A Destiny Made Manifest - Part 9: Years of Disorder

Published: 2017-02-23, edited: 1970-01-01

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A Destiny Made Manifest

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Game: Victoria 2

A Destiny Made Manifest - Part 8: The Klan Rebellion

Images: 38, author: CargoShortsSensei, published: 2017-02-23, edited: 1970-01-01

Augustus Beatty: The Fifteenth President
While Augustus Beatty has taken control of the nation away from the inept Buchanan, his nation is still in chaos and disorder. The Klan still holds much of the South, and annoyingly have spread northwest into the Great Plains.

Beatty, seeing no other way to deal with the issue, stays the course.
A Worker's Union
Socialist agitation in Camden causes a more moderate worker's union to form in order to stop from further radicalization of the socialist cause in America.
Colonial Discontent
In Washington, many locals in the colony show distress at the fact that the Ku Klux Klan is slaughtering their way across the nation in the general vicinity of the state. One of Beatty's secretaries pens a letter saying that yes, there's a problem here, but could y'all shut up while the big boys attempt to preserve the Union?
The 39th Congress
New Senatorial Elections! The Republicans return in power, but they still can't secure a majority. The Workingmen's Party, having become more fundamentally socialist under the tutelage of Illinois Senator Herbert Baltazar, does not declare that the party will always work with the Republicans.
Kansas Granted Statehood!
Another Southern Loss at Carbondale
Carbondale is once again the site of a loss for Southern secessionists.
Pinkerton's Detective Agency
In response socialist agitation across the North, the Pinkertons are used to break up strikes.
Anarcho-Liberals Seize Power in Spain!
In the second great European revolution of the 1860s, the incredibly radical Anarcho-Liberals have taken power in Spain, to the horror of the rest of the world. A petty dictatorship formed by wealthy businessmen forms.
Partido Radical
The Radical Party begins to become more militant as they see that a revolution succeeding in a nation like Spain.
The Last Wave of Klansmen
As it becomes clear to all that the Klan's time is numbered, a last furious push across the South for rebellion leads to more recruitment. It will not save them.
Inorganic Chemistry
American scientists slowly develop more advanced chemistry.
A Cuban Declaration of Independence
On April 23rd, 1865, the Cuban revolutionaries fully seize the island and declare themselves an independent republic under the presidency of Mauricio Gebara. A new flag is unfurled; the flag of the Republic of Cuba. Finally, these people are free.

Beatty, not wanting another headache, begins to personally write a letter.
The May Declaration
Shocking the nation, on May 10th, President Augustus Beatty makes an address to Congress, which is later transcribed in newspapers across the nation.

"...We are the sons of the Sons of Liberty, and as such, it would be hypocritical to invade Cuba again for reasons of imperialism. That nation was seized illegally by slaveholders a mere twenty years ago. Slavery is dead and gone; Cuba, as an island with a distinct people group and history from our United States, has no obligation to remain in the Union. I extend my friendship to President Gebara."

The most imperialist Americans are stunned and angered, and part of his own party begins to grumble. This would lead to a schism between Republicans favoring "extended manifest destiny" and those who did not about a decade and a half later.
A Cuban Alliance
Gebara immediately accepts the offer of alliance from America, fearing that a European power might try to swoop in and annex the baby republic.
Empiricism
I'm starting to think Santa Claus isn't even real.
The Republic of Cuba
The former US state currently has a larger professional armed forces than their dad country has. That's embarrassing!
The Death of Santa Anna
On May 2nd, 1865, Emperor Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was shot by a socialist assassin. In a shocking turn of events in the following chaos, French ships blockaded the eastern coast of Mexico and Antoine d'Orléans, a relative to the Orléanist King of France, took the crown.

Americans are shocked by the French violation of the Monroe Doctrine, and perhaps a bit saddened by the death of Santa Anna. He was a good villain.
Oh
Very quickly, Gebara turns on his fellow republican conspirators and seizes absolute control of Cuba. Oops!
The Augustine Revolt
On July 4th, 1865, a shocking revolt rises on the East Coast. A large group of people calling themselves "Augustines" have risen, hoping to seize the capital and hand absolute power to Augustus Beatty, destroying the local and national legislatures. They hope that Augustus becoming a sort of American Napoleon would help stabilize the nation and end this time of rebellion.

The president, shocked and embarrassed by this, calls these people "delusional madmen" and has his nephew Cyrus go and deal with them.
Nearing Washington
The Augustine mobs are frightfully near the capital city.
The Augustine Positions
As men are finally sent North to deal with the centralist revolutionaries, the Augustines are close to seizing the cities they're rioting in. They must be stopped!
Welcome Cuba
You're part of the Free Whatevers of America (dictators allowed i guess)
Taking out the Trash
We continue to push against the Klan, who still resist in the deep South.
The End of Homesteading
Surprisingly, under the guidance of Beatty, the Homestead Act is repealed in 1865. Beatty claims this is to discourage people from moving west only to run headfirst into rioting Klansmen.
Striking at the Augustines
The centralists are poorly outfitted and trained. The Beattys hope they will be quickly dispatched.
Mopping Up
The major Augustine positions in Virginia have already been dislodged, so Cyrus Beatty continues to push North. He meets strong resistance in Newark, but the mob is eventually cleared.
The Battle of Grand Juncton
In Colorado, Jeffrey Ames pushes the Klan out of the state. However, the Klan control Denver, where they savagely rape and steal and murder. Colorado's anger at Washington's inability to defend the West grows.
The State of the Union, 1866
The Klan is proving much harder to uproot than President Beatty had anticipated, but progress is being made in the South.
The Death of Zachary Taylor
Old Rough and Ready dies at the age of 82. Beatty honors him with a massive funeral in Washington.
Iron Breech-loaded Artillery
Beatty pushes through legislature concerning the modernization of the American military. Republican Congress is content to follow his lead.
Work Day Standards Act of 1866
The Republicans make concessions to the Workingmen's Party in order to ensure that the socialist party stays loyal. A law mandating a 14 hour work day is passed in 1866.
The 1866 Tariff
The import tariff sits at 45%, because the nation needs money.
The Colorado Convention
Colorado, fed up with what they see as the slow fall of the Union, declares independence, calling Augustus Beatty a petty dictator and simultaneously citing his reasons for allowing Cuba to secede as justification for the Colorado Republic.

Colorado, hoping that other states would join in their revolt, is disappointed to learn that they stand alone.

Union forces almost instantly begin to siege Denver.
A Sympathy Strike in New York
A large strike occurs in New York. A small number of socialists across the nation are fed up with Beatty, many of whom believe was behind the Augustine rebellion.

Beatty, annoyed because he's totally not being a dictator even though he could be, begins to sour towards the Workingmen's cause.
Bribing Officials in Egypt!
I totally forgot that we were in Egypt. Yeah pay them 200 Victorias, whatever
Tensions Dissipate in Montana
yeehaw
Annexing Colorado
On September 14th, Union troops marched through Denver and restored order to the state. The Colorado Republic's three month-long flirt with independence is over.
Iron and Blood Mine
Only a few dozen miners in Las Vegas die, it's cool
Montana gets to be a State!
North Dakota gets to be a State!
SOUTH DAKOTA GETS TO BE A STATE!
The Second Augustine Revolt
*sighs* go stomp some reactionary heads, boys
Minimal Safety Regulations!
More progress for the Workingmen's cause in America is made.
The 40th Congress
AUTHOR'S NOTE: THERE SHOULD ONLY BE 88 SEATS. I FORGOT CUBA LEFT.

The Republicans maintain their plurality, while the Workingmen's Party makes great gains at the expense of the Democrats.
Killing some Augustines
Idiots
The Demobilization Act
And act requiring all young men to sign up for military duty in preparation for the Maritime War is finally repealed as the Union begins to rebuild and become stronger.
Hooowwwever
There are still lots of groups who would see the Union sundered. We must remain vigilant.
A New Army
Plans for formal military expansion are drawn up.
Washington gets to be a state!
yeet
Europe got crazy
The Orléanist monarchy in France finally appears as though it is going to fall to French Bonapartists. Prussia has reformed in the North German Federation, and the Austrian Empire has transformed itself into the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary.
Wait what
Elsass managed to get free of the North German Federation... but the nation is run by a German Duke? What?!?
The Suez Canal
"America was a bastard
The illegitimate daughter of the mother country
Whose legs were then spread around the world."

- Gil Scott-Heron
Japan Reborn
The Japanese Empire has fully westernized, and has begun to demand that European powers treat it with the requisite respect.
Crisis in the Philippines!
As Spain is in turmoil, the native Filipinos are making a push for independence. The Great Powers become nominally interested in this.
British Support
The Brits have supported the Spanish! Also... what's that Spanish flag?
Bourbon Restoration!
In Spain, a liberal-backed Bourbon restoration has taken power back away from the Anarcho-Liberals. Fantastic! However, the nation is still engulfed in a civil war involving Catalonian nationalists, Carlists, and a bunch of other parties. Not good. Also France is still on fire.
Early(!) Railroad
I forgot we need better train tracks. Let's get on that, scientists!
The First Red Rebellion
In May 1867, a coalition of militant socialists calling themselves the "New Minutemen" rise in in the midwest, intent on using violence to put a socialist regime in place.

Senator Herbert Baltazar, leader of the Workingmen's Party, condemns the rebellion.
The 1st Army
While the nation was finally seeming to trend towards peace and stability, the 1st must bloody themselves once again. Jeffrey Chapman is sent to go deal with these knuckleheads.
More Socialists!
Guys. *Guys*. The Workingmen's Party is doing well! It's fine!
Catalytic Fermentative Process
More wine should satiate these annoying bastards, right?
Go Get 'Em, Cyrus
Trickle-down, my guy
In an attempt to improve stagnant American industry, Republicans in Congress pass massive tax breaks on the rich. Turns out, this doesn't the rebelling socialists any happier!
Dispelling New Minutemen
The man leading the rebels here is named Henry Rosencrans. While he himself did not accomplish anything of note, his son, Eugene, would go onto become one of the most infamous American generals in history, making a name for himself about two decades later.

(Is this what they call "foreshadowing?")
Military Plans
Before now, the American military literally did not have plans. Makes the loss to the Brits a bit easier to understand, yeah?
Basic School System
In legislature that would make former VP Horace Mann very happy, improved public education is passed on a national level. Get that literacy up!
The Kingdom of Canada
Interestingly, the Brits have federated a collection of their colonies into the Kingdom of Canada, granting slight autonomy to the nation.
The Second French Empire
In Paris, the Orléanist government was toppled by Bonapartists in late 1867. Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, the 59 year-old nephew of Napoleon himself, was crowned Napoleon III. His son, an eleven year old, was proclaimed his heir. Another great revolution has shaken Europe.

(Author's note: Napoleon III's son is fascinating. Read about him. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napol%C3%A9on,_Prince_Imperial)
Industrial Expansion
As new railroad tech is developed, old tracks get replaced. Capital!
Idaho Granted Statehood!
Well this is awkward, considering I forgot to put them in the electoral map I made two days prior to writing this. Oh well, didn't change a thing.
The LAST Klansmen
For real though guys fucking calm down, y'all are gonna die
A Washington Mob
Humiliatingly, a mob has begun to operate in Washington D.C. Quickly, Jeffrey Chapman goes to sort them out.
Tensions in the Old World
No kidding!
ATLians
I only included this to point out that Edmund Breckenridge is commanding this army. He was last seen being defeated in like Montana or some shit, so how he escaped that and led another mob in Atlanta is beyond me.
The Election of 1868
As Beatty's term in office is coming to an end, he is given the green light to run for reelection. Beatty, being just 63, jokes that he could be president for another twenty years at his current rate. He mostly campaigns on the platform of "I'm not done fucking up rebels quite yet but I'm getting there.

The Workingmen's Party decides to run with William H. Sylvis again, despite some wanting Herbert Baltazar as their candidate. While the socialist party wins many local elections, they don't pose a significant threat to the Republicans largely in part due to the recent Red Rebellions.

The Democrats, still recovering from Buchanan, nominate John Madison Wells, Governor of Louisiana. He mainly attempts to draw on a voting base of white Southerners.

The Radical Party does something who cares
Secularization?
While the socialist idealogy is spreading in industrialized states like New York, party loyalty to the Republicans is strong enough that it doesn't mean much.
Strategic Mobility
Beatty continues his relentless modernization of the military, wanting America to be a respected military power during his presidency.
aww, son of a bitch
Get back in there, boys! You've got a Lake Victoria to find!
Telegraph Coordination!
We begin to incorporate telegraph technology into the American military.
*sabre rattling intensifies*
The Workingmen's Party, moderate on the military, loses arguments to both local Republicans and Democrats.
The Third Red Rebellion
Many people continue to have a death wish. *shrug emoji* We'll use bayonet diplomacy on them.
Improved School Act of 1868
There's a common core joke to made here. I'm not making it.
Gas lights!
As gas lights are implemented, factory owners are able to keep workers longer and longer! The Workingmen's response to this is not a happy one.
Election Coming to a Close
One of the more uneventful campaigns in American history draws to a close. Election Day is but a formality.
The Election of 1868: Results
While John Madison Wells is able to take two Southern states and Sylvis nabs a few faithless electors, the Beatty victory is smashing. He even manages to win states like Alabama, leaning on the Freedmen vote.
Thanks for reading!
Check back in for the (relatively) peaceful second term of Augustus Beatty.

Next chapter:

Game: Victoria 2

A Destiny Made Manifest - Part 10: An Intellectual Boom

Images: 57, author: CargoShortsSensei, published: 2017-02-23, edited: 1970-01-01

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