Extra Credit Questions

[RJNorton]

Bingo, Rob! Yes, the correct answer is indeed Mary Surratt. John Wally's account of things can be found here:

https://www.dcnyhistory.org/walley-military.html

[Gene C]

Great article
The photo in the article of "John Wilkes Booth and his wife" is interesting.
Looks like it could be an early photo of John St. Helens/David E George
The photo of "his wife" seems familiar, but I can't place her.

[mbgross]

Wow! I would never have guessed that.

[Steve]

That was a wild newspaper article of Walley's account. Including the newspaper article writer and/or editor's claim that the couple in the locket photographs are "Booth and his wife"! Despite the fact that it was provided by Walley's son. Despite the fact that Walley in the whole article never claimed to have a photograph of "Booth and his wife" or even met Booth. Despite the fact that the man in the photograph more resembles Walley without the beard he has in his Civil War photograph than it does Booth. (The woman in the photograph does resemble the older photograph of Wally's wife Elmira from her Find A Grave page.) What's up Binghamton Press? After interviewing a guy named John about his life then his son says this is a photograph of John and his wife, you immediately think the photo's of John Wilkes Booth?

Can we now even trust the reported story about Mary Surratt and her holding Booth's horse even came from Walley who wasn't a witness?

Elmira Walley Find A Grave:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1052...ira_walley


John Walley Find A Grave:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3095974/john_walley

[RJNorton]

Many thanks to Steve for sending this information. Steve writes, "I have a few document images to post to the Forum. One is the New York state copy of John Walley's service summary. Another is his pension index card.

I hoped some people out there picked up on the contradiction that Walley claimed he was discharged on June 24, 1865 and also saw Mary Surratt being condemned to death as a guard. According to his service record Walley was discharged on June 26, 1865 which is still four days before Mary Surratt sentenced. Walley also claimed he "acted as a captain" in the Veterans Reserve Corp although all the records list him as no higher than a private during his time in the VRC. ( I can't see a private being breveted as a captain in those circumstances.) During the time of the trial he was a member of E Co. 18 Regiment VRC. The 18th Regiment VRC was guarding Confederate prisoners in DC at the time although where Walley was, I don't know."

[AussieMick]

On October 28th 1864 , for five hours, information from the warfront to Washington was put on hold ... why ?

[AussieMick]

when I write 'put on hold' I mean that no information from the warfront could be received

[RJNorton]

The first thing that comes to mind is that the telegraph was down?

[AussieMick]

Sorry, Roger .... that's incorrect.

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The war was not the only major concern for the White House at that time.

[Gene C]

Bad weather ?

[AussieMick]

No, Gene. But you and Roger have touched on .... side issues.

Data is a word we use much of these days.

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The weather wasn't a factor....it got involved but that was next month .

[AussieMick]

The 'major concern' culminated eleven days later.

[RJNorton]

The election?

[AussieMick]

Yeeeeees, Roger. But you're not quite at the answer. The election was Nov 8th.

War-front information not getting through to Washington on October 28th for 5 hours was due to ... what ?

[AussieMick]

War-front information not getting through to Washington on October 28th for 5 hours was due to ... what ?