The assassination of Abraham Lincoln dramatically altered the course of American history and forever stripped a young nation of its innocence. More than one million Americans viewed the president's remains as his body made its way from Washington, D.C., to Springfield, Illinois. Seven million more gathered along the miles of track to view the funeral train as it passed. In all, one in four Americans paid their respects to their fallen "Father Abraham," who , as one special choir sang at the funeral ceremonies, "fell in Freedom's cause."
Lincoln's untimely death still haunts the nation and fascinates its people. Theories abound regarding the events surrounding his assassination. Did John Wilkes Booth act alone? Were Dr. Samuel Mudd and Mary E. Surratt innocent victims? Was the recovered from the burning tobacco barn really Booth's? Until now, there has been no comprehensive study, based on primary sources, of Lincoln's assassination and Booth's escape. Blood on the Moon: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln presents the most up-to-date research into public and private archives and makes clear the important role of Samuel Mudd and members of the Confederate Secret Service in Booth's crime and escape. Edward Steers Jr. finally puts to rest the many myths and popular misconceptions surrounding these key players and accurately depicts what happened during the days leading up to and immediately after Lincoln's murder. [from the jacket]