What if the American Civil War 'froze'?

For those who don't know what a frozen conflict is, it's basically a conflict ends, but there is no peace treaty or agreement that permanently resolves the conflict. Modern examples of frozen conflicts can be found in Korea, the Ukraine and South Ossetia.

The American Civil War started with the attack on Fort Sumter. That was on April 12 1861. The first major battle occurred on July 21st 1861, three months later. In between, there were minor skirmishes between Union and Confederate forces.

What if before Bull Run, the Union and Confederacy signed a armistice to avoid the war from spreading, but neglect to sign a peace treaty. It is worth reminding that a armistice only halts fighting until a peace treaty is signed, which in our timeline, is why you see the media always state that North and South Korea are technically still at war.

So in essence, what if the American Civil War 'froze'?
 
Between the South’s expansionist ambitions and the general reluctance of the North to maintain an army longer than necessary, this seems hard. Goes against everyone’s most basic motivations.
 
As far as I know, the North went to war to 'preserve' the Union, so halting the shooting to wait for a peace treaty- hell, even the idea that there CAN be a peace treaty with the south- any treaty short of unconditional surrender- would seem like a surrender to the general Northern public.

In the best case scenario, the hostilities cease until the 1864 elections, then Lincoln gets booted out of office for being an appeasement hippie. The new president, the new congress and pretty much any new elected official will be a hard line revenge militarist and the day after the new president is sworn in we'll have the 1865 version of American Blitzkrieg.

In the worst case scenario, Lincolns generals refuse to adhere to any cease fire and march into the South by themselves, making up some excuse about letters not arriving and cables getting lost. And they march with the general public on their side.
 
Simply no way for it to happen. Either the North wins as OTL or the CSA becomes independent. If Lincoln loses in 1864 there is speculation Mac would have been willing to make a deal for re-unification of southern terms, which would mean a bunch of concessions with permanent slavery and enforcement of Dred Scott everywhere or letting the CSA go
 
The OPs specific suggestion won't work, but if the CSA wins de facto Independence, but the Union refuses to sign any documents acknowledging it, you'd have a Korean-esque situation.
 
As far as I know, the North went to war to 'preserve' the Union, so halting the shooting to wait for a peace treaty- hell, even the idea that there CAN be a peace treaty with the south- any treaty short of unconditional surrender- would seem like a surrender to the general Northern public.

In the best case scenario, the hostilities cease until the 1864 elections, then Lincoln gets booted out of office for being an appeasement hippie. The new president, the new congress and pretty much any new elected official will be a hard line revenge militarist and the day after the new president is sworn in we'll have the 1865 version of American Blitzkrieg.

In the worst case scenario, Lincolns generals refuse to adhere to any cease fire and march into the South by themselves, making up some excuse about letters not arriving and cables getting lost. And they march with the general public on their side.
There are plenty of people in the Union who are looking for a conditional surrender, with reunification on the basis of retrenched slave power being seen as a much better deal than trying to conquer a country the size of continental Europe.

First scenario is weird, since militarism and America do not mix pre-1945; everyone wanted to come to a compromise before the shooting started, and many continued to try to seek reunion on the basis of a negotiated peace. Trying to Blitz the south in 1865 also probably wouldn't work, since they'd have had 4 years to prepare defenses, reach out to other powers, and really establish themselves as a government.

Second case, I'll point out that would be career suicide; you can get away with that if you win, but generals ignoring orders from the President and then losing a battle like Bull Run can expect no mercy. Furthermore, they rely on the President and congress for the raising of troops, funding, the signing of commissions, etc.
 
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