Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

On April 14, 1865, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was shot at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.. He was watching a play with his wife when John Wilkes Booth, an actor who supported the Confederate side in the American Civil War, shot him. Lincoln was badly hurt and died the next morning.

Booth and some others had planned to kidnap Lincoln to help the Confederacy, but later decided to kill him and two other important leaders instead. Booth shot Lincoln, but the other two attacks did not fully succeed. Booth ran away but was later found and killed during a search. The others involved were caught and faced serious consequences.

Lincoln’s death was a shocking event that made him a symbol of sacrifice for the country. It happened just as the Civil War was ending, and it had a deep effect on the United States as the nation moved forward into a new period called the Reconstruction era.

Background

Abandoned plan to kidnap Lincoln

John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor and supporter of the Confederate side in the Civil War, planned to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln. He wanted to use the kidnapping to pressure the Union to change its policies. Booth gathered a group of people to help with this plan.

Booth had met Lincoln before and even attended Lincoln’s second inauguration. As the Civil War was ending, Booth still believed in the Confederate cause and decided to assassinate Lincoln instead of kidnapping him.

Previous assassination attempt

Before the famous assassination, there was a time when Lincoln was riding home alone at night. A sentry heard a gunshot and found that Lincoln’s hat had a bullet hole in it, but Lincoln was not hurt. Lincoln thought it might have been an accident or a hunter’s mistake. After this, Lincoln always had a bodyguard.

Motive

There are different ideas about why Booth wanted to kill Lincoln. Booth felt strongly about helping the South and was angry about Lincoln’s views on voting rights for freed slaves. Booth said after one of Lincoln’s speeches that it was the last one Lincoln would ever give.

Lincoln's premonitions

Lincoln had dreams about being killed before it happened. Three days before the assassination, he told a story about dreaming he saw a body in the White House. He thought it was someone else, not him. Lincoln had been feeling unwell for months but seemed happy on the morning of the assassination.

Preparations

On April 14, the man who planned to harm President Lincoln began his day very early. He wrote to his mother, saying everything was fine but that he was in a hurry. In his diary, he mentioned that because their goal was nearly impossible, something big and clear needed to be done.

Later, he visited a theater where he worked and learned that President Lincoln would be watching a play there that night. This gave him a good chance to reach Lincoln because he knew the theater well and the staff recognized him. He asked someone to take a package to a place outside the city and to get ready some guns he had stored there.

The people involved in the plan met one last time before evening. The main planner gave tasks to others, including harming important government leaders. He was the only well-known person in the group, making him the only one who could likely get close to the president without being stopped. He planned to use a small gun to harm Lincoln during the play. One of the others wanted to stop the plan, but the planner insisted that he continue.

Assassination

Lincoln arrives at the theater

President Lincoln was sitting in his special seat at Ford's Theatre when he was shot. He was watching a play called Our American Cousin with his wife, Mary, and two friends. The theater was full, and everyone stood up and clapped when the president and his party arrived.

Booth shoots Lincoln

A man named John Wilkes Booth, who was an actor and did not agree with Lincoln's views, shot the president. Booth waited for just the right moment during the play and then fired his gun. Lincoln was hurt badly and had to be taken to a nearby house.

Booth escapes

After shooting Lincoln, Booth tried to run away. He fought with one of the friends who tried to stop him and then jumped down from the president's seat to the stage. Booth hurt himself when he landed but still managed to escape from the theater.

Death of Lincoln

Doctors quickly came to help Lincoln. They found that he was badly hurt and could not be saved. Lincoln was very quiet and peaceful in his last moments. He passed away the next morning, and his vice president, Andrew Johnson, became the new president of the United States.

Powell attacks Seward

Booth had asked Lewis Powell to attack Secretary of State William H. Seward. Seward was at home, resting in bed after an accident where he fell from his carriage. Powell went to Seward's house with a gun and a large knife.

When Powell arrived, Seward's son stopped him, saying his father was sleeping. But Seward's daughter told Powell where her father was. Powell then attacked Seward's son and hurt him badly. He also tried to attack Mr. Seward but was stopped by medical equipment that protected him. Others in the house tried to stop Powell, and he hurt them too before running away. Mr. Seward survived but was badly injured.

Atzerodt fails to attack Johnson

Booth had asked George Atzerodt to visit Vice President Andrew Johnson at the Kirkwood House in Washington and do something important. Atzerodt was supposed to go to Johnson's room at 10:15 pm on April 14. However, Atzerodt became nervous. He went to a bar, drank alcohol, and eventually wandered away without doing anything. He threw away his knife and later went to sleep at another hotel.

Booth had earlier left a note for Johnson at the Kirkwood House, asking if he was at home. Some people think Booth was checking to see if Johnson would be there that night, while others believe Booth was trying to make it look like Johnson was involved in the plan.

George Atzerodt
Andrew Johnson
"Don't wish to disturb you Are you at home? J. Wilkes Booth"

Reactions

Further information: State funeral of Abraham Lincoln

People all over the United States and in many other countries mourned the loss of Abraham Lincoln. Many leaders from around the world expressed their sadness and respect for him. On Easter Sunday, just one day after his death, many gave speeches praising Lincoln.

Thousands of people waited in long lines to see Lincoln’s casket in the White House. Special trains brought even more people to pay their respects. A large funeral procession took place, and many more people watched as Lincoln’s body was taken by train from New York to Springfield, Illinois. Along the way, people showed their respect in many ways.

Famous writer Walt Whitman wrote poems to honor Lincoln, and many leaders shared their thoughts about how much they admired him.

Flight and capture of the conspirators

Booth and Herold

After escaping Ford's Theatre, John Wilkes Booth crossed a bridge into Maryland. He met up with his friend Herold, and they went to a doctor who helped Booth after he hurt his leg during the escape.

Booth and Herold were found hiding at a farm. Soldiers surrounded them, and Booth refused to be captured. During the confrontation, Booth was shot and later passed away.

Others

Other people involved in the plan were arrested over the next few weeks. One man hid for a while but was eventually caught. Another conspirator, John Surratt, ran away to Europe but was found and arrested later in Egypt.

Conspirators' trial and execution

Many people were arrested after the event, including some who had only small connections to the main people involved. Most were later let go, but some faced serious trials.

The main accused were tried by a special military group led by President Johnson after Lincoln's death. The trial lasted seven weeks and included many witnesses. All the accused were found guilty. Some were sentenced to death, while others received long prison terms.

The trial and sentences created debate about whether a military court was the right place for such trials.