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

[Rick Smith]

(01-14-2017 12:42 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(01-14-2017 12:40 AM)SSlater Wrote:  

(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."

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAD BEEN TAUGHT ALSO.

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.)

PERSONALLY, I THINK THE 'DIVISION' OF PARTISAN GROUPS FOR CLANDESTINE OR SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS OCCURRED THROUGHOUT THE WAR AND IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THAT UNUSUAL TO FIND MOSBY MEN AND OTHER UNITS WORKING IN MARYLAND AT CERTAIN TIMES FROM 1861-1865.

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.

GOOD LUCK APPROPRIATING HORSES IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND IN 1865 AFTER THE YANKS HAD PLUNDERED THE FARMS FOR FOUR YEARS... IT SEEMS TO ME THAT A MOUNTED UNIT WOULD HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTLE OF MECHANICSVILLE, MARYLAND.

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.

OR HEADED (OR STAYED) IN THE NORTHERN NECK OF VIRGINIA OR LOWER MARYLAND IN ORDER TO ASSIST WITH ANY PLOTS AGAINST MR. LINCOLN??

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? ............

COULD IT BE POSSIBLE THAT UNDERCOVER AGENT CONRAD AND PARTISAN MOSBY WERE WORKING IN TANDEM?

DIDN'T MANY OF THE SOUTHERN MEN TAKE THEIR OWN HORSES INTO WAR, IF ASSIGNED TO A CAVALRY UNIT OR A MISSION REQUIRED THEM TO BE MOUNTED? THE STRENGTH OF THE SOUTHERN CAVALRY WAS ONE OF THE GREAT ASSETS OF THE CSA, I THOUGHT - AT LEAST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR. ALSO, I UNDERSTAND "ROUTINE" HORSES BELONGING TO ANYONE IN THE UNIT; BUT I FIND IT UNUSUAL THAT A COMMANDER WOULD TURN OVER HIS OWN TRIED AND TRUSTED STEED TO ANYONE ELSE. I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HORSES, BUT HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT WAR HORSES (ESPECIALLY) BECAME VERY ATTUNED TO THEIR MASTERS.

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.

I'LL GET BUSY ON THAT RIGHT AWAY --- OR, PLAN B, FOR OTHERS BESIDES JOHN: MAKE USE OF THE JAMES O. HALL RESEARCH CENTER AT SURRATT HOUSE.

Laurie,

All you have posted is very well said.

As to the signaling process; Jones tells us about this in his book. For example, Mary Watson, who lived down river from Jones would help him by a hanging black signal flag from one of the high dormer windows of Major Watson's house.

With regard to the Navy Partisans acquiring horses; this would not have been an easy task, since, as you point out, horse flesh was at a premium and almost nonexistent in lower Maryland by 1865 due to Yankee incursions. The fight at Mechanicsville was between two mounted units; again, members of Mosby's Co. G, under the command of Garland Smith, participated in this fight. We know this from the after action report written by the captain in command of the Yankee patrol. He states non-equivocally, that Garland Smith was in command of the Rebel troopers.

{As an aside: Regarding the value placed on horses at this period, it is still my belief that Booth's & Herold's horses were not destroyed, but faked up and put away in a safe, secure spot. Killing the animals with a .52 cal. carbine or a .36 revolver would have drawn the attention of every federal in the area to the fugitive's hiding place.}

It is nonsense to assign ownership of horses ridden by Ruggles, Bainbridge & Jett to Conrad or Mosby. The horses were owned by the men who rode them. I seriously doubt that Conrad kept a string of horses at his camp. I grew up on a horse farm and I can tell you that maintaining horses is a full time occupation. They require exercising, stabling, feeding & watering. Conrad would have to be a part/full time groom and stable hand which would take away from his other duties.

For the most part, you are correct, as regards a horse not responding to an unfamiliar rider. Some horses are very particular in this way. But, a well schooled mount will also respond to a good horseman.