A war of blood, sweat and tears

[Just a Turteldove Fan]

Chapter I:
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The 17th of December of 1860 the fate of a nation was decided. That same day an extraordinary convention happened in the state of South Carolina. The representatives were all secessionist that wished to start a secession of the United States of America. Their fears were mostly that if they didn't act quickly the secessionist support will be reduced with time as did happen in the past. This time they were having none of it, the fire eaters had force the convention to be held as fast as possible. This convention was divided mostly into two different ideologies. The fire eaters were secessionists with absolute fervor for this cause. They were willing to do whatever was necessary to accomplish this. The other was the "collaborations" [1] that wished to declare secession once other slave states supported the cause so a nation could be created by that same states that could offer resistance to the Yankees. That was the great majority of those "collaborations", cautious secessionists while the rest wished to gain time for the federal government to appease the South with deals that will guarantee and protect slavery. ​

South Carolina seccedes
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The fire eaters pushed for secession arguing the north economy will collapse without southern cotton. Finally, once the day came the convention was celebrated in Charleston. In this convention, South Carolina approved the order of succession specifying slavery as one of the major factors that force them into this secession. Now definitely the union had no hope of surviving without bloodshed. Even if most people in that moment didn't believe that they will soon realize the truth. Soon after similar process happened in the deep South. Texas was an exception, as his governor (Sam Houston) a fervent unionist didn't accept the petition to celebrate a convention about the issue of secession. The secessionist acted behind him and did their own convention later ratifying their decision with a referendum that clearly supported secession. On the 4th of February, 1861 representatives of the seceded states met at Montgomery, Alabama. Even though texas representatives couldn't participate as the referendum was still to be done in their own State. 4 days later a provisional constitution was done. It was the birth of the Confederate States of America. In the ninth of that same month, they met again to decide who will be the first president of the United States of America. There were a lot of candidates but the convention finally decided to elect a man from Kentucky, John C. Breckinridge. He was the youngest vice-president to ever serve in the US at that point, he indeed had a very rich political carrier having being a senator. it was elected mainly for two major reasons, it was more moderate than one of his adversaries, Alexander H. Stephens, backed by the fire eaters. He was also the candidate the had won most of the South votes in his presidential candidature granting him a lot of legitimacy. On top of all of this, he had served as Mayor for a volunteer regiment during the Mexican-American war and that could help in bringing the Borders states closer to the confederacy as well as the high south because he was a moderate.
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John C. Breckinridge first president of the confederacy

Soonly after Breckinridge got to work. His first job as president was to form a government. And so he did, Alexander H. Stephens was appointed vice-president to appease the fire eaters. The secretary of the army will be Jefferson Davis an experienced graduate of West point having served as secretary of war for President Buchanan. Christopher Memminger was elected secretary of the treasury. Stephen R. Mallory was selected for the secretary of the navy and finally, Judah P. Benjamin was elected to the position of Confederate States Attorney General.

(Well guys stay toon for the next chapter that will be very long and crucial for the TL)​

 

[Just a Turteldove Fan]

Chapter 2:
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John C. Breckinridge knew that if he wanted to win this war for the confederacy he had to act fast. All the different federal buildings, railroad stations, and telegraph stations were already seized by the confederacy as soon as the succession act was passed in the current states of the confederacy. The forts had been seized as well. So the main issue that the confederacy faced was Fort Sumpter and Fort Pickens. Both were forts garrisoned by Union troops in the Confederate territory. And this was a serious issue because if the confederacy wished to gain international recognition it would need to assert full sovereignty over its claimed territory. It also needed an army to protect its territory and so John got to work. The first thing he did after assembling his cabinet was to call for 50.000 volunteers that were to serve for 5 months. Breckinridge had hopes that a peaceful solution could be reached between the Union and the confederacy. But he did know that this idea was more of a dream than a real possibility. In his speech, Breckinridge claimed numerous times that war was a last-ditch option and it was to be used only if the Union threaten the South sovereignty. Jefferson Davis was ordered to organize this new confederate army.

With this issue solved Breckinridge turned to politics, in the following days he passed some bills through congress and organized the government. And you will ask. what was the Union doing? Well, the Union was idle, mainly because of president Buchanan's unwillingness to take action. He firmly believed that it was his successor's responsibility to deal with the situation. And so he remained idle as the Union crumbled.
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James Buchanan, the worst president of the US
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But now let us turn our focus to other matters. Jonh knew perfectly the South needed the high South support if it wished to present battle to the Union. This was mainly because the deep south had weapons manufacture nor that much railways nor industry. So the high South, especially Virginia needed to join the confederacy. And John knew that I the secession didn't succeed in Virginia the Confederacy was doomed. So he tried desperately to win the Virginia support. But it was a fruitless action as Virginia didn't secede from the Union. This was mainly because of one factor, moderates in the state didn't want to take part or start a conflict. They wished to reach a deal between the federal government and the South so the country didn't experience a civil war. But the moderates were no that unionist that they will go to war with their sister states, in fact, they were willing to broke off from the Union if the South forcefully returned to the Union. So Virginia declared neutrality, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and Delaware did the same.


And then on the 4th of March in 1861 Lincoln was inaugurated as president of the Union. And as soon as this happened Lincoln got to work, he knew he had to save the Union but he also knew that he could not try and force the confederacy to come back because that will trigger the border states. So knowing he could do almost nothing, he sent a convoy to reinforce Fort Sumpter, which was being besieged by General P. G. T. Beauregard. But when the convoy tried to enter inside Charleston it was repelled back by the Confederate Cannons. The situation in Fort Sumter was helpless as the Union Garrison had zero opportunity to hold without those reinforcements. But Mayor Robert Anderson was not going to surrender the fort so easily. So when P. G. T. Beauregard finally run out of patience and asked for the fort surrender, Anderson refused. Soon after the fort was bombarded by Confederate artillery. Anderson was forced to surrender, the civil war had begun.

Fort Sumter being bombarded​

 

[Anarch King of Dipsodes]

the convention finally decided to elect a man from Kentucky, John C. Breckinridge.

Not gonna happen.

In the first place, Breckinridge is still Vice President of the United States.

In the second place, Kentucky has not declared secession, nor joined the CSA, so Breckinridge is not even a Confederate citizen.

In the third place, Breckinridge is not a declared secessionist.

he indeed had a very rich political carrier having being a senator

Breckinridge was a former US Representative. He was elected to the US Senate in 1861, for the term beginning 4 March 1861, i.e. after the establishment of the CSA. (Later in 1861 he was expelled from the Senate for alleged pro-Confederate actions. When Kentucky neutrality ended, he went south with the "Orphan Brigade".)

 

[Just a Turteldove Fan]

Not gonna happen.

In the first place, Breckinridge is still Vice President of the United States.

In the second place, Kentucky has not declared secession, nor joined the CSA, so Breckinridge is not even a Confederate citizen.

In the third place, Breckinridge is not a declared secessionist.


Breckinridge was a former US Representative. He was elected to the US Senate in 1861, for the term beginning 4 March 1861, i.e. after the establishment of the CSA. (Later in 1861 he was expelled from the Senate for alleged pro-Confederate actions. When Kentucky neutrality ended, he went south with the "Orphan Brigade".)

Well, I knew that he is technically vice-president. But he could resing once the confederacy secedes. In this timeline, the objective is to explore what if Kentucky joined the confederacy because its neutrality is violated by a glory-hungry union officer such as Mclellan. Having a Kentuckian as president is much more likely. Also, Breckinridge in this timelines is more close to the confederacy and succession.