Benjamin Harrison

Benjamin Harrison Historical Figure Nationality: United States of America Year of Birth: 1833 Year of Death: 1901 Cause of Death: Influenza and Pneumonia Religion: Presbyterian Occupation: Author of Non-Fiction, Lawyer, Soldier Spouse: Caroline Lavinia Scott (d. 1892) Mary Scott Lord Dimmick Children: Russell, Mary, Elizabeth Relatives: William Henry Harrison (grandfather) Military Branch: Union Army (American Civil War) Political Party: Whig Party (early 1850s-1856); Republican Party (1856-1901) Political Office(s): United States Senator from Indiana, President of the United States Fictional Appearances: Southern Victory POD: September 10, 1862 Appearance(s): How Few Remain Type of Appearance: Contemporary reference Military Branch: US Army (War of Secession) Political Party: Republican Party Political Office(s): U.S. Secretary of War

Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833 – March 13, 1901) was the 23rd President of the United States, serving one term from 1889 to 1893. The grandson of William Henry Harrison, the 9th President, Harrison was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at the age of 21, where he became a prominent state politician. During the American Civil War, Harrison served as a Brigadier General in the XX Corps of the Army of the Cumberland. After the war he unsuccessfully ran for the governorship of Indiana, but was later appointed to the U.S. Senate from that state.

Harrison, a Republican, was elected to the presidency in 1888, defeating the Democratic incumbent, Grover Cleveland, in the electoral college, despite having a minority of the popular vote - one of four Presidents to be elected due to this particular loophole.

His presidential administration is most remembered for its economic legislation, including the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Antitrust Act, and for annual federal spending that reached one billion dollars for the first time. Democrats attacked the "Billion Dollar Congress", and used the issue, along with the growing unpopularity of the high tariff, to defeat the Republicans, both in the 1890 mid-term elections and in Harrison's bid for reelection in 1892. He also saw the admittance of six states into the Union, which were North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming. This was the largest number admitted under a single presidential term.

After losing the 1892 presidential election to former president Grover Cleveland, he returned to private life at his home in Indianapolis.

Benjamin Harrison in Southern Victory

Benjamin Harrison served as the Secretary of War in President James Blaine's Administration. He oversaw the U.S. military during the Second Mexican War, and so shouldered some of the blame for its failures during the war.

Literary Comment

While the text is not clear that the Secretary of War is indeed Benjamin Harrison, the presence of other familiar historical figures in the same cabinet supports the idea.

See also

• Rutherford B. Hayes, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump, other historical US Presidents who won the Electoral College while losing the popular vote.
• Alfred Thayer Mahan, a historical Admiral of the United States Navy. In the Southern Victory series, Mahan appears to have been elected President in 1888, although the text is a bit vague about this.
• Robert Lincoln, who served as Secretary of War from 1881-1885 in OTL.