1865 Southern Maryland road and town map.

[Dennis Urban]

Among the assassination books I enjoy reading are the early accounts of the escape and it's route. I just read Osborn Oldroyd's 1901, "Assassination of Lincoln". I was particularly interested in his walk of the escape route and the pictures he included, which he took with his kodak. My first edition book also includes a fold out map in the back delineating the route Oldroyd walked; though he didn't actually always walk.

What piqued my interest was his description on page 256 of his walking a route that lead him past Piney Church and Brice Chapel. He wrote, "There was a cart road leading west from Dr. Mudd's, passing the farm of his brother, Henry L. Mudd. Within three-quarters of a mile from the Beantown and Bryantown road they passed the farm of Mrs. W.J. Middleton, and then followed the road leading from Bryantown to Beantown for a mile, when they turned south, passing St. Paul's, or Piney, Episcopal Church, presided over by Parson Wilmer. It will be remembered that Booth inquired (sic: actually Herold did) for Parson Wilmer's, but this was only a blind, as the good old parson was a staunch Union man all through war times, and did good service by furnishing the Government with information regarding the movements of the Confederates in that section of the country. When Booth and Herold reached Brice Chapel (a colored church) they lost their way, and Herold went a mile and a half toward Bryantown to the negro cabin of Oswald Swann, who lived on the LaPlata road, half a mile from the Bryantown road."

Amazing description! Since the book contains no footnotes or bibliography, one wonders from where Oldroyd obtained his information about this portion of the escape route, which today, of course, is not accepted as the correct route. Or could it have actually been so?

The many photos in the book are also quite a treat. Some have been produced elsewhere where I have seen them and others I have not before viewed. I wonder if the rest of his photos from that walk remain in the Ford's Theatre collection along with any notes Oldroyd wrote concerning his sources for the escape route. Such research could be enlightening.