This biography was acclaimed by The New York Times as "deeply interesting" and "an absorbing account" of the life of the man called "the brains of the Confederacy." 16 pages of illustrations.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
This well-written and well-researched volume replaces Robert Meade's biography (1943) as the standard study and is a significant contribution both to Southern Jewish and Civil War history. Unlike previous biographers, Evans sees Jewishness as the key to understanding Benjamin's life. He also traces in fascinating detail Benjamin's relationship with Jefferson Davis. Sometimes, Evans moves beyond the available evidence, e.g. when he adduces Jewish reasons for Benjamin's flight, and argues that in the wake of the Lincoln assassination "a nation of Christ-haunted people searched instinctively for the Jewish scapegoat." Nevertheless, this is highly convincing overall. For most libraries. Jonathan D. Sarna, Hebrew Union Coll . -Jewish Inst. of Religion, Cincinnati
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Judah P. Benjamin is little remembered for his service to the United States of America, the Confederate States of America, and the United Kingdom. Born in the West Indies, he ended his life as Queen's Counsel in Great Britain. In between, he came to Charleston, South Carolina, studied law in New Orleans, became the first Jewish Senator--from antebellum Louisiana. Surprised? I was. Then, service as Attorney General, Secretary of War, and Secretary of State of the Confederate States of America. Almost universally well-liked and respected, the "smiling lion" whose face adorns every Confederate $2 bill (you can check your collection); this was a most remarkable Victorian American, in all respects.
Frequently the brunt of castigation in newspapers for problems with military supply and ordnance, probably trailing close behind Jefferson Davis (also a former U.S. Senator) himself, this book is a very intriguing and documented biography. Sadly now out of print, I still highly recommend it to any student of the Civil War, the Confederacy, the history of Jews in America, jurisprudence (he wrote a book on Contracts that is still important in the United Kingdom)...he should not be forgotten. Judah P. Benjamin was a spirited man who made the most of his talents (even marrying into Catholic New Orleans aristocracy) and yet is known by few, and probably understood by even fewer.
He is as much a part of American history and identity as Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Sam Houston. However, don't look for a film about him to come out from Hollywood anytime soon. You'll have to read the book!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
What a life this man lead. When I saw him on the Confederate $2 bill i wondered, who is this fellow. We are not taught about the second tear of US and Confederate greats so you have to find out for yourself about fellows like Benjamin.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By Audrey Ihrig
Format:Hardcover
Many consider Judah P. Benjamin "the Brains behind the Confederacy". The author, Eli N Evans also wanted to covey how the Jewish people interacted with their Southern neighbors. Charleston, SC was the first community in America to grant Jews the right to vote and to permit them to engage in any trade of their choosing.
Judah P. Benjamin (1811-84) grew up in Charleston, attended Yale University for two years and was at the top of his class when he abrutly left. His leaving Yale under mysterious circumstances caused considerable speculation that haunted him in public life as a Senator from Louisiana and later as as the Treasurer and Secretary State of the Confederacy.
Young, Judah P. Benjamin arrived in New Orleans in 1828 with five dollars in his pocket. New Orleans was permissive, raucous and a mystical place whose population grew from 50,000 to 100,000 between 1830 to 1840. Benjamin could not have picked a better place to begin his career. Benjamin worked odd jobs, as a teacher, processing accounts in a mercantile house, and finally as a law clerk. He constantly read all the law books he could get his hands on and soon mastered the complex Napoleonic Code which required mastery of French Language. A wealthy Creole official asked Benjamin to teach English to his daughter, Natalie. He agreed to this arrangement under the condition that she would teach him French while he taught her English. Benjamin was 21 and Natalie was 16. The tutoring lessons soon evolved into a courtship.
Benjamin soon became one the best lawyers in New Orleans and one of its wealthiest citizens. In 1842 Benjamin was elected to the Louisian legislature as a Whig. Because of his knowledge of Spanish, the Federal government sent him to California to help settle land disputes after the United States got control of California following the Mexican War.
Flash forward to January 1860, Benjamin delivered the following speech as the Senator from Lousiana. "What may be the fate of this horrible contest, no man can tell...but this much, I will say: the fortunes of war may be adverse to our arms, you may carry desolation into our peaceful land, and with torch and fire you may set our cities in flame...you may, under the protection of your advancing armies, give shelter to the furious fanatics who desire, and profess to desire, nothing more than to add all the horrors of a servile insurrection to the clamities of civil war; you may do all this--and more too, if more there be--but you never can subjugate us; you never convert the free sons of the soil into vassals, paying tribute to your power; and you never, never can degrade them to the level of an inferior and servile race. Never! Never!
There were many slaves who were quite willing to serve in the Conferderate army. With General Robert E. Lee urging, Benjamin argued unsuccessfuly to let slaves join the army in exchange for their freedom. As Secretary of the Conferderate Treasury, Benjamin used his Jewish connections to sell millions of dollars worth of Confederate bonds in Europe. As Secretary of State, Benjamin worked tirelessly to drag England and France into war against the Federal Government. He almost succeeded.
Following the war, Benjamin succeeded in eluding a Federal dragnet along with a $50,000 reward for his capture. Benjamin fled to Cuba and then England where he became a leading lawyer, authored a popular series of law books, and regained his fortune.
Benjamin worked closely with Jefferson Davis. I highly recommend this book to those wishing to understand the working and politics of the Confederate Government.
Judah P. Benjamin (1811-84) grew up in Charleston, attended Yale University for two years and was at the top of his class when he abrutly left. His leaving Yale under mysterious circumstances caused considerable speculation that haunted him in public life as a Senator from Louisiana and later as as the Treasurer and Secretary State of the Confederacy.
Young, Judah P. Benjamin arrived in New Orleans in 1828 with five dollars in his pocket. New Orleans was permissive, raucous and a mystical place whose population grew from 50,000 to 100,000 between 1830 to 1840. Benjamin could not have picked a better place to begin his career. Benjamin worked odd jobs, as a teacher, processing accounts in a mercantile house, and finally as a law clerk. He constantly read all the law books he could get his hands on and soon mastered the complex Napoleonic Code which required mastery of French Language. A wealthy Creole official asked Benjamin to teach English to his daughter, Natalie. He agreed to this arrangement under the condition that she would teach him French while he taught her English. Benjamin was 21 and Natalie was 16. The tutoring lessons soon evolved into a courtship.
Benjamin soon became one the best lawyers in New Orleans and one of its wealthiest citizens. In 1842 Benjamin was elected to the Louisian legislature as a Whig. Because of his knowledge of Spanish, the Federal government sent him to California to help settle land disputes after the United States got control of California following the Mexican War.
Flash forward to January 1860, Benjamin delivered the following speech as the Senator from Lousiana. "What may be the fate of this horrible contest, no man can tell...but this much, I will say: the fortunes of war may be adverse to our arms, you may carry desolation into our peaceful land, and with torch and fire you may set our cities in flame...you may, under the protection of your advancing armies, give shelter to the furious fanatics who desire, and profess to desire, nothing more than to add all the horrors of a servile insurrection to the clamities of civil war; you may do all this--and more too, if more there be--but you never can subjugate us; you never convert the free sons of the soil into vassals, paying tribute to your power; and you never, never can degrade them to the level of an inferior and servile race. Never! Never!
There were many slaves who were quite willing to serve in the Conferderate army. With General Robert E. Lee urging, Benjamin argued unsuccessfuly to let slaves join the army in exchange for their freedom. As Secretary of the Conferderate Treasury, Benjamin used his Jewish connections to sell millions of dollars worth of Confederate bonds in Europe. As Secretary of State, Benjamin worked tirelessly to drag England and France into war against the Federal Government. He almost succeeded.
Following the war, Benjamin succeeded in eluding a Federal dragnet along with a $50,000 reward for his capture. Benjamin fled to Cuba and then England where he became a leading lawyer, authored a popular series of law books, and regained his fortune.
Benjamin worked closely with Jefferson Davis. I highly recommend this book to those wishing to understand the working and politics of the Confederate Government.
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