Civil War History - "What if..." DiscussionsWhat if they had attacked instead of digging in...? What if he was in charge of the army instead...? Did you ever have a "What if..." question, and you weren't sure where to post it? Here's the place to ask these speculative questions!
i know it sounds weird. a northern state joining the south. but just think about it. the irish were landing in New York City and thats where most of the population was. Lincoln got most of his Regiments from NY. if only Davis had the state, the Confederate man-power would've doubled (i think) from machine and men.
It is an if that strains probability pehaps too far to be a serious possibiliy.
However, if it somehow did happen...
The rest of the North still has vastly superior strength of both manpower and industry compared to the Confederacy. New York would be quickly overwhelmed, I believe.
I am assuming New York 'City' was meant, not the State.
If, Lincoln took it seriously, which he did not when it was first suggested, but if it appeared that the city fathers were serious. It might do well to consider the fate of Md. and Mo. when their political leaders considered leaving the Union. While the sister border states got the velvet glove treatment from Lincoln, the two anchoring states of the border states got the iron fist.
The original post refers to "a northern state joining the south".
Honestly, this what if is so far out of the realm of possible that I'm not sure what of what really happened is most relevant. No rudeness intended, just bewilderment on what would possibly trigger it happening in what-if land.
The What if... question was "What if New York joined the Confederacy?" In fact the mayor of New York City proposed that his city declaare its neutrality and make a pretty penny doing business with both sides. Fortunately (for the city And the Mayor) no body, including Lincoln, took the proposal seriously.
Quote: i know it sounds weird. a northern state joining the south. but just think about it. the irish were landing in New York City and thats where most of the population was. Lincoln got most of his Regiments from NY. if only Davis had the state, the Confederate man-power would've doubled (i think) from machine and men.
Bold italics are mine.
I did not know that. Very fortunate indeed. I wonder what he would have done if it had been "accepted". NYC as some kind of quasi-independent free city would be in a quite a pickle, even without any martial law or the like.
__________________ Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less. - Robert E. Lee
The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just. - Abraham Lincoln
i know it sounds weird. a northern state joining the south. but just think about it. the irish were landing in New York City and thats where most of the population was. Lincoln got most of his Regiments from NY. if only Davis had the state, the Confederate man-power would've doubled (i think) from machine and men.
I believe there was some talk of NEW YORK seceding as itself, or else joining a Middle State Confederacy of some sort, if memory serves.
No, New York was not dead set against the Confederate South... not like some other Northern states.
If New York did seceed from the Union that doesn't mean that she would join the Southern Confederacy. Seceeding from the Union was to secure the State's Sovereignty and Independence from the federal's foreign intervention and unconstitutional control.
Years ago, before South Carolina and the rest of the South seceeded, there were four states from the North that tried to seceed from the Union.
CivilWarTalk.com -
A free and friendly Civil War community. 
What if New York joined the Confederacy? 
Linear Mode
