When was Abraham Lincoln assassinated?

Abraham Lincoln was shot on the evening of April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. He died the following morning, April 15, 1865, at 7:22 a.m. at the Petersen House across the street from the theatre. He was 56 years old and had been president for just over four years.

Where was Lincoln assassinated?

Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C., in the presidential box on the upper level of the theatre. He was attending a performance of 'Our American Cousin' with his wife Mary Todd Lincoln and two guests. He was carried across the street to the Petersen House, where he died the following morning.

Who were the Lincoln assassination conspirators?

The known conspirators included John Wilkes Booth (mastermind), John Surratt (Confederate spy, identified by Paul Mellen as the actual shooter), Mary Surratt (boarding house operator), Lewis Powell (attacked Secretary Seward), George Atzerodt (assigned to kill Vice President Johnson), David Herold (guided the escape), Samuel Arnold, and Michael O'Laughlen. Four were hanged in 1865. John Surratt was tried in 1867 but never convicted.

Why was Lincoln assassinated?

The immediate motive was Confederate rage at the Union's victory and Lincoln's policies. Booth and his co-conspirators hoped that killing Lincoln, Vice President Johnson, and Secretary of State Seward simultaneously would throw the Union government into chaos and give the Confederacy a chance to regroup. The attacks on Johnson and Seward failed. Lincoln's death succeeded — but the Confederacy collapsed anyway.

What is the official account of Lincoln's assassination?

The official account holds that John Wilkes Booth entered Lincoln's presidential box at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865, fired a single-shot derringer into the back of Lincoln's head, leapt to the stage, and escaped on horseback. He was reportedly killed twelve days later at the Garrett farm in Virginia. Paul Mellen's research challenges this account, arguing that John Surratt fired the fatal shot while Booth served as a decoy.

April 14, 1865

The Lincoln Assassination

The most consequential political murder in American history. The official account has stood for 160 years. Paul Mellen's research says it's wrong.

The Full Story

Lincoln Assassination Timeline

1864 — The Plot Begins

The Kidnapping Conspiracy

John Wilkes Booth began recruiting co-conspirators in the fall of 1864, initially planning to kidnap President Lincoln and hold him hostage in exchange for the release of Confederate prisoners of war. The group met regularly at Mary Surratt's boarding house in Washington D.C. Members included John Surratt (Confederate spy), Lewis Powell (former Confederate soldier), George Atzerodt (ferryman and Confederate agent), David Herold, Samuel Arnold, and Michael O'Laughlen. Several kidnapping attempts were planned and abandoned.

April 9, 1865 — The Plan Changes

Lee Surrenders — Booth Pivots to Murder

When General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, the kidnapping plan became moot. The Confederacy was collapsing. Booth, enraged and desperate, shifted the conspiracy from kidnapping to assassination. He coordinated simultaneous attacks on three targets: President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, Vice President Andrew Johnson at the Kirkwood House hotel, and Secretary of State William Seward at his home on Lafayette Square.

April 14, 1865 — The Day of the Assassination

Ford's Theatre, 10:15 p.m.

President Lincoln attended a performance of 'Our American Cousin' at Ford's Theatre with his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, Major Henry Rathbone, and Clara Harris. At approximately 10:15 p.m., a shot was fired in the presidential box. Lincoln slumped forward, mortally wounded by a bullet that entered the back of his head. The official account names John Wilkes Booth as the shooter. Paul Mellen's research names John Surratt. Lincoln was carried across the street to the Petersen House, where he died at 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865.

April 14–15, 1865 — The Other Attacks

Seward Attacked, Johnson Spared

While Lincoln was shot at Ford's Theatre, Lewis Powell forced his way into Secretary of State William Seward's home and attacked Seward with a knife, severely wounding him and injuring several others in the household. Seward survived. George Atzerodt, assigned to kill Vice President Johnson, lost his nerve and never made the attempt. The coordinated nature of the attacks — targeting the President, Vice President, and Secretary of State simultaneously — points to a sophisticated, well-funded conspiracy far beyond a small group of Confederate fanatics.

April 15 – April 26, 1865 — The Manhunt

The Largest Manhunt in American History

The U.S. government launched a massive manhunt involving thousands of soldiers, detectives, and informants. Most co-conspirators were quickly captured. The man believed to be John Wilkes Booth was cornered at the Garrett farm in Virginia on April 26 and shot dead. John Surratt — whom Paul Mellen identifies as the actual shooter — escaped entirely, fleeing to Canada, then England, then Rome, where he enlisted in the Papal Zouaves under a false name. He was not captured until November 1866, in Egypt.

1865–1867 — The Trials

Military Tribunal and Civilian Trial

Eight conspirators were tried by a military tribunal in 1865. Four were hanged: Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, David Herold, and George Atzerodt. Four were sentenced to prison. John Surratt was tried separately in a civilian court in 1867 — the only conspirator to receive a civilian trial. The jury deadlocked and he was never convicted. Paul Mellen argues the failure to convict Surratt was not accidental but the result of deliberate government interference.

The Accused

Lincoln Assassination Conspirators

John Wilkes Booth

Mastermind

Reportedly killed at Garrett's farm, April 26, 1865

John Surratt

Confederate spy — identified by Paul Mellen as the actual shooter

Escaped to Canada, England, Egypt. Tried 1867, never convicted. Died 1916.

Mary Surratt

Boarding house operator, logistics

Hanged July 7, 1865 — first woman executed by the U.S. federal government

Lewis Powell

Attacked Secretary of State Seward

Hanged July 7, 1865

George Atzerodt

Assigned to kill Vice President Johnson — lost his nerve

Hanged July 7, 1865

David Herold

Guided Booth's escape route

Hanged July 7, 1865

Common Questions

Lincoln Assassination — FAQ

The Official Account Is Wrong

Paul Mellen spent years in the archives of three countries assembling the evidence that challenges 160 years of official history. His fully illustrated book names the real shooter, traces the cover-up, and follows the evidence trail from Ford's Theatre to the pyramids of Egypt.

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