WI: Grant dies at Shiloh

What if Major General Grant of the Army of the Tennessee died at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862, what would the butterflies of a US Army with no Grant be?
 
I think this is a very important possibility for a change in the war. I dont think the CSA would win the war, but the affect on the Post War US would be tremendous. Especially in regards to the Election of 1868. I also wonder if the Fenian Invasion of Canada would have been stopped. If not you have far worse relations between the United States and the British Empire.

Would the likes of Benjamin Wade or Schulyer Colfax have been able to defeat Horation Seymour?
 
Are you assuming that the US still wins the battle? That is an important question, because General Sherman emerged from that battle with a boost to his career. If the US loses, that boost probably will not happen and Sherman may never rise to prominance either.
 
Are you assuming that the US still wins the battle? That is an important question, because General Sherman emerged from that battle with a boost to his career. If the US loses, that boost probably will not happen and Sherman may never rise to prominance either.

Here is the question, if Grant dies does that ensure that the US loses the Battle. I once wrote a Confederate Wank where Albert Sidney Johnston survives the Battle and Grant dies leading to reversed roles. If Shiloh is a Confederate victory, it could lead to more Confederate attacks into Kentucky.
 
Here is the question, if Grant dies does that ensure that the US loses the Battle. I once wrote a Confederate Wank where Albert Sidney Johnston survives the Battle and Grant dies leading to reversed roles. If Shiloh is a Confederate victory, it could lead to more Confederate attacks into Kentucky.

Grant's death does not necessarily result in a Union defeat. The Confederates were exhausted by the end of the first day and Lew Wallace's division and Buell's divisions were arriving to reinforce the Army of the Tennessee. The Confederates are going to be forced to retreat the next day, Grant or no Grant.

The first real butterflies come after that as Grant's dogged perseverance and sang-froid are missing from the campaign to take Vicksburg. With a Buell or a Rosecrans in charge the Confederates might hold out much longer, although eventually Union numbers will tell.

The butterflies from this are so numerous and large as to defy accurate prediction; many different possible outcomes are likely.
 
Here is the question, if Grant dies does that ensure that the US loses the Battle. I once wrote a Confederate Wank where Albert Sidney Johnston survives the Battle and Grant dies leading to reversed roles. If Shiloh is a Confederate victory, it could lead to more Confederate attacks into Kentucky.

Grant dead does not ensure a Confederate victory, but probably leads to a less decisive Union victory. One way to boost the chances for a Confederate victory would be to have Sherman get killed early in the battle. His inspired leadership in the opening hours of the battle caused his troops to hold the line against the initial Confederate attacks. His death at such a crucial moment could cause that flank to collapse. I used this in my U181 timeline; check it out sometime!! (Yes a shameless plug!)
 
Grant's death does not necessarily result in a Union defeat. The Confederates were exhausted by the end of the first day and Lew Wallace's division and Buell's divisions were arriving to reinforce the Army of the Tennessee. The Confederates are going to be forced to retreat the next day, Grant or no Grant.

The first real butterflies come after that as Grant's dogged perseverance and sang-froid are missing from the campaign to take Vicksburg. With a Buell or a Rosecrans in charge the Confederates might hold out much longer, although eventually Union numbers will tell.

The butterflies from this are so numerous and large as to defy accurate prediction; many different possible outcomes are likely.

Yeah I always thought that without the Grant the war might have draggedon a bit more, not to mention the butterflies that occur after the war.
 
Grant's death does not necessarily result in a Union defeat. The Confederates were exhausted by the end of the first day and Lew Wallace's division and Buell's divisions were arriving to reinforce the Army of the Tennessee. The Confederates are going to be forced to retreat the next day, Grant or no Grant.

The first real butterflies come after that as Grant's dogged perseverance and sang-froid are missing from the campaign to take Vicksburg. With a Buell or a Rosecrans in charge the Confederates might hold out much longer, although eventually Union numbers will tell.

The butterflies from this are so numerous and large as to defy accurate prediction; many different possible outcomes are likely.

If anything Lincoln may be motivated here to move Thomas, victor of Mill Springs to the West, and then the Union war effort continues much like OTL, with the presence of a rising star of Southern birth triggering hardcore ideologue Confederates to be more willing to come at him stupidly and letting him win Chancellorsville-style victories against them. To have Union deaths favor the Confederacy Grant, Thomas, and Sherman all have to either die or be relieved of duty and left on the shelf.
 
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