Born in St. Croix, British West Indies. Moved to Savannah, Georgia, in 1816. Attended Yale in 1825 to 1827. Married Natalie St. Martin in 1833. Taught school in New Orleans, Louisiana. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1832. He practiced law in partnership with John Slidell.

Elected to the state legislature in 1842 until 1844. Elected to the United States Senate and served March 4, 1853, to February 4, 1861. In 1861 he withdrew to join the Confederacy. He served as Attorney General, Secretary of War, and Secretary of State in the Confederacy. He was frequently blamed for conditions that were not under his control. He proposed arming slaves to fight for the south and was censured by the Confederate legislature in 1865.

When the Confederacy collapsed he escaped to the Bahamas. He went to England in 1865 and established a successful practice of law there. He retired in 1883. Moved to Paris, France, and died there in 1884.

Benjamin appears on Confederate paper money:

$2 Issue of Sept 2, 1861

$2 Issue of June 2, 1862

$2 Issue of December 2, 1862

$2 Issue of April 6, 1863

$2 Issue of Feb 17, 1864

bio: ApCAB; BDC; DAB; NCAB 4; TCBDA; WAB; WWWA-H; NUM 75 Nov 1962 pages 1476-1477; BNR June 1983