Decapitation of the Union

[John Fazio]

Roger and Laurie:

Thank you for your input.

Let me emphasize that I did not state, nor would I state, with any degree of certainty, that McClellan knew about the assassination in advance, but there are a couple of items that suggest the same. We know he was very hostile to Lincoln, that he had had much difficulty with Lincoln, Stanton, Halleck, et al., when he was in command, as to the conduct of the war, that he had led the political opposition against Lincoln and been defeated by him in the election (an election that many felt (probably he among them) was unfairly won), and that he continued his opposition to the Administration following the election. Add to that the fact that, according to Charles Higham, Ward Hill Lamon (Lincoln's best friend and self-appointed bodyguard) told Allan Pinkerton, on October 24, 1864, that there was a plan afoot to eliminate Lincoln, Stanton and Seward, which plan involved McClellan, his aide Edward H. Wright, August Belmont and Fernando Wood, among others. Add to that the fact that McClellan attended a meeting at August Belmont's Fifth Avenue mansion in New York City in November, 1864, whose guest list included, besides Belmont, the Mayor of New York (Wood), well known Copperheads Charles A. Haswell and Jeremiah Larocque, and John Wilkes Booth, this according to a report sent to Stanton in May, 1865, which report is accepted as authentic by David Black, Belmont's biographer. The report receives corroboration from testimony given by Weichmann at the trial of John Surratt. Add to all this the fact that McClellan and Wood left for Europe in early April, joining Belmont, who had been there since January, and Little Mac begins to take on an odor. (See Higham, pp. 135-138.) As to how he managed a campaign for the presidency if he was involved in an assassination plot, there is nothing to indicate when he became involved, if he became involved; it could have been after the election.

Herold in Canada? It is not stated with certainty, but the evidence comes from the testimony of James B. Merritt at the trial of the conspirators. He said "I think I saw the prisoner, D. E.. Herold, in Canada." (See Pitman, p. 35)

Have I been influenced by "Dixie Reckoning"? No; I never read it. Should I?

I hope this helps.

John