Thomas A Jones

[Gene C]

Full title "Thomas A Jones Chief Agent of the Confederate Secret Service in Maryland" by John and Roberta Wearmouth

Interesting book, about 170 pages. Two key parts of the book contain reprints of: A lengthy magazine article by George Alfred Townsend (GATH) "How John Wilkes Booth Crossed the Potomac", which was published in 1884 for the Century Magazine; and a short book, "John Wilkes Booth" written by Thomas Jones in 1893.

The significance of the article and book were that up to that time very few people had any knowledge of where and what Booth was doing between Mudd's house and Booth's crossing of the Potomac. This book also included some background information about Thomas Jones, Samuel Cox, and the political economic situation in southern Maryland prior to, during, and following ths Civil War.

I purchased my copy from the Surratt House where it is available for $20. If you would like to pay more you can find it on Amazon books for $44.99 http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Jones-Confe...n+maryland

An interesting note, when Jones published his book, most of the copies were taken in 1893 to Chicago to be sold at Columbian Exposition (as a fund raising expedition). Not surprisingly, it was not well received there. Unsold copies were stored in a barn back in Maryland. In 1917 the unsold copies were taken out of the barn and burned.