Role of Canada at the time of the American civil war

At the time of the American Civil War, the Canada did not exist yet as a federate nation. In the place, the territory was consisted of the seven remaining colonies of the British North America and the territory of the crown managed by the Compagnie of Hudson Bay. The the United Kingdom (and consequently its colonies) was officially neutral throughout all this war. In spite of that, the tensions between Great Britain and the States of the Union were strong because of several incidents which have occurred at sea, in particular the Affaire of the Trent and the startup of the CS Alabama , confederated ship built in 1862 with Birkenhead in England. If the conflict had undergone a climbing, Canada would then have represented the following target of the States of the Union. During the war, the British reinforced manpower with their garrisons in Canada. In addition, much of Canadian estimated that the division of the United States, which would decrease from the fact the power of their neighbors, would be a good thing.

To the same moment, however, Canadian with the near total was opposed to the Esclavage, this last having been declared illegal on their territory since 1793 with the ratification of the Act Against Slavery . Moreover, Canada was a ground of asylum for many slaves wishing to be extracted from their condition of constraint (see the clandestine Railroad). To finish, the privileged relations as well in term of economy as on a cultural point of view brought Canada closer to the States of the Union.

Activity confederated in Canada

Had with its neutrality and some sympathies to the cause of the South, Canada became the starting point of several operations confederated during the war. In December 1863, confederated captured the ship of the Union Chesapeake and to the port Halifax brought back it. The forces of the Union launched an operation with an aim of taking again the boat, in Canadian territorial water, and captured two Nova Scotian aboard ship.

The most serious incident was the Raid of St Albans. Montreal had become the residence of a group of confederated launching military operations and espionage from Canada against the Union. In October 1864, they attacked the town of St Albans in the Vermont and plundered the banks. They escaped, being continued by the forces of North even after having passed the border, which created an diplomatic incident. Canadian stopped then confederated, but the loads which were charged to the latter were withdrawn.

Canadian combatants

Many Canadian would have fought during the American Civil War. There are no precise figures, but certain estimates go from forty thousand to a hundred and thousand men, although the historian Robin Winks of the university of Yale showed that there does not exist basic solid on which one could press these estimates. On the other hand, it is certain that several thousands of Canadian took share to the combat. The most important group was consisted of the individuals who had emigrated in the United States little time before the war. A significant number of Canadian seeking an employment or the adventure also rejoignèrent the conflict, for the majority on the side of the Union. Lastly, some Canadian was also enlisted against their liking by the army of North.

The majority of Canadian who fought during the American civil war it did in the camp of North. Little of them made in the confederated camp. An example exists however, George Ellsworth. It was useful as a telegraph for the general John Hunt Morgan during the Raid Morgan, deliberately flooding the lines of false messages in connection with the place where the general would be, imitating with this intention the single style of the federal telegraphs.

At least twenty-nine Canadian of origin accepted the medal of honor.

Economic implications

The period during which occurred the American civil war was one of these periods of strong growth for the colonies of British North America. The war in the United States generated an enormous market for the agricultural and manufactured goods Canadian, which went for the majority to the camp of the Union. The collapse of exports of the States of the South also caused to increase the commercial value of many Canadian products.

Political implications

The American Civil War had major political effects on the colonies of British North America. The tensions between the United States and Great Britain, which atteignèrent their paroxysm during the war, generated a strong concern for the safety and the independence of these colonies, maintaining from the fact the will to create the Canadian Confédération in 1867.

Moreover, this conflict also had an influence on the discussions relating to the nature-even of this emerging confederation. Many the fathers of the Confederation estimated that the secessionism expressed in their neighbors was due to a too strong autonomy of the states and thus chose a more centralized confederation. It had also appeared to them that an excess of Démocratie, commonly called Ochlocratie, had been one of the factors releases of this war. Consequently, the Canadian system was built according to an intermediate position by including on the one hand a senate and on the other hand a general governor, this last being an official member of the government Britannique until the ratification of the Statut of Westminster in 1931. It is thus not surprising only one of the principles founders of the legislation which was at the origin of the creation of Canada, the British North America Act , was " Peace, order and good government ". This frame of mind nowadays remains a capital element of the identity of Canada.

External bonds

Canadian in the American civil war

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