Surratt Courier

[mike86002000]

(06-10-2019 12:55 PM)Dennis Urban Wrote:  Additionally, I continue to find the Owens statement remarkable and plausible; primarily because of its accurate detail so soon after the event. Such detail could not have been widely known or reported by April 28. I am intrigued by Owens giving his statement at Bryantown, somewhat removed from his home base at Newport. Although he did not say, Owens could have had many reasons for being in Bryantown on April 28th. Of greater concern is that Newport is east of Allen's Fresh which would take the fugitives away from their intended crossing point. Perhaps they were looking for another way out of the area. We shall never know. Perhaps at some future date another account or two may surface to confirm or deny the Newport incident.

Allen's Fresh, Newport, and Bryantown were more closely connected in 1865 than is obvious, today.
I have a copy of the 1835 map of "Allen's Fresh" by Alexander. It covers the area from present day Allen's Fresh, where rt. 234 crosses the Wicomico/Zekiah Swamp, all the way to Bryantown. Bryantown itself is also shown in a detail, street map. Allen's Fresh was some sort of district back then, and included Zekiah and the land on either side, North to Bryantown. The small town of Allen's Fresh grew up around a tobacco ware house, and didn't even always have it's own post office.
Newport was just over the hill from the town of Allen's Fresh, (actually, the road ran around the hill to the South). Very useful, circa 1860 maps of the area are available at: http://slavery.msa.maryland.gov/html/map...index.html . Note "Allen Fresh" is about 1/4 of Charles County!
As far as Newport and Allen's Fresh being a way out of the area:
The town of Allen's Fresh lies just below the tide line where Zekiah Swamp feeds into the Wicomico River. It's very practical to ride the out going tide down the river in a small boat. The current, after the heavy Spring Rains of 1865, would have been helpful. Machodoc Creek and Mrs. Quesenberry's safe house are across the Potomac. It would be critical to catch the tide so as to be down the Wicomico, and across the Potomac in darkness.
As I remember, Thomas Jones' man told Oldroyd, in an interview, that he had brought the boat Booth used in his escape, around to Dent's Meadow from Allen's Fresh, where it had been kept, at the instructions of Jones, just before Booth finally used it. That means it was probably at Allen's Fresh the night of the assassination.
I believe Harbin told Townsend, (Gath), in an interview, that he and Baden had been waiting for Booth at Adam's tavern in Newport, to assist him across the river, to Virginia, the night of the assassination. Booth didn't show. Eventually, they connected at Mrs. Quesenberry's.
Mike