Life, Crime and Capture of John Wilkes Booth

[Eva Elisabeth]

hard copies will eventually go by the wayside like AM radios and black and white television sets.

I hope this prediction never comes true!

Smart here - and Mr. Gutenberg would turn over in his grave. I cannot learn from screens. I don't think books will vanish (and vinyl won't either).

[Gene C]

Although I am a geek and yes, I DO read digital books, I'm old fashioned and prefer the feel, look and even the smell of a real old fashioned printed book! To me, nothing can take the place of it!

Just for you.
http://nymag.com/thecut/2015/03/now-you-...book.html#

[Gene C]

As we review this book together please keep in mind the authors comments on page iv,

"... if they represent nothing else, they do carry with them the fever and spirit of the times. But they do not assume to be a literal history: "


What did YOU find in the first chapter that was interesting?

[Eva Elisabeth]

As for the question of JWB's possible disappointment of Johnson's whereabouts - why do you personally think did he check on the Vice? I go with those (Art Loux e.g.) who think he wanted to draw suspicion on him. So I think his absence suited him right well as he could leave this quite intimately sounding card. What would he have done if Johnson had been there? Johnson was not a theater enthusiast, was he? (I'll have to check Tom's book on this...) Also - if Johnson's absence did suit Booth well, did he possibly know thereof?

[Wild Bill]

We need to remember that Booth and Johnson were running women in Nashville according to Hamilton Gay Howard, Civil War Echoes, so they may have been more friendly than history assumes. Booth had a pass through Union Lines from one of Grant's AAAG's for the Western Theater. Maybe he wanted the same from Johnson, just in case, for the Eastern Theater, to get by the Navy Yard Bridge, beyond the password that Mrs Surratt had picked up for him. Johnson was easier to find than another of Grant's AAAG's (Acting Assistant Adjutant General--a fancy title for a military clerk)

[L Verge]

It was interesting that GATH's narrative suggests that Booth wanted to get inside Johnson's room to "case the joint." That would be a logical thing to do since the VP had a suite of rooms inside his "apartment" there. Although I read this book over forty years ago, I don't remember the reference to Johnson actually replying to Booth's "are you at home" note - basically saying, "Yes, but too busy to see you."

Before I go further, I hope that most of you saw the small footnote near the end of Chapter 1 that credits a Jerome B. Stillson as having gathered the details of the assassination, while Townsend placed them in sequence. Would love to know who Stillson was.

In typical GATH fashion, he has Booth dressed to the nines for his venture into history instead of the more modest attire that the assassin did choose - an outfit dark in color to fit into the dark night, a routine slouch hat, blue shirt similar to what any modest man might wear, a good traveling suit. I also picked up a wonderful description of the comedic lines from Our American Cousin that I intend to use at some appropriate time when I'm disgusted with ridiculous banter -- "vivacious stupidities." I know some people who have vivacious stupidities spilling out of their mouths all the time!

Townsend's rendition of Booth's entry into the passageway and then the Presidential Box is certainly fanciful enough. I especially enjoyed the note that Booth claimed to be a senator when stopped by "Lincoln's servant," whom we can assume would be Charles Forbes. Rathbone even has a few words for him before the attack. GATH also gives credence to Laura Keene's claim to having entered the Presidential Box and administered TLC and First Aid to Mr. Lincoln while the doctors stood around and let her. Her dress even tells them where to find the invisible wound. The narrative credits "stairs in the rear" of the Presidential Box having been the route she took.

Were there really eight chairs in the Petersen bedroom before the dying President arrived? I would have a hard time fitting eight side chairs in my bedroom today, and I have a pretty large bedroom. Townsend also puts Tad at Petersen's when he mentions Mrs. Lincoln and her sons. I counted the officials that are listed as being present at the moment of death and got 26.

This reading is a great mental exercise. Critiquing Townsend's writing also reminds me of grading eighth-grade essays, especially those written by students who did not do their homework and decided to dazzle me with their fancy language instead of their logical history knowledge -- the same kind of writing that I did in the eighth grade, except my history teacher was too smart to fall for it. That teacher is the one whom I emulated during my teaching career.

[Gene C]

Interesting point Wild Bill. How comfortable are you with the accuracy of Hamilton Gay Howard's statement? I know nothing about him or his writings. I have a difficult time picturing Johnson and Booth on friendly terms with their different political views and social backgrounds.

Laurie, I also found interesting the comment that Johnson wrote back to Booth's note; and Townsend's rendition of Booth's entry to the President's Box, especially that Booth entered it twice. (p7-8) Townsend also has Spangler holding Booth's horse (bottom of p9)

His comments at the end of the first chapter are telling regarding the public situation at the time, "The pursuit of the assassins has commenced: the town is full of wild and baseless rumors; much that is said is stirring, little is reliable. I tell it to you as I get it, but fancy is more prolific than truth: be patient!"

[Wild Bill]

All I can say is the a look at the two chapters I wrote on this in Last Confederate Heroes. They are not meeting as men interested in politics. they are interested in bedding two sisters and Johnson needs Booth's help for that task, a perfect use of the fabled Boothian talents with women.

GATH writes in purple prose and fills in the gaps with truths or suppositions, typical of the time. I have been accused of the same, Kindred spirits?

[RJNorton]

Were there really eight chairs in the Petersen bedroom before the dying President arrived? I would have a hard time fitting eight side chairs in my bedroom today, and I have a pretty large bedroom.

The way GATH describes the size of the room (fifteen feet square) reminds of the size of Eli Gold's current office on the Good Wife show.

I agree that GATH's mention that Johnson responded to the note is not what I have normally read. Johnson and William Browning, his secretary, had separate boxes at the Kirkwood House. Browning's was #67, and Johnson's was #68. Thus, it's conceivable a note intended for one could have mistakenly been put in the other's box.

Bill mentioned passes. That made me think of Jerry Madonna's book. Jerry says that Booth went to the Kirkwood House to see Atzerodt, not Johnson. Atzerodt (according to Jerry's theory) was supposed to ask Johnson for travel passes; if Jerry's thinking is correct, the government covered up the fact that Booth and Herold both obtained passes signed by Johnson. In return and as a "thank you" Booth sent Ella Starr to spend the night of the 14th with Johnson at the Kirkwood House.

[Eva Elisabeth]

We need to remember that Booth and Johnson were running women in Nashville according to Hamilton Gay Howard, Civil War Echoes, so they may have been more friendly than history assumes. Booth had a pass through Union Lines from one of Grant's AAAG's for the Western Theater. Maybe he wanted the same from Johnson, just in case, for the Eastern Theater, to get by the Navy Yard Bridge, beyond the password that Mrs Surratt had picked up for him. Johnson was easier to find than another of Grant's AAAG's (Acting Assistant Adjutant General--a fancy title for a military clerk)

Thanks Bill, yes, I remember. Interesting story and subsequent idea. Just why at last minute? For how long were such passes valid?

[Wild Bill]

In my opinion Booth and the whole Confederate war movement, in the field and behind the lines, with some exceptions like the Lee and Jackson combo, was "last minute." For their efforts, it is fashionable to say L and J caused too many casualties that the South could not afford.

Passes could be for a certain time or open in validity, depending on the issuing officer. They were often given out without much mind as to who was really getting them. Booth got the one from Grant's AAAG after he sympathized with him for family war losses. He did not ask for it, it was just rendered as a "thank you." I do not think it was time limited.

Roger is correct about Jerry Madonna's book and passes, which caused a lot of discussion some years back in another forum.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Thanks, Bill! (Another book to add to the wishlist...)

[Gene C]

Wild Bill, in post #20 mentions the book Civil War Echoes. It can be found in the Internet Archives
https://archive.org/stream/civilwarechoe...6/mode/1up

The comment Bill refers to is on page 84. The author has some impressive credentials, however many of the statements made by the author in this second chapter seem to me to be very questionable. (ex. Col Jacokes peace negotiations with Jefferson Davis, and train ride and conversation with Mary Surratt p85-91)

[RJNorton]

I noticed that GATH wrote: "The assassin was too fleet and too desperate, that fury incarnate, meeting Mr. Withers, the leader of the orchestra, just behind the scenes, had stricken him aside with a blow that fortunately was not a wound."

If memory serves me I think GATH got this right. As I recall Withers, over the years, made extravagant but false claims about the seriousness of the wound.

[Wild Bill]

I give you the same answer I gave Sally under the assassination thread. I found it interesting and it fit my story line. Johnson's wife had been won out in child-bearing and was North of Tennessee during much Johnson's governorship. And Booth had that reputation as a womanizer. I believe that I state in my introduction to Last Confederate Heroes that it is admittedly an historical novel and one is free to agree or disagree with my story line. But there is a lot more history to it than fiction. Even I cannot always remember which is which. I like to think this is because I wove it all together so skillfully but it probably indicates a weak mind on my part. Asi es la vida.