December 26, 1861 Thursday
After another Cabinet meeting it was finally agreed that the seizure of Mason and Slidell while en route to Britain and France was illegal and that they would be released by the United States. The message was sent to Lord Lyons, British minister in Washington, and the crisis was ended. The U.S. government had swallowed its pride and concluded that the Confederate commissioners were a greater danger in their hands than if they were abroad. With the surrender of Mason and Slidell to the British went another hope of the Confederacy that their struggling nation would be recognized by major foreign powers.
Martial law was proclaimed in St Louis and in and about all railroads operating in Missouri. There was an engagement at Chustenahlah, Indian Territory, scene of recent operations by Confederate Indians and Texans against pro-Union Creek Indians under Opothleyahola (
http://www.wbtsinindianterritory.com.is ... stom4.html and
http://www.wbtsinindianterritory.com.is ... stom4.html ). Brig Gen Philip St. George Cocke, CSA, commits suicide at his home, "Belmead," in Powhatan County, Virginia, after having his health deteriorate for eight months in the field (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_St._George_Cocke ). Over 150 horses died in a fire in the government stables near the Washington Observatory. Confederate Fleet, including C.S.S. Savannah, under Commodore Tattnall, Resolute, Sampson, Ida, and Barton, attacked Union blockading ships at mouth of Savannah River. Before returning to his anchorage under the guns of Fort Pulaski, Tattnall forced the blockaders to move seaward temporarily. U.S.S. Rhode Island, commanded by Lieutenant Trenchard, captured Confederate schooner Venus southeast of Sabine Pass, off the Louisiana coast. President Lincoln directs Chief of Ordnance to order 10,000 Spencer repeating rifles.