Russian america

By September 29, all cruisers of Rear Admiral Lesovsky's squadron had arrived in New York.
On October 1, 1863, Rear Admiral A. A. Popov arrived in San Francisco.
The arrival of the Russian ships proved timely.
By early summer, a British squadron of five ships, including two frigates, had appeared in the Canadian port of Esquemault. The British openly demonstrated their readiness to support the Confederates (the Southerners).
Russian squadron off San Francisco
In the Pacific theater, the Northerners lacked any significant naval forces at all—their only ironclad, the monitor Camanche, was not yet assembled, as the sailing ship Aquilla, which was carrying it (in pieces), had sunk in San Francisco Harbor, and the parts had to be recovered from the seabed. The Southerners, however, were active, and although they had no bases in the Pacific, there was nevertheless a threat of their raiders attacking California ports.
In view of the threat of attack by the Southern frigates Alabama and Sumter on San Francisco, Rear Admiral Popov issued an order containing, among other things, the following:
If any privateer equipped by the rebellious states appears in port, the senior commander present will signal the other vessels to "prepare for battle and raise steam." If the privateer that has entered the port directly begins hostile actions, the senior commander must immediately signal the other vessels to "weigh anchor if able" and attack the disturber of the peace.
The presence of Russian warships deterred the Southern fleet from taking any action in their presence. Over nine months, ships of the Russian squadrons visited numerous American ports, cruised the waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and called at Cuba and Honduras, Jamaica and Bermuda, Honolulu and Sitka.
Public opinion in the northern states welcomed the presence of Russian warships in their ports.
Immediately after S.S. Lesovsky's arrival in New York, the Russian sailors were showered with special attention by Secretary of State W. Seward and Secretary of the Navy H. Welles. The Russian ships were visited not only by cabinet members, but also by leaders of the US Congress, senators, members of the House of Representatives, and their families (more than 500 people).
American newspaper headlines of the period proclaimed: "The New Alliance is Sealed." "Russia and the United States are fraternizing," "The Russian cross intertwines its folds with the stars and stripes," "An enthusiastic popular demonstration," "A grand parade on Fifth Street."
On the other hand, the London Times on October 2, 1863, wrote about the attitude of New Yorkers to the arriving Russian squadron:
The municipality and the upper bourgeoisie have decided to shower the Russian officers with various honors... But the French and English sailors are not visible at all on the shore, although up to 5,000 of them are in the cramped space of this naval anchorage... do not wish to play a secondary role in the festivities, where the Russians are the lions, and the sailors are not allowed because the Americans are luring them into their service.[3]
Reporting on the celebrations in Washington in honor of Russian sailors, W. Seward wrote that “President Lincoln… sincerely wished that the reception in the capital could reflect the cordiality and friendliness that our country feels toward Russia.”