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Written on July 3, 1853, the document The Koszta Affair details actions of Commander of the United States ship St. Louis, D. N. Ingraham, regarding the kidnaping of a Hungarian refugee, Martin Koszta. Koszta claimed the intent of becoming a United States Citizen, but was taken by an Austrian consul on Turkish soil and brought aboard an Austrian ship on June 23, 1853. Ingraham, wishing to protect Koszta from being sent to Trieste if he indeed was a citizen, prepared his ship for military action against the Austrian brig. After contact with the legation at Constantinople, Koszta was declared a citizen of the United States, and Ingraham decided to use his negotiating tactics to protect him. The prisoner was given up without the need to use military force and received the protection of the United States. Ingraham, aware that he took extreme measures on his own responsibility, wrote to request approval for his actions.

The...