I'd like to introduce myself to the group. I'm a great enthusiast of alternate history and have become a fan of Harry Turtledove's Southern Victory series, in addition to another one of his creations and other authors, too. I hope to become a regular contributor to this group.
I've been doing some off-and-on research lately and have become fascinated with the alternate timeline of American and Confederate executive administrations within the Southern Victory storyline. While a U.S. presidential term is limited to four years each, the Confederate model observes a six-year term. A quick check around the web turned up some info on Wikipedia under the "Institutions in the Southern Victory Series" entry. The short list of C.S. presidents has notable blanks, while the U.S. list is somewhat more complete. The blanks in the rebel administration are, of course, open to speculation and suggestion, and I'd like to "bounce" a few suggestions off the proverbial "wall".
In our timeline, there were a trio of men from Georgia colloquially known as the "Bourbon Triumvirate", which consisted of Alfred H. Colquitt (1824-94), Joseph E. Brown (1821-94), and John B. Gordon (1832-1904). Colquitt was a native Georgian with a rather distinguished history. He graduated from Princeton in 1844 (then known as the College of New Jersey) and soon began to practice law, which was interrupted by his service in the U.S.-Mexican War. Upon his return, he began his political career as a U.S. representative to Congress and also as a representative in his native state's legislature. He was an ardent and active secessionist who served in the American Civil War with the rank of colonel and had served under General Lee at Antietam and Chancellorsville. After the war, he resumed his political life, becoming governor of Georgia from 1876 to 1882 and U.S. senator from 1883 until his death in 1894.
Brown attended Yale in the 1840s and began his career as a lawyer and businessman. He would later become active in Antebellum Georgia politics as a state senator and circuit judge. A hard line secessionist, Brown's election as the state's 42nd governor in 1857 would last through the Civil War until 1865. During that time, he worked to keep as many draftees from leaving so that they could be used for the state's defense. After the war, he went back to his businesses and was elected a U.S. senator from 1880 to 1891.
Gordon's pre-Civil War life consisted of his attending but later dropping out from the University of Georgia, where he achieved high marks. He soon married and began to practice law, but didn't attract enough clients. He then worked for his father, managing a coal mine. In the Civil War, Gordon became a very capable and formidable soldier, rising to the rank of major general and fighting under General Lee in many battles, such as Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and Petersburg. He was also at the surrender at Appomattox. He would be elected to the U.S. Senate in 1873, and he championed the cause of the "New South" and industrialization. He also became governor of Georgia in 1886 and served again in the U.S. Senate from 1891 to 1897.
As you can see, these three men made their mark on the South and in American politics during our history. My proposition, knowing that it won't be "official", is that in the SV timeline Alfred H. Colquitt would be elected president of the Confederacy, with Joseph E. Brown as his vice-president, most likely between the Lee and Longstreet administrations. John B. Gordon's term could be right after Longstreet's, followed by President Fitzhugh Lee. The following two administrations leading up to Woodrow Wilson are up for debate.
Thank you.
--Saginaw