16th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Last Formal Photograph of Abraham Lincoln ~ February 5, 1865President of the United States March 4, 1861 ~ April 15, 1865
Abraham Lincoln is most likely the most popular and most quoted President in the history of the United States. Abraham Lincoln was sworn into the office of the Presidency of the United States on March 4, 1861. The Civil War commenced early into his administration. The war between the states would conclude just prior to the completion of his term in office. The best estimation of the casualties from the Civil War is 620,000 Americans although some computations raise the total casualties as high as 700,000.In the closing days of the war, an actor by the name of John Wilkes Booth developed a scheme to kidnap President Lincoln, holding him hostage in exchange of Confederate Prisoners of War. Booth was an agent of the Confederacy. Because of his popularity as an actor, he had easy access through the lines of defense. He used this popularity primarily to smuggle medical supplies from the north to the southern states. In his scheme to kidnap the President, he selected a group of eight individuals to assist him. On the evening of the planned plot, President Lincoln had a change of plans and the attempt was thwarted. President Lincoln would be elected to a 2nd term in office and delivered his Inauguration Speech on March 4, 1865, forty-two days prior to his assassination.
With the defeat of the Confederacy by the Union Army and the reelection of Abraham Lincoln, the hatred of John Wilkes Booth for the President escalated to new levels. He assembled the original group that he had picked to kidnap the President, however this time it was to assassinate the President. However, he also wanted to throw the country into chaos and perhaps revitalize the Confederacy. By accident while visiting Ford Theater, where he often performed on stage he was told by a stage hand that the President would be in attendance at a performance. Knowing the layout of the theater, it was an ideal place to carry out his assassination plot. This plot also consisted the assassination of Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary William H. Seward. He assigned Lewis Powell to kill the Secretary of State and George Atzerodt to assassinate the Vice President, who lived in a hotel. Each of the assassination were to occur simultaneously. History tells us that President Abraham Lincoln was shot in the back of the head from a 44 caliber derringer shortly after 10:00 p.m. on April 14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth. Mortally wounded, he was carried across the street to a hotel, where he passed away at 7:22 a.m., April 15, 1865. Secretary William Seward was spared assassination, although he was stabbed before assistance arrived, several others were also cut before the assassin Powell escaped on horseback. George Atzerodt who was assigned to kill the Vice President arrived at the hotel as scheduled however after having a few drinks at the bar, changed his mind and left the scene.
44th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Barack H. Obama assumed the office of the President of the United States on January 20, 2009. He announced his candidacy for this office on the steps of the capital building in Lincoln, Illinois. The home state of Abraham Lincoln. Throughout his Presidential campaign for the two years leading up to his election, he has compared himself to Abraham Lincoln. Taking every opportunity for photo ops involving statues or photos of Abraham Lincoln. At his Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2009 he took the Oath of Office of the President of the United States while his left hand was resting on the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln took this same oath. Since his Presidency has just commenced, it is still to early to see if he is tough enough to make the hard decisions that faced Abraham Lincoln. However, his first Executive Order as President was enacted within hours of assuming the office, the closing of the terrorists prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This Executive Order also halted all Military Tribunals that were currently taking placed or scheduled to commence. Perhaps, President Obama should read a little more American History pertaining to Abraham Lincoln and the plot to assassinate him.
John Wilkes Booth Booth would be found hiding in a barn on April 26, 1865 by Union soldiers. Booth's companion would surrender Booth refused to come out so the barn was set on fire, a soldier at the rear of the barn shot and killed Booth.A large number conspirators were arrested and held for a period of time. Ultimately, the conspiracy narrowed down to eight individuals. Samuel Arnold, George Atzerodt, David Herold, Dr. Samuel Mudd, Michael O'Laughlen, Lewis Powell, Edmund Sprandly, and one lady, Mary Surratt. The eight suspects of this little terrorist group were tried by a Military Tribunal.
The trial lasted for about seven weeks with 366 witnesses testifying. The verdict was given on June 30, 1865 with all defendants being found guilty. Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, David Herold, and George Atzerodt were sentenced to death by hanging. Dr. Samuel Mudd, Samuel Arnold, and Michael O'Laughlen were sentenced to life in prison. Dr. Mudd escaped execution by a single vote, the Tribunal voting 5-4 to hang him. Edmund Spangler was sentenced to six years in prison. Spangler had given Booth access to the back door of the theater. Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was also a conspirator in the plot to kidnap the President. He repaired the broken leg that Booth received when he jump for the Presidential Box to the stage. Mary Surratt owned the boarding house where meetings took place for both the kidnapping and assassination plots. Her boarding house was used to house the group, hold meetings, and store arms and supplies.
The four sentenced to death by hanging were executed on July 7, 1865. Mary Surratt was the first woman to be hanged by the U.S. Government.
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