What Was The Role of David Herold

[BettyO]

Quote:I believe that Herold's responsibility that evening was to be the point / signal man of all three attacks.

If all the attacks were to be coordinated, someone had to relay to the others that things were still a "go". So, Herold seeing that Booth was going through with the assassination, rode somewhere near Seward's home to signal to Powell that things were moving forward. Powell received the signal and proceeded.

Herold then went to signal Atzerodt to do the same. He very well could have been the person that went to the room at the Kirkwood and tried to open the door. Atzerodt said he didn't relinquish the keys to Herold. Makes sense.

Like Wesley said, this is all speculation without proof. Still fun to guess.

I have to agree with what both John and Wesley have said here -

To say that Herold was Powell's "escort" seems rather silly in that Powell was able to

A) find his way to the Surratt House in January of 1865

B) was able to find his way BACK to the Surratt House in March of 1865

C) was able to find the Herndon House when he returned from NY in April

D) he was able to find the Seward home on at least a couple of occasions previous to the attack in order to check on Seward's condition and possibly flirt with one of Seward's parlor maids

E) he sure was able to find his way back to the Surratt House rather late at night on the 17th of April after being tired, hungry, uneasy and "on the lam".....

So.....it seems Powell had at least some recognition of DC "sites" and would not probably need an escort. Yes, as Wesley says, it's all just speculation - but it IS an enticing speculation at that.

It does seem that someone was appointed to make sure that all the "loose ends" of the simultaneous attacks worked together - JWB, Powell and Atzerodt. Herold also probably did, as a pharmacist's assistant, give Powell the idea for the ruse of a doctor's delivery boy -

There is also speculation about the "whistles" heard outside of Ford's before the attack on the president. That has never been resolved as well...coincidence or otherwise?

So - Herold as "point man?" Good Point!