Wrapped in Flames: The Great American War and Beyond

[EnglishCanuck]

so now lincoln must try to win before march.in otl he proposed a co presidents situation In his hilnd memo.he wanted little Mac to try to use his popular to get troops while he would do everything he could to win in the meantime

In OTL's 1865 McClellan would have, basically, been riding Lincoln's coattails to victory and simply been avoiding a defeat at the polls in 1865. Unless a much worse military situation had developed across 1864, McClellan would just have been inheriting his victory. Even McClellan was smart enough to realize this, and his most vicious battles would have been with Congress where the Republicans would have been hostile to his conservative politics.

Here however he has a whole war to win, a hostile Congress, and then some! It's going to be a very interesting 1865 for the incoming administration.

Arguably the most dangerous things for the Union's war effort was the poltical decision to classify Kentucky as insurrectionist. Almost a guarantee that Kentuckians are going to be pushed towards the confederacy further and further.

Ah you've caught one little fly in the ointment! However cynical as a political move it was, Kentucky has not had a functional Unionist government since 1862 so while there was more than a degree of political self-interest, it was also an acknowledgement of the reality that Kentucky is partially in anarchy. The Confederate government in Lexington had about as much legitimacy as the military government in Louisville. Naturally, neither side trusted the other to carry out an honest vote. While it definitely annoys Kentuckians, it was probably the most realistic choice Lincoln could make.

 

[EnglishCanuck]

Chapter 101: Military Matters Across the Continent​

“Come late 1863 it had become clear to the hostile tribes of the Plains that there was very little to stop them from raiding as they pleased. The soldiers had been replaced by largely inexperienced and untested local militias led by officers who shirked their duty to their respective nations. The need for both sides to fight in the East, and the already existing paucity of resources in the West, meant that there was very little which could turn back these raids. The Comanche quickly caught on to this fact and began raiding not only their fellow Indian foes, but white settlements as far north as Colorado and Kansas with impunity pouring from the Llano Estacado…

By 1864 Comanche raiding had severed the Sante Fe Trail and driven the line of settlement back over one hundred and fifty miles in either direction of what was considered Comanche territory. Denver was felt to exist in “a state of siege” and flour, which had dropped in cost thanks to the war, rose dramatically in price to 50$ a bag. The post stations were shut down for fear of burning, and Comanche and Kiowa riders dominated the area running from the headwaters of the Brazos in the south to the banks of the Arkansas in the far north. The commanders there, both worried about the other on the Arizona line stretching from Texas to California across inhospitable territory containing Indian warriors every bit as hostile as the Comanche, while also having to worry about one another, could do little. No further resources could be sent, and the war itself took precedence over all.

Emblematic of the situation that these borderlands now faced was the raid by Little Buffalo, with a combined seven hundred Comanche and Kiowa warriors, plus three hundred camp followers, who rode towards the settlement of Elm Creek on October 13th 1864. They burned and killed with impunity, slaying eleven settlers, kidnapping six others, and driving them into a local stockade called Fort Murrah. Some hours later, a militia troop under Lt. N. Carson rode after the fleeing column. Falling for a tactic older than the Parthians, his men rode after the enemy, only to come under a terrible shock as the Comanche turned and riddled them with arrows and bullets, turning back with five of their number killed[1]. Such events would be repeated all along the line of settlement for the next two years.

The borderlands of the frontier were emptying out…” - Empire of the Summer Moon, the Comancheria and Settling of the West, Robin Parks, University of Houston, 1980.

Col. John Chivington​

“Chivington’s tenure at Fort McRae had largely been one of annoyance to the local Mormon population. Though technically in command of the Federal soldiers, he was under the official authority of the governor and Thomas Kane who was a friend to the Mormons. Chivington saw the Mormons as little better than traitors and apostates, and considered them a potential Kentucky Column in the Union rear. “Where a Mormon goes, treason follows,” he would tell his men.

This led to many incidents which could likely have been avoided across 1863. Chivington’s men harassed Mormon women, and when men intervened they would be arrested on the pretext of ‘rebellion’ or some other ginned up charge. The only real bloodshed however came in September of 1863 when one of Chivington’s men, Lt. George Eayre, arrested two Mormon farmers for allegedly taking government horses. The farmers protested as they had bought the horses legally, Eayre and his men would claim that they had been reported for rustling.

The subsequent commotion led to local members of the Nauvoo Legion gathering their arms and intercepting the small file of men led by Lt. Earye. When confronted by the Mormon militia who demanded that Earye produce a warrant for the men’s arrest, Earye instead threatened all assembled with charges of treason if they did not disperse. In response a shot was fired, and both sides would claim the other fired first. In the end two Mormons and one federal soldier lay dead, with several wounded on either side. Earye was compelled to surrender the two farmers, but vowed to return.

Before any punitive expedition could be launched, Kane ordered Chivington’s men to halt any harassment of the Mormons and instead produce evidence of the theft. Chivington told Kane he did not answer to his authority, threatening another row which was only solved by news from Washington.

Chivington was to command a new cavalry formation in Colorado, while a composite unit of Colorado and California infantry was to be assembled to guard Federal property in Utah. The unit, consisting of two cavalry squadrons and four companies of infantry, was to replace Chivington’s First Colorado who were to march back to their home territory. Chivington was only too glad to leave, and the Mormons just as much so…” - The Great American War: The Mormon Experience, Kenneth Stuart, Brigham Young University, Deseret Press, 1983

Refugees from Indian Raids, circa 1862​

“The Colorado War was a series of raids, massacres, and attacks both by Indians against settlers and settlers against Indians. In 1864 there were 34 Indian attacks on record. These resulted in the death of 107 settlers, 29 being wounded, and eight being captured. Between 250 and 300 head of livestock were stolen, 12 wagon trains and stagecoaches were attacked, robbed, or destroyed, and nine ranches and settlements were raided. The Cheyenne, Arapaho and Sioux of the region resisted fiercely when approached by white settlers or US soldiers.

Though who started the war in 1864 is chronically debated by historians to this day, it was almost certainly not helped by the arrival of John Chivington and his Colorado soldiers. Within a month of their arrival, a company of the Colorado Infantry, under the command of Lt. George Eayre, led a raid on an otherwise peaceful group of Cheyenne under Chief Lean Bear. These were a group of buffalo hunters, roughly a dozen families, and they were attacked and massacred, leaving 36 dead as Eayre accused them of “cattle rustling” as a justification.

Lean Bear, assuming this was a misunderstanding, took himself and a few elders to find the 1st Colorado on July 5th 1864. He found their camp where 500 of them were out tracking “hostiles” out of Fort Larned. When Lean Bear introduced himself and claimed he desired compensation for what had happened, Chivington refused. Lean Bear proudly said he had gone east to speak with President Lincoln in Philadelphia and had proposed peace between their peoples. Chivington said that compensation could only come if it was proved no cattle had been stolen. Naively, Lean Bear offered to lead the soldiers back to his camp so they could inspect it…

Upon arrival, Chivington ordered the 300 men he had brought with him to search the camp. They employed brutal methods, and eventually Lean Bear intervened. In doing so, he was shot dead by Chivington’s aide, and from there a general attack began.

Unprepared, the Dog Soldiers under Lean Bear’s brother, Bull Bear, could only evacuate their families and fight hard to make sure they could get away. In an hour of what could only be charitably called fighting, Chivington’s men killed an estimated 124 Cheyenne, mostly women and children, but also killing roughly a dozen warriors in exchange for the loss of 5 men and a dozen wounded…

Bull Bear, furious over the death of his brother, swore revenge and brought his people north and east to inform other groups of what had happened. In a meeting of tribal chiefs and elders at Cherry Creek in September of 1864 the various chiefs, according to the testimony of George Bent, agreed that if even chiefs who wanted peace with the US were to be attacked, then they had no choice but to go on the warpath. War was declared on the white settlers…

The attacks began small, as war bands attacked stage coaches, isolated farms, and across September and October of 1864 added another 22 settlers killed with another 7 wounded and 3 captured, culminating in a violent raid that destroyed the settlement of Julesburg. As the Nebraska Republican would mournfully report “The plains, from Julesburg west, for more than one hundred miles, are red with the blood of murdered men, women, and children – ranches are in ashes – stock all driven off – the country utterly desolate.” And hundreds of settlers would flee their homesteads.

The Colorado Volunteers responded with indiscriminate violence as Chivington ordered “kill Indians whenever and wherever found. We have come to kill Indians gentlemen, and I believe it is right and honorable to use any means under God's heaven to kill them!” His men continued the indiscriminate murder of any Indians they came across, becoming so vicious and bloodthirsty that many men under their command, notably Captain Silas Soule, who often would meander away from Indian settlements when he saw them, and wrote many letters to the governor regarding the barbarism of Chivington’s men. This violence however, only increased the bloody nature of the raiding.

It was estimated that by November 1864, the aligned tribes had over 5,000 people in a large war party, including over 1,200 warriors…

The retreat of the “Great Indian Host” to winter camps led Chivington to believe that this was the perfect time to pursue them. He gathered two battalions, his old First Colorado Infantry, and the First Colorado Cavalry under his command, four companies of the infantry and all six of the cavalry with two howitzers attached for a force of 770 men. He believed that with this force he could “pursue and destroy this scourge which has vexed the Territory.”

Despite some warnings from more experienced Indian fighters like Kit Carson and Edward Wynkoop, Chivington led his men into a winter campaign without proper reconnaissance. His trackers followed the Indian host, which could hardly keep itself secret, towards the North Platte River, where near its confluence with Rush Creek, Chivington came across the host.

In his haste to end the Indian threat, he did not realize that the host had yet to completely break before winter…

…Chivington split his men into three columns, the main thrust of three infantry companies and the howitzers would move straight towards the large village and draw out the warriors, while the cavalry would split around the flanks and prevent the great mass of civilians from fleeing. It was universally accepted that with their greater firepower the enemy would flee.

This might have been true had there not been such a desire for revenge among the host itself. Though in the early stages the Indians behaved as expected, there were two divergences from the plan. Firstly, Captain Soule’s men became disoriented in the terrain and missed their turning movement, secondly, the 90 men under Captain Jack Howland rode directly into a skinning party, and while the women fled, the men took up weapons and began attacking the riders, bringing more warriors to the scene. This divided the attention of the warriors, so that when the 300 men Chivington had marched up the creek towards the camp were spotted, only some 700 warriors initially rode out to meet them.

In the chaos of the early battle, it seemed Chivington’s men would make short work of the attackers who rode in, fired, and promptly fled. However, when Howland’s 90 men were met by a furious charge of Dog Soldiers led by Bull Bear who had sworn personal vengeance, they struck with an unusual ferocity. This unexpected full on attack took the soldiers completely by surprise, and in the space of fifteen minutes, the 90 men were slaughtered by over 300 mounted warriors scattering them, and the survivors would only be the fastest riders…

Chivington advanced, using the howitzers to drive off any attackers who came too close. However, the wanting marksmanship of his own men, and the relentless charges by the Indians under George Bent and Spotted Tail, slowed his progress. They did however, succeed in killing or wounding over 50 warriors in exchange for the loss of only twenty men…

This was when “Bull Bear’s Death Ride” took place. His warriors, fresh from massacring Captain Petrie’s unfortunate command, rode straight into the flank of the advancing infantry. Again, the full on attack took the infantry by surprise as they had, for the past two hours, skirmished as expected with Indians who did not deviate from expected tactics. The European style cavalry charge took the flank of the infantry who had no idea this was coming. Worse, the howitzer crews abandoned their guns and fled back to the encampment protected by infantry…

The exact nature of the melee is unclear, but over 100 men would be killed and wounded in the charge. The previously feinting warriors turned and launched a deadly attack of their own, though not closing to immediately grapple with the Colorado men. It did lead to a general rout however, as the men fled back towards the perceived safety of the wagons. It was trying to rally his men that Chivington was struck by an arrow and seen to fall from his horse…

Survivors from the charge would huddle in a protective coral formed by the wagons and dig firing pits. They held off a dozen charges by the warriors, before spotting a dust cloud on the horizon, both sides were unsure as to what it meant, but the warriors withdrew, and it fortuitously proved to be Soule’s 100 cavalrymen…

Withdrawing without even making an effort to search for their dead, the final outcome of the Battle of Rush River would only be satisfactorily established in 1867 when the Crook Expedition explored the region in force.

Though Chivington’s body was never specifically recovered, later Cheyenne accounts do confirm that a white man matching his description was seen to fall from a horse, be stabbed by a warrior, and later killed by women moving through the wounded and taking anything of value from them. Whether this was Chivington’s true fate remains unknown…

Though the Battle of Rush Creek was an unequivocal victory for the ad hoc alliance, becoming one of the deadliest losses for the United States in all the Indian Wars, the oncoming of winter and the need to partition food supplies meant such a large host could not stay together. Consequently, the groups broke into winter camps. The deaths of 198 white men were celebrated, but it demanded a response from the Federal Government. Unfortunately, the response would wait until 1866, and the raids would continue…” - The Colorado War, Alfred Hicks, University of Denver Press, 1997

-x-x-x-x-​

“The arrival of Federal forces had, already, set off spasms of panic in the ranks of plantation owners in the direct Union line of advance. The landings near Beaufort had seen, effectively, thousands of slaves freed as their masters fled, or simply could not force all their slaves away with them into the interior of South Carolina. However, for some made of more stubborn material, they chose to form militia companies, rely on promises of protection from Charleston, and heed their own sense of superiority.

On November 3rd, 1864, two figures who loomed large in the liberation of the enslaved stepped off the boats at Beaufort. Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave and direct conductor of the Underground Railroad who had led countless to freedom from their bondage, and Martin Delany, the chief ranking officer of all Colored Troops in the United States Army.

When they approached General Banks with their “suggestion” of leading a force up into the riverland to liberate plantations, Banks responded enthusiastically. His own forces had already added over one-thousand new recruits in the newly minted 1st South Carolina Colored Volunteers, who under Delany’s supervision, raised the stars and stripes to accept their formation to great cheers…

Tubman and Delany wanted nothing less than a broad movement to liberate as many slaves as possible[2]. Both Admiral Farragut and Commodore Lee agreed with such a plan, using some shallow draft gunboats to force their way up river and deprive the planters of slave labor to build fortifications which might block a larger force which Banks hoped would be shuttled to him in the new year. Controversially, they would allow Delany - supported by white officers - to lead the raid. Though some suggested it was because they saw little chance of success, others believe it was because this was the greatest possibility to stir up servile insurrection in South Carolina. A Black officer leading black troops? The Radicals in the ranks saw this as nothing less than the proof which could bring the barbaric institution crumbling down.

Three gunboats were detached to support the raid, and freedmen familiar with the area were recruited as guides, while four companies of Colored Volunteers were detached to act as muscle for the movement, with a company of white artillery manning the ships guns…

Lithograph of the raid, 1864​

As it was the winter months, the Confederate officers were less worried about the diseases endemic to the area in summer. Once the strength of the Union forces had been ascertained, they cautiously moved companies along the rivers to scout Union movements. When the raiding column was spotted, Confederate troops moved to block the gunboats with obstructions and a light battery as they came up the Combahee River on November 7th…

The first engagement was a resounding success as the gunboats made short work of the small company, and moving further up the banks. As they moved along the river the slaves there were, at first, distrustful of these large armed parties, wondering if it were a ruse. Knowing nothing of the Emancipation Proclamation they initially attempted to ignore them. However, once it was explained to many they the force had come to liberate them, hundreds came from across the region hoping to make a dash for safety. Despite the efforts of soldiers and overseers to stop them, the slaves ran hard for freedom. Many coming straight from tasks at plantations after seeing both the white masters flee and hearing the news from other fleeing slaves.

Tubman would later say “I nebber see such a sight. We laughed, an' laughed, an' laughed. Here you'd see a woman wid a pail on her head, rice a smokin' in it jus' as she'd taken it from de fire, young one hangin' on behind, one han' roun' her forehead to hold on, t'other han' diggin' into de rice-pot, eatin' wid all its might; hold of her dress two or three more; down her back a bag with a pig in it. One woman brought two pigs, a white one an' a black one; we took 'em all on board; named de white pig Johnston, and the black pig Jeff Davis. Sometimes de women would come wid twins hangin' roun' der necks; 'pears like I never see so many twins in my life; bags on der shoulders, baskets on der heads, and young ones taggin' behin', all loaded; pigs squealin', chickens screamin', young ones squallin.”

…finally the Confederate garrison responded in force. Col. Breeden, initially believing it to be a slave uprising, had come with 1,000 men and 4 guns. In his force he also had a singularly odd unit composed over overseers and almost one hundred hounds who chased slaves, assuming he would need them to mop up the stragglers.

Upon arrival, he instead found thousands of slaves fleeing, and roughly six hundred black men in blue formed up across the road to Combahee Ferry to stop their progress. Breeden, having no respect for the black troops, initially ordered that the dogs be unleashed as “the negro is frightened of hounds, and he will not fight with them baying for their blood.” This spectacularly ill advised idea resulted mostly in a great deal of unfortunate animal cruelty as the black soldiers gunned down this sign of oppression and the remaining dogs fled in terror[3]. Infuriated, Breeden ordered his men forward into general action.

The black soldiers, under Delany’s first truly independent command, responded coolly. Some were veterans of the fighting at Washington, and the men of South Carolina were simply no match for their veteran fire… in half an hour the fighting was over as Breeden was forced to drag his guns away once Delany ordered a bayonet charge which sent the South Carolina soldiers reeling. He would be forced to request support from Charleston…

When Tubman and Delany departed on November 9th, they took with the over 1,100 men, women and children freed from bondage. Alongside this they had burned over a dozen plantations and carried off 20,000 bushels of rice. It was both a great moral and material victory of Union arms.” – The Colored Troops, Isaiah Devlin, University of Boston, 2003

----

1] This is pretty much OTL, save the line of settlement has been driven further back. The Comanche have been more successful as the war has drawn off more from both sides, making this region quite interesting in the years to come.

2] Historically it was based on existing raids and plans, but who am I to deny Harriet Tubman a very cool role in history here? Its an event that deserves more recognition!

3] Believe it or not this is based on real occurrences where white soldiers thought black soldiers would be too afraid of the dogs to fight. They were always wrong.

 

[EnglishCanuck]

And so that wraps up the military matters in the US I wanted to discuss in 1864! And you see the Prophet and her Moses! You'll be seeing lots more of them in the future don't worry!

Coming up soon, 1864 a year in review, Denmark and Sweden at war with Austria and Prussia. Events in Mexico, China and other things. But first, more politics later next week!

 

[SultanArda]

But first, more politics later next week!

I guess this chapter will be about McClellan trying to assemble a cabinet that will both not anger any of the factions in the Democrats but also will not devolve into a shouting match in one minute?

 

[EnglishCanuck]

I guess this chapter will be about McClellan trying to assemble a cabinet that will both not anger any of the factions in the Democrats but also will not devolve into a shouting match in one minute?

Politics in the UK, Canada and Richmond to round out the year. There's been plenty of events in Europe which require the attention of Parliament, and Canada has some teething problems to sort out.

Chapter 104: The Manager in Chief, will deal with McClellan's cabinet, his conversations with Lincoln, and a bit of the pre-March 1865 situation in the United States.

 

[SultanArda]

Politics in the UK, Canada and Richmond to round out the year. There's been plenty of events in Europe which require the attention of Parliament, and Canada has some teething problems to sort out.

From what we see from the few updates after the Treaty of Rotterdam, the principal, new, issues of London will be about two things, how to restore trade with North America, and the unique colonial problems, things like the Maori Rebellion that was getting out of control.
I think Richmond will be filled with arguments for and against seeking peace, though my gut says that radicals will probably win the fight.
And, Canada... I think it was mentioned that the giant potato field with some timberyards has two claimants, that being Quebec and New Brunswick, so it will cause lots of fights and severe headaches developing in several politicians.
Also, if you have time, can you explain the changes in Canada that happened in this timeline, compared to ours, except for the Treaty of Rotterdam?
I read the Canadian chapters, but I only remember that:
-Metis people allied with the Canadians against the USA and defeated their small and not-that-important invasion forces by guerilla warfare and one massive attack with two ships at the end. It was also mentioned that a treaty was made between Metis and Canadians (or rather Hudson Bay Company), with Metis, and presumably the Catholic Church, having a stake in running the colony, which I think will work not terrible, not great for both sides, given that it is mentioned and accepted in both British and Metis sources.
-Instead of Transcontinental Railway, Canada gets... I don't remember the name of it railway.
So, can you give me, and other readers of yours, a little summary of this timeline's Canadas?

 

[EnglishCanuck]

From what we see from the few updates after the Treaty of Rotterdam, the principal, new, issues of London will be about two things, how to restore trade with North America, and the unique colonial problems, things like the Maori Rebellion that was getting out of control.

Trade is a big deal indeed, and I will be covering the Maori in the World in Review section! There's also some domestic politics which will dovetail with the American politics of 1865.

I think Richmond will be filled with arguments for and against seeking peace, though my gut says that radicals will probably win the fight.

The Fire Eaters have largely been sidelined during the war, and currently remain so. They're unhappy about it, but Davis commands a bit more political clout currently. The biggest irritation in the Confederacy is the upcoming draft of 1865 to keep the war going, and fears of servile insurrection in the Carolinas. Though there is also a peace faction in Richmond too.

That is what will be prompting many of the arguments in 1865.

And, Canada... I think it was mentioned that the giant potato field with some timberyards has two claimants, that being Quebec and New Brunswick, so it will cause lots of fights and severe headaches developing in several politicians.
Also, if you have time, can you explain the changes in Canada that happened in this timeline, compared to ours, except for the Treaty of Rotterdam?
I read the Canadian chapters, but I only remember that:
-Metis people allied with the Canadians against the USA and defeated their small and not-that-important invasion forces by guerilla warfare and one massive attack with two ships at the end. It was also mentioned that a treaty was made between Metis and Canadians (or rather Hudson Bay Company), with Metis, and presumably the Catholic Church, having a stake in running the colony, which I think will work not terrible, not great for both sides, given that it is mentioned and accepted in both British and Metis sources.
-Instead of Transcontinental Railway, Canada gets... I don't remember the name of it railway.
So, can you give me, and other readers of yours, a little summary of this timeline's Canadas?

The biggest changes compared to Canada as to OTL is as follows (besides the war that is):
- With the invasion in 1862, the Canadian political factions which endured massive dysfunction until 1864 OTL instead banded together in the face of a common enemy to form the Great Coalition two years early, sidelining every other minor faction in Canada through an alliance of the Tories and the Grits (Liberals). In doing so they created a unified government for the United Province of Canada. The Maritime colonies attempted to do similar, and Macdonald hopped on board hoping to form a big happy Canada early.
- The Halifax and Quebec Conferences resulted in a political compromise that gave the Provinces enormous power in the Senate that they simply did not (and do not) have OTL, which will be a big problem for Macdonald and any future government as he must now try and listen more to the provinces, rather then simply lording the power of Ottawa over them.
- As a result of this compromise (and the promise of money thanks to the Treaty of Rotterdam) PEI is joining Canada in the 1860s rather than almost a decade later. This will create a larger Canada than was extant in OTL's 1867 - Newfoundland still isn't in though. The partition of the captured territory from Maine is still an issue that has not been resolved.
- The Saint Andrews and Quebec Railroad coming from Saint Andrews New Brunswick to Quebec is hoping to be the first big intercolonial railway, and this ticks off Nova Scotia because they feel Halifax is the more important city and has yet to get the same railroad commitment, something they will harp on in the coming year. The Saint Andrews railroad will most likely be completed in 1865, giving an all weather and all Canadian route to the Atlantic well before the OTL Intercolonial Line of 1872. Though it should be said that Saint Andrews is hardly the major port of either Halifax or Portland (the Atlantic Terminus of the Canadian Grand Trunk Railroad). Railroad politics are going to be hugely important going forward.
- The agreement the Metis believe they have reached with the HBC is going to be very important going forward, especially as the new Canada may not feel like acknowledging it. The Metis on the other hand bled and died for it.
- In 1865 a major Canadian delegation is heading to London to hammer out the final details.
- On the Pacific not much has changed since British Columbia and the Victoria Colony didn't get invaded or receive any major territorial gains. However, the population will be slightly larger than OTL thanks to a combination of soldier settlers, deserters and some Americans choosing to settle there rather than return with the outbreak of war. More on them in the future!
- Semi related, but with roughly 100,000 Canadians from all the colonies having fought in the war, veterans associations and politics will be very important in early Canada.

Essentially the war has sped up the OTL Confederation of Canada by a few years, and given some different economic scales to work with and a slightly larger population, one which is more militant than OTL and now extremely distrustful of its southern neighbor.

 

[EnglishCanuck]

Chapter 102: New Beginnings ​

December 3rd, 1864
Cambridge House, London

Downstairs, the party was in full swing. Emily, Palmerston’s long time paramour had outdone herself again. Palmerston beamed with his guests, cheerfully chatting with nobles and ladies alike. Though his philandering days were long behind him, he still prided himself on his ability to work a crowd, especially one with many fine ladies of society. He had bid a farewell to Emily Charlotte de Burgh, Countess of Cork, whose company had been quite charming. Her husband had a place in the Liberal government if he played his cards right. Then he had been quietly taken aside by John Russell and George Grey. That of course meant only one thing and he had quietly led them aside.

“I take it we have news?” Palmerston asked pleasantly.

“Unfortunately,” Grey sighed. “It’s going to be in the papers tomorrow, but Gladstone has made another speech.”

Palmerston grunted. “He’s mad. You’re the Foreign Secretary, John, and might I add the man who I believe ought to succeed me leading the Liberal Party. Gladstone will ruin everything if he keeps this up.”

Ever since the Treaty of Rotterdam had been signed in July, Palmerston had hoped that the rancor surrounding the war in America would die down. Instead, much to his great displeasure, the Southern Independence Association had continued to make noise. There had been a blessed reprieve when the war in Denmark had broken out, but that had brought on its own complications.

The Austrians turning the North Sea into a battleground had not been looked on favorably. What had the emperor been thinking, sending his fleet to engage in a battle far from the Adriatic? It hadn’t induced the Italians to fight, but from all reports they had watched the action with undisguised interest. It was only logical. Italy still hungered after Rome and Lombardy-Venetia, among other territories. There was, thankfully, no general European war this year. Britain would not have been prepared. Now however, with tens of thousands of battle hardened troops and their commanders returning home, accompanied by a fleet to match, they had to consider other problems which might require them on the Continent.

The late victory in America was little consolation to the public with battles on their doorstep. The public sympathy had been with Denmark, and Britain had been found wanting. Not, Palmerston thought irritably, that London could have done anything. But that hadn’t mattered to men like Disraeli or Derby, eager to knock the Liberals down a peg. Nor unfortunately, did it matter to Gladstone.

In May he had spoken in favor of a reform bill to expand the franchise. Palmerston thought it unnecessary. The mob was ruled well by its betters, men of experience. However, the middle classes were making noise, and the warm afterglow of victory was bringing out domestic strife. The men who had turned out from the Volunteer movement to man Britain’s defenses as necessary when the regulars had gone to America seemed to think they needed a voice in government. Gladstone was inclined to support them, and he was threatening to make a public break with the party to do it.

“What has he said now?”

“Currently, Gladstone is encouraging a more open franchise. He made it only a small part of his speech at Guildhall however, but instead declared that Britain must do more to support, and I quote from a source ‘those nations whom the Goliaths and Pharaohs of the Earth seek to subsume into their devouring maw’ and said England was the only power on Earth who could do so.”

Palmerston sighed heavily. It was one thing to speak out against a war already decided, but when he might make reference to the war still raging in America, Palmerston knew exactly what he meant. The Southern Independence Association continued to loudly denounce the North, no matter that Lincoln had lost the election to this General McClellan. There was no indication McClellan intended to end the war, and that startled many in the merchant class who, desirous of a normal economy, feared the continued war in America would create another ripple at home.

From all reports, the United States had borne the worst of the economic burden. Britain had suffered too, ships lost, men and women thrown out of work, and a rise in bread prices and new taxes. It had not been unbearable, and even now there was talk of once again lowering taxes next year before the election. However, the vulnerable textile industry feared a true cotton famine in 1865. That set many merchants on edge.

Then worst of all, in Palmerston’s opinion, there was a certain class of Liberals who simply could not overlook the desire to see a new nation gain its independence against a larger aggressor. Nevermind that nation was a slave holding republic! Palmerston had been canny enough to sidestep that issue for a few weeks. Now however, there were more cries that Britain ought to step in and offer to mediate. Roebuck’s French scheme from the year previous had soured the option, but with the memory of Denmark and Sweden fighting heroically against Prussia and Austria fresh in the public’s mind, the David and Goliath story was going to stir up passions again. Infuriating!

“And I assume, John, that the French are up to something?”

“Unfortunately,” Russell chuckled without humour. “Napoleon’s Foreign Minister, de Lhuys, has sent me a note. There are rumours circulating about Paris that we plan to make an offer of mediation. He is intimating that the Emperor would be pleased to issue a joint statement on the matter. He is also saying that Franz Josef has expressed approval for the project.”

“You’re joking!” Palmerston was taken aback. The arch conservative Austrian Emperor was highly unlikely to stick his nose into North American affairs. His brother was fighting to claim the throne of Mexico, but that was hardly Vienna’s concern considering reports Maximillian had inherited his right to the Hapsburg throne in Austria. Though if this was correct, that might have changed.

“I wish I were! However, Napoleon seems to be making noise in the diplomatic community to gin up support for the Confederate cause.”

“If the public sees us again out of step with these affairs, it may have consequences in the election next year,” Grey said looking unhappy. “Worse, Gladstone might continue making these inflammatory speeches and stir the public up anyways.”

“Of course. Damn the man,” Palmerston rubbed his temple irritably. “If he keeps this up, it will make us all look bad, and if this Southern Confederacy wins he’ll be right. That, I assure you gentlemen, he won’t allow us to forget. Neither will the public.”

“Then how ought we to proceed?” Russell said.

“Much as I don’t want to give Gladstone the satisfaction, we may need to humour him in the cabinet. Let us entertain this French notion, but we won’t commit to anything. I have no desire to dance to Napoleon’s tune on this. Let him run about in Mexico to stay out of trouble in Europe, but let’s not have him forcing us into another American war so soon.”

“Then we will have to make some sort of public statement.” Grey said.

“Not necessarily,” Russell replied, rubbing his chin. “I can make some noncommittal gestures to Paris, and we can avoid censuring those rabble rousers in the Southern Independence Association, let people see something that isn’t there. All the while we can watch events in America and wait to see what happens.”

“If the Americans sit down to treat with the Southern states, fine,” Palmerston said, warming to the idea. “Then we will not be the ones to initiate any recognition of the South. Let the United States acknowledge it, and then we will graciously swoop in and add legitimacy. All without having to do anything ourselves.”

“Precisely,” Russell grinned.

“Thinking like a Prime Minister already John,” Palmerston chuckled. “Don’t get too far ahead of yourself, I’m far from the grave. But it's a good idea. We will run it by cabinet, and then hopefully it will keep Gladstone from ruining the party and the nation!”


December 30th, 1864
Richmond, Virginia

“A new year, a new president, and soon, a new nation!” Davis toasted the cabinet. They cheerfully raised full glasses back. Not one to normally imbibe, Davis was thrilled that he was celebrating the last of the year with the men who had helped successfully prosecute the war thus far. And to many, the war seemed to be successful.

The election of McClellan, with a vice president who was an avowed Peace Democrat, had sent a shock through Southern society. There was, at last, a sense that the country was on the cusp of greatness. The end of the war was in sight for so many, it would only be one more harsh winter.

It was, at least, the hope.

“I, for one, am expecting great things from this new year!” George Trenholm, the new Secretary of the Treasury exclaimed.

“More money in your pockets?” John Reagan, the affable Texan post master teased, well into his drinks by that point. Trenholm laughed with the others.

“In all our pockets I suspect!” That got him a cheer. “Truthfully gentlemen, despite the Yankees angling to blockade our coasts, the state of our economy prior to this awful event has never been better! We have merchants along the whole North Sea coast and agents operating from Havana to Constantinople. Ships waving the Confederate flag can be found the world over now, in greater abundance than those flying the flag of the United States!” A toast to the brave men of the navy followed that. No one was eager to mention the Royal Navy's part in such a turn of events at that moment.

“I trust the news is still good?” Davis asked.

“Oh yes, sir! The Yankee attacks on the coast may have actually worked in our favor for all the blatant property damage and theft. The price of cotton shot up in Europe, while the banking houses of France and England have moved to secure more loans for our cause. Barrings and Erlanger & Co. have all offered loans to the tune of fifty-million to support the war effort.”

“Fifty million each?” Breckinridge said.

“Cumulatively,” Trenholm corrected. “They have been impressed with the money to be made in speculating on the cotton trade, and so are attempting to get ahead of competitors by using the cotton bonds. Other banking houses have followed their lead, and I am sure the news of General McClellan’s election will only help drive up speculation.”

“Also, it will help us avoid raising taxes to begin the New Year,” Davis said appreciatively. Already the high taxes the war had imposed, alongside import duties on trade, was beginning to sour many in the nation. The war was expensive however, and the South had not started the war with a surplus of hard currency.

“Then that, sir, will make you extremely popular as the Treasury Secretary! A Christmas gift to the nation if you will,” Judah Benjamin replied cheerily.

“I do hate to put a sour mood on things,” Breckinridge said. “But we must still discuss the draft measures for the new year.”

Davis grimaced, as did several other cabinet members. Though this was supposed to be a festive occasion, the main reason for the meeting was the discussion of how to get more men in the army. The fighting of 1864, despite many victories, had been costly for the Confederate armies. Both Bragg and Lee were practically begging for more men, but there were very few to spare. Some creative deployments had seen another thousand men shipped from Texas to Bragg’s army, while garrisons in Mississippi and Alabama had been stripped to the bone. Lee’s army was the most pressing matter however, and everyone in the room knew if he did not get any new men then the year might begin very poorly indeed.

The Confederacy had only been forced to resort to the draft in 1863 after the battles of 1862 had used up so many proud regiments. Many men had, in ‘62, felt the war was as good as won with British intervention and felt that staying in their regiment until the expected soon end was a story to tell their children. As the war had dragged into the new year however, and the grim realities of war took hold, finding volunteers to join the ranks had proven difficult. The First Conscription Act passed in 1863 had made all white men from seventeen to thirty-five eligible for conscription. The next year, with the Second Conscription Act, had raised the age to forty-five. It had, so far, kept the ranks full, and rounded up over thirty-thousand men for the army. Now they needed more, and that would be problematic.

Even worse, Davis knew, was the “Twenty Slave Law” which had exempted anyone owning twenty slaves or more from conscription. It had been furiously denounced in all the presses (outside South Carolina) and the slogan “Rich Man’s War, Poor Man’s Fight” had been taken up by many anti-administration agitators. There had been a small civil war in some Mississippi counties over enforcing it. Even more predictably, some governors were passing legislation to avoid the draft entirely. Davis meant to teach such men a lesson in the new year[1].

“Whether anyone likes it or not, we need men. If they won’t volunteer they will be made to volunteer,” Reagan said bluntly. “How could anyone not see that it is their patriotic duty to do the utmost to defend the nation? Especially when we are so close to victory?”

“Is the army not patriotic enough?” Attorney General George Davis grumbled. “Is there no respect for the rule of law?”

“Men in the army are not who should worry us,” said Breckinridge. “I’ve toured the lines extensively now and despite the harshness of war the soldiers in the ranks now have an esprit de corps which would do any army of Europe proud! Those regiments are their families, so close knit they’ve become. However, we cannot let them shrivel up and die. Most of them are well below strength, and any men raised must heal these healthy regiments, not form new mobs of green boys.”

“I would think a larger battalion would have more utility,” Trenholm said.

“No, that is what people may think if they haven’t seen war, and I mean no offense George. However, when the war broke out in ‘61 most men were green as grass and that’s what led to Bull Run. Now so many men have been under arms for so long they’re veterans of one stripe or another. But you cobble together a new regiment of men who never saw action and send them against men who’ve fought it out at Corinth, Union City, Pipe Creek or Mine Run, well, they’d be routed by even an understrength battalion of veterans. We can’t let that valuable resource slip away.”

“I thought we’d already been doing that?” Benjamin said.

“To an extent,” Breckinridge conceded. “However, a few states have simply built new regiments and we can’t have that. I mean to ensure the new draft sends all the men to regiments who need them. That will take time, but it will also probably take some of the sting out of it with men knowing they’re going to be fighting along their brothers from their home states. I won’t let the governors get all jumbled up this time if I can help it.”

“And you’ll have my full support,” Davis said emphatically.

“How many men will we need to conscript?” Trenholm asked.

“At minimum I would like fifty thousand,” Breckinridge said. “Though if we could even take some men from Annapolis…”

“No,” Davis said flatly, his countenance changing from supporting to mulish in an instant.

“I know we’ve dickered on this subject before, sir, but the gains to Lee’s army…”

“No. I am sorry John but I will not budge. Annapolis must be held at all costs. With it is the key to Maryland. Whether at the negotiating table or from a referendum we must have legitimacy. Besides, it is still a potential threat to Washington.”

Despite over a year arguing the matter, Davis believed that he must have Annapolis in Confederate hands. He knew some disagreed, but those men were potentially holding their ability to demand a plebiscite in Maryland at wars end. That was something he could not simply give up.

“Of course, sir, I shall not broach the topic again today.”

“Thank you. Let us hear more about conscription then.”

“Well, with a need for more men we may need to raise the age as high as fifty. Difficult yes, but we will need every man in the line if McClellan does not see sense.”

“I think he will,” Benjamin said.

“What makes you so sure?” Trenholm asked.

“If I may, McClellan is a man very concerned with his image. He has, by all accounts, been forced on to a peace platform by a not inconsiderable portion of his party. He has not committed himself to peace at all costs, but the words of his acceptance are quite illuminating.”

“I hardly think speeches for the masses dictate policy,” Trenholm scoffed.

“Ah but consider this Mr. Trenholm,” Judah beamed. “In his acceptance he states ‘Among all civilized nations it is customary during the progress of war for the combatants now and then to suspend hostilities temporarily for the purposes of negotiation and mutual explanations. Such suspensions have sometimes resulted in satisfactory settlements and returns to peace and in other times renewal of the contests.’[2]”

“There we have it then,” Breckinridge said. “He says perhaps it will lead to a renewal of the contest.”

“Forgive me, I did not serve the position of Secretary of War long, John, but if the armies did cease to fight one another for, oh say, seven months, what might happen?”

Breckinridge mulled the thought over. “In truth many might get tired of the war, and some would no doubt desert and go home. At least, I can say that for our side. I’m sure the same is true north of the Potomac.”

“Certainly! If we can drag these negotiations on, then the nation will become mad for peace, what parts are not mad already! Once the war stops, McClellan shall find it hard to resume it, no matter the outcome of negotiations.”

“But Judah, he says at the very end that should negotiations fail on terms of Union and Constitution, then ‘we shall be obliged to appeal again to the God of Battles, and leave the issue to the abritraiment of the sword.[3]’”

“This will entirely depend on the manner of our refusal. But, it must be made clear, he intends to negotiate. How he chooses to do so will be of vital importance, and we may steer those events in our favor gentlemen. I cannot emphasize enough however that, in the eyes of the world, even deigning to negotiate with us is enough. We will trumpet this to every capital in Europe, and perhaps, it will be enough.”

Davis looked at the snowy world outside the window and wondered. When negotiations commenced, could they steer events in their favor? Otherwise the God of battles would indeed be invoked to settle the contest once and for all.


December 31st, 1864
Quebec City, Canada East

The New Years Festivities were in full swing as the elite of Canada toasted an end to the year 1864 and welcomed the new year in with style. Viscount Monck and his wife were in evidence, as was General Dundas and General Williams, each man feted in their military splendor. The prizes of victory too were on display, with a captured American regimental color - bullet holes included - hanging on a far wall. The population was toasting victory and, unlike some years prior, now men from the Maritimes were present as well.

Charles Tupper chatted amiably with Alexander Galt regarding the financing of the St. Andrews and Quebec Line, while the fiery George Coles of PEI spoke with George Brown, each man locked in heated discussion and seemingly enjoying it. John Hamilton Gray of New Brunswick joked with John Hamilton Gray of PEI about their shared names. The members of each section mixing agreeably, but John A. Macdonald could detect some tensions under the surface.

He was well into his cups, but not so well that he couldn’t comment on it.

“Well, we’ve done it!” A hearty hand slammed Macdonald on the back and Thomas D’Arcy McGee strode up beside him a great glass of Madeira in hand.

“Done it, why my dear McGee we’ve hardly begun!” Macdonald quipped, leaning onto the other man.

“John, don’t tell me you’re thinking politics at a time like this! We ought to be ringing in the New Year in carousal style! Not grinding our knives on the whetstone for an election no one knows will be held!”

Macdonald laughed. The election was both too far away and too close. He eyed his old enemy Brown across the floor and gestured with his drink, sloshing a great deal of it over the cup rim.

“Ah but my enemies are already doing the same! Brown is speaking with noted Liberal, Coles from Prince Edward Island! What possible conversation might they have rather than some principled opposition to everything I stand for?”

“Grousing for the sake of grousing?” McGee offered between sips.

“No, no, this ‘Great Coalition’ of ours was always destined to be temporary. How temporary it may prove! We have Howe agitating in Nova Scotia, and of course Brown slithering through the weeds here at home! Coles jumping into bed with that lot would be just unfortunate! Enough to give me a serious headache.”

“They’re from different sections with too many differences, what could they do?”

“Confound this damn boundary dispute for one!” Macdonald growled. The territory taken from Maine, still administered by the British, was already causing rumblings in Quebec and New Brunswick. How that land should be administered, or under whose authority it ought to fall, was an open question. So far he’d headed off any major trouble by promising to deal with it after the first election, but every other day someone from one province or the other came sniffing at his door looking for answers.

It was going to be a problem, that much he knew. So much would depend on the boundary commission appointed when the new American president came to office. No doubt he would wish to drag the issue out as long as possible. That was fine for Macdonald, since he would then be able to convince each section that it was Yankee instrangience delaying things. Then he might be able to sit down, look at a map, and make the right decision. For now, he simply had to let the issue hang.

“Oh perhaps, but why should we worry now? The London Conference next year will distract everyone for a time. I know we can haul Howe across the Atlantic again before he can cause any great stir. Then the Nova Scotians can be bought off for a time with a promise of their own railway.”

“Let’s not promise too many railways,” Macdonald cautioned. “Already New Brunswick has one, PEI wants one, and God knows what might happen if we connect to the Pacific!”

McGee chortled and slapped Macdonald on the back again, both men swaying as the alcohol hit them so late in the evening.

“Then we build another railroad, then another and then another! Face it John! The future is in steam engines, railroads, and telegraphs. Or did the war teach you nothing?”

“The war taught me not to trust a Yankee, the love of the mob, or to let the military get too much say in civil governance[4].”

“All wise lessons, but you must realize that building this new nation of ours will not be cheap? We can’t go back to the parish politics of United Canada, we have to look forward! There’s no putting this genie back in the bottle! We’re a new experiment in British rule, and it's up to us to drive it forward!”

“Go home McGee, you’re drunk!” Macdonald laughed. “I’ll drink to that though!”

“Then let us drink together to a new nation, a new year, and of course, God save the Queen!” The cry got taken up, and 1865 was wrung in with a boisterous rendition of Hail Britannia as the Canadians contemplated a future for themselves in the shadow of a broken giant.

----
1] I once again find myself playing a bit of catch up on Confederate politics. I will make less of that mistake chronicling in 1865!
2] Real words from the first draft of his acceptance speech at the 1864 Democratic Convention.
3] Also real words.
4] These are largely things he believed in real life too. Macdonald did not much care for military service OTL and an entire war has not shifted his position TTL.

 

[EnglishCanuck]

So say goodbye to 1864 and hello to 1865! The next two chapters will catch us up what all was going on around the world in 1864, and then we move on to the first acts of the McClellan administration, and the last acts of the Lincoln administration!

 

[Pax_Nihil]

Nice, I like the vibes and I am very interested to see how this goes onward....

 

[EnglishCanuck]

Nice, I like the vibes and I am very interested to see how this goes onward....

I'm glad you're enjoying it!

The next two chapters will deal with the world in 1864 then we'll get into the first acts of the McClellan Administration, and then a retrospective on TTL's views of Lincoln.

 

[Ironshark]

this update reminds me how much american MacDonald always seemed to me
a sorta corrupt drunk railroad guy ..and his name is macdonald!

if only he were one of ours..

love the personality you give the figures it makes the story well more a story instead of just fake fact after fake fact

the brits are playing with fire again seems like.I don't know why but that section about napoleon and meditation gives me a bad feeling

would the southern cabinet really be using first names and drinking together? I mean I know lincoln was informal but davis doesn't seem the type .

Excellent chapter!

 

[The Gunslinger]

I think McClellan may end up engineering a peace just because he has to politically. The peace wing of the Dems is going to be hard to ignore for one thing. And for another thing, there have now been two popular generals elected to the presidency in the last twenty years so it would behoove someone to shake up the commanders and put party loyalists in place to ensure that you're not setting yourself up for a rival down the road (Grant being the prime target). The command shakeup likely doesn't exactly put the war on the proper footing and will embolden the peace wing further, then McClellan can shrug and say, "We have no choice but to make peace, Lincoln left us in a hopeless situation."

Also mildly amused that even though half of Canada was conquered Macdonald still isn't a fan of the army.

 

[Young Augustus5598]

I

I think McClellan may end up engineering a peace just because he has to politically. The peace wing of the Dems is going to be hard to ignore for one thing. And for another thing, there have now been two popular generals elected to the presidency in the last twenty years so it would behoove someone to shake up the commanders and put party loyalists in place to ensure that you're not setting yourself up for a rival down the road (Grant being the prime target). The command shakeup likely doesn't exactly put the war on the proper footing and will embolden the peace wing further, then McClellan can shrug and say, "We have no choice but to make peace, Lincoln left us in a hopeless situation."

Also mildly amused that even though half of Canada was conquered Macdonald still isn't a fan of the army.

I completely agree with you that I think politically McClellan is going to be forced to make peace. I definitely think Pope is gone, probably replaced by Porter, but for the West I can see the Republicans fighting hard as hell to keep Grant primarily with the argument, who can replace him that has that level of success?? Ultimately though, I think this war is going to be decided by whether or not McClellan can persuade Congress to back him and I don’t think he can

 

[Kurd Gossemer]

I

I completely agree with you that I think politically McClellan is going to be forced to make peace. I definitely think Pope is gone, probably replaced by Porter, but for the West I can see the Republicans fighting hard as hell to keep Grant primarily with the argument, who can replace him that has that level of success?? Ultimately though, I think this war is going to be decided by whether or not McClellan can persuade Congress to back him and I don’t think he can

Could be interesting seeing him essentially become like Andrew Johnson where 90% of his decisions are shot down by Congress and he is forced to keep the war effort up.

 

[DarkAvenger]

Young Augustus5598 said:
I

I completely agree with you that I think politically McClellan is going to be forced to make peace. I definitely think Pope is gone, probably replaced by Porter, but for the West I can see the Republicans fighting hard as hell to keep Grant primarily with the argument, who can replace him that has that level of success?? Ultimately though, I think this war is going to be decided by whether or not McClellan can persuade Congress to back him and I don’t think he can

Same here. Agree with the above posts, but it is possible that the war continued up until 1867 at the latest. I did remember a section that states Confederate propaganda up to 1867 (can't remember the exact title) but that is not a guarantee of how long the war lasted. I do expect the war to end earlier than that given the Confederacy is doing well while the Union suffers its own problems.

How McClellan makes peace would depend on several factors. I suspect military performance is one of the important factors. More Union losses and he can more easily pass a peace. More Union victories would likely cause him to have to keep up the war effort. This is complicated in that, according to a previous user, the Congress is Republican-controlled so unless he can get the conservative Republicans to his side, the war would probably continue.

Other than that, it is looking like it could be a Confederate victory with the way things are going so well for them (except for manpower) and how so many things seem to be going against the Union being poorer and more divided than ever. And there is what looks like a French (non-military) intervention and the British possibly returning. Then there is the Confederate navy and, judging by a previous book passage titled Aborted Freedom, the Union blockade would likely be shattered at South Carolina as their ships can't fight the ironclad rams in a straight battle. Given that this is a Trent Affair timeline, a Confederate victory should have been pretty obvious from the start. This might sound depressing to some readers, but I have always been a cynical and pessimistic person. Of course, I might be wrong about the final outcome and some other surprise happens down the line that none of us would have expected.

 

[EnglishCanuck]

this update reminds me how much american MacDonald always seemed to me
a sorta corrupt drunk railroad guy ..and his name is macdonald!

He would take that as an insult in fact

Macdonald was a man who absolutely loved political games, most especially when he was winning. However, getting one over on a rival motivated him. The challenge of knitting Canada together OTL (and in WiF) made him quite giddy, but also a raging alcoholic. The challenges wore on him and here the war will also have worn on him in ways he hasn't yet realized.

love the personality you give the figures it makes the story well more a story instead of just fake fact after fake fact

Thank you! I did read a lot to try and get inside certain characters heads, which was loads of fun. Trying to faithfully bring them to life was a goal of mine, and it helps to get more plot points across in a more interesting manner!

the brits are playing with fire again seems like.I don't know why but that section about napoleon and meditation gives me a bad feeling

Anything Napoleon does in WiF ought to give you a bad feeling

would the southern cabinet really be using first names and drinking together? I mean I know lincoln was informal but davis doesn't seem the type .

For Davis that drinking is a bit of a stretch, but the first name basis would be true for most of them. Many of the men Davis appointed to his cabinet were yes men as the war went on, and otherwise they were men who he became friends with, or at the very least respected. That meant that he could have more relaxed cabinet meetings, and he did genuinely like most of his inner circle, his Vice President excepted.

The drinking culture of the 19th century was extremely strong so most times I'm portraying it you can bet its true. As above, there's stories about Macdonald and McGee getting roaring drunk together in Ottawa. Lincoln and his cabinet didn't party quite like that, but they sure could when they wanted to!

 

[EnglishCanuck]

I think McClellan may end up engineering a peace just because he has to politically. The peace wing of the Dems is going to be hard to ignore for one thing. And for another thing, there have now been two popular generals elected to the presidency in the last twenty years so it would behoove someone to shake up the commanders and put party loyalists in place to ensure that you're not setting yourself up for a rival down the road (Grant being the prime target). The command shakeup likely doesn't exactly put the war on the proper footing and will embolden the peace wing further, then McClellan can shrug and say, "We have no choice but to make peace, Lincoln left us in a hopeless situation."

Well, to put it in perspective this is the peace plank he's going with:

“Resolved, That this convention does explicitly declare, as the sense of the American people, that after four years of failure to restore the Union by the experiment of war, during which, under the pretense of a military necessity of war-power higher than the Constitution, the Constitution itself has been disregarded in every part, and public liberty and private right alike trodden down, and the material prosperity of the country essentially impaired with the surrender of honor and prestige; justice, humanity, liberty, and the public welfare demand that all efforts be made for a cessation of hostilities, with a view of an ultimate convention of the States, or other peaceable means, to the end that, at the earliest practicable moment, peace may be restored on the basis of the Federal Union of the States.”

That's both less, and more, pro-peace than OTL. And unlike OTL he isn't repudiating it, which made him into a Janus like figure speaking out of two heads. He is saying that the peace is on "the basis of the Federal Union of States" and so forth. That sets out his goals, but not the specifics. The Copperheads won't let him ignore the necessity of negotiating, and the defeats of late 1864 means he won't be extremely keen to immediately leap into the fray before he's reorganized the army either.

Also mildly amused that even though half of Canada was conquered Macdonald still isn't a fan of the army.

Well he's fine with the British Army, when its running around. However, the strain of running the war and political factionalism from militia leaders, is rough on him and fighting bothers him. He was in the Battle of Montgomery's Tavern and legislated for former rebels. Macdonald said something to the effect of "so long as I live there will not be a profession of arms in Canada"

Considering he also had Walker Powell to run the Militia Department as part one man general staff and adjutant general he never really had to try and institute one. It was not cheap.

I completely agree with you that I think politically McClellan is going to be forced to make peace. I definitely think Pope is gone, probably replaced by Porter, but for the West I can see the Republicans fighting hard as hell to keep Grant primarily with the argument, who can replace him that has that level of success?? Ultimately though, I think this war is going to be decided by whether or not McClellan can persuade Congress to back him and I don’t think he can

McClellan is going to shake up the army that's for sure. Though as far as I know he never had a problem with Grant, but he has a problem with many other generals. The Third Corps is going to be hard hit, but so is most of the Army of the Potomac he's a bit upset with.

His tenure of command had little to do with the West, so he'll be more likely to leave those operations alone.

 

[EnglishCanuck]

Could be interesting seeing him essentially become like Andrew Johnson where 90% of his decisions are shot down by Congress and he is forced to keep the war effort up.

Going into 1865 McClellan will be operating with a lame duck congress, one that is not sufficiently Republican, but neither sufficiently Democrat. However, he's almost sure to pick up some seats in 1866 since the Democrats will gain the Western seats (sans Nevada) from the bolting of those states to the Democratic Party in the election. So 1865 will be the year he has room to largely operate without too much opposition.

Whether he can or not, well, there's a reason the first chapter with his decisions is entitled "The Manager in Chief" as McClellan did not like politicians, and yet he is now the biggest politician in America technically...

Same here. Agree with the above posts, but it is possible that the war continued up until 1867 at the latest. I did remember a section that states Confederate propaganda up to 1867 (can't remember the exact title) but that is not a guarantee of how long the war lasted. I do expect the war to end earlier than that given the Confederacy is doing well while the Union suffers its own problems.

How McClellan makes peace would depend on several factors. I suspect military performance is one of the important factors. More Union losses and he can more easily pass a peace. More Union victories would likely cause him to have to keep up the war effort. This is complicated in that, according to a previous user, the Congress is Republican-controlled so unless he can get the conservative Republicans to his side, the war would probably continue.

Other than that, it is looking like it could be a Confederate victory with the way things are going so well for them (except for manpower) and how so many things seem to be going against the Union being poorer and more divided than ever. And there is what looks like a French (non-military) intervention and the British possibly returning. Then there is the Confederate navy and, judging by a previous book passage titled Aborted Freedom, the Union blockade would likely be shattered at South Carolina as their ships can't fight the ironclad rams in a straight battle. Given that this is a Trent Affair timeline, a Confederate victory should have been pretty obvious from the start. This might sound depressing to some readers, but I have always been a cynical and pessimistic person. Of course, I might be wrong about the final outcome and some other surprise happens down the line that none of us would have expected.

A very cognizant analysis, and I can see that some of my groundwork laid in WiF is paying off at least! Though I keep the war close to my chest, I hope there can be some pleasant (and unpleasant) surprises for people as I'm going into 1865 and onwards!

McClellan is bound at least to attempt negotiating with the South. He believes in the Union, and I think its important to note he was no peace democrat, but people have hit the nail on the head that he has a long uphill battle against him.

 

[MonarchistCanuck]

Finally got caught up again. I was wondering if Chivington and Sand Creek would get mentioned, glad to see he got what he deserved.

And a McClellan victory! How delicious, this is going to be fun to watch. I know most people here are now predicting a Confederate victory, but we have yet to see how the blockade and Grant in the West will pan out, so I'm withholding judgement personally until EC covers how those theatres pan out. Pretty sure though the East will not be the deciding theatre in 1865+, but we'll see.