1812: The Rivers of War (The Trail of Glory) [Mass Market Paperback]

Once upon a time, there was a famous American statesman named Sam Houston, who was very badly injured at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. His life changed very much for the worse, and he failed at everything he tried, even with the friendship and patronage of Andrew Jackson. Finally, after living with the Cherokee and watching them be forced on the Trail of Tears, he went to Texas and immortality.

Once upon a time, there was a writer of alternate history named Eric Flint, who decided that with one small change in history, he could plot a way around the Trail of Tears, the Mexican War and the Civil War. What was the change? Houston doesn't get as badly injured at Horseshoe Bend.

On this slender reed, Flint builds one of the best alternate histories ever written. Excruciatingly well researched, he picks real characters like Tiana Rogers (the Cherokee "princess" Houston married in the Original Time Line) and Andrew Jackson (who carried around a trunk full of general's hats so he could stomp on them when he got mad) and Major Ridge, one of the Cherokee leaders best known to the government in Washington.

Flint follows Houston to Washington, where he organizes the defense of the US Capitol against the British, and then to New Orleans, where he, and his sidekick Driscol (the Troll) figure importantly in the eponymous Battle.

This is the first of an alternate history series (at least a trilogy) which should take us well into the last half of the 19th century that might have been, had just one little thing been different.

Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit liked it, and well he should. You will too.

Take this book on your summer vacation. Don't say I didn't warn you if you spend your time indoors reading it.

Walt Boyes

The Bananaslug. at Baen's Bar

The Rivers of War (2005) is the first novel in an Alternate History series about the American Frontier. In 1814, Andrew Jackson attacked the Northern Creeks fortification at Horseshoe Bend; the first man over the wall was Ensign Sam Houston. A few months later, Winfield Scott led his brigade of outnumbered regulars against British veterans south of the Chippewa River bridge; the British were defeated, but retreated in good order. Later, Admiral Cochburn invaded Washington and burned the White House.

In this novel, Sam Houston receives only a minor flesh wound in the Battle of the Horseshoe. He becomes a protege of General Jackson and privy to his intentions. Reaching an understanding with Jackson, Sam discusses the situation with The Ridge, an influential Cherokee chief, and other Cherokees.

At the suggestion of Jackson, Captain Houston and Lieutenant John Ross take a party of Cherokees to Washington to discuss American policies toward the Southeastern indian tribes with Secretary of State Monroe. The group also includes the children and nephew of Major Ridge; Sam is charged with finding them suitable schooling. Tiana Rogers goes along just because she wants to.

Lieutenant Patrick Driscoll has also come to Washington to recover from his wounds. A former master sergeant, Driscoll finally accepted a commission after loosing his left arm above the elbow at the Battle of Chippewa. He is accompanied by Private Anthony McParland, a former deserter from the US Army who learned the error of his ways after an abortive execution.

Houston and Driscoll both witness the invasion of Washington by the British and they resolve to defend the city. Each starts gathering "the shattered fragments of disparate units" as US forces retreat toward Georgetown. Although Houston initially decides to protect the President's house, Driscoll persuades him to take these men and weapons to the Capitol Building, which is much better constructed and situated. There they build makeshift ramparts for their few artillery pieces, station men in the windows facing east, and await the British.

The beginnings of this novel are real history, although in the manner of Herodotus and other ancient Greeks. That is, the true events are reported insofar as possible, but dialogues are manufactured for each participant, using such quotes as are available. The alternate history begins with the wounding of Sam Houston as he goes over the wall at Horseshoe Bend; the wound was actually much more disabling than described herein.

The author takes a few historical characters and puts them in a position to defend the Capitol Building, if not the whole city. He shows what General Winder could have done if he had not panicked. Of course, the author used one of the most charismatic and stable of the young officers of that time to lead the defenders and also created the perfect noncom to advise him. If Houston had been able to be there, with a suitable advisor, he may well have acted as the story suggests.

The firing squad incident really occurred, thus Driscoll and McParland are based on historical personages. Yet the names of these individuals were not recorded and little is known of them. So their subsequent actions in this novel are imaginary. But Scots, Irish and Scot-Irish have been coming to the new world since the time of Queen Mary and this trickle became a flood after the American revolution. Many were veterans of European wars of those centuries, including the Napoleonic Wars. So Driscoll is based on the military archetype of the Celtic noncommissioned officer.

Many other characters in this novel were historic personages, including the American statesmen, the American senior officers, and the British commanders. All the Cherokees and other indians named in this work were factual. So was Marie Laveau, voudou queen of New Orleans.

The intent of this series is to present a feasible alternative to the Trail of Tears. Although not resolved in this novel, Houston proposes the idea of a voluntary mass relocation of the Cherokees across the Mississippi, such as advocated and demonstrated by Chief Tahlonteskee. Jackson agrees to concentrate on removing the Spanish from Florida to allow sufficient time for Houston to develop support for this plan among the various clans. Monroe even promises some material and financial aid for the relocation.

Highly recommended for Flint fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of history being remade.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Rivers of War suffers just a little from being a preliminary for what will likely be the main story in the second book. Nevertheless, it stands up pretty much on its own. The premise is that Sam Houston is only slightly wounded in a battle during the War of 1812 (in real history he was laid up for the rest of the war.) That starts a whole series of events that brings not only Sam Houston, but some of his Cherokee relations to the Battles of Washington and New Orleons and what promises to be a far kinder (and more exciting) fate for the Cherokee nations years later, which doubtless will be related in the second book. I'm looking forward to it.

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