The Myth Of The Confederacy
"Had the Confederate States of America been a human being rather than a nation, its tombstone might have read, "Born: Montgomery, Alabama, Feb 10th 1861; Died (of a theory): Irwinville, Georgia, May 10th 1865", and been recorded as a statistic of infant mortality. The life of the fledgling state - the "Other" America, as it were - was short indeed, its lifespan numbering but fifty-one months. Of those, all but two were spent at war." (Lee) In the 135 years that have passed since peace was restored, the events of the civil war has been dissected and discussed endlessly. We are able to know what took place during those years. This paper however will focus on "what-might-have-been".
What would have happened had Lincoln refused to fight? How would history have shaped had Beauregard pressed home his advantage after the first battle of Bull Run, taken Washington and captured the Union government? One could very easily hold the opinion that, in this event, the date of death of the Confederacy is likely to have been merely delayed. "Within itself, the Confederacy carried the seeds of its own demise." To understand this we must look at the Confederate States of America in four areas; those of geography, economics, politics and population. We know that at its largest, the CSA comprised the land area of all the eleven states which seceded from the Union. We know too that a further four slave states - the "border states" of Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware - remained politically within the Union, though not necessarily in sympathy with its ideals. Had the Confederacy been granted its independence, it is likely that one or more of these states would have changed their allegiance from Washington to Richmond. (Wiley) There are many possible in/out combinations of those states, but, regardless of whichever finally came about; this could only affect the shape and not the nature of the border between the... [continues]
"Had the Confederate States of America been a human being rather than a nation, its tombstone might have read, "Born: Montgomery, Alabama, Feb 10th 1861; Died (of a theory): Irwinville, Georgia, May 10th 1865", and been recorded as a statistic of infant mortality. The life of the fledgling state - the "Other" America, as it were - was short indeed, its lifespan numbering but fifty-one months. Of those, all but two were spent at war." (Lee) In the 135 years that have passed since peace was restored, the events of the civil war has been dissected and discussed endlessly. We are able to know what took place during those years. This paper however will focus on "what-might-have-been".
What would have happened had Lincoln refused to fight? How would history have shaped had Beauregard pressed home his advantage after the first battle of Bull Run, taken Washington and captured the Union government? One could very easily hold the opinion that, in this event, the date of death of the Confederacy is likely to have been merely delayed. "Within itself, the Confederacy carried the seeds of its own demise." To understand this we must look at the Confederate States of America in four areas; those of geography, economics, politics and population. We know that at its largest, the CSA comprised the land area of all the eleven states which seceded from the Union. We know too that a further four slave states - the "border states" of Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware - remained politically within the Union, though not necessarily in sympathy with its ideals. Had the Confederacy been granted its independence, it is likely that one or more of these states would have changed their allegiance from Washington to Richmond. (Wiley) There are many possible in/out combinations of those states, but, regardless of whichever finally came about; this could only affect the shape and not the nature of the border between the... [continues]
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