The Conspiracy And Assassination Of 1865

President Abraham Lincoln dreamt about his own death (Bishop 56). He even stated one day to his bodyguard, “Crook, do you know, I believe there are men who want to take my life? And I have no doubt they will do so” (Stackpole 10). Unfortunately, this dream and his thoughts became real. John Wilkes Booth initially made plans to kidnap President Lincoln; however, he changed his plans and developed a conspiracy with others to assassinate President Lincoln and other important government officers.

John Wilkes Booth disliked President Lincoln, a Republican. Booth’s reasons for disliking the President included that he was seen as a possible threat to everything the South stood for, i.e., his stance against slavery, and his membership in the Republican party (Otfinoski 22). Booth was actually stunned when he found out that his brother, Edwin, had voted for Lincoln in 1860 and that he would vote for him again if and when the time came (Bishop 62).

As a result of his feelings he initially made a plan to kidnap Lincoln and bring him to the South for a handsome ransom (Otfinoski 29). Confederate prisoners of war were to be released in exchange for the President, however, this plan f

Booth’s assassination plan was not only for President Lincoln, but also included other government officials. “Perhaps the decision came to him only now when he discovered he had an opportunity to kill at the same time the two men chiefly responsible for the South’s impending defeat. Perhaps the prospect of the twin killing led his despairing mind to imagine the effect upon the Union of the killing of still more leaders” (Hanchett 53). At their 8:00 p.m. meeting in a hotel just about a block from Ford’s Theater, Booth assigned his three co-conspirators their gruesome tasks for the evening. His horrible task was to kill the President and Grant. Lewis

Paine was assigned to take care of Secretary of State William Seward who was recuperating at home from a carriage accident (Borreson 12) . Paine talked himself into Secretary’s house in Lafayette Park by stating that he was delivering medicine that must be given to only Seward personally. But, after Frederick Seward opened the door to his father’s room, saw that he was asleep, he told Paine to just leave the medicine and be on his way (Dewitt 18). However, after heading down the stairs before Frederick he twisted and pounded him violently with his pistol and then rushed into Seward’s room and slashed his face and neck with a huge knife. Atzerodt was assigned to murder Vice President Andrew Johnson in his room at the Kirkwood Hotel, however, he made no effort to follow through with his task (Dewitt 270). Seward recovered from his wounds, so Booth’s effort to include others in the assassination plan failed.

ailed because Lincoln changed his plans.

Late in1864, a plan was devised to kidnap Lincoln during the summer while he was traveling on horseback from the cottage on the grounds of the U.S. Soldier’s home to Washington City. Their

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