In June 1863, C.S. VP Alexander Stephens, by then a known enemy of President Davis, urged him to open negotiations with the Union regarding prisoner exchanges from his Georgia home. Now Stephens and the seemingly invincible General Lee both thought that, as the equally prestigious ANV was marching into Maryland/Pennsylvania, that another major defeat of the AtoP may as well cause the North to descend into chaos and sue for an armistice and give the Confederacy the needed political position to negotiate a peace. Although the pessimistic Stephens doubted that he could bring the Lincoln Administration to an agreement, he decided to travel to Richmond and accept the mission. Nevertheless, the Rebel delegation only reached Union lines at Newport News on July 4, the fateful day Lee began his tortuous retreat back to Virginia in the aftermath of his personal failure at Gettysburg, the Vicksburg fortress on the Mississippi surrendered to Grant, and by which time Bragg had been driven to the very gates of the Deep South at Chattanooga. The Federal government in Washington ultimately refused negotiations that month and Stephens returned to Georgia to continue to attack the Davis Administration. Now, what if the Confederates had indeed succeeded in routing the Union at Gettysburg (or Longstreet’s advice was taken), creating a crisis in the North? Even in OTL, Lincoln was open to discuss terms with Stephens at the time, something that his Cabinet vehemently opposed. Stephens may as well receive instructions from Davis to discuss peace. Fort Monroe was considered to host such a conference. What terms would both sides pursue? What’s the most likely result?
WI: Peace Conference following a Confederate victory at Gettysburg?
- Thread starter SWS
- Start date
The war intensified after Gettysburg not slowed down. There's no reason to assume it would not have done so if the traitors had won or not.
The problem is you won't get complete destruction of the AoP, they can retreat in several directions if need be. Lee's army simply does not have the staying power to linger in the north, there is only so much they can forage/loot and too many essential supplies they need from the south over a crap logistic train. The advance was never supposed to be, or could be, an extended presence unlike Union advances south, it was a large scale raid to take pressure off and prevent the Union from entering key areas like the Shannendoah Valley. Additionally essentially simultaneously (7/4/63) Vicksburg fell severing the CSA in to two pieces. Yes a big loss at Gettysburg would be bad for the Union, but unlike the the loss of Vicskburg for the CSA would not have long term consequences. Most likely the AoP would fall back in the direction of Washington DC, and between the remnants of the AoP and the defenses that city would be secure. The ANV going to Baltimore or Philadelphia is not realistic.