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HISTORICAL FICTION | VICTORIAN | CIVIL WAR | ADVENTURE

Lady Jacqueline’s War — Part 11

The pawns prepare for war

In the Brazilian jungle, Lady Jacqueline seeks justice for the murder of British citizens. Confederate diplomats John Slidell and James Mason race to Nassau with the hope of finding transportation to England.

This is the story of how the North nearly lost the Civil War. Read this standalone adventure or catch up on the story here:

[embed]List: Lady Jacqueline's War | Curated by S M Revolinski | Medium Lady Jacqueline's War · Lady Jacqueline Bennett's secret missions have brought her under the cannon fire of an enemy…medium.com

South Carolina, 1861

In Charleston, on the 11th of October, the Confederate diplomat James Mason completed the negotiation for their use of the Gordon to escape the blockade.

The Gordon was renamed the Theodora, and the tiny ship’s cargo hold was packed with coal. The ship departed with her passengers from Charleston at 1 a.m. on October 12th.

“These rain squalls are a blessing from God,” the ship’s captain said, as the Theodora crept along the shallow water channels. “We passed within a mile and a half of one blockade ship without being observed.”

“Here we are,” Mason began his daily journal entry as the sun rose, “on the deep blue sea; clear of all the Yankees. We ran the blockade in splendid style.”

Brazil, 1861

On October 13th, a large number of the British residents accompanied Jacqueline, Livingston and Commander Williams as they attended the funeral for the unidentified men. They were buried in the city’s Protestant cemetery. Jacqueline’s generous donation to the church prompted a respectful and officious ceremony. Additionally, she supplied Mr. Vereker with a purse and the command, “Continue your investigations and search for the criminals and the other bodies. Report your findings directly to Lord Russell.”

On the following morning, October 14th, Jacqueline received a reply to the letter she had sent to Dom Pedro.

“Livingston, we need to pack everything up. We are moving. Tell Commander Williams,” Jacqueline told her lady’s maid.

“Why? Where are we going?”

“To the Palace, His Highness Dom Pedro has invited us to spend our remaining days in Brazil within the luxury of his palace.”

Livingston sighed, and began packing her mistress’s traveling trunks.

That evening Jacqueline dined alone with the Brazilian Emperor on his favorite balcony, overlooking the breathtaking ocean view. For this occasion, she chose a more weather appropriate gown. However, the ocean breeze created chill in the air and she was glad to have the man’s warmth beside her.

“Mm,” Jacqueline mused, “it is even more beautiful in the daylight.”

“Yes, as are you.” Pedro spoke each word distinctly.

“Dom Pedro, where are your wife and daughters?”

“Summer is approaching and they have moved to our house in the mountains. They are much more comfortable there during the hot season. While I must remain in the city to oversee the governing of my people.”

“Hmm, as for my promise to report, what I concluded from the Prince of Wales, it is much as we had suspected.” Jacqueline told him the sequence of events for the previous two weeks. “Clearly, the Delegate of Police, Señor Faustino’s, assertion of innocence is completely untenable. I have no doubt he knows the burial site of the remaining six victims, and he most likely knows the identity of the villains. The residents must be made to understand that crimes of this nature will not be allowed to pass undetected and unpunished. They will thusly treat with greater respect those who suffer a similar misfortune of being driven upon their shores,” she concluded.

“Lady Cumberland — ”

“Please — Jackie, if you like.” She sipped the after dinner brandy.

“Ah, Jackie, trust I will send an additional force to find the criminals, and the remaining bodies. They will be buried as you have specified, with full Christian respect.

“And I will report to my Queen that there is no intent of your government to murder and defraud Her subjects. Brazil remains a most friendly nation for British commerce and Her citizens will remain safe. There will be no warships appearing on your horizon.” Jacqueline gestured to the ocean as he had done two weeks earlier.

“Now,” he took her hand in his, “let us speak of your personal debt to me. You are planning on allowing me, and my city, to entertain you until your ship… the Trent returns?”

“Indeed,” Jacqueline grinned, anticipating the luxury of sleeping in his bed.

Nassau, Bahamas, 1861

The Theodora, with Messrs. Mason and Slidell, arrived in Nassau at 4 p.m. on the 14th, anticipating a short wait for the British mail ship. Unfortunately, they learned the sad news.

“I’m sorry, you missed the British mail ship, she won’t be back for a month,” the pilot of the harbor boat told them.

“Our plan has failed again. God simply doesn’t want us to cross the Atlantic,” Mason said in disgust.

“How can we get to St. Thomas?” Slidell asked of the harbor pilot. St. Thomas in the Danish West Indies was the last coal stop for ships traveling east, across the Atlantic to Europe. However, the Theodora was too small to carry enough coal to steam all the way to St. Thomas on its own.

“There should be a British mail ship in Havana now,” the port pilot responded. “This ship could take you to St. Thomas.”

“Havana? I don’t think we can make it that far either,” the Theodora’s captain responded. “Had we set out for Havana directly from Charleston, we could have made it. But, now half of our coal has been burned. However, the coast of Cuba is only a couple of hundred miles away. If we make landfall on the Cuban coast, then you can get to Havana overland.”

“Yes, we can do that. If we hurry, we can catch the British ship in Havana. Let’s get on with it,” Mason said, determined to complete his mission. The Theodora abandoned its attempt to dock in Nassau and turned southwest towards Cuba.

New York City, 1861

Late in the evening of October 15th, Commander John Marchand was standing on the leeward deck of the USS James Adger smoking his final cigar of the day. The ship was lying at anchor in New York Harbor. Having completed the refit of his ship as a warship, John awaited his sailing orders.

A young seaman appeared at his elbow. “Longboat approaching on the port side,” the young recruit said.

John crossed the deck as Commander Parrot, the captain of the USS Augusta, saluted the flag and boarded the James Adger.

Taking John aside, Commander Parrot said, “I have word from Flag Officer Du Pont. He has just received a telegram from the Navy Department. The Confederate steamer Nashville has run out of Charleston, bypassing the blockade, at midnight on October 12th. The ship carries the Confederate commissioners to England and France, James Mason and John Slidell. The Navy Department requests that Du Pont send a fast steamer to intercept and capture the Nashville.

“The Flag Officer first selected the USS Curlew, but she cannot carry sufficient fuel to cross the Atlantic, and many of her officers are ashore. Flag Officer Du Pont wishes to know the readiness of your ship.”

John should have been happy with the suggested offer. This would be the first naval aggression on the part of the Union; thus, an honor for himself and his ship. However, he frowned with swelling anxiety. He had always been consumed with a sense of unworthiness. This affliction occasionally drove him to go without food or sleep as he pursued his duties.

“My first lieutenant and paymaster are ashore, but their absence will not prevent the James Adger from leaving immediately upon receipt of proper orders,” John answered.

John gave orders for the boilers to be lit to raise steam for an immediate departure, and then joined Commander Parrot in the longboat. An hour and a half later, the two officers arrived at Astor House, the headquarters of Flag Officer Du Pont. The fleet commander met them at the door and made the same inquiry of John Marchand.

“My first lieutenant and paymaster are ashore, but their absence will not prevent the James Adger from leaving immediately upon receipt of proper orders,” John repeated.

Du Pont said, “Haste is of great importance. The Nashville has been reported to be a fast ship and she has several days head start on us. However, New York is nearly a thousand miles closer to England.”

“In anticipation, I’ve given orders for the ship to raise steam. We can be underway within two hours.”

“Wait here, while I prepare your orders.”

John passed the time writing a letter to his wife. At 1:30 in the morning of the 16th, Du Pont returned and handed John the sailing orders. After quickly reading them, he and Commander Parrot made haste for the port. Several minutes were lost as they obtained the necessary charts and searched for a physical description of the Nashville. Unable to find the later, John returned to the James Adger. He heard the rattle of the chains as the crew weighed anchor before John’s boots were even on the deck. Also on board were the two missing officers. The ship steamed from the harbor, but was hampered by fog between Staten Island and Sandy Hook. Fortunately, the fog thinned before they were forced to drop anchor. At 4:30 a.m. the James Adger passed the Light Ship and shaped course for the English Channel.

John shared his orders with his officers, Lieutenant Foster, Paymaster Greenaway, and Chief Engineer Douglas; these being the only members of the crew informed as to the ship’s objective:

Letter: Du Pont to Marchland, October 15, 1861

Sir, I have received a telegraphic dispatch from the Honorable Secretary of the Navy giving a report that the Steamer Nashville has run the blockade of Charleston with Messrs. Mason and Slidell on board — bound, of course, to England or France, most likely the former.

The Department is anxious to have this vessel intercepted and taken; the speed of your Steamer and her supply of fuel and your own intelligence offers the best chance of doing this of any vessel at my disposal. It is very desirable that an effort should be made to overtake or intercept the Nashville.

You are therefore charged with this important service, and I leave to your discretion the best course to steer in order to effect it. The Nashville will probably, after leaving the coast, steer a direct course, or inclining south of it. You are at liberty to choose as to where you will enter to coal, either in an English or French port, or at the Azores Islands.

Some three of four vessels, it is believed, are on their way to Georgia or South Carolina with military stores or munitions of war from England and you should have an eye to their going or returning. You will enter the Chesapeake on your return and report to the Flag Officer present, with whom I leave orders for you.

John added, “James Mason and John Slidell are appointed representatives of the Confederate States government. Their mission is no secret. It has been widely reported that they are to bring the European powers into the war on the side of the Confederacy. Our government has placed a high priority on their capture. Our mission is fraught with difficulties. The obvious problem is the improbability of intercepting a faster ship at sea. Additionally, we don’t know the Nashville’s exact destination.

“We will take the most direct course to England and intercept the Nashville as she arrives in the English Channel. Speed is essential, as we must arrive first.”

Lieutenant Foster said, “But, the question remains: what do we do with the Nashville once we have her in sight? She is known to be armed. Her crew is likely to be more experienced than ours.”

John’s mind drifted to the unimaginable possibility of combat in the English Channel. Unlike the war with Mexico, he would be firing upon other Americans. Thus far, the Confederates had been victorious in all combat actions. John imagined the humiliation of being sunk. Of course, he would probably not survive.

“We will do what is necessary,” John answered.

Brazil, 1861

By the time the RMS Trent steamed back into Rio de Janeiro’s port on October 16th, Jacqueline had experienced a wonderful holiday in Brazil. Not only had she enjoyed the people and places, but she was also able to procure three new specimens of orchids for her conservatory. Additionally, she had worked her secret diplomatic skills upon Dom Pedro to great advantage. She departed the Palace with a letter of credit, from the Emperor, for funds to be shared among the families of the ten lost souls. Returning to London, she would dispatch someone to Glasgow, Scotland. Jacqueline reasoned they would have no trouble locating the families.

Eager to be on her way home, Jacqueline boarded the Trent as soon as the arriving passengers departed.

She relaxed on the deck while the — now well practiced — Laura Livingston unpacked their belongings. Again, they would be crossing the Equator with its miserable heat, and then enter the North Atlantic as the chill of autumn set in. Therefore, Livingston again needed to lay out clothing for all seasons.

… Continue reading with Part 12: Passing of Ships on the Sea

Copyright ©2026 by S. M. Revolinski All Rights Reserved

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