"Bluenose Effrontery": Dr. William Johnston Almon and the City of Halifax During the United States' Civil War

Abstract

Popular historiography of the U. S. Civil War has traditionally underemphasized the war’s foreign dimension and the role outside support and potential recognition played in the conflict. Recent literature, however, has begun to reverse this trend. Building upon recent studies, this thesis examines public opinion in Halifax during the Civil War. In a period characterized by divided opinion – both within the United States and abroad – Haligonians overwhelmingly supported the South for most of the conflict. This thesis explores public opinion in Halifax by studying one of the city’s most prominent Confederate supporters, Dr. William Johnston Almon. By examining Almon and his community, the role certain factors played in influencing Haligonian support for the Confederacy – such as Northern provocations, sociopolitical ideology, and economic interests – can be better understood. This thesis contends that Almon’s involvement in the Civil War was ideologically motivated and that he was not necessarily an outlier in Halifax.