Book Review: Manhunt

I just finished Manhunt, by James Swanson--a riveting retelling of the Lincoln assasination and ensuing 12-day search for the killer, John Wilkes Booth. This book was written with such richness and detail it was like you were there, and it became very easy to adjust yourself to the 1860's timeframe.

A few things that surprised me: Booth was not just Joe Blow Actor, but was very well-renown and instantly recognizable throughout Washington, New York, Boston, and other major cities. Booth had long felt hatred toward Lincoln and had earlier plotted a kidnapping of the president. He actually rode out to take Lincoln on one occasion and realized that the president had decided to give a speech at the very hotel Booth lived at--so he missed him only because he was out trying to get him elsewhere!

Booth only had six hours to plan the assasination on Good Friday, 1865. Dejected by the North's victory and the continual and spontaneous celebrations in the streets, Booth received a flyer from Ford's Theater announcing the president and first lady's appearance that night in the audience. Booth lept into action, planning a simultaneous murder of Lincon, General Grant (originally intended guest of the Lincolns), Secretary of State William Seward, and Vice-President Andrew Johnson.

Grant and his wife declined the Lincolns' invitation, and Major Rathbone and his fiance Clara Harris attended instead. Booth planned only one viable shot of the president--if he missed, he would not have time to reload. He almost did miss, as Lincoln ducked his head as the shot was being fired. Lincoln survived about 9 hours after the shooting, though was never concioius. Rathbone was sliced in the arm by Booth, and when help arrived Rathbone screamed for the doctor to attend to him before the president--the doctors did not know at this time that Lincoln was dead! Ladies, would you go ahead and marry a man who displayed such weakness and selfishness? Clara Harris did, and was eventually murdered by Rathbone, who in a bizarre nod to the Lincoln assasination, used a gun and knife on his wife before killing himself.

Grant was spared, but Seward, recovering in bed from a carriage accident, was attacked in his home as Lincoln was shot. Lewis Powell--co-conspirator with Lincoln--posed as a medical delivery man to gain access to the Seward Mansion and fought off Seward's two sons, his daughters, his manservant, and a military officer to stab Seward and beat the sons to a pulp. The Sewards and Sergeant George Robinson defended the secretary with valor and Robinson was awarded a distinguished medal for his sacrifice--quite a contrast to Rathbone. When Powell ran out of the mansion to escape, he found that David Herold, who he left in charge of the horses, had fled. Powell was on his own and eventually captured at a reundevous point--the tavern of Mary Surratt. Vice-President Johnson was spared when George Atzerodt, drinking in the lobby of Johnson's hotel, decided not to go through with his role in the plot.

Booth and Herold (who fled Powell's side to join Booth on the escape route) managed to evade capture for 12 days even though Booth had a broken leg. Booth even hopped on the stage of Ford's theater after killing the president to give a short proclamation of southern power. Not one of the audience even touched him as he escaped. Booth and Herold were surrounded by 26 military officers and detectives at a farm in Virginia. Herold surrendered and Booth, in the process of being smoked out by the cavalry, was shot in the same spot of the neck that Lincoln was shot--he died some three hours later while being attended to by his captors. His last words were, "useless." Herold, Atzerodt, Powell, and Mary Surratt were all hung for their involvement in the plot.

I also discovered a great deal about Lincoln's cabinet, particular Secretary of War Stanton. It makes me earnest to read Doris Kearns Goodwin's celebrated book, Team of Rivals, about the political mastery of Lincoln in assembling a team of enemies to work together in his White House. This book was a treat, very likely the best book I'll read this year. Grade: A

**And I can say this about Lincoln's death--It was a good way to die. He had recently been re-elected, he had enjoyed his second inauguration and coronation, the war had just concluded, he was determined to look ahead and not be so burdened by his young son's death, he had begun reconciliation in his marriage and the Lincolns that day had enjoyed a romantic carriage ride together and were topping this off with a night at the theatre, they saw a comedy, and at the height of the laughter (near the end of the play) is when Lincoln was strategically shot--he never knew what hit him, and never regained conciousness.

Comments

[kilsan]

See, that's what i like about book reviews. Now i don't have to read the book!