Booth's Escape Route

[J. Beckert]

I see your reasoning, Rob, but it doesn't jive with the events. If Powell was killing innocent Yankees as Lt. Calley did to the Viet's, you'd have a point. Just because Gen. Lee surrendered the Army Of Northern Virginia, doesn't mean it was over. Lincoln himself said on April 14th., that he considered this the day the war came to a close. It was close to over, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. The Nazi's were following orders, but they were orders from a madman and against humanity, not the enemy. You're right there - they did have no defense. An order can be disobeyed if you believe it to be an illegal order. (I have my disciplinary hearing transcripts to prove it).

Deadly force is the last resort, but in this scenario, I believe Powell considered himself to be acting as a soldier, carrying out an order to use deadly force, as he later stated.

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Also, do you think Booth and his gang would be viewed differently if they were pro-Union, and had committed their acts against Jefferson Davis and company instead?

Booth never did anything more than wear a borrowed uniform he didn't earn the right to wear and play soldier for a few days. I feel Booth and Powell's actions are apples and oranges. Booth most likely hatched this plan on his own. Even if he was recognized as a CSA operative, I can't see how he got orders to carry this out. He had no authority to act. Powell stated he was a soldier following orders, which he had to have felt were coming from Booth through the CSA leaders. A mistake on his part that cost him his life.