Breaking a leg

[L Verge]

Booth and Herold were still not together when reaching the top of Good Hope Hill, which at that time was outside the city and approximately 2-3 miles from the bridge. That's where they were both spotted by Polk Gardiner and a farmhand from Dr. Blandford, who lived a few miles south of Surrattsville. Obviously Booth hadn't broken his leg at that point. So he was getting farther and farther away from any rail station. BTW: Dr. Blandford was married to Dr. Mudd's sister, and the fugitives rode right past their home, which was within fifty feet of the road. It was still standing until around 1965 or so.

I would also say that the Secret Line in Southern Maryland was still intact and took good care of Booth the whole time he was there. You know my personal feeling that Herold was in that area on April 12-13 spreading the alert signal that something was going to happen very quickly. They also got bogged down waiting around for an opportunity to cross the Potomac, but they were taken care of by Secret Line members and perhaps others. Rick Smith should chime in here.

Once Booth entered the Northern Neck of Virginia, he still wasn't doing too badly. Thomas Harbin, Joseph Baden and perhaps Mr. Crismond certainly got him some escort service to Dr. Stuart's home. Stuart wasn't friendly, but he was smart and also tired of being arrested by the feds. It appears that it was Booth's bad manners that got him kicked out of the Peyton house. And then, he decided to dally and enjoy his stay at the Garretts'. I think that was a mistake on his part.

I suspect he could have kept on going for awhile and found assistance along the way to Richmond by blending in with the rest of the chaos in at least Virginia. Yes, the South was filled with Union soldiers, but the North was filled with Union soldiers and civilian Yankees!

That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it -- just as I know you will stick to your theories. It will be a miracle if we can ever substantiate them with facts.

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Forgot to add that I think rail stations and trains would have been some of the first places searched - and they didn't run every 15 minutes. Also, I suspect that telegraph lines were at or very near train stations so that alerts could go out quickly once the search was organized.

Speaking of telegraphs, the fugitives rode right past Forts Stanton and Baker (I think those were the ones) as they climbed Good Hope Hill. Military lines were still functioning, but evidently the alert was sent after they passed.