Britain joins the Confederacy

[politicus]

Could the Confederacy have won the American Civil War if they had managed to get Britain to interfere on their side in 1862?
What would likely have happened on the US/Canadian border? Would the US have tried any offensive moves against the British or merely trying to defend?

[politicus]

Sure it was highly unlikely. But what interests me is how the actual war scenario might have played out.

[politicus]

I once concluded that a surviving Confederacy would become a close ally of France (and Britain to a lesser extent)

Does the thread still exist?

[politicus]

This thread was made to discuss the scenario where Britain joins the CSA. Please stay on topic.
(and yes, I know I asked a question about France, but still..)

[politicus]

Okay. I would suppose that the Brits would try an offensive in the great lakes area to force a split in the US Army. But you could argue, that their forces were too weak.

The British had in 1860 an army of 220,000 regulars, 120,000 militiamen plus they raised 250,000 volunteers in Canada in the early 1860's.

The regular army used in GB/Ireland was about 100,000
India about 60-70,000 plus 150,000 Indian regulars and about 70-80,000 irregulars
Mediteranian 20,000
Canada 20,000
South Africa 10.000
New Zealand 10.000
The Canadian Militia ca 67,000