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1-Page Summary of Manhunt
Overall Summary
James Swanson’s book, Manhunt, provides a detailed account of the events that took place between April 14th and 26th, 1865. The author follows John Wilkes Booth as he plots to assassinate Abraham Lincoln and then turns his attention to the twelve-day chase for Booth. He also provides a thorough background on all of the people involved in the crime and manhunt.
The story begins with Booth’s background. He was born in 1838 to a well-known theater family. His father and mother were proud Confederates who despised the idea of abolishing slavery and eventually hated Abraham Lincoln for his role in the Civil War. In addition, Booth had a great deal of pride for killing Lincoln but ultimately regretted it because he didn’t like that people would hate him for doing so. The premeditation involved casts doubt on whether Booth truly regretted his actions or not, despite changing opinions throughout the narrative.
The events surrounding Lincoln’s assassination are quite interesting. Booth had planned to kill the Union leadership (the President and General Grant) in one blow, thus plunging the government into chaos and giving the Confederate army time to regroup for retaliation. However, Grant left town that evening (with his wife), so he wasn’t at Ford’s Theatre when Lincoln was shot. Additionally, Booth knew Ford personally since they were both involved with theatre performances before this incident occurred.
Immediately after Lincoln’s assassination, Booth fled to the Maryland countryside. He was able to elude capture because of a lack of communication and transportation in that region. His Confederate loyalty also helped him gain sympathy from people who were willing to hide him. Federal officials searched for Booth throughout the rural areas and swamps where he was rumored to be hiding, but they had trouble tracking him down due to a lack of technology at that time. The manhunt gained national attention as mourners expressed their overwhelming grief over Lincoln’s death by attending his funeral and viewing his body in Washington D.C.. However, while most Americans shared this emotion, there were some who did not share it; many Southerners still hated Lincoln even after he died, and viewed Booth as a hero for killing him.
Despite his heroic actions, Booth struggled to accept the fact that he was a villain in many people’s eyes. He lacked influential supporters and instead of becoming a national hero, he became an outcast. The author includes excerpts from Booth’s diary in which he expresses his despair: “I am here in despair,” Booth writes. “And why? For doing what Brutus was honored for and what made Tell a Hero.” Yet despite this despondency, Booth still remained steadfast with his belief that killing Lincoln was the right thing to do because it freed the slaves from tyranny.
The author does a great job of exposing the audience to Booth’s mind and thoughts. He conveys that Booth felt like he was doing what was best for his country, not because it was wrong or evil, but because he didn’t want people to see him as a bad person.
