Ficboy
Banned
I've written up an alternate history timeline of sorts on Google Docs called Arrival of the Crisis (named after a quote said by Henry Clay when he was talking about Texas and it's territorial claims to New Mexico).
So here is basically the main synopsis/story of Arrival of the Crisis
Henry Clay dies of a stroke from his worsening health and tuberculosis in January 21, 1850 (which in OTL he did have albeit survived long enough for the Compromise of 1850) thus he never gets the chance to unveil the Compromise of 1850 on January 29, 1850 to the United States Senate and the Senators of the North and South are stuck making up their own measures on the territories and District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) but never come close to an actual compromise.
Meanwhile, Texas had been attempting to claim half of New Mexico including Santa Fe for themselves since 1848 when George T. Wood sent Spruce Baird a lawyer to claim the territory even going so far as to hold a meeting but needless to say it fails but two years later in 1850 Peter Hansborough Bell will send Robert Simpson Neighbors to claim this territory once again first he organized El Paso County for the state and by the time he gets to Santa Fe he speaks Colonel John Munroe asking him to concede the area to Texas but he declines to which the Texan responds that there will be military force as the proper course of action for the state and later he speaks with Judge Joab Houghton (the de facto governor of the New Mexico Territory) but he warns him he will maintain the present government and that anyone who attempts to enforce Texas' laws upon New Mexico will be arrested. Unsuccessful in convincing John Munroe and Joab Houghton to hand over Santa Fe and half of New Mexico to Texas, Robert Simpson Neighbors goes back to his home state and arrives in the capital Austin he asks Peter Hansborough Bell to send a Texas Ranger militia to seize the areas by force to which he approves and by August he will hold a special session that allows two regiments to be sent to capture Santa Fe, New Mexico while there are six commanders ready for the expedition . Zachary Taylor prior to his death already knew that Texas was going to seize half of New Mexico so he tells Colonel John Munroe and George A. McCall's garrison to protect the region later Millard Fillmore in a speech warns Texas that if they entered New Mexico or any other state with a militia then they would be regarded as intruders and Winfield Scott will send 750 troops to the garrison in Santa Fe, New Mexico with orders to stop Texas from seizing it".
The Nashville Convention still occurs between June 3-11, 1850 as is in OTL. But the big differences between the OTL version and the ITTL version is that the latter while not ending in immediate secession ends on a more slightly secessionist tone with no Compromise of 1850.
The boiling point in this timeline is Texas sending it's militia to Santa Fe, New Mexico and as soon as they arrive there they get fired upon on by John Munroe and George A. McCall of the United States thus it resulted in the Battle of Santa Fe which results in a victory for the former and it will have deeper repercussions later on.
News of the Battle of Santa Fe basically spreads across the United States some of whom expected this clash of arms to occur. Northern Free-Soilers and Whigs praise the United States military from attempting to stop Texas militia from seizing Santa Fe, New Mexico while Southern Whigs and Democrats are otherwise outraged at this incident while Northern Democrats are more ambivalent about it. The Battle of Santa Fe also led to a breakdown in party lines in the North and the South with Democrats and Whigs choosing their sectional loyalties. South Carolina would be the first Southern state to form it's own militia for the expressed purpose of defending the state from outside threats by $350,000 and soon Georgia as well followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri between 1850-1851. The Second Nashville Convention is held in November 1850 this time with more delegates from other states such as Louisiana, North Carolina and Arkansas and opinion was slowly moving towards additionally much like the First Nashville Convention many major Southern politicians attended.
Georgia would later host the Milledgeville Convention in December 1850 (which would have been the Unionist Georgia Platform in OTL after the Compromise of 1850). Delegates from the state adopted resolutions against
The Northern Conscience Whigs and Free Soilers formed their own coalition while the Northern Douglas Democrats would run independent while Southern Cotton Whigs and Democrats formed the Southern Rights' Party. The Northern Conscience Whig-Free Soiler Coalition nominated rising Senator William H. Seward of New York and Horace Greeley as their candidates while the Northern Democrats chose Stephen Douglas and Lewis Cass and the Southern Rights' Party chose Jefferson Davis and Alexander H. Stephens. The Northern Conscience Whig-Free Soiler Coalition holds it's convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Northern Democrats have their convention in Chicago, Illinois and the Southern Rights Party would hold it's convention in Charleston, South Carolina. All three parties hold rallies in cities such as New York City, Chicago, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Richmond, Charleston, Nashville, New Orleans, Natchez, Austin and other cities in the North and South respectively.
The Northern Conscience Whig-Free Soiler Coalition wins New York, all of New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire), Pennsylvania, Delaware and Ohio while the Northern Democrats win Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa and the Southern Cotton Whig-Democrat Coalition wins South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and Maryland. The Northern Conscience Whig-Free Soiler Coalition won the election with 123 votes over the Northern Democrats who had only 39 votes, the Southern Rights' Party did not participate in the election due to intersectional tensions after the Battle of Santa Fe. Maryland was the only state won by the Southern Rights Party to not form it's own militia owing to it's legislature not being pro-secession and the declining slave population as well as a notable free black community centered in Baltimore though there did exist a substantial pro-Southern contingent that existed in the state. Baltimore, Maryland also held the notable distinction of being the only city visited by the Conscience Whigs-Free Soilers, Douglas Democrats and the Southern Rightists during the 1852 presidential election.
Meanwhile, John Pope was sent to recapture the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico which was under occupation from Texas and he successfully drove out the Texans. News of this event spread to both North and South already fanning the flames of what was already burning sectional tension.
In March 23, 1853, Delegates from all over the South met in Charleston, South Carolina at the Institute Hall in what became known as the Charleston Convention. Politicians from the states Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and of course South Carolina gathered around to announce the formation of a new nation known as the Confederate States of America (CSA). A flag known as the Southern Cross (the one we know from the Army of Northern Virginia in OTL) and a Great Seal (a Southern yeoman and soldier together surrounded by a church, a woman and mountains with a wreath that had corn, cotton, tobacco, rice and sugar cane) were adopted as national symbols of the newly formed Confederate States of America (CSA) otherwise known as the Confederacy and Dixie. "To Arms Dixie" by Albert Pike a Massachusetts-born native of Arkansas would later become the national anthem of the Confederate States of America (CSA). Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens were chosen to lead the Confederacy given their popularity in the South (like in OTL).
President William Seward of the United States of America (USA) now had a crisis on his hands, the Confederate States of America (CSA) was officially formed with 13 states (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri and Kentucky) with their own government and military. After being informed by Horace Greeley about the situation, William Seward would meet with Winfield Scott about on how to deal with the Confederates.
The Confederate States of America (CSA) would select Richmond, Virginia as it's capital because it was the home of Tredegar Iron Works a significant Southern industrial facility in an otherwise agricultural region after some debates that involved Charleston, South Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee as candidates. Jefferson Davis made the Executive Mansion (aka the White House of the Confederacy) his personal residence for him, his family and administration. The Confederate States also began integrating the pre-existing Southern militias into their military but their navy was a work in progress with them utilizing shipyards in New Orleans, Louisiana and Norfolk, Virginia to build their ships. The Confederacy also had Joseph E. Johnston, P.G.T. Beauregard, Albert Sidney Johnston, Richard Ewell, J.E.B. Stuart, James Longstreet, Edmund Kirby Smith, Richard Ewell and David E. Twiggs as their major generals.
William Seward then crafted a war plan with Winfield Scott to target major Confederate cities such as Richmond, New Orleans, Norfolk and Louisville as well as areas where there had existed some Union loyalty though quelled by the anti-Northern sentiments of the South such as East Tennessee, East Kentucky, West Virginia, and Northern Alabama.
Soon the United States and the Confederate States clashed for the first time in Centreville, Fairfax County, Virginia in what became known as the Battle of Centreville or the Battle of Fairfax. The Confederates emerged victorious against the Americans in the Battle of Centreville/Battle of Fairfax and thus the War of Confederate Independence/War of the Southern Rebellion began. Other battles would be fought on land near Virginia, Kentucky and Maryland as well as naval battles off the coast of the Confederate States of America (CSA) but in the end they emerged victorious and secured their independence.
Right now, I've covered portions of my timeline. For research on Arrival of the Crisis I read America's Great Debate by Fergus M. Bordewich, On the Brink of Civil War by John C. Waugh, Prologue to Conflict by Holman Hamilton, The Taylor-Neighbors Struggle Over the Upper Rio Grand Region of Texas in 1850 by Kenneth F. Neighbors of the Texas Historical Association, Texas, New Mexico and the Compromise of 1850 by Mark J. Steigmeier and historical newspapers such as the Texas State Gazette, The New York Daily Tribune, the Richmond Enquirer
The differences between the 1853-1855 Civil War vs the 1861-1865 Civil War of OTL would be quite noticeable as you'll see right here:
1. Little to no railroad usage: If you look at a map of railroads in 1850 vs 1860 then there is a stark contrast between the two. 1850 railroads were few and far between while 1860 railroads were more common because of this the American and Confederate armies will have to rely living off the land similar to the American Revolutionary War.
2. No Ironclads: Historically speaking, ironclads emerged in 1861 used mostly by the Union and occasionally the Confederacy. Ironclads were also used by Winfield Scott for the Anaconda Plan. Since this Civil War in Arrival of the Crisis is different from it's OTL counterpart, there aren't going to be any ironclads which means the Anaconda Plan or whatever equivalent plan exists if at all is going to executed in a different fashion.
3. No telegraph system: The telegraph did exist in 1850 but the system based off it didn't come into fruition until 1861. The Civil War in Arrival of the Crisis has no telegraph system for the Americans and Confederates to use.
4. The United States itself: The nation seen in this timeline doesn't have the extensive railroad system, ironclads or legislation such as the Legal Tender Act, the Homestead Act, the Railroad Act and the Morill-Grant Land Acts in 1853-1855.
5. The United States fires the first shot: Since Texas chose to seize Santa Fe, New Mexico in the timeline, the United States will fire upon them to prevent the area from falling into enemy hands.
6. Secession sentiment in the Border States: Missouri and Kentucky are part of the Confederate States of America (CSA) in Arrival of the Crisis unlike their OTL counterparts who stayed in the United States of America (USA) instead. Missouri in particular doesn't have it's key city St. Louis have the Irish and German immigrants dwarf the native Southern Anglo population and Kentucky and Kentucky has it's Unionist sentiments soon dwindle after the Battle of Santa Fe in favor of the Secessionists.
7. A very different President: Given that Millard Fillmore was responsible for sending the American garrison at Santa Fe, New Mexico and the sectional tension that came afterwards suffice to say he won't be running for another term and someone else will have to take over mainly a Northerner and possibly a Conscience Whig/Free Soiler or Douglas Democrat regardless they'll be very different in dealing with the Confederate States. I chose William Seward for this scenario given his sentiments.
The major generals of both factions:
Confederacy: David E. Twiggs, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, James Longstreet, Albert Sidney Johnston, Braxton Bragg, J.E.B. Stuart, William S. Harney, George H. Thomas and Persifor Smith
America: John E. Wool, Winfield Scott, George Meade, Don Carlos Buell, George B. McClellan, Ambrose Burnside, Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, Winfield Scott Hancock, Irvin McDowell and John Pope
If there are any errors/mistakes I've made in regards to certain details or if you have any more details to add to this timeline you can send me feedback.
So here is basically the main synopsis/story of Arrival of the Crisis
Henry Clay dies of a stroke from his worsening health and tuberculosis in January 21, 1850 (which in OTL he did have albeit survived long enough for the Compromise of 1850) thus he never gets the chance to unveil the Compromise of 1850 on January 29, 1850 to the United States Senate and the Senators of the North and South are stuck making up their own measures on the territories and District of Columbia (Washington D.C.) but never come close to an actual compromise.
Meanwhile, Texas had been attempting to claim half of New Mexico including Santa Fe for themselves since 1848 when George T. Wood sent Spruce Baird a lawyer to claim the territory even going so far as to hold a meeting but needless to say it fails but two years later in 1850 Peter Hansborough Bell will send Robert Simpson Neighbors to claim this territory once again first he organized El Paso County for the state and by the time he gets to Santa Fe he speaks Colonel John Munroe asking him to concede the area to Texas but he declines to which the Texan responds that there will be military force as the proper course of action for the state and later he speaks with Judge Joab Houghton (the de facto governor of the New Mexico Territory) but he warns him he will maintain the present government and that anyone who attempts to enforce Texas' laws upon New Mexico will be arrested. Unsuccessful in convincing John Munroe and Joab Houghton to hand over Santa Fe and half of New Mexico to Texas, Robert Simpson Neighbors goes back to his home state and arrives in the capital Austin he asks Peter Hansborough Bell to send a Texas Ranger militia to seize the areas by force to which he approves and by August he will hold a special session that allows two regiments to be sent to capture Santa Fe, New Mexico while there are six commanders ready for the expedition . Zachary Taylor prior to his death already knew that Texas was going to seize half of New Mexico so he tells Colonel John Munroe and George A. McCall's garrison to protect the region later Millard Fillmore in a speech warns Texas that if they entered New Mexico or any other state with a militia then they would be regarded as intruders and Winfield Scott will send 750 troops to the garrison in Santa Fe, New Mexico with orders to stop Texas from seizing it".
The Nashville Convention still occurs between June 3-11, 1850 as is in OTL. But the big differences between the OTL version and the ITTL version is that the latter while not ending in immediate secession ends on a more slightly secessionist tone with no Compromise of 1850.
The boiling point in this timeline is Texas sending it's militia to Santa Fe, New Mexico and as soon as they arrive there they get fired upon on by John Munroe and George A. McCall of the United States thus it resulted in the Battle of Santa Fe which results in a victory for the former and it will have deeper repercussions later on.
News of the Battle of Santa Fe basically spreads across the United States some of whom expected this clash of arms to occur. Northern Free-Soilers and Whigs praise the United States military from attempting to stop Texas militia from seizing Santa Fe, New Mexico while Southern Whigs and Democrats are otherwise outraged at this incident while Northern Democrats are more ambivalent about it. The Battle of Santa Fe also led to a breakdown in party lines in the North and the South with Democrats and Whigs choosing their sectional loyalties. South Carolina would be the first Southern state to form it's own militia for the expressed purpose of defending the state from outside threats by $350,000 and soon Georgia as well followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri between 1850-1851. The Second Nashville Convention is held in November 1850 this time with more delegates from other states such as Louisiana, North Carolina and Arkansas and opinion was slowly moving towards additionally much like the First Nashville Convention many major Southern politicians attended.
Georgia would later host the Milledgeville Convention in December 1850 (which would have been the Unionist Georgia Platform in OTL after the Compromise of 1850). Delegates from the state adopted resolutions against
The Northern Conscience Whigs and Free Soilers formed their own coalition while the Northern Douglas Democrats would run independent while Southern Cotton Whigs and Democrats formed the Southern Rights' Party. The Northern Conscience Whig-Free Soiler Coalition nominated rising Senator William H. Seward of New York and Horace Greeley as their candidates while the Northern Democrats chose Stephen Douglas and Lewis Cass and the Southern Rights' Party chose Jefferson Davis and Alexander H. Stephens. The Northern Conscience Whig-Free Soiler Coalition holds it's convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Northern Democrats have their convention in Chicago, Illinois and the Southern Rights Party would hold it's convention in Charleston, South Carolina. All three parties hold rallies in cities such as New York City, Chicago, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Richmond, Charleston, Nashville, New Orleans, Natchez, Austin and other cities in the North and South respectively.
The Northern Conscience Whig-Free Soiler Coalition wins New York, all of New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire), Pennsylvania, Delaware and Ohio while the Northern Democrats win Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa and the Southern Cotton Whig-Democrat Coalition wins South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Virginia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri and Maryland. The Northern Conscience Whig-Free Soiler Coalition won the election with 123 votes over the Northern Democrats who had only 39 votes, the Southern Rights' Party did not participate in the election due to intersectional tensions after the Battle of Santa Fe. Maryland was the only state won by the Southern Rights Party to not form it's own militia owing to it's legislature not being pro-secession and the declining slave population as well as a notable free black community centered in Baltimore though there did exist a substantial pro-Southern contingent that existed in the state. Baltimore, Maryland also held the notable distinction of being the only city visited by the Conscience Whigs-Free Soilers, Douglas Democrats and the Southern Rightists during the 1852 presidential election.
Meanwhile, John Pope was sent to recapture the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico which was under occupation from Texas and he successfully drove out the Texans. News of this event spread to both North and South already fanning the flames of what was already burning sectional tension.
In March 23, 1853, Delegates from all over the South met in Charleston, South Carolina at the Institute Hall in what became known as the Charleston Convention. Politicians from the states Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and of course South Carolina gathered around to announce the formation of a new nation known as the Confederate States of America (CSA). A flag known as the Southern Cross (the one we know from the Army of Northern Virginia in OTL) and a Great Seal (a Southern yeoman and soldier together surrounded by a church, a woman and mountains with a wreath that had corn, cotton, tobacco, rice and sugar cane) were adopted as national symbols of the newly formed Confederate States of America (CSA) otherwise known as the Confederacy and Dixie. "To Arms Dixie" by Albert Pike a Massachusetts-born native of Arkansas would later become the national anthem of the Confederate States of America (CSA). Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens were chosen to lead the Confederacy given their popularity in the South (like in OTL).
President William Seward of the United States of America (USA) now had a crisis on his hands, the Confederate States of America (CSA) was officially formed with 13 states (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri and Kentucky) with their own government and military. After being informed by Horace Greeley about the situation, William Seward would meet with Winfield Scott about on how to deal with the Confederates.
The Confederate States of America (CSA) would select Richmond, Virginia as it's capital because it was the home of Tredegar Iron Works a significant Southern industrial facility in an otherwise agricultural region after some debates that involved Charleston, South Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee as candidates. Jefferson Davis made the Executive Mansion (aka the White House of the Confederacy) his personal residence for him, his family and administration. The Confederate States also began integrating the pre-existing Southern militias into their military but their navy was a work in progress with them utilizing shipyards in New Orleans, Louisiana and Norfolk, Virginia to build their ships. The Confederacy also had Joseph E. Johnston, P.G.T. Beauregard, Albert Sidney Johnston, Richard Ewell, J.E.B. Stuart, James Longstreet, Edmund Kirby Smith, Richard Ewell and David E. Twiggs as their major generals.
William Seward then crafted a war plan with Winfield Scott to target major Confederate cities such as Richmond, New Orleans, Norfolk and Louisville as well as areas where there had existed some Union loyalty though quelled by the anti-Northern sentiments of the South such as East Tennessee, East Kentucky, West Virginia, and Northern Alabama.
Soon the United States and the Confederate States clashed for the first time in Centreville, Fairfax County, Virginia in what became known as the Battle of Centreville or the Battle of Fairfax. The Confederates emerged victorious against the Americans in the Battle of Centreville/Battle of Fairfax and thus the War of Confederate Independence/War of the Southern Rebellion began. Other battles would be fought on land near Virginia, Kentucky and Maryland as well as naval battles off the coast of the Confederate States of America (CSA) but in the end they emerged victorious and secured their independence.
Right now, I've covered portions of my timeline. For research on Arrival of the Crisis I read America's Great Debate by Fergus M. Bordewich, On the Brink of Civil War by John C. Waugh, Prologue to Conflict by Holman Hamilton, The Taylor-Neighbors Struggle Over the Upper Rio Grand Region of Texas in 1850 by Kenneth F. Neighbors of the Texas Historical Association, Texas, New Mexico and the Compromise of 1850 by Mark J. Steigmeier and historical newspapers such as the Texas State Gazette, The New York Daily Tribune, the Richmond Enquirer
The differences between the 1853-1855 Civil War vs the 1861-1865 Civil War of OTL would be quite noticeable as you'll see right here:
1. Little to no railroad usage: If you look at a map of railroads in 1850 vs 1860 then there is a stark contrast between the two. 1850 railroads were few and far between while 1860 railroads were more common because of this the American and Confederate armies will have to rely living off the land similar to the American Revolutionary War.
2. No Ironclads: Historically speaking, ironclads emerged in 1861 used mostly by the Union and occasionally the Confederacy. Ironclads were also used by Winfield Scott for the Anaconda Plan. Since this Civil War in Arrival of the Crisis is different from it's OTL counterpart, there aren't going to be any ironclads which means the Anaconda Plan or whatever equivalent plan exists if at all is going to executed in a different fashion.
3. No telegraph system: The telegraph did exist in 1850 but the system based off it didn't come into fruition until 1861. The Civil War in Arrival of the Crisis has no telegraph system for the Americans and Confederates to use.
4. The United States itself: The nation seen in this timeline doesn't have the extensive railroad system, ironclads or legislation such as the Legal Tender Act, the Homestead Act, the Railroad Act and the Morill-Grant Land Acts in 1853-1855.
5. The United States fires the first shot: Since Texas chose to seize Santa Fe, New Mexico in the timeline, the United States will fire upon them to prevent the area from falling into enemy hands.
6. Secession sentiment in the Border States: Missouri and Kentucky are part of the Confederate States of America (CSA) in Arrival of the Crisis unlike their OTL counterparts who stayed in the United States of America (USA) instead. Missouri in particular doesn't have it's key city St. Louis have the Irish and German immigrants dwarf the native Southern Anglo population and Kentucky and Kentucky has it's Unionist sentiments soon dwindle after the Battle of Santa Fe in favor of the Secessionists.
7. A very different President: Given that Millard Fillmore was responsible for sending the American garrison at Santa Fe, New Mexico and the sectional tension that came afterwards suffice to say he won't be running for another term and someone else will have to take over mainly a Northerner and possibly a Conscience Whig/Free Soiler or Douglas Democrat regardless they'll be very different in dealing with the Confederate States. I chose William Seward for this scenario given his sentiments.
The major generals of both factions:
Confederacy: David E. Twiggs, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, James Longstreet, Albert Sidney Johnston, Braxton Bragg, J.E.B. Stuart, William S. Harney, George H. Thomas and Persifor Smith
America: John E. Wool, Winfield Scott, George Meade, Don Carlos Buell, George B. McClellan, Ambrose Burnside, Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, Winfield Scott Hancock, Irvin McDowell and John Pope
If there are any errors/mistakes I've made in regards to certain details or if you have any more details to add to this timeline you can send me feedback.
