"Chasing Lincoln’s Killer" by James Swanson

The novel “Chasing Lincoln’s Killer”, by James Swanson, is about the plotting and killing of President Lincoln; the twelve-day manhunt of John Wilkes Booth. Booth is the murderer of The United States 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. It was just the tail end of The Civil War and Lincoln and the North did not see what was about to come. In a matter of time, the bloody Civil War would be over. The Union would win, and the South would need to be rebuilt. As the North was partying, planning parades, and setting off fireworks, the South was planning anything they could do to turn the war around. Four days after all of the Union celebration, John Wilkes Booth knew it was over and the only thing he could do was get rid of Lincoln. He was drinking at the saloon with one of his friends discussing Abe. When all of a sudden, Booth fisted the table as a regret to the lost opportunity to help the Confederates. “What an excellent chance I had, if I wished, to kill the president on Inauguration Day! I was on the stand, as close to him nearly as I am close to you.”

On April 9th, 1865, Robert E. Lee and the Confederates, surrendered to U.S. Grant at Appomattox. Booth knew if he killed President Lincoln at his inauguration the South would have won. On April 11th, Lincoln delivered a speech about the end of the war. He wanted to tell people that the North and South would join together and rebuild the South. Right in front of his podium was Booth. John turned to his friend and told him everything he objected in Lincoln’s speech and said, “Now, by God, I’ll put him through... that is the last speech he will ever give.” As the whole North continued celebrating, Booth could not sleep until something was done. John Wilkes Booth along with six known others from the South were reviewing their plan to abduct Lincoln. John starts his day at the National Hotel eating breakfast, then he walks about a block down Pennsylvania Avenue. His short walk leads him to Ford’s Theater, where he gets his daily mail. Three days before the planned kidnapping of the president, Lincoln’s wife mailed a letter to Ford’s Theater proclaiming the president and U.S. Grant would attend the live comedy, Our American Cousin, at Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. Booth, knew that that message was urgent and must be that Abraham was watching the play that night, April 14, because that was the only playing that month. John knew this was his chance for revenge. His abduction plan was set and it was time to get real.

Being a famous actor, Booth knew that specific theater and the play really well. J.W.B. and his ‘gang’ were going to change everything in just a short time. Booth knew the ins and outs of the play, when loud sounds happened , when the stage was cleared, etc. In my opinion, if it came down to killing the president right then and there J.W.B. was the man. He knew every pathway, hallway, secret exit, doors, everything. He believed his plan would be successful, Lincoln would be abducted and he would escape. Booth was willing to throw away his whole life, whether he got away with his crime or not. He did not care if he lost his fame, money, family, or even his life. He knew that if he was to lose his acting fame at least he would be remembered. It was April 14, and everything that took place on this day would change U.S. history forever. In this case, the prey came to the predator. J. Wilkes Booth’s first errand was to leave a note for Vice President Johnson at his unguarded hotel suite. His letter read, “Don’t wish to disturb you. Are you home?” His next place to stop was a boarding house, just a few blocks away from the theater. Mary Surratt, a Confederate spy had lived there and Booth had paid her to “do some work.” Booth asked Mary to deliver a small package to her tavern on her way to Maryland that day and then told her that he would be speedily riding out of Washington. He would then ride a horse to Maryland to get his package at the tavern along with guns, ammunition, and other supplies that Mary’s son had already prepared. His last few preparations for that night would include mental and physical prep. He chose his .44 caliber, single-shot pistol. Booth was going to shoot Lincoln. Powell was to aim for Secretary of State, William H. Seward.

Atzerodt was to kill Vice President, Andrew Johnson, but he backed out. He did not want to be remembered as a bad guy and Harold was the support and spy man. He was just there for support. It was shortly after 8:00 P.M. and the Lincolns were shortly behind schedule. Their private carriage had just arrived. Booth needed to cross behind the stage so he could be on the other side of the building to go up the small stairway to the private balconies. He had to exit through a trap door that led him to the saloon and he knew he had one last time to have what could be his last drink at roughly 10:00 in the evening. Booth left the bar and went back into the theater’s lobby. He was still on time with the dialogue and it was time. Booth secretly crawled up the small curved steps and got to top right in front of the door that leads him to the president’s balcony. He was shocked to see zero guards, no one standing at the door. In just a few moments Booth knew only one actor would be on stage and that everyone would be full of laughter. Booth squeezed the trigger, “You sockdologizing old mantrap,” was the line to make everyone laugh, the audience and the gun ‘explode’.

The box lit up as if a lightning bolt struck the balcony. The bullet struck his head, on the lower left side. Booth jumped off the private balcony and onto the stage. He escaped safe, just with a broken fibula. Booth's last words said were “Sic semper tyrannis!” Translated from Latin to English, “Thus always tyrants.” Lincoln died the morning after his shot at 7:02.. Now both the North and South are in grief. Powell and Herold still had to fulfill their duty. They had arrived at Secretary Seaward’s estate and Powell entered pretending to be a doctor’s servant delivering medicine. He was welcomed in, but the servant and guard inside were not fond of allowing him upstairs. Powell said repeatedly “I must go up, I must go up.” Finally, after ten minutes of arguing they proceeded to allow him upstairs; it was time to make another bold move. The son of the Secretary would not budge there was no way he could enter the secretary’s room. So, Powell pretended to give up. He started walking down the steps and then ran fast right back up them with his gun. He pulled the trigger and nothing happened. But unlike Booth, he has five more bullets to use since he is using a .36. He shot again and hit the son but the gun broke. He forced his way into Seward’s bedroom and had to attack him.

Seward survived and died October 10, 1872. Twelve days later, the Union army tracked Booth. He was found in Virginia, in a farmer’s barn. Boston Corbett, a Union army soldier, shot and killed J. Wilkes Booth, on April 26th, 1865. I am rating this book an eight out of ten. It was very interesting and an easy read. Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, had a lot of detail and description. What I did not like was that as I was reading there would not be a warning and all of a sudden, the author shared a flashback or something that already happened. Most things I had already known, the book just added detail and more people. I would recommend this book to 7th graders and above. This was one of the best nonfiction books I have ever read.