The Grey Revolution

[cheffisti]

Chapter 14: Buchanan’s Presidency

The four months from the election to the inauguration was a time that president elect Buchanan used to build his cabinet. For the top spot Buchanan offered it to Stephen Douglas, but he respectfully declined acknowledging his need in the Senate, and his plans for 1860. Next to be offered the job was Senator James Bayard of Delaware who accepted. To fill the patronage rich post of a Treasury Department went to former Speaker of the House Howell Cobb of Georgia. The War Department went to John B. Floyd of Virginia, Attorney General went to Jeremiah Black of Pennsylvania, John A. Dix of New York was made Postmaster General, Isaac Toucey of Connecticut was slotted to head the Navy Department, and Interior Department went to Mississippian Jacob Thompson.
On Inauguration Day March 4, 1857 Chief Justice Roger Taney issued the oath of office. In his inauguration speech Buchanan vowed to serve one term, committed himself to the Taylor Doctrine, vowed to sign a Nicaraguan Annexation Bill, and commented on the division over the issue of slavery confronted the nation.
The Taylor Doctrine was put to the test when Oregon asked for admittance into the Union in the first months of 1857. With Senator Douglas taking the lead the Oregon-CubanAct was passed admitting the States of Oregon as a free state, the state of as a slave state.

In regards to Nicaragua Buchanan sent US Army troops under Brigadier General Albert S. Johnston, and offered to negotiate an end to fighting in the Central America. With the threat of US intervention the alliance of Central American nations came to the negotiating table. The resulting Treaty of Washington 1857 saw an end to what many called the Filibuster War, and acknowledged the US annexation of Nicaragua which had passed the US Senate and just awaited President Buchanan’s signature. In return Nicaragua and the Filibuster army withdrew from Costa Rica. With Nicaragua finally brought into the Union it was agreed that the new territory couldn’t immediately apply for statehood, and would have to be Americanized. A strong military presence maintained to help stabilize the region, and disarm all abolitionist guerrillas.

In early 1858 a financial panic gripped parts of the country. Overnight 1400 banks closed and folded and some three thousand business foreclosed. The southern part of the United States escaped unscathed while unemployment skyrocketed in the north. By 1859 the economy turned itself around, but this only helped fueled an already sectional divide that was.
In regards to foreign policy an arrangement was reached with Great Britain for the transfer of the Mosquito Coast in return for favored status for transit “ through” Nicaragua. The laid the groundwork for a future Nicaraguan Canal through Central America. With issues in Europe heating up Great Britain was happy to give responsibility of Central America to the a United States.
President Buchanan tried you negotiate for the purchase of Alaska from Russia, but the onset of the American Civil War made that impossible.
One man who would dominate the last fourteen months of Buchanan’ s administration would be closely associated with death and disunion....John Brown.

 

[cheffisti]

Chapter 15: John Brown Part 3
Following the annexation of Nicaragua the abolitionist returned to Boston, and was greeted as heroes. When federal marshals tried to arrest them for violation of the Neutrality Act a mob nearly tore the officers to pieces. Brown and his followers now grown to nearly 200 armed men went to New York at the behest of a powerful benefactor Garret Smith.
Smith was part of the powerful Secret Six, a secret society of wealthy abolitionist who believed that open ware fare was the only way to ride the country of the evil of slavery. The other five members were George Luther Stearns , Thomas Wentworth Higgins, Samuel Gridley Howe, Franklin Benjamin Sanborn, Theodore Parker.

George Luther Stearns

Franklin Benjamin Sanford

Gerrit Smith

Theodore Parker

Samuel Gridley Howe

Thomas Wentworth Higgins

In early 1859 John Brown proposed to the Secret Six his plan to raid Harper’s Ferry, and with the captured weapons lead a slave revolt through the south. Money was distributed to Brown, and told to keep information about his mission secret. In late August 1859 Brown met up with Harriet Tubman, and about 20 former slaves that had been freed from the area, outside of Hagerstown, Maryland. Here Brown awaited the arrival of his 200 strong army of volunteers.
On October 17, 1859 John Brown with a force of 225 volunteer swept down on the sleepy federal armory. Within hours Brown had captured over 10,000 rifles and a dozen hostages that included Lewis Washington, the great-grandnephew of George Washington.
Just as soon as the arsenal was occupied was word broke out of what was happening. Local townsmen soon gathered and began to harass Brown and his men. In Washington President Buchanan instructed Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott to gather what forces, and put down the rebellion. Secretary of War Floyd sent telegrams to the governors of Virginia and Maryland to call out the militia.
Scott sent for Lt. Col Robert E. Lee who was in Washington, and directed Lee to take a mock force of marines, sailors, and artillery men stationed in the capital and squash the rebellion.

 

[stubear1012]

This is an interesting timeline. Did Spain keep the island of Puerto Rico or was that included in the purchase of Cuba?

Regards

 

[cheffisti]

This is an interesting timeline. Did Spain keep the island of Puerto Rico or was that included in the purchase of Cuba?

Regards

Puerto Rico is still part of Spain.....for now.

 

[cheffisti]

Chapter 16: Robert E. Lee
Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee was the son of Revolutionary War hero “Light Horse” Harry Lee. After the death of his father the family was destitute due to his father’ s failed financial investments Lee, with the help of one of his uncles was admitted to West Point Military Academy. He would graduate to n 1829 second in his class of 45 graduates. Following his graduation As customary with his placement Lee went into the Engineers. Lee later married Mary Custis great grand daughter to Martha Washington.
Lee would serve with distinction during the Mexican-American War serving under Winfield Scott. After the war Lee served as the Superintendent of West Point. There his eldest daughter Agnes fell in love with another instructor of the facilities Captain George H. Thomas of Virginia, and they married in the Spring of 1853.
On the night of Brown’s seizure of Harpers Ferry Lee and Thomas were at the family mansion of Arlington outside of Washington D.C. President Buchanan was asked Lee with putting down the rebellion. Lee gathered his small force of barely 150 soldiers, marines, and sailors and header toward Brown and his army.
Brown was well that Informed as he had scouts and spies to relay him information. With US forces gathering faster than he anticipated Brown decided to abandon his position. It was decided that Brown would leave a message when the captives were hanged and signs placed around their necks saying “For the Crime of Slavery”. Dividing his force in half “ General” Tubman, as Brown addressed her gave her the mission of delaying the army as the rest of his force moved westward. Tubman with 25 freedmen & runaway slaves held up in the armory as Virginia militia surrounded the building. When Lee arrived with his regulars an offer of surrender was sent to the blockhouse, but Tubman refused. Keeping a constant fire on the defenders a dozen of marines led by Captain Thomas rushed the blockhouse. Using a battering ram the doors were forced open where fierce hand to hand combat ensued. After about 10 minutes Tubman, who was wounded, and six of her “freedom” fighters were subdued.
Tubman and her lot were given over to the Virginia militia while Lee went after Brown. Crossing into the mountains of Western Virginia Lee came across burnt out houses, and hanged corpses. Brown’s renegades killed without remorse or distinction, and the men following them were very quickly filled with hatred toward their foes.
It was at the Ohio border where things escalated when Ohio militia allowed Brown and his men to escape, but hindered the US and Virginia militia from stepping onto Ohio soil on orders from Governor Salmon P. Chase. Lee became enraged with “those people”, and messaged General Scott for orders. After two days Lee was allowed to pursue, Brown’s forces had escaped. Rumors swirled that he had escaped into Canada, but even $500,000 reward wasn’t enough to bring Brown or his followers to justice.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

This is gonna cause major ripples in the Slave states. Not only is Brown's raid worse than otl but Chase actively spited an federally sanctioned pursuit. If you wanted to create a more hawkish South that is a good way to do it. As is Brown scared them shitless. Here he did 100x better. Every southern state will become an armed camp after this.

You will probably see more in the way of defense industry come about quickly. things like expanded Ironworks and large arsenals and powder works like those in Augusta Ga.

 

[cheffisti]

This is gonna cause major ripples in the Slave states. Not only is Brown's raid worse than otl but Chase actively spited an federally sanctioned pursuit. If you wanted to create a more hawkish South that is a good way to do it. As is Brown scared them shitless. Here he did 100x better. Every southern state will become an armed camp after this.

You will probably see more in the way of defense industry come about quickly. things like expanded Ironworks and large arsenals and powder works like those in Augusta Ga.

That’s the plan.

 

[cheffisti]

Chapter 17: The South Responds
The after shock of Brown’s Raid was felt almost immediately. The state of Virginia put Harriet Tubman and about a dozen other participants of the raid on trial for murder and inciting a slave revolt. All were found guilty and sentenced to hang. Virginian Governor Henry A. Wise invited dignitaries from throughout the South to attend the hanging.

Gallows in Charles Town, Virginia where Tubman and others met their end.

Southerners Governors; especially Virginia, Kentucky, and Maryland became fearful of what Ohio’s Abolitionist Governor would do next. Brown and his men were still at large, and was literally a bogey man for the South. Weeks after the Harper Ferry Raid in Maryland Brown’s cabin was seized and inside found papers that connected the Secret Six to the raid. Governor Chase was rumored to have been bought off to help Brown escape, but no evidence was ever recovered to prove it just his actions.
Armed militia units were raised throughout the South. In Virginia Governor Wise appointed recently returned to the United States Albrect von Roon Adjuntant General of the Army of Virginia. Small well armed companies were formed under soon to be famous officers like: Turner Ashby, William E. Jones, John D. Imboden, & George S. Patton Sr.
General von Roon began a program of updating Virginia’s militia arsenal to the Dreyse needle gun, which proved so effective in Nicaragua. Soon other southern states were following Virginia’s lead. By early January 1860 a convention was call for and hosted in Richmond. Representatives from all the slave states and territories arrived in Richmond and began to discuss amongst themselves how to deal with the growing abolitionist threats. Seeing the federal government ineptitude to handle the situation many felt it was up to the states themselves to protect themselves.

 

[cheffisti]

Chapter 18: Election of 1860
With the coming of the 1860 election President Buchanan tried to push through two more states to help the Democratic nominee. The states of Minnesota & Rio Grande we’re both admitted as the 35th and 36th states on March 21st, 1860. Buchanan also reaffirmed his promise to a one term presidency setting off an already scramble for support within the Democratic Party.
As part of the deal with Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas President Buchanan endorsed him immediately. With his strong backing from the railroad interests and now strong southern backing Douglas hoped for a clean nomination, but once the Democratic Party Convention gathered in Charleston, South Carolina on April 23, 1860 a fight was brewing within the ranks of the party.
There were three parties working to get a two-thirds majority to win the nomination: Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas, Virginia Senator R.M.T. Hunter, and former Attorney General Caleb Cushing of Massachusetts. Cushing’s main support were Northern Democrats that wanted someone not beholding to the south, and had been feeling the growth of the ant-Democratic forces for years to come. Hunter’s supports came from Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. They wanted action taken against the abolitionist north, and wanted concessions from the Douglas camp to secure their support.
Douglas proposed to continue westward expansion by continued funding of the Continental Railroad, in Nicaragua Douglas promised to punish abolitionist guerrillas working out of other countries would be hunted down and countries giving aid punished, the Taylor Doctrine would be continued, an increase effort to bring the criminal John Brown to justice. With these promises Douglas won over Hunter, and secured the nomination. Cushing and his followers marched out of the convention and set up their own plank of the Democratic Party. To help balance the ticket Douglas offered the second spot on the ticket to Hunter.

The 1860 Democratic Ticket of Douglas and Hunter

Frustrated Northern Democrats gathered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and tried to nominate a ticket, but even Cushing himself wouldn’t be used as a candidate. Many northern democrats soon became disheartened or decided to join the new Republican Party.
The Republican Party Convention convened on June 4, 1860 in Chicago, Illinois. This would be an even bigger event as the Republican and the Know Nothings had decided to join forces and hold a joint convention for president. A host of potential candidates soon entered the field: the 1856 candidate John C. Frémont of North California, the 1856 Vice-President Candidate David Wilmont, New York Senator William Seward, Ohio Governor Salmon P. Chase, Pennsylvania Senator Simon Cameron, Representative from Vermont Jacob Collamer, Speaker of the House Nathaniel P. Banks of Massachusetts, and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court John McLean.
In the beginning Seward and Chase were in essence tied for the top spot. It soon came down to whittle down the favorite son candidate of states, and wheeling and dealing to gain the upper hand. The Secret Six proclaimed their support for Chase fueling speculation from many the John Brown was backing Chase. After two days of balloting it was the head of the Illinois delegation Abraham Lincoln that put The nail in Seward’s defeat. Remembering being rebuked by the New York Senator years before Lincoln relished in serving to him a gigantic political defeat.
To help heal the wound of the party Chase asked long time friend of Seward’s Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner, the hero of the Caning by Preston Brooks years before.

The 1860 Republican Ticker of Chase & Sumner

When the people of the United States went to the ballot on November 6, 1860 it was a complete route. The Republicans captured the elector rich states of New York and Pennsylvania securing the election. Douglas and the Democrats secured the slave states plus the candidate’s home state of Illinois and Oregon. Charges of election fraud in major cities were thrown around by both parties, but no one could counter that the Republicans had won the White House.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Good up dates. So all hell is about to decend upon America.

Is it just va going with the Neddle gun or every Southern state. And what is the US Army equipped with?

 

[cheffisti]

Good up dates. So all hell is about to decend upon America.

Is it just va going with the Neddle gun or every Southern state. And what is the US Army equipped with?

Currently only The Virginia forces will have the needle gun. The US army is currently issue Enfield rifle.

 

[cheffisti]

Chapter 19: Secession
Just as soon as the results of Chase’s victory did Southern leaders begin to plot. Governor Henry Wise of Virginia was the first to act. By getting a law passed that changed the state’s constitution to allow him to run for a second term; which he won hands down since no opposition challenged him. The state militia was placed on ready alert, and General von Roon sent coded messages to his most trusted officers.
By December 1st Governor Wise called for a special convention to meet on December 26, 1860 to decide the question of secession. This threw the states of the Deep South into action as well. South Carolina called for a Secession Convention as well to meet in conjunction with Virginia. What many didn’t know was that Virginia and South Carolina we’re working together, and that Virginia was given the honor of deciding first. On December 28, 1860 Virginia voted to secede from the Union. As the results were being sent to the rest of the country militia units under Captains Turner Ashby and George Patton occupied Harper’s Ferry Arsenal, and another group under Captain William Jones captured the Gosport Naval Yard in Norfolk, Virginia.
Across the state of Virginia the bloodless coup occupied federal property throughout the state, and where the Stars and Stripes once flew in its place flew the flag of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The next day South Carolina voted in favor of secession, and joined their sister state now turned republics.
Over the next month the following states seceded: Alabama January 2nd, Mississippi & Florida January 8th, Georgia January 10th, Cuba January 16th, Louisiana January 20th, Texas February 1st, North Carolina February 4th.
On February 6, 1861 the states that had seceded met in Richmond, Virginia to help form a provisional government until the people could vote on it at a later date. The men that gathered in Richmond were impressed with the work that they saw in Virginia. Outside of the city cadets from the Virginia Military Institution drilled recruits in the annuals of warfare. Industry like the Tredgar Iron Works began to turn out war materials. With the basics of government copied from the US Constitution with some notable changes in slavery’s favor the decision on who would lead the new nation. When the delegates gathered notable men were nominated for the Presidency: former Secretary of the Treasury from Georgia Howell Cobb, Senator from Georgia Robert Toombs, Mississippi Senator Jefferson Davis, Senator from Virginia R.M.T Hunter, and leader of the Knights of the Golden Circle John A. Quitman.
Almost immediately Davis let it be known that he wanted a field command, and demurred to the other candidates. Fearful that Toombs or Quitman might somehow be elected Cobb and his followers put forth the name of Virginian Henry A. Wise for the presidency. Seeing how quickly Wise had turned the state into a war footing the delegates soon were swept up in the furious of Wise’s candidacy. So too did Hunter turn his support toward Wise. Even Quitman bowed to the enviable. With Henry Wise selected as the Confederate States first President the decision now turned to the Vice-Presidency, offering the spot to Cobb, but he turned it down. Eventually Robert Toombs was selected as the Vice-President of the Confederate States of America.

Henry A. Wise Provisional President of the Confederate States of America’s.

Robert Toombs Provisional Vice-President of the Confederate States of America.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

That was a good update nice departure from many CSA alts. Hope Tombs drinking and temper dont led to scandals

 

[cheffisti]

Chapter 20: Building a Government
On February 8, 1861 Henry A. Wise was sworn in as the Provisional President of the Confederate States of America. Immediately Wise went to work building his cabinet. Wise selected the Adjutant General of Virginia Albrecht von Roon as his Secretary of War, former Floridian Senator Stephen Mallory as Secretary of the Navy, Louisiana delegate to the convention and former US Representative Otto von Bismarck as Secretary of State, South Carolinian Christopher Menninger as Treasury Secretary, Thomas Bragg of North Carolina as Attorney General, and John Reagan of Texas as Postmaster General. Each man chosen was given a Herculean effort in front of them, and that was building a national infrastructure in what would soon be a war time atmosphere.
State
Secretary Bismarck went to work immediately by convincing President Wise of set up the Office of Secret Service. This department under the umbrella of the State Department would be responsible for sending out diplomats & lobbyists to help convince European governments to aid the Confederacy, helping secessionist movements in other states and territories, gather information by usage of spy rings throughout the northern states, aid guerrilla activities, and spread pamphlets & giving speeches to influence northern political opinion. The motto “Let Us Go” or “Let Them Go” became a popular theme used by Agents.
To lead the Secret Service Wise took counsel from Bismarck and named Judah Benjamin Director of the department. Fearful of being isolated within the Confederacy Bismarck dispatched diplomats to the courts of Europe. James Chestnut (Spain), Roger A. Pryor (England), and William C. Rives (France) were dispatched days after the Government was formed. Their missions were to purchase much needed war material, and influence popular opinion against the United States.
To assist the diplomats Secretaries Mallory and von Roon sent purchasing agents along to Europe. To deal with their respected areas each man tackled in their own way.
Navy
At the Naval Department Mallory began to organize his department, and began to prioritize the needs of the nation. The defense of the Mississippi River became paramount; along with coastal ports. A way to defeat any potential Union blockade would be necessary, attack northern commerce around the globe.
Luckily for Mallory and the nation the state of Virginia turned over the Gosport Naval Yard to the Confederate States Navy. A treasure trove of 1200 cannons, including 50 new Dahlgren guns, tons of ammunition, large dry dock, rope walks, foundry, machine shops, boiler shops, and covered ways. Plus four outdated and dilapidated ships in need of repairs.
Next Mallory had to procure funds from Congress. After a lengthy speech historians remember this one phrase “no nation that has ever had to build a navy for defense, had done it cheaply. We may well mortgage our future for a generation, but I promise you we will have a future to mortgage.”
Even though combined with the Army Appropriation Bill the national debt created would take a lifetime to overcome. With funds in hand Mallory began to duplicate what was needed from designs from Norfolk all over the south. Cities like Tuscaloosa (Alabama), Augusta (Georgia), and Vicksburg (Mississippi) began to lay the ground work of building a modern navy for the CSA
War
Albrecht von Roon was a professional soldier, and had survived the Revolution of 1848 by coming to America. He was determined to not let what had happened to his homeland now happen to his new home. The first couple of days after assuming his saw the arrival of Helmuth von Moltke as the head delegate from the Territory of Nicaragua that sought acceptance into the CSA. Moltke soon became a vital member of von Room’s staff in building the War department. The War Department soon took form with the role of Adjutant and Inspector General going to Samuel Cooper, Quartermaster General went to Colonel Abraham C. Myers, Commissary-General of Substance went to Brigadier General William Wallace Smith Bliss, Surgeon General went to Colonel Samuel Moore, Chief of Ordnance attached to the Quartermaster would go to Colonel Josiah Gorgias, Chief of Torpedoes would be assigned to Colonel Gabriel Rains. With the help of Secretary Bismarck the Department of Railroads were created (the Militarized Railroad Act allowed the President to conscript the railroads during times of war or national emergency) would soon be headed by a Brigadier Isaac a Trimble.
Treasury
To help finance all the government new taxes were levied that allowed for the taxes to be paid in agricultural products. Cotton, sugar and tobacco would be used to help finance the war. A 10% tax was levied on slaves, much to the dismay of large plantation owners. With word coming from up north that soon to be inaugurated President Chase would send troops to bring the south back forcibly, and extinguish slavery once and for all.

 

[cheffisti]

Chapter 21: President Salmon P. Chase
As the governor of Ohio and the President-Elect Salmon P. Chase had a platform to chide the secession states. Governor Chase called up some five thousand militiamen after the secession of Virginia. On New Years Eve in a speech given in Cleveland, Ohio Chase broke with President when he promised to push for admittance of states as soon as they were ready. This soon enraged fence sitting southerners as they saw the Taylor Doctrine as a reasonable way to admit states to the Union.
As federal property was being occupied throughout the south, and President Buchanan began to lay out his plan to combat the secession. He promised to cleaners the federal government of southern sympathizers, with the defection of southern senators now the Republicans controlled the three out of four branches of government and bills banning slavery were already being considered, and a grand army of the republic would be needed to subdue the rebellion.
After both houses of a Congress certified the election of Chase as President the President-Elect headed toward Philadelphia where abolitionist forces under John Brown and Jim Lane were gathering to protect Chase from rumors of southern assassins waiting to kill him.
On March 4, 1861 Salmon P. Chase was inaugurated as the 17th President of the United States in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Associate Justice John McLean, after Chief Justice Taney refused to make the trip to Philadelphia. The next day Chase and members of his cabinet along with militia units from Ohio and Pennsylvania joined with John Brown as they moved toward Washington D.C.

 

[cheffisti]

Chapter 22: Baltimore Riots
On March 6, 1861 elements of Chase’s caravan arrived in the city of Baltimore. Amongst the first to arrive is John Brown with a host of fully armed body guards. When word of Brown’s presence reached Police Chief George Kane he called out his force, and made a plea for local militia to assist in the apprehension of Brown (as he was still wanted by the federal government). Kane along with Mayor George Brown of Baltimore called upon the army commander at Fort McHenry Major Robert Anderson for assistance. Not aware of Chase’s presence Anderson gathered some 50 soldiers and joined the forces of Kane’s policemen and militia. Anderson, under a flag of truce, demands Brown surrender. Hearing his southern accent, and fearing a secessionist plot open fires. Yelling “for the republic!” Brown launches an assault without waiting for the 1st Ohio under Colonel Edward McCook. The fighting is street to street, and house to house. The battle is a mess and confusion controls the day. Major Anderson is wounded, but refuses to relinquish the field.
After a day of terrible fighting the train station is occupied, and the President who now trusts Brown with his life continues onto Washington D.C. Colonel McCook, an ex-regular army office tries to negotiate with Anderson, but the defenders of Baltimore refuse to answer the call for parley as they feared what Brown would do. It’s not until the next day that McCook along with Governor Thomas H. Hicks try to bring order to the ordeal. Anderson’ s arrest is ordered by President Chase along with the garrison of Fort McHenry enraged the local populace. They see Anderson and the men as saviors of the city. McCook is forced to tread carefully as the local militia gather around him even the once pro-unionist governor of Maryland sees the destruction caused by Brown/Chase, and demand that the Ohio militia leave the area. McCook agreed to leave and marches toward the capital.
The results of the Baltimore Riots, as described in the north or the First Battle of Baltimore as described in the south set off a chain reaction throughout the nation. Governor Hicks called upon the state’s legislature to call for articles of secession, and sent pleas of help to Richmond, and other states. Before the end of the month Maryland would join the CSA , a new front in the war of secession would begin.
Major Anderson while vilified in the north as a traitor would be seen as a hero through the south decided to walk away the the United States Army as he was already an enemy of the President. Anderson accepted a commission as a a Major General of Maryland Militia. Plans were now being formed in both Washington and Richmond on what to do next.

Major General Robert Anderson of the Maryland forces CSA

 

[cheffisti]

Chapter 23: Defense of Washington
When President Chase arrived in Washington D.C. on March 8, 1861 he found only Acting General of the Army Major General John E. Wool waiting at the train station. Since the former General of the Army David Twiggs resigned and offered his services to the Confederacy the top spot in the army was vacant, and with southern born officers resigning in droves the military was lacking in regular officers at the moment.
Chase accepted Wool’s counsel and began to get to work. Chase’s first act upon arriving in Washington was to give a full pardon to Brown and his followers. There would be no question on how the new president planned to handle the south.
After meeting with Wool and his advisors Chase called for 100,000 volunteers to help suppress the rebellion. The new Republican controlled Congress was more than happily to oblige. Congress also passed Army Loyalty Act aimed at routing out disloyal southern officers in the US Army. This soon forces hundreds of loyal and moderate officers to be forced out of the military, and eventually into the service of the CSA. Bills were passed to finance the war, and the Manumission Act of 1861 saw the freeing of all slaves within the United States. Southerns were now furious and knew there was no turning back.
With the call for troops to put down the rebellion and the over reaching of the federal government other southern states began to secede: Arkansas March 21st, Rio Grande March 25th, Tennessee April 1st, Missouri April 10th, South California April 15th, and Delaware plus Kentucky would call for a referendum on secession. The territories of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Coahuila would follow their southern neighbors and eventually go with secession.
As many would call the President’s plan to subdue the south crazy and far fetched members of his inner circle saw his vision and began to lay the ground work for the coming war.
On April 1, 1861 President Chase declared the southern United States in rebellion and a state of war existed. The next day Confederate forces launched attacks upon Union held outposts and fortifications at Fort Pickens, FL and Fort Summer, SC. Summer would fall after four hours of bombardment while Pickens would remain a thorn in the Confederate side for the remainder of the war.

 

[Virginia Liberal]

Ok so again there is no middle ground in this TL. I love it. The fact that the Chase is going hard ball on everything and declaring open rebellion and "state of War" ? does that mean that Congress declared war on the south because that would be de facto reconization of southern independence right there before Sumter means that the South is actually not guilty of striking the first blows here in the eyes of Europe it will be seen as a reaction to the Radical policy changes Chase has created. I wonder how all of this will play with the moderates in the Union surely not everyone in the North and Midwest are hard ball Radical Republicans. Keep up the good work.

 

[cheffisti]

Chapter 24: Army of Eastern Maryland
On April 3, 1861 Brigadier General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard arrived in Annapolis, Maryland along with two brigades of infantry to assist and defend the population of Maryland as the eastern part of the state had finally agreed to secession; while breakaway members of the western part of the state sought out help from Pennsylvania, and agree to break away and form the state of West Maryland.
Beauregard along Maryland’s top officer Major General Robert Anderson, Beauregard’s former professor at West Point, began the task of building fortifications in the hope of preserving the state of Maryland or buying time for more reinforcements to arrive. With the addition of Maryland into the Confederacy all of Maryland’s militia was transferred into Confederate service.
Beauregard’s mission soon doubled once Union forces invaded the state of Delaware on April 15th forcing that state to vote for secession, and bringing the Delaware’s militia under the command of Major General Henry du Pont under Beauregard jurisdiction. By early May Beauregard was promoted to the new rank of General. This was to supersede any militia ranks.

Henry du Pont commander of the Delaware militia

General Beauregard first commander of the Army of Eastern Maryland (AEM).

The first major battle of the Eastern Theatre was at Greenville, Delaware where elements of Brigadier Daniel Tyler Army of the Atlantic met elements of the AEM. Du Pont fighting a defensive battle was able to hold off until reinforcements arrived under Beauregard, and the 1st Delaware Cavalry under Colonel Thomas Bayard was able to lead a charge upon the demoralized union soldiers causing panic in the ranks. Overnight the small state of Delaware had produced heroes for the Confederacy,

Thomas Bayard

With the first drive into Chesapeake Area by the Union a failure President Chase tasked Major General Irving McDowell with invading the area, opening up Washington to the rails through Baltimore, and remove permanently the thorn of the AEM.

 

[SuperZtar64]

I'm hooked! Keep up the good work.