Great Britain and Our Civil War!

The history of the Civil War is one that most Americans can pretty much get in a basic sketch. The South had multiple reasons for secession and formation of the Confederacy, most notable among them being the lifestyle and the income afforded by that "peculiar institution" of slavery. The North, wanting to do away with slavery but more importantly to preserve the Union of the States intact, took up arms and the War began. Most Americans also know that the war had a few twists and turns, a few close calls and very frightening "as ifs." Somewhere in the middle, the tide finally turned towards the favor of the North, Jefferson Davis' Confederacy was defeated and the rest is history. But there was a third party involved in the American Civil War: The British. The English government, still sore over losing the United States as a colony less than 100 years ago remained interested in regaining whatever influence and revenue possible for them. So, when the Confederate government approached them asking for naval, economic and materiale assistance against the North, it was a hard time for the spies and diplomats of the North to dissuade the British from entering the war on the side of the slave-holders. We came very close to that eventuality. It was only Lincoln's skilled diplomacy and some very lucky wins for the Union that kept us from being a slave nation to this day. Interesting fact, huh?