Joseph Gales Shelton - Lincoln guard at Ford's?

[RJNorton]

Hi Heath. I had the following information on file.

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In the fall of 1864 it was decided that a detail of the Washington Metropolitan Police force would be assigned to protect the President. This was at the request of Ward Hill Lamon, United States Marshall for the District of Columbia and a close friend of Lincoln's. Lamon had become increasingly fearful for the President's life. On November 3, 1864, the initial detail was composed of John R. Cronin, Alphonso Dunn (or Donn), Thomas F. Pendel, and Alexander (or Andrew) C. Smith. Changes were occasionally made, although the detail was never more than 5 officers at any one time. Other officers who served in the detail included William S. Lewis, William H. Crook, George W. McElfresh, Thomas T. Hurdle, Joseph Shelton, John F. Parker, and D. Hopkins. Parker was assigned to the detail sometime between late February and early April, 1865.

SOURCES: "The Mystery of Lincoln's Guard" by James O. Hall in the May, 1982, issue of the Surratt Society News, and "Lincoln's Missing Guard" by Fred Hatch in the April 2006 edition of the Journal of the Lincoln Assassination.

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Personally, I have never read that Shelton was on duty that night. I have seen Crook, Pendel, and Donn mentioned with regard to the White House that night, and Parker at Ford's, but no mention of Shelton whatsoever for the night of April 14th.