If the South had taken Washington DC would they have won the war?

Question

Could the CSA have won the American Civil war if Lee's invasion of the North in 1862 had taken DC - would British diplomatic recognition have resulted?

Answer 1

First of all, England wouldn't have openly supported the CSA until the South abolished slavery. Slavery had been outlawed in England for over 60 years and was seen as a backward and immoral institution. Politicaly England hoped for the success of the Confederacy, but was very reluctant to get physically involved.

If Lee had maneuvered around Meade and placed the Army of Virgina between the Army of the Potomac and Washington, DC it would not have guaranteed success of the campaign or the war. Lee would have needed to find a battle field that would give him a tactical advantage to overcome the numerically superior Union force. The challenges of effecting such a maneuver are great and it is likely that Lee would have been caught in a compromising position. Gettysburg began as a meeting engagement, with no formal battle plan on either side. I believe that such an engagement would have occurred wherever Lee went, with similar results.

Assuming Lee is able to maneuver, he probably wouldn't have been able to quickly capture Washington. In moving north to Gettysburg, the Union forces pulled troops and militias from almost every area, but left a significant force guarding the Capitol, which by this point in the war was heavily fortified. Lee wouldn't be able to besiege and capture the city before Meade would marshal the Army of the Potomac . The Army of Virginia would have been in a position where it could easily be outflanked and destroyed. While Lee might win in a strategic sense, he would lose tactically. The end of the war would occur as it did in history.

Assuming that Lee did capture Washington it is possible that a diplomatic solution might be forced. The Draft Riots of July 1863 in New York City combined with the loss of Washington might have been enough to destroy Union moral. However I believe that Lee would still be in a weak position and would be forced to relinquish the city in order to preserve his Army to protect Virginia.

For Lee to have captured Washington DC while leaving the Army of Virginia in a position to effectively counter the Union Armies would have required most if not all of the variables of war to go the Confederates way. It is highly unlikely that Lee could have been successful enough to alter the course of the war. In the off chance that Lee's Northern Campaign was successful, Great Briton still wouldn't have actively entered the war unless the South abandoned slavery.

Answer 2

Monuments and memorials, eclectic neighbourhoods, correct local flavoring this is what Washington, DC is; a place unlike any; exactly like this page hotelbye . Washington it's your property overseas with free museums and America's front yard. Washington is recognized around the globe as a image of the United States. Here, the area you can't skip could be the Capitol. Capitol is the seat of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The big dome, on the basis of the dome of St. Peter's in Rome, stands apart especially other Washington buildings. Like Washington it self, the making has grown over the years because the key portion was built between 1793 and 1812. The final improvement, in 1958-62, enlarged the key façade wherever presidents take the oath. On the other part, a marble terrace offers lovely opinions within the mall and the city. The inner is resplendent with frescoes, reliefs, and paintings, particularly the rotunda under the great cast-iron dome with a roof painting by Constantino Brumidi and huge paintings of views from American history on the walls.

Answer 3

They wouldn't have automatically won the war by taking DC. The government would naturally have been evacuated ahead of time. It isn't like the war immediately ended after the Union took Richmond.

Navy Sailor - Washington, DC WAS the Union capital during the Civil War. Perhaps you should learn history before slapping others down.

Answer 4

I don't think it would have been necessary to take DC in order to get British support. It would have come if Lee's first invasion had been more successful like if he had won at Sharpsburg (Antietam to northerners). At any time if he could have taken Washington he would have had the war won and not needed British or French help.

Answer 5

Charles, the conflict became over in 1975, 7 years after the Democrat left workplace it became your guy Nixon that enable the conflict gp on for 7 extra years i assume you do no longer see how Bush screwed up our economic equipment 31/2 years in the past based on the form you count form

Answer 6

Washington DC was not our Capitol at the time so would it really have mattered. Get your history straight for the time period.

And the south would never have won anything. History is good to go on that one.

Answer 7

Too bad they didn't. States would still have rights and we wouldn't be putting all of our eggs in one basket in Washington DC. Hopefully, Iran will nuke Washington, D.C. That and Hollywood. It would be an improvement, for sure.

Answer 8

Think thats hard to say, now if they had taken NYC very possably.