Michael O'Laughlen, Jr. (pronounced ''Oh-Lock-Lun''; June 3, 1840 – September 23, 1867) was an American

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

soldier and conspirator in

John Wilkes Booth John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838 – April 26, 1865) was an American stage actor who assassinated United States President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. A member of the prominent 19th-century Booth ...

's plot to kidnap U.S. President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

, and later in the latter's assassination, though he did not take part in it. His last name was often misspelled by the press and others as O'Laughlin.

Early life

O'Laughlen was born in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

. He was one of

's earliest friends as the Booth family lived across the street from the O'Laughlens. O'Laughlen learned the trade of manufacturing ornamental plaster work. He also learned the art of engraving. At the start of the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

O'Laughlen joined the Confederate Army, but was discharged in June 1862. He returned to Baltimore and joined his brother in the feed and produce business.

Conspiracy

Michael O'Laughlen was one of Booth's earliest recruits. In the fall of 1864 O'Laughlen agreed to become a co-conspirator in the plot to kidnap

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

. He began spending time in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

with Booth picking up his expenses. On the night of March 15, 1865, O'Laughlen met with Booth and other conspirators at Gautier's Restaurant on

Pennsylvania Avenue Pennsylvania Avenue is a diagonal street in Washington, D.C., and Prince George's County, Maryland, that connects the White House and the United States Capitol and then crosses the city to Maryland. In Maryland it is also Maryland Route 4 (MD 4 ...

to discuss the possible abduction of the President. Basically, the plan was to abduct Lincoln and take him to Richmond, Virginia for the purpose of making the Union government exchange prisoners with the Confederacy. Booth learned that Lincoln was scheduled to attend a matinee performance of the play ''Still Waters Run Deep'' at the Campbell Hospital on the outskirts of Washington on March 17, 1865. Booth, O'Laughlen, and the other co-conspirators planned on intercepting the president's carriage. The group lay in wait along the road. Finally, a polished carriage came into view and the gang prepared itself. But the president had changed plans and the carriage was possibly that of Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase. Booth's attempt to kidnap Lincoln had failed. O'Laughlen returned to Baltimore. Late in March Booth proposed another kidnap plan. This time Lincoln was to be captured at

Ford's Theatre Ford's Theatre is a theater located in Washington, D.C., which opened in August 1863. The theater is infamous for being the site of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. On the night of April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth entered the theater bo ...

, handcuffed, and lowered by rope to the stage. Then the president would be taken to Richmond. However, Booth was not able to convince his co-conspirators that this plan was feasible. According to O'Laughlen, this was the end of his plotting with Booth. However, O'Laughlen did return to Washington the day before Lincoln's assassination. It is unclear whether this was due to the conspiracy or simply to spend time with friends in Washington. At the trial, there was conflicting testimony about O'Laughlen's movements on the day of the assassination. Whatever the case, O'Laughlen voluntarily surrendered on Monday, April 17, 1865. O'Laughlen was tried along with

Mary Surratt Mary Elizabeth Jenkins SurrattCashin, p. 287.Steers, 2010, p. 516. (1820 or May 1823 – July 7, 1865) was an American boarding house owner in Washington, D.C., who was convicted of taking part in the conspiracy which led to the assass ...

, Lewis Powell,

George Atzerodt George Andrew Atzerodt (June 12, 1835 – July 7, 1865) was a German American repairman, Confederate sympathizer, and conspirator with John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of US President Abraham Lincoln. He was assigned to assassinat ...

David Herold David Edgar Herold (June 16, 1842 – July 7, 1865) was an American pharmacist's assistant and accomplice of John Wilkes Booth in the assassination of Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. After the shooting, Herold accompanied Booth to the home of ...

, Samuel Arnold,

Edmund Spangler Edman "Ned" Spangler (August 10, 1825 – February 7, 1875), baptized Edmund Spangler, was an American carpenter and stagehand who was employed at Ford's Theatre at the time of President Abraham Lincoln's murder on April 14, 1865. He and ...

and

Samuel Mudd Samuel Alexander Mudd Sr. (December 20, 1833 – January 10, 1883) was an American physician who was imprisoned for conspiring with John Wilkes Booth concerning the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Mudd worked as a doctor and tobacco fa ...

. The government attempted to prove he had stalked

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

on the nights of April 13 and April 14 with the intent to kill and murder. This was not proven, but there was no doubt O'Laughlen was a willing conspirator through late March. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.

Prison

O'Laughlen was sent to Fort Jefferson in the

Dry Tortugas Dry Tortugas National Park is a national park located about west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. The park preserves Fort Jefferson and the seven Dry Tortugas islands, the westernmost and most isolated of the Florida Keys. The archipelago's c ...

with Spangler, Arnold, and Mudd. He died there of

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. ...

After death

On February 13, 1869, President Andrew Johnson ordered O'Laughlen's remains to be turned over to his mother. His body was then sent north to Baltimore. He was buried in Baltimore in

Green Mount Cemetery Green Mount Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Established on March 15, 1838, and dedicated on July 13, 1839, it is noted for the large number of historical figures interred in its grounds as well as man ...

. John Wilkes Booth and Samuel Arnold were also buried in the same cemetery.

In popular culture

He is a character in '' National Treasure: Book of Secrets'' played by

Brent Briscoe Brent Briscoe (May 21, 1961 – October 18, 2017) was an American character actor and screenwriter. Early life Briscoe was born in Moberly, Missouri. After completing his education at the University of Missouri, Briscoe launched his career as a ...

. Among the film's many historical inaccuracies, O'Laughlen is portrayed as a middle-aged man (he was actually 24 years old in April 1865), and a member of the

Knights of the Golden Circle The Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) was a secret society founded in 1854 by American George W. L. Bickley, the objective of which was to create a new country, known as the Golden Circle ( es, Círculo Dorado), where slavery would be legal. T ...

References

External links

Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Research SiteLincoln Assassination Conspirator - Michael O'Laughlen
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olaughlen, Michael 1840 births 1867 deaths 19th-century American politicians American people who died in prison custody American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment Burials at Green Mount Cemetery Confederate States Army soldiers Deaths from yellow fever Infectious disease deaths in Florida Lincoln assassination conspirators People of Maryland in the American Civil War Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by the United States federal government Prisoners who died in United States federal government detention