April 30, 1865: The Conspirators Removed to the Arsenal Penitentiary, Trial and Four Executions

In real time.

The eight suspects in the Lincoln assassination plot who had been imprisoned on the monitors USS Montauk and Saugus were transferred to the  Arsenal penitentiary, located in the compound of what is now Fort McNair.  This was also the site of their military trial which returned its verdict June 30, 1865.

Three of the eight, along with Mrs. Mary Surratt, were hanged in the penitentiary on July 7.  The three hanged this date were:

Lewis Paine who made  the unsuccessful assassination attempt on Secretary of State Seward

George A. Atzerodt who had been designated by Booth to murder Vice President Johnson

David E. Herold who had accompanied  Booth in his escape from the city and until their capture.

--Old B-Runner

What Happened to Booth's Body?

Several posts ago, I wrote about Booth's body being examined on the monitor USS Montauk (which participated in the move up the Cape Fear River to capture Wilmington after the fall of Fort Fisher) and then taken to be buried at Washington Arsenal (now Fort McNair) in a gunbox.

It did not stay there, however.

From Real-LifeVillains Wiki.

He was first buried in a storage room at the Old Arsenal Penitentiary, then in a warehouse and finally at Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland, four years after his death.

--Old B-Runner

April 27, 1865: The Wreck and Disaster of the SS Sultana

APRIL 27TH, 1865:  The river steamer SS Sultana blew up in the Mississippi River above Memphis, Tennessee, killing 1,450 out of 2,000 passengers -- all but 50 of whom were former prisoners of war.  She was en route to Cairo, Illinois, when a violent explosion ripped her apart and turned her into a sheet of flame.

The cause of the explosion has never been determined, but one of the theories advanced was that of a coal torpedo -- such as the one that was suspected of having destroyed Army steamer Greyhound on 27 November 1864 -- had been slipped into the steamer's coal bin.

This was largely overlooked with all the Lee surrender, Lincoln assassination and pursuit of Booth.

A True Disaster.  --Old B-R'er

April 27, 1865: Now, Navy Turns Attention to Preventing Jefferson Davis' Escape

APRIL 27TH, 1865:  Secretary Welles informed Commander F.A. Parker (he had also been at Fort Fisher) of the Potomac Flotilla that the "special restrictions relative to retaining vessels are removed."

He advised Parker that "Booth was killed and captured with Herold yesterday, three miles southwest of Port Royal, Va.."  With the search for President Lincoln's assassin ended, further south the Navy focused its attention to another end.

This date, Rear Admiral Dahlgren ordered nine ships of his South Atlantic Blockading Squadron to patrol along the Southern coast to prevent the escape of Jefferson Davis and his cabinet.

--Old B-Runner

April 27, 1865-- Part 2: Booth Buried, Conspirators Held

While the body was on board the monitor, an autopsy was performed and an inquiry conducted to establish identity.  Booth's corpse was taken by boat to the Washington Arsenal (now Fort McNair) where it was buried in a gun box the following day.

Herold was incarcerated in the hold of the Montauk which, along with the USS Saugus, was being utilized as a maximum security prison of eight of the suspected conspirators.

--Old B-R'er

April 27, 1865: Booth's Body Delivered to USS Montauk-- Part 1

The Lincoln Assassination and Search for the Conspirators in Real Time.

APRIL 27TH, 1865:  The body of John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln's assassin, and David E. Herold, who had accompanied Booth in the escape from Washington and was with the actor when he was shot, were delivered on board the USS Montauk, anchored in the Anacostia River off the Washington Navy Yard.

Booth had been slain and Herold captured at John M. Garrett's farm three miles outside Port Royal, Virginia, in the early hours of the previous day.

--Old B-Runner

April 25, 1865: Search for Booth Continues

APRIL 25TH, 1865:  The search for President Lincoln's assassins followed rumors in all directions, and warships in the large Union Navy were available to speed the investigation.

The Navy Department ordered Commodore Radford (he had been at Fort Fisher) at Hampton Roads:  "Send a gunboat to the mouth of the Delaware  for one week to examine and arrest all suspicious characters and vessels."

Gettin' the Booth.  --Old B-Runner

Other Markers at Washington Navy Yard Pertaining to the Civil War: Second Officer's House

From HMdb.

SECOND OFFICER'S HOUSE.

The second Officer's House or Quarters B is believed to have elements of an 18th century farmhouse.  This structure was erected as a two-and-a-half story Federal style brick house late in 1801.

It escaped destruction when the British invaded Washington, D.C., in the War of 1812 in 1814 and was substantially altered and enlarged in the later 19th century.  It was used as barracks for Union troops during the Civil War, but returned to its original function as home of the Yard's second ranking officer after the war.

Most recently it has been occupied by the Senior Flag Officer  stationed in the Washington area.

--Old B-Runner

Historical Marker at Washington Navy Yard: Serving As a Temporary Federal Prison

From HMdb.

Located in the Washington Navy yard in Washington D.C., on the side of the wall of a building.

On the marker:

"The body of John Wilkes Booth, assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, was brought to the Navy yard for  examination and identification aboard the monitor USS Montauk (which had been involved in operations on the Cape Fear River in February that led to the capture of Wilmington).

With the exception of Mary Surratt, the Lincoln conspirators (including Lewis Payne, shown in the picture) were temporarily imprisoned on board the USS Montauk and other naval vessels before being transferred to the Washington Penitentiary for trial."

--Old B-Runner

Fort Sumter vs. U.S. Navy Ironclads in My Saw the Elephant Blog

I have been writing about the Confederate Defenders of Charleston monument in Charleston, South Carolina in my Saw the Elephant: Civil war blog.  This monument celebrates the lives of those valiant defenders of Fort Sumter in the epic battles with the Union navy's ironclads during 1863-1864.

This was a fort vs. Navy battle so would nicely tie in with this blog.

Just click on the Saw the Elephant site in the My Blog List to the right of this to get to that information.

--Old B-Runner

April 22, 1865: Still Looking for J.W. Booth

These entries are taken from the Civil War Naval Chronology.

APRIL 22ND, 1865:  Secretary Welles warned the Potomac Flotilla that "[John Wilkes] Booth was near Bryantown last Saturday [April 15], where Dr. Mudd set his ankle, which was broken by the fall from his horse.  The utmost vigilance is necessary in the Potomac and Patuxet to prevent his escape.  All boats should be searched...."

The condition of alert remained in effect until word of the assassin's death on 26 April was received.

--Old B-R'er

April 19, 1865: Gideon Welles at Lincoln's Funeral

APRIL 19TH, 1865:  Secretary Welles recorded President Lincoln's funeral in his diary:  "The funeral on Wednesday, the 19th, was imposing, sad, and sorrowful.  All felt the solemnity, and sorrowed  as if they had  lost one of their own household.

"By voluntary action business was everywhere suspended, and the people crowded the streets....  The attendance was immense.  The front of the procession reached the Capitol, it was said, before we started, and there as many, or more who followed us.

"A brief prayer was made by Mr. [P.D.] Gurley in the rotunda, where we left the remains of the good and great man we loved so well."

--Old B-Runner

April 18, 1865:Farragut to Serve as a Lincoln Pallbearer, Navy Continues Search for Conspirators

APRIL 18TH, 1865:  Vice Admiral Farragut, in whom President Lincoln had placed great confidence, wrote to his wife:  "All the people in the city are going to see the President in state.  I go tomorrow as one of the pallbearers."

Meanwhile the Navy was carrying out Secretary Welles' instructions to search "all vessels going out of the [Potomac] river for the assassins.  Detain all suspicious persons.  Guard against against all crossing of the river and touching of vessels or boats on the Virginia shore."

--Old B-R'ers

April 17-25, 1865-- Part 3: Confinement of Conspirators on the Monitors

APRIL 17TH-25TH, 1865:  The last of the eight conspiracy suspects to be incarcerated on board the monitors was David E. Herold.

The prisoners were kept below decks under heavy guard and were manacled with both wrist and leg irons.  In addition, their heads were covered with canvas hoods the interior of which were fitted with cottonpads that tightly covered the prisoners' eyes and ears.

The hoods contained two small openings to permit breathing and the consumption of food.

An added security measure was taken with Paine by attaching a ball and chain to each ankle.

--Old B-Runner

April 17-25, 1865-- Part 2: Conspirators Moved to the Monitors

APRIL 17-25TH, 1865:  Edward Spangler, a stagehand at Fort Theatre and Booth's aid, along with Michael O'Laughlin and Samuel B. Arnold, close associates of Booth during the months leading up to the assassination, were also caught up in the dragnet.

O'Laughlin and Paine, after overnight imprisonment in the Old Capitol Prison, were transferred to the monitors at the Navy Yard.

Theyw ere joined by Arnold on the 19th and Spangler on the 24th.

George A. Atzerodt, the would-be assassin of Vice President Andrew Johnson and Ernest Hartman Richter, at whose home Atzerodt was captured, were brought on board the ships on the 20th.

Joao Celestino, Portuguese sea captain who had been heard to say on the 14th that Seward ought to be assassinated, was transferred from Old Capitol Prison to the Montauk on the 25th.

--Old B-Runner

A Fort Fisher and Wilmington Connection with the Lincoln Conspirators

The Lincoln conspirators, with the exception of Mary Surratt, were incarcerated aboard the monitors Saugus and Montauk after they were captured.  Both ships had been prepared for this purpose at Washington Navy Yard on April 15th.

The USS Saugus had been present at both battles of Fort Fisher.  After the second battle, she was towed to Norfolk for repairs and spent the rest of the war on the James River.

The USS Montauk was not at the battles of Fort Fisher, but participated in the follow up action on the Cape Fear River that led to the fall of Wilmington, North Carolina.

--Old B-R'er

April 17-25, 1865-- Part 1: The Monitors Montauk and Saugus and the Lincoln Conspirators

APRIL 17TH TO 25TH, 1865:  Four of the five Lincoln assassination suspects arrested on the 17th were imprisoned  on the monitors USS Montauk and USS Saugus which had been prepared for this purpose on the 15th and were anchored off the Washington Navy Yard on the Anacostia River.

Mrs. Mary E. Surratt was taken into custody at the boarding house she operated after it was learned that her son was a close friend of John Wilkes Booth and that the actor was a frequent visitor at the boarding house.

Mrs. Surratt was jailed at the Carroll Annex of Old Capitol Prison.

Lewis Paine was also taken into custody when he came to Mrs. Surratt's boarding house while she was being arrested.

--Old B-Runner

April 17, 1865: Lincoln's Assassin Reported To Be in Vicinity of Point Lookout

APRIL 17TH, 1865:  Acting Master J.H. Eldridge, USS Delaware, reported that information had been received that the murderer of the President was in the vicinity of Point Lookout, Maryland.

Secretary Welles promptly ordered the Commanding Officer of Naval Force, Hampton Roads, to send all available vessels to assist in the blockade of the eastern shore of Virginia and Maryland from Point Lookout to Baltimore.

--Old B-Runner

April 16, 1865: Navy Honoring the Fallen President

I am doing the assassination of Lincoln in real time in regards to the U.S. Navy's role in it.

APRIL 16TH, 1865:  The Navy Department directed on April 17, that a gun be fired in honor of the late President Lincoln each half hour, from sunrise to sunset, that all flags be kept at half mast until after the funeral, and that all officers wear mourning crepe for six months.

--Old B-Runner

April 16, 1865: Looking for Lincoln's Assassin

APRIL 16TH, 1865:  Secretary of the Navy Welles directed:  "To prevent the escape of the assassin who killed the President and attempted the life of the Secretary of State, search every vessel that arrived down the bay.

"Permit no vessel to go to sea without such search, and arrest and send to Washington any suspicious persons."

Response was immediate; ships took stations "on the coast of Maryland and Virginia."

--Old B-Runner

Lincoln on the Importance of Seapower: "Uncle Sam's Web Feet"

In the summer of 1863, Lincoln had written:  "Nor must Uncle Sam's web feet be forgotten.  At all the watery margins they have been present.

"Not only on the deep sea, the broad bay, the rapid river, but also up the narrow, muddy bayou, and wherever the ground was a little damp, they have all made their tracks."

--Old B-Runner

April 15, 1865: In Case the President's Assassin Is Taken to Washington Navy Yard

APRIL 15TH, 1865:  Welles sent a telegram to Commodore John B. Montgomery, Commandant of Washington Navy Yard:  "if he military authorities arrest the murderer of the President and take him to the Yard, put him on a monitor and anchor her in the stream, with a strong guard on vessel, wharf, and in the yard.

Call upon the commandant of the Marine Corps for guard.  Have vessel immediately prepared to receive him at any hour, day or night, with necessary instructions.  he will be heavily ironed and so guarded as to prevent escape or injury to himself."

--Old B-R'er

April 15, 1865: Death of Abraham Lincoln and His last Trip to Washington Navy Yard on April 14th

APRIL 15TH, 1865:  Secretary Welles announced the assassination of President Lincoln to the officers and men of the Navy and Marine Corps.  Welles wrote:  "To him our gratitude was justly due, for to him, under God, more to any other person, we are indeed for the successful vindication of the integrity of the Union and the maintenance of the power of the Republic."

The President had continually demonstrated a keen interest in the Navy and far-seeing appreciation of seapower.

Late in the afternoon of the 14th he had taken what was to be his last trip to the Washington Navy Yard (which he visited often during the war) to view three ironclads there that had been damaged during the Fort Fisher engagement.

There were four monitors and the ironclad USS New Ironsides at Fort Fisher.  I have read these three ships were monitors, which leaves the New Ironsides out.  The four monitors were the Canonicus, Mahopac, Saugus and double-turreted Monadnock.

Most likely, the Monadnock was the one not viewed by Lincoln the day before he died because  it was at Hampton Roads on April 7 and then sailed for Havana on April 17th.

--Old B-Runner

April 14, 1865: President Lincoln Shot

APRIL 14TH, 1865:  President Lincoln was shot shortly after 10 p.m. while watching "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre.  He died at 7:22 a.m. the next morning.

Rear Admiral Porter, who had departed Hampton Roads on the 14th, learned, when his flagship, the USS Tristram Shandy, put into Baltimore on the morning of the 15th, that the President had been shot.

The admiral immediately went to Washington, D.C., where he learned the President had died.  The reaction of the tough, battle-hardened sea dog to the news expressed the grief of the nation.  Porter, who had bid a merry farewell to Lincoln exactly one week before at City Point, bowed his head a and wept.

--Old B-Runner

CSS Tallahassee-- Part 3: A Successful Cruise With 23 Union Ships Destroyed and 7 Bonded or Released

After the CSS Tallahassee was commissioned and prepared for her new role as a commerce raider, it was placed under the command of John Taylor Wood, CSN.  He was the grandson of President Zachary Taylor.

The officers and crew were all officers and enlisted men from the Confederate squadrons on the James River and North Carolina waters.

The Tallahassee ran through the blockade on August 6, 1864, from her home port of Wilmington, N.C. and evaded four Union blockaders on her way out.  She made a spectacular 19-day raid along the Atlantic coast up to Halifax, Nova Scotia.  During that time, it destroyed 26 vessels and bonded or released 7 more.

Wood sailed his ship into Halifax Harbor on August 18 to take on bunker coal and water.  But neutrality law only gave him 24 hours to do so.

--Old B-Runner

CSS Tallahassee-- Part 1: The Stats

From Wikipedia

Builder:  J&W Dudgeon, Cubitt Town, London, England.

First Occupation:  Blockade Runner

Commissioned:  July 20, 1864

Fate:  renamed CSS Olustee (raider)  and CSS Chameleon (blockade runner)

**********************

Displacement:  700 tons

Length:  220 feet

Beam:  24 feet

Propulsion:  two -- 100 h.p.  steam engines, two propellers, masts and sails

Speed:  15 knots

Complement:  120

Armament:

one rifled 32-pdr. forward
one rifled 100-pdr. amidships
one heavy Parrott aft

--Old B-Runner

Adriatic's Passenger List (1862)-- Part 4: Country of Origin

This is a list of countries the passengers said they were from:

England--  20
France--  1
United States--  2
Canada--  3
Baden (Germany)--  6

Even as the war was being fought, sea commerce in the North continued essentially as always (unless of course, a Confederate raider got involved off Northern coasts).  It was definitely a much different story with cargo and passengers coming into and leaving Southern ports.

--Old B-Runner

Adriatic's Passenger List-- Part 3: Ages and Occupations of Them

AGES OF PASSENGERS (Other than children):


11--  1
19--  1
20--  1
22--  1
24--  4
25--  4
26--  1
27--  1
29--  1
31--  4
34--  2
35--  1
37--  1

41--  1

47--  1
52--  1

60--  1

******************

OCCUPATIONS LISTED FOR MALE PASSENGERS:

Farmer--  3
Weaver--  1
Tailor--  2
Gardener--  1
Baker--  1
Brushmaker--  1
Clerk--  2
Seaman--  1
Carpenter--  1
Dressmaker--  1
Glazier--  1
Shoemaker--  1

Wives--  6
Servant--  1

--Old B-Runner

Adriatic's Passenger List -- Part 2: Families

The Adriatic was captured and burned by the Confederate commerce raider CSS Tallahassee in August, 1864.  The Adriatic had made several trips across the Atlantic from England before that.  Here is a passenger list from 1862.

*************************

There were several families aboard the ship:

Charles and Louis Johnson  (both 24)

Dora Horschberg (37) with children Jacob (7), Minah (4), Rebecca (3), Esther (2) and Simon (6 Months).

Mary Barnard  (29)  Bertha Barnard (26) servant, Mark (12) and Julia (3)

Lazarus(31) and Bloomer  (22)  Ittleson and  son Abraham  (10 months)

John (28) and Margaret (31) Lenden and son George (7 months)

I am figuring that Dora Horschberg and Mary Barnard were traveling without their husbands to meet him in New York.  They might likely have gone on ahead to get themselves established.


Richard H. Moore had also brought over another group of 33 immigrants from London to New York City 21 November 1861.

--Old B-Runner

Adriatic's Passenger List for 1862 Arrival from London-- Part 1: Immigration from Europe

Captain or Master Richard H. Moore had brought a group of immigrants from London to New York City in the ship Adriatic, arriving  24 March 1862.

He had 40 passengers, mostly from Germany and England.  It is interesting to note that all women were listed as wife for occupation.  There were evidently two classes of transport, 1st and 2nd Cabin.

Five were 1st Cabin and the rest 2nd.  Age, male or female, occupation,  Country they were from, country they were going to shown.

*****************************

1ST CABIN

1.  Georgianne Mine  24, female, wife, U.S., America
2.  William H. Hunt,  24, male, farmer, Great Britain, America
3.  Edwin N. Cragg,   41, male, silversmith,  --  , America
4.  John Versmier,  31, male, grocer, Germany, America
5.  Jemima E. Stra?burg, 31, female, none, U.S., America

There were 35 in 2nd Cabin

From Germany--  15
From England--  11
From United States--  7
From France--  2

More.  --Old B-Runner

Adriatic Lost On Way to New York-- Part 3: Captured By the CSS Chickamauga

The captain of the Tallahassee, John Taylor Wood, ordered the Adriatic burned.  The passengers were still aboard and many didn't speak English, and feared they were to be burned as well.  It took a bit of explanation,but they found they were to be removed forts.

Wood convinced them they were in no danger

Despite being worried that he wouldn't have enough room on his ship, he managed to get them all aboard.When word of the Tallahassee's capture of the Adriatic reached New York, the city was in an uproar and Confederates were branded as pirates.

The North's commercial fleet scattered from the waters.

--Old B-Runner

Adriatic Lost On Way to New York-- Part 2: One of 30 Union Ships Captured By the CSS Tallahassee

In late July 1864, the sailing ship Adriatic left London, England, enroute to New York, carrying 170 German immigrants and 100 American citizens.  The ship was built in New York in 1861 and, in addition, was transporting about 1000 tons of supplies.

The CSS Tallahassee was a former blockade runner (SS Atalanta) which had been acquired by the Confederate government and commissioned as a commerce raider and commissioned in 1864.  It left its homeport of Wilmington, N.C.,  and began a voyage in August 1864, where it captured 30 ships.  Out of the 30, the Adriatic was the biggest prize.

When the two ships encountered, a collision caused the Tallahassee to lose a mast.

--Old B-R'er

Adriatic Lost On the Way to New York in 1864-- Part 1: Victim of CSS Tallahassee

From dh101shipwrecks.himspace.ucla.  "Lost On the Way to New York"

ADRIATIC

DATE LOST:  8/12/64

LOCATION LOST:  Montauk, sw, 20 miles

WHY LOST:  War Loss

DEPARTURE POST:  London, England

DESTINATION POST:  New York City

MASTER:  Richard H. Moore

LIVES LOST:  0

--Old B-Runner

Wreck of a CSS Tallahassee Victim Found Off Long Island-- Part 2: Planning to Attack New York City

The Tallahassee, under the command of John Taylor Wood (grandson of former U.S. president Zachary Taylor), and quite a daredevil, also captured a pilot boat and tried to get the pilot to guide him into New York Harbor where he planned to destroy ships and attack the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

He planned to sail up the East River and escape into Long Island Sound.  However, his audacious plan was called off when the pilot said he didn't know the harbor.

The CSS Alabama sank five ships off the east end of Long Island, about 60 miles offshore in October 1862.

Long Island has American Revolution, Civil War, World War I  and World War II (U-boat) history.

--Old B-R'er

Wreck of a CSS Tallahassee Victim Found Off Long Island-- Part 1: Packet Ship Adriatic

From the March 31, 2020, Civil War Talk  "CSS Tallahassee and CSS Alabama Off  Long Island"by OtselicNY.

Always interested when a Civil War shipwreck is found and especially when it involves Fort Fisher and Wilmington, North Carolina, which this article definitely refers to since the ship that sank the ship that was found was the CSS Tallahassee based out of Wilmington.

Skin divers recently found the wreck of the sailing ship Adriatic 30 miles off Montauk Point, Long Island.  It was sunk by the commerce raider CSS Tallahassee in August 1864 which sank six ships off Long Island over a couple days.

--Old B-Runner