Which Campaign of the American Civil War Could Most Easily Have Been a CS Victory?
- Thread starter Anaxagoras
- Start date
Wasn't that a little too late to get a CS victory, even if Sherman's army was completely routed?
I read a book a while back, it's pure fiction of course. But it told the story of how their was a Union spy in the Army of Northern Virginia. It was called betrayal at Gettysburg. It an alternate history book. I don't know if you could find it on Amazon.com, I got it from the author himself at a civil war reenactment. It was a good book, it takes place in a world were the C.S.A. won, and the trial of a confederate General on the charges of treason. The accusation is that he was a Union spy during the war.
I just checked Amazon.com and they do have some copies, but their used copies. I won't tell who the general is, I'll let you find out for yourselves.
TFSmith121
Banned
Realistically, there was one campaign
Realistically, there was one campaign - worth the name - in the Civil War where the US commander actually put his forces deep enough into the sack that the rebels had a chance (remote but possible) of actually inflicting a defeat the US forces could not have retreated away from, and it is not any of these:
1. Fort Henry and Donelson Campaign
2. Shiloh Campaign
3. Maryland Campaign
4. Kentucky Campaign
5. Stones River/Murfreesboro Campaign
6. Gettysburg Campaign
7. Vicksburg Campaign
8. Chickamauga-Chattanooga Campaign
9. Overland Campaign
10. Atlanta Campaign
11. Petersburg Campaign
12. Franklin-Nashville Campaign
Best,
Realistically, there was one campaign - worth the name - in the Civil War where the US commander actually put his forces deep enough into the sack that the rebels had a chance (remote but possible) of actually inflicting a defeat the US forces could not have retreated away from, and it is not any of these:
1. Fort Henry and Donelson Campaign
2. Shiloh Campaign
3. Maryland Campaign
4. Kentucky Campaign
5. Stones River/Murfreesboro Campaign
6. Gettysburg Campaign
7. Vicksburg Campaign
8. Chickamauga-Chattanooga Campaign
9. Overland Campaign
10. Atlanta Campaign
11. Petersburg Campaign
12. Franklin-Nashville Campaign
Best,
Hapsburg
Banned
No, I mean what I said. Neither the war as a whole, or any of those campaigns, could've been won by the Confederacy. The logistics and manpower simply weren't there.
Anaxagoras
Banned
You mean just like in the Peninsular Campaign? And the Second Manassas Campaign? And the Fredericksburg Campaign? And the Chancellorsville Campaign? And the Siege of Charleston in 1863? And the Red River Campaign?
Admiral Halsey
Banned
All he needs to do is hold until the election. If Atlanta hasn't fallen by it the Lincoln most likely loses it and McClellan is in office and he was running on a peace platform. How much of the land occupied by the Union goes back to the Confederacy is a different matter though.
Reggie Bartlett
Banned
I read a TL where Lee crafts the 191 order as a ruse to goad McClellan into a position in Western Maryland to throw himself at a fortified Lee.
Made good reading.
Made good reading.
Admiral Halsey
Banned
Problem. McClellan never would've thrown himself at Lee if he was in a fortified position.
Reggie Bartlett
Banned
In the end it prevented Antietam.
It lead to a "Battle of Frederick". Where Lee entrenched in the city.
Admiral Halsey
Banned
Again for all his faults McClellan attacking an entrenched Lee in a city is something he'd never do.
Reggie Bartlett
Banned
Leave that to Hooker.
There was another scenario posited where Lee does the same, but the battle occurs further west where he buzzsaws McClellan. He doesn't destroy the AotP, but a third of it.
Anaxagoras
Banned
I've actually never thought that the Maryland Campaign had that much AH potential. Lee's army was simply too small and too worn out from the Seven Days and Second Manassas to deliver much offensive punch against the Army of the Potomac, even under the best possible circumstances. I don't see how not having Order 191 fall into McClellan's hands would change.
For many of these campaigns I have to ask what constitutes a win? Shiloh yeah they might win the battle, only for Buell's fresh army to slam into them afterwards. Gettysburg they might win, only for the Union to entrench at Pipe Creek and Lee probably leads his decimated army into the teeth of their fire.
On the list I could see maybe the Overland Campaign, Kentucky, and Atlanta being Confederate victories with a few select PODs, but the others require lots of phenomenal luck to carry out and win. Those campaigns as they were carried out OTL failed for reasons which are a tad difficult to butterfly away at the outset.
On the list I could see maybe the Overland Campaign, Kentucky, and Atlanta being Confederate victories with a few select PODs, but the others require lots of phenomenal luck to carry out and win. Those campaigns as they were carried out OTL failed for reasons which are a tad difficult to butterfly away at the outset.
deathscompanion1
Banned
100 days of the Union generals (and I believe their soldiers) giving it all they fucking have per agreement and McClellan ran for peace not surrender if the Union gets handed a bunch of victories (likely since the fall of Atlanta is much easier to delay then prevent given the awful confederate performance out West) then McClellan will conclude the war.
Lincoln losing the election if the Confederates just cling on a while longer and this saving the Confederacy was something that existed in the minds of Confederates not in the actuality of the world. Once this last hope died desertion skyrocketed as everyone had an oh fuck moment of realising that no they were going to lose.
If Lee had won at Gettysburg what could he do? Washington as I understand it would be out of the question, because by that point it was to heavily defended. Not to mention any win, would cause casualties to the Army of Northern Virginia, while the troops in Washington although garrison troops were fresh.