Booth's Mental health

[Rick Smith]

(05-21-2015 04:45 PM)Gene C Wrote:  Bill, I'm going to disagree with you regarding your post #49, but acknowlege you're better at stating your points more clearly than I am.

First, while many of us admire and respect Lincoln, your use of the term "hero worship" is an exageration.

Second, this was a crime, and committed during a period of war. Just because Lincoln was Commander in Chief does not exclude Booth's actions from being a crime. Booth had no military documentation (as the supposed documents Kirpatrick-Dahlgren people carried) explaining, justifying, or authoriizing his actions as a military operation. As far as I know, no one in the Confederate Gov't ever claimed he did have their approval and authority to act as he did, and I don't recall if ever Booth claimed he did have their approval.

Third, Lincoln was not a legitimate military target. He was not on a battlefield involved in the specific and direct management of a military engagement. Grant would be a military target. Lincoln was a political target. Had he been on the battlefield directing the armies in combat with the enemy, he would become a military target. As such, his death did not determine the outcome of an individual military engagement. The decision regarding the continuation of war was a political decison. And even if you disagree with me, the military actions of the war at this time would not change with Lincoln's death, so he can not be considered a legitimate military target. There was no military benefit in his death.

Fourth, I have serious doubts about the orders regarding the Kilpatrik-Dahlgren raid which subject has been discussed previously.
http://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussio...t=dahlgren

Fifth, had Lee escaped from Grant, I serously doubt Lee and Johnson could have defeated Sherman, they were out numbered and under equiped (but we will never know)

I'll stop here since those are the foundations of you comments, and I don't like long posts.
*** Disclaimer - Please recognize this discussion is purely an academic exercise, with no personal animosity or harsh feeling on my part. I respect your knowledge and opinions and enjoy learning from you.

What does the fact that Booth had no orders on his person have to do with the event? By the nature of the type of operation he was involved in, he would carry no orders.

It is naïve to think that Lincoln was not a target during a time of war. He was commander in chief of all Union forces; of course he was a target. This is one of the things that war is about. Lincoln's killing was an act of war during a time of war.

Lincoln talked a lot about death, his own death. You better believe he did, especially after the Dahlgren and Wistar raids, whose object was to eliminate Jefferson Davis.

After the failed raids, Lincoln knew they were coming for him.