The state of East Tennessee

What if the Union army invaded East Tennesee mid-1862 and was able to set up a Unionist government in Knoxville and East Tennesee seceded from Tennesee and was recongnized by the Union like the West Virginia one was.
 
If I remember correctly, the main reason why West Virginia separated from Virginia is because the majority of the people in Northwestern Virginia (now West Virginia) supported the Union. Don't quote me on this, though.

Having said that, why would be the purpose of creating an "East Tennesse" state?
 
If I remember correctly, the main reason why West Virginia separated from Virginia is because the majority of the people in Northwestern Virginia (now West Virginia) supported the Union. Don't quote me on this, though.

Having said that, why would be the purpose of creating an "East Tennesse" state?

Most of East Tennesee supported the Union as well. The purpose of creating East Tennesee is the same purpose of creating West Virginia it gives you a Unionist base in the war and possible Republican gains after the war.
 
Most of East Tennesee supported the Union as well. The purpose of creating East Tennesee is the same purpose of creating West Virginia it gives you a Unionist base in the war and possible Republican gains after the war.

I agree, beyond that, nothing else.
 
Maybe this makes it more acceptable to break states up.

New York City split from New York State? SoCal & NoCal? The Four States of Texas?
 
East Tennessee was as pro Union as West Virginia. I can vouch for that, as my wife had several ancestors in ET who served in Union cavalry regiments.
 
I am a native of East Tennessee. The northern part, say from Knoxville north to Virginia, which is the mountainous part of the State, was pro Yankee for the most part. From Knoxville to the south, including Chattanooga, was mostly pro Confederate. I don't think an independent East Tennessee was ever considered as, obviously, an independent West Virginia was.

A more interesting theory concerns the State of Franklin, established in what is now East Tennessee, but never recognized. What if it had been established and the borders of the State of Tennessee were different? If Franklin were a state, it might have not seceded thereby giving the Yankees a deeper penetration into the South perhaps shortening the war.
 
I am a native of East Tennessee. The northern part, say from Knoxville north to Virginia, which is the mountainous part of the State, was pro Yankee for the most part. From Knoxville to the south, including Chattanooga, was mostly pro Confederate. I don't think an independent East Tennessee was ever considered as, obviously, an independent West Virginia was.

A more interesting theory concerns the State of Franklin, established in what is now East Tennessee, but never recognized. What if it had been established and the borders of the State of Tennessee were different? If Franklin were a state, it might have not seceded thereby giving the Yankees a deeper penetration into the South perhaps shortening the war.

A sort of north east Tennesee state could have been called East Tennesee.
 
I am a native of East Tennessee. The northern part, say from Knoxville north to Virginia, which is the mountainous part of the State, was pro Yankee for the most part. From Knoxville to the south, including Chattanooga, was mostly pro Confederate. I don't think an independent East Tennessee was ever considered as, obviously, an independent West Virginia was.

A more interesting theory concerns the State of Franklin, established in what is now East Tennessee, but never recognized. What if it had been established and the borders of the State of Tennessee were different? If Franklin were a state, it might have not seceded thereby giving the Yankees a deeper penetration into the South perhaps shortening the war.

Where are you from?

The area strongest for the Union, IIRC, was the far eastern part of Tennessee, from say Sevierville north to the tri-cities.
 
I am a native of East Tennessee. The northern part, say from Knoxville north to Virginia, which is the mountainous part of the State, was pro Yankee for the most part. From Knoxville to the south, including Chattanooga, was mostly pro Confederate. I don't think an independent East Tennessee was ever considered as, obviously, an independent West Virginia was.

A more interesting theory concerns the State of Franklin, established in what is now East Tennessee, but never recognized. What if it had been established and the borders of the State of Tennessee were different? If Franklin were a state, it might have not seceded thereby giving the Yankees a deeper penetration into the South perhaps shortening the war.

Another Tennessean! ^_^

Anyway, I doubt there would be much support for such an act. East Tennessee was not so much pro union as it was anti Confederate or anti war. For the most part the people of the mountains just wanted to be left alone.
 
Another Tennessean! ^_^

Anyway, I doubt there would be much support for such an act. East Tennessee was not so much pro union as it was anti Confederate or anti war. For the most part the people of the mountains just wanted to be left alone.

There were quite a few regiments raised for the Union army in East Tennesee so there was quite a bit of Pro-Union sentiment.
 
Even in Middle and Western Tennessee were pretty weak on Confederate support; Tennessee had very few large plantations, and thus wasn't affected that bad by emancipation. It was the last to secede (eventually out of Southern solidarity), the first to re-enter, and the only one to avoid Reconstruction. The latter is telling of just how weakly Confederate support was in Nashville...

A much more likely scenario is Tennessee not seceding at all...

Simon ;)

(Who used to live in Tullahoma, for the ACW buffs)
 
What if Northern Alabama came for the ride, and Nickajack is created as a West Virginia-type splinter state? Or perhaps it can just be called east Tennessee, as that's marginally less-ridiculous sounding.
 
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