Decapitation of the Union

[L Verge]

(07-01-2015 02:57 PM)John Fazio Wrote:  

(07-01-2015 11:01 AM)Wild Bill Wrote:  Buy it, John. As a retired attorney, you can afford it, I dare say. Stop relying on others to do your homework. He basically looks at the Lincoln assassination through the eyes of an Alabama man from unseceded Winston County (home of the 1st Ala Union Cavalry, Sherman's bodyguard in the March to the Sea) who acted as a spy for Grant, gave Booth his derringer in Montgomery (why he had only one instead of the usual pair), was familiar with Texas Unionists like AJ Hamilton, was familiar with the so-called New York faction which competed with Booth for the assassination (I believe it was Atzerodt who mentioned them), and looks at the Old Dutch and European Netherlands financial connections to the American Civil War. It is as outlandish as your book, and he is as positive he is correct as you are. You will love and despise him at the same time--you know, sort of like you and me.

Wild Bill:

Let me correct a couple of misstatements: 1) I do not rely upon others to do my homework, unless you feel that reading the works of others on the subject of April 14 (part or all of about 125 books) is that. I see no harm or anything unethical in mining the works of others (they were, after all, written to be read), as long as they are not simply regurgitated, but supplemented with original material and/or re-interpreted in the light of evidence, reason and an understanding of human nature. 2) My book is not outlandish; it is a fine work of scholarship, the result of five years of research and writing, well spoken of by almost all who have thus far read it, though some have said the detail makes it a heavy read. "I would rather be right than President".

It WAS Atzerodt who mentioned the New York crowd, in his confession of May 1 (Joan Chaconas's find), and nothing he said about them can be reasonably interpreted by any sane person as referring to kidnapping, another nail in the coffin of the Great Kidnapping Myth.

I cannot speak for you, but let me say to you and the world that I do not despise you, not even close. Actually, I find you very funny, and humor endears me to just about everyone and anyone. I would be endeared to even a Nazi if he made me laugh. Laughter is the universal tonic for all ills. I'll bet that's how that honeytalking John Parker got out of all his scrapes.

I'll read the book, but I have to say that threatening Laurie is like threatening the Pope. Bad form.

John

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(07-01-2015 02:45 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  I have not read Dixie Reckoning; all I remember is what I read many years ago in the Surratt Courier. As I recall, Stelnick had Booth working for a group of Northern businessmen plus Judah Benjamin (who was secretly in cahoots with the Northern businessmen). The plan was for Booth to kidnap Lincoln on Easter Sunday, but Booth wrecked the plan by assassinating Lincoln instead. Don't know how accurate my memory is, but that's what I recall.

Roger:

Good to hear from you.

I have to read Stelnick's book before commenting on it, except for the business about kidnapping. You have heard me say it before, but let me repeat it for anyone who may have missed it: BOOTH NEVER INTENDED TO KIDNAP ANYONE. I would detail the proof, but Laurie would not like another tome in this medium.

John

If it is the current Pope that I am being classified with, that's okay. The previous one would have me challenging you to a duel! My apologies if I have offended anyone.

I can also handle another tome on your beliefs that the kidnap scheme did not exist (at least Booth's version of it) because that's one of the hazards of my job. However, if you outline your reasons here, your publisher will admonish you for hurting sales of your book.

I hope that you are sincere in enjoying Bill's wry sense of humor (and not saying it as ridicule). Bill and I argue all the time and manage to remain friends. I consider him one of the wisest historians that I know and one who doesn't give a darn about political correctness - just the facts, ma'am. When he knocks me down with book titles, quotes, page citations, etc., I know to behave myself. Is he an ornery old cuss? Yep, and enjoys the moniker.