Stars & Stripes #6: Madison & Tecumseh.
Extracts from “Madison: The Man, and the President”
By Harvey F. Jameson
Notre Dame University
St. Joseph, Indiana
(c) 1922 Turtelbaum & Sons: Columbus, Ohio. Used with permission.
...The Battle of Pigeon Creek[1] started on June 23rd, 1811 and was one of two significant battles to occur between the U.S. and the first Indian alliance before the Meeting At Charleston[2]. The battle originally started when a division of the 15th U.S. Army spotted a small group of about 250 Indians camped near Gnessau, Ohio around noon. One soldier fired a warning shot into the air to get their attention, and so their commander, Levi Andrews, could give them a set of demands to follow. Little did they know most of the Indians were Shawnee warriors; unfortunately for Andrews and his men, that realization came almost too late as dozens of the Indians rushed towards the American soldiers, weapons in hand. However, though, even the small element of surprise didn't give the Indians much of an advantage, given that many of the soldiers were expecting a conflict. For the next 18 days, the battle raged on as Indian and soldier alike fought and perished in the summer heat, with either side gaining little advantage. Late on the night of July 10th, a draw was negotiated between the two sides, and both armies went home to their families. 185 U.S. Soldiers had lost their lives, compared to 217 Indians, over those 2 and a half weeks of pitched battle.
This was the first time that President Madison had to deal with the Indians during his administration, and while he felt that the losses of the brave men who fought in Pigeon Creek could not be suffered in vain, he also understood that any further conflict with certain amongst the Indians, particularly the Shawnee, might eventually lead to a wider war. So, on July 15th, Tecumseh was invited to the White House, the first time any man of Indian blood had ever been allowed into the President's abode......
July 18th, 1811
Washington, D.C.
United States of America
“Mr. President, I do believe Tecumseh is here to see you.” said one of the White House staff members.
“Ah yes, the Indian chief. Thank you kindly, Jenkins. Will you send him in, please?” Madison hoped this meeting wouldn't backfire on him. After all, the Shawnee were still friendly with Britain and any wider conflict with them could possibly bring the Canadas, or even England herself into the fracas. And he knew that might very well end badly for the United States, even if the latter was still embroiled in the Napoleonic Wars. This dealing with Tecumseh might just be the perfect opprotunity to stave off another war for a while, or so he had hoped.
Tecumseh walked in a few seconds later, flanked by two men who could be called his entourage of a sort. “Greetings. So you are the Great White Father Madison. May I ask why I was brought here, to your capital city?” he said, in the most respectful tone he could muster.
“Please, do call me just Mr. President. It's so much less.......pompous.” the President replied. He wasn't exactly fond of super-lofty titles, since they reminded him of British royalty. “I requested your presence to discuss the terms of a possible cease fire between us and your people.”
“Fine then, Mr. President. I will consider such. What are your terms?” Tecumseh wanted no additional conflict but had a feeling deep down that things might not turn out as well as he would have hoped; he also feared that too much capitulation might earn a harsh rebuke from some of his allies, or perhaps even worse, betrayal.
“Firstly, we request that the Shawnees relinquish all claims of the land which currently consists of an area from south-west Indiana to eastern Ohio, to allow further settlement by American citizens, white men or otherwise. We also request that you cease all raids against American settlements and that you should attempt to convince your allies to follow your lead.”
“It will not be easy, Mr. President. Many of my people have much anger towards your nation. They see you in a manner comparable to what your people thought of the British just 3 decades ago. And what of our allies?”
Madison replied, “As long as you adhere to the terms of this cease fire, no wars will come to your people unless evidence of provocation has been found. I trust you understand?”
“We are a peaceful people. We only wish to be left to our own devices, and not to constantly be in battle with other tribes and nations.”, said Tecumseh.
“But your people did ally with those who sacked the city of Louisville, Kentucky. Some of your fellow Shawnee even directly participated in the mayhem. My people cannot forgive such actions easily.” said Madison.
“Perhaps so, but it was a matter of honor, that they joined our Maumee[3] comrades.”
Madison shot back. “Honor?” “Then you haven't heard of the more than 2 dozen American civilians who lost their lives in Louisville, my good chief? If your people are truly peaceful, then this surely cannot stand. Or was that kind of revenge justified, in your view?” Was this Indian truly such a careless fool, he wondered? To Madison, civilians were to be protected as much as humanly possible during any conflict.
“I was informed that some of the Maumee had engaged in unfortunate behavior during the battle. Those that lived have been disciplined; I personally requested such, as our relationship with the Maumees has been good for some time.” Tecumseh hadn't been happy about the massacres of the American civilians, but at the same time, he didn't forget what had happened to his own people, either.
Madison's anger simmered down. “Fine then, at least you show some dignity. Now, about the land-”
“We Shawnees don't believe in land ownership, Mr. President. Like many of our fellows, we believe that all land belongs to the Great Spirit, and all the peoples of this world.”
“Would you at least accept some resettlement?” Madison inquired.
“Some of my people will protest, but I see no other choice, even if only to prevent war.” Tecumseh replied. He didn't like how things were going at this time, but to protest too much might anger the President and could perhaps undo any compromise that might have been reached.
Madison paused for a second and then replied. “Fine then. The Shawnee north of the 37th parallel [4] shall be relocated to the eastern part of our state of Kentucky, and the northern third of the state of Indiana, and those living south of the 37th parallel shall be relocated to northern Georgia, until further settlement can be agreed upon.”
“Then it is agreed? No further conflict shall arise?” asked Tecumseh, hoping for the answer he'd like to hear.
Madison replied a little more swiftly this time. “That is correct, but only if you adhere to the terms of the cease-fire. Perhaps in a year or two, we may be able to sign a lasting treaty.”
Tecumseh sighed. “Let us hope, Mr. President, our attempts at making peace, shan't come too late.......”
As he walked out the doors with his 2 bodyguards, Tecumseh began to wonder if the American palefaces would actually keep their word.....or would be more than happy to break it at the first sign of opprotunity. “Only time will tell, perhaps.”, he thought, as he approached the waiting stagecoach.
Later that day...
“Now, let me see if I can understand, Mr. President. You actually let TECUMSEH of all people, just walk into the White House?” George Clinton remarked, his voice slightly raised in agitation.
“No, George. He was invited to the Presidential home so we could discuss terms for a possible cease-fire. Right now, we have no need of a war with Britain.” Madison calmly replied.
"But perhaps if the Indians go behind our backs-"
Madison interrupted the Vice-President. "Tecumseh may be an Indian but he does seem to be a honorable one.” The Shawnee chief had appeared to be a man of a decent moral standing, even if he had been considered to be a savage by the white Americans, and perhaps a more permanent peace could someday be undertaken. Still, some doubt lingered in his mind at that moment. “The other chiefs, however, may not be so trustworthy, especially the Maumees in Ohio and the Ouiatenon[4] in Indiana at the moment. And I still wonder if perhaps Tecumseh may yet feel more allegiance to his fellow Indians than our cease-fire agreement?” Some rather worrying intelligence had started coming into D.C. as of late. The Maumees in particular, were beginning to tire of Tecumseh's peace making efforts, and desired to once again make war with Washington, despite the Shawnee Chief's attempts at settling the matter.
"Can't we just raid their camps and-" Clinton asked.
Madison sighed. "To do so would be disastrous at this moment."
“I understand, Mr. President.” Clinton had little respect for the Shawnee, but was even less so of many of the other Indians, the Maumees in particular, whose warriors had wrecked much of Louisville, Kentucky not too terribly long ago. But even he understood that fighting them at that moment would've meant a declaration of war by not just the Canadas, but perhaps even Britain herself. And no one wished for America to be conquered & brought back into the English fold.
“However, if by some chance, the Shawnees make the most unfortunate choice to break the cease-fire, then we may proceed with retaliation. Unfortunately, should Britain exert any pressure on Tecumseh, he and his men may feel they have no choice but to concede to the King's demands, and attack this nation anyway. Our only hope in that situation may be appeasement when necessary, and continued pressure when the opprotunity exists.”
Clinton nodded in agreement.“I fear you may be correct on that, sir.”
“Now, if you'll excuse me George, I do believe I have a meeting with the Secretary of the Army.”
“All right, I shall be on my way then.” Clinton walked out of the room.
Not long afterwards, there was a knock at the door. “Mr. President?”
“Yes, Mr. Jenkins? You may open the door.” Madison replied.
Jenkins peeked thru. “Secretary Wilkinson would like to see you now, sir.”
“Well, then, let him in. And thank you.” said Madison. Jenkins smiled, and left.
James Wilkinson entered right then. The somewhat weathered 54-year old Revolutionary War Veteran had long been an agent of controversy and intrigue; from his sabotaging of Zebulon Pike's plan of exploration of what was then the northwest of New Spain in 1806, to the apprehension of Aaron Burr in 1807, and even the rumors of him being a Spanish agent[5], did nothing to really help his reputation. On the other hand, he did help quell the riots in Providence following the bombing of the 'Mary Louise' in 1808, with no casualties, and still had had his military career to fall back on, so Madison kept him around as the Commanding General of the U.S. Army as Jefferson had. “Well, good evening, Mr. President. I assume all went well with Tecumseh?”
Madison replied, “Yes. We've agreed to a cease-fire, but whether he keeps his word or plunges a knife in our back is yet to be seen. Perhaps the man is truly honorable, at least for a primitive Indian, but due to the fact that he does take orders from London[6], he may feel compelled to take the path of least resistance.”
“I see. Well, in any case, sir, I have the latest reports from the frontlines.” Wilkinson replied.
“And that would be?” Madison asked.
“Perhaps you should look for yourself, sir.......”
[1]Another small Ohio town, generally in the vicinity of OTL's Frankfort.
[2]An important event that occurred between the U.S. & and the Native tribes not too much later onwards.
[3]Also called the Miami IOTL.
[4]A minor Native American tribe which had a little significance IOTL, but not quite on the level of say, the Shawnee, Cherokee, or Creek.
[5]Which, sadly, turned out to be true.
[6]Or at least, that's how Madison sees things at the moment.
--
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Stars & Stripes #5: The First Indian Wars.
Okay, here's Chapter 5. This chapter takes a look at the first post-POD Amero-Indian conflicts.
--
May 9, 1811
Louisville, Kentucky
United States of America
"Damn those savages!" a very upset George Condell muttered, making his best attempt not to yell out his frustrations until his lungs gave out. The militiaman looked around the formerly bustling town he once called home for almost 5 whole years. It angered him to no end that these Indians, these savages, had the nerve to destroy parts of a white man's town[1], and a prosperous one at that. Louisville had about 11,000 people only the day before, and now, over half of them had left and over 2 dozen now lay dead. The downtown area had been so badly wrecked, it could take months, maybe even a few years. And even worse for George, his father Andrew, a Scottish immigrant, was amongst the dead. Still, no amount of rage & hatred could fix whatever was left of Louisville. To make matters worse for those still there, flames burned in quite a few buildings in town and the afternoon sky was starting to turn black with smoke from all the ashes; so much so that it was starting to get a little hard to breathe for George given where he was now. So he decided to take a long walk back to his home across the river in the Indiana Territory.
--
Extracts from “The Indian Wars: A Complete Analysis”
By Thomas P.W. Muldoon
San Francisco, California
United States of America
© 1937 Freedom Press: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Used with permission.
Chapter 2: The Raid of Louisville & The First Sign of Imminent Conflict.
The raid of Louisville on the morning on May 8th, 1811, was to be one of the incidents that were to have a major impact on the U.S. Policy over the next decade. It represented the first major Indian reprisal of what they thought was an unacceptable encroachment on their lands, particularly those areas in Ohio, the Indiana & Illinois territories, as well as western Kentucky. Although the approximately 500 Shawnees, Maumees, who raided the city were out by morning the next day, they had caused a significant amount of property damage. Though only 25 black and white civilians died during the attack, it was still a blow to the psyches of many of the people in this area, Kentuckians in particular, who thought their home territory was mostly safe from such attacks, especially large scale attacks like this, And just as importantly, when the Indians who had allied with Tecumseh received word of the success of the Louisville raiding party, it raised their morale. If a smallish party of only 500 could fight a destructive enough battle to trash the entire center of a town of 10,000 inhabitants, imagine what 5,000 could do to a whole country......or 50,000 to a whole state! Or so was the thinking of many of the
Indian chiefs at that time, as history informs us[2]. On the other side of the conflict, the U.S. Army began to mobilize in mid-May preparing for more large scale invasions, not just into Indiana and Kentucky, but perhaps further east as well. On June 23rd , 1811, the first significant offensive was to occur in Ohio, not far from the city of Chillicothe...
--
June 23, 1811
Near Gnessau[3], Ohio
United States of America
Tecumseh surveyed the area around him. It was a warm, and pleasant summer morning in this area, and he took a little time to enjoy his surroundings. Since the end of April, the Shawnee had been waiting for the perfect moment to start their first raids against the United States, and that day in May had been it.
“Tecumseh?” The Shawnee Chief turned around to see who was speaking to him. It was an old comrade, Maywathekeha[4].
“Maywathekeha! How are you doing on this fine morning?” Tecumseh asked.
“I'm doing well, thank you.” Maywathekeha replied.
“Have you received word about the latest movements by the Americans?” Tecumseh inquired. The Shawnee Chief turned to the east for a moment. Though he did not know when, he believed trouble might soon come; the American government had been most upset & angered by the recent decimation of Louisville, and many generals were now calling for a wider war against not just the Shawnee, but the Indians in general. Even more importantly, U.S. Army troops were now mobilizing for a possible assault on enemy positions in the area. Unfortunately, his fears were not all that far-fetched.
“Unfortunately, none of it is good. Though their Great Father Madison is willing to consider a peaceful end to the conflict, the paleface warriors will accept no such solutions. Already, there are rumors of an army grouping not far from here, and some of the settlers are coming with them, armed.” Maywathekeha pointed to the east-northeast.
“Then,” Tecumseh added, “we must prepare for battle. Inform our men of this immediately.”
Maywathekeha nodded, and then left rather quickly to warn the other Indians. Tecumseh hoped that at least some of his allies would be able to assist him in this time of need. Especially if there was a large U.S. Army grouping headed their way. In that case, he thought it best to invoke the protection of the Great Spirit, just in case things didn't go all that well for the Shawnee and their allies.
--
[1]Not my own personal view, of course, let's make that crystal clear right now.
[2]This author does seem to have a little anti-Native bias, to be honest. But not quite as badly as some others writing on the subject, though.
[3]A minor town that is OTL's Frankfort, Ohio. You can find it on Google Maps.
[4]He was a relatively minor figure IOTL, albeit one close to Tecumseh.
--
--
May 9, 1811
Louisville, Kentucky
United States of America
"Damn those savages!" a very upset George Condell muttered, making his best attempt not to yell out his frustrations until his lungs gave out. The militiaman looked around the formerly bustling town he once called home for almost 5 whole years. It angered him to no end that these Indians, these savages, had the nerve to destroy parts of a white man's town[1], and a prosperous one at that. Louisville had about 11,000 people only the day before, and now, over half of them had left and over 2 dozen now lay dead. The downtown area had been so badly wrecked, it could take months, maybe even a few years. And even worse for George, his father Andrew, a Scottish immigrant, was amongst the dead. Still, no amount of rage & hatred could fix whatever was left of Louisville. To make matters worse for those still there, flames burned in quite a few buildings in town and the afternoon sky was starting to turn black with smoke from all the ashes; so much so that it was starting to get a little hard to breathe for George given where he was now. So he decided to take a long walk back to his home across the river in the Indiana Territory.
--
Extracts from “The Indian Wars: A Complete Analysis”
By Thomas P.W. Muldoon
San Francisco, California
United States of America
© 1937 Freedom Press: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Used with permission.
Chapter 2: The Raid of Louisville & The First Sign of Imminent Conflict.
The raid of Louisville on the morning on May 8th, 1811, was to be one of the incidents that were to have a major impact on the U.S. Policy over the next decade. It represented the first major Indian reprisal of what they thought was an unacceptable encroachment on their lands, particularly those areas in Ohio, the Indiana & Illinois territories, as well as western Kentucky. Although the approximately 500 Shawnees, Maumees, who raided the city were out by morning the next day, they had caused a significant amount of property damage. Though only 25 black and white civilians died during the attack, it was still a blow to the psyches of many of the people in this area, Kentuckians in particular, who thought their home territory was mostly safe from such attacks, especially large scale attacks like this, And just as importantly, when the Indians who had allied with Tecumseh received word of the success of the Louisville raiding party, it raised their morale. If a smallish party of only 500 could fight a destructive enough battle to trash the entire center of a town of 10,000 inhabitants, imagine what 5,000 could do to a whole country......or 50,000 to a whole state! Or so was the thinking of many of the
Indian chiefs at that time, as history informs us[2]. On the other side of the conflict, the U.S. Army began to mobilize in mid-May preparing for more large scale invasions, not just into Indiana and Kentucky, but perhaps further east as well. On June 23rd , 1811, the first significant offensive was to occur in Ohio, not far from the city of Chillicothe...
--
June 23, 1811
Near Gnessau[3], Ohio
United States of America
Tecumseh surveyed the area around him. It was a warm, and pleasant summer morning in this area, and he took a little time to enjoy his surroundings. Since the end of April, the Shawnee had been waiting for the perfect moment to start their first raids against the United States, and that day in May had been it.
“Tecumseh?” The Shawnee Chief turned around to see who was speaking to him. It was an old comrade, Maywathekeha[4].
“Maywathekeha! How are you doing on this fine morning?” Tecumseh asked.
“I'm doing well, thank you.” Maywathekeha replied.
“Have you received word about the latest movements by the Americans?” Tecumseh inquired. The Shawnee Chief turned to the east for a moment. Though he did not know when, he believed trouble might soon come; the American government had been most upset & angered by the recent decimation of Louisville, and many generals were now calling for a wider war against not just the Shawnee, but the Indians in general. Even more importantly, U.S. Army troops were now mobilizing for a possible assault on enemy positions in the area. Unfortunately, his fears were not all that far-fetched.
“Unfortunately, none of it is good. Though their Great Father Madison is willing to consider a peaceful end to the conflict, the paleface warriors will accept no such solutions. Already, there are rumors of an army grouping not far from here, and some of the settlers are coming with them, armed.” Maywathekeha pointed to the east-northeast.
“Then,” Tecumseh added, “we must prepare for battle. Inform our men of this immediately.”
Maywathekeha nodded, and then left rather quickly to warn the other Indians. Tecumseh hoped that at least some of his allies would be able to assist him in this time of need. Especially if there was a large U.S. Army grouping headed their way. In that case, he thought it best to invoke the protection of the Great Spirit, just in case things didn't go all that well for the Shawnee and their allies.
--
[1]Not my own personal view, of course, let's make that crystal clear right now.
[2]This author does seem to have a little anti-Native bias, to be honest. But not quite as badly as some others writing on the subject, though.
[3]A minor town that is OTL's Frankfort, Ohio. You can find it on Google Maps.
[4]He was a relatively minor figure IOTL, albeit one close to Tecumseh.
--
Stars & Stripes #4: A Storm Gathers Over Florida, and Trouble Brews In Mexico.
Here's Chapter 4. Here, I introduce the first real villain of the story, a man in Spanish Florida who is eventually driven to great anger and defiance by the sudden downfall of the old order in the area(Let's just say that this guy isn't exactly very civil, or civilized, for that matter.....).
We also begin to see the butterflies affecting Mexico at this point, as well. Again, as with Chapters 2 and 3, some creative license was used so some things may be a tad iffy by some of the strictest plausibility standards.
Nov. 8, 1805
Near San Agustin[1], Viceroyalty of Florida
[Spanish territory]
Enrique Cortez stared into the late autumn sky with a tinge of depression. Since the August Revolt[2], he had already lost his job and what little savings he had, and was close to losing his home as well. Even worse, the rebellions were starting to become more & more violent each passing week, it seemed; one skirmish in October in San Agustin had not only seen the deaths of two soldiers who attempted to keep order, one of them being a cousin of his, but someone had even freed slaves from a local villa.[3] “Chingada! Damn those rebellious devils. Have they any respect for the nation, nay, the race, which birthed them? Or do they seek to destroy all that has been given to them, just because they can't accept some discipline, like spoiled brats?”[4] Enrique whispered quite harshly, his hatred for them already burning a deep hole in his soul. Feeling as if he could possibly explode in anger if he stayed out any longer, he decided to compose himself and take the approximately half-mile walk back to his home.
--
Extracted from “The Fall of the Spanish Empire, 1805-1929”
© 1956 By Victoria Patterson
Liberty Press
Sacramento, California, United States.
The August Revolt in 1805, which started in what is now Mission City[5] would pose a significantly more serious threat to the Spanish hegemony in the Americas than Madrid first realized at that time. It all started on the afternoon hours of the 4th, when residents of that very town heard the news of Sebastian Obregon's recent initiatives towards tighter military control of the region. This angered most of the town's residents, as they saw this as nothing more than an opprotunistic power play, and many began to demonstrate in the town center. When the local authorities tried to put an end to this, some of the demonstrators began to riot. One soldier, as told by a living survivor 50 years later, was so anxious to see law & order restored that he decided to fire a couple of shots into the crowd. Unfortunately, one of the bullets struck, and killed, a 12-year-old girl whose father was one of the protestors. A few seconds later, once most of the crowd figured out what had just happened, many of the hundred or so people in the square began running after the the shooter and all 4 of his fellow soldiers. 2 of them couldn't keep up and were lynched by the angry townspeople. The others got away, although 1 man got lost in the nearby swamp. The soldier who shot into the crowd, we are told, was found about a week later in a field about 10 miles north of town, with a bullet wound in the back of his head. As it appeared, the young cadet had felt such remorse for his actions, that he felt as if he couldn't bear the guilt any longer; although even today, some do wonder if perhaps he was just fearful of being captured by the angry townspeople or being shipped back home to Spain.
In any case, this eventually led to even more protests and riots, and even harsher crackdowns by Obregon, enforced by his loyal military men. Although a press blackout was ordered in Nov. 1805 by Madrid, and to be enforced immediately whenever these commands were received by the respective governors of New Spain and the other territories under Madrid's rule, sooner or later, a few people began to receive information from underground sources here & there. By January, 1807, the conflicts in Florida had started to turn in the direction of a full-blown revolt, and soon, it wouldn't just be the Land of Flowers[6] that would explode...
--
Feb. 11, 1807
Toluca, Mexico Province
New Spain Territory
“This looks to be rather unfortunate for our Madridero overlords. Have they finally stepped on their own feet for once?” Francisco Valenzuela asked, putting down a letter he had recently received, concerning the news in Florida. “Perhaps so. It would be quite the blessing if we did manage to get the word out. Spanish tyranny must come to an end.” Alberto Galvez commented, before taking a sip of a cocoa drink. “Amen to that, amigos! It is time for Mexico to come out onto her own in the world. Let us act, and quickly!” shouted their friend, Orlando Cortez from a little distance. The three men came together on the street corner, next to where Valenzuela's aunt lived, right then to start discussing their plans for the future. Early that evening, Valenzuela and Galvez would speak to a crowd of dozens in one of the plaza markets.
“Mexico must be freed! The rulers in Madrid, what have they ever really done for us, the Mexican people? Nothing! They have only caused us pain and misery! While we toil for meager scraps, the wealthy haciendados gorge on the richest and most savory food and drink themselves to a blind stupor! It's time to end the suffering. We must join hands with our brothers in Florida, and make the decision to self-determine our own futures or we shall never have real freedom in our lifetimes, or even those of our children's! The choice is yours, slavery or freedom?”
-Francisco Valenzuela speaking to a small crowd in a Toluca plaza in 1807.
“If the Americans could gain their freedom from the most powerful nation on Earth, why not our beloved Mexico from weak little Spain?”
-Alberto Galvez, conversing with a skeptical observer in Toluca, 11 Feb., 1807.
--
Selected Important Dates in the history of North America: 1805-11
Taken from “The Albright Textbook Series: Pre-Modern American History”
By Robert C. Wilkinson
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
© 1944, Maple Tree Press: Toronto. Used with permission.
1805:
The first significant anti-Spanish uprising occurs in the territory of Florida on August 4th after a demonstration against recent actions by Sebastian Obregon takes a fatal turn. It is only the first, many more will follow.
1806:
Signing of the Non-Importation Act into law under the Jefferson administration. Many are angry, particularly in the Northeast and in some of the port cities elsewhere in the U.S. but little is done.
Charles C. Pinckney, the South Carolina statesman, dies of a heart attack on March 11th.
On Sep. 17th, the city of St. Augustine is seized by anti-colonial rebels in Florida.
1807:
Jefferson is convinced by Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin to discontinue his incentives for the passing of the Embargo Act.
Two Mexican Patriotes, Francisco Valenzuela and Alberto Galvez, are arrested by authorities 4 days after a February 11th speech condemning the actions of the Spanish governor of Florida, Sebastian Obregon, and for inciting a revolt.
On April 25th, the first protester deaths occur in New Spain when a young couple in Nuevo Leon are ordered shot to death by an angry Spanish official who took a witty comment far too seriously, as reported by several local newspaper editorials.
Maine is split off from Massachusetts on Sept. 14th.
1808:
A British merchant ship carrying contraband goods by the name of the 'Mary Louise' was seized & raided by U.S. Federal authorities in Providence, R.I., following notice by a dock worker, in the morning hours of April 15th. This incident is rather noteworthy not only due to the fact that this was the first major seize of a foreign vessel in the U.S., but that this was reportedly one of the catalysts that led Jonathan O'Bannon to create & co-found the “Sons of New England” due to the death of a close friend, a Federal official who tried to negotiate with the smugglers.
1809:
On April 11th, the S.o.N.E. is co-founded by Jonathan O'Bannon and Eldon Canwood, in Portland, Maine. Their primary reason for existence at that time, was originally that of a general advocacy group whose stated goal was to assist in the understanding & implementation of the best interests of the people living in the region.
The July 12th attack on the Southampton merchant ship Princeton, in Portsmouth, N.H., marked the first attack against a British ship by vigilantes in the United States. 9 people were killed in the gunfight that occurred during the raid, 5 vigilantes and 4 of the 10 crewmen.
A New Haven, Connecticut tavern called 'The Patriot' was attacked by a group of vigilantes on the afternoon of Nov. 5th . 14 people were to lose their lives, including one of the two chief instigators, who later died from injuries received by having a chair smashed over his head, with all the others being various patrons & the head bartender. Robert Harrison, the owner, declined to talk to national newspapers, though he did grant interviews with a couple of local outlets.
The Hamilton territory[7], proposed in June, 1808, is created on December 4th of this year.
1810:
The explosion of the 'King's Own' merchant ship, this time in New York, kills over 50 people in the area, including one of the men who caused the incident.
An American ship from Boston named the 'Liberty Mae' was blown up in the harbor of St. John's, in Newfoundland, by a member of an angry mob of about two dozen persons, on June 5th, as retaliation for the large number of British ships either seized by government authorities or destroyed by overzealous vigilantes in the U.S.
Napoleon makes an offer on April 27th to set up a French embassy in Washington. President Madison receives the letter on May 8th and accepts the offer two weeks later.
1811:
On the morning of May 4th , the first major Indian raid on U.S. Territory in years begins when hundreds of displaced Delawares, Maumees, and some Shawnee make their first move, in what will become a 2-month long campaign, by razing, or at least, attempting to raze, several towns in Ohio near the border of the Indiana Territory where many reside, most notably Cincinnati. Raids also go as far as Louisville, Ky. where several Shawnee Indians located and subsequently ransacked a local Army post.
On July 2nd , President Madison discussed with several members of Congress the possibility of a gradual elimination of the Non-Importation Act, due to serious problems with enforcing the law(vigilante actions were a major factor in this) in certain areas, however, the meeting went nowhere, and a few of the pro-embargo senators & Congressmen had some rather harsh words on their way out, particularly towards Mass. Senator Timothy Pickering and certain others.
However, though, one good thing does come out of this: On September 23rd the Anti-Vigilantism & Protection Act, which had been sponsored by Sen. Pickering & and a pair of Congressmen from New York, was signed into law and was to go into full effect by the end of April, 1812. Unfortunately, vigilantism wasn't going to completely stop for some time, despite the best efforts of honest Federal officials, and eventually, many of were of the consensus that something more might need to be done...
--
Nov. 25, 1811
Washington D.C.
President James Madison sat in the Oval Office on this fine morning in D.C.. While an important step in curbing unnecessary vigilantism had recently been taken with the Anti-Vigilante Act, there was still the matter of those who reacted negatively to the provisions. Vice-President Clinton and a few others were there to discuss the various topics.
“George, I have this awful feeling that things shall only get worse as far as those hooligan vigilantes are concerned, given their disposition to such foolish actions as exploding an entire ship without regard for any innocent civilians who might be nearby.”, he said, to Vice-President Clinton.
Clinton nodded. “Well, James, I do agree with you and I too, fear the possible retaliation by those who would rather break the law to get simple gratification, than assist in enforcing it. But I feel enforcing the current statutes martial law may be needed soon in some areas.”
“And possibly violate some of the freedoms on which this nation was founded? I would prefer not to go that route.” Madison replied, with a somewhat annoyed look on his face. He feared that martial law could spark further reprecussions, even outside of New England, and was about to make that clear.
“But it may be our only solution to the violence in these areas-” said Clinton.
Madison cut him off. “Besides, enforcing martial law would only anger many of those outside New England anyway. We need lawful solutions, dear George. Dammit, do we want to do what the British did consistently, during the protests against the unlawful taxes that were burdened upon the people? Not to mention the possible reprecussions if such an action were to succeed.” Madison still remembered the days of British colonial rule and truly believed that any form of martial law could not only come back and damage his administration, but could ultimately serve as something that could harm the fabric of American society, possibly even exploitable by London.
“Perhaps not. I also should mention that it is unfortunate that the impressment of American seamen does still occur on occasion. Still, banning all trade may not be the best answer to this most pressing of matters. In any case, I still believe the Non-Importation Act has to go, vigilantes or not.” Clinton emphasized his last sentence so there'd be no lingering doubt about his wishes & agenda.
“And if Britain no longer feels any sort of pressure? Do you think they'd stop at sailors? They might be raiding civilians one of these days for all we know!” said William Giles in a slightly raised tone.
“Calm down, Senator. The British might be quite the annoyance but they're not completely foolish. Even London cannot go to such extremes without being condemned, even in these times, especially by the French. You shouldn't assume the worst.” Madison replied sternly. While they all agreed that Britain's saber-rattling was quite irritating, at the same time, they realized that war-mongering, at this point, was a non-answer as America was still a young nation with a not-yet significant navy & army.
"With all the respect due you my dear President, I fear that British compensatory raids, perhaps even an actual war, may yet be visited upon us. It would be rather unwise to keep assuming that Britain will just keep going about as usual, especially once Napoleon's war ends, either by surrender or by capitulation. They have already raised quite the commotion as it is over these latest shipwreckings.", Giles remarked.
“Mind you, Senator, any extension of the current Non-Importation Act would only serve to make this problem much worse in the long run. We must find other ways of making our interests known & accepted by the British.” Clinton chided Giles.
“And what would you say, Mr. Vice-President if-” Giles protested.
Madison interrupted Giles once again.“Senator, please stand down for just a moment.”
“If I may speak?” Treasury Secretary Gallatin requested.
“Well, go ahead then, Albert.” the President replied.
“Mr. President, sir, I can only say this: It is quite understandable, and in fact, logical, to utilize an assertive way of thinking when dealing with certain nations, particularly ones such as Great Britain. However, if we become too harsh with our demands and rhetoric, then London may have a rather nasty rebuttal and we may unfortunately eventually find ourselves at wat with what is still perhaps the most powerful nation in the world. And I do believe, as I stated to former President Jefferson 2 years ago, the Non-Importation Act must be repealed. I only hope it doesn't come too late.” Gallatin replied in a somewhat somber tone.
“Perhaps so. Well then, gentlemen, I've made my decision. I plan to, if at all possible, have the Non-Importation Act will be scaled down over the next couple of years but with appropriate compensation for any businesses or individuals who might perhaps be negatively affected by this action.” Madison said to all 3 of the men.
“Congress may oppose you, sir.” Giles remarked.
“Some will. But I believe that many realize that that the entire act, as it stands, cannot long be fully enforced by any lawful means.” Madison replied. He believed that negotiating with Congress might possibly lead to a decent solution accepted by all, but in the back of his mind, wondered how it could all get done.[8]
[1]This guy will be remembered. Trust me.
[2]Another Spanish term that has entered U.S. English earlier than it did IOTL.
[3]Yes, even Florida had slavery.
[4]Cortez sounds like a real piece of work, doesn't he? Well, he kinda is. Watch for him later on.
[5]It's in central Florida, somewhere not too terribly far from OTL Orlando.......
[6]An ATL nickname for Florida which was coined in the 1880s.
[7]There are going to be quite a few more territories than OTL.
[8]Kind of reminds you of Barack Obama and the deficit debate, doesn't it?
--
We also begin to see the butterflies affecting Mexico at this point, as well. Again, as with Chapters 2 and 3, some creative license was used so some things may be a tad iffy by some of the strictest plausibility standards.
Nov. 8, 1805
Near San Agustin[1], Viceroyalty of Florida
[Spanish territory]
Enrique Cortez stared into the late autumn sky with a tinge of depression. Since the August Revolt[2], he had already lost his job and what little savings he had, and was close to losing his home as well. Even worse, the rebellions were starting to become more & more violent each passing week, it seemed; one skirmish in October in San Agustin had not only seen the deaths of two soldiers who attempted to keep order, one of them being a cousin of his, but someone had even freed slaves from a local villa.[3] “Chingada! Damn those rebellious devils. Have they any respect for the nation, nay, the race, which birthed them? Or do they seek to destroy all that has been given to them, just because they can't accept some discipline, like spoiled brats?”[4] Enrique whispered quite harshly, his hatred for them already burning a deep hole in his soul. Feeling as if he could possibly explode in anger if he stayed out any longer, he decided to compose himself and take the approximately half-mile walk back to his home.
--
Extracted from “The Fall of the Spanish Empire, 1805-1929”
© 1956 By Victoria Patterson
Liberty Press
Sacramento, California, United States.
The August Revolt in 1805, which started in what is now Mission City[5] would pose a significantly more serious threat to the Spanish hegemony in the Americas than Madrid first realized at that time. It all started on the afternoon hours of the 4th, when residents of that very town heard the news of Sebastian Obregon's recent initiatives towards tighter military control of the region. This angered most of the town's residents, as they saw this as nothing more than an opprotunistic power play, and many began to demonstrate in the town center. When the local authorities tried to put an end to this, some of the demonstrators began to riot. One soldier, as told by a living survivor 50 years later, was so anxious to see law & order restored that he decided to fire a couple of shots into the crowd. Unfortunately, one of the bullets struck, and killed, a 12-year-old girl whose father was one of the protestors. A few seconds later, once most of the crowd figured out what had just happened, many of the hundred or so people in the square began running after the the shooter and all 4 of his fellow soldiers. 2 of them couldn't keep up and were lynched by the angry townspeople. The others got away, although 1 man got lost in the nearby swamp. The soldier who shot into the crowd, we are told, was found about a week later in a field about 10 miles north of town, with a bullet wound in the back of his head. As it appeared, the young cadet had felt such remorse for his actions, that he felt as if he couldn't bear the guilt any longer; although even today, some do wonder if perhaps he was just fearful of being captured by the angry townspeople or being shipped back home to Spain.
In any case, this eventually led to even more protests and riots, and even harsher crackdowns by Obregon, enforced by his loyal military men. Although a press blackout was ordered in Nov. 1805 by Madrid, and to be enforced immediately whenever these commands were received by the respective governors of New Spain and the other territories under Madrid's rule, sooner or later, a few people began to receive information from underground sources here & there. By January, 1807, the conflicts in Florida had started to turn in the direction of a full-blown revolt, and soon, it wouldn't just be the Land of Flowers[6] that would explode...
--
Feb. 11, 1807
Toluca, Mexico Province
New Spain Territory
“This looks to be rather unfortunate for our Madridero overlords. Have they finally stepped on their own feet for once?” Francisco Valenzuela asked, putting down a letter he had recently received, concerning the news in Florida. “Perhaps so. It would be quite the blessing if we did manage to get the word out. Spanish tyranny must come to an end.” Alberto Galvez commented, before taking a sip of a cocoa drink. “Amen to that, amigos! It is time for Mexico to come out onto her own in the world. Let us act, and quickly!” shouted their friend, Orlando Cortez from a little distance. The three men came together on the street corner, next to where Valenzuela's aunt lived, right then to start discussing their plans for the future. Early that evening, Valenzuela and Galvez would speak to a crowd of dozens in one of the plaza markets.
“Mexico must be freed! The rulers in Madrid, what have they ever really done for us, the Mexican people? Nothing! They have only caused us pain and misery! While we toil for meager scraps, the wealthy haciendados gorge on the richest and most savory food and drink themselves to a blind stupor! It's time to end the suffering. We must join hands with our brothers in Florida, and make the decision to self-determine our own futures or we shall never have real freedom in our lifetimes, or even those of our children's! The choice is yours, slavery or freedom?”
-Francisco Valenzuela speaking to a small crowd in a Toluca plaza in 1807.
“If the Americans could gain their freedom from the most powerful nation on Earth, why not our beloved Mexico from weak little Spain?”
-Alberto Galvez, conversing with a skeptical observer in Toluca, 11 Feb., 1807.
--
Selected Important Dates in the history of North America: 1805-11
Taken from “The Albright Textbook Series: Pre-Modern American History”
By Robert C. Wilkinson
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
© 1944, Maple Tree Press: Toronto. Used with permission.
1805:
The first significant anti-Spanish uprising occurs in the territory of Florida on August 4th after a demonstration against recent actions by Sebastian Obregon takes a fatal turn. It is only the first, many more will follow.
1806:
Signing of the Non-Importation Act into law under the Jefferson administration. Many are angry, particularly in the Northeast and in some of the port cities elsewhere in the U.S. but little is done.
Charles C. Pinckney, the South Carolina statesman, dies of a heart attack on March 11th.
On Sep. 17th, the city of St. Augustine is seized by anti-colonial rebels in Florida.
1807:
Jefferson is convinced by Treasury Secretary Albert Gallatin to discontinue his incentives for the passing of the Embargo Act.
Two Mexican Patriotes, Francisco Valenzuela and Alberto Galvez, are arrested by authorities 4 days after a February 11th speech condemning the actions of the Spanish governor of Florida, Sebastian Obregon, and for inciting a revolt.
On April 25th, the first protester deaths occur in New Spain when a young couple in Nuevo Leon are ordered shot to death by an angry Spanish official who took a witty comment far too seriously, as reported by several local newspaper editorials.
Maine is split off from Massachusetts on Sept. 14th.
1808:
A British merchant ship carrying contraband goods by the name of the 'Mary Louise' was seized & raided by U.S. Federal authorities in Providence, R.I., following notice by a dock worker, in the morning hours of April 15th. This incident is rather noteworthy not only due to the fact that this was the first major seize of a foreign vessel in the U.S., but that this was reportedly one of the catalysts that led Jonathan O'Bannon to create & co-found the “Sons of New England” due to the death of a close friend, a Federal official who tried to negotiate with the smugglers.
1809:
On April 11th, the S.o.N.E. is co-founded by Jonathan O'Bannon and Eldon Canwood, in Portland, Maine. Their primary reason for existence at that time, was originally that of a general advocacy group whose stated goal was to assist in the understanding & implementation of the best interests of the people living in the region.
The July 12th attack on the Southampton merchant ship Princeton, in Portsmouth, N.H., marked the first attack against a British ship by vigilantes in the United States. 9 people were killed in the gunfight that occurred during the raid, 5 vigilantes and 4 of the 10 crewmen.
A New Haven, Connecticut tavern called 'The Patriot' was attacked by a group of vigilantes on the afternoon of Nov. 5th . 14 people were to lose their lives, including one of the two chief instigators, who later died from injuries received by having a chair smashed over his head, with all the others being various patrons & the head bartender. Robert Harrison, the owner, declined to talk to national newspapers, though he did grant interviews with a couple of local outlets.
The Hamilton territory[7], proposed in June, 1808, is created on December 4th of this year.
1810:
The explosion of the 'King's Own' merchant ship, this time in New York, kills over 50 people in the area, including one of the men who caused the incident.
An American ship from Boston named the 'Liberty Mae' was blown up in the harbor of St. John's, in Newfoundland, by a member of an angry mob of about two dozen persons, on June 5th, as retaliation for the large number of British ships either seized by government authorities or destroyed by overzealous vigilantes in the U.S.
Napoleon makes an offer on April 27th to set up a French embassy in Washington. President Madison receives the letter on May 8th and accepts the offer two weeks later.
1811:
On the morning of May 4th , the first major Indian raid on U.S. Territory in years begins when hundreds of displaced Delawares, Maumees, and some Shawnee make their first move, in what will become a 2-month long campaign, by razing, or at least, attempting to raze, several towns in Ohio near the border of the Indiana Territory where many reside, most notably Cincinnati. Raids also go as far as Louisville, Ky. where several Shawnee Indians located and subsequently ransacked a local Army post.
On July 2nd , President Madison discussed with several members of Congress the possibility of a gradual elimination of the Non-Importation Act, due to serious problems with enforcing the law(vigilante actions were a major factor in this) in certain areas, however, the meeting went nowhere, and a few of the pro-embargo senators & Congressmen had some rather harsh words on their way out, particularly towards Mass. Senator Timothy Pickering and certain others.
However, though, one good thing does come out of this: On September 23rd the Anti-Vigilantism & Protection Act, which had been sponsored by Sen. Pickering & and a pair of Congressmen from New York, was signed into law and was to go into full effect by the end of April, 1812. Unfortunately, vigilantism wasn't going to completely stop for some time, despite the best efforts of honest Federal officials, and eventually, many of were of the consensus that something more might need to be done...
--
Nov. 25, 1811
Washington D.C.
President James Madison sat in the Oval Office on this fine morning in D.C.. While an important step in curbing unnecessary vigilantism had recently been taken with the Anti-Vigilante Act, there was still the matter of those who reacted negatively to the provisions. Vice-President Clinton and a few others were there to discuss the various topics.
“George, I have this awful feeling that things shall only get worse as far as those hooligan vigilantes are concerned, given their disposition to such foolish actions as exploding an entire ship without regard for any innocent civilians who might be nearby.”, he said, to Vice-President Clinton.
Clinton nodded. “Well, James, I do agree with you and I too, fear the possible retaliation by those who would rather break the law to get simple gratification, than assist in enforcing it. But I feel enforcing the current statutes martial law may be needed soon in some areas.”
“And possibly violate some of the freedoms on which this nation was founded? I would prefer not to go that route.” Madison replied, with a somewhat annoyed look on his face. He feared that martial law could spark further reprecussions, even outside of New England, and was about to make that clear.
“But it may be our only solution to the violence in these areas-” said Clinton.
Madison cut him off. “Besides, enforcing martial law would only anger many of those outside New England anyway. We need lawful solutions, dear George. Dammit, do we want to do what the British did consistently, during the protests against the unlawful taxes that were burdened upon the people? Not to mention the possible reprecussions if such an action were to succeed.” Madison still remembered the days of British colonial rule and truly believed that any form of martial law could not only come back and damage his administration, but could ultimately serve as something that could harm the fabric of American society, possibly even exploitable by London.
“Perhaps not. I also should mention that it is unfortunate that the impressment of American seamen does still occur on occasion. Still, banning all trade may not be the best answer to this most pressing of matters. In any case, I still believe the Non-Importation Act has to go, vigilantes or not.” Clinton emphasized his last sentence so there'd be no lingering doubt about his wishes & agenda.
“And if Britain no longer feels any sort of pressure? Do you think they'd stop at sailors? They might be raiding civilians one of these days for all we know!” said William Giles in a slightly raised tone.
“Calm down, Senator. The British might be quite the annoyance but they're not completely foolish. Even London cannot go to such extremes without being condemned, even in these times, especially by the French. You shouldn't assume the worst.” Madison replied sternly. While they all agreed that Britain's saber-rattling was quite irritating, at the same time, they realized that war-mongering, at this point, was a non-answer as America was still a young nation with a not-yet significant navy & army.
"With all the respect due you my dear President, I fear that British compensatory raids, perhaps even an actual war, may yet be visited upon us. It would be rather unwise to keep assuming that Britain will just keep going about as usual, especially once Napoleon's war ends, either by surrender or by capitulation. They have already raised quite the commotion as it is over these latest shipwreckings.", Giles remarked.
“Mind you, Senator, any extension of the current Non-Importation Act would only serve to make this problem much worse in the long run. We must find other ways of making our interests known & accepted by the British.” Clinton chided Giles.
“And what would you say, Mr. Vice-President if-” Giles protested.
Madison interrupted Giles once again.“Senator, please stand down for just a moment.”
“If I may speak?” Treasury Secretary Gallatin requested.
“Well, go ahead then, Albert.” the President replied.
“Mr. President, sir, I can only say this: It is quite understandable, and in fact, logical, to utilize an assertive way of thinking when dealing with certain nations, particularly ones such as Great Britain. However, if we become too harsh with our demands and rhetoric, then London may have a rather nasty rebuttal and we may unfortunately eventually find ourselves at wat with what is still perhaps the most powerful nation in the world. And I do believe, as I stated to former President Jefferson 2 years ago, the Non-Importation Act must be repealed. I only hope it doesn't come too late.” Gallatin replied in a somewhat somber tone.
“Perhaps so. Well then, gentlemen, I've made my decision. I plan to, if at all possible, have the Non-Importation Act will be scaled down over the next couple of years but with appropriate compensation for any businesses or individuals who might perhaps be negatively affected by this action.” Madison said to all 3 of the men.
“Congress may oppose you, sir.” Giles remarked.
“Some will. But I believe that many realize that that the entire act, as it stands, cannot long be fully enforced by any lawful means.” Madison replied. He believed that negotiating with Congress might possibly lead to a decent solution accepted by all, but in the back of his mind, wondered how it could all get done.[8]
[1]This guy will be remembered. Trust me.
[2]Another Spanish term that has entered U.S. English earlier than it did IOTL.
[3]Yes, even Florida had slavery.
[4]Cortez sounds like a real piece of work, doesn't he? Well, he kinda is. Watch for him later on.
[5]It's in central Florida, somewhere not too terribly far from OTL Orlando.......
[6]An ATL nickname for Florida which was coined in the 1880s.
[7]There are going to be quite a few more territories than OTL.
[8]Kind of reminds you of Barack Obama and the deficit debate, doesn't it?
--
Stars & Stripes #3-Ship Raids & Vigilantes
Here's chapter 3 for ya. A series of unfortunate events begin to occur in certain of the young America's northern ports, with gun battles and explosions galore.
–
Extracted from “Raids, Recessions, & Rioters: How The Non-Importation Act And Similar Laws Affected America In Its Early Years”
By Thomas W. Peterson
© 1945 W.F. Harvey & Sons Publishing, Boston, Mass.
The raid of the British merchant ship, the Mary Louise at around 9:15 in the morning of the 15th of April, 1808, in Nantucket, Rhode Island, was to be the first in a long line of Federal attacks on foreign shipping vessels carrying certain 'illicit' goods, as well as one of the first catalysts for the birth of the S.o.N.E. . Earlier that day, at around 7:00, a harbor watchman had noticed some strange and seemingly suspicious whisperings amongst the crew. One of the men on the harbor front appeared to be somewhat inebriated but he attempted to pick up a couple of the boxes that had been shipped aboard anyway; what spilled out revealed the truth; these men were smugglers with dozens of dollars worth of contraband [1] goods, including beer, flaxseed, wool, and hemp.
The watchman immediately left for the nearest law enforcement station. Federal officials stationed in the area soon received word of the occurrence, and by 8:45, over a dozen of them began to make their way to the harbor front, arriving only 20 minutes later. Plans were discussed on how to deal with the situation; they soon agreed that a sudden rush would be best. At 9:13, the first Federal official, flanked by two comrades[2], informed the sailors of his presence & of the laws they had been caught breaking. An argument quickly ensued, and just after 9:15 shots rang out. Immediately afterwards, the rest of them began to rush in, and a bigger gunfight began right then. By the time it was all over, at 9:26 to be more precise, according to most reports available today, 7 of the 13 dispatched Federal officers lay dead, but the sailors had suffered an even worse loss overall; of the 9 men who had staffed the vessel, only the captain and the man who had bungled the operation had survived.
One of the Federal officers who had died had attempted to negotiate with the seamen, and was a very good friend of Jonathan O'Bannon[3]. This would have major implications for quite some time to come........
–
Apr. 17, 1808
Bangor, Maine Territory
United States of America
Jonathan 'Iron Jonny'[4] O'Bannon spat on the ground below him. The Barbary War veteran, who had once been fought off over a dozen Barbary seamen, on their own ship, after having been captured off the coast of Spain, found himself shedding a tear for his dearly departed friend of 25 years, whose death he had learned of only that very morning. A tough man he most assuredly was, but he had his moments of softness. “Oh, my poor dear friend Robert. I knew you well. You were taken from us too young.”. After this moment of reflection, O'Bannon started walking home. Arriving at his cabin about 2 hours later, he saw his wife, Anita, cooking a nice potato-and-steak dinner. “Jonny dear? Is that you I hear?”, she asked, kindly. Jonathan replied, slowly, “Yes, dear wife, it is.” “Well, what's wrong?”, Anita asked. Jonathan said, “Remember Robert Anderson?” Anita stared, bewildered. “Yes, I do? Has something happened?” “Yes, I'm afraid so. Robert.....Robert had been killed during that raid on that British ship a couple days ago. I only heard about his death this morning. To think such a honorable man could meet such a tragic death while doing what he thought was best for all involved, is hard for even me to bear.”
Anita gasped. “I....I'm terribly sorry. That poor man. Is there nothing we can do for his family?” Jonathan shook his head and. “I'm sorry, but no, Anita, I fear not, other than our prayers and considerations. But honestly, I do tire of all this nonsense about embargos[5] and such, and perhaps there is a way to get a voice to the people of this area, and maybe someday, even the whole nation. I do believe it's time I acted upon my conscience. Tomorrow, I plan to set off for Portland, where I plan to start gathering other men who feel as I do about this whole Non-Importation shenanigan[6]. And I'll need some support to do it.” “Well, I will tell you now that you may always rely on me, Jon. We have always stuck together even during the worst of times.”, Anita replied warmly. Jonathan's spirits lifted a little, hearing this. “Thank you ever so kindly, dear Anita.”
A few hours after dinner they both retired to their beds to sleep. The next morning, Jonathan set off for the city of Portland, where he hoped to gather the first recruits of his mission.......
--
Extracted from “Yankee Patriots: The Rise of the Sons of New England”
By Will Sanders
Manchester, N.H.
© 1962 Kenton Press, Providence, Rhode Island
… Jonathan O'Bannon was a man on a mission. On April 18th of 1808 he began 2-day trip to Portland in the southwest of Maine, staying at a local inn overnight in what is now Elbertson County. After his stay, he set off once again the next morning, getting a ride from a passing stagecoach. Right around noon on the 19th , he arrived in the area and immediately began looking for some temp[7] jobs to support himself in his endeavor. He talked a little around town with the various people that he had met, and soon enough, he came across a local tavern, where he discussed his beliefs & grievances to anyone who would listen. One person in particular, a veteran customer by the name of Eldon Canmore, was especially open. The man was an independent builder[8] by trade, but had also had a cousin who fought in the Barbary War and he enjoyed the stories 'Iron Jonny' would tell about his experiences while in combat there, as a member of the U.S. Navy. He also sympathized with Jonathan when he heard the unfortunate manner of Robert Anderson's death. The two struck up a friendship rather quickly, and by the end of April they decided to pay O'Bannon's home a visit to discuss a possible alliance …
--
[1] This is another term which has entered American English earlier than it did IOTL.
[2] No, no Communism here.
[3] Jonathan O'Bannon will become a very important, perhaps even pivotal figure in the history of North America.
[4]O'Bannon was a sailor during the Barbary war, and a particularly hardy & tough one, too.
[5]The Embargo Act hasn't actually happened, but there are still many discontented rumblings about it, particularly in New England.
[6]Well, he is an Irish-American, and it IS a term that originated from Irish Gaelic.........
[7]This is a modern ATL localism largely exclusive to the state of New Hampshire.
[8]And a damn fine one, too.
--
–
Extracted from “Raids, Recessions, & Rioters: How The Non-Importation Act And Similar Laws Affected America In Its Early Years”
By Thomas W. Peterson
© 1945 W.F. Harvey & Sons Publishing, Boston, Mass.
The raid of the British merchant ship, the Mary Louise at around 9:15 in the morning of the 15th of April, 1808, in Nantucket, Rhode Island, was to be the first in a long line of Federal attacks on foreign shipping vessels carrying certain 'illicit' goods, as well as one of the first catalysts for the birth of the S.o.N.E. . Earlier that day, at around 7:00, a harbor watchman had noticed some strange and seemingly suspicious whisperings amongst the crew. One of the men on the harbor front appeared to be somewhat inebriated but he attempted to pick up a couple of the boxes that had been shipped aboard anyway; what spilled out revealed the truth; these men were smugglers with dozens of dollars worth of contraband [1] goods, including beer, flaxseed, wool, and hemp.
The watchman immediately left for the nearest law enforcement station. Federal officials stationed in the area soon received word of the occurrence, and by 8:45, over a dozen of them began to make their way to the harbor front, arriving only 20 minutes later. Plans were discussed on how to deal with the situation; they soon agreed that a sudden rush would be best. At 9:13, the first Federal official, flanked by two comrades[2], informed the sailors of his presence & of the laws they had been caught breaking. An argument quickly ensued, and just after 9:15 shots rang out. Immediately afterwards, the rest of them began to rush in, and a bigger gunfight began right then. By the time it was all over, at 9:26 to be more precise, according to most reports available today, 7 of the 13 dispatched Federal officers lay dead, but the sailors had suffered an even worse loss overall; of the 9 men who had staffed the vessel, only the captain and the man who had bungled the operation had survived.
One of the Federal officers who had died had attempted to negotiate with the seamen, and was a very good friend of Jonathan O'Bannon[3]. This would have major implications for quite some time to come........
–
Apr. 17, 1808
Bangor, Maine Territory
United States of America
Jonathan 'Iron Jonny'[4] O'Bannon spat on the ground below him. The Barbary War veteran, who had once been fought off over a dozen Barbary seamen, on their own ship, after having been captured off the coast of Spain, found himself shedding a tear for his dearly departed friend of 25 years, whose death he had learned of only that very morning. A tough man he most assuredly was, but he had his moments of softness. “Oh, my poor dear friend Robert. I knew you well. You were taken from us too young.”. After this moment of reflection, O'Bannon started walking home. Arriving at his cabin about 2 hours later, he saw his wife, Anita, cooking a nice potato-and-steak dinner. “Jonny dear? Is that you I hear?”, she asked, kindly. Jonathan replied, slowly, “Yes, dear wife, it is.” “Well, what's wrong?”, Anita asked. Jonathan said, “Remember Robert Anderson?” Anita stared, bewildered. “Yes, I do? Has something happened?” “Yes, I'm afraid so. Robert.....Robert had been killed during that raid on that British ship a couple days ago. I only heard about his death this morning. To think such a honorable man could meet such a tragic death while doing what he thought was best for all involved, is hard for even me to bear.”
Anita gasped. “I....I'm terribly sorry. That poor man. Is there nothing we can do for his family?” Jonathan shook his head and. “I'm sorry, but no, Anita, I fear not, other than our prayers and considerations. But honestly, I do tire of all this nonsense about embargos[5] and such, and perhaps there is a way to get a voice to the people of this area, and maybe someday, even the whole nation. I do believe it's time I acted upon my conscience. Tomorrow, I plan to set off for Portland, where I plan to start gathering other men who feel as I do about this whole Non-Importation shenanigan[6]. And I'll need some support to do it.” “Well, I will tell you now that you may always rely on me, Jon. We have always stuck together even during the worst of times.”, Anita replied warmly. Jonathan's spirits lifted a little, hearing this. “Thank you ever so kindly, dear Anita.”
A few hours after dinner they both retired to their beds to sleep. The next morning, Jonathan set off for the city of Portland, where he hoped to gather the first recruits of his mission.......
--
Extracted from “Yankee Patriots: The Rise of the Sons of New England”
By Will Sanders
Manchester, N.H.
© 1962 Kenton Press, Providence, Rhode Island
… Jonathan O'Bannon was a man on a mission. On April 18th of 1808 he began 2-day trip to Portland in the southwest of Maine, staying at a local inn overnight in what is now Elbertson County. After his stay, he set off once again the next morning, getting a ride from a passing stagecoach. Right around noon on the 19th , he arrived in the area and immediately began looking for some temp[7] jobs to support himself in his endeavor. He talked a little around town with the various people that he had met, and soon enough, he came across a local tavern, where he discussed his beliefs & grievances to anyone who would listen. One person in particular, a veteran customer by the name of Eldon Canmore, was especially open. The man was an independent builder[8] by trade, but had also had a cousin who fought in the Barbary War and he enjoyed the stories 'Iron Jonny' would tell about his experiences while in combat there, as a member of the U.S. Navy. He also sympathized with Jonathan when he heard the unfortunate manner of Robert Anderson's death. The two struck up a friendship rather quickly, and by the end of April they decided to pay O'Bannon's home a visit to discuss a possible alliance …
--
[1] This is another term which has entered American English earlier than it did IOTL.
[2] No, no Communism here.
[3] Jonathan O'Bannon will become a very important, perhaps even pivotal figure in the history of North America.
[4]O'Bannon was a sailor during the Barbary war, and a particularly hardy & tough one, too.
[5]The Embargo Act hasn't actually happened, but there are still many discontented rumblings about it, particularly in New England.
[6]Well, he is an Irish-American, and it IS a term that originated from Irish Gaelic.........
[7]This is a modern ATL localism largely exclusive to the state of New Hampshire.
[8]And a damn fine one, too.
--
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Stars & Stripes #2: Discontent Arises.
Well, okay then, here's the second chapter. I did use a little creative license here, btw, although hopefully it doesn't damper your enjoyment of this TL. =)
Nov. 6, 1809
The Patriot Tavern & Restaurant
New Haven, Connecticut
“Dear Lord. What immoral or unlawful thing had I done to earn such misery?” sighed Robert Harrison as he entered. The owner & founder of the 19-month old establishment looked around at what had been, the night before, a prosperous tavern full of loyal customers. Now, 11 of them were dead, as well as the chief bartender, Louis Malloy, a man he had known for 20 years, and a visiting off-duty soldier from New York[1]. Not to mention the horrid mess those awful vigilantes had made of the place; broken beer bottles & furniture were everywhere, even a few bullet holes could be seen here & there. Veteran patron Thomas 'Tommy' Gilmore nodded. “Robbie my friend, we did lose some good men yesterday, but at least our lives are still intact, thank the good Lord.” “And we c'n always patch the place up, eh?” chimed in Johnathon Dunwood. “Yes, but I will require hundreds of dollars to repair all that was lost to us. Let us hope for miracles, fellows. Lest those damned hooligans turn yonder and ransack this tavern of ours once again.” Harrison remarked with a tinge of bitterness.
--
The New Haven Standard
Nov. 6, 1809
Vigilantes Attack Local Tavern, Kill Over a Dozen Patrons
…Yesterday, tragedy struck at the newly established tavern known as 'The Patriot'. At around 2:30 p.m. several armed vigilantes attacked the patrons inside and killed at least 13 people, most notably the chief bartender, Louis Malloy, of Mystic, and a member of the New York state militia, Albert Stafford, who was visiting his grandmother in Hartford. There is no doubt in the minds of the citizens of this fair city, and that of many of our brethren in the rest of New England, that these vigilantes are a stain on the fabric that is American society and that they must be dealt with in a firm manner posthaste. We cannot allow this kind of dastardly behaviour to smear the good name of not just New Englanders but of all of America.”
[Here's a little something called an "excerpt". This AH tradition actually goes all the way back to Robert Sobel and his 1971 classic, "For Want of a Nail", but here, I've utilized something similar to the quite popular Grey Wolf/Jared/EdT layout. Pretty neat, IMO.]
– These excepts were taken from Franklin Van Buren's “The Early History of post-Independence America, 1797-1847” © 1929: University of New England Press, Cambridge, Mass. Used with permission.
1799: Former President George Washington dies on December 14.
1803: In April, the Louisiana Purchase occurs with France selling their claims to the entire area for only $15 million. There are some opponents, particularly in New England, but overall, most are supportive of Jefferson's move.
1804: Jefferson is re-elected for a second term as President; George Clinton is elected Vice-President.
1805: The Barbary War ends in October. Also, a peaceful demonstration against tightened military controls occurs in Spanish Florida in early August.
1806: The Non-Importation Act is passed by only a slight majority in Congress on April 22nd . Also, noted politico[2] C.C. Pinckney dies from a two-month case of pneumonia on Mar 11th .
1807: The highly controversial proposed Embargo Act dies in committee in April.
1808: James Madison wins this year's election, George Clinton makes his appearance once more as Vice-president. Also, the 'Mary Louise', a British merchant ship, is raided in Nantucket, R.I. .during the mid-morning hours of April 15th. It will be just the first of a long series of ship raidings and cargo confiscations undertaken by various U.S. authorities.
1809:
April 11: The creation of the regional advocacy group known as the Sons of New England in Portland, Maine Territory.
July 12: Attack of the British merchant ship 'Princeton' in the harbor of Providence, Rhode Island. An explosion which had been started off by the initial detonation of a powder keg which was smuggled onto the deck the previous night kills 35 people including several seamen from both Britain & America.
Sept. 9: First major N.I. Act related riots occur in the city of Boston, Mass; they last for 3 whole days and dozens are arrested by the local police.
Nov. 5: A vicious raid on a local New Haven, Conn. Tavern called 'The Patriot' by vigilantes leads to 13 deaths, 4 of them early supporters of the Sons of New England. Significant outrage does occur in much of the northern half of the U.S. but no major rioting occurs, at least, not in any major towns & cities, although Albany, N.Y. S.o.N.E. supporter John Brooks coins a new phrase in one of the local tabloids: “Remember, remember, the 5th of November!” as a rallying cry[3].
[1] Albert Stafford's son, Tommy, is only 3 when his father dies, but he will go on to be a minor force in N.Y.C. politics later on in his life.
[2]This is one of many terms that saw a much earlier introduction to English than IOTL.
[3]V For Vendetta, anyone? =)
Nov. 6, 1809
The Patriot Tavern & Restaurant
New Haven, Connecticut
“Dear Lord. What immoral or unlawful thing had I done to earn such misery?” sighed Robert Harrison as he entered. The owner & founder of the 19-month old establishment looked around at what had been, the night before, a prosperous tavern full of loyal customers. Now, 11 of them were dead, as well as the chief bartender, Louis Malloy, a man he had known for 20 years, and a visiting off-duty soldier from New York[1]. Not to mention the horrid mess those awful vigilantes had made of the place; broken beer bottles & furniture were everywhere, even a few bullet holes could be seen here & there. Veteran patron Thomas 'Tommy' Gilmore nodded. “Robbie my friend, we did lose some good men yesterday, but at least our lives are still intact, thank the good Lord.” “And we c'n always patch the place up, eh?” chimed in Johnathon Dunwood. “Yes, but I will require hundreds of dollars to repair all that was lost to us. Let us hope for miracles, fellows. Lest those damned hooligans turn yonder and ransack this tavern of ours once again.” Harrison remarked with a tinge of bitterness.
--
The New Haven Standard
Nov. 6, 1809
Vigilantes Attack Local Tavern, Kill Over a Dozen Patrons
…Yesterday, tragedy struck at the newly established tavern known as 'The Patriot'. At around 2:30 p.m. several armed vigilantes attacked the patrons inside and killed at least 13 people, most notably the chief bartender, Louis Malloy, of Mystic, and a member of the New York state militia, Albert Stafford, who was visiting his grandmother in Hartford. There is no doubt in the minds of the citizens of this fair city, and that of many of our brethren in the rest of New England, that these vigilantes are a stain on the fabric that is American society and that they must be dealt with in a firm manner posthaste. We cannot allow this kind of dastardly behaviour to smear the good name of not just New Englanders but of all of America.”
[Here's a little something called an "excerpt". This AH tradition actually goes all the way back to Robert Sobel and his 1971 classic, "For Want of a Nail", but here, I've utilized something similar to the quite popular Grey Wolf/Jared/EdT layout. Pretty neat, IMO.]
– These excepts were taken from Franklin Van Buren's “The Early History of post-Independence America, 1797-1847” © 1929: University of New England Press, Cambridge, Mass. Used with permission.
1799: Former President George Washington dies on December 14.
1803: In April, the Louisiana Purchase occurs with France selling their claims to the entire area for only $15 million. There are some opponents, particularly in New England, but overall, most are supportive of Jefferson's move.
1804: Jefferson is re-elected for a second term as President; George Clinton is elected Vice-President.
1805: The Barbary War ends in October. Also, a peaceful demonstration against tightened military controls occurs in Spanish Florida in early August.
1806: The Non-Importation Act is passed by only a slight majority in Congress on April 22nd . Also, noted politico[2] C.C. Pinckney dies from a two-month case of pneumonia on Mar 11th .
1807: The highly controversial proposed Embargo Act dies in committee in April.
1808: James Madison wins this year's election, George Clinton makes his appearance once more as Vice-president. Also, the 'Mary Louise', a British merchant ship, is raided in Nantucket, R.I. .during the mid-morning hours of April 15th. It will be just the first of a long series of ship raidings and cargo confiscations undertaken by various U.S. authorities.
1809:
April 11: The creation of the regional advocacy group known as the Sons of New England in Portland, Maine Territory.
July 12: Attack of the British merchant ship 'Princeton' in the harbor of Providence, Rhode Island. An explosion which had been started off by the initial detonation of a powder keg which was smuggled onto the deck the previous night kills 35 people including several seamen from both Britain & America.
Sept. 9: First major N.I. Act related riots occur in the city of Boston, Mass; they last for 3 whole days and dozens are arrested by the local police.
Nov. 5: A vicious raid on a local New Haven, Conn. Tavern called 'The Patriot' by vigilantes leads to 13 deaths, 4 of them early supporters of the Sons of New England. Significant outrage does occur in much of the northern half of the U.S. but no major rioting occurs, at least, not in any major towns & cities, although Albany, N.Y. S.o.N.E. supporter John Brooks coins a new phrase in one of the local tabloids: “Remember, remember, the 5th of November!” as a rallying cry[3].
[1] Albert Stafford's son, Tommy, is only 3 when his father dies, but he will go on to be a minor force in N.Y.C. politics later on in his life.
[2]This is one of many terms that saw a much earlier introduction to English than IOTL.
[3]V For Vendetta, anyone? =)
Monday, July 1, 2013
Sorry for the looooonnnnng wait, ladies and gents.
Hi there. Sorry about neglecting this for so long, but life's been a bit challenging lately, not to mention a major issue with writer's block, too. Hopefully this will change for the better, though.
Here, I'll take the opprotunity to post a revised version of the very first chapter:
Stars & Stripes #1: It All Begins Here
First POD: June 9, 1805-President Jefferson wakes up on this warm summer morning and decides to call an informal meeting with some associates. Among the topics discussed are the eventual abolition of the U.S. slave trade, and possible restriction of trade against Great Britain.
*
Aug 4, 1805: A little trouble begins to brew in Spanish Florida on this day; A peaceful demonstration against recently tightened military controls by Sebastian Kindelan y Obregon, after the sudden death of Enrique White in early July.
*
March 8, 1806: C.C. Pinckney dies of a heart attack partly brought on by lingering pneumonia that had been caused by a terrible cold he had caught back in late January.
*
April 22, 1806: The Non-Importation Act is signed into law pretty much as OTL, but just a few days later.
*
July 22, 1806: Meanwhile, in Great Britain, debate rages over the slave trade, particularly within the halls of Westminster Palace, in London. One argument between William Wilberforce & a pro-slavery MP gets so heated that both men are escorted out of the building.
*
March 25, 1807: Problems concerning the proposed Slave Trade Act, have caused it to be postponed until the end of August.
*
The 1st Major POD: April 6, 1807-Albert Gallatin met with President Jefferson at 9:30 that morning concerning the proposed Embargo Act in Washington. Congress had been debating the Act(which Jefferson himself had proposed), and more than a few deadlocks had occurred. Even worse, most of the northeastern states were very much opposed to the act for fears of harming their local economies. Despite his initial wishes to the contrary, Jefferson eventually conceded. Gallatin started home at 4:50 and the President got to work on his letter to Congress informing them of the withdrawal and explaining why such a decision had been made.
*
Apr. 9, 1807-Congress receives the letter from Jefferson. Though many members, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic states, are somewhat disappointed, others, including a good number of the Federalists(especially some of the more hardcore members such as Timothy Pickering) breathe a sigh of temporary relief; the Non-Importation Act passed the previous year had done some damage to the country's economy, particularly in the cases of New England and the Southern ports, such as Charleston, S.C. and Norfolk, Va.
*
Apr. 12, 1807-After three days of debate, Congress decides to allow the bill to die in committee.
*
May-June, 1807-Nothing much happens in this time frame, except that the H.M.S. Leopard suffers a mutiny on June 4th and is forced to sail back to Europe, thus butterflying the Chesapeake incident which occurred IOTL.
*
Jul. 4, 1807-President Jefferson meets with several members of Congress to discuss a possible eventual compromise concerning the Non-Importation Act; unfortunately, the meeting is rather brief and goes nowhere.
*
Aug. 25, 1807-In England, despite a decent amount of support from the abolitionists, Parliament is unable to reach the majority needed to sign the Slave Trade Act into law.
*
Sep 14, 1807-Congress begins negotiations to allow Maine, which is currently a Massachusetts exclave, to gain statehood; in the meantime, it becomes a territory on Sep. 21st.
*
Feb. 12, 1808-President Jefferson announces he will not be running for another term.
*
Apr. 15, 1808-A British merchant ship by the name of the 'Mary Louise' was caught trying to unload unregistered goods in the town harbor of Nantucket, R.I., eliciting a rapid response from local authorities.
*
Nov. 1808-James Madison wins the presidential election, but not quite by as large a margin as OTL: Rufus King recieved 41.9% of the popular vote, as opposed to only 32.4% IOTL.
*
Mar. 4, 1809-Madison is inaugurated as the 4th president of the United States; one of his first actions is to propose an extension of the Non-Importation Act, which was due to expire come Apr. 23, 1811.
*
Apr. 11, 1809-On this day, the Sons of New England organization is born in Portland, Maine Territory.
Jul. 12, 1809-An attack by vigilantes on the British merchant ship 'Princeton' at around 8:30 a.m. by vigilantes results in an explosion in the harbor of Providence, R.I., killing 35 people and wrecking over a dozen nearby buildings. It is only the first in what will be a long line of such incidents, and not just at the hands of vigilantes, either.
*
Sept. 9, 1809-The Sept. 9th Riots began in Boston, Mass. starting at 1:30 that afternoon, after a private cargo ship registered to Liverpool, Lancashire, by the name of the 'Ringo Joe' is captured, and destroyed by the local state militia division under the orders of their commander; the main reason being that the ship had been carrying a large amount of various goods, many of which where both popular, and banned under the Non-Importation Act. The riot lasts for 3 days and gains the S.o.N.E. their first wave of new members.
*
Nov. 5, 1809-The raid of a recently-established New Haven, Conn. tavern called 'The Patriot' at 2:30 in the afternoon, leads to the deaths of over a dozen patrons, as well as the chief bartender(who was a chief member of that city's S.o.N.E. Chapter, and a potential Federalist candidate for office at that). There is a significant cry of outrage across the city, and discontentment across much of the rest of New England. However, though, nothing much really comes of it.
*
Dec. 1809-As the decade ends, in North America, tensions slowly begin to simmer just a little over the issue over the Non-Importation Act; meanwhile the Napoleonic Wars rage on in Western Europe, and in Britain, some very disillusioned Quakers begin to leave for New England over the failure of the Slave Trade Act......
Apr. 6, 1810
The White House
Washington, D.C.
President James Madison sat in the Oval Office, feeling somewhat miserable. It was 10:30 in the morning and starting to pour hard, which hadn't helped his mood. This whole mess about the Non-Importation Act had started to take a toll on him, and even worse, the Brits were starting to cause trouble again[1]. Suddenly, someone began to knock on the door. "Come in, if you'd like." Madison replied. His chief secretary, William Berkeley[2], entered the room. "Mister President, sir, I assume you may have seen this?", Berkeley inquired, somewhat tensely. He produced a newspaper and put it down on the President's desk. The headline read, "Cargo Ship Carrying Illicit Goods Explodes in New York Harbor Overnight, Over 50 Lives Feared Lost". "This can't possibly........" blurted a stunned Madison. "I'm afraid it's true, sir.", Berkeley replied.
"You think someone took the law into their own hands and may have....."
"Yes, sir, unfortunately, that is what seems to have occurred here.”[2]
"Well, damn it. This is America, not Germany[3]! This cannot stand; the law must be enforced by the proper authorities. Or tragedies like this are sure to continue occurring."
"I understand, sir. That was all."
"Alright then. Be on your way.", Madison said, as Berkeley began to leave the room. The President, feeling particularly unwell, sloped back in his chair. This was looking up to be one dreary spring indeed.
[1]Diplomatic snafus, mostly over trade and the Napoleonic Wars.
[2]Can't remember whether he actually existed or not.
[3]Vigilantism is going to be a serious problem in the upcoming months & years.
[4]Or rather, what was the 'Holy Roman' Empire of late.
–
Again, my apologies for the long wait. More is to come, though.....=)
Here, I'll take the opprotunity to post a revised version of the very first chapter:
Stars & Stripes #1: It All Begins Here
First POD: June 9, 1805-President Jefferson wakes up on this warm summer morning and decides to call an informal meeting with some associates. Among the topics discussed are the eventual abolition of the U.S. slave trade, and possible restriction of trade against Great Britain.
*
Aug 4, 1805: A little trouble begins to brew in Spanish Florida on this day; A peaceful demonstration against recently tightened military controls by Sebastian Kindelan y Obregon, after the sudden death of Enrique White in early July.
*
March 8, 1806: C.C. Pinckney dies of a heart attack partly brought on by lingering pneumonia that had been caused by a terrible cold he had caught back in late January.
*
April 22, 1806: The Non-Importation Act is signed into law pretty much as OTL, but just a few days later.
*
July 22, 1806: Meanwhile, in Great Britain, debate rages over the slave trade, particularly within the halls of Westminster Palace, in London. One argument between William Wilberforce & a pro-slavery MP gets so heated that both men are escorted out of the building.
*
March 25, 1807: Problems concerning the proposed Slave Trade Act, have caused it to be postponed until the end of August.
*
The 1st Major POD: April 6, 1807-Albert Gallatin met with President Jefferson at 9:30 that morning concerning the proposed Embargo Act in Washington. Congress had been debating the Act(which Jefferson himself had proposed), and more than a few deadlocks had occurred. Even worse, most of the northeastern states were very much opposed to the act for fears of harming their local economies. Despite his initial wishes to the contrary, Jefferson eventually conceded. Gallatin started home at 4:50 and the President got to work on his letter to Congress informing them of the withdrawal and explaining why such a decision had been made.
*
Apr. 9, 1807-Congress receives the letter from Jefferson. Though many members, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic states, are somewhat disappointed, others, including a good number of the Federalists(especially some of the more hardcore members such as Timothy Pickering) breathe a sigh of temporary relief; the Non-Importation Act passed the previous year had done some damage to the country's economy, particularly in the cases of New England and the Southern ports, such as Charleston, S.C. and Norfolk, Va.
*
Apr. 12, 1807-After three days of debate, Congress decides to allow the bill to die in committee.
*
May-June, 1807-Nothing much happens in this time frame, except that the H.M.S. Leopard suffers a mutiny on June 4th and is forced to sail back to Europe, thus butterflying the Chesapeake incident which occurred IOTL.
*
Jul. 4, 1807-President Jefferson meets with several members of Congress to discuss a possible eventual compromise concerning the Non-Importation Act; unfortunately, the meeting is rather brief and goes nowhere.
*
Aug. 25, 1807-In England, despite a decent amount of support from the abolitionists, Parliament is unable to reach the majority needed to sign the Slave Trade Act into law.
*
Sep 14, 1807-Congress begins negotiations to allow Maine, which is currently a Massachusetts exclave, to gain statehood; in the meantime, it becomes a territory on Sep. 21st.
*
Feb. 12, 1808-President Jefferson announces he will not be running for another term.
*
Apr. 15, 1808-A British merchant ship by the name of the 'Mary Louise' was caught trying to unload unregistered goods in the town harbor of Nantucket, R.I., eliciting a rapid response from local authorities.
*
Nov. 1808-James Madison wins the presidential election, but not quite by as large a margin as OTL: Rufus King recieved 41.9% of the popular vote, as opposed to only 32.4% IOTL.
*
Mar. 4, 1809-Madison is inaugurated as the 4th president of the United States; one of his first actions is to propose an extension of the Non-Importation Act, which was due to expire come Apr. 23, 1811.
*
Apr. 11, 1809-On this day, the Sons of New England organization is born in Portland, Maine Territory.
Jul. 12, 1809-An attack by vigilantes on the British merchant ship 'Princeton' at around 8:30 a.m. by vigilantes results in an explosion in the harbor of Providence, R.I., killing 35 people and wrecking over a dozen nearby buildings. It is only the first in what will be a long line of such incidents, and not just at the hands of vigilantes, either.
*
Sept. 9, 1809-The Sept. 9th Riots began in Boston, Mass. starting at 1:30 that afternoon, after a private cargo ship registered to Liverpool, Lancashire, by the name of the 'Ringo Joe' is captured, and destroyed by the local state militia division under the orders of their commander; the main reason being that the ship had been carrying a large amount of various goods, many of which where both popular, and banned under the Non-Importation Act. The riot lasts for 3 days and gains the S.o.N.E. their first wave of new members.
*
Nov. 5, 1809-The raid of a recently-established New Haven, Conn. tavern called 'The Patriot' at 2:30 in the afternoon, leads to the deaths of over a dozen patrons, as well as the chief bartender(who was a chief member of that city's S.o.N.E. Chapter, and a potential Federalist candidate for office at that). There is a significant cry of outrage across the city, and discontentment across much of the rest of New England. However, though, nothing much really comes of it.
*
Dec. 1809-As the decade ends, in North America, tensions slowly begin to simmer just a little over the issue over the Non-Importation Act; meanwhile the Napoleonic Wars rage on in Western Europe, and in Britain, some very disillusioned Quakers begin to leave for New England over the failure of the Slave Trade Act......
Apr. 6, 1810
The White House
Washington, D.C.
President James Madison sat in the Oval Office, feeling somewhat miserable. It was 10:30 in the morning and starting to pour hard, which hadn't helped his mood. This whole mess about the Non-Importation Act had started to take a toll on him, and even worse, the Brits were starting to cause trouble again[1]. Suddenly, someone began to knock on the door. "Come in, if you'd like." Madison replied. His chief secretary, William Berkeley[2], entered the room. "Mister President, sir, I assume you may have seen this?", Berkeley inquired, somewhat tensely. He produced a newspaper and put it down on the President's desk. The headline read, "Cargo Ship Carrying Illicit Goods Explodes in New York Harbor Overnight, Over 50 Lives Feared Lost". "This can't possibly........" blurted a stunned Madison. "I'm afraid it's true, sir.", Berkeley replied.
"You think someone took the law into their own hands and may have....."
"Yes, sir, unfortunately, that is what seems to have occurred here.”[2]
"Well, damn it. This is America, not Germany[3]! This cannot stand; the law must be enforced by the proper authorities. Or tragedies like this are sure to continue occurring."
"I understand, sir. That was all."
"Alright then. Be on your way.", Madison said, as Berkeley began to leave the room. The President, feeling particularly unwell, sloped back in his chair. This was looking up to be one dreary spring indeed.
[1]Diplomatic snafus, mostly over trade and the Napoleonic Wars.
[2]Can't remember whether he actually existed or not.
[3]Vigilantism is going to be a serious problem in the upcoming months & years.
[4]Or rather, what was the 'Holy Roman' Empire of late.
–
Again, my apologies for the long wait. More is to come, though.....=)
Friday, October 12, 2012
Been a long time since I've posted here......
Hello everybody. I apologize for having neglected my Blogspot profile, but I've had a lot going on over the past year, such as a vacation to Oregon, and preparing for college, etc.
Even so, I'm back and will try to start posting again whenever I can.
In the meantime, stay tuned........=)
Even so, I'm back and will try to start posting again whenever I can.
In the meantime, stay tuned........=)
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