CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Dr. Mudd
About 4 o’clock on Saturday morning, the 15th, two persons came to my house. … I never saw either of the parties before, nor can I conceive who sent them to my house.
Dr. Samuel A. Mudd
By the time Booth and Herold left the Surratt tavern the moon was approaching its zenith, bathing the countryside in light. Heading south, the two men soon came to the village of T.B., where the road divides, one fork heading east to Horsehead, the other continuing south to Beantown. Either road would take them to their next destination, the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd. There they would find safety and succor and Booth could have his painful leg cared for. Spurring their horses the two men continued on the road toward Beantown. Once at Beantown the road turned east, passing St. Peter’s Catholic Church where the Mudd family regularly worshiped. Two miles beyond was the farm of Samuel Mudd.
It was four o’clock when Booth and Herold rode up the dirt lane leading to the home of Dr. Mudd. Twilight was still an hour away. Herold dismounted and walked up to the door. Knocking loudly, he listened for some sound of movement. Within a few moments the door opened. Peering through the opening was a man in a long, white nightshirt holding a candle. The man standing outside spoke first. His companion had injured his leg and needed medical attention. Seated on a horse a few feet away sat a bearded man, a large shawl wrapped around his shoulders resting high on his neck. The door swung open and the two men were invited inside.
Mudd examined the injured man’s leg, determined it to be broken, and told the patient’s companion to help him up the stairs to one of the bedrooms. Here the doctor made an incision in the boot, carefully removed it from the tender leg, and set the broken bone, splinting it with pieces fashioned from a hatbox. The injured man was put to bed and the doctor went about his business, later riding into the village of Bryantown to purchase a few sundries. While in town he learned about the assassination. On returning home at five o’clock he saw the two men about to leave. The companion asked for directions that would take them west to the parsonage of a local minister. Pointing the two men in the right direction, Mudd went into his house, where his wife told him some disturbing news. She noticed that the injured man was wearing a false beard. She had seen it come loose as the man struggled down the stairs as he was preparing to leave. Earlier in the day the man had asked for a razor and shaved off his handlebar moustache.
Mudd’s suspicions were aroused. He and his wife discussed whether he should return to town and notify the soldiers stationed there about the suspicious nature of the two visitors. Mrs. Mudd, fearful for her safety and that of her children, asked her husband not to leave them alone. Mudd decided not to go into town but to stay with his wife and children. He would notify the soldiers later, telling them everything he knew about the visit of the two strangers. They had been at his house no more than twelve hours.
This is the story Dr. Mudd told. This is the story he would have the world believe: an unsuspecting doctor who innocently provided medical care to an injured stranger in need of help. But there are too many fingers pointing in the direction of Mudd’s guilt. When John Wilkes Booth arrived at the home of Samuel Mudd in the early morning hours of April 15, it was the fourth time these two men had met. The meetings were neither accidental nor innocent. They were part of a conspiracy to remove Abraham Lincoln as president of the United States and commander in chief of the Union army. Mudd’s decision not to notify the soldiers on Saturday was based more on self-preservation than fear of his two guests.
Easter Sunday saw a welcome change in the weather. The intermittent rain that had fallen for the past two days gave way to clearing skies. George Mudd had decided to attend Easter services at St. Peter’s Catholic Church instead of St. Mary’s where he was a member. St. Peter’s was located less than two miles from Samuel Mudd’s home in Beantown. George had accepted an invitation to have dinner at the home of his cousin, Henry Lowe Mudd, Sam’s father, and St. Peter’s was only a few miles from Henry’s plantation.
Sam and George were second cousins sharing the same great-grandfather.1 They also shared a common profession in medicine. George, seven years Sam’s senior, had graduated from the University of Maryland Medical School in Baltimore in 1848. A few years later he sponsored Sam as a candidate at the same school. Sam graduated with his medical degree in March 1856.2 Both men had established their medical practice in the community surrounding Bryantown. Medicine was one of the few things the two men agreed on. Sam was a strong Confederate sympathizer and member of the Confederate underground that operated in Charles County. He harbored an intense dislike for Lincoln and an even stronger dislike for his antislavery views. George Mudd, on the other hand, was a strong Unionist and supporter of the Federal government. The two families learned to tolerate each other’s views and got along reasonably well. Aside from his Union sympathies, George Mudd was a respected member of the Charles County community.
Following Easter services on April 16, George started out for Henry Mudd’s house. Riding along the dusty road, he was soon joined by his cousin. The two men talked as they rode. News of the assassination seemed to be on everybody’s lips that morning. Sam had heard about it in Bryantown on Saturday afternoon, and passed it along to his neighbors John Hardy and Francis Farrell on his way home.3
As the two men rode along the road, Sam told George about the two men who visited his home the day before. He told his cousin that he was suspicious of their behavior, especially the injured man. He became worried that the two men might have something to do with the events in Washington. Sam asked George if he would go into Bryantown and tell the military about the two strangers.4 Sam’s anti-Lincoln views and his work for the Confederate underground suggested he knew much more than he was telling. By asking George to inform the soldiers, Sam probably hoped to downplay the importance of the two men’s visit. Sam was in trouble, and George must have suspected as much. Because of his reputation as a Unionist in this heavily Confederate community, George was above suspicion with the Federals, and Sam probably thought if George were to tell the soldiers it would go better. As the two men approached the lane leading up to Sam’s house, George told his cousin he would mention the matter to the authorities who had set up their headquarters in Bryantown. The two men parted, and Sam returned home while George continued on to Henry Mudd’s house a half mile away.
Monday morning George rode into Bryantown where he talked with the officer in charge, Lieutenant David D. Dana of the Thirteenth New York Cavalry.5 George told Dana what his cousin had told him about the two suspicious strangers who had come to his house. Dana did not act immediately on the information but waited until Tuesday morning to tell the newly arrived Lieutenant Alexander Lovett about the two men who had been at Samuel Mudd’s house. Lovett had been ordered by Major James O’Beirne, a District of Columbia provost marshal, to pick nine troopers and two of O’Beirne’s detectives, William Williams and Simon Gavacan, and go to southern Maryland and look for Booth.6 O’Beirne was responding to a request from one of his men whom he had earlier sent to Surrattsville. On Sunday, April 16, O’Beirne dispatched Captain George Cottingham along with detective Joshua Lloyd7 to Surrattsville after Cottingham had told O’Beirne that he had heard that Surratt and Herold frequented the area around the Surratt tavern.8 O’Beirne told Cottingham and Lloyd to head for Surrattsville and search the area. After tracking down John Lloyd and arresting him, Cottingham sent word back to O’Beirne that he needed help to continue his search.9 O’Beirne responded by sending Lovett, the two detectives, and the nine troopers from the Provisional Cavalry stationed in the District of Columbia. The contingent set out Monday evening and arrived at Surrattsville by way of Piscataway that same night. Tuesday morning, April 18, Lovett, along with Williams and Gavacan, arrived in Bryantown where they checked in with Dana.10
Dana filled Lovett in about his conversation with George Mudd. When Lovett found out that Dana had not followed up with Samuel Mudd he sent for George M
udd, and with the three detectives—Williams, Gavacan, and Lloyd—set out for Mudd’s house. It was near noon when Lovett and the three detectives, along with George Mudd, arrived at the Mudd home. Mudd was away from the house working in his fields. Lovett and the other men went inside and talked to Mrs. Mudd while her husband was sent for. George Mudd waited outside by the front door for Sam to return.11
Mrs. Mudd told much the same story that George Mudd had told Lovett on Monday morning in Bryantown. She told Lovett that the two men stayed most of the day, leaving about five o’clock on Saturday afternoon. Her story added little to what George had reported—with one rather surprising revelation. Mrs. Mudd told Lovett about a strange incident that occurred just before the injured man left the house Saturday evening: “I heard them moving around the room and in a short time they came down. ... When they came down I was standing in the hall at the foot of the stairs. Tyler [Booth] wore heavy whiskers; these proved to be false, and became partly detached as he came down the stairs.”12
Listening to Mrs. Mudd’s strange tale, Lovett asked nothing more about the “detached” whiskers. At this point Mudd arrived and joined his wife in the front room. Lovett asked Mudd to tell him about the two strangers who had visited on Saturday. Mudd later wrote out his account of what happened: “About 4 o’clock on Saturday morning, the 15th, two persons came to my house and commenced rapping very loudly at the door. After they had knocked twice more, I opened the door, . . . they told me they were two strangers on their way to Washington, that one of their horses had fallen by which one of the men had broken his leg. I examined the injured leg, . . . there was one bone broken about two inches above the ankle joint. He wanted me to fix it up any way, as he said he wanted to get back, or get home and have it done by a regular physician. I took a piece of the bandbox and split it in half, . . . and took some paste and pasted it into a splint.”13
Mudd described the injured man for the detectives: “I suppose he would weigh 150 or 160 pounds. His hair was black and seemed somewhat inclined to curl; it was worn long. He had a pretty full forehead and his skin was fair. He was very pale when I saw him, and appeared accustomed to in-door rather than out-door life. He had whiskers, and also a moustache.”14 It was a remarkably accurate description.
Mudd described the injured man as having whiskers but made no mention that his wife had told him that the whiskers were false. This was curious since Mudd had no way of knowing that his wife had told Lovett about her suspicions. Surely such information would prove vital to the military authorities searching for Booth. Mudd went on with his story: “After breakfast the older one [Booth] asked for a razor and some soap; which he got; and on my giving him the articles which I had prepared, a short time afterward, I noticed that his moustache had disappeared.”15
While Mudd told Lovett about Booth’s shaving off his moustache he still did not mention that his wife had noticed that Booth’s whiskers were false. Lovett would later testify at Mudd’s trial that Mudd was evasive in his answers.16 Lovett claimed that Mudd seemed reluctant to volunteer any information except in response to specific questions. He felt as if he were pulling teeth to get information from Mudd. It wasn’t until Lovett returned to the Mudd house on Friday, April 21, that Lovett finally asked Mudd if he had noticed whether or not the whiskers were false.17 Even then, Mudd failed to tell Lovett that Mrs. Mudd had seen the whiskers come loose from Booth’s face. He simply told Lovett he could not tell if the whiskers were natural or false.
Mudd once again described for Lovett the events of Saturday, telling that his patient wanted to hire a carriage or buggy to continue his journey. Mudd and Herold rode over to Oak Hill where Mudd’s father lived and asked Mudd’s younger brother if there was a carriage available. His brother told him there were no suitable carriages available. Unable to secure a conveyance at Oak Hill, the two men then rode on toward the village of Bryantown four miles to the south.18
As they approached Bryantown, Herold suddenly turned his horse around and told Mudd that he was going back to the house to get his friend. Mudd continued into Bryantown where he said he purchased several items. It was while in Bryantown that Mudd heard news of the assassination: “I first heard of the assassination of President Lincoln at Bryantown. My object in going there was to purchase some articles that were needed by the family; and I thought I would at the same time see about some nails that were intended for immediate use. I purchased at Mr. Beans some calico & some pepper, for which I paid him. I got back to my house between 4 & 5 o’clock.”19
Finishing his business in Bryantown, Mudd started back home. On the way back he stopped by the house of one his neighbors, Francis R. Farrell. Visiting Farrell was a man named John F. Hardy, another of Mudd’s neighbors. Hardy later testified during the trial that Mudd told him and Farrell that Lincoln had been assassinated and that the assassin’s name was Booth.20 Mudd then continued home.21 When he arrived he found his two guests in the process of leaving. Mudd later claimed he spoke briefly with the two men, giving them directions to the home of Reverend Lemuel Wilmer before returning to the house.
There is something not quite right about the time frame of Mudd’s trip into Bryantown. Mudd’s statement that he returned home between 4 and 5 P.M. is contradicted by the testimony of his neighbor, John Hardy. Mudd and Herold left for his father’s house immediately after the noonday meal. According to Hardy’s testimony, Mudd didn’t return from Bryantown until close to sunset. Hardy told the prosecution that Mudd arrived at Farrel’s house “very near sundown.” When asked to be more specific about the time, Hardy said, “I do not think the sun was fifteen minutes high on that Saturday evening.”22 Hardy’s statement helps to fix the time with some precision. Sunset for Saturday, April 15, 1865, occurred at 6:44 P.M.23 This would place Mudd at Farrel’s house around 6:30 P.M. When Hardy was asked how long Mudd was at Farrell’s, Hardy replied, “I do not think he staid ten minutes.”24 If Hardy is correct, Mudd could not have returned home until after 7 P.M., not between 4 and 5 P.M. as he claimed. This presents a substantial discrepancy from Mudd’s statement. Mudd was probably in Bryantown for no more than thirty minutes. If we allow two and a half hours for the round trip to Bryantown, there are as many as three hours unaccounted for.
Bryantown area (neighborhood of Samuel A. Mudd).
The answer to Mudd’s unexplained absence may lie a few miles south of Bryantown. Booth and Herold posed a serious problem for Mudd. He had to find a way to get them out of his house and safely through the county and over the Potomac River into Virginia. With soldiers now searching the area, the only safe time to travel was at night. The closest place after Mudd’s house where Booth could find safety was the home of another member of the Confederate underground, a man by the name of William Burtles. Burtles lived a mile and a half due south of Bryantown in a remote hollow east of the Zekiah Swamp. He called his place Hagan’s Folly.25 Burtles was thoroughly familiar with the swamp and would have no trouble directing the two men to the home of another agent, Samuel Cox. Cox was one of the respected leaders of Charles County society. A major owner of land and slaves,26 he commanded respect from nearly everyone in the region, and most important, he was an ardent Confederate. At the start of the war he commanded a company of local volunteers organized to defend Maryland should she decide to secede along with her sister states. It was this activity that earned Cox the title of “Captain.”27
By the spring of 1865 Cox had become a seasoned veteran of the underground wars that rumbled through the county. Early in the war he had been suspected of aiding the enemy and had been visited by Union troops searching for weapons. In June 1861 a troop of one hundred Federal soldiers landed at Chapel Point in Charles County and marched to Cox’s home at Rich Hill, where they demanded the surrender of arms believed to be stored in the house. Cox denied having any such store of arms, and after a search failed to locate the weapons the troop returned to their waiting ship and sailed back up the Potomac to Washington while Cox checked the marsh near his house
to make sure the weapons were still safe.28 Seven months later, in January 1862, Cox was visited again, this time by members of the Excelsior Brigade’s 70th New York Infantry under the command of Colonel William Dwight. Dwight had been tipped off by one of Cox’s slaves, a man named Jack Scroggins, that Cox had “secreted a large amount of ammunition and arms” at his house and in an adjoining marsh.29 After fingering his master, Scroggins sought refuge in the camp of the 70th New York at Hill Top, a small village located ten miles northwest of Cox’s home. Scroggins believed his act of patriotism earned him a safe haven among Lincoln’s soldiers.
Cox went to the camp and demanded the return of his slave. Denied at first by members of the regiment who sought to protect Scroggins, the men were ordered by one of their officers to turn him over after Cox promised not to harm Scroggins. The Union army was a year away from fighting a war to emancipate slaves and the Fugitive Slave Law remained in force. Many soldiers stationed in Charles County had little sympathy with slave owners but were often compelled by their officers to turn over fugitive slaves. Such was Scroggins’s fate. As repugnant as it was to most Union soldiers, enforcing the law was still the official policy of the Lincoln administration. It remained the policy in an effort to keep the Border States loyal, and Maryland was an important case in point. Lincoln deemed it essential that Maryland, along with Kentucky and Missouri, remain in the Union.
Having secured Scroggins from his protectors, Cox tied him behind his horse with a rope and began the ten-mile trip home. At some point he sped up, forcing Scroggins to run behind the horse until he literally ran out of his shoes. Arriving back at Rich Hill around 11 P.M., COX tied the exhausted and bleeding Scroggins to a tree outside his house. For three hours Cox alternated with his overseer, Franklin Roby, and neighbor John Robertson whipping Scroggins to a point where only the “collar-band and wristbands” of his “new cotton shirt” were left. Sometime around 3:00 A.M. the badly beaten Scroggins was cut loose from the tree and left on the ground to die. Scroggins lived for another fifteen hours before succumbing to his brutal beating.30
Blood on the Moon Page 22
