Year of decision: 1864

Year of decision: 1864

INTRODUCTION:
By 1864 the American Civil War had been going on for three bloody years. No one could have predicted that the war would last as long as it did, let alone what course it would take. The old reasons of state’s rights and preserving the union had been swept away by new ones (at least that was the case of the north who sought to free the slaves whereas the south on the other hand, still clung to state’s rights and independence). The political scene had changed too. Early on when it looked as if the south might gain its independence, foreign recognition coming from countries like Great Britain and France seemed assured. Now in the wake of the summer and fall campaigns of 1863 and the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation, that was not likely to happen.
The situation in the south was vastly different than it had been the year before. Manpower was always in short supply, although the army that escaped capture before the fall of Vicksburg seemed to help a little, it paled in comparison to what the north could do to replace fallen soilders. There were three main Confederate armies in the field: The Army of Northern Virginia under Robert E. Lee, The Army of Tennessee under the command of Braxton Bragg and the Army of Mississippi under the command of Joesph E. Jonhston. Lee’s army was concentrated around Culpeper, Virginia awaiting the coming blow from federal forces there. Bragg’s army was stationed around Dalton, GA, ready to block any federal attempt to strike toward Atlanta. Finally, Johnston’s army was stationed around Meridian, MS preparing itself for the coming fight.
The north on the other hand, was starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, although the tunnel seems exceptionaly long. It had replaced the casualties it had endured during the summer and fall of 1863 and now vastly outnumbered the rebels in the south (which is that they had always outnumbered the rebels since 1862). Many people were now seeing that the reasons for the faluires in the past was because of inept generals who couldn’t compare to their opposite numbers on the other side. However, now that ineptude and bungling generals were replaced by generals who knew what needed to be done to get the job done.
Case in point was the three main Union armies in the field. The first, the Army of the Potomac who had suffered more defeats than any other federal armies anywhere else was commanded by Major General John F. Reynolds and was stationed around the capital and surrounding areas (the exception was the Second Corps of that army which was currently stationed in and around Harper’s Ferry under the command of Major General Winfield Scott Hancock and was operating indepenat from the main army). Next was the Army of the Cumberland, stationed in and around Chattanooga, TN under the command of Major General George Thomas (although latter on, General Grant would take command right before the campaign would begin). Finally, there was the Army of the Tennessee, stationed around Jackson, MS under the command of Major General U. S. Grant (again, this would be until April when Grant goes to Chattanooga and Major General William T. Sherman would take command).
 

Anaxagoras

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Okay, so the POD is that the garrison of Vicksburg escaped rather than ended up trapped in the city and being forced to surrender. And for some reason Reynolds is in command of the AotP. Did Gettysburg take place or not?
 
Okay, so the POD is that the garrison of Vicksburg escaped rather than ended up trapped in the city and being forced to surrender. And for some reason Reynolds is in command of the AotP. Did Gettysburg take place or not?

This is similar to events in theknightirish's Glorious Union - Bragg keeps his troops out of Vicksburg for a more mobile defence and Reynolds commands the Army of the Potomac. (There are many more differences as his POD was in 1862 I think).
 
hey all, im going to update this tommorrow. to answer questions, yes gettysburg happened, but not the way you think, there are several pods that i am tring to work out also.
 
It might be worth noting that the vast majority of Vicksburg "losses" were prisoners - or parolees who violated their parole, but same thing - OTL.

So it might not make a whole hell of a lot of difference in terms of relative manpower.

Other thoughts. Note that you don't have to answer immediately - just figure out how you want to handle it:

Case in point was the three main Union armies in the field. The first, the Army of the Potomac who had suffered more defeats than any other federal armies anywhere else was commanded by Major General John F. Reynolds and was stationed around the capital and surrounding areas (the exception was the Second Corps of that army which was currently stationed in and around Harper’s Ferry under the command of Major General Winfield Scott Hancock and was operating indepenat from the main army).


Why is 2nd Corps operating around Harper's Ferry and all? What happened to 8th Corps (the OTL forces assigned to this region)? Or has 2nd Corps been assigned to this area as part of some plan?

Next was the Army of the Cumberland, stationed in and around Chattanooga, TN under the command of Major General George Thomas (although latter on, General Grant would take command right before the campaign would begin). Finally, there was the Army of the Tennessee, stationed around Jackson, MS under the command of Major General U. S. Grant (again, this would be until April when Grant goes to Chattanooga and Major General William T. Sherman would take command).

Why is Grant taking command away from Thomas? Have Eleventh and Twelfth Corps been dispatched from the Army of the Potomac as they were OTL?
 
Hey guys, i wasn't happy the way i did this update, so i'm going to redo it latter. that is why i'm deleting it.
 
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hey is anyone still intrested in this? i'm sorry for the delay on updating, but i haven't had time to update it yet. this atl isn't dead and i'm planning on updating it soon. might try to update it latter on tonight.
 
Before the 1864 campaign can fully be explained, one must go back to the events of the previous summer campaigns and how they affected the start of the 1864 campaigns. Perhaps no other campaign changed the course of the war than Lee’s Pennsylvania Campaign of 1863 ( or you could also call it, Lee’s 2nd invasion, the Pipe Creek Campaign, etc).

Pennsylvania Campaign: June 1863-August1863
To begin with, this campaign involved Lee trying to invade the north in order to bring about several things at once:
1st: Lee thought that by invading the north, he could give Virginia the time it needed to recover from constantly being drained dry by federal forces.
2nd: It was thought that by invading the north, it would divert federal troops that where currently trying to subdue Vicksburg, although latter events would prove otherwise.
3rd: Lee hoped to lure the federal Army of the Potomac into a final confrontation that would result in it’s destruction on northern soil, which would in turn bring foreign reconition and thus the Confederacy’s independence (which it did not).
The resulting campaign would perhaps be the most famous of all other campaigns not so much as to eventual outcome, but for it’s many what if’s that would be stated by future historians and all history buffs alike. The Campaign saw some of the most savage fighting up to that point. Battes such as Brandy’s Station, Gettysburg, Pipes Creek, and 2nd South Mountain would be forever etched in blood and would make or break many an officer’s career on both sides.
Offically, the campaign began in early June, 1863 when Lee’s two army corps, under the command of Lt. Gen. James Longstreet and Lt. Gen Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson began to withdraw from their bases around Culpeper and began to move behind the blue ridge mountains in the valley so that they could move north without federal detection. This move was almost brought to a close when on June 9th, Federal Cavalry under Maj. Gen. Alfred Pleasonton surprised Maj. Gen. JEB Stuart’s cavalry and began what was the biggest cavalry engagement of the war. Unfortunately for the south (depending on who you talk to), it was also during this engagement that Jeb Stuart would fall with a serious wound to his hip which would render him unfit for duty for a couple of months.
 
please leave posts so that i can get some feed back on how i am doing so far in my atl. any help would be nice.
 
Not enough to really comment on. So Jackson isn't dead, Stuart is out of the running for a while, Lee keeps the two corps organization . . .

Something to note. Hampton (senior most brigadier under Stuart if memory serves) probably makes very similar decisions on the ride to come for much the same reasons Stuart did.
 
hey guys this atl isnt dead. im sorry that i havent updated it. this is because ive been working, going to visit family, friends, etc. I will update this soon. i again apoligize for the delay. thanks.
 
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