1861-Early: Following the outbreak of the American Civil War and the Spanish re-annexation of the Dominican Republic, the Lincoln administration faced a radi…

1861-Early: Following the outbreak of the American Civil War and the Spanish re-annexation of the Dominican Republic, the Lincoln administration faced a radically altered Caribbean landscape. Secretary of State William H. Seward was forced to “bide his time” regarding French and Spanish interventions in the region while the Union focused on its internal survival. Seward promised Haiti “sympathy and respect” if it maintained its own independence against European encroachment but could offer little military support. This period of crisis finally broke the Southern political stranglehold that had prevented the recognition of Haiti for over half a century.