Awesome! An earlier Spanish-American war! This could go either way I think. Spain still has some internal issues, but the US is also weaker than it would be in 1898.
Good question, my next update will include so information about the Indians' status in this TL.
A question to the board: Just out of curiosity, how likely is an Indian run state of Oklahoma?
You need to seperate the modern state of Oklahoma from the orginal Indian Territory.
Here is a map of the orginal Indian Territory:
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/fed-indian-policy/images/territory-map-02.jpg
You can see that this is the eastern 1/3 of modern Oklahoma. There was a statehood movement starting in the 1880's and part of the reasoning behind the Dawes act was to bring them inline with regular territories and states. I can see them achieving statehood separate from the rest of modern Oklahoma. You could call the rest of the state Lincoln territory then the State of Lincoln.
JLCKANSAS.
Good timeline
Sorry if I missed this, but what is the fate of West Virginia? Is it a seperate state or since most of Virginia was in federal hands during 1862 and 1863 did just one state emerge being dominated by the unionists after the war?
I would also imagine that the Civil War with on year less money spent and blood spilled would translate into a faster development of the West. The transcon railroad is one year sooner. These butterfly effects might make settlement and admission of future states faster. The demise of the plains, Mountain, and South West Indians happens sooner as well.
How is the treatment of immigrants especially Asian? Is the US any kinder to these hardworkers?
Also, state borders and names might be effected. Lincoln is boun to have more stuff named after him.
Also, is there any further US interest in Baja Cal and Sonora?
Thank you
War with Spain -- yes! Does the US Spanish war cover as much territory as OTL, going into the Philippines, or are we mostly talking about a war in Cuba?
Yeah I can imagine the US would be very unprepared for a war. Still they do have one thing going for them in that there are a lot of civil war combat veterans still around that could be counted upon to become NCOs and officers (granted in some cases they could be long in the tooth), and having combat veterans mixed in can go a long way to helping a green army remain cohesive.
I agree.
A question for the board is what Civil War era military leaders (Union or Confederate) would readers like to see service in the TL's Spanish American War?
I'd kind of like to see Longstreet back in action. He shouldn't be too old and might be seen favorable to southern states if he would be given some kind of command. Even if it something as innocuous as command of coastal defenses in the south.
Even though the Civil War in TTL has been less destructive than OTL, with its over 300,000 casualties it must have still been seen as destructive from the POV of the people in TTL. Therefore I'm not so sure that the U.S. government would trust any former Confederate commander with command of a body of troops. After all, they once warred against the legal government. Who's to say they won't defect to the Spanish at the first opportunity? Hyperbolic, I agree, but I'm sure that's one argument the biggest Confederate-haters would use.
So did Custer win the Battle of Little Big Horn, or what?
What is the fate of other Southern Generals
Patrick Clearbourne
Much like Forrest, Gordon's role with the KKK was titular and little more than that. He entered politics in OTL once the war ended and was elected to represent Georgia in the Senate. He campaigned for the removal of Federal Troops from Georgia, worked with and promoted the Georgia-Pacific Railroad and became Governer of Georgia. In short he was a very active politician post-war in OTL and I would suspect a similar role for him in TTL.John Gordon - OTL KKK involvement, probably did not rise to general in this timeline, but was an effective commander at all levels.
In OTL Forrest was employed by the Marion-Memphis Railroad and eventually became the companies president but the company went bankrupt under his management. He then ran a prison work farm on President's Island on the Mississippi River. Forrest actually offered to serve for the Union in the war against Spain during the Viriginius Affair and Sherman would have accepted Forrest's offer had the situation escalated to war but it didn't. So it may be safe to assume that Forrest may see action in the war with Spain in TTL.Forrest - OTL KKK involvement
I'd imagine Stuart, as a devoted and professional soldier and somewhat of a peacock, would never turn down the chance to fight someone and gain more glory for himself. So he's likely to see action in the Spanish war as well.J.E.B. Stuart
Hood may not have suffered the injuries he did in OTL so, if he hasn't, he'd of been one of the first to volunteer to fight the Spanish.John Bell Hood
If Sherman's in charge of things then McPherson will have a high ranking because both Sherman and Grant counted McPherson as their favorite. So if McPherson's stayed in the military I would bet on him having an important role in the war with Spain.James McPherson - OTL died in Atlanta campaign
William Dorsey Pender immediately springs to mind. Killed at Gettysburg in OTL but one of the best young officers of the Confederates in the East.It would be aweome to see these men lead troops again. Perhaps if the volunteers are organised by states, these men can lead some again.
It seems this war with Spain will have several of these old generals and colonels wth experience will aid the American forces even if they have limitied command. That is, they may have commanded a corps in the Civil War but since there is an abundance of them and the army will be smaller, they may only commnd a division or a regiment this time around.
Are there any other capable leaders that West Point has produced in the last 14 years?