Mudd, Surratt and Harbin

[RJNorton]

Kees, there are folks on the forum who know far more on this topic than I do. But I will post some of the testimony of a couple of Dr. Mudd's slaves named Elzee Eglen and Melvina Washington. This testimony does not really answer your question, but I think the prosecution interpreted these testimonies as showing Dr. Mudd assisted the Confederate soldiers, let them stay on/near his property, gave them food, provisions, etc.

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(Elzee Eglen)

Q. Now state if you saw any men at Mudd’s house when you were there; and if so, who were they?
A. I did see men there: some staid in the woods. They would come in the house at different times, and sleep in the woods at night: sometimes one person would go into the house. They would go in at different times, and go back to the woods.
Q. How far from Mudd’s house did they stay in the woods?
A. The used to stay about a quarter of a mile off, I reckon.
Q. Where did they get their victuals?
A. I do not know where they got their victuals.
Q. Did you see any victuals taken to them?
A. I have seen victuals going that way often enough.
Q. Who was taking them?
A. I saw my sister carry some.
Q. What is your sister’s name?
A. Mary Simms.
Q. When was that?
A. That was in June or July.
Q. What June and July?
A. The June before this last one, and that July.
Q. How were those men dressed that slept in the woods?
A. Some were dressed in gray clothes, and some in black clothes.
Q. Did you know any of the men?
A. I had seen one of them before: they called him Andrew Gwynn, I believe. I did not know the others.
Q. Do you know the uniform or clothing of rebel soldiers or prisoners?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Say how these clothes compared with those of rebels.
A. They were gray clothes: they had on gray jackets, coat-like, and gray breeches.
Q. Were there any marks on them of any kind?
A. No: they had no marks on them; only buttons.

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Here is the testimony of another slave:

Q. State your name to the Court
A. Melvina Washington.
Q. State if you have lived with the prisoner, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd.
A. Yes, sir: I have lived with Dr. Samuel Mudd.
Q. Do you see him here in this place?
A. Yes, sir: there he is [pointing to the prisoner, Dr. Samuel A. Mudd].
Q. State whether you were his slave.
A. Yes, sir: I was his slave.
Q. State when you left his house
A. I left him this October coming two years.
Q. State whether, while you lived at Dr. Samuel Mudd’s, you heard him say any thing about President Lincoln.
A. I heard him say that he would not keep his seat long.
Q. When was it that you heard him say that?
A. I heard him say it the summer before I came away,—the summer before last.
Q. Was there anybody talking with him at the time he said that?
A. There was a heap of gentlemen in the house; but I don’t know who they were.
Q. How were the gentlemen that were in the house dressed? and where did they sleep?
A. Some had on gray clothes, and some had on little short jackets, with a little peak to them behind.
Q. Had they any uniform about their clothing?
A. They had black buttons. That was all the uniform they had about them.
Q. Where did they sleep?
A. Sometimes they staid in the house, and sometimes they slept in the pines.
Q. How far from Dr. Mudd’s home?
A. The pines were not far from his spring.
Q. State how they got their victuals.
A. Sometimes Dr. Mudd would carry them; and he sent them once by the girl, Mary Simms. Although I did not stay about the house, I happened to be there at one time when they were all sitting down to dinner, and they had two of the boys watching; and some one come in, and said there was somebody coming; and these men rushed from the table to the side-door, and went to the spring; but I do not know the gentlemen’s names.
Q. Was that about the same time last summer a year ago?
A. Yes, sir.