The Australian Confederates of the American Civil War,The CSS Shenandoah was a Confederate warship w

The Australian Confederates of the American Civil War,The CSS Shenandoah was a Confederate warship which was infamous for being a commerce raider, attacking Union merchant ships around the globe.  Throughout her 12 month voyage, the Shenandoah raided the North and South Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, the South Pacific, the Far East, and the Bering Sea, sinking or capturing 38 Union merchant ships. On January 25th, 1865 the Shenandoah made harbor in Williamstown near Melbourne to make repairs, stock up on supplies, and get some much needed R&R.  The Australians welcomed the Confederates with open arms, hosting various parties and gala balls for the officers and crew.  In the meantime thousands of Australian tourists toured the Shenandoah while docked in harbor.  The kind treatment of the Confederates by the Australians led to several protests by the US consulate, who had an embassy in Williamstown, which was home to a number of pro-Union ex-pats.  In an odd twist, a few minor Civil War battles occurred in Australia in the form of fist fights and bar brawls between Unionists and Confederate sailors.The other purpose of the Shenandoah making port was to enlist new recruits.  Due to death and desertion the Shenandoah’s crew had shrunken somewhat.  While in port at Williamstown, the CSS Shenandoah enlisted 36 Australians as sailors and another 6 as marines.  In order to avoid international legal troubles, the CSS Shenandoah’s skipper, Capt. James Waddell, drew up a report on February 18th claiming that they had discovered 42 stowaways on board, and with nothing else to do he had them enlisted in the Confederate Navy.  No one questioned how 42 Australian “stowaways”, over 1/3rd of the ships crew, somehow managed to hide almost a month onboard without being noticed.After the stop in Australia, the CSS Shenandoah sailed past Japan, then traveled the Bering sea, raiding Union whaling ships off the coast of Russia and Alaska.  In May of 1865 Capt. James Waddell ordered the Shenandoah to sail to California in order to shell the vulnerable city of San Francisco.  However she was intercepted by a British ship which informed Waddell that the war had ended over a month ago.  The Shenandoah then sailed past South America, making port in England and being granted asylum by the British Government.  Most of the 42 Australian crewman were repatriated back home. -- source link

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