AH Challenge: Confederacy lasts to 1866

Anaxagoras

Banned
With a POD no earlier than January 1, 1865, how can the Confederacy survive until January 1, 1866? By "survive", I mean still have a functioning government, with military forces in the field, and in control of some territory and cities.
 
I think this is simple as well. You somehow get Lee's Army of Virginia to link up with the Confederate army of the Carolinas and Lee fights one more, desperate campaign in North Carolina. The CSA is coming apart at the seams, but even at the end of the war the CSA still had large swaths of territory under its control. In this situation, you simply have the CSA government flee to distant parts (Texas?) and have the Confederates fight a 1865 campaign over the falling remnants of their nation--with KKK Paramilitaries and other scary partisan activity melding into the conflict.

In this case, the CSA simply continues to fail for an additional year, rather than quit the war after Robert E. Lee is beaten and calls for his troops to surrender.
 
Simple. The seige of Petersburg manages to continue for an extra year. Somehow...

I don't think that could work. The battle of Petersburg began on June 15, 1864. The Atlanta Campaign began on May 7, and ended on September 2. Once Atlanta falls, you are hardpressed to find any way to save the CSA for more then a year. As for the campaign itself, there is little way the Confederates can win it. The South doesnt have the resources to survive this blow, and the only place they can get the troops to defend the Western theatre is Northern VIrginia...
 
I don't think that could work. The battle of Petersburg began on June 15, 1864. The Atlanta Campaign began on May 7, and ended on September 2. Once Atlanta falls, you are hardpressed to find any way to save the CSA for more then a year. As for the campaign itself, there is little way the Confederates can win it. The South doesnt have the resources to survive this blow, and the only place they can get the troops to defend the Western theatre is Northern VIrginia...


We only have to extend the War into 1866. I gathered the Rebs, though, still lose. Now yes, having lost Atlanta, ensures the Rebs are on their last legs, in fact this was pretty much guaranteed the second they invaded Kentucky in the first place (see my essay on the topic), but once the the seige of Petersburg was broken, well the end took place within a matter of days. So that's obviously the key in getting some 8 extra months out of the War. Consequentially Joe Johnston must stop Sherman's advance through the Carolinas somehow, &/or fight his way to Lee in order to make a last stand together at Petersburg. Of cause what the Rebs have to eat, let alone use for ammunition, by this stage of the game, is anyone's guess.
 
I think you need Joe Johnston to keep command of the AOT in 1864 to achieve this.

By the time Davis realises in OTL his mistake in the appointment of Hood and dismissal of Johnston it is too late for Joe to make any real impact. However if Joe keeps his command in Georgia he can continue to fight Sherman as he was, whittling down Sherman's manpower while losing less men himself and stretching Sherman further into hostile territory and further from his supply base.

Sure Joe may never have crushed Sherman in such a scenario but by fighting only when he had a strong defensive advantage Joe is less likely to come out of it worse off.

And anyway Sherman may do another thing like Kennesaw Mountain...
 
And anyway Sherman may do another thing like Kennesaw Mountain...


Which was along the lines that I was starting to think along where something like this may happen if & when Sherman followed Johnston all the way to Petersburg. Having to been used to flanking and battles of manoeuvrer, for the last 18 months, Sherman could have forgotten about such lessons as Kennesaw Mountain & had a go at the Petersburg defences. Well if so we can expect a result akin to another Kennesaw Mountain or Cold Harbor, ensuring a few more months are added to the War.
 
During the Mexican-American War, the forts surrounding Veracruz are not silenced. Then, during the amphibious assault two of the many casualties could possibly be
-George Meade
-U.S. Grant

(Yup they were there)

It may take the Union a while to get some decent generals.
 
During the Mexican-American War, the forts surrounding Veracruz are not silenced. Then, during the amphibious assault two of the many casualties could possibly be
-George Meade
-U.S. Grant

(Yup they were there)

It may take the Union a while to get some decent generals.


So was Lee & Longstreet. So whilst we're bumping off Union generals, how about the Rebs get a few of their best wasted by Mexican bullets as well? ;)
 
Top