Surratt Courier

[Rick Smith]

(07-21-2019 12:46 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(07-21-2019 04:22 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  I wish to commend Rick and everyone connected to the article. I must admit there is a side of me that does not like to think of Owens being "interrogated (beaten) to death." But, as the evidence in the article points out, it sure looks like that is exactly what happened. Given the prevailing mood, anyone who was stonewalling and required the "sternest measures" to open up with what he knew was certainly taking a life-threatening risk. The entire article is absolutely fascinating.

I recently did an article for our gov't. agency's Facebook on July 14, in recognition of Bastille Day since three of the historic house museums in our county were built by immigrants who came to the colonies to escape political and religious persecution in France (specifically). The Bastille, of course, became the symbol for the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror that followed. At the time of the storming of the prison, there were only seven prisoners left in the decaying fortress. However, gunpowder and arms were stored there and were much more interesting to the revolutionaries.

After a brief summary on the situation in France, I continued the posting with a brief history of the Old Capitol Prison in D.C. which, along with about five other such prisons in the U.S. during the Civil War, have been termed American Bastilles because of their housing and rough treatment of those who spoke against Lincoln and the administration. There is actually a book from just after the war that discusses these various prisons with an emphasis on the Old Capitol. Its title is American Bastille, and I think parts of it have been republished. As I ended the article, I reminded people that the United States Supreme Court now sits on the site of the American Bastille/Old Capitol Prison.

I am writing this because of Rick's comments about it being imperative to recognize and understand the people of Southern Maryland (and other similar regions in the Confederacy and the border states) and their efforts in creating an underground, a secret service, a blockade-running system, etc. Because of this, many men and women were imprisoned for their actions. Such are the circumstances of war, but many modern citizens do not realize that fighting for a cause can lead to situations that we apply only to foreign dictatorships and such.

I should add that Gen. William Tidwell, James O. Hall, and David W. Gaddy, authors of Come Retribution, were all trained in either military espionage or CIA/NSA history and activities. Gen. Tidwell once told me that the Confederate underground and secret service were heavily studied by and used as the model for the French underground resistance during World War II.

P.S. It upset me greatly a few years ago when I heard an upcoming star in the assassination field say that he had not studied the Southern Maryland underground because he did not think it had that much to do with the subject...

Good info, Laurie.

Come Retribution is the great work that it is because the authors had practical experience in wartime operations with OSS, CIA et al.

As you know, the Confederate Secret Service and the Southern Maryland underground had everything to do with it.

Some up and coming stars think it has everything to do with themselves...