Mosby's Men in Southern Maryland

[L Verge]

The initial problem was communication for the Union forces. A main line into Southern Maryland was to Chapel Point on the Port Tobacco River, which flowed into the Potomac. However, I believe that line had been taken out of commission by the Union shortly before this. There were other Union troops in various spots in the area, but not in as heavy force as there had been prior to the dawn of 1865 when it was obvious that the Confederate threat was dwindling.

The attacks on Lincoln and Seward also had the element of surprise, so it took a few hours before any kind of assessment could be made and orders sent out. As part of the kidnap plot, a long length of rope had been left with the carbines and other supplies at Surratt's Tavern. The rope was to be used to stretch across the road from tree to tree to cause the first line of cavalry to stumble and create a pile-up. The rope was left behind the night of the assassination because Booth and Herold could not risk the time to put anything in place and because of the leg problem. They also knew that they had time on their side for the first 3-4 hours.

Once the fugitives reached Dr. Mudd's, they were in the hands of men who had tricked the Union for four years by using clever deception. The Southern Maryland civilians were very good at what they did, and if Mosby's men were there also, even better.

As far as Mosby's men ever spilling the beans in later years, my personal opinion is that they just weren't built that way -- once a black ops man, always a black ops man. I think I'm correct in saying that Harbin and Jones were the only ones who allowed their stories to be put in print?

BTW, refresh my memory - did Mosby ever surrender his troops? If not, maybe they considered themselves on "active duty" to their dying day - lips zipped????

Personally, I think Stanton was 100% correct in assuming that the Confederate command was behind the Great Conspiracy. Were you ever told that, when taking a multiple choice test, your first answer is usually the correct one? I bet Stanton was a whiz at multiple choice answers -- and I also bet that Judah Benjamin and George Sanders were whizzes at putting together covert actions.