AHC: Have Jefferson Davis stay with the Union

Not much would change I imagine, except that maybe there's a chance he gets picked as Lincoln's VP in 1864 rather then Johnson; that'd be interesting.
 
Not much would change I imagine, except that maybe there's a chance he gets picked as Lincoln's VP in 1864 rather then Johnson; that'd be interesting.

Tennessee was much closer to the union than Mississippi.

Anyway, I'm not sure if Davis would be a War Democrat in this issue.
 
Tennessee was much closer to the union than Mississippi.

Anyway, I'm not sure if Davis would be a War Democrat in this issue.

True, but Johnson became famous for being the only Senator from a seceded state to stay with the Union, if he's not the only one, he may not receive the same fame he did OTL, I am unsure through.

As for Davis, It depends on how things go, Davis was Secretary of War, so he knew full well that the South didn't have the capability to fight a war with the North, it's possible that if he stayed with the Union his position on the issue would change; I can't say for sure.
 
True, but Johnson became famous for being the only Senator from a seceded state to stay with the Union, if he's not the only one, he may not receive the same fame he did OTL, I am unsure through.

Andrew Johnson also gained fame by being the effective military governor of Tennessee from 1862 to 1865, which Lincoln was reportedly impressed by.
 
He was the most prominent Southern Unionist from Tennessee OTL, if he's still around, Lincoln might still appoint him.

Fair enough point, through back to Davis.

I'm not really sure what he could do if he remained in the Union, there's a few possibilities for him, especially as the last Congressman from the Deep South to remain (in this scenario), but he may just end up remaining in the Senate.
 
What would be necessary to have Davis stay with the Union? For the Republicans to abandon all their principles and embrace the Crittenden "Compromise." Davis was not a "secessionist per se" like Rhett or Ruffin who were just looking for some excuse to break up the Union; he was sincere when he spoke of his love for the Union; but it would only be a Union that would respect his idea of Southern Rights, and this was just not possible after Lincoln's election.
 
What would be necessary to have Davis stay with the Union? For the Republicans to abandon all their principles and embrace the Crittenden "Compromise." Davis was not a "secessionist per se" like Rhett or Ruffin who were just looking for some excuse to break up the Union; he was sincere when he spoke of his love for the Union; but it would only be a Union that would respect his idea of Southern Rights, and this was just not possible after Lincoln's election.

So, Davis might be closer aligned to a Copperhead?

Still, the idea of Davis as VP instead of Johnson is appealing.
 

Delta Force

Banned
Jefferson Davis was the Secretary of War under President Pierce and executed a program to modernize and enlarge the Army and Navy based on lessons learned in the Mexican-American War. One of his successors as Secretary of War, Joseph Holt, served during the final months of the Buchanan Administration and was appointed the Judge Advocate General of the United States Army by President Lincoln (Holt had previously been a lawyer). Holt was also considered as a potential Vice Presidential nominee by Lincoln.

Given this, if Davis stays loyal it is likely he might also receive a high ranking position in the military. Perhaps Davis could be placed in charge of procurement, with McClellan in charge of training and recruitment?
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
All of this requires a significant change of personality for Jefferson Davis in the years leading up to the war. He was never a Fire-Eater like Robert Rhett or William Yancey, but he was a strong defender of the South's constitutional right to maintain slavery and defended the right of secession.
 
All of this requires a significant change of personality for Jefferson Davis in the years leading up to the war. He was never a Fire-Eater like Robert Rhett or William Yancey, but he was a strong defender of the South's constitutional right to maintain slavery and defended the right of secession.

Is it possible to assume that maybe he has a better relationship with Zachery Taylor, and maybe Davis marriage to Taylor's daughter who survives, may moderate his views?

Its a stretch, but Taylor was a Union man.
 
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