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A
History of the American Revolution
The War
of Independence was a disaster for America. The Risings of 76 took several
years to put down, but put down they were. French intervention in the War
of Bavarian Succession had
bankrupted the nation, and the execution of Louis XVI, and the war with
Prussia, Austria, and Britain, caused France to undergo changes,
culminating in the Directorate. It was in this environment that Napoleon,
the founding father of our great nation, became the general of the army of
Italy. During the coup of
Fructidor, in concert with Barras, Reubell and La Reveilliere, he annulled
the results of elections.
Austria
concluded peace talks with
Paris in October of 1797, ceding Belgium and the Rhineland to France, and
recognizing the Cisalpine Republic. After heading to the conference at
Rastadt [1], he returned to Paris. By December, he had begun serious
planning. It was then that he met the leader of the United Americans,
Thomas Jefferson.
December,
1797
“Ah,
Thomas Jefferson, it is a pleasure to see you,” said Napoleon.
Personally, he was rather irritated. Damn Americans couldn’t even beat
the British. What did he want?
“General,
I hope you know that your invasion of England cannot succeed. The fleet is
well guarded, and the yoke of oppression lies upon their backs too well.
The Royal Navy is too strong.”
Bonaparte nodded. He knew where this was going, and liked it. “You think
of an expedition to America?”
Jefferson
slammed his fist on the table. “Now is the time. Our two republics must
stand together, or else we shall all be slaves of Britain. Now is the time
when free men shall stand.”
Bonaparte listened as Jefferson idled on. Well, it could work. With
America as a republic, the entire continent would soon fall, the Caribbean
could lie open, and England would have no choice but to surrender. The
Americans were already revolting again. It might actually work, even.
[1]
Where the Empire agreed to cede France the Rhineland.
New
York, March, 1798
“Come,
join hand in hand, brave Americans all,
And rouse your bold hearts at fair Liberty's call;
No tyrannous acts shall suppress your just claim,
Or stain with dishonor America's name.
In Freedom we're
born and in Freedom we'll live.
Our purses are ready. Steady, friends, steady;
Not as slaves, but as Freemen our money we'll give.”
William Harrison looked upon this scene and nodded. The mob
was singing as Oliver De Lancey was placed upon the guillotine.
“You have been found guilty by the sons of Liberty as a
collaborator with the King, as a traitor to these United States of North
America, and a foe to liberty by a jury of your peers. Have you any last
words?”
De Lancey didn’t bother to face the crowd. At least he died with
dignity, thought Fulton, as the blade cut off his head.
It was, reflected Harrison, probably lucky that a riot
hadn’t broken out at this execution. New York was a loyalist stronghold,
which is why General Burr had garrisoned the city with 10,000 men. There
was talk of a counterrevolution, although most true Americans were in
favor of the Republic, judging by the response to de Lancey’s execution.
All of the aristocrats were damn puppets of Cornwallis and the King,
anyway.
Fulton headed down to the docks. The French fleet had been
spotted, and the General would be ashore soon. Together, the armies of the
Republics would drive the British from two continents continents.
Monmouth
County, March 14, 1798
Napoleon
nodded. The battle of Monmouth was almost over. The Directory had given
him 20,000 men, and he had decided to use them in an assault on
Cornwallis’s army. With General Burr up north, it naturally fell upon
him to save New York.
He had
decided to assault Cornwallis’ rear guard and center simultaneous, in an
assault plan that had almost failed. His cavalry had fallen on
Cornwallis’s army from the rear, and now that dusk had fallen, he could
see who had won. He’d actually managed to knock out Cornwalli’s army.
Already, his followers were calling it the new Cannae.
The band
had begun playing Marseillaise. “General Cornwallis, on behalf of the
Free republics of the United States of North America and the Republic of
France, I do hereby accept your unconditional surrender.”
Napoleon
grinned as the cheers went up from the army. Now, perhaps, he could finish
the war in Canada.
August
5, 1798
“Long
Live the Republic!”
The cry could be heart in the
Hall in with the 3rd Continental Congress was residing. With
the fall of Fort Chambley and Montreal, only Quebec opposed the American
conquest of Canada. Burr had
succeeded there.
The real
news was the victory at Williamsburg, Jefferson thought. Bonaparte was at
it again, driving the British out of Williamsburg. The news about
confiscations from towns that wouldn’t supply the army and American
soldiers who cheered his name were disturbing, but they were just
enthusiastic about the cause of liberty.
They
were now working on a constitution for the United States. The Articles of
the Confederation had failed, and there was no choice but to try to
centralize government. None of the states were willing to hand over the
powers. He lifted the letter from Burr.
“Where
are our men of abilities? Why do they not come forth to save their
Republic? Our army is bankrupt and has gone without pay. The soldiers of
liberty deserve their just compensation.”
September
7, 1798
It is
unknown why Pitt decided to send reinforcements to the American squadron
in 1798, rather than to India, where it was thought the expedition was
sailing. Perhaps, as had happened before, his americanophobia and
Francophobia got the better of him.
In any
case, the result was the Battle of New York.
Admiral Nelson led the fleet against the French squadron in the
harbor, which unfortunately had not been placed so as to be covered by
shore batteries. The Flagship Liberty was a burning holocaust, and only
two ships of the line survived.
Quite
simply, Napoleon Bonaparte was stranded an ocean away from France.
January 4, 1799
The
Continental Army had gone without pay for several months; some units, for
over a year. Speculators were sapping the nation of its wealth and
opposing the war effort (aside from the Bonaparte, who were also
speculating in France and now America).
The army
actually began mutinying. The response of the states varied. Many believed
that the only solution was to vest Congress with greater powers. New
York’s assembly and New England states handed additional powers, nigh
dictatorial, upon Burr and Bonaparte to provide supplies for the army.
The
greatest change was pushed by New York’s James Duane, who propose that
Congress possessed implied powers to coerce the states into complying with
Congress’s authority. Congress refused to take that step throughout
1798.Amendments to have the national government seize property in states
that didn’t furnish money and soldiers failed.
In this
context, the New Year’s Coup was no surprise. The plot was initiated by
the treasurer, William Morris, in conjunction with Aaron Burr and Napoleon
Bonaparte, who renounced his French citizenship in favor of American.
Thomas Jefferson was undoubtedly aware of the plot, but did not act
against it.
For a
coup, it was relatively soft. The Congress would now have a three man
executive branch, Burr, Morris, and Bonaparte (largely because the
plotters couldn’t agree on another candidate, and he had the army’s
support).
As such,
when Thomas Jefferson first looked out the window, he saw the soldiers of
the Continental Army besieging the hall. Morris, at that moment, happened
to pick up a paper, declaring that “
I believe we should consider drastic changes to the new constitution”.
The
plan, as Jefferson listened, was basically what Morris had proposed for
months. The national government assumed control of most
taxation and took over the states’ debts The Bank of America was
created, which issued notes and would provide loans, ensuring that
businessmen had access to revenue. Land would be given to soldiers out
west upon completion of the war, the famous 60 acres.
April
9, 1799
Savannah
had fallen, yet again. Bonaparte cursed. The damn southerners hadn’t
taken well to the new constitution, and the loyalists had bolted. Now he
had to drive the British out of the south, once and for all.
“Soldiers
of the Republic, forward!” At least there should be some decent plunder.
May
4, 1799
“But
General, the slaves are an inferior race! Surely you can see that their
enslavement is as beneficial to themselves as to us?” Jefferson stood
before the General, who had taken up residence in the governor’s mansion
in Williamsburg during the campaign.
Bonaparte
shrugged. “If you make a man a slave, you take half his work away.
Surely you, with your knowledge of the Greeks, know that. How can we, a
nation of free men, keep a people in bondage?” Bonaparte continued
writing orders while he listened to Jefferson’s pleas.
“But
more importantly, the South is a hotbed of traitors to the Republic. They
supported George III, and now they oppose the January Constitution. The
slaves will be slaves until 1820, and all children born after 1801 shall
be free. Moreover, any slaves who were owned by loyalists are to be given
land out west; let them soak up bullets in Ohio from the Indians.”
Jefferson
stared. “You’re using them, and this proclamation of emancipation.”
As he
smoked a cigar, Napoleon nodded. “I like that. The Emancipation
Proclamation. But in any case, you’re wrong. Again, I might add. It
solves the loyalist problem down south, by weakening enemies of the
regime. It also opens up markets in Santo Domingo. We can now control the
commerce of that island without the cost of conquering it. Genius, isn’t
it?”
”But yes, it will solidify the Consulate’s power.”
The
pillars of smoke are rising
From the walls of the castle
And through the streets of New York
Runs a sense of the unreal
The Brits have all departed
Their servants are nowhere
We burned out all their mansions
In the name of Aaron Burr.
And still we wait
To see the day begin
Our time is wasting in the wind
Wondering why
Wondering why, it echoes
echoes, asking why
Inside
the midnight councils
The lamps are burning low
On you sit and talk all through the night
But there's just no place to go
And Bonaparte is coming
With his army from the north
Tory your days are numbered
And we live hand to mouth
While we wait
To see the day begin
Our time is wasting in the wind
Wondering why
Wondering why, it echoes
Echoes, asking why
The
ghost of revolution
Still prowls the Southern streets
Down all the restless centuries
It wonders incomplete
It speaks inside the cheap red wine
Of cafe summer nights
Its red and amber voices
Call the cars at traffic lights
Al
Stewart, Province of Tampaulicas, United States of North America, 1975.
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