Thomas F. Harney

[Eva Elisabeth]

(11-21-2014 07:22 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I have been trying for about ten years (off and on) to find an incident concerning the Russian fleet's wintering in New York harbor. I cannot remember where I read about it, but the incident involved a barroom brawl along the docks where a Russian sailor was killed. I cannot remember the reason why either, but U.S. authorities refused to release the Russian's body to his comrades. It became quite a political issue with an appeal finally being made to Mrs. Lincoln (I think) to convince her husband to take action.

Has anyone else read about this, or did I dream it?

Maybe this was the sailor?
http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/national_ce...etery.html

"Annapolis National Cemetery is the final resting place for one foreign national who died during the Civil War. N. Demidoff served on board a Russian man-of-war docked in Annapolis, one of two Russian ships participating in a goodwill tour. Supposedly, after a local saloon refused him a drink, Demidoff started a barroom brawl, and someone shot him during the melee. His interment in the cemetery followed a traditional Russian Orthodox ceremony."

He died on Feb. 4, 1864:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi...d=33012039

(11-21-2014 02:09 PM)John Fazio Wrote:  St. Ptersburg was effectively serving notice on Britain and France that if they intervened on the side of the Confederacy, that she would intervene on the side of the Union. St. Petersburg wanted an American ally because she was then engaged in a major struggle with G.B. and France for the control of Cental Asia.

Why did Russia send its fleets to the US? The following explanations are slightly different. D. Mahin in "One War at a Time" claims that actually the Russian fleets were sent to the US to keep them available in case of war between Russia and Britain due to the Russian suppression of a revolution in Poland. The Russian fleets would have been icebound in the Baltic ports during the winter.

An excellent (and excellently footnoted!) article on the background is here, from which I quote in the following:

https://web.archive.org/web/200902161025...lehaye.htm

"A legend grew up on Russia's gallant gesture to uphold the Union which would persist for more than a half century and only to be completely demolished when historic research in the Russian archives finally brought to light the Tsar's secret order to the fleet.

The thesis of Russia acting for her own self interest by sailing her fleet to America in 1863 is also supported by a Russian scholar, E. A. Adamov. Adamov claims that Russia wished not only to save the fleet from other European powers, but to 'put them in the most favorable position for the opening of warlike activities with maximum of energy and productivity against England and France.' Russia's motives for sending the fleet to America were indeed self-serving. Alexander intended the mission as protection for the fleet. He wanted to get 'the fleet out of the Baltic to distant seas where it could damage the British merchant marine.'

Alexander's reasons for wanting to send the Russian fleet off to America are related to a complicated European situation that began long before the Civil War. The basis ' for Alexander's action was a Polish insurrection in 1863. Poland had been under Russian domination for a long time. The country was partitioned out of existence in the 18th century. It had been given some recognition by Napoleon with the creation of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw. The Poles were not satisfied. They were tired of being ruled by other nations. This desire for independence brought them to open revolt in January 1863.
...Poland was led into revolt by Polish nationalists who would be content with nothing less than the recognition by Russia of Polish nationhood.

The nationalists led the country in revolt in January, 1863, hoping to get outside assistance. France had supported a national unification movement in Italy. The Poles hoped that France would give them assistance. The nationals also hoped that England would aid their cause because she was a traditional enemy of Russia.

Russia refused to compromise with the Poles or any other nations. The situation became very tense. France and England continued to agitate for the Poles, thus aggravating the Russians. The European powers gradually moved closer to war. Russia expected to have to defend her "rights" in Poland because by June, 1863, war seemed inevitable. It was prudent, therefore, for her to make preparations for the ensuing conflict. Russian General-Adjutant Krabbe submitted a contingency plan to the emperor for the navy...

The fleet was very weak, even weaker than it appeared on paper. It was made up of a small squadron in the Pacific, seven war vessels of various descriptions at Cronstadt, and a frigate in the Mediterranean. They were all, or nearly all, of wood, and although they had engines, the principal means of motion was still the sail, the orders being that steam should be resorted to only in case of urgent necessity.

Since the fleet was very weak, Krabbe maintained that a direct confrontation with the superior British navy would not be wise.

Realizing the weaknesses, Krabbe wanted to take advantage of them in the best possible manner. He claimed that the fleet could be best utilized by preying on British and French commerce. Krabbe also realized that (if the fleet remained at home it would probably be blocked in; it was therefore necessary that it should be sent away to some place more conveniently situated for the purpose in mind.' Krabbe submitted his proposal to Alexander II and on July 7, 1863, he accepted the proposal.

Russia's plan of action was set. Krabbe picked Captain Lisoskii to lead the fleet out of the Gulf of Finland. He was ordered to 'proceed directly to New York.' Krabbe also told Lisoskii to try to keep all the ships in New York Harbor, if the Americans permitted it. The same orders were given to Rear-Admiral Popov, with the exception that he was to bring his fleet to San Francisco.

Although the Russians were very confident of their success in the event of a war, they still felt a need to justify the movements of their fleet. M. N. Katkov, editor of the Moscow Viedomosti (Gazette), justifies the fleet movement by placing the blame on France. He writes:
'The Polish problem, which was exploited against us by France with so much enmity, has compelled us to send a part of our military forces into American waters. We anchored there without either aggressive or altruistic intentions. We don't wish to interfere in American affairs; we went there merely for our own convenience, while the Americans can appreciate these conveniences as well as ourselves.'

The Russian flagship Alexander Nevskii arrived in New York harbor on September 24,1863. The arrival of the fleet delighted the Lincoln administration. An excerpt from the diary of Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles is an example of the jubilation felt by many Americans. He writes that:

'In sending them [the fleet] to this country there is something significant. What will be its effect on France and the French policy we shall learn in due time. It may be moderate; it may exasperate. God bless the Russians.'

The president sent Mrs. Lincoln with other dignitaries to New York to greet the Russians. The president's wife drank a toast to the czar. The New York Sun wrote that Mrs. Lincoln's visit with the Russians was important because Russia was 'the only European power that has maintained a hearty sympathy with the United States during our present troubles.' The New York Herald commented that 'Mrs. Lincoln knew what she was doing' because she knew it would create 'a hearty response throughout the country.' Mrs. Lincoln's toast was symbolic of the new hope felt by the Union with the arrival of the Russian fleet.

The arrival of the fleets meant hope for the Union, and therefore the Americans were ready to show their gratitude to the Russians. A reception was held in New York City and then the Russian visitors were paraded down Broadway where American and Russia flags were displayed. Tiffany and Company decorated their building with a huge banner that stretched from the roof to the sidewalk. Cheering New Yorkers lined Broadway as the Russians rode by in carriages.

On November 5, the New Yorkers gave the Russians a ball at the Academy of Music. It was a very important affair attended by leading society people. Harper's Weekly ran several pages of illustrations of the dancing ladies and their Russian partners. A Harper's Weekly reporter commented that 'the Russian guests from the fleet were worn out by the expressions of friendship and affection extended to them.'

During all of the balls and banquets, each country toasted the other. Alexander was hailed as the emancipator of the serfs and the friend of America. Lincoln was toasted as the friend of Russia. All references to the European situation (i.e. Poland) were, purposely avoided...It is not clear if the Russians purposely intended to hide the reasons for their visit. It seems very probable that many Americans suspected their true motives, but wanted to think otherwise to help the morale of the Union.

In April, 1864, orders were sent to the fleet in America by Alexander telling them to return home."