Chasing Lincoln’s Killer

by

James L. Swanson

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Vice President Andrew Johnson Character Analysis

The vice president to Lincoln. Wilke's plan called for George Atzerodt to assassinate him, but Atzerodt could not work up the courage to act and Johnson survived. He became president upon Lincoln's death. Though uncovered in the book, Johnson's presidency was largely a failure, marked by battles with Congress. He was the first president ever to be impeached, though the impeachment proceedings did not in the end produce enough votes to remove him from office.

Vice President Andrew Johnson Quotes in Chasing Lincoln’s Killer

The Chasing Lincoln’s Killer quotes below are all either spoken by Vice President Andrew Johnson or refer to Vice President Andrew Johnson. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
News, Information, and Misinformation Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4 Quotes

All Atzerodt had to do was knock on his door and the moment Johnson opened it, plunge the knife into his chest or shoot him dead. Compared with the challenges that faced Booth and Powell, Atzerodt had the easiest job of all. But that night, Johnson escaped death. Atzerodt could not do it. He drank in the hotel lobby, and the more he drank, the worse the plan sounded. He did not knock on Andrew Johnson's door. He left the bar and walked out. Abandoning his mission, Atzerodt got on his horse and rode away. He wasn't sure what to do next.

Page Number: 69
Explanation and Analysis:
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Vice President Andrew Johnson Character Timeline in Chasing Lincoln’s Killer

The timeline below shows where the character Vice President Andrew Johnson appears in Chasing Lincoln’s Killer. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
Planning, Conspiracy, and the Unexpected Theme Icon
Booth went to the Kirkwood House, the hotel where the new Vice President Andrew Johnson was staying, and left a letter with the desk clerk to be given to Johnson.... (full context)
Planning, Conspiracy, and the Unexpected Theme Icon
The Theatrical and The Real Theme Icon
Survival vs Principles Theme Icon
...14, 1865, Booth called on George Atzerodt and Lewis Powell to help him murder Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson , and Secretary of State William Seward. David Herold would accompany Lewis Powell to Seward’s... (full context)
Chapter 4
Planning, Conspiracy, and the Unexpected Theme Icon
...lobby, unable to work up the courage to follow through on the plan to murder Vice President Andrew Johnson , who was staying in a room a floor below Atzerodt’s. He left the bar... (full context)
Chapter 5
News, Information, and Misinformation Theme Icon
Planning, Conspiracy, and the Unexpected Theme Icon
...military guards be dispatched immediately to guard the homes of all other cabinet members and Vice President Johnson ’s hotel. (full context)
News, Information, and Misinformation Theme Icon
...launched a criminal investigation into the attack. He would take the lead in this, while Vice President Andrew Johnson hung back. Stanton heard witnesses from the Ford Theatre; they all testified to that the... (full context)
Chapter 6
Survival vs Principles Theme Icon
Vice President Andrew Johnson was sworn in without pomp and circumstance in his hotel room at the Kirkwood House... (full context)
Epilogue
Survival vs Principles Theme Icon
President Andrew Johnson released John Wilkes Booth’s body to his family in 1869. He was buried in a... (full context)