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Timeline 1: 1861-1863
POD Early April, 1861.

Abraham Lincoln postpones his attempt to resupply Fort Sumter by 10 days, and his more conciliatory tone catches Governor Pickens of South Carolina in a more receptive frame of mind, in the evening after a few drinks.

20th April, 1861

A resupply of Sumter occurs, but Lincoln breaks the agreement not to bring in military material.

20th April to 22 June, 1861

Sumter holds out. Lincoln mobilises a volunteer army to defend the union, in a deeply controversial move. The confederates continue to raise troops and militia confrontations occur in Missouri and Kansas. Virginia secedes from the union in late May.

22nd June- 6th July - The Medeah Incident

The commander of Sumter, with provisions running low, announces he will fire on any ship attempting to reach Charleston, a promise he makes good on by firing at the French steamer, Medeah. The French government recognises the confederacy and declares it will prevent any attack on New Orleans by refusing US Naval access to the Gulf of Mexico.

July and August 1861

Lincoln becomes exceptionally unpopular, with strong secessionist parties in the Delaware and Maryland state legislatures. Missouri is by now in open warfare, with the US Army increasingly deployed alongside Kansas Jayhawkers allied with pro-Union Missourians who are fighting against the pro-Southern majority.

23rd of August 1861 Battle of Fairfax

General Lee's forces met those of Union general McClellan in Fairfax county Virginia, in the only major battle of the Union's abortive invasion of Virginia. Fairfax was a clash between two badly trained armies with insufficient officers. However, Lee's aggressive leadership, and his use of shock cavalry under Nathan Bedford Forrest, carried the day for the Confederacy. The Union army was routed, and the Confederates had a clear path to Washington.

24th of August 1861

The British ambassador advises Lincoln that his government would recognise the Confederacy.

Late August, 1861

It becomes clear there is no stomach or support for further conflict in Washington. Jefferson Davis' overtures for peace are accepted, and the army of Virginia holds 10 miles from Washington.

5th September

Peace negotiations begin in Martinsburg, VA.

17th September

Delaware passes a constitution which declares it to be "in free association" with the United States, and which prohibits the abolition of slavery.

21st September

Maryland passes a constitution with near identical wording to Delaware.

Late September-December, 1861

Pro-slavery elements in Missouri denounce military rule in the state, massacres of pro-southern forces and civilians are common. The Union commander, General grant, is accused of turning a blind eye or even colluding with the Jayhawkers.

9th October, 1861

A peace treaty is signed by Davis and Lincoln, along with their respective vice-presidents and chief justices. The US cedes most of Indian Territory, all of Virginia and Kentucky to the Confederacy, but retains all of New Mexico and Missouri. Lincoln resigns, and leaves Hamlin as President.

December, 1861- February, 1862

Grant, under the orders of Hamlin, reassembles a representative Missouri government in Springfield, taking a much more conciliatory position to the pro-southern faction. A deal is agreed by which the state is allowed to retain slavery on a similar basis to Delaware and Maryland in exchange for full loyalty to the USA. State elections in February are won by the Missouri Democrats.

February, 1862 onwards

Grant conducts a brutal campaign to clear the state of anti-slavery diehards. Much of the black population is killed or re-enslaved. German communist leader Augie Willich is murdered by Grant's troops in August. By late 1863, most rebels and surviving freed slaves have fled the state for Kansas.

December, 1862

In Manchester, inspired by the death of his friend Willich, Frederick Engels writes his legendary pamphlet, Slave and Proletarian, which has instant success. In a significant rupture with Marx, he redefines Marxist thinking on slavery and defends the aspects of anti-capitalist class struggle in the Haitian revolution. This work is soon translated into French.

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