210 THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR 



seemed near at hand, the Confederate Govern 

 ment designated a minister for Great Britain 

 and one for France, and despatched the two to 

 their posts. Before they reached their destina 

 tions they contributed much to the cause they 

 represented, but involuntarily and in a manner 

 that was in no wise contemplated in their in 

 structions. After their destinations were reached, 

 their contributions to the cause of the Confed 

 eracy were negligible. 



On November 8, 1861, the two ministers, 

 Mason and Slidell, were forcibly taken from the 

 British mail-steamer Trent by Captain Wilkes, 

 of the United States man-of-war San Jacinto. 

 The captives were taken to the United States 

 and by order of the government put in con 

 finement as prisoners of war. Wilkes s action 

 was entirely of his own initiative. Though it 

 was a matter of general knowledge that the two 

 ministers were on their way to Europe, and 

 though there was a passionate desire in the 

 North to prevent them from getting there, no 

 orders for their capture had been issued. The 

 news of their seizure was the signal for a rap 

 turous outburst of rejoicing in the North. 

 Wilkes was officially thanked by the Secretary 

 of the Navy and by the House of Represent- 



