President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at a special performance of the comedy “Our American Cousin” on April 14, 1865. Mary Todd Lincoln, Major Henry R. Rathbone (then 28 years old), and Clara Harris (then Rathbone’s fiancee) were all present at Ford’s Theatre with him that evening. Someone entered the presidential box while the play was in underway, aimed their derringer weapon, and unloaded. The president sagged forward in his seat. If you want to know about the impact Abraham’s assassination had on civil war, then keep reading.
What Role Did Lincoln’s Assassination Play In Escalating The Civil War?
As reported by Library of Congress (gov), the assassin, identified as John Wilkes Booth, put down the weapon and brandished the blade. Rathbone charged at the assassin, getting cut in the arm but still managing to pin him to the railing. Booth leaped off the balcony, but he shattered his leg when he landed on a flag that had been hung over the rail. Despite his wounds, he bolted out of the house and rode out into the night. The person who killed Lincoln was a fanatical supporter of slavery who wanted revenge for the Confederacy’s loss in the American Civil War.
Dr. Charles Leale, a physician in the audience, quickly made his way to the VIP section. Lincoln had been wounded in the left ear, and the bullet had stuck behind his right eye. He was unable to move, and his breathing was labored. Doctors tried their hardest to save him at a boarding home across Tenth Street from the theater, but he ultimately passed away. After nine hours, at 7:22 in the morning, Lincoln passed away on April 15th.
Booth’s accomplice Lewis Powell (also known as Lewis Paine and Lewis Payne) attacked Lincoln’s secretary of state, William Henry Seward, at his home on Lafayette Square almost simultaneously with Booth’s fatal shot. After being injured in a carriage accident, Seward was resting in bed.
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Powell walked into the home, stating that the secretary’s doctor had sent a supply of medicine. When Frederick Seward tried to stop Powell from entering his father’s house, he was severely beaten. After slashing the secretary twice in the throat, Powell fought his way past Augustus Seward, a veteran of the attending medical corps, and a messenger for the State Department.
With his mission accomplished, Powell vanished into the darkness. Seward was about to die, but a surgical collar made of metal prevented that. After seven more years of life, the secretary bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 while still serving as secretary in the Johnson administration. You can see the official tweet by History Calendar below in which the last surviving witness with regard to Abraham’s demise passed away.
📜 People From History 📜
Samuel J. Seymour (1860-1956) was the last surviving person the witness the 1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln. At age five, Seymour was at Ford’s Theater to see “Our American Cousin”, the night Lincoln was shot. pic.twitter.com/Im42bOPSbC— History Calendar (@historycalendar) March 31, 2023
In addition to Booth, at least four other conspirators were involved in the chaos. On April 26, 1865, Booth was slain after being wounded and apprehended while hiding in a barn in Bowling Green, Virginia. Powell, George Atzerodt, David Herold, and Mary Surratt were executed on July 7, 1865, and their bodies were hung from the Old Penitentiary’s gallows, which is now the location of Fort McNair.
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln harmed the connection between the north and the south, which increased the north’s hatred toward the south. His passing provided the Radical Republicans with further freedom to carry out their plan to punish the south. And it put Andrew Johnson in charge, who wanted to punish the south and had a very poor relationship with the Congressmen. This put Johnson in charge of the government.
That’s all we know about the impact of Abraham Lincoln’s on the civil war. If there will be anything new, we will surely add to this post. Till then, keep a check on our website, serveupdate.com.
