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[[Image:Our American Cousin.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Playbill for ''Our American Cousin'' at Ford's Theater, April 14, 1865]]  

[[Image:Our American Cousin.jpg|left|150px|thumb|Playbill for ''Our American Cousin'' at Ford's Theater, April 14, 1865]]  

[[Image:L keene.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Actress Laura Keene]]  

[[Image:L keene.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Actress Laura Keene]]  

On Friday, April 14, Booth learned that the president, his wife, and guests General Ulysses S. Grant and wife Julia would be attending the performance of Our American Cousin, a comedy starring Laura Keene and Harry Hawke.  Giving his men their orders, Powell was to kill Secretary of State William H. Seward at his home, and Atzerodt was to kill Vice-President Andrew Johnson in his hotel room; Booth wanted the glory of killing Lincoln himself.

On Friday, April 14, Booth learned that the president, his wife, and guests General [[Ulysses S. Grant]] and wife Julia would be attending the performance of [[Our American Cousin]].  Giving his men their orders, Powell was to kill Secretary of State [[William H. Seward]] at his home, and Atzerodt was to kill Vice-President [[Andrew Johnson]] in his hotel room; Booth wanted the glory of killing Lincoln himself.

Lincoln failed to get the Grant’s to the theater; they declined his invitation.  Lincoln then went to Stanton, asking for Major Thomas Eckert, a burly man who could provide a reasonable amount of protection in a fight, but he declined as well, citing work which needed to be done.  Finally, Lincoln invited a young couple engaged to be married, Major Henry R. Rathbone and Clara Harris, the daughter of a New York senator.

Lincoln failed to get the Grants to the theater; they declined his invitation.  Lincoln then went to Stanton, asking for Major [[Thomas Eckert]], a burly man who could provide a reasonable amount of protection in a fight, but he declined as well, citing work which needed to be done.  Finally, Lincoln invited a young couple engaged to be married, Major Henry R. Rathbone and Clara Harris, the daughter of a [[New York]] senator.

Ford’s Theater that night was holding a performance of ''Our American Cousin'', a comedy starring Laura Keene as a British dowager who believes that a visiting country bumpkin (played by Harry Hawk) is a millionaire.  Good Friday was usually a slow night for the theater, but the cast, excited that they would entertain the president, prepared to entertain a full house (TL 26, pg. 73).  The play was already in progress when the president arrived, and stopped when Lincoln was seen; the performers and audience rose and gave a standing ovation while the orchestra played “Hail to the Chief”.  Inside their box, decorated that night with flags by the son of the theater’s owner, they were seated.  Lincoln in a rocking chair on the far left, Mary in a chair next to him, and Major Rathbone and his fiancée on a small sofa to their right.  Guarding the box was to have been John F. Parker, a White House bodyguard and member of the Metropolitan Police.  Although there when the Lincolns arrived, he soon left his post, apparently intending to find a better seat to observe the play.  Parker’s act of dereliction of duty, added to a record of similar occurrences as well as drunkenness on duty, would prove beneficial to Booth.

Ford’s Theater that night was holding a performance of ''Our American Cousin'', a comedy starring [[Laura Keene]] as a British dowager who believes that a visiting country bumpkin (played by [[Harry Hawk]]) is a millionaire.  Good Friday was usually a slow night for the theater, but the cast, excited that they would entertain the president, prepared to entertain a full house (TL 26, pg. 73).  The play was already in progress when the president arrived, and stopped when Lincoln was seen; the performers and audience rose and gave a standing ovation while the orchestra played “[[Hail to the Chief]]”.  Inside their box, decorated that night with flags by the son of the theater’s owner, they were seated.  Lincoln in a [[rocking chair]] on the far left, Mary in a chair next to him, and Major Rathbone and his fiancée on a small sofa to their right.  Guarding the box was to have been John F. Parker, a White House bodyguard and member of the Metropolitan Police.  Although there when the Lincolns arrived, he soon left his post, apparently intending to find a better seat to observe the play.  Parker’s act of dereliction of duty, added to a record of similar occurrences as well as drunkenness on duty, would prove beneficial to Booth.

After a few drinks at Taltavul’s Star Saloon, Booth entered Ford’s Theater from the front and walked up the stairs behind the dress circle towards the president’s box.  Entering the first door, he slipped a wooden beam (which he had brought and hidden earlier in the day) under the door knob to prevent it from being opened, crept to the second door, and peered through a small hole, looking at the back of the chair Lincoln was sitting in.  He then opened it, and pulled out a single-shot Derringer pistol and a large dagger.

After a few drinks at Taltavul’s Star Saloon, Booth entered Ford’s Theater from the front and walked up the stairs behind the dress circle towards the president’s box.  Entering the first door, he slipped a wooden beam (which he had brought and hidden earlier in the day) under the door knob to prevent it from being opened, crept to the second door, and peered through a small hole, looking at the back of the chair Lincoln was sitting in.  He then opened it, and pulled out a single-shot Derringer pistol and a large dagger.

While the audience reeled with laughter, a gunshot was heard in the box.  Then the audience looked up to see a young man leap out and land awkwardly on the stage, brandishing a knife, and shouting to the audience ''“Sic semper tyrannis!”'' before escaping across the stage.  Major Rathbone, his left arm bloodied from the dagger, leaned out of the box yelling “Stop that man!” to no avail.  Booth would exit the back of the building, mount his horse, and escape out of the city.

While the audience reeled with laughter, a gunshot was heard in the box.  Then the audience looked up to see a young man leap out and land awkwardly on the stage, brandishing a knife, and shouting to the audience ''“Sic semper tyrannis!”'' before escaping across the stage.  Major Rathbone, his left arm bloodied from the dagger, leaned out of the box yelling “Stop that man!” to no avail.  Booth would exit the back of the building, mount his horse, and escape out of the city.

[[Image:Fords Theater box.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The President's Box]]

[[Image:Fords Theater box.jpg|right|200px|thumb|The President's Box]]

Inside it was pandemonium.  Mary Lincoln had been screaming.  Charles A. Leale, a 23 year-old surgeon who was employed by the Army hospital and familiar with gunshot wounds, was in the audience that night and was the first doctor on the scene.  Running his hands through Lincoln’s hair, he discovered a half-inch hole in the back of his head, whereby Leale pushed his little finger in and removed a clot, relieving pressure on the brain.  Together with the assistance of another doctor, Charles S. Taft, they managed to get the president breathing on his own, but it was already obvious to them that the wound was fatal.

Inside it was pandemonium.  Mary Lincoln had been screaming.  Charles A. Leale, a 23 year-old surgeon who was employed by the [[Army]] hospital and familiar with gunshot wounds, was in the audience that night and was the first doctor on the scene.  Running his hands through Lincoln’s hair, he discovered a half-inch hole in the back of his head, whereby Leale pushed his little finger in and removed a clot, relieving pressure on the brain.  Together with the assistance of another doctor, Charles S. Taft, they managed to get the president breathing on his own, but it was already obvious to them that the wound was fatal.

The entourage carrying the mortally wounded President proceeded slowly down the staircase in Ford's Theatre and then exited to 10th Street. Dr. Leale described the events which followed:  

The entourage carrying the mortally wounded President proceeded slowly down the staircase in Ford's Theatre and then exited to 10th Street. Dr. Leale described the events which followed: