Kalevala, a.k.a. "Calevala" (Russian: Калевала), was a propeller-operated corvette of the
Finnish navy
The Finnish Navy ( fi, Merivoimat, sv, Marinen) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. The navy employs 2,300 people and about 4,300 conscripts are trained each year. Finnish Navy vessels are given the ship prefix "FNS", short for ...
. The construction of it was completed in 1858 at
Turku Old Shipyard,
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
. From 1860 to 1865, the corvette served in the
Pacific Fleet of Russia. At the time, Finland was an
autonomous grand duchy (1809-1917) within the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
.
Construction and launching of Kalevala
The corvette was designed by the ship designer Jörgensen, under the auspices of the Finnish Vice Admiral
Johan Eberhard von Schantz
Johan Eberhard von Schantz (russian: Иван Иванович фон Шанц; 29 October 1802 – 3 January 1880) was a Finnish-born admiral in the Russian Imperial Navy, ship designer and explorer.
Life
Schantz was born in the Western Finn ...
(1802-1880), who was promoted to admiral in 1866.
The construction of the vessel was funded by the
Senate of Finland
The Senate of Finland ( fi, Suomen senaatti, sv, Senaten för Finland) combined the functions of cabinet and supreme court in the Grand Duchy of Finland from 1816 to 1917 and in the independent Finland from 1917 to 1918.
The body that would beco ...
. The total cost of the ship's construction was 342'804 Russian silver rubles (the
Finnish Markka
The markka ( fi, markka; sv, mark; sign: Mk; ISO code: FIM, typically known outside Finland as the Finnish mark) was the currency of Finland from 1860 until 28 February 2002, when it ceased to be legal tender. The mark was divided into 100 pe ...
became the currency of Finland from 1860 onward).
The corvette had 15 cannons.
[ф.1304. "Калевала", винтовой корвет балтийского флота (1858–1872).](_blank)
Аннотированный реестр описей фондов (1696-1917). The displacement of the vessel was 1500 tons. The ship was set afloat on July 2, 1858. In December, 1858, the Military Commissary of Finland hired machinists and boiler-men to work on the ship. In March, 1859, offers of food supplies for the crew were solicited. In the early summer of 1859, the steam engines of the vessel were tested at the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain.
The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...
waters near
Kronstadt.
From the start, Finnish Baron Otto Carpelan operated as the captain of the ship. Finnish Paul Karl Toppelius (later promoted to rear admiral) became the head of the officers serving on the ship. Still during the springtime of 1860, machinists were hired for the ship's sailing season of 1860.
Kalevala in the Pacific Fleet of Russia
Kalevala in the Russian Far East
With the 1858 Peace Treaty of Aigun and the 1860 Peace Treaty of Peking, Russia extended its territories in the
Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
. Unexpectedly, in 1860 Kalevala was pointed in the service of the
Pacific Fleet of Russia, with new home port in
Nikolayevsk-on-Amur in the
Russian Far East
The Russian Far East (russian: Дальний Восток России, r=Dal'niy Vostok Rossii, p=ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok rɐˈsʲiɪ) is a region in Northeast Asia. It is the easternmost part of Russia and the Asian continent; and is admini ...
. Baron Otto Carpelan remained the captain of Kalevala on the sail of the vessel from
Kronstadt at the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain.
The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...
to the vessel's new home port on the Russian coast of the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
. The long journey started from Kronstadt on October 18, 1860.
[Нa краю Восточной Руси – (К.М. Станюкович во Владивостоке)](_blank)
(a fragment, "K. M. Stanyukovich in Vladivostok") In addition to Kalevala, the squadron heading to the
Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
consisted of two other corvettes, ''Bogatyr'' and ''Rynda'', as well as two clippers, Finnish-built ''Abrek'' (built in
Pori
)
, website www.pori.fi
Pori (; sv, Björneborg ) is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäki River, west of Tampere, north of Turku and north-w ...
in 1860) and its model vessel ''Gaidamak'', which had been obtained from England.
The voyage was headed by Rear Admiral Andrei Alexandrovitš Popov. According to at least one Russian source, Otto Carpelan continued as the captain of Kalevala beyond this voyage, in the duties assigned for the vessel in the service of the
Russian Pacific Fleet. According to another source, also Vladimir Davydov
skippered Kalevala, and from 1863 also Fedor Želtuhin (Федор Николаевич Желтухин).
In June, 1861, a year after the first Russian military camp had been established in
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
, on the Pacific coast of the
Russian Far East
The Russian Far East (russian: Дальний Восток России, r=Dal'niy Vostok Rossii, p=ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok rɐˈsʲiɪ) is a region in Northeast Asia. It is the easternmost part of Russia and the Asian continent; and is admini ...
, the crew of Kalevala erected the first church of the future city. The construction of the church was completed together with local soldiers from Vladivostok.
In 1863, the crew of Kalevala mapped the islands around
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
. At that time, a bay in the area was named after Kalevala. It is located in the Posjet Bay, which is a part of the
Peter the Great Gulf
The Peter the Great Gulf (Russian: Залив Петра Великого) is a gulf on the southern coast of Primorsky Krai, Russia, and the largest gulf of the Sea of Japan. The gulf extends for from the Russian-North Korean border at the mout ...
.
Finnish seamen and vessels in Russian America
Russian America was the name of Russian colonial possessions in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
from 1733 to 1867, that today is the
U.S. State of
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
and settlements in
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
(1) and
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
(3 - starting in 1817) (distant from the North American landmass in the Pacific Ocean and therefore more commonly associated with the other territories of
Oceania
Oceania (, , ) is a region, geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern Hemisphere, Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of ...
). Formal incorporation of the possessions by Russia did not take place until the establishment of the
Russian-American Company (RAC) in 1799.
Finnish Chief Managers ("governors") of
Russian America included
Arvid Adolf Etholén
Arvid Adolf Etholén, or Adolf Karlovich Etolin (russian: Адольф Карлович Этолин; 9 January 1799, Helsinki – 29 March 1876, Elimäki) was a Imperial Russian Navy, naval officer, explorer and Business administration, adminis ...
(a.k.a. Etolin) in 1840-1845 and
Johan Hampus Furuhjelm in 1859-1864.
[Etholén, Arvid Adolf (1798 - 1876)](_blank)
Chief Manager of Russian America in 1840-1845, rear admiral, explorer (in Finnish).[Johan Hampus Furuhjelm](_blank)
Chief Manager of Russian America in 1859-1864, admiral, explorer (in Finnish). A third Finn, Johan Joachim von Bartram, declined the offer for the five-year term between 1850 and 1855.
All three were high ranking Imperial naval officers. Researcher Maria J. Enckell states the following about the Finns in the
Russian-American Company:
:''"Russia relied heavily on Finnish seamen. These seamen manned Russian naval ships as well as its deep-sea-going vessels. Company records show that in the early 1800s these ships were crewed predominantly by merchant seamen from Finland. From 1840 onward the Company’s around-the-world ships were manned entirely by Finnish merchant skippers and crews. Most Company ships stationed in Sitka and the Northern Pacific were likewise manned by Finnish skippers and Finnish crews."''
[''Scandinavian Immigration to Russian Alaska, 1800-1867.''](_blank)
Author: Maria Jarlsdotter Enckell. Page 108.
:''"Significant too is that from the early 1800s the Finnish seamen sailing these ships had journeyed up and down the North and South American coasts. Salt, used by the Company in preserving pelts, was obtained on islands in Baja California. Fort Ross in Bodega Bay, just north of San Francisco, was a stop on that route until 1841 when the fort was sold to the “swindler” Johann Sutter, on whose land the first California Gold was found. Thus, all Finnish seamen plying these waters knew every nook and cranny on these shores. Similarly they knew equally well the coast on the Asiatic side. Returning to Finland on their mandatory around-the-world journeys, they spread the news of the riches they had seen."''
:''"San Francisco’s harbor records and the Russian Consular records display the names of many Finnish and Baltic Russian Alaska skippers busily plying the waters between San Francisco, Petropavlovsk, Nikolajefsk and Vladivostok." ... "Long before the turn of the century 11% of San Francisco’s seaman community were Finns. The commercial activities of these former Finnish Russian-American Company skippers and their men were impressive. At least two are known to have become multimillionaires: Gustaf Nybom (later Niebaum), the founder of Inglenook wineries, and Otto Wilhelm Lindholm of Vladivostok. Their business ventures had interests spread across the Northern Pacific. This activity continued until 1922 and the Soviet terror, when Vladivostok's numerous Finns and Manchurians were rounded up, marched to the central square and shot."''
[''"Long before the turn of the century 11% of San Francisco’s seaman community were Finns."''](_blank)
Scandinavian Immigration to Russian Alaska, 1800-1867. M.J. Enckell. Page 112.
In 1817-1818,
Arvid Adolf Etholén
Arvid Adolf Etholén, or Adolf Karlovich Etolin (russian: Адольф Карлович Этолин; 9 January 1799, Helsinki – 29 March 1876, Elimäki) was a Imperial Russian Navy, naval officer, explorer and Business administration, adminis ...
skippered the
Russian frigate Kamchatka
At least two frigates of the Imperial Russian Navy have been named ''Kamchatka'':
* circumnavigated the globe between 1817 and 1819 under Captain Vasily Golovnin.
* a steam frigate, built in New York City in 1841. Made several long voyages under ...
from
Kronstadt to the
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
n port of
Sitka
russian: Ситка
, native_name_lang = tli
, settlement_type = Consolidated city-borough
, image_skyline = File:Sitka 84 Elev 135.jpg
, image_caption = Downtown Sitka in 1984
, image_size ...
, the capital of
Russian America, known as ''Novoarkhangelsk'' ("New
Archangel
Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the hierarchy of angels. The word ''archangel'' itself is usually associated with the Abrahamic religions, but beings that are very similar to archangels are found in a number of other relig ...
") under Russian rule. As a captain of several ships, Etholén then sailed from Sitka to
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
,
Sandwich Islands and other areas, and in 1821-1823 he explored and mapped the utmost northwestern edges of the
Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim comprises the lands around the rim of the Pacific Ocean. The ''Pacific Basin'' includes the Pacific Rim and the islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Rim roughly overlaps with the geologic Pacific Ring of Fire.
List of co ...
of
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
, between
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
and the
Bering Strait. In 1824, Etholén skippered the Finnish-built
[''The brig ”Baikal” was built in Helsinki (1847) and the corvette ”Varjag” in Oulu.''](_blank)
Journal by Maria Enckell at Migration Institute. brig ''Baikal'' from
Sitka
russian: Ситка
, native_name_lang = tli
, settlement_type = Consolidated city-borough
, image_skyline = File:Sitka 84 Elev 135.jpg
, image_caption = Downtown Sitka in 1984
, image_size ...
to
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, and the following year the frigate ''Kreiser'' from
Sitka
russian: Ситка
, native_name_lang = tli
, settlement_type = Consolidated city-borough
, image_skyline = File:Sitka 84 Elev 135.jpg
, image_caption = Downtown Sitka in 1984
, image_size ...
to
Kronstadt.
After having been pointed the Chief Manager ("governor") of
Russian America, Etholén skippered the Finnish-built
[''In 1836–1839, the ships ”Nicolai I” and ”Naslednik Aleksandr” were built in Turku for the Russian American Company.''](_blank)
. vessel ''Nikolai I'' ("Nicolai") from
Kronstadt to
Sitka
russian: Ситка
, native_name_lang = tli
, settlement_type = Consolidated city-borough
, image_skyline = File:Sitka 84 Elev 135.jpg
, image_caption = Downtown Sitka in 1984
, image_size ...
in 1939-1940. On the same day with ''Nikolai I'', also the Russian ship ''Konstantin'' arrived in Sitka, under the command of Finnish Johan Joachim von Bartram (who later declined the opportunity to govern the
Russian America from 1850 to 1855).
In 1839,
Sitka Lutheran Church
Sitka Lutheran Church ( fi, Sitkan luterilainen kirkko) is an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sitka, Alaska. Its first building was constructed in 1843 on what is now 224 Lincoln Street and was the first Prote ...
, the first
Protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
congregation on the west coast of the Americas and the first
Lutheran
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...
congregation on the entire
Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim comprises the lands around the rim of the Pacific Ocean. The ''Pacific Basin'' includes the Pacific Rim and the islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Rim roughly overlaps with the geologic Pacific Ring of Fire.
List of co ...
was founded in
Sitka, Alaska
russian: Ситка
, native_name_lang = tli
, settlement_type = Consolidated city-borough
, image_skyline = File:Sitka 84 Elev 135.jpg
, image_caption = Downtown Sitka in 1984
, image_size ...
by
Finns
Finns or Finnish people ( fi, suomalaiset, ) are a Baltic Finnic ethnic group native to Finland.
Finns are traditionally divided into smaller regional groups that span several countries adjacent to Finland, both those who are native to these ...
, and other Lutherans who worked for
Russian-American Company. From the start, in 1840-1865, three consecutive Finnish pastors served this pastorate: ''
Uno Cygnaeus
Uno Cygnaeus (12 October 1810 in Hämeenlinna – 2 January 1888 in Helsinki) was a Finnish clergyman, educator, and chief inspector of the country's school system. He is considered the father of the Finnish public school system. His accomplishme ...
'' (1840-1845), ''Gabriel Plathán'' (1845-1852) and ''Georg Gustaf Winter'' (1852-1865). The Finns ''Aaron Sjöstrom'' and ''Otto Reinhold Rehn'' served as the parish organists/sextons during the same period.
[''Scandinavian Immigration to Russian Alaska, 1800-1867.''](_blank)
Author: Maria Jarlsdotter Enckell.
In 1841, under the governorship of Russian America by Finnish
Arvid Adolf Etholén
Arvid Adolf Etholén, or Adolf Karlovich Etolin (russian: Адольф Карлович Этолин; 9 January 1799, Helsinki – 29 March 1876, Elimäki) was a Imperial Russian Navy, naval officer, explorer and Business administration, adminis ...
(1840-1845) (promoted to rear admiral in 1847), the
Russian-American area of
Fort Ross in
Bodega Bay
Bodega Bay ( es, Bahía Bodega) is a shallow, rocky inlet of the Pacific Ocean on the coast of northern California in the United States. It is approximately across and is located approximately northwest of San Francisco and west of Santa Ros ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, was sold to
Johann Sutter
John Augustus Sutter (February 23, 1803 – June 18, 1880), born Johann August Sutter and known in Spanish as Don Juan Sutter, was a Swiss immigrant of Mexican and American citizenship, known for establishing Sutter's Fort in the area ...
.
On January 24, 1848, the first California gold was discovered on Sutter's land in
Coloma, California, leading to the
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...
, after news of this were spread abroad, mainly by the seamen serving for the Russian-American Company.
In 1850 and 1852,
Johan Hampus Furuhjelm sailed to the
U.S. West Coast. After he became the Chief Manager of
Russian America (1858-1864), he put an end to the hostilities with the natives in Alaska. He also succeeded in abolishing the Alaskan ''Ice Treaty'' with
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
. According to a contract which had been signed,
Russian America had to deliver a certain amount of ice to
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
at a fixed price. A problem was caused by the product melting down on the way to the warmer climates. The ice contract became a very awkward deal for the Finnish-Russian colony. Furuhjelm arranged for a new contract to sell ice to San Francisco: 3'000 tons at $25.00 a ton.
The Finnish Chief Managers of Russian America Etholén and Furuhjelm helped pave way for the American Alaska purchase, and the Finnish Sea Captain
Gustave Niebaum
Gustave Ferdinand Niebaum (born Gustaf Ferdinand Nybom; 31 August 1842 – 5 August 1908) was a Finnish-American sea captain and winemaker.
Niebaum acquired his maritime schooling in Helsinki, Finland. By the end of 1860s, he had become one of th ...
as the Consul of
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
in San Francisco played a critical role in the final striking of the deal that made
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
a part of the
United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
in 1867.
As a legacy of their accomplishment, their names can still today be found on the map in several places on the
U.S. West Coast.
Etolin Island was named after Etholén (a.k.a. Etolin) by the United States in the wake of the
Alaska Purchase of 1867. There is also
Etolin Strait, as well as a cape, a point and a mountain named after Etholén.
[''The Finns in America''](_blank)
Taru Spiegel, Reference Librarian. The Library of Congress.
Kalevala in San Francisco in 1861 - during the U.S. Civil War
During the
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...
and in its aftermath, a substantial Finnish population had settled in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
.
In addition to
Etholén,
Furuhjelm and
Niebaum, a number of Finns had become household names in the social circles of San Francisco by the time when the Finnish corvette ''Kalevala'' anchored in San Francisco on November 14, 1861.
[''The Finnish migration to and from Russian Alaska and the Pacific Siberian Rim 1800–1900''](_blank)
M. J. Enckell. Article published in 'Siirtolaisuus - Migration', 4/2002. Pages 16-22. Turku, 2002. Accordingly, Kalevala's visit in the city received a very warm welcome and created much attention. Kalevala stayed in San Francisco over the Christmas holidays. On Christmas Day, the City of San Francisco presented the officers of Kalevala a
Flag of the United States of America
The national flag of the United States of America, often referred to as the ''American flag'' or the ''U.S. flag'', consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the c ...
as a present.
[San Francisco History – Events of 1861](_blank)
The day after Boxing Day, a festive dinner party was arranged in honor of the officers of Kalevala at the concert hall of the newly opened Platt's Hall, located at the northeastern corner of Bush and Montgomery Streets.
[Platt's Hall at the northeastern corner of Bush and Montgomery Streets](_blank)
The Bancroft Library. University of California, Berkeley.
The website of the California State Military Museum provides the following quote, which describes the event:
:''"A military and civic subscription ball was given at Platt's Hall, on the evening of Friday, December 27, 1861, complimentary to the officers of the Russian steam corvette Calevala, by the citizens of San Francisco, as a token of the public appreciation of the friendly spirit manifested by the Emperor of all the Russia toward our federal government. All arrangements for this ball were confided to the members of the "City Guard" by a committee of the most prominent people. Lieutenant Wm. C. Little was the floor manager, assisted by four non-commissioned officers of the company. Captain Clark, chairman of the reception committee, was assisted by all the other members of the company, every one being in the full fancy uniform of the corps. The "press", in describing the affair, spoke thus of the "City Guard": "One of the most spirited and efficient of our local uniform militia companies, whose proverbial good taste was fully sustained in the admirable manner in which the ball was conducted."''
Kalevala in San Francisco in 1863-1864 - during the U.S. Civil War
A festive dinner party arranged in honor of Admiral Popoff and the naval officers of the Russian Pacific Fleet visiting San Francisco in 1863.
In 1863, a six-vessel Russian Imperial Navy squadron, a part of the
Russian Pacific Fleet, sailed via
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( rus, Владивосто́к, a=Владивосток.ogg, p=vɫədʲɪvɐˈstok) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai, Russia. The city is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea ...
to the West Coast of the United States, to help defend the waters there against a possible attack by the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
or
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
(April 12, 1861 – May 10, 1865).
[1863-1864 Russian Fleet Expedition to North America](_blank)
In addition to the Finnish-built corvette ''Kalevala'' now returning to the
U.S. West Coast, this squadron included three other corvettes, ''Bogatyr'', ''Rynda'' and ''Novik'' (Russian: "Новик"), and two Finnish-built clippers, the sister-ships ''Abrek'' (Russian: "Абрек") and ''Vsadnik'' (Russian: "Всадник"), both built in the southwestern Finnish town of
Pori
)
, website www.pori.fi
Pori (; sv, Björneborg ) is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäki River, west of Tampere, north of Turku and north-w ...
and launched in 1860. Finnish officers serving in the squadron included ''Theodor Kristian Avellan'', who later became the Minister of Naval Affairs of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
(similar role to Great Britain's
First Lord of the Admiralty). Among Finnish officers participating in the expedition were also Mr. ''Enqvist'' and Mr. ''Etholén'' (not Governor
Etholén of
Russian America).
Commanded by Rear Admiral
A. A. Popov, the six vessels anchored in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
starting on October 12, 1863.
[San Francisco History – Events of 1863](_blank)
/ref> While the Russian fleet was visiting San Francisco, a large fire burst out in the city, destroying fully a block of buildings between California and Sacramento Streets in downtown San Francisco, in the area today referred to as the Financial District. The fire caused damages worth c. $300'000. 400 sailors of the Russian fleet participated in the firefight, together with the local firefighters.
/ref> When the firefight was over, lives of six of the sailors had been lost. The San Francisco Fire Department came out of the fight without any casualties. The residents of San Francisco decorated with gold medals the sailors who had been wounded. Special thanks was given e.g. to Lieutenant Etholén (not same as Governor Etholén).
On October 17, 1863, a dinner reception was organized in honor of the 35 officers of the Russian fleet. The San Francisco residents willing to attend the event were charged a $100 attendance fee, which at the time was considered highly expensive. Still 50 years after the event, the local San Francisco newspaper ''The San Francisco Chronicle'' marveled the fabulous service of the reception. The squadron departed San Francisco in August, 1864. It returned to Kronstadt at the Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain.
The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...
in 1865. ''Kalevala'' was removed from active service and from the Russian Navy Registry in 1872.
Russian Baltic Fleet in the U.S. East Coast in 1863-1864 - during the U.S. Civil War
Another Russian six-vessel squadron, a part of the Russian Baltic Fleet, arrived in the U.S. East Coast
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Eastern United States meets the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The eastern seaboard ...
only days before the Pacific Fleet anchored at the U.S. West Coast. The Baltic Fleet arrived in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
starting on September 24, 1863. The squadron was commanded by Rear Admiral Stepan Lesovski. The occasion gave the Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
a much needed lift from the very somber mood caused by the Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
defeat in the great Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 19–20, 1863, between United States, U.S. and Confederate States of America, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a Union Army, Union offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign ...
, fought in September 19–20, 1863, only four days before the arrival of the Russian fleet. The Russian Baltic Fleet stayed in the American waters for seven months, paying side visits to Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
and Washington D.C.
The two Russian navy expeditions to North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
during the U.S. Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, one to the West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to:
Geography Australia
* Western Australia
*Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia
* West Coast, Tasmania
**West Coast Range, mountain range in the region
Canada
* Britis ...
and another to the East Coast
East Coast may refer to:
Entertainment
* East Coast hip hop, a subgenre of hip hop
* East Coast (ASAP Ferg song), "East Coast" (ASAP Ferg song), 2017
* East Coast (Saves the Day song), "East Coast" (Saves the Day song), 2004
* East Coast FM, a ra ...
, and the ''Kalevala'' expedition in 1861-1862 were the only concrete foreign military support received by President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...
and the Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
during the course of the entire war, fought in 1861-1865. As the navy of the Union was a one ocean navy, concentrated in the Atlantic waters, the help of the Russian Imperial Navy was of critical importance to the Union forces
Union commonly refers to:
* Trade union, an organization of workers
* Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets
Union may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
* Union (band), an American rock group
** ''Un ...
, which had no war ships to defend the U.S. West Coast during the time when there was a great fear of the Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
naval vessels attacking San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
. ''The only concrete foreign military support received by the Union Army during the course of the U.S. Civil War.''
A lecture by Webster Griffin Tarpley
Webster Griffin Tarpley (born September 1946) is an American author, political activist, and conspiracy theorist. A one-time follower of Lyndon LaRouche, Tarpley is known for his role in the 9/11 truth movement, believing 9/11 was a false flag op ...
on the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Russian Baltic Fleet in New York City and San Francisco in the fall of 1863. C-SPAN3 - published on October 30, 2013.
External links
''When San Franciscans paid $100 Each for Ball Tickets''
San Francisco Chronicle. April 18, 1914. Page 1.
Sitka Lutheran Church - Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
''The Finnish migration to and from Russian Alaska and the Pacific Siberian Rim 1800–1900''
M. J. Enckell. Article published in 'Siirtolaisuus - Migration', 4/2002. Pages 16–22. Turku, 2002.
''The only foreign military assistance received during the course of the U.S. Civil War''
- a lecture by Webster Griffin Tarpley
Webster Griffin Tarpley (born September 1946) is an American author, political activist, and conspiracy theorist. A one-time follower of Lyndon LaRouche, Tarpley is known for his role in the 9/11 truth movement, believing 9/11 was a false flag op ...
on the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Russian Baltic Fleet in New York City and San Francisco in the fall of 1863. C-SPAN3 - published on October 30, 2013.
Bibliography
* Baedeker, Karl: ''Russland nebst Teheran, Port Arthur, Peking. In Handbuch Für Reisende''. (Leipzig: Karl Baedeker, 1912).
* Benjamin F. Gilbert: ''Welcome To The Czar's Fleet, An Incident of Civil War Days in San Francisco''. The California History magazine, 1948, No. 26. Pages 13–19. San Francisco: The California Historical Society.
* Dorch, Elisabeth, and Dorch, John: ''Index to Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths in the Archives of the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in Alaska, 1816-1866''. (Washington D.C.: Library of Congress Manuscript Division, 1964).
* Enckell, Maria Jarlsdotter: ''Documenting the Legacy of the Alaska Finns: from the Russian Period''. (S.l.: Finnish- American Historical Society of the West, 1996).
* Gibson, James R.: ''Imperial Russia in Frontier Alaska: the Changing Geography of Supply and Demand''. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1976).
* Gordon Roadarmel (compiled by): ''Some Dates of 1861''. The California History magazine, 1960, No. 39, pages 289–308. San Francisco: The California Historical Society.
* Golovin, Pavel N.: ''The End of Russian Alaska, Captain P. N. Golovin’s Last Report, 1862.'' (Portland: Oregon Historical Society, 1979).
* Grand, Johannes G.: ''Sex År i Sibirien''. (Helsingfors: Welin & Göös, 1893).
* Grand, Johannes G.: ''Siperian Suomalaiset Siirtolaiset'' ("Finnish Immigrants of Siberia"). FENNIA: Bulletin de la So & de Geographie de Finland no. 22 (1904-1905).
* Ilmonen, Salomon, Samuli: ''Amerikan Suomalaisten Historia - Vol. 1'' ("The History of the Finnish-Americans - Vol. 1"). Publisher: Suomalais-luterilaisten kustannusiiikkeen Kirjapainos. 1919. Hancock, Michigan.
* Khisamutdinov, Amir A.: ''The Russian Far East: Historical Essays''. University of Hawaii. 1993. Honolulu.
* Lamb, Harold: ''The City and the Tsar: Peter the Great and the Move to the West, 1648-1762.'' (Garden City: Double Day, 1957).
* Lauridsen, Peter: ''Vitus Bering: the Discoverer of the Bering Strait''. (Freeport, New York: Books for Libraries Press, 1969).
* Pierce, Richard A.: ''Alaska Shipping 1867-1878: Arrivals and Departures at the Port of Sitka.'' (Kingston, Ontario: Limestone Press, 1972).
* Pierce, Richard A.: ''Russian-Alaska: a Biographical Dictionary.'' (Kingston, Ontario: Limestone Press, 1990).
* Pikoff, E.: ''Landsmän i Ryska Marinen, 1808-1918 - Vol. 14''. (Helsinfors: Genealogiska Samfundet i Finland, 1938).
* Stenius, Carl Evert: ''Handbok för Sjöfarande: Sammanfattade Efter Nyaste In- Och Utrikes Källor''. Bo: Frenckeliska Boktryckerier, 1872.
References
{{reflist
Finnish-American culture in California
Ships built in Turku
Ships built in the Russian Empire
Ships of Finland
Naval ships of Finland
Corvettes of Finland
Corvettes of Russia
Victorian-era corvettes
Victorian-era ships
19th-century naval ships
Naval ships of Russia
Ships of the Imperial Russian Navy
1858 ships