The Lincoln Assassination Conspirators: Their Confinement and Execution, As Recorded in the Letterbook of John Frederick Hartranft (Hardcover)

~ John Frederick Hartranft (Author), (Editor), Edward, Jr. Steers (Editor), Allen Weinstein (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

On May 1, 1865, two weeks after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, recently inaugurated president Andrew Johnson appointed John Frederick Hartranft to command the military prison at the Washington Arsenal, where the U.S. government had just incarcerated the seven men and one woman accused of complicity in the shooting. From that day through the execution of four of the accomplices, the Pennsylvania-born general held responsibility for the most notorious prisoners in American history. A strict adherent to protocol, Hartranft kept a meticulously detailed account of his experiences in the form of a letterbook. In The Lincoln Assassination Conspirators, noted Lincoln scholars Edward Steers, Jr., and Harold Holzer, in partnership with the National Archives, present this fascinating historical record for the first time with contextual materials and expert annotations, providing a remarkable glimpse behind the scenes of the assassination's aftermath.

Hartranft oversaw every aspect of the prisoners' daily lives, from making sure they were fed and kept clean to ensuring that no one communicated with them except on the written orders of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. In his Letterbook, Hartranft scrupulously recounts the arrival of each prisoner and describes the prison routine--which included three simple meals a day, a twice-daily cell inspection by Hartranft himself, and frequent physical examinations by an army physician. The prisoners wore wrist and leg shackles and, controversially, most of them wore special hoods designed to isolate them from their surroundings.

When the conspirators' trial began, the nation waited eagerly for news, and many sought retribution against those they held responsible for the nation's grief. Hartranft resisted calls for both vengeance and mercy and continued to treat his notorious charges as humanely as possible, facilitating meetings with clergy and sending letters to and from family members. Yet, as his detached, detailed description of the execution of four of the conspirators shows, he did not allow emotion to impede the performance of his duty.

The legal and moral issues surrounding the conspirators' trial--the extraordinary use of military rather than civil justice, the treatment of the accused while incarcerated, the fine line between swift and precipitous justice--remain volatile, unsettled issues today. Hartranft's keen observations, ably analyzed by historians Steers and Holzer, will add a riveting new chapter to the story of Lincoln's assassination.

About the Author

Edward Steers, Jr., is the author or editor of numerous books and articles on the life and death of Abraham Lincoln, including The Escape and Capture of John Wilkes Booth and Lincoln Legends: Myths, Hoaxes, and Confabulations Associated with Our Greatest President. He lives in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.

Harold Holzer is the author or coauthor of 31 books and 400 articles on the political culture of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War era. In 2005, he received a Lincoln Prize for his book Lincoln at Cooper Union and performed "Lincoln Seen and Heard" with actor Sam Waterston, broadcast live on television from the White House. He lives in New York, where he is senior vice president for external affairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 179 pages
• Publisher: Louisiana State University Press (March 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807133965
• ISBN-13: 978-0807133965
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #118,999 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I Have The Honor to Report ..., April 1, 2009

By	Christian Schlect (Yakima, Washington/USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

A concise and useful report on the handling of the prisoners charged with conspiring to kill Abraham Lincoln. It is divided into two parts: (1) general descriptions of the actual conspiracy and of the low key career of John Frederick Hartranft and (2) a reproduction of the actual prison letterbook (a dry daily log) maintained by General Hartranft, the man responsible for the custody of those held for the presidential murder.

This book would be a good purchase for anyone deeply interested in the handling of the Lincoln conspirators while incarcerated by the U.S. army and/or the career of John Frederick Hartranft.

Many other readily available books give a broader and more complete view of the assassination conspiracy and resulting trial. In this regard, I would recommend books by James Swanson.

While the authors' introduction points to the relevance of the highly competent and professional work by General Hartranft to present day events such as Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo, I think the point is stretched.

The scrupulous attention given in 1865 by the U.S. army and General Hartfranft to the proper care of those accused of the highest profile crime (killing the President) is not analogous, then or now, to the handling of ordinary prisoners of war. As I recall, run of the mill Civil War prisoners, both North and South, had a plenty rough time of it.

A suggestion for a future edition: "principals" is the correct word, not "principles" on page 34.