The Grand Tour: Nebraska

"To the northern portions of the Nebraska Territory." So begins the adventure that birthed the Republic of Ansdale, for Dakota was originally Nebraska, at least until Dakota Territory was created in 1861. Nebraska could be called the father of territories, for not only Dakota, but Montana, Idaho and Wyoming were created from it.

With those ties existing between General Anderson and Nebraska, it is not surprising that Nebraska became the right hand of the Republic. From the beginning the territory became one of Anderson's most reliable supporters. At the start of the War of Southern Independence in 1861, General Anderson made his first move in consolidating his power in the west when he established Fort Pawnee on the Platte River. Though it was assisted by Fort Shoshone, Fort Pawnee was the site from which Fort Leavenworth was successfully bombarded.

Actually, the choice of Pawnee to launch western independence should not be surprising to anyone familiar with the history of the Republic. From its founding, and for the first sixteen years of its existence, it was commanded by Major Gary White, a member of the original Dakota Expedition, a member of the Corps of Engineers, and the architect of Fort Ansdale.

Major White would get his chance to command his crown jewel, but not before Fort Pawnee would host the Trial of The Century. The trial of Jefferson Columbus Davis on charges of Crimes against The Republic,  and for permitting a reign of terror in Alaska. Even by Republican admission the trial was nothing more than a show, for General Davis was merely a pawn. The real criminal was the United States Congress, which had failed to create even the most basic of civil laws for Alaska. But you can't put Congress on Trial. No, for the United States Congress to be "found guilty" the Republic of Ansdale must win the war, and there was far more than reasonable doubt as to that verdict.

The trial proceeded, newspapers on both sides of the river covered the events, the United States was embarrassed, and General Davis was found guilty. His sentence was to be exiled from the Republic, back to The United States "on pain of death" should he return. Like everything else, it was an empty threat. General Davis died on November 30, 1879, never setting foot on Republican Soil again.

As to Nebraska, it's loyalty was never in doubt. Fort Pawnee was the only fort of major importance in the whole state. When it became obvious that the West would pursue its independence then Governor Silas Garber immediately supported the move. In a sort of closing of the loop Governor John Milton Thayer was elected as Governor of The State in order to usher in final independence. At the beginning of the conflict in 1875 he was the Governor of Wyoming Territory. The War began at Fort Shoshone in Wyoming in 1875 and a symbolic peace treaty was signed at Fort Pawnee twelve years later. The war, and history, had come full circle.

And so have I...Welcome back to The Republic, folks. This blog, though just a baby, has required an extended nap time as I worked on the WENC Night Beat, which is much more demanding. Don't worry, your visas have been extended. Enjoy the stay.

Tooting My Own Horn

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me. Not this site. That wont happen until December. Not me, personally, either. That was back in April.

The Cake and Presents are for my main blog The WENC Night Beat. It's been three years since my first post. And while I wish everybody success in their chosen endeavors, I get a slight bit of pleasure when a competitor drops out. One less obstacle in the path of total world domination. Waa ha ha.

I invite everyone to stop by and check things out. I will be rolling out something old and something new in the weeks ahead.

A Writers Thoughts on Writing

They Say "Write What You Know". For me that means writing about Music and history, especially American History. For the music part I hope all of you will take a gander at my other blog, The WENC Night Beat. Platinum Vinyl Award season has just concluded and the awards have been handed out. The results page has been updated. Look for the year 2012 for each category.

I had thought of calling this post "Books I Can't Write", but then I thought better of it. That's just not it. "Won't write isn't it either". Maybe it should be Genre's I can't get my head around.

I've loved history since forever. If I scored under 92 in American History in High School I was shocked and then it was time to start studying hard. So when I first kicked around some thoughts for a story, American History was the subject, specifically America Post Civil War. Welcome to the Republic was conceived, sort of.

I also think I can do action adventure of a sort, as Falcon is a sort of hero in the vein of the Bionic Woman (I might be the only one who thought the reboot was cool).

Screenwriting speaking, I can't do Soap Operas. I just can't write that poorly. I am convinced that the genre is the last refuge of bad writers. And bad actors too. Now I'm no Shakespeare, but I spend time on things like plot, possibility, grammar. I know, how could you think of a career in Hollywood concerned with that?

That being said, there are a few fiction genres I cant get my pen around.

• Romantic Comedy/Chick Lit: We'll go back to that write what you know on this one. And the soap opera's too. But mostly the former. No, I don't think there's much of a market for the Moderately handsome "damaged goods" guy who has given up on love and lives as a hermit in a cabin in the woods. Kind of Like Stringfellow Hawk from Airwolf. Then maybe we could have a long lost love return and turn him into the Prince Charming that he forgot he was. Yeah, I thought so, gag city. If you want Chick Lit, might I suggest my friend +Erica Lucke Dean and her book To Katie With Love 
• Science Fiction: I wish my Polish heritage could help here, but I am obviously no J.Michael Straczynski. I wouldn't have the first idea how to describe the ships, station, and aliens of Babylon 5. I love to watch it, though. Would probably have to read it more to see if I could write it. I'll throw fantasy writing into the mix here and say to check out the works of my friend +Shannon Mayer and her character Rylee Adamson among others.
• Erotica: I was trying to think of something witty here, but decided not to push it. Safe to say you could use the same arguments for Chick Lit here. Even if I admitted to a healthy sense of fantasy that doesn't mean I could put it to paper. Hey, I have trouble coming up with a profanity even if the character used it in real life. Through my contacts in +Triberr I have picked up friends even here. D.C. McMillen comes to mind here.

No, I think I shall stick with what I know. A little action adventure, music writing, and my Alternative History/Speculative Fiction/Historical Fiction. I found out about a new genre lately, Realistic Fiction. Best I can decipher it is Current Event Historical Fiction. Isn't all fiction supposed to be realistic? After all, if it "Reads Fake", nobody is going to enjoy it.

Decoration Day

I think it's appropriate that I call this Holiday by its original name. It's time we remember what this nation went through to get where it is Today. 

The Day had its origins on May 1, 1865, right after the end of the American Civil War. It was originally celebrated by freedmen, as the freed slaves were called. Appropriately enough for the holiday's Civil War roots, the day was founded in Charleston, South Carolina.

Decoration Day began three years later, at the order of Union General John A. Logan. The date for the celebration way May 30, 1868. A date that lasted for a hundred years, until Congress, in its usual boneheadedness, created the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, also known as the three day weekend law. This law didn't take effect until 1971. By the time I was in High School the damage had been done. Memorial Day was seen as nothing more than the beginning of the Summer Season. As I went to High School on Cape Cod, that was still a big deal, but nothing like what it really meant. A lot of people died so that we could open the beaches. (It really sounds crass when you put it that way, doesn't it).

Supposedly Memorial Day is supposed to honor "The Fallen" and Veterans Day "The Living", yet still, it missed the mark.

More that 3 million men fought in the war, over 620,000 died. If the nation had stayed divided, Slavery would have become an institution in the South to this day. Without a war, I still believe technology would have made slavery obsolete within 10-15 years (1870-75). But with the war, if the South had "won" (i.e. put up enough of a resistance to force the European Powers to intervene, created an arbitrated peace), the result would have been seen as a vindication of the Peculiar Institution, and it would have survived.

Enjoy the cookout, enjoy the Summer, but never forget the cost. The Civil War ensured that our nation would be around today, with freedom and liberty for all. Because of the slavery part of the story, the Civil War is the true "Forgotten War". Nobody wants to talk about it. In fact, there are people out there trying to rewrite the results at best, and purge the very memory of the war from our existence at worst. That is wrong. You don't learn from history if you try to pretend it didn't happen. God Bless You all, and God Bless America.

The Grand Tour: Colorado

Can Loyalty be bought for a price? If so, what price would be enough? Surely it would have to be enough to soothe the conscience, especially when the "loyalty" meant betraying the cause of the West.

While the above question may seem absurd, it is exactly the question faced by Colorado. A territory at the time that war broke out, within the space of a year it was offered Statehood. Now a territory becoming a state in the late 19th Century is not exactly news. What makes it strange is offering that territory Statehood while it is in a state of rebellion. Governor Routt declared as much when he declared the Territory an Independent Republic on June 6, 1875.

The seat of rebellion for Colorado was Cheyenne Garrison, just outside of Denver. Under the command of Colonel Robert McMillan, the metropolitan fortress maintains a constant stream of communication with the Capitol. The purpose of the garrison, at least the purpose they admit to Washington, is twofold: To protect the citizens from Cheyenne encroachment, and to protect the Union Pacific Railroad. In reality both goals were accomplished at the signing of the Cheyenne Treaty of 1862 at the founding of the garrison. Since then there has nothing to do except to consolidate control of the territory into General Anderson's hands.

The War of Western Independence will not have many signature battles the likes of Manassas, Vicksburg, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg and Chickamauga. The Battles of The Mines will rank right up with the Siege of Fort Leavenworth and the Battle of San Diego Bay when all is written. The campaign consisted of five battles between the Federal forces of Fort Lyon and the Republican Forces of Cheyenne Garrison. They were fought during the Winter of 1876 in the snow at altitudes above 7,000 feet. Adding to the rout was the fact that the Republican troops fought on skis with White Winter Uniforms, making them virtually invisible, while the same could not be said of the Blue Uniformed federal troops. The campaign destroyed the Federal army in Colorado, and secured not only Colorado, but Wyoming and Nebraska for the duration of the war.

It was with that humiliating defeat fresh in their mind that Washington offered Statehood to Colorado. Coming as it was from a position of weakness, the offer was rightly refused. Colorado had proved it can whip the Federals on their own turf as a territory. They were better off on their own.

The tide of war has turned. There will be no lost cause of the West.

The Grand Tour: Minnesota

The first state to secede in the second wave was its most reluctant member. Minnesota was its own Territory in 1855 at the time of the Anderson expedition, and was not included in the generals original mandate. Minnesota has ties to the Fort Pierre expedition, however, as one of its members, Major Thomas Garfield, twice commanded Fort Ridgely in the state.

The Land of Ten Thousand Lakes has always been of great strategic value to General Anderson. Minnesota provides the Republic with access to the Great Lakes. Though technically prohibited by treaty from building up a navy on the lakes due to a treaty signed between the United States and Great Britain (The Rush-Bagot Treaty of 1817) to limit naval forces on the lake, the Republic was not going to let a piece of paper stop it from defending itself. The official position of the Republican Foreign Office is that since the Republic of Ansdale is a sovereign power at war with the United States and has no treaty with Great Britain, she is not beholden to agreements signed by the former possessors of the land. As long as Great Britain remains neutral in the struggle, ironclads will move only toward United States owned shores, not toward Canada.

If the diplomatic double talk is accepted by Great Britain, General Anderson will have shortened his theatre of war considerably. Even with trains an invasion of the east is problematic, but access to the Great Lakes opens up effortless bombarding of Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Since Texas opens up the east coast to attack, the Great Lakes will help the Republic keep the United States surrounded. Now, if they can only build ships fast enough.

Character Interview: Eye of The Lioness

Things change over time. Events happen. So maybe it is a good time to talk to a Character from time to time and see what is going on in their life. It's been over a year since I talked with Susan Bradford of Thames Electronics aka Lioness, aka Falcon. I thought I would see how things fare, so I set up an appointment for an interview.

So I was off to London. Susan had a need for speed, so we had sort of a working date, though I don't think her father can count on any wedding bells. She took her motorcycle an she let me drive the Jag XKR Red, by the way. Going over 100 mph on the wrong side of the road is quite a thrill.

We went back to her Penthouse Apartment for the interview. (Must be a security thing. I guess former cat burglars like to take the high ground). I was a little distracted, I admit. I was kind of hoping to have her change into something more casual but she chose to remain in her curve hugging leather catsuit/racing suit.

CG: Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to change into some more professional attire before our interview?

SB: I guess it all depends on your profession. Modesty shouldn't be an issue. I am covered from head to toe.

CG: And yet I can study every curve as easily as if I were looking at you naked. I'm sorry, did I say that out loud?

SB: You do know you're looking at an android?

CG: Yes, though I haven't noticed anything robotic about what I'm looking at. I think we should change the subject before your father asks me about my intentions toward you.

SB: Why should he? I am dressed from head to toe. I do get the same reaction from the Jihadis. Called me a common whore. Imagine, me, common.

CG: No comment. Are you comparing me with the Jihadis?

SB: Only slightly. The Jihadis say that a woman should not have any flesh exposed, and when I attempt to accommodate them by dressing from head to toe, albeit, as you say, in a curve hugging latex cat suit with high heel boots, they call me a common whore. Honestly, there is no pleasing some people. 

CG: I think they would say while you are holding to the letter of the law, you are violating its spirit.

SB: What's the good of a law if there's no loophole?

CG: In the year since we talked, you seem to have opened up a bit more. How are things going with the Falcon Force?

SB: We are looking to fill a vacancy.

CG: Who died?

SB: Mongoose, or at least he will any day now. One of us will kill him.

CG: Sure, kill off the American.

SB: It's not just a European thing, though Red Bear constantly offers to "whack him" pro bono. Even White Fox hates him. Do you know how hard it is to p*** off a Canadian? If Mongoose were to suddenly meet his maker, I think Julie Morgan should join the team.

CG: The Generals assistant? Forgive me for sounding chauvinistic, but that would tip the balance of power on the team to the ladies.

SB: You've got a problem with that?

CG: Not in any eye candy fashion, but a three three tie does make for good symmetry. Besides the mongoose problem, how are things with the team.

SB: We get along pretty well. We have three Chameleons in Chameleon, White Fox and Red Bear. They can get us into about any situation. And Mongoose and Viper get us out. Once we are in is when I take over. I mean, Cat burglar and all. Plus my computer experience is pretty extensive.

CG: Plus you get all the toys.

SB: I love my toys. You know what they say about this job. It's like they say "Except for the people out trying to kill you, it's not just a job, it's an adventure."

CG: I don't remember the navy using that first line, but I get your point.

SB: Unfortunately the adventure doesn't include nightlife. Cairo, Tripoli, Benghazi. Not exactly night club central. Neither is Split. Oh, I'm in Hell. Falcon is going bloody crazy.

Sorry. That's one reason I come back to London, despite my father's matchmaking attempts.

CG: Maybe this isn't a great segue, but how is your relationship with the General?

SB: He has been more of a father to me than a boss. I shouldn't be surprised. I kind of owe my life to him. At least he hasn't tried to set me up on a blind date yet. No, despite the fact that he sends me out on missions where people are trying to kill me all is good. Why couldn't I get sent on a mission to Cannes once in a while?

CG: On that note, Miss Bradford, I shall end this interview. Thank you for the time, and the date.