Decapitation of the Union

[John Fazio]

(06-29-2015 07:05 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  

(06-20-2015 10:25 AM)John Fazio Wrote:  I am as convinced that Booth never really intended to kidnap anyone as I am about anything else in the history of the events of April 14.

John,

In your feeling that Booth's intention was to kill from the start, do you think that the rest of the conspirators really believed that kidnapping was indeed the goal or were they in on the cover story.

STS Lincolnite:

Sorry for not responding sooner; For some reason am not receiving email messages of questions and comments. Your question was brought to my attention by another contributor.

I believe strongly that some knew, some didn't. The inner circle of Surratt and Powell certainly knew what Booth's true purpose was. Surratt was in regular contact with Benjamin, the mastermind of the year of terror. He probably made an attempt on Lincoln's life at City Point in March, 1865. He joined Booth's conspiracy in November, 1864, certainly no later than December. By then there was no doubt of Booth's real purpose. He could not possibly have joined without Richmond's approval. Richmond had no interest in kidnapping. Powell joined in March. He had been to Canada in 1864. In Canada the Secret Service operatives spoke only of assassination. He was also in regular contact with rich and powerful men in Baltimore who lived in palatial homes and who kept him in funds.

Arnold knew nothing of assassination. He pulled out of the conspiracy and spent the last 12 days preceding the assassination in Old Point Comfort working at a new job. He wrote in his Memoirs: "Of course I know nothing of the assassination plot. The kidnapping was of such a quixotic nature that there is nothing in it..." O'Laughlen and Arnold were almost inseparable, but unlike Arnold, he was with Booth at the end, probably was at Stanton's home the night of the 13th and may even have had a hand in the attempt on Stanton on the 14th, but there is no proof. The great likelihood is that he was ignorant of Booth's true purpose until near the end. Atzerodt, for the most part, was kept in the dark until the end, but there is good evidence that he suspected the truth. Remarks he made to Weichmann and Fletcher, as well as his Confession of May 1, 1865, are suggestive of it. Herold most likely knew the truth. He too had been to Canada. Booth was his surrogate father, replacing his real father who had recently died. He was with Booth till the very end. He bragged about being "the assassinators" of Lincoln. Mrs. Surratt had surely picked up the truth by osmosis, from all the activity at her boarding house, even if she was not expressly informed of it until near the end. By March and April, she had to know what her "Pet" had in mind. Dr. Mudd most likely knew in late 1864, when he met Booth. Neither the doctor nor any other Confederate leader was so stupid as to believe that kidnapping could have done the Confederacy any good. Davis and Conrad are on record as having said so.

It is likely that Harbin, Conrad, Stringfellow, Parr, Ficklin, Jones, Slater, the Canadian Cabinet and many Copperheads, such as August Belmont and even George McClellan, knew what was coming. It probably explains why Belmont and McClellan left the country and were in Europe when the assassination occurred.

I hope this helps.

John