The diplomacy of the American Civil War involved the relations of the United States and the Confederate States of America with the major world powers during the American Civil War of 1861–1865. The Un
William Lowndes Yancey
James Murray Mason
John Slidell
Lord Palmerston, pictured in 1863, was British prime minister throughout the war.
William H. Seward
Videos
William Henry Seward was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869 and earlier served as governor of New York and as a United States senator. A determined
Diplomacy of the American Civil War
…For decades historians have debated who played the most important roles in shaping Union diplomacy. During the early 20th century, Secretary of State William H. Seward was seen as an Anglophobe who dominated a weak president. Lincoln's reputation was restored by Jay Monaghan who, in 1945, emphasized Lincoln's quiet…
Seward in 1859
Daguerreotype of Seward c. 1848
Daguerreotype of Seward c. 1852
Photograph of Seward by Julian Vannerson, 1859