February 16 1861
Jefferson Davis becomes President CS. Calls for the US to let us go in Peace, as Brothers. [
http://www.civilwarhome.com/davisinauguraladdress.htm ].
Begins organizing Confederate Government.
March 4 1861
Lincoln becomes President US. Calls for the Seceding States to peacefully rejoin the Union. [
http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres31.html ]
March 11
CSA Constitution Passed
April 12 1861 --
Attack on Fort Sumter.When President Lincoln planned to send supplies to Fort Sumter, he alerted the state in advance, in an attempt to avoid hostilities. South Carolina, however, feared a trick; the commander of the fort, Robert Anderson, was asked to surrender immediately. Anderson offered to surrender, but only after he had exhausted his supplies. His offer was rejected, and on April 12, the Civil War began with shots fired on the fort. Fort Sumter eventually was surrendered to South Carolina.
POD
April 11 1861
Different Commanding Officer, realizing there was no way to hold out, Surrenders the Fort without fighting.
June
Virginia, North Carolina, & Tennessee refuse to establish Draft Boards.
When Lincoln tries to establish Federal Boards, run by Federal Troops, Virginia Secedes, followed by Alabama & North Carolina, Tennessee.
July
Residents of the western counties of Virginia did not wish to secede along with the rest of the state. This section of Virginia was admitted into the Union as the state of West Virginia on July 20, 1863.
OTL
July 1861 -- First Battle of Bull Run.
Public demand pushed General-in-Chief Winfield Scott to advance on the South before adequately training his untried troops. Scott ordered General Irvin McDowell to advance on Confederate troops stationed at Manassas Junction, Virginia. McDowell attacked on July 21, and was initially successful, but the introduction of Confederate reinforcements resulted in a Southern victory and a chaotic retreat toward Washington by federal troops.
July 1861 -- General McDowell Is Replaced.
Suddenly aware of the threat of a protracted war and the army's need for organization and training, Lincoln replaced McDowell with General George B. McClellan.
ATL
With No Fort Summer, Federal Recruiters are struggling, and Many Draftees across the US refuse to Serve.
There is no Public demand to begin the Fighting.
August
The NY Times and the Boston Globe begin using a CSA byline on news from the Confederate States.
By the end of the Month several other major Papers join this.
Septembre
Siting the need for Fall Farm Workers -- NY, Conn, Mass, & Maine close their Draft Offices for the Winter.
Octobre
General Scott begins preparing his troops to go into Winter Quarters.
Novembre 1861 - February 1862
Close to 80% of the Draftees Desert over the Winter.
March 1862
Congress refuses to authorize increases in Military Expenditures.
NY, Conn, refuse to reopen Draft
Lincoln realizes that He will be unable to force the South to rejoin the Union. Calls off the Naval Blockade.
OK so a little ASB, But
one possible NO Civil War Scenario. If you don't like it think up your own.
So whe have the two Sides, while not the Best of Friends, there was No Fighting, So no long term Bitterness.
Whe have 4 Slave States left in the US. The Fugitive Slave laws are still in Place. The relatively well off, educated Northern Blacks are opposed to large scale Black Immigration.
Lincoln will probably not recognize the CSA, but the next President [Not McClellan] will.
Abolitionists are not Happy, but the Majority of USians consider it happening another country, and don't care.
?What happens to Slavery in the North?
The CSA is almost unchanged from Pre War, No Death and Destruction to cause Upheavals, same state constitutions, Same Politicos.
I am going to assume that the Santa Fe expedition was Successful.
The CS has the Virginia, Tennessee, & Georgia Gold Fields for Currency, but given the CS tariff position, I am not sure where else the CS Government can get money.
[The US Government running on the Tariff Proceeds]
So No War to throw up Heroes, - Lee McClellan Jackson, Grant, etc. Who become President after Lincoln [Re-elected???] and Davis.
?How goes the Transcontinental Railroad? Earlier? Later? ?How goes the Homestead Act?
The People north of the Mason Dixon are all called Yankees, ?What are the Southerners Called?.