 In Charlotte , Benjamin stayed in the home of a Jewish merchant as surrender negotiations dragged . Here , Benjamin abandoned Davis 's plan to fight on , telling him and the Cabinet that the cause was hopeless . When negotiations failed , Benjamin was part of the shrunken remnant around Davis that moved on with him . The party reached Abbeville , South Carolina on May 2 , and Benjamin told Davis that he wanted to separate from the presidential party temporarily , and go to the Bahamas to be able to send instructions to foreign agents before rejoining Davis in Texas . According to historian William C. Davis , " the pragmatic Secretary of State almost certainly never had any intention of returning to the South once gone " . When he bade John Reagan goodbye , the postmaster general asked where Benjamin was going . " To the farthest place from the United States , if it takes me to the middle of China . " 
