In November 1861, the USS San Jacinto, under the command of Captain Charles Wilkes, spotted the British mail ship Trent on its way to England. The Trent was carrying two Confederate emissaries, James Mason and John Slidell, who were on a mission to seek recognition and support for the Confederacy from European powers. Wilkes believed that the capture of these men would be a strategic blow to the Confederacy and potentially bring European nations into the Civil War on the side of the Union. He ordered the Trent to be stopped and boarded, and ultimately, Mason and Slidell were detained and taken aboard the San Jacinto. This action was quickly met with outrage from the British government, which considered it a violation of international law and a breach of their neutrality.The incident intensified already strained relations between the United States and Britain, as many British subjects viewed the act as high-handed and offensive. British authorities demanded the release of Mason and Slidell, along with a formal apology from the American government. The Union Government, particularly Secretary of State William H. Seward, faced pressure to navigate the crisis delicately to avoid a potential war with Britain while still affirming the legitimacy of Wilkes's actions. After a period of intense diplomatic negotiations, the U.S. government agreed to free Mason and Slidell, which helped to de-escalate tensions between the two nations and demonstrated the fragility of international politics amidst the ongoing American Civil War.