Black Warrior Banter: Pre-TL Discussion

I have another question as well, what generals would fight in this war? I hate to admit it but I'm not very well versed on military science. How does a general get instructed to command an army and is there a way I can look up the US army in 1854 and see what army was where and who was commanding it? It sounds like a dumb question but I have to ask.
 
I have another question as well, what generals would fight in this war? I hate to admit it but I'm not very well versed on military science. How does a general get instructed to command an army and is there a way I can look up the US army in 1854 and see what army was where and who was commanding it? It sounds like a dumb question but I have to ask.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...ducated_at_the_United_States_Military_Academy

Obviously anyone before your POD and anyone enrolled during it; all your principles from the Civil War are more or less involved, so your Lee, Scott, Meade, Sherman, Hancock, Johnston, Beauregard, Grant, etc. are all there. You'll also have a couple of older guys who didn't quite make it to 1861; Commodore Matthew C. Perry comes to mind along with Commodore David Conner. These will be your guys your this war, as both were decorated naval commanders and both engineered the amphibious assault on Veracruz in 1847, experience that will prove crucial for Cuba and the other Spanish islands. Depending on your POD, Franklin Pierce may also be called into service for the US. Some other guys that come to mind aside from the Civil War generation (and others who served, like John Wool) are Generals David Twiggs, Quartermaster General Thomas Jesup, and Commodore Stockton. John C. Fremont is also around.
 
I mean keep the 36'30 line in addition to the new territories.

So IOW, the Spanish Caribbean + New Mexico Territory, because that was the only part of the Mexican Cession that was largely below 36' 30".

Also, I'm pretty sure the South would be ok with that because with the Kansas-Nebraska Act Kansas was the only slave territory the South realistically expected to get out of that, Nebraska was basically thrown in to be a fig leaf for popular sovereignty because it was not suitable for plantation agriculture and therefore could be safely assumed to vote to be free...
 
Yep. That might preserve the union for awhile, especially since the tension of the "southern way of life" (BS as it may be) isn't under attack. Of course, the North will need some concessions, such as repealer of the fugitive slave law, maybe slavery being illegal in DC, etc.

You'll also need to avoid judicial extremism and certainly avoid anything remotely resembling the Dred Scott decision. That's, in my mind, the line in the sand moment. Obviously that case may be butterflied away but that decision in any case can't be handed down otherwise this won't work.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_...ducated_at_the_United_States_Military_Academy

Obviously anyone before your POD and anyone enrolled during it; all your principles from the Civil War are more or less involved, so your Lee, Scott, Meade, Sherman, Hancock, Johnston, Beauregard, Grant, etc. are all there. You'll also have a couple of older guys who didn't quite make it to 1861; Commodore Matthew C. Perry comes to mind along with Commodore David Conner. These will be your guys your this war, as both were decorated naval commanders and both engineered the amphibious assault on Veracruz in 1847, experience that will prove crucial for Cuba and the other Spanish islands. Depending on your POD, Franklin Pierce may also be called into service for the US. Some other guys that come to mind aside from the Civil War generation (and others who served, like John Wool) are Generals David Twiggs, Quartermaster General Thomas Jesup, and Commodore Stockton. John C. Fremont is also around.

I spent all day at work looking up different generals. My personal favourite is Winfield Scott. Really interesting dude. One of the most generaly looking general I've seen.
 
Wasn't Perry in Hong Kong in 1854? I could see him being called back to the states, but it would take a long while.

Correct.

I spent all day at work looking up different generals. My personal favourite is Winfield Scott. Really interesting dude. One of the most generaly looking general I've seen.

Indeed. Unlike the Civil War, he may be able to actually command forces in the field. I have to suspect that, despite his 1852 loss, another war victory may allow him to win in 1856 if he desired to run again. His anti-slavery tendencies but southern origin and undoubted status as a great American may get him a victory. This is, of course, if Pierce doesn't want to be President again, but I suspect he would, and he'd probably win.
 
Correct.



Indeed. Unlike the Civil War, he may be able to actually command forces in the field. I have to suspect that, despite his 1852 loss, another war victory may allow him to win in 1856 if he desired to run again. His anti-slavery tendencies but southern origin and undoubted status as a great American may get him a victory. This is, of course, if Pierce doesn't want to be President again, but I suspect he would, and he'd probably win.

No doubt about Pierce, he was furious that he wasn't picked by his own party for reelection in 1856. What about a vice presidential pick? Since the Pierce Administration lacked a VP after William King's death, do you think Scott would make a solid choice?
 
Pierce and Scott wouldn't work as bedfellows. If you sideline Kansas-Nebraska you can assume Douglas has been made irrelevant.

Since Pierce of course is a New Hampshire man, so any southerner will do. Breckinridge is always a good choice, especially if he serves against Spain. You could get cute and have him die and instead opt for either an OTL minor individual who distinguishes themselves in war or somebody like Lee or Joseph E. Johnston.

It also depends how you want Pierce to frame this. If he's going with the idea that sectional division has been destroyed forever (surely naive), he could go with somebody from the border states like John Bell or also somebody like Sam Houston, provided either man would agree to it.
 
Pierce and Scott wouldn't work as bedfellows. If you sideline Kansas-Nebraska you can assume Douglas has been made irrelevant.

Noted. But how would Kansas-Nebraska be sidelined? The legislation was signed before the date of the Affair(February 28), if I'm not wrong.

EDIT: After looking it up, yeah, it would be sidelined by the war, for sure. It didn't get passed until March 30th. Thats interesting.
 
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