made a bet that she would give President Lincoln three kisses within the next few days on his visit to the camp, and she succeeded in doing so. Mexico After the American Civil War was over, Salm-Salm offered his services to the Habsburg's Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico, and both Agnes and himself embarked for Mexico in February, 1866. When they arrived in Mexico City, the French troops under François Achille Bazaine were leaving, as mounting diplomatic pressure from the United States persuaded Napoleon III to conclude his Mexican venture. Hence, the couple knowingly embarked on a risky enterprise, joining the weakened and unpopular imperial army. In early February 1867 the Republican troops supporting the regime of President Benito Juárez forced Maximilian to retreat to the city of Querétaro and subsequently besieged the city. Simultaneously, the imperial reinforcements that were expected to break the siege were themselves being besieged in Puebla by the republican troops commanded by General Porfirio Díaz and Maximilian was forced to surrender. Despite last minute efforts by Felix Salm-Salm and a company of Hussars to rescue him, Maximilian was made prisoner on May 15 and a court martial sentenced him to death. Agnes made great efforts to spare the life of Maximilian and her husband, traveling several times from Querétaro to Mexico City and San Luis Potosí where she held interviews with President Benito Juárez, General Mariano Escobedo, General Porfirio Díaz and several other prominent officers of the Republican Army. Agnes knelt and, crying, begged President Juárez to forgive the Emperor. The President's answer has become famous in Mexican history textbooks: "It causes me great pain, Madame, to see you like that on your knees; but even if every king and queen were in your place, I couldn't spare his life. It isn't me who takes it from him, it is the people and the law who claim his life". Juárez had already received telegraphs from most of the heads of the European states asking him to spare Maximilan. Upon Juárez's denial the brave woman answered, "Oh, if blood must be spilled, then take my life, the life of a useless woman; and spare that of a man who can still do much good in other country." Juarez did offer to spare the life of her husband. The scene was painted by the Mexican painter Manuel Ocaranza. Subsequently, she planned an escape for the Emperor and