Surratt Courier

[Rsmyth]

In this month's Surratt Courier there is an article called "On the Road Again," which mentions the post at the edge of the clearing marking the northwest corner of the Garrett's porch. My question is "which side of the porch is it? The left or the right in the picture?
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[L Verge]

I am miserable with points of the compass directions unless I'm facing north or south, but I believe that the Garrett homestead faced north. Therefore, the post marking the northwest corner of the porch would be to the far right of this photo. The kitchen ell (or what is almost a lean-to) was on the northeast gable end.

And speaking of the current Courier: I must apologize for the amount of typos that sneaked (I used to say snuck) through in this issue. It has been a hectic few months at the museum, and those who know where my office is know that it sits literally in the intersection of the visitors' center with no doors (just arches) to shut me in. Trying to compose text or cut and paste and watch for others' errors can be a chore sometimes.

A few of you know that I have one big hang-up in getting the correct spelling of one particular word. It is a word that has two meanings, two spellings, but one pronunciation. I often substitute "womb" for "wound," and I did it again in the article about Belle Grove Plantation -- referring to Col. Conger having "painful war wombs" instead of "painful war wounds." Okay, you can stop laughing now! No transgender surgery was done on the colonel...

[L Verge]

I am miserable with points of the compass directions unless I'm facing north or south, but I believe that the Garrett homestead faced north. Therefore, the post marking the northwest corner of the porch would be to the far right of this photo. The kitchen ell (or what is almost a lean-to) was on the northeast gable end. CORRECTION.....

I answered Rich's question while talking on the phone at work, and something nagged at me the rest of the day. Both Rich and I have given wrong information. First, Rick Smith cited the post being on the northeast corner of what would have been the Garretts' porch - not the northwest. I then turned around and compounded the problem by saying that that would place it on the far right of the photo (and to the right of the front door).

The whole time I was working on an Excel spreadsheet for the bureaucrats at work, the vision of the drawing of the dying Booth on the porch kept flitting through my head. In that drawing, Booth is lying to the left as you face the front door.

I finally looked over Rick's article and found that he had said northeast (correctly) and not northwest. Therefore, that post is near where the kitchen ell would have been.

P.S. Rick and Dave, please tell me I've got it right this time.

[Rsmyth]

I completely understand Laurie. Years ago I sent out an email to 1,400 people in my company and forgot to attach the report. I resent it saying "sorry for the inconvenience." I misspelled the last work and just prior to sending the automatic spellcheck changed it to incontinence. So my email to the company said "sorry for the incontinence." Your typo is pretty funny too!

---

Laurie, I just checked the story and it says "northeast" at the beginning and "northwest near the end. So, I am still confused.

[L Verge]

I am pretty sure that it's the northeast, but we shall await word from others. I'm going to pour myself a Jack and Ginger... Hopefully that won't bring on incontinence!

[Rick Smith]

I am pretty sure that it's the northeast, but we shall await word from others. I'm going to pour myself a Jack and Ginger... Hopefully that won't bring on incontinence!

Laurie,

It is the northeast corner. A post was originally placed there with a small plastic covered sign designating the site by a man whose name escapes me at the moment, Bob something, but there is a photo of the metal stake, or pipe, with the tag on it in Ed Steers' book, "The Escape & Capture of John Wilkes Booth."

Sorry for the confusion.

Rick

[L Verge]

The man who did the surveying, etc. was named Bob Bergantino (?sp.). It was done in the 1970s, I believe. As Rick very well knows, we have a difficult time keeping any historic information posted at the site. From time to time, Rick has done a series of explanatory photos and text and posted them on the site. They always disappear.

[Rsmyth]

Thanks everyone. So the porch post in the middle of the picture is the location of the post that is currently at the site. Is that correct?

[Rick Smith]

Thanks everyone. So the porch post in the middle of the picture is the location of the post that is currently at the site. Is that correct?

Rich,

That's correct. It is the porch post closest to the kitchen.

Rick

[L Verge]

I'm not swearing on my mother's grave, but I believe that is correct.

[Dave Taylor]

The post in the ground at the Garrett site does not mark the porch of the Garrett house. Rather, it marks the centerline of the west chimney. The note that was formerly on the post at Garretts and is present in Ed Steers' book is incorrect. A note from Bob Bergantino in the James O. Hall research papers attests to this fact. Bergantino goes on to state, "To find the approximate location of the place where Booth died, it is necessary to proceed almost exactly northeast about 25 feet or 9 to 10 paces."

Essentially you walk over the porch when you are taking the path into the small clearing. I show it in this video:

http://boothiebarn.com/2013/06/30/a-quic...rett-site/

[brtmchl]

The post in the ground at the Garrett site does not mark the porch of the Garrett house. Rather, it marks the centerline of the west chimney. The note that was formerly on the post at Garretts and is present in Ed Steers' book is incorrect. A note from Bob Bergantino in the James O. Hall research papers attests to this fact. Bergantino goes on to state, "To find the approximate location of the place where Booth died, it is necessary to proceed almost exactly northeast about 25 feet or 9 to 10 paces."

Essentially you walk over the porch when you are taking the path into the small clearing. I show it in this video:

http://boothiebarn.com/2013/06/30/a-quic...rett-site/

Thanks for the video Dave.

Love the pumpkins!

[Jim Garrett]

I am miserable with points of the compass directions unless I'm facing north or south, but I believe that the Garrett homestead faced north. Therefore, the post marking the northwest corner of the porch would be to the far right of this photo. The kitchen ell (or what is almost a lean-to) was on the northeast gable end.

And speaking of the current Courier: I must apologize for the amount of typos that sneaked (I used to say snuck) through in this issue. It has been a hectic few months at the museum, and those who know where my office is know that it sits literally in the intersection of the visitors' center with no doors (just arches) to shut me in. Trying to compose text or cut and paste and watch for others' errors can be a chore sometimes.

A few of you know that I have one big hang-up in getting the correct spelling of one particular word. It is a word that has two meanings, two spellings, but one pronunciation. I often substitute "womb" for "wound," and I did it again in the article about Belle Grove Plantation -- referring to Col. Conger having "painful war wombs" instead of "painful war wounds." Okay, you can stop laughing now! No transgender surgery was done on the colonel...

And then you have that pesky Jim Garrett who just pops in without warning!

[Rsmyth]

Thanks for everyone for getting me an answer!

[RJNorton]

Kudos to Bill Binzel for the article he edited in the current (January 2015) Surratt Courier. The article is entitled A Trip with Lincoln, Chase, and Stanton by Egbert L. Viele. I won't give away too much away, but I was overjoyed to read that in May 1862 Abraham Lincoln had performed the same feat with an ax that he performed at City Point on April 8, 1865. At City Point Lincoln picked up an ax by the butt and held his arm straight out with the handle parallel to the ground. He held the 7-pound tool motionless for several minutes. I have always believed in that story, and I once email-argued with an author (not a forum member) over its veracity. I wish I had known (at that time) about Lincoln doing the same thing in 1862 to the sheer amazement of all the sailors who watched him do it.

Thanks, Bill, for your work on this article. I loved it.