[rockrr]

I believe that the Brits, and to some small extent the French were hanging back watching to see how it went with a hungry eye towards a (southern-fried) piece of the spoils.

[Kenny Bunk]

Well the Frogs under Nap III were trying to hang on in Mexico and were frightened of the Union Army, which at the time was really turning into quite an impressive and impressively equipped outfit.

As Lincoln noted, the Union Army was so well equipped, it could well afford to also sort of equip the Confederate Army, which depended in part on captured US supplies and equipment throughout the whole war!