A Realistic British Intervention in the ACW

yourworstnightmare

Banned
Donor
At least for this I have a simple explanation: Divide et impera. If the US is partitioned into two hostile nations, both are weakened.

Problem with this IMHO is that it is too much of Realpolitik. Britain wouldn't go defend slave states for this.
Correct, Britain was the anti-slavery crusader number one during this era, with the Anti- Slavery Society having much influence in both Commons and Lords. There's just no way Britain would intervene to save slavery.
 

67th Tigers

Banned
The Committee put in place to review Canadian defences and strategy (which did include John Fox Burgoyne) concluded that the stated figures for the Canadian militia were fanciful. The number of militia that could be placed under amrs at short notice was a much smaller figure.

Yes, 100,000 rather than 400,000 - exclusive of the Maritimes.

On 20th December 1861 the first tranch of militia mobilisation was ordered by Williams. 38,000 R&F (closer to 45,000 after adding Sgts, officers etc.) to be ready to march in 14 days, exclusive of the ca. 5,000 class A active militia and (in late December 1862) ca. 25,000 class B active militia (nearly all newly raised volunteers, mostly around Montreal). This was the mobilisation of the right flank company in every militia battalion. It was completed ahead of schedule. The mobilisation of the left flank company was on hold awaiting the distribution of sufficient Enfields.

After the Trent Affair they sorted all this out, combining the active militia with the usable parts of the volunteer militia, and in mid-1863 the Canadian orbat was roughly:

Approximate British North America “Orbat” in mid-1863

In the following it is important to note that only the 1-22nd Canadian Volunteer Battalions exist in 1863 as battalions. The other units list do exist, but in different forms. The higher numbered battalions exist as collections of un-regimented companies, in the Militia of the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (and the future province of Manitoba), and as the active “flank companies” of the regular militia. Their numberings do not exist in 1863 (especially in the cases of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, who have a different scheme), but have been preserved here for ease of use.

Upper Canada

London District

Regular Force: 63rd Foot (Lt Col William Frederick Carter), Royal Canadian Rifles (main body), 18th Company RE, F/4th Field Brigade RA

Military District No. 4 (Northumberland, Durham etc.)
Inf: 40th Bn, 45th Bn, 46th Bn and 57th Bn
Cav: Northumberland and Durham Cavalry Sqn
Arty: Cobourg Bty and Port Hope Bty

Military District No. 6 (Perth, Wellington etc.)
Inf: 28th Bn, 29th Bn, 30th Bn, 31st Bn, 32nd Bn and 33rd Bn

Military District No. 8 (London)
Inf: 7th Bn, 25th Bn, 26th Bn, 37th Bn and 38th Bn
Cav: St. Thomas and London Cavalry Squadron, Burford Cavalry Troop
Arty: London Field Battery

Military District No. 9 (Kent and Essex)
Inf: 23rd Bn, 24th Bn and 27th Bn
Arty: 2 coys of the above infantry bns are trained as arty

Hamilton District

Regular Force: 1st Bn, Rifle Brigade (Lt Col Alex, Lord Russell) and G/4th Field Brigade RA

Military District No. 7 (Hamilton)
Inf: 13th Bn, 19th Bn, 20th Bn, 37th Bn and 44th Bn
Cav: St. Catherine’s and Grimsby Cavalry Squadron
Arty: Hamilton Field Battery, Port Colborne Field Battery and St. Catherine’s Battery
Other: Hamilton Naval Company

Toronto District

Regular Force: 30th Foot (Lt Col Thomas Henry Pakenham), E/4th Field Brigade RA and 5/10th Heavy Brigade RA

Military District No. 5 (York county etc. excepting Toronto City)
Inf: 12th Bn, 34th Bn, 35th Bn and 36th Bn
Cav: York Cavalry Sqn, Barrie Mounted Infantry Company

Military District No. 10 (Toronto)
Inf: 2nd Bn and 10th Bn
Arty: Toronto Field Battery, Toronto Garrison Battery and Toronto Arty Bn (6 coys)

Kingston District

Regular Force: 62nd Foot (Lt Col William Lenox Ingall), Royal Canadian Rifles (det), 4/10th Brigade RA and 6/10th Brigade RA

Military District No. 1 (Ottawa)
Inf: Civil Service Rifles, 18th Bn and 43rd Bn
Arty: Ottawa Field Battery, Ottawa Arty Bn (4 btys), Prescott Arty Bn (4 btys)

Military District No. 2 (Glengarry etc.)
Inf: 41st Bn, 42nd Bn and 56th Bn

Military District No. 3 (Kingston)
Inf: 14th Bn, 15th Bn, 16th Bn, 47th Bn, 48th Bn and 49th Bn
Cav: Frontenac Cavalry Sqn, Napanee Cavalry Troop
Arty: Kingston Field Battery, Napanee Battery

Lower Canada

Montreal District

Regular Force: Guards Brigade (Maj-Gen Frederick, Lord Paulet) of 1/Grenadier Guards (Maj and Col Edward Wynard) and 2/Scots Fusilier Guards (Maj and Col John Hamilton Elphinstone Dalrymple), 1/16th Foot (Lt Col George John Peacocke), 47th Foot (Lt Col Thomas Conyngham Kelly), 15th Company RE, D/4th Field Brigade RA, H/4th Field Brigade RA, HQ 10th Brigade RA, 4x Batteries of 10th Brigade RA and 3rd Bn, Military Train (HQ 7th Brigade RA, 5/7th Brigade RA and 6/7th Brigade RA are in the middle of returning to the UK)

Military District No. 8 (Three Rivers)
Inf: 70th Bn, 83rd Bn and 86th Bn

Military District No. 9 (Two Mountains)
Inf: 9th Bn and 11th Bn

Military District No. 10 (Sherbrooke)
Inf: 52nd Bn, 53rd Bn, 54th Bn, 55th Bn, 58th Bn, 60th Bn, 79th Bn and 87th Bn
Cav: Sherbrooke Cavalry Troop
Arty: Sherbrooke Battery

Military District No. 11 (Montreal)
Inf: 1st Bn, 3rd Bn, 4th Bn, 5th Bn, 65th Bn and 81st Bn
Cav: Montreal Cavalry Squadron
Arty: Montreal Field Battery and Montreal Artillery Battalion (6 btys)

Quebec District

Regular Force: 1/17th Foot (Lt Col William Gordon), 4/60th Rifles (Lt Col Robert Hawley) and 1x battery of 10th Brigade RA

Military District No. 1
Inf: Provisional Bn (formed from various rifle coys on the islands etc.)

Military District No. 2
Inf: 61st Bn, 88th Bn, 89th Bn and 92nd Bn

Military District No. 3
None

Military District No. 4
Inf: 80th Bn

Military District No. 5
Inf: 84th Bn

Military District No. 6 (Richelieu)
Inf: 21st Bn, 50th Bn, 51st Bn, 64th Bn and 76th Bn

Military District No. 7 (Quebec City)
Inf: 8th Bn, 9th Bn and 81st Bn
Cav: Quebec Cavalry Squadron
Arty: Quebec Field Battery and Quebec Artillery Battalion (4 btys)

New Brunswick

Regular Force: 1/15th Foot (Lt Col John Amber Cole), 2x Batteries of 15th Brigade RA?
Inf: 62nd Bn, 67th Bn, 71st Bn, 73rd Bn and 74th Bn
Cav: New Brunswick Yeomanry
Arty: 3x Field Batteries (12 field guns)

Nova Scotia

Regular Force: 2/16th (Lt Col Oliver Langley), 2/17th (Lt Col Alexander McKinstrey), 4th Coy RE, A/8th Field Brigade RA, HQ 15th Brigade RA, 5/15th Brigade RA, 6/15th Brigade RA and 7/15th Brigade RA and 8/15th Brigade RA
Inf: 63rd Bn, 66th Bn, 68th Bn, 69th Bn, 72nd Bn, 75th Bn, 77th Bn, 78th Bn, 93rd Bn and 94th Bn
Arty: Halifax Field Battery, Halifax Artillery Battalion (16 field guns)

Prince Edward Island

Inf: 82nd Bn

Newfoundland

Regular Force: 8/10th Brigade RA, 2 coys Royal Canadian Regiment (the former Royal Newfoundland Companies)

“Manitoba”

Inf: 90th Bn, 91st Bn and 95th Bn


Bermuda
39th Foot, 5th Company RE, 34th Company RE and HQ and 2x Batteries of 15th Brigade RA

In respect of Britain's other assets, in the Boer War Britain adopted the attitude of "Its a white man's war" and did not employ native African or Indian troops to front line combat. Would this attitude be prevalent in the 1860s? I have this wonderful picture in my head of British reinforcements landing in Richmond to reinforce Lee, and the deflation of the crowds when the West Indian Brigade disembarks!

West Indian troops were slated for Nova Scotia. The obvious sensitivity of the Confederates was understood. Indian troops were to operate against California.
 
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