I have often thought of a campaign based on a "what if" that could have happened. USS Essex, 32 was to have rendezvoused with USS Constitution, 44, accompanied by USS Hornet, 18 in the South Atlantic as the year of 1812 came to an end. The rendezvous was missed and the Essex went into the Pacific while the Constitution and Hornet remained in the South Atlantic. What if the rendezvous would have occurred and all three ships had proceeded into the Pacific together? It would have been a formidable little force. And what if the ships ranged farther than the Essex did, perhaps as far as South Africa? I pose the following questions:

1. Would the British have responded faster to the greater threat? It was about a year before HMS Phoebe, 36 and HMS Cherub,18 were sent to deal with the Essex.

2. While there were no British warships operating in the Pacific around South America, what British ships, if any, were operating around the rest of the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and near the Cape of Good Hope at the time?

3. What size of force and size of ships would the British have sent to engage the Americans?

4. Where could the Americans have found places to resupply across the Pacific and Indian Ocean?

I appreciate your opinions based on facts and sound educated guesses. Also fell free to pose any other concerns that would need to be addressed in such a campaign.