Depending on how things played out they might have captured the Merrimack wholesale, in which case the Virginia wouldn't have been builtOther than the CSS Virginia literally built on a Union salvaged wreck
Depending on how things played out they might have captured the Merrimack wholesale, in which case the Virginia wouldn't have been builtOther than the CSS Virginia literally built on a Union salvaged wreck
Given the reason Arlington was chosen, Gen Meigs' son dying in a cavalry raid against Richmond and therefore making Arlington a cemetery was a way of getting back at Lee, I can't see any change there. OTL the dead were buried almost up to the house itself, so that even had Lee retained pssession of the house after the war he could never have lived there.
As i understood it Britain imported more grain from Russia than from the US.Also, while Confederate cotton was missed, Union grain was rather more essential to Britain, and contributes to why a war is undesirable for them. Cotton can be substituted and sourced from India and Egypt; a grain shortage is less comfortable for a country.
The Confederate position in MD is pretty damned f-ed, going into 1862. They either need a decisive battle against one of the many Union staging grounds, or need to concede central MD and Baltimore, then retreat to DC or over the Potomac. Frederick and Annapolis especially, Hagerstown if possible, need to be seized for any hope of a long term Confederate presence in MD.
Possible; sources for that?As i understood it Britain imported more grain from Russia than from the US.
Theoretically, they could, but where do they source and replace the grain? 1860, 1861, and 1862 saw historic failures in British grain crops (with one year a general European failure), and gigantic bumper American crops, which facilitated major expansion in US exports to Europe. In 1861, Britain imported 32m bushels more Union wheat to make up its 40m shortfall that year, on top of what it already imported (the Union exported ~20m annually before 1861, most of it to Britain). British wheat production in 1861 was 88m bushels (down from the ~130m that they normally produce), which made Union grain quite direly needed.Doesn't really matter where Britain imports more grain from, for two reasons:
1) Britain and the US are unlikely to be opposed to one another TTL.
2) If they were, cutting off the US' grain revenues would hurt the US quite a lot, while Britain would buy grain from elsewhere.
If Martin Delany managed to work his way in there too that would be great I think
Enjoying this a lot.
Talk about CSA wanks in this forum reminds me that there's so little AH about the winning side of a war winning more easily. I think a TL about the CSA falling apart quickly would be great as that'd make it hard to get rid of slavery leading to some interesting and ubpleasant political conflicts. The same goes with the Nazis getting curbstomped which could've easily happened. Nazis loom so large in popular imagination that having them not be taken seriously leads to so many changes, especially with a very different (and possibly nuclear Cold War) and the Holocaust being butterflied.
will they have a bigger impact on the war cause I imagine the south will receive more volunteers than otl but once the aconda plan comes into full swing I except that will drop very quickly becasue they won't be able to get in. The union though will prob recvie a lot more due to the anti slavery swing now and maybe even a karl marx...
Maybe have a min update be a narrative be anything really
They had some successes in small ways with some innovative/desperation ideas (like the CSS Hunley the submersible which sank one Union ship and killed three crews including its inventor) and the "David" torpedo boats.
The Confederate position in MD is pretty damned f-ed, going into 1862. They either need a decisive battle against one of the many Union staging grounds, or need to concede central MD and Baltimore, then retreat to DC or over the Potomac. Frederick and Annapolis especially, Hagerstown if possible, need to be seized for any hope of a long term Confederate presence in MD. If not, Beauregard's position in central MD south of the Patuxent will be incredibly easy to cut off, and suffer a similar fate as Mack at Ulm.
Has to wonder if Arlington will still become the US cemetery in this TL, and wonder if it will be a bit more vindictive....
Well if Beauregard wants to maintain the initiative i think he'd attack Butler in Annapolis, as he represents a big threat to his rear.
Though given what Red has said it seems the union counter attack will come first.
In which case the AotS will move on Baltimore and probably face the most resistance of the three "army groups". The Army of Western Maryland in Frederick ought to move on the confederates in Urbana and move to retake Rockville at the very least. Butler in Annapolis should at least pressure the confederate troops in Rolling Hills to tie down those troops, or if he's lucky drive them off and move on Annapolis junction.
Possible; sources for that?
For the Rebels, inaction is basically suicidal. Fighting on essentially 3 fronts is incredibly dangerous, especially if the Union is able to coordinate. The force from Annapolis can, without pressure, easily cut off their only rail connection to DC, and isolate Beauregard's forces. Same with Frederick.Things are not looking good for the rebels.
Since Breckinridge and Johnston both want to remain in the defensive rather than attack, the main Confederate objective for now is simply building up strength and fortifications. They know the Yankees are coming, so they want to be ready for now. After that, the main threats are Annapolis and Ft. McHenry. For the Union, the best result is wreacking Havoc around Frederick and Baltimore, forcing Beauregard to either recall the troops from Annapolis or fight against insurmountable Union numbers. Lincoln especifically wants McDowell to pin Beauregard against the Potomac, and destroy him.
I think I read somewhere that Russia was indeed the main source of grain for Britain until the Crimean War and other events allowed the US to surpass them. I'm not really sure though.
For the Rebels, inaction is basically suicidal. Fighting on essentially 3 fronts is incredibly dangerous, especially if the Union is able to coordinate. The force from Annapolis can, without pressure, easily cut off their only rail connection to DC, and isolate Beauregard's forces.
Any defenisive posture for the Confederates in MD requires at least Annapolis and likely Frederick/Harpers Ferry to be realistically held without threat of annihilation, to have at least one rail line to retreat through. Breckenridge and Johnston are likely dooming the Army of MD or whatever the name will be to encirclement. Beauregard and others with the army likely see this plainly however, and I would be surprised if they don't try to consolidate somehow, orders be damned.
Ah, I apologize. I thought you meant as a long term strategy. If the immediate goal is repulsing the Union push on Baltimore, that makes sense.I meant the short term objective. Attacking is risky, and right now the Confederates know the Army of the Susquehanna is on the move. They want to repeal this attack, and then be able to concentrate their forces against Annapolis. Conventional military wisdom at the time dictated that you should never split your forces in the face of a foe with superior numbers, and right now the Union has 45,000 men directly facing Beauregard's 30,000. Splitting the Army of Maryland and sending troops to take Annapolis would allow the AotS to smash them. There are some 5,000 troops in Frederick, and 5,000 in Annapolis, both facing similar rebel numbers. Beauregard has sent further reinforcements to Annapolis, believing that the force at Annapolis is too small for the moment, and that the force at Frederick will fumble their river crossing. The plan for the moment is fortifying the Patapsco, push the AotS back, turn around and expulse the Federals from Annapolis, and then push north towards Harpers Ferry.
Happy to hear that you leaningn toward keep this going!I think a larger section of the White male southern population will fight ITTL, but I don't think many foreigners will join them. Slavery is central to the idea of the Confederacy, but it is als despised in Europe. Most volunteers would probably flock to the Union banner, including German 48ers. They are especially angry after the massacre of so many of them in St. Louis, and also some events in Texas... Whether or not I have Marx come into the US depends on my decision regarding continuing the TL. Marx taking part in the Civil War would probably have great butterflies for the US and the world, which can only be explored if I continue beyond Reconstruction. Right now I'm leaning towards continuing.
Plus, well, the CSA wasn't exactly the most immigrant friendly place, apparently.While you might see a few foreigners sympathetic to the south volunteer for adventure, the numbers would be small. Fighting in a great crusade for slavery simply is not much of an attraction for those outside the CSA. OTOH fighting for "freedom" and against slavery will attract more volunteers, although still a relatively small number. Furthermore the Union can offer sweeteners, no matter what you have the "west" with land which can be given to volunteers at the end of the war, even if the CSA wins. OTOH the CSA other than Texas the CSA isn't going to have much empty land on offer, and the willingness of the elite to create more independent landowners unless they are establishing new slave plantations is questionable.
Brazil may have a pro-slave class, but frankly Brazil is not in a state where they can be very helpful to the CSA.
Tbh i don't see karl himself leaving England unless Britain starts cracking down on radicals and exile/deporting them (which was pretty common for europe at the time, its why Karl was forced to leave Prussia and then France). I can maybe see Engles going, as he was an aide de camp to augustus willich and so has some experience, but i find it unlikely that they would do anything other than organizing the volunteers
Enjoying this a lot.
Talk about CSA wanks in this forum reminds me that there's so little AH about the winning side of a war winning more easily. I think a TL about the CSA falling apart quickly would be great as that'd make it hard to get rid of slavery leading to some interesting and ubpleasant political conflicts. The same goes with the Nazis getting curbstomped which could've easily happened. Nazis loom so large in popular imagination that having them not be taken seriously leads to so many changes, especially with a very different (and possibly nuclear Cold War) and the Holocaust being butterflied.
By 1861 i don't think he was that dependent on engles any more. He's got a couple writing jobs as a european correspondent for American newspapers and has published A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy, and is in the middle of writing Capital. He's not going anywhere if he doesn't have to, and i imagine he doesn't want to disrupt his family's life like that a third timePerhaps Willich convinces Engels to come to America to fight for freedom and the oppressed, and Marx, who depended on Engels for financial support, comes with him.
Happy to hear that you leaningn toward keep this going!
Yes, I agree the vast majority will want to help the Confederacy but what about a notable slaving holding country to the south brazil I bet many will find there cause noble espically the slave holders in brazil while most would not go a small amount of them could go
Tbh i don't see karl himself leaving England unless Britain starts cracking down on radicals and exile/deporting them (which was pretty common for europe at the time, its why Karl was forced to leave Prussia and then France). I can maybe see Engles going, as he was an aide de camp to augustus willich and so has some experience, but i find it unlikely that they would do anything other than organizing the volunteers
While you might see a few foreigners sympathetic to the south volunteer for adventure, the numbers would be small. Fighting in a great crusade for slavery simply is not much of an attraction for those outside the CSA. OTOH fighting for "freedom" and against slavery will attract more volunteers, although still a relatively small number. Furthermore the Union can offer sweeteners, no matter what you have the "west" with land which can be given to volunteers at the end of the war, even if the CSA wins. OTOH the CSA other than Texas the CSA isn't going to have much empty land on offer, and the willingness of the elite to create more independent landowners unless they are establishing new slave plantations is questionable.
Brazil may have a pro-slave class, but frankly Brazil is not in a state where they can be very helpful to the CSA.