Did John Wilkes Booth truly meet his end at Garrett’s Farm, or is there more to the story than meets the eye? This article continues the exploration of events following Booth's assassination of President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theatre. Previous discussions focused on the experiences of those present during the tragic event; you can find that article here.

Most individuals familiar with American history believe that Booth died on April 26, 1865, at Garrett's Farm in Port Royal, Virginia. However, various conspiracy theories have emerged over the years, suggesting that the person who perished was not Booth himself.

In a bid to evade Union soldiers, Booth and his accomplice, David Herold—who had initially been tasked with assassinating Vice President Andrew Johnson—posed as former Confederate soldiers and sought refuge with the Garrett family. The family, suspicious of their identities, directed them to stay in the tobacco barn situated on their property.

When Union troops pressured the Garretts to reveal the fugitives' whereabouts, they surrounded the barn. Lt. Luther Baker, a detective, threatened to set the barn ablaze to flush them out. Fearing for his life, David surrendered, claiming that the man inside was not Booth. However, Booth remained steadfast inside the barn. Detective Everton J. Conger ignited the barn, and the soldiers observed Booth armed with a carbine and propped up on a crutch through the gaps. Their orders were to capture Booth alive, yet a fervent soldier named Boston Corbett, who later inflicted harm upon himself due to guilt, shot Booth through the barn wall. Corbett claimed he intended to incapacitate Booth, but the bullet struck him in the neck instead.

The soldiers extracted the gravely wounded Booth and placed him on the farmhouse porch, where he succumbed to