20 additional prisoners in the Arsenal ???

[L Verge]

(01-13-2016 12:12 PM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:  

(01-13-2016 10:45 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.

The first book that the Surratt Society published was From War Department Files: Statements Made by the Alleged Lincoln Conspirators Under Examination, 1865. Released in 1980, it covers the statements recorded in 1865 during the examination of the then-alleged conspirators. The original documents are located in the National Archives under the War Department files. Since the conspirators were not entitled to testify in their own benefit during the trial, these statements represent their side of the story and are pre-trial testimony and were not subject to cross-examination during the trial.

That said, Atzerodt's first statement was made on board the U.S.S. Saugus at the Navy Yard on April 23, 1865 before Capt. Frank Munroe of the U.S. Marines, who was in charge of prisoners on that ship. It was then transmitted to Judge Advocate H.S. Burnett at the War Department. It is a very brief statement.

A second statement by Atzerodt was made on April 25, 1865, on board the U.S.S. Montauk (when Booth's body was placed on board the Saugus, other "occupants" were transferred to the sister ship in the Navy Yard) with Col. H.H. Wells attending. Wells was then in command of the District of the Patuxent at Port Tobacco. It is somewhat strange that Wells took the statement back to Port Tobacco with him and did not send it on to Col. Burnett via Maj. Gen. C.C. Augur until May 2, 1865.

An additional Atzerodt statement was read into the trial transcript by Atzerodt's attorney, W.E. Doster, on June 21, 1865. Two other recorded Atzerodt statements are known to exist, one was published in the Baltimore American on January 18, 1869, and is very similar to the one that Joan Chaconas found in the possession of Doster descendants. That one would be statement #3 and likely made at the Penitentiary (or on board the Montauk also. Not sure when the conspirator was transferred to the Arsenal grounds, but I think during the night of April 29). In 1980, there was supposedly yet another statement in the hands of a private individual who preferred to remain anonymous.

[SSlater]

(01-11-2016 01:35 PM)Hess1865 Wrote:  And how many of these were placed there just to inform on the

Two more "Arrestees" not mentioned very often, were Thomas N. Conrad and Fanny B. Dade. Conrad said he was put in with the conspirators to Listen It is my opinion that it was either one of these two who sent Baker to Mathias Point.
The day after their arrival in D.C.. Baker got his "brilliant flash" and sent troops to Mathias Point. "Coincidence?
Both of these two were released soon thereafter.

[Jim Garrett]

Also, if I remember correctly, Col. Burton Harrison, Pres. Jefferson Davis' secretary. The governbment had been trying to tie Jefferson Davis to the assassination and most likely held Col. Harrison hoping to use him as a witness backing the sterling testimony of Sanders Conover.

[Susan Higginbotham]

(01-14-2016 07:17 AM)loetar44 Wrote:  

(01-13-2016 09:51 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 !

Sorry, missed this question earlier. I think he was transferred to the Old Capitol around May 13, according to this letter.


He was released on May 29:

[loetar44]

(01-25-2016 01:31 PM)Susan Higginbotham Wrote:  

(01-14-2016 07:17 AM)loetar44 Wrote:  

(01-13-2016 09:51 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 !

Sorry, missed this question earlier. I think he was transferred to the Old Capitol around May 13, according to this letter.


He was released on May 29:

Thank you so much Susan! Great stuff!