Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer

James L. Swanson recreates the nearly two-week pursuit of John Wilkes Booth following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre. The narrative tracks Booth’s escape route through the swamps of Maryland and into Virginia, alongside his co-conspirator David Herold. Swanson details the tactical movements of the Union cavalry and Secret Service detectives who led the manhunt under the direction of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. The account documents the medical treatment of the dying president, the simultaneous attack on Secretary of State William Seward, and the eventual cornering of Booth at the Garrett farm.

This book serves readers interested in the intersection of American Civil War history and true crime. It provides a technical look at nineteenth-century investigative methods and the logistical difficulties of a large-scale military dragnet before the era of modern communication. Readers gain a precise understanding of the geographical and political landscape of the post-war South. The text functions as a chronological breakdown of the first presidential assassination in United States history, explaining how a famous actor evaded capture while suffering from a fractured leg during a period of national collapse.

Practical, outward-looking and clear-cut; an easy read.

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