been lost. We are not to be the ones bringing about revenge; the Lord will call, and we will answer!" "Amen!" "Now, let us pray and proceed to our first meal of the week." After a few minutes of prayer, the congregation cleaned up the warehouse''s interior and brought out two dozen worn-out tables to eat together. Many had brought food to contribute to the meal, while those that were empty-handed chatted amongst one another. There was no shame in failing to bring food, as many barely scraped by with the government''s assistance. The reason why the church assembled a large feast after service was to provide for those that were hungry and struggling, as Pastor Green sought to establish an example to his community. As the meal began with a short prayer and the congregation members started to place food onto their plates, a few of the veterans sang a famous song that had spread to every corner of the United States during the war... "They''ll look high and they''ll look low They''ll look everywhere we go But when the sinners find us we won''t hide They''ll come loud and they''ll come fast But we shoot first and we can last Keep your rifle by your side Singing, "Oh, Lord, this Earth was made for us" Singing, "Oh, Lord, this sinful life just ain''t enough" So we''ll take a stand ''Cause we must protect our land Keep your rifle by your side They''ll come day and they''ll come night They''ll have our children in their sights But if they don''t have Faith their eyes are blind They can scream and they can shout But they will never smoke us out Keep your rifle by your side Singing, "Oh, Lord, this Earth was made for us" Singing, "Oh, Lord, this sinful life just ain''t enough" When we hear the voice You know we have no other choice Keep your rifle by your side..." Unsurprisingly, even within the church''s main hall, two dozen rifles were stacked towards the back wall. US Map 1860 (Updated) https://imgur.com/gallery/ANDwymS Sorry for the lack of updates! I''m just very fatigued right now. But here''s an updated map made by dontfearme22 (on AH.com), bless his soul The Caribbean territories are now states, and a few territories/states have been renamed and adjusted. If the link isn''t working, then type in the Imgur base link, and then copy and paste this: /ANDwymS I''ll update soon! Chapter 199: The Kingdom of Hawaii Lahaina, Hawaii, the United States of America December 12th, 1835 "The m? will see you now, Mr. Ambassador," A Hawaiian man stated as he motioned for the American ambassador to follow. Gao Xianliang, the American ambassador to the Kingdom of Hawaii (which was now formally occupied by the United States), followed his escort and made his way through the artistically designed palace. Several Hawaiian soldiers glared at him as he passed, but he maintained his composure while making sure he wasn''t acting arrogant or condescending. The Hawaiians were on edge after the United States established their presence in the islets after the Treaty of Reykjavk, landing a thousand Marines in Hilo, Honolulu, and Lahaina. There were a few skirmishes, but the United States government was keen on avoiding bloodshed and agreed to a temporary compromise with the Kingdom of Hawaii; Hawaii would accept American lordship over the kingdom. In return, the United States would iron out a deal to benefit both parties. Until that deal was finalized, the Kingdom of Hawaii would remain ''independent'' from the affairs of Columbia. As a result, Gao was appointed as the ambassador to the Kingdom of Hawaii by President Peters, one of the first Californians and first Chinese-Americans to receive a diplomatic position in the State Department. The son of two Chinese immigrants, Gao was California''s Representative in Congress and was recognized for his foreign language abilities and diplomacy skill. After the president appointed him, he was given numerous lessons on the Hawaiian culture and language and local customs and etiquette. He was taught by a Hawaiian who had defected to the United States during the Anglo-American War, a man named Oke Koi. After several months of preparation and approval from the State Department, he left San Francisco for the Hawaiian Islands and arrived in early December to meet with King Kamehameha the Second, the current ruler of Hawaii, to negotiate an official treaty between the United States and Hawaii. His task was ''simple:'' Hawaii was to remain a part of the United States, but was allowed to maintain some of its original governmental structure and customs. The official terms were left up to him and the king, and the ambassador was allowed to use whatever the United States had at its disposal to smooth out the deal. This included medicine, food, and aid. "Try to relax a bit more, Mr. Gao," Koi whispered as he walked slightly behind the American ambassador. The Hawaiian accompanied the ambassador for support, as the Hawaiian king spoke English semi-fluently and desired to converse with the ambassador personally, "You look far too stiff." "I am trying to act humbly and minding my manners while I walk. After all, this is an important meeting between Hawaii and the United States. The last thing I want is to leave a bad first impression on the king." "Even still. It would help if you tried to act more naturally. I am aware that you are a good man, Mr. Ambassador. But to the king and his entourage, you may come off as deceptive." Gao gulped as he took a deep breath, "I will try." The Hawaiian king''s throne room was large and colorful. There were hints of Western influence, such as the velvet luxurious chairs and curtains, but the throne room was most definitely Hawaiian in looks and nature. The windows revealed a stunning view of the beaches, and the floor was lined with wooden tiles instead of carpets. Several guards stood at attention near the entrance, dressed in traditional malo (loincloth) and armed with muskets. King Kamehameha the Second sat on his throne alongside Kamamalu, his half-sister and spouse. The two Hawaiian royals looked at Gao expectingly, though their expressions were welcoming. The American ambassador bowed deeply towards the king and greeted him with a slightly strained smile, "Aloha e m?." "Greetings to you as well, Ambassador. I assume that you have brought a treaty for me to sign?" King Kamehameha said, with a hint of disdain in his voice. "With your approval, of course." "It isn''t as if I have much of choice, given the circumstances," The king waved his hands towards the window, and Gao caught a glimpse of a squad of American Marines patrolling the streets. "I assure you, m?, the United States will do its best to accommodate Hawaii and her people. However, before we begin our negotiations, I have a gift to present." "A gift?" King Kamehameha''s eyebrows shot upwards as his eyes glanced around the ambassador. Gao nodded, "In fact, I believe you can see it from here. The gift is in the harbor." A large ship with a paddle wheel and a chimney stack sat in the harbor of Lahaina, its size dwarfing most of the other ships within the small harbor. Once the king saw the ship with his own eyes, his mouth curved upwards, and he clasped his hands together, "A steamship? I have seen some British ones myself, but your government is willing to gift me such a magnificent ship?" "Of course. The ship is for your personal use, and there is a complement of American sailors that will operate the ship." Gao had been informed of King Kamehameha''s obsession with ships and gave this old steamer to the Hawaiian king as an official gift from the American government. "We were well-aware of your customs of bringing gifts from afar, and since we have heard rumors of your love for foreign ships, we decided to gift you with one of our finest ships." "Excellent," The Hawaiian monarch said with a pleased smile. He fidgeted in his chair and glanced at the ship again with a broad grin. One of his guards brought over a set of lei to the king, and the king nodded his assent. The guard gently placed the lei, which was made up of bright pink flowers, around the ambassador''s neck and proceeded to do the same with Koi. While Gao felt a bit uncomfortable wearing the lei, he kept it on as he knew taking it off in front of the king was a grave insult. "So what do desire from my kingdom, Ambassador?" "For Hawaii to become an integral part of the United States. I''m afraid that my government is against the idea of Hawaii''s independence due to... recent events." King Kamehameha grimaced, "I did not have much say in that matter myself. And the warriors that fought on Britain''s side did so on their own." "My government has noted your objection, but we have fears that the Kingdom of Hawaii may be influenced or even invaded by hostile foreign powers in the future. As such, we seek to ensure that the Kingdom of Hawaii joins the United States on its own, if possible." "I can not resist your nation with my military, as my kingdom''s strength has been decimated due to disease and war. However, what does the United States have to offer? After all, if I do give my affirmation of joining the Kingdom of Hawaii and the United States together, then I will be forced to abdicate due to the republican government of your nation." Gao cleared his throat and adjusted his simple, black suit jacket, "That is why we offer aid and compromise. Even if this treaty is not finalized by the end of this month, two hospital ships are heading to Hawaii as we speak to vaccinate your people against smallpox and treat any other diseases ravaging the Hawaiian people. Our goal is to ensure that the Hawaiian people can live freely, without fearing oppression or death from diseases. The American government is aware that diseases have decimated half of the population already." "That would be... greatly appreciated. And very much necessary." "Additionally, we will offer substantial development to the Hawaiian Islands. The American government will expand farms and ports and improve infrastructure across the islands. We will ensure that Hawaii remains protected from exploitation, both from foreign and American companies. All Hawaiians will be considered American citizens after a formal citizenship process, and we will establish schools to help teach the Hawaiian language and English." "Hawaii''s autonomy and customs will be respected. As you have mentioned earlier, we politely ask you to step down from your position as the king. However, we offer a different position for you: Ali''i-kia''aina. The position will be voted upon by the people, but I''m sure that the Hawaiian people will see the appeal of electing you into office, and your descendants as well." "Chief-Governor," King Kamehameha tapped the armrest of his throne, "A step down from being a king, but I will consider it." "Then we can discuss other terms. We are also looking to build a naval base in a lagoon on the island of Oahu. I believe it is called Wai Momi in Hawaiian..." Chapter 200: A Revolution in Hanover and the Third Coalition War +++++ "The Turbulent Thirties," The 19th Century: 100 Years of Revolution, Innovation, and Expansion Written by Professor Abel Fisher of Cambridge University, 2021 "... Studying the events surrounding the Hanoverian Revolution often leads to the conclusion that the revolution was all but inevitable. However, this is a common error made due to historical foresight, which was not a tool at the disposal of European leaders in 1835. The Hanoverian Revolution is often compared to the Liege Revolution, which led to Liege''s Prince-Bishop''s downfall and annexation into the French Republic. This is due to the two entities'' proximity and the ensuing French intervention that led to Coalition Wars for both revolutions. Even so, the forty or so years between the Liege Revolution and the Hanoverian Revolution led to a significant difference in both response and results. While the two revolutions shared similar circumstances, the Hanoverian Revolution was notably more complex and consequential than the Liege Revolution... During the Anglo-American War, King George IV recruited numerous mercenaries from Hanover and surrounding German states to fight for the British crown on the American mainland. Approximately ten thousand Germans were recruited, a sizeable mercenary force that Britain had not utilized since the American Revolution sixty years prior. Compared to the British regulars, the German mercenaries were of questionable quality, but their service was exemplary and ''clean'' compared to the mercenaries recruited by the French and Spanish Empires. Around three thousand German mercenaries employed by the British Empire were casualties during the Anglo-American War. The majority of these casualties were due to the intense anti-partisan campaigns carried out by the Alliance forces following the occupation of the American South, as German mercenaries rarely served on the front lines (unlike the Indian sepoys, which will be discussed in later chapters). Unsurprisingly, when the Alliance withdrew from the American continent following the American counteroffensive in the latter half of 1834, many German mercenaries managed to flee before the devastating American ironclad blockade closed in. Even still, three thousand five hundred Germans were still captured due to the rapid American advance. Many of them were released within weeks, but many more remained as prisoners of the United States for months. The American government was unwavering in its determination to trial all potential ''war criminals,'' which led to an extended imprisonment period for the remaining German mercenaries. When they finally managed to return home to Europe, they were greeted with unwelcoming news... The British government and its finances were deeply in the red following the end of the Anglo-American War. While the new Whig ministry (led by Prime Minister Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, the 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne) sought to pay all the soldiers that fought for Britain during the war, the tightening finances led to a controversial decision that was one of the key factors that led to the Indian Rebellion of 1835 and the Hanoverian Revolution. With the support of Parliament, Prime Minister Lansdowne decreed a full ''review'' of the payment due to the soldiers and mercenaries and fulfill the payments on a case by case basis. While all British soldiers were paid their wages in full, the payments to mercenaries and sepoys were delayed, if not outright ignored, for the government to cut costs. The British government did attempt its best to compensate as many non-British regulars as possible. In the end, Britain''s struggling finances made this feat impossible (though some descendants of the unpaid soldiers were compensated in the late 19th century). Many returning German mercenaries, disillusioned by the bloody war on the North American continent and riddled with tropical diseases, responded to the British government''s announcement with angry protests and riots. However, by this time, the British government was already in the process of withdrawing from Hanover, which had been in a union with Britain for over a century. Due to the Salic laws in place for the Electorate of Hanover, Queen Charlotte I was unable to inherit Hanover, which led to the Electorate being re-organized into an independent kingdom. Thus, Ernest Augustus, King George IV''s younger brother and Queen Charlotte''s uncle, became the new king of Hanover. Ernest Augustus proved to be controversial within days of stepping foot in Hanover. Anti-British sentiments were swirling due to the British government''s controversial decision and King George IV''s disgraceful actions. Moreover, the new Hanoverian king dissolved the Hanoverian Parliament upon his arrival and dismissed a draft of a new Constitution the Hanoverian Parliament had been working on. Augustus feared that the local parliament and people would overthrow him, similar to King George IV''s forced abdication in Britain. This fear was especially evident in his journal entry dated April 2nd of 1835, "[The locals] do not care about me, or my willingness to reign. Instead, they cry for my brother [the Viceroy of Hanover] Adolphus to rule and claim I am illegitimate as my father. Many have already been protesting for months; I can not give them any chance to oppose my rule." Instead of seeking a diplomatic solution, he sought to crush any resistance by force and royal decree to consolidate his power quickly. By this time, the French Republic''s and the Kingdom of Rhineland''s influence and ideas had slowly penetrated nearby German states, including Hanover. Contrary to popular beliefs, the Hanoverian Revolution was not a republican revolution. The people of Hanover were keen on maintaining a monarchy, but a liberalized, constitutional monarchy that was not too dissimilar from the monarchy of the Rhineland. This sentiment was only reinforced after King George IV''s scandal, which led to the British monarch becoming a symbolic figurehead instead of a government executive. King Augustus'' actions only inflamed the situation, which turned into a full-scale revolution a mere week after his arrival. On April 7th, a group of former mercenaries raided a nearby armory and armed themselves in response to the king''s absolutism. The rebels, who called themselves ''Vizek?nner'' (a reference to Vizek?nig, the German word for viceroy), waved the Viceroy''s Coat of Arms and rallied supporters to topple King Augustus from his throne. Within two hours, they managed to locate and encircle the Viceroy, who was unaware of the uprising that was happening in his name. Prince Adolphus had publicly refused the crown to support Augustus'' reign and refused again when the rebels begged him to become king. However, the rebels gathered thousands of locals who sought the Viceroy to rule and petitioned for his acceptance. Finally, after hours of relentless requests and petitions, Prince Adophlus caved and agreed to rule Hanover in front of a cheering crowd. He explicitly ordered that no harm was to befall upon ''King'' Augustus and for his role as king to be purely ceremonial, which the rebels gladly accepted. By this time, King Augustus had already caught wind of the revolt and attempted to crush the rebellion. However, his guards, who were Hanoverian locals, deserted en masse and opened the gates to the king''s residence for the rebels. Realizing that his situation was futile and fearing for his life, Augustus fled the city with his family and servants. Instead of escaping to London, he traveled to Vienna due to Hanover''s position within the Holy Roman Empire. There, he confided with Holy Roman Emperor Francis II and falsely reported that ''French radicals'' were behind the rebellion in Hanover, which prompted an immediate reaction from Emperor Francis. Since the turn of the century, the French Republic was the mortal enemy of Austria and Prussia. France''s transformation into a liberal, democratic republic in the face of kingdoms and empires presented a threat to every emperor, king, and prince in Europe. The defeats suffered by the biggest European powers during the previous two Coalition Wars, exemplified by the independent and ''neutral'' Rhineland Kingdom, were fresh in the minds of many. Added with the French Republic''s territorial expansions following its short involvement in the Anglo-American War, it was unsurprising why Emperor Francis readily believed Augustus'' claims. While Augustus only sought to restore himself to the Hanoverian throne with Austrian support, he unintentionally sparked a fire within the Holy Roman Emperor, who was keen on defeating the ''upstart, immoral, and radical republic.'' The Emperor immediately called upon his brother-in-law, King Frederick William III of Prussia (who had married Emperor Francis'' sister, Archduchess Maria Amalia, after the passing of his first wife in 1810), to ''defend the Holy Roman Empire and shield the people of Europe from French aggression.'' The shy and timid Prussian king agreed and mobilized his soldiers alongside Austria''s army to finally enact revenge on the ever-victorious French Republic... As fate would have it, the Hanoverian rebels expected Vienna to respond with force and turned to the French for assistance, emulating the Liege revolutionaries decades before them. The French government, riding high off its swift victory and gains during the Anglo-American War, responded eagerly and positively. President Ange Rene Armand, who oversaw electoral and election reforms to centralize the presidency''s power, rallied the National Assembly behind him and ordered the French Army to support the new King of Hanover. While the Hanoverian rebels were not republicans, they pledged to form a government that would align with the French Republic and turn Hanover into ''another Rhineland Kingdom,'' which President Armand saw as a golden opportunity to further expand France''s influence in Western Europe (and, in turn, weakening Austria and Prussia while creating another buffer state between France and the Holy Roman Empire). The French Republic strongly believed that it would easily win another Coalition War, especially since its military was already mobilized and the government had overwhelming support from its people. However, it did not expect to face a reformed and improved joint Austrian-Prussian Army, which had learned many harsh lessons from the previous wars and overhauled doctrines and weapons to bring the French Republic to its knees... Chapter 201: The Indian Rebellion (Part 1) AN: I apologize for taking a while to update; researching a believable background for the Indian Rebellion and related factions (external and internal) took longer than I expected. But here is the first part of the long-awaited Indian Rebellion. The second part will cover the rebellion itself, which includes several battles, the Mughal Emperor''s attempt to seize power and land, Britain''s policy to loot the rebelling Princely States, the British government''s takeover of the East India Company, the Nepal-Sikh Alliance seizing territory in the chaos, and the aftermath. +++++ "The Turbulent Thirties," The 19th Century: 100 Years of Revolution, Innovation, and Expansion Written by Professor Abel Fisher of Cambridge University, 2021 "... Like many events in history, the Indian Rebellion of 1835 erupted due to an accident that lit the dry tinder that merely needed a spark. Prime Minister Lansdowne''s decision to withhold pay from the fifteen thousand Indian sepoys that fought and survived in the Anglo-American War, along with widespread famine in the Ceded and Conquered Provinces (which consisted of the East India Company''s holdings between the Garwhal province and Rajputana, and also contained the city of Delhi) were the biggest contributing factors led to the violent rebellion. Additionally, the poor decision-making carried out by the East India Company (such as mixing higher castes sepoys from the Bengal Army with recruits from lower castes in North America and the East India Company''s declaration of supremacy over the decaying Mughal Empire), the Daoguang Emperor''s Anti-British Edict, and the sudden spike in taxes in India following the British defeat in the Anglo-American War have all been recognized as other factors that sparked the rebellion. By the time the rebellion finally died down in late July of 1836, over 700,000 Indians and 20,000 British soldiers and civilians were dead, and entire regions were devastated... The Daoguang Emperor expelled British traders and merchants from Canton in 1834 and harshly cracked down on the flow of opium following his edict to remove the British from China. The reasoning behind the Daoguang Emperor''s choices has been a subject of debate for decades, ranging from seizing the opportunity to kick out the British while they were at war to taking the British Empire''s declaration of war against a ''tributary nation'' as a grave insult to the Qing Empire. As of recently, many historians believe it was a mix of the two, especially considering that he was influenced by the United States during his short four-month visit to the republic in 1798. The then-prince was exposed to Western ideologies and culture during his stay, which sparked a greater interest in international affairs that later carried over to his reign as the Emperor of China. During the Daoguang Emperor''s reign, Britain''s export of opium to China increased annually, going from around 8,000 chests of opium exported in 1820 to 20,000 chests by 1830. As the opium epidemic in southern China only worsened throughout the early 19th century, despite the aid offered by American doctors, the Daoguang Emperor placed the crisis as one of his highest priorities. Several attempts were made to rehabilitate opium users and slow the spread of the drug. Still, the number of opium users grew exponentially (from 50,000 users in 1800 to over 500,000 users by 1830) and overwhelmed local Qing officials. When the Emperor received news that Great Britain and the United States were engaged in a war, he sent a letter of support to President Peters (though this letter only arrived two years after hostilities began). In his letter, the Emperor reassured the United States that he would ''support the nation with China''s strength'' and that the British would ''pay for their insolence.'' While the Anglo-American War was at its peak, he worked closely with his court to seize upon the distraction to expel the British, especially after the East India Company moved troops away from India and sent a part of its East Indies fleet assist the blockade of the United States. On July 9th of 1834, exactly six months after Chinese New Years, the Daoguang Emperor decreed that the British were permanently banned from Chinese soil and for the British factory in Canton to be ceded to the United States ''with due haste.'' A mere week after this decree, the Qing Imperial Navy, which boasted twenty modernized western ships, sunk four British ships (consisting of a single frigate and three British merchant ships) for refusing to depart from the waters around Canton. During this brief engagement, three Qing ships were damaged, but all of them survived the encounter. As the British were preoccupied with their massive invasion of the United States, they could not confront the Chinese about the sudden exclusion from their markets. Unsurprisingly, this led to the hasty retreat of most British nationals from Chinese soil and Britain''s reliance on the Lanfang Republic for Chinese goods. And even after the end of the Anglo-American War, the destruction of many key ports within Britain and the disorder created by the Jones Raid on Britain would prevent the British government from responding properly to the Daoguang Emperor''s edict. While the Canton Affair would not devolve into a war between the two sides, it would lead to the British government'' irritation towards the Qing government, which would eventually contribute to the First Opium War in 1840, with Britain seeking to reinstate its China Trade by force and occupy a Chinese port to entrench themselves in the nation permanently... The Emperor''s Anti-British Edict of 1834 had a profound impact on India. Due to the East India Company''s stringent land policies and high tax rates, Indian farmers rapidly moved away from food crops to cash crops in the early 19th century. Cotton and opium were some of the biggest cash crops exported by the Indian states due to the two crops'' profitable nature within the British Empire. The sudden Anti-British Edict and the ensuing crackdown on opium in China led to a sudden drop in demand for opium poppies. Indian farmers heavily relied on cash crops to pay the EIC''s taxes and provide their families with necessities, and when the price of poppies spiraled downwards, so did the quality of life for millions of Indians. Many farmers could not pay their significant dues to the East India Company or even provide food and goods for their families. And as the farmers'' money disappeared, local merchants and shopkeepers that relied on locals to survive also suffered. To make matters worse, a drought hit the region in 1834 and caused the kharif (autumn harvest) to fail... Despite all its territorial holdings, the EIC faced near bankruptcy after partaking in two costly wars in rapid succession (the Anglo-Burmese War of 1828-1829 and the Anglo-American War). With its monopoly on the China Trade destroyed and its prestige at an all-time low, the company decided on a set of controversial decisions that only added more tinder to the embers of rebellion. The first was an increase in the already-oppressive tax rates and direct land seizures for those that failed to pay the new taxes to sell off land to wealthy Indian nobles and landowners. The EIC justified their tax increase, claiming that they needed funds after the financially crippling Anglo-American War and the seizure of EIC weapons and supplies by the United States. In addition to this, after a dispute with Mughal Emperor Akbar II, the EIC declared supremacy from the Mughal Emperor and confined his realm to the city of Delhi, thus bringing an end to the long-standing Mughal dynasty. The declaration of supremacy was intended to publicly consolidate the company''s grip of India and quash any rumors of the EIC''s weakness after the Anglo-American War. However, this would only lead to the Mughal Emperor being a symbol of resistance and anti-British sentiments later on as the rebellion swept India... This economic crash and drought, combined with the EIC''s policies, directly caused the Kanpur Famine, the famine that gripped the Ceded and Conquered Provinces and caused an additional 300,000 deaths on top of the 700,000 killed due to the rebellion. In fact, the situation was so dire, and British aid was so scarce that many historians believe that numerous deaths reportedly caused by the Indian Rebellion of 1834 were deaths caused by the Kanpur Famine... It is a well-documented fact that the Alliance invasion of the United States was a military disaster. Not only did the invasion fail, but it caused nearly all the Alliance members to suffer from social upheaval, revolution, or economic chaos (except for Portugal-Brazil, which managed to escape an economic crisis just barely). However, another factor that sparked the Indian Rebellion was the usage of Indian sepoys during the invasion. The East India Company sent over thirty thousand Indian soldiers to fight the United States during the war, with nearly all of them from the Bengal Army (the most experienced and biggest army employed by the East India Company). However, there were several regiments from the Madras Army and the Bombay Army mixed into the expedition as well. Due to the logistical complications and Commander in Chief Gough''s refusal to accommodate separate quarters for high-caste sepoys (usually from the Bengal Army) and lower-caste sepoys (from the other two Armies), the usual separation between the castes was not possible for the arriving Indian Army. As a result, the Commander In Chief of the Indian Armies, Edward Paget, forced the sepoys to share the same quarters and dining halls regardless of their caste. While Commander Paget was well-aware that this would cause a ruckus among the sepoys from the Bengal Army (especially since the Bengal Army received extensive benefits and accommodations compared to the Madras and Bombay Armies), he had little choice in the matter and sought to prevent any long-lasting damage to the best of his abilities. Unfortunately, the high-caste Brahmins and Rajputs of the Bengal Army were not only offended but furious that they were forced to share accommodations with the lower-caste, which they believed was polluting ''the very air that they breathed.'' Violence in the quarters between the Bengal Army regiments and the Madras and Bombay regiments was not uncommon; there were nineteen recorded, separate incidents of lower-caste soldiers being injured or even killed by their ''caste superiors.'' As the war dragged on and the Alliance was pushed back towards the sea, three dissatisfied Bengal regiments even shot their own commanding officers and surrendered. Ironically, the United States somewhat accommodated the different castes and provided separate quarters for prisoners from the Bengal regiments due to reports of violence. The veterans of the Bengal Army that survived the war returned embittered about the Anglo-American War due to Britain''s treatment of its Indian sepoys (as expendables and decoys for the British soldiers to escape) and the violation of the contract established between the East India Company and its Bengal Army... On November 9th of 1835, sepoys of the 5th Regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry refused to partake in a firing drill and parade after being ordered to do so by Captain Ker Baillie-Hamilton, the commanding officer of the regiment. The 5th Regiment was stationed within Meerut, along with the 2nd Bengal Light Cavalry Regiment and two British regiments. The 5th Regiment was one of the Bengal regiments deployed to the United States, and the unit suffered a casualty rate of over 50%. It was one of the few Indian regiments to escape the North American continent before the mass-surrender of Alliance soldiers during the end of the war. While the regiment did receive its general pay from the East India Company, its request for foreign service remuneration, something that the Bengal Army always received after partaking in a foreign war, was refused multiple times. This decision was heavily influenced by Prime Minister Lansdowne''s decree and the East India Company''s struggling finances. The surviving veterans of the 5th Regiment were deeply offended by this slight, and their mistrust towards their British administrators only grew after the Kanpur Famine rocked the region (Meerut was also in the ceded and Conquered Provinces). Thus, they protested their situation by refusing to accept the orders of their British commander. Out of the one thousand or so men of the 5th Regiment, over six hundred of them took part in the protest. Captain Baillie-Hamilton, a man who was only recently appointed as the new commanding officer of the 5th Regiment and was stationed within Britain during the Anglo-American War, hastily ordered the nearby 2nd Bengal European Fusiliers (also known as the 104th British Foot Regiment) to force the sepoys to heed his orders. Unsympathetic and cold towards the complaints of the Indian soldiers, the captain began an hour-long standoff between the native and European soldiers in front of the Mureet cantonment. Both sides were armed, and the situation grew increasingly tense as the British captain refused to negotiate with his subordinates. He ordered the 2nd Bengal European Fusiliers to have their weapons at the ready and shouted for the rebellious sepoys of the 5th Regiment to stand down, which they pointedly refused... The first shot was fired by a British soldier, though his identity and motive remain unknown. Perhaps he feared for his life as the Indian sepoys also pointed their rifles at the British soldiers. Or perhaps the hot weather that day caused the soldier to experience a heatstroke. Regardless, the shot was met with a volley from the rebelling sepoys, which injured or killed over two hundred British soldiers and sparked an intense firefight that lasted ten minutes. The short, chaotic skirmish resulted in over a hundred sepoys casualties and three hundred British casualties, forcing the 2nd Bengal European Fusiliers to retreat and flee the cantonment (Captain Baillie-Hamilton was killed in the first volley). After the skirmish, the victorious sepoys killed a few ''traitorous'' sepoys that helped the British soldiers retreat and murdered a hundred soldiers of the 1st Company Bengal Artillery (the other British regiment stationed in Meerut). The survivors of the ''Meerut Massacre,'' the first ''battle'' of the Indian Rebellion, fled the vicinity to Delhi. Perhaps it was fate that the sepoy who was wounded by the mysterious first shot was Lieutenant Mukta Sen, as his name meant ''liberated, set free'' (Lieutenant Sen became a critical leader of the Indian Rebellion and one of the few Indian rebel officers to beat the British on the battlefield). Within mere weeks, the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent were ablaze as thousands of Indians rebelled against the East India Company to break Britain''s grip over the region. While the aftermath of the rebellion was anything but pleasant for the Indians, it was the first sign of Indian nationalism and a prediction of greater things to come... Life Update from the Author So uh... Yeah, not going to lie, my insomnia got worse. I went to bed at 12 AM and I woke up 1:30 AM, and I couldn''t sleep until 7 AM after that. I''m trying to sit down and write, but every time I do, I lose focus after a few words and get a massive headache. Not sure what the problem is; the doctor told me I was fairly healthy. Life sucks, but I''ll try to get that update out after I recover. Sorry for being MIA again. Chapter 202: A Private Conversation in New York AN: Surprise! I''m back from the dead. I feel a lot better now... And you know what that means! +++++ New York City, New York, the United States of America January 24th, 1836 "Britain?" "The cholera outbreak is in Britain now, and with much of Britain''s infrastructure damaged and in disarray, it will be widespread in a short amount of time. It''s already spreading rapidly across the entirety of Europe, and there have been rumors that it has reached into the Ottoman Empire and Russia as well. God forbid if that disease reaches India right now, the last thing the Indians need is disease mixed with famine and war. The French are accepting our studies and doing their best to contain the disease, but with the country at war, their soldiers are at risk," Justin Kim gazed out his study''s window as he watched the gloomy clouds shed raindrops over the darkened city. "Hundreds of thousands will most likely die due to the disease, as many nations still ignore our scientific findings." Governor Edward J. Mason scratched his balding head and sighed, "It seems as though every year, things only get worse. What''s next for Europe, a famine like the one in India?" The elderly Kim''s eyes dimmed, which made his counterpart man cough dryly into his right fist, "I mentioned a famine as an example. Don''t tell me that there is a famine at hand in Europe?" "There have been reports of potato crop failures in France and Spain," Justin answered vacantly. "Oh, for Heaven''s sake!" Governor Mason nervously glanced up at the ceiling before returning his gaze towards Justin, "Is it... that?" "Yes. Phytophthora infestans: the potato blight. It seems like it originated from southwestern Mexico, just like the Mississippi." "How did Mexican potatoes end up in France?" "Your guess is as good as mine, governor. Unfortunately, we can''t change the past unless that happens again, which I reckon won''t happen." "Then should we prepare for the worst for Ireland?" Justin slowly nodded, "We should assume the worst, especially since the British already dislike the Irish. The Indian Rebellion is also draining their finances, and much like the Mississippi, the Irish will be exploited and left to starve." "Ah, so that clause under the Treaty of Reykjavk was for this exact situation, I see," Governor Mason''s sunken eyes gazed off into the distance as his fingers drummed the armest of his comfortable, leather chair, "Though, I''m not sure if taking in Irish refugees is the best idea at this time, Justin. New York is struggling to stay afloat, with all the costs for repairs and social services draining our reduced income. And we weren''t even one of the worst states affected by the war. The nation as a whole is in rough shape, and the federal government is barely able to hold the nation together. There are terrorists out in the west, religious agitators in the south, and rioting citizens in the north. I''m sure you heard already, but I had to call in the National Guard into Xin a few days ago to stop the lyn-crochinig of the few Asian Indians that decided to remain in the United States! Thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Irish refugees spilling into our nation and threatening Americans of jobs and land will result in..." "That''s enough, Governor," The Korean-American raised his voice and firmly gripped his chair to stand up. The governor pounded his fist on the armest, "I''m not saying this because I want to keep the Irish out; you know me better than that! I''m saying that maybe we should close ourselves off for a decade or so until we can fix our own house! The president gave the South African protectorate government $500,000 with no strings attached! $500,000! That is enough money to rebuild an entire city! And yet, he offered it to them while our own citizens are ailing and crying for help!" "South Africa is an American protectorate..." "Which we can deal with after our nation is fixed!" "We will recover; that is inevitable. Unlike us, there is a chance that South Africa will never recover fully from the damages brought by the war without our support! Do we really want South Africa to turn into that... abomination that existed in the Mississippi? Radicalized by our indifference to their plight?" Justin''s cheeks reddened as he narrowed his eyes towards his fellow Society member. "It won''t because history has already changed! The world is already in distress, and it will remain in distress whether we are involved or not. We can properly work to fix the damages after our nation recovers!" "Then do we give up our protectorates? Let the British take them and add them to their colonial collection?" "Maybe we should because I lost my son in the war due to our constant foreign meddling!" Governor Mason exploded, rising from his seat and balling his fists. "So did I," Justin snapped, his words shaking the younger politician out of his rage. The former Special Operator glanced at a picture frame standing on his desk. The picture contained a grainy photo of a happy family with a middle-aged Korean man and Chinese woman, along with their daughter and two sons. They were standing in front of their family home in Manhattan with bright smiles on their faces. The Korean-American''s voice softened to a whisper as he spoke, "So did I. And I lost my father as well." "I..." Governor Mason sank into his chair as an awkward silence overtook the room. Two battery-powered lamps ominously lit the room while the two men stared at each other. After a few long minutes, a crack of thunder finally broke the silence. "I apologize for my remarks; they were uncalled for." "I''m just as frustrated as you are, Ed," Justin muttered quietly as he tore his eyes away from the photo and stared out the window, "I want to see our nation back on its feet and our people living in happiness under our republic. But remember our Society''s mission; we must "strive to not only improve the ideals, knowledge, and people of this nation, but every nation on this Earth." We must place ourselves first, but we can not forsake the rest of the world." Justin slowly descended upon his chair and leaned backward with a sigh, "Its the action, not the fruit of the action, thats important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that therell be any fruit. But that doesnt mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result." "Was that by that famous civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.?" "No, Gandhi. In the Mississippi, he led a peaceful revolution against the British colonial government in India. Though, with all the changes made so far, I''m afraid he will not exist in the Ohio River." "Ah," Governor Mason relaxed as he rested his hand on his thin chin, "Speaking of leaders, that reminds me of the original topic for our meeting: President Peters. Is he doing well? I have been buried by work and haven''t kept contact with the other members of the Society." "He''s still distressed from the war, but he is doing his best. For every problem that he manages to stop, three more appear. His will is indomitable, but he is still mortal." "From what I can judge, he will be remembered by future generations like that British prime minister: an immovable rock during wartime, but a fairly lackluster leader in peacetime." "Only time will tell," Justin stated with an uneasy smile. "Hopefully, our next president will steer the nation away from our current crisis." "Well, I''m sure Nathaniel will do fine." "Oh, he will. I support his policies completely. And I''m almost certain that he will win due to his heroism during the war and his popularity. Let''s hope that he remains healthy and able during his time in office. After all, he is getting a bit old..." Chapter 203: A Cold War Halle, Elbe River, French-occupied Prussia February 11th, 1837 Benoit Dumont, Sergent of the Arme de la Rpublique, puffed into his hands as his breath created a misty cloud that drifted into the air. He rubbed his hands warmed by a pair of wool gloves and picked up his Delvigne Fusil modle 1826 gently. The sergent traced his hands over the old rifle''s cool, wooden stock, his eyes scanning the rifle for any imperfections. After a few minutes, he nodded his head and shouldered his firearm as thousands of French soldiers wandered about carrying out their daily tasks. "Sergent!" Dumont turned to see his friend and comrade, Caporal Felix Renou, run towards him with a smile on his face. Felix was wearing a dark blue coat with grey trousers like the other soldiers of the French Republican Army. A large, square cap stood on his head and two, red stripes marked his rank on his coat''s sleeve. The sergent smiled involuntarily at his friend''s bright attitude and carefully placed his rifle on the ground before greeting Felix, "How are you doing caporal?" Felix took a deep breath of air before answering, "I''m doing fine. It''s a bit chilly, but nothing too unmanageable." "Good, because this weather should not slow down our advance. We are the finest that France has to offer, unlike those mobs in the Garde Nationale." Dumont answered with a tight smile, "Is the squad ready for the patrol?" "Yes, sergent; that''s why I''m here." "Let''s get going then. If the men don''t have anything to do, they''ll wander off and cause a ruckus." The two soldiers assembled the dozen or so men in their squad and marched through the streets of Halle. Despite being hundreds of kilometers into enemy territory, their uniforms were clean and spotless. All of them carried the standard-issued Delvigne Gun, except Caporal Renou. As the team''s designated sharpshooter, the caporal carried the newest and finest rifle made by France: the Fusil modle 1836. While the squad moved loosely towards the outskirts of the small German town, a few civilians turned away from the marching French soldiers. A few women pointedly hid their baskets and belongings behind their backs, with one of them even moving her children behind her. Dumont noticed their actions from the corner of his eyes and turned to the others, "Pick up the pace; the faster we get this done, the faster we return for dinner." As the squad exited the town and moved towards a forested area near the Elbe River, the sergent''s stomach growled loudly, prompting a few snorts from the men. Dumont glared at his soldiers but maintained an impassive face as he led his soldiers forward. His thoughts involuntarily drifted to the thoughts of warm food cooked by his wife as he rubbed his stomach silently. "Why are we patrolling here again?" Soldat de 2nde classe Jean Perrot grumbled under his breath. "We have dozens of regiments on the riverfront, and this forest is on our side of the river." "To make sure that there aren''t any infiltrators lurking in the woods and to secure our position until spring," Caporal Renou replied instantly, raising an eyebrow to his subordinate. "Thats highly doubtful. They''re too afraid to fight us on the battlefield, not after Bamberg. They wouldnt dare to attack us when we have them fully surrounded... "It''s also to make sure that we don''t slack off. We need to be on alert and ready for battle at any time." "They could just let us train with our guns instead of making us carry out useless patrols... Dumont sighed, "Soldat, shut your mouth while we patrol. Otherwise, I''m revoking your dinner privileges." That shut the grumbling soldier up quickly. Any disgruntled expressions that were evident on the other French soldiers'' faces disappeared in an instant, with some of them now looking horrified at the mere thought of losing a meal. As the squad moved through the woods slowly and meticulously, Dumont recalled Soldat Perrot''s words in his mind. The soldat was right; there wasn''t any point in all these patrols. If anything, these patrols were to give the men tasks to carry out. The Elbe River''s western parts were completely secured by the Armee de Rpublique, with no enemies in sight in any direction. The only reason they were entrenched along the Elbe was due to the freezing winter and the logistical complications from being far away from France. That was why the civilians were afraid of them; they had to get their supplies somewhere, especially since the French military had to supply and feed over 300,000 men away from their home territory. He had heard rumors from his superiors that the closest Prussian and Austrian Armies were in Dresden, which was another hundred kilometers from their current position. There were a few hostile regiments that methodically targetted and harassed the advancing French armies. Still, the main brunt of the Coalition forces, led by that damned Clausewitz, remained one step ahead of the Armee de Rpublique and avoided confrontations at all costs. Even worse, the occupation was taking a toll on the French soldiers, as they lacked food and supplies due to the immense number of soldiers and Guardsmen in the occupied territories. Dumont sincerely hoped it didn''t, though; they were already struggling to feed the massive French Army in Germany, adding more soldiers would only worsen the crisis. After carrying out their routine sweep of the forest, the squad trudged back to Halle. Caporal Renou walked beside his superior and whispered in a low voice, "What are we doing here anyway? Shouldn''t we be defending Hanover, not chasing around a cat''s tail in Germany?" "I''m not an officer, caporal. But I''m sure that we''ll catch up to the Prussians and the Austrians soon enough. We just need to wait until spring, and then we can destroy our enemies and go back home." "They''ve been running from us for half a year now!" "Then they should be tired from all the running soon," Sergent Dumont answered dismissively, "We defeated them twice before; we''ll beat them again. And the more territory we occupy, the more their governments will tire and eventually sue for peace." The caporal did not notice Dumont staring at the ground blankly and shifting his grip on his rifle. Instead, the younger man nodded with an uneasy smile, "I sure hope so." When they returned, they were handed half a loaf of bread each for dinner and given new orders: cross the river and raid the two small villages called Dieskau and D?lbau with their regiment and three other regiments. Unfortunately, the French soldiers quickly discovered during their raid that Chancellor Metternich was stripping his side of the Elbe River clean of any useful supplies... Chapter 204: Mahjong in San Francisco San Francisco, California Territory, the United States of America March 21st, 1836 "Hello, Ms. Jackson. Are you here for your father?" Sacagawea smiled apologetically to the Chinese businessman and bowed her head, "I am. I''m sorry that he''s been causing you trouble recently." Mr. Chen waved his hand, "Nonsense! He''s the life of the party around here. And recent arrivals feel reassured by his presence since he can speak semi-fluent Cantonese. If anything, I''m thankful that he''s always causing a ruckus." The Shoshone woman thanked the man again and entered the main parlor, which was brightly lit with gas lights and filled with dozens of people. As she closed the heavy wooden doors behind her, the smell of tobacco and marijuana assaulted her nose, causing her to grimace. Sacagawea scanned the two dozen Mahjong tables arranged neatly across the room and noticed a tall man wearing a green shirt and jeans. His messy white hair and rolled-up sleeves stood out as he glared at the thirteen tiles in front of him. After grabbing a tile from the pile and tossed one back into the center, his weathered face broke out into a frown as he organized his new piece into his hand. A young Asian woman to his right drew a tile a few seconds after, and her face broke out into a grin as she laid out her hand, "Mahjong." "Damn it!" The man shouted as he rose from his seat, "That''s your third win today! Are you trying to empty out my wallet, Chuntao?" "We always bet a dime each round. Losing a dollar or two per day won''t make you a beggar," Chuntao mused. Andrew Jackson grumbled as he sighed and rubbed his neck, "I shouldn''t have standardized this blasted game. I hardly ever win." Sacagawea rolled her eyes as she walked over to her father''s table. Before he could start another Mahjong game, the middle-aged woman grabbed her father''s arms, "Father, stop playing Mahjong and come with me." "What?" Jackson looked up confusedly. He locked eyes with his daughter and looked down with a sheepish smile, "I swear, Aippu, I was only going to play for an hour more!" "You said that last time, and you came back home at midnight." "Alright, just let me finish this round then." "Father," Sacagawea raised her voice as she pulled his arm harder, "There''s a guest at our house." "Who?" "Lucius Bonapart, your friend''s sibling? He arrived twenty minutes ago." "He was supposed to arrive tomorrow, before the Statehood Ceremony!" Jackson quickly grabbed his coat jacket and rose from his seat. He nodded his head towards the three other players and left a dime for them each. "That old geezer, coming early without warning and making me hurry like this." "You''re sixty-nine, father," Sacagawea noted dryly. "Don''t remind me." The two hurried back to the Jackson family home, which was a small, homely residence that oversaw the bay in the northern parts of San Francisco. When they entered, they were greeted by Lucius Bonapart, who wore a dark blue suit and a top hat. He smiled when his eyes arrived on Jackson, "Good to see you, Andrew." "You as well, Lucius. You''re here a day early." "Oh, I did mention that my arrival date was an estimate. After all, I can''t just take a train from New York to San Francisco. The ship I sailed in arrived a bit ahead of schedule." Jackson nodded, "I was just surprised, nothing more. It''s good to see you again after all these years. Aippu, can you get the two of us some refreshments and some space?" "Of course. I''ll prepare some coffee and then head to the Market District." The two sat in comfortable silence as Sacagawea prepared two cups of coffee and an extra pot for refills. After she left, the two of them took some time to sip their beverages. Lucius finished his cup and poured himself another as he spoke, "How is your son?" "Good," Jackson leaned back into his chair comfortably, "Vancouver is a bit quieter than New Edinburgh, but not by much. He''s doing everything he can to quell the tension in the area as the local garrison commander, but it doesn''t help when some of his own men have... anti-British sentiments." "They''re everywhere, Andrew: New York, Montreal, Sovtaj, New Orleans. If someone is suspected of being British, they''re croched. A few innocents have been caught up in the cross-fire, mainly Irishmen. President Peters is doing everything he can, but..." "Well, it''s not any better out here. If you say that you''re from Oregon or Vancouver, you''re denied entry into most San Francisco shops. Hawaiians and some Native American tribes get treated the same way to a lesser extent. The federal government has sparse control over here, so it''s hard for them to put an end to discrimination. I''ve been working on fixing the problem, but I can only do so much." Lucius frowned, "We''ll need to stamp that out before the eastern states get any funny ideas about copying them." "I''m assuming you''re going to inform your brother about the situation in California?" Jackson asked evenly. "Of course," The Bonapart replied. "He needs to know about the situation in the west to fix the problems. That''s not the only reason why I''m here, though." "I should''ve known this wasn''t a social visit," Jackson grumbled. "I do enjoy talking with you, Andrew. However, there are a lot of things that I need to settle here." "Even though you resigned from your Secretary of Defense post?" "Well, yes. I''m still a member of the Society, which is one of the reasons why I''m here," Lucius leaned forward with his hands folded together, "What do you think about letting Nathaniel into the Society?" The former president crossed his arms and looked at the ceiling, "I''m all for it. The man has devoted his life to the defense of the United States and has demonstrated his commitment to our nation''s ideals. It would be a disgrace to leave him out of our ''circle'' because of his ''other'' self. Benedict Arnold was a traitor in the Mississippi, but he was a hero in the Ohio River." "That''s reassuring. I asked the opinions of the surviving former presidents, and they all agreed as well." "Are you going back to New York after asking me a single question?" "Of course not," Lucius waved his hand as he sipped his coffee, "I''m thinking about living here, possibly in San Francisco or down south in San Diego. The weather is much nicer here, and I want to take a long break away from the eastern states. If I live in New York, I''ll be pestered by other Society members. I don''t mind their company, but I do mind the amount of work and stress I am constantly facing." "We would be more than happy to have you aboard. There are only a dozen Society members out here, so the more, the merrier," Jackson slapped his counterpart in the back, prompting the former Secretary to choke on his coffee. The cooled liquid dripped onto Lucius''s dark trousers, which was quickly wiped off with a handkerchief. "Then how will you let the others know that I approve?" "Oh, they''ll inform him about the Mississippi later this month. Our local group already passed the vote, and the majority of members throughout the other chapters approved as well. Even without the Western chapter, we reached a solid majority." Chapter 205: The True King” of Britain AN: All credit goes to @Domeric for this idea. The next update will either be about the "Realist Era" and the build-up to the Bonapart presidency, or a POV from the man himself . Sorry that the update took so long; I had a bit of a writer''s block that I finally smashed through recently. +++++ Washington, Alabama, the United States of America May 1st, 1836 "What did you say, Hosea?" "I said, my donkey... I mean His Majesty is the rightful monarch of Britain, Emanuel." Hosea Baker stood in front of his donkey and gently placed a bent, dirty crown on top of the animal''s head. A sizable crowd gathered around the farmer and watched curiously as he led the pack animal onto a pedestal in the middle of the town. Washington had been rebuilt rather swiftly, as it wasn''t completely devastated like many cities and towns across the Deep South. The outskirts of Washington had been damaged during the famed siege, but the core buildings and population escaped the war unscathed. The only visible scar from the war was a small village of tents outside the city that housed many refugees unwilling to return to their former homes. "He is the rightful king of Great Britain!" Hosea declared as he waved his arms towards the crowned animal, "King Arthur the First, the true heir to the crown!" The crowd stirred at the amusing sight, with several people whispering to one another at the strange sight. Many of them pointed to the strange clothes that the farmer was wearing: a bright green shirt and pants that looked very much like a jester costume. Hosea danced around and banged a drum that sat next to the pedestal, making the scene even more amusing and confusing. The man would''ve been considered insane to any outsider, but the locals knew Hosea, and he was as sane as they came. Though, the war had changed everyone. Emanuel Kim frowned at the sight before snapping his fingers. He took off his shirt, allowing the world to see his dark, toned chest. Ignoring the yelp of a woman near him, he flapped out his shirt and placed it in front of the donkey. The African-American gunsmith looked at his veteran counterpart and flashed him a grin, "All hail King Arthur the First! Down with the false Queen of Britain!" He joined in on the dancing and hooting, which finally led to someone in the crowd realizing what was going on and laughing out loud, "The King of Britain is a jackass!" Once everyone realized what Hosea was doing, they guffawed and joined in on the absurd festival. A shopkeeper rushed back into his shop and came out with free drinks for the crowd, which grew bigger and rowdier around the donkey. Several men knelt in front of the "king" and swore fealty to him, while the others stood behind them and cheered. "Long live His Majesty!" "Down with the false queen! She couldn''t even protect London from those damn Yanks!" "A fitting king for the British Empire!" Hosea even prepared a special song for the occasion, a song that was easily recognizable. However, the lyrics were a bit different than what everyone expected... When Britain first, at hell''s command, Arose from out the crimson flames, This was the charter of the land, And all its tyrants sang this strain: Rule, Britannia! It falls into the waves! Britons always, always, always shall be slaves. Still to ruins shalt thou fall, More deeper, from each foreign stroke, As the loud blast that tears the skies Serves to uproot thy native oak. Rule, Britannia! It falls into the waves! Britons always, always, always shall be slaves. The Muses, still with tyranny found, Shall to thy broken coasts to repair. Blest isle! With matchless ruins crowned, And manly hearts to guard the hulk. Rule, Britannia! It falls into the waves! Britons always, always, always shall be slaves. Nearby, an enterprising businesswoman visiting her family down in Washington ran off with a bright idea in her head. Just a month later, the "Royal Crier" was published for the first time in Philadelphia, claiming that the "Jackasss, King Arthur the First, was the true heir to the British throne." It provided gossip of European nobles attempting to swoon King Arthur''s daughter for her hand in marriage, the Royal Intelligence Agency sending assassins to kill the rightful heir of Britain, and a duel to the death for the honor of being the King''s Royal Jester. The newspaper would be a hit across the United States, an entertaining reprieve for many ailing Americans. The tradition of crowning a donkey as the rightful heir to the British throne would be a tradition that would spread across the entire South and become a holiday for centuries to come... Chapter 206: The Tale of Bonaparte Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America May 15th, 1836 Nathaniel Bonapart was a man of many accomplishments. He was one of the highest-ranking American generals during the Anglo-American War, personally leading tens of thousands of American soldiers in combatting the invasion of North America. He was a former House Representative for his home district in New York, proposing various laws to improve the nation''s infrastructure and economy during the height of the inter-war era. And he was a graduate of West Point, where he was lauded as a military genius and wrote several theories and doctrines that were applied during the Anglo-American War. Now, he was the frontrunner for the upcoming presidential elections and was seen as the nation''s best hope to recover and rebuild. Despite his party''s rather small voting base, his popularity and promise of a better, stronger America had appealed to millions nationwide. He wasn''t certain that he would win, but he was confident in his chance of becoming the next president of the United States. However, no matter what he had achieved or seen in his lifetime, nothing quite prepared him for.... this meeting. The presidential candidate was in the famed Kim House, which sat in the middle of the Manhattan business district. It was a common meeting place for influential figures, and many visitors to the city passed by the house at least once to see the former home of the first president. In the sitting room, Nathaniel was seated uncomfortably in a leather chair with a book in his hand. There was a cup of coffee that sat on a saucer in front of him, but it was untouched despite it being served an hour ago. A heavy silence engulfed the room, and while the city outside was alive with the sounds of people going about their daily lives, all Nathaniel could hear was the soft ticking of the table clock behind him. He carefully looked at Justin Kim, the eldest son of the man he greatly respected throughout his life. The Korean-American''s face was unsolvable, his hands clasped firmly together and his eyes trained intently towards the book that Nathaniel was holding. He waited silently like a statute, his complicated thoughts carefully hidden from the only other occupant of the room. Nathaniel looked down to see the cover of the book. The dark blue cover was blank, but he knew that it had information that he would''ve never imagined seeing. Information of a very different world and a very different life. His aged fingers hesitantly opened the tome and skimmed through the table of content. The book wasn''t just about him, but of France during the 19th century... in the ''Mississippi,'' as Justin mentioned earlier. His eyes bore in on a chapter labeled ''Napoleon'' and flipped through the pages to read the entry''s first page. "Napoleon Bonaparte, born on August 15th of 1769, was a French military and political leader. He rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars. As Napoleon the First, he was the Emperor of France from 1804 until 1814, and again in 1815. Napoleon dominated European and global affairs for more than a decade while leading France against a series of coalitions in the Napoleonic Wars. He won most of these wars and the vast majority of his battles, building a large empire that ruled over continental Europe before its final collapse in 1815. One of the greatest commanders in history, his wars and campaigns are studied at military schools worldwide. He remains one of the most celebrated and controversial political figures in human history."* He read through the chapter carefully, starting from the point his life had changed in this world. In the Mississippi, his father was never invited to move to the United States with his family. He never solved his debt, leaving his family in financial ruins after dying when his ''other'' self was 16 years old. He attended a French military academy, supported the French Revolution, and then overthrew the government after it was clear that the Republic had failed despite its promising beginnings. He won scores of military victories against France''s enemies, established an empire, and was defeated by his own ego after his failed attempt to invade Russia. The invasion of the Iberian Peninsula and the never-ending war in Haiti also contributed to his eventual downfall. Technically, he was supposed to have died fifteen years ago, in 1821. But after noting that there was a real chance that he was poisoned or assassinated during his final years in exile, Nathaniel wasn''t too surprised that he had managed to live to his current age. It took nearly two hours to read his ''life'' in detail, and by the time he closed the book, his thoughts were in chaos. "So," Justin stated, his hands still clamped tightly together. "It was quite a read." "I think you can see the reason why some people were hesitant to inform you of the Mississippi." Nathaniel nodded curtly and placed the book on the table in front of him, "Quite." There were many differences between himself and the person he read in the book, but he could clearly see the reasons why the Society feared him for the past several decades. Despite all the changes, he was still Napoleon. Much like his Mississippi counterpart, he was still a tactical genius and a general that struck terror in his enemies. He was still ambitious and popular, as he was elected into Congress and was now aiming for the presidency. He could imagine the numerous reasons why the Society had put off his membership for his entire life. They were afraid he would overthrow the Republic, something that the Society had painstakingly built for the past several decades. Yes, it was a Republic that was nothing like the powerless French Directory of the Mississippi. Even still, with his popular support and the nation''s current situation, he could begin numerous changes that would doom the young nation and potentially set it down an authoritarian route. No matter how ''perfect'' a republic was, it was not immune to collapse or corruption. As Jefferson once stated, "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." Despite the slight that the Society had inflicted on him, Nathaniel wasn''t angry or frustrated. He understood why he had been left in the dark; he had to prove that he was different from his counterpart. And even then, there were far too many similarities between the two that the Watchers could not ignore. The fact that they were willing to give him a chance before the elections meant that they trusted him... somewhat. "On behalf of my father and everyone in the Society, I apologize for leaving you clueless about the Mississippi," Justin declared as he stood up and formally bowed. Nathaniel motioned for the man to sit down, "There is no need for apologies, I understand. My other self might have been offended, but I am a bit wiser than him." Or at least, I sincerely hope so. "But we robbed you of your place in history, a history in which you changed the course of Europe forever and ruled an empire." The Corsican smiled at the remark and straightened his back, "There, I conquered but a small portion of Europe, and challenged Russia only to lose, then lose again to the British. Here? I am about to be elected to command over an entire continent. We have shattered Britain, Spain, and the French ''Empire.'' Our nation''s military, industry, and government are second to none in this world. As for Russia, perhaps I will one day purchase Alaska to fulfill my ''Russian ambitions.''" "My country has grown faster than Alexander''s, will soon be wealthy enough to make the Pharaohs weep in shame, and encompasses far greater than Genghis Khan''s at its height. Also, which is better? Eight years as President, God willing, in peace & stability, then to step down while holding the lasting respect of our country for doing so, compared to fifteen in turmoil as Emperor and finally, abdication and exile in disgrace?" "A man''s reach should exceed his grasp, it is said. We have grasped enough to span between two oceans and know it is unquestioned. Hopefully, I will soon preside over a country where its people are happy, free, wealthy, and content. That is enough for me."** Justin blinked and rubbed his eyes. For a moment, he almost saw his father sitting next to Nathaniel''s side with a smile on his face. He shook his head to focus and looked back at the man who was Nathaniel, not Napoleon. "Then America is in good hands." ++++++ AN: *This is a direct entry from Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon **This is a quote written by Barricade from SpaceBattles. I edited it slightly to fit the scene, but all credits go to him for this wonderful piece. Chapter 207: The Indian Rebellion (Part 2) "The Turbulent Thirties," The 19th Century: 100 Years of Revolution, Innovation, and Expansion Written by Professor Abel Fisher of Cambridge University, 2021 "...Despite the East India Company''s unpopularity following the end of the Anglo-American War, the rebels were not widely supported across India. The majority of sepoys that rebelled against British rule were from the Bengal Army, which mainly consisted of higher castes such as Rajputs and Bhumihar from the Awadh and Bihar states. This was a stark contrast to the Madras Army and Bombay Army, both of which were less insistent on recruiting high-caste men and fielded ''caste neutral'' armies. As such, even before the rebellion began, there was a distinct line between the Bengal Army and the other two armies, which made cooperation difficult, if not outright impossible. However, it should be recognized that five regiments within the Bombay Army mutinied, two of them within Saugor. While this small mutiny within the Bombay Army was crushed swiftly by the British, the short delay resulted in the Indian rebels successfully seizing Gwalior. This setback would extend the duration of the rebellion and temporarily secure the city of Delhi (containing the newly declared Emperor of India, Akbar Shah II)... More importantly, rebel-sympathizing Muslims'' attempts to call a jihad failed as the ulemas of both the Sunni and Shia sect sided with the British. While the Kanpur Famine created popular anti-British sentiments in the affected regions, the ulemas believed that there was no good reason for a jihad against the British. Muslims still maintained their religious rights despite the chaos brought by the aftermath of the Anglo-American War. Additionally, the rebels'' lack of overall unity presented a weak argument to start a potentially ruinous war against the powerful British Empire. While many individual Muslims joined the crusade against British rule, they received no official backing from their respective religious leaders. By the end of the rebellion, approximately a third of the insurgents were Muslims from various northern Indian provinces... Even with the lukewarm response from the rest of India, the rebellion was met with great enthusiasm across northern India. Many locals were still suffering from the effects of the Kanpur Famine and chaffed against the East India Company''s oppressive rule. The Ceded and Conquered Provinces (which were later reorganized to become the Northwestern Provinces after the end of the Indian Rebellion) saw widespread violent uprisings, which prompted the British to retreat most of their military forces from the area during the initial stages of the Rebellion. This caused the princely state of Rampur, which Nawab Ahmad Ali Khan ruled, to formally ''surrender'' itself to the rebels to avoid occupation. The same fate befell upon the princely state of Garhwal while Sirhind proclaimed neutrality. Meanwhile, the King of Awdh, Nasir-ud Din Haidar Shah, threw his support behind the East India Company due to his pro-British sentiments, though his state found itself sieged by the rebels. A revolt in Bihar was brutally suppressed, though this only angered the local population and resulted in thousands from the region joining up arms against the British. One advantage the rebels enjoyed was the East India Company''s disorderly response when most of the Bengal Army mutinied. Several figures in the East India Company, such as the former chairman of the EIC Henry St. George Tucker, suspected a rebellion was on the brink of exploding. Tucker was especially well-versed in local state affairs, as he spent decades living in the subcontinent and saw the harsh effects of the EIC''s new policies. However, the administration in Calcutta ignored their concerns, with Chairman William Astell asserting that the East India Company''s forces would easily quash any rebellion in India. When nearly the entire Bengal Army mutinied, and the rebels rapidly took over large swathes of northern India, the East India Company entered a state of panic. The British government was already keen on reeling in the East India Company even before the Anglo-American War in a bid to end its monopoly on the China Trade and its reckless financial decisions. London had refused to shoulder a portion of the EIC''s debts in 1834 due to its own financial troubles, which caused the EIC''s decisions to raise taxes and seize land from locals (and subsequently, contributed to the Kanpur Famine). If the EIC called upon the British government''s assistance to quell the rebellion, it would mean the nationalization, or worse, the dissolution of the East India Company. Chairman Astell was especially keen on maintaining the EIC''s power to administer and collect taxes in India, which resulted in his initial rejection of assistance from London. It took a month of negotiations and strong-arming to allow British reinforcements to support the EIC''s endeavors against the insurgents. After Chairman Astell conceded, regiments from the British East Indies arrived within weeks to combat the rebellion. Before the Indian Rebellion began, London had sent thousands of its veterans from the Anglo-American War to Java to prepare for a war against China to re-establish British trade in Canton. Most of them were re-directed to India, which delayed the First Opium War by several years (as the British government was forced to reorganize India following the Indian Rebellion and repurpose its newfound wealth to rebuild the British Isles). Prime Minister Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice gave these regiments specific orders to give the Indian rebels ''no mercy'' and seize any properties and riches of the British''s rebelling provinces for themselves and the British government. Many historians believe that this set of orders led to much of the crimes committed by British troops against the Indian population and the mass looting of various princely states, some of which were pro-British but occupied by the rebels during the Indian Rebellion... By this time, the rebels were already running wild over northern India and looking eastward towards the British fortress of Lucknow. Eight mutinied regiments and brigades and thousands of armed locals under Commander-in-Chief Mizra Salim''s command threatened the city. Salim was hastily appointed to lead a swathe of the rebels as he was Akbar''s son and held strong anti-British views, though he was untrained in military affairs. He was tasked with securing the remaining British strongholds in the area by taking Lucknow, which stood in their way surrounding Awdh and threatening Bihar. Lucknow was defended by 1st Bengal Fusiliers, the hastily-reinforced 2nd Bengal Fusiliers, the Corps of Bengal Miners and Sappers, and the 1st British Artillery Brigade (which was reformed after merging the 1st and 2nd Brigades after the mutinies). Along with them were three Bengal Native Infantry Regiments (the 31st, 32nd, and 33rd) and two Bengal Light Cavalry Regiments (3rd and 5th) that remained loyal to the British administration. The two sides met on December 27th of 1835 in the first ''official'' battle of the rebellion. Salim''s attempts to besiege the city failed due to the Bengal Miners and Sappers'' efforts, which managed to erect formidable defenses around the city and blunt most of the bombardments unleashed by the rebelling 2nd Bengal Artillery Battalion. Regardless, Salim continued to bombard the British defenses for two weeks before receiving information that a significant British relief force was on its way to aid Lucknow. While the rebels held numerical superiority over the British forces, Salim believed that he would lose that advantage if the reinforcements arrived before the city fell. On the morning of January 9th of 1835, he ordered a full-frontal assault to take the city, with much of the experienced regiments leading the charge on the British stronghold. This turned out to be a fatal mistake and a great loss of life for the rebel forces. The British troops were firmly entrenched in Lucknow, and when the rebels advanced towards the city, they released deadly volleys to shatter the offensive. The European Fusiliers were armed with breechloading rifles, unlike their Indian counterparts, who were armed with rifled muskets. Additionally, Salim had unwisely wasted most of his artillery''s ammunition while the British had reserved theirs for a direct attack on the city. Led by Major General Henry Pottinger, the British soldiers and their Indian allies decimated the exposed Indian rebels and forced Salim to retreat in a panic. Only the most disciplined veterans of Salim''s forces managed to fire on the British lines, and even they failed to deal significant casualties to the defenders despite suffering hundreds of casualties. Within four hours, a stalemate had turned into a complete rout and an overwhelming British victory. The battle would''ve turned into the complete annihilation of Salim''s forces if Lieutenant Mukta Sen (who had recovered from his injuries from two months before) and the survivors of the 5th and 11th Bengal Native Regiments hadn''t stood their ground to allow the other rebels to escape. When the Bengal Light Cavalry regiments departed the city to chase down the fleeing survivors of the battle, Lieutenant Sen hastily formed two infantry squares and succeeded in fending off the cavalry units. This gave Salim and his remaining men enough time to escape, while Sen fought a fighting retreat to Chhibramau, the nearest rebel stronghold. All in all, the first engagement turned out to be disastrous for the rebels, as they suffered over three thousand casualties for only three hundred British casualties. This battle would set the tone for the rest of the war, as Britain''s vast military experience and technological advancements triumphed over the disunited and relatively inexperienced Indian rebels. From Lucknow to Gwalior to Delhi, the British regiments would steadily push back the rebels and re-occupy the rebelling territories, unleashing its fury upon the civilian population and looting anything valuable. However, the rebels were not the only enemies against the British during the Indian Rebellion... Despite Britain''s hegemony over the Indian subcontinent, two independent kingdoms remained free of British rule: the Sikh Empire and the Kingdom of Nepal (also known as the Empire of the Gorkhas). The former was ruled by the founder of the Sikh Empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, while King Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah ruled the latter. Maharaja Ranjit was a hardy warrior who conquered large swathes of territory to secure his empire''s borders. His governance allowed the Sikh Empire to become a stable and secured state due to his religious tolerance and his efforts to ensure that his nation was self-sufficient in arms. When the Indian Rebellion erupted, the Sikh Empire was at its height, and the aging emperor was in a strong position to influence neighboring states. Meanwhile, King Girvan was an intelligent and skillful politician. He subtly influenced Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa during the early years of his reign, pretending to be a naive and innocent king acting as a puppet of the Mukhtiyar before turning the tables and removing him from office after the prime minister lost popularity among the nobles and elites. He pitted Bhimsen against the Pande family and slowly eroded Bhimsen''s power by removing his authority over the civil administration and establishing his own private army to counter Bhimsen''s military influence. By the time the aging prime minister discovered King Girvan''s schemes, it was far too late for him to act, and he was removed from power after King Girvan declared himself Commander-in-Chief of the Nepalese Army. After Bhimsen''s removal, the king appointed Karbir Pande to replace him, but it remained clear that the king had the final say in all governmental matters. By the time the Indian Rebellion occurred, King Girvan was the unquestioned ruler of Nepal, and the nation was slowly modernizing. Before the Indian Rebellion, both nations were looking to expand elsewhere; Nepal aimed towards Qing-controlled Tibet while the Sikh Empire saw Afghanistan as its primary enemy. However, with the breakdown of order across northern India and Britain''s retreat from the border regions, both nations saw an opportunity to secure their borders against the looming British threat. Both King Girvan and Maharaja Ranjit were well-aware of the threat the British Empire presented to their nations'' independence. Nepal had fought against the East India Company during the Anglo-Nepalese War and lost some territories in the west and east (Sirmur, Garhwal, and Morung). Meanwhile, Britain''s direct rule was spreading westward, and territories directly administered by the EIC now bordered the Sikh Empire. Additionally, the British were influencing Persia and Afghanistan to curb Russia''s influence in the region, which ran contrary to the Sikh Empire''s own foreign policy. The British negotiated the peace between the Ottoman Empire and Persia during the Ottoman-Persian War of 1822-1824 and, through Persia, pressured Afghanistan to block Russian influence spreading towards India. As such, the Sikh Empire was slowly being surrounded by Britain... The Sikh emperor was aware that the British would eventually look to dismantle the Sikh Empire and thus, recognized the need to deal with potential British aggression. The same went for the Kingdom of Nepal, especially King Girvan, who believed that the British would attempt to invade his nation again once the rebellion was settled. Both sides did not have strong opinions of the other. Still, when King Girvan offered an olive branch and a temporary alliance to further their strategic interests, the Maharaja responded positively... As the brunt of the British forces and rebels clashed in Gwalior, Nepalese troops advanced into the besieged princely state of Awdh on March 20th. The 15,000 Gurkhas beat back rebels and pro-British soldiers alike, catching them completely off-guard from the unexpected offensive from the north. In the west, on April 7th, Garwhal and Sirmur were attacked by a smaller Gurkha army numbering at 5,000, though still formidable enough to defeat the sparse rebel forces in the area (Nepal had been storing up ammunition and arms acquired from abroad for years, in preparation for a potential conflict with the Qing Empire or Britain). Around the same time, 10,000 soldiers of the Sikh Empire entered the relatively undefended princely state of Bahawalpur, defeating a thousand garrison forces in the capital and overrunning the defenses in the region. Ludhiana was subsequently occupied with a large force led by Maharaja Ranjit himself. Within a span of two months, Nepal and the Sikh Empire rapidly occupied a chunk of British India, though both nations planned to turn their newly gained territories into buffer zones rather than expand the boundaries of their realms. The leaders of the two nations believed that the British would be far too occupied with dealing with the Indian rebellions but entrenched their forces to prepare for a potential British counter-offensive. The counter-offensive never came as the British exhausted themselves on putting down the rebellion (and after the Government of India Act of 1837, Queen Charlotte recognized the gains made by the Sikh Empire and Nepal as Britain''s priorities shifted elsewhere). Since the rebels managed to seize large swathes of northern India during the beginning of the Indian Rebellion, the British were forced to fight through rebel-occupied territory to reach Delhi, the capital of the newly ''reborn'' Mughal Empire. After the Battle of Lucknow, the rebels were defeated in Chhibramau two weeks later. Gwalior was seized a month after the fall of Chhibramau. By the time Gwalior was retaken, British troops from the British East Indies laid waste the countryside, punishing those that rebelled against British rule harshly and looting the recently-liberated city of Gwalior of its riches. These heavy-handed tactics prompted more resistance against the British from the locals, which reached a near fervent pitch when the rebels were pushed by to Aligarh, just a few kilometers from Delhi. Additionally, many of the surviving rebels rallied around Mukta Sen, as a demoralized Akbar Shah appointed Sen as the new Commander-in-Chief following Salim''s numerous blunders. Commander Sen was a veteran of the Anglo-American War and emulated American guerilla tactics employed during the Anglo-American War. Knowing that the Indian rebels would never be able to defeat the British in a direct battle, he harassed British troops and supply lines with his fighters, opting to retreat and blend in with the civilian population when the situation turned against him (ironically, resulting in more civilian casualties as the British veterans were far too familiar with the tactics carried out by their former enemies in North America). The Sikh Empire also supplied the rebels with various arms and ammunition to exhaust the British and slow down their advance towards their territory, which significantly bolstered Commander Sen''s forces. Unsurprisingly, this resulted in the British slogging through hostile territory for months before finally putting down the rebellion and capturing Emperor Akbar. The Indian Rebellion was finally crushed after the final rebel stronghold in Simla was seized in January of 1837, just over a year after the Indian Rebellion began in Meerut. During this battle, Commander Sen was finally killed in action, shot by a British sharpshooter as he desperately attempted to rally the final soldiers under his command. 400,000 Indian rebels and civilians alike were directly killed during the rebellion, with an additional 300,000 dying due to the aftermath of the Rebellion (famine and devastation). Dozens of cities and towns were looted by the British Army, including Delhi, which was sacked after being taken in November of 1836. 20,000 British troops and civilians perished in the conflict, with most British civilians killed as retaliation for the British atrocities across India. The Government of India Act of 1837 was passed shortly after the Indian Rebellion, with Queen Charlotte becoming the Queen of India. However, the real administrative power over India was in Parliament''s hands, and it carefully looked at the failures of the East India Company to avoid another rebellion while continuing the exploitation of the subcontinent. The treasures ''captured'' by the British forces during the Indian Rebellion would help replenish Britain''s coffers and support the British Isles'' reconstruction. While the British Empire left the Nepalese and Sikhs to their gains temporarily, it planned to force the two nations to submit in the near future (especially since the temporary alliance between the two was already fracturing due to regional and strategic differences). However, Britain had another nation it had set its eyes on for the time being. Their new target humiliated them during the Anglo-American War and was needed to help revive Britain''s trade and income: the Qing Empire... Chapter 208: It’s Election Day! San Francisco, California, the United States of America November 8th, 1836 A lone ship entered the glittering bay of San Francisco, its smokestacks bellowing thick clouds of steam as it chugged past ''Immigration Island'' and docked in the easternmost pier of the bustling port city. As the ship''s ramps were lowered to allow the ship''s passengers to exit, a short Indian man glanced at the city with a bright smile. He blended in with the crowd of arrivals, many of them from the subcontinent of India, and looked around Pier 74 discreetly. The sun was rising in the east, and he was able to see a dozen workers moving around on the pier itself. A light-skinned worker turned his head towards the arriving boat; he wore worn-out clothing with a flame logo on his left sleeve and a large straw hat covering his face. After planting his feet on the wooden decks of the dock, the Indian man walked up to the worker and silently nodded his head. The two were walking away when they were intercepted by a government official wearing a maroon-colored uniform, the standard clothing for immigration officers in the Department of Internal Affairs. "Your papers, sir?" The uniformed government worker, whose name tag read ''HALL,'' asked the Indian man with a pleasant smile. "If you don''t have any papers, I''m afraid you''ll need to be processed at Alcatraz Island." "Of course," The Asian man answered with a thick accent. He pulled out some papers from his briefcase and handed them to the official. The immigration officer scanned the documents and flipped through them with his gloved hands, his eyes occasionally flickering to the recent arrival. "Mr. Rashmi Korpal?" Korpal nodded tiredly as he waited for the official to finish verifying his forms. Finally, the man seemed satisfied and handed the papers back to the Indian while tipping the brim of his cap. He glanced sideways at the dockyard worker but returned his gaze to Korpal after a few seconds. "Everything seems to be in order, Mr. Korpal. Welcome to San Francisco." The duo briskly walked away and strolled down a narrow street just beside Pier 74. The buildings on 25th Street were constructed recently, and the street contained only a few civilians carrying out their daily lives in the busiest American city in the West. The smell of fishes and fresh buns seemed to reinvigorate Korpal as he smiled loosely, even as he ducked into an alleyway with his companion. Once they were out of sight, the dockyard worker removed his straw hat and revealed his old and weathered face. "How was your trip to India?" "This should explain it," Korpal opened up his briefcase once again but was stopped by his counterpart. "Not here. The older man growled. We can do it when we arrive back at my place. Remember the first rule." "Be on guard at all times because places we think are safe may not be safe." "Good, now just give me a brief rundown while we walk quietly." As the Indian opened his mouth, a street vendor entered the alley in front of them and waved apologetically. Both of them flinched, but the middle-aged Chinese man behind the cart grinned brightly and held out a few buns, "Three buns for a nickel! They''re still hot!" Korpal stared at the hot buns intently and nearly dropped his briefcase as his stomach growled. His partner sighed and flipped a coin to the vendor. "We''ll get three. Heading to Central Square?" "Of course! Election today! Good sales and my son is voting first time today!" The Chinese man said as he accepted the coin graciously and handed them a bag with the buns. He quickly pushed his cart as he moved towards the center of the city, "Vote for Nathaniel! He''s a good man!" "Is today an American holiday, Eli?" Korpal asked as he eagerly took the bag from his ''friend'' and sank his teeth into the meat bun. "Well, of course. It''s Election Day, and there''s a large festival for people to socialize and vote. There''s a bit of campaigning done by the parties as well." "Ah yes, America''s elections... I''ll need to learn more about them. I still can''t wrap my head around the fact that you choose your own leaders." Eli smirked as they arrived in front of a small house on the edges of San Francisco and opened the door, "We''ll probably head over there after I finish your debrief; you need some time to relax after your last mission." The two of them made their way to a small study room in the back of the house. Eli cautiously closed all the curtains and lit a lamp on the desk before waving his hand towards a chair. How long did you wait for me? Korpal asked as he sank into the comfortable leather chair. Two weeks. I arrived in San Francisco around then. You just stood around the docks for two weeks? No, Ive been working, Eli answered as he pointed to his uniform. Enough about me; how was your trip to India? Korpal opened his briefcase after glancing around the room and pulled out a thick packet. He handed it to the weathered dockyard worker, who leaned back in his chair and flipped through the pages. A few minutes of comfortable silence passed before Eli looked up, This is very detailed and comprehensive, well done. I knew my way around, and I stayed there for half a year. I was worried that you would leave us and remain in India; after all, we sent you without a handler. The Indian man shrugged, Theres nothing left for me to return to. Not after I joined the Bengal Army. Eli frowned and stared at his counterparts blank face before slowly nodding, Right. Ill make sure that this report is prioritized. Im sure Congress wants to see this report as soon as possible due to our relationship with Britain. Hopefully, this will help the politicians see that were still useful and restore some of our former funding. It was bad enough that they sacked half of the leadership after that fiasco. And help my countrymen, correct? Most definitely. It will change the publics perspective towards Asian Indians. After all, your people are still being oppressed by the British, and many of you were forced to fight against America. The former Indian soldier let out a relieved sigh and grasped his hands together, Im just glad to be back here; India is still being torn apart by the rebellion. Here? There is peace. An uneasy peace, but still peace. Cant say that for the South or Vancouver, but close enough. A comfortable silence passed between the two as Korpal vigorously munched his second bun while handing the last bun to his National Intelligence Service superior. So about your nations elections How do they work? Well Instead of me talking for hours about how our government functions, how about we head to Central Square for the election festival? Eli asked as he munched on the bun and placed the intelligence report of the Indian Rebellion in a large envelope, I have to vote and send these documents to Richmond anyways. The NIS duo left their safehouse and arrived in Central Square a few minutes later. Thousands of people were milling around the large plaza, filled with dozens of booths and stands. Several people were walking around waving pamphlets for political parties and various events within the festival. Honor boxing match between Mr. Reed and Mr. Abrams will be occurring in three hours! Seats will be first come, first serve! Free drinks will be served at the County Inn to those that show proof of voting! Burgers and Philly Fries at a discount price! Get ''em while theyre hot! Korpal widened his eyes and glanced around the bustling square while Eli expertly led his subordinate through the crowd. The Indian man stopped in his tracks several times to glance at the numerous stands, causing the older man to chuckle. You look like a kid whos at a fair for the first time in their life. Everything is just so different here. Korpal pointed to one of the stands, showing off the newest revolvers for civilians to buy. I mean, look at that! Is that even legal? Theyre just selling guns out in the open! Its perfectly legal. As long as they show proof of citizenship, they can own a gun. I have one holstered as well. But you and I are different. Yes, but even still. Youll get used to it; America is not like any other country on Earth, in a good way. Isnt that dangerous, though? None of those guns out for sale are loaded, and plenty of us are armed, Eli nudged his head towards a group of men in blue clothing stood next to one of the food stalls. And those gents are police officers. If anyone steps out of line, theyll take care of it. The seasoned NIS agent stopped his partner in front of a large stand labeled The Liberal Party and walked up to the people standing behind it. Korpal stood by as Eli chatted with one of the campaigners and received two pamphlets. He handed one to the veteran and smiled, Take your time to read those. One of them is about the Liberal Partys agenda and their candidates for this election; the other is about the Constitution and our government. The Liberal Party? Korpal wondered out loud as he flipped through the first pamphlet. Is this what youre voting for? Im voting for their presidential candidate, Nathaniel Bonapart. The Liberal Party is very different compared to the other parties. However, they have many good ideas that I think will bring back pre-war America: a time of prosperity and stability. What is this national healthcare? A proposal to make the government pay a significant amount for peoples health and well-being. Many were injured during the War, and with the current economic situation, people are struggling to get the treatment they need. With this national healthcare, the government will be able to provide more funding to hospitals and doctors while cutting treatment costs. Wouldnt this be incredibly expensive? America isnt a small country. Some risks need to be taken to achieve greatness and prosperity. If we need to shoulder debt for some time to help the country back on its feet, then so be it, Eli mentioned with a shrug. And if there is one man I believe can bring about this kind of change, its Nathaniel. Ive seen our first president before, and Nathaniel is very similar to him. President Kim was the man that brought about sweeping changes across the United States when it was first formed. These radical reforms remind me of the first presidents great efforts to create an ideal country: healthcare, public housing, the Government Issue Bill, and such. Ill need to study a bit about Americas history because I have no clue who that is. Well then, let me fill out my ballot at City Hall, and we can head over to the city library. I heard they recently imported a few more new books from the east, including that new book called La Rvolution from France by Victor Hugo. Omake: American Dream Trailer AN: All credit goes to Night Gaul on the Alternatehistory forum for this piece! +++++ Here''s one for The American Dream: Open on Israel Putnam''s tent outside Charlestown, Massachusetts, as a messenger walks in MESSENGER: General Putnam, we found a man near our siege lines with strange clothes and stranger goods. We took him to a tent. You want to talk to him? PUTNAM: Very well. Colonel Prescott, come with me. cut to another tent, where an Asian man in a 21st-century USMC dress uniform is tied to a chair PUTNAM: Who are you? Are you a British spy? Text: Experience the story ???: First Lieutenant Samuel Kim, United States Marine Corps. Why are you dressed like that? Are you re-enactors? Text: Of the birth of America PUTNAM: What is the United States? I''ve never heard of it before. KIM: What''s the current date, and where am I? Text: As it could have been PUTNAM: It''s the 17th of June in 1775. We''re on Breed''s Hill, just outside the city of Boston. Why? KIM: This may be hard to believe, but I''m from the distant future. Cut to Kim in a planning session with Putnam, Prescott, and other Colonial officers. They are gathered around Kim''s laptop as he shows a digital map of the battlefield. PRESCOTT: What changes do you advise for us to win the battle? Cut to scenes of the alternate Battle of Bunker Hill KIM: (voice-over) We have our first lines bait the British by falling back to a more defensible position after their initial assault, then play to our defensive advantage when they bite the hook. Stiff resistance will cause them to retreat, and then we''ll chase them down. Cut to a redcoat in a relatively fancy uniform holding up both hands in surrender as colonial troops led by Kim point their guns at him KIM: Name and rank. REDCOAT OFFICER: I am William Howe, General of His Majesty''s Army. KIM: *blinks in surprise* Cut to Kim talking to Putnam as the newly-formed Continental Marines engage in training exercises KIM: There''s a saying in my time: "God is a Yankee". And I''m starting to believe there''s truth to that. Cut to Kim holding a piece of paper in front of him; the camera switches to a different angle, and zooms in, showing the text "Time to make a difference" appear on it as if being written by an invisible hand KIM: (voiceover) There''s a reason I was sent back: to make sure America truly lives up to its ideals. Cut to George Washington riding into camp as the Marines stand at attention WASHINGTON: *approaching Kim* You must be Samuel Kim. I''ve heard about your heroics. On behalf of the Continental Congress, I''m here to help escort you into Philadelphia. KIM: *somewhat flustered* The pleasure''s all mine, General Washington. Cut to Washington, Putnam and Kim in a meeting WASHINGTON: Your suggestions are... radical, but you were no doubt sent by the Almighty to guide us, so your ideas of equality and freedom are undoubtedly the example He wishes for us to set. So you have my support, and to show that support, I will release my slaves and allow them to work for me with pay if they wish. KIM: No offense, General, but you came around more easily than I expected. WASHINGTON: I see the wisdom in what you suggest we do, but unfortunately, there are many in Congress who may not. cut to Washington, Putnam and Kim standing before the Continental Congress in Independence Hall RUTLEDGE: You can''t seriously expect us to just release our slaves on your say so! JEFFERSON: If we don''t address slavery now, the issue will continue to fester and eventually erupt. RUTLEDGE: You can address it without us, can''t you? FRANKLIN: King George has already declared South Carolina to be in a state of rebellion. We must hang together, or we will all hang separately. ANOTHER VOICE: *from offscreen* Slavery is one thing, but do you honestly expect us to accept negroes and Indians as equals? Grant women the vote? This is nothing short of madness. WASHINGTON: Samuel Kim was undoubtedly sent to us by God Almighty to ensure we take a better path in the future. Listening to what he has to say will undoubtedly avoid countless mistakes and failures in the future. cut to interior of Kim''s tent, where he is speaking with Benedict Arnold KIM: I''m not sharing this information about your other self lightly. BENEDICT: I am not him, and I will prove it. I''m in control of my own destiny. Montage of notable events, including Kim shaking hands with Desagondesta, Arnold leading a charge in Quebec, Loyalist guerillas ambushing Patriot militiamen in South Carolina, Washington commanding troops in Nova Scotia, Salem Poor running at the head of the Free South Carolina Regiment, Patriot guerillas firing at marching British soldiers from a woodland beside a road, Hwachas unleashing volleys on advancing British troops, a Loyalist plantation in flames as the last of the slaves who used to live there walk away from it, and finally the signing of the Declaration of Independence, as Kim speaks over the clips: KIM: *voiceover* I know that we have the potential to make something truly great of ourselves. What I ask you to do will not be easy, but it will be rewarding. Together, we are capable of moving mountains, of triumphing over seemingly insurmountable odds. Cut to Kim speaking in close-up KIM: I know that we have the potential to change the world and set an example for countless others to follow. montage of Continental troops fighting British and loyalists and freeing slaves, as a voice begins singing: "Do you hear the people sing? Singing the songs of angry men" Cut to French citizens led by the Marquis de Lafayette marching on the Bastille as another voice joins in: "It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again" Cut to Haitian slaves on a plantation rising up, overpowering their overseers, as yet another voice joins in: "When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums" More scenes of rebellion taking place in many different places are shown: Holland, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, Ireland, Jamaica, India and others. As this happens, more and more voices join in on the song; it also becomes louder and louder, going from soft and solemn to almost yelling: "There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see? Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free! Do you hear the people sing? Singing the songs of angry men It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes" As the final line sounds, we cut to a meeting of the Watchmen Society, where Kim is speaking: KIM: We have been granted the power to bring freedom and equality to the entire world, not just the United States. Now is the time to live up to our ideals and be the City on the Hill we have claimed to be. Cut to an American flag with fifteen stars and fifteen stripes waving in a breeze as text fades in: The American Dream +++++ AN: Also, I mentioned this in the Alternatehistory forum, so I''ll repeat it here. Hi guys! I''ve been busy with real-life issues, mainly some family stuff and work (I''ll start teaching in a local high school around January!). So I''ve been skimming some of the replies in the thread, but I''ve been unable to finish the next update for the timeline. However, it is in the works and I''m trying to climb over a wall that I''ve hit while writing the update. There have been pages of questions and suggestions and even though this is a bit embarrassing, I would like to formally ask anyone that asked/suggested something in my period of absence to mention them again after this post so I can give a proper reply. Once again, thank you for maintaining interest in the timeline and making sure the thread stays alive. You''re all awesome Chapter 209: 1836 Presidential Elections It''s been a while! Sorry I have been MIA for all this time. Work and personal issues kept me busy. I did try to write out a chapter, but I was unsatisfied every time I was halfway through it and scrapped three drafts in the process. I decided to stick with what I do best and write out an informative chapter instead of writing out a long passage from Bonapart''s autobiography (which was much more difficult than I expected). My writing did get a bit rusty, so please don''t judge me too harshly. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it! +++++ 1836 United States Presidential Elections (Voters'' Turnout: 76%) 359 Electoral Votes in total, 180 to win 289 House Seats 70 Senate Seats 24,144,531 Democratic-Front: Gabriel You/Thomas Morris Republican: Daniel Webster/Samuel McKean Liberal-Union: Nathaniel Bonapart/John Adams II Excerpt from "The Rise of the Corsican: Bonapart''s Path to the White House" Published by Professor Mary Hawkins of the University of Montreal, July 30th of 2003. "To believe that complex problems can be solved by simply doing nothing is comedic, if not tragic. A bird can not fly without flapping its wings; change in the United States can not happen without the voice of the American people. For the sake of our nation, both present and future, vote." -A passage from a New York election pamphlet before the 1836 Presidential Elections, written by Writer Samuel Irving. To put it simply, the 1836 Presidential Election was a chaotic affair. The United States was still reeling from its war with Great Britain and its allies during the Anglo-American War. Congress was deadlocked between the parties as they could not come to a majority agreement for the Reconstruction of the United States. Nearly two years had passed since the end of the most destructive war in American history, and the lack of decisive action from the federal government had rocked the people''s faith in their elected officials. Riots and protests were commonplace in the immediate aftermath of the Anglo-American War, as the feelings of anxiety and exhaustion quickly replaced that of jubilation and relief. The economic crisis that nearly imploded the American economy, along with the rise of nationalist agitators and religious extremists across the United States, only exacerbated the situation. Even worse, President Peters was much more reclusive after the end of the Anglo-American War, as the war took a severe toll on his mental and physical health. Due to this, the American government was paralyzed, which only worsened the economic crisis and civil unrest. This indecisive government was a sharp contrast to the pre-war federal government, which had been quick and responsive to the American populace and supported an unprecedented era of economic, societal, cultural, and population growth. Perhaps this was why the American people were struck with uncertainty and fear; not even the older generations experienced a period where the American government failed to deliver for its citizens. Now, it was failing them when the people needed them the most. During this time, Nathaniel Bonapart rose to prominence on the national stage and promised radical "revitalization" programs to a weary populace. It was possibly the best time for Bonapart to campaign for the presidency despite his affiliation with the small Liberal Party. The people wanted the government to act and supported the expansion of the government if it could fix the problems created by the Anglo-American War. Though support for the federal government wavered after the Anglo-American War, many Americans pinned the blame on the Republican Party and President Peters. They had seen the inaction of the federal government firsthand and witnessed the worsening situation across the country due to it. Entering the 1836 Presidential Elections, the public believed that a strong leader with a clear and loaded agenda could snap the government back into action. To many, that leader was Bonapart, a man who had an unshakeable vision of a better America and the drive to turn that vision into reality. Nathaniel had not been an unknown figure before the 1836 Presidential Elections. His first step into the national spotlight was through the Anglo-American War. His brilliance in warfare and his impeccable military victories won him the admiration of thousands of civilians and soldiers alike. He gained political experience as a House Representative for his home state of New York, writing progressive legislation and joining the Liberal Party on behalf of his wife''s mother, Abigail Adams. His family was wealthy and ''elite,'' with many of his siblings running successful business ventures or prestigious positions in the government. Yet, his presidential campaign and his actions during the campaign won him the public''s adoration and, subsequently, the presidency. In July of 1835, the General of the Army greeted the veterans protesting their delayed pay and benefits on Capitol Hill and promised to fulfill their much-deserved rewards with his own wealth. His actions resulted in him being tossed up in the air several times by the grateful protesters and won him the adoration of all veterans in a single stroke. Furthermore, he electrified the rowdy crowd by announcing his presidential bid in the upcoming elections and handing out printed versions of his campaign agenda. This marked the beginning of his legendary campaign that would shake the very foundations of the United States and the federal government''s role in American society. The plan that Bonapart had drafted was lengthy yet detailed and comprehensive. Following the precedent set by previous presidential candidates, Nathaniel had enlisted over a hundred experts and professionals to craft a feasible plan to implement his ''radical'' vision and improve the United States ''one giant leap at a time.'' The final draft of his ''the American Rescue and Reconstruction Plan'' (or ARRP) consisted of: - A National Healthcare Service to provide inexpensive medical aid to the hundreds of thousands of injured and disabled Americans, a byproduct of the Anglo-American War. The NHS would primarily focus on urban areas, while government-funded clinics and ''roaming doctors'' would aid rural areas. - A reconstruction and expansion of infrastructure across the United States, particularly in the coastal cities and the South. - A Public Housing Act to provide federal housing to those that lost their homes during the Anglo-American War. - A ''Government Issue'' Bill to provide more pensions, education, and employment opportunities for veterans, especially as urban veterans found themselves unemployed due to the influx of women into factories during the war. - An ''Industrial Revitalization'' project to retool America''s industry to peacetime and reconstruct factories and manufactures damaged or destroyed during the Anglo-American War. - A restructuring of the American military to ensure that an invasion of the United States can never occur again, which called for a rapid buildup of ironclads and other advanced weaponry. - An ''Integration Act'' to fully integrate newly acquired territories and provide additional aid and investments to prevent a total economic and societal collapse, as domains such as Jamaica were suffering from the harsh aftermath of the Anglo-American War. This Act would also be extended to America''s ailing allies, especially Argentina and Haiti. - An ''American Relief Administration'' to oversee these programs and ensure the success of their implementation across the nation, from San Francisco to Arrecife in the Canary Islands. Nathaniel was well aware that many people would doubt the federal government''s ability to finance all of these programs at once. The estimated cost for all these programs combined was a staggering $3 billion (approximately $55 billion today). Several of these programs were to be permanent, which meant that over $1.5 billion would be added to the yearly budget. Comparatively, the cost of the Anglo-American War for the United States was estimated to be around $5 billion. Human capital ''value'' lost during the war accounted for $1.3 billion, while physical destruction accounted for an additional $1.1 billion. Finally, the remaining $2.5 billion was the federal government''s expenditures throughout the war, including the military and research budgets, subsidies, and infrastructure projects. In 1834, the American government''s revenue was $1.08 billion, primarily through ARPA, bonds, and notes. Nathaniel needed a budget that was three times the size of the government''s budget at the height of the war, which was no simple feat. (A breakdown of the ARRP is listed here: -$1.6 billion for the National Healthcare Service -$400 million for infrastructure construction -$200 million for the Public Housing Act -$350 million for the Industrial Revitalization Project -$120 million for the military -$415 million for the Integration Act -$55 million for the American Relief Administration) Thus, he and his advisors crafted a comprehensive plan to boost government revenue and to cover the costs of his ambitious project: - The federal government established the first income tax during the Anglo-American War to finance the war effort, with a 5% flat tax on individuals earning more than $10,000. Under Nathaniel''s proposal, the income tax would expand further, with individuals making more than $6,000 paying a 10% tax on their income. - Tariff rates would be increased from 20% to a staggering 40% (with LAN members being exempt from this increase due to their economic treaties with the United States). This increase was to prevent imports from worsening America''s recession and allowing America''s industries to retool and rebuild. - The government would sell bonds to deal with spending obligations, with a generous 8% interest rate. Unlike the war bonds the federal government raised during the Anglo-American War, these bonds would be explicitly marketed towards the general public. A large marketing campaign was planned if Nathaniel were elected into office to increase awareness about the government bonds and appeal to the American people the importance of the bonds and the programs the funding would provide. - An excise tax on alcohol and tobacco, which the federal government had previously avoided. The excise tax proposal came into being because America''s agricultural sector had sufficiently moved past the need to distill grain into liquor for profit, along with a decline in tobacco production in the United States following the Anglo-American War. - Loans from Holland, along with loans from Mexico and the FRCA (the other two major members of LAN that were relatively unaffected by the war). - Selling advanced technology to other nations through ARPA. Though, some technology such as the ironclads would remain a classified secret to allow America to maintain its edge. - Direct taxes on land and property across the United States. Nathaniel himself was worried about a backlash for this proposal, but he believed it was crucial to the federal government''s revenue and the funding of his programs. Western territories would be exempt from land taxes to encourage settlers and immigrants. - The printing of $3 billion worth of ''Bucks'' to offset the monetary shortages in the United States and provide the government a temporary breathing room. There was heavy speculation of hyperinflation, but Nathaniel''s team believed that if America recovered economically, the bucks'' worth would stabilize and maintain their purchasing power. Even with the rise of government revenue, the government was expected to enter a significant deficit for the first few years after implementing ARRP. The federal government had never entered a period of deficit spending during its entire existence, except for the short and financially exhaustive Anglo-American War. Yet, in Bonapart''s eyes, drastic times called for drastic measures, which was why he adamantly defended his agenda throughout his presidential campaign. In a speech in front of thousands of supporters in Baltimore, the Corsican-American declared, "I have a vision, a vision for a grander and more promising America, rebuilt from the ruins of the War. This plan will bring about that vision: a bold and risky plan for an uncharted enemy." Of course, that enemy was the potential downfall of the United States... At first, the Union Party sought to capitalize on Bonapart''s popularity and eventually convince him to caucus as a Union Party member. The Union Party''s leadership believed that they could persuade Nathaniel to trim his ARRP to be more ''manageable'' and appeal to the party''s more conservative wing. Thus, the Union Party dragged on its presidential primaries to give the popular Liberal Party candidate an ''exit plan,'' which they believed he would take since the Liberal Party was the smallest of the major parties (holding only two Senate and fourteen House seats). However, this notion quickly fell apart as Bonapart''s plan took the nation by storm and turned the political landscape upside down. With Bonapart gaining popularity as fast as Lafayette during the French Revolution, the Union Party was forced to compromise in a less favorable position. Realizing that the only way to influence the White House''s plan was to ally with the Corsican, the Union Party supported Bonapart''s bid for the White House in exchange for the vice-presidency and a few Cabinet positions. Thus John Adams II, a relatively moderate Unionist from Massachusetts and Nathaniel''s nephew, was selected to be his running mate. At the time, no one would guess that John Adams II would become the first one-term president in American history and one of the most unpopular presidents. His ascension to the presidency after Nathaniel''s sudden death in 1841 would lead to the Nineteenth Amendment (also referred to as the Emergency Presidential Election Amendment). After the Anglo-American War, the Republican Party was the ''outcast'' of America''s political parties. The old saying "winning the war, but losing the peace" fitted the Republican Party perfectly, and its supporters were unmotivated and bitter. As the dust after the war settled and the nation entered a period of economic turmoil, the public blamed President Peters and the Republican Party. Vocal journalists and officers criticized the president''s conduct during the war, especially the massive intelligence leak and the Alliance feint that led to the invasion of the southern states. The Republican Party''s refusal to take extreme measures and its agenda of compromise was seen as weak and ineffectual during a national crisis. Thus, when Daniel Webster and Samuel McKean were nominated as the Republican presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the election, they received little attention from the public. Both were outstanding Congressmen (Webster was from Massachusetts while McKean was from Pennsylvania), but neither candidates were appealing or bombastic enough to grab the public''s attention. Additionally, Webster''s Reconstruction Plan was rather lackluster and continued the status quo, which appalled many voters. Thus, they received a total of 21 Electoral Votes, the lowest ever recorded by the Republican Party... Meanwhile, the Democratic Party and Frontier Party joined together to seize the White House and enact their plan for the United States (laissez-faire economics with supportive government programs to push the economy back on track). The two parties were directly affected by the war, as the southern states primarily swung towards the Democratic and the Frontier Parties. Thus, the Democratic-Front agreed that government relief programs, which included infrastructure projects and substantial government aid, should be focused on the southern states and the newly acquired territories abroad. A massive overhaul like Bonapart''s proposal was out of the question for the two parties, who were mortified by the sheer cost of Nathaniel''s ARRP. Gabriel You, the former Attorney General of Florida and an artillery officer during the Anglo-American War, was selected as the presidential candidate for the ticket (representing the Democratic Party). The Frontier Party pushed forth Thomas Morris, an experienced Senator from Ohio who was due to hit his term limit in the upcoming elections. It should be noted that You was the second non-white presidential candidate of a major political party after President Peters for the Republicans during the 1828 Presidential Elections. You''s father was a privateer from Haiti that settled in Florida after hunting down slave ships for the American government. However, compared to Bonapart''s dominating presence, this formidable ticket faltered and received just 46 Electoral Votes... The success of ARRP inadvertently led to a more energized and invigorated south and the establishment of the ''National Unity Party.'' The NUP would become a dominant regional party aligning with the Democrats but with a nationalistic, anti-British agenda. This party would be a small, yet vocal minority in Congress that would subtly influence American politics until the end of the Great War... Before the 1836 Elections, the federal government completed an emergency census to account for population displacement and deaths across the nation following the Anglo-American War. Hundreds of thousands of Americans fled their home states during the initial stages of the invasion, and only a few opted to return to the ruins of their former homes after the war ended. Thus, the southern states saw significant depopulation even a year after the Treaty of Reykjavik and the Treaty of Havana were signed. Thankfully, enough people returned to Jefferson after the war, preventing its population from falling below the statehood requirement (84,000 people), despite nearly 40% of the state perishing and thousands fleeing during the Anglo-American War. This is attributed to the hardy and preserving nature of the people of Jefferson. They had survived numerous hardships throughout their history and consistently remained loyal to both their state and the Union Between the end of the War and the 1836 Elections, California and Lakota both petitioned for statehood. Congress accepted Lakota''s petition without any spectacles, but California''s petition led to a lengthy discussion in the Capitol. The southern parts of the California Territory sought to form its own state and rejected the proposed border of the ''State of California'' with great vigor. There was a significant cultural difference between northern and southern California, as European and Asian immigrants dominated the north while Hispanic immigrants commanded the south (with Native Americans making up a significant minority throughout the state). Northern California''s economy primarily consisted of mining and trade with Asia, while southern California revolved around farming (along with a blossoming oil extraction industry). The distance between the northern and southern ends of the giant territory was also an issue, as south California often ignored San Francisco and passed its own laws in Los Angeles. Reviewing these facts, Congress rejected California''s original proposal and urged the two sides to ''peacefully separate.'' This led to Alta California being admitted as a state in early 1836, while Baja California was admitted a few years later... The 1836 Census showed that the population of the United States was 24,144,531, not accounting for the various territories and protectorates the nation held. Congress agreed to expand the House of Representatives due to the ''extraordinary circumstances surrounding the Census.'' Thus, 289 House seats were contested in the 1836 Elections, along with a handful of the 70 Senate seats. Bonapart wasted no efforts to help Liberal Party candidates for the Congressional elections, hoping to secure a coalition majority to pass his plans. His persistence and popularity boosted the Liberal Party, allowing it to double in size in a span of a single election and cement its status as a major party... On Election Day, millions of Americans voted in support of Nathaniel, who received an astounding 292 Electoral Votes and a staggering 64% of the popular vote. Bonapart''s victory was a triumphant victory for liberalism and the ''welfare-state'' in the United States, which would lead to the rapid rise of the quality of life in America during the 19th and 20th centuries. Within his first one hundred days in office, the former general would bring about sweeping reforms and change that would serve as an example for other countries to emulate for centuries... While Bonapart''s plan did pull America out of its recession and placed it back on the international stage as the strongest major power, it is essential to note that Bonapart was not a selfless man driven just by his desire to save the United States. Indeed, his autobiography and journals revealed a man driven by his ambition to spread his name and leave a recognizable mark in the history books. His desire for personal glory tempered through the years, but it never faded. His five years in the White House proved this, as President Bonapart was considered ''dictatorial'' by some of his contemporaries. He strong-armed Congress into passing his ARRP and his stubbornness in foreign affairs led to the American Intervention in the Peru-Bolivia and Ecuadorian Border War and the Yucatan Civil War. Yet his desire to save the United States and transform the republic was genuine, and his efforts are still visible to this day... +++++ The United States of America (35 states): Chapter 210: The Third Coalition War (Part 1) Excerpt from "Pride Comes Before the Fall: The Third Coalition War" The March to War "... By August of 1835, the Grand Army of the Republic was on the march once again, this time into the very heart of the Holy Roman Empire. Unlike the previous two Coalition Wars, the French Republic was more than ready to bring a swift end to its enemies and enforce a favorable peace treaty upon Austria and Prussia within a year. It had prepared and established supply trains for three months while mobilizing the National Guard and building up a sufficient stockpile to directly push into its rivals'' territories. With Hanover as its ally, France had a firm foothold in the Holy Roman Empire itself, and the road to Vienna and Berlin seemed straightforward. The French National Guard would protect Hanover and France while the Grand Army was away on its campaign. Three hundred thousand French soldiers advanced into German territory from two separate directions: the Rhine and Hanover. Split into six different armies of fifty thousand men, the French Army rapidly descended upon the German states to sweep its enemies from the battlefield. Yet, when the soldiers advanced, they quickly noticed that something was wrong... Prussia and Austria, along with the various Holy Roman states, did not sit idly during the three-month grace period. A week after the beginning of hostilities, Prussian Chief of Staff of Army General Carl von Clausewitz and Austrian Marshal Archduke Charles, the Duke of Teschen, were appointed as the leaders of the joint Coalition to defend against France. Both men had worked with one another during the First and Second Coalition Wars and oversaw the various joint exercises between Austria and Prussia during peacetime (an idea imported from the United States during the early 19th century). The two were familiar with each other''s doctrines and methods of war and agreed in many aspects, ensuring a unified and experienced command to lead the Coalition Army. Within three months, they had gathered a large force of nearly one hundred and twenty thousand men: fifty thousand Austrian troops, sixty thousand Prussian troops, and twenty thousand troops from other parts of the Empire. An additional ten thousand Italian mercenaries also joined the fray, bolstering the Coalition Army''s strength. However, despite its preparedness and unity, the Coalition was heavily outnumbered against the Grand Army. Even with France splitting its attention into two separate advances, the entirety of the Coalition forces could barely match one of the French advances, let alone both at the same time. Thus, General Clausewitz and the Duke of Teschen formulated a plan to draw the French deep into German territory and weather down the French Army through sheer attrition... General Clausewitz considered himself a student of warfare and constantly studied various battles and wars across the globe. During the height of the Anglo-American War, he had extensively examined the methods and doctrines the American military employed. While many considered America''s victory in the war was due to luck and technology, the Prussian officer was unconvinced and delved deeper into the after-action reports. After a year of deliberation and comparing his notes about the American Revolutionary War and the Coalition Wars, he believed he had found the answers. War was an extension of the state''s affairs, necessitating the entire population to participate in it to achieve certain victory. The state and the people were expected to make sacrifices for the military to gain a decisive advantage, which could then be exploited to seize victory. Additionally, the defenders inherently held an edge against the aggressors, and the swiftest way to achieve success in an offensive war was to set limited political and military objectives. The only obstacle to a rapid victory was if the defenders'' government, people, and military had more will than the aggressors. If that was the case, then the defenders could win through attrition and resistance. He surmised three critical components to a successful defense in war: number and relationship of soldiers and people, political and military intelligence, and flexible strategies and tactics. After reviewing the reports of the Anglo-American War a second time, he concluded that the United States held the advantage in all three components despite their lack of readiness at the beginning of the war. The American military was well-organized, well-supplied, and well-informed. America''s population was larger than Britain''s population, and a strong leader led the nation, one who was unwilling to surrender to Britain. Through attrition, willpower, and resistance, the Americans held off long enough to force the British to overplay their hand to shatter their resolve decisively. He noted that other factors played parts in America''s victory, such as terrain and the introduction of new and unfamiliar technologies. However, Clausewitz believed that even without those factors, the United States would have won in the end. These points were later published in his book, The Aspects of War. It was these beliefs that influenced the overall strategy of the Coalition during the Third Coalition War. At the time, General Clausewitz reasonably assumed that the Rhineland Kingdom would either join the war on France''s side or remain neutral while allowing French soldiers to pass through its territory. Thus, he concluded that a direct defense of the southern parts of the Rhine was inconceivable, if not foolish. The French armies could quickly march through the Rhineland Kingdom and flank the defenders instead of fighting across the Rhine. With the limited number of men under the Coalition''s banner, losing tens of thousands of soldiers in the opening stages of the war would mean inevitable defeat. Initially, Archduke Charles was adamant about directly defending the Rhine River. He believed the river was a natural and essential barrier to slow the French invasion, but he conceded after a short argument with his Prussian counterpart. Prophetically, Clausewitz''s prediction became true when the French bypassed the Rhine entirely through the Rhineland Kingdom when the war began... However, southern Germany held other natural barriers and was mountainous, and upon the Duke of Teschen''s insistence, a Coalition army of forty thousand was positioned near Stuttgart. The Army would be a distraction to split the French Army''s attention and fight a slow retreat while avoiding encirclements. The Austrian Marshal would personally lead this army, mainly consisting of soldiers from the minor German states and the Italian mercenaries. Meanwhile, flatlands dominated northern Germany, and the Elbe and Havel Rivers were the only natural barriers against the French advance. Unfortunately for the Coalition, this was where they expected the main bulk of the Grand Army to push through. Thus, Clausewitz decided to utilize his well-disciplined and well-trained army as a mobile force to confuse the French Army and to lure them deeper into Germany. While his units retreated, they would raze the countryside and seize foodstuffs and supplies to strain France''s logistics. With winter setting in just three months, all he needed to do was to overextend the French supply lines and force them to take extreme measures to supply their troops. In conjunction with this plan, he purposely armed civilians with old muskets and weapons to give them ''a fighting chance'' once the invasion officially began. Austria and Prussia both started to conscript more men into their respective armies, but Clausewitz would need to delay the French as long as possible until they were ready. While Clausewitz''s decision to altogether avoid the enemy for several months, along with employing scorched earth tactics, was controversial among some political leaders in Austria and Prussia, Austrian Chancellor Klemens von Metternich fully endorsed it. The Chancellor saw the war as an opportunity to strike fear in the French and unite the German states behind the leadership of Prussia and Austria (weakening them through the war and presenting the two major powers as an alternative to French domination). Thus, he supported Clausewitz''s plans to ''achieve victory with costs.'' His endorsement prevented any political intervention in the decision-making of the Coalition military, which allowed the reinvented Prussian and Austrian armies to display their full potential. Additionally, Chancellor Metternich''s vast spy network proved extremely useful to General Clausewitz, who utilized it to track the French armies accurately... With these preparations, the trap was set. And when the Grand Army advanced in August, the Coalition implemented its plan and prepared for the trap to be sprung. +++++ The French Advance Unaware of the Coalition''s preparations, the French Army pushed into Germany on August 12th of 1835 with little resistance. In command of the largest army France had ever fielded was Marshal Louis-Gabriel Suchet, a veteran of the Second Coalition War. Unlike his Austrian and Prussian counterparts, Suchet was heavily pressured by the French government to advance rapidly and end the war as fast as possible. Thus, he assigned two armies to march through the Rhineland Kingdom, which agreed to allow passage to French troops, and flank the Rhine River entirely. After clearing the Rhineland, the two armies would march towards Prague and then Vienna. Meanwhile, the remaining four armies led by Suchet would march from Hanover into the open fields of northern Germany, marching towards Berlin and then to Prague. It was expected that the Coalition would focus the majority of its army in the area, and Suchet was confident that he could easily defeat it within a month. While the Prussians and Austrians had caught up in weapons technology, the French still had superior artillery and numbers. Thus, the French commander believed that a few decisive battles were all that were needed to destroy the Coalition''s forces. If all went well, the French Army would occupy the major cities of the Holy Roman Empire and force Austria and Prussia to the negotiating tables within half a year. Unfortunately for him, Clausewitz and Archduke Charles had no intentions of fighting him out in the open. Splitting his one hundred thousand men into five divisions, Clausewitz positioned the units west of the Elbe River when the French soldiers moved eastward from Hanover and quickly withdrew them across the Elbe once the French spotted them. Suchet, seeing the smaller Coalition armies and believing there was friction between the Coalition''s military command, pushed forward eagerly. This started what would, later on, be known as the ''Great Fox Chase'' across central and eastern Germany. The Prussian general remained one step ahead of his French counterpart as he refused to engage in a direct battle against the numerically superior French forces. Due to the larger size of the French armies and artillery, the Coalition''s quick and mobile forces remained elusive and out of the French''s grasp. Only a few battles occurred during this chase, specifically when the French overextended and lacked field artillery to whittle the Coalition forces. One example was the Battle of Magdeburg, where a Prussian division led by Brigadier Carl von Spiegel engaged a disorganized French advance force on September 1st. Both sides had even numbers, but the French troops were completely caught off guard when the fleeing Prussians suddenly turned and faced them in a pitched battle. As a result, the disciplined Prussian soldiers inflicted heavy casualties on the French, dealing four thousand casualties for a thousand and five hundred of their own. However, the French officers caught on quickly, and soon, the Coalition armies avoided battle unless it was necessary. Even so, during the initial month of the war, Clausewitz''s units inflicted over thirteen thousand casualties for five thousand of his own, slowing down the aggressive advance ordered by Marshal Suchet. At the same time, the French offensive into the Rhineland had stalled as the Duke of Teschen caught wind of the French flanking maneuver and forced the French Army to a draw at the Battle of Gmund on September 4th. The French suffered eight thousand casualties, while the entrenched Austrian, German, and Italian forces suffered six thousand casualties. The bloody battle allowed the Austrian marshal to pull back to a more defensible position in Ellwangen, saving his entire army. The two French armies under Marshal Etienne Maurice Gerard retreated to Stuttgart for a week to regroup and allow logistics to catch up before capturing Gmund and advancing on Ellwangen. Gerard, who believed that Archduke Charles would challenge him once more, was surprised to discover that Ellwangen had been abandoned and emptied with the Coalition forces retreating to Nordlingen. When he arrived at Nordlingen a week later, the Coalition forces were now on the Danube River and moving towards Ingolstadt. Like Clausewitz up in the north, the Austrian marshal refused to engage in an extended battle after the Battle of Gmund. Instead, he lured the French into German territory, slowing their advance as they organized occupational forces and supply lines. On October 20th, the French Army captured Berlin, though the Prussian government had fled to Konigsberg several weeks prior. Marshal Suchet had rushed to the city after two Coalition divisions were spotted near it, making the French marshal believe that Clausewitz would finally stand his ground and fight with the Prussian capital city on the line. However, several days before one hundred thousand French soldiers arrived to seize the city, the defenders fled to Frankfurt, looting Berlin''s food stores in the process. Enraged and disappointed, the marshal sacked the city and left an army group to defend Berlin and the surrounding areas. The remaining men were reattached to the main bulk of the French Army as it prepared to march from Halle to Leipzig, where Clausewitz and the majority of the Coalition forces were. It was an opening that the Prussian general had been waiting since the beginning of the invasion, and he struck expeditiously. Just before the push towards Leipzig was set to begin, Clausewitz and two divisions under his direct command seized a supply cavern headed towards Berlin and quickly took Postdam, which had been captured two days before the fall of Berlin. Coinciding with this bold attack, the two divisions in Frankfurt rapidly converged on the former Prussian capital and sieged it, trapping nearly twenty thousand French soldiers while Clausewitz regrouped with his units at Berlin. A French counterattack consisting of the army group remnant led by Colonel Isaac Donnet turned into a disastrous defeat. Most of its artillery was trapped in Berlin, and the Coalition forces fought from entrenched positions while flanking French lines with cavalry. The Battle of Havel River on October 30th saw the death of over six thousand French soldiers for just two thousand Coalition troops, which forced Colonel Donnet to turn back and seek assistance from Marshal Suchet. With no food and supplies, it would only be a matter of time before the French garrison within Berlin would surrender. Clausewitz believed that he had caught the French by complete surprise. However, three French army groups had already departed from Halle and were rapidly making their way to Berlin even before the Battle of Havel River occurred. What the Prussian general failed to account for France''s own intelligence agency: Ministre de la Scurit Extrieure (The Ministry of External Security). The Ministry of External Security was an ''off the book'' department created in 1821, under the Ministry of the Armed Forces (a successor to the Ministry of Defense). Its primary role was similar to that of the American National Intelligence Service: gathering military and civilian intelligence. During the three-month preparation period, various agents working under the MSE had infiltrated the Holy Roman Empire and provided valuable information to Marshal Suchet. However, the MSE was a relatively new organization with an entrenched enemy that attempted to counter its every move (Metternich''s spy network). Thus, it was limited to tracking the movement of larger armies, such as the two divisions under Clausewitz''s direct command. The existence of the MSE was known to a few select people in the French government and military, to the point where only the marshals partaking in the invasion were aware of its presence. Thus, while most of the officers and soldiers were bewildered by Clausewitz''s initial retreats, Marshal Suchet was unfazed. Why the French marshal refused to detach some of his men to rapidly converge on the Coalition forces and stall their retreat is still unknown today. It is believed that he expected Clausewitz to withdraw to a defensible position while ''making an effort'' to defend the areas around Hanover. And after the initial retreat, the Coalition troops would stand their ground and fight for an important city such as Berlin. When the Coalition army kept on retreating, playing a game of cat and mouse with the French Army, Marshal Suchet became frustrated, thus his sacking of Berlin and his wild chase of Clausewitz. Due to the MSE, Marshal Suchet was aware of Clausewitz''s sudden advance towards Berlin, which forced him to mirror his Prussian counterpart''s movement. Ironically, Clausewitz was well-aware of the ''fog of war'' and believed that he could utilize it to seize the initiative and destroy an entire French army group in one swift stroke. Unknown to him, the French had caught on and was just a week away from relieving the defenders of Berlin. He became aware of the French forces several days before their arrival, and he reacted quickly. He had received two new divisions of men from Prussia, under the command of General Friedrich Graf von Wrangel. Combined with one division from Clausewitz''s group, the three divisions were sent west towards Stendal to throw off Marshal Suchet. Meanwhile, Clausewitz ordered the remaining three divisions to be ready to flee ''at a moment''s notice.'' By playing more aggressively than he had in the previous two months, he believed his actions would confuse his French counterpart and force him to react predictably. As Clausewitz expected, Marshal Suchet moved towards General Wrangel''s group to prevent their advance towards Hanover. While MSE had tracked the movement of Wrangel''s army, it mistakenly concluded that Clausewitz was leading it. As such, the French marshal believed that Berlin had already fallen back into Coalition hands, thus maneuvering his soldiers toward Stendal instead of his original objective. Only a week later, he discovered his mistake, as the defenders of Berlin surrendered to Clausewitz after it became clear that no relief force was coming. Meanwhile, Wrangel headed south before crossing the Elbe and moved towards Wittenburg. The French were exhausted from the chase by this time and decided to prepare for the coming winter months instead of continuing their pursuit. Thus, as Clausewitz had planned, the French advance had stalled, and winter had arrived. Omake: Sports and War AN: Omake from darienqmk! All credit goes to him for this wonderful piece +++++ Sports in America and its Relationship with Early American Warfare The United States of America has a deep cultural history despite its relative age, in part due to the presence of the first president, Samuel Kim. Known as the last of the so-called ''Renaissance Men'', Kim was not only revolutionary in the most literal sense, but also had deep, long-lasting cultural impacts that affect the average American lifestyle to this day. Among his accomplishments, one that has perhaps had the most widespread impact, and yet go unnoticed by most, is his development of standardized sports. Football (or soccer, in some areas of New England) and baseball are two sports credited to Samuel Kim, through some letters written by Continental soldiers during the Revolutionary War. This fact is generally overshadowed by Kim''s other achievements in politics and warfare. However, one can argue that these sports the rules being more or less the same since their inception are the most timeless of Kim''s legacy. Indeed, both have spread throughout LAN member nations, and football has spread even further, and today, firmly remains the most popular sport in the world. However, these ''all-American'' sports were initially only popular within the United States. Major League Soccer was established in 1791, and its popularity spread like wildfire within the next two decades; while the cost of providing stadiums limited the size of the MLS initially, plenty of Minor Leagues popped up within and between states, where amateur football became extremely popular. It was perhaps due to Kim''s influence that football became popular in the United States it was occasionally played among his soldiers as a way to unwind while exercising, and the soldiery brought the game back home after being discharged but a curious fact to note is that it never caught on much outside the United States, and if it did, certainly not with the fervor that it had within. Indeed, football, alongside baseball and other sports, remained uniquely American phenomena until the Anglo-American War. Mexican and Central American soldiers, who had participated in joint operations with US forces during said conflict, were the first group of foreigners to be introduced to football and baseball in any significant number, and even then, it took several decades more until the first official ''ftbol'' league was formed in Mexico. It was only with America''s total military and economic eclipsing of European powers in the late 19th century that it spread beyond North and South America. Most conclude that America simply did not have the cultural influence by that point, especially not towards European monarchical empires, to whom republican values were somewhat antithetical. This is further evidenced by the fact that American cultural exports, such as comic books, evoked a similar lack of interest internationally. However, American sports, football in particular, has had strong ties with the US military first and civilians second, which is what differentiates it from other cultural exports. The US military that would, in coming years, be forced to adapt and improve as it secured its western territories and with the Anglo-American War. Since antiquity, certain sports had been used as military exercises; for ceremony, to improve coordination, or to hone their tactical acumen, such as in chess. Football was no different; the adoption of the sport as a team exercise, requiring not only individual skill but coordination and a fine sense of strategy, honed the American soldiery into something that better reflected their doctrine. While Kim was well-known for his groundbreaking (sometimes literally) military doctrine, he also instilled the value of leadership and adaptability. While it was ultimately he or other commanders that gave broad orders, officers and even soldiers were not only permitted, but encouraged, to make informed decisions on their own. Kim spearheaded the development of Special Operations Forces and produced the majority of the initial combat doctrine; he placed a heavy emphasis on adaptability. This included elements of the chain of command, such that were any commanding officers were incapacitated, the operation could continue without difficulties under a second individual who also possessed a complete understanding of the situation and military goals. It also emphasized that, if every individual in a team possessed better understanding of the combat scenario, then the team as a whole would be more adaptable to enemy movement. Intentionally or not, football provided similar insights towards the players. In the early days of the league, the team hierarchy was more or less similar to pre-Kim troop doctrines; there was a captain that dictated the pace and movement of the team on the field, and a coach that developed the strategy pre-game and refined it during. It was also during these days that the Iroquois Warriors utterly dominated the league, almost handily crushing every other, generally white-majority teams. Perhaps as a result of their warrior culture, in which ritualistic combat was less uncommon than European counterparts and placed a heavy emphasis on synchrony between allied combatants, the Warriors placed heavy emphasis on teamwork over individual skill. This is not to say that the Warriors were not encouraged to be aggressive; indeed, the Warriors still possesses the record for the most red cards in a single season, but they were encouraged to think on their feet and punish enemy weaknesses, not to individual benefit, but to team benefit, in a way that maximized long-term success. The Warriors continued to dominate the first dozen seasons, not only because the other teams failed to adapt but sometimes even regressed; promotions and sponsorships encouraged players to excel, sometimes even at the expense of their own teammates, as pro football players, even in the early days of MLS, could see a substantial fortune compared to the average farmer or uneducated laborer. Thus, most teams continued to see disharmony among their teams, with no clear direction save scoring goals. It took a new, entirely American generation of children growing up for football tactics to shift. Having grown up with the importance of working together for a common goal almost hammered into them but Kim et al., the 1810s saw the rise of new team lineups that adopted the Warriors-style strategy of teamwork and unpredictability. In fact, it was in 1814 when the Warriors were finally toppled after a nine-season victory streak by New York S.C., and though the Warriors would remain as formidable as ever (all the way to present day), they would never again see championships as routinely as they did. About fifteen years into the ''Golden Age of Soccer'', the Anglo-American War began. This conflict saw widespread devastation and pressed not only militias but resistance groups into the war out of necessity. Among the factors of American victory in the war outlined by Prussian General Carl von Clauswitz in The Aspects of War were: a close relationship between military and civilian, military intelligence, and strategic flexibility. Given it was originally a sport developed and enjoyed by the military, football teams in the early 19th century were often coached by veterans of the Revolutionary War, who were at or around retirement age at that time. Aspiring football players often knew a military serviceman or veteran personally, and war stories were often passed along through this medium. As such, the youth leading up to the outbreak of the Anglo-American War experienced a close, firsthand relationship with the military and military servicepeople, entirely due to the sheer popularity of football. This is believed to have contributed to the mass volunteering that occurred in American-held cities, as well as the (unofficial) deployment of civilian informants in occupied territory, which in turn increased the available military intelligence of American forces. Indeed, there are some records of fleet-footed youths acting as messengers for various militias and US military attachments after the destruction of railways and telegraph lines, their athleticism cultivated by playing football. Finally, militias and resistance groups experienced a surprising amount of success against invaders. While they would never be on par with people who attended military academies, their basic knowledge of strategy and tactics, as well as the connection they had with veterans, allowed them to prioritize goals and refine their movements. They often acted as saboteurs and raiders, and if their enemy were in sufficiently small numbers, they regularly pulled off successful ambushes. It was due to not only the American revolutionary spirit, but also their surprising effectiveness, that European forces enacted ''total war'' tactics and civilian casualties massively exceeded military casualties on both sides but ultimately American victory as well. Undoubtedly, these militias and resistance groups would have formed with or without soccer; however, it can be argued that their effectiveness had been greatly enhanced with the sport being ever-present in their lives, and subsequently, tipped the war, of not just two peoples, but two conflicting ideologies, in America''s favor. Life Update (Yes, the Novel will continue!) So... Where have I been? I''ve had some health complications that wore me down for months. I''ve always been an insomniac, but it reared its ugly head more often this year. I was getting sick often, and it''s been a struggle. They were made worse due to my brief stint with COVID last year (apparently, smoking is not good for you, who would''ve guessed). Being a TA also wore me out even more. Though, I will be a full-time teacher next year in the fall! So that''s cool. But yeah, I was just mentally and physically exhausted, so I took a long sabbatical from writing. I apologize for leaving the timeline half-finished, especially since it was reaching one of the more exciting parts of the story. I did try to get back into it a few times over the past year, but I was unable to finish even a single chapter. There were times I stared at my doc for hours, only for me to fail to put down my thoughts into print. However, I feel a bit more refreshed now, and I''m happy to announce that the next chapter (which will be a massive chapter closing out the Third Coalition War) is nearly completed! Thank God for Korean historical dramas and Victoria 3 for sparking some ideas and inspiration in me. I will do my best to get this timeline back up and running. Time to grind some old, rusting gears and regain my writing mojo. Chapter 211: The Third Coalition War (Part 2) Excerpt from "Pride Comes Before the Fall: The Third Coalition War" Strained Winter German winters were mild compared to Russian winters, yet harsh enough to stall the French offensive into the Holy Roman Empire. With temperatures falling below zero degrees Celsius and snow covering the region, Marshal Suchet faced new dilemmas with continuing his campaign. The leading French encampment was in Halle, just forty kilometers from Leipzig and one hundred and forty kilometers from Dresden. If the French seized those two cities, the road to northern Austria would be open, allowing the Grand Army to capture Prague and Vienna in rapid succession. Yet, as winter settled in, it became increasingly clear that Halle sat at the edges of France''s logistics, mainly due to Clausewitz''s scorched-earth tactics and the difficulty of overland transportation. Hanover served as Frances primary supply hub for the massive three hundred thousand men French army. Initially, supply came by sea through the ports of Bremerhaven and Hamburg (which the French captured immediately after the war began). From there, wagons pulled supplies to Hanover and then to the frontlines. However, this was no easy feat as the Grand Army ate through a staggering 450 tonnes of food per day, with additional tonnes of ammunition and other necessities that an army of its size needed. These supply requirements did not include the tens of thousands of members of the National Guard that occupied the liberated territories within the HRE. While the French merchant marine was sizeable, it was nowhere near enough to supply the army fully, and direct overland transportation without rails was both costly and time-consuming. By December, the French occupied the western half of Germany, much of which had been stripped bare due to Clausewitzs scorched earth policy. As winter set in, the supply lines could not keep up with the massive demands The French military quickly realized the importance of railroads for supplies towards the beginning of the invasion and convinced the government to negotiate a treaty with the Rhineland Kingdom for a rail line through the Ruhr Valley towards Hanover. The offer enticed the Rhineland Kingdom as it promised more significant economic investments. After a short debate, the proposal was quickly accepted, which secured the first half of the railway between Liege and Hanover. The other half was secured through military force. Marshal Suchet ordered one of his armies to clear a path between the Ruhr Valley and Hanover. This army, led by General Moise Garcon, managed to create such a path by September 2nd. While he faced nearly no serious military opposition during his campaign, the local population was highly uncooperative, and numerous skirmishes broke out between civilians and French soldiers. Unwilling to inflict disproportionate civilian casualties, General Garcon moved slowly and carefully to pacify the region. His efforts resulted in a direct overland pass from Dortmund to Detmold to Hanover, though control over this pass was still tenuous at best. However, even with a land route secured between Liege and Hanover, creating a rail network proved more difficult than expected. The French military needed more than eight hundred kilometers of rail, and large portions needed to be guarded constantly from the locals and Coalition forces. Additionally, the project was an expensive investment in non-French territory, and the railway needed to cross three different rivers (Rhine, Ruhr, and Weser). The French High Command estimated it would take at least three months to complete the rail line, well into the winter. As such, it demanded construction to begin immediately. Initially, some officers in the military believed that the French government would be unwilling to part with eighty million francs (approximately twenty million US dollars at the time) to complete the endeavor. However, stubborn insistence from Marshal Suchet and public pressure to win the war swiftly forced the French governments hands. A defeat against the Austrians and Prussians due to logistics was an embarrassment that neither the government nor the military would tolerate. Hence, construction began in earnest in late September, with the French government hiring its largest railway company, Baudin Rail Union, to oversee the effort. As such, construction quickly began with rail workers under the Baudin Rail Union and members of the National Guard working on the railroad. A proposal to draft the locals was shot down as a security risk, and an unnecessary expenditure increase. Under extreme pressure from the French government, they worked day and night to finish the rail line in time for winter. By December, they were only twenty kilometers from Hanover, with the mirroring line closing in on Liege Clausewitz knew the railway was the bloodline of the Grand Army. He was informed of its construction a week after it began and saw it as the biggest threat to his carefully crafted plans. If France could move supplies into Germany freely, his scorched-earth tactics would become moot. Thus, he spent several days contemplating a method to turn Frances engineering triumphant into a bitter disaster. Soon, he realized the simplest way to throw the French into chaos was to reveal himself. The March to Bamberg Despite his reservations about a pitched battle, the Prussian marshal massed his troops and resources shortly after snow began to fall and prepared a two-pronged assault into occupied territory. At this time, Clausewitz had nearly two hundred thousand men under his command, with additional troops arriving from Prussia and Austria to swell his ranks. For this lightning maneuver, he settled with five divisions under his direct command. In contrast, a single division under Brigadier Spiegel would rush into enemy territory with explosives to sabotage the French railway Marshal Suchets uncanny maneuvers during the final days before the beginning of winter had alarmed Clausewitz, who readily believed that the French had managed to either infiltrate his ranks or had informants to relay troop movements. Thus, as Clausewitz headed south with his men, the Duke of Teschen marched north with two divisions towards Stendal to tie down a portion of the Grand Army and to confuse the French. At the same time, the Duke ordered Brigadier General Franz Bandiera of Austria and his two divisions to go deeper south to Regensburg (which the French had abandoned in mid-November) to divide the French further and reinforce Clausewitz if needed. As Clausewitz feared, the MSE informed Suchet of both operations, even identifying Clausewitz leading the southern thrust. Though unaware of Clausewitzs true intentions, it was clear that this movement was an offensive campaign into occupied territory. Suchet was sore and embarrassed from being dragged around by his Prussian counterpart. As such, he committed to an all-out engagement to finally achieve his decisive victory. He left behind a whole army group at Magdeburg to deal with the northern attack, with another army group at Halle to defend against a potential surprise attack. A third army group was already waiting in the south at Ulm, which would strike north if the opportunity presented itself. With three army groups preoccupied with defense, Suchet devoted the other half of his army, two under his direct control and another under the supervision of Major General Remi Bossuet, against the Coalition On December 8th of 1836, Clausewitz attacked the town of Nurnberg, defended by a small detachment of the National Guard, and overran it within hours. This was according to Suchets plan to track the Coalition armys movements and to bait him deeper into occupied territory. From Nurnberg, the group rapidly converged on Wurzburg, which prompted Suchet to move to Bamberg (about ninety kilometers east of Wurzburg) to flank the Coalition forces and force their hand. Unexpectedly, Clausewitz turned about and marched swiftly into Bamberg ahead of the French. At the same time, Spiegel, whose division consisted of nearly all the cavalry and dragoons at the Coalitions disposal, bolted westward. This sudden shift and split happened in the dead of night, and while the MSE managed to track Clausewitz, they had missed Spiegel. Yet, the situation was not disastrous for Suchet. There were thousands of National Guards protecting the rail line, and they would inform him if they were attacked. Despite arriving at Bamberg first, Clausewitz had less than a day to set up defensive positions in the town. Additionally, while Bamberg sat behind the Main River, there was a shallow crossing a few kilometers north of the town at Breiteng?bach. Thus, after ensuring that the main bridges into Bamberg were destroyed (they were blown by Coalition forces hours before the French arrived), Suchet moved his army to cross the river and ordered his artillery to rain fire upon the Coalition. It was a move that Clausewitz expected. Knowing better than allowing the French to use their superior artillery to pound his positions, he had placed three divisions, sixty thousand men, in Hallstadt, just north of Bamberg. Meanwhile, two divisions led by Brigadier Friedrich Graf von Wrangel held positions in Gundelsheim and Memmelsdorf, holding the eastern wing of the defensive lines. Prussian and Austrian artillery opened fire the moment they spotted the French, and Suchets own cannons scrambled to unlimber and respond in kind. The Prussians landed two volleys into French lines before receiving a response, wreaking havoc on the crossing effort. Not wanting to remain idle amid an artillery duel, the French soldiers scrambled across the river, arriving on the eastern banks disorganized and confused. Yet, Clausewitz hesitated to launch a mass attack into the French ranks, which may have shattered the French lines and ended the battle before it could even begin. While most of his cavalry was with Spiegel, Clausewitzs men were disciplined and well-trained. It was possible, if not likely, that the combined Prussian and Austrian armies wouldve been able to descend upon the French and force them into close combat, in which the Coalition had a slight edge in. Historians have the foresight to make such judgments. However, Clausewitz saw a French army with superior numbers and equipment. Despite their disorganization, the French were still a formidable force, and every French soldier was armed to the teeth. And with plenty of open space for the French artillery to land shrapnel into his soldiers before crashing into the French wave, the Prussian marshal decided to hold behind his defensive earthworks. What he feared was not the French themselves but their weapons. At the time of the clash, the French Army fielded one of Europe''s most advanced militaries. It would be an exaggeration to claim that the French had invented their weapons without outside assistance (indeed, the United States lent weapons research and designs to France in late 1834, continuing their partnership that stemmed from the First French Revolution). However, France had numerous capable engineers and expanded upon American designs and suggestions, especially in developing field guns. Indeed, this can be seen in the design of the French Beaulieu 12-pounder Cannon, one of the finest and most devastating cannons of its time [1]. Long, accurate, and mobile, the Beaulieu 12-pounder was a rifled breechloading cannon with a two-kilometer range and six-shot-per-minute fire rate. Its development began in 1830, with the final advancement needed for a perfect breechloading artillery piece from the United States: the Davis breech obturator system. This system solved the problem of gas escaping the breechloaders, making them unreliable and dangerous. The Davis breech obturator system led to the development of the American Springfield guns and was the finishing touch for Frances own breechloading cannon. By late 1836, France fielded nearly eight hundred of these guns, and more were on the way. While the Prussians also had their own field artillery engineering genius in the Krupp family (Friedrich Krupp was offered an enormous sum of money to move to France for his works, though he refused and his family remained in Prussia), the best field cannon at their disposal was the breechloading 6-Pfnder-Feldkanone C/30. However, unlike the French and Americans, this 6-pounder suffered from previous issues with sealing and thus was generally inferior in range, accuracy, and power. Yet, in terms of fire rate, it remained a match to the French Beaulieu cannon. Hence Clausewitzs decision to fight as close as possible instead of allowing Suchet to utilize his artillerys longer range. Regarding rifles, France fielded the Delvigne Fusil modle 1826, designed by Henri-Gustave Delvigne (one of Paulys many apprentices) [2]. Capable of firing ten to fifteen shots in a minute and a maximum range of fifteen hundred meters, it was a terrifying weapon that stood at the apex of military rifles. Building upon the advancements brought by the Pauly gun, the Delvigne enhanced all the strengths of a breechloading rifle but with additional range, power, and accuracy. The only downside was the rubber obturator wearing out after repeated use (the obturator for rifles had been first discovered by the French, though they had been unable to apply it to cannons for some time). Even then, it was hardly an issue as they were easily replaceable. The Delvigne was a French infantryman''s main staple, yet it was already superseded by the newly designed Fusil modle 1836 [3]. The creator, Noelle Bouchard, had applied a metallic cartridge to the rifle (similar to that of the American Pelissier rifles), with greater range and a box magazine that made it a vast improvement over the Delvigne. Yet, only a few French soldiers were equipped with the Bouchard at Bamberg. Even so, a French infantryman''s standard fire rate and power could not be understated On the flip side, the Coalition soldiers were primarily armed with the Dreyse Needle Gun. Another apprentice of Pauly, Johann Nikolaus von Dreyse, returned to Prussia with intimate knowledge of rifles and breechloaders and created a variant of the Pauly gun, with his own modifications and improvements (his understanding of breechloading capabilities contributed to the creation of the Krupp 6-Pfnder-Feldkanone C/30). However, it was inferior to the Delvgine in that the average firing rate was only six to ten per minute, and its maximum range was twelve hundred meters, well below the capabilities of the Delvgine. Nevertheless, it gave Coalition soldiers enough to match their French counterparts somewhat, and with plans to fight much of the war on the defensive, it was the perfect weapon for its users. Not to mention, the production costs and time for the Dreyse were far lower than that of the Delvigne or the Bouchard The knowledge of his weaponry''s limitations guided Clausewitzs planning and movements on the battlefield. Yet, even his cautiousness was not enough to compensate for the firepower of the French in a pitched battle The Battle of Bamberg and Clausewitzs Defeat The Coalition soldiers sat behind earthen redoubts positioned in Hallstadt, using the Main River to their west to their advantage. Hills next to the Main River and near Gundelshiem and Memmesldorf meant that there was only one area where the large French Army could advance: the plains in front of Hallstadt. The defenses were far from perfect; indeed, there were gaps and holes in their redoubts. Yet, they allowed Clausewitz to mass most of his infantry into a single section of the battlefield. It was here that the Coalition would make their stand and fight to delay the French army to allow Spiegel to complete his mission. To begin the battle, the French regrouped and fired upon the defenders while digging temporary trenches to cover their forces. The French army had crossed too close to the defenders to utilize the superior range of their rifles and artillery, yet the intense fire rate of the Delvgine forced the Prussians and Austrians to duck under cover. The true killer of French infantry was the Prussian field guns, which whittled down the large French formations with shrapnel. While the French soldiers were dispersed to prevent the full effect of the shrapnel from being felt, there were far too many bottlenecked into the battlefield (as Clausewitz intended). Thus, during the initial phases of the battle, the French suffered nearly six thousand casualties, while the Coalition suffered only a few thousand from the French guns. By this time, Suchet had noticed the lack of cavalry among the Coalition forces, yet he believed Clausewitz was holding them out of sight for a potential flanking maneuver (there were two passes through the hills in the east that led to Memmelsdorf, though they were rather treacherous). Thus, the legendary Second Iron Dragoon Regiment, along with the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Cuirassiers and the First, Third, Fifth, Seventh, and Ninth Dragoon Regiments, remained behind the bulk of the French infantry and waited for a potential flank that never arrived. The First and Fifth Dragoon Regiments would skirmish with the defenders in Memmelsdorf, with light casualties to both sides. These two positions were better entrenched, and the two cavalry regiments that Clausewitz had at his disposal screened the French Dragoons effectively. As such, Suchet committed Bossuet and his men to seize the eastern redoubts and open up a flanking path. They would hold until the main assault into Hallstadt was underway. After the French established a firm defensive line, the artillery duel picked up with newfound enthusiasm, with both sides hammering each other with cannon balls, shells, and shrapnel. It was here that the difference in artillery came into being, as the Coalition redoubts were blown apart by accurate artillery fire while the French lines were hit with less intensity (especially as the French cannons struck Prussian artillery positions with precision). Suchet decided to wear down the defenders with artillery and long-range rifle fire, as he stubbornly refused to consider attacking a well-entrenched enemy with a direct assault. The Beaulieu cannons thundered across the battlefield for three hours and pounded Clausewitz and his forces. The Coalition commander was adamant about remaining behind the relative safety of the redoubts rather than attempting to charge across the open fields for glory. Clausewitz reasoned that sooner or later, Suchet would need to attack. He had been denied his victory for far too long, and he could not win by hunkering down. His reasoning was validated when Suchet decided to march his troops forward after hours of bombardment. The Coalition forces had held as best as they could, but there were noticeable holes in their lines, and they had suffered thousands of casualties while waiting. While they were repairing the redoubts and treating their wounded, the French descended upon them like vultures to a corpse, as one Prussian soldier noted. Suchets forces were split into two, with the main bulk attacking through the clearing while a split group moved through the hilly Zckshuter Forest (which sat in front of Gundelsheim and parts of Memmelsdorf). From there, the two groups would cut off the eastern defensive lines and pincer the main Coalition forces. Another advantage Suchet held over Clausewitz was his communications balloons. Much like those used by the Americans during the Anglo-American War, the balloons allowed Suchet to have a constant flow of battlefield reports and to make changes to his plans accordingly. While the French military command was a bit more rigorous than its American counterpart, it allowed some tactical flexibility to its NCOs. Even Clausewitz himself envied the advantages of real-time intelligence, as he noted in the Aspects of War. However, the balloons held advantages and disadvantages, and miscommunication would ironically save Clausewitz from total defeat Prussian skirmishers spotted the movement in the forest a mere seven hundred meters from the redoubts. Led by Colonel Fran?ois Certain Canrobert, the thirty-thousand French soldiers had advanced a bit too early due to the colonels hasty actions. The main force had been seen over a kilometer away, and seeing that he had a chance to deny the French in the forest, Clausewitz ordered five of his regiments to engage the enemy head-on. As the skirmishers deterred the French from rapidly advancing, messengers relayed Clausewitzs instructions to the officers in the area. Four Prussian regiments and one Austrian regiment responded in kind, three moving into the forest from the south while two from the redoubts on the hills moved from the east to place pressure from the side. For two hours, the two sides were locked in fierce combat as the woods prevented the French from charging into their enemies while the Prussians and Austrians were whittled away by the rifle fire. The attack from the east caught the French by surprise and threw their lines into disarray, but due to their numbers, they were able to split their attention and slowly push the Coalition forces out of the forest. Clausewitz had ordered his men to fight a delaying action, but the sheer chaos of the forest fighting prevented an organized retreat. This proved to be a fatal mistake as Suchet, receiving information about the sudden Coalition advance, devoted three of his dragoon units to flank the enemy and encircle them. The French advance hastened from the new information and engaged the defenders at the redoubts at six hundred meters (the effective range of the Delvgine). Soon, a gaping hole to their left was spotted by scouts, and the information was relayed to Suchet, who ordered the group to exploit it. As the French advanced closer to the redoubts, the three dragoon regiments followed closely behind and, once the French soldiers crashed into enemy lines, swung into the forest after a short skirmish with the main redoubt line. This sudden appearance of the French cavalry would doom the defenders of the forest, who would surrender after a fierce battle. Instantly, ten thousand Prussian and Austrian soldiers (about five thousand of them being captured) were removed from the battlefield and allowed the French to advance through the forest Once the French arrived in the trenches, they displayed tactics they had refined through their decades of experience in trench warfare. Grenades were lobbed into the trenches by grenadiers before the assault. Numerous groups were split as the main assault force went into the trenches, rolling into them and landing on their feet while immediately coming up firing. Each assault group had a dozen men remaining back to back as they dove in. Four would be prone, four would kneel, and four would remain to stand. Immediately, they would fire down both ends of the trench to clear the path for the others to follow and work down the trench to remove the remaining defenders. They were named Troupes de Choc or the shock troops, trained explicitly in clearing trenches. While none of them were armed with American shotguns, they were still a highly trained and deadly force, which allowed the French to seize the first line of trenches despite attempts made by Coalition soldiers to dislodge them. Yet, this second phase of the battle was highly costly for both sides. French forces suffered nearly fifteen thousand casualties to seize the first line, while the Coalition suffered over twelve thousand. This did not account for the skirmish in Zckshuter Forest, which inflicted over four thousand French casualties and much more for the Coalition. Even so, the French marched on, and Clausewitz knew the situation was turning against him. His forces had lost nearly a fourth of his troops, and half of his remaining soldiers were further east and under pressure from French attacks. He ordered his remaining artillery to pound the seized trench line and regrouped his forces in the second line. There were still two more trench lines behind the main force, and he planned to make the French bleed for every inch of ground. The attack on the second trench line never came, as Suchet decided to swing around and strike with the brunt of his forces in the east, near Memmelsdorf. After Clausewitzs forest gamble failed, a few regiments were sent to reinforce the lines in Gundelshiem, which weakened the eastern flank. Informed of this movement, Suchet committed half of his men from the main attack to peel off and support the cavalry in their attack against the weakened wing. While twenty-five thousand men remained in the Hallstadt redoubts to hold the Coalition forces in place, the defenders on the hill redoubts near Gundelsheim were swarmed with a mass of French infantry and cavalry led by General Bossuet. The relentless attack saw thousands of Coalition soldiers holding their ground to the last man, with only a few withdrawing down the hill to Memmelsdorf. However, the French still retained a numerical advantage as they marched down to claim the small town below. Once the French dragoons managed to whittle down the Prussian and Austrian cavalry, they rode in between the Coalition positions to cleave the defenders at Memmelsdorf from Gundelshiem. Wrangel immediately took notice and, without input from Clausewitz, pulled back his men and retreated towards Bamberg itself. This effectively collapsed the eastern lines and forced the defenders from Gundelshiem to withdraw as well. While the Prussian brigadier had requested aid, he failed to receive any because French skirmishers shot the messenger. Nevertheless, even if his message went through, Clausewitz was busy being pinned down by the entrenched French soldiers and artillery, which had readjusted their aim at the remaining Coalition lines. When Clausewitz learned of the collapse, he immediately ordered an organized retreat toward Nurnberg. While his forces had taken heavy casualties, they could continue the fight against the French and threaten them as long as they remained relatively intact. However, despite his best efforts, the retreat turned into a disorganized panic as French dragoons were spotted just east of Bamberg. The constant artillery bombardment also pounded away at the retreating Prussians and Austrians, sowing more confusion as the trickle of organized retreat turned into a sea of routing soldiers. Suchet had his victory; the enemy was on the run. The Thin Blue Wall and the Charge of the Iron Dragoons It was at this time that one of the greatest blunders of the Third Coalition War occurred and changed the course of the battle and, quite possibly, the war. The Second Dragoon Regiment, which had waited patiently with the First Dragoon Regiment just north of Memmelsdorf, was led by Lieutenant Jean-Pascal Ouvrard. He led a famed unit that stemmed its history back to the 16th century and held a long and prestigious career, especially during the First French Revolution and the First and Second Coalition Wars. He was noted for his temperament and glorifying war heroes such as Kim, Lafayette, and Murat. During the rout of the Coalition forces, one of the Prussian artillery officers launched a cannonball whizzed by one of the military balloons. Whether it was by accident or on purpose, it rattled the balloons crew. The balloons signal corp members were unharmed, but the flag signal codebook dropped onto the ground below during the panic. At the same time, the balloon was receiving commands from Suchet to relay to Lieutenant Ouvrard. Having to remember the signal combinations instead of double checking with his book, the officer of the balloon mistakenly signaled for Ouvrard to charge with due haste instead of prepare for a charge. Lieutenant Ouvrard, who was rearing to chase down the retreating masses, eagerly ordered his men to charge forward after receiving the mistaken message. The signal officer under his command remained skeptical and wanted to confirm with the balloon to see if it was the right message, as there were reports of Coalition forces making a stand. However, Ouvrard dismissed him and charged forward with his unit, with the First Dragoons close behind him. While the Coalition was in full retreat, several notable units were keen on preventing the French from exploiting the chaos. Most of them were Prussians, and Clausewitz ordered them to stand their ground to allow their compatriots to retreat intact. Led by Wrangel himself, the five thousand Prussians steeled their resolve to enable the main army to escape, even at the cost of their own lives. Several surviving cannons had also remained behind, intent on blasting the French full of shrapnel to delay their advance. This group held its position in the southernmost defensive redoubts, just south of Bamberg. They had fought off the Third French Dragoons with the assistance of the remaining Coalition cavalry and prepared for further enemy assaults. It was this Thin Blue Line that was the first enemy soldiers Ouvrard encountered, and seeing the fleeing masses behind the line, he decided to charge. The four-thousand-strong cavalry of the First and Second Dragoons galloped toward the enemy and, before they could fire with their carbines, were met with a hail of bullets and shrapnel that shredded their numbers. Before they reached the Prussian lines, the Prussians landed five volleys of rifle fire on them, along with two dozen shrapnel shots. When the French dragoons managed to land a volley of their own, they were already broken. Only a thousand arrived at the defensive lines, and they were quickly turned back by stubborn resistance and hastily made Prussian squares. Lieutenant Ouvrard himself was killed in the fighting, shot by a Prussian soldier as he attempted to rally his troops. Only five hundred dragoons returned to the French lines. The two dragoon regiments suffered over two thousand deaths, with almost all the survivors injured in some form. They were no longer an effective fighting force and would sit out the remainder of the war, trying to recuperate their losses. The Charge of the Iron Dragoons would change the tone of the battlefield. Nearby French units that witnessed the ill-fated charge halted their advance completely, watching in horror as the Prussians tore the vaunted French cavalry units to pieces. Even Suchet was in total shock when he received the news, and it took several minutes for him to snap out of his stunned stupor. By the time he relayed new orders to the remaining French cavalry (which were held back in reserve), the majority of the Coalition forces managed to reform their ranks outside artillery range and retreated in good order. Even Wrangel and most of his men escaped, though the cannons were left behind to lighten their load. Half an hour after the orders for the remaining cavalry to take the shattered First and Second Dragoons place, Suchet received information about Spiegel and his men tearing up sections of the railroad in Dortmund near the Ruhr River. The report stated that the rail bridges over the Ruhr were blown, and Spiegel was bolting north toward the bridges on the Weser while destroying tracks methodically. The National Guard units in the area had been taken by surprise and could not follow the exhausted yet determined and highly mobile forces under Spiegels wing. He also received word that Gerard and his army group were stuck in a battle against Brigadier Bandiera near Ansbach and unable to move north to chase down the fleeing Coalition army. Suchet usually held some cavalry units as reserves for emergencies. Unfortunately, after the First and Second Dragoons were annihilated, the remaining cavalry was sent out to harass the retreating enemy. By the time two of his cavalry regiments received his urgent message, two hours had passed, and their horses were far too exhausted to leave in pursuit of Spiegel immediately. Later, Suchet discovered that the Duke of Teschen also committed a significant amount of cavalry to mirror Spiegels movement. The Austrian marshal was unwilling to sit back and wait for Clausewitz and Spiegel to seize all the glory and sent out his own men to terrorize the French. After drawing the French defenders in the north away by moving his troops toward Stendal, a small Austrian cavalry unit charged straight toward Hanover. While this attack failed to destroy any tracks, it killed hundreds of rail workers and National Guards laying tracks just south of Hanover. The fact that nearly three thousand Austrians were killed or captured in this bold attack was little comfort for the French marshal In the end, the surviving troops under Clausewitz escaped to Prague and survived to fight on another day. On paper, the Battle of Bamberg was an overwhelming French victory. The Coalition suffered more than thirty-five thousand casualties, with an additional seven thousand captured. This was over two-fifths of the total Coalition forces committed to the battle. It would take months for Clausewitz to regain enough strength to directly rechallenge Suchet (though that would be the decisive battle that would decide the Third Coalition War, the Battle of Erfurt). This figure does not include the twenty thousand Austrians and Prussians captured or killed in their efforts to sabotage the French rail line. Meanwhile, the French had suffered under thirty thousand casualties, a fifth of the total French forces in the battle. Within a week, it was clear that the winner of the strategic aims of the battle was the Coalition. Spiegel managed to destroy the Ruhr bridges before his unit was surrounded. Though the Prussians were freezing and suffering from frostbite and chills, they had carried out their duties faithfully until the very end (Spiegel was captured instead of killed, much to the dismay of the French). With much of the expensive and labor-intensive rail and rail bridges in ruins, the French were thrown back to the beginning of the invasion. What was once heralded as an impressive engineering feat was now seen as their greatest folly. Winter had arrived, yet the answer to their logistical woes was now in pieces A few French shells overshot their mark during the battle and landed within Bamberg, which caused significant damage to buildings and the civilian population. These shells destroyed the Bamberg Cathedral, where the great Holy Roman Emperor Henry II was interred. Perhaps it was fitting that the Third Coalition War would be the war to force Germany to centralize and unite like never before in its history, just like Emperor Henry IIs efforts to unite the Holy Roman Empire +++++ AN: And with that, only one more chapter remains for Third Coalition War! That chapter will come after I refresh myself with a few chapters about the rebuilding in America and possibly elsewhere. Stay tuned for the next update, this time from a POV of an average American citizen witnessing Nathaniels inauguration! [1]: The cannon is a combination of the Canon de Montagne de 4 modle 1859 Le Ptulant and the Armstrong gun https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Treuille_de_Beaulieu [2]: This is based on the French Chassepot rifle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chassepot. [3]: Based on the Fusil Gras. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusil_Gras_mle_1874 Chapter 212: The Lion of America Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America February 10th, 1837 Eric Grant twirled his pen and gripped his notebook a little tighter. His eyes darted from his watch to the empty podium looming in front of him. He had camped out on the lawn in front of Capitol Hill since yesterday to get the best seat for the Inauguration, which netted him a front-row seat despite being an unknown reporter from a small town in Michigan. The Flint Weekly wasnt as prestigious as the New York Times, the Boston Daily, or the Pennsylvania Gazette. Yet, it was his own pride and joy, and thousands of local readers relied on him for their news, including information about the new president. Unlike previous inauguration ceremonies, the lawn and the surrounding areas were bare, with a distinct lack of decorations. Only a few flags were draped here and there. There were hardly any food vendors, and every other person he saw looked thin and pale. Many were shivering in worn coats and jackets, with only a few wearing scarves and hats. Even the government officials and famous figures sitting behind the stage looked exhausted, though they were dressed better than most. It seemed like he was looking at the scene through a black, white, and gray photograph. Yet, the large crowd of thousands was in good spirits, most likely due to the Independence Day celebrations from a week earlier. Not even the cold, downcast weather and atmosphere could dampen the crowd. The air was filled with chatter and shouts, with a few rowdy folks waving large signs from Nathaniels campaign trail. Popular slogans such as He won us the war, hell win us the peace and Samuels Mantle, Nathaniel can Handle were seen. A band of roving musicians entertained the crowd by playing patriotic songs from the Anglo-American War on their banjos and violins. A young woman attempted to launch a firework at the edge of the lawn but was pulled aside and scolded by a police officer. People jeered at the sight but changed their tune when the firework launched anyways: a faded, blue and red star lighting up the sky. During the commotion, a person elbowed him in the ribs by accident, causing him to gasp and stagger. He flapped his arms to avoid falling into the crowd, but someone caught him and planted him onto his feet. Ya gotta watch yaself. Almos time and dey ah getting rowdy. He turned to come face to face with a light-skinned woman with brown hair and a cheerful grin. Her arms were skinny, yet her grip was powerful. Thank you. Ane time. Da names Jill. She pointed at his notebook. Ya a reporta? Yep, for the Flint Weekly, Eric answered with pride. What state? Michigan. Near Ohio? Got it in one. Ahm from Texas, but used ta liv in Jefferson. Eric blinked. And I thought I was coming from faraway. Foks from everee state ah here. Not jus the states, but sum from Greenland and even dos islands in the Adlantic. Really? I have to go find some and interview them. She chuckled. Dey a different sort. Yall find dem fast. After chatting for a few minutes, their conversation was cut short by a loud voice piercing through the air. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce you to the Eighth President of the United States of America: Nathaniel Napoleon Bonapart. A small band played Hail to the Chief as the new president walked onto the stage with a cane and shook hands with President Peters, who smiled haggardly at his successor. Eric blinked as the departing president shambled away in his ill-fitting suit, his iconic top hat barely hanging onto his white hair. Comparing the two, Eric found it difficult to believe that Peters was younger than Bonapart by more than twenty years. He don look too good, Jill commented. The war took its toll, Eric answered. I guess even the president wasnt safe from it. Hob he turns ou well. He needa vacation. After what hes been through, I say he deserves it. He was a great leader during our nations darkest time. She shook her head. If he was a grea leada, he wouldna hab let Jefferson burn down. It is easier to judge the actions of the past than it is to lead for the future. From a book? No, my pa. Chief Justice Joseph Story administered the oath with a bible, and Bonapart recited it solemnly. His shoulders dipped as he spoke as if God was placing great weight on his shoulders. Eric noted the choice of swearing the oath with the bible and recalled some of the complaints towards Bonapart during his campaign. Some accused Bonapart of being a Papal agent due to his Catholic beliefs, while others protested him for his age. Still, others claimed he was too aggressive and militaristic, which was ironic considering Kim was a general. However, while looking at the new president, Eric noted that he looked presidential. The president straightened his posture as he relaxed behind the podium. His eyes were friendly yet fierce and fiery. His blue suit jacket was perfectly ironed, and a small American flag pin was on his collar. As he opened his mouth, a loud cheer rang out, and for a few minutes, the crowd was unruly and uncontrollable. President Bonapart seemed as though he was born for the job of a nations leader and took the crowd in stride. He waved at each individual he could see, including Eric, before motioning with his hand for the public to quiet down. They obliged almost instantly. Eric sincerely hoped that this old man would survive two terms. Thank you. President Bonapart shouted. There was a megaphone in front of him to amplify his speech. However, since the crowd was massive, there were officials toward the back holding up signs with the presidents speech written on them. It has certainly been an exciting year. To this day, I am still shocked and humbled to be standing up here today, but I thank all of you for your support. This day is not a victory for myself but for the American people! The crowd roared in reply, and even Eric was swept up in the atmosphere. Next to him, Jill looked smitten and cheered as well. I will speak frankly for a moment. Our nation is in rough shape, a poor shadow of its former glory. Yet, our nation has been a tale of endurance, of courage. I have no doubts that we will endure, as we have always endured. The worst is over, and we will return victorious! He then proceeded to announce his plan for the nation. He would tackle the Reconstruction of the South, unemployment, and the senseless violence that plagued parts of the country. It would result in the most significant expansion of the federal government since Kim. He assured the crowd that while the American government would be entering a period of deficit spending, he would keep the situation carefully controlled and ensure that the inflated budget would only be used for the benefit of the American people. Drastic times necessitate drastic actions, as he stated simply. Some ideas from Bonaparts platform stuck out to Eric, such as the healthcare program and the Relief Administration. They were foreign, even to a progressive constitutional republic as the United States. Eric had no idea how Bonapart came up with these proposals since they were extremely radical and head-turning. Perhaps the war had invoked some thoughts in him yet even still, one man had changed the beliefs and demands of the majority in a very short time. That may be why he was elected president; he had ideas that were completely unique and appealing to the public. Millions had been injured during the war, and even more had suffered the traumatic aftermath of seeing the nation struggle and teeter on the edge of collapse. They couldnt rely on the old and reliable ways of the past anymore. New, fresh ideas were needed to transform the republic into something even more extraordinary. We must remember our past: our mistakes, our resolve, and our victory. However, now is the time to look to the future. We cannot linger and dawdle, reminiscing about a yesterday that was. We must rebuild our country and make it greater than it was before. We owe it to those who made the greatest sacrifice for our nation and ourselves. The war has not yet ended; we must win the peace. A peace where the war is no longer a spectre visible in our everyday lives. Eric thought that was a terrific quote and scribbled it into his journal. No matter how much people wanted that past, the past couldn''t be changed. He hadnt suffered much during the war, working in a factory while many others volunteered to fight for the nation. Yet, he had seen the orphans, widows, and thousands of crippled and maimed people in Michigan. They had to look to the future: a future where this war was a footnote in American history, not a permanent fixture that plagued the nation. And to that end, I must ask the people for their cooperation. Do not merely ask what the country can do for you, but commit yourself to your country. I have sacrificed all my other interests for the interests of this country and my happiness for the happiness of its people. As selfish as it is for me to ask the same for all of you, I must ask all of you, in the future, to make the same realizations that I have. We will need workers, doctors, administrators, and soldiers to make my plan a reality. We will need the support of millions willing to carry out the titanic tasks ahead of us as we rebuild entire states from ruins. It is an ambitious plan, but it can not be done by myself and Congress alone. We will need the nations spirit and will, two indestructible forces, behind this plan, for it to succeed. If the people truly want my promises to materialize into reality, I have no doubts that we will succeed. Because the way forward is not through violence or accusations. Nor is it through complacency or bitterness. It is through the unbreakable will that guided our nation throughout its entire history. A will to challenge the frontiers, to explore the unknown, to test our boundaries, and to be pioneers of hope and liberty in this dark world. All eyes, both domestic and foreign, will be upon us, but I would not have it any other way. We will deliver and show the world why we are the United States of America. We will not go down so easily; even if we do, we will roar in defiance until the very end. Thank you, and God Bless America. Eric was the first to clap and shout in approval, or he liked to believe he was the first. However, the crowd of thousands of people of varying races, religions, home states, and social statuses roared immediately at the end of the presidents speech. Nathaniel, no Napoleon, the Lion of Corsica and America, was what the people needed. A visionary that would carry on the torches of the past and light them brighter for the future. There was a distinct ripple in the air, and Eric could almost touch it. Change was coming. +++++ Entry in the Worldwide Online Encyclopedia (WOE), Edited on September 15th of 2022: Eric Grant (February 6th, 1807 - May 9th, 1882) was an American journalist, author, and teacher. Born in Flint, Michigan, Grant would begin his literary career as the Editor-in-Chief of the Flint Gazette, which would later grow to become one of the largest newspapers in the state of Michigan. In 1841, he would publish his first book, which is considered one of the greatest classics of the post-Anglo-American War era: Gone with the Wind, a novel about a struggling war veteran trying to invent a way to return to the past to save his family (who were killed in the war), abandoning his future in doing so. The last line of the book is considered a timeless quote about the struggle between the past and the present: As he buried the final memories of his deceased family, he heard the voices of the dead behind him and looked up, his resolve shaken, and they were, once again, gone with the wind. Grant is considered the father of the alternate history genre, writing a separate series of novels called 1443 (published in 1845). The ten-book series follows a group of Americans attempting to stop the Anglo-American War from ripping their families apart, only to land in Constantinople ten years before its fall +++++ AN: Its a bit late, but rest in peace, Eric Flint. He was an inspiration to many, including myself, and he will always be influencing the future of alternate history writers forever. Chapter 213: Politik Columbia, Federal District, the United States of America May 28th, 1837 Marie-Adriana Bonapart dArmont stirred sugar into her coffee as she glared at the fat stack of papers on the table. The cover sheet menacingly blared the words CONGRESSIONAL BRIEF OF MIDDLE EASTERN AND CENTRAL ASIAN AFFAIRS, which made her coffee taste more bitter than usual. She sighed as she slipped the china back onto the saucer and leaned back in her chair. Out of all the regions I couldve received I get assigned to the Middle East. What even happens there? All I know about is the pyramids in Egypt, but how is that important to anyone in the US? Congresswoman Laura Walker, a fellow representative from the Liberal Party and her mentor, raised an eyebrow as she flipped through her own file. She glanced at Maries source of frustration and hesitated before speaking, Every part of the world is important, Marie. Its our duty to be aware of the world at large. There are hundreds of countries in the world, and their situations are changing daily. This report is probably outdated by now, but its still important to read and analyze it. The two were in a lounge nestled in between the Congressional Houses of the New England Representatives and Senators. The vast and spacious building contained various amenities: a small library, a bar, a cafe, and a smoke area. The interiors were simple yet clean and organized, with its mahogany walls decorated by famous legislation and pictures. The oak tables and chairs were imprinted with the scars of pens and utensils. In their downtime, members of Congress socialized and strategized within its walls, churning the gears of democracy as they argued and relaxed. But its the Middle East, Marie answered lamely. Its filled with sand, camels, and more sand. And pyramids on top of the sand. My point is, what is there to be interested in? Central Asia isnt that much better. I swear, they only gave me a seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee because of my name and pushed me aside because Im a rookie, and a Congresswoman at that. Laura opened her mouth but closed it and gaped awkwardly. She looked up at the ceiling for a few moments before flicking her blonde hair and turning to her colleague, You might be right about that. I didnt even get a seat on a committee during my first term and had to observe the Committee on Agriculture even though I was from New York City. Despite our partys policies, even the members sometimes look down on women. But if they think theyre sidelining you by assigning you these two regions to study, then theyre wrong. Those two regions are important. Why? Because of what Britain is doing in those two regions, specifically the Ottomans and Egypt. You mean settling the Russo-Ottoman War and the Egyptian-Ottoman War recently? The Ottomans lost territories in both, but according to the notes, it couldve been much worse. They only lost that Crimean Khanate they established a few decades back and parts of Romania and Moldavia. The British did something right, for once. For their own gain, not because it was the morally right thing to do, Laura snorted. She pulled a map from a nearby bookshelf and laid it across the table. It was an older map without the border changes following the two wars. However, she pulled out a pen and redrew the borders after reading about the aftermath of the two wars. The report shouldve mentioned other events the British were involved in within the last few years or so. Marie scrambled through her file and skimmed through the lines. They also brokered a peace between the Ottoman Empire and Persia ten years ago. And willingly ceded Balochistan to Persia Where is that? Between Persia and India. Right. Huh. I had no idea the Brits were involved even before that. During the early 1820s, their foreign policy was led by Foreign Secretary Robert Jenkinson. He used his influence and position to urge Europe against intervention when the Greeks were revolting, which led to the Ottomans crushing the revolution in 1824. Marie scowled as she finished reading about the failed Greek Revolution. France was rocked with a political scandal at the time, which paralyzed the government. A tragedy perhaps the Greeks wouldve won their independence in another world. However, do you understand what Im saying here? Theyre up to something, but what is it? This should answer your question nicely, Laura drew a straight line from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea through Egypt. Theres your answer. A road? No, a canal. The Bonaparts jaw dropped. Oh. And theyve been courting the Ottomans for decades for a canal? Once the canal is finished, itll be the bloodline of the British Empire. They need a route to Asia, a secured one at that. It seems theyve prepared for their worst nightmares to be realized. I see Marie glanced around the map and widened her eyes after looking at the Atlantic islands and the Cape of Good Hope. So the Middle East and Central Asia are important because of this canal. Every move, every treaty, and every gesture have led up to this moment. Settling the Ottoman-Egyptian War was their final touch. I havent read that report, but Im guessing the British have expanded their influence over the Ottomans and Egypt. The Treaty of Alexandria, signed October 15th, 1835. It gives the ruler of Egypt this Muhammad fellow, nominal independence and guarantees of fair trade in exchange for ceding Syria and southern Anatolia back to the Ottoman Empire. Egypt still kept the Levant, Hejaz, and Crete. Even in its weakened state, Britain was enough to force this treaty with its remaining navy and seasoned army. Marie recited from her file. They also got something out of the Ottomans, Im sure, Laura muttered. The Treaty of Balta Liman Marie pulled out a sheet and waved it at her, Youre a fast reader! Here it is, the Treaty of Balta Liman of 1835. A treaty that completely opened up the Ottomans market to Britain, with Egypt being exempt. Lucky bastards If only the Indian Rebellion hit a bit sooner. But why would they do all this? If Britain wanted the canal. The Suez Canal. Right, the Suez Canal. Why would Britain anger Egypt by forcing it to cede the territories it seized from the Ottomans? Laura drummed the table with her fingers, Containment and pragmatism. Britain was distracted due to the War, and Russia took that chance to fight the Ottoman Empire while it was busy dealing with Egypt. The British government immediately scrapped up whatever forces it could after the war to settle the war between the Russians and the Ottomans. They want the Ottoman Empire somewhat weakened, but not fatally, so it can still be a viable threat to Russia. The two are rivals, Laura continued. Russia is the only nation with the numbers to match Britain at sea. Not to mention, they have conflicting interests in Central Asia, especially Persia. Also, the British dont want the Russians controlling the Turkish Straits, as that would give them access out of the Black Sea and into the Mediterranean. The current British Queen is also married to a Swedish prince, and Sweden lost Finland to Russia not long ago. Basically, the two have strong reasons to butt heads with each other. Then why give any concessions to Egypt? They saw an opportunity and took it, Laura answered. Muhammad Ali is a reformer, a strong ruler who could prove vital to British interests. The canal is worth more than an open market policy in Egypt, and the Ottomans weakened slightly more. The British have a friendly local ruler while constructing the canal by satisfying most of Ali''s desires. Theyll probably sway the Egyptian ruler to handpick a successor favorable to the British, like his fourth son Mohamed Said. And leverage over both nations, Marie finished. Precisely. So, Britain ceding control of Balochistan was to pull Persia to their side. Correct. With the Sikh Empire standing strong, they need a counterbalance in the region against it and a bulwark against Russian expansion. Not to mention, another leverage piece over the Ottoman Empire. So theyre not helping nations; theyre holding them hostage with threats? Marie frowned. Its similar to what they did in India: pit the native kingdoms against each other and rapidly expand their influence and control. By the time the locals realize whats going on, its far too late. Like a disease. I guess it would be beneficial for the committee to know about this. The file mentioned a canal, but its conclusion wasnt as detailed as your lecture. Thanks for all the help, Laura. How do you know so much about this anyways? I thought you were on the Industry and Economy Committee? Ah I wanted to be an ambassador when I was younger, so I studied foreign affairs from a young age. I still do, Laura shrugged. For example, the current Prime Minister of Britain is John Lambton, a swanky Whig who passed a disappointing Reform Act that heavily favored cities and wealthy capitalists. Though, he did help abolish slavery fully across the British Empire. Hes also ushering in new social and economic laws to revive Britain, so he says. Probably just copying parts of Nathaniels plan As for the canal, there have been similar proposals for a Central American Canal to connect the Atlantic and Pacific floating around for a while now. I see. I guess being in Congress for eight years makes you knowledgeable about many things, huh? Laura grinned and straightened her blouse, You bet. Marie peeked over at Lauras papers, How is ARRP going? How do you think its going? The senior Congresswoman groaned. Your uncle rammed dozens of bills through Congress while I picked up the pieces. Many landed on my committee, and Ive dealt with arguments daily. She motioned her junior to follow her to the smoking room, and the pair walked while Laura massaged her temples. They greeted a few passing Congress members with smiles but walked hurriedly to their destination. God No matter what nation youre in, if youre a member of the government, politics will haunt you. Is it that bad? Yes, its that bad. They arrived at the smoking room, and Laura pulled a cigar from her pocket. She lit it with the small candle in the room and breathed in deeply. A puff of smoke left her mouth as she leaned her head against the wall. Our nation is large, too large at times. We have so many different groups, interests, and backgrounds that it sometimes gets difficult to pass laws. Were all Americans, Marie replied, puffing out her chest. Thats why we passed most of ARRP in record time. I was in the chamber when they passed the programs with overwhelming majorities. The president is very patriotic and says that America is truly united. However, even he knows that most of the nation is still divided into regional interests and cultural backgrounds. Yes, almost everyone identifies as American, but they all have different ideas of what an American is. We only managed to pass ARRP because we maneuvered around the parties to achieve our goals. There were a lot of backroom dealings, which you probably didnt see. What do you mean? Laura tapped her cigar and dropped some ashes into a nearby ashtray. She offered the cigar to Marie, who frowned and shook her head. Some parts of ARRP had support nationwide, like the healthcare service. More taxes, but an opportunity to help those injured or distressed from the war? Great! Almost every region has thousands of casualties from the war. That program was acceptable, provided each region saw the results they paid for. Were all in this together, only because this benefits every region. Now, take the Industrial Revitalization Project. $350 million to rebuild and retool Americas industries, including new factories, machinery, and higher wages. Which regions do you think would be against that? Marie rubbed her chin and slumped down onto the ground, The South, and the West too. Frontier, and Democratic. Both were raising holy hell about how that money was being wasted into the pockets of industrialists. So we had to compromise; some money was placed aside to help develop local industries in the south and west. And an increase in funding and expansion of the railroads, including the Transcontinental Railroad and the Southern Belt Railway. We couldve passed it without them, the Republicans and Unionists were on board with the proposal, but we dont want to anger the other regions too much since we were going to anger them with the other proposals. Now, the Public Housing Act. That one took two weeks to negotiate, and the president had to strong-arm a few Congressmen. Who do you think opposed it? Everyone but the South? Marie questioned. Parts of the North were agreeable to it since coastal cities like our home city and Boston were shelled. But yes, most of Congress was against it outside the Liberal Party. Only after we agreed to increase the number of ships for the naval expansion and the construction of a new dockyard in Virginia did we have enough votes to pass it through. That was the only one I remember passing with a small majority, by four votes, I think. Laura huffed her cigar again. Correct. And dont get me started on the taxes or printing more dollars. The Frontier was hell-bent on preventing them from passing, with a few representatives representing wealthier districts also chipping in. We only managed to placate the Front by adding a provision in the G.I. Bill for granting free land to veterans as compensation for their service. Napoleons Consent Executive Order to declare all foreign volunteers who fought in the War as citizens under the previous promise helped a bit. Dont get me started on the Canadians, American Creole, or other ethnic groups with clashing interests. I wouldnt be surprised if new parties sprung up in the future based around that. Maries shoulders dipped as she stared warily at the tobacco smoke cloud. "You just shattered my... ideal view of the United States." "It''s realpolitik, unfortunately. The representatives represent their constituents, and every region wants different things. It''s why the president had to kill the proposal for full gender equality in government and voting." "Wait, he did? I didn''t even know about this!" "Because your aunt in France would strangle him." Laura scoffed. "However, he expended all his political capital in getting ARRP passed, and most of Congress have no stomach to attempt another, more controversial reform while the nation is struggling. As much as I hate it... It was the right choice. We''ll get there someday, but our current focus must be on rebuilding the nation." A very divided nation. We''ll be more united in the future, I know it. But for now, we''re not as united as the world may believe. We dont have a choice; the world must believe we are united. Otherwise, everything we''ve built up so far will unravel at the seams. I hope God is merciful enough to prevent major international incidents from blowing up while we settle things at home. +++++ AN: And with that, here we go! The next update will be another POV about ARRP or the final chapter of the Third Coalition War. I''ll also start planning out chapters about South America''s volatile situation. I''ll be busy all week, but hopefully, I''ll get another chapter or two out. Omake: The Progressive Manifesto AN: Written by Libertad of the Alternatehistory forum. +++++ A Call for Action to the Revolutionaries of Europe by an American Liberal Unionist, popularly known as the Liberal Manifesto or the "Progressive Manifesto", is a political pamphlet; written between 1809-1811 by famed revolutionary hero and former Secretary of the Treasury and then President of the United States, Alexander Hamilton. It was then published in the New York Times serially a year later, in 1812, under the pseudonym, Gracchus, just right after President Andrew Jacksons inauguration. After years in obscurity, it soon became one of the worlds most influential political documents, influencing numerous prominent thinkers and politicians afterwards. The document further expand on the concepts of "democratic revolution" and "democratic republic" that were discussed by Samuel Kim, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams in their own works. It also presents an analytical presentation of class struggle and exploring the possibility of building a future world without class distinctions, which is not completely described and was vague. The Progressive Manifesto also summarizes Alexander Hamiltons theories regarding the nature of humanity and society and presents ideas as to how to properly built a society without the power of kings and aristocrats, which involves a high level of government activity and involvement in providing for public goods that was not common among governments of the time and in most of human history. It also introduced the concept of Four Freedoms for the first time; the freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, the freedom from want, and the freedom from fear. In the last paragraph of the Manifesto, Hamilton called for an overthrow of all oppressive social conditions, which served as a call for liberal and progressive reform or revolution for many of its supporters afterwards. The Manifesto cemented Hamiltons status as one of the most influential political and economic thinkers of the last half-millenium. Excerpts: A specter is haunting Europe C the specter of liberty, equality and progress. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this specter: King Louis and King George, Pope and the Tsar, along with many others. .The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. Freeman and slave, patrician and plebeian, lord and serf, guild-master and journeyman, in a word, oppressor and oppressed, stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on an uninterrupted, always changing battle, a social battle that each time ended, either in a revolutionary reconstitution of society at large, or in the common ruin of the contending classes. . The revolution of the people, therefore, has its origins in the moment when the gulf between the state of society and the individual conscience is realized, when the latter finds itself, either through instinct or through analysis, obliged to react against the former. So, in a few words, my belief is that revolutions come about: 1. as a phenomenon opposed to a given state of affairs which stands in contradiction to individual aspirations and needs; 2. as a phenomenon, whenever that response takes collective shape and clashes with the established order; 3. as organization, whenever the need is felt to create a force capable of imposing the realization of the peoples objectives. In consequence, I believe that a democratic revolution should always be founded upon the following ethical principles of responsible liberalism: 1. that the needs of each man be met with no limitations other than those imposed by a countrys capabilities; 2. that each and every man be urged to make the greatest possible effort to meet the needs of society in accordance with his own capabilities. So, it is my considered opinion: 1. That man is not naturally evil and that crime is the logical outcome of the circumstance of social injustice in which we live. 2. That in supplying man''s needs and also providing him with scope for rational and humane education, the causes of crime shall, one day, disappear. If the poor during its contest with the wealthy is compelled, by the force of circumstances, to organize itself as a class by means of a revolution, then it makes itself the new ruling class, and, as such, sweeps away by force the old conditions of oppression and then it will, along with these conditions, have swept away the conditions for the existence of class antagonisms and of classes generally, and will thereby have abolished its own supremacy as a class. Over time, bountiful democratic production of wealth shall force class distinctions to disappear, with all production concentrated in the hands of a vast association of the whole nation. This shall be when public power will lose its political character. Political power, properly so called, is merely the organized power of one class for oppressing another. In place of the old society of kings and nobles and lords, with its classes and class antagonisms, we shall have an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all. In the most immediate circumstance, the following measures are generally needed to be done to secure our gains. 1. An equal distribution of farming land between farmers and peasants. 2. A progressive or graduated income tax. 3. Confiscation of all property of all rebels and traitors to the revolution and their distribution to all the people. 4. Establishment of a national bank. 5. Establishment of workshops and advanced instruments of production with the support of the constitutional State; the bringing into cultivation of wastelands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan. 6. Equal liability of all to work. Establishment of industrial and agricultural associations of free producers. 7. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country. 8. Free education for all children in public schools. 9. A tax on the value of land. 10. Institution of a responsible government via a secret ballot, in order to protect the elector in the exercise of his or her vote. The exercise of the right to vote shall also be extended to women. In the coming years, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential freedoms of man and citizen. The first is freedom of speech, and expressioneverywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own wayeverywhere in the world. The third is freedom from wantwhich, translated into world terms, means understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy life for its inhabitantseverywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fearwhich, translated into world terms, means a reduction of the oppressive and tyrannical actions of governments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against its own citizens and against any neighboranywhere in the world. Let the liberals and the progressives proudly agitate and express their views and aims. They should openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the overthrow of oppressive social conditions. History shall decide the ways this can be accomplished. Either the ruling classes meet the people at the negotiation table or they shall tremble at seeing the armed masses! The people have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. A world of equality and democracy! Let democracy win! Progressive men and women of the world, unite! Onwards to freedom! Real life sources of the excerpts come from the Communist Manifesto, Franklin D. Roosevelt''s Four Freedoms speech, and the CNT''s Resolution on Libertarian Communism. Chapter 214: The Spanish Civil War of 1836 Map for reference: https://imgur.com/gallery/h9Omiqm +++++ The Dehorned Bull: The Spanish Civil War of 1836 Written by Andrs Saucedo, Galician Academy of Arts and Science, Spain, 2009 ... Perhaps the retribution for Spains numerous follies and crimes across the world during the Age of Exploration and Colonialism was finally due in 1836. However, what is certain is that the aging Spanish King, Ferdinand VII, died of an untimely illness on March 9th of 1835, several months after the Treaty of Havana. The Treaty, which all but reinforced the end of the Spanish Empire, was a shock to the king, the government, and the general population. The Spanish government sacrificed thousands of soldiers, dozens of ships of the line and frigates, millions of reales, and vast swathes of territory for an embarrassing defeat in the Anglo-American War. The following Treaty of Barcelona (1835) would further humiliate the once mighty empire that ruled the majority of the Americas, ceding the provinces of Catalonia, Aragon, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands to France, leading to a puppet state in eastern Spain. Combined with a succession crisis from the Pragmatic Sanction (that invalidated the Salic Laws and placed the kings daughter as his successor) and the suppression of Liberal movements for decades with no reforms in sight, it made the perfect powder keg for a violent explosion after the death of the last Iberian absolute monarch. (The Salic Laws proclaimed that only a male family member of the late king would ascend to the throne. Thus, with Ferdinand having no male heir, his brother, Carlos V, shouldve been proclaimed King of Spain. However, due to Queen Maria Christinas urgent pleas, Isabella, then Fernanda, was proclaimed the heir apparent through the Pragmatic Sanction) While the breach of the Salic Laws and the lack of reforms were significant factors in the three-way civil war in Spain, they were not the only reasons for the sudden uprisings that threatened the legitimate government led by the deceased monarchs late queen. Indeed, a devastating cholera epidemic with no government relief, the sharp rise in food prices, the decline in economic productivity and activity across the entire nation following the loss of the Americas, high taxes, and the void of executive authority were all components that created the environment for revolution. And while many blamed the late monarch for the nations woes, some believed that the alternatives to the regent and her daughter were much worse for the future of Spain. After the death of Ferdinand VII, Carlos immediately contested Maria Christina''s regency and the heir apparent status of Fernanda (after the death of her older sister, Isabella, in early 1835). Believing that Spain needed a strong monarch to deal with the nation''s problems, Carlos refused to take an oath of allegiance to Fernanda as Princess of Asturias, instead opting to accept his God-given responsibilities through the Salic Laws dutifully. His chief supporters were the clerical party (the apostlicos), who considered the Pragmatic Sanction illegal, and land-holding elites, who were frightened by the rhetorics of the Liberals in the Cortes Generales and feared the end of their monopoly over land ownership (though not all land-holding elites swayed to the Carlist cause, as many remained loyal to Christina). Some, especially the apostlicos, believed in Carlos claims as the rightful king of Spain. However, most of his supporters were opportunists who pushed their own interests in the face of sweeping changes that would lead to their irrelevance. Nevertheless, they remained a viable threat to Christinas regency, which prompted harsh actions against the Carlists that quickly spiraled into war. After being sent away to Portugal by Ferdinand shortly before his death, Carlos marched toward the border to Madrid when the opportunity presented itself. However, after being turned back by soldiers loyal to Christina, he strategized with his followers and sought support for his claims within Spain. Christinas acceptance of centralization efforts carried out by the Moderates in her government and the strong presence of clergy in the countryside allowed Carlos to gain vast support in the rural regions, particularly in the northern provinces. The most substantial base of his support was from Galicia, which Madrid neglected and was heavily influenced by the local rural clergy. The previous king''s closure of Galician ports to trade with the Americas, the decline of shipbuilding and prestige, and the unjust tariffs slapped on its exports made the local nobility apathetic to Madrid. Inflamed by the local clergy and promised a reinvigoration of the Galician economy along with greater representation in the Cortes of Castile (the assembly ruling over the Castile-Leon regions), Galicia sided with Carlos. His concessions enticed even traditionally liberal cities such as Ferrol and Lugo, and those that resisted, such as A Coru?a, were pacified quickly after being surrounded by pro-Carlist territories. After marching into Galicia victoriously on December 15th of 1835, the Carlist movement spread outward into Asturias, Santander, Leon, and Old Castile (particularly in Segovia, Avila, Soria, Palencia, and parts of Burgos and Valladolid). Additionally, with the weak central authority in the Republic of Aragon (which struggled to create a new nation and government in its initial period), several communities in western Aragon clamored for reunification with Spain under Carlos. Thus, by April 1836, Carlos held a vast swathe of northern Spain under his influence, with additional support from Bourbon legitimists in France and Navarre (though they were very few in numbers). While not particularly charismatic or strategic, his determination and willingness to endure harsh conditions earned him some favor with his followers and kept them loosely united against the opposing factions. In contrast, Queen Regent Maria Christina struggled to control the government, which had rapidly gained power after Ferdinands death. Decades of suppression (including the brutal Liberal Revolts of 1808-1817) and refusal to reform created a deep hatred and anger toward the absolute monarch. His death broke the dam holding back the wave of liberals who sought to reform the decaying state of Spain and transform it into an adaptable, modern nation much like France. The confusing administrative borders, the concentrated land ownership by wealthy elites and nobles, the hidalgo tax and conscription exemptions, the ballooning debt, and the necessity of economic revitalization following the loss of the American colonies and the Anglo-American War were fore-front issues. As mentioned before, port cities such as Ferrol and Cadiz suffered tremendous decline and losses due to the end of the Empire in the Americas, and attempts by the Crown to monopolize textile production collapsed the industry outside Madrid. Along with the immense loss of trade and territory, a bad harvest, and a cholera epidemic ravishing the Andalusia region, Christina faced a precarious situation of navigating the nation in the post-Anglo-American War era. Unfortunately, she was the wrong leader at the wrong time. Due to the rising tensions within the country, the Cortes Generales (Spanish Parliament, General Courts) was assembled with looser restrictions on June 1st of 1835. While Christina appointed some, others purchased their seats or were sponsored by wealthy patrons and groups. Some were even elected to their position by their local communities or guilds. The result was a fundamentally divided Cortes with greater diversity and numerous grievances.There were two primary factions within the newly formed government: the Moderates and the Liberals. The Moderates comprised most of the military, the low-ranking nobility, the guilds, and the land-holding aristocracy. Essentially moderate absolutists, the Moderates sought to deal with Spains immediate issues and shelve most progressive reforms for a later time, preferably never. While they recognized the nation''s dire situation, they believed that with a few concessions, they could appease the Liberals, and the country could slowly modernize while controlled by the same institutions and groups. They sought to emulate the British model of government and its recent Reform Act, though with some changes. The Moderates supported a strong monarch, total centralism, pure capitalism, increased grain exports, and census suffrage. On the other hand, the Liberals consisted of urban elites and intellectuals. Containing the bourgeois, capitalists, merchants, a few officers, and radical nobles, the Liberals demanded a wide array of social and economic change to reshape Spain into a modern kingdom. While they avoided making direct references to France and the United States, they alluded to the success of the two powerful republics and their progressive policies for their continued success. The Liberals called for widespread industrialization and land reforms, free trade, basic rights and freedoms, a secular state, state sovereignty, and universal male suffrage with a constitutional monarchy. The two sides argued for weeks on every issue, and it was clear that neither would concede any ground regarding their core policies. The Moderates believed the Liberals would destabilize Spain and destroy the nation with their radicalism and perversion of traditions. They accused the Liberals of being pro-French traitors who would sell out the rest of the country to republics. The Liberals saw Moderates as the regents lap dogs and relics of a bygone era when the nation was ailing and needed something transformative. They swore that the Moderates were insane as they supported the continuation of a powerful monarch, despite the previous king bringing about the downfall of the Spanish Empire. They also referred to King George IV, who had nearly brought about the end of the British Empire. With the heir apparent only four years old, it was up to the regent to fill the void and exercise her executive powers to deal with the increasingly escalating political situation. Christina was, at heart, a conservative and resisted sweeping changes that would dismantle the Ancien Rgime. Unsurprisingly, she was swayed by the Moderates and appointed them to government leadership. The composition of the Cortes Generales tilted toward the Moderates, which held a slight majority of seats in the Cortes. Thus, she believed she followed the majoritys will when she appointed Jose Ramon Rodil as Spains first Secretary of the State. Additionally, Christina believed that she could threaten the Liberals into submission like Ferdinand. Despite the arguments within the parliament, it had agreed to provide aid for the southern cities struck by the cholera epidemic. The regent threatened to withhold the aid unless the Liberals swore loyalty to her and the new Secretary. This sparked a volatile reaction from the Liberals, who were furious with Christinas absolutist behavior and the Moderates accepting such behavior. Even some Moderates were horrified by the regents actions, recalling Ferdinand and his bloody suppression of dissent during his reign. Cortes members from the south were especially disgusted with the threats and on July 9th, most of the Liberals and some Moderates from Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, Jaen, and Murcia stormed out of the Cortes. This totaled over a hundred representatives and another fifty from the northern provinces left in response (mainly from Galicia and Leon). The Cortes members from Galicia and Leon were nervous by the rhetorics of the Liberals, and with Carlos offering them conditions advantageous to them, they were further swayed to the Carlist cause. Around this time, the calls for republicanism grew louder among the Liberal faction. Chief amongst them was Agustn Argelles, a lawyer and brilliant orator. He argued that the monarchy in Spain had run its course and the nation needed a new form of government to prosper in the future. He claimed that as long as a king or queen ruled Spain, the nation would always be several steps behind the other powers in a rapidly changing world. A half-baked set of reforms was not enough to fix the systematic issues with Spain; a completely new government, elected by the people, was necessary to make the changes to release Spain from the constraints of proto-feudalism and archaic values. The Liberals were coming to the same realization that the French revolutionaries had decades before them. No matter how many reforms they did manage to pass through the Cortes, any future monarch could reverse them and stamp them down due to the monarchs extraordinary executive powers, just like Ferdinand or the Bourbons in France. Christinas actions were proof of this, as she leveraged something passed by the Cortes to use against her subjects as a threat. Perhaps if Ferdinand willingly conceded to some reforms during his reign, or if Christina was more moderate in her stance, the radicals wouldve been a small minority among the Liberals. Yet, with each passing day, they were only strengthened and swelled in numbers. As their ideas and promises were publicized throughout southern Spain by the underground press and pamphlets, the people clamored to create an ideal, democratic state. While the local rural elites were frightened by the remarks, many more were excited about the upcoming changes and demanded Congress act swiftly. The proposal for land reforms (with the famous slogan Un labor para todas las familias! which translates to A labor for every family! [One labor is about 180 acres]) especially struck a chord within many peasants as Andalusia and Murcia held the highest number of landless peasants and extremely concentrated land ownership. Promises of free trade and the end of the guild and royal monopolies excited support in Cadiz, Malaga, Cartagena, Murcia, and Seville. Above all else, the promise of a government elected and representative of the people, especially in southern Spain during its time of crisis from economic instability and epidemics, created thousands of Liberal loyalists. The monarchs had their chance; it was now time for the people to have theirs. Either the ruling classes meet the people at the negotiation table or they shall tremble at seeing the armed masses! The people have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. A world of equality and democracy! -Progressive Manifesto written by Alexander Hamilton in 1812 under the pseudonym Gracchus. Hundreds of kilometers away from Madrid, a new assembly was gathered in Seville led by those that had walked out of the Cortes. There were a number of new representatives within this assembly, many of whom were elected or called for their liberal views. While the Madrid government was distracted by the rumors of Carlos returning to Spain and leading a civil war against Christina, the Congreso de los Diputados (Congress of Deputies) started creating a new Spain. Simultaneously, the southern provinces called up the milicia nacional, the National Militia, in preparations for an armed conflict with the Christinos (those loyal to the regent and the heir apparent). The National Militia was created discreetly during the Liberal Revolts of 1808-1817, as many Liberals believed that a future armed conflict between the regime and their faction was inevitable. Like the Minutemen in America and the National Guard in France, the Militia was not a professional army and only trained semi-regularly. Yet, it would be a starting basis for an army loyal to the Congress in Seville and give its words power. This move was controversial, as some Congress members argued for de-escalation with the Christinos. If they clashed militarily with Madrid, then it was likely that Carlos would march straight into the capital and establish a new government similar to that of Ferdinand''s rule. While Christina failed to meet their expectations, she was superior to the even more absolutist Carlos. Yet others argued that the line had already been crossed. They claimed that it was clear the regent was the same as her predecessors, and it would only be a matter of time before she and the Moderates groomed Fernanda to be like Ferdinand. The new government in Madrid was weak and had nominal support from the people. The military was weakened from decades of constant conflict, with the Anglo-American War disillusioning many soldiers. If they wanted to prevent Carlos from seizing the throne, they would need to seize the government themselves. And now was the perfect time to strike and seize control. Otherwise, Spain would be lost, a forgotten and broken power surrounded by those willing to pick at its corpse. Additionally, the arrival of a Hispanic American officer in Cadiz and his claim of support from the United States emboldened the radicals, though the officers claim would not be debunked until the civil war was well underway. (Colonel Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna of the United States Army was not supported or sponsored by the American government, yet he helped supply weapons, money, and volunteers to help the Liberals during the civil war. Additionally, his group of Hispanic American officers, all veterans of the Anglo-American War, would prove to be invaluable in training the National Militia and the subsequent Republican Army) The argument over the necessity of a Republic came to a swift end when Christina ordered an army to march down to Seville and arrest the traitors when she heard about the Congress. In response, Congress quickly assembled the National Militia under Marshal Baldomero Espartero, a veteran of the Anglo-American War and a loyal Liberal military officer who was a fanatic radical. Twenty thousand militiamen were hastily armed and gathered around Villa Franca in Estremadura. Facing them were thirty thousand soldiers led by General Jose Maria de Torrijos y Uriart, a fellow Anglo-American War veteran and an officer who fought during the Wars of Independence against Spains former colonies. While he was a Christino, his faith in the regent had been shaken due to recent events, and his doubts about Christinas ability to reform Spain resurfaced. On August 28th, the two sides faced off at the Guadiana River. While Marshal Espartero wanted to fight the Christino army with irregular tactics, Congress believed such tactics would allow the Christinos to march straight into Seville and destroy any opportunity for liberal reforms. Thus, the marshal was forced to fight a pitched battle against a better-equipped and better-trained army. In most cases, this battle shouldve been a complete disaster for the Liberals. Yet, when General Torrijos demanded the rebels to lay down their arms and surrender, Marshal Espartero quipped, For our cause and the people of Spain, we shall all die here today. If you want my surrender, you shall pick it from my corpse and the corpses of our fellow countrymen. General Torrijos ordered his artillery to fire upon the militiamen and marched his troops forward after four hours of bombardment. Believing that his more disciplined and trained soldiers would shatter the National Militia, he charged instead of engaging in a protracted battle with muskets (as only a few were equipped with modern rifles). It is unclear if his desire for a quick and less bloody battle were the reasons for his decision. Nevertheless, the two sides engaged in brutal close combat for hours, with Marshal Esparatero refusing to yield and joining in the fray. He was injured severely in his right shoulder, yet the sight of their leader fighting and bleeding alongside the militiamen roused the defenders'' spirits. While many fell to the bayonets and swords of the Christinos, the survivors continued to struggle and displayed an unshakeable resolve to fight to the last man. The Christinos were fighting to put down traitors that threatened the regent, while the Liberals were fighting for a better future for themselves and their country. Seeing the terrible bloodshed and loss of lives on both sides, General Torrijos withdrew at sunset, despite victory being within his grasp. His troops inflicted over twelve thousand casualties for just seven thousand. Yet, he was shocked by the resolve of the National Militia and the Liberals and decided to withdraw his entire army back to Madrid. In his private memoirs, he recalled that he was aghast at the willingness of the Liberals to throw themselves into the fire and die for their cause, but then [he] remembered the horrors of the Anglo-American War and realized that [he] was, once again, the invader and the Liberals were those dying for their country. Once he returned, he promptly resigned and defected to the Liberals, unwilling to lead armies ordered by the Spanish monarch to slaughter thousands senselessly. This prompted a furious tirade from Christina, who urgently sent a messenger to Congress demanding their loyalty or face execution by hanging for their treason. The heightened rumors of Carlos securing Galician support for his rule further stressed the regent. The battle and the ultimatum from Madrid convinced the Congress that revolution was necessary, and it quickly organized a small commission to create a Constitution. Led by Argelles, the Constitution of Seville (the Liberal Constitution of 1835) was drafted, edited, and approved in two months. Most of the Constitution had already been pre-written by several radicals who had longed for a day of a Republican Spain that answered to no one but its people. The Constitution took inspiration from the American Declaration of Independence and Constitution, the French Declaration of the Rights of the Man and Citizen and Constitution, and the increasingly popular Progressive Manifesto. Crafted with the demands and necessities of Spain in mind, it was a document that combined the traditions of Spain and organized them into a more modern, progressive, and cohesive manner. It was officially implemented by Seville and supported by the southern provinces on November 12th. The first words of the Spanish Constitution clarified the loyalties and ideals of the Liberal cause: We, the Representatives of the Spanish people, place the natural rights and liberties of the people back in their hands, for the creation of an ideal and equal Republic. This line and the Constitution of Seville would inspire nearby liberal movements, such as Portugal''s Liberal Constitution of 1837 and the Gothian Confederacy Constitution of 1836 (born from the Republic of Aragon). Thus the Republic of Spain was born from the failures of the monarchy and the ashes of the old. Only time would tell if it would be the true ruler of Spain. +++++ AN: I was initially going to fit this into a single chapter... Then I realized just how much background information/events I needed to provide. So there will be one more chapter for the Spanish Civil War, though that still won''t cover the war''s end. Next up: Third Coalition War ending, more American POVs, possible chapters covering the Gothian Confederacy and Asia, and more...