Chapter Twenty-Four: The Gordon Presidency
President John B. Gordon
Like the Liberty Party had hoped, John B. Gordon continued in the precedent of Breckinridge. Under his term, the Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia were furthered industrialized, and several factories were founded in South Carolina, Louisiana, and Texas, starting those states down the path of industry. The
New York Times even claimed that the South had two "robber barons" of its own, applying to title to the presidents of the CSA's two rgest railroad companies, Joseph R. Anderson of Confederate Pacific and William R. Cox of Confederate International. This would precipitate an attack on Gordon and the Liberty Party by the Democratic Party, who claimed they were leading the South down the path down of the United States, becoming a greedy nation, and losing what made the South great in their opinion. Nonetheless, the public supported the industrialization, as it was bringing in more money to the lower non-plantation owner class then the plantation system ever did. There was even a rumor, which ultimately proved untrue, that the famous railroader Cornelius Vanderbilt was planning to relocate to the CSA to corner the entire country's railroad industry, as he viewed it as a blossoming industry full of potent.
The South's two railroad barrons: Joseph R. Anderson and William R. Cox
Gordon, however, would differ from Breckinridge in his dealings with the navy. While Breckinridge left most naval affairs in the capable hands of Stephen Mallory, President Gordon would take much more interest in them. He would be the first CSA president ever to order his naval to do a show of force. Gordon would organize a eight ship flotilla to tour Spain's holdings in the Caribbean. While this mission had the purpose of showing off some of the CSA's naval strength to the world, it had a particularly focus on Spain. Since their independence, the CSA had made both formal and informal approaches to the Spanish government concerning purchasing their colonies in the Caribbean, with each being rebuffed by a Spain clinging to the remnants of their once vast colonial empire. Gordon hoped to show Spain with this display that the CSA wanted these colonies, and while it might not be under his presidency, they were going to get them, and if not diplomatically, then by their ever expanding force. The ships Gordon would send would bear the names of the states whose electoral votes he had won in the election, plus a ship named after a territory he acquired. The flagship, the
CSS Virginia, was under the command of the CSA's senior naval officer, recently promoted Rear Admiral Raphael Semmes, who was one of the several naval officers promoted to a higher rank in preparation for the mission. Then there were the
CSS North Carolina under Captain Thomas J. Page, the
CSS Tennessee under Captain John R. Tucker, the
CSS Georgia under Captain Samuel Barron, the
CSS South Carolina under Captain John M. Brooke, the
CSS Louisiana under Captain Catesby ap Roger Jones, the
CSS Texas under Captain James I. Waddell, and the
CSS Baja California, newly created for the tour, under Captain Richard L. Page. Speaking with Captain Irvine Bulloch, second-in-command of the
CSS Virginia, Gordon would comment "While our navy might not be able to compare with that of the British, or even that of our northern neighbor, we certainly have a fleet worthy of note." The tour would go as plan, and Spain realized that its hold on its colonies was ever loosening.
A photograph of Rear Admiral Raphael Semmes aboard the
CSS Virginia during the tour
Gordon also dealt with foreign policy with Mexico. The Mexican President Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada demanded from Gordon the return of the four Mexican provinces sold to the CSA during the reign of Maximilian, as he claimed Maximilian was an impostor, and had no right to sell Mexican lands to the CSA. Gordon had no intent of returning the land, which already had many Confederates who had moved there. Instead of handing the land over, Gordon would send the Nathan B. Forrest and his Cavalry Corps to the territory to secure it in case of war. Seeing this, Tejada would stand down, and would withdraw his request. Despite this, the general Mexican populace retained its grudge against the South for not returning the land.
President Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada
Gordon's most important presidential achievements, however, would be with the successor to Daniel Sickles in the presidential election of 1876.
Gordon and his cabinet:
President: John B. Gordon
Vice-President: Zebulon Vance
Secretary of State: Robert M.T. Hunter
Secretary of the Treasury: Wade Hampton III
Secretary of War: John C. Brown
Secretary of the Navy: Albert G. Brown
Attorney General: Herschel Johnson
Postmaster General: Francis R.T. Nicholls