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The Baltimore Plot: The First Conspiracy to Assassinate Abraham Lincoln
The Complete Story of the First Attempt to Assassinate President Abraham Lincoln
"In a thrilling detective story of conspiracy, treachery and assassination, Michael J. Kline suggests how close the Baltimore plotters came to achieving their goal, and reveals how Lincoln and a few guards outwitted them. Meticulously researched and written with verve, "The Baltimore Plot" takes readers aboard Lincoln's inaugural train for a perilous and unforgettable journey." —James L. Swanson, author of the Edgar Award-winning New York Times bestseller The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer On February 11, 1861, the "Lincoln Special" - Abraham Lincoln's private train—began its journey from Springfield, Illinois, to the City of Washington, carrying the president-elect to his inauguration as the sixteenth president of the United States. Considered a "sectional candidate" by the South, and winning the election without the popular vote, Lincoln was so despised that seven states immediately seceded from the Union. Over the next twelve days, Lincoln would speak at numerous stops, including Indianapolis, Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Albany, New York, and Philadelphia, expressing his desire to maintain the Union. But as Lincoln made his way east, America's first private detective, Allan Pinkerton, and a separate undercover operation by New York City detectives, uncovered startling evidence of a conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln during his next-to-last stop in Baltimore. Long a site of civil unrest—even Robert E. Lee's father, Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, was nearly beaten to death in its streets—Baltimore provided the perfect environment for a strike. The largest city of a border state with secessionist sympathies, Baltimore had been infiltrated by paramilitary groups bent on killing Lincoln, the "Black Republican." The death of the president-elect would, it was supposed, throw the nation into chaos and allow the South to establish a new nation and claim Washington as its capital. Warned in time, Lincoln outfoxed the alleged conspirators by slipping through Baltimore undetected, but at a steep price. Ridiculed by the press for "cowardice" and the fact that no conspirators were charged, Lincoln would never hide from the public again. Four years later, when he sat unprotected in the balcony of Ford's Theatre, the string of conspiracies against his life finally succeeded. One of the great presidential mysteries and long a source of fascination among Lincoln scholars, the Baltimore Plot has never been fully investigated until now. In The Baltimore The First Conspiracy to Assassinate Abraham Lincoln , Michael J. Kline turns his legal expertise to evaluating primary sources in order to discover the extent of the conspiracy and culpability of the many suspects surrounding the case. Full of memorable characters, including Kate Warne, the first female undercover agent, and intriguing plot twists, the story is written as an unfolding criminal proceeding in which the author allows the reader to determine whether there was a true plot to kill Lincoln and if the perpetrators could have been brought to trial.
"In a thrilling detective story of conspiracy, treachery and assassination, Michael J. Kline suggests how close the Baltimore plotters came to achieving their goal, and reveals how Lincoln and a few guards outwitted them. Meticulously researched and written with verve, "The Baltimore Plot" takes readers aboard Lincoln's inaugural train for a perilous and unforgettable journey." —James L. Swanson, author of the Edgar Award-winning New York Times bestseller The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer On February 11, 1861, the "Lincoln Special" - Abraham Lincoln's private train—began its journey from Springfield, Illinois, to the City of Washington, carrying the president-elect to his inauguration as the sixteenth president of the United States. Considered a "sectional candidate" by the South, and winning the election without the popular vote, Lincoln was so despised that seven states immediately seceded from the Union. Over the next twelve days, Lincoln would speak at numerous stops, including Indianapolis, Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Albany, New York, and Philadelphia, expressing his desire to maintain the Union. But as Lincoln made his way east, America's first private detective, Allan Pinkerton, and a separate undercover operation by New York City detectives, uncovered startling evidence of a conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln during his next-to-last stop in Baltimore. Long a site of civil unrest—even Robert E. Lee's father, Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, was nearly beaten to death in its streets—Baltimore provided the perfect environment for a strike. The largest city of a border state with secessionist sympathies, Baltimore had been infiltrated by paramilitary groups bent on killing Lincoln, the "Black Republican." The death of the president-elect would, it was supposed, throw the nation into chaos and allow the South to establish a new nation and claim Washington as its capital. Warned in time, Lincoln outfoxed the alleged conspirators by slipping through Baltimore undetected, but at a steep price. Ridiculed by the press for "cowardice" and the fact that no conspirators were charged, Lincoln would never hide from the public again. Four years later, when he sat unprotected in the balcony of Ford's Theatre, the string of conspiracies against his life finally succeeded. One of the great presidential mysteries and long a source of fascination among Lincoln scholars, the Baltimore Plot has never been fully investigated until now. In The Baltimore The First Conspiracy to Assassinate Abraham Lincoln , Michael J. Kline turns his legal expertise to evaluating primary sources in order to discover the extent of the conspiracy and culpability of the many suspects surrounding the case. Full of memorable characters, including Kate Warne, the first female undercover agent, and intriguing plot twists, the story is written as an unfolding criminal proceeding in which the author allows the reader to determine whether there was a true plot to kill Lincoln and if the perpetrators could have been brought to trial.
536 pages, Hardcover
First published November 17, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 23, 2021
Fascinating book, and the first book-length treatment I’ve seen of the Baltimore plot.
As a circumstantial case, Kline shows “beyond a reasonable doubt” that some sort of conspiracy was in some degree of formulation.
He shows with a moderate degree of success that Booth MAY have had some degree of connection with SOME events in Baltimore.
He shows at least to the edge of reasonable doubt that Booth seemed to have been involved with the April attempt to stop troops from entering Baltimore, before they were attacked in Baltimore.
He also notes other background, including:
Lincoln hate mail;
Poisoned food sent to Lincoln in Springfield;
New York Congressman Charles H. Van Wyck being attacked in Washington on Feb. 21.
All three of the above, at least the severity of the hate mail and definitely the second and third, are new to me. So, too, was the NYPD’s predecessor going undercover in Baltimore as well as Pinkerton.
Bottom line? He proved WELL beyond a reasonable doubt that Lincoln, reluctant as he personally was, made the right decision to go through Baltimore at night on an altered schedule.
He also asks if Virginia Sen. James Seddon, a participant in the Peace Conference, had any connection to the plot, possibly as a bankroller. Also asks if Texas Sen. Louis Wigfall might have drilled rebellious “troops” of the Baltimore-based National Volunteers.
That said, like at least one other reviewer, he did seem obsessed with Booth, including going past the Baltimore plot to the later effort to stop troops from reaching DC. It makes me wonder if it was to goose sales. A tighter write-up, eliminating most the extraneous Booth stuff, and trying to tease out more about Seddon and Wigfall if possible, would have kept this at five stars. It doesn't deserve to be underrated, though, either.
The stuff that IS in here about Wigfall is plenty interesting enough, after all.
As a circumstantial case, Kline shows “beyond a reasonable doubt” that some sort of conspiracy was in some degree of formulation.
He shows with a moderate degree of success that Booth MAY have had some degree of connection with SOME events in Baltimore.
He shows at least to the edge of reasonable doubt that Booth seemed to have been involved with the April attempt to stop troops from entering Baltimore, before they were attacked in Baltimore.
He also notes other background, including:
Lincoln hate mail;
Poisoned food sent to Lincoln in Springfield;
New York Congressman Charles H. Van Wyck being attacked in Washington on Feb. 21.
All three of the above, at least the severity of the hate mail and definitely the second and third, are new to me. So, too, was the NYPD’s predecessor going undercover in Baltimore as well as Pinkerton.
Bottom line? He proved WELL beyond a reasonable doubt that Lincoln, reluctant as he personally was, made the right decision to go through Baltimore at night on an altered schedule.
He also asks if Virginia Sen. James Seddon, a participant in the Peace Conference, had any connection to the plot, possibly as a bankroller. Also asks if Texas Sen. Louis Wigfall might have drilled rebellious “troops” of the Baltimore-based National Volunteers.
That said, like at least one other reviewer, he did seem obsessed with Booth, including going past the Baltimore plot to the later effort to stop troops from reaching DC. It makes me wonder if it was to goose sales. A tighter write-up, eliminating most the extraneous Booth stuff, and trying to tease out more about Seddon and Wigfall if possible, would have kept this at five stars. It doesn't deserve to be underrated, though, either.
The stuff that IS in here about Wigfall is plenty interesting enough, after all.
April 19, 2015
This was a very interesting book. It attempts to look at the conspiracies against Abraham Lincoln as he makes his way from Springfield Illinois across much of the country at the time to Washington DC. The center of the story focuses on the much debated Baltimore Plot where a group of people were planning on killing Lincoln either as this train was bound from Harrisburg or as he switched trains in Baltimore to go to DC. The author takes a look at what little solid evidence we have (mostly bound in the notes of detective Allen Pinkerton who was hired by the railroad to investigate attempts to disrupt the Lincoln Special (the name given to the train carrying the president). This is a tough book to write given the lack of hard evidence and the author weaves much of the conjecture into a very convincing story. Unfortunately his obsession of John Wilkes Booth as being involved in plots during this time is where he loses credibility. While Wilkes from a VERY circumstantial point could have been involved at various points most of the strong biographies of Wilkes point out that at this time he was not committed enough to the cause to be involved in something like this in 1861. The last two chapters of the book read like a closing argument against John Wilkes Booth and while fun were not germane to the narrative. Overall it is a fun book but one that should be read with a bit of caution as to whether all the events play out the way the author lays them out.
November 1, 2025
Disappointing. expected to find out if there really was a plot. Doesn't really let the reader know. Maybe you will feel differently. Enjoy!
July 17, 2016
This was a historical information book that tried to clarify the entry of Abraham Lincoln into Washing to DC prior to his inauguration. It was by no means a 'thriller' or page turner. The primary value of the book was to give insight into the biography of Allan Pinkerton and his value to Lincoln and the Army of the Potomac. To me this was just OK.
October 29, 2012
First book I read about the memoirs of this late president. I idolized him how great he is. For me, he's a hero. About this conspiracy -- those people who were involved weren't face the trial of Lincoln's death. I cried on this book.
did-not-finish
February 6, 2012did not read. The author attempts to make a conspiracy that was not there!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews