[DL] What happened to the Union?

[Nyarlathothep132@aol.com]

Now, looking overy my map of the Deadlands world, I'm truly perplexed. Looking over Tales o' Terror: 1877, I'm even more perplexed...

What Happened to the Union? In the real world, it had a massive manufacturing and population advantage. Even freeing the slaves in the CSA wouldn't stop that. The Union, historically, should be powerful enough to keep most of it's territory except for the CSA proper- namely, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Now, as far as I know, the rationale is... (SPOILERS)












SPOILERS






The Confederacy is getting supernatural aid from the Reckoners, allowing their forces to survive against overwhelming Union numbers. This is why New Orleans went back to the CSA, as did Vicksburg, and Gettysburg became a draw. This easily explains how the CSA has managed to keep it's original territory- but what is NOT explained is how they became so much larger than they were. (Or at least, I can't find it.)
Missouri, for example, was locked down by the Union pretty well- as was Colorado and Utah. (California, of course, doesn't count after the Great Quake.) In Utah, I doubt the Mormons, even with Hellstromme, are strong enough to secede the *entire state*. What I think is more likely is that Salt Lake could become an independent city state, like Lost Angels. I find it unlikely that the Sioux Nations could realistically become an independent nation, even with the spirits. On the other hand...they could become a state in the Union.

New Mexico and Arizona were never claimed by the CSA- they certainly would be as the CSA desperately needs the Ghost Rock in the Maze, but I dont' see how they could have taken either regions from the Union.

What my question boils down too- What happened to the Union that allowed it to be chopped up like it was put into a blender? Kansas I can see being disputed, but not Colorado. Salt Lake I can see independent, but not all of Utah. A "special status" I can see for the Sioux, but not their own massive nation. New Mexico and Arizona should certainly be Union (I've never seen an explanation for why they became CSA, either.) The Union's got the population and manufacturing capacity enough to prevent it losing any more territory than California (again, the Great quake and lack of railway access makes that fairly plausible) and the CSA proper. And if the casualties from the war are that great, then the CSA is in far, far worse shape and should be unable to take New Mexico or Arizona. I can see the CSA putting up a fight in Kentucky, though. Since the CSA would depend on Maze ghost rock, New Mexico and Arizona almost have to go to them- I'd just like a rationale, or a cool reason.

And then there's Detroit. 

The British couldn't possibly have enough forces in Canada to challenge the Union, which is, population and industry wise, a 600 pound Gorilla. It's unlikely enough that Britain would have ever recognized the CSA (They needed the US more than they needed the CSA's cotton), but that's fairly acceptable. But attacking the Union? Mind-bogglingly unlikely and very risky. I don't buy that the Union couldn't take Detroit back, either.  

So where's the Union's forces? The manufacturing capacity? 

I only ask because this kind of thing needs some backup. I'm certainly not demanding Deadlands be historically accurate. I'd just like to know what the Reckoners did to "ruin the Union...."