The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

It was April 9th, 1865. General Robert E Lee surrendered and ended the Civil War. The war was won by the North which was against slavery. The main helper in the North winning was Abraham Lincoln.

Five days later, on April 14th, 1865, Lincoln went to see "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theater. People knew about this event that was going to happen. So did John Wilkes Booth and his partners.

Abraham Lincoln, Major Henry Rathbone, Clara Harris, and Mary Lincoln went to the theatre and came in late. When they did arrive, they had their own box and everyone stopped what they were doing. The actors stopped the play, The audience stood up, and the orchestra played Hail to the Chief" for him.

Booth had everything planned out. He attended a dress rehearsal for the show. Nobody thought it was odd. He was a famous actor. He knew that there was a line that people would laugh at. There was one problem for him though. John Fredrick Parker, Lincoln's guard.

The trio were planning to kidnap Lincoln for a while but their plans never worked. Now they wanted him dead because they were pro slavery. They had a plan.

Lewis Powell was to kill Secretary of State William H. Seward. George Atzerodt to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson and Booth to kill the president himself, Abe Lincoln.

Atzerodt rented the room above Andrew Johnson's at the Kirkwood House in Washington. He failed to even try to attack him. He chickened out.

On April 5th, William H. Seward had been thrown from his carriage, suffering a concussion, a broken jaw, and a broken arm. He couldn't leave his bed which was good for Powell. He went with a revolver and a Bowie knife.

Powell had encountered Seward's maitre d', William Bell. Powell told Bell that he had medicine from Seward's physician, and that his instructions were to personally show Seward how to take it. He was let in and went to work.

Seward's son, Fredrick, stopped him. Powell told him the same medicine story. Frederick, suspicious, said his father was asleep. Fredrick's sister, Fanny, came out saying that he was awake. Powell knew where he was now. He turned as if to start downstairs, but suddenly turned again and drew his revolver. He shot at Fredrick but it misfired and only made Fredrick unconscious.

Powell ran past Fanny to Seward. He stabbed at Seward's face and neck, slicing open his cheek. But, Seward had a splint because of his jaw. It was unable to penetrate his jugular vein and he survived. So, Powell was unsuccessful as well.

Booth was successful though. When Booth got there, after ten o'clock, he went to where the door to Lincoln's box was and gave his card to Forbes. He told him that he wanted to pay respects to Lincoln. He was allowed in.

There was a door that led to a small room. There was another door that led to the box with his target. He waited for the line which was "Well, I guess I know enough to turn you inside out, old gal; you sockdolgizing old man-trap!"

He heard the line and laughter. He quietly opened the door and went inside. He walked to Lincoln and put a derringer to the president's head. He had one shot to do this and did it. Lincoln had been shot.

Rathbone jumped up to attack Booth. Booth pulled out a knife and slashed at Rathbone. Booth jumped to the stage. He got his riding spur caught on a flag that was hanging down from the box. He got down and broke his ankle. The audience thought it was part of the play.

Booth yelled sic semper tyrannis which is "thus alway to tyrants" in Latin. Immediately after Booth landed on the stage, Major Joseph B. Stewart climbed over the orchestra pit and footlights, and pursued Booth across the stage. Booth escaped to a horse and rode off.

Lincoln was taken to the Petersen house which was across the way from the theater. Lincoln died the next day at 7:22 a.m.