Thomas F. Harney

[Eva Elisabeth]

Hope you will not forget him as he was born in my hometown Kiel (and assassinated due to a plot by his wife): http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_III_of_Russia
I think the Russians did basically side with the Union and sought an alliance with her, and demonstrating this was a nice, welcome side effect of the action, but not the reason. I think Russia would never have intervened nor "invested" any efforts in any kind of active support as I believe by the time of the Union victories at Antietam, Vicksburg and Gettysburg, British and French interest in invention was zero. At that time neither of the belligerents was worth taking any risk or costs regarding the explosive situation at home (in Europe).

In October 1862, the Russian vice chancellor, Prince Gorchakow, had assured the US chargé d'affaires, Bayard Taylor, in writing, that Russia would not participate in any form of European intervention in the American conflict. ("Proposals will be made to Russia to join in some plan of interference. She will refuse any invitation of the kind.")