Last Podcast On The Left
Last Podcast On The Left
"He was the only guy in Boston who wasn't racist too." — Ed Larson (referring to Boston Corbett)
"The man who killed Lincoln, like when you ask, like, 'Okay, if you put these two biographies side by side, like the man who is soaked in mercury from head to toe, who screams and castrates himself, or the actor, the famous act, like, who's going to kill the president?'" — Ed Larson (contrasting Boston Corbett and John Wilkes Booth)
"John Surat was therefore already on his way to the Canadian Confederate stronghold of Montreal when Lincoln was murdered." — Marcus Parks (on the escape of John Surratt)
This installment delves into the final moments of John Wilkes Booth and the enigmatic figure of Boston Corbett, the Union soldier who ultimately fired the fatal shot. The narrative traces Corbett's peculiar life, from his mercury-induced paranoia as a hatter to his extreme religious devotion and self-mutilation, highlighting the confluence of personal eccentricity and historical circumstance that led him to Garrett's farm. The episode details the manhunt for Booth, his capture in a tobacco barn, and the dramatic moments leading to his death, emphasizing Corbett's eagerness to kill and his subsequent complex post-war life.
The latter part of the episode shifts to the broader implications of Lincoln's assassination, focusing on the Reconstruction era. It critiques President Andrew Johnson's leniency towards the Confederacy, the failure to adequately support newly freed slaves, and the subsequent rise of Jim Crow laws. The fates of other conspirators, including Mary Surratt's execution and John Surratt's elaborate escape and eventual legal struggles, are also explored, painting a picture of a nation grappling with the consequences of war and assassination.
Finally, the episode touches upon the enduring legacy of John Wilkes Booth's actions, suggesting that despite his efforts, the post-war South's institutionalized disenfranchisement of Black people continued, a sentiment Booth championed. It concludes with a message of hope and a call to action, emphasizing the importance of fighting for a better future despite the nation's historical flaws.