Benjamin Wood
Early Life and Time Leading up to Civil War
Benjamin Wood was born on October 13, 1820 in Shelbyville, Kentucky. He was the older brother of Fernando Wood, who was one of the leaders in the Peace Democrats, or the Copperheads. In addition to this, he was also his brother’s advisor and business partner. In 1860, Fernando Wood had already been in office as the mayor of New York City for some time, and in order to ensure his political success higher up, he made his brother Benjamin the editor of New York Daily News after buying it.
During the Civil War
Benjamin Wood strongly sympathized with the South’s cause, and held many primarily southern beliefs. In many of his 1860 editorials in the paper, he made his support for slavery clear by defending it, praising it, and pushing for its expansion into western territories. Part of Wood’s stance on the war was due to a profitable lottery business he ran prior to the Civil War. Tickets were sold throughout states in the South, so when they seceded, it put an end to his business. This was illustrated in a political cartoon printed in an issue of Harper's Weekly on August 31, 1861. In early 1861, the Civil War was brewing. Mayor Fernando Wood had proclaimed that New York City should secede from the Union and become a free city republic, and Benjamin Wood firmly backed him up on the decision. When the battle at Fort Sumter occurred, Benjamin Wood’s opposition to the looming war was only made clearer. In fact, his lacking support of the Union war effort caused a mob to threaten to attack the newspaper headquarters if an American flag was not flown. However, his unwavering abuse of the Civil War made him a leading voice of the Peace Democrats, or the Copperheads.
Wood had many problems with the authorities throughout the duration of the Civil War. In May 1861, the New York City Board of Aldermen wanted to revoke the paper’s status as the official newspaper of New York City. This was due to Wood’s refusal to tone down his aggressiveness toward the Civil War, which made the newspaper liable to charges for aiding the Confederacy. Wood was not indicted, but in August 1861, the distribution of the New York Daily News through mail was prohibited. He tried to use the railroads to deliver papers, but shipments in Philadelphia and Connecticut were seized by the federal government. Eventually, Wood decided that he would stop publication of the newspaper for 18 months, during which time he wrote Fort Lafayette: or, Love and Secession, which was an anti war novel that was largely ignored.
When publication started up again in May 1863, Wood returned in full force. He started to reprint articles from Southern newspapers. He also named Phineas C. Wright, a founder of the Order of American Knights, as an editor of the newspaper in January 1864. According to the government under President Lincoln, the Order of American Knights was a pro-Confederate organization with the purpose of sabotaging the Union. The House Judiciary Committee even had his investigated on allegation of aiding the Confederacy as his anti-war and anti-Union activity was so suspicious. From 1861 through 1865, Wood also held office in the House of Representatives. During this time, he pushed for a resolution to end the conflict of the Civil War peacefully, and opposed any ideas of emancipation for the slaves. He was also against military drafts, and his supposed connection to a Confederate plan to instigate the New York City draft riots of July 1863 was further cause of his investigation by the House Judiciary Committee.
In addition to being against the Union war effort and the Civil War in general, Wood criticized President Lincoln at every given opportunity. Lincoln embodied almost everything that Wood stood against, so his harshness toward Lincoln was no surprise. What was a surprise was when Wood did not endorse George McClellan as the Democratic candidate in the presidential election of 1864.
In early 1865, the New York Daily News ran into serious trouble. The War Department declared that personal columns in the newspaper had been used to transmit coded messages by Confederate spies. At this time, it was compulsory for Wood to suspend the column, as he was threatened with arrest and court martial. Although Wood himself was never charged, his editor, Phineas Wright, was arrested in May 1865. Despite this, many people all over the Union viewed him as a traitor.
Benjamin Wood’s determination and his belief in freedom of the press caused many problems for the Union war effort.
Wood had many problems with the authorities throughout the duration of the Civil War. In May 1861, the New York City Board of Aldermen wanted to revoke the paper’s status as the official newspaper of New York City. This was due to Wood’s refusal to tone down his aggressiveness toward the Civil War, which made the newspaper liable to charges for aiding the Confederacy. Wood was not indicted, but in August 1861, the distribution of the New York Daily News through mail was prohibited. He tried to use the railroads to deliver papers, but shipments in Philadelphia and Connecticut were seized by the federal government. Eventually, Wood decided that he would stop publication of the newspaper for 18 months, during which time he wrote Fort Lafayette: or, Love and Secession, which was an anti war novel that was largely ignored.
When publication started up again in May 1863, Wood returned in full force. He started to reprint articles from Southern newspapers. He also named Phineas C. Wright, a founder of the Order of American Knights, as an editor of the newspaper in January 1864. According to the government under President Lincoln, the Order of American Knights was a pro-Confederate organization with the purpose of sabotaging the Union. The House Judiciary Committee even had his investigated on allegation of aiding the Confederacy as his anti-war and anti-Union activity was so suspicious. From 1861 through 1865, Wood also held office in the House of Representatives. During this time, he pushed for a resolution to end the conflict of the Civil War peacefully, and opposed any ideas of emancipation for the slaves. He was also against military drafts, and his supposed connection to a Confederate plan to instigate the New York City draft riots of July 1863 was further cause of his investigation by the House Judiciary Committee.
In addition to being against the Union war effort and the Civil War in general, Wood criticized President Lincoln at every given opportunity. Lincoln embodied almost everything that Wood stood against, so his harshness toward Lincoln was no surprise. What was a surprise was when Wood did not endorse George McClellan as the Democratic candidate in the presidential election of 1864.
In early 1865, the New York Daily News ran into serious trouble. The War Department declared that personal columns in the newspaper had been used to transmit coded messages by Confederate spies. At this time, it was compulsory for Wood to suspend the column, as he was threatened with arrest and court martial. Although Wood himself was never charged, his editor, Phineas Wright, was arrested in May 1865. Despite this, many people all over the Union viewed him as a traitor.
Benjamin Wood’s determination and his belief in freedom of the press caused many problems for the Union war effort.
Fun Facts!!!
Did you know that . . .
- although Benjamin Wood was against the drafts, he helped to save the New York Times building during the New York City draft riots. Armed with a a revolver, Wood stood in the doorway of the building and lectured the rioters that came near on the fundamental right of property.
- although Benjamin Wood was against the drafts, he helped to save the New York Times building during the New York City draft riots. Armed with a a revolver, Wood stood in the doorway of the building and lectured the rioters that came near on the fundamental right of property.