John Surratt

[SSlater]

I have to work on "Surratts trip to Elmira", did, in fact, happen. I have given my opinion in other postings. I need to provide some of the reading that influenced my conclusions. One item was the plan developed by the Confederate Commissioners in Canada, to create a "New Army", using the prisoners available in Elmira. I am embarrassed, that I can not remember where I read a detailed description of this plan. I think it was in the Benjamin account of the St Albans raid and the trial, which, unfortunately, I do not own. Please accept what I say, until I can provide the cites.

This is complicated. The plan, created in Canada, was to organize a "New Army" to enter the U.S. from Canada and fight its way south to join up with an existing Command. The big need for the prisoners developed when the "thousands" of Copperheads failed to show up ready to fight. Such an Army would draw thousands of troops away from in front of Gen. R. E. Lee. The New Army would be led by B. Gen. E. G. Lee. I feel safe in saying this, based on the orders received by E. G. Lee when he was relieved of command of the "Valley District Reserves Forces". Lee wrote on the back of the orders "Furlough and Med. Certif. given to avert suspicion of my real business in Canada". Why else would the South send a Brig. Gen. to head up a unit that was currently in disfavor with the host Country? We have been led to believe that Lee was to replace Thompson. I seriously doubt that. Thompson did not leave immediately, in fact they worked together until the war ended. Thompson did not turn over the millions of dollars he held, to Lee. (Thompson eventually sent the money to England, to be placed in the personal account of Judah Benjamin, - as directed by Benjamin.)

This all occurred too late in the effort to extend the war. While the Commissioners were working to create this "New Army", the armies in the South were surrendering en masse. Thompson brought his wife to Canada and they left quietly and "toured the Continent" for several years. Lee stayed on and told us of his activities during the summer months, in his diary.

In summary: E. G. Lee was sent to raise an Army - the promised troops failed to show - Lee went for the experienced troops in prison- Surratt investigated that possibility. (I've never heard of any report of his findings). The war ended before any more could be done .

We can not dispute, L. C. Baker's writings, in "The History of the Secret Service", that Surratt was reported by his detectives, to have been observed traveling from Elmira to Montreal, in the correct time frame. Would he have lied? I haven't.

P.S. Have you ever seen my story about "The Little Man" traveling with Surratt?

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Let's look at the possibility that Surratt did travel from Elmira to Washington, and be there for the Assassination.

IMO, the prosecution looked at the published Time Schedule, and proved that he could have made the trip. Since they were prepared to argue this point, they must have believed - he was in Elmira.

No one proved that he was on any of the various trains - none went straight through. I have never read that these trains were noted for their punctuality, my information leans to the contrary. If one train was late - that's OK, because the connecting train was late also. The only problem here, is he would have been late for the assassination, and that was on time.