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What If the CSA had aggressively pursued Guerrilla Campaign
Very true and I would not, at all, be surprised if that was not the very calculation used by many southern leaders, in justifying (to themselves, at least) the sacrifices required in saving their slaves.
ERROR! error! ERROR! error! (well, you get the idea.)
You are quite right, Larry. I did not make it clear that I was speaking of the politician type gentry, and a few of them put on a uniform as well.
mea culpa
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
"Slaves were expensive. You could always make more kids."
Larry, a bit cold-blooded, don't you think? To sacrifice a child over 'property?'
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
If they'd a fought the war like I propose, there wouldn't have been that many casualities.
Some abolitionist ministers would've had to've been gunned down in public. Some abolitionist churches would've had to've been blown up and burned down with their congregations locked inside. A few hundred Yankee politicians and some Brahamin Yankee financiers would've had to have been drug out to the square and lynched and some factories and banks would've had to've gone up in smoke. But for the most part, the common man wouldn't have had to've been hurt too badly. I reckon I could've got it done in less than six months with less than 6000 casualties. The less radical Republicans and the Peace Democrats would've run old honest Abe Lincoln and his gay cronies out of office is '64 without a US Army shot bein' fired in anger and no Civil War whatsoever.
Last edited by Ozark Iron John; 09-20-2007 at 04:07 PM.
What If CSA pursued aggressive Guerrilla Campaign?
Looks good on paper, but it does not match human nature or the experience of reality.
Evil begets evil, force begets counter-force. Amazing that southrons (of all people) assume that the north would cave in to brute force, without a long and bitter struggle.
All the advantages possessed by the North fighting a conventional war would still be present fighting an unconventional war.
The history of guerrilla warfare, at that time, argued that whether long or short, victory usually, went to the stronger power.
If they'd a fought the war like I propose, there wouldn't have been that many casualities.
Some abolitionist ministers would've had to've been gunned down in public. Some abolitionist churches would've had to've been blown up and burned down with their congregations locked inside. A few hundred Yankee politicians and some Brahamin Yankee financiers would've had to have been drug out to the square and lynched and some factories and banks would've had to've gone up in smoke. But for the most part, the common man wouldn't have had to've been hurt too badly. I reckon I could've got it done in less than six months with less than 6000 casualties. The less radical Republicans and the Peace Democrats would've run old honest Abe Lincoln and his gay cronies out of office is '64 without a US Army shot bein' fired in anger and no Civil War whatsoever.
Yikes! I'm out of here!
__________________ -
"It was a very peculiar time." - Franklin D. Cossitt
Ancestors in USA Army: 6th IA Inf, 11th IL Cav, 1st AL Cav; 122nd NY Inf; 6th MI Cav; 35th MA Inf; 100th IL Inf; 1st CO Inf/Cav; 22nd IN Inf
If they'd a fought the war like I propose, there wouldn't have been that many casualities.
Some abolitionist ministers would've had to've been gunned down in public. Some abolitionist churches would've had to've been blown up and burned down with their congregations locked inside. I think that would have ignited a far more brutal firestorm than Ft Sumter. Not to mention alienated the real men of the South. Murdering women and children in church... not a way to endear anyone to your cause. A few hundred Yankee politicians and some Brahamin Yankee financiers would've had to have been drug out to the square and lynched and some factories and banks would've had to've gone up in smoke. But for the most part, the common man wouldn't have had to've been hurt too badly. Who in the devil do you think would have been hurt? Prblem is Americans have a tendency to shoot back... I reckon I could've got it done in less than six months with less than 6000 casualties. The less radical Republicans and the Peace Democrats would've run old honest Abe Lincoln and his gay cronies out of office is '64 without a US Army shot bein' fired in anger and no Civil War whatsoever.
Southern Govenors like Brown and others would not have tolerated such cowardly actions and I doubt they would have supported it. I think in your scenario Southern militia might just have gotten interested in hanging some scalps on the wall. Forrest at his worst didn't condone such things, actually his opinion of men like Quantrill were quite blunt.
As a note look to how the English dealt w/ revolts in India... where initial victims had women & children as well as soldiers... the term abject lesson comes to mind. I think the US Army could have easily dealt w/ your proposed terrorism based rebellion. No honor or courage in that type of operation... certainly not the kind to attract large numbers of men from the US Army officer corps. Nor the kind of operation to garner any real support from any part of the US population.
Heh, might have been interesting to see R.E. Lee commanding US anti terrrism units in 1861.
__________________ Few take the trouble to understand or to view the American scene with perspective. And we Americans love to find ourselves guilty of something. However, it is never I who am guilty, but those other Americans, the past or present government or the other political party. Americans almost never find other countries guilty. It is always ourselves or our fancied influence in other countries. Louis L'amour
If they'd a fought the war like I propose, there wouldn't have been that many casualities.
Some abolitionist ministers would've had to've been gunned down in public. Some abolitionist churches would've had to've been blown up and burned down with their congregations locked inside. A few hundred Yankee politicians and some Brahamin Yankee financiers would've had to have been drug out to the square and lynched and some factories and banks would've had to've gone up in smoke. But for the most part, the common man wouldn't have had to've been hurt too badly. I reckon I could've got it done in less than six months with less than 6000 casualties. The less radical Republicans and the Peace Democrats would've run old honest Abe Lincoln and his gay cronies out of office is '64 without a US Army shot bein' fired in anger and no Civil War whatsoever.
Sounds an aweful lot like how the British fought us in the revolution, and they still lost.
__________________ "In mortal combat, a man may and will become so infuriated by the din and dangers of a bloody fight that his heart will turn to stone and his every de sire [be] for blood."
John Hadley, 7th Indiana after the battle at Port Republic
Larry, a bit cold-blooded, don't you think? To sacrifice a child over 'property?'
Unionblue
A good southern son wasn't going to be harmed. He was tough; could whip seven yankees! Making men slaves was a bit cold-blooded also, come to think of it.
__________________ Ancestors in US Army: 13th TN Cav; 10th TN Cav; 3rd NC Inf
Ancestors in CSA Army: 48th VA; 63rd VA, 5th NC Cav; 37th NC
Wife and Grandson's CSA: 15th AL, 51st GA, 41st TN; 36th TN; GA Mil 1197 Dist
I will assume that the above is a bit tounge in cheek as we both know, many, many a Southern son was harmed and not one surviving Southern son was ever made a slave.
If they were, please produce the bill of sale, and I'll reconsider my conclusions.
Sincerely,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
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What If the CSA had aggressively pursued Guerrilla Campaign 
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