Charles Wilkes 150 years ago came perilously close to losing the
Civil War for the Union. Wilkes had achieved fame in 1838-1842
in command of the US Navy’s Surveying and Exploration Expedition
in the Pacific. He and his crew explored much unknown land in
the Pacific and Wilkes is credited as the first man to establish
that Antarctica was a separate continent. On November 8 he was
in command of the USS San Jacinto when he stopped the British
steam mail ship Trent and took off James Mason and John
Sliddell, Confederate diplomats on their way to France. Wilkes
was hailed as a hero in the North, receiving the thanks of
Congress, while the British were outraged at what they regarded
as piracy. War seemed likely between the Union and Great
Britain. The British government despatched troops to Canada, and
prepared an ultimatum to the Lincoln administration, demanding
the release of Mason and Sliddell. A dying Prince Albert, Queen
Victoria’s husband, acted to prevent war by toning down the
ultimatum. Lincoln decided t