Last updated: July 26, 2022
Place
Esquimault Naval Base
Quick Facts
Location:
Esquimault, British Columbia
Significance:
British naval Base
OPEN TO PUBLIC:
No
At the height of the Pig War, in the summer of 1859, American and British forces faced off on the land near American Camp and the waters of Griffin Bay that surround that part of San Juan Island. The American soldiers under Captain George Pickett based at American Camp had been deployed from Fort Bellingham located on the Puget Sound in Washington State. The British sailors and Royal Marines, based on the three Royal Navy ships the Plumper, Satellite, and Tribune that confronted them were sent to San Juan Island from their base at Esquimault Harbor located near Victoria on Vancouver Island.
The Royal Navy first became interested in Esquimault Harbor as a possible maritime base in case of war with the United States over the Pacific Northwest. On December 2, 1845, President James Knox Polk informed the United States congress of his intention to end the joint occupation of what was then known as “the Oregon Country,” a stretch of land that included all of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia, and parts of Montana, and Wyoming and begin to assert United States dominion. In response, five Royal Navy warships were sent to the Pacific Northwest and the British government began planning for additional deployments in the event of military conflict. Part of that planning included mapping the harbors of Vancouver Island to find suitable anchorages for British warships. Though the “Oregon Crisis” was resolved peacefully, while preparing for war, Royal Navy officials learned in detail about Esquimault Harbor, which seemed to have the sizeable harbor and access to coal necessary to establish a major naval base.
Hudson’s Bay Company officials, who in addition to their work in the fur trade also served as the civil government of Vancouver Island were also eager for the Royal Navy to utilize Esquimault to prevent American encroachment on British territory and stimulate the local economy. Governor Douglas stressed that the rich forests provided “the finest spars in the world” and that from his perspective “the colony and the Royal Navy would be of benefit to each other, the one producing and the other consuming the products of the land.” Despite these strong inducements and florid praise, decisionmakers in London did not think Vancouver Island merited a major naval base and instead assigned one ship from the Royal Navy to protect the colony on Vancouver Island, a far cry from Governor Douglas’ vision.
This situation changed markedly when the Crimean War, a conflict between Russia and an alliance of French, British, and Ottoman forces broke out in 1854. Though the war’s name suggests that it was confined to Central Asia’s Crimean Peninsula, in fact Russian and Allied forces planned and engaged in limited battles across the globe. One hot spot was the Pacific Northwest, where Russian Alaska and British Columbia shared a border. On Vancouver Island, rumors abounded that Russian warships planned to shell Victoria. Though Vancouver was never attacked, when British warships engaged Russian forces in the Pacific they sailed to Esquimault to repair battle damage.
In the winter of 1854, British commanders began planning an invasion force to attack Petropavlovsk, the center of the Russian Empire’s far eastern Kamchatka Territory. To prepare for the battle, the British Navy ordered the construction of a hospital at Esquimault to treat casualties and the acquisition of 1,000 tons of coal and 2,000 sheep to provision Allied forces. On May 30, 1855, British and French forces steamed into Petropavlovsk but the Russian Navy had abandoned the port, which was conquered without firing a shot. The invading Navy returned to Esquimault which served as an improvised naval base. For the next year the Royal Navy’s forces based at Esquimault unsuccessfully searched the Pacific for Russian ships.
When peace was declared on March 30, 1856, Esquimault had become a familiar harbor for the Royal Navy and the first buildings in this base, the so-called “Crimea Huts” had been constructed. Esquimault Station was on its way to becoming one of the most important naval ports in the British Empire. During the Joint Occupation of San Juan island, troops stationed at English Camp would be resupplied from Esquimault and when the British left the island, the Royal Marines were redeployed to this naval base which is tightly linked to our history.
The Royal Navy first became interested in Esquimault Harbor as a possible maritime base in case of war with the United States over the Pacific Northwest. On December 2, 1845, President James Knox Polk informed the United States congress of his intention to end the joint occupation of what was then known as “the Oregon Country,” a stretch of land that included all of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, British Columbia, and parts of Montana, and Wyoming and begin to assert United States dominion. In response, five Royal Navy warships were sent to the Pacific Northwest and the British government began planning for additional deployments in the event of military conflict. Part of that planning included mapping the harbors of Vancouver Island to find suitable anchorages for British warships. Though the “Oregon Crisis” was resolved peacefully, while preparing for war, Royal Navy officials learned in detail about Esquimault Harbor, which seemed to have the sizeable harbor and access to coal necessary to establish a major naval base.
Hudson’s Bay Company officials, who in addition to their work in the fur trade also served as the civil government of Vancouver Island were also eager for the Royal Navy to utilize Esquimault to prevent American encroachment on British territory and stimulate the local economy. Governor Douglas stressed that the rich forests provided “the finest spars in the world” and that from his perspective “the colony and the Royal Navy would be of benefit to each other, the one producing and the other consuming the products of the land.” Despite these strong inducements and florid praise, decisionmakers in London did not think Vancouver Island merited a major naval base and instead assigned one ship from the Royal Navy to protect the colony on Vancouver Island, a far cry from Governor Douglas’ vision.
This situation changed markedly when the Crimean War, a conflict between Russia and an alliance of French, British, and Ottoman forces broke out in 1854. Though the war’s name suggests that it was confined to Central Asia’s Crimean Peninsula, in fact Russian and Allied forces planned and engaged in limited battles across the globe. One hot spot was the Pacific Northwest, where Russian Alaska and British Columbia shared a border. On Vancouver Island, rumors abounded that Russian warships planned to shell Victoria. Though Vancouver was never attacked, when British warships engaged Russian forces in the Pacific they sailed to Esquimault to repair battle damage.
In the winter of 1854, British commanders began planning an invasion force to attack Petropavlovsk, the center of the Russian Empire’s far eastern Kamchatka Territory. To prepare for the battle, the British Navy ordered the construction of a hospital at Esquimault to treat casualties and the acquisition of 1,000 tons of coal and 2,000 sheep to provision Allied forces. On May 30, 1855, British and French forces steamed into Petropavlovsk but the Russian Navy had abandoned the port, which was conquered without firing a shot. The invading Navy returned to Esquimault which served as an improvised naval base. For the next year the Royal Navy’s forces based at Esquimault unsuccessfully searched the Pacific for Russian ships.
When peace was declared on March 30, 1856, Esquimault had become a familiar harbor for the Royal Navy and the first buildings in this base, the so-called “Crimea Huts” had been constructed. Esquimault Station was on its way to becoming one of the most important naval ports in the British Empire. During the Joint Occupation of San Juan island, troops stationed at English Camp would be resupplied from Esquimault and when the British left the island, the Royal Marines were redeployed to this naval base which is tightly linked to our history.