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Hi all!

So I've been playing around with an idea that I might flesh out into a novel for National Novel Writing Month and I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

A while back, I read Harold Holzer's excellent book, Lincoln: President Elect which is about Lincoln's role in Secession Winter (the time before Lincoln was President when the southern states seceded) which got me thinking about then-President James Buchanan's unwillingness in those months from the election to the inauguration to intervene to stop the southern states from seceding. I couldn't help but believe that Andrew Jackson would probably have called in the Army (or at least threatened to do so) to prevent any secession from occurring.

So here's my point of departure: What if James Buchanan had threatened to send in the Army when South Carolina seceded? What would have turned out differently? Does the war go more or less the same but a few months sooner? Does South Carolina still secede but with far less support? How does Lincoln react?

Appreciate your thoughts.
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