Fleet Week with the Russian Navy

[DBF]

The Great Russian Ball
Homer Winslow Illustration
Harper's Weekly - November 21, 1863
(Public Domain)​

Thursday, November 5, 1863 - Academy of Music - New York City: It was just four months ago when the city was dealing with the Draft Riots but on this late fall evening the folks are gathering for what is called "The Great Russian Ball". During the middle of the war there would be a time for dance to honor the officers from the Russian Fleet that had arrived in American ports.

History tells us that before the 20th century American and Russian relations were in their zenith. This was primarily due to the conflicts the United States faced for many decades with European countries mainly Great Britain and France. therefore Imperial Russia was a unknown entity. In 1832 Russia acquired "most favored nation status" with the United States the first nation to have this honor. The United States was the only nation that stood alone by Russian during the Crimean War of 1854-1855. It was said after the war:

"By the time it was over the United States was the only nation in the world that was neither ashamed nor afraid to acknowledge boldly her friendship with Russia." {*}

The relationship deepened in February 1861, Emperor Alexander II had freed all Russian serfs. Emperor Alexander was called the "Tsar Liberator" while in America, President Lincoln was called "The Great Emancipator". It appeared the Union had more in common with Russia that by the fall of 1863 a squadron of twelve Russian ships left their motherland and headed to the United States. Six ships arrived in San Francisco and six ships arrived in New York City ports. No one was certain why they were here, but the red carpet was rolled out for the fleet. The six Russian ships arrived in New York on September, 24, 1864 just in time to provide a moral boast to the Union after their devastating loss of September 19-20 during the Battle of Chickamauga.

When the Russian Fleet arrived in 1863 they were treated to the best of New York and San Francisco society.

The Russian frigate 'Osliaba'
New York Harbor - 1863
(United States Public Domain)
​

Perhaps no bigger "prazdnichnyy" to honor the Russian friends was held than that at the Academy of Music on the evening of November 5th. It was the "social event of the New York season". Lavish detail was written about the event with copies reprinted in most publications throughout the north.

Minute details were given to readers describing the "ordinary barrenness of the vestibule' at the Academy now transformed into a foyer with luxurious carpet and grand stairs carpeted with a rich Magenta color and when you reach your destination you were greeted with lanterns giving off a warm, rich glow. "At each side two of the upper proscenium boxes were draped in Russian and American flags, and at the centre of the first tier was suspended a perfect model in miniature of the ship General Admiral, bearing at her mizzen the signs of the signal code which read 'Welcome Russia'." {2}

Each guest was dressed in their best outfits as printed in Harper's Weekly November 21, 1863​

"Among the most beautiful and striking costumes was a superb white moire antique, with border of scarlet velvet, covered with black lace flounce. Ornaments, scarlet convolvulus, diamond dew-drops, and humming-bird of green and gold.including full military uniforms for those honored guests." {2}

The Great Russian Ball
Homer Winslow Illustration
Harper's Weekly - November 21, 1863
(Public Domain)

*

There was the Food

"Twelve thousand oysters—10,000 poulette and 2000 pickled.
Twelve monster salmon—30 lbs. each.
Twelve hundred game birds.
Two hundred and fifty turkeys.
Four hundred chickens.
One thousand pounds of tenderloin.
One hundred pyramids of pastry.
One thousand large loaves.
Three thousand five hundred bottles of wine" {2}

*

There was the Music

(United States Public Domain)

There was this description from the Herald​

"Immediately after the Russians arrived the dance began. We call it a dance out of respect to conventional and popular prejudice. In truth it was a very wonderful and indescribable phantasmagoria of humanity. The frantic few struggling against the determined and desperate many. Had one chanced to know several persons present, it is remotely possible that he might have been able to pick them out, but in the absence of any such particular and personal knowledge, it was mere nonsense to suppose that there was any particular person there. It was mere mass and mere matter. As for a dance it was a mere sway of crude material, moved a little this way, a little that, but not a dance." {2}

The festivities continued on both coasts as the North welcomed their Russian friends as this illustration demonstrates from a gala in San Francisco.

(United States Public Domain)​

The fleet stayed in American waters for seven months before heading home. There were some benefits for their stay in American ports. Other nations were discouraged from joining sides in the American Civil War by the perceived protection from the Russian Navy, after the war the United States sent a Naval squadron to St. Petersburg in congratulations to Alexander II after an attempt on his life, and it was also important for the purchase of Alaska in 1867 in what was called "Seward's Folly". Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles was quoted as saying "God bless the Russians!". He was only voicing a sentiment that was felt throughout the Union.

* * *​

Sources
1. https://www.rbth.com/arts/2013/09/12/when_the_russian_navy_sailed_into_new_york_29761.html
2. http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1863/november/under-fire.htm
3. http://www.militarymuseum.org/CzarsFleet.pdf
4. https://www.americanheritage.com/royal-welcome-russian-navy
{*} Wikipedia - Imperial Russian Navy

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Alaska, sailors to help fight fires in San Francisco, and Russia getting the designs to Passaic class Monitors for them to tinker with, American made guns sold to Russia for them to turn around and copy at a cheaper rate. I'd say both sides benefited well from the friendly relationship back then.