Summary
In the final weeks of the American Civil War, the nation's capital is abuzz with both the anxieties of a country on the brink of reunification and the joyous anticipation of peace. While President Abraham Lincoln grapples with the daunting task of healing a divided nation, a sinister plot is brewing in the shadows, orchestrated by the renowned actor and Confederate sympathizer, John Wilkes Booth. Booth, fueled by a fervent belief in the Southern cause and a deep-seated hatred for Lincoln, assembles a motley crew of conspirators to aid him in his audacious plan to kidnap the president. Their initial scheme involves capturing Lincoln during one of his solitary evening rides to the Soldiers' Home, but repeated failures force Booth to devise an even more daring plot: abducting the president from his box at Ford's Theatre during a performance.
Meanwhile, on the battlefields of Virginia, General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia is facing imminent defeat at the hands of General Ulysses S. Grant's Union forces. Lee makes a desperate attempt to escape Petersburg and reach North Carolina, where he hopes to regroup and prolong the war. Lincoln, eager for a swift end to the conflict, urges Grant to pursue Lee relentlessly, setting in motion a dramatic chase across the war-torn countryside. The fall of Richmond and the subsequent surrender of Lee at Appomattox Court House bring a wave of jubilation to the North, but Booth remains unyielding in his hatred for Lincoln. The actor's plan shifts from kidnapping to assassination, fueled by the belief that Lincoln's death will reignite the Confederate cause.
As Washington celebrates the war's end with bonfires, parades, and the Grand Illumination, Booth finalizes his deadly scheme. He assigns specific roles to his co-conspirators: Lewis Powell is tasked with assassinating Secretary of State William Seward, George Atzerodt is to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson, and David Herold will aid Powell in his escape. Booth reserves the grim task of assassinating Lincoln for himself.
On Good Friday, April 14, 1865, the fateful day arrives. While Lincoln attends a performance of "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre, Booth slips into the state box and fires a single shot into the back of the president's head. The theater erupts in chaos as Booth leaps onto the stage, shouting "Sic semper tyrannis!" before making his escape. Simultaneously, Powell attacks Seward in his bed, inflicting severe injuries but failing to kill him. Atzerodt, overcome by fear and alcohol, loses his nerve and abandons his mission to assassinate Johnson.
In the aftermath of the assassination, Washington descends into mourning and outrage. A massive manhunt is launched for Booth and his accomplices, with Secretary of War Edwin Stanton taking personal charge of the investigation. Booth and Herold flee into the Maryland countryside, seeking refuge in the swamps and relying on the aid of Confederate sympathizers. Their journey is fraught with peril, as Union cavalry relentlessly pursue them. After a grueling twelve-day chase, Booth is finally cornered and killed in a burning barn in Virginia. Herold is captured and later hanged along with Powell, Atzerodt, and Mary Surratt, who was implicated in the conspiracy. The assassination of Abraham Lincoln leaves a lasting scar on the nation, forever altering the course of American history.