Brits in the Civil War

[Thomas Thorne]

Everyone should read the Foreman book.

I believe the only serious threat of British intervention was over the Trent affair in 1861 which impacted a vital British interest, the safety of their merchant marine. The role reversal of Britain and the US in the Civil War from the War of 1812 over maritime neutral rights is fascinating.

I agree with Allan Nevins who argued that despite all the noise made by Lord Palmerston and William Gladstone about intervention in late 1862, no British government would have seriously contemplated war, in the absence of a vital British interest,with a powerful United States which might have done England dreadful injury. Intervention against a prostrate US, when it was no longer necessary, to solidify a successful Confederate gain of independence, would have been both superfluous and risk free.
Tom