Even before the beginning of hostilities the Confederacy was counting on foreign aid as it's means to win the war. They were hopeful that the dependence of Britain, France and other European nations on southern cotton for their textile industry would cause them to at the very least recognize the legitimacy of the Confederacy, if not enter the war on their side.

Foreign nations never viewed the south as having a realistic hope of winning the war and therefore did not offer the aid that was hoped for. By doing so would have meant a declaration of war with the United States, and the European nations were not willing to risk that without guaranteed success.

It is very similar to how France finally entered the Revolutionary War on the side of the fledgling US. It was only after it became clear the colonies could gain their independence from Britain, that France decided to enter on their behalf.

“I left long before daylight, alone but not lonely.”~Gordon Macquarrie