5fish
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William Patrick Wood (March 11, 1820 – March 20, 1903) he is another one of those characters from the Civil War that has faded into history. He fought in the Mexican-American War in the cavalry. He was the Keeper of the Old Capitol Prison and spy during the war. After the war, was the first director of the Secret Service and busted up counterfeiter rings.
https://congressionalcemetery.wordp...risingly-exciting-life-of-col-william-p-wood/
While Wood isn’t exactly a household name, this seemingly somewhat salacious obituary, as much as I hate to admit it, pulled me in to inspect this character more than I probably would have otherwise. Another file in his folder described his life as being “the stuff of adventure books,” and it certainly wasn’t wrong.
Born in Alexandria, Virginia in 1820, Wood’s life reads like a condensed lesson in history from the Antebellum period through the early Gilded Age.
He was still on the younger side at the onset of the Mexican War, in which he found himself in the command of the General Samuel H. Walker
Wood’s obituaries make some fascinating claims about his later semi-military adventures. Supposedly, Wood took part in William Walker’s filibuster expedition to Nicaragua in 1855. Filibustering expeditions were the natural result of a popular cult of Manifest Destiny; men like Walker felt that they not only had a right to enter these sovereign countries and independently wage war, but also the responsibility for the greater cause of American expansion
Wood’s supposed participation in this expedition makes his future activities and alignment with antislavery causes somewhat baffling. Because the Evening Star obituary also claims that Wood assisted in drilling John Brown’s men in preparation for his ill-fated raid on Harper’s Ferry, using tactical knowledge from the Mexican War.
The obituary also claims he was active on the Underground Railroad at this time, helping “hundreds” escape northwards. While that number may certainly be inflated, there’s little doubt that he did participate on the Railroad, as his future endeavors in the Lincoln Administration demonstrate a clear devotion to the Unionist cause.
Nevertheless, Wood found employment in the Lincoln administration during the Civil War. His friendship with Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, supposedly forged in the DC legal world, led Wood to his place as superintendent of the Old Capitol prison in Washington, DC.
During the Civil War, Wood engaged in several dangerous activities at his own risk, including supposedly frequently disguising himself or allowing himself to be captured behind enemy lines to visit Union prisoners of war and deliver them Confederate currency and supplies.
Obituary claimed that he would oftentimes cross the Potomac with a group of scouts and set off a hail of bullets to deter Confederate encroachment towards DC
Wood also investigated the Lincoln assassination, getting confessions from some participants. Wood used his interrogation skills to extract confessions from Dr. Mudd, Mary Surratt, and Lewis Payne, infamous characters in Lincoln’s assassination.
At the helm of the Secret Service, Wood successfully put the kibosh on some of the most successful counterfeiting schemes of his day; he was responsible for stopping William Brockway, a former chemistry student with copious knowledge on how to fake government bonds.
Wood is also known for having secured documents needed to break the Credit Mobilier scandal, the infamous case of railroad-related graft that spawned the creation of modern insider-trading laws. His investigative work didn’t stop with financial crimes and counterfeit operations;
Snip... wiki does him no justice...
William P. Wood was sworn in as the first Chief of the Secret Service on July 5, 1865 by Secretary of the Treasury Hugh McCulloch.
Snip...
Prison Superintendent William P. Wood was appointed to his post in January 1862 by newly appointed Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. (Wood is not to be confused with William S. Woods, who briefly and lamentably served as commissioner of public buildings until President Lincoln fired him.) Wood has been described as the first director of the U.S. Secret Service.
Snip...
Another valuable agent in the War Department was William P. Wood, superintendent of the Old Capital Prison, at Washington. In pursuit of his duties Me. Wood was in daily contact with the most important military prisoners who fell into the clutches of the Federal Government. He lost no opportunity of gaining any sort of information in regard to the workings of the Confederacy and the plans of its armies, and his reports to the Secretary were looked upon as among the most helpful that reached the department.
AS you see Col. Wood had a life of adventures and you know your an enigma when all the obituaries have different tales about you that do not seem to match up... I will let you read about his sad death... at the link...
https://congressionalcemetery.wordp...risingly-exciting-life-of-col-william-p-wood/
While Wood isn’t exactly a household name, this seemingly somewhat salacious obituary, as much as I hate to admit it, pulled me in to inspect this character more than I probably would have otherwise. Another file in his folder described his life as being “the stuff of adventure books,” and it certainly wasn’t wrong.
Born in Alexandria, Virginia in 1820, Wood’s life reads like a condensed lesson in history from the Antebellum period through the early Gilded Age.
He was still on the younger side at the onset of the Mexican War, in which he found himself in the command of the General Samuel H. Walker
Wood’s obituaries make some fascinating claims about his later semi-military adventures. Supposedly, Wood took part in William Walker’s filibuster expedition to Nicaragua in 1855. Filibustering expeditions were the natural result of a popular cult of Manifest Destiny; men like Walker felt that they not only had a right to enter these sovereign countries and independently wage war, but also the responsibility for the greater cause of American expansion
Wood’s supposed participation in this expedition makes his future activities and alignment with antislavery causes somewhat baffling. Because the Evening Star obituary also claims that Wood assisted in drilling John Brown’s men in preparation for his ill-fated raid on Harper’s Ferry, using tactical knowledge from the Mexican War.
The obituary also claims he was active on the Underground Railroad at this time, helping “hundreds” escape northwards. While that number may certainly be inflated, there’s little doubt that he did participate on the Railroad, as his future endeavors in the Lincoln Administration demonstrate a clear devotion to the Unionist cause.
Nevertheless, Wood found employment in the Lincoln administration during the Civil War. His friendship with Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, supposedly forged in the DC legal world, led Wood to his place as superintendent of the Old Capitol prison in Washington, DC.
During the Civil War, Wood engaged in several dangerous activities at his own risk, including supposedly frequently disguising himself or allowing himself to be captured behind enemy lines to visit Union prisoners of war and deliver them Confederate currency and supplies.
Obituary claimed that he would oftentimes cross the Potomac with a group of scouts and set off a hail of bullets to deter Confederate encroachment towards DC
Wood also investigated the Lincoln assassination, getting confessions from some participants. Wood used his interrogation skills to extract confessions from Dr. Mudd, Mary Surratt, and Lewis Payne, infamous characters in Lincoln’s assassination.
At the helm of the Secret Service, Wood successfully put the kibosh on some of the most successful counterfeiting schemes of his day; he was responsible for stopping William Brockway, a former chemistry student with copious knowledge on how to fake government bonds.
Wood is also known for having secured documents needed to break the Credit Mobilier scandal, the infamous case of railroad-related graft that spawned the creation of modern insider-trading laws. His investigative work didn’t stop with financial crimes and counterfeit operations;
Snip... wiki does him no justice...
William P. Wood was sworn in as the first Chief of the Secret Service on July 5, 1865 by Secretary of the Treasury Hugh McCulloch.
Snip...
Prison Superintendent William P. Wood was appointed to his post in January 1862 by newly appointed Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. (Wood is not to be confused with William S. Woods, who briefly and lamentably served as commissioner of public buildings until President Lincoln fired him.) Wood has been described as the first director of the U.S. Secret Service.
Snip...
Another valuable agent in the War Department was William P. Wood, superintendent of the Old Capital Prison, at Washington. In pursuit of his duties Me. Wood was in daily contact with the most important military prisoners who fell into the clutches of the Federal Government. He lost no opportunity of gaining any sort of information in regard to the workings of the Confederacy and the plans of its armies, and his reports to the Secretary were looked upon as among the most helpful that reached the department.
AS you see Col. Wood had a life of adventures and you know your an enigma when all the obituaries have different tales about you that do not seem to match up... I will let you read about his sad death... at the link...
