War of Secession (Their Gallant Dead)

The War of Secession, also less commonly called the War of Southern Independence , was a major conflict in North America waged from 1861 to 1863 between the <> and the newly formed <>. <> later entered the war on the Confederacy's side.

The victory of <> in the 1860 US election provoked the secession of the Southern states, who formed the CSA. The <> incident became the Lincoln administration's causus belli to invade the South and reunite the nation. Despite its massive advantages in industry, population, and technology, the North was ultimately defeated because of inferior leadership, highlighted by the brilliant generalship of <>, who was supreme commander of the CS Army from October 1862 onwards. Defeated in major battles, most notably Franklin and Chancellorsville, the Northern war effort collapsed by February 1863, leading to the surrender of Washington D.C. and the entry of Great Britain in that month. A ceasefire was called, and the war officially ended on July 4, 1863, with the signing of the Treaty of Washington. The CSA became independent, and annexed significant areas of US territory, along with the British. This led to the rise of the South as a leading nation in the world, and Northern embarrassment and revanchism over their defeat and the subsequent peace, leading to major competition and hostilities between the two American nations for decades to come.