Civil War History - Secession and PoliticsWas it Slavery, or was it States Rights? Perhaps it was the election of Lincoln? What were the real reasons for Southern Secession and what were the political issues in this time of war? Find your answers here in the Secession and Politics Disussion.
Living on the path of the Assassin's escape, I have been interested in the assassination for sometime, and have been doing some reading. Here is my take on the assassination.
1) It was not an inside government plot. If it was, then they would have gotten somebody to take care of Johnson who was competent and would not have lost his courage. Booth was an angry southerner, he wanted retribution, and to boot he was a little bit on the crazy side.
2) The Confederate government had nothing to do with it. Booth, though he had contacts with the Confederate Secret Service earlier, was not ordered by them to assassinate Lincoln. As stated, he was out for his own revenge, and he wanted fame, which are normally two prime motives for an assassination, though not the only ones.
If you want a good read on the assassination, read Blood on the Moon by Ed Steers. It is by far, I think, the best treatment of the assassination there is. Swanson's Manhunt is a fun, easy read, but it is told more from a narrative standpoint than anything, and while it is all true, it is lacking at times.
There ya go guys. My take. Crazy man, out for fame and glory, with some revenge to boot.
I have to agree with that 'crazy' statement, although I can deal with April 9th because of April 15th... While God did not make the Southern Confederacy his project (My kingdom is not of this world!), he also did not allow Lincoln to complete the task of Consolidating the USA permanently under the Northern WE ARE ALWAYS RIGHT, NO MATTER WHAT banner.
I think Booth may have been in collusion with the Radical Republican Consolidationalists (Liberals) of his day... who most likely set up the sorry police protections and the
easy access for Booth, who then had to trumpet his success upon the stage, before he left...
The Liberals (Abolitionists) had put Lincoln where he was, but Lincoln was now the man of the hour, and I can see the Congress getting mad about that, and wanting to control the return of the Southern states into the fold...
Left Wingers first, of course...
Yes, that all makes sense, once you think on it.
Beowulf
__________________ If the South accepted Sectional Left Wing Republican Rule, their property would be devalued, by being outlawed unconstitutionally in the territories, and suffer terrorism by Brown's mob ,... their economy would be in shambles... The effect is that the South is not any longer an equal part of the Union.
If the South tried to gain independence from these Left wing Republicans, the North will destroy them all... and curse their memory for all eternity....
I would invite individuals to look at the newly acquired 'investigation' into President Lincoln's assassination which ex-Police Chief Cullinane 'finally' handed over acting as 'go between'. It has been rumored, that high ranking officials had pilfered the Metropolitan Police Department's historical records and took them home--nothing short of 'theft' in my personal opinion. These documents were to have been in a vault at the Metropolitan Police Department's library at the academy. Look for Metropolitan Police Ledger recovered.
I have to also say, that I believe there is a miss-type of the location of the police station; as NW verses SE --It was move from 5&E Streets NW to 500 E. Street SE, in 1904. The station still stands today. It is really beautiful and the craftsmanship evident. It has been altered through the years though, as time went by and security of prisoners and personel changed. I was honored to have full access to this location in the 1970's.
I also want to mention, that the Metropolitan Police Department was rather small those days in the 1860's. Two rooms on one floor. Front room was for public business and police staff. The back room was for cells - 5 cells. Another old police station is at 6 & NY Avenue NW. Headquarters was moved from 301 C. Street, NW -(building still stands today-known as Old City Hall to Washingtonians), to Louisiana Ave, NW -Near Union Station. It would be moved several times more and in 1933, moved to 300 Indiana Av. NW. The Jail, was located in "Judiciary Square."
Another note about Washington City/Washington, DC during those times--most of the built up area was south of Rock Creek Park and nothing much developed beyond New York Avenue, NW--rest was farm land and starting to build up. DC was originally to have been a 10 mile square. Alexandria's portion was returned back to Virginia and renamed Alexandria County, until it was renamed Arlington County--after the famed Arlington House to which most of Alexandria County surrounded.
Another note I wish to proffer, is that --according to this ledger that has been recovered and turned over to the Metropolitan Police Department's museum (300 Indiana Ave. NW-6th floor); Booth was already a suspect. So, perhaps the 'intelligence' community had already had a hint there would be trouble to come.
Like today, the Metropolitan Police Department handles all homicides. US Secret Service, US Park Police, US Capitol Police and other police agencies; have all their deaths investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. At one time, the Metropolitan Police Department 'detailed' officers to the White House/Executive Mansion and the US Capitol. This of course strained the small police force even further. So, for those not familiar and think the MPDC was a huge force--it wasn't. All transmissions had to be done via telegraph. No phones, no police call boxes (police call boxes not installed until 1880's).
Having walked all over Washington, DC --also interested in history and the assassination; there are many coincidents that took place leading up to the assassination itself. The police officer on detail had stepped out. Back then, if memory serves me correctly--he didn't have a relief. Now, my personal questions would be--were was Major Rathbone's staff and or military escort that would overlap security by the MPDC officer. I can understand needing to leave the post, as to relieve one's bladder, etc. I would also have to wonder where his Secret Service staff was?
But, from what I gather --when news of President Lincoln's assassination became public--General Robert E. Lee was quick to respond and said how horrified he was and this wasn't how gentlemen of the south handled differences.
General George Pickett was known during the war to never tolerate an ill word about Lincoln in his presence, as it was Lincoln who secured Pickett's spot into West Point. I understood that he was outraged by this act and willing to seek this assassin personally.
President Lincoln and General Grant, from my understanding -- knowing how much pain General Winfield Scott Handcock was in from his Gettysburg wound, that required him to ride in an ambulance as being on a horse was too painful to bear--he had been assigned to Washington, DC and holding the high rank and authority of Washington, military forces there. It would be today's Military District of Washington; to which in these times handle all ceremonial details, e.g. Presidential burials and Presidential movements daily and or ceremonially.
As far as Mrs. Julia Grant goes--it could be indeed a 'woman's intuition' as there have been many cases, to include Mrs. Fannie Chamberlain (wife of General J. Lawrence Chamberlain) who foretold of events that would unfold and came to past. But, psycics back then were seen as witches and or 'possessed,' however--I maintain that women have always been gifted with intuition and or 'gut feelings.'
I would invite individuals to look at the newly acquired 'investigation' into President Lincoln's assassination which ex-Police Chief Cullinane 'finally' handed over acting as 'go between'. It has been rumored, that high ranking officials had pilfered the Metropolitan Police Department's historical records and took them home--nothing short of 'theft' in my personal opinion. These documents were to have been in a vault at the Metropolitan Police Department's library at the academy. Look for Metropolitan Police Ledger recovered.
I have to also say, that I believe there is a miss-type of the location of the police station; as NW verses SE --It was move from 5&E Streets NW to 500 E. Street SE, in 1904. The station still stands today. It is really beautiful and the craftsmanship evident. It has been altered through the years though, as time went by and security of prisoners and personel changed. I was honored to have full access to this location in the 1970's.
I also want to mention, that the Metropolitan Police Department was rather small those days in the 1860's. Two rooms on one floor. Front room was for public business and police staff. The back room was for cells - 5 cells. Another old police station is at 6 & NY Avenue NW. Headquarters was moved from 301 C. Street, NW -(building still stands today-known as Old City Hall to Washingtonians), to Louisiana Ave, NW -Near Union Station. It would be moved several times more and in 1933, moved to 300 Indiana Av. NW. The Jail, was located in "Judiciary Square."
Another note about Washington City/Washington, DC during those times--most of the built up area was south of Rock Creek Park and nothing much developed beyond New York Avenue, NW--rest was farm land and starting to build up. DC was originally to have been a 10 mile square. Alexandria's portion was returned back to Virginia and renamed Alexandria County, until it was renamed Arlington County--after the famed Arlington House to which most of Alexandria County surrounded.
Another note I wish to proffer, is that --according to this ledger that has been recovered and turned over to the Metropolitan Police Department's museum (300 Indiana Ave. NW-6th floor); Booth was already a suspect. So, perhaps the 'intelligence' community had already had a hint there would be trouble to come.
Like today, the Metropolitan Police Department handles all homicides. US Secret Service, US Park Police, US Capitol Police and other police agencies; have all their deaths investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. At one time, the Metropolitan Police Department 'detailed' officers to the White House/Executive Mansion and the US Capitol. This of course strained the small police force even further. So, for those not familiar and think the MPDC was a huge force--it wasn't. All transmissions had to be done via telegraph. No phones, no police call boxes (police call boxes not installed until 1880's).
Having walked all over Washington, DC --also interested in history and the assassination; there are many coincidents that took place leading up to the assassination itself. The police officer on detail had stepped out. Back then, if memory serves me correctly--he didn't have a relief. Now, my personal questions would be--were was Major Rathbone's staff and or military escort that would overlap security by the MPDC officer. I can understand needing to leave the post, as to relieve one's bladder, etc. I would also have to wonder where his Secret Service staff was?
But, from what I gather --when news of President Lincoln's assassination became public--General Robert E. Lee was quick to respond and said how horrified he was and this wasn't how gentlemen of the south handled differences.
General George Pickett was known during the war to never tolerate an ill word about Lincoln in his presence, as it was Lincoln who secured Pickett's spot into West Point. I understood that he was outraged by this act and willing to seek this assassin personally.
President Lincoln and General Grant, from my understanding -- knowing how much pain General Winfield Scott Handcock was in from his Gettysburg wound, that required him to ride in an ambulance as being on a horse was too painful to bear--he had been assigned to Washington, DC and holding the high rank and authority of Washington, military forces there. It would be today's Military District of Washington; to which in these times handle all ceremonial details, e.g. Presidential burials and Presidential movements daily and or ceremonially.
As far as Mrs. Julia Grant goes--it could be indeed a 'woman's intuition' as there have been many cases, to include Mrs. Fannie Chamberlain (wife of General J. Lawrence Chamberlain) who foretold of events that would unfold and came to past. But, psycics back then were seen as witches and or 'possessed,' however--I maintain that women have always been gifted with intuition and or 'gut feelings.'
Just some thoughts.
M. E. Wolf
Great post, Brother Wolf!
Do you know anything of Pickett's family having dinner with Lincoln while Gettysburg was in full swing? Is this a Reenactment Rumor, or anything valid towards it that you know?
Beowulf
__________________ If the South accepted Sectional Left Wing Republican Rule, their property would be devalued, by being outlawed unconstitutionally in the territories, and suffer terrorism by Brown's mob ,... their economy would be in shambles... The effect is that the South is not any longer an equal part of the Union.
If the South tried to gain independence from these Left wing Republicans, the North will destroy them all... and curse their memory for all eternity....
"Yes, that all makes sense, once you think on it."
Oxymoron.
A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined, as in "a deafening silence" and "a mournful optimist."
Sincerely,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
Hi Beowolf, I think Mudd did know Booth and what he had done when he worked on him, and I think that others were involved.
The Freemasons are cleared on this one, since Mason fought Mason during the war!
Hello DJ,
Have you happened to read the book, His Name Is Still Mudd?
Sincerely,
Unionblue
__________________ "The American people and the Government at Washington may refuse to recognize it for a time but the inexorable logic of events will force it upon them in the end; that the war now being waged in this land is a war for and against slavery." Frederick Douglass
"Loyalty to our ancestors does not include loyalty to their mistakes." George Santayana
Hi Beowolf, I think Mudd did know Booth and what he had done when he worked on him, and I think that others were involved.
Booth was introduced to Mudd in November of 1864, down in Bryantown, MD where Mudd lived. On December 23rd, Mudd was in Washington and met Booth again, along with John Suratt and Louis J. Weichmann (also part of the assassination plot).
Tim
__________________ "Let us, then, consider all attempts to weaken this Union, by maintaining that each state is separately and individually independent, as a species of political heresy, which can never benefit us, but may bring on us the most serious distresses."
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney of South Carolina, 1740-1824, Revolutionary War soldier, one of the authors of the US Constitution in 1787, speaking at the South Carolina Ratifying Convention in 1788.
I think Mudd did know Booth and what he had done when he worked on him,...
I don't doubt that Mudd knew Booth, but I do find it hard to believe that he knew Lincoln had been assassinated -- unless he knew that Booth had specified a date on which to do the deed. And I think that's also unlikely as it wasn't known beforehand that Lincoln was going to Ford's Theater that night.
Quote:
... and I think that others were involved.
You mean outside of the "conspirators" who were tried? Like Stanton and Davis' Secret Service? Very doubtful.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
I don't doubt that Mudd knew Booth, but I do find it hard to believe that he knew Lincoln had been assassinated -- unless he knew that Booth had specified a date on which to do the deed. And I think that's also unlikely as it wasn't known beforehand that Lincoln was going to Ford's Theater that night.You mean outside of the "conspirators" who were tried? Like Stanton and Davis' Secret Service? Very doubtful.
ole
Careful! The Dahlgren Affair!
B-
__________________ If the South accepted Sectional Left Wing Republican Rule, their property would be devalued, by being outlawed unconstitutionally in the territories, and suffer terrorism by Brown's mob ,... their economy would be in shambles... The effect is that the South is not any longer an equal part of the Union.
If the South tried to gain independence from these Left wing Republicans, the North will destroy them all... and curse their memory for all eternity....
What has the Dahlgren affair to do with the Assissination Conspiracy? Are you just blowing smoke again?
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
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