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September 21, 1862

Today I have decided to record my life day 

upon day. I live in fear for my family, with the 

preposterous, ignorant, death scares. I hear by 

state, that if anyone wants to kill me they 

would've done it by now. But with my regard to 

that, my document has been finished. I shall 

call it The Emancipation Proclamation. 

September 22, 1862

I have issued the Emancipation Proclamation, 

a   decree stating that, unless the rebellious 

states returned to the Union by January 1, 

freedom would be granted to slaves within 

those states. It also   shall declare "that all 

persons held as slaves" within the 

Confederate states "are, and henceforward 

shall be free."

April 9, 1865

I have never been more confident in my life! 

The Confederate General Robert E. Lee 

surrendered his massive army at Appomattox 

Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the 

American Civil War.

March 20, 1865, 

It has occurred to me that several associates 

hatched a plot to kidnap myself and take me 

to Richmond, the Confederate capital. 

However,   the day of the planned kidnapping, 

I failed to appear at the spot where Booth 

and his six fellow associates were waiting.

April 6, 1865

With Confederate armies near collapse 

across the South, I must come up with a 

desperate plan to save the Confederacy. 

And keep those blacks where their 

supposed to be!

April 10, 1865

I have learned that Lincoln was to attend Laura 

Keene's   performance of "Our American Cousin" 

at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C., on April 

14. My associates and I must assassinate  

Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson and 

Secretary of State William H. Seward. By 

murdering the president and two of his possible 

successors, myself and my associates hope to 

throw the U.S. government into chaos ......

April 14, 1865

I occupied a private box above the stage with 

my wife Mary, a young army officer named 

Henry Rathbone and Rathbone’s fiancé,   and 

Clara Harris. We   arrived late for the comedy, 

but I was in a fine mood and laughed heartily 

during the play.Around 10:15, Booth slipped 

into the box and attempted fired his .44-

caliber single-shot derringer into the back of 

my head. 

After stabbing Rathbone, who immediately 

rushed at him, in the shoulder, Booth leapt 

onto the stage and shouted, "Sic semper 

tyrannis!" ("Thus ever to tyrants!"–the 

Virginia state motto). At first, the crowd 

interpreted the unfolding drama as part of 

the production, but a scream from the first 

lady told them otherwise. Although Booth 

broke his leg in the fall, he managed to 

leave the theater and escape from 

Washington on horseback.

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