In case of war with the United States, Admiral Alexander Milne, Commander of the RN's North American Station, planned to divide his 54 or so ships into five or six squadrons.
One of those squadrons was to be a group of Ironclads meant to deal with American ports.
So we've put together that squadron. As it happens by the spring of 1862 the RN had four Warrior Class Ironclads. We're putting them all in that squadron, plus the two decker wooden steamer Trafalgar and the three decker Duke of Wellington.
That's some serious firepower, people. Portland, Boston, New York....beware.
True. The last time the Royal Navy blockaded American ports in the War of 1812 the New England states started secession proceedings against the Union. Would they do it again? With the Southern states also seceding? If I remember that affair right it was one of the chief worries.
ReplyDeleteI don't think so, the country is much more together in 1862. I think in any peace negotiations, thought, Palmerston, just to be a jerk, might demand Maine, which makes some sense for Canada
ReplyDeleteWill the British form and alliance with the south or fight there own separate war with the north
ReplyDeleteTo punish the north they really didn't need the south. There was some talk of establishing a base at a southern port. But they were well provisioned with coal out of Canada. They had two big bases at Halifax and Bermuda and didn't really need to. Allying with the South was a very throny issue. Actually, the elite were very pro confederate while the middle and working classes supported the Union. It would most likely have been a separate war, though it's possible Admiral Milne could have said, why don't you attack New Orleans while my fleet gathers off shore.
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