The American Civil War had left hundreds of thousands dead. Families had been torn apart. Entire towns had been destroyed. Yet at last, peace seemed within reach.
Just days earlier, Confederate General Robert E. Lee had surrendered at Appomattox Court House, signaling that the conflict was effectively over.
Across the country, church bells rang.
Crowds filled the streets.
People celebrated the end of one of the darkest chapters in American history.
Many believed the future had never looked brighter.
No one knew that within hours, everything would change.
A Night at the Theater
That Friday evening, Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, attended a performance at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.
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