The Tragedy Of Abraham Lincoln's Assassination

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Abraham Lincoln's assassination was a malevolent ending to an already bitter and spiteful event in American history, the Civil War. This famous assassination was one of the biggest surprises of American history. The outcome of this world renowned manslaughter left Booth as a wanted murderer and Lincoln as the victim. As a result of this assassination the South was doomed for a decade of suffering at the hands of John Wilkes Booth.
On April 11th of 1865, President Lincoln gave a speech 3 days before his death at Appomattox. He described his plans for peace and reconstruction. One of the members of the audience happened to be John Wilkes Booth, a well known actor who was born and raised in Maryland. Booth came from a theatrical family full of …show more content…
Samuel Mudd, a friend of Booth. Booth met Mudd while looking for escape routes after the assassination. Mudd set Booth's broken leg at 7:22 a.m., an official statement came out pronouncing Lincoln dead. Posthumous to his death, the people protested in the Northern and Southern cities of America. Late in the afternoon, Booth and Herold decided to flee to the Potomac River. As they act upon their plans to cross into Virginia, they find a hiding spot with mourning Southerners.
Two days after Lincoln's death the nation grieved his loss. Although this was supposed to be a joyous Easter Sunday, Americans compared the deaths of deceased President Lincoln to famous religious figure, Jesus Christ. Lincoln was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois. Booth and Herold spend their Easter Sunday in hiding. They were two miles west of their planned destination, Potomac River. Union troops start to get closer to Booth. It was even rumored that the troops could hear …show more content…
A man named Edwin Stanton releases a statement offering a $100,000 reward for anyone who finds the people involved in the murder of Lincoln. George Atzerodt is found in the northwest of Maryland. Booth was still hiding in pine thicket at this time. He was given newspaper describing how the nation was grieving the death of Lincoln, of course he was surprised at the response. He was expecting to be praised. At around 10:30 p.m., Booth and Herold attempted to flee to Virginia, but they lose their way and find themselves in Maryland. On April 24th, Booth and Herold find a way to Virginia from Maryland. Three Confederate soldiers decided to aid them in crossing over to the Rappahannock River. Booth and Herold settle in a barn owned by Richard Garrett. Authorities arrest Samuel Mudd in Maryland, the doctor who cured Booth's broken leg. 8 conspirators are held on trial for Lincoln's death. 4 of the 8 were found guilty and sentenced to hang. The other 4 were sent to prison at Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas off of Flordia; this was a prison owned by the Union during the civil war. One of the conspirators, John Surratt, was found in Alexandria, Egypt. He was tried at a jury and was set to hang, but he lived another 50 years. The President after Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, sentences Dr. Samuel Mudd to a life term in prison. On March 1, 1869, Edmund Spangler is sentenced to 6 years in prison. Samuel Arnold is
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