[DiogenesLamp]

To be fair, they did attempt to assissinate Lincoln in Maryland. Further, they attempted to stuff DC with slave power militia units to prevent Lincoln from being inaugurated.

Fortunately Pinkerson sniffed out the assassination attempt,

So Pinkerton said. It could also have been a bugaboo. I read about that in Scientific American, I think. Wouldn't be surprised if it were true. Lincoln represented a very grave threat from their perspective. I suspect 600,000 more people might have survived had they succeeded.

and loyal US Army officers went around to the militia companies demanding that their officers execute a loyalty oath in front of their men. Those that refused were disbanded, the weapons collected, and the weapons issued to loyal companies.

Already invoking the trappings of tyrannical rule. Kings throughout history demanded loyalty oaths. Hitler also demanded loyalty oaths. That's one reason the German army was so maniacal.

[rockrr]

Lincoln represented a very grave threat from their perspective. I suspect 600,000 more people might have survived had they succeeded.

And I would assert that as many and very likely many, many more would have died without his intervention and guidence.