Booth escape route north

[Rhatkinson]

I was reading an older post that Dave started about Booth's field glasses (http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...d-41.html)

and Jerry began a series about his hypothesis that Booth staged the route through Surrattsville as a ploy to disguise his true destination of Baltimore. It is interesting to ponder and well thought out.

My question for Jerry is at what point did Booth cancel this plan and decide to stay on a southern route? I would assume that it was after breaking his leg, but recall that Booth and Herold were on horses Sunday afternoon leaving Mudd's. What possible reason would have necessitated going south then instead of north as originally planned? They had only lost one day due to the fracture, and Booth was going to have to ride with a broken leg to escape capture whether he went north or south.

This seems to be a hole (at least to me) in Jerry's hypothesis.

Heath

[JMadonna]

(08-24-2013 02:14 PM)Rhatkinson Wrote:  I was reading an older post that Dave started about Booth's field glasses (http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...d-41.html)

and Jerry began a series about his hypothesis that Booth staged the route through Surrattsville as a ploy to disguise his true destination of Baltimore. It is interesting to ponder and well thought out.

My question for Jerry is at what point did Booth cancel this plan and decide to stay on a southern route? I would assume that it was after breaking his leg, but recall that Booth and Herold were on horses Sunday afternoon leaving Mudd's. What possible reason would have necessitated going south then instead of north as originally planned? They had only lost one day due to the fracture, and Booth was going to have to ride with a broken leg to escape capture whether he went north or south.

This seems to be a hole (at least to me) in Jerry's hypothesis.

Heath

First of all the theory belongs to Larry Starkey in his book Wilkes Booth came to Washington, I happen to subscribe to it.

If Booth rode hard from Surrattsville he could have made it to Annapolis Junction the first stop past Washington on the way to Baltimore. His best shot was to take the railroad north to New York and on to Canada. Booth had taken this route a number of times the last time only a few weeks before the assassination.

His broken leg (occurring AFTER he crossed the bridge) changed the plan and forced him to seek medical attention from the trusted Dr. Mudd.

With all the southern ports blockaded there was no way for Booth to leave the country by going South and he knew it. His best route was to get to Canada where he had friends. The broken leg changed his plans.

Jerry

[SSlater]

Jerry. I won't argue that Booth "really" wanted to go North, after establishing a route south. I don't know. ButIF that was the plan, the presence of many Blue Suits in the near proximity, FORCED him south. There is some credence to your suggestion, when we evaluate Booth's activities from Mudd's house south. It was a mish-mash, at best. The Secret Line was not expecting him. That showed the clearest at the Potomac. Cawood, Harbin, Grymes, Biden - No one there to help. The best that Jones could do was to send him to a TREE (or a BRIGE, if you choose.) and HOPE that someone would find him. Or ask Quesenberry - "She might help you". That wasn't how the Secret Line worked. Crossing the Potomac was pure ad-lib.
Can anyone envision what route North, Booth might use. Who? What? When/ Where? There was no "Secret Line" north of Washington. The usual route North was a train from Washington to Baltimore (B&O RR), change trains in Baltimore, to Philly, change in Philly, trains in New Jersey to New York, change trains in NY to Montreal.(Not to mention the various Ferry boat rides, along the way.
I don't see where he would intercept that route by going east into Maryland. However, the route south was the route he knew, was the shortest and safest to get him into "friendly" country, soonest.
Crank this into your thinking. Thomas Nelson Conrad, a known double agent, and Fanny Dade, a double agent, were arrested in King George about April 17, and taken to L. C. Baker and Baker had his people down here the next day +/-, and was on the trail of the Assassin. It may have been that Booth was actually on his own, (even Mosby and others did not know where he was.) This suggests that Booth was "sold out". He did not get the help he wanted - needed. If the South couldn't find him, to help him, then saw to it that he is killed before he is caught. (He was a problem to both sides.)
(I won't be home for the next week, so I won't be available to participate in any debate, but I can catch up after that,)

---

PS. I forgot to mention, the blockade was no problem to getting out of the South. There was a safe route through Texas to Mexico, and the rest of the world. That is the route that Jacob Thompson was expected to use coming home from Canada. (suggested and praised, by Benjamin) But Thompson didn't come home, he went to Europe for two years. (Now I am rambling< UGH!)

[Rhatkinson]

Jerry,

Thanks for the reply. I wasn't sure who originated the theory, so my apologies.

What I wonder though is what kept Booth from continuing to Baltimore after the detour to Dr. Mudd's? He was only there one day. Was that time period so long such that it made getting to Baltimore impossible (perhaps due to the flood of soldiers he knew would be after him by Saturday night?)

There were soldiers to the south and the north. It just seems that if he thought his best chance to escape was to go north, then he would have taken his chances and continued on to Baltimore.

Thanks,
Heath

[JMadonna]

Booth was ahead of the posse until he broke his leg. By the time he woke up the next morning word had spread even to the town he was in that Lincoln was dead and he was wanted. There was no chance to backtrack for soldiers were now patrolling the roads he just used. As he said he had "the mark of Cain on his head" andhad to take his chances on the secret line.

[SSlater]

(08-25-2013 07:01 AM)JMadonna Wrote:  SSlater,
Before one goes off on a rant to show they are the smartest person in the room, it's best to know the other person's position. You can find the Starkey theory in his book that I referred to or in mine A Threat to the Republic.

Once you crank that into your thinking I'll continue the debate.

Jerry

I regret that this Posting remained unanswered for week. I was completely misunderstood. In my first sentence I state "I don't know" (referring to the plan to go South and then reverse the escape route.) I then proceed to provide support to the distinct possibility that the plan existed, by showing the lack of support from the South. Whether there was a Plan, or not, the South acted like they didn't know he was coming.
I remain adamant that Booth escape from the South was not of concern to him. He knew there was a way out.
I request that we drop this "debate" and the need to argue needlessly.

[L Verge]

I am quite sure that I will get my head snapped off for saying this, but - as much as I like Starkey's book - it stands more like historical novel than anything else to me. That said, as a native of the Maryland/DC area and knowing what the situation was here in 1865, I cannot fathom why Booth would even have considered going north! To make it even more implausible, why would we consider that he started out going south and then planned to make a U-turn?

First, he would have been heading into Union territory with a population that had held Union sympathies throughout the war. He must have known that the Feds would be searching his home territory of Baltimore, its environs, and Harford County. From that point on, it would definitely be enemy territory. Why head to Canada where the exiles there were in turmoil also? Surratt was close to Canada and also had the church to hide him, so it was a tad easier for him to hop across the line.

Then, Booth had spent months building up support in Southern Maryland; why abandon it? Why was Davey in Southern Maryland the day before if not to verify the route was open? It was open - the people still assisted the fugitives, though not warmly (except perhaps for Dr. Mudd). By the time Davey could reconnoiter, however, it was difficult to spread the word or gather the forces. Confederate Secret Line personnel had other issues - and no guarantee that Booth would succeed. Even to have remained hidden down here for as long as the pair did while being the objects of the largest manhunt in U.S. history to that time was pretty amazing.

If Booth did ride into Southern Maryland for even a few miles, where was his planned U-turn supposed to be to get him headed north? I know the lay of the land and where old roads existed, and it still doesn't make sense to me. I think we're grasping at straws to find new theories.

[JMadonna]

(08-29-2013 02:40 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I am quite sure that I will get my head snapped off for saying this, but - as much as I like Starkey's book - it stands more like historical novel than anything else to me. That said, as a native of the Maryland/DC area and knowing what the situation was here in 1865, I cannot fathom why Booth would even have considered going north! To make it even more implausible, why would we consider that he started out going south and then planned to make a U-turn?

Laurie - By taking the trains he could have been out of the country in 24 hours. He knew the route & the schedule and had taken them far more times than the one time he visited the secret line. Besides we don't know if he actually planned to visit the tavern. Just because Mary Surratt left binoculars there doesn't mean he meant to retrieve them. He could have just headed north but for the broken leg.

(08-29-2013 02:40 PM)L Verge Wrote:  First, he would have been heading into Union territory with a population that had held Union sympathies throughout the war. He must have known that the Feds would be searching his home territory of Baltimore, its environs, and Harford County. From that point on, it would definitely be enemy territory. Why head to Canada where the exiles there were in turmoil also? Surratt was close to Canada and also had the church to hide him, so it was a tad easier for him to hop across the line.

Laurie, once you're on a train does it really matter if you are in 'enemy territory'? As long as you're traveling in the right direction you are in the process of escaping. Canada proved to be a very safe haven for guys like Thompson, Sanders, Surratt and countless others.

(08-29-2013 02:40 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Then, Booth had spent months building up support in Southern Maryland; why abandon it? Why was Davey in Southern Maryland the day before if not to verify the route was open? It was open - the people still assisted the fugitives, though not warmly (except perhaps for Dr. Mudd). By the time Davey could reconnoiter, however, it was difficult to spread the word or gather the forces. Confederate Secret Line personnel had other issues - and no guarantee that Booth would succeed. Even to have remained hidden down here for as long as the pair did while being the objects of the largest manhunt in U.S. history to that time was pretty amazing.

Now Laurie, you know as well as I that Booth spent less than a week down there, not months. Why abandon it? because it led to nowhere - Richmond had fallen, Surratt barely got out before it fell. I doubt that Booth planned to stay hidden in the woods for the rest of his life (although he did). There was no where to go!

(08-29-2013 02:40 PM)L Verge Wrote:  If Booth did ride into Southern Maryland for even a few miles, where was his planned U-turn supposed to be to get him headed north? I know the lay of the land and where old roads existed, and it still doesn't make sense to me. I think we're grasping at straws to find new theories.

Well it makes sense to me. Booth was a cunning planner who dropped a lot of misdirection clues. His only escape was to get out of the country fast. He knew his way to Canada & all the best places in Montreal. There is no way, in my mind, that he meant to wander in the woods & be protected by the secret line. He got as far as he did because he had Davy Herold which he definitely could not count on being able to join him when planning his escape.

[L Verge]

It is 9 pm; I have had a long day - but I'll be back tomorrow...

[Gene C]

My uninformed opinion, the news about Lincoln's assassination traveled faster thant the trains. With a broken leg, Booth sitcks out like a sore thumb. Even without it, everyone is looking for him. Without a network like in southern MD and VA, he has no chance of escaping (and even then, the good folks of the south were a bit reluctant to offer the famous southern hospitality) When Surratt and others were going to and from Canada, did they usually stay in public inns and hotels or private homes?

[Jim Garrett]

Booth was originally planning on taking the Metro Red Line out of Washington to head to the New Carrollton Station and link up with Amtrak, but Metro was operating on a holiday schedule because it was Good Friday.

[JMadonna]

(08-30-2013 05:21 AM)Gene C Wrote:  My uninformed opinion, the news about Lincoln's assassination traveled faster thant the trains. With a broken leg, Booth sitcks out like a sore thumb. Even without it, everyone is looking for him. Without a network like in southern MD and VA, he has no chance of escaping (and even then, the good folks of the south were a bit reluctant to offer the famous southern hospitality) When Surratt and others were going to and from Canada, did they usually stay in public inns and hotels or private homes?

Looking for him and finding him are two different things. How many knew what he looked like? Pictures didn't travel over the telegraph. Besides, he was an actor who was skilled at changing his looks. Just keep cool and look innocent and in a few hours you're out of the country. Its been done many times before.

[L Verge]

Okay, here I go again in my vain attempts to dissuade Jerry of his theories:

Trains did not run in timely intervals such as today and would definitely be stopped and searched very quickly since telegraph lines north were intact and functioning. How long did it take for Grant to be alerted on his train ride?

Since Booth would have to get to a train station, which one would it be? I don't think he would stand in the heart of D.C. awaiting the next train heading north. Maybe Annapolis Junction would be his logical destination? That was nowhere near Annapolis, by the way, and was also about 25 miles from downtown D.C. A good piece of riding to get to the station that had the first telegraph line set up in the U.S. long before the war and one that was pretty close to Baltimore - where any good detective would think to search.

Now, destinations for Booth once clearing the D.C. environs heading north: Baltimore and Harford County I discounted in the post above. Philadelphia? Pregnant sister Asia with a volatile husband lives in Philadelphia; wouldn't authorities think to check there? And why place your beloved sister in any more danger? New York City? Edwin owns a home there where you stayed at the height of the draft riots, but Edwin is so well-known that authorities would surely check out any place related to him. Vermont, where the natives are still irritated about the St Albans Raid? Any place close to the Great Lakes, where the natives are irritated about the "piracy" raids they had endured under Confederates like Jacob Thompson and John Yates Beall?

And speaking of Thompson (and also George Sanders), they did not stay in Canada, but got the heck out of Dodge and headed to England and Europe for years to avoid Federal authorities. A lot of good they would be harboring Booth. With a price on his head, I doubt that too many native Canadians would have opened up their hearts and homes to the assassin of Lincoln either. Supporting the Confederacy for economic reasons is a lot different than supporting a presidential assassin.

Now let's turn our attention to a southern escape route: First, very few telegraph lines existed in Southern Maryland. The main one had been at Chapel Point, but I believe that I am correct that that one had been closed down very shortly before the assassination. Communication depended on forming cavalry units to search the old-fashioned way - giving Booth the advantage of time.

Booth didn't have to spend more than a few days in Southern Maryland during his 1864-65 planning period. He just had to make contact with and persuade key citizens who would make his escape plans happen. He did just that by spending time with Drs. Queen and Mudd and the all-important session with Thomas Harbin. Herold's trip to the area on April 13 (and possibly the 12th) only needed to alert a few people to be at the ready. The word would be spread to members of the Secret Line. With such short notice, that is all that the fugitives could hope for. It did not go completely as planned, but Mudd, Cox, Jones, Harbin, and Baden came through for him to some degree. I might throw in here also that Thomas Jones's ignoring the Union's officer Williams's hint about the great reward showed that at least one of the Southern Marylanders could be depended on for help. A code of honor works sometimes...

Just briefly about not intending to go to the Surratt tavern: Booth and Herold were going to ignore two very valuable carbines that were there?? Why put Mrs. Surratt in such jeopardy by sending her to the tavern on the very afternoon of the assassination with your field glasses if you have no intention of going there to retrieve them. That mission would later put the rope around the woman's neck. I just don't see Booth being such a cad for the sake of saving his own neck by his carefully planned U-turn ruse.

As for finding a safe haven, a section that was in turmoil would be an ideal escape route. Blend in with the citizenry and flee Union forces as they were doing. Stick to the coastline to take advantage of any possibility of escaping by sea OR turn westward to the Piedmont region and follow much the same route that Jefferson Davis was using. At some point, swing farther west and head to Texas (where the Yankees still aren't welcome). From there, join many more Confederate compatriots in Mexico than any you would find in Canada. And most of those Confederates in Mexico believe in the same thing that started all this in the first place -- expansion into new territories that encompass the Golden Circle of future agricultural and economic success.

That's my theory, and I'm sticking to it.

[Gene C]

I'm almost convinced Laurie, but Jerry makes a couple of good points. Could you elaborate on this a little more.....

Booth could have hid out in the Pennsylvania oil region, he had been there before and was familiar with the region, and not that many people knew him

[L Verge]

The authorities would soon find out about his activities in the oil region and look for him there, IMO. And what was going to keep him occupied while in hiding? Where were his accolades coming from? Certainly not from people in that hinterland.

And let's consider the issue of accolades -- where did Booth expect to get praise for what he had done? The South. Why head anywhere else with an ego and expectations such as his?