red
vessels and transports, that the garrisons were easily driven out of the
forts, after which the land forces took possession of them. The islands
between Charleston and Savannah were seized, and in September a Union
fleet took possession of Ship Island, not far from the mouth of the
Mississippi, with a view of aiding an expedition against New Orleans.

THE TRENT AFFAIR.

It was all important for the Confederacy to secure recognition from
England and France. The Confederate government thought they could be
induced to act, if the proper arguments were laid before the respective
governments. Accordingly, James M. Mason, of Virginia, and John Slidell,
of Louisiana, both of whom had been United States senators, were
appointed commissioners, the former to England and the latter to France.

They succeeded in running the blockade to Havana, where they took
passage on the British steamer _Trent_ for England. Captain Charles
Wilkes, of the steamer _San Jacinto_, knew of their intended sailing and
was on the lookout for them. Before they were fairly on their way,
Captain Wilkes stopped the _Trent_, and, despite the protests of the
captain and the rebel commissioners, he forcibly took them off and
carried them to the United States.

In acting thus Captain Wilkes did the very thing that caused the war
with England in 1812. It was our opposition to the search of American
vessels by British cruisers that caused that war, while England was as
persistent in her claim to the right to make such search. The positions
were now reversed, and England expressed indignation, and demanded the
return of the commissioners and a disavowal of the act of Captain
Wilkes. The position of our government was untenable, and Secretary
Seward gracefully confessed it, and surrendered the prisoners, neither
of whom was able afterward to be of the slightest benefit to the
Confederacy.

SUMMARY OF THE YEAR'S OPERATIONS.

The close of 1861 was to the advantage of the Confederates. The two real
battles of the war--Bull Run and Wilson's Creek--had been won by them.
In the lesser engagements, with the exception of West Virginia, they had
also been successful. This was due to the fact that the people of the
North and West had been so long at peace that they needed time in which
to learn war. In the South the men were more accustomed to the handling
of firearms and horseback riding. Moreover, they were on the defensive,
and fighting, as may be said, on