25 October 1866

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James M. Mason re: Jefferson Davis' imprisonment, his law career in England

Cross-written on p. 1. Benjamin mentions that Pres. Johnson is intimidated by the Radical Republicans from releasing Davis. He mentions his legal career in England and says he saw Slidell in Paris.

GLC03787

17 August 1863

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Letter signed

Title: to Edwin DeLeon

Benjamin, Confederate Secretary of State, writes to DeLeon, a Confederate agent in Paris. Discusses previous correspondence from DeLeon, instructs him to write more often, and orders him "never to give your letters to private hands. Send them by the English mail to Major Norman Walker at Bermuda or to Mr. Heyliger at Nassau and they will reach me in thirty or fourty days without risk or trouble." States "In relation to your remarks about the withdrawal of our Commissioners from Europe, it is only necessary to say that there were other than diplomatic matters entrusted to them, which could…

GLC03563

1862

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Document

Title: [Regulations from Confederate War Department]

Printed circular leaflet describing regulations put forth by the Secretary of War Benjamin. Divided into five sections for a total of 17 regulations. First sections deals with "Rules of Organization," describing size of military units and types of officers and staff. Second deals with "Terms of Acceptance," including what equipment will be provided for each soldier. Third deals with "Acceptance and Muster into Service," including what will happen to new recruits. It claims "no recruit will be accepted for less period than the war." Fourth deals with "Supplies and Allowances," including…

GLC04026

20 October 1861

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Document

Title: [Regulations concerning substitutes in the army]

From Acting Secretary of War Benjamin. Unsigned printed small broadsheet on blue paper. Lists five requirements for obtaining discharge when a non-commissioned officer or a soldier finds a substitute. They are: soldier seeking to leave needs written consent of the Captain of his company, the substitute must obtain from some surgeon a certificate of fitness to serve, when a person is being discharged from the army by reason of a substitute the Captain of the company must provide a certificate, if a soldier leaving the army because of a substitute owes the government money the debt is put on…

GLC06371.05

28 December 1863

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Letter signed

Title: to Jefferson Davis

Confederate Secretary of State Benjamin sends draft instructions (not included) for a proposed diplomatic minister to be sent to Mexico, on which Davis then sought the Confederate Senate's advice (see GLC06619.01). Recommends secrecy to avoid the United States trying to thwart their efforts. A list of dates and related administrative actions chart the progress of the resolutions until they were agreed to on 5 January 1864.

GLC06619.02

27 September 1861

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Petition for the removal of General David E. Twiggs from the command of the District of Louisiana]

Cosigned by Charles M. Conrad, a delegate to the Provincial Confederate Congress. Benjamin, Acting Confederate Secretary of War, represents the citizens of New Orleans, Louisiana. Speaking of Twiggs, writes: "advancing age has impaired his faculties to such an extent as to render it evident that he is incompetent to the command assigned him... We are his friends and always have been, and it is with pain but with a sense of public duty, that we feel compelled to solicit his withdrawal..."

GLC01923

October 27, 1861

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Letter signed

Title: to Henry Toole Clark

Letter written as Confederate Secretary of War to North Carolina Governor Clark about establishing a prisoner of war camp at Salisbury, North Carolina. Benjamin writes, "I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 25th inst, which greatly relieves this Department from serious embarrassment in relation to prisoners. - I enclose you a letter for Col Wm Johnstone of Charlotte, containing my instructions to him." Requests that as soon as Colonel Johnston secures the purchase of the property, the Maxwell Chambers Factory, Clark round up volunteers to serve as guards. Informs him…

GLC01708

November 3, 1862

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Louis Janin

Benjamin informs his friend Janin, who is in Paris, of the death of his son Eugene Janin at the battle of Antietam. "He fell in the battle of Sharpsburg...doing his duty to his country in the front ranks...He was wounded so severely...it was found impossible to convey him and he was left...with not a hope of recovery." Eugene is buried "with numbers of the other victims to the Carnage now which the insensate ferocity of the accursed and demoniac Yankees now wage against us." Letter written on "Confederate States of America, Department of State," stationary. Military records indicate that…

GLC01697

January 12, 1862

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry A. Wise

Written on letterhead of the War Department of the Confederate States by Acting Secretary of War Judah Benjamin to Brigadier General Wise. States that the bearer of this letter, William A. Pratt, wants to import "some cargoes of iron" from abroad under the English flag. He wants to then run them ashore on small vessels. Asks Wise to facilitate the enterprise as far as he possibly could.

GLC02469.01

21 September 1864

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Printed document signed

Title: [Warrant to the Confederate Treasury Secretary to pay $4,850 in gold for "foreign intercourse"]

Partly printed document filled in by hand and signed by Benjamin as Confederate Secretary of State. Apparently intended for Confederate Agents in Europe.

GLC02604

October 24, 1861

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph note

Title: Circular on regulations on joining the Confederate Army

Printed circular with an unsigned note in Acting Secretary of War Benjamin's hand on verso. Divided into 16 different regulations. Some of them say: no unarmed troops can be accepted for a period less than the length of the war, no calvary can be accepted unless they come with at least one kind of serviceable arm, companies can elect their own officers, a regiment is composed of 10 companies, all staff officers (quartermaster, commissary, surgeon, assistant surgeon, chaplain, and adjutant) are always appointed by the president through the War Department. Written note states that men bringing…

GLC00174

February 4, 1862

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jefferson Davis

Writing to the Confederate President, Confederate Secretary of War Benjamin notes that there is much molasses available in Louisiana and suggests that molasses would be welcomed by the troops to improve their deficient coffee.

GLC00495

1840

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Manuscript document signed

Title: Petition

Petition of John Slidell, shows that Charles Timpel has fled to foreign parts.

GLC08045

February 26, 1861

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to J. B. Saunders

States that he can do nothing about Saunders land claims, due to secession. Because of Southern secession, Saunders must take his claims up with the state offices of the seceded states, and the petitions he filed before secession are no longer relevant. Benjamin also states "I am to leave to-morrow for Montgomery." Written the day after he was appointed Confederate Attorney General.

GLC03303

February 3, 1862

Benjamin, Judah Philip, 1811-1884

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Toole Clark

Benjamin discusses the defense of North Carolina. He will send reinforcements, but cannot send as many as he would like, which he blames on the shortness of enlistment terms. Lack of men is not his real concern though, "I am sure I could organize the defenses of our country, wherever attacked, if I only had munitions." Overall he assures him North Carolina will be safe, "Your people may suffer somewhat at points where the enemy's superior water forces enable them to ravage the country within reach of their guns, but I do not fear, and am sure you need not, that they can do more than this and…

GLC01353.01