Port Conway
King George County Virginia

After shooting President Lincoln, Booth received medical attention from Dr. Samuel Mudd, John Wilkes Booth and David Herold went into the Zekiah swamp. They next visited Colonel Samuel Cox for food. Cox's son led them to the Potomac River. Instead of crossing, they went to the home of Peregrin Davis.

The next day, April 15, 1865, they crossed the Potomac. On the Virginia side they went to the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Quesenberry, a woman who was part of the Confederate spy network. A Thomas Harbin took them to William Bryant's and then to Dr. Richard Stuart's home. Dr. Stuart would not allow the men to stay.

Booth and Herold went to William Lucas' cabin, a free black man. They forced Lucas and his wife from their home. In the morning of April 24 they left in a wagon driven by Lucas' son, Charles. He drove them about 10 miles to the ferry at Port Conway in King George.

As they were crossing the Rappahannock River they met three former Confederate soldiers, 1st Lt. Mortimer B. Ruggles, Pvt. Absalom R. Bainbridg, and Pvt. William S. Jett.  Herold told the soldiers what he and Booth had done. Jett helped them find shelter at the Garrett farm.

Harold left Booth at the farm with the three soldiers and went to Bowling Green, Virginia. Harold and friends stopped at a tavern, chatting and drinking for several hours. Herold spent the night at a nearby farm. The next morning two ex-Confederate soldiers brought Herold back to the Garrett farm.

Members of the 16th New York Cavalry unit under Lt. Edward Doherty followed Booth's trail. They learned that Booth had met Pvt. Jett. They were also told of Jett's girl friend who lived in Bowling Green.

Several hours after arriving at the Star Hotel one of Doherty's men, Detective Everton Conger, forced Jett to reveal Booth's location. Early on April 26, 1865, the column of soldiers entered the Garrett farm and were told by the Garrett's about two men sleeping in the farm's tobacco shed.

Booth refused to surrender. About 4 a.m. the tobacco shed was set afire. Boston Corbett could see Booth moving about with a pistol and a rifle. He fried and hit Booth. Booth was dragged, still alive, from the burning building. Booth had been hit in the neck. He was paralyzed from the neck down and whispered as he died, "tell my mother I did it for my country...useless, useless (while looking at his hands being held up to his face.")