You have mentioned a couple times the idea that with less territorial expansion the Slavery-Freedom conflict comes to a head *sooner* in America than OTL as if expansion westward served to *relieve* sectional tension and pressures over the issue.
I don't think I agree. I'm inclined to the more traditional view that expansion, and arguing over whether new territory would be slave or free, *raised* slavery and sectional tensions and accelerated the rift and formed the platform for the Republican Party, Lincoln's victory and the Civil War. If U.S. borders are limited and fixed earlier, territorial issues and futures are much more predictable, and can be managed to keep parity or a reasonably close balance, and less tension should build up.
I admit, slavery expansion versus free soil in new territories was not the *only* salient political question around slavery. There would still be fugitive slave laws and personal liberty laws to argue about. I just don't know if that issue alone would ever be enough to cause a secession crisis, or if, or when, a party could eventually emerge to sweep the north and scare the south running on an abolitionist platform.
We would definitely have to take a different path to any American Civil War that does happen. In theory it could be a shorter one than OTL's, but it would take some skilled creative writing for me to be convinced.
Have you ever posted any of them here or on other online forums, they sound very interesting and impressive.
I must admit I've too lazy to make the effort. Used to hand write pages of stuff for my own amusement. Did start the 1809 POD TL on AH probably about 15 years ago, IIRC it was called Red, Blue and Green or something like that but got very little done. Plus as I've got older I've been less willing to put in the work to make a fully coherent TL. Spent far too much time gaming on the computer nowadays, or responding to discussion.
That T-L in brief has
General John_Moore survive his OTL encounter with a cannon ball and hence escaping with his men after the victory at Corunna. This means we have two high level generals - alongside Arthur Wellsey, later Duke of Wellington
- which has some butterflies. Moore serves as the actual commander - with the Duke of Kent being the titular commander - during the
Walcheren_Campaign which means that its somewhat more successful with the capture of Antwerp prompting the destruction of the ships Napoleon was having constructed there and also a quicker withdrawal rather than trying to hold the island and losing a lot of men to malaria.
Also IIRC I had the
Battle_of_Wagram lasting a day longer, making it harder fought and a harsher treaty with Austria leading to Hungary being hived off. I think I had Napoleon impose his brother Louis on that throne, moving him from the Netherlands where he was unhappy that Louis seemed more concerned with the needs of his people than Napoleon's desires. The prime results of this is a strong reaction to modify Austria but also to be more careful hence when things fall apart for Napoleon in 1812/13 - albeit with a different path here - Austria is a bit latter entering the fray.
The 1810-11 French attacks on Portugal see Napoleon himself lead larger forces than OTL but being unable to get past the
Lines_of_Torres_Vedras, despite some very bloody assaults. This means that French losses are markedly heavier due to both frontal assaults and the stravation and other privations the French face camped in the resultant wasteland during the winter before Napoleon returns to France and French withdraw. The rest of 1811 sees allied forces [British & Portuguese] recapturing the key border fortresses, doing better as Wellington is the commander at the
Battle_of_Albuera.
1812 is when things spark off. Napoleon starts a major new war in the east - NOT an invasion of Russia and British forces build on their successes in Spain with the destruction of one of the French armies and a campaign meant to manouver the French out of Spain.
When news of the US attack on Canada reaches London Wellington, who had been with an army in the south of Spain is ordered with 3 divisions to Canada. he's actually operating to clear the south by the time news reaches him but this causes the curtailing of that campaign.
1813 - Massive fighting in eastern Europe with Prussia, aided by Russia at the centre of it and many defections or low moral by especially German elements of the French army. Austria enters the war against Napoleon who is increasingly beleaguered, especially since Germans and Russians are fighting very hard. One step is to make peace with Spain, restoring the Bourbon Monarchy in return for it leaving the war and insisting that British and Portuguese forces leave the country.
In N America Wellington is sent to Upper Canada, replacing the dead
Isaac Brock - Wikipedia - would have loved to have kept him alive. However most of his reinforcements are taken by
George_Prvost, the governor of Lower Canada who makes an unsuccessful attack down the Lake Champlain route - which I think was OTL. However with an extra unit which includes member of the elite Light Division Wellington does better on the western reaches.
More noticeably he is in command during the
Second_Battle_of_Sackets_Harbor rather than Provost leading to a clear victory and the capture of the bulk of the American naval force on Lake Ontario, winning control of the Lake for the foreseeable future. This prompts some jealously from Provost and ultimately Wellington's recall to London, where however he is cleared over the affair.
1814 - In Europe the imperial forces collapse after several months of bitter fighting, with a British/allied force under Moore playing some role in the final stages, having been landed in NW Germany and linking up with the Swedes and some local German princely forces. You get a result somewhat similar to OTL with Napoleon sent to exile in Elba. However some differences with Hungary staying independent, albeit under a local king. Austria as well as gaining much of N Italy to block French expansion there regains its Adriatic lands and also annexes Bavaria, the latter's monarch being move to become king of Tuscany. Prussia also gains land along the Rhine and is pressing for the annexation of Saxony while Russia gets most of Poland.
In N America one result of the Spanish withdrawal from the war was that as compensation for this action they pass Florida to Britain and Britain now sends forces to defend it. Initially under Pakenham with
General Rowland_Hill as his number 2, but they are largely on the defensive as most of the Indians who have opposed US expansion have already been crushed.
1815 - In N America Pakenham makes his OTL assault on New Orleans with the same result, Which leaves British forces in the south very hard pressed and Hill starts recruiting black troops.
In the north fighting continues with some British reinforcements helping to hold the line against continued US attacks and launching successful attacks on Washington and Baltimore under Moore. Since they still hold a good chunk of the old NW the US is reluctant to make peace and lose that land, Then news comes, 1st to peace negotiators in Antwerp and then the US of Napoleon's return to power and then his defeating of Prussian and British lead forces, the latter leading to the death of its commander
Ernest_Augustus, Duke of Cumberland
and the remains of the force under his deputy Wellington withdrawing into siege at Antwerp and awaiting reinforcements.
This prompts the US to decide to step up efforts with the intent of raising major new armies so that the following year they can launch concerted attacks on Canada via three routes and also overrun British resistance in the south.
The
Hartford_Convention still takes place, motivated by unrest in New England against the war although Jackson's victory at New Orleans seems to make it a dead letter. However the determination of Madison to continue the war leaves it a factor and the New England states continue to refuse to support the war.
Unfortunately for the US Napoleon's resurgence is based on fragile support and he is reliant on a core of volunteers which makes their quality high but their numbers limited. Many of those were already casualties of the heavy fighting and an attempt to impose conscription in the occupied parts of the Netherlands [including modern Belgium here] prompts massive opposition. While Prussia is largely spent Russian and Austrian forces are arriving in numbers and Britain has started moblizing more men who had been demobilized after the previous war ended. As such in fighting in July-Sept his forces are worn down and support crumbles. Napoleon himself dies after a last attempt to mobilize the mob in Paris leader to bitter fighting.
Earlier in April however the
Mount_Tambora eruption has occurred. The ash cloud from this event is thought to be the reason for the very bad weather across much of the world in 1816, famously called the year without a summer.
The final operations by Napoleon and support he gained, at least initially, means as OTL a harsher treaty for France. Saxony is annexed to Prussia and its ruler becomes the king of Lorraine - which includes the old provinces of Lorriane and Alsace - not the 1870 territories. Also given the failure of the Netherlands to defend the southern Netherlands and to boost Prussia as it is exhausted by the war but wanted as a check on France it gains all of Germany west of the Rhine along with the former southern Netherlands - OTL Belgium which at the time was the most industrially advanced region outside Britain.
1816 - The US attacks in the north are fortunately faced sequentially as with the poor logistics of the western ones and greater distance to travel, plus British control of the Lakes General Moore is able to move forces westwards to face each attack. The biggest attack is down the Lake Champlain route which is defeated after bitter fighting but also due to a collapse of American logistics which means that the US forces have to retire in great disorder.
This is to have dramatic impacts as some in the withdrawal flee west of the Lake, i.e. into Vermont. Initially there is some sympathy for the desperate men due to their dire condition but the region itself, not the richest has already been badly affected by the extreme weather which means they have nothing to spare for the refugees. However some of the forces are unwilling to accept this along with accusation of treason being made against the Vermontans for their lack of support for the war. Several clashes, some fatal occurs and looting starts worsening when some forces get hold of alcohol. Ultimately large scale fighting sees many killed by the Vermont militia. This and the hanging of some looters causes outrage in turn in Washington. there are demands for action against the militia units and the governor for the 'murder' of the soldiers.
Ultimately the US is only able to send relatively small forces against the state and the latter is added by volunteers from other New England states and politically supported by their leaders.
Moore is able to move west with some of his forces to join in the defeat of the thrust against the Niagara defences then again further west to the smallest force seeking to look through Michigan territory into Ontario. Control of the Lakes not only means British forces are able to move forces but also and more importantly probably supplies by water while also stopping the Americans doing the same. The western force is largely destroyed after units are landed in its rear cutting off its retreat and forcing a surrender.
In the south a hard pressed Hill is pushed out of much of Florida but the much greater numbers of US forces but hostility between the two sides are worsened further by the frequent abuse of captured black British soldiers and in one case two white officers who complain against this.
1817 - With New England in pretty much open revolt Britain makes a defensive agreement with it and supports their militia in defeating new American attacks. Also for much of the summer Moore and his main force operates against the south with landings at Savanna and Charleston to aid Hill's defence in the south. Later he joins Hill and a campaign through southern Georgia sees the British free many slaves, most of who quickly flee into British territory.
1818 - This year sees the siege and surrender of New York in the north and the liberation of western Florida before the final American capitulation and a peace settlement signed in Havannh in August. Britain gains most of the old NW region as an Indian protectorate - since the US refuses to accept the validity of any Indian state. It sees the borders of Florida recognised and also of an independent New England.
In 1819 the western border of the two nations is agreed as reaching along the 45th parallel to the Pacific.
Well I meant a quick summary but that rather grew.
There is a 2nd war in the 1840's with some American success gaining most of Florida and much of OTL Indiana and Illinois, in part because Britain is seriously pressed by a powerful Bourbon France which at one stage looks like it might overrun most of southern England and does end up with most of Ireland as a satellite kingdom along with Spain and much of western N Africa under its control. Parallel wars see Prussian attempts to challenged Austria defeated and Russia ending up in charge of most of the Ottoman empire.
Britain gains some revenge in the 3rd conflict in the 1860's when its not distracted by events in Europe, not only regaining the lost territories but also much of the Pacific coastline of California, which had been annexed by the US after a war with Mexico.
Anyway that's the guts of the TL, from what I can remember along with a few wiki links.
Steve