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Canada in the US Civil War

Started by Razgovory, July 11, 2014, 01:42:14 AM

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Razgovory

July 11, 2014, 01:42:14 AM
I had recently read that quite a few Canadians served in the US army during the US Civil war.  Wikipedia cites 33,000-55,000, but it's Wikipedia so I don't know how accurate that is.  So I'm kinda curious, how did Canadians feel about the war to their south and did their opinions inform the British government in how it responded to the war?
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dps

#1
July 11, 2014, 06:34:38 AM
Just guesses, but:

1)  I would suspect that most Canadians were pretty anti-slavery, and so would be opposed to the goals of the Confederacy, but

2)  those numbers seem high, and

3)  I doubt the British government gave a damn what Canadians thought about the war.

The Brain

#2
July 11, 2014, 07:15:02 AM
Quote from: dps on July 11, 2014, 06:34:38 AM
Just guesses, but:

1)  I would suspect that most Canadians were pretty anti-slavery,

They would be, wouldn't they?
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jimmy olsen

#3
July 11, 2014, 08:08:43 AM
A lot of slaves escaped to Canada. I imagine some of them joined the Union Army once they were able.
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Valmy

#4
July 11, 2014, 08:14:18 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on July 11, 2014, 08:08:43 AM
A lot of slaves escaped to Canada. I imagine some of them joined the Union Army once they were able.

That makes sense.  I recall after the Dred Scott entire communities packed up and left for Canada.  If that was the main source of those 30,000+ volunteers then that would explain it.
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garbon

#5
July 11, 2014, 08:24:31 AM
I would have been like fuck y'all and your racist country. I ain't coming back for nothing.
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Malthus

#6
July 11, 2014, 08:40:31 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 11, 2014, 08:24:31 AM
I would have been like fuck y'all and your racist country. I ain't coming back for nothing.

The township in which my family's close cottage [US: "cabin"] is located was first settled by US Blacks. They all left after the Civil War. Reasons: cold, remote from anywhere, crappy farmland.
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Grey Fox

#7
July 11, 2014, 09:06:04 AM
It's been 12 years, Malthus, if they don't know we call those things Cottages now, they'll never learn.
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derspiess

#8
July 11, 2014, 09:06:09 AM
In the town I grew up in there was a black family whose last name was "Canada".  Always wondered how their ancestors had adopted that name.  I'm guessing either they were headed for Canada or went there & came back.
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garbon

#9
July 11, 2014, 09:14:11 AM
Quote from: Malthus on July 11, 2014, 08:40:31 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 11, 2014, 08:24:31 AM
I would have been like fuck y'all and your racist country. I ain't coming back for nothing.

The township in which my family's close cottage [US: "cabin"] is located was first settled by US Blacks. They all left after the Civil War. Reasons: cold, remote from anywhere, crappy farmland.

True. I almost put in that caveat. -_-
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I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

garbon

#10
July 11, 2014, 09:15:48 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on July 11, 2014, 09:06:04 AM
It's been 12 years, Malthus, if they don't know we call those things Cottages now, they'll never learn.

I'll admit it was a bit shocking to hear that Malthus is so open about his family's close cruisy public restroom.
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I drank because I wanted to drown my sorrows, but now the damned things have learned to swim.

Barrister

#11
July 11, 2014, 09:27:49 AM
The main impact of the Civil War in Canada is that it (and the huge US army that resulted) was a leading factor in Confederation, which happened in 1867 but negotiations started in 1864.
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derspiess

#12
July 11, 2014, 10:31:36 AM
Quote from: Barrister on July 11, 2014, 09:27:49 AM
The main impact of the Civil War in Canada is that it (and the huge US army that resulted) was a leading factor in Confederation, which happened in 1867 but negotiations started in 1864.

As long as it didn't somehow result in curling becoming widely accepted.  We have enough on our conscience without that.
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

OttoVonBismarck

#13
July 11, 2014, 10:39:30 AM
I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of that number were white Canadians. One of the biggest motivators to joining the Union Army was financial, relative to many other things it was very rewarding financially and there were various bonuses offered and such. While there were famous draft riots, the vast majority of Union Army soldiers were volunteers, and paid substitutes (paid for by persons drafted who did not wish to serve) outnumbered actual conscripts--at 6% of Union forces versus 2% for actual conscripts.

While there were also lots of desertions (I imagine sometimes you got buyer's remorse after your first nasty battle), the large number of persons willing to be paid to replace draftees and the people clamoring for the various bonuses the Union Army offered there was definitely a large segment of the population who saw serving in the Army as a financial benefit. They would prove to be correct to some degree going forward as well, as they all received life pensions and such eventually as well.

KRonn

#14
July 11, 2014, 12:25:47 PM
Quote from: Barrister on July 11, 2014, 09:27:49 AM
The main impact of the Civil War in Canada is that it (and the huge US army that resulted) was a leading factor in Confederation, which happened in 1867 but negotiations started in 1864.

Damn, the US had a great chance to bring Canada into the Union!   ;)
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