Alternative History -- 1782 The British Victory over the American Rebels

[DeadManTyping]

An Exercise in Alternative History

1782: The British Victory over the American Rebels


PLEASE NOTE:​

This is an idea first put forth by BellaMiles.
She has decided to participate but not manage this thread,
and while I have chosen a different historical event
on which to base the thread,
the credit still goes to her.​

Post#1

Background: September, 1777, a British marksman has a Continental Army Officer in his sights and can easily put a round through the man's back. He doesn't take the shot, though, because it would have been at the man's back.

Because of this, the potential target that day, General George Washington, lives to lead the American Rebels to victory, later becoming the first President of a new and historically influential country.

But what if Ferguson had taken the shot that day and killed Washington? Could the British have gone on to defeat the retched rebels?

What if we just choose to answer that question with a resounding yes!


How to play:

1. We begin with me killing George -- I mean, Ferguson killing Washington -- and England going on to put down the rebellion.
2. You follow up with a post that builds upon mine.
3. Lather, rinse, repeat. (This was BellaMiles's phrase, but I love it.)

Rules and Guidelines:

1. Replies must be less than 100 words!
2. No consecutive replies in a string of events.
3. You may reply to any post, not just the most recent one.
4. One event per post. No changing the entire world history in one post.

How to write your post: (pretty much the same concept as BellaMiles presented)

• Use "Quote" to open a reply.
• Delete the [Quote] codes at top and bottom.
• Preserve the previous poster's name, Post #, and (if possible) a link to the reply to which you are replying.
• Write your reply.
• You may edit down the previous post if appropriate, but preserve the premise for context.
• Post your reply.

 

[DeadManTyping]

DeadManTyping: Post#1

September, 1777

• A British marksman has a Continental Officer in his sights.
• He shoots, killing General George Washington.

(NOTE: I am posting two in a row to show how it's done. In general, unless your reply to a string has been ignored, I would prefer that contributors not post 2 replies in a row to the same string of events. Thank you.)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

DeadManTyping: Post#2

1777-1781: The British win the war

• The loss of Washington is a devastating blow.
• Without his leadership, a series of missteps over the next 3+ years leads the Cause to defeat.
• The British reestablish firm rule over its 13 colonies.
• But what next?

 

[BellaMiles]

DeadManTyping:

• September, 1777: A British marksman shoots and kills General George Washington. (Post#1)
• 1777-1781: The British win the war (Post#2):
  • The loss of Washington is a devastating blow.
  • Without his leadership, a series of missteps over the next 3+ years leads the Cause to defeat.
  • The British reestablish firm rule over its 13 colonies.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

BellaMiles

Hessian Soldiers remain in America; settle the Middle Colonies

• The English had hired nearly 30,000 Hessian (German) troops to fight along side their British Redcoats.
• Many had been conscripted soldiers and had not wished to return to Germany.
• After their victory, most English troops wished to return home.
• The British Government, however, feared future uprisings and mayhem.
• Hessians were offered land, coin, citizenship, and other opportunities if they remained to police the Colonies.
• More than 18,000 remained behind, primarily in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
• Over the next 10 years, as they invited family/friends from Germany to join them in America and/or took wives from their new communities, Germans became the majority population in many communities.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

DeadManTyping:

• September, 1777: A British marksman shoots and kills General George Washington. (Post#1)
• 1777-1781: The British win the war (Post#2):
  • The loss of Washington is a devastating blow.
  • Without his leadership, a series of missteps over the next 3+ years leads the Cause to defeat.
  • The British reestablish firm rule over its 13 colonies.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

BellaMiles

Hessian Soldiers remain in America; settle the Middle Colonies (Post 3)

• The English had hired nearly 30,000 Hessian (German) troops to fight along side their British Redcoats.
• Many had been conscripted soldiers and had not wished to return to Germany.
• After their victory, most English troops wished to return home.
• The British Government, however, feared future uprisings and mayhem.
• Hessians were offered land, coin, citizenship, and other opportunities if they remained to police the Colonies.
• More than 18,000 remained behind, primarily in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
• Over the next 10 years, as they invited family/friends from Germany to join them in America and/or took wives from their new communities, Germans became the majority population in many communities.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TheWorldBuilder

George III's Proclamation Line establishes First Nation rights to land west of the Appalachian watershed.

• Expansion west of the Allegheny mountains is curtailed.
• Negotiated transfer of land rights allows colonists to settle up to the three subsequent treaty lines.
• Some British forces remain to enforce the agreements.

 

[DeadManTyping]

DeadManTyping:

• September, 1777: A British marksman shoots and kills General George Washington. (Post#1)
• 1777-1781: The British win the war (Post#2):
  • The loss of Washington is a devastating blow; the Cause for Independence fails.
  • The British reestablish firm rule over its 13 colonies.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

BellaMiles

Hessian Soldiers remain in America; settle the Middle Colonies (Post 3)

• The English -- fearing future uprisings and mayhem by their English Colonists -- offer Hessians land, coin, citizenship, and other opportunities if they remained to police the Colonies.
• More than 18,000 settle in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
• After 10 years of immigration of their family/friends from Germany, Germans became the majority population in many communities.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TheWorldBuilder

George III's Proclamation Line establishes First Nation rights to land west of the Appalachian watershed. (Post #4)

• Expansion west of the Allegheny mountains is curtailed.
• Negotiated transfer of land rights allows colonists to settle up to the three subsequent treaty lines.
• Some British forces remain to enforce the agreements.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

FYI: I am going to post 2 very different replies to TheWorldBuilder's post above, which I love! Post your reply to whichever interests you the most, or post to both of them! (Feel free to edit out this note if you respond.)

1795: Encroachment by "Whites" into Indian Country brings war: (Post #5)

• Indigenous Peoples -- the First Nations -- from Lake Erie to the Mississippi Delta see westward expansion by "Whites" -- English, Germans, and others -- as encroachment.
• 4 massacres -- 2 each from either side -- occur in less than 6 months.
• King George acts:
  • He rescinds his Proclamation line and declares the First Nations void.
  • He demands that Indian Savages withdraw west 40 miles from the nearest English settlements.
  • He sends British troops west to enforce the withdrawal.
  • War breaks out along a 900 mile front.

 

[DeadManTyping]

DeadManTyping:

• September, 1777: A British marksman shoots and kills General George Washington. (Post#1)
• 1777-1781: The British win the war (Post#2):
  • The loss of Washington is a devastating blow; the Cause for Independence fails.
  • The British reestablish firm rule over its 13 colonies.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

BellaMiles

Hessian Soldiers remain in America; settle the Middle Colonies (Post 3)

• The English -- fearing future uprisings and mayhem by their English Colonists -- offer Hessians land, coin, citizenship, and other opportunities if they remained to police the Colonies.
• More than 18,000 settle in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
• After 10 years of immigration of their family/friends from Germany, Germans became the majority population in many communities.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TheWorldBuilder

George III's Proclamation Line establishes First Nation rights to land west of the Appalachian watershed. (Post #4)

• Expansion west of the Allegheny mountains is curtailed.
• Negotiated transfer of land rights allows colonists to settle up to the three subsequent treaty lines.
• Some British forces remain to enforce the agreements.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
(This is reply #2 to TheWorldBuilder's post above, (Post #4), which I loved.)

1800: "First nations" prosper, unite: (Post #6)

• Two decades of peace with "Whites" and with each other bring prosperity to the Indigenous Peoples of the First Nations.
• Leaders do fear westward expansion of the English, German, and other Europeans who seek more land.
• After several years of negotiations and planning, more than 300 tribes form the United Federation of First Nations.
• They seek and gain recognition from France, Spain, and 12 other European Nations.
• Does England also recognize them and their border claim? Map

 

[DeadManTyping]

DeadManTyping:

• September, 1777: A British marksman shoots and kills General George Washington. (Post#1)
• 1777-1781: The British win the war (Post#2):
  • The British reestablish firm rule over its 13 colonies.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

BellaMiles (Post #3)

Hessian Soldiers remain in America; settle the Middle Colonies

• More than 18,000 Hessian soldiers -- hired by the British to fight the Colonists -- remain behind, primarily in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
• Over the next 10 years, with immigration, Germans became the majority population in many communities.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

DeadManTyping

1890: Tensions between the Hessians and their British rulers leads to a new revolution.

• After 10 years of settling into American Colonial society, the Hessians begin realizing why their English colonial predecessors rebelled.
• German support of the now-American Hessians leads to the former supplying the latter with arms.
• During the summer of 1896, war breaks out, this time between the British and their allied enemies, the American colonists and their Hessian neighbors.

 

[BellaMiles]

NOTE: I combined 2 strings together that are complimentary of one another.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

DeadManTyping:

• September, 1777: A British marksman shoots and kills General George Washington. (Post#1)
• 1777-1781: The British win the war (Post#2):
• The British reestablish firm rule over its 13 colonies.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TheWorldBuilder ((Post #4))

• George III's Proclamation Line establishes First Nation rights to land west of the Appalachian watershed.
• Expansion west of the Allegheny mountains is curtailed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

BellaMiles

• 1782 onward: 18,000+ Hessian Soldiers settle in the Middle Colonies (Post 3)
• For the next 10 years, tens of thousands of Germans immigrate to Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
• Part of the Middle Colonies soon have majority German populations.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

DeadManTyping: 1800 -- "First nations" prosper, unite: (Post #6)[/b]

• The First Nations enjoy peace and prosperity with the "Whites" to their east.
• Fearing westward expansion, 300 (semi-)independent tribes form the United Federation of First Nations.
• They seek and gain recognition from France, Spain, and 12 other European Nations.
• NEW -- Over disputes on the UFFN's self-determined border with the English Colonies, England does not recognize the UFFN. (Map)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

DeadManTyping

• 1790: Tensions between Hessian Colonists and their British rulers leads to a new revolution. Post #7
• The Hessians -- now more often than not simply called Germans -- begin realizing why their English colonial predecessors rebelled.
• Germany begins providing support -- including arms -- to the German-American.
• During the summer of 1796, war breaks out between England and the American colonists, British and German alike.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

BellaMiles:

1797: War declared between Germany and England:

• Britain had long knew that the Hessian-Americans had been getting aid -- including weapons -- from Germany.
• With tensions in the Middle Colonies growing, the Royal Navy began stopping, boarding, and searching Germany ships in the North Sea to intercept weapons and goods on their way to the Hessian-Americans.
• At one such stop-and-search, a German battleship, escorted by 3 other ships-of-the-line, intervened. Shells were exchanged, and the British and Germans each lost a vessel.
• The British blockaded the German ports from which the shipments were coming.
• A fierce naval engagement occurred, resulting in the lost of 3 British and 4 German ships.
• 14 November 1797, England declared war on Germany, and 12 hours later Germany did the same in regards to England.

 

[DeadManTyping]

FYI: I'm going to combine all of the contributions from DeadManTyping (me), TheWorldBuilder, and BellaMiles into one entry below, to make reading it all easier.

• September, 1777: A British marksman shoots and kills General George Washington. (DeadManTyping: Post#1)
• 1777-1781: (DeadManTyping: Post#2)
  • The British win the American Revolution.
  • The British reestablish firm rule over its 13 colonies.
• c.1781: George III's Proclamation Line establishes First Nation rights to land west of the Appalachian watershed. (TheWorldBuilder: (Post #4))
• 1782-92: (BellaMiles: Post 3)
  • 18,000+ Hessian Soldiers (previously employed by the British) settle in the Middle Colonies.
  • Tens of thousands of Germans immigrate to Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
  • Parts of the Middle Colonies soon have majority German populations.
• 1800: "First nations" prosper, unite: (DeadManTyping: Post #6)[/b])
  • The First Nations enjoy peace and prosperity with the "Whites".
  • 300 tribes form the United Federation of First Nations.
  • They gain recognition from France, Spain, and 12 other European Nations.
  • England does not recognize the UFFN due to the new country's self-determined border. (Map)
• 1790-1796: Tensions between Hessian/English Colonists and their British rulers leads to a new revolution. (DeadManTyping: Post #7.)
  • The Hessians -- now called German-Americans -- begin to resent their British masters.
  • Germany provides support to their German-American allies in the colonies, including secret arms shipments.
  • During the summer of 1796, tensions rise to armed clashes.
  • War breaks out between England and the Colonists; for the most part, the English-American and German-Americans work together.
• 1797: War declared between Germany and England. (BellaMiles: Post #8)
  • Britain had been aware of German support to the American Colonists.
  • The Royal Navy began stopping, boarding, and searching Germany ships.
  • 1797: A German battle group intervened in one stop-and-search, which led to an exchange of fire and the sinking of one vessel on each side.
  • The British blockaded a key German port.
  • A battle resulted in 3 British and 4 German ships sunk.
  • 14 November 1797: England declared war on Germany, and 12 hours later Germany did the same to England.

<<<<<<< NEW >>>>>>>

December 1797: France allies with Germany against England (DeadManTyping: Post #9)

• After its victory in the Americas (1770-1780s), Britain turned its forces hard against its long time foe, France.
• France lost territories from the Caribbean to Africa to Micronesia and was dominated in the English Channel, North Sea, and Atlantic Ocean.
• France allied with Germany against England.
• France traded control of overseas territories for weapons and massive sums of money to bring the country out of debt.
• The French entered the war against the British,
• By March 1798, the Royal Navy had lost half its warships.
• German (and sometimes French) supply ships -- some carrying heavy weapons of war -- were soon reaching the rebelling American Colonists.

 

[BellaMiles]

(I like this one!)

• September, 1777: A British marksman shoots and kills General George Washington. (DeadManTyping: Post#1)
• 1777-1781: (DeadManTyping: Post#2)
  • The British win the American Revolution.
  • The British reestablish firm rule over its 13 colonies.
• c.1781: George III's Proclamation Line establishes First Nation rights to land west of the Appalachian watershed. (TheWorldBuilder: (Post #4))
• 1782-92: (BellaMiles: Post 3)
  • 18,000+ Hessian Soldiers (previously employed by the British) settle in the Middle Colonies.
  • Tens of thousands of Germans immigrate to Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
  • Parts of the Middle Colonies soon have majority German populations.
• 1790-1796: Tensions between Hessian/English Colonists and their British rulers leads to a new revolution. (DeadManTyping: Post #7.)
  • The Hessians -- now called German-Americans -- begin to resent their British masters.
  • Germany provides support to their German-American allies in the colonies, including secret arms shipments.
  • During the summer of 1796, tensions rise to armed clashes.
  • War breaks out between England and the Colonists; for the most part, the English-American and German-Americans work together.
• 1797: War declared between Germany and England. (BellaMiles: Post #8)
  • Britain had been aware of German support to the American Colonists.
  • The Royal Navy began stopping, boarding, and searching Germany ships.
  • 1797: A German battle group intervened in one stop-and-search, which led to an exchange of fire and the sinking of one vessel on each side.
  • The British blockaded a key German port.
  • A battle resulted in 3 British and 4 German ships sunk.
  • 14 November 1797: England declared war on Germany, and 12 hours later Germany did the same to England.
• December 1797: France allies with Germany against England (DeadManTyping: Post #9)
  • After its victory in the Americas (1770-1780s), Britain turned on France.
  • France lost territories from the Caribbean to Africa to Micronesia and was dominated in the English Channel, North Sea, and Atlantic Ocean. NOTE!! This is where the new entry below begins.
  • France allied with Germany against England.
  • France traded control of overseas territories for weapons and massive sums of money to bring the country out of debt.
  • The French entered the war against the British,
  • By March 1798, the Royal Navy had lost half its warships.
  • German (and sometimes French) supply ships -- some carrying heavy weapons of war -- were soon reaching the rebelling American Colonists.
• 1800: "First nations" prosper, unite: (DeadManTyping: Post #6)[/b])
  • The First Nations enjoy peace and prosperity with the "Whites".
  • 300 tribes form the United Federation of First Nations.
  • They gain recognition from France, Spain, and 12 other European Nations.
  • England does not recognize the UFFN due to the new country's self-determined border. (Map)
  
  
  <<<<<<< NEW >>>>>>>​
  
  
  This addition actually takes place in the midst of the timeline above, but since it takes place in the Caribbean -- specifically Haiti -- far away from most of the events above, I chose not to inject it into the above text. That would have simply been too confusing.​
  
  1785: England seizes Haiti (Saint-Domingue): (BellaMiles, Post #10)
  • Haiti -- the wealthiest colony in the New Word due to it sugar and coffee production -- is left poorly defended by French which sends most of its naval and land forces to defend other colonies and France itself.
  • The British take advantage of this. They send a massive fleet and amphibious force which destroys the remaining French fleet and either takes control of or besieges many of Haiti's ports and cities.
  • The British Commander makes contact with the leaders of Free Black and Slave groups on the island and -- exceeding the powers given to him by the crown -- promises the nearly 500,000 African slaves (and other people of color) their freedom if they join the British.
  • Over the course of just 3 weeks, tens of thousands of White Colonists are brutally killed or captured and turned over to the British occupiers.
  • Over the course of the year -- and now with the backing of the Crown -- the British Commander, now Governor of Haiti, makes radical changes that will eventually turn Haiti into one of the most prosperous colonies in the New World.

 

[DeadManTyping]

(I like this one!)

Me, too.

For readers, BellaMiles and I decided to cut out a lot of unnecessary stuff. We are the only ones active, so...

• 1781: England wins the American Revolution.
• 1781:
  • King George III's "Proclamation Line" limits further western expansion by Europeans. (TheWorldBuilder: (Post #4))
  • First Nations are given rights to land west of the Appalachian watershed.
• 1782: 18,000+ Hessian Soldiers settle in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
• 1782-1792: >30,000 Germans emigrated to America, primarily to these same areas.
• By 1788: Parts of the Middle Colonies are majority German.
• 1780s onward: Britain begins attacking France and French Territories
  • After its victory in the Americas, Britain turned on France.
  • France lost territories from the Caribbean to Africa to Micronesia.
  • France was dominated in the English Channel, North Sea, and Atlantic Ocean.
• 1785: England seizes Haiti (Saint-Domingue):
  • Haiti -- the wealthiest colony in the New Word due to it sugar and coffee production -- was left poorly defended.
  • The British attacked and/or laid siege to Haitian ports and/or cities.
  • Defying orders, the British Commander offers the Free Blacks and Slaves freedom if they turned on their French Masters. They did.
  • Haiti falls to the British, who begin negotiating with the Haitian population.
  • Radical changes -- including the end of slavery and the development of democracy and new land ownership rules -- will maintain Haiti's status as one of the most prosperous colonies in the New World.
• 1790-1796: Tensions were rising between the British and the Colonists; the German and English colonists were coming together as one against the British.
• Germany had been providing support, including arms, to their German-American allies in the colonies.
• 1795: The Royal Navy began stopping, boarding, and searching Germany ships.
• 1796: War broke out in the British-American Colonies.
• 1797:
  • A German battle group intervened in a British stop-and-search.
  • Hostilities erupted; one vessel on each side was sunk.
  • The British blockaded a key German port.
  • A battle resulted in 3 British and 4 German ships sunk.
• 14 November 1797: England and Germany go to war
  • England declared war on Germany.
  • 12 hours later, Germany declared war on England.
• December 1797: France allied with Germany against England.
  • France traded overseas territories for weapons and money.
  • The French entered the war against the British,
• March 1798: The Royal Navy had lost half its warships to German and French attacks.
• German (and sometimes French) supply ships deliver goods, including heavy weapons of war, to the rebelling American Colonists.
• 1800: "First nations" prosper, unite:
  • 300 tribes form the United Federation of First Nations.
  • They gain recognition from France, Spain, and 12 other European Nations.
  • England does not recognize the UFFN due to the new country's self-determined border. (Map)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

NEW

1801: England pleads for an armistice.

• 5 years of war against the Colonists in America and the German and French Navies in the Atlantic are too much for Britain.
• To prevent total collapse and, possibly, an invasion of the British Isles, Britain pleads for an armistice.
• The terms presented are devastating for the British:
  • Abandonment of all territories in the Americas.
  • The return of all seized French colonies throughout the world.
  • A restriction of the size of their navy to its current, post-conflict size.
  • The surrender of Bermuda to the Germans.
  • The division of The Bahamas between the victors of the war. (This has some possibilities, so I am leaving this vague.)
  • And most importantly, independence for her now-former 13 American Colonies.