Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln's assassination was a malevolent ending to an already bitter and spiteful event in American history, the Civil War. John Wilkes Booth and his group of co-conspirators developed plans in the late summer of 1864 to only kidnap the President and take him the Confederate capital of Richmond and hold him in return for Confederate prisoners of war. Booth's group of conspirators: Samuel Arnold, Michael O'Laughlen, John Surratt, Lewis Paine, George Atzerodt, David Herold, and Mary Surratt (John's wife), made plans on March 17, 1865, to capture Lincoln, who was scheduled to see a play at a hospital in the outskirts of Washington. However, Lincoln changed plans and remained in the capital ("Booth" 98) On April 9, 1865, General Lee surrendered to General Grant at Appomattox. Two days later Lincoln delivered a speech in front of the White House to a group that had gathered outside. Booth, being present in this group, heard Lincoln suggest that certain voting rights should be granted to the blacks. Infuriated, being a racist, Booth's plans now turned from the kidnapping of Lincoln to his assassination (Lewis, Neely 115) Three days before his assassination Lincoln told of a dream he had to his wife and one of
Booth arrived at Ford's Theatre at 9:30 p.m. armed with a single shot derringer and a hunting knife. Joseph Burroughs, a boy who worked at the theater held his horse in the rear alley while Booth went to get a drink at a nearby saloon. He reentered the theater at 10:07 p.m. and slowly made his way towards the state box. John Parker had just left his post. At about 10:15 p.m., Booth opened the door and shot Lincoln in the back of the head at near point-blank range, and struggled with Rathbone. Booth stabbed Rathbone in the arm and jumped about eleven feet to the stage. When he crashed to the floor he snapped the fibula bone in his left leg. Many in the theater thought they heard him yell "Sic Semper Tyrannis," latin for "as always to tyrants." Booth flashed his knife to the crowd and made his way across the stage in front of more than 1,000 people. It happened so quick no one had time to stop him. Booth escaped out the back door and left the city (Lewis, Neely 261-263). (Online) http://members.aol.com/RVSNorton/Lincoln46.html, 10, January 1999. his friends, Ward Hill Lamon. According to Lamon, the President said: At about 7:00 p.m. William H. Crook, Lincoln's bodyguard, was relieved three hours late by John Parker. Parker was told to be on hand at Ford's Theatre when the Presidential party got there. Crook said, "Good night, Mr. Lincoln." The President replied, "Good-bye, Crook." According to Crook this was a first. Lincoln ALWAYS previously said, "Good night, Crook."(Reck 148) Around 8:00 p.m. the Lincolns left the White House in a stage coach and proceeded to pick up Clara Harris and Major Rathbone. Parker led the way into the theater, with the play already in progress. When Lincoln entered the acting stopped and they played "Hail to the Chief." The audience rose to their feet and applauded the President. Once he was seated in the state box the play continued. Back in Washington, the bullet had entered Lincoln's head about three inches behind his left ear and traveled about seven and a half inches into the brain. The first doctor to attend to the President was Charles Leale. He k
Some common words found in the essay are:
Lamon President, White House, White House', Samuel Mudd, House Armed, Semper Tyrannis, Lewis Neely, Rathbone Booth, Joseph Burroughs, William Seward, ford's theatre, lewis neely, president lincoln, john wilkes, lincoln assassination, press 1994, assassination lincoln, dr mudd, morning april, kill vice-president,
Approximate Word count = 1435
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
