Border States

Key decisions

Border States
Maryland Kentucky Missouri Delaware

Map

Overview of the Border States

Less than half the number of slaves and slave owners at the states that had already seceded Population
add 45% to the white population
more able bodied soldiers

Industry
more military supplies

Strategic Advantage

Delaware
The first border state to quickly reject the Southern request to join the Confederacy Remained loyal to the Union throughout the Civil War

Maryland
Strong pro-Confederacy attitude after the fall of Fort Sumter due to the Baltimore Riots of 1861
On April 19, 1861, a Massachusetts regiment passing through on its way to Washington, DC shot several civilians after being attacked by an angry mob in Baltimore. Four soldiers and twelve civilians died. Mayor and police chief ordered the destruction of key rail bridges to prevent Federal troops from using the city as a thoroughfare

Maryland cont
On May 13, Federal troops occupied Baltimore and declared martial law.
At times during the Civil War, President Lincoln applied martial law, the substitution of military power for ordinary civil authority, in certain areas of high antiwar dissent or pro-southern sympathies.

The police chief and several city commissioners were arrest for their alleged role in the riot Suspected secessionists were held without formal charges

Maryland cont
Federal forces occupied Baltimore for the duration of the war

Marylands Governor Thomas Hicks and the state legislature voted against secession
Maryland was declared neutral in the North/South rift

Remained pro-Union throughout the war despite pro-Confederacy factions within the state

Missouri
Missouri Governor Claiborne Fox Jackson advocated for secession
Eventually established a separate pro-Confederate government in exile Became a Confederate state in November 1861

Missouri Congressman Francis Blair was pro-Union Many residents were slave owners

Large number of German immigrants near St. Louis

had little regard for Southern traditions, especially slavery

Missouri cont
Federal invasion in May pushed Unionists into the Confederate camp Remained in the Union
Troops fought on both sides of the war 100,000 fought for the Union 40,000 fought for the Confederacy

Kentucky
Birth state of both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis Bordered three free states and three slave states
support for Union and Confederacy near even

State legislature voted to remain neutral

As a result, goods were being forwarded through Kentucky to the seceded states

Kentucky cont
Lincoln chose to refrain from forcibly halting this activity

State elections in June and August 1861 produced many Unionist victories Official stance of neutrality ended when Confederate moved into western Kentucky
Legislature officially endorsed the Union, Sept. 1861 Pro-Confederacy Magoffin set up a provisional govt in Russellville, ratified the Confederate Constitution

Kentucky admitted to the Confederacy in Dec. 1861

Kentucky cont
75,000 Kentuckians fought for the Union 25,000 Kentuckians fought for the Confederacy

West Virginia
Eastern and western sections of Virginia were divided
Eastern portion controlled the state government and advocated secession Western portion refused to be legislated into treason

State legislature voted for secession on April 17, 1861

Western leaders mobilized support and met at the Wheeling Conventions

West Virginia cont

A new government was established under a new governor was appointed, Francis H. Pierpont
Granted permission to form a new state on August 20, 1861 West Virginia state constitution was passed in spring of 1862
Statehood approved by Congress in December

20,000 soldiers fought for the Union 22,000 soldiers fought for the Confederacy