Dr. Mudd's Cell
Dr. Samuel Mudd is the the most famous prisoner to be held at Fort Jefferson. Mudd was found guilty of conspiring with John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Plan Around Dr. Mudd's Cell
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Dr. Mudd's Cell Details
Dr. Samuel Mudd is the the most famous prisoner to be held at Fort Jefferson. Mudd was found guilty of conspiring with John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Following a military trial ordered by President Andrew Johnson, Mudd was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Unlike several of his co-conspirators, Mudd was spared the death penalty by one vote. Mudd arrived to Fort Jefferson in July of 1865, and was held in a casemate just above the Sallyport (the main gate). Two months after his arrival, Mudd attempted to escape Fort Jefferson on the transport ship Thomas A. Scott. The fort was in the process of being transferred to the 82nd United States Colored Infantry, and, rumor has it, Mudd was concerned about the treatment he would receive. Mudd did not make it very far before he was discovered and quickly jailed back in the guardhouse. In October, Mudd, along with four of his coconspirators to an empty gunroom on first tier, known by the Union Army soldiers at "the dungeon". Mudd was only held in the dungeon for three months, before returning to the general prison. A 1867 outbreak of yellow fever resulted in the death of the prison doctor and desperate need of a replacement. Mudd, a former physician during his days in Maryland, agreed to take on the role and help stop the spread of the disease. Because of his efforts, and ultimate success, in stemming the epidemic, Fort Jefferson soldiers petition President Johnson to for Mudd's pardon, which was ultimately granted in 1869. You can find "Mudd's Cell" located on the first tier in Bastion D and visualize life as a prisoner at Fort Jefferson in 1865.
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Nearby Parks Around Dr. Mudd's Cell
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Nearby Points of Interest Around Dr. Mudd's Cell
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Dry Tortugas National Park
Nearly everything is wet about Dry Tortugas: apart from a historic fort and seven small islands, this 100-square-mile park is open water.
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Sallyport
The original entrance (and main defense) of Fort Jefferson.
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Harbor Light
NPS still operates the beacon of this 1876 iron lighthouse.
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Fort Jefferson
Historic Fort Jefferson, on Garden Key, is an ideal spot for an easy hike or watching the sun rise or set.
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Parade Ground
Eight open acres in the middle of Fort Jefferson.
