November 2011

WASHINGTON, DC—Lord Lyons, the British ambassador in Washington, receives a letter from British Foreign Secretary Lord Russell stating that the seizure of James Mason and John Slidell constitutes an act of war and the British demand both their release and an immediate apology.

SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND-RMS Trent returns to England, informing the British government of the detention of Confederate diplomats James Mason and John Slidell. The British mobilize 8,000 troops for the possibility of war with the United States.

TYBEE ISLAND, GA-USS Flag and USS August capture Tybee Island in Savannah Harbor, helping to secure the Union blockade of Savannah.

BOSTON-Captain Charles Wilkes of the USS San Jacinto delivers the two Confederate diplomats seized from the RMS Trent to Fort Warren.

RICHMOND, VA-Confederate President Jefferson Davis names Judah P. Benjamin as his Secretary of War.

HATTERAS, NC-A makeshift North Carolina assembly condemns the state’s secession and establishes a second state government.

RICHMOND, VA-Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory requests private bids to build four ironclad gunships for the Confederate Navy.

BEAUFORT, SC-General Thomas Sherman’s Union force bloodlessly captures Beaufort, halting Confederate maritime traffic between Charleston and Savannah.

BAHAMA CHANNEL, ATLANTIC OCEAN-USS San Jacinto intercepts the RMS Trent and detains two Confederate diplomats, James Mason and John Slidell, heading to Europe to seek European recognition of the Confederacy.