Revolutionary War Help?

Question

Does anyone have any good websites to find information on how the Revolution would have gone faster with a Colonial Navy?

Answer 1

Here is some information on the use of private merchant ships during the Revolutionary War. Should provide you with a useful start. Good luck!

http://www.usmm.org/revolution.html

Answer 2

Merseyside and the American Civil War

The objective of this site is to tell the true story of what happened, here in England, in those turbulent years of 1861 to 1865. How James Dunwoody Bulloch, at times almost singlehandedly, provided the Confederate States with three of the most famous commerce raiders in history. One of which, the CSS Alabama, became the most succesful such raider of all time, her feats will surely never be equalled or surpassed.

Bulloch was also the man responsible for the largest single delivery of arms into the South, in October of 1861, as well as havung built 33 blockade runners, and purchased many more.

http://www.csa-dixie.com/liverpool_dixie/index.htm

http://www.csnavy.org/related.htm

Merseyside and the American Civil War

Neil Holmes

Merseyside is an area over 3000 miles from Washington and yet its impact on the American Civil War was quite considerable. This article will attempt to show why this was the case and what that impact was.

http://www.historic-battles.com/HTML/articlescompetitions/5thcompetition.htm#Merseyside

Confederates and their Liverpool Connections

Contary to British and European agreements- which required British citizens to remain neutral during civil wars - Liverpool came out in open support of the Confederates.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/journey/american_connection/alabama/bulloch_liverpool.shtml

http://www.redstarline.org.uk/civil_war_in_liverpool.html

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/exhibitions/cotton/cottonwar.asp

The history of CSS Alabama

Links between Liverpool and the Confederate States
Liverpool had strong political, emotional and financial connections and sympathies with the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War (1861–1865). One of the main reasons for the link was economical, based on the importance of cotton, upon which both the Southern States and Lancashire mills depended.

Construction of ships

James Dunwoody Bulloch, a Confederate naval officer, arrived in Liverpool on 4 June 1861 with orders to buy or have constructed 6 steam vessels suitable for use as commerce destroyers against the Union. He contacted the Liverpool firm of Fraser, Trenholm & Co, a prominent commercial house in the city, who were to act as financial agents to the Confederate Government and finance the building of these vessels.

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/collections/alabama/history.asp

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/localhistory/journey/american_connection/alabama/introduction.shtml

On board the Alabama, showing First Lieutenant John McIntosh Kell, 1863

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/collections/alabama/flmcintoshkell.asp

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/collections/alabama/gunroom.asp

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/collections/alabama/

The steamship Alabama is one of the most famous ships built at Laird's yard in Birkenhead. Despite Britain's neutrality in the American Civil War there was much sympathy for the Confederate cause in Liverpool and the Alabama was secretly built for the Confederacy at Laird's, known only by her job no. 290. She left the Mersey on 28 July 1862 supposedly for further sea trials, but instead sailed to the Azores where she was fitted out with armaments and ammunition. During her career as a commerce raider she sank 68 federal vessels before being sunk at Cherbourg in June 1864.

http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/collections/paintings/cssalabama.asp

Good luck.

Kevin, Liverpool, England.