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Bloody Times: The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln and the Manhunt for Jefferson Davis
In Bloody Crimes, James L. Swanson—the Edgar® Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Manhunt—brings to life two epic events of the Civil War era: the thrilling chase to apprehend Confederate president Jefferson Davis in the wake of the Lincoln assassination and the momentous 20 -day funeral that took Abraham Lincoln’s body home to Springfield. A true tale full of fascinating twists and turns, and lavishly illustrated with dozens of rare historical images—some never before seen—Bloody Crimes is a fascinating companion to Swanson’s Manhunt and a riveting true-crime thriller that will electrify civil war buffs, general readers, and everyone in between.
196 pages, Hardcover
First published December 28, 2010
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3438 people want to read
About the author
James L. Swanson
31 books377 followersJames L. Swanson was an American author and historian famous for his New York Times best-seller Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer, focusing on the biography of John Wilkes Booth and his plot to kill Lincoln and other cabinet members. For this book he earned an Edgar Award. He was a Senior Fellow at the Heritage Foundation and appeared on C-SPAN on behalf of the Koch-affiliated libertarian CATO Institute think tank.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
January 17, 2021
“Let me beseech you to lay aside all rancor…” (3.5 stars)
I read Mr. Swanson’s first book, “Manhunt”, and enjoyed it. So it made sense that I would pick up its sequel. “Bloody Crimes” is not as good a book as the one that preceded it.
The beginning and the end of this text are pretty strong. The middle section, which tells the parallel stories of Lincoln’s funeral train’s journey from DC to Springfield, Illinois (where Lincoln is buried) and Jefferson Davis’ flight from Richmond as the Civil War was ending lagged for me. Swanson gets caught up in too many ridiculous (and unnecessary) details in this part.
“Bloody Crimes” opens with a haunting prologue that focuses on a shared experience that Lincoln and Davis had while presidents of waring nations during a bloody conflict… the death of a son while residing in the executive mansion. In fact, one of the strongest aspects of this book is the interesting exploration of the many similarities between Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. It is a bit eerie, and I love history for that connective experience that most of us forget to consider.
An interesting side note-I did not know, until reading this book, that Lincoln was elected with less than 40% of the popular vote. Over 60% of the country voted for someone else! It is facts like this that the current mob of historical ignoramuses (I’m talking to you, Electoral College haters) don’t even begin to know.
History matters. Unvarnished history. History that is not whitewashed or purged so that only certain things are remembered. It matters because it is made up of people, people exactly like us, and knowledge of history allows us to honor our past (all aspects of it) as part of the human condition, and helps nudge us from making some of its more ugly aspects a reality again in the future. “Bloody Crimes” tries to do that, and for that reason alone I embrace it.
Consider this-
"Before you lies the future, a future full of golden promise, a future of expanding national glory, before which all the world shall stand amazed. Let me beseech you to lay aside all rancor, all bitter sectional feeling, and to make your places in the ranks of those who will bring about a consummation devoutly to be wished - a reunited country"
It sounds like it could have been said by Abraham Lincoln. But it wasn’t. It was Jefferson Davis in 1888. When I read this in “Bloody Crimes” I felt a jolt of hope. America eventually reunited after the darkest period of its history.
The world is always moving on, and reinventing itself. Dark periods throughout history have only lasted for their season.
I read Mr. Swanson’s first book, “Manhunt”, and enjoyed it. So it made sense that I would pick up its sequel. “Bloody Crimes” is not as good a book as the one that preceded it.
The beginning and the end of this text are pretty strong. The middle section, which tells the parallel stories of Lincoln’s funeral train’s journey from DC to Springfield, Illinois (where Lincoln is buried) and Jefferson Davis’ flight from Richmond as the Civil War was ending lagged for me. Swanson gets caught up in too many ridiculous (and unnecessary) details in this part.
“Bloody Crimes” opens with a haunting prologue that focuses on a shared experience that Lincoln and Davis had while presidents of waring nations during a bloody conflict… the death of a son while residing in the executive mansion. In fact, one of the strongest aspects of this book is the interesting exploration of the many similarities between Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. It is a bit eerie, and I love history for that connective experience that most of us forget to consider.
An interesting side note-I did not know, until reading this book, that Lincoln was elected with less than 40% of the popular vote. Over 60% of the country voted for someone else! It is facts like this that the current mob of historical ignoramuses (I’m talking to you, Electoral College haters) don’t even begin to know.
History matters. Unvarnished history. History that is not whitewashed or purged so that only certain things are remembered. It matters because it is made up of people, people exactly like us, and knowledge of history allows us to honor our past (all aspects of it) as part of the human condition, and helps nudge us from making some of its more ugly aspects a reality again in the future. “Bloody Crimes” tries to do that, and for that reason alone I embrace it.
Consider this-
"Before you lies the future, a future full of golden promise, a future of expanding national glory, before which all the world shall stand amazed. Let me beseech you to lay aside all rancor, all bitter sectional feeling, and to make your places in the ranks of those who will bring about a consummation devoutly to be wished - a reunited country"
It sounds like it could have been said by Abraham Lincoln. But it wasn’t. It was Jefferson Davis in 1888. When I read this in “Bloody Crimes” I felt a jolt of hope. America eventually reunited after the darkest period of its history.
The world is always moving on, and reinventing itself. Dark periods throughout history have only lasted for their season.
September 20, 2017
The author of the very good book, Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer, sticks with that same time period, the spring of 1865, and chronicles Abraham Lincoln’s final days, murder and extended funeral in parallel with the plight, escape from Richmond, journey south and capture of his Confederate counterpart, Jefferson Davis. These separate historic events taking place as the Civil War concluded.
Swanson also uses the same narrative style he used in Manhunt to tell these two “stories”; utilizing anecdotes and first-hand accounts, back-filling with brief biographical sketches; and highlighting excerpts from, letters, handbills, newspapers and diaries. This wealth of historical detail works some of the time, but unfortunately not all – particularly during the middle of the book. The narrative becomes bogged down with both the 1300+ mile journey of Lincoln’s funeral train – each individual “stop” along the way touching and poignant in its own way, but all very similar in general; and Davis’ journey south, staying one step ahead of the Union Army, meeting with mixed reaction from the southern populace; shunned in one town, embraced in another; until his final capture in Georgia. Although I understand that this critique is much easier to highlight than to solve, there are more than a few narrative “lulls” in Bloody Crimes.
On the positive side the author provides very good portraits of Lincoln and Davis, who although were very different men, shared several common – albeit at times tragic – experiences, i.e. as young men the loss of their first “true loves” to disease and the deaths of beloved sons while serving in the executive office. The reader is also privy to the personal lives of both men, including their relationships with and behavior of their respective spouses. Mrs. Davis – Varina – at times understandably panicked as she fled Richmond with her young children and leaving her husband behind, somehow managed to keep her head and was always highly functional. A quitter she was not.
Mrs. Lincoln - Mary Todd – is not portrayed in such a flattering light. She is described by the author as “mercurial, jealous, insulting, rude, selfish, deceitful, paranoid, financially dishonest and, without doubt, mentally unbalanced.” (An “opinion” I have no problems with.) And Swanson highlights more than a few “examples” to back his words up. For instance, she left Tad, the youngest Lincoln son, “home alone” the night his father was shot and in the subsequent days selfishly played games with where her husband would be buried. These later “antics” while the nation mourned and much resource monopolized in the planning and execution of the cross-country funeral train; the First Widow dithering with petty concerns about which town and more importantly who “deserved” the resting place of the beloved President. To compound the issue Mary did not travel with her husband’s remains, holing up in the Executive Mansion, while the new President, Andrew Johnson, carried on his duties from a hotel room.
Mary has always been a Lincoln conundrum with many previous authors/books either glossing over her faults or attempting to defend her tantrums, spending habits and at times downright irrational behavior as “temperamental”. It’s refreshing to read an account with the proverbial “bark off”.
On the down side, some readers may cringe at the lesser, but grisly details supplied here, i.e. Lincoln’s autopsy and the state of his corpse as it traveled cross-country. And lastly, this reader found a few instances where less info would have sufficed. Four or five pages are spent describing the scene outside Ford’s Theater just after Lincoln was shot, including the hypothetical narrative that the ensuing panic mimicked that of a fire. We all know what happened inside the theater and it wasn’t a fire.
These over-padded moments are frequent enough to impede the narrative. An interesting read, but nowhere near as engaging as Manhunt.
Swanson also uses the same narrative style he used in Manhunt to tell these two “stories”; utilizing anecdotes and first-hand accounts, back-filling with brief biographical sketches; and highlighting excerpts from, letters, handbills, newspapers and diaries. This wealth of historical detail works some of the time, but unfortunately not all – particularly during the middle of the book. The narrative becomes bogged down with both the 1300+ mile journey of Lincoln’s funeral train – each individual “stop” along the way touching and poignant in its own way, but all very similar in general; and Davis’ journey south, staying one step ahead of the Union Army, meeting with mixed reaction from the southern populace; shunned in one town, embraced in another; until his final capture in Georgia. Although I understand that this critique is much easier to highlight than to solve, there are more than a few narrative “lulls” in Bloody Crimes.
On the positive side the author provides very good portraits of Lincoln and Davis, who although were very different men, shared several common – albeit at times tragic – experiences, i.e. as young men the loss of their first “true loves” to disease and the deaths of beloved sons while serving in the executive office. The reader is also privy to the personal lives of both men, including their relationships with and behavior of their respective spouses. Mrs. Davis – Varina – at times understandably panicked as she fled Richmond with her young children and leaving her husband behind, somehow managed to keep her head and was always highly functional. A quitter she was not.
Mrs. Lincoln - Mary Todd – is not portrayed in such a flattering light. She is described by the author as “mercurial, jealous, insulting, rude, selfish, deceitful, paranoid, financially dishonest and, without doubt, mentally unbalanced.” (An “opinion” I have no problems with.) And Swanson highlights more than a few “examples” to back his words up. For instance, she left Tad, the youngest Lincoln son, “home alone” the night his father was shot and in the subsequent days selfishly played games with where her husband would be buried. These later “antics” while the nation mourned and much resource monopolized in the planning and execution of the cross-country funeral train; the First Widow dithering with petty concerns about which town and more importantly who “deserved” the resting place of the beloved President. To compound the issue Mary did not travel with her husband’s remains, holing up in the Executive Mansion, while the new President, Andrew Johnson, carried on his duties from a hotel room.
Mary has always been a Lincoln conundrum with many previous authors/books either glossing over her faults or attempting to defend her tantrums, spending habits and at times downright irrational behavior as “temperamental”. It’s refreshing to read an account with the proverbial “bark off”.
On the down side, some readers may cringe at the lesser, but grisly details supplied here, i.e. Lincoln’s autopsy and the state of his corpse as it traveled cross-country. And lastly, this reader found a few instances where less info would have sufficed. Four or five pages are spent describing the scene outside Ford’s Theater just after Lincoln was shot, including the hypothetical narrative that the ensuing panic mimicked that of a fire. We all know what happened inside the theater and it wasn’t a fire.
These over-padded moments are frequent enough to impede the narrative. An interesting read, but nowhere near as engaging as Manhunt.
January 18, 2011
One of my pet peeves is when authors write a good book, get a second book deal, and then rush to write said book. There are many problems with this one (1) it needs an editor to cut out the copious amount of material that is also found in his first book (2) he needs to cut down on the Mary Lincoln bashing and (3) it needs to quit using the obscure term catalfaque every other fecking page. It was disappointing and you would be better served finding any number of other books that handle the dual subjects better.
November 7, 2022
Outstanding
This is a thorough and detailed history of two American leaders.
As a student of history, I was surprised how much new information I gleamed from this book.
It is well documented and referenced. I recommend to history buffs.
This is a thorough and detailed history of two American leaders.
As a student of history, I was surprised how much new information I gleamed from this book.
It is well documented and referenced. I recommend to history buffs.
July 26, 2016
Parallel Lives. Not Parallel Legacies.
This starts with Robert E. Lee's telegrams to Jefferson Davis about his inability to hold defensive lines and his surrender days later at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. The narrative of events ends with Davis's capture on May 10, 1865. A summation of Davis's last years and an analysis of history's memory of the Lincoln and Davis follows. The title is a little "off" since there is not much on the "bloody crimes" and the book is more than the chase for Davis and Lincoln's death pageant.
Other biographies cover this period for each of the principals. "The Avenger Takes His Place: Andrew Johnson and the 45 Days That Changed the Nation" covers the short period following Lincoln's assassination through the life of Andrew Johnson. I don't know if Lincoln and Davis have been featured in a single volume covering this eventful period before this. If they haven't this book is not only welcome, but long overdue.
As President Lincoln prepared for his fateful night at Ford's theatre on April 14, Davis had already fled not just Richmond but Danville, VA as well. As the doctors were tending to Lincoln and mourning for him began, Davis was unwelcomed in Charlotte, NC and supporters, soldiers and cabinet members began to go their own ways. It took almost a week for news of Lincoln's assassination to reach Davis, and when it did, Davis's thoughts turned to how Andrew Johnson would differ from Lincoln in pursuit of him. Davis didn't consider that he'd have a bounty on his head as a potential conspirator.
The description of the nation's mourning for Lincoln, his casket traveling to its resting place all managed with 19th century technology/communication, is not only a highlight of the book, it is beautiful prose. While the nation pours out its heart for Lincoln, by contrast, Davis is on the run, he is camping... in a tent. 27 years later, after a two year incarceration, financial failures and an eventual retreat to the home of a supporter, Davis had a similar funeral train with mourners expressing both personal and symbolic grief for the South's losses in the war.
Throughout the book author James Swanson draws parallels of the two men. They were born a year apart and not far away from each other. They both lost their first loves to a similar disease (probably typhoid) and buried young sons. Both represented the hopes of their constituencies as expressed in their respective funeral processions. While Davis's cause, may be dressed up with states' rights rhetotic, today we have a conscious or unconscious acceptance that it really was about slavery. Lincoln lives on, and his stature seems to grow each year while Davis' name and legacy wanes.
This book is highly recommended for its scope and its page turning qualities.
This starts with Robert E. Lee's telegrams to Jefferson Davis about his inability to hold defensive lines and his surrender days later at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. The narrative of events ends with Davis's capture on May 10, 1865. A summation of Davis's last years and an analysis of history's memory of the Lincoln and Davis follows. The title is a little "off" since there is not much on the "bloody crimes" and the book is more than the chase for Davis and Lincoln's death pageant.
Other biographies cover this period for each of the principals. "The Avenger Takes His Place: Andrew Johnson and the 45 Days That Changed the Nation" covers the short period following Lincoln's assassination through the life of Andrew Johnson. I don't know if Lincoln and Davis have been featured in a single volume covering this eventful period before this. If they haven't this book is not only welcome, but long overdue.
As President Lincoln prepared for his fateful night at Ford's theatre on April 14, Davis had already fled not just Richmond but Danville, VA as well. As the doctors were tending to Lincoln and mourning for him began, Davis was unwelcomed in Charlotte, NC and supporters, soldiers and cabinet members began to go their own ways. It took almost a week for news of Lincoln's assassination to reach Davis, and when it did, Davis's thoughts turned to how Andrew Johnson would differ from Lincoln in pursuit of him. Davis didn't consider that he'd have a bounty on his head as a potential conspirator.
The description of the nation's mourning for Lincoln, his casket traveling to its resting place all managed with 19th century technology/communication, is not only a highlight of the book, it is beautiful prose. While the nation pours out its heart for Lincoln, by contrast, Davis is on the run, he is camping... in a tent. 27 years later, after a two year incarceration, financial failures and an eventual retreat to the home of a supporter, Davis had a similar funeral train with mourners expressing both personal and symbolic grief for the South's losses in the war.
Throughout the book author James Swanson draws parallels of the two men. They were born a year apart and not far away from each other. They both lost their first loves to a similar disease (probably typhoid) and buried young sons. Both represented the hopes of their constituencies as expressed in their respective funeral processions. While Davis's cause, may be dressed up with states' rights rhetotic, today we have a conscious or unconscious acceptance that it really was about slavery. Lincoln lives on, and his stature seems to grow each year while Davis' name and legacy wanes.
This book is highly recommended for its scope and its page turning qualities.
October 16, 2011
Swanson is a first-rate historian, especially with events surrounding the end of the US Civil War, but this book didn't hold my interest nearly as well as CHASING LINCOLN'S KILLER. In trying to tell simultaneously two stories---the funeral/mourning events for Lincoln and the collapse of the Confederacy, especially the actions of Jefferson Davis---the narrative never really took off. Sometimes I felt the details of either/both events bogged down.
Still, for anyone interested in Lincoln and/or in the days immediately following the his death, this book is a terrific resource.
Still, for anyone interested in Lincoln and/or in the days immediately following the his death, this book is a terrific resource.
February 22, 2021
3.5
Bloody Crimes had many highs and many lows for me so overall I would rate it 3.5. James Swanson certainly knows this time period having written about it before in his Manhunt book about the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth.
I thought the book was strongest when recounting the assignation of Lincoln and the pursuit of Jefferson Davis. I especially enjoyed the chase for Davis since I knew little of this phase of the war despite having ready many books about the Civil War. Most shocking to me was how loved Davis was to the South even after the disastrous war. I felt like Swanson was fairly sympathetic to Davis and the South which may rub some the wrong way. I wasn't offended as much as I was surprised by his apparent affection for Davis who seemed to me to be completely delusional and on the wrong side of history.
The book lagged for me at times when Swanson seemed to want to rattle of lists of information that he uncovered like every charge made to the federal government for Lincolns funeral procession. Those low points reads like a grocery list.
All in all I'm glad I read the Bloody Crimes because it had enough strong pieces to keep me interested.
Bloody Crimes had many highs and many lows for me so overall I would rate it 3.5. James Swanson certainly knows this time period having written about it before in his Manhunt book about the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth.
I thought the book was strongest when recounting the assignation of Lincoln and the pursuit of Jefferson Davis. I especially enjoyed the chase for Davis since I knew little of this phase of the war despite having ready many books about the Civil War. Most shocking to me was how loved Davis was to the South even after the disastrous war. I felt like Swanson was fairly sympathetic to Davis and the South which may rub some the wrong way. I wasn't offended as much as I was surprised by his apparent affection for Davis who seemed to me to be completely delusional and on the wrong side of history.
The book lagged for me at times when Swanson seemed to want to rattle of lists of information that he uncovered like every charge made to the federal government for Lincolns funeral procession. Those low points reads like a grocery list.
All in all I'm glad I read the Bloody Crimes because it had enough strong pieces to keep me interested.
September 9, 2010
Based on the length of the subtitle, The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln's Corpse, I should have known that the book wouldn't be short. Because of some incorrect online information (hey, you can get wrong info on the Web??), I expected about 200 pages and was just a little disconcerted to find around 400.
I shouldn't have worried. This book was informative, entertaining, and thoroughly readable. The story starts a few days before the Lincoln assassination and follows Lincoln before his death, and his body after his death. It begins at the same time to tell the story Jefferson Davis as his hopes of winning the war were turning to dust, and continues until his death. The two stories are intertwined in the book, just as they were in reality, with information about what was happening to each of them on the same days.
Most U. S. citizens know a fair amount about Abraham Lincoln. Fewer of us, including me, know much about Davis. The author gives insight into his character as well as putting to rest some of the myths about him, and I found it quite fascinating.
The cities that hosted Lincoln's corpse on the trip to his burial genuinely mourned him, but there also was competition over what city could provide the most elaborate welcome and settings for the viewing. It all seems quite macabre, especially considering the length of the tour and the state of embalming science at the time. I found the descriptions of the various floral tributes, hearses, and catafalques a bit too detailed for my taste but it certainly gave substance to that final trip.
Although the copy that I read was an Advance Reader's Edition, it contained quite a few photographs and illustrations that added to the story. Reading it makes me want to read the author's earlier work,Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.
I shouldn't have worried. This book was informative, entertaining, and thoroughly readable. The story starts a few days before the Lincoln assassination and follows Lincoln before his death, and his body after his death. It begins at the same time to tell the story Jefferson Davis as his hopes of winning the war were turning to dust, and continues until his death. The two stories are intertwined in the book, just as they were in reality, with information about what was happening to each of them on the same days.
Most U. S. citizens know a fair amount about Abraham Lincoln. Fewer of us, including me, know much about Davis. The author gives insight into his character as well as putting to rest some of the myths about him, and I found it quite fascinating.
The cities that hosted Lincoln's corpse on the trip to his burial genuinely mourned him, but there also was competition over what city could provide the most elaborate welcome and settings for the viewing. It all seems quite macabre, especially considering the length of the tour and the state of embalming science at the time. I found the descriptions of the various floral tributes, hearses, and catafalques a bit too detailed for my taste but it certainly gave substance to that final trip.
Although the copy that I read was an Advance Reader's Edition, it contained quite a few photographs and illustrations that added to the story. Reading it makes me want to read the author's earlier work,Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.
October 5, 2011
UPDATE: This book never got better. The writing was completely boring, even to a history buff like me. The "thrilling" chase for Jefferson Davis was anything but thrilling. There was no sense of drama and only the vaguest and feeblest attempt to capture the emotions which accompanied the chase and the actual capture. This book may as well have been a checklist of historic facts. "First this happened; then this happened; then this happened; and then he died." This was the most disappointing book I have read in a very long time.
This book gets worse and worse. I have no doubt the author did a ridiculous amount of research; but that alone does not make a good book. I could go into a library, copy copious amounts of material, and paste them together, but I would not have created a book.
The author seems unsure of what is important versus what is not important. He goes into excruciatingly-minute details of certain items, and then completely glosses over things which I presume would be interesting.
The best things I can say for this book are: (1) it makes me more interested to learn about Jefferson Davis and the fall of the Confederacy, (2) it clearly demonstrates that no one is more fascinated with all things Lincoln than this author; and (3) if there is ever a trivia question posed to me regarding any detail of the life of the assistant mortician who rode with Lincoln's body on the funeral train, or how much per board-foot the U.S. was charged for the lumber used to create grandstands for the funeral, or the name of the proprietor who supplied the black cloth for Mary Lincoln's funeral dress, I now know. I can't imagine why anyone would care--but I now know.
Every critic quoted on the back cover of this book who lauded it as "compelling" "thrilling" and "riveting" should be banned from every writing another review/and or punched in the face--depending upon your temperament, of course.
This book gets worse and worse. I have no doubt the author did a ridiculous amount of research; but that alone does not make a good book. I could go into a library, copy copious amounts of material, and paste them together, but I would not have created a book.
The author seems unsure of what is important versus what is not important. He goes into excruciatingly-minute details of certain items, and then completely glosses over things which I presume would be interesting.
The best things I can say for this book are: (1) it makes me more interested to learn about Jefferson Davis and the fall of the Confederacy, (2) it clearly demonstrates that no one is more fascinated with all things Lincoln than this author; and (3) if there is ever a trivia question posed to me regarding any detail of the life of the assistant mortician who rode with Lincoln's body on the funeral train, or how much per board-foot the U.S. was charged for the lumber used to create grandstands for the funeral, or the name of the proprietor who supplied the black cloth for Mary Lincoln's funeral dress, I now know. I can't imagine why anyone would care--but I now know.
Every critic quoted on the back cover of this book who lauded it as "compelling" "thrilling" and "riveting" should be banned from every writing another review/and or punched in the face--depending upon your temperament, of course.
December 17, 2010
This was an excellent book on a somewhat unusual subject. Swanson argues that the process of Lincoln's death pagaent, particularly his funeral train, turned him into America's secular saint. Many years later, though on a smaller scale, Jefferson Davis became a symbol of the South's "Lost Cause," but time has not sustained this image well. This volume surprised me in two ways. First, it makes Davis a much more sympathetic figure than most other works that describe him. Second, although he is not the author's subject, the invisibility of Andrew Johnson puzzled me. Through descriptions of Lincoln's funeral and the subsequent journey of his body by train to Springfield, Illinois, I kept wondering when Johnson was sworn in as president and where he was during all these ceremonies. Although there are a couple of brief references to him, it almost seems as if the nation did not need a chief executive during these days. Nonetheless, Swanson has written a highly readable book, which makes me want to obtain his earlier work, MANHUNT.
February 16, 2018
While the YA books about the manhunts for the assassins of King, JFK Jr, and Lincoln are definitely YA with some middle grade appeal for an advanced reader, Bloody Times is firmly middle grade that if interested in the topic would have YA appeal. It was even apparent in the author's note when he shared that his two sons wanted blood and knives because that's what people will read.
Now having heard Swanson speak and knowing what a deep appreciation and love he has for history (and how amazing of a storyteller he is), I'm reading the books with another lens. One that is about gleaning from history, what it can tell us about the time and lives and how we can adjust even now. Sometimes it's not enough just to know. Then, the fact that he wants to share these stories with an audience who is used to the stand and deliver social studies class-- this as I always share are read like fast-paced movies EVEN THOUGH we already know the history and stories themselves. In part, Swanson always manages to teach us MORE.
Now having heard Swanson speak and knowing what a deep appreciation and love he has for history (and how amazing of a storyteller he is), I'm reading the books with another lens. One that is about gleaning from history, what it can tell us about the time and lives and how we can adjust even now. Sometimes it's not enough just to know. Then, the fact that he wants to share these stories with an audience who is used to the stand and deliver social studies class-- this as I always share are read like fast-paced movies EVEN THOUGH we already know the history and stories themselves. In part, Swanson always manages to teach us MORE.
January 18, 2011
Fascinating coverage of a part of the Civil War that I'd never really thought about: the immediate aftermath of Lee's surrender and Lincoln's assassination. In particular, I was intrigued by the slow unwinding of the end of the Confederacy: Davis's hopes to keep going, the surrenders of the various armies, the insistence of his associates that Davis either flee the country or try to keep the Confederacy going in Texas. (!!!)
What bugged me, ultimately, was the entirely sympathetic treatment of Davis and the Confederacy, which just made me madder and madder in the last portion of the book. Davis lived to be a VERY old man, ultimately receiving the adulation of Southerners as the exemplar of the Lost Cause. And good grief...in a lot of ways (IMHO) the Lost Cause is one of the root causes of the mess of modern American politics. So cue gnashing of teeth trying to read the last chapter in particular.
What bugged me, ultimately, was the entirely sympathetic treatment of Davis and the Confederacy, which just made me madder and madder in the last portion of the book. Davis lived to be a VERY old man, ultimately receiving the adulation of Southerners as the exemplar of the Lost Cause. And good grief...in a lot of ways (IMHO) the Lost Cause is one of the root causes of the mess of modern American politics. So cue gnashing of teeth trying to read the last chapter in particular.
July 28, 2013
It's a clever idea to link the hunt for Jefferson Davis with the Lincoln funeral procession, and Swanson pulls it off. There are some interesting biases that come through. He dislikes Mary Todd Lincoln to the point of being contradictory. At one point he criticizes both her and Robert Lincoln for failing to bring Tad to his father's deathbed, but six or seven pages he records the first lady as calling for her younger son's presence. I also think he tends to idealize Jefferson Davis out of all proportion to the man's actual talents, and there is an unfortunate tendency on Swanson's part to make the Lost Cause a lot more romantic proposition than it actually was for, say, black citizens of the South. There are also quite a few scenic side trips along the way with minor characters. But generally, the book holds interest, although the pictures scattered through it are so fascinating and so well-chosen that the reader can only wish for more.
October 5, 2022
A hard review to write, I enjoyed so much of the book, but a lot of it was droning filler that could have been left out. I cannot go higher than 3 stars with this one.
The book tells the story of Lincoln's last days as the Civil War is finally coming to an end, and carries through with his assassination and the cross country funeral train, that carried Lincoln to his final resting place in Springfield, Illinois.
The book also tells the story of Jefferson Davis' last days as President of the Confederacy and his race across the South to avoid capture by the Union Army.
Both stories grabbed my interest, until the half-way point it was looking like a 4 star read. from this point on the author got very long-winded and the book was in desperate need of editing.
I did learn a lot about Lincoln and Davis and there are "fun facts" through-out the stories that kept me interested. It was all the droning that reduced to this read to 3 stars.
The book tells the story of Lincoln's last days as the Civil War is finally coming to an end, and carries through with his assassination and the cross country funeral train, that carried Lincoln to his final resting place in Springfield, Illinois.
The book also tells the story of Jefferson Davis' last days as President of the Confederacy and his race across the South to avoid capture by the Union Army.
Both stories grabbed my interest, until the half-way point it was looking like a 4 star read. from this point on the author got very long-winded and the book was in desperate need of editing.
I did learn a lot about Lincoln and Davis and there are "fun facts" through-out the stories that kept me interested. It was all the droning that reduced to this read to 3 stars.
July 30, 2021
Not as good as Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer, but still an exceptional read. Richard Thomas is an excellent narrator and truly brings to life those last days of Lincoln's life and Jefferson Davis' run from the authorities after the fall of the confederacy. He also does an excellent job of making the reader think about what life was like for the wives of these men [especially Varina Davis, as little is actually written about her that I know of] and what they dealt with as they loved and supported these men on either side of the war and country.
Very well-written and researched, it is a good addition to Manhunt and if you enjoyed that book, you will not be sorry to dive right into this one as well.
Very well-written and researched, it is a good addition to Manhunt and if you enjoyed that book, you will not be sorry to dive right into this one as well.
October 11, 2011
This review originally appeared in the International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Magazine (www.iccfa.com)
The 150th anniversary of the Civil War is upon us, and the tide of publications and commemorations is rising fast. Since the Civil War essentially kicked off the modern funeral industry, this increasing interest offers many relevant books for us. Award-winning author James Swanson’s previous volume was a gripping account of the escape and capture of John Wilkes Booth. His new book BLOODY CRIMES focuses on the parallel destinies of the two Civil War presidents.
Abraham Lincoln, as we all know, was assassinated in April 1865. His embalmed body was shipped on a circuitous train trip back to Springfield, IL for burial. The stupendous civic grief and public mourning as the funeral train passed through the countryside is amazing to read. Michael Jackson’s funeral doesn’t hold a candle to this – the chinoiserie arches, the Victorian floral tributes, the hours-long orations, the passionate grief. Consider this period account from the Philadelphia stop:
"On the old Independence bell, and near the head of the coffin, rested a large and beautifully made floral anchor, composed of the choicest japonicas and exotics... Eighteen candelabras and 108 burning wax tapers. Between this flood of light ... were vases of japonicas, heliotropes, and other rare flowers. A delicious perfume stole through every part of the hall, which, added to the soft yet brilliant light of the wax tapers, the elegant uniforms of the officers on duty, etc., constituted a scene of solemn magnificence..."
There are thrilling images of the commemorations, including a reproduction of the only photograph of Lincoln’s actual coffin. And your heart will bleed for the valiant team of embalmers who traveled on the train, combating summer heat and humidity, primitive preservation practices, and hysterical women who wanted to open the coffin and kiss the Great Emancipator’s hands or face.
Meanwhile, after Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America, fled south through Dixie until he was captured by Union troops. He narrowly escaped being tried for treason and involvement in Lincoln’s assassination, and went on to live a quiet life until his death in New Orleans in 1889. Embalmed, he was shipped on a similar railway journey to burial in Richmond, VA. Enormous crowds turned out along the route to see him off, a Southern echo of the commemorations for Lincoln.
The inevitable impression you get from reading this book is that, however different their destinies in life and reputations in history, the two Presidents were alike in death, the great leveler of us all. And funerals really do comfort the bereaved – the spontaneous demonstrations for both men prove it. This book is not to be missed if you are a Civil War maven, or if you are interested in period funeral practices.
The 150th anniversary of the Civil War is upon us, and the tide of publications and commemorations is rising fast. Since the Civil War essentially kicked off the modern funeral industry, this increasing interest offers many relevant books for us. Award-winning author James Swanson’s previous volume was a gripping account of the escape and capture of John Wilkes Booth. His new book BLOODY CRIMES focuses on the parallel destinies of the two Civil War presidents.
Abraham Lincoln, as we all know, was assassinated in April 1865. His embalmed body was shipped on a circuitous train trip back to Springfield, IL for burial. The stupendous civic grief and public mourning as the funeral train passed through the countryside is amazing to read. Michael Jackson’s funeral doesn’t hold a candle to this – the chinoiserie arches, the Victorian floral tributes, the hours-long orations, the passionate grief. Consider this period account from the Philadelphia stop:
"On the old Independence bell, and near the head of the coffin, rested a large and beautifully made floral anchor, composed of the choicest japonicas and exotics... Eighteen candelabras and 108 burning wax tapers. Between this flood of light ... were vases of japonicas, heliotropes, and other rare flowers. A delicious perfume stole through every part of the hall, which, added to the soft yet brilliant light of the wax tapers, the elegant uniforms of the officers on duty, etc., constituted a scene of solemn magnificence..."
There are thrilling images of the commemorations, including a reproduction of the only photograph of Lincoln’s actual coffin. And your heart will bleed for the valiant team of embalmers who traveled on the train, combating summer heat and humidity, primitive preservation practices, and hysterical women who wanted to open the coffin and kiss the Great Emancipator’s hands or face.
Meanwhile, after Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America, fled south through Dixie until he was captured by Union troops. He narrowly escaped being tried for treason and involvement in Lincoln’s assassination, and went on to live a quiet life until his death in New Orleans in 1889. Embalmed, he was shipped on a similar railway journey to burial in Richmond, VA. Enormous crowds turned out along the route to see him off, a Southern echo of the commemorations for Lincoln.
The inevitable impression you get from reading this book is that, however different their destinies in life and reputations in history, the two Presidents were alike in death, the great leveler of us all. And funerals really do comfort the bereaved – the spontaneous demonstrations for both men prove it. This book is not to be missed if you are a Civil War maven, or if you are interested in period funeral practices.
April 11, 2020
Another book that took me years to read, but now, due to the Pandemic I am catching up. I enjoyed Swanson’s 1st book about the manhunt for John Wilkes Booth. It was written as a thriller and kept me riveted to my seat. This book was more of a historical book, which I enjoyed, but I missed the thriller aspect to it.
Again another piece of history I was vaguely aware of, the Lincoln Funeral Train, and the hunt for Jefferson Davis. To be fair I knew next to nothing of Jefferson Davis, Swanson opened some doors into him, but there in lies an issue I have with the book. I know history is written by the winners, but the way Swanson wrote about Davis, was he was more beloved then Lincoln, even when they were both alive, I also found that this person, president of the Confederacy, who declared war against the North, who owned slaves, who turned the other cheek when North POWs were tortured and treated badly in Andersonville, after Davis was captured uproar occurred when he was manacled, he was a prisoner! Jail is not a hotel room, you committed a crime, then the uproar forced him to be moved to nicer digs, again ridiculous, I guarantee if the North lost the South would scream for a Lincoln’s death, in the end Davis was a freeman after only three years of incarceration, the North was trying to appease the south to keep them together, instead they created a monster that still exists today that has helped put us into the situation we are in. Whiny bitchy people complaining about the loss of their history. YOU LOST THE WAR, I guarantee you would dismantle northern monuments if you won, hypocrites.
Maybe current events are coloring my analytical historical thinking, but the loss of a star in my review is how Swanson appears to write Davis and describe his time after the war as being in awe of him and feeling as if he was better than Lincoln. We won’t know what Lincoln’s history would have been because he was killed by a confederate sympathizer, where Davis got away with not even being charged with treason which he did, he got to live on for 30 plus years longer than Lincoln and became a beacon of love for the south. So much so that Davis death mirrored Lincoln’s with a funeral train through the South with the same outpouring of sympathy as the north felt for Lincoln.
To be fair, Swanson does state that after 1923 when the Lincoln memorial was finished, Davis has disappeared into obscurity for most history. Hence me not knowing much about him. Everything Swanson wrote may be true in historical context, but the fact remains Davis was a traitor and he got away with it, even having northern people respecting him as well. It’s well written, an aspect of history I was not aware of, but perhaps current events have colored my view on things.
Again another piece of history I was vaguely aware of, the Lincoln Funeral Train, and the hunt for Jefferson Davis. To be fair I knew next to nothing of Jefferson Davis, Swanson opened some doors into him, but there in lies an issue I have with the book. I know history is written by the winners, but the way Swanson wrote about Davis, was he was more beloved then Lincoln, even when they were both alive, I also found that this person, president of the Confederacy, who declared war against the North, who owned slaves, who turned the other cheek when North POWs were tortured and treated badly in Andersonville, after Davis was captured uproar occurred when he was manacled, he was a prisoner! Jail is not a hotel room, you committed a crime, then the uproar forced him to be moved to nicer digs, again ridiculous, I guarantee if the North lost the South would scream for a Lincoln’s death, in the end Davis was a freeman after only three years of incarceration, the North was trying to appease the south to keep them together, instead they created a monster that still exists today that has helped put us into the situation we are in. Whiny bitchy people complaining about the loss of their history. YOU LOST THE WAR, I guarantee you would dismantle northern monuments if you won, hypocrites.
Maybe current events are coloring my analytical historical thinking, but the loss of a star in my review is how Swanson appears to write Davis and describe his time after the war as being in awe of him and feeling as if he was better than Lincoln. We won’t know what Lincoln’s history would have been because he was killed by a confederate sympathizer, where Davis got away with not even being charged with treason which he did, he got to live on for 30 plus years longer than Lincoln and became a beacon of love for the south. So much so that Davis death mirrored Lincoln’s with a funeral train through the South with the same outpouring of sympathy as the north felt for Lincoln.
To be fair, Swanson does state that after 1923 when the Lincoln memorial was finished, Davis has disappeared into obscurity for most history. Hence me not knowing much about him. Everything Swanson wrote may be true in historical context, but the fact remains Davis was a traitor and he got away with it, even having northern people respecting him as well. It’s well written, an aspect of history I was not aware of, but perhaps current events have colored my view on things.
February 2, 2011
"Bloody Crimes" is a folow-up to Swanson's highly successful, "Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer."
This book is quite unique in its telling of the events surrounding the death of Abraham Lincoln and his funeral and the chase to find Jefferson Davis.
The book starts with the assassination of Lincoln and then parallels the chase for Davis, and the transporting of Lincoln's body from Washington to Springfield, Illinois.
Swanson highlights the funeral train carrying Lincoln's body, the towns that the train went through, and the reception received at every stop. The reader will be amazed at the preparations made for the trip and the pageantry that was put together to honor the assassinated President.
The other side of the story is the evacution of the Confederat Capitol by Jefferson Davis and his attempt to continue the fight from another location. Jefferson is totally dedicated to the southern cause and it's people. He is continually advised to give up the fight and flee to a foreign country. He resists fleeing until the last moment but finds that he has waited too long and is captured.
The culmination for Lincoln is his internment in Springfield, Illinois. The story of Jefferson Davis continues as he released from prison and finds that he may be more revered now than when he was Presidnet of the Confederacy.
"Bloody Crimes" tells the story of two men whose lives converged on both matters of principles and beliefs. This book can be enjoyed regardless of whether you enjoy history or not, or whether you espoused the cause of the North or the South.
This book is quite unique in its telling of the events surrounding the death of Abraham Lincoln and his funeral and the chase to find Jefferson Davis.
The book starts with the assassination of Lincoln and then parallels the chase for Davis, and the transporting of Lincoln's body from Washington to Springfield, Illinois.
Swanson highlights the funeral train carrying Lincoln's body, the towns that the train went through, and the reception received at every stop. The reader will be amazed at the preparations made for the trip and the pageantry that was put together to honor the assassinated President.
The other side of the story is the evacution of the Confederat Capitol by Jefferson Davis and his attempt to continue the fight from another location. Jefferson is totally dedicated to the southern cause and it's people. He is continually advised to give up the fight and flee to a foreign country. He resists fleeing until the last moment but finds that he has waited too long and is captured.
The culmination for Lincoln is his internment in Springfield, Illinois. The story of Jefferson Davis continues as he released from prison and finds that he may be more revered now than when he was Presidnet of the Confederacy.
"Bloody Crimes" tells the story of two men whose lives converged on both matters of principles and beliefs. This book can be enjoyed regardless of whether you enjoy history or not, or whether you espoused the cause of the North or the South.
June 25, 2013
Bloody Times: The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln and the Manhunt for Jefferson Davis tracks in a narrative timeline the events leading up to and beyond one of the nation's most memorable and tragic times in American History, that is the assassination of an American hero, Abraham Lincoln and the subsequent manhunt for of the president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis.
While most of us know quite a bit about the demeanor and leadership of Lincoln, few of us know about the man behind the legend of Davis. Each strongly and fiercely believed in their ethics and treaties, yet, nonetheless, they were shaped by events that had little to do with their own doing. However, each was strongly attached to their convictions and these ideas contributed to the legacy. The book also introduces us to key figures that surrounded these two men in the Spring of 1865. Additionally, it gives us a glimpse into the heritage they each carried as years and decades moved on.
A great historical perspective for the young history buff. Includes an Epilogue, Note to the Reader, a Who's Who, Glossary, Additional Reading, and Places to Visit List.
While most of us know quite a bit about the demeanor and leadership of Lincoln, few of us know about the man behind the legend of Davis. Each strongly and fiercely believed in their ethics and treaties, yet, nonetheless, they were shaped by events that had little to do with their own doing. However, each was strongly attached to their convictions and these ideas contributed to the legacy. The book also introduces us to key figures that surrounded these two men in the Spring of 1865. Additionally, it gives us a glimpse into the heritage they each carried as years and decades moved on.
A great historical perspective for the young history buff. Includes an Epilogue, Note to the Reader, a Who's Who, Glossary, Additional Reading, and Places to Visit List.
June 3, 2017
This book is a study of the President of the Union and the President of the Confederacy during the last days before Lincoln was killed and the days afterwards. The side by side account of both these Presidents was a fascinating angle of the book and one which I appreciated. There were many moments that I thought the juxtaposition was quite fascinating.
I didn’t know much about Jefferson Davis before this book so I suppose this work gives me a little window into the man and his motivation. I thought the author did a good job of showing Jefferson as a human being rather than totally demonizes him which in today’s society can be easily done (and has done). No one is a two dimensional caricature. I was surprised reading this book how determined Jefferson Davis was up to the last days of the Confederacy to see that the Confederate Cause triumphant. At the same time I must also say he was somewhat delusional. The author narrates in such a way that he makes history become alive and there were moments I had to stop and thought to myself “wow, this really happened.”
The moving portion of the book for me are the details of the trip of Lincoln’s body traveling across the country to his final resting place. It was the biggest national tragedy at that time in the nation’s history and one in which the nations shared together. I was very moved. In a time when so many soldiers died in the front without having their bodies brought back home or the whereabouts are unknown with soldiers officially “missing,” the mourning of Lincoln really was a national collective mourning of the Civil War. This is probably the reason why so many American towns and cities wanted Lincoln’s body to make a train stop in their area, which the book describes in details the incredible detour that Lincoln’s body and his accompanying political and military escorts took. All told Lincoln’s funeral trip went through four hundred plus communities over seven states. The details told by the author makes you feel like you were a witness to history. Most readers will probably find the reading emotional too and while the events in the book took place over a hundred fifty years ago the mourning of a nation over the death of fathers, sons and brothers killed in combat is surprisingly a suffering that American families are still familiar today which sadly too many can relate to with the story of the coming home of Lincoln’s remains to his final resting place.
I didn’t know much about Jefferson Davis before this book so I suppose this work gives me a little window into the man and his motivation. I thought the author did a good job of showing Jefferson as a human being rather than totally demonizes him which in today’s society can be easily done (and has done). No one is a two dimensional caricature. I was surprised reading this book how determined Jefferson Davis was up to the last days of the Confederacy to see that the Confederate Cause triumphant. At the same time I must also say he was somewhat delusional. The author narrates in such a way that he makes history become alive and there were moments I had to stop and thought to myself “wow, this really happened.”
The moving portion of the book for me are the details of the trip of Lincoln’s body traveling across the country to his final resting place. It was the biggest national tragedy at that time in the nation’s history and one in which the nations shared together. I was very moved. In a time when so many soldiers died in the front without having their bodies brought back home or the whereabouts are unknown with soldiers officially “missing,” the mourning of Lincoln really was a national collective mourning of the Civil War. This is probably the reason why so many American towns and cities wanted Lincoln’s body to make a train stop in their area, which the book describes in details the incredible detour that Lincoln’s body and his accompanying political and military escorts took. All told Lincoln’s funeral trip went through four hundred plus communities over seven states. The details told by the author makes you feel like you were a witness to history. Most readers will probably find the reading emotional too and while the events in the book took place over a hundred fifty years ago the mourning of a nation over the death of fathers, sons and brothers killed in combat is surprisingly a suffering that American families are still familiar today which sadly too many can relate to with the story of the coming home of Lincoln’s remains to his final resting place.
March 13, 2020
There were some interesting things about this, but it was neither fish nor fowl. Very detailed description of Lincoln's demise, wake, train journey and internment. Many excerpts from original source material. Having a side by side description of Davis and Lincoln's final days really didn't enhance either story for me. If you read everything about this time period it does add some details.
August 1, 2024
I enjoy a good history novel and this one compared Lincoln and Davis. I didn’t know some of it and think that makes it worth a read.
March 28, 2011
Unlike many books covering the events of April 14, 1865, this book's main focus isn't on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, except to tell about the event itself, as much as it describes what happened from the moment Lincoln was shot until he was laid in his grave. There are dozens of excellent books out there if one wants to read about the assassination of Lincoln and its conspirators but this book is for those who want to read about the pageantry and spectacle of his funeral and transport to Illinois. The descriptions are vivid and detailed and the reader gets to know exactly how wrapped up the Union was with their grief. In addition to descriptions of Lincoln's funeral we're also given the stories behind other deaths that occurred during the Civil War, including the deaths of both Lincoln's son and Jefferson Davis' son and the reader is given an idea of how death was viewed during and immediately after the Civil War and how displays of mourning and grief were important to the American people.
At the same time the book deals with the escape, capture and imprisonment of Jefferson Davis. Most who know anything at all about the Civil War know who Jeff Davis was but many have no idea about his accomplishments before secession from the Union and his life after the Civil War. The author gives a sympathetic view of Davis, going into detail about his life before he was president of the Confederacy and after Davis' capture and during his imprisonment we are given the picture of Davis being more a victim of circumstance than reaping the consequences of his actions as the Confederate president. After Reconstruction Davis wrote his memoirs and went on a speaking tour of the South and became an even more sympathetic and admired character in the former Confederacy and the book captures how he once again became a beloved figure.
Now that we are nearly at the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War as a nation we view Abraham Lincoln as a near saint and Jefferson Davis is little known or is thought of as a pariah. The epilogue of the book gives us much to consider when we think of how we want to record and present history to following generations. It's okay to talk of how great Lincoln was. It's considered borderline racist if you mention that Davis also had greatness in him, even if what you're mentioning was an event before the Civil War. It's a bit like saying "Hey, Hitler has his good points too. He did start the Autobahn system, after all!". Museums dedicated to preserving Confederate history are viewed with disdain in many circles with some viewing it akin to having a museum dedicated to the Stalinist era or the Third Reich. Remembering the Confederacy and the Union from the viewpoints of those who sympathized with either side has its place in recording history for future generations, not as a way of condoning those viewpoints but as a way of gaining insight as to why people thought the way they did.
In all, it's a well written, enjoyable book for those who are Civil War enthusiasts or fans of Lincoln or Davis. When you're ready to go beyond the oft-told stories of the end of the war, I'd recommend Bloody Crimes as a good place to start.
At the same time the book deals with the escape, capture and imprisonment of Jefferson Davis. Most who know anything at all about the Civil War know who Jeff Davis was but many have no idea about his accomplishments before secession from the Union and his life after the Civil War. The author gives a sympathetic view of Davis, going into detail about his life before he was president of the Confederacy and after Davis' capture and during his imprisonment we are given the picture of Davis being more a victim of circumstance than reaping the consequences of his actions as the Confederate president. After Reconstruction Davis wrote his memoirs and went on a speaking tour of the South and became an even more sympathetic and admired character in the former Confederacy and the book captures how he once again became a beloved figure.
Now that we are nearly at the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War as a nation we view Abraham Lincoln as a near saint and Jefferson Davis is little known or is thought of as a pariah. The epilogue of the book gives us much to consider when we think of how we want to record and present history to following generations. It's okay to talk of how great Lincoln was. It's considered borderline racist if you mention that Davis also had greatness in him, even if what you're mentioning was an event before the Civil War. It's a bit like saying "Hey, Hitler has his good points too. He did start the Autobahn system, after all!". Museums dedicated to preserving Confederate history are viewed with disdain in many circles with some viewing it akin to having a museum dedicated to the Stalinist era or the Third Reich. Remembering the Confederacy and the Union from the viewpoints of those who sympathized with either side has its place in recording history for future generations, not as a way of condoning those viewpoints but as a way of gaining insight as to why people thought the way they did.
In all, it's a well written, enjoyable book for those who are Civil War enthusiasts or fans of Lincoln or Davis. When you're ready to go beyond the oft-told stories of the end of the war, I'd recommend Bloody Crimes as a good place to start.
January 19, 2016
One of the issues with being a history nut (besides the fact that people tell you to get a better hobby, have you tried knitting?) is that you end up covering the same ground a lot. Normally that’s pretty interesting; I’ve read way too many books about the Roosevelts, but I’m able to glean something new from each new book. Unfortunately, sometimes you read a history book that’s decent, but it doesn’t really give you something new. Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln’s Corpse is an okay book, handicapped by the fact that there are so many better Civil War/Lincoln/Davies books elsewhere.
In April 1865, the Civil War was basically over. Confederate President Jefferson Davies, on the advice of Robert E. Lee, boarded the train and fled Richmond, trying to evade the Union soldiers. His friends and colleagues advised him to try to get to Mexico. Two weeks later, while at a performance of “Our American Cousin”, John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln. James Swanson’s book is about these two presidents-one dead and one whose cause had died-and their long roads home.
After Lincoln died, his embalmed corpse took the two week train ride back to Illinois. Millions of Americans clamored to get a glimpse of their president, already becoming a saint in the eyes of many. The journey-one part patriotism, one part macabre- was unprecedented in our history.
Davies didn’t hear that Lincoln had died, didn’t hear that most people assumed he was involved, and didn’t know the about massive bounty (about $2 million today) on his head. Rather than run to Mexico, he inexplicably dawdled, hoping perhaps that there was still a chance to win the war. His sluggishness would cost him and he was arrested in Georgia by the men of the 4th Michigan and 1st Wisconsin cavalry regiments (he was not-as the myth says-dressed up as a woman, hoping to evade capture). Davies spent two years in captivity, as bloodthirsty editorialists and angry veterans called for him to hang.
This was not a great book. Even though the subject matter was interesting, I was never really engaged. Not to mention, Swanson seemed to have made up his mind about the subjects before actually writing the book. His hatred for Mary Todd Lincoln is unfathomable. Not that she was awesome, but according to this author every action she undertook was crazy/wrong/selfish. More concerning was his attempt to sanctify Jefferson Davies as a man who fought until the end to keep Southern ideals alive, not as someone who didn’t understand when he had lost. He goes on and one about how disrespectful soldiers were to poor ol’ Jefferson, without acknowledging that throughout history he was probably one of the few leaders allowed to live out the rest of his life, dying in his home at age 81. And for a Civil War book, Swanson seemed to keep a light hand on the whole “slavery” thing. While I was reading, I couldn’t help think of the superior Civil War books I’ve read. So here’s my review: skip Bloody Crimes. Pick up Team of Rivals again instead.
In April 1865, the Civil War was basically over. Confederate President Jefferson Davies, on the advice of Robert E. Lee, boarded the train and fled Richmond, trying to evade the Union soldiers. His friends and colleagues advised him to try to get to Mexico. Two weeks later, while at a performance of “Our American Cousin”, John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln. James Swanson’s book is about these two presidents-one dead and one whose cause had died-and their long roads home.
After Lincoln died, his embalmed corpse took the two week train ride back to Illinois. Millions of Americans clamored to get a glimpse of their president, already becoming a saint in the eyes of many. The journey-one part patriotism, one part macabre- was unprecedented in our history.
Davies didn’t hear that Lincoln had died, didn’t hear that most people assumed he was involved, and didn’t know the about massive bounty (about $2 million today) on his head. Rather than run to Mexico, he inexplicably dawdled, hoping perhaps that there was still a chance to win the war. His sluggishness would cost him and he was arrested in Georgia by the men of the 4th Michigan and 1st Wisconsin cavalry regiments (he was not-as the myth says-dressed up as a woman, hoping to evade capture). Davies spent two years in captivity, as bloodthirsty editorialists and angry veterans called for him to hang.
This was not a great book. Even though the subject matter was interesting, I was never really engaged. Not to mention, Swanson seemed to have made up his mind about the subjects before actually writing the book. His hatred for Mary Todd Lincoln is unfathomable. Not that she was awesome, but according to this author every action she undertook was crazy/wrong/selfish. More concerning was his attempt to sanctify Jefferson Davies as a man who fought until the end to keep Southern ideals alive, not as someone who didn’t understand when he had lost. He goes on and one about how disrespectful soldiers were to poor ol’ Jefferson, without acknowledging that throughout history he was probably one of the few leaders allowed to live out the rest of his life, dying in his home at age 81. And for a Civil War book, Swanson seemed to keep a light hand on the whole “slavery” thing. While I was reading, I couldn’t help think of the superior Civil War books I’ve read. So here’s my review: skip Bloody Crimes. Pick up Team of Rivals again instead.
August 9, 2023
This book had some of my favorite things: Lincoln and death.
Learning more about Jefferson Davis was an added bonus.
Learning more about Jefferson Davis was an added bonus.
November 27, 2018
Great young reader's version of an influential historic event. Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederate Army, lead parallel lives as the Civil War comes to an end. This book is full on very interesting facts with a great balance of quotes, pictures and narrative of these historic events. The assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his family, his funeral train are all described in explicit detail. Coincides the final surrender of Robert E. Lee in Richmond Virginia that forces Jefferson Davis to flee with his treasure further south. Through letters written by his wife Varina and observations we learn about Jefferson's continued efforts to support "the cause." Abraham Lincoln clearly outshines Jefferson Davis as time passes. He is re known on coins, memorials, and stories galore. Jefferson Davis is kind of known as the president caught trying to escape wearing women's clothing. The most impressive piece of this text is the 18 day journey that Abraham Lincoln's body took after his death. The outpouring of love and support across the nation from Washington to Springfield, Illinois was amazing. The back of the book includes many important facts, vocabulary and persons of interest. Very readable for middle school students.
January 27, 2016
The book "Bloody Times" by James L.Swanson is a good read, worthy of 3/5 stars. This book is about the story of Abraham Lincoln's death, and what happened before, after, and at the time. The book highlights background areas of the situation such as how and why Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, and areas about Jefferson Davis, hiding during his search. (similar to the book "The President Has Been Shot", reflecting the assassination of president Kennedy.)
I liked this book because I feel that I learned a lot from it, especially how it presented such an important time in history in an entertaining way. More specifically, I liked how it showed the certain plans that the assassination was operated with, and things, items, artifacts, or pictures as detailed as a layout of the theater Lincoln was in, or the play being shown at the time. This helped me interpret the information in a way that I wouldn't forget, and how it helped me visualized the event.
However, the book seemed as if it was lacking the information about certain things, such as more specifics of Lincoln"s life before, or how the world was impacted after.
I liked this book because I feel that I learned a lot from it, especially how it presented such an important time in history in an entertaining way. More specifically, I liked how it showed the certain plans that the assassination was operated with, and things, items, artifacts, or pictures as detailed as a layout of the theater Lincoln was in, or the play being shown at the time. This helped me interpret the information in a way that I wouldn't forget, and how it helped me visualized the event.
However, the book seemed as if it was lacking the information about certain things, such as more specifics of Lincoln"s life before, or how the world was impacted after.
December 22, 2010
Not as engaging as Manhunt; a lot of the urgency from that book is missing. It obviously isn't there in the parts about Lincoln's journey back to Illinois, but it isn't there in the parts about Jefferson Davis's flight, either. It seems like Swanson might have some ambivalence toward Davis. Swanson clearly isn't ambivalent about Mary Lincoln; he does not like her, and the bias shines through clearly every time she comes up in the story. (Fortunately, because she was in seclusion for this period, she doesn't come up often. Yet Swanson seems to know for a fact that she was WRONG for not allowing Tad to be on the train. I'm not sure how I feel about Mary Lincoln, but I can say that she has more layers than Swanson is willing to give her credit for.)
Overall, not a bad read. I learned some details in the section on Lincoln, but not much--mostly just a few interesting stories that Swanson dug up but aren't particularly vital to the overall story. The information about Davis was pretty much all new, if only because I knew nothing before.
Overall, not a bad read. I learned some details in the section on Lincoln, but not much--mostly just a few interesting stories that Swanson dug up but aren't particularly vital to the overall story. The information about Davis was pretty much all new, if only because I knew nothing before.
September 24, 2019
After the Civil War the Union is triumphant in victory and the Confederate is struggling due to loss . 5 days later that all changes. One man caused a tragedy As time progresses the union starts to suspected that the leader of the confederate had something to the tragedy. The suspection leads them on a wild goose chase that the man fleeing had no idea about. Who will really come out triumphant. Only time will tell
January 14, 2014
Fascinating read, although not quite as gripping as "Manhunt." Could have done with a bit less editorializing, too. But overall a good read and interesting account of Jefferson Davis, whom I had not really read much about before. Well worth the read.
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