"Could Kentucky have stayed neutral??" Topic

I read conflicting information on this. As we know historically the south made the decision for them. IF neither side had invaded, do we think they would have remained neutral?? I have read that the railroads where sympathetic to the Union and alot of information seems to suggest that eventually they would have joined the Union at some point?
As with many aspects of the war I find the politics of the border states interesting.

I don't see how either side could have waged war and stayed out of Kentucky.

No State could stay neutral. Mission, Kansas, California included.

No. Not a chance. Well maybe if U.S. forces had trounced the Confederates in the east right at the outset, leading to a quick conclusion of the war.

Not a chance. It was one of the main pathways for the North to invade the South. Main rivers on its borders, an open region rather than mountains and bordered the length of Tennessee.

About as easily as Belgium or Luxembourg could have stayed neutral in WWII.

So, sounds like its safe to say that if the south had not have moved in the north would have fairly soon.

Timeportal – Not even Oregon Senator Baker. The only sitting Senator to die in combat. :^)

Kentucky could not have stayed Neutral. Her rivers/railroads offered easy/quick access to the vitals of the USA and CSA.

The question was "IF neither side had invaded….". In that case was does neutral mean? It is hard to see Kentucky going it alone in the world. And it was still part of the Union.

The struggle between the pro-Confederate governor and the pro-Union legislature was slowly moving in favor of the legislature. Ultimately, they would have invited Union forces in, somehow. Leonidas Polk certainly forced an end to neutrality. Probably, in a month or two the legislature would have felt strong enough to start taking steps to invite Union troops in (as opposed to Kentucky and Tennessee regiments in blue that were forming at Camp Dick Robinson), and the governor would responded by inviting in Confederate troops.

Technically, claiming neutrality in a war between the states was even more of a statement of states' rights than was secession. The governments back east put up with this because they both lacked the wherewithal to take over the entire state by force.

Grelber

eventually they would have joined the Union at some point?

It never left the Union.

The "IF" is pretty much not possible. Kentucky would not have avoided a civil war which involved every other state. The maneuvering was to decide on which side she fought, and even that was a matter of degree. If the Confederacy had played its hand brilliantly, there would still have been some Kentucky regiments on the Union side

The Kentucky declaration of neutrality made it clear that it was not as a state going to participate in the conflict, and the armed forces of both sides were to stay out. So while Kentucky did not secede from the Union, Don, (at least not until Bragg's invasion of 1862), it did not as a state join the Union's effort to put down the Confederacy until after Polk violated Kentucky neutrality.

Don has it clearly, and Bill N even if they stated neutrality, they were still part of the US, subject at least to taxation that supported the war effort and all other federal laws, and as someone said, Kentucky regiments would have been raised regardless.

Union regiments were already being raised in Kentucky before Polk's blunder, although no regiments from other states were moving in. (Disclaimer: One of my great-grandfathers was a pvt in the 20th Kentucky and later a lieutenant in the 48th Ky.)

the county of Calloway seceded from Missouri early war and tried to keep both sides out. They had there own flag, etc. At the end of the war the Federal troops walked in and put an end to the independence of Calloway. Fulton, Mo is located in Calloway and is where Churchills 'Iron curtain' speech was given.

So…they declare neutrality, but still end up with armies camped in backyards and rampaging raiders…not seeing the benefit here.

Nothing new. A county in Alabama declared independence from the State. The Free State of Winston.