On 6th November 1865 the warship, USS Shenandoah, sailed into the Mersey to surrender to the British Government. After a long legal arguement between America and London, the courts decided that the crew of the ship could remain in the UK. The Americans wanted to hang them as pirates. The British Government said that this was not the case, as the ship had been a warship of the confederate States of America and was conveying her lawful duty.
The Shenandoah had been on active service in the northern waters off Canada when they encountered a British ship which informed them that the war was already over. After a crew discussion it was decided that it would be unsafe to return to port, so they decided to go to the Mersey and surrender. They deemed it that the area would be sympathetic.
http://www.wirralhistory.com/shenandoah.html
-- Edited by red devil on Friday 29th of December 2017 08:31:09 PM
-- Edited by red devil on Friday 29th of December 2017 08:31:47 PM
-- Edited by red devil on Friday 29th of December 2017 08:32:52 PM
