Emperor Norton of America

[CountofDooku]

Chapter One: Two State Solution and Pacific Coast Dissatisfaction

With communications and travel restricted between the Pacific West Coast and the Atlantic East Coast with the capital of Washington ideas of a separate West Coast Republic, a Pacific Republic dated back as far as Jefferson. When the Constitutional Convention of California tried to press if trough as a Free State between 1849 and 1850, earlier ideas, like the Missouri Compromise, played a factor, while the Wilmot Proviso of 1946 supported the idea that slavery would be prohibited in territories conquered from Mexico since Texas joined as a Slave State in 1845. The addition of Wisconsin and Minnesota in 1848 changed the balance of Slave States to Fee States in favor of the North and so the admission of the Republic of California and it’s constitutional convention, pushed trough by Northerners because of it’s population of 93,500, not counting 150,000 Indigenous Californian Indians as well as with it’s immense gold mining, shipping and commercial elites in San Francisco playing their cards right, was seen as enough, as a new state needed at least a population of 60,000. Southerners however opposed this and rallied to the state, aided immensely by the 25,000 Spanish Speaking Mexicans Californios, many of which were former land owners who had lost their previous dominant position and now hoped that with plantations and slavery, some of that might return. The additional 2,500 African Americans and 600 Chinese (soon growing to 25,000 Chinese immigrants) however were mostly ignored. Former Mexican Land Owners, Slave Owners and overall Southerners quickly opposed overall Californian Republic acceptance as a Free State and in the 1856 presidential election, with Democrat James Buchanan winning, the Californian Candidate John Fremont and the New York Know-Nothing candidate Millard Fillmore gained even together not as many votes, as Buchman alone in California. Plans to split up the sparsely populated Southern counties as far north as Monterey, Merced, and part of Mariposa increased and would form the new State of Colorado, while the northern counties of Del Norte, Siskiyou, Modoc, Humboldt, Trinity, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama, Plumas, and portions of Butte, Colusa and Mendocino would become the State of Shasta.

Main reasons and arguments were the overall size of California territory which meant overall Congress representation seamed otherwise to small. But while it was agreed upon that the Southern Californian area region was to inaccessible, the same did not hold true for Shasta in the eyes of the delegation. The Californian Senate ultimately agreed, and in 1859, Southern Californian State Senator Andrés Pico archived the splitting off the region south of the 36th parallel north as the Territory of Colorado thanks to cultural differences and geographical distance between Northern and Southern California. Californian State Governor John B. Weller accepted the proposal, as it was approved overwhelmingly by voters in the proposed Territory of Colorado, supported in Washington by Senator Milton Latham and even by Northern Californians around the Bay Area, who felt increasingly dominated in politics by Southerners and Southern Californians (Soucals), so that it quickly passed trough all needed instances, with the Southerners and Democrats viewing Colorado as a counter to California, while the Northerners and Republicans believed to have saved all of formerly larger California from Southerner dominance and Slavery expansion. During the hotly debated and heated 1860 election, a small majority of 38,733Californians voted for Republican Nominee Abraham Lincoln, especially around the Bay area, while the previously supposed Northern Californian part once meant to become the State of Shasta, overwhelmingly supported Northern Democrat Stephen A. Douglas with 37,999 votes. Meanwhile the by now admitted State of Colorado overwhelmingly chooses the Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge, with 33,969, while the candidate of the Constitutional Union Party, John Bell only gained 9,111along the Southern West Coast in total. Lincoln’s election triggered the Secession Crisis and would soon start the American Civil War, as any attempts to prevent the deepening of this split would fail to archive their goal. Even on the West Coast, Secessionist Movements grew stronger, but most here did not support Dixieland, or a Confederacy of States in the Americas, but actually a Pacific Republic idea, which later morphed into the Oregon and Cascadia Movement, the Californian Republic Movement and the Colorado Slave State Movement declaring for the CSA.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Two: Colorado Slave State

The Senator of Colorado, William McKendree Gwin, once a medical doctor, who had served as a Democrat from Mississippi for the Congress had been Marshall for Mississippi between 1832 and 1833, Mississippi Democrat from 1841 to 1843 for the 27th Congress and had aided the building of the new custom-house at New Orleans, Louisiana and then moved to California. Known well in Washington, D.C., Mississippi, the Southern United States and now California, he purchased a gold mine and property in Paloma, California, which would give him millions of dollars, providing him with a fortune as he helped organize the Chivalry wing of the Democratic Party. Financing his own election campaign, he became the first Senator of Colorado in September 10, 1850 and massively supported further Pacific Expansion against the British and Mexicans alike. His proposal for the three-member Board of Land Commissioners to be appointed by the President for three-year terms, later extended by Congress for five terms served the same interest, as did his advocating to survey and gain control of the Bering Strait. His validation of former Spanish and Mexican Land in California, was the reason many of the Californicos and Democrats later became connected and joined forces to create Colorado. When Gwin failed to support his rival David Broderick in the ambassadorship to Chile, California Governor John Bigler, Gwin took control of the Northern Democrats in the Pacifci West Coast, basing his center around the Chairman of the California Democratic Party in San Francisco, which split the Democrat Party on the West Coast and prevented Gwin from taking further influence in the establishment of new territorial acquisitions and Slave States along the Pacific. Gwin dueled political rivals with rifles and the West Coast Political Scene of the Democratic Party was in turmoil after his split with Broderick, especially as Gwin still held more overall control over most West Coast Democrats. Bribery, physical intimidation, and nonstop political maneuvering soon became their only way of interacting with one another and Gwin secured Colorado as his stronghold, while Broderick failed to swing California in favor of the Democrats.

During their time in the United States Senate from 1857 to 1861 both men bickered and factionalized more against one another, then their Republican rivals, leading the Know Nothings to use this split for their very own gains in votes. During an argument over the senatorial arbitration committee, Gwin dueled Massachusetts Senator Henry Wilson in 1858 and he was chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Naval Affairs during the 32nd and 33rd Congresses, as well as a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. This way he secured the mint in Colorado during his time in the Senate, established the Los Angeles naval yard, supported a survey of the Pacific coast and carried a bill trough the senate which would add a steamer line between Los Angeles, San Francisco, China and Japan across the Sandwich Islands. In the 1859 election he won Colordao by landslide and supported the purchase of Alaska in 1860 from the Russian Tsar. When Lincoln was elected, Gwin alongside other Southern Leaders tried to find a compromise with the support of Lincoln's new Secretary of State, William H. Seward during secret discussions. Gwin toured the Southern States before hostilities broke out and returned to Colorado in time to let his Chivalry faction speak on the South's behalf. He hoped a Republic of the Pacific could secede from the Union, as envisioned before, but his overall backing in California and Oregon had dwindled in the 1861 election. With the aid of the secessionists, John Slidell and J.L. Brent he declared the Secession of the Colorado Republic with close ties to the Confederate States of America as an observer state, while using his contacts to Panama to gain some mercenaries. His wife, son and daughter meanwhile fled to Paris in France Europe out of fear their Mississippi plantation might see fighting during the now starting war. He was joined by Colorado military Units, like the Los Angeles Mounted Rifles, Monte Mounted Rifles, Captain Ingram's Partisan Rangers, Confederate Privateers like Asbury Harpending, Panama volunteers, the Salvador Pirates, Partisan Rangers, Bushwackers, Raiders and even local Gangs joining on side of the Confederacy.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Three: The Pacific Republic and Emperor Norton I

In the Secession Crisis following the Election of Lincoln, a group of Southern Sympathizers, among them Federal troops were under the command of Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston in the Headquarters of the Department of the Pacific Benicia hoped to Secede as a Pacific Republic in Oregon and Northern California, planning to size the arsenal of Bernicia and forts in San Francisco. Fearing such a move, Brig. Gen. Edwin Vose Sumner was sent trough Panama to replace Johnston and support Union interest, leading to Johnston’s resignation as he lacked troops for that plan, which was why Johnston and other Southerners traveled South to Colorado, hoping to make a difference there, or in the nearby territory of New Mexico and Texas as the Western Front of the Confederate Armies. Volunteer Companies of Californian Militia overall had divided loyalties between Union and Confederacy, as did the County sheriffs and judges swearing them in. Skirmishes between Union and Confederate supportive troops soon occurred in Sonoma County and San Bernadino. The Johnston Conspiracy, most concerning for the Union, was however not the only one taking place and supporters of an independent, third, Pacific Republic gathered in secret. Among them was Joshua Abraham Norton, an England born man who had lived in South Africa for quit some time and had been a commodities trader and real estate speculator, living in San Francisco since 1849. Loosing a fortune and a law suit, his local prominence nearly faded, when he ran for Congress in 1858, causing him to change his overall relationship with the United States of America and the world around him, when in September 1859, he would proclaimed himself Emperor of the United States. While many believed him to be eccentric or insane, he was quit liked by the residents of San Francisco and the city's larger Northern California/ Californian State Area and his newspaper declarations grew traction during the Secessionist Crisis, as Californian Dissatisfaction with Washington and Pacific Republic ambitions increased steadily as well. His public views on the problems of the legal and political structures of the United States and Washington hit the nerve with many San Francisco, Bay Area and overall Californians.

His Manifesto to the Citizens of the Union of July 1859 had been published during the Secessionist National Crisis paid as as ad and printed in the San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin was read by many and in September 17, 1859 declared that following the wishes of a majority of the citizens of the United States, he would declare himself Joshua Norton, of Algoa Bay, Cape of Good Hope and San Francisco, California declared and proclaimed himself to be Emperor Norton I and called for an assembly of state representatives in the Music Hall on February 1st. At first nothing changed, beside Norton’s overall popularity with the amused public, but during the Secession Crisis and the split of the Southern States from the Union, Pacific Republic Secessionist supporters joined their Conspiracy to form a Pacific Republic with Norton’s Proclamation as Emperor, hoping this way the British Empire and the French Empire might be more sympathetic to their cause with a nominal royal as their head of state, while in reality, they would control this clearly insane fool. They planned on bribing/ paying Washington to accept their own autonomy and independence as the Pacific Republic by continuing to connect the rest of the United States with the Pacific Trade, supplying Californian Volunteers for the Union’s Fight in the East and spend their massive gold reserves as a financial support, so the President would give their ambitions a pass. The nearly twenty year reign of Emperor Norton I therefore began as a mixture of a joke, humored Pacific Republic citizens and political secessionist ambitions, but this would not be what they stayed for long. As one of his first declarations, Norton explained that the body of men calling themselves the National Congress in session in Washington City was unlawful, unjustly violating his edicts and would therefore be abolished. Instead an American Empire as a temporary monarchy was declared with Norton as it’s Emperor and ruler. His orders for Direct Major-General Scott, the Commander-in-Chief of our Armies to arrest members of Congress and the imposer Lincoln were naturally ignored, but the Pacific Republic Conspirators as well as Norton supporters in the public at least held San Fransisco the Bay Area, Martinez, Benicia ,San Jose, New Town, Vaeville and Napa, as well as all roads and railways in the area. The Pacific Republic Supporters had secured the Garrison of San Francisco and Benicia, or at least arrested pro-Union and pro-Southern Secessionist commanders and forces. Like the Confederates in the East and South replaced their Blue Union Uniforms with Confederate Gray, the Californian/ Pacific Republic Forces would soon use White and Red as their main uniform and flag colors.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Four: Norton’s Power Base

The Split of Southern California as the State of Colorado had made it possible that the Civil War might reach the West Coast, despite the split of the Democratic Party by 1860 and the still larger support of the Republicans and Lincoln., which minimized the larger southern populations overall influence across the West Coast, especially outside of Southern California were Southern farmers, miners, and businessmen alongside Spanish/ Mexican Californios dominated in favor of the Confederacy. With the Colorado capital of San Francisco they spread their own newspapers to gather more power, raised local pro-Southern Militias and tried to further spread slavery, partly by alliances with the local Native American Indians, especially the local strongest tribes of the Coahuillas/ Coahuilas and Pahutes, whom the Coloradoans allied. With the Union’s Western Department of the Pacific engulfing Oregon, California and Colorado, tasked with guarding forts and other facilities, occupy secessionist regions (California and Colorado), and fight Indians in the state and the western territories, they had their hands full. Around 2,350 California Column soldiers would head east to fight the Confederates in Arizona and New Mexico from reaching Colorado and the Pacific Coast, as well as oppose hostile Indians. The attempt of major Major William Scott Ketchum to land in San Pedro (Skirmish of San Pedro, Battle for Los Angeles) and arrest pro-Confederate Secessionist Senator Sen. William M. Gwin before he could declare for the Confederate States of America failed when Colorado/ Confederate reinforcements arrived from San Bernardino, Fort Tejon and Belleville which were Colorado/ Confederate strongholds besides San Diego and Los Angeles, with him and his survivors fleeing east followed by Colorado Dragoons and Bushwacker rifle snipers along the way. Colonel George Wright, commanding officer of the District of Southern California thereby had not only lost his main reinforcements and troops outside of Fort Miller at the San Joaquin River in Southern California, but also most offensive options against Colorado and South West Coast Confederates.

He therefore needed to rely more on Californian Volunteers and was in command replaced by Summer with Union Colonel James Henry Carleton and his volunteer infantry now taking over the Southern Operations role by October 1961. The Colorado Confederates were now free to move some of their men, horses and weapons eastward to the Confederacy. Meanwhile the overall blunder of San Pedro/ Los Angeles had left the Pacific Republic Secessionist free to make their own move and declare themselves independent under “Emperor” Norton I. Local Protestant and Roman Catholic Church officials meanwhile had crowned Norton Emperor to give him a shine of more legitimacy and hopefully attract Imperial Monarchy and Aristocratic Sympathies from Britain and France. Surprisingly the public became more sympathetic to Norton I when he issued decrees to resolve some of the problems and disputes which had lead to the American Civil War. Publishing his Imperial Decrees with the aid of the San Francisco Daily Herald, soon also known as the Imperial Herald, or Norton Herald, Norton tackled political and social matters, expressing the abolition of both the Democrat and Republican Party, as party strife was unheard for in his realm. The Californian Pacific Republic as Norton I called it, the only still loyal bastion of his rule over the American Empire therefore saw San Francisco to be appointed as the provisional capital of his temporary monarchy, later the seat of his Senate and Imperial Palace. The word Frisco as a shortening of his Imperial Capital San Francisco was therefore seen as linguistic treason and whoever was guilty of uttering it was fiend a penal sum payment to the Imperial Treasury of twenty-five dollars. Under Captain Robert Harrison, the only high ranking Union Army member not found guilty of treason and Union occupation of the Californian Pacific Republic, now assigned the rank of General of the Californian Pacific Republic Army/ American Imperial Army, the Imperial Redcoads/ Norton's Redcoats of former Union soldiers, local Californian/ Pacific Militia quickly attempted to seize more areas of the overall claimed State of California and spread their Imperial Authority, knowing full well that the Union Strongholds to the North in Humboldt, Crescent City and Ft. Jones, as well as the Union Stronghold to the South in Fort Miller were their main opponents, while the Colorado Southerner Slaver Confederates in Los Angeles under Gwin claimed all of California, Oregon and the West Coast for Colorado and the Confederacy as a Western Slave States Coast.

 

[CountofDooku]

Military Department of the California/ West Coast Overview Map:

 

[CountofDooku]

Current control map of Norton I's Empire/ Californian Republic/ Pacific Republic:

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Five: Southerners Colorado Unity

Edwin Vose Sumner, commander of the Union Army's Department of the Pacific, known as the Bull Head, who had served in the Mexican-American War faced a difficult time, as he faced not only the Nortonist secessionists in Central California, but also the Southern Colorado Slavers and pro-Confederate Dixie supporters. His main fear and cornea at the moment was to continuing being able to secure the Californian Gold in the north and continue to send it east for the war effort of Washington, while this at the same time mostly meant he needed all of his forces here, he did not stop Californian Volunteers to head east and join the Union in the American Civil War. Over time he even would use new recruits to replace his own forces in the hope to send regular US Army units east and replace them with these new recruits and volunteers to secure the area west of the Rocky Mountains. With camps and fortifications to forts, he hoped to suppress further secessionist activities and movements in the West, but he lacked the overall capacity to contest the Confederates in the New Mexico Territory, as Northern/ Union/ Yankee Califnronia could not dare to send many units east, despite many of their citizens doing so to directly join the Union Army. Throughout the American Civil War he managed to maintain, or strengthen the 2nd Regiment of Cavalry (California Battalion), 32nd Regiment, Californian Brigade, made up of the 1st California Infantry, 2nd California Infantry, 3rd California Infantry, and 4th California Infantry. As a result the Southern Democrats in Colorado and California, were they made up a strong majority, especially in Tulare, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Monterey and San Francisco counties. Colorado Southerners supportive of Secession, alongside the former Mexican Californios therefore made up a strong support base, even if most Californian businessman, who held mining, shipping and finances were supporters of Lincoln and the Republicans, who carried the State of California, but not with the outright majority of other Northern States, but only a plurality, which would have not been there had Colorado still maintained part of the State and be a Confederate stronghold. With the Secessionist Crisis, Southern Colorado had split up, as well as Central/ Southern California under Norten, but there were additional West Coast/ Pacific Secessionists who also attempted to split the Oregon Territory/ State from the Union as well, the Cascadians.

With Confederate Colorado and Norton Secessionist voting and leaving the Union, the Districts of California and the Districts of Oregon saw Federal Troops hoping to hold onto them with aids of Forts like Fort Mojave and Fort Tejon (which quickly joined the Colorado Confederates). At the same time most of California not supporting West Coast Secession of Norton, Colroado, California or Cascadia at all were rather pro-Union supportive, patriotic and formed a core of pro-Union counties in the north of the Californian State, that quickly formed their own Volunteer Regiments. Still Republican Lincoln supporters in Northern California were far from controlling even the Californian State and with their limited numbers they had to wait for new Volunteer Regiments to send south to deal with the Nortonists and the Colorado Confederates later, as at the start of the American Civil War the Union was rather powerless in the Pacific Theater. Some Colorado Confederates even used this weakness to head east, later alongside Southern Confederates and their Apache allies aid in the capture of Phoenix, Pima Village, Fort Grand, Fort Lowell, Tucson, Fort Bowier, Fort Fillmore, Fort Selden, Fort Thorn, Fort Craig, Valverdes, Alberquerque and Santa Fe. The local weakened Union patrols were not enough to withstand the Southerners Confederate Army and their Apache allies in the region. Yes the Colorado Confederates themselves recruited Californian Indians/ Native Americans, like the Coahuatllas, Pah-Utes, Guchans, Chemehevis, Mojaves and others. In Los Angeles and San Diego, formed own Colorado Confederate forces with their militia led by Confederate Colorado Sheriffs and Undersherrifs, like the Los Angeles Mounted Rifles, the Monte Rangers, the Monte Mounted Rifles, along others including irregular ones like the Confederate Bushwackers-like Captain Ingram’s Partisan Rangers, or the Confederate bandits that were the Mason Henry Gang. . While the Arizona Territory voted to separate from New Mexico Territory and join the Confederacy alongside Colorado, the Colorado Confederates under Gwin in Los Angeles, or rather San Pedro and San Diego aided privateers with their ships to form coastal Confederate Pacific Pirates against Union, Norton and Californian Pacific shipping.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Six: Northern Californian Unity around Norton’s Imperial Acts

While the Californian/ Pacific/ West Coast Secessionist under Norton at first attempted to use him as a figurehead, the so called Imperial Acts of Emperor Norton, his actions and politics soon would undermine their influence and control, as the public opinion and the masses rallied around Norton I himself, even outside of San Francisco itself. Norton’s overall popularity was also how he traveled far and wide easily, as public transportation, like trains and ferries were on his side and in his favor and many locals rented their establishments and free meals to Norton, well knowing how his influential friends, sympathizers and the overall public support and masses followed him to hear him speak in rallies, which was also why merchants selling souvenirs and items in his image aided in his growing popularity as well, despite them originally only wanting to capitalize on him themselves. The fact that Norto visited so many personally, viewed streets, parks, libraries, newspaper offices and even visited old Friends all across San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley soon aided hi core support and backup bases for the future and he used these political gatherings or at theater visits to talk to influential figures as well and pursue them from his ideas and views, either because they believed in them, or because they could profit from them. Especially the former United States Army members of San Francisco itself, that had their officers side with Norton and also back him and later his Imperial Army with their uniforms and insignia would later become his Imperial Guard. Many in the public liked how Norton not only wandered the streets and talked to the common people, but took note of how sideways, cable cars and streets looked, were public property needed to be repaired and were police officers could do good work, which only increased his public support and liking among the general population. Later adopting the street dogs Bummer and Lazarus, Norton was viewed by many as a true godsend Emperor, not a self-proclamation ones, who took the time to listen in and aid the little man, or in this chase even the animals who the old order had left ignored, or fending for themselves.

When private security policemen Armand Barbier attempted to arrest Norton and put an End to the Nortonist Coup as he called it, public outrage and threat of violence forced Police Chief Patrick Crowley to free Norton as soon as he heard of the incident and fire Barbier, but despite public calls for him being punished, Emperor Norton’s Imperial Pardon of him swayed the public further in his favor. While other Kings and Emperors ruled despotic, shed blood and robbed their people, Norton gave and supported them as the public newspapers claimed. In his support to keep the city modern and even improve upon it and the neighboring county’s, Norton made great use of Chinese immigrant workers whom he encouraged to come in greater numbers. The anti-Chinese demonstrations and outrage of the anti-Orientalists anti-Chinese Workingmen's Party of California around Denis Kearney in the poorer districts of San Francisco were soon opposed by Emperor Norton I himself, who said in his state there was no place for division, rioting and treason. As Norton challenged Kearney directly, the crowd fell apart, people went home and the public newspapers celebrated the Emperor who defeated an uprising not with bayonets and rifles, but words. Throughout his Empire, Norton spread his own currency, ranging from fifty cents to ten dollar notes, which became known as Imperial Dollar, or Norton Dollars to the public and soon replaced the old American Dollar everywhere. When in Southern California the garrison of Fort Miller’s Union troops isolated and fearful after the fall of nearby Fort Tejon in northern Colorado against Colorado Confederate forces of Captain Ingram's Partisan Rangers, Confederate Militia, Confederate Bushwackers and members of the Mason Henry Gang seized this falls as last Union bastion in Colorado for the Confederates, the Union soldiers of Fort Miller feared they soon might share their faith and decided to join forces with Emperor Norton for protection for the moment. Upon hearing that the garrison of Fort Miller had denounced the traitors in Congress and Senate to join the rightful imperial rule of Norton I, he quickly ordered his Imperial Redcoats under Captain Robert Harrison to head south and relieve Fort Miller from the threat by the Colorado Confederates.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Seven: Battle of Fort Miller and Southern California

Originally known as Camp Barbour build to protect mining at the San Joaquin River from Ahwahneechee and Chowchilla tribes had the problem that surrounding towns and farms were quit supportive of the Colorado Confederates and that the nearby Indian tribes too might side with the Confederates, as the Bureau of Indian Affairs feared. Renamed Fort Miller after Major Albert S. Miller and improved by a blockhouse, barracks, officers quarters, mess hall and other buildings, among them a hospital, the fort had originally been abandoned in 1858 when local tribes were no longer hostile, but the Secessionist Crisis and the American Civil War had seen new soldiers been send back in to secure the ares. With the San Joaquin River at their back, the local former US Union Army soldiers who had send out a plea for aid and help to Emperor Norton I when they were under direct threat by Colorado Confederate forces of Captain Ingram's Partisan Rangers, Confederate Militia, Confederate Bushwackers and the Mason Henry Gang had already held out for a few days, as Captain Robert Harrison of the Californian Pacific Republic Army/ American Imperial Army, the Imperial Redcoads/ Norton's Redcoats had needed a little over four days to finally arrive from San Francisco. By then the local Fort Miller Garrison had already been under siege and heavy fire, with their gunpowder and ammunition running low, while the attackers, trough slightly disorganization had them nearly surrounded and cut off on all sides. It would be Norton’s Imperial Redcoasts arriving who would break trough the siege, resulting in the Redcoat cavalry pushing back the Colorado Confederate militia, bushwackers and bandits who were far less of a coherent military unit then they had first feared. Not only that some of Norton’s Imperial Redcoasts themselves were made up by a regiment (later growing into a brigade) of Chinese Workers who had lived, or come to Norton’s Empire and had been accepted as free, fully equal citizens by him. They would be known as the 1st Orient/ First Orient Regiment under Colonel Oscar Paul Lee, later known as the 1st Orient Brigade/ First Orient Brigade made up by four regiments under Brigadier General Oscar Paul Lee.

With the reinforcements of Norton’s Imperial Redcoasts, the garrison of soldiers at Fort Miller not only pushed back the Colorado Confederates attempt to head north and occupy, or annex it into their own Confederate state and openly join the Southern Confederate States of America. As a result of the Battle itself, even if for the most part only a slight skirmish so far, many in Norton’s Empire in Central California, as well as Union held Northern Californian became aware of the potential threat and dangers the Colorado Confederates posed. At the same time the Battle of Fort Miller saw the local Union Garrison saw nearby cities and towns like Stockton, Jackson, Sonora, Stanislaus, Mariposa and Santa Cruz and with them the majority of Southern California side with the Nortonists, who unlike the northern Union Garrisons that remained in their supporters held North of California, actually aimed to protect them as best as possible. Inside of Northern California, Union forces from Fort Cook meanwhile had send a garrison to reoccupy Fort Rending to better connect them more directly to the garrison in Humboldt, beside the more northern route along Crescent City over Fort Jones. At the same time local bandits, as well as Indians like the Pitriv, Modoe, Callapoyas, Molallala, Umpquas, Calapooy, Snake/ Sho, Shoshones, Root Diggers Paiutes and minor other ones that threatened California and Oregon in the North and East, as well as threatened settler and reinforcements going either direction between them and the Eastern United States meant that they had to be especially careful not to over extent their own forces and stretch them to thin. Meanwhile the beaten Colorado Confederates militia and bandits had been beaten back to Fort Tejon and would themselves seek auxiliary forces from nearby Indian tribes, like the Coahuillas, Pah-Utes, Mojaves, Chemehevis, Guchans and others to fill their ranks again for a larger force push north against California once more. Besides the Central Californian Valley around Tulare Lake, local bandits, militia and cavalry would also skirmish and battle along the Sant Lorenz Pass, the Devils Mountains (Monte Diablo) or Coastal Mountains near Monteres/ Monterey and the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Eight: Protector Emperor Norton

With basically a state of war between Colorado and his own Empire, Emperor Norton I was quick to publicly denounce the evils of Slavery, Gwin, the Coloradoans, Confederados, Knights of the Golden Circle and all other affiliated groups and movements. With the deceleration of Norton that all his subjects were citizen under his equal protection with the same rights, liberties, freedoms and laws for all, any questions about slavery, racial views or even sexual ones were pushed out the window and within a few sentences of a speech by Norton I, all of his subjects, man, woman, children, Americans, Europeans, Indians, Chinese, Asians, Africans, Mexicans, yes simply all people and every member of mankind was embraced by the Emperor, whose Empire just had seen the first victory to reclaim the United States he believed usurpers in Washington and now also Richmond had stolen from him as the rightful ruler. Such changes were not openly embraced by many, but after a few failed assassination attempts ending with either the public mob, or a jury nearly lynching the attackers at the spot, only for Norton to instead ordering such criminals to be exiled by Imperial Decree, like the Emperors and Kings of England, France and other places tended to do, resulting in many Imperial criminals to be send overseas, either to Australia, Caribbean Islands, or even South America. Some bandits and criminals also fled to join the Southerners in Colorado as Confederates, but overall many saw their Emperor Norton I as a benevolent, truly universal, just and kind ruler the more he did and newspapers reported of his deeds. The Battle of Fort Miller, the defense of Southern California and it’s return into Imperial Protection saw Norton I’s popularity rise in Southern California as well. Inspired by the Californian Flag, Norton’s Redcoats would fly the Imperial Flag of the Empire of America, which basically was the United States Flag with the original thirteen colonies, but as Norton claimed Washington had declared an Empire to which he was the rightful heir, before Congress, House of Representatives and Senate usurped the power from the people and the imperial family for themselves.

Therefore, only the State of California, the only true loyal one to the Empire and it’s Emperor at the moment, or the Imperial Eagle/ Imperial Seal was shown, with the vow to reunite these rebellious states into one Empire again (E pluribus unum, out of many one). This was the reason many Unionists in the North, or Confederates in the South referred to Norton, his Empire and his supporters as the so called Imperialists, American Imperiaists or Americanists by most. Terms that the Mexicans and the whole world would soon also adopt to reference the American Empire, Emperor Norton I, or his followers and supporters. But unlike many believed the citizens of the American Empire itself, Norton’s friends, supporters and followers, thanks to his imperial newspapers spreading this development soon proudly referred to themselves by these terms and began to use them alongside the view and wordage of being Nortonists (a term later controversial when different branches of the Norton Clan/ Family would rival one another for succession). The term even made it into pro-Norton/ pro-Imperial caricatures and jokes, even if the enemies of Norton and his American Empire tried to defame it with anti-Norton/ anti-Imperial caricatures in their respective newspapers at the same time. The terms especial helped overseas, were his diplomat William Daingerfielt among others would later attempt to gain recognition and support for Norton I’s American Empire among the British Empire, the French Empire, the Russian Empire, the Prussian Kingdom/ German Empire, the Austrian Empire/ Danubian Empire, the Spanish Kingdom, as well as many more minor aristocratic lineages and ruling dynasties. To them Norton’s Empire was represented as a legal continuation of both the original Colonies Aristocracies and ruling elites, as well as the original American King, George Washington, whose dynasty and monarchy according to Norton had been back-stabbed and betrayed by Congress, House of Representatives and Congress, who as a wealthy elite had bought their way into office and corrupted, as well as perverted it ever since to take it from the rightful King/ Emperor and the American people. Because of this founding myth of the Washington Dynasty among others as the start of an American Empire, Emperor Norton I during his early reign in California and the West Coast, was also referred to King Norton I by some.

 

[cheffisti]

Nice timeline so far. Watched

 

[CountofDooku]

Nice timeline so far. Watched

Thank you very much, hope you continue to enjoy it

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Nine: Wetland Railroads

One of the major problems for Norton’s Empire was that the provisional main harbor and capital of San Francisco was not truly connected with the main railway systems east directly. Beside a plan for a bridge over the railway the San Francisco Bay itself, another major, more feasible plan was to head east over San Jose, the Devil’s Moutnains north to Martinez and Benicia, over Vaeaville and Fremont, of East along the Livermores Pass and trough the wetlands and swamps to reach Stockton on the other side. From there it could heat East to Sonora, South to Stanislaus and Mariposa. From Stockton nd Sonora north to Jackson it could arrive at the so called Emigrant Road and connect with Sacramento, which in controlled by Norton’s Imperials would give direct control over the railways there, much of the Sacramento Rivers and Central to Northern California. If from there they could control Aurora, Nicholas, Marysville, Colusa, Hamilton, Oroville, up to Williamson or Red Bluff most of Central California and the southern part of Northern California could/ would be secured against the Northern Unionist Army Forces of Yankees, that slowly but steadily expanded their influence in the North. The nearby Indian/ Native American Tribe of the Tehema near Williamson and Red Bluff could maybe play a vital role and auxiliary force for either side in the region. Unlike Secessionist Confederate Southern Colorado however, Northern California was a direct area of the state that majorly supported and backed independence, autonomy, their own republic and by extension of that all Norton I, which was why it was essential to Norton’s Empire to liberate these faithful subjects and expand his power base against treasonous Congress, House of Representatives and Senate traitors loyal Unionist Yankees from Washington as the pro-Norton newspapers called it. Sometimes the public view and opinion could therefore force even a rulers hand if he was not willing to loose support, or sympathy. One of the many things that needed to be done therefore was to establish shorter transport and supply routes for his own forces, partially by allowing the Imperial American Army of Nroton I to head east faster and easier, by constructing the railway throughout the eastern wetlands and swamps.

To get things done quick and easily, Norton not only explained an Imperial Decree, but actually involved local business owners who would profit the most from such a new railway trough the wetlands and swamps, while also using many of his newly arrived Chinese citizens and workers, as well as members of his own Redcoats the Imperial American Army aiding with some of their soldiers, equipment and supplies to speed up the overall process as best as possible. With this combined forces finishing the railway would take roughly ten months to reach the overall railway line distance of 122 miles (196,34 km) a distance later shortened to 96 miles (154.50 km) with the building of an additional a bridge over to Berkeley that shortened the route and travel times significant, one of the many bridges build across the San Francisco Bay under Emperor Norton I that would graduate replace the ferries of the Imperial Pacific Company (formerly Southern Pacific Company). Under Chief Engineer Theodore Judah of the Sacramento Valley Railroad, later Chief Engineer of the Imperial Central Pacific Railroad of the Imperial Pacific Company (which combined the former American United States Central Pacific Railroad and the Southern Pacific Railroad in California) under William Tell Coleman and Timothy Guy Phelps. For their valiant efforts and major works not only for the people of California, but the overall American Empire of Norton himself, they would be rewarded medals, pensions and more higher ranks, giving them overall more control and influence over the railway system of the American Empire going forward. Much like the reports from the Eastern Civil War however, news about modern machinations in weaponry, industries and building roads and railways soon reached the West Coast as well and Emperor Norton I always concerned that thanks to the bureaucracy, corruption and treasonous mismanagement of Washington his Empire had fallen behind the other great global Empires, like the British, French, Russian, Austrian and others, embraces such modern ideas and technologies with quit open arms overall.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Ten: Battle of Putos Creek and Sacramento

While Benicia, the Californian state capital until 1854 had already fallen under the American Empire under Emperor Norton I, the new capital afterwards Sacramento, had been an immense stronghold of Lincoln supporters and the Californian Republican Party. Having send most of it’s Union forces east to fight the Confederate States, as Norton’s own rebellion was seen as laughable and the calls of a madman not to be taken seriously in Sacramento and Washington, the city on the plains had to replace their Union forces heading Eastwards, so new local militias were recruited and trained in Sacramento. Wen words of the southern Union forces joining Norton I reached the city and of their push-back of Southern Confederates from Colorado and their own weakened position of Unionists outside of Northern California made people in Sacramento quit nervous, especially knowing the Nortonists/ Imperialists wished to either cut off, or use their railroad lines and main central Californian roads for themselves. When word of Norton’s Redcoats heading north to Sacramento reached the locals, they themselves send out their Militia from the plains city westward to face them before they could reach Sacramento, convinced that their militia and the armed forces of Norton, these Imperial Americans were basically on pair in terms of equipment and training, not knowing that some British traders had recently supplied them with new weapons, as well as some officers training them in exchange for some trade and other deals with Norton’s government by British Merchants, so any official involvement could be denied later on. Surely the British hoped that beside Cascadia, Norton would give in their claims and demands of Oregon much more so then the United States, or that both would do so should the Civil War weaken all sides enough. With the Sacramento Union Forces heading their way, some more ambitious company, industries owners and businessman, Lincoln supporters and Republicans in Sacramento hoped to push back the Nortonist/ Imperialists all the way to San Francisco, maybe even push them out of California into the Pacific Ocean overall.

This way both would meat up in between their territories, resulting in them meeting up at Putos Creek (later called Putah Creek) were both overall armies would meet, deciding if the Unionist Yankees or Norton Imperialists would rule Central California in the Future. The result was the so called Battle of Putos Creek, were they would clash and result in a decisive battle for overall control and dominance of overall Central California and either secure, or break Norton’s power base in the area. The Battle of Putos Creek itself was a battle over the crossing, were trees, rocks and part of the riverside served for the defensive positioned forces, as well as the advancing enemy ones as cover. In the End the Imperial American Army Forces commandeered by Norton’s General were simply first to take better positions and would continue to do so throughout the fight, not only secure their very own crossing, but preventing the enemy one as well and push back the Sacramento Union Militia back from Putos Creek, with first regiments, later the whole overall Army of Central California made up by them in the battle fleeing back eastwards to Sacramento. With the Imperial American Forces under Emperor Norton I soon following them en mass as best as possible any reorganization and preparations of Sacramento itself to fortify and hold the city would not come to pass and instead the Union Army of Central California itself, or what was left of it did not retreat back to Sacramento, but instead many retreated further north were the remnants of the Union/ Yankee forces of Washington in Northern California still existed and resulted in them combining forces with the remnant militia of the Central Californian Army, which was how they strengthened their overall holding upon Northern California, despite loosing Central California during the Battle of Putos Creek and the Imperial American occupation/ liberation of Sacramento. In Sacramento itself many of the local investors, company owners, industrialists, businessman and others at first fearful of Imperial American rule, soon joined Emperor Norton once they realized that Norton I was supportive and encouraging of many of their businesses, or even expanding them and had a rather Laissez-faire approach on most things as long as they not hurt his subjects, his Empire, or himself.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Eleven: Imperial Central California

With the victory at Putos Creek and the occupation/ liberation of Sacramento the farms towns and cities of Sonoana and Petaluma in the West, Fremont, Vernon and Auburn in the North, Colomia and Placerville in the East came under control of the American Empire under Norton I. With his Redcoat forces taking control of these cities, towns and farms, the Imperial American Constitution of Norton, his Imperial Decrees, Laws and Order were expanded upon these areas directly. With these, new terms also arrived, like the Indians/ Native Americans being called the pre-Imperials, regular Americans, with their country of origin being added before Imperial (like Anglo/ English Imperial, Mexican Imperial, German Imperial, African Imperial, Irish Imperial, Chinese Imperial and others), the office of President and Supreme Commander was called the Emperor, or Empress in chase a female should inherit it, Governors would be renamed King, States became Kingdoms, while Senators as a representative of these Kingdoms in the capital. Unsurprisingly, while the Northern Unionist Republicans, fought the Southern Confederate Democrats, many of the former members of the Whig, Constitutional Union, as well as a few Republicans and some Democrats in the areas captured by Norton’s Redcoats actually supported his politics and over time became Nortonists themselves. Especially business owners, factory owners, farm and plantation owners, those who owned mines and transportation businesses from wagons, over trains to ships quickly sided with Norton, his lower taxation and larger public infrastructure and works programs that actually benefited the local companies and also end customers much more so then many former Washington and Sacramento ones had done so far, at least in the eye of most public opinion and the pro-Norton newspapers capitalized and exaggerated this only further. Ever bridge, road and railroad Norton build brought the Empire clothes together, served the local public and not enriched the pockets of the corrupt bureaucratic elites of Washington. Even the San Francisco Clique of California/ Pacific/ West Coast Secessionist and independent Republic nation state supporters original aiming to use Norton by now lost their influence and power because of that.

As the Imperial American pro-Norton Newspapers and even many of his regional enemy newspapers in Southern Colorado or Northern California claimed; “if Norton was a madman, then he was contagious, as the more people believed in the righteousness and justly cause of his supposedly stolen American Empire, the more true it became every day, in their minds, in their hearts and ultimately in their hands as well”. Yes while not all were eager to reinstall some form of Aristocracy and Monarchy within the United States many liked the local councils of advisers and supporters meant to directly aid the Emperor and Kings in their decision making and how Norton actually listened to them and implemented them to some extent many began to warm up to the idea more and more. Especially those formerly under-representet, or not represented at all, bypassed, or overlooked who now had a chance, or direct higher role under Norton himself became growing supporters, even more so the more Norton either directly won, or supporting him would be more profitable then not to do so. Especially as those working well under Emperor Norton I would not only be celebrated, promoted and praised, they also would be included in more important positions, either thanks to Norton himself, or connections to him, either directly, or indirectly, which was how those conspiring, or outright operating against him inside his American Empire soon faced public backlash and negative press or opinion enough, to let their own ambitions and goal fall, hurdle and fail, despite their best attempts. As a result, coming from the Emperor above and the Imperial American Citizens below both build up this new American Empire and everyone caught up in the middle between them, either stepped aside, or fell in line, or people were talking about them as anti-Imperials, ignorant know-nothings at best and anti-Imperial traitors for the Republicsn in Washington, or the Democrats in Richmond at worst, which was why many not wishing to be affiliated with both groups at least publicly often quickly changed their tune and supported the Emperor, before his redcoats confiscated their businesses as treasonous and gave it to true loyal Imperial Citizens and rivals of theirs.

 

[CountofDooku]

Chapter Twelve: Nortonist Treason

While the government in Washington under President Abraham Lincosn and his republicans addressed the treasonous of Jefferson Davis, the Southern Democrats, the Confederate States as he called the Secessionists, he also mentioned a minor, similar movement on the West Coast, surrounding a madman called Joshua Norton, supported mostly by Californian, Cascadian and overall Pacific Republic supporters, who themselves often also called each other Jeffersonian's after Thomas Jefferson, who first pushed the idea out of fear any Western States might be to far away from Washington to efficiently govern them, but who in modern times, mainly called themselves Nortonist after Joshua Norton, also known as Norton I, or Emperor Norton. To Washington and Lincoln both Graycoats and Redcoats alike were very clearly secessionist traitors, but those in the south were taken much more seriously, as they directly threatened Washington and the core United States of America and the Union, then the few lunatics rallying around Norton in the minds of most people in Washington. What they failed to recognize was that Norton’s American Empire, unlike the Confederates not operated against large parts of it’s population, to enslave or control them, but actually embraced to liberate, emancipate and free them from true despotism, bureaucracy, unrepresentative tyranny, which in the eyes of Californian, Cascadian, or Pacific Republic supporters meant Washington, the Senate, Congress, House of Representatives and the President there. Traitor, madman, crazy, lunatic his enemies and rivals called him, but his supporters called him Norton I, Emperor Norton and he had to coup nobody, had overthrown nobody, lead no bloody rebellion, revolution, or overthrow of the previous government, yes even the majority of Sacramento’s people once a Republic stronghold quickly warmed up to Norton, especially as he outlawed slavery and threaten all people equal, too equal in the eyes of many Democratic Southern Confederates and even some Northern Republican Unionists alike. For the second time in Americas history, some citizens and settlers therefore dawned the Redcoats of the monarchist royal loyalists to the crown, but for the first time, they did so for their own crown and king.

That was the deciding difference Washington not yet realized, that Norton, would have ended a fool, a laughing stock to most of history, if he just declared himself an Emperor, but like others declaring themselves Kings, Prophets, or Gods, the true power they had came from the numbers of their followers accepting this claim, which in turn made it become real. So while man could say many thing about Norton, it was not that his supporters, backers and advocates not viewed him as the American Emperor, to some extinct of the word, enough to work, pay taxes, follow, fight and die for him if necessary. At the same time, in every speech, every public statement Norton made it very clear he was no Napoleon I, no conqueror and despotic tyrant enforcing his will upon others, but a man eager to liberate his own American people, his American Empire from true despots and tyrants in Washington once they called upon him to do so and that he had no intention of ever waging war upon another to force his will upon them if they would not call for him to do so in the first place. Yes even the march upon Sacramento nearly had been halted by Norton I until he heard some of his backers and supporters in the city called for him and his Redcoats, especially as news spread the Bluecoat Unionists had fled North and left them all to their own demise despite nearby Colorado Confederate bandits, militia and Indian tribes on the warpath nearby. As a result the majority of Sacramento, despite not outright supporting and bagging Norton initially, quickly welcomed his Redcoats in their city in comparison to no overall guard and protection as well. Overall Nortonists therefore referred to the American Revolutionary War as the First American Civil War, as it was a war against a false king, only to then betray their liberator and true king George Washington when they had been victorious, at least that was how many Nortonist saw the fast that Washington had not been crowned their new King, or Emperor, which was why they referred to the American Civil War as the Second American Civil War, as well as the war, in which they would undo the injustice and treason done to their original King Washington.