Confederate Captain James William Boyd

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the54thmass

Banned
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What do we know about this man, Confederate Captain James William Boyd, Sixth Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers?

He was said to have been a prisoner of war captured in August of 1863, and who joined the Union Army in order to be able to go and see his dying wife...

I'll take anything you got on him, pictures, or whatever...

54th
 
Southern Historical Society Papers.
Vol. XVII. Richmond, Va., January-December. 1889.
A List of Confederate Officers, Prisoners, Who Were Held by Federal Authority
on Morris Island, S.C., under Confederate Fire from September 7th to October 21st, 1864.
[excerpt]
TENNESSEE.
Col. A. Fulkerson, 63d inft., Rodgersville.
Lt.-Col. F. N. Doutherty, 8th cav., Livingston.
Capt. W. H. Craft, Murray's cav., Marshville.
" J. H. Burke, 2d cav., Knoxville.
" J. W. Boyd, 6th cav.
" L. P. Carson, 35th inft., McMinnville.
" G. R. Campbell, Wheeler, Manchester.
" T. F. Perkins, 11th cav., Frankton.
" J. P. Lytle, 25th inft., Unionville.
" John Nicks, Hawkins, Hankins county.
" S.J. Johnson, 25th inft., Sparta.
" J.H. Polk, 1st cav, Ashwood.
" J. R. McCallum, 63d inft., Knoxville.
" W. N. James, 44th inft., Carthage.
1st Lt. E. Boddie, 7th inft., Gallatin.
" J. D. Jenkins, 14th inft., Clarksville.
" H. C. Fleming, 25th inft., Spencer.
" J. F. Landervale, 2d cav., Claiborne.
" S. A. Morgan, 25th inft., Sparta.
" J. Ledford, 25th inft., Livingston.
" C. L. Hatcherson, 63d inft., Georgetown.
" M. A. Douglass, 44th inft., Gallatin.
" T. J. Goodloe, 44th inft., Winchester.
2d Lt. C. D. Covington, 45 inft., Lebanon.
" T. E. Bradley, 23d inft., Dixon Springs.
" W. N. Alderson, 1st cav., Murray county.
" W. C. Knox, 4th cav., Shellville.
" W. H. Adams, 51st inft., Covington.
" T. Irvin, 51st inft., Nashville.
" J. B. Lewis, 1st cav., Tazewell.
2d Lt. W. B. Easley, 48th inft., Vernon.
" G.R. Elliott, 4th cav., Albany, Ky.
" J.A. Irwin, 9th cav., Columbia.
" J.H. Henderson, 31st inft., Madison.
" B. Arnold, 6th inft., Franklin.
" W.N. Cameron, 25th inft., Sparta.
" J.G.S. Avants, 63d inft., Zollicoffer.
" Z.W. Erwin, 17th inft., Lewisburg.
" J.N. Hastings, 17th inft., Shellville.
" A.J. Elzey, 17th inft., Columbia.
" G.M. Hookerbery, 4th inft., Nashville.
" J.M. Henry, 4th inft., Hartsville.
" W.C. Campbell, 25th inft., Cookville.
[excerpt]
Exchanged and Taken Out of the Pen on Morris Island.
Capt. Henry Buist, 27th S.C. inft., exchanged Sept. 26, '64.
" J.W. Boyd, 6th Tenn. cav., taken out Sept. 26, '64.
------------------------------------------
Many J. W. Boyd hits but--were no association to Tennessee.

End of Search.

M. E. Wolf
 
Southern Historical Society Papers.
Vol. XVII. Richmond, Va., January-December. 1889.
A List of Confederate Officers, Prisoners, Who Were Held by Federal Authority
on Morris Island, S.C., under Confederate Fire from September 7th to October 21st, 1864.
[excerpt]
TENNESSEE.
Col. A. Fulkerson, 63d inft., Rodgersville.
Lt.-Col. F. N. Doutherty, 8th cav., Livingston.
Capt. W. H. Craft, Murray's cav., Marshville.
" J. H. Burke, 2d cav., Knoxville.
" J. W. Boyd, 6th cav.
" L. P. Carson, 35th inft., McMinnville.
" G. R. Campbell, Wheeler, Manchester.
" T. F. Perkins, 11th cav., Frankton.
" J. P. Lytle, 25th inft., Unionville.
" John Nicks, Hawkins, Hankins county.
" S.J. Johnson, 25th inft., Sparta.
" J.H. Polk, 1st cav, Ashwood.
" J. R. McCallum, 63d inft., Knoxville.
" W. N. James, 44th inft., Carthage.
1st Lt. E. Boddie, 7th inft., Gallatin.
" J. D. Jenkins, 14th inft., Clarksville.
" H. C. Fleming, 25th inft., Spencer.
" J. F. Landervale, 2d cav., Claiborne.
" S. A. Morgan, 25th inft., Sparta.
" J. Ledford, 25th inft., Livingston.
" C. L. Hatcherson, 63d inft., Georgetown.
" M. A. Douglass, 44th inft., Gallatin.
" T. J. Goodloe, 44th inft., Winchester.
2d Lt. C. D. Covington, 45 inft., Lebanon.
" T. E. Bradley, 23d inft., Dixon Springs.
" W. N. Alderson, 1st cav., Murray county.
" W. C. Knox, 4th cav., Shellville.
" W. H. Adams, 51st inft., Covington.
" T. Irvin, 51st inft., Nashville.
" J. B. Lewis, 1st cav., Tazewell.
2d Lt. W. B. Easley, 48th inft., Vernon.
" G.R. Elliott, 4th cav., Albany, Ky.
" J.A. Irwin, 9th cav., Columbia.
" J.H. Henderson, 31st inft., Madison.
" B. Arnold, 6th inft., Franklin.
" W.N. Cameron, 25th inft., Sparta.
" J.G.S. Avants, 63d inft., Zollicoffer.
" Z.W. Erwin, 17th inft., Lewisburg.
" J.N. Hastings, 17th inft., Shellville.
" A.J. Elzey, 17th inft., Columbia.
" G.M. Hookerbery, 4th inft., Nashville.
" J.M. Henry, 4th inft., Hartsville.
" W.C. Campbell, 25th inft., Cookville.
[excerpt]
Exchanged and Taken Out of the Pen on Morris Island.
Capt. Henry Buist, 27th S.C. inft., exchanged Sept. 26, '64.
" J.W. Boyd, 6th Tenn. cav., taken out Sept. 26, '64.
------------------------------------------
Many J. W. Boyd hits but--were no association to Tennessee.

End of Search.

M. E. Wolf

That does sound like our boy. Thanks!

BTW, Boyd was doing spy work with The South...

Page 83:

Boyd had been with two other Confederate agents when captured in August 1863, when captured by the NDP.
Harry D'Arcy and James E. Watson had been promptly executed as spies. Detective Pappy Walker had demanded of Boyd, "Where are those dispatches you are carrying?"

So he was up to his eyeballs in Confederate espionage prior to turning Yankee...

I think that's him...

Now, in order to disprove the Boyd-as-Booth, we have to trace our Boyd away from the Garrett Farmhouse...

54th
 
I smell an ulterior motive.

Ahh can assure, you, suh. I have only the purest of motivations in wishing to know the fate of Captain
Boyd. I cannot imagine how it would otherwise benefit
myself, beyond the desire to see the truth behind this man's
destiny...

your servant, suh;

the 54th
 
Seems you feigned ignorance of Boyd in your first post, allowed M.E. to take the time and research it, and you already knew about him. Sounds like a backdoor into the "600."
 
Seems you feigned ignorance of Boyd in your first post, allowed M.E. to take the time and research it, and you already knew about him. Sounds like a backdoor into the "600."

No, sir. Nothing of the kind.

My interests are purely over this man as having possibly been shot as Wilkes Booth...

If I 'feigned ignorance of him' it was purely in an air of
an 'absolute value' for him as a soldier...

I did not want to taint the initial searches with anything
skewed...

I do beg pardon, if offense has been gathered...

54th
 
54th;

J. W. Boyd listed from the Official Records of the Rebellion from the research I did, plainly puts he was at Morris Island, S.C. and I find nothing to connect Boyd with Booth.

M. E. Wolf
 
54th;

J. W. Boyd listed from the Official Records of the Rebellion from the research I did, plainly puts he was at Morris Island, S.C. and I find nothing to connect Boyd with Booth.

M. E. Wolf

Was this guy a 'former rebel agent who worked for the war department?"

See, that's the problem with 'official' stuff... 'Officially', he was a prisoner... 'Officially' is what 'the great unobservant public' are given, as Sherlock Holmes said...


And his activities with the North might not appear in so
august a document as the Official Records of the 'Rebellion'
(after all, they call it a 'Rebellion!')...

The NPD kept him moving because he was 'a snitch', and 'his life was always in danger'.

Here's what I know so far...

August-September 1863 - Provost Marshall's Stockade in Memphis.


He was at Johnson's island north of Sandusky on October 1st.

May 20, 1864 transferred to Hammond General Hospital for an unhealed leg wound.

October 5, 1864 - Old Capitol Prison.


February 14, 1865 he is in the Old Capitol Prison.

I imagine all of that will make sense once I read all the book...

They haven't even shot lincoln yet!

54th
 
James E. Watson:


O.R.--SERIES II--VOLUME VI [S# 119]
UNION AND CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, ETC., RELATING TO PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE FROM JUNE 11, 1863, TO MARCH 31, 1864.--#29
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 19, 1863.
Brig. Gen. L. THOMAS,
Adjutant-General U.S. Army, Washington, D.C.:
In compliance with the instructions contained in a letter addressed to me from your office on the 2d instant, a copy of which is herewith appended, marked A, I proceeded to Columbus, Ohio, and investigated the circumstances connected with the imprisonment and escape of John H. Morgan and other rebel prisoners of war recently confined in the Ohio penitentiary. I have now the honor to submit a report of my investigations.
[excerpt]
After the prisoners were locked up for night the military guards were dismissed and a prison watchman took exclusive charge. He inspected the cells with a light at stated periods during the night and remained constantly in the open space around the cell block. (See report to Governor Tod, p. 20, affidavit of J. E. Watson.(*))
It was assumed that when the prisoners were locked up in their cells they were perfectly secured--an unfortunate assumption, as the sequel proves.
[excerpt]
If this sergeant is an honest man he can hardly be considered a close observer; certainly not a shrewd detective; for whether General Mason or the warden of the penitentiary had the custody of the rebel prisoners Sergeant Moon was certainly placed in the immediate charge and control of them. It was his place to be generally present with them in the daytime, to see that they were properly cared for and duly watched. If the hole through the floor in cell No. 20 was cut in the day-time, he ought to have discovered the men while at the work unless he was criminally blind. I am, however, of the opinion that this hole was cut after the prisoners were locked up, notwithstanding the contrary opinion of Watson, the watchman. (Report to Governor Tod, p. 32.(*)) It is plain, however, that the main work below was done in the daytime, and that the men engaged in it passed through cell No. 20 into the air chamber. That cell must necessarily have possessed unusual interest to the rebel prisoners, and it is very hard to conceive that no suspicions circumstances surrounded it during all the time, over three weeks, between the commencement of the work and the escape.
When I wished to examine Sergeant Moon on these points I learned that he had been sent to Chattanooga with a party of soldiers, but would return to Columbus after awhile. I learned, however, from Colonel Wallace, the present military commander at Columbus, that Sergeant Moon took the watch of General John Morgan to a jeweler's in Columbus to be repaired on the day of his escape (November 27), and did not ask for permission to do so, as was required by orders. He called for the watch on the evening of the same day, but it had not been repaired then; he called for it several times the next day, when Colonel Wallace, hearing of it, took possession of the watch himself. This circumstance shows at least that the sergeant held improper intercourse with John Morgan.
Taking all these things into consideration, I think Sergeant Moon is justly chargeable with neglect of duty and liable to suspicion of complicity in the escape of Morgan.
In conclusion, it is plain that from the loose arrangements between the prison authorities and the military commander resulted a divided and undefined responsibility, and then naturally followed a relaxation of vigilance, which the prisoners had the address to turn to their own account.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
O. A. MACK,
Major and Aide-de-Camp.
-------------------------------------------------------------
I find nothing on Harry D`arcy.
-------------------------------------------------------------
The Life and Campaigns of Major-General J.E.B. Stuart
Roll Of The Second Regiment Virginia Cavalry.
PRIVATES
WALKER, Jos., deserted in September, 1863
WALTON, JNO. W.
WATSON, JAMES.
WEBB, JAS. M.
WEBB, JNO. W.
WEBB, WM. A., severely wounded at Five Forks, April 1, 1865.
WHITE, A. A., wounded at Nance's Shop, June, 1864.
WILLIAMS, L. T., wounded at Tom's Brook, October 9, 1864.
----------
 
Southern Historical Society Papers
Vol. IX. Richmond, Va., July And August, 1881. Nos. 7 And 8.
The Attempt To Fasten The Assassination Of President Lincoln On
President Davis And Other Innocent Parties.
By Judge W.W. Cleary.
(The following paper was read before the Louisville Branch of the Southern Historical Society and well deserves a place in our records that the future historian may see what methods were employed to blacken the name and fame of Confederate leaders.)
On the 2d day of May, 1865, his Excellency, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, published to the world the following proclamation -- viz:
"By the President of the United States:
"Whereas, it appears from evidence in the Bureau of Military Justice that the atrocious murder of the late President, and the attempted murder of the Hon. W.H. Seward, Secretary of State, was incited, concocted and procured by and between Jeff. Davis, late of Richmond, Virginia; and Jacob Thompson, Clement C. Clay, Beverley Tucker, George N. Sanders, W.W. Cleary, and other rebels and traitors against the government of the United States, harbored in Canada. Now, therefore, to the end that justice may be done, I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do offer for the arrest of said persons or either of them within the limits of the United States, so that they can be brought to trial, the following rewards:
"One hundred thousand dollars for the arrest of Jefferson Davis; twenty five thousand dollars for the arrest of Clement C. Clay; twenty five thousand dollars for the arrest of Jacob Thompson, late of Mississippi; twenty five thousand dollars for the arrest of George N. Sanders; twenty five thousand dollars for the arrest of Beverley Tucker; ten thousand dollars for the arrest of W.W. Cleary, late clerk of C.C. Clay.
"The Provost Marshall General of the United States is directed to cause a description of said persons, with notice of the above rewards, to be published.
"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, the 2d day of May, in the year of our Lord 1865, and of the independence of the United States of America, the eighty ninth.
Andrew Johnson.
"By the President: W. Hunter, Acting Secretary of State.

[excerpt]
Conover mentions, in his secret examination, the names of other gentlemen as his "intimate associates in Montreal," viz: Captain Magruder and Dr. Pallen, both of whom made affidavits. Says Captain Magruder: "I, George A. Magruder, late Captain in the Navy of the United States, and Chief of the Bureau of Ordinances and Hydrography, now residing in the city of Montreal, having been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, doth depose and say: That having read the evidence or testimony of one Sandford Conover, alias James Watson Wallace, as reported in the public papers to have been given by him, and taken before the Military commission, now sitting at Washington, D.C., in which he declares that, with others named by said Conover, alias Wallace, he was intimately acquainted with me. This I swear to be absolutely false and untrue. Further, I declare never to have seen this person to my knowledge, nor have I ever heard his name, or assumed name, before my attention was drawn to it by his testimony. I did not know that such a person as said Conover or Wallace existed."

Dr. Pallen, a distinguished surgeon of St. Louis, swears that he never saw or spoke to Sandford Conover, alias James Watson Wallace.

Conover said, in his secret testimony, that he did not go by the name of Sandford Conover in Canada, but under the name of James Watson Wallace. The first known of him in Canada was in the latter part of February, 1865, when he appeared as a volunteer witness in the extradition proceeding, then pending against the St. Albans' prisoners. It was necessary to the defence to prove the genuineness of the signature of Mr. Sedden, Secretary of War, and as it was difficult to find any one in Montreal acquainted with the signature, inquiries were constantly being made at the hotels for Virginia people who could make such proof in this way. This man came, offered himself as a witness, went into court, and did the swearing.
[end of excerpt]
================================
I'll have to re-research this all over again with more 'proper' names provided by the SHS article.
James Watson Wallace
and
Sandford Conover
=====================
M. E. Wolf
 
Southern Historical Society Papers.
Vol. XXIX. Richmond, Va., January-December. 1901.
"The Trials And Trial Of Jefferson Davis."
A Paper Read by Charles M. Blackford, of the Lynchburg Bar,
BEFORE THE TENTH ANNUAL MEETING
Of the Virginia State Bar Association, Held at Old Point Comfort, Va., July 17-19, 1900.
Mr. President, Gentlemen of the
Virginia State Bar Association, Ladies and Gentlemen:
In the spring of 1865, the States and armies of the Southern Confederacy yielded to the overwhelming numbers of their adversaries and the failure of their own resources. The result was the surrender of a people whose constancy and whose heroic struggle had won the applause and admiration of the world, and will, in the far future, be the common boast of every American citizen.
[excerpt-bypass history as to focus on assassination plots, etc]
While the public mind was in the condition of horror and indignation, which naturally resulted from the great crime of Lincoln's death, even more disastrous to the South than to the North, a swarm of crawling spies and lying informers infested Washington with details and incidents well calculated to inflame public sentiment and to warp the minds even of cool-headed men. Consequently the first intention was to cause Mr. Davis and others to be tried by a military commission upon that charge, but, as more light was obtained, wiser counsels prevailed, and it was determined to indict him for treason, and try him in a civil court.
In this connection, and before proceeding further, let us stop a moment to consider the charge made against Mr. Davis and Mr. Clay of complicity in the crime of Mr. Lincoln's assassination.
[excerpt]
The witnesses to be examined were the same whose depositions Holt had secured--Sanford Conover, John H. Patten, Joseph Snevel, Farnum B. Wright, John M. Gill, Miss Mary Knapp, Mrs. Sarah Douglass, and William Campbell. Turner, with great industry and skill, first went to work to search into the character of those upon whom he was to rely to establish so heinous a crime. His report of his work is very interesting. (Id., 921.) He finally proved, and many of the so-called witnesses confessed, the whole matter to be a conspiracy for the purpose of deceiving General Holt and obtaining money from the government. The investigation proved, and the report states, that--

"Sanford Conover--his true name is Dunham; lawyer by profession, formerly lived at Croton, then in New York and Brooklyn; a very shrewd, bad, and dangerous man. William Campbell--his true name is Joseph A. Hoare, a gas-fixer by trade; born in the State of New York, and never south of Washington. Joseph Snevel--his true name is William H. Roberts, formerly ticket agent on Harlem railroad; then kept tavern at Yonkers, &c.; was never South. Farnum B. Wright--true name, John Waters; is lame in the knee; works in a brick-yard near Cold Spring, on Long Island, c. John H. Patten--true name, Peter Stevens; lives at Nyack, near Piermont, on the North river; is now a justice of the peace there. Sarah Douglass and Miss Knapp--the true name of one is Dunham, who is the wife of Conover, the name of the other is Mrs. Charles Smythe; she is the sister or sister-in-law of Conover, and lives at Cold Spring, Long Island; her husband is a clerk on Blackwell's Island. McGill--his name is Neally; he is a licensed peddler in New York, and sometimes drives a one-horse cart."

After so ably completing his work, Colonel Turner closes his report with:
"My investigation and the disclosures made prove (undoubtingly to my mind) that the depositions made by Campbell, Snevel, Wright, Patten, Mrs. Douglass, and others, are false; that they are cunningly devised, diabolical fabrications of Conover, verified by his suborned and perjured accomplices."
[excerpt]
This man Conover, after he was arrested, stated to Colonel Turner that his motive for his conduct in suborning this testimony was to punish Mr. Davis for having confined him in "Castle Thunder."

With the motives of such a creature the world has little interest, but any one who will study the whole record will be satisfied that if money had not been furnished Conover he and his pals would never have testified, however deep his vengeful feeling.

As has been said, the idea of bringing Mr. Davis to trial before a military commission was early abandoned by every one but the credulous Judge-Advocate General. Soon after the prisoner was lodged in his casemate, President Johnson sent the Hon. Preston King, of New York, to see Judge Underwood, of the United States District Court for the District of Virginia, and to ask an interview in regard to the trial of Mr. Davis for treason. It was arranged that he should be indicted at the May term (1865) of the United States Court at Norfolk, over which Underwood was to preside. This was to be done, despite the fact that the judge had previously been of the opinion that the "rebellion" had become a civil war of proportions too great to make it proper or expedient to indict its leaders for treason. He was indicted, and the District Attorney at once moved for a bench warrant, which Underwood refused. This indictment was lost during the summer and never again came to light.

An indictment against Mr. Davis was also found in the District of Columbia, but no process was ever served under it. The matter thus remained in abeyance until the 10th of August, 1865, when the President wrote to Chief-Justice Chase asking for a conference "in reference to the time, place, and manner of trial of Jefferson Davis." To this Judge Chase responded that he would come to Washington on the next Thursday. What took place at this conference is not known. (Id., 715-6.)

On the 21st of September, 1865, the Senate called upon the President for information on the subject of the trial, but no response was made until January 7th, when reports on the subject from the Attorney General. Mr. James Speed, and the Secretary of War, Mr. E. M. Stanton, were filed. From these reports it seems that it was deemed proper that he should be tried for treason in the State of Virginia, where the Chief Justice was to preside, but that for reasons the Chief Justice would not hold the court.

[goes on about Davis--which is off topic]

There is no connection made to put Captain James William Boyd as being one in the same as J. Wilkes Booth. (Colonel Turner *USA, if he could discover two layers of aliases, certainly would have peeled the onion to discover J. Wilkes Booth's aliases)

There is no connection to the names proffered in the copy&paste; to those of the employees of the Selma Papers, reference to Clay & Gayle made; so their credibility remains in tact.

54thMass; I am of the belief that the resource from which you got James William Boyd and the other name James E. Watson is flawed.

M. E. Wolf
 
Seems you feigned ignorance of Boyd in your first post, allowed M.E. to take the time and research it, and you already knew about him. Sounds like a backdoor into the "600."

Someone's been reading The Lincoln Conspiracy again.

The real question is why anyone takes this seriously. Hell, let's discuss National Treasure 2 if we're going in that direction.
 
Southern Historical Society Papers
Vol. IX. Richmond, Va., July And August, 1881. Nos. 7 And 8.
The Attempt To Fasten The Assassination Of President Lincoln On
President Davis And Other Innocent Parties.
By Judge W.W. Cleary.
(The following paper was read before the Louisville Branch of the Southern Historical Society and well deserves a place in our records that the future historian may see what methods were employed to blacken the name and fame of Confederate leaders.)
On the 2d day of May, 1865, his Excellency, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, published to the world the following proclamation -- viz:
"By the President of the United States:
"Whereas, it appears from evidence in the Bureau of Military Justice that the atrocious murder of the late President, and the attempted murder of the Hon. W.H. Seward, Secretary of State, was incited, concocted and procured by and between Jeff. Davis, late of Richmond, Virginia; and Jacob Thompson, Clement C. Clay, Beverley Tucker, George N. Sanders, W.W. Cleary, and other rebels and traitors against the government of the United States, harbored in Canada. Now, therefore, to the end that justice may be done, I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do offer for the arrest of said persons or either of them within the limits of the United States, so that they can be brought to trial, the following rewards:
"One hundred thousand dollars for the arrest of Jefferson Davis; twenty five thousand dollars for the arrest of Clement C. Clay; twenty five thousand dollars for the arrest of Jacob Thompson, late of Mississippi; twenty five thousand dollars for the arrest of George N. Sanders; twenty five thousand dollars for the arrest of Beverley Tucker; ten thousand dollars for the arrest of W.W. Cleary, late clerk of C.C. Clay.
"The Provost Marshall General of the United States is directed to cause a description of said persons, with notice of the above rewards, to be published.
"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington, the 2d day of May, in the year of our Lord 1865, and of the independence of the United States of America, the eighty ninth.
Andrew Johnson.
"By the President: W. Hunter, Acting Secretary of State.

[excerpt]
Conover mentions, in his secret examination, the names of other gentlemen as his "intimate associates in Montreal," viz: Captain Magruder and Dr. Pallen, both of whom made affidavits. Says Captain Magruder: "I, George A. Magruder, late Captain in the Navy of the United States, and Chief of the Bureau of Ordinances and Hydrography, now residing in the city of Montreal, having been duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, doth depose and say: That having read the evidence or testimony of one Sandford Conover, alias James Watson Wallace, as reported in the public papers to have been given by him, and taken before the Military commission, now sitting at Washington, D.C., in which he declares that, with others named by said Conover, alias Wallace, he was intimately acquainted with me. This I swear to be absolutely false and untrue. Further, I declare never to have seen this person to my knowledge, nor have I ever heard his name, or assumed name, before my attention was drawn to it by his testimony. I did not know that such a person as said Conover or Wallace existed."

Dr. Pallen, a distinguished surgeon of St. Louis, swears that he never saw or spoke to Sandford Conover, alias James Watson Wallace.

Conover said, in his secret testimony, that he did not go by the name of Sandford Conover in Canada, but under the name of James Watson Wallace. The first known of him in Canada was in the latter part of February, 1865, when he appeared as a volunteer witness in the extradition proceeding, then pending against the St. Albans' prisoners. It was necessary to the defence to prove the genuineness of the signature of Mr. Sedden, Secretary of War, and as it was difficult to find any one in Montreal acquainted with the signature, inquiries were constantly being made at the hotels for Virginia people who could make such proof in this way. This man came, offered himself as a witness, went into court, and did the swearing.
[end of excerpt]
================================
I'll have to re-research this all over again with more 'proper' names provided by the SHS article.
James Watson Wallace
and
Sandford Conover
=====================
M. E. Wolf


Hmmm. In the 1958 book by Ishbell Ross, THE FIRST LADY OF THE CONFEDERACY, she sites the 144 or so
name descendants of the Howell-Davis Union and the
conversation which went on between Varina Davis and Andrew Johnson while Davis was in the Fortress Monroe.

Johnson: "I was compelled by Stanton and Holt to issue that proclamation. If they had anything upon which 'to
hang' an impeachment, they would degrade me accordingly. My own position was so weak, and public excitement so great at the time, that I fell into their wishes..."

The result of this meeting was two-fold:

1. Varina got to 'establish her family' at the Fortress Monroe (even though Miles told her she could sleep with the local prostitutes, a Captain Jerome B. Titlowe, 3rd Pennsylvania Artillery, arranges for her to sleep in a casemate with the officer's wives... ) Titlowe, one of the original torture-party who was ordered to shackle Davis just for fun, for five days... actually became Davis' friend, and according to Varina, saved his life while in the dungeon casemate (I have been there; it's a dungeon, even 'above ground' as it is, and cold as it can be in the rain!)

2. General Miles was replaced with General Henry Burton as Davis' handler, because Miles 'did not respect the person nor the feelings' of Jefferson Davis... and Davis was just about dead at this point from the mold growing on his shoes from the dampness of the place, and the lights 'made to be kept on in his cell seemed a torture designed by one who had intimate knowledge of his habits; his custom having never been to sleep except in total darkness'..."

And Davis got to move to Carroll Hall soon thereafter, which was a great improvement over the Casemate #2...

Also, Johnson arranged for Davis to have 'the freedom of the fort' because he was afraid Davis would die in captivity.



I personally have a problem with an official position on anything... just as one should have a healthy distrust of
hearsay... because of two main reasons:


1. 'Official' has usually been sanitized for our protection.
And any espionage activity is never labeled as such, nor followed accurately, even years later...

2. 'Official' usually has an agenda, just like the Lost Causers are said to have, and in the opposite direction.

My one main bit of satisfaction, however, came in the trial of Jefferson Davis, when they proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was guilty of the crimes at Andersonville,
the treason against the United States, and the murder of Abraham Lincoln...:laugh2:

54th

Here we go again. In keeping with Glorybound's wishes, this post will remain for a while so others can see why the thread is falling apart. (I screwed up when I deleted another obnoxious screed a bit earlier.) Notice how quickly we've departed from Captain Boyd? That was the foot in the door, preparing us for the current rambling sermon.

Edited by Ole, probably because he's in a bad mood today.
 
I smell an ulterior motive.

Ya think? It's another trip down the rabbit hole where Ole will find a cake, eat it, and turn 10 feet tall. That's what happens when you talk with the Mad Hatter. Where's the Red Queen when you really need her?

Regards,
Cash
 
54th Mass;

Well sir, I am not one to believe a lot of stuff on Nazi based sites as you proffered as "sources."


http://hnn.us/articles/3873.html


Steers-Chaconas



http://hnn.us/DarkUnion(7.1).pdf

I would prefer having as much "Official" records in addition to "Official Confederate" records as well as Southern Historical Society articles by those who fought in the ACW.

O.R.--SERIES I--VOLUME XLIX/2 [S# 104]
Union Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Kentucky, Southwestern Virginia, Tennessee, Northern And Central Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, And West Florida, From March 16 To June 30, 1865.(*)--#28
HDQRS. CAVALRY CORPS, MIL. DIV. OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Macon, Ga., May 9, 1865.
Brigadier-General McCOOK,
Comdg. First Div., Cavalry Corps, Mil. Div. of the Mississippi:
GENERAL: The brevet major-general commanding directs me to inform you that another regiment has been sent to Albany to await your orders. Major-General Schofield telegraphs that in all probability Jeff. Davis will attempt to reach the Florida coast in the hope of escaping. General Wilson desires that you will use all your disposable force to intercept and capture him. Our troops are scouring the whole State. The President of the United States has offered $100,000 apiece for Jeff. Davis, Clement C. Clay, and Jacob Thompson; $25,000 apiece for George N. Sanders, Beverly Tucker, and Extra Billy Smith, rebel Governor of Virginia, and $10,000 for W. C. Cleary, late clerk of C. C.
I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. B. BEAUMONT,
Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.
-----
O.R.--SERIES II--VOLUME VIII [S# 121]
UNION AND CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, ETC., RELATING TO PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE FROM JANUARY 1, 1865, TO THE END.--#21
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington City, April 27, 1865--7.40 p.m.
PROVOST-MARSHAL, Portland, Me.:
This Department has information from Canada that Jacob Thompson, George N. Sanders, and Beverly Tucker, rebel agents, are, or soon will be, at or in the vicinity of Portland, disguised and concealed, for the purpose of escaping to Europe. Every train that arrives and every vessel that leaves Portland should be searched for them and no effort spared for their apprehension. Please notify your people to be on the watch.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
(Same to Hon. William P. Fessenden, Hon. Hannibal Hamlin, collector of the port of Portland, and mayor of Portland.)
-----
WAR DEPT., PROVOST-MARSHAL-GENERAL'S BUREAU,
Washington, D.C., April 27, 1865.
Capt. C. H. DOUGHTY, Provost. Marshal, Portland, Me.:
Jacob Thompson, George N. Saunders, and Beverly Tucker are expected to arrive in Portland soon from Canada to take passage for Europe. Do everything possible to detect and arrest them. Let all persons arriving at or leaving Portland be carefully scrutinized, using your detectives for this purpose in such a way as not to disclose your object or attract attention further than necessary. Try and get some person who can identify the parties or get descriptions of them. They will probably be disguised. Acknowledge receipt by telegraph and report anything of importance.
JAMES B. FRY,
Provost. Marshal-General.
-----
O.R.--SERIES II--VOLUME VIII [S# 121]
UNION AND CONFEDERATE CORRESPONDENCE, ORDERS, ETC., RELATING TO PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE FROM JANUARY 1, 1865, TO THE END.--#22
WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, May 4, 1865.
Major-General HALLECK, Richmond:
A trunk containing correspondence of George N. Sanders was taken from the office of the Southern Express Company at Lynchburg and concealed in the cellar of William B. Black, agent of the company at that place, on Tuesday, the 11th of April, and is believed to be there now or its place of deposit known to Black. Please take prompt measures to secure and transmit it here unopened, and so that nothing can be abstracted. Mrs. George N. Sanders and her daughter are boarding at Cook's boarding house on Eighth street, Lynchburg. They should be arrested and vigorously searched, and also their trunks, apartments, &c. The daughter is married to a rebel captain, who is a Dutchman and calls himself a count. He is known to have been going back and forward to and from Canada, and should be searched, seized, and held for examination. Much may depend upon the promptness and skill with which these seizures and searches are made. Mr. Bullock, of the Southern Express, from whom the information comes, starts for Richmond to-day with a letter from me to you on the subject. You can wait to see him if you think best.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.
---------------------------------------------------
As far as J. Wilkes Booth being possibly Capt. James William Boyd, I don't see that they are 'twins.'
O.R.--SERIES I--VOLUME XLVI/1 [S# 95]
APRIL 26, 1865.--Capture of J. Wilkes Booth and David E. Herold, at Garrett's Farm, near Port Royal, Va.
Report of Lieut. Edward P. Doherty, Sixteenth New York Cavalry.
In pursuance to the foregoing orders I reported to Colonel Baker, at the time and place specified, and received the following information and instructions. He informed me that he had reliable information that the assassin Booth and his accomplice were somewhere between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. He gave me several photographs of Booth and introduced me to Mr. Conger and Mr. Baker, and said they would accompany me. He directed me to scour the section of the country indicated thoroughly, to make my own disposition of the men in my command, to forage upon the country, giving receipts for what was taken from loyal parties, and to land at or near Belie Plain at all hazards, to swim my horses ashore if I could not and otherwise, and return when I thought proper. I embarked upon the steamer John S. Ide, at Sixth-street wharf, this vessel having been plated at my disposal by the following order:
[excerpt]
April 25,1865.--Up to this time we had found no trace of the assassin or his accomplice. I then stopped to feed. It was thought by the detectives that we would not find any traces of the assassins. After feeling, however, I determined to push across the ferry; Mr. Conger, one of the detectives, remained at the house. Mr. Baker, the other detective, accompanied me to the ferry, where I met a negro, who informed me that men answering the description crossed the day before, and that one of them had been into Mr. Roland's house. Mr. Baker, and myself proceeded to the house of Mr. Roland, and there, after exhibiting the photographs, we concluded that we were on their track.

No connection has been made with the alias of Capt. James Wm. Boyd to J. Wilkes Booth. No aliases were affixed to Booth by his companions either.

M. E. Wolf
 
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