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L Verge · 02-23-2018, 11:07 AM

Even those of you who are not students of the Lincoln assassination likely know that there has been a controversy since 1865 as to the complicity of the Confederate hierarchy in the conspiracy. It created quite a few ripples when the books Come Retribution (Tidwell, Hall, and Gaddy) and April '65 (Tidwell) came out over 20 years ago.

I hope this C-Span video of a 1998 conference at Ford's Theatre will play all the way through for you. All three of these fine scholars have passed from us, but this gives you a good indication of their work.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4531263/w...-a-tidwell

There is a new scholar in the field who is focusing on the role of Judah Benjamin, and with a little luck, a publisher will soon snap up his ms, print it, and get it added to the story.

For about forty years, whenever someone asked me about a member of Lincoln's Cabinet being the mastermind of the conspiracy, I would always tell them they were looking in the wrong Cabinet. Turn south and check out Judah Benjamin. I have no real expertise in this -- just a gut instinct based on a very interesting person.

John Fazio · 02-23-2018, 12:00 PM

(02-23-2018 11:07 AM)L Verge Wrote: Even those of you who are not students of the Lincoln assassination likely know that there has been a controversy since 1865 as to the complicity of the Confederate hierarchy in the conspiracy. It created quite a few ripples when the books Come Retribution (Tidwell, Hall, and Gaddy) and April '65 (Tidwell) came out over 20 years ago.

I hope this C-Span video of a 1998 conference at Ford's Theatre will play all the way through for you. All three of these fine scholars have passed from us, but this gives you a good indication of their work.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4531263/w...-a-tidwell

There is a new scholar in the field who is focusing on the role of Judah Benjamin, and with a little luck, a publisher will soon snap up his ms, print it, and get it added to the story.

For about forty years, whenever someone asked me about a member of Lincoln's Cabinet being the mastermind of the conspiracy, I would always tell them they were looking in the wrong Cabinet. Turn south and check out Judah Benjamin. I have no real expertise in this -- just a gut instinct based on a very interesting person.

Laurie:

Thank you very much for this material. Unfortunately, I was only able to play Tidwell's remarks. I gather there were additional remarks made by Hall and Gaddy. If so, is there a way I can access these?

As for your gut instinct about Benjamin, I believe you are on the money. My own conviction, based on the evidence as I know it, is that Benjamin represented the insulation between Davis and the dirty work. Accordingly, it was Benjamin, rather than Davis, who was most often and for most things the mastermind of the year-long terror campaign against the North (March, 1864---after the Wistar and Dahlgren-Kilpatrick Raids and, more specifically, the Dahlgren Papers---through April, 1865). Most telling is the fact that John Surratt, Jr., who was Booth's right hand, was Benjamin's official courier, according to Benjamin's biographer, Eli Evans.
Also telling is the fact that according to Ste. Marie, Surratt made almost weekly visits to Richmond to confer with Benjamin and, according to Weichmann, with Davis too (though Surratt told Ste. Marie, in Italy, that he had not met Davis, but worked for men who were under his immediate direction). Also telling is the fact that Benjamin left the country after the fall of Richmond, after burning as many Confederate records and correspondence as he could, embarking on an incredibly difficult journey to, in his words, "get as far away from the United states if it takes me to the middle of China". Despite the ordeal of the journey, he made it to England. Most significantly, and unlike thousands of other Confederates who left the country after the war, he never returned to the United States and never spoke about his role in the American Civil War. He was too smart a man not to realize that despite all the means that he and Davis had employed to cover their tracks, that the truth would inevitably be revealed (as Tidwell, Hall and Gaddy did many years later) and that when it was revealed, he would not escape the hangman. It is possible, indeed one might even say probable, that he had his ethnicity in mind (he was, of course, Jewish) when he calculated his chances of survival after the war. He could be fairly certain that the revered and Christian Davis would escape serious punishment (which turned out to be the case), but knew that he most likely would not. I am eager to obtain a copy of the new work that focuses on Benjamin's role in the assassination.

John

RJNorton · 02-23-2018, 12:38 PM

John and Laurie, almost 4 years ago Eva made a wonderful post about the Gamble Plantation where Benjamin hid for awhile during his escape. It's well worth a visit if you are ever in that part of Florida.

Her post is here.

L Verge · 02-23-2018, 02:40 PM

"I was only able to play Tidwell's remarks. I gather there were additional remarks made by Hall and Gaddy. If so, is there a way I can access these?"

I have the same problem with the one that was sent to me, John. I was hoping that it was just a problem on my end. Hopefully, some of our technical gurus here can help us out -- just to hear Mr. Hall speak in his casual and witty way (what he used to apologize for being "Ozarkian") and still give a great history lesson is worth the time. He would have been in his mid-80s when this was done, I believe.

RJNorton · 02-23-2018, 03:33 PM

(02-23-2018 12:00 PM)John Fazio Wrote: Thank you very much for this material. Unfortunately, I was only able to play Tidwell's remarks. I gather there were additional remarks made by Hall and Gaddy. If so, is there a way I can access these?

Go here:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?109752-1/p...assination

Once the video starts move the "time slider" to roughly 52 minutes for James O. Hall and roughly 1 hour 14 minutes for David Gaddy. If those times are a little off, move the "time slider" slightly back or slightly forward to get to the very beginning of their talks.

SSlater · 02-23-2018, 04:08 PM

What a surprise! I was able to visit with an old friend. for a few minutes. Thank you.
I have a tidbit to add to the tales told about the last days of the Confederacy. I read a book about 40 years ago, so I can't give the Title, or the Author. I'm asking someone to pitch in.
The book was a life history of Judah Benjamin. In it, the author stated that - in the last days of the Confederacy, Jeff Davis was very ill and could not perform the duties of the President. Therefore he authorized Judah Benjamin to be Acting President.
This is such a critical event, yet I have never seen it mentioned elsewhere. I don't know that it really did occur, or was it presented to protect Davis.
I will find that book. While I hunt, can anyone else add to this? Any items "Plus" or "Minus', are welcome.
This makes it seem that Davis may not have known or participated in any of the Assassination plans.

John Fazio · (This post was last modified: 02-23-2018 05:23 PM by John Fazio.)

(02-23-2018 04:08 PM)SSlater Wrote: What a surprise! I was able to visit with an old friend. for a few minutes. Thank you.
I have a tidbit to add to the tales told about the last days of the Confederacy. I read a book about 40 years ago, so I can't give the Title, or the Author. I'm asking someone to pitch in.
The book was a life history of Judah Benjamin. In it, the author stated that - in the last days of the Confederacy, Jeff Davis was very ill and could not perform the duties of the President. Therefore he authorized Judah Benjamin to be Acting President.
This is such a critical event, yet I have never seen it mentioned elsewhere. I don't know that it really did occur, or was it presented to protect Davis.
I will find that book. While I hunt, can anyone else add to this? Any items "Plus" or "Minus', are welcome.
This makes it seem that Davis may not have known or participated in any of the Assassination plans.

John:

As for Davis not knowing or participating in the assassination plans, that is most unlikely inasmuch as plans to assassinate were in place as early as the summer of 1864. That fact is established, as I have been eager to point out to the doubters, by the fact that shortly after the Dahlgren-Kilpatrick Raid on Richmond (Late February and early March, 1864) and the meetings that were held in Richmond thereafter to plan an appropriate response, Davis sent James P. Holcombe, Clement C. Clay and Jacob Thompson to Canada with verbal instructions only and drafts for $1 million in gold (worth about $2.2. million in greenbacks). According to the testimony of Godfrey Hyams, at the trial of the conspirators, he was enlisted by Dr. Luke Pryor Blackburn, to carry out a plot to spread pestilence in the North (mostly yellow fever), which plot included sending "infected shirts" to Lincoln as a gift from an anonymous benefactor. Hyams also testified that in addition to meetings with Blackburn, he also met with Holcombe, Clay and Thompson. Conclusion: Davis, who appointed the men, gave them their orders and financed them, MUST have know of the plot, including the attempted assassination of Lincoln. Further, Harney's mission began on or about April 1. Was Davis sick then? I have never heard that he was. And even if he was, can anyone believe that such a mission could have been initiated without his knowledge and approval? And still further, remember Surratt's answer to Ste. Marie's question as to whether or not Davis had anything to do with the assassination, namely: "I am not going to tell you", which, of course, is as good as an affirmative answer.

(02-23-2018 02:40 PM)L Verge Wrote: "I was only able to play Tidwell's remarks. I gather there were additional remarks made by Hall and Gaddy. If so, is there a way I can access these?"

I have the same problem with the one that was sent to me, John. I was hoping that it was just a problem on my end. Hopefully, some of our technical gurus here can help us out -- just to hear Mr. Hall speak in his casual and witty way (what he used to apologize for being "Ozarkian") and still give a great history lesson is worth the time. He would have been in his mid-80s when this was done, I believe.

Laurie:

Thank you.

John

(02-23-2018 03:33 PM)RJNorton Wrote:
(02-23-2018 12:00 PM)John Fazio Wrote: Thank you very much for this material. Unfortunately, I was only able to play Tidwell's remarks. I gather there were additional remarks made by Hall and Gaddy. If so, is there a way I can access these?

Go here:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?109752-1/p...assination

Once the video starts move the "time slider" to roughly 52 minutes for James O. Hall and roughly 1 hour 14 minutes for David Gaddy. If those times are a little off, move the "time slider" slightly back or slightly forward to get to the very beginning of their talks.

Roger:

Thank you.

John

L Verge · 02-23-2018, 07:15 PM

I have a tidbit to add to the tales told about the last days of the Confederacy. I read a book about 40 years ago, so I can't give the Title, or the Author. I'm asking someone to pitch in.
The book was a life history of Judah Benjamin. In it, the author stated that - in the last days of the Confederacy, Jeff Davis was very ill and could not perform the duties of the President. Therefore he authorized Judah Benjamin to be Acting President.
This is such a critical event, yet I have never seen it mentioned elsewhere. I don't know that it really did occur, or was it presented to protect Davis.
I will find that book. While I hunt, can anyone else add to this? Any items "Plus" or "Minus', are welcome.
This makes it seem that Davis may not have known or participated in any of the Assassination plans.

John S. There have not been that many books written on Judah Benjamin, but you might be thinking of Eli Evans's biography done about thirty years ago. I have not read it, despite having a number of people recommend it.

As for Davis's health issues, didn't he suffer from a number of maladies for years (malaria, eye problems, some sort of facial pain, old war wounds from the Mexican War? By 1864-65, with the realization that the cause was lost, I would think that he would also suffer from nervous disorders and depression. I'm not sure that this bull-headed man would have turned over the Southern gov't, to anyone, but I suspect that he would have allowed Benjamin more "freedom" to carry on in his stead. Of course, Mr. Hall used to say that only a head of state can authorize the official assassination of another head of state. Whether that implies verbal authorization or written authorization - or just an agreement between two men - is up for debate...

P.S. I believe that there is proof that Surratt was in Davis's office in late-March of 1865, and also that he was summoned to Benjamin's office just days before Richmond was evacuated. Benjamin sent him to Canada with dispatches and a small amount (supposedly) of gold. In his Rockville lecture, Surratt was the perfect undercover agent, however, when it came to deniability.

kerry · 02-23-2018, 08:12 PM

I have read that when Davis's son had an accident and died, Robert E. Lee had just sent a message requiring an answer, and Davis directed General Cooper to answer it, saying he needed a day to process the tragedy. If that's true, he apparently was okay delegating authority in extreme situations. Interesting that he also consulted Varina.

Source (I also read this elsewhere but am not sure where): https://books.google.com/books?id=hqv2CQ...ht&f=false

SSlater · 02-23-2018, 10:42 PM

I am not trying to assign responsibility--- I'm just adding a bit of information that has been overlooked. (Someday we may know the whole story.)
There may have been a formal delegation of responsibility, or a casual "help me out". Who knows the full extent!
All that I can say is "that Benjamin had the opportunity, to run the government - while Davis was ill." In some cases, Benjamin began the "Order" with "The President has directed me to have you....."
But, knowing Benjamin, he may have managed to activate a personal Program.
I have found this in my jumble of notes. It is a small piece of Varina Davis' autobiography, "that Benjamin spent 12 hours each day at the her husbands bedside tirelessly shaping every important Confederate Strategy and tactic, yet Benjamin never spoke publicly or wrote about his role..." This I got from the "American Jewish Historical Society" web site.
When Davis signed off on a decision, Benjamin did not have to stick to the letter of his instructions. he could have done ANYTHING he pleased. Benjamin started every written Order with - "The President has directed me to have you ...." From then on it could be ANYTHING.
I will look at Kensey John Stewart's orders, given to him in this critical timeframe, and see if it is worded as I think it will be. ("the President has directed me to........".)

L Verge · 02-24-2018, 11:12 AM

(02-23-2018 10:42 PM)SSlater Wrote: I am not trying to assign responsibility--- I'm just adding a bit of information that has been overlooked. (Someday we may know the whole story.)
There may have been a formal delegation of responsibility, or a casual "help me out". Who knows the full extent!
All that I can say is "that Benjamin had the opportunity, to run the government - while Davis was ill." In some cases, Benjamin began the "Order" with "The President has directed me to have you....."
But, knowing Benjamin, he may have managed to activate a personal Program.
I have found this in my jumble of notes. It is a small piece of Varina Davis' autobiography, "that Benjamin spent 12 hours each day at the her husbands bedside tirelessly shaping every important Confederate Strategy and tactic, yet Benjamin never spoke publicly or wrote about his role..." This I got from the "American Jewish Historical Society" web site.
When Davis signed off on a decision, Benjamin did not have to stick to the letter of his instructions. he could have done ANYTHING he pleased. Benjamin started every written Order with - "The President has directed me to have you ...." From then on it could be ANYTHING.
I will look at Kensey John Stewart's orders, given to him in this critical timeframe, and see if it is worded as I think it will be. ("the President has directed me to........".)

I agree with you, John. In the confusion that had to reign supreme in Richmond during the last year and months of the war, anything is possible - including Cabinet members bypassing protocol. Even in the Union gov't., it appears that Stanton walked a fine line also (even before the assassination). The end purpose of any war is to win it, and black flag warfare had already thrown traditional warfare to the side.

For those of you who have listened to the C-Span video with Hall, Tidwell, and Gaddy, you understand that they make the capture/assassination a military objective with Booth ultimately becoming the assassin when he became a loose cannon cut off from his "handler(s)." He continued to do what he believed his assignment was - dispose of the Union leaders in any manner possible.

When I used to lead the school tours at Surratt House, I would use the analogy of our wars with the Indian nations. Who was the primary target in a conflict? The chief. Twenty years ago, the students knew their history well enough to understand; I'm not sure that they even know about Indian wars anymore...

John S. - speaking of Kensey John Stewart: Do you have a photo of the Reverend and know its source? Working with another production researcher.

L Verge · 02-24-2018, 12:19 PM

Watching the C-Span video of the five panelists at Ford's Theatre brought back memories. First, it was nostalgic to see four great historians again, all of whom are now discussing history in the hereafter. It was also slightly traumatic to view the fifth author, who had created a little grumbling in the ranks twenty years ago - even to the point of my watching half the audience stand up and walk out during his presentation at a meeting of the LGDC. (I wanted to join them, but decided to be polite.)

It was also nice to see some of us as we appeared twenty years earlier. If you knew who to look for, you probably spotted Michael Kauffman (American Brutus), Richard Gutman (authority and author on all known Booth photos), Fred Hatch (The Journal of the Lincoln Assassination), Karen Needles (digital archivist for Lincoln papers), Elwin Penski (leader in the fight to preserve the Booth home at Tudor Hall), Ed Steers, Joan Chaconas, and others.

Now, you might enjoy this video from the National Archives as Ed Steers and Harold Holzer discuss their joint book on the Hartranft daybook under the moderation of Michael Beschloss (who was once the reigning prince of Presidential studies):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlUJ6F_COLU

As a little introduction, not enough credit is given to those who actually brought these records of Gen Hartranft, who had charge of the conspirators as prisoners at the Arsenal Penitentiary, to light. Several decades ago, Betty Ownsbey and Nancy Griffith of the Surratt Society traveled to Gettysburg College to research papers there. The librarian came over and plopped down materials and said, "You may be interested in these." It didn't take long for the ladies to realize that they were looking at the day-to-day notes of Gen. John Hartranft from 1865, courtesy of the Hartranft family and filed and forgotten.

Betty quickly found a phone (pre-Smartphone days) and called James O. Hall. "Stay right where you are; I'm on my way." A few hours later, the head detective was seated in the Gettysburg library also. The discovery went public, assassination researchers were in Seventh Heaven, and a feud erupted between the Hartranft descendants, the College, and the federal government as to who had rights to these papers. The originals now reside in a Pennsylvania branch of the National Archives and Records Administration, but the important materials therein have been made public in book form by Ed Steers and Harold Holzer (featured on video) and also digitally by a Mr. William Edwards. The daybook reveals a lot about the treatment (some of it rather kind) of the Lincoln conspirators.