12 Days on the Run: the Complete Chronological Manhunt That Ended John Wilkes Booth's Life
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
Q1: Did John Wilkes Booth kill himself inside the barn?
A1: No. While early newspaper rumors speculated Booth committed suicide, eyewitness testimonies from cavalrymen and autopsy records confirm he was shot from behind by Sergeant Boston Corbett. The angle of the wound in the neck made self-infliction physically impossible.
Q2: Why did Boston Corbett shoot Booth against orders?
A2: Secretary of War Edwin Stanton specifically wanted Booth taken alive for trial. Corbett claimed that when Booth pointed his weapon toward the soldiers, he acted in self-defense under divine guidance. Corbett was briefly arrested but avoided court-martial because the public celebrated him as an avenging hero.
Q3: Where is John Wilkes Booth buried today?
A3: Booth’s body was initially buried under a warehouse floor at the Old Washington Arsenal Penitentiary. In 1869, President Andrew Johnson released the remains to the Booth family. He was reinterred in an unmarked plot within the family burial site at Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
