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

[Rick Smith]

(01-15-2017 07:05 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(01-15-2017 04:00 PM)Wild Bill Wrote:  According to his sister in law, Kate H. Mason, “A True Story of the Capture and Death of John Wilkes Booth,” Northern Neck Historical Magazine, 13 (December 1963), 1237-39, originally published in 1913, the man's name was Enoch Wellford Mason.

Thanks for the clarification and citation, Bill.

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(01-15-2017 05:22 PM)Rick Smith Wrote:  From Laurie:

"Gen. Tidwell also pointed out that, on April 24 (two days before Booth was killed), he and Col. Mosby were within 25 miles of each other - both interested in getting to Orange Court House, Virginia. Like Rick, he also mentioned other Confederates who were known to have visited the Garretts while Booth was there - not just Ruggles, Bainbridge, and Jett. He suggests that they were part of a protective screen thrown up around Booth and Herold. Could they also have been a disposal squad to "take care" of Booth if necessary?"


Laurie,

Yes, there is no question, in my mind at least, that what we see here is that there were a large number of Confederate operatives looking for Booth and once found, they were to act as a screen for Booth, first as a means of protection and extraction, secondarily as a means of eliminating Booth should that become necessary.

In our book on Thomas Harbin, Bill Richter and I posit that once Harbin saw that Booth was in no mood to wait his turn to be moved, he passed the word that Booth had become a loose canon and issued the order to eliminate him if the Yankees got too close. This is, of course, speculation, but I hope that it is what Mr. Hall would call, "Logical speculation."

Rick

Is it also logical speculation to consider that the 30-man scouting unit of Confederates spotted near Newport on April 12 (before the assassination) had been sent there to assist in getting Harney back to Richmond - or at least out of the hands of the Union?

Laurie,

It may be, though Harney had been captured on the 10th, I believe. The scouting party was most likely Garland Smith & elements of Co. G. The timing is right, since they would be involved in a fight with Union cavalry three days later.


Gene,

The order to find Booth was probably from higher up, but Thomas Harbin may have seen it was issued. My feeling is that he had charge of a large portion of The Line south of the Potomac just as his brother-in-law, Thomas Jones did on the Maryland side. Harbin and Joe Baden had been at Adams' Tavern in Newport during the week before Lincoln was shot.

Rick