On this date 150 years ago, in the shipping lanes off Charleston, North Carolina, 16 outmoded whaling vessels were sunk in order to prevent access to the city harbor by blockade-runners. Although the Union efforts in this respect were often repeated, they were of only limited effectiveness overall.

The British Navy sent two ships to Canada in order to have forces in readiness if the "Trent" affair would necessitate formal military action against the United States.