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Pride & Providence
A History of the American Empire


​
Chapter 5: War of the World

Bombs Bursting in Air​


On November 25th, the first American troops were beginning to occupy Kingstown, Canada, near Toronto. It had been six days since the declaration of war; and it would be the first combat seen of the war; though the skirmish was minor. Only a few policemen and local militia attempted to resist the liberation of the city from tyranny. The strength of the British Army in Canada was estimated to be highly weakened due to its obligations in other parts of the world at the time; which was part of true reasoning behind the American declaration of war. One must strike at the enemy when he is most vulnerable.

On November 29th, the first true battle between the American Legion and the British Army began at a town called Pembina. The battle would have been a relatively minor affair for the history books, had it not been the first battle of the war; and a precursor to what was to come. An army of 3,000 British troops walked into an army under General Norton Davis, commanding 12,000 troops of the Imperial Army of the West. After a matter of weeks in a campaign across the land surrounding Pembina, 476 American troops were killed; while the British had 609 killed, the remaining 3,000 were captured or missing.

On December 22nd, the 2nd Imperial Cavalry began embarking on transports from the port of New Orleans. Their objective was to capture the Spanish colony of Cuba. Southern plantation owners h ad their eyes on Cuba; they already hoped it could be integrated into the Empire as a slave state. Of other interest was the possible annexation of Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Puerto Rico from the Spanish and British Empires.

The morning of January 6th, 1845 was marvelous morning in the history of the American Empire, most particularly for the Navy. The Navy had departed from their bases on the eve of the declaration of war and had arrived off the coast of England without any detection or loss of any crewman or ship. On that morning surprised British citizens looked out from the city of Plymouth to see the several enormous American flags at sea. The captain’s log from the flagship, USS Washington, reported that the citizens very quickly fled for safety as the guns of the sixteen ship fleet opened up against Plymouth. The revenge for Baltimore had begun.


The USS Washington fires on Plymouth, England.​

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Britain doesn't stand a chance!:p
 

Pride & Providence
A History of the American Empire


​
Chapter 5: War of the World

Vengeance is Ours​


Twenty one years, four months and a few days had passed since the burning of Washington by the British Army during the War of 1812; which happened on August 24th, 1814. The Capitol Building, the White House, the Library of Congress, were set afire, luckily the torrential rainfall had spared the interiors of the buildings from the fire. On January 21st, an American landing party of 6,000 marines – the branch that had valiantly tried to defend the capital at the Battle of Bladensburg, - arrived in London, undetected by the British citizenry or army, who were mostly busy with the bombardment of the city.

The six thousand marines were broken up in several smaller detachments to carry out their assignments. Each detachment carried barrels of gunpowder, each marked with a specially crafted V print for vengeance. The mission had been approved by the ailing Emperor Jackson I, a veteran of the war of 1812, and the hero of New Orleans. In the eyes of the civilized world, the targeting of non-military buildings was considered unnecessary, if not downright frowned upon. However; this sentiment with the civilized world would not inhibit the American sense for revenge.


US Marines in the 'Battle' of London - January 21st, 1845.​

The objectives of the landing were to be concluded within twenty six hours, no less, no more. This was intentional, as the British Army had spent twenty six hours occupying the American capital. Twenty six hours would be pushing the limit of the marines’ capabilities, as their sites included: Westminster Palace, Nelson’s Square and Buckingham Palace – where Queen Victoria resided. Fortunately for the British people, the Queen was not present at Buckingham Palace when two thousand American marines arrived, unmolested by the residents of London. The faces of the citizens were that of disbelief, the very heart of the Empire was being occupied, and not a British soldier was in sight; the navy had at least attempted to resist; though was now residing at the bottom of the chilly waters.

At Westminster Palace, a detachment of militia gathered to protect the meeting place of both houses of British parliament. The militia, which numbered about two hundred and fifty souls, was quickly outmatched by the two thousand marines. Lives were not spared, resistance was dealt with swiftly. The explosives were quickly set throughout the palace; and as the last marines left the building, the fuses were lit. Were Guy Fawkes had failed, the marines of the American Empire succeeded.

At Nelson’s Square; which had recently finished construction the year before, a detachment of one thousand marines arrived intending to destroy the statue of the Empire’s greatest admiral. The explosives were set with haste and as the marines left the scene, small pieces of metal began raining from the sky. Nelson had ascended.

As quickly as the American troops arrived, they had left. Parts of London were ablaze, other parts covered in a thick black smoke as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Palace, Nelson’s Square and the Naval Yard continued to burn. The sites would continue to burn for days; as no torrential rain would assist the British, as it had the Americans at the burning of Washington twenty one years before. The Marines returned to their ships, off to their next assignment.


Westminster Palace, before the destruction by the American Marines.​


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Pride & Providence
A History of the American Empire


​
Chapter 5: War of the World

From Havana with Love​


While the American Navy was bombarding the coastal towns on London, the American Legion was securing the territory of Canada. This was the third time in history that Canada had been invaded by the American, and as the adage goes, third time is a charm. In February, two additional cities fell, Windsor on the 4th and Kingstown on the 13th. The battle of Montreal would begin on February 22nd and end March 4th; where the heavily outnumbered British army of 3,000 soldiers was slaughtered against the 30,000 strong 1st Imperial Army.

After the battle of Montreal, the American Legion began to separate its forces, strategy that is ill-advised in war; but a necessity with the expansive territory of Canada. The commanders felt little concern, as thus far the British Army had been defeated on all accounts, and was no longer considered a threat. In addition, the American Navy was blockading the coasts of England, it was highly unlikely that Britain would be able to force the blockade and send reinforcements.

On March 25th, the Battle of Havana, the capitol of Spanish Cuba began. Over the next nine days, the six thousand strong Spanish garrison was defeated in sound. Rather than fight another day, the garrison surrendered. With the Spanish garrison defeated, the American campaign in Cuba came to an end. A total of 206 men had died in combat for the acquisition of Cuba; which would be claimed as a war goal on May 8th – when the American Empire made its first offer of peace to Spain.


The Battle of Havana, outside of Havana, Cuba.​

The occupation of Canada would continue with earnest, but a new alarming trend was beginning to unfold on the face of the earth. Rumors of negotiations about peace were spreading across the capitals of the belligerent nations in Europe. A European continent at peace would be the last thing in the world the Empire would need at this moment. On June 8th, an issue of the National Intelligencer had an several prominent businessmen discussing the disaster peace in Europe would bring to the American economy; which while at war, was still greatly benefiting from European belligerents. The very next day, the front page headline displayed a more solemn note.


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Pride & Providence
A History of the American Empire


​
Chapter 5: War of the World

Journey to The Hermitage​


The news of the death of Emperor Jackson I shocked the majority of the Empire. The failing health of the emperor had been kept a secret to most – as a necessity to the morale of the empire in a time of war. To a private circle of cabinet members, and his son, Crown Prince Andrew Jackson Jr., the Emperor had been suffering from chronic tuberculosis, heart failure and dropsy (fluid under the skin in a cavity of the body).

The penetrating blue eyes of the Emperor, whose once fiery red hair had become gray by the time he first assumed the presidency of the United States of America. An elongated casket had been crafted for the occasion. Jackson I was a man of heights, at 6 feet and 1 inch he was one of the tallest Presidents at the time of his inauguration. In honor of one of his many nicknames in life, the casket was made of hickory wood; a tough durable wood. The qualities of the wood often best described him throughout life.

On June 9th, a day after the death of the Emperor, the news was announced to the nation through the numerous newspapers of the nation. A week of mourning had been announced beginning June 9th, with final burial arrangements in Jackson’s home of the Hermitage in Tennessee. An honor guard of veterans from the battle of New Orleans would accompany the fallen emperor Imperial City to The Hermitage.

On June 10th, Crown Prince Andrew Jackson Jr. was coroneted as Emperor Jackson II. During his coronation speech, the young emperor made a daring political announcement; which would instantly be dubbed the Jacksonian Promise. All territory north of the current border with British-controlled Canada would become free territory and eventually a free state. All territory acquired from Spain, most notable Cuba, would become slave territory and have the right to become a slave state. Slavery it seemed was now back in the spotlight of the empire; which was still very much in war with two great European powers.

​
 

Pride & Providence
A History of the American Empire


​
Chapter 5: War of the World

Hurricane
(Part I)​


A hurricane of events followed the death of Emperor Jackson I; the majority of the events being good. In rapid succession, Havana in Cuba, Toronto, Quebec, shortly followed by Vancouver and then Montreal by the end of August. On the diplomatic front, our ambassadors began reporting numerous talks of peace treaties between the belligerent nations. On August 5th, France and Belgium signed a peace treaty, the latter ceding Tunis to France. Three days later, the Netherlands declared war on Belgium.

In early August, one squadron of eight ships set sail from their blockade duty around England to refit back in Boston; except of the eight ships, only one returned. Apparently according to the surviving captain, the crew had run into stormy seams, a hurricane and had been the seas swallow up seven vessels whole. The last vessel, while badly damaged did not sink, and the majority of the crew and a few survivors of the obliterated ships returned home. A disaster had befallen the nation, but the Royal Navy was no where to be seen.


Territory liberated by the American Empire by December 31st, 1845.​

With the war going strong, the future was already being planned. In these meetings the secretaries of the departments thought of years of peace that would allow full integration of the Canadian provinces into the American Empire. Integration would require expanding the primitive British rail system in Canada across the continent, construction of industrial centers in the heavily populated sections of Canada, and the assimilation of the people to the American culture.

With the very prospect of peace, the Department of the Treasury knew the government would need to fund a large portion of the construction. The government was quite prepared to use its excess resources for the betterment of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. So far during the past few years, the surplus of the Empire had increased to 92 million funds. The late Jackson’s vision declaring a monarchy and an empire had truly begun to show the dividends. The industrial base of the Empire, in New England and Mid-Atlantic had grown accustomed to trading to continental European powers, instead of England. The low taxation rates of the Empire had assured the loyalty of the people.

The American Empire was…

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Pride & Providence
A History of the American Empire


​
Chapter 5: War of the World

Hurricane
(Part II)​


…in a race against time. News reached Washington on February 20th, that Spain and France and concluded a peace treaty, returning the two nations to the status quo. Spain would now be able to focus its considerable might against the American Empire. Four days later, another diplomatic brief reached the administration of Emperor Jackson II, the Russians and British had signed a peace treaty; luckily the British were still primarily occupied against France.

The administration, along with the Department of War agreed that the clock was against the American Empire, peace would have to be agreed to; even if all of the territories in the sights of the Empire could not be acquired at this time. In order to win the war against the British, the last two armies within the Canadian provinces would have to be defeated in force; which was already half accomplished at the time of the meeting between the Emperor and the Department of War. On February 8th, one of the British armies, numbering 7,911 soldiers surrendered to the American army at Truro. The Americans had sustained 683 causalities compared to the 3,413 British.



The Battle of Truro, Canada. January 31st to February 8th, 1846.​

By April 4th, a diplomatic coup was announced to the citizens of the Empire – the Spanish had broken ways with the British Empire and sued for peace. Cuba, the most important Spanish colony in the Western Hemisphere was now an American colony destined to become another slave state. But with all great success comes a surprise. On April 9th, France and Britain; which had found countless battles against each other over the stretches of Africa and the endless oceans, agreed to return their nations to the status quo. Alarm bells went off through the nation.

By the end of April, the last British army had been cornered around Halifax, Canada; an estimated twelve thousand souls were entrapped on three sides by the sea, with the only land route now blocked by 36,000 American soldiers. The New Hampshire Gazette, in publication for May 1st, reminded its readers that Halifax would be the British Empire’s second Yorktown, but this time the British corruption of the New World would be eradicated.

On the other side of the pond…


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Enewald said:
...Britain was having severe problems with rebels? :D
Click to expand...

Perhaps. I always like who you see to post no matter what. I do enjoy the comments and knowing of at least one truly devoted follower.
 
TekcoR said:
Perhaps. I always like who you see to post no matter what. I do enjoy the comments and knowing of at least one truly devoted follower.
Click to expand...
Some call me a spammer because I comment quite lot on many AARs.
But rarely has any author disliked me too much for that. :p
In the end, we all are animals, yearning for attention.
Even if a comment is just a silly smiley, the author knows someone is/might be reading what he writes, someone might care.

And I even like this AAR, shame that there are so few comments.
 
Enewald said:
Some call me a spammer because I comment quite lot on many AARs.
But rarely has any author disliked me too much for that. :p
In the end, we all are animals, yearning for attention.
Even if a comment is just a silly smiley, the author knows someone is/might be reading what he writes, someone might care.

And I even like this AAR, shame that there are so few comments.
Click to expand...

I agree with a lot of your sentiments, especially that even a small little comment means a lot. While it is easy to see a person/people have read a thread, because the views keep going up, it is a lot more fulfilling inside to actually see comments. It is a marvelous way how the human brain works.
 
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