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The Slave War Begins
The American Slave War (1845-1847), also known as the American Civil War, or the Confederate-Mexican War in Mexico was a landmark conflict in North America as it marked the last gasp of the institution slavery on the continent. Initially it started as a conflict between the United States and the rebellious Confederacy.
The first shots were fired on April, 12, 1845, when the Confederates fired on the Union-held Fort Pickens in Florida. The siege was short-lived because of the difficulty of resupplying a fort deep in Confederate territory.
However this provided the United States President Joseph Smith all the reason he needed to call up troops to put down the rebellion as it had now turned violent. He didn't just call for troops however, he also declared that the states in rebellion were now exempt from his plan to compensate slaveholders for emancipation of slaves.
Five days later after the Battle of Fort Pickens, and a mere two days after Smith call up for troops, Virginia would provisionally secede from the Union pending a referendum. Three other states Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee were also well on the path to secession, or at the vey least considering it.
Historians agree that the war would likely have lasted much longer, if it weren't for the Thornton Affair, better known as “Jones' Folly”. General Zachary Taylor had been dispatched by Confederate President Anson Jones to secure the new country's Rio Grande claims in Texas. Jones thought that Mexico would not resist given now that Texas now had the backing of the Confederacy. He was very wrong.
Although the Confderate States had annexed Texas, both the Confederates and Mexico claimed the area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande. Jones had ordered Taylor's Army of Occupation to the Rio Grande early in 1845.
Mariano Arista assumed command of the Division of the North on April 4 and arrived at Matamoros on April 24, making the total force there about 5000 men, and notified Taylor hostilities had commenced. Arista promptly ordered General Anastasio Torrejón to cross the Rio Grande fourteen miles upstream at La Palangana.
Taylor received two reports on April 24 of Mexicans crossing the Rio Grande, the first crossing below his camp, the other a crossing upriver. Taylor ordered Captain Croghan Ker to investigate downriver and Captain Seth B. Thornton with two Dragoon companies to investigate upriver. Ker found nothing but Thornton rode into an ambush and his 80-man force was quickly overwhelmed by Torrejon's 1600, resulting in the capture of those not immediately killed.:48 Thornton's guide brought news of the hostilities to Taylor and was followed by a cart from Torrejón containing the six wounded, Torrejon stating he could not care for them. War Between the Confederacy and Mexico had begun.
From American Slave War: The War the Shaped a Continent Steve Ackerman copyright 2009
Author's Note: Information about the Thornton Affair taken from Wikipedia and modified. Yes, dates are lining up with OTL's Civil War and Mexican American War a bit, but that should change very soon.
The first shots were fired on April, 12, 1845, when the Confederates fired on the Union-held Fort Pickens in Florida. The siege was short-lived because of the difficulty of resupplying a fort deep in Confederate territory.
However this provided the United States President Joseph Smith all the reason he needed to call up troops to put down the rebellion as it had now turned violent. He didn't just call for troops however, he also declared that the states in rebellion were now exempt from his plan to compensate slaveholders for emancipation of slaves.
Five days later after the Battle of Fort Pickens, and a mere two days after Smith call up for troops, Virginia would provisionally secede from the Union pending a referendum. Three other states Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee were also well on the path to secession, or at the vey least considering it.
Historians agree that the war would likely have lasted much longer, if it weren't for the Thornton Affair, better known as “Jones' Folly”. General Zachary Taylor had been dispatched by Confederate President Anson Jones to secure the new country's Rio Grande claims in Texas. Jones thought that Mexico would not resist given now that Texas now had the backing of the Confederacy. He was very wrong.
Although the Confderate States had annexed Texas, both the Confederates and Mexico claimed the area between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande. Jones had ordered Taylor's Army of Occupation to the Rio Grande early in 1845.
Mariano Arista assumed command of the Division of the North on April 4 and arrived at Matamoros on April 24, making the total force there about 5000 men, and notified Taylor hostilities had commenced. Arista promptly ordered General Anastasio Torrejón to cross the Rio Grande fourteen miles upstream at La Palangana.
Taylor received two reports on April 24 of Mexicans crossing the Rio Grande, the first crossing below his camp, the other a crossing upriver. Taylor ordered Captain Croghan Ker to investigate downriver and Captain Seth B. Thornton with two Dragoon companies to investigate upriver. Ker found nothing but Thornton rode into an ambush and his 80-man force was quickly overwhelmed by Torrejon's 1600, resulting in the capture of those not immediately killed.:48 Thornton's guide brought news of the hostilities to Taylor and was followed by a cart from Torrejón containing the six wounded, Torrejon stating he could not care for them. War Between the Confederacy and Mexico had begun.
From American Slave War: The War the Shaped a Continent Steve Ackerman copyright 2009
Author's Note: Information about the Thornton Affair taken from Wikipedia and modified. Yes, dates are lining up with OTL's Civil War and Mexican American War a bit, but that should change very soon.
- Neshomancer
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