Gettysburg Daily

John Wilkes Booth’s Escape #4 With Gettysburg LBG Mike Kanazawich

Thomas A. Jones (1820-1895) was a member of the Confederate Secret Service who helped John Wilkes Booth and David Herold escape across the Potomac River from Maryland to Virginia.This image was taken from Thomas A. Jones’ book, J. Wilkes Booth, An Account of His Sojourn in Southern Maryland after the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his Passage Across the Potomac, and his Death in Virginia. It was published by Laird & Lee Publisher, Chicago, Illinois, in 1893.

Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Michael Kanazawich is the host for this series on John Wilkes Booth’s Escape. Mike was born and raised in Oneonta, New York. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Oneonta State University. He received his Master of Science degree in Environmental Geology from the University of Connecticut. Mike worked as a Geologist for eleven years before becoming a Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide in 1995. Michael Kanazawich is the author of the book Remarkable Stories of the Lincoln Assassination.

To contact Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Kanazawich, and/or to inquire about his Gettysburg National Military Park Tours and his Lincoln Assassination/John Wilkes Booth Escape Tours, click here.

To see Mike Kanazawich’s previous series on the Lincoln assassination titled John Wilkes Booth’s Last Day in Washington, click here.

In the first post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Kanazawich explained the actions of John Wilkes Booth and David Herold at Surratt’s Tavern in what is now Clinton, Maryland. He filmed these segments on February 12, 2012, the 203rd birthday of President Abraham Lincoln.

In the second post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Kanazawich shows the residence of Dr. Samuel Mudd, the Bryantown Tavern, and Mudd’s grave at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

In the third post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Kanazawich shows the location of Red Hill, the home of Samuel Cox, and the Pine Thicket where Booth and Herold stayed from April 16-21, 1865.

In today’s post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Kanazawich shows the location of Huckleberry, the home of Thomas A. Jones, and the area near the Potomac River where John Wilkes Booth and David Herold attempted to cross on April 21, 1865.

This map shows us the locations taken of videos for the John Wilkes Booth’s Escape series. Videos #1-#3 were taken at the Surratt Tavern in what is now Clinton, Maryland. Video #4 was taken near the Samuel Mudd Farm. Video #5 was taken at the Bryantown Tavern. Video #6 was taken at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Video #7 was taken at Rich Hill. Video #8 was taken at the Pine Thicket in what is now Bel Alton, Maryland. Video #9 was taken at Huckleberry, the home of Thomas Jones. Video #10 was taken at the Loyal Retreat House on the Potomac River.This map was created facing north at approximately 6:00 PM on Sunday, March 25, 2012.

Video #9 was taken at Huckleberry, the home of Thomas Jones. Video #10 was taken at the Loyal Retreat House on the Potomac River.This map was created facing north at approximately 6:00 PM on Sunday, March 25, 2012.

Mike Kanazawich is the host for this series on the Escape of John Wilkes Booth. He is standing in front of Huckleberry, the home of Thomas A. Jones. This view was taken facing north at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

In Video #9 (Videos #1-#8 were shown in our previous posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Michael Kanazawich is at Huckleberry, the home of Thomas A. Jones. He explains how Thomas A. Jones brought John Wilkes Booth and David Herold out of the “Pine Thicket” to Huckleberry on April 21, 1865. He also explains how Thomas Jones arranged to take them across the river in one of his fishing boats.This view was taken facing north at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

Huckleberry is located near the junction of Pope’s Creek Road, shown here, and Loyala Retreat Road. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

A closer view of the Huckleberry wayside marker. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

Jones purchased Huckleberry in 1861. His farm here consisted of approximately 500 acres. This view was taken facing north at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Kanazawich is standing on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. The Virginia shoreline is in the left background. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

In Video #10 Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Kanazawich is standing on the Maryland bank of the Potomac River in the area where John Wilkes Booth and David Herold attempted to cross to Virginia on the evening of April 21, 1865. Mike explains their first failed attempt and their later successful attempt to cross the river into Virginia. This view was taken facing southwest to west to southwest at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

In his book on John Wilkes Booth, Thomas Jones described his bluff being approximately 80 feet above the Potomac River. Jones and David Herold had to carry John Wilkes Booth down the bluff to the boat. This view was taken facing south at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

On our way south along Pope’s Creek road, we came across this wayside marker that has some information on the Lincoln Assassination. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

It explains how Thomas Jones supplied the boat for Booth and Herold and left from the area on the right known as Dents Meadow. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 10:15 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
To order a copy of Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Kanazawich’s book, Remarkable Stories of the Lincoln Assassination, click here. This book cover was scanned facing north at approximately 10:15 AM on Friday, March 9, 2012.

To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides, click here.