The Civil War
December 11, 1860.
Among all the states that participated in the founding of the Confederate States of America, South Carolina was the first to convene a special convention.
The state legislators unanimously passed an ordinance to secede from the United States of America.
"The Union of the United States guarantees the autonomy of each state to the fullest extent. However, the North is infringing upon these rights of ours, and the federal government is standing by idly. Therefore, there is no longer any reason for us to remain within the framework of this Union!"
"Thus, the South Carolina State Legislature, in its entirety, declares that in order to protect our sacred rights, South Carolina is no longer bound by the laws of the Union!"
Thud, thud, thud.
With this historic first declaration of secession, the North was struck with utter shock at the South’s behavior—moving beyond mere threats and turning actual departure into reality.
The nightmare that everyone hoped was impossible had materialized.
"Mr. President, issue a statement immediately! Declare that no state is permitted to secede from the Union!"
"······."
"Why are you saying nothing? You aren't actually condoning the South's tyranny, are you?"
"······."
"Hey! Hurry up and issue the statement!"
Breckinridge, who had been dragging his feet, finally issued an official statement under the intense pressure of the Republican Party and the Northern Democrats.
"Ah... the secession of South Carolina is indeed an illegal act. However, upon reviewing the law, I have confirmed that the federal government does not possess the constitutional authority to forcibly re-annex any state."
"Hey, you crazy bastard! Are you even a president?"
"Is this a joke? Is the man who calls himself president actually pushing them out the door?"
Whether the North was horrified or not, Breckinridge repeated like a parrot that he knew nothing, and following South Carolina, the Deep South states—those most dependent on a slave-based economy—began to declare their secession one after another.
December 21: Mississippi
December 22: Florida
December 23: Alabama
December 24: Georgia, Louisiana
December 26: Texas.
With a rush of secessions that looked like a coordinated effort to anyone, even the average citizen realized the reality of the situation. The division of the United States was a foregone conclusion, and there was no longer a path to resolve it without bloodshed.
"Presideeeent! Why aren't you handling this!"
Of course, no matter how much they urged him, Breckinridge did not move. From the beginning, he had intended to stall until his term ended in March, reviewing lists of federal weapons to smuggle to the South and planning their transport.
'Time... I just need to buy time until March 4th, Lincoln's inauguration.'
In the meantime, the Southern Confederacy, centered around Jefferson Davis, would establish the foundations of a nation and send envoys to Europe to be recognized as a formal state. It was time to hand over the federal armories intact to their Southern brothers. If he could just buy this time, Breckinridge would be remembered as the greatest hero in Southern history.
And as he hoped, the South moved in perfect unison.
December 30, 1861. The representatives of the seceding states gathered in Montgomery, Alabama, and swiftly passed the provisional constitution of the 'Confederate States of America.' It was their own scripture, with the 'perpetual guarantee of the black slave system' enshrined in Article 1.
Two days later, they unanimously elected Jefferson Davis, a former Senator from Mississippi and former Secretary of War, as their provisional president. The South was truly building a 'nation' for the Dixies alone.
"A report from J, President-elect."
A telegram arrived at Lincoln's temporary office in Springfield, Illinois. Lincoln silently read the secret message sent by James Seuret.
[...Breckinridge is intentionally stalling and transferring federal weapons, especially modern rifles and cannons, to the South. He intends to buy time for the South to negotiate with Europe until March; I have attached documents proving this.]
"Now that we have the evidence, there is no need to hesitate. I cannot leave that man in the presidential office any longer."
As soon as Lincoln's declaration fell, the House of Representatives moved immediately.
January 2, 1861. "We impeach the incumbent President, John C. Breckinridge, on charges of treason and aiding the enemy!"
The House passed the articles of impeachment in just one day. However, even if it passed the House, it would be impossible to remove the president if the Senate refused. The Southern independence advocates planned to block Breckinridge's impeachment based on this clause.
But the Republican Party and the Northern Democrats already had the basis to shatter their logic.
"The Southern senators reject the impeachment..."
"Southern senators? Why is a senator from a state that seceded from the Union still a senator of the Union?"
"W-what...?"
"They left the Union of their own volition, and their seats are currently vacant! The Constitution clearly states that an impeachment is passed if two-thirds of the members present vote in favor! It means we don't have to bother counting the empty seats of traitors!"
The Senate froze at the solid logic that since the Southern states had seceded, the Senate seats they held naturally ceased to exist.
January 6, 1861. Just four days after passing the House, the Senate forced a vote based on the members present.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
"I declare that the impeachment of President John C. Breckinridge has been passed!"
The first impeachment of an incumbent president in history. Washington D.C. was paralyzed.
"What do you intend to do now! Lincoln, do you intend to succeed to the presidency immediately! Is this the dictatorship the Republicans wanted!"
The remnants of the South did not give up until the end, trying to incite that this was a tyranny by Lincoln and the Republicans to monopolize power. But this, too, was a reaction Lincoln and James had anticipated.
"The Republican Party does not covet power. We will uphold the principle that it is a Democratic administration until March 4th. According to constitutional procedure, the President pro tempore of the Senate must act as president."
"...President pro tempore of the Senate?"
All eyes turned to one man. Lincoln's political rival and the leader of the Northern Democrats, the 'Little Giant,' Stephen Douglas. He stood at the podium, having already coordinated with Lincoln.
"Very well! I, Stephen Douglas, will uphold the Constitution of the Union and do my utmost to resolve this situation until a new president begins their term."
The only way for the Northern Democrats to survive was to unconditionally cut ties with the South. The first order from Douglas, now acting president, was cold as ice.
"Arrest the traitorous ringleader, Breckinridge!"
"Yes!"
Armed marshals immediately raided Breckinridge's private residence, but unfortunately for them, Breckinridge was no fool. The moment the logic regarding the vacant Southern seats was raised in the Senate, he had sensed the situation.
'Damn it, did they already anticipate this?'
Seeing them strike this quickly, there was no doubt the Republicans had read his moves. Realizing the reality coldly, he ransacked every classified document cabinet in the White House office and unauthorizedly removed top-secret materials that would be useful to the South.
"Heh heh, the presidential seat is quite good indeed."
Stuffing secret dispatches exchanged with foreign embassies in Europe and top-tier materials like Northern troop deployment maps into his coat, he left the White House without looking back. Although he had failed to buy time, these materials would surely become a great strength for the South to endure.
The incumbent president thus fled to the South under the cover of darkness.
From the mass secession rush of traitors to the first presidential impeachment and that president's flight—with these unprecedented events, all of which were firsts in history, the United States was perfectly split in two, pointing their guns at each other.
Around the time Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as president and the Confederacy began to call itself a nation.
Cypress Plantation.
In the dead of night, when all the white people were asleep, Nick stood in the darkest center of the sugarcane field. Hundreds of shadows surrounded him, watching him with bated breath.
'Hoo... look, what perfect darkness this is.'
The fools in that luxurious mansion were probably asleep by now, believing their property was perfectly controlled under their silk blankets.
'Property? No, we are the blades that will slit your throats.'
He called himself the 'Agent of Judgment.' If his mentor, James Seuret, decided their fate, he was the executor who turned that verdict into reality.
"Everything is ready. A massive spark that will swallow this rotten South whole. Now, all we need is the wind to spread this spark."
As he gestured lightly, the giant shadow Titus stepped forward. A sharply honed knife was gripped in his hand.
"The armory?"
"All confirmed. Their guns are now ours. But... do you really have to gesture like that?"
Nick didn't even bother to reply to his comrade who couldn't understand his coolness, turning his head toward the other side.
"The fire?"
Old Sam, who received his gaze, held up an old lantern. "Oil has soaked into every barn and the main house. With this single spark... the moment the signal drops, their heaven will turn into a hellfire in an instant."
Old Sam's withered hands caressed the flint containing the spark with care.
"Yes. This plantation is now our stage. The moment the Master's order falls, everything that has oppressed you until now will be swallowed by a sea of fire and vanish. We are ready."
Nick let out the promised signal, the cry of an owl, three times in short succession.
Cypress, ready. Awaiting signal.
Starting with this signal that the final stage had begun, the shadows cast across the South began to respond in unison.
[Virginia, Ashford Plantation]
In the basement of the tobacco warehouse, while Marcus, a first-term graduate, was oiling the federal rifles he had hidden, he heard the cry of a swamp owl from outside the door.
'Hmm, Nick's bunch finished first? How cheeky. But the scale here will be bigger.'
Marcus nodded to his comrades watching him. "Ashford, ready. Their tobacco fields will now become a powder keg."
He, too, sent the signal toward the north.
[Georgia, Twin Oaks Plantation]
Jenny, who worked in the main house kitchen, confirmed the second response signal heard from outside the window. She caressed the dozens of small medicine bottles hidden under her skirt. Then, she nodded quietly to the contact standing by the plantation well.
"Twin Oaks, standing by."
[85 Plantations]
Cypress, Ashford, Twin Oaks, ready.
From the 85 strongholds of the 'graduates' James Seuret had planted throughout the South, 'Ready' signals erupted one after another like dominoes, as if responding to a commander's order!
From the horse farms of Kentucky to the cotton fields of Mississippi and the slave quarters of Alabama's steel mills.
85 heavens entered 'ignition standby' status simultaneously, and the massive spiderweb was finally complete. The 85 strongholds immediately spread the signal to the 255 plantations connected to them.
"Remember. The day the gunshots of war ring out is the time of the uprising."
They endlessly repeated the words their prophet had bestowed upon them, waiting for the promised day.
While the Confederacy was intoxicated by its own independence and raising toasts, thousands and tens of thousands of blades and torches were loaded beneath their feet.
The Seuret Rehabilitation Center, Seuret Cotton, and the anger of the oppressed spread throughout the South were now waiting only for the moment one man's mouth opened.
The first gunshot of the Northern army. The first shout of the Southern army.
The moment that first blood fell to the ground would be the signal to burn the entire South.
"We are the longest night that will cover the white men's heaven."
The die was cast.