Fenians, Brits, Mexicans, Canucks and Frenchies....OH, MY! An alternate American Civil War

With British dominance of the high seas by the Royal navy, I do not think that the US will get Hawaii this time.
I could see the royal navy building build major bases in Bermuda and Island in the Caribbean with the long term plan to be able to blockade the USA at any time they want.
So no ships in or out of the US without passing within the control area of the royal navy.
The British will want control of any canal in central America.
Because once you’ve kicked the hornets nest the best idea is to keep kicking it? I’m not convinced that the British would be that stupid as to ensure the ongoing enmity of the US over a conflict that Britain technically started and is shown to be very unpopular already. Especially as the TL has shown Britain struggling without trade from North America and a concern over the US’ war making capacity. All it takes is someone in the government pointing out what happens if the US intentionally starts building up to counter Britain instead of being thrust into it.
 
Chapter 37
Late May, 1863

Prussian Coast


Though Prussia was not a naval power, the French Navy had dispatched squadron to blockade the German Confederation's coast. This cut off some valuable materials from neutral countries (Britain, Sweden, etc) like iron and other necessities of war.

With a war on three fronts, several of his allies switching sides and the Polish rebellion, King Wilhelm found himself in the same predicament of Frederick II in 1758.

London

Of course, this also meant that normal Prussian exports were being shipped out. Prussia was one of the ports utilized for the sale of German and Polish grain, though the war ensured that production had dropped.

Thus, by 1863, virtually all of Britain's normal grain suppliers had been cut off for one reason or another. Prices would rise enormously, causing even more unrest, particularly among the unemployed in the midlands. The large stockpile of cotton Britain possessed in warehouses at the start of the American rebellion had long since been depleted. Though that rebellion had been crushed and America producing cotton again, the crop was obviously not reaching British shores.

The crushing defeat in eastern Canada south of the St. Lawrence reached London in late May via a vast mail packet. The government may have been saved largely due to Parliament not being in session at that particular moment else a vote of no confidence would no doubt be called by SOMEONE.

The leaders of the Conservatives and Radicals continued to negotiate about forming a government when the moment came but significant political differences between the groups would probably require at least SOME of Palmerston's Liberals to join the government. Even then, its stability would be questionable.

One of the leaders of the Conservatives, Disraeli, would get increasingly frustrated with the process. Palmerston's government was more than unpopular enough to fall....but whether or not a new government could be formed without calling for new elections was another matter completely.

All of this paled to the news emerging from the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Russian advance had reportedly almost reached the gates of Istanbul. The Turks apparently had collapsed under the weight of internal rebellion in the Balkans and Egypt. The Khedive had struck north into the Levant with precious little resistance. Even Armenia was being invaded at last report. By now, the Russians may be marching into Anatolia proper.

This was a nightmare scenario for the British Empire as Russian domination of the eastern Mediterranean and a potential alliance with Egypt would control the path to India....and Britain MUST defend India at all costs.

But this time, unlike the Crimea, there was no coalition of Britain, France, Austria, Piedmont and the Turk to prop up the creaking Ottoman Empire. Seemingly a generation behind in organization, economy and military, the Ottoman had been derisively called the "Sick Man" of Europe which was held together by the greater powers who feared her component parts being absorbed by an enemy.

Russian control in a few years over a by-then completed Suez Canal......

Britain must do SOMETHING. Palmerston and Russell both agreed on this but......what?

Britain could not very well declare war on Russia and expect that to stop the Czar already at the gates of Constantinople. Unlike the Americans, Russia did not have a vast coastline which could be threatened by the Royal Navy. They could blockade the Dardanelles but what good would that do?

As war ravaged Europe, the Near East and North America, the greatest Naval power on earth was feeling increasingly impotent to affect the course of world events. Had Palmerston and Russell known of the secret relations between Napoleon III and Alexander II's emissaries, they would have been even more alarmed.
 
Because once you’ve kicked the hornets nest the best idea is to keep kicking it? I’m not convinced that the British would be that stupid as to ensure the ongoing enmity of the US over a conflict that Britain technically started and is shown to be very unpopular already. Especially as the TL has shown Britain struggling without trade from North America and a concern over the US’ war making capacity. All it takes is someone in the government pointing out what happens if the US intentionally starts building up to counter Britain instead of being thrust into it.
Britain long term policy is to control the seas and be able to blockade any country that can be a threat to that control.
This they have done to France, Russia, China, Spain and will do to Germany.
The British empire is still expanding in the 1860s and its currency dominate world trade.
if the British lose the war on land they are going to make sure they control America's access to the sea long term and attempt to contain the growth of America as a rival power.
The war started over the boarding of British ships and the British see control of the seas worldwide as their most vital nation interest.
 
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Late May, 1863

Prussian Coast


Though Prussia was not a naval power, the French Navy had dispatched squadron to blockade the German Confederation's coast. This cut off some valuable materials from neutral countries (Britain, Sweden, etc) like iron and other necessities of war.

With a war on three fronts, several of his allies switching sides and the Polish rebellion, King Wilhelm found himself in the same predicament of Frederick II in 1758.

London

Of course, this also meant that normal Prussian exports were being shipped out. Prussia was one of the ports utilized for the sale of German and Polish grain, though the war ensured that production had dropped.

Thus, by 1863, virtually all of Britain's normal grain suppliers had been cut off for one reason or another. Prices would rise enormously, causing even more unrest, particularly among the unemployed in the midlands. The large stockpile of cotton Britain possessed in warehouses at the start of the American rebellion had long since been depleted. Though that rebellion had been crushed and America producing cotton again, the crop was obviously not reaching British shores.

The crushing defeat in eastern Canada south of the St. Lawrence reached London in late May via a vast mail packet. The government may have been saved largely due to Parliament not being in session at that particular moment else a vote of no confidence would no doubt be called by SOMEONE.

The leaders of the Conservatives and Radicals continued to negotiate about forming a government when the moment came but significant political differences between the groups would probably require at least SOME of Palmerston's Liberals to join the government. Even then, its stability would be questionable.

One of the leaders of the Conservatives, Disraeli, would get increasingly frustrated with the process. Palmerston's government was more than unpopular enough to fall....but whether or not a new government could be formed without calling for new elections was another matter completely.

All of this paled to the news emerging from the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Russian advance had reportedly almost reached the gates of Istanbul. The Turks apparently had collapsed under the weight of internal rebellion in the Balkans and Egypt. The Khedive had struck north into the Levant with precious little resistance. Even Armenia was being invaded at last report. By now, the Russians may be marching into Anatolia proper.

This was a nightmare scenario for the British Empire as Russian domination of the eastern Mediterranean and a potential alliance with Egypt would control the path to India....and Britain MUST defend India at all costs.

But this time, unlike the Crimea, there was no coalition of Britain, France, Austria, Piedmont and the Turk to prop up the creaking Ottoman Empire. Seemingly a generation behind in organization, economy and military, the Ottoman had been derisively called the "Sick Man" of Europe which was held together by the greater powers who feared her component parts being absorbed by an enemy.

Russian control in a few years over a by-then completed Suez Canal......

Britain must do SOMETHING. Palmerston and Russell both agreed on this but......what?

Britain could not very well declare war on Russia and expect that to stop the Czar already at the gates of Constantinople. Unlike the Americans, Russia did not have a vast coastline which could be threatened by the Royal Navy. They could blockade the Dardanelles but what good would that do?

As war ravaged Europe, the Near East and North America, the greatest Naval power on earth was feeling increasingly impotent to affect the course of world events. Had Palmerston and Russell known of the secret relations between Napoleon III and Alexander II's emissaries, they would have been even more alarmed.
Nice work.
There is the influence of Irish MPs who become the kingmakers.
I think the British will be putting a lot of money into Australia as their next major source of grain.
Pressure on food shortage should not be as bad after 1865 when the weather improves in Europe.
 
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Thanks, that is a lot of great information.

I think I recall that Britain's shipbuilders had a clause in their contracts which would allow the government to purchase ships being built for other nations but didn't think of that in this TL.

I knew that sheer quantity of ocean-going ships Britain had at her disposal would dwarf any other Navy in the world.

Of the ironclad ships you list, how many would you say could compare with a Passaic Class or Warrior class in armored protection. Are these like the American ships I described, namely converted conventional ships which had armor slapped upon whatever surface would bear it?

Or were they closer to the USS Virginia, which was almost totally armored?

Thanks.
The Laird Rams were considered to be superior to any Monitor of the US Navy, and were classified and 2nd Class Ironclads by the Royal Navy.
The Union Navy avoided action with CSS Stonewall, which was no larger than than HMS Enterprise, the smallest British Sea Going Ironclad.
Warrior's Armour was considered the minimum standard, most British Ironclads were better.
 
Britain long term policy is to control the seas and be able to blockade any country that can be a threat to that control.
This they have done to France, Russia, China, Spain and will do to Germany.
The British empire is still expanding in the 1860s and its currency dominate world trade.
if the British lose the war on land they are going to make sure they control America's access to the sea long term and attempt to contain the growth of America as a rival power.
The war started over the boarding of British ships and the British see control of the seas worldwide as their most vital nation interest.
Again the USN was unprepared for a war with Britain so the best idea is to give them a reason to build up a navy to challenge them? One where the US has a much shorter supply line across the entire Western Hemisphere while the RN’s is stretched? The British would have to smack their heads against the wall repeatedly to think they could somehow keep a country with as large a population, coastlines, and industrial capacity as the US. Even if Britain can somehow keep the USN from building up, overcome the extremely long supply lines, and find a way to deal without the food and other trade from North America, and deal with the fact that popular opinion is turning against continuing any conflict with the US, they STILL have to deal with Europe thumbing their noses at Britain’s wishes and the ever present threat of the US allying with any number of European countries who would love to see Britain brought low.
Continued antagonism with the US only ends with Britain losing all her colonies in the new world, her ships at the bottom of the ocean, and her population starving.
 
With British dominance of the high seas by the Royal navy, I do not think that the US will get Hawaii this time.
I could see the royal navy building build major bases in Bermuda and Island in the Caribbean with the long term plan to be able to blockade the USA at any time they want.
So no ships in or out of the US without passing within the control area of the royal navy.
The British will want control of any canal in central America.
I find the British actually annexing Hawaii, without going to war with the United States, is highly unlikely, since in 1842, President John Tyler applied the Monroe Doctrine to Hawaii and warned Britian not to interfere there. The only way I see the United States not getting it [Hawaii] is if it respects the Tyler Doctrine and allows Hawaii to remain independent.

I do agree that the British would want control over any canal in Central America, but I find it impossible that the United States would allow it, if anything the United States would probably invoke the Monroe Doctrine and claim that Britain is attempting to recolonize the New World.
 
The Brits aren't going to try and take Hawaii at the moment, they'll probably try and take Madagascar more than anything else. It's perfectly situated to protect their holdings in India and could be made into a perfect place to protect their holdings in South Africa.
 
Chapter 38
Late May, 1863

The St. Lawrence south of Montreal


General Hooker's initial attempt to bluff the city of Montreal into surrender were not accepted....he no doubt knew. The British commanders of the region would refuse such an idea and prattle about glory and what-have-you. The Americans would have bee no different.

Reminding the British and Canadians that the city of Montreal was defenseless against American artillery was a bit more straightforward. Not naturally gifted by geography, Montreal could easily be shelled into submission (or annihilation).

In truth, Hooker was delaying as well for two events to occur:

1. The heavy American siege artillery arrived by land through the woods south of the city. The Grand Trunk Railway had been effectively sabotaged by the retreating British and would be useless for at least most of the summer until replacement track could be laid. Thus moving the heavy guns took time.

2. His men to acquire or build enough boats along the St. Lawrence to cross the river in force.

To his surprise, Hooker was approached by the city fathers of Montreal. As the leading city in Canada, most of the wealthiest citizens lived on the island, usually on huge estates. The civilian government had managed to convince the British not to garrison the island. If America would accept, then the city would be considered "neutral".

Hooker and Lee considered this. It had been their assumption that that the island city would have to be conquered. However, taking the island would do relatively little to achieve their true objective....cutting Canada in half. For that, they had to get to the north face of the St. Lawrence.

The conquest of the city would only slow the Americans down. Its destruction would likely have the same emotional impact on Canadian sensitivities as Britain's torching of Manhattan. In short, Montreal didn't mean much.

Indeed the soldiers wondered just how the hell the Canadians had managed to get that past the British. Hooker opined that maybe the Queen's representatives were being held in low esteem after starting this war and then Canada having to live with the consequences of a three-pronged invasion.

Time was the deciding factor. The winter came early in this region and it seemed unlikely that the remnant of their campaign would see them cross the St. Lawrence, assume control over the Montreal region and then March on Quebec.

Thus the agreement was struck. America observers were allowed into the city but otherwise no fortification of Montreal would be accepted on either side.

Only later would history record that the French-Canadian politicians, regular regiments and militia threatened mutiny if the city were put in danger.

Toronto

Many years before, the city of Toronto (then known as York and perhaps closer to a town than a city) was burned to the ground by a retreating American army in the War of 1812.

America's reputation in Canada had not improved much since and the arrival of now 35,000 soldiers within the portion of Canada once known as Upper Canada were not being welcomed with open arms.

But General Hancock, commanding the 20,000 soldiers from Buffalo who had seized Kingston, the Welland Canal and now Toronto, would struggling to receive any semblance of support. At most, the Canadian public seemed to shun him.

After several small pitched battles, mainly against local militia which were easily enough dispatched by experienced and far better armed American regulars, would generally scatter.

Another 10,000 men had been requested and granted by Lincoln, this time including a full Brigade of Freedmen. Hancock suspected that, come winter, most of these men would be missing Alabama or South Carolina. But, for now, Hancock was accept any help he could get.

Even the Irish were failing to come out in droves to support the Union Army. Hancock reckoned that, the moment the Union left (of its own volition of compelled by British arms), that such welcoming fellows would be strung up by their neighbors much as King George's supporters would face a terrible retribution after Redcoats abandoned large swathes of America.

Still, Hancock had hoped for more. Would America really try to force these sullen Canadians into the national fold against their will?

It had happened the previous year with the Confederacy but there were other issues at stake there. For instance, they HAD been Americans. Also, the slavery question loomed large.

Was America's destiny to conquer and conquer?

The whole conflict began to leave a sour taste in Hancock's mouth.

June 1863

Providence, Rhode Island


After learning of the invasion of Canada, the First Lord of the Admiralty, frustrated at taking humiliating defeats such as Portland and the Chesapeake, authorized his Navy to "stop fighting with one hand behind its back" and approved seizure of any American ships caught at sea (oddly, this hadn't been explicitly ordered until this point) and for his fleet to assault a series of American coastal cities. Some cities were well defended by coastal batteries (like Baltimore) and others by geography (Boston).

But several others were easy pickings for the Royal Navy. Providence would burn in late May, 1863. It would be but the first of many cities along the east coast.

Istanbul

The British Mediterranean squadron had finally been challenge the Russian fleet in the Bosporus. While not directly given orders to "attack" the Russians, it was ordered to "forcibly compel Russia to remove naval vessels in the region by previous treaty" which, as best anyone could tell, meant keep the damned Russians out of the Mediterranean. Of course, by June 1863, the Russians were already besieging the Turks in Istanbul.

To the British shock, the seaway was not only guarded by the Russian Black Sea Fleet....but French as well.

This was the first signal of what Napoleon III was planning behind the scenes. It would only get worse from there as a pair of Corvettes dispatched to the Nile would report back that elements of the Russian Northern Fleet had somehow snuck past Gibraltar and made for their new friends in Egypt.

The British commander knew he could not act without adequate and, more importantly, DIRECT orders from London. Forming a blockade across the Bosporus was one thing. Effectively declaring war upon Egypt, Russia AND France would require a bit more instruction.

June 1863

Grand Duchy of Posen, Kingdom of Galicia.


The Franco-Russian Treaty of 1863 was largely a rehash of the agreement proposed by Napoleon III to the Czar near the end of the Crimean War. Effectively, it would split Europe into two spheres, one of French influence and one of Russian.

In the Crimea, the British had learned of this and made their own separate peace with Russia, vowing never to trust the French again. Of course, just a few years later, the Emperor would pull the same trick in Mexico.

Now Napoleon III would recreate Europe in his image. All he needed was the Russian Bear. Still smarting from Crimean War, the Czar reached an agreement.

After the general revolt among the Poles in Prussia's Grand Duchy of Posen and the Kingdom of Galicia, the Czar would dispatch 180,000 Russian troops across the border to "maintain the peace" among this neighbors.

At this time, Prussia had been pressed to the bring in the West, having lost most of the Rhineland and stubborn Austrian defenses had virtually stopped any southward momentum. The renewal of hostilities by Denmark were but a modest distraction, largely handled by the garrisons of Schleswig and Holstein. The Polish rebellion caused chaos leading almost to the breakdown of the Prussian government.

Then the damned Russians invaded. Frederick the Great had faced a similar situation a century earlier. But Wilhelm was NOT Frederick the Great.

Worse, believing that the Prussian King was on his last legs, his only remaining significant allies, Saxony and Mecklenburg, officially announced the withdrawal of their forces from the war. Saxony was an especially deep betrayal as the Protestant state was among the front line fighting Austria and, cutting her borders, had trapped a large number of Prussian soldiers.

Throughout the previous decades Prussia had come to represent the best....and worst of Germany. While driving the modernization of the German Confederation (with Austria as a rival), Prussia had brought northern Germany into the modern age. However, this came at a cost as the further the assorted German petty states advanced, the more defacto control Prussia gained. By 1863, the smaller states of northern Germany were terrified that disagreeing with the King of Prussia was tantamount to giving up their thrones.

Prosperity came with a terrible price.

When Prussia said go to war.....you went.

The Russian invasion of 120,000 into Posen would cut off East Prussia and leave Brandenburg largely on its own. Saxony and Mecklenburg promptly switched sides and joined the rest of the German Confederation centered around Hanover (and propped up by France).

Despite holding a great deal of Austrian territory, the King of Prussia would see the writing on the wall and remove is senior advisor starting with Bismarck, who had gotten him into this mess.

The Franco-Russian peace would be terrible....but the harsh terms were demanded by the German Confederation for fear of Prussia rising again to prey upon THEM.

Austria would find itself bankrupt, largely a spectator in the peace and with 60,000 Russians occupying Galicia and 90,000 Italians in Venetia. The Austrian Emperor could do little as his own will to fight had faded greatly.
 
Again the USN was unprepared for a war with Britain so the best idea is to give them a reason to build up a navy to challenge them? One where the US has a much shorter supply line across the entire Western Hemisphere while the RN’s is stretched? The British would have to smack their heads against the wall repeatedly to think they could somehow keep a country with as large a population, coastlines, and industrial capacity as the US. Even if Britain can somehow keep the USN from building up, overcome the extremely long supply lines, and find a way to deal without the food and other trade from North America, and deal with the fact that popular opinion is turning against continuing any conflict with the US, they STILL have to deal with Europe thumbing their noses at Britain’s wishes and the ever present threat of the US allying with any number of European countries who would love to see Britain brought low.
Continued antagonism with the US only ends with Britain losing all her colonies in the new world, her ships at the bottom of the ocean, and her population starving.
So what do the Brtish do instead?
Accept they are now dependant on a major rival for food, cotton etc and watch the US navy become a major rival to British control at sea.
That would put the British empire into long term decline as Brtish loses control of the seas to the USA and the other major powers in Europe.
The British empire may soon be in decline away but they do not know this yet.
 
The Brits aren't going to try and take Hawaii at the moment, they'll probably try and take Madagascar more than anything else. It's perfectly situated to protect their holdings in India and could be made into a perfect place to protect their holdings in South Africa.
Hawaii in the 1860s was still independent and the British could add it to their empire.
 
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Chapter 39
July, 1863

The St. Lawrence River east of Montreal


After spending weeks struggling to assemble adequate ships to storm the shores north of Montreal, Hooker and Lee were beaten to the punch. After Lee had travelled along the Grand Trunk Railroad to the Canadian border, America did not forget it HAD a Railroad. While Hooker and Lee's army had kept the attention of most of the British and Canadian forces in the region, a second force under General Reynolds would make a sudden strike 20 miles north with 6000 men.

Bafflingly, the majority of the British forces remaining in North America remained either in Halifax or Quebec (13,000 total) with another 4000 spread throughout the Maritimes. Only in June did the British Army reinforce Quebec with 4000 of these Regulars (deeming the defense of Halifax from a non-existent land invasion the priority).

By the time the bulk of the "Quebec" garrison marched southwest towards Reynolds, he'd already pulled 12,000 men across the River. Embarrassed at being beaten by an old friend from the Army of Eastern Virginia, Hooker ordered his own crossing west of Montreal.

In fairness, Hooker and Lee's crossing had been held up by the presence of several gunboats on the St. Lawrence. The local Lachine Rapids had made navigation by large ships past Montreal impossible until the formation of the Lachine Canal through Montreal Island. With that canal now shut due to the Island's "Neutrality", the bulk of these gunboats were trapped east. This allowed Hooker and Lee to cross to the west of Montreal, though in the face of some opposition.

Still, by Mid-July, most of their 15,000 man army had crossed the St. Lawrence in force.

Luckily, the British garrison in Quebec took its sweet time in advancing, allowing Reynold to march west and Hooker east until they managed a neat pincher movement, wiping out most of the remnants of the regional forces which had been decimated along the southern shore.

Indeed, the combined armies (under nominal command of Hooker) would have time to regroup and face the oncoming Quebec garrison in late July. While not a repeat of the Battle of the St. Lawrence, the 18,000 Union forces deployed would have a decided advantage over the 8000 British, 2000 Canadian regulars and 2000 militia in rate of fire as the accuracy of the Sharpe's, the rate of fire of the Winchesters, Dreyse Needle Guns, Gatlings and Coffee Mills and the experience of the American warriors would trump the superior rate of fire of the British Armstrong Cannons and the hard-won discipline of so many British regulars (though most of these had never seen combat).

Attempts to trade volleys got the British and Canadians nowhere. Massed bayonet formations would withered so rapidly that Junior Lieutenants found themselves commanding regiments.

It appeared that the British commanders hadn't learned their lesson and the British force was routed, leaving 3000 dead and wounded and other 2000 captured. Many of the Canadians militia didn't stop running until they arrived in their own hearths.

Smelling blood, Hooker raced northeast towards Quebec along the well-worn roads of Canada, 155 miles, taking Riverside cities as they went.

August 1863

Berlin


The terms imposed upon King Wilhelm were even worse than he feared. Rhinish Prussia was to be divided among his "allies" in the west with Hanover, Hesse, Oldenburg and Saxony among others. The rick, populous west was promptly allied into a new Northwest German Confederation under French "Protection".

The Grand Duchy of Posen, taken by Frederick the Great, would be reunited with Poland....as a Russian province nothing more. Russia would also take the Polish speaking portion of Silesia and Austrian Galicia (mostly Polish and Ruthenian).

Austria, a nominal ally to Russia, was forced to give up both Galicia and Venetia, this last to the Italians. The King of Italy had quietly agreed to the spoils with the King of France who also agreed "for the sake of European peace" to recognize Italy's control over the Papal States "provided that the Pope was well cared for" by granting him a small sovereign land surrounding the Vatican.

This suited France fine as Napoleon III had long seen Italy as a natural ally. Only the seizure of Rome by Italian Patriots causing discomfiture among the French conservatives had prevented the Emperor from simply recognizing the deed. Now, after a Continent lay at war, fewer people cared. Naturally, a treaty of alliance was soon drawn up between Italy and France.

Schleswig and Holstein, which had been the nominal cause de guerre, were granted to the House of Augustenburg.

August 1863

Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

Newport Rhode Island

Wilmington, North Carolina

Norfolk, Virginia


The orders were clear. Make the Americans pay, one port city at a time. The new Admiral serving under Milne would see no real difference between the Union and Former Confederate coastal cities.

He attacked what was vulnerable....then attack some more.

As America's primary trading partners before the war had been Britain, Canada, France and Mexico, there were fewer American trading vessels on the High Seas than one may think. Still, the Royal Navy managed to seize fifty-five American merchant ships in July alone. They would beat that record in August.

American trade, even internal trade along the coastal waters, was being crushed.

Antigua

The commerce raider USS Manhattan was swiftly becoming the most famous ship on either side of the Atlantic. With stunning rapidity, the predominantly Irish-crewed vessel had seized ship after ship plying the Caribbean trade. Sugar and other tropical goods were not remotely as profitable as they had been during the old days but still Britain derived trade from these goods. One must not take one's tea without sugar, must one?

On average, the Manhattan took a ship every few days. What valuable goods they could seize was transferred over and prize crews sent back to Mobile. Every few weeks, the Manhattan would return to the coast and reclaim her missing crewmen.

Dozens of other American vessels plied the commerce raider trade (though they received a % of the take, these were not true privateers but sworn American officers) but none as successful as the Manhattan.

However, such commerce raiding was swiftly becoming obsolete in the new era. Once upon a time, a fast ship may take dozens of vessels without ever spying a true warship. Even then, if they were light enough, they may expect to escape. But the rise of powered vessels meant that only the most modern ships may escape a comparable warship.

And most modern vessels WERE warships.

One by one, the American commerce raiders were seized until it became apparent that this was not a war that America could win and all but a few were re-tasked to harbor or river defense.

Even at their best, the American privateers never seized a quarter of what Britain was taking from America on the high seas.


Washington DC

Seeing the victories in Canada touting the headlines, Lincoln wisely refused his generals nothing. If MacPherson and Hancock wanted another 10,000 garrison troops....they have it.

If Hooker, Lee and Reynolds needed vast amounts of supplies hauled through the wilderness.....then they shall have THAT.

The good news was the the latter proved easier as the Grand Trunk Railroad had been repaired and providing munitions, horses and reinforcements much more viable. Northeast of Montreal, the Royal Navy dominated the St. Lawrence thus a very long supply line was being built from Montreal to Qubec.

Lincoln only hoped that Hooker could arrive and seize the city by winter.

America's economy reeled from lack of trade abroad. The Pennsylvania steel mills were expanding quickly to cover the loss of British imports but a shortage remained the constant worry.

The Department of War had even resorted to Confederate tactics of raking every bit of niter from caves and dung piles to ensure the northern campaign a fresh supply of gundpowder (niter being the prime ingredient). Efforts to produce an alternative by Du Pont would be far too slow in the coming. Most Niter came from British India....and that was not likely to resume any time soon.

Perhaps a year's supply remained in America despite efforts to find replacements.

Fortunately, the Czar had been kind enough to dispatch a significant amount to America as a "gift". Lincoln was far too canny to know this was anything but Russia warring upon Britain by proxy but dared not refuse. This amount received would keep her armies in the field for months.

Vancouver Island

The Royal Navy made her belated return to Vancouver in August, 1863, when a flotilla arrived from India. The five vessels promptly blew the American ships in the local anchorage to hell. However, they brought with them no more than 200 Marines, not nearly a match for the 3000 men General Fremont had under his command plus the 600 sailors who had abandoned their ships. Fremont also created a makeshift militia from the local American population (nearly half of Vancouver and British Columbia) of 400.

Seeing nothing more that they could accomplish, the naval vessels sailed south to San Francisco, burned much of the city while exchanging fire with local fortifications....and then sailed home to India.
 
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I wonder what has happened to the American whaling fleet and who is providing insurance for American merchant ships at sea now that Lloyds of London is not doing it.
Whale oil is a very useful oil for rifles.
American debts in the civil war. ITL I think they will be much higher.
debt-and-gdp-main6.png

effect on union shipping
Not only did the Confederacy successfully take or destroy hundreds of Union vessels, but it forced the Union to transfer almost 800,000 tons of shipping to foreign carriers to avoid the attacks of the Confederate surface fleet. As the war progressed, the Confederate success on the high seas drove up the cost of maritime insurance premiums making the carriage of goods for Union merchant ships even more costly. https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/confederate-commerce-raiders-and-privateers.html

As far as I know, the US merchant fleet carried 2/3 of world trade before the civil war are it was less than 1/3.
ITL the damage to the US merchant fleet could be worse.
 
Hard to see how this conflict is going to end and what the long term relationship between the US and British empire is going to be.
 
So let’s see if I follow correctly:
Britain is at war with the US and ostensibly Russia
France is at war with the US (to support Britain) and Mexico and has an alliance with Russia and may be making moves against Britain
Russia is at war with the Ottomans and kinda Britain, has an alliance with France but is helping the US

So what’s going on in Mexico and the US-France conflict?
 
So let’s see if I follow correctly:
Britain is at war with the US and ostensibly Russia
France is at war with the US (to support Britain) and Mexico and has an alliance with Russia and may be making moves against Britain
Russia is at war with the Ottomans and kinda Britain, has an alliance with France but is helping the US

So what’s going on in Mexico and the US-France conflict?
I don't think France is at war with the US. Napoleon III has supported neither the USA nor the (former) CSA.

He just took full advantage of their distraction.
 
I don't think France is at war with the US. Napoleon III has supported neither the USA nor the (former) CSA.
He might support the US if he can secure guarantees for the French-speaking Canadians, it'd probably be in return for the French building them newer ships in return for cotton and other materials they want.
 
He might support the US if he can secure guarantees for the French-speaking Canadians, it'd probably be in return for the French building them newer ships in return for cotton and other materials they want.
Ohhh that would be interesting! Plus Imperial France serves as an obvious counterbalance to the UK throughout the world.
 
So what do the Brtish do instead?
Accept they are now dependant on a major rival for food, cotton etc and watch the US navy become a major rival to British control at sea.
That would put the British empire into long term decline as Brtish loses control of the seas to the USA and the other major powers in Europe.
The British empire may soon be in decline away but they do not know this yet.
They already were dependent on the US, considering the world situation TTL it doesn’t look like too many other countries are willing to make up for it. The
alternative is letting their population go hungry. If a government lets its people starve to maintain their pride, that’s just asking for a Revolution.
The British can’t do shit to the US making a navy without a major win in a war. Better idea? Rapprochement. Take away the reason for the US to build a big navy and the British won’t be threatened. Even if the US does build a large fleet, why give them a reason to plan to fight the RN?
The British would have to spend more and more on trying to keep up or ahead of the USN. They’d have to fortify and maintain garrisons on all their overseas territories going forward. What happens in a future conflict? The Caribbean is a hell of a lot closer to Florida than it is to Cornwall. If the port at Bermuda gets leveled or occupied then the long supply line across the Atlantic gets longer.
Again, even if all of that isn’t enough, what about Europe? The British are occupied with North America and Europe developed into warfare and a new power structure that threatens them way more than just losing Canada or some tropical islands.
Britain has a lot to lose and little to gain by continuing to antagonize the US.
 
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