Changes

Daughter Fanny Seward, at her father’s bedside, was shoved out of the way, and Paine went to work with his Bowie knife, opening the secretary’s right cheek and the left side of his neck; the wounds would have been much worse had Seward not been wearing a metal neck brace for his previous injuries.  By then, two more people who tried to stop Paine had been sliced open, as Paine was loudly proclaiming “I’m mad! I’m mad!” as he fled the house, leaving four people bloodied, but not dead.  The main target, Secretary Seward, would recover and live seven more years.   

Daughter Fanny Seward, at her father’s bedside, was shoved out of the way, and Paine went to work with his Bowie knife, opening the secretary’s right cheek and the left side of his neck; the wounds would have been much worse had Seward not been wearing a metal neck brace for his previous injuries.  By then, two more people who tried to stop Paine had been sliced open, as Paine was loudly proclaiming “I’m mad! I’m mad!” as he fled the house, leaving four people bloodied, but not dead.  The main target, Secretary Seward, would recover and live seven more years.   

George Atzerodt, increasingly unhappy about his role to kill Andrew Johnson, spent most of his time in his room at the Kirkwood House, one floor below where the Vice President was staying.  10:15 p.m. was the assigned time to carry out his mission.  He let the time come and go as he made his way to the bar, preferring to down shot after shot of whiskey.

George Atzerodt, increasingly unhappy about his role to kill Andrew Johnson, spent most of his time in his room at the Kirkwood House, one floor below where the Vice President was staying.  10:15 p.m. was the assigned time to carry out his mission.  He let the time come and go as he made his way to the bar, preferring to down shot after shot of [[whisky|whiskey]].

 

===Last hours===

===Last hours===

During the night and early morning, guards patrolled outside to prevent onlookers from coming inside the house. A parade of government officials and physicians was allowed to come inside and pay respects to the unconscious President. One of the officials was the Secretary of the Navy, [[Gideon Welles]], who recorded in his diary:   

During the night and early morning, guards patrolled outside to prevent onlookers from coming inside the house. A parade of government officials and physicians was allowed to come inside and pay respects to the unconscious President. One of the officials was the Secretary of the Navy, [[Gideon Welles]], who recorded in his diary: