"The Footsteps of Illustrious Men"- USA GC AAR

coz1 said:

Well that was unexpected, but I figured you'd throw a twist in there somewhere. Well done. Your recounting of the candidates and politics of it stands right up there with M.ShawPyle and his ‘Sweet, Just, Boyish Masters’: the Liberal Empire of the Americans and Mettermrck's The United States: 'Advantages without Obligations'. That's damn fine company and well deserved praise.

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Im honored that you think so. M.ShawPyle's AAR is one of the best to have graced this forum, so the comparison is most appreciated. I have not yet read Mettermrck's work, but now that it has been suggested I will certainly do so.

Forsyth’s Year and the Richmond Gang
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One of Forsyth’s first priorities was thrust upon him in February of 1841. As a result of the tripartite treaty between Mexico, Texas and the United States; the US and Texas had signed defensive agreements. In February of 1841 these agreements would expire. Forsyth, knowing that the fall of Austin would look bad for his administration, acted quickly. Without Congressional permission, he sent his Secretary of State, Mahlon Dickerson, to sign a new treaty of alliance with Texas. Then, well after the treaty had been signed, he went before Congress and asked their permission. They, not knowing of the signed treaty, gave their support (although not before some debate). It was to be the only truly adventurous action taken by President Forsyth, for with Texas defended, Forsyth could turn his eyes back home.

And at home his eyes were needed. In April the Knoxville Indian Riots occurred after white farmers and traveling Indians clashed over the death of livestock. Cherokee would travel from Oklahoma and Missouri into Kentucky to join in the riots, and the Kentucky National Guard failed to restore the peace. Once again the Federal Government was forced to use troops to put down an Indian problem. And again, General G. W. Getty was sent, this time at the head of the Army of the South, to ensure the peace. As a result 110 US soldiers either died or deserted during the struggle; there is no count to Indian civilians killed. Getty left one of his officers, Charles D. Craven, to keep the peace. In the end Craven was responsible for the removal of the last of the Native Americans East of the Mississippi.


G. W. Getty

As summer gave way to fall, the US economy seemed to be on the rise once again. Forsyth’s policies; most of which ignored his Secretary of the Treasury, were helping bring back the US economy since its stagnation in late 1838. 2 major factories were opened in September of 1841, one in Maryland and one in Kentucky. The Free City of Austin was growing by leaps and bounds, and its prosperity leaked into the US South-West. Louisiana and New Orleans specifically grew in large part thanks to trade through and into Texas. Kentucky Bourbon began to be bottled and sold in unheard of quantities across the world. It seemed that the US was destined for greater things. Then, tragedy struck.

On October 21st, 1841, John Forsyth became the first US President to die in office. The 61 year old Virginian died in his sleep of old age. Immediately John Tyler moved to ensure the country did not miss a beat. The Whig Vice President delayed in only one thing, calling Congress. This angered not only the Democrats, who felt robbed by the presence of a Whig in the White House, but also many of the Whigs, whose support had wavered under the rapid success of Forsyth. Now, faced with an unexpected President, the Whigs were nervous. While some believed they could ride the wave of success into the White House in 1844, most felt that the House’s decision to elect a Democrat should be followed.

While Tyler ran the country in the interim, he was persuaded by strength of force, to step down when the House had selected a new President. Immediately the House set about choosing his successor. Still, but only slightly, dominated by the Democrats, the House favored members of Forsyth’s cabinet to replace him. While both Van Buren and Calhoun were mentioned; both were shouted down by Whigs and Democrats alike. Likewise Harrison, who had come in second to Forsyth, was named, but Democrats would not support a Whig nomination. In the end the battle came down to staunch democrats who supported William Learned Marcy of New York, and the Whigs who sluggishly chose Mahlon Dickerson. However, when Van Buren and his compatriots refused to support Marcy (whom they still begrudged for working with Forsyth) the election went to the ambitious Dickerson. Tyler, without a fight, returned to his role as Vice President, and Mahlon Dickerson stepped into the White House.


Mahlon Dickerson, 10th President of the United States

Mahlon quietly continued his predecessor’s work, but soon became the target of a series of Whig opponents. Known as the “Richmond Gang” these Virginia Whigs sought to work against Dickerson and regain control of Congress. Thomas Walker Gilmer, Governor of Virginia; William Cabell Rives, a Virginia senator who had crossed party lines to the Whigs; William S. Archer, a Whig senator; Charles F. Mercer, a Whig Representative; and Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. These 5 men took the spoils system to all new heights, ensuring that Virginia, which had voted Democrat in 1840, would not do so again. Even President Forsyth’s funeral, held in Virginia, was dominated by Whigs. Mahlon soon found that the state which once supported his party was now behind his new rival, John Tyler.

Rives and Archer, the two senators, had formed the group almost accidentally. The two men, after a meeting in the Senate, had taken a train south to Richmond. En-route the two discussed politics, and discovered their shared dislike for then Vice President Dickerson. When, upon reaching Richmond, they discovered that Forsyth was dead, they immediately organized pro-Tyler votes. In the end Virginia was on the loosing side of the isle, but emerged as the leadership of the Whig party. Propelled by the success of Thomas Gilmer, the young Governor of Virginia, the Old Dominion slowly made its way from a Democratic supporter to the solidly Whig bloc. Gilmer met with the two senators after Dickerson took office, and brought with him Hunter and Mercer. The five men would meet 5 times over the period of 1841-1843. With their combined political clout the Whigs began to take over the Commonwealth. By the end of the year the Virginia General Assembly became dominated, 60-40 by Whigs.


The Governor’s Mansion of Virginia

With Virginia firmly Whig, and much of the Mid West still favoring Harrison over Dickerson, the mid-term elections flowed into being. Democrats in Virginia, Delaware, Ohio and Pennsylvania had all lost Congressional races. The 1840 election, although it was a victory for Democrats, was the emergence of the Whig party as a dominate force in American politics. The Whigs had moved from becoming the party opposed to Jackson to becoming a political force in their own right. Although loud and divisive on such issues as military expansion and the national bank, they (like most democrats) were silent on issues such as slavery and its expansion. They also had only a passing interest in international affairs. While not strict followers of the Washington line on neutrality, the Whigs felt that American affairs should come first. This pro-America appearance helped them gain ground on the Democrats, whose wild success under Jackson was now threatened under the shaky Dickerson. Both sides eagerly awaited 1844.

stnylan said:

That's a very nice focus on how a local group starts to have a wider and national importance.

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Thanks; it was my attempt to make the Mafia event fit the story without being silly. I wanted to set it up as a sort of Whig foil to the IRL Albany Regency

Bismarck1 said:

Intresting, good way to show how the complexity of when a president dies in office. I wonder how the rest of Dickerson term will last?

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Thanks. The problem I stumbled upon was that I had chosen Forsyth to be president, before realizing he died mid-term. So, in an effort to keep the office as Democrat, thats the road I chose.

Mexican-American War.
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In the midst of a veritable political civil war, the United States soon found itself involved in a war with real combat. On In February of 1841 the tripartite treaty expired, and the Mexicans could, theoretically, return to conflict with Texas. Although the US and the Free City of Austin had signed an alliance, the Democratic controlled White House proclaimed neutrality abroad. Mexican President Anastasio Bustamante knew that a victory over the Free City would send his popularity skyrocketing. His unsteady grip on the government would be reinforced by a swift military conquest; especially if it meant standing up to the giant of the United States. Facing what he knew was a neutral executive to his north, Bustamante went for the gamble.

In May of 1842 the Mexican government ordered General Santa Anna to move his army north into the lands once known as Texas. Santa Anna would reach the outskirts of Austin on June 11th, 1842. When reports of the Mexican invasion reached the White House, Dickerson immediately called Congress. Within 3 hours the USA was officially at war with the Mexican Republic. The call for war carried across party lines, with only a few New England Democrats opposing the vote. General Scott, who had devised orders for just this situation, immediately marched to the aid of the Texans. Bustamante ordered the attack forward regardless, hoping to knock the Texans out of the war before the US could be mobilized.


General Sam Houston

General Sam Houston of Texas, with less than one thousand men, held off the Mexican army sent by Santa Anna. Santa Anna hoped to defeat Houston and capture Austin while the remainder of the Mexican army mobilized. The success Texas faced was brief, as the overwhelming number of Mexican troops drove Houston’s army back away from the city. However, the brief success allowed General Scott to move his troops from Louisiana into the Free City, keeping it from Mexican conquest. Scott had developed a plan for taking on the Mexican armies well before 1842. His plan called for a three pronged move, with the first thrust going into the center of Texas; the second sweeping the coast, and the third raiding the northern Mexican colonies.

“Old Rough and Ready”, also known as Zachary Taylor, fully endorsed Scott’s plan. Taylor had risen in prominence during the Seminole and Black Hawk wars. Taylor, who had been given command of the Western Army, took command of the north-western advance into the colonies. There he engaged General Canedo of the Mexicans in the relatively uninhabited Utah province. Taylor would be forced out of Utah by lack of supplies in September, but until that point he engaged the Mexican army with general success.


The Mexican-American war
Meanwhile General G. W. Getty was transferred to command the US Dragoons; who immediately slashed their way through the Oklahoma territory as an extension of Taylor’s forces. By the end of July he turned north into Colorado and captured what little Mexican land still remained that far north. Meanwhile in the South; General Scott was faced with an increasing number of Mexican assaults. Scott was determined to defend Austin to the last man, and luckily for him the Texans were able to keep supply lines open with the US. Santa Anna was repelled three times, the last when Scott’s 20 thousand men repelled a Mexican force of 25,000 in November of 1842.

With the Mexicans intent on slamming into Austin, the US was able to drive around the city and recapture Texas. General Craven, who had driven the Indians out of the East, was sent to command the Army of the South, at this time a pitiful one division. With it he marched north, taking the largest portion of US artillery with him, to cut off Mexicans from Austin. He acted as an army of Scott’s thrust into central Texas, which had halted to defend Austin. His objective was a trade settlement north of Austin, known as Dallas. From there he could strike into the Arizona settlements and hopefully open a gap towards California. Meanwhile General Anthony Briggs and the 1st Army marched along the coast, and by November 12th, had captured much of the coastline. He then looked to march against the village of Corpus Christi, which would give him access to the Rio Grande, which the US claimed belonged with Texas.

While it seemed that the US was finding success, it would be deceiving. Mexican cavalry arrived to ward off US forces in the north. Mexican forces drove Zachary Taylor backwards towards Wyoming, only to surround him and trap him at the Green River. Over 4 thousand men died trying to ford the river, among them was General Taylor. Although the US had sent reinforcements north, the Mexicans were able to cross the Green River and march into the Wyoming territory relatively unopposed. The Mexicans would battle with the US in US territory in the west until after February of 1845. The death of Taylor sent the army into disarray in the North, and it would take some time for it to reorganize and drive them back.


The Battle of San Antonio

Briggs, aided by Texan military forces, marched north from his position, in an attempt to seize San Antonio; however after 2 months of brutal fighting, the general was forced into a humiliating retreat back to Corpus Christi. Briggs, having lost almost 1/3 of his army in the failed assault, was replaced by General Getty, whose Dragoons were sent North under the command of Colonel Martin Hienz. Getty would go on to capture San Antonio, and drive the Mexicans out of most of Texas (by the end of 1843 Santa Anna still held ground in El Paso del Norte. Although in November of 1863 the Free City official removed its men from the front lines (a move they did without consulting General Scott, US Chief of Staff), Texas was thoroughly retaken. Mexican armies still marched around in Colorado and Wyoming, but were slowly being chased and destroyed by General Hienz, who had reorganized the failing army on the West.

US forces, by the election of 1844, had recaptured Texas, invaded California and the North-West colonies; but failed to deliver a crushing blow to the Mexican forces. Even as General Scott maneuvered his men into position to crawl deeper into Mexico, Mexican reinforcements poured towards the border. And so, the embattled Democrats found themselves faced with sharp and dangerous enemies on all sides. The loss of much House and Senate support set back the Democrats going into ’44; and the rapid success of the Richmond Gang meant that even in staunchly Democratic states, the Whigs would have a leg up. With battles still being waged on the front, the American people went to the polls once more.


The late “Rough and Ready”

Jingles said:

Oh well whatever the troubles are on the domestic front, at least you're doing one of the best things any country can do: kicking Mexico's butt.

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It does make me feel better about things

Stynlan: Well, they are politicians; would you expect any more?

Coz1: In the game Taylor didn't die in the battle; however his entire army was trapped and destroyed inside Mexican territory; so its safe to assume he would have.

The Election of 1844 and the Raising of Kansas
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As General Scott called a general slow across the front to reorganize his forces, the election of 1844 became the most dominate issue in the United States. Dickerson, who had been elected only due to President Forsyth’s lack of enemies, now faced an election in his own right. Dickerson and his supporters set out on campaign immediately. Dickerson figured to carry the states Forsyth took through Forsyth’s reputation and memory. So his primary concern was New York; which proved to be the lynchpin in the election.

First he had to get through his own party. Van Buren had been toppled by Forsyth in 1840; and still looked to come back to the White House. Beyond Van Buren no strong candidate appeared to challenge Dickerson for the nomination. While Van Buren still had a great deal of support from the older Democrats, Dickerson had the momentum of the White House. His moderate victories in Mexico and the economic upturn of Forsyth’s time in office gave him a good deal of popularity in the North-East. Even the delegates of New York, whose Albany Regency had dissolved with Whig victories in the state; saw Dickerson as the most viable opportunity for victory.

To face Dickerson came two surprising candidates. The first was the strongest challenge to Dickerson’s second term. The Whigs, undaunted by the constant failures to attain high office, organized again to nominate a candidate. The familiar faces were there; Harrison, Tyler and their cohorts became the immediate favorites. However an even older name came up to challenge the young wing of the Whig Party. The Virginia delegation announced the nomination of Henry Clay. As one of the party’s founders, the Great Compromiser immediately carried support on his “American System”. And while protective tariffs were not the most popular idea; support for improved infrastructure was. His proposal to find an end to the Mexican-American war and the movement for a national bank were also popular among the Whigs who felt the Democrats had gotten the US into a war it was not winning. Even as the offensive came to a slow grinding stop and the fickle opinion of the American people turned against it; the Whigs led the way towards peace.


Whig Founder Henry Clay

With Clay as their nomination the Whigs now faced off against the Democrats. In the background two other candidates could be heard. Van Buren refused to back down from his attempts at regaining high office; by this time however he was seen as a sore looser and not a viable candidate. Another candidate to appear on the horizon was Charles Allen of New York City. Allen ran on a platform of anti-immigration, anti-Mexican, and pro-abolition. His party, named the “American Party” was really nothing more than a small group of dissatisfied Protestants who feared an Irish takeover of much of the country. Neither Van Buren nor Allen posed any real threat to the campaigns of Clay and Dickerson. After two terms of political strife and dissipation, the United States had a two way race once again.

The election boiled down to two major issues. The Democrats favored continuing the war with Mexico and taking control of California by force. The Whigs called for an end to the war and a peaceful administration of Mexican lands. On this issue the Democrats seemed favored. The second was more difficult to understand for the average citizen. Internal developments had slowed down since the death of Forsyth. The growth of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad had stunted during the Mexican War; as had the growth of industry. Clay and his party sought to re-invigorate the economy by encouraging the purchase of local items. This in tern, argued the Whigs, would open more factories and lead to the growth of the rails roads. The Democrats favored a far more open-trade policy. They deathly opposed tariffs, and the national bank.


The early route of the B&O railroad

It seemed that the Democrats, with their lack of controversial topics, would be the leaders going into 1844. This was not to be. Two incidents would spark the heat of this election. The first came from Britain. With news of the Factory Act in development, the industries of Britain knew prices would have to rise. This meant that goods imported to the United States would suddenly be pricier. Adding to this was the failure of the Anti-Corn Law politicians in England. ‘With such a strict tariff, how can the English charge so much?’ was the question posed by many in the US. Suddenly the former enemy, who had fallen out of the news during the Mexican war, was once again present. Anti-British protests began among merchants and farmers, who slowly began to agree that a tariff might do wonders for the US economy.

The second issue to bring about a change in the front-runner was the Raising of Kansas. With the destruction of General Taylor’s army in Utah; General Hienz was slowly driving the Mexicans back. However, a small band of Mexican cavalry slipped through his lines and drove deep into US territory. By the time they were spotted they had reached the Town of Kansas, which was the center of the Kansas territory. The raiders, finding the town guarded by only a few militiamen, went about raiding the city. For three hours the Mexicans plundered and burnt the city; in the end 50 civilians had been killed and the town was devastated. Under the cover of dark the Mexicans returned across the border to join their retreating forces.


The Raid of the Town of Kansas

This was a shot in the arm of anti-war members of the government and media. Suddenly the Mexicans were outsmarting and hurting Americans. 50 civilians (the number went as a high as 150 in some newspapers) were killed in a war for Texas, which the Texans weren’t even fighting. Meanwhile more and more Mexicans were pouring into the front. Two years of war had done nothing but cause thousands of Americans to die; and no end was in sight. Suddenly the middle of America who had supported the Democratic War (and Harrison in 1840) now swung their votes to the Whigs. The election would be a close one.

The South, which had been swinging Whig, now feared the Clay-sponsored tariffs. Plantation owners in South Carolina and Georgia began throwing their weight behind Dickerson and the democrats. However the Richmond Gang held firm in their opposition to Democratic control. They believed that a Southern controlled Congress could overturn any moves by Clay to enforce tariffs, and that an end to the war with Mexico would end favorably for the US, thus increasing their control in the expanding western territories. The North, which had split Democrat-Whig in 1840, now swung back to the Whigs near unanimously. Clay’s outright support for the northern expansion struck a cord with many in New England and New York. Meanwhile the public support of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which went to Clay, garnered him support in and around the Ohio River. In the end this was enough.


Henry Clay and Willie Person Mangum- 185
Mahlon Dickerson- 90

Dickerson would take all of the South except for Virginia and Maryland (both went to the Whigs). The Democrats, for their pro-war stance also took much of the Midwest, except for Ohio. In the end the Democrats pulled in 90 electoral votes, and the Whigs successfully drew in 185. Despite the turn around of the parties in reference to international relations (in 1840 the Whigs were the Hawks, in ’44 the Democrats filled that role) the Whigs had finally succeeded where in the past they had only failed. Dickerson was out, Clay, and his vice Presidential candidate Willie Person Mangum (a one time political giant who had devolved into a non-entity) had swept into the White House.

stynlan:That's always the toughest part of the job; doing your job well and doing it more than once.

Bismark1: I was surprised when the Whigs won, I figured the Democrats had it solid; but thats what makes Victoria so much fun

coz1: If saving face overcomes peace; then war will be the only option.

The Bitter Peace and better times ahead;
~~~

With Clay’s victory in ’44 the Whigs also occupied a majority in the houses of Congress. So; as his first act Clay made good on his promise to end the war with Mexico. The resistance of Mexican forces to US advances; and the refusal of the Free City to commit troops to offensive action left the US with little to bargain win. Adding to this was the embarrassment of the Kansas raid and numerous failed offenses in Texas (including the failure to take El Paso). So Clay sent his secretary of state, Daniel Webster, to Mexico as head of the peace delegation. Webster, a Unionist who feared that the issue of slavery would drive a wedge between the North and South, wanted to ensure that Texas remained independent, and any land taken from Mexico would be split evenly between slave and free.

The Mexicans, who knew they were coming out of this was as the winner. They refused to give up any large tracks of land; especially around Texas. When Webster pressed, the Mexicans delayed. Thus Clay was forced to make Webster end the discussion quickly. In the end the US received very little. The US took control of land in the south of Colorado, recognition of US colonies in the north and the land around the Great Salt Lake. Although technically an American gain, the loses suffered by the US made many wonder if the war was worth the cost. Webster came home with the treaty, and faced three great reactions.


Secretary of State Daniel Webster

Most of America was glad to be out of the war. However many felt that the Clay administration had been too weak. Others felt that the US had been embarrassed by “Papist puppets” who had taken control of the Mexican government. Anti-Mexican and anti-Catholic aggression rose to all-time highs in some major cities, especially New York and Chicago. The final reaction was from the minority of Americans, some within the President’s own party, who felt that they US should have continued the war; and could have won. It was a black eye for Clay; but one he felt he had to take. Now, with the war behind him, Clay could turn to domestic matters.

Clay’s first act would anger many within his own party; and help start a split which would divide the Whig party. Clay accepted the admittance of Florida as a state into the Union. This tipped the Slave-Free balance into the favor of the south. Now the Senate (though not the house) was dominated by pro-slavery politicians; and abolitionist parties (such as the Free Soil party) felt even more isolated by the federal government. The split between pro-slavery Whigs; who Clay did not agree with on Slavery, and the anti-slavery Whigs, who were mad at Clay for his ‘betrayal’ of abolition; would lead to serious political strife in coming years.


Salt Lake City, the newest US territory