OldReliable1862
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2017
- Location
- Georgia
Hi everybody, my Confederate Kentucky timeline has languished in development hell for a while now, and will likely be there a little longer still. My main reason for this is concerns over plausibility in various respects. I've asked several of the best minds available on both this site and other places to gather information. To avoid spamming this forum and various poor members' inboxes with questions on various topics, I've decided to create this thread as a catch-all for my questions and to propose ideas.
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Basic Premise: In the elections in April-May, June, and August 1861 at the Border State Convention, U.S. House of Representatives, and state legislature, the pro-Southern States' Rights Party does slightly better at each election. In September, Frémont orders Grant to take Paducah, causing the state legislature to call upon the Confederacy to defend the state.
Questions:
Now that one of Lincoln's worst fears has just been realized, how does he react? I think it's safe to say Frémont is out.
How does this change the Union's overall strategy? McClellan suggested moving a large chunk of his men to Kentucky in early 1862, does this give us any clues?
What will the Kentucky State Guard do? One idea would be to send them to deal with Camp Dick Robinson, but I'm really not sure.
I'm guessing there will still be a battle between Grant and Polk/Pillow. How it will go, I'm not sure, both armies were very green.
I'm also guessing Louisville is going to stay pro-Union, and will be the jumping point for any Union assault into the state.
In Kentucky, it appears there were men who would side with either the Unionists or Secessionists no matter what, but the largest chunk would have sided with their state. My guess is pretty much our history in reverse: roughly 60,000-70,000 men fighting for the Confederacy, and about 30,000-40,000 for the Union.
With Kentucky being where the main battle lines are drawn, it seems Tennessee, particularly Nashville and the industry there, will be much safer.
There are just a few questions/observations, feel free to answer any or make me aware of things I overlooked.
Also, map of Kentucky:
https://www.davidrumsey.com/ll/thum...arch?os=0&mid=RUMSEY~8~1~237326~5511102&bs=10
*************************************
Basic Premise: In the elections in April-May, June, and August 1861 at the Border State Convention, U.S. House of Representatives, and state legislature, the pro-Southern States' Rights Party does slightly better at each election. In September, Frémont orders Grant to take Paducah, causing the state legislature to call upon the Confederacy to defend the state.
Questions:
Now that one of Lincoln's worst fears has just been realized, how does he react? I think it's safe to say Frémont is out.
How does this change the Union's overall strategy? McClellan suggested moving a large chunk of his men to Kentucky in early 1862, does this give us any clues?
What will the Kentucky State Guard do? One idea would be to send them to deal with Camp Dick Robinson, but I'm really not sure.
I'm guessing there will still be a battle between Grant and Polk/Pillow. How it will go, I'm not sure, both armies were very green.
I'm also guessing Louisville is going to stay pro-Union, and will be the jumping point for any Union assault into the state.
In Kentucky, it appears there were men who would side with either the Unionists or Secessionists no matter what, but the largest chunk would have sided with their state. My guess is pretty much our history in reverse: roughly 60,000-70,000 men fighting for the Confederacy, and about 30,000-40,000 for the Union.
With Kentucky being where the main battle lines are drawn, it seems Tennessee, particularly Nashville and the industry there, will be much safer.
There are just a few questions/observations, feel free to answer any or make me aware of things I overlooked.
Also, map of Kentucky:
https://www.davidrumsey.com/ll/thum...arch?os=0&mid=RUMSEY~8~1~237326~5511102&bs=10