An historical fact, yet one not generally known is that Great Britain recognized the belligerency of the Confederate States on May 13, 1861; France did likewise on June 30, 1861; Spain on June 17, 1861; and Portugal on July 29, 1861.
The Czar of Russia, on July 30, 1861 refused to assume a position of neutrality as between North and South and made no recognition of Southern belligerency.
Taken from Conklin's "Vest-Pocket Argument Settler", originally copyrighted 1898.