UncleBourbon
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- Joined
- Sep 4, 2019
- Location
- Massachusetts
I've found a few obscure and very interesting examples of this that I really just want to share.
This doesn't include American Indian Wars such as the Colorado War.
The Second Cortina War - Confederates rout a Mexican militia
In May 1861 Juan Cortina, a Mexican outlaw who had previously waged war against the United States in '59 and '60, now aligned himself with the Union and invaded Zapata County, Texas and attacked Zapata itself.
His militia of Cortinistas was met by Confederate Captain Santos Benavides on May 22nd at the Battle of Carrizo, where at least 11 Cortinistas were killed with others captured with Juan Cortina and the rest being forced to flee back across the border. This ended the remarkably short Second Cortina War.
As far as I know, this is the only battle the Confederacy fought against a nation other than the Union during the Civil War.
The Union on the other hand not only had more, but some truly interesting ones; such as the first time the US battled the Vietnamese.
The Bombardment of Qui Nohn - The Union bombards Vietnam
In July 1861, during the French and Spanish Cochinchina Campaign, the American merchant ship Myrtle went missing. Flag Officer Frederick K. Engle ordered Commander James Schenck, commanding the steamer sloop USS Saginaw, to search the area before sailing East to join the West Gulf Blockading Squadron.
Commander Schenck arrived off Qui Nohn July 30th, and prepared to enter the harbor the following day at 1:00AM to ask the Vietnamese about the missing sailors. Upon entering the harbor on the 31st the USS Saginaw was fired upon by a Vietnamese fort to the North at a distance of 600 yards. The shot hit the water next to the ship, and the crew raised a white flag to show their friendly intentions. A second shot was fired, along with a third, both near misses as well.
Commander Schenck was enraged at this, and withdrew the Saginaw to 900 yards, where he had the crew lay fire on the fort with the ship's 32-pounder for about 20 minutes until a "dull, heavy report" shook the bay as the powder magazine of the fort detonated, silencing the guns. However the Vietnamese flag still flew, so Schenck continued the bombardment for about 30 minutes more until the fort was smoldering ruin.
The missing sailors were never found.
Battle of Shimonoseki Straits - The Union battles a Samurai Domain
In June 1863, after the Imperial "Order to expel barbarians", the Choshu Domain under daimyo Mori Takachika was following the order and going in excess of it; firing without warning on all foreign ships attempting to traverse the Shimonoseki Straits. The Choshu Domain used three ships presented to them by the United States for these actions: a barque Daniel Webster, a brig Kosei and a steamer Koshin.
On June 25, 1863 the merchant steamer Pembroke under Captain Simon Cooper was fired upon by two of these ships while riding anchor outside of Shimonoseki Strait. The samurai aboard taunted the merchant crew, shouting, "Revere the Emperor and drive out the barbarians!"
The Pembroke managed to escape under fire with minor damage and no casualties. The USS Wyoming under Commander David McDougal entered the Strait on July 16th, 1863 to retaliate for the attack on the Pembroke. Wyoming was fired upon by shore batteries, tearing through her rigging, and she raised her colors and replied with her 11-inch Dahlgrens. Up ahead lay the three former American ships in anchor, and McDougal determined them to be the more significant threat to deal with and gave the order to sail through the midst of them and take out the Koshin. The Wyoming passed between Daniel Webster and Kosei on the starboard side Koshin on port, being close enough that 12 Marines under Orderly Sergeant Abel Clegg were able to easily hit the enemy samurai with their rifles. This close encounter is where all casualties on the American side were sustained - with 5 killed and 7 wounded. The Wyoming itself received heavy damage during this encounter, receiving three broadsides from Kosei alone. However the Kosei got the worst of it and was effectively disabled, while the Koshin was hit with two rifled shells, and the Daniel Webster seriously damaged as well, but keeping up the fire regardless. The shore batteries began opening up on the Wyoming again, and the Kosei began an attempt to ram her. The Wyoming managed to swing around and fire on Kosei with her port battery, exploding her boiler and forcing her crew to abandon ship. While under fire from the shore batteries and the Daniel Webster, McDougal kept up fire on the Kosei until she was sunk, after which he engaged first the Daniel Webster and then the shore batteries, silencing both within a few minutes. After silencing all threats in the Strait the USS Wyoming sailed away with a smashed smokestack and missing a mast after having been hulled 11 times, but ultimately coming out the victor.
This action however did not deter the daimyo Mori Takachika, and it took a combined assault of British, Dutch and French ships and marines on September 5th and 6th 1864 to end the Choshu Domain's policy of firing on foreign vessels.
As far as I'm aware these are the only true engagements the Confederacy and the Union had with foreign nations other than each other and Native Americans during the Civil War.
However, I'm probably missing something, and would be all ears to hear if that's the case.
Santos Benavides went on command at the Battle of Laredo, where 42 Confederates repelled 3 attacks by 200 Union soldiers, and also fought at the Battle of Palmito Ranch.
James Schenck commanded the USS Powhatan and the 3rd Division of Admiral David Dixon Porter's fleet at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher.
David McDougal spent the rest of the war looking for Confederate raiders, namely the CSS Florida.
Articles on these battles:
This doesn't include American Indian Wars such as the Colorado War.
The Second Cortina War - Confederates rout a Mexican militia
In May 1861 Juan Cortina, a Mexican outlaw who had previously waged war against the United States in '59 and '60, now aligned himself with the Union and invaded Zapata County, Texas and attacked Zapata itself.
His militia of Cortinistas was met by Confederate Captain Santos Benavides on May 22nd at the Battle of Carrizo, where at least 11 Cortinistas were killed with others captured with Juan Cortina and the rest being forced to flee back across the border. This ended the remarkably short Second Cortina War.
As far as I know, this is the only battle the Confederacy fought against a nation other than the Union during the Civil War.
The Union on the other hand not only had more, but some truly interesting ones; such as the first time the US battled the Vietnamese.
The Bombardment of Qui Nohn - The Union bombards Vietnam
In July 1861, during the French and Spanish Cochinchina Campaign, the American merchant ship Myrtle went missing. Flag Officer Frederick K. Engle ordered Commander James Schenck, commanding the steamer sloop USS Saginaw, to search the area before sailing East to join the West Gulf Blockading Squadron.
Commander Schenck arrived off Qui Nohn July 30th, and prepared to enter the harbor the following day at 1:00AM to ask the Vietnamese about the missing sailors. Upon entering the harbor on the 31st the USS Saginaw was fired upon by a Vietnamese fort to the North at a distance of 600 yards. The shot hit the water next to the ship, and the crew raised a white flag to show their friendly intentions. A second shot was fired, along with a third, both near misses as well.
Commander Schenck was enraged at this, and withdrew the Saginaw to 900 yards, where he had the crew lay fire on the fort with the ship's 32-pounder for about 20 minutes until a "dull, heavy report" shook the bay as the powder magazine of the fort detonated, silencing the guns. However the Vietnamese flag still flew, so Schenck continued the bombardment for about 30 minutes more until the fort was smoldering ruin.
The missing sailors were never found.
Battle of Shimonoseki Straits - The Union battles a Samurai Domain
In June 1863, after the Imperial "Order to expel barbarians", the Choshu Domain under daimyo Mori Takachika was following the order and going in excess of it; firing without warning on all foreign ships attempting to traverse the Shimonoseki Straits. The Choshu Domain used three ships presented to them by the United States for these actions: a barque Daniel Webster, a brig Kosei and a steamer Koshin.
On June 25, 1863 the merchant steamer Pembroke under Captain Simon Cooper was fired upon by two of these ships while riding anchor outside of Shimonoseki Strait. The samurai aboard taunted the merchant crew, shouting, "Revere the Emperor and drive out the barbarians!"
The Pembroke managed to escape under fire with minor damage and no casualties. The USS Wyoming under Commander David McDougal entered the Strait on July 16th, 1863 to retaliate for the attack on the Pembroke. Wyoming was fired upon by shore batteries, tearing through her rigging, and she raised her colors and replied with her 11-inch Dahlgrens. Up ahead lay the three former American ships in anchor, and McDougal determined them to be the more significant threat to deal with and gave the order to sail through the midst of them and take out the Koshin. The Wyoming passed between Daniel Webster and Kosei on the starboard side Koshin on port, being close enough that 12 Marines under Orderly Sergeant Abel Clegg were able to easily hit the enemy samurai with their rifles. This close encounter is where all casualties on the American side were sustained - with 5 killed and 7 wounded. The Wyoming itself received heavy damage during this encounter, receiving three broadsides from Kosei alone. However the Kosei got the worst of it and was effectively disabled, while the Koshin was hit with two rifled shells, and the Daniel Webster seriously damaged as well, but keeping up the fire regardless. The shore batteries began opening up on the Wyoming again, and the Kosei began an attempt to ram her. The Wyoming managed to swing around and fire on Kosei with her port battery, exploding her boiler and forcing her crew to abandon ship. While under fire from the shore batteries and the Daniel Webster, McDougal kept up fire on the Kosei until she was sunk, after which he engaged first the Daniel Webster and then the shore batteries, silencing both within a few minutes. After silencing all threats in the Strait the USS Wyoming sailed away with a smashed smokestack and missing a mast after having been hulled 11 times, but ultimately coming out the victor.
This action however did not deter the daimyo Mori Takachika, and it took a combined assault of British, Dutch and French ships and marines on September 5th and 6th 1864 to end the Choshu Domain's policy of firing on foreign vessels.
As far as I'm aware these are the only true engagements the Confederacy and the Union had with foreign nations other than each other and Native Americans during the Civil War.
However, I'm probably missing something, and would be all ears to hear if that's the case.
Santos Benavides went on command at the Battle of Laredo, where 42 Confederates repelled 3 attacks by 200 Union soldiers, and also fought at the Battle of Palmito Ranch.
James Schenck commanded the USS Powhatan and the 3rd Division of Admiral David Dixon Porter's fleet at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher.
David McDougal spent the rest of the war looking for Confederate raiders, namely the CSS Florida.
Articles on these battles:
Apocalypse 1861
The Civil War roots of American gunboat diplomacy in East Asia.
opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com