Abraham Lincoln assassinated in August 1863

Out of curiousity, why would the Union not partake in civilian massacres?(1) Is it out of respect or just so the African slaves wouldn't outnumber the whites in the South?(2) I can understand the latter, but that doesn't mean a few soldiers hear and there won't partake in revanchist killings not sanctioned by their commanders...(3)

But yep, the Confederacy will be doomed. There will be no quarter, Davis will be hanged on the spot wherever he's captured(4), and any remaining Confederate POWs will either take the loyalty oath or...well, they had better times before.(5)

(1) Because by and large the overwhelming majority of civilians left behind were the old, women, and children. This wasn't like the Tsar loosing Cossacks on unwanted populations. These were Americans. Southerners, but Americans. But as has been said, the whole of the South will get what South Carolina got IOTL, and South Carolina? Burned to the ground, from the Georgia state line to the North Carolina state line.

(2) No. I doubt that would enter their minds. What you are talking about can't be done by the horrors of massacre, anyway. The troops would revolt eventually, and/or the civilians would flee.

(3) It could happen in limited situations, but again, only to adult males.

(4) For his sake, he better not be wearing his wife's hat and shawl when they catch him.:D

(5) WHat does that mean?:confused:
 
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Solroc

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(1) Because by and large the overwhelming majority of civilians left behind were the old, women, and children. This wasn't like the Tsar loosing Cossacks on unwanted populations. These were Americans. Southerners, but Americans. But as has been said, the whole of the South will get what South Carolina got IOTL, and South Carolina? Burned to the ground, from the Georgia state line to the North Carolina state line.

(2) No. I doubt that would enter their minds. What you are talking about can't be done by the horrors of massacre, anyway. The troops would revolt eventually, and/or the civilians would flee.

(3) It could happen in limited situations, but again, only to adult males.

(4) For his sake, he better not be wearing his wife's hat and shawl when they catch him.:D

(5) WHat does that mean?:confused:

1.) Agreed, just making sure there was a reason to let them go despite supporting the rebellion.

2.) Point taken.

3.) Gotcha.

4.) I know, right? Assuming he does get caught after all...for all I know, he could live in exile in Mexico or some other country that is unassuming.

5.) Uh, yeah, that was something I just wrote aftwr finally getting hit with sleep stick... It does give me a question though, assuming most Confederate POWs will take the loyalty oath, what will happen to the ones who adamantly refuse? Will they just be imprisoned for life, executed, or otherwise?
 
1.) It does give me a question though, assuming most Confederate POWs will take the loyalty oath, what will happen to the ones who adamantly refuse? Will they just be imprisoned for life, executed, or otherwise?

Well, they won't be held prisoner after the war. That would mean supporting them at public expense, and postwar they'll be cutting spending every way they can.

Executing prisoners in cold blood is not a serious option in that era. After all, some of the officers are probably West Point classmates of Union ones, which will ensure them civilised treatment. And if you spare the oficers you can hardly execute the enlisted men. So in the end they just have to be let loose - though they may be disfranchised temporarily.
 
There weren't a whole lot of Confederate victories post-August 1863, save for Chickamauga.

And to all those talking about massacres of Southern civilians? No. The ACW wasn't that kind of war.* Frex, for all the casualties at Gettysburg, only one civilian, Jenny Wade, was killed (by accident).

*-Except when perpetrated by Southern troops against loyalist-unionist southerners, and Missouri guerrillas against Unionist civilians in Missouri and Kansas.

However, it will represent a line being crossed. Expect a lot of black flags to be raised in future battles. And a lot of Southern troops already in Union prisons to take the loyalty oath. Or else...:eek:

There was one exception in 1862, though the general officer was a Tsarist officer in his previous career and brought his bad habits with him. After the brouhaha the massacres for the rest of the were *were* Confederate-on-anti-Confederate. The Confederacy always played no holds barred, the Union took longer to do that.
 
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