Palmerston's War

So we've been doing some very interesting research on Civil War era fortifications on the East Coast. Even as far north as Portland they built forts. Many of these went back to the War of 1812. But authorities were clearly concerned about Confederate raiders, or dare we say, British intervention.

Here's Fort Prebble at the entrance to Portland Harbor. This was supported by Fort Scammel, located about 1500 yards off the harbor entrance.

Now imagine a line of four state-of-the-art British Iron-Clads steaming in line past Fort Prebble....thre you go.

Of course Grant forced his way past the Vicksburg defenses and lost several ships. But those weren't Iron-Clads.

Palmerston's War

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.