Dave Taylor / Davey Herold Question

[L Verge]

(02-14-2014 02:21 PM)Cliff Roberts Wrote:  I think Booth doubted that Atzerodt would have the nerve to kill the Vice President, but I don't think he ever intended for Herold to kill Johnson or anyone else. After Lincoln, Seward was the main target, which is why Booth assigned his best man to the job. Powell was the only conspirator Booth could be certain of to complete his assignment (which he would have, had it not been for that steel neck brace). With this in mind, it makes no sense that Booth intended to leave Powell on his own after killing Seward, in effect, abandoning his best man. Powell spent only a short time in Washington, seldom venturing out except with others, so there's no reason to suppose that he was "familiar" with the city or its environs, nor is it likely he'd head toward Baltimore, a city where he was known to military police and ordered out of. Herold's primary assignment that night was guiding Powell to Surrattsville; at that point, it could be decided to split up or stay together. The idea of Booth assigning young Herold to manage the actions of the various conspirators, as someone suggested, doesn't sound plausible; Davy Herold, as assassination stage director? Of course, absent any definitive evidence as to exactly what assignments the various conspirators were given that night, all we are left with is conjecture. Incidently, it was Atzerodt who stated that Booth was the one who visited a pretty chambermaid at Seward's house and learned that Dr. Verdi was treating Seward, which likely led to the ruse Powell used to get into the house. Seward's nurse, Robinson, did testify at trial that Powell looked like the man who visited the home earlier that evening, but he later amended that testimony by stating he wasn't sure about it.

I will agree with your first few sentences - except your comment about the metal brace saving Seward, since that brace was not put on the Secretary until days later. However, David Herold would have been the natural to serve as point man to see that deeds got done and report back to Booth. He had grown up in the city and knew it well. It was not that difficult a city to navigate in 1865. BTW: The "someone" who first suggested that Herold was the point man was Michael W. Kauffman, one of the best in the assassination field.

Powell, on the other hand, had been sent to do one job and did not need to stick with any of the gang after doing his one job. From Lafayette Square, it was an easy route to head north. We speculate that he wanted to get back to Baltimore and probably the Bransons; but what if he wanted to get back to the Valley and Mosby? He would need to go west.

And, if some of us are correct that Mosby had sent some of his men to the Northern Neck of Virginia to assist Booth, Powell's strength would not be needed, and he had no knowledge of that route. The Mosby Rangers that appear to have been in the Northern Neck "going home from the war" were natives of that area and could be a lot more helpful to Booth.

Dogs may run in packs to the end, but I think smart men separate and make their pursuers do the same. Also, it's a lot easier to hide two men than three or four.