And on the coast of North Africa, 40 U.S. Marines landed in Tangier, Morocco, to help quell a riot and take possession of two Confederates who had been arrested by the U.S. Consul. This bizarre Civil War episode came about mainly because of the infamous exploits of the C.S.S. Prior to his posting, DeLong had never left the country; he knew little of diplomacy and nothing of Morocco. European powers were flexing their muscles in Morocco, not just toward the sultan but toward their imperial rivals as well. Where European powers maintained neutrality during the Civil War as a way of hedging their bets, Morocco had little need.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 21, 2020 12:56 UTC