Swamp Gold

[Bigcypresshunter]

ADC Wood's account of the escape might be helpful to locate their campsites, though his descriptions are somewhat vague. The find of the Indian head pennies could be "the" campsite they chose to hide the bulk of the gold. Good luck amigos I hope you find that treasure!
Oroblanco

Yes I think it is a very good chance that the Indianhead pennies were part of this same payroll, if it existed.

My eyewitness told me that they filled a galvanized bucket full of mint 1861 pennies that came up the pipe. Not familiar with history, they thought (and still do to this day) that this was something the Indians stole somewhere and buried. By 1861 the Seminole wars were over and forgotten. Im going to speak with my witnesses son again this week. It doesnt seem likely to me that the Indians would bury money that they could use and then forget where they buried it.

 

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[Oroblanco]

HOLA amigo Bigcypresshunter and everyone,

BigCy wrote

I am not agreeing with everything SWR says but hes right that we need to find at least one verifyable record of this particular buried payroll, paymaster or capture. That is the sole reason I started this thread. Even though there are many clues, we need to find documentation. Unlike SWR, I believe it is out there somewhere. It supposed to be "well documented". I dont believe this story came out of thin air and I dont believe a Florida Game Officer would have been searching a fantasy. Ive been trying to work backwards from his discovery and now I think I need to go back and start from the beginning.

I must respectfully disagree with you and SWR on this point amigo, for the story likely is calling someone a "paymaster" when that was not his true (official) title. If you read Mrs.Jeff Davis' version it is clear that several officers who were officially titled Aide De Camps were being given money that they were supposed to pay out or forward to other officials, so they may be called "paymaster" when that was not their true title. In fact I would say it is very likely this story is directly pointing at the escape of Sec Breckinridge, ADC Wood and party (including a black man named Jones, if memory serves) - this party was in fact given thousands of dollars in gold EACH (at least $1500) is certainly the same party which returned to Davis' capture site in Washington GA to grab a carpet bag full of money, this party traveled the length of Florida, hiding in swamps and having several close encounters with US forces. The story does not state this "paymaster" was in fact actually captured, and if we refer to ADC Wood's version of events he also was not captured but did manage to escape to Havana, the very place mentioned in your story as the goal of the escape. ADC Wood did get a boat from Capt Dickinson, a man who just "happens" to be in the same place where Jeff Davis' belongings are later captured. Wood's party in their small boat followed the coastline but also worked inland into the swamps to avoid US forces in particular naval forces. In short, I am convinced that your original story is one and the same with the escape of Sec of War Breckinridge, ADC Wood and party to Havana Cuba. Too many points of coincidence to be otherwise. We don't even know for certain that another member of Breckinridge's party was NOT a "paymaster" or appointed to this position as an expediency by President Davis in the flight from Richmond.

Good luck amigo I hope you find that treasure!
your friend,
Oroblanco

 

[ivan salis]

not to get off subject but yes jackson did indeed hang 2 british "undercover agents" sent to stir up "indain" trouble -- they had money and goods to pay off indains with to stir up trouble with the us -- spain by 1817 was weak and the british had a toe hold in western florida (the panhandle area -- and sought to take advantage of it) -- jackson was told to settle the raiding efforts of runaway slaves and indians coming across the florida borders -- but jackson wanted to do much more than that --jackson saw a chance to push the issue and get spain to give up or sell to the us florida and drive out foreign countries out of florida once and for all --- once jackson crossed the florida border he fought any and all who crossed his path that did not surrender on the spot --be they black, indain , spanish or british .

and yes he did indeed hang the two british agents after luring them onto shore ,from their vessel.

jackson used indain allies to assist him heavily at the time --he later "sold them out" and sent them packing to reservations -- to this day many native americas hate jackson because of his "double dealing" ways with his indain allies and native americas in general. ( some think it quite odd that even as he did these things he adopted a native american boy as a son.)

now the reason I include this in this post is this -- once the USA got control of florida * 3 differant seminole wars started up in the 1830's time frame -- and there were many small forts built in florida (some in swampy areas often the home of these seminole * indains -most of which were former creek indains driven from their homelands in ga and alabama )
I'm sure that many of the old seminole war trails and grown over fort areas in the swamps were later used by the local confedrate troopers who daddies and grandfathers had used them in the seminole wars 30 to 40 years before.

 

[Oroblanco]

HOLA amigos,

I decided to write down the movements of the Breckinridge/Wood party, and work out if this party was the one mentioned in the Treasure Atlas or not based on geography.

ADC Wood & Lieutenant Barnwell

agreed to meet Judah P Benjamin & M. Bonfals and Colonel Leovie at Madison Florida
met Osborne Boswell near Valdosta GA
Lt Barnwell stayed with Osborne
Crossed into Florida near Madison, went to General Finnegans and met Breckinridge, Col. Wilson, Benjamin had gone off in another direction
Crossed the Suwanee River at Moody's Ferry
took old St Augustine road
got water at Diable Sinks
went out of his way to Mr Yulee's property fifteen miles
another days ride took them to William and Samuel Owens place near Orange Lake
contacted Capt Dickinson at Waldo FL for a boat, arranged to meet on the upper St John river
road led past Silver Springs
May 25 at Fort Butler on St John's river across from Volusia, met Russell and O'Toole, two men of Dickinson's command with the boat
Party now consists of Sec Breckinridge, ADC Wood, Col Wilson of Kentucky, Tom a black man servant of Breckinridge, Russell and O'Toole six men.
next day made 35 miles, passed ruins of two huts
Traveled UP river
sailed across Lake Monroe, passing ghost towns of Enterprise and Mellonville
May 29 reached Lake Harney portage to Indian River
two days to go 18 miles, using bulls to haul boat
reached Indian River near Cape Canaveral
passed four days along Indian River
passed Indian River inlet then 30 miles to Gilberts Bar or Old Inlet, where river narrows
lost an entire day in the everglades, finally found a narrow (1/2 mile)place to haul the boat across to launch into Atlantic
passed Jupiter Inlet, lighthouse had been destroyed
Some distance southward of Jupiter Inlet, spotted an enemy cruiser so went ashore - hid boat in the palmettoes
Spotted by cruiser, went and traded for food
Wind forced them to work south slowly
Came upon a settlement of Seminole Indians, traded for food
On the 7th (June) they spotted a small sail off New River Inlet, gave chase and caught them, forced the men to trade boats
later abreast of Green Turtle Key, decided to call at Fort Dallas
went ashore tried to find turtle eggs but failed, went to Fort Dallas an old fort from Seminole wars
Fort Dallas is near mouth of Miami River
after nasty encounter there, managed to buy food etc
by night they made Key Biscayne
by morning they spotted enemy ship coming after them, put to sea
Enemy schooner catching up with them, they dumped their supplies and ballast overboard
Escaping over dangerous shoals, by night reached Elliots Key
Next headed for Caesar's Canal, passage between Elliot's Key and Key Largo
by ten at night, Careysford Light was abeam
two days weather moderate
met brig Bangor, which gave them water and hardtack
came to Double Headed Shot Keys
then 30 miles S to Salt Key Bank
on 6th day out from Florida crossed Nicholas Channel
came to Cardenas, Cuba
2 days rest, then took train to Havana where they met Governor General Concha, where they separated

_________________________________________________
So when compared with a period map, it is clear they kept to the east coast entirely (1865)

which is or was Dade county and not Collier.

So unless Thomas Terry made the mistake of transcribing the escape of Breckinridge into Collier county, (possible - the Treasure Atlas has more than one such error) or unless ADC Wood lied about the route they took, the story is NOT one and the same with the escape of Breckinridge. I was in error, due in large part to not knowing the geography of Florida.

Good luck and good hunting amigos I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
Oroblanco

 

[ivan salis]

hey Mr O --- now think of a couple of differant approaches * using that period map ------think of the money as coming from the tampa area * being brought in by blockade runners-- the money brought in from overseas to fort brooke to await transfer to fort meade* (the cattle buying fort spoke of it the cracker cowboy tales)-- the money could be for many things-- for cattle buying or payroll or for transfer to elsewhere. --the paymaster from fort meade comes to get said money from fort brooke ---as he and his small group is leaving the fort the union forces attack chasing him -- so he and the few men with him flee from the fort brooke area near tampa ( east or southeastward into the swamps) --hiding the money to prevent the union forces from getting it -- a few days later they stumble out of the swamps and are taken prisioner for the rest of the war --after the war they return seeking the money but search in vain for it -- as they leave in disgust they tell the locals of it --and the tale of the "missing payroll money" is born --- map out a east / southeastward flight path from the tampa (fort brooke area) and you will find it goes right into the heart of the swamps(near the alligator alley - seminole res area spoke of in the treasure atlas)
OR
the confederate money might have been coinfederate treasury money from tallahassee (or up north) sent ahead along the west coast of florida to the fort brooke area for transshipment out out of the country (hopefully along with jeff davis)by blockade runners -- the fort brooke area (near tampa) was well known for being used by blockade runners ( the scottish cheiften and katy dale were both burnt at that location in the hillsbourgh river near tampa) but attacks by union forces could have driven the paymaster and the few men with him who had the funds into the swamps --where they hid the money to prevent its capture -- he and his men later being caught as they came out of the swamp a few days later -- later on after the war theyreturned and looked in vain for the money -- telling the locals as they left in disgust about it .

either one of these ideals are a good possibilty for the tales of lost confederate money in the swamps near tampa .

 

[Oroblanco]

Ivan I was about to post something quite similar to what you wrote - you put it very well! I do have a little I can add though, which may be helpful.

This map, dating to 1864, shows the Rebel held areas in yellow with Union areas in green

it is easy to see why ADC Wood stayed well inland until Cape Canaveral, then still not going out into the Atlantic but followed the Indian river - those Yankee warships were on the lookout for blockade runners, rebel rams and of course fleeing CS government officials. With a fairly clear path through middle Florida peninsula, someone trying to get out of the country would stand a fair chance of success but always with the risk of being caught.
This map of Monroe county (of which Collier county was later taken) dates to 1863

since each township square is six miles we can see it is not THAT far from what is today Collier county to Dade county, and the Breckinridge/Wood party spent nearly a month in lower Florida and the keys trying to escape - so while on the face of it I would say it is not the same story, it is NOT impossible even as it is; especially since the men did go off searching for turtle eggs and game, plus got lost in the Everglades swamp for at least a full day.

What about Judah P Benjamin?

He was also carrying a considerable amount of CSA gold, and went a different course from ADC Wood & Breckinridge. He was fleeing south through Florida, and ended up in Britain. Here is Wiki's paragraph

"After Robert E. Lee's surrender, Judah P. Benjamin fled south with Jefferson Davis and the rest of his cabinet, but he left the group shortly before they reached Washington, Georgia, where the last meeting of the Confederate Cabinet was held.[5] He is reported to have stayed in Ocala, Florida, with Solomon Benjamin, a relative,[6] before continuing on south to Gamble Mansion in Ellenton, Florida. From there, assisted by William Whitaker and others, he was able to escape by boat to the Bahamas and then to England.[7] His escape from Florida to England, though, was not without hardship. The small sponge-carrying vessel on which he left Bimini bound for Nassau, exploded on the way and he and the three Negro crewmen had to be rescued by a British warship. His ship from The Bahamas to England caught fire on the way but managed to make it to port.[8]"

Ellenton is on the west side of Florida,
http://florida.hometownlocator.com/fl/manatee/ellenton.cfm
now I have not yet traced out his escape route (may not be possible) but it is entirely possible this may be the party fleeing the country, burying gold in a swamp in Collier county. If not Benjamin or Breckinridge, I am certain there are plenty of other candidates - in fact the CSN captain mentioned by Mrs Jeff Davis as being a man he imparted a load of gold ($86000) is a strong possibility.

I got a little bit for the other thread, will post it there. Good luck and good hunting amigos, I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
Oroblanco

 

[ivan salis]

note that waldo is right smack in the middle of the confederate zone that connected the top of florida to the bottom (it was the choke point )--thus the need for guides and help to avoid union troopers who patroled thru the area-- enter capt / col jj dickison !!! location WALDO--- a key man in moving things from up north thru the waldo area to farther down south--the old swamp fox of florida.

Mr O as your info and maps clearly show there were two major routes to try to escape from south florida in 1864 -- one way was via the east coast (beckinridge) and the other the west coast (benjamin)-- my theory is the swamp money came from a failed WEST COAST type escape attempt. -
-by the way ---
thanks for putting up the 1864 era who controlled what areas in florida map - it helps people get a MUCH better ideal of what I'm speaking of .

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Thanks Mr. O. The quote "lost an entire day in the everglades", is easy to do lol.

Notice all the forts yet to be discovered. What happened to Fort Westcott? ...Camp Hunter?

Fort Henry was a Cabbage Palm fort found in the South Dade farm fields by searching aerial photography. Fort Shackleford was found on the Seminole Indian Reservation where they placed a sign. Fort Center was washed away. Nothing left of Fort Poinsett on Cape Sable from the hurricanes. Im not sure about Fort Keas.

 

[sabre15]

Did Judah benjamin lose the gold when the ship sank on its way to the Bahamas? Where from the story did the Idea the treasure was buried west of 3 hills like the camels back or something along those lines? Is there alot of Lore to this story or could this possibly be in the Harney/Shark river area?

 

[ivan salis]

david yulee of florida andjudah benjamin had a common bound --their faith (they were the first and the second jewish senators in the usa ) * and both had ties to the jewish banking houses in europe -- (most likely they assisted the south greatly in getting funding from jewish banking houses in europe) --- benjamin fled at the close of the warto england -- rumors were rampent that he was involved with helping in the plot to kill lincoln -- to be caught was sure death --a $50,000 bounty was placed on his head---(since $1 was a days wages then and say $100 is a days wages today that would be equal to about $5,000,000 today yep like hitting the lotto to turn him in ) thus the very real need for him to get out of the USA (most likely his life depended on it )---at that time benjamin's brother( joseph) was hiding with the former confederate cheif fiscal officer of europe Colin Mc Rae in "NEW RICHMOND" BRITISH HONDURAS * -- a hide out area for ex confederates -- it very interesting to note that the south raised a good bit of funding from european backers by selling confederate war bonds ( wiith a good rate of interest built into them ) and cotton --and that both lines of credit for buying war goods and items for the south in europe and gold and silver money shipments which later shipped into the south from overseas ------- humm during his escape, benjamin took the western coast escape route thinking that the east coast escape route to be too heavily patrolled at the time --( thus he used the fort brooke --tampa area route ) --- he stopped at gamble plantation (near tampa) andburnt up just about every paper he had ever written on (thus leaving no real "paper trail" behind --even after his death only six letters were found leftby him dealing with this time frame / from this era ) - after he fled - according to reports first ship je was on "blew up" and sank -- he and a few others were picked up by a passing british vessel and finally got to england ---

he stayed in exile in england never to return --- becoming very well respected -- and finally become the QUEEN'S COUNCIL -- thus the man had to have some very powerful "connections" as they say.

so the plot thickens.

 

[Oroblanco]

It is going to be tough to track down Benjamin's trail from Ellenton south - he burned so many of his personal papers that one historian called him an "arsonist" - only six papers remained when he died. He was very obviously determined to hide something and KEEP it hidden even after his death, really I highly suspect this man is behind the story of the paymaster burying gold in the swamp.

From the little info I have found, Benjamin had little gold with him on the ship, so somewhere between Madison FL and getting on board, a large amount of gold 'vanished'. Here is a little info

"Judah P. Benjamin
Benjamin had joined the Confederate government while a resident of Louisiana.
He was a brilliant New Orleans lawyer, and conducted great experiments in sugar cane
plantings and chemistry at his plantation, “Bellechasse” (French for “Good Hunting”), on
the Mississippi River below the city.

I lived in Belle Chasse, the small town named for the plantation, for nearly 8
years. While researching this article I learned that I had lived all that time in a
subdivision carved from Benjamin’s plantation.

Benjamin disguised himself as a Frenchman traveling through the South,
“Monsieur Bonfals”. Later he had rough clothing sewn for him and became “a farmer
looking for land.” The bounty on Benjamin was $ 50,000, and all Federal patrols in
Florida were alerted to be on the lookout for fleeing Confederate officers.

Because of the greater risk of detection on the East coast of Florida, and because
he did not have any vessel there waiting, Benjamin decided on leaving from the West
coast. He made in to the Gamble Mansion, near Tampa, which, while he was there, was
searched by Union troops. He fled out the back door into bushes with his host,
Confederate Archibald McNeill; McNeill’s dog followed his master. One dog bark and it
would have been over; the Federals searched just within yards of where they hid.
After that episode Benjamin crossed the Manatee River and stayed with Capt.
Frederick Tresca, who “was intimately acquainted with the waters off the west coast of
Florida, and had great experience in outfoxing the Federals as a blockade runner during
the war,” historian Michael G. Schene has written. On May 23 Tresca, Benjamin, and
Hiram A. McLeod set sail from Sarasota Bay.

They were spotted by a Federal gunboat, but concealed themselves and their boat
in some foliage at Gasparilla Island, where they remained 2 days, for the Union forces
had been so close to them they could hear them talking.

Further down the west coast another gunboat boarded them, but Capt. Tresca
claimed to be a fisherman, and Benjamin, the ship’s cook. The Federals let them go, and
they completed their voyage to the last U. S. soil Benjamin would ever see, the Florida
Keys.

Histories of Benjamin record that about July 7 he changed boats, to one named
The Blond, and left from Knight’s Key. However, I believe that to be incorrect. There
are only 3 sources for the escape of Judah P. Benjamin. They are: (1) Benjamin’s later
letter to his sister, in which he does not name which Key he left from, (2) possibly,
Benjamin’s letter of October 20, to Delaware Senator James A. Bayard, an old friend,
which letter I have not seen, and (3) Hiram A. McLeod’s account of the flight. McLeod
recalled that Benjamin left from Indian Key, not Knight’s Key.

McLeod’s story was printed in the Galveston Daily News of May 27, 1894.
At the time, McLeod was living “in an humble cottage which sits on the classic
bank of Austin bayou in Brasoria county some 16 miles south of the town of Alvin.” “I
live here all alone except for some chickens”, he told the reporter. He told that he had
been raised in Florida. “When the war broke out in 1861 I was in Cuba on a fishing
smack, but came home to Florida at once and enlisted [in the Confederate service].
It is obvious that McLeod was familiar with the Florida coast - a great deal more
so than Benjamin, who had probably never been to Florida. It is for this reason that I will
rely on his recollection as leaving from Indian, rather than Knight’s Key. For, it was far
more likely to find a boat to make the crossing to the Bahamas at Indian Key! Knight’s
Key was hardly settled.

Benjamin, McLeod told the reporter, “...was almost wild to get out of the United
States. Those were squally times, and he did not know when he was going to be put to
death…. We left Manatee in a small, open boat, but at Indian Key got another better and
larger boat, and went across…[to the Bahamas].”
Benjamin spent the rest of his life in England."http://www.floridakeyshistory.com/pdf/escape.pdf

Good luck and good hunting amigos, I hope you find that treasure!
Oroblanco

PS Apparently William Whittaker was one of those who helped Benjamin in his escape

"As the war was nearing an end, Judah P. Benjamin, Secretary of State to the Confederacy, was being pursued through the Southern states. Making his way to Florida's west coast, John Lesley of Tampa escorted him by boat to the Sarasota area. Whitaker, neighbor Captain John Tresca, and Benjamin made plans for securing a boat to be used in the secretary's escape. Though most boats had been destroyed or confiscated during the war, after two weeks a yawl was secured and stocked. Benjamin pushed off from Whitaker Bayou,[2] making it to Bimini, safe from Union reach, and later to Nassau. From there he made it to London where he went on to serve in the Queen's Counsel."

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Whitaker_(pioneer)>

 

[Bridge End Farm]

jackson used indain allies to assist him heavily at the time --he later "sold them out" and sent them packing to reservations -- to this day many native americas hate jackson because of his "double dealing" ways with his indain allies and native americas in general. ( some think it quite odd that even as he did these things he adopted a native american boy as a son.)

Most american indians won't even accept a 20 dollar bill to this day cause his picture is on it, thats how bad they hate what he did to their ancestors

 

[ivan salis]

yep being 1/4 cherokee (grandmother dads side --was full blood) I know that most native amercicans in general "hate" andrew jackson -- he pushed hard for remove of ALL the native east coast tribes to be removed toareas west of the mississippi river --to areas far from their "home ranges" -- even the tribes who had assisted him during the wars as "loyal allies" -- jackson said "whites and indains can not peacefully live side by side and the country needs the lands to "expand " so the indains most go west ---****the finding of gold in the cherokee indain lands given by treaty to them was a prime exsample of the royal screwing indains took under jackson -- the indains complained of "hoards" of white gold seekers illegally upon "their" lands --the govt would do nothing to stop the gold rushers -- soon there was fighting -- so the indains treaty was "broken" and the indains sent packing --the cherokee tribe went to the US supreme court over the matter and actually won their case -- however when jackson got word of it --he said -the supreme court has made "their" decison --NOW LET THEM TRY TO ENFORCE IT. --- thus jackson openly disobeyed the court and did as he pleased.

 

[Bridge End Farm]

yep being 1/4 cherokee (grandmother dads side --was full blood) I know that most native amercicans in general "hate" andrew jackson -- he pushed hard for remove of ALL the native east coast tribes to be removed toareas west of the mississippi river --to areas far from their "home ranges" -- even the tribes who had assisted him during the wars as "loyal allies" -- jackson said "whites and indains can not peacefully live side by side and the country needs the lands to "expand " so the indains most go west ---****the finding of gold in the cherokee indain lands given by treaty to them was a prime exsample of the royal screwing indains took under jackson -- the indains complained of "hoards" of white gold seekers illegally upon "their" lands --the govt would do nothing to stop the gold rushers -- soon there was fighting -- so the indains treaty was "broken" and the indains sent packing --the cherokee tribe went to the US supreme court over the matter and actually won their case -- however when jackson got word of it --he said -the supreme court has made "their" decison --NOW LET THEM TRY TO ENFORCE IT. --- thus jackson openly disobeyed the court and did as he pleased.

true he did a lot of that as he pleased

Our Native brothers were in my opinion lied too, used, abused, and wronged.

 

[Bridge End Farm]

So I guess we have settled on the unwritten facts are just a lore and have no basis for research huh

Then I guess no one would be interested in a possible close waypoint of where the below lore like this might be since it is not a wriiten fact of it's exact location.

To avoid capture, Major Reynolds reached Lake Okeechobee and decided to head south. He and his men found a small village in the Everglades, about 30 miles south of the lake, where a group of Baptists from South Carolina had established a sugar plantation in the 1830's. Figuring this was a safe spot, Major Reynolds instructed his men to bury the chest of gold coins for safekeeping.

For one reason or another, the chest of gold was never recovered.

Shortly after World World 2, a pilot flying over the Everglades about 30 miles west of Fort Lauderdale spotted an island where banana trees were growing, something highly unusual for this area.

He led a small party who rented an airboat and spent the next 3 weeks combing the region, recovering a number of CSA rifles, canteens, bullet molds and other misc Confederate military equipment.

slow deep research can be the best detector at times

 

[sabre15]

Mr. Reynolds must have been one hell of a remarkable soldier to come back from the dead to bury the gold in 65/66. That is a true southern soldier! Folks these days just have it easier, just try getting killed and try coming back to bury treasure, they dont make em like they use to!

 

[ivan salis]

huum so the "records" say --- a man going under cover on a very important mission one which would invovle him going overseas never to return or only being able to live in the usa under a fake name afterwards ( since if the us govt found out he assisted in the removal of confederate gold from their grasp , they surely would have a "price" forever on his head ) --maybe it would best to be written up as having died---then do the deed --and start with a fresh ID / name afterwards . --- with $50,000 in reward for breckenridge's hide bet he wasn't using "his" real name either.

 

[ivan salis]

key words "after the war" -- this was still war time who know exactly how the :winning" us forces would act --hang the confederate leaders for treason? --firing squads ? --- as bitter and nasty as the war had been --at the very least many of the southerners expected -- severe punishment at the hands of the US Govt-- the fact that us govt might finally forgive them later on * would not have "factored" into their thier thinking at the time -- since blood was running hot ( abe lincoln had just been killed --and blood for blood was wanted)

 

[Bridge End Farm]

key words "after the war" -- this was still war time who know exactly how the :winning" us forces would act --hang the confederate leaders for treason? --firing squads ? --- as bitter and nasty as the war had been --at the very least many of the southerners expected -- severe punishment at the hands of the US Govt-- the fact that us govt might finally forgive them later on * would not have "factored" into their thier thinking at the time -- since blood was running hot ( abe lincoln had just been killed --and blood for blood was wanted)

No, Ivan. Even during the War amnesty was given. That was one of the reasons surrender was an option.

it wasn't given till 1868

during President Andrew Johnson's Christmas amnesty proclamation of 1868 that an unconditional amnesty was granted to all participants in the Civil War.

 

[ivan salis]

"parole" was given -- you had to swear to be a loyal to the us govt citizen and sign "papers" to never pick up arms again against it again ** (the north did this to be able to "release" southerners so they did not have to feed, and watch them as POW'S --- knowing most of the southern men at the time where men of their word)--- the north thought it better to have them in the south eating southern supplies and NOT fighting against them (due to being on "parole" ) than to be in northern POW camps eating northern supplies and tying up troops to watch em --- for those who would not take the US govt 's "parole" --there was "prisioner exchanges" until the south refused to exchange black union soldiers ---instead they want to keep them as "escaped" slave labor to be put to back to work -- once that happened --the prisoner exchanges stopped.

full unconditional amnesty occured in 1868 * three years after the war was over * (1865 )