WI: Apalachia in The Union

Max Rakus

Banned
Most people of the Appalachians areas in the south did not support the CSA or its Ideas (probally due to the vast differences) but what if these areas had joined the union? would it be possible? what would be the effects on american politics? and what would the borders look like?
 
Most people of the Appalachians areas in the south did not support the CSA or its Ideas (probally due to the vast differences) but what if these areas had joined the union? would it be possible? what would be the effects on american politics? and what would the borders look like?
East Tennessee is probably the only area where there was sufficient indigenous pro union strength to attempt a break away. Even then, there were certain numbers of confederate sympathizers and a certain number of people were nueteral and nominally supported which ever side was winning at the time.

east tenn/north alablama tried as the state of nickajack
Unionism in north Alabama was notably strong in only a handful of counties. Even there, it was easy to overestimate the numbers and strength of local unionists. Union Colonel Steight's raid crossed through the pro union areas of Alabama. Though he noted that on one occasion, pro union locals came to the road and cheered his men, other locals were willing to assist the pursuing confederates and others were nueteral (they did not resist the union column, but still forced union troops to waste valuable time forcibly requisitioning desperatly needed horse etc).
 
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Max Rakus

Banned
Here take this and edit it to show which areas in southern Appalachia would likely seccede and join the union

Appalachian_region_of_United_States.gif
 
Here take this and edit it to show which areas in southern Appalachia would likely seccede and join the union
The map is flawed. First, using it assumes that every appalachian area was rabidly pro union. They were not. In addition, it seems to exaggerate the size of "Appalachia". For example, I had no idea that half of Alabama was in Appalachia.
 
In alot of areas the mix of loyalties was alot like todays mix of party loyalty. I think in Kentucky and Missouri it was a constant low level conflict bushwhacking and burning court houses and such.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Pro-Union sentiment in northern Alabama and northwestern Georgia, while not non-existent, was not nearly as strong as in East Tennessee or West Virginia. It's a mistake to think of those geographic regions as being part of a single collectivity.
 

Max Rakus

Banned
so eastern Tennesee could have joined the union? hmmm so maybe the state of Franklin is going to be revived!
 
The problem with east Tennessee or western North Carolina is that the Confederacy will - and did - stomp hard on that.

Appalachia is inconveniently located for Union troops to assist, except for West Virginia, until sometime in the war.
 
The problem with east Tennessee or western North Carolina is that the Confederacy will - and did - stomp hard on that.
Absolutely. East Tennessee actually did rebel against the Confederacy, and despite Lincoln's repeated attempts to gain them assistance, they were crushed.
 
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