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John Slidell

(born 1793, New York, N.Y., U.S. — died July 29, 1871, London, Eng.) U.S. and Confederate diplomat. He practiced law in New Orleans from 1819, then served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1843 – 45) and Senate (1853 – 61). In the American Civil War he joined the Confederate foreign service. En route to France to seek support for the Confederacy, he and James Murray Mason were seized from the British steamer Trent by a Union vessel (see Trent Affair).

For more information on John Slidell, visit Britannica.com.