investigating the historical accounts surrounding john wilkes booth's last days reveals a complex tapestry of witness testimonies, official records, and posthumous reflections. while booth himself met his end in a barn in virginia, pursued by union soldiers, the focus on his final utterances and the fate of his accomplice, david herold, continues to intrigue historians.
the details surrounding herold's capture and subsequent trial offer a different perspective on the aftermath of abraham lincoln's assassination.
david herold's trial and the pursuit of confession
the journey to understand the closing chapters of this infamous event often leads to the records kept by figures like major general hartranft.
his personal letterbook, a significant historical artifact, was eventually entrusted to gettysburg college by his family. this collection of correspondence provided crucial insights, particularly concerning david herold's state of mind and his willingness to document his involvement.
in, the significance of this letterbook was amplified when lincoln assassination expert betty ownsbey brought it to wider attention through its curator.
the effort to make these historical documents more accessible culminated in a published, edited volume of hartranft's letterbook in.
this release, spearheaded by edward steers and harold holzer, made the primary source material available to a broader audience. within these records, a poignant request surfaces from hartranft to general hancock: "from gen. i would respectfully ask, if permission can be granted to take off his handcuffs and allow him this privilege between the sessions of court." this plea highlights a degree of empathy or perhaps a strategic consideration for herold's ability to engage in the judicial process.
general hancock's response was cautiously affirmative, granting permission for herold's handcuffs to be removed under specific conditions: "the handcuffs of herold can be removed till anytime sufficiently long for him to write a confession provided he is well guarded in the mean time.
he should have quill pens and should be well searched before hand to see if he has anything on his person by which he might injure himself which might have been given to him by his friends." these instructions underscore the immense security concerns and the desire to elicit a full confession from herold.
on the morning of the trial's resumption, herold was indeed provided with the opportunity to write.
he continued his work until the court convened, at which point his restraints were reapplied. the urgency to complete his account was evident, as he was granted further time on sunday, may, an unscheduled day for the proceedings, to finish his writing. the letterbook details: "the prisoner herold was taken into the court room and furnished with writing material as before.
he continued writing until 4. when he was returned to his cell and confined as usual."
historical value and the elusiveness of herold's full narrative
the fact that herold was given this opportunity to write is seen by many as a missed chance for historians.
an unvarnished account from a key participant like david herold, detailing his perspective on the assassination and his subsequent flight, would have been invaluable. however, the nature of his defense, which focused on sparing his life, might have influenced the content of any writings he produced during his confinement.
while these defense strategies may contain elements of truth, they don't entirely encapsulate the life of the 22-year-old herold.
herold's background included studies in pharmacology at georgetown college, followed by further education at the rittenhouse academy.
his academic pursuits also extended to an acceptance at gonzaga college, though it remains unclear if he ever attended. the scarcity of detailed historical sources makes it challenging to paint a complete portrait of herold as an individual. while many who encountered john wilkes booth, the renowned actor turned assassin, were eager to share their stories in the years that followed, significantly fewer accounts exist that specifically address their interactions with david herold, the pharmacist's clerk who escaped alongside booth.
childhood reflections on david herold
in a letter penned in, years after his naval retirement, rear admiral baird offered a nostalgic glimpse into his childhood acquaintance with herold.
baird recalled: "i envied david his disposition in that he got along with the big boys so well. when a big boy imposed on david, he would escape with a funny remark which was called witty, which generally got a laugh, and david was called popular. when a big boy imposed on me, i hated him; i hate him yet." this personal reflection suggests herold possessed a social grace and an ability to de-escalate conflict that baird admired.
the baird family were baptists, while the herolds were members of christ church episcopal, indicating differing religious backgrounds for the young friends.
after leaving school approximately a year later, baird lost touch with herold, only hearing later that he had become a drug clerk.
another individual who knew herold from their youth was william miller clarke. clarke, only three days younger than herold, lived in the same neighborhood as the herolds near the washington navy yard. at the age of 10, clarke began working in the ordinance department of the navy yard, involved in the production of gunpowder and percussion caps.
herold, at the time, held the position of chief clerk at the navy yard.
clarke's manuscript and the tantalizing fragments of herold's past
in, an elder clarke meticulously typed a single-page manuscript detailing his friendship with herold.
this document was later excerpted by heflin, who included lines from clarke's recollection of herold's father: "herrold, sr.
was a great hunter…when he went hunting he usually took david with him, so david became fully acquainted with lower maryland…" this passage hints at herold's familiarity with the geography that would later play a role in his escape. heflin's excerpt then breaks off, noting that herold was sentenced to be hanged on july 7, .
the narrative continues with a quote from clarke: "i asked." this is followed by heflin's own commentary, expressing frustration at what appears to be a partial confession from david herold, as recounted by a former childhood friend.
the reference to mark olds, the reverend who ministered to herold on the scaffold, suggests he may have been the source of some of these recollections. however, the tenuous link, being a third-hand account relayed 58 years after the event, raises questions about its accuracy and completeness.
the author's plea for anyone possessing documents from may, potentially written by herold with a quill pen and referencing his escape with booth, underscores the enduring quest for definitive historical truth.
tracing william miller clarke's life
the initial clue in tracing the story of william miller clarke stemmed from mr.
olds's recollections. through extensive research in washington d.c. records, the assembly of a family tree, and scouring newspaper archives, confidence grew that william miller clarke was indeed the individual in question. clarke's life extended well beyond his connection to herold; he served in the union army after initially declining an offer to join the confederate forces at the war's outset.
at the time of the assassination, he was .
after relocating from d.c. with his family, clarke lived in new york before settling in boston.
he was part of the staff of massachusetts governor john l. bates from —. in the twilight of his life, clarke became a sought-after speaker at various club meetings. surprisingly, in, shortly before his 81st birthday, william clarke remarried a 28-year-old bookkeeper named bertha davidson.
this union, occurring just months before he penned his manuscript about herold, might have been influenced by bertha's encouragement to document his memories of the conspirator.
william clarke passed away on april 11, , and was laid to rest in forest hills cemetery in boston.
bertha davidson clarke did not remarry and died in. she is interred with her parents in glenwood cemetery in everett, massachusetts, not with her husband.
the disposition of john Wilkes Booth and David Herold's remains
inquiries regarding the physical remains of booth and herold, specifically their blood, have been addressed by historical researchers.
evidence suggests that booth's blood was not preserved by any individual. it was likely disposed of, as is common practice during embalming. similarly, herold's brain was almost certainly returned to his skull before closure. these practices were standard for the time and unfortunately offer no tangible relics for historical study.
the search for artifacts related to the assassination, undertaken by writers like jim garrett and the author, has yielded limited results beyond the well-documented blood-stained garments.
a former curator of the smithsonian mentioned seeing the boat used by booth and herold to cross the potomac in a storage warehouse, though its current whereabouts and accessibility are unknown. rumors also circulated about the smithsonian possessing the embalming blood, but no concrete evidence or accession records could be located.
further investigation revealed that the rowboat was indeed listed in the national museums' collection in an annual report.
the question remains whether this is a verified curator's memory or a cataloged item, prompting further historical inquiry into the tangible remnants of this pivotal moment in american history.
tracing the escape and the broader context
the story of john wilkes booth and david herold's escape following the assassination is a crucial element in understanding the immediate aftermath of abraham lincoln's death.
their flight from washington d.c. and the subsequent manhunt highlight the desperate measures taken by the government to apprehend those responsible. exploring their movements and the actions of those who aided them provides a more complete picture of the conspiracy and its unraveling.
the assassination itself, occurring within ford's theatre, marked a turning point in american history.
understanding the events leading up to booth's fateful act and the chaos that ensued is vital. the commitment of resources and effort to share these stories, such as through initiatives at ford's theatre, ensures that the impact of these events continues to be understood and remembered by future generations.
the trial of the conspirators, which followed the apprehension of those involved, sheds light on the legal and societal response to the assassination.
examining the fates of the other individuals implicated in the plot offers a broader perspective on the conspiracy's reach and the consequences for those who participated in or aided the assassination.