WI: California Secedes From the Union During the American Civil War: Realistic Campaign?

redlightning

Banned
What if California seceded from the Union during the American Civil War, not necessarily as part of the Confederacy but the Independent Republic of the Pacific? The North would eventually come with force, but what does a realistic campaign against this state and the West Coast look like?
 

Die Kaiserin

Idk if the Union could realistically come after California. With their secession the CS would be emboldened and it could trigger diplomatic recognition of both seceding states. It could also trigger more states to secede and join the South or California, really changes the entire game. No California gold definitely screws things up for the Union.
 

David T

Republicans and Douglas Democrats were opposed to California seceding--and together they definitely made up the majority of the state. The pro-southern wing of the Democrats got only 28.4% of the vote for president in 1860 http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/u/usa/pres/1860.txt and 27.96% for governor in 1861. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_gubernatorial_election,_1861

One reason for this was that the pro-southern "Chivalry" wing of the Democrats had been badly damaged by the Broderick-Terry duel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broderick–Terry_duel
 

redlightning

Banned
David T said:
Republicans and Douglas Democrats were opposed to California seceding--and together they definitely made up the majority of the state. The pro-southern wing of the Democrats got only 28.4% of the vote for president in 1860 http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/u/usa/pres/1860.txt and 27.96% for governor in 1861. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_gubernatorial_election,_1861

One reason for this was that the pro-southern "Chivalry" wing of the Democrats had been badly damaged by the Broderick-Terry duel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broderick–Terry_duel
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This is not the point? What does a military campaign look like?
 

ben0628

Banned
redlightning said:
This is not the point? What does a military campaign look like?
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As I'm sure someone else will tell you, that's not how it works here.

How secession happens directly relates to how a campaign would unfold. In regards to your question though, as long as the Us has a navy, secessionist California won't stand much of a chance along the coast.
 

redlightning

Banned
I'll give my two cents on this campaign. Like with the Confederacy, the California republic cannot get supplies and materials passed the Union blockade. They are able to smuggle materials through the borders and wilderness areas between Canada and Mexico to bring in many alternative supplies through contraband. Because of agriculture in the state, California generally becomes self-sufficient in food production which can nullify much of the effects of the American blockade. It does cause some damage over the economy too however.

Californians will fight a different type of war to maintain their independence. Soldiers from California first help the Confederacy in its attempts to establish control over New Mexico and Arizona. This creates supply lines between Texas, the Confederacy, and California in order to support the war effort. Nevada never becomes a state because Californian troops are able to secure its main points to use much of the resources for self-defense against the Union.

The first years of the war prove not very effective against the rebellious states. Union soldiers from other territories like Colorado are sent to suppress the Californian invasion to great defeat. Californians are able to do something not as possible in the South, use the terrain for the purposes of guerrilla warfare. Union militias are stopped this way. It's not until Union forces under Grant are able to seize control over the Mississippi River after the Siege of Vicksburg and cut off supply lines to California and Texas does the situation change. Union volunteers are able to muster up a force from some of the Midwestern states to first invade Texas and claim its major cities. Confederate forces withdrawal from New Mexico and Arizona in and effort to defend Texas from incursion. Eventually this fails by the beginning of 1864. California troops are also used in this matter. Eventually a smaller army under Union control enters Nevada through Arizona and Colorado to reclaim territory. Californian resistance retreats to its state. By the middle of 1864, California is back under the control of the Union and the rebellion is crushed there. However, guerrilla resistance, especially in the mountains remains as an obstacle until the end of the war.
 

Spengler

Banned
ben0628 said:
Maybe secession is regional and you get a north and south California.
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Where they barley have a plurality. They face a three month long guerilla war, and are crushed utterly when the remaining US army with the ten thousand men of the "Army of California" comes in.
 

Johnrankins

It should be noted that the gold fields were in Northern California where the Union was strong so it would have little to no effect on the gold shipments.
 

Escape Zeppelin

I think the campaign would mostly consist of blockading the Golden Gate and then seizing San Francisco which would largely paralyze the state's economy. After that seize the smaller ports. That all by itself would largely end any serious threat of secession as they can't move material in or out without Union permission and because of the state of industry and relatively low population at the time aren't a real threat to any occupation.

It would soak up troops but the best option seems to be isolate them, seize key ports and overland routes, and then wait until the Confederacy is subdued before attempting any major campaigns. The defeat of the Confederacy would probably be enough to bring California back into the fold relatively peacefully and if they're still attempting to leave the Union has freed up troops to deal with it.
 

Spengler

Banned
redlightning said:
I'll give my two cents on this campaign. Like with the Confederacy, the California republic cannot get supplies and materials passed the Union blockade. They are able to smuggle materials through the borders and wilderness areas between Canada and Mexico to bring in many alternative supplies through contraband. Because of agriculture in the state, California generally becomes self-sufficient in food production which can nullify much of the effects of the American blockade. It does cause some damage over the economy too however.

Californians will fight a different type of war to maintain their independence. Soldiers from California first help the Confederacy in its attempts to establish control over New Mexico and Arizona. This creates supply lines between Texas, the Confederacy, and California in order to support the war effort. Nevada never becomes a state because Californian troops are able to secure its main points to use much of the resources for self-defense against the Union.

The first years of the war prove not very effective against the rebellious states. Union soldiers from other territories like Colorado are sent to suppress the Californian invasion to great defeat. Californians are able to do something not as possible in the South, use the terrain for the purposes of guerrilla warfare. Union militias are stopped this way. It's not until Union forces under Grant are able to seize control over the Mississippi River after the Siege of Vicksburg and cut off supply lines to California and Texas does the situation change. Union volunteers are able to muster up a force from some of the Midwestern states to first invade Texas and claim its major cities. Confederate forces withdrawal from New Mexico and Arizona in and effort to defend Texas from incursion. Eventually this fails by the beginning of 1864. California troops are also used in this matter. Eventually a smaller army under Union control enters Nevada through Arizona and Colorado to reclaim territory. Californian resistance retreats to its state. By the middle of 1864, California is back under the control of the Union and the rebellion is crushed there. However, guerrilla resistance, especially in the mountains remains as an obstacle until the end of the war.
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Remind me what Army are the Californians fighting with. Also how are they going to deal with the numerous Unionist Guerillas.
Escape Zeppelin said:
The POD is that for whatever reason there are.
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Well for the sake of the historical context we need a POD that presents us with such a situation.
 

Just a Rube

Ignoring the hows/whys:

California is very sparsely populated, despite the Gold Rush, and there will be plenty of anti-secessionists there (there were in most Confederate states). Union forces can seize coastal bases fairly easily and blockade the handful of reasonable ports they don't immediately take, and essentially otherwise ignore the state until the CSA is mostly crushed. Neither side will have significant numbers of troops or the means to easily support them (as this is before both the Panama Canal and the Transcontinental Railroad), so expect most fighting to be small skirmishes. Once the main conflict back east is wrapped up, the California rebels will either surrender or be squashed by better armed, experienced soldiers fresh from crushing the CSA.
 

Art

Monthly Donor
California fielded 16,000 soldiers in the Civil War, and there were 380,000 people in California. For 1860 America, that is a lot.
 

Just a Rube

Art said:
California fielded 16,000 soldiers in the Civil War, and there were 380,000 people in California. For 1860 America, that is a lot.
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It's really not. For comparison, Vermont (not a particularly populous New England state) had 315,000 people and fielded 33,000 soldiers. There's a reason California only had 2 representatives in the House.
 
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