Cotton Smuggling (jan 1, 1861 – dec 31, 1862)

Description:

Thomas Durant and Grenville Dodge were involved in the illegal smuggling of cotton from the South during the American Civil War. During this period, the Union had blockaded Southern ports to cripple the Confederate economy, and cotton was a valuable commodity. Durant and Dodge capitalized on the high demand for cotton in the North and Europe. They smuggled cotton from the Confederate states, using various means to bypass the Union blockade and other wartime restrictions. This illicit trade helped finance some of Durant's later ventures, including his significant involvement in the construction of the transcontinental railroad with the Union Pacific Railroad.

During this time, Thomas Durant left the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad. His departure from M&M coincided with his increasing focus on the transcontinental railroad project.

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