Category Archives: Foreign Relations

dragon visit

In 1861 President Abraham Lincoln appointed Anson Burlingame as minister to the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China from 1644 to 1912. “Burlingame worked for a cooperative policy rather than the imperialistic policies of force which had been used during the … Continue reading

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no relief

Secretary of State William H. Seward was not going to let the British distribute aid to rebels in Union prison camps. From the Richmond Daily Dispatch December 12, 1864: The British Relief Fund for Confederate prisoners — Seward Refuses to … Continue reading

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railroaded in Ireland?

A Southern editorial that found the British hands-off policy regarding Union recruiting efforts in Ireland not exactly neutral: From the Richmond Daily Dispatch November 23, 1863: Yankee recruiting in Ireland. From the intercepted letter of Mr. De Leon, which the … Continue reading

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sans ticker tape

Ships from the Russian fleet had been anchored in New York harbor for over a week (and although the ships enjoyed visitors, a “furore” was created when Mrs. Lincoln prematurely visited one of the ships). 150 years ago today a … Continue reading

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Like Eating Fish on Friday?

150 years ago this week the Dispatch reported on an editorial in The Times of London that compared slavery with some practices of Roman Catholicism – the Bible might frown on some of the activities of each but does not … Continue reading

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“sublime Christian heroism”

150 years ago this week (January 19, 1863) President Lincoln responded to the working-men of Manchester, England, who had written him on New Year’s Eve to commend him for his Emancipation Proclamation and to encourage him to continue the work … Continue reading

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Just us and the Yankees

Richmond Rhetoric: don’t have false confidence in foreign intervention Recently The Civil War 150th Blog posted that in October 1862 France’s Napoleon III proposed that European powers intervene in the Civil War with diplomacy – getting both North and South … Continue reading

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Intervene for “Southern Freedom”

And to end Europe’s cotton famine A couple posts ago a member of the 50th New York Engineers worried about foreign intervention in America’s Civil War. He urged men to volunteer right away so the rebellion could be put down … Continue reading

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Ghent Aid

Fundraising Concerts for Beleaguered Textile Workers Like the Lancashire Cotton Famine the American Civil War was disrupting cotton-based business in Belgium. From the Richmond Daily Dispatch May 19, 1862: Destitution of the Artisans of Belgium –The Belgian Minister of War … Continue reading

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Shanghaied at the Falls?

A Canadian newspaper is concerned about reports that 1) a Union officer crossed into Canada to try to force a deserter back to the U.S. and that 2) a couple Canadian/British soldiers went to the U.S. side of the river, … Continue reading

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