Escape speculations

[SSlater]

We have a hard time trying to make our minds work the same way that Booth's worked. We create a hundred ways he could have done it better. (not that we want to shoot Lincoln). He had an escape route, plenty of help from those who thought as he did, and a leg in small pieces. None of this was important to Booth. He WANTED people see him do it. He WANTED people see him prance across the stage - yelling political slogans. He WANTED to take a bow, and exit "stage-right", to the cheers of an appreciative audience. UGH! Later he wrote in his diary -that he didn't understand why the world didn't adore him for what he did. I think he expected to be asked to come back to Washington, for a formal parade down Pennsylvania Ave. on top of a fire truck. He was sick.

I wonder how many of the Policemen, and the Army and the Navy personnel, who looked for him, were doing the best job possible.
Did you know that Gideon Welles issued an order to the Navy, to stay out of the chase, that it was the Army's job to catch him?