Salisbury (Sarum) Probus Club

Probus Club of Sarum was delighted to welcome Dr Charles Rees, retired GP from Christchurch, to its Friday lecture. After his retirement Charles Rees developed a keen interest in the American Civil War. Over the last 30 year this brought him into close contact with many American friends as well as the country at large.

 He had to realise that, very different from the conventional prevailing narrative, there is one big bogeyman throughout America’s history: Great Britain. He shared this perspective through his well-illustrated lecture.

 He traced his theme back to the French and Indian wars 1775 to 1783. Far from being arbitrary, the Boston taxation row (tea party) had its origin in the Crown’s need to recoup some of the cost in supporting the Colonies’ war costs.

The end result was the war of independence where the British Army was repeatedly defeated for the first time after many decades. The Red Coats were unable to cope with the freewheeling type of fighting rather than the European “set battles”. This despite many Americans, especially in the Carolinas, staying loyal to the Crown. The same was true of the French colonists.

 The War of 1812 (1812–1815)

Tensions rose due to British interference with American trade, impressment of American sailors, and British support for Native American resistance against American expansion.

The war saw invasions on both sides, including the burning of Washington, D.C., by British forces in 1814, and key battles like the Battle of Lake Erie and the Battle of New Orleans. The war's most famous incident was the U.S. defence of Fort McHenry, inspiring "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The Treaty of Ghent (1814) ended the war in a stalemate, with no major territorial changes.

 Following the War of 1812, relations between the two countries remained occasionally tense, with minor incidents like the Aroostook War (1838-1839), a bloodless border dispute in Maine, and the Pig War (1859), a minor boundary dispute in the Pacific Northwest.

These disputes were eventually resolved peacefully through diplomacy and negotiation.

 The American Civil War (1861-1865) was caused by the rapid expansion of the Union. Newly elected president Lincoln insisted that new states joining the Union must be “non-slave”. This gave rise to South Carolina seceding from the Union. There argument was that since the Colonies had seceded from the Crown they must also be free to secede from the Union.

In the unfolding civil war Great Britain officially took a stance of neutrality. Although, its economic, political, and diplomatic actions had significant implications for both the Union and the Confederate States.

 Cotton Trade: At the time Britain was heavily dependent on Southern cotton for its textile industry, with about 80% of its cotton supply coming from the American South. The blockade of Confederate ports by the Union Navy created the "cotton famine" in Britain.

While Britain considered siding with the South to secure its cotton needs, it ultimately found alternative cotton sources in Egypt and India. Although, some British merchants did engage in trade with the Confederacy through blockade-running operations, supplying the South with goods in exchange for cotton.

 The Trent Affair (1861): One of the closest points of conflict came when a U.S. Navy ship intercepted the British mail ship *Trent* and captured two Confederate diplomats on board. Britain viewed this as a violation of its neutrality and demanded an apology and the release of the diplomats. Tensions rose, with Britain mobilizing troops in Canada, but the crisis was resolved when the U.S. released the diplomats and issued a conciliatory statement, averting a possible war.

The Alabama Claims: The Confederacy commissioned several warships built in British shipyards, including the *CSS Alabama*, which inflicted significant damage on Union merchant ships. Although Britain ultimately stopped further construction of such ships, the U.S. filed claims against Britain after the war for damages, leading to the 1872 international arbitration and a financial settlement known as the "Alabama Claims."

 Britain’s decision not to recognize the Confederacy and its later willingness to compensate the U.S. for damages caused by Confederate ships built in British ports (through the Alabama Claims settlement) helped mend relations post-war. The peaceful resolution of these disputes contributed to a strengthened diplomatic relationship.

 Dr Rees pointed out that while relations became peaceful, they were never “special”. In fact, he maintained US entry into WWI was much more driven by sympathy for France than for Britain. During WWII the “special relationship” was very much a construct of politics. One example he cited: The terms of lend lease were strictly commercial, resulting in GB paying down huge amounts with interest until 2006! Nowadys Americans view Britain as just one of several medium sized states, about the size of Michigan!