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L Verge · (This post was last modified: 07-01-2016 11:11 AM by L Verge.)

John Stanton-Slater -- In one of your posts, you mentioned the book The Rebel and the Rose, which (despite its romantic novel title) is a non-fiction work on what happened to the last of the Confederate gold. A long-time Life Member of the Surratt Society and former director of NOAA, Dr. Mark Waters, has studied this subject for decades and has really delved into it since retiring to his wife's hometown of Washington, Georgia. Those of you familiar with the history will understand the significance of that town.

I emailed Mark for his opinion of this 2007 book: "Yes I have a copy of The Rebel and the Rose: James A. Semple, Julia Gardiner Tyler, and The Lost Confederate Gold: Wesley Millett and Gerald White, Cumberland House Publishing Inc., Nashville, TN, 2007 and have read it. I’m not big on the love story aspect of the book – but – the authors do a good job in their appendix giving different options for what the Confederate Treasury contained. I’ve had both verbal and email exchanges with Gerald White (USAF retired O-6) regarding the book. My opinion: they did a very good job throughout – especially what happened to the last payment of $86,000 to Semple.

The $86,000 given to Semple intended for deposit on account of the Confederate Government in England, never made it out of the country. Semple, in company with Edward M. Tidball, a naval purchasing agent who worked for Semple, stashed the treasure in the false bottom of a carriage and took it to Augusta, Georgia. At Augusta, Semple met up with William F. Howell, another naval purchasing agent and brother of Varina Davis. Semple gave Tidball $27,000 and Howell $25,000(11). Semple took the remaining $34,000 to Savannah and distributed various amount to friends for safekeeping – which he retrieved over the years(12). Tidball went home to Winchester, Virginia, in 1865 and bought a parcel of land in 1867 and farmed(13) – most probably using these assets given to him by Semple. Howell took Varina, her children and their mother, and moved to Canada with the assets given to him by Semple. (The reference numbers are from The Rebel and the Rose.)"

11 The Rebel and the Rose: James A Semple, Julia Gardiner Tyler, and the Lost Confederate Gold, Wesley Millet and Gerald White, Cumberland House, Nashville, TN, page 173, 2007

12 Ibid, page 177

13 Ibid, page 175

Why is the name "Tidball" already familiar to me? I guess I'm going to have to buy a copy of the book. I'm still looking for information pointing to Judah Benjamin taking a good share and running to England with it.

John - This link makes mention of the Fenian Brotherhood. Probably basic stuff you already know, but there's a possible tie-in with Harney? http://www.assaultweb.net/forums/showthr...p?t=137634