Will the real Thomas F. Harney, PLEASE STAND UP!

[Gene C]

I'm referring to Judah Benjamin, who lived quite well in exile -- either with some Confederate gold or some backing from financiers. We have yet to find the golden thread of evidence that can tie both North and South together on this issue, but research from Hall et al., Stelnick, and our own John Fazio sure leads one to think along those lines.

P.S. Wasn't one of Mr. Lincoln's sisters-in-law part of the cotton deals?

I have a different opinion Laurie.
My knowledge of Judah Benjamin is based upon the book Judah Benjamin which I thought was pretty good.
http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...h+benjamin

He remade his fortune with his legal practice in England, and literally wrote the book on maritime law.

There really wasn't that much confederate gold. The Confederate Gov't was basically bankrupt by the beginning of 1865. They couldn't buy weapons, food or even pay their soldiers, and no one would lend them any money. Inflation was rampant. This based on A Rebel War Clerks Diary by John Jones. Paper Confederate money was almost worthless. Also by the end of the war, much of Europe was making arrangements for another source of cotton, so the south no longer had much of an economic leverage.