Several distinguished historians have stated that one reason for Lincoln's almost groveling apologies to England over the Trent Incident was because we needed saltpeter to manufacture gunpowder. We bought saltpeter from India and it would have been embargoed. No saltpeter, no ammunition, and a quick defeat is the theory.

However, saltpeter exists in nature and deposits of it do occur in the United States and a number of other countries. It can also be manufactured, and saltpeter “plantations” were then in use in several countries. I am confident that the DuPont people, who made the gunpowder, would have solved the problem in relatively short order. I am also confident that other nations, Russia and France in particular, would have found ways to sell it to us. Therefore. I decided to ignore it. After all, the tightly blockaded Confederacy had no problem getting gunpowder.

I would like to thank my wife, Diane, and my daughter, Maura, along with the few friends I have left for their support. I would also like to thank the people at Random House, Ron Doering and Tim Mak in particular, for the leap of faith that resulted in the publishing of 1862.

– ROBERT CONROY

PROLOGUE

THE CAPTAIN AND crew of the U.S. sloop of war San Jacinto watched with grim intensity as the speck on the horizon grew larger with each thrust the warship made through the waves. It was the San Jacinto's prey, the British mail packet Trent.

Locating the British ship on the vast ocean was a feat of seamanship combined with a great deal of luck. The San.Jacinto had first found the Trent in Cuba, and had to give her a head start when she had sailed lest she grow suspicious and turn back to the safety of the neutral Spanish port. With the knowledge that the Trent was headed for England, the American ship had steamed as fast as possible and then turned back along the usual track to Europe in hopes of finding the Trent coming towards her. The maneuver had worked.