The Day Lincoln Was Shot

After Richmond falls, Lincoln is relieved that the Civil War is effectively over and begins focusing on the nation's future under a reunited union. He faces tense discussions with his Cabinet about how to treat the defeated Confederacy, with many members calling for punishment and retribution. Lincoln argues for mercy even as he endures death threats and growing hostility.

Lincoln is despised by many Confederates and receives numerous death threats, adding to the sense of danger surrounding him. He maintains a steady, fatalistic outlook, aware that assassination could strike at any moment. The atmosphere around the White House grows increasingly tense as the threat level rises.

John Booth, a popular actor, feels overshadowed by his family’s fame and resents Lincoln's policies. He gathers a small group of Confederate sympathizers, including Powell and Herold, and begins plotting to kidnap the President. The plan sets in motion a web of conspiracy that will test the nation's security.

With the war ending on April 9, Booth grows enraged by Lincoln's April 11 speech promising citizenship and voting rights to African Americans. He abandons the kidnapping idea and shifts toward assassination as the method to strike at Lincoln. The plot moves from political leverage to a direct act of violence.

On April 14, Booth decides to assassinate Lincoln at Ford's Theatre and assigns roles to his co-conspirators. He orders Powell to target Secretary of State William Seward and Adzerodt to attack Vice President Andrew Johnson. The coordinated plan aims to cripple multiple leaders of the Union government.

That night, Lincoln is shot during the performance of the play at Ford's Theatre and dies later from his wound. Booth escapes amid the confusion, also injuring Major Rathbone by stabbing his left arm as he lands on the stage. The event shocks the nation and triggers a massive manhunt.

Powell travels to the Seward residence and assaults Secretary of State William Seward in a bid to eliminate another target. Though severely disfigured, Seward survives the attack, aided by a metal canvas shattered by the assault and by medical care. The strike against Seward marks a critical failure in the conspiracy.

Adzerodt heads to the Kirkwood Hotel to kill Vice President Johnson but cannot summon the courage to shoot. Johnson escapes unharmed, and the plan suffers a setback that will have lasting consequences for the conspirators. The failed attempt underscores how fragile the plot remains.

After being attended by doctors at Ford's Theatre, Lincoln is carried across the street to the Petersen House. He dies there the following morning at 7:22 a.m., surrounded by his friends and family, ending a presidency marked by upheaval and loss. This moment becomes a defining tragedy in American history.

A two-week manhunt culminates in Boston Corbett shooting Booth in a burning barn, ending the fugitive act. Booth dies on the front porch a few hours later, reportedly saying he died for his country. The conspiracy collapses, but the nation remains in shock.

The credits reveal that four of Booth's henchmen and Mary Surratt were tried and hanged for their roles in the plot. The episode underscores the swift, severe response to the conspiracy. Lincoln's successor Andrew Johnson would pursue Reconstruction with a markedly harsher hand.

The narrative emphasizes how Johnson's harsher stance toward the defeated South contrasted with Lincoln's mercy, shaping the early years of Reconstruction. The assassination leaves a lasting legacy on American policy and national mourning. The country begins the long process of healing and reintegration.