Virginians Who Didn't Join the Insurrection. (war, generals, Mexican, Lincoln)

[TheWiseWino]

Just came across this and frankly, I'd never read anything like it before...

Writing regarding Lee's decisions to join the rebellion, the author cites the following numbers

Of the West Point graduates up and prior to the class of 1830 only 27 of the 90 slave state grads joined the confederacy.

Of the classes between 1831 to 1860, 224 of 397 joined the confederacy.

Amongst just Virginia graduates only 9 or 27 from prior to the 1830 class and 61 of 99 from those classes 1831 to 1860.

And there is more

While all three slave state West Point generals joined the confederacy, only 10 of 13 full colonels did as did only 43 of 85 field grade officers.

https://books.google.com/books?id=eM...0union&f=false

[maf763]

Interesting. Any hypothesis in mind as to why the older graduates were more likely to stay in the Union? I wonder if there is a breakdown between 1830-1845 and 1845-1860.

[mariogames]

Longer loyalty to the Union flag?

[Grandstander]

I would note that the linked article uses the term "slave states" rather than "Confederate states" which means that Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware cadets, all from states which remained loyal, are being counted in this survey.

[TheWiseWino]

Originally Posted by Grandstander

I would note that the linked article uses the term "slave states" rather than "Confederate states" which means that Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware cadets, all from states which remained loyal, are being counted in this survey.

That's true but the numbers hold percentage wise when you... I was going to say for Virginia but then I forgot that Virginia was half anti-secession like the border states.

[Skip OK]

A couple of well known Virginians who did not join the CSA:

George "Pap" Thomas, and Winfield Scott. Scott was the General Officer in Charge of the US Army, and offered the field command to
Robert E. Lee before Lee's resignation. Thomas was for most of the War, a Corps commander in the Army of the Cumberland.

[Babe_Ruth]

Originally Posted by TheWiseWino

Virginia was half anti-secession like the border states.

(Hi), Generally, Virginia was initially against secession, but quickly reconsidered when they saw that Lincoln was going to conscript Virginians to fight against seceded, fellow Southern states.

Virginia was an incredibly important Upper South state, that may have been held in the Union. But was ultimately alienated by Lincoln's response to Deep South secession (not his election to the presidency). Virginia became intensely mobilized against Lincoln, when he revealed that he was willing to kill Americans to forcefully retain (what the South considered a voluntary) Union. (peace)

[TheWiseWino]

Originally Posted by Babe_Ruth

(Hi), Generally, Virginia was initially against secession, but quickly reconsidered when they saw that Lincoln was going to conscript Virginians to fight against seceded, fellow Southern states.

Virginia was an incredibly important Upper South state, that may have been held in the Union. But was ultimately alienated by Lincoln's response to Deep South secession (not his election to the presidency). Virginia became intensely mobilized against Lincoln, when he revealed that he was willing to kill Americans to forcefully retain (what the South considered a voluntary) Union. (peace)

Virginia approves secession convention on Jan 14, 1861, a month before Lincoln's inauguration which convenes on Feb 13,1861. It took three tries to win a successful vote for secession at their April convention and loses half of the state to the Union. This leads to rethink the whole Virginia reluctant secessionist narrative into serious question.

[harry chickpea]

Keep reading this as Vegetarians who didn't join the Insurrection.

Not sure I would call secession insurrection. I can see where it sorta fits, but badly.

[Dd714]

Does this figure those who graduated prior to 1830 and were still in uniform? Does that mean the remaining joined the union or just sat it out? 1830 is of course three decades prior to the civil war, I would venture to guess that most of them, 50 years old and older, were retired from service.

Perhaps more interesting is Mexican-American war vets vs. non-war vets from West Point - Almost all the top leaders on both sides fought in this war (Lee and Grant of course included) but it would be interesting to see if, otherwise, the experience of fighting under the American flag discouraged other southerners from joining the confederacy.