Who's good at tracking obscure details?

[SSlater]

Hi Laurie. As usual, we differ.
The Potomac flows PAST Montgomery County, 15 miles from Frederick, where Edward Fitzgerald lived. I can't see him capable of walking to the river and then paddle across and back, and get home, at 10 or 12 years old. The closest point for him is called "POINT OF ROCKS" . At that point the river narrows and picks up speed, with high rocks on both sides Today, Rt. 15 crosses right there. Would you trust a 10 year old to get you across the Potomac? He may have helped Jones by sending travelers down river - to cross where Rt. 301 -crosses and Mr. Jones will put you across, cheap!
Your notes don't say he helped Jones before 1865. They might have met later. For example: Edward was a student at Georgetown University (in D.C.) in the 1870's. They could have met in that era.
Maybe when Jones was "visiting" the jails up there.

I like an "assignment" like this. I don't pick an answer, and then try to prove it. I try to read the facts and hopefully build an answer.

Here is an example: Samuel P. Jones, was he BLIND? He may have been, by the time he got to Court, but during the war HE COULD SEE!
He knew he was listening to OFFICERS. He knew what their collar pins LOOKED LIKE. They didn't tell us if he was White, So far, we have proven he was not BLIND, and we question if he was a Beggar. I found a Samuel P. Jones, living in Richmond during and after the war, who was a Waiter. He could have easily overheard OFFICERS talking as he served dinner. I don't question Jones - I question whoever it was that wrote the report. I only wonder if Freed-black-men would be allowed to Testify. (Rules changed after the War or it didn't matter)
I need a lot more info, before I can offer an answer.

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Jim Garrett slipped an reply in while I was typing Comment: The closest the River is to Rockville, is

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GREAT FALLS. Edwards didn.t cross there