Dr. Samuel Alexander Mudd M.D. (1833-1883) was convicted for aiding and conspiring with John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Mudd set Booth’s broken leg on April 15, 1865. Dr. Mudd was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson in 1869 and released from prison. This view was taken circa the 1800s.
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 today’s 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.
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. This map was created facing north at approximately 8:00 PM on Friday, March 16, 2012.
This map shows us a closer view of the location taken of the video at the Samuel Mudd Farm at 3725 Dr. Samuel Mudd Road, Waldorf, Maryland 20601. This map was created facing north at approximately 8:30 PM on Friday, March 16, 2012.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Kanazawich is the host for this series on the Escape of John Wilkes Booth. He is standing in front of the Dr. Samuel Mudd Farm. The Mudd House is in the background.. This view was taken facing west at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
In Video #4 (Videos #1-#3 were shown in our previous post) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Michael Kanazawich is at the Dr. Samuel Mudd Farm. He explains the relationship between Mudd and John Wilkes Booth, and describes the arrangements for Oswald Swan to take Booth and David Herold through Zekiah Swamp.This view was taken facing west to southwest to west at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
The Mudd house was built in 1830, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The house contains furniture used by the Mudd family throughout the years. This view was taken facing west at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
There are two wayside exhibits near the entrance to the Mudd Farm. This view was taken facing west at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
The left (south) wayside. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
The right (north) wayside. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
A closer view of the left (south) wayside. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
On the right, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Jim Clouse holds the head of Dr. Samuel Mudd. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
The state highway sign near the entrance to the Mudd farm. This view was taken circa May, 1865 and is courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Mike Kanazawich stands by the wayside in the front yard of Bryantown, Maryland’s Bryantown Tavern (shown in the background). This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
This map shows us a closer view of the location taken of the video at Bryantown Tavern in Bryantown, Maryland. The Tavern’s roof is shown to the upper right of the red star. This map was created facing north at approximately 8:30 PM on Friday, March 16, 2012.
In Video #5 Licensed Battlefield Guide Michael Kanazawich presents a meeting that John Wilkes Booth had at the Bryantown Tavern on December 18, 1864, and informs us that the Bryantown Tavern was used as headquarters for the 13th New York Cavalry in their pursuit of the Lincoln assassination conspirators. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
The structure used as the Bryantown Tavern was constructed circa 1815. During the Civil War, James H. Montgomery operated the tavern, and Lieutenant David D. Dana commanded the detachment which made its headquarters here on April 15, 1865. That morning, John Wilkes Booth and David Herold were four miles to the north at the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd. This view was taken facing north at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
On April 27, 1865 the Bryantown Tavern was briefly the headquarters for Major General Winfield Scott Hancock. The military brought those whom they thought were involved in the assassination plot to Bryantown Tavern for questioning, including Dr. Mudd. Mudd was transferred to prison in Washington, D.C. from this location. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
The wayside exhibit at the Bryantown Tavern. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
During the decade before the Civil War, Bryantown was a commercial center with stores, mills, and taverns, including the Bryantown Tavern on the left of this photograph. Of the seventeen structures in the town during the Civil War, four are still standing, including the Bryantown Tavern. This view was taken facing northeast after the Civil War.
Like many taverns, the Bryantown Tavern also served as an inn and post office. This view was taken facing northwest following the Civil War.
It is now a private home. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
Mike Kanazawich is standing in front of St. Mary’s Church a little over a mile south of Bryantown, Maryland.This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
This map shows us a closer view of the location taken of the video at St. Mary’s Church, located south of Bryantown, Maryland. The church’s roof is shown to the upper right of the red star. This map was created facing north at approximately 8:30 PM on Friday, March 16, 2012.
In Video #6 Mike Kanazawich informs us of two 1864 meetings at St. Mary’s Church between John Wilkes Booth and Dr. Samuel Mudd. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
The historic marker for St. Mary’s Church is located near the junction of Oliver’s Shoppe Road (out of sight behind the camera) and Notre Dame Place (an avenue shown on the left. A wayside marker for St. Mary’s Church and cemetery is in the left background. The steeple for St. Mary’s Church is in the left center background.This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
A closer view the historic marker.This view was taken facing east at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
The wayside marker for St. Mary’s Church and cemetery.This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
The main section of St. Mary’s Church was built in 1846. In the 1890’s it was enlarged to its present dimensions. On the left is the rectory. The original rectory was destroyed by a fire and rebuilt in 1866. In the mid 1950’s the rectory shown in this was torn down and replaced. This view was taken facing northeast circa the late 1800s-early 1900s.
Mike Kanazawich is standing by the grave of Dr. Samuel Mudd and his wife, Sarah Frances Dyer Mudd. Their grave is located north of St. Mary’s Church. Part of the current church rectory is visible on the left. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:45 AM on Sunday, February 12, 2012.
Although Dr. Samuel Mudd and his wife, Sarah Frances Dyer Mudd were members of another church during the Civil War, they frequently attended St. Mary’s Church. The church cemetery contains the graves of several Mudd and Dyer relatives. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 8:45 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 9:30 AM on Friday, March 9, 2012.
To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides, click here.