he didn't realize that I just wanted to know what was occupying him so much, and to maybe reconnect

It was never about snooping, until he got mad about it and deleted them. I have now asked him what his username was and he uses his little redirecting tricks that he doesn't think I notice.

So much of this sounds so wrong..

To me it sounds like you went off trying to dig up dirt on your husband because there's issues in your marriage and you're insecure about it, and he probably didn't realize you "just wanted to reconnect" because he was too busy dealing with the feels of having his privacy so blatantly violated, and that might be why he redirects you when when you bring it up.

I've had this happen several times with jealous bfs