DBWI: The Border States stayed loyal to the Union

ITTL the Civil war would...

  • ...still end in 1868

  • ...end in 1867

  • ...end in 1866

  • ...end in 1865

  • ...end in 1864


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IOTL Missouri, Kentucky, Delaware, Maryland and the Western counties of Virginia (who ironically were attempting to breakaway from Va. and form a Pro-Union "West Virginia" state) all had strong pro-Union sentiments (in spite of being slave states) in the buildup to the Civil War. However as we all know the secessionist camp won, and in April 1861 all 4 (5 if counting West Virginia) simultaneously seceded from the Union and immediately applied for statehood within the Confederacy. The evacuation of President Lincoln to Philadelphia from the now surrounded D.C. and the subsequent Battle of Fort Sumter would mark the beginning of 7 long years of Civil War that saw the North eventually triumph over the Confederacy.

But let's say the Unionist camp won. And the 4 border states (plus a newly founded "West Virginia") choose to remain loyal to the Union.

Below is a map I made detailing the scenario : (OOC - pretend the 1863 tag below W. Va. doesn't exist)

map2.gif


How would the Civil War go in this TL? How long would it last? Would Lincoln remain in D.C.? And what would post-war reconstruction be like under Honest Abe (assuming he doesn't get shot by some nutjob like Homer Simpson of OTL's 1868)?
 
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OOC: Sorry to pour cold water on this, but the federal government does not evacuate Washington or surrender control of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad unless the big army it has around Washington is defeated. In which case you might as well just have the CSA take Washington. Also, yes slavery was still legal in Delaware, but having it join the CSA is ridiculous; I can't even think of a semi-plausible POD for this to happen.

CSA controlled MO and KY are unlikely but doable, though again its very hard to get the US army out of St. Louis.
 

Saphroneth

Banned
OOC: Sorry to pour cold water on this, but the federal government does not evacuate Washington or surrender control of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad unless the big army it has around Washington is defeated. In which case you might as well just have the CSA take Washington. Also, yes slavery was still legal in Delaware, but having it join the CSA is ridiculous; I can't even think of a semi-plausible POD for this to happen.
OOC: If Maryland had successfully seceded then there isn't a big army in Washington to begin with. It took ten days to get the first four regiments to Washington OTL, and TTL they'd be stymied at Baltimore and not reach DC at all.
Accepting the premises of the DBWI, however, then I'm surprised the North won at all - the situation described would give the Confederacy some incredible advantages of position and give it close to the same economic strength as the Union.
 
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