20 additional prisoners in the Arsenal ???

[loetar44]

Still reading Roy Z. Chamlee’s “Lincoln's Assassins: A Complete Account of Their Capture, Trial, and Punishment”. He writes on p. 199: “The Government housed about 20 prisoners in the Arsenal in addition to the eight conspiracy suspects.” IMO that means about TWENTY in addition to Spangler, Arnold, O'Laughlen, Powell, Atzerodt, Herold, Mary Surratt and Dr. Mudd… Who were the others? The only ones I can mention are Hartmann Richter, João M. Celestino and Burton N. Harrison.

[John Fazio]

(01-11-2016 08:43 AM)loetar44 Wrote:  Still reading Roy Z. Chamlee’s “Lincoln's Assassins: A Complete Account of Their Capture, Trial, and Punishment”. He writes on p. 199: “The Government housed about 20 prisoners in the Arsenal in addition to the eight conspiracy suspects.” IMO that means about TWENTY in addition to Spangler, Arnold, O'Laughlen, Powell, Atzerodt, Herold, Mary Surratt and Dr. Mudd… Who were the others? The only ones I can mention are Hartmann Richter, João M. Celestino and Burton N. Harrison.

Kees:

Remember that immediately after the assassination, Stanton initiated a dragnet that corralled hundreds of suspects and deposited most of them into the Old Capitol Prison. These included, in addition to the three you mention, Augustus Howell; Samuel Cox, Dr. Richard Stuart and other members of "the mail line"; John T. Ford; Henry Wirz; "a few officers of the Stonewall Brigade"; "forty citizen prisoners"; and 800 "rebel officers". Obviously, some of them were held in the arsenal, probably because they were expected to be tried, unlike the greater number who were investigated and then released. It doesn't surprise me.

John

[Hess1865]

And how many of these were placed there just to inform on the conspiritors??

[loetar44]

Are there any records existing in reference to the Arsenal inmates ?

[BettyO]

As far as I know, the conspirators were the only prisoners housed at the Arsenal before and during the trial. Most prisoners, if suspected of spying and implication, were locked up in the Old Capitol, including initially, Mrs. Surratt and D. Preston Parr as well as the Branson ladies. Records for the Old Capitol DO exist. Those for the arsenal are only on record as far as I know in the Hartranft Letterbooks.

[loetar44]

Jefferson Davis’ party was captured on May 10, 1865, including his private secretary, Burton N. Harrison. Davis’ fate was imprisonment at Fort Monroe, while Burton Harrison ended up a prisoner at Fort Delaware. Initially, however, Harrison was held briefly at Old Capitol Prison in Washington, D.C., before transferring to Old Arsenal Penitentiary for two months, during which the Lincoln conspirators were incarcerated, tried, convicted and sentenced. In “Fort Delaware Notes, February 2011,” R. Hugh Simmons says that Harrison’s close affiliation with Davis, who was under suspicion for conspiracy in the Lincoln case, merited him “solitary confinement in a 4-by-8-foot dark cell for five weeks.” Permitted a daily walk on the grounds, Harrison witnessed “the gallows and four newly filled graves” of those who already paid the price. In the fall of July 1865 Harrison was transported to Fort Delaware. He was released on Jan. 25, 1866.

Please note: http://www.coastalpoint.com/content/civi...03_20_2015

========================

Michael W. Kauffman in "American Brutus”, p 331: “So on April 28, Stanton ordered Major James Benton, commanding officer of the arsenal, to ready the prison building. Cells were cleaned and inspected, shuck mattresses were delivered, and a detail was assigned to guard the place. The transfer was made on April 29, when David Herold, Lewis Powell, Mike O’Laughlen, Sam Arnold, Ned Spangler, and JOAO CELESTINO, the sea captain, were led under cover of a latenight downpour to steamer Keyport. The ship took them to the old penitentiary.” Atzerodt ??? Was he transported another date?

[L Verge]

Somebody cue John Elliott that this is his specialty.

[RJNorton]

(01-12-2016 04:38 PM)loetar44 Wrote:  Michael W. Kauffman in "American Brutus”, p 331: “So on April 28, Stanton ordered Major James Benton, commanding officer of the arsenal, to ready the prison building. Cells were cleaned and inspected, shuck mattresses were delivered, and a detail was assigned to guard the place. The transfer was made on April 29, when David Herold, Lewis Powell, Mike O’Laughlen, Sam Arnold, Ned Spangler, and JOAO CELESTINO, the sea captain, were led under cover of a latenight downpour to steamer Keyport. The ship took them to the old penitentiary.” Atzerodt ??? Was he transported another date?

Kees, what it says in Roy Chamlee's book is a little different. Chamlee writes, "On April 29, Stanton directed General Hancock to transfer all prisoners on the ships, except Celestino, to the military prison in the Arsenal."

Chamlee's footnote for this reads, "Stanton to Hancock, 29 April 1865, Edwin Stanton Papers, Vol. 26, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress."

In The Lincoln Assassination Conspirators: Their Confinement and Execution, as Recorded in the Letterbook of John Frederick Hartranft authors Steers and Holzer agree with Chamlee. They add that Mary Surratt was transferred during the evening on April 30 and Samuel Mudd on May 4.

John Fazio, in his book, is in agreement as there is no mention of Celestino being moved with the others.

Celestino was indeed transferred to the Arsenal Penitentiary at some point, but other than what Mike K. says, I am not seeing a date so far.

[loetar44]

Thanks Roger, but I'm still puzzling (you know me). If Atzerodt was indeed transferred to the Arsenal on April 29, what then about the so called "Lost Confession"? Atzerodt gave this "confession" on the night of MAY 1, 1865, between 8 and 10 pm. to Maryland Provost Marshall James L. McPhail, recorded by McPhail's assistant John L. Smith, aboard the monitor USS MONTAUK. As you know, the 7 page statement was discovered in 1977 by Joan Chaconas among the personal papers of William Doster, Atzerodt's attorney. McPhail referred to this statement during his testimony concerning Atzerodt. It seems me very strange that Atzerodt was taken back from the Arsenal to the USS Montauk for interrogation. What do you think? And John, what do you think?

[RJNorton]

According to the Steers and Holzer book I referenced above this confession was given while Atzerodt was at the Arsenal (no longer aboard the monitor). It says McPhail and Smith visited Atzerodt in cell #161 on May 1, and Smith took down a 7 page statement nowadays known as the "Lost Confession."

[Susan Higginbotham]

There are documents related to Celestino on the Fold3 site. One is dated from the Navy Yard on April 25 and reads, "Receipt for John Celestino to be placed on a monitor for safe keeping."

John Hartranft wrote in his report to General Hancock dated May 1 that he took charge of eight prisoners on April 29. I would guess one of those was Celestino, as Mary Surratt wasn't brought over until the evening of May 30, according to the same letter.

Edit: John Elliott and Barry Cauchon have O'Laughlen, Powell, Arnold, Hartman Richter, Atzerodt, Spangler, Celestino, and Herold being taken from the monitors to the Arsenal on April 29. That would correspond with the eight prisoners mentioned by Hartranft. Mudd was transferred from the Old Capitol on May 4.

[loetar44]

The Trial: The Assassination of President Lincoln and the Trial of the Conspirators by Ed Steers say in the chapter "The Lost Confession", page CIV:

   

It's all so confusing .....

[Susan Higginbotham]

(01-13-2016 09:45 AM)loetar44 Wrote:  The Trial: The Assassination of President Lincoln and the Trial of the Conspirators by Ed Steers say in the chapter "The Lost Confession", page CIV:



It's all so confusing .....

Probably just a mistake. Joan Chaconas' transcript of the confession reads, "Statement of George A. Atzerodt to Prov. Mar. McPhail in presence of John L. Smith on the night of May 1-1865-bet. 8 & 10 P.M." No location is given.

[loetar44]

Thanks Susan and Roger !

[loetar44]

(01-13-2016 08:51 AM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:  There are documents related to Celestino on the Fold3 site. One is dated from the Navy Yard on April 25 and reads, "Receipt for John Celestino to be placed on a monitor for safe keeping."

John Hartranft wrote in his report to General Hancock dated May 1 that he took charge of eight prisoners on April 29. I would guess one of those was Celestino, as Mary Surratt wasn't brought over until the evening of May 30, according to the same letter.

Edit: John Elliott and Barry Cauchon have O'Laughlen, Powell, Arnold, Hartman Richter, Atzerodt, Spangler, Celestino, and Herold being taken from the monitors to the Arsenal on April 29. That would correspond with the eight prisoners mentioned by Hartranft. Mudd was transferred from the Old Capitol on May 4.

Susan, on May 26, 1865 Chief Adv. Burnett wrote Stanton to recommend the release of Hartman Richter from the Old Capitol Prison. So, the military moved him some date from the Old Arsenal to the Old Capitol. Do you know a date when they transferred him? And do you have an exact date of his release from the Old Capitol? Thanks !