TR,
The cotton was sent out of the south, by blockade runners who were hired but both Planter/Slave Owners and Brokers who were on commision by the Planter/Slaveowners. Most of it that went to Europe flowed through Cuba and Bermuda. Some went to other Carribean Nations but not much. The cotton that went up the Mississippi for the most part was used in the domestic market in the Northern states. It was the same supply and demand that we have today that determined the price. Think of it, going from 12.5 per pound to a dollar a pound in 3 years, a twelve fold increase. No wonder the Planter/Slaveowners were eager to sell their product. Earlier in this thread we were speculating that the war was prolonged so that the Northern Generals could profit from the cotton market, but I would propose that the ones who profited were the greedy southern Planter/Slaveowners who were the ones who agitated the south into secceeding for their(Planter/Slaveowners) gain.
"When you have a gun to your head"
I don't think anyone had a gun to their head who was able to sell that cotton or that tobbacco. I think they were the Planter/Slaveowner class, the aristocracy if you will. I don't think they had that problem. For the most part, they stayed home and sent the poor white man to do the dirty work. But they did do their part. The put their sons in positions like post master and school teacher and census taker and some of them were local malitia. The ones who had a gun to their head were the poor whites of the south. The men were sent off to fight the fight and their women and children were left to the mercy of the Planter/SLaveowner class as far as food and other necessities were concerned. That is why there were so many food riots in the south during that period. One thing a mother will do is fight to the death for her offspring. So when they were denied food, they did what they had to, they took the shotgun or pistol and banded together and took what the buaurocrats and the southern gentry would deny them. The people that were doing the selling did not have a comfort problem, they could sell the cotton or tobbaco and in return purchase coffee, tea, fine wines and spices, etc. Until Uncle Billie started his remodel program in the drive to the sea, the Plantation folk were doing quite well, in my opinion.
FC