Thomas Harbin

[SSlater]

Laurie. More on Dr. Wyvill, that proves that he was part of the system - at the very beginning. I find nothing that says that he stayed to the very end. The man named "G. Donnellan", referenced below, (George) was the first courier who carried mail from the Greenhow Ring in Washington, to Beauregard at Manassas. This put him in charge of the first "Secret Line". George Dent, mentioned below, was the last agent in Maryland, and put info across to Virginia. Mr. Grymes was the first agent on the Virginia side.The following report is shown in the O. R. Series II, page 865.

George Dent was arrested and in his papers was found a letter from G. Donnellan, Headquarters, Brooks' Station, July 21, 1861. (Brooks' Station, on the RR, was General Daniel Ruggles' Headquarters. ((Father of Mortimer Ruggles)). to George Dent, inclosing a letter addressed to Dr. Wivill(sic), as stated, to be forwarded without delay, instructing him (Wivill) how to connect with the "courier line", to be established the next day, from Grymes' house
on Mathias Point, to the Headquarters of General Ruggles at Brooks' Station. Dispatches of an important character, he said, were to come this week, to General Beauregard. He says to Dent. Please keep this on the qui vive and all expenses incurred shall be made satisfactory to you or other persons rendering service. Please inform our friends and also Dr. Wivill. General Ruggles, who knows of my authority, has stated herein to the same effect as I represent.
Unfortunately, the Greenhow ring was broken up with mass arrests. We know that another "Secret Line" was created, but I haven't accumulated enough dates to establish when it began. For example. Cawood was a main feature in the line, but he didn't set up his Camp until June 1864. More to come!