MANHUNT: John Wilkes Booth

April 16, 1865

We are on the hunt of the Assassin of President Abraham Lincoln...

What we know so far: At 10pm, Booth made his way to the presidential box Gave his calling card to guard gaining access and blocked door from within As the audience of 1,000 burst into laughter Booth drew his weapon and shot Lincoln

Booth than vaulted over the flag-draped balcony to the stage... He caught his spur on the flag and landed awkwardly and injured his leg. Booth cried out: “Sic Semper Tyrannis...The South is avenged”

As the audience sat in stunned silence, Booth ran out of the theater, grabbed his waiting horse and galloped off into the night...

the Union Army: First orders sent out to close off the city made before midnight, but Booth was able to outrun the news and made it across the bridge into Maryland From Lincoln’s bedside Sec of War Edwin Stanton took charge of the hunt for his killer Ordered complete lockdown of Washington Sent bulletins to all army forts and police departments along Eastern Seaboard

After making their way across the Navy Yard Bridge, Booth and his 18-year old associate Davy Herold rode to Surratt’s Tavern in Surratsville MD They are now 13 miles southeast of the city The barkeep has 2 riffles ready and waiting for them

President Abraham Lincoln has died. Secretary of War Stanton saluted the President and said, "Now he belongs to the ages." APRIL 15, 1865 President Abraham Lincoln has died.

Dr Mudd -With his leg broke, Booth is now traveling to the farmhouse of Dr. Samuel Mudd -Mudd is a known Confederate sympathizer -This journey takes Booth four- hours to Charles County MD

Herold pounds on the door, waking Dr Mudd Dr Mudd will later deny knowing who the two men were when questioned by Union Army officials Mudd made Booth a crude splint from a bandbox, and a pair of crutches. They stayed the night

Morning of April 17 Mudd rides into Bryantown, a few miles away where he sees Union troops and learns of Lincoln’s assassination Without alerting anyone Mudd returns home to confornt Booth Dr. Mudd agrees to keep quiet and watches them ride off in the direction of the Zekiah Swamp

Meanwhile the Union Troops: The government has issued a $100,000 reward-an astronomical sum at the time Most of the search is focused on routes northeast of DC Lt David Dana decided to take the 13th NY Cavalry south, riding within miles of Mudd’s farm before arriving in Bryantown MD

By this time we are in the biggest manhunt in history: nearly 1,000 soldiers are following leads toward finding Lincoln’s killer

Zekiah Swamp After leaving the home of Dr. Mudd, Booth and Herold head to the home of well known Confederate sympathizer Samuel Cox. Cox, though he denies it, let the men stay on a remote part of land, a mile west of his house Cox sends Thomas Jones, a dedicated Confederate agent to meet and help the men Thomas insists that the men stay hidden for the next 5 days

April 16-21 Thomas brings the newspapers that Booth has demanded Booth is shocked to read that he is universally condemned - even in the south Lincoln has become a beloved martyr

April 24, 1865 After traveling for 3 days Booth and Herold find themselves at Garrett’s farm They had mistakenly traveled back up the Potomac and finally crossed back down the river at the Rappahannock ferry landing. There they meet 3 men including Willie Jett who agree to help them move further south.

Garrett farmhouse Farmer Richard H. Garrett agrees to take in Booth and Herold at the request of Willie Jett. Garrett believes them to be 2 Confederate soldier returning from war.

Will and Jack Garrett are suspicious of their guests and believe they want to steal their horses. After sending Booth and Herold to sleep in one of their barns, they lock them inside. Booth and Herold do not know that Jett, having been interrogated has lead the 16th NY Cavalry to the Garrett farm.

April 26, 1865 John Wilkes Booth and Davy Herold are trapped in the tobacco barn They are surrounded by Union troops Inside the fugitives argue about their options: Herold wanted to surrender Booth swore he would die first

The Fire Flames began to lick the side of the tobacco barn...it was on fire! They were trying to force Booth to surrender Booth allowed Herold to surrender - but not to reveal any details of the riffle he had

Booth’s Last Stand The fire grew stronger Booth dropped his wooden crutch and appeared to make his last stand He turned towards the barn door and raised his rifle...

against orders... Seeing this moment Sgt Boston Corbett fired through the slats of the barn...hitting Booth in the right side of the neck The soldiers carried him from the burning barn and onto the Garrett front porch

As the sun rose, Booth looked towards his limp hands and uttered his last words: “Useless. Useless.”

http://www. fordstheatre. org/index. php http://www.fordstheatre.org/index.php?q=home/explore-lincoln/learn-story Booth: The Final Days. (2012). The History Channel website. Retrieved 1:34, November 28, 2012, from http://www.history.com/interactives/john-wilkes-booth-timeline-and-map. http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/lincolnconspiracy/booth.html#Images