The Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln

The War is Over Lincoln knows peace for the first time since being elected President in 1860 His depression lifts Jokes with family and friends Feels free now to take carriage rides with Mrs. Lincoln and attend the theater, which he loves He is now being praised instead of vilified for the success of the Union Army in the Civil War All Americans are looking for Lincoln to lead them through the difficult task of reconstruction Northerners trust and respect their President and will support his plans South sees hope after the magnanimous surrender terms Grant gave to Lee

Avenging the south John Wilkes Booth, and actor and southern sympathizer, was despondent over the south’s defeat Lincoln had seen Booth perform many times, and was big fan Booth ignored an invitation to the White House to meet the President

John Wilkes Booth Extremely popular and charismatic figure Comes from a prominent acting family Junius Booth, father Edwin Booth, brother Famous for his performances all over the country A regular visitor to Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. Received his mail there Performed there many times.

A Plan in the Works Booth had been concocting a plan for months Originally wanted to kidnap the President Force General Grant to return Confederate prisoners Booth organized a band of co-conspirators to help him with his plan Lewis Powell George Adzerodt David Herold

The main conspirators Lewis Powell David Herold George Adzerodt

Booth’s Motives Darken As the war is going increasingly worse for the south, Booth changes his plan to killing Lincoln instead Powell is to kill Secretary of State William Seward Adzerodt is to kill Vice-President Andrew Johnson Booth wants to decapitate the American government so that the resulting confusion will give an advantage to the Confederates Several other conspirators, who were in favor of the kidnapping, refuse to take part. The key three remain

Booth stalks Lincoln Booth needs to know where Lincoln will be in order to kill him Can’t get at him at the White House The President rarely goes out Begins to research his movements and habits Booth (top, circled) attended Lincoln’s second Inaugural Address, later telling a friend the he could have easily killed Lincoln (bottom, circled) there

An opportunity On Friday, April 14, 1865, while picking up his mail at Ford’s Theater, Booth learns that the President and General Grant will be attending a play there that evening Booth senses his opportunity He knows Ford’s well, having acted there many times He knows the play, Our American Cousin, very well He has unlimited access to the theater, as befitting a famous and important actor Booth assembles his team and lays out the plan for the evening

Vice-President Andrew Johnson Adzerodt was supposed to knock on the door of Johnson’s suite at the Kirkwood hotel, and shoot the Vice-President when he answers the door. Adzerodt got scared and decided to get drunk instead; Johnson remained unharmed and unaware of any danger

Secretary of State William Seward Injured in a previous accident, Seward was already bed-ridden Powell gains entry pretending to bring medicine Stabs Seward in the face and neck five times before fleeing on foot Although gravely injured, Seward survives the attack

At Ford’s Theater The President and Mrs. Lincoln arrive late to the play, as was the custom The show stops Lincoln is acknowledged and applauded They take their seats and the play resumes They are accompanied Major Henry Rathbone and his fiancée, Clara Harris The Presidential Box at Ford’s Theater

Booth waits Booth is very familiar with the play Lincoln is watching He notices that the Presidential box is not guarded No Secret Service in 1865 The guard, not thinking any danger would occur, leaves his post to go to a local pub Booth climbs the stairs and watches Lincoln through a hole in the box door that he made, waiting for the perfect opportunity

Booth strikes Knowing the play, Booth is waiting for the perfect moment to strike Waiting for the most commotion in the play and audience Wants to strike when he would be least expected The funniest line in the play arrives: "Don't know the manners of good society, eh? Well, I guess I know enough to turn you inside out, old gal; you sockdologizing old man-trap!"

Lincoln is shot The crowd erupts in laughter, and Booth shoots Lincoln behind the left ear at point blank range Lincoln was laughing as he was shot No one heard the gun shot After shooting the president and wounding major Rathbone with his knife, Booth leaps from the Presidential box to the stage The heel of his boot catches on the bunting, and he breaks his ankle as he hits the stage He shouts “Sic Semper Tyrannis!” to a confused crowd, and limps from the stage Mary Lincoln’s shrieks are the first indication of a major problem

Pandemonium Lincoln slumps in his chair, mortally wounded, but not dead yet The bullet is lodged behind his right eye There is no chance for him to recover, so the people attending him try to make him as comfortable as they can He is moved across the street to a boarding house, where he dies early the next morning

Artifacts Left: The derringer pistol used to assassinate Lincoln Right: The probe used to examine Lincoln’s wound, and bits of skull fragments removed from the bullet path

Artifacts Left: Lincoln’s chair at Ford’s stained with his blood Right: The Peterson House, across the street from Ford’s Theater, where Lincoln died

Fate of the conspirators Booth: after having his leg set by Dr. Samuel Mudd, he chased through Maryland and Virginia and shot to death by Sergeant Boston Corbett after being cornered in a barn George Adzerodt: Hung Lewis Powell: Hung Mary Suratt (owner of the boarding house where the deed was planned): Hung

Executions

Lincoln’s Death Everything changes Now the government is in the hands of people who want revenge from the south Booth hoping to be a hero, condemned the south to decades of misery President Abraham Lincoln, laying in state