Changes

==The trial==

==The trial==

[[Image:Lincoln conspirators1.JPG|right|200px|thumb|The surviving conspirators were brought topside from the hold of the ironclad USS ''Montawk'', their shackles and hoods removed long enough for Alexander Gardiner to take these photos. Top row (l-r) David Herold, Edman Spangler, Lewis Powell; bottom row (l-r) George Atzerodt, Michael O'Laughlin, Samuel Arnold.  Mrs. Surratt and Dr. Mudd were held in Washington; John Surratt had fled to Canada.]]  

[[Image:Lincoln conspirators1.JPG|right|200px|thumb|Anchored in the Potomac near the Washington Arsenal, the ironclads USS ''Montawk'' and USS ''Saugus'' held six of the nine surviving conspirators, were brought topside from the holds long enough for Alexander Gardiner to take these photos. Top row (l-r) David Herold, Edman Spangler, Lewis Powell; bottom row (l-r) George Atzerodt, Michael O'Laughlin, Samuel Arnold.  Mrs. Surratt and Dr. Mudd were held in Washington; John Surratt had fled to Canada.]]  

On May 1, [[Andrew Johnson|President Johnson]] issued an order that all of the conspirators would be tried, not in a civilian court of law, but by a military commission, which consisted of:

On May 1, [[Andrew Johnson|President Johnson]] issued an order that all of the conspirators would be tried, not in a civilian court of law, but by a military commission, which consisted of:

*Lieutenant Colonel David R. Clendenin

*Lieutenant Colonel David R. Clendenin

*Brigadier General Joseph Holt (Judge Advocate and Recorder)

*Brigadier General Joseph Holt (Judge Advocate and Recorder)

The Commission convened in the Old Arsenal Penitentiary, where the conspirators had been housed several floors below (with the exception of Mrs. Surratt, the accused had previously been hooded, shackled, and locked in the holds of the ironclads Saugus and Montawk, then anchored in the Potomac).  On May 9 they were brought before the Commission, where the charges were read, detailing conspiracy to kill the president, the vice-president, the secretary of state, and General Grant.  Paine was also charged with attempted assassination (Seward). They entered pleas of not guilty. When asked if they requested the services of attorneys, they all replied yes, but were given just two days to obtain them.  The attorneys were:

The Commission convened in the Old Arsenal Penitentiary, where the conspirators had been housed several floors below (with the exception of Mrs. Surratt, the accused had previously been hooded, shackled, and locked in the holds of the ironclads ''Saugus'' and ''Montawk'', then anchored in the Potomac).  On May 9 they were brought before the Commission, where the charges were read, detailing conspiracy to kill the president, the vice-president, the secretary of state, and General Grant.  Paine was also charged with attempted assassination (Seward). They entered pleas of not guilty. When asked if they requested the services of attorneys, they all replied yes, but were given just two days to obtain them.  The attorneys were:

*Thomas Ewing, Jr (Arnold, Spangler, Dr. Mudd,)

*Thomas Ewing, Jr (Arnold, Spangler, Dr. Mudd,)

*William E. Doster (Atzerodt, Powell)

*William E. Doster (Atzerodt, Powell)