New Book Release

 The book contains the historical background of Booth’s capture, death, identifications, and 1869 burial in Green Mount Cemetery; the 1907 Bates book that was the justification for the petition to exhume; the 1995 exhumation trial with the testimony of sixteen witnesses; critical analysis of the Bates book and the author’s motives for writing a Lost Cause and false narrative; and current developments including use of modern DNA techniques for identifications. There is an Appendix that contains portions of the trial record – testimony, exhibits, court decisions – for history scholars, devoted historians, attorneys, anthropologists, and others for whom the legal and historical claims and precise testimony are important. 

Acknowledgments 

No person is an island when writing a book. Without the contributions from the people listed below, this book would not have happened. 

Encouragement, advice, assistance from Harwood “Nick” Nichols, Warren Howe, Dan Howe, Ron Smith, Julia Felscher, Ginny Corson, Dennis Headings, Reed Hutner, Kathy Hutner, Mark Squeo, George Johnston, Alice Gamse, Anne Delaro, Karen McDonough, Kate Morrison, Terry Alford, William Trimble, David Williams, Alison Gorman, Greg Gorman, Eileen Gorman, Mary Gorman, Tim Gorman, Dennis McGlone, Jim Buckley, Chris Buckley, Tim Gorman, Jr., Zohar Gorman, Kathy Martone, Richard Nasca, Mark Pohl, and Henry Hopkins. 

Assistance with research at various academic and history organizations by Ted Jackson at Georgetown University Lauinger Library E. H. Swaim Papers; Dominique Daniel and Shirley Paquette at Oakland University Frederick L Black Collection; Carla Lillvik at Harvard University Gutman Library Historical Textbook Collection; Rhiannon O’Neil at the James O. Hall Research Center at the Surratt House Museum; staff at the Library of Congress and the National Archives. Assistance with research at local and state libraries in Mississippi and Tennessee by Cody Daniel at Corinth MS Public Library; Lee County Library in Tupelo MS; Fran Robinson at Percy Library in Washington County MS; H. Ben Nelken at the Greenville Museums; Bob Franks, Librarian of the Itawamba Historical Society; staff at the Itawamba Public Library; staff at First Regional Library in De Soto County MS; Gina Cordell and Verjeana Hunt at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in Memphis TN; Trent Hanner, Kevin Cason, and Evanna Derkach at the Tennessee State Library & Archives in Nashville. 

Thorough Tennessee research by Craig Petersen; knowledge of DNA from Greg Gorman; excellent and rigorous editing by Rebecca Shaw; publishing process advice from Stan Haynes. Reading draft manuscripts 243244 Confronting Bad History by Nick Nichols, Warren Howe, Mark Squeo, Dan Kennedy, Alison Gorman, Pat Gorman, Mary Catharine Winter, John Gorman; Kimberly Martin at Jera Publishing; Dee Marley at White Rabbitt Arts; Dave Taylor of LincolnConspirators.com .

And most important, the sustained love (and book assistance) of my wife of many years, Pat, and of our family, Greg, Alison, and Eileen, and ten grandchildren.