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.
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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.)
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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.
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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.
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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