The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

On April 15, 1865, the United States mourned the death of its 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, who succumbed to a gunshot wound inflicted the previous evening. This tragic event marked the first assassination of a U.S. president and had profound implications for the nation.

Context Leading Up to the Assassination

The assassination occurred just days after the end of the American Civil War, a conflict that had divided the nation for four years. On April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, effectively signaling the end of the war. The nation was in a state of relief and celebration, but tensions still simmered, particularly among those who had supported the Confederacy.

The Assassination

On the evening of April 14, 1865, President Lincoln attended a performance of “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. He was accompanied by his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, and their guests, Major Henry Rathbone and his fiancée, Clara Harris. During the play, John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer, entered the presidential box and shot Lincoln in the back of the head with a .44 caliber Derringer pistol.

Booth then leapt onto the stage, reportedly shouting “Sic semper tyrannis” (Latin for “Thus always to tyrants”), a phrase attributed to Brutus at the assassination of Julius Caesar. Despite breaking his leg in the fall, Booth managed to escape the theater.

Lincoln’s Death

After being shot, Lincoln was carried across the street to the Petersen House, where doctors attended to him throughout the night. Despite their efforts, Lincoln never regained consciousness. He died at 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865, at the age of 56. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton famously remarked, “Now he belongs to the ages.”

Aftermath and Historical Significance

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln plunged the nation into deep mourning. His death was a significant blow to the post-war reconciliation efforts he had championed. Vice President Andrew Johnson was sworn in as president, and his approach to Reconstruction would prove contentious and divisive.

John Wilkes Booth was pursued by Union soldiers and was eventually found hiding in a barn in Virginia. He was shot and killed on April 26, 1865. Several of his co-conspirators were captured, tried, and executed for their roles in the assassination plot.

Lincoln’s assassination had lasting impacts on the United States, shaping the course of Reconstruction and the nation’s healing process. His leadership during the Civil War and his vision for a united country left an indelible mark on American history.