Southern War of Independence; Alternate American Civil War Wikibox TL

1860 - Year of Turmoil

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The 1860 year saw one of the most disturbing presidential election in the American history (even more than 1901 presidential election during which presidential candidate was shot and despite his wounds continued speech) as anti-slavery Republican Party composed from ex-members of the Whig and Free Soil Party gained strong support from Northern abolitionists centered around moderate Republican Former Representative from Illinois Abraham Lincoln and his vicepresidential choice Hannibal Hamlin who won election gaining 180 Electoral votes and 39,5% popular vote thus defeating divided Democrat Party. Supported by Southern Democrats John Breckinridge "favourite son of Kentucky" gained electoral votes from all southern states except Missouri winning 111 of them and 18,3% popular vote. Backed by Northern Democrats Stephen A. Douglas won only state of Missouri despite gaining 29,5% popular vote while John Bell suffered devastating defeat losing his home state Tennessee to Breckinridge by 119 votes.

Douglas and Bell both claimed that Lincoln's election would not neccessary mean disunion but Southern states openly supported Breckinridge in order to protect states' rights and peculiar institution (euphemism describing slavery) against Republican Northener from Illinois (actually, Lincoln was from Kentucky just like Breckinridge and Jefferson Davis). Many people saw themselves as more Southern than American and were more willing to fight for their home states than Union just like General Robert E. Lee who at the beginning sided with Union but after Virginian secession resigned from command and arrived in Richmond where he was commisioned into Confederate States Army as Brigadier General. Another example of separatism was Major General Montgomery Meigs, Quartermaster General in Confederacy who defected after Georgian secession and became on of the important persons in the new state.

Secession began on December 20, 1861 when South Carolinian state convention adopted "Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify Secession of South Carolina from Federal Union". It was followed by the Cotton States - Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas during next two months. These states on 4 February created new form of federal government - the Confederate States of America an took control of federal forts and properties with little or none resistance from President of the United States Buchanan. Entire Texan garrison - one fourth of US Army surrendered and its commander David E. Twiggs joined new state as Major General.

On 12 April rebelled states attacked Fort Sumter which was surrendered two days later. As response Lincoln called all states to deliver 75,000 of volunteers and financial support to crack down Southern rebellion but this order outraged other Southern states - Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas refused to fullfil this and all but Missouri and Kentucky seceded and joined Confederacy. Kentuckia and Missourian governors declared neutrality but both of them held pro-Southern sympathies and began to scheme against Federal government in order to join Confederate government.

CHARLESTON
MERCURY EXTRA

THE UNION DISSOLVED!
 
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Butterflies fly heavy
in
KENTUCKY (November 6, 1860-May 3, 1861)

"I, Lord Protector of Seven Circles, Caretaker of Holy Graal and Iron Ring grant Beriah Moggofin status of National Hero of Kentucky and Confederated States of America. Gods bless you Kentuckians and your ancestors!" - George Hammond from Texas, April 23, 1998.

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Kentucky was one of the most undecided state inside Union to its future. While Western Kentuckians were largery loyal to Confederation, Eastern ones openly supported Northeners - even volunteering to their companies thus betraying their home states. Division between two of them became visible after presidential election in November 6, 1860 when John Breckinridge "favourite son of Kentucky" achieved 111 electoral votes and became second in a race for presidency. Thousands of Kentuckians who supported him were influenced by Southern values and honor thus opposing federal government in Washington DC as radical and unlawful (by breaking states' rights) while others who voted on John Bell from Constitutional Union wanted to preserve Union, even by war. When Confederate forces seized Fort Sumter on April 14, 1861 President of the United States Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers and support from al states - including Kentucky which State Legislators naturally rejected this idea and announced armed neutrality - if any side attack them, they will defend themselves even if this means war against whole Union or Confederation.

But Kentucky wasn't entirely neutral when its' Governor began secret negotiations with Confederate generals which army's began gathering near Kentucky in order to cross border and help Kentucky State Guard in case of Union aggression which was perceived as imminent especially when Colonel Ulysses Grant began training volunteers in Springfield, Illinois. Another major point in Union-Kentucky relations was St. Louis Arsenal Seizure on April 23, 1861 when Kentuckian Nathaniel Watkins supported by group of soldiers from Kentuckian and Missourian state guards set a trap on Captain Lyon by luring him out of the fort and leaving only 20 men as garrison (out of 40 he had). After that they seized Arsenal and forced its crew to surrender. 30,000 rifles fell into Kentuckian and Missourian hands.

On April 29, 1861 Kentuckian state Legislators declared secession from the Union and four days later officialy joined Confederate States of America. War began.

KENTUCKY JOINED CONFEDERACY!
 
1860 - Year of Turmoil

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I see what you're doing here; it's clever, but it doesn't quite work. You've taken 6,742 votes from Bell, and added 4,082 to Breckinridge. That would be enough to flip Virginia, which Bell won by 156 votes, and Tennessee, which he won by 4,631. But Bell won Kentucky by 12,915, so there have to be more shifts, which would affect Lincoln and Douglas's popular votes, which you've left unchanged. Bell competed with Lincoln for ex-Whig votes in the North, and in New Jersey what is usually reported as the Democrat vote was actually a vote for a fusion ticket of three Douglas and four Bell electors. (A few thousand balky Democrats voted for an all-Democrat ticket instead, which is how four Republican electors won.)
 
My PoD was less successful Bell campaign in so called Border States and more support for Breckinridge promoted as favourite son of Kentucky and Southern states. And yes, I think I mistaken some popular votes for Lincoln and Douglas, it will be corrected.
 
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