The Universal Register

Book One

The Olive Branch

1775 to 1780

The Grand Union flag of thirteen stripes, the Union of 1707 in its corner, flying against an evening sky, with the old Union flag faint behind it. Crown on the Potomac The Olive Branch Book One 1775 to 1780

April 1775. The war begins at Lexington, exactly as it did in our history. Then a petition that George III refused even to receive is received instead, and nothing about the war changes except what it is for.

The Olive Branch follows thirteen people through the four years after that: a King who never changes his mind; the minister who talked him into a courtesy and then had to run the war it did not stop; the moderate who wins the vote history remembers him losing; the general fighting the King's army in the King's name; a Mohawk leader whose people the peace forgets; and a farm boy from Lexington.

Each chapter opens with a short extract from the Universal Register, the encyclopedia of the world the book is set in. The extracts are quoted from the Register as it stands; the chapters show what happened in the rooms it was not in.

Begin reading: Chapter One, Lexington → Characters

Part One: The Petition (1775)

  1. 1 Lexington Eli Wheeler. Published 27 September 2026.
  2. 2 Penn's Hill Abigail Adams. Published 28 September 2026.
  3. 3 The Piddling Genius John Dickinson. Published 28 September 2026.
  4. 4 No Answer Will Be Given Richard Penn. Published 30 September 2026.
  5. 5 The Courtesy Lord Dartmouth. Published 1 October 2026.
  6. 6 Blows Must Decide King George III. Published 1 October 2026.
  7. 7 Ground of Conciliation Richard Penn. Published 1 October 2026.
  8. 8 A Considerable Reputation Benedict Arnold. Published 1 October 2026.

Part Two: The Grievances (1776)

  1. 9 The Common Faith John Adams. Published 1 October 2026.
  2. 10 The King's Town George Washington. Published 1 October 2026.
  3. 11 The Small Spots Joseph Brant. Published 2 October 2026.
  4. 12 A List of Female Grievances Abigail Adams. Published 2 October 2026.
  5. 13 A Skiff Made of Paper John Dickinson. Published 2 October 2026.
  6. 14 Rightly Governing King George III. Published 2 October 2026.
  7. 15 Kip's Bay Eli Wheeler. Published 2 October 2026.
  8. 16 A Decided Character John Adams. Published 2 October 2026.
  9. 17 Victory or Death George Washington. Published 2 October 2026.

Part Three: Saratoga (1777)

  1. 18 The Side of Canada Lord Dartmouth. Published 3 October 2026.
  2. 19 Friends and Neighbours Joseph Brant. Published 3 October 2026.
  3. 20 The King's Protection John Dickinson. Published 3 October 2026.
  4. 21 The Same Leg Benedict Arnold. Published 3 October 2026.
  5. 22 Not Without Remedy Lord North. Published 3 October 2026.
  6. 23 Greater News Benjamin Franklin. Published 3 October 2026.

Part Four: Two Offers (1778)

  1. 24 The Common Step Eli Wheeler. Published 3 October 2026.
  2. 25 Of Right Ought to Be John Adams. Published 3 October 2026.
  3. 26 By and By Lord Dartmouth. Published 3 October 2026.
  4. 27 Never Sink Sir Henry Clinton. Published 3 October 2026.
  5. Interlude: Monmouth Eli Wheeler. Published 14 October 2026.
  6. 28 The Ephemera Benjamin Franklin. Published 3 October 2026.
  7. 29 Blank Paper Abigail Adams. Published 3 October 2026.
  8. 30 Wild Geese Joseph Brant. Published 3 October 2026.
  9. 31 The Smaller Wheels George Washington. Published 3 October 2026.

Part Five: The Peace of Boston (1779)

  1. 32 The Commentaries Benedict Arnold. Published 3 October 2026.
  2. 33 At This Hour Lord North. Published 3 October 2026.
  3. 34 The Dominions Appertaining King George III. Published 3 October 2026.
  4. 35 Fresh Courage Lord Dartmouth. Published 3 October 2026.
  5. 36 The Answer Richard Penn. Published 3 October 2026.
  6. 37 The Orchards Joseph Brant. Published 3 October 2026.
  7. 38 The Stilling of Waves Benjamin Franklin. Published 3 October 2026.
  8. 39 Held to the Fire Sir Henry Clinton. Published 3 October 2026.
  9. 40 The Remaining Questions John Dickinson. Published 3 October 2026.
  10. 41 A Small Table George Washington. Published 3 October 2026.
  11. 42 Same as Any Day Eli Wheeler. Published 3 October 2026.
  12. Epilogue Sir Henry Clinton. Published 4 October 2026.