Steam frigate USS Mississippi Kossuth Reception on board Arrival of SS Madrid in Southampton Kossuth leaving the Southampton docks

September 10 1851. Following a Feb 17 US Senate resolution (sponsored by Sen. Henry Foote), the steam frigate USS Mississippi commanded by Capt John C. Long and flying the Hungarian tricolor, picked up Kossuth in the Turkish port of Smyrna (Izmir), took him, family and an entourage of about 50 Hungarian exiles to Marseilles, after a brief stop at La Spezia, Italy where an enthusiastic crowd met them Not allowed to disembark at Marseilles, they were greeted by an armada of small vessels- even a swimmer. At Gibraltar, they changed to the mail steamer "Madrid" for Southampton, England, where they were received by an enthusiastic crowd, including the city fathers and other notables. Kossuth addressed an overflow crowd in City Hall- in English. From Southampton they travelled to London, where Kossuth addressed a welcoming crowd (in English) in Guild Hall (He learned English from books during captivity in Hungary). After a tour of major cities, on November 24 Kossuth and most of the exiles boarded the SS Humboldt for America. Upon arrival in the USA,the Humboldt docked at New York's Staten Island (the night of Dec 4 1851) and - following a formal reception -the entourage transferred to the SS Vanderbilt to cross the lower Hudson into Manhattan disembarking at Castle Gardens (a.k.a. Castle Clinton, site of welcome for important visitors) After a 31 gun salute (for each of the 31 States), Kossuth was received with full honors by Mayor Kingsland and s very large crowd, to lead a parade up Broadway. The mayor termed Kossuth "the enlightened representative of Hungarian independence, the champion of human progress, and of universal freedom"

United States and Havre steamer Humboldt Arrival of Kossuth in Manhattan on board the SS Vanderbilt Kossuth enters New York City When Kossuth rode up Broadway, Dec. 6, 1851.

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