December 6, 1851. Following a US Senate resolution, the frigate US Mississippi, flying the Hungarian tricolor, picked up Kossuth from his exile in Turkey and from the port of Smyrna (Izmir) took him to Marseilles to be received with a massive welcome after a brief stop at Leghorn (Livorno), Italy. Kossuth was accompanied by his family and a group of Hungarian exiles.

Leaving Marseilles, Kossuth and his entourage changed to the mail steamer “Madrid” for Southampton, England, where he was received by an enthusiastic crowd including the city fathers and other notables. From Southampton they travelled to London, where Kossuth addressed a welcoming crowd (in English) in Guild Hall — he had learned English from books during his captivity in Hungary.

After a tour to major cities, Kossuth left for America aboard the SS Humboldt. Upon arrival in America, the Humboldt docked at New York’s Staten Island and, following a formal reception, the entourage transferred to the SS Vanderbilt to cross to Manhattan. After a 100-gun salute, Kossuth was received with full honors and led a parade up Broadway. New York’s mayor termed Kossuth “the enlightened representative of Hungarian independence, the champion of human progress, and the eloquent champion of universal freedom.”