The Armistice

Deadlands 1876
The Armistice

Introduction

The Hammer of ’74 was the final campaign of the Civil War, a brutal push by the Confederacy to reclaim lost land, occupy Philadelphia, and bomb the North into a more negotiable frame of mind. Aided by British ingenuity and new blue-coal technology, the Hammer was a stunning success, resulting in a formal Cease-Fire on September 13, 1874. A few months later, on December 24, the “Mutually Agreed Terms of Armistice Between States In Armed Conflict” transformed the Cease-Fire into a more permanent state of peace, officially suspending armed hostilities and pledging to find diplomatic solutions for all existing problems. Consisting of nearly a thousand pages, the Armistice agreement featured intricate details about trading compacts and shipping rights; protocols for war refugees, deserters, and escaped slaves; provisions regarding foreign alliances and mutual recognitions; and countless other political niceties guaranteed to keep diplomats arguing for generations. Although the Armistice certainly contained its share of imperfections, awkward compromises, and sketchy ad hoc arrangements, the long Civil War had finally come to an end.

Despite the success of its general peacekeeping provisions, in practice, the Armistice has proved to be an evolving work-in-progress that has produced some potentially unresolvable issues. Because my Deadlands 1876 campaign begins eighteen months after the Armistice was signed, the terms outlined below reflect the original stipulations of the Armistice, with additional commentary describing recent adjustments and notes on developing conflicts.

Initial Recognitions

The first section of the Armistice is known as the Articles of Recognition, and provides a common vocabulary for re-drawing the political map of North America. All diplomatic recognitions were made effective on January 1, 1875. Needless to say, by winning its formal independence, the Confederate States of America rightly believes the Armistice represents a victorious outcome to the Civil War.

Confederate States of America
The United States of America recognizes the Confederate States of America. States initially recognized as belonging to the CSA include, in order of secession, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, and Arizona. The City of Richmond is recognized as the capital of the Confederacy.

Second California Republic
The former Union state of California is divided at the 38th Parallel, with the northern portion joining the Union as the state of “North California,” and the southern portion being recognized immediately as the sovereign Second California Republic.

United States of America
The Confederate States of America recognizes the United States of America. States initially recognized as belonging to the USA include, in order of admission to the Union, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oregon, and North California. Boston is recognized as the Union capital.

Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas is recognized as a sovereign nation.

Restorations

With diplomatic recognition comes sovereignty, and much of the land conquered by former belligerents during the course of the War is now considered “foreign soil” under hostile occupation. Acknowledging the challenge of restoring these territories to their proper governments, the Armistice provides two full years for all former belligerents to withdraw from occupied territory. By Christmas Day 1877, the Union must be completely evacuated from Kentucky and Tennessee, and the Confederacy must be evacuated from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Conflict Note: As of the summer of 1876, very few of these agreed “restorations” have actually been fulfilled. Although the Confederacy has dutifully evacuated southwestern New Jersey, they still occupy Philadelphia and most of Maryland, while the Union remains in Kentucky and East Tennessee. More than any other crises precipitated by the Armistice, this reluctance to cede occupied territory is the most critical, and has produced increasingly strident political rhetoric, bad-faith violations of trading agreements, and several acts of political terrorism.

New Divisions

A few existing states and territories are scheduled to have their status changed under the terms of the Armistice.

Arizona
As of January 1, 1875, the existing New Mexico Territory above the 34th Parallel was recognized as a Union Territory, while the half below that parallel was admitted to the CSA as the Confederate state of Arizona.

Historical Note: This division creates a very different Arizona than the modern state. Confederate Arizona is carved from the southern half of the New Mexico Territory rather than the western half, and stretches all the way from Texas to California.

Missouri
By Christmas Day 1877, Missouri shall be divided into two states, the northeastern portion containing St. Louis joining the Union as “North Missouri,” and the southwestern part containing Neosho joining the Confederacy as “South Missouri.”

Conflict Note: Unfortunately, the partitioning of Missouri has emerged as another ongoing concern. Various factions have proposed different arrangements, with Kansas City and the Missouri River being the two most fractious points of contention. Although both sides express “full confidence” that these conflicts will be resolved by the deadline, in reality, both sides have proven to be completely intractable.

Neutral Zones

These former states and possessions are scheduled for a period of “neutrality.”

Kentucky
Kentucky has been designated a “neutral border territory,” with duly-elected representatives deciding its ultimate fate by Christmas Day 1877. After accepting a personal appeal from President Grant, General Don Carlos Buell was placed in charge of the Union delegation, with  General Simon Bolivar Buckner serving as his Confederate counterpart.

Conflict Note: Kentucky still remains painfully divided, with the northern half tending towards Unionism and the southern half looking toward the victorious Confederacy. For the most part, the question remains political, and is often defined by the cultural division between “Louisville Leadership” and “Bluegrass Pride.” Unfortunately, Northern agitators such as the Kanawha Zouaves and Rebel irredentists like the Kentucky National Guard have muddied the waters with acts of violence, and the tensions are mounting as the fateful vote draws closer.

Washington D.C.
The abandoned city of Washington D.C. has been declared “neutral territory,” and has been placed under the stewardship of the “Washington Council,” a ruling body of delegates from both sides of the conflict. They are responsible for deciding the city’s fate by Christmas Day 1877.

Conflict Note: Ravaged by the Blue Plague and bombed into oblivion by Lee’s forces, Washington D.C. is a ruin, abandoned by everyone except appointed officials and illegal squatters. The South believes the city should be added to Virginia as “Columbia,” where it will serve as a potent reminder of Southern heritage and northern arrogance. Naturally, the North insists that Washington still belongs to the Union, and has plans to rebuild it as “New Washington,” the centerpiece of Maryland Reconstruction. Considering that much of Maryland is still under Confederate control, the Union’s plans seem increasingly more idealistic. More interesting are the rumors about the ruins themselves, which range from typical “ghost town” stories to unsettling reports about a lost colony of Plague banshees. The fact that both the Agency and the RSP have sizable presences in Washington does little to dispel these whispered tales.

Territories

Nebraska
The Territory of Nebraska is recognized as a sole Union possession, and will vote on statehood on November 7, 1876. So far, the overwhelming trend is for admission into the Union as the state of Nebraska, with Omaha City as its capital.

The Western Territories
The Territories of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Dakota are retained by the Union with no alterations. The British agree to seek no more land in Washington Territory.

New Mexico
As described above, the former Territory of New Mexico has been divided at the 34th Parallel. The northern half retains the name New Mexico and remains a Union possession, while the lower half became the Confederate state of Arizona on January 1, 1875.

Conflict Note: Unfortunately for the Union, New Mexico is surrounded by governments that each imagine acquiring a portion of the territory for themselves. The Mormons to the north consider the western half a natural extension of Deseret, while the so-called Colorado Free State recognizes the importance of Santa Fe to the railroads. The Republic of Texas is always interested in more land, while the Coyote Confederation sees a potential alliance with the Pueblo and Apache. And of course, the CSA would love to “reunite” New Mexico with Arizona, creating and even larger southern bastion between California and Texas, as well as enlarging their Mormon firewall. Indeed, “New Mexico Belongs to the South!” has emerged as a somewhat unnerving slogan among some Southern fire-eaters.

Nevada
The Territory of Nevada will function as an independent territory until Christmas Day 1877, at which time they’ll vote to join the Union, the CSA, or merge with the Second California Republic. So far, the general consensus is Union statehood.

Unresolved Issues & Disputed Territories

There are several important unresolved issues still being hotly debated, some of which threaten to destabilize or even destroy the Armistice itself.

Kansas
One of the great unresolved issues of the Armistice, “Bleeding Kansas” continues to present a serious obstacle to lasting peace. The Union insists that Kansas remains a Northern state, while the CSA vociferously supports the legitimacy of its “secession.” As a result, Kansas is riven with conflict, and currently labors under two separate governments, each claiming authenticity. Fortunately for the North, the Unionists seem to have the numbers, and most believe that Richmond will eventually relinquish its claim on Kansas in return for other concessions. In the meantime, however, Kansas is still the site of many brutal guerrilla raids and incidents of “bushwhacking.”

West Virginia
The Union claims this splinter state as its own, while the South demands a reunion with “tidewater” Virginia. Although the Union has certainly paid this notion much lip service, most savvy observers feel that Boston is only keeping West Virginia as a bargaining chip, and are willing to return it in exchange for Kentucky and/or Washington D.C.

The Territory of Colorado
Like Kansas, the Colorado Territory is claimed by both the Union and the Confederacy, both of which see Colorado as a lucrative and geographically strategic candidate for statehood. Unlike Kansas, however, many of Colorado’s natives have little desire for citizenship in either nation, and seek to establish an independent “Colorado Free State.” This tripartite conflict has resulted in the escalation of tensions on all sides; but most of the violence occurring in Colorado has its roots in money, not politics, and is a result of the Rail Wars and numerous mining conflicts. The leader of the Colorado Free State is John Evans, the nominal Territorial Governor who has been acting as a rogue agent since the heyday of the Blue Plague. Evans is supported by several renegade elements drawn from former Union ranks, including the “Denver Syndicate” in charge of the Denver Pacific Railway & Telegraph Company, Brigham Young’s government in Deseret, and the infamous “Crimson Parson,” General John Chivington, perpetrator of the Sand Creek Massacre.

Utah/Deseret
Nominally a Union territory, Utah was declared independent by the Mormons in 1865. At the initial signing of the Armistice, Utah was agreed upon as a Union territory; however, on July 4, 1876, the Union formally recognized Deseret. Ownership of the Utah Territory was exchanged for exclusive “foreign trading rights” to Deseret’s supply of ghost rock. Previously forced to pay dearly for ghost rock from the distant and inaccessible Maze, this arrangement promises a powerful new ally in the West and an ample supply of precious azrucite. Needless to say, the Confederacy is not amused, and currently refuses to grant diplomatic recognition to Deseret.

The Future of the Armistice

During the year and a half the Armistice has been in effect, very little progress has been made preparing for its various “exchanges.” The “Disputed Territories” are still riddled with guerilla warfare, the CSA builds infrastructure in Philadelphia and Baltimore, and the Union shows few signs of retreating from Knoxville and middle-Kentucky. Smuggling and espionage are common on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line, and every month sees a fresh skirmish spilling blood somewhere along the vast border. Some politicians talk about extending the so-called Christmas Deadline to 1880, others lament the lack of progress and fear a “normalization” of the status quo; while more than a few fire-eaters and “Total Abolitionists” beat the war drum and prepare for the “inevitable” resumption of armed conflict. Unless the tensions of the Armistice explode into a resumption of War, most savvy observers predict the following state of affairs by 1900:

United States of America
Boston will exchange West Virginia and Kentucky for Philadelphia and Maryland. The United States of America will likely consist of the following twenty-four states, listed in order of original admission into the Union, with asterisks denoting probable re-admissions: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland*, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oregon, Kansas*, North California, Nebraska, North Missouri, and Nevada. In the interests of keeping the peace, New Mexico will be partitioned and sold off, one portion to Deseret and another to either the CSA or the Republic of Texas. The “Colorado Free State” will probably be granted its independence after the conclusion of the Transcontinental Railroad. As westward expansion continues, the Union’s Western Territories will be subdivided into smaller states—provided the Sioux and Cheyenne of the Plains Confederation are neutralized. Likely states include Wyoming, Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Washington. If the Plains Confederacy is not neutralized, the independent Sioux Nation will occupy much of Dakota and Montana.

Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America will likely consist of the following thirteen states, listed in order of admission into the Confederacy: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona, South Missouri, a reunited Virginia, and Kentucky. The city of Washington D.C. will likely be absorbed into Virginia as “Columbia.” Part of New Mexico will probably be acquired by the CSA and enrolled as a state. Possible future regions of Confederate expansion include Cuba, Nicaragua, and potentially the Coyote Confederation.

Sources & Notes

There’s nothing quite as fun as inventing alternate histories, and many of the ideas expressed in this document have their basis in actual history. For instance, Confederate Arizona existed as described above, Nicaragua was briefly ruled by an American filibuster named William Walker, and the Confederacy entertained pipe-dreams about occupying Cuba. The Mormons strove to establish an independent Deseret, and “border” states like Kentucky, Kansas, and Missouri remained internally divided long after the War. The Colorado Free State was inspired in part by Philip K. Dick’s The Man In the High Castle and partly by Thomas Pynchon’s Against the Day.

 

Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 22 June 2018
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
PDF Version:Deadlands Milieu – The Armistice

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