Information -- from "You-Know-Who"

John Hartwell

Lt. Colonel
Forum Host
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Location
Central Massachusetts
I've been reading through some of the Secret Service Subversion Investigation files at Fold3.com. They often consist of single documents, without any explanations or follow-up, and it's sometimes hard to make anything definitive out of them. But, they do give some hints for further research.

One curious example is from the Files of Col. Lafayette Baker. The case number: 608B, the Informant is identified only as "You know who."


"Falmouth, Va. June 8th ‘63

"Col. Baker

"Dear Sir

"I suppose detective Camp gave the names of Mrs Levi & Mrs Skidmore & Mrs Smith & Mrs Grimsly, these ladies whose business I have not the slightest doubt was to spy. Mrs Grimsly’s husband works at the carpenter business in Georgetown, and as he lives in the hotel at the foot of the Gt wharf he has a fine chance to get information & peddle the same to Georgetown [....] who dispense that sort of article. ---Mrs Skidmore’s husband has been arrested (as you are aware) for disloyalty.

"Mr Grimsly was a soldier in the rebel army until he was disabled. But I suppose Camp gave you all these particulars before this, as I gave them to him.

"George D. Spencer of Washington, who is a part of the time at Baltimore, is one of the strongest rebels that can be found in either city & from what I hear think his wife in Washington harbors spies. One of her sons is in the Richmond Police the other is a Maj. in the rebel army.

"Richard Maxwell, Co. F, 28th N.J. is under arrest at Frenches head quarters in the 2nd Corps, for having escaped from one of the [Dr?] that he was assisting at the last battle. He staid with the rebels two days and finally came back to his regiment without any trouble. Those well acquainted with him at home tell me he has all the time uttered very disloyal sentiments, he said he would not enlist -- only to escape the draft for years (he is a 9 months man & his time is nearly out). I am well convinced that he has enlisted as a spy on the other side & hope you will see that the [Dr’s?] petition to have him released does not avail anything. There are plenty of witnesses from Perth Amboy, N.J. that are well acquainted with him. Some of Capts & L’tenants in the 28th have heard him say the most disloyal things, in earnest.

"If you will write to me, plese send to the Provost Marshall’s Office at Aquia Camp -- I wish to stay a few days longer and ascertain some things that I am looking out for.

"From You-know-who."



So, what's going on here? Are any of these accusations genuine, or is this just some busybody sounding off, trying to appear important? I've been trying to follow up on some of the names, without success. The Fold3 files are supposedly searchable -- but according to the provided search engine, neither the names Skidmore, Grimsly, nor Maxwell appear anywhere in the Baker Files -- where I found them!

One of Mary Lincoln's sisters was "Mrs. Grimsley," but her husband was most assuredly not a carpenter in Georgetown.

I thought that Richard Maxwell, Co. F, 28th N.J. might be accessible. He is in the N.J. Index (as of Co. I), but his CSR is not available. There appears to be no regimental history (there often is not with 9-month regiments), and detailed period newspaper searches have come up blank. More detail may well be buried away in the thousands of pages of the Subversion Files. Or, maybe they were investigated, and came to nothing -- on the other hand, maybe Baker "Knew Who" well enough to roll up his eyes, toss the paper aside and go on to something substantive.
 
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