Confederate Privateers on the West Coast?

OCTOBER 16, 1863

Mr. Jules David wrote from Victoria, Vancouver Island, " as president of a Southern asociation existing in this and the adjoining colony of British Columbia" to Confederate Secretary of State Benjamin wanting him to assist him and his organization in getting "a letter of marque to be used on the Pacific."

He said much damage could be done to the Union on the Pacific coast. He mentioned that his group had "a first-class steamer of 400 tons, strongly built, and of an average of 14 miles."

This, along with attacks by Confederate commerce raiders greatly worried Lincoln's government. But, nothing ever came of the plan as far as I know.

It Could Have Been a Great Plan. --Old B-R'er