Killing Lincoln

A riveting historical narrative of the heart-stopping events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and the first work of history from mega-bestselling author Bill O'Reilly The iconic anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America's Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation, with the former Confederates allowed to reintegrate into American society. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices, perhaps reaching into the highest ranks of the U.S. government, are not appeased. In the midst of the patriotic celebrations in Washington D.C., John Wilkes Booth—charismatic ladies' man and impenitent racist—murders Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre. A furious manhunt ensues and Booth immediately becomes the country's most wanted fugitive. Lafayette C. Baker, a smart but shifty New York detective and former Union spy, unravels the string of clues leading to Booth, while federal forces track his accomplices. The thrilling chase ends in a fiery shootout and a series of court-ordered executions—including that of the first woman ever executed by the U.S. government, Mary Surratt. Featuring some of history's most remarkable figures, vivid detail, and page-turning action, Killing Lincoln is history that reads like a thriller.

The ultimate collection of history that reads like a thriller from mega-bestselling author, Bill O'Reilly Millions of readers have discovered the thrill of history come to life in the instant bestsellers, Killing Lincoln and Killing Kennedy, from New York Times bestselling author and iconic anchor of The O'Reilly Factor, Bill O'Reilly. Now you can experience both of the vivid and remarkable accounts of the assassinations that changed America's history in a dual hardcover boxed set. Relive the last days of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy—two presidents living in different eras, yet tied by their duty to their country and the legacies they so abruptly left behind.

Lincoln's Last Days is a gripping account of one of the most dramatic nights in American history—of how one gunshot changed the country forever. Adapted from Bill O'Reilly's bestselling historical thriller, Killing Lincoln, this book will have young readers—and grown-ups too—hooked on history. In the spring of 1865, President Abraham Lincoln travels through Washington, D.C., after finally winning America's bloody Civil War. In the midst of celebrations, Lincoln is assassinated at Ford's Theatre by a famous actor named John Wilkes Booth. What follows is a thrilling chase, ending with a fiery shoot-out and swift justice for the perpetrators. With an unforgettable cast of characters, page-turning action, vivid detail, and art on every spread, Lincoln's Last Days is history that reads like a thriller. This is a very special book, irresistible on its own or as a compelling companion to Killing Lincoln.

Taking place during the most critical period of our nation’s birth, The First Conspiracy tells a remarkable and previously untold piece of American history that not only reveals George Washington’s character, but also illuminates the origins of America’s counterintelligence movement that led to the modern day CIA. In 1776, an elite group of soldiers were handpicked to serve as George Washington’s bodyguards. Washington trusted them; relied on them. But unbeknownst to Washington, some of them were part of a treasonous plan. In the months leading up to the Revolutionary War, these traitorous soldiers, along with the Governor of New York, William Tryon, and Mayor David Mathews, launched a deadly plot against the most important member of the military: George Washington himself. This is the story of the secret plot and how it was revealed. It is a story of leaders, liars, counterfeiters, and jailhouse confessors. It also shows just how hard the battle was for George Washington and how close America was to losing the Revolutionary War. In this historical page-turner, New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer teams up with American history writer and documentary television producer, Josh Mensch to unravel the shocking true story behind what has previously been a footnote in the pages of history. Drawing on extensive research, Meltzer and Mensch capture in riveting detail how George Washington not only defeated the most powerful military force in the world, but also uncovered the secret plot against him in the tumultuous days leading up to July 4, 1776. Praise for The First Conspiracy: "This is American history at its finest, a gripping story of spies, killers, counterfeiters, traitors?and a mysterious prostitute who may or may not have even existed. Anyone with an interest in American history will love this book." —Douglas Preston, #1 bestselling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God “A wonderful book about leadership?and it shows why George Washington and his moral lessons are just as vital today. What a book. You’ll love it.” —President George H.W. Bush “This is an important book: a fascinating largely unknown chapter of our hazardous beginning, a reminder of why counterintelligence matters, and a great read.” —President Bill Clinton

Blood on the Moon examines the evidence, myths, and lies surrounding the political assassination that dramatically altered the course of American history. Was John Wilkes Booth a crazed loner acting out of revenge, or was he the key player in a wide conspiracy aimed at removing the one man who had crushed the Confederacy's dream of independence? Edward Steers Jr. crafts an intimate, engaging narrative of the events leading to Lincoln's death and the political, judicial, and cultural aftermaths of his assassination.

April 14, 1865. A famous actor pulls a trigger in the presidential balcony, leaps to the stage and escapes, as the president lies fatally wounded. In the panic that follows, forty-six terrified people scatter in and around Ford’s Theater as soldiers take up stations by the doors and the audience surges into the streets chanting, “Burn the place down!” This is the untold story of Lincoln’s assassination: the forty-six stage hands, actors, and theater workers on hand for the bewildering events in the theater that night, and what each of them witnessed in the chaos-streaked hours before John Wilkes Booth was discovered to be the culprit. In Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination, historian Thomas A. Bogar delves into previously unpublished sources to tell the story of Lincoln’s assassination from behind the curtain, and the tale is shocking. Police rounded up and arrested dozens of innocent people, wasting time that allowed the real culprit to get further away. Some closely connected to John Wilkes Booth were not even questioned, while innocent witnesses were relentlessly pursued. Booth was more connected with the production than you might have known—learn how he knew each member of the cast and crew, which was a hotbed of secessionist resentment. Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination also tells the story of what happened to each of these witnesses to history, after the investigation was over—how each one lived their lives after seeing one of America’s greatest presidents shot dead without warning. Backstage at the Lincoln Assassination is an exquisitely detailed look at this famous event from an entirely new angle. It is must reading for anyone fascinated with the saga of Lincoln’s life and the Civil War era.

An account of the events leading to the assassination of Lincoln as well as the arrest, trial and punishment of the accused.

Book & CD. Born in Quebec, Charles Chiniquy gained great fame as a crusading priest for temperance who also established French-Canadian communities in Illinois. It was there that the celebrated priest first made Abraham Lincoln's acquaintance when the popular Springfield lawyer defended him in the most high profile libel case in Lincoln's career. Not long after this, because of the great shortcomings he saw in its teachings and practice, Chiniquy left the Catholic Church and became a Protestant. In his extremely popular autobiography, "Fifty Years in The Church of Rome", Chiniquy reported that after the murder of his close friend, the President, he travelled to Washington to conduct his own inquiry. He met with high ranking government officials who told him that they had no doubt that the Jesuits were behind Lincoln's slaying but they wanted to keep this from the public to avoid giving new life to the broken rebellion and to avert possible bloodshed between Catholics and Protestants. For their role in the plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln and other high government officials, eight people were put on trial before a military commission. Evidently, one of those officials who believed that the assassination was a Catholic plot was a dominant member of Lincoln's cabinet, the man who was, in reality, in charge of the United States government in the hours and weeks after the murder and who also headed the official investigation into the assassination, Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. This is part of the evidence that clearly points to Roman Catholic complicity in the murder of the President as well as general hostility to America and its democratic institution. Also included: The New York City Draft Riots. Ten days after the battle of Gettysburg, with the army essentially gone from the city, huge blood-thirsty mobs, lynching people, torching buildings, looting and destroying property, opposed only by a vastly outnumbered police force, threatened not only the existence of New York but the whole nation as well. These ferocious mobs that, among other things, fought and killed police and soldiers, beat black people to death and burned buildings with the inhabitants still in them, were essentially all Roman Catholic. Mary Surratt: A devout Roman Catholic, she was the first woman ever executed by the American government for her part in the assassination plot headquartered in her boarding-house. A majority of the conspirators were Catholic, including, the assassin, John Wilkes Booth, at a time when Romanists made up a small fraction of the U.S. population. St Joseph: The assassination was spoken in this solidly Catholic town in Minnesota hours before it occurred . . . and much more. A CD of over 3,300 pages of supporting documentation, including the court records of those put on trial for conspiring to assassinate Lincoln and other officials is also part of this work.