Friday April 14 1865 page 3

Friday April 14 1865 page 3 by ric Gustafson


John Wilkes Booth was in the theatre's office working on a bundle of letters.
Just then, stage carpenter James J Gifford came in with some exciting news.
Booth listens as he is told that the Lincoln's were attending the play that evening. He grins as Gifford walks away. He knew that tonight had to be the night and that this theatre had to be the place.
As the cast and crew were preparing for the night's performance, Booth was looking for the best path to Lincoln's state box. He also looked around for the perfect escape route from the theatre.
As Booth was doing this, the cast and crew thought nothing of it. They knew that Booth had eccentricities and that he was just acting normal.
It was now 11:00 am and General Grant was walking to the White House for a cabinet meeting. He had just received an invitation to attend a play at Ford's Theatre with the Lincoln's. The meeting was in the office of Secretary of State William Seward who was recovering from a carriage accident. At the meeting, his son Frederick was representing him. Lincoln guided the meeting with no notes as was his habit. Lincoln was interested in Grant's details of the Appomattox surrender. Then a messenger arrives with a message for Grant. He is to get his wife and catch a train at 6:00 pm for Burlington New Jersey. He tells the President that he cannot attend the theatre this evening.
It was now 1:30 pm.


research help: ' Lincoln's Last Days' by Bill O'Reilly and Dwight Zimmerman


Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric