Book Description

More than a hundred books have been written about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, yet one of the few certainties about his death is that little about it is certain. The literature on the subject is replete with errors, theories and guesswork. This comprehensive work on the assassination and on the attempted assassination of other Northern leaders (Secretary of State William H. Seward; Vice President Andrew Johnson; Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton; and Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant), in the closing days of the American Civil War, seeks to correct major and minor errors in the record, reconcile differences of opinion of historians and scholars, offer explanations for great unknowns and make sense of conspiracy theories. After a Foreword by the renowned historian, Joan L. Chaconas, it begins with the background of the regional conflict that tore the nation apart, threats and assassination attempts against Lincoln, black flag warfare, the Wistar and Dahlgren-Kilpatrick Raids on Richmond and the Confederate response thereto, and it ends with the incarceration, trial and sentencing of the assassin's action team (except for John H. Surratt, who would be tried separately in 1867, and except that one of those tried was not really a member of Booth's team) and an in-depth analysis of conspiracy. The author rejects the simple conspiracy theory and affirms the Tidwell, Hall and Gaddy thesis of the complicity of the highest levels of the Confederate government and its Secret Service Bureau, including the operatives in Canada, whose twofold purpose was retribution against those whom it considered responsible for bringing the curtain of history down on their peculiar institution, as well as for all the consequential military, social, economic and political calamities that had befallen the South, and snatching independence from the jaws of a toothless and chaotic government. In between are chapters on the underground mosaic; Booth and his co-conspirators; the great kidnapping myth that concealed the planned decapitation of the United States government; the setting for assassination; riddles, conundrums, enigmas and mysteries relating to key players in the drama (Francis P.Burke, John F. Parker, Charles Forbes and Silas T.Cobb); carnage in the presidential box; Booth's descent to the stage, declamations, broken leg, exit and escape; attempted decapitation of the government; the death of the President; Edman Spangler's innocence; the pursuit of the fugitives; and the death of Booth.The author makes use of hundreds of sources--books, periodicals, newspapers and much more--to justify his conclusions and to give greater cohesion to the record of the events of April 14, 1865. The book has received dozens of reviews. Among them:1. "...a must read for Civil War historians and enthusiasts."--William John Shepherd, America's Civil War.2. "Everyone should have this one on their Lincoln bookshelf."--Joan Chaconas, The Surratt Society3. "I found every page an adventure. You cannot come to a decision on who ordered the assassination without reading this book."--Joseph Truglio, Civil War News4. "...probably the best (book) on the market on the American Civil War."--Amazon Customer5. "...very strongly recommended..."--Michael J. Carson, Midwest Book Review6. "A brilliant contribution..."--Frederick Hatch, author of Protecting President Lincoln and other works7. "Long overdue. John Fazio's lucid narrative puts Booth's plan to decapitate the Union front and center...Decapitating the Union is both educational and entertaining...Give it five stars."--Edward Steers, Jr., author of Blood on the Moon and other works8. "If you enjoyed Ed Steers's Blood on the Moon, you must read Decapitating the Union..."--Howard G. Anders, Jr.