Full title "Thomas A Jones Chief Agent of the Confederate Secret Service in Maryland" by John and Roberta Wearmouth

Interesting book, about 170 pages. Two key parts of the book contain reprints of: A lengthy magazine article by George Alfred Townsend (GATH) "How John Wilkes Booth Crossed the Potomac", which was published in 1884 for the Century Magazine; and a short book, "John Wilkes Booth" written by Thomas Jones in 1893.

The significance of the article and book were that up to that time very few people had any knowledge of where and what Booth was doing between Mudd's house and Booth's crossing of the Potomac. This book also included some background information about Thomas Jones, Samuel Cox, and the political economic situation in southern Maryland prior to, during, and following ths Civil War.

I purchased my copy from the Surratt House where it is available for $20. If you would like to pay more you can find it on Amazon books for $44.99 http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Jones-Confe...n+maryland

An interesting note, when Jones published his book, most of the copies were taken in 1893 to Chicago to be sold at Columbian Exposition (as a fund raising expedition). Not surprisingly, it was not well received there. Unsold copies were stored in a barn back in Maryland. In 1917 the unsold copies were taken out of the barn and burned.

And if I recall correctly, Mr. Jones was never officially questioned by the authorities.

He did spend some time in the Old Capital prison following the capture of Booth, as did Cox, but they kept their mouths shut, were released after several weeks and authorities were never able to satisfactory prove anything against them.

After being arrested, Jones and Cox were first taken to the Bryantown Tavern, where they were questioned by Colonel Henry H. Welles, who Jones referred to as "The blood thirstiest man I ever knew." Since Jones was not given to overstatement, they may have been subjected to more than just questioning.

I'd be willing to bet that Thomas Jones covered up or chose not to mention a great deal in his little book.

For one thing, I don't believe his "Booth and Herold hiding in the pine thicket" story. I just can't see Booth doing that for five days with little more than he could carry in a saddlebag. I don't know what the weather was during the 12 days Booth and Herold were on the run, but I've lived through some cold and wet Aprils since I moved to this area.

My belief is that he and probably Herold were given shelter by someone and Jones didn't want to get that someone in trouble by spilling the beans. I got the sense from reading his book that he had a strong sense of loyalty and once he gave his word to keep something secret, he wouldn't violate that oath.

I've also spoken to folks who live in the part of Maryland where Booth and Herold were that hint at family histories/legends/tales suggesting more went on than was told in Jones' account.

Just my own belief and I don't expect anyone to agree!

--Jim

Jim, I will agree with you.

(06-03-2015 12:59 PM)Wild Bill Wrote:  Jim, I will agree with you.

Jim,

I agree also. I think many mouths (not just Jones's) remained sealed for years, if there was any chance of a "Yankee" hearing anything. There was a code of honor, especially in defeated Southern Maryland -- don't make the victors' lives easy!

I tend to follow Rick's theory that they wandered around Allen's Fresh and/or Newport and visited with Austin Adams. Also, I have lived in Southern Maryland all my life and have yet to find what I would call a pine "thicket." We don't normally have pretty, thick pines. We have scrub pines that lay down thick layers of needles. And, a thicket to me means lots of undergrowth of vines and briars and weeds that make it hard to walk through, let alone sit down, lay down, or get your leg in a comfortable position. Those needles do not allow thickets to grow either.

If I were Jones, I would also be slowly moving the pair closer to the Potomac so that when the opportunity came to hop across the river, there would not be any extra miles to cover to get to its banks.

Wow! Laurie and Wild Bill, we need to start a NonThicketeers subgroup of the Lincoln Discussion Symposium.

Our motto can be: "No Pine Needles on US!"

All kidding aside, one has to admire Thomas Jones, who didn't blink at a huge reward and had the courage of his convictions. I'd love to know what really happened, though.

--Jim

Townsend paid Jones 60$ for the interview. In current $$ terms this would be 1500$. If that had an influence?

(06-03-2015 05:21 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Townsed paid Jones 60$ for the interview. In current $$ terms this would be 1500$. If that had an influence?

Eva,

Thomas jones was also offered $100,000 and a drink of whiskey by detective Willie Williams at Port Tobacco during the time which Jones had charge of Booth & Herold. Jones had lost everything during the War, including his wife, whose demise he and his brother-in-law, Thomas Harbin, put down to a decline brought on by the stress of having their home ransacked time and again by federal shore patrols off the gunboats which ran up and down the lower Potomac. She was also in a weakened condition from recently having been delivered of her last child.

Jones turned down the offered reward, but accepted the drink, then left Brawner's Hotel.

He is one of the, if not the best, example of Southern manhood in the entire, melancholy drama.

And yes, he wrote his book with an eye to protecting many others. Still doing his job long after the War was ended.

Rick

Eva, I've read that the $100K reward mentioned to Thomas Jones in Port Tobacco would be equal to over $1.5 million in today's money. Jones' reply was something to the effect of, "Well, if a man was going to turn Booth in for money, that should be enough."

Yes, old T.A. Jones was quite a person, and, as Rick puts it, was "still doing his job long after the War was ended."

--Jim

Why did he agree to meet with Townsend for an interview at all then? (Dave, this version would have been easier and more comfortable to. reinact!)

(06-04-2015 06:11 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Why did he agree to meet with Townsend for an interview at all then? (Dave, this version would have been easier and more comfortable to. reinact!)

Eva, perhaps Jones engaged in one last effort at misdirection. I jokingly told Dave before he did his thicket reenactment that if he wanted to do it right he should stay five nights at a Doubletree Inn in Southern Maryland.

--Jim

(06-04-2015 08:25 PM)Jim Page Wrote:  

(06-04-2015 06:11 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Why did he agree to meet with Townsend for an interview at all then? (Dave, this version would have been easier and more comfortable to. reinact!)

Eva, perhaps Jones engaged in one last effort at misdirection. I jokingly told Dave before he did his thicket reenactment that if he wanted to do it right he should stay five nights at a Doubletree Inn in Southern Maryland.

--Jim

Jim,

I believe that you are right. Thomas Jones agreed to an interview with Townsend for the same reason that Thomas Harbin did; one more effort to cover and deflect and to tell the story as they wanted it to be remembered. If it appeared in print, under Townsends name, Yankee readers would believe what was written.

Rick

I believe that both Harbin and Jones were still duty bound to protect the people who had assisted them during the war - it was a strong, ancient code of honor (on both sides) that many good people still hold onto today.

However, I also tend to wonder if the fact that both men had seen many veterans make money off of their articles and memoirs didn't tempt them to tell their (carefully edited) side of the story also.