The Baltimore Plot: What was Pinkerton Thinking?

[irshgrl500]

I know very little about Allan Pinkerton, and his theory, which is known or referred to as, "The Baltimore Plot". Pinkerton was hired to protect Lincoln, and deliver him safely to his inauguration in Washington, D.C. by investigating any suspicious activity, which may have led to endangering his life, or death. Pinkerton re-routed Lincoln into Baltimore secretly, and disguised, and supposedly tucked away in a sleeping car of a train, which ultimately had to be pulled by horses, due to Baltimore’s city ordinance prohibition of trains, traveling at night.
What was Lincoln supposed to do, after he boarded the train from Harrisburg to Baltimore, and travel secretly through Baltimore? Was he supposed to be asleep? Did he sleep? And boarding Lincoln onto the train, in preparation for the secret ride, did Pinkerton have a plan if someone, other than those in the inaugural party or travel party, happen to see Lincoln? He was sort of hard to be missed. His height at 6’4” is over 6” in height, than the average American male of 2010 (5’ 9.7”), and over 8” taller than the average American male, in 1857 (5’ 7.8”). There are a number of ways to disguise one’s appearance, which includes altering someone’s height, by increasing it but impossible to decrease it. Lincoln was an obvious figure in photographs, so he had to be obvious in crowds, and even when he was alone. It wouldn’t matter if you knew who he was; it was his height, which brought immediate attention to him, and once noticed, he would likely be identified.
Was Pinkerton’s plan so poor, it gave little or absolutely no consideration to Lincoln’s height, when considering possible security measures?