Did the CSA want Southern California as a state or just for the war?

The Confederates wanted Southern California, but in what capacity just to yield the state for it's resources during the war and give it back to the USA in the peace negotiations or did they want the southern half of it after the war and make it a state
 

Skallagrim

Banned
They obviously wanted it as a state (not that this was anywhere near a realistic prospect). Even beforehand, there had been attempts (by a small pro-slavery minority) to split off Southern California and turn it into a separate slave state. The idea of the slave states going all the way from coast to coast was just inherently tempting to them, and the notion of going independent made it even more tempting ("a Pacific coastline is better for our country").

Regarding negotiations, one must understand that the leading Southern stance was "We will soundly defeat the damn Yankees, and then all the slave states will flock to our cause, and we'll be the ones dictating terms!" -- And the occasional cool-headed Southern politician, who knew this was never going to happen, was too sane to waste any thoughts on the pipe dream of Confederate California.
 
Southern California had a fair few Confederate sympathizers, but they were nearly all chased out of state by the much larger pro-Union faction from Northern California. Southern California was also more pro-Mexican during the Mexican-American War.

At any rate, since most of the state's infrastructure, government, and economic power was based in Northern California, any Confederate movement was always doomed to failure.
 
The Confederates wanted Southern California, but in what capacity just to yield the state for it's resources during the war and give it back to the USA in the peace negotiations or did they want the southern half of it after the war and make it a state

The Confederates wanted California for a state. They wanted a route for a southern transcontinental railroad, the mineral wealth, and possibly additional land for growing cotton. Considering Confederate logistics, the march from New Mexico to California would probably have a lot in common with Hannibal crossing the Alps - half the Confederate troops dead. Unlike Hannibal, there wouldn't be any equivalent of the Gallic allies that replaced his depleted ranks - only a few dozen Californians joined the Confederate army. Over 15,000 Californians served in the Union Army, so a Confederate expeditionary force in California would probably have to win multiple battles outnumbered 5-to-1 or worse.

The Confederates did not have any commanders good enough to do that. The smartest thing Sibley did in the whole campaign was not marching west to California.
 
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