St. Peter's or Horsehead? Is the Stage Route the Answer?

[SSlater]

(01-13-2017 02:11 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Questions: Dave, are you focusing on the activities of the Secret Line and the thesis of Tidwell, Hall, and Gaddy? I thought you told me last year that you were not and did not place that much faith in what was going on in Southern Maryland relative to that. Did I misunderstand you?

Did regular members of the Secret Line know who other operatives were, other than the next person to pass someone off on? Also, how would they know if someone on the Line had ceased "operations" once Lee surrendered - especially in the Northern Neck, where Booth encountered his first experiences of being turned away?

Did the Navy Partisan Group have access to horses? Where were they based/sheltered (men and beasts)? Who funded them?

Would it be unusual for Mosby to "retain" a few men for special duty while sending the remainder of a company back to normal duty?

How did Ruggles come to have Conrad's horse?

Addendum: John, if all goes well, I will be returning to my desk at Surratt House next Wednesday (1/18) on a part-time basis at first. I got final approval from the "company doctor" this morning after my two specialists approved it last week. Unfortunately, I will be dragging oxygen with me; but you do what you have to do.

All three doctors stressed to limit my activities to "as tolerated." Trust me, after the past three months and with over 4000 hours of sick leave still remaining, I will heed their advice for a change. No more workaholic.

Ans. Question 2. We have been told, that Agents on the Secret Line knew only the Agents on each side of him (or Her). That way the capture of one would not destroy the whole line. Some Agents could see each other. Example Jones and Cawood. They were on opposite sides of the River. I believe they had other ways of signaling to a more remote Agent , like a towel on the clothes line, which meant "I have a message for you."
I don't know enough about "who quit"- when Lee surrendered. I do know that this was of serious concern to the Rebel Government when they evacuated Richmond. That "was not the end of the war"! We do have examples of clandestine operations - after Lee surrendered - from Richmond to New York City. (mostly involving Harney.)
Ans. Q 3. The Navy Partisans did not - normally - have horses. They were intended to be "Boat People". However that would not prevent them from appropriating a horse or two, if they needed one.
Their base was said to be in E. Pliny Bryan's camp, in King George, between Cawood's Camp and Brogdan"s Camp.
As for funding, they funded themselves. They kept a portion of all they could steal. Beyond that they were paid 'for damage inflicted" from Richmond -like all the other Partisan Groups.
Ans. Q 4. Mosby often split his Command. For example. When part of his Command was assigned to put Harney into Washington, the remainder went west with Mosby, to raid on unprotected trains.
Ans Q 5. Ruggles was working for Cawood at this time of the war. So, he had access to Conrad's horses. When Ruggles, Bainbridge, and Jett arrived at the Rappahannock, they were on Conrad's horses. This leads me to believe that Ruggles was on an assignment - to look for Booth, and his two buddies were tagging along. - with nothing else to do. (This makes me question their military standing. were they still with Mosby or had they deserted. If they owed allegiance to Mosby, they would be on Mosby horses.) Who cares? Anyhow, when they met Booth, Bainbridge and Jett doubled up on one horse and Booth and his broken leg rode the freed horse.
Addendum Comment: So glad to hear this good news. If you expect to take time off, please write down everything that you know - everything- so that we will never be without your input.