FW: GDG- "Loose Bolts Sink....."

[Tom Ryan]

An afterthought to this situation is that the man directly responsible for a
good deal of the Confederate secret service activity, including managing
foreign agents, was Secretery of State Judah P. Benjamin.  When Richmond
fell, Benjamin destroyed all of his records, then fled along with President
Davis but separated from the presidential party and headed for the west
coast of Florida.  Benjamin then left the country by boat as quickly as
possible, and never returned after the war.  He was one of the few, if not
the only, high-ranking Confederate official to do that.  One could surmise
that his refusal to return to the United States could well have had a
relationship to his responsibility for covert activity, and his fear of
being directly linked to the assassination of Lincoln.

Tom Ryan

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Ryan [mailto:pennmardel at mchsi.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2006 5:00 PM
To: GDG
Subject: RE: GDG- "Loose Bolts Sink....."


<<The Booth attempt was not a part of the Confederate government, and I
would caution against putting too much stock into it.  The plot was
supported by Southern sympathizers, but not  an attempt by the CSA.  As
Booth wandered South after the assassination he found it difficult to find
shelter as he was shunned by those Southerners - turned in by them.>>

While there is no conclusive evidence that the Confederate government was
plotting to assassinate President Lincoln, there is at least enough
circumstantial evidence to not rule out the possibility.  The best case for
Booth working directly for the Confederate government is made in "Come
Retribution:  The Confederate Secret Service and the Assassination of
Lincoln."  At the very least, Booth's objective was to kidnap the president.
Ed Steers' books on the subject provide additional evidence of Booth being
guided by Confedrate agents and a network of sympathizers.

While proof of direct Confederate involvement has not as yet turned up, I do
not think we can dismiss this possibility altogether -- unless there is
evidence to that effect that I am not aware of.

Tom Ryan