(01-05-2018 03:48 PM)SSlater Wrote:  I have found that hunting up the life of a Spy can be a fascinating pass time. My latest interest is a man named Richard Reynolds Montgomery.
This guy came to my attention when I reviewed the account of the prosecution of the Lincoln Conspirators. He was called upon by the Federal Government to prove that the Confederate Government was absolutely involved in the assassination plot. How could he do that?
In his testimony, given in secret, he revealed that he was a spy for the Confederate Government and had made frequent trips to Canada carrying secret instructions. He also revealed that whenever he made a trip, he stopped off in Washington to allow them to read all he was carrying. If the Federal Government knew the inner most secrets of the Rebs - why did they allow the plan to proceed? I think they were actively protecting Lincoln when they captured Thomas Harney, as he was proceeding ti Washington. (Thant's a story for another time.) I am interested in this guy Montgomery.
Richard Montgomery was born in Mew York City in 1839. He grew up in a huge family - more than 15 total. He married Emily E. Wallace in 1859 and started his own family. Two girls (twins) and a boy. (The girls were Florence and Florance.)
At some point, not clearly defined, he attempted to join the Army -as a Major, this failed (I think his father, a Broker< tried to buy a Commission) This led to his enlistment in the Army for "General Service", for 5 years, as a Sargent. However, in less than 2 months, he was ALLOWED to resign, in order to accept an opportunity to accept a "Class I Position". I assume that this is where he became a Spy. (His compensation was $1200. That is significant when you learn that Stanton (Sec. of War) was getting $8000 per annum.)
Montgomery had grey eyes, dark hair, ruddy complexion, an was 5'-8 1/2". He was assigned to the Adjutant General's Office.
The Adjutant General is the top man in the Army. EVERYONE WORKS FOR HIM. (George Washington, and Adjutant General got $162/ Mo.)
Montgomery is shown in the City Directory as "Rooming at 734 New York Ave, between 1863 and 1865. Then he is shown as "Major" after the war (while he "cooperated" during the Conspirator trial.
I'm out of space - but I continue to search. I'll add more if allowed.

(01-06-2018 07:29 AM)Gene C Wrote:  Thank you John for your research, I find it very interesting.

A quick Google search, and this was all I could find. ( Only a quick search) It's from an 2008 article by John Fazio in the Cleveland Civil War Round Table - Confederate Complicity in the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln (Part 3)
"At the trial, Richard R. Montgomery, allegedly a Federal spy, claimed to know most of the Confederate agents in Canada. He said that in January, 1865, Jacob Thompson told him of a plan to kill Northern leaders and that Thompson supported it, but was not allowed to proceed with it until Richmond gave a green light.

All three (Montgomery, Merritt and Dunham) were later shown to have perjured themselves, but one has to ask, why?
http://clevelandcivilwarroundtable.com/articles/lincoln/confederate_complicity3.htm

He is mentioned in Edward Steers - 'The Lincoln Assassination Encyclopedia' p. 378.
"As damaging as the testimony of Montgomery and the others appear to have been, it all fell apart when alll three came under attack by the press, which claimed all three men had committed perjury. Their stories all began to unravel when reporters could not verify most of their claims."

I'm curious, what about Montgomery has sparked your interest?

(01-06-2018 09:41 PM)SSlater Wrote:  Gene C. Thanks for your input - I am searching for anything on this subject. I do not believe that the 3 men lied.
Their testimony was so very damaging, that the defense had to discredit the information the only way they knew how - they had to discredit the informants. They had to discredit their validity.
Oddly, the testimony was given in Secret and was kept a secret through the first month of the trial. The information was made available when the information was leaked to the public. So, up until then, the defense didn't even know what was said. The whole trial was an oddity. The prosecution owned the Judge, they owned the jury, then owned the sentiment, THE SOUTH WAS GUILTY OF KILLING LINCOLN.
My interest in spies was born in me, in my own war. I was not a spy -I didn't look like ''them", I couldn't talk like "them" (I learned a few words), but I spent my time sneaking around in the dark, all alone.

(01-09-2018 05:28 PM)SSlater Wrote:  There was a great deal of trouble in the North over Winning the War.

(01-10-2018 12:02 PM)Gene C Wrote:  I will agree that there was a certain amount of trouble In the North near the end of the war, but there had always been trouble in the North. There were draft riots in NY City during the middle of the war. Senators and Governors complaining they couldn't reach their enlistment quotas. Women and children working in farm fields and factories because there were not enough men available to do the work.
Part of the trouble with some of this conspiracy theory is, if we eliminate Lincoln, what are we left with?
Lincoln's reconstruction plans were better economically than what eventually happened.

Save your Dixie cups, the South shall rise again!

(01-10-2018 05:16 PM)SSlater Wrote:  The most important aspect of Lincoln's plan was to admit the South back into the Union without punishment. The people around him (Ben Wade. Thaddeus Stevens, Salmon Chase, Fernando Wood, etc.) wanted to punish the South in such a manner that they would all make money - MILLIONS- They even fought among thenselves. I'll hut up the details, if you are interested. They almoct succeded - their man missed election BY ONE VOTE, otherwise it all woud have been different. One more, cad, Me. ~John ~ Edwin Stanton (Don't Shoot!)