Confederate States Presidential Election, 1867 (The Guns of the South)

The Confederate States Presidential Election of 1867 set the stage for the path of the country going forward, particularly as regards to slavery. Two new parties were born, the Confederate Party of General Robert E. Lee and the Patriot Party of Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Forrest was backed by the Rivington Men.

Campaign
During the campaign Forrest went on the stump around the Confederacy, while Lee remained at home. Until election day, Lee felt sure he would win. Forrest ran for president on the platform to continue slavery, while Lee promised to ease restrictons against blacks. Lee also went soft-line on the United States and made use of various issues, while Forrest just kept to his platform. The election came to ride on Tennessee with the Electoral College tied down 55-50 (60 were required for election). Eventually, several days after the election, Lee won the College 69-50 and the popular vote with just under 30,000.