Booth's visit to the Surratt Boarding House after the assassination

[JMadonna]

I'm a believer in the Starkey Theory. There was nothing in the South but devastation and Yankees. All the powerful friends of the South were in the North and he needed to get out of the country ASAP. Canada was the way to go. Stringfellow proved it the week before.

The purpose of Mary's visit to Surrattsville was to leave one more breadcrumb for the posse. From Atzerodt's map to giving his name to Cobb all were designed to lead the posse south. If Booth's horse didn't have the stamina to finish the run to the railway, he could always 'horsejack' a rider on the road OR end up in his hometown of Baltimore where he could hide among friends and catch either another train or a ship to Europe.

A MUCH better plan - the broken leg changed it all.