The Trent Affair

[EKWardle]

In order lend assistance with version 3.0 of this mod I will be providing details in regards to the British military response to the Trent Crisis 1861-2. This will include stats regarding the Royal Navy in the North America and West Indies Station, Crown forces in British North America, etc.

This work will rely heavily on the research done by Bryn Monnery (http://67thtigers.blogspot.com/).

More to come ...

[EKWardle]

Ships of the North America and West Indies Station before the Trent Affair

Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Milne commanding (see attached photo)

Conqueror (Two-decker (Conqueror class), 101)
Donegal (Two-decker (Conqueror class), 101)
Nile (Two-decker (Rodney class), 91)
St George (Two-decker (Caledonia class), 89)
Sans Pareil (Two-decker, 70)
Phaeton (Frigate, 50)
Orlando (Frigate (Orlando class), 40)
Diadem (Frigate (Diadem class), 32)
Ariadne (Frigate (Ariadne class), 26)
Challenger (Corvette (Pearl class), 22)
Cadmus (Corvette (Pearl class), 21)
Jason (Corvette (Jason class), 21)
Rinaldo (Sloop (Camelion class), 17)
Racer (Sloop (Racer class), 11)
Desperate (Sloop (Conflict class), 8)

Thanks to Bryn Monnery (http://67thtigers.blogspot.com/) for the original research.

EK

[EKWardle]

Units in British North America at the outbreak of the American Civil War:

1st Bn. 17th (Leicestershire) Regt. of Foot - White facings
62nd (Wiltshire) Regt. of Foot - Buff facings
63rd (West Suffolk) Regt. of Foot - Lincoln Green facings
Royal Canadian Rifles - Green tunic with scarlet facings
5 batteries of Royal Artillery

Reinforcements of Summer 1861:

30th (Cambridgeshire) Regt. of Foot - Yellow facings
47th (Lancashire) Regt. of Foot - White facings
4th Bn. 60th King's Royal Rifle Corps - Green tunic with scarlet facings
D Battery, 4th Brigade Royal Artillery (6x 12pdr Armstrong Rifles)

Reinforcements ordered to British North America during the affair that embarked before the settlement:

1st Bn. Grenadier Gds - Blue facings
2nd Bn Scots Fus Gds - Blue facings
1st Bn. 15th (The Yorkshire East Riding) Regt. of Foot - Yellow facings
1st Bn. 16th (Bedfordshire) Regt. of Foot - Yellow facings
2nd Bn. 16th (Bedfordshire) Regt. of Foot - Yellow facings
2nd Bn. 17th (Leicestershire) Regt. of Foot - White facings
96th Regt. of Foot - Yellow facings
1st Bn. Rifle Brigade - Green tunic with black facings

Plus artillery, engineering and military train troops.

Also a lancer brigade comprising the:

9th (Queen's Royal) Lancers - Blue Tunic with scarlet facings
12th (The Prince of Wales's) Royal Regiment of Lancers - Blue Tunic with scarlet facings
16th (The Queen's) Lancers - Scarlet Tunic with blue facings
(likely a Royal Horse Artillery Bty would be attached)

was ordered overseas, however, it had not embarked for British North America by the settlement, and was not sent.

Thanks to Bryn Monnery (http://67thtigers.blogspot.com/) for the original research.
The British Army on Campaign 1816-1902 (3): 1856-1881 by Michael Barthorp (Osprey, 1988).

EK

[EKWardle]

Existing Garrison:

British North America was garrisoned by 4 Battalions of infantry and 4 Batteries of artillery.

The 1st Bn., 17th Regt. was stationed in Canada East (modern Quebec) in Montreal and Quebec City along with 3rd and 4th Batteries of the 7th Heavy Brigade, Royal Artillery.

The 62nd and 63rd were in the Maritime Colonies with 5th and 6th Batteries of 7th Heavy Brigade, Royal Artillery.

The frontier was garrisoned by the Royal Canadian Rifles, which was a double strength battalion formed from older regulars serving in Canada.

Pre-crisis Reinforcements:

The first reinforcement to British North America arrived on 6 July 1861 on board the Great Eastern. Troops carried included the 4th Battalion, 60th Rifles, as well as the 30th and 47th Regiments.

Conveyed on other vessels were the 4th Battery, 4th Field Brigade, Royal Artillery and sufficient drafts to raise all the regiments in Canada up to their fighting strength of 1000 men.

Crisis Reinforcements:

The news of the Trent Affair reached London on 30 November, the decision to dispatch troops was made on 6 December and the first ship, the Melbourne, sailed the next day. The journey from England to Halifax averaged just under two weeks for steamships of the era.

Over all, 18 ships made the journey to British North America before the crisis was settled, conveying “16 Artillery Batteries, 11 Infantry Battalions, 4 Engineer Companies, 2 Logistics Regiments, and all the necessary staff, hospitals, commissariats etc. ... along with training cadres for the Militia and over 50,000 modern rifles for them.”

Thanks to Bryn Monnery (http://67thtigers.blogspot.com/) for the original research.

EK

[EKWardle]

The commander-in-chief of British North America in early 1862 was Brevet Lt Gen William Fenwick Williams. Maj Gen Hon James Lindsay Commanded the “1st Division” in Canada East, with Maj Gen Lord Frederick Paulet Commanding the Foot Guards brigade attached to this formation. Maj Gen George TC Napier Commanded the “2nd Division” in Canada West. Lastly, Maj Gen C Hastings Doyle Commanded the British Forces in the Maritime colonies, Newfoundland, and Bermuda.

Below is an approximate listing of the disposition of the British Army (regulars only and not including artillery, engineering and logistical troops) in Spring 1862:

The Canadas:

Quebec City - 1/17th, 4/60th Rifles

Montreal - 1/1st Guards, 2/Scots Fusilier Guards, 1/16th, 47th

Kingston - 62nd

Toronto - 30th

Hamilton - 1/Rifle Brigade

London - 63rd

Border posts (e.g. Fort Wellington) - Royal Canadian Rifles

New Brunswick: 1/15th and 96th

Nova Scotia: 2/16th, 2/17th and 4/60th Rifles

Bermuda: 39th

Thanks to Bryn Monnery (http://67thtigers.blogspot.com/) for the original research.

EK

[EKWardle]

North America and West Indies Station as of January 1862:

Conqueror (Two-decker (Conqueror class), 101)
Donegal (Two-decker (Conqueror class), 99)
Nile (Two-decker (Rodney class), 91)
Agamemnon (Two-decker (Agamemnon class), 91)
Aboukir (Two-decker (Albion class), 91)
Hero (Two-decker, 91)
St George (Two-decker (Caledonia class), 89)
Sans Pareil (Two-decker, 70)
Immortalité (Frigate (Emerald class),51)
Melpomene (Frigate (Emerald class), 51)
Liffey (Frigate (Liffey class), 51)
Phaeton (Frigate, 50)
Orlando (Frigate (Orlando class), 40)
Mersey (Frigate (Mersey class), 40)
Diadem (Frigate (Diadem class), 32)
Ariadne (Frigate (Ariadne class), 26)
Challenger (Corvette (Pearl class), 22)
Cadmus (Corvette (Pearl class), 21)
Jason (Corvette (Jason class), 21)
Orpheus (Corvette (Jason class), 21)
Rinaldo (Sloop (Camelion class), 17)
Greyhound (Sloop (Greyhound class), 17)
Racer (Sloop (Racer class), 11)
Desperate (Sloop (Conflict class), 8)

Vessel under orders for North America and West Indies Station

Edgar (Two-decker (Agamemnon class), 91)
Meeanee (Two-decker (Majestic class), 80)
Shannon (Frigate (Liffey class), 51)
Leander (Frigate, 51)
Severn (Frigate, 51)
Warrior (Armoured Frigates, 40)
Black Prince (Armoured Frigates, 40)
Defence (Armoured Frigate, 22)
Resistance (Armoured Frigate, 22)
Satellite (Corvette (Pearl class), 21)
Pylades (Corvette, 21)
Rattlesnake (Corvette (Jason class), 21)
Chanticleer (Sloop (Camelion class), 17)
Zebra (Sloop (Camelion class), 17)
Rapid (Sloop (Rosario class), 11)
Rosario (Sloop (Rosario class), 11)

Also, on 16 December, 1861 Real Admiral Sydney C. Dacres (see attached photo) was appointed second in command to VAdm Milne (his flag ship was the HMS Edgar).

Thanks to Bryn Monnery (http://67thtigers.blogspot.com/) for the original research.

EK

[EKWardle]

The Canadian Militia:

While there has been militias in Canada since the first Europeans settlers, Canadians (both French and British) had not exactly been zealous in providing for their own defence.

The Militia Act of 1846, turned the Sedentary Militia into a more usable organisation. As had been the case for centuries, men between 18 and 60 were liable to be called out, however, the Sedentary Militia was now divided into three classes. The first class, who would be called upon first in an emergency, comprised unmarried 18 to 40 year olds; the second class, was married men and men with dependents under 40. There was also a “Reserve Militia” made up of men 40 years and older. The Act also provided for an emergency force of up to 30,000 men to be found from the Sedentary Militia through voluntary enlistment, or ballot in the event that quotas were not met. Upon mobilisation, these militiamen would be amassed into service battalions. These men would receive six days of training per month (as a pose to the one day of training a year required from the rest of the Sedentary Militia).

The Militia Act of 1855 created an “Active Militia”. (later Called Class A) of not more than 5000 volunteers which would be armed, equipped, trained and paid by the Government. The new volunteers received ten days' training per year (20 in the artillery), and privates were paid at rate of five shillings per day (the pay of British infantry privates at this time amounted to only one shilling a day before stoppages).

An establishment of 16 troops of cavalry, seven field batteries (horse artillery equipped with four guns), five companies of foot artillery, 50 companies of rifles and a provincial marine was initially authorized. These measures were welcomed enthusiastically. All the planned companies were recruited quickly, while hundreds of other volunteers demanded from the government the right to establish supplementary companies, which they were granted in 1856. Designated Class B companies, they were supplied with weapons and were paid for their uniform. As an economy measure, however, they were not paid for drill days.

All the companies were suitably armed. The riflemen were given the model 1853 Enfield, and along with their sabres, the troopers were given the new Colt revolver. The artillery pieces were eight Armstrong Rifles, and many more 9 pdrs withdrawn from the Royal Artillery.

In 1859, the first battalion-strength active militia unit was formed; 1st (Prince of Wales's) Battalion, Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada. During the American Civil War, several more battalions were formed, often by combining independent companies under a battalion headquarters. Some of the better known were the 2nd (later, Queen's Own Rifles) Battalion, the 3rd (later, Victoria Rifles) Battalion, and the 10th (later, Royal Grenadiers) Battalion.

If the Trent Crisis led to open war with the United States, the active militia, and a small portion of the service battalions, were expected to form part of a field army along with the British regulars.

Two new Militia Acts were passed in 1863; their effect was to increase the Volunteer Militia to 35,000, and to establish schools of instruction for militia officers. The distinction between Class A and B were abolished so that all would serve without pay; uniforms and equipment, however, would be provided. Also in 1863, the infantry were issued with new uniforms of British manufacture. Up to this point infantry companies had been clothed as rifles in dark green uniforms. Henceforth, most infantry units were clothed as infantry of the line, in scarlet with blue facings. The tunic differed from the British 1856 pattern in being decorated with an Austrian knot (think of the movie ZULU).

In the first half of the nineteenth century, the development of militias in the Maritime colonies generally followed the pattern seen in the Canadas. Militia acts in both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick required men between the ages of 18 to 60 to enlist in the militia regiment of their county. They also enabled interested citizens to establish uniformed volunteer companies. These volunteer companies had a marked impact in the Maritimes, where by the early 1860s, some 4,000 to 5,000 well-armed volunteers, wearing a wide variety of uniforms, were establishment in several corps. For example, New Brunswick had 1,237 volunteers in 1860. Divided into 23 infantry, two cavalry and seven artillery companies, these units began holding practices and drilled twice a week.

In Newfoundland, four companies of volunteers in St. John's, who wore red uniforms, and a company of riflemen at Harbour Grace, who wore blue uniforms, were established by 1860. However, these units were very short-lived because protecting Newfoundland was really a matter of the Royal Navy.

Canadian Campaigns 1860-70, by David Ross & Grant Tyler (Osprey, 1992).
Canadian Military Heritage, Vol. 2: 1755-1871, by Rene Chartrand (Howell, 1997).
Thanks to Bryn Monnery (http://67thtigers.blogspot.com/) for the original research.

EK

P.S.

I've also included three additional photographs in an earlier post.

[EKWardle]

For the period of the American Civil War, the "Ministers Tab" for the United Kingdom would include:

Monarch

Queen Victoria

Minsters

Head - Lord Palmerston

Treasury - Benjamin Disraeli

Justice - Lord Westbury

Army - Sidney Herbert (until July 1861), Sir George Cornewall Lewis, 2nd Bt (July 1861 to April 1863), and the Earl de Grey and Ripon (April 1863 until Feb. 1866)

Navy – the Duke of Somerset (sorry I have no photo of him)

America – the Duke of Newcastle (until April 1864), and Edward Cardwell (April 1864 until June 1866)

EK

[shokh]

This is growing into a really useful thread. Keep on mate, and thanks again.

[67th Tigers]

It should also be noted that HMG also concentrated immediate reinforcements at Gibraltar.

Warrior (1st class Armoured Frigate, 40)
Defence (2nd class Armoured Frigate, 18) - not deployed OTL as still working up
Algiers (Battleship, 86)
Queen (Battleship, 86)
James Watt (Battleship, 89)
Amphion (Frigate, 36)
Foxhound (Sloop, 4)
Alacrity (Sloop, 4)
Firebranch (Paddle Sloop, 4)

The frigates Emerald (51), Shannon (51) and Euryalas (51) were also under orders to reinforce Milne, but were being held back to convoy elements of the gunboat force. Mike Walsh's research indicates another 6 heavy frigates were ordered out of the reserve into service (include Tribune, but he's not located the names of the others), and the 4 mortar frigates.

There is some overlap with what is posted. Mike Walsh's research proceeds slowly but inexorably.

[PunitorMaximus]

really accurate research!

[EKWardle]

The British West Indies:

At the outbreak of the American Civil War, the British garrison in the West Indies comprised of 1st Bn. 14th (Buckinghamshire) Reg. of Foot, 1st Bn. 21st (Royal North British Fusilier) Reg. of Foot, and three West India regiments.

The West India regiments were armed and accoutred similarly to line regiments, but they had “the Zouave dress” (see attached). These men were more then garrison troops, however. Following the Napoleonic Wars, the West India regiments were involved in numerous operations along the coast of West Africa. Between 1860 and 1861, for example, the 1st and 2nd West India Regiments were in the Gambia fighting in the "Baddiboo War". In an official report on one of the battles during the conflict, Governor George D'Arcy of the Gambia wrote: “Nothing could exceed the gallantry ... of the officers and men of the 1st and 2nd West India Regiments ... our black soldiers evinced a gallantry and a determination to close [with the enemy] which I felt proud to witness.”

While on station in the Caribbean, it was common practice to distribute a regiment`s companies among several island posts. As an example, in April 1861, the Head-Quarters of the 1st West India, along with five companies were on Barbados; two companies were on St. Lucia; one company on Trinidad; and two companies in Demerara (now Guyana). By November 1863, the distribution of the regiment was four companies at Nassau, three in Honduras, and one on Trinidad. And by October 1864, the head-quarters and three companies were posted at Nassau, with the five remaining companies on Jamaica.

In December 1862, a new 4th West India Regiment was established, with the three existing West India regiments furnishing two companies each for its formation.

In October 1865, the 1st and 2nd West India regiments were involved in the suppression of the Morant Bay Rebellion. Nine-tenths of the 1st West India Regiment were Jamaicans, and in the work of extirpating the insurgents, they were required to capture, hang, and burn the habitations of not only their fellow countrymen and friends, but, in many instances, of their near relatives. Commanding the troops on Jamaica was Major-General Hon. L. S. O'Connor CB. In his dispatch reporting the restoration of order, he wrote that the men of the West India regiments “highly distinguished themselves by their patience, perseverance, and general good conduct.”

The History of the First West India Regiment, by A. B. Ellis (Chapman & Hall, 1885).
The Killing Time: Morant Bay Rebellion Jamaica, by Gad Heuman (Univ Tennessee Press, 1995).
Thanks to Bryn Monnery (http://67thtigers.blogspot.com/) for the original research.

EK

[EKWardle]

As I did earlier with British North America, here is a brief listing on what I believe the starting positions for the cities, towns, ports etc. should be for the British West Indies circa 1861:

Kingston, Jamaica
Starting Building Government Council or Military Governor’s Barracks
Starting Towns/Ports Kingston Harbour (Commercial Port)
Plantations Appleton Estate (Steam-Powered Sugar Mill)

Nassau, Bahamas
Starting Building Governor's Residence
Starting Towns/Ports Grand Bahama (Trading Port)
Plantations Andros (Large Sugar Plantation)

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Starting Building Governor's Mansion
Starting Towns/Ports Port-of-Spain Harbour (Commercial Port)
Plantations Woodford Lodge (Sugar Warehouse)

St. John's, British Leeward Islands
Starting Building Governor's Residence
Starting Towns/Ports Basse-Terre (Trading Port)
Plantations Saint Joseph (Sugar Warehouse)

EK

P.S.

Find attached two photos of British soldiers in Demerara ca. 1873.

[EKWardle]

An article on the Trent Affair from The Army Doctrine and Training Bulletin: http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/caj/doc...ol2.4_14_e.pdf

Enjoy,

EK

[EKWardle]

Breech-Loaders:

On the morning of 1 June 1866, No. 5 Coy. of the 2nd Bn. Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto, while being transported across Lake Ontario to Niagara to counter a Fenian incursion from Buffalo, had their Enfield rifles replaced by Model 1865 Spencer repeating rifles. It was an inauspicious introduction for breech loading rifles into the Canadian Militia. Each man was issued only 28 rounds of ammunition. Furthermore, no reserve of Spencer ammunition was available. This oversight effectively removed No. 5 Coy. from the Battle of Ridgeway almost as soon as the contest started.

Spurred on by Fenian raids of 1866, the Canadian government purchased Spencer rifles and issued them to infantry battalions in Toronto, Hamilton and London between February and March 1867. In addition, the infantry units of the Montreal Brigade were supplied with the Westley Richards capping breech-loader from British stores held in Canada. Lastly, the government also contracted for a supply of 5,000 Peabody breech-loading rifles of a Canadian pattern. However, only 3,000 were delivered. These were issued to the 14th Battalion of Kingston and the 15th Battalion of Belleville.

The issue of these weapons was a temporary measure until sufficient stocks of the new breech-loading rifle that was to be adopted for general service by the British Army became available. The Snider-Enfield was approved in September 1866, and by the summer of 1867, 30,000 of the new weapons had been dispatched to the new Dominion of Canada.

If the mod is to go past the historic end of the American Civil War on 20 August, 1866 (this is when President Andrew Johnson signed the proclamation declaring a return to "Peace, Order, Tranquillity ... Throughout the Whole of the United States of America"), it would be nice to see the evolution of weaponry for the Crown forces in BNA.

April can't come soon enough

Tangled Web: Canadian Infantry Accoutrements 1855-1985, by J. L. Summers (CWM, 1992)
"American Breech-Loading Firearms in the Canadian Service, 1866-1872," by Rene Chartrand (Arms Collecting, Vol. 24, 4, p. 116).

EK

[EKWardle]

I remember this show as a kid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK3k1qeZjv4

Kind of ties into my last post.

Enjoy,

EK

[67th Tigers]

The British were pretty set on getting a breechloader, and had been for some time. In 1849 the Prussian Dreyse was one of many rifles they trialed but reject due to the very real faults with that arm.

At the time of the Trent Affair they are trialing the Westley-Richards and 98 are with Hythe (see the small arms stocks which I transcribed from the National Archives: http://www.oocities.org/littlegreenmen.geo/SA1861.htm ). W-R were offering the infantry rifle at £4 complete, which was relatively expensive compared with 30s (£1.5) for a Royal Ordnance Enfield, but this is because they weren't being mass produced (a hand manufactured Enfield cost £3). I have little doubt that a real war would loosen the purse strings and the W-R may be general issue. They have already settled on the W-R as their issue carbine, but are buying W-R manufactured ones at quite a slow rate. Once Enfield starts building them they roll off the lines quite quickly...

[EKWardle]

You are quite right 67th Tigers. Beginning in 1855, several breech-loading carbines were tested in order to replace the muzzle-loading Victoria carbine for the cavalry, including the Terry and the Sharps. But as you stated, the army settled on the .45 Westley-Richards, and this fine weapon became general issue in 1866 before being quickly superseded by the Snider.

EK