The Trent Affair Research Paper

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The Trent Affair was a problem of international affairs in which the U.S. Navy captured two confederate diplomats who were traveling on a British ship. The British government protested because of this and the people were released because the northerners didn't want to involve Britain in the civil war and didn't want to fight with them. The Trent Affair took place from November to December of the year 1861. When the crisis erupted the captain of the USS San Jacinto was ordering the arrest of two confederate envoys sailing to Europe aboard a British mail ship without the British’s knowledge. The name of the ship they were aboard was called the Trent. The reason behind the Confederate generals boarding the British ship is to seek for support for the south in the Civil War that Began …show more content…

Navy was violating international law. When the Trent Affair ended President Abraham Lincoln’s administration released the envoys and averted an armed conflict with Britain. On the eighth of November, 1861, Confederate diplomatic envoys James Madison (1798-1871) of Virginia and John Slidell (1793-1871) of Louisiana were aboard the Trent, a British mail steamer, sailing through the Bahama Channel (between the Bahamas and Cuba), when the vessel was intercepted by the USS San Jacinto, captained by Charles Wilkes (1798-1877). Mason and Slidell and their secretaries, who were headed to England and France for recognition of the Confederacy. The politicians were arrested, transported to Boston and thrown into prison at Fort Warren. The Trent was allowed to continue its journey after the men were taken into custody. In America, Northerners Praised Captain Wilkes for actions. However, the British were furious when they heard that the Trent was intercepted. The word of interception reached London in late November. The British had not taken sides in the Civil War and they took payment from anyone willing to pay to travel aboard their

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