Edouard Henri Mercier (1816 – 1886) was the French ambassador to the United States from July 1860 through December 1863 during the American

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

(1861–1865). See footnote #269. He is most noted for playing a key diplomatic role in the ''Trent'' Affair. Mercier was born in Baltimore, the son of a French diplomat stationed in America. During the Civil War, he was generally thought of as leaning pro-South, visiting

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

in 1862, and proposing a common market between the southern states and France. However, after the

Emancipation Proclamation The Emancipation Proclamation, officially Proclamation 95, was a presidential proclamation and executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the Civil War. The Proclamation changed the legal sta ...

and subsequent change in favor towards the Federals among the French and British public, he brought an offer from

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...

to mediate an end the war in 1863. This was angrily rejected by Secretary of State

William H. Seward William Henry Seward (May 16, 1801 – October 10, 1872) 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 Senate, United States Senat ...

. Seeing little headway being made he asked to be reassigned to Spanish relations in 1863. A full biography of Mercier was written by Daniel B. Carroll in 1971 titled ''Henri Mercier and the American Civil War''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercier, Henri French diplomats 1816 births 1886 deaths People from Baltimore Ambassadors of France to Spain Ambassadors of France to the United States Ambassadors of France to Sweden