Lincoln Kidnap Tries

[L Verge]

(08-04-2015 08:03 AM)Jim Garrett Wrote:  Back to the timing.....Correct that armies waited until spring for many reasons. Winter is a terrible time to mount an offensive. Napoleon and Gen. Ambrose Burnside both found that out. Thousand of troops and the wagons and other wheeled vehicles to support them would turn the roadways with even the slightest moisture into mires. However a single wagon/buggy with a few outriders is a much different story. They could probably outpace any large pursuit with no problem.

I agree, Jim. I also believe the fact that armies seriously curtailed activities and "rested" during the winter months would make it easier to carry out the plan. It would take longer to marshal the forces to respond and begin pursuit???

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(08-04-2015 09:34 AM)John Fazio Wrote:  Wild Bill, et al:

Some good points are made by all, but IMO Gene is closer to the truth than anyone else. Yes, I have a problem with what they would have done with Lincoln. So did Davis, when he said to Maj. Joseph Walker Taylor: "I cannot give my authority, Walker...what value would he be to us as a prisoner?...If he were brought to Richmond, what could I do with him? He would have to be treated like the Magistrate of the North, and we have neither the time nor the provision." Conrad also had a problem with it. He said that "even a child" would know that a kidnapped Lincoln could do the Confederacy no good at all. Furthermore, for what reason would they have held him hostage? Grant had resumed prisoner exchange in January and was exchanging about 3,000 a week. Booth's refusal to take account of that fact, when Arnold made it clear to him, was reason enough for Arnold to say that Booth was a maniac. Actually, it revealed a deeper truth, namely that Booth had no intention of kidnapping anyone, which is why he would persist in his scheming even though the alleged rationale for it had disappeared.

No, I have not read Barbee's manuscript, but I will be happy to. Please let me know where I may obtain the same.

John

John - You have just answered a question that I have had for a long time: Did Grant speed up the prisoner exchange once it was open again? I do not know the combined total of Confederate POWS. Approximately how long would it have taken at the rate of 3000/week to close down the camps? Did the North intend to fully close every camp with the war still on? Or, just reduce the amount that had to be fed?

Barbee's manuscript is in Georgetown University's Lauinger Library. While Mr. Hall did not agree with many of his points, he was quite impressed with that mss. and tried unsuccessfully to convince Barbee's daughter to publish it posthumously. No dice. I also mentioned it to Nicholas Sheetz, former librarian there, about 20 years ago. I got the answer I was expecting, "lack of funds."