Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States, is one of the most revered figures in the history of this nation.Poll after poll shows him to be America's favorite president.Thousands of books have been written about him, with dozens of
good new works appearing every year.Thus, it would seem that the last thing the literary world needs is Mrs. Lincoln’s Son,
another book about Lincoln.
However, most books on Lincoln fall into one of two categories:children's books or scholarly
efforts.Adults have no interest in reading the former.The latter, on the other hand, often are too scholarly to hold
the average reader's attention.Unless one is willing to wade through a detailed account of some aspect of Lincoln's life or
his administration, there are few places to turn.As a result, many readers give up after trying to read a book that is really
not meant for a general audience, never having their questions answered.
Lincoln writing the Emancipation Proclamation
Mrs. Lincoln’s Son is intended to provide those readers with a source of information that is easy to read and will expand their knowledge
of Lincoln without requiring a concentrated effort, a book that will allow them to find what they are looking for without having to
read details that they are neither interested in nor will remember. It also will prove invaluable to students, primarily
at the high school and college levels, as a reference source.
A unique feature of Mrs. Lincoln’s Son is the second chapter, which
outlines in meticulous detail the route of John Wilkes Booth’s escape following his assassination of Lincoln.Using modern highways,
the route has been mapped out with directions accurate to one-tenth of a mile, allowing the reader to follow the escape route and
visit sites associated with Booth and the principal figures involved in the drama.Photos and descriptions of the individuals
involved and the sites associated with the escape are included. An exerpt is reproduced below.
John Wilkes Booth
A contemporary drawing of the assassination
The information is presented in a way that will provide the reader with answers that will be retained. In addition to a short
biography of Lincoln and a detailed account of the assassination and escape, other chapters are devoted to Lincoln's humor, his
most famous speeches (including background information as to why he made a particular speech, when and where he made it, and other
interesting information), his most famous proclamations (also with excellent background information), his best known legal cases,
his inaugurations, his most famous letters, the Lincoln-Douglas debates, some of his better known quotes, brief biographical sketches
of every member of his cabinets, answers to frequently asked questions (such as why he grew a beard, did he ever serve in the military,
does he have any descendants, etc.), and a listing of historical sites across the nation that are associated with Lincoln, including
contact information for those who wish to visit or gather additional information. Dozens of photos will help make the reading
even more enjoyable.
An excerpt from Chapter 2 follows, providing a driving tour of Booth's escape route (NOTE: Bold print contains actual driving
directions. Standard print tells what was happening at the time).
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Leaving Surratt House, turn right and return to Branch Avenue (Route 5).Follow Branch Avenue south through the village of T.B.,
a distance of 4.8 miles.The tour has now covered a total of 15.2 miles.(Note: Earlier driving directions and a
narrative are also provided from Ford's Theatre to this point).
A month earlier, Herold had come to T.B., the home of fellow conspirator George Atzerodt.He planned to meet his accomplices
in the attempted kidnapping of Lincoln, not knowing that the plot had failed.When his accomplices failed to appear, he had
spent the night at John Thompson's tavern.The following morning he had met John Surratt and George Atzerodt on the road from
T.B. to Surratsville, where he learned that the kidnapping had not gone as planned.The three returned to the Surratt Tavern,
leaving the two carbines that were to have been used in the kidnapping escape.It was these carbines that Mary Surratt had told
Lloyd to have ready the night of April 14.
Continuing through T.B., travel another 3.1 miles to the Charles County line.This is marked by the Mattawoman Creek.Shortly after crossing Mattawoman Creek (0.2 miles) turn left onto Route 205, the Mattawoman – Beantown Road.Shortly after
making this turn there is another turn to the right.This is still Route 205.Follow Route 205 another 2.8 miles to a
point where the road tees.Bear to the left onto Route 382, Poplar Hill Road.The road will split after 2.8 miles.Bear right onto Dr. Samuel Mudd Road (Route 232).The turnoff to Dr. Samuel Mudd Road comes up quickly, so it is necessary to
be watching closely at this point.Just 0.4 mile after turning onto Dr. Samuel Mudd Road the entrance to Mudd House (St. Catherine)
appears on the right.The house sits at the end of a long dirt driveway and is open on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from
11:00 AM until 4:00 PM.The last tour begins at 3:30.The trip from Surratt House to St. Catherine covers 14.1 miles,
for a total tour distance of 24.5 miles at this point.
Dr. Mudd's home, St. Catherine, where Booth was treated
The road used by Booth to leave Mudd's home
The tour continues from this point, ultimately ending at the Garrett Farm, where Booth is killed. Total distance is slightly
longer than 100 miles from Ford's Theatre to the Garrett Farm.
Herold and Booth arrived at Dr. Mudd's home at about 4:00 AM. Mudd would later claim that he hadn't recognized Booth, despite
having met him several times. The two had been introduced the previous November at St. Mary's Church in Bryantown, and it is
believed that Booth had spent that night at St. Catherine, as well as most of the next day. Just a few weeks after that, in
December 1864, Booth was said to have met with Thomas Harbin, the main Confederate Signal Service agent in southern Maryland.
This meeting was arranged by Dr. Mudd, at which time, Harbin would later testify, Booth had requested his assistance in establishing
an escape route that would be used when Lincoln was abducted. Just a few days later, Booth and Mudd met again, with Booth
asking Dr. Mudd to introduce him to John Surratt. Coincidentally, they ran into Surratt and Louis Weichman on the street, and
the four had gone to Booth's room at the National Hotel.
