Something about John Wilkes Booth you may not know...

[J. Beckert]

It's funny how people can study this event for years and have vastly different opinions on the people involved.

We've been through this before Rob and I respect your opinion, but I'm still not buying the coward angle on Booth. Had he shot Lincoln in his carriage as he arrived at the theater and ran, I'd agree with you. He had no way of knowing what obstacles would be in his way between 10th. St. and Baptist Alley. Guards, armed soldiers, etc. He moved ahead anyway and I think he fully expected to be challenged. While shooting an unarmed man in the back of the head isn't especially brave, I believe to Booth it was a political hit to be accomplished anyway possible. His violent attack on Rathbone also shows he was no coward. This assassination story could have ended very differently if the element of surprise wasn't in Booth's favor and I think he was prepared to fight his way out of that theater in a very violent manner to assure his freedom. He tried to stab Withers and assaulted Peanut John, too. A coward runs away from danger. A person with courage moves toward the danger, oblivious to their own well being.