Stonewall Jackson's Way: An Alternate Confederacy Timeline

[Belisarius II]

Chapter Thirty-Five: The March on Washington

Soldiers of the Army of the Susquehanna marching through Philadelphia before their invasion of the CSA begins
​

With the Confederate-American War started, President Conkling walked to General Butler's headquarters, and personally gave the order for the first prong of his two invasions to start. Butler would march his army for a final review through Philadelphia, and with that completed, moved in Maryland. The Army of the Susquehanna was divided into 6 corps, five of which were infantry, and one of cavalry. Leading the I Corps would be John A. McClernand, the II Corps under Nathaniel Banks, the III Corps under Alexander McCook, the IV Corps under Thomas Crittenden, and the V Corps under Daniel Butterfield. McClernand and Butterfield were appointed because they were pretty influential Democrats who had military experience and were not currently holding office. Banks, a veteran politician and War Republican, had been given the post to balance McClernand and Butterfield out somewhat. McCook and Crittenden received command because of their military experience. Leading Butler's Cavalry Corps would be Alfred Pleasonton, who had managed to gain some fame for his service of the Indian Wars out west. Under him were two divisions under George Stoneman, another veteran cavalryman, and Hugh J. Kilpatrick, a War Republican favored by Conkling. Many in Congress opposed Kilpatrick's appointment, as he was known to be in ill health, but Kilpatrick personally appealed to President Conkling, who ultimately convinced Congress to give him the rank he desired, and Conkling nominated him to the post.

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Butler's Corps Commanders: John McClernand, Nathaniel Banks, Alexander McCook, Thomas Crittenden, Daniel Butterfield, and Alfred Pleasonton
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Meanwhile, in the CSA capital of Washington, President Early and Generals Johnston and Jackson discussed strategy. Jackson's Army of Virginia contained 7 corps, six infantry and one cavalry. It should be noted, however, that a U.S. corps was larger than a CSA Corps, with a U.S. Corps consisting of four divisions, with each division consisting of four brigades, as opposed to a CSA corps, composed of three divisions, with each division being composed of four brigades. Thus, Butler's Army of the Susqenhanna outnumbered Jackson's Army of Virginia. Jackson's corps were the Virginia Corps under A.P. Hill, the North Carolina Corps under D.H. Hill, the South Carolina Corps under Stephen D. Lee, the Georgia Corps under John B. Gordon, the Maryland Corps under Isaac Trimble, and Alabama Corps under Robert E. Rodes, who despite being a Virginian, accepted Alabama's offer to lead their corps as he had lead Alabamians in the Civil War. Jackson's Cavalry Corps was under the command of Turner Ashby, consisting of the brigades of Thomas T. Munford, Thomas L. Rosser, James B. Gordon, and Pierce M.B. Young. By now, it was clear that the Army of the Susqehanna's goal was to capture Washington. General Johnston favored a defensive strategy, while Jackson wanted march his army out of Washington's defenses and attack Butler on advantageous ground. Ultimately, Early would decide to follow Jackson's advice, and ordered the Army of Virginia out into Maryland to confront Butler.

View attachment 522185

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Jackson's Corps Commanders: A.P. Hill, D.H. Hill, Stephen D. Lee, John B. Gordon, Isaac Trimble, Robert E. Rodes, and Turner Ashby
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As both armies marched closer to each other, tragedy struck the Union war effort. Weakened by throat cancer and all the stress of helping to build and bring order to the Union armies, former General-in-Chief and current Secretary of War Ulysses S. Grant died in his rented Washington home. With Grant's death, Conkling lost his most capable cabinet member, a trusted ally, and probably the best man the nation could have hoped for to be their secretary of war during the Confederate-American War. Conkling would replace him with Robert Lincoln, a War Republican representative from Illinois. As Conkling pointed out, "The Lincoln family name was brought shame by the Civil War. Now let it be redeemed in this war." Unfornately, Lincoln was no Grant in terms of his abilities to fill the post. While by no means an incapable politician or military bufoon, Lincoln suffered from depression and lacked Grant's genius when it came to military affairs. He would have to do, however, as the first major battle of the Confederate-American War was rapidly approaching, as Butler continued his march south to Washington while Jackson rolled north to meet him.

Ulysses S. Grant and Robert T. Lincoln​

Interesting role out. Ok lets see what kind of army you've assembled. Assuming Confederate Regiments have 800 Infantry, and 1,000 Cavalry, and an Artillery Battery has 4 guns, adding staff attachments the Army of Virginia would have a nominal strength, of 181,440 Infantry, With 4 divisions, 37,800 Cavalry, and 17,280 Gunners, for a total of 236,520 men. The army has 864 Foot guns, and 144 guns for the Horse Artillery, giving a total of 1008 guns. With supporting logistical units the Army has 354,780 men, with a total of 88,500 Horses. The U.S.A. Regiments have 1,000 Infantry, 1,200 Cavalry, and Batteries have 6 guns The Army of the Susquehanna has 252,000 Infantry, assuming 5 divisions the Cavalry has 56,700, and 28,800 gunners. The Army has 1,440 guns, with 270 guns for the Horse Artillery, for a total of 1710 guns. With logistical units the Army has 506,250 men with 126,500 Horses.

These numbers seem high for the U.S.A. in the opening phase of the war, and impossibly high for the Confederacy. The CSA only has 9,000,000 White People, they can only mobilize about 450-500,000 men for frontline duty. 354,000 men is almost 3 times what the CSA ever had in the Virginia Theater during the Civil War. The number of horses seems nearly impossibly high. The new weapons of the 1880's, and the experience of the Civil War have forced changed tactics on both sides. Lines are more extended, units more dispersed, making command, and control more difficult. It's nearly impossible for 1 man to personally direct a battle on this scale, over the distances involved. The use of telegraph, and telephone lines would become essential, giving the union an advantage.

The choices of senior commanders are completely unrealistic. The US President is a political fixer, who's appointed geriatric second, and third stringers from the Civil War. Grant was a great general, but a poor administrator, secretary of War would have been the wrong job for him. The Confederates are also far too old, with some in their 80's. The generals in this war should've been captains in the Civil War, not junior generals. Both sides would have serious leadership weaknesses, and problems with their political direction. This would be the start of a long hard war, with a lot of leadership shakeups ahead for both sides.

 

[Coyote_Waits]

A mass cavalry charge against the rifles of this era is pure suicide. Even in the OTL civil war cavalry charged against masses infantry were basically non existent after the first year of the war. Custer is a good commander and while he was one to play the hero, he’s going to have his men dismount to hold the line. It would be way more effective. Otherwise there wouldn’t be “charge after charge”- there’s be one charge, and then a huge heap of dead horses and dying men pinned beneath them.

 

[Belisarius II]

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Battle of Laurel

An drawing made of the Battle of Laurel by Alfred Waud
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Unlike the previous war between the United States and Confederacy, the Eastern Theater would be decided by one decisive battle. Whether this can be blamed on the tactics, the improved weapons since the Civil War, or just down right luck has remained a debate ever since the reports of it were published by the newspapers. This decisive battle would take place on July 18, 1886. Receiving reports that Jackson and his Army of Virginia were somewhere near Laurel, Maryland, Butler would decide to halt his movement of his entire army towards Baltimore, and redirect it towards the town and the nearby woods, sending only one division of cavalry under George Stoneman to keep Baltimore and its garrison in check. Butler's reports had indeed been correct, as Jackson and his forces were near Laurel. Jackson, however, had not placed him men in an open field, instead, he placed them in the forest, with a plan to take advantage of the terrain. In advance of the rest of his troops, Jackson has placed the South Carolina and Maryland Corps so that they will be near Butler's left flank. Under the overall command of Isaac Trimble, they were to use the woods to hide their real number and make it appear that they are the whole army, and that Jackson was planning a movement against the Army of the Susquehanna's left. Meanwhile, Jackson and the rest of his forces are further back in the woods, shaped in a wide "V" formation with their opening towards Butler. Turner Ashby and the Cavalry Corps were to try and lure men from Butler's right to chase them, and lead them into the trap, with it closing on any U.S. forces that enters. Butler's plan when his men entered the forest was to prepare for the attack on the left he was expecting, as he saw the Confederates under Trimble moving in that vicinity. The battle would begin with Ashby starting to harass the Union right. Believing this to be a diversion, Butler ordered Crittenden and the IV Corps, his right flank, to advance and destroy the cavalry. Crittenden would suggest that they send Kilpatrick and his cavalry to do it, but Butler maintained that he wants cavalry on hand should the need for it arise. With his orders set, Crittenden orders his corps to move out and pursue Ashby and his cavalry.

The IV Corps moving out in pursuit of Ashby
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Eventually, Ashby would bring the IV Corps into Jackson's trap. Knowing their destination had been reached, Ashby would order his men to speed up their retreat, and get behind Jackson's lines. Seeing Ashby and his men ride out of sight, Crittenden would halt for a moment, and try and reorder his men who had been tangled up and lost military order in their pursuit of Ashby through the forest and undergrowth. It was at this moment that Jackson ordered his men to attack. With the Georgia and Alabama corps coming at him on his front, and the Virginia and North Carolina corps swinging in on him from his flank and almost all of his rear, Crittenden rapidly realized his was in a desperate situation. This battle would go even more so when Crittenden would be severely wounded, with him being taken down from his horse by members of his staff, who he would dispatch with urgent requests for reinforcements before he died against the tree where they laid him.

A painting by Jonathan Walker of the ambush of the IV Corps. Some small fires would start in the forest during the battle as depicted in the painting
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When the men dispatched by Crittenden arrived at Butler's headquarters, which were not even in the forest where the battle was taking place, he rapidly realized he had been tricked. Immediately, he ordered Banks and the II Corps to march to try and save what was left of the IV Corps, while McClernand and the I Corps and Butterfield and the V Corps drove forward immediately on the Confederate forces under Trimble which they had been watching for the whole time. Banks and his corps would arrive too late to save or even salvage the IV Corps, with the battered remnants of it running past his advancing men. Not far behind them would be Jackson and his four infantry corps and cavalry corps from the ambush. These men would rapidly break through the line Banks desperately created, and soon the II Corps was no better off than the IV Corps, with the exception of their commander remaining alive to lead the retreat of his destroyed corps. For the U.S. left under McClernand and Butterfield things were going better, however. Facing an force that severely outnumbered them, Trimble would order his two corps to fall back and try and link up with the main force under Jackson, sending several aides to Jackson with this plan. Realizing that a collapse of his left was now a serious threat, Jackson ordered his men to halt their pursuit of the already mangled beyond repair U.S. corps, and to turn in support of Trimble, while also sending messages to Trimble to stop his retreat, and to occupy the Union front. With the Union temporarily held in place by Trimble's desperate stand, Jackson would bring his men in for a third charge on Union lines, crashing into the Union right, the V Corps, surprising and shattering them at the same time. Luckily for the Union, McClernand was able to keep a clear head desperate all the reports and messages from Butterfield, and managed to pull out his I Corps from combat with minimal damage done to it. Abandoned now by McClernand, Butterfield realized that his and his corps' fate was sealed, and stayed with his men to the bitter end, with his death being the reward for his bravery, with his corps effectively dying as well.

A Daniel Troiani painting depicting Jackson preparing for the third charge of his men during the Battle of Laurel. Alabama corps commander Robert E. Rodes can be seen behind him on the black horse
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With three of his five infantry corps shattered, Butler began to realize the hopelessness of his situation. McClernand and Banks were in favor of an immediate withdrawal, while McCook seemed to think the the Confederate's energy had been spent on three charges, and if the U.S. troops were prepared and ready for the rapidly approaching Confederates, they could be thrown back. Butler seemed to agree with McCook's conclusion, and ordered McClernand and McCook to prepare their corps for battle. When the Confederates emerged from the woods and began to advance across the field, they attacked from the front like McCook had predicted, but once again the situation was not as it appeared. Butler soon started receiving reports that there was a Confederate presence on his right. McClernand would point out to Butler that the frontal attacks had been another diversion to keep them distracted, while the rest of Jackson's men moved around to their right. Seeing the danger now, Butler would order his men to pull out and begin their retreat. Upon seeing this, Jackson, who had been with the flanking column, ordered his men to charge, even though it was to late to perform the maneuver he had planned. Despite this, Butler would still order Pleasonton to send in one brigade of his cavalry to slow down Jackson's force. Pleasonton would turn to his most trusted subordinate, George A. Custer, to perform another last stand. Custer's brigade would be consist of good soldiers, with it being made of the 8th U.S. Cavalry under Colonel Edward McCook, the 10th U.S. Cavalry, who were a completely African-American unit, under Colonel Ben Grierson, the 1st Michigan Cavalry under Colonel Henry Davies, the 2nd Michigan Cavalry under Custer's brother, Colonel Tom Custer, and the 1st Frontier Cavalry lead by Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. With his solid brigade, Custer would lead charge after charge against Jackson's line, depleting his ranks, but also buying time. By the time Custer wheeled his forces around and ordered them off the field, Butler and the remnants of the Army of the Susquehanna had managed to escape.

A Daniel Troiani painting depicting Custer's second last stand
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The Battle of Laurel had been an utter disaster for the Army of the Susquehanna, with over 57,000 men becoming casualities. With two corps commanders killed, Crittenden and Butterfield, and his army a shattered forces, Butler brought his destroyed forces back in U.S. soil, and put up no fight when he was relieved of command and replaced by John McClernand. The only U.S. soldier who came out of the battle with an increased reputation would be Custer, who upon Kilpatrick's death from disease shortly after the battle, was promoted to Major General and given command of the division. The Confederates, meanwhile, rejoiced that Maryland had been able to be defended and that Washington was no longer under threat. The battle would come at a cost, however, with roughly 20,000 men becoming casualties. Among the dead would be Alabama division commander Major General and former Alabama governor William C. Oates, who was killed during the final stages of the battle while leading his men in one of the diversionary front assaults. His successor caused much debate in his division, with all three of his brigade commanders, John C. C. Sanders, Birkett D. Fry, and Pinckney D. Bowles all wanting the post. Ultimately, Jackson would assign it to Sanders, who had served the most conspicuously in the battle. Also taken out from the army, although only with severe, but not fatal, wound would be Virginia division commander William B. Taliaferro, who would be replaced by Lewis A. Armistead. With the Eastern Theater secured, the Confederate attention turned to the West.

Another Daniel Troiani painting depicting Jackson praising his men after their victorious and decisive battle​

Why am I not surprised the U.S.A. was led with mind numbing incompetence, and stupidity. The Confederate leaders have clearvoance. They set obvious traps, with no chance of anyone being stupid enough to falling into them, but they do. The Confederates also have telepathy, to coordinate perfect moves, with minute timing. The battle field is large enough to accommodate armies twice the size of those that fought in the Battle of the Wilderness, but small enough that both armies can be fullying engaged, and the U.S.A. can be defeated in detail in one day. There must have been some big forest near Laurel Maryland, to hide most of the C.S.A.

The U.S.A. had no strategic plan, no sense of the enemy deployment, made no effort at recon. They simple heard a report of a concentration of enemy troops, and stumbled towards it. A whole Infantry Corps was sent to chase a large cavalry force, maintained no battle order, or flank cover, in complete ignorance of what was in front of them. No use was made of cavalry to screen the U.S.A. advance. Artillery was not deployed, or used in anyway. When contact was made with the enemy, the U.S.A. simply collapsed in confusion, unable to respond in any effective way. Both officers and men have no idea how to fight. The smaller army attacks the much larger army, and again achives 3/1 losses, which is almost inexplicable, between comparable equipped forces.

The description of the actual battle is rather short on detail, and a bit unclear on critical points, so it's hard to understand why any particular event happens. The only thing that's clear is the U.S.A. was led with complete incompetence at every level. I assume now Jackson will march on Philadelphia, and on a much grander scale repeat the British victory at the Battle of the Brandywine. Jackson will then ship the Constitution, and the Liberty Bell back to Washington. Next he'll cross the Delaware, take Trenten, spend a weekend in Atlantic City, before heading to New York City, so he can end the war. The final act will be shipping the Statue of Liberty to Charlestown SC so it can stand over Fort Sumter.

 

[SpaceOrbisGaming]

Why am I not surprised the U.S.A. was led with mind-numbing incompetence and stupidity. The Confederate leaders have clairvoyance. They set obvious traps, with no chance of anyone being stupid enough to fall into them, but they do. The Confederates also have telepathy, to coordinate perfect moves, with minute timing. The battlefield is large enough to accommodate armies twice the size of those that fought in the Battle of the Wilderness, but small enough that both armies can be fully engaged, and the U.S.A. can be defeated in detail in one day. There must have been some big forest near Laurel Maryland, to hide most of the C.S.A.

The U.S.A. had no strategic plan, no sense of the enemy deployment, made no effort at recon. They simply heard a report of a concentration of enemy troops and stumbled towards it. A whole Infantry Corps was sent to chase a large cavalry force, maintained no battle order, or flank cover, in complete ignorance of what was in front of them. No use was made of cavalry to screen the U.S.A. advance. Artillery was not deployed, or used in any way. When contact was made with the enemy, the U.S.A. simply collapsed in confusion, unable to respond in any effective way. Both officers and men have no idea how to fight. The smaller army attacks the much larger army and again achieves 3/1 losses, which is almost inexplicable, between comparably equipped forces.

The description of the actual battle is rather short on detail, and a bit unclear on critical points, so it's hard to understand why any particular event happens. The only thing that's clear is the U.S.A. was led with complete incompetence at every level. I assume now Jackson will march on Philadelphia, and on a much grander scale repeat the British victory at the Battle of the Brandywine. Jackson will then ship the Constitution, and the Liberty Bell back to Washington. Next, he'll cross the Delaware, take Trenten, spend a weekend in Atlantic City, before heading to New York City, so he can end the war. The final act will be shipping the Statue of Liberty to Charlestown SC so it can stand over Fort Sumter.

I'm not going lie it would be funny as all hell if this happens. As much as I'm a CSA fan and love seeing the south kick some ass this neverending set of colossal failures on the United States part is getting ridiculous. It's the 1880s the telegraph should be utilized by both sides by this point. The fact that the US falls into a trap so clear is kind of hard to understand. Why is a man who is in his 80 leading men into battle? Surely the CSA has younger men who could take on that role and at least make more sense than using a relic of a bygone age I can only guess this was done to not knowing anybody from this time in US or in this case CS history. This I could understand but still, it would've been nice to say a younger man take the role in leading the clearly one-sided battle.

I'm not a history nut as much as it seems you are but even I am starting to feel my interest in this alternate history story dip a fair bit due to this onesided take so far. The US should at least get some wins. As it stands it feels like the CSA is rolling not but sixes.

 

[Belisarius II]

I'm not going lie it would be funny as all hell if this happens. As much as I'm a CSA fan and love seeing the south kick some ass this neverending set of colossal failures on the United States part is getting ridiculous. It's the 1880s the telegraph should be utilized by both sides by this point. The fact that the US falls into a trap so clear is kind of hard to understand. Why is a man who is in his 80 leading men into battle? Surely the CSA has younger men who could take on that role and at least make more sense than using a relic of a bygone age I can only guess this was done to not knowing anybody from this time in US or in this case CS history. This I could understand but still, it would've been nice to say a younger man take the role in leading the clearly one-sided battle.

I'm not a history nut as much as it seems you are but even I am starting to feel my interest in this alternate history story dip a fair bit due to this onesided take so far. The US should at least get some wins. As it stands it feels like the CSA is rolling not but sixes.

May I ask you why are you a fan of the CSA?

 

[SpaceOrbisGaming]

May I ask you why are you a fan of the CSA?

I'm from the south. That's a bit of an odd thing to ask somebody. Why do people like making story's of Rome or colonial America stories? That's easy the setting is rich with possible stories to be told.

I'm not a fan of the KKK if that's what you're thinking. Be kind of awkward seeing as I have black people in my family.

 

[Belisarius II]

I'm from the south. That's a bit of an odd thing to ask somebody. Why do people like making story's of Rome or colonial America stories? That's easy the setting is rich with possible stories to be told.

I'm not a fan of the KKK if that's what you're thinking. Be kind of awkward seeing as I have black people in my family.

No I not accusing you of that. It's where someone is coming from. I have an interest, and respect for the armed forces of the Classic Greeks, the Romans, Knights in shining armor, The Red Coats, and Continentals, the German Army in the World Wars, and both sides in the Civil War. But I'm not a fan of Imperial Germany, or the Third Reich. The Confederate Army fought with great skill, and courage, and had great leaders, the Southern People are great people. I've lived in the South for many years, but I'm no Fan of the CSA. The CSA fought to break the Federal Union of our country. It fought to uphold the evil institution of slavery, and it's civil society was a based on racist, and anti-democratic principles.

To say your a fan of the CSA is like saying the North & South are having a football game, and your rooting for the Southern Team. It's only a damn football game, it has no greater meaning. Being a fan of the CSA has many deeper meanings. In the context of the world, at that time the CSA was an oppressive, and regressive place, it's reason for being was the enslavement, repression, and separation of people by race. It was also a socially backward looking society, that was becoming more aristocratic, and class divided.

People make distinctions in life like saying your a fan of the C.S.A. not the CSA. People fly the Confederate Battle Flag, and say it's for regional pride, and not for racist reasons, and they may truly think that. What makes it controversial is that that flag wasn't revived till segregationists used it as a middle finger to the Civil Rights Movement, in the 1950's, and 60's. So everything depends on your point of view, people can see different things in symbols that others don't. So I could never root for the CSA vs. the USA, there is no moral justification for it. I can only assume your a fine person, with good motives, so I meant no personal insult to you.

 

[SpaceOrbisGaming]

No I not accusing you of that. It's where someone is coming from. I have an interest, and respect for the armed forces of the Classic Greeks, the Romans, Knights in shining armor, The Red Coats, and Continentals, the German Army in the World Wars, and both sides in the Civil War. But I'm not a fan of Imperial Germany, or the Third Reich. The Confederate Army fought with great skill, and courage, and had great leaders, the Southern People are great people. I've lived in the South for many years, but I'm no Fan of the CSA. The CSA fought to break the Federal Union of our country. It fought to uphold the evil institution of slavery, and its civil society was based on racist, and anti-democratic principles.

To say your a fan of the CSA is like saying the North & South are having a football game, and your rooting for the Southern Team. It's only a damn football game, it has no greater meaning. Being a fan of the CSA has many deeper meanings. In the context of the world, at that time the CSA was an oppressive, and regressive place, it's reason for being was the enslavement, repression, and separation of people by race. It was also a socially backward looking society, that was becoming more aristocratic, and class divided.

People make distinctions in life like saying you're a fan of the C.S.A, not the CSA. People fly the Confederate Battle Flag, and say it's for regional pride, and not for racist reasons, and they may truly think that. What makes it controversial is that that flag wasn't revived till segregationists used it as a middle finger to the Civil Rights Movement, in the 1950s, and 60's. So everything depends on your point of view, people can see different things in symbols that others don't. So I could never root for the CSA vs. the USA, there is no moral justification for it. I can only assume you're a fine person, with good motives, so I meant no personal insult to you.

Sure the South wasn't the greatest place for blacks but the same was true for blacks in the North as well. Hell, even 100 years later blacks were still getting a bum deal. The same was true for many other races chief among them the Native American tribes. The US forced them off their lands by making what I like to call hollow deals or sugar deals that were nothing but words that held no weight to them. It was just nice words so that at a later time they could walk in and take the land. Was the south the greatest place to live, no but neither was the United States. Oh sure it preach equality for all but up until quite recently it never really practiced it. Blacks couldn't vote until after the civil war, women couldn't until the 1920s, same-sex folks couldn't marry until around 2015. All I'm saying is the US wasn't all sunshine and rainbows it had its fair share of atrocities. Some could be understood to a point but others, not so much.

I like the CSA because it had the guts to say we will not be attacked anymore and left and formed a new nation as the founders of the United States allowed in the US Constitution. The south seceded from the United States in the same way that the United States seceded from England. The only thing was their war for independence failed.

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

I'm not a history nut as much as it seems you are but even I am starting to feel my interest in this alternate history story dip a fair bit due to this onesided take so far. The US should at least get some wins. As it stands it feels like the CSA is rolling not but sixes.

Spoiler: Spoiler for the rest of the war

After this battle, the CSA is going to win no more major battles for the rest of the war.

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

Just to bring up a point Isaac Trimble would be 83yrs old in 1885. George H. Steuart would have made a better choice. I do enjoy what I have read so far.

True I can't see an 83-year-old man in the field of battle yelling out orders no matter who he was. A younger man should have been used in his place. But that is a small nitpick on what is an otherwise nice story.

Noted and fixed

 

[Belisarius II]

Sure the South wasn't the greatest place for blacks but the same was true for blacks in the North as well. Hell, even 100 years later blacks were still getting a bum deal. The same was true for many other races chief among them the Native American tribes. The US forced them off their lands by making what I like to call hollow deals or sugar deals that were nothing but words that held no weight to them. It was just nice words so that at a later time they could walk in and take the land. Was the south the greatest place to live, no but neither was the United States. Oh sure it preach equality for all but up until quite recently it never really practiced it. Blacks couldn't vote until after the civil war, women couldn't until the 1920s, same-sex folks couldn't marry until around 2015. All I'm saying is the US wasn't all sunshine and rainbows it had its fair share of atrocities. Some could be understood to a point but others, not so much.

I like the CSA because it had the guts to say we will not be attacked anymore and left and formed a new nation as the founders of the United States allowed in the US Constitution. The south seceded from the United States in the same way that the United States seceded from England. The only thing was their war for independence failed.

Sure the USA is an imperfect place, that often doesn't live up to it's principles, what nation ever has? But too the point by the mid 19th Century slavery was morally indefensible, and worked to the disadvantage of the average White Person in the Slave States. No I wouldn't say the South seceded in the same way the USA did from England. The Colonies had morally, and legally defensible grievances, laid out in the Declaration of Independence. In what way were the Southern States being oppressed, or disadvantaged in 1860-61? What rights were being withheld? The only grievances they could come up with was the election of Lincoln, and the failure of 14 Free states to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act. No one has ever been able to show me a clause in the U.S. Constitution that talks about a right of Secession.

When the Constitution was ratified by the States they agreed to live under that Constitution, and the laws of the United States. Interestingly the Confederate Constitution didn't give states the right of succession ether. While the Southern States were in the Union they had representation in Congress, and access to the Courts. The Supreme Court was very favorable to the Slave Power, look at the Dread Scott Decision. So no I don't agree the only difference between the Civil War, and the ARW is the USA won, and the CSA lost. The CSA had no Legal, Constitutional, or Moral leg to stand on. It was in fact counter productive to their own cause. They could preserve slavery using the law, and politics, but lost it by choosing to settle the issue by war.

 

[SpaceOrbisGaming]

No one has ever been able to show me a clause in the U.S. Constitution that talks about the right of Secession.

Maybe it was the Declaration of Independence that I was thinking of. I'll see if I can find it for you now.
-

The Declaration of Independence: Full text - Washington Examiner

In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

-
But at any rate, the right to secession is clear if it wasn't the US wouldn't even exist. That's how the US started by means of secession. In one war the US wins and in the other, the CSA lost. In both cases, you have years of transgressions. Could it have been resolved without war, no I don't think that was ever a possible outcome after the invention of the cotton gin in the 1790s. Does it make it right, no but if the US wanted to end the institution of slavery so badly allowing them to secede from the union is a perfectly good solution that costs nothing besides a loss of land. The war could have been over before it could even get going if he just allowed the south to leave the union. But of course, he didn't and in so doing doomed about 600,000 people. Afterwards, the right to do so was removed.

I'm not saying it would have been a good thing but having two nations more or less the same isn't the worst thing that could've happened. However, this is again removing the here focus and that is the story itself. So let's just move on from this and enjoy the story proper. Any talk should be left to Chat and not in the middle of a story.

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

A mass cavalry charge against the rifles of this era is pure suicide. Even in the OTL civil war cavalry charged against masses infantry were basically non existent after the first year of the war. Custer is a good commander and while he was one to play the hero, he’s going to have his men dismount to hold the line. It would be way more effective. Otherwise there wouldn’t be “charge after charge”- there’s be one charge, and then a huge heap of dead horses and dying men pinned beneath them.

Noted and fixed

 

[Belisarius II]

A mass cavalry charge against the rifles of this era is pure suicide. Even in the OTL civil war cavalry charged against masses infantry were basically non existent after the first year of the war. Custer is a good commander and while he was one to play the hero, he’s going to have his men dismount to hold the line. It would be way more effective. Otherwise there wouldn’t be “charge after charge”- there’s be one charge, and then a huge heap of dead horses and dying men pinned beneath them.

In 1886 American Riflemen are using Trapdoor Springfield's, with a sustained rate of fire of 10 rounds per minute, 2-3 X faster then Civil War Muzzle Loaders. There are now Gatling guns in the line, and rapid fire, shell firing guns, capable of indirect fire, from over 2 miles away. The charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War was a disaster, 30 years later it would be??????? What's worse then a disaster?

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

In 1886 American Riflemen are using Trapdoor Springfield's, with a sustained rate of fire of 10 rounds per minute, 2-3 X faster then Civil War Muzzle Loaders. There are now Gatling guns in the line, and rapid fire, shell firing guns, capable of indirect fire, from over 2 miles away. The charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War was a disaster, 30 years later it would be??????? What's worse then a disaster?

Don't worry, Belisarius. I have already addressed this comment and made the necessary edits in the text.

 

[Pro monarchist]

What's going on around the world while the war is happening in North America I'm specially interested in France and Germany

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Sherman's Tennessee Invasion and the Battle of Hickory Point

Sherman on his mount inside Fort Donelson following his capture of it
​

Unlike Butler's order to begin his invasion, Sherman would not receive his orders from President Conkling himself. He would instead receive a two word telegram from the telegraph office, "Go ahead". And this was the way Lieutenant General William T. Sherman preferred to fight his wars, dependent solely on himself and his army, without government looking over his shoulder and breathing down his neck. With his order received, Sherman would move his Army of the Cumberland out from their encampment at Camp Dickinson, Kentucky, and begin his invasion of Tennessee. His army consisted of four corps of infantry and one of cavalry. Commanding the infantry were seasoned Civil War generals, with the VI Corps under James B. McPherson, the VII Corps under Jacob D. Cox, who Conkling convinced Sherman to appoint, the VIII Corps under Edward O.C. Ord, and the IX Corps under John G. Parke. Sherman was known in the pre-war army for his dislike of cavalry, saying that they would be of more use being dismounted and converted into infantry units, and that the typical cavalry officer was medieval knight errant who had somehow found himself lost in the time of gunpowder warfare. Despite this, Sherman was given a corps of cavalry, but he made sure the officers he wanted got the senior posts, in that they were men who had proved themselves in command of other types of troops both switching to the cavalry service. Commanding the corps would be David Stanley, a general who had distinguished himself both as an infantry and cavalry commander in the Civil War. His division commanders would be George Crook, another infantry turned cavalry officer, James H. Wilson, an engineer turned cavalry officer, and David M. Gregg, who service had been limited to the cavalry, but had proved himself capable in the eyes of Sherman.

Sherman's Corps Commanders: McPherson, Cox, Ord, Parke, and Stanley​

Following the strategy of his now late friend and mentor Ulysses S. Grant, Sherman would replicate Grant's opening campaign from the Civil War, in that his first targets were Fort Henry and Donelson for their control of the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers respectively. Since the score when they had been the site of two Civil War battles, both forts had been improved and strengthened. Their garrisons, however, were under strength and certainly not fit to stand up to Sherman's Army of the Cumberland, as they were composed merely of Tennessee militia, which was mostly just men too old to be considered for regular military service. As a result, both garrisons, first the Fort Henry defenders under General Thomas B. Smith and then the Fort Donelson defenders under General Marcus J. Wright, would surrender to Sherman without much of a fight.

Generals Thomas B. Smith and Marcus J. Wright
​

The sudden sucess of Sherman and his men threw Tennessee and its government into a panic. Remembering how the capture of Fort Donelson had lead to the capture of Nashville in the Civil War, the Tennessee state government demanded immediate action from General Kirby Smith and the Army of Tennessee. Obliging them, General Smith would march out and meet Sherman's advancing army. The two forces would meet near Hickory Point, Tennessee on August 1, 1886. General Smith's Army of Tennessee consisted of six infantry corps and a cavalry division, similar to Jackson's Army of Virginia. His infantry corps were the Louisiana Corps under Richard Taylor, the Texas Corps under John B. Hood, the Florida Corps under Joseph Finegan, the Tennessee Corps under A.P. Stewart, the Arkansas Corps under Patrick Cleburne, and the Mississippi Corps under Carnot Posey. The Cavalry Corps would be under Nathan B. Forrest, with his brigade commanders being Joseph Wheeler, John H. Morgan, John A. Wharton, and Frank Armstrong.

Smith's Corps Commanders: Taylor, Hood, Finegan, Stewart, Cleburne, Posey, and Forrest
​

With the Tennessee government constantly urging him to attack, Smith developed his plan. Based on an idea created by Finegan and supported by Hood, Smith's plan was to have the three corps making the center of his line, the Florida, Texas, and Mississippi, to charge at the center of Sherman's line and shatter it, dividing Sherman's men. Once completed, the rest of the Army of Tennessee was to be brought up in support. When Smith presented the plan to his generals, it immediately came under fire. Taylor, Stewart, Cleburne, and Posey united in opposition to the plan, and Forrest dissected it verbally so explicitly that of the men present at the meeting, no one would report exactly what he said after the battle. There was also the not spoken but understood idea that of all of Smith's corps commanders, Finegan was the least experienced and had saw no major combat during the Civil War. Nonetheless, Smith persevered with his plan, as he feared his relief if he delayed any longer. With that, on the morning of August 1, the Battle of Hickory Point begun. With the Florida Corps leading the charge, the three CSA corps advanced and then charged at the Union lines. It went as well as Smith's generals predicted, with it being torn to pieces first by artillery fire, with the remaining men who survived being shredded by infantry fire in what became known as Finegan's Charge for the man whose corps lead it. The charge is forever immortalized with a quote of Finegan made famous by the 1993 U.S. movie Hickory Point, "What's happenin'? I can't see what's happenin' to my boys. WHAT'S HAPPENIN' TO MY BOYS?!" Although it is almost unanimously agreed Finegan never said this while watching his men charge, it serves to highlight the futile and brutality of Finegan's Charge, which that fateful charge came to be known as.

The height of Finegan's Charge, with roughly 100 men of the Florida Corps reaching, but certainly not breaching Union lines.
​

With Finegan's Charge broken, Sherman swung his army at the Confederates now. First, he sent Stanley and his cavalry in on the flank of the retreating infantry. Second, he ordered an advance of his main line of infantry. This could have marked disaster for the Army of Tennessee had General Forrest not quickly led his cavalry in a desperate dismounted stand against Stanley's men, and Taylor, Stewart, and Cleburne not held firm under writhing fire allowing for General Smith to withdraw his forces off the field. By the time these men pulled back, it became abundantly clear to the CSA officers involved that they had held just, and they had not really given back what they had taken in their last stand.

A David Nance painting depicting Forrest desperately ordering his men to hold against Stanley's larger force.
​

In the aftermath of the battle, the fear that had caused it was realized. Smith was forced to lead his army in a retreat and abandon Nashville, which Sherman swiftly took on August 3. The Battle of Hickory Point had been a disaster for the CSA, with a little under 40,000 men lost, as opposed to Sherman's 12,000 causalities. Among the dead would be Florida division commander General Edward Perry and cavalry brigade commander John H. Morgan. Among the more seriously wounded was Mississippi corps commander Carnot Posey, who had a cannon ball take his leg off, requiring an amputation that nearly killed him. Both Generals Smith and Finegan would be relieved for their roles in the battle, being replaced by Generals Taylor and David Lang respectively. It soon became clear that the war that seemed to be quickly won in the East what not be replicated in the Western Theater.

 

[farmerted555]

Will Sherman march to the Gulf?

 

[TheRockofChickamauga]

Will Sherman march to the Gulf?

I don't want to spoil to much of the upcoming war, but in the chapter after next, the CSA will enter some really dangerous waters...

 

[SpaceOrbisGaming]

I know this is somewhat unrelated to the previous chapter and maybe this was asked before and I missed it but any idea how far you plan on taking this timeline? We are already in the 1880s so will we be seeing the first airplanes and World War 1?

Also, nice chapter I look forward to the next.