Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States was shot by John Wilkes Booth on April 14th, 1865 during a showing of Our American Cousin at the Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. He died the next day in a house owned by William Petersen. This was not the first time Booth had attacked the President, but it was the only time he succeeded.

Previous Plots

Each president receives hundreds if not thousands of threats during his time in office. Lincoln was no different. What was different was that 4 notable attempts were made on him or his life, including the successful attack of John Wilkes Booth. The first occured almost immediately after Linclon was elected. On his way to his inauguration, railroad officials heard rumors of a plot in Baltimore to assassinate the President. When these rumors were corroborated, they urged Lincoln to change trains. Lincoln reluctantly agreed, but hesitated because he did not want to seem cowardly, a trait that proved dangerous later on. Lincoln switched trains and passed through Baltimore without stopping and entered the nation's capitol safe.

Booth also tried to kidnap, not assassinate, the President two times before he killed him. John Surratt, Samuel Arnold, Michael O’Laughlin, David Herold, Lewis Powell (also known as Lewis Paine), and George Atzerodt were his original 6 accomplices in the kidnapping plots. Booth planned to kidnap Lincoln and hold him hostage with a ransom of the return of captured Confederate soldiers. However, both times he attempted to kidnap the President, Lincoln was not where he was supposed to be. Whether this was mere coincidence or Lincoln had somehow gotten wind of what Booth was playing is not known, but he somehow avoided capture twice from the same man. After the second failure, Surratt, Arnold, and O'Laughlin left the ring of plotters.

The Assassination

The Plot

After the second failed attempt, the Civil War ended. Although many Southerners gave up hope, Booth held on. He decided that if he could simultaneously murder the President, as well as Vice-President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward, he could throw the Union government into chaos just long enough for the Confederacy to get back on its feet. Atzerodt wanted nothing to do with it, saying he had signed up for a kidnapping, not a killing. Booth told him he was too far in to back out. He assigned Atzerodt to kill Johnson, but instead Atzerodt went out and got drunk. Booth suspected he would not follow through and so, on his way to Ford's Theatre, Booth stopped by Johnson's apartment leaving a note that read Don't wish to disturb you. Are you at home? J. Wilkes Booth. Since Johnson was a Southerner, Booth hoped this would cast suspicion on him as being part of the assassination plot.

Booth then assigned Powell and Herold to kill Seward, thinking Powell was too stupid to find Seward's house and Herold was too cowardly to carry out the murder. Powell stabbed Seward and other 5 other members of his household, but all of them survived. Powell left thinking he had murdered 6 people, when he had only wounded them.

The Murder

That night, after setting up the other killings, Booth left for Ford's Theatre. Being an accomplished actor, Booth knew the evening's play by heart. The line "you sockdologizing old man trap!" always drew laughter from the crowd, so Booth timed it so he would enter the Presidential Box shortly before that line. The guard who was supposed to be guarding the box had left to watch part of the play and then get drunk, so Booth had no trouble entering the box unnoticed. On his cue, Booth pulled the trigger, and Lincoln slumped over. Mrs. Lincoln thought the President had simply fallen asleep until a dark figure brushed pass her. Major Henry Rathbone, the President's guest for the evening jumped out of his seat and attempted to stop him, but Booth pulled out a knife and slashed him. Booth then jumped off the balcony onto the stage, but Rathbone grabbed his leg, causing a spur on Booth's boot to catch on a flag that adorned the Presidential Box. Booth's leg twisted and broke as he landed on the stage. As he jumped, he yelled "Sic semper tyrannis," the Virginia state motto: "Thus always to tyrants." Booth then hobbled off the stage and out the door onto a horse he had waiting for him outside. He rode off South to Maryland to meet with Herold and Powell.

The Escape

Booth met up with Herold and Powell, but was still injured from the jump onto the stage. After disguising him, they went to a local doctor and had the bone set. Booth remained on the run for 2 weeks, until Union soldiers tracked him down. He had locked himself in a barn and refused to come out, so the soldiers set fire to the barn. After that, what happened is unclear. It is known that a shot rang out and Booth died, but there is confusion as to whether a soldier fired or Booth shot himself.

Odd Coincidences

Many odd circumstances surrounded Lincoln's assassination, including premonitions of his death by Lincoln himself.

• Soon before his assassination, Lincoln had a dream where a funeral was being held for "the President" in the East Room, where Lincoln's viewing took has he had said the same thing soon before his first son died.

He had a really big belly