1865 Dark

[Rhatkinson]

I recall reading a book on our Revolution once ("Washington's Crossing") where the subject of 18th century "dark" was discussed. The point being that we all, being used to modern lighting, cannot appreciate how truly dark it was at night back then.

My town (Florence, SC) is experiencing a half-city wide power outage tonight and I have a new appreciation for how dark it was when Booth and Herold were not only riding to Dr. Mudd's, but in the pine thicket those several nights. That's "dark"!

[L Verge]

My daughter lives in a modern development about a half-mile from the pine thicket. None of her streets have lights. I find it hard to sleep at her house because it is so dark. I was raised without street lights in the country, but I have lived with them for the past 45 years. Especially today, it's nice to have a little light shining in the darkness.

The candle wax marks on Booth's compass surely indicates that he would have loved to have had a flashlight.

[Jim Page]

(02-26-2013 07:56 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I find it hard to sleep at her house because it is so dark. I was raised without street lights in the country, but I have lived with them for the past 45 years. Especially today, it's nice to have a little light shining in the darkness.

Laurie, I'm with you on that one! I also grew up in the country without lights, but I like them now!

Once, when the kids were little, Patty and I rented an 1860s cabin from some friends; it was back in the woods in Lusby, Maryland, near the Calvert Cliffs and we were going to spend a few days there. It was so unearthly dark the first night that, at one point, Patty says to me, "Jim, this dang place is giving me the creeps!" I replied, "Me, too. Let's get the heck out of here!"

So, about 9:30pm, we packed up the kids and our stuff and went back home!

In the 1960s, my dad rented a place for the summer that was near an abandoned Army Air Force base in Mississippi. There wasn't another house or anything within a dozen miles of the house we rented in the midst of a pine forest. It was absolutely pitch black at night, and that was the summer I read In Cold Blood! After reading that, I told my mom, "We MUST get out of here!" She told me not to be silly, so I handed her that book and said, "Read this and then let's talk about it."

Three days later we moved to beachfront Biloxi for the rest of the summer!!! Thanks, Mr. Capote!!!

--Jim

[Gene C]

(02-26-2013 07:22 PM)Rhatkinson Wrote:  I recall reading a book on our Revolution once ("Washington's Crossing") where the subject of 18th century "dark" was discussed. The point being that we all, being used to modern lighting, cannot appreciate how truly dark it was at night back then.

Nor can we truly appreciate how beautifull the stars are

"When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings,
and crowned him with glory and honor."
Psalm 8 v3-5

[BettyO]

Yes, I too live in a smaller subdivision, rather rural, with no street lights. Personally, I prefer it this way. I have a front yard pole light as well as motion lights on my house out back.

I especially like it when you can go out onto the deck at night or onto the front porch and see ALL the stars......

If there were no other houses around, it might be creepy....but I like it!

[John Stanton]

(02-26-2013 07:22 PM)Rhatkinson Wrote:  I recall reading a book on our Revolution once ("Washington's Crossing") where the subject of 18th century "dark" was discussed. The point being that we all, being used to modern lighting, cannot appreciate how truly dark it was at night back then.

My town (Florence, SC) is experiencing a half-city wide power outage tonight and I have a new appreciation for how dark it was when Booth and Herold were not only riding to Dr. Mudd's, but in the pine thicket those several nights. That's "dark"!

I am not questioning your description of "Dark", but I question if Booth was in the "Dark". When Booth was out on the river, he could see Two Lightships. One, with two lights at the top of the Mast
anchored at the Mouth of the Nanjemoy, and the other with one light at the top of the Mast, anchored at the Mouth of Gambo Creek. Also, the USS Juniper was at anchor off of Persimmom Point - with anchor light showing. Information available from the Log Books of the Gunboats, copies available from JOH Research Center. (They have them, because I sent them there.) JOHN PS. It was dark on their ride down to Dent,s Meadow.

[Jim Garrett]

(02-26-2013 08:43 PM)Jim Page Wrote:  

(02-26-2013 07:56 PM)L Verge Wrote:  I find it hard to sleep at her house because it is so dark. I was raised without street lights in the country, but I have lived with them for the past 45 years. Especially today, it's nice to have a little light shining in the darkness.

Laurie, I'm with you on that one! I also grew up in the country without lights, but I like them now!

Once, when the kids were little, Patty and I rented an 1860s cabin from some friends; it was back in the woods in Lusby, Maryland, near the Calvert Cliffs and we were going to spend a few days there. It was so unearthly dark the first night that, at one point, Patty says to me, "Jim, this dang place is giving me the creeps!" I replied, "Me, too. Let's get the heck out of here!"

So, about 9:30pm, we packed up the kids and our stuff and went back home!

In the 1960s, my dad rented a place for the summer that was near an abandoned Army Air Force base in Mississippi. There wasn't another house or anything within a dozen miles of the house we rented in the midst of a pine forest. It was absolutely pitch black at night, and that was the summer I read In Cold Blood! After reading that, I told my mom, "We MUST get out of here!" She told me not to be silly, so I handed her that book and said, "Read this and then let's talk about it."

Three days later we moved to beachfront Biloxi for the rest of the summer!!! Thanks, Mr. Capote!!!

--Jim

Jim, I somewhat surprised. I thought you were always in the dark

[LincolnMan]

Who was it-Booth or Herald- who stated to the soldier on the Navy Yard Bridge that he wanted to navigate back home by the moonlight?

[Laurie Verge]

That would have been Mr. Booth.

[Jim Page]

(02-27-2013 07:47 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote:  Jim, I somewhat surprised. I thought you were always in the dark

Jim, is that why folks call me a dim bulb? I try to make up for my lack of brilliance by hanging out with incandescent folks like you!

--Jim

[Hess1865]

"The lights are on but nobodys home"

[Jim Garrett]

I've always been interested in JWB's comment to Cobb about waiting to ride home by the light of the moon. I believe that when the Lincoln party left for the theatre sometime between 8:00 and 8:30, it was chilly and overcast, possibly a fine mist. Did JWB turn on his radio and hear it was going to clear up later? Talk about thinking on his feet!

[Jim Page]

(02-28-2013 05:58 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote:  Did JWB turn on his radio and hear it was going to clear up later?

As Booth trotted his jittery horse past the guard and off the bridge, he thought to himself, "If Doug Hill's forecast is wrong tonight, I'm never listening to WTOP again . . . "

--Jim

[LincolnMan]

Did Cobb receive any military discipline for allowing both Booth and Herald across?

[Laurie Verge]

I believe that Cobb received only a stern "blessing down" from his superiors. As for the darkness, I heard either Mr. Hall or someone else say that the moon was starting to come up at the time of the assassination - after an evening of cold drizzle and mist.