President Abraham Lincoln was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth during a performance at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. This tragic event marked the first presidential assassination in American history and occurred just days after the Civil War's end.

The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln stands as one of the most pivotal moments in American history. On the evening of April 14, 1865, just days after the Civil War's end, Lincoln attended a performance at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. What should have been a night of celebration turned into a national tragedy.

John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer, forever changed the course of American history when he entered the President's theater box that fateful night. The assassination wasn't just an attack on Lincoln - it was an assault on the nation's hopes for a peaceful reconciliation after four years of brutal civil war. This tragic event marked the first time a U.S. president had been assassinated, sending shockwaves through a country that was still grappling with its newfound peace.

President Abraham Lincoln's final day marked a pivotal moment in American history, leading to the first presidential assassination in the United States.

President Lincoln started April 14, 1865, with his regular morning routine, beginning at 8:00 AM with breakfast alongside his son Robert. He attended a cabinet meeting at 11:00 AM, discussing post-war reconstruction plans with his advisors. The afternoon included:

• Meeting with former Union spy Richard Montgomery at 3:00 PM

• Signing pardons for several Confederate soldiers

• Taking an afternoon carriage ride with Mary Todd Lincoln

• Dining with his family at 5:00 PM

• The presidential party sat in a private box above stage left

• John Parker, Lincoln's assigned guard, left his post during intermission

• At 10:15 PM, John Wilkes Booth entered the private box

• Booth shot Lincoln with a single-shot derringer pistol

• Major Henry Rathbone attempted to apprehend Booth but was stabbed

• Booth leaped from the box onto the stage, shouting "Sic semper tyrannis"

Time	Event
8:15 PM	Lincolns arrive at theatre
10:15 PM	Booth enters presidential box
10:20 PM	Shot fired at President Lincoln
10:30 PM	Doctors begin emergency treatment

John Wilkes Booth orchestrated a complex conspiracy to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln as part of a broader plan to destabilize the federal government. The plot involved multiple co-conspirators targeting key government officials on the same night.

The assassination conspiracy emerged from a group of Confederate sympathizers led by John Wilkes Booth. The original plan included simultaneous attacks on Vice President Andrew Johnson, Secretary of State William Seward, and President Lincoln on April 14, 1865. Co-conspirators included:

• Lewis Powell - Assigned to kill Secretary Seward

• George Atzerodt - Tasked with assassinating Vice President Johnson

• David Herold - Designated to guide Powell to escape routes

• Mary Surratt - Provided lodging for conspirators at her boarding house

• Samuel Mudd - Offered medical assistance to Booth during his escape

• Stage 1: Exit Ford's Theatre through the back door to a waiting horse

• Stage 2: Cross the Navy Yard Bridge into Maryland

• Stage 3: Collect supplies at Mary Surratt's tavern in Surrattsville

• Stage 4: Meet with Confederate agents along predetermined safe houses

• Stage 5: Cross the Potomac River into Virginia

Escape Timeline	Location	Distance from Ford's Theatre
April 14, 10:30 PM	Ford's Theatre	0 miles
April 15, 4:00 AM	Surrattsville	12 miles
April 16	Port Conway, VA	60 miles
April 26	Garrett's Farm	90 miles

At 10:15 PM on April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth entered the presidential box at Ford's Theatre and shot Abraham Lincoln in the back of the head with a single-shot derringer pistol. The bullet entered Lincoln's skull behind his left ear, traveled through his brain, and lodged behind his right eye.

Dr. Charles Leale, a 23-year-old army surgeon, reached Lincoln within minutes of the shooting. He discovered the president slumped in his chair, paralyzed and struggling to breathe. Doctors Charles Taft and Albert King joined the medical team, moving Lincoln to the Petersen House across the street from Ford's Theatre at 10:45 PM. The physicians:

• Removed blood clots from the wound
• Administered brandy and water to prevent dehydration
• Applied mustard plasters to his feet and legs
• Performed periodic physical examinations to monitor vital signs

Lincoln remained in a coma at the Petersen House while more than 50 people visited throughout the night, including:

• Cabinet members Edwin Stanton and Gideon Welles
• Vice President Andrew Johnson
• Surgeon General Joseph Barnes
• First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln

The president's condition deteriorated steadily:

Time	Medical Observation
11:00 PM	Right eye swollen shut
1:00 AM	Right side completely paralyzed
3:00 AM	Breathing became more labored
6:00 AM	Vital signs weakened significantly
7:22 AM	Pronounced dead

Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, who maintained a vigil at Lincoln's bedside, famously declared, "Now he belongs to the ages" upon the president's death.

President Abraham Lincoln's assassination at Ford's Theatre led to a vigil through the night of April 14, 1865, as doctors worked to save his life at the Petersen House in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Robert King Stone, Lincoln's personal physician, pronounced the President dead at 7:22 AM on April 15, 1865. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton documented the exact moment while standing at Lincoln's deathbed, uttering the famous words "Now he belongs to the ages." The official cause of death was recorded as a gunshot wound to the head that caused severe brain hemorrhaging.

Death Details	Information
Date	April 15, 1865
Time	7:22 AM
Location	Petersen House
Cause	Gunshot wound
Attending Physician	Dr. Robert King Stone

The news of Lincoln's death sparked unprecedented national mourning across the United States. Key responses included:

• Telegraph offices transmitted the news nationwide within 2 hours

• Federal offices closed immediately for a 14-day period

• Churches held memorial services in 54 major cities

• Businesses displayed black crepe decorations on storefronts

• Citizens gathered in public squares in 32 states for vigils

• Washington D.C. (April 19)

• Baltimore (April 21)

• Philadelphia (April 22-23)

• New York City (April 24-25)

• Chicago (May 1-2)

• Springfield (May 4)

The federal government launched an extensive manhunt for John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators immediately after Lincoln's assassination. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton coordinated the largest manhunt in U.S. history, deploying over 1,000 Union soldiers to track down the assassins.

The 12-day pursuit of John Wilkes Booth ended on April 26, 1865, at Garrett's Farm in Virginia. Union soldiers from the 16th New York Cavalry Regiment surrounded the barn where Booth was hiding with accomplice David Herold. Herold surrendered, but Booth refused to come out. Sergeant Boston Corbett shot Booth through a gap in the barn's wooden wall, hitting him in the neck. Booth died on the farm's porch at 7:15 AM, roughly three hours after being shot.

Military authorities arrested eight conspirators by May 1865: David Herold, Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt, Mary Surratt, Samuel Arnold, Michael O'Laughlen, Edman Spangler, and Samuel Mudd. A military tribunal tried the conspirators from May 9 to June 30, 1865. The tribunal found all eight defendants guilty on June 30, 1865.

Conspirator	Verdict	Sentence	Date of Execution
Mary Surratt	Guilty	Death	July 7, 1865
Lewis Powell	Guilty	Death	July 7, 1865
David Herold	Guilty	Death	July 7, 1865
George Atzerodt	Guilty	Death	July 7, 1865
Samuel Mudd	Guilty	Life imprisonment	Pardoned in 1869
Samuel Arnold	Guilty	Life imprisonment	Pardoned in 1869
Michael O'Laughlen	Guilty	Life imprisonment	Died in prison 1867
Edman Spangler	Guilty	6 years imprisonment	Pardoned in 1869

Lincoln's assassination profoundly altered the course of American Reconstruction. His death elevated Andrew Johnson to the presidency, leading to significant changes in post-Civil War policies. Johnson's lenient approach toward the South contrasted sharply with the Republican-controlled Congress's stricter reconstruction plans, resulting in increased political tensions.

The murder transformed Lincoln into a martyr for national unity. His assassination occurred on Good Friday, prompting religious leaders to draw parallels between Lincoln's sacrifice for the nation and Christian teachings. This symbolism strengthened his legacy as a champion of freedom and democracy.

• Congress passed three Constitutional Amendments (13th, 14th, 15th) addressing civil rights
• Southern states faced stricter readmission requirements to the Union
• Military occupation of the South intensified under Congressional Reconstruction
• Radical Republicans gained more control over Reconstruction policies

• Public mourning ceremonies united Northern and Western states
• African Americans lost their strongest advocate in the White House
• Confederate surrender celebrations turned to widespread grief
• Ford's Theatre closed permanently as a performance venue

Impact Category	Immediate Effect	Long-term Result
Political	Presidential succession crisis	Strengthened federal authority
Social	National period of mourning	Enhanced Lincoln's historical status
Economic	Stock market disruption	Increased Northern business influence
Military	Heightened security measures	Creation of presidential protection protocols

The assassination's influence extended beyond American borders. European nations that supported the Confederacy faced increased scrutiny, while those backing the Union strengthened their diplomatic ties. International newspapers portrayed Lincoln as a democratic hero, solidifying America's emerging role as a symbol of republican government.

• Lincoln Memorial dedicated in 1922
• Over 15,000 books published about Lincoln's life and death
• Ford's Theatre preserved as a national historic site
• Presidential protection protocols established
• Annual commemorations at assassination sites

• Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., just days after the Civil War ended
• John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at 10:15 PM while the president watched a play from his private theater box
• Lincoln was pronounced dead at 7:22 AM on April 15, 1865, at the Petersen House after doctors fought to save his life
• Booth was part of a larger conspiracy targeting multiple government officials, though only the attack on Lincoln was successful
• The assassination sparked the largest manhunt in U.S. history, ending with Booth's death on April 26, 1865
• Lincoln's death significantly impacted Reconstruction policies and transformed him into a martyr figure for national unity

Abraham Lincoln's assassination on April 14 1865 stands as one of American history's most defining moments. The tragic event at Ford's Theatre changed the nation's trajectory during the crucial post-Civil War period.

The death of America's 16th president didn't just end a great leader's life - it reshaped the country's approach to Reconstruction and left an indelible mark on U.S. history. Today Lincoln's legacy endures through numerous memorials while his assassination continues to serve as a powerful reminder of the price of democracy and the impact one moment can have on a nation's future.