That said, there was strategic value in attempting compromise, even if it could not avert war. Four slave states straddled the border between North and South. These states—Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware—were torn on secession. Clear-eyed conciliators made overtures to the South to retain the states. Without these border states, it would be nearly impossible for the North to wage a successful war. For example, if Maryland seceded, Washington would be threatened at its northern front.
