When Did Lincoln Get Shot
When Did Lincoln Get Shot? A Tragic Night in American History
If you're wondering, "When did Lincoln get shot?" you are diving into one of the most pivotal and heartbreaking moments in American history. It's a date that marked the swift end of the Civil War's victory celebrations and ushered in an era of national grief.
The answer is precise: Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was shot on the evening of **Friday, April 14, 1865.** This tragedy occurred just five days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered, effectively ending the grueling four-year Civil War.
This article will guide you through the exact timing, the location, the motive, and the dramatic aftermath of the night When Did Lincoln Get Shot, giving you a comprehensive understanding of this defining event.
The Exact Moment: When Did Lincoln Get Shot?
The shooting took place late in the evening on April 14, 1865. While the date is easy to remember, pinpointing the exact time helps illustrate the suddenness of the attack. Lincoln had arrived at the theater relatively late, and the play was already underway.
The shot that echoed through Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. occurred at approximately **10:15 p.m.** The specific timing is critical because it highlights the vulnerability of the President during a moment of relaxed leisure.
The nation was still basking in the glow of victory, making the violent death of the President even more shocking. Understanding the historical context of April 1865 helps explain why the event was such a seismic shock to the Union.
The Setting: Ford's Theatre and the Presidential Box
President Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, had chosen to attend a performance of the comedic play Our American Cousin that evening. They were joined by Major Henry Rathbone and his fiancée, Clara Harris. They occupied the Presidential Box, which offered a semi-private view of the stage.
Ford's Theatre was a popular spot in Washington, and attending the theater was a common pastime for the Lincolns. Tragically, the Presidential Box was easily accessible from a hallway, and security protocols were surprisingly lax, especially considering the recent conclusion of a brutal civil war.
The placement of the box allowed the assassin, who knew the theater well, to approach the President undetected during a moment designed for entertainment and relaxation. This lack of adequate protection was a significant failing leading up to the moment When Did Lincoln Get Shot.
The Assailant: John Wilkes Booth and His Motive
The man responsible for pulling the trigger was John Wilkes Booth, a famous stage actor and a fervent Confederate sympathizer. Booth harbored deep resentment toward Lincoln, viewing him as a tyrant who had destroyed the Southern way of life.
Booth's initial plot had involved kidnapping Lincoln, but following Lee's surrender at Appomattox, his plan escalated into assassination. He sought to decapitate the Union government by simultaneously targeting the President, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William H. Seward.
The coordinated attacks were intended to throw the Union into chaos, allowing the Confederate cause to somehow reignite. Booth meticulously planned his approach, waiting for a specific line in the play that he knew would elicit widespread laughter, using the noise to muffle the sound of the fatal shot.
After shooting Lincoln in the back of the head with a Derringer pistol, Booth famously leaped from the box onto the stage, shouting "Sic semper tyrannis!" (Thus always to tyrants) before escaping through the back door.
The Aftermath and Passing
The immediate aftermath of the shooting was chaos. Major Rathbone attempted to stop Booth but was severely slashed by Booth's knife. Doctors in the audience immediately rushed to the Presidential Box, realizing quickly the severity of the wound. The situation was grim.
Lincoln was paralyzed and barely breathing. Because the doctors feared he would not survive the bumpy carriage ride back to the White House, they decided to move him to the nearest suitable dwelling. Therefore, he was carried across the street to the Petersen Boarding House.
Doctors, cabinet members, and Lincoln's family gathered around his bedside throughout the night. The wounds were mortal, and there was nothing modern medicine could do. Here are the key moments following the attack:
- **10:15 p.m., April 14:** Abraham Lincoln is shot at Ford's Theatre.
- **10:45 p.m., April 14:** Lincoln is transported to the Petersen Boarding House.
- **Through the Night:** Cabinet members and medical personnel stand vigil. Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton effectively takes charge of the government from the house.
- **7:22 a.m., April 15:** President Lincoln dies.
The time of his official death, 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865, finalized the tragedy that began the night before. Although he was shot on the 14th, his death occurred early the following morning.
A Nation Mourns: The Immediate Reaction
The news spread quickly, initially through telegraph and then by newspaper. The American people, who had just spent four years fighting for the Union, were plunged into profound sorrow. Washington D.C. immediately shut down, and flags were lowered to half-mast.
The reaction was one of unparalleled national mourning. People wept openly in the streets, unable to process the loss of the leader who had successfully steered them through the war. Even some in the South, while relieved by Lincoln's political removal, expressed regret at the assassination.
The funeral arrangements were elaborate and somber. Lincoln's body was taken on a massive, three-week-long procession by train, retracing much of the route he took to Washington as President-elect. Millions of Americans lined the railway tracks and attended public viewings to pay their last respects.
The Legacy of the Assassination
The timing of Lincoln's death dramatically altered the course of Reconstruction. Had he lived, many historians believe he would have pursued a more moderate and forgiving policy toward the defeated South, focusing on national unity and swift healing. However, his successor, Andrew Johnson, struggled to manage the political tensions of Reconstruction, leading to years of intense conflict and division.
The assassination cemented Lincoln's place as an American martyr. His image transformed from a wartime politician to a heroic figure whose legacy of preserving the Union and ending slavery became untouchable. The tragedy of When Did Lincoln Get Shot solidified the importance of his work.
Furthermore, the event led to significant changes in Presidential security, ensuring that future commanders-in-chief would never again be so vulnerable while conducting official or personal business.
Conclusion: The Definitive Answer
So, to definitively answer the question, "When Did Lincoln Get Shot?" the attack occurred on **April 14, 1865, at approximately 10:15 p.m.** His life officially ended the following morning, April 15, 1865. This act of violence, carried out by John Wilkes Booth, remains the first successful assassination of a sitting U.S. President.
The date marks not just the death of a leader, but the abrupt end of the Civil War's optimism and the beginning of a complex, sorrowful period of national reconstruction. It is a moment forever etched into the timeline of American history.
Frequently Asked Questions About When Did Lincoln Get Shot
- What year did Lincoln get shot?
- Lincoln was shot in 1865, just after the conclusion of the American Civil War.
- Where exactly was Lincoln when he was shot?
- He was shot while watching a performance of the play Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. He was sitting in the Presidential Box.
- Did Lincoln die immediately?
- No, Lincoln did not die immediately. He was shot at 10:15 p.m. on April 14 but remained unconscious throughout the night before officially passing away at 7:22 a.m. on April 15, 1865, at the Petersen Boarding House.
- What happened to John Wilkes Booth?
- John Wilkes Booth was tracked down 12 days after the assassination. He was found hiding in a barn in rural Virginia. When he refused to surrender, the barn was set on fire, and he was ultimately shot and killed by Union soldiers.
- Who was with Lincoln when he was shot?
- President Lincoln was accompanied by his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, along with Major Henry Rathbone and his fiancée, Clara Harris, in the Presidential Box.
When Did Lincoln Get Shot
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