Mary Surratt's Email & Phone Number

📖 Summary

Mary Surratt, the infamous boarding house owner, was a key figure in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Born in 1820, Mary Surratt was a widowed mother of three who ran a boarding house in Washington, D.C. during the 1860s. She became entangled in a web of conspiracy when she was accused of being a co-conspirator in the plot to assassinate President Lincoln.

Surratt's boarding house was a well-known meeting place for Confederate sympathizers and supporters. In fact, it was at her boarding house that John Wilkes Booth, the man who ultimately assassinated President Lincoln, and his co-conspirators frequently met to plan their attack. Surratt was known to be sympathetic to the Confederate cause, and her son, John Surratt, was an active supporter of the Confederate army. These connections ultimately led to Surratt's downfall when she was implicated in the conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln.

Surratt's involvement in the assassination plot was brought to light after President Lincoln was killed on April 14, 1865. She was arrested on April 17, 1865, and charged with conspiring to kill the President, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William H. Seward. Surratt was the first woman to be executed by the United States government, and her trial and subsequent execution are still remembered as one of the most controversial events in American history.

Surratt's trial was highly publicized and sparked widespread debate about her guilt or innocence. Many historians and legal experts argue that Surratt's involvement in the plot was minimal and that she was unfairly singled out because of her connections to the Confederate sympathizers. Others, however, argue that Surratt was an active participant in the conspiracy and deserved the punishment she received.

Despite the controversy surrounding her case, Mary Surratt was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. On July 7, 1865, she became the first woman to be executed by the United States government. Her execution sparked outrage and protests, with many arguing that she had been unfairly targeted because of her Confederate sympathies.

To this day, the case of Mary Surratt continues to fascinate and intrigue historians and legal experts. Her story raises important questions about the role of women in historical events and the impact of political allegiances on individual lives. Whether Surratt was truly guilty of conspiring to assassinate President Lincoln or was unfairly targeted because of her connections to the Confederate cause remains a point of contention among scholars.

In conclusion, Mary Surratt's role as a boarding house owner and her involvement in the conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln have left a lasting impact on American history. Her story serves as a reminder of the complexities and controversies of the Civil War era, and her legacy continues to be the subject of debate and discussion among historians and legal experts.