The Post-War Southern Exodus

On April 9, 1865, Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia, one week prior to almost certainly the most tragic Easter in Southern history. Joseph Johnston, Richard Taylor, and other Confederate commanders soon followed. After an unsuccessful four year effort to gain independence, the South faced a bleak future. The Union’s total war policy had added insult to injury by making war on non-combatants and property. Abraham Lincoln and U.S. Grant approved this strategy, which required morally reprobate individuals such as William Sherman and Phillip Sheridan to execute.

Approximately 500,000 Union troops were foreigners and many were mercenaries void of loyalty to America. One example of total war conducted by a foreigner is reflected through the actions of Ivan Turchin, a Union officer and former Russian Cossack, who was responsible for the sacking of Athens, Alabama. Union General Don Buell attempted to have Turchin court-martialed but Lt. General James Garfield (later president) and Lincoln de-railed those efforts. Showing at least tacit approval of Turchin’s actions, Lincoln rewarded him with a promotion to Brigadier General.

After being forced back in the Union, Southern States feared retribution for seeking independence. The ill-timed assassination of Lincoln made matters worse, further incentivizing the Radical Republicans who had long desired to control Southern land and resources; some had even intimated genocide of the Southern people. The charge that leaving a voluntary union was somehow treasonous raised alarm bells. Ex-Confederate soldiers returned to destroyed homes and property, along with disenfranchisement; their input into government was essentially nonexistent. Exorbitant taxes and martial law further eroded a previously ordered, primarily Christian society. Since there was no redemption of Confederate currency, poverty was virtually assured to non-sycophants.

Many Southerners looked for alternatives rather than live under military occupation. The Radicals had been cheerleaders for Lincoln’s agenda of protectionism, corporate welfare, and a national bank. They favored mercantilism, especially when the government-protected industries provided them direct financial benefits. The South was virtually defenseless against the avaricious, more empowered Radical Republicans.

Dissatisfied and disenfranchised Southerners understood escape from the boot heel of Northern military rule might require moving to another location, possibly thousands of miles away. There were some logical geographical options. For example, Mexico had a generally good relationship with the South. Thousands of “Hispanics” fought for the Confederacy, such as those who served under Confederate Colonel Santos Benavides. Central and South America were viable options as both areas were heavily agrarian. Belize (British Honduras) was another possibility. Also, the prospect of moving to Great Britain, France, and other regions of Europe looked feasible.

Jefferson Davis and General Lee encouraged Southerners to remain and rebuild the South, the U.S. Government was sometimes aggressive in their efforts to stop the exodus. Regardless of any threats, some moved to the American West, North, Midwest, and Canada. Others left the upper regions of North America. For example, about 2,500 Confederates and/or their families moved to

Mexico. This group included Virginia scientist and naval officer, Matthew Fontaine Maury; former Louisiana Governor, Henry Watkins Allen; and Kentucky businessman Joseph Shelby. Maximilian I, whose predominantly French troops opposed Benito Juarez and his Juaristas, invited Southerners to Mexico. Shelby and his followers soon realized Mexico was a sometimes extremely violent place to make a new home.

Many Southerners moved to Belize, where English was routinely spoken. Some historians contend Belize was the most common destination for ex-Confederates. The fact that many Southerners were highly skilled in agriculture made them valuable immigrants. This group included Colin J. McRae, ex-Confederate States European Financial Agent and Joseph Benjamin, the brother of Judah Benjamin, a key adviser to Jefferson Davis.

Perhaps the most publicized are the ex-Confederates who moved to Brazil. Some have estimated as many as 20,000 Southerners moved there. Known as Confederados, they still maintain a place of significance in Americana, Brazil. Emperor Dom Pedro encouraged Southerners to migrate and offered many incentives in the process. Colonel William H. Norris of Alabama was the first Confederado to move to Brazil; he brought thirty Southern families with him, arriving in Rio de Janeiro on December 27, 1865. In 1972, Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter made a trip to Brazil and noted similarities in the cultures of Americana and the South.

Ex-Confederates who moved to England included Judah P. Benjamin, John C. Breckinridge, and Lt. General Jubal A. Early. Obviously, there was a close genetic and cultural connection to England as well as Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Also, before, during, and after the war, many citizens of Great Britain showed great admiration for the South.

Other destinations included Venezuela, Cuba, Egypt, Canada, and New Zealand. The loss of representative government and federal occupation were primary catalysts for the exodus of many Southerners. Although some moved back, large numbers stayed and their genealogical legacies remain in those countries.

Sources: The Confederate Handbook, by Robert Wood; “Athens Sacked and Plundered,” The Historical Marker Database, at: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=85387; “Thousands of Southerners Fled the U.S. after the Civil War and Ended Up in this Country,” by David Stusowski, 5/16/17, History Collection, at: https://historycollection.com/americana/; “Southern Emigration,” RADIO IQ, by James Robertson, Jr., Published October 17, 2019, at: https://www.wvtf.org/civil-war-series/2019-10-17/southern-emigration; “Confederate Migration to Mexico,” by George D. Harmon (Lehigh University), The Hispanic American Historical Review, at: https://www.latinamericanstudies.org/civil-war/Confederates_Mexico.pdf; NOTE: Despite the proliferation of modern history-destroying Jacobins, there are still signs around Athens, AL that describe the sacking of the city. Also, the total war strategy was largely derived from Prussian officer Carl von Clausewitz’ strategy known as “absolute war.” Records show Easter fell on April 16, 1865.

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