Lafayette C. Baker

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Lafayette C. Baker

Lafayette C. Baker (born October 13, 1826 in Stafford , Genesee County , New York , † July 3, 1868 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania ) was an American spy and intelligence officer during the American Civil War .

Little is known about Baker's life before the war. At the beginning of the Civil War, he spied for General Winfield Scott behind enemy lines in Virginia . Apparently his information was so valuable to the general that he promoted Baker to captain. Of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton he was then chief of the Intelligence Service of the Union Army appointed. After the assassination attempt on President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, he was charged with prosecuting the perpetrators. After the arrest and shooting of John Wilkes Booth on April 26, 1865, he was promoted to brigadier general. He also received a share of the premium for apprehending the attackers.

In the fight between the new President Andrew Johnson and the radical Republicans for Secretary of War Stanton, Baker supported the Secretary of War. He had Johnson monitored to gather evidence for his impeachment. Johnson noticed this plan and dismissed Baker, who now fell out with Stanton.

Subsequently, until his death on July 3, 1868, he accused Stanton of planning the assassination attempt on Lincoln behind the scenes . As evidence, he cited, among other things, that Stanton had manipulated important evidence such as the diary of John Wilkes Booth by making 18 pages of that book disappear (these pages are actually missing to this day). He also felt threatened. He believed Stanton had hired assassins on him. When he died, rumors soon began to emerge. In fact, according to a DNA analysis, the cause of death appears to be arsenic poisoning . The cause is uncertain and his allegations remain speculative.

Baker is by no means seen as a forerunner of today's Secret Service . His role in the investigation of the Lincoln assassination, however, gives him a place in the history of the investigation of this crime.

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personal data
SURNAME Baker, Lafayette C.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Baker, Lafayette C.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American intelligence officer during the Civil War
DATE OF BIRTH October 13, 1826
PLACE OF BIRTH Stafford , New York
DATE OF DEATH July 3, 1868
Place of death Philadelphia , Pennsylvania