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SSlater · (This post was last modified: 08-04-2015 10:50 PM by SSlater.)

(08-03-2015 08:27 PM)SSlater Wrote:
(08-03-2015 07:35 PM)Gene C Wrote: John, this is from the book "This Awful Drama" p. 152

"Apparently some disagreement arose between Edwin and Jacob Thompson concerning authority and the amount of money the Confederate government intended the latter to turn over to Edwin. After Edwin handed Thompson a memorandum concerning the funds, Thompson answered on April 9:
Last evening I estimated that I would return $30,000 until you could hear from Mr. Benjamin. On second thought, however, I am unwilling to consent to this arrangement because it will hamper my movements and might prevent me from availing myself a favorable opportunity of returning home - in other words, when I lave here I intend to be a free man.

Two days later Thompson, accompanied by his secretary, Will Cleary, left for Halifax."

(footnote for Thompson's reply; "Copied letter in manuscript book of unknown person, p30, Confederate Museum"

and on p. 157
"In the meantime, Jacob Thompson and his secretary Will Cleary, had reached Riviere du Loup when they learned of Lincoln's assassination. The electrifying news gave them pause. Bad weather then detained Thompson until late spring when he sailed from Halifax for Europe, carrying with him some 12,000 pounds of Confederate funds. Cleary decided to turn back and lived out the rest of the year in Canada.
(footnote - Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1971, 1810: Thomas "traveled throughout Europe in 1866 and 1867; settled in Memphis, Tenn., and managed the affairs of his extensive holdings; died in Memphis, March 24, 1885"

A little bit more later, I don't like to write long posts.

I will wait until you finish your post, and add my two cents.
I have a copy of the letter that Benjamin wrote, that directed Thompson - How to disperse the "treasury". Most of the money was to be deposited in Benjamin's personal Account, in England. Thompson gets receipts for the money. (He kept "Adequate funds to be able to return home.") Some of Thompson's delay in leaving Canada was - he was waiting for his wife to arrive from Mississippi.
PS When Benjamin escaped, after the war, his first stop -before he went to see his wife - was the bank in England".

ene C.

Gene C. See your 1st Footnote. You may have copied from the manuscript of Rev. Stephen F. Cameron. It contains all the notes he could find, and was preparing to write a book on "THE HISTORY OF THE CONFEDERATE SECRET SERVICE. Unfortunately, he never wrote the book. The file has copies of the letters you mention. I am not questioning what you read, but I didn't see that letter. Another item that is different, I read that Thompson went to Portland, Maine, alone,and was there on April 14. He was spotted there by the Provost Marshal - Do you know that story?

(08-04-2015 09:49 PM)Gene C Wrote:
(08-03-2015 08:27 PM)SSlater Wrote: I will wait until you finish your post, and add my two cents.
I have a copy of the letter that Benjamin wrote, that directed Thompson - How to disperse the "treasury". Most of the money was to be deposited in Benjamin's personal Account, in England. Thompson gets receipts for the money. (He kept "Adequate funds to be able to return home.") Some of Thompson's delay in leaving Canada was - he was waiting for his wife to arrive from Mississippi.
PS When Benjamin escaped, after the war, his first stop -before he went to see his wife - was the bank in England".

Sorry for the delay on my comments about Jacob Thompson -
I couldn't find any more significant info in "This Awful Drama". Susan Higginbotham sent me a file of Edwin Lee's diary for 1865. It's hard to read and doesn't cover much detail.
However, I did find this from Eli Evans book on Judah Benjamin
regarding Jacob Thompson...., regarding the attempted fire bombs in New York City, "Benjamin was embarrassed and furious about the mission. The damage done, or lack of it, did not matter-after all, look what Sherman was doing in Georgia. But once more it was hideously bungled: full stories in the newspaper, lack of discretion in choosing the parties to the plot, and the selection of targets, as if hotels were military installations. The most the raid could accomplish was to create excitement, stirring up vast numbers of people against the South without destroying crucial supply depots, military trains, or arsenals to make the mission worthwhile. It made the papers without making any difference.

The President (Davis) had lost his patience. He felt that Thompson was just throwing away money in Canada; there were rumors that any deserter could get a couple of thousand dollars by just saying he wanted to organize a Sons Of Liberty operation somewhere."
...... more failed operations ( John Yates Beal's failed attempt to capture a Federal gunboat patrolling the Great Lakes and then rescue prisoners from the Johnson Island prison, and then the St. Albans bank robbery, Thompson's plan to spend $100,000 out of his Confederate accounts with a Nashville banker to spent it in New York in an attempt to create a run on the gold market) and more are mentioned on page p 272.

"The spies, still more panicked after yet another failure, began to freelance more, with less and less control by Thompson." p273

I gather Davis and Benjamin were tired of Jacob Thompson's mismanagement and were attempting to recall him.
I agree with Wild Bill about Evan's book. It is very good.

That's a great post. That's the first time I was able to see the poor judgment, all in one place. They never questioned his loyalty, it was as you show. I am aware that he was asked to return, but I thought it was for another assignment. He never had time to return,, the war ended.