alternatehistory.com

24 June

Nathan Bedford Forrest (a Brigadier General) examines Plan 64, and points out several cases where the assumptions involved are optimistic or where the plan does not take into account certain features of the terrain.
On the strength of this rather informal exam, he is assigned to the Confederate War Planning department - his first task is to revise Plan 64.

The Republican National Convention continues. Butler loses the support of many of the delegates by the fourth ballot, and at the fifth he bows out after instructing his remaining delegates to support Fremont.
Unfortunately for Fremont, Butler's remaining delegates largely do not listen to him - not that they alone would change the result - and the stalemate continues.

Abraham Lincoln is noted to be mildly upset that he is not even on the list.


25 June

The HMS Minotaur undergoes modifications to her sailing rig, part of a series of tests to determine the best and most efficient rig for large ironclads.

In Columbus a number of deals are done behind closed doors, and Blair agrees to throw his delegates behind Fremont in order to prevent Bates from taking the nomination. The quid pro quo for this is that Blair be named for the Secretary of State position.


26 June

Fitzugh's men engage in their first battle in Santo Dominigo, when two companies capture a weakly held Spanish outpost at the cost of four or five casualties (one fatal).
Buoyed up by this minor success, Fitzugh determines to press onwards and ideally take the Spanish supply port itself - thus ending the war at a stroke - and endeavours to attract to himself a number of rebel infantrymen to serve as supports.

The Republican National Convention selects John C. Fremont as their presidential nominee, with Oliver Morton as the vice presidential nominee. The platform adopted is fairly emphatic on the issue of slavery, and also states that the army and the navy should be built up to such a level as to prevent any future "national humiliation". (Interestingly, the platform as adopted leads strongly towards the suggestion that the existence of the Confederacy is a perpetual "national humiliation")


29 June

Serious disputes take place in the Confederacy over whether San Diego or Long Beach would be the ideal fortified port on the Confederate West Coast. This has become a matter of political influence as much as military logic.
Also on this date, Fitzugh's gunboat (renamed the Golden Star) makes a raid on Monte Cristi. The gunboat has to make a hasty retreat when fired upon by the Berenguela, a full Spanish steam frigate currently moored at the port.


1 July

The British Government determines to move forward seriously on the prospect of Canadian federation; that is, the fusing of most of the components of British North America into a single colony (or "Dominion") with partial independence and local "responsible government".


5 July

At a moderately sized engagement in Santo Dominigo, the Whitworth rifles brought by Fitzugh to the country prove devastating. Their long range and accuracy allows his gunners to engage in powerful counter-battery fire, disabling four Spanish cannon in as many minutes. The attempt to follow up runs afoul of further cannon-fire, but nevertheless is a significant achievement which garners Fitzugh much local respect.


7 July

Forty Indians from Fitzugh's expedition launch a raid on a Spanish camp, scalping several of those they kill. This act garners Fitzugh not a little local disrespect.