John Wilkes Booth, a name forever etched in the annals of American history, was a celebrated actor whose fervent political beliefs led him to commit one of the nation’s most heinous crimes: the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. His actions plunged a war-weary nation into deeper mourning, just days after the joyous conclusion of the Civil War. This article delves into the life, motivations, and tragic end of John Wilkes Booth, exploring the path that transformed a renowned stage performer into an infamous assassin.
Early Life and Theatrical Roots
Born on May 10, 1838, in Maryland, John Wilkes Booth was the ninth of ten children in the esteemed Booth family, theatrical royalty of their era. His father, Junius Booth, was a famous and eccentric actor who had come to the U.S. in 1821 with John’s mother, Mary Ann Holmes, while still estranged from his English wife. Their union was only formalized on John’s 13th birthday in 1851, legitimizing him in the eyes of society. As a boy, John was known for his athletic prowess and popularity, excelling in horsemanship and fencing. He briefly attended an Episcopal military academy in Catonsville, Maryland, before his father’s death at age 14 prompted him to leave school.
A Budding Thespian
At 16, Booth developed a keen interest in both theatre and politics. Inspired by his father and older brothers, Edwin and Junius Jr., who were also acclaimed actors, John began rigorous daily practice in formal speaking and dedicated himself to studying Shakespeare. He made his stage debut at 17 in Baltimore, appearing in Richard III. While his initial performance was not stellar, his determination led him to roles at Baltimore’s Holliday Street Theatre and later with the Arch Street Theatre stock company in Philadelphia. By 1858, he was a prolific performer at the Richmond Theatre in Virginia, taking on 83 roles that year. Notably, his favorite character was Brutus, the classical slayer of tyrants, a role that perhaps foreshadowed his future.
Rising Stardom and Political Extremism
By the late 1850s, Booth’s athletic build, romantic charisma, and undeniable talent had made him a sensation, particularly among female audiences. He quickly achieved fame and considerable wealth, reportedly earning $20,000 a year, a substantial sum for the time. Yet, alongside his theatrical ascendance, Booth’s political views hardened. He was an ardent supporter of slavery and the Southern cause, even joining a Virginia Company that assisted in the capture of abolitionist John Brown after his raid on Harpers Ferry, an event Booth witnessed firsthand.
Confederate Sympathies and Growing Rage
Booth’s acting career took him on a highly successful tour of the Deep South in 1860, further entrenching his admiration for the Confederacy. Concurrently, his animosity toward the newly elected President Abraham Lincoln intensified. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Booth used his travels to smuggle medicines to the Confederacy, showcasing his active commitment to the Southern cause. His intense anti-Union stance created significant friction within his own family; his brother Edwin, a staunch Unionist, refused to perform in the South, leading to deep feuds. Booth’s outspoken pro-Confederate sentiments even led to calls for his arrest for treasonable statements in New York, though critics continued to laud him as “the most promising young actor on the American stage.”
In 1863, while on tour in St. Louis, Booth was arrested for treasonous remarks against the government, having publicly wished the President and the entire government to “go to hell.” He was released after taking an oath of allegiance to the Union and paying a substantial fine. Later that year, he performed as one of the first leading men at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., owned by his family friend John T. Ford. During a performance attended by President Lincoln, Booth reportedly shook his finger at the President while delivering a line, a chilling display of his contempt.
The “Greatest Theatrical Event” and Sinister Plans
In November 1864, John Wilkes Booth performed alongside both his acclaimed brothers, Edwin and Junius Jr., in a benefit performance of Julius Caesar in New York. Booth played Mark Anthony, while Edwin took on the role of Brutus. Hailed as the greatest theatrical event in New York history, the proceeds funded a statue of William Shakespeare in Central Park, which stands to this day. Ironically, this pinnacle of his acting career coincided with the deepening of his sinister political plans.
President Lincoln’s re-election in November 1864 filled Booth with uncontrollable rage. In a letter to his mother, he confessed, “I have begun to deem myself a coward and to despise my own existence,” a reflection of his internal turmoil. Booth had already begun formulating plans to kidnap Lincoln and smuggle him to Richmond, hoping to exchange him for Confederate prisoners. He believed this act would either galvanize opposition to the war in the North or force Union recognition of the Confederate government, thereby ending the war on Southern terms.
The Conspiracy Takes Shape
While definitive proof remains elusive, some historians suggest Booth acted as a Confederate spy, citing a trip to Montreal in October 1864. Montreal was a known hub for clandestine Confederate activities, and Booth’s ten-day stay at St. Lawrence Hall, a recognized rendezvous point for the Confederate Secret Service, fuels these theories.
From Kidnapping to Assassination
Lincoln’s re-election and his platform advocating for the abolishment of slavery through the 13th Amendment intensified Booth’s resolve. He dedicated increasing energy and resources to his plot, recruiting Southern sympathizers: David Herold, George Atzerodt, Lewis Powell (also known as Lewis Payne), and John Surratt, a known rebel agent. His increasingly extreme views led to further estrangement from his brother Edwin, who eventually banned John from his New York home. Booth confided in his sister, Asia, regarding Lincoln, stating, “That man’s appearance, his pedigree, his coarse low jokes and anecdotes, his vulgar similes, and his policy are a disgrace to the seat he holds. He is made the tool of the North to crush out slavery.” Asia later recounted Booth’s wild tirades against Lincoln as a Union victory became imminent in 1865.
In February, Booth secretly became engaged to Lucy Hale, daughter of U.S. Senator John Hale of New Hampshire. Unaware of his intense hatred for Lincoln, Hale invited Booth to Lincoln’s second inauguration on March 4. His co-conspirators were also present in the crowd, yet no attempt was made. Booth later remarked on the excellent opportunity he had to kill the President that day. A kidnapping attempt later that month failed when Lincoln unexpectedly changed his travel plans, diverting from the road where Booth and his men lay in wait.
With Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s surrender on April 9, Booth’s kidnapping plan became obsolete. He reportedly told a friend that he was done with acting, proclaiming that the only play he wished to present was Venice Preserv’d — a drama about an assassination plot, the dark meaning lost on his listener.
The Tragic Night at Ford’s Theatre
On the morning of Good Friday, April 14, while at Ford’s Theatre, Booth learned from John Ford’s brother that President Lincoln and his wife, along with General and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, would be attending the play “Our American Cousin” that evening. Seizing the opportunity, Booth swiftly gathered his co-conspirators. His audacious plan now encompassed the assassination of not only the President but also General Grant, Secretary of State William Seward, and Vice President Andrew Johnson. His desperate hope was to plunge the Union into chaos, decapitating its leadership, thereby allowing the Confederate government to reorganize or, at the very least, avenge the South’s crushing defeat.
The Act of Treason
Booth’s elaborate plan began to unfold that evening. Lewis Powell was assigned to kill Secretary of State William Seward, who was bedridden from a carriage accident. Powell brutally stabbed Seward, but the Secretary of State miraculously survived. George Atzerodt, tasked with assassinating Vice President Johnson, lost his nerve and spent the night drinking, never making an attempt. General Grant, fortunately, altered his plans and did not attend the play, having left Washington D.C. to visit relatives in New Jersey. However, President Lincoln and the First Lady proceeded with their plans for Ford’s Theatre, a venue Booth could access freely due to his professional connections.
Around 10 p.m. that fateful evening, as the play progressed, Booth stealthily entered the Presidential Box. He shot President Lincoln in the back of the head. Major Henry Rathbone, present with the President, lunged at Booth, but John stabbed him. Booth then dramatically leaped from the box to the stage, famously shouting “Sic semper tyrannis,” Latin for “Thus always to tyrants.” He fled the stage through a rear door to an alley where a getaway horse awaited. Booth sustained a leg injury during his escape, which he later attributed to his jump from the box, though others claimed it happened when his horse stumbled. Regardless, Booth, accompanied by David Herold, began their desperate flight into southern Maryland and toward rural Virginia.
The Manhunt and Final Stand
The fugitives first stopped at Surratt’s Tavern, a pre-arranged cache for guns and equipment from their earlier kidnapping plot. They then continued to the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd, who treated Booth’s fractured leg in the early hours of April 15. That same morning, shortly after 7 a.m., President Lincoln died, transforming Booth’s act from attempted political destabilization into the ultimate act of treason.
Flight and Capture
Booth and Herold subsequently sought refuge at Samuel Cox’s home, hiding in the woods. Cox then contacted his foster brother and Confederate agent, Thomas Jones. Federal troops were now scouring southern Maryland, and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton had advertised a substantial $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of John Wilkes Booth and his accomplices. Jones supplied Booth with daily newspapers, keeping him aware of the nationwide manhunt and the dwindling public sympathy, even from anti-Lincoln publications.
On April 21, Booth and Herold attempted to cross the Potomac River into Virginia. After a failed initial attempt that brought them back to Maryland, they finally succeeded on April 23. Another Confederate agent provided them with fresh horses, leading them to the farm of Richard H. Garrett, just south of Port Royal, on April 24. The Garretts, unaware of the assassination, believed Booth to be a Confederate soldier named James Boyd returning home.
Federal soldiers meticulously tracked the pair, eventually cornering them at Garrett’s barn on the morning of April 26. Herold surrendered, but Booth defiantly refused. After the soldiers set the barn ablaze to flush him out, Booth was seen moving within the burning structure and was shot by Sergeant Boston Corbett, who claimed Booth had raised his pistol. Fatally wounded in the neck, John Wilkes Booth was dragged from the barn to Garrett’s porch, where he died three hours later. His body was identified by a doctor who had previously operated on him. He was initially buried secretly, then re-interred four years later. Despite persistent theories of his escape, no credible evidence supports such rumors.
Aftermath: Justice for the Conspirators
Eight individuals were implicated in the assassination plot and subsequently tried by a military tribunal in Washington, D.C. On June 30, 1865, all were found guilty. Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt, Mary Surratt (mother of John Surratt), and David Herold were executed by hanging on July 7. Samuel Mudd, Samuel Arnold, and Michael O’Laughlen, whom Booth had earlier recruited as underground Confederate operators, were sentenced to life in prison. O’Laughlen succumbed to yellow fever in 1867, while the others were eventually pardoned by President Andrew Johnson in 1869.
Conclusion
The actions of John Wilkes Booth represent a dark chapter in American history, a moment when the nation’s fragile unity, recently restored through immense sacrifice, was once again threatened by an act of extreme political violence. His life, a tragic descent from theatrical celebrity to infamous assassin, serves as a powerful reminder of how deeply personal convictions, when inflamed by hatred, can irrevocably alter the course of history. The assassination of Abraham Lincoln, orchestrated by Booth, not only deprived the nation of its leader during a critical period of Reconstruction but also left an indelible scar on the American psyche, the echoes of which resonate to this day.
