David Herold
Encyclopedia
David Edgar Herold was an accomplice of John Wilkes Booth
in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
. After guiding fellow conspirator Lewis Powell to the home of Secretary of State
William H. Seward
, whom Powell intended to kill, Herold fled and rendezvoused outside of Washington, D.C., with Booth. Both then proceeded to Surrattsville
, Maryland where they picked up weapons that Mary Surratt
had left earlier for them at her property. Since Booth had broken his leg earlier in the escape, Herold accompanied him to the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd
. After Mudd set Booth's leg, Herold and Booth continued their escape through Maryland and into Virginia, and Herold remained with Booth until the authorities found them. After becoming trapped in a barn by Union Army troops on the property of Richard Henry Garrett, Herold surrendered to the troops, but Booth, refusing to surrender, was shot by Sergeant Thomas P. "Boston" Corbett through a crack in the barn wall, and died a few hours later. After having admitted his participation in the conspiracy, Herold was tried and sentenced to death by hanging. The sentence was carried out on July 7, 1865, a day after it was imposed.
, the sixth of eleven children of Adam George Herold (June 6, 1803 - October 6, 1864 ) and Mary Ann Porter ( January 8, 1810 - February 16, 1883). Adam and Mary were married on Nov. 9, 1828 in Washington, D. C. David was their only son to survive to adulthood. His father Adam was the Chief Clerk of the Naval Storehouse at the Washington Navy Yard
for over 20 years. Herold's family was well-off financially and lived in a large brick house at 636 Eighth Street S. E. in Washington, D. C. near the Washington Navy Yard. David attended Gonzaga College High School
, Georgetown College
, Charlotte Hall Military Academy
( at Charlotte Hall, St. Mary's County, Maryland ), and the Rittenhouse Academy. In 1860 Herold received a certificate in pharmacy from Georgetown College. He then worked as a pharmacist's assistant and as a clerk for a doctor, and was an avid hunter. He became acquainted with John Surratt
while attending classes at Charlotte Hall Military Academy in the late 1850s. A few years later, in December 1864, Surratt introduced him to John Wilkes Booth.
For a time in 1864, Herold was employed in Brooklyn, New York, by Francis Tumblety
, a quack "Indian Herb" doctor who would be arrested in St. Louis, Missouri
in the manhunt following the Lincoln assassination and released for lack of evidence. Years later, Tumblety would be named as one of the Jack the Ripper suspects.
, was supposed to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson
, but never made the attempt.
It was during this time that John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at Ford's Theater. It is widely believed that Booth broke his leg in leaping from the president's box after the shooting. However, this is contradicted by multiple eye-witness accounts; the evidence suggests Booth broke his leg in a fall from his horse after escaping into Maryland. Booth was first across the bridge into Maryland, and Herold met with him there. They retrieved their weapons cache and proceeded to the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd
, who set Booth's leg. Herold remained with Booth and continually aided him until Union cavalry caught up with them. Herold and Booth were trapped by authorities on April 26, 1865, after taking refuge in a barn. Herold surrendered, but Booth refused to lay down his arms and suffered a mortal gunshot wound from Sergeant Boston Corbett
, in violation of his orders.
Herold was tried before a military tribunal. As he had already admitted his involvement in the assassination conspiracy, the only defense his lawyer Frederick Stone
(February 7, 1820 – October 17, 1899) could offer was that David was feeble-minded and under undue influence from Booth. His defense being unsuccessful, Herold was convicted and hanged in Washington, D.C.
On February 15, 1869 David's mother and 5 of his sisters interred his remains in Congressional Cemetery
( Washington, D. C. ) in an unmarked grave, next to the grave of his father Adam. The gravestone memorializing David now present in Congressional Cemetery was placed there in July 1917, at the time of the burial of his sister Mary Alice ( Herold ) Nelson (October 16, 1837 - July 1, 1917) in the cemetery. Mary Alice was the wife of Frederick Massena Nelson (January 1827 - May 11, 1909) of Pomonkey, Charles County, Maryland.
's fictionalised account of Lincoln's presidency, Lincoln
, includes a heavy focus on David Herold. In the Afterword, where Vidal explains the extent to which his novel is true to fact, he writes, "As David's life is largely unknown until Booth's conspiracy, I have invented a low-life for him."
John Wilkes Booth
John Wilkes Booth was an American stage actor who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre, in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. Booth was a member of the prominent 19th century Booth theatrical family from Maryland and, by the 1860s, was a well-known actor...
in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln assassination
The assassination of United States President Abraham Lincoln took place on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, as the American Civil War was drawing to a close. The assassination occurred five days after the commanding General of the Army of Northern Virginia, Robert E. Lee, and his battered Army of...
. After guiding fellow conspirator Lewis Powell to the home of Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
William H. Seward
William H. Seward
William Henry Seward, Sr. was the 12th Governor of New York, United States Senator and the United States Secretary of State under Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson...
, whom Powell intended to kill, Herold fled and rendezvoused outside of Washington, D.C., with Booth. Both then proceeded to Surrattsville
Clinton, Maryland
Clinton is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Clinton was formerly known as Surrattsville until after the time of the American Civil War. The population of Clinton was 26,064 at the 2000 census. However, as of 2007, there is an...
, Maryland where they picked up weapons that Mary Surratt
Mary Surratt
Mary Elizabeth Jenkins Surratt was an American boarding house owner who was convicted of taking part in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln. Sentenced to death, she was hanged, becoming the first woman executed by the United States federal government. She was the mother of John H...
had left earlier for them at her property. Since Booth had broken his leg earlier in the escape, Herold accompanied him to the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd
Samuel Mudd
Samuel Alexander Mudd I, M.D. was an American physician who was convicted and imprisoned for aiding and conspiring with John Wilkes Booth in the 1865 assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. He was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson and released from prison in 1869...
. After Mudd set Booth's leg, Herold and Booth continued their escape through Maryland and into Virginia, and Herold remained with Booth until the authorities found them. After becoming trapped in a barn by Union Army troops on the property of Richard Henry Garrett, Herold surrendered to the troops, but Booth, refusing to surrender, was shot by Sergeant Thomas P. "Boston" Corbett through a crack in the barn wall, and died a few hours later. After having admitted his participation in the conspiracy, Herold was tried and sentenced to death by hanging. The sentence was carried out on July 7, 1865, a day after it was imposed.
Early life
David E. Herold was born in MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, the sixth of eleven children of Adam George Herold (June 6, 1803 - October 6, 1864 ) and Mary Ann Porter ( January 8, 1810 - February 16, 1883). Adam and Mary were married on Nov. 9, 1828 in Washington, D. C. David was their only son to survive to adulthood. His father Adam was the Chief Clerk of the Naval Storehouse at the Washington Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard
The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and ordnance plant of the United States Navy in Southeast Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S. Navy...
for over 20 years. Herold's family was well-off financially and lived in a large brick house at 636 Eighth Street S. E. in Washington, D. C. near the Washington Navy Yard. David attended Gonzaga College High School
Gonzaga College High School
Gonzaga College High School is a Jesuit high school for boys located in Washington, D.C. The school is named in honor of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, an Italian saint from the 16th century...
, Georgetown College
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, Charlotte Hall Military Academy
Charlotte Hall Military Academy
Charlotte Hall Military Academy, located at Charlotte Hall, Maryland, was established as Charlotte Hall School in 1774 by Queen Charlotte to provide for the liberal and pious education of youth to better fit them for the discharge of their duties for the United States...
( at Charlotte Hall, St. Mary's County, Maryland ), and the Rittenhouse Academy. In 1860 Herold received a certificate in pharmacy from Georgetown College. He then worked as a pharmacist's assistant and as a clerk for a doctor, and was an avid hunter. He became acquainted with John Surratt
John Surratt
John Harrison Surratt, Jr. was accused of plotting with John Wilkes Booth to kidnap U.S. president Abraham Lincoln and suspected of involvement in the Abraham Lincoln assassination. His mother Mary Surratt was convicted of conspiracy and hanged by the United States Federal Government...
while attending classes at Charlotte Hall Military Academy in the late 1850s. A few years later, in December 1864, Surratt introduced him to John Wilkes Booth.
For a time in 1864, Herold was employed in Brooklyn, New York, by Francis Tumblety
Francis Tumblety
Francis Tumblety was an Irish-American who earned a small fortune posing as an "Indian Herb" doctor throughout the United States and Canada. He was a notorious self-promoter and was often in trouble with the law. He was put forward as a suspect in the unsolved Jack the Ripper murders. -Early...
, a quack "Indian Herb" doctor who would be arrested in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in the manhunt following the Lincoln assassination and released for lack of evidence. Years later, Tumblety would be named as one of the Jack the Ripper suspects.
Assassination plot
On the night of April 14, 1865, Herold guided Lewis Powell (Lewis Payne) to the house of Lincoln's Secretary of State, William H. Seward. Inside, Powell attempted to kill Seward, severely wounding him and other members of his household. The ensuing commotion frightened Herold and he rode off, leaving Powell to fend for himself. Another conspirator, George AtzerodtGeorge Atzerodt
George Andreas Atzerodt was a conspirator, with John Wilkes Booth, in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Assigned to assassinate Vice-President Andrew Johnson, he lost his nerve and did not make an attempt. He was executed along with three other conspirators by hanging.-Early life:Atzerodt...
, was supposed to kill Vice President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
, but never made the attempt.
It was during this time that John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln at Ford's Theater. It is widely believed that Booth broke his leg in leaping from the president's box after the shooting. However, this is contradicted by multiple eye-witness accounts; the evidence suggests Booth broke his leg in a fall from his horse after escaping into Maryland. Booth was first across the bridge into Maryland, and Herold met with him there. They retrieved their weapons cache and proceeded to the home of Dr. Samuel Mudd
Samuel Mudd
Samuel Alexander Mudd I, M.D. was an American physician who was convicted and imprisoned for aiding and conspiring with John Wilkes Booth in the 1865 assassination of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. He was pardoned by President Andrew Johnson and released from prison in 1869...
, who set Booth's leg. Herold remained with Booth and continually aided him until Union cavalry caught up with them. Herold and Booth were trapped by authorities on April 26, 1865, after taking refuge in a barn. Herold surrendered, but Booth refused to lay down his arms and suffered a mortal gunshot wound from Sergeant Boston Corbett
Boston Corbett
Thomas P. "Boston" Corbett was the Union Army soldier who shot and killed Abraham Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth. He disappeared after 1888, but circumstantial evidence suggests that he died in the Great Hinckley Fire in 1894, although this remains impossible to substantiate.-Early...
, in violation of his orders.
Herold was tried before a military tribunal. As he had already admitted his involvement in the assassination conspiracy, the only defense his lawyer Frederick Stone
Frederick Stone
Frederick Stone was a U.S. Congressman from the fifth district of Maryland, serving two terms from 1867—1871....
(February 7, 1820 – October 17, 1899) could offer was that David was feeble-minded and under undue influence from Booth. His defense being unsuccessful, Herold was convicted and hanged in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
On February 15, 1869 David's mother and 5 of his sisters interred his remains in Congressional Cemetery
Congressional Cemetery
The Congressional Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at 1801 E Street, SE, in Washington, D.C., on the west bank of the Anacostia River. It is the final resting place of thousands of individuals who helped form the nation and the city of Washington in the early 19th century. Many members of...
( Washington, D. C. ) in an unmarked grave, next to the grave of his father Adam. The gravestone memorializing David now present in Congressional Cemetery was placed there in July 1917, at the time of the burial of his sister Mary Alice ( Herold ) Nelson (October 16, 1837 - July 1, 1917) in the cemetery. Mary Alice was the wife of Frederick Massena Nelson (January 1827 - May 11, 1909) of Pomonkey, Charles County, Maryland.
Cultural references
Gore VidalGore Vidal
Gore Vidal is an American author, playwright, essayist, screenwriter, and political activist. His third novel, The City and the Pillar , outraged mainstream critics as one of the first major American novels to feature unambiguous homosexuality...
's fictionalised account of Lincoln's presidency, Lincoln
Lincoln (novel)
Lincoln is a historical novel, part of the Narratives of Empire series by Gore Vidal.Set during the American Civil War, the novel describes the presidency of Abraham Lincoln through the eyes of several historical figures, including presidential secretary John Hay, First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln,...
, includes a heavy focus on David Herold. In the Afterword, where Vidal explains the extent to which his novel is true to fact, he writes, "As David's life is largely unknown until Booth's conspiracy, I have invented a low-life for him."