George Andrew Atzerodt (June 12, 1835 – July 7, 1865)[1][2] was a German American repairman, Confederate sympathizer, and conspirator with John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of U.S. PresidentAbraham Lincoln. He was assigned to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson, but lost his nerve and made no attempt.[3] Atzerodt was tried by a military tribunal, sentenced to death for conspiracy, and hanged along with three other conspirators.
Atzerodt was born in Dörna [de] in the PrussianProvince of Saxony, today part of Anrode, Thuringia, Germany. He immigrated to the United States in 1843 at the age of eight. As an adult, he opened his own carriage repair business in Port Tobacco, Maryland.[4] Despite having lived in the United States for most of his life, Atzerodt could not speak English fluently.[5][6]
Conspiracy
In January 1865, some years after opening his failed carriage repair business, Atzerodt was introduced to John Wilkes Booth in Washington, D.C., by John Surratt.[7] Atzerodt was willing to join in Booth's earlier conspiracy to kidnap PresidentAbraham Lincoln, as he later admitted in his trial.
According to the prosecution, Booth assigned Atzerodt to assassinate Vice PresidentAndrew Johnson on April 14, 1865. On that morning, Atzerodt booked room 126 at the Kirkwood House in Washington, where Johnson was staying. At 10:15 P.M. that night, the same moment John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater, Lewis Powell attacked the already injured Secretary of State William Seward, but Atzerodt could not muster the courage to kill Andrew Johnson. Instead, he began drinking at the hotel bar, becoming heavily intoxicated, and lost his nerve. He spent the rest of the night drunkenly walking the streets of Washington. He dropped his knife in a nearby gutter; a sharp-eyed woman saw this and reported it to the police immediately.
During his stay at the hotel, Atzerodt had asked the bartender about Johnson's whereabouts. That aroused suspicion the next day, after Lincoln was assassinated. An employee of the hotel contacted the police regarding a "suspicious looking man in a gray coat".[8]
The military police then conducted a search of Atzerodt's room on April 15 and found that he had not slept in it the night before. Additionally, he had a loaded revolver concealed under his pillow as well as a concealed Bowie knife. The police also found a bank book belonging to Booth in the room. Atzerodt was arrested on April 20, at the house of his cousin, Hartman Richter, in Germantown, Maryland.
Atzerodt's trial began on May 1, 1865. Atzerodt's attorney, Captain William Doster, stated to the court that he intended "to show that George Atzerodt was a constitutional coward; that if he had been assigned the duty of assassinating the Vice President, he could never have done it; and that, from his known cowardice, Booth probably did not assign to him any such duty."[9] However, that was to no avail.
After the conviction, Atzerodt offered a confession to Reverend Butler, a minister who came to his cell to offer him comfort. Butler said that Atzerodt admitted going to the meeting in March to help plan the kidnapping of Lincoln while he attended a play at a hospital.
Atzerodt said he first heard about Booth's plan to assassinate the President just two hours before the shooting. Atzerodt said that Booth really wanted David Herold to assassinate Vice President Johnson because he thought that Herold had "more pluck" than Atzerodt did. Atzerodt said Booth wanted him to "back up" Herold and "give him more courage".[9]
Atzerodt and three other convicted conspirators (Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, and David Herold) were hanged in Washington, D.C., on July 7, 1865. Atzerodt's last words were "May we all meet in the other world. God take me now."[9] Atzerodt is interred in Glenwood Cemetery, located at 2219 Lincoln Road NE in Washington, D.C.
Depiction in media
Atzerodt appears in the season 1 episode "The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln" of Timeless, portrayed by Travis MacDonald. In the episode, he makes an attempt to assassinate Johnson but is stopped by Rufus and other soldiers and arrested by the authorities.[citation needed]
References
^"Abraham Lincoln's Assassination – George Atzerodt". Abraham Lincoln Research. December 29, 1996. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
^Linder, Douglas. . Law.umkc.edu. Archived from the original on 2002-02-03. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
^Hamner, Christopher. "Booth's Reason for Assassination December 2, 2010, at the Wayback Machine." Teachinghistory.org. Accessed 12 July 2011.
^Jim (8 September 2010). "Port Tobacco Archaeological Project".
^Griffin, John Chandler (2006). Abraham Lincoln's Execution. Pelican Publishing. p. 186. ISBN9781455600106. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
^Ayres, Thomas (2000). That's Not in My American History Book: A Compilation of Little-Known Events and Forgotten Heroes. Taylor Trade Publishing. p. 138. ISBN9781589795129. Retrieved 29 May 2018. george atzerodt speak english.
^Jampoler, Andrew C. A., The Last Lincoln Conspirator: John Surratt's Flight from the Gallows, Naval Institute Press, 2009. p
^Pitman, Benn ; The assassination of President Lincoln and the trial of the conspirators ... Clark, N.J.: Lawbook Exchange, 2006. ISBN978-1-58477-600-0 ; p. 144.
^ abcLinder, Douglas. . Law.umkc.edu. Archived from the original on 2011-01-24.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to George Atzerodt.
. University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law. Accessed December 9, 2004.
George Atzerodt.
March 02, 2023
george, atzerodt, george, andrew, atzerodt, june, 1835, july, 1865, german, american, repairman, confederate, sympathizer, conspirator, with, john, wilkes, booth, assassination, president, abraham, lincoln, assigned, assassinate, vice, president, andrew, johns. George Andrew Atzerodt June 12 1835 July 7 1865 1 2 was a German American repairman Confederate sympathizer and conspirator with John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of U S President Abraham Lincoln He was assigned to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson but lost his nerve and made no attempt 3 Atzerodt was tried by a military tribunal sentenced to death for conspiracy and hanged along with three other conspirators George AtzerodtAtzerodt in 1865BornGeorg Andreas Atzerodt 1835 06 12 June 12 1835Dorna de Province of Saxony Kingdom of Prussia German ConfederationDiedJuly 7 1865 1865 07 07 aged 30 Arsenal Penitentiary Washington D C United StatesCause of deathExecution by hangingOccupationCarriage repair businessCriminal statusExecutedConviction s Conspiracy to assassinate Andrew JohnsonCriminal penaltyDeath Contents 1 Early life 2 Conspiracy 3 Trial and execution 4 Depiction in media 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditAtzerodt was born in Dorna de in the Prussian Province of Saxony today part of Anrode Thuringia Germany He immigrated to the United States in 1843 at the age of eight As an adult he opened his own carriage repair business in Port Tobacco Maryland 4 Despite having lived in the United States for most of his life Atzerodt could not speak English fluently 5 6 Conspiracy EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources George Atzerodt news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message In January 1865 some years after opening his failed carriage repair business Atzerodt was introduced to John Wilkes Booth in Washington D C by John Surratt 7 Atzerodt was willing to join in Booth s earlier conspiracy to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln as he later admitted in his trial According to the prosecution Booth assigned Atzerodt to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson on April 14 1865 On that morning Atzerodt booked room 126 at the Kirkwood House in Washington where Johnson was staying At 10 15 P M that night the same moment John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln at Ford s Theater Lewis Powell attacked the already injured Secretary of State William Seward but Atzerodt could not muster the courage to kill Andrew Johnson Instead he began drinking at the hotel bar becoming heavily intoxicated and lost his nerve He spent the rest of the night drunkenly walking the streets of Washington He dropped his knife in a nearby gutter a sharp eyed woman saw this and reported it to the police immediately During his stay at the hotel Atzerodt had asked the bartender about Johnson s whereabouts That aroused suspicion the next day after Lincoln was assassinated An employee of the hotel contacted the police regarding a suspicious looking man in a gray coat 8 The military police then conducted a search of Atzerodt s room on April 15 and found that he had not slept in it the night before Additionally he had a loaded revolver concealed under his pillow as well as a concealed Bowie knife The police also found a bank book belonging to Booth in the room Atzerodt was arrested on April 20 at the house of his cousin Hartman Richter in Germantown Maryland Trial and execution Edit Execution of Mary Surratt Lewis Powell David Herold and George Atzerodt on July 7 1865 in the courtyard of Washington Arsenal now Fort McNair Digitally restored Atzerodt s trial began on May 1 1865 Atzerodt s attorney Captain William Doster stated to the court that he intended to show that George Atzerodt was a constitutional coward that if he had been assigned the duty of assassinating the Vice President he could never have done it and that from his known cowardice Booth probably did not assign to him any such duty 9 However that was to no avail After the conviction Atzerodt offered a confession to Reverend Butler a minister who came to his cell to offer him comfort Butler said that Atzerodt admitted going to the meeting in March to help plan the kidnapping of Lincoln while he attended a play at a hospital Atzerodt said he first heard about Booth s plan to assassinate the President just two hours before the shooting Atzerodt said that Booth really wanted David Herold to assassinate Vice President Johnson because he thought that Herold had more pluck than Atzerodt did Atzerodt said Booth wanted him to back up Herold and give him more courage 9 Atzerodt and three other convicted conspirators Mary Surratt Lewis Powell and David Herold were hanged in Washington D C on July 7 1865 Atzerodt s last words were May we all meet in the other world God take me now 9 Atzerodt is interred in Glenwood Cemetery located at 2219 Lincoln Road NE in Washington D C Depiction in media EditAtzerodt appears in the season 1 episode The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln of Timeless portrayed by Travis MacDonald In the episode he makes an attempt to assassinate Johnson but is stopped by Rufus and other soldiers and arrested by the authorities citation needed References Edit Abraham Lincoln s Assassination George Atzerodt Abraham Lincoln Research December 29 1996 Retrieved 2008 11 08 Linder Douglas The Trial of the Lincoln Assassination Conspirators 1865 Law umkc edu Archived from the original on 2002 02 03 Retrieved 2008 11 08 Hamner Christopher Booth s Reason for Assassination Archived December 2 2010 at the Wayback Machine Teachinghistory org Accessed 12 July 2011 Jim 8 September 2010 Port Tobacco Archaeological Project Griffin John Chandler 2006 Abraham Lincoln s Execution Pelican Publishing p 186 ISBN 9781455600106 Retrieved 29 May 2018 Ayres Thomas 2000 That s Not in My American History Book A Compilation of Little Known Events and Forgotten Heroes Taylor Trade Publishing p 138 ISBN 9781589795129 Retrieved 29 May 2018 george atzerodt speak english Jampoler Andrew C A The Last Lincoln Conspirator John Surratt s Flight from the Gallows Naval Institute Press 2009 p Pitman Benn The assassination of President Lincoln and the trial of the conspirators Clark N J Lawbook Exchange 2006 ISBN 978 1 58477 600 0 p 144 a b c Linder Douglas The Trial of the Lincoln Assassination Conspirators 1865 George Atzerodt Law umkc edu Archived from the original on 2011 01 24 External links Edit Germany portal United States portal Biography portal Wikimedia Commons has media related to George Atzerodt Biography and Images of George Atzerodt Assassination Conspirator University of Missouri Kansas City School of Law Accessed December 9 2004 George Atzerodt Dr Samuel A Mudd Research Site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Atzerodt amp oldid 1141285265, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
