In Manhunt, Swanson brings us on the 12 day journey to find Abraham Lincoln’s killer. Lincoln was shot and killed on April 14, 1865. The chase for his killer is said to be the greatest manhunt in American history. It all started when the South lost the Civil War. All of the Confederates down South were angry, but one man took his anger to a whole new level. That man is John Wilkes Booth. He was part of a well known family of actors who were very wealthy, but he threw it all away to avenge the South’s defeat. He lead Union cavalry and detectives own a chase through the streets of D.C, Maryland swamps and the woods of Virginia.
I enjoyed this book very much, as it brought forth an even more in depth explanation of Lincoln’s killing and manhunt. From start to finish, this book is full of shocking and thrilling moments. The book…show more content… Abraham Lincoln, along with his wife Mary were attending a production of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in D.C on the night of April 15, 1865. During the second act, John Wilkes Booth entered the box where the Lincoln’s were seated watching the play. Booth fired one shot to Lincoln’s head. The following morning, Lincoln died in a residence across the street from the theatre. Union cavalry were on the trail of Booth through Southern Maryland, until they cornered him in a barn. This barn was in a tobacco field located in Virginia, Booth was shot by a soldier and would die several hours later. Through his words and context throughout, Swanson brings us to realize just how close we were to facing an even greater tragedy. The war was over, Lincoln was dead, but people started to fear the end of democracy. Through these events, Swanson helps readers understand how this aftermath almost brought our country to an end. I also like very much how Swanson relies on primary-source documents and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, who was the manhunt’s
