In late 1861 Napoleon sent a large force of soldiers to Mexico, supposedly to compel Mexico to pay large debts owed to France. In 1863 the true purpose of the soldiers was leaked to the press, which was to limit the growth and prestige of the United States at a time when it appeared that the U.S. was falling apart. In June of 1863 the French troops removed President Benito Juarez from Mexico City and in the summer of 1864 Napoleon installed Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, brother of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, as the new ruler of Mexico.
The increased troops and the overthrow of the Mexican government caused the people of the United States to call for action against France. However such an action brought the risk that the French would join with the Confederacy, potentially tipping the scale against the U.S. The political skills of Federal Secretary of State William H. Seward kept the U.S. away from a conflict with France as the war raged on. But once the Confederacy surrendered, things changed. Seward believed that Napoleon had become disenchanted with the Mexican government he had put in place, and wrote, in a letter to Napoleon, that sooner or later the will of the people of Mexico would prevail and the archduke would be deposed. In September 1865, before Seward's note could reach Napoleon, the Unites States Minister in France, John Bigelow (who had mirrored Seward's firm response) obtained a tentative statement that the French intended to withdraw from Mexico. Meanwhile a sizable force of U.S. troops was placed along the U.S./Mexico border. General Grant sent Philip Sheridan to evaluate the situation. Sheridan's skill was in intelligence, and his skills, which were honed during the Civil War against the Confederacy, were quite effective.
Sheridan dispatched men to important points in northern Mexico to report on movements of the Imperial forces, as well as those of ex-Confederates who had joined the French ranks when the Confederacy fell. The impact was immediate, with the former Confederates aborting their actions when they realized they were under observation of the U.S. In April of 1866 Bigelow had obtained an understanding that the 28,000 French solders in Mexico would return to France in three detachments between November of 1866 and November of 1867. Additionally he successfully argued that the Austrian government should abandon an effort to send reinforcements to Maximilian's army.
When Maximilian learned that he would soon loose his support, he wavered on abdicating the throne. For a period of four months he swayed from abdication to holding on to his seat. As his debate waged, the French did not begin leaving at the expected time. Seward was so concerned about anti-French sentiment in the U.S. that he did not divulge this information immediately. Once Seward had confirmed that the delay was due to reasons regarding the safety of the French troops, he relayed the news to Washington. But anti-French sentiment was very strong in Congress, and trust in Napoleon had been lost. An intercepted telegram added to the tale.
New Orleans, 9 Dec 1866
To His Majesty the Emperor Napoleon at Paris.
Mexico, 3rd December.
Emperor Maximilian appears to wish to remain in Mexico, but we must not count on it. Since the evacuation is to be completed in March, it is urgent that the transports arrive. We think that the foreign regiment must also be embarked. As for the French officers and soldiers attached to the Mexican Corps, can they be allowed the option of returning?
The country is restless. The Campbell and Sherman mission, which arrived off Vera Cruz on November 29 and left December 3, seems disposed to a peaceful solution. Nevertheless it gives moral support to the Juarists through the statement of the Federal government.
Marshal Bazaine and General Castelnau
Congress was upset with Napoleon over the delay of troop removal and did not belive his word that it would occur. It was not until they recieved an intercept of Napoleon's response that they felt comfortable that the French would withdraw.
Paris Jan 10th
French Consul New Orleans
for General Cast[elnau] at Mexico.
Received your dispatch of the ninth December. Do not compel the Emperor to abdicate, but do not delay the departure of the troops; bring back all those who will not remain there. Most of the fleet has left.
NAPOLEON.
The intercepts confirmed Napoleon's word that he would withdraw, diffusing the critical situation in Congress. Soon after Napoleon's troops left, Maximilian was captured and executed in 1867. President Juarez was reinstated.
-Professor Walter
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