The Darkest Dawn: Lincoln, Booth, and the Great American TragedyThe story of the Lincoln assassination and its aftermath, captured with you-are-there immediacy. It was one of the most tragic events in American history: The famous president, beloved by many, reviled by some, murdered while viewing a play at Ford’s Theater in Washington. The frantic search for the perpetrators. The nation in mourning. The solemn funeral train. The conspirators brought to justice. Coming just days after the surrender of the Confederate Army at Appomattox, the assassination of Abraham Lincoln has become etched in the national consciousness like few other events. The president who had steered the nation through its bloodiest crisis was cut down before the end, just as it appeared that the bloodshed was over. The story has been told many times, but rarely with the immediacy of The Darkest Dawn. Thomas Goodrich brings to his narrative the care of the historian and the flair of the fiction writer. The result is a gripping account, filled with detail and as fresh as today’s news. “Among the hundreds of books published about the assassination of our 16th president, this is an exceptional volume.” —Frank J. Williams, founding Chair of The Lincoln Forum |
Contents
| 3 | |
| 9 | |
| 13 | |
| 17 | |
| 23 | |
The President and the Player | 31 |
Sic Semper Tyrannis | 39 |
Towards an Indefinite Shore | 45 |
The Wrath of God and Man | 173 |
The Curse of Cain | 179 |
The Midweek Sabbath | 187 |
Oh Abraham Lincoln | 195 |
The Fox and the Hounds | 201 |
Blade of Fate | 209 |
The Bad Hand | 217 |
The Hate of Hate | 225 |
The Clown and the Sphinx | 51 |
One Bold Man | 57 |
A Night to Remember | 83 |
Terror on Lafayette Park | 91 |
The Last Bullet | 95 |
Murder in the Streets | 105 |
A Spirit So Horrible | 113 |
The Darkest Dawn | 117 |
Hemp and Hell | 129 |
This Sobbing Day | 141 |
Black Easter | 151 |
A Double Disaster | 157 |
In Dungeons Dreadful | 167 |
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The Darkest Dawn: Lincoln, Booth, and the Great American Tragedy Thomas Goodrich Limited preview - 2005 |
Common terms and phrases
Abraham Lincoln actor American Myth Andrew Johnson April 17 April 24 army arrested Assassination of Abraham Assassination of President Atzerodt Baker blood body Boston Corbett Boston Daily Advertiser Bryan Chicago Tribune Clara Harris Confederate crowd D.C. in Lincoln's David Herold Day Dixie Died dead door editor Edwin Stanton eyes Eyewitness Account face federal finally Ford's Theater archive funeral hand heard Historical Library Historical Society Ibid Illinois State Historical James John Wilkes Booth Journal Julia killed Kunhardt and Kunhardt Laura Keene letter Library of Congress Lincoln's Assassination Lincoln's death looked Mary Lincoln Mary Surratt mourning night Philadelphia President Lincoln president's prison Rathbone rebel Reck Rhodehamel and Taper Roscoe screaming secretary seemed Seward shot shouted soldiers soon Southern Springfield stood streets terrible thousands Twenty Days University Press Washington Evening Star watched Weichmann White House William witness woman words wrote York young
Popular passages
Page 5 - Both parties deprecated war, but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish, and the war came.
Page 5 - At this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential office, there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement, somewhat in detail, of a course to be pursued, seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest...
Page 5 - Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation, little that is new could be presented. - "The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends, is as well known to the public as to myself ; and it is, I trust, reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to alL With high hope for the future, no prediction in regard to...